1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:24,395 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Here's 2 00:00:24,595 --> 00:00:29,915 Speaker 1: the latest worldwide bribe news. It is now revealed that 3 00:00:29,955 --> 00:00:32,635 Speaker 1: at a Thanksgiving Eve dinner on a patio at the 4 00:00:32,675 --> 00:00:36,475 Speaker 1: Marilago Crapshack, Trump had his minions play the recording of 5 00:00:36,515 --> 00:00:40,555 Speaker 1: the national anthem as sung by the January sixth terrorists. 6 00:00:41,275 --> 00:00:45,395 Speaker 1: His dinner companions and remember, dinner companions, always keep your 7 00:00:45,395 --> 00:00:49,875 Speaker 1: hands away from Trump's mouth stood at attention. Some of 8 00:00:49,915 --> 00:00:53,235 Speaker 1: them at Trump's table put their hands over their hearts 9 00:00:53,515 --> 00:00:56,075 Speaker 1: as the people who stormed our capital intending to take 10 00:00:56,115 --> 00:00:59,715 Speaker 1: over our government and kill our leaders, saying words the 11 00:00:59,755 --> 00:01:03,755 Speaker 1: actual meaning of which they cannot possibly understand. Per the 12 00:01:03,795 --> 00:01:07,635 Speaker 1: Wall Street Journal, one of those who stood up and 13 00:01:07,715 --> 00:01:10,715 Speaker 1: put his hand over his heart during this travesty was 14 00:01:11,835 --> 00:01:19,315 Speaker 1: Mark Zuckerberg. Presumably this was the visit during which Zuckerberg 15 00:01:19,475 --> 00:01:21,795 Speaker 1: in part helped to provide the answer to the question 16 00:01:22,035 --> 00:01:25,675 Speaker 1: where has all your money gone? The answer is it 17 00:01:25,715 --> 00:01:31,235 Speaker 1: has gone to Trump's inaugural committee. Zuckerberg, the Facebook clown, 18 00:01:31,715 --> 00:01:37,115 Speaker 1: gave Trump's committee one million dollars. Jeff Bezos, that's blackmail 19 00:01:37,195 --> 00:01:39,395 Speaker 1: me once. I'll fight you. Blackmail me a second time. 20 00:01:39,435 --> 00:01:42,875 Speaker 1: I'll do whatever you want. Jeff Bezos. He gave Trump's 21 00:01:42,875 --> 00:01:47,195 Speaker 1: committee one million dollars. On Friday. Sam Altman of Open 22 00:01:47,275 --> 00:01:49,915 Speaker 1: AI was almost did us the favor of killing off 23 00:01:50,035 --> 00:01:55,235 Speaker 1: artificial intelligence gave Trump's committee one million dollars. Bank of 24 00:01:55,275 --> 00:01:59,115 Speaker 1: America has confirmed it is giving Trump's committee an undisclosed amount. 25 00:01:59,195 --> 00:02:04,035 Speaker 1: In twenty seventeen, that amount was one million dollars. Goldman 26 00:02:04,155 --> 00:02:08,075 Speaker 1: Sachs has confirmed it is giving Trump's committee an undisclosed amount. 27 00:02:08,915 --> 00:02:12,795 Speaker 1: Google's Sundar Peacheye dined with trumpet Mari Lago. I wonder 28 00:02:12,835 --> 00:02:17,835 Speaker 1: what Trump called him. PITCHI bought Sergey Brinn's influence with him. 29 00:02:18,035 --> 00:02:21,435 Speaker 1: Sergei Brinn is why this idiot Nicole Shanahan has money. 30 00:02:21,595 --> 00:02:27,315 Speaker 1: She's his ex. She became RFK Junior's running mate political 31 00:02:27,395 --> 00:02:30,755 Speaker 1: running mate, as opposed to his FaceTime masturbation mate or 32 00:02:30,795 --> 00:02:35,275 Speaker 1: his actual spousal mate. The next day, Tim Cook of 33 00:02:35,355 --> 00:02:38,555 Speaker 1: Apple or has Trump in his dotage has called him 34 00:02:38,675 --> 00:02:41,955 Speaker 1: Tim Apple went to the same patio at which Zuckerberg 35 00:02:41,995 --> 00:02:44,195 Speaker 1: put his hand over his heart during the sedition. Anthem 36 00:02:44,675 --> 00:02:49,435 Speaker 1: and Tim Cook dined with Trump last Friday. No word 37 00:02:49,475 --> 00:02:52,555 Speaker 1: of donations, but the New York Times reports that Trump 38 00:02:52,555 --> 00:02:56,115 Speaker 1: and Tim iPhone Boy discussed fighting the fine with which 39 00:02:56,155 --> 00:02:59,875 Speaker 1: European regulators have hit Tim FaceTime. The fine is two 40 00:02:59,955 --> 00:03:04,675 Speaker 1: billion dollars. And now ABC News has settled with True 41 00:03:04,875 --> 00:03:07,795 Speaker 1: because George Stephanoppolis said on air that judges and Juries 42 00:03:07,835 --> 00:03:12,595 Speaker 1: had quoting George found him Trump liable for rape unquote 43 00:03:12,635 --> 00:03:16,115 Speaker 1: when literally the judge said, the verdict did not mean 44 00:03:16,675 --> 00:03:20,195 Speaker 1: that Egen Carroll quote failed to prove that Trump raped her, 45 00:03:20,235 --> 00:03:25,475 Speaker 1: as many people commonly understned the word rape unquote, and 46 00:03:25,555 --> 00:03:30,555 Speaker 1: Trump sued A million in Trump's legal expenses and a 47 00:03:30,595 --> 00:03:35,395 Speaker 1: fifteen million dollar donation from ABC to Trump's presidential foundation 48 00:03:35,795 --> 00:03:41,835 Speaker 1: and museum. I expect the Trump Presidential Museum will feature 49 00:03:41,835 --> 00:03:44,115 Speaker 1: a life sized model of Trump's ego. It will thus 50 00:03:44,155 --> 00:03:46,955 Speaker 1: be twice the size of the sphere in Las Vegas. 51 00:03:48,155 --> 00:03:51,915 Speaker 1: And of course, in the saddest and most egregious of these, 52 00:03:52,915 --> 00:03:56,795 Speaker 1: the saddest of these from Mark Bennioff, chief executive of 53 00:03:56,835 --> 00:04:02,475 Speaker 1: a company called Sales Force. He gave Trump Times Person 54 00:04:02,595 --> 00:04:08,235 Speaker 1: of the Year award. Benyoff also owns Time Magazine. He 55 00:04:08,355 --> 00:04:11,275 Speaker 1: posted the cover of Time magazine and wrote of quote, 56 00:04:11,315 --> 00:04:15,515 Speaker 1: a time of great promise for our nation and prosperity 57 00:04:15,595 --> 00:04:18,915 Speaker 1: for everyone with Trump getting the award, and he did 58 00:04:18,955 --> 00:04:21,315 Speaker 1: not write that the Time magazine Person of the Year 59 00:04:21,355 --> 00:04:24,355 Speaker 1: award is your annual reminder that owner Benioff has yet 60 00:04:24,355 --> 00:04:28,035 Speaker 1: defined a sports gambling website willing to buy the magazine's 61 00:04:28,115 --> 00:04:34,995 Speaker 1: useless brand name from them. In any other world, these 62 00:04:35,035 --> 00:04:39,835 Speaker 1: would be bribes. These, whatever you call them, are not 63 00:04:39,915 --> 00:04:45,155 Speaker 1: necessarily illegal, certainly aren't unprecedented. There certainly is no evidence 64 00:04:45,195 --> 00:04:48,075 Speaker 1: that similar or at least parallel ones have not been 65 00:04:48,115 --> 00:04:52,315 Speaker 1: made to democratic presidents elect, nor to presidents elect in 66 00:04:52,355 --> 00:04:56,355 Speaker 1: the twentieth century, nor even in the nineteenth. But these 67 00:04:56,435 --> 00:05:02,235 Speaker 1: are slightly different. These come with unspoken promises from these worthless, greedy, 68 00:05:02,355 --> 00:05:06,515 Speaker 1: voracious billionaires to not lift a finger nor make a 69 00:05:06,595 --> 00:05:11,995 Speaker 1: sound as Trump prepares to pillage this country morally, financially, 70 00:05:12,075 --> 00:05:14,875 Speaker 1: culturally in the next four years or however much time 71 00:05:14,955 --> 00:05:20,235 Speaker 1: he has left in his worthless, greedy, voracious life. As 72 00:05:20,235 --> 00:05:23,195 Speaker 1: I mentioned previously in this series, the point of corporations 73 00:05:23,275 --> 00:05:26,355 Speaker 1: is to absolve a moral people of any criminal or 74 00:05:26,355 --> 00:05:29,835 Speaker 1: ethical responsibility for the worst of human actions, so that 75 00:05:29,875 --> 00:05:32,755 Speaker 1: investors can get more money and not have to worry 76 00:05:32,795 --> 00:05:36,075 Speaker 1: about what laws they or others might be breaking doing it, 77 00:05:37,035 --> 00:05:40,715 Speaker 1: But this parade of the pathetic to mar Lago, this 78 00:05:41,035 --> 00:05:45,995 Speaker 1: succession of ninth rate alfreed Krupps to kiss the ring 79 00:05:46,035 --> 00:05:49,315 Speaker 1: of a tenth rate fewer. This is as much about 80 00:05:49,315 --> 00:05:53,555 Speaker 1: symbolism and acquiescence and reassuring him that the necessary financial 81 00:05:53,595 --> 00:05:58,155 Speaker 1: component of fascism, including the financial component of media fascism 82 00:05:58,395 --> 00:06:02,755 Speaker 1: at the Washington Post, on Facebook, even at ABC, that 83 00:06:02,875 --> 00:06:05,835 Speaker 1: it will all be ready to salute whenever he decides 84 00:06:05,875 --> 00:06:10,595 Speaker 1: to pull the switch. It's like Romney having dinner last 85 00:06:10,635 --> 00:06:14,555 Speaker 1: time to beg to become Secretary of State. It cannot 86 00:06:14,595 --> 00:06:19,315 Speaker 1: be erased, and it must not be forgotten. Mark Zuckerberg, 87 00:06:19,475 --> 00:06:26,075 Speaker 1: Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Sergei Brynn, Sundar Piche 88 00:06:26,355 --> 00:06:28,755 Speaker 1: and the Bush leaguer who actually bought what used to 89 00:06:28,755 --> 00:06:34,275 Speaker 1: be Time magazine. Remember them, and simply deny them your 90 00:06:34,355 --> 00:06:39,635 Speaker 1: dollars wherever you can. Boycotts are impossible and ineffective, and 91 00:06:39,755 --> 00:06:43,835 Speaker 1: inconvenience you way more than they inconvenience these men, for 92 00:06:43,875 --> 00:06:48,395 Speaker 1: whom the acquisition of unnecessary wealth has replaced in importance 93 00:06:49,475 --> 00:06:53,155 Speaker 1: actual human life. But every time you do not give 94 00:06:53,195 --> 00:06:56,675 Speaker 1: them your money, you will be protesting this nauseating subservience, 95 00:06:56,995 --> 00:06:59,395 Speaker 1: even if you are the only one who knows you 96 00:06:59,515 --> 00:07:04,475 Speaker 1: have done so. Two caveats here. You will notice I 97 00:07:04,515 --> 00:07:08,475 Speaker 1: have not even mentioned Elon Musk and as The Wall 98 00:07:08,475 --> 00:07:11,195 Speaker 1: Street Journal made a point of noting when they played 99 00:07:11,195 --> 00:07:14,875 Speaker 1: the January sixth insurrectionist choir version of the National Anthem 100 00:07:15,315 --> 00:07:19,235 Speaker 1: and everybody stood and Mark Zuckerberg reportedly put his hand 101 00:07:19,275 --> 00:07:22,915 Speaker 1: over where his heart should be. They didn't tell Zuckerberg 102 00:07:22,995 --> 00:07:27,635 Speaker 1: in advance that it was the January sixth insurrectionist choir version. 103 00:07:29,195 --> 00:07:31,955 Speaker 1: On the other hand, I wonder why anybody thinks it 104 00:07:31,955 --> 00:07:57,675 Speaker 1: would have made any goddamn difference. Let me revisit the 105 00:07:57,755 --> 00:08:02,675 Speaker 1: ABC News News. On March twenty second, nineteen seventy nine, 106 00:08:02,715 --> 00:08:05,035 Speaker 1: I was ushered into the small office of a vice 107 00:08:05,075 --> 00:08:09,315 Speaker 1: president at the ABC television series The Wide World of Sports. 108 00:08:10,475 --> 00:08:13,235 Speaker 1: This man was the product of Ithac College, and so 109 00:08:13,355 --> 00:08:15,795 Speaker 1: as a senior at Cornell, I had a vague connection 110 00:08:15,915 --> 00:08:19,555 Speaker 1: to him. We at least knew similar bits of geography. 