1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,155 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Trump 2 00:00:22,235 --> 00:00:27,555 Speaker 1: has now threatened another judge. As usual, it is by inference, 3 00:00:27,755 --> 00:00:30,035 Speaker 1: with just enough space between him and the call for 4 00:00:30,155 --> 00:00:33,195 Speaker 1: violence that he can deny it. When it happens, it's 5 00:00:33,235 --> 00:00:38,675 Speaker 1: a fatoah, a Trump fatoah, another Trump fatoah, and he 6 00:00:38,795 --> 00:00:41,755 Speaker 1: personally is now issuing more of them, and more frequently 7 00:00:41,795 --> 00:00:46,675 Speaker 1: than is the government of Iran. And so Tanya Chutkin's 8 00:00:46,755 --> 00:00:50,075 Speaker 1: coming decision next week the week after on the Jack 9 00:00:50,115 --> 00:00:53,675 Speaker 1: Smith gag order looms even larger than before, and bluntly, 10 00:00:53,915 --> 00:00:56,875 Speaker 1: she should skip the gag order now and go directly 11 00:00:56,915 --> 00:01:00,155 Speaker 1: to revoking Trump's bail and putting him behind bars, because 12 00:01:00,155 --> 00:01:05,235 Speaker 1: that's not just colorful imagery. These are now fatoahs. Since 13 00:01:05,395 --> 00:01:09,075 Speaker 1: last Friday, Trump has tried to incite someone to kill 14 00:01:09,075 --> 00:01:11,435 Speaker 1: the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he 15 00:01:11,515 --> 00:01:15,715 Speaker 1: has accused the news media of country threatening treason, whatever 16 00:01:15,755 --> 00:01:18,515 Speaker 1: the hell that is, and he has promised to make 17 00:01:18,635 --> 00:01:22,355 Speaker 1: its newspeople pay a very big price for continuing to 18 00:01:22,395 --> 00:01:26,155 Speaker 1: criticize him. Since last month, he has threatened the Special 19 00:01:26,195 --> 00:01:29,755 Speaker 1: Council and the District Attorney of Fulton County Georgia, and 20 00:01:29,835 --> 00:01:32,715 Speaker 1: the District Attorney of Manhattan and the Attorney General of 21 00:01:32,755 --> 00:01:34,675 Speaker 1: the State of New York, and a woman he has 22 00:01:34,715 --> 00:01:38,115 Speaker 1: sexually assaulted, and a next president he has docks, and 23 00:01:38,275 --> 00:01:40,915 Speaker 1: everybody in the country who might fit under the phrase 24 00:01:41,155 --> 00:01:44,195 Speaker 1: if you go after me, I'm coming after you. And 25 00:01:45,755 --> 00:01:52,675 Speaker 1: Judge Chutkin herself, and now Judge Arthur anger On himself quote, 26 00:01:53,195 --> 00:01:57,475 Speaker 1: we need justice in our country. This political hack, Judge 27 00:01:58,035 --> 00:02:06,475 Speaker 1: Trump writes, must be stopped. This is about Trump defrauding 28 00:02:06,515 --> 00:02:08,475 Speaker 1: the State of New York by lying about the value 29 00:02:08,515 --> 00:02:11,835 Speaker 1: of Mari Lago and other properties. And the threat against 30 00:02:11,835 --> 00:02:14,595 Speaker 1: the judge has nothing directly to do with Chutkin and 31 00:02:14,635 --> 00:02:17,595 Speaker 1: the election coup case over which she resides. And I 32 00:02:17,635 --> 00:02:21,675 Speaker 1: don't give a damn. Every day that this country delays 33 00:02:21,755 --> 00:02:24,955 Speaker 1: in smashing and crushing Donald Trump is another day in 34 00:02:24,995 --> 00:02:29,195 Speaker 1: which he becomes more reckless, and more desperate and more 35 00:02:29,275 --> 00:02:32,355 Speaker 1: convinced that he can get away with anything, because, frankly, 36 00:02:32,435 --> 00:02:35,195 Speaker 1: the government of this country and its structures of law 37 00:02:35,235 --> 00:02:38,875 Speaker 1: and order, and its judicial system, and its criminal system 38 00:02:39,035 --> 00:02:41,915 Speaker 1: and its news media have so far let him get 39 00:02:41,955 --> 00:02:46,315 Speaker 1: away with anything. And now he has told his mob 40 00:02:46,435 --> 00:02:51,555 Speaker 1: that this political hack judge must be stopped and the 41 00:02:51,595 --> 00:02:55,075 Speaker 1: technicalities with which any of us dismiss is now daily 42 00:02:55,275 --> 00:02:58,915 Speaker 1: calls for political violence meant only to help him and 43 00:02:59,035 --> 00:03:03,195 Speaker 1: hurt this nation. Those of us who note, well, he 44 00:03:03,235 --> 00:03:06,435 Speaker 1: didn't say go and kill Arthur anger On, and he 45 00:03:06,515 --> 00:03:13,275 Speaker 1: did say I want you to execute Mark Millie. Those 46 00:03:13,315 --> 00:03:19,955 Speaker 1: who use those niceties have outlived their function as citizens 47 00:03:20,035 --> 00:03:25,915 Speaker 1: of this country, and those phrases have outlived their usefulness. 48 00:03:27,035 --> 00:03:32,675 Speaker 1: Any other person in the United States today, even today, 49 00:03:33,115 --> 00:03:37,475 Speaker 1: any other person on trial in four separate criminal cases, 50 00:03:37,875 --> 00:03:42,275 Speaker 1: and already found guilty in part of multi billion dollar 51 00:03:42,355 --> 00:03:46,595 Speaker 1: business fraud in a fifth case, throwing around carefully couched 52 00:03:46,755 --> 00:03:50,755 Speaker 1: threats and stochastic incitements to terrorism, would have long since 53 00:03:51,035 --> 00:03:53,555 Speaker 1: had his bail revoked, had his freedom put to an 54 00:03:53,635 --> 00:03:56,075 Speaker 1: end until his trial begins. And we need to do 55 00:03:56,195 --> 00:04:01,435 Speaker 1: that now. Judge Chutkin needs to do that now. I 56 00:04:01,475 --> 00:04:04,115 Speaker 1: have slightly more hope than I did that she might 57 00:04:04,995 --> 00:04:09,795 Speaker 1: either now or after he violates whatever restraint she issues instead, 58 00:04:09,875 --> 00:04:14,515 Speaker 1: and hopefully nobody has gotten killed before then slightly more 59 00:04:14,555 --> 00:04:18,115 Speaker 1: hope after she slapped him around for twenty pages last 60 00:04:18,195 --> 00:04:21,595 Speaker 1: night as she rejected a demand that she recuse herself 61 00:04:21,915 --> 00:04:24,955 Speaker 1: because she had referenced him while sentencing some of the 62 00:04:24,995 --> 00:04:30,915 Speaker 1: other January sixth scumbag conspirators. She called his interpretation of 63 00:04:30,955 --> 00:04:37,835 Speaker 1: her remarks quote hypersensitive, cynical, and suspicious. Yeah, that's him 64 00:04:37,875 --> 00:04:41,635 Speaker 1: pretty much, and then she made him look stupid. A 65 00:04:41,795 --> 00:04:46,275 Speaker 1: reasonable person, Well, there's your problem right there. A reasonable 66 00:04:46,315 --> 00:04:50,075 Speaker 1: person would understand that in making the statements contested here, 67 00:04:50,355 --> 00:04:55,195 Speaker 1: the court was not issuing vague declarations about third parties 68 00:04:55,275 --> 00:05:01,995 Speaker 1: potential guilt in a hypothetical future case. She has waxed 69 00:05:02,315 --> 00:05:07,795 Speaker 1: Trump there. If only Trump were smart enough to understand. So, 70 00:05:08,915 --> 00:05:12,715 Speaker 1: maybe Judge Chutkin is in the right mood to revoke 71 00:05:12,755 --> 00:05:17,835 Speaker 1: his bail. And if that would be unprecedented or messy 72 00:05:17,915 --> 00:05:20,475 Speaker 1: or worse, or a departure from how this nation's political 73 00:05:20,555 --> 00:05:22,955 Speaker 1: system has worked, well, tell anybody who says that that 74 00:05:22,995 --> 00:05:26,155 Speaker 1: they can go f themselves. Because we crossed that rubicon 75 00:05:26,195 --> 00:05:30,195 Speaker 1: in twenty fifteen, when this malicious psychopath came down that 76 00:05:31,235 --> 00:05:34,955 Speaker 1: escalator and began his assault on everything and everyone who 77 00:05:35,035 --> 00:05:37,715 Speaker 1: is good and generous in this country, and began his 78 00:05:37,875 --> 00:05:40,915 Speaker 1: enabling of everything and everyone who is evil and greedy 79 00:05:40,955 --> 00:05:44,195 Speaker 1: and hate filled in this country. We are not living 80 00:05:44,235 --> 00:05:46,715 Speaker 1: in the United States of America, even the one we 81 00:05:46,795 --> 00:05:49,715 Speaker 1: had in the year twenty fourteen. And that is the 82 00:05:49,795 --> 00:05:53,315 Speaker 1: fault of Donald Trump. And if we have any hope 83 00:05:53,515 --> 00:05:56,435 Speaker 1: of getting back even to that flawed and troubled culture 84 00:05:56,475 --> 00:05:59,995 Speaker 1: of just nine years ago, it begins by making an 85 00:06:00,035 --> 00:06:06,795 Speaker 1: example out of him. He is threatening judges with violence 86 00:06:07,035 --> 00:06:13,875 Speaker 1: and violent mob action. You go to jail for doing that. 87 00:06:15,915 --> 00:06:18,995 Speaker 1: His threats against judges have specifically violated the agreement he 88 00:06:19,035 --> 00:06:22,395 Speaker 1: made when he was not detained without bail after indictment 89 00:06:22,595 --> 00:06:25,555 Speaker 1: for his insane attempt to overthrow the duly elected government 90 00:06:25,555 --> 00:06:27,555 Speaker 1: in the United States. And the judge in that case 91 00:06:27,675 --> 00:06:31,275 Speaker 1: is entirely within her power to put him behind bars 92 00:06:31,555 --> 00:06:34,155 Speaker 1: indefinitely and leave him there, and she should do it. 93 00:06:35,155 --> 00:06:37,595 Speaker 1: And if it makes us look for a time like 94 00:06:37,635 --> 00:06:40,835 Speaker 1: a third world country, or it makes the current president 95 00:06:40,835 --> 00:06:43,675 Speaker 1: look like he is prosecuting a political rival, or if 96 00:06:43,675 --> 00:06:46,155 Speaker 1: it makes it seem as if one political party is 97 00:06:46,195 --> 00:06:49,515 Speaker 1: trying to put another political party behind bars, so be it. 98 00:06:50,315 --> 00:06:53,515 Speaker 1: Because what happens if we do not act against Trump 99 00:06:53,835 --> 00:06:59,835 Speaker 1: now now now is far worse. It is the degradation 100 00:07:00,035 --> 00:07:04,235 Speaker 1: beyond repair of all of the rules and codes and 101 00:07:04,395 --> 00:07:07,595 Speaker 1: law by which we live in this country and have 102 00:07:07,755 --> 00:07:13,755 Speaker 1: done so for all of this time. Donald Trump attacked 103 00:07:14,115 --> 00:07:18,195 Speaker 1: the fundamental structure of the United States in twenty fifteen 104 00:07:18,435 --> 00:07:23,315 Speaker 1: the DNA, and we did nothing, And he did more 105 00:07:23,355 --> 00:07:26,195 Speaker 1: and worse in twenty sixteen, and we did nothing again. 