1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,795 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Trump 2 00:00:21,875 --> 00:00:24,795 Speaker 1: is now demanding that his mobs be able to block 3 00:00:24,915 --> 00:00:30,435 Speaker 1: the entrances to all courthouses, all courthouses, including the one 4 00:00:30,475 --> 00:00:34,195 Speaker 1: he is in. His thug should be quoting his online post, 5 00:00:34,555 --> 00:00:38,355 Speaker 1: allowed to protest at the front steps of courthouses all 6 00:00:38,515 --> 00:00:42,795 Speaker 1: over the country, rather than be quote rudely and systematically 7 00:00:42,835 --> 00:00:45,835 Speaker 1: shut down and ushered off the far away holding areas, 8 00:00:46,315 --> 00:00:51,395 Speaker 1: essentially denying them their constitutional rights. He tells them rally 9 00:00:51,515 --> 00:00:55,915 Speaker 1: behind MAGA, save our country. The only thing you have 10 00:00:55,995 --> 00:01:01,035 Speaker 1: to fear is fear itself. When that stochastic call to 11 00:01:01,195 --> 00:01:05,435 Speaker 1: lay siege to federal buildings did not work, this sounds 12 00:01:05,795 --> 00:01:10,875 Speaker 1: so familiar. Trump again did what he thinks is smooth 13 00:01:11,115 --> 00:01:15,915 Speaker 1: and subtle. Quote the Palestinian protests at Columbia University have 14 00:01:16,035 --> 00:01:19,915 Speaker 1: closed the college down, but the area surrounding the courthouse 15 00:01:19,915 --> 00:01:23,995 Speaker 1: in downtown Manhattan is closed up like a drum with 16 00:01:24,195 --> 00:01:30,355 Speaker 1: New York City's finest parentheses police all over the place. 17 00:01:30,555 --> 00:01:34,395 Speaker 1: Why not send some to Columbia. Republicans want the right 18 00:01:34,435 --> 00:01:39,155 Speaker 1: to protest in front of the courthouse like everyone else. Again, 19 00:01:39,595 --> 00:01:46,675 Speaker 1: this seems oddly January sixth is familiar reduce law enforcement 20 00:01:46,715 --> 00:01:49,755 Speaker 1: around an area Trump wants to see sacked by his 21 00:01:49,875 --> 00:01:53,835 Speaker 1: gangs and his militias and his morons ready to spring him, 22 00:01:54,195 --> 00:01:57,355 Speaker 1: or to hang a vice president, or who knows, kill 23 00:01:57,395 --> 00:02:01,915 Speaker 1: a judge he only forgot to note, will be wild 24 00:02:03,115 --> 00:02:05,675 Speaker 1: to turn the temperature down a little bit on this. 25 00:02:05,795 --> 00:02:08,515 Speaker 1: To be fair, there is much in that of Trump 26 00:02:08,555 --> 00:02:12,035 Speaker 1: needing to delude himself that New York City is rising 27 00:02:12,115 --> 00:02:15,915 Speaker 1: in his defense, coming to his aid, defending his freedom 28 00:02:15,955 --> 00:02:18,755 Speaker 1: to break all the laws. He just can't see them 29 00:02:19,275 --> 00:02:22,595 Speaker 1: because the police have cordoned them off and put them 30 00:02:22,595 --> 00:02:28,115 Speaker 1: in far away holding areas, perhaps a little farm upstate. 31 00:02:29,355 --> 00:02:32,115 Speaker 1: And in his pathetic version of the Nathan Fielder gag, 32 00:02:32,555 --> 00:02:34,555 Speaker 1: he is out on the town having the time of 33 00:02:34,555 --> 00:02:36,315 Speaker 1: his life with a bunch of friends. They're all just 34 00:02:36,395 --> 00:02:41,875 Speaker 1: out of frame protesting too. There is little for Justice 35 00:02:41,915 --> 00:02:46,115 Speaker 1: Juan Merchon to do about this latest threat, and whether 36 00:02:46,195 --> 00:02:49,515 Speaker 1: or not it's realistic, it's another threat. It's a threat 37 00:02:49,555 --> 00:02:53,435 Speaker 1: to besiege the courthouse. There's little for Merchon to do 38 00:02:53,555 --> 00:02:55,555 Speaker 1: about it other than to encourage the city and the 39 00:02:55,595 --> 00:02:59,155 Speaker 1: state of New York to have tanks ready, because, frankly, 40 00:02:59,195 --> 00:03:02,395 Speaker 1: if Trump terrorist gangs again rise up against this government 41 00:03:02,755 --> 00:03:05,355 Speaker 1: as he had them do on January sixth. The only 42 00:03:05,435 --> 00:03:07,595 Speaker 1: way the point is going to be made clear this 43 00:03:07,715 --> 00:03:09,995 Speaker 1: time is if it ends with the New York Department 44 00:03:10,035 --> 00:03:13,595 Speaker 1: of Sanitation having to clean them up with brooms and 45 00:03:13,675 --> 00:03:18,835 Speaker 1: hoses and garbage trucks. But Mayor Seawan can do something 46 00:03:18,875 --> 00:03:23,355 Speaker 1: about the part of this fish that stinks literally if 47 00:03:23,355 --> 00:03:27,875 Speaker 1: the flatulence reports from last week are correct. Few experts 48 00:03:27,995 --> 00:03:30,235 Speaker 1: expect the judge to do this, and I know that 49 00:03:30,275 --> 00:03:33,035 Speaker 1: the judge did not shut down the first day of 50 00:03:33,115 --> 00:03:36,795 Speaker 1: defendant Jay Trump's Stormy Daniel's election interference trial with just 51 00:03:36,835 --> 00:03:40,275 Speaker 1: a little David Pecker merely to give Trump more time 52 00:03:40,315 --> 00:03:43,955 Speaker 1: to violate the gag order ahead of today's gag order 53 00:03:44,035 --> 00:03:47,595 Speaker 1: hearing into how many times Trump could violate the gag 54 00:03:47,715 --> 00:03:51,595 Speaker 1: order what with his busy schedule of farting and napping 55 00:03:51,675 --> 00:03:56,755 Speaker 1: and fart napping. But guess what, it has worked out 56 00:03:56,795 --> 00:03:58,995 Speaker 1: that way, hasn't it. What are they going to a 57 00:04:01,875 --> 00:04:06,795 Speaker 1: did in the last trial so he got caught line 58 00:04:07,235 --> 00:04:09,875 Speaker 1: pure line, and what are they going to look at 59 00:04:09,915 --> 00:04:13,395 Speaker 1: that ordered that defendant is directed to refrain from the 60 00:04:13,435 --> 00:04:17,595 Speaker 1: following making or directing others to make public statements about 61 00:04:17,675 --> 00:04:22,155 Speaker 1: known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation in 62 00:04:22,235 --> 00:04:27,075 Speaker 1: the investigation or in this criminal proceeding. So that clip 63 00:04:27,275 --> 00:04:30,715 Speaker 1: in which he does that against Michael Cohen is proof 64 00:04:30,755 --> 00:04:33,755 Speaker 1: of one Trump violation of the Mershan gag order at 65 00:04:33,795 --> 00:04:37,795 Speaker 1: twelve forty eight Eastern Dementia Time yesterday. Then there was 66 00:04:37,835 --> 00:04:41,075 Speaker 1: the second Trump violation yesterday, three minutes earlier, twelve forty 67 00:04:41,115 --> 00:04:44,635 Speaker 1: five Eastern Defended Time yesterday, in which Trump said Michael 68 00:04:44,675 --> 00:04:48,115 Speaker 1: Cohen was guilty of these charges, not him. The things 69 00:04:48,155 --> 00:04:52,275 Speaker 1: he got in trouble for were things that had nothing 70 00:04:52,315 --> 00:04:54,395 Speaker 1: to do with me. Got in trouble, he went to jail. 71 00:04:54,955 --> 00:04:57,435 Speaker 1: This had nothing to do with me. So that's two 72 00:04:58,395 --> 00:05:02,395 Speaker 1: plus in a list of supposed trial facts, a bunch 73 00:05:02,435 --> 00:05:06,555 Speaker 1: more on his campaign website, including comments about witnesses, quote 74 00:05:06,755 --> 00:05:10,155 Speaker 1: testimony of some of the most disreputable and fame thirsty 75 00:05:10,355 --> 00:05:14,635 Speaker 1: characters on the planet, that's three violations. There's a Trump 76 00:05:14,715 --> 00:05:17,595 Speaker 1: quote posted attributed to The New York Post. I have 77 00:05:17,675 --> 00:05:19,915 Speaker 1: a Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and 78 00:05:19,995 --> 00:05:23,195 Speaker 1: family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harrison now receives money 79 00:05:23,195 --> 00:05:26,195 Speaker 1: from the Biden Harris campaign. That quote links to a 80 00:05:26,195 --> 00:05:29,075 Speaker 1: photo of the judge's daughter. That's four violations of the 81 00:05:29,075 --> 00:05:34,195 Speaker 1: gag order, plus the seven that prosecutors submitted last week, 82 00:05:34,555 --> 00:05:37,235 Speaker 1: and two more after they submitted it last week that 83 00:05:37,275 --> 00:05:44,155 Speaker 1: occurred on Friday. At least thirteen violations of Justice Mershon's 84 00:05:44,195 --> 00:05:48,835 Speaker 1: gag order just since jury selection began in this trial. 85 00:05:48,915 --> 00:05:51,475 Speaker 1: And yet lawyers think the worst that Mershan will do 86 00:05:52,115 --> 00:05:56,955 Speaker 1: is admonish Trump. Now we can all agree on ranges 87 00:05:56,995 --> 00:06:01,835 Speaker 1: here and that the extremes are wrong. Death penalty, no 88 00:06:02,355 --> 00:06:07,835 Speaker 1: too much, admonishments, no too little. Trump is not just 89 00:06:07,955 --> 00:06:11,235 Speaker 1: violating the gag order. He is doing so compulsively, and 90 00:06:11,315 --> 00:06:14,195 Speaker 1: he is doing so because, as I suggested last Friday, 91 00:06:14,355 --> 00:06:17,635 Speaker 1: he is viewing this trial as he views every other trial, 92 00:06:17,915 --> 00:06:21,275 Speaker 1: as he views every other confrontation in his world, life 93 00:06:21,435 --> 00:06:25,875 Speaker 1: or death, him or me, them or me, the government 94 00:06:26,075 --> 00:06:30,155 Speaker 1: or me, America or me. He said as much last Friday. 