111 00:08:20,395 --> 00:08:23,035 Speaker 1: He had started life as a sportscaster who actually did 112 00:08:23,075 --> 00:08:25,075 Speaker 1: on air work on a couple of Upstate New York 113 00:08:25,115 --> 00:08:28,395 Speaker 1: TV newscasts. And then there was the real reason I 114 00:08:28,475 --> 00:08:30,995 Speaker 1: was actually in there with him. His wife had been 115 00:08:31,075 --> 00:08:33,755 Speaker 1: an assignment editor at the local New York TV station 116 00:08:33,875 --> 00:08:36,595 Speaker 1: I had interned at the previous summer, though we were 117 00:08:36,635 --> 00:08:40,675 Speaker 1: not there Simultaneously, he and the missus and my friends 118 00:08:40,715 --> 00:08:43,755 Speaker 1: from the local station all warned me this gentleman would 119 00:08:43,795 --> 00:08:46,635 Speaker 1: not have a job for me, nor even any job leads, 120 00:08:46,835 --> 00:08:47,475 Speaker 1: just advice. 121 00:08:48,555 --> 00:08:49,315 Speaker 2: His name was. 122 00:08:50,915 --> 00:08:56,875 Speaker 1: Robert Eiger. Call me Bob, he insisted, you may recognize Bob. 123 00:08:58,035 --> 00:09:00,995 Speaker 1: Within fifteen years of our visit, he had become president 124 00:09:01,035 --> 00:09:05,275 Speaker 1: of the ABC Television network, then COO of its parent company, 125 00:09:05,355 --> 00:09:09,515 Speaker 1: cap Cities ABC before Disney bought it, then President of Disney, 126 00:09:09,755 --> 00:09:13,115 Speaker 1: then CEO of Disney. Then he retired in twenty twenty 127 00:09:13,155 --> 00:09:15,675 Speaker 1: and then he did a jay leno and unretired in 128 00:09:15,715 --> 00:09:17,195 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, and guy rid of the guy who 129 00:09:17,195 --> 00:09:19,795 Speaker 1: had succeeded him, and he's CEO of Disney again, and 130 00:09:19,835 --> 00:09:22,515 Speaker 1: he made about thirty one million a year ago. And 131 00:09:22,635 --> 00:09:26,115 Speaker 1: on three separate occasions he has been my boss and 132 00:09:26,355 --> 00:09:29,875 Speaker 1: all of my boss's boss. And oh, by the way, 133 00:09:29,915 --> 00:09:33,035 Speaker 1: he divorced the wife I knew, and married the model 134 00:09:33,035 --> 00:09:36,715 Speaker 1: and sportscaster and newscaster will Obey but that's another story. 135 00:09:37,635 --> 00:09:40,115 Speaker 1: And Bob now is the boss of all the bosses 136 00:09:40,155 --> 00:09:45,115 Speaker 1: at ABC News, which just settled an apparently winnable case 137 00:09:45,115 --> 00:09:47,995 Speaker 1: against Trump because they were offered the fig leaf of 138 00:09:48,035 --> 00:09:51,435 Speaker 1: not paying Trump damages per se, but making a quote 139 00:09:51,475 --> 00:09:57,555 Speaker 1: donation to his presidential museum, which could easily just be 140 00:09:57,555 --> 00:10:04,315 Speaker 1: an empty warehouse or perhaps a sinkhole somewhere. And on 141 00:10:04,395 --> 00:10:07,115 Speaker 1: March twenty second, nineteen seventy nine, bobb Iger, whose unique 142 00:10:07,155 --> 00:10:10,675 Speaker 1: experience on air and with economics was already evident he 143 00:10:10,755 --> 00:10:13,155 Speaker 1: was in charge of budgeting for Wide World of Sports, 144 00:10:13,915 --> 00:10:18,715 Speaker 1: did give me great advice, the greatest advice I have 145 00:10:18,915 --> 00:10:22,355 Speaker 1: ever received, which I have repeated a thousand times over. 146 00:10:23,355 --> 00:10:25,835 Speaker 1: In brief, Bob said, if you want to be on 147 00:10:25,955 --> 00:10:29,955 Speaker 1: the air, be on the air. Do not do He 148 00:10:30,035 --> 00:10:32,955 Speaker 1: said what I did. I was offered a job as 149 00:10:32,955 --> 00:10:35,995 Speaker 1: a sportscaster in Syracuse for ten thousand dollars a year, 150 00:10:36,475 --> 00:10:38,715 Speaker 1: and I was also offered a job as a production 151 00:10:38,795 --> 00:10:41,995 Speaker 1: assistant here at Wide World of Sports for ten five 152 00:10:42,075 --> 00:10:44,435 Speaker 1: hundred dollars a year. And I figured I could live 153 00:10:44,475 --> 00:10:46,915 Speaker 1: at home with my folks and stay in the city 154 00:10:46,955 --> 00:10:48,915 Speaker 1: and move laterally at work, And now I make one 155 00:10:48,955 --> 00:10:50,835 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars a year, and I still want to 156 00:10:50,835 --> 00:10:53,115 Speaker 1: be a sportscaster, and to do that, I now have 157 00:10:53,155 --> 00:10:56,035 Speaker 1: to quit this job and move me and my wife 158 00:10:56,075 --> 00:10:58,555 Speaker 1: and my kids to Syracuse where they are now paying 159 00:10:58,555 --> 00:11:01,275 Speaker 1: eleven thousand dollars a year for sports casters, and I 160 00:11:01,315 --> 00:11:05,715 Speaker 1: have priced myself out of my dream. If you want 161 00:11:05,755 --> 00:11:08,955 Speaker 1: to be on the air, Keith, be on the air, 162 00:11:09,915 --> 00:11:17,275 Speaker 1: take the job in Syracuse and suck it up. Brilliant advice, truly, 163 00:11:18,595 --> 00:11:22,435 Speaker 1: And now, after forty five and a half years, I 164 00:11:22,435 --> 00:11:26,035 Speaker 1: would like to repay Bob Eiger and give him my advice. 165 00:11:27,555 --> 00:11:32,475 Speaker 1: Sell ABC News to somebody who actually cares about the 166 00:11:32,515 --> 00:11:36,435 Speaker 1: future of news and the future of journalism and the 167 00:11:36,475 --> 00:11:40,355 Speaker 1: future of this country. Because you guys at Disney ain't 168 00:11:40,515 --> 00:11:45,875 Speaker 1: it anymore? What do you think you bought for yourself here? 169 00:11:45,995 --> 00:11:52,995 Speaker 1: Bob Trump's gratitude? Trump somehow remembering you fondly or at 170 00:11:53,075 --> 00:11:56,555 Speaker 1: least neutrally the next time ABC News does something he 171 00:11:56,595 --> 00:12:00,195 Speaker 1: doesn't like, like say, accurately reporting how many people show 172 00:12:00,275 --> 00:12:04,115 Speaker 1: up to his inauguration, or how many insurrectionists he pardons, 173 00:12:04,195 --> 00:12:07,315 Speaker 1: or how many people died during the migrant roundups into 174 00:12:07,355 --> 00:12:12,915 Speaker 1: the migrant concentration camps. Even if Trump can still remember, 175 00:12:13,875 --> 00:12:17,835 Speaker 1: you think he will remember, or that all the mini 176 00:12:17,875 --> 00:12:22,235 Speaker 1: Trumps will. The New York Times now reports based on 177 00:12:22,275 --> 00:12:26,035 Speaker 1: four sources at the magazines in question and email evidence, 178 00:12:26,635 --> 00:12:30,715 Speaker 1: that the lawyer for Pete Hegseth made litigation threats before 179 00:12:31,235 --> 00:12:34,595 Speaker 1: The New Yorker and Vanity Fair published articles about his 180 00:12:34,675 --> 00:12:39,555 Speaker 1: conduct after an appearance on MSNBC in which she called 181 00:12:39,635 --> 00:12:44,315 Speaker 1: Cash Patel a quote delusional liar unquote. Former Trump staffer 182 00:12:44,355 --> 00:12:47,115 Speaker 1: Olivia Troy was threatened with a suit by Patel's lawyer. 183 00:12:47,795 --> 00:12:52,195 Speaker 1: No word if MSNBC was threatened. Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson 184 00:12:52,235 --> 00:13:00,315 Speaker 1: of North Carolina and Nude Africa Fame actually sued CNN. Trump, 185 00:13:00,355 --> 00:13:03,435 Speaker 1: of course, sues as frequently as he overeats. He has 186 00:13:03,475 --> 00:13:06,955 Speaker 1: a lawsuit going against c News about a Kamala Harris 187 00:13:06,995 --> 00:13:10,875 Speaker 1: interview nothing to do with him. He has a live 188 00:13:11,115 --> 00:13:13,555 Speaker 1: threat for suits against The New York Times. He has 189 00:13:13,595 --> 00:13:16,595 Speaker 1: a libel suit pending against the board that gives out 190 00:13:16,715 --> 00:13:23,155 Speaker 1: Pulitzer Prizes it honored work that criticized him. Trump's complain 191 00:13:23,195 --> 00:13:27,195 Speaker 1: about law fair and weaponizing government against enemies is to me, 192 00:13:27,475 --> 00:13:30,355 Speaker 1: not about the morals or legalities or appropriateness of any 193 00:13:30,395 --> 00:13:31,995 Speaker 1: of that. It's that he wants to be the only 194 00:13:32,075 --> 00:13:34,915 Speaker 1: one allowed to do any of that, and so in 195 00:13:34,995 --> 00:13:42,795 Speaker 1: this environment, ABC News just handed him a win. The 196 00:13:42,835 --> 00:13:46,995 Speaker 1: headline on this isn't the donation to some campaign or 197 00:13:47,275 --> 00:13:52,675 Speaker 1: possibly museum. It's Trump awarded fifteen million dollars from ABC 198 00:13:52,875 --> 00:13:57,155 Speaker 1: after lawsuit. That's the way it's playing around the world. 199 00:13:59,195 --> 00:14:01,995 Speaker 1: I don't know that my old acquaintance, Bob, asked. 200 00:14:01,675 --> 00:14:02,435 Speaker 2: Them to do this. 201 00:14:03,595 --> 00:14:06,995 Speaker 1: I also know Bob literally since I was twenty years 202 00:14:07,035 --> 00:14:10,675 Speaker 1: and one month old, and I know they damned well 203 00:14:10,715 --> 00:14:15,955 Speaker 1: didn't do it without telling him first. The saddest part 204 00:14:15,995 --> 00:14:19,035 Speaker 1: is media law experts believe that even now, even on 205 00:14:19,075 --> 00:14:23,835 Speaker 1: the eve of a Trump reducts, his case against ABC, 206 00:14:23,995 --> 00:14:27,915 Speaker 1: did not stand a flipping chance. Trump is not only 207 00:14:27,955 --> 00:14:31,155 Speaker 1: a public figure, but according to no less an authority 208 00:14:31,195 --> 00:14:35,555 Speaker 1: than himself, he is the public figure, and thus the 209 00:14:35,755 --> 00:14:38,515 Speaker 1: bar for damaging his reputation is higher than it is 210 00:14:38,515 --> 00:14:42,795 Speaker 1: for anybody else in the world. Also, how do you 211 00:14:43,555 --> 00:14:52,235 Speaker 1: damage his reputation? The Media Law Resource Center reported a 212 00:14:52,235 --> 00:14:55,475 Speaker 1: few years ago. Now, Trump and his companies have been 213 00:14:55,515 --> 00:15:00,035 Speaker 1: involved in at least four thousand lawsuits dating back to 214 00:15:00,115 --> 00:15:05,235 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four at least, and the media law RESORTCE Centers. 215 00:15:05,355 --> 00:15:09,755 Speaker 1: Susan E. Sager concluded that Trump quote and his companies 216 00:15:10,155 --> 00:15:14,075 Speaker 1: have never won a single speech related case filed in 217 00:15:14,115 --> 00:15:20,555 Speaker 1: a public courtot He or his extensions have sued for libel. 218 00:15:20,835 --> 00:15:25,395 Speaker 1: The architecture critic of the Chicago Tribune have sued for libel. 219 00:15:25,395 --> 00:15:28,235 Speaker 1: An author who wrote Trump Wasn't a billionaire have sued 220 00:15:28,235 --> 00:15:31,755 Speaker 1: a former Trump University student, Une Vision, because it wouldn't 221 00:15:31,755 --> 00:15:34,195 Speaker 1: carry one of his shows after he called Mexican's rapists. 222 00:15:34,395 --> 00:15:38,795 Speaker 1: He sued Bill Maher over a joke wait, Bill Martell's jokes. 