1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:23,075 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. It's quiet, 2 00:00:23,435 --> 00:00:28,195 Speaker 1: It's too quiet. Thank God. We have five million different 3 00:00:28,355 --> 00:00:32,435 Speaker 1: five takeaways from the New Hampshire primary articles to get 4 00:00:32,595 --> 00:00:36,395 Speaker 1: us through it. Yesterday was the day. Everybody pretty much 5 00:00:36,435 --> 00:00:40,235 Speaker 1: gave themselves the day off. Even Trump's social media went 6 00:00:40,275 --> 00:00:45,235 Speaker 1: into reruns and reposts, more enraged attacks on Nicky Haley, 7 00:00:45,595 --> 00:00:48,795 Speaker 1: more of the new Trump twenty twenty four god con 8 00:00:49,235 --> 00:00:53,235 Speaker 1: with links to propaganda with headlines like his truth is 9 00:00:53,395 --> 00:00:59,155 Speaker 1: Marching On. Trump had one new reality optional dementia driven 10 00:00:59,195 --> 00:01:01,995 Speaker 1: claim in which he says he has quote beaten the 11 00:01:02,035 --> 00:01:07,715 Speaker 1: once very popular sitting governor of Iowa. I can't swear 12 00:01:07,755 --> 00:01:11,315 Speaker 1: to this, but I believe the last sitting Republican governor 13 00:01:11,355 --> 00:01:15,715 Speaker 1: of Iowa to seek the presidential nomination was Governor Albert 14 00:01:15,755 --> 00:01:20,315 Speaker 1: Cummins in nineteen twelve. If Trump thinks he ran against 15 00:01:20,315 --> 00:01:24,075 Speaker 1: Governor Albert Cummins in nineteen twelve and beat him, his 16 00:01:24,115 --> 00:01:29,155 Speaker 1: dementia or his CTE or his syphilis is further along 17 00:01:29,275 --> 00:01:34,035 Speaker 1: than any of us could have possibly dreamed. The American 18 00:01:34,115 --> 00:01:38,795 Speaker 1: media political industrial complex also slept in both sidesing Trump's 19 00:01:38,795 --> 00:01:43,795 Speaker 1: dementia and Biden's age is exhausting, after all, strained lying 20 00:01:43,915 --> 00:01:48,835 Speaker 1: always is. Even Matt Drudge, who now impossibly is one 21 00:01:48,875 --> 00:01:52,755 Speaker 1: of the good guys, largely took the day off from 22 00:01:52,835 --> 00:01:56,915 Speaker 1: pommeling Trump. CNN was still live from this New Hampshire 23 00:01:56,955 --> 00:01:59,595 Speaker 1: diner at twelve fifty nine pm, and the post show 24 00:01:59,635 --> 00:02:02,355 Speaker 1: meeting will be about how terrific the lighting was. Great 25 00:02:02,435 --> 00:02:07,915 Speaker 1: job everyone. The biggest political development yesterday was a shock 26 00:02:08,035 --> 00:02:12,795 Speaker 1: on many levels. John Stewart is returning to The Daily Show, 27 00:02:13,395 --> 00:02:19,795 Speaker 1: hosting on Monday's executive producing through the election and maybe beyond. Firstly, 28 00:02:19,875 --> 00:02:21,835 Speaker 1: this comes as a surprise to many of us who 29 00:02:21,875 --> 00:02:25,115 Speaker 1: did not know the Daily Show was still on the air. Secondly, 30 00:02:25,795 --> 00:02:29,315 Speaker 1: I have a lot of problems with John Stewart. John 31 00:02:29,355 --> 00:02:31,915 Speaker 1: Stewart is still mad at me because I did not 32 00:02:32,035 --> 00:02:35,235 Speaker 1: stay home from work at MSNBC one day in two 33 00:02:35,275 --> 00:02:38,635 Speaker 1: thousand