Summary: Kossack "loveendures" talked about this briefly yesterday.  Laura Ingraham, her staff, and her listeners freaked out over Keith Olbermann's latest Special Comment, where he attacked "the troops" as cold-blooded killers.

As you can imagine, all isn't as it seems.  Allow me to elaborate.

I feel like I've just witness a real, live Howard Beal moment on MSM.  Chris "Tweety Bird" Matthews, just called out the President, the administration, the right-wing windbags, AND THE MEDIA ITSELF.  Appearing on Countdown With Keith Olbermann, with Rachel Maddow sitting in, Matthews just raked everyone who has ever used any of the pathetic neocon buzzwords, over the coals.  He actually said, out loud, that since the Bush administration has been in power, they have used these inflammatory words for no other reason that to shut their critics up, so they would be able to pursue their policies unmolested.  I jus hope Matthews has a job to go back to on Monday...

Rachel’s back! ALL RIGHT! Part of me is bummed that Keith "isn’t home," but he’s entitled to a day off and/or a day at the ballpark. And, Rachel rocks! She looked more relaxed tonight. With thanks to Rachel Maddow for "pinch hitting" for Keith tonight, away we go with the Friday night Countdown diary!

I am so glad this is happening again.  I think this will go well!  I think Keith and Rachel should team up to do a joint show on MSNBC.  It would more than make up for some of the conservative and incendiary political analysis MSNBC has been having lately.  Honestly, between Keith and Rachel, I dont know who I like more.

Dont forget to let MSNBC know we love her and we want to see more of her.

letters@msnbc.com

PS:

I would love to see what a "Special Comment" would look like with both Keith & Rachel.

UPDATE: Rachel Maddow to re-air again @ 10pm (Est)

UPDATE: Rachel Maddow back on for all that missed it

UPDATE: Thanks all.  Hopefully we will see more of Rachel.  And as always, kudos to Keith!!

We've got your back, Keith!

I don't know about you guys, but I am sick of hearing about how "Reagan Democrats" will be the turning point.  The general election battle is heating up, so I think it is time we dispel this myth for good.

REAGAN DEMOCRATS DON'T EXIST
They did in the 80s, but no more.  Today we call those people Republicans. My dad was part of the Reagan revolution, and he has voted for exactly one democrat since then, Leonard Boswell, and that was ten years ago.

With no more ado, my letter to Keith Olbmermann

Among Billo's more pathetic regularly-appearing guests is a woman known as a "body language expert." She sits down with Mr. Orally and, as they watch a video, proceeds to explain to him what the unspoken "non-verbal cues" can tell us about the person in question. Like a couple weeks ago, they watched Bill Moyers interviewing Jeremiah Wright. The main thing the woman seemed to pick up from Moyer's and Wright's "body language" was that they seemed to "like each other." And so of course O'Reilly thought that was just great... a couple of "lefties" seeing eye to eye.

So now, tonight, Keith Olbermann decided to turn the tables. He had on his own "expert" to interpret the actions of Billo during his now-famous meltdown from his days on Inside Edition.

"I left my heart in San Francisco..." OK, I have to admit being a little disappointed that the decision concerning the constitutionality of "gay marriage" in California wasn't covered tonight, but I know only so much can be discussed in one hour - especially considering the fact that the "shenanigans" of GWB in Israel today and the great Dem response had to be addressed. Let the Countdown diary discussion fun begin!

I may be channeling Keith Olbermann’s anger. (Although I wish I had just a pinch of his talent.)  But, this morning, when I turned on C-Span and heard the discussion about President Bush’s remarks in Israel I was outraged.

I admit, I did not vote for President Bush...either time. In 2000 I voted for Al Gore because I believe in the principles of the Democratic Party that he represented. I am also one of those people who is doubtful that Bush’s presidency is legitimate...I think the Supreme Court ruled incorrectly in 2000, and that Al Gore really won the presidency. And I was SO PROUD of him for the classy way he stepped aside in the interest of the country. THAT was true patriotism!

But, in 2001, I DID try...really hard, even though I was worried...to set aside my doubts and get behind the president after September 11th. My patriotism tells me that that is what you do when your country is at risk. And most of us...both Democrat and Republican... on September 12, 2001 did agree on that.

Dear Sirs-

I have only recently begun watching your channel. Seldom do I watch TV, especially cable.

However, that fact that you feature someone as intelligent and eloquent as Keith Olbermann has changed that.

It is so refreshing to have someone on TV who doesn't talk down to me. Thank you so much for giving this journalist a forum of his own and for having him as the anchor on primary nights.