223 00:15:39,475 --> 00:15:48,035 Speaker 1: He sued unions organizing against him. So ABC News gave in. 224 00:15:49,635 --> 00:15:53,075 Speaker 1: And unless there's a secret rider in this in which 225 00:15:53,115 --> 00:15:56,475 Speaker 1: Trump has sworn never to file another suit against ABC 226 00:15:57,275 --> 00:16:01,235 Speaker 1: nor harassed the company, all this will mean to him 227 00:16:01,355 --> 00:16:03,955 Speaker 1: is next time he wants to threaten ABC News or 228 00:16:03,995 --> 00:16:10,275 Speaker 1: any part of Disney, it will fold. And then there 229 00:16:10,355 --> 00:16:15,035 Speaker 1: is the chilling effect at ABC News, at all the 230 00:16:15,115 --> 00:16:19,475 Speaker 1: ABC stations around the country, at all the newsrooms associated 231 00:16:19,475 --> 00:16:24,115 Speaker 1: with ABC, at ESPN, at every company ABC and Disney own, 232 00:16:25,715 --> 00:16:30,915 Speaker 1: but specifically at ABC News I worked there, wants to 233 00:16:30,915 --> 00:16:35,275 Speaker 1: do a special one off report for Nightline. I worked 234 00:16:35,315 --> 00:16:37,475 Speaker 1: two and a half years there as a commentator on 235 00:16:37,595 --> 00:16:41,475 Speaker 1: radio and as Paul Harvey's backup. I am grateful that 236 00:16:41,595 --> 00:16:45,795 Speaker 1: I am doing this podcast now rather than either of 237 00:16:45,835 --> 00:16:53,675 Speaker 1: those ABC series, and that dark gratitude and the fear 238 00:16:54,635 --> 00:16:58,635 Speaker 1: your people, Bob have created inside their own newsrooms is 239 00:16:58,675 --> 00:17:01,355 Speaker 1: part of the process by which freedom of the press 240 00:17:01,675 --> 00:17:09,795 Speaker 1: and freedom in the nation dissolve. My advice offered again 241 00:17:09,875 --> 00:17:15,115 Speaker 1: in gratitude for your advice in nineteen seventy nine, Bob 242 00:17:16,795 --> 00:17:31,515 Speaker 1: Sell ABC News to somebody who still cares onto the 243 00:17:31,555 --> 00:17:34,635 Speaker 1: subject of the Batman. Special guest villains, or if you preferred, 244 00:17:34,635 --> 00:17:39,515 Speaker 1: Trump's cabinet nominees. They were all at the Army Navy 245 00:17:39,515 --> 00:17:44,555 Speaker 1: football game Saturday, along with Daniel Penny the quote Subway 246 00:17:44,635 --> 00:17:52,195 Speaker 1: good Samaritan unquote, and Russell Brand check his ticket, Dave 247 00:17:52,595 --> 00:17:58,275 Speaker 1: Portnoy from Barstool Sports, Darry to look me in the eye, Dave, 248 00:17:59,595 --> 00:18:07,835 Speaker 1: and Joe Mansion was there. I'll let you rank them specifically. 249 00:18:07,875 --> 00:18:11,235 Speaker 1: Cash Patel has new problems. Cash Pateel insists he had 250 00:18:11,235 --> 00:18:14,075 Speaker 1: a key role in the Department of Justice investigation into 251 00:18:14,115 --> 00:18:18,035 Speaker 1: the Benghazi mess. In twenty twelve, that, quoting him on 252 00:18:18,075 --> 00:18:21,795 Speaker 1: a podcast, I was the main Justice lead prosecutor for 253 00:18:21,915 --> 00:18:25,915 Speaker 1: Benghazi for a while. The New York Times reports sadly no, 254 00:18:27,435 --> 00:18:30,955 Speaker 1: it says Patel quote has both exaggerated his own importance 255 00:18:30,995 --> 00:18:34,795 Speaker 1: and misleadingly distorted the department's broader effort. According to public 256 00:18:34,835 --> 00:18:38,395 Speaker 1: documents and interviews with several current and former law enforcement 257 00:18:38,475 --> 00:18:43,235 Speaker 1: officials familiar with the matter, Politico described Patel's job on 258 00:18:43,275 --> 00:18:49,395 Speaker 1: the Benghazi case as quote grunt work. Quote turns out 259 00:18:49,395 --> 00:18:52,275 Speaker 1: the lawyer helping RFK Junior staff out the Department of 260 00:18:52,275 --> 00:18:54,875 Speaker 1: Health and Human Services once petitioned the government to revoke 261 00:18:54,915 --> 00:19:00,955 Speaker 1: its approval of the polio vaccine. You're probably not, but 262 00:19:01,115 --> 00:19:03,875 Speaker 1: I am old enough to have been in the first 263 00:19:03,875 --> 00:19:07,715 Speaker 1: grade with a kid who had a leg brace from 264 00:19:07,755 --> 00:19:12,235 Speaker 1: having gotten polio. There is a sitting Senator and a 265 00:19:12,235 --> 00:19:18,995 Speaker 1: sitting congressman right now who contracted polio as children. Polio 266 00:19:19,115 --> 00:19:23,155 Speaker 1: is not gone. It is waiting for someone, someone evil 267 00:19:23,315 --> 00:19:26,515 Speaker 1: like Robert F. Kennedy Junior. May he burn in hell. 268 00:19:30,035 --> 00:19:33,035 Speaker 1: There are new problems for Hegseeth, for whom this is 269 00:19:33,035 --> 00:19:37,515 Speaker 1: turning into hell on Earth. Besides the drinky assaulty problems. 270 00:19:37,635 --> 00:19:39,915 Speaker 1: CNN notes that in a book he wrote, they wrote 271 00:19:39,995 --> 00:19:42,915 Speaker 1: this year, heg Seth said the repeal of Don't Ask, 272 00:19:42,995 --> 00:19:47,115 Speaker 1: Don't Tell was a quote gateway and a quote camouflage 273 00:19:47,875 --> 00:19:52,515 Speaker 1: as part of a quote Marxist unquote agenda to deprioritize 274 00:19:52,515 --> 00:19:56,675 Speaker 1: combat readiness. Heg Seth insists he did not and does 275 00:19:56,715 --> 00:20:01,155 Speaker 1: not oppose the repeal and all this is quote false reporting, which, 276 00:20:01,195 --> 00:20:04,315 Speaker 1: if he really believes that, raises far more important questions 277 00:20:04,395 --> 00:20:06,595 Speaker 1: like or not Pete Hegseth can remember what he did 278 00:20:06,635 --> 00:20:13,275 Speaker 1: earlier this year, and if not, why not. But Trump 279 00:20:13,435 --> 00:20:17,315 Speaker 1: likes his hair. We just don't know if there's anything 280 00:20:17,395 --> 00:20:24,475 Speaker 1: under his hair. Tulsey Gabbard. Meanwhile, maybe soon finding out. 281 00:20:24,475 --> 00:20:27,195 Speaker 1: As my old Sports Center colleague Larry Beale used to say, 282 00:20:27,755 --> 00:20:32,675 Speaker 1: Aloha means goodbye. The Hill reports that would be Director 283 00:20:32,715 --> 00:20:37,595 Speaker 1: of National Intelligence is taking on water at her meetings 284 00:20:37,635 --> 00:20:42,075 Speaker 1: with Republican senators, quoting one of two senate Republicans and 285 00:20:42,195 --> 00:20:46,635 Speaker 1: other sources, quote, she was proving to be a little shallow, 286 00:20:47,075 --> 00:20:49,595 Speaker 1: like a house member talking at a hearing, and not 287 00:20:49,715 --> 00:20:52,755 Speaker 1: someone who needs to provide the president's daily intelligence briefing. 288 00:20:53,955 --> 00:20:56,955 Speaker 1: And from a separate source to this publication, a Senator, 289 00:20:57,355 --> 00:21:01,075 Speaker 1: they say, quote, I've heard that she's not very well prepared. 290 00:21:01,435 --> 00:21:06,475 Speaker 1: I've heard not great things, Senate GOP members said, describing 291 00:21:06,475 --> 00:21:10,795 Speaker 1: them as bs sessions. The Hill also quotes a GOP 292 00:21:10,995 --> 00:21:14,035 Speaker 1: aid she's got some work to do if she wants 293 00:21:14,075 --> 00:21:18,035 Speaker 1: the job. The more she meets with serious people, the 294 00:21:18,035 --> 00:21:21,515 Speaker 1: more they'll see there's a competency deficit. 295 00:21:22,275 --> 00:21:42,475 Speaker 2: Unquote, thank you. 296 00:21:42,595 --> 00:21:47,795 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust, a second senator cited by the Hill in 297 00:21:47,835 --> 00:21:53,995 Speaker 1: its report on Telsea Gabbard's flailing, says anonymously and deliciously 298 00:21:54,955 --> 00:21:56,795 Speaker 1: that there have been a lot of. 299 00:21:58,635 --> 00:22:05,475 Speaker 2: Irolls. Mahallow. 300 00:22:10,595 --> 00:22:14,595 Speaker 1: Also of interest here, Van Jones plus Chris Salisa equals 301 00:22:14,875 --> 00:22:19,635 Speaker 1: extra large stupid with a double order of stupid toppings 302 00:22:19,675 --> 00:22:23,235 Speaker 1: to go, speaking of which there's Abby Phillip and Scott 303 00:22:23,315 --> 00:22:26,075 Speaker 1: Jennings and CNN. And when we tried this same nonsense 304 00:22:26,115 --> 00:22:30,875 Speaker 1: at MSNBC twenty years ago, it was Michael Savage and 305 00:22:32,155 --> 00:22:38,795 Speaker 1: I have solved the baseball playoff crisis. This is not hyperbole. 306 00:22:38,915 --> 00:22:43,635 Speaker 1: I have actually solved the baseball playoff crisis where all 307 00:22:43,635 --> 00:22:48,075 Speaker 1: the good teams lose early. I alone can fix it. 308 00:22:48,475 --> 00:22:51,155 Speaker 1: On the other hand, I'll do it for free. That's Next, 309 00:22:51,755 --> 00:22:52,595 Speaker 1: This is countdown. 310 00:22:54,555 --> 00:22:57,235 Speaker 2: This is countdown with Keith old Woman. 311 00:23:02,155 --> 00:23:06,035 Speaker 1: Still ahead. I have solved Baseball's crisis. Yes, I know 312 00:23:06,115 --> 00:23:10,115 Speaker 1: it's not baseball season. It's probably, at least symbolically the 313 00:23:10,155 --> 00:23:13,555 Speaker 1: furthest point from baseball season. I've soured on baseball. I 314 00:23:13,595 --> 00:23:16,235 Speaker 1: hate the management structure and they're not fond of me either. 315 00:23:16,635 --> 00:23:20,115 Speaker 1: And no, by baseball crisis, I do not mean the 316 00:23:20,115 --> 00:23:24,075 Speaker 1: recent spectacle of New York Yankees fans hating on Juan 317 00:23:24,235 --> 00:23:26,635 Speaker 1: Soto for signing with the New York Mets and claiming 318 00:23:26,675 --> 00:23:29,395 Speaker 1: he showed no loyalty and just went where the money was, 319 00:23:29,595 --> 00:23:31,235 Speaker 1: as if that had not been the creed of the 320 00:23:31,235 --> 00:23:34,155 Speaker 1: New York Yankees since the year nineteen twenty. I mean 321 00:23:34,195 --> 00:23:37,515 Speaker 1: baseball's playoff crisis coming up. I will tell you this 322 00:23:37,595 --> 00:23:39,915 Speaker 1: full story. The other night, as I was falling asleep, 323 00:23:39,915 --> 00:23:42,795 Speaker 1: it came to me, this crazy playoff structure, in which 324 00:23:42,835 --> 00:23:45,115 Speaker 1: the best team in the game has been eliminated in 325 00:23:45,155 --> 00:23:47,235 Speaker 1: three of the last four years in the first round, 326 00:23:48,795 --> 00:23:55,675 Speaker 1: is broken and I alone can fix it. I am 327 00:23:55,715 --> 00:24:01,275 Speaker 1: giving away for free the way for baseball to get 328 00:24:01,315 --> 00:24:06,995 Speaker 1: out of its el stinko playoffs structure. Next in the countdown, 329 00:24:07,435 --> 00:24:09,595 Speaker 1: Sportsball Report. 330 00:24:30,035 --> 00:24:30,395 Speaker 2: First. 331 00:24:30,435 --> 00:24:33,275 Speaker 1: After that interminable tease, believe it or not, there's still 332 00:24:33,315 --> 00:24:36,475 Speaker 1: more new idiots to talk about. The daily roundup of 333 00:24:36,515 --> 00:24:40,115 Speaker 1: the miscreants, morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens who constitute 334 00:24:40,115 --> 00:24:48,435 Speaker 1: today's other worst persons in the world, the brons, worse 335 00:24:49,555 --> 00:24:53,955 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen. For years, for decades, there has been 336 00:24:53,995 --> 00:24:57,835 Speaker 1: a push to stop the annual switchback from daylight savings 337 00:24:58,195 --> 00:25:02,435 Speaker 1: to standard time in October or November. So, as you're 338 00:25:02,475 --> 00:25:05,355 Speaker 1: probably aware, Trump has posted the republic Look Party will 339 00:25:05,435 --> 00:25:10,155 Speaker 1: use its best efforts to eliminate daylight Saving time, which 340 00:25:10,195 --> 00:25:15,275 Speaker 1: has a small but strong constituency. But shouldn't exclamation point 341 00:25:16,155 --> 00:25:20,635 Speaker 1: daylight saving time is inconvenient and very costly to our nation. 