and three when I was just getting the show started, 34 00:02:38,875 --> 00:02:41,715 Speaker 1: to instead be a guest on The Daily Show. If 35 00:02:41,755 --> 00:02:43,795 Speaker 1: you think this is an odd thing to still be 36 00:02:43,875 --> 00:02:46,355 Speaker 1: mad at somebody about twenty and a half years later, 37 00:02:46,435 --> 00:02:54,875 Speaker 1: you don't know John Stewart. Regardless, this sadly, seriously is war, 38 00:02:55,755 --> 00:02:59,275 Speaker 1: and it is almost entirely and hopefully will remain only 39 00:02:59,875 --> 00:03:03,235 Speaker 1: a media war. I got a lot of problems with 40 00:03:03,315 --> 00:03:05,555 Speaker 1: Mado too. I don't know have I ever mentioned any 41 00:03:05,595 --> 00:03:08,355 Speaker 1: of them, but two years ago I actually sent her 42 00:03:08,395 --> 00:03:10,515 Speaker 1: a note pleading with her not to cut back to 43 00:03:10,555 --> 00:03:12,355 Speaker 1: one day a week, but to take a sabbatical of 44 00:03:12,355 --> 00:03:15,675 Speaker 1: a year or even two and return full time as 45 00:03:15,715 --> 00:03:19,395 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four primary season began. The saving grace 46 00:03:19,515 --> 00:03:22,395 Speaker 1: of the left is that while no Republican hates any 47 00:03:22,475 --> 00:03:27,595 Speaker 1: Democrat as much as he hates some other Republican, Dems 48 00:03:27,635 --> 00:03:31,675 Speaker 1: and Libs are actually kind of the big tent we 49 00:03:31,755 --> 00:03:36,555 Speaker 1: claim to be. Stewart sees the existential threat to American 50 00:03:36,595 --> 00:03:41,155 Speaker 1: democracy that Trump represents. Matdow sees the existential threat to 51 00:03:41,195 --> 00:03:45,915 Speaker 1: American democracy that Trump represents. They have fan bases and platforms, 52 00:03:45,955 --> 00:03:49,835 Speaker 1: and therefore the more they are on TV, I say, 53 00:03:50,155 --> 00:03:54,915 Speaker 1: the better. I mean. I did just also say. Matt Drudge, 54 00:03:54,915 --> 00:03:59,635 Speaker 1: who now impossibly is one of the good guys, happily 55 00:03:59,755 --> 00:04:03,315 Speaker 1: into this news Doldrum Breach stepped many of America's best 56 00:04:03,475 --> 00:04:06,315 Speaker 1: both sidesists. The New York Times was good enough to 57 00:04:06,315 --> 00:04:10,355 Speaker 1: publish Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan's five takeaways from the 58 00:04:10,355 --> 00:04:14,155 Speaker 1: New Hampshire primary. Aaron Blake of The Washington Post offered 59 00:04:15,035 --> 00:04:19,595 Speaker 1: five takeaways from the New Hampshire primary. Conversely, The Hill 60 00:04:19,635 --> 00:04:25,035 Speaker 1: presented five takeaways from the New Hampshire primary. CNN meanwhile 61 00:04:25,395 --> 00:04:30,555 Speaker 1: offered five takeaways from the Newmpshire primary. But broadening out 62 00:04:30,595 --> 00:04:33,235 Speaker 1: the picture just a little bit, barrens more of a 63 00:04:33,275 --> 00:04:38,675 Speaker 1: business publication published originating from the Agen France Press, five 64 00:04:38,755 --> 00:04:45,875 Speaker 1: Takeaways from the New Hampshire Primary. So here are five 65 00:04:46,035 --> 00:04:50,315 Speaker 1: takeaways from the five takeaways from the New Hampshire primary. 