1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,035 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. What 2 00:00:22,395 --> 00:00:28,315 Speaker 1: would Donald Trump have done with Joe Biden? If January 3 00:00:28,475 --> 00:00:34,195 Speaker 1: sixth had somehow worked for all those wringing their hands 4 00:00:34,195 --> 00:00:37,355 Speaker 1: about disqualifying Trump from the ballot via the fourteenth Amendment 5 00:00:37,435 --> 00:00:40,675 Speaker 1: without a conviction, even though the fourteenth Amendment does not 6 00:00:40,795 --> 00:00:45,715 Speaker 1: say convicted or charged, just engaged in insurrection. For the 7 00:00:45,755 --> 00:00:50,235 Speaker 1: Steve Schmidts and the Byron Donaldses and the idiots from 8 00:00:50,315 --> 00:00:53,755 Speaker 1: New York Magazine and Robert F. Kennedy Junior, and the 9 00:00:53,835 --> 00:00:58,795 Speaker 1: transparently scheming Congressman Dean Phillips trying to primary the president 10 00:00:58,835 --> 00:01:02,235 Speaker 1: and pretend he's a Democrat. Let me repeat the question 11 00:01:02,355 --> 00:01:07,235 Speaker 1: with which I just began. If Trump's attempt to stop 12 00:01:07,355 --> 00:01:12,635 Speaker 1: the transfer of power by violence on January sixth, twenty 13 00:01:12,675 --> 00:01:18,515 Speaker 1: twenty one, had worked, or if Trump's eastman chesbro fake 14 00:01:18,595 --> 00:01:23,075 Speaker 1: Elector's coup had worked, or if Trump's Jeffrey Clark That's 15 00:01:23,115 --> 00:01:26,635 Speaker 1: why we have an Insurrection Act coup had worked, or 16 00:01:26,715 --> 00:01:31,075 Speaker 1: if Trump's Special Council Sidney Powell Seizes the Voting Machine's 17 00:01:31,155 --> 00:01:36,075 Speaker 1: coup had worked, If any subversion of the twenty twenty 18 00:01:36,155 --> 00:01:41,515 Speaker 1: election or violent or merely threatening violence overthrow of the 19 00:01:41,515 --> 00:01:44,195 Speaker 1: democratically elected government of the United States, or if any 20 00:01:44,355 --> 00:01:48,995 Speaker 1: other of Trump's perversions had worked, if noon on January 21 00:01:49,035 --> 00:01:53,235 Speaker 1: twentieth had come but Trump had not gone, what do 22 00:01:53,275 --> 00:01:58,435 Speaker 1: you think Donald Trump would have done with Joe Biden? 23 00:02:00,715 --> 00:02:03,635 Speaker 1: Or let me rephrase it, what would Donald Trump have 24 00:02:03,715 --> 00:02:09,635 Speaker 1: done too? Joe Biden the forty sixth President elect of 25 00:02:09,635 --> 00:02:13,275 Speaker 1: the United States, and he is prevented by whatever means, 26 00:02:13,675 --> 00:02:17,955 Speaker 1: from assuming office as demanded by the Constitution, and Trump 27 00:02:18,035 --> 00:02:24,195 Speaker 1: remains in power extra legally, extra judicially, extra constitutionally, and 28 00:02:24,315 --> 00:02:27,755 Speaker 1: we are to believe that Biden would have been left 29 00:02:27,955 --> 00:02:33,115 Speaker 1: free to speak in public, to appear on television, on 30 00:02:33,195 --> 00:02:36,955 Speaker 1: social media, in the courts, to talk to the Speaker 31 00:02:36,955 --> 00:02:40,315 Speaker 1: of the House of Representatives from the Democratic Party and 32 00:02:40,355 --> 00:02:42,955 Speaker 1: to the majority leader of the Senate from the Democratic Party, 33 00:02:43,515 --> 00:02:46,915 Speaker 1: to speak with Democratic governors with their authority over the 34 00:02:46,995 --> 00:02:50,835 Speaker 1: National Guard, to speak with anyone who just you know, 35 00:02:52,315 --> 00:02:57,835 Speaker 1: likes the constitution. Trump would have found a pretext to 36 00:02:57,995 --> 00:03:05,995 Speaker 1: detain President elect Biden, or he had pretext to detain 37 00:03:06,075 --> 00:03:08,595 Speaker 1: him a plan we just have not found out about yet. 38 00:03:10,435 --> 00:03:15,555 Speaker 1: And that's the best case scenario for having once crossed 39 00:03:15,595 --> 00:03:20,355 Speaker 1: the ultimate threshold, having ended two hundred and thirty seven 40 00:03:20,435 --> 00:03:25,995 Speaker 1: years of American democracy, having retained power as a dictator 41 00:03:26,675 --> 00:03:30,715 Speaker 1: by some other title. What would Trump have then not 42 00:03:31,115 --> 00:03:37,515 Speaker 1: been willing to do next to anybody still pawing at 43 00:03:37,595 --> 00:03:40,795 Speaker 1: the dirt and looking at the fourteenth Amendment, which was 44 00:03:40,875 --> 00:03:45,395 Speaker 1: used successfully and non violently and without convictions or charges, 45 00:03:45,995 --> 00:03:50,675 Speaker 1: and pretty much uncontroversially half a century before the nineteenth 46 00:03:50,715 --> 00:03:53,475 Speaker 1: Amendment was used to give votes to women, let me 47 00:03:53,595 --> 00:03:56,275 Speaker 1: ask you about whether it has dawned on you yet 48 00:03:56,515 --> 00:04:01,595 Speaker 1: that you are rationalizing superimposing a standard of proof not 49 00:04:01,835 --> 00:04:08,115 Speaker 1: required by the Constitution on a scumbag insurrectionist who tried 50 00:04:08,195 --> 00:04:12,675 Speaker 1: to overthrow the government and certainly had a second plan 51 00:04:12,795 --> 00:04:17,275 Speaker 1: of some kind ready if he succeeded, a second, darker, 52 00:04:17,715 --> 00:04:23,675 Speaker 1: bloodier plan. And guess what Trump's plan for Joe Biden 53 00:04:23,915 --> 00:04:29,755 Speaker 1: would not have required convictions either. Sorry to offend your sensibilities, 54 00:04:32,195 --> 00:04:35,715 Speaker 1: I mean, not to hammer this into the ground, and 55 00:04:35,795 --> 00:04:39,275 Speaker 1: not to cost you any sleep during the holiday season, 56 00:04:39,515 --> 00:04:44,275 Speaker 1: But what was the end game for Trump? On January sixth? 57 00:04:44,395 --> 00:04:49,395 Speaker 1: What happens to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and Nancy 58 00:04:49,395 --> 00:04:52,075 Speaker 1: Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and the editors of the New 59 00:04:52,155 --> 00:04:55,675 Speaker 1: York Times and the producers at PBS, and the Democratic 60 00:04:55,715 --> 00:04:59,355 Speaker 1: senators and the Republicans who spoke out against him. What 61 00:04:59,515 --> 00:05:04,675 Speaker 1: happens to all of them, Steve Schmidt, and to you 62 00:05:05,075 --> 00:05:11,035 Speaker 1: and to me, and most importantly, what would Trump have 63 00:05:11,195 --> 00:05:14,195 Speaker 1: done with a man he would have wanted the world 64 00:05:14,355 --> 00:05:19,555 Speaker 1: to believe was an extra American president, an illegitimate extra 65 00:05:19,675 --> 00:05:24,115 Speaker 1: American president, a man somehow involved. Trump would have said, 66 00:05:24,155 --> 00:05:26,435 Speaker 1: in the greatest political crime in the modern history of 67 00:05:26,475 --> 00:05:32,355 Speaker 1: the Western world. He would have had Joe Biden killed, 68 00:05:35,875 --> 00:05:38,915 Speaker 1: or if somebody had stopped him, Trump would have had 69 00:05:38,995 --> 00:05:43,635 Speaker 1: him seized somehow by someone by some official sounding but 70 00:05:43,715 --> 00:05:50,235 Speaker 1: ultimately fabricated and illegal and anti American quote authority. And 71 00:05:50,315 --> 00:05:55,515 Speaker 1: he would have had him held in communicado disappeared with 72 00:05:55,595 --> 00:06:00,915 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris and Pelosian Schumer and uncooperative senators and congressmen 73 00:06:00,955 --> 00:06:04,675 Speaker 1: of both parties, and hundreds of reporters and editors and governors, 74 00:06:05,155 --> 00:06:08,395 Speaker 1: and you and me and Schmidt and God knows how 75 00:06:08,475 --> 00:06:11,515 Speaker 1: many others on the pretext of God knows what kind 76 00:06:11,835 --> 00:06:17,395 Speaker 1: of imaginary plot we were all involved with to thwart 77 00:06:17,515 --> 00:06:26,635 Speaker 1: Trump by enforcing the Constitution. Bluntly, it is hard to 78 00:06:26,715 --> 00:06:29,835 Speaker 1: believe the following sentence could ever be said by anybody 79 00:06:29,835 --> 00:06:34,715 Speaker 1: at any time. But the darker, grimmer point about enforcing 80 00:06:34,755 --> 00:06:39,075 Speaker 1: the Constitution, enforcing the fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, is 81 00:06:39,075 --> 00:06:43,195 Speaker 1: that Trump's insurrection is not just what he planned and 82 00:06:43,275 --> 00:06:46,875 Speaker 1: fomented and watched with glee from the White House on 83 00:06:47,035 --> 00:06:52,835 Speaker 1: January sixth, not just what actually happened. It is more importantly, 84 00:06:52,915 --> 00:06:59,555 Speaker 1: more damningly about whatever he had planned next. That is 85 00:06:59,595 --> 00:07:03,435 Speaker 1: why the Colorado Supreme Court was right, because that second 86 00:07:03,475 --> 00:07:08,035 Speaker 1: plant is the true