1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:13,875 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. The 2 00:00:13,955 --> 00:00:17,995 Speaker 1: Democrats have won the special election in the George Santos 3 00:00:18,115 --> 00:00:23,315 Speaker 1: Katara Ravahe Memorial third District of New York former Congressman 4 00:00:23,395 --> 00:00:27,995 Speaker 1: Tom Swazi, fending off a politically amorphous opponent who may 5 00:00:28,115 --> 00:00:31,955 Speaker 1: or may not have been an ex Democrat. The count 6 00:00:32,075 --> 00:00:34,875 Speaker 1: was supposed to take at least all night on Long 7 00:00:34,915 --> 00:00:38,555 Speaker 1: Island and in Queen's at the website decision desk called 8 00:00:38,555 --> 00:00:42,235 Speaker 1: the race for Swazi fifty eight minutes after the polls closed, 9 00:00:42,515 --> 00:00:45,755 Speaker 1: then the Associated Press rang it up seven minutes after that, 10 00:00:46,075 --> 00:00:49,075 Speaker 1: by which point Swazi had about fifty nine percent of 11 00:00:49,075 --> 00:00:51,955 Speaker 1: the vote. And even if that margin does not hold up, 12 00:00:52,355 --> 00:00:55,075 Speaker 1: it's not only flipped the seat back to the Democrats, 13 00:00:55,395 --> 00:00:59,755 Speaker 1: but it completely deflated the whoreor House Republicans performance art 14 00:00:59,835 --> 00:01:04,195 Speaker 1: impeachment last night of Homeland Security Secretary Majorcus by one 15 00:01:04,275 --> 00:01:08,355 Speaker 1: vote because a Democrat stayed home due to COVID. There 16 00:01:08,435 --> 00:01:10,475 Speaker 1: is not expected to be a trial in the Senate. 17 00:01:10,955 --> 00:01:17,035 Speaker 1: My Orcus was of course charged with with charged with 18 00:01:18,435 --> 00:01:22,435 Speaker 1: charged with not being a Republican. But back to Long 19 00:01:22,475 --> 00:01:25,155 Speaker 1: Island and yes, it snowed on election day and no, 20 00:01:25,555 --> 00:01:27,755 Speaker 1: it wasn't a blizzard, and yes it was sunny by 21 00:01:27,795 --> 00:01:30,435 Speaker 1: three pm yesterday, And no, it's not actually much of 22 00:01:30,435 --> 00:01:33,355 Speaker 1: a predictor for November because it is in a conservative 23 00:01:33,395 --> 00:01:36,915 Speaker 1: swath of Long Island. And while the Democrat Tom Swazi 24 00:01:36,995 --> 00:01:39,595 Speaker 1: was trying to deny it ever heard the name Joe Biden, 25 00:01:39,755 --> 00:01:43,195 Speaker 1: the Republican Mazi Pillop was trying even harder to deny 26 00:01:43,315 --> 00:01:45,715 Speaker 1: she knew the name Donald Trump. And the whole election 27 00:01:45,875 --> 00:01:48,635 Speaker 1: was about immigration. And Pillop, of course, was born in 28 00:01:48,635 --> 00:01:52,595 Speaker 1: Ethiopia and emigrated from Israel, and her husband is from Ukraine. 29 00:01:52,835 --> 00:01:55,195 Speaker 1: And not only isn't it a predictor for November, it's 30 00:01:55,195 --> 00:01:57,875 Speaker 1: not even a predictor for this district in November because 31 00:01:57,875 --> 00:02:00,995 Speaker 1: it's going to be redrawn by then. And as somebody 32 00:02:01,075 --> 00:02:03,915 Speaker 1: called it, this is going to be the most expensive 33 00:02:03,995 --> 00:02:07,755 Speaker 1: rental in congressional history. And yeah, I did it this 34 00:02:07,835 --> 00:02:10,155 Speaker 1: way so I could update the results as they came in. 35 00:02:10,395 --> 00:02:24,755 Speaker 1: Now here's the real podcast. So now the full breadth 36 00:02:24,835 --> 00:02:29,035 Speaker 1: and the full stink of Robert Hurr's perversion of the 37 00:02:29,075 --> 00:02:34,235 Speaker 1: Special Council Statutes is becoming fully clear. Robert Herr has 38 00:02:34,315 --> 00:02:37,875 Speaker 1: not just turned his report clearing President Biden on any 39 00:02:37,955 --> 00:02:41,715 Speaker 1: willful retention. We're sharing of classified documents into a Trump 40 00:02:41,835 --> 00:02:45,635 Speaker 1: super pack, and he's not just arranged or attempted to 41 00:02:45,755 --> 00:02:49,835 Speaker 1: arrange follow up testimony to one or maybe two House 42 00:02:49,875 --> 00:02:54,195 Speaker 1: committees which are themselves Trump super packs. Robert Hurr took 43 00:02:54,235 --> 00:02:59,315 Speaker 1: it one step further, as Politico aptly for once puts it, 44 00:02:59,835 --> 00:03:04,155 Speaker 1: Robert Herr is at the center of the Biden age 45 00:03:04,395 --> 00:03:09,435 Speaker 1: plug the news sites. Sources on Capitol Hill report that quote, 46 00:03:09,635 --> 00:03:13,875 Speaker 1: House Republicans are activating a weeks long, perhaps months long, 47 00:03:14,035 --> 00:03:18,915 Speaker 1: plan to keep questions about President Biden's mental state in 48 00:03:18,955 --> 00:03:23,555 Speaker 1: the spotlight. Three House committees have asked the Attorney General 49 00:03:23,595 --> 00:03:26,835 Speaker 1: Merrick Garland, whose stupidity left the president open to this 50 00:03:26,955 --> 00:03:31,115 Speaker 1: scheme redolent of a previous Republican Congress hunting Hillary Clinton 51 00:03:31,315 --> 00:03:34,395 Speaker 1: and one before that hunting Bill Clinton. It is asked 52 00:03:34,395 --> 00:03:38,075 Speaker 1: Garland for transcripts, tape recordings, witnesses. They want to drag 53 00:03:38,115 --> 00:03:41,915 Speaker 1: this out with hearings, follow ups, press conferences, allegations about 54 00:03:41,995 --> 00:03:47,115 Speaker 1: national security, and even just umbrage if Democrats thwart their 55 00:03:47,155 --> 00:03:51,195 Speaker 1: plans to Benghazi the her I'm not a doctor, but 56 00:03:51,275 --> 00:03:55,955 Speaker 1: I play one with the nation's life. Report infuriating as 57 00:03:55,995 --> 00:03:59,115 Speaker 1: that is, there isn't a way, but there should be 58 00:03:59,155 --> 00:04:01,595 Speaker 1: a way to put Robert Hurr in prison for this, 59 00:04:02,155 --> 00:04:06,595 Speaker 1: and Garland and James Comer and whoever plotted this, I mean, 60 00:04:06,635 --> 00:04:09,995 Speaker 1: Politico would not have called it the Biden age plot 61 00:04:10,475 --> 00:04:13,795 Speaker 1: without evidence that it was a plot, which means planned 62 00:04:13,835 --> 00:04:17,875 Speaker 1: in advance. Infuriating as it is, there's still one important 63 00:04:18,035 --> 00:04:23,835 Speaker 1: overarching message. The Republicans are terrified enough to play this 64 00:04:24,395 --> 00:04:28,595 Speaker 1: very dangerous game, because if you managed to put Robert 65 00:04:28,635 --> 00:04:32,435 Speaker 1: her on the stand and you put Biden's age on trial, 66 00:04:32,795 --> 00:04:36,795 Speaker 1: you run the risk of her revealing whatever the Biden 67 00:04:36,875 --> 00:04:41,315 Speaker 1: age plot really is. And you also put Trump's age 68 00:04:41,435 --> 00:04:45,915 Speaker 1: on trial, and you also put Trump's documents kleptomania and 69 00:04:46,155 --> 00:04:49,715 Speaker 1: espionage on trial. And by the way, Trump is actually 70 00:04:49,835 --> 00:04:53,675 Speaker 1: on trial for stealing those documents and would go to 71 00:04:53,835 --> 00:04:58,715 Speaker 1: prison for espionage. It seems to me the Democrats have 72 00:04:58,795 --> 00:05:03,395 Speaker 1: two choices here. Garland has previously testified that most special 73 00:05:03,475 --> 00:05:08,715 Speaker 1: councils have them testified to Congress after their investigations were complete. 