>> thanks for joining us. and all of you thank you for joining us as well. we're going to see you tomorrow. do you know what is >> which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow? obama 52 romney 43. presidential approval back to 50%. the abc news poll suggesting the economy is now a plus for the president. fox has the answer to that. the unemployment statistics have been altered! >> so are they may go around with the numbers? >> cooking the books? >> i don't think anyone should be surprised in an election year. >> to know him is to dislike him. the same abc poll, by more than 2 to 1, americans say the more they learn about mitt romney the less they like him. let the races enroll. this is really a campaign ad by

former congressman hoekstra against senator stabenow of michigan. >> your economy get very weak. ours get very good. we take your jobs. thank you debbie spend it now. >> i'm pete spend it not hoekstra, and i approve this message. >> what's your next ad mr. hoekstra, something about two wongs? the new battleground in the antiunion push, arizona. while democrats wobble, on protecting the rights of transportation workers to get or stay unionized. worsts. heard about the $8 billion planned parenthood abortion plex in kansas and their new slogan no life is sacred? this louisiana congressman did and didn't realize it was an onion amplet and republicans finally have real evidence of voter fraud. an illegal voter convicted on six counts in indiana. unfortunately he's the republican secretary of state of indiana! we'll go to our saskatchewan bureau. >> it's a sausage competition that i judge.

>> go to pick a dick -- pick a tick.com. >> and you thought the game was super? here's the losing quarterback's wife. >> here's the halftime show. and here's rush limbaugh in the pats' openers box, picking out who's gonna win. all that and more now on countdown. >> was there any nostril penetration? >> good evening, in this is monday february 6, 257 days until the 2012 presidential election. i'm keith olbermann sitting in for keith olbermann. unemployment is going down, his poll numbers going up, that's the only possible explanation for the resurgence of president obama. those numbers have been cooked. the fifth story in the countdown, the president in an interview yesterday showing confidence, the kind that seemed to flag during the battles with

the republicans last fall, unfrayed to stake his claim to four more years. >> i deserve a second term but we're not done. one thing about being president is you get better as time goes on. >> his polls have gotten better, too, his approval mark at 50% in poll, while 46% think otherwise. his john paul approval rating last crakdz the halfway mark last may. 56% greg that he deserves a second term. while a majority still disproves of his handling of the economy his 44% marks his best showing in one year. following friday's release of january's labor department report which saw unemployment drop .2 more to 8.3%, his private sector employers added 243,000 more jobs. so who gets the credit? senator bob mcdonald innings he should ge a share and his fellow republicans the rest. >> i'm glad the economy is starting to recover but i think

it's because of what republican governors are doing in their states, not because of the president. >> making his unsubstantiated credit grab almost rational, the fox and friends programming. >> are they playing around with the numbers? >> look, it's the bureau of to be nonpartisan, but that's the department of labor, solis works directly for obama. are they cooking the books? >> i'm saying there's room for error. there's room -- >> i don't think anyone should be surprised in an election year. [ sighing ] >> so just throw out accusations and see if they stick. how about: i wonder if fox has been fixing the nielsen ratings all these years? the g.o.p. hunt for a presidential candidate goes on with nonbinding caucus in maine started saturday, runs for a week. nonbinding caucuses in colorado and minnesota plus a nonbinding missouri primary tomorrow. you don't want johansson caucus binding. former senator santorum for one seeming eager to move on.