66 00:04:50,475 --> 00:04:53,635 Speaker 1: Takeaway number one, Why the hell is it always five takeaways? 67 00:04:55,235 --> 00:05:00,915 Speaker 1: To stand out? Just in the journalistic takeaways space? All 68 00:05:00,955 --> 00:05:04,155 Speaker 1: the New York Times or France Press has to do 69 00:05:04,755 --> 00:05:09,475 Speaker 1: which to four takeaways, or to six takeaways, or to 70 00:05:09,595 --> 00:05:12,875 Speaker 1: two hundred and six takeaways, and they would crush the 71 00:05:12,955 --> 00:05:20,275 Speaker 1: other takeaway bastards like grapes. Takeaway number two, nobody writing 72 00:05:20,475 --> 00:05:24,915 Speaker 1: American political analysis for a mainstream legacy site or network 73 00:05:24,955 --> 00:05:28,715 Speaker 1: or newspaper or magazine anywhere in the world apparently reads 74 00:05:29,555 --> 00:05:32,795 Speaker 1: anybody else's political analysis, or they would realize just how 75 00:05:32,995 --> 00:05:37,875 Speaker 1: stupid publishing exactly the same title over what is supposed 76 00:05:37,875 --> 00:05:42,035 Speaker 1: to be the premium value of your analyst's insight is 77 00:05:42,595 --> 00:05:46,915 Speaker 1: I mean when the Agen Franz Press and the Hill 78 00:05:47,315 --> 00:05:51,635 Speaker 1: are both stuck on this cliched, formulaic gobbledegook that was 79 00:05:51,675 --> 00:05:56,475 Speaker 1: outdated when Teddy Roosevelt fought Albert Cummins and Taft for 80 00:05:56,475 --> 00:06:01,515 Speaker 1: the nineteen twelve Republican nomination. The system is broken Takeaway 81 00:06:01,595 --> 00:06:06,275 Speaker 1: number three. Every one of these sets of five takeaways included. 82 00:06:06,875 --> 00:06:13,915 Speaker 1: The clock is ticking on Nicky Haley's campaign. Gee, that's wonderful, thanks, 83 00:06:16,075 --> 00:06:19,275 Speaker 1: clock is ticking. That's kind of the point. The clock 84 00:06:19,355 --> 00:06:22,755 Speaker 1: is ticking on Trump's life, and my life and yours. 85 00:06:23,755 --> 00:06:26,195 Speaker 1: And I'm sorry if this is somehow a surprise that 86 00:06:26,235 --> 00:06:29,555 Speaker 1: I'm breaking to you. In fact, the clock is ticking 87 00:06:29,595 --> 00:06:33,515 Speaker 1: on everything in life, except, it seems on the mindless 88 00:06:33,555 --> 00:06:37,675 Speaker 1: insistence of news organizations to continue running pieces called five 89 00:06:37,955 --> 00:06:44,915 Speaker 1: Takeaways from the New Hampshire Primary Takeaway number four. All 90 00:06:45,035 --> 00:06:49,115 Speaker 1: five of the five five takeaways provided more opportunity for 91 00:06:49,195 --> 00:06:52,835 Speaker 1: their encrusted institutions to pray at the altar of both 92 00:06:52,875 --> 00:06:55,795 Speaker 1: sides ism and at the altar of the use of 93 00:06:55,835 --> 00:06:59,115 Speaker 1: euphemism at a time of crisis when hard facts and 94 00:06:59,275 --> 00:07:04,595 Speaker 1: real language are essential. All tiptoed around the actual takeaway. 