74 00:05:09,235 --> 00:05:13,795 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean this one should. Robert Hurr broke departmental rules. Moreover, 75 00:05:13,835 --> 00:05:17,955 Speaker 1: he broke faith with the legal system, even as the 76 00:05:17,995 --> 00:05:21,875 Speaker 1: Republicans view it, Robert Hurt as a crooked operator. He 77 00:05:21,955 --> 00:05:24,275 Speaker 1: is the equivalent of a snitch. He is the equivalent 78 00:05:24,315 --> 00:05:28,355 Speaker 1: of a three card Monte dealer. The Attorney General could 79 00:05:28,395 --> 00:05:32,555 Speaker 1: deny him permission to testify and prosecute him if he 80 00:05:32,635 --> 00:05:38,435 Speaker 1: tries to testify anyway, or Senate Democrats could notice that 81 00:05:38,595 --> 00:05:43,635 Speaker 1: smell of rat again. Politico the voice of the mainstream, 82 00:05:44,035 --> 00:05:48,435 Speaker 1: the home of a moral both sidesism. The promulgators of 83 00:05:48,435 --> 00:05:52,435 Speaker 1: a morning newsletter that was sponsored yesterday for around three 84 00:05:52,515 --> 00:05:56,235 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars by the fossil fuel industry trying to 85 00:05:56,275 --> 00:06:00,035 Speaker 1: protect gas guzzling cars. They were sponsored by, you know, 86 00:06:00,475 --> 00:06:07,675 Speaker 1: planetary suicide Incorporated. Politico called it the Biden age plot. 87 00:06:08,435 --> 00:06:11,195 Speaker 1: The Homeland and Government Affairs Committee in the Senate has 88 00:06:11,475 --> 00:06:15,955 Speaker 1: a permanent subcommittee on investigations, and that subcommittee could take 89 00:06:16,075 --> 00:06:19,115 Speaker 1: Robert her and whoever the middlemen were in whatever his 90 00:06:19,235 --> 00:06:23,035 Speaker 1: deal was with the House, gop to the effing cleaners, 91 00:06:25,995 --> 00:06:30,355 Speaker 1: your call, lady or the tiger again. I still like 92 00:06:30,595 --> 00:06:34,475 Speaker 1: the Attorney General shutting this down and Biden telling him 93 00:06:34,835 --> 00:06:39,515 Speaker 1: you take the heat, you're taking the fall. You hold 94 00:06:39,555 --> 00:06:42,955 Speaker 1: the press conferences, you fix this, and if you do 95 00:06:43,075 --> 00:06:47,715 Speaker 1: it right, I'll let you resign. Better to give the 96 00:06:47,755 --> 00:06:51,835 Speaker 1: Republicans just one note to pound Biden won't let us 97 00:06:51,835 --> 00:06:54,635 Speaker 1: talk about his age every day until the election. But 98 00:06:54,995 --> 00:06:57,955 Speaker 1: he's not really very smart. Except he won't let us 99 00:06:57,995 --> 00:07:00,515 Speaker 1: talk about his age every day until the election. He's 100 00:07:00,595 --> 00:07:05,315 Speaker 1: really super genius. Remember this is the invite we are 101 00:07:05,355 --> 00:07:08,435 Speaker 1: in right now. The New York Times has an opinion 102 00:07:08,475 --> 00:07:12,715 Speaker 1: piece this week, the body of which actually quietly marvels 103 00:07:12,955 --> 00:07:17,035 Speaker 1: that anybody could possibly think Joe Biden's age is as 104 00:07:17,195 --> 00:07:23,395 Speaker 1: important as Trump's past treasons or future treasons, and they 105 00:07:23,475 --> 00:07:28,355 Speaker 1: still managed to stick atop it this headline quote, which 106 00:07:28,435 --> 00:07:32,315 Speaker 1: is worse Biden's age or Trump handing NATO to Putin? 107 00:07:34,995 --> 00:07:38,115 Speaker 1: While we are here in this environment, there is also 108 00:07:38,195 --> 00:07:42,235 Speaker 1: a subtext to the Biden's too old to infirm to 109 00:07:43,475 --> 00:07:45,075 Speaker 1: let's see what else have we got on him? He's 110 00:07:45,115 --> 00:07:49,835 Speaker 1: too Bidenish story, a subtext that probably has not hit 111 00:07:49,875 --> 00:07:53,115 Speaker 1: you yet. I only got it the other week when 112 00:07:53,115 --> 00:07:56,955 Speaker 1: I turned sixty five years old, When sixty eight year 113 00:07:56,955 --> 00:07:59,795 Speaker 1: old Bill Maher says Biden is too old and feeble, 114 00:08:00,235 --> 00:08:02,675 Speaker 1: or when sixty nine year old in eight days, David 115 00:08:02,675 --> 00:08:05,835 Speaker 1: Axelrod says Biden is too old and infirm, Or when 116 00:08:05,915 --> 00:08:08,795 Speaker 1: seventy two year old Maureen Dowd says Biden is too 117 00:08:08,835 --> 00:08:11,475 Speaker 1: old and troubled, Or when seventy seven year old Chris 118 00:08:11,515 --> 00:08:14,395 Speaker 1: Wallace says Biden is too old and risky, or when 119 00:08:14,515 --> 00:08:17,235 Speaker 1: sixty one year old but he looks seventy five, John 120 00:08:17,275 --> 00:08:20,155 Speaker 1: Stuart says Biden is too old and just as bad 121 00:08:20,195 --> 00:08:25,995 Speaker 1: as Trump. They're actually not finishing their thoughts. The whole 122 00:08:26,155 --> 00:08:30,235 Speaker 1: sentence actually is Biden is eighty one and too old 123 00:08:30,355 --> 00:08:34,475 Speaker 1: and feeble and affirmed and troubled and risky. And I 124 00:08:34,515 --> 00:08:39,835 Speaker 1: am not. I'm only seventy seven or seventy two or 125 00:08:39,915 --> 00:08:43,075 Speaker 1: seventy nine or sixty five, and I'm sharp as attack, 126 00:08:43,435 --> 00:08:46,875 Speaker 1: especially compared to that guy. Look at him, he's old. 127 00:08:47,515 --> 00:08:50,595 Speaker 1: I'm not old. I'm Chris Wallace. I'm eternally young because 128 00:08:50,635 --> 00:08:54,155 Speaker 1: I dye my hair daily. And I'm Maureen Dowd, and 129 00:08:54,195 --> 00:08:57,955 Speaker 1: I'm eternally young because I constantly make hip cultural references 130 00:08:57,995 --> 00:09:02,115 Speaker 1: about Truman, Capoti and Charles in Charge. And I'm John 131 00:09:02,195 --> 00:09:04,995 Speaker 1: Stuart and I'm eternally young because I am It's too 132 00:09:04,995 --> 00:09:07,355 Speaker 1: cool to let the fact that one of these men 133 00:09:07,435 --> 00:09:09,955 Speaker 1: might crash into his words once in a while, and 134 00:09:10,035 --> 00:09:14,275 Speaker 1: the other one would encourage Russia to attack Poland. But 135 00:09:14,555 --> 00:09:18,395 Speaker 1: I would never let that interfere with my saucy nineteen 136 00:09:18,595 --> 00:09:27,235 Speaker 1: ninety eight comedy. I'm young, I'm young, he's not. I'm 137 00:09:27,275 --> 00:09:30,835 Speaker 1: not dead. I'm getting better. I don't want to go 138 00:09:30,915 --> 00:09:34,875 Speaker 1: on the court. I feel fine. I think I'll go 139 00:09:34,995 --> 00:09:42,515 Speaker 1: for a walk. I feel happy. I feel happy. You 140 00:09:42,555 --> 00:09:47,675 Speaker 1: don't think that's part of it. You have no idea kid. 141 00:09:48,955 --> 00:09:52,915 Speaker 1: Concurrent with the big Medicare birthday. The other day, my 142 00:09:53,035 --> 00:09:58,155 Speaker 1: extraordinarily well prepared friends from grammar school, you know, the 143 00:09:58,195 --> 00:10:02,595 Speaker 1: ones I met in nineteen sixty two, they started the 144 00:10:02,635 --> 00:10:07,275 Speaker 1: process of setting up the fifth high school reunion eighteen 145 00:10:07,355 --> 00:10:11,955 Speaker 1: months early. Ominous birthdays are one thing. But