1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,915 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Are 2 00:00:22,955 --> 00:00:25,955 Speaker 1: we a nation of laws? Or are we a nation 3 00:00:26,395 --> 00:00:30,315 Speaker 1: of Kevin McCarthy's illicit back room deals with Tucker Carlson. 4 00:00:31,315 --> 00:00:35,555 Speaker 1: Do our courts and their rulings matter at all? Or 5 00:00:35,595 --> 00:00:38,675 Speaker 1: are they now supposed to defer to how the Fox 6 00:00:38,835 --> 00:00:44,955 Speaker 1: News Channel Big Bullshit programs its eight PM show? Which 7 00:00:45,355 --> 00:00:50,635 Speaker 1: matters more the safety and security of our representatives, our senators, 8 00:00:50,715 --> 00:00:55,035 Speaker 1: our vice presidents, our Hills staffers, Democratic and Republican alike, 9 00:00:55,395 --> 00:01:01,715 Speaker 1: or the stock price of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. House. 10 00:01:01,755 --> 00:01:06,155 Speaker 1: Democratic leaders meeting this afternoon to discuss the over Kevin 11 00:01:06,195 --> 00:01:11,395 Speaker 1: McCarthy's unilateral and possibly illegal decision to give Tucker Carlson, 12 00:01:11,635 --> 00:01:15,755 Speaker 1: an entertainer of some kind, access to video from the 13 00:01:15,795 --> 00:01:19,115 Speaker 1: Trump driven coup attempt of January six, twenty twenty one, 14 00:01:19,475 --> 00:01:22,755 Speaker 1: video that a federal court said could be released on 15 00:01:22,795 --> 00:01:26,915 Speaker 1: a case by case basis, but only carefully because it 16 00:01:26,995 --> 00:01:31,995 Speaker 1: gave extraordinarily specific details about security cameras and other measures 17 00:01:32,035 --> 00:01:36,195 Speaker 1: in the capital complex, the one already assaulted once by 18 00:01:36,275 --> 00:01:41,275 Speaker 1: MAGA republicans seeking to overthrow American democracy. The crisis, as 19 00:01:41,355 --> 00:01:45,875 Speaker 1: described by Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries quote, the apparent transfer 20 00:01:45,955 --> 00:01:52,235 Speaker 1: of video footage represents an egregious security breach. Extreme MAGA 21 00:01:52,275 --> 00:01:56,035 Speaker 1: Republicans in the House, Mister Jeffries went on, have provided 22 00:01:56,075 --> 00:02:00,035 Speaker 1: tens of thousands of hours of sensitive capital security footage 23 00:02:00,075 --> 00:02:05,435 Speaker 1: to a Fox News personality who regularly pedals in conspiracy 24 00:02:05,515 --> 00:02:12,355 Speaker 1: theories and pro putin rhetoric. Unquote. I suggested here yesterday, 25 00:02:12,395 --> 00:02:15,915 Speaker 1: as I have suggested almost continuously since nineteen ninety eight, 26 00:02:15,915 --> 00:02:20,435 Speaker 1: that the propaganda channel that calls itself Fox News was 27 00:02:20,475 --> 00:02:23,635 Speaker 1: a clear and present danger to the national security of 28 00:02:23,635 --> 00:02:26,475 Speaker 1: the United States, and that the time had long since 29 00:02:26,515 --> 00:02:30,755 Speaker 1: come to d platform it from all cable, satellite, and 30 00:02:30,915 --> 00:02:36,035 Speaker 1: internet carriers and close the business down. The California Congressman 31 00:02:36,035 --> 00:02:39,355 Speaker 1: Pete Aguiar notes, it's not at all surprising that Kevin 32 00:02:39,435 --> 00:02:42,715 Speaker 1: McCarthy would jeopardize the security of the Capitol and the 33 00:02:42,755 --> 00:02:47,475 Speaker 1: people that work there to further a political agenda. Agar 34 00:02:47,595 --> 00:02:51,155 Speaker 1: notes an underreported sidebar to this breach of public safety 35 00:02:51,155 --> 00:02:55,275 Speaker 1: by Speaker McCarthy and Tucker Carlson courting him again. This 36 00:02:55,435 --> 00:03:00,115 Speaker 1: is another payoff in the many backroom deals McCarthy cut 37 00:03:00,395 --> 00:03:06,795 Speaker 1: to secure enough Magarepublican votes to become speaker. Apart from 38 00:03:06,795 --> 00:03:10,795 Speaker 1: the rising and welcome democratic awareness that Fox News crossed 39 00:03:10,835 --> 00:03:15,315 Speaker 1: a line even for them, another less partisan group also 40 00:03:15,395 --> 00:03:18,315 Speaker 1: reacted with outrage, though most of it was off the record, 41 00:03:18,555 --> 00:03:21,395 Speaker 1: to Kevin McCarthy's willingness to sell the country out and 42 00:03:21,515 --> 00:03:25,395 Speaker 1: hand a roadmap of insurrection to those already plotting the 43 00:03:25,435 --> 00:03:28,555 Speaker 1: next coup and the next attack on the Capitol by 44 00:03:28,635 --> 00:03:32,835 Speaker 1: handing the sensitive video to a manifestly irresponsible individual like 45 00:03:32,995 --> 00:03:35,675 Speaker 1: Carlson and what is now a company that has essentially 46 00:03:35,715 --> 00:03:41,275 Speaker 1: admitted it falsely poses as and falsely portrays itself as 47 00:03:41,555 --> 00:03:46,155 Speaker 1: a news organization in order to simply push political conspiracy 48 00:03:46,195 --> 00:03:49,555 Speaker 1: theories and thus sell advertising and thus manipulate its parent 49 00:03:49,635 --> 00:03:54,155 Speaker 1: company's stock price. Politico is reporting that the chief of 50 00:03:54,195 --> 00:04:00,155 Speaker 1: the Capitol Police, Thomas Manger, was never told, warned, briefed message, 51 00:04:00,235 --> 00:04:03,995 Speaker 1: nor consulted by Speaker McCarthy by any Republican leadership, by 52 00:04:03,995 --> 00:04:08,235 Speaker 1: anybody at News or News Corps about the video release. 53 00:04:08,955 --> 00:04:12,355 Speaker 1: Politico reported quote a person familiar with the matter said 54 00:04:12,435 --> 00:04:15,115 Speaker 1: Major told associates he did not learn of the arrangements 55 00:04:15,235 --> 00:04:20,995 Speaker 1: between McCarthy and Carlson until it began publicly circulating. On Monday. 56 00:04:21,835 --> 00:04:24,675 Speaker 1: Manger was not the only one literally surprised by this 57 00:04:24,755 --> 00:04:28,795 Speaker 1: indefensible pact between McCarthy and the pro Russian Carlson, again 58 00:04:28,875 --> 00:04:33,115 Speaker 1: from Politico quote, House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland also 59 00:04:33,155 --> 00:04:36,595 Speaker 1: told associates he learned about it around the same time 60 00:04:36,675 --> 00:04:43,115 Speaker 1: Axeos broke the news Monday. The person familiar said, more importantly, still, 61 00:04:43,635 --> 00:04:47,595 Speaker 1: Chief Manger and Sergeant at Arms McFarland clearly think they 62 00:04:47,635 --> 00:04:51,115 Speaker 1: can do something to stop McCarthy from letting Carlson and 63 00:04:51,235 --> 00:04:55,435 Speaker 1: Fox News review and disseminate this video, and to stop 64 00:04:55,515 --> 00:04:59,035 Speaker 1: Carlson's boast from his Monday night Fantasy program that his 65 00:04:59,115 --> 00:05:03,995 Speaker 1: producers had quote unfettered unquote access to the visual map 66 00:05:04,035 --> 00:05:07,515 Speaker 1: of where all the security cameras and other protective measures 67 00:05:07,515 --> 00:05:11,395 Speaker 1: are located in the Capitol complex. Somebody close to the 68 00:05:11,435 --> 00:05:14,715 Speaker 1: Sergeant at arms reminded the Politico reporter that there is 69 00:05:14,715 --> 00:05:17,875 Speaker 1: still such a thing as the Capitol Police Board, a 70 00:05:17,995 --> 00:05:22,675 Speaker 1: three person panel in charge of all security decisions. It 71 00:05:22,715 --> 00:05:26,435 Speaker 1: consists of the House Sergeant of Arms McFarland, the Senate 72 00:05:26,515 --> 00:05:30,355 Speaker 1: Sergeant at Arms Karen Gibson, and the architect of the Capitol. 