His "Special Comment" on May 14 about Bush & golf was important television, a near oxymoron in today's world. I watched with bated breath. I have re-watched this segment on your website in the hours since it first aired. I will be buying Oral-B dental care products today in support of their sponsorship of the "Special Comment" on the website.

Finally, it may sound trite, but the only TV show I historically watched "religiously" was "The Simpsons". Since I have begun tuning into "Countdown", which sadly airs at the same time locally here in Sacramento, I don't watch even 1 minute of my former favorite show. Keith Olbermann's show is the only program on TV I cannot bear to miss.

In what is bound to be one of the most stunning political news of this election season, the man who has become most hated President in all of American history, George W Bush, viciously attacks the Democratic presumptive nominee on foreign soil. In a speech to the Knesset on the 6Oth anniversary of Israel's independence P. Bush said that "some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along" Bush continued in his assault, "we have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American Senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

Last night was a big night. I'm not talking about Edwards endorsing Obama, I am talking about the Interwebs blowing up over Keith Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly.

Keith released a Special Comment that may go down as his very best. Bill "released" his dance remix of his greatest hit.

Interestingly, DailyKos played a role in both. Keith gave a preview right here and Bill's video was released right here.

Summary: I know that Mr. Olbermann's tag line is:

"If you're going through hell - keep going!" -- Winston Churchill

...but I think the following quote better captures his essence:

Why else would the gods have you build such a large statue of yourself if not to make it easier for me to poop on it?

Whether he's in "funny Keith" mode or "angry Keith" mode, he seems most in his element when he's knocking down people who shouldn't be as high up as they are.  And nobody in recent history has demanded larger statues of itself to be built than George Timmeh! Bush.  So Mr. Olbermann has delivered another Special Comment for our "special" President.

However, as always seems to be the case, it's left to me to translate the sermon for Mr. Bush's benefit.

I've seen every Special Comment thus far.  I've seen him repeatedly push the edge of the envelope.  Tonight, he burst right through it.

I've never seen a TV commentator, even on cable, totally eviscerate an incumbent prez and everything he stands for like that before.  I've never seen someone drive a stake through a tissue of lies like that before.  I've never seen that kind of passion and that kind of verve before.

**SPOILER ALERT!** - I usual post this diary a bit later, but I wanted to give people an outlet to respond to the "Special Comment" if they wanted. So, if you want to wait, stop reading here and come back at "the usual time"! Thanks!!

I can't remember the last time I went from feeling so incredibly craptacular to so ready to go out to kick a$$ and take names in such a short amount of time! What a day this has been, I'm sure, for us all - no matter which candidate you're supporting. No one can say that today has been boring! Let the Countdown fun begin!

Reading these new remarks, jaw-dropping even for this knuckle-dragging president, I am reminded, strangely, of the scene in Monty Python's Life Of Brian, when the commandos of the Campaign For Free Galilee and the People's Front of Judea meet each other in the palace of Pontius Pilate, having each conceived and launched exactly the same kidnap plot at the same time.

BRIAN: Brothers! Brothers! We should be struggling together!

FRANCIS: We are!

BRIAN: We mustn't fight each other! Surely we should be united against the common enemy!

EVERYONE: The Judean People's Front?!

Times like these, when a president of the United States is not descended upon by a team of psychoanalysts after he actually talks about how he responded to the grief of parents who lost children in his meaningless war in Iraq, by making his own sacrifice - golf - remind me that surely even in this time of internecine Democratic struggling, we should be united against the Common Enemy.

So tonight, for the first time since Valentine's Day, I'm offering a Special Comment on Mr. Bush, previewed below.

The Frank Factor: addressing subservient, media, corporate propagandists and prostitutional politicians, strangling America by using fear and influence to exploit us, dismantle the Constitution of the United States and our civil liberties.

Frank describes himself as a "partisan in recovery." Having voted as both a Republican and a Democrat, Frank has accepted the fact that he developed a partisan dependency issue.

"The first step to recovery is admitting your addiction."

"This system of government is critically hinged upon the citizenry being informed, active and responsible."

"Truth belongs to the highest bidder and that is anti-American."
--Frank

If Hillary Clinton thought her win in West Virginia last night would be a "game changer", she was sorely mistaken. Before the polls closed last night, I was anticipating that the media would turn this win around to say Clinton had risen yet again from the ashes, labeling her win as a "comeback". While there was no doubt some of that going on, the press in large part hasn't taken the bait.