Talking Points Memo catches what might be the most precious piece of spin from 2006 - just under the wire, on December 28th.

It's White House Homeland Security Adviser Frances Fragos Townsend explaining to CNN's Ed Henry that the failure to  capture Osama Bin Laden - really isn't a failure at all. 

HENRY: You know, going back to September 2001, the president said, dead or alive, we're going to get him. Still don't have him. I know you are saying there's successes on the war on terror, and there have been. That's a failure.

TOWNSEND: Well, I'm not sure -- it's a success that hasn't occurred yet. I don't know that I view that as a failure.

Maybe this finally explains that "Mission Accomplished" banner.

Well, this must count for something!

A blog post about Keith was the third most popular of all posts of 2006, according to word-of-mouth measurement firm Nielsen BuzzMetrics.

The post, on our pal John Amato's Crooks & Liars, contained the video and transcript of Keith's first special comment, a response to Donald Rumsfeld.

Nielsen says it was linked in 359 posts on 340 blogs, behind another Crooks & Liars posting of Stephen Colbert's White House monologue and some geeky livejournal thing.

So...big congrats to C&L - you couldn't have done it without us! (or something like that)

Ken Tucker gives a nod to Countdown in Entertainment Weekly's "2006 in Review" issue.

The best anchor in the biz right now books off-the-beaten-pundit guests,
refuses to maintain the ridiculous pose of ''objectivity,'' and is funny
as hell. Which is where some of his competitors wish he'd go.

Now who would wish an awful thing like that -- and right here in the holiday season?

Meanwhile, the Albany Times-Union names Keith Olbermann "newsperson of the year."

"On a football team, the center is seldom the star, seldom even known well, beyond the sidelines and the huddles and the scrimmages.

And yet without him... nothing happens. The ball is never snapped, the higher-profile players can't even really move.

It should come as no surprise then, that when the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, played on the undefeated football teams at the University of Michigan in 1932 and 1933, he was the star...center."

Keith Olbermann anchors our special coverage of the death of President Gerald Ford, tonight on Countdown.

Stay tuned to The NewsHole for Countdown's All-Steroid Fantasy League, coming just as soon as this list becomes public.

AP: "The names and urine samples of about 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive three years ago can be used by federal investigators, a court ruled Wednesday."

That's about 10% of all the players who laced 'em up in '03. The 10% who got caught.

Wondering how Barry Bonds did in '03?

Not so bad.

So much oddball we needed two shows to bring it to you!

Tonight: The world premiere of Episode I, the Oddball Plays of the Month from January thru June.

Tomorrow: Episode II, July thru November and a special bonus report from the Oddball Event of 2006

That's two, TWO Oddball shows for the same low low price of absolutely nothing.

Not only does it give you two nights of nonstop hilarity, it gives us the chance to have a little holiday party on a work-night, PLUS two shows to rotate for every holiday in 2007!

It's a winning deal for everybody.

Check it out tonight at 8 ET -- or if you prefer a la carte, you can peruse the menu here.

And don't forget to vote for the Oddball of the Year.

Tonight at 8 ET we're running a very special Countdown special -- it's "The Year of the Special Comment".

It's going to be extra special.

An hour-long collection of some of Keith's most powerful commentaries of 2006, including his message to Donald Rumsfeld, who famously compared critics of this administration to Nazi appeasers.

Also, Keith's special comment from Ground Zero on September 11th,  his comment on the legacy of George W Bush as "The President Who Made Things Up", and  his call for a return to checks and balances on election eve '06.

Tivo tonight, or you can catch it again on Thursday.

And don't miss a special two-part Oddball Extravaganza -- Episode I tomorrow, Episode II on Wednesday.