1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,395 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. The 2 00:00:21,475 --> 00:00:24,955 Speaker 1: trial of Donald Trump and the Trump nineteen could begin 3 00:00:25,155 --> 00:00:30,195 Speaker 1: in Atlanta on October twenty third, in such a low 4 00:00:30,275 --> 00:00:33,315 Speaker 1: key manner that it barely got noticed or reported anywhere. 5 00:00:33,355 --> 00:00:37,195 Speaker 1: Fannie Willis has now formally petitioned Judge Scott McAfee to 6 00:00:37,475 --> 00:00:42,355 Speaker 1: move up the trial date for everybody, to reverse his 7 00:00:42,515 --> 00:00:45,875 Speaker 1: previous ruling and not sever any of the defendants from 8 00:00:45,915 --> 00:00:49,475 Speaker 1: the entire roster of nineteen, to schedule them all to 9 00:00:49,555 --> 00:00:53,755 Speaker 1: be heard from March fourth to just fifty five days 10 00:00:53,755 --> 00:00:56,635 Speaker 1: from now. And though this really is not a surprise, 11 00:00:56,715 --> 00:00:59,955 Speaker 1: sometimes even when the other shoe falling is expected, the 12 00:00:59,995 --> 00:01:04,595 Speaker 1: other shoe makes a really loud noise, and even bound 13 00:01:04,835 --> 00:01:08,075 Speaker 1: is back up and the other shoe falls a second time. 14 00:01:08,115 --> 00:01:10,595 Speaker 1: In this case, the bouncing shoe is none other than 15 00:01:10,595 --> 00:01:16,595 Speaker 1: that unlikeliest of potential American heroes, Ken Cheesebro. Okay, I 16 00:01:16,595 --> 00:01:19,075 Speaker 1: got a little carried away on the imagery there, but 17 00:01:20,195 --> 00:01:23,795 Speaker 1: you will recall that almost immediately after his part of 18 00:01:23,835 --> 00:01:29,555 Speaker 1: this mass indictment, Cheesebro, the impossibly named lawyer from Wisconsin 19 00:01:30,035 --> 00:01:32,675 Speaker 1: who helped devise the plan to use fake electors to 20 00:01:32,795 --> 00:01:36,475 Speaker 1: delay or muddy the Biden certification and enable the Supreme 21 00:01:36,595 --> 00:01:40,475 Speaker 1: Court to ultimately choose the President invoked the Georgia law 22 00:01:40,515 --> 00:01:44,035 Speaker 1: requiring that every defendant get a speedy trial that meant 23 00:01:44,515 --> 00:01:48,235 Speaker 1: trial starting by November fifth. Willis responded by saying okay. 24 00:01:48,275 --> 00:01:52,515 Speaker 1: October twenty third, Cheesebrow assented. That led Judge McAfee to 25 00:01:52,715 --> 00:01:56,195 Speaker 1: sever Cheesebrow's case from that of the other eighteen, including Trump, 26 00:01:56,235 --> 00:01:59,315 Speaker 1: and then Sidney Powell invoked the speedy trial clause too, 27 00:01:59,435 --> 00:02:03,595 Speaker 1: and John Eastman is going to While it was widely 28 00:02:03,675 --> 00:02:06,955 Speaker 1: assumed and even reported that this meant everybody would go 29 00:02:07,035 --> 00:02:09,755 Speaker 1: on trial on October twenty third and not March fourth, 30 00:02:09,795 --> 00:02:13,635 Speaker 1: this was actually not the case. The judge had separated Cheesebro, 31 00:02:14,155 --> 00:02:16,675 Speaker 1: but all the other trials are still on the books 32 00:02:16,915 --> 00:02:21,275 Speaker 1: for March, so late yesterday Willis petitioned the judge to 33 00:02:21,435 --> 00:02:25,035 Speaker 1: not sever Cheesebro's trial and in fact use the speedy 34 00:02:25,075 --> 00:02:30,395 Speaker 1: trial provision to expedite trial for quote all nineteen defendants 35 00:02:30,915 --> 00:02:34,195 Speaker 1: and keep them intact, since, after all, this is a 36 00:02:34,315 --> 00:02:39,075 Speaker 1: racketeering indictment, a sprawling conspiracy that is to be presented 37 00:02:39,115 --> 00:02:43,075 Speaker 1: to a jury or jury's as one gigantic crime led 38 00:02:43,115 --> 00:02:45,915 Speaker 1: by Trump, in which each of the other defendants is 39 00:02:45,955 --> 00:02:49,875 Speaker 1: guilty to some degree small or large. And thus we 40 00:02:49,915 --> 00:02:52,435 Speaker 1: are presented with the reality that the man who may 41 00:02:52,515 --> 00:02:55,395 Speaker 1: do the most to put Trump in prison before the 42 00:02:55,435 --> 00:02:59,995 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four election maybe the man he turned to 43 00:02:59,995 --> 00:03:04,435 Speaker 1: to engineer this half baked plan to overturn the twenty 44 00:03:04,435 --> 00:03:10,315 Speaker 1: two money election Way to go. Cheesebro District Attorney Willis, 45 00:03:10,315 --> 00:03:13,195 Speaker 1: through her deputy, John will Wooton, who actually wrote the 46 00:03:13,235 --> 00:03:16,475 Speaker 1: brief to the judge yesterday, also has a fallback position. Quote. 47 00:03:16,635 --> 00:03:20,075 Speaker 1: The state maintains its position that severance is improper at 48 00:03:20,155 --> 00:03:23,435 Speaker 1: this juncture, and that all defendants should be tried together. 49 00:03:23,635 --> 00:03:27,555 Speaker 1: But at an absolute minimum, the court should set defendant 50 00:03:27,595 --> 00:03:30,635 Speaker 1: Powell's trial and that of any other defendant who may 51 00:03:30,675 --> 00:03:34,195 Speaker 1: file a speedy trial demand, on the same date as 52 00:03:34,275 --> 00:03:39,995 Speaker 1: defendant Cheesebros unquote. So Judge Chutkin in Washington ready to 53 00:03:40,035 --> 00:03:42,995 Speaker 1: start jury selection on March fourth. In the case of 54 00:03:43,035 --> 00:03:46,435 Speaker 1: the United States of America versus Donald J. Trump and 55 00:03:46,595 --> 00:03:51,115 Speaker 1: Donald J. Trump's lawyers conceivably having accelerated the start of 56 00:03:51,195 --> 00:03:54,315 Speaker 1: the trial date in Atlanta to less than two months 57 00:03:54,315 --> 00:03:58,435 Speaker 1: from now. It is still enraging that our prosecutors waited 58 00:03:58,515 --> 00:04:00,715 Speaker 1: so long to act in the first place that we 59 00:04:00,755 --> 00:04:04,115 Speaker 1: are in this position today. But at least you cannot 60 00:04:04,195 --> 00:04:06,755 Speaker 1: argue that Fannie Willis and Jack Smith are not literally 61 00:04:07,555 --> 00:04:11,475 Speaker 1: trying to make up for lost time. Now we need 62 00:04:11,515 --> 00:04:13,395 Speaker 1: to know when the State of Georgia and maybe the 63 00:04:13,435 --> 00:04:17,035 Speaker 1: Department of Justice will put this Georgia State Legislator, Colton 64 00:04:17,155 --> 00:04:20,955 Speaker 1: Moore behind bars. This is that state senator, the one 65 00:04:20,955 --> 00:04:23,355 Speaker 1: with the eyes on the opposite sides of his head. 66 00:04:23,835 --> 00:04:25,115 Speaker 1: And he is the one who tried to get a 67 00:04:25,155 --> 00:04:28,275 Speaker 1: special session of the Georgia Senate called so he could 68 00:04:28,315 --> 00:04:32,235 Speaker 1: defund the Fulton County DA's office because it was prosecuting Trump. 69 00:04:32,395 --> 00:04:34,635 Speaker 1: And he is the one who previously revealed he believes 70 00:04:34,835 --> 00:04:39,075 Speaker 1: that the Trump nineteen, if convicted, faced death by lethal injection. 