342 00:25:22,195 --> 00:25:28,995 Speaker 1: First off, it's savings ufing idiot daylight savings time. Yes, 343 00:25:29,155 --> 00:25:33,755 Speaker 1: eliminate daylight savings time, so it starts getting light at 344 00:25:33,835 --> 00:25:37,475 Speaker 1: like four am in June and there will never be 345 00:25:37,515 --> 00:25:43,275 Speaker 1: another sunset later than about eight pm, exactly what everybody 346 00:25:43,315 --> 00:25:45,835 Speaker 1: in the country wants. And when I say everybody, I 347 00:25:45,875 --> 00:25:51,875 Speaker 1: mean nobody. There are a couple of theories here. One 348 00:25:51,995 --> 00:25:54,835 Speaker 1: is he posted this just to divert attention from his 349 00:25:55,035 --> 00:25:58,075 Speaker 1: truth leak in which one day last week he claimed 350 00:25:58,075 --> 00:26:01,235 Speaker 1: he won the election based on the word groceries, which 351 00:26:01,275 --> 00:26:04,235 Speaker 1: he invented, and the promise to reduce the cost of 352 00:26:04,355 --> 00:26:08,075 Speaker 1: growth series, and then one other day last week he 353 00:26:08,155 --> 00:26:10,915 Speaker 1: made an admission that he has actually no idea how 354 00:26:10,955 --> 00:26:15,235 Speaker 1: to reduce the cost of groceries, which he invented. The 355 00:26:15,395 --> 00:26:18,675 Speaker 1: likelier explanation is that Trump is too stupid and has 356 00:26:18,715 --> 00:26:21,435 Speaker 1: deteriorated too far to realize that he is calling for 357 00:26:21,475 --> 00:26:25,115 Speaker 1: the end of daylight savings when he actually wanted to 358 00:26:25,195 --> 00:26:29,315 Speaker 1: call for the end of standard time. The problem now, 359 00:26:29,355 --> 00:26:31,435 Speaker 1: of course, is that he will now have to admit 360 00:26:31,475 --> 00:26:35,035 Speaker 1: he got it wrong or changed his mind, and he 361 00:26:35,115 --> 00:26:38,555 Speaker 1: cannot do that because his brain is broken and he 362 00:26:38,675 --> 00:26:43,555 Speaker 1: is infallible. So we might wind up eliminating all daylight 363 00:26:43,635 --> 00:26:50,155 Speaker 1: savings time because this guy is crazy. By the way, 364 00:26:50,195 --> 00:26:52,435 Speaker 1: I have hated that day that we go back to 365 00:26:52,475 --> 00:26:56,475 Speaker 1: standard time since I was a kid. But I was 366 00:26:56,515 --> 00:26:59,155 Speaker 1: a kid so long ago that I was there standing 367 00:26:59,235 --> 00:27:03,035 Speaker 1: outside waiting for my school bus at seven forty am, 368 00:27:03,475 --> 00:27:05,795 Speaker 1: in the middle of the energy crisis. Winner of nineteen 369 00:27:05,835 --> 00:27:09,035 Speaker 1: seventy three seventy four, when it was pitch black at 370 00:27:09,075 --> 00:27:12,715 Speaker 1: seven forty am. It was not only the most depressing 371 00:27:12,755 --> 00:27:16,035 Speaker 1: thing I ever experienced, certainly to that point, way more 372 00:27:16,075 --> 00:27:19,995 Speaker 1: depressing than getting dark at four pm. And by the way, 373 00:27:19,995 --> 00:27:24,595 Speaker 1: it starts getting dark later. As of what this is 374 00:27:24,635 --> 00:27:27,915 Speaker 1: the sixteenth, seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty Saturday of this week, 375 00:27:29,275 --> 00:27:31,475 Speaker 1: this is the worst week of the year. Then it 376 00:27:31,515 --> 00:27:36,555 Speaker 1: starts getting darker later. Anyway, it was way more depressing 377 00:27:36,595 --> 00:27:39,915 Speaker 1: when we went on daylight savings time in the winter. 378 00:27:40,675 --> 00:27:45,035 Speaker 1: We stayed on it that winter in a well meaning 379 00:27:45,235 --> 00:27:49,235 Speaker 1: but ultimately disastrous attempt to cut back on energy costs 380 00:27:49,315 --> 00:27:52,875 Speaker 1: during an energy crisis. While I was standing at that 381 00:27:52,955 --> 00:27:56,435 Speaker 1: bus stop, literally dozens of other kids were getting killed 382 00:27:57,155 --> 00:28:00,675 Speaker 1: walking to school in pitch black darkness or waiting for 383 00:28:00,755 --> 00:28:04,835 Speaker 1: their school buses. Half a century of reflection on this 384 00:28:04,915 --> 00:28:08,555 Speaker 1: and the answer to what to do about daylight savings 385 00:28:08,555 --> 00:28:14,195 Speaker 1: time and the terrible month ending December twenty first, and 386 00:28:14,235 --> 00:28:17,235 Speaker 1: the depression and the danger of too much darkness too 387 00:28:17,275 --> 00:28:21,755 Speaker 1: early in the day, the answer of what to do 388 00:28:21,835 --> 00:28:25,075 Speaker 1: about this has come to me, and it is leave 389 00:28:25,155 --> 00:28:30,195 Speaker 1: it exactly the way it is now. Yes, for this month, 390 00:28:30,235 --> 00:28:32,635 Speaker 1: it's really bad, and it gets worse every day. On 391 00:28:32,675 --> 00:28:35,235 Speaker 1: the other hand. In the summer, when almost everybody can 392 00:28:35,435 --> 00:28:40,915 Speaker 1: enjoy being outside after work for up to four hours, 393 00:28:41,235 --> 00:28:45,235 Speaker 1: it is glorious to have light so late. And unless 394 00:28:45,235 --> 00:28:47,675 Speaker 1: you've waited outside for a bus at seven forty am 395 00:28:47,715 --> 00:28:50,875 Speaker 1: in utter darkness, you will never know. How imperfect as 396 00:28:50,955 --> 00:28:55,715 Speaker 1: it is, the current system is the best option. Don't 397 00:28:55,835 --> 00:29:00,835 Speaker 1: change it either way. We live with it. It does 398 00:29:00,915 --> 00:29:03,435 Speaker 1: get dark earlier in the United States, and it will 399 00:29:03,475 --> 00:29:05,755 Speaker 1: get dark earlier no matter what time we call it. 400 00:29:06,795 --> 00:29:09,315 Speaker 2: You could call it eleventy billion o'clock and he'll still 401 00:29:09,355 --> 00:29:11,475 Speaker 2: get dark early. It's winter. 402 00:29:12,355 --> 00:29:14,995 Speaker 1: The sun is in a different position relative to us. 403 00:29:16,235 --> 00:29:18,675 Speaker 1: I know you couldn't explain this to most Trump voters, 404 00:29:18,675 --> 00:29:22,755 Speaker 1: but it's true. And by the way, if you missed it, 405 00:29:22,875 --> 00:29:26,795 Speaker 1: somebody joked that Trump's unexpected sudden, defensive, permanent Standard Time. 406 00:29:27,195 --> 00:29:29,715 Speaker 1: That must mean that Standard Time had donated a million 407 00:29:29,755 --> 00:29:34,595 Speaker 1: dollars to his inauguration committee. The runner up worser. Maybe 408 00:29:34,635 --> 00:29:38,275 Speaker 1: it was this idiot Van Jones. You know Van Jones. 409 00:29:38,715 --> 00:29:41,955 Speaker 1: For a decade on CNN, Van Jones has been saying earnestly, 410 00:29:42,275 --> 00:29:45,675 Speaker 1: with deep conviction and the most sincere performance of fake 411 00:29:45,795 --> 00:29:51,675 Speaker 1: sincerity imaginable. He's been saying the stupidest things pretty much 412 00:29:51,755 --> 00:29:54,515 Speaker 1: started with although this was not the first example, but 413 00:29:54,635 --> 00:29:58,635 Speaker 1: his first all star announcement came early in twenty seventeen 414 00:29:58,795 --> 00:30:02,195 Speaker 1: that Trump, in a speech to Congress, a kind of 415 00:30:02,595 --> 00:30:05,755 Speaker 1: first State of the Union address, trump had just truly 416 00:30:05,835 --> 00:30:09,595 Speaker 1: become president. I guess Van said this because Trump had 417 00:30:09,595 --> 00:30:12,795 Speaker 1: not shot a guy during it or messed his diapers 418 00:30:12,835 --> 00:30:18,475 Speaker 1: while saying it. These statements continued unobated through the assassination attempt, 419 00:30:18,515 --> 00:30:21,555 Speaker 1: when Van Jones cried on the air and told Democrats 420 00:30:21,595 --> 00:30:24,995 Speaker 1: to embrace Republicans to show we were all Americans, while 421 00:30:25,035 --> 00:30:27,395 Speaker 1: Trump was already figuring out how to exploit the event 422 00:30:27,595 --> 00:30:30,835 Speaker 1: by demanding that American owed him now and everybody should 423 00:30:30,915 --> 00:30:34,075 Speaker 1: drop all criminal cases against him, even though he was 424 00:30:34,155 --> 00:30:38,355 Speaker 1: a trader, and then he was fund raising off of it, 425 00:30:38,515 --> 00:30:41,115 Speaker 1: used it to get elected again. But Van Jones wanted 426 00:30:41,155 --> 00:30:45,715 Speaker 1: me to hug him, hug this fan and now more 427 00:30:45,795 --> 00:30:50,395 Speaker 1: from Van Jones. There are a few more cynical, more dishonest, 428 00:30:50,475 --> 00:30:53,315 Speaker 1: a few more ugly in their soul speakers than Sarah 429 00:30:53,395 --> 00:30:58,115 Speaker 1: Huckabee Sanders, governor of Arkansas, just as her soul as 430 00:30:58,155 --> 00:31:02,955 Speaker 1: father was governor of Arkansas. Later Trump's most virulent and angry, 431 00:31:03,315 --> 00:31:07,675 Speaker 1: dyspeptic press sect Terry. She looked always like she just 432 00:31:07,875 --> 00:31:12,755 Speaker 1: swallowed a mouse hole. She spoke at the Republican National 433 00:31:12,755 --> 00:31:16,555 Speaker 1: Committee and made a tasteless ageist joke comparing her four 434 00:31:16,635 --> 00:31:20,435 Speaker 1: year old son huck to President Biden, and Van Jones 435 00:31:20,475 --> 00:31:24,435 Speaker 1: said after the speech on CNN, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, she 436 00:31:24,635 --> 00:31:28,475 Speaker 1: was incredibly compelling to me. She told personal stories that landed. 437 00:31:28,755 --> 00:31:31,115 Speaker 1: It was moving, and it was powerful. She gave the 438 00:31:31,155 --> 00:31:36,195 Speaker 1: speech of the night unquote. And now Van Jones has 439 00:31:36,195 --> 00:31:40,595 Speaker 1: gone on a podcast and eliminated all doubt, the podcast 440 00:31:40,915 --> 00:31:45,035 Speaker 1: in which Van Jones praises the smartest man in the 441 00:31:45,075 --> 00:31:46,955 Speaker 1: world Trump. 442 00:31:47,235 --> 00:31:49,835 Speaker 3: The problem is you have a framework in your mind 443 00:31:49,875 --> 00:31:53,995 Speaker 3: that how could Donald Trump? Donald Trump? How can Donald Trump? Guys, 444 00:31:54,275 --> 00:31:58,235 Speaker 3: can we cut it out? Donald Trump is not an 445 00:31:58,235 --> 00:32:00,875 Speaker 3: idiot Donald Trump. Let me just be very clear. Donald 446 00:32:00,915 --> 00:32:04,995 Speaker 3: Trump is smarter than me, you and Paul critics. While 447 00:32:05,035 --> 00:32:08,835 Speaker 3: I know because he has the White House, the Senate, 448 00:32:09,595 --> 00:32:14,035 Speaker 3: the House totally agree for the popular vote. He has 449 00:32:14,115 --> 00:32:18,235 Speaker 3: a massive media ecosystem bigger than the mainstream, built around 450 00:32:18,315 --> 00:32:23,315 Speaker 3: him and for him, and a religiously religious fervor in 451 00:32:23,355 --> 00:32:26,355 Speaker 3: a political movement around him, and he is best Buddy 452 00:32:26,435 --> 00:32:28,115 Speaker 3: is the richest person in the history of the world, 453 00:32:28,395 --> 00:32:31,355 Speaker 3: and the most relevant Kennedy is with him. This dude 454 00:32:31,515 --> 00:32:35,675 Speaker 3: is a phenomenon. He is the most powerful human on 455 00:32:35,795 --> 00:32:38,635 Speaker 3: earth and in our lifetime. And we're still saying, well, 456 00:32:38,635 --> 00:32:39,715 Speaker 3: how was this card? 457 00:32:40,315 --> 00:32:44,475 Speaker 1: We look like idiots? You first, pal Man is using 458 00:32:44,555 --> 00:32:48,075 Speaker 1: the royal us there, Van, He's made you look like 459 00:32:48,115 --> 00:32:51,235 Speaker 1: an idiot. By the way, the podcast Van Jones was on, 460 00:32:51,275 --> 00:32:54,235 Speaker 1: well it was the Crystali is a podcast, so one 461 00:32:54,235 --> 00:32:56,475 Speaker 1: assumes it is mandatory if you go on the Crystal 462 00:32:56,555 --> 00:32:59,475 Speaker 1: is a podcast to say something as idiotic as Crystal 463 00:32:59,555 --> 00:33:03,875 Speaker 1: is a Van Jones certainly fulfilled the terms. And you 464 00:33:03,995 --> 00:33:07,475 Speaker 1: thought Sali with Chuck Todd was bad enough, I think 465 00:33:07,515 --> 00:33:09,915 Speaker 1: they should do a roundtable. I think Chuck Todd and 466 00:33:09,955 --> 00:33:14,715 Speaker 1: Solissa and Van Jones should do a podcast every day 467 00:33:14,795 --> 00:33:19,675 Speaker 1: just to give me more material. Even after that, still 468 00:33:19,715 --> 00:33:22,475 Speaker 1: not the worst persons in the world. Our winners for 469 00:33:22,595 --> 00:33:28,035 Speaker 1: that honor. Today wis ten ten Wins Radio here in 470 00:33:28,235 --> 00:33:32,155 Speaker 1: Fun City. You may recall it is New York City's 471 00:33:32,235 --> 00:33:37,275 Speaker 1: last surviving all news radio station after owners Odyssey inexplicably 472 00:33:37,315 --> 00:33:42,475 Speaker 1: shuttered the good one WCBS in late summer. WIS now 473 00:33:42,475 --> 00:33:45,515 Speaker 1: bills itself as New York's top news station, which is 474 00:33:45,555 --> 00:33:50,755 Speaker 1: inarguably true since they killed off the other one. It 475 00:33:50,795 --> 00:33:53,835 Speaker 1: has also used such new and laugh out loud funny 476 00:33:53,875 --> 00:33:57,435 Speaker 1: IDs as the most important station for the most important 477 00:33:57,435 --> 00:34:02,835 Speaker 1: listeners in the universe, or something like that. But WIONS 478 00:34:02,835 --> 00:34:05,315 Speaker 1: has not made this list for any of that nonsense. 