1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:21,755 --> 00:00:26,515 Speaker 1: Protect George Santos at all costs. I have said it 3 00:00:26,555 --> 00:00:30,595 Speaker 1: before and I'll say it again. Congressman George santos Republican 4 00:00:31,115 --> 00:00:34,395 Speaker 1: campaign now shown to have been largely supported by the 5 00:00:34,515 --> 00:00:40,475 Speaker 1: cousin of a sanctioned Russian oil oligarch. Not resigning, not answering, 6 00:00:40,675 --> 00:00:45,035 Speaker 1: not apologizing, and not anything less than the best asset 7 00:00:45,115 --> 00:00:48,515 Speaker 1: the Democratic Party and President Biden have at the moment 8 00:00:49,475 --> 00:00:53,235 Speaker 1: now more than ever, with the Republicans threatening to run 9 00:00:53,275 --> 00:00:56,475 Speaker 1: the world economy off the cliff, with the simple minded 10 00:00:56,475 --> 00:00:59,955 Speaker 1: American political media intending to keep pushing the Biden document 11 00:01:00,035 --> 00:01:03,275 Speaker 1: story until it and they also go off the cliff. 12 00:01:03,715 --> 00:01:07,275 Speaker 1: With nobody willing to investigate the charges of Congressman James 13 00:01:07,275 --> 00:01:10,995 Speaker 1: Comber's girlfriend, nor the curious timing of the Department of 14 00:01:11,075 --> 00:01:15,435 Speaker 1: Justice leak about Biden, the Democrats need to do everything 15 00:01:15,475 --> 00:01:18,795 Speaker 1: they can to make for the next few months, at 16 00:01:18,875 --> 00:01:26,155 Speaker 1: least the fulcrum and the center of American politics George Santos, 17 00:01:26,875 --> 00:01:31,435 Speaker 1: and god knows George is doing his best on this. 18 00:01:33,755 --> 00:01:37,515 Speaker 1: Democrats are not good at exploiting gifts from the universe, 19 00:01:37,915 --> 00:01:41,955 Speaker 1: especially the simple ones. That seem too good to be true, or, 20 00:01:41,995 --> 00:01:45,275 Speaker 1: in the case of George Santos, too good to be false. 21 00:01:46,195 --> 00:01:51,355 Speaker 1: He's lied about everything, and while even some Republicans have 22 00:01:51,435 --> 00:01:53,355 Speaker 1: tried to get rid of him, the new Speaker of 23 00:01:53,395 --> 00:01:58,115 Speaker 1: the House has covered up. George Santos is lies protected 24 00:01:58,195 --> 00:02:04,195 Speaker 1: George Santos. Kevin McCarthy personally is keeping George Santos in Congress. 25 00:02:04,755 --> 00:02:10,955 Speaker 1: George santos national security risk belongs to Kevin McCarthy. George 26 00:02:10,995 --> 00:02:15,595 Speaker 1: Santos belongs to every Republican. I do not want to 27 00:02:15,635 --> 00:02:20,755 Speaker 1: hear a Democrat until, like Spring mentioned Kevin McCarthy without 28 00:02:20,835 --> 00:02:25,995 Speaker 1: immediately also mentioning George Santos on the debt limit. The 29 00:02:26,035 --> 00:02:30,075 Speaker 1: Speaker is about his truthful here as his guy, George Santos. 30 00:02:30,795 --> 00:02:35,395 Speaker 1: It's easy to do if this idiot from Virginia Representative 31 00:02:35,395 --> 00:02:39,435 Speaker 1: Bob Good tries to turn the debt limit reality inside 32 00:02:39,475 --> 00:02:44,795 Speaker 1: out again and blame the Democrats for the world financial crisis. 33 00:02:44,835 --> 00:02:47,795 Speaker 1: The Republicans are willing to risk, and Good says as 34 00:02:47,835 --> 00:02:51,115 Speaker 1: he did yesterday, quote, I hope the President and the 35 00:02:51,195 --> 00:02:54,395 Speaker 1: Senate would not risk a government shutdown or some kind 36 00:02:54,435 --> 00:03:00,275 Speaker 1: of a government default by recklessly rejecting spending cuts. I 37 00:03:00,395 --> 00:03:05,475 Speaker 1: want several Democrats to answer seriously, Bob Good, you are 38 00:03:05,595 --> 00:03:08,755 Speaker 1: threatening the jobs of millions of Americans. You want to 39 00:03:08,795 --> 00:03:12,635 Speaker 1: create a world financial panic. You want a stock market crash. 40 00:03:12,915 --> 00:03:16,035 Speaker 1: And that's your explanation. Who do you think you are? 41 00:03:17,435 --> 00:03:23,395 Speaker 1: George Santos. George Santos is easy to use, can be 42 00:03:23,395 --> 00:03:26,435 Speaker 1: applied wet or dry, can be taken with or without food, 43 00:03:26,555 --> 00:03:29,795 Speaker 1: requires no assembly, can be used without any training, and 44 00:03:29,875 --> 00:03:33,795 Speaker 1: is now available without a prescription. When the speaker talks 45 00:03:33,835 --> 00:03:37,075 Speaker 1: about these documents, I wonder why he's not as angry 46 00:03:37,075 --> 00:03:42,635 Speaker 1: at George Santos. And as evidenced by yesterday's jaw dropper 47 00:03:42,675 --> 00:03:45,355 Speaker 1: from the Washington Post, we have finally moved on to 48 00:03:45,515 --> 00:03:48,955 Speaker 1: that part of the movie where we begin to understand 49 00:03:48,955 --> 00:03:53,475 Speaker 1: that we have only scratched the dishonest surface the money. 50 00:03:54,075 --> 00:03:59,315 Speaker 1: Somebody found a compulsive liar, willing to having to say anything. 51 00:03:59,835 --> 00:04:02,755 Speaker 1: They bankrolled him, and they got him elected to Congress. 52 00:04:03,075 --> 00:04:06,995 Speaker 1: He is a national security risk if you missed it 53 00:04:07,195 --> 00:04:11,075 Speaker 1: the Post mind the filings at the Federal Election Committee 54 00:04:11,355 --> 00:04:14,115 Speaker 1: and also the recording of a zoom meeting, and they 55 00:04:14,235 --> 00:04:17,635 Speaker 1: dug up this stark reality. There is a Russian oligarch, 56 00:04:17,995 --> 00:04:21,835 Speaker 1: He is huge in Russian gas and energy. His cousin 57 00:04:22,035 --> 00:04:28,275 Speaker 1: is named Andrew Intrader, I mean in traitor, traitor, unlike 58 00:04:28,315 --> 00:04:31,715 Speaker 1: George Santos. You can't make this stuff up. And Andrew 59 00:04:31,795 --> 00:04:35,755 Speaker 1: in Trader and his wife both maxed out there in 60 00:04:35,875 --> 00:04:42,475 Speaker 1: Trader campaign donations to George Santos, and the in Traders 61 00:04:42,875 --> 00:04:45,595 Speaker 1: gave tens of thousands of dollars to committees linked to 62 00:04:45,675 --> 00:04:51,435 Speaker 1: George Santos, and George Santos boasted that in Trader's company 63 00:04:51,635 --> 00:04:57,915 Speaker 1: was his client, his in traitor client. Like the lines 64 00:04:57,955 --> 00:05:02,235 Speaker 1: of George Santos, this is also easily digested Russian oil, 65 00:05:02,355 --> 00:05:06,675 Speaker 1: Russian oligarch, Russian money, George san Tos and whatever comes 66 00:05:06,675 --> 00:05:10,435 Speaker 1: next in reality. Right now, this iceberg has a whole 67 00:05:10,755 --> 00:05:15,195 Speaker 1: Manchurian candidate feel to it. Why did you lie? Wow, 68 00:05:15,235 --> 00:05:17,715 Speaker 1: it looks like money. What kind of money looks like 69 00:05:17,835 --> 00:05:21,675 Speaker 1: Russian money? What was that name? Again? S A. N 70 00:05:21,715 --> 00:05:28,435 Speaker 1: t Os. Santos makes the very best bull little crap. Also, 71 00:05:28,475 --> 00:05:33,795 Speaker 1: the other guy's name has Trader in it. CNN and 72 00:05:33,875 --> 00:05:38,475 Speaker 1: that now stands for clicks not news. CNN clicks not 73 00:05:38,675 --> 00:05:41,915 Speaker 1: News is not going to give up on the document story. 