95 00:06:30,595 --> 00:06:34,315 Speaker 1: The criticisms of Justice Merschan that you will hear next 96 00:06:34,355 --> 00:06:37,355 Speaker 1: are not technical. They're not about resolving things. They're not 97 00:06:37,435 --> 00:06:40,955 Speaker 1: even about the judge recusing from the case. He says, 98 00:06:41,075 --> 00:06:45,035 Speaker 1: the conflict has to end with the judge. It has 99 00:06:45,115 --> 00:06:51,795 Speaker 1: to end with the judge. These are deliberately chosen phrases 100 00:06:52,435 --> 00:06:57,635 Speaker 1: end the judge, and the conflict has to end with 101 00:06:57,755 --> 00:07:00,635 Speaker 1: the judge. The judge has a conflict the worst I've 102 00:07:00,635 --> 00:07:03,875 Speaker 1: ever seen, and it has to end with the judge, 103 00:07:04,035 --> 00:07:07,275 Speaker 1: the conflict with the judges, because that's something that he 104 00:07:07,435 --> 00:07:11,315 Speaker 1: can I know anything about. It's wrong, it's wrong. Judge 105 00:07:11,395 --> 00:07:15,395 Speaker 1: Merschan can do nothing himself about Trump having now escalated 106 00:07:15,435 --> 00:07:18,995 Speaker 1: this to ending him and to coupling that with demanding 107 00:07:19,035 --> 00:07:21,075 Speaker 1: that police be moved away from the courthouse at one 108 00:07:21,155 --> 00:07:24,755 Speaker 1: hundred Center Street so that his mobs can end him. 109 00:07:25,155 --> 00:07:29,595 Speaker 1: But he could right now order Trump to jail for 110 00:07:29,755 --> 00:07:32,315 Speaker 1: violating the gag order. It's not like he just started 111 00:07:32,315 --> 00:07:36,035 Speaker 1: doing it. It's not like he hasn't been warned we 112 00:07:36,115 --> 00:07:41,795 Speaker 1: will reach this point. Trump to jail sooner rather than later. 113 00:07:42,555 --> 00:07:45,795 Speaker 1: And the reluctance of any authority figure in this country 114 00:07:45,955 --> 00:07:49,195 Speaker 1: to cut to the chase and to do it mystifies me, 115 00:07:50,115 --> 00:07:53,115 Speaker 1: except when I again quote Jean Renlar in Rules of 116 00:07:53,155 --> 00:07:56,915 Speaker 1: the Game, as he foretells French society collapsing in self 117 00:07:56,915 --> 00:07:59,995 Speaker 1: interest even before the Nazis attacked in nineteen forty. You 118 00:08:00,155 --> 00:08:03,715 Speaker 1: see in this world. There is one awful thing, and 119 00:08:03,795 --> 00:08:11,675 Speaker 1: that is that everyone has his reasons. But Mershan can 120 00:08:12,195 --> 00:08:16,075 Speaker 1: regain control of this trial, and in fact, regain control 121 00:08:16,075 --> 00:08:19,355 Speaker 1: of the entire legal system's effort to put Trump behind bars, 122 00:08:19,355 --> 00:08:21,115 Speaker 1: where he should be and where he should live out 123 00:08:21,315 --> 00:08:25,555 Speaker 1: his appalling life, without sending Trump to jail. Now he 124 00:08:25,555 --> 00:08:30,075 Speaker 1: can say, you have sworn that you understood that this 125 00:08:30,155 --> 00:08:32,875 Speaker 1: gag order meant what it means, and yet you have 126 00:08:33,035 --> 00:08:36,995 Speaker 1: violated it thirteen dimes in the last nine days, and 127 00:08:37,075 --> 00:08:40,115 Speaker 1: if you violated a fourteenth time at any point in 128 00:08:40,155 --> 00:08:44,195 Speaker 1: the future, I will revoke your bail, and I will 129 00:08:44,555 --> 00:08:47,635 Speaker 1: put you in Riker's Island, and I will keep you 130 00:08:47,755 --> 00:08:53,435 Speaker 1: there one full week for every violation. You may now 131 00:08:54,235 --> 00:09:00,435 Speaker 1: return to your seat. We're going to have to grasp 132 00:09:00,515 --> 00:09:04,915 Speaker 1: this nettle, or grasp this bull by the horns, or 133 00:09:05,035 --> 00:09:09,555 Speaker 1: maybe most perfectly, grasped this bullshit by the diaper. Trump 134 00:09:09,595 --> 00:09:12,515 Speaker 1: will have to go to jail at some point. He 135 00:09:12,675 --> 00:09:16,035 Speaker 1: has to be stopped. If you want to try to 136 00:09:16,475 --> 00:09:22,075 Speaker 1: slow him first by all means. I don't know what 137 00:09:22,115 --> 00:09:25,275 Speaker 1: we've been doing the last three and a half years. 138 00:09:25,515 --> 00:09:27,715 Speaker 1: Seems to me we've been trying to slow him down, 139 00:09:28,515 --> 00:09:32,235 Speaker 1: But jan mere Sean and the other judges and the 140 00:09:32,275 --> 00:09:35,515 Speaker 1: other prosecutors are the ones entitled to and they are 141 00:09:35,515 --> 00:09:39,435 Speaker 1: the ones charged with the responsibility to act in defense 142 00:09:39,795 --> 00:09:44,595 Speaker 1: of the nation. Trump has accelerated this to where we 143 00:09:44,595 --> 00:09:47,995 Speaker 1: were in the weeks and months before January sixth. He 144 00:09:48,035 --> 00:09:54,555 Speaker 1: has wanted two judges attacked. He has wanted three prosecutors attacked. 145 00:09:54,835 --> 00:09:58,075 Speaker 1: He has made these wants public, and now he wants 146 00:09:58,915 --> 00:10:02,555 Speaker 1: and again I am quoting him, courthouses all over the 147 00:10:02,635 --> 00:10:12,795 Speaker 1: country unquote attacked. Trump is already attacking, metaphorically, attacking our courthouses, 148 00:10:13,075 --> 00:10:16,155 Speaker 1: and he has been attacking us for a decade. It 149 00:10:16,595 --> 00:10:31,035 Speaker 1: is time to stop him now. Parenthetically, the opening day 150 00:10:31,075 --> 00:10:34,155 Speaker 1: at that trial itself ended early due to religious holidays 151 00:10:34,195 --> 00:10:37,475 Speaker 1: and due to a juror's dental emergency. And he thinks 152 00:10:37,515 --> 00:10:42,635 Speaker 1: his teeth dirt. Now just wait. What little transpired, including 153 00:10:42,795 --> 00:10:47,555 Speaker 1: just perfunctory initial questioning of the perfectly named David Pecker, 154 00:10:48,275 --> 00:10:52,155 Speaker 1: did have one tangible effect. It made Trump squirm. It 155 00:10:52,195 --> 00:10:55,475 Speaker 1: has been years, it has been decades since he has 156 00:10:55,555 --> 00:10:59,195 Speaker 1: not been surrounded by yes men, since he's had any 157 00:10:59,235 --> 00:11:02,075 Speaker 1: idea how much he has hated and more importantly, how 158 00:11:02,155 --> 00:11:06,715 Speaker 1: much he is in danger. Breaking his carefully built bubble 159 00:11:07,195 --> 00:11:09,115 Speaker 1: may in fact be all we get out of this, 160 00:11:09,155 --> 00:11:10,915 Speaker 1: because if you didn't notice, there is a member of 161 00:11:10,955 --> 00:11:14,795 Speaker 1: the jury who somehow slipped in past prosecution objections and strikes, 162 00:11:14,835 --> 00:11:17,915 Speaker 1: who says he reads everything and he's on Twitter x, 163 00:11:17,915 --> 00:11:22,635 Speaker 1: but he couldn't cite one news source except for truth Social. 164 00:11:24,795 --> 00:11:31,995 Speaker 1: So ultimately this trial could wind up being hung, and 165 00:11:32,035 --> 00:11:34,355 Speaker 1: it could wind up being just about making sure Trump 166 00:11:34,395 --> 00:11:37,235 Speaker 1: spends week upon week hearing this two word message from 167 00:11:37,275 --> 00:11:46,115 Speaker 1: America quote you suck. For the truncated day one, it 168 00:11:46,155 --> 00:11:48,435 Speaker 1: was limited to opening statements in which the defense called 169 00:11:48,475 --> 00:11:51,075 Speaker 1: Trump a person just like you and just like me, 170 00:11:51,595 --> 00:11:55,555 Speaker 1: and a family man, even though no member of his 171 00:11:55,675 --> 00:11:59,315 Speaker 1: many families has been at the trial at all, and 172 00:11:59,395 --> 00:12:02,275 Speaker 1: the original event that precipitated all this was him banging 173 00:12:02,315 --> 00:12:07,435 Speaker 1: a porn star right while wife three was still nursing 174 00:12:07,595 --> 00:12:11,515 Speaker 1: child five. He's a family man. He hates his family, 175 00:12:11,675 --> 00:12:16,075 Speaker 1: just like you and I do. The prosecution emphasized Trump 176 00:12:16,115 --> 00:12:21,035 Speaker 1: is on trial for election interference, not hush money, and 177 00:12:21,115 --> 00:12:24,315 Speaker 1: the American media largely continues to be unable to comprehend 178 00:12:24,355 --> 00:12:30,155 Speaker 1: the distinction. CNN still yesterday last night. I presume this 179 00:12:30,315 --> 00:12:34,675 Speaker 1: morning running banners in which they title this hush money trial. 180 00:12:35,515 --> 00:12:37,595 Speaker 1: Then again, that is a network that on Friday showed 181 00:12:37,635 --> 00:12:42,635 Speaker 1: a live suicide outside the Trump courtroom and boasted about 182 00:12:42,635 --> 00:12:46,275 Speaker 1: it and boasted about its own superior coverage, even though 183 00:12:46,315 --> 00:12:48,795 Speaker 1: you are not supposed to show live suicides on the 184 00:12:48,835 --> 00:12:51,915 Speaker 1: air because that might encourage suicide, and also because the 185 00:12:51,995 --> 00:12:57,475 Speaker 1: viewers at home might be horrified by it. But they 186 00:12:57,555 --> 00:12:59,675 Speaker 1: did it really well, even though their anchor on the 187 00:12:59,715 --> 00:13:02,955 Speaker 1: scene first called it an active shooter situation, and then, 188 00:13:03,035 --> 00:13:07,315 Speaker 1: during her breathless and gore or play by play faster 189 00:13:07,475 --> 00:13:10,875 Speaker 1: than somebody calling a horse race, she twice insisted the 190 00:13:10,875 --> 00:13:12,675 Speaker 1: man who went there to get exactly the kind of 191 00:13:12,675 --> 00:13:18,675 Speaker 1: coverage CNN gleefully provided for his death had quote emblazoned himself. 