ABOUT THE NEWS HOLE

It's the new award-winning blog* from the cast and crew of the award-winning television news hour** "Countdown with Keith Olbermann."

We heard about this whole "blogosphere" business from Tom DeLay, and came to the immediate realization that we too, "needed to become involved" in it.

So here it is. Covering the big news, the small news, medium-sized and irregular, The News Hole strives to bring everything you love or hate about Countdown to the internets.

Your feedback and hate mail is encouraged.

*Countdown's "Best of the Web Awards" 2007
**The News Hole's "Best of the TV Awards" 2006



Countdown Thursday: Scandal in the Windy City

Posted: Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:59 PM by Countdown
Filed Under:

Arrested Developments:  The Governor Rod Blagoya-vitch scandal in Illinois has now grown so massive that even President George W. Bush has sat up and taken notice. In our fifth story on the Countdown: The White House, today saying that President Bush thinks the Blagoya-vitch situation is "very serious"... and that the charges he is facing are "astounding." No comment on whether Mr. Bush will accept the evident favorite for a name for the scandal: G-Bay.

Driving in Reverse:  On the same day that the number of first-time filers for unemployment benefits hit a level not seen in a quarter century...  Today we got a glimpse of why the Republican Party is willing to kill the domestic auto industry even if... or, perhaps because it will add hundreds of thousands of union members to the unemployment lines. Our fourth story tonight, after the House last night passed the 15 billion dollar auto bailout bill, with stronger support than expected... Senate Republicans announced their intention to kill it.

ODDBALL: Penguins dressed as Santa, Gordon Brown makes a gaffe and a soccer player gets a red card for helping out. 

Space Between:  The peaceful transition of power, even from one party to another, even after this most politically-intolerant of administrations. It's our pride and joy as a nation. Unless you work for NASA. Our third story tonight: half-hilarious, half-terrifying... Over fears that one of the space agency's pet projects might be cancelled, a NASA administrator now reportedly resisting review of the project by the President-Elect's transition team.... And bad-mouthing its members.

Worsties...see below.
 
WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD:  Steve Rule of Canyon County, Idaho, Bill-O, Gretchen Carlson and Dick Morris vie for tonight's top honors.

Top 25 Corrupt Politicians:   Just how corrupt is Rod Blagojevitch? Trying to place him in the long annals of the financial scandals of American history is like trying to rank the world's greatest pieces of art. Well, the world's greatest pieces of forged art. However, in our number one story, I decided to take a shot. So now we begin Countdown's list of the 25 most financially corrupt politicians in this nation's long, and bribe-filled history. The headline here is -- American politics has in large part been animated by the spirit of Zero Mostel, as he expressed it in the original version of "The Producers"... "Ohhhhhh! I want that money!"

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

I wish to address the issue of the "Big Three", Firstly  America is already too dependant on foreign goods, to lose a business of this magnatude and put so many of our work force out of employment. And secondly , maybe we should be scrutinizing these senators with foreign auto plants in their states...should they even be senators if they are that biased?

anita hurt kingman, ks (Sent Thursday, December 11, 2008 10:01 PM)

What happened to wednesday?

Danielle Robinson:    The Cole incident took place under Clinton, yes, but the Cia couldn't identify the perps until Bush stole his way into office. He took over the task of catching and prosecuting those responsible for planning and execution of it.

P (Sent Thursday, December 11, 2008 10:05 PM)

It is reprehensible that the Republicans lay the blame for the failure of the auto loan plan at the feet of the UAW.  Why doesn't someone display a comparative between union and non-union auto workers compensation?

Steve Issak, Statesville NC (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 10:10 AM)

Isn't the auto industry bailout a conflict of interest for the
three GOP Senators from Alabama, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
They gave millions to the the foreign auto makers to get them
to their states.  Haven't they contributed to the problem?

Jim Osborne, West Grove, Pa. (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 1:31 PM)

Can you post the list of the top 25 Corrupt politicians - it went by way to fast for me to remember - and there are so many to choose from.

Dave Sinason, DeKalb, Illinois (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 2:42 PM)

Please list what Government Party did the Dec. 11, 2008 MSNBC's 25 Most Financially Corrupt Politicians belong to.  

Wahine, Port Orchard, WA (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 4:25 PM)

Worst person should have been Bill-O on the night Jack Black appeared on Countdown.  That evening on Bill-O he made an appeal to Jack Black to appear on his show saying Jack Black wasn't intelligent enough to appear on his show.   Did he mean Jack Black is stupid for appearing on Countdown.   The clown is at it again.  Was a  bit surprised that quote wasn't mentioned on Countdown

Helena V (Sent Friday, December 12, 2008 7:07 PM)

A unique comedic response to Rod Blagojevich can be found at http://deadpaninc.blogspot.com.

Dave Stratton (Sent Monday, December 15, 2008 8:41 AM)



SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.): 

 Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private)

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1712431