1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:24,035 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Manhattan 2 00:00:24,075 --> 00:00:28,555 Speaker 1: District Attorney Alvin Bragg, one of only two American heroes 3 00:00:28,875 --> 00:00:32,875 Speaker 1: to actually convict Trump, has a novel legal argument about 4 00:00:32,875 --> 00:00:36,035 Speaker 1: how to handle sentencing him for his election interference hush 5 00:00:36,075 --> 00:00:39,555 Speaker 1: money crimes here, since Mershan seems to be convinced that 6 00:00:39,595 --> 00:00:42,315 Speaker 1: you can't act against Trump legally while he is the 7 00:00:42,355 --> 00:00:45,835 Speaker 1: sitting president, and more practically, there is literally no way 8 00:00:46,275 --> 00:00:51,555 Speaker 1: Trump's sentence could begin before he becomes sitting Dick. To President, 9 00:00:52,235 --> 00:01:02,555 Speaker 1: Bragg's novel argument, pretend Trump is dead Merry Christmas. This 10 00:01:02,875 --> 00:01:06,195 Speaker 1: is in Bragg's filing to Judge Wan Mershawan, who has 11 00:01:06,235 --> 00:01:08,875 Speaker 1: to figure out something to do other than vacate the 12 00:01:08,875 --> 00:01:12,835 Speaker 1: guilty verdict some way out of this legal morass. Mershan 13 00:01:12,955 --> 00:01:15,955 Speaker 1: himself helped to create a morass unique even for what 14 00:01:15,995 --> 00:01:20,195 Speaker 1: has proved to be a laughably useless American system of justice, 15 00:01:20,515 --> 00:01:23,715 Speaker 1: the envy of the world until it turned out you 16 00:01:23,755 --> 00:01:27,035 Speaker 1: can defeat its entire purpose if you can simply put 17 00:01:27,075 --> 00:01:31,755 Speaker 1: a dozen utterly corrupt alitos and canons and others in 18 00:01:31,995 --> 00:01:36,635 Speaker 1: just the right positions within that system. And the solution 19 00:01:36,835 --> 00:01:42,395 Speaker 1: boils down to pretend Trump is dead. Not trying to 20 00:01:42,435 --> 00:01:45,995 Speaker 1: make that happen, not wishing that happens, nothing like that. 21 00:01:46,395 --> 00:01:51,075 Speaker 1: Just pretending Trump is dead, and it's in legal papers 22 00:01:51,155 --> 00:01:54,995 Speaker 1: because bureaucracy abhors a vacuum. And if his conviction is 23 00:01:55,035 --> 00:02:00,035 Speaker 1: not overturned or vacated, or his sentence can't be pronounced, 24 00:02:00,315 --> 00:02:02,835 Speaker 1: or he can't be sent to Rikers Island, he's got 25 00:02:02,875 --> 00:02:08,235 Speaker 1: to be something. And that's some would be legally pretend dead. 26 00:02:10,315 --> 00:02:13,515 Speaker 1: The legalies itself actually isn't much more complicated than that. 27 00:02:14,315 --> 00:02:17,475 Speaker 1: This Court could adopt a remedy that some courts have 28 00:02:17,515 --> 00:02:22,795 Speaker 1: followed in the abatement by death context, to terminate proceedings 29 00:02:23,075 --> 00:02:27,275 Speaker 1: without vacating the jury verdict or dismissing indictment. Even if 30 00:02:27,355 --> 00:02:29,795 Speaker 1: this Court were to believe it the mere pendency of 31 00:02:29,835 --> 00:02:34,275 Speaker 1: the criminal proceeding we are somehow inconsistent with defenders' future 32 00:02:34,275 --> 00:02:39,035 Speaker 1: official duties as president, Dismissal and vacating would still not 33 00:02:39,115 --> 00:02:43,635 Speaker 1: be warranted under the abatement doctrine. Courts have considered an 34 00:02:43,675 --> 00:02:47,035 Speaker 1: analogous question of what to do with the jury verdict 35 00:02:47,035 --> 00:02:50,435 Speaker 1: and indictment when further criminal proceedings are no longer possible 36 00:02:50,475 --> 00:02:57,235 Speaker 1: because of the defendant's death, this court would likewise adopt 37 00:02:57,235 --> 00:03:00,875 Speaker 1: one of the alternatives to abatement ab initio here in 38 00:03:00,955 --> 00:03:05,235 Speaker 1: place of the extreme remedy of dismissal and vacatur that 39 00:03:05,355 --> 00:03:09,755 Speaker 1: defendant has proposed. Specifically, under the so called Alabama rule, 40 00:03:10,595 --> 00:03:13,635 Speaker 1: when a defendant dies after he is found guilty but 41 00:03:13,715 --> 00:03:17,195 Speaker 1: before the conviction becomes final through the appellate process, the 42 00:03:17,195 --> 00:03:20,555 Speaker 1: court places in the record of the case a notation 43 00:03:20,755 --> 00:03:24,995 Speaker 1: to the effect that the conviction removed the presumption of innocence, 44 00:03:25,315 --> 00:03:28,875 Speaker 1: but was neither affirmed nor reverse on appeal. Because the 45 00:03:28,955 --> 00:03:35,075 Speaker 1: defendant died, it makes sense to borrow from the manner 46 00:03:35,235 --> 00:03:41,835 Speaker 1: in which Court's address abatement, because many of defendant's arguments 47 00:03:42,395 --> 00:03:47,475 Speaker 1: here parallel the arguments made in favor of dismissal and vacatur. 48 00:03:48,035 --> 00:03:53,595 Speaker 1: Upon a defendant's death, he said it, I didn't. The 49 00:03:53,835 --> 00:03:57,595 Speaker 1: essence of that is that you essentially freeze the case 50 00:03:57,635 --> 00:04:03,155 Speaker 1: where it is trump convicted, appeal pending, and you let 51 00:04:03,235 --> 00:04:07,315 Speaker 1: future events soart it out. You don't overturn the verdant, 52 00:04:07,595 --> 00:04:10,675 Speaker 1: you don't expunge it. You don't wrongly clear this slimy 53 00:04:10,795 --> 00:04:14,275 Speaker 1: bastard elect. You simply stuff it over here in a 54 00:04:14,355 --> 00:04:21,115 Speaker 1: kind of legal purgatory, a suspended animation. You'll come back 55 00:04:21,155 --> 00:04:24,755 Speaker 1: to it if and when circumstances change and he stops 56 00:04:24,795 --> 00:04:29,555 Speaker 1: being legally dead. Bluntly, Wan mare Sean will go down 57 00:04:29,595 --> 00:04:31,955 Speaker 1: in American history if any more of it is written 58 00:04:32,075 --> 00:04:35,275 Speaker 1: or permitted in our schools, as one of our greatest 59 00:04:35,315 --> 00:04:40,275 Speaker 1: fools and greatest cowards, and greatest both sides. This enablers 60 00:04:40,515 --> 00:04:45,115 Speaker 1: the Merrick Garland of judges, if you will. So somebody 61 00:04:45,155 --> 00:04:48,235 Speaker 1: here has to do something other than saying, oh, well, 62 00:04:48,835 --> 00:04:52,035 Speaker 1: the corrupt Supreme Court says corrupt presidents are immune. So 63 00:04:52,115 --> 00:04:55,435 Speaker 1: I'll just go at the corrupt flow and overturn the 64 00:04:55,515 --> 00:04:58,835 Speaker 1: verdict of an American jury made up of American citizens 65 00:04:58,955 --> 00:05:02,795 Speaker 1: who sat there and stared at the devil in his fat, 66 00:05:02,835 --> 00:05:06,515 Speaker 1: orange makeuped face for weeks on end, and spoke for 67 00:05:06,595 --> 00:05:09,075 Speaker 1: the rest of us in this country and said, this 68 00:05:09,435 --> 00:05:12,595 Speaker 1: asshole paid off a porn star to keep her as 69 00:05:12,715 --> 00:05:16,755 Speaker 1: part of his extraordinary exertions to deceive the public and 70 00:05:16,835 --> 00:05:20,155 Speaker 1: get himself elected president of the United States. And we're 71 00:05:20,235 --> 00:05:22,275 Speaker 1: mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. 72 00:05:23,875 --> 00:05:28,275 Speaker 1: Trump is corrupt. The jury was not the prosecution was not, 73 00:05:28,795 --> 00:05:32,675 Speaker 1: the system was not. The judge now has to decide 74 00:05:32,755 --> 00:05:36,995 Speaker 1: if he's corrupt or he's not. He can't do anything 75 00:05:36,995 --> 00:05:39,675 Speaker 1: about his own stupidity, and he can't do anything about 76 00:05:39,675 --> 00:05:42,635 Speaker 1: the million lies Trump has told to get elected again. 77 00:05:42,915 --> 00:05:46,195 Speaker 1: But he and we can do something legally meaningful and 78 00:05:46,235 --> 00:05:50,555 Speaker 1: culturally symbolic, something like sticking an asterisk on a sports 79 00:05:50,595 --> 00:05:54,675 Speaker 1: record obtained by cheating, something that Trump will always carry 80 00:05:54,915 --> 00:05:59,195 Speaker 1: with him. Freeze the case exactly where it is, and 81 00:05:59,315 --> 00:06:03,035 Speaker 1: do what Alvin Bragg suggests, Treat it like you would 82 00:06:03,475 --> 00:06:38,715 Speaker 1: if Trump We're dead. Merry Christmas. Not advocating for that, obviously, 83 00:06:39,715 --> 00:06:42,235 Speaker 1: as I am not and previously have stated, I was 84 00:06:42,275 --> 00:06:46,115 Speaker 1: not advocating for Luigi or any other guy sharing the 85 00:06:46,195 --> 00:06:51,275 Speaker 1: name of a famous video game character assassinating CEOs five 86 00:06:51,475 --> 00:06:57,155 Speaker 1: goddamned blocks from my home. I am an indictem convictim, 87 00:06:57,235 --> 00:07:02,155 Speaker 1: lock them up for life absolutist. On the other hand, 88 00:07:02,755 --> 00:07:05,995 Speaker 1: as I said Monday, nothing about the assassination of the 89 00:07:06,035 --> 00:07:10,075 Speaker 1: CEO of United Healthcare by Luigi McDreamy or whatever his 90 00:07:10,155 --> 00:07:13,555 Speaker 1: name is is more startling than wide swaths of the 91 00:07:13,595 --> 00:07:17,795 Speaker 1: media writing nearly hysterical pieces about how the support or 92 00:07:17,875 --> 00:07:21,115 Speaker 1: passive approval for what he did indicates some kind of 93 00:07:21,155 --> 00:07:25,195 Speaker 1: breakdown in American society and is inconceivable and