192 00:13:19,915 --> 00:13:24,875 Speaker 1: He's emblazoned himself, she said, even though the word emblazoned 193 00:13:24,875 --> 00:13:28,795 Speaker 1: means to put a logo or insignia on something. So 194 00:13:28,955 --> 00:13:31,635 Speaker 1: I don't know why I'm expecting CNN to understand what's 195 00:13:31,635 --> 00:13:33,995 Speaker 1: actually going on at the Trump trial. I guess I'm 196 00:13:34,035 --> 00:13:36,835 Speaker 1: just grateful that CNN did not make a your fired 197 00:13:37,115 --> 00:13:42,995 Speaker 1: joke incredibly long term anyway, the actual Trump legal headline 198 00:13:42,995 --> 00:13:44,835 Speaker 1: from yesterday may have not come from New York, but 199 00:13:44,955 --> 00:13:48,715 Speaker 1: rather Florida, where witness exhibits in the Trump espionage case 200 00:13:48,755 --> 00:13:51,955 Speaker 1: reveal that the FEDS have a small coterie of witnesses 201 00:13:51,955 --> 00:13:57,715 Speaker 1: close to Trump, including an unidentified Person sixteen, clearly a 202 00:13:57,795 --> 00:14:01,155 Speaker 1: senior Trump aide but not necessarily in the innermost circle, 203 00:14:01,675 --> 00:14:04,555 Speaker 1: who revealed nothing less than the fact that Trump's people 204 00:14:04,995 --> 00:14:08,155 Speaker 1: told his valet and now co defendant Walt Naude, not 205 00:14:08,315 --> 00:14:10,515 Speaker 1: to worry about the stolen documents case, that it was 206 00:14:10,555 --> 00:14:15,115 Speaker 1: not going anywhere yet, just in case, even if he 207 00:14:15,155 --> 00:14:17,995 Speaker 1: were to say, get charged with lying to the FBI, 208 00:14:18,155 --> 00:14:23,675 Speaker 1: Trump will pardon him after he regains power. Person sixteen, 209 00:14:24,515 --> 00:14:27,475 Speaker 1: the guy who identified this information, was so spooked by 210 00:14:27,475 --> 00:14:30,675 Speaker 1: what he knows and the prospect of retribution, and the 211 00:14:30,715 --> 00:14:34,235 Speaker 1: sheer number of non disclosure agreements he had signed, that 212 00:14:34,315 --> 00:14:37,275 Speaker 1: while he fulsomely revealed what he knows, he would not 213 00:14:37,435 --> 00:14:41,995 Speaker 1: let the FBI record the interview. He also revealed that 214 00:14:41,995 --> 00:14:44,595 Speaker 1: Trump routinely took documents from the Oval office to his 215 00:14:44,635 --> 00:14:48,315 Speaker 1: White House residence, and yes, he had heard Trump declassify 216 00:14:48,395 --> 00:14:51,435 Speaker 1: one set of them, the ones pertaining to the FBI 217 00:14:51,555 --> 00:14:55,835 Speaker 1: investigation of Trump's links to Russia as to the universal 218 00:14:55,995 --> 00:15:00,355 Speaker 1: standing order to declassify anything Trump ever touched or just 219 00:15:00,555 --> 00:15:05,155 Speaker 1: looked at or blinked about twice. Nope, says Person sixteen. 220 00:15:06,955 --> 00:15:11,875 Speaker 1: Never happened. But Nowada stuff is critical. If Trump ever 221 00:15:11,915 --> 00:15:15,355 Speaker 1: goes to trial in Florida, he's meat because on top 222 00:15:15,395 --> 00:15:18,955 Speaker 1: of everything else, they can easily break this nauda and 223 00:15:19,035 --> 00:15:22,915 Speaker 1: then they can get Trump for a little bit of 224 00:15:22,995 --> 00:15:29,555 Speaker 1: witness tampering. Let's run some of the other headlines. I 225 00:15:29,635 --> 00:15:33,235 Speaker 1: got Biden's next campaign ad for him courtesy of this 226 00:15:33,395 --> 00:15:36,755 Speaker 1: Jesse Waters ass from Fox. At least I think he's 227 00:15:36,755 --> 00:15:39,915 Speaker 1: still with Fox. He might not be now. He used 228 00:15:39,915 --> 00:15:44,075 Speaker 1: to be Bill O'Reilly's henchman. Not as smart as O'Reilly, 229 00:15:44,155 --> 00:15:47,915 Speaker 1: not nearly, but he may be unemployed once the furor 230 00:15:48,875 --> 00:15:52,635 Speaker 1: here's that little Jesse Waters said this about Trump. The 231 00:15:52,675 --> 00:15:56,075 Speaker 1: guy needs exercise. He's usually golfing, and so you're gonna 232 00:15:56,075 --> 00:15:58,235 Speaker 1: put a man who's almost steady sitting in a room 233 00:15:58,315 --> 00:16:00,595 Speaker 1: like this on his butt for all that time. It's 234 00:16:00,635 --> 00:16:02,795 Speaker 1: not healthy. You know how big of a health nut 235 00:16:02,795 --> 00:16:05,235 Speaker 1: I am. He needs sunlight, and he needs activity, he 236 00:16:05,275 --> 00:16:08,075 Speaker 1: needs to be walking around, he needs action. It's really 237 00:16:08,115 --> 00:16:11,235 Speaker 1: cruel and unusual punishment to make a man do that. 238 00:16:11,355 --> 00:16:14,235 Speaker 1: I'm Joe Biden and I approved this message. Also coming 239 00:16:14,275 --> 00:16:17,315 Speaker 1: in the future. Good evening. I'm Tucker Carlson. This is 240 00:16:17,355 --> 00:16:23,235 Speaker 1: Tucker Carlson Tonight. Jesse Waters. Jesse Waters who one point 241 00:16:23,275 --> 00:16:27,195 Speaker 1: again to emphasize among people who think they are both 242 00:16:27,315 --> 00:16:32,395 Speaker 1: too old, it is Biden sixty one, Trump thirteen in 243 00:16:32,435 --> 00:16:36,315 Speaker 1: the polling. All you have to do is drag up 244 00:16:36,355 --> 00:16:40,595 Speaker 1: the Trump is too old number. Apparently it's already worked 245 00:16:40,595 --> 00:16:44,115 Speaker 1: with Jesse Waters. He may be as dumb as the 246 00:16:44,155 --> 00:16:51,635 Speaker 1: average Trump Republican. Also, Politico lost without video to steal 247 00:16:51,715 --> 00:16:55,435 Speaker 1: and show, has resorted to demonstrating key events of the 248 00:16:55,475 --> 00:17:00,475 Speaker 1: Trump trial in New York by using bobblehead dolls. I 249 00:17:00,555 --> 00:17:06,235 Speaker 1: have bad news for Politico on this. I used bobblehead 250 00:17:06,555 --> 00:17:09,875 Speaker 1: dolls to demonstrate because we could not get video, We 251 00:17:09,915 --> 00:17:12,955 Speaker 1: could not put our cameras in the meetings to demonstrate 252 00:17:13,035 --> 00:17:16,195 Speaker 1: the activities of the National Football League Players Association and 253 00:17:16,315 --> 00:17:20,235 Speaker 1: its ownership its management council during the NFL player strike 254 00:17:20,315 --> 00:17:24,315 Speaker 1: of nineteen eighty two. I don't want to say using 255 00:17:24,435 --> 00:17:28,155 Speaker 1: bobbleheads when you can't get video is an old bit, 256 00:17:28,635 --> 00:17:32,115 Speaker 1: but I did it when I was twenty three years old, 257 00:17:32,475 --> 00:17:39,355 Speaker 1: and more importantly, when CNN was two years old, back 258 00:17:39,395 --> 00:17:43,195 Speaker 1: when we didn't show live suicides and say, oh, this 259 00:17:43,195 --> 00:17:46,995 Speaker 1: will win us an emmy, bring his ashes with us. 260 00:17:47,995 --> 00:17:51,435 Speaker 1: Bennie Thompson has offered legislation, introduced it in the House. 261 00:17:51,755 --> 00:17:55,875 Speaker 1: Anybody convicted of a felony with a term of at 262 00:17:55,955 --> 00:17:58,955 Speaker 1: least one year, guess what happens to their secret Service 263 00:17:58,995 --> 00:18:05,235 Speaker 1: protection all they forfeited. Oh, Benny, it's not going to pass. Obviously, 264 00:18:05,435 --> 00:18:08,595 Speaker 1: although we said that about Ukraine, didn't we It's not 265 00:18:08,675 --> 00:18:12,115 Speaker 1: going to pass. And anyway, even if it did pass, somehow, 266 00:18:12,235 --> 00:18:18,235 Speaker 1: I'm sure Trump's secret Service agents would volunteer to go 267 00:18:18,275 --> 00:18:24,915 Speaker 1: to prison with him anyway. Late polling from NBC Trump 268 00:18:24,955 --> 00:18:29,275 Speaker 1: forty six, Biden forty four, but Biden thirty nine, Trump 269 00:18:29,355 --> 00:18:34,195 Speaker 1: thirty seven, Kennedy thirteen, Stein three, West two. In other words, 270 00:18:34,555 --> 00:18:37,715 Speaker 1: some kind of shift has taken place, and the third parties, 271 00:18:38,115 --> 00:18:40,315 Speaker 1: or in this case, the third, fourth, and fifth parties 272 00:18:41,235 --> 00:18:45,835 Speaker 1: are now taking votes away more from Trump than from Biden, 273 00:18:46,675 --> 00:18:50,275 Speaker 1: which we saw coming, if you will remember, long before 274 00:18:50,275 --> 00:18:53,075 Speaker 1: it was evidenced, than any of the polling. Trump attacked 275 00:18:53,155 --> 00:19:00,195 Speaker 1: Kennedy so expect much more of that, and somebody needs 276 00:19:00,235 --> 00:19:02,915 Speaker 1: to get ahold of Cornell West and explain to him 277 00:19:03,315 --> 00:19:07,475 Speaker 1: how badly history will judge him for this, and call 278 00:19:07,595 --> 00:19:11,715 Speaker 1: Jill Stein in Moscow. The other thing from the NBC 279 00:19:11,835 --> 00:19:17,155 Speaker 1: News poll that is fascinating. It turns out that only 280 00:19:17,315 --> 00:19:20,715 Speaker 1: NBC has asked this question in a two form fashion, 281 00:19:21,515 --> 00:19:25,435 Speaker 1: what's most important? What's the most important issue? And the 282 00:19:25,475 --> 00:19:29,555 Speaker 1: same answers keep coming back. Inflation twenty three percent, cost 283 00:19:29,595 --> 00:19:34,755 Speaker 1: of living and then immigration slash the border at twenty 284 00:19:34,795 --> 00:19:39,075 Speaker 1: two percent, So it's what's the most important issue? Inflation 285 00:19:39,195 --> 00:19:42,355 Speaker 1: and the cost of living twenty three percent, then immigration 286 00:19:42,435 --> 00:19:44,315 Speaker 1: and the border twenty two percent. And then they asked 287 00:19:44,315 --> 00:19:47,235 Speaker 1: the question in a different way, what's the most important 288 00:19:47,275 --> 00:19:54,875 Speaker 1: issue in determining your vote? Twenty eight percent said high number. 289 00:19:54,915 --> 00:20:02,555 Speaker 1: Twenty eight percent said protecting democracy or constitutional rights, Immigration 290 00:20:02,715 --> 00:20:07,235 Speaker 1: and the border second at twenty f percent, abortion third 291 00:20:07,355 --> 00:20:10,915 Speaker 1: at nineteen percent. So, in other words, not asking what 292 00:20:10,955 --> 00:20:12,955 Speaker 1: do you think generically is the most important issue of 293 00:20:12,995 --> 00:20:14,315 Speaker 1: the day, but what are you going to base your 294 00:20:14,395 --> 00:20:21,715 Speaker 1: vote on? Forty seven percent said protecting democracy or constitutional 295 00:20:21,755 --> 00:20:26,315 Speaker 1: rights or abortion rights. That's the key, not who's leading 296 00:20:26,395 --> 00:20:31,555 Speaker 1: in the polls. Here is, though, a story that would 297 00:20:31,635 --> 00:20:34,395 Speaker 1: lead the news in any other timeline, in any other 298 00:20:34,435 --> 00:20:38,635 Speaker 1: moment in American history. The Republican Congressman Tony Gonzalez quote 299 00:20:38,675 --> 00:20:41,595 Speaker 1: Matt Gates, he paid miners to have sex with them 300 00:20:41,955 --> 00:20:45,595 Speaker 1: at drunk parties. There's a second version of this quote, 301 00:20:46,115 --> 00:20:49,195 Speaker 1: he paid miners to have sex with him at drug parties. 