74 00:05:41,995 --> 00:05:46,955 Speaker 1: Either they ran a news alert yesterday about new details, 75 00:05:47,355 --> 00:05:49,715 Speaker 1: when in point of fact, it was just a timeline 76 00:05:50,195 --> 00:05:53,395 Speaker 1: of what was already known, but with a new time 77 00:05:53,515 --> 00:05:57,635 Speaker 1: stamp and headline clicks. Not news is going to run 78 00:05:57,835 --> 00:06:02,395 Speaker 1: something about the Biden documents every day. And the answer 79 00:06:02,435 --> 00:06:06,395 Speaker 1: to that is funny that CNN isn't probing George Santos 80 00:06:06,435 --> 00:06:09,115 Speaker 1: and the Russian oligarch. Why are they covering up for 81 00:06:09,155 --> 00:06:13,715 Speaker 1: George Santos? Why is CNN helping Kevin McCarthy cover up 82 00:06:13,755 --> 00:06:17,555 Speaker 1: for George Santos and this guy what's his name? Trader. 83 00:06:19,435 --> 00:06:21,315 Speaker 1: We are also not going to get anybody to start 84 00:06:21,355 --> 00:06:23,675 Speaker 1: asking about the Department of Justice league that fueled the 85 00:06:23,715 --> 00:06:26,555 Speaker 1: document story, or the fact that the CBS correspondent is 86 00:06:26,555 --> 00:06:29,755 Speaker 1: based in Chicago, and the guy that hapless Merrick Garland, 87 00:06:29,795 --> 00:06:32,795 Speaker 1: that's his name, h Merrick Garland, the ages for Hapless, 88 00:06:33,395 --> 00:06:36,195 Speaker 1: the guy that Hapless Merrick Garland first put in charge 89 00:06:36,235 --> 00:06:39,515 Speaker 1: of it, who was also based in Chicago, like the correspondent, 90 00:06:40,195 --> 00:06:41,955 Speaker 1: or the timing of it that allowed it to come 91 00:06:41,995 --> 00:06:45,155 Speaker 1: out just hours after the Republicans took the investigative gabbles 92 00:06:45,155 --> 00:06:48,955 Speaker 1: in the House. We're not it's too complicated. These are 93 00:06:49,035 --> 00:06:52,075 Speaker 1: news people you're asking to do this? And the answer 94 00:06:52,155 --> 00:06:56,795 Speaker 1: thus to this is the Republicans are all lying about this. Yeah, 95 00:06:56,795 --> 00:07:00,755 Speaker 1: they're lying like they are Come on, come on, come on, 96 00:07:01,115 --> 00:07:06,875 Speaker 1: They're lying like they're George Santos. We are also not 97 00:07:06,915 --> 00:07:09,395 Speaker 1: going to get enough people to pick up the unresolved 98 00:07:09,395 --> 00:07:13,115 Speaker 1: accusations of violence and death threats made by his college 99 00:07:13,155 --> 00:07:17,475 Speaker 1: girlfriend against the oversight Chairman, James the Inquisitor Comber. We're 100 00:07:17,515 --> 00:07:22,795 Speaker 1: not so. When Comber demands visitors logs to the president's 101 00:07:22,875 --> 00:07:25,355 Speaker 1: home in Delaware, the answer is not, well, there are 102 00:07:25,355 --> 00:07:28,235 Speaker 1: no visitors logs to his private home, because that only 103 00:07:28,315 --> 00:07:31,875 Speaker 1: leads to the question, ah ha, who ordered that? Who 104 00:07:31,955 --> 00:07:34,875 Speaker 1: failed to keep visitors logs at the home of the president. 105 00:07:35,675 --> 00:07:40,155 Speaker 1: The answer is why is James Comer lying about Maryland 106 00:07:40,155 --> 00:07:45,195 Speaker 1: Thomas his college girlfriend. He's beginning to sound like George Santos. 107 00:07:45,235 --> 00:07:49,195 Speaker 1: Shouldn't Kevin McCarthy be asking if with Congressman Comber, he's 108 00:07:49,195 --> 00:07:55,395 Speaker 1: got another George Santos on his hands. It is possible 109 00:07:55,795 --> 00:07:58,835 Speaker 1: that in the just thirty days since the first New 110 00:07:58,875 --> 00:08:02,395 Speaker 1: York Times story, George Santos has become the most easily 111 00:08:02,675 --> 00:08:08,635 Speaker 1: understood metaphor, the most easily digested metaphor. In the last 112 00:08:08,675 --> 00:08:13,755 Speaker 1: twenty five years of American politics, he has lied about everything. 113 00:08:13,955 --> 00:08:20,075 Speaker 1: He is deceit in human form. He's Leo DiCaprio as 114 00:08:20,115 --> 00:08:25,715 Speaker 1: Frank abg Nail. He's John Lovett's Tommy Flanagan. He's Rachel Dolazal. 115 00:08:26,035 --> 00:08:29,275 Speaker 1: He's Anna Serocan. He's Barry Breman, the guy who used 116 00:08:29,315 --> 00:08:31,435 Speaker 1: to sneak onto the field at sporting events dressed as 117 00:08:31,435 --> 00:08:36,395 Speaker 1: a player or referee. He's He's He's Elizabeth Holmes. No, 118 00:08:36,515 --> 00:08:41,435 Speaker 1: he's not only he's simpler than any one of them. 119 00:08:41,435 --> 00:08:43,595 Speaker 1: That's not his name, that's not his religion, that's not 120 00:08:43,635 --> 00:08:45,595 Speaker 1: his school, that's not his job, that's not his other job. 121 00:08:45,595 --> 00:08:47,475 Speaker 1: That's not his home. That's not his race, that's not 122 00:08:47,515 --> 00:08:57,075 Speaker 1: his nationality, that's not his volleyball, his volleyball. They are 123 00:08:57,195 --> 00:09:01,635 Speaker 1: easy to understand lies, and they are not stopping. He 124 00:09:01,835 --> 00:09:05,555 Speaker 1: is not leaving. He is not going to be forced out. 125 00:09:06,315 --> 00:09:10,915 Speaker 1: He is a big metaphorical baseball bat. And every morning, 126 00:09:10,955 --> 00:09:15,795 Speaker 1: as the sun rises in Washington, the Republicans hand him 127 00:09:15,835 --> 00:09:20,355 Speaker 1: to every Democrat and they say, go ahead, keep hitting us. 128 00:09:20,635 --> 00:09:22,755 Speaker 1: We'll just stand here. Is nothing we can do if 129 00:09:22,875 --> 00:09:26,755 Speaker 1: McCarthy's backing him. Have you ever seen a pinata well 130 00:09:27,715 --> 00:09:30,755 Speaker 1: where the pinata only no matter how many times you 131 00:09:30,955 --> 00:09:35,315 Speaker 1: hit us, we then close right back up again, so 132 00:09:35,355 --> 00:09:39,355 Speaker 1: you can come back tomorrow smashes again. We are the 133 00:09:39,435 --> 00:09:47,315 Speaker 1: groundhogs day of pinatas. Here's the bat. The Democratic answer 134 00:09:47,395 --> 00:09:53,635 Speaker 1: to every question is George Santos. And oh, by the way, 135 00:09:53,635 --> 00:09:57,035 Speaker 1: you probably did see the Posts thing yesterday about him 136 00:09:57,075 --> 00:10:00,595 Speaker 1: and the cousin of the Russian oligarch Mr. In Trader. 137 00:10:01,355 --> 00:10:04,795 Speaker 1: You probably did not see New York Magazine's thing about 138 00:10:04,875 --> 00:10:09,235 Speaker 1: him Sunday where they traced him to January one, and 139 00:10:09,315 --> 00:10:12,475 Speaker 1: they stopped the Steel rally in d C. When he 140 00:10:12,515 --> 00:10:15,755 Speaker 1: got up and said, quote, for fourteen days, I was 141 00:10:15,835 --> 00:10:18,995 Speaker 1: congressman elect of the third Congressional District of New York, 142 00:10:19,355 --> 00:10:22,435 Speaker 1: the first ever biggest upset for a Republican in New 143 00:10:22,515 --> 00:10:25,195 Speaker 1: York City. And what did they do when they were 144 00:10:25,235 --> 00:10:27,995 Speaker 1: too busy printing two d and eighty thousand ballots in 145 00:10:28,035 --> 00:10:31,275 Speaker 1: my district and shipping them to Pennsylvania, they sneaked in 146 00:10:31,355 --> 00:10:35,195 Speaker 1: a few for my opponent. And then George Santos said 147 00:10:35,275 --> 00:10:38,155 Speaker 1: one other thing that assures that if and when the 148 00:10:38,195 --> 00:10:42,555 Speaker 1: Democrats ever run out of opportunity or need to use 149 00:10:42,635 --> 00:10:46,995 Speaker 1: George Santos as the ultimate defensive weapon, they can try 150 00:10:47,115 --> 00:10:52,915 Speaker 1: him out on offense on target zero. Quoting George Santos, 151 00:10:53,035 --> 00:10:58,915 Speaker 1: January five. They did to me what they did to 152 00:10:59,075 --> 00:11:05,475 Speaker 1: Donald J. Trump. They stole my election. And when George 153 00:11:05,515 --> 00:11:09,275 Speaker 1: Santos said that dressed in a beautiful camel's hair coat 154 00:11:09,635 --> 00:11:14,235 Speaker 1: and an expensive Burberry scarf, his roommate at the time says, 