479 00:34:05,955 --> 00:34:09,155 Speaker 1: In the last week, as you've probably heard, drones may 480 00:34:09,235 --> 00:34:11,795 Speaker 1: or may not have been spotted over New Jersey and 481 00:34:11,955 --> 00:34:16,475 Speaker 1: other areas vaguely considered part of the metropolitan New York area. 482 00:34:16,635 --> 00:34:22,675 Speaker 1: I guess drones in New Jersey, how redundant any who 483 00:34:23,875 --> 00:34:27,675 Speaker 1: buy New Jersey listeners. WIS has interrupted its regular programming, 484 00:34:27,875 --> 00:34:31,155 Speaker 1: which is thirty five percent commercials, thirty five percent traffic 485 00:34:31,195 --> 00:34:34,515 Speaker 1: reports all by the same person, twenty five percent news 486 00:34:34,555 --> 00:34:39,155 Speaker 1: about Arianda Grande and other pop stars, and five percent 487 00:34:39,235 --> 00:34:43,075 Speaker 1: actual news. It has interrupted that wheel to introduce what 488 00:34:43,155 --> 00:34:47,595 Speaker 1: it actually bills as Drone Watch twenty twenty four. I 489 00:34:47,635 --> 00:34:51,475 Speaker 1: cannot reduce this sounder as we call it in the business, 490 00:34:51,755 --> 00:34:55,435 Speaker 1: for copyright reasons. Also, I have a reputation for actual 491 00:34:55,515 --> 00:34:57,395 Speaker 1: news that I have to protect, so I will not 492 00:34:57,515 --> 00:35:02,155 Speaker 1: reproduce what they are playing Onions, but there's music, and 493 00:35:02,235 --> 00:35:05,675 Speaker 1: there is an announcer saying, with this combination of authority 494 00:35:05,755 --> 00:35:09,835 Speaker 1: and dread in his voice, Drone Watch twenty twenty four, 495 00:35:11,315 --> 00:35:13,875 Speaker 1: Drone Watch twenty twenty four. It's like something out of 496 00:35:13,875 --> 00:35:17,075 Speaker 1: The Daily Show. I was actually listening for ten minutes 497 00:35:17,515 --> 00:35:23,235 Speaker 1: to WIONS yesterday and they played this sounder twice. There 498 00:35:23,355 --> 00:35:27,235 Speaker 1: is no indication that WIONS has adopted this ironically or 499 00:35:27,275 --> 00:35:30,595 Speaker 1: self mockingly, in which case it would actually be cool. 500 00:35:31,515 --> 00:35:35,235 Speaker 1: They are leaning into drone Watch twenty twenty four, the 501 00:35:35,275 --> 00:35:38,555 Speaker 1: way they and every other station radio television in this 502 00:35:38,635 --> 00:35:43,195 Speaker 1: country trot out storm Watch twenty twenty four whenever it 503 00:35:43,955 --> 00:35:51,035 Speaker 1: you know, rains, Drizzle Watch twenty twenty four. The most 504 00:35:51,075 --> 00:35:53,795 Speaker 1: disturbing part of this, perhaps is that it is just 505 00:35:53,795 --> 00:35:56,715 Speaker 1: two weeks until New Year's Day, and I'm thinking these 506 00:35:56,835 --> 00:36:01,235 Speaker 1: drone sightings more likely two percent drones and ninety eight 507 00:36:01,275 --> 00:36:04,195 Speaker 1: percent aircraft landings as seen by people who actually have 508 00:36:04,275 --> 00:36:09,075 Speaker 1: chosen to live in towns with names like Nutley, New Jersey. 509 00:36:09,755 --> 00:36:12,555 Speaker 1: These will continue into the New Year, at which point 510 00:36:12,795 --> 00:36:14,915 Speaker 1: they will have to send their guy back into the 511 00:36:14,995 --> 00:36:20,355 Speaker 1: Wins studio. Wins Radio in New York where the drone 512 00:36:20,395 --> 00:36:26,355 Speaker 1: watch never stops. That's go Watch twenty twenty five, two 513 00:36:26,435 --> 00:36:30,355 Speaker 1: days other worst. What'side? 514 00:36:48,555 --> 00:36:54,915 Speaker 4: This is Sports Center? Wait, check that not anymore. This 515 00:36:55,795 --> 00:36:59,235 Speaker 4: is Countdown with Keith. 516 00:36:58,995 --> 00:37:07,435 Speaker 1: Aulberman in sports from the sports Balls Central Center News Desk, Tonight, Dateline, 517 00:37:07,795 --> 00:37:15,555 Speaker 1: New York. Okay, I figured out how to fix baseball's 518 00:37:15,675 --> 00:37:20,835 Speaker 1: broken playoff system. I understand it's it's the middle of winter. 519 00:37:21,195 --> 00:37:21,715 Speaker 2: I know that. 520 00:37:21,795 --> 00:37:26,155 Speaker 1: But this literally came to me as I was falling asleep, 521 00:37:27,515 --> 00:37:32,555 Speaker 1: and it works. It's absolutely the solution. You're welcome. Not 522 00:37:32,595 --> 00:37:36,355 Speaker 1: only that, not only have I figured out how to 523 00:37:36,395 --> 00:37:40,715 Speaker 1: fix baseball's broken playoff system, but my fix, if they 524 00:37:40,755 --> 00:37:45,235 Speaker 1: do it right, gives Major League Baseball Incorporated at least 525 00:37:45,275 --> 00:37:49,835 Speaker 1: four more playoff games to sell to a cable network 526 00:37:49,915 --> 00:37:52,915 Speaker 1: or a streaming service or pay per view, or just 527 00:37:52,955 --> 00:37:56,555 Speaker 1: to passers by on the street. You got a dollar, 528 00:37:56,595 --> 00:38:00,675 Speaker 1: here's a ballgame. In the four years since the COVID 529 00:38:00,755 --> 00:38:06,355 Speaker 1: shortened season of twenty twenty, baseball has had twenty four 530 00:38:06,595 --> 00:38:10,235 Speaker 1: division winners. There are six divisions. There's six division winners 531 00:38:10,235 --> 00:38:14,595 Speaker 1: a year. It's been four years. Winning your division is 532 00:38:14,675 --> 00:38:18,115 Speaker 1: supposed to be the point of the regular baseball season, 533 00:38:18,275 --> 00:38:21,555 Speaker 1: and it's supposed to mean a lot going into the playoffs. 534 00:38:21,755 --> 00:38:25,155 Speaker 1: These are the teams that have worked all year, and 535 00:38:25,195 --> 00:38:28,755 Speaker 1: they are supposed to be given a leg up, an advantage. 536 00:38:29,515 --> 00:38:32,155 Speaker 1: It gives you home field advantage in the playoffs. It 537 00:38:32,195 --> 00:38:35,675 Speaker 1: gives you time to rest your pitchers, particularly after the 538 00:38:35,715 --> 00:38:39,075 Speaker 1: incredibly grueling one hundred and sixty two game regular season. 539 00:38:39,835 --> 00:38:42,715 Speaker 1: You have to run through the tape to win your division, 540 00:38:42,755 --> 00:38:45,115 Speaker 1: so you should be at the top of your game, 541 00:38:45,515 --> 00:38:47,435 Speaker 1: and you have to do that so you don't get 542 00:38:47,475 --> 00:38:51,675 Speaker 1: stuck with the dreaded wild card games, in which now 543 00:38:51,715 --> 00:38:54,275 Speaker 1: you may not play a home game in the wildcard round. 544 00:38:54,395 --> 00:38:56,755 Speaker 1: You have to go to the better teams stadium and 545 00:38:56,795 --> 00:39:01,875 Speaker 1: play all your playoff games. There twenty four division winners 546 00:39:02,235 --> 00:39:05,675 Speaker 1: in the four years since COVID, and fourteen of them 547 00:39:06,395 --> 00:39:11,395 Speaker 1: have lost in their first playoff round. That's fourteen have 548 00:39:11,515 --> 00:39:16,075 Speaker 1: lost and only ten have won. With the supposed advantage 549 00:39:16,075 --> 00:39:19,355 Speaker 1: of all advantages going into the playoffs, I think we 550 00:39:19,475 --> 00:39:23,115 Speaker 1: have a big enough sample size here. They've screwed this up. 551 00:39:23,475 --> 00:39:27,435 Speaker 1: You are literally better off not winning your division than 552 00:39:27,475 --> 00:39:32,875 Speaker 1: winning your division, and whatever you do, do not become 553 00:39:32,955 --> 00:39:36,275 Speaker 1: the team with the best record in baseball in the 554 00:39:36,275 --> 00:39:40,755 Speaker 1: regular season, we've had four of those. Three of them, 555 00:39:40,875 --> 00:39:43,555 Speaker 1: including the twenty twenty two Dodgers, who had one hundred 556 00:39:43,595 --> 00:39:46,435 Speaker 1: and eleven wins out of one hundred and sixty two 557 00:39:46,435 --> 00:39:50,755 Speaker 1: games played, tied for fourth most wins in any season 558 00:39:51,035 --> 00:39:55,915 Speaker 1: all time. The three of the four best record teams 559 00:39:55,955 --> 00:39:57,915 Speaker 1: in baseball in the last four years have been wiped 560 00:39:57,915 --> 00:40:02,195 Speaker 1: out in the first round. The playoffs now prove only 561 00:40:02,315 --> 00:40:08,555 Speaker 1: one thing. Season means almost nothing, especially if you've won 562 00:40:08,595 --> 00:40:14,075 Speaker 1: the division. Now why is this the case, Well, principally, 563 00:40:14,275 --> 00:40:18,475 Speaker 1: the theory goes, it's because Baseball has rewarded the division 564 00:40:18,515 --> 00:40:22,315 Speaker 1: winners by giving them four or usually five days off 565 00:40:22,355 --> 00:40:24,555 Speaker 1: between the end of their regular season and the start 566 00:40:24,595 --> 00:40:27,995 Speaker 1: of their playoffs. The wild card teams and the worst 567 00:40:28,075 --> 00:40:30,995 Speaker 1: of the division winners, the one with the worst record 568 00:40:31,075 --> 00:40:33,355 Speaker 1: of the three division winners in each league, they have 569 00:40:33,435 --> 00:40:37,035 Speaker 1: to play like with one day off, and then, of course, 570 00:40:37,275 --> 00:40:40,915 Speaker 1: that means the pitchers are rested and ready to go 571 00:40:41,035 --> 00:40:43,835 Speaker 1: after five days rest. Turns out that's not the case. 572 00:40:44,315 --> 00:40:47,515 Speaker 1: Pitchers get rusty in five days, they get out of rhythms. 573 00:40:47,715 --> 00:40:50,995 Speaker 1: They have to now plan to pitch not in five days, 574 00:40:51,315 --> 00:40:56,315 Speaker 1: but in perhaps nine days or ten days. The hitters. 575 00:40:56,675 --> 00:40:59,195 Speaker 1: If a hitter is hot, he's not going to stay 576 00:40:59,195 --> 00:41:01,275 Speaker 1: hot with five days off, And there's no way to 577 00:41:01,315 --> 00:41:05,395 Speaker 1: have a practice or a simulated game that can keep 578 00:41:05,435 --> 00:41:08,115 Speaker 1: you sharp in that time off. You can't. If you 579 00:41:08,195 --> 00:41:12,235 Speaker 1: could guess what, more than ten of the twenty four 580 00:41:12,275 --> 00:41:15,115 Speaker 1: division winners wouldn't have lost in their first playoff round. 581 00:41:15,835 --> 00:41:18,595 Speaker 1: So it's not working. And yet this is the only 582 00:41:18,595 --> 00:41:20,755 Speaker 1: thing Baseball has been able to figure out how to 583 00:41:20,955 --> 00:41:26,235 Speaker 1: reward its divisional champions. And again a little aside here 584 00:41:26,275 --> 00:41:27,995 Speaker 1: for the history of the game. It used to be 585 00:41:28,675 --> 00:41:32,835 Speaker 1: that the regular season determined the two teams in the 586 00:41:32,835 --> 00:41:36,955 Speaker 1: only playoff round, the World Series, from the eighteen eighties 587 00:41:37,035 --> 00:41:40,075 Speaker 1: when they first experimented with this and did it spottily 588 00:41:40,155 --> 00:41:42,595 Speaker 1: up to the year eighteen ninety, and then when it 589 00:41:42,635 --> 00:41:44,995 Speaker 1: was resumed in nineteen oh three and became official in 590 00:41:45,075 --> 00:41:48,835 Speaker 1: nineteen oh five. You won the American League Championship, that 591 00:41:48,955 --> 00:41:50,955 Speaker 1: was the regular season, You went to the World Series, 592 00:41:50,995 --> 00:41:53,155 Speaker 1: and you faced the winner of the National League Championship. 