Executive vs. Legislative: "Democracy," said the French-born, New Zealand historian and surgeon Robert Briffault, "is the worst form of government. It is the most inefficient, the most clumsy, the most unpractical... it reduces wisdom to impotence and secures the triumph of folly, ignorance, clap-trap, and demagogy... yet democracy is the only form of social order admissible, because it is the only one consistent with justice." Mr. Bush evidently stopped listening at the word "ignorance." He is evidently taking us from Democracy to Government-by-Administrative Order.

Troubled Waterboard:  The number two Democrat in the Senate says he cannot vote to confirm Attorney General Designate Mukasey, if Judge Mukasey cannot acknowledge that waterboarding is torture.

ODDBALL: Japanese Dogs playing jump rope and a Drag Race with real Drag Queens.

The Horserace: The line of the night at the latest Democratic presidential debate has turned into a fight of words between Senator Joe Biden and former Mayor Rudolf Giuliani. A fight that evidently went one round too many for Mr. Giuliani. His replies today invoked a series of 1987 speeches, in which Biden credited much of his remarks to British politician Neil Kinnock. All save for one, in which he infamously left Kinnock out of it and thus wound up inadvertently plagiarizing the material. Mr. Giuliani rehashed all this today, evidently forgetting that 26 days ago, he was accused by Mitt Romney's campaign of plagiarizing materials from Romney's speeches and ads.

Tabby Time: Britney Spears decides to do Ryan Seacrest's radio show then decides to take a shower half way through the interview.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: John Gibson versus Morton Kondracke versus MLB for top honors.

Political Funnies:  Democratic Presidential Debate - October 30th. Halloween - October 31st. Not surprising then that Halloween costumes came up at the debate. But there was also talk of UFOs and extra-terrestrial life. All of it fodder for political impressionist and satirist Jim Morris.

In The Line of Firings:  Who knew -- when he pushed the "No Child Left Behind Act" -- that President George W. Bush was really looking out... for himself. Our fifth story on the Countdown: the President's petulance against Congress, Democrats, and anybody else he sees thwarting his "id," devolving from last week's buffoonish door-slamming, to a level meriting the use of the word "tantrum." He has accused his critics -- of wasting his time.

You Say Dubai, I say Hello:  Rudy Giuliani's travel schedule seems to finally be getting to him. He tells voters in New Hampshire that the Democrats will invite Osama Bin Laden to their inaugural parties. Huh? And wait until you hear what one of his top foreign policy advisers is saying about those who aren't jumping on the attack Irahn bandwagon. That and what's at stake in tonight's democratic candidate presidential debate.

ODDBALL: A streaker at Wembley, high heel racing, and a deer on the loose in Cincinnatti

The GOP Horserace:  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's spokesman today denied that her department gave Blackwater mercenaries immunity from prosecution for their deadly shooting of 17 Iraqis last month. But in our number-three story tonight, the spokesman did not deny yesterday's story from the Associated Press...

TiVo Alert! And breaking news of sorts to begin our nightly round-up of celebrity and entertainment stuff... A judge's decision about Britney Spears' kids... presumably made without consideration of the newest publicity photos of her, appearing to seduce a priest.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Nancy Nord, Billo, and Norman Podhoretz

The Littlest Idol:  Just minutes now, until the Democratic Presidential Debate from Drexel University in Philadelphia... here on MSNBC... Moderated by our own Brian Williams, who will be joined by Tim Russert. It will be the seventh Democratic gathering of this campaign season to use the term "Debate". It comes in the wake of a day of rare unison from the top-tier Democrats... in opposing the confirmation of the Attorney General-nominee... Judge Michael Mukasey... Two days after a second-tier candidate had done the same.

Primary Stake:  In just 77 days, the first votes will be cast in the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries. Whoops. Make that 66 -- Iowa just moved up the Caucus to January 3. In our fifth story on the Countdown: that means Senator Barack Obama will have to cram eleven days' worth of getting tougher on Hillary Clinton, into a few short hours.

About Face:  Traditionally, a lame duck president is marked by slackening standards... no longer vigorously upholding his values. Cronyism and nepotism rise.  Scholars have wondered how this phenomenon might manifest itself in this administration... noted for starting off with low standards. In our fourth story tonight, mystery solved. As Mr. Bush focuses on post-presidential matters, such as replenishing his coffers... a previously unwelcome guest snuck into the halls of his administration today. Quality control.

ODDBALL:  Save the cheerleader!

October Madness:  October 2004 may have seen the Boston Red Sox rally from the impossible -- down three games to none to their hated rivals the Yankees, in a best-of-seven playoff series -- and then sweeping the World Series. But this October saw the Olde Towne Team rally from down three-to-one -- and then sweep the World Series, and in the middle of the final game, hear the announcement that Alex Rodriguez would almost be certainly leaving the New York Yankees... followed by a report that the Yankees had hired a new manager who was fired two years ago for arguing with the team owner, during a game. Our third story on the Countdown: no wonder Rudy Giuliani was rooting for the Red Sox.

Opology:   Not to get too cynical... But maybe we could just get a moratorium on daytime talk show hosts, weeping. Our number two story on the Countdown: Oprah Winfrey's forty-million dollar attempt at a good deed, all going wrong, turning into a sex- and child-abuse scandal.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Bill-o, the Dept. of Homeland Security and David Horowitz vie for tonight's top honor.

We Found Sasquatch*:   Whether bigfoot is the living ancestor of the missing link... or a perpetually recycled fraud... one thing is certain. It is even more fascinating because it's so elusive...  And nothing captures the public's imagination quite like a pseudo-human with attitude. Especially one living within two hours of Pittsburgh. Our number one story on the Countdown... Bigfoot -- also known as Sasquatch -- was in Western Pennsylvania on September 16th... Or it might have been a baby Sasquatch... Or... not.

Bush Mad: The President of the United States was once analogized to an already-stressed out First Grade Teacher, forced one day to teach a class of kindergartners, and unable to restrain his rage when the younger kids don't obey him. Our fifth story on the Countdown: President Bush, accusing lawmakers of wasting his time... by again passing hugely popular children's health care legislation that he has already vetoed once. Yet with his very next breath... complaining that Congress isn't getting anything done. So in the Kindergarten/First Grade analogy, Mr. Bush can be either the teacher, or any of the students in either of the classes.

Fake FEMA Fiasco:  When it comes to responding to the California wildfires... FEMA has learned the great lessons of Hurricane Katrina. When you hold a press conference about all the trouble and risk...eliminate all the trouble and risk... Don't have any reporters there! FEMA eliminates the middleman and passes the propaganda value on to you!!!!

ODDBALL: Playing dress up with goats, and kids riding whales.

Billo's Gay Fiasco:  "That's what this Rowling thing is all about," Bill O'Reilly began (but listen to the rest of it anyway), "it's another in the indoctrination thing." The Rowling thing?  Author J.K. Rowling, who answered a reader question about whether one of her Harry Potter characters had ever found love by explaining, a week ago tonight at Carnegie Hall, that he was gay. The indoctrination thing? "Parity for homosexuals with heterosexuals." Our third story on the Countdown: A month after his racist remarks about a New York restaurant, O'Reilly now coming out against tolerance, a little more than four years after -- according to the lawsuit of his former producer Andrea Mackris -- Billo tried to talk her and a female friend of hers into performing homosexual acts while he was present. To paraphrase the hypocrite's mantra -- "Do as I say; Not as I fantasize."

Tabby Time: Princess Diana's death, now more than ten years ago, was stunning enough... The longevity of the accounting of that death may be more startling still. Our number two story -- Keeping Tabs -- begins with what appears to be the first formal testimony... about her final words.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Concord NH PD, Dana Perino and Glenn Beck vie for tonight's top honors.

Distress and the Divas:  When it comes to regaining custody of her children... Britney Spears holds the key to her own success... which is why she always comes off as someone standing next to the window of an A-M-C Pacer while holding a bent coat-hanger.  In our number one story on the Countdown, another court hearing today in Ms. Spears' custody battle with Kevin Federline. A progress report, of sorts... during which Mr. Federline's attorneys tried -- but failed -- to have Ms. Spears future testimony videotaped. Meantime, Paris Hilton's plans to save Rwanda will have to wait. Her trip there has been postponed. The charity involved... denying the trip would have been filmed as part of a reality show.

Keith is back, and we have a great show on tap for tonight.  We'll have the latest on the tough talk on Iran, including Vladimir Putin's escalating language and references to the Cuban Missile Crisis as the Sec. of State says the US and Russia are on the same page.  We'll have a report on the Washington Post story detailing the FEMA press conference in SoCal where FEMA workers pretended to be reporters, asking FEMA officials questions (calling Jeff Gannon), and this story that isn't that surprising anymore, it's just sad.

Finally, for those of you who didn't see the Taco Bell commercial/World Series game last night...make sure you save room for tacos on Oct. 30.  Not everyone is happy.

David Shuster in for Keith tonight...

In The Line of Firings:  Our fifth story on the Countdown: The Bush administration, once again is beating the drums of war... this time against Iran. And from the "way-back file," Hans Blix, the former chief weapons inspector of the United Nations -- remember him? -- he says President Bush is over-reacting. Meanwhile, President Putin of Russia... says the U-S is painting Iran into a corner. To paraphrase Yogi Berra... could this be Deja Vu all over again?

Sir Rudy of 9/11: Rudy Giuliani's private testimony before the September 11th Commission was not supposed to see the light of day until after the '08 election. Parts of it have leaked... and the words of Candidate Rudy versus Mayor Rudy don't have nearly the same bravado. Giuliani's real terror credentials...

ODDBALL: Dick Cheney caught sleeping, need we say more?

Fires Still Burning:  Hurricane Katrina hit on a Sunday night. The President flew over the devastated city Wednesday - on his way back to Washington DC. Tonight in our third story on the Countdown - the President has now learned, if not the actual lesson of that blunder, then the P-R lesson. The wildfires in Southern California started raging out of control on Sunday night. But this time - President Bush was on the ground today. More on that visit in a moment.

Don't Taze me Bro!  When it comes to taking a stand and raging against the machine, getting tasered by campus police during a John Kerry speech isn't exactly on a par with facing-down a tank in Tiananmen Square. Still, our number two story set off a 50-thousand volt controversy last month, spreading like wildfire on the internet, and triggering a flood of argument over free speech, police power and the right to act a bit nutty in public.  Kerry Sanders has the latest on the "bro" who refused to go quietly.

Down Goes Osmond:  Blame it on diet pills. Blame it on divorce. Even blame it on Rio. But for heaven's sake, Marie Osmond, don't blame your fainting spell on the California fires. In our number one story on the Countdown, the analysis of Ms. Osmond's falling-out continues full-throttle, with the oddest assessment coming from... Ms. Osmond.

In The Line of Fire:  It is an awful calculus. The words of one resident of San Diego: "If your house did not burn down, it just means someone else's... did."  Our fifth story on the Countdown: The Southern California wildfires... raging for a fourth straight night... the destruction far from its end. State authorities and the F-B-I investigating arson as the cause of at least one of the fires. Calls for an investigation, no doubt imminent, with the re-discovery of two reports which warned last Spring the Bush administration was not adequately prepared to battle the inferno... or. in the carefully-crafted lingo of the White House... even to support those who would be battling the flames. We begin with the latest details on the conflagration.

The Terror Card:  The President actually asks which terrorist attack we think he shouldn't have stopped. And you wonder why we call his party the Terror-Publicans? Fox turns a four-year old rumor into evidence Al-Qaeda might have started the California wildfires...

ODDBALL: Shooting a moon, and horse that's a poodle.

Rudy Switch Hits:  If you're running for President of the United States, it can't be a good sign when your hometown newspaper calls you a traitor. But former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is being called that and more... now that he says he'll root for the New York Yankees' arch-enemies -- the Boston Red Sox -- when they go against the Colorado Rockies as the World Series starts tonight. And although there is baseball tradition to back him up... as a politician, he may yet want to rescind his announcement.  Just as former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney might want to take back a different kind of embarrassing remark. Romney twice saying "Barack Obama" when he apparently meant to say Osama bin Laden.

Juiced:  For O-J Simpson the athlete and performer it was always about increasing his statistics... More yards gained... More commercials made. Now -- in our number two story on the Countdown, Keeping Tabs -- he's still breaking his own records. As of tonight he's up to eleven separate felony counts in Las Vegas.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, and Rick Santorum vie for tonight's top honor.

The Day in Pictures:  So many people evacuated that the number is actually unknown. Could be a million... could be half that. A billion dollars worth of damage in one county alone..And 18 fires still burning - one of them expected to burn until November we end the Countdown where we began, with the devastation in Southern California. Fires that raged uncontrollably until the Santa Ana winds started to die down a little bit today.

Southern California is Burning:  Residents of the burnt-out neighborhoods of Southern California where the ravages of the fires are exhausted...Are still only being permitted to return for five minutes at a stretch -- and only if they can prove they left pets or vital medication behind as they fled. Yet, at the White House -- President Bush is already passing the buck of responsibility (if not yet the blame) onto state officials. Our fifth story on the Countdown: the emerging politics of the ultra-disastrous Santa Ana Wildfires of 2007, in a moment. First, the continuing crisis at the fire lines.

You Say Dubai: A California Congressman forced to apologize, forced to apologize by an Ohio Congressman who said 3700 American lives was a quote "small price to pay" for stopping al-Qaeda.

ODDBALL: A huge football player takes over London, a Maserati goes boom, and the fountain of Rush is found in Italy.

The Plame Interview:  On July 13th of 2003, Valerie Plame Wilson was the chief of operations for the joint Iraq task force of the CIA's counterproliferation division. Only a handful of people outside the CIA knew this. For 15-plus years, she had used various cover stories to conceal her identity as a C-I-A operative... and to cultivate a network of contacts and sources... as part of America's effort to prevent the spread of nuclear and other non-conventional weaponry. She was, in short, a rare and valuable commodity in the battle against Weapons of Mass Destruction -- and terrorism. And on July 14th, 2003, an American blew her cover to the media...

I'm A Little Bit Woozy: This is not like President Bush fainting over his sushi in Japan...Although it bares some disturbing similarities to Fidel Castro losing it and going head-first into some chairs in 2004. Leading our number two story tonight, Keeping Tabs. Marie Osmond -- and even in an environment as amateurish as "Dancing With The Stars" -- you could tell. That was not something the choreographer taught her.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: The terrorist buster, Roger Ailes and comedian Rush Limbaugh vie for tonight's top honors.

George Carlin:  A TV comedian is running for President. A Republican Senator is doing stand-up. And the far right is screaming about the outing of a prominent educator. A fictional prominent educator. Our number one story on the Countdown: For 40 years, in such times of need, I have frequently relied on one man to make some sense of this crap. In a moment, that man, George Carlin, will join us.

Day two in New York and do we have a barn burner tonight.  Not only do we have Valerie Plame, the former covert CIA agent outed by the Bush administraion, but legendary comedian George Carlin will sit down with Keith.  Plus, the latest on the California fires, all the Decision 2008 news, too.  This is a can't miss show, folks.

Cashualties of War:  "Already long ago," wrote the Roman satirist Juvenal, "from when we sold our vote to no man... "The people have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time... "Handed out military command, high civil office, legions, everything..."Now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things "Bread and Circuses." Our fifth story on the Countdown: we're not even getting the Bread and Circuses from the Bush Administration -- just the bills. Our fifth story on the Countdown: President Bush today all but demanding a 31-percent hike to the annual war budget -- another 46-Billion dollars...Vice President Cheney... all but declaring a third war over the weekend, against Irahn. We begin with the Commander in Chief...

GOP Divide: Picking a candidate. In this country: who can sound the most like a Televangelist, and the least like Senator Clinton? In Australia: who can do the most disgusting thing with ear-wax?

ODDBALL: Ear wax (ew) and levitation, holmes.

Wildfires In California: One weary fire captain did the stark arithmetic. "We have," he said, "more houses burning than we have people and engine companies to fight them." Our third story: wildfires in southern california where they are not unusual. But those burning tonight are the worst in years -- hitting **both** major metropolitan areas -- and forcing mass evacuation.

Tabby Time: Our nightly roundup of celebrity and entertainment news...And Iggy may have just been the tip of the Ellen DeGeneres dog-giveaway iceberg.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Glenn Beck, Tom Gross, and Bill-O vie for tonight's top honors.

Rowling Revelations:  The cheering of two thousand kids and adults for Harry Potter author J.K. Rolling was so riotous that it could literally be heard just outside the stage door of New York's Carnegie Hall. I know this because, like the time I walked out on a no-hit game at Yankee Stadium because I had to go do a sportscast, after having introduced her to the screaming faithful Friday night, I had to get back on the subway and come here to do the newscast. And in our number one story on the Countdown: after I left she revealed that one of the principal figures in the book was gay -- that she even had his romantic reminiscing about a woman excised from one of the films. But there was something even more startling which she had told me -- and then hinted at with the audience -- the political subtext to the entire Harry Potter Series. 

The town so nice, they named it twice.  The second name is Manhattan.  Anyway...here we are in our new digs, and we have a big show tonight. 

We'll have all the latest saber rattling over Iran from the President and Mr. Cheney.  Plus all the drama of the G.O.P. debate (that was on another network) and the Values Voters convention.  Will the Dobson, Robertson folks find anyone they like?

Also...this article suggesting that former Bush Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could face criminal prosecution for his role in those US attorney firings.  Gonzales has hired a criminal defense attorney, so this could get interesting.

The latest from those devastating fires in CA, and we're working on some major Harry Potter news that you won't want to miss.

Relative Values:  Not since 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt renounced his hand-picked successor William Howard Taft, signed on as the Presidential candidate of the so-called "Bull Moose Party," and split the Republican vote so badly that Taft finished third and Woodrow Wilson became the first Democrat in the White House in 16 years, have we faced the **serious** prospect of a third party candidate utterly deranging the electoral vote. Our fifth story on the Countdown: this is the eve of a second meeting by what we can call the Theocratic wing of the Republican party, to try to decide whether or not to break away and run its own "Values Candidate," and -- presumably -- ease the path of a Woodrow Wilson of 2008.

Broken Government: John Dean's series "Broken Government" -- on what you do when the nominee for Attorney General says the President can make the laws fit the circumstance, and the circumstances fit the law.

ODDBALL: The toilet bowl house, a blood red fountain, pumpkin drop.  It's good

Farewell Torre: In the volatile 34 year history of the New York Yankees under the ownership of George Steinbrenner, the manager has changed 20 times. Since 1996, however... it's only happened once... yesterday. And it is not sitting very well. Nor is it looking much better, than a deliberate attempt to give Joe Torre a contract offer with such institutionalized insecurity that he'd have no choice but to refuse it -- and thus to publicly assume some of the responsibility for the reality that the Steinbrenner family wanted Torre to either leave, or stay as a perpetually terrorized employee.

The Copperfield Raid: For the illusionist David Copperfield... something all too real... in our number two story on the Countdown. His warehouse in Las Vegas -- which includes his private residence -- has been raided by the FBI... possibly on suspicion of sexual misconduct.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Hugh Hewitt, the Department of Defense, and Billo vie for top honors.

The Spears Pickle:   Britney Spears has gone from stepping on judicial toes in her battle for custody of her kids...To running over photographic toes on a Beverly Hills street.Our number one story on the Countdown: Another car wreck for the train wreck that is Britney Spears. Though wreck might be too strong a word... Since Spears did not actually crash her car.Nor did she run into another car. But she may have broken a paparazzo's foot. A paparazzo who was wearing flip-flops. Well, that's your first mistake.

(Yeah, it's the wrong river, we may not bring any muskets when we move, and George Washington was going to N.J., but it still kinda works)

In the immortal words of staff favorite Bruce Springsteen, it was bye bye New Jersey... we were airborne. Countdown and the Newshole prepare to leave the Garden State for good after Friday's show.  We're movin' up to the east side (by east side we mean mid-town Manhattan....either way the beans don't burn on the grill). With our new digs, (building, set, studio, offices) we're going to have a new graphic look for the show. Same Keith, same Countdown...new coat of paint. There are a few sample images after the jump, we hope you tune in Monday to check it out.

S-Chip of Fools: Are "wins" really that vital to this White House? Are they so few and far between, that a President who threw away the greatest personal support ever afforded a Chief Executive, and threw away a re-election, is so marginalized that he would have a spokesperson characterize denying roughly four million children health care insurance as "we won this round on S-Chip"? Yes. George W. Bush is that bankrupt.

Eavesdroppings: The Senate Intelligence Committee is ready to roll over on immunizing the telecom giants for illegal spying that they and the President insist was legal. Senate Judiciary  Chairman Leahy has a different thought about that.

ODDBALL: A model literally slips through the crack in the floor, and pigs are recruited to the circus.

Out of '08:  Considering the ferocity with which the states are pushing up their presidential primaries, if you ran for the nomination and didn't make it to even the first of them, it didn't go well.  Tonight in the countdown to 2008, another Republican calling it quits. Kansas Senator Sam Brownback expected to end his race tomorrow.

Dead or Alive? The reaction to David Chase's mystifying series finale of "The Sopranos" is akin to the seven stages of grief. First shock, or disbelief. Then denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression. And finally, acceptance and hope. Now Mr. Chase's official interview on the series-ender is sure to start the process all over again.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Sean Hannity versus the Attorney General Designate Michael  Mukasey versus probably the dumbest sitting Congressman.

Iggy Stop: "It's gotten out of hand", she said. Ellen DeGeneres says she is shutting down the scandal that has gripped the nation - well, a very small percentage of the nation - for four days. It's just a coincidence, apparently, that her decision to do this happens on the same day that a tape pops up out of nowhere, of a publicist for Ms. DeGeneres, threatening the "Mutts and Moms" agency over the future of Iggy the Dog. 

Meet the Press: If 76 percent of Americans won't say they approve of President Bush, and a similar number find him no longer relevant, today he tried to force relevancy upon himself, by saying three words no Commander-in-Chief with a history of lying this nation into war, should ever be heard saying , no matter what the context.  World War Three.

Suffer the Children: The family of a two-year old girl, speaking out for the S-CHIP program, already slimed by the far right, girded for both battles. The Wilkersons join us.

ODDBALL: The top of the Bottoms in Japan, and the world's tallest sammy.

Truth Squatting:  Six and a half weeks ago, he declared "I am not gay. I have never been gay." Now he declares " I don't use the internet... I've never used the internet". Unfortunately for Senator Larry Craig and his effort to re-establish his credibility, there is a stack of evidence, including from his own words, that he has used the internet.

Comedian-in-Chief:   One political star is setting tonight. The other, rising on the far right. Actually the farcical Right.  You can finally rule out Al Gore running for president... of Norway. And welcome Candidate Colbert for president of here.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD:  Coulter-geist back to get more anti-semitic, fighting off a Family Planning bureaucrat who is against contraception and Mitt Romney's new pro-torture national security advisor in a big league edition of Worsts.

Doggie Drama: The too-generous DeGeneres, unadaptable adoption, dog's breakfast of a dog scandal, continues to inflate into a drama of international proportions.  Tonight, "Access Hollywood" reports that "Mutts and Moms" has found another home for the dog,

Warrentless Searches Confirmed: Overlooked in George Carlin's famed bit about the seven words you can't say on television and the Supreme Court decision based on them -- is the fact that his monologue began with an anecdote from the wiretapping days of F-B-I founder J. Edgar Hoover. "A guy who used to be in Washington," Carlin said, "knew that his phone was tapped. Used to answer, 'Blank' Hoover -- yes? Go ahead." Our fifth story on the Countdown: it may be time to try that again, please select your own updated proper name. The telecom giant Verizon revealing today that since the start of 2005 it has, on 720 separate occasions, turned over its customers' phone records to federal agents who had neither a court order nor a warrant. And Verizon may be the good guys in this latest nightmare.

The Slime Machine:  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's Communications Director denies he sent internet falsehoods about Graeme Frost and his family to mainstream media outlets... As his e-mail surfaces, in which he sent internet falsehoods about Graeme Frost and his family, to mainstream media outlets.

ODDBALL: Small Hogs, and a dude that didn't weld his car. Dude!

Tirade Caught on Tape: As the long long long road to 2008 continues, this helpful reminder for candidates and their campaign teams. If you see a video-camera wielded by someone who disagrees with your politics, odds are whatever you say to them will end up on you-tube. Just keep repeating "You're making a fool of yourself" or something equally monotonous. Our third story on the Countdown, these helpful reminders coming too late for the Chief of Staff of Republican Congressman Joe Knollenberg of Michigan.

Dog Gone:  The sad tale of Ellen's dog takes the leed in tonight's installment of Keeping Tabs. Our nightly look at celebrity and entertainment news.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD:

Britney's Booked:  Britney Spears couldn't turn an appearance at the Video Music Awards into a comeback sensation. She hasn't turned a family court judge to her side, even with Kevin Fedderline as the other party. And she apparently can't turn... having driven her car into another (parked) car back in August. But in our number one story on the Countdown, Ms. Spears can... turn... herself in.

Here are the aftermath pics of the accident that nearly cost Graeme and Gemma Frost their lives.  These are personal photos from their parents, shared with Countdown for use in a segment tonight.  The children are still suffering today, and if there's any doubt they and their family could use a little help from Uncle Sam, it should disappear after you see these.

Mission Accomplished, Again: Because one General thinks we have crippled the "Al Qaeda in Iraq" Organization. Even though 98% of the violence in Iraq is unconnected to "Al Qaeda in Iraq". And yes -- it's the same General who essentially declared Mission Accomplished late in April of 2003. Our Fifth Story on the Countdown: a new dilemma for the Administration.  The potential for a military declaration of victory in Iraq... But with it the stark realization that a military victory in Iraq is the last thing the Bush Administration wants.

Uncle Sam Is Watching You: National Security Letters -- the Pentagon demanding confidential information, maybe about you -- from a bank, or a credit bureau. And it sure doesn't seem legal.

ODDBALL: A huge shirt, camel racing and Vicente Fox statue takes a header.

The Anatomy of a Smear: In December of 2004, Bonnie Frost's car, carrying three of her four kids, hit a patch of black ice. Then it hit a tree. Her son Graeme and daughter Gemma spent months in the hospital. Because the Frosts earned less than 55-thousand dollars a year, the federal S-CHIP program helped with their bills. Graeme and Gemma got the care they needed. Last month, Graeme asked President Bush to expand S-CHIP to other low-income and middle-class kids. The right wing responded by calling for Graeme to die. In our third story tonight, his parents have decided to give their first television interview, and you will meet them in a minute. First, the remarks that drew right-wing fury... directed a 12-year-old boy with a paralyzed vocal cord.

The Stalls of Justice:  Larry Craig has done his first network television interview. And done his umpteenth attempt to overturn the results of his own guilty plea. Our number two story on the Countdown: and worst of all for the beleaguered Senator from Idaho, he is, knowingly or otherwise, defending himself, in part, by quoting...me.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Michelle Malkin,  Senator Lindsey Graham, and Roger Ailes vie for tonight's top honors.

Rudy takes on E.T.:  For all of the remarkable crassness of Republican politicians ranging from Dick Cheney to Rudy Giuliani... For all of the Lunatic Fringe Commentators like Rush Limbaugh who literally cannot tell the difference between the series "24" and the reality that exists around them... Until now, fear-mongering from the Right has been limited to...this planet. But in our number one story on the Countdown, presidential candidate Giuliani has now been forced to consider whether his administration would be prepared for a real war from the stars...  Or, at the very least, a bad thing coming from another planet.

It's nice to see that in spite of this, Senator Larry Craig may in fact be an attentive viewer of the hit program Countdown with Keith Olbermann.  In a transcript of the interview Senator Craig did with Matt Lauer (airing tomorrow night on NBC), this quote about Mitt Romney got us thinking...

Photo: Dennis Brack / Bloomberg News / Landov 

Tonight we'll have the parents of the child who started a thousand smears.  You remember Graeme Frost, the 12-year-old boy who was held up as an example of someone whom S-CHIP would be a great help to and who the radical right wing decided to smear.  Tonight Keith will sit down with his parents and get their real story. 

Also we'll have much more on the Thomas Ricks article that led the Washington Post this morning...if we've beaten Al Qaeda in Iraq, why don't we get out?  Did we beat Al Qaeda in Iraq? Lots of questions...we'll have answers tonight.

Plus...we'll have an in depth discussion regarding Rudy Giuliani's comments that he would keep America safe from an Extra Terrestrial attack. All that and a preview of Matt Lauer's exclusive interview with Senator Larry Craig (yeah, we got him!). It's must see TV, kids!

Sweet Sweet Revenge:  The man who jokes he used to be the next President of the United States...This morning becoming... the next recipient of the Nobelle Peace Prize. Our fifth story on the Countdown: To quote Martin Luther King, Junior: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Nearly seven years ago Al Gore won the popular vote for President but George W. Bush was awarded the job. Now, history may confirm Mr. Bush as the nation's worst Chief Executive, ever.While Mr. Gore is the recipient of one of the world's most revered honors.

Dissent in the Ranks: George Bush's Commander in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 now calls our efforts there a quote "failure" and the surge "a desperate attempt." Have the President's policies in Europe put us on the verge of another Cold War with Russia after what President Putin said to Secretary Rice?

ODDBALL: Underwear racing, and a chair that's a car.  YES!

The Hornback Case:  In what has to be a bitter irony for our special guests tonight, Bill O'Reilly has just begun a promotional tour to hawk his latest book, "Kids Are Americans Too." Our third story on the Countdown: with the abductor of their son now sentenced this week, the parents of Shawn Hornbeck can finally say that they want Mr. O'Reilly to apologize to their son. Instead they are getting O'Reilly's self-righteous pronouncement that "this kid has been through enough" after four years of captivity, constant fear and abuse, and therefore he won't mention his name again. Mr. O'Reilly forgetting -- or perhaps more accurately wanting others to forget -- that when Shawn Hornbeck and his fellow captive Ben Ownby escaped in January, he proceeded to announce to his audience that not only had Shawn not done enough to escape his slavery at the hands of Michael Devlin, but that he liked it.

Tabs Time:  A surprising turn in the death of Anna Nicole Smith takes the lead in tonight's Keeping Tabs, our roundup of celebrity and entertainment news. Smith died of a drug overdose last February in Florida..

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Terry Jeffrey, CEO of Qwest Communications, and Billo vie for tonight's top honors.

The Gore Story:  Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. Al Gore's documentary won an Oscar. And oh, by the way, Al Gore won the 2000 election... even if, well, you know. But will any of it -- particularly today's accolade -- persuade Al Gore to run for the presidency, again? Since we really don't know...In our number one story on the Countdown, we might divine the answer from other indicators:Sartorial cues... prophetic clues.

Keith will sit down with parents of the boy who was kidnapped and held against his will by the newly convicted slimeball Michael Devlin.  The Hornbecks will talk about victims rights...the health of their son, and they'll address the Bill O'Reilly comments that their son 'liked' the ordeal he went through.

Also...more on the Gore in '08 debate.  Fresh off the Nobel Prize win...even if he doesn't run, will his endorsement mean sure victory for the Dem that gets it?

Plus, President Bush's Cowboy diplomacy continues to ruffle feathers overseas.  This time it's the Russian President Putin getting all fired up at Sec. of State Rice re: Missile Defense shields.  Putin threatened to back out of the mid-range nukes treaty signed way back during the Reagan Admin.  Could George Bush be the president who helps re-start the Cold War???  Presidential Candidate Gov. Bill Richardson is our guest on this tonight.

Showdown on the Hill: Democrats on Capitol Hill, showing signs of caving in to the president's demand that telecom companies be given ex-post-facto immunity for eavesdropping done on his behalf. The Republicans, showing no signs of remorse... for their smear campaign against a young boy who dared to criticize the president's decision to take away his health insurance. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Apparently the only person not being offered some sort of immunity deal in Washington today... was the only person who shouldn't have to defend himself: A twelve-year-old child. Senator Hillary Clinton, presently, to discuss the day's headlines...
 
Feeling the Draft?:  He already has an Oscar.. He's in the running for a Nobel Peace Prize -- he'll know by five A-M Eastern tomorrow. Our fourth story on the Countdown -- as Senator Clinton discussed just before the break -- might Al Gore still try and make it a trifecta - and run for the Presidency? That's certainly the hope of the "Draft Gore" movement.

ODDBALL: Richard Branson drops, a pumpkin smacks a van, and the world's ugliest robot.

Reality TV: To hear Bill O'Reilly tell it, and tell it, and tell it, and tell it... All three network newscasts -- which he should be anchoring... and all three network news divisions -- which he should be running... are staffed by, overseen by, and actively pursue the political agenda of the mighty liberal wing of the all-powerful Democratic Party. This, despite the fact that all three news divisions are controlled by TV networks, which are owned, in turn, by companies that are run by rich people, who are answerable to other rich people known as shareholders. And this one just gave him a seat on Jay Leno's couch to hawk his latest book. In our third story on the Countdown tonight, a new book looks at the news industry and, not surprisingly, discovers that virtually the entire medium lay down for Mr. Bush after 9/11... and well into the Iraq War.

Spears Pickle:  Something interesting happened today at a Britney Spears custody hearing. Totally accidental, nothing to do with Spears, or her kids, or the fact that she showed up late for a hearing she'd requested.It begins our nightly round-up of celebrity news, "Keeping Tabs."

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Glenn Beck, John Gibson and Ann Coulter vie for tonight's top honor.

Talk to the Hand:  The present was the future to the artists, philosophers and scientists of the last millennium... who foresaw that, by now... mankind would have hovercrafts... space colonies... computers indistinguishable from humans... robots... and plenty of clones. In our number one story on the Countdown... If progress does not march quite that fast... We have now managed this as a civilization. An arm with an ear.

We know most newsholers don't always enjoy the Britney news, but when the politics of a court spokesperson creep into his address to the media, it's our job to bring it to light....(see video here)

Don't worry...we'll still have Sen. Hillary Clinton, Howie Kurtz, and more tonight...just thought you all might enjoy this.

Plus...a few lost oddballs after the jump. 

Just when you thought this was the worst home shopping blooper featuring a ladder...

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along comes this one...

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The Senator and presidential candidate will sit down with Keith tonight.to talk about everything from the war, to the imperial presidency, to the Graeme Frost smearing by the right wing. 

Also...Howie Kurtz on his new book "Reality Show" and we're working on the details of this story which is fascinating and gross at the same time.