1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:22,195 --> 00:00:27,835 Speaker 1: Oh I know who the Freedom Caucuses mystery secret speaker 3 00:00:27,955 --> 00:00:34,875 Speaker 1: candidate is. It's George Santos, right, It's gotta be who 4 00:00:34,915 --> 00:00:39,755 Speaker 1: better typifies, who better speaks for the Republican Party of 5 00:00:40,795 --> 00:00:43,675 Speaker 1: I mean, any Republican can lie to all of the 6 00:00:43,715 --> 00:00:45,915 Speaker 1: people some of the time and lie to some of 7 00:00:45,955 --> 00:00:49,435 Speaker 1: the people all of the time, But only George Santos 8 00:00:49,715 --> 00:00:55,435 Speaker 1: can lie to all of the people all of the time. Okay, 9 00:00:55,475 --> 00:00:59,915 Speaker 1: maybe not, but trust me, if George Santos survives without 10 00:00:59,955 --> 00:01:03,475 Speaker 1: going to prison here or abroad, and Brazil has just 11 00:01:03,555 --> 00:01:07,955 Speaker 1: revived its prosecute him, George Santos will become a Republican 12 00:01:08,075 --> 00:01:12,635 Speaker 1: leader of some kind, because electability and survival are the 13 00:01:12,675 --> 00:01:18,235 Speaker 1: only things that party values. For now, somebody else is 14 00:01:18,315 --> 00:01:22,995 Speaker 1: there to either jock block Kevin McCarthy or make McCarthy 15 00:01:23,035 --> 00:01:26,715 Speaker 1: prostitute himself utterly to the Matt Gates is of this world. 16 00:01:27,475 --> 00:01:30,875 Speaker 1: Think about it. Tuesday began with absolute certainty on the 17 00:01:30,915 --> 00:01:34,395 Speaker 1: part of McCarthy's supporters that he would somehow prevail, and 18 00:01:34,635 --> 00:01:37,835 Speaker 1: equally absolute certainty by at least nine and as many 19 00:01:37,915 --> 00:01:40,715 Speaker 1: as eighteen of his opponents that he would be thwarted. 20 00:01:41,235 --> 00:01:45,435 Speaker 1: It was insurrectionist Congressman Andy Biggs who tweeted yesterday the 21 00:01:45,555 --> 00:01:48,995 Speaker 1: left has taken control of our institutions. Leadership of both 22 00:01:49,035 --> 00:01:52,555 Speaker 1: parties have facilitated the takeover of them. And now when 23 00:01:52,595 --> 00:01:56,155 Speaker 1: America first, Republicans have a chance to effectuate change, even 24 00:01:56,195 --> 00:02:00,075 Speaker 1: our own are fighting that the Speaker's race tomorrow will 25 00:02:00,155 --> 00:02:05,595 Speaker 1: be revolutionary. One could infer that means the out of 26 00:02:05,635 --> 00:02:09,675 Speaker 1: the box nominee is from the ranks. I'm telling you 27 00:02:09,715 --> 00:02:13,155 Speaker 1: give Santos a chance. Or it could mean a nominee 28 00:02:13,155 --> 00:02:15,475 Speaker 1: who is not serving in the House and the speaker 29 00:02:15,515 --> 00:02:18,115 Speaker 1: does not have to be a House member. As much 30 00:02:18,155 --> 00:02:20,035 Speaker 1: as the Q and on types would like that to 31 00:02:20,155 --> 00:02:23,435 Speaker 1: be Trump, he would never accept the demotion, no matter 32 00:02:23,475 --> 00:02:26,155 Speaker 1: how desperate for attention. His recent behavior has confirmed he 33 00:02:26,195 --> 00:02:31,115 Speaker 1: really is. If there really is, a non serving candidate, 34 00:02:31,235 --> 00:02:33,515 Speaker 1: would have to be one of these jackasses who are 35 00:02:33,555 --> 00:02:36,115 Speaker 1: seen in the fun house mirror version of America that 36 00:02:36,155 --> 00:02:41,435 Speaker 1: Republicans collectively hallucinate to be a heroic leader, indefatigable fighter, 37 00:02:41,475 --> 00:02:47,395 Speaker 1: and political sage. You know, Tucker Carlson or Mike Lindell 38 00:02:48,515 --> 00:02:52,755 Speaker 1: or General Flynn or the dead body of Ronald Reagan 39 00:02:53,635 --> 00:02:58,675 Speaker 1: that would be revolutionary, or maybe by revolutionary, Biggs means 40 00:02:58,715 --> 00:03:01,675 Speaker 1: not the nominee, but the process, since these clowns have 41 00:03:01,795 --> 00:03:04,675 Speaker 1: proved again and again that they discern no difference between 42 00:03:04,835 --> 00:03:08,115 Speaker 1: failure and success as long as whatever happens is coded 43 00:03:08,155 --> 00:03:13,355 Speaker 1: with the fine marinade of chaos. For his part, Speaker 44 00:03:13,395 --> 00:03:18,035 Speaker 1: presumptive McCarthy Monday underscored the presumptive part moving his stuff 45 00:03:18,075 --> 00:03:21,435 Speaker 1: into the Speaker's office. One assumes he has never heard 46 00:03:21,475 --> 00:03:25,155 Speaker 1: that hackneyed political cliche about measuring the office curtains. But 47 00:03:25,235 --> 00:03:28,035 Speaker 1: then again, if he doesn't get elected Speaker, the image 48 00:03:28,035 --> 00:03:30,595 Speaker 1: of them moving all his furniture back out of the 49 00:03:30,635 --> 00:03:35,195 Speaker 1: office will be the least of his problems. Only McCarthy 50 00:03:35,315 --> 00:03:38,955 Speaker 1: and these Republicans could have turned their shocking triumphs of 51 00:03:39,475 --> 00:03:43,995 Speaker 1: s into the self destruction of and this inability to 52 00:03:44,195 --> 00:03:50,835 Speaker 1: coalesce and take the wine. They represent the twin problems 53 00:03:50,875 --> 00:03:56,195 Speaker 1: with endless ideological purity tests and politics. As the universal solvent, 54 00:03:56,875 --> 00:04:00,755 Speaker 1: administer enough purity tests to any group and eventually you 55 00:04:00,795 --> 00:04:04,955 Speaker 1: will have to expel everybody. The French Revolution should have 56 00:04:04,955 --> 00:04:08,115 Speaker 1: taught us that, and as much as the Universal solvent 57 00:04:08,435 --> 00:04:12,955 Speaker 1: is a political dream come true for the insurrectionists. Dissolved precedent, 58 00:04:12,995 --> 00:04:16,995 Speaker 1: dissolved seniority, dissolve hierarchy. Eventually, you come to realize that 59 00:04:17,075 --> 00:04:21,075 Speaker 1: once you pour the universal solvent out, you can never 60 00:04:21,235 --> 00:04:25,115 Speaker 1: stop it. It will keep on dissolving stuff, even the 61 00:04:25,195 --> 00:04:27,835 Speaker 1: things you don't want it to dissolve, Because of course, 62 00:04:27,875 --> 00:04:31,675 Speaker 1: you cannot store the universal solvent in anything. The universal 63 00:04:31,715 --> 00:04:36,155 Speaker 1: solvent will dissolve whatever you've stored it in. So that's 64 00:04:36,195 --> 00:04:39,795 Speaker 1: how Kevin McCarthy finds himself on the day the Republicans 65 00:04:39,875 --> 00:04:42,995 Speaker 1: take back the House, on the verge of not getting 66 00:04:42,995 --> 00:04:45,795 Speaker 1: elected Speaker, or at least not getting elected Speaker on 67 00:04:45,835 --> 00:04:48,875 Speaker 1: the first ballot or ballots, because he might lose to 68 00:04:49,035 --> 00:04:54,035 Speaker 1: a mystery candidate, the personification of none of the above. 