if you 146 00:10:12,075 --> 00:10:16,235 Speaker 1: have not yet heard the singularly terrifying sound that is 147 00:10:16,275 --> 00:10:21,795 Speaker 1: the bell tolling for your fiftieth high school reunion, you 148 00:10:21,995 --> 00:10:26,875 Speaker 1: have not been through all that existential trauma and night 149 00:10:27,035 --> 00:10:32,795 Speaker 1: terrors have to offer you. So what did I do? 150 00:10:33,435 --> 00:10:40,595 Speaker 1: Reading fiftieth high school reunion? I instinctively, reflexively desperately seized 151 00:10:40,635 --> 00:10:44,315 Speaker 1: on the fact that now as then when I graduated 152 00:10:44,395 --> 00:10:48,115 Speaker 1: high school, at the age of sixteen. I am about 153 00:10:48,155 --> 00:10:52,355 Speaker 1: a year and a half younger than all the rest 154 00:10:52,395 --> 00:10:56,075 Speaker 1: of them. I'm only sixty five, and I'm sharpest attack, 155 00:10:56,235 --> 00:10:59,315 Speaker 1: especially compared to that guy. Look at him, he's old. 156 00:10:59,595 --> 00:11:04,795 Speaker 1: He's sixty seven. If you want to look thin. And 157 00:11:05,275 --> 00:11:09,035 Speaker 1: Rodney Dangerfield told us, as Thornton Mellon, you hang out 158 00:11:09,035 --> 00:11:12,395 Speaker 1: with fat people if you want to feel young. John 159 00:11:12,475 --> 00:11:19,515 Speaker 1: Stuart tells us, you mock and insult old people. If 160 00:11:19,515 --> 00:11:23,075 Speaker 1: you don't think John Stuart, who was never smart but 161 00:11:23,195 --> 00:11:26,755 Speaker 1: during the Bush era was pretty clever and could read well, 162 00:11:27,155 --> 00:11:30,555 Speaker 1: if you don't think he's lost the plot. It will 163 00:11:30,595 --> 00:11:32,715 Speaker 1: never dawn on him that he will be in the 164 00:11:32,755 --> 00:11:36,075 Speaker 1: first bus with the rest of us to go into 165 00:11:36,075 --> 00:11:40,195 Speaker 1: those anti Trump holding cells. It will never dawn on 166 00:11:40,275 --> 00:11:44,435 Speaker 1: him that when right wing influencers take his clip and 167 00:11:44,475 --> 00:11:48,075 Speaker 1: repackage it as The Daily Show rips Biden on his 168 00:11:48,155 --> 00:11:53,075 Speaker 1: mental health, that means he just increased the chance Trump 169 00:11:53,195 --> 00:11:57,875 Speaker 1: gets elected. It will never dawn on him that if 170 00:11:57,915 --> 00:12:01,595 Speaker 1: his show's account tweets out the video and it gets 171 00:12:01,595 --> 00:12:05,835 Speaker 1: a response reading balance and humor return, and that's from 172 00:12:05,995 --> 00:12:16,195 Speaker 1: Elon Musk. John Stewart, you failed, Where's Craig Kilbourne when 173 00:12:16,195 --> 00:12:21,955 Speaker 1: we actually need him. As a side note, John Stuart's 174 00:12:21,955 --> 00:12:26,835 Speaker 1: cable audience for his much anticipated return after nine years 175 00:12:26,835 --> 00:12:35,235 Speaker 1: in the wilderness nine hundred and thirty thousand viewers, so 176 00:12:36,435 --> 00:12:42,755 Speaker 1: less than Alex Wagner. By the way, yesterday I was 177 00:12:42,755 --> 00:12:44,795 Speaker 1: asked by a friend why so much of the American 178 00:12:44,835 --> 00:12:48,515 Speaker 1: commentariat is willing to go after Biden's age and or 179 00:12:48,595 --> 00:12:53,275 Speaker 1: memory when in real time it did nothing, nothing about 180 00:12:53,315 --> 00:12:57,595 Speaker 1: Ronald Reagan's early stage Alzheimer's of nineteen eighty seven and 181 00:12:57,675 --> 00:13:02,635 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight nineteen eighty nine. There are two explanations. One, 182 00:13:02,675 --> 00:13:04,915 Speaker 1: we were still in the immediate post fair in his 183 00:13:05,035 --> 00:13:10,995 Speaker 1: doctrine era then, and there were still residual standards and 184 00:13:11,115 --> 00:13:15,555 Speaker 1: residual fear. Two, we have lost the ability, and I 185 00:13:15,595 --> 00:13:19,475 Speaker 1: mean everybody from Charlie Kirk to the New York Times 186 00:13:19,475 --> 00:13:24,955 Speaker 1: has lost the ability to differentiate between facts and truth. 187 00:13:26,235 --> 00:13:29,195 Speaker 1: Is it a fact that Robert Hurr wrote what he 188 00:13:29,235 --> 00:13:33,955 Speaker 1: wrote in his report? Informed or irresponsible? Insightful or politicking? 189 00:13:33,955 --> 00:13:37,435 Speaker 1: That should cost him his law license? Yeah, it's a 190 00:13:37,475 --> 00:13:42,155 Speaker 1: fact he wrote it. We used to then ask, well, 191 00:13:42,235 --> 00:13:43,875 Speaker 1: it's a fact that he wrote it, But is it 192 00:13:43,955 --> 00:13:49,275 Speaker 1: the truth. If somebody says, on the record, Donald Trump 193 00:13:49,355 --> 00:13:53,675 Speaker 1: has slept with a family member, it's a fact that 194 00:13:53,715 --> 00:13:57,955 Speaker 1: somebody said it. Is that enough to go with it? 195 00:13:57,995 --> 00:14:02,675 Speaker 1: Is it the truth? Nobody asks that second question anymore. 196 00:14:02,875 --> 00:14:06,395 Speaker 1: Nobody asks if rober Her knows what the hell he's 197 00:14:06,435 --> 00:14:11,635 Speaker 1: talking about. Nobody asks which ulterior motive drove him. Nobody 198 00:14:11,715 --> 00:14:14,995 Speaker 1: asks if it's irresponsible to report it. They just report it. 199 00:14:15,355 --> 00:14:21,275 Speaker 1: We report, You decide if it's the truth or not. 200 00:14:25,195 --> 00:14:29,075 Speaker 1: So what is the solution? What is the solution to 201 00:14:29,155 --> 00:14:32,435 Speaker 1: the rotting carcass of what used to be journalism? Now 202 00:14:32,475 --> 00:14:36,235 Speaker 1: additionally scared because every day they lay some more people off. 203 00:14:36,355 --> 00:14:43,755 Speaker 1: Yesterday twenty people at CBS News. What do we do 204 00:14:44,515 --> 00:14:48,955 Speaker 1: about the effect on the writers and broadcasters and the 205 00:14:49,675 --> 00:14:52,355 Speaker 1: maybe this will save all our jobs and make us 206 00:14:52,355 --> 00:14:54,955 Speaker 1: seem younger part of it. What do we do about 207 00:14:55,035 --> 00:15:00,275 Speaker 1: all of this? Happily, the light bulb over the Biden 208 00:15:00,395 --> 00:15:04,875 Speaker 1: campaign is finally buzzing and sputtering to full illumination, as 209 00:15:04,915 --> 00:15:07,075 Speaker 1: you may have seen Sunday after the Chiefs won the 210 00:15:07,075 --> 00:15:10,755 Speaker 1: Super Bowl and a million Qanons felt their Taylor's Swift 211 00:15:10,795 --> 00:15:16,035 Speaker 1: conspiracy theory had just come Drue Biden's social media posted 212 00:15:16,075 --> 00:15:21,115 Speaker 1: the dark Brandon laser eyes meme with the message just 213 00:15:21,475 --> 00:15:25,675 Speaker 1: like we drew it up yesterday. The campaign account posted 214 00:15:25,675 --> 00:15:28,755 Speaker 1: a new meme, twenty twenty four voting guide next to 215 00:15:28,795 --> 00:15:32,915 Speaker 1: a picture of Biden didn't encourage Russia to invade Europe 216 00:15:32,955 --> 00:15:36,395 Speaker 1: next to a picture of Trump encouraged Russia to invade Europe. 217 00:15:37,475 --> 00:15:39,835 Speaker 1: Sharp enough, dagger as it was, but then came the 218 00:15:39,875 --> 00:15:45,675 Speaker 1: coupdi gras. This one's for the New York Times. Yes, 219 00:15:45,835 --> 00:15:51,275 Speaker 1: please more of it every day, every hour. Carpet bomb Trump. 