302 00:20:49,555 --> 00:20:53,715 Speaker 1: Oh well, that's much better. Speaker of the House, Mike 303 00:20:53,835 --> 00:21:03,395 Speaker 1: Johnson will campaign today alongside Congressman Tony Gonzalez. I am 304 00:21:03,995 --> 00:21:08,755 Speaker 1: beginning to I think Mike Johnson sometime last week was 305 00:21:08,875 --> 00:21:20,395 Speaker 1: hit by lightning, but in a good way. Keep them 306 00:21:20,395 --> 00:21:23,475 Speaker 1: in office, hell make him a Democrat. Also of interest here, 307 00:21:23,515 --> 00:21:25,915 Speaker 1: once upon a time you could be on one network 308 00:21:25,955 --> 00:21:28,835 Speaker 1: and talk politics and advocate even for one party on 309 00:21:28,915 --> 00:21:32,915 Speaker 1: that one network, while on your sixth day of work 310 00:21:32,955 --> 00:21:37,635 Speaker 1: you were also on another network talking sports utterly a politically. 311 00:21:38,635 --> 00:21:41,395 Speaker 1: And let me tell you from personal experience, that time 312 00:21:41,435 --> 00:21:43,915 Speaker 1: when you could do that. That ended in the year 313 00:21:43,955 --> 00:21:48,715 Speaker 1: twenty ten, and it especially ended at a place called ESPN. 314 00:21:49,035 --> 00:21:52,675 Speaker 1: And I know because I helped write the rules saying 315 00:21:52,835 --> 00:21:56,555 Speaker 1: you could not do politics in one place while you 316 00:21:56,635 --> 00:22:01,155 Speaker 1: were on ESPN in the other place. So why is 317 00:22:01,515 --> 00:22:06,115 Speaker 1: ESPN now letting its most prominent on air personality openly 318 00:22:06,315 --> 00:22:12,315 Speaker 1: campaign for Trump? This will end in tears for everybody. 319 00:22:12,875 --> 00:22:18,595 Speaker 1: Why ESPN has two choices? Silence Stephen a Smith or 320 00:22:18,755 --> 00:22:24,675 Speaker 1: fire Stephen a Smith. That's next. This is countdown. This 321 00:22:24,835 --> 00:22:50,595 Speaker 1: is countdown with Keith Olberman still ahead of us on 322 00:22:50,675 --> 00:22:53,235 Speaker 1: this all new editiontive countdown. So somebody asked me the 323 00:22:53,275 --> 00:22:57,035 Speaker 1: other day if I knew a sportscasting agent named Lou Oppenheim, 324 00:22:57,675 --> 00:22:59,315 Speaker 1: And it was like the old joke about the guy 325 00:22:59,435 --> 00:23:03,115 Speaker 1: saying Niagara falls and the second guy turns around and 326 00:23:03,235 --> 00:23:10,635 Speaker 1: loses his mind. Niagro falls slowly. I turned, step by step, 327 00:23:10,715 --> 00:23:14,195 Speaker 1: not that Lou Oppenheim was the worst party of the 328 00:23:14,275 --> 00:23:17,995 Speaker 1: story in which his business partner was supposedly negotiating a 329 00:23:17,995 --> 00:23:20,275 Speaker 1: new deal for me at my employers at CBS in 330 00:23:20,355 --> 00:23:24,715 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety one, while he was also sending CBS tapes 331 00:23:24,755 --> 00:23:27,835 Speaker 1: of other clients in hopes of getting them my job 332 00:23:28,355 --> 00:23:31,555 Speaker 1: that he was still negotiating for. But Lou was part 333 00:23:31,595 --> 00:23:35,275 Speaker 1: of it. You gotta hear this story. It involves me 334 00:23:35,395 --> 00:23:38,195 Speaker 1: also getting served with court papers the night of my 335 00:23:38,275 --> 00:23:41,315 Speaker 1: first ever sports center. Next on things, I promised not 336 00:23:41,435 --> 00:23:45,075 Speaker 1: to tell first. Still more new idiots to talk about 337 00:23:45,155 --> 00:23:48,115 Speaker 1: the daily roundup of the miscrants, morons, and Donning Kruger 338 00:23:48,115 --> 00:23:52,515 Speaker 1: effects specimens, including two sports guys who have not succeeded 339 00:23:52,555 --> 00:23:57,315 Speaker 1: in transforming into news guys who constitute two days worst 340 00:23:57,435 --> 00:24:02,795 Speaker 1: persons in the world Crinklitus Days the bronze worse Nate Silver, 341 00:24:03,475 --> 00:24:07,115 Speaker 1: who started in sports metrics and moved into political metrics 342 00:24:07,155 --> 00:24:09,315 Speaker 1: in large part because I put him on TV talking 343 00:24:09,315 --> 00:24:13,715 Speaker 1: about political metrics oops to say oops and get out. 344 00:24:14,635 --> 00:24:16,915 Speaker 1: I really thought he would be satisfied as the master 345 00:24:17,075 --> 00:24:19,155 Speaker 1: of the numbers. But I guess no one is satisfied 346 00:24:19,155 --> 00:24:22,795 Speaker 1: as the master of the numbers. On January third, twenty 347 00:24:22,875 --> 00:24:26,475 Speaker 1: twenty two, Nate Silver tweeted, quote, It's probably foolish to 348 00:24:26,475 --> 00:24:29,755 Speaker 1: think a New York City mayor will successfully translate into 349 00:24:29,795 --> 00:24:33,075 Speaker 1: being a national political figure. But I still think Eric 350 00:24:33,195 --> 00:24:35,995 Speaker 1: Adams would be in my top five for who will 351 00:24:36,035 --> 00:24:41,235 Speaker 1: be the next Democratic presidential nominee after Joe Biden. My man, 352 00:24:41,675 --> 00:24:44,275 Speaker 1: you left off a couple of zeros after that five, 353 00:24:45,475 --> 00:24:48,155 Speaker 1: your top five hundred, your top five thousand, new polling 354 00:24:48,195 --> 00:24:51,115 Speaker 1: from the Manhattan Institute, Who you vote for in the 355 00:24:51,115 --> 00:24:55,395 Speaker 1: next New York City mayor's election, Mayor Eric Adams sixteen percent. 356 00:24:55,875 --> 00:25:01,435 Speaker 1: Sixteen sixteen percent said yes to Merk Adams. Somebody else 357 00:25:01,595 --> 00:25:06,515 Speaker 1: sixty five percent. AHw I heard that phrase, ie watering numbers. 358 00:25:06,515 --> 00:25:09,115 Speaker 1: Well here they are. I can't see the page. Sixty 359 00:25:09,155 --> 00:25:11,955 Speaker 1: five somebody else, anybody else, for God's sakes, one of 360 00:25:11,955 --> 00:25:14,435 Speaker 1: the horses in Central Park. I don't care, a manhole 361 00:25:14,475 --> 00:25:21,435 Speaker 1: cover whatever, Maybe a Republican Not sure, so it still 362 00:25:21,475 --> 00:25:25,355 Speaker 1: could be somebody other than Adams nineteen more percent. So 363 00:25:25,515 --> 00:25:31,435 Speaker 1: right now it's Adams sixteen not Adams eighty four. Wait, 364 00:25:31,515 --> 00:25:35,875 Speaker 1: it gets worse. How far underwater are his favorable unfavorable 365 00:25:35,915 --> 00:25:41,555 Speaker 1: impression numbers? His favorable minus his unfavorable with Democrats. With Democrats, 366 00:25:41,595 --> 00:25:45,195 Speaker 1: he's at minus thirty five, and that is his best 367 00:25:45,275 --> 00:25:49,075 Speaker 1: party demographic. Among New Yorkers in their thirties, he's minus 368 00:25:49,115 --> 00:25:53,275 Speaker 1: seventy four eighteen to twenty nine year olds minus sixty eight, 369 00:25:53,955 --> 00:25:57,475 Speaker 1: forty to forty nine year olds minus sixty eight, among 370 00:25:57,555 --> 00:26:00,875 Speaker 1: black voters minus eleven, people more than two hundred and 371 00:26:00,915 --> 00:26:04,915 Speaker 1: six years old, minus twenty two. How's that possible? I 372 00:26:04,955 --> 00:26:07,475 Speaker 1: made that one up, and it all may be worse 373 00:26:07,515 --> 00:26:10,075 Speaker 1: than that because those are just disapprove or approved. The 374 00:26:10,155 --> 00:26:14,155 Speaker 1: percentage that strongly disapproves of Eric Adams is forty six percent. 375 00:26:14,995 --> 00:26:18,595 Speaker 1: The percentage that strongly approves of Eric Adams, great job, 376 00:26:18,675 --> 00:26:26,515 Speaker 1: mayor great job four percent? Fool good call Nate Silver 377 00:26:27,475 --> 00:26:30,595 Speaker 1: the runner up worse Kevin McCarthy, especially in the context 378 00:26:30,595 --> 00:26:33,715 Speaker 1: of Mike Johnson, likely to be X speaker at least 379 00:26:33,755 --> 00:26:36,395 Speaker 1: ex Republican because he actually stood up for something on 380 00:26:36,555 --> 00:26:40,475 Speaker 1: principle at last, we can fully see what a human 381 00:26:40,635 --> 00:26:44,915 Speaker 1: jellyfish Kevin McCarthy is. Goes on Fox, calls the Democrats 382 00:26:44,955 --> 00:26:48,875 Speaker 1: the dangers to American democracy, and his evidence quote, I 383 00:26:48,915 --> 00:26:51,915 Speaker 1: mean Hillary Clinton ever said she lost the twenty sixteen election. 384 00:26:52,595 --> 00:26:56,875 Speaker 1: The surprised host says, yeah, she called Trump and conceded. 385 00:26:57,875 --> 00:27:02,315 Speaker 1: McCarthy makes a dismissive sound like and says, but she 386 00:27:02,395 --> 00:27:05,075 Speaker 1: never said it to the press. She called the night 387 00:27:05,115 --> 00:27:08,355 Speaker 1: of his election. She made the public concession speech the 388 00:27:08,395 --> 00:27:11,715 Speaker 1: next day, November ninth, twenty sixteen. It was in all 389 00:27:11,755 --> 00:27:14,195 Speaker 1: of the papers. Kevin McCarthy, Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. 