69 00:04:55,955 --> 00:05:03,035 Speaker 1: I'm telling you Santos Speaker. Since we last discussed George Santos, 70 00:05:03,115 --> 00:05:05,995 Speaker 1: it turned out that the Brazilians had only abandoned their 71 00:05:05,995 --> 00:05:10,595 Speaker 1: prosecution of him fourteen years ago for allegedly stealing checkbooks 72 00:05:10,595 --> 00:05:13,315 Speaker 1: belonging to people for whom his mother was a caregiver 73 00:05:13,635 --> 00:05:17,275 Speaker 1: because they could not find him here again, another problem 74 00:05:17,275 --> 00:05:20,835 Speaker 1: with lying your way into Congress. There goes your anonymity. 75 00:05:21,115 --> 00:05:24,155 Speaker 1: The Prosecutor's office and Rio de Janeiro said yesterday it 76 00:05:24,195 --> 00:05:27,355 Speaker 1: will now revive its fraud charges against Santos and could 77 00:05:27,435 --> 00:05:31,035 Speaker 1: proceed with or without his presence in Brazil, which he 78 00:05:31,115 --> 00:05:34,955 Speaker 1: might be a citizen of, or a native of, or 79 00:05:34,995 --> 00:05:38,355 Speaker 1: for all we know, a senator of. There are new 80 00:05:38,475 --> 00:05:41,995 Speaker 1: lies to add to your Santos file. Collect the complete set. 81 00:05:42,515 --> 00:05:46,075 Speaker 1: He claimed to have gotten COVID before anybody else in 82 00:05:46,155 --> 00:05:49,155 Speaker 1: New York, and to have had a difficult recovery because 83 00:05:49,595 --> 00:05:53,155 Speaker 1: of a brain tumor he had. And he told a 84 00:05:53,235 --> 00:05:55,835 Speaker 1: boyfriend that he had bought them two tickets to Hawaii, 85 00:05:55,835 --> 00:05:58,035 Speaker 1: Only it turned out that there were no tickets to Hawaii. 86 00:05:58,235 --> 00:06:01,115 Speaker 1: Oh and the boyfriend's cell phone was suddenly missing, and 87 00:06:01,195 --> 00:06:05,395 Speaker 1: the boyfriend believed Santos had pawned it. Somebody suggested to me, 88 00:06:05,475 --> 00:06:09,075 Speaker 1: Santos has pretty much checked all the lying boxes possible, 89 00:06:09,475 --> 00:06:13,635 Speaker 1: except maybe for lying that he's trans I might add 90 00:06:13,715 --> 00:06:16,075 Speaker 1: he also has not yet lied that he was dead, 91 00:06:16,155 --> 00:06:20,315 Speaker 1: but he got better. Speaking of lying and neurosis, if 92 00:06:20,355 --> 00:06:24,555 Speaker 1: not psychosis, you may have missed Steve Bannon and the No. Really, 93 00:06:24,595 --> 00:06:27,675 Speaker 1: this is our last set of transcripts. We swear dump 94 00:06:27,715 --> 00:06:31,595 Speaker 1: from the January six Committee. There are several absolutely insane 95 00:06:31,595 --> 00:06:34,995 Speaker 1: revelations in these parting salvos from Benny Thompson and company, 96 00:06:35,195 --> 00:06:37,475 Speaker 1: and you have to admit that whatever the motive was 97 00:06:37,555 --> 00:06:40,115 Speaker 1: for holding them all till the last minute, they also 98 00:06:40,275 --> 00:06:43,915 Speaker 1: served to obscure the Republican takeover of the House today. 99 00:06:44,075 --> 00:06:47,875 Speaker 1: For my money, the craziest is, as usual Steve Bannon 100 00:06:48,355 --> 00:06:54,115 Speaker 1: and his plan for a second coup on January. Quote, 101 00:06:54,115 --> 00:06:58,035 Speaker 1: we must turn up the heat, Bannon texted to his spokesperson, 102 00:06:58,035 --> 00:07:03,155 Speaker 1: according to the committee's evidence. On January Trump, Bannon added 103 00:07:03,515 --> 00:07:05,875 Speaker 1: was quote not staying the White House after the twenty 104 00:07:06,075 --> 00:07:09,955 Speaker 1: but who says we don't have one million people the 105 00:07:10,035 --> 00:07:16,675 Speaker 1: next day, I'd surround the capital in total silence. You know, 106 00:07:16,755 --> 00:07:20,115 Speaker 1: Steve Bannon might not be the nihilist political genius a 107 00:07:20,155 --> 00:07:22,675 Speaker 1: lot of people still think he is. On the other hand, 108 00:07:23,235 --> 00:07:26,075 Speaker 1: he did get one thing right about Trump supporters. The 109 00:07:26,155 --> 00:07:30,475 Speaker 1: day after Joe Biden's inauguration. They did give Bannon that 110 00:07:30,675 --> 00:07:35,955 Speaker 1: total silence he was hoping for. And Katrina Pierson, also 111 00:07:36,035 --> 00:07:39,275 Speaker 1: not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, was nice 112 00:07:39,395 --> 00:07:43,235 Speaker 1: enough to write an email on January second with bullet 113 00:07:43,275 --> 00:07:47,075 Speaker 1: points on the original coup, and point number four helpfully 114 00:07:47,115 --> 00:07:52,315 Speaker 1: reads quote, potus expectations are to have something intimate at 115 00:07:52,315 --> 00:07:56,555 Speaker 1: the ellipse and call on everyone to march to the Capitol, 116 00:07:57,115 --> 00:08:00,315 Speaker 1: which blows the Trump spotaneity defense out of the water. 117 00:08:01,155 --> 00:08:05,275 Speaker 1: And of course Ron McDaniel helpfully notating that her Republican 118 00:08:05,355 --> 00:08:08,235 Speaker 1: National Committee was joining John Eastman and organizing the fake 119 00:08:08,275 --> 00:08:13,795 Speaker 1: electors scheme and told Trump personally directly twice that they 120 00:08:13,835 --> 00:08:17,155 Speaker 1: were doing so, and he replied to her, quote, just great. 121 00:08:17,635 --> 00:08:21,955 Speaker 1: So Trump is screwed about that as well. Tony Ornado 122 00:08:22,075 --> 00:08:26,035 Speaker 1: Secret Service agent turned Trump Administration Deputy chief of Staff 123 00:08:26,155 --> 00:08:30,875 Speaker 1: turned Secret Service again, somehow testified that the Service missed 124 00:08:31,035 --> 00:08:33,315 Speaker 1: that one of the guys on a White House tour 125 00:08:33,395 --> 00:08:38,595 Speaker 1: on December was none other than Enrique Terio, chairman of 126 00:08:38,635 --> 00:08:43,515 Speaker 1: the ironically named Proud Boys. And then there's Clida Mitchell. 