220 00:15:51,675 --> 00:15:54,635 Speaker 1: You got a TikTok account now, Joe Biden, use it, 221 00:15:54,995 --> 00:16:00,155 Speaker 1: Use Twitter x, use other social media memes. Videos, Trump's insanity, 222 00:16:00,195 --> 00:16:04,915 Speaker 1: Trump's gas, Trump's dictatorship quote, his adoration of dictators like 223 00:16:04,995 --> 00:16:08,115 Speaker 1: she the man is a content factory. Take all of 224 00:16:08,155 --> 00:16:10,675 Speaker 1: his videos and put them out every day. To one 225 00:16:10,675 --> 00:16:13,195 Speaker 1: of those voting guide ones about how he killed the 226 00:16:13,235 --> 00:16:16,875 Speaker 1: border deal, Donald Trump said killers are coming across the border. 227 00:16:16,915 --> 00:16:20,035 Speaker 1: Why is he helping them come across the border? The 228 00:16:20,075 --> 00:16:24,475 Speaker 1: media both sides something, call them out. This one's for 229 00:16:24,475 --> 00:16:27,595 Speaker 1: the New York Times. Excellent. The next one should be 230 00:16:27,635 --> 00:16:32,275 Speaker 1: for Chris Wallace or Dowd or John Stewart by name, 231 00:16:33,915 --> 00:16:36,675 Speaker 1: and the millions you are going to spend on advertising 232 00:16:36,675 --> 00:16:39,595 Speaker 1: on television in the Swing States. Do a TV spot 233 00:16:39,675 --> 00:16:44,795 Speaker 1: that starts, we all know Donald Trump is insane. To 234 00:16:44,875 --> 00:16:47,835 Speaker 1: another one that starts we all know something is wrong 235 00:16:47,835 --> 00:16:52,715 Speaker 1: with Donald Trump's brain and it's getting worse. To another 236 00:16:52,755 --> 00:16:55,355 Speaker 1: one with him explaining when he'll be a dictator, to 237 00:16:55,435 --> 00:16:57,915 Speaker 1: another one with the video of his deposition where he 238 00:16:57,915 --> 00:17:00,435 Speaker 1: says the photo of e Gen Carroll is actually his 239 00:17:00,515 --> 00:17:03,715 Speaker 1: second wife, Marila Maples. And then do some game show 240 00:17:03,755 --> 00:17:09,195 Speaker 1: effect and play the game show loser wompwomp sound, and 241 00:17:09,355 --> 00:17:13,275 Speaker 1: all of these spots should end the same way. I'm 242 00:17:13,355 --> 00:17:15,875 Speaker 1: Joe Biden, and I approved this message because I'm the 243 00:17:15,875 --> 00:17:19,595 Speaker 1: Democratic candidate for president and that's not a brand name. 244 00:17:19,915 --> 00:17:25,795 Speaker 1: We're Democrats. We're the party that wants to keep democracy. 245 00:17:31,595 --> 00:17:34,875 Speaker 1: Also of interest, here a New York Times writer has slipped. 246 00:17:35,395 --> 00:17:38,515 Speaker 1: He has given away one of the real reason The 247 00:17:38,595 --> 00:17:42,995 Speaker 1: Times thought not just liberal but the most liberal by 248 00:17:43,075 --> 00:17:48,715 Speaker 1: everybody except anybody who reads it. Why the Times glories 249 00:17:48,835 --> 00:17:51,875 Speaker 1: in hitting Joe Biden over the head every day, and 250 00:17:51,915 --> 00:17:57,395 Speaker 1: Whyatt gloried in hitting Hillary and Obama and John Kerry 251 00:17:57,475 --> 00:18:02,235 Speaker 1: and Al Gore and Bill Clinton and William Jennings Bryan probably, 252 00:18:03,275 --> 00:18:06,435 Speaker 1: And that real reason is it as petty and as 253 00:18:06,635 --> 00:18:13,675 Speaker 1: unbelievable and as infuriating as you could imagine. That's next. 254 00:18:13,715 --> 00:18:40,755 Speaker 1: This is countdown. This is countdown, with Keith Olberman still 255 00:18:40,755 --> 00:18:45,155 Speaker 1: a head on countdown. It snowed here yesterday. Snow makes 256 00:18:45,155 --> 00:18:48,315 Speaker 1: me think of the Winter Olympics and the most snow 257 00:18:48,355 --> 00:18:52,195 Speaker 1: I've ever seen in a fairly snowy life. And then 258 00:18:52,235 --> 00:18:57,235 Speaker 1: I check my notes and it's the anniversary. It's today. 259 00:18:57,755 --> 00:19:02,875 Speaker 1: It's forty four years ago today, when my career almost 260 00:19:02,955 --> 00:19:06,835 Speaker 1: came to an end top a mountain in Lake Placid, 261 00:19:06,915 --> 00:19:10,635 Speaker 1: New York, because my bosses had gotten me drunk the 262 00:19:10,755 --> 00:19:14,395 Speaker 1: night before and the wind chill that morning was fifty 263 00:19:14,435 --> 00:19:18,795 Speaker 1: blows zero. I'll explain next in Things I promised not 264 00:19:18,915 --> 00:19:24,075 Speaker 1: to tell first time, to honor those from the wonderful 265 00:19:24,115 --> 00:19:29,155 Speaker 1: world of the Dunning Krueger Effect, Today's worst persons in 266 00:19:29,195 --> 00:19:33,075 Speaker 1: the world of the Bronze Worst, Sean Hannity boys. Life 267 00:19:33,115 --> 00:19:36,235 Speaker 1: tough when you're merely a well paid carnival barker for 268 00:19:36,275 --> 00:19:40,275 Speaker 1: the Republican Scam show. Media Matters reports that Hannity got 269 00:19:40,275 --> 00:19:43,915 Speaker 1: a little deep in the weeds on the Hunter Biden 270 00:19:44,075 --> 00:19:49,235 Speaker 1: non story. Last year, remember Hunter Biden? The number of 271 00:19:49,275 --> 00:19:54,195 Speaker 1: different segments Hannity aired on Hunter Biden was three hundred 272 00:19:54,235 --> 00:19:57,395 Speaker 1: and twenty five. That is an average of one and 273 00:19:57,555 --> 00:20:03,115 Speaker 1: one quarter Hunter Biden segments per show. Media Matter also 274 00:20:03,195 --> 00:20:05,315 Speaker 1: reports that out of three hundred and twenty five segments, 275 00:20:05,355 --> 00:20:07,715 Speaker 1: two hundred and twenty of them contained at least one 276 00:20:07,795 --> 00:20:12,715 Speaker 1: false or misleading claim. So, now what's happened? The Republicans 277 00:20:12,715 --> 00:20:14,915 Speaker 1: have bailed out on the Hunter Biden's story because as 278 00:20:14,955 --> 00:20:17,675 Speaker 1: hard as they tried, it didn't go anywhere, and the 279 00:20:17,755 --> 00:20:19,835 Speaker 1: yokl they put in charge of it got caught lying, 280 00:20:20,355 --> 00:20:22,555 Speaker 1: and their mob is upset that he got nothing out 281 00:20:22,555 --> 00:20:24,835 Speaker 1: of it, and they all want to now go and 282 00:20:24,875 --> 00:20:28,835 Speaker 1: switch to the Robert her story instead. Three hundred and 283 00:20:28,915 --> 00:20:31,955 Speaker 1: twenty five handy segments on a dead scandal? What did 284 00:20:31,995 --> 00:20:37,915 Speaker 1: Hannity get for his trouble? Well, Scotch, they're runner up, 285 00:20:38,515 --> 00:20:41,675 Speaker 1: running up? Who am I? Tom Brokaw? They're runner up? 286 00:20:41,755 --> 00:20:47,875 Speaker 1: Worser Talman Smith The New York Times. Talman Smith. I 287 00:20:47,915 --> 00:20:49,755 Speaker 1: dealt with him once on a cover piece I did 288 00:20:49,755 --> 00:20:52,395 Speaker 1: for the Week in Review. I think nice enough guy, 289 00:20:52,435 --> 00:20:56,195 Speaker 1: a little frantic if I remember, If you'd like a neatly, 290 00:20:56,275 --> 00:21:00,715 Speaker 1: succinctly summarized microcosm of where and when The Times jumped 291 00:21:00,715 --> 00:21:04,115 Speaker 1: the shark, here it is. Mister Smith got into a 292 00:21:04,115 --> 00:21:07,355 Speaker 1: social media discussion of how