Countdown Newsletter 4/4/05 (funny intro)

Please allow us this...
When FOX News said that the Pope was dead -- one day early -- we had the story right, here at MSNBC.
FOX News -- eventually -- corrected their fiction. That one, anyway.
MSNBC had it accurate the whole way through...
The exceptional coverage continues.

As tens of thousands of mourners watched, Pope John Paul II's body was moved Monday through St. Peter's Square and into St. Peter's Basilica, where it will lie in state for public viewing until his funeral on Friday. Tens of thousands of mourners broke into applause as 12 pallbearers, flanked by Swiss Guards, carried the body into the square on a crimson platform. The applause was a customary Italian gesture of respect. Emerging through the Bronze Door into the square, the procession moved toward the basilica's central doors. The pallbearers paused at the top of the stairs and turned the pope's body to face the crowd briefly before entering. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3305285/

Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann broadcasts LIVE at 8 pm et, and the count is never complete without you. Join us.

Arab world hails pope. NBC correspondents report on reaction from around the globe. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7359150/

Prince Charles' office said Monday that his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles will be moved to Saturday so that it doesn't conflict with the funeral for Pope John Paul II. Charles will attend Friday's funeral in Rome, the prince's Clarence House office added. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7372770/

President Bush said Monday the United States will still bear the burden of reconstruction costs in wartorn Iraq even as some of its coalition partners withdraw their forces. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7377693/

Bush awarding Medal of Honor for Iraq duty. Sgt. Paul Smith died defending dozens of his men in Baghdad. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7379706/

That's some of what we're working on for tonight's show.

Keith blogs: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/


Finally,
An Italian and a Nigerian cardinal are tied as Irish bookmakers' favorites to succeed Pope John Paul II. More than 5,000 people have placed bets on who will be the next pope with Paddy Power PLC, Ireland's largest bookmaking chain. The early favorites are Dionigi Tettamanzi of Italy and Francis Arinze of Nigeria, both listed on 11-4 odds. That means a winning $4 bet would pay out $15. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/POPE_ODDS?SITE=NWCN&TEMPLATE=STRANGEHEADS.html&SECTION=HOME
One word: tacky.

-- Carey Fox

Countdown Home: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

More:
Group puts $100 laptops in poor countries. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7380192/

Flooding forced hundreds of people from their homes Monday in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and closed the New Jersey Statehouse and several nearby state office buildings. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7355989/

About one in five ninth-graders report having had oral sex and almost one-third say they intend to try it during the next six months, a small study of teens at two California schools reports. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7378833/

JetBlue was once again ranked as offering the best service in an annual survey that also found five of the top six airlines are low-fare carriers. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7361516/

who was the driving force behind that fair and accurate commercial that's just cropped up in the past few days, hmm?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=315&topic_id=1622&mesg_id=1703

Nice catch, Catch! :thumbsup:

because I thought I saw the "fair and accurate" for the first time late on Friday. I know I couldn't have seen in on Saturday because we were hardly at home during the day; I completely missed KO's broadcast that day.

on edit: and as expected, he's done a wonderful job. He must be bone tired, but should be proud of the work he's done. Not that the Pope deserves any less than his best.

...that they actually READ this thing! :) Hi, Keith! :hi:

it's merely their alacrity that continues to impress me. :7 Although with vixen like you to keep things lively, I can see why their um, interest remains elevated. :evilgrin:

:evilgrin:

given your proclivities, I'm almost certain you meant to say, "so to spank". :7