Countdown Monday: Chesapique

Posted: Monday, February 11, 2008 8:59 PM by Countdown
Filed Under: Blogging the Countdown

Searching for John Edwards: Senator John Edwards is back in the race for president. Not literally, mind you... But -- in our fifth story on the Countdown -- with both of his former rivals now actively seeking his endorsement... What the North Carolina democrat decides could have a big impact in a primary that has become all about momentum.

The Audacity of Huck: It was an epic weekend that cheered not just his supporters, but the two political groups in this country who hate each other the most -- the far right, and the far left. But in our fourth story tonight: The math insists that unless he can repeat it tomorrow night in the three Chesapeake Bay primaries... it's a final for Mike Huckabee.

ODDBALL: The Strange Olympics and the french set a record for french kissing...or is it just kissing?

The Gates Keeper: In Iraq today, Defense Secretary Robert Gates rendered President Bush's national, televised, State of the Union address of two weeks ago... premature at best, prevarication at worst. In our third story tonight, Gates says that after the "Surge" troops leave in July... the reduction of American troops... will end... indefinitely... bringing us right back to where we started... 130-thousand Americans in harm's way.

Tabby Time! We begin tonight's segment on celebrity, tabloid news, Keeping Tabs, with that most tabby of tabloid events... the celebrity divorce.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Dana Klinghoffer, Rusty Hardin, and Karl Rove vie for tonight's top honors.

Striking a Deal: Amy Winehouse got Five...Kanye West got Four ...Even Barack Obama got One... But in our number one story on the Countdown - it's not the winners who take the headlines, it's the losers. So we begin, not with the Grammy awards, but with a Paris Hilton, movie star. Only this time she's aware of it.

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Comments

John Edwards may be having the same problem that I am having with the 2 frontrunners. He might end up ensorsing "none of the above".

Despite obvious physical differences, their Senate votes have been the same. Both have enabled the continuation of the Iraq War without question. They have both said that they will not pull the troops out ASAP. Their position on the issues is virtually the same.

Neither one of them showed up to support former candidate Chris Dodd when he temporarily left the campaign trail to return to Washington to fight the FISA Bill with telecom immunity. Neither has taken a leadership position demanding accountability of this criminal regime in the White House when it comes to no-bid contracts, torture, illegal detention, spying on Americans, political litmus tests for federal employment, the use of the federal government for partisan political gain, or the loss of our Constitutional rights. They have both been far too concerned with their future job to do the ones they have now.

With all of the serious problems facing our nation, I would have expected a real leader to emerge. Instead we get these virtually empty shells ready to say whatever focus groups tell them will get them votes and campaign cash.

Sue, West Allis, Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:32 AM)

A little late. An endorsement by John Edwards at this time (no matter who he endorses if he endorses) will have only a slight impact if any on the winds of change. After the primaries today the gates will steadily open for the flood to the Obama camp.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 8:37 AM)

Your mention of good old Karl Rove suddenly answered a question that I've had for a couple days. I think it was Friday that news story popped up that the Military is going have trials for the 6 terrorists who were involved in planning 9/11. Now I realize why, after 4 or 5 years they're having the trial now. The news reports from the trial will, of course, bring back memories of the attack and reveal all sorts of other horrible, fiendish plots that the terrorists were planning. Being fairly complex the trial will last until about November keeping the specter of 9/11 at center stage for that whole time. As I recall there's something else happening in November, UH.....oh yeah, the election. I assume that the military decided that having giant VOTE MCCAIN banners on all five sides of the Pentagon was way too obvious and needed something truly sleazy and underhanded instead, who ya gonna call? Karl of course.

Dennis, Arvada CO (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:22 AM)

Nit-picky English professor comment here...under the "Oddball" heading, French really should be capitalized.

Thanks!

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:33 AM)

5 - For once, discussion of helicopters circling someone's house, and it ain't Britney Spears. Warms my heart.

4 - Here is my contribution to everyone's useless information collection. I thought I saw a stock car in some of the footage of Huckabee's appearance at Jerry Falwell's church. At first, I thought maybe this was some sort of hallucination because I've been watching so much coverage of Speed Weeks at Daytona. I wasn't. That was, in fact, the #48 Lowe's Chevy driven by Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, and it was being used as a visual aid for a sermon series that involved drawing a comparison between the dangers of raising a family in today's society and the dangers of driving a stock car. However, there are resources you can use for safety -- helmet, firesuit, blah blah blah. I'm not quite sure how having a crew chief who has been repeatedly busted for cheating fits into the analogy.

