While We Were Drinking: Did You Know that John Kerry Went Hunting?

Evening reporter Neil stays sober enough to catalog the many, many possible media responses to the Great Duck Hunt during the evening news broadcasts. Continues after the jump.

Tonight's roundup of political talk show action includes a world class gaffe, O'Reilly cracking under pressure and Sean Hannity still unable to shut up about interviewing Vice President Cheney. Democratic talking point of the night: Risk of voter fraud in Florida. Republican talking point of the night: Kerry. Hunting trip. Geese. Goofy outfits. And combinations thereof.

7-8 PM

HARDBALL (MSNBC)

Special feature on the Catholic vote.

GuestWilliam Donohueof the Catholic League screams repeatedly atChris Matthews, shouts for women who had abortions to repent. Donohue stops just short of foaming at the mouth and headbutting the camera.

Head vs. Head: Ex-Clinton Press SecretaryDee Dee Meyers& Bush '04 California Co-ChairmanDavid Dreier. Meyers stresses the need for extra vigilance for a clean vote in FL. Dreier sticks to accusing Kerry of being soft on terrorism and making fun of his hunting photo-op.

GuestFran Leibowitz, Vanity Fair: "Bush's religiosity specifically offends me."

CAPITAL REPORT (CNBC)

Head vs. Head vs. Head: Three-way blog craziness with authorBob Kohn,Jeff Jarvisof Buzzmachine and Wonkette herself,Ana Marie Cox. Kohn and Jarvis argue with each other for most of the time, leaving my boss to let you know the following: She likes the lesbians. Especially about when we're talking aboutDick Cheney's daughter, and especially about when we're talking about the media makes as ifMary Cheneywas in the closet all along.

Puff piece - If the World Series ends up being Boston vs. Houston, will the MA vs. TX rivalry have an effect on the election in any way? Experts say... No.

GuestMo Rocca, Daily Show/'All the Presidents' Pets': "The type of dog Bush owns pees on itself constantly."

8-9 PM

COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN (MSNBC)

Major boo-boo by guest hostAllison Stewartduring interview with Time Magazine'sKaren Tumulty.

Stewart: "Christopher Reeve's widow,Dana Reeveannounced today her endorsement ofJohn Kerry's campaign. Will this have any legs?"

Going beyond unintended cripple jokes, lots of discussion and schadenfreude about theBill O'Reillysexual harassment suit. Former sex crime prosecutorLinda Kenneyslammed O'Reilly, smiling a puffy, possibly botox-filled face at the thought of the release of Mackris' audio tapes.

GuestRobert Scheer, LA Times: Release of CIA internal report on 9/11 will not hurt agency.

THE O'REILLY FACTOR (FNC)

It looks like O'Reilly's recent troubles are making him look for some love from the public. One of tonight's talking points: "Please don't hate us." Then, reading letters from viewers about his interview style, apropos of nothing: "I take them all on and that is why I am target number one in the American media." All that plus more than the usual share of teleprompter stumbles. But onto the guests...

GuestDick Morris: On and on and on about Kerry and the goose. Lots of bad puns. Emphasizes "Bushneeds to emphasize 9/11...Kerryneeds to talk more about Social Security and fears of a draft being raised. Kerry needs to raise the temperature on domestic issues."

Head vs. Head: ProfessorsGlen StassenandGeorge Van Alsteinof Fuller Theological Seminary. Topic of discussion - whether the President is alienating some Christians with the Iraqi war. Stassen wipes the floor with O'Reilly after BOR claims he was there at the fall of the Berlin Wall. Stassen continues, showing O'Reilly up in a discussion about non-violent resistance, pacifism and fighting dictators. O'Reilly's response? "Hitler!"

More mentions of Kerry's hunting trip. FNC is eating this up.

PAULA ZAHN NOW (CNN)

Town Hall-style Q&A session for undecided voters. Gen.Wesley Clarkrepresented the Kerry-Edwards campaign and former NYPD CommissionerBernard Kerikrepresented the Republican side.

Poor Bernard Kerik. His talking points seem to prove that he missed the 9/11 Report, Bush's shifting positions in Iraq, and the last six months of the presidential campaign as well. Kerik emphasizes the Saddam-Osama connection. Mentions claim that Saddam Hussein offered "financial support and moral support" to Al-Qaeda at least three times. When asked about what breeds terrorism, responds "There are people out there who hate our freedom." The RNC needs to update him that the party changed track with all that. Fast.

Gen. Clark's replies stuck to short, simple answers emphasizing Kerry's superiority for domestic problems. Audience responded warmly to him, seemed more at ease with the town hall format than Kerik.

9-10 PM

DEBORAH NORVILLE TONIGHT (MSNBC)

Sinclair Broadcasting = Major issue. Fired ex-Sinclair DC news bureau headJonathan Liebermangoes on first, then Norville interviews Sinclair VPMark Hymanof the infamous squeaky voice. Lieberman: Well spoken, classy, like the picture of j-school ethics. Argued his case on being fired after objecting to Sinclair running 'Stolen Honor.' Unlike Mark Hyman, who offered a weak defense, claiming "no connection between not airing Nightline and airing Stolen Honor" and conspiracy theories galore about the Kerry campaign intimidating broadcast networks.

Norville rebukes Hyman for calling the two weeks before election "the silly season".

HANNITY & COLMES (FNC)

Sean Hannityis in love with footage ofJohn Kerryhunting. Calls Kerry "Dukakis-like" multiple times.

RNC ChairmanEd Gillespiecontinues his FNC visits, discusses the usual points: National Security, Kerry says terrorism = nuisance, Kerry using draft scare tactics. Unsurprisingly, shares a good laugh at Hannity's news clip of Kerry with the goose.

Head vs. Head: DNC strategistBob Beckelvs.Michael Reagan. Lots of discussion of terrorism.

GuestCharlie Rangel(D): Criticizes Bush's war performance, defends his defeated bill (that he voted against) "President is the only one Jesus wants to talk to", "Jesus is the one who will tell him when the terrorists surrender". Hannity surprisingly respectful and non-rabid during interview.

GuestRon Silver, actor: AttacksMichael Moore, well... it's nothing he didn't say in his RNC speech. But he did use his best scary and omnious voice to announce that since September 11, "times have changed forever and ever." Then he attacked Michael Moore and the Democrats some more.

OVERALL

Call this one for the Repubs. The good news for Kerry though: Outside of a few talk show hosts, no one really cares about the camouflage outfits or the duck hunt. And if Ed Gillespie stands in front of another television camera this week, he might just melt.