71 00:04:39,635 --> 00:04:41,675 Speaker 1: And he is now the one serving up on the 72 00:04:41,675 --> 00:04:46,115 Speaker 1: propaganda channel Real America's Voice, a threat to send troopers 73 00:04:46,435 --> 00:04:49,715 Speaker 1: to arrest Fannie Willis on behalf of the State Senate 74 00:04:50,075 --> 00:04:56,075 Speaker 1: and making a Trumpian stochastic promise of good old civil war. 75 00:04:56,475 --> 00:04:58,515 Speaker 2: Now that we've got nineteen people who are facing the 76 00:04:58,555 --> 00:05:00,875 Speaker 2: rest of their life in prison because they spoke out 77 00:05:00,955 --> 00:05:05,755 Speaker 2: against an election. I mean, you know, I told one senator, 78 00:05:05,795 --> 00:05:07,595 Speaker 2: I said, listen, I said, We've got to put our 79 00:05:07,635 --> 00:05:09,675 Speaker 2: heads together and figure this out. We need to be 80 00:05:09,715 --> 00:05:13,795 Speaker 2: taking action right now, because if we don't, our constituencies 81 00:05:13,795 --> 00:05:16,235 Speaker 2: are going to be fighting it in the streets. Do 82 00:05:16,315 --> 00:05:19,155 Speaker 2: you want a civil war? I don't want a civil war. 83 00:05:19,435 --> 00:05:21,715 Speaker 2: I don't want to have to draw my rifle. I 84 00:05:21,795 --> 00:05:25,995 Speaker 2: want to make this problem go away with my legislative 85 00:05:26,035 --> 00:05:28,675 Speaker 2: means of doing so. And the first step to getting 86 00:05:28,675 --> 00:05:33,355 Speaker 2: that done is defunding Fannie Willis of any Georgia tax dollars. 87 00:05:33,435 --> 00:05:38,475 Speaker 1: State Senator Moore two questions. A. Who has all the tanks? B? 88 00:05:39,115 --> 00:05:42,915 Speaker 1: Who won the last civil war? Colton Moore is crazier 89 00:05:42,955 --> 00:05:45,595 Speaker 1: than he sounds, and he has not even gotten his 90 00:05:45,635 --> 00:05:48,075 Speaker 1: special Session of the State Senate started, let alone his 91 00:05:48,155 --> 00:05:52,275 Speaker 1: civil war. But at some point one of these Republicans 92 00:05:52,355 --> 00:05:55,395 Speaker 1: dangling the prospect of civil war, which is after all, 93 00:05:55,395 --> 00:05:58,035 Speaker 1: defined as the attempt to overthrow the lawfully elected government 94 00:05:58,035 --> 00:06:00,995 Speaker 1: of the United States of America by violence, one of 95 00:06:01,035 --> 00:06:02,835 Speaker 1: them is going to have to be made an example 96 00:06:02,915 --> 00:06:07,155 Speaker 1: of by that government. No matter how much Colton Moore 97 00:06:07,595 --> 00:06:11,915 Speaker 1: or carry Lake or Trump himself tries to inoculate themselves 98 00:06:11,995 --> 00:06:15,835 Speaker 1: legally by bubble wrapping their sirens call. It is still 99 00:06:15,875 --> 00:06:19,875 Speaker 1: the sirens call Culton. Moore didn't say protests, he didn't 100 00:06:19,875 --> 00:06:22,955 Speaker 1: say argue, he didn't say petition, He said civil war. 101 00:06:24,115 --> 00:06:28,195 Speaker 1: When the black lives matters, protesters called for reducing funding 102 00:06:28,275 --> 00:06:32,195 Speaker 1: for the police after a rash of murders of citizens 103 00:06:32,235 --> 00:06:36,595 Speaker 1: by the police. Far right legislators and prosecutors look for 104 00:06:36,675 --> 00:06:40,115 Speaker 1: anything up to and including the Insurrection Act to use 105 00:06:40,195 --> 00:06:43,235 Speaker 1: against them. And I am not suggesting President Biden go 106 00:06:43,315 --> 00:06:45,915 Speaker 1: anywhere near that, but at some point we will have 107 00:06:45,995 --> 00:06:50,155 Speaker 1: to stop assuming that these bloodlusting fascists are just going 108 00:06:50,195 --> 00:06:53,475 Speaker 1: to go away if we ignore their calls for insurrection, 109 00:06:53,555 --> 00:06:57,755 Speaker 1: because guess what, they are not always being hyperbolic bullies 110 00:06:57,835 --> 00:07:05,515 Speaker 1: on the political playground. Remember January sixth, and remember who 111 00:07:05,515 --> 00:07:11,115 Speaker 1: has all the tanks. More immediate concern is the nuisance 112 00:07:11,115 --> 00:07:14,115 Speaker 1: that state legislator is like Moore, or national ones like 113 00:07:14,155 --> 00:07:18,315 Speaker 1: Congressman Andy Clyde, who represents the Georgia District just north 114 00:07:18,355 --> 00:07:21,635 Speaker 1: of Fulton County, can produce by these constant threats of 115 00:07:21,715 --> 00:07:26,755 Speaker 1: defunding Fannie Willis's office or defunding Jack Smith's office. Clyde 116 00:07:26,835 --> 00:07:29,195 Speaker 1: is on the House Appropriations Committee, and he now says 117 00:07:29,235 --> 00:07:31,955 Speaker 1: he has two amendments ready to tag onto the fiscal 118 00:07:31,955 --> 00:07:36,795 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four budget for Commerce, Justice, and Science. Amendments 119 00:07:36,875 --> 00:07:38,995 Speaker 1: his committee will take up next month after the recess. 120 00:07:39,035 --> 00:07:41,635 Speaker 1: And guess who they defund and note it's not Eileen Cannon. 121 00:07:42,875 --> 00:07:46,155 Speaker 1: Clyde thinks he can take out Willis and Alvin Bragg 122 00:07:46,195 --> 00:07:48,435 Speaker 1: here in New York and Jack Smith, and he's wrong 123 00:07:48,475 --> 00:07:51,915 Speaker 1: about all of it. Bragg has already submitted records to 124 00:07:51,955 --> 00:07:55,875 Speaker 1: the House Select Committee on the Obstruction of Justice, whatever 125 00:07:55,875 --> 00:07:58,675 Speaker 1: they're calling their committee these days, records that show he 126 00:07:58,715 --> 00:08:02,875 Speaker 1: has spent exactly five thousand dollars in federal Asset forfeiture 127 00:08:02,955 --> 00:08:06,475 Speaker 1: funding on his prosecution of Trump, and not another dime 128 00:08:06,595 --> 00:08:10,395 Speaker 1: of federal taxpayer money, so they have no claim on him. 129 00:08:10,955 --> 00:08:14,515 Speaker 1: But Representative Clyde can continue to inflame this thing and 130 00:08:14,635 --> 00:08:19,155 Speaker 1: get State Senator Colton Moore to start stroking his gun 131 00:08:19,395 --> 00:08:24,475 Speaker 1: in anticipation. As a very relevant aside, if you have 132 00:08:24,595 --> 00:08:28,315 Speaker 1: been wondering the funding for the Special Council, and Andy 133 00:08:28,355 --> 00:08:31,875 Speaker 1: Clyde has now merely joined his fellow redneck Marjorie Taylor 134 00:08:31,915 --> 00:08:35,955 Speaker 1: Green in this hunt. The funding for Jack Smith's office is, 135 00:08:36,035 --> 00:08:40,835 Speaker 1: for all intents and purposes untouchable. Smith's office is funded 136 00:08:40,835 --> 00:08:46,435 Speaker 1: through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, cleverly nestled inside the Independent 137 00:08:46,435 --> 00:08:50,915 Speaker 1: Council Reauthorization Act of nineteen eighty seven. You're going to 138 00:08:51,035 --> 00:08:53,955 Speaker 1: have an independent council. You're going to have funding for 139 00:08:53,955 --> 00:08:58,195 Speaker 1: the independent Council. The government can be shut down completely, 140 00:08:58,755 --> 00:09:02,635 Speaker 1: and some Republicans are dreaming of doing that just because 141 00:09:02,635 --> 00:09:04,515 Speaker 1: they think it would shut down the prosecutions of their 142 00:09:04,755 --> 00:09:10,075 Speaker 1: Lord and master. The whole government could actually shut down indefinitely, 143 00:09:10,395 --> 00:09:13,875 Speaker 1: and Jack Smith's office would still be paying its bills 144 00:09:13,915 --> 00:09:16,195 Speaker 1: and its payrolls, and it would be at all those 145 00:09:16,235 --> 00:09:21,195 Speaker 1: hearings before that nice Judge Chuckkin and that Judge Cannon. 