127 00:08:44,515 --> 00:08:46,195 Speaker 1: By the way, when was the last time he actually 128 00:08:46,235 --> 00:08:51,035 Speaker 1: met anybody named Cleta. Clida Mitchell explained to the January 129 00:08:51,035 --> 00:08:53,755 Speaker 1: sixth Committee that quote, there's nothing in the Constitution about 130 00:08:53,915 --> 00:08:59,235 Speaker 1: allowing people citizens to vote on electors. And it's funny 131 00:08:59,235 --> 00:09:02,995 Speaker 1: none of them mentioned that in two thousand, right, and 132 00:09:03,075 --> 00:09:06,635 Speaker 1: the Committee's final info to UMP showed that Trump before 133 00:09:06,635 --> 00:09:10,315 Speaker 1: he began to hemorrhage GOP support in the waning days 134 00:09:10,355 --> 00:09:13,955 Speaker 1: of last year by railing against the Supreme Court's decision 135 00:09:13,995 --> 00:09:16,635 Speaker 1: on Roe v. Wade and by posting an arcle from 136 00:09:16,635 --> 00:09:19,835 Speaker 1: a fascist website for telling a Trump third party run in, 137 00:09:19,875 --> 00:09:25,315 Speaker 1: Trump had one last grift, according to the One six 138 00:09:25,355 --> 00:09:28,395 Speaker 1: Committee ready to Go in the days before election, he 139 00:09:28,515 --> 00:09:32,555 Speaker 1: wanted to trademark and own the rights to the phrase 140 00:09:33,715 --> 00:09:39,395 Speaker 1: rigged election. Yes, sir, it's coup incorporated a division of 141 00:09:39,395 --> 00:09:44,155 Speaker 1: the Trump organization. I am suddenly reminded of Terry Gilliams 142 00:09:44,315 --> 00:09:50,395 Speaker 1: Dark Dark, Dark satirical film Brazil ironic title at the 143 00:09:50,435 --> 00:09:54,675 Speaker 1: moment the future police state seizes the wrong man, tortures 144 00:09:54,715 --> 00:09:57,355 Speaker 1: that man to death, and then sends the widow a 145 00:09:57,475 --> 00:10:02,235 Speaker 1: bill rigged election trademark. But, of course, as the Speaker 146 00:10:02,275 --> 00:10:05,395 Speaker 1: Election and George Santos dramas play out to day and 147 00:10:05,475 --> 00:10:07,995 Speaker 1: perhaps for weeks to come if we're lucky, there is 148 00:10:08,075 --> 00:10:11,115 Speaker 1: one nugget from the January six committees list of parting 149 00:10:11,115 --> 00:10:15,875 Speaker 1: gifts to America that seems to resonate particularly strongly. I 150 00:10:15,955 --> 00:10:18,715 Speaker 1: guess it is noteworthy because it is the only glimmer 151 00:10:18,755 --> 00:10:22,075 Speaker 1: of self awareness in the bottomless pit of delusions of 152 00:10:22,155 --> 00:10:25,755 Speaker 1: grandeur that was the Trump administration. But it's still self 153 00:10:25,795 --> 00:10:31,075 Speaker 1: obsessed self awareness that knitwit Hope Hicks as they were 154 00:10:31,075 --> 00:10:35,555 Speaker 1: still sweeping up broken glass and sedating nervous Congressman on 155 00:10:35,595 --> 00:10:39,315 Speaker 1: the afternoon of January six, texting the chief of staff 156 00:10:39,355 --> 00:10:43,795 Speaker 1: to abanca Trump and realizing that this little try to 157 00:10:43,875 --> 00:10:47,915 Speaker 1: overthrow the government by attacking the capital thing was gonna 158 00:10:47,955 --> 00:10:53,115 Speaker 1: look bad on her resume. You've heard the quote, all 159 00:10:53,155 --> 00:10:55,195 Speaker 1: of us that didn't have jobs lined up will be 160 00:10:55,235 --> 00:10:59,715 Speaker 1: perpetually unemployed. I'm so mad and upset. We all look 161 00:10:59,795 --> 00:11:07,875 Speaker 1: like domestic terrorists. Now, yeah, say Hope, thinking about McCarthy 162 00:11:08,035 --> 00:11:12,195 Speaker 1: and the Freedom Caucus and Santos and Bannon and the 163 00:11:12,275 --> 00:11:16,155 Speaker 1: fake electors and Trump trying to trademark rigged election. When 164 00:11:16,195 --> 00:11:22,475 Speaker 1: you say we all look like domestic terrorists, now, what 165 00:11:22,515 --> 00:11:39,795 Speaker 1: do you mean? Now? Still ahead? Why did Trump try 166 00:11:39,835 --> 00:11:44,675 Speaker 1: to claim a deduction in two thousand fifteen for expenses 167 00:11:45,355 --> 00:11:51,875 Speaker 1: for a football team he bankrupted? Worse persons if I 168 00:11:51,915 --> 00:11:54,555 Speaker 1: told you a New York State County election commissioner had 169 00:11:54,555 --> 00:11:59,715 Speaker 1: pleaded guilty to voter fraud and absentee ballot harvesting. Could 170 00:11:59,755 --> 00:12:03,595 Speaker 1: you guess which party he belongs to? And in things 171 00:12:03,595 --> 00:12:07,075 Speaker 1: I promised not to tell? It worked out okay, But 172 00:12:07,195 --> 00:12:09,355 Speaker 1: next Monday it will be forty years since I had 173 00:12:09,395 --> 00:12:12,635 Speaker 1: one last look out my apartment window before going to sleep, 174 00:12:13,075 --> 00:12:16,915 Speaker 1: and that's when I noticed the building was on fire. 175 00:12:17,795 --> 00:12:21,595 Speaker 1: The story of Keith and the Molotov Cocktail. That's next. 176 00:12:21,915 --> 00:12:38,995 Speaker 1: Let's discountdown. This is Countdown with Keith Olberman still a 177 00:12:38,995 --> 00:12:42,795 Speaker 1: head on Countdown? How do you spell Delaware? More importantly, 178 00:12:42,795 --> 00:12:45,875 Speaker 1: how do you become White House Press Secretary if you 179 00:12:45,955 --> 00:12:51,075 Speaker 1: can't spell Delaware? Worse persons in a moment? First, in 180 00:12:51,115 --> 00:12:53,275 Speaker 1: each edition of Countdown, we feature a dog in need 181 00:12:53,355 --> 00:12:57,395 Speaker 1: you can help. Every dog has its day. Polo is 182 00:12:57,435 --> 00:13:01,875 Speaker 1: thirty eight pounds, excitable, not fixed, not trained, one year old, 183 00:13:02,275 --> 00:13:05,555 Speaker 1: a puppy who nipped a family member who needed a 184 00:13:05,635 --> 00:13:08,515 Speaker 1: band aid to fix the problem, so they took him 185 00:13:08,515 --> 00:13:11,835 Speaker 1: to the New York Pound to be killed, which could 186 00:13:11,835 --> 00:13:14,755 Speaker 1: happen as early as tomorrow because nobody taught him not 187 00:13:14,795 --> 00:13:17,275 Speaker 1: to do that. He looks like a Collie mix of 188 00:13:17,315 --> 00:13:20,475 Speaker 1: some kind of beautiful light brown, almost orange coat. He 189 00:13:20,515 --> 00:13:23,275 Speaker 1: needs pledges to help defray the costs for a rescue 190 00:13:23,355 --> 00:13:26,595 Speaker 1: organization to save his life. You can find Polo on 191 00:13:26,635 --> 00:13:29,955 Speaker 1: my Twitter feeds, and if you can't pledge, your retweet 192 00:13:30,515 --> 00:13:34,195 Speaker 1: can also help him out. I thank you, and Polo 193 00:13:34,275 --> 00:14:15,075 Speaker 1: thanks you. This is Sports Center. Wait, check that, not anymore. 