1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:20,875 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. So 2 00:00:21,035 --> 00:00:24,475 Speaker 1: tomorrow Robert F. Kennedy Junior will drop out of the 3 00:00:24,515 --> 00:00:28,395 Speaker 1: presidential race and might endorse Trump. And we don't know 4 00:00:28,435 --> 00:00:31,515 Speaker 1: what the deal is and which bribe Trump offered him, 5 00:00:31,555 --> 00:00:33,835 Speaker 1: but I'm expecting that Trump has agreed to name RFK 6 00:00:34,515 --> 00:00:39,875 Speaker 1: Secretary of Bears just to mess this up further. The 7 00:00:39,875 --> 00:00:43,995 Speaker 1: website The Hill reports that Rfk's endorsement of Trump is 8 00:00:43,995 --> 00:00:47,675 Speaker 1: being held up because his wife, Cheryl Hines from Curb 9 00:00:47,715 --> 00:00:51,115 Speaker 1: Your Enthusiasm, does not want him to endorse Trump. No, 10 00:00:51,275 --> 00:00:55,035 Speaker 1: I didn't email Larry and ask him what he knows. Regardless, 11 00:00:55,555 --> 00:00:58,635 Speaker 1: none of it may make any difference, because there is 12 00:00:58,675 --> 00:01:03,275 Speaker 1: some stunning new pro Harris polling and equally stunning new 13 00:01:03,315 --> 00:01:07,115 Speaker 1: reasons for me to repeat my question from yesterday. Is 14 00:01:07,275 --> 00:01:12,475 Speaker 1: Trump dying or something? Kennedy First, he says, I will 15 00:01:12,475 --> 00:01:16,315 Speaker 1: not confirm or deny that he's dropping out and endorsing Trump, 16 00:01:16,435 --> 00:01:20,075 Speaker 1: but he has confirmed that tomorrow he will address the 17 00:01:20,195 --> 00:01:26,435 Speaker 1: nation about the path forward for his campaign, which, as 18 00:01:26,475 --> 00:01:30,115 Speaker 1: three quarters of his support has vanished, the path is 19 00:01:30,155 --> 00:01:33,355 Speaker 1: pretty much narrowed to taking his campaign, stuffing it in 20 00:01:33,395 --> 00:01:35,715 Speaker 1: the backseat. Of his car and then dumping it in 21 00:01:35,755 --> 00:01:37,635 Speaker 1: Central Park and trying to make it look like it 22 00:01:37,675 --> 00:01:42,035 Speaker 1: was killed by a bicyclist. Yeah, bicyclist named Joe Biden. 23 00:01:43,275 --> 00:01:47,435 Speaker 1: ABC News reports Kennedy will drop out. The Washington Post 24 00:01:47,475 --> 00:01:51,715 Speaker 1: merely intimates he has had multiple conversations about it with Trump, 25 00:01:51,875 --> 00:01:55,995 Speaker 1: including one in person. The campaign insists nothing is final. 26 00:01:56,195 --> 00:01:59,675 Speaker 1: He'll be announcing whatever he announces in Phoenix at noon 27 00:01:59,715 --> 00:02:03,515 Speaker 1: local time, and Trump will be at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, 28 00:02:03,555 --> 00:02:06,555 Speaker 1: at four local time. And yeah, you do the math. 29 00:02:07,835 --> 00:02:13,475 Speaker 1: This really is Trump's only obvious remaining play at this point, 30 00:02:13,795 --> 00:02:16,995 Speaker 1: and it is debatable if it is as big a 31 00:02:17,075 --> 00:02:20,355 Speaker 1: deal as it would have been literally just five weeks ago. 32 00:02:21,035 --> 00:02:24,115 Speaker 1: To start with, it is unclear how many Kennedy voters 33 00:02:24,115 --> 00:02:27,635 Speaker 1: there are left, And of course all the polls asked 34 00:02:27,715 --> 00:02:30,795 Speaker 1: a backwards version of the question that would answer that. 35 00:02:31,435 --> 00:02:36,075 Speaker 1: NBC quized Republicans and Democrats about Kennedy in July before 36 00:02:36,115 --> 00:02:39,795 Speaker 1: the President dropped out, and found that Kennedy's approval among 37 00:02:39,875 --> 00:02:43,995 Speaker 1: Republicans was plus eleven, while among Democrats it was minus 38 00:02:44,035 --> 00:02:48,675 Speaker 1: thirty eight. That, of course, is exactly the opposite of 39 00:02:48,715 --> 00:02:52,875 Speaker 1: the information we could use, which is, what would be 40 00:02:53,075 --> 00:02:57,755 Speaker 1: Kennedy voters think of Kamala Harris and Trump? What do 41 00:02:57,795 --> 00:03:03,035 Speaker 1: they think of Democrats and Republicans before the Biden drop out, 42 00:03:03,075 --> 00:03:05,315 Speaker 1: when it was forty five forty three in the head 43 00:03:05,355 --> 00:03:08,235 Speaker 1: to head matchup, when they would expand to the full 44 00:03:08,315 --> 00:03:11,755 Speaker 1: field with all the other psychoes like Kennedy and Cornell 45 00:03:11,835 --> 00:03:16,275 Speaker 1: West and Jill Stein, Trump would lose thirteen percent of 46 00:03:16,315 --> 00:03:19,795 Speaker 1: his support. What's more, though, in state after state, it's 47 00:03:19,795 --> 00:03:22,915 Speaker 1: clear Kennedy is now hurting Trump. The most recent national 48 00:03:22,955 --> 00:03:27,315 Speaker 1: poll by IPSO says Kennedy's has been taking two percent 49 00:03:27,355 --> 00:03:31,795 Speaker 1: of Trump's support but three percent of Harris's support. The 50 00:03:31,875 --> 00:03:36,355 Speaker 1: Times poll in just the battlegrounds produces an even foggier number. 51 00:03:36,475 --> 00:03:40,195 Speaker 1: Kennedy has been taking three percent of Harris's support and 52 00:03:41,075 --> 00:03:44,155 Speaker 1: three percent of Trump's support. And all of this is 53 00:03:44,155 --> 00:03:48,035 Speaker 1: still predicated on an assumption that the remaining Kennedy voters 54 00:03:48,275 --> 00:03:52,595 Speaker 1: will vote for Trump or Harris. I mean, if you 55 00:03:52,675 --> 00:03:55,875 Speaker 1: were dumb enough to be ready to vote for Kennedy, 56 00:03:56,275 --> 00:04:01,035 Speaker 1: you are dumb enough to vote for Jill Stein. There 57 00:04:01,075 --> 00:04:04,875 Speaker 1: also continue to be early signs, and I mean like 58 00:04:05,475 --> 00:04:09,915 Speaker 1: predicting next month's weather early signs that we might have 59 00:04:09,955 --> 00:04:12,995 Speaker 1: to change that last sentence there too, if you were 60 00:04:13,075 --> 00:04:16,675 Speaker 1: dumb enough to vote for Trump. Obviously, the Tim Walls 61 00:04:16,675 --> 00:04:19,355 Speaker 1: speech went well last night, and the Obamas will continue 62 00:04:19,395 --> 00:04:23,075 Speaker 1: to piss off the fascists right through the election. And please, 63 00:04:23,115 --> 00:04:25,915 Speaker 1: dear God, get Kamala Harris on stage no later than 64 00:04:25,955 --> 00:04:28,515 Speaker 1: ten pm Eastern tonight. I'm pleading with you. This is 65 00:04:28,515 --> 00:04:30,875 Speaker 1: not a sporting event. The ratings do not go up 66 00:04:30,875 --> 00:04:35,395 Speaker 1: the later you stay on past eleven o'clock. But more 67 00:04:35,435 --> 00:04:41,995 Speaker 1: intriguing than all that these new polls, something very very 68 00:04:42,035 --> 00:04:46,475 Speaker 1: odd has come out of Rasmussen polling. He died in 69 00:04:46,595 --> 00:04:50,595 Speaker 1: the will pick fights on social media in the tank 70 00:04:51,355 --> 00:04:54,635 Speaker 1: boot licking bunch of conservatives founded by the guy who 71 00:04:54,715 --> 00:04:58,475 Speaker 1: created ESPN, then was removed from controlling it two months 72 00:04:58,475 --> 00:05:01,475 Speaker 1: before it signed on, and eventually he got like seven 73 00:05:01,515 --> 00:05:04,195 Speaker 1: hundred and forty grand for his share of the whole company. 74 00:05:05,035 --> 00:05:10,275 Speaker 1: The average Rasmussen poll shaves four to five points off 75 00:05:10,315 --> 00:05:13,115 Speaker 1: the Democrat in every other pole, and yet in Wisconsin 76 00:05:13,595 --> 00:05:17,555 Speaker 1: Rasmussen now has Senator Baldwin beating Eric Hovdy, the guy 77 00:05:17,595 --> 00:05:21,355 Speaker 1: from the brawny paper towel rappers, by ten points and 78 00:05:21,435 --> 00:05:25,115 Speaker 1: it has Harris beating Trump by one point. If that 79 00:05:25,275 --> 00:05:28,635 Speaker 1: pole in Wisconsin by Rasmussen is accurate, the weather may 80 00:05:28,635 --> 00:05:32,555 Speaker 1: be getting very dark for Trump very fast. And then 81 00:05:32,635 --> 00:05:36,675 Speaker 1: the University of New Hampshire has put out polling on Maine. 