146 00:09:23,195 --> 00:09:26,315 Speaker 1: Two postscripts to the Willis prosecution. There was a late 147 00:09:26,475 --> 00:09:28,915 Speaker 1: twist to the Mark Meadows attempt to move his part 148 00:09:28,955 --> 00:09:32,675 Speaker 1: of the trial to federal court. His lawyer's argument was 149 00:09:32,715 --> 00:09:35,235 Speaker 1: that everything he did that they have charged him with, 150 00:09:35,435 --> 00:09:38,915 Speaker 1: he did under color of his office, and he very 151 00:09:38,955 --> 00:09:43,715 Speaker 1: cleverly trying to prove this by basically confessing to everything 152 00:09:43,755 --> 00:09:47,875 Speaker 1: they've charged him with and implicating Trump wherever possible to 153 00:09:47,995 --> 00:09:53,915 Speaker 1: prove he was working for Trump taps Wooden head. Judge Jones, 154 00:09:54,235 --> 00:09:57,955 Speaker 1: hearing that bid yesterday, turned around and asked both the 155 00:09:57,995 --> 00:10:00,635 Speaker 1: prosecutors and the Meadows team to say what they thought 156 00:10:00,675 --> 00:10:04,995 Speaker 1: about this theoretical. If only one of those things that 157 00:10:05,035 --> 00:10:07,795 Speaker 1: Meadows did, not all of them, just one, was under 158 00:10:07,835 --> 00:10:10,955 Speaker 1: color of office, would that be enough to justify moving 159 00:10:10,995 --> 00:10:11,915 Speaker 1: it to federal court. 160 00:10:13,035 --> 00:10:13,395 Speaker 3: Now? 161 00:10:13,915 --> 00:10:17,555 Speaker 1: I'm not a fancy, big city attorney, but it seems 162 00:10:17,555 --> 00:10:20,875 Speaker 1: to me Judge Jones just told us that he thinks 163 00:10:21,155 --> 00:10:23,835 Speaker 1: one and only one of those things Meadows did was 164 00:10:23,915 --> 00:10:26,875 Speaker 1: under color of office. I know I'm going way out 165 00:10:26,875 --> 00:10:31,755 Speaker 1: on a limb on that one second PostScript in Atlanta, 166 00:10:31,915 --> 00:10:35,275 Speaker 1: I did not know this until just now. Maybe you did. 167 00:10:35,995 --> 00:10:39,355 Speaker 1: Either way, it has made me giggle, maybe it will 168 00:10:39,355 --> 00:10:45,715 Speaker 1: make you giggle. Fannie Willis has a spokesman. Fannie Willis's 169 00:10:45,795 --> 00:10:59,955 Speaker 1: spokesman is named Jeff Jeff DeSantis spelled differently d I Santus. 170 00:10:59,955 --> 00:11:05,595 Speaker 1: But still, while meanwhile, it is a remark reality that 171 00:11:05,635 --> 00:11:10,835 Speaker 1: the Republican Party is in desperate suicide packed thrall to Trump, 172 00:11:10,875 --> 00:11:14,355 Speaker 1: and yet there are twelve other Republicans challenging Trump for 173 00:11:14,435 --> 00:11:17,955 Speaker 1: the presidential nomination. Nearly all of whom have made no 174 00:11:18,075 --> 00:11:21,075 Speaker 1: serious criticism of him, would support him if he is 175 00:11:21,115 --> 00:11:24,755 Speaker 1: the nominee. In many cases, would pardon him and would 176 00:11:25,035 --> 00:11:29,555 Speaker 1: probably have asked give him their livers. On the other hand, 177 00:11:30,275 --> 00:11:34,835 Speaker 1: until yesterday, that number was thirteen. The Miami Mayor Francis 178 00:11:34,835 --> 00:11:38,395 Speaker 1: Suarez dropped out yesterday and to his credit, Suarez, who 179 00:11:38,395 --> 00:11:41,435 Speaker 1: seemed like the least reality based of the challengers, and 180 00:11:41,555 --> 00:11:45,635 Speaker 1: boy is that saying something. Suarez said that any candidate 181 00:11:45,635 --> 00:11:48,715 Speaker 1: who could not meet the threshold for the first debate 182 00:11:49,235 --> 00:11:54,275 Speaker 1: should drop out. He didn't meet the threshold. Then he 183 00:11:54,315 --> 00:11:57,355 Speaker 1: went radio silent for a few days, apparently sitting in 184 00:11:57,355 --> 00:12:00,475 Speaker 1: a room by himself, mumbling I'm not going to be president. 185 00:12:00,675 --> 00:12:03,755 Speaker 1: And then he did what he said people like him 186 00:12:03,755 --> 00:12:08,555 Speaker 1: should do. He dropped out. And as his reward as 187 00:12:08,595 --> 00:12:12,675 Speaker 1: the initial departee, Mayor Suarez finally gets to say he 188 00:12:12,715 --> 00:12:19,795 Speaker 1: finished first in something. Nothing blossoms and wilts faster than 189 00:12:19,875 --> 00:12:24,115 Speaker 1: a dark horse candidate for president, whom the pundits decide 190 00:12:24,235 --> 00:12:29,155 Speaker 1: is hut and it looks like the pedals sure are 191 00:12:29,475 --> 00:12:34,395 Speaker 1: fallen off. VV Ramaswami already his fifteen minutes of fame 192 00:12:34,435 --> 00:12:37,195 Speaker 1: owed largely to his insistence that he was the only 193 00:12:37,275 --> 00:12:39,835 Speaker 1: one on the debate stage last week who was not 194 00:12:40,155 --> 00:12:42,955 Speaker 1: bought and paid for, So I can say this, the 195 00:12:42,955 --> 00:12:47,715 Speaker 1: climate change agenda is a hoax. Now, Emily Atkin of 196 00:12:47,755 --> 00:12:52,435 Speaker 1: the Energy newsletter Heated reveals Ramaswami is in fact bought 197 00:12:52,435 --> 00:12:55,875 Speaker 1: and paid for. Turns out, he launched an anti clean 198 00:12:56,035 --> 00:13:00,155 Speaker 1: energy investment fund called Strive, which has a sub fund 199 00:13:00,195 --> 00:13:04,675 Speaker 1: literally called Drill. And guess who has fifty million dollars 200 00:13:05,115 --> 00:13:10,395 Speaker 1: holdings in Strive? Fifty million dollars invested in making sure 201 00:13:10,435 --> 00:13:14,475 Speaker 1: we burn more fossil fuels and kill everybody on the 202 00:13:14,675 --> 00:13:20,075 Speaker 1: planet faster. Who has that investment? Oh it's be bake Ramswamy. 203 00:13:20,915 --> 00:13:24,355 Speaker 1: Not bought and paid for it by those climate change freaks, 204 00:13:25,515 --> 00:13:29,755 Speaker 1: bought and paid for by those fossil fuel freaks. Yeah. 205 00:13:30,195 --> 00:13:33,955 Speaker 1: Ramaswami also got caught flip flopping from a previous flip flop, 206 00:13:33,995 --> 00:13:36,955 Speaker 1: which is pretty impressive. It's just three weeks since he 207 00:13:37,035 --> 00:13:40,395 Speaker 1: demanded this nation abandoned Ukraine and focus instead on the 208 00:13:40,435 --> 00:13:44,315 Speaker 1: real enemy, China, and then he backed off on that 209 00:13:44,395 --> 00:13:47,115 Speaker 1: and insisted we had to change our policy on Taiwan. 210 00:13:47,715 --> 00:13:51,035 Speaker 1: We should protect it, but only until we become self 211 00:13:51,075 --> 00:13:54,715 Speaker 1: sufficient at producing the semiconductors we now buy from Taiwan, 212 00:13:54,795 --> 00:13:58,315 Speaker 1: and then protecting Taiwan is no longer in our self interest, 213 00:13:58,355 --> 00:14:03,355 Speaker 1: so tough luck Taiwan. Now he has gone on Sean 214 00:14:03,395 --> 00:14:07,755 Speaker 1: Hannity and said, no, neither of those is his position. Now, 215 00:14:08,075 --> 00:14:10,595 Speaker 1: we should protect Taiwan until we bleed it out of 216 00:14:10,635 --> 00:14:15,275 Speaker 1: all of its semiconductors, and then simply return to the 217 00:14:15,395 --> 00:14:22,115 Speaker 1: current Biden administration policy of strategic ambiguity. The guy is 218 00:14:22,115 --> 00:14:25,315 Speaker 1: making it up as he goes along. Speaking of which, 219 00:14:25,675 --> 00:14:28,075 Speaker 1: if that were not bad enough for the flavor of 220 00:14:28,115 --> 00:14:31,875 Speaker 1: the month, and note Vivek, the new month starts Friday. 