106 00:07:26,955 --> 00:07:29,275 Speaker 1: And he did more and worse every year since, and 107 00:07:29,355 --> 00:07:33,195 Speaker 1: we did nothing again. And he has just dog whistled 108 00:07:33,195 --> 00:07:36,715 Speaker 1: to his thugs that they should attack a judge because 109 00:07:36,795 --> 00:07:42,075 Speaker 1: the judge valued Crapshack a Lago at eighteen million dollars 110 00:07:42,595 --> 00:07:45,795 Speaker 1: when Trump says it's worth one hundred times more than that, 111 00:07:45,875 --> 00:07:49,595 Speaker 1: except that when the Florida state tax assessors valued it 112 00:07:49,635 --> 00:07:53,355 Speaker 1: at twenty six million dollars three years ago, Trump responded 113 00:07:53,395 --> 00:07:58,875 Speaker 1: by filing an appeal to get the value reduced. So 114 00:07:59,035 --> 00:08:05,035 Speaker 1: not only is he again escalating the crisis, his crisis 115 00:08:05,075 --> 00:08:10,035 Speaker 1: he creates by breathing every day, but he is escalating 116 00:08:10,075 --> 00:08:17,835 Speaker 1: it over insane irrational rage that a judge basically agreed 117 00:08:17,955 --> 00:08:21,595 Speaker 1: with him about how little his garbage dump of a 118 00:08:21,675 --> 00:08:28,955 Speaker 1: country club isn't worth. We continue to head down a 119 00:08:29,075 --> 00:08:34,075 Speaker 1: road to utter disaster in this country, where Trump's belief 120 00:08:34,115 --> 00:08:36,475 Speaker 1: that he and everything connected to him is more important 121 00:08:36,515 --> 00:08:40,275 Speaker 1: than the entirety of the lives and welfare of every 122 00:08:40,515 --> 00:08:46,635 Speaker 1: other citizen of the United States of America, where that 123 00:08:46,675 --> 00:08:49,675 Speaker 1: belief is going to lead to open systemic violence here. 124 00:08:49,835 --> 00:08:54,635 Speaker 1: And it is his fault and he must be well. 125 00:08:54,715 --> 00:08:57,475 Speaker 1: Let me just use his words from that post about 126 00:08:57,515 --> 00:09:06,475 Speaker 1: Judge Angern quote, this political hack must be stopped, and 127 00:09:06,555 --> 00:09:10,555 Speaker 1: it is his fault. But let me amend and underscore 128 00:09:10,715 --> 00:09:13,955 Speaker 1: one part of that. It is not his fault alone. 129 00:09:15,595 --> 00:09:21,795 Speaker 1: He has a partner in this, somewhat unwitting, somewhat deliberate. 130 00:09:22,675 --> 00:09:25,675 Speaker 1: His partner is the American news media in all its 131 00:09:25,755 --> 00:09:30,035 Speaker 1: variations and permutations, and it is just as broken as 132 00:09:30,075 --> 00:09:33,315 Speaker 1: the American systems that are supposed to control and correct 133 00:09:33,315 --> 00:09:36,195 Speaker 1: for creatures like Trump whenever they appear out of the 134 00:09:36,235 --> 00:09:41,875 Speaker 1: cesspools in our land. And since Friday, the American media 135 00:09:41,915 --> 00:09:46,235 Speaker 1: has greeted Trump's open threat against General Millie and this 136 00:09:46,315 --> 00:09:50,035 Speaker 1: new threat yesterday against Judge anger On by reporting in 137 00:09:50,155 --> 00:09:55,635 Speaker 1: breathless dire tones that President Biden is wearing new shoes 138 00:09:55,715 --> 00:09:58,555 Speaker 1: because of complications after the hairline fractures to his foot 139 00:09:58,555 --> 00:10:03,755 Speaker 1: three years ago, which disqualifies him he should resign. And 140 00:10:03,835 --> 00:10:06,075 Speaker 1: it is reporting the both Biden and Trump went to 141 00:10:06,115 --> 00:10:10,715 Speaker 1: see striking auto quote union members in Detroit. That's a 142 00:10:10,795 --> 00:10:15,155 Speaker 1: quote from the goddamned New York Times, when in fact 143 00:10:15,155 --> 00:10:18,835 Speaker 1: only Biden did that. Trump instead went to see scab 144 00:10:18,915 --> 00:10:22,195 Speaker 1: auto parks workers in a non union factory, in a 145 00:10:22,275 --> 00:10:24,835 Speaker 1: stunt arranged by the owner of the factory and by 146 00:10:24,835 --> 00:10:28,035 Speaker 1: an organization that is trying to decertify Starbucks union. But 147 00:10:28,075 --> 00:10:32,155 Speaker 1: of course to make that distinction is too difficult. One 148 00:10:32,235 --> 00:10:35,315 Speaker 1: is a mouse's and one is an elephant. But that 149 00:10:35,435 --> 00:10:40,395 Speaker 1: takes too much time, doesn't make a good headline, and 150 00:10:40,435 --> 00:10:43,355 Speaker 1: it isn't balanced, And the Republicans might complain. We are 151 00:10:43,475 --> 00:10:46,155 Speaker 1: owned by right leaning corporation after all, and I don't 152 00:10:46,155 --> 00:10:48,275 Speaker 1: want them to cut our budget again. So let's just 153 00:10:48,355 --> 00:10:54,155 Speaker 1: say the mouse and the elephant are both gray animals. 154 00:10:54,635 --> 00:10:58,515 Speaker 1: I mean, that's true, right and balanced, and treats Trump 155 00:10:58,515 --> 00:11:04,435 Speaker 1: and Biden evenly. The New York Times, the goddamned New 156 00:11:04,515 --> 00:11:08,035 Speaker 1: York Times, living down to the same non journalistic non 157 00:11:08,075 --> 00:11:12,235 Speaker 1: standards as Fox Non News or Ben Shapiro or Joe 158 00:11:12,635 --> 00:11:18,995 Speaker 1: Rogan or Politico. And I feel I should spit when 159 00:11:19,035 --> 00:11:25,675 Speaker 1: I mentioned Politico. If Trump regains power and starts jailing journalists, 160 00:11:25,675 --> 00:11:30,755 Speaker 1: and he actually sends people from Politico to some gulag somewhere. 161 00:11:31,075 --> 00:11:34,475 Speaker 1: I swear to God, I am confident that the last 162 00:11:34,475 --> 00:11:37,755 Speaker 1: thing Politico will publish will be one of their cringe 163 00:11:37,835 --> 00:11:41,395 Speaker 1: worthy paragraphs where they list, in bold face type exactly 164 00:11:41,475 --> 00:11:46,235 Speaker 1: who has been spotted spotted inside the bus bound for 165 00:11:46,315 --> 00:11:52,635 Speaker 1: the news detention camp. Politico actually began its newsletter the 166 00:11:52,675 --> 00:11:56,435 Speaker 1: other morning with this paragraph. Quote. In the House, Kevin 167 00:11:56,475 --> 00:11:58,795 Speaker 1: McCarthy will again try to pass a rule to advance 168 00:11:58,835 --> 00:12:01,315 Speaker 1: a spending bill. In the Senate, Chuck Schumer will hold 169 00:12:01,355 --> 00:12:04,035 Speaker 1: the first vote to advance as CR to avoid a 170 00:12:04,035 --> 00:12:06,715 Speaker 1: government shutdog down. We'll get back to all of that 171 00:12:06,795 --> 00:12:09,155 Speaker 1: in a moment, but the real gold mine of news 172 00:12:09,195 --> 00:12:13,355 Speaker 1: in Washington today will be from returning Democratic senators hounded 173 00:12:13,395 --> 00:12:16,355 Speaker 1: by reporters for their reaction to the Bob Menendez's indictment. 174 00:12:19,035 --> 00:12:27,435 Speaker 1: The real gold mine of news. He wrote almost everything 175 00:12:27,555 --> 00:12:31,395 Speaker 1: that is wrong with the American media and how it 176 00:12:31,475 --> 00:12:34,195 Speaker 1: has helped Trump rise to the point where we hesitate 177 00:12:34,275 --> 00:12:40,315 Speaker 1: to jail a human fatoah machine, putting the fat in fatoa, 178 00:12:40,915 --> 00:12:45,315 Speaker 1: as it were. Almost everything that is wrong is contained 179 00:12:45,315 --> 00:12:49,595 Speaker 1: in that six word phrase. The real gold mine of news. 180 00:12:50,115 --> 00:12:53,955 Speaker 1: It's got the proverbial shiny object. It's got the media's 181 00:12:53,955 --> 00:12:56,995 Speaker 1: inability to not chase it at the expensive stories of 182 00:12:57,155 --> 00:13:00,835 Speaker 1: far more urgency and actual import and complexity. And by 183 00:13:00,875 --> 00:13:03,875 Speaker 1: the way, this was written after Trump attacked the Chairman 184 00:13:03,875 --> 00:13:06,475 Speaker 1: of the Joint Chiefs, and Politico is not even bothering 185 00:13:06,515 --> 00:13:09,835 Speaker 1: to mention that, so it can then dismiss it before 186 00:13:09,915 --> 00:13:13,595 Speaker 1: getting to the Menendez SoundBite. Gold mine and the imagery 187 00:13:13,715 --> 00:13:16,155 Speaker 1: is that the shiny object is where the money is 188 00:13:16,315 --> 00:13:23,275 Speaker 1: at in news, that it not difficult vital, dangerous