82 00:05:37,715 --> 00:05:40,755 Speaker 1: On July twenty fifth, the week Biden dropped out, This 83 00:05:40,915 --> 00:05:45,235 Speaker 1: same pole had the pretty damned Conservative Republican Secure Main 84 00:05:45,635 --> 00:05:49,995 Speaker 1: second District at Trump plus two or Trump plus four 85 00:05:50,075 --> 00:05:52,435 Speaker 1: with Kennedy and the rest in the mix. The same 86 00:05:52,515 --> 00:05:58,475 Speaker 1: pole now has Harris up by five in both measures, 87 00:05:58,915 --> 00:06:03,475 Speaker 1: a seven or nine point swing to Harris in a 88 00:06:03,515 --> 00:06:08,035 Speaker 1: Conservative bash in less than one month. And in the 89 00:06:08,035 --> 00:06:11,395 Speaker 1: same poll she is ahead by twenty eight points in 90 00:06:11,475 --> 00:06:15,195 Speaker 1: the liberal first district of Maine and seventeen overall in 91 00:06:15,275 --> 00:06:21,355 Speaker 1: the state. It is startling, or if you prefer stunning, 92 00:06:22,315 --> 00:06:25,515 Speaker 1: that is the word Politico of all outfits has used 93 00:06:25,515 --> 00:06:29,915 Speaker 1: to describe interior numbers in major polls across tabs, as 94 00:06:29,955 --> 00:06:32,755 Speaker 1: the kids call them. Taking time out from listing who 95 00:06:32,795 --> 00:06:36,355 Speaker 1: went to the Politico grill at the Democratic Convention, their 96 00:06:36,395 --> 00:06:42,035 Speaker 1: analysts delved into ten quality polls, and they now write, quote, 97 00:06:42,075 --> 00:06:46,115 Speaker 1: Harris has registered gains across a wide range of demographic categories, 98 00:06:46,355 --> 00:06:49,475 Speaker 1: but the improvement has been especially pronounced among young voters, 99 00:06:49,875 --> 00:06:54,395 Speaker 1: non white voters, and women voters. Taken together, the numbers 100 00:06:54,395 --> 00:06:58,635 Speaker 1: suggest that the Harris swap has largely repaired a fraying 101 00:06:58,755 --> 00:07:03,915 Speaker 1: Democratic coalition, has repaired the party's image presidentially among independents, 102 00:07:04,195 --> 00:07:07,355 Speaker 1: and has dragged the election back to a toss up 103 00:07:07,515 --> 00:07:10,395 Speaker 1: at the minimum. In short, she has managed to do 104 00:07:10,435 --> 00:07:14,835 Speaker 1: something that every candidate can only dream of, appeal to 105 00:07:14,995 --> 00:07:21,315 Speaker 1: her base without turning off swing voters. Politico cites these 106 00:07:21,315 --> 00:07:24,515 Speaker 1: gains in particular twelve percent improvement over Joe Biden among 107 00:07:24,555 --> 00:07:29,115 Speaker 1: black voters, six percent among Hispanics, five percent growth among 108 00:07:29,235 --> 00:07:34,075 Speaker 1: non college educated, seven points added among women, nine percent 109 00:07:34,115 --> 00:07:40,835 Speaker 1: among independents, seventeen percent among young voters. Politico started that 110 00:07:40,915 --> 00:07:45,075 Speaker 1: report with the words startling and ended its analysis of 111 00:07:45,115 --> 00:07:47,955 Speaker 1: the eye popping gains with a different word, and that 112 00:07:47,995 --> 00:08:11,595 Speaker 1: word was unprecedented. Here's another word to use about what's 113 00:08:11,635 --> 00:08:16,995 Speaker 1: going on. Craze has in crasee gains for Kamala Harris 114 00:08:17,035 --> 00:08:21,675 Speaker 1: because Trump is crazy. I don't know if this is 115 00:08:21,755 --> 00:08:25,595 Speaker 1: truly the most Freudian slip Trump has ever made, or 116 00:08:25,715 --> 00:08:28,675 Speaker 1: the most Freudian slip Trump could ever make but it 117 00:08:28,715 --> 00:08:31,475 Speaker 1: sure feels like it, and it sure feels like it 118 00:08:31,515 --> 00:08:34,475 Speaker 1: contains an admission or a plea for help, or a 119 00:08:34,595 --> 00:08:38,675 Speaker 1: foreshadowing or something. It is now many hours since I 120 00:08:38,755 --> 00:08:40,835 Speaker 1: first heard it, and I am still shocked by it, 121 00:08:40,995 --> 00:08:44,075 Speaker 1: and I'll stop with the preamble already. But Trump has 122 00:08:44,115 --> 00:08:48,315 Speaker 1: gone on the Hugh Hewitt Gullible Hour and was, for 123 00:08:48,355 --> 00:08:53,235 Speaker 1: whatever reason, unable to complete his hoary old anti Semitic 124 00:08:53,315 --> 00:08:56,555 Speaker 1: trope about Jewish Americans voting for Democrats. 125 00:08:56,595 --> 00:09:01,555 Speaker 2: If Jewish people vote for her, and I use this expression, 126 00:09:01,675 --> 00:09:06,515 Speaker 2: they ought to go out because Kamala is a person. 127 00:09:06,955 --> 00:09:10,315 Speaker 1: He left out. The second half the Trump trope is, 128 00:09:10,395 --> 00:09:12,315 Speaker 1: if Jewish people vote for her, they ought to go 129 00:09:12,395 --> 00:09:16,675 Speaker 1: out and get their heads examined. He left out and 130 00:09:16,795 --> 00:09:22,795 Speaker 1: gets their heads examined. This brain damaged, deteriorating, crazy individual 131 00:09:23,035 --> 00:09:26,435 Speaker 1: who packs more personality disorders per pound than anybody else 132 00:09:26,475 --> 00:09:28,955 Speaker 1: in human history, This man who has over the last 133 00:09:28,955 --> 00:09:33,555 Speaker 1: several months showed accelerating signs of physical decline, whole body decline. 134 00:09:34,275 --> 00:09:37,595 Speaker 1: He said, if Jewish people vote for her, they ought 135 00:09:37,635 --> 00:09:41,675 Speaker 1: to go out, and he forgot the rest of it. 136 00:09:42,235 --> 00:09:45,595 Speaker 1: He forgot to say and get their heads examined, which, 137 00:09:45,715 --> 00:09:48,955 Speaker 1: by no coincidence whatsoever, is what he should be doing 138 00:09:49,075 --> 00:09:53,355 Speaker 1: right now, getting his head examined. Just to sell the 139 00:09:53,395 --> 00:09:59,515 Speaker 1: point further. The interviewer well, the stenographer, Hugh Hewitt, the 140 00:09:59,635 --> 00:10:04,315 Speaker 1: Lars Larsen of Eric Erickson's, followed up with a promotional 141 00:10:04,355 --> 00:10:07,155 Speaker 1: tweet in which he gave it all away. Trump remains 142 00:10:07,155 --> 00:10:10,275 Speaker 1: the best interview in America has been since twenty fifteen 143 00:10:10,555 --> 00:10:16,315 Speaker 1: because he tells you exactly what you think. You bet 144 00:10:16,395 --> 00:10:23,395 Speaker 1: your ass, Sonny. Hugh Hewett deleted that post. Again, it 145 00:10:23,555 --> 00:10:26,795 Speaker 1: sounds like a badly written scene in a badly written 146 00:10:26,835 --> 00:10:31,075 Speaker 1: episode of Succession. And I know that's redundant, but that's 147 00:10:31,115 --> 00:10:33,835 Speaker 1: a different story for a different podcast. But it also 148 00:10:33,955 --> 00:10:36,715 Speaker 1: sounds like one of those moments when everybody who doesn't 149 00:10:36,795 --> 00:10:40,875 Speaker 1: recognize its importance looks back and says, and that's when 150 00:10:40,915 --> 00:10:45,995 Speaker 1: I knew Trump was finished psychologically. One more time on this. 151 00:10:46,435 --> 00:10:50,755 Speaker 2: It's Jewish people vote for her, And I use this 152 00:10:50,875 --> 00:10:54,675 Speaker 2: expression they ought to go out because Kamala. 