221 00:14:32,995 --> 00:14:37,235 Speaker 1: I'm sure you've heard this after Ramaswami performed Lose Yourself 222 00:14:37,955 --> 00:14:41,235 Speaker 1: at the Iowa State Fair this month. Lose Yourself an 223 00:14:41,275 --> 00:14:48,435 Speaker 1: odd topic or title to perform while you're running for president, 224 00:14:48,795 --> 00:14:53,995 Speaker 1: Lose yourself, lose kamma yourself anyway. After he performed it 225 00:14:54,035 --> 00:14:55,955 Speaker 1: at the Iowa State Fair and boid did it go 226 00:14:55,995 --> 00:15:00,875 Speaker 1: over big there? Eminem has sent Ramaswami a cease and 227 00:15:00,875 --> 00:15:05,715 Speaker 1: desist letter saying, hey, copyrights, we enforce them. Stop rapping 228 00:15:05,755 --> 00:15:09,795 Speaker 1: Eminem's music. His campaign has now said it will bide 229 00:15:09,835 --> 00:15:11,475 Speaker 1: by the letter and the copy writs, and I can 230 00:15:11,515 --> 00:15:15,235 Speaker 1: only think Ramaswami missed a golden opportunity by simply sending 231 00:15:15,275 --> 00:15:18,275 Speaker 1: a copy of the video of him doing Lose Yourself 232 00:15:18,275 --> 00:15:21,515 Speaker 1: at the Iowa State Fair to Eminem and Writing Boy. 233 00:15:21,635 --> 00:15:23,475 Speaker 1: People have called this a lot of things, but one 234 00:15:23,475 --> 00:15:27,155 Speaker 1: thing everybody agrees on is that this this could never 235 00:15:27,235 --> 00:15:37,795 Speaker 1: be considered actual rapping. Also of interest here speaking of Ramaswami, 236 00:15:37,995 --> 00:15:40,955 Speaker 1: that clip I played for you Monday when he got 237 00:15:40,955 --> 00:15:46,595 Speaker 1: the coveted OJ Simpson endorsement. I laughed. I suspect you laughed. 238 00:15:47,035 --> 00:15:48,995 Speaker 1: But I have to tell you, ever since, I have 239 00:15:49,115 --> 00:15:53,995 Speaker 1: been having flashbacks to those horrible weeks of nineteen ninety 240 00:15:54,035 --> 00:15:59,195 Speaker 1: four and to the before OJ Simpson I knew while 241 00:15:59,195 --> 00:16:01,595 Speaker 1: I was a sportscaster in Los Angeles in the late 242 00:16:01,635 --> 00:16:05,035 Speaker 1: eighties and early nineties. And I need to again to 243 00:16:05,035 --> 00:16:07,555 Speaker 1: convey to anybody who was not here for all that 244 00:16:08,115 --> 00:16:11,795 Speaker 1: or can't remember it, we have seen nothing like OJ 245 00:16:11,995 --> 00:16:16,955 Speaker 1: Simpson in the nearly thirty years since, nobody, not even Trump, 246 00:16:17,355 --> 00:16:21,835 Speaker 1: who has gone from possibly the most well liked cultural 247 00:16:21,875 --> 00:16:24,235 Speaker 1: figure in the country, or at least one of them, 248 00:16:24,835 --> 00:16:30,675 Speaker 1: to the nation's number one villain overnight. The transformation is 249 00:16:30,715 --> 00:16:34,555 Speaker 1: still startling and disturbing, and the transformation from that to 250 00:16:34,635 --> 00:16:37,995 Speaker 1: what oj Simpson has become now may be more disturbing. 251 00:16:39,475 --> 00:16:40,795 Speaker 1: That's next. This is countdown. 252 00:16:42,755 --> 00:17:00,435 Speaker 4: This is countdown with Keith Alberman. This is Sports Center. Wait, 253 00:17:00,635 --> 00:17:08,235 Speaker 4: check that not anymore. This is le Countdown with Keith Ulberman. 254 00:17:08,555 --> 00:17:12,355 Speaker 1: In sports authorities in Denver say the two fans who 255 00:17:12,475 --> 00:17:15,755 Speaker 1: ran onto the field Monday night, apparently to get selfies 256 00:17:15,795 --> 00:17:19,595 Speaker 1: with Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acunya and then got belligerent 257 00:17:19,995 --> 00:17:23,635 Speaker 1: have been charged with trespassing and disturbing the peace. If 258 00:17:23,675 --> 00:17:26,235 Speaker 1: you have not seen the amateur video taken from the 259 00:17:26,275 --> 00:17:30,275 Speaker 1: stands during the Rockies Braves game A, you should be. 260 00:17:30,955 --> 00:17:36,995 Speaker 1: Jefferson Gonzales Merida and Carlos Rivelo Paez approached Tocunya one 261 00:17:37,035 --> 00:17:39,515 Speaker 1: after the other. The first grabbed him and would not 262 00:17:39,675 --> 00:17:43,835 Speaker 1: let go, even as the hopelessly unready and overmatched Colorado 263 00:17:43,915 --> 00:17:47,955 Speaker 1: Rocki's Corps field stadium security arrived at the scene. The 264 00:17:48,035 --> 00:17:50,835 Speaker 1: second fan tried to escape the grasp of the guards 265 00:17:50,875 --> 00:17:53,315 Speaker 1: even as they were carrying him off the field. It 266 00:17:53,435 --> 00:17:56,595 Speaker 1: was an utter failure by the home team, and baseball 267 00:17:56,995 --> 00:18:02,715 Speaker 1: is not surprisingly completely ignoring it, just as baseball completely 268 00:18:02,755 --> 00:18:05,595 Speaker 1: ignored it twenty one years ago next month when two 269 00:18:05,675 --> 00:18:08,315 Speaker 1: fans at the Chicago White Sox Stadium, which was then 270 00:18:08,355 --> 00:18:11,795 Speaker 1: still called Kamiski Park, vaulted over the first base railing 271 00:18:11,835 --> 00:18:15,835 Speaker 1: and for no reason at all, blindsided and attacked Kansas 272 00:18:15,875 --> 00:18:19,435 Speaker 1: City Royal's first base coach Tom Gamboa with their fists. 273 00:18:19,875 --> 00:18:24,675 Speaker 1: The two shirtless men were father and son. One of 274 00:18:24,675 --> 00:18:27,515 Speaker 1: them was carrying a knife that fortunately was not used. 275 00:18:27,555 --> 00:18:30,835 Speaker 1: Gamboa was okay, but it was thirty years ago last 276 00:18:30,915 --> 00:18:34,075 Speaker 1: April when that was not the case. A deranged Steppie 277 00:18:34,115 --> 00:18:37,875 Speaker 1: Graff tennis fan ran out of the stands and stabbed 278 00:18:37,955 --> 00:18:42,035 Speaker 1: Groff's rival Monica Cellis in hopes of improving Groft's position 279 00:18:42,155 --> 00:18:45,595 Speaker 1: in the international tennis rankings. Celis was never the same 280 00:18:46,395 --> 00:18:49,515 Speaker 1: after nine to eleven. Sports was the second part of 281 00:18:49,555 --> 00:18:54,875 Speaker 1: our culture to fully adopt security. Theater transportation obviously was 282 00:18:54,915 --> 00:18:57,675 Speaker 1: the first. And you have been screened and examined and 283 00:18:57,715 --> 00:19:00,995 Speaker 1: photographed and prevented from bringing water or food with you 284 00:19:01,075 --> 00:19:04,315 Speaker 1: into a game. And it's just coincidence that you have 285 00:19:04,395 --> 00:19:08,955 Speaker 1: to water and food from the teams, but they haven't 286 00:19:08,995 --> 00:19:12,155 Speaker 1: done a damn thing to actually increase your safety nor 287 00:19:12,195 --> 00:19:15,155 Speaker 1: the safety of the players. And that has never been 288 00:19:15,195 --> 00:19:18,075 Speaker 1: more obvious than this week, because, if you will, recall, 289 00:19:18,475 --> 00:19:22,555 Speaker 1: the Acunya thing in Denver was only the second extreme 290 00:19:22,635 --> 00:19:26,955 Speaker 1: security breach at a Major League Baseball game since last Friday, 291 00:19:27,475 --> 00:19:30,395 Speaker 1: that is, when two fans were injured by gunfire in 292 00:19:30,435 --> 00:19:33,955 Speaker 1: the bleachers at the same White Sox stadium at which 293 00:19:33,955 --> 00:19:36,515 Speaker 1: that coach was attacked in two thousand and two. The 294 00:19:36,595 --> 00:19:39,595 Speaker 1: team and the sport spent several days trying to convince 295 00:19:39,635 --> 00:19:42,835 Speaker 1: everybody that the bullets were actually fired from outside the 296 00:19:42,875 --> 00:19:47,235 Speaker 1: park and yet caused one woman's hospitalization and gave a 297 00:19:47,275 --> 00:19:53,475 Speaker 1: second a minor grazing inside the park. Yesterday, ESPN Chicago reported, no, No, 298 00:19:53,635 --> 00:19:55,995 Speaker 1: the gun was in the park all right, in the bleachers, 299 00:19:56,435 --> 00:19:59,995 Speaker 1: in the possession of the woman who was grazed by 300 00:20:00,035 --> 00:20:05,395 Speaker 1: the bullet the gun had accidentally discharged. She, according to 301 00:20:05,435 --> 00:20:09,675 Speaker 1: the report, had sneaked it through metal detectors by hiding 302 00:20:09,715 --> 00:20:15,555 Speaker 1: it in quote the folds of her belly fat. Now, 303 00:20:15,635 --> 00:20:20,755 Speaker 1: as hilarious as that may sound as a picture, if 304 00:20:20,755 --> 00:20:24,835 Speaker 1: that's possible, let's just contemplate the implications there for gun 305 00:20:24,915 --> 00:20:30,035 Speaker 1: security everywhere. And here's something to think about going forward 306 00:20:30,075 --> 00:20:32,995 Speaker 1: in sports in this country, because when Canada acts against 307 00:20:32,995 --> 00:20:35,955 Speaker 1: a problem, that usually means the problem also exists in 308 00:20:35,955 --> 00:20:38,515 Speaker 1: this country. We just have not noticed it yet, but 309 00:20:38,675 --> 00:20:42,195 Speaker 1: we doubtless will sooner or later. As of the end 310 00:20:42,275 --> 00:20:47,035 Speaker 1: of next February, the Province of Ontario, you know, Toronto, Ottawa, 311 00:20:47,475 --> 00:20:51,395 Speaker 1: Town of Renfrew, it will make it illegal for online 312 00:20:51,515 --> 00:20:55,475 Speaker 1: gambling outfits to use in their commercials and promotions active 313 00:20:55,715 --> 00:20:59,595 Speaker 1: or retired athletes. Now in this country there is pretty 314 00:20:59,635 --> 00:21:04,035 Speaker 1: much nothing but active or retired athletes in sports gambling ads, 315 00:21:04,315 --> 00:21:07,115 Speaker 1: and there's pretty much nothing but sports gambling ads on 316 00:21:07,275 --> 00:21:12,915 Speaker 1: all sportscasts in Canada. Hockey's biggest active stars, Connor McDavid 317 00:21:12,915 --> 00:21:16,275 Speaker 1: and Austin Matthews, and its biggest retired star, Wayne Gretzky, 318 00:21:16,315 --> 00:21:20,235 Speaker 1: have been featured in such spots. Gretzky and McDavid did 319 00:21:20,235 --> 00:21:23,955 Speaker 1: one together. This is probably less about the prospect of 320 00:21:24,075 --> 00:21:27,875 Speaker 1: scandals about fixed games or players betting on or against 321 00:21:27,875 --> 00:21:31,195 Speaker 1: their own teams, and more about the undue influence that 322 00:21:31,235 --> 00:21:36,315 Speaker 1: the athletes have over kids and those susceptible to gambling addictions. 323 00:21:36,995 --> 00:21:40,595 Speaker 1: Ten years ago, even associating with gambling on sports could 324 00:21:40,635 --> 00:21:45,115 Speaker 1: get you banned or suspended by your league. Now it 325 00:21:45,155 --> 00:21:48,155 Speaker 1: gets you a little extra money from an advertisement. If 326 00:21:48,235 --> 00:21:53,755 Speaker 1: Ontario's action is any indication, however, tomorrow it might get 327 00:21:53,795 --> 00:22:11,275 Speaker 1: you banned or suspended by your league. Still ahead on countdown. 328 00:22:11,315 --> 00:22:14,395 Speaker 1: Since I ran that clip of OJ Simpson Monday, I 329 00:22:14,515 --> 00:22:19,395 Speaker 1: have been haunted, I have been flashed back. I need 330 00:22:19,395 --> 00:22:23,275 Speaker 1: to testify to you about how popular he was in 331 00:22:23,355 --> 00:22:27,995 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety four, how for a week nobody believed he 332 00:22:28,035 --> 00:22:30,675 Speaker 1: could have been the monster that he was, and how 333 00:22:30,755 --> 00:22:32,795 Speaker 1: those of us who had covered him in the media 334 00:22:32,835 --> 00:22:35,115 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles in the eighties and nineties had a 335 00:22:35,195 --> 00:22:37,995 Speaker 1: vague idea he was a bad man, but we could 336 00:22:38,075 --> 00:22:40,795 Speaker 1: never have known how bad, and how we should have 337 00:22:40,875 --> 00:22:43,675 Speaker 1: tried harder first time. For the daily roundup of the 338 00:22:43,715 --> 00:22:46,555 Speaker 1: miss grants, morons and Dunning Kruger effect specimens who constitute 339 00:22:46,595 --> 00:22:51,235 Speaker 1: today's worse persons in the world, Thebron's Jesse waters If 340 00:22:51,275 --> 00:22:55,275 Speaker 1: Fox quote news unquote, and balloonhead Charlie Kirk each has 341 00:22:55,355 --> 00:22:59,995 Speaker 1: reported with apparent's sincerity that the painting of a mural 342 00:23:00,195 --> 00:23:03,315 Speaker 1: of the Trump mugshot in Atlanta is evidence that the 343 00:23:03,395 --> 00:23:07,875 Speaker 1: arrest and the photograph have given dementia Jay Street cred 344 00:23:08,475 --> 00:23:12,115 Speaker 1: and it means he's winning over African Americans and they 345 00:23:12,115 --> 00:23:15,395 Speaker 1: can get him re elected. Both Waters and Kirk have 346 00:23:15,475 --> 00:23:18,915 Speaker 1: shown images of the mural before it was completed, and 347 00:23:18,955 --> 00:23:21,475 Speaker 1: whether this was stupidity on their part or it was 348 00:23:21,555 --> 00:23:25,715 Speaker 1: intentional doesn't really matter. They have not updated their audiences 349 00:23:25,715 --> 00:23:28,875 Speaker 1: about the fact that the artist added one final touch 350 00:23:28,955 --> 00:23:34,275 Speaker 1: to the mugshot mural, a thought bubble in which Trump thinks, quote, Maga, 351 00:23:34,835 --> 00:23:42,155 Speaker 1: my ass got arrested unquote are a good old match Schlap, 352 00:23:42,595 --> 00:23:45,395 Speaker 1: proving that if you are incapable of embarrassment, you can 353 00:23:45,515 --> 00:23:49,635 Speaker 1: grope a male staffer allegedly on the herschel Walker campaign 354 00:23:49,995 --> 00:23:53,235 Speaker 1: and continue to pretend you're a good old straight family 355 00:23:53,315 --> 00:23:56,595 Speaker 1: man and justified in passing judgment on the world as 356 00:23:56,635 --> 00:24:00,075 Speaker 1: the head of the fascist organization Sea Pack, even as 357 00:24:00,155 --> 00:24:03,755 Speaker 1: Seapack executives resign left and right and accuse you of 358 00:24:03,835 --> 00:24:08,075 Speaker 1: more misconduct, personal and financial. The Daily Beast now reports 359 00:24:08,635 --> 00:24:11,915 Speaker 1: Schlap made an offer to settle the lawsuit by his 360 00:24:12,035 --> 00:24:16,395 Speaker 1: accuser in the low six figures. They say, a slap 361 00:24:16,435 --> 00:24:20,875 Speaker 1: spokesman says, quote, let me set the record straight. I 362 00:24:20,915 --> 00:24:23,315 Speaker 1: believe doctor Freud would like a word about that preamble. 363 00:24:23,355 --> 00:24:25,955 Speaker 1: But to resume, there has been no settlement offer from 364 00:24:25,955 --> 00:24:29,515 Speaker 1: the outset. Mister and Missus Schlap have been and remain 365 00:24:29,635 --> 00:24:32,435 Speaker 1: prepared to go to trial at are confident of prevailing 366 00:24:32,475 --> 00:24:35,275 Speaker 1: in court unquote, and boy, oh boy, do you get 367 00:24:35,275 --> 00:24:37,715 Speaker 1: the feeling Missus Schlap is still yet to get the 368 00:24:37,755 --> 00:24:41,315 Speaker 1: surprise of her life something about the sound of one 369 00:24:41,395 --> 00:24:47,435 Speaker 1: hand slapping. But our winner the school Board of Katie, 370 00:24:47,475 --> 00:24:52,795 Speaker 1: Texas and Trustee Morgan Calhoun now Roger Clemens used to 371 00:24:52,835 --> 00:24:54,995 Speaker 1: work out in Katie, Texas, which is probably all you 372 00:24:55,035 --> 00:24:56,955 Speaker 1: need to know about the place. But this will tell 373 00:24:56,955 --> 00:25:00,435 Speaker 1: you the rest. The school board in Katie, Texas has 374 00:25:00,515 --> 00:25:03,195 Speaker 1: banned a book from the school libraries because the last 375 00:25:03,235 --> 00:25:07,075 Speaker 1: thing Texas needs is smarter kids, were, happier kids are 376 00:25:07,155 --> 00:25:10,835 Speaker 1: nicer kids. The book is called Itty Bitty Kitty Corn, 377 00:25:11,395 --> 00:25:13,875 Speaker 1: and the crime of Itty Bitty Kitty Corn is that 378 00:25:13,915 --> 00:25:17,195 Speaker 1: the cartoon cat in the title uses the word they 379 00:25:18,035 --> 00:25:22,115 Speaker 1: instead of she or he, and this buffoon, Morgan Calhoun 380 00:25:22,555 --> 00:25:24,795 Speaker 1: evidently dropped out of school in the third grade because 381 00:25:24,835 --> 00:25:29,955 Speaker 1: the sentence in question is wow, says parakeet astonished, Woo 382 00:25:30,235 --> 00:25:36,555 Speaker 1: says Gecko impressed. Finally they see me thinks kitty. The 383 00:25:36,635 --> 00:25:40,155 Speaker 1: use of they they see me thinks kitty. That's not 384 00:25:40,395 --> 00:25:49,195 Speaker 1: some communist Obama, atheist, Chinese deep state plot, Morgan Calhoun fascist. 