topics 189 00:13:23,315 --> 00:13:29,195 Speaker 1: like who Trump wants to get killed, that all those 190 00:13:29,315 --> 00:13:36,395 Speaker 1: other things is where their business is. The saddest part, 191 00:13:36,435 --> 00:13:39,235 Speaker 1: of course, is that the concept the real gold mine 192 00:13:39,275 --> 00:13:41,235 Speaker 1: of news is actually one of the driving forces that 193 00:13:41,275 --> 00:13:45,475 Speaker 1: makes American journalism work. When it works when it isn't 194 00:13:45,515 --> 00:13:47,955 Speaker 1: confronted with one of the two major political parties trying 195 00:13:47,995 --> 00:13:50,675 Speaker 1: to bring American democracy and freedom of the press to 196 00:13:50,715 --> 00:13:54,195 Speaker 1: an end. The real gold mine of news is what 197 00:13:54,315 --> 00:13:57,515 Speaker 1: kept Woodward and Bernstein going on Watergate. Woodward closer to 198 00:13:57,555 --> 00:14:00,875 Speaker 1: a Nixon Republican than a critic. Bernstein a Metro reporter 199 00:14:00,875 --> 00:14:03,875 Speaker 1: for whom the politics was initially irrelevant, but who smelled 200 00:14:04,275 --> 00:14:06,475 Speaker 1: the real gold mine of news and horned his way 201 00:14:06,515 --> 00:14:10,115 Speaker 1: in on the story. Every good story and every great 202 00:14:10,155 --> 00:14:13,995 Speaker 1: story in American journalistic history has begun because there was 203 00:14:14,355 --> 00:14:20,475 Speaker 1: a real gold mine of news there. And every story 204 00:14:20,515 --> 00:14:25,115 Speaker 1: that has enabled Trump has begun because of the same thing. 205 00:14:25,315 --> 00:14:28,235 Speaker 1: Oh what a scoop, what a story, what audacity, what clicks. 206 00:14:28,435 --> 00:14:31,275 Speaker 1: May not be good for America, as the disgraced ex 207 00:14:31,395 --> 00:14:34,395 Speaker 1: CEO of CBS said of the Trump campaign, add money 208 00:14:34,675 --> 00:14:38,395 Speaker 1: and the access Hollywood style coverage surrounding the candidate, but 209 00:14:38,475 --> 00:14:44,035 Speaker 1: it's damn good for CBS, and they're still milling around 210 00:14:44,115 --> 00:14:48,555 Speaker 1: the real gold mine of news, the one that Trump offers. 211 00:14:48,635 --> 00:14:53,115 Speaker 1: It's not news, of course, it's not news. It's pseudo news, 212 00:14:53,795 --> 00:14:57,075 Speaker 1: just as Trump is a pseudo politician and a pseudo 213 00:14:57,275 --> 00:15:01,155 Speaker 1: government figure, and what he produces is actually gossip and 214 00:15:01,275 --> 00:15:05,515 Speaker 1: conflict and plot twists stolen from professional rests. And it's 215 00:15:05,515 --> 00:15:10,595 Speaker 1: not gold, it's gold spray paint. But the news consumers 216 00:15:10,595 --> 00:15:12,435 Speaker 1: aren't going to know the difference, right, All we have 217 00:15:12,515 --> 00:15:15,235 Speaker 1: to do is keep dining at his all you can 218 00:15:15,275 --> 00:15:19,915 Speaker 1: eat salad bar and bottomless brunch, and the price is 219 00:15:20,035 --> 00:15:22,235 Speaker 1: just to ignore stories like him trying to get a 220 00:15:22,235 --> 00:15:25,115 Speaker 1: New York judge killed, and a Washington judge killed, and 221 00:15:25,155 --> 00:15:28,795 Speaker 1: a former president killed, and the chairman of the Joint 222 00:15:28,875 --> 00:15:36,555 Speaker 1: Chiefs killed, and a nation killed. Nothing animates good journalism 223 00:15:36,595 --> 00:15:39,475 Speaker 1: more than a reporter's desire for the glory of a scoop. 224 00:15:39,515 --> 00:15:43,875 Speaker 1: And nothing animates bad journalism more than a reporter's desire 225 00:15:43,915 --> 00:15:46,555 Speaker 1: for the glory of a scoop. And the latter part 226 00:15:46,595 --> 00:15:50,355 Speaker 1: of it can destroy anybody at any level, no matter 227 00:15:50,395 --> 00:15:52,955 Speaker 1: what kind of track record they had. I have told 228 00:15:52,995 --> 00:15:56,955 Speaker 1: this story before fifteen years ago, when Tim Russert died 229 00:15:56,995 --> 00:16:01,395 Speaker 1: and Tom Brokaw inherited the NBC presidential debate between McCain 230 00:16:01,435 --> 00:16:06,115 Speaker 1: and Obama that Russert would have moderated. The Republicans were 231 00:16:06,395 --> 00:16:09,435 Speaker 1: enraged at things I had said about them, in particular 232 00:16:09,435 --> 00:16:12,755 Speaker 1: about a nine to eleven quote tribute video un quote 233 00:16:12,755 --> 00:16:15,915 Speaker 1: that they had shown at their convention, which without warning 234 00:16:16,155 --> 00:16:20,875 Speaker 1: turned out to be a snuff film that we involuntarily 235 00:16:20,955 --> 00:16:25,595 Speaker 1: showed on MSNBC. And the Republicans went to Brokaw and 236 00:16:25,635 --> 00:16:27,995 Speaker 1: they said, if you don't get Olderman off the debates 237 00:16:28,035 --> 00:16:31,555 Speaker 1: and out of anchoring the election coverage, our guy will 238 00:16:31,595 --> 00:16:34,955 Speaker 1: not show up to your debate, and Brokaw went into 239 00:16:34,995 --> 00:16:38,595 Speaker 1: his bosses at NBC and blackmailed them on behalf of 240 00:16:38,635 --> 00:16:41,315 Speaker 1: the Republican Party. And if you think I'm exaggerating or 241 00:16:41,355 --> 00:16:44,675 Speaker 1: settling scores, here, Brokaw not only did all that, he 242 00:16:44,715 --> 00:16:48,155 Speaker 1: then boasted about doing so on the record. And it's 243 00:16:48,235 --> 00:16:51,635 Speaker 1: right there online right now. Jacques Steinberg, New York Times, 244 00:16:51,715 --> 00:16:55,075 Speaker 1: September twenty ninth, two thousand and eight. Google it, Google 245 00:16:55,155 --> 00:16:58,075 Speaker 1: New York Times, Brokaw, Oulderman and you'll read the whole story. 246 00:16:59,035 --> 00:17:02,635 Speaker 1: And I don't know how many people are in Brokaw's 247 00:17:02,795 --> 00:17:06,435 Speaker 1: shoes right now carrying Trump water for him, thinking it 248 00:17:06,515 --> 00:17:11,155 Speaker 1: will advance their careers or gain them access later, or 249 00:17:11,155 --> 00:17:15,715 Speaker 1: how many just think they are. But so many of 250 00:17:15,715 --> 00:17:20,835 Speaker 1: them are still milling around that real gold mine of news. 251 00:17:22,995 --> 00:17:25,595 Speaker 1: And there's another journalistic problem. And it was brought home 252 00:17:25,635 --> 00:17:27,795 Speaker 1: to me when I was watching cable news the other 253 00:17:27,915 --> 00:17:30,315 Speaker 1: night for the first time in literally months. And I'm 254 00:17:30,355 --> 00:17:32,395 Speaker 1: going to mention Rachel Maadow again, and for once, I'm 255 00:17:32,395 --> 00:17:35,075 Speaker 1: not going to criticize her, because this isn't about her content. 256 00:17:35,155 --> 00:17:41,835 Speaker 1: It's about her advertising. The extraordinary sweep of right wing 257 00:17:41,955 --> 00:17:48,115 Speaker 1: television news networks and streaming services and podcasts and radio 258 00:17:48,715 --> 00:17:54,515 Speaker 1: and conspiracy theorists and publishers. The whole complex, running the 259 00:17:54,555 --> 00:17:57,395 Speaker 1: gamut from Alex Jones to Fox News to Rogan to 260 00:17:57,435 --> 00:18:03,995 Speaker 1: the new Marjorie Taylor green Book, is not actually profitable. 261 00:18:04,995 --> 00:18:09,515 Speaker 1: Fox News is, Jones is, and they all are profitable 262 00:18:09,555 --> 00:18:12,555 Speaker 1: to the performers who front them, like this Rogan idiot. 263 00:18:13,795 --> 00:18:16,995 Speaker 1: But they don't have to be profitable. Each of them 264 00:18:17,035 --> 00:18:21,795 Speaker 1: is bankrolled by one or more conservative billionaires who are 265 00:18:21,875 --> 00:18:26,155 Speaker 1: delighted if they invest fifty million dollars and get back 266 00:18:27,035 --> 00:18:30,355 Speaker 1: and buck ninety seven because the rest of the money, 267 00:18:30,355 --> 00:18:32,995 Speaker 1: the other forty nine million plus has been well spent 268 00:18:33,555 --> 00:18:37,795 Speaker 1: buying and creating public opinion and fomenting an environment of 269 00:18:37,875 --> 00:18:42,435 Speaker 1: stupidity and hate and rage that makes a transparent two 270 00:18:42,515 --> 00:18:46,595 Speaker 1: bit con man like Trump seem like George fing Washington. 