comparison to the Civil War traders 87 00:07:08,915 --> 00:07:12,835 Speaker 1: against whom the Fourteenth Amendment was first applied. Because the 88 00:07:12,875 --> 00:07:17,155 Speaker 1: Confederacy's plans involved killing the President of the United States 89 00:07:17,715 --> 00:07:21,515 Speaker 1: and the vice president and half the cabinet and burning 90 00:07:21,555 --> 00:07:25,395 Speaker 1: down New York City and using agents coming in from 91 00:07:25,475 --> 00:07:30,315 Speaker 1: Canada to seize Northern American ports, and just because the 92 00:07:30,315 --> 00:07:34,395 Speaker 1: Confederacy did not win the Civil War, those plans did 93 00:07:34,395 --> 00:07:40,315 Speaker 1: not miraculously disappear from the minds of the traders, just 94 00:07:40,395 --> 00:07:45,395 Speaker 1: as Trump's plans for what to do with one president 95 00:07:45,475 --> 00:07:51,155 Speaker 1: too many did not miraculously disappear from his diseased and 96 00:07:51,275 --> 00:07:58,355 Speaker 1: monomaniacal and traitorous mind in the context in which it 97 00:07:58,435 --> 00:08:02,555 Speaker 1: must be applied today, The Fourteenth Amendment is not about 98 00:08:03,155 --> 00:08:06,835 Speaker 1: what Trump did in twenty twenty and twenty twenty one. 99 00:08:06,915 --> 00:08:10,035 Speaker 1: It's about what else he was willing to do, and 100 00:08:10,115 --> 00:08:16,515 Speaker 1: what horrors he is willing to precipitate today and in 101 00:08:16,595 --> 00:08:21,635 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, next month, and God forbid, in January 102 00:08:21,635 --> 00:08:25,635 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty nine. The Fourteenth Amendment is not some 103 00:08:25,875 --> 00:08:29,715 Speaker 1: violation of our tradition of due process, just as Lincoln 104 00:08:29,795 --> 00:08:32,955 Speaker 1: defending the government of the United States by military force 105 00:08:32,995 --> 00:08:37,755 Speaker 1: in eighteen sixty one was not some violation of due process. 106 00:08:38,035 --> 00:08:40,995 Speaker 1: The simple truth is that Donald Trump has been treated 107 00:08:41,035 --> 00:08:45,995 Speaker 1: with kid gloves by this country, and, recognizing that the 108 00:08:46,035 --> 00:08:51,715 Speaker 1: Fourteenth Amendment has already disqualified him from running for president 109 00:08:51,915 --> 00:08:57,435 Speaker 1: or any office ever again in his goddamned life, this 110 00:08:57,635 --> 00:09:02,715 Speaker 1: is in fact a continuation of treating him with kid gloves. 111 00:09:04,675 --> 00:09:09,555 Speaker 1: Sixteen days shy of three full, long, agonizing years, this 112 00:09:09,755 --> 00:09:15,235 Speaker 1: nation has bent over backwards and not crushed the perpetrator 113 00:09:15,475 --> 00:09:19,075 Speaker 1: of insurrection and rebellion against the United States of America 114 00:09:19,115 --> 00:09:27,035 Speaker 1: and specifically its constitution. The Constitution, however, is self protecting. 115 00:09:27,875 --> 00:09:34,835 Speaker 1: That is what the fourteenth Amendment is. Four. If you 116 00:09:34,915 --> 00:09:40,355 Speaker 1: have doubts about it, ask yourself that question with which 117 00:09:40,395 --> 00:09:47,235 Speaker 1: I began rhetorically, if January sixth had succeeded, what would 118 00:09:47,235 --> 00:09:55,155 Speaker 1: Trump have then done with? And two, Joe Biden, keep 119 00:09:55,195 --> 00:09:59,155 Speaker 1: your answer to yourself and get the hell out of 120 00:09:59,235 --> 00:10:02,395 Speaker 1: the way of justice and get the hell out of 121 00:10:02,395 --> 00:10:09,155 Speaker 1: the way of the Constitution of the United States of America. 122 00:10:11,195 --> 00:10:15,835 Speaker 1: Oh but happily turns out Trump is not an insurrectionist. 123 00:10:16,035 --> 00:10:19,475 Speaker 1: You know how we know that because he's now posted 124 00:10:19,515 --> 00:10:25,675 Speaker 1: this online. I'm not an insurrectionist parenthesis peacefully and patriotically, 125 00:10:26,435 --> 00:10:32,715 Speaker 1: and parenthesis Biden is end quote. And you know how 126 00:10:32,715 --> 00:10:35,475 Speaker 1: you can tell Trump is telling the truth because he 127 00:10:35,675 --> 00:10:41,075 Speaker 1: used eleven whole words to deny that he's an insurrectionist. 128 00:10:41,795 --> 00:10:47,595 Speaker 1: The guy who writes thousand word long threads every three 129 00:10:47,715 --> 00:10:51,635 Speaker 1: days insisting the judge is lying and he is too 130 00:10:51,835 --> 00:10:54,995 Speaker 1: richer than all the rest of us bastards put together. 131 00:10:55,595 --> 00:11:05,115 Speaker 1: And those threads are all caps eleven words. Wait, his 132 00:11:05,235 --> 00:11:08,955 Speaker 1: next definitive post, Hitler, not me. None of my relatives 133 00:11:08,995 --> 00:11:12,635 Speaker 1: were from Braunau. I am not secretly related to him. 134 00:11:12,755 --> 00:11:15,875 Speaker 1: None of my relatives served into the sixteenth Bavarian Reserve 135 00:11:15,955 --> 00:11:20,035 Speaker 1: regiment with him. I've never even read Hitler's zweitez Buch. 136 00:11:21,435 --> 00:11:28,195 Speaker 1: Why hasn't Biden said this? The Republican rationales for Trump 137 00:11:28,275 --> 00:11:33,515 Speaker 1: channeling Hitler now baby Hitler channeling old Hitler, they are 138 00:11:33,635 --> 00:11:36,875 Speaker 1: happily so lame as to be genuinely funny at a 139 00:11:36,875 --> 00:11:40,195 Speaker 1: time when we need this. Senators Sullivan of Alaska and 140 00:11:40,315 --> 00:11:44,715 Speaker 1: Vance of Ohio actually wondered if maybe he was talking 141 00:11:44,755 --> 00:11:50,035 Speaker 1: about fentanyl. Congresswoman Mally Atacus of New York, who is 142 00:11:50,315 --> 00:11:55,115 Speaker 1: just not bright, said no, no, he was talking about 143 00:11:55,315 --> 00:11:59,675 Speaker 1: democratic policies. That's what he meant by poisoning. And then 144 00:11:59,675 --> 00:12:01,715 Speaker 1: Trump made all three of them look like idiots when 145 00:12:01,715 --> 00:12:04,235 Speaker 1: he said, no, you're right, I am saying the same 146 00:12:04,275 --> 00:12:06,955 Speaker 1: things as Hitler, but quote in a much different way, 147 00:12:08,715 --> 00:12:11,515 Speaker 1: and He's going to keep on saying it. Rolling Stone, 148 00:12:11,555 --> 00:12:15,515 Speaker 1: which has had sources who sometimes outlandish claims and predictions 149 00:12:15,515 --> 00:12:18,675 Speaker 1: about what Baby Hitler would do next have been scoffed at, 150 00:12:19,355 --> 00:12:22,475 Speaker 1: and then they turned out to be pretty much prescient 151 00:12:22,635 --> 00:12:26,315 Speaker 1: and exact. Rolling Stone quotes one of those sources again 152 00:12:26,435 --> 00:12:29,675 Speaker 1: is saying Trump quote said he's going to keep doing it. 153 00:12:29,995 --> 00:12:32,475 Speaker 1: He's going to keep saying they're poisoning the blood of 154 00:12:32,475 --> 00:12:35,875 Speaker 1: the nation and destroying and killing the country. He says, 155 00:12:35,915 --> 00:12:40,835 Speaker 1: it's a quote great line unquote. Well, of course it's 156 00:12:40,835 --> 00:12:42,715 Speaker 1: a great line. Look at what Hitler did with it 157 00:12:42,715 --> 00:12:46,995 Speaker 1: in the thirties. A second Rolling Stone source says Trump 158 00:12:47,035 --> 00:12:51,875 Speaker 1: thinks he's been quote too nice about the quote animals, 159 00:12:52,835 --> 00:12:58,035 Speaker 1: so he's going to get tougher and guess what. He 160 00:12:58,115 --> 00:13:00,875 Speaker 1: did it again last night. He put out a video 161 00:13:00,955 --> 00:13:03,715 Speaker 1: at seven four pm Eastern Standard time. 162 00:13:04,675 --> 00:13:08,315 Speaker 2: Integration is poisoning the blood of our nation. They're coming 163 00:13:08,355 --> 00:13:12,155 Speaker 2: from prisons, from mental institutions, from all over the world. 164 00:13:12,355 --> 00:13:15,355 Speaker 2: Without borders and fair elections, you don't have a country. 165 00:13:16,035 --> 00:13:20,515 Speaker 1: I didn't hear the word ventanyl in there, did you, 166 00:13:21,955 --> 00:13:24,355 Speaker 1: oil boy? As Nicole mally attack is going to be 167 00:13:24,435 --> 00:13:27,875 Speaker 1: sorely pressed to make up new bullshit excuses every day. 168 00:13:30,195 --> 00:13:33,995 Speaker 1: Back to disqualification. Early polling, the country favors enforcing the 169 00:13:34,035 --> 00:13:38,315 Speaker 1: fourteenth Amendment fifty four percent strongly or somewhat approved, thirty 170 00:13:38,315 --> 00:13:41,635 Speaker 1: five percent strongly or somewhat disapprove. That is a nineteen 171 00:13:41,755 --> 00:13:47,315 Speaker 1: point margin, with only eleven percent undecided. Hell, a quarter 172 00:13:47,355 --> 00:13:51,435 Speaker 1: of Republicans approve of it. It's a UGOV poll. And 173 00:13:51,475 --> 00:13:54,275 Speaker 1: they also did the general election with and without a 174 00:13:54,395 --> 00:13:58,875 Speaker 1: Trump conviction. It is forty four forty four. Right now 175 00:13:59,195 --> 00:14:02,715 Speaker 1: with a Trump conviction, it's forty six thirty nine Biden. 