95 00:07:05,075 --> 00:07:10,035 Speaker 1: Trump lost his mind after Nikki Haley did not humiliate 96 00:07:10,075 --> 00:07:13,075 Speaker 1: herself and signed up for the kind of involuntary Trumpian 97 00:07:13,155 --> 00:07:17,555 Speaker 1: servitude that Tim Scott signed up for. The Washington Post 98 00:07:17,635 --> 00:07:21,715 Speaker 1: actually wrote, Haley is staying in for now, which Trump 99 00:07:21,955 --> 00:07:28,795 Speaker 1: appeared angry about. Really, he threatened her, He threatened those 100 00:07:28,835 --> 00:07:32,555 Speaker 1: who endorsed her. His flying monkey Marjorie Taylor Green demanded 101 00:07:32,915 --> 00:07:37,435 Speaker 1: that Haley's team be imprisoned. Appeared appeared to be angry. 102 00:07:39,275 --> 00:07:43,995 Speaker 1: The Hill actually wrote Primary season looked short and drama free. 103 00:07:45,075 --> 00:07:48,395 Speaker 1: I guess unless you think ninety one indictments of the 104 00:07:48,435 --> 00:07:53,235 Speaker 1: front runner, including for the components of treason and threats 105 00:07:53,275 --> 00:07:57,035 Speaker 1: of violence against and prosecution of those who challenge him, 106 00:07:57,155 --> 00:08:01,675 Speaker 1: let's you think any of that constitutes drama. I'll give 107 00:08:01,755 --> 00:08:04,355 Speaker 1: CNN rare credit. They used a good word to describe 108 00:08:04,395 --> 00:08:12,395 Speaker 1: Trump insanity. He quote seethed and mocked seethed, and then 109 00:08:12,475 --> 00:08:15,915 Speaker 1: CNN gave that credit right back quote Trump sounded annoyed. 110 00:08:16,995 --> 00:08:23,195 Speaker 1: Christ can you just write what happened in Iowa? Trump 111 00:08:23,275 --> 00:08:27,395 Speaker 1: swallowed his only real human emotion, rage, and at least 112 00:08:27,435 --> 00:08:31,555 Speaker 1: said words that, when said by other people would seem 113 00:08:31,595 --> 00:08:36,515 Speaker 1: mildly gracious in New Hampshire. He got up and swore 114 00:08:36,555 --> 00:08:39,275 Speaker 1: at Nicki Haley and her supporters and threatened them, and 115 00:08:39,315 --> 00:08:42,235 Speaker 1: you could see the red in his face through the 116 00:08:42,315 --> 00:08:47,515 Speaker 1: orange on his face. Even Politico reported that after Trump 117 00:08:47,635 --> 00:08:49,955 Speaker 1: lost it at a moment that actually required him to 118 00:08:50,115 --> 00:08:54,595 Speaker 1: fake being sane, a Haley campaigner asked them, quote, why 119 00:08:54,675 --> 00:08:57,115 Speaker 1: is he so angry for someone who's not threatened by Nicki? 120 00:08:57,115 --> 00:09:00,435 Speaker 1: He sure talks about her every chance he gets. Politico 121 00:09:00,475 --> 00:09:04,315 Speaker 1: added that a Biden campaign aid then texted about Trump's 122 00:09:04,315 --> 00:09:08,715 Speaker 1: outbrun quote that's the guy we will beat. And that, 123 00:09:08,835 --> 00:09:12,235 Speaker 1: of course, is the true takeaway. The thin veneer of 124 00:09:12,395 --> 00:09:16,675 Speaker 1: human like conduct Trump slathers on every morning along with 125 00:09:16,715 --> 00:09:20,235 Speaker 1: his rustolium number two four five two two one hairspray 126 00:09:20,835 --> 00:09:25,715 Speaker 1: now vanishes instantly at the slightest pressure. He is, as 127 00:09:25,755 --> 00:09:32,755 Speaker 1: the psychology professionals say, come and unglued. That's the takeaway, 128 00:09:33,675 --> 00:09:36,915 Speaker 1: and takeaway number five. I don't want to leave the 129 00:09:36,915 --> 00:09:40,075 Speaker 1: impression that the Times, the Posts, the Hill, CNN, and 130 00:09:40,155 --> 00:09:44,675 Speaker 1: a gen Franz