73 00:05:30,915 --> 00:05:33,235 Speaker 1: Right now, there is no Architect of the Capitol. The 74 00:05:33,235 --> 00:05:36,875 Speaker 1: Trump appointee to that job, Bret Blanton, was fired last 75 00:05:36,875 --> 00:05:41,355 Speaker 1: week by President Biden with Speaker McCarthy's ascent who misappropriation 76 00:05:41,435 --> 00:05:45,515 Speaker 1: of public funds. There is an acting Architect of the Capitol, 77 00:05:45,555 --> 00:05:49,235 Speaker 1: and yes, the job is referred to by its acronym AOC. 78 00:05:50,195 --> 00:05:54,075 Speaker 1: The acting architect is Chaer rex Wrote, who has been 79 00:05:54,115 --> 00:05:58,195 Speaker 1: the chief engineer of the Capital. Capitol Police Chief Major 80 00:05:58,355 --> 00:06:01,795 Speaker 1: is a non voting member of this board. So, in short, 81 00:06:01,835 --> 00:06:04,195 Speaker 1: if the Capitol Police Board does vote on whether or 82 00:06:04,195 --> 00:06:07,235 Speaker 1: not to try to stop the collusion between Speaker McCarthy 83 00:06:07,235 --> 00:06:10,395 Speaker 1: and Tucker Carlson, that vote will go against McCarthy and 84 00:06:10,515 --> 00:06:16,155 Speaker 1: his little TV friend. Both of them are clearly shocked 85 00:06:16,835 --> 00:06:20,675 Speaker 1: that their illicit deal got any blowback, let alone this 86 00:06:20,755 --> 00:06:24,475 Speaker 1: growing push from House Democrats and the bipartisan police board 87 00:06:24,515 --> 00:06:27,995 Speaker 1: that tries to keep them all safe. McCarthy has said 88 00:06:28,075 --> 00:06:31,795 Speaker 1: nothing about this, will not answer questions. Carlson continues to 89 00:06:31,835 --> 00:06:34,435 Speaker 1: boast not only that he has had access to the 90 00:06:34,475 --> 00:06:37,435 Speaker 1: security video, but that his producers have had it for 91 00:06:37,475 --> 00:06:40,635 Speaker 1: the last week, which itself raises the stakes a little 92 00:06:40,635 --> 00:06:43,675 Speaker 1: bit higher for McCarthy. If the Police Board votes to 93 00:06:43,875 --> 00:06:47,515 Speaker 1: deny access to those security tapes. But McCarthy has already 94 00:06:47,555 --> 00:06:51,595 Speaker 1: granted that access to a private company with no journalistic 95 00:06:51,595 --> 00:06:55,715 Speaker 1: protections nor First Amendment expectations. McCarthy could be in even 96 00:06:55,795 --> 00:06:59,115 Speaker 1: more trouble than he is right now. The fact is, 97 00:06:59,755 --> 00:07:03,675 Speaker 1: all of the video, we say, forty one thousand hours 98 00:07:03,755 --> 00:07:07,595 Speaker 1: of it, Carlson says forty four thousand hours of it 99 00:07:07,635 --> 00:07:11,355 Speaker 1: has not been publicly seen, was not given to say 100 00:07:11,915 --> 00:07:16,115 Speaker 1: MSNBC last year, was not shown at the hearings last 101 00:07:16,195 --> 00:07:19,275 Speaker 1: year of the January sixth Committee because it was deemed 102 00:07:19,315 --> 00:07:23,235 Speaker 1: in various places inside the Capitol Police Board, in the courts, 103 00:07:23,515 --> 00:07:26,435 Speaker 1: in the January sixth Committee itself, it was deemed as 104 00:07:26,555 --> 00:07:31,075 Speaker 1: far more dangerous to continuing safety arrangements at the Capitol 105 00:07:31,595 --> 00:07:35,395 Speaker 1: than it would be revelatory to exposing the coup attempt itself, 106 00:07:36,435 --> 00:07:39,755 Speaker 1: and off the record source summed up the responsible arrangement. 107 00:07:39,955 --> 00:07:43,035 Speaker 1: The January sixth Committee had agreed to the Capitol Hill 108 00:07:43,075 --> 00:07:47,355 Speaker 1: Police Department quote reviewed every second of video prior to 109 00:07:47,395 --> 00:07:50,715 Speaker 1: its public display and worked with the committee. And the 110 00:07:50,715 --> 00:07:54,555 Speaker 1: Committee worked with the department to provide accommodation of their 111 00:07:54,595 --> 00:07:59,275 Speaker 1: reasonable concerns and as representative Zoelofgren of California put it 112 00:07:59,315 --> 00:08:01,715 Speaker 1: to The New York Times last night, quote, we were 113 00:08:01,955 --> 00:08:05,635 Speaker 1: very careful with it. We were particularly focused on not 114 00:08:05,795 --> 00:08:09,955 Speaker 1: showing sensitive areas involving the evacuation of the members of 115 00:08:09,995 --> 00:08:13,595 Speaker 1: Congress in various places. That type of release could really 116 00:08:13,675 --> 00:08:18,235 Speaker 1: provide a blueprint for bad guys on how to more 117 00:08:18,315 --> 00:08:23,075 Speaker 1: successfully attack the Capitol. And the chairman of the erstwhile 118 00:08:23,155 --> 00:08:26,595 Speaker 1: January sixth Committee went even further, Benny Thompson says, quote, 119 00:08:26,915 --> 00:08:31,915 Speaker 1: It's hard to overstate the potential security risks if this 120 00:08:31,995 --> 00:08:39,995 Speaker 1: material were to be used irresponsibly, taking all the video sensitive, secret, 121 00:08:40,515 --> 00:08:44,195 Speaker 1: mundane and handing it to a delusional man with a 122 00:08:44,275 --> 00:08:48,995 Speaker 1: Messiah complex one of the bad guys like Tucker Carlson 123 00:08:49,555 --> 00:08:53,355 Speaker 1: is not accommodating reasonable concerns, nor is it working with 124 00:08:53,475 --> 00:08:57,075 Speaker 1: the police department, Nor is it in this country's interests, 125 00:08:57,395 --> 00:08:59,875 Speaker 1: nor does it increase the safety of those on the 126 00:08:59,955 --> 00:09:05,635 Speaker 1: hill Democrat or Republican. It is in fact insane. Hannamul 127 00:09:05,715 --> 00:09:08,555 Speaker 1: David was a spokesperson for the January six Committee and 128 00:09:08,555 --> 00:09:12,235 Speaker 1: now holds the same position with the Congressional Integrity Project. 129 00:09:12,635 --> 00:09:15,555 Speaker 1: She issued a blunt statement yesterday and to quote, it 130 00:09:16,155 --> 00:09:21,035 Speaker 1: allowing Fox to have this footage poses serious security risks 131 00:09:21,395 --> 00:09:26,435 Speaker 1: two lawmakers, and she raises a third element here, McCarthy 132 00:09:26,475 --> 00:09:29,355 Speaker 1: and Carlson are giving the visual equivalent of a tour 133 00:09:29,475 --> 00:09:35,035 Speaker 1: of Capitol Hill security to lawmakers who themselves already tried 134 00:09:35,155 --> 00:09:38,995 Speaker 1: to breach that security. We're already complicit in the coup. 135 00:09:39,515 --> 00:09:42,635 Speaker 1: Quoting again, we know some of the Republicans that are 136 00:09:42,675 --> 00:09:46,675 Speaker 1: conducting investigations on the Hill were intimately involved in the 137 00:09:46,795 --> 00:09:52,555 Speaker 1: January sixth insurrection plot. Unquote. The video isn't just going 138 00:09:52,555 --> 00:09:55,915 Speaker 1: to the real life Fox Company, it is going to 139 00:09:55,995 --> 00:10:01,595 Speaker 1: the metaphorical Fox in the henhouse. That is what the 140 00:10:01,675 --> 00:10:05,355 Speaker 1: channel calling itself Fox News, has always been, even when 141 00:10:05,355 --> 00:10:07,715 Speaker 1: the channel was serving as a team of cheerleaders for 142 00:10:07,755 --> 00:10:12,435 Speaker 1: a Republican administration mounting a phony war for purely political reasons. 143 00:10:13,275 --> 00:10:17,715 Speaker 1: In March two thousand and three, Foxes Heraldo Rivera was 144 00:10:17,875 --> 00:10:20,875 Speaker 1: embedded with the one hundred and first airborne unit on 145 00:10:20,915 --> 00:10:25,115 Speaker 1: the ground in Iraq. During a live broadcast on Fox 146 00:10:25,195 --> 00:10:29,155 Speaker 1: News Channel, Heraldo Rivera told his cameraman to pan down 147 00:10:29,475 --> 00:10:33,075 Speaker 1: to the desert on which he stood. Rivera then drew 148 00:10:33,235 --> 00:10:36,995 Speaker 1: in the sand to illustrate exactly where the one hundred 149 00:10:36,995 --> 00:10:40,355 Speaker 1: and first Airborne Unit was at that moment, and where 150 00:10:40,435 --> 00:10:43,515 Speaker 1: the city of Baghdad was, and where the one hundred 151 00:10:43,515 --> 00:10:47,195 Speaker 1: and first would be going next. Rivera did this because 152 00:10:47,195 --> 00:10:51,235 Speaker 1: even when Fox is fulfilling its natural role as the 153 00:10:51,435 --> 00:10:56,555 Speaker 1: disinformation support team for a rogue president, it as a company, 154 00:10:56,835 --> 00:11:01,275 Speaker 1: as a television operation, as a group of jackasses, has 155 00:11:01,355 --> 00:11:06,035 Speaker 1: never cared for one minute about the troops, about the freedoms, 156 00:11:06,075 --> 00:11:11,875 Speaker 1: about the nation, about the military. They sell a product. 