176 00:14:04,995 --> 00:14:08,635 Speaker 1: So now here's another question. Who else is ineligible to 177 00:14:08,755 --> 00:14:12,515 Speaker 1: run for any office now under the fourteenth Amendment, Because 178 00:14:12,555 --> 00:14:16,515 Speaker 1: if there's one scale the Supreme Court cannot stick its 179 00:14:16,515 --> 00:14:19,835 Speaker 1: thumb on for sure, it's for anybody running for Congress 180 00:14:19,915 --> 00:14:22,675 Speaker 1: or the Senate or governor, since the fourteenth has already 181 00:14:22,755 --> 00:14:26,915 Speaker 1: been used to disqualify people running for those offices. Trial 182 00:14:27,035 --> 00:14:31,155 Speaker 1: now under way in Atlanta to disqualify George's Lieutenant Governor 183 00:14:31,195 --> 00:14:37,155 Speaker 1: Burt Jones because he was one of Trump's fake electors, 184 00:14:37,195 --> 00:14:41,795 Speaker 1: bigger fish. Well, nobody's moved on Congressman Scott Perry yet, 185 00:14:42,035 --> 00:14:46,275 Speaker 1: but this has his name written all over it. Or 186 00:14:47,115 --> 00:14:51,915 Speaker 1: how about Ronald McDaniel. She has aspirations for elected office, 187 00:14:52,675 --> 00:14:55,555 Speaker 1: Well they're out the window. The Detroit News revealed last 188 00:14:55,635 --> 00:14:59,635 Speaker 1: night it has reviewed a recording from November seventeenth, twenty twenty, 189 00:14:59,795 --> 00:15:03,715 Speaker 1: in which Trump gets on the blower and pressures two 190 00:15:03,875 --> 00:15:07,955 Speaker 1: canvassers from I'm Wayne County, Michigan to not sign the 191 00:15:07,995 --> 00:15:11,755 Speaker 1: certification of the twenty twenty election for Biden in their state. 192 00:15:12,995 --> 00:15:15,795 Speaker 1: We've got to fight for our country. Trump is recorded 193 00:15:15,835 --> 00:15:19,035 Speaker 1: as saying on the call, we can't let these people 194 00:15:19,355 --> 00:15:24,195 Speaker 1: take our country away from us. Then another voice chimes 195 00:15:24,195 --> 00:15:27,235 Speaker 1: in and tells the two Michigan politicians, if you can 196 00:15:27,275 --> 00:15:30,715 Speaker 1: go home tonight, do not sign it. We will get 197 00:15:30,755 --> 00:15:36,955 Speaker 1: you attorneys. The voice was that of Ronald McDaniel, chairman 198 00:15:36,995 --> 00:15:40,315 Speaker 1: of the RNC. If she is now only hit with 199 00:15:40,435 --> 00:15:44,755 Speaker 1: the fourteenth Amendment, she'll be lucky because that's a crime 200 00:15:44,955 --> 00:15:51,755 Speaker 1: for which she could go to jail. Vivek Ramaswami is 201 00:15:51,795 --> 00:15:57,315 Speaker 1: probably safe. However, he is also probably nuts. It's clear 202 00:15:57,435 --> 00:15:59,915 Speaker 1: the puppet masters have lost their use for Biden and 203 00:15:59,955 --> 00:16:03,955 Speaker 1: are slowly sidelining him, he writes on Twitter X. But 204 00:16:04,035 --> 00:16:06,955 Speaker 1: the real trick is who they're propping up instead. It's 205 00:16:06,995 --> 00:16:11,155 Speaker 1: not Gavin or Michelle as I'd assumed before. It's far 206 00:16:11,195 --> 00:16:14,835 Speaker 1: more insidious. Open your eyes, folks, it's staring us right 207 00:16:14,915 --> 00:16:19,475 Speaker 1: in the face. Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh 208 00:16:19,475 --> 00:16:21,915 Speaker 1: my god. It's Taylor Swift. Oh my god, oh my god, 209 00:16:21,955 --> 00:16:26,075 Speaker 1: Oh my god. Taylor Swift's going to be president the 210 00:16:26,115 --> 00:16:32,315 Speaker 1: puppet masters Christ Trameslami is it Kermit the frog moron? 211 00:16:34,195 --> 00:16:36,395 Speaker 1: And of course, as you have already heard, a day 212 00:16:36,435 --> 00:16:39,115 Speaker 1: after the judge in the sea Os Ruby Freeman case 213 00:16:39,195 --> 00:16:41,755 Speaker 1: ruled that he has a history of trying to avoid 214 00:16:41,795 --> 00:16:44,795 Speaker 1: paying stuff, so they should and legally could claim there 215 00:16:44,835 --> 00:16:48,115 Speaker 1: one hundred and forty eight million dollars from Rudy Giuliani 216 00:16:48,195 --> 00:16:53,835 Speaker 1: right now. Rudy Giuliani filed for Chapter eleven yesterday from 217 00:16:53,915 --> 00:16:59,755 Speaker 1: marley bankrupt to actually bankrupt. In the document he claims 218 00:16:59,795 --> 00:17:02,435 Speaker 1: assets of up to ten million dollars, but debts of 219 00:17:02,915 --> 00:17:05,715 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty two point six million dollars. That 220 00:17:05,715 --> 00:17:11,035 Speaker 1: would be more right. The best part is the list 221 00:17:11,595 --> 00:17:16,275 Speaker 1: of debtors that Woody submitted in the filing that a 222 00:17:16,275 --> 00:17:21,355 Speaker 1: lot of experts think will be rejected anyway. There's this company, 223 00:17:22,075 --> 00:17:28,555 Speaker 1: Giuliani Partners, Rudy owes himself money. There's the federal government, 224 00:17:28,595 --> 00:17:30,755 Speaker 1: the New York State government. He owes a total of 225 00:17:30,795 --> 00:17:34,035 Speaker 1: a million in back taxes. By the way, the New 226 00:17:34,075 --> 00:17:36,515 Speaker 1: York Post once wrote me up because my accountant and 227 00:17:36,555 --> 00:17:39,995 Speaker 1: the irs were politely resolving a disagreement over seven hundred 228 00:17:39,995 --> 00:17:43,955 Speaker 1: and twenty five dollars over middle Wards taxes. Rudy owes 229 00:17:43,995 --> 00:17:46,875 Speaker 1: money to his former assistant, the one who said he 230 00:17:46,995 --> 00:17:50,555 Speaker 1: offered to sell pardons on Trump's behalf. He owes money 231 00:17:50,595 --> 00:17:53,235 Speaker 1: to a divorce accountant. Oh, and he owes money to 232 00:17:53,315 --> 00:18:04,435 Speaker 1: one Robert Hunter Biden. Rudy owes money to Hunter Biden. Rudy, Rudy, 233 00:18:04,795 --> 00:18:10,235 Speaker 1: Rudy Wait, Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. 234 00:18:11,155 --> 00:18:21,635 Speaker 3: Oh, oh, Nancy, WHOA Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. 235 00:18:21,795 --> 00:18:24,155 Speaker 1: Are you bankrupt? 236 00:18:24,675 --> 00:18:25,075 Speaker 2: Ah? 237 00:18:25,155 --> 00:18:31,995 Speaker 1: Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, are you bro Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. 238 00:18:32,115 --> 00:18:37,515 Speaker 4: Are you drugged of? Rudy Rudy? Did you go? 239 00:18:38,395 --> 00:18:38,755 Speaker 2: WHOA? 240 00:18:41,515 --> 00:18:50,875 Speaker 1: Thank you? Nancy post Also of interest here, Congressman Tim 241 00:18:50,915 --> 00:18:53,555 Speaker 1: Burchett says Republicans in the House are being blackmailed by 242 00:18:53,555 --> 00:18:58,715 Speaker 1: the Russians using honeypots. He goes into great detail. He 243 00:18:58,835 --> 00:19:02,955 Speaker 1: seems to know an awful lot about how this would 244 00:19:02,995 --> 00:19:09,635 Speaker 1: work in real time, like a lot like way too much. 245 00:19:10,715 --> 00:19:15,315 Speaker 1: But first, this is the last scheduled episode of the year. 246 00:19:16,555 --> 00:19:19,595 Speaker 1: I'm betting there will be a bulletin before in New 247 00:19:19,675 --> 00:19:22,915 Speaker 1: Year's Eve. So I have two things about it being 248 00:19:22,995 --> 00:19:25,595 Speaker 1: the last scheduled episode of the year. I've never asked 249 00:19:25,595 --> 00:19:31,115 Speaker 1: you to forward a given edition of the podcast to anybody, 250 00:19:31,155 --> 00:19:33,515 Speaker 1: but if you would forward this one to somebody who 251 00:19:33,555 --> 00:19:36,555 Speaker 1: does not listen, I think the point about what Trump 252 00:19:36,635 --> 00:19:39,955 Speaker 1: would have done to Biden had the coup worked is 253 00:19:39,995 --> 00:19:43,635 Speaker 1: an essential question, and I haven't heard it asked, at 254 00:19:43,715 --> 00:19:46,635 Speaker 1: least not recently, at least not in the context of 255 00:19:46,715 --> 00:19:50,875 Speaker 1: applying the fourteenth Amendment. And on a lighter note, I 256 00:19:50,875 --> 00:19:54,355 Speaker 1: think you may have noticed that I like being silly 257 00:19:54,755 --> 00:19:59,595 Speaker 1: about even these darkest of topics when possible, and that, 258 00:19:59,715 --> 00:20:03,035 Speaker 1: for some reason, even at my advanced age, I still 259 00:20:03,075 --> 00:20:09,155 Speaker 1: fancy myself a modern Tom Lairr. Wow, modern Tom Lahr 260 00:20:09,235 --> 00:20:15,155 Speaker 1: who can quote sing unquote for like thirteen fourteen seconds. 261 00:20:15,835 --> 00:20:20,435 Speaker 1: So here, just for you are all of the mock 262 00:20:20,555 --> 00:20:25,875 Speaker 1: songs I've done with Nancy Faust in twenty twenty three. 