Press are the lone culprits. Here a 131 00:09:44,755 --> 00:09:48,235 Speaker 1: Google search for five takeaways from the New Hampshire primary 132 00:09:49,315 --> 00:09:55,435 Speaker 1: in Quotes produces fifty one thousand, two hundred results. About 133 00:09:55,475 --> 00:10:00,195 Speaker 1: thirteen thousand of them are individual public radio and TV websites, 134 00:10:00,195 --> 00:10:06,675 Speaker 1: from kyuk k Yuck in Alaska to c SPAN, which 135 00:10:06,755 --> 00:10:13,235 Speaker 1: reposted NPR's five Takeaways from the Hampshire Primary by Domenico Montanaro, 136 00:10:13,475 --> 00:10:16,675 Speaker 1: whose first takeaway was God Bless him. The clock is 137 00:10:16,715 --> 00:10:23,035 Speaker 1: ticking on Nicky Haley's campaign. The Internet is infinite, and 138 00:10:23,075 --> 00:10:27,555 Speaker 1: so are the five takeaways. Actually here, I will follow 139 00:10:27,635 --> 00:10:31,315 Speaker 1: my own advice and stretch the takeaway boundaries in a 140 00:10:31,355 --> 00:10:35,235 Speaker 1: form never before seen nor heard in the English language. 141 00:10:35,435 --> 00:10:42,555 Speaker 1: I hold in my hand my sixth takeaway. My sixth 142 00:10:42,675 --> 00:10:47,795 Speaker 1: takeaway is that the real takeaways are Trump lost his mind. 143 00:10:48,795 --> 00:10:52,075 Speaker 1: Tim Scott is not only a bigger clown than Ramaswami, 144 00:10:52,275 --> 00:10:54,315 Speaker 1: but if you saw him on stage with Trump, you 145 00:10:54,395 --> 00:10:57,595 Speaker 1: have to have noticed that he breathes through his mouth. 146 00:10:58,915 --> 00:11:03,035 Speaker 1: Marge Green says she's purging the gop of all non maga, 147 00:11:03,395 --> 00:11:05,755 Speaker 1: and she doesn't understand that it means Trump will get 148 00:11:06,035 --> 00:11:11,115 Speaker 1: fewer votes because she's stupid or stoned or both. Trump 149 00:11:11,195 --> 00:11:14,075 Speaker 1: is pressuring Haley to drop out now, and using all 150 00:11:14,115 --> 00:11:16,835 Speaker 1: his minions to do so, but Haley is staying in 151 00:11:16,835 --> 00:11:20,035 Speaker 1: in case Trump begins speaking in tongues or does an 152 00:11:20,195 --> 00:11:23,755 Speaker 1: l presidente esposito and announces we all have to change 153 00:11:23,755 --> 00:11:26,395 Speaker 1: our underwear every half hour and wear it on the 154 00:11:26,475 --> 00:11:32,675 Speaker 1: outside so he can check. Of course, none of the 155 00:11:32,715 --> 00:11:35,915 Speaker 1: takeaways could manage to come out and say any of 156 00:11:35,995 --> 00:11:41,475 Speaker 1: my takeaways because such actual insight is not permitted in 157 00:11:41,515 --> 00:11:48,915 Speaker 1: the official AP style book for five takeaways on I 158 00:11:48,955 --> 00:11:52,555 Speaker 1: have a seventh takeaway quick the smelling salts. Dana Bash 159 00:11:52,755 --> 00:11:59,355 Speaker 1: just fainted. My seventh takeaway is use the term as 160 00:11:59,395 --> 00:12:07,435 Speaker 1: a verb. This useless institutional promoting artery hardening format. Take 161 00:12:08,035 --> 00:12:17,595 Speaker 1: it away happily. The media has learned its lesson Senator Collins. 