155 00:11:15,435 --> 00:11:19,835 Speaker 1: that was my scarf. George Santos stole it from me. 156 00:11:34,395 --> 00:11:38,155 Speaker 1: You can't make this stuff up because he already has 157 00:11:40,395 --> 00:11:43,355 Speaker 1: still ahead. Speaking of which, Carrie Lake running for Senate 158 00:11:43,395 --> 00:11:45,755 Speaker 1: against Kirsten Cinema, Well, how can she do that if 159 00:11:45,755 --> 00:11:49,915 Speaker 1: she's governor already? The resignation of the German defense minister 160 00:11:49,955 --> 00:11:53,075 Speaker 1: who said she was showing her commitment to Ukraine by 161 00:11:53,115 --> 00:11:59,315 Speaker 1: sending the country five thousand hats worse persons. Great graph 162 00:11:59,355 --> 00:12:01,955 Speaker 1: showing the lack of climate change, Jordan Peterson, did you 163 00:12:01,955 --> 00:12:05,315 Speaker 1: happen to notice your graph ends in the year eighteen five? 164 00:12:06,195 --> 00:12:09,475 Speaker 1: Why would baseball expand to some small markets if every 165 00:12:09,515 --> 00:12:11,755 Speaker 1: time it expands to a small market, it just creates 166 00:12:11,755 --> 00:12:16,315 Speaker 1: another perennial doormat looking at you, Nashville, And the latest 167 00:12:16,355 --> 00:12:21,235 Speaker 1: brilliant new idea from Chris Lickt of CNN Clicks not News. 168 00:12:22,075 --> 00:12:24,515 Speaker 1: The man who when we were at MSNBC we thought 169 00:12:24,635 --> 00:12:28,155 Speaker 1: used to eat paste do a prime time CNN show 170 00:12:28,235 --> 00:12:34,915 Speaker 1: anchored by a comedian like John Stewart. Not only is 171 00:12:34,915 --> 00:12:38,075 Speaker 1: it another disaster waiting to happen, but what Chris licked 172 00:12:38,115 --> 00:12:42,315 Speaker 1: does not know is CNN first proposed a John Stewart 173 00:12:42,355 --> 00:12:49,155 Speaker 1: comedy newscast in two thousand one. That's five CNN presidents ago. 174 00:12:50,235 --> 00:12:53,675 Speaker 1: I was there things I promised not to tell. That's next. 175 00:12:53,795 --> 00:12:57,315 Speaker 1: This is a completely all new I'm over my sinus 176 00:12:57,355 --> 00:13:09,275 Speaker 1: infection edition of Countdown. Yeah, this is Countdown with Keith. 177 00:13:15,315 --> 00:13:19,915 Speaker 1: Thank you, Larry David still ahead on Countdown. Well. First 178 00:13:19,915 --> 00:13:22,075 Speaker 1: of all, please notice this is an all new edition 179 00:13:22,115 --> 00:13:26,355 Speaker 1: of this podcast. After finally listening to the doctor shutting 180 00:13:26,435 --> 00:13:29,115 Speaker 1: up for a while, the sinus infection is gone. I think, 181 00:13:29,635 --> 00:13:33,715 Speaker 1: thank you for your patients. Also, CNN wants to hire 182 00:13:33,755 --> 00:13:36,275 Speaker 1: somebody you can laugh at while they read the news, 183 00:13:37,635 --> 00:13:42,355 Speaker 1: I mean, besides Aaron Burnett. First, in each edition of Countdown, 184 00:13:42,355 --> 00:13:44,635 Speaker 1: we feature a dog in need you can help. Every 185 00:13:44,635 --> 00:13:48,755 Speaker 1: dog has its day to Marana, Arizona at our second 186 00:13:48,755 --> 00:13:53,755 Speaker 1: dog in need in a week, named Waffles. Cherished Tales 187 00:13:53,995 --> 00:13:58,475 Speaker 1: Senior Sanctuary saved Waffles and got her diagnosed with a 188 00:13:58,515 --> 00:14:01,275 Speaker 1: blood vessel in her heart that does not close properly. 189 00:14:01,275 --> 00:14:03,595 Speaker 1: If they don't fix it, it it will kill her within 190 00:14:03,715 --> 00:14:08,115 Speaker 1: six months. Lowly and awfully, she's a tiny Chihuahua senior, 191 00:14:08,275 --> 00:14:11,755 Speaker 1: six pounds. Maybe my puppy Ted had a bad valve 192 00:14:11,755 --> 00:14:13,435 Speaker 1: that they thought was going to kill him before he 193 00:14:13,475 --> 00:14:17,915 Speaker 1: was ten months old. Amazingly, canine cardiac surgery is very advanced, 194 00:14:18,395 --> 00:14:21,755 Speaker 1: very effective. They fixed him. He's now four and a half. 195 00:14:21,795 --> 00:14:24,795 Speaker 1: They can fix Waffles two and she will be almost 196 00:14:24,835 --> 00:14:29,115 Speaker 1: instantaneously better. There's a fundraiser for Waffles on Cuddly. You 197 00:14:29,115 --> 00:14:32,075 Speaker 1: can find her there or on my Twitter feeds. Anything 198 00:14:32,115 --> 00:14:35,675 Speaker 1: you can give will help. I thank you, and Waffles 199 00:14:35,715 --> 00:14:43,355 Speaker 1: thanks you. Postcripts to the news, some headlines, some updates, 200 00:14:43,395 --> 00:14:47,035 Speaker 1: some snarks, some predictions. Dateline while we're still in Arizona, 201 00:14:47,435 --> 00:14:52,155 Speaker 1: CNN reporting Carrie Lake is considering running for Senate in 202 00:14:53,115 --> 00:14:56,635 Speaker 1: against Kirsten Cinema. Well, but why would she do that? 203 00:14:56,675 --> 00:15:02,915 Speaker 1: Since Carrie is secretly them opener I understand. Dateline Jefferson City, Missouri. 204 00:15:03,155 --> 00:15:05,955 Speaker 1: Republicans have changed the rule is in the state legislature 205 00:15:05,995 --> 00:15:10,475 Speaker 1: there and now require that women wimbers wear jackets, not 206 00:15:10,675 --> 00:15:15,555 Speaker 1: sleeveless dresses. So no right to bear arms, not even sweaters, 207 00:15:15,595 --> 00:15:22,555 Speaker 1: just jackets, jackets, jackets, jackets, next Burkas dateline, Washington, what 208 00:15:22,635 --> 00:15:24,715 Speaker 1: about is him and both sides? Is Him hits? The 209 00:15:24,755 --> 00:15:30,075 Speaker 1: Washington Posts weather report quote Monday was as cold as 210 00:15:30,115 --> 00:15:34,475 Speaker 1: Sunday but also warmer. Read the headline over the Martin 211 00:15:34,555 --> 00:15:38,235 Speaker 1: Wiles story and then, like so much it had cold 212 00:15:38,315 --> 00:15:43,635 Speaker 1: parts and warm parts in this foggy bottom diner. Dateline 213 00:15:43,635 --> 00:15:49,595 Speaker 1: Texas Congressional District and the irreplaceable Twitter feed of ron Philipkowski, 214 00:15:49,995 --> 00:15:53,555 Speaker 1: Trump's former White House position and loser of the Trump 215 00:15:53,595 --> 00:15:59,235 Speaker 1: annual Guess My Weight contest, The now congressman of dubious sobriety, 216 00:15:59,555 --> 00:16:06,115 Speaker 1: doctor Ronnie Jackson had a think yesterday about the Biden documents. 217 00:16:06,315 --> 00:16:09,515 Speaker 1: Can you imagine how many how many good drugs and 218 00:16:09,555 --> 00:16:12,235 Speaker 1: how many uh you know, hookers and and in in 219 00:16:12,435 --> 00:16:15,715 Speaker 1: you know, sweet monthly paychecks those documents could have bought 220 00:16:16,195 --> 00:16:21,475 Speaker 1: good drugs and hookers. No, but Congressman, clearly you have 221 00:16:34,355 --> 00:16:40,635 Speaker 1: This is Sports Center wait, check that not anymore. This 222 00:16:41,635 --> 00:16:48,075 Speaker 1: is countdown with Keith in sports, the connection between Trump 223 00:16:48,115 --> 00:16:52,475 Speaker 1: and the Saudi sponsored live golf tourney, the Live Blood 224 00:16:52,515 --> 00:16:55,275 Speaker 1: Money Golf Tourney, has got a little worse. Live was 225 00:16:55,315 --> 00:16:58,435 Speaker 1: attacked by several families of nine eleven victims because of 226 00:16:58,435 --> 00:17:01,155 Speaker 1: the Saudi connection in its turf war with the p 227 00:17:01,315 --> 00:17:04,595 Speaker 1: G A tour. The PGA's publicity firm now says Live 228 00:17:04,715 --> 00:17:08,835 Speaker 1: of has responded by quote brazenly hiring a firm in 229 00:17:08,835 --> 00:17:12,195 Speaker 1: the United States to track and monitor the activities of 230 00:17:12,235 --> 00:17:15,595 Speaker 1: these nine