390 00:27:14,235 --> 00:27:17,635 Speaker 1: You don't know how to freaking read. But our winners 391 00:27:18,915 --> 00:27:25,075 Speaker 1: the worst Stephen A. Smith and ESPN We had a 392 00:27:25,115 --> 00:27:30,275 Speaker 1: hard and fast rule. There you're on ESPN, no party politics, 393 00:27:30,275 --> 00:27:34,115 Speaker 1: no endorsements of candidates, no electioneering. You know who wrote 394 00:27:34,115 --> 00:27:37,795 Speaker 1: that rule. I wrote that rule. You know why, because 395 00:27:37,835 --> 00:27:41,355 Speaker 1: I actually believe in the separation of politics and sportscasting, 396 00:27:41,595 --> 00:27:45,195 Speaker 1: not politics and sports. If athletes are going to go political, 397 00:27:45,315 --> 00:27:47,275 Speaker 1: you can cover them doing it. You kind of have 398 00:27:47,395 --> 00:27:51,675 Speaker 1: to sometimes, but don't you do it. Aaron Rodgers gets 399 00:27:51,675 --> 00:27:55,555 Speaker 1: strung out on something and starts spewing conspiracy theories on ESPN. No, 400 00:27:55,675 --> 00:27:57,875 Speaker 1: you probably should not have given him that platform to 401 00:27:57,875 --> 00:28:00,275 Speaker 1: do it, but regardless, you then have to cover it. 402 00:28:00,555 --> 00:28:05,995 Speaker 1: You have to explain he's gone nuts. But sportscasters campaigning, 403 00:28:06,475 --> 00:28:11,275 Speaker 1: not reporting on Colin Kaepernick, not recording and reporting on 404 00:28:12,315 --> 00:28:16,555 Speaker 1: transgender athletes, but reporting and making a choice of Biden 405 00:28:16,675 --> 00:28:21,835 Speaker 1: or Trump. Nobody wants that mix, least of all the 406 00:28:22,115 --> 00:28:24,995 Speaker 1: ESPN talent who would do it. They don't really want it. 407 00:28:25,155 --> 00:28:28,475 Speaker 1: The ESPN management who would permit it, they don't want it. 408 00:28:29,035 --> 00:28:31,595 Speaker 1: And yet they are letting Steven A. Smith, who makes 409 00:28:31,635 --> 00:28:34,315 Speaker 1: millions of dollars as the man in television most gifted 410 00:28:34,595 --> 00:28:37,515 Speaker 1: in saying the least amount of stuff taking up the 411 00:28:37,555 --> 00:28:41,075 Speaker 1: most amount of time, who kills off hours a day 412 00:28:41,595 --> 00:28:46,995 Speaker 1: between ESPN gambling advice without ever advancing the story or 413 00:28:47,035 --> 00:28:51,355 Speaker 1: explaining a team dynamic or improving anybody's knowledge about anything 414 00:28:51,355 --> 00:28:56,315 Speaker 1: in sports. Who thus deserves every penny he makes. They 415 00:28:56,315 --> 00:28:59,835 Speaker 1: are letting him go on Fox News and campaign for 416 00:28:59,915 --> 00:29:05,595 Speaker 1: Donald Trump campaign on Sean Hannity's show On with Sean Hannity. 417 00:29:05,715 --> 00:29:08,395 Speaker 1: One of the people who has most damaged the United 418 00:29:08,395 --> 00:29:11,835 Speaker 1: States of America could not have done more damage if 419 00:29:11,875 --> 00:29:15,995 Speaker 1: he were Vladimir Putin. Stephen A. Smith goes on with 420 00:29:15,995 --> 00:29:19,195 Speaker 1: Hannity and tells him about Trump. Quote. Black folks find 421 00:29:19,275 --> 00:29:21,715 Speaker 1: him relatable because of when he said, what he is 422 00:29:21,755 --> 00:29:24,755 Speaker 1: going through is similar to what black Americans have gone through. 423 00:29:24,955 --> 00:29:30,955 Speaker 1: He wasn't lying. Spoiler alert, Stephen A. Trump is lying. 424 00:29:31,475 --> 00:29:34,995 Speaker 1: He's always lying. Quote. He was telling the truth. When 425 00:29:34,995 --> 00:29:37,475 Speaker 1: you see the law, law enforcement, the court system, and 426 00:29:37,515 --> 00:29:40,995 Speaker 1: everything else being exercised against him, it is something that 427 00:29:41,035 --> 00:29:43,675 Speaker 1: black folks throughout this nation can relate to. With some 428 00:29:43,715 --> 00:29:48,435 Speaker 1: of our historic iconic figures. Steven, you just insulted all 429 00:29:48,435 --> 00:29:51,955 Speaker 1: of your historic iconic figures and all of mine and 430 00:29:52,075 --> 00:29:55,915 Speaker 1: all of Americas and you're a useful idiot. The law 431 00:29:56,035 --> 00:29:59,875 Speaker 1: is being exercised against Trump, whatever the f that means, 432 00:30:00,395 --> 00:30:04,355 Speaker 1: it's being exercised against him because he keeps breaking the law. 433 00:30:04,915 --> 00:30:07,035 Speaker 1: He has broken the law to try and stall in 434 00:30:07,115 --> 00:30:10,635 Speaker 1: the dictatorship in this country. One I might add that 435 00:30:10,715 --> 00:30:14,515 Speaker 1: if he succeeds in the fall, we'll repress minority groups 436 00:30:14,595 --> 00:30:18,155 Speaker 1: and the media way more than everybody else. You and 437 00:30:18,195 --> 00:30:20,955 Speaker 1: me are going to the camps under Dictator Trump, Stephen, 438 00:30:22,195 --> 00:30:25,915 Speaker 1: and it got worse. Quote. We've seen that happen throughout society. 439 00:30:25,995 --> 00:30:29,675 Speaker 1: So no matter what race, what ethnicity you may emanate from, 440 00:30:30,275 --> 00:30:32,915 Speaker 1: we relate to you when you're suffering like that because 441 00:30:32,955 --> 00:30:40,555 Speaker 1: we know we have ESPN in the last decade has reprimanded, suspended, demoted, 442 00:30:40,555 --> 00:30:44,835 Speaker 1: and dismissed on air people who said far less propagandistic things, 443 00:30:45,595 --> 00:30:47,755 Speaker 1: who didn't do one percent of the damage Stephen A. 444 00:30:47,835 --> 00:30:51,595 Speaker 1: Smith just did to ESPN, who hit far fewer political 445 00:30:51,675 --> 00:30:54,635 Speaker 1: party talking points and who didn't come anywhere as close 446 00:30:54,675 --> 00:30:56,515 Speaker 1: to what Steven A. Smith just did there, go on 447 00:30:56,675 --> 00:31:00,555 Speaker 1: national television on a propaganda network from hell like Fox 448 00:31:00,795 --> 00:31:03,835 Speaker 1: and come up with excuses for a criminal like Donald 449 00:31:03,915 --> 00:31:07,395 Speaker 1: Trump and his crime times and figuratively hug Donald Trump 450 00:31:07,475 --> 00:31:12,435 Speaker 1: and Sean haddity f you, Steven A. Smith. Bluntly, I 451 00:31:12,475 --> 00:31:15,475 Speaker 1: have been associated with ESPN longer than anybody now running 452 00:31:15,515 --> 00:31:18,675 Speaker 1: it or Smith. I also think my credentials on trying 453 00:31:18,715 --> 00:31:22,275 Speaker 1: to balance sports and politics are better than anybody in 454 00:31:22,315 --> 00:31:25,795 Speaker 1: the business, including management and Stephen A. Smith. This is 455 00:31:25,875 --> 00:31:28,555 Speaker 1: not two thousand and eight. I just barely got away 456 00:31:28,595 --> 00:31:31,155 Speaker 1: with it in two thousand and eight. By twenty ten, 457 00:31:31,195 --> 00:31:33,835 Speaker 1: the National Football League said I couldn't do it anymore. 458 00:31:33,995 --> 00:31:37,675 Speaker 1: They forced me off NBC's Football Night at America. To 459 00:31:37,795 --> 00:31:40,955 Speaker 1: the executives at ESPN letting Smith do this, you are 460 00:31:41,075 --> 00:31:45,515 Speaker 1: going to inherit the wind, Bob Iger. I have known 461 00:31:45,555 --> 00:31:48,955 Speaker 1: you since nineteen seventy nine. They will fire you over 462 00:31:49,035 --> 00:31:52,875 Speaker 1: this someday. Just because many of you agree with him 463 00:31:53,075 --> 00:31:55,475 Speaker 1: and want to suck up to Trump. Just in case, 464 00:31:55,835 --> 00:32:00,755 Speaker 1: does not mean your predecessors were wrong. Embrace party politics 465 00:32:00,995 --> 00:32:05,595 Speaker 1: as opposed to cultural issues or sports issues with political impact. 466 00:32:05,915 --> 00:32:09,315 Speaker 1: Embrace Trump versus Biden, and I'd say this if you 467 00:32:09,355 --> 00:32:15,395 Speaker 1: were embracing Biden and ESPN will die and Stephen you 468 00:32:15,435 --> 00:32:17,835 Speaker 1: and I have always gotten along well personally, so I 469 00:32:17,875 --> 00:32:19,795 Speaker 1: am saying this and hopes you will take it this way. 470 00:32:20,035 --> 00:32:24,075 Speaker 1: Drop the politics. Do it now. You cannot be on 471 00:32:24,395 --> 00:32:29,235 Speaker 1: ESPN and do Trump commercials simultaneously. Do it or kiss 472 00:32:29,275 --> 00:32:33,035 Speaker 1: your sports career goodbye? And more importantly, all that money 473 00:32:33,035 --> 00:32:34,675 Speaker 1: you have to go to the bank to count every 474 00:32:34,675 --> 00:32:36,835 Speaker 1: once in a while, you can kiss that goodbye too. 475 00:32:37,635 --> 00:32:41,315 Speaker 1: It doesn't work anymore. If it worked anymore, I'd still 476 00:32:41,315 --> 00:32:45,635 Speaker 1: be at ESPN doing it. Stephen A. Smith campaigning for 477 00:32:45,675 --> 00:32:50,235 Speaker 1: Trump and ESPN letting him campaign for Trump two days. 478 00:32:50,835 --> 00:33:08,115 Speaker 1: Worse persons in the world to the number one story 479 00:33:08,155 --> 00:33:10,555 Speaker 1: on the Countdown and my favorite topic, me and things 480 00:33:10,595 --> 00:33:13,875 Speaker 1: I promised not to tell. And somebody invoked his name 481 00:33:13,955 --> 00:33:18,395 Speaker 1: the other day asked me about a television agent named 482 00:33:18,555 --> 00:33:23,955 Speaker 1: Lou Oppenheim. I only met I think Lou Oppenheim once. 483 00:33:24,635 --> 00:33:28,875 Speaker 1: It was not a particularly memorable meeting. But Lou Oppenheim 484 00:33:28,995 --> 00:33:31,195 Speaker 1: is in the middle of one of the great stories 485 00:33:31,355 --> 00:33:35,595 Speaker 1: of my career, at least in terms of agents who 486 00:33:35,635 --> 00:33:38,955 Speaker 1: have represented me. I had one agent for pretty much 487 00:33:39,035 --> 00:33:42,875 Speaker 1: all of the nineteen eighty three to two thousand and 488 00:33:43,355 --> 00:33:48,275 Speaker 1: ten era of my broadcasting career, and I've had several 489 00:33:48,275 --> 00:33:51,995 Speaker 1: of them since then. But in the middle of nineteen 490 00:33:52,195 --> 00:33:56,355 Speaker 1: ninety one, my then colleague Jim Lampley at KCBS in 491 00:33:56,435 --> 00:33:59,755 Speaker 1: Los Angeles said I