Olbermann Suspends Signoff Mocking Bush’s ‘Mission Accomplished’ in Iraq

Since February 2006, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has used the signoff of his Countdown show almost nightly to mock President Bush by recounting the number of days have passed since the former President stood on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq. The speech, which President Bush delivered while a sign with the words "Mission Accomplished" could be seen in the background, has been referred to by Olbermann and other war critics as Bush’s "declaration of ‘Mission Accomplished.’" The signoff mocking Bush had continued even after the former President left office.

But as of this week, the MSNBC host has finally dropped his former signoff and instead recounts the number of days since the beginning of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The last time Olbermann signed off attacking President Bush was on Thursday, May 20: "That’s Countdown, for this, the 2,576 th day since the previous President declared "Mission Accomplished" I Iraq. I’m Keith Olbermann. Good night and good luck."

On Friday, Olbermann did not use the sign off because each Friday he ends the show by reading a short story from James Thurber, and deviates from his regular signoff, but on Monday, he had a new signoff referring to the oil spill, which he kept up through Thursday of this week:

#From Monday, May 24:

And that is Countdown for this, the 34th day since the Deep Water Horizon oil spill disaster began. I’m Keith Olbermann. Good night and good luck.

#From Tuesday, May 25:

That’s Countdown for this, the 35th day since the Deep Water Horizon oil disaster began. I’m Keith Olbermann. Good night and good luck.

#From Wednesday, May 26:

That’s Countdown for this, the 36th day since the Deep Water Horizon oil disaster began. I’m Keith Olbermann. Good night and good luck.

#From Wednesday, May 27:

That’s Countdown for this, the 37th day since the Deep Water Horizon oil spill began. I’m Keith Olbermann. Good night and good luck.