263 00:20:26,955 --> 00:20:35,315 Speaker 1: Enjoy and or hit stop immediately might be indedd in 264 00:20:35,435 --> 00:20:40,395 Speaker 1: the morning, Dean don The locks are gonna. 265 00:20:40,235 --> 00:20:46,035 Speaker 5: Charm, pitch me, jail me, fuck me, and fail me, 266 00:20:46,435 --> 00:20:47,755 Speaker 5: but get me to the. 267 00:20:47,915 --> 00:20:49,435 Speaker 1: Trial on time. 268 00:20:52,035 --> 00:20:52,875 Speaker 4: You make a bind. 269 00:20:52,995 --> 00:20:54,595 Speaker 1: Time to leave me, you. 270 00:20:54,675 --> 00:21:01,355 Speaker 6: Seal with forty cots against me and your bleed the 271 00:21:01,395 --> 00:21:07,515 Speaker 6: boss wants server deleaded, won't he you've ADVANTI leave me ucy. 272 00:21:09,995 --> 00:21:11,675 Speaker 1: Thinking it's a fast. 273 00:21:16,755 --> 00:21:25,515 Speaker 5: Ride a show, got food talk on ours, m F 274 00:21:26,355 --> 00:21:38,395 Speaker 5: baton for your drunken le sa dim dinzoba been doun 275 00:21:38,555 --> 00:21:43,635 Speaker 5: feed a fast mood, got. 276 00:21:45,515 --> 00:21:52,435 Speaker 4: A man and fell don Broyd boe some through. 277 00:21:56,875 --> 00:21:58,275 Speaker 1: Don't conant past. 278 00:22:00,515 --> 00:22:06,795 Speaker 7: I am so indicted and I just can't fight. I'm 279 00:22:06,875 --> 00:22:11,115 Speaker 7: about to go to jail in America likes it. I'm 280 00:22:11,275 --> 00:22:12,275 Speaker 7: so indicted. 281 00:22:13,275 --> 00:22:18,035 Speaker 6: My defensing they're tightened, and I know, I know the 282 00:22:18,155 --> 00:22:20,195 Speaker 6: unindicted co conspirators can bite it. 283 00:22:27,355 --> 00:22:35,395 Speaker 8: Can A get a witness? Canna righting a witness? Can 284 00:22:35,475 --> 00:22:44,315 Speaker 8: I timidate a witness? Canda terrorize a wedness? Thank you 285 00:22:44,515 --> 00:22:54,955 Speaker 8: Nancy Post. Reinvited and it feels so good. Reindied like 286 00:22:55,155 --> 00:22:59,595 Speaker 8: a file in wood. You want the big fit and 287 00:22:59,795 --> 00:23:00,755 Speaker 8: sugar freeze. 288 00:23:00,835 --> 00:23:02,635 Speaker 7: It is the. 289 00:23:02,795 --> 00:23:12,355 Speaker 1: Country so excited causes griefsty Thank you, Nancy Post. 290 00:23:19,475 --> 00:23:20,875 Speaker 4: Into something parked? 291 00:23:21,715 --> 00:23:26,315 Speaker 1: Hey you insurrection. Who you're gonna call gods? 292 00:23:26,555 --> 00:23:27,275 Speaker 7: My size? 293 00:23:28,635 --> 00:23:36,835 Speaker 1: Thank you Nancy Post. I had the scoop that you 294 00:23:37,155 --> 00:23:41,115 Speaker 1: had the contract. Then I had the story, the plane 295 00:23:41,195 --> 00:23:46,155 Speaker 1: and the hours. I wish you had signed with Toronto 296 00:23:46,435 --> 00:23:49,915 Speaker 1: Deer Show. He because now my career has been sent 297 00:23:50,075 --> 00:23:51,435 Speaker 1: to the showers. 298 00:23:52,715 --> 00:23:55,155 Speaker 4: Where where are you? 299 00:23:55,435 --> 00:23:55,835 Speaker 2: Do not? 300 00:23:56,795 --> 00:24:02,075 Speaker 1: How could you leave me here all alone? I searched 301 00:24:02,195 --> 00:24:05,195 Speaker 1: the world over and I thought up out of Nie. 302 00:24:05,515 --> 00:24:11,195 Speaker 1: But you met the Dodgers and you was gone, think Nancy. 303 00:24:11,195 --> 00:24:41,475 Speaker 4: If I host, this is Countdown with Keith Oberman Oberman, my. 304 00:24:41,595 --> 00:24:45,595 Speaker 1: Friend Larry David doing his impression of the late Yankee 305 00:24:45,675 --> 00:24:56,635 Speaker 1: Stadium Stentorian PA announcer Bob Shepherd introducing me. The streams 306 00:24:56,675 --> 00:24:59,475 Speaker 1: have merged, still to come on Countdown. End of the week, 307 00:24:59,715 --> 00:25:03,715 Speaker 1: end of the year. Merry Christmas with for my money, 308 00:25:03,755 --> 00:25:08,275 Speaker 1: the most Wonderful. He's cynical and stunningly prophetic. Of all 309 00:25:08,595 --> 00:25:12,115 Speaker 1: of the works of James Thurber, most of them read 310 00:25:12,395 --> 00:25:15,595 Speaker 1: like he wrote them last week. But this time he 311 00:25:15,715 --> 00:25:22,195 Speaker 1: wrote a story about Trump. But in nineteen forty The 312 00:25:22,355 --> 00:25:27,155 Speaker 1: Greatest Man in the World and Fridays with Thurber first 313 00:25:27,195 --> 00:25:29,435 Speaker 1: time for the daily roundup of the miss Grants, Morons 314 00:25:29,795 --> 00:25:34,315 Speaker 1: and Dunning Kruger effects specimens who constitute two days worst 315 00:25:34,555 --> 00:25:41,755 Speaker 1: Persons in the World World the Bronze Worse. Congressman Tim Burchett. 316 00:25:42,915 --> 00:25:46,835 Speaker 1: He has told a fascist podcast that he is confident 317 00:25:47,595 --> 00:25:51,315 Speaker 1: that a large number of conservative congressmen and women are 318 00:25:51,515 --> 00:25:56,075 Speaker 1: compromised by the Russians and by others. He thinks they 319 00:25:56,115 --> 00:26:01,475 Speaker 1: are being forced to vote against Republican bills by the Russians. 320 00:26:01,835 --> 00:26:04,955 Speaker 1: And I think he's whistling past graveyards there, But that's 321 00:26:04,995 --> 00:26:08,235 Speaker 1: not the point. The point is. Listen to this quote 322 00:26:08,275 --> 00:26:12,955 Speaker 1: from Tim Burchett. You know, the old honey pot. The 323 00:26:13,035 --> 00:26:15,395 Speaker 1: Russians do that, and I'm sure members of Congress have 324 00:26:15,475 --> 00:26:18,275 Speaker 1: been caught up. Why in the world would good conservatives 325 00:26:18,395 --> 00:26:21,755 Speaker 1: vote for crazy stuff like what we've been seeing. Here's 326 00:26:21,915 --> 00:26:25,275 Speaker 1: how it works. You're visiting, you're out of the country 327 00:26:25,435 --> 00:26:27,755 Speaker 1: or out of town, or you're in a motel or 328 00:26:27,835 --> 00:26:31,235 Speaker 1: at a bar in DC and whatever. You're into women, 329 00:26:31,475 --> 00:26:34,435 Speaker 1: men whatever comes up and they're very attractive, and they're 330 00:26:34,475 --> 00:26:37,035 Speaker 1: laughing at your jokes, and you're buying them a drink. 331 00:26:37,315 --> 00:26:39,475 Speaker 1: Next thing you know, you're in the motel room with 332 00:26:39,595 --> 00:26:42,195 Speaker 1: them naked. And next thing you know, you're about to 333 00:26:42,275 --> 00:26:45,635 Speaker 1: make a key vote, and what happens, Some well dressed 334 00:26:45,755 --> 00:26:50,555 Speaker 1: person comes up, whispers in your ear, Hey man, there's 335 00:26:50,635 --> 00:26:53,515 Speaker 1: tapes out on you. Were you in a motel room 336 00:26:53,675 --> 00:26:58,555 Speaker 1: on whatever with whoever, and you're like, uh oh, and 337 00:26:58,715 --> 00:27:01,955 Speaker 1: they say you really ought not to be voting for 338 00:27:02,155 --> 00:27:07,355 Speaker 1: this thing, and what do they do? It's human nature unquote, 339 00:27:09,315 --> 00:27:12,235 Speaker 1: just as shame Burchett couldn't go into any detail. Huh. 340 00:27:12,875 --> 00:27:15,715 Speaker 1: It's like, I mean, it's just a hunch on my 341 00:27:15,795 --> 00:27:17,315 Speaker 1: part here, but it's almost like he's been in the 342 00:27:17,435 --> 00:27:21,555 Speaker 1: room with the victims of the compromat and the people 343 00:27:21,635 --> 00:27:26,835 Speaker 1: doing the compromat. Just saying, by the way, the point 344 00:27:26,915 --> 00:27:31,115 Speaker 1: here is this has been characterized as Congressman Burchett thinks 345 00:27:31,115 --> 00:27:35,035 Speaker 1: a large number of conservative congressmen and women are compromised 346 00:27:35,075 --> 00:27:39,075 Speaker 1: by Russians and others. No, the real headlines should be phrased. 