cannot in 94 00:07:25,275 --> 00:07:28,875 Speaker 1: any way be tolerated for a minute longer. There was 95 00:07:28,915 --> 00:07:33,515 Speaker 1: a long magazine article yesterday blaming it on a communist 96 00:07:33,555 --> 00:07:38,755 Speaker 1: philosopher from one hundred years ago as CEOs and those 97 00:07:38,795 --> 00:07:40,995 Speaker 1: who worshiped them and cover them as if they were, 98 00:07:41,715 --> 00:07:47,075 Speaker 1: you know, superstar human beings recoil from this as if 99 00:07:47,075 --> 00:07:50,115 Speaker 1: it were another pope getting shot. I mean, sure, his 100 00:07:50,195 --> 00:07:52,515 Speaker 1: company has done some bad things over the centuries, and 101 00:07:52,595 --> 00:07:55,555 Speaker 1: millions have died as a result, but he's a good guy. 102 00:07:55,595 --> 00:07:59,835 Speaker 1: It's not like that's all his fault. These glorifiers of 103 00:07:59,915 --> 00:08:03,755 Speaker 1: greed have so disconnected from reality that they have forgotten 104 00:08:03,795 --> 00:08:07,555 Speaker 1: the essence of the definition of a corporation of the 105 00:08:07,595 --> 00:08:10,995 Speaker 1: thing Brian Thompson was the CEO of of the thing 106 00:08:11,115 --> 00:08:17,155 Speaker 1: Luigi Mangione was shooting. A corporation exists so that a 107 00:08:17,195 --> 00:08:20,395 Speaker 1: group of people can spend their money without any of 108 00:08:20,435 --> 00:08:24,595 Speaker 1: them being liable for any real moral or legal responsibility. 109 00:08:24,955 --> 00:08:28,555 Speaker 1: When people get killed or hurt or ripped off. If 110 00:08:28,555 --> 00:08:31,915 Speaker 1: you are not at the Wall Street Journal or CNBC 111 00:08:32,635 --> 00:08:35,955 Speaker 1: or any of the news organizations led by and run 112 00:08:35,995 --> 00:08:38,595 Speaker 1: by and anchored by generations of people who have grown 113 00:08:38,635 --> 00:08:41,475 Speaker 1: up in the era when the media has worshiped money 114 00:08:41,755 --> 00:08:44,035 Speaker 1: and the people who make it for their own sake, 115 00:08:44,155 --> 00:08:48,675 Speaker 1: it is impossible to conceive how corporations are viewed by 116 00:08:48,755 --> 00:08:53,995 Speaker 1: people who don't own stocks. How many people have died 117 00:08:54,635 --> 00:09:00,595 Speaker 1: as the direct result of corporate criminality? And a second question, 118 00:09:00,835 --> 00:09:04,235 Speaker 1: how many corporate executives have been given the death penalty 119 00:09:04,275 --> 00:09:07,315 Speaker 1: in a court of law. The answer to the first 120 00:09:07,395 --> 00:09:10,555 Speaker 1: question is a whole lot. The answer to the second 121 00:09:10,595 --> 00:09:15,235 Speaker 1: question is none. Nobody even went to jail after the Titanic. 122 00:09:15,795 --> 00:09:19,275 Speaker 1: Nobody went to jail after the Johnstown flood. Nobody went 123 00:09:19,315 --> 00:09:22,355 Speaker 1: to jail after the Deep Water Horizon BP spill in 124 00:09:22,395 --> 00:09:28,555 Speaker 1: the Gulf. They charged two supervisors with manslaughter. End result, 125 00:09:28,635 --> 00:09:34,195 Speaker 1: one of them pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act. 126 00:09:34,515 --> 00:09:42,115 Speaker 1: Corporations are designed to ensure irresponsibility. If, as a disastrous 127 00:09:42,115 --> 00:09:47,115 Speaker 1: Supreme Court misruling from the nineteenth century suggests, corporations are persons. 128 00:09:47,475 --> 00:09:54,875 Speaker 1: That person would be Trump, So please columnists, reporters, right wingers, 129 00:09:55,995 --> 00:10:01,035 Speaker 1: business editors celebrating the guy who slowly choked a crazy 130 00:10:01,115 --> 00:10:03,715 Speaker 1: man to death on the subway, spare me at least 131 00:10:03,755 --> 00:10:07,315 Speaker 1: your shock that what might be a majority of Americans 132 00:10:08,235 --> 00:10:11,995 Speaker 1: is not getting that worked up about Luigi. When the 133 00:10:12,075 --> 00:10:15,075 Speaker 1: legal system has failed, When in the case of the 134 00:10:15,115 --> 00:10:18,715 Speaker 1: concept of the corporation, it has been designed to fail 135 00:10:19,075 --> 00:10:22,915 Speaker 1: as badly as ours has failed, people are not only 136 00:10:23,115 --> 00:10:27,275 Speaker 1: going to cheer vigilantes, they will fear that they have 137 00:10:27,475 --> 00:10:32,715 Speaker 1: nobody else to cheer. Four And oh, by the way, 138 00:10:32,755 --> 00:10:35,395 Speaker 1: if you also can't figure out why the serial murderer 139 00:10:35,475 --> 00:10:39,435 Speaker 1: of women Ted Bundy got hundreds of marriage proposals while 140 00:10:39,475 --> 00:10:43,235 Speaker 1: on trial and probably while they were walking into the 141 00:10:43,275 --> 00:10:46,875 Speaker 1: electric chair in nineteen eighty nine, just read some of 142 00:10:46,915 --> 00:10:52,355 Speaker 1: the stuff online about Luigi. This is obviously lost on me, ladies, 143 00:10:53,035 --> 00:10:56,355 Speaker 1: But I'm not blaming you for our human biology. I 144 00:10:56,395 --> 00:10:59,435 Speaker 1: am confident that if Luigi was Louise and was as 145 00:10:59,475 --> 00:11:03,795 Speaker 1: apparently attractive, men of today would be writing the same things. 146 00:11:04,435 --> 00:11:07,555 Speaker 1: But please, ladies, let's dial this down just a little, 147 00:11:07,835 --> 00:11:11,195 Speaker 1: because anything you write that sounds like he's hot. I mean, 148 00:11:11,235 --> 00:11:13,955 Speaker 1: I know, he murdered a guy, but he's hot is 149 00:11:14,075 --> 00:11:17,755 Speaker 1: not as they say the flex that. 150 00:11:17,715 --> 00:11:18,675 Speaker 2: You think it is. 151 00:11:28,155 --> 00:11:32,035 Speaker 1: Meanwhile, back at the ranch, that construction sound you hear 152 00:11:32,195 --> 00:11:35,035 Speaker 1: is the Trump ists trying to move the Overton window 153 00:11:35,195 --> 00:11:40,275 Speaker 1: yet again. You heard Trump say Sunday that he thinks 154 00:11:40,315 --> 00:11:43,635 Speaker 1: everybody on the January sixth Committee and every elected official 155 00:11:43,675 --> 00:11:46,475 Speaker 1: who voted for the January sixth Committee should be in jail, 156 00:11:47,355 --> 00:11:50,355 Speaker 1: but that no, he wouldn't order anybody to prosecute him. 157 00:11:50,355 --> 00:11:55,675 Speaker 1: That would be decided by his FBI director. Prune face 158 00:11:55,755 --> 00:11:59,315 Speaker 1: from Dick Tracy? Am I remembering that correctly decided by 159 00:11:59,315 --> 00:12:03,835 Speaker 1: his FBI director and his Attorney general? Neon Noodle from 160 00:12:03,875 --> 00:12:06,035 Speaker 1: the bugs? Bunny VERSI, Dick Tracy, if I have that right? 161 00:12:07,915 --> 00:12:11,075 Speaker 1: This idea that he wouldn't order it is now being 162 00:12:11,115 --> 00:12:16,635 Speaker 1: painted as some sort of concession by Trump. He won't 163 00:12:16,755 --> 00:12:20,635 Speaker 1: order his law enforcement agencies to fabricate crimes and make 164 00:12:20,715 --> 00:12:23,995 Speaker 1: up evidence against elected members of the House of Representatives 165 00:12:24,035 --> 00:12:27,235 Speaker 1: who tried to expose his actual criminal and seditious attempt 166 00:12:27,275 --> 00:12:30,595 Speaker 1: to overthrow the government. He'll just let others do it. 167 00:12:31,955 --> 00:12:36,475 Speaker 1: Fox headlined this a kinder, gentler Trump president elect taking 168 00:12:36,475 --> 00:12:41,555 Speaker 1: a more moderate stance. Jason Miller says the reactions from 169 00:12:41,555 --> 00:12:44,675 Speaker 1: Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and others wasn't necessary because 170 00:12:44,715 --> 00:12:47,995 Speaker 1: the January sixth, Committee threat was taken out of context. 171 00:12:48,475 --> 00:12:51,635 Speaker 1: Quoting him, if you listen to the entire interview with 172 00:12:51,675 --> 00:12:54,075 Speaker 1: President Trump, he said he's going to leave that up 173 00:12:54,075 --> 00:12:57,475 Speaker 1: to the law enforcement agents in charge, including Pam Bondi 174 00:12:57,555 --> 00:13:02,595 Speaker 1: and Cash Patel. Translation by way of current events analogy, 175 00:13:03,435 --> 00:13:06,635 Speaker 1: Trump isn't going to shoot the CEO in the head. 176 00:13:07,035 --> 00:13:09,595 Speaker 1: Some sick event working for Trump is going to shoot 177 00:13:09,595 --> 00:13:12,555 Speaker 1: the CEO in the head, because that's all right. Then 178 00:13:12,955 --> 00:13:16,435 Speaker 1: Pam Bondi and Cash Battel would never do something they 179 00:13:16,475 --> 00:13:20,115 Speaker 1: thought would please the Furer just to please the Furer, 180 00:13:20,475 --> 00:13:23,355 Speaker 1: and Pam Bondi and Cash Pateel would never tell Trump 181 00:13:23,355 --> 00:13:26,675 Speaker 1: in advance which elected officials and former elected officials and 182 00:13:26,755 --> 00:13:29,955 Speaker 1: political opponents they were planning to jail like this was Syria. 183 00:13:30,915 --> 00:13:35,595 Speaker 1: Just to pick an example on the confirmations front, Pete 184 00:13:35,595 --> 00:13:40,835 Speaker 1: Hegseeth met with Senator Susan Collins for an hour. Shockingly enough, 185 00:13:40,875 --> 00:13:44,195 Speaker 1: she did not commit to anything. She says she wants 186 00:13:44,235 --> 00:13:47,915 Speaker 1: to see a full FBI betting hag Seth has also 187 00:13:47,995 --> 00:13:52,195 Speaker 1: gotten caught in a spectacular lie. Monday, he went on 188 00:13:52,235 --> 00:13:56,475 Speaker 1: Hannity's Fascist Fallatio Hour and insisted that his comments had 189 00:13:56,475 --> 00:14:00,875 Speaker 1: been misconstrued that quote, I somehow don't support women in 190 00:14:00,915 --> 00:14:04,835 Speaker 1: the military. Some of our best warriors out there are women. 