157 00:11:12,435 --> 00:11:18,195 Speaker 1: The product is phony patriotism. The product is a distorted 158 00:11:18,235 --> 00:11:22,835 Speaker 1: picture of an America constantly aggrieved, constantly with a chip 159 00:11:22,915 --> 00:11:27,555 Speaker 1: on its shoulder. Heraldo Rivera and Fox News gave away 160 00:11:27,995 --> 00:11:32,035 Speaker 1: the location of the one hundred and first Airborne Division 161 00:11:32,115 --> 00:11:38,195 Speaker 1: in Iraq because Heraldo had to show Fox's customer viewers 162 00:11:38,195 --> 00:11:42,115 Speaker 1: how great he was, how great the channel was, and 163 00:11:42,235 --> 00:11:46,395 Speaker 1: what inside knowledge it could provide those viewers, and in 164 00:11:46,395 --> 00:11:51,195 Speaker 1: this case, what inside knowledge it could provide the iraqis 165 00:11:52,395 --> 00:11:56,115 Speaker 1: The Pentagon not only immediately revoked Rivera's credentials, it had 166 00:11:56,195 --> 00:11:58,795 Speaker 1: members of the one hundred and first escort him out 167 00:11:58,835 --> 00:12:03,635 Speaker 1: of the country. That, in microcosm, is what we are 168 00:12:03,675 --> 00:12:09,315 Speaker 1: dealing with. If anything, today, Fox News Channel is worse 169 00:12:09,755 --> 00:12:16,115 Speaker 1: and less patriotic, as the dominion lawsuit texts show conclusively, 170 00:12:16,435 --> 00:12:21,475 Speaker 1: the performers on Fox News are lying. They know they 171 00:12:21,475 --> 00:12:25,035 Speaker 1: are lying, they do not care that they are lying. 172 00:12:25,795 --> 00:12:30,115 Speaker 1: The performers are distorting reality and enticing their custom reviewers 173 00:12:30,275 --> 00:12:35,035 Speaker 1: to believe things that are entirely untrue, and the performers 174 00:12:35,075 --> 00:12:40,315 Speaker 1: do not care about that either. When truth accidentally emerges 175 00:12:40,595 --> 00:12:44,035 Speaker 1: on their channel from fringe figures who do not fully 176 00:12:44,075 --> 00:12:48,795 Speaker 1: understand the cynical perversion of news that Fox has perfected 177 00:12:48,795 --> 00:12:52,955 Speaker 1: and pedals creatures like this, Carlson and the people who 178 00:12:52,995 --> 00:12:57,795 Speaker 1: call themselves news executives summon all the inside political capital 179 00:12:57,835 --> 00:13:01,795 Speaker 1: they can within their company to suppress that truth and 180 00:13:01,835 --> 00:13:05,155 Speaker 1: to punish the people who have revealed it. For one reason, 181 00:13:05,235 --> 00:13:09,155 Speaker 1: and one reason alone. As Tucker Carlson himself put it 182 00:13:09,315 --> 00:13:13,395 Speaker 1: and put it in writing quote, the stock price is down. 183 00:13:14,035 --> 00:13:20,275 Speaker 1: Not a joke. Also not a joke. The danger to 184 00:13:20,315 --> 00:13:24,595 Speaker 1: this country represented by Kevin McCarthy and the so called 185 00:13:24,635 --> 00:13:28,315 Speaker 1: Fox News Channel. The Democrats should come out of their 186 00:13:28,355 --> 00:13:31,875 Speaker 1: meeting today with emotion to censure Kevin McCarthy, even though 187 00:13:31,875 --> 00:13:35,235 Speaker 1: it will not pass, and if possible, a criminal referral 188 00:13:35,515 --> 00:13:39,475 Speaker 1: to the Department of Justice for McCarthy's egregious violations of 189 00:13:39,515 --> 00:13:42,475 Speaker 1: the security arrangements in the very buildings in which they 190 00:13:42,475 --> 00:13:46,315 Speaker 1: are all working. Hundreds of people are risking their lives 191 00:13:46,395 --> 00:13:51,355 Speaker 1: every day to save Kevin McCarthy's. Kevin McCarthy is siding 192 00:13:51,435 --> 00:13:55,355 Speaker 1: with those who, on January sixth, would have killed him. 193 00:13:56,755 --> 00:13:59,475 Speaker 1: The Capitol Police Board should not only vote to deny 194 00:13:59,635 --> 00:14:02,955 Speaker 1: any television channel, especially a fiction based one such as 195 00:14:02,995 --> 00:14:06,955 Speaker 1: Fox News, access to that video detailing security arrangements, but 196 00:14:07,115 --> 00:14:09,675 Speaker 1: it should also vote a criminal referral to the Department 197 00:14:09,675 --> 00:14:13,835 Speaker 1: of Justice to prosecute McCarthy for his unwarranted and illegal 198 00:14:13,875 --> 00:14:18,475 Speaker 1: decision to just ignore the laws of this country. In essence, 199 00:14:19,035 --> 00:14:24,035 Speaker 1: Kevin McCarthy has stolen the January sixth video and handed 200 00:14:24,075 --> 00:14:28,875 Speaker 1: it to Tucker Carlson and his flunkeys, and that means 201 00:14:28,955 --> 00:14:33,315 Speaker 1: Tucker Carlson, his flunkeys, and his employers at the Fox 202 00:14:33,475 --> 00:14:38,995 Speaker 1: News channel station are as liable for prosecution as McCarthy is. 203 00:14:40,035 --> 00:14:48,235 Speaker 1: Go to it these creatures stole those videos, prosecute them accordingly, 204 00:14:50,075 --> 00:14:53,955 Speaker 1: and the rest of us must organize to do by 205 00:14:54,075 --> 00:14:57,275 Speaker 1: boycott and by economic means what should have been done 206 00:14:57,395 --> 00:15:02,475 Speaker 1: on October seventh, nineteen ninety six. We must deplatform Fox 207 00:15:02,555 --> 00:15:08,315 Speaker 1: News and close that company down. It is as damaging 208 00:15:08,355 --> 00:15:12,235 Speaker 1: to this country as organized crime, as damaging as the 209 00:15:12,315 --> 00:15:15,435 Speaker 1: Oath Keepers or any other element of the January sixth 210 00:15:15,515 --> 00:15:19,155 Speaker 1: coup conspiracy, and Fox News channel has already done more 211 00:15:19,235 --> 00:15:22,475 Speaker 1: damage to this country than al Qaeda, or ISIS or 212 00:15:22,555 --> 00:15:27,075 Speaker 1: Atum Waffen or any other terrorist group could ever dream of. 213 00:15:28,035 --> 00:15:32,955 Speaker 1: It is time to put Fox News out of business. 214 00:15:34,515 --> 00:15:38,115 Speaker 1: And for the record, that date when this should have 215 00:15:38,195 --> 00:15:43,595 Speaker 1: been done October seventh, nineteen ninety six, what happened that day? 216 00:15:44,355 --> 00:15:48,795 Speaker 1: That was the day Fox News started to belch out 217 00:15:48,875 --> 00:16:09,835 Speaker 1: this its anti democracy, anti diversity, anti American manifesto, still 218 00:16:09,875 --> 00:16:12,875 Speaker 1: ahead of us. In this edition of Countdown, speaking of 219 00:16:12,915 --> 00:16:17,675 Speaker 1: anti American, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green doubles down this time. 220 00:16:17,795 --> 00:16:21,955 Speaker 1: Barney Rubble's body double isn't just talking about a national divorce. 221 00:16:22,115 --> 00:16:26,755 Speaker 1: Now she is advocating revoking the voting rights of Democrats. 222 00:16:28,195 --> 00:16:30,995 Speaker 1: There is also no other way to phrase this. An 223 00:16:31,035 --> 00:16:34,195 Speaker 1: Alaska state legislator who is a lifetime member of the 224 00:16:34,235 --> 00:16:37,755 Speaker 1: Oath Keepers, who was photographed outside the US capital on 225 00:16:37,875 --> 00:16:42,075 Speaker 1: January sixth, has now done in public a cost benefit 226 00:16:42,115 --> 00:16:46,475 Speaker 1: analysis and claims that if a child is abused, if 227 00:16:46,515 --> 00:16:50,755 Speaker 1: that child is killed, quote, it's actually a benefit to 228 00:16:50,955 --> 00:16:56,395 Speaker 1: society unquote. We have the tape, and back to Fox 229 00:16:56,555 --> 00:16:58,995 Speaker 1: since we are talking about its culpability and a national 230 00:16:59,035 --> 00:17:02,355 Speaker 1: security breach. Again, just like in two thousand and three, 231 00:17:02,555 --> 00:17:07,035 Speaker 1: let me give you my full insider's experience of working 232 00:17:07,075 --> 00:17:11,275 Speaker 1: there for three years. I worked in the Fox Company, 233 00:17:11,355 --> 00:17:16,755 Speaker 1: inside News Corps, and I was fired personally by Rupert Murdoch. 