385 00:25:49,635 --> 00:25:56,075 Speaker 1: It's called proper English grammar. And this bozo Morgan Calhoun says, Oh, well, 386 00:25:56,075 --> 00:25:59,835 Speaker 1: maybe she made a mistake. She's human. Well I'll need 387 00:25:59,915 --> 00:26:01,915 Speaker 1: proof of that. But this isn't going to stop her 388 00:26:01,955 --> 00:26:05,915 Speaker 1: from banning books. This is the inevitable result of book banning. 389 00:26:05,955 --> 00:26:09,115 Speaker 1: It's not only wrong, but it is invariably done by 390 00:26:09,195 --> 00:26:14,235 Speaker 1: slobs who are literally too stupid to recognize correct English 391 00:26:14,275 --> 00:26:17,915 Speaker 1: grammar in a picture book with like fifty words in 392 00:26:17,955 --> 00:26:21,315 Speaker 1: total in it, designed for kids just learning to read. 393 00:26:22,875 --> 00:26:27,675 Speaker 1: So did Katie Texas School Board Trustee Morgan Calhoun make 394 00:26:27,715 --> 00:26:31,355 Speaker 1: a mistake? Yes she did, and she should be fired 395 00:26:31,475 --> 00:26:35,595 Speaker 1: and banned from all further association with education, private, public, 396 00:26:35,675 --> 00:26:39,235 Speaker 1: or parochial in this country. And not because she's a fascist, 397 00:26:39,555 --> 00:26:42,915 Speaker 1: although she is, And not just because she's an American, 398 00:26:43,675 --> 00:26:49,155 Speaker 1: though she is, but because she is a moron, and 399 00:26:49,835 --> 00:26:55,995 Speaker 1: she is Morgan Calhoun of Katie Texas two Days, worst 400 00:26:56,275 --> 00:27:20,635 Speaker 1: person and the world now to the number one story 401 00:27:20,675 --> 00:27:22,915 Speaker 1: on the countdown and things I promised not to tell. 402 00:27:22,955 --> 00:27:25,595 Speaker 1: And it was just two days ago that I heard 403 00:27:25,595 --> 00:27:29,115 Speaker 1: this and played it and I had the appropriate good 404 00:27:29,195 --> 00:27:29,955 Speaker 1: laugh about it. 405 00:27:30,115 --> 00:27:32,355 Speaker 3: This morning, I got up and I found myself watching 406 00:27:32,355 --> 00:27:36,115 Speaker 3: to meet the press they at the babik Owamaswami on 407 00:27:36,715 --> 00:27:41,915 Speaker 3: Now just like the debates, the Republican debates. I said, Hey, 408 00:27:41,915 --> 00:27:44,715 Speaker 3: this guy is onto something and he'll say something. 409 00:27:44,995 --> 00:27:50,595 Speaker 1: Oh J. Simpson endorsing Vivek Ramaswami or whatever he called 410 00:27:50,675 --> 00:27:53,435 Speaker 1: him in a selfie video posted on social media. And 411 00:27:53,475 --> 00:27:56,955 Speaker 1: in the time since I played that, I have found 412 00:27:57,035 --> 00:28:00,315 Speaker 1: myself doing what I really do not like to do. 413 00:28:01,755 --> 00:28:05,595 Speaker 1: I have been thinking about O. J. Simpson and who 414 00:28:05,635 --> 00:28:08,795 Speaker 1: he really is and what we knew about him in 415 00:28:08,835 --> 00:28:11,315 Speaker 1: the years I worked in local news in Los Angeles 416 00:28:11,315 --> 00:28:13,995 Speaker 1: from nineteen eighty five to nineteen ninety two. And the 417 00:28:14,115 --> 00:28:17,435 Speaker 1: immutable fact that if you did not know the public 418 00:28:17,515 --> 00:28:20,995 Speaker 1: OJ Simpson, who killed his ex wife and Ronald Goldman 419 00:28:21,035 --> 00:28:24,675 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety four, I can never explain, I can 420 00:28:24,755 --> 00:28:28,835 Speaker 1: never convey, I can never completely describe to you just 421 00:28:29,275 --> 00:28:35,755 Speaker 1: how popular he was. Maybe with some time I can 422 00:28:35,795 --> 00:28:40,115 Speaker 1: give you just a glimpse in the sad and in 423 00:28:40,195 --> 00:28:45,435 Speaker 1: many quarters still startled commemorations of the various anniversaries of 424 00:28:45,475 --> 00:28:48,595 Speaker 1: the White Bronco car chase, the beginning of the OJ 425 00:28:48,755 --> 00:28:52,155 Speaker 1: Simpson most people know there seems to be only passing 426 00:28:52,195 --> 00:28:56,155 Speaker 1: reference to one of the most amazing transformations in American history, 427 00:28:56,235 --> 00:29:01,035 Speaker 1: let alone just American sports history. On June seventeenth, nineteen 428 00:29:01,115 --> 00:29:03,915 Speaker 1: ninety four, when the Los Angeles Police Department finally admitted 429 00:29:04,675 --> 00:29:07,275 Speaker 1: Simpson was a suspect in the murder of his ex 430 00:29:07,315 --> 00:29:10,115 Speaker 1: wife and Ronald Goldman, and then said he was turning 431 00:29:10,195 --> 00:29:12,915 Speaker 1: himself in and then said no, no, he's not, he 432 00:29:12,955 --> 00:29:16,395 Speaker 1: hasn't shown up, and yeah, in fact, he's now a 433 00:29:16,435 --> 00:29:20,435 Speaker 1: fugitive from justice. And then his attorney implied that Simpson 434 00:29:20,435 --> 00:29:22,555 Speaker 1: had fled to go kill himself, and then the car 435 00:29:22,635 --> 00:29:25,035 Speaker 1: chase played out in front of ninety five million witnesses. 436 00:29:25,275 --> 00:29:28,475 Speaker 1: All of this in one day. One of the most 437 00:29:28,715 --> 00:29:33,795 Speaker 1: popular people in America instantly became its greatest living villain. 438 00:29:35,275 --> 00:29:40,195 Speaker 1: There is no hypothetical comparison in the America of today 439 00:29:40,875 --> 00:29:44,155 Speaker 1: with the Internet, with the paparazzi, with the maxed out 440 00:29:44,155 --> 00:29:48,915 Speaker 1: cynicism about sports and television, and celebrity. There is nobody 441 00:29:48,955 --> 00:29:52,755 Speaker 1: who was as teflon as the OJ Simpson of pre 442 00:29:52,995 --> 00:29:56,595 Speaker 1: June nineteen ninety four. I mean, not even Trump. Trump 443 00:29:56,635 --> 00:30:00,755 Speaker 1: had fans, but nobody ever liked Trump. Trump was never, 444 00:30:00,795 --> 00:30:03,715 Speaker 1: for a second one of the top one hundred thousand 445 00:30:03,755 --> 00:30:06,715 Speaker 1: most pop filer people in the country, let alone one 446 00:30:06,755 --> 00:30:08,795 Speaker 1: of the ten most popular people in the country. 447 00:30:09,115 --> 00:30:09,355 Speaker 3: O J. 448 00:30:09,475 --> 00:30:14,595 Speaker 1: Simpson was maybe maybe maybe, And I apologize to her 449 00:30:14,675 --> 00:30:17,835 Speaker 1: for even dragging her name into this. Hypothetically, maybe it 450 00:30:17,875 --> 00:30:21,715 Speaker 1: would be as if I don't know, Taylor Swift were 451 00:30:21,795 --> 00:30:25,875 Speaker 1: a murder suspect and had fled and the police chase 452 00:30:25,955 --> 00:30:31,235 Speaker 1: was being shown live on literally every television channel. But 453 00:30:31,355 --> 00:30:34,675 Speaker 1: that absurd hypothetical. It really isn't good enough. 