593 00:41:53,155 --> 00:41:53,635 Speaker 2: That was it. 594 00:41:54,435 --> 00:41:56,875 Speaker 1: By nineteen sixty nine, when they had gotten around to 595 00:41:56,915 --> 00:42:01,235 Speaker 1: having twelve teams in each league, that presented this problem. 596 00:42:01,315 --> 00:42:03,555 Speaker 1: Somebody would win the American League or the National League 597 00:42:03,595 --> 00:42:08,195 Speaker 1: and somebody would finish twelfth. This would discourage people from 598 00:42:08,355 --> 00:42:12,155 Speaker 1: spending money on the teams that finished tenth, eleventh, and twelve. 599 00:42:12,315 --> 00:42:14,915 Speaker 1: Baseball had gone through the sixties where there were ten 600 00:42:14,955 --> 00:42:18,435 Speaker 1: teams in each league, and even finishing ninth or tenth 601 00:42:18,555 --> 00:42:21,435 Speaker 1: meant that the final few games of your home season 602 00:42:21,515 --> 00:42:23,915 Speaker 1: might be attended by as few as five hundred fans. 603 00:42:24,675 --> 00:42:27,955 Speaker 1: This is in my lifetime. I was at Yankee Stadium 604 00:42:28,075 --> 00:42:32,395 Speaker 1: in I guess it was nineteen sixty eight. Then they 605 00:42:32,395 --> 00:42:33,995 Speaker 1: were in the middle of the pack. I think they 606 00:42:34,035 --> 00:42:37,955 Speaker 1: finished fifth or sixth, and I could hear the players 607 00:42:37,995 --> 00:42:40,395 Speaker 1: talking in the dugout from my seats in the stands. 608 00:42:42,235 --> 00:42:46,195 Speaker 1: In any event, they then went to a series of divisions. 609 00:42:46,515 --> 00:42:49,475 Speaker 1: First it was two divisions, East and West in each league, 610 00:42:49,515 --> 00:42:53,315 Speaker 1: and their champions, having played most of their games against 611 00:42:53,355 --> 00:42:56,475 Speaker 1: the other teams in their division, their champions met for 612 00:42:56,715 --> 00:42:59,275 Speaker 1: the National League pennant National League East versus National League West, 613 00:43:00,035 --> 00:43:02,835 Speaker 1: and then that team advanced to the World Series. I 614 00:43:03,035 --> 00:43:05,195 Speaker 1: never was a fan of this, but the all alternative 615 00:43:05,195 --> 00:43:08,595 Speaker 1: of having twelve plays teams that was far worse. So 616 00:43:08,675 --> 00:43:12,435 Speaker 1: you had a final fourth essentially in baseball, and almost 617 00:43:12,475 --> 00:43:15,035 Speaker 1: always the worst thing that could happen was the fourth 618 00:43:15,075 --> 00:43:17,915 Speaker 1: best team in baseball won the World Series. As baseball 619 00:43:17,955 --> 00:43:22,315 Speaker 1: has expanded from sixteen teams to twenty teams, to twenty 620 00:43:22,315 --> 00:43:25,195 Speaker 1: four teams, to twenty six teams, to twenty eight teams, 621 00:43:25,355 --> 00:43:28,955 Speaker 1: finally to thirty teams, we have the situation we have 622 00:43:29,075 --> 00:43:32,115 Speaker 1: now where we have to figure out how to work 623 00:43:32,275 --> 00:43:36,915 Speaker 1: three divisions and a bunch of wild card teams together 624 00:43:36,995 --> 00:43:39,995 Speaker 1: in the playoffs and give the advantage that winning the 625 00:43:40,075 --> 00:43:44,755 Speaker 1: division is supposed to impart. Baseball doesn't have it. That's 626 00:43:44,835 --> 00:43:48,195 Speaker 1: why most of them have lost after winning the division. 627 00:43:49,755 --> 00:43:53,755 Speaker 1: And this is where my solution comes in. The reward 628 00:43:53,875 --> 00:43:56,675 Speaker 1: for a team that wins its division should not be 629 00:43:57,275 --> 00:44:01,995 Speaker 1: time off in which to get rusty. It should be 630 00:44:02,155 --> 00:44:06,515 Speaker 1: a win in the postseason. What I am suggesting is, 631 00:44:06,835 --> 00:44:10,435 Speaker 1: if you win the American League East in your first 632 00:44:10,475 --> 00:44:14,915 Speaker 1: playoff round, you go into it having already been credited 633 00:44:14,955 --> 00:44:18,875 Speaker 1: with a win before the first game is played. I'll 634 00:44:18,875 --> 00:44:22,875 Speaker 1: say that again. You win the division on the day off, 635 00:44:22,915 --> 00:44:26,675 Speaker 1: you are credited with a win. You then play what 636 00:44:26,755 --> 00:44:31,915 Speaker 1: amounts to a best of six series against whichever team 637 00:44:31,955 --> 00:44:36,795 Speaker 1: you're paired whichever wildcard team you're playing, or other division winner, 638 00:44:36,915 --> 00:44:38,915 Speaker 1: or however you want to work it out. But if 639 00:44:38,915 --> 00:44:44,435 Speaker 1: you've won a division, you should get an actual, tangible, 640 00:44:45,035 --> 00:44:50,515 Speaker 1: big ticket bonus for winning the division. So you're playing 641 00:44:50,835 --> 00:44:54,075 Speaker 1: essentially a best of seven series against a wild card team. 642 00:44:55,435 --> 00:44:58,355 Speaker 1: You start before the first pitch is thrown, leading this 643 00:44:58,475 --> 00:45:02,315 Speaker 1: series one to nothing. You only have to win three 644 00:45:02,395 --> 00:45:05,955 Speaker 1: more games to advance. The other the wildcard team, the 645 00:45:05,955 --> 00:45:08,035 Speaker 1: one that didn't win the division, the one that gets 646 00:45:08,115 --> 00:45:10,715 Speaker 1: effectively punished for not winning the division, they have to 647 00:45:10,755 --> 00:45:18,515 Speaker 1: win four. It's literally like a racing handicap. You put 648 00:45:18,515 --> 00:45:23,235 Speaker 1: it against the team that didn't do as well. So 649 00:45:24,435 --> 00:45:27,195 Speaker 1: if you won your division, you are, say the New 650 00:45:27,275 --> 00:45:29,995 Speaker 1: York Mets, and you are going to face the Philadelphia Phillies, 651 00:45:30,515 --> 00:45:35,035 Speaker 1: a wild card team. You start the series and hopefully 652 00:45:35,035 --> 00:45:37,475 Speaker 1: that series starts with maybe two days off after the 653 00:45:37,515 --> 00:45:43,355 Speaker 1: regular season, not five. You start that series leading one 654 00:45:43,435 --> 00:45:48,115 Speaker 1: to nothing. Then they can play six games. But the 655 00:45:48,155 --> 00:45:50,715 Speaker 1: Phillies to win have to win four games because they 656 00:45:50,755 --> 00:45:52,755 Speaker 1: have none going in. They haven't been given a credit 657 00:45:52,795 --> 00:45:55,475 Speaker 1: for one they didn't win their division. The Mets only 658 00:45:55,515 --> 00:45:58,955 Speaker 1: have to win three. So here we now eliminate the 659 00:45:59,035 --> 00:46:03,955 Speaker 1: chances of a divisional winner being blown out because they've 660 00:46:03,995 --> 00:46:09,475 Speaker 1: lost three games. You have to beat the divisional winner 661 00:46:09,635 --> 00:46:13,355 Speaker 1: by beating them four times in the first round. And 662 00:46:13,755 --> 00:46:16,035 Speaker 1: right now, the first round most of the first rounds 663 00:46:16,315 --> 00:46:21,595 Speaker 1: are best of five, not best of seven. You eliminate 664 00:46:21,675 --> 00:46:26,915 Speaker 1: that entirely. You make it best of essentially six, and 665 00:46:26,995 --> 00:46:29,195 Speaker 1: baseball has an additional playoff game to sell to the 666 00:46:29,235 --> 00:46:35,835 Speaker 1: advertise here some in the networks, you're welcome. Will baseball 667 00:46:35,875 --> 00:46:38,955 Speaker 1: do this? I don't know. Does it solve all of 668 00:46:38,995 --> 00:46:42,675 Speaker 1: baseball's postseason problems and my many, many, many, many, many 669 00:46:42,675 --> 00:46:44,115 Speaker 1: decades worth of complaints. 670 00:46:44,835 --> 00:46:44,915 Speaker 5: No. 671 00:46:46,355 --> 00:46:50,355 Speaker 1: Does it increase the chances that the best teams from 672 00:46:50,435 --> 00:46:52,755 Speaker 1: the regular season, which is the point of the regular 673 00:46:52,755 --> 00:46:56,195 Speaker 1: season to figure out who the best teams are. Does 674 00:46:56,235 --> 00:46:58,155 Speaker 1: it increase the chances that they will go to the 675 00:46:58,195 --> 00:47:01,115 Speaker 1: World Series, the championship of the sport. Yes, it does, 676 00:47:01,275 --> 00:47:05,275 Speaker 1: because right now they're dropping like flies are the best 677 00:47:05,275 --> 00:47:07,435 Speaker 1: team in the regular season, and you get eliminated in 678 00:47:07,475 --> 00:47:09,875 Speaker 1: the first round three years out of four, there's something 679 00:47:09,915 --> 00:47:14,875 Speaker 1: wrong with the first round. So there it is. You 680 00:47:14,955 --> 00:47:18,955 Speaker 1: win the division that counts as a win in one 681 00:47:19,035 --> 00:47:24,315 Speaker 1: game in your first round of the playoffs. There will 682 00:47:24,355 --> 00:47:35,355 Speaker 1: be no additional charge for this genius idea to the 683 00:47:35,435 --> 00:47:37,995 Speaker 1: number one story on the countdown and my favorite topic, 684 00:47:38,115 --> 00:47:40,635 Speaker 1: me and things I promised not to tell, And hoo boy, 685 00:47:41,755 --> 00:47:44,875 Speaker 1: they're all still at it in cable news. Huh, still 686 00:47:44,915 --> 00:47:47,755 Speaker 1: hoping they'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be two thousand 687 00:47:47,795 --> 00:47:51,195 Speaker 1: and five again, and everybody watches one of the channels, 688 00:47:51,475 --> 00:47:54,435 Speaker 1: and hundreds of millions of dollars are just waiting to 689 00:47:54,475 --> 00:47:56,915 Speaker 1: be made, and our industry. 690 00:47:56,515 --> 00:47:58,355 Speaker 2: Is not dying. It's not, it's not, it's not. 691 00:47:59,595 --> 00:48:03,355 Speaker 1: I'll repeat my point about the desperate attempts at CNN 692 00:48:04,195 --> 00:48:09,475 Speaker 1: and NBC and the minor ones to court right wing viewers. 693 00:48:10,315 --> 00:48:13,915 Speaker 1: I mean, once again, i'll mention the name Abby Philip. 694 00:48:14,835 --> 00:48:19,795 Speaker 1: This is no voting accident. Virtually every mainstream media organization 695 00:48:19,875 --> 00:48:22,235 Speaker 1: in this country, as I have said time and time again, 696 00:48:22,515 --> 00:48:27,315 Speaker 1: has already had the same meeting. Let's now discuss how 697 00:48:27,355 --> 00:48:31,035 Speaker 1: if Trump seizes power again and America goes fully fascist 698 00:48:31,115 --> 00:48:33,555 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty five, how can we do the most 699 00:48:33,595 --> 00:48:38,195 Speaker 1: important thing that journalism demands. How can we still protect 700 00:48:38,515 --> 00:48:43,275 Speaker 1: this company's profits. I say this not merely because I 701 00:48:43,315 --> 00:48:46,635 Speaker 1: know most of the people running the mainstream media organizations. 