The Times went nuts over 293 00:21:07,395 --> 00:21:10,115 Speaker 1: the Robert Herr story. You'll remember that the stat was 294 00:21:10,555 --> 00:21:15,675 Speaker 1: thirty three Times stories in four days. Quoting mister Smith 295 00:21:16,555 --> 00:21:21,995 Speaker 1: to liberals parentheses only slash, primarily blaming the media. When 296 00:21:22,155 --> 00:21:26,635 Speaker 1: was the last time Biden did an open presser or 297 00:21:26,755 --> 00:21:30,955 Speaker 1: did an on record Q and A with us, right, 298 00:21:31,595 --> 00:21:37,875 Speaker 1: thank you, we're not his pr people unquote Now, well, no, 299 00:21:37,915 --> 00:21:40,755 Speaker 1: you're not. What you are is you are the first 300 00:21:40,755 --> 00:21:44,235 Speaker 1: targets when a Trump back in power decides to jail reporters, 301 00:21:44,835 --> 00:21:47,635 Speaker 1: even in front of John Stuart. But life is like 302 00:21:47,675 --> 00:21:50,195 Speaker 1: a box of chocolates. You never know which one contains 303 00:21:50,395 --> 00:21:55,475 Speaker 1: your ticket to a Trump concentration camp. The point is 304 00:21:56,315 --> 00:22:01,155 Speaker 1: mister Smith is expressing a reality that reporters don't usually reveal. 305 00:22:02,435 --> 00:22:05,235 Speaker 1: Often they judge their response to the news and the 306 00:22:05,315 --> 00:22:08,795 Speaker 1: key people in the news based largely on how easy 307 00:22:08,835 --> 00:22:13,915 Speaker 1: those people make their jobs. Trump is a psychopathic would 308 00:22:13,955 --> 00:22:16,475 Speaker 1: be dictator. On the other hand, he's just a fire 309 00:22:16,555 --> 00:22:20,475 Speaker 1: hose of stories. But Joe Biden, Joe Biden hasn't given 310 00:22:20,515 --> 00:22:23,075 Speaker 1: the Times to sit down interview lately, so we have 311 00:22:23,155 --> 00:22:26,715 Speaker 1: the right to burn him to the ground and the 312 00:22:26,755 --> 00:22:31,995 Speaker 1: democracy with him. In other words, democracy may die in darkness, 313 00:22:32,035 --> 00:22:37,115 Speaker 1: but retaliation from The New York Times thrives in darkness. Oh, 314 00:22:37,115 --> 00:22:39,515 Speaker 1: by the way, Talman Smith in that media post there, 315 00:22:40,155 --> 00:22:44,675 Speaker 1: he misspelled the word weir. But our winner the worst. 316 00:22:44,755 --> 00:22:46,355 Speaker 1: And I know this is out of date, but I 317 00:22:46,435 --> 00:22:50,435 Speaker 1: can't let this go by unappreciated Chris Sliza of The 318 00:22:50,595 --> 00:22:54,435 Speaker 1: Washington Now that they fired him, Chris still is a 319 00:22:54,475 --> 00:22:58,675 Speaker 1: contributor to MSN. No they got rid of him. Chris 320 00:22:58,715 --> 00:23:03,075 Speaker 1: Stial is a writer for CNN dot No gone. Chris 321 00:23:03,115 --> 00:23:07,195 Speaker 1: sal is a he has, he's a newsletter any who, 322 00:23:07,355 --> 00:23:10,675 Speaker 1: Poor Chris. As you probably have heard by now, Robert F. 323 00:23:10,755 --> 00:23:17,915 Speaker 1: Kennedy Junior stole verbatim his uncle's JFK's nineteen sixties campaign ad. 324 00:23:18,715 --> 00:23:21,475 Speaker 1: A Trump donor bought time during the Super Bowl to 325 00:23:21,555 --> 00:23:24,875 Speaker 1: run the nineteen sixty commercial, complete with the voices of 326 00:23:24,915 --> 00:23:28,035 Speaker 1: President Kennedy and others, and over the furious howls of 327 00:23:28,075 --> 00:23:31,195 Speaker 1: indignation from other members of the Kennedy family who rightly 328 00:23:31,195 --> 00:23:34,275 Speaker 1: feel that my former friend Bob is nuts and whether 329 00:23:34,315 --> 00:23:37,315 Speaker 1: he knows it or not, my friend, former friend Bob 330 00:23:37,395 --> 00:23:41,915 Speaker 1: is just another Trump stooge stalking horse. The blowback from 331 00:23:41,955 --> 00:23:45,955 Speaker 1: the other Kennedy was so bad that RFK Junior actually apologized. 332 00:23:46,715 --> 00:23:49,315 Speaker 1: Of course, he also at the same time pinned the 333 00:23:49,355 --> 00:23:52,075 Speaker 1: commercial at the top of his Twitter feed that got 334 00:23:52,075 --> 00:23:55,155 Speaker 1: the attention of the Federal Election Commission because the candidate 335 00:23:55,195 --> 00:23:57,315 Speaker 1: is not allowed to have any coordination with the pack 336 00:23:57,435 --> 00:24:01,155 Speaker 1: that spent what fifteen million to run that ad that 337 00:24:01,195 --> 00:24:04,275 Speaker 1: everybody hated. I mean, there may have been a crime 338 00:24:04,275 --> 00:24:07,515 Speaker 1: committe here and not just a crime against good taste. 339 00:24:08,995 --> 00:24:12,755 Speaker 1: So where does Chris Solissa the tuning fork for political reality? 340 00:24:12,915 --> 00:24:16,395 Speaker 1: Whatever he says? The opposite is a certainty? Where does 341 00:24:16,475 --> 00:24:21,275 Speaker 1: Chris Solisza fit into this? Right after the purloined Kennedy 342 00:24:21,315 --> 00:24:24,155 Speaker 1: ad ran during the Super Bowl somebody who turns out 343 00:24:24,195 --> 00:24:27,275 Speaker 1: to have been a professional Trump and RFK Junior Shill 344 00:24:27,715 --> 00:24:31,235 Speaker 1: promptly tweeted the Robert F. Kennedy Junior ad was brilliant. 345 00:24:32,155 --> 00:24:35,555 Speaker 1: Chris Salizis saw that about an ad that the world 346 00:24:35,875 --> 00:24:41,355 Speaker 1: was poised to immediately condemn and Chris retweeted it and 347 00:24:41,515 --> 00:24:47,795 Speaker 1: added quote, totally agree, Chris, Wait, don't let the Titanic 348 00:24:47,915 --> 00:24:51,715 Speaker 1: leave Port. I have to get on board. Solissa two days. 349 00:24:52,395 --> 00:25:15,315 Speaker 1: Worst person in the world. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, just ahead. 350 00:25:15,355 --> 00:25:19,635 Speaker 1: For years, for decades, occasionally in my dreams, I would 351 00:25:19,675 --> 00:25:23,315 Speaker 1: hear in the background the public address announcement there is 352 00:25:23,355 --> 00:25:27,755 Speaker 1: a bus leaving for Whiteface Mountain. Il ya unbus, keep 353 00:25:27,795 --> 00:25:32,195 Speaker 1: part for white Face Mountain. It's skipteinen bus. They're not 354 00:25:32,275 --> 00:25:36,355 Speaker 1: a white face mountain. Fought the Lake Placid Olympics of 355 00:25:36,395 --> 00:25:39,195 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty still haunt me and for one dreadful moment, 356 00:25:39,875 --> 00:25:44,395 Speaker 1: which today is the exact anniversary of next in things, 357 00:25:44,435 --> 00:25:47,595 Speaker 1: I promise not to tell first time for another dog 358 00:25:47,635 --> 00:25:49,635 Speaker 1: in need, you can help. Every dog has its day, 359 00:25:49,675 --> 00:25:53,155 Speaker 1: and today it's personal. My friend Andrew Blouner has a big, 360 00:25:53,275 --> 00:25:58,235 Speaker 1: lovely Bernese Mountain dog called Smiles because she does a 361 00:25:58,235 --> 00:26:01,795 Speaker 1: little While back, Smile suddenly became sick. It proved to 362 00:26:01,795 --> 00:26:05,755 Speaker 1: be cancer lymphoma. The good news is no evidence it 363 00:26:05,795 --> 00:26:08,995 Speaker 1: has spread. There have been two chemotherapy sessions now and 364 00:26:09,035 --> 00:26:11,875 Speaker 1: Smiles has tolerated it well and perked