eleven victims and families, even if they have 231 00:17:15,715 --> 00:17:20,275 Speaker 1: nothing to do with live golf or golfers. As to Trump, Dawn, 232 00:17:20,395 --> 00:17:24,875 Speaker 1: the organization Democracy for the Modern Arab World now reports 233 00:17:24,915 --> 00:17:28,755 Speaker 1: that lives connection to the infamous Saudi Prince MBS was 234 00:17:28,795 --> 00:17:32,315 Speaker 1: inadvertently confirmed in a recent court case a fund controlled 235 00:17:32,355 --> 00:17:38,555 Speaker 1: by MBS owns of Live Golf, quoting them. The revelation 236 00:17:38,595 --> 00:17:41,795 Speaker 1: that a fund controlled by Crown Prince MBS actually owns 237 00:17:41,795 --> 00:17:44,315 Speaker 1: almost all of Live Golf means that MBS has been 238 00:17:44,315 --> 00:17:48,435 Speaker 1: paying Donald Trump unknown millions for the past two years 239 00:17:48,515 --> 00:17:52,475 Speaker 1: via their mutual corporate covers. The national security implications of 240 00:17:52,475 --> 00:17:56,475 Speaker 1: payments from a grotesquely abusive foreign dictator to a president 241 00:17:56,515 --> 00:17:59,155 Speaker 1: of the United States who provided extraordinary favors to him 242 00:17:59,315 --> 00:18:03,075 Speaker 1: are as dangerous as they are shocking. End quote. Baseball 243 00:18:03,075 --> 00:18:05,955 Speaker 1: another year, another controversy in Cincinnati or the son of 244 00:18:05,995 --> 00:18:08,235 Speaker 1: the owner of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team has said 245 00:18:08,275 --> 00:18:13,315 Speaker 1: something stupid again. Last year, Phil Castellini said that Reds 246 00:18:13,355 --> 00:18:16,995 Speaker 1: fans should stop complaining about their team because where would 247 00:18:16,995 --> 00:18:19,435 Speaker 1: they go see baseball in Cincinnati if he and his 248 00:18:19,475 --> 00:18:22,515 Speaker 1: father got fed up and moved to another city. This 249 00:18:22,675 --> 00:18:26,115 Speaker 1: time at a Red's Rooters event over the weekend, Castellini 250 00:18:26,195 --> 00:18:30,155 Speaker 1: complained about having to eat the guaranteed contract of a 251 00:18:30,235 --> 00:18:33,915 Speaker 1: player the Reds had signed and recently dropped because he 252 00:18:33,955 --> 00:18:38,595 Speaker 1: wasn't any good anymore. His rhetorical question quote, is anybody 253 00:18:38,675 --> 00:18:42,955 Speaker 1: here paid to not do their job? Well? Golly, the 254 00:18:42,995 --> 00:18:46,675 Speaker 1: Reds last won the World Series in nineteen nine, so 255 00:18:46,955 --> 00:18:51,795 Speaker 1: one might answer Mr Castellini, Well, yeah, apparently everybody in 256 00:18:51,835 --> 00:18:54,715 Speaker 1: the Reds ownership in front office is paid, you know, 257 00:18:54,835 --> 00:19:16,075 Speaker 1: not to do their job. Thank you. Nancy Faust group, 258 00:19:16,115 --> 00:19:19,235 Speaker 1: trying to get an expansion team for Nashville, Tennessee, has 259 00:19:19,315 --> 00:19:23,275 Speaker 1: hired former Yankee star Don Mattingly as a consultant. Mattingly 260 00:19:23,395 --> 00:19:26,435 Speaker 1: once played there as a minor leaguer. It is also 261 00:19:26,475 --> 00:19:29,075 Speaker 1: being asked how Mattingly can consult for the group while 262 00:19:29,155 --> 00:19:31,635 Speaker 1: he's still the bench coach or the Toronto Blue Jays. 263 00:19:32,515 --> 00:19:36,955 Speaker 1: So what my question is, why is baseball considering expansion. 264 00:19:37,475 --> 00:19:40,115 Speaker 1: This is not a sport that can equalize market size 265 00:19:40,155 --> 00:19:43,955 Speaker 1: by using a salary cap or total revenue sharing. New 266 00:19:44,035 --> 00:19:48,035 Speaker 1: teams in small markets with small TV prices turned out 267 00:19:48,075 --> 00:19:51,875 Speaker 1: to be perennial doormats. I mean, look at Cincinnati, and 268 00:19:51,915 --> 00:19:54,315 Speaker 1: no matter how much Nashville might be growing, it is 269 00:19:54,315 --> 00:19:58,235 Speaker 1: still only the thirty fifth largest market in the country. 270 00:19:58,275 --> 00:20:03,475 Speaker 1: There are nine metropolitan areas without baseball teams with larger populations. 271 00:20:03,675 --> 00:20:08,155 Speaker 1: San Antonio is thirty percent larger than Nashville, Virginia Beach, 272 00:20:08,515 --> 00:20:12,675 Speaker 1: Virginia Beach and Norfolk are nearly as big as Nashville. 273 00:20:13,075 --> 00:20:15,555 Speaker 1: The last time a team in a metropolitan area smaller 274 00:20:15,595 --> 00:20:19,275 Speaker 1: than Kansas City won the World Series was the Milwaukee 275 00:20:19,355 --> 00:20:24,275 Speaker 1: Braves in nineteen fifty seven. It is a recipe for disaster, 276 00:20:25,195 --> 00:20:28,515 Speaker 1: and while baseball rightly Moreen's popular, ninety three year old 277 00:20:28,595 --> 00:20:31,235 Speaker 1: Frank Thomas an outfielder who played with all but three 278 00:20:31,275 --> 00:20:34,075 Speaker 1: of the National League teams that existed during his career, 279 00:20:34,395 --> 00:20:37,155 Speaker 1: and the first hitting star of the original amazing nineteen 280 00:20:37,195 --> 00:20:42,275 Speaker 1: sixty two Mets forty wins and twenty losses. The obituaries 281 00:20:42,315 --> 00:20:45,515 Speaker 1: have largely ignored the fact that Frank Thomas probably kept 282 00:20:45,555 --> 00:20:49,035 Speaker 1: a later teammate of his out of Baseball's Hall of Fame. 283 00:20:49,635 --> 00:20:52,635 Speaker 1: In nineteen sixty five, as the city of Philadelphia recovered 284 00:20:52,675 --> 00:20:54,875 Speaker 1: from race riots the year before, it had a second 285 00:20:54,955 --> 00:20:58,475 Speaker 1: year African American star named Dick Allen, then known as 286 00:20:58,555 --> 00:21:02,035 Speaker 1: Richie Allen, who was as good as any hitter of 287 00:21:02,155 --> 00:21:07,275 Speaker 1: his era or of most eras on July three, Allen 288 00:21:07,355 --> 00:21:09,355 Speaker 1: was leading the National League with a three forty one 289 00:21:09,395 --> 00:21:12,915 Speaker 1: batting average, and Frank Thomas was needling him during batting 290 00:21:12,915 --> 00:21:16,035 Speaker 1: practice on a road trip. A week before. Frank Thomas 291 00:21:16,115 --> 00:21:20,395 Speaker 1: had jokingly he said, asked Allan quote, hey boy, can 292 00:21:20,435 --> 00:21:23,915 Speaker 1: you carry my bags to the lobby? Then on July 293 00:21:24,075 --> 00:21:26,635 Speaker 1: two that Frank Thomas failed to get a bunt down 294 00:21:26,635 --> 00:21:28,875 Speaker 1: and the Phillies lost a game. And on the third 295 00:21:28,995 --> 00:21:32,915 Speaker 1: during BP, Thomas successfully bunted and somebody, and it might 296 00:21:32,955 --> 00:21:36,715 Speaker 1: have been Allen, needled back twenty four hours too late. 297 00:21:37,675 --> 00:21:40,195 Speaker 1: Thomas then turned to Alan and said, you're running your 298 00:21:40,195 --> 00:21:44,435 Speaker 1: mouth like Cashius Clay, although some witnesses thought he said 299 00:21:44,715 --> 00:21:48,715 Speaker 1: you're running your mouth like Malcolm X. There was an altercation. 