702 00:48:46,835 --> 00:48:50,955 Speaker 1: But because these conversations have already happened, and they happened 703 00:48:51,115 --> 00:48:56,235 Speaker 1: long ago, largely because the first not white guy president 704 00:48:56,315 --> 00:48:58,715 Speaker 1: was elected just seven years and two months after nine 705 00:48:58,755 --> 00:49:02,995 Speaker 1: to eleven, we forget how seriously and terrifyingly we already 706 00:49:03,035 --> 00:49:06,155 Speaker 1: have teetered on the edge of full fledged fascism here 707 00:49:06,475 --> 00:49:08,875 Speaker 1: after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 708 00:49:09,875 --> 00:49:13,475 Speaker 1: Nine to eleven happened between my two tenures at MSNBC, 709 00:49:14,115 --> 00:49:17,035 Speaker 1: but I returned a year and a half after it happened, 710 00:49:17,795 --> 00:49:19,595 Speaker 1: and by then the place I went back to work 711 00:49:19,595 --> 00:49:23,595 Speaker 1: had already hired a sort of Alex Jones prototype radio 712 00:49:23,635 --> 00:49:26,875 Speaker 1: host named Michael Savage, and it was slowly trying to 713 00:49:26,915 --> 00:49:30,635 Speaker 1: build him into the host of a weeknight show. Savage 714 00:49:30,755 --> 00:49:34,395 Speaker 1: was a homophobe plus an equal opportunity bigot. His real 715 00:49:34,515 --> 00:49:36,875 Speaker 1: name was Michael Wiener, and all you need to know 716 00:49:36,915 --> 00:49:38,835 Speaker 1: about him is that he was a Wiener who pretended 717 00:49:38,875 --> 00:49:41,555 Speaker 1: he was a Savage. What happened to him when they 718 00:49:41,595 --> 00:49:44,075 Speaker 1: tried to stick him into primetime and what he said 719 00:49:44,115 --> 00:49:46,475 Speaker 1: that led to his firing and the blowing up of 720 00:49:46,515 --> 00:49:49,715 Speaker 1: the lets out Fox Fox News plan of the then 721 00:49:49,835 --> 00:49:53,475 Speaker 1: NBC chairman and CEO, Bob Wright is a great story. 722 00:49:53,515 --> 00:49:56,955 Speaker 1: I will relish telling you in a moment, but first 723 00:49:57,475 --> 00:50:02,595 Speaker 1: a little context to this. MSNBC and Fox Nudes launched 724 00:50:02,595 --> 00:50:05,595 Speaker 1: within weeks of each other in nineteen ninety sive and 725 00:50:05,675 --> 00:50:08,995 Speaker 1: for a while, in fact, until I left MSNBC in 726 00:50:09,035 --> 00:50:12,635 Speaker 1: December nineteen ninety eight, we were ahead of Fox in 727 00:50:12,755 --> 00:50:18,155 Speaker 1: many time periods, though CNN crushed us both. Then Fox ascended, 728 00:50:18,195 --> 00:50:20,875 Speaker 1: then came nine to eleven, and then Bob Wright thought 729 00:50:20,915 --> 00:50:23,755 Speaker 1: he saw his opportunity. All you need to know about 730 00:50:23,795 --> 00:50:27,515 Speaker 1: him is that after he left the position of running NBC, 731 00:50:27,955 --> 00:50:33,315 Speaker 1: he became a contributor to Fox Business. At MSNBC, Wright 732 00:50:33,355 --> 00:50:36,755 Speaker 1: gave Oliver North his own show and Laura Ingram her 733 00:50:36,795 --> 00:50:39,795 Speaker 1: own show. He had given a program to Alan Keyes, 734 00:50:40,475 --> 00:50:43,075 Speaker 1: a Republican who somehow managed to lose Senate races in 735 00:50:43,115 --> 00:50:47,195 Speaker 1: two different states and washed out three different times in 736 00:50:47,235 --> 00:50:52,355 Speaker 1: Republican presidential primaries. His MSNBC show consisted of him giving speeches. 737 00:50:52,995 --> 00:50:55,275 Speaker 1: Though he was alone in a studio with no audience. 738 00:50:55,675 --> 00:50:58,475 Speaker 1: Alan Keys could not break himself up his habit of 739 00:50:58,595 --> 00:51:01,915 Speaker 1: spraying the room with his eyes. The viewer at home 740 00:51:01,955 --> 00:51:04,595 Speaker 1: would see him looking off camera to his left, then 741 00:51:04,795 --> 00:51:07,755 Speaker 1: looking at the camera, then looking off camera to the right. 742 00:51:08,235 --> 00:51:10,995 Speaker 1: He went back and forth like a sprinkler. I remember 743 00:51:11,035 --> 00:51:13,395 Speaker 1: once looking at him and yelling at the TV, hey, 744 00:51:13,435 --> 00:51:17,475 Speaker 1: hell over here, I'm the one in the middle. Bob 745 00:51:17,475 --> 00:51:20,515 Speaker 1: Wright also brought in Joe Scarborough, long before Scarborough knew 746 00:51:20,515 --> 00:51:23,915 Speaker 1: how to disguise much of his fascism. Bob Wright fired 747 00:51:23,955 --> 00:51:27,195 Speaker 1: Phil Donahue, although to be fair, that was really more 748 00:51:27,235 --> 00:51:29,635 Speaker 1: about money than it was about politics. But he replaced 749 00:51:29,635 --> 00:51:31,555 Speaker 1: Dona Hughes's show with what was supposed to be a 750 00:51:31,635 --> 00:51:36,195 Speaker 1: high speed, slightly right laning newscast produced by a Fox 751 00:51:36,235 --> 00:51:42,595 Speaker 1: News refugee. It was called Countdown with Sam Donaldson, and 752 00:51:42,755 --> 00:51:45,755 Speaker 1: needless to say, the right leaning idea went horribly horribly 753 00:51:45,795 --> 00:51:49,435 Speaker 1: wrong after they changed it to Countdown with Keith Olverman. 754 00:51:50,635 --> 00:51:55,195 Speaker 1: MSNBC's lineup was remarkably unstable at that time. I had 755 00:51:55,195 --> 00:51:59,115 Speaker 1: hosted its eight pm show from October first, nineteen ninety seven, 756 00:51:59,155 --> 00:52:01,235 Speaker 1: through the beginning of December nineteen ninety eight, and then 757 00:52:01,235 --> 00:52:04,555 Speaker 1: I left to go back to sports and baseball at Fox. 758 00:52:05,595 --> 00:52:08,355 Speaker 1: Then the eight pm hour was hosted by John Hockenberry 759 00:52:08,755 --> 00:52:12,395 Speaker 1: for three months then Ali North got his shot a 760 00:52:12,475 --> 00:52:15,275 Speaker 1: month later. They started having rotating liberals co host with 761 00:52:15,315 --> 00:52:18,235 Speaker 1: Ali North in April nineteen ninety nine and it became 762 00:52:18,275 --> 00:52:21,755 Speaker 1: North and Paul Bagala. That was five shows in five months. 763 00:52:22,195 --> 00:52:24,675 Speaker 1: In May they cut North and Begala to half an hour. 764 00:52:25,035 --> 00:52:27,435 Speaker 1: In June they canceled them and replaced them with a 765 00:52:27,475 --> 00:52:31,675 Speaker 1: half hour Ann Curry documentary. In early two thousand, Curry 766 00:52:31,915 --> 00:52:34,635 Speaker 1: was expanded to an hour, but then in May Curry 767 00:52:34,675 --> 00:52:37,835 Speaker 1: was replaced by Lorie Doo. In August two thousand, they 768 00:52:37,835 --> 00:52:42,275 Speaker 1: started their version of Dateline called MSNBC Investigates. In September, 769 00:52:42,315 --> 00:52:45,475 Speaker 1: they cut that show to four days a week and 770 00:52:45,595 --> 00:52:48,635 Speaker 1: launched a vanished white Woman of the Week show actually 771 00:52:48,675 --> 00:52:53,595 Speaker 1: called Missing Persons with Diane Diamond, which they canceled after 772 00:52:53,635 --> 00:52:57,115 Speaker 1: one episode, and then they put MSNBC Investigates back on. 773 00:52:57,195 --> 00:52:58,795 Speaker 1: Then they canceled that a month lay to make room 774 00:52:58,835 --> 00:53:01,915 Speaker 1: for a newscast with Forrest Sawyer. Then after the uncertainty 775 00:53:01,955 --> 00:53:04,595 Speaker 1: of the two thousand election, they refocused that as Decision 776 00:53:04,715 --> 00:53:08,155 Speaker 1: two thousand with Forrest Sawyer. In January two thousand and one, 777 00:53:08,195 --> 00:53:11,475 Speaker 1: they canceled Forest Sawyer and put MSNBC Investigates back on 778 00:53:11,515 --> 00:53:14,315 Speaker 1: for the third different time. Then in July they moved 779 00:53:14,355 --> 00:53:17,275 Speaker 1: The News with Brian Williams from nine pm to eight pm. 780 00:53:17,435 --> 00:53:20,315 Speaker 1: Then the next September they moved Brian to CNBC and 781 00:53:20,395 --> 00:53:24,435 Speaker 1: instead launched Phil Donahue's show in the eight pm MSNBC slot. 782 00:53:24,995 --> 00:53:27,195 Speaker 1: Then in March two thousand and three they off Donahue. 783 00:53:27,555 --> 00:53:31,075 Speaker 1: They started Countdown originally with Lester Holt, Pat Buchanan and 784 00:53:31,115 --> 00:53:33,835 Speaker 1: Bill Press. Then after the war started and there wasn't 785 00:53:33,875 --> 00:53:36,595 Speaker 1: anything to count Down two anymore, they hired me to 786 00:53:36,635 --> 00:53:40,195 Speaker 1: host Operation Iraqi Freedom, and after one week of that 787 00:53:40,275 --> 00:53:44,835 Speaker 1: show they launched Countdown with Keith Olruman. That's twenty different 788 00:53:44,835 --> 00:53:48,715 Speaker 1: shows or formats in four years and four months. So 789 00:53:48,915 --> 00:53:53,195 Speaker 1: Bob Wright's next primetime ideas, and you gotta give him 790 00:53:53,195 --> 00:53:56,275 Speaker 1: this much. He had a lot of primetime ideas and 791 00:53:56,395 --> 00:53:59,355 Speaker 1: virtually all of them made it onto TV. His next 792 00:53:59,395 --> 00:54:02,155 Speaker 1: set of ideas was a primetime lineup of me doing 793 00:54:02,235 --> 00:54:05,635 Speaker 1: the News at eight, then Score Barborough at nine, then 794 00:54:05,755 --> 00:54:09,475 Speaker 1: Jesse Ventura at ten, and then this Michael Savage character. 795 00:54:10,235 --> 00:54:13,075 Speaker 1: They began this plot by giving Savage his own show 796 00:54:13,235 --> 00:54:16,715 Speaker 1: an hour every Saturday afternoon. On March eighth, two thousand 797 00:54:16,755 --> 00:54:23,795 Speaker 1: and three, everybody agreed it was crap. On radio, Savage 798 00:54:23,915 --> 00:54:26,715 Speaker 1: sounded kind of threatening, I guess, a kind of red 799 00:54:26,755 --> 00:54:31,115 Speaker 1: meat fascist. But on TV taking calls from viewers in 800 00:54:31,155 --> 00:54:34,315 Speaker 1: a tiny, little cramp looking studio somewhere in the Bay Area, 801 00:54:34,795 --> 00:54:38,675 Speaker 1: he looked small and whiny and cavetchy, and he was 802 00:54:38,715 --> 00:54:41,595 Speaker 1: wearing a bad tupei and a suit that was far 803 00:54:41,635 --> 00:54:45,995 Speaker 1: worse than that. When I was negotiating my return to 804 00:54:46,115 --> 00:54:48,395 Speaker 1: MSNBC in two thousand and three, I got the executive 805 00:54:48,435 --> 00:54:50,875 Speaker 1: in charge of Primetime to put it in my contract 806 00:54:50,955 --> 00:54:54,115 Speaker 1: that Michael Savage would never appear on my newscast in 807 00:54:54,195 --> 00:54:59,475 Speaker 1: any form unless it was an obituary, open and shut. 808 00:54:59,635 --> 00:55:01,955 Speaker 1: But then on Friday, April twenty fifth, two thousand and three, 809 00:55:01,995 --> 00:55:04,315 Speaker 1: I came into work. We were about a month into 810 00:55:04,355 --> 00:55:06,915 Speaker 1: the show, and there in the computer rundown of my 811 00:55:06,955 --> 00:55:11,555 Speaker 1: newscast was a pre recorded Michael Savage commentary. As soon 812 00:55:11,595 --> 00:55:13,675 Speaker 1: as he saw I was in the office, the executive 813 00:55:13,715 --> 00:55:16,635 Speaker 1: producer they had hired from Fox, a cross eyed chainsmoker 814 00:55:16,675 --> 00:55:19,595 Speaker 1: named Dennis Murray, pushed his way into my office and said, 815 00:55:19,875 --> 00:55:22,475 Speaker 1: we have to run a Michael Savage commentary. There's also 816 00:55:22,515 --> 00:55:25,675 Speaker 1: a mandatory Matt Drudge SoundBite. This is per Phil Griffins. 817 00:55:25,675 --> 00:55:27,515 Speaker 1: So don't think you can call Phil to get it dropped. 818 00:55:27,555 --> 00:55:30,075 Speaker 1: He's not in New York. He's not reachable, and he left. 819 00:55:31,195 --> 00:55:33,435 Speaker 1: I called my agent. I told her the story, and 820 00:55:33,515 --> 00:55:35,635 Speaker 1: I'm matter of factively asked, if they don't drop it, 821 00:55:35,715 --> 00:55:38,155 Speaker 1: I have to walk out, don't I mind you? She 822 00:55:38,235 --> 00:55:44,715 Speaker 1: had just exhausted herself negotiating my extremely unlikely return to MSNBC. 823 00:55:45,235 --> 00:55:47,675 Speaker 1: She didn't flinch. Of course, you have to walk out, 824 00:55:47,875 --> 00:55:50,395 Speaker 1: but first call Philip Griffin's office and tell him you're leaving. 