234 00:17:17,355 --> 00:17:29,675 Speaker 1: The full gory details ahead. That's next, This discountdown. This 235 00:17:29,875 --> 00:17:38,235 Speaker 1: is countdown with Keith Olberman. Postscripts to the news, some headlines, 236 00:17:38,275 --> 00:17:42,155 Speaker 1: some updates, some snarks, some prediction, state line, Atlanta. When 237 00:17:42,235 --> 00:17:45,995 Speaker 1: exactly did the Georgia Trump's Special Grand Jury start making 238 00:17:46,035 --> 00:17:50,235 Speaker 1: more announcements than the guy calling gate numbers at LaGuardia Airport? 239 00:17:50,835 --> 00:17:55,595 Speaker 1: Now it's jury four, woman Emily Cores telling NBC News 240 00:17:55,635 --> 00:17:59,235 Speaker 1: that her gaggle recommended indictments for more than a dozen people. 241 00:17:59,835 --> 00:18:02,715 Speaker 1: Asked then by The Washington Post if Trump was one 242 00:18:02,795 --> 00:18:06,875 Speaker 1: of the recommendations, Miss Cores replied, quote, You're not going 243 00:18:06,955 --> 00:18:12,555 Speaker 1: to be shocked. It's not rocket science, whichever that means. Next, 244 00:18:12,595 --> 00:18:16,715 Speaker 1: the grand jury will present a PowerPoint explaining rocket science. 245 00:18:17,675 --> 00:18:20,635 Speaker 1: Date line East Palestine, Ohio. As Trump heads there to 246 00:18:20,715 --> 00:18:24,795 Speaker 1: grandstand today, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says he has made 247 00:18:24,795 --> 00:18:28,955 Speaker 1: a criminal referral against the Norfolk Southern Railroad, the company 248 00:18:29,035 --> 00:18:32,635 Speaker 1: responsible for the chemical disaster along the Ohio Pennsylvania border. 249 00:18:32,875 --> 00:18:37,115 Speaker 1: The Biden Administration's EPA Director, Michael Reagan also announced his 250 00:18:37,195 --> 00:18:41,075 Speaker 1: bureau will enforce laws to compel the railroad to clean 251 00:18:41,155 --> 00:18:44,835 Speaker 1: up the area entirely at its own expense. Ohio Governor 252 00:18:44,875 --> 00:18:48,675 Speaker 1: Mike DeWine says his state is well, maybe we'll get 253 00:18:48,715 --> 00:18:53,835 Speaker 1: back to dateline the Confederacy. Yesterday it was Representative cave 254 00:18:53,915 --> 00:18:57,115 Speaker 1: Woman demanding that the Red States and Blue states divorce, 255 00:18:57,675 --> 00:19:01,515 Speaker 1: without any seeming awareness that she lives in Georgia, which 256 00:19:01,595 --> 00:19:06,195 Speaker 1: is a blue state with two Democratic senators, or in 257 00:19:06,235 --> 00:19:11,555 Speaker 1: the broadest interpretation, Georgia is a purple state. Now, Marjorie 258 00:19:11,595 --> 00:19:15,315 Speaker 1: Taylor Green is proposing denying anybody who moves into what 259 00:19:15,555 --> 00:19:20,315 Speaker 1: she thinks of as a red state the right to vote. 260 00:19:20,555 --> 00:19:23,035 Speaker 1: What I think would be something that some red states 261 00:19:23,035 --> 00:19:28,155 Speaker 1: could propose is well, okay, if Democrat voters choose to 262 00:19:28,195 --> 00:19:32,555 Speaker 1: flee these blue states where they cannot tolerate the living conditions. 263 00:19:32,555 --> 00:19:35,235 Speaker 1: They don't want their children taught these horrible things, and 264 00:19:35,275 --> 00:19:38,675 Speaker 1: they really change their mind on the types of policies 265 00:19:38,675 --> 00:19:41,755 Speaker 1: that they support. Well once they moved to a red state. 266 00:19:41,875 --> 00:19:44,675 Speaker 1: Guess what, maybe you don't get to vote for five years. 267 00:19:44,715 --> 00:19:47,155 Speaker 1: You can live there, you can work there, but you 268 00:19:47,235 --> 00:19:49,995 Speaker 1: don't get to bring your values. In other words, the 269 00:19:50,035 --> 00:19:52,315 Speaker 1: people she wants to convince to come over to her 270 00:19:52,355 --> 00:19:58,235 Speaker 1: side will be immediately punished behind her incredible imbecility. I mean, 271 00:19:58,235 --> 00:20:02,395 Speaker 1: we're seriously talking about brain damage here, or a series 272 00:20:02,435 --> 00:20:05,875 Speaker 1: of minor strokes or something. I am beginning to wonder 273 00:20:05,955 --> 00:20:10,315 Speaker 1: if Marjorie Trader Green thinks the concept of blue states 274 00:20:10,395 --> 00:20:15,115 Speaker 1: and red states is something I don't know official permanent. 275 00:20:15,715 --> 00:20:18,715 Speaker 1: Wait till she finds out that until Tim Russert started 276 00:20:18,795 --> 00:20:21,995 Speaker 1: calling states that were leaning towards George Bush in two 277 00:20:22,075 --> 00:20:26,235 Speaker 1: thousand red states, the traditional colors assigned to the TV 278 00:20:26,395 --> 00:20:32,075 Speaker 1: graphics on election night were Republicans in blue and Democrats 279 00:20:32,435 --> 00:20:36,755 Speaker 1: in red. Who am I kidding? Green is never gonna 280 00:20:36,875 --> 00:21:02,155 Speaker 1: find out anything, Thank you, Nancy Faust. By the way, 281 00:21:02,235 --> 00:21:06,155 Speaker 1: March seventeenth, at the White Sox Ubs spring training game 282 00:21:06,395 --> 00:21:11,235 Speaker 1: at Camelback Ranch in Arizona. Nancy Faust gets back into uniform. 283 00:21:11,315 --> 00:21:16,435 Speaker 1: She will play the organ at a White Sox game again. Congratulations, 284 00:21:18,075 --> 00:21:35,555 Speaker 1: White Sox. Ahead. Let me circle back to the opening commentary. 285 00:21:35,635 --> 00:21:39,675 Speaker 1: I actually had the personal experience of getting fired for 286 00:21:39,875 --> 00:21:44,875 Speaker 1: telling the truth on Fox, fired personally by Rupert Murdoch 287 00:21:45,315 --> 00:21:48,355 Speaker 1: things I promised not to tell next first time for 288 00:21:48,395 --> 00:21:50,835 Speaker 1: the daily roundup of the misgrants, morons and Dunning Kruger 289 00:21:50,835 --> 00:21:54,835 Speaker 1: effects specimens who constitute today's where as persons in New 290 00:21:54,875 --> 00:21:59,515 Speaker 1: World The Bronze, the Washington Post. The story was about 291 00:21:59,515 --> 00:22:03,115 Speaker 1: how criminologists and analysts of police use of lethal force 292 00:22:03,555 --> 00:22:07,955 Speaker 1: had not formed a consensus on exactly which of several 293 00:22:08,035 --> 00:22:12,475 Speaker 1: reasons explained why cops are killing so many more people lately. 294 00:22:13,235 --> 00:22:16,435 Speaker 1: It's kind of a stupid story, but not utterly indefensible 295 00:22:16,475 --> 00:22:21,275 Speaker 1: as one the headline. The headline was utterly indefensible, quoting 296 00:22:21,275 --> 00:22:24,875 Speaker 1: the Washington Post, fatal police shootings are still going up 297 00:22:24,915 --> 00:22:30,035 Speaker 1: and nobody knows why. The runner up. You can look 298 00:22:30,075 --> 00:22:32,315 Speaker 1: at it this way, either the Republican Party is finding 299 00:22:32,315 --> 00:22:35,675 Speaker 1: it harder and harder to find fascists who don't say 300 00:22:35,715 --> 00:22:38,875 Speaker 1: incredibly stupid things that make no sense in public, or 301 00:22:39,515 --> 00:22:42,475 Speaker 1: if you're a half glass full kind of guy, you 302 00:22:42,515 --> 00:22:45,635 Speaker 1: can suggest that the Republicans are finding it easier and 303 00:22:45,675 --> 00:22:49,795 Speaker 1: easier to find fascists willing to say incredibly stupid things 304 00:22:49,795 --> 00:22:54,795 Speaker 1: that appeal to their incredibly stupid voters. Congressman Kevin Hearne 305 00:22:55,195 --> 00:22:58,195 Speaker 1: from Oklahoma implied on Fox that the President went to 306 00:22:58,275 --> 00:23:01,955 Speaker 1: Ukraine without bringing the entire US military with him as 307 00:23:01,955 --> 00:23:08,715 Speaker 1: Trump would have because Hunter Biden. That was it. Not 308 00:23:08,835 --> 00:23:11,755 Speaker 1: even a hint of how even if there were a 309 00:23:11,915 --> 00:23:16,515 Speaker 1: Hunter Biden Ukraine story, how it would explain the absence 310 00:23:16,595 --> 00:23:20,275 Speaker 1: of American troops. You know that old joke. Every time 311 00:23:20,315 --> 00:23:22,915 Speaker 1: I hear so and so speak, I think a McDonald 312 00:23:23,035 --> 00:23:27,115 Speaker 1: somewhere is missing a night manager. Congressman Kevin Hearn's first 313 00:23:27,155 --> 00:23:31,915 Speaker 1: job out of college was a manager at McDonald's. But 314 00:23:32,715 --> 00:23:37,795 Speaker 1: our winner Alaska state Representative David Eastman. For a decade, 315 00:23:37,835 --> 00:23:40,315 Speaker 1: he has been a lifetime member of the Oath Keepers. 