300 00:21:48,955 --> 00:21:51,835 Speaker 1: Frank Thomas contended for fifty years that Dick Allen quote 301 00:21:51,875 --> 00:21:54,635 Speaker 1: sucker punched him. Alan denied that, but he said he 302 00:21:54,675 --> 00:21:58,115 Speaker 1: did hit him. Nobody denied what happened after that, Frank 303 00:21:58,155 --> 00:22:01,035 Speaker 1: Thomas swung his bat at Alan and hit him in 304 00:22:01,075 --> 00:22:04,595 Speaker 1: the shoulder. Within minutes, the Phillies had intervened on Dick 305 00:22:04,715 --> 00:22:07,915 Speaker 1: Allen's behalf and cut Frank Thomas from their team, and 306 00:22:07,995 --> 00:22:13,515 Speaker 1: the Philly fans and media sided with Frank Thomas. They 307 00:22:13,555 --> 00:22:16,195 Speaker 1: made the life of Dick Allen, probably the greatest hitter 308 00:22:16,195 --> 00:22:20,035 Speaker 1: in Phillies history, to this day, a living hell. The 309 00:22:20,075 --> 00:22:24,155 Speaker 1: Phillies refused to trade Alan until seventy and while he 310 00:22:24,235 --> 00:22:26,595 Speaker 1: was the American League m VP in nineteen seventy two, 311 00:22:26,595 --> 00:22:29,435 Speaker 1: he never became the unquestionable Hall of Famer that his 312 00:22:29,515 --> 00:22:32,875 Speaker 1: talent seemed to demand. This is not to dismiss the 313 00:22:32,875 --> 00:22:36,115 Speaker 1: morning of those who loved Frank Thomas, but after hitting 314 00:22:36,115 --> 00:22:39,155 Speaker 1: Alan with a bat, he went on radio in Philadelphia 315 00:22:39,195 --> 00:22:41,795 Speaker 1: and said Alan should have been punished too, and when 316 00:22:41,875 --> 00:22:45,275 Speaker 1: interviewed later for a documentary, he insisted, you know, if 317 00:22:45,275 --> 00:22:48,235 Speaker 1: you're going to punish one, you've got to punish the other. 318 00:22:48,995 --> 00:22:53,675 Speaker 1: That later interview was in two thousand eight, forty three 319 00:22:53,755 --> 00:22:57,875 Speaker 1: years later after the racial insults or jokes and hitting 320 00:22:57,955 --> 00:23:00,275 Speaker 1: him with a bat, it still had not occurred to 321 00:23:00,275 --> 00:23:03,475 Speaker 1: Frank Thomas by that time that, in fact, they had 322 00:23:03,475 --> 00:23:22,875 Speaker 1: punished the quote. Other still ahead, CNN Clips not News 323 00:23:23,275 --> 00:23:26,675 Speaker 1: is reportedly pondering hiring a comedian to do an hour 324 00:23:26,755 --> 00:23:30,195 Speaker 1: of news every night. They think it's a brilliant, brand 325 00:23:30,235 --> 00:23:33,315 Speaker 1: new idea. In fact, it's allows the old idea. They 326 00:23:33,395 --> 00:23:37,115 Speaker 1: first proposed this in two thousand one. I was in 327 00:23:37,155 --> 00:23:41,235 Speaker 1: the room and it was the same comedian first the 328 00:23:41,275 --> 00:23:43,915 Speaker 1: daily roundup of the miscreants, morons and dunning Krueger effect 329 00:23:43,915 --> 00:23:49,675 Speaker 1: specimens who constitute today's most persons in the world. Lebronze 330 00:23:49,755 --> 00:23:53,635 Speaker 1: Christine Lambrecht, who has now resigned as Defense Minister in 331 00:23:53,675 --> 00:23:57,315 Speaker 1: the government of German Chancellor all Off Schultz. It was 332 00:23:57,395 --> 00:24:01,475 Speaker 1: Minister Lambrech who greeted the imminent war in Ukraini a 333 00:24:01,555 --> 00:24:04,315 Speaker 1: year ago by saying she was sending President Zelinsky quote 334 00:24:04,795 --> 00:24:09,355 Speaker 1: very clear signal that we stand by your side. What 335 00:24:09,675 --> 00:24:16,595 Speaker 1: Minister Lambrek sent Ukraine was five thousand helmets, not five 336 00:24:16,635 --> 00:24:23,075 Speaker 1: thousand guys named helmet. Five thousand helmets. You bring your 337 00:24:23,075 --> 00:24:27,715 Speaker 1: own bullets the bronze. To Jordan Peterson, Canadian conman, climate 338 00:24:27,795 --> 00:24:31,435 Speaker 1: change denier, and Joe Rogan stooge, Peterson tweeted out a 339 00:24:31,515 --> 00:24:34,555 Speaker 1: chart that purports to indicate world temperatures have been dropping 340 00:24:34,595 --> 00:24:40,915 Speaker 1: irregularly but consistently since about eleven seventy seven BC. He asked, simply, 341 00:24:41,635 --> 00:24:45,315 Speaker 1: anyone object to this chart? One small problem with the chart. 342 00:24:45,515 --> 00:24:49,195 Speaker 1: The charts supposedly proving there's no climate change. It ends 343 00:24:49,355 --> 00:24:54,595 Speaker 1: in the year eighteen eighty five, stops at eighteen eighty five. 344 00:24:54,675 --> 00:24:58,675 Speaker 1: All things have been going great recently, once recently eighty five. 345 00:24:59,475 --> 00:25:03,555 Speaker 1: So the answer to your question is, yeah, everybody objects 346 00:25:03,595 --> 00:25:05,955 Speaker 1: to this chart except the morons who listened to you. 347 00:25:06,875 --> 00:25:10,235 Speaker 1: But our winner, identity thief and the chief Jimminy Glick, 348 00:25:10,315 --> 00:25:14,835 Speaker 1: impersonator of Fox News Tucker Carlson. He led the charge 349 00:25:14,875 --> 00:25:20,035 Speaker 1: on the rights second attempt to sexualize Eminem's Imagine how 350 00:25:20,075 --> 00:25:22,835 Speaker 1: many drugs have to have been consumed on the far 351 00:25:22,995 --> 00:25:27,075 Speaker 1: right for them to actually try to sexualize chocolate candy 352 00:25:27,195 --> 00:25:31,115 Speaker 1: tucks and complained about various eminem's and then added, there's 353 00:25:31,155 --> 00:25:35,995 Speaker 1: also a plus size obese purple eminem. Yeah, that's a 354 00:25:36,715 --> 00:25:40,115 Speaker 1: that's a peanut eminem. It's shaped that way because it's 355 00:25:40,115 --> 00:25:43,515 Speaker 1: got a peanut in it. It's not obese, Stucker, it's 356 00:25:43,555 --> 00:25:46,795 Speaker 1: it's a it's a peanut. Seeing they're not actually living 357 00:25:46,915 --> 00:25:51,755 Speaker 1: creatures there, Candy. Some of them have peanuts in them. Tucker, 358 00:25:52,515 --> 00:25:54,675 Speaker 1: I've got that look again, like I was a dog 359 00:25:54,755 --> 00:25:57,555 Speaker 1: who was just shown a card trick. I don't understand. 360 00:25:57,715 --> 00:26:06,315 Speaker 1: Explain candy to me, Carlson, Today's worst person. Uh, I'm 361 00:26:26,955 --> 00:26:29,035 Speaker 1: through the number one story on the countdown and my 362 00:26:29,075 --> 00:26:31,915 Speaker 1: favorite topic me and things I promised not to tell. 363 00:26:31,955 --> 00:26:34,075 Speaker 1: And if you do not believe in time travel, I 364 00:26:34,115 --> 00:26:36,595 Speaker 1: may have a surprise for you. It's a little Marcel 365 00:26:36,715 --> 00:26:40,275 Speaker 1: Proust for the average person. But still, the new news 366 00:26:40,315 --> 00:26:45,755 Speaker 1: site Semaphore published something about CNN that's CNN clicks not news, 367 00:26:46,555 --> 00:26:49,555 Speaker 1: and it's about clicks not news. Chairman Chris lick to 368 00:26:49,595 --> 00:26:51,795 Speaker 1: who when we were at MSNBC together we used to 369 00:26:51,835 --> 00:26:56,275 Speaker 1: think eight paste and how he is quoting Semaphore, considering 370 00:26:56,395 --> 00:27:00,995 Speaker 1: hiring a comedian to host one of CNN's prime time 371 00:27:01,035 --> 00:27:04,555 Speaker 1: shows to fill the prime time nine to eleven PM 372 00:27:04,675 --> 00:27:07,235 Speaker 1: hours with a non traditional version of the news, five 373 00:27:07,315 --> 00:27:11,155 Speaker 1: people with planning said CNN executives have floated names including 374 00:27:11,875 --> 00:27:18,115 Speaker 1: Bill Maher, Trevor Noah Our, Cineo Hall, and John Stewart 375 00:27:18,675 --> 00:27:22,275 Speaker 1: and have looked at other comedic focused talk shows for inspiration. 