194 00:14:15,715 --> 00:14:22,235 Speaker 1: This is Countdown with Keith Alberman in sports. We wish 195 00:14:22,395 --> 00:14:25,675 Speaker 1: the best to the great Martina Navratolova, who revealed yesterday 196 00:14:25,715 --> 00:14:29,195 Speaker 1: she has been diagnosed with both throat cancer and breast cancer. 197 00:14:29,675 --> 00:14:32,595 Speaker 1: The winner of eighteen Grand Slam singles championships and a 198 00:14:32,635 --> 00:14:36,075 Speaker 1: giving and cherished friend to my various programs for thirty 199 00:14:36,155 --> 00:14:39,595 Speaker 1: years now. She says her prognosis is good. Quote, It's 200 00:14:39,635 --> 00:14:42,075 Speaker 1: going to stink for a while, but I'll fight it 201 00:14:42,115 --> 00:14:44,675 Speaker 1: with all I've got, which is how she is here 202 00:14:44,715 --> 00:14:48,595 Speaker 1: in the first place. Boston Bruins to Pittsburgh Penguins one 203 00:14:48,635 --> 00:14:51,755 Speaker 1: in the annual outdoor hockey game at Fenway Park. As 204 00:14:51,835 --> 00:14:54,195 Speaker 1: much as I am a hockey fan and you probably 205 00:14:54,235 --> 00:14:57,315 Speaker 1: are not, I never see one of these without thinking 206 00:14:57,475 --> 00:15:01,235 Speaker 1: there's something fundamentally wrong with it. The National Hockey League 207 00:15:01,275 --> 00:15:04,315 Speaker 1: puts a game in a baseball stadium or a football stadium. 208 00:15:04,355 --> 00:15:07,035 Speaker 1: If you go, no matter how good your seats are. 209 00:15:07,075 --> 00:15:08,955 Speaker 1: You can't see a damn thing. It's a hockey rink 210 00:15:08,995 --> 00:15:10,955 Speaker 1: filling up like a third of the field, and there's 211 00:15:10,955 --> 00:15:13,635 Speaker 1: all this blank space, and it's freezing, and the lighting 212 00:15:13,715 --> 00:15:16,755 Speaker 1: is bad and ice is often bad. The league dresses up. 213 00:15:16,795 --> 00:15:19,435 Speaker 1: It's two teams in uniforms that look vaguely like they're 214 00:15:19,475 --> 00:15:22,835 Speaker 1: regular ones but not really, and vaguely like the ones 215 00:15:22,875 --> 00:15:26,435 Speaker 1: they wore decades ago, but not really. It's not like 216 00:15:26,475 --> 00:15:29,915 Speaker 1: a novelty anymore. There have been like three dozen of 217 00:15:29,955 --> 00:15:33,115 Speaker 1: these outdoor games. I mean, maybe play your All Star 218 00:15:33,235 --> 00:15:35,755 Speaker 1: game outdoors in a big stadium to try to give 219 00:15:35,835 --> 00:15:40,715 Speaker 1: it some heft. But regular season games still still making 220 00:15:40,755 --> 00:15:43,635 Speaker 1: a big deal about this. And the worst part is 221 00:15:43,675 --> 00:15:46,795 Speaker 1: the thing that always throws me. The National Hockey League 222 00:15:47,075 --> 00:15:51,715 Speaker 1: gets its biggest crowds only when it plays in the 223 00:15:51,795 --> 00:15:56,515 Speaker 1: stadiums of other sports. The Athletic reports that after it's 224 00:15:56,555 --> 00:15:59,635 Speaker 1: lost in the Fiesta Bowls Saturday, Michigan may now lose 225 00:15:59,675 --> 00:16:03,075 Speaker 1: its head coach. That if offered an NFL job, Jim 226 00:16:03,155 --> 00:16:06,795 Speaker 1: Harbaugh will take it, maybe at Denver, maybe with the Colts. 227 00:16:07,075 --> 00:16:08,835 Speaker 1: He went to the Super Bowl whe year coaching the 228 00:16:08,875 --> 00:16:11,915 Speaker 1: fort but to me. Jim Harbaugh will always be the 229 00:16:11,955 --> 00:16:15,795 Speaker 1: guy I operated on in a sports center commercial. It 230 00:16:15,875 --> 00:16:19,075 Speaker 1: was about anchors getting too close to the players, and 231 00:16:19,115 --> 00:16:22,395 Speaker 1: they started with Dan Patrick at Jim Harbaugh's knee surgery, 232 00:16:22,475 --> 00:16:24,875 Speaker 1: and he turned and says, let's take a look, and 233 00:16:24,915 --> 00:16:27,835 Speaker 1: he walks into the operating theater where the surgeon is 234 00:16:27,995 --> 00:16:31,795 Speaker 1: me and Hardball delivered his line perfectly. Shouldn't I be 235 00:16:31,835 --> 00:16:36,035 Speaker 1: asleep for this? And Dan and I then say you simultaneously, 236 00:16:36,035 --> 00:16:38,755 Speaker 1: and I say that that will happen, and that's the 237 00:16:38,835 --> 00:16:41,155 Speaker 1: end of it. So Dan has always insisted that he 238 00:16:41,275 --> 00:16:45,235 Speaker 1: saw hardballs carry bag sitting next to our set during 239 00:16:45,235 --> 00:16:48,475 Speaker 1: the making of this commercial. I didn't dances. It contained 240 00:16:48,515 --> 00:16:52,035 Speaker 1: a bunch of magazines that were devoted to uh, devoted 241 00:16:52,075 --> 00:17:13,475 Speaker 1: to m anatomy. That's it, anatomy. Thank you, Nancy Faust. Lastly, 242 00:17:13,595 --> 00:17:17,795 Speaker 1: this the nin most important thing gleaned from the release 243 00:17:17,795 --> 00:17:22,315 Speaker 1: of Donald Trump's tax returns in two thousand fifteen, Trump 244 00:17:22,355 --> 00:17:25,755 Speaker 1: claimed he spent twelve thousand dollars on expenses related to 245 00:17:25,795 --> 00:17:28,755 Speaker 1: the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League, 246 00:17:29,115 --> 00:17:32,675 Speaker 1: the league in which he Trump had herschel Walker playing 247 00:17:32,715 --> 00:17:35,875 Speaker 1: for him on the New Jersey generals. The league he 248 00:17:36,075 --> 00:17:41,195 Speaker 1: Trump personally killed because he insisted on moving it to 249 00:17:41,235 --> 00:17:44,115 Speaker 1: a fall schedule to compete with the NFL, even though 250 00:17:44,115 --> 00:17:46,475 Speaker 1: it had a chance to succeed in its original niche 251 00:17:46,555 --> 00:17:49,435 Speaker 1: in the spring. Anyway, I think I know at that 252 00:17:49,515 --> 00:17:52,595 Speaker 1: twelve grand that he tried to deduct in two thousand, fifteen, 253 00:17:52,635 --> 00:17:54,955 Speaker 1: thirty years after the league went out of business, was four. 254 00:17:55,595 --> 00:17:59,195 Speaker 1: I think it was the last payment on Herschel's leather helmet. 