347 00:27:39,435 --> 00:27:43,355 Speaker 1: Congressman Burchette thinks there are actually some conservative congressmen and 348 00:27:43,435 --> 00:27:47,035 Speaker 1: women who are not being compromised by the Russians. Now 349 00:27:47,155 --> 00:27:53,275 Speaker 1: that's a story runners up worser the Washington Post. If 350 00:27:53,315 --> 00:27:55,635 Speaker 1: you noticed that in the last year the Washington Post 351 00:27:55,715 --> 00:27:59,795 Speaker 1: started to let me use a journalistic insider term here, 352 00:28:00,115 --> 00:28:03,795 Speaker 1: If you notice the Washington Post started to suck, you 353 00:28:03,915 --> 00:28:07,595 Speaker 1: ain't seen nothing than yet. The new publisher and CEO 354 00:28:07,915 --> 00:28:11,275 Speaker 1: just appointed by Jeff Bezos to replace the last publisher 355 00:28:11,315 --> 00:28:14,835 Speaker 1: and CEO who made the Post suck. He is Sir 356 00:28:15,075 --> 00:28:18,235 Speaker 1: William Lewis, and apart from the fact that he is 357 00:28:18,275 --> 00:28:21,595 Speaker 1: a Murdoch editor, he ran the Wall Street Journal. He 358 00:28:21,715 --> 00:28:24,835 Speaker 1: helped run the company that ran Murdoch's News of the World, 359 00:28:25,195 --> 00:28:27,835 Speaker 1: which was so up to its neck in the infamous 360 00:28:28,075 --> 00:28:32,195 Speaker 1: British phone hacking journalism scandal, which included the stealing of 361 00:28:32,355 --> 00:28:37,315 Speaker 1: voicemails of a murdered British teenaged girl. It was so 362 00:28:37,555 --> 00:28:42,035 Speaker 1: infamous that Rupert Murdoch closed the paper down rather than 363 00:28:42,115 --> 00:28:45,995 Speaker 1: deal with the fallout of the hacking scandal. This is 364 00:28:46,075 --> 00:28:50,315 Speaker 1: the guy who will now run the Washington Post. Talk 365 00:28:50,355 --> 00:28:55,115 Speaker 1: about compromot. Think they got Jeff Bezos this time? Hey, 366 00:28:55,195 --> 00:28:59,915 Speaker 1: New York Times, better step up, boys, But our winner 367 00:29:00,555 --> 00:29:05,595 Speaker 1: the worst. John Schneider, that actor from the Dukes of 368 00:29:05,675 --> 00:29:09,595 Speaker 1: Hazzard who I'm guessing you like me, thought was dead. 369 00:29:10,795 --> 00:29:14,635 Speaker 1: He has been body snatched though, Mister President, he writes 370 00:29:14,715 --> 00:29:17,315 Speaker 1: in a response to a tweet from Joe Biden, I 371 00:29:17,515 --> 00:29:20,435 Speaker 1: believe you are guilty of treason and should be publicly 372 00:29:20,555 --> 00:29:27,955 Speaker 1: hung your son too. Your response is sincerely John Schneider unquote. 373 00:29:30,315 --> 00:29:33,235 Speaker 1: I'm guessing Biden's response would be who in the hell 374 00:29:33,355 --> 00:29:39,595 Speaker 1: is John Schneider Like he's gonna respond to you, dude, John. Also, 375 00:29:39,715 --> 00:29:43,835 Speaker 1: it's hanged dim bulb, unless you're referring to those photos 376 00:29:43,835 --> 00:29:46,435 Speaker 1: of Hunter that Marjorie Taylor Green showed in the House 377 00:29:46,475 --> 00:29:49,515 Speaker 1: Committee and then took home with her Waka waka Schneider 378 00:29:49,795 --> 00:30:13,955 Speaker 1: two days worse person in the world. Okay, the last 379 00:30:14,475 --> 00:30:17,315 Speaker 1: Fridays with Thurber for the year twenty twenty three, And 380 00:30:17,435 --> 00:30:21,555 Speaker 1: once again I can never get over how prophetic this was. 381 00:30:22,355 --> 00:30:26,115 Speaker 1: James Thurber wrote this story in the nineteen thirties, and 382 00:30:26,315 --> 00:30:32,035 Speaker 1: it is as bitterly cynical and deeply observant as anything 383 00:30:32,115 --> 00:30:34,515 Speaker 1: else he ever wrote, And nearly everything he wrote was 384 00:30:35,075 --> 00:30:40,755 Speaker 1: bitterly cynical and deeply observant. The greatest man in the world. 385 00:30:41,555 --> 00:30:43,715 Speaker 1: When it turns out the greatest man in the world 386 00:30:43,915 --> 00:30:51,395 Speaker 1: is Trump, and he's fooled everybody. Only this was written 387 00:30:51,995 --> 00:30:57,635 Speaker 1: before Trump was born, James Thurber and the greatest man 388 00:30:58,235 --> 00:31:02,795 Speaker 1: in the world. Looking back on it now from the 389 00:31:02,915 --> 00:31:05,915 Speaker 1: vantage point of nineteen forty one can only marvel that 390 00:31:05,995 --> 00:31:08,915 Speaker 1: it had not happened. Long before it did. The United 391 00:31:08,955 --> 00:31:13,435 Speaker 1: States of America had been ever since Kitty Hawk blindly 392 00:31:13,595 --> 00:31:17,595 Speaker 1: constructing the elaborate petard by which, sooner or later it 393 00:31:18,075 --> 00:31:22,675 Speaker 1: must be hoist. It was inevitable that someday there would 394 00:31:22,675 --> 00:31:25,515 Speaker 1: come roaring out of the skies a national hero of 395 00:31:25,635 --> 00:31:30,195 Speaker 1: insufficient intelligence, background and character, successfully to endure the mounting 396 00:31:30,395 --> 00:31:33,795 Speaker 1: orgies of glory prepared for aviators who stayed up for 397 00:31:33,875 --> 00:31:39,155 Speaker 1: a long time or flew a great distance. Both Lindbergh 398 00:31:39,195 --> 00:31:43,475 Speaker 1: and Byrd, fortunately for national decorum and international amity, had 399 00:31:43,515 --> 00:31:47,835 Speaker 1: been gentlemen, So had our other famous aviators. They wore 400 00:31:47,955 --> 00:31:51,915 Speaker 1: their laurels, gracefully, withstood the awful weather of publicity, married 401 00:31:51,995 --> 00:31:56,435 Speaker 1: excellent women, usually fine family, and quietly retired to private 402 00:31:56,515 --> 00:32:00,875 Speaker 1: life and the enjoyment of their varying fortunes. No untoward 403 00:32:01,035 --> 00:32:04,835 Speaker 1: incidents on a worldwide scale marred the perfection of their 404 00:32:04,915 --> 00:32:09,315 Speaker 1: conduct on the perilous heights of fame. The exception to 405 00:32:09,435 --> 00:32:14,795 Speaker 1: the rule was, however, bound to occur, and it did 406 00:32:15,435 --> 00:32:21,195 Speaker 1: in July nineteen thirty seven, when Jack pal smirch erstwhile 407 00:32:21,275 --> 00:32:25,515 Speaker 1: mechanics helper in a small garage in Westfield, Iowa, flew 408 00:32:25,595 --> 00:32:31,275 Speaker 1: a second hand, single motored Bresthaven Dragonfly three monoplane all 409 00:32:31,515 --> 00:32:38,395 Speaker 1: the way around the world, without stopping. Never before in 410 00:32:38,475 --> 00:32:40,955 Speaker 1: the history of aviation had such a flight as Smirches 411 00:32:40,995 --> 00:32:44,675 Speaker 1: even been dreamed of. No one had even taken seriously 412 00:32:44,755 --> 00:32:48,555 Speaker 1: the weird floating auxiliary gas tanks invention of the mad 413 00:32:48,635 --> 00:32:52,795 Speaker 1: New Hampshire professor of astronomy, doctor Charles Lewis Gresham, upon 414 00:32:52,875 --> 00:32:57,315 Speaker 1: which Smirch placed full reliance. When the garage worker, a 415 00:32:57,395 --> 00:33:02,515 Speaker 1: slightly built, surly unprepossessing young man of twenty two, appeared 416 00:33:02,555 --> 00:33:06,475 Speaker 1: at Roosevelt Field early in July nineteen thirty seven, slowly 417 00:33:06,835 --> 00:33:11,515 Speaker 1: chewing a great quid of scrap tobacco, and announced nobody 418 00:33:11,595 --> 00:33:15,835 Speaker 1: ain't seen no flying yet. The newspapers touched briefly and 419 00:33:16,035 --> 00:33:21,755 Speaker 1: satirically upon his projected twenty five thousand mile flight. Aeronautical 420 00:33:21,955 --> 00:33:25,635 Speaker 1: and automotive experts dismissed the idea, curtly, implying that it 421 00:33:25,715 --> 00:33:30,235 Speaker 1: was a hoax of publicity stunt. The rusty, battered second 422 00:33:30,315 --> 00:33:37,155 Speaker 1: hand plane wouldn't go, the Gresham auxiliary tanks wouldn't work. 423 00:33:38,155 --> 00:33:44,835 Speaker 1: It was simply a cheap joke. Smirch, however, after calling 424 00:33:44,875 --> 00:33:47,315 Speaker 1: on a girl in Brooklyn who worked in the flap 425 00:33:47,435 --> 00:33:50,675 Speaker 1: folding department of a large paper box factory, a girl 426 00:33:50,995 --> 00:33:56,035 Speaker 1: whom he later described as his sweet Pittuti, climbed nonchalantly 427 00:33:56,115 --> 00:33:59,915 Speaker 1: into his ridiculous plane at dawn the memorable seventh of 428 00:33:59,995 --> 00:34:04,115 Speaker 1: July nineteen thirty seven, spit a curve of tobacco juice 429 00:34:04,155 --> 00:34:07,155 Speaker 1: into the still air, and took off, carrying with him 430 00:34:07,475 --> 00:34:11,995 Speaker 1: only a gallon of bootleg gin and six pounds of salami. 431 00:34:14,355 --> 00:34:16,915 Speaker 1: When the garage boy thundered out over the ocean, the 432 00:34:16,995 --> 00:34:20,235 Speaker 1: papers were forced to record in all seriousness that a mad, 433 00:34:20,675 --> 00:34:25,275 Speaker 1: unknown young man his name was variously misspelled, had actually 434 00:34:25,515 --> 00:34:28,755 Speaker 1: set out upon a preposterous attempt to span the world 435 00:34:28,835 --> 00:34:32,395 Speaker 1: in a rickety one engine contraption, trusting to the long 436 00:34:32,515 --> 00:34:37,755 Speaker 1: distance refueling device of a crazy schoolmaster. When nine days later, 437 00:34:38,035 --> 00:34:41,475 Speaker 1: without having stopped once, the tiny plane appeared above San 438 00:34:41,555 --> 00:34:44,995 Speaker 1: Francisco Bay, headed for New York, spluttering and choking, to 439 00:34:45,075 --> 00:34:49,275 Speaker 1: be sure, but still magnificently and miraculously aloft the headlines, 440 00:34:49,515 --> 00:34:52,875 Speaker 1: which long since had crowded everything else off the front page. 441 00:34:53,115 --> 00:34:55,595 Speaker 1: Even the shooting of the Governor of Illinois by the 442 00:34:55,675 --> 00:35:00,795 Speaker 1: Valetti Gang swelled to unprecedented size, and the news stories 443 00:35:00,795 --> 00:35:05,915 Speaker 1: began to run to twenty five and