376 00:27:22,675 --> 00:27:25,275 Speaker 1: And as I read it, I found myself transported back 377 00:27:25,315 --> 00:27:28,955 Speaker 1: in time to the office of another president of CNN 378 00:27:29,035 --> 00:27:36,675 Speaker 1: named Walter Isaacson. On Friday August three, two thousand and one, Walter, 379 00:27:36,995 --> 00:27:40,475 Speaker 1: his big office near Madison Square Garden filled with the 380 00:27:40,515 --> 00:27:43,235 Speaker 1: brilliant summer sun, said he had what he thought was 381 00:27:43,275 --> 00:27:46,315 Speaker 1: a great idea, and he wanted my thoughts. What if 382 00:27:46,355 --> 00:27:48,275 Speaker 1: we took an hour in prime time and instead of 383 00:27:48,315 --> 00:27:53,355 Speaker 1: being deadly serious CNN or conversational CNN or even point 384 00:27:53,395 --> 00:28:00,595 Speaker 1: counterpoint CNN, what if we were funny CNN. I rolled 385 00:28:00,635 --> 00:28:04,075 Speaker 1: my eyes because I had pitched this exact idea to 386 00:28:04,155 --> 00:28:06,675 Speaker 1: Walter's boss is not a month before, and I was 387 00:28:06,755 --> 00:28:10,315 Speaker 1: trying to get in to get a meeting with him. 388 00:28:10,355 --> 00:28:13,955 Speaker 1: I had done a version after all of funny for 389 00:28:14,275 --> 00:28:17,115 Speaker 1: CNN in my sports reporting when I started in TV 390 00:28:17,315 --> 00:28:20,395 Speaker 1: two decades before there, and then I raised it something 391 00:28:20,475 --> 00:28:23,595 Speaker 1: higher and more of a proven success at ESPN, I 392 00:28:23,675 --> 00:28:26,875 Speaker 1: was back with CNN as a scheduled freelancer filling in 393 00:28:26,915 --> 00:28:30,235 Speaker 1: on the show Jeff Greenfield hosted at ten thirty every night, 394 00:28:30,515 --> 00:28:33,315 Speaker 1: and my agent was negotiating to get me the CNN 395 00:28:33,355 --> 00:28:35,435 Speaker 1: eight pm hour they were going to give to somebody 396 00:28:35,675 --> 00:28:38,835 Speaker 1: not currently on the network. I had said, obviously, you 397 00:28:38,875 --> 00:28:42,075 Speaker 1: could not have a comedian do the news, but you 398 00:28:42,115 --> 00:28:45,075 Speaker 1: could have a newscaster with a decent sense of comedy 399 00:28:45,355 --> 00:28:49,475 Speaker 1: and humor or satire to bring a humorous starting point 400 00:28:49,515 --> 00:28:53,275 Speaker 1: to it when appropriate. And not only was I qualified, 401 00:28:53,315 --> 00:28:55,355 Speaker 1: but as I said to Walter, right then I can 402 00:28:55,395 --> 00:28:57,115 Speaker 1: do the key thing. That is the only way you 403 00:28:57,155 --> 00:28:59,715 Speaker 1: could get away with this idea. I can be the 404 00:28:59,755 --> 00:29:03,515 Speaker 1: guy on the air doing the slightly funny news when 405 00:29:03,555 --> 00:29:07,795 Speaker 1: a bridge collapse or Ronald Reagan dies, or there's a 406 00:29:07,955 --> 00:29:12,155 Speaker 1: terrorist attack, and I can swerve back into serious coverage 407 00:29:12,235 --> 00:29:15,595 Speaker 1: before the network crashes because it had a comedy show on. 408 00:29:15,875 --> 00:29:20,955 Speaker 1: When the world began to end, Walter nodded politely, what 409 00:29:21,035 --> 00:29:23,995 Speaker 1: do you think of John Stewart. Do you think the 410 00:29:23,995 --> 00:29:26,875 Speaker 1: audience would buy Jon Stewart on CNN. I think he's great, 411 00:29:26,915 --> 00:29:30,875 Speaker 1: don't you, I said, frankly, Walter, No, for the reason 412 00:29:30,915 --> 00:29:35,835 Speaker 1: I just outlined, if Jon Stewart he's doing your funny news, 413 00:29:35,875 --> 00:29:40,235 Speaker 1: and then there's unfunny news your and then I said 414 00:29:40,235 --> 00:29:42,915 Speaker 1: a word that rhymed with klucked. I also said that 415 00:29:42,955 --> 00:29:45,915 Speaker 1: I didn't know him well, but everybody I knew who 416 00:29:45,995 --> 00:29:50,115 Speaker 1: did said John Stewart was insufferable, impossible to work with, 417 00:29:50,195 --> 00:29:53,675 Speaker 1: a dreadful and dreary person, and notorious for stealing other 418 00:29:53,715 --> 00:29:57,755 Speaker 1: people's ideas and then pretending they were his. I said, 419 00:29:57,795 --> 00:30:00,035 Speaker 1: his point of view was far closer to my own, 420 00:30:00,075 --> 00:30:04,075 Speaker 1: but that, frankly, the closest personality comp in cable news 421 00:30:04,315 --> 00:30:08,435 Speaker 1: to do on Stewart was Bill O'Reilly, and Walter Isaacson said, 422 00:30:08,835 --> 00:30:12,875 Speaker 1: do you think he'll do it? To be fair? I 423 00:30:12,955 --> 00:30:15,715 Speaker 1: don't think they ever asked him. Twenty two years ago 424 00:30:16,275 --> 00:30:19,115 Speaker 1: the last time a CNN president thought of this idea 425 00:30:19,155 --> 00:30:22,075 Speaker 1: and mistakenly believed he was saying, let's have John Stewart 426 00:30:22,115 --> 00:30:24,555 Speaker 1: to the news, when in fact he was saying, let's 427 00:30:24,555 --> 00:30:27,635 Speaker 1: have Jon Stewart's ratings between nine and ten every night, 428 00:30:27,675 --> 00:30:31,235 Speaker 1: because that's what Chris Licked is thinking and immediately moving 429 00:30:31,235 --> 00:30:35,475 Speaker 1: the idea from impossible crash and burn to well, this 430 00:30:35,555 --> 00:30:40,435 Speaker 1: is feasible. Let's call our cineo hall. Is he busy? 431 00:30:41,435 --> 00:30:45,115 Speaker 1: The longest a comedy news hybrid show can be is 432 00:30:45,155 --> 00:30:49,475 Speaker 1: about thirty minutes, one can argue based on audience retention 433 00:30:49,515 --> 00:30:52,715 Speaker 1: for the John Stewart Daily Show and the Colbert Rapport. 434 00:30:53,115 --> 00:30:57,755 Speaker 1: It's actually closer to about ten fifteen minutes, as Chris 435 00:30:57,835 --> 00:31:02,995 Speaker 1: Licked must remember from his days running Colbert's amazingly unfunny 436 00:31:03,035 --> 00:31:06,715 Speaker 1: CBS program. No late night comedy show that dabbled in 437 00:31:06,795 --> 00:31:10,715 Speaker 1: news in a monologue or even multiple desk segments has 438 00:31:10,755 --> 00:31:14,115 Speaker 1: ever done more than about ten minutes of news a night. 439 00:31:14,915 --> 00:31:17,995 Speaker 1: And I mean the superstars limited themselves to ten minutes 440 00:31:18,035 --> 00:31:20,555 Speaker 1: of it a night. David Letterman, Johnny Carson, even Jay 441 00:31:20,635 --> 00:31:24,075 Speaker 1: Leno others have tried ten minutes and were never heard 442 00:31:24,075 --> 00:31:26,515 Speaker 1: from again. And if you doubt me, ask yourself if 443 00:31:26,555 --> 00:31:31,235 Speaker 1: you remember the Pat say Jack Show on CBS or 444 00:31:31,315 --> 00:31:35,915 Speaker 1: Comedy Central's The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, or Frankly, 445 00:31:36,475 --> 00:31:39,675 Speaker 1: the third incarnation of the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, 446 00:31:39,715 --> 00:31:42,675 Speaker 1: who kept the franchise alive after John Stewart retired. But 447 00:31:42,755 --> 00:31:47,275 Speaker 1: my god, just barely and Chris licked of the We 448 00:31:47,475 --> 00:31:51,635 Speaker 1: thought they were paced eaters. Lickts supposedly brought up Trevor 449 00:31:51,675 --> 00:31:54,515 Speaker 1: Noah and did bring up Jon Stewart in an interview 450 00:31:54,555 --> 00:31:57,195 Speaker 1: with The New York Times last year. And then there's 451 00:31:57,275 --> 00:32:03,155 Speaker 1: my old college colleague, Bill Maher, As Semapore noted, Mars 452 00:32:03,195 --> 00:32:05,755 Speaker 1: potentially a more realistic pro spect. The host of HBO's 453 00:32:05,795 --> 00:32:08,595 Speaker 1: long running weekly show that bears his name is already 454 00:32:08,635 --> 00:32:13,155 Speaker 1: in house at Warner Brothers Discovery, CNN's parent company. Puck 455 00:32:13,275 --> 00:32:15,995 Speaker 1: News reported this week that CNN is in talks to 456 00:32:16,035 --> 00:32:21,875 Speaker 1: begin airing some of mars weekly extra HBO segments. Well, 457 00:32:21,915 --> 00:32:24,315 Speaker 1: maybe that would work, but there are several problems with 458 00:32:24,355 --> 00:32:27,435 Speaker 1: Mar doing his own show. For twenty five years, Bill 459 00:32:27,515 --> 00:32:32,195 Speaker 1: Maher has been abhorred by