153 00:10:55,195 --> 00:11:01,435 Speaker 1: Is a person, Doctor Fried. If that is insufficient, everybody 154 00:11:01,435 --> 00:11:05,195 Speaker 1: forgets things like the second half of their hateful cat phrases, 155 00:11:06,075 --> 00:11:09,155 Speaker 1: the half that could be applied to themselves everybody does 156 00:11:09,195 --> 00:11:12,355 Speaker 1: that right. Trump also got back on the outdoor stump 157 00:11:12,435 --> 00:11:16,115 Speaker 1: yesterday and he announced that American generals are woke and fake, 158 00:11:16,835 --> 00:11:21,115 Speaker 1: and he claims we have F thirty two fighters, even 159 00:11:21,155 --> 00:11:23,155 Speaker 1: though there is no such thing as an F thirty 160 00:11:23,195 --> 00:11:27,195 Speaker 1: two fighter. And he made up a story, made up 161 00:11:27,315 --> 00:11:30,715 Speaker 1: a story that Kamala Harris met with Vladimir Putin just 162 00:11:30,755 --> 00:11:34,395 Speaker 1: before he invaded further into Ukraine in twenty twenty two. 163 00:11:34,595 --> 00:11:38,395 Speaker 1: Utter bullshit. They have never met. Harris went to the 164 00:11:38,515 --> 00:11:43,035 Speaker 1: Munich Security Conference in February twenty twenty two, warning Russia 165 00:11:44,275 --> 00:11:46,875 Speaker 1: and warning that Russia was going to create a false 166 00:11:46,915 --> 00:11:51,275 Speaker 1: pretext for invasion. Putin was not there. The closest thing 167 00:11:51,995 --> 00:11:54,595 Speaker 1: Harris and Putin have ever come to a meeting is 168 00:11:55,035 --> 00:12:01,475 Speaker 1: Harris talked about Putin once. This sounds nuts, obviously in 169 00:12:01,595 --> 00:12:03,915 Speaker 1: a way it is, But in a different way, it's 170 00:12:03,955 --> 00:12:07,835 Speaker 1: far darker. Between the polls and the escalating tone of 171 00:12:07,915 --> 00:12:11,395 Speaker 1: absurdity in Trump's attacks on Harris, there is reason to 172 00:12:11,435 --> 00:12:15,395 Speaker 1: suppose Trump and is very evil, not quite geniuses may 173 00:12:15,435 --> 00:12:19,515 Speaker 1: be shifting from bothering to even try to win at 174 00:12:19,515 --> 00:12:23,275 Speaker 1: the ballot box to simply ginning up the rage and 175 00:12:23,355 --> 00:12:26,315 Speaker 1: the doubt and the lunacy and the conspiracy so much 176 00:12:26,435 --> 00:12:30,475 Speaker 1: that it, as they say, creates consent for him and 177 00:12:30,555 --> 00:12:33,875 Speaker 1: his cooperative minions in the state legislatures and the House 178 00:12:33,875 --> 00:12:37,675 Speaker 1: of Representatives to steal the election after they lose it. 179 00:12:39,355 --> 00:12:42,675 Speaker 1: Thomas Edsell's column on Trump's next coup in the New 180 00:12:42,755 --> 00:12:46,515 Speaker 1: York Times ends with a quote from Yale historian Timothy Snyder. 181 00:12:46,915 --> 00:12:51,555 Speaker 1: I am thanking Edsall and quoting Snyder. Trump is in 182 00:12:51,635 --> 00:12:56,435 Speaker 1: the classic dictatorial position. He needs to die in bed 183 00:12:56,995 --> 00:13:01,795 Speaker 1: holding all executive power to stay out of prison. This 184 00:13:01,955 --> 00:13:04,675 Speaker 1: means that he will do whatever he can to gain 185 00:13:04,915 --> 00:13:07,675 Speaker 1: power and wants in power, will do all that he 186 00:13:07,755 --> 00:13:12,355 Speaker 1: can to never let it go. This is a basic 187 00:13:12,515 --> 00:13:20,915 Speaker 1: incentive structure which underlies everything else. It is entirely inconsistent 188 00:13:21,715 --> 00:13:34,075 Speaker 1: with democracy. So thanks to the Times for that, and 189 00:13:34,315 --> 00:13:40,035 Speaker 1: damn the Times for this. From fact check reporter Linda Hugh, 190 00:13:41,675 --> 00:13:44,635 Speaker 1: take it from an actual billionaire. Trump is rich and 191 00:13:44,795 --> 00:13:48,715 Speaker 1: only one thing stupidity a quote attributed to Governor JB. 192 00:13:48,835 --> 00:13:52,315 Speaker 1: Pritzker of Illinois at the Democratic National Convention, and the 193 00:13:52,355 --> 00:13:55,715 Speaker 1: fact check reporter in the Times writes this lacks evidence. 194 00:13:56,275 --> 00:13:59,955 Speaker 1: While mister Trump's exact net Worth is unknown. Forbes and 195 00:13:59,995 --> 00:14:05,555 Speaker 1: Bloomberg estimate that he is currently a billionaire. Obviously, we 196 00:14:05,595 --> 00:14:07,915 Speaker 1: know The New York Times has no sense of humor. 197 00:14:08,035 --> 00:14:12,595 Speaker 1: I mean, Maureen Dowd is considered a humorist at the 198 00:14:12,595 --> 00:14:16,595 Speaker 1: New York Times. But does a hyperbolic joke now require 199 00:14:16,675 --> 00:14:19,675 Speaker 1: a Times fact check so that The Times can claim 200 00:14:19,715 --> 00:14:22,755 Speaker 1: it as being fair to Trump? I mean, if I 201 00:14:22,955 --> 00:14:27,475 Speaker 1: ask how many Times fact checkers and idiotic editors does 202 00:14:27,515 --> 00:14:29,555 Speaker 1: it take to screw in a light bulb? Is the 203 00:14:29,595 --> 00:14:32,195 Speaker 1: Times going to fact check that? And note that there 204 00:14:32,235 --> 00:14:34,355 Speaker 1: is no empirical evidence that more or fewer of them 205 00:14:34,355 --> 00:14:39,075 Speaker 1: would be required than of any other demographic group. Jud 206 00:14:39,115 --> 00:14:42,555 Speaker 1: Leegum has an amazing piece of popular information headlined the 207 00:14:42,555 --> 00:14:47,995 Speaker 1: fact checking industrial complex. Just one paragraph of that please. 208 00:14:48,755 --> 00:14:53,115 Speaker 1: The fact checking industry got that right. Has attempted to 209 00:14:53,155 --> 00:14:56,875 Speaker 1: prove its objectivity by producing similar pieces for the Democratic 210 00:14:56,915 --> 00:15:01,035 Speaker 1: and Republican National Conventions. This requires some sleight of hand. 211 00:15:01,795 --> 00:15:05,235 Speaker 1: Glenn Kessler's fact check in the Washington Post on the 212 00:15:05,315 --> 00:15:09,075 Speaker 1: night Trump spoke to the RNC was limited exclusively to Trump. 213 00:15:09,755 --> 00:15:14,755 Speaker 1: Other noted fabulousts on the agenda, including Tucker Carlson Franklin Graham, 214 00:15:14,955 --> 00:15:19,315 Speaker 1: Alina Haba, and Eric Trump were ignored. Kessler's fact check 215 00:15:19,355 --> 00:15:24,195 Speaker 1: of Biden's speech to the DNC included all other speakers 216 00:15:24,515 --> 00:15:29,195 Speaker 1: on Monday evening. If you doubt that the Post is 217 00:15:29,275 --> 00:15:34,995 Speaker 1: doing this, still doing this? Oh you want fact checks 218 00:15:35,035 --> 00:15:39,315 Speaker 1: of Trump? Do you liberals? We'll give you some fact checks. 219 00:15:40,355 --> 00:15:43,155 Speaker 1: Let me read you this from Amy Gardner, National reporter 220 00:15:43,315 --> 00:15:47,355 Speaker 1: Washington Post quote. Donald Trump says he will refuse to 221 00:15:47,395 --> 00:15:51,195 Speaker 1: accept the election results if he loses again. Biden said, 222 00:15:51,755 --> 00:15:56,155 Speaker 1: But that's not true, Amy Gardner writes, Trump just hasn't 223 00:15:56,235 --> 00:16:00,075 Speaker 1: said that he would accept, and he has previously said 224 00:16:00,115 --> 00:16:04,995 Speaker 1: the only way he loses is if the Democrats cheat. 225 00:16:05,595 --> 00:16:10,475 Speaker 1: Well done, Amy Gardner. If you manage to snatch fascism 226 00:16:10,755 --> 00:16:15,155 Speaker 1: from the jaws of democracy with shit like this, please 227 00:16:15,235 --> 00:16:18,235 Speaker 1: do so confidence that when we are then all in 228 00:16:18,275 --> 00:16:22,115 Speaker 1: the Trump re education camps, there will be a sign 229 00:16:22,275 --> 00:16:27,075 Speaker 1: hanging from just your cell door. Reading noted that Trump 230 00:16:27,155 --> 00:16:29,875 Speaker 1: never said he would refuse to accept the election results, 231 00:16:29,915 --> 00:16:32,755 Speaker 1: only that he didn't say he would accept the election result. 