>> i can tuesday is going to abgood day for us, it's going to hopefully reset the race a little bit. >> he could use rae set, romney winning saturdays binding caucus with 60%, gingrich scoring less tan half of that ron paul closing the gap though not with romney, and santorum trailing way behindment back on the campaign trail meanwhile romney hoping to rouse the crowd with a glimpse of an imagined republican future. >> we will cut federal spending. we will reduce its share of the total economy, and we will finally put america on track to have a balanced budget in this country. >> of course, for newt gingrich that's playing small ball. he's shooting for -- the moon. >> we've really got to set the stage to have a campaign this fall in which we have a team running so that we can win the senate, we can win the house, we can start doing things from day one. >> and rick santorum meantime expressing the obvious. >> we have two candidates, candidly, that are flawed. >> seems to be in agreement with

the polls that abc news-washington post poll showing if the election was held tomorrow, a, everybody would be really prized -- surprised and president obama would get 52% for romneys 43% do even better against gingrich, 55-40, no fight. you think some republicans may their current crop of potential candidates. one former candidate does not mind saying who the ideal person was to take on president obama. >> i was. i was the perfect candidate. america had their chance with the perfect candidate. >> there's an old bob and ray sketch that starts that way, we have to check our chances without her. with the surge in the polls, steve corn aky, good to see you. >> you too. >> does the president's approval number translate to anything practically physique speeking from essentially the start of the presidential campaign? >> it's not directly predictive because the approval rating is as tenuous as the economic recovery, but there's sort allison direct value here because it's basically affirming

an old truism about presidential approval ratings, which is that nothing brings them down like the perception that the economy is going in the wrong direction, nothing brings them back like the perception that the economy is improving. now we've had five straight months of declining unemployment, we had this report friday that really puts the exclamation mark at the end of the other thing of value is this poll we're talking about doesn't take into account that news on friday because most of it was conducted before beforehand. so if the approval rating is going up because the economy seems to be improving, if it keeps improving it will be predictive. >> his overall approval is 50, the economic approval is 44, and thises many subcategories where he's judged by voters, he runs far ahead of himself. the sum is greater than the parts. what is that -- that is indicative about a presidential election, that is they like the guy whether or not his policies have worked, which is very tough to beat no matter who it is and what party. >> that's the thing, there is something to be said for the

fact you have republicans running the country for eight years before obama came in and circumstances in which he came in this is a guy who's always been personally popular, who people have been rooting for. i think of ronald reagan on the republican side 30 years ago. reagan was a guy people wanted to cheer for, they liked him personally, and dealt with similar to what obama faced nearly his term. reagan approval ratings fell to the low 30s two years into his term, the economy at the same time had a fifth straight move declining unemployment, it was growing geand by the end of that campaign wasn't even close because once people saw progress they wanted to give him credit for it. if there's more progress, they will want to give barack obama credit. >> what if there is not? is there a length of tether, a degree to the leash? what is isn't it. >> another example is what happened to george bush sr. in 1929, the bill clinton message famously was it's the economy,

stupid, and when it hit the skids for bush was midyear june, july, august when the unemployment spiked from 7.3 to 7. around the time of the conventions. that really cemented the perception that it was off the rails, bush had lost the country. the interesting thing was in the last week of that campaign bush got the best economic news the didn't believe it was changing. >> there's one interior number on the abc-washington post poll. 52% said the more they heard romney, the less they liked him, which was better than double those who liked more as they learned more. gingrich's numbers far worse. it's basically triple the more you hear, the less you like him. is the presidential election academic if those numbers hold? because what can you do about that? how negative can you go to compensate for that, motor we know you, the more we don't want to vote for either of the contend new jersey. >> ites are right, it's interesting because this has turned into a very ugly process with the republicans, one that's

threatening to continue being ugly for some time. it doesn't have to be that way in presidential nominating season. you think if bush was elected in 2004, it's true, but you think what happened that year, john kerry and all the democrats held their fire in terms of going after one another. kerry came out of that primary campaign well ahead of bush, because all the democrats had done was spend the time going after bush, pointing out why they felt he had failed in his term. this is the complete opposite, you've got gingrich calling romney a liar, romney calling gingrich names, nobody likes hearing this stuff, and you have the bonus if you're a democrat you have gingrich who has basically been making the democratic case against romney about his tax status his bain record, all the excesses of his private equity work, so it's been a bad season for him. >> back to the approval numbers, do they have any practical value in the political fights ahead, particular lit payroll tax extension? >> the payroll cut tax extension i think they're stookd by the numbers but also in december when they tried to make a stand on that they realized then the