255 00:18:13,355 --> 00:18:23,355 Speaker 1: Thank you again, Nancy Faust still ahead, we near the 256 00:18:23,395 --> 00:18:28,235 Speaker 1: anniversary anniversary of the day I had a singular experience 257 00:18:28,835 --> 00:18:33,115 Speaker 1: looking out my apartment window and noticing the apartment building 258 00:18:33,155 --> 00:18:36,955 Speaker 1: was on fire. First the daily roundup of the miscreants, 259 00:18:36,995 --> 00:18:40,595 Speaker 1: morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens who constitute today's worst 260 00:18:40,595 --> 00:18:44,315 Speaker 1: persons in the world. Everybody was okay, by the way, 261 00:18:44,395 --> 00:18:48,115 Speaker 1: except the lobby le bronze to New York Assembly Member 262 00:18:48,195 --> 00:18:52,835 Speaker 1: Donna lou Pardo as the two thousand three Assembly session begins, 263 00:18:52,875 --> 00:18:54,755 Speaker 1: We'll see if she can work her way off this list, 264 00:18:54,835 --> 00:18:58,755 Speaker 1: or if she is still as dog advocate Nathan Winnigrad asserts, 265 00:18:59,235 --> 00:19:03,515 Speaker 1: blocking the Shelter Animal Rescue Act Sarah from even coming 266 00:19:03,555 --> 00:19:04,795 Speaker 1: to a vote in the New York as Son, but 267 00:19:04,875 --> 00:19:06,995 Speaker 1: the bill would make it illegal for shelters in New 268 00:19:07,075 --> 00:19:10,395 Speaker 1: York State to kill an animal if a qualified nonprofit 269 00:19:10,475 --> 00:19:13,875 Speaker 1: rescue was willing to save and take that animal. Similar 270 00:19:13,955 --> 00:19:16,435 Speaker 1: laws have been passed in California and Delaware, and in 271 00:19:16,515 --> 00:19:19,595 Speaker 1: many cities and counties. It is believed such a loss 272 00:19:19,675 --> 00:19:24,315 Speaker 1: saved eighty five thousand animals in California alone each year. 273 00:19:25,155 --> 00:19:29,235 Speaker 1: But Assemblywoman Lopardo is the chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, 274 00:19:29,955 --> 00:19:33,355 Speaker 1: and she can bock such a bill and has. Apart 275 00:19:33,395 --> 00:19:35,475 Speaker 1: from the fact that New York Democrats are pretty much 276 00:19:35,515 --> 00:19:38,115 Speaker 1: lost in their own little world of incompetence, they are 277 00:19:38,155 --> 00:19:42,155 Speaker 1: also heavily lobbied by and Winnigrad says they even received 278 00:19:42,235 --> 00:19:45,115 Speaker 1: campaign funds from groups like the A s p c 279 00:19:45,315 --> 00:19:48,155 Speaker 1: A and the Humane Society. Those are brand names, by 280 00:19:48,195 --> 00:19:51,155 Speaker 1: the way, those two groups have repeatedly come out against 281 00:19:51,235 --> 00:19:55,035 Speaker 1: the no kill bill. Get to an assembly Woman, The 282 00:19:55,115 --> 00:20:00,155 Speaker 1: Bronze goes to why another New York State politico, Jason T. Scofield, 283 00:20:00,835 --> 00:20:06,155 Speaker 1: the Republican elections commissioner of Rensselaer County, whose attorney general 284 00:20:06,275 --> 00:20:08,755 Speaker 1: or whose attorney rather revealed that he is changing his 285 00:20:08,875 --> 00:20:13,875 Speaker 1: plea and Elections Commissioner Scofield will plead guilty to any 286 00:20:13,955 --> 00:20:20,235 Speaker 1: guesses hints Republican elections commissioner. That's right, Scofield will plead 287 00:20:20,275 --> 00:20:24,635 Speaker 1: guilty to federal felony charges of voter fraud an absentee 288 00:20:24,675 --> 00:20:28,595 Speaker 1: ballot harvesting, because when Republicans say there's voter fraud and 289 00:20:28,715 --> 00:20:32,875 Speaker 1: absentee ballot harvesting, it is not an accusation, it's a confession. 290 00:20:33,755 --> 00:20:36,555 Speaker 1: Scofield has flipped. He is helping the FBI try to 291 00:20:36,635 --> 00:20:38,755 Speaker 1: nail others in this case. And while it's unclear if 292 00:20:38,755 --> 00:20:41,235 Speaker 1: he will go to jail, it is clear that as 293 00:20:41,275 --> 00:20:42,955 Speaker 1: part of the plea he has to quit his job 294 00:20:42,995 --> 00:20:49,035 Speaker 1: as Elections Commissioner, Republican Elections Commissioner, Republican voter fraud, ballot harvesting, 295 00:20:49,035 --> 00:20:54,435 Speaker 1: elections commissioner. But our winners, Shawn's spicer. There are no 296 00:20:54,475 --> 00:20:57,155 Speaker 1: doubt worse worms in this country, and there are worse 297 00:20:57,235 --> 00:21:00,995 Speaker 1: scumbags from the Trump administration, but he was the first. 298 00:21:01,595 --> 00:21:04,595 Speaker 1: And despite the attempt to wash him clean by putting 299 00:21:04,795 --> 00:21:07,675 Speaker 1: on the Emmy's and putting them on Dancing with the 300 00:21:07,715 --> 00:21:13,515 Speaker 1: has beens, he's still exactly that bad as You know, 301 00:21:13,595 --> 00:21:17,075 Speaker 1: people like Spicer exists solely to find Republican crooks and 302 00:21:17,115 --> 00:21:20,955 Speaker 1: crookedness and then claim the Democrats did it worse see 303 00:21:20,995 --> 00:21:26,435 Speaker 1: Elections Commissioners Scofield of New York. Hence, Spicer yesterday retweeted 304 00:21:26,435 --> 00:21:29,435 Speaker 1: a story implying that Joe Biden is on vacation all 305 00:21:29,475 --> 00:21:31,515 Speaker 1: the time. G I wonder who they're trying to apply. 306 00:21:31,635 --> 00:21:34,875 Speaker 1: What about is um too? Their? Spicer added, quote, in 307 00:21:34,915 --> 00:21:38,395 Speaker 1: two thousand two, President Biden spent ninety two days at 308 00:21:38,395 --> 00:21:45,075 Speaker 1: one of his Delaware properties, and he misspelled Delaware. Spicer 309 00:21:45,155 --> 00:21:48,395 Speaker 1: spelled it d e l e as opposed to the way. 310 00:21:48,595 --> 00:21:52,115 Speaker 1: And you know everybody else spells it d e l 311 00:21:52,235 --> 00:21:56,155 Speaker 1: A where or at least how, everybody who was every 312 00:21:56,155 --> 00:21:58,755 Speaker 1: White House Press secretary spelled it, or at least everybody 313 00:21:58,795 --> 00:22:01,795 Speaker 1: who has any shred of concern for accuracy or at 314 00:22:01,875 --> 00:22:08,155 Speaker 1: least not being thought of as an uneducated, lovingly, sloppy, unqualified, moronic, bitter, 315 00:22:08,235 --> 00:22:11,035 Speaker 1: knitwitted schlub who was once referred to in his own 316 00:22:11,075 --> 00:22:17,235 Speaker 1: colleges newspaper as quote Sean sphincter, unquote Sean Delaware. You know, 317 00:22:17,315 --> 00:22:20,035 Speaker 1: the first state to approve the Constitution, the Constitution. My 318 00:22:20,115 --> 00:22:25,875 Speaker 1: boss tried to rip up Spicer two days. Worst person. 319 00:22:27,475 --> 00:22:42,435 Speaker 1: It's felled p R S O N M. Words to 320 00:22:42,595 --> 00:22:45,235 Speaker 1: the number one story on the countdown and my favorite topic, 321 00:22:45,355 --> 00:22:48,915 Speaker 1: me and things I've promised not to tell, and circumstances. 