Tonight on Countdown. KO is back [View All]

[madokie]

The odds of building a stable Iraqi government by September are slim, even with the addition of 30,000 U.S. troops to give lawmakers in Baghdad security, said the top U.S. general in the Middle East country. The ``aggregate level'' of violence has not diminished since the troop increase began five months ago, General David Petraeus said in an interview on ``Fox News Sunday.'' Asked whether he thought the strategy could succeed by early September when he's due to report to Congress, Petraeus was negative. ``I do not, no. I think we have a lot of heavy lifting to do,'' he said. ``This is a tough effort.'' Lawmakers in Congress, including the top Republican in the U.S. Senate, said they won't tolerate the lack of progress. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=arnjTMhgr4vY&refer=home

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

The Justice Department is scrambling to find willing replacements for nearly two dozen temporary US attorneys, whose time in office is now limited under a law signed last week by President Bush. The developments add to growing personnel problems at the Justice Department following last year's firings of nine US attorneys, which led to a political confrontation with Congress, lowered morale, and contributed to an exodus of officials from the upper ranks of the department.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/06/18/justice_department_races_to_replace_interim_us_attorneys/

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has moved to a double-digit lead over her closest Democratic presidential rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, according to a USAToday/Gallup poll released on Monday. Among Republicans, the new poll showed former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson in second place behind former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and slightly ahead of third-place Arizona Sen. John McCain. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19289532/

Matt Lauer's interview with Princes William and Harry.

Inmate Paris Hilton spent Father's Day with her parents, and the hotel heiress gave him a card with his picture on it. Rick and Kathy Hilton showed up at the Century Regional Detention Facility in a silver Chevy sedan about 7:15 p.m. and left about an hour later. Asked about his Father's Day, Rick Hilton said, "It's not ideally my best." http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2007/06/18/2007-06-18_paris_day_as_daddys_little_con.html

That's some of what we're planning tonight.