standing of the republican party in polls is about as bad as it's been since 1996, 1998. they paid a dear price back then andening they started to see at the end of december, there's some risk of that. i don't think it's going to turn into wow, they're going to be really cooperative with obama this year, but payroll tax cut extension, i don't think they have that fight. >> the may be lost already. steve, thanks for coming for a gamma bollinger through the presidential field and its allusions and deallusions, i'm joined by david with politico, thank you for your time. >> good to be with you, keith. >> back to those numbers i mentioned with steve, motor they see romney the more they don't like him, twice mass feel that way as like him. for gingrich it's nearly triple. what does that mean in terms of either of them being able to win on the negative campaign that's shaping up? they used it against each other they would use it against the president, even if you hit a seam and find ways to punish the president, americans still don't seem to like guys who wind up

running against the president. >> well, there's an irony here because going negative, there's a risk and a reward. romney has already gotten the reward out of this. carpet-bombing newt gingrich flexing his organizational and financial muscle, an advantage he's had over him, and that did get him a reward. it put him back as the front runner, looking more inevitable, retrieving the inevitability that he lost in south carolina. of course. now here's the risk part f. people see all this muck on the air and say, man mitt doesn't look as nice as he did two months ago, these guys have been omnipresent. 20 debates two, a week. primaries and caucuses every other week now. they're on the front pages of all the newspapers, on cable news all day. and the attacks are blistering. this isn't like obama and hilary in 2008, that was a fight about ideology and experience. even that 3m ad was about experience, that was the transit

equal. now gingrich saying this president sun -- this guy is unacceptable, he's pro-abortion, he's a liberal, that's an attack. >> and it's not limited to the permits involved, there's another interior number in that same abc news poll. 54% of mrn adults say they disapprove of what the g.o.p. candidates are saying. and no matter how many pacs you citizen united, can you buy your way ooph that? >> it's very tough, because it's all on videotape, as you well know. part of the narrative that newt gingrich is pushing forward with now that there's no real difference between putting mitt romney in the oval office and obama goes to the heart of the obama reelection campaign, that mitt romney has no corement they're going to collect all this videotape and put this into ads in the fall saying what is mitt romney? is he a moderate? like when he crafted the healthcare plan in massachusetts? or should we believe what he said most recently, that he's going to repeal the healthcare

bill? i think that is going to be the central argument, that you really can't get a good feel for this guy. where's his core? and newt gingrich hanging in this race pushes for that argument every day. >> and the longer he hangs in it, does it make his eventual endorsement of romney less effective and less plausible when it comes to that? becausen youless things map out entirely differently than they look like they're mapping out now, gingrich does not have a chance at this nomination, does he? >> right. it's really tough to imagine that day when newt gingrich stands with mitt romney and says, this is the guy. but we know that they always do come to this. they will at some point come together. but man, all that videotape, and all the things that newt gingrich said, i think is much tougher for people to say, this is a warm embrace. i can't imagine it being a warm embrace. remember jon huntsman's endorsement of mitt romney didn't even seem, you know, real, and authentic.

i mean, i think mentioned him once. romney wasn't even there. so there are definitely degrees of endorsements, and you know, if, when, that gingrich endorsement of romney comes, we're getting a little bit ahead of ourselves, but that's going to be a sight to see. >> before we get ahead of ourselves, what about this week, colorado, maip, and missouri and concept of a nonbinding caucus, which is a fun phrase as it is? contests tomorrow, semiimportant. i don't think they're game changers but important for rick santorum, he is already saying he is going to win one or two of these. gingrich is not on the ballot in missouri. there's no delegates there. rick santorum also pulling pretty well in minnesota. if he can win two of the three states tomorrow, he might have a narrative going forward to say look, newt gingrich is damaged goods, he's too negative, people don't like him. i'm the true conservative alternative to mitt romney. but tomorrow is really one of his last chance toss do that, so he needs to put some points on

the board and win some states tomorrow. >> david, national political reporter from politico, thank you kindly for your time. >> thanks, keith. >> as the republican challenger to senator stabenow of michigan runs an overtly racist ad, the guy behind the willie horton commercial is, quote, going all coming up if you think the union bashing has been bad, just wait until you see what they are planning. and the scene was wolf? get it? you will when time marches on.

