On the January 29 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named Fox News senior vice president of programming Bill Shine the “runner-up” in his nightly “Worst Person in the World” segment for “offering a sort-of apology for running with that '[Sen.] Barack Obama [D-IL] attended an Islamic training school' nonsense,” as Media Matters for America documented. Olbermann then observed Shine's assertion that “subsequent Fox programs corrected the story [Fox & Friends First and Fox & Friends] and had even run Senator Obama's statement on it [The Big Story with John Gibson], so the controversy should be considered closed.” However, as Media Matters noted, Shine did not address host John Gibson's assertion that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) was behind the smear. Olbermann continued: “Left out of that equation, the fact that while clarifying the story Fox also reported that Senator Clinton had, quote, 'reportedly outed Obama's madrassa past.' Some correction.”

Additionally, Olbermann awarded Time.com blogger Andrew Sullivan the “bronze” for claiming on the NBC-syndicated The Chris Matthews Show that “he's found Hillary Clinton a very sensible senator, finds it difficult to argue with her position on Iraq, but when he sees her, quote, 'all the cootie vibes sort of resurrect themselves,' ” as Media Matters also noted.

From the January 29 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: That's ahead, but first, time for Countdown's latest list of nominees for “Worst Person in the World.”

The bronze to Time magazine blogger Andrew Sullivan. Yesterday, on national television, he says he's found Hillary Clinton a very sensible senator, finds it difficult to argue with her position on Iraq, but when he sees her, quote, “all the cootie vibes sort of resurrect themselves.” Listen up, Milhouse. Let's just all leave our political cooties at the door.

Our runner-up: Bill Shine, senior vice president of Fox Noise. The channel offering a sort-of apology for running with that “Barack Obama attended an Islamic training school” nonsense. Mr. Shine said that subsequent Fox programs corrected the story and had even run Senator Obama's statement on it, so the controversy should be considered closed. Left out of that equation, the fact that while clarifying the story, Fox also reported that Senator Clinton had, quote, “reportedly outed Obama's madrassa past.” Some correction.