162 00:12:17,915 --> 00:12:22,635 Speaker 1: Five four pm Eastern Yesterday, Washington Post campaign newsletter, Trump's 163 00:12:22,675 --> 00:12:26,555 Speaker 1: early wins come with warning signs. Eleven minutes later, New 164 00:12:26,635 --> 00:12:30,835 Speaker 1: York Times campaign newsletter, Trump's new Hampshire win suggests trouble ahead. 165 00:12:33,595 --> 00:12:38,035 Speaker 1: This is a recording before I get back to beating 166 00:12:38,075 --> 00:12:40,395 Speaker 1: them up. Let's run through the other headlines. Looks like 167 00:12:40,435 --> 00:12:43,235 Speaker 1: Senate Republicans are getting ready to sell out Ukraine. Punch 168 00:12:43,275 --> 00:12:45,995 Speaker 1: Bowl News reports that Mitch McConnell till the closed door 169 00:12:46,035 --> 00:12:49,355 Speaker 1: meeting of his coven. Quote. When we started this, the 170 00:12:49,395 --> 00:12:52,475 Speaker 1: border united US and Ukraine divided us. The politics on 171 00:12:52,515 --> 00:12:56,075 Speaker 1: this have changed, punch bowl says McConnell. Referred to Trump 172 00:12:56,115 --> 00:12:59,715 Speaker 1: as the nominee and added, we don't want to do 173 00:12:59,755 --> 00:13:04,835 Speaker 1: anything to undermine him. We're in a quandary. No, the 174 00:13:04,875 --> 00:13:09,235 Speaker 1: people of Ukraine fighting the Russians there, so we don't 175 00:13:09,235 --> 00:13:12,915 Speaker 1: have to fight the Russians in Warsaw or Berlin. The 176 00:13:12,995 --> 00:13:17,915 Speaker 1: people of Ukraine are in a quandary. You are in 177 00:13:18,035 --> 00:13:23,355 Speaker 1: danger of losing your immortal souls, you Republican senatorial bastards. 178 00:13:25,995 --> 00:13:28,115 Speaker 1: Also remember two weeks ago when I suggested here that 179 00:13:28,155 --> 00:13:31,075 Speaker 1: maybe Madison Cawthorne was right and the insanity of the 180 00:13:31,115 --> 00:13:34,435 Speaker 1: Republican Party was actually easily explained, that they really were 181 00:13:34,475 --> 00:13:39,435 Speaker 1: all just sprung out on drugs. Turns out, three days 182 00:13:39,435 --> 00:13:42,715 Speaker 1: before I said that, the Department of Defense Inspector General's 183 00:13:42,755 --> 00:13:45,635 Speaker 1: Office released an eighty page report on the White House 184 00:13:45,715 --> 00:13:48,995 Speaker 1: Medical Unit and pharmacy, covering the years two thousand and 185 00:13:49,035 --> 00:13:52,395 Speaker 1: nine through twenty nineteen, but focused on the years twenty 186 00:13:52,555 --> 00:13:57,115 Speaker 1: seventeen through twenty nineteen under Trump. As Rolling Stone summarized it, 187 00:13:57,195 --> 00:14:01,195 Speaker 1: the report showed that drugs, especially uppers and downers, were 188 00:14:01,235 --> 00:14:07,075 Speaker 1: handed out like candy, especially after Trump took over. No oversight, 189 00:14:07,195 --> 00:14:11,715 Speaker 1: no coherent records, no hesitation to give out medications without prescriptions, 190 00:14:11,795 --> 00:14:14,795 Speaker 1: usually in advance of overseas trips, to White House staffers 191 00:14:14,795 --> 00:14:18,435 Speaker 1: who were ineligible for them. In three years, the Trump 192 00:14:18,475 --> 00:14:23,995 Speaker 1: White House bought at face value nearly fifty thousand dollars 193 00:14:23,995 --> 00:14:29,835 Speaker 1: worth of brand name Ambient. If this sounds vaguely familiar, 194 00:14:29,875 --> 00:14:32,915 Speaker 1: note that time frame two thousand and nine through twenty nineteen. 