191 00:14:04,915 --> 00:14:07,955 Speaker 1: That remark came literally forty eight hours after he'd gone 192 00:14:07,995 --> 00:14:11,315 Speaker 1: on somebody's podcast and said, quote, I am straight up 193 00:14:11,395 --> 00:14:14,315 Speaker 1: just saying we should not have women in combat roles. 194 00:14:15,835 --> 00:14:19,715 Speaker 1: There's a little wiggle room in between those two statements. 195 00:14:20,155 --> 00:14:24,595 Speaker 1: You could probably fit something tiny between them, like heg 196 00:14:24,635 --> 00:14:32,035 Speaker 1: Seth's principles and morals. But honestly, whoever you are, if 197 00:14:32,075 --> 00:14:34,675 Speaker 1: you say the one thing Saturday and then the other 198 00:14:34,715 --> 00:14:37,675 Speaker 1: thing Monday, you are forcing us to circle back to 199 00:14:37,715 --> 00:14:41,075 Speaker 1: that other question of how much you have been drinking 200 00:14:41,955 --> 00:14:46,435 Speaker 1: and whether or not I need to calculate gallons into barrels. 201 00:14:49,115 --> 00:14:53,515 Speaker 1: Murkowski's probably a no, Collins is a who knows. McConnell 202 00:14:53,555 --> 00:14:57,275 Speaker 1: could vote no. Ernst was a no and might still 203 00:14:57,315 --> 00:15:02,515 Speaker 1: be one and four nos. And Hegseth is meat still 204 00:15:02,955 --> 00:15:05,635 Speaker 1: Trump thug. Mike Davis said he would be happy to 205 00:15:05,635 --> 00:15:09,155 Speaker 1: pay private investigators to dig dirt up on hesitant Republican senators, 206 00:15:09,195 --> 00:15:13,155 Speaker 1: And suddenly you had Ernst balancing on this tightrope sounding 207 00:15:13,195 --> 00:15:16,955 Speaker 1: like she was supporting Hegseeth or supporting the process or 208 00:15:17,115 --> 00:15:22,435 Speaker 1: supporting something without actually supporting him. Ernest is already being 209 00:15:22,435 --> 00:15:26,755 Speaker 1: attacked as a rhino, already having questions raised about her divorce, 210 00:15:27,915 --> 00:15:31,635 Speaker 1: and they've announced their primarying Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who 211 00:15:31,755 --> 00:15:35,715 Speaker 1: once voted to impeach Trump, and before FBI Director Chris 212 00:15:35,795 --> 00:15:39,035 Speaker 1: Ray said yesterday he would resign before the inauguration way 213 00:15:39,075 --> 00:15:42,875 Speaker 1: to obey in advance Chris. When Mike Rounds of South 214 00:15:42,915 --> 00:15:46,955 Speaker 1: Dakota said he had no complaints against Ray, Charlie Kirk 215 00:15:47,035 --> 00:15:49,635 Speaker 1: posted quote, Senator Rounds, you are up for reelection in 216 00:15:49,675 --> 00:15:52,955 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six. If you vote against any of Trump's nominees, 217 00:15:53,195 --> 00:15:56,635 Speaker 1: a primary challenge wouldn't be hard, just to remind her. 218 00:15:58,195 --> 00:16:01,435 Speaker 1: Also a reminder that in a dictatorship, there's only one fewer. 219 00:16:02,395 --> 00:16:04,555 Speaker 1: There are a lot of enforcers at a lot of 220 00:16:04,675 --> 00:16:07,875 Speaker 1: bobblehead dolls nodding yes, but there's just the one feurer. 221 00:16:10,235 --> 00:16:14,755 Speaker 1: And as he sets chances of confirmation seemingly increase. The 222 00:16:14,795 --> 00:16:17,955 Speaker 1: one I think is in the most trouble is Telsey Gabbard, 223 00:16:18,635 --> 00:16:21,755 Speaker 1: and not because, as a Republican Senate aide told the 224 00:16:21,795 --> 00:16:24,995 Speaker 1: news site The Hill, quote, behind closed doors, people think 225 00:16:25,035 --> 00:16:28,315 Speaker 1: she might be compromised. Like it's not hyperbole. There are 226 00:16:28,435 --> 00:16:32,395 Speaker 1: members of our conference who think she's a Russian asset unquote, 227 00:16:33,115 --> 00:16:37,035 Speaker 1: as published by the Hill. But Gabbard's got another problem, 228 00:16:37,075 --> 00:16:39,435 Speaker 1: which is there are Republicans who are worried that she 229 00:16:39,635 --> 00:16:43,355 Speaker 1: is not a Russian asset. The Wall Street Journal editorial 230 00:16:43,395 --> 00:16:46,515 Speaker 1: Board and honest to God, if they all turned out 231 00:16:46,515 --> 00:16:48,875 Speaker 1: to work in a bunker twenty eight feet under the 232 00:16:48,915 --> 00:16:52,875 Speaker 1: Reich Chancellory in Berlin, I wouldn't be the least goddamned surprised. 233 00:16:53,235 --> 00:16:56,675 Speaker 1: The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes quote the ugly 234 00:16:56,715 --> 00:17:00,195 Speaker 1: criticism of Telsey Gabbard as a quote likely Russian asset. 235 00:17:00,435 --> 00:17:04,475 Speaker 1: Representative W. Wasserman Schultz might convince Trump supporters that she's 236 00:17:04,475 --> 00:17:07,915 Speaker 1: been maligned as President Trump was because she's on board 237 00:17:07,915 --> 00:17:11,435 Speaker 1: with his agenda. The truth, which has Republican senators concerned 238 00:17:11,475 --> 00:17:14,515 Speaker 1: is the opposite. Miss Gabbart is on ample record as 239 00:17:14,555 --> 00:17:18,675 Speaker 1: a dogmatic opponent of the policies that made mister Trump's 240 00:17:18,715 --> 00:17:23,155 Speaker 1: first term foreign policy a success and that Democrats resisted. 241 00:17:23,595 --> 00:17:27,355 Speaker 1: The former Democrat would be a risky fit as Director 242 00:17:27,395 --> 00:17:33,115 Speaker 1: of National Intelligence. So the fascist right is trying to 243 00:17:33,115 --> 00:17:37,515 Speaker 1: sink Gabbard, and so are some Republican senators, and of course, 244 00:17:37,555 --> 00:17:41,995 Speaker 1: our friends at the Daily Coasts published a cartoon about her, 245 00:17:42,635 --> 00:17:46,395 Speaker 1: in which she is depicted as go and look at this. 246 00:17:48,155 --> 00:18:01,395 Speaker 1: Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle last had lines. Just because 247 00:18:01,395 --> 00:18:03,835 Speaker 1: his brains aren't leaking out his ears at a rally 248 00:18:03,875 --> 00:18:07,235 Speaker 1: every Saturday lin during the campaign doesn't mean they're not 249 00:18:07,395 --> 00:18:10,435 Speaker 1: still leaking out his ears. Trump posted this, The Democrats 250 00:18:10,435 --> 00:18:13,635 Speaker 1: are fighting hard to get rid of the popular vote 251 00:18:13,675 --> 00:18:17,515 Speaker 1: in future elections. They want all future presidential elections to 252 00:18:17,555 --> 00:18:25,555 Speaker 1: be based exclusively on the electoral college exclamation point. All 253 00:18:26,235 --> 00:18:32,275 Speaker 1: previous presidential elections have been based exclusively on the electoral college, 254 00:18:34,195 --> 00:18:37,235 Speaker 1: and six weeks ago, Trump's henchmen were working to get 255 00:18:37,235 --> 00:18:41,315 Speaker 1: around the popular vote if he lost in the swing states. 256 00:18:41,795 --> 00:18:45,075 Speaker 1: But now that he's won the popular vote by one 257 00:18:45,075 --> 00:18:48,795 Speaker 1: point four percent, he has to try to remain the victim. 258 00:18:49,155 --> 00:18:51,155 Speaker 1: And to remain the victim, he has to make the 259 00:18:51,195 --> 00:18:55,515 Speaker 1: popular vote the subject of some imaginary democratic conspiracy, which 260 00:18:55,555 --> 00:18:58,435 Speaker 1: brings us back to twenty twelve when Trump wanted to 261 00:18:58,435 --> 00:19:00,875 Speaker 1: eliminate the electoral college. And if he will get that 262 00:19:00,955 --> 00:19:06,675 Speaker 1: amendment passed, I might actually help him on that. Finally, 263 00:19:06,715 --> 00:19:10,995 Speaker 1: if you have not heard Junior's fiance or ex fiance 264 00:19:11,435 --> 00:19:16,755 Speaker 1: or whatever, screaming Kim Gilfoyle has been nominated as ambassador 265 00:19:16,835 --> 00:19:21,475 Speaker 1: to Greece gr e e Ce or time with Trump 266 00:19:21,555 --> 00:19:24,555 Speaker 1: Junior would have made her an ambassador to Greece gr 267 00:19:24,595 --> 00:19:28,835 Speaker 1: e a se. So the role of screaming Kim Gilfoyle 268 00:19:28,955 --> 00:19:32,315 Speaker 1: is now being played by a woman named Bettina Anderson 269 00:19:33,315 --> 00:19:41,475 Speaker 1: and now on with the show. Also of interest here, 270 00:19:41,555 --> 00:19:45,595 Speaker 1: a development in local politics in Fun City has just 271 00:19:45,675 --> 00:19:50,075 Speaker 1: made me realize something I had completely forgotten about and 272 00:19:50,115 --> 00:19:53,595 Speaker 1: not really tied together. But it just made me realize 273 00:19:53,595 --> 00:19:57,715 Speaker 1: that between us, one of my exes and I may 274 00:19:57,755 --> 00:20:01,515 Speaker 1: have inadvertently led to first Bill de Blasio and then 275 00:20:01,795 --> 00:20:06,995 Speaker 1: Eric Adams becoming Mayor of New York City. Firstly, to 276 00:20:07,115 --> 00:20:13,075 Speaker 1: everyone in the universe, I express my most sincere apologies. Secondly, 277 00:20:14,115 --> 00:20:17,355 Speaker 1: I know that the phrase one of my exes gives 278 00:20:17,395 --> 00:20:20,595 Speaker 1: you no clue as to who I am talking about. 