Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for January 12

Host: Keith Olbermann

Read the transcript to the 8 p.m. ET show
Updated: TRANSCRIPT PENDING

Topics/Guests:

SHOULD PEOPLE LIVING IN DISASTER AREAS BE FORCED TO MOVE?: James Lee Witt, former FEMA director

WMD SEARCH ENDS IN IRAQ: Tom Squitieri, U.S. intelligence and
Pentagon reporter, USA Today

PRESIDENT BUSH PROMOTES "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" AND PROCLAIMS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LORD IN BEING PRESIDENT: Howard Fineman, Newsweek, MSNBC political analyst

A SPACECRAFT HEADS TOWARDS COMET TEMPLE ONE FOR A CRASH AND STUDY SESSION: Derrick Pitts, Franklin Institute Observatory

OLBYWATCH GUIDE: First of all let me say Thanks to Robert Cox for allowing me to 'take one for the team' by watching tonights episode of Cable TV's Lowest Rated Program! Saving you the PAIN of having to do the same.

KO lead into the Mudslide story with: California Gov. Shwarzenegger made a 'Controversial Promise' today to 'help residents get back into their homes'. Am I missing something here? When did it become controversial to help people afflicted by natural disaster? KO wanted desperately to blame the mudslide on a local orchard located on top of the hill, but James Witt didn't bite. He reminded KO of the heavy rains California has been experiencing.

At 15 minutes in, KO has already found a way to take a shot at Bill O'Reilly, Gov. Shwarzenegger, Armstrong Williams, President Bush and Tommy Thompson. KO called Sec. Thompson the 'picture of radiant fitness' leading into the discussion of the Dept. Of Health and Human Services release of new diet information today.

Next up came this little dig: "In the wake of the Armstrong Williams campaing, is this a good time for the President to launch another PR campaign?" KO was talking about President Bush speaking today about NCLB and Social Security. Once again folks, I might be wrong, but isn't the President suppose to promote his agenda? The bottom of the TV screen had the title 'spokesman-n-chief'. KO is trying to make the lame assertion that the President should abandon his agenda because of Armstrong Williams.

KO finishes the hit piece on President Bush by saying we know this is a "damn the torpedoes administration."

KO just found absolutely nothing wrong with Gregoires stolen 129 vote win for Governor of Washington. The same non-partisan KO who has been disturbed by the President's 118,000+ margin of victory in Ohio. Why no concern about Washington? It couldn't be because Gregoire is a democrat, could it? I mean KO is non-partisan, right?

You can really see the disgust in KO now that O'Reilly will be on MSNBC helping with the tsunami telethon. It is apparent now that KO cannot understand how his competition from FOX just became part of a project his network is producing. It's almost as if he is crying out at NBC "pick me, please, pick me. I'm better than O'Reilly, even if I have the lowest ratings on TV."

Thanks for the non-partisan, hit job on republicans Keith.