don't think your agent is big 492 00:33:59,875 --> 00:34:02,955 Speaker 1: time enough to advance you further in your career. Well, 493 00:34:03,035 --> 00:34:06,155 Speaker 1: Lampley had worked for years at ABE Television, he was 494 00:34:06,235 --> 00:34:08,755 Speaker 1: at the network, and I at the age of thirty 495 00:34:08,835 --> 00:34:12,595 Speaker 1: two and doing pretty well at KCBS in Los Angeles, 496 00:34:12,635 --> 00:34:15,515 Speaker 1: certainly financially and in the ratings compared to the ratings 497 00:34:15,515 --> 00:34:17,955 Speaker 1: that the rest of the station had, but not doing 498 00:34:17,995 --> 00:34:20,675 Speaker 1: well in terms of establishing any kind of national presence 499 00:34:20,675 --> 00:34:24,475 Speaker 1: in sportscasting. I wanted to do as well nationally as 500 00:34:24,555 --> 00:34:28,235 Speaker 1: Lampley had, so Lampley said, I should fire my agent 501 00:34:28,275 --> 00:34:32,355 Speaker 1: and hire this guy, Arthur Kaminsky. He was the head 502 00:34:32,395 --> 00:34:36,795 Speaker 1: of a company called Athletes and Artists, or as I 503 00:34:36,915 --> 00:34:41,755 Speaker 1: later referred to them, Athletes and con Artists. I'll explain 504 00:34:41,835 --> 00:34:44,355 Speaker 1: to you right now that it turned out. I found 505 00:34:44,395 --> 00:34:47,275 Speaker 1: out the following year that Art Kaminsky had sought me 506 00:34:47,395 --> 00:34:49,755 Speaker 1: as a client, not because he wanted to represent me, 507 00:34:50,035 --> 00:34:53,555 Speaker 1: not because Lampley had suggested it, but because Art Kominsky 508 00:34:53,715 --> 00:34:57,315 Speaker 1: was like me, a sports memorabilia collector, and he assumed 509 00:34:57,395 --> 00:35:00,755 Speaker 1: I could get him a good price on a set 510 00:35:00,755 --> 00:35:06,075 Speaker 1: of nineteen fifty five Tops Football cards. The high end 511 00:35:06,155 --> 00:35:08,835 Speaker 1: of this set of nineteen fifty five Tops Football cards 512 00:35:09,155 --> 00:35:13,035 Speaker 1: in the year nineteen ninety one was maybe two thousand dollars. 513 00:35:13,355 --> 00:35:15,475 Speaker 1: He thought I could get it for him for about 514 00:35:15,515 --> 00:35:18,635 Speaker 1: fifteen hundred. That's why he wanted to represent me, and 515 00:35:18,675 --> 00:35:21,355 Speaker 1: that was apparently the only reason he wanted to represent me. 516 00:35:22,235 --> 00:35:25,195 Speaker 1: Needless to say, this did not go well, and this 517 00:35:25,355 --> 00:35:28,675 Speaker 1: is how not well it went. Although they were paying 518 00:35:28,675 --> 00:35:31,355 Speaker 1: me half a million dollars when I was thirty two 519 00:35:31,435 --> 00:35:34,955 Speaker 1: years old, and particularly in nineteen ninety one, that went 520 00:35:34,995 --> 00:35:39,915 Speaker 1: a long way. I was not particularly happy at KCBS 521 00:35:39,995 --> 00:35:43,075 Speaker 1: Channel two in Los Angeles because the station was a graveyard. 522 00:35:43,515 --> 00:35:45,955 Speaker 1: It had been in last place in the ratings since 523 00:35:45,995 --> 00:35:49,475 Speaker 1: about nineteen oh seventy five or so, and would be 524 00:35:49,675 --> 00:35:53,275 Speaker 1: well into the late nineties if I remember correctly. They 525 00:35:53,355 --> 00:35:57,955 Speaker 1: had hundreds, perhaps of broadcasters, all of whom succeeded elsewhere, 526 00:35:58,595 --> 00:36:03,075 Speaker 1: who did not succeed there. If you remember the morning 527 00:36:03,195 --> 00:36:06,315 Speaker 1: newsreader on the Today Show and Curry, she was with 528 00:36:06,355 --> 00:36:10,555 Speaker 1: me at KCBS, all kinds of anchors. Jim Forbes behind 529 00:36:10,595 --> 00:36:13,875 Speaker 1: the music. Jim Forbes was a reporter for US, the 530 00:36:13,955 --> 00:36:18,275 Speaker 1: guy from whichever one of those tabloid shows. Harvey Levin, 531 00:36:18,275 --> 00:36:19,955 Speaker 1: he was one of our reporters. It was a great 532 00:36:20,395 --> 00:36:23,515 Speaker 1: staff and lousy management. I wanted to get out of 533 00:36:23,555 --> 00:36:25,475 Speaker 1: there anyway, but there didn't seem to be the right 534 00:36:25,595 --> 00:36:27,755 Speaker 1: job anywhere. I wanted to work in my hometown of 535 00:36:27,795 --> 00:36:30,355 Speaker 1: New York, and I thought Kaminsky could help me there, 536 00:36:30,795 --> 00:36:34,515 Speaker 1: or at least I wanted Kaminsky to talk the management 537 00:36:34,595 --> 00:36:37,915 Speaker 1: of Channel two in LA into picking up my option 538 00:36:38,395 --> 00:36:40,595 Speaker 1: for the rest of my contract. I'd been there for 539 00:36:40,675 --> 00:36:43,235 Speaker 1: three years in about three months, and I had two 540 00:36:43,355 --> 00:36:45,635 Speaker 1: years to go, and it was their option, and it 541 00:36:45,715 --> 00:36:48,475 Speaker 1: was another half a million dollars a year. And even 542 00:36:48,515 --> 00:36:50,875 Speaker 1: then I realized that being paid half a million dollars 543 00:36:50,915 --> 00:36:53,635 Speaker 1: a year to do like three sports casts a day 544 00:36:53,675 --> 00:36:56,395 Speaker 1: and maybe an hour over the weekend was pretty damn 545 00:36:56,435 --> 00:37:01,395 Speaker 1: good money for not a lot of work. So Kaminsky's 546 00:37:01,475 --> 00:37:03,315 Speaker 1: job became to try to get me a job in 547 00:37:03,395 --> 00:37:06,275 Speaker 1: New York, or to get me my job in LA, 548 00:37:06,715 --> 00:37:09,435 Speaker 1: to get them to pick up the option. I'll spare 549 00:37:09,515 --> 00:37:12,155 Speaker 1: you what he did and did not do in terms 550 00:37:12,195 --> 00:37:14,795 Speaker 1: of getting me the job in New York. Ultimately, I 551 00:37:14,875 --> 00:37:17,875 Speaker 1: suggested something to him, and he said, I would never 552 00:37:17,955 --> 00:37:20,835 Speaker 1: do that. It would reflect badly on me, and I 553 00:37:20,875 --> 00:37:23,595 Speaker 1: was like, what are you talking about. I had volunteered 554 00:37:23,635 --> 00:37:27,155 Speaker 1: to work at union scale in a new job in 555 00:37:27,195 --> 00:37:28,675 Speaker 1: New York for a period of time, and if the 556 00:37:28,675 --> 00:37:31,155 Speaker 1: station didn't like me, they could get rid of me, 557 00:37:31,515 --> 00:37:34,955 Speaker 1: or they could pay me competitively. That would be just 558 00:37:35,435 --> 00:37:40,235 Speaker 1: beneath my dignity. So as the months went on, it 559 00:37:40,275 --> 00:37:43,475 Speaker 1: became evident that there really were only three possibilities for 560 00:37:43,595 --> 00:37:46,235 Speaker 1: my employment for the year nineteen ninety two. The possibility 561 00:37:46,275 --> 00:37:49,035 Speaker 1: of a job in San Diego, which would have cost 562 00:37:49,195 --> 00:37:52,235 Speaker 1: almost as much as Los Angeles in terms of cost 563 00:37:52,275 --> 00:37:55,195 Speaker 1: of living and paid about one third something like that, 564 00:37:56,115 --> 00:38:00,155 Speaker 1: or staying at Channel two in Los Angeles, or going 565 00:38:00,195 --> 00:38:03,435 Speaker 1: to ESPN, which I didn't really want to do because 566 00:38:03,595 --> 00:38:06,475 Speaker 1: I was living in Beverly Hills and there was no 567 00:38:06,635 --> 00:38:12,275 Speaker 1: humidity and no winter. And guess what. ESPN was not 568 00:38:12,715 --> 00:38:16,635 Speaker 1: anywhere near Beverly Hills, and it didn't pay that well. 569 00:38:16,755 --> 00:38:19,315 Speaker 1: It only paid about thirty five or forty percent of 570 00:38:19,355 --> 00:38:22,355 Speaker 1: what the job in Los Angeles paid in any event, 571 00:38:22,435 --> 00:38:25,835 Speaker 1: So now Kaminski worked on getting me to retain my 572 00:38:26,035 --> 00:38:30,115 Speaker 1: job somehow, some redirection or promise or to make the 573 00:38:30,195 --> 00:38:34,635 Speaker 1: shows more appealing to eighty year old women who watched 574 00:38:34,715 --> 00:38:36,875 Speaker 1: Channel two in Los Angeles at four o'clock in the 575 00:38:36,955 --> 00:38:39,515 Speaker 1: afternoon and then our newscast at five, or whatever it 576 00:38:39,555 --> 00:38:43,595 Speaker 1: is they had in mind. One day he told me 577 00:38:43,675 --> 00:38:46,835 Speaker 1: that his partner at Athletes and con Artists, a man 578 00:38:46,955 --> 00:38:50,475 Speaker 1: named Lou Oppenheim, was going to be in Los Angeles 579 00:38:50,515 --> 00:38:52,795 Speaker 1: when he normally was in New York, and was going 580 00:38:52,835 --> 00:38:55,315 Speaker 1: to meet with the general manager and the news director 581 00:38:55,315 --> 00:38:59,675 Speaker 1: of KCBS to find out and to convince them about 582 00:38:59,675 --> 00:39:01,915 Speaker 1: my option. That he would come out of that meeting 583 00:39:01,995 --> 00:39:03,915 Speaker 1: and be able to tell me whether or not I 584 00:39:04,075 --> 00:39:06,835 Speaker 1: was going to stay there and not have to sell 585 00:39:06,875 --> 00:39:11,395 Speaker 1: my condo and take a significant salary loss and possibly 586 00:39:11,435 --> 00:39:15,275 Speaker 1: not have to move to Bristol, Connecticut. The day came, 587 00:39:15,555 --> 00:39:18,075 Speaker 1: I saw Oppenheim on the way in. I greeted him 588 00:39:18,115 --> 00:39:20,195 Speaker 1: at the door. I walked him down the hallway and 589 00:39:20,275 --> 00:39:22,955 Speaker 1: I said, make sure you stop by before you leave. 