271 00:18:47,795 --> 00:18:51,595 Speaker 1: The far right invests in media and thus in the 272 00:18:51,675 --> 00:18:56,435 Speaker 1: media narrative, and keeping the diaspora of conservative TV and 273 00:18:56,475 --> 00:19:00,795 Speaker 1: conservative radio and conservative streaming and conservative podcast not just loud, 274 00:19:01,075 --> 00:19:05,955 Speaker 1: but ubiquitous and ubiquitously loud. The machine is well oiled 275 00:19:05,995 --> 00:19:10,275 Speaker 1: and perfected at the fringes, the John Solomons and the 276 00:19:10,315 --> 00:19:14,835 Speaker 1: Gateway pundits and people like that make stuff up, and 277 00:19:14,875 --> 00:19:19,155 Speaker 1: then places like One American News quote them. By the 278 00:19:19,235 --> 00:19:23,195 Speaker 1: end of the week, Fox has taken the story suitably 279 00:19:23,475 --> 00:19:26,395 Speaker 1: washed with lots of places they can quote so they 280 00:19:26,475 --> 00:19:29,395 Speaker 1: don't have to claim they made it up. Fox is 281 00:19:29,395 --> 00:19:31,875 Speaker 1: then taking that same story into voting seven shows a 282 00:19:31,955 --> 00:19:36,475 Speaker 1: day to it, or in publishing, a neanderthal like Congresswoman 283 00:19:36,555 --> 00:19:40,115 Speaker 1: Green can write a book, doubtless the first she will 284 00:19:40,155 --> 00:19:43,355 Speaker 1: have ever read, and insist it will finally provide a 285 00:19:43,435 --> 00:19:47,195 Speaker 1: chance for people to hear math ad of the story 286 00:19:48,115 --> 00:19:51,755 Speaker 1: as if she does anything in life but tell her knit, 287 00:19:51,795 --> 00:19:55,355 Speaker 1: witted side of the story twenty four to seven. And 288 00:19:55,395 --> 00:19:59,115 Speaker 1: the right wing publisher can print one hundred thousand copies 289 00:19:59,355 --> 00:20:02,635 Speaker 1: of that book or two hundred thousand or twenty million, 290 00:20:03,195 --> 00:20:06,115 Speaker 1: and know they will all be b because they will 291 00:20:06,155 --> 00:20:11,875 Speaker 1: all be bought by the Daily Caller or Newsmax or 292 00:20:11,915 --> 00:20:16,475 Speaker 1: one hundred conservative political campaigns and then offered as free 293 00:20:16,515 --> 00:20:23,635 Speaker 1: giveaways with subscriptions or in exchange for donations. And the 294 00:20:23,675 --> 00:20:29,195 Speaker 1: book Marjorie Taylor Green, No I'm Not Barney Rubble by 295 00:20:29,235 --> 00:20:33,675 Speaker 1: Marjorie Taylor Green, it will not actually be bought by 296 00:20:33,715 --> 00:20:36,675 Speaker 1: any readers, but it will still wind up on the 297 00:20:36,675 --> 00:20:42,395 Speaker 1: New York Times bestseller list. And this is where Madow 298 00:20:42,435 --> 00:20:45,795 Speaker 1: comes in. Like her or not, she is the platform 299 00:20:46,315 --> 00:20:50,555 Speaker 1: in what can laughingly be called liberal media. Her show 300 00:20:50,635 --> 00:20:52,555 Speaker 1: is on now just once a week. She has paid 301 00:20:52,595 --> 00:20:55,435 Speaker 1: thirty million dollars a year for it and other projects 302 00:20:55,515 --> 00:20:57,675 Speaker 1: that for some reason have not happened yet in two 303 00:20:57,755 --> 00:21:01,395 Speaker 1: years of the deal. There is nothing to rival her 304 00:21:01,395 --> 00:21:06,675 Speaker 1: at MSNBC or anywhere else in liberal media. Not that 305 00:21:06,715 --> 00:21:09,755 Speaker 1: it's much of a contest with many entrants, but it 306 00:21:09,875 --> 00:21:13,115 Speaker 1: is the marquee platform of platforms. And I actually watched 307 00:21:13,155 --> 00:21:15,115 Speaker 1: the other night to check one thing in it, and 308 00:21:15,195 --> 00:21:17,755 Speaker 1: I don't remember anymore what that one thing was, because 309 00:21:17,995 --> 00:21:24,475 Speaker 1: I was so horrified and consumed by the commercials at 310 00:21:24,475 --> 00:21:27,595 Speaker 1: the apex of liberal media, at the peak and the 311 00:21:27,635 --> 00:21:32,315 Speaker 1: pinnacle of pro democracy, anti Trump. Biden's too old, too 312 00:21:32,315 --> 00:21:33,915 Speaker 1: old for what, because he seems to be doing an 313 00:21:33,915 --> 00:21:37,955 Speaker 1: amazingly solid job as president media at the vertex of 314 00:21:37,995 --> 00:21:42,115 Speaker 1: all of that, Rachel Maddow's weekly One Hour was sponsored 315 00:21:42,155 --> 00:21:51,635 Speaker 1: by Vaccines for Respiratory Sensicial Virus RSV, two of them 316 00:21:52,355 --> 00:21:56,795 Speaker 1: rival vaccines from Pfiser and Smith glaxok Line battling it 317 00:21:56,875 --> 00:22:04,075 Speaker 1: out with competing commercials. During Mattow, Pfeiser bought two what 318 00:22:04,195 --> 00:22:07,555 Speaker 1: I count it is thirty seven different commercials during the show, 319 00:22:07,795 --> 00:22:11,755 Speaker 1: SMK bought just one. We really want to be associated, 320 00:22:14,675 --> 00:22:17,875 Speaker 1: but the liberal answer to the multi billion dollar We 321 00:22:17,955 --> 00:22:19,835 Speaker 1: don't care whether or not we make a dime on 322 00:22:19,915 --> 00:22:22,755 Speaker 1: this so long as this country goes fascist under Trump. 323 00:22:22,915 --> 00:22:27,915 Speaker 1: Propaganda complex does not just rely on three commercials a 324 00:22:27,915 --> 00:22:32,155 Speaker 1: week for RSV shots. There's also its sponsors who make 325 00:22:32,755 --> 00:22:38,955 Speaker 1: jellyfish based memory improvement pills and a shingles vaccine, at 326 00:22:38,995 --> 00:22:44,435 Speaker 1: at least three different asthma medications and hearing aids, and 327 00:22:44,475 --> 00:22:50,395 Speaker 1: weight loss shots and stretch pants. And the one advertiser 328 00:22:50,835 --> 00:22:56,915 Speaker 1: which will stick with me forever, the new Doctor Shoals 329 00:22:57,635 --> 00:23:03,915 Speaker 1: skin Tag Remover, now available without a prescription for home use. 330 00:23:07,395 --> 00:23:10,515 Speaker 1: The Rachel Meadow Show is brought to you by Doctor 331 00:23:10,715 --> 00:23:16,675 Speaker 1: Shoals skin Tag Remover. Rachel depends on advertising revenue that itself, 332 00:23:16,675 --> 00:23:19,755 Speaker 1: in part, depends on sales of stuff that freezes those 333 00:23:19,795 --> 00:23:22,235 Speaker 1: little ugly growths on your neck and then they fall 334 00:23:22,315 --> 00:23:28,915 Speaker 1: off in about two weeks. Alex Jones and Fox and 335 00:23:28,995 --> 00:23:32,995 Speaker 1: Joe Rogan and one hundred other venues have innumerable Harlan 336 00:23:33,275 --> 00:23:38,875 Speaker 1: Crows sitting around their mansions, churning out millions and millions 337 00:23:38,915 --> 00:23:43,875 Speaker 1: in seed money and salaries and investments and advertising buys 338 00:23:43,955 --> 00:23:49,115 Speaker 1: and underwritings, and god knows how else. And Maddow has 339 00:23:49,715 --> 00:23:56,875 Speaker 1: doctor Shoal's skin tag remover. But the good news is 340 00:23:56,955 --> 00:24:00,475 Speaker 1: the FDA now says you can also use it on 341 00:24:00,595 --> 00:24:07,755 Speaker 1: the skin tags in your groin. I don't know how 342 00:24:07,915 --> 00:24:14,795 Speaker 1: democracy counters this imbalance. Corporations are by definition conservative and amoral, 343 00:24:15,475 --> 00:24:18,755 Speaker 1: and Trump is satisfactorily pretending to be the first and 344 00:24:18,955 --> 00:24:23,515 Speaker 1: pretty much defines the latter. And if those news organizations 345 00:24:23,555 --> 00:24:27,395 Speaker 1: branded as liberal media aren't going to say, what the 346 00:24:27,435 --> 00:24:30,275 Speaker 1: hell we're getting the blame and the grief, let's turn 347 00:24:30,315 --> 00:24:32,435 Speaker 1: it around on the bastards and really give them something 348 00:24:32,515 --> 00:24:34,955 Speaker 1: to blame us for. If The New York Times finally 349 00:24:34,995 --> 00:24:38,075 Speaker 1: figures out, no, Trump wasn't going to speak to striking 350 00:24:38,115 --> 00:24:41,835 Speaker 1: auto workers and finally corrects its story and then drops 351 00:24:41,875 --> 00:24:46,235 Speaker 1: that story to the eighth spot on the front page layout, 352 00:24:46,555 --> 00:24:49,315 Speaker 1: just above the feature on and I'm not making this 353 00:24:49,475 --> 00:24:54,555 Speaker 1: up cemeteries and the women who love them, and the 354 00:24:54,595 --> 00:24:58,915 Speaker 1: Times doesn't do a story on Trump trying to get 355 00:24:59,035 --> 00:25:02,315 Speaker 1: Judge nger On and General Milly and Judge Chuckkin and 356 00:25:02,355 --> 00:25:05,875 Speaker 1: Special Counsel Smith and everybody else killed by remote control. 357 00:25:06,755 --> 00:25:09,155 Speaker 1: If the Times won't do that, I don't know what 358 00:25:09,275 --> 00:25:14,115 Speaker 1: to tell you, because I know that all the news organizations, 359 00:25:14,155 --> 00:25:16,235 Speaker 1: even the ones that seem to be liberal, even the 360 00:25:16,235 --> 00:25:18,995 Speaker 1: ones who employ Mattow, have met to discuss how to 361 00:25:19,155 --> 00:25:22,675 Speaker 1: protect their profits if Trump returns to power, and one 362 00:25:22,675 --> 00:25:28,235 Speaker 1: of the answers was, uh, send Kristen Welker to uh 363 00:25:29,475 --> 00:25:38,635 Speaker 1: interview him? Yeah, interview, that's the word. I don't know 364 00:25:38,635 --> 00:25:42,195 Speaker 1: if there are billionaires or even upper echelon millionaires who 365 00:25:42,235 --> 00:25:46,075 Speaker 1: want to spend money on anything that might even just 366 00:25:46,195 --> 00:25:51,915 Speaker 1: begin to resemble the corporate park of conservative assembly line 367 00:25:51,995 --> 00:25:55,515 Speaker 1: opinion factories, anything that might just be a shadow of 368 00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:59,915 Speaker 1: a mouse to stand next to the conservative elephant. But 369 00:25:59,995 --> 00:26:03,315 Speaker 1: I know they are not spending it bankrolling or underwriting 370 00:26:03,435 --> 00:26:06,315 Speaker 1: or advertising liberal media. And I know that this is 371 00:26:06,355 --> 00:26:08,595 Speaker 1: not the only reason Trump is getting away with it 372 00:26:08,875 --> 00:26:11,515 Speaker 1: and probably will get away with it, And it isn't 373 00:26:11,555 --> 00:26:14,075 Speaker 1: the only reason that the other meaning of that phrase, 374 00:26:14,595 --> 00:26:19,715 Speaker 1: the real gold mine of news almost exclusively favors and 375 00:26:19,835 --> 00:26:23,995 Speaker 1: protects and normalizes Trump and fascism and violence and the 376 00:26:24,035 --> 00:26:27,475 Speaker 1: mortal threat to democracy. That is his evil, but it 377 00:26:27,675 --> 00:26:31,515 Speaker 1: is one of the biggest reasons. And it leaves the 378 00:26:31,555 --> 00:26:35,195 Speaker 1: rest of us who would like to see the United 379 00:26:35,235 --> 00:26:40,115 Speaker 1: States of America continue. It leaves that rest of us 380 00:26:40,355 --> 00:26:46,355 Speaker 1: with nothing to do except hope that they sell a 381 00:26:46,475 --> 00:26:58,915 Speaker 1: whole lot of those goddamned skin tag removers. Also of 382 00:26:58,955 --> 00:27:04,075 Speaker 1: interest here, second Republican debate is over. None were injured, 383 00:27:05,075 --> 00:27:08,115 Speaker 1: And my god, I am going to applaud Paul Ryan 384 00:27:08,995 --> 00:27:14,155 Speaker 1: because Paul Ryan has verbally slapped around not just Kevin McCarthy, 385 00:27:15,275 --> 00:27:22,955 Speaker 1: but also Aaron Rodgers. That's next. This is countdown. This 386 00:27:23,635 --> 00:27:48,755 Speaker 1: is countdown with Keith Elberman still ahead on countdown. So 387 00:27:48,835 --> 00:27:51,915 Speaker 1: I invoked Brocaus selling out to the Republicans so he 388 00:27:51,915 --> 00:27:55,035 Speaker 1: could keep his role as moderator of a presidential debate 389 00:27:55,035 --> 00:27:57,155 Speaker 1: in two thousand and eight. I left out the part 390 00:27:57,155 --> 00:28:03,115 Speaker 1: about it being Brocaus comeback presidential debate moderator role. I'll 391 00:28:03,115 --> 00:28:05,955 Speaker 1: tell that whole story again next first time for the 392 00:28:06,035 --> 00:28:08,435 Speaker 1: daily round up of the miscreants, morons, and Dunning Kruger 393 00:28:08,475 --> 00:28:13,275 Speaker 1: effects specimens who constitute today's worst persons in the world. 394 00:28:14,795 --> 00:28:19,355 Speaker 1: The Bronze too well, you'll hear. Former Speaker Paul Ryan 395 00:28:19,515 --> 00:28:22,595 Speaker 1: was interviewed about the looming shutdown by the Madison, Wisconsin 396 00:28:22,635 --> 00:28:28,675 Speaker 1: newspaper The Capital Times, and he managed to diss not one, 397 00:28:28,795 --> 00:28:31,595 Speaker 1: but two of the worst persons in the world. Ryan said, 398 00:28:31,635 --> 00:28:33,755 Speaker 1: the two people he feels most sorry for at the 399 00:28:33,795 --> 00:28:40,595 Speaker 1: moment are quote Aaron Rodgers and Kevin McCarthy. I feel 400 00:28:40,595 --> 00:28:45,155 Speaker 1: sorry for McCarthy too, Rogers. Next question the runners up. 401 00:28:45,155 --> 00:28:48,395 Speaker 1: Here's a coincidence. It's the National Football League. While the 402 00:28:48,475 --> 00:28:51,275 Speaker 1: NFL has tried really hard to sell itself as a 403 00:28:51,315 --> 00:28:54,595 Speaker 1: home for diversity and the quality, I mean, it even 404 00:28:54,595 --> 00:28:58,035 Speaker 1: had Commissioner Roger Goodell saying quote racism in any form 405 00:28:58,075 --> 00:29:02,155 Speaker 1: of discrimination is contrary to the NFL's values. I wonder 406 00:29:02,155 --> 00:29:06,235 Speaker 1: who wrote that for him. The league is advertising next 407 00:29:06,355 --> 00:29:11,035 Speaker 1: to posts by avowed racists on Twitter or x or 408 00:29:11,595 --> 00:29:15,075 Speaker 1: twigs or whatever you call it nowadays. Media Matters for 409 00:29:15,115 --> 00:29:18,115 Speaker 1: America reports that ads for the NFL and its NFL 410 00:29:18,195 --> 00:29:21,355 Speaker 1: Plus service and it's telecast of its games on NBC 411 00:29:21,515 --> 00:29:24,555 Speaker 1: and CBS and other outlets and other broadcasts and other 412 00:29:24,755 --> 00:29:29,875 Speaker 1: products and such are adjacent to posts by racists like 413 00:29:29,955 --> 00:29:33,555 Speaker 1: the infamous Stu Peters, who is the idiot who insisted 414 00:29:33,595 --> 00:29:36,955 Speaker 1: that Damar Hamlin of Buffalo actually died last year because 415 00:29:36,995 --> 00:29:40,275 Speaker 1: he was vaccinated, of course, and was replaced by an actor. 416 00:29:41,155 --> 00:29:45,035 Speaker 1: NFL ads also appear on Twitter next to posts by 417 00:29:45,275 --> 00:29:48,955 Speaker 1: v Dare, including a v dare post criticizing the NFL 418 00:29:48,955 --> 00:29:52,675 Speaker 1: for having an all black officiating crew. Media Matters also 419 00:29:52,715 --> 00:29:55,955 Speaker 1: reports NFL ads are also next to racist posts from 420 00:29:55,995 --> 00:29:58,715 Speaker 1: the likes of Richard Spencer, the one who says white 421 00:29:58,755 --> 00:30:02,555 Speaker 1: people should boycott the NFL, and that guy Baked Alaska, 422 00:30:02,595 --> 00:30:06,115 Speaker 1: and Andrew Torba. Andrew Torba is the one who says 423 00:30:06,155 --> 00:30:10,395 Speaker 1: white people are being collectively quote conquered, enslaved, raped by 424 00:30:10,515 --> 00:30:15,555 Speaker 1: non whites. NFL advertising next to their posts nice work, Goodell, 425 00:30:16,235 --> 00:30:20,635 Speaker 1: but our winner. Fox's Harris Faulkner, who is such an 426 00:30:20,635 --> 00:30:23,315 Speaker 1: idiot that I can't decide if she doesn't really exist 427 00:30:23,835 --> 00:30:26,995 Speaker 1: but it's just a character developed by a satirist who 428 00:30:27,075 --> 00:30:30,195 Speaker 1: is utterly committed to the bit, or if she is 429 00:30:31,035 --> 00:30:32,835 Speaker 1: such an idiot that she's ready to take over a 430 00:30:32,875 --> 00:30:37,475 Speaker 1: primetime slot as the Fox juggernaut collapses. Fox has been 431 00:30:37,635 --> 00:30:41,195 Speaker 1: obsessed this week with the incidents in which the Biden's 432 00:30:41,315 --> 00:30:46,115 Speaker 1: rescue dog commander has bit Secret Service agents. I mean 433 00:30:46,115 --> 00:30:48,995 Speaker 1: they've done like hours at a time on this story. 434 00:30:49,795 --> 00:30:54,595 Speaker 1: Faulkner yesterday has the explanation, quote, you know they had 435 00:30:54,635 --> 00:30:57,115 Speaker 1: coke in the house. I just wonder if he's been 436 00:30:57,115 --> 00:31:01,395 Speaker 1: to that certain lobby area, just acting all out of himself. Look, 437 00:31:01,435 --> 00:31:03,955 Speaker 1: this is really on the owner of the dog. She said, 438 00:31:04,675 --> 00:31:06,515 Speaker 1: I just wonder what's going on in the family that 439 00:31:06,555 --> 00:31:10,795 Speaker 1: they don't get this dog some help unquote. To be fair, 440 00:31:11,595 --> 00:31:13,915 Speaker 1: I've thought the same thing about what must be going 441 00:31:13,915 --> 00:31:16,235 Speaker 1: on in Fox headquarters down the block here that they 442 00:31:16,235 --> 00:31:20,155 Speaker 1: don't get this ass clown Harris. Faulkner's some help, Harris. 443 00:31:20,555 --> 00:31:25,755 Speaker 1: Maybe the dog is snorting coke. Faulkner two days Worst 444 00:31:26,355 --> 00:31:49,835 Speaker 1: Person and finally our number one story on the Countdown 445 00:31:49,875 --> 00:31:53,835 Speaker 1: and my favorite topic me I miss the exact anniversary 446 00:31:53,835 --> 00:31:57,595 Speaker 1: by day, but it's close enough. The demand for spots 447 00:31:58,115 --> 00:32:00,355 Speaker 1: in the Shade Stadium press box that night was so 448 00:32:00,435 --> 00:32:03,075 Speaker 1: great that there was a signed seating. I had no 449 00:32:03,155 --> 00:32:05,515 Speaker 1: real reason to be there, but as usual, the New 450 00:32:05,595 --> 00:32:07,995 Speaker 1: York Mets took care of me, and so on Friday, 451 00:32:08,035 --> 00:32:09,995 Speaker 1: the fifth of September two thousand and eight, I was 452 00:32:10,035 --> 00:32:13,955 Speaker 1: shoulder to shoulder with reporter friends, watching the Mets begin 453 00:32:14,035 --> 00:32:16,315 Speaker 1: to blow their three game Pennant Race lead against the 454 00:32:16,315 --> 00:32:19,075 Speaker 1: Philadelphia Phillyes. Sorry Mets fans for bringing this up again. 