thirty columns. It 444 00:35:06,155 --> 00:35:11,195 Speaker 1: was noticeable, however, that the accounts of the epoch making 445 00:35:11,395 --> 00:35:17,235 Speaker 1: flight touched rather lightly upon the aviator himself. This was 446 00:35:17,355 --> 00:35:19,795 Speaker 1: not because the facts about the hero as a man 447 00:35:19,875 --> 00:35:26,115 Speaker 1: were too meager, but because they were too complete. Reporters 448 00:35:26,195 --> 00:35:28,795 Speaker 1: who had been rushed out to Iowa when Smirch's plane 449 00:35:28,915 --> 00:35:31,515 Speaker 1: was first sighted over the little French coast town of 450 00:35:31,795 --> 00:35:34,435 Speaker 1: Serlee Lemaire to dig up the story of the great 451 00:35:34,515 --> 00:35:38,035 Speaker 1: man's life, had promptly discovered that the story of his 452 00:35:38,155 --> 00:35:42,275 Speaker 1: life could not be printed. His mother, a sullen short 453 00:35:42,435 --> 00:35:44,475 Speaker 1: order cook and a shack restaurant on the edge of 454 00:35:44,515 --> 00:35:48,315 Speaker 1: a tourists camping ground near Westfield, met all inquiries as 455 00:35:48,355 --> 00:35:50,635 Speaker 1: to her son with an angry and the hell with 456 00:35:50,755 --> 00:35:54,435 Speaker 1: him a help he drowns. His father appeared to be 457 00:35:54,555 --> 00:35:58,995 Speaker 1: in jail somewhere for stealing spotlights and lap robes from 458 00:35:59,115 --> 00:36:03,835 Speaker 1: tourists automobiles. His young brother, a weak minded lad, had 459 00:36:03,915 --> 00:36:06,755 Speaker 1: but recently a gate from the Preston, Iowa Reformatory, and 460 00:36:06,915 --> 00:36:09,715 Speaker 1: was already wanted in several western towns for the theft 461 00:36:09,755 --> 00:36:14,595 Speaker 1: of money order blanks from post offices. These alarming discoveries 462 00:36:14,835 --> 00:36:17,715 Speaker 1: were still piling up at the very time that Pal Smirch, 463 00:36:18,075 --> 00:36:22,155 Speaker 1: the greatest hero of the twentieth century, blear eyed, dead 464 00:36:22,235 --> 00:36:26,275 Speaker 1: for sleep, half starved, was piloting his crazy junk heap 465 00:36:26,395 --> 00:36:28,755 Speaker 1: high above the region in which the lamentable story of 466 00:36:28,795 --> 00:36:31,835 Speaker 1: his private life was being unearthed, headed for New York 467 00:36:32,035 --> 00:36:34,835 Speaker 1: and a greater glory than any man of his time 468 00:36:34,955 --> 00:36:42,115 Speaker 1: had ever known. The necessity for printing some account in 469 00:36:42,195 --> 00:36:45,275 Speaker 1: the papers of the young man's career and personality had 470 00:36:45,355 --> 00:36:48,835 Speaker 1: led to a remarkable predicament. It was, of course, impossible 471 00:36:48,915 --> 00:36:52,795 Speaker 1: to reveal the facts, for a tremendous popular feeling in 472 00:36:52,955 --> 00:36:55,275 Speaker 1: favor of the young hero had sprung up like a 473 00:36:55,355 --> 00:36:58,235 Speaker 1: grass fire when he was halfway across Europe on his 474 00:36:58,315 --> 00:37:02,075 Speaker 1: flight around the globe. He was therefore described as a modest, 475 00:37:02,195 --> 00:37:08,075 Speaker 1: chap taciturn blonde, popular with his friends, popular with girls. 476 00:37:08,875 --> 00:37:12,275 Speaker 1: The only available snapshot of Smirch, taken at the wheel 477 00:37:12,355 --> 00:37:15,115 Speaker 1: of a phony automobile in a cheap photo studio at 478 00:37:15,155 --> 00:37:17,995 Speaker 1: an amusement park, was touched up so that the little 479 00:37:18,155 --> 00:37:23,915 Speaker 1: vulgarian looked quite handsome. His twisted leer was smoothed into 480 00:37:23,955 --> 00:37:27,675 Speaker 1: a pleasant smile. The truth was in this way kept 481 00:37:27,715 --> 00:37:31,395 Speaker 1: from the youth's ecstatic compatriots. They did not dream that 482 00:37:31,515 --> 00:37:35,675 Speaker 1: the Smirch family was despised and feared by its neighbors 483 00:37:35,715 --> 00:37:38,675 Speaker 1: in the obscure Iowa town, nor that the hero himself, 484 00:37:39,315 --> 00:37:42,995 Speaker 1: because of numerous unsavory exploits, had come to be regarded 485 00:37:43,035 --> 00:37:48,635 Speaker 1: in Westfield as a nuisance and a menace. Pal's Smirch had, 486 00:37:48,755 --> 00:37:52,515 Speaker 1: the reporters discovered, once knife the principle of his high school, 487 00:37:53,195 --> 00:37:55,555 Speaker 1: not mortally, to be sure, but he had knifed him, 488 00:37:56,195 --> 00:37:59,755 Speaker 1: and on another occasion, surprised in the act of an 489 00:38:00,035 --> 00:38:03,275 Speaker 1: stealing altar cloth from a church, he had bashed the 490 00:38:03,395 --> 00:38:07,355 Speaker 1: sexton over the head the pot of Easter lilies. For 491 00:38:07,515 --> 00:38:10,635 Speaker 1: each of these offenses he had served a sentence in 492 00:38:10,675 --> 00:38:15,675 Speaker 1: the reformatory. Inwardly, the authorities, both in New York and 493 00:38:15,795 --> 00:38:20,435 Speaker 1: in Washington, prayed that an understanding providence might, however awful, 494 00:38:20,675 --> 00:38:25,155 Speaker 1: such a thing seemed, bring disaster to the rusty, battered 495 00:38:25,155 --> 00:38:28,475 Speaker 1: plane and its illustrious pilot, whose unheard of flight had 496 00:38:28,555 --> 00:38:33,555 Speaker 1: aroused the civilized world to hosannas of hysterical praise. The 497 00:38:33,675 --> 00:38:37,115 Speaker 1: authorities were convinced that the character of the renowned aviator 498 00:38:37,275 --> 00:38:40,195 Speaker 1: was such that the limelight of adulation was bound to 499 00:38:40,355 --> 00:38:44,875 Speaker 1: reveal him to all the world as a congenital hooligan, 500 00:38:45,355 --> 00:38:49,875 Speaker 1: mentally and morally unequipped to cope with his own prodigious fame. 501 00:38:51,395 --> 00:38:53,915 Speaker 1: I trust, said the Secretary of State, at one of 502 00:38:53,955 --> 00:38:57,835 Speaker 1: the many secret cabinet meetings called to consider the national dilemma. 503 00:38:58,475 --> 00:39:03,995 Speaker 1: I trust that his mother's prayer will be answered, by 504 00:39:04,075 --> 00:39:06,995 Speaker 1: which he ref to missus Emma's Smirch's wish that her 505 00:39:07,075 --> 00:39:11,315 Speaker 1: son might be drowned. It was, however, too late for 506 00:39:11,435 --> 00:39:14,395 Speaker 1: that Smirch had leaped the Atlantic and then the Pacific 507 00:39:14,435 --> 00:39:17,355 Speaker 1: as if they were mill ponds. At three minutes after 508 00:39:17,435 --> 00:39:20,715 Speaker 1: two o'clock on the afternoon of July seventeenth, nineteen thirty seven, 509 00:39:20,915 --> 00:39:24,715 Speaker 1: the garage boy brought his idiotic plane into Roosevelt Field 510 00:39:24,755 --> 00:39:29,755 Speaker 1: for a perfect three point landing. It had, of course 511 00:39:30,235 --> 00:39:32,795 Speaker 1: been out of the question to arrange a modest little 512 00:39:32,875 --> 00:39:35,795 Speaker 1: reception for the greatest flier in the history of the world. 513 00:39:36,115 --> 00:39:38,995 Speaker 1: He was received at Roosevelt Field with such elaborate and 514 00:39:39,075 --> 00:39:44,795 Speaker 1: pretentious ceremonies as rocked the world. Fortunately, however, the worn 515 00:39:44,915 --> 00:39:48,955 Speaker 1: and spent hero, promptly swooned, had to be removed bodily 516 00:39:49,035 --> 00:39:51,475 Speaker 1: from his plane, and was spirited from the field without 517 00:39:51,515 --> 00:39:55,235 Speaker 1: having opened his mouth once. Thus he did not jeopardize 518 00:39:55,315 --> 00:39:59,675 Speaker 1: the dignity of his first reception, a reception illumined by 519 00:39:59,715 --> 00:40:02,355 Speaker 1: the presence of the Secretaries of War and the Navy, 520 00:40:02,635 --> 00:40:05,915 Speaker 1: Mayor Michael J. Moriarty of New York, the Premier of Canada, 521 00:40:06,195 --> 00:40:09,675 Speaker 1: Governors Fanamine Groves, mcpheey and Critchfield, and a brilliant array 522 00:40:09,715 --> 00:40:13,875 Speaker 1: of European diplomats. Smirch did not, in fact come too 523 00:40:14,635 --> 00:40:17,435 Speaker 1: in time to take part in the gigantic hullabaloo arranged 524 00:40:17,435 --> 00:40:20,035 Speaker 1: at City Hall for the next day. He was rushed 525 00:40:20,075 --> 00:40:24,395 Speaker 1: to a secluded nursing home and confined in bed. It 526 00:40:24,555 --> 00:40:27,035 Speaker 1: was nine days before he was able to get up, or, 527 00:40:27,155 --> 00:40:33,115 Speaker 1: to be more exact, before he was permitted to get up. Meanwhile, 528 00:40:33,155 --> 00:40:35,835 Speaker 1: the greatest minds in the country, in solemn assembly, had 529 00:40:35,955 --> 00:40:40,155 Speaker 1: arranged a secret conference of city, state and government officials, 530 00:40:40,195 --> 00:40:43,435 Speaker 1: which Smirch was to attend for the purpose of being 531 00:40:43,555 --> 00:40:50,315 Speaker 1: instructed in the ethics and behavior of heroism. On the 532 00:40:50,395 --> 00:40:52,715 Speaker 1: day that the little mechanic was finally allowed to get 533 00:40:52,795 --> 00:40:54,795 Speaker 1: up in dress, and for the first time in two weeks, 534 00:40:54,835 --> 00:40:57,835 Speaker 1: took a great chew of tobacco. He was permitted to receive. 