590 00:39:23,595 --> 00:39:26,835 Speaker 1: And as the hours went on, I saw the general 591 00:39:26,875 --> 00:39:29,995 Speaker 1: manager of the television station in the hallway somewhere, meaning 592 00:39:29,995 --> 00:39:33,355 Speaker 1: the meaning had been concluded. And then as I was 593 00:39:33,395 --> 00:39:35,755 Speaker 1: walking to my office there I saw in the distance 594 00:39:35,795 --> 00:39:39,235 Speaker 1: coming down the hallway. Who else but Lou Oppenheim, And 595 00:39:39,315 --> 00:39:42,955 Speaker 1: I said, Lou, what happened? And he began to run 596 00:39:43,035 --> 00:39:46,155 Speaker 1: towards me and passed me. I can't talk right now. 597 00:39:46,315 --> 00:39:48,835 Speaker 1: I'm late for the airport. I said, what do you mean? 598 00:39:48,875 --> 00:39:50,835 Speaker 1: I just need to know. Am I give me a 599 00:39:50,875 --> 00:39:52,955 Speaker 1: head start on putting my house up on the market. 600 00:39:53,115 --> 00:39:55,035 Speaker 1: Am I staying or going? I can't go. I can't 601 00:39:55,035 --> 00:39:56,515 Speaker 1: talk to you now. I have to go back to 602 00:39:57,075 --> 00:40:00,435 Speaker 1: and he was gone. He had the answer. He had 603 00:40:00,475 --> 00:40:03,915 Speaker 1: been told by the general manager whether my contract option 604 00:40:04,075 --> 00:40:06,955 Speaker 1: was going to be picked up or not, and he 605 00:40:06,995 --> 00:40:09,835 Speaker 1: wouldn't tell me now. I later found out that he 606 00:40:09,875 --> 00:40:12,075 Speaker 1: wouldn't tell me because this was on the instructions of 607 00:40:12,115 --> 00:40:15,475 Speaker 1: his partner, Kominski. Kaminsky is now dead, so he can't 608 00:40:15,475 --> 00:40:18,315 Speaker 1: really defend himself in this story. But when he was alive, 609 00:40:18,355 --> 00:40:21,555 Speaker 1: he couldn't defend himself either, because he was a schmuck. 610 00:40:22,595 --> 00:40:26,355 Speaker 1: What Art Kaminsky was doing was keeping this information to himself, 611 00:40:26,435 --> 00:40:28,875 Speaker 1: namely that my option was not being picked up at 612 00:40:28,915 --> 00:40:31,795 Speaker 1: KCBS in Los Angeles, and thus there was a number 613 00:40:31,835 --> 00:40:36,115 Speaker 1: one sportscasting job open in Los Angeles. And he saw 614 00:40:36,155 --> 00:40:39,515 Speaker 1: this now as one thing and one thing only, not 615 00:40:39,875 --> 00:40:43,315 Speaker 1: representing me and my next job or letting me know 616 00:40:43,435 --> 00:40:45,755 Speaker 1: about what was now going to be my soon to 617 00:40:45,795 --> 00:40:49,555 Speaker 1: be ex job. He saw this as an opportunity for 618 00:40:49,675 --> 00:40:53,115 Speaker 1: him Art Kaminsky, to put another one of his clients 619 00:40:53,235 --> 00:40:56,595 Speaker 1: in my job while I still had it, and he 620 00:40:56,715 --> 00:41:00,595 Speaker 1: was still arguing theoretically for me to stay there, and 621 00:41:00,635 --> 00:41:05,115 Speaker 1: we're talking about, I believe maybe September or October of 622 00:41:05,235 --> 00:41:07,595 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety one, and I still had a contract through 623 00:41:07,675 --> 00:41:10,675 Speaker 1: January first of nineteen ninety two. I was going to 624 00:41:10,715 --> 00:41:13,275 Speaker 1: be a lame duck and did not even know it. 625 00:41:14,555 --> 00:41:18,595 Speaker 1: One day, during the Baseball Playoffs, which were on CBS 626 00:41:18,635 --> 00:41:21,755 Speaker 1: at the time, I was in the news director's office, 627 00:41:21,835 --> 00:41:24,995 Speaker 1: it was given to us as the viewing room for 628 00:41:25,075 --> 00:41:28,035 Speaker 1: the pre and postgame shows that we were producing four 629 00:41:28,115 --> 00:41:30,435 Speaker 1: Channel two in Los Angeles for the Baseball playoffs in 630 00:41:30,475 --> 00:41:35,075 Speaker 1: the World Series. Unlike most sporting events in Los Angeles, 631 00:41:35,395 --> 00:41:39,555 Speaker 1: the problem with TV broadcasts of the NFL or Major 632 00:41:39,595 --> 00:41:43,315 Speaker 1: League Baseball, NBA, NHL anything at all. The games don't 633 00:41:43,435 --> 00:41:46,115 Speaker 1: end too late. In Los Angeles and the rest of 634 00:41:46,155 --> 00:41:49,435 Speaker 1: the West Coast. They end too early. A World Series 635 00:41:49,475 --> 00:41:53,035 Speaker 1: game that does not shut down till eleven thirty or midnight. 636 00:41:53,075 --> 00:41:56,755 Speaker 1: Eastern time is over at nine o'clock. That's two hours 637 00:41:56,795 --> 00:41:59,035 Speaker 1: to kill until you can go to the eleven o'clock news. 638 00:41:59,435 --> 00:42:01,795 Speaker 1: So we would fill it with a postgame show, a 639 00:42:01,875 --> 00:42:06,835 Speaker 1: locally produced postgame show with me and a then active 640 00:42:06,875 --> 00:42:10,075 Speaker 1: baseball player. We had Wally Joyner from the California Angels, 641 00:42:10,075 --> 00:42:12,955 Speaker 1: my longtime friend. He did it one year. Danny Tartable 642 00:42:13,035 --> 00:42:15,635 Speaker 1: who had been with the Kansas City Royals and the 643 00:42:15,635 --> 00:42:19,035 Speaker 1: Seattle Mariners. We had Rick Dempsey who was then with 644 00:42:19,115 --> 00:42:21,915 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Dodgers. We had all kinds of people, 645 00:42:21,915 --> 00:42:23,795 Speaker 1: and we did this for all sports. We did this 646 00:42:23,835 --> 00:42:26,355 Speaker 1: for the NFL and the NBA and Major League Baseball. 647 00:42:26,715 --> 00:42:30,875 Speaker 1: And one day, as we're sitting there watching the baseball 648 00:42:30,915 --> 00:42:34,235 Speaker 1: playoff games in the news director's office with the biggest 649 00:42:34,235 --> 00:42:38,395 Speaker 1: TV we could find to watch this, my partner, my 650 00:42:38,595 --> 00:42:41,635 Speaker 1: analyst for the postgame shows, was a guy who was 651 00:42:41,675 --> 00:42:44,315 Speaker 1: pitching for the Saint Louis Cardinals and had aspirations to 652 00:42:44,355 --> 00:42:48,235 Speaker 1: become a broadcaster and became one named Joe McGrain. And 653 00:42:48,355 --> 00:42:51,915 Speaker 1: Joe McGrain suddenly began to look around the news director's 654 00:42:51,995 --> 00:42:55,475 Speaker 1: office and I saw his head tilt over at about 655 00:42:55,595 --> 00:42:59,355 Speaker 1: ninety degrees, which is a very unusual position to see 656 00:42:59,395 --> 00:43:02,195 Speaker 1: another human being keep his head in. And Joe and 657 00:43:02,235 --> 00:43:04,715 Speaker 1: I had gotten along pretty well at that point. I 658 00:43:04,755 --> 00:43:06,715 Speaker 1: didn't know each other that well, but we were friends 659 00:43:06,755 --> 00:43:09,635 Speaker 1: for a very long time thereafter. And Joe was now 660 00:43:09,675 --> 00:43:12,675 Speaker 1: looking at a series of tapes. This is during the 661 00:43:12,675 --> 00:43:16,155 Speaker 1: commercials between innings of the World Series game, and he's 662 00:43:16,195 --> 00:43:19,315 Speaker 1: looking at the tapes, the boxes of tapes on the 663 00:43:19,315 --> 00:43:22,635 Speaker 1: news director's desk, and he's looking at them sideways because 664 00:43:22,675 --> 00:43:29,155 Speaker 1: they're labeled vertically rather than horizontally. And he says, huh, 665 00:43:30,075 --> 00:43:34,875 Speaker 1: Hanna a Storm. And I said, Hannah Storm. There's a 666 00:43:34,875 --> 00:43:39,435 Speaker 1: tape of Hannah Storm on my news director's desk. He said, yeah, 667 00:43:39,475 --> 00:43:41,675 Speaker 1: what do you know about her? And I said, she's 668 00:43:41,715 --> 00:43:45,115 Speaker 1: one of Art Komensky's other clients. And he said, well, 669 00:43:45,155 --> 00:43:49,675 Speaker 1: over here, there's that's this Jimmy Cephalo And I said, 670 00:43:49,755 --> 00:43:52,715 Speaker 1: Jimmy Cephalo is another one of Art Kaminsky's clients. Well, 671 00:43:52,715 --> 00:43:54,995 Speaker 1: this went on for quite a while. It turned out 672 00:43:55,035 --> 00:43:57,515 Speaker 1: there were about a dozen tapes on the news director's 673 00:43:57,555 --> 00:44:02,915 Speaker 1: desk of other Art Kaminsky clients. For my job while 674 00:44:02,955 --> 00:44:09,035 Speaker 1: I was represented by Art Comment and his partner Lou Oppenheim, 675 00:44:09,075 --> 00:44:12,315 Speaker 1: had literally pushed me aside, so he did not have 676 00:44:12,355 --> 00:44:14,915 Speaker 1: to tell me that my contract was not being renewed. 677 00:44:15,875 --> 00:44:19,315 Speaker 1: Needless to say, even though mister Kominsky had been negotiating 678 00:44:19,355 --> 00:44:23,195 Speaker 1: my job with ESPN my next job with ESPN, I 679 00:44:23,235 --> 00:44:26,155 Speaker 1: shortly thereafter fired him, but not before I called him 680 00:44:26,235 --> 00:44:28,635 Speaker 1: up and screamed at him, which was the least he 681 00:44:28,715 --> 00:44:32,675 Speaker 1: deserved from me. Other people have had exceptional experiences with 682 00:44:32,755 --> 00:44:34,675 Speaker 1: Art Kominsky and made a lot of money thanks to 683 00:44:34,715 --> 00:44:38,155 Speaker 1: his involvement. I was not one of those people. In 684 00:44:38,195 --> 00:44:44,035 Speaker 1: any event, At some point Kaminsky said he didn't want 685 00:44:44,075 --> 00:44:46,915 Speaker 1: to talk to me anymore, and the discussion of what 686 00:44:46,995 --> 00:44:49,795 Speaker 1: was going to happen to me at KCBS should be 687 00:44:49,835 --> 00:44:54,795 Speaker 1: handled by the third sports agent in his stable of agents, 688 00:44:55,195 --> 00:45:01,275 Speaker 1: Alan Sanders. This is nineteen ninety one. In nineteen eighty three, 689 00:45:01,715 --> 00:45:05,235 Speaker 1: eight years previously, Alan Sanders had been my int at 690 00:45:05,235 --> 00:45:08,355 Speaker 1: CNN Sports in New York. He had just gone into 691 00:45:08,355 --> 00:45:11,435 Speaker 1: the agentine game, and he had, in fact, a few 692 00:45:11,435 --> 00:45:15,395 Speaker 1: weeks previously, actually driven me up from my folks house 693 00:45:15,435 --> 00:45:19,475 Speaker 1: outside of New York City up to ESPN and Bristol, Connecticut, 694 00:45:19,555 --> 00:45:21,675 Speaker 1: the first time I'd ever been there to have an 695 00:45:21,675 --> 00:45:24,395 Speaker 1: interview and