planned parenthood. anna talked to a conservative and it got a little contentious. drama, when we return. i look at her, and i just want to give her everything. yeah you -- you know, everything can cost upwards of...[ whistles ] i did not want to think about that. relax, relax, relax. look at me, look at me. three words, dad -- e-trade financial consultants. so i can just go talk to 'em? just walk right in and talk to 'em. dude those guys are pros. they'll hook you up with a solid plan. they'll -- wa-- wa-- wait a minute. bobby? bobby! what are you doing, man? i'm speed dating! [ male announcer ] get investing advice for your family at e-trade.

>> you heard the joke about the chinese girl who said your economy get very we can. our get very good. it's not a joke. it's an actual commercial by the candidate for the senate in michigan. and the $8 billion plan parenthood the one he read

about online. and they're already calling her the owethe oko ono. yes, that's who you think it is in the new england pats owner

an independent progressive voice and i love that. >>jennifer granholm joins current tv. she's a political trail-blazer. >>people like somebody who's got a spine. >>determined to find solutions... >>we need government to ensure that people have freedom. >>driven to find the truth... >>what's really going on? >>fearless, independent and above all, politically direct. >> rush limbaugh fails to pick a super bowl finger. and you're really super bowl round up next. first because there is nothing super about these folks. we have the worst persons. the charles payne that is fox

news. mr. payne is the latest victim of fox dilemma. it must assert that the economy is not getting better even though that it is, and telling its audience that poor people have it great in america. here is mr. payne who attempted to jump that snake river canyon of chasms and just didn't make it. >> people aren't dieing in america. in fact, the very poor sufficient from gout. in the 20s and 30s that was the rich man's disease. >> they were rich. 90 years ago they didn't know they had what is called the rich man's disease. do you know what we also used to say, smoking was good for your throat and segregation was legal. and poor people is prone to poor diet that cause goat. whalecharlie white the idea of

people who shouldn't be voting have evidence that support their game. a court in indiana has convicted a man on six felonies. he faces 3 to 18 years in jail. he lived in one place and voted in another and the man was indiana secretary of state charlie white. but the winner, john fleming from the fourth district of louisiana, no, seriously. he's an u.s. congressman. congressman fleming saw this. planned parenthood opens $8 billion abortion plex. supposingsupposedly about this clinic that could perform 400 abortions a month with a nightclub and includes this quote allegedly from a planned parenthood spokesperson. although we traditionally dedicated 7% of our resources to other important services such as

contra-systems distribution, cancer screening and std testing this new complex allowses to devote our attention to what has always been our true passion abortion. standing under a barn emblazoned with planned parenthood stating no life is sacred: no life is sacred. that's a defeating slogan. not just for planned parenthood or any group on earth unless they're the mayans with the sacrifice thing. oh, then you would say that's from the onion. i knew that was something wrong there. the onion is a satire site. that's what we would have said. but not john fleming from louisiana. he posted it on his facebook page with more from planned parenthood. punch line, not only did a second-sitting congressman, but one more detail about congress

man fleming. he's a medical doctor. easily led. today's w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w

[ female announcer ] investing for yourself is a necessity. i find investments with e-trade's top 5 lists and use pre-defined screeners to work smarter. not harder. i depend on myself to take charge of my financial future. [ bell dinging ] planned parenthood. anna talked to a conservative and it got a little contentious. drama, when we return.