up. In fact, 365 00:26:11,915 --> 00:26:15,035 Speaker 1: those are great signs, but there are twenty three more 366 00:26:15,155 --> 00:26:18,275 Speaker 1: chemo days to come for her, and they will cost money, 367 00:26:18,675 --> 00:26:21,475 Speaker 1: and Smiles could use your help. Andrew has set up 368 00:26:21,475 --> 00:26:24,875 Speaker 1: a gofund me for her at GoFundMe dot com. Just 369 00:26:24,915 --> 00:26:29,635 Speaker 1: search Smiles Mountain quickest way to her. The bad news 370 00:26:29,675 --> 00:26:32,195 Speaker 1: here is Smiles is just two and a half years old. 371 00:26:32,555 --> 00:26:35,835 Speaker 1: But anything you can give will be gratefully welcomed. Just 372 00:26:35,955 --> 00:26:38,835 Speaker 1: publicizing Smiles will help. I'll put the link out on 373 00:26:38,875 --> 00:26:41,795 Speaker 1: Twitter again our teeing it can make all the difference 374 00:26:41,795 --> 00:26:45,595 Speaker 1: in the world. Smiles thanks you, and I thank you. 375 00:26:54,475 --> 00:26:57,515 Speaker 1: No arm goes off. It is pitch black in my 376 00:26:57,635 --> 00:27:02,475 Speaker 1: room at the Swiss Acres Motel. It is Valentine's Day 377 00:27:02,875 --> 00:27:08,955 Speaker 1: and I am still ill drunk. Keith knew he was 378 00:27:08,995 --> 00:27:12,795 Speaker 1: in trouble, but I was also twenty one years old, 379 00:27:12,835 --> 00:27:14,835 Speaker 1: and in fact, my twenty first birthday had only been 380 00:27:14,875 --> 00:27:20,515 Speaker 1: eighteen days earlier. So somehow I survived, showered, dressed, packed, 381 00:27:20,515 --> 00:27:23,555 Speaker 1: and I mean I packed two cassette tape recorders, four 382 00:27:23,595 --> 00:27:26,875 Speaker 1: sets of batteries, an audio processing machine that weighed like 383 00:27:26,915 --> 00:27:30,435 Speaker 1: fourteen pounds the nine volt batteries it took. I think 384 00:27:30,515 --> 00:27:33,755 Speaker 1: it was a dozen of them, a telephone, a backup telephone, 385 00:27:33,875 --> 00:27:38,435 Speaker 1: twelve assorted patch cords, two loose leaf notebooks, about eight pens, 386 00:27:38,515 --> 00:27:42,435 Speaker 1: two microphones, two extra pair of socks, and I got dressed, 387 00:27:42,635 --> 00:27:47,275 Speaker 1: two full sets of thermal underwear, shirts, sweaters, snow pants, 388 00:27:47,475 --> 00:27:51,955 Speaker 1: snow shoes. Because it was eleven degrees below zero that morning. 389 00:27:53,075 --> 00:27:55,515 Speaker 1: I got something quick to eat at the commissary, and 390 00:27:55,555 --> 00:27:58,475 Speaker 1: I made it out somehow to the line for the 391 00:27:58,515 --> 00:28:01,915 Speaker 1: bus from the Lake Placid Olympics Center to the Lake 392 00:28:02,035 --> 00:28:06,715 Speaker 1: Placid Transportation Center to Lake Placid white Face Mountain, then 393 00:28:06,795 --> 00:28:10,675 Speaker 1: onto the snow track the open penned mountain tractor that 394 00:28:10,715 --> 00:28:13,275 Speaker 1: went up the side of Whiteface Mountain and took me 395 00:28:13,355 --> 00:28:16,715 Speaker 1: to the finish line of the nineteen eighty Olympic Men's 396 00:28:16,755 --> 00:28:22,635 Speaker 1: downhill ski final still drunk. That is how a reporter 397 00:28:22,795 --> 00:28:26,075 Speaker 1: covered the Olympics nearly forty three years ago. You drank, 398 00:28:26,715 --> 00:28:30,315 Speaker 1: you woke up, you went, You stood near the finish line, 399 00:28:30,315 --> 00:28:33,475 Speaker 1: and when the skiers completed their runs, you hiked or 400 00:28:33,595 --> 00:28:36,395 Speaker 1: wobbled over to them, and you took out your microphone 401 00:28:36,475 --> 00:28:39,555 Speaker 1: or your pen, and you interviewed them, like two minutes 402 00:28:39,595 --> 00:28:42,515 Speaker 1: after they had finished hurtling towards you down the hill, 403 00:28:43,715 --> 00:28:46,035 Speaker 1: you could see almost nothing of the race from there. 404 00:28:46,435 --> 00:28:49,875 Speaker 1: There were no TV monitors. Basically your only clue was 405 00:28:49,915 --> 00:28:51,995 Speaker 1: the sound of the crowd that would give you about 406 00:28:51,995 --> 00:28:54,955 Speaker 1: thirty seconds worth of warning that the skier was coming 407 00:28:54,995 --> 00:28:57,715 Speaker 1: over the near horizon and you should be prepared to 408 00:28:57,875 --> 00:29:03,035 Speaker 1: flee just in case he or she wiped out. Also, 409 00:29:03,955 --> 00:29:06,835 Speaker 1: you were on top of a mountain at the dead 410 00:29:06,955 --> 00:29:09,635 Speaker 1: point of winter, and whereas it might have been a 411 00:29:09,755 --> 00:29:13,035 Speaker 1: balney eleven degrees below zero in the comfort of the 412 00:29:13,075 --> 00:29:16,915 Speaker 1: Swiss Acres motel with the wind chill at the base 413 00:29:16,955 --> 00:29:20,475 Speaker 1: of the mountain, it was forty eight below zero and 414 00:29:20,515 --> 00:29:23,395 Speaker 1: there had already been four inches of new snow since 415 00:29:23,475 --> 00:29:27,835 Speaker 1: the sun came up, which is where the still drunk 416 00:29:27,875 --> 00:29:31,635 Speaker 1: part came in Handy, my boss is at my first job, 417 00:29:31,715 --> 00:29:35,075 Speaker 1: the thousand station radio network called United pres International Audio, 418 00:29:35,435 --> 00:29:37,955 Speaker 1: had decided the night before to teach me how to 419 00:29:38,195 --> 00:29:42,715 Speaker 1: drink while on assignment. My bosses were the bureau manager 420 00:29:42,715 --> 00:29:44,995 Speaker 1: for that part of you PI, the late Stan Sebik, 421 00:29:45,035 --> 00:29:48,155 Speaker 1: who had hired me, and Sam Rosen, the sports director 422 00:29:48,195 --> 00:29:51,395 Speaker 1: of the network, who not only somehow survived being my 423 00:29:51,515 --> 00:29:55,435 Speaker 1: first boss, but today just forty three years later, is 424 00:29:55,475 --> 00:29:58,355 Speaker 1: still working as the television voice of the New York 425 00:29:58,435 --> 00:30:01,475 Speaker 1: Rangers hockey team and is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. 426 00:30:01,675 --> 00:30:04,355 Speaker 1: So I guess my reputation is a tough employee, as 427 00:30:04,395 --> 00:30:09,835 Speaker 1: WHI overrated, or at least Sam thinks. So Sam and 428 00:30:09,875 --> 00:30:12,555 Speaker 1: Stan kept me drinking at the motel until two am, 429 00:30:12,755 --> 00:30:14,435 Speaker 1: knowing full well that I had to get on the 430 00:30:14,635 --> 00:30:17,515 Speaker 1: six am bus to go cover the men's downhill, because 431 00:30:17,555 --> 00:30:19,635 Speaker 1: it was the two of them who had assigned me 432 00:30:19,715 --> 00:30:24,235 Speaker 1: to go cover the men's downhill, and bluntly, I was 433 00:30:24,235 --> 00:30:27,835 Speaker 1: surprisingly pleased with myself that freezing morning because I had 434 00:30:27,875 --> 00:30:31,035 Speaker 1: indeed learned how to drink while on assignment. I had 435 00:30:31,115 --> 00:30:35,395 Speaker 1: somehow found the phone jack for the UPI phone buried 436 00:30:35,475 --> 00:30:38,435 Speaker 1: under all the new snow, which of course was buried 437 00:30:38,515 --> 00:30:41,635 Speaker 1: under all the old snow, attached the phone to it, 438 00:30:41,715 --> 00:30:44,235 Speaker 1: got in a dial tone, called the office, checked