conservatives. They got him canceled 460 00:32:32,755 --> 00:32:35,795 Speaker 1: from what was his original nightly show on ABC called 461 00:32:35,835 --> 00:32:39,675 Speaker 1: Politically Incorrect after he said something after nine eleven. And 462 00:32:39,755 --> 00:32:42,355 Speaker 1: that's fine. Conservatives are not going to watch CNN no 463 00:32:42,355 --> 00:32:45,155 Speaker 1: matter what Chris Licked and his fascist boss John Malone do. 464 00:32:45,995 --> 00:32:49,675 Speaker 1: But the issue here is Bill Maher has also gradually 465 00:32:49,715 --> 00:32:53,195 Speaker 1: wasted nearly all of his reputation with liberals as well. 466 00:32:53,915 --> 00:32:56,475 Speaker 1: They may not abhor him the way the conservatives do, 467 00:32:56,795 --> 00:33:00,035 Speaker 1: but he stopped being appointment viewing for liberals perhaps as 468 00:33:00,035 --> 00:33:03,475 Speaker 1: long as a decade ago. Also, if the quality of 469 00:33:03,515 --> 00:33:06,635 Speaker 1: the humor and he's once a week HBO show is 470 00:33:06,675 --> 00:33:10,715 Speaker 1: an indicator, putting him on nightly on CNN starting say, 471 00:33:10,875 --> 00:33:14,115 Speaker 1: next Monday, would mean he would be out of material 472 00:33:14,235 --> 00:33:19,355 Speaker 1: by next Thursday, maybe next Wednesday. I also know Bill 473 00:33:19,435 --> 00:33:22,195 Speaker 1: for literally forty five years, and I used to be 474 00:33:22,275 --> 00:33:25,155 Speaker 1: on his HBO show often, and he invariably told me 475 00:33:25,195 --> 00:33:27,235 Speaker 1: that the best thing that ever happened to him was 476 00:33:27,435 --> 00:33:30,275 Speaker 1: getting canceled on ABC, getting away from having to do 477 00:33:30,315 --> 00:33:33,675 Speaker 1: a TV show daily. That six days of prep for 478 00:33:33,795 --> 00:33:38,635 Speaker 1: one show was a tough enough ratio for him. And lastly, 479 00:33:39,315 --> 00:33:42,235 Speaker 1: while it is assumed that people actually watch Bill maher show, 480 00:33:42,275 --> 00:33:45,675 Speaker 1: there's no proof of this. HBO does not produce ratings 481 00:33:45,675 --> 00:33:47,755 Speaker 1: for the programs it puts on TV. It is not 482 00:33:47,835 --> 00:33:51,075 Speaker 1: in the ratings business. It is in the subscription business. 483 00:33:52,155 --> 00:33:54,595 Speaker 1: As I suggested just now, we don't know how many 484 00:33:54,675 --> 00:33:59,155 Speaker 1: people watch mar We know there aren't any conservatives. We 485 00:33:59,195 --> 00:34:02,475 Speaker 1: don't know if there's still any liberals, And that, of course, 486 00:34:02,555 --> 00:34:05,155 Speaker 1: is the other fundamental flaw here. Even if Bill Maher 487 00:34:05,235 --> 00:34:07,715 Speaker 1: wanted to do it and was really funny and everybody 488 00:34:07,795 --> 00:34:11,435 Speaker 1: wanted him to, the cover story for Chris Lick's actual job, 489 00:34:11,835 --> 00:34:15,355 Speaker 1: which is, as you know, slowly torturing the CNN audience 490 00:34:15,395 --> 00:34:17,995 Speaker 1: to death while using the last few months of CNN 491 00:34:17,995 --> 00:34:21,355 Speaker 1: credibility to push ultra right wing talking points out as 492 00:34:21,395 --> 00:34:25,155 Speaker 1: if they were balanced a political news. The cover story 493 00:34:25,195 --> 00:34:31,195 Speaker 1: for that is, it's balanced a political news. Quick, name 494 00:34:31,315 --> 00:34:36,715 Speaker 1: me the last a political news comedian or satirist. I'll wait. 495 00:34:39,075 --> 00:34:43,915 Speaker 1: Even if you think the foppish guy they have on Fox, Blowfeld, 496 00:34:44,635 --> 00:34:47,395 Speaker 1: whatever his name is, it's blow Feld, right, Even if 497 00:34:47,435 --> 00:34:50,635 Speaker 1: you think Blowfeld is actually funny, is he a political? 498 00:34:51,115 --> 00:34:55,235 Speaker 1: Does blow Feld klim to be a political? Dave Letterman 499 00:34:55,315 --> 00:34:57,915 Speaker 1: was actually kind of a political, Yet most of his 500 00:34:57,955 --> 00:35:01,635 Speaker 1: political stuff wound up mocking Republicans anyway, because they do 501 00:35:01,795 --> 00:35:03,675 Speaker 1: things that are easier to laugh at and they have 502 00:35:03,755 --> 00:35:07,395 Speaker 1: no sense of humor about themselves. When Stephen Colbert, who 503 00:35:07,435 --> 00:35:09,355 Speaker 1: is far more conservative than he wants you to know, 504 00:35:09,715 --> 00:35:13,115 Speaker 1: could cover up his intent by pretending to you that 505 00:35:13,195 --> 00:35:15,715 Speaker 1: he was just pretending to be conservative. When he was 506 00:35:15,755 --> 00:35:18,475 Speaker 1: on Comedy Central, he was far more successful than he 507 00:35:18,595 --> 00:35:21,115 Speaker 1: is now. And it needs to be remembered that until 508 00:35:21,195 --> 00:35:25,475 Speaker 1: Trump's ascension gave him something to talk about, CBS, with 509 00:35:25,555 --> 00:35:28,475 Speaker 1: Chris Licked in charge of that department, was about to 510 00:35:28,515 --> 00:35:32,275 Speaker 1: swap Colbert and James Gordon and relegate Colbert to twelve 511 00:35:32,275 --> 00:35:35,755 Speaker 1: thirty at night. And even if you disagree with my 512 00:35:35,835 --> 00:35:39,595 Speaker 1: comedy analysis, the bottom line is you can't do comedy 513 00:35:39,635 --> 00:35:43,875 Speaker 1: about news without being political. And you can't put a 514 00:35:43,875 --> 00:35:47,075 Speaker 1: comedian in the driver's seat of a real newscast because 515 00:35:47,155 --> 00:35:50,155 Speaker 1: one day soon or late, he will have to segue 516 00:35:50,235 --> 00:35:53,395 Speaker 1: into live coverage of the massive explosion down at the 517 00:35:53,435 --> 00:35:57,675 Speaker 1: Goiter clinic. If you really wanted to do an hour 518 00:35:58,155 --> 00:36:00,635 Speaker 1: or just half an hour of comedy news, it would 519 00:36:00,635 --> 00:36:02,635 Speaker 1: have to be political, and it would have to be 520 00:36:02,675 --> 00:36:05,075 Speaker 1: hosted by somebody able to turn on a don him 521 00:36:05,075 --> 00:36:09,315 Speaker 1: from the Chuckle Hut to dead ex presidents. You're talking 522 00:36:09,355 --> 00:36:13,515 Speaker 1: Al Franken or maybe maybe me, and CNN is not 523 00:36:13,555 --> 00:36:16,675 Speaker 1: gonna hire Al Franken, and it's definitely definitely not gonna 524 00:36:16,755 --> 00:36:21,515 Speaker 1: hire me. So back I travel in time, to Walter 525 00:36:21,595 --> 00:36:24,915 Speaker 1: Isaacson's two thousand one office at two thousand one CNN, 526 00:36:24,955 --> 00:36:27,595 Speaker 1: and he was the president after Rheese Schonfeld and Burt 527 00:36:27,635 --> 00:36:29,955 Speaker 1: ryan Hardt who I worked for, and Tom Johnson who 528 00:36:29,995 --> 00:36:32,475 Speaker 1: I worked for for like one day, and Rick Kaplan 529 00:36:32,475 --> 00:36:35,075 Speaker 1: who I worked for later, and Walter was the one 530 00:36:35,115 --> 00:36:37,315 Speaker 1: before John Klein who tried to bring me back to 531 00:36:37,355 --> 00:36:40,115 Speaker 1: CNN in two thousand six but got overruled by Jim Walton, 532 00:36:40,515 --> 00:36:42,875 Speaker 1: who I had worked with because he had been the 533 00:36:42,915 --> 00:36:47,075 Speaker 1: backup Chiron guy on my CNN sportscast in Night three, 534 00:36:47,275 --> 00:36:50,555 Speaker 1: and Jim was also president then, and then Jim fired John, 535 00:36:50,595 --> 00:36:52,435 Speaker 1: and then somebody fired Jim, and then they brought in 536 00:36:52,515 --> 00:36:54,795 Speaker 1: Jeff Zucker, who I worked for, and he tried to 537 00:36:54,795 --> 00:36:56,595 Speaker 1: bring me back in two thousand sixteen, and then they 538 00:36:56,635 --> 00:36:58,635 Speaker 1: fired him. And now it's Chris Licked. And we don't 539 00:36:58,675 --> 00:37:01,315 Speaker 1: know when they're gonna fire Chris Licked, only that you 540 00:37:01,355 --> 00:37:07,515 Speaker 1: know someday they're gonna I can't recall how long I 541 00:37:07,595 --> 00:37:10,915 Speaker 1: was in Walter Isaacson's office that summer day, so long ago. 542 00:37:11,475 --> 00:37:13,275 Speaker 1: He had a lot of questions he wanted to ask me, 543 00:37:13,675 --> 00:37:16,915 Speaker 1: and he continually referred to my experience mixing humor and 544 00:37:16,995 --> 00:37:20,515 Speaker 1: serious coverage at ESPN, and even right then and when 545 00:37:20,515 --> 00:37:22,875 Speaker 1: I was filling in for Jeff Greenfield, and the longer 546 00:37:22,915 --> 00:37:25,675 Speaker 1: I was in there, the more it seemed like he 547 00:37:25,715 --> 00:37:27,915 Speaker 1: was leading up to asking me if I wanted to 548 00:37:27,955 --> 00:37:31,315 Speaker 1: try it. Of course I would have, and he never asked. 