3 - There's a war in Iraq? There's something terribly wrong with an administration that seems to care more about protecting telecoms from lawsuits than it does about getting our troops out of harm's way.

HM, in an ivory tower somewhere (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 10:31 AM)

Anna Molly (: (Sent Sunday, February 10, 2008 9:27 PM)

What is the need of the ERA? And don't give me sob stories about women who didn't get promoted, but a rational, thoughtful arguement need for Congress to meddle in what traditionally is a matter of State Rights.

And if you don't like your State's laws on these matters, should you not first address your State Government with the ideal of replacing Legislators and Governors if they don't listen? Or are you trying to impose what you think of as good laws upon States where you don't live? Should not the people of those States be free to live under the Laws that they pass by Majority Vote?

And given Congress's Track Record of fixing problems, why give it yet something else to mess-up? What has Congress done in the past thirty years to engender your Faith on this Matter?

David Molinero (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:36 AM)

Jon Stewart's schaden-freude view on 'torture'. He adroitly addresses both sides of the 'argument'. Both videos are well worth watching.

Torture Talk
Jon comes up with some pretty good suggestions for enemy torture.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=156409&title=torture-talk&byDate=true

Waterboarding
Just how far will Jon go to get answers from waterboarding analyst John Oliver?

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=156410&title=waterboarding&byDate=true

Carol, Long Valley NJ (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:16 PM)

It looks like Olbermann was the _only_ media commentator so far who's noted the likely coincidence of the upcoming show trials of the 9/11 suspects with the presidential election season (which he did last night). Most of the punditocracy is a lot slower slow on the uptake than Keith.

Houston (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:36 PM)

Democrats Needed to Win = 2,025
Candidates pledged superdelegates
TotalClinton: 1148
Obama: 1121

good (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 3:36 PM)

Nine posts all day? are you kidding me?

PCR (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:15 PM)

Democrats Needed to Win = 2,025
Candidates pledged superdelegates
TotalClinton: 1148
Obama: 1121
good (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 3:36 PM)

Good:

Delegates awarded: (not including today's primaries).

Obama 958
Hillary 904

Superdelegates- can change their minds at any time.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:15 PM)

Pam - My post means 51% of those who actually vote, not those who are registered.

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:17 PM)

I wonder how many posts were lost or just not posted in this mess. Timing is everything.

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:19 PM)

Maybe the original moderators came down with the flu
or even worse. I'll start the service.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here .......

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:21 PM)

Any news on the "OBAMA TRAUMA?" Looking a little bleak for Hillary right now.

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:25 PM)

"You're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat." - unscripted
line from 1975's "JAWS," Roy Scheider adlibbed it
and, unforunately, he passed away at age 75.

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:44 PM)

Can anyone explain Keith's numbering system? On a scale of 1 to 5, I normally think of #1 as the most important and #5 as the least important.

For Countdown, the main substance (other than Special Comments) is in #5. By the time we get to #1, we have collapsed into tabloid nonsense about which I can't imagine anyone caring.

Am I missing something?

Ron Robinson (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:52 PM)

Keith: I'm a big fan from the University of Maryland. Wondering what your thoughts are on John Edwards impact on the candidates' momentum given the mainstream media's major coverage of Barack Obama's growing momentum and Hillary Clinton's "stagnant" momentum (if that is even a phrase). Barack and Hillary haven't changed their positions since the start of the campaign; yet, media coverage of Barack's increasing momentum, especially among the college kids, is all over the place. Hypothetical: John Edwards supports Hillary Clinton. Does the story become the actual endorsement and people go to support her or does it become that Barack's momentum slows? What do you think the story should be? At the rate that the news shows are going right now, there's no need for any more primaries and debates since they're all assuming Barack's "momentum" is going to carry him forward.

As a Clinton supporter, I'm upset that the news stories have become about his momentum rather than about the issues themselves. I feel like a lot of people are jumping on Barack Obama's bandwagon simply because he can draw huge crowds and its covered on television. I have a lot of respect for Obama and hope that he'll be our President.. just 8 years from now after Clinton cleans up the mess of George W Bush.

Jesse Chen, College Park, MD (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:11 PM)

FYI, It is being reported that Republican voters are voting in Democratic primaries in Virginia . . . they have no intention of voting for a Democrat in November. Who are they voting for? Barack Obama. Why? Because they believe he will be easier to beat due to the lack of vetting by the Obamedia (with kudos to Craig Crawford). If he gets the nomination, he will be gutted on national television for the months following his nomination.