279 00:20:20,875 --> 00:20:26,515 Speaker 2: That's called a tease. And thirdly, that's next. This is countdown. 280 00:20:28,555 --> 00:20:30,835 Speaker 2: This is Countdown with Keith. 281 00:20:31,515 --> 00:20:42,195 Speaker 1: Album stell Ahead Worse Persons. Elon Musk makes an appearance, 282 00:20:42,395 --> 00:20:45,355 Speaker 1: and there's a woman who went to Australia carrying a 283 00:20:45,395 --> 00:20:49,155 Speaker 1: three thousand dollars gold plated gun, but she swears she 284 00:20:49,355 --> 00:20:52,355 Speaker 1: wasn't planning to shoot anybody with it. She was just 285 00:20:52,435 --> 00:20:57,115 Speaker 1: taking it with her to Clown College. But now postscripts 286 00:20:57,115 --> 00:21:01,435 Speaker 1: to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snark. This 287 00:21:01,515 --> 00:21:04,115 Speaker 1: is the Countdown podcast and these are the places where 288 00:21:04,115 --> 00:21:12,875 Speaker 1: there's new Dateline Zurich. The Soccer World Cup for twenty 289 00:21:12,995 --> 00:21:16,595 Speaker 1: thirty was awarded to six nations, for most of them Spain, 290 00:21:17,035 --> 00:21:19,395 Speaker 1: but the twenty thirty four to one has been awarded 291 00:21:19,435 --> 00:21:22,515 Speaker 1: to the nation with the greatest soccer playing tradition in 292 00:21:22,555 --> 00:21:29,875 Speaker 1: the world, Saudi Arabia. Because everything is for sale, ask Trump. 293 00:21:30,595 --> 00:21:33,035 Speaker 1: The good news is by then climate change could be 294 00:21:33,035 --> 00:21:35,515 Speaker 1: bad enough for them to have to abandon the project 295 00:21:35,835 --> 00:21:41,755 Speaker 1: and maybe all of Saudi Arabia. Dateline New York rather 296 00:21:41,835 --> 00:21:45,075 Speaker 1: remarkable development here in fun City where Anthony Wiener, the 297 00:21:45,075 --> 00:21:51,515 Speaker 1: former congressman, and well he was RFK junior with the 298 00:21:51,555 --> 00:21:55,035 Speaker 1: phones and the sex before there was an RFK junior 299 00:21:55,035 --> 00:21:58,355 Speaker 1: with the phones and the sex. AnyWho, Anthony Wiener is 300 00:21:58,395 --> 00:22:00,635 Speaker 1: again running for office. This time it is the New 301 00:22:00,715 --> 00:22:04,595 Speaker 1: York City Council where he began his political career in 302 00:22:04,675 --> 00:22:08,915 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety two. This is Wiener's second comeback attempt. 303 00:22:09,115 --> 00:22:12,075 Speaker 1: Eleven years ago, he was not only running for mayor 304 00:22:12,155 --> 00:22:14,395 Speaker 1: of New York, but he might have been the unlikely 305 00:22:14,435 --> 00:22:18,035 Speaker 1: favorite for the Democratic nomination and thus almost automatic election. 306 00:22:18,635 --> 00:22:22,315 Speaker 1: Then my girlfriend came home from her internship at the 307 00:22:22,315 --> 00:22:27,075 Speaker 1: Wiener campaign and described to me, with extraordinary frustration the 308 00:22:27,155 --> 00:22:30,755 Speaker 1: total chaos there, with Wiener saying he knew the names 309 00:22:30,755 --> 00:22:33,435 Speaker 1: of all the interns, and saying that all of the 310 00:22:33,515 --> 00:22:37,595 Speaker 1: girl interns were named Monica. He called the first one Monica, 311 00:22:37,715 --> 00:22:40,875 Speaker 1: the second one Monica. Then he called my girlfriend Monica, 312 00:22:41,995 --> 00:22:44,155 Speaker 1: and how most of the volunteers and many of the 313 00:22:44,195 --> 00:22:46,675 Speaker 1: staffers were only there just to get in good with 314 00:22:46,755 --> 00:22:49,995 Speaker 1: Wiener's wife, Juma Abadin, in hopes of getting onto Hillary 315 00:22:49,995 --> 00:22:54,235 Speaker 1: Clinton's upcoming presidential campaign. How did that workout for you? Anyway? 316 00:22:54,235 --> 00:22:56,315 Speaker 1: My girlfriend said she was going to write this up 317 00:22:56,355 --> 00:23:00,395 Speaker 1: as a guest post for the blog run by one 318 00:23:00,395 --> 00:23:04,675 Speaker 1: of her friends. I looked at her gently but patronized, 319 00:23:05,115 --> 00:23:09,555 Speaker 1: and said, you are a witness to the best political 320 00:23:09,795 --> 00:23:12,195 Speaker 1: New York story of the year, and you're going to 321 00:23:12,235 --> 00:23:14,995 Speaker 1: put it on a blog you should be putting it 322 00:23:14,995 --> 00:23:18,555 Speaker 1: in the Daily News or in the Post. Even She 323 00:23:18,635 --> 00:23:20,475 Speaker 1: then asked, hell on earth she could actually put it 324 00:23:20,515 --> 00:23:22,075 Speaker 1: in the Daily News or the Post? And I said, 325 00:23:22,235 --> 00:23:25,075 Speaker 1: I knew writers at the papers. Certainly they wouldn't mind 326 00:23:25,115 --> 00:23:28,035 Speaker 1: contacting their editors with a story like that, But you 327 00:23:28,155 --> 00:23:31,755 Speaker 1: have to write this up yourself first, so they don't 328 00:23:31,795 --> 00:23:34,635 Speaker 1: just try to take your story and write it themselves 329 00:23:34,635 --> 00:23:36,835 Speaker 1: and leave you out of it. You should use this 330 00:23:36,915 --> 00:23:40,995 Speaker 1: as a career lever. Next thing, she knew the New 331 00:23:41,075 --> 00:23:43,915 Speaker 1: York Daily News had bought her story written by her. 332 00:23:44,715 --> 00:23:47,795 Speaker 1: I helped a little, nothing more really than moving a 333 00:23:47,795 --> 00:23:51,675 Speaker 1: few paragraphs around and sharpening some of her already really sharp, 334 00:23:52,235 --> 00:23:56,675 Speaker 1: wonderfully bitter humor. But the editors insisted they needed a 335 00:23:56,675 --> 00:23:58,795 Speaker 1: photo of her to go with it and find She said, 336 00:23:58,835 --> 00:24:00,075 Speaker 1: just as long as you don't put it on the 337 00:24:00,115 --> 00:24:02,755 Speaker 1: front page of the paper. Well, of course, she glammed 338 00:24:02,835 --> 00:24:04,675 Speaker 1: up for the photo shoot, and after she got packed 339 00:24:04,755 --> 00:24:06,515 Speaker 1: from it, I said, did you get it in writing 340 00:24:06,515 --> 00:24:09,475 Speaker 1: that it won't be on the front page? Up at 341 00:24:09,515 --> 00:24:12,515 Speaker 1: four am to take our dog to the we wi pad. 342 00:24:12,875 --> 00:24:15,715 Speaker 1: I hopped onto my iPad and went to the Daily 343 00:24:15,755 --> 00:24:19,195 Speaker 1: News website that had just updated, and I promptly woke 344 00:24:19,275 --> 00:24:22,035 Speaker 1: my girlfriend up. Guess what's on the front page of 345 00:24:22,035 --> 00:24:25,915 Speaker 1: the Daily News. She responded to her photo with a 346 00:24:25,955 --> 00:24:32,195 Speaker 1: mixture of horror and almost maniacal egotism. That sounds bad, 347 00:24:32,315 --> 00:24:35,515 Speaker 1: It is, in fact the average response from the average 348 00:24:35,555 --> 00:24:39,035 Speaker 1: reporter about almost anything big that happens to them. It 349 00:24:39,115 --> 00:24:42,235 Speaker 1: is the fuel for all of them. Not long after 350 00:24:42,275 --> 00:24:44,395 Speaker 1: the story and the photo and the front page, she 351 00:24:44,475 --> 00:24:46,875 Speaker 1: got a job offer from the Daily Beast. Then it 352 00:24:46,915 --> 00:24:50,475 Speaker 1: was New York Magazine, then TV hits mostly on CNN, 353 00:24:50,875 --> 00:24:53,835 Speaker 1: and then a book with her fiance, and then well, 354 00:24:54,235 --> 00:24:57,035 Speaker 1: she kind of came full circle, didn't she, Because of course, 355 00:24:57,075 --> 00:25:00,435 Speaker 1: this is Olivia Newsy I'm talking about, whose career started 356 00:25:00,435 --> 00:25:03,715 Speaker 1: with a phone sex and explicit photos guy in Anthony 357 00:25:03,755 --> 00:25:07,315 Speaker 1: Weener and has stalled, if not ended, with another phone 358 00:25:07,355 --> 00:25:12,155 Speaker 1: sex and explicit photo guy in RFK Junior. Oh, by 359 00:25:12,155 --> 00:25:15,875 Speaker 1: the way, Anthony Wiener's twenty thirteen mayoral campaign, it didn't 360 00:25:15,915 --> 00:25:18,635 Speaker 1: implode just because I said to Olivia, you're gonna put 361 00:25:18,635 --> 00:25:22,835 Speaker 1: it in a blog. But we helped, and so the 362 00:25:22,875 --> 00:25:26,995 Speaker 1: Democratic nomination for mayor that year went instead to Bill Deblasio. 363 00:25:27,635 --> 00:25:29,875 Speaker 1: And he was such a bad mayor that New York 364 00:25:29,955 --> 00:25:32,435 Speaker 1: voters didn't even recognize that the guy running to succeed 365 00:25:32,515 --> 00:25:35,235 Speaker 1: him as the Democratic nominee was even worse. And his 366 00:25:35,355 --> 00:25:38,635 Speaker 1: name is Eric Adams. And bluntly, we'd be better off 367 00:25:38,675 --> 00:25:43,555 Speaker 1: if New York's mayor were Anthony Wiener or any Wiener. 368 00:25:44,595 --> 00:25:46,875 Speaker 1: So I can assure you without fear of contradiction, and 369 00:25:46,915 --> 00:25:50,355 Speaker 1: for many different reasons, that is the last goddamn time 370 00:25:50,715 --> 00:25:55,315 Speaker 1: I tamper with Olivia's blog posts, or that I tamper 371 00:25:55,435 --> 00:26:11,795 Speaker 1: with who runs New York City. 372 00:26:43,555 --> 00:27:06,835 Speaker 2: Thank you, Nancy Faust. Still ahead. 