At least when it comes to a signature element of The Hour of Spin: lifting "news" from blue blogs without bothering to fact-check or verify. Edward R Olbermann wasn't there Friday night, but obviously his writers were still populating the teleprompter.

Rachel "Rip 'n' Read" Maddow railed against a Congressman (R, of course) for calling a U.S. soldier a "two-bit security guard". Outrage ensued. But, oops, the blue blog source (Think Progress) got it wrong. The guy wasn't a U.S. soldier. He was a contract worker: you know, what comedian Maddow and her pals derisively refer to as a "mercenary". What's more, the true facts were published many hours before Maddow began The Hour of Spin.

That's just the beginning of the latest Countdown embarrassment. You'll find the entire sordid story at Just One Minute, complete with the entirely hypothetical question of whether Keith himself will correct this error or utter any criticism about it whatsoever. Those familiar with the Olbermann Manhood Quotient know the answer to that one. (See also HotAir.)