Obama Fever = Bush Fever of 2000. A big scam.

junebug (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:24 PM)

I hope the political season ends quickly before too many families are split. My brother and niece are at dagger-points!

Southern lady (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:27 PM)

Moderators - "You Done Stomped All Over My Heart And Squashed That Sucker Flat." (John Denver)

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:59 PM)

Moderators - "You Done Stomped All Over My Heart And Squashed That Sucker Flat." - (John Denver)

Full Moon (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 6:01 PM)

Well, lookie lookie - the Senate Dems caved again on the FISA bill with telecom immunity. Only 29 votes against. Our only hope to end the illegal surveillance is that the House voted to eliminate telecom immunity in their version of the bill.

Stay strong House when the Conference Committee reconciles FISA. Fire Harry Reid. We need a better Senate Majority Leader. We need the Dems to start showing this country that they DESERVE the White House.

Sue, and we have an update please, West Allis, Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 6:19 PM)

Here's a list of the Senators who voted AGAINST FISA with telecom immunity:

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Casey (D-PA)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Tester (D-MT)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Obama showed up to vote against. Clinton didn't vote.

To check how your senator voted:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00015#top

Sue - still demanding my privacy rights in West Allis, Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 6:31 PM)

Sue, West Allis, Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:32 AM) AMEN!!!!!! Truer words were never spoke, my dear. You "made the cut"! Hello?? There's GOTTA be more posts on this thread than this. Unless they're in the great bloggersphere beyond (RIP if so), PLEASE find them and post them.

Many thanks!

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 7:03 PM)

What the heck is going on? I just posted something and some guy from Pittsburgh PA's name popped up? Y'all HAVE been having tech "issues", haven't you!

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 7:04 PM)

Ron Robinson Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:52 PM..you're missing just watching Keith for his information content and his humor..just enjoy. BTW..we care or we wouldn't watch.

Laura in Los Angeles (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 7:14 PM)

Ron Robinson (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 4:52 PM)

No, you're not Ron. And your post makes perfect sense.

However, if that were the case they would have to rename the show "Countup with Keith Olbermann" and that just doesn't roll off the tongue as effectively. Every now and then, it's okay to be bass-ackwards. Just sit back and enjoy. Welcome aboard.

Bub The Zombie (long-time lurker, first time poster), Seminole Facility, FL (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 7:14 PM)

OMG to infinity and beyond!!! If THIS little tidbit isn't "Special Comment" worthy, I don't know what is. This administration is already comparing the 9/11 Gitmo trials to Nuremberg. Read this with an iron stomach only:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080212/ap_on_go_pr_wh/sept_11_trials_nazis

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 7:15 PM)

Sue - still demanding my privacy rights in West Allis, Wisconsin Tuesday, February 12, 2008 6:31 PM..thanks for the list Sue. I'm so glad to see Barbara Boxer of my state of California voted no, along with Senators Biden and Dodd.

Laura in Los Angeles (Sent Tuesday, February 12, 2008 7:18 PM)

(February 12, 2008 7:04 PM)

Not a single post since.

David Molinero (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 2:33 PM)

Are you boycotting us? :>

ek, mpls mn (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 2:39 PM)

Even Andy Petitt remembers on several occasions when Roger Clemens admitted to taking steroids. Clemens, under oath, simply says that Andy has continually "misremembered."

Full Moon (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 3:40 PM)

Has this site closed down or what!!!!!

Update this blog now!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disgruntal in Florida (Sent Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:53 PM)

I am tired of hearing that Obama is not vetted, sounds like we are talking about a horse. How mutch was Pres. Bush Vetted, were it not for the fear tactics and the devicive issues like gay marrage, not to mention the Swift Boat adds, also the cheating. The fact is if all things were equal, the Republicans would not have won the election. That is why they have no credability today. There is a higher power that is driving this election,God does not like UGLY, He also says "Venmgance is Mine, I will repay it". This could not be more clear;take a look at the climate of this election, observe the turn out of the Republican base in comparison to the Democratic base it is phenominal. They need to back off of Obama I will tell you this if "God is for you, Who can be against you" Thanks Joe, Your ardent and devoted listene.

Marjorie Smith Adelanto, Ca. (Sent Monday, February 18, 2008 3:31 PM)

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Countdown Monday: Chesapique

Posted: Monday, February 11, 2008 8:59 PM by Countdown
Filed Under: Blogging the Countdown

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Countdown Monday: Chesapique

Posted: Monday, February 11, 2008 8:59 PM by Countdown Filed Under: Blogging the Countdown

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Posted: Monday, February 11, 2008 8:59 PM by Countdown
Filed Under: Blogging the Countdown