825 00:55:50,435 --> 00:55:54,275 Speaker 1: Give him a chance. It'll help when you sue them. 826 00:55:54,555 --> 00:55:58,115 Speaker 1: It was breach of contract. I find dramatic, life changing 827 00:55:58,155 --> 00:56:01,555 Speaker 1: and potentially costly stuff like that is usually way easier 828 00:56:01,595 --> 00:56:04,355 Speaker 1: if you have the high moral ground. So I called 829 00:56:04,395 --> 00:56:07,355 Speaker 1: Griff's office. His assistant said he was in Washington and 830 00:56:07,435 --> 00:56:08,995 Speaker 1: meetings and could not be reached. I said, well, you 831 00:56:08,995 --> 00:56:11,795 Speaker 1: should reach somebody there. Tell them I just called a 832 00:56:11,795 --> 00:56:14,155 Speaker 1: car to take me home because my contract says you 833 00:56:14,195 --> 00:56:17,115 Speaker 1: can't put Michael effing Savage on my newscast, and somebody 834 00:56:17,195 --> 00:56:19,395 Speaker 1: just did nice working with you all. And tell Phil 835 00:56:19,395 --> 00:56:25,555 Speaker 1: to give me a call. Sometime sometime was three minutes later, Griffin, 836 00:56:25,555 --> 00:56:29,755 Speaker 1: who frequently panicked outdid himself on this call. You would 837 00:56:29,755 --> 00:56:32,475 Speaker 1: really walk out, buddy, I said, it was in the contract. 838 00:56:32,875 --> 00:56:34,875 Speaker 1: I was putting my pens and books in a box 839 00:56:34,915 --> 00:56:39,995 Speaker 1: as we spoke. I told him he was repeating himself. Finally, 840 00:56:40,035 --> 00:56:44,395 Speaker 1: he said, okay, okay, okay, buddy. Can you look at 841 00:56:44,435 --> 00:56:47,635 Speaker 1: the commentary and find me a reason, a reason that 842 00:56:47,755 --> 00:56:51,675 Speaker 1: isn't about politics why it shouldn't run. I said, you mean, 843 00:56:51,795 --> 00:56:57,595 Speaker 1: like video quality, or racist language or something. Phil Griffin's 844 00:56:57,715 --> 00:57:01,915 Speaker 1: voice brightened. Yeah, good, racist language or something that'd be great. 845 00:57:02,035 --> 00:57:02,915 Speaker 2: Call me back. 846 00:57:04,195 --> 00:57:06,315 Speaker 1: The execution. A producer and I went to the video 847 00:57:06,475 --> 00:57:08,955 Speaker 1: edit suite, where a guy named Brendan o'melia was cutting 848 00:57:08,955 --> 00:57:11,715 Speaker 1: out the time Savage had stumbled or flubbed while recording 849 00:57:11,715 --> 00:57:15,195 Speaker 1: this nonsense. First of all, I said to the X 850 00:57:15,195 --> 00:57:18,315 Speaker 1: Fox guy who was the producer, Michael Savage is wearing 851 00:57:18,355 --> 00:57:22,795 Speaker 1: a brown shirt and a brown tie on top of 852 00:57:22,835 --> 00:57:26,315 Speaker 1: his brown shirt. He is literally dressed like a Hitler 853 00:57:26,395 --> 00:57:30,755 Speaker 1: brown shirt. The editor Omelia played the whole video for me, 854 00:57:30,795 --> 00:57:33,795 Speaker 1: and as I dialed Phil Griffin's cell, I started laughing. 855 00:57:34,435 --> 00:57:37,555 Speaker 1: I said, even for racist homophobic crap. This thing makes 856 00:57:37,595 --> 00:57:40,355 Speaker 1: no sense. He just keeps saying George W. Bush is right, 857 00:57:40,395 --> 00:57:44,155 Speaker 1: because George W. Bush, because he's right. He looks small 858 00:57:44,195 --> 00:57:46,315 Speaker 1: and whiny and convecchy, and he's got a bad tupe 859 00:57:46,315 --> 00:57:48,435 Speaker 1: in a worse suit. We wouldn't run this as a 860 00:57:48,435 --> 00:57:51,995 Speaker 1: SoundBite in his obituary. And the lighting is terrible and 861 00:57:52,035 --> 00:57:57,995 Speaker 1: he's dressed as a brown shirt. Apparently that was enough. 862 00:57:58,235 --> 00:58:00,955 Speaker 1: Phil Griffin ordered the piece dropped from My show. I 863 00:58:01,035 --> 00:58:03,795 Speaker 1: think they ran it on Scarborough Show at nine pm. 864 00:58:03,795 --> 00:58:06,395 Speaker 1: In fact, I think I might be wrong. They ran 865 00:58:06,475 --> 00:58:10,355 Speaker 1: two or three Savage commentaries on Scarborough shows. I know 866 00:58:10,435 --> 00:58:15,075 Speaker 1: they intended to God knows. I never watched Scarborough Show. Happily, 867 00:58:15,715 --> 00:58:18,195 Speaker 1: this was about the time Michael Savage ended his own 868 00:58:18,235 --> 00:58:22,115 Speaker 1: TV career. On Saturday July fifth, two thousand and three, 869 00:58:22,755 --> 00:58:27,235 Speaker 1: show fifteen out of a series of Chex's Notes fifteen, 870 00:58:28,195 --> 00:58:31,235 Speaker 1: Michael Savage was on the air live on MSNBC when 871 00:58:31,235 --> 00:58:36,035 Speaker 1: a caller baited him about gaze. Savage replied, quote, so 872 00:58:36,115 --> 00:58:40,675 Speaker 1: you're one of them sodomists. You a sodomite. The caller said, yes, Oh, 873 00:58:40,715 --> 00:58:43,635 Speaker 1: you're one of them sodomites, continuing the quote. You should 874 00:58:43,635 --> 00:58:46,235 Speaker 1: only get aids and die, you pig. How's that? Why 875 00:58:46,235 --> 00:58:48,075 Speaker 1: don't you see if you consume me, you pig, you 876 00:58:48,155 --> 00:58:50,475 Speaker 1: got nothing better to put me down, you piece of garbage. 877 00:58:50,675 --> 00:58:52,395 Speaker 1: You have nothing better to do today. Go eat a 878 00:58:52,435 --> 00:58:56,035 Speaker 1: sausage and choke on it. Get trick and noses. End 879 00:58:56,235 --> 00:59:01,435 Speaker 1: quote And Michael Savage. And by the way, that quote 880 00:59:01,435 --> 00:59:03,595 Speaker 1: that I just read that was way better than the 881 00:59:03,635 --> 00:59:09,195 Speaker 1: commentary i'd him record for Countdown. Two days later, on Monday, 882 00:59:09,795 --> 00:59:12,435 Speaker 1: Eric Sorenson the president of MSNBC, and he was president 883 00:59:12,475 --> 00:59:14,395 Speaker 1: of all the boring things Bob Wright didn't want to 884 00:59:14,435 --> 00:59:19,675 Speaker 1: be bothered with. At MSNBC. Eric Sorenson fired Michael Savage. Sorenson, 885 00:59:20,035 --> 00:59:22,315 Speaker 1: for whom I worked in Los Angeles in local news 886 00:59:22,315 --> 00:59:25,075 Speaker 1: and who consulted on my show on Current TV as 887 00:59:25,115 --> 00:59:27,955 Speaker 1: recently as twenty eleven, took me for a drink because 888 00:59:27,995 --> 00:59:31,355 Speaker 1: he needed to tell somebody what happened next after he 889 00:59:31,475 --> 00:59:35,995 Speaker 1: fired Michael Savage. As soon as the Savage firing was announced, 890 00:59:35,995 --> 00:59:38,635 Speaker 1: Sorenson said, the phone rang in his office and it 891 00:59:38,755 --> 00:59:42,675 Speaker 1: was Bob Wright, the chairman of NBC. Did you have 892 00:59:42,675 --> 00:59:46,315 Speaker 1: to fire americ? Wright asked in his nasal long Island accent, 893 00:59:46,955 --> 00:59:51,235 Speaker 1: and Sorenson said he answered, yes, I literally had to. 894 00:59:51,275 --> 00:59:53,275 Speaker 1: I had to fire him. Remember the clause in his 895 00:59:53,395 --> 00:59:56,835 Speaker 1: contract there are forty phrases he's not allowed to use 896 00:59:56,875 --> 00:59:59,195 Speaker 1: on the show. It literally says, if you say any 897 00:59:59,195 --> 01:00:02,555 Speaker 1: of the following forty things, you will be automatically fired 898 01:00:02,595 --> 01:00:06,355 Speaker 1: for cause and get no money. Remember what number four 899 01:00:06,395 --> 01:00:09,515 Speaker 1: on that list is. Number four is quote, I hope 900 01:00:09,555 --> 01:00:13,075 Speaker 1: you get AIDS and die unquote. And then he said, 901 01:00:13,115 --> 01:00:16,395 Speaker 1: I hope you get AIDS and die. Bob, I literally 902 01:00:16,555 --> 01:00:20,155 Speaker 1: had to fire him. I had to fire him. It's 903 01:00:20,275 --> 01:00:24,355 Speaker 1: in the contract. Eric Sorenson told me. There was a 904 01:00:24,395 --> 01:00:27,555 Speaker 1: long pause on the other end of the phone, and 905 01:00:27,595 --> 01:00:30,995 Speaker 1: then Bob Wright said, in anticipation of all that we 906 01:00:31,075 --> 01:00:34,435 Speaker 1: have seen in television news since all the meetings about 907 01:00:34,475 --> 01:00:37,955 Speaker 1: what happens if the country goes fully fascist, and NBC 908 01:00:38,195 --> 01:00:41,635 Speaker 1: and CNN and CBS and ABC all want to protect 909 01:00:41,675 --> 01:00:45,315 Speaker 1: their profits and do the devil's work, Bob Wright said, 910 01:00:45,355 --> 01:00:49,475 Speaker 1: after a long pause to Eric Sorenson, who had just 911 01:00:49,555 --> 01:00:52,315 Speaker 1: fired Michael Savage because it was in the contract, Bob 912 01:00:52,355 --> 01:00:56,955 Speaker 1: Wright said, softly and sadly, but Eric, did you. 913 01:00:56,955 --> 01:01:11,835 Speaker 5: Have to fire him? 914 01:01:11,875 --> 01:01:17,595 Speaker 1: But did you have to fire him, my God, and 915 01:01:17,675 --> 01:01:21,515 Speaker 1: we're cycling through it yet again. Scott Jennings of the 916 01:01:21,515 --> 01:01:26,315 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Times Editorial Board. By the way, because nothing 917 01:01:26,315 --> 01:01:30,395 Speaker 1: gets scared faster than a billion dollars or a guy 918 01:01:30,435 --> 01:01:33,795 Speaker 1: from South Africa who owns newspapers in the United States. 919 01:01:34,595 --> 01:01:36,395 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 920 01:01:36,435 --> 01:01:38,635 Speaker 1: you for listening. Brian Ray and John Phillip Shanelle, the 921 01:01:38,715 --> 01:01:42,195 Speaker 1: musical directors have Countdown, arranged, produced, and performed most of 922 01:01:42,235 --> 01:01:46,275 Speaker 1: our music. Mister Chanelle handled orchestration and keyboards. Mister Ray 923 01:01:46,395 --> 01:01:48,995 Speaker 1: was on the guitars, bass and drums. It was produced 924 01:01:48,995 --> 01:01:52,835 Speaker 1: by tk Obras. Our satirical and pithy musical comments are 925 01:01:52,835 --> 01:01:55,995 Speaker 1: by the best baseball stadium organist ever, Nancy Faust. The 926 01:01:56,075 --> 01:02:00,835 Speaker 1: sports music is the Olberman theme from ESPN two, written 927 01:02:00,875 --> 01:02:04,275 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis and courtesy of ESPN Inc. Other 928 01:02:04,395 --> 01:02:07,115 Speaker 1: music arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. 929 01:02:07,515 --> 01:02:10,915 Speaker 1: My announcer today is my friend Jonathan Banks. Everything else 930 01:02:11,115 --> 01:02:17,275 Speaker 1: was as ever my fault. Countdown Watch twenty twenty four. 931 01:02:18,435 --> 01:02:22,955 Speaker 1: That's countdown for today, just ninety seven days until the 932 01:02:22,995 --> 01:02:25,035 Speaker 1: scheduled end of the Lane Duck presidency. 933 01:02:25,035 --> 01:02:25,475 Speaker 2: Of Trump. 934 01:02:26,395 --> 01:02:31,555 Speaker 1: Probably the next scheduled countdown is now. This is a change. 935 01:02:31,835 --> 01:02:35,515 Speaker 1: It's going to be Wensday this week, not Thursday. This 936 01:02:35,595 --> 01:02:41,475 Speaker 1: week Wednesday Countdown drop Watch twenty twenty four. The next 937 01:02:41,555 --> 01:02:46,675 Speaker 1: countdown is Wednesday. As always, bulletins as the news warrants 938 01:02:47,115 --> 01:02:52,035 Speaker 1: till the next one Wednesday. I'm Keith Olrimman. Good morning, 939 01:02:52,035 --> 01:03:15,995 Speaker 1: good afternoon, good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith 940 01:03:16,035 --> 01:03:21,035 Speaker 1: Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 941 01:03:21,235 --> 01:03:25,275 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 942 01:03:25,315 --> 01:03:26,195 Speaker 1: your podcasts.