455 00:32:19,755 --> 00:32:22,755 Speaker 1: Brett Myers had just struck out New York's David Wright 456 00:32:22,875 --> 00:32:26,835 Speaker 1: looking when my phone rang. It was my agent, Gene Sage. 457 00:32:27,235 --> 00:32:30,395 Speaker 1: They just called. She said, flatly, you and Matthews have 458 00:32:30,475 --> 00:32:33,395 Speaker 1: been fired from anchoring the presidential debates because of what 459 00:32:33,475 --> 00:32:38,355 Speaker 1: you said. What I had said had been said three 460 00:32:38,435 --> 00:32:41,755 Speaker 1: nights previously. Chris Matthews and I were co anchoring the 461 00:32:41,835 --> 00:32:46,075 Speaker 1: Republican Convention on MSNBC. He was there in Minneapolis. I 462 00:32:46,235 --> 00:32:48,835 Speaker 1: was in the studios in New York, ostensibly so I 463 00:32:48,835 --> 00:32:52,155 Speaker 1: could also anchor hurricane coverage, although it was pretty clear 464 00:32:52,155 --> 00:32:53,835 Speaker 1: that at least half the reason I was not in 465 00:32:53,875 --> 00:32:58,075 Speaker 1: Minneapolis was because the Republicans had threatened NBC or said 466 00:32:58,075 --> 00:33:01,235 Speaker 1: they couldn't guarantee my safety or something like that, and 467 00:33:01,515 --> 00:33:06,115 Speaker 1: NBC folded. So I was the one during MSNBC's coverage 468 00:33:06,155 --> 00:33:08,635 Speaker 1: of the two thousand and eight Republican Convention who had 469 00:33:08,635 --> 00:33:11,835 Speaker 1: to throw it to a video they were introducing that 470 00:33:11,875 --> 00:33:14,635 Speaker 1: we had been told by the Republicans was a quote 471 00:33:14,755 --> 00:33:18,195 Speaker 1: tribute to the dead of nine to eleven. It was, 472 00:33:18,435 --> 00:33:22,355 Speaker 1: in fact a snuff film. All of the images that 473 00:33:22,515 --> 00:33:25,355 Speaker 1: all of the networks had stopped showing within weeks or 474 00:33:25,355 --> 00:33:29,235 Speaker 1: even days of the attacks, all of those images were 475 00:33:29,235 --> 00:33:32,635 Speaker 1: in this video. People jumping and falling to their deaths 476 00:33:32,715 --> 00:33:35,715 Speaker 1: from the World Trade Center on nine to eleven, endless 477 00:33:35,875 --> 00:33:40,275 Speaker 1: replays of the planes hitting the towers, dismembered bodies in 478 00:33:40,315 --> 00:33:44,435 Speaker 1: the plaza, the building collapses, the equally terrifying scenes at 479 00:33:44,435 --> 00:33:48,435 Speaker 1: the Pentagon, and all with a grotesque Robert Dobby voiceover 480 00:33:48,875 --> 00:33:53,355 Speaker 1: emphasizing that this was all the Democrats fault. The message 481 00:33:53,435 --> 00:33:57,635 Speaker 1: was simple, elect Obama and you will die like this. 482 00:33:59,155 --> 00:34:02,395 Speaker 1: I was angry, just on that base level. For the 483 00:34:02,395 --> 00:34:04,515 Speaker 1: five and a half years I had been back at MSNBC, 484 00:34:04,715 --> 00:34:07,555 Speaker 1: he had been rigorous about not showing any of that video. 485 00:34:08,155 --> 00:34:10,955 Speaker 1: There were rules that if we had to for some reason, 486 00:34:11,275 --> 00:34:13,955 Speaker 1: we should show only the skill images, and even then 487 00:34:14,075 --> 00:34:17,515 Speaker 1: only with extensive warnings to the viewers. But I knew 488 00:34:17,555 --> 00:34:20,475 Speaker 1: from my conversations with the president of MSNBC, Phil Griffin, 489 00:34:20,475 --> 00:34:22,835 Speaker 1: who I'd only known for twenty eight years at that point, 490 00:34:23,075 --> 00:34:25,635 Speaker 1: that he would insist that on the scene in Minneapolis, 491 00:34:25,635 --> 00:34:28,835 Speaker 1: Matthews and Tom Brokaw, whose career at NBC I had 492 00:34:28,875 --> 00:34:32,555 Speaker 1: resurrected after Brian Williams had buried him alive two years earlier, 493 00:34:32,795 --> 00:34:36,675 Speaker 1: that one or both of them would rebuke the GOP 494 00:34:36,955 --> 00:34:39,315 Speaker 1: for showing not a nine to eleven tribute, but, as 495 00:34:39,355 --> 00:34:42,835 Speaker 1: I just said, a nine to eleven snuff film. The 496 00:34:42,915 --> 00:34:45,675 Speaker 1: video ended, and we came out to Brokaw with Matthews 497 00:34:45,675 --> 00:34:51,355 Speaker 1: and Brokaw kind of coughed, and Matthews said wow. And 498 00:34:51,435 --> 00:34:54,275 Speaker 1: he turned to Brokaw and said, in that loose fire 499 00:34:54,315 --> 00:34:58,315 Speaker 1: hose delivery of his Tom, the kind of hunderscorns terrorism. 500 00:34:58,355 --> 00:35:02,115 Speaker 1: Big thing for Republicans, says he. Trisop Obama. Brocaw droned 501 00:35:02,155 --> 00:35:08,115 Speaker 1: on approvingly the Republicans sneaking a snuff film, a banned 502 00:35:08,195 --> 00:35:12,395 Speaker 1: video onto MSNBC and by the way, also onto CNN, 503 00:35:12,435 --> 00:35:16,635 Speaker 1: onto NBC, onto CBS, onto ABC without any warning that 504 00:35:16,795 --> 00:35:20,915 Speaker 1: was not mentioned by Brokaw or Matthews. Back to New 505 00:35:20,995 --> 00:35:24,515 Speaker 1: York and Keys. I was supposed to add liberates about 506 00:35:24,515 --> 00:35:26,875 Speaker 1: what we were expecting from the Republican convention for the 507 00:35:26,955 --> 00:35:29,555 Speaker 1: rest of the night and then throw to a commercial instead, 508 00:35:29,595 --> 00:35:31,875 Speaker 1: I said, and this is a paraphrase. The original tape 509 00:35:32,035 --> 00:35:35,635 Speaker 1: disappeared that night that before we moved on, I felt 510 00:35:35,635 --> 00:35:38,635 Speaker 1: I needed to apologize that we at MSNBC and for 511 00:35:38,675 --> 00:35:42,475 Speaker 1: that matter, NBC News, had extremely strict rules about not 512 00:35:42,675 --> 00:35:45,795 Speaker 1: showing that video. The Republicans had just shown you without 513 00:35:45,835 --> 00:35:49,475 Speaker 1: any warning, without any context, and we certainly would not 514 00:35:49,555 --> 00:35:52,355 Speaker 1: have shown the horror and death and blamed it on 515 00:35:52,435 --> 00:35:54,835 Speaker 1: the Democrats, or for that matter, blamed it on the Republicans. 516 00:35:54,875 --> 00:35:56,715 Speaker 1: I said, if we had done such a thing ourselves, 517 00:35:56,915 --> 00:36:00,555 Speaker 1: there would have been people fired at NBC News. The 518 00:36:00,595 --> 00:36:03,675 Speaker 1: public program the GOP provided said that was going to 519 00:36:03,715 --> 00:36:05,715 Speaker 1: be a nine to eleven trip mute film, I said, 520 00:36:06,075 --> 00:36:08,635 Speaker 1: And so did the private conversations with the network, which 521 00:36:08,635 --> 00:36:11,355 Speaker 1: included the reminder from NBC and MSNBC that we had 522 00:36:11,435 --> 00:36:14,555 Speaker 1: rules against showing the scenes of the horrible death, the mutilation, 523 00:36:14,635 --> 00:36:19,035 Speaker 1: and destruction. So I apologized on behalf of whoever trusted 524 00:36:19,035 --> 00:36:22,115 Speaker 1: the Republicans to live up to their word that MSNBC 525 00:36:22,275 --> 00:36:25,115 Speaker 1: viewers were forced to see the video our network had 526 00:36:25,195 --> 00:36:30,715 Speaker 1: long before vowed never to show again. So three nights later, 527 00:36:31,115 --> 00:36:34,595 Speaker 1: without as much as an email, this Griffin guy had 528 00:36:34,635 --> 00:36:38,075 Speaker 1: called my agent and told her I was fired Matthews 529 00:36:38,115 --> 00:36:43,155 Speaker 1: two from our further coverage of the upcoming McGain Obama debates. 530 00:36:44,115 --> 00:36:46,475 Speaker 1: She related these details to me as I walked down 531 00:36:46,515 --> 00:36:48,835 Speaker 1: the many ramps in the back of Shaye Stadium towards 532 00:36:48,835 --> 00:36:51,435 Speaker 1: the subway. I told her to call Griffin back and 533 00:36:51,515 --> 00:36:54,275 Speaker 1: tell him I had quit on the spot right then, 534 00:36:54,715 --> 00:36:56,995 Speaker 1: and he could work his way out of the ensuing disaster. 535 00:36:57,715 --> 00:37:02,195 Speaker 1: Liberal network MSNBC fires liberal host Elderman for criticizing conservatives 536 00:37:02,195 --> 00:37:04,715 Speaker 1: for sneaking nine to eleven snuff film onto MSNBC. He 537 00:37:05,155 --> 00:37:07,515 Speaker 1: could figure that out any way he wanted, and he 538 00:37:07,555 --> 00:37:11,275 Speaker 1: could hear my response on I don't know, Good Morning America, CBS, 539 00:37:11,275 --> 00:37:14,355 Speaker 1: This Morning, the PBS News Hour, and any other news 540 00:37:14,395 --> 00:37:17,395 Speaker 1: program that bothered to ask me to stop by and talk. 541 00:37:18,995 --> 00:37:21,315 Speaker 1: I phoned my live in girlfriend, Katie Turr and told 542 00:37:21,355 --> 00:37:23,235 Speaker 1: her I was on my way home, and I made 543 00:37:23,275 --> 00:37:25,795 Speaker 1: a few phone calls to friendly voices within the NBC 544 00:37:25,955 --> 00:37:28,555 Speaker 1: management structure and got from them a clear picture of 545 00:37:28,595 --> 00:37:31,995 Speaker 1: what had happened. And despite the spotty cell service along 546 00:37:32,035 --> 00:37:34,795 Speaker 1: the elevated line heading back to Manhattan, I got a 547 00:37:34,835 --> 00:37:38,355 Speaker 1: message from a newspaper reporter friend who neatly tied together. 548 00:37:38,515 --> 00:37:41,995 Speaker 1: All that I was hearing elsewhere Tom Brokaw is going 549 00:37:41,995 --> 00:37:45,355 Speaker 1: around NBC saying he got you fired from the debates 550 00:37:45,755 --> 00:37:51,235 Speaker 1: because the Republicans told him to. Nine maybe ten months earlier, 551 00:37:51,675 --> 00:37:53,515 Speaker 1: Phil Griffin had come to me and asked me if 552 00:37:53,555 --> 00:37:56,915 Speaker 1: I would be okay with this guy who had been 553 00:37:57,035 --> 00:38:00,955 Speaker 1: kind of disappeared by the network. Tom Brokaw was his 554 00:38:01,075 --> 00:38:04,315 Speaker 1: name appearing during our weekly coverage of the Democratic and 555 00:38:04,355 --> 00:38:07,515 Speaker 1: republic primaries just a couple of minutes, like from a 556 00:38:07,595 --> 00:38:10,915 Speaker 1: perspective desk, that's all he wants to do. He's really 557 00:38:10,955 --> 00:38:15,075 Speaker 1: Tom's really unhappy Brian has frozen him out of everything. 558 00:38:15,155 --> 00:38:19,035 Speaker 1: Brian Williams. Of course, I was appalled, but not surprised. 559 00:38:19,475 --> 00:38:22,435 Speaker 1: The power had gone to Brian's head, and of course 560 00:38:22,475 --> 00:38:26,195 Speaker 1: there it had not met much resistance. Plus, as I 561 00:38:26,195 --> 00:38:28,155 Speaker 1: said to Griffin, you're asking me if I'd like to 562 00:38:28,195 --> 00:38:33,675 Speaker 1: add Tom Brokaw's experience and Tom Brocaw's gravitas to stuff 563 00:38:33,715 --> 00:38:35,635 Speaker 1: I'm anchoring. When I'm not sure I know as much 564 00:38:35,635 --> 00:38:37,515 Speaker 1: as I really need to know to do this right. 