Emailed newsletter 3/31 -- the leadoff: "Terry Schiavo has died"

[Nothing Without Hope]

Tonight on Countdown
------------------------------------------------------

Terri Schiavo has died...
Some of the more reputable papers in the country have both covered the Schiavo case and scolded broadcast news -- especially cable news -- for covering the story... so much.

But no matter what you think of the personal and political choices made in this case, there's no denying that her death and the manner leading up to it set off a fight in this country.

Even though polls show a vast majority of Americans think Congress and the President acted improperly in the case, a much slimmer majority say that taking out the feeding tube, on a personal, family level... was right.

If there is such a thing as peace, we all hope that Terri Schiavo has found it.

But the debate her case triggered is not over; the full implications not yet realized.

Countdown will devote the entire hour to Terri Schiavo.
-- the latest news of the day.
-- the legalities ahead.
-- the national politics.
-- the autopsy.
-- and, was due process achieved?

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

Terri Schiavo dies, but battle continues. President Bush: 'Millions of Americans are saddened'. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7293186/

COMMENTARY By Arthur Caplan, Ph.D.: Terri Schiavo has now died. She died amid an incredible cacophony of arguments, pleadings, demands, threats, prayers and commentary. That she died angered many. How she died angered many others. The attention her death elicited from so many different sources angered still others. If in the wake of her passing it is possible to put some of that anger aside, perhaps we can all ask ourselves some hard questions about what has taken place here. What should each of us take away from the incredible events of the past few weeks? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7289351/

Finding Terri: The woman behind the existential debate. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7347035/

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

-- Carey Fox

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

More:
DEAD WRONG: n a scathing report released Thursday, President Bush's commission on weapons of mass destruction found that America's spy agencies were "dead wrong" in most of their judgments about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction capabilities. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7331220/

Aid workers rushed food to quake-stricken Nias island and tried to restore running water Thursday, while rescuers continued to pull survivors from the rubble of the region's latest earthquake. The government lowered its estimated death toll to between 400 and 500. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7316846/

Pope John Paul II, now being fed through a nasal tube </id/7263878/> because of his throat problems, effectively wrote his own "living will" last year in a speech declaring some life-extending treatments a moral duty for Roman Catholics. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7344152/

More than half of all cancer deaths could be prevented if Americans stopped smoking, exercised more, ate healthier food and got recommended cancer screenings, the American Cancer Society reported on Thursday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7338252/

Prince Albert has taken over the regency of Monaco because his ailing father is unable to exercise his royal functions, the palace said Thursday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7347372/

Ted Koppel, who has anchored ABC News' "Nightline" since its inception a quarter-century ago, said Thursday he will leave the network when his contract expires at the end of the year. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7347335/

[greenmutha]

1. "Countdown will devote the entire hour to Terri Schiavo."

And I was hoping they'd do an anniversary retrospective of Countdown's Best! Oh well... :hide:

[gkhouston]

2. so, do we want to party tonight

or postpone until tomorrow?

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. Yeah- great application of that little hiding-behind-the-wall guy

Maybe Keith feels that this comprehensive show will be a fitting closeout to the story. Now that she's died, he can tie it all together and present it all in one show.

If I weren't already totally ODed on this topic, I'd be more appreciative.

One of the long list of things that really grinds me about the TS situation is how there is all this outpouring of real or pretended (depending on the person) emotion over one brain-dead woman who was not able to understand what was happening to her, while hundreds of thousands are being killed in Darfur, and others are being maimed and killed in Iraq and elsewhere. And in this country, the human suffering and death is all around, and almost all of it is in people who are all too aware of what is happening to them.

The hypocrisy is making me ill. Even the people who feel genuine sorrow and want to help Mrs. Schiavo's family would do far better to pay more attention to the thousands upon thousands of faceless suffering and dying people who have not chanced to be the neocon cartel's & Poodle Press's darlings of the hour. How can they not see how they are being manipulated?

[gkhouston]

6. they don't want to see it

So very little of all of the sturm und drang has truly been about Terri and her situation that it sickens me. Most of the people in the vortex seem to have lost contact with reality: Terri's wishes don't matter, her actual medical condition doesn't matter, the law doesn't matter, the suffering of others doesn't matter (around the world, in this country, in that very hospice). They're cocooned in their own sound bites and oblivious to everything else. And the most depressing thing about it all is that they may never wake up and realize they've been a bunch of loud-mouthed callous idiots who could have spent their time actually helping someone who can still be helped.

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. Well said. But I still hope that people WILL wake up.

But when at and at what extremity?

[gkhouston]

11. when? when I kick them.

at what extremity? Whatever my foot makes contact with first.

Walked right into that one, did you.

[crispini]

5. What, AGAIN?

I may have to forego the show. Enough, already.

[gkhouston]

8. yes, again

wanna stage another revolt, like last Friday? May not be quite the same (seems like Sparky sometimes has to work late on Thursdays so we may be serving our own drinks), but it beats another night of Schiavopalooza. We can watch or not, depending on our blood alcohol level and mood of the moment. (Sorry, Keef; you're doing a fantastic job with this story, but I'm reaching my limit.)