316 00:23:40,555 --> 00:23:43,275 Speaker 1: He was at the capitol on January sixth. One of 317 00:23:43,315 --> 00:23:47,035 Speaker 1: the authors of Alaska's state constitutions sued to try to 318 00:23:47,115 --> 00:23:50,755 Speaker 1: keep him from running for reelection there because Eastman supported 319 00:23:50,755 --> 00:23:54,355 Speaker 1: the insurrection. The legislature may yet expel him for that. 320 00:23:54,395 --> 00:23:57,515 Speaker 1: And he's from Wasilla, Alaska, where as we know, the 321 00:23:57,555 --> 00:24:02,235 Speaker 1: stupidity is in the groundwater, asks Sarah Palin. But incredibly, 322 00:24:02,755 --> 00:24:06,155 Speaker 1: this Eastman has done something worse than all that combined. 323 00:24:06,675 --> 00:24:09,395 Speaker 1: It was at a hearing about Alaska's state costs for 324 00:24:09,675 --> 00:24:14,715 Speaker 1: victims of child abuse, in other words, victimized children, and 325 00:24:14,795 --> 00:24:17,475 Speaker 1: Representative Eastman, who wants sponsored a bill that would have 326 00:24:17,555 --> 00:24:21,315 Speaker 1: called abortion child abuse, who was then centured for saying 327 00:24:21,355 --> 00:24:24,235 Speaker 1: that some women got abortions because they got a free 328 00:24:24,235 --> 00:24:28,955 Speaker 1: trip from their small hometowns to Anchorage. Representative Eastman implied 329 00:24:28,955 --> 00:24:31,795 Speaker 1: that in the case of child abuse, it was better 330 00:24:32,355 --> 00:24:38,275 Speaker 1: if the child was killed because it's cheaper that way. 331 00:24:38,515 --> 00:24:42,395 Speaker 1: In the case where child abuse is fatal, obviously it's 332 00:24:42,395 --> 00:24:44,635 Speaker 1: not good for the child, but it's actually a benefit 333 00:24:44,675 --> 00:24:47,835 Speaker 1: to society because there aren't needed for government services and 334 00:24:48,075 --> 00:24:52,115 Speaker 1: whatnot over the whole course of that child's life through 335 00:24:52,115 --> 00:24:54,115 Speaker 1: the check. Can you sit at again to say a 336 00:24:54,195 --> 00:24:59,075 Speaker 1: benefit for society talking dollars, Now, you've got one point 337 00:24:59,075 --> 00:25:02,315 Speaker 1: five million dollars price tag here for victims of fatal 338 00:25:02,395 --> 00:25:07,795 Speaker 1: child abuse in kins are periodically that it's actually a 339 00:25:07,915 --> 00:25:11,155 Speaker 1: cost savings because that child is not going to need 340 00:25:11,195 --> 00:25:15,075 Speaker 1: any of those government services that they might otherwise, um, 341 00:25:15,635 --> 00:25:18,715 Speaker 1: you know, be entitled to receive and need based on 342 00:25:18,955 --> 00:25:21,435 Speaker 1: you know, growing up in this type of environment. Through 343 00:25:21,475 --> 00:25:25,195 Speaker 1: the chair representative, I guess that would be the idea. 344 00:25:25,755 --> 00:25:28,555 Speaker 1: If I can use a really bad analogy, when you 345 00:25:28,635 --> 00:25:31,995 Speaker 1: hit somebody, always back up because it's cheaper to insurance. 346 00:25:32,235 --> 00:25:36,195 Speaker 1: I don't pertain to that, and I'm really I'm not 347 00:25:36,235 --> 00:25:38,475 Speaker 1: even sure how to answer that that there's a cost 348 00:25:38,515 --> 00:25:42,395 Speaker 1: saving to the death of a child. The impact that 349 00:25:42,395 --> 00:25:45,195 Speaker 1: that has on a family in US as a society 350 00:25:45,595 --> 00:25:48,755 Speaker 1: when a child is lost, especially to child abused neglect, 351 00:25:49,115 --> 00:25:56,875 Speaker 1: is unmeasurable, and it's it's a hugely tragic up and 352 00:25:57,155 --> 00:25:59,595 Speaker 1: the way that you're calculating this one point five million, 353 00:25:59,595 --> 00:26:02,875 Speaker 1: I say, yeah, as you heard, they're called out twice 354 00:26:02,955 --> 00:26:07,315 Speaker 1: by the witness for his bluntly in humanity. Eastman just 355 00:26:07,475 --> 00:26:10,275 Speaker 1: plowed ahead as if it were somehow normal to talk 356 00:26:10,315 --> 00:26:13,195 Speaker 1: about how much better it was for society if the 357 00:26:13,315 --> 00:26:17,275 Speaker 1: victims of child abuse died because it costs the state 358 00:26:17,275 --> 00:26:20,675 Speaker 1: of Alaska less. That way, what we are dealing with 359 00:26:20,715 --> 00:26:25,475 Speaker 1: in this Alaska State Representative is profound mental illness. Rarely 360 00:26:25,555 --> 00:26:28,155 Speaker 1: when I hand out this award do I literally mean it, 361 00:26:28,475 --> 00:26:31,355 Speaker 1: but that may be the case this time. Alaska State 362 00:26:31,435 --> 00:26:36,315 Speaker 1: Representative David Eastman may actually be the worst person in 363 00:26:36,355 --> 00:26:45,475 Speaker 1: the world to the number one story on the Countdown 364 00:26:45,515 --> 00:26:48,475 Speaker 1: on my favorite topic, Me and Things I Promised not 365 00:26:48,555 --> 00:26:52,475 Speaker 1: to tell. I have changed jobs a lot, and seldom 366 00:26:52,515 --> 00:26:56,035 Speaker 1: have the departures included gold watches and going away parties, 367 00:26:56,715 --> 00:26:59,835 Speaker 1: at least not going away parties to which I was invited. 368 00:27:00,635 --> 00:27:03,635 Speaker 1: But in forty three years in radio and television, I 369 00:27:03,675 --> 00:27:06,955 Speaker 1: have only actually been fired in the traditional sense of 370 00:27:07,195 --> 00:27:11,275 Speaker 1: go clean out your desk and get out twice. Once 371 00:27:11,955 --> 00:27:14,635 Speaker 1: the order was from a drunken radio executive who did 372 00:27:14,635 --> 00:27:16,835 Speaker 1: not like the fact that I was twenty one years old, 373 00:27:17,355 --> 00:27:20,315 Speaker 1: and he was overruled, and he was sent home with 374 00:27:20,355 --> 00:27:23,795 Speaker 1: a warning by his bosses hours later, and I was 375 00:27:23,875 --> 00:27:27,635 Speaker 1: back on the job forty eight hours after that. The 376 00:27:27,675 --> 00:27:30,795 Speaker 1: other time, when it actually happened, you're fired, clean out 377 00:27:30,835 --> 00:27:34,395 Speaker 1: your desk, that was, unsurprisingly at the hands of Rupert 378 00:27:34,475 --> 00:27:38,675 Speaker 1: Murdoch and Fox, and I mean Rupert Murdoch personally, or 379 00:27:38,755 --> 00:27:44,075 Speaker 1: so he claims. When I finally convinced NBC News that 380 00:27:44,115 --> 00:27:47,675 Speaker 1: I was serious about no longer hosting its Monica Lewinsky Athon. 381 00:27:47,875 --> 00:27:51,395 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety eight, the head of NBC Sports, Dick Eversol, 382 00:27:51,515 --> 00:27:55,155 Speaker 1: had an ingenious solution. He knew his friends at Fox 383 00:27:55,275 --> 00:27:59,755 Speaker 1: Sports longed to have me front their version of Sports Center, 384 00:28:00,195 --> 00:28:02,955 Speaker 1: and so he proposed the following NBC would give my 385 00:28:03,035 --> 00:28:07,195 Speaker 1: agent ten days in which to negotiate two deals. A 386 00:28:07,275 --> 00:28:10,275 Speaker 1: deal for me to go to LA and host Fox 387 00:28:10,475 --> 00:28:15,195 Speaker 1: Sports News and Major League Baseball on Fox, and another 388 00:28:15,275 --> 00:28:19,875 Speaker 1: deal in which Fox would pay NBC one million dollars 389 00:28:19,915 --> 00:28:26,075 Speaker 1: for my contract, like I was a mediocre baseball pitcher. Amazingly, 390 00:28:26,875 --> 00:28:30,155 Speaker 1: it worked. I got what was then a record breaking 391 00:28:30,155 --> 00:28:34,115 Speaker 1: salary for any cable sportscaster. Ever, NBC got its million, 392 00:28:34,475 --> 00:28:37,595 Speaker 1: and maybe most startlingly, NBC then asked me to stay 393 00:28:37,675 --> 00:28:41,235 Speaker 1: on the air as a lane duck at MSNBC for 394 00:28:41,355 --> 00:28:46,835 Speaker 1: like six weeks. Curiously, throughout my career, no matter how 395 00:28:46,875 --> 00:28:50,915 Speaker 1: abrasive the exit, my lane duck employers have always for 396 00:28:50,955 --> 00:28:55,355 Speaker 1: some reason trusted me to stay on their air, even 397 00:28:55,355 --> 00:28:59,115 Speaker 1: though I was leaving in local news in Los Angeles. 