373 00:27:06,995 --> 00:27:12,515 Speaker 1: My favorite Christmas story how I once, unintentionally at Christmas 374 00:27:12,555 --> 00:27:17,275 Speaker 1: time mistook one of the stars of the greatest motion 375 00:27:17,435 --> 00:27:24,795 Speaker 1: picture ever made for some older fan of mine, even 376 00:27:24,875 --> 00:27:29,155 Speaker 1: though he was wearing a cape first. Believe it or not, 377 00:27:29,195 --> 00:27:31,355 Speaker 1: there's still more new idiots to talk about, the daily 378 00:27:31,435 --> 00:27:33,875 Speaker 1: roundup of the miss Grants, morons and Dunning Kruger effects 379 00:27:33,875 --> 00:27:38,595 Speaker 1: specimens who constitute two days other worst persons in the world. 380 00:27:42,555 --> 00:27:44,675 Speaker 1: They're gonna get more than one lesson, and you're gonna 381 00:27:44,715 --> 00:27:48,315 Speaker 1: need more than one lesson. That's a line from Citizen 382 00:27:48,395 --> 00:27:52,955 Speaker 1: Kane that I just screwed up the Bronze worse Liliana Goodson, 383 00:27:53,435 --> 00:27:55,355 Speaker 1: who has been sentenced to a year in jail in 384 00:27:55,395 --> 00:27:59,115 Speaker 1: Australia Sydney. To be precise, only four months in full 385 00:27:59,155 --> 00:28:01,875 Speaker 1: time custody. But still, I'll just read the account of 386 00:28:01,875 --> 00:28:05,395 Speaker 1: this from the local papers. A US will who flew 387 00:28:05,395 --> 00:28:08,955 Speaker 1: to Australia with a gold plated pistol worth about three 388 00:28:09,075 --> 00:28:12,595 Speaker 1: thousand dollars in her luggage has been sentenced to a 389 00:28:12,675 --> 00:28:15,995 Speaker 1: year in jail, despite claiming that she brought it with 390 00:28:16,075 --> 00:28:19,595 Speaker 1: her for protection. When asked at the airport if she 391 00:28:19,675 --> 00:28:22,835 Speaker 1: was carrying any prohibited items with her, Goodson claimed she 392 00:28:22,955 --> 00:28:26,475 Speaker 1: was not. The court was told quote what about the 393 00:28:26,555 --> 00:28:29,435 Speaker 1: gun in your bag? She was asked by a customs officer. 394 00:28:30,035 --> 00:28:34,395 Speaker 1: Goodson replied, oh yeah, I forgot about that. A review 395 00:28:34,435 --> 00:28:37,955 Speaker 1: of Goodson's phone revealed she had searched online can I 396 00:28:38,035 --> 00:28:41,155 Speaker 1: have a gun in my suitcase? And set a calendar 397 00:28:41,195 --> 00:28:44,555 Speaker 1: injury with a note reminding her to quote put gun 398 00:28:44,715 --> 00:28:50,115 Speaker 1: in suitcase. This is not exactly Luigi in effect? 399 00:28:50,155 --> 00:28:50,675 Speaker 2: Here is it. 400 00:28:51,715 --> 00:28:54,875 Speaker 1: Goodson told police she was actually scared of shooting the 401 00:28:54,915 --> 00:28:57,475 Speaker 1: gun and hoped simply producing it would be enough to 402 00:28:57,515 --> 00:29:00,995 Speaker 1: deter potential threats. If that didn't do it I would 403 00:29:00,995 --> 00:29:04,875 Speaker 1: probably just pistol whip. Goodson was quoted as having said, 404 00:29:05,515 --> 00:29:07,755 Speaker 1: when asked where she planned to store the gun while 405 00:29:07,795 --> 00:29:12,315 Speaker 1: she was in Australia, she indicated under a vehicle's passenger's seat. 406 00:29:13,435 --> 00:29:15,795 Speaker 1: The court was also told in recent years Goodson was 407 00:29:15,875 --> 00:29:22,475 Speaker 1: using psychedelic drugs, synthetic cannabis and methamphetamine. And we still 408 00:29:22,515 --> 00:29:26,915 Speaker 1: haven't gotten to the punchline here. Miss Goodson, the court 409 00:29:26,995 --> 00:29:35,355 Speaker 1: was previously told, had come to Australia to attend clown school. Well, 410 00:29:35,355 --> 00:29:39,075 Speaker 1: at least she got that part accomplished. Magna cum laude 411 00:29:39,635 --> 00:29:44,595 Speaker 1: the runners up worser Newsweek. Newsweek used to be a magazine, 412 00:29:44,635 --> 00:29:47,395 Speaker 1: second in influence and journalistic standards in this country, to 413 00:29:47,515 --> 00:29:52,555 Speaker 1: only like Time magazine among magazines. And well, it dawns 414 00:29:52,555 --> 00:29:53,715 Speaker 1: on me, I'm going to have to explain to you 415 00:29:53,755 --> 00:30:01,555 Speaker 1: what magazines were news magazines anyway. Later, Newsweek has gone 416 00:30:01,635 --> 00:30:04,555 Speaker 1: decidedly crappy over the last two decades, and it is 417 00:30:04,915 --> 00:30:08,435 Speaker 1: decidedly far right crappy, and it's mostly an aggregation site. 418 00:30:08,475 --> 00:30:11,715 Speaker 1: But it has accomplished something. It has beaten the Los 419 00:30:11,755 --> 00:30:16,435 Speaker 1: Angeles Times and its owner doctor bad Haircut, who said 420 00:30:16,435 --> 00:30:19,195 Speaker 1: he plans to install some kind of fairness grades to 421 00:30:19,275 --> 00:30:22,755 Speaker 1: all the articles on his screw up a two car funeral. 422 00:30:22,755 --> 00:30:28,915 Speaker 1: Newspaper Newsweek has now unveiled its own fairness grades with 423 00:30:29,035 --> 00:30:35,315 Speaker 1: a twist. We report, you decide the fairness meter. Newsweek 424 00:30:35,355 --> 00:30:38,315 Speaker 1: is committed to journalism that is actual and fair. Our 425 00:30:38,395 --> 00:30:41,675 Speaker 1: fairness meter allows readers to hold us accountable by rating 426 00:30:41,715 --> 00:30:44,995 Speaker 1: an article's fairness in one of five ways. Unfair left 427 00:30:44,995 --> 00:30:47,435 Speaker 1: cleaning the article presents a left cleaning perspective on the 428 00:30:47,475 --> 00:30:50,795 Speaker 1: issue and does not include an opposing view. Mostly fair 429 00:30:50,875 --> 00:30:54,035 Speaker 1: left leaning, which is the same thing, only it includes 430 00:30:54,075 --> 00:30:57,915 Speaker 1: an opposing view. Fair the article presents a nonpartisan perspective 431 00:30:57,995 --> 00:31:01,635 Speaker 1: on the issue and includes opposing views. By the way, 432 00:31:01,715 --> 00:31:04,995 Speaker 1: if any getting, any article anywhere is rated fair under 433 00:31:04,995 --> 00:31:09,995 Speaker 1: this grading system, it will be the first in human history. 434 00:31:10,115 --> 00:31:13,235 Speaker 1: So you're gonna let readers vote on. And by the way, 435 00:31:13,275 --> 00:31:18,515 Speaker 1: there are more possibilities. They said five. There's unfair right 436 00:31:18,595 --> 00:31:22,675 Speaker 1: leaning and mostly fair right leaning, which is an oxymoron. 437 00:31:23,955 --> 00:31:28,555 Speaker 1: But they're gonna let voters vote on. Readers become voters 438 00:31:28,555 --> 00:31:34,635 Speaker 1: who vote on, in essence, what's true or not, depending 439 00:31:34,635 --> 00:31:37,275 Speaker 1: on how much they agree with the political points of 440 00:31:37,395 --> 00:31:42,795 Speaker 1: view of the article. Well, if anything is going to 441 00:31:42,835 --> 00:31:45,595 Speaker 1: reflect America as we start twenty twenty five, that's pretty 442 00:31:45,635 --> 00:31:49,555 Speaker 1: much it isn't it? But our winner speaking of letting 443 00:31:49,595 --> 00:31:54,195 Speaker 1: them vote on it and leaning right. Elmo, somebody tweeted 444 00:31:54,235 --> 00:31:57,435 Speaker 1: a report on homelessness, and he, of course being a fascist. 445 00:31:57,595 --> 00:32:04,035 Speaker 1: Now who is involved in the trump Ocracy, the kleptocracy, 446 00:32:04,155 --> 00:32:08,955 Speaker 1: the trump kleptocracy. He lets milk everything out of this government. 447 00:32:09,075 --> 00:32:11,795 Speaker 1: I can get my grubby little fingers on because I 448 00:32:11,835 --> 00:32:14,675 Speaker 1: can't possibly have enough money, because the hole in my 449 00:32:14,795 --> 00:32:17,955 Speaker 1: soul is too big to ever fill with anything. Elon Musk. 450 00:32:17,995 --> 00:32:20,475 Speaker 1: That guy, he had to insist there is no such 451 00:32:20,555 --> 00:32:26,275 Speaker 1: thing as homelessness. Quote. In most cases, the word homeless 452 00:32:26,355 --> 00:32:30,475 Speaker 1: is a lie. It's usually a propaganda word for violent 453 00:32:30,595 --> 00:32:38,795 Speaker 1: drug addicts with severe mental illness. Actually, Elmo, the propaganda 454 00:32:38,835 --> 00:32:43,355 Speaker 1: words we use for quote, violent drug addicts with severe 455 00:32:43,395 --> 00:32:48,275 Speaker 1: mental illness, those propaganda words are members of the X 456 00:32:48,635 --> 00:32:54,075 Speaker 1: management team, Elmo Leon. It only recently dawned on me. 457 00:32:54,155 --> 00:32:56,635 Speaker 1: His skin is stretched so tight across his face. He 458 00:32:56,675 --> 00:32:59,595 Speaker 1: looks like Jim Carrey in the movie The Mask. Musk 459 00:32:59,955 --> 00:33:26,315 Speaker 1: two days other worse person at the world. Now to 460 00:33:26,395 --> 00:33:28,755 Speaker 1: the number one story on the countdown and my favorite 461 00:33:28,755 --> 00:33:31,595 Speaker 1: topic me and things I promised not to tell, and 462 00:33:31,715 --> 00:33:37,035 Speaker 1: I swear I thought I heard her say Carleton. This 463 00:33:37,235 --> 00:33:40,675 Speaker 1: was also December in nineteen eighty five in Los Angeles, 464 00:33:41,075 --> 00:33:43,795 Speaker 1: and if you've never spent Christmas in a warm metropolitan 465 00:33:43,875 --> 00:33:46,275 Speaker 1: area for the first time in your life, you do 466 00:33:46,355 --> 00:33:50,835 Speaker 1: not know what disorientation really is. I had just completed 467 00:33:50,875 --> 00:33:53,155 Speaker 1: three months in my new job as the sports director 468 00:33:53,195 --> 00:33:55,795 Speaker 1: of Channel five in LA. I had spent most of 469 00:33:55,875 --> 00:33:59,635 Speaker 1: November adjusting not only to it not getting cold, but 470 00:33:59,875 --> 00:34:02,395 Speaker 1: to the fact that almost nobody else noticed that it 471 00:34:02,435 --> 00:34:05,195 Speaker 1: was not getting cold, except one of our productions assistance 472 00:34:05,475 --> 00:34:08,075 Speaker 1: who sprinted through the parking lot and up the stairs 473 00:34:08,115 --> 00:34:11,195 Speaker 1: into the little bungalow on the KTLA lot in Hollywood, 474 00:34:11,315 --> 00:34:14,435 Speaker 1: then housed our sports department. He shivered like a dog, 475 00:34:14,555 --> 00:34:17,715 Speaker 1: shaking himself awake, and announced, my god, it's bitter out there. 