549 00:37:31,755 --> 00:37:34,275 Speaker 1: And what made that even crazier was not long after 550 00:37:34,395 --> 00:37:37,835 Speaker 1: CNN offered me the job of lead anchor and managing 551 00:37:37,995 --> 00:37:42,035 Speaker 1: editor at its CNN s I Sports network, and then 552 00:37:42,035 --> 00:37:44,475 Speaker 1: it offered me a different contract as a full time 553 00:37:44,595 --> 00:37:49,395 Speaker 1: salaried host and essayist on news and sports for CNN itself, 554 00:37:49,835 --> 00:37:52,675 Speaker 1: and a third contract, a holding contract, which would really 555 00:37:52,675 --> 00:37:55,515 Speaker 1: just be a pre negotiation in case they had chosen 556 00:37:55,515 --> 00:37:59,155 Speaker 1: me from the finalists for their eight pm newscast. As 557 00:37:59,195 --> 00:38:01,915 Speaker 1: it turned out, a month later they shuddered CNN s 558 00:38:01,955 --> 00:38:04,795 Speaker 1: I the sports operation, but we did proceed on the 559 00:38:04,835 --> 00:38:08,755 Speaker 1: anchor essayist contract. But for the eight o'clock show, they 560 00:38:08,795 --> 00:38:11,595 Speaker 1: never executed my contract because they gave that show to 561 00:38:11,675 --> 00:38:14,995 Speaker 1: Connie Chung and then canceled her show one year later 562 00:38:15,035 --> 00:38:17,595 Speaker 1: when it turned out she could no longer do live television. 563 00:38:19,595 --> 00:38:22,915 Speaker 1: Walter Isaacson left CNN in January two thousand three, and 564 00:38:22,955 --> 00:38:26,275 Speaker 1: a month later I returned to MSNBC and we started Countdown. 565 00:38:26,275 --> 00:38:30,595 Speaker 1: A month after that. Politics and commentary gradually squeezed out 566 00:38:30,635 --> 00:38:33,795 Speaker 1: the time I would devote to the humor and the satire. 567 00:38:34,235 --> 00:38:38,155 Speaker 1: But originally Countdown was as much satire as it was controversy, 568 00:38:38,395 --> 00:38:41,075 Speaker 1: and almost every night we had a comedian on as 569 00:38:41,115 --> 00:38:44,835 Speaker 1: the last guest. Robert Klein was on Countdown, mar was 570 00:38:44,875 --> 00:38:47,555 Speaker 1: on all the time. Famously, George Carlin came on and 571 00:38:47,595 --> 00:38:50,995 Speaker 1: said it was the best newscast you'd ever seen. And 572 00:38:51,075 --> 00:38:53,275 Speaker 1: one day in two thousand five, the phone rang in 573 00:38:53,355 --> 00:38:56,515 Speaker 1: my office, Keith, It's Walter Isaacson. I've been meaning to 574 00:38:56,555 --> 00:38:57,995 Speaker 1: call for a couple of months. I don't know if 575 00:38:57,995 --> 00:39:00,395 Speaker 1: you remember this fact. I kind of hope you don't. 576 00:39:00,915 --> 00:39:02,755 Speaker 1: But in two thousand one, I asked you about doing 577 00:39:02,755 --> 00:39:05,395 Speaker 1: a newscast with a comedy element to it, and I 578 00:39:05,475 --> 00:39:08,355 Speaker 1: must ask you about Jon Stewart and everybody like John Stewart, 579 00:39:08,355 --> 00:39:11,275 Speaker 1: and I just wanted to say I watched Countdown every night, 580 00:39:11,275 --> 00:39:13,715 Speaker 1: and every night I say to myself, that's exactly the 581 00:39:13,755 --> 00:39:15,955 Speaker 1: show I wanted. And the guy was sitting on the 582 00:39:15,955 --> 00:39:18,035 Speaker 1: other side of my goddamn desk, and I didn't even 583 00:39:18,035 --> 00:39:21,315 Speaker 1: see him because I was looking at it backwards. And 584 00:39:21,395 --> 00:39:24,195 Speaker 1: what Walter Isaacson said next should be a lesson to 585 00:39:24,395 --> 00:39:28,715 Speaker 1: Chris Licked or whoever succeeds him, or anybody else who 586 00:39:28,715 --> 00:39:32,395 Speaker 1: wants to try Walter Isaacson's idea from two thousand one 587 00:39:32,635 --> 00:39:35,715 Speaker 1: and claim it is their idea in two thousand three. 588 00:39:37,315 --> 00:39:40,675 Speaker 1: You don't get a comedian to do funny news, Walter said, 589 00:39:41,355 --> 00:39:45,595 Speaker 1: you get a newsman who's kind of funny to do 590 00:39:45,795 --> 00:40:04,155 Speaker 1: news that's kind of funny. Countdown has come to you 591 00:40:04,155 --> 00:40:07,195 Speaker 1: from the Student Yeos of Older and Broadcasting Empire World 592 00:40:07,355 --> 00:40:10,835 Speaker 1: Headquarters in the Sports Capsule Building in New York. Thanks 593 00:40:10,835 --> 00:40:14,675 Speaker 1: for listening. If you're not subscribed, please do so. I 594 00:40:14,715 --> 00:40:17,355 Speaker 1: have an ego the size of Manitowac, Wisconsin. Thus we 595 00:40:17,355 --> 00:40:20,755 Speaker 1: can never have enough subscribers. Here are the credits. Most 596 00:40:20,755 --> 00:40:24,075 Speaker 1: of the music, including our theme from Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, produced, 597 00:40:24,115 --> 00:40:27,075 Speaker 1: and performed by Brian Ray and John Philip s Chanelle, 598 00:40:27,075 --> 00:40:30,875 Speaker 1: who are the Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards 599 00:40:30,875 --> 00:40:34,915 Speaker 1: by John Philip Chanelle. Guitars, bass and drums by Brian Ray. 600 00:40:35,035 --> 00:40:38,115 Speaker 1: Produced by t k O Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have 601 00:40:38,155 --> 00:40:41,395 Speaker 1: been arranged and performed by No Horns Allowed. The sports 602 00:40:41,475 --> 00:40:44,475 Speaker 1: music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, and it 603 00:40:44,515 --> 00:40:47,315 Speaker 1: was written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. 604 00:40:47,875 --> 00:40:51,195 Speaker 1: Musical comments from Nacy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever. 605 00:40:51,635 --> 00:40:54,595 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was Larry David. Everything else was pretty 606 00:40:54,675 --> 00:40:57,235 Speaker 1: much my fault. So that's countdown for this, the seven 607 00:40:57,315 --> 00:41:00,395 Speaker 1: hundred and forty second day since Donald Trump's first attempted 608 00:41:00,475 --> 00:41:03,715 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 609 00:41:04,275 --> 00:41:08,275 Speaker 1: Arrest him now while we still can. The next scheduled 610 00:41:08,275 --> 00:41:12,635 Speaker 1: countdown tomorrow. Until then, I'm Keith Alderman. Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, 611 00:41:12,835 --> 00:41:28,995 Speaker 1: and good luck. Countdown with Keith Alderman is a production 612 00:41:29,155 --> 00:41:32,795 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 613 00:41:32,955 --> 00:41:36,475 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 614 00:41:36,555 --> 00:41:37,915 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.