398 00:28:59,195 --> 00:29:04,555 Speaker 1: Once I did this for three months anyway, at first 399 00:29:04,955 --> 00:29:07,715 Speaker 1: going to work at Fox Sports was a delight. Their 400 00:29:07,795 --> 00:29:11,275 Speaker 1: news guys, the evil Roger Ales and his henchman John Moody, 401 00:29:11,555 --> 00:29:14,235 Speaker 1: pitched me on doing stuff for them, maybe co anchoring 402 00:29:14,235 --> 00:29:19,915 Speaker 1: with Bill O'Reilly. I'm serious. I passed sports. We spent money. 403 00:29:20,275 --> 00:29:23,315 Speaker 1: I worked with friends. I didn't have to talk about politics. 404 00:29:23,555 --> 00:29:27,115 Speaker 1: I could narrate highlights. I could do funny voices or 405 00:29:27,155 --> 00:29:31,715 Speaker 1: way downtown bang. I lived on the beach. I mean, 406 00:29:32,115 --> 00:29:35,715 Speaker 1: my next door neighbor was Hawaii. Every time there was 407 00:29:35,755 --> 00:29:39,675 Speaker 1: a newspaper story about ESPN, even though our ratings were terrible, 408 00:29:40,195 --> 00:29:42,555 Speaker 1: there was also my picture in it with a caption 409 00:29:42,635 --> 00:29:48,675 Speaker 1: like challenging ESPN. It was great. But then two things happened. 410 00:29:49,155 --> 00:29:52,315 Speaker 1: The Fox guy, who knew we needed five years at 411 00:29:52,435 --> 00:29:56,315 Speaker 1: minimum just to tie ESPN in the ratings, took me 412 00:29:56,355 --> 00:29:59,355 Speaker 1: to lunch one day and said, sorry, mate, Momuss is 413 00:29:59,395 --> 00:30:02,955 Speaker 1: moving back to England tomorrow without me, so I'm going 414 00:30:03,515 --> 00:30:07,435 Speaker 1: good luck. He was replaced by guys who replaced the 415 00:30:07,475 --> 00:30:11,515 Speaker 1: five year plan with a five week plan to raise 416 00:30:11,595 --> 00:30:16,835 Speaker 1: the ratings by literally one fifth of one point. I 417 00:30:16,995 --> 00:30:19,795 Speaker 1: left that meeting in which they explained their suicidal plan 418 00:30:19,915 --> 00:30:24,075 Speaker 1: and revealed that my salary represented an unsustainable twenty percent 419 00:30:24,195 --> 00:30:27,395 Speaker 1: of their entire budget, and I called my real estate 420 00:30:27,435 --> 00:30:30,915 Speaker 1: agent and put my house on the beach up for sale. 421 00:30:32,235 --> 00:30:35,155 Speaker 1: Not long after, my doctor gave me a physical and 422 00:30:35,195 --> 00:30:38,395 Speaker 1: a warning, cut back on work and stress and everything else, 423 00:30:38,795 --> 00:30:41,315 Speaker 1: or you can have a heart attack ten years from now. 424 00:30:42,235 --> 00:30:45,395 Speaker 1: I told my bosses this, and their response was to 425 00:30:45,475 --> 00:30:48,835 Speaker 1: blackmail me. We have a clause in your contract which 426 00:30:48,875 --> 00:30:50,675 Speaker 1: allows us to send you on the road once a 427 00:30:50,715 --> 00:30:53,955 Speaker 1: week while you are still working five days in the studio. 428 00:30:54,435 --> 00:30:56,875 Speaker 1: We're going to enforce that unless you kick back two 429 00:30:56,955 --> 00:31:00,475 Speaker 1: thirds of your salary. They put this in a document. 430 00:31:00,795 --> 00:31:06,595 Speaker 1: There are, as the kids, say, receipts. So I folded 431 00:31:06,595 --> 00:31:10,035 Speaker 1: to blackmail because two thirds of three million dollars a 432 00:31:10,115 --> 00:31:13,835 Speaker 1: year is still pretty good. But I kept doing the job. 433 00:31:13,875 --> 00:31:16,115 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety nine, I broke a story that everybody 434 00:31:16,195 --> 00:31:19,035 Speaker 1: laughed at that Michael Jordan was unhappy in retirement and 435 00:31:19,075 --> 00:31:20,875 Speaker 1: he wanted to come back to play in the NBA, 436 00:31:20,955 --> 00:31:23,795 Speaker 1: but instead of getting a salary, he wanted an ownership 437 00:31:23,875 --> 00:31:28,395 Speaker 1: stake in a team. Two years later, he did exactly that. 438 00:31:29,395 --> 00:31:31,555 Speaker 1: In two thousand, I got to host the first Mets 439 00:31:31,635 --> 00:31:34,675 Speaker 1: Yankees World Series and hosting baseball every Saturday on Fox 440 00:31:34,835 --> 00:31:37,355 Speaker 1: was a pretty good gig, and we were just gearing 441 00:31:37,435 --> 00:31:39,715 Speaker 1: up for the two thousand one baseball season when I 442 00:31:39,755 --> 00:31:43,235 Speaker 1: got a tip on April twentieth that the owners of 443 00:31:43,275 --> 00:31:46,795 Speaker 1: the Los Angeles Dodgers had unofficially put their team up 444 00:31:46,795 --> 00:31:49,355 Speaker 1: for sale, and in fact, they were talking to the 445 00:31:49,515 --> 00:31:53,875 Speaker 1: old owners, the O'Malley family, about taking the Dodgers off 446 00:31:53,915 --> 00:31:57,875 Speaker 1: their hands, selling the Dodgers back to the son of 447 00:31:57,915 --> 00:32:01,675 Speaker 1: Walter O'Malley. This was a great scoop, but it had 448 00:32:01,795 --> 00:32:06,035 Speaker 1: great danger because the owners of the Dodgers were Fox, 449 00:32:06,635 --> 00:32:11,555 Speaker 1: my own employers. The next day, after getting this scoop, 450 00:32:11,595 --> 00:32:13,875 Speaker 1: I made about one hundred phone calls, and sure enough 451 00:32:13,875 --> 00:32:15,435 Speaker 1: I got the friend of a friend of a friend 452 00:32:15,435 --> 00:32:17,595 Speaker 1: of my agent to confirm that he and his family 453 00:32:17,875 --> 00:32:22,315 Speaker 1: were in preliminary discussions joining the O'Malley's to buy the 454 00:32:22,355 --> 00:32:26,835 Speaker 1: Dodgers from Fox. Two sources. Great scoop, and that night 455 00:32:26,875 --> 00:32:28,915 Speaker 1: I reached out to my bosses and said, what the 456 00:32:28,915 --> 00:32:31,995 Speaker 1: hell do we do here? The story is solid, the 457 00:32:32,035 --> 00:32:36,155 Speaker 1: Dodgers are for sale, but look, this is your candy 458 00:32:36,235 --> 00:32:38,395 Speaker 1: store and I do work for you, and if you 459 00:32:38,475 --> 00:32:40,715 Speaker 1: don't want me to report this, I'm obviously not going 460 00:32:40,715 --> 00:32:43,275 Speaker 1: to report it, and I'm not going to pouch, and 461 00:32:43,315 --> 00:32:45,035 Speaker 1: I'm not going to give the story to somebody else. 462 00:32:46,235 --> 00:32:49,435 Speaker 1: My bosses replied, good for you. Why don't we all 463 00:32:49,475 --> 00:32:52,315 Speaker 1: get on the phone with the top Rupert Murdoch has 464 00:32:52,355 --> 00:32:56,235 Speaker 1: his own personal News Corps public relations department. Let's see 465 00:32:56,275 --> 00:33:00,515 Speaker 1: what he says. So on Sunday, April twenty second, two 466 00:33:00,555 --> 00:33:02,915 Speaker 1: thousand and one, we got Murdoch's own PR guy on 467 00:33:02,995 --> 00:33:05,595 Speaker 1: the blower and I explained it to him mile. Mister 468 00:33:05,635 --> 00:33:07,995 Speaker 1: Murdoch has a policy about this. He never interferes in 469 00:33:08,155 --> 00:33:12,315 Speaker 1: editorial decisions, not even in sourced business stories, not even 470 00:33:12,355 --> 00:33:15,955 Speaker 1: if they involve him. So long as you make it 471 00:33:16,075 --> 00:33:19,435 Speaker 1: clear your sources are not from within the company, and 472 00:33:19,635 --> 00:33:22,515 Speaker 1: so long as you're confident in your sources, and so 473 00:33:22,555 --> 00:33:26,115 Speaker 1: long as you include our denial, you should proceed with 474 00:33:26,155 --> 00:33:30,995 