322 00:22:48,955 --> 00:22:51,435 Speaker 1: The other day took me past my first New York 323 00:22:51,515 --> 00:22:55,435 Speaker 1: City apartment, and as always when that happens in the winter, 324 00:22:56,195 --> 00:22:59,675 Speaker 1: I stopped and stood and stared, and I shook my head, 325 00:23:00,115 --> 00:23:03,915 Speaker 1: and again I saw in my mind the flames and 326 00:23:03,995 --> 00:23:08,835 Speaker 1: the glow and the blackened lobby. Because one night somebody 327 00:23:08,875 --> 00:23:11,715 Speaker 1: threw a Molotov cocktail into the building in which I 328 00:23:11,755 --> 00:23:15,395 Speaker 1: had my first New York City apartment. While I was 329 00:23:15,555 --> 00:23:19,435 Speaker 1: in my first New York City apartment. The address was 330 00:23:19,675 --> 00:23:23,595 Speaker 1: it is two and forty East fifty fifth Street, Apartment 331 00:23:23,715 --> 00:23:27,115 Speaker 1: ten F. It was two doors west of Second Avenue, 332 00:23:27,155 --> 00:23:29,795 Speaker 1: south side of the street. It was the center apartment 333 00:23:29,835 --> 00:23:32,075 Speaker 1: on the street side of the building, and I was 334 00:23:32,115 --> 00:23:35,315 Speaker 1: directly above the front entrance and above the only thing 335 00:23:35,355 --> 00:23:38,315 Speaker 1: of note in the whole place, a full fledged old 336 00:23:38,355 --> 00:23:42,275 Speaker 1: fashioned New York City apartment building canopy. You could get 337 00:23:42,275 --> 00:23:44,675 Speaker 1: out of a cab and a rainstorm and under that canopy, 338 00:23:44,675 --> 00:23:46,995 Speaker 1: and like a second and a half and pretty much 339 00:23:46,995 --> 00:23:51,795 Speaker 1: not get wet, no doorman, no amenities, rather dubious live 340 00:23:51,875 --> 00:23:55,635 Speaker 1: in super but it had that canopy. I moved in 341 00:23:55,675 --> 00:24:00,755 Speaker 1: on June. It was a big studio apartment. The view 342 00:24:00,875 --> 00:24:04,395 Speaker 1: was of a big video warehouse across the street, though 343 00:24:04,755 --> 00:24:07,235 Speaker 1: if you leaned out the westernmost window you could see 344 00:24:07,235 --> 00:24:10,035 Speaker 1: the City Corps Center, which was always an impressive site 345 00:24:10,035 --> 00:24:12,475 Speaker 1: on a foggy night. The neighborhood and the building were 346 00:24:12,475 --> 00:24:15,035 Speaker 1: safe and quiet, at least I thought they were safe. 347 00:24:15,515 --> 00:24:17,395 Speaker 1: It was a fifteen minute walk from my first job, 348 00:24:17,435 --> 00:24:19,675 Speaker 1: and then a twenty five minute walk from my second job. 349 00:24:20,075 --> 00:24:22,555 Speaker 1: And when I first rented there it was are you 350 00:24:22,635 --> 00:24:26,915 Speaker 1: ready four and eight three dollars a month, which sounds 351 00:24:27,035 --> 00:24:31,755 Speaker 1: unbelievable except that was about a third of my salary. 352 00:24:31,955 --> 00:24:34,755 Speaker 1: And I think when I moved out in the rent 353 00:24:34,755 --> 00:24:37,915 Speaker 1: had gone up to five dollars a month, And that 354 00:24:38,075 --> 00:24:40,075 Speaker 1: low price might have had something to do with the 355 00:24:40,115 --> 00:24:43,075 Speaker 1: fact that one night somebody threw a Molotov cocktail into 356 00:24:43,075 --> 00:24:47,355 Speaker 1: the building. You know how, once you've been in any 357 00:24:47,395 --> 00:24:49,755 Speaker 1: place for any length of time, you get used to 358 00:24:49,795 --> 00:24:54,235 Speaker 1: the physics of it, the feel of it, not just 359 00:24:54,515 --> 00:24:57,595 Speaker 1: someplace you live any place. You spend a lot of 360 00:24:57,635 --> 00:25:02,155 Speaker 1: time in an office, a classroom, a theater, or an apartment. 361 00:25:02,555 --> 00:25:05,035 Speaker 1: You know what it sounds like. You know what it 362 00:25:05,195 --> 00:25:08,395 Speaker 1: feels like in the summer or how it feels differently 363 00:25:08,395 --> 00:25:11,755 Speaker 1: in the winter. You know what it looks like, the building, noise, 364 00:25:11,835 --> 00:25:14,515 Speaker 1: the smells, if it's too hot, if it's too cold, 365 00:25:14,755 --> 00:25:18,075 Speaker 1: and especially, and think about this for a second, especially 366 00:25:18,435 --> 00:25:23,395 Speaker 1: what the light looks like at every hour of the day. 367 00:25:24,075 --> 00:25:26,035 Speaker 1: I don't know if there was a day when I 368 00:25:26,075 --> 00:25:28,035 Speaker 1: could have said, this is what the light looks like 369 00:25:28,075 --> 00:25:31,955 Speaker 1: in apartment ten f to forty East Street during a snowstorm, 370 00:25:32,115 --> 00:25:34,395 Speaker 1: or what the light looks like coming in through the 371 00:25:34,435 --> 00:25:36,835 Speaker 1: shades at eight in the morning or eight at night. 372 00:25:37,355 --> 00:25:41,035 Speaker 1: But it probably didn't take long. June was when I 373 00:25:41,035 --> 00:25:42,915 Speaker 1: moved in. I bet I knew the various lights of 374 00:25:42,955 --> 00:25:47,595 Speaker 1: the place by September. So by New Years of night three, 375 00:25:47,675 --> 00:25:53,635 Speaker 1: I knew it all instinctively, exactly, reflexing lye boringly. I 376 00:25:53,675 --> 00:25:55,915 Speaker 1: would go to my bed in the southeast corner of 377 00:25:55,955 --> 00:25:58,915 Speaker 1: my studio apartment. I'd get in sleeping north south, but 378 00:25:58,995 --> 00:26:01,315 Speaker 1: with my head at the south end, and as I 379 00:26:01,395 --> 00:26:03,395 Speaker 1: lay on my back, I could look out the windows 380 00:26:03,435 --> 00:26:06,155 Speaker 1: and see the faint arn g glow from a couple 381 00:26:06,195 --> 00:26:08,875 Speaker 1: of street lights that shone through the four windows that 382 00:26:08,995 --> 00:26:11,395 Speaker 1: opened to on either side of a kind of small 383 00:26:11,475 --> 00:26:14,555 Speaker 1: picture window in the middle. The light would be brightest 384 00:26:14,555 --> 00:26:16,635 Speaker 1: from the window on the farthest right, which was the 385 00:26:16,635 --> 00:26:19,475 Speaker 1: one closest to Second Avenue and the closest to one 386 00:26:19,475 --> 00:26:25,235 Speaker 1: of those street lights. So on Sunday, January nine three, 387 00:26:25,955 --> 00:26:29,795 Speaker 1: as that night turned into Monday, January, I hit the 388 00:26:29,835 --> 00:26:32,555 Speaker 1: sack around midnight, because I actually had one of those 389 00:26:32,635 --> 00:26:35,275 Speaker 1: rare nine to five jobs in television as a field 390 00:26:35,315 --> 00:26:39,395 Speaker 1: reporter for CNN. I shut off the light on my nightstand. 