the 439 00:30:44,275 --> 00:30:46,875 Speaker 1: alligator clips with which I would feed the tape, and 440 00:30:47,075 --> 00:30:52,635 Speaker 1: all was well until I went to put a cassette 441 00:30:52,675 --> 00:31:01,435 Speaker 1: tape into the cassette recorder. I didn't have one fat 442 00:31:01,555 --> 00:31:04,075 Speaker 1: lot of good two cassette tape machines gonna do you 443 00:31:04,115 --> 00:31:08,155 Speaker 1: without a set to stick in one of them. I 444 00:31:08,195 --> 00:31:12,995 Speaker 1: looked forlornly around the base of Whiteface Mountain, twelve hundred 445 00:31:12,995 --> 00:31:15,115 Speaker 1: feet above sea level. As we were. There was a 446 00:31:15,155 --> 00:31:18,955 Speaker 1: surprisingly nice chalet and a decent restaurant, but there were 447 00:31:18,995 --> 00:31:23,115 Speaker 1: no radio shacks or other electronics stores. There was, however, 448 00:31:23,235 --> 00:31:28,275 Speaker 1: one other radio guy, Jack Briggs, from the Associated Press 449 00:31:28,395 --> 00:31:32,155 Speaker 1: Radio Network, the nominal arch rival to our own UPI Audio. 450 00:31:33,275 --> 00:31:35,075 Speaker 1: I knew Jack a little. He was a nice guy. 451 00:31:35,755 --> 00:31:38,835 Speaker 1: I went and explained my plight, making sure to blame 452 00:31:38,835 --> 00:31:43,275 Speaker 1: my bosses for my predicament. Oh man, he said, his 453 00:31:43,355 --> 00:31:47,755 Speaker 1: breath turning into first steam and then ice cubes. I'm 454 00:31:47,795 --> 00:31:52,595 Speaker 1: so sorry, but I can't give you a cassette. I'm 455 00:31:52,595 --> 00:31:59,355 Speaker 1: sorry you were UPI, and I'm ap Oh how I laughed. 456 00:31:59,795 --> 00:32:02,155 Speaker 1: That was a great line to say to a rookie reporter, 457 00:32:02,275 --> 00:32:06,155 Speaker 1: still drunk thanks to the initiation rituals of his own bosses, 458 00:32:06,835 --> 00:32:10,315 Speaker 1: the possessor of one great buzz but zero audio cassettes. 459 00:32:11,755 --> 00:32:14,835 Speaker 1: Jack Briggs could tell I thought he was kidding. That's 460 00:32:14,835 --> 00:32:18,155 Speaker 1: when he said, I'm not kidding. Look, if my boss, 461 00:32:18,155 --> 00:32:22,115 Speaker 1: Shelby Whitfield ever found out, he'd fire me. I suddenly 462 00:32:22,195 --> 00:32:27,675 Speaker 1: wasn't drunk anymore, not at all. My boss will will 463 00:32:27,715 --> 00:32:31,555 Speaker 1: fire me. Briggs was adamant. I can't run the risk 464 00:32:31,595 --> 00:32:36,435 Speaker 1: of shellby finding out. I have to confess. I shouted, 465 00:32:37,235 --> 00:32:41,395 Speaker 1: how the hell is he gonna find out? Jack? I 466 00:32:41,435 --> 00:32:44,275 Speaker 1: think subconsciously I was hoping to create an avalanche, which 467 00:32:44,275 --> 00:32:45,835 Speaker 1: would have been a better solution than the one I 468 00:32:45,875 --> 00:32:49,355 Speaker 1: was faced with. I said to him, there's you and 469 00:32:49,395 --> 00:32:52,395 Speaker 1: there's me, and we're on top of a goddamn mountain 470 00:32:52,595 --> 00:32:56,075 Speaker 1: and Shelby Whitfield, your boss is in Washington, DC, and 471 00:32:56,155 --> 00:32:59,995 Speaker 1: he's a drunk, and he's probably more drunk than I am, 472 00:33:01,075 --> 00:33:03,395 Speaker 1: and he'd probably thank you for helping me to drink more. 473 00:33:04,955 --> 00:33:07,995 Speaker 1: Briggs would not budge. I told him I would pay him. 474 00:33:08,155 --> 00:33:10,235 Speaker 1: I told him I would give him the cassette back 475 00:33:10,315 --> 00:33:12,675 Speaker 1: after I fed my boss the interviews over the phone, 476 00:33:12,835 --> 00:33:14,875 Speaker 1: so there'd be no evidence and he wouldn't even have 477 00:33:14,915 --> 00:33:19,155 Speaker 1: to do any interviews. No good, I'm sorry, and I 478 00:33:19,195 --> 00:33:20,675 Speaker 1: know you're going to tell this story about me for 479 00:33:20,715 --> 00:33:23,795 Speaker 1: a while. As he walked away from me, I shouted 480 00:33:23,835 --> 00:33:30,275 Speaker 1: after him. Forever. Turned out there was no radio shack 481 00:33:31,075 --> 00:33:33,755 Speaker 1: and no camaraderie, but there was a West Coast newspaper 482 00:33:33,835 --> 00:33:37,315 Speaker 1: reporter atop the mountain who heard some of this conversation. 483 00:33:38,115 --> 00:33:40,715 Speaker 1: I guess I yelled a little loudly at mister Briggs. 484 00:33:41,075 --> 00:33:43,555 Speaker 1: Some guy standing next to a Saint Bernard told me 485 00:33:43,555 --> 00:33:46,275 Speaker 1: to quiet down and mentioned something else about the avalanches. 486 00:33:46,355 --> 00:33:48,955 Speaker 1: Or maybe I dreamed that part. I don't know. Anyway, 487 00:33:49,035 --> 00:33:52,115 Speaker 1: the West Coast newspaper guy said he had a micro 488 00:33:52,235 --> 00:33:54,395 Speaker 1: cassette machine and he would loan it to me and 489 00:33:54,435 --> 00:33:55,875 Speaker 1: I could give it back to him at the media 490 00:33:55,915 --> 00:33:57,715 Speaker 1: center that day or the next one. But I had 491 00:33:57,755 --> 00:33:59,395 Speaker 1: to do him a favor because there was this really 492 00:33:59,435 --> 00:34:02,195 Speaker 1: cute reporter in our UPI bureau and he really wanted 493 00:34:02,235 --> 00:34:03,755 Speaker 1: to be introduced to her. And I said, I can 494 00:34:03,795 --> 00:34:06,635 Speaker 1: promise you nothing but handshake, and he understood, and that's 495 00:34:06,675 --> 00:34:10,155 Speaker 1: how I did not get fired. But of course, a 496 00:34:10,235 --> 00:34:13,755 Speaker 1: story like this has punchlines, and this one has two 497 00:34:13,795 --> 00:34:17,075 Speaker 1: of them. The first is two years and a couple 498 00:34:17,155 --> 00:34:20,995 Speaker 1: of months later, Shelby Whitfield asked me to lunch. He 499 00:34:21,075 --> 00:34:23,675 Speaker 1: had left the Associated Press to run the sports department 500 00:34:23,715 --> 00:34:26,475 Speaker 1: at the ABC Radio network, back when that was not 501 00:34:26,515 --> 00:34:29,755 Speaker 1: only a thing, but a big thing. We went to 502 00:34:29,835 --> 00:34:33,395 Speaker 1: a terrific New York City Chinese restaurant near ABC called 503 00:34:33,435 --> 00:34:37,235 Speaker 1: shun Lee, and Shelby Whitfield interviewed me for a job 504 00:34:37,315 --> 00:34:39,595 Speaker 1: when that kind of job paid eighty thousand a year 505 00:34:39,635 --> 00:34:41,955 Speaker 1: in my very nice studio apartment and a very nice 506 00:34:41,955 --> 00:34:44,355 Speaker 1: part of town costs less than five hundred dollars A 507 00:34:44,355 --> 00:34:48,395 Speaker 1: month later, in an interesting twist, I found out the 508 00:34:48,515 --> 00:34:52,315 Speaker 1: jobs didn't exist. I was mentioning the interview in a 509 00:34:52,355 --> 00:34:55,355 Speaker 1: press box somewhere I think Madison Square Garden, and there 510 00:34:55,355 --> 00:34:59,115 Speaker 1: was another kid reporter named Howie Rose, and how he 511 00:34:59,235 --> 00:35:01,115 Speaker 1: is still working, he does the New York Mets games 512 00:35:01,155 --> 00:35:04,915 Speaker 1: on the radio, and how he said, wait, the viewed 513 00:35:04,995 --> 00:35:07,755 Speaker 1: me for that job last year, just an excuse for 514 00:35:07,795 --> 00:35:13,675 Speaker 