232 00:16:32,995 --> 00:16:37,515 Speaker 1: So remember, give her two bowls of water a day. 233 00:16:43,035 --> 00:16:45,715 Speaker 1: Also have interest here did Hulk Hogan make a threat 234 00:16:45,715 --> 00:16:48,515 Speaker 1: of violence against the Vice president of the United States. 235 00:16:49,275 --> 00:16:52,355 Speaker 1: Shouldn't the FBI or the Secret Service be asking this 236 00:16:52,475 --> 00:16:56,635 Speaker 1: question and not some idiot with a podcast. Also, if 237 00:16:56,715 --> 00:16:59,635 Speaker 1: Hulk Hogan did try to fight her, wouldn't she kick 238 00:16:59,675 --> 00:17:07,195 Speaker 1: his ass? That's next? This is countdown. This is Countdown 239 00:17:07,995 --> 00:17:31,555 Speaker 1: with Keith Olberman ahead of us on this editiontive Countdown 240 00:17:31,595 --> 00:17:35,195 Speaker 1: out of nowhere. My lunch guest the other day who 241 00:17:35,235 --> 00:17:38,715 Speaker 1: was not in broadcasting and never has been said he 242 00:17:38,835 --> 00:17:44,355 Speaker 1: knew the former president of MSNBC, Rick Kaplan. Rick Kamplan 243 00:17:44,395 --> 00:17:49,075 Speaker 1: who wants threatened to kill me live while we were 244 00:17:49,115 --> 00:17:53,235 Speaker 1: both on MSNBC where we were in the background. We 245 00:17:53,235 --> 00:17:55,435 Speaker 1: weren't like the main show. God knows that would have 246 00:17:55,475 --> 00:17:58,275 Speaker 1: gotten much better ratings than anything they have now. But 247 00:17:58,395 --> 00:18:01,035 Speaker 1: we were live and he threatened to kill me and 248 00:18:01,235 --> 00:18:05,075 Speaker 1: was swearing at me live on MSNBC. So my friend 249 00:18:05,115 --> 00:18:08,355 Speaker 1: at lunch and I we traded Rick Kaplan stories. Mine 250 00:18:08,355 --> 00:18:12,395 Speaker 1: still wins because he tried to kill me. Coming up 251 00:18:12,395 --> 00:18:15,115 Speaker 1: in Things I promised not to tell first, there are 252 00:18:15,155 --> 00:18:18,315 Speaker 1: still more new idiots to talk about. The daily roundup 253 00:18:18,315 --> 00:18:20,875 Speaker 1: of the miss Grants, morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens 254 00:18:20,915 --> 00:18:27,635 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons. In the world, the brons worse. 255 00:18:28,235 --> 00:18:32,675 Speaker 1: The Live Casino in Philadelphia. Wait, I'm sorry, Apparently that's 256 00:18:33,275 --> 00:18:39,435 Speaker 1: it's the Live casino in Philadelphia has an exclamation point, 257 00:18:39,675 --> 00:18:44,555 Speaker 1: so it's either live or live. Apparently it's live. Makes 258 00:18:44,595 --> 00:18:47,715 Speaker 1: more sense that way, doesn't it. In any event, they 259 00:18:47,715 --> 00:18:51,475 Speaker 1: put up a big sign outside greeting Bruce Springsteen as 260 00:18:51,475 --> 00:18:53,795 Speaker 1: he comes to Philadelphia for a bunch of tour dates 261 00:18:53,875 --> 00:18:58,515 Speaker 1: there at the ballpark. Per Springsteen. Fan tour organizer Stan 262 00:18:58,635 --> 00:19:02,915 Speaker 1: Goldstein took a picture of the sign at the Live 263 00:19:03,475 --> 00:19:08,035 Speaker 1: or Live Cain in Philadelphia and captioned it, you had 264 00:19:08,035 --> 00:19:11,155 Speaker 1: one job. And it's a picture apparently of Bruce Springsteen 265 00:19:12,235 --> 00:19:14,555 Speaker 1: Live Casino hotel in the corner, and it says Welcome 266 00:19:14,595 --> 00:19:18,715 Speaker 1: to Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen s p R I N G 267 00:19:19,635 --> 00:19:24,395 Speaker 1: st ei N. So it could read welcome to Philadelphia, 268 00:19:24,435 --> 00:19:33,195 Speaker 1: Bruce Springstein. It misspelled Springsteen's name. They misspelled Springsteen's name 269 00:19:33,555 --> 00:19:36,395 Speaker 1: kid from the Jersey Shore, and they misspelled his name 270 00:19:36,515 --> 00:19:41,475 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia. You had one job. Also, it's it's just me, 271 00:19:41,595 --> 00:19:45,875 Speaker 1: but the photo of Springsteen looks like Jerry Seinfeld. Are 272 00:19:45,875 --> 00:19:49,915 Speaker 1: we sure that's Springsteen? Maybe it's some guy named Springstein. 273 00:19:50,275 --> 00:19:54,595 Speaker 1: And he's going to perform at the Live casino. Maybe 274 00:19:54,635 --> 00:19:57,635 Speaker 1: Bruce in nineteen seventy seven, but it's much more Seinfeld. 275 00:19:57,795 --> 00:20:00,835 Speaker 1: And the look on his face is is that my 276 00:20:00,995 --> 00:20:05,355 Speaker 1: car on fire in the parking lot? Disaster? All around? 277 00:20:05,675 --> 00:20:11,195 Speaker 1: Springsteen spelled wrong. The runner up worser Rudy Giuliani. Rudy 278 00:20:11,195 --> 00:20:16,475 Speaker 1: Giuliani along with Mike Lindell co hosting Steve Bannon's streaming 279 00:20:16,555 --> 00:20:20,475 Speaker 1: show on Nazi TV or whatever they call it, Real 280 00:20:20,595 --> 00:20:22,875 Speaker 1: Nazi's Choice. I forget what the name of it is. 281 00:20:23,315 --> 00:20:27,075 Speaker 1: The war Room, as if Steve Bannon could fit through 282 00:20:27,115 --> 00:20:31,075 Speaker 1: the doorway of the War Room. And the one argument 283 00:20:31,155 --> 00:20:34,195 Speaker 1: for letting Steve Bannon out of prison, and perhaps letting 284 00:20:34,275 --> 00:20:37,315 Speaker 1: him out early, is so that Rudy Giuliani and Mike 285 00:20:37,395 --> 00:20:40,915 Speaker 1: Lindell would not be hosting the show in his absence. Hello, 286 00:20:40,995 --> 00:20:43,835 Speaker 1: I'm Mike Lindell. And by the way, wasn't Mike Lindell 287 00:20:43,875 --> 00:20:46,835 Speaker 1: supposed to go undercover at the Democratic National Committee by 288 00:20:46,875 --> 00:20:50,715 Speaker 1: shaving off his mustache, because in the video he's wearing 289 00:20:50,715 --> 00:20:53,475 Speaker 1: a mustache. It's possible he has a collection of them 290 00:20:53,515 --> 00:20:58,195 Speaker 1: at home in a jar, hopefully his own. He's been 291 00:20:58,275 --> 00:21:01,635 Speaker 1: united done shaving other men's mustaches and keeping them in 292 00:21:01,675 --> 00:21:04,675 Speaker 1: any event, just a little update from Rudy who said, 293 00:21:04,715 --> 00:21:09,075 Speaker 1: as Steve mannon is being prevented from watching television or 294 00:21:09,115 --> 00:21:12,195 Speaker 1: streaming stuff, or listening to radio or listening to his 295 00:21:12,235 --> 00:21:15,315 Speaker 1: own show. And oh, by the way, Steve Bannon is 296 00:21:15,355 --> 00:21:16,875 Speaker 1: being tortured in jail. 297 00:21:17,435 --> 00:21:20,395 Speaker 3: Steve Bannon, let me tell you this, Steve mann is 298 00:21:20,435 --> 00:21:22,595 Speaker 3: not being treated the way other prisoners are being treated. 299 00:21:22,875 --> 00:21:25,235 Speaker 3: His case has been moved from the Bureau of Prisons 300 00:21:25,755 --> 00:21:29,035 Speaker 3: to crooked Attorney General Garland's office, and they're calling the 301 00:21:29,035 --> 00:21:32,835 Speaker 3: shots because contacts that I have in the Bureau of 302 00:21:32,835 --> 00:21:35,035 Speaker 3: Prisons have told me they've been taken out of the case. 303 00:21:35,715 --> 00:21:36,995 Speaker 1: So he's being let's. 304 00:21:36,755 --> 00:21:40,835 Speaker 3: Say, tortured. Well, and he'll be out. I'm sure he'll 305 00:21:40,835 --> 00:21:43,035 Speaker 3: be able to talk all about it. But boy, this 306 00:21:43,115 --> 00:21:46,635 Speaker 3: election is about a fascist regime and Steve Bannon is 307 00:21:46,715 --> 00:21:48,435 Speaker 3: prime number one of Victor. 