>> in case you're not among the 111 million people who already know the super bowl was last night. the underdog new york giants defeated the new york patriots 21-17. some of us told you it would happen. the number one story the game itself was very interesting. but when you have finger slack lining the game itself becomes almost secondary. the halftime show featuring madonna was the highest rated portion of last night's program as the 53-year-old material girl lip-synced her way through the girl only nearly falling over twice. she tried to take a knee. her awkwardness made more apparent as she tried to keep

pace with a man in a toega and his name is sketchy andy lewis and his rope bouncing is called slack lining. the halftime show was stolen when mia flashed a finger during her 13 second period of singing. but mia's finger was not the only one being talked about. rush limbaugh was caught in new england owner robert crafts to pick out a winnow--a win near. will you not digging for goaled was tom brady's wife who after the game responded being heckled by the fans of the victorious giants with football fundamentals. >> i can't argue with that. let's bring in tim burke.

thank you for your time tonight. >> hi, keith, great to be with you. >> let's start out with brady for a second. should she be abused for what she said about his receivers or the lack of edge of commentary about football? does she get a round of applause for not being the regular wife after one of these games. >> i think somewhere there is an analog with the political activism of say the dixie chicks who were told to shut up and sing who as a society comes to an agreement that the significant others of athletes are supposed to remain silent publicly about their partner's play or the teammates or the sport itself. that may be its even more of a degree when it's someone who is famous and beautiful and a supermodel like gisele in that so far that her opinions which frankly she does have somewhat of a point, her--tom brady's

teammates literally did drop the ball in that game. but at the same time there is somewhat of a cast the first stone. if tom brady doesn't give up that safety to open the scoring of the game, the patriots probably win. so that sort of plays into it as well. >> and how much bad throws is wes welcker catch as opposed to the perfect ones. can you confirm that, one madonna lip-synced, she did try to take a knee, and then she was dressed as the douwger countess. >> i think she was dressedly she-raw. i can't confirm that she was lip-syncing unless someone who was watching and the way her lips were moving they were not in sync. as for the last thing. the original post before the mia

thing that we'll talk about in a second was that i think madonna is getting too old for this. and madonna is actually younger on average than compared to some of the last couple super bowl performancers that we've had. so i think it's more of an issue where madonna's back up dancers have complimented her music. now her back up dancers are so much better in the choreography than she's able to keep up with. instead of compliment it becomes a contrast where you see all the flaws of a woman who is probably very talented but necessarily not able to keep up with the people of the people who are dancing around her. what happens is she stumbles and falls down. >> she and i are the same age and i could not have lasted 30 second that have routine. i got to ask you about the rush limbaugh photo. was he picking or scratching. >> i've looked at this frame by frame. >> it really is--back and to the

left. back and to the left. >> it comes down to an issue of how you want to define a pick or a scratch. if you define a pick as nasal insertion. but it's a pick. but he was scratching the inside of the septum you might say. he wasn't necessarily digging. he was scratching but it was inside the nostril. >> does he deserve the abuse even if it was just that. the patriot's owner's box is a deathtrap. that's when donald's trumps hair stepped up and waved hi mom. if you're in there bad things will happen to you right? >> well, yeah, i found a lot of fans who discovered that once rush limbaugh was in robert kraft's box before the game, they changed their allegiances. they were pulling for the giants giants. >> the giants were nice enough to me have--oh, sorry.

the giants were nice enough to have me in their box. i could see them lose to washington but that's a whole different story. how did mia get away with that compared to janet jackson a few years ago. >> it's interesting janet jackson, justin timberlake thing was a very top-down media sensation. the media told people you should be outraged by this. in the end i think the fcc got 97 complaints total for the whole thing. most of them from a save the children society of some sort. >> yes. >> this was a very bottom up where watching people responding on twitter and other places on the internet and facebook, everyone was did i just see that? and i think the difference between 2012 and 2004 is that we have twitter and we have the ability to see high definition screen caps, and i can show you