535 00:40:58,035 --> 00:41:01,395 Speaker 1: The newspaper men this by way of testing him out. 536 00:41:02,715 --> 00:41:06,675 Speaker 1: Smirch did not wait for questions. Use guys, he said, 537 00:41:07,355 --> 00:41:10,955 Speaker 1: and the Times Man winced. Use guys can tell a 538 00:41:11,035 --> 00:41:15,115 Speaker 1: cock eyed world that I put it over on Lindbergh. See, yeah, 539 00:41:15,515 --> 00:41:21,395 Speaker 1: made an asset. I'm two frogs. The two frogs was 540 00:41:21,435 --> 00:41:24,835 Speaker 1: a reference to a pair of gallant French flyers who, 541 00:41:24,915 --> 00:41:27,515 Speaker 1: in attempting to flight only halfway around the world, had 542 00:41:27,515 --> 00:41:31,515 Speaker 1: two weeks before unhappily been lost at sea. The Times 543 00:41:31,595 --> 00:41:33,835 Speaker 1: Man was bold enough at this point to sketch out 544 00:41:33,875 --> 00:41:37,555 Speaker 1: for Smirch the accepted formula for interviews in cases of 545 00:41:37,635 --> 00:41:40,715 Speaker 1: this kind. He explained that there should be no arrogant 546 00:41:40,835 --> 00:41:45,435 Speaker 1: statements belittling the achievements of other heroes, particularly heroes of 547 00:41:45,555 --> 00:41:49,155 Speaker 1: foreign nations. Ah the hell with that, said Smirch. 548 00:41:50,035 --> 00:41:50,435 Speaker 5: I did it. 549 00:41:50,595 --> 00:41:54,915 Speaker 1: See I did it, and I'm talking about it. And 550 00:41:55,155 --> 00:41:59,435 Speaker 1: he did talk about it. None of this extraordinary interview was, 551 00:41:59,475 --> 00:42:03,995 Speaker 1: of course printed. On the contrary, the newspapers already under 552 00:42:04,035 --> 00:42:06,635 Speaker 1: the discipline direction of a secret directorate created for the 553 00:42:06,675 --> 00:42:10,355 Speaker 1: occasion and composed of statesmen and editors gave out to 554 00:42:10,435 --> 00:42:13,995 Speaker 1: a panting and restless world that Jackie, as he had 555 00:42:14,035 --> 00:42:17,635 Speaker 1: been arbitrarily nicknamed, would consent to say only that he 556 00:42:17,875 --> 00:42:20,995 Speaker 1: was very happy and that anyone could have done what 557 00:42:21,075 --> 00:42:25,755 Speaker 1: he did. My achievement has been I fear slightly exaggerated. 558 00:42:25,995 --> 00:42:29,555 Speaker 1: The Times Man's article had him protest with a modest smile. 559 00:42:30,435 --> 00:42:33,995 Speaker 1: These newspaper stories were kept from the hero, a restriction 560 00:42:34,275 --> 00:42:37,395 Speaker 1: which did not serve to abate the rising malevolence of 561 00:42:37,475 --> 00:42:43,555 Speaker 1: his temper. The situation was indeed extremely grave for Palell's. 562 00:42:43,555 --> 00:42:49,155 Speaker 1: Smirch was, as he kept insisting, raring to go. He 563 00:42:49,235 --> 00:42:51,715 Speaker 1: could not much longer be kept from a nation clamorous 564 00:42:51,755 --> 00:42:54,955 Speaker 1: to lionize him. It was the most desperate crisis the 565 00:42:55,115 --> 00:42:57,835 Speaker 1: United States of America had faced since the sinking of 566 00:42:57,955 --> 00:43:04,235 Speaker 1: the Lusitania. On the afternoon of the twenty seventh of July, 567 00:43:04,755 --> 00:43:07,075 Speaker 1: Mrch was spirited away to a conference room in which 568 00:43:07,075 --> 00:43:12,075 Speaker 1: were gathered mayors, governors, government officials, behaviorist, psychologists, and editors. 569 00:43:12,755 --> 00:43:16,355 Speaker 1: He gave them each a limp moist paw and a brief, 570 00:43:17,075 --> 00:43:22,715 Speaker 1: unlovely grin hi, he said. When Smirch was seated, the 571 00:43:22,795 --> 00:43:26,155 Speaker 1: mayor of New York arose and with obvious pessimism, attempted 572 00:43:26,195 --> 00:43:28,715 Speaker 1: to explain what he must say and how he must 573 00:43:28,835 --> 00:43:32,315 Speaker 1: act when presented to the world, ending his talk with 574 00:43:32,395 --> 00:43:35,635 Speaker 1: a high tribute to the hero's courage and integrity. The 575 00:43:35,755 --> 00:43:38,515 Speaker 1: mayor was followed by Governor Fannaman of New York, who, 576 00:43:38,555 --> 00:43:43,515 Speaker 1: after a touching declaration of faith, introduced Cameron Spottiswood, second 577 00:43:43,595 --> 00:43:46,715 Speaker 1: Secretary of the American Embassy in Paris, the gentleman selected 578 00:43:46,755 --> 00:43:52,435 Speaker 1: to coach Smirch in the amenities of public ceremonies. Sitting 579 00:43:52,515 --> 00:43:55,275 Speaker 1: in a chair with a soiled yellow tie in his 580 00:43:55,395 --> 00:43:58,915 Speaker 1: hand and his shirt open at the throat, unshaved, smoking 581 00:43:58,995 --> 00:44:02,995 Speaker 1: a rolled cigarette, Jack Smirch listened with a leer on 582 00:44:03,115 --> 00:44:07,915 Speaker 1: his lips. Get you, I get you, He cut in nastily. 583 00:44:08,675 --> 00:44:10,395 Speaker 1: You want me to act like a softie. 584 00:44:10,475 --> 00:44:10,675 Speaker 4: Huh? 585 00:44:11,275 --> 00:44:15,155 Speaker 1: You want me to act like thaty memany baby face 586 00:44:15,275 --> 00:44:17,475 Speaker 1: lind big huh? Well nuts to that. 587 00:44:17,755 --> 00:44:17,955 Speaker 4: See. 588 00:44:19,195 --> 00:44:22,075 Speaker 1: Everyone took in his breath sharply. It was a sigh 589 00:44:22,595 --> 00:44:28,315 Speaker 1: and a hiss. Mister Lindbergh began a United States Senator 590 00:44:28,475 --> 00:44:33,075 Speaker 1: purple with rage, and mister bird Smirch, who was paring 591 00:44:33,195 --> 00:44:37,515 Speaker 1: his nails with a jackknife, cut in again. Boyd, he exclaimed, Oh, 592 00:44:37,635 --> 00:44:41,395 Speaker 1: for God's sake, that big somebody shut off the blasphemies 593 00:44:41,515 --> 00:44:44,315 Speaker 1: with a sharp word. A newcomer had entered the word 594 00:44:44,515 --> 00:44:47,515 Speaker 1: the room. Everyone stood up except Smirch, who was still 595 00:44:47,555 --> 00:44:50,675 Speaker 1: busy with his nails, and he did not even glance up. 596 00:44:50,835 --> 00:44:54,715 Speaker 1: Mister Smirch, said someone sternly. The President of the United States. 597 00:44:55,955 --> 00:44:57,755 Speaker 1: It had been thought that the presence of the Chief 598 00:44:57,795 --> 00:45:00,715 Speaker 1: Executive might have a chastening effect on the young hero, 599 00:45:01,235 --> 00:45:04,115 Speaker 1: and the former had been, thanks to the remarkable cooperation 600 00:45:04,195 --> 00:45:07,515 Speaker 1: of the press, secretly brought to the obscure conference room. 601 00:45:08,915 --> 00:45:18,515 Speaker 1: A great, painful silence fell. Smirch looked up, waved a 602 00:45:18,555 --> 00:45:23,515 Speaker 1: hand at the president. How you coming, he asked, and 603 00:45:23,715 --> 00:45:32,835 Speaker 1: began rolling a fresh cigarette. The silence deepened. Someone coughed 604 00:45:33,155 --> 00:45:37,955 Speaker 1: in a strained way. Jesus hot, ain't it, said Smirch. 605 00:45:39,635 --> 00:45:43,555 Speaker 1: He loosened two more shirt buttons, revealing a hairy chest 606 00:45:43,635 --> 00:45:48,275 Speaker 1: and the tattooed word sadie enclosed in a stenciled heart. 607 00:45:49,635 --> 00:45:52,795 Speaker 1: The great and important men in the room, faced by 608 00:45:52,875 --> 00:45:57,355 Speaker 1: the most serious crisis in American history, exchanged worried frowns. 609 00:45:58,275 --> 00:46:02,115 Speaker 1: Nobody seemed to know how to proceed. Come on, come on, 610 00:46:02,635 --> 00:46:04,955 Speaker 1: said Smirch. Let's get the hell out of here. Yeah, 611 00:46:05,435 --> 00:46:07,395 Speaker 1: when do I start cutting in on the podies? 