308 00:21:48,515 --> 00:21:51,075 Speaker 1: Now, Rudy is right about this election being about a 309 00:21:51,115 --> 00:21:54,475 Speaker 1: fascist regime, just not in the way he's saying. I 310 00:21:54,515 --> 00:21:56,635 Speaker 1: was going to say thinking, But Rudy doesn't think, does he. 311 00:21:57,195 --> 00:22:00,035 Speaker 1: And by the way, he also used the little durbile, 312 00:22:00,275 --> 00:22:03,595 Speaker 1: little bunny rabbit air quotes around the word tortured, so 313 00:22:03,635 --> 00:22:07,235 Speaker 1: who knows what he actually means, but he theorizes Steve 314 00:22:07,395 --> 00:22:12,635 Speaker 1: Bannon is being tortured at the instructions of Merrick Garland 315 00:22:13,395 --> 00:22:19,395 Speaker 1: in a federal prison. I wish but your winner the worst. 316 00:22:19,475 --> 00:22:21,875 Speaker 1: Hulk Hogan, who you will recall, is one of the 317 00:22:21,915 --> 00:22:26,795 Speaker 1: speakers who introduced Trump on the climax night and if 318 00:22:26,795 --> 00:22:29,435 Speaker 1: that's the right word for it, of the Republican National Convention. 319 00:22:30,515 --> 00:22:33,475 Speaker 1: Somebody who represents Hulk Hogan does much of what has 320 00:22:33,515 --> 00:22:38,715 Speaker 1: destroyed our culture. Not wrestling. Wrestling's fine. Lots of fictional 321 00:22:38,715 --> 00:22:42,155 Speaker 1: things are fine, but the belief in the culture of wrestling, 322 00:22:42,475 --> 00:22:45,715 Speaker 1: the belief that it's anything but a performance, the belief 323 00:22:45,755 --> 00:22:48,355 Speaker 1: that it's legit in some way, the belief that it's 324 00:22:48,395 --> 00:22:51,755 Speaker 1: dignified in some way. It's an act, and it's a 325 00:22:51,795 --> 00:22:55,715 Speaker 1: crappy act. It's like the guy who announces his name 326 00:22:55,795 --> 00:22:58,275 Speaker 1: is Bruce Springstein and comes out and sings born to 327 00:22:58,395 --> 00:23:01,835 Speaker 1: run in the wrong key in any event. Here's Hulk 328 00:23:01,875 --> 00:23:05,195 Speaker 1: Hogan on his threat against the Vice President of the 329 00:23:05,275 --> 00:23:05,955 Speaker 1: United States. 330 00:23:06,555 --> 00:23:08,915 Speaker 2: Right crazy, Love me to grow. 331 00:23:08,835 --> 00:23:11,915 Speaker 1: More beers out, Love me to body slam somebody else, 332 00:23:12,435 --> 00:23:14,435 Speaker 1: Love me to body slam Kamala Harris. 333 00:23:15,755 --> 00:23:18,435 Speaker 3: Send you along near the body slam Kamala Harris. 334 00:23:19,515 --> 00:23:24,515 Speaker 1: I'm gonna talk away on comala famala from young. 335 00:23:27,115 --> 00:23:28,115 Speaker 2: Okay, I like it? 336 00:23:32,235 --> 00:23:33,395 Speaker 3: Oh he for that one. 337 00:23:37,475 --> 00:23:40,595 Speaker 1: Bears coming. First off, yes, you heard him go how 338 00:23:41,435 --> 00:23:46,635 Speaker 1: and he thinks Indian means Native American? I mean not 339 00:23:46,755 --> 00:23:50,595 Speaker 1: even Trump is stupid enough to think that the Indian 340 00:23:50,795 --> 00:23:54,195 Speaker 1: in Indian African, in the heritage of the Vice President 341 00:23:54,195 --> 00:23:57,755 Speaker 1: of the United States is Native American. That's how stupid 342 00:23:57,795 --> 00:24:02,395 Speaker 1: this man, Hogan is. Secondly, broadly interpreted, asking a bunch 343 00:24:02,435 --> 00:24:05,475 Speaker 1: of people, do you want me to body slam Kamala 344 00:24:05,555 --> 00:24:08,875 Speaker 1: Harris could be deemed a threat against the Vice President 345 00:24:08,915 --> 00:24:12,395 Speaker 1: of the United States. So, circling back to Rudy Giuliani's 346 00:24:12,395 --> 00:24:16,355 Speaker 1: friend Merrick Garland, prosecute him, put him in prison. Let's 347 00:24:16,355 --> 00:24:18,755 Speaker 1: see how far he's willing to take this T shirt 348 00:24:18,915 --> 00:24:23,435 Speaker 1: ripping wrestling bullshit culture. I know, I know, don't say 349 00:24:23,515 --> 00:24:25,715 Speaker 1: things like that. How about this. Put him in one 350 00:24:25,755 --> 00:24:28,915 Speaker 1: of those Steve Bannon jails and he can be tortured 351 00:24:29,475 --> 00:24:32,955 Speaker 1: by being forced to listen to Rudy doing the Steve 352 00:24:33,035 --> 00:24:37,995 Speaker 1: Bannon show. Hulk. By the way, You're seventy one years old, 353 00:24:38,195 --> 00:24:42,195 Speaker 1: three hundred pounds, drunk, and desperately out of shape. I 354 00:24:42,275 --> 00:24:46,155 Speaker 1: would avoid the vice president. She'd probably beat the crap 355 00:24:46,235 --> 00:24:52,435 Speaker 1: out of you. Hogan two days worst person in the world, 356 00:25:12,035 --> 00:25:14,515 Speaker 1: finally our number one story in the Countdown Things. I 357 00:25:14,635 --> 00:25:17,515 Speaker 1: promised not to tell him. Back to my favorite topic, me, 358 00:25:18,995 --> 00:25:22,035 Speaker 1: How exactly was I supposed to tell the police that 359 00:25:22,195 --> 00:25:25,355 Speaker 1: the man threatening to kill me was the president of MSNBC. 360 00:25:26,275 --> 00:25:29,435 Speaker 1: He was chasing me through the studios. He was too 361 00:25:29,635 --> 00:25:33,235 Speaker 1: overweight to run. But even though he inexplicably lied and 362 00:25:33,275 --> 00:25:35,995 Speaker 1: said he was six foot seven, at six foot five, 363 00:25:36,115 --> 00:25:38,035 Speaker 1: this guy his name was Rick Kaplan, and he was 364 00:25:38,115 --> 00:25:40,915 Speaker 1: the soon to be ex president of MSNBC, just as 365 00:25:40,955 --> 00:25:43,555 Speaker 1: he was already the ex president of CNN. He still 366 00:25:43,595 --> 00:25:47,835 Speaker 1: had strides as long as my own. Plus On that 367 00:25:48,075 --> 00:25:52,995 Speaker 1: night of August eighth, two thousand and five, I was multitasking. 368 00:25:53,115 --> 00:25:56,075 Speaker 1: I was trying to mentally record everything he was shouting, 369 00:25:56,475 --> 00:26:00,075 Speaker 1: while also drawing him away from the live microphones of 370 00:26:00,155 --> 00:26:04,035 Speaker 1: the live studio in which he had started shouting, while 371 00:26:04,115 --> 00:26:06,835 Speaker 1: also wishing for my office key so I could lock 372 00:26:06,915 --> 00:26:09,915 Speaker 1: myself in there if need be, while also figuring out 373 00:26:10,035 --> 00:26:11,995 Speaker 1: how I would hit him if it came to that, 374 00:26:12,475 --> 00:26:16,515 Speaker 1: while also trying to register the superb double takes from 375 00:26:16,635 --> 00:26:20,075 Speaker 1: my colleagues past, whom he was stomping like an out 376 00:26:20,115 --> 00:26:25,435 Speaker 1: of shape Frankenstein, while also trying to suppress an overwhelming 377 00:26:25,755 --> 00:26:30,555 Speaker 1: and seemingly inappropriate desire to burst into laughter, while still 378 00:26:30,875 --> 00:26:34,555 Speaker 1: game planning these soon to be inevitable call to the cops. 379 00:26:34,995 --> 00:26:40,435 Speaker 1: A beautiful downtown Secaucus, New Jersey. Hi. Yeah, yeah, he's 380 00:26:40,475 --> 00:26:46,715 Speaker 1: trying to kill me, my boss, the president of MSNBC. Yeah, yeah, 381 00:26:46,795 --> 00:26:50,675 Speaker 1: the cable television network. Yeah, exact down the street from 382 00:26:50,715 --> 00:26:55,875 Speaker 1: the London Fog Outlet store. Yeah, one MSNBC Plaza. I 383 00:26:55,955 --> 00:27:01,875 Speaker 1: know it's a dumb address. He's about sixty to seventy 384 00:27:01,915 --> 00:27:04,355 Speaker 1: five two hundred and eighty pounds. By the way, he 385 00:27:04,395 --> 00:27:06,635 Speaker 1: says he's six foot seven, but he's only six foot five. 386 00:27:07,555 --> 00:27:10,275 Speaker 1: Why Why does he lie about his height or why 387 00:27:10,395 --> 00:27:11,115 Speaker 1: is he trying to kill? 388 00:27:11,755 --> 00:27:11,915 Speaker 2: Right? 389 00:27:12,395 --> 00:27:15,155 Speaker 1: Well, I did a commentary urging the viewers to stop smoking, 390 00:27:15,195 --> 00:27:17,555 Speaker 1: and he's afraid of the mention of blood. Hello. 