476 00:34:18,195 --> 00:34:18,515 Speaker 2: Bitter. 477 00:34:19,235 --> 00:34:24,195 Speaker 1: I checked it was forty nine degrees. So December nineteen 478 00:34:24,235 --> 00:34:27,475 Speaker 1: eighty five was already weird enough. I was doing well 479 00:34:27,475 --> 00:34:30,475 Speaker 1: in LA Being three thousand miles away from everyone and 480 00:34:30,515 --> 00:34:33,515 Speaker 1: everything I knew had been surprisingly helpful, and there was 481 00:34:33,555 --> 00:34:35,555 Speaker 1: no ramp up time for my work. I'd already won 482 00:34:35,595 --> 00:34:38,315 Speaker 1: a couple of best Sportscaster awards, and then the top 483 00:34:38,355 --> 00:34:40,635 Speaker 1: all news radio station was asking me to come over 484 00:34:40,715 --> 00:34:44,635 Speaker 1: every afternoon and split the afternoon drive sportscasting shift with 485 00:34:44,715 --> 00:34:47,275 Speaker 1: a guy who'd been on the air there literally for 486 00:34:47,315 --> 00:34:50,155 Speaker 1: thirty years, who's one of the voices in the background 487 00:34:50,195 --> 00:34:55,715 Speaker 1: and The Godfather Part two? And now somehow my producer, 488 00:34:55,795 --> 00:34:58,355 Speaker 1: Ron Grelnick, and I were headed to the Beverly Wilshire 489 00:34:58,355 --> 00:35:03,995 Speaker 1: Hotel to go interview Mickey Mantle. For the average LA sportscaster, 490 00:35:04,195 --> 00:35:06,835 Speaker 1: there really was and much reason to interview Mickey Mantle, 491 00:35:07,075 --> 00:35:09,235 Speaker 1: which is why all of them at the bigger three 492 00:35:09,395 --> 00:35:12,435 Speaker 1: network stations had turned down the offer of a sit 493 00:35:12,515 --> 00:35:15,875 Speaker 1: down interview. But I was a New Yorker and had 494 00:35:15,915 --> 00:35:18,955 Speaker 1: been three months earlier, and thus Mickey Mantle was my idol. 495 00:35:19,515 --> 00:35:22,275 Speaker 1: And moreover, when I became a baseball fan in nineteen 496 00:35:22,315 --> 00:35:27,075 Speaker 1: sixty seven, my folks bought tickets specifically behind first base 497 00:35:27,115 --> 00:35:30,035 Speaker 1: at Yankee Stadium because they had just moved Mantle there 498 00:35:30,235 --> 00:35:32,515 Speaker 1: from the outfield. And as my dad said, when you 499 00:35:32,555 --> 00:35:35,515 Speaker 1: are an old man, you will say the greatest thing 500 00:35:35,555 --> 00:35:39,115 Speaker 1: you ever saw in baseball was Mickey Mantle. So you 501 00:35:39,195 --> 00:35:41,915 Speaker 1: might as well see as much of him as you can. Well, 502 00:35:41,955 --> 00:35:44,355 Speaker 1: I'm an old man now, and my dad was exactly right. 503 00:35:45,875 --> 00:35:48,675 Speaker 1: Mantle was on a tour publicizing some kind of hitting 504 00:35:48,755 --> 00:35:51,435 Speaker 1: video and he would do one exclusive interview with an 505 00:35:51,595 --> 00:35:54,515 Speaker 1: LA station at like exactly five pm on that night 506 00:35:54,555 --> 00:35:57,435 Speaker 1: in December nineteen eighty five. And to get it you 507 00:35:57,475 --> 00:36:00,195 Speaker 1: had to agree to give the video exactly one plug 508 00:36:00,515 --> 00:36:03,595 Speaker 1: and ask him one question about it. But otherwise you 509 00:36:03,595 --> 00:36:06,515 Speaker 1: could ask whatever you want. Un he had fifteen minutes. 510 00:36:06,675 --> 00:36:11,075 Speaker 1: Then he was going out to dinner. Yeah, yeah, that 511 00:36:11,195 --> 00:36:14,195 Speaker 1: was it dinner. So Ron and I pulled up to 512 00:36:14,235 --> 00:36:16,315 Speaker 1: the Beverly Wilshire in his car, and I had never 513 00:36:16,395 --> 00:36:18,955 Speaker 1: been in, but I had walked past it a dozen 514 00:36:18,995 --> 00:36:21,035 Speaker 1: times and I knew there was a new wing and 515 00:36:21,075 --> 00:36:23,555 Speaker 1: an old wing. And as Ron tried to park, I 516 00:36:23,675 --> 00:36:25,835 Speaker 1: tried to find the room where Mantle would be waiting 517 00:36:25,875 --> 00:36:27,875 Speaker 1: for us, so I could be there to meet the 518 00:36:27,915 --> 00:36:31,475 Speaker 1: camera crew that was joining us from some other shoot somewhere. 519 00:36:31,795 --> 00:36:34,755 Speaker 1: And also because he was Mickey Mantle. I had met 520 00:36:34,795 --> 00:36:37,315 Speaker 1: him before, I had even interviewed him briefly for CNN, 521 00:36:37,355 --> 00:36:40,035 Speaker 1: but nothing like this, nothing like a sit down interview, 522 00:36:40,115 --> 00:36:44,755 Speaker 1: just me and him. The room number was something like 523 00:36:46,075 --> 00:36:49,035 Speaker 1: eight ninety seven, could have been five ninety seven, could 524 00:36:49,035 --> 00:36:51,075 Speaker 1: have been twelve ninety seven, but it was basically the 525 00:36:51,155 --> 00:36:54,875 Speaker 1: highest number there could be on a given hotel floor. 526 00:36:55,995 --> 00:36:58,395 Speaker 1: And I saw the elevator just pass the registration desk, 527 00:36:58,435 --> 00:37:00,155 Speaker 1: and up. I went to the eighth floor, and it 528 00:37:00,235 --> 00:37:04,315 Speaker 1: was a deserted labyrinth, turn after turn, and nobody there. 529 00:37:04,315 --> 00:37:06,955 Speaker 1: And then suddenly I turned a corner, and walking towards 530 00:37:06,955 --> 00:37:11,475 Speaker 1: me was the most elegantly dressed older couple I had 531 00:37:11,515 --> 00:37:16,075 Speaker 1: ever seen to that point or since. She was wearing 532 00:37:16,995 --> 00:37:21,875 Speaker 1: a mink stole atop a beautiful gown, and she had 533 00:37:21,875 --> 00:37:25,555 Speaker 1: a diamond necklace big enough to induce cramps. She had 534 00:37:25,595 --> 00:37:29,995 Speaker 1: a piercing, glistening set of deep brown eyes. She looked 535 00:37:29,995 --> 00:37:32,635 Speaker 1: to be in her mid to late fifties, but might 536 00:37:32,675 --> 00:37:37,075 Speaker 1: have been older. He was older, maybe eighty, but with 537 00:37:37,115 --> 00:37:40,835 Speaker 1: a full head of thick and wiry hair. He was tall, thin, 538 00:37:41,035 --> 00:37:44,795 Speaker 1: extraordinarily elegant in a perfect tuxedo. But all of this 539 00:37:44,955 --> 00:37:48,675 Speaker 1: was overwhelmed, almost erased, by one fact that startles me 540 00:37:48,755 --> 00:37:58,515 Speaker 1: still thirty seven years later. This man was wearing a cape. 541 00:37:58,635 --> 00:38:00,715 Speaker 1: I'm pretty confident that I had never seen a man 542 00:38:00,795 --> 00:38:03,755 Speaker 1: wearing a cape before, I know, I have not seen 543 00:38:03,795 --> 00:38:07,555 Speaker 1: one since I have been looking. And yet it looked 544 00:38:07,595 --> 00:38:12,035 Speaker 1: so good on him that I can recall briefly thinking, Keith, 545 00:38:12,035 --> 00:38:16,755 Speaker 1: maybe you should buy a cape. This couple was perfect. 546 00:38:17,595 --> 00:38:19,715 Speaker 1: We seem to be the only people on the floor. 547 00:38:20,235 --> 00:38:22,355 Speaker 1: The hallway wasn't all that wide. I said, good evening 548 00:38:22,435 --> 00:38:24,675 Speaker 1: as I passed. She said good evening, and in so 549 00:38:24,835 --> 00:38:28,195 Speaker 1: doing revealed a British accent, and he mumbled evening and 550 00:38:28,275 --> 00:38:31,275 Speaker 1: revealed what sounded like the lingering minor aftermaths of a 551 00:38:31,315 --> 00:38:35,555 Speaker 1: minor stroke. They walked their way, I walked mine, and 552 00:38:35,715 --> 00:38:38,875 Speaker 1: my focus returned to finding Mickey Mantle in room eight 553 00:38:38,995 --> 00:38:43,115 Speaker 1: ninety seven. The numbers of the rooms I was passing 554 00:38:43,195 --> 00:38:45,595 Speaker 1: were like eight eleven and eight fourteen, And after a 555 00:38:45,635 --> 00:38:47,995 Speaker 1: few more turns of the labyrinth, that dawned on me 556 00:38:48,315 --> 00:38:50,635 Speaker 1: that I must be in the old wing of the 557 00:38:50,675 --> 00:38:53,875 Speaker 1: Beverly Wilshire, and the high numbers like eight ninety seven 558 00:38:53,955 --> 00:38:56,195 Speaker 1: must have been in the new wing of the Beverly Wilshire. 559 00:38:56,755 --> 00:38:59,155 Speaker 1: I also noticed that I had not passed a doorway 560 00:38:59,275 --> 00:39:01,955 Speaker 1: or a vestibule or some kind of connecting bridge to 561 00:39:02,115 --> 00:39:04,675 Speaker 1: the new wing, so I had better make it back 562 00:39:04,715 --> 00:39:06,835 Speaker 1: to the elevator and the lobby before Ron or the 563 00:39:06,875 --> 00:39:10,355 Speaker 1: camera crew made the same mistake I had. Because Mickey 564 00:39:10,395 --> 00:39:15,115 Speaker 1: Mantle was waiting my reversed course, I began to trot. 565 00:39:15,595 --> 00:39:19,195 Speaker 1: After three or four more of these labyrinthine turns, I found, 566 00:39:19,355 --> 00:39:22,875 Speaker 1: to my shock that the perfectly elegant older couple he 567 00:39:23,075 --> 00:39:27,275 Speaker 1: was wearing a cape, was standing exactly where I had 568 00:39:27,355 --> 00:39:27,875 Speaker 1: left them. 569 00:39:29,035 --> 00:39:29,675 Speaker 2: She laughed. 