look around, and he drove me back and 696 00:45:24,475 --> 00:45:26,315 Speaker 1: he was a great guy. And I always got along 697 00:45:26,315 --> 00:45:29,595 Speaker 1: well with Alan, and we have crossed paths several times 698 00:45:29,635 --> 00:45:33,195 Speaker 1: since then. I had nothing at all bad to say 699 00:45:33,195 --> 00:45:36,635 Speaker 1: about Alan Sanders. On the other hand, I did point 700 00:45:36,635 --> 00:45:40,115 Speaker 1: out that this was really kind of rubbing it in 701 00:45:40,715 --> 00:45:44,195 Speaker 1: that Kaminsky here not only did not permit his partner 702 00:45:44,275 --> 00:45:46,995 Speaker 1: lou Oppenheim to tell me the truth in real time 703 00:45:47,355 --> 00:45:50,395 Speaker 1: and actually avoid me and push me out of wait, 704 00:45:50,515 --> 00:45:53,715 Speaker 1: don't push me out of the way, just say yes 705 00:45:54,115 --> 00:45:57,155 Speaker 1: or no or thumbs up or thumbs down. I gotta go. 706 00:45:58,515 --> 00:46:01,515 Speaker 1: But then on top of that, Kaminsky would not talk 707 00:46:01,515 --> 00:46:04,315 Speaker 1: to me about this subject. He said Alan would, And 708 00:46:04,355 --> 00:46:07,035 Speaker 1: I said, I don't think that's appropriate, Arthur, I think 709 00:46:07,075 --> 00:46:10,635 Speaker 1: you should do it, whereupon Arthur Kaminsky turned around and 710 00:46:10,995 --> 00:46:14,155 Speaker 1: holding the phone away from his own mouth, shouted, Hey, 711 00:46:14,355 --> 00:46:19,435 Speaker 1: Alan Alderman doesn't think you're important enough to tell him 712 00:46:19,475 --> 00:46:26,635 Speaker 1: he's been fired by CBS. So when I then finalized 713 00:46:26,675 --> 00:46:29,675 Speaker 1: my deal to go to ESPN, and you know what 714 00:46:29,795 --> 00:46:33,075 Speaker 1: happened there for the year nineteen ninety two. I called 715 00:46:33,155 --> 00:46:36,315 Speaker 1: up several people there who were the ones who hired me, 716 00:46:36,715 --> 00:46:39,755 Speaker 1: and I said, listen, I'm no longer represented by Art Kaminsky. 717 00:46:39,875 --> 00:46:42,555 Speaker 1: I'm represented again by Gene Sage, who was the woman 718 00:46:42,555 --> 00:46:44,875 Speaker 1: who had represented me before I made the mistake of 719 00:46:44,915 --> 00:46:51,115 Speaker 1: dismissing her and hiring Arthur Kaminsky. And these people said, oh, 720 00:46:51,155 --> 00:46:54,635 Speaker 1: thank god. Here. I know we told you we couldn't 721 00:46:54,675 --> 00:46:56,915 Speaker 1: pay him more than whatever it was, one hundred and 722 00:46:57,035 --> 00:46:59,555 Speaker 1: ninety thousand dollars. I know we told you that, but 723 00:46:59,595 --> 00:47:02,595 Speaker 1: here's another twenty thousand dollars, just because we're all so 724 00:47:02,755 --> 00:47:06,075 Speaker 1: grateful that we don't have to deal with that dick Kaminski. 725 00:47:06,635 --> 00:47:11,395 Speaker 1: And I actually said, no, his name is Arthur. So 726 00:47:12,635 --> 00:47:15,235 Speaker 1: I was a little honked off about Komensky. And I 727 00:47:15,275 --> 00:47:18,595 Speaker 1: figured that if anybody ever heard this story, his stature 728 00:47:18,675 --> 00:47:21,835 Speaker 1: as a business agent in hockey, which was his other thing, 729 00:47:22,395 --> 00:47:26,635 Speaker 1: or broadcasting, would be diminished somewhat. And so I figured 730 00:47:26,715 --> 00:47:29,675 Speaker 1: we'd just let this go and Gene Sage would be 731 00:47:29,715 --> 00:47:32,235 Speaker 1: my agent at ESPN. And I, by the way, was 732 00:47:32,275 --> 00:47:35,235 Speaker 1: not going to pay Arthur Kaminsky a dime of my 733 00:47:36,075 --> 00:47:40,675 Speaker 1: ESPN contract. Sure enough, I go to work at SportsCenter 734 00:47:40,995 --> 00:47:43,395 Speaker 1: and in fact start earlier than planned. I was supposed 735 00:47:43,395 --> 00:47:45,435 Speaker 1: to take three months off and go to Hawaii. In fact, 736 00:47:45,475 --> 00:47:47,195 Speaker 1: they needed me to go back there and launch the 737 00:47:47,275 --> 00:47:51,235 Speaker 1: radio network early at ESPN, and so I did not 738 00:47:51,275 --> 00:47:53,715 Speaker 1: get my time off, and I moved there earlier than planned, 739 00:47:53,755 --> 00:47:56,235 Speaker 1: and I started on Sports Center maybe a week earlier 740 00:47:56,315 --> 00:47:58,515 Speaker 1: than originally planned, which was about the opening day of 741 00:47:58,555 --> 00:48:01,915 Speaker 1: the two thousand, or rather the nineteen hundred and ninety two. 742 00:48:02,355 --> 00:48:06,155 Speaker 1: It's a long time ago base all season, so I 743 00:48:06,235 --> 00:48:09,275 Speaker 1: started a little early. And as I'm sitting there writing 744 00:48:09,315 --> 00:48:13,155 Speaker 1: my first script and going, well, it's not the first 745 00:48:13,195 --> 00:48:16,715 Speaker 1: place I'd choose to live. But as Lampley himself once said, 746 00:48:16,715 --> 00:48:19,315 Speaker 1: look at it this way, you will be married to 747 00:48:19,355 --> 00:48:21,915 Speaker 1: your audience. There's very little you can do to screw 748 00:48:21,915 --> 00:48:25,635 Speaker 1: it up. I thought it was an interesting analogy, but anyway, 749 00:48:25,675 --> 00:48:29,195 Speaker 1: we'll let that one pass. As I was doing that, 750 00:48:29,515 --> 00:48:32,235 Speaker 1: there was a call from the front desk saying that 751 00:48:32,275 --> 00:48:36,835 Speaker 1: there was somebody downstairs to see me. Well, I was 752 00:48:37,035 --> 00:48:39,355 Speaker 1: naive enough to go downstairs to see who it was, 753 00:48:40,235 --> 00:48:43,315 Speaker 1: and a man I'd never met stood there at the 754 00:48:43,395 --> 00:48:47,955 Speaker 1: main desk at ESPN and said, are you Keith Olderman, 755 00:48:48,035 --> 00:48:51,595 Speaker 1: and I said yes, and he said you've been served, 756 00:48:51,915 --> 00:48:55,915 Speaker 1: and he handed me a lawsuit from Arthur Kaminski seeking 757 00:48:56,395 --> 00:49:00,915 Speaker 1: the something like ten thousand dollars that I would have 758 00:49:00,995 --> 00:49:04,195 Speaker 1: owed him if he had actually been my agent at ESPN. 759 00:49:05,875 --> 00:49:11,875 Speaker 1: That was Lou Oppenheim's partner. I am led to believe 760 00:49:12,235 --> 00:49:16,795 Speaker 1: Lou was forced to do everything he did. Nevertheless, I 761 00:49:16,875 --> 00:49:18,955 Speaker 1: did just want to put this one on the record 762 00:49:19,355 --> 00:49:21,755 Speaker 1: because as I told the story to the person who 763 00:49:21,875 --> 00:49:26,035 Speaker 1: asked about Lou Oppenheim, they went into hysterics at every 764 00:49:26,155 --> 00:49:30,515 Speaker 1: little stage of this story. So there it is. The 765 00:49:30,715 --> 00:49:34,315 Speaker 1: Lou Oppenheim. I can't tell you the truth because my boss, 766 00:49:34,475 --> 00:49:38,835 Speaker 1: Arthur Kaminsky told me not to story. If you're looking 767 00:49:38,875 --> 00:49:43,075 Speaker 1: for an agent in the field of sports broadcasting, I 768 00:49:43,115 --> 00:49:48,795 Speaker 1: can only give you this advice. I have no advice whatsoever. 769 00:50:02,155 --> 00:50:03,915 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 770 00:50:03,955 --> 00:50:06,875 Speaker 1: you for listening. Countdown musical directors Brian Ray and John 771 00:50:06,875 --> 00:50:10,075 Speaker 1: Phillip Schanel arranged, produced and performed most of our music. 772 00:50:10,555 --> 00:50:13,395 Speaker 1: Mister Ray was on guitars, bass and drums. Mister Chanelle 773 00:50:13,395 --> 00:50:16,955 Speaker 1: handled orchestration and keyboards. It was produced by TKO Brothers. 774 00:50:17,235 --> 00:50:20,115 Speaker 1: Other music, including some of the Beethoven compositions, were arranged 775 00:50:20,155 --> 00:50:23,835 Speaker 1: and performed by the group Noah Horns Elude. Suddenly I 776 00:50:23,835 --> 00:50:28,515 Speaker 1: became Scandinavian perfumed. The sports music is the Olberman theme 777 00:50:28,555 --> 00:50:32,635 Speaker 1: from ESPN two, written by Mitch Warren Davis curtisyvespn inc. 778 00:50:33,075 --> 00:50:36,355 Speaker 1: Our satirical and fifty musical comments are by Nancy Faust, 779 00:50:36,435 --> 00:50:39,795 Speaker 1: the best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today was 780 00:50:39,835 --> 00:50:42,355 Speaker 1: my friend Larry David, and everything else was pretty much 781 00:50:42,395 --> 00:50:44,955 Speaker 1: my fault. So that's countdown for this the one hundred 782 00:50:44,995 --> 00:50:49,555 Speaker 1: and ninety seventh day until the twenty twenty four presidential election, 783 00:50:49,955 --> 00:50:53,595 Speaker 1: and the two hundred and fourth day since Diaper j 784 00:50:53,795 --> 00:50:57,315 Speaker 1: Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 785 00:50:57,355 --> 00:51:00,275 Speaker 1: the United States. Use the fourteenth Amendment and the not 786 00:51:00,395 --> 00:51:04,515 Speaker 1: regularly given elector objection option. Use the Insurrection Act, You 787 00:51:04,755 --> 00:51:08,235 Speaker 1: use the justice system, use the mental health system, use 788 00:51:08,315 --> 00:51:12,075 Speaker 1: the recyclable diaper system to stop him from doing it 789 00:51:12,115 --> 00:51:18,115 Speaker 1: again while we still can. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. 790 00:51:18,195 --> 00:51:20,675 Speaker 1: Bulletins as the news warrants till then, I'm Keith Oulreman. 791 00:51:20,875 --> 00:51:37,995 Speaker 1: Good morning, Good Afternoon, good Night, and good Luck. Countdown 792 00:51:38,075 --> 00:51:41,795 Speaker 1: with Keith Olreman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 793 00:51:41,875 --> 00:51:46,835 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 794 00:51:46,875 --> 00:51:48,715 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.