391 00:27:18,355 --> 00:27:18,595 Speaker 4: Hello. 392 00:27:20,275 --> 00:27:22,475 Speaker 1: As all of this played out in my head, President 393 00:27:22,555 --> 00:27:25,915 Speaker 1: Kaplan was huffing and puffing his way through our giant studio, 394 00:27:26,115 --> 00:27:29,155 Speaker 1: weaving through the news assignment area, past the makeup room, 395 00:27:29,275 --> 00:27:32,035 Speaker 1: down the hallways, nearing the offices of my show countdown, 396 00:27:32,395 --> 00:27:34,195 Speaker 1: and passed the bank of a couple of one hundred 397 00:27:34,235 --> 00:27:36,755 Speaker 1: television monitors with a different face on every one of them, 398 00:27:37,155 --> 00:27:41,515 Speaker 1: each seemingly staring slack jawed at the executive, screaming threats 399 00:27:41,795 --> 00:27:43,995 Speaker 1: at the only guy on his own network who got 400 00:27:44,035 --> 00:27:50,115 Speaker 1: any ratings. I'll pay you back, I'll get you I'll 401 00:27:50,195 --> 00:27:55,635 Speaker 1: finish your own I'll tell y'all. This had all begun 402 00:27:56,395 --> 00:28:00,555 Speaker 1: roughly ten days earlier, in late July two thousand and five, 403 00:28:00,955 --> 00:28:04,035 Speaker 1: an oral surgeon who had intended to examine a growth 404 00:28:04,195 --> 00:28:07,195 Speaker 1: on the roof of my mouth that instead, with one 405 00:28:07,595 --> 00:28:11,355 Speaker 1: pale look, silently betrayed his suspicion that it was cancerous. 406 00:28:11,795 --> 00:28:14,235 Speaker 1: Then he cut the whole thing out. I was on 407 00:28:14,435 --> 00:28:17,275 Speaker 1: my way to work anyway, It was too late to 408 00:28:17,315 --> 00:28:20,355 Speaker 1: get a replacement, and I was bleeding so much that 409 00:28:20,515 --> 00:28:24,035 Speaker 1: our technical director and I decided to pre record all 410 00:28:24,075 --> 00:28:27,235 Speaker 1: of my on camera segments for that night's show, thus 411 00:28:27,435 --> 00:28:30,715 Speaker 1: reducing the chances of viewers hearing me say President Bush 412 00:28:30,835 --> 00:28:34,395 Speaker 1: today while blood oozed out of my mouth over my 413 00:28:34,555 --> 00:28:37,715 Speaker 1: teeth and lips and onto the desk like I was 414 00:28:38,115 --> 00:28:43,195 Speaker 1: dracul Anchor. When the following Wednesday I got the unexpected 415 00:28:43,275 --> 00:28:46,075 Speaker 1: all clear from the surgeon's office, I decided to devote 416 00:28:46,115 --> 00:28:48,915 Speaker 1: some of each night's newscast to a campaign to help 417 00:28:48,995 --> 00:28:54,035 Speaker 1: viewers and myself quit smoking. My premise was a simple 418 00:28:54,115 --> 00:28:56,595 Speaker 1: one that I had never heard argued before and have 419 00:28:56,795 --> 00:28:59,715 Speaker 1: rarely heard argued since, that it would be a lot 420 00:28:59,915 --> 00:29:04,835 Speaker 1: easier to quit if you didn't have cancer. If you 421 00:29:04,995 --> 00:29:08,555 Speaker 1: did have cancer, I pitched my producers on the series. 422 00:29:08,875 --> 00:29:11,035 Speaker 1: I went into Rick Kaplan's office to get his seal 423 00:29:11,075 --> 00:29:14,355 Speaker 1: of approval. He was enthusiastic and supportive, and most rare 424 00:29:14,395 --> 00:29:17,395 Speaker 1: of all, he was paying attention. And then I said, 425 00:29:17,395 --> 00:29:18,835 Speaker 1: I was also going to point out that if you 426 00:29:18,995 --> 00:29:21,675 Speaker 1: got the good outcome like I had, they would merely 427 00:29:21,795 --> 00:29:23,875 Speaker 1: stick a laser in your mouth, and you'd smell your 428 00:29:23,915 --> 00:29:26,475 Speaker 1: own flesh burning for like forty eight hours, and you'd 429 00:29:26,515 --> 00:29:29,235 Speaker 1: have to keep spitting out your own blood. Don't say that. 430 00:29:31,115 --> 00:29:33,995 Speaker 1: He suddenly threw his meaty hands out towards me in 431 00:29:34,075 --> 00:29:36,995 Speaker 1: a strangling gesture, and then just as quickly clamped them 432 00:29:37,035 --> 00:29:40,035 Speaker 1: over his own ears and closed his eyes and began 433 00:29:40,155 --> 00:29:42,395 Speaker 1: actually screaming no no, no, no no no no no 434 00:29:42,515 --> 00:29:45,915 Speaker 1: no no no no no. I thought he had gone crazy, 435 00:29:46,995 --> 00:29:50,395 Speaker 1: as it proved he was just practicing for going crazy. Later, 436 00:29:51,155 --> 00:29:53,435 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I'm squeamish. I got the point. I just 437 00:29:53,475 --> 00:29:57,395 Speaker 1: can't handle references to, you know, uh the red stuff. 438 00:29:58,075 --> 00:30:01,155 Speaker 1: Go ahead with the series. Just tone down the uh 439 00:30:01,835 --> 00:30:07,915 Speaker 1: the red stuff. I toned down the red stuff, and 440 00:30:08,035 --> 00:30:10,755 Speaker 1: my executive producer is Epovich sent him the scripts and 441 00:30:10,835 --> 00:30:13,515 Speaker 1: he told her to tone down the red stuff a 442 00:30:13,555 --> 00:30:15,835 Speaker 1: little more. And I went and I did that too. 443 00:30:17,115 --> 00:30:20,035 Speaker 1: We all decided to start the anti smoking series the 444 00:30:20,115 --> 00:30:25,755 Speaker 1: following Monday, August eighth, two thousand and five. By nauseating coincidence, 445 00:30:25,835 --> 00:30:28,955 Speaker 1: that was the day after the ABC anchorman Peter Jennings 446 00:30:28,995 --> 00:30:32,475 Speaker 1: had died of lung cancer. The MSNBC president had been 447 00:30:32,515 --> 00:30:36,075 Speaker 1: a producer on jennings newscast. I had long since written 448 00:30:36,155 --> 00:30:39,755 Speaker 1: and recorded jennings obituary, and now this somewhat cold but 449 00:30:39,835 --> 00:30:42,915 Speaker 1: still journalistically valid segue would have to be made. We 450 00:30:42,955 --> 00:30:46,275 Speaker 1: would have to go directly from the twelve minute long 451 00:30:46,395 --> 00:30:48,955 Speaker 1: Jennings Oh bit to the start of our anti tobacco 452 00:30:49,115 --> 00:30:53,955 Speaker 1: campaign eight or nine minutes into that pre recorded Jennings obituary. 453 00:30:54,075 --> 00:30:56,395 Speaker 1: Rick Kaplan came out of his office and walked the 454 00:30:56,555 --> 00:30:59,355 Speaker 1: fifty feet or so through the vast open newsroom to 455 00:30:59,435 --> 00:31:02,435 Speaker 1: where my anchor desk was. His eyes were full of tears. 456 00:31:03,035 --> 00:31:06,515 Speaker 1: This is wonderful, he said. Qie Peter would have liked this. 457 00:31:07,475 --> 00:31:09,435 Speaker 1: He gave me a thumbs up. Then he walked to 458 00:31:09,515 --> 00:31:12,075 Speaker 1: a second desk another fifty feet away, where his first 459 00:31:12,155 --> 00:31:15,475 Speaker 1: big hire, a woman named Rita Cosby, was about to 460 00:31:15,595 --> 00:31:19,955 Speaker 1: premiere his first big gamble, her new show immediately following mine. 461 00:31:20,955 --> 00:31:24,555 Speaker 1: I was actually moved by Rick Kaplan's comment. I did 462 00:31:24,635 --> 00:31:28,635 Speaker 1: not once think of phoning the Secaucus police. But then 463 00:31:29,755 --> 00:31:32,475 Speaker 1: I began the anti smoking segment, and as I focused 464 00:31:32,515 --> 00:31:34,355 Speaker 1: on the camera and the teleprompter in front of me 465 00:31:34,435 --> 00:31:36,475 Speaker 1: and detailed the blood and the gore and the spitting 466 00:31:36,555 --> 00:31:38,835 Speaker 1: and how that was the good outcome, out of the 467 00:31:38,915 --> 00:31:42,275 Speaker 1: corner of my eye I saw this weird sight. The 468 00:31:42,395 --> 00:31:45,595 Speaker 1: President again left his office and waddled out along the 469 00:31:45,675 --> 00:31:47,955 Speaker 1: wall thirty feet all ahead of me in the general 470 00:31:47,995 --> 00:31:51,875 Speaker 1: direction of the control rooms. Within moments, as I continued 471 00:31:51,915 --> 00:31:53,995 Speaker 1: to read my script, he was back in the studio 472 00:31:54,315 --> 00:32:00,355 Speaker 1: and standing right next to my camera, gesticulating wildly. I said, 473 00:32:00,955 --> 00:32:02,955 Speaker 1: they never say it, but wouldn't it be really easier 474 00:32:02,995 --> 00:32:05,075 Speaker 1: to quit smoking when you didn't have cancer than when 475 00:32:05,115 --> 00:32:08,395 Speaker 1: you did? And Kaplan responded with the same two handed 476 00:32:08,595 --> 00:32:11,875 Speaker 1: choking gesture he had made briefly in his office much earlier. 