391 00:26:39,435 --> 00:26:41,595 Speaker 1: I laid down on my back. I stared out my 392 00:26:41,715 --> 00:26:46,195 Speaker 1: right hand window, and immediately I thought, boy, the light 393 00:26:46,315 --> 00:26:50,435 Speaker 1: is slightly more orange than it should be. What the 394 00:26:50,515 --> 00:26:53,595 Speaker 1: hell's wrong? I'm guessing it was no more than five 395 00:26:53,675 --> 00:26:56,475 Speaker 1: or ten percent different from usual. But as I've gone 396 00:26:56,515 --> 00:26:58,475 Speaker 1: to such lengths to point out, if you see the 397 00:26:58,555 --> 00:27:02,995 Speaker 1: same light through the same window in all conceivable conditions 398 00:27:03,035 --> 00:27:06,635 Speaker 1: almost every night for more than two years, five or 399 00:27:06,675 --> 00:27:10,235 Speaker 1: ten percent difference is a lot. I think. I lay 400 00:27:10,275 --> 00:27:11,915 Speaker 1: there trying to figure it out for a minute or 401 00:27:11,955 --> 00:27:15,115 Speaker 1: so when I realized it was now ten or fifteen 402 00:27:15,195 --> 00:27:20,635 Speaker 1: percent different. Cleverly, I got up and went to the 403 00:27:20,675 --> 00:27:22,835 Speaker 1: window and rolled up the shade and looked down to 404 00:27:22,915 --> 00:27:25,835 Speaker 1: that canopy ten floors below, and I must say, to 405 00:27:25,995 --> 00:27:31,155 Speaker 1: my credit, I quickly discerned that the canopy was on fire. 406 00:27:32,955 --> 00:27:36,635 Speaker 1: I reacted as almost everybody does matter of fact, we thinking, 407 00:27:36,715 --> 00:27:41,075 Speaker 1: maybe even saying out loud, hey, the canopy is on fire, 408 00:27:41,635 --> 00:27:44,555 Speaker 1: and then registering the fact that the fire had already 409 00:27:44,595 --> 00:27:47,675 Speaker 1: burned through the building end of that canopy, and it 410 00:27:47,715 --> 00:27:52,955 Speaker 1: was moving quickly outwards towards the street. Suggesting again, I 411 00:27:53,035 --> 00:27:56,555 Speaker 1: must say, I figured this out for myself, suggesting that 412 00:27:56,595 --> 00:28:00,995 Speaker 1: there was probably a fire in the lobby. Put a 413 00:28:01,115 --> 00:28:03,675 Speaker 1: robe on over my pajamas, I put on some shoes. 414 00:28:03,715 --> 00:28:06,275 Speaker 1: I grabbed my wallet and my keys, and I ventured 415 00:28:06,315 --> 00:28:08,635 Speaker 1: into the hallway. No smell of smoke, which I took 416 00:28:08,675 --> 00:28:13,195 Speaker 1: again intelligently, is a good sign. Two elevators were staring 417 00:28:13,195 --> 00:28:14,675 Speaker 1: me in the face, but I knew better than to 418 00:28:14,755 --> 00:28:18,515 Speaker 1: try them. I was, after all, the grandson of a firefighter. 419 00:28:19,435 --> 00:28:23,555 Speaker 1: So I opened the stairwell and then I smelled the smoke. Faint, 420 00:28:23,715 --> 00:28:27,275 Speaker 1: but it was there. I went down two floors, and 421 00:28:27,515 --> 00:28:29,835 Speaker 1: every step I took the smell got a little stronger. 422 00:28:30,355 --> 00:28:33,115 Speaker 1: I went back up, I went back into my apartment. 423 00:28:33,715 --> 00:28:36,315 Speaker 1: I did not really know what I was going to do. 424 00:28:37,715 --> 00:28:41,395 Speaker 1: Needless to say, ten floors is not jumpable. Also, there 425 00:28:41,435 --> 00:28:44,075 Speaker 1: was no outdoor fire escape like in many of the 426 00:28:44,075 --> 00:28:46,595 Speaker 1: New York City older apartment buildings, and even if I 427 00:28:46,635 --> 00:28:49,235 Speaker 1: went down the elevator or the stairs or the side 428 00:28:49,235 --> 00:28:51,915 Speaker 1: of the damned building, I would wind up right in 429 00:28:51,955 --> 00:28:55,475 Speaker 1: the middle of the fire. For a few seconds, I 430 00:28:55,555 --> 00:28:58,395 Speaker 1: really didn't know what to do next. Me, the grandson 431 00:28:58,475 --> 00:29:00,555 Speaker 1: of the man who was not only a firefighter, but 432 00:29:00,635 --> 00:29:07,435 Speaker 1: who drove the hook and ladder irony also fire. That's 433 00:29:07,475 --> 00:29:09,595 Speaker 1: when the sound of the fire engines broke me out 434 00:29:09,595 --> 00:29:13,475 Speaker 1: of self absorption and cheered me, I must say considerably. 435 00:29:13,915 --> 00:29:17,755 Speaker 1: They parked right near where that convenient canopy used to be, 436 00:29:18,195 --> 00:29:20,155 Speaker 1: but was now pretty much a charred hunk of the 437 00:29:20,195 --> 00:29:24,555 Speaker 1: metal framing and a little burned fabric. I'm sure you've 438 00:29:24,595 --> 00:29:28,515 Speaker 1: seen a fire. Maybe you've seen firefighters arrive at one 439 00:29:28,555 --> 00:29:31,315 Speaker 1: and get going with their amazing speed. But there is 440 00:29:31,355 --> 00:29:34,755 Speaker 1: something different in seeing it from the vantage point of 441 00:29:34,795 --> 00:29:39,555 Speaker 1: being above the fire. First, there is an extraordinary amount 442 00:29:39,595 --> 00:29:42,835 Speaker 1: of water, then a lot of smoke, then an almost 443 00:29:42,915 --> 00:29:46,555 Speaker 1: unstoppable instinct to say cool. And then you go and 444 00:29:46,635 --> 00:29:49,595 Speaker 1: check the stairwell again, and joyfully inhale the smell of 445 00:29:49,675 --> 00:29:52,435 Speaker 1: stuff that had been on fire but was now no 446 00:29:52,555 --> 00:29:57,315 Speaker 1: longer on fire and just inundated with water. Hallelujah. I 447 00:29:57,395 --> 00:29:59,715 Speaker 1: waited until after they left before I decided to go 448 00:29:59,755 --> 00:30:02,355 Speaker 1: back to my bed. I did not feel the need 449 00:30:02,435 --> 00:30:05,235 Speaker 1: to add to whatever loud chaos was going on in 450 00:30:05,315 --> 00:30:08,595 Speaker 1: the lobby or what had been the lobby, nor to 451 00:30:08,635 --> 00:30:11,355 Speaker 1: get any details about the fire, other than the key one, 452 00:30:11,395 --> 00:30:15,635 Speaker 1: which was it's out. But in the morning, since I 453 00:30:15,635 --> 00:30:18,995 Speaker 1: had to go to work anyway, I saw the elevator 454 00:30:19,035 --> 00:30:22,235 Speaker 1: door open onto the little linoleum covered landing in the lobby, 455 00:30:22,275 --> 00:30:24,675 Speaker 1: and saw that everything else but it in the lobby 456 00:30:24,795 --> 00:30:29,515 Speaker 1: was jet black. They were still hosing some of it down. 457 00:30:30,355 --> 00:30:34,715 Speaker 1: They were already pulling up burned carpet, installing new windows 458 00:30:34,755 --> 00:30:38,555 Speaker 1: and doors, and carting away what was left of the canopy. 