"COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN" (8:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. ET)

Host: Keith Olbermann

Topics/Guests:

• SUPPLEMENTAL WAR BILL: Jonathan Alter, Newsweek senior editor and MSNBC political analyst; Craig Crawford, Congressional Quarterly and MSNBC political analyst;
• CIA PRE-WAR INTELLIGENCE REPORT: PJ Crowley, former Pentagon spokesman and Center for American Progress Senior Fellow.

#5 Iraq War Funding Bill - Keith actually touches on one of the most significant aspect of the bill - it passed despite opposition from the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader and a majority in both the House and Senate that opposed the bill. But as quick as it came the moment is gone as Keith explains John Boehner's comments during the debate on the supplemental as somehow a lack of concern about the troops in Iraq. Funny how Keith is all upset about how people are "twisting" Rosie O'Donnell's words (when she actually said what has been reported) but has no problem claiming that Boehner said something that he did not say and which is has nothing to do with the clip he ran. Keith managed to find a New York Times poll that says things he likes. Surprise!

Jonathon Alter stops by and immediately demonstrates why he was recently anointed one of Olbermann's "First Five" inducted into the Great Thanks Hall of Fame - saying Bush "knows that he is signing the death warrants of young men and women".

For those who have never been to OlbyPlanet, one of the coolest things about it is the "wayback machine". Anyone on OlbyPlanet is able to step into a television studio and be magically transported back in time so they can turn their own failed predictions into accurate ones. Alter took a brief trip tonight, so that he and other OlbyPundits always knew it was "unavoidable" that Bush would get his way because Democrats "never had the votes". Funny how this is the first time since the 2006 election that we've ever heard that on Countdown.

Alter reveals that his colleagues...whoops...the Democratic leadership...inform him that the Democrats have another trick up their sleeve that WILL success - cutting funding to Gitmo this coming July. I think I actually saw Alter noting the time he said it so he knows exactly how far back to go in the Wayback Machine come July when Bush argues that the Dems want to let the terrorists go free so they can harm innocent Americans - and the Dems cave again. No word from Keith or Alter on where the prisoners at Gitmo will be going once that facility is shut down.

Alter is, however, hopeful that the politics of Iraq will change over the summer so the Democrats can get their way in the fall. Hmmmm. How might the politics change? Hmmmm. Maybe if there are lots and lots of deaths in Iraq? Maybe that things get worse in Iraq? Now you know why Alter was a shoo-in on the first ballot for the Great Thanks Hall of Fame.

Whoops, Alter obviously strayed from the OlbyScript:

"remember, the brigades that were part of this surge, it takes them a while to deploy in country so after the all arrive at the beginning of the summer it will no longer be the excuse that "hey, the surge hasn't been implemented yet"

Wait? Check the tape! Haven't we been hearing how the surge is not working? But Alter says the troops have not even all arrived yet and even after they arrive it will take some time to deploy them in Iraq. Fortunately, it's Friday night on Memorial Day weekend and the OlbyLoons are far too stoned to sort out THAT contradiction.

Craig Crawford is definitely NOT a reliable OlbyPundit and it is questionable whether he will ever be on the ballot for the Great Thanks Hall of Fame. Sure enough, Crawford notes that Hillary has opened herself up to the Kerry Flip-Flop Charge.

Sure enough, only a mumbled, half-hearted "great thanks" for Crawford.

#4 - Spintel - Hold the presses, elements at the CIA did not support the war in Iraq! And there a report that said bad things might happen in Iraq if we invaded (duh!)

P.J. Crowley politely agrees with all of Keith's "questions".

My mind was wondering as Keith spent about 40 seconds asking an OlbyQuestion...whatever happened to that Chalabi guy? Last I heard he was accumulating all sorts of power in Iraq. I don't think I've heard an ominous report about that guy since the fall of 2006.

Oooh! A classic OlbyQuestion surfaces:

"The occasion of the Memorial Day Weekend is especially a somber one even to ask this question but 'is there a way to estimate how many lives were lost, just how many American families suffered because these CIA forecasts were ignored by the President and the warmongers who were around him?'"

I love this question because not only do you have the actual content of the question but you have to suspend disbelief long enough to ignore the reality that when George Tenet's book came out he was slamming the CIA pretty much every day for about two weeks for their pre-war "forecasts" (intelligence estimates).
Lindsay Nelson bought a suit in Hong Kong made of drapes.

Oddball - a thief on a motorized scooter, a stage dive to nowhere,

Top 3 Newsmakers - Jim Ruternberg does not have kids but Bush thought he did, stupid crook, a cop trades sex for favors

#3 - Canned report from NBC Dateline - Ann Curry slobbers all over Angelina Jolie as she promoted her movie with the fullest of cooperation of NBC "News"

#2 - Rosie leaving The View. Keith runs the clips of Elizabeth Hasselbeck of cleaning Rosie's clock but nothing about what Rosie ACTUALLY SAID.

Keeping Tabs - Star Wars convention, Paul Newman retiring from acting

WPIW - John McCain misses votes while campaigning, Fred Thompson says there are terrorists who want to kill Americans (gasp!), Doug Feith made a typo in a report several years ago.

#1 - Canned "American Idol" review.