477 00:32:12,355 --> 00:32:15,435 Speaker 1: I presumed there was some simple problem, like that the 478 00:32:15,515 --> 00:32:18,395 Speaker 1: building was on fire, but I calculated that I could 479 00:32:18,395 --> 00:32:20,555 Speaker 1: still make it to the show scheduled finished time eight 480 00:32:20,635 --> 00:32:24,435 Speaker 1: fifty nine to fifty nine EDT and still survive even 481 00:32:24,515 --> 00:32:28,115 Speaker 1: if others perished. That's countdown for this the eight hundred 482 00:32:28,115 --> 00:32:30,835 Speaker 1: and thirtieth day since the declaration of mission accomplished in Iraq. 483 00:32:31,075 --> 00:32:34,035 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Olderman. Good night and good luck your SULIVI, 484 00:32:34,835 --> 00:32:38,675 Speaker 1: Rick Kaplan suddenly screamed from the other anchor desk. I 485 00:32:38,755 --> 00:32:41,115 Speaker 1: could hear, and this is my impression of her. 486 00:32:41,715 --> 00:32:45,115 Speaker 4: Good evening. I'm Rita Cosby. This is Rita Cosby, live 487 00:32:45,195 --> 00:32:48,035 Speaker 4: and direct with Rita Cosby, and I'm Rita Cosby. 488 00:32:49,115 --> 00:32:50,595 Speaker 1: She was not a big woman, but she had a 489 00:32:50,675 --> 00:32:53,315 Speaker 1: voice on her like the horn on the Staten Island 490 00:32:53,395 --> 00:32:56,955 Speaker 1: ferry if it had a cold. You are over the top. 491 00:32:57,075 --> 00:33:00,315 Speaker 1: You aren't disgusting. My first thought was that Kaplan had 492 00:33:00,355 --> 00:33:03,155 Speaker 1: forgotten that microphones fifty feet away were live during the 493 00:33:03,235 --> 00:33:07,275 Speaker 1: premiere of his pet project, sh Rina is on. I 494 00:33:07,355 --> 00:33:10,835 Speaker 1: actually whispered to him, silly me, I don't give her half. 495 00:33:10,875 --> 00:33:13,275 Speaker 4: If Free Day is on, you were told by is 496 00:33:13,395 --> 00:33:15,235 Speaker 4: He poevits that the piece was over the top and 497 00:33:15,315 --> 00:33:17,035 Speaker 4: you needed to cut it, and you didn't. 498 00:33:18,875 --> 00:33:21,035 Speaker 1: I still couldn't bring myself to yell back her in 499 00:33:21,075 --> 00:33:23,755 Speaker 1: a live studio. I did cut it, and eas He 500 00:33:23,875 --> 00:33:25,875 Speaker 1: read it and approved it, and she said you had too. 501 00:33:26,435 --> 00:33:29,595 Speaker 1: And Rita's premiere is going on over there in that 502 00:33:29,755 --> 00:33:32,355 Speaker 1: sort of direction. Maybe you should yell at me closer 503 00:33:32,395 --> 00:33:34,955 Speaker 1: to the assignment desk. Maybe I don't give a crap. 504 00:33:35,155 --> 00:33:37,155 Speaker 1: If is He approved it, then she's an ass and 505 00:33:37,275 --> 00:33:39,635 Speaker 1: I can't trust you. I can't trust you. You're all idiots. 506 00:33:39,875 --> 00:33:41,715 Speaker 4: I can't believe you did this to me. I'm trying 507 00:33:41,715 --> 00:33:43,515 Speaker 4: to get Rita's show off the ground, and you start 508 00:33:43,555 --> 00:33:45,635 Speaker 4: talking about spitting blood into a garbage can. 509 00:33:47,475 --> 00:33:50,755 Speaker 1: Well, now I was getting angry. I couldn't resist. Yes, 510 00:33:51,035 --> 00:33:53,755 Speaker 1: Rita is in fact live and direct from that desk 511 00:33:53,875 --> 00:33:56,435 Speaker 1: right over there. And if you'll notice, she keeps looking 512 00:33:56,555 --> 00:34:00,355 Speaker 1: over here at us, wondering why you are yelling during 513 00:34:00,435 --> 00:34:03,355 Speaker 1: the first minutes of her first show, So why don't 514 00:34:03,355 --> 00:34:06,955 Speaker 1: we move over here? I began to move away from him, 515 00:34:07,115 --> 00:34:10,915 Speaker 1: and we're walking away from the live Mike's and we're walking, 516 00:34:11,355 --> 00:34:13,795 Speaker 1: and we're walking, and Rick and Keith are walking because 517 00:34:13,835 --> 00:34:17,315 Speaker 1: the noise isn't really professional. Well, we're not talking professionals, 518 00:34:17,355 --> 00:34:20,955 Speaker 1: are we We're talking idiots. We were walking and he 519 00:34:21,115 --> 00:34:24,555 Speaker 1: was still screaming, you're idiots. I will never trust you again. 520 00:34:25,435 --> 00:34:28,195 Speaker 1: He had begun to trot or stumble or whatever he 521 00:34:28,315 --> 00:34:29,675 Speaker 1: was doing. This is not over. 522 00:34:29,875 --> 00:34:32,835 Speaker 4: I will pay you back self serving garbage. I will 523 00:34:32,915 --> 00:34:35,355 Speaker 4: get you, and I'll get that A hole is he 524 00:34:35,475 --> 00:34:37,995 Speaker 4: for not staying here and reading that script? How many 525 00:34:38,075 --> 00:34:40,115 Speaker 4: times did you intend to say spit blood into a 526 00:34:40,155 --> 00:34:44,355 Speaker 4: garbage can before I stopped to I now realized what 527 00:34:44,475 --> 00:34:48,155 Speaker 4: he thought had happened, as he had gestured spasmodically at 528 00:34:48,275 --> 00:34:51,315 Speaker 4: me while he stood next to my camera. I briefly 529 00:34:51,395 --> 00:34:53,915 Speaker 4: let my focus shift to amazement at the fact that 530 00:34:54,075 --> 00:34:56,075 Speaker 4: this guy, who had been in TV news for twenty 531 00:34:56,155 --> 00:35:00,675 Speaker 4: five years, knew almost nothing about how TV worked. I 532 00:35:00,795 --> 00:35:03,555 Speaker 4: explained to him that Izzy and one of her assistants 533 00:35:03,595 --> 00:35:05,875 Speaker 4: and I had gone over the the script several times 534 00:35:06,195 --> 00:35:09,995 Speaker 4: and taken out half of the Gorrier references. Then they 535 00:35:10,195 --> 00:35:13,115 Speaker 4: suck at television. And since I can't trust anybody here, 536 00:35:13,315 --> 00:35:15,355 Speaker 4: since they won't stand up to you and edit the script, 537 00:35:15,395 --> 00:35:16,995 Speaker 4: since you obviously bullied. 538 00:35:16,675 --> 00:35:21,035 Speaker 1: Them, he bawled up his fist and stomped his foot 539 00:35:21,115 --> 00:35:24,115 Speaker 1: on the floor as he called me a bully and 540 00:35:24,275 --> 00:35:27,395 Speaker 1: now going to have to approve every piece of your copy. 541 00:35:29,555 --> 00:35:32,515 Speaker 1: By this point, I was backing into the countdown work 542 00:35:32,635 --> 00:35:35,155 Speaker 1: area with its array of desks and all the producers 543 00:35:35,235 --> 00:35:37,675 Speaker 1: Kaplin had just insulted, and I knew one of them 544 00:35:37,675 --> 00:35:40,035 Speaker 1: would dial the phone when I said, call the cops 545 00:35:40,595 --> 00:35:43,995 Speaker 1: and call this lunatics boss, did you hear me? And 546 00:35:44,115 --> 00:35:45,475 Speaker 1: if you don't like it and you don't want to 547 00:35:45,475 --> 00:35:48,995 Speaker 1: come into work tomorrow, that's fine too. I never did 548 00:35:49,075 --> 00:35:52,195 Speaker 1: get that part, but now I had him. I crossed 549 00:35:52,235 --> 00:35:54,995 Speaker 1: my arms in front of my chest slowly, like you 550 00:35:55,115 --> 00:35:58,315 Speaker 1: have seen every news anchor do in every television news 551 00:35:58,395 --> 