459 00:30:38,635 --> 00:30:42,155 Speaker 1: And it was evident that as thorough a job as 460 00:30:42,155 --> 00:30:45,475 Speaker 1: had been done there, nothing else in the building had burned. Nothing. 461 00:30:47,435 --> 00:30:49,955 Speaker 1: In the days and weeks to come, the other residents 462 00:30:49,955 --> 00:30:52,795 Speaker 1: knowing I worked in news, clued me in on the 463 00:30:52,875 --> 00:30:55,915 Speaker 1: rumors and asked me to check them out. There was 464 00:30:55,955 --> 00:30:59,755 Speaker 1: a dispute, somebody said, involving the owner. There was something 465 00:30:59,755 --> 00:31:01,915 Speaker 1: about a woman. No, there was nothing about a woman. 466 00:31:02,155 --> 00:31:06,195 Speaker 1: But all of them, every story, every rumor, included the 467 00:31:06,235 --> 00:31:10,435 Speaker 1: obvious that was no voting accident. Somebody had thrown a 468 00:31:10,475 --> 00:31:15,035 Speaker 1: millet off cocktail into or against our front door. And 469 00:31:15,035 --> 00:31:18,035 Speaker 1: then there was the best of the stories, born out 470 00:31:18,315 --> 00:31:21,755 Speaker 1: or at least lent plausibility by the rapidity with which 471 00:31:21,795 --> 00:31:25,075 Speaker 1: the firefighters arrived, which thinking back on it was no 472 00:31:25,155 --> 00:31:28,195 Speaker 1: more than three or four minutes after I first saw 473 00:31:28,555 --> 00:31:32,955 Speaker 1: the extra orange glow. The best rumor was that the 474 00:31:32,995 --> 00:31:37,955 Speaker 1: fire department had been called by somebody before anybody in 475 00:31:38,035 --> 00:31:42,995 Speaker 1: the building had called. The implication was somebody called in 476 00:31:43,035 --> 00:31:48,515 Speaker 1: a fire and then started the fire. For forty years 477 00:31:48,555 --> 00:31:52,955 Speaker 1: plus I have been unable to find the truth. The fire, 478 00:31:53,035 --> 00:31:56,635 Speaker 1: doing superficial but ultimately not serious damage, did not make 479 00:31:56,715 --> 00:31:59,715 Speaker 1: the New York newspapers. Hell that year, I took a 480 00:31:59,795 --> 00:32:01,395 Speaker 1: subway to work in the morning and there was a 481 00:32:01,395 --> 00:32:04,115 Speaker 1: guy sprawled over three seats. And when I went home 482 00:32:04,155 --> 00:32:05,955 Speaker 1: that night, I happened to get on the exact same 483 00:32:06,035 --> 00:32:09,035 Speaker 1: train car, and there was the exact same guy sprawled 484 00:32:09,035 --> 00:32:11,675 Speaker 1: over the exact same three seats because he was dead. 485 00:32:12,595 --> 00:32:15,995 Speaker 1: And that didn't make the New York newspapers of three either. 486 00:32:17,115 --> 00:32:20,955 Speaker 1: We old timey New Yorkers, We lived on the edge. Baby. 487 00:32:22,515 --> 00:32:26,155 Speaker 1: All I know is that within weeks a doorman was hired. 488 00:32:26,315 --> 00:32:30,235 Speaker 1: His name was Geene, and he had a strong Irish accent, 489 00:32:30,755 --> 00:32:32,995 Speaker 1: and he was still there as of two thousand two. 490 00:32:33,635 --> 00:32:37,035 Speaker 1: And then the building suddenly went co op. All of 491 00:32:37,075 --> 00:32:40,635 Speaker 1: us renters were suddenly offered the chance to buy our apartments. 492 00:32:41,315 --> 00:32:43,035 Speaker 1: But I didn't want to take out a loan, and 493 00:32:43,075 --> 00:32:45,635 Speaker 1: I expected to be moving to Boston in the near future, 494 00:32:45,835 --> 00:32:48,675 Speaker 1: and I kept thinking about that Molotov cocktail. So I 495 00:32:48,835 --> 00:32:52,635 Speaker 1: turned down that apartment at the price of are you 496 00:32:52,755 --> 00:33:02,155 Speaker 1: lying down thirty six? Turned it down because yeah, there 497 00:33:02,235 --> 00:33:07,075 Speaker 1: was the fire and the loan and Boston. But ultimately 498 00:33:07,115 --> 00:33:10,155 Speaker 1: I turned it down, even just to keep his a 499 00:33:10,475 --> 00:33:14,155 Speaker 1: storage unit. I turned that apartment down because when it 500 00:33:14,235 --> 00:33:33,115 Speaker 1: comes to investments, I'm a moron. I've done all the 501 00:33:33,195 --> 00:33:36,435 Speaker 1: damage I can do here that is not meant literally obviously. 502 00:33:36,475 --> 00:33:38,715 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. If you're not following or subscribing 503 00:33:38,755 --> 00:33:42,995 Speaker 1: to the podcast. Please do so. Don't make me come 504 00:33:42,995 --> 00:33:47,275 Speaker 1: over there with a you know. Here are the credits. 505 00:33:47,315 --> 00:33:49,715 Speaker 1: Most of the music, including our theme from Beethoven's Ninth, 506 00:33:49,755 --> 00:33:52,235 Speaker 1: was arranged, produced and performed by Brian Ray and John 507 00:33:52,235 --> 00:33:55,475 Speaker 1: Philip s Chanelle. They are the Countdown musical directors. All 508 00:33:55,555 --> 00:33:59,275 Speaker 1: orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Chanelle, guitarist, bass and 509 00:33:59,355 --> 00:34:02,075 Speaker 1: drums by Brian Ray, produced by T k O Brothers 510 00:34:02,475 --> 00:34:05,515 Speaker 1: brother Beethoven selections have been arranged and perfore warmed by 511 00:34:05,555 --> 00:34:08,995 Speaker 1: No horns allowed. The sports music is the Alderman theme 512 00:34:09,035 --> 00:34:12,315 Speaker 1: from ESPN two, which was written by Mitch Warren Davis 513 00:34:12,435 --> 00:34:16,795 Speaker 1: and which appears courtesy of ESPN Incorporated musical comments from 514 00:34:16,875 --> 00:34:20,395 Speaker 1: Nancy Fauss. The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer 515 00:34:20,435 --> 00:34:23,555 Speaker 1: today was John Dene. Everything else was pretty much my fault. 516 00:34:24,075 --> 00:34:27,315 Speaker 1: So that's countdown for this the seven day since Donald 517 00:34:27,315 --> 00:34:30,595 Speaker 1: Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 518 00:34:30,595 --> 00:34:34,235 Speaker 1: the United States. Arrest him now while we still can. 519 00:34:35,195 --> 00:34:37,795 Speaker 1: New addition tomorrow. Until then, I'm Keith Alverman. Good morning, 520 00:34:37,795 --> 00:34:49,595 Speaker 1: good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman 521 00:34:49,755 --> 00:34:53,155 Speaker 1: is a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts 522 00:34:53,195 --> 00:34:55,875 Speaker 1: from I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 523 00:34:55,955 --> 00:34:59,355 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.