565 00:38:38,035 --> 00:38:41,995 Speaker 1: You're asking me this. Tom fit in beautifully and twice 566 00:38:42,075 --> 00:38:45,195 Speaker 1: after those long Tuesday evenings in the primary season. He 567 00:38:45,315 --> 00:38:48,315 Speaker 1: sent me brief emails awarding me what he called the 568 00:38:48,435 --> 00:38:52,315 Speaker 1: game ball, because he was so impressed by my ability 569 00:38:52,355 --> 00:38:55,755 Speaker 1: to balance the roles of political anchor and political commentator, 570 00:38:56,195 --> 00:38:59,075 Speaker 1: having tried this myself. One of them read, I know 571 00:38:59,155 --> 00:39:03,195 Speaker 1: what a perilous tight rupeless is. Game ball to care. 572 00:39:04,755 --> 00:39:07,235 Speaker 1: I'm mocking him now, but these meant so much to me. 573 00:39:07,395 --> 00:39:10,595 Speaker 1: I printed the emails out and carried them in my wallet. 574 00:39:11,955 --> 00:39:15,395 Speaker 1: And now he was claiming he had gotten me fired because, 575 00:39:15,435 --> 00:39:18,635 Speaker 1: as my newspaper friend said, the Republicans told him to. 576 00:39:20,115 --> 00:39:23,235 Speaker 1: That was not hard to unpack either. Tim Russard had 577 00:39:23,275 --> 00:39:26,195 Speaker 1: died on June third of that year. I anchored that 578 00:39:26,275 --> 00:39:27,995 Speaker 1: night until two in the morning. It was still an 579 00:39:28,035 --> 00:39:31,675 Speaker 1: open wound. There were still tears. We didn't know it then, 580 00:39:31,995 --> 00:39:35,315 Speaker 1: but the structure of NBC News and the perilous tie 581 00:39:35,395 --> 00:39:39,595 Speaker 1: group balancing NBC and MSNBC had died with Tim Russard. 582 00:39:40,195 --> 00:39:42,555 Speaker 1: So did the role of moderator of the second debate 583 00:39:42,595 --> 00:39:45,715 Speaker 1: between John McCain and Barack Obama, scheduled for about a 584 00:39:45,755 --> 00:39:49,795 Speaker 1: month after my subway ride on October seventh in Nashville. 585 00:39:49,875 --> 00:39:52,515 Speaker 1: Tim had not even been buried yet. When Brokaw began 586 00:39:52,595 --> 00:39:55,675 Speaker 1: to angle to get that assignment, along with brushing away 587 00:39:55,715 --> 00:39:58,675 Speaker 1: the dirt of his Penny Anti role on the MSNBC 588 00:39:58,875 --> 00:40:02,155 Speaker 1: Perspective desk. We never saw him again in order that 589 00:40:02,235 --> 00:40:05,875 Speaker 1: he could take Tim's spot as Brian William's sidekick on 590 00:40:05,955 --> 00:40:10,275 Speaker 1: Big NBC. The month before August, there was a story 591 00:40:10,275 --> 00:40:12,075 Speaker 1: coming out of the east end of the third floor 592 00:40:12,115 --> 00:40:14,715 Speaker 1: at thirty Rock, where NBC News management sat around not 593 00:40:14,795 --> 00:40:18,155 Speaker 1: doing much of anything, that a Republican goon named Ed 594 00:40:18,235 --> 00:40:21,715 Speaker 1: Gillespie had been in there with Griffin and the NBC 595 00:40:21,795 --> 00:40:25,075 Speaker 1: News president, Steve Cappus, trying to get me silenced or 596 00:40:25,075 --> 00:40:28,555 Speaker 1: fired or off the convention coverage or something, and that 597 00:40:28,715 --> 00:40:32,035 Speaker 1: somebody prominent within NBC News was in there with Gillespie 598 00:40:32,875 --> 00:40:36,635 Speaker 1: or was invoked by Gillespie. The rumor mill wasn't certain. 599 00:40:37,675 --> 00:40:39,995 Speaker 1: As I switched from the elevated seven train to the 600 00:40:40,075 --> 00:40:43,915 Speaker 1: underground f train. The whole thing came together before my 601 00:40:44,035 --> 00:40:47,355 Speaker 1: comments about the GOP Convention nine to eleven snuff film. 602 00:40:47,635 --> 00:40:50,715 Speaker 1: Ed Gillespie had come in and had somehow vaguely threatened 603 00:40:50,715 --> 00:40:54,915 Speaker 1: Cappus and Griffin about me using as leverage the debate 604 00:40:54,995 --> 00:40:58,595 Speaker 1: which Tom brocall was now supposed to moderate, and when 605 00:40:58,995 --> 00:41:03,475 Speaker 1: I apologized for their video on our air, Gillespie must 606 00:41:03,475 --> 00:41:06,195 Speaker 1: have turned it into an either or get rid of me, 607 00:41:06,435 --> 00:41:10,755 Speaker 1: or McCain would refuse to participate in any debate moderated 608 00:41:10,795 --> 00:41:15,955 Speaker 1: by Brokaw or anybody from NBC News. And Brokaw had 609 00:41:15,995 --> 00:41:18,355 Speaker 1: already come back from the dead once in two thousand 610 00:41:18,355 --> 00:41:20,355 Speaker 1: and eight, and he would be damned if he would 611 00:41:20,355 --> 00:41:24,155 Speaker 1: be forced to do it a second time. But as 612 00:41:24,195 --> 00:41:26,275 Speaker 1: the train took me home to an apartment, I was 613 00:41:26,315 --> 00:41:28,275 Speaker 1: now going to have to sell since I had just 614 00:41:28,395 --> 00:41:31,475 Speaker 1: quit MSNBC on the spot for folding to such obvious 615 00:41:31,515 --> 00:41:35,795 Speaker 1: Republican blackmail, something else now occurred to me. Why would 616 00:41:35,915 --> 00:41:40,155 Speaker 1: MSNBC or NBC or our parent corporation at the time, 617 00:41:40,275 --> 00:41:44,075 Speaker 1: ge actually think that they could remove me from the 618 00:41:44,115 --> 00:41:48,395 Speaker 1: debate coverage on MSNBC, where the Racial Meadow Show had 619 00:41:48,475 --> 00:41:50,915 Speaker 1: yet to be born, and the three times a night 620 00:41:51,035 --> 00:41:53,635 Speaker 1: my show ran accounted for something like sixty percent of 621 00:41:53,675 --> 00:41:57,755 Speaker 1: the entire day's network audience, and do that without getting 622 00:41:57,755 --> 00:42:01,995 Speaker 1: a really bad reaction from our audience. Plus, if a 623 00:42:02,075 --> 00:42:06,835 Speaker 1: newspaper man already knew the Brokaw, how could this story 624 00:42:07,475 --> 00:42:11,715 Speaker 1: be avoided? MSNBC announced it had removed its liberal star 625 00:42:11,875 --> 00:42:15,075 Speaker 1: Keith Alerman from coverage of the McCain Obama presidential debates. 626 00:42:15,435 --> 00:42:19,675 Speaker 1: Sources confirmed former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw, now an 627 00:42:19,795 --> 00:42:24,275 Speaker 1: MSNBC commentator on Olberman's coverage, had helped her Republican Party 628 00:42:24,315 --> 00:42:28,635 Speaker 1: to blackmail NBC into the decision. Ulderman immediately resigned, saying, 629 00:42:28,755 --> 00:42:31,995 Speaker 1: quote in succumbing to this coercion on behalf of John McCain, 630 00:42:32,115 --> 00:42:35,435 Speaker 1: NBC has now forfeited any right to further be called 631 00:42:35,435 --> 00:42:38,355 Speaker 1: a news organization, And I'm sad to say MSNBC, which 632 00:42:38,355 --> 00:42:44,275 Speaker 1: I built, is now dead. My god, MSNBC an NBC 633 00:42:44,355 --> 00:42:47,555 Speaker 1: News for that matter, would have committed corporate suicide before 634 00:42:47,555 --> 00:42:50,995 Speaker 1: the weekend was over. At that point, it dawned on 635 00:42:51,075 --> 00:42:53,355 Speaker 1: me that the only thing that could save the credibility 636 00:42:53,355 --> 00:42:55,795 Speaker 1: of the whole news division and the careers of Griffin 637 00:42:56,155 --> 00:43:00,395 Speaker 1: and Kappus, an NBC network president Jeff Zucker, and especially 638 00:43:00,475 --> 00:43:04,955 Speaker 1: the career of Tom Brokaw was for me to publicly 639 00:43:05,035 --> 00:43:08,555 Speaker 1: state that I had asked to be removed from anchoring 640 00:43:08,595 --> 00:43:12,635 Speaker 1: the debates because the whatever was just too much blah 641 00:43:12,675 --> 00:43:15,115 Speaker 1: blah blah for me, and I felt I should stick 642 00:43:15,155 --> 00:43:19,595 Speaker 1: to the post debate analysis and commentary. NBC would now 643 00:43:19,675 --> 00:43:22,075 Speaker 1: have a choice. They could fire me from the debates 644 00:43:22,115 --> 00:43:25,435 Speaker 1: and destroy everything, including the one hundred million dollars a 645 00:43:25,555 --> 00:43:28,515 Speaker 1: year or so in profit that NBC made off MSNBC, 646 00:43:29,115 --> 00:43:33,435 Speaker 1: or I could you know why and claim it was 647 00:43:33,475 --> 00:43:38,995 Speaker 1: my idea and save everybody's ass, including my own. I 648 00:43:39,035 --> 00:43:41,355 Speaker 1: got out of the subway and raced home. Katie met 649 00:43:41,435 --> 00:43:43,075 Speaker 1: me at the door with a big hug. She had 650 00:43:43,075 --> 00:43:45,995 Speaker 1: been crying. Relax, I said, I'm not quitting. In fact, 651 00:43:46,115 --> 00:43:49,235 Speaker 1: I'm going to get a huge raise. Now, listen carefully. 652 00:43:50,035 --> 00:43:52,715 Speaker 1: I called my agent and I explained the idea that 653 00:43:52,795 --> 00:43:54,955 Speaker 1: had lit over my head on the subway like a 654 00:43:55,035 --> 00:43:58,515 Speaker 1: light bulb to both of them. I said, you call 655 00:43:58,595 --> 00:44:00,755 Speaker 1: Phil Griffin back and explain to him that I will 656 00:44:00,795 --> 00:44:05,435 Speaker 1: personally save his job and Steve Campus's and Jeff Sookers 657 00:44:05,475 --> 00:44:09,275 Speaker 1: and Tom Brokaw's and everybody else's. I'll take the fall 658 00:44:09,995 --> 00:44:13,595 Speaker 1: instead of letting them all get fired by the MSNBC audience. 