[RevCheesehead]

15. well, forego the show, if you must...

but at least stop in and have a drink, fer pity's sake! :toast:

[Catchawave]

4. Wonderful ! I just posted a copy on GD !

Look for it, especially look for those posters who whine that Keith is only News Lite ::::sigh:::: I often want to respond "Compared to who?" LOL.

[Catchawave]

7. Crap....it just dropped like a rock in record time.....

way behind the Thief Steals Dog Poop thread :::sigh:::

:wtf:

Not gonna post the link, I don't want to encourage a vigilante sorta thing :silly:

[gkhouston]

9. Sorry, Catch, there's just no way

KO will ever be more popular than stolen dog poop. :7

on edit: regular dog poop, sure, but the "stolen" part gives it so much allure...

[Catchawave]

12. Sounds like an Oddball Segment !

Kewl. "Cable News stations loses the ratings war to the Dog Poop Thief" :::snort:::

[gkhouston]

13. LOL. I just noticed that today's newsletter isn't begging for

quiz questions. Either yesterday's appeal was sufficient, Carey forgot to grovel again, or KO is secretly planning to bail on us again. Better not be option 3... :mad:

And I see the Pope's health is going downhill again. Just last night, when they were talking about him not needing the nasal tube long-term as if that were a positive thing, I was thinking to myself, "that could also mean he doesn't have much time left, either." I don't like being right about that sort of thing. :cry:

[RevCheesehead]

17. what are you - an anti-poop?

!:freak:

How DARE you insult us poop-lovers!

[RevCheesehead]

14. SNORT - I just sent Keith an e-mail!

Here it is:

NOT THE WHOLE SHOW???
PLEASE!! It smacks of sensationalism, and Countdown has never been about that!!!

At DU (democraticunderground), we - oh, hell, the ladies who sent you the tie!!! - were planning a celebration in recognition of Countdown's 2nd Anniversary.

Come on, admit it - you've been reading our posts. :)

Oh well, if you insist - would you at least consider wearing the tie tonight? It would make it more bearable for us.

:loveya: = floaty hearts from the KOEB!

[greenmutha]

16. OMG... wouldja just die if he wore it?

Bwahahaha! (I hope he does!) :toast:

[RevCheesehead]

18. If so, then we have our answer, don't we?

TTTTB :loveya: or chafe :9

[gkhouston]

20. not necessarily

he wears the tie about once a month, and it's been about a month since the last Tie sighing, er sighTing.

[RevCheesehead]

21. Are you peeing in my cornflakes again??

:hurts:

[gkhouston]

23. I have yet to relieve myself on any of your

foodstuffs, Rev. Honest. I was just pointing out an unfortunate fact. I should also mention that if he left the Tie at home this morning (in its display cabinet, bathed in a perpetual soft glow and protected by burglar alarms ;-)) that he's probably not gonna send an intern home to get it, even to pay homage to your wonderful Cheesiness.

[RevCheesehead]

25. I'd prefer to think he keeps it in the nightstand by his bed.

Mmm....bed....aurggghhh....:9

[gkhouston]

27. you neophyte

never mix your "bed" ties with your "work" ties. Sure, it livens up those long meetings but you end up spending a fortune at the cleaners.

edit: if your tie supply is that limited, be sure to use a dry cleaners where the counter staff has limited English. They won't bother asking you about the stains.

[RevCheesehead]

29. see what happens when you don't have a husband??

who knew? :shrug:

what about Suspenders? Is there some kind of special treatment they receive, or just those who wear them? ;)

[gkhouston]

32. I wouldn't know

My husband doesn't wear them. My brother-in-law does, but my sister is not forthcoming on their use, apart from the mundane.

[crispini]

28. Ok, I did NOT need to just go there.

[RevCheesehead]

30. I think we need a very special KOEB smiley.

One where an Amazon redhead is dragging a smiley around by a blue and cream-striped tie.

I'll be happy to pose for any artist out there. :P

[crispini]

19. SNORK!

GOOD JOB! :thumbsup:

Well, I'm making dinner plans, anyway. Can't stand any more Terripalooza. If he wears it I'm sure dzika will gift us with screencaps and I can always catch the rerun and enjoy all the giggles on the thread. :P

[RevCheesehead]

22. Hell, I'm hoping for a personal reply!

Are you sure you want to miss THAT? B-)

[gkhouston]

24. um, if it's that "personal"

yes, actually. :blush:

[RevCheesehead]

26. Aaaaaaaaa!!!

:rofl: I *so* did not go there!

I thank you! :evilgrin:

[WhirlyGirl]

31. Guess what my husband just did?!

With the computer upstairs and the TV downstairs, it's been necessary every night to run out to the hallway and look down into the livingroom to see what's happening on Countdown -- then scoot back to computer to blog about it.

TONIGHT, in preparation for the anniversary celebration, my #1 reeled out a bunch of coaxial cable and put a little TV in the computer room . . . so Mr. Olbermann will be RIGHT BESIDE ME tonight as I blog!

Sweet, understanding #1 :loveya::hug::loveya:!!!!!