00:36:01,075 Speaker 1: promo ever shown in the history of the world. I 552 00:36:01,195 --> 00:36:04,915 Speaker 1: flashed as evil a slow mo smile as I could, Oh, 553 00:36:05,715 --> 00:36:08,835 Speaker 1: I'll be here tomorrow, and then I made a sweeping 554 00:36:08,955 --> 00:36:12,395 Speaker 1: gesture back towards my staff, who were both, of course 555 00:36:12,955 --> 00:36:19,995 Speaker 1: literally and figuratively behind me, and so will all of them. Suddenly, 556 00:36:20,035 --> 00:36:22,835 Speaker 1: at that point, for no apparent reason, Rick Caplan's hysterics 557 00:36:22,835 --> 00:36:26,435 Speaker 1: were replaced by mere confusion. He even stopped huffing at 558 00:36:26,515 --> 00:36:31,955 Speaker 1: almost normal volume. He asked me all of who. Only 559 00:36:31,995 --> 00:36:34,555 Speaker 1: at this point did I turn around to discover that 560 00:36:34,755 --> 00:36:37,875 Speaker 1: my entire staff had already left the building. There was 561 00:36:37,995 --> 00:36:42,115 Speaker 1: nobody there behind me. Of course, there was nobody there, 562 00:36:42,435 --> 00:36:45,275 Speaker 1: Azipovich told me later he went into the control room 563 00:36:45,315 --> 00:36:47,795 Speaker 1: and threatened all of them first. So we got on 564 00:36:47,875 --> 00:36:49,675 Speaker 1: the phone back to the office to tell everybody to 565 00:36:49,715 --> 00:36:52,715 Speaker 1: get the hell out of the building. She paused and laughed. 566 00:36:52,755 --> 00:36:57,235 Speaker 1: I mean, we love you, but we're not crazy. Rick 567 00:36:57,315 --> 00:37:00,995 Speaker 1: Caplan's exorcism was a brief one. He began screaming again, 568 00:37:01,795 --> 00:37:03,715 Speaker 1: I'm going to hand your career tomorrow. I'm going to 569 00:37:03,755 --> 00:37:08,195 Speaker 1: completely few up. He turned and stumbled away from my office. 570 00:37:08,275 --> 00:37:13,235 Speaker 1: Good luck sleeping tonight. I slept like a stone, and 571 00:37:13,355 --> 00:37:15,755 Speaker 1: not because Kaplin had previously threatened to fire me for 572 00:37:15,875 --> 00:37:18,995 Speaker 1: not leaving my father's bedside after what they thought was 573 00:37:19,035 --> 00:37:21,475 Speaker 1: a heart attack to fly to la to appear on 574 00:37:21,515 --> 00:37:23,995 Speaker 1: the tonight show, and not because he'd once threatened to 575 00:37:24,075 --> 00:37:27,235 Speaker 1: fire me because he didn't like my tie, and not 576 00:37:27,435 --> 00:37:29,555 Speaker 1: because he had previously threatened to fire me for not 577 00:37:29,755 --> 00:37:33,075 Speaker 1: doing something during live coverage that I had already done 578 00:37:33,115 --> 00:37:35,555 Speaker 1: but he thought we hadn't done because he was watching 579 00:37:35,675 --> 00:37:39,915 Speaker 1: us not live but on delay on his DVR president 580 00:37:39,995 --> 00:37:43,235 Speaker 1: of a network. And I slept beautifully, not because I 581 00:37:43,315 --> 00:37:46,515 Speaker 1: correctly guessed this would be it for Rick Kaplan and 582 00:37:46,635 --> 00:37:49,675 Speaker 1: it was. The next day, human resources forced him to 583 00:37:49,755 --> 00:37:54,315 Speaker 1: apologize to me, and ten months later his bosses fired him. 584 00:37:55,195 --> 00:38:00,235 Speaker 1: Nor did I snooze blessedly because of any bravery or 585 00:38:00,555 --> 00:38:03,715 Speaker 1: stoicism or fatalism on my part. But I slept well 586 00:38:03,835 --> 00:38:07,515 Speaker 1: simply because of the realization that even after all of this, 587 00:38:08,435 --> 00:38:13,515 Speaker 1: Rick Kaplan was still only the second or third craziest 588 00:38:13,755 --> 00:38:31,035 Speaker 1: MSNBC executive I had ever worked for. I've done all 589 00:38:31,075 --> 00:38:32,955 Speaker 1: the damage I can do here. Thank you for listening. 590 00:38:33,035 --> 00:38:35,595 Speaker 1: Please share this podcast with somebody who does not listen, 591 00:38:35,955 --> 00:38:39,155 Speaker 1: And my apologies. Yesterday I was going to blame the 592 00:38:39,235 --> 00:38:42,115 Speaker 1: fact that there was no podcast at midnight, as there 593 00:38:42,235 --> 00:38:46,515 Speaker 1: usually is, and the first actual listing on Apple Podcasts 594 00:38:46,675 --> 00:38:49,315 Speaker 1: was at about eight thirty or so in the morning yesterday. 595 00:38:49,475 --> 00:38:52,475 Speaker 1: I was going to blame that on technical problems, but 596 00:38:52,635 --> 00:38:55,875 Speaker 1: in fact I simply screwed up. You know when they 597 00:38:55,875 --> 00:38:58,995 Speaker 1: say check the boxes, I didn't check the right boxes. 598 00:38:59,235 --> 00:39:02,515 Speaker 1: The thing didn't get published. I apologize. I may need 599 00:39:02,635 --> 00:39:05,395 Speaker 1: some time off. Brian Ray and John on Phillip Shanel, 600 00:39:05,435 --> 00:39:08,435 Speaker 1: the musical directors of Countdown. Maybe I can suspend myself 601 00:39:08,475 --> 00:39:11,235 Speaker 1: to get a day off. Brian Ray and John Phillip Schanel, 602 00:39:11,315 --> 00:39:13,595 Speaker 1: the musical directors of Countdown, arranged it wouldn't be the 603 00:39:13,635 --> 00:39:16,435 Speaker 1: first time Arrange produced and performed most of our music. 604 00:39:16,755 --> 00:39:20,475 Speaker 1: Mister Chanelle handled orchestration and keyboards, Mister Ray was on guitars, 605 00:39:20,555 --> 00:39:22,955 Speaker 1: bass and drums, and it was produced by Tko Brothers. 606 00:39:23,315 --> 00:39:26,195 Speaker 1: Our satirical and fifty musical comments are by the best 607 00:39:26,195 --> 00:39:29,835 Speaker 1: baseball stadium organist ever, Nancy Faust. The sports music is 608 00:39:29,915 --> 00:39:33,195 Speaker 1: the Olderman theme from ESPN two, written by Mitch Warren 609 00:39:33,275 --> 00:39:37,195 Speaker 1: Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. Other music arranged and performed 610 00:39:37,275 --> 00:39:39,955 Speaker 1: by the group No Horns Allowed. My announcer today was 611 00:39:39,995 --> 00:39:42,715 Speaker 1: my friend Stevie van Zant, and everything else as usual. 612 00:39:43,075 --> 00:39:46,275 Speaker 1: It was pretty much my fault, so that's countdown for 613 00:39:46,355 --> 00:39:49,595 Speaker 1: this the seventy sixth day until the twenty twenty four 614 00:39:49,635 --> 00:39:53,435 Speaker 1: presidential election. The one three hundred and twenty third day 615 00:39:54,035 --> 00:39:57,915 Speaker 1: since convicted fellon Donald J. Trump's first attempted coup against 616 00:39:57,915 --> 00:40:01,115 Speaker 1: the democratically elected government of the United States. Use the 617 00:40:01,195 --> 00:40:04,395 Speaker 1: September eighteenth sentencing hearing. If it happens, use the mental 618 00:40:04,435 --> 00:40:08,515 Speaker 1: health system you've got this. President Biden used presidential immunity. 619 00:40:08,635 --> 00:40:10,435 Speaker 1: The Supreme Court says you can do whatever you want 620 00:40:10,475 --> 00:40:13,315 Speaker 1: as long as it's official. To stop him from doing 621 00:40:13,435 --> 00:40:22,275 Speaker 1: it again while we still can, and anti Semitic, anti immigration, 622 00:40:22,395 --> 00:40:25,995 Speaker 1: gun nut Republicans, please stop shooting at Trump. The next 623 00:40:25,995 --> 00:40:29,475 Speaker 1: scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Bulletins as the news requires till 624 00:40:29,515 --> 00:40:31,995 Speaker 1: the next one. I'm Keith Alderman. Good morning, good afternoon, 625 00:40:32,235 --> 00:40:49,115 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman is 626 00:40:49,155 --> 00:40:53,915 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 627 00:40:53,995 --> 00:40:58,635 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.