Countdown Wednesday: Team Obama Takes Shape

Ms. Secretary?:  Yes, she will. According to a report from Politico dot-com.  Unfortunately, that's not the the only indication we have on whether Clinton will accept the position. Maybe she won't... says this report... from Politico dot-com, as well as the New York Times and Clinton vets Joe Lockhart and George Stephanopoulos. But first in our number-five story tonight, let's get to today's signal flare over Washington... Obama's red flag that he won't mess around when it comes to overhauling American health care.

Al Qaeda v. Obama:  The number two leader of al Qaida has confronted President-Elect Obama with a new audio-video message... It's the first salvo from the group's propaganda operation since the election...  And it comes just days after Obama told 60 Minutes that one of his major focuses would be capturing or killing Osama Bin Laden. In our fourth story on the Countdown...the nightly question about the Obama transition... What do we do now...? And now with Al Qaeda back in the headlines again.

ODDBALL: Gene Simmons from the NYSE and tools in space.

Senior Issues:  He was a Republican stalwart of the Senate. The longest continuous serving Senator - in Washington for four decades. And yet, in our third story on the Countdown, tonight Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska is officially out of a job. Meaning there are now 56 Democratic members of the Senate. Which , together with the independent caucus votes of Senators Lieberman and Sanders -puts the party just two seats away from a filibuster proof majority.

Pirate Problems: For all the Bush administration's concern that Al Qaeda poses the biggest threat to the U-S supply of oil.. Tonight, there's a new enemy to consider. One that has been largely ignored by the government. Until now. Our second story on the Countdown: Pirates, holding ships and tankers hostage off the coast of Somalia..

Motor Mouths:  In our number one story on the Countdown... How can we ever miss you, if you won't shut up. Or -- put another way -- why don't you at least consider shutting up... since talking only makes things worse? The you in question? Governor Sarah Palin... Joe the Plumber... And yes, even the ex-call girl, Ashley Dupree. Good grief.