659 00:44:13,635 --> 00:44:17,235 Speaker 1: I'll say this was my idea, and all it will 660 00:44:17,275 --> 00:44:21,675 Speaker 1: cost Phil is twelve million dollars, and he has to 661 00:44:21,795 --> 00:44:24,155 Speaker 1: leak the term so everybody knows it cost him twelve 662 00:44:24,195 --> 00:44:27,315 Speaker 1: million dollars, and she paused for a second and said, 663 00:44:27,435 --> 00:44:30,755 Speaker 1: it's genius. It might not quite be twelve million, but 664 00:44:30,835 --> 00:44:33,235 Speaker 1: I bet, I bet they'll pay you at least nine. 665 00:44:34,675 --> 00:44:38,275 Speaker 1: On Sunday, several news organizations reported I had asked to 666 00:44:38,315 --> 00:44:41,595 Speaker 1: be taken off the anchor desk two months and one 667 00:44:41,635 --> 00:44:44,835 Speaker 1: week later, The New York Times wrote, quote, Keith Olberman, 668 00:44:44,915 --> 00:44:48,795 Speaker 1: the anchor of Countdown on MSNBC, has extended his contract 669 00:44:48,875 --> 00:44:52,995 Speaker 1: through the next presidential election season. The network announced mister 670 00:44:53,115 --> 00:44:56,835 Speaker 1: Olderman and MSNBC essentially tore up the four year, four 671 00:44:56,875 --> 00:44:59,835 Speaker 1: million dollar year contract they signed last year and replaced 672 00:44:59,835 --> 00:45:01,995 Speaker 1: it with one worth about seven and a. 673 00:45:01,995 --> 00:45:06,315 Speaker 2: Half million a year. That was a three and a 674 00:45:06,355 --> 00:45:11,475 Speaker 2: half million dollar raise for four years, great total of 675 00:45:12,955 --> 00:45:17,395 Speaker 2: fourteen million dollars, except the new contract added two years 676 00:45:17,395 --> 00:45:19,955 Speaker 2: to my old deal, so the raise was actually twenty 677 00:45:19,955 --> 00:45:26,075 Speaker 2: two million dollars. All stories have a punchline. This punchline 678 00:45:26,115 --> 00:45:29,075 Speaker 2: is about Tom Brokaw. We would have gotten away with 679 00:45:29,195 --> 00:45:32,595 Speaker 2: this cleanly. NBC would have gotten its money's worth for 680 00:45:32,635 --> 00:45:34,555 Speaker 2: the twenty two million in hush money, which is what 681 00:45:34,595 --> 00:45:36,875 Speaker 2: it was that it had to pay me because I 682 00:45:36,915 --> 00:45:40,155 Speaker 2: had agreed with them rolling over for the Republican Party blackmail, 683 00:45:40,195 --> 00:45:44,315 Speaker 2: except Brokaw could not keep his mouth shut. So proud 684 00:45:44,555 --> 00:45:47,835 Speaker 2: was he of preserving his role as the moderator of 685 00:45:47,875 --> 00:45:51,715 Speaker 2: the October seventh NBC debate that he had to explain 686 00:45:52,275 --> 00:45:56,235 Speaker 2: in explicit detail in public how he went to his 687 00:45:56,315 --> 00:45:59,635 Speaker 2: bosses at NBC News and threatened them on behalf of 688 00:45:59,675 --> 00:46:03,715 Speaker 2: the GOP. On September twenty ninth, two thousand and eight, 689 00:46:03,755 --> 00:46:06,955 Speaker 2: a lengthy and glowing Brokaw profile appeared in The New 690 00:46:07,035 --> 00:46:10,475 Speaker 2: York Times. Quote Mister Brocaw said that over the summer 691 00:46:10,555 --> 00:46:15,195 Speaker 2: he had quote advocated within the executive suite of NBC 692 00:46:15,235 --> 00:46:18,435 Speaker 2: News to modify the anchor duties of the MSNBC hosts 693 00:46:18,435 --> 00:46:21,195 Speaker 2: Skeith Alerman and Chris Matthews on election night and on 694 00:46:21,315 --> 00:46:25,075 Speaker 2: nights when there were presidential debates. Mister brocas said he 695 00:46:25,075 --> 00:46:28,715 Speaker 2: had also conducted some shuttle diplomacy in recent weeks between 696 00:46:28,875 --> 00:46:32,235 Speaker 2: NBC and the McCain campaign. His mission, he said, was 697 00:46:32,275 --> 00:46:36,275 Speaker 2: to assure the candidates' aids that despite some negative on 698 00:46:36,395 --> 00:46:40,195 Speaker 2: air commentary by mister Olberman in particular, mister McCain could 699 00:46:40,275 --> 00:46:46,235 Speaker 2: still get a fair shake from NBC News. Unquote, Oh 700 00:46:46,235 --> 00:46:51,555 Speaker 2: that was his mission. The hell it was Happily, Brocaw 701 00:46:51,715 --> 00:46:55,315 Speaker 2: just could not resist boasting even further. The next sentence 702 00:46:55,515 --> 00:47:00,035 Speaker 2: actually reads, quote, mister Brocaw said he had been told 703 00:47:00,035 --> 00:47:02,995 Speaker 2: by a senior McCain aide whom he did not name, 704 00:47:03,635 --> 00:47:06,475 Speaker 2: that the campaign had been reluctant to accept an NBC 705 00:47:06,675 --> 00:47:09,955 Speaker 2: representative as one of the moderators of the three presidential 706 00:47:09,995 --> 00:47:13,355 Speaker 2: debates until his name was invoked. 707 00:47:14,235 --> 00:47:17,355 Speaker 1: Quote. One of the things I was told by this 708 00:47:17,475 --> 00:47:21,875 Speaker 1: person was that they were so irritated. They said, if 709 00:47:21,875 --> 00:47:24,995 Speaker 1: it's an NBC moderator for any of these debates, we 710 00:47:25,075 --> 00:47:30,075 Speaker 1: won't go, mister Brokaw said, quoting him again. My name 711 00:47:30,195 --> 00:47:32,875 Speaker 1: came up and they said, oh, hell, we have to 712 00:47:32,915 --> 00:47:38,595 Speaker 1: do it because it's going to be Brokaw. There is 713 00:47:38,835 --> 00:47:42,355 Speaker 1: a second punchline after all this, when the new format 714 00:47:42,435 --> 00:47:45,235 Speaker 1: came out and I was sitting there counting my money, 715 00:47:45,395 --> 00:47:49,755 Speaker 1: MSNBC had David Gregory quote anchor unquote the debate coverage. 716 00:47:50,235 --> 00:47:53,675 Speaker 1: David was terrific during this. Practically all this meant, anyway, 717 00:47:53,795 --> 00:47:56,515 Speaker 1: was that I was on the air until literally ninety 718 00:47:56,555 --> 00:47:59,675 Speaker 1: seconds before each debate began, which is when I said, 719 00:47:59,915 --> 00:48:02,555 Speaker 1: now here's David Gregory, and he was then on for 720 00:48:02,635 --> 00:48:05,115 Speaker 1: four or five minutes after the debate ended, which is 721 00:48:05,155 --> 00:48:08,675 Speaker 1: when he said, now here's Keith Olderman. And on election 722 00:48:08,835 --> 00:48:13,155 Speaker 1: night itself with David again formally anchoring per the Republican 723 00:48:13,195 --> 00:48:16,395 Speaker 1: blackmail at ten fifty nine PM. To his great credit 724 00:48:16,435 --> 00:48:20,155 Speaker 1: and to my eternal gratitude, David Gregory said, with the 725 00:48:20,235 --> 00:48:23,235 Speaker 1: last voting booth closing at eleven PM, NBC News can 726 00:48:23,235 --> 00:48:25,115 Speaker 1: now project the winner of the two thousand and eight 727 00:48:25,195 --> 00:48:31,595 Speaker 1: presidential election, Keith bless him. Plus, I still have all 728 00:48:31,635 --> 00:48:46,795 Speaker 1: the money, I've done all the damage I can do here. 729 00:48:46,835 --> 00:48:48,835 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Countdown has come to you from 730 00:48:48,875 --> 00:48:52,515 Speaker 1: the Vin Scully Studios at the Elderman Broadcasting Empire in 731 00:48:52,835 --> 00:48:55,995 Speaker 1: New York. The music you heard was, for the most 732 00:48:55,995 --> 00:48:59,275 Speaker 1: part and arrange produced and performed by Countdown musical directors 733 00:48:59,755 --> 00:49:03,475 Speaker 1: Ryan Ray and John Phillip Schaneil. Brian Ray handled the guitars, 734 00:49:03,475 --> 00:49:05,995 Speaker 1: bass and drums. John phil Chaneille did the orchestration in 735 00:49:06,075 --> 00:49:10,275 Speaker 1: keyboards that it was produced by Tko Brothers. Other music, 736 00:49:10,355 --> 00:49:13,915 Speaker 1: including other Beethoven tunes, arranged and performed by the group 737 00:49:13,955 --> 00:49:18,155 Speaker 1: No Horns Allowed. Sports Music is courtesy of ESPN inc. 738 00:49:18,715 --> 00:49:20,995 Speaker 1: It was written by Mitch Warren Davis. We caught the 739 00:49:20,995 --> 00:49:25,395 Speaker 1: Olderman theme from ESPN two. Our satirical and pithy musical 740 00:49:25,395 --> 00:49:29,195 Speaker 1: comments are from Nancy Faust, the best baseball stadium organist ever. 741 00:49:29,595 --> 00:49:32,395 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was my friend John Dean. Everything else 742 00:49:32,475 --> 00:49:34,995 Speaker 1: was pretty much my fault. So that's countdown for this, 743 00:49:35,075 --> 00:49:38,715 Speaker 1: the nine hundred and ninety sixth day since Donald Trump's 744 00:49:38,755 --> 00:49:41,435 Speaker 1: first attempt at coup against the democratically elected government of 745 00:49:41,435 --> 00:49:45,435 Speaker 1: the United States. Convict him now while we still can. 746 00:49:46,315 --> 00:49:49,395 Speaker 1: The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Bulletins as the news 747 00:49:49,435 --> 00:49:52,635 Speaker 1: warrants till then, I'm Keith Olberman. Good morning, good afternoon, 748 00:49:52,715 --> 00:50:11,355 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Alderman is 749 00:50:11,395 --> 00:50:16,195 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 750 00:50:16,235 --> 00:50:20,915 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.