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

Host: Keith Olbermann

Topics/Guests:

• 2008 ELECTION: Richard Wolffe, Newsweek senior White House correspondent and MSNBC political analyst
• PR FOR AMERICAN IDOL: Maria Milito, Q104.3 Radio Host and Countdown's American Idol Princess
• IMAGE IN DICK CHENEY'S SUNGLASSES: Dana Milbank, Washington Post national political reporter and MSNBC political analyst

Finally, the last opening spiel of the week--it couldn't come soon enough: Bill Jefferson brings up Bosnia again! The torture club, and Cheney's sunglasses! Another O'Reilly attack! Another McCain attack! It's casual Friday at Olbermann Watch.

#5: Obama comments about "small town Pennsylvanians"! Conveniently omitted from the opening spiel. Hmm. Oh wait, the "context" is all important. Well, that changes everything. "Context" is vitally important with any Obama quote, while it can be dismissed, and even deliberately edited out, when it's Mr Bill or a McCain supporter. Oralmann continued the damage control, calling Obama's comments too "intellectual" for the average dunce to grasp. How dare Hillary go after Obama "with guns blazing"? Naturally Bear questioned the timing [Ding!], but neglected to mention that it was HuffPo who broke the story. The Wolffe Man dared to describe Obama's comment as a "misstatement"; even that is regarded as overly harsh on OlbyPlanet but Wolffie was nonetheless Great Thanksed.

On to attacking B.J. Clinton for reviving the Bosnia flap, comparing him to an over-the-hill Walter Winchell handing out mimeographed flyers on street corners when he couldn't get work. How dare B.J. "blame the media"? Re B.J. and Hillary: "What happened to these two people?" Fat Ass was close to tears when he asked Chuck Todd how serious Barack's "intellectual" statement was. Toddy, one segment early, stammered empty phrases and was Great Thanksed.

#4: Olbermann's Criminal Rehabilitation Group met again with its star pupil: John Dean. The disbarred lawyer was there to--surprise!--accuse the Bush administration of being eeevil criminals. Well, he should know what being a criminal is about. Watergate! [Ding!] Nixon! [Ding!] Watergate! [Ding!] He got Great Thanksed before even saying a word! Some flap about subpoenas, but the felon went out on a limb: the White House could lose. Unless they win. Another new Olbyword: "hyperthetical". Watergate! [Ding!] The Ford pardon! For his drivel, the criminal was Great Thanksed again. Double Great Thanksed! Great Thanksed squared!

#3: Cheney analogized to "the abyss". Was there a naked girl reflected in Cheney's sunglasses? Of course, because naked women are always hanging around when people go fly-fishing. Supposed-to-be-funny pix of various objects reflected in the Veep's glasses were shown. Dana Milbank, absent absurd accoutrements but sporting goofy black sunglasses (didn't this sort of thing get him into trouble once before?) nattered away but was not Great Thanksed.

#2: plug for #1. #1: American Idol discussion, with Oralmann bashing McCain (Blue Blog Source: Daily Kos, Oralmann's favorite charity). Through the entire show he kept saying Obama and Clinton asked for charity donations while McCain just made jokes. Another Olbermann Lie of course. McCain made a couple of slight jokes but appealed to the audience to donate as well. Finally during the segment itself that slight fact is revealed, but of course by then he's had 50 minutes to smear McCain by planting the thought.

In the Media Matters Minute, worst persons were John McCain (Blue Blog Source: Think Progress), Cheney (Blue Blog Source: Think Progress), and worst: yep, Mr Bill, for criticizing the all-holy David Brock.

If it's Friday, it's our weekly assessment of Krazy Keith's masculinity. This week, Monkeymann attacked Fox and other broadcasters 16 times. Olby's source (Hillary Clinton's Media Matters) criticized (MS)NBC 16 times, but Keithy protected his corporate masters with zero criticisms. That makes this week's Olbermann Manhood Quotient: -32 [mama's boy limp].

Tonight's MisterMeter reading: 3 [GUARDED]

And that's The Hour of Spin for this, the 704th day since the declaration that "Karl Rove will in fact be indicted".