454 00:30:34,875 --> 00:30:35,115 Speaker 3: O J. 455 00:30:35,235 --> 00:30:37,955 Speaker 1: Simpson was not just a star in one field. He 456 00:30:38,035 --> 00:30:45,035 Speaker 1: was not just a star athlete, virtually uncriticized, instantly recognizable nationwide. 457 00:30:45,075 --> 00:30:47,555 Speaker 1: He'd also become one of the most prominent sportscasters in 458 00:30:47,555 --> 00:30:50,195 Speaker 1: this country, and one of the most prominent actors in 459 00:30:50,235 --> 00:30:53,515 Speaker 1: this country, and one of the most prominent advertising spokesmen 460 00:30:53,555 --> 00:30:54,195 Speaker 1: in this country. 461 00:30:54,635 --> 00:30:54,915 Speaker 3: O J. 462 00:30:55,035 --> 00:30:57,235 Speaker 1: Simpson the football player was one thing. 463 00:30:57,755 --> 00:30:57,995 Speaker 3: O J. 464 00:30:58,115 --> 00:31:00,955 Speaker 1: Simpson was also O J. Simpson the rental car pitch 465 00:31:01,035 --> 00:31:04,475 Speaker 1: man go Oj go o. J Simpson was also OJ 466 00:31:04,675 --> 00:31:08,395 Speaker 1: Simpson from NBC Sports. OJ Simpson was also OJ Simpson 467 00:31:08,435 --> 00:31:13,115 Speaker 1: as Nordberg in the Naked Gun movies. And he was 468 00:31:13,155 --> 00:31:18,035 Speaker 1: also OJ Simpson wife batterer. But he lived in an 469 00:31:18,075 --> 00:31:20,755 Speaker 1: era at the end of an era where the public 470 00:31:20,755 --> 00:31:24,155 Speaker 1: persona was not only all that people knew about him, 471 00:31:24,155 --> 00:31:28,155 Speaker 1: it was all that almost everybody wanted to know about him. 472 00:31:28,835 --> 00:31:31,435 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety four, we thought we were living in 473 00:31:31,475 --> 00:31:34,755 Speaker 1: the middle of the tabloid era. In fact, we were 474 00:31:34,835 --> 00:31:38,435 Speaker 1: just nine years removed from actor Rock Hudson shocking untold 475 00:31:38,475 --> 00:31:42,635 Speaker 1: Americans when he died of AIDS because for thirty years 476 00:31:43,155 --> 00:31:45,715 Speaker 1: he had been the heart throb of millions of women, 477 00:31:46,355 --> 00:31:49,395 Speaker 1: a staggering percentage of whom had no earthly clue that 478 00:31:49,435 --> 00:31:53,995 Speaker 1: he was gay until he died of AIDS. I loathe 479 00:31:54,235 --> 00:31:57,235 Speaker 1: the tabloid era, and I lament what it has done 480 00:31:57,275 --> 00:32:01,035 Speaker 1: to American sports, to American entertainment, to America. But there 481 00:32:01,115 --> 00:32:04,795 Speaker 1: is one thing to be said for this America where 482 00:32:04,835 --> 00:32:07,795 Speaker 1: an actor can call his whiny little daughter a whiny 483 00:32:07,795 --> 00:32:10,835 Speaker 1: little daughter, and then here at broadcast nationwide within hours, 484 00:32:11,675 --> 00:32:15,835 Speaker 1: and OJ Simpson in this year, would not have been 485 00:32:15,875 --> 00:32:20,435 Speaker 1: able to hide his true self for a month. Whatever 486 00:32:20,475 --> 00:32:23,635 Speaker 1: the full stories are, whatever miscarriages of justice there may 487 00:32:23,675 --> 00:32:27,315 Speaker 1: be in either direction. You know about Johnny Depp and 488 00:32:27,395 --> 00:32:31,195 Speaker 1: Amber heard, and you sure know about Kanye West, and 489 00:32:31,235 --> 00:32:34,795 Speaker 1: you sure know about Trump, and you would have known 490 00:32:34,995 --> 00:32:41,555 Speaker 1: today about OJ Simpson. Early on New Year's morning, January first, 491 00:32:41,595 --> 00:32:44,355 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine, police went to the infamous home on 492 00:32:44,435 --> 00:32:47,315 Speaker 1: North Rockingham in Brentwood and arrested O. J. Simpson on 493 00:32:47,395 --> 00:32:51,755 Speaker 1: spousal battery charges. He had punched and kicked his wife. 494 00:32:51,835 --> 00:32:54,595 Speaker 1: She said he had screamed, I'll kill you. He had 495 00:32:54,635 --> 00:32:57,635 Speaker 1: slapped her so hard that his handprint was still visible 496 00:32:57,915 --> 00:33:01,115 Speaker 1: on her neck when police arrived and took him away 497 00:33:01,395 --> 00:33:04,395 Speaker 1: and took her to the hospital. And OJ Simpson's reaction 498 00:33:04,475 --> 00:33:07,395 Speaker 1: on January first, nineteen eighty nine officers on the scene 499 00:33:07,475 --> 00:33:10,355 Speaker 1: quoted him in their official report as saying, the police 500 00:33:10,355 --> 00:33:12,755 Speaker 1: have been out here eight times before, and now you're 501 00:33:12,755 --> 00:33:15,475 Speaker 1: going to arrest me for this. This is a family matter. 502 00:33:15,755 --> 00:33:17,555 Speaker 1: Why do you want to make a big deal out 503 00:33:17,555 --> 00:33:23,235 Speaker 1: of it when we can handle it today. That callous, 504 00:33:23,275 --> 00:33:28,315 Speaker 1: mindless statement would have been recorded by bodycam or leaked 505 00:33:28,435 --> 00:33:31,835 Speaker 1: in some other way or somehow made it around the 506 00:33:31,875 --> 00:33:34,715 Speaker 1: world fast enough that it would have been on five 507 00:33:34,955 --> 00:33:39,555 Speaker 1: million Twitter accounts within minutes in Los Angeles. In Los 508 00:33:39,555 --> 00:33:42,515 Speaker 1: Angeles Media, where I worked at the time for a 509 00:33:42,555 --> 00:33:46,275 Speaker 1: television station as sports director, we didn't know about the 510 00:33:46,355 --> 00:33:51,875 Speaker 1: assault until months later. Suddenly there was a story that 511 00:33:51,915 --> 00:33:56,275 Speaker 1: OJ Simpson had pleaded out an assault charge for hitting 512 00:33:56,315 --> 00:33:59,995 Speaker 1: his wife. That's all we heard about it. They buried 513 00:34:00,115 --> 00:34:03,915 Speaker 1: the story. We certainly did not know about the nine 514 00:34:04,035 --> 00:34:06,515 Speaker 1: police trip to what would become the murder scene on 515 00:34:06,555 --> 00:34:11,395 Speaker 1: North Rockingham, but we did know who oj Simpson was. 516 00:34:11,595 --> 00:34:14,475 Speaker 1: And here is where we let everybody down. We had 517 00:34:14,515 --> 00:34:17,155 Speaker 1: heard the stories hidden behind the big smile, that he 518 00:34:17,235 --> 00:34:19,835 Speaker 1: hit women, that police had been to his house, that 519 00:34:19,875 --> 00:34:22,675 Speaker 1: while married, whenever he spoke to a group of students, 520 00:34:22,715 --> 00:34:25,275 Speaker 1: he would bring his creepy friend, Al Cowowings with him 521 00:34:25,355 --> 00:34:27,955 Speaker 1: and he'd have Al Callowings approach the girls. He was 522 00:34:27,995 --> 00:34:33,075 Speaker 1: interested in having him do that would provide himself deniability, 523 00:34:34,075 --> 00:34:37,635 Speaker 1: we knew, and between the laws and customs that still 524 00:34:37,675 --> 00:34:41,115 Speaker 1: protected the man in domestic cases ninety percent of the way, 525 00:34:41,515 --> 00:34:44,235 Speaker 1: and the laws and customs of a one industry town 526 00:34:44,355 --> 00:34:47,555 Speaker 1: like Los Angeles that still predicted the celebrity ninety percent 527 00:34:47,555 --> 00:34:50,595 Speaker 1: of the way, we could say nothing about his character. 528 00:34:52,195 --> 00:34:56,635 Speaker 1: And so my clearest memory of covering the murder and 529 00:34:56,675 --> 00:34:59,515 Speaker 1: the investigation and the hearings and the trial on Sports 530 00:34:59,515 --> 00:35:01,875 Speaker 1: Center in nineteen ninety four is not the car chase. 