1: that damn Whitfield to go drink his lunch on ABC's tab. Anyway, 515 00:35:13,715 --> 00:35:15,995 Speaker 1: before we started the interview for the job I did 516 00:35:15,995 --> 00:35:18,795 Speaker 1: not know did not exist at ABC, I told Shelby 517 00:35:18,795 --> 00:35:21,435 Speaker 1: Whitfield the White Face Mountain, can I borrow a cassette 518 00:35:21,515 --> 00:35:25,875 Speaker 1: Jack Briggs story? And Shelby's exact reply was, I don't know. 519 00:35:26,075 --> 00:35:28,035 Speaker 1: Was I going to find out? There was you and 520 00:35:28,075 --> 00:35:29,315 Speaker 1: there was him, and you were on top of a 521 00:35:29,315 --> 00:35:32,675 Speaker 1: goddamn mountain and I was in Washington. Only he didn't 522 00:35:32,675 --> 00:35:37,195 Speaker 1: say goddamn that Briggs. He added, always trying to suck 523 00:35:37,275 --> 00:35:39,275 Speaker 1: up to me. I got to tell you something I 524 00:35:39,275 --> 00:35:41,595 Speaker 1: actually once promised I wouldn't tell you if we ever met. This. 525 00:35:41,875 --> 00:35:44,235 Speaker 1: When the Olympics were over and came back to the office, 526 00:35:44,875 --> 00:35:46,755 Speaker 1: he told me what happened. He expected me to be 527 00:35:46,755 --> 00:35:48,675 Speaker 1: happy or give him a bonus or something. And I 528 00:35:48,715 --> 00:35:52,315 Speaker 1: called him a little snitch. Only Shelby didn't say snitch, 529 00:35:52,995 --> 00:35:56,635 Speaker 1: just a word that rhymed with it. The other punch 530 00:35:56,635 --> 00:35:59,515 Speaker 1: line is from nineteen ninety two, and remember this happened 531 00:35:59,555 --> 00:36:03,435 Speaker 1: at the nineteen eighty Olympics. I go to work at 532 00:36:03,715 --> 00:36:05,875 Speaker 1: ESPN and come in a little early to launch their 533 00:36:05,995 --> 00:36:08,875 Speaker 1: radio network, a story I've told here before. And there 534 00:36:09,635 --> 00:36:11,675 Speaker 1: I find a friend of mine since my radio days, 535 00:36:11,675 --> 00:36:13,315 Speaker 1: who I have not seen in a year or so, 536 00:36:13,435 --> 00:36:15,475 Speaker 1: and he says, hey, last month, I was at an 537 00:36:15,595 --> 00:36:18,035 Speaker 1: NBA game in Washington. I ran in at Jack Briggs. 538 00:36:18,355 --> 00:36:20,035 Speaker 1: He heard you were going to ESPN. He asked me 539 00:36:20,035 --> 00:36:22,195 Speaker 1: if you were still telling that story about the time 540 00:36:22,235 --> 00:36:24,555 Speaker 1: you got stuck on Whiteface Mountain without a cassette. And 541 00:36:24,595 --> 00:36:26,755 Speaker 1: he was the only other reporter there, and he wouldn't 542 00:36:26,795 --> 00:36:28,435 Speaker 1: give you a spare, and I told him you were 543 00:36:29,115 --> 00:36:32,115 Speaker 1: and I smiled, and I replied, I hope you remembered 544 00:36:32,155 --> 00:36:49,315 Speaker 1: to use the word forever. I've done all the damage 545 00:36:49,315 --> 00:36:51,395 Speaker 1: I can do here. Thank you for listening. Have I 546 00:36:51,475 --> 00:36:55,035 Speaker 1: mentioned We've been nominated for Best Political Podcast in the 547 00:36:55,075 --> 00:36:58,755 Speaker 1: iHeart Podcast Awards. It'll be given out next month. Did 548 00:36:58,795 --> 00:37:02,595 Speaker 1: I mention that only one of the five nominees that's independent, 549 00:37:02,675 --> 00:37:07,915 Speaker 1: no network, no backing, just me and the dogs. I 550 00:37:08,155 --> 00:37:11,155 Speaker 1: was wrong on one key point. However, you cannot vote 551 00:37:11,195 --> 00:37:13,835 Speaker 1: in this category. I knew I wasn't doing as well 552 00:37:13,875 --> 00:37:16,155 Speaker 1: as I should have been. It's all rigged. It's fixed. 553 00:37:16,955 --> 00:37:19,235 Speaker 1: I could still win if Mike Pence has the courage. 554 00:37:20,475 --> 00:37:24,235 Speaker 1: Not gonna win, but what the hell? Countdown? Musical directors 555 00:37:24,235 --> 00:37:26,995 Speaker 1: Brian Ray and John Phillip Shanelle arranged, produced, and performed 556 00:37:26,995 --> 00:37:29,115 Speaker 1: most of our music. Mister Ray was on the guitars, 557 00:37:29,115 --> 00:37:32,835 Speaker 1: bass and drums. Mister Shanelle handled orchestration in keyboards. It 558 00:37:32,875 --> 00:37:37,075 Speaker 1: was produced by Tko Brothers. I mean pod Say of America, 559 00:37:37,715 --> 00:37:40,835 Speaker 1: which is on an exhausting two day a week schedule, 560 00:37:41,635 --> 00:37:45,155 Speaker 1: is also nominated for Best Overall Podcast. So you can 561 00:37:45,195 --> 00:37:49,635 Speaker 1: guess if it's best overall podcast, maybe and it's in 562 00:37:49,835 --> 00:37:52,995 Speaker 1: this category of best political Podcast, that they're gonna win 563 00:37:53,115 --> 00:37:59,835 Speaker 1: best Political Podcast. That's the way this stuff works. I'm 564 00:37:59,875 --> 00:38:02,235 Speaker 1: not bitter. How can I be bitter? This is my 565 00:38:02,315 --> 00:38:06,195 Speaker 1: first podcast nomination for anything. It's an honor just to 566 00:38:06,235 --> 00:38:10,315 Speaker 1: be nominated. Other music, including some of the Beethoven compositions, 567 00:38:10,475 --> 00:38:12,875 Speaker 1: were arranged and performed by the group. No, it's not 568 00:38:13,115 --> 00:38:15,795 Speaker 1: just an honor to be nominated. I'm sorry. The name 569 00:38:15,835 --> 00:38:18,435 Speaker 1: of the group is No Horns Allowed. The sports music 570 00:38:18,515 --> 00:38:21,155 Speaker 1: is the Old Woman theme from ESPN two, written by 571 00:38:21,155 --> 00:38:25,075 Speaker 1: Mitch Warren Davis courtesy ESPN Inc. Our satirical and pithy 572 00:38:25,195 --> 00:38:27,835 Speaker 1: musical comments are by Nancy Fauss, the best baseball stadium 573 00:38:27,955 --> 00:38:31,235 Speaker 1: organist ever. Our announcer today was my friend Tony Kornheiser, 574 00:38:31,235 --> 00:38:34,875 Speaker 1: who probably regrets recording that. Everything else was pretty much 575 00:38:34,875 --> 00:38:37,435 Speaker 1: by fault. That's countdown for this The two hundred and 576 00:38:37,475 --> 00:38:41,235 Speaker 1: sixty six day until the twenty twenty four US presidential election, 577 00:38:41,715 --> 00:38:45,915 Speaker 1: the one and thirty third day since dementia Jay Trump's 578 00:38:45,915 --> 00:38:49,235 Speaker 1: first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the 579 00:38:49,275 --> 00:38:52,795 Speaker 1: United States use the fourteenth Amendment, use the insurrection at 580 00:38:52,915 --> 00:38:56,675 Speaker 1: use the justice system, use the mental health system, use 581 00:38:56,995 --> 00:39:00,995 Speaker 1: memes to stop him from doing it again while we 582 00:39:01,115 --> 00:39:05,635 Speaker 1: still can. Jon Stewart. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. 583 00:39:05,675 --> 00:39:08,755 Speaker 1: Bulletins is the news warrants till then. I'm Keith Olremman. 584 00:39:08,835 --> 00:39:30,675 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck. Countdown 585 00:39:30,715 --> 00:39:34,475 Speaker 1: with Keith Olreman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 586 00:39:34,555 --> 00:39:39,515 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 587 00:39:39,555 --> 00:39:41,395 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.