Speaker 1: this dodger story. That is what we are paying you for. 475 00:33:30,995 --> 00:33:35,515 Speaker 1: For a brief moment, I thought maybe I have misjudged 476 00:33:35,635 --> 00:33:38,835 Speaker 1: Rupert Murdoch. Well, it turned out to be a very 477 00:33:38,835 --> 00:33:43,075 Speaker 1: brief moment and a very wrong moment. I reported the 478 00:33:43,115 --> 00:33:48,355 Speaker 1: story that night, howls of denials. Five days later, though 479 00:33:48,355 --> 00:33:51,795 Speaker 1: the Long Beach Press Telegram newspaper had its own story said, 480 00:33:52,435 --> 00:33:56,835 Speaker 1: despite denials, Dodgers are for sale, with far more details 481 00:33:56,835 --> 00:33:59,875 Speaker 1: than I had, And that really was the end of it. 482 00:34:00,155 --> 00:34:03,475 Speaker 1: The team was unofficially for sale. Dodger fans, who hated 483 00:34:03,515 --> 00:34:05,795 Speaker 1: what Fox had done to the team seemed happy, and 484 00:34:05,875 --> 00:34:09,995 Speaker 1: the vast stinking pile of burning excrement that was Fox 485 00:34:10,035 --> 00:34:16,075 Speaker 1: and News Corp. And Murdoch sailed on unperturbed. But twelve 486 00:34:16,195 --> 00:34:18,195 Speaker 1: days after that, just before I was getting in my 487 00:34:18,275 --> 00:34:21,035 Speaker 1: car to go to the first Fox Baseball meeting for 488 00:34:21,155 --> 00:34:24,195 Speaker 1: our two thousand and one season coverage, the president of 489 00:34:24,315 --> 00:34:28,395 Speaker 1: Fox Sports, yet another Aussie called David Hill, called my 490 00:34:28,515 --> 00:34:31,595 Speaker 1: agent and told her case, not doing any baseball for 491 00:34:31,675 --> 00:34:38,115 Speaker 1: us this year. Business decision click, end of conversation. Nothing else, 492 00:34:38,675 --> 00:34:41,715 Speaker 1: no firing, no get out, no clean out your desk, 493 00:34:41,795 --> 00:34:45,715 Speaker 1: no announcement. But then two days later they turned off 494 00:34:45,755 --> 00:34:48,635 Speaker 1: my access to the Fox computer system. And four days 495 00:34:48,675 --> 00:34:52,475 Speaker 1: after that they called and canceled my cable show. And 496 00:34:52,555 --> 00:34:55,995 Speaker 1: then that night I got two weird calls from Rich Sandomir, 497 00:34:56,075 --> 00:34:59,035 Speaker 1: who was the TV sports critic and TV sports business 498 00:34:59,035 --> 00:35:02,115 Speaker 1: reporter for the New York Times, and Rich asks me, 499 00:35:02,195 --> 00:35:05,275 Speaker 1: so did you know you got fired by Rupert Murdoch personally. 500 00:35:06,075 --> 00:35:09,475 Speaker 1: And I said, with genuine astonishment that I not only 501 00:35:09,635 --> 00:35:13,395 Speaker 1: didn't know that, but even given my thoughts about Rupert Murdoch, 502 00:35:13,515 --> 00:35:16,395 Speaker 1: I didn't believe that. Well, that's what my sources at 503 00:35:16,435 --> 00:35:19,595 Speaker 1: Fox tell me. Apparently your Dodger's story really pissed him off. 504 00:35:19,635 --> 00:35:23,275 Speaker 1: But really, and I said, I had cleared it through 505 00:35:23,315 --> 00:35:26,795 Speaker 1: his personal pr guy I don't know. Rich sandom Here said, 506 00:35:26,875 --> 00:35:29,235 Speaker 1: apparently he was on vacation and he got back like 507 00:35:29,635 --> 00:35:31,555 Speaker 1: the ninth of this month, and he read all these 508 00:35:31,555 --> 00:35:34,235 Speaker 1: stories about the Dodgers being for sale and how Fox 509 00:35:34,275 --> 00:35:35,915 Speaker 1: Sports was the first to report it, and he called 510 00:35:35,955 --> 00:35:38,915 Speaker 1: up David Hill and he told Hill to fire you immediately. 511 00:35:39,835 --> 00:35:41,835 Speaker 1: So I told Rich, this is the first I ever 512 00:35:41,835 --> 00:35:44,795 Speaker 1: heard of this, and I still don't believe it, even 513 00:35:44,835 --> 00:35:47,715 Speaker 1: though the day he mentioned May ninth was the day 514 00:35:47,795 --> 00:35:49,955 Speaker 1: David Hill had called my agent and told her I 515 00:35:49,955 --> 00:35:53,755 Speaker 1: would not be doing baseball for Fox that year. An 516 00:35:53,755 --> 00:35:56,515 Speaker 1: hour later, the phone rings again and it's Rich sandom 517 00:35:56,555 --> 00:35:59,555 Speaker 1: Here again, and he sounds shaken. I got it wrong. 518 00:35:59,715 --> 00:36:01,515 Speaker 1: I don't have any sources at Fox who told me 519 00:36:01,595 --> 00:36:05,915 Speaker 1: Rupert fired you personally. My source said that you were 520 00:36:05,955 --> 00:36:10,315 Speaker 1: telling people Rupert had fired you personally over the Dodgers story. 521 00:36:10,435 --> 00:36:14,555 Speaker 1: And I gave Rich a sequence of well, kind of 522 00:36:14,675 --> 00:36:18,715 Speaker 1: friendly hus and I said, no, I didn't and know 523 00:36:19,235 --> 00:36:21,075 Speaker 1: you've never been dumb enough in your life to make 524 00:36:21,115 --> 00:36:23,915 Speaker 1: the mistake you're saying you just made. And he said, well, 525 00:36:23,955 --> 00:36:26,915 Speaker 1: I never said. Somebody at Fox said Murdoch fired Joe. Okay, thanks. 526 00:36:26,955 --> 00:36:30,995 Speaker 1: By the next day, they had come into the Fox 527 00:36:31,395 --> 00:36:34,155 Speaker 1: building on Pico Boulevard and clean out my office while 528 00:36:34,155 --> 00:36:36,875 Speaker 1: a guard watched. And she was a really nice guard. 529 00:36:36,915 --> 00:36:39,995 Speaker 1: In fact, she brought donuts but a lovely way to 530 00:36:40,035 --> 00:36:43,075 Speaker 1: go out. As I packed, I thought more and more 531 00:36:43,115 --> 00:36:45,155 Speaker 1: of what had happened in the month since I had 532 00:36:45,155 --> 00:36:48,315 Speaker 1: gotten that tip about the Dodgers being for sale. As 533 00:36:48,355 --> 00:36:51,195 Speaker 1: I left the Fox lot for the last time as 534 00:36:51,235 --> 00:36:53,315 Speaker 1: an employee, I went back a couple of times to 535 00:36:53,355 --> 00:36:56,555 Speaker 1: attend the table reads for the Simpsons. Table reads for 536 00:36:56,595 --> 00:36:58,755 Speaker 1: the Simpsons were much more fun than being an employee 537 00:36:58,755 --> 00:37:01,395 Speaker 1: at Fox. I called a couple of reporters I knew, 538 00:37:01,395 --> 00:37:03,715 Speaker 1: and my agent and some people in the business, and 539 00:37:03,755 --> 00:37:06,555 Speaker 1: we tried to put together or a timeline that made 540 00:37:06,595 --> 00:37:10,275 Speaker 1: some sort of sense. Because the slow motion firing thing. 541 00:37:10,355 --> 00:37:13,275 Speaker 1: May ninth, you're not doing baseball. May eleventh, your computer, 542 00:37:13,315 --> 00:37:16,075 Speaker 1: it won't work. May fifteenth, your cable show was canceled. 543 00:37:16,315 --> 00:37:20,075 Speaker 1: May sixteenth, clean out your office. A week long firing 544 00:37:20,155 --> 00:37:25,875 Speaker 1: made no sense until one reporter friend said, you know, 545 00:37:25,955 --> 00:37:28,915 Speaker 1: Fox called me and said, call Keith up and provoke him. 546 00:37:29,315 --> 00:37:32,435 Speaker 1: Get him to call us names, tell him about this 547 00:37:32,515 --> 00:37:35,275 Speaker 1: story in that paper, calling him washed up, get him going, 548 00:37:36,235 --> 00:37:39,275 Speaker 1: And then it all clicked. My contract ran through the 549 00:37:39,435 --> 00:37:42,435 Speaker 1: end of the year two thousand and one because Fox 550 00:37:42,555 --> 00:37:45,195 Speaker 1: was firing me without any cause, or even claiming there 551 00:37:45,235 --> 00:37:47,995 Speaker 1: was a cause, without any violation of my contract or 552 00:37:48,035 --> 00:37:50,675 Speaker 1: their rules. Because I had left a trail of good 553 00:37:50,715 --> 00:37:54,315 Speaker 1: behavior on the Dodger story. They were trying to enrage 554 00:37:54,395 --> 00:37:58,435 Speaker 1: me and get me to say something nasty that itself 555 00:37:58,635 --> 00:38:01,355 Speaker 1: would be a violation of my contract so they could 556 00:38:01,395 --> 00:38:05,235 Speaker 1: outright fire me and keep the money. And the money 557 00:38:05,275 --> 00:38:09,915 Speaker 1: still on the contract was about eight hundred thousand dollars. Now, 558 00:38:09,955 --> 00:38:13,915 Speaker 1: after decades of contemplating this, I am confident that I 559 00:38:13,955 --> 00:38:17,235 Speaker 1: am no crazier than the next guy, at least not 560 00:38:17,275 --> 00:38:21,515 Speaker 1: the next guy in television. But on my worst, craziest, 561 00:38:21,715 --> 00:38:25,755 Speaker 1: least rational day, if you said you have two choices, aldermen. 