Occasionally, Shuster filled in for Chris Matthews on "Hardball", including an interview of former President Jimmy Carter. During the trial relating to the Plame affair, Shuster blogged for "Hardball" on "Hardblogger" about the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial and about other political matters. He also filled in for commentator Keith Olbermann on "Countdown". In August 2005, Shuster reported from the eye of Hurricane Katrina as it made landfall in Biloxi, Mississippi; His reports aired on MSNBC and "NBC Nightly News". He spent several weeks reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans.