This is sort of a one-item Countdown Supplemental but since the show frequently points out John McCain's wavering position Iraq both historically and in the current campaign this timeline of his positions is especially relevant.

Read McCain's Lips: Never mind Senator McCain's flop back today to no tax increases, barely 48 hours after he had insisted that tax increases were not off the table. The Senator's latest motion, leading to a story perhaps even more remarkable. A McCain campaign spokesman actually claiming McCain does not speak for the McCain campaign.

Indicted: Until today, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska was best known for the 'bridge to nowhere'. A multi-million dollar, pork-barrel project so pointless, it was later abandoned by local officials. But now, the longest-serving Republican Senator becomes the first sitting U-S Senator in fifteen years to be indicted. Ushering in a corruption scandal for this election cycle, which includes the Senator's own re-election bid.

ODDBALL: A horse named Arrr and the Jesus Cheeto now called Cheesus.

Billo Bluster: To repeat an analogy, it was about as surprising as the moment in "Casablanca" where the police captain shut down Rick's because he was shocked, shocked, to discover that gambling was going on.  And then the croupier handed him his winnings. You know, not exactly a stunning revelation, like a McCain campaign spokesman saying McCain doesn't speak for the campaign. But the apoplexy has finally hit, about Scott McClellan's "no duh" announcement that his White House used to feed Fox News talking points. But the apoplexy is not coming from, to quote more of Casablanca, the usual suspects: the liberal blogs, me, people who like the government to observe the laws. It's Billo the Clown.

Worst Person in the World: An architect firm, an NYPD officer and Charles Krauthammer all in the running

Live Bait: Only the most bitter and cynical of you might be sitting there thinking, this is almost the story Olbermann has always dreamed of covering: Ryan Seacrest, eaten by a shark. Shame on you. He'd never wish that on anybody. Besides which, the shark only took a small bite out of him. He didn't even miss work at any of his 445 jobs.

With new polls coming out every day it's useless to post any lasting links to particular polls. One poll that is frequently the subject of news is the Gallup Daily poll.

From Monday's top Bushed item: David Kilcullen is not entirely pleased with Spencer Ackerman's reporting of his description of the decision to invade Iraq as "f-ing stupid."

Here's the full FactCheck.org debunking of the latest McCain attack ad (yesterday they also picked apart McCain's Obama/Castro Web ad).

The main cover page of the conservative RAND corporation's Invisible Wounds of War; Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery report includes links to summaries as well as the full document.

The subject of Monday night's "best campaign exaggeration:" TCS Requests Don Young Campaign Remove Misleading Ads

An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized Hiring by Monica Goodling and Other Staff in the Office of the Attorney General NOTE: At 140 pages, even with a high speed connection this download can be a bit heavy. The main page for special reports says an HTML version is coming soon. (Of course, they said that about the still-not-HTML June report.) The instantly infamous question, "[W]hat is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?" is on page 23. How Keith managed to report that item while avoiding making a Twilight Zone cookbook allusion is still a mystery.

Fox Business Just Seven Decades From Victory

President Bush's announcement of the surge was January 10, 2007 and he speaks of it in the future tense.

July 23rd was the 6th anniversary of the Downing Street memo.

The video of President Bush joking about Wall Street having been drunk and the state of the housing market is now located here.

Schmidt's Restaurant und Sausage Haus - the next best option to giving a speech to hundreds of thousands people in actual Germany.

House Committee on the Judiciary hearing on "Executive Power and its constitutional limitations." Or, as Congressman Lungren called it, "Impeachment lite."

"In the poll by our associates at Synovate eNation, we asked which of four of the media elite—Limbaugh, Fox's Bill O ' Reilly, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann , and Hardball's Chris Matthews—you wouldn't want renting the Martha's Vineyard home next to you."

The Wall Street Journal article that drew Keith's ire: What Bush and Batman Have in Common

Swift-Boating Obama: It wasn't until August 4th, 2004 that the self-named Swift Boat Veterans for Truth launched their first tv ad attacking Senator John Kerry. This year, the Swift-Boating of the current Democratic Nominee, Senator Barack Obama, already has begun, and a week early. Only one veteran is leading the attack, former Navy Captain, John McCain.

Iraq the Vote: The McCain timeline for voting to not support the troops, and the McCain timeline for how quickly he can deny using the word timeline is 48 hours. Even though his use of the word "timeline" was on television.

ODDBALL: Prince Charles gets an eyeful of streaker at a polo match, a robber in the buff steals a bus and a lawyer uses the long finger of the law in court.

Department of Injustice: At this point, it is entirely fair to wonder, which of our fears about the Bush administration will not turn out to be absolutely true. We now have confirmation that Justice Department officials, under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, illegally and repeatedly used a political litmus test in hiring prosecutors and judges. One example: a counter-terrorism prosecutor was passed over in favor of someone far less experienced because of his wife's political affiliation.

Worst Person in the World: Rupert Murdoch, Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Allen West and Dick Morris battle it out for top honors.

Ham Chowder: Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes, brilliant in the movie "Shaun Of The Dead". Joel McHale, brilliant in his E Network series "The Soup". Even Keith Olbermann, not all that bad, on "Countdown". But put them all together, and you have over-acting of biblical proportions.

Travelocity:  In a campaign of Non Sequitirs, Senator McCain has tonight reached a new high, in low. First announcing in Denver today that Senator Obama has failed the so-called Commander- in- Chief test...  Then on television...endorsing Obama's plan for bringing U-S forces home from Iraq. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Senator McCain now saying a 16-month withdrawal "timetable based on conditions on the ground" is "a pretty good timetable."

Fox in the White House:  It is one of those things you kind of assume to be true all along... and yet are shocked when hard confirmation actually comes. Our fourth story tonight, from the former White House press secretary himself, word that the Bush White House routinely sent--and as far as we know, still sends-- literal talking points to Fox News for its primetime propagandists, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and others... to spout, as if ventriloquist dummies, as if they had thought of it themselves, as if they had come to those opinions independently, as if there had been a process either fair... or balanced.
 
ODDBALL: A couple that robbed the church they were married in, and a baseball brawl.

Impeach Fuzz:  It was officially a House Judiciary committee Hearing on --quote-- "Executive Power and its constitutional limitations". Yet in our third story on the Countdown - even though the Speaker of the House has explicitly said that Congress will no impeach the President - that was the theme of the day.

Worsties...

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Rupert Murdoch, Bill-O and David Asman vie for tonight's top honors.

Beach Buddy:   The cliché of a vacation is to get away from it all... Most notably work, and the rattle and grind of everyday life. But in our number one story on the Countdown... an amusingly narrow poll... finds that fourteen percent of 'people' would evidently like to stay away from me. Not to worry, I'm not taking it personally, and you'll soon see why. And all of it will be leavened by Jason Bateman, who is here -- right here.

 Even part of a day's research does not indicate what Barry Goldwater or Nelson Rockefeller -- the presumed Republican frontrunners for the 1964 nomination -- were doing on June 26th, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy addressed the world from the Berlin Wall and declared "Ich Bin Ein Berliner." But in our fifth story on the Countdown: we do know what Senator John McCain was doing today, as Senator Barack Obama addressed a crowd estimated at 200-thousand in that historic city and spoke of tearing down new walls between America and our European allies, so we could all fight terrorism. Mr. McCain was at a German restaurant in Ohio... ordering cream puffs.

Politics and Policy:   Whatever you might think of Barack Obama's overseas trip... It's pretty apparent that John McCain thinks it hugely damaging -- to his efforts to defeat Obama. Our fourth story on the Countdown: Brian Williams' exclusive interview with Obama this morning in Berlin. Which began with some of the endless supply of stuff McCain has thrown against the wall in hopes it would stick... Brian quoting the tough language in the New York Times' account... To wit: Senator John McCain and his campaign have sharply stepped up criticism of Senator Barack Obama as a craven and naïve traveler to the Middle East, who, as McCain put it at a raucous town hall style meeting, quote, 'would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.

ODDBALL: A drunk guy chugs some wite out, and a deer that has six legs.

 Mac & Cheese:  If John McCain starts spitting out these gaffes any faster, they'll have to make him the host of "TV's Greatest Bloopers." Our third story on the Countdown -- until this week, there wasn't any dispute, practically or semantically, as to what the "surge" in Iraq was, or when it began, or who started it. Nor was there any dispute over what was the first major conflict after 9/11 -- our attack on the Taliban in Afghanistan. Now, Senator McCain has insisted everybody else's understanding of the facts of both these things, is wrong. And he, alone, is right.

Worsties...see below.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Ben Stein, Bill-O and Duncan Hunter vie for tonight's top honors.

Little Bad Corvette:  Columnist and right-wing pundit Robert Novak has had a curious week... First, The Prince of Darkness is used to float a bogus rumor that Senator John McCain will announce his Vice-Presidential choice this week -- neglecting to notice that Mrs. McCain was out of the country and the required "happy couples" photo-op would've been impossible. Then Novak hits a pedestrian with his car. And in our number one story on the Countdown, Novak says he had no idea, and he kept on driving...  Even though the pedestrian was reportedly splayed across the front half of Novak's convertible. The Soup's Joel McHale will join us presently to discuss the surreal life into which Novak has entered...

Double Talk Express: Which came first, the surge or the surge? Apparently, the surge did. In our fifth story on the Countdown: Senator McCain -- who yesterday wanted you to believe that the surge pre-dated the Sunni awakening in Anbar -- now wants you to believe that the surge started before President Bush said it did. If that is not confusing enough... The presumptive Republican nominee would also have you believe that the surge....and the Anbar awakening... and the counter-insurgency in Iraq... are all the very same thing.

Message for History: Senator John McCain...Having been confused about the basic timeline of the surge...Having accused his opponent, basically, of sedition... Tonight, in our fourth story on the Countdown, following that up... by questioning Senator Obama's commitment to preventing another Holocaust.

ODDBALL: a runaway chimp and a dinosaur on the loose in downtown LA

Polling Ahead: A first look at tonight's NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll on the presidential race would seem to show status quo: Obama up by six points, again.... but with a Keith number of a little over 11. But in our third story on the Countdown: inside the numbers there is at least one remarkable piece of data... And who better to go inside the numbers but Chuck Todd -- who will do so, presently.

Worsties...see below.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Bill-o, Brian Kilmeade, and a certain Independent Senator vie for tonight's top honor.

Down the Tube: If the Bush administration has seemed somewhat vexed by The Internets and The Google -- and, for that matter, by various representations of actual information....Then nothing could be quite as baffling as The You Tube. And in our number one story on the Countdown, the President recently cracked jokes about the mortgage meltdown and the housing crisis... when he thought he was in safe territory, and not being recorded. Yeah -- not so much.

The transcript of the CBS News interview with John McCain in which Katie Couric apparently misses John McCain's poor grasp of the facts of the conflict in Iraq is here on their own site:

As Keith pointed out, the briefing on the Anbar Awakening was on September 29, 2006 - at least two months before rumors about the mere possibility of a surge of U.S. troops in Iraq.

By the way, this is the transcript of what aired on CBS News with Katie Couric after some pretty strenuous editing. (Ellipses below obviously not present in the video):

Couric: Senator McCain, Sen.
Obama says, while the increased number of U.S. troops contributed to
increased security in Iraq, he also credits the Sunni awakening and the
Shiite government going after militias. And says that there might have
been improved security even without the surge. What's your response to
that?

McCain: Sen. Obama has indicated that by his failure to acknowledge the success of the surge, that he would rather lose a war than lose a campaign. ... Thanks to General Petraeus, our leadership, and the sacrifice of brave young Americans. I mean, to deny that their sacrifice didn't make possible the success of the surge in Iraq, I think, does a great disservice to young men and women who are serving and have sacrificed. ... There will still be attacks. Al Qaeda's not defeated. But the progress has been immense. And to not recognize that, and why it happened, and how it happened, I think is really quite a commentary.

Couric: A commentary on what?

McCain: That Sen. Obama does not understand the challenges we face. And … not understand the need for the surge. And the fact that he did not understand that, and still denies that it has succeeded, I think the American people will make their judgment.

The Huffington Post is continuing updated coverage.

Dr. Larry Hunter's Op-Ed in New York's Daily News: I'm a lifelong conservative activist and I'm backing Barack Obama

If you enjoyed Keith's segment on the progress technology is making in bringing superpowers to mortal humans you might like to check out this article or this blog entry from msnbc.com's Alan Boyle.

The Der Spiegel interview with Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki in which he agrees with Barack Obama's plan for pulling troops from Iraq is here. This is where Der Spiegel sticks to its translation by saying, "SPIEGEL sticks to its version of the conversation." And this is where the New York Times did a separate translation to confirm that Der Spiegel did not mistranslate Prime Minister al-Maliki:

 
Here's a slide show of images from the guinea pig contest Rachel described in Monday night's Oddball. NOTE: It includes some images of COOKED guinea pigs!
 
Kenny Anderson, the guy whose booth at the diner was invaded by an SUV was interviewed on the Today show.

The Time Magazine, Rockefeller Foundation poll Rachel Maddow pointed out as showing that America is not as conservative about its expectations of what government should do for them as conservatives would like to think is here with a nice overview here. The poll is part of The Rockefeller Foundations Campaign for American Workers.

"For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. Soe that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world."

The nipple-gate decision by the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossing out the FCC's fine on CBS includes mention of a part of the story that was originally uncovered by bloggers - that there weren't actually as many complaints as the morality police wanted us to believe:

The leaked HHS memo of a proposed new rule that would require any group taking federal health funding to hire medical staff even if they object to abortion but then defines "abortion" so broadly that it also actually applies to some forms of contraception can be found here hosted by RHRealityCheck.org.

"The Domestic Policy Subcommittee Majority Staff of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ... released the attached report and accompanying documents. The report details the reasons for severe delays in processing the claims of disabled veterans for their military retired pay. The report finds that poor contractor performance, government mismanagement and the erosion of quality controls denied thousands of disabled veterans timely and accurate retroactive retired pay awards."

Countdown described that report in the context of anticipating testimony by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service and defense contractor Lockheed Martin to explain their shoddy performance. An overview and video of that hearing can be found here.

Countdown reported that spending $300 at The Shady Lady Ranch brothel would earn you a $50 dollar gas card but the specials page on the brothel's Web site reveals that for $800 worth or "services" you'll get $150 gas card!

You can read for yourself Peter Brady's MySpace blog entry asking his fake TV mom to lay off his reality show model wife.

The benefit to Cindy McCain's family fortune from the sale of Anheuser-Busch? Check the stock bump.

The latest animated political satire from Jib Jab is "Time for some campaignin'."

In case that Jib Jab song puts The Times They Are A Changin' in you head, you can listen free here.

The Web site for worst Person in the World, Mike Meehan is here. The tastelessness of his billboard ad is apparently not out of character for this guy.

Friar Cesare Bonizzi is a member of Milan's Catholic Capuchin order of monks by day, heavy metal crooner by night. Known by stage name "Fratello Metallo", he and his band just released their second album. Click "Clicca per ascoltare i brani" for a little pop-up window with three free songs.

Max Blumenthal's look through former McCain campaign co-chair Phil Gramm's porn stash can be found on The Nation's Web site.

John Ashcroft's letter to the House Judiciary Committee in which he admits he can no longer remember what really happened is here. Other related documents are here.

CNN reporter criticizes TSA, finds self on terror watch list

The Web site for the American Idol Truth tour is TruthAboutFremantle.com.

Comedian Andy Dick joining the mugshot Hall of shame.

Surge Protector:  Senator John McCain... Now staking his candidacy entirely on the surge. Entirely on his claim that he believed in the need for a surge of U-S forces in Iraq... even before President Bush did. Tonight has proven that he does not understand one of the fundamental facts about it.

Gramm of Prevention:  On Friday, the Straight Talk was that McCain economic advisor Phil Gramm was off the campaign, after calling America a "nation of whiners." Only three days later, the straight talk was... that Gramm's advice would continue to be critical, his relationship with McCain... as strong as ever. Our fourth story tonight... gone but not forgotten -- except he's not even gone.

ODDBALL: Snooty the manatee, a corn maze of Obama and McCain, and a guy sticks it to the man!

Abuses Excused:  Why on earth would President Bush pre-emptively pardon the criminals in his own administration for illegal torture and detention, or illegal wiretapping against Americans... If Senator Obama's legal advisor says Obama's attorney general wouldn't prosecute those criminals anyway? Our third story on the Countdown: heads they win, tails we lose... Amid the fading hopes of holding the Administration to account.

Worsts...see below.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD:  Brett Baier  and Bill-O vie for tonight's top honors.

Lewis is Here:  Senator John McCain said it himself -- Quote -- "In a time of war the Commander in Chief doesn't get a learning curve." And yet, in our number one story on the Countdown, the Senator received an 'incomplete' on his essay about the war... from a paper that endorsed him for the Republican nomination. The New York Times rejected McCain's Op-Ed submission on Iraq because it lacked certain details... such as, any definition of victory in Iraq, even though the thing was about victory in Iraq. Tonight, another news organization did him a huge favor -- in his interview with CBS McCain made an incredible gaffe -- he claimed the awakening of the Sunni Iraqis was the result of the Surge, even though the Sunnis started cooperating nearly half a year before the Surge began. CBS was kind enough to edit McCain's mistake out of the interview that appeared on what is referred to, in apparent irony, as the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. All this serving as prologue... to my special guest.

A rare Keith/Rachel combo tonight...

Out of Iraq:  There is no mistaking now that Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki meant every word when he backed Senator Barack Obama's plan for withdrawing troops from that country within 16-months of taking office. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Despite the White House's attempt to make it seem as if al-Maliki had (A) been "misinterpreted"... and/or (B) had reconsidered his position -- no doubt under great pressure to do so... Those efforts nullified today when... after a meeting with Senator Obama in Baghdad... al-Maliki's spokesman telling reporters -- in English -- that all American troops should be out of Iraq by the end of 2010.

Triple Play:  Whatever it may owe to judgment, careful planning, and fortunate timing, Barack Obama's might very well want to quit now while he - in the area of trying to make himself look like a commander-in-chief - is ahead.  And in our fourth story on the Countdown... Senator Obama taking a position on which other key players agree... is starting to look like a trend.

ODDBALL:  a car slams into a restaurant and a guinea pig dress up contest...wee!

Drill Communication:  If any one event epitomizes John McCain's grasp of the economy, the wisdom of his approach to it, the precision of his timing on it, the accuracy of his attacks on Obama about it, it might just be this... Our number-three story tonight, Senator McCain launches a new attack ad against Barack Obama today, blaming Illinois' junior senator for? the high price of gas! an interesting *attribution of power, given McCain's constant belittling of Obama... and also a curious bit of timing, considering today's the first business day-since-- well, why don't we all enjoy the ad first.

Tabby Time: Breaking box office and Mini-Me news

Breast in Show:   My fellow Americans, our four-year national nightmare is over. So declared the Third Circuit u.s. Court of Appeals -- thumbing its judicial nose at the Bush administration's Federal Communications Commission.  Wait. What? Huh? Simply, actually -- you must know this: Nipple-gate is over. Our number one story on the Countdown tonight. Even if you weren't one of the 90 million viewers watching the Superbowl on February first, 2004, you surely have memory of Janet Jackson's uh --soft chest part -- exposed by Justin Timberlake during the half-time show.

Where in the World?:  The Presumptive Democratic Nominee's Magical Mystery Tour is underway, with an unprecedented level of secrecy, and of touchiness about the secrecy. In other words, in our fifth story on the Countdown...where in the world is Barack Obama.

Bushification:  If there is one concept... one general principle on which John McCain has reversed course, changed his mind... in baser terms "flip-flopped"... it is on whether he is... or is not... essentially the same as George Bush. In our fourth story tonight, as McCain works to Bush-ify his campaign... The media starts responding in kind.

ODDBALL: A granny kicks a guy's rear, and  Senator Larry Craig returns to the headlines.

Election Defection:  He is lifelong Republican, a former advisor to Ronald Reagan, and one of the authors of the Contract With America.  And he is voting for Barock Obama.  Our third story on the Countdown, one man who could make a dramatic difference in the campaign. It was Dr. Larry Hunter's unlikely and vocal support of a candidate with a domestic policy platform that was quote, antithetical to everything he believes in -- that shocked colleagues. To say nothing of his Op-Ed in New York's Daily News. He'll be my guest in a moment. First, parts of the Op-Ed.

Worsties...see below.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: A drunk airline passenger, Bill-O and swift boater Bud Day vie for tonight's top honors.

The Powers That Be:  One does not need a degree in psychology to understand the equation. You and I go to super-hero movies... Because we'd like to have super powers. So, in our number one story on the Countdown, let's cut to the chase: Can science give them to us... And how soon. Dammit.

$52 Pick-up:  When the GOP falsely accused Barack Obama of "reneging on a promise" to take only public campaign financing, its pretext was the reliability of his word... In reality, its complaint was about his competitiveness. 52 million dollars, the Democrat raised in June. And in our fifth story on the Countdown: that still puts him and the Democrats well behind the Republicans, and it points out the real nub of the GOP complaint gist... it's the economics, stupid. More over, Obama tonight is seeing results of the different way he's spent the money tonight -- with startling poll numbers out of the swing states.

Ticket to Deride: When Senator Obama heads overseas tomorrow to visit Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain -- he'll be accompanied by a substantital media entourage -- including all three nightly anchors from NBC, ABC and CBS. All of whom are interviewing the Senator - and travelling with him. None of whom accompanied Senator McCain on his Iraq trip in March. Our fourth story on the Countdown - according to Newsweek magazine - maybe that's because the McCain campaign didn't even invite them.

ODDBALL: A heavy metal monk, a shark gets check up and a drunk ref update.

Punch Lines: It is hard to know which is more astonishing... that John McCain does not outright deny he told a joke in 1986 about a woman who enjoys getting raped by a gorilla... Or the defense McCain's campaign offered today for that joke... and others...Or the media's willingness to... lay back and enjoy it. Our third story tonight... first, the... "joke."

Worsties...see below.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: John Ashcroft, the TSA and Bill-O vie for tonight's top honors.

The Truth Tour:  It has taken six long years...But finally, an angry nation has risen as one, and responded to the "American Idol" series in the only justifiable way. With a bus full of protestors. Our number one story on the Countdown: where the geeks, the self-delusionals, and the tone-deaf wannabees assemble, so will there be... the American Idol Truth tour.

KO returns...

Commander in Brief:  How low can the low-information voters go? If you're John McCain you continue to wager: lower than a box of rocks. Our fifth story on the Countdown tonight: a McCain surrogate's remarkable claim that his man isn't the new President Bush... but Senator Obama is Why? Because the Democrat in the race wants to leave Iraq. Quote: "We cannot afford to replace one administration that refused for too long to acknowledge failure in Iraq with a candidate that refuses to acknowledge success in Iraq." If you guessed only a Neo-Con ex-Rumsfeld Iraq advisor could actually say that without going into convulsive laughter, you're right -- the speaker was Randy Scheunemann.

Above the Lawmakers:  Six years ago this fall, President Bush rolled out his Iraq War sales job... waiting until fall, as his chief of staff said, because "you don't introduce new products in August." Four years later, Democrats won control of Congress, raising hopes that Congress would hold Mr. Bush accountable for his war lies with the tool given by the Constitution to defend the Constitution... impeachment. In our fourth story tonight, the House of Representatives has now sent an article of impeachment to the Judiciary Committee for debate as soon as next week. But there's a catch.

ODDBALL: Bank canopy goes boom, a bear breaks into a Circuit City and a crook gets his face turned into pizza.

Time for Some Campaigning: It appeared like magic late in the 2004 campaign... And the march of technology has not yet rendered it doable inside your computer, or your cell phone, or your appendix. Thus -- in our third story on the Countdown -- its reappearance as this second half of the campaign season begins was enough of a story to merit coverage tonight by ABC's World News. The Jib-Jab boys are back. And this time, the baseline for their animated political satire... the Dylan classic "The Times They Are-A-Changin.'"

Worsties...see below.

WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: Elizabeth Dole, Mike Meehan of St. Cloud, Florida, and Chris Wallace of FOX News vie for tonight's top honors.

While I Was Out: For the last 14 days I've felt a little like Lloyd Bridges in the movie "Airplane." Looked like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing headlines. Our number one story on the Countdown: a new and all too infrequent segment on the news hour -- While I Was Out. In no particular order... which of these signs of the apocalypse will you still be talking about next month...

That Barack Obama New York Times Op-Ed on his Iraq/Afghanistan plan is here.

Rachel mentioned that Monday was the anniversary of the Sedition Act, approved July 14, 1798. Now defunct, of course, but still a pretty amazing thing to read.

That video in Monday's Bushed segment (and followed up on Tuesday night) of the lobbyist offering access to White House officials for cash donations to the Bush library (and his own firm) is from this report in the Times of London. Don't miss the copy of the company's brochure. The Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has taken an interest in the piece. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman's letter to the lobbyist can be read here.

It took some time to dig up the stats about offshore oil production because the Energy Information Administration has a serious quantity of ... well... energy information, but I think this is the clearest piece from a 2007 report:

Again, those dates were from a 2007 report, so 2012 would be 2013 now.

As funny as the mash-up with the Miss Teen USA South Carolina video was, the video of S.C. governor Mark Sanford alone is quite a spectacle.

Here is Rep. Dennis Kucinich's re-introduced article of impeachment entered into the Congressional record. It's much easier to read this draft version.

The bunny letter opener clip on Friday was from a May, 2006 YouTube video.

I'd like to link directly to the relevant portion of the EPA's report on the impact of greenhouse gases on the health of humans and how to regulate those emissions through the Clean Air Act - this being the report that Dick Cheney's office is reported to have influenced - but there's just too much to sort through (and the point is not only what's there but what's not there).
You can start here but it looks like the report itself is hundreds of pages long. (Further insights from Countdown viewers are welcome.)

Rachel in for KO tonight...

The Right's Wrong: Today, one of the presidential candidates came out with a plan to send more U.S. troops into combat. It was not John McCain. The catch?  Barack Obama wants to send these troops... to Afghanistan, the war some U.S. troops call "forgot-istan". In a New York Times op-ed today, Obama says as president he would send at least two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan... he explained for the umpteenth time that he has never set a rigid, unconditional timetable for withdrawal from Iraq... and he explained why he thinks leaving Iraq is essential to America's safety.

Not Muslim:  The details hidden with the New Yorker cover drawing of Senator Obama and his wife Michelle aren't the story... The outrage over the New Yorker cover isn't the story either. But tonight, in our fourth story on the Countdown, the potential consequences of the clearly- meant- to- be- satirical cartoon are the story. First, the details...

ODDBALL: Miss U.S.A misses again, a man uses his hands to pull things out of hot oil and bull jumping in Espana.

What about Bill?:  Barack Obama has a three-dimensional dilemma. Or as he calls it, a complication, involved in the selection of his running mate.  Our third story on the Countdown, Hillary Clinton as an asset -- with her own potential liability -- her husband Bill.  Last Thursday, Obama reached out to Democratic donor and ardent Hillary Clinton supporter Jill Iscol. When the conversation turned to Hillary's shot at VP, Iscol says Obama expressed concern over Bill as the second spouse. Quote? Complicated indeed.  Obama himself knows how much power the Clintons wield. Remember this from Thursday?

Tony Snow 1955-2008

 
The Great McCommunicator:  In 2006, president bush proudly told a CNBC interviewer who asked about his computer usage, quote "one of the things i've used on the google, is to pull up maps!"  Little did he know that just two years later, the presumptive republican nominee to succeed him would make bush look like the super-hacker hero kid from TRON. In our number one story on the Countdown, big news from Senator John McCain's presidential campaign... The Senator is now officially moving into... the late-twentieth century... Saying that he's "learning to get online".

Check out this appearance by a McCain Campaign surrogate on Wolf Blitzer's Sunday show.  Maybe he was a last minute booking...but his initial response to the Wolf-man's first question leads you to believe you'll see this footage again, only with the phrase: "I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message" after it.

Flag on the Play: And if the election were a football game...It appears that Senator John McCain just ran the ball into his own endzone. Our fifth story on the Countdown:  McCain tells a Pittsburgh television station that he recited the names of the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line while under interrogation in north vietnam. One problem with that remarkable anecdote? Every other time McCain has told that story... He's named the Green Bay Packers instead. Unnecessary Pander! Ten yards! Ahead, we'll have political analysis from Richard Wolffe. And we'll go to the go-to guy you always want to go *to* when politics and sports combine...Someone who also knows a thing or two about Countdown... Who was perhaps hoping to have the entire day off.  But first, tonight... the details.

Gramm's Slam: Barack Obama was handed a political gift -- one that had the potential to keep... on... giving. Our fourth story on the Countdown, the Gramm slam that Obama is not hitting out of the park. Since yesterday, many Obama supporters are baffled as to why we have heard nary a peep from Obama's campaign about Phil Gramm's suggestion that economic woes are basically a figment of our collective national imagination.

ODDBALL: A baseball manager gone wild, a flatulant cow experiment and a bunny that opens letters with its mouth.

War Crimes: Among the many things Americans couldn't have imagined before the Bush Administration, is the fact that the word "torture" comes up frequently in our political discussions now. We've gotten used to saying it. How about the phrase "war crimes" though? Prosecutions for "war crimes". In our third story on the Countdown... The specter of Bush Administration officials being prosecuted for war crimes, for approving torture, has been raised by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Tabby Time: Jose Canseco says Madonna wanted him to impregnate her, Rupert Murdoch loses his wedding ring, and Michael Jackson may come back with the New Kids on the Block. 

Pigskin Pandering:  It's only a matter of time before Senator John McCain's gaffes and flip-flops fill entire college courses... In Politics... Government Affairs...Public Speaking. Not to mention the 'Saved-by-Joe-Lieberman-during the-press-conference' seminar. But in our number one story on the Countdown, Senator McCain told a story that cuts to the very core of who he is and why he says he ought to be president. As we told you at the top of this newshour... McCain conveniently dragged the wrong football team... into the tale. For a violation encompassing both politics and sports, we could think of only one definitive guest, who will join us presently.

The former FISA bill is now called Public Law No: 110-261. That's not in the public database yet but it's still in the Senate database here in case it's different from the last version we linked to.

Here's McCain listed as "not voting" on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment that he accuses Obama of not supporting because he's soft on Iran's terrorist status. The full "printer friendly" text of the amendment is here with this being the most referenced passage:

Meanwhile, here's The Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 of which Obama is a cosponsor. And Obama introduced a bill of his own, S.1430 (the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act), "A bill to authorize State and local governments to direct divestiture from, and prevent investment in, companies with investments of $20,000,000 or more in Iran's energy sector, and for other purposes." That was May 17, 2007.

The story of U.S. exports to Iran was the result of data compiled by the AP, not a single government report, but here's an interesting breakdown of exports by state. The real irony of McCain's crack about hoping exported cigarettes kill Iranians is that his state's chief export to Iran is vitamins.

The company behind the Electro-Muscular Disruption bracelet being considered as a security measure in airports is Lamperd Less Lethal. The company pitch video is an instant "war on terror" classic.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee offers a considerable amount of material in relation to their hearing on the manufacturers of FEMA's toxic trailers. Among the more damning passages in the main report:

The separate report filed by Republicans on the committee is here. "The problem was, and remains, confusion among federal agencies, not some conspiracy by trailer makers."

Gramm Crackers: The next time you need to take out a second mortgage to fill up at the gas pump... Don't worry: Any pain you might be experiencing? is apparently all in your mind. And if that second mortgage turns out to be a sub-prime mortgage... and you just happen to lose your home? Again: No worries. Any homelessness you might encounter... will also be, just psychological. Our fifth story on the Countdown: One of John McCain's oldest and closest economic advisers, former Senator Phil Gramm, has told Americans to stop "whining" about the U-S economy... which -- he says -- is only suffering from a "mental recession". Wish I was kidding... but I'm not.

Don't Forget the Debt:  I wonder what Freud would have thought about what happened -- actually -- what almost didn't happen last night, at Barack Obama's New York City fundraiser.  We can't of course book Sigmund as a guest, so let's make this rhetorical. Our fourth story on the Countdown: Obama and Clinton -- awwwkward! Barack Obama spoke last night for a half-hour before an audience of about a thousand people -- he praised Senator Clinton as "extraordinary" -- and got a substantial ovation.

ODDBALL: A drunk soccer ref and a guy with too much olympic spirit.

The Factor Filter:  In our number three story...we now have the FOX News explanation for why Jesse Jackson's disparaging whisper about Barack Obama caught on a FOX and Friends "hot mic" took 72 hours to see the light of day. They didn't know it happened...until a producer screening the tape the next day heard the whispers...and sent a transcript to the 'O'Reilly Factor'. Then after an internal discussion, FOX news made a FOX business decision. They would air the tape... and Mr. O'Reilly would DO IT LIVE!

The Brinkley Settlement.

A-Roddona:  We're only human. We can only guess what lurks in the hearts of men and women... But for Madonna and Alex Rodriguez... we have the help of their former managers, personal trainers, and un-named sources. Lucky us. In our number one story on the Countdown... A-Rod reportedly says he's in love. With Madonna. While Lenny Kravitz... in a most unfortunate bit of collateral damage... apparently almost... puked. All this and more... as the stomach turns.

No Joking Matter:  Despite the restrictions on Americans doing business with Iran... American exports to that country have increased ten-fold during the Bush Admnistration... with America sending more cigarettes to that country than any other product -- 158-million dollars worth. So far, doesn't seem to be a laughing matter, right? Apparently, not if you're Senator John McCain. In our fifth story on the Countdown: The Republican presidential candidate who last year sang "Bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boys "Barbara Ann"... Responded to a question about the administration's mixed-messages trade policy... by joking, quote: "Maybe that's a way of killing" Iranians.  Yeah. Still not funny. Trying to find it funny. Can't. And somehow, just hours later, we're supposed to take his reaction to Iran's missile test very seriously.

Reaction Jackson:  I may be relatively new to this t-v machine thing... but I *have* learned this much, thus far: Make sure your microphone is turned *off* before you say anything nasty... about anyone Tonight, in our fourth story on the Countdown, the Reverend Jesse Jackson is learning *that* lesson the hard way...

ODDBALL: A Michigan Mudpit and Panda 911.

Theatre of War:  Try as they may, John McCain's campaign staff cannot control everything. During Monday's town hall meeting in Denver, the very same one where the diminutive sign-carrying librarian was escorted away, McCain faced an unexpected challenger. Our third story on the Countdown, John McCain's war record... as a Senator.

Tabby Time: a Ramsey revelation, 12 years later.

The Last Interview:   If you happened to enjoy hearing Malia and Sasha Obama talk about the kinds of things that could matter only to a kid... in the midst of an historic presidential race... you're in plenty of company... but don't get used to it. The refreshingly innocent and equally harmless interview was the first -- and last -- one that Senator Obama plans to allow. In our number one story on the Countdown, the presumptive Democratic nominee says he was surprised by all the attention the interview received. Mr. Barack Star himself... surprised by... media attention. As a parent, he's of course entitled to realize that he may have made a mistake in this area. Or -- Perhaps there's something more sinister at hand? Is Senator Obama upset that his daughters have handed voters a truly compelling reason not to vote for him?

The McCain site lists the 300 economists who endorse the McCain economic plan (but don't mention the gas tax or the budget balancing).

This appears to be the official site for the World Wife Carrying Championship.

You may not have thought it was possible but here is the ruling on the Pringles case in which it was determined that the snacks are not technically potato crisps.

The full Jim Carrey/Jenny McCarthy swimsuit video is on the TMZ site.

The Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works site has a number of documents, including the original letter, related to former EPA official, Jason Burnett's exposing Vice President Cheney's office for cutting nearly half the original CDC testimony, so the CDC's health findings wouldn't oblige the government to crack down on carbon emissions.

Amazingly, it's possible to connect Phil Gramm to Kevin Bacon using feature films and no Fred Thompson cheat step.

Here's the Progress Now Action campaign to raise money for the legal defense of Carol Kreck who was issued a citation for trespassing while standing in front of a John McCain town hall meeting with a "McCain = Bush" sign. The full video of her ordeal is on YouTube.

Matthew McConaughey's new baby enjoys considerable company in being named Levi. His cousin's name, however, hasn't been in popular use since the 1930s. (But that's still more common than Sunday.)

The Access Hollywood interview with the Obama family will be presented in four parts. Below the video on the upper right of this page is a playlist of the first two parts so far.

Iraq the Vote: Even though Senator Obama has not changed his position on when and under what circumstances our troops could come home from Iraq... Senator McCain won the first round of the spin war on that issue, convincing most of the media for most of a long-weekend-news-cycle, that Obama had flip-flopped, on Iraq.  But in our fifth story on the Countdown: Round Two is about to get a lot trickier for the presumptive Republican nominee... McCain said four years ago quote, "it's obvious that we would have to leave [Iraq]"... if the Iraqi government asked us to do so. Well, asking us to do so, is exactly what the Iraqi government has now done.

Bush-League Senate:  Now I'm not privy to... nor do I ever want to be privy to, the wildest-dreams of George W. Bush. But i'm still willing to bet, that three years ago when we learned he was spying on Americans illegally? I'm betting? that his wildest dreams did not include the prospect that Congress -- a democratic-led congress -- would help him cover up his crimes. Today, in our fourth story on the Countdown, that is exactly what the u.s. Senate is poised to do tomorrow.

ODDBALL: Mid air painting, a cure for bad bees and the "Yo" president.

Protester Contest:  Freedom of speech and the right to assemble -- perhaps in the eye of the overzealous beholder when it comes to John McCain's campaign staff.  Our third story on the Countdown -- While Mister McCain was delivering quote, straight talk, at one of his open-forum town hall meetings in Denver yesterday, things were getting closed down just outside.

Tabby Time: High School Musical news and Matthew McConaughay new baby named after a pair of jeans.

Family Ties:  If Senator Barack Obama is elected President of the United States, he will join the ranks of President George W. Bush... and the late President Richard M. Nixon... in the pantheon of recent Commander-in-Chiefs... with two daughters. Let us hope any comparison ends there. In our number one story on the Countdown, the Obamas' two little girls, tell all. Ten-year old Malia and seven-year old Sasha.... take a decidedly no big deal attitude... about their dad running for President. The kids have something to look forward to, win or lose. And Malia is impressed by her mother's appearance in "People Magazine".... In the family's exclusive interview with Maria Menounos of "Access Hollywood".

Rachel Maddow in for Keith tonight...

Budget Buster:  Of the many claims made today by Senator McCain about the economy... my vote for the most laugh-out-loud double-take, wait-a-minute-what?! moment? Was the part where Senator McCain said he will have balanced the budget by the end of his first term because of all the money he will have saved... by winning the war in Iraq. Our fifth story on the Countdown: If you believe that, then there is this bridge in Brooklyn I'd love to talk with you about. I can get you an awesome deal.

Unconventional: A rumored change of venue has indeed come to pass. The Democrats make a change at their convention that's not only a stagecraft decision, not only a tactical decision -- but a symbolic decision about a campaign that's supposed to be about a new kind of politics, a new kind of politician. The Republicans, predictably, have responded with cynical snark. In our fourth story on the Countdown, the small-d democratization of an acceptance speech.  The original plan was scrapped. On August 28th, instead of an audience of 20 thousand - inside Denver's Pepsi Center,

ODDBALL: A panda gives birth and wife carrying in Finland.

Ad Nauseum:  Remember the fuss over Barack Obama not taking public financing for his campaign? Remember Obama's argument for why he made that decision? He said the system was broken, that even though John McCain was still participating in public financing... McCain still could still have third-party groups do his dirty-work for him... with unlimited funds. In our third story tonight... ding ding ding! Two attack ads... both supposedly, officially, at arm's length, or further, from McCain himself. First, one from the Republican National Committee.

Tabby Time: Keith and Dan back together, and Jim Carrey goes swimming.

Like a Player:  In our number one story on the Countdown... Alex Rodriguez' wife makes it official... and files for divorce. According to one of the lawyers for Cynthia Rodriguez...  A-Rod's "affair with Madonna was the final straw" And Madonna celebrates the fact that she is still capable of being the 'final straw'.

Some supplemental highlights from recent shows:

You can read the first judicial review of the government's secret evidence against detainee Huzaifa Parhat in which the accusations are described as being based on "bare and unverifiable claims."

You may recall this is the one that references the Lewis Carroll poem, "The Hunting of the Snark." There are many versions of the poem available online for free but this one also contains images of the book.

Fox News is looking for a "fact writer." Is this a new position?

TPM Muckraker has a follow-up today on last week's story of Deborah Honeycutt's fundraising peculiarities.

Communist Attempts to Elicit False Confessions from Air Force Prisoners of War (Also known as the basis of an interrogation class by military trainers who came to Guantanamo Bay in December 2002.)

Patrick joins NBC, reunites with Olbermann - Dan Patrick has been named a co-host of NBC's "Football Night in America" studio show, reuniting him with Keith Olbermann. The two redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1992-97.

Rachel Maddow in for Keith tonight...

Can the Center Hold?:  In outlining his plan to boost national service today, Senator Barack Obama was no doubt aiming for John F. Kennedy's "Ask not, what your country can do for you... Ask what you can do for your country." He was perhaps reaching for Franklin D. Roosevelt's "I pledge you, I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people." But instead, in our fifth story on the Countdown, in a week of campaigning on expanding faith-based federal programs and the size of the military, Obama's political message today may sound to his left-wing base a lot like the "Compassionate Conservatism" of George W. Bush. For a candidate running on change, defining the alternative to the Bush years -- what gives?

Economy of Words:  What did John McCain know about the economy and when did he know it? Our number-four story tonight... as record numbers of Americans face foreclosure... paying four dollars a gallon to drive to their bankruptcy hearings... Senator McCain today denied ever saying he's not an expert on the economy... something he has denied, and been corrected-on before. Here was his latest attempt to rewrite a history that he himself wrote.

ODDBALL: A flag house, some fat monkeys and a new escalator trick.

The War and Terror:  It's no surprise that Iraq is going the way of Afghanistan. That is, we've lost control, and lost the point. Like a nanny-cam trained on the untrusted babysitter, the military is now using our spy satellites to conduct surveillance on our own allied army -- the very force we helped create, and to this day, alongside whom our troops fight.  In our third story on the Countdown, an Iraqi army displaying an unprecedented level of autonomy and aggression, the Taliban reasserting itself in Afghanistan -- causing the highest number of coalition troop deaths since the start of the invasion... And an American public less spooked by terrorism and more fed up with war.  Why shouldn't we be?

Tabby Time: Breaking 90210 news and Jolie's twins on hold.

 
Playing Politics:Would a presidential candidate rather have the endorsement of a police officer... or a President? What about the endorsement of an actor who played a police-officer, versus an actor who played a President? And -- wait -- what if the fictional Commander-in-Chief thinks that his portrayal may have paved the way for the real-life candidate? In our number one story on the Countdown... it's Dennis -- "I'm not a president, but I played one on TV" -- Haysbert. Versus Eric -- Ponch -- Estrada.