195 00:14:33,115 --> 00:14:35,155 Speaker 1: Guess who joined the White House Medical Unit in two 196 00:14:35,155 --> 00:14:39,355 Speaker 1: thousand and six, Doctor Ronnie Jackson. Guess who became director 197 00:14:39,395 --> 00:14:42,635 Speaker 1: in twenty ten again doctor Ronnie Jackson. And guess who 198 00:14:42,635 --> 00:14:47,115 Speaker 1: became physician to the President in twenty thirteen, Doctor Ronnie Jackson. 199 00:14:48,675 --> 00:14:51,955 Speaker 1: After widespread allegations of drunkenness and harassment, he was finally 200 00:14:51,995 --> 00:14:56,235 Speaker 1: forced out in twenty nineteen and forced to serve in 201 00:14:56,315 --> 00:15:00,875 Speaker 1: the House of Representatives. This next one would be a 202 00:15:00,875 --> 00:15:03,915 Speaker 1: wild story if it were not about Arizona and Carrie Lake. 203 00:15:04,195 --> 00:15:07,635 Speaker 1: She just successfully blackmailed the state Republican chairman into resigning, 204 00:15:08,315 --> 00:15:10,915 Speaker 1: so says Jeff de Witt. He says he has quit 205 00:15:11,115 --> 00:15:14,475 Speaker 1: he has resigned because Carrie Lake released an audio tape 206 00:15:14,475 --> 00:15:18,155 Speaker 1: in which he has heard offering her lucrative job opportunities 207 00:15:18,355 --> 00:15:21,675 Speaker 1: to just get the hell out of politics for just 208 00:15:21,795 --> 00:15:25,995 Speaker 1: two years. He says, she has threatened him with another 209 00:15:26,115 --> 00:15:28,515 Speaker 1: audio tape. He says he doesn't know what might be 210 00:15:28,595 --> 00:15:33,955 Speaker 1: on it, so he quit. The UAW endorsed Biden. Wait, 211 00:15:34,035 --> 00:15:37,835 Speaker 1: that's just the start. In his speech endorsing the president 212 00:15:38,275 --> 00:15:43,595 Speaker 1: UAW President Sean Faine called Trump a scab. Then he 213 00:15:43,635 --> 00:15:46,875 Speaker 1: went on Fox and said, nowhere in history has Donald 214 00:15:46,915 --> 00:15:49,555 Speaker 1: Trump ever stood for the American worker. He stands against 215 00:15:49,555 --> 00:15:55,315 Speaker 1: pretty much everything that we stand for. Sean Fain, Shin Faine, 216 00:15:55,355 --> 00:15:58,355 Speaker 1: Shawn Faine, Shin Fain. I keep thinking this is not 217 00:15:58,435 --> 00:16:04,435 Speaker 1: a coincidence. Only Sean Fain is clearly tougher. And because 218 00:16:04,835 --> 00:16:07,675 Speaker 1: my bile is still surging, let's go back for some 219 00:16:07,715 --> 00:16:10,875 Speaker 1: more media bashing with three of the worst takes of 220 00:16:10,915 --> 00:16:13,795 Speaker 1: the entire twenty twenty three twenty four campaign year, and 221 00:16:13,875 --> 00:16:16,995 Speaker 1: all of them are this week about New Hampshire. Kelly 222 00:16:17,035 --> 00:16:21,195 Speaker 1: and Kahn job on Fox, just as Trump is getting 223 00:16:21,275 --> 00:16:24,395 Speaker 1: up to the podium after winning New Hampshire, He'll be 224 00:16:24,515 --> 00:16:29,155 Speaker 1: gracious to Haley. Sean Hannity then says, hash tone his 225 00:16:29,315 --> 00:16:33,275 Speaker 1: pitch ha hish cadence shows he's been really dialed in 226 00:16:33,275 --> 00:16:38,275 Speaker 1: in a way I've not changed since twenty twenty. When 227 00:16:38,315 --> 00:16:41,995 Speaker 1: you stop as I do, and wonder how this insane, 228 00:16:42,275 --> 00:16:47,915 Speaker 1: brain damaged, half human incubus could come to dominate American politics, 229 00:16:48,435 --> 00:16:53,075 Speaker 1: I mean, just calm yourself and think of how very 230 00:16:53,195 --> 00:16:58,795 Speaker 1: stupid the people are who support him. After nine years 231 00:16:58,835 --> 00:17:03,595 Speaker 1: of this, Kelly and Conway and Sean Hannity expected him 232 00:17:04,115 --> 00:17:10,155 Speaker 1: to turn human. Okay, that's one. Here's a beauty Alex 233 00:17:10,475 --> 00:17:13,075 Speaker 1: Salmon descending down the liberal media game of shoots and 234 00:17:13,155 --> 00:17:15,435 Speaker 1: ladders from the New Republic to Mother Jones to American 235 00:17:15,475 --> 00:17:20,195 Speaker 1: Prospect to Slate Tuesday morning at Slate morning of the 236 00:17:20,235 --> 00:17:24,515 Speaker 1: ne Hampshire primary, publishers, Democrats got themselves a big old 237 00:17:24,555 --> 00:17:27,355 Speaker 1: mess in New Hampshire. Biden snub ne Hampshire. Now the 238 00:17:27,355 --> 00:17:30,475 Speaker 1: state is poised to embarrass him right back, and he 239 00:17:30,515 --> 00:17:33,555 Speaker 1: wrote Biden, with his record low approval ratings and miserable 240 00:17:33,555 --> 00:17:35,635 Speaker 1: head to head polls, is hardly in a position to 241 00:17:35,675 --> 00:17:39,715 Speaker 1: weather even a symbolic loss. It's unlikely that a ceasefire 242 00:17:39,755 --> 00:17:43,155 Speaker 1: write in vote will topple Biden, but the campaign seems 243 00:17:43,195 --> 00:17:46,475 Speaker 1: like a meaningful way to register discontent with Biden's policies. 244 00:17:48,475 --> 00:17:51,195 Speaker 1: Biden got two thirds of the votes in New Hampshire, 245 00:17:51,235 --> 00:17:54,555 Speaker 1: not on the ballot, two thirds of the votes all 246 00:17:54,675 --> 00:17:58,115 Speaker 1: right in. We do not yet have the breakdown of 247 00:17:58,195 --> 00:18:01,115 Speaker 1: all of the sixty three hundred or so non Biden 248 00:18:01,155 --> 00:18:03,835 Speaker 1: write in votes in that state. But in Nashua in Hampshire, 249 00:18:04,155 --> 00:18:08,235 Speaker 1: Biden got four and thirty four write in votes. Cease 250 00:18:08,315 --> 00:18:17,155 Speaker 1: Fire got forty six forty six. We do know that 251 00:18:17,275 --> 00:18:21,915 Speaker 1: all the non Biden write in combines just edged out 252 00:18:22,235 --> 00:18:28,515 Speaker 1: Mary Anne Williamson. Mary Anne Williamson. On the other hand, 253 00:18:28,555 --> 00:18:32,515 Speaker 1: mister Salmon's take was right about the town of Hill, Hampshire, 254 00:18:32,635 --> 00:18:37,675 Speaker 1: eleven hundred residents, and there Dean Phillips humiliated Joe Biden 255 00:18:38,875 --> 00:18:44,035 Speaker 1: thirty votes to twenty nine. It's a final so far. 256 00:18:44,075 --> 00:18:46,675 Speaker 1: That is the only locality in the entire state that 257 00:18:46,715 --> 00:18:53,075 Speaker 1: we are sure Biden did not win thirty to twenty nine. 258 00:18:53,355 --> 00:18:56,395 Speaker 1: You know, if you get fired from Slate, the next 259 00:18:56,475 --> 00:19:03,955 Speaker 1: job is writing graffiti. Still saving mister Salmon from worst 260 00:19:03,995 