612 00:46:07,475 --> 00:46:07,675 Speaker 4: Euh? 613 00:46:08,275 --> 00:46:12,915 Speaker 1: And when is there gonna be this in it? He 614 00:46:13,075 --> 00:46:17,995 Speaker 1: rubbed a thumb and forefinger together meaningly. Money, exclaimed a 615 00:46:18,035 --> 00:46:23,515 Speaker 1: state senator, shocked. Pale. Yeah, money, said pal, flipping his 616 00:46:23,595 --> 00:46:27,275 Speaker 1: cigarette out of the window. And big money. He began 617 00:46:27,395 --> 00:46:32,755 Speaker 1: rolling a fresh cigarette. Big money, he repeated, frowning over 618 00:46:32,835 --> 00:46:35,875 Speaker 1: the rice paper. He tilted back in his chair and 619 00:46:36,115 --> 00:46:40,155 Speaker 1: leered at each gentleman separately, the leer of an animal 620 00:46:40,275 --> 00:46:43,835 Speaker 1: that knows its power, the leer of a leopard loose 621 00:46:43,955 --> 00:46:47,995 Speaker 1: in a bird and dog shop. Ah, for God's sake, 622 00:46:48,355 --> 00:46:51,755 Speaker 1: let's get someplace where it's cool, he said. I've been 623 00:46:51,795 --> 00:46:56,035 Speaker 1: cooped up plenty for three weeks. Smirch stood up and 624 00:46:56,115 --> 00:46:59,195 Speaker 1: walked over to an open window, where he stood staring 625 00:46:59,275 --> 00:47:04,155 Speaker 1: down into the street nine floors below. The faint shouting 626 00:47:04,195 --> 00:47:07,075 Speaker 1: of news boys floated up to him. He made out 627 00:47:07,115 --> 00:47:12,195 Speaker 1: his name, hot dog, he cried, grinning ecstatic. He leaned 628 00:47:12,315 --> 00:47:17,395 Speaker 1: out over the sill. You tell him, babies, he shouted down, 629 00:47:17,995 --> 00:47:21,955 Speaker 1: Hot diggity dog in the tense little knot of men 630 00:47:22,075 --> 00:47:26,075 Speaker 1: standing behind him. A quick, mad impulse flared up. An 631 00:47:26,195 --> 00:47:30,355 Speaker 1: unspoken word of appeal of command seemed to ring through 632 00:47:30,395 --> 00:47:34,515 Speaker 1: the room, yet it was deadly silent. Charles K. L Brand, 633 00:47:34,675 --> 00:47:36,915 Speaker 1: secretary to the Mayor of New York City, happened to 634 00:47:36,995 --> 00:47:40,675 Speaker 1: be standing nearest Smirch. He looked inquiringly at the President 635 00:47:40,755 --> 00:47:46,555 Speaker 1: of the United States. The President, pale grim nodded shortly. Brand, 636 00:47:46,875 --> 00:47:50,435 Speaker 1: a tall, powerfully built man wants to tackle at Rutgers University, 637 00:47:50,835 --> 00:47:54,115 Speaker 1: stepped forward, seized the greatest man in the world by 638 00:47:54,155 --> 00:47:56,115 Speaker 1: his left shoulder and the seat of his pants, and 639 00:47:56,315 --> 00:47:59,875 Speaker 1: pushed him out the window. My god, he's falling out 640 00:47:59,915 --> 00:48:02,755 Speaker 1: the window, cried a quick witted editor. Get me out 641 00:48:02,795 --> 00:48:05,395 Speaker 1: of here, cried the President. Several men sprang to his side, 642 00:48:05,395 --> 00:48:07,355 Speaker 1: and he was hurriedly escorted out of a door toward 643 00:48:07,395 --> 00:48:09,435 Speaker 1: a side entrance of the building. The editor of the 644 00:48:09,475 --> 00:48:12,635 Speaker 1: Associated Press took charge. Being used to such things crisply, 645 00:48:12,715 --> 00:48:15,755 Speaker 1: he ordered certain men to leave, others to stay. Quickly. 646 00:48:15,795 --> 00:48:17,995 Speaker 1: He outlined a story which all the papers were to 647 00:48:18,115 --> 00:48:20,475 Speaker 1: agree on, sent two men to the street to handle 648 00:48:20,555 --> 00:48:23,155 Speaker 1: that end of the tragedy. Commanded a senator to sob 649 00:48:23,475 --> 00:48:27,755 Speaker 1: and two congressmen to go to pieces nervously. In a word, 650 00:48:28,155 --> 00:48:31,515 Speaker 1: he skillfully set the stage for the gigantic task that 651 00:48:31,755 --> 00:48:34,875 Speaker 1: was to follow, the task of breaking to a grief 652 00:48:34,915 --> 00:48:40,395 Speaker 1: stricken world the sad story of the untimely accidental death 653 00:48:40,555 --> 00:48:46,795 Speaker 1: of its most illustrious and spectacular figure. The funeral was, 654 00:48:46,915 --> 00:48:51,995 Speaker 1: as you know, the most elaborate, the finest, the solemnest, 655 00:48:52,755 --> 00:48:55,355 Speaker 1: and the saddest ever held in the United States of America. 656 00:48:56,275 --> 00:49:00,355 Speaker 1: The monument in Arlington Cemetery, with its clean white shaft 657 00:49:00,435 --> 00:49:04,275 Speaker 1: of marble and the simple device of a tiny plane 658 00:49:04,475 --> 00:49:09,915 Speaker 1: cause on its base, is a place for pilgrims in 659 00:49:10,075 --> 00:49:14,635 Speaker 1: deep reverence to visit. The nations of the world paid 660 00:49:14,755 --> 00:49:21,035 Speaker 1: lofty tributes to Little Jackie Smirch, America's greatest hero. At 661 00:49:21,035 --> 00:49:24,075 Speaker 1: a given hour, there were two minutes of silence throughout 662 00:49:24,115 --> 00:49:27,995 Speaker 1: the nation. Even the inhabitants of the small, bewildered town 663 00:49:28,075 --> 00:49:32,955 Speaker 1: of Westfield, Iowa, observed this touching ceremony. Agents of the 664 00:49:33,035 --> 00:49:37,035 Speaker 1: Department of Justice sought to that one of them was 665 00:49:37,155 --> 00:49:39,955 Speaker 1: especially assigned to stand grimly in the doorway of a 666 00:49:39,995 --> 00:49:44,395 Speaker 1: little shack restaurant on the edge of the tourist's camping ground, 667 00:49:44,595 --> 00:49:50,155 Speaker 1: just outside the town there under his stern scrutiny, missus 668 00:49:50,315 --> 00:49:54,115 Speaker 1: Emma Smirch bowed her head over two Hamburger steaks sizzling 669 00:49:54,195 --> 00:49:58,635 Speaker 1: on her grill. Bowed her head and turned away so 670 00:49:58,755 --> 00:50:03,315 Speaker 1: that the secret serviceman could not see the twisted, strangely 671 00:50:03,475 --> 00:50:10,755 Speaker 1: familiar leer on her lips. The Greatest Man in the 672 00:50:10,875 --> 00:50:27,555 Speaker 1: World by James Thurber. I've done all the damage I 673 00:50:27,635 --> 00:50:30,595 Speaker 1: can do here. Thank you for listening. Countdown. Musical directors 674 00:50:30,635 --> 00:50:34,395 Speaker 1: Brian Ray and John Phillip Schanelle arranged, produced, and performed 675 00:50:34,475 --> 00:50:36,915 Speaker 1: most of our music. Mister Ray was on guitars, bass 676 00:50:36,995 --> 00:50:40,995 Speaker 1: and drums. Mister Chanelle handled orchestration and keyboards produced by 677 00:50:41,075 --> 00:50:45,075 Speaker 1: Tko Brothers. Other music, including some of the Beethoven compositions, 678 00:50:45,155 --> 00:50:48,075 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. The 679 00:50:48,155 --> 00:50:51,675 Speaker 1: sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, written 680 00:50:51,715 --> 00:50:55,915 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. Our satirical 681 00:50:56,035 --> 00:50:59,555 Speaker 1: and pithy musical comments are by Nancy Fauss, the best 682 00:50:59,555 --> 00:51:02,555 Speaker 1: baseball stadium organist ever. And I'm proud to say my 683 00:51:02,835 --> 00:51:08,515 Speaker 1: accompanists he missed a company. The woman who played the 684 00:51:08,675 --> 00:51:12,235 Speaker 1: organ during my attempts at singing throughout twenty twenty three 685 00:51:12,955 --> 00:51:17,035 Speaker 1: and the Rudy song today. Thank you Nancy. Our announcer 686 00:51:17,115 --> 00:51:20,635 Speaker 1: today is my friend Larry David doing his impression of 687 00:51:20,755 --> 00:51:24,035 Speaker 1: the late Bob Shepherd from Yankee Stadium, and everything else 688 00:51:24,195 --> 00:51:28,955 Speaker 1: was pretty much my fault for the sixty fifth consecutive year. 689 00:51:29,635 --> 00:51:32,155 Speaker 1: That's countdown for this the one thy eighty first day 690 00:51:32,555 --> 00:51:36,195 Speaker 1: since dementia. J Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically 691 00:51:36,235 --> 00:51:39,875 Speaker 1: elected government of the United States. Use the fourteenth Amendment, 692 00:51:40,395 --> 00:51:45,595 Speaker 1: use the Insurrection Act, convict him in court, use everything 693 00:51:45,675 --> 00:51:50,395 Speaker 1: we got while we still can. The next scheduled countdown 694 00:51:50,515 --> 00:51:56,075 Speaker 1: is Tuesday, January second, twenty twenty four. Bulletins as the 695 00:51:56,155 --> 00:51:58,555 Speaker 1: news warrants, and boy will I be surprised if there 696 00:51:58,635 --> 00:52:02,675 Speaker 1: is not a bulletin TwixT now and January second, twenty 697 00:52:02,715 --> 00:52:06,355 Speaker 1: four till then, thank you for your supporting twenty twenty three, 698 00:52:06,395 --> 00:52:11,515 Speaker 1: and let's hope that twenty twenty four actually happens as scheduled. 699 00:52:12,755 --> 00:52:15,555 Speaker 1: In the interim, I'm Keith Olreman. Good morning, good afternoon, 700 00:52:15,675 --> 00:52:24,395 Speaker 1: good night, good luck, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Whoa rudy, 701 00:52:24,595 --> 00:52:26,915 Speaker 1: Rudy Rudy? Are you bankrupt. 702 00:52:28,675 --> 00:52:30,795 Speaker 4: Oh, Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. 703 00:52:30,995 --> 00:52:37,035 Speaker 1: Are you bro go Rudy, Rudy Rudy. Are you dug? 704 00:52:39,435 --> 00:52:40,595 Speaker 1: Rudy Rudey. 705 00:52:40,795 --> 00:52:41,355 Speaker 7: Did you go? 706 00:52:42,395 --> 00:52:44,155 Speaker 2: Whoa go? 707 00:52:45,515 --> 00:52:48,955 Speaker 1: Thank you. That's a fast Countdown with Keith Olreman is 708 00:52:49,035 --> 00:52:53,795 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 709 00:52:53,875 --> 00:52:58,515 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.