531 00:35:02,235 --> 00:35:04,395 Speaker 1: It's not the sense of shock or revelation of the 532 00:35:04,435 --> 00:35:07,595 Speaker 1: real OJ Simpson. I never felt that. I only witnessed 533 00:35:07,595 --> 00:35:10,555 Speaker 1: it in others. My memory is of sitting at my 534 00:35:10,675 --> 00:35:13,755 Speaker 1: desk in the ESPN newsroom that day and first hearing 535 00:35:13,795 --> 00:35:17,195 Speaker 1: of the murders and being consumed by a sinking feeling. 536 00:35:18,595 --> 00:35:22,555 Speaker 1: The note in our internal computer news file said that 537 00:35:22,595 --> 00:35:25,915 Speaker 1: Simpson had flown to Chicago and police were asking him 538 00:35:25,955 --> 00:35:28,195 Speaker 1: to fly back to LA but just so they could 539 00:35:28,275 --> 00:35:30,595 Speaker 1: ask him a few questions. It wasn't like he was 540 00:35:30,635 --> 00:35:35,755 Speaker 1: a suspect or something. I looked into the script in 541 00:35:35,835 --> 00:35:38,035 Speaker 1: the next edition of Sports Center and I saw it written, 542 00:35:38,275 --> 00:35:42,435 Speaker 1: Simpson is not a suspect. Might as well have said it, 543 00:35:42,555 --> 00:35:46,955 Speaker 1: of course, Simpson is not a suspect. Over the nausea, 544 00:35:46,955 --> 00:35:49,435 Speaker 1: I made a few phone calls to ex media colleagues 545 00:35:49,435 --> 00:35:51,915 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles and a police source in LA and 546 00:35:51,955 --> 00:35:54,315 Speaker 1: I can still feel myself, hanging up the phone with 547 00:35:54,355 --> 00:35:56,795 Speaker 1: the police source and getting up from my desk to 548 00:35:56,835 --> 00:35:59,675 Speaker 1: go talk to the news editors, to go tell people, 549 00:35:59,755 --> 00:36:04,355 Speaker 1: some of whom were still saying poor OJ four days later, 550 00:36:04,955 --> 00:36:07,275 Speaker 1: that I had just been told not a suspect. He's 551 00:36:07,315 --> 00:36:12,075 Speaker 1: our only suspect. To tell them that all they thought 552 00:36:12,355 --> 00:36:16,195 Speaker 1: they knew about OJ Simpson, all everybody they knew thought 553 00:36:16,235 --> 00:36:18,275 Speaker 1: they knew about O. J. Simpson, all of it was 554 00:36:18,315 --> 00:36:21,875 Speaker 1: a lie. And to tell them that I was one 555 00:36:21,915 --> 00:36:26,355 Speaker 1: of hundreds, maybe thousands of people who had inadvertently helped 556 00:36:26,355 --> 00:36:31,995 Speaker 1: to protect that lie, to protect this monster Simpson. Now, 557 00:36:32,115 --> 00:36:36,115 Speaker 1: my police source had been emphatic, I'll answer your question, 558 00:36:36,555 --> 00:36:40,035 Speaker 1: but whatever you do, do not say he's a suspect. 559 00:36:40,235 --> 00:36:45,555 Speaker 1: We are terrified he's going to run or off himself. Maybe, 560 00:36:45,875 --> 00:36:48,235 Speaker 1: but yeah maybe. And this is the point at which 561 00:36:48,235 --> 00:36:50,555 Speaker 1: he had to stop himself from laughing. Maybe you want 562 00:36:50,595 --> 00:36:52,515 Speaker 1: to drop that part out of the script about not 563 00:36:52,715 --> 00:36:58,915 Speaker 1: a suspect. Jesus I convinced them. Sports Center did not 564 00:36:58,995 --> 00:37:01,795 Speaker 1: report that OJ Simpson was not a suspect. They did 565 00:37:01,835 --> 00:37:04,555 Speaker 1: not address it. But to be fair, those news ed 566 00:37:04,955 --> 00:37:07,195 Speaker 1: and some of the on air people spent that week 567 00:37:07,715 --> 00:37:10,355 Speaker 1: until he made his run for it, convinced I was 568 00:37:10,515 --> 00:37:13,955 Speaker 1: nuts and that when they found whoever had done this 569 00:37:14,075 --> 00:37:18,995 Speaker 1: to OJ and his wife, ESPN would look ridiculous. And 570 00:37:19,035 --> 00:37:21,795 Speaker 1: then he made his run for it. And even after that, 571 00:37:22,635 --> 00:37:25,075 Speaker 1: there were people at NBC when I first worked there 572 00:37:25,115 --> 00:37:29,115 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety seven, three years later, who had accepted that, yeah, 573 00:37:29,115 --> 00:37:31,715 Speaker 1: he had done it, but they could never quite shake 574 00:37:31,755 --> 00:37:35,355 Speaker 1: the belief that maybe maybe there was some other explanation 575 00:37:35,435 --> 00:37:39,555 Speaker 1: that nobody had thought of yet, because that wasn't the 576 00:37:39,595 --> 00:37:45,755 Speaker 1: Oj they knew. So when you see OJ Simpson tweeting 577 00:37:45,835 --> 00:37:51,115 Speaker 1: selfie videos about watching meet the Press and vivek Wamawami 578 00:37:51,235 --> 00:37:54,715 Speaker 1: or whatever he called him, laugh, God knows I laughed, 579 00:37:55,515 --> 00:37:59,315 Speaker 1: but please remember the context for the laugh. This creature 580 00:37:59,915 --> 00:38:03,875 Speaker 1: was as popular and as well known in three or 581 00:38:03,955 --> 00:38:09,515 Speaker 1: four different fields in this country as almost anybody else 582 00:38:09,595 --> 00:38:12,915 Speaker 1: in this country in nineteen ninety four, and then he 583 00:38:13,035 --> 00:38:17,755 Speaker 1: murdered two people, including the mother of his children, brutally, 584 00:38:18,395 --> 00:38:25,835 Speaker 1: hands on, face to face. And now, in essence, he 585 00:38:25,955 --> 00:38:31,995 Speaker 1: has been reduced to nothing worse than an eternal running joke. 586 00:38:46,315 --> 00:38:48,035 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 587 00:38:48,035 --> 00:38:49,915 Speaker 1: you for listening. Countdown has come to you from our 588 00:38:49,955 --> 00:38:52,875 Speaker 1: studios in New York. Here are the credits. Most of 589 00:38:52,915 --> 00:38:55,595 Speaker 1: the music was arranged, produced and performed by Brian Ray 590 00:38:55,635 --> 00:38:58,195 Speaker 1: and John Phillip Shaneil, who are the Countdown musical directors. 591 00:38:58,595 --> 00:39:02,475 Speaker 1: All orchestration and keyboards by John Phillip Shanel, Guitars, Bassed 592 00:39:02,475 --> 00:39:06,595 Speaker 1: and drums by Brian Ray, produced by Tko Brothers. Other 593 00:39:06,635 --> 00:39:09,115 Speaker 1: Beethoven selections have been arranged and performed by the group 594 00:39:09,195 --> 00:39:12,155 Speaker 1: No Horns Allowed. The sports music is the Olberman theme 595 00:39:12,195 --> 00:39:14,395 Speaker 1: from ESPN two and it was written by Mitch Warren 596 00:39:14,435 --> 00:39:18,235 Speaker 1: Davis Curtisey of ESPN, Inc. Musical comments by Nancy Fauss, 597 00:39:18,235 --> 00:39:21,275 Speaker 1: the best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today was 598 00:39:21,315 --> 00:39:24,315 Speaker 1: my friend Kenny Maine, and everything else is pretty much 599 00:39:24,395 --> 00:39:27,155 Speaker 1: my fault. So that's countdown for this the nine hundred 600 00:39:27,195 --> 00:39:30,315 Speaker 1: and sixty sixth day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup 601 00:39:30,315 --> 00:39:33,715 Speaker 1: against the democratically elected government of the United States. Convict 602 00:39:33,795 --> 00:39:37,915 Speaker 1: him now while we still can. The next scheduled countdown 603 00:39:37,955 --> 00:39:41,315 Speaker 1: is tomorrow bulletins as the news warrants till then, I'm 604 00:39:41,355 --> 00:39:45,355 Speaker 1: Keith Olberman. Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck. 605 00:40:02,035 --> 00:40:05,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For 606 00:40:06,195 --> 00:40:11,235 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 607 00:40:11,355 --> 00:40:13,315 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.