562 00:38:26,115 --> 00:38:28,315 Speaker 1: You can blow up these people who are firing you, 563 00:38:28,515 --> 00:38:30,835 Speaker 1: and you can make them look bad in a newspaper 564 00:38:30,915 --> 00:38:33,675 Speaker 1: for a day and then they'll fire you and keep 565 00:38:33,675 --> 00:38:36,795 Speaker 1: all the money they owe you. Or you can keep 566 00:38:36,835 --> 00:38:41,795 Speaker 1: your big bazoo shut for just seven months. You can 567 00:38:41,875 --> 00:38:45,555 Speaker 1: keep the eight hundred thousand dollars, and you can spend 568 00:38:45,555 --> 00:38:47,875 Speaker 1: the summer doing whatever the hell you want, and you 569 00:38:47,915 --> 00:38:50,835 Speaker 1: can then spend the rest of your natural life blowing 570 00:38:50,875 --> 00:38:56,035 Speaker 1: these people up. If that's the choice, I will always 571 00:38:56,075 --> 00:38:58,995 Speaker 1: take the scenario that gives me the eight hundred thousand 572 00:38:59,075 --> 00:39:06,275 Speaker 1: dollars for doing nothing. Always so. On January first, two 573 00:39:06,315 --> 00:39:09,075 Speaker 1: thousand and two, after the last Fox check cleared, I 574 00:39:09,195 --> 00:39:12,835 Speaker 1: began making a professional avocation out of attacking Fox News, 575 00:39:12,835 --> 00:39:19,235 Speaker 1: Fox Sports, Fox Business, Fox Murdoch, Fox O'Reilly, Fox, Tucker Carlson, whatever. 576 00:39:19,595 --> 00:39:23,115 Speaker 1: And I got the eight hundred thousand dollars. But they're 577 00:39:23,195 --> 00:39:26,275 Speaker 1: lingered for years, this kind of academic question of whether 578 00:39:26,315 --> 00:39:30,675 Speaker 1: Rupert Murdoch had actually fired me for having followed the 579 00:39:30,795 --> 00:39:36,635 Speaker 1: rules set out by his own personal pr guy. As usual, 580 00:39:36,795 --> 00:39:40,115 Speaker 1: these things resolve themselves when you least expect them to. 581 00:39:40,715 --> 00:39:44,675 Speaker 1: Murdoch was speaking at a Dow Jones conference in Carlsbad, California, 582 00:39:44,755 --> 00:39:49,115 Speaker 1: on May twenty eighth, two thousand and eight, seven years 583 00:39:49,195 --> 00:39:51,155 Speaker 1: to the month they got rid of me and a 584 00:39:51,235 --> 00:39:53,995 Speaker 1: story came across the wire with my name on it. 585 00:39:54,555 --> 00:39:58,315 Speaker 1: The guy interviewing him at this conference talked about whether 586 00:39:58,315 --> 00:40:01,915 Speaker 1: there should be dissenting voices on Fox quote news unquote, 587 00:40:02,075 --> 00:40:06,395 Speaker 1: like that guy who was killing it on MSNBC, Heath Alderman. Now, 588 00:40:06,875 --> 00:40:11,435 Speaker 1: Murdoch barked all fired him five years ago. He was crazy. 589 00:40:13,035 --> 00:40:16,835 Speaker 1: Timing was off, But there it was, Rupert Murdoch confessing 590 00:40:17,275 --> 00:40:20,915 Speaker 1: in front of a crowd that he fired me personally, 591 00:40:21,195 --> 00:40:25,995 Speaker 1: the red badge of courage in quotes. I wondered if 592 00:40:25,995 --> 00:40:27,515 Speaker 1: it still pissed him off that he had to pay 593 00:40:27,515 --> 00:40:29,555 Speaker 1: me the eight hundred thousand dollars when I didn't take 594 00:40:29,555 --> 00:40:34,635 Speaker 1: the grievance bait. Three years after that, Murdoch said it again, 595 00:40:34,795 --> 00:40:37,995 Speaker 1: like I hadn't heard it the first time. On February first, 596 00:40:37,995 --> 00:40:42,315 Speaker 1: two eleven, Rupert Murdoch was interviewed by his business talking 597 00:40:42,315 --> 00:40:45,555 Speaker 1: head Neil Cavudo, who for some reason asked him if 598 00:40:45,555 --> 00:40:49,115 Speaker 1: he would consider hiring me to put me on Fox News. 599 00:40:49,555 --> 00:40:53,595 Speaker 1: Now we fired him once. We don't believe in fign people. Twice, 600 00:40:54,835 --> 00:40:58,155 Speaker 1: Cabudo replied, you called him a nut lad. He was 601 00:40:58,195 --> 00:41:00,835 Speaker 1: a nut on lad. We had him on late night 602 00:41:00,915 --> 00:41:04,355 Speaker 1: Fox Sports. There was never any such show called late 603 00:41:04,475 --> 00:41:07,275 Speaker 1: night Fox Sports. But never mind, Rupe went on. It 604 00:41:07,395 --> 00:41:12,155 Speaker 1: was impossible. I fired him. He was crazy, fired me 605 00:41:12,835 --> 00:41:16,835 Speaker 1: for following his rules, and I was the one who 606 00:41:16,955 --> 00:41:22,235 Speaker 1: was crazy. Finally, speaking of crazy, I have had for 607 00:41:22,435 --> 00:41:25,635 Speaker 1: sixty three nearly sixty four years now, a love hate 608 00:41:25,675 --> 00:41:29,755 Speaker 1: relationship with the name Keith. But did you know that 609 00:41:30,115 --> 00:41:34,675 Speaker 1: Rupert Murdoch's real first name is also Keith, but that 610 00:41:34,835 --> 00:41:40,595 Speaker 1: rather than call himself Keith, he voluntarily chooses to call 611 00:41:40,755 --> 00:41:46,995 Speaker 1: himself Rupert. I mean, sure, my name is Keith, but 612 00:41:47,155 --> 00:42:07,155 Speaker 1: at least my name ain't freaking Rupert. Countdown has come 613 00:42:07,155 --> 00:42:09,715 Speaker 1: to you from the studios of Old Breman Broadcasting Umpire 614 00:42:09,835 --> 00:42:13,595 Speaker 1: World headquarters in the Sports Capsule Building in New York, 615 00:42:13,995 --> 00:42:17,555 Speaker 1: mere blocks from the world headquarters of the News Corp 616 00:42:17,955 --> 00:42:20,315 Speaker 1: in New York, that part of News Corp that is 617 00:42:20,355 --> 00:42:23,715 Speaker 1: not based in Hell. Thanks for listening here the credits. 618 00:42:23,755 --> 00:42:26,235 Speaker 1: Most of the music, including our theme here from Beethoven's 619 00:42:26,315 --> 00:42:29,515 Speaker 1: Ninth was arranged produced and performed by Brian Ray and 620 00:42:29,595 --> 00:42:33,195 Speaker 1: John Philip SChannel, who are the countdown musical directors. Guitars, 621 00:42:33,275 --> 00:42:37,075 Speaker 1: bass and drums by Brian Ray, All orchestration and keyboards 622 00:42:37,075 --> 00:42:40,835 Speaker 1: by John Philip Schanel, produced by Tko Brothers. The other 623 00:42:40,875 --> 00:42:44,475 Speaker 1: Beethoven selections have been arranged and performed by No Horns Allowed. 624 00:42:44,795 --> 00:42:47,995 Speaker 1: The sports music is the Alderman theme from ESPN two. 625 00:42:48,275 --> 00:42:51,395 Speaker 1: It was written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. 626 00:42:51,715 --> 00:42:54,875 Speaker 1: Musical comments by Nancy Fauss. The best baseball stadium organist 627 00:42:54,915 --> 00:42:58,555 Speaker 1: ever our an outcre today was Tony Kornheiser. Everything else 628 00:42:58,675 --> 00:43:01,435 Speaker 1: was pretty much my fault. So let's countdown for this, 629 00:43:01,515 --> 00:43:04,675 Speaker 1: the seven hundred and seventy eighth day since Donald Trump's 630 00:43:04,755 --> 00:43:07,635 Speaker 1: first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the 631 00:43:07,715 --> 00:43:12,555 Speaker 1: United States. Arrest him now while we still can. The 632 00:43:12,675 --> 00:43:15,475 Speaker 1: next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Until then, I'm Keith Olderman. 633 00:43:15,555 --> 00:43:31,195 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. Countdown with 634 00:43:31,275 --> 00:43:35,595 Speaker 1: Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 635 00:43:35,595 --> 00:43:40,315 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 636 00:43:40,395 --> 00:43:41,715 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.