570 00:39:29,955 --> 00:39:32,115 Speaker 1: She mentioned something about the higher numbers being in the 571 00:39:32,155 --> 00:39:34,475 Speaker 1: new wing, and everybody made that mistake. I thanked her, 572 00:39:34,515 --> 00:39:37,195 Speaker 1: and then she said, you're the young man who does 573 00:39:37,235 --> 00:39:40,555 Speaker 1: the spots on the television, aren't you. And I had 574 00:39:40,595 --> 00:39:43,435 Speaker 1: gotten pretty popular pretty fast there, but being recognized was 575 00:39:43,475 --> 00:39:46,195 Speaker 1: still very surprising and pleasantly so. And I said that, 576 00:39:46,395 --> 00:39:49,555 Speaker 1: and I introduced myself, so nice to meet you. She said, 577 00:39:49,715 --> 00:39:52,915 Speaker 1: I'm Patricia Carlton, and this she pointed to the guy 578 00:39:52,955 --> 00:39:56,875 Speaker 1: in the cape is my husband. He slowly extended a 579 00:39:56,915 --> 00:40:02,795 Speaker 1: hand but shook mine vigorously. And I'm Joseph Carlton. Missus 580 00:40:02,875 --> 00:40:05,555 Speaker 1: Carlton was very excited. I know Joe and I we 581 00:40:05,635 --> 00:40:08,515 Speaker 1: really are not fans of the sports, but whenever we're 582 00:40:08,555 --> 00:40:10,275 Speaker 1: at helme in Palm Springs. We make sure we stay 583 00:40:10,315 --> 00:40:12,235 Speaker 1: up until the end of the ten o'clock news so 584 00:40:12,235 --> 00:40:16,435 Speaker 1: we could watch you. Joe nodded and smiled in the cape. 585 00:40:16,915 --> 00:40:19,635 Speaker 1: You know, so clearly enjoying yourself that we find ourselves 586 00:40:19,715 --> 00:40:23,595 Speaker 1: enjoying it too. That's really quite remarkable. I was genuinely 587 00:40:23,595 --> 00:40:27,515 Speaker 1: touched and remain so I explained my dilemma. I treated 588 00:40:27,515 --> 00:40:30,315 Speaker 1: them as you were supposed to treat viewers, gratefully and solicitously, 589 00:40:30,355 --> 00:40:32,035 Speaker 1: and I asked them if they were going to the lobby, 590 00:40:32,195 --> 00:40:33,875 Speaker 1: and if I might walk with them so I didn't 591 00:40:33,875 --> 00:40:38,075 Speaker 1: get any further lost. We'd be delighted. I must ask you, 592 00:40:38,355 --> 00:40:41,555 Speaker 1: mister fishman, who does the news on your program? Is 593 00:40:41,595 --> 00:40:45,555 Speaker 1: that his real hair? She saw my shock at the question. 594 00:40:46,435 --> 00:40:48,475 Speaker 1: Joe and I have often worn wigs, and we can't 595 00:40:48,515 --> 00:40:51,075 Speaker 1: be certain. That means if it is a wig, it's 596 00:40:51,075 --> 00:40:55,475 Speaker 1: a good one. We reached the elevator bank and I 597 00:40:55,515 --> 00:40:58,795 Speaker 1: pushed down. He was walking slowly. He must have had 598 00:40:58,795 --> 00:41:02,035 Speaker 1: a stroke. Still, he was an imposing figure of a man, 599 00:41:02,075 --> 00:41:05,755 Speaker 1: and not just because he was wearing a cape. As 600 00:41:05,795 --> 00:41:08,195 Speaker 1: I steered them away from the subject of our anchorman's 601 00:41:08,195 --> 00:41:11,235 Speaker 1: to pay and talked instead about my Mickey Mantle interview. 602 00:41:11,315 --> 00:41:16,635 Speaker 1: I realized he looked extremely familiar, like I knew him. 603 00:41:17,235 --> 00:41:21,395 Speaker 1: Joseph Carleton kept rolling the name over in my mind. 604 00:41:21,515 --> 00:41:28,155 Speaker 1: And Patricia Carlton, who are they? The elevator light went 605 00:41:28,195 --> 00:41:31,075 Speaker 1: off and a very loud bell sounded. The doors opened, 606 00:41:31,075 --> 00:41:33,715 Speaker 1: and there was my producer, Ron and the two man 607 00:41:33,755 --> 00:41:36,195 Speaker 1: camera crew, and the reporter who had been with them 608 00:41:36,195 --> 00:41:39,435 Speaker 1: on the previous story, Sam chu Lynn, who had stayed 609 00:41:39,435 --> 00:41:42,555 Speaker 1: with him because he wanted to meet Mickey Mantle. And 610 00:41:42,595 --> 00:41:45,435 Speaker 1: as I joked to my new friends Joe and Patricia Carlton, 611 00:41:45,755 --> 00:41:49,715 Speaker 1: oh look, here's my camera crew, it's four members made 612 00:41:49,755 --> 00:41:52,155 Speaker 1: no motion to even leave the elevator. They all looked 613 00:41:52,235 --> 00:41:55,355 Speaker 1: dumb struck. Sam chu Lynn's eyes looked like they were 614 00:41:55,355 --> 00:41:57,355 Speaker 1: about to pop out of his head. I assumed this 615 00:41:57,515 --> 00:42:01,915 Speaker 1: was because my new friend Joe was wearing a cape. 616 00:42:03,355 --> 00:42:05,675 Speaker 1: Finally I got the crew to move. I held the 617 00:42:05,715 --> 00:42:08,355 Speaker 1: door open so Joe and Patricia could get into the elevator. 618 00:42:08,795 --> 00:42:10,835 Speaker 1: I actually said, such a pleasure to meet you, and 619 00:42:10,875 --> 00:42:13,115 Speaker 1: of course, thank you so much for watching Channel five 620 00:42:13,195 --> 00:42:16,515 Speaker 1: News at ten, and she smiled warmly, and he managed 621 00:42:16,515 --> 00:42:19,995 Speaker 1: a quick wave and the doors closed, and only at 622 00:42:20,035 --> 00:42:23,955 Speaker 1: that exact moment did it dawn on me where I 623 00:42:24,075 --> 00:42:29,435 Speaker 1: knew him from the blood now drained from my face. 624 00:42:29,515 --> 00:42:31,395 Speaker 1: As I turned to talk to the camera crew and 625 00:42:31,515 --> 00:42:35,715 Speaker 1: Ron and Sam, Uh, you guys knew who those two 626 00:42:35,715 --> 00:42:40,235 Speaker 1: people were, right, Sam laughed at me. Of course I did, 627 00:42:40,355 --> 00:42:44,035 Speaker 1: didn't you? And I sighed, oh my god. She said 628 00:42:44,075 --> 00:42:47,635 Speaker 1: her name was Patricia Carleton and that was her husband, 629 00:42:47,715 --> 00:42:51,915 Speaker 1: Joseph Carleton. And she said it that way because she's British, 630 00:42:52,195 --> 00:42:55,035 Speaker 1: and that's how if you're British, you would say the 631 00:42:55,115 --> 00:43:01,515 Speaker 1: name Cotton. She's Patricia Cotton and he's Joseph Cotton, who 632 00:43:01,635 --> 00:43:06,195 Speaker 1: was in Citizen Kane. I remember actually putting my hand 633 00:43:06,235 --> 00:43:07,955 Speaker 1: on the wall, on my face in my other hand, 634 00:43:08,235 --> 00:43:11,075 Speaker 1: I just met Joseph Cotton and I didn't recognize him. 635 00:43:12,355 --> 00:43:15,355 Speaker 1: And the cameraman, Martin Klancy, who also often said things 636 00:43:15,395 --> 00:43:18,835 Speaker 1: like this, said pretty stupid of you, huh? And I said, 637 00:43:19,315 --> 00:43:21,675 Speaker 1: you know you have no idea how stupid. I mean, 638 00:43:21,755 --> 00:43:27,035 Speaker 1: obviously I know who Joseph Cotton is. And Sam Chulin said, 639 00:43:27,115 --> 00:43:29,515 Speaker 1: are you sure about that? I gave him a dirty 640 00:43:29,555 --> 00:43:32,035 Speaker 1: look and I said, no, it's worse than this. In 641 00:43:32,115 --> 00:43:36,275 Speaker 1: nineteen forty eight. The president of the International Joseph Cotton 642 00:43:36,315 --> 00:43:40,515 Speaker 1: Fan Club was my mother. There is a picture of 643 00:43:40,515 --> 00:43:44,995 Speaker 1: that man with my mother from like thirty seven years 644 00:43:45,035 --> 00:43:47,675 Speaker 1: ago at the Stork Club. 645 00:43:49,915 --> 00:43:50,795 Speaker 2: They all laughed. 646 00:43:51,435 --> 00:43:54,835 Speaker 1: Then Sam Chulin said, in that photo is he wearing 647 00:43:54,875 --> 00:43:57,155 Speaker 1: that cape? 648 00:43:57,915 --> 00:43:58,835 Speaker 2: My gaff. 649 00:44:00,035 --> 00:44:02,235 Speaker 1: Did serve to relax me a little for the interview 650 00:44:02,275 --> 00:44:08,075 Speaker 1: with Mantle. Gaff. When I get over it, i'll let 651 00:44:08,155 --> 00:44:11,955 Speaker 1: you know. So anyway, we all reached room eight ninety 652 00:44:11,995 --> 00:44:14,635 Speaker 1: seven or whatever it was in the new Wing the 653 00:44:14,675 --> 00:44:17,155 Speaker 1: Beverly Wilshire, and as the crew set up, I managed 654 00:44:17,195 --> 00:44:19,515 Speaker 1: to tell the story of the Cottons to Mickey Mantle 655 00:44:19,795 --> 00:44:22,035 Speaker 1: and he said, yeah, I saw them in the lobby 656 00:44:22,035 --> 00:44:24,515 Speaker 1: a couple hours ago. He's a great actor. I met 657 00:44:24,595 --> 00:44:27,435 Speaker 1: him in New York, must be thirty years ago. Did 658 00:44:27,475 --> 00:44:29,555 Speaker 1: you say hi? Oh right, you just told me you 659 00:44:29,595 --> 00:44:35,035 Speaker 1: didn't recognize him. Mickey Mantle was busting my chops, as 660 00:44:35,075 --> 00:44:37,395 Speaker 1: I said. I had met him before, even interviewed him before, 661 00:44:37,395 --> 00:44:39,395 Speaker 1: but this was our first sit down and he was 662 00:44:39,435 --> 00:44:42,835 Speaker 1: in a good mood, even expansive and playful, and at 663 00:44:42,835 --> 00:44:45,435 Speaker 1: one point he stunned me. I said, I know you 664 00:44:45,515 --> 00:44:47,555 Speaker 1: only have a couple of minutes left, So forgive me 665 00:44:47,555 --> 00:44:49,075 Speaker 1: if I'm bringing up something that takes more than a 666 00:44:49,115 --> 00:44:51,155 Speaker 1: couple of minutes. And he interrupted, and he said, take 667 00:44:51,195 --> 00:44:53,315 Speaker 1: as much time as you need. I'm enjoying us talking. 668 00:44:54,435 --> 00:44:57,275 Speaker 1: So I asked him about this one subject, how he 669 00:44:57,315 --> 00:45:00,235 Speaker 1: felt about what he did in his career, considering how 670 00:45:00,275 --> 00:45:03,955 Speaker 1: injured he was. When he retired, Mickey Mantle was third 671 00:45:03,995 --> 00:45:06,875 Speaker 1: all time in home he hit three hundred and ten times. 672 00:45:06,995 --> 00:45:10,075 Speaker 1: He played in twelve World Series on one bad knee 673 00:45:10,355 --> 00:45:15,875 Speaker 1: and one worse knee. Mantle got very reflective and self critical. 674 00:45:16,515 --> 00:45:20,035 Speaker 1: We use this SoundBite at the end of his obituary 675 00:45:20,075 --> 00:45:23,315 Speaker 1: that I would do for ESPN a decade later if 676 00:45:23,355 --> 00:45:25,515 Speaker 1: I'd known I was going to live so long, he 677 00:45:25,595 --> 00:45:27,595 Speaker 1: told me, I would have taken better care of myself 678 00:45:27,635 --> 00:45:31,835 Speaker 1: and done better. I said, well, he'd done pretty good. 679 00:45:32,795 --> 00:45:34,435 Speaker 1: I could have done better. 680 00:45:36,555 --> 00:45:37,235 Speaker 2: I thanked him. 681 00:45:37,395 --> 00:45:39,275 Speaker 1: Then, as the cameraman moved to get the shots of 682 00:45:39,315 --> 00:45:42,355 Speaker 1: me nodding and repeating a question or two, Mickey Mantle said, 683 00:45:43,035 --> 00:45:43,955 Speaker 1: that was really good. 684 00:45:44,595 --> 00:45:45,435 Speaker 2: I flushed. 685 00:45:47,075 --> 00:45:49,275 Speaker 1: I got to ask you something. Can you give me 686 00:45:49,315 --> 00:45:53,275 Speaker 1: some pointers? I suddenly had no idea what the word 687 00:45:53,395 --> 00:45:58,075 Speaker 1: pointers meant? Pointers? What are pointers? Mantle said he was 688 00:45:58,075 --> 00:45:59,755 Speaker 1: going to do some Yankee games the next year on 689 00:45:59,795 --> 00:46:03,355 Speaker 1: cable with Mel Allen. I'm doing interviews after games. I'm 690 00:46:03,395 --> 00:46:06,315 Speaker 1: no damn good at interviews. Just now, you were moving 691 00:46:06,355 --> 00:46:09,835 Speaker 1: from topics to topics, so smooth. How you keep all 692 00:46:09,835 --> 00:46:13,275 Speaker 1: the questions in your head? Now? I laughed, I didn't 693 00:46:13,315 --> 00:46:15,315 Speaker 1: keep them in my head. Didn't you see my cheat card? 694 00:46:15,795 --> 00:46:17,395 Speaker 1: And he laughed and he said no, and I showed 695 00:46:17,395 --> 00:46:19,035 Speaker 1: it to him. I said, it's just a business card 696 00:46:19,315 --> 00:46:22,115 Speaker 1: with like seven key words written on the back. If 697 00:46:22,155 --> 00:46:24,875 Speaker 1: I think I might freeze up because I'm nervous because 698 00:46:24,915 --> 00:46:28,155 Speaker 1: I'm interviewing Mickey Mantle, or I just met Joseph Cotton 699 00:46:28,155 --> 00:46:31,475 Speaker 1: and I didn't recognize him, I make one of these cards. 700 00:46:31,675 --> 00:46:33,795 Speaker 1: I hide it in the palm of my hand, and 701 00:46:33,835 --> 00:46:36,755 Speaker 1: if I get stuck, I could just look down quickly 702 00:46:36,755 --> 00:46:38,355 Speaker 1: and see one of the words and I've got the question. 703 00:46:38,395 --> 00:46:41,995 Speaker 1: I've got this card to remind me. Mickey Mantle's eyes glowed. 704 00:46:42,995 --> 00:46:46,995 Speaker 1: But wait, he said, we're using these mics, and he 705 00:46:47,035 --> 00:46:49,475 Speaker 1: pointed to the clip on on his shirt, so you 706 00:46:49,475 --> 00:46:51,075 Speaker 1: don't have to hold mike. What do you do if 707 00:46:51,115 --> 00:46:52,995 Speaker 1: you have to hold the mic like I'll have to 708 00:46:53,635 --> 00:46:55,555 Speaker 1: in an interview after a ballgame, what if the card 709 00:46:55,555 --> 00:46:57,875 Speaker 1: would fall out or you have to shake hands with 710 00:46:57,955 --> 00:47:00,835 Speaker 1: the player. And I said, well, just write the words 711 00:47:00,835 --> 00:47:04,595 Speaker 1: on your hand whichever hand is holding the mic, like 712 00:47:04,795 --> 00:47:08,715 Speaker 1: below the thumb. Mickey Mantle looked at me as if 713 00:47:08,755 --> 00:47:11,475 Speaker 1: I had just given him the secret of eternal life. Wow, 714 00:47:12,755 --> 00:47:15,315 Speaker 1: he said, that's great, I'm going to write this down. Thanks, 715 00:47:15,715 --> 00:47:17,995 Speaker 1: and we were packed up, and he actually walked me 716 00:47:18,035 --> 00:47:20,195 Speaker 1: to the hotel room door and gave me a double 717 00:47:20,195 --> 00:47:25,275 Speaker 1: handed handshake. So it had been a big day, even 718 00:47:25,315 --> 00:47:29,275 Speaker 1: if I didn't realize it was Joseph Cotton. Mickey Mantle 719 00:47:29,355 --> 00:47:33,395 Speaker 1: had asked me for advice about anything. Somehow I had 720 00:47:33,435 --> 00:47:35,755 Speaker 1: thought of something to tell him, and he was really 721 00:47:35,795 --> 00:47:40,795 Speaker 1: happy about the advice, and of course this provided a punchline. 722 00:47:40,835 --> 00:47:43,915 Speaker 1: The following spring, we were in the studios at KTLA, 723 00:47:44,035 --> 00:47:46,635 Speaker 1: watching on the satellite feed as the Yankees first cable 724 00:47:46,675 --> 00:47:49,275 Speaker 1: telecast of the nineteen eighty six season ended, and sure 725 00:47:49,355 --> 00:47:51,035 Speaker 1: enough they threw it down to Mickey Mantle on the 726 00:47:51,035 --> 00:47:53,915 Speaker 1: field interviewing some player, and one of my producers said, oh, 727 00:47:53,995 --> 00:47:55,915 Speaker 1: let's see if he remembers the lesson you gave him, 728 00:47:55,915 --> 00:47:58,515 Speaker 1: and another one said, here's your student, Mickey Mantle. And 729 00:47:58,595 --> 00:48:02,355 Speaker 1: sure enough, after the first answer, Mickey Mantle pauses, and 730 00:48:02,435 --> 00:48:04,475 Speaker 1: I know he can't remember what he wanted to ask that, 731 00:48:04,995 --> 00:48:07,355 Speaker 1: And sure enough I see him cheat his look down 732 00:48:07,395 --> 00:48:10,075 Speaker 1: slightly towards the hand holding the microphone. And the next 733 00:48:10,075 --> 00:48:14,075 Speaker 1: thing I see he's kind of tilted the microphone sideways 734 00:48:14,675 --> 00:48:17,355 Speaker 1: and he's asking the question. But you can barely hear 735 00:48:17,475 --> 00:48:22,075 Speaker 1: him because the mic is pointing off at a forty 736 00:48:22,155 --> 00:48:26,715 Speaker 1: five degree angle, because he has written his key reminder 737 00:48:26,795 --> 00:48:31,875 Speaker 1: words not below the thumb on the outside part of 738 00:48:31,875 --> 00:48:35,115 Speaker 1: his hand, but on the palm side of his hand, 739 00:48:35,795 --> 00:48:37,835 Speaker 1: and he's had to move the mic out of the 740 00:48:37,835 --> 00:48:40,195 Speaker 1: way to read the words on the palm of his hand. 741 00:48:40,275 --> 00:48:44,955 Speaker 1: And the producer says, ha ha, well, now Mickey Mantle 742 00:48:45,035 --> 00:49:06,915 Speaker 1: hates you. It sounded like Carlton to me. Also, I've 743 00:49:06,955 --> 00:49:11,755 Speaker 1: spent most of the last what now thirty nine years 744 00:49:12,355 --> 00:49:17,675 Speaker 1: wondering what happened to that cape. They'd like to have 745 00:49:17,715 --> 00:49:20,595 Speaker 1: it framed on my wall somewhere. I've done all the 746 00:49:20,635 --> 00:49:23,155 Speaker 1: damage I can do here. Thanks for listening. Ryan Ray 747 00:49:23,195 --> 00:49:26,435 Speaker 1: and John Phillip shaneil the musical directors of Countdown Arrange 748 00:49:26,475 --> 00:49:29,435 Speaker 1: produced and performed most of our music. Mister Chanelle handled 749 00:49:29,475 --> 00:49:33,075 Speaker 1: orchestration in keyboards. Mister Ray was on guitars, bass and drums. 750 00:49:33,555 --> 00:49:36,355 Speaker 1: I don't believe they have warned capes. It was produced 751 00:49:36,355 --> 00:49:40,275 Speaker 1: by Tko Brothers. Our satirical and pithy musical comments are 752 00:49:40,275 --> 00:49:43,275 Speaker 1: by the best baseball stadium organist ever, Nancy Faust, who 753 00:49:43,315 --> 00:49:46,275 Speaker 1: may have worn a cape. The sports music is the 754 00:49:46,315 --> 00:49:49,435 Speaker 1: Oulderman theme from ESPN two, written by Mitch Warren Davis 755 00:49:49,715 --> 00:49:53,315 Speaker 1: courtesy of ESPN Inc. There are no capes Citty ESPN. 756 00:49:53,915 --> 00:49:56,835 Speaker 1: Other music arranged and performed by the group No Horns allowed. 757 00:49:57,035 --> 00:50:00,635 Speaker 1: My announcer was my friend Larry David. No cape, no fur. 758 00:50:01,275 --> 00:50:05,235 Speaker 1: Everything else was as ever my fault. That' for today, 759 00:50:05,395 --> 00:50:08,995 Speaker 1: just fifteen hundred days until the scheduled end of the 760 00:50:09,075 --> 00:50:14,995 Speaker 1: lame duck presidency of Trump scheduled. The next scheduled countdown 761 00:50:15,075 --> 00:50:18,915 Speaker 1: is Monday. As always, boltins as the news warrants until 762 00:50:18,915 --> 00:50:21,955 Speaker 1: next time, I'm Keith Aldremman. Good Morning, good afternoon, good night, 763 00:50:22,555 --> 00:50:53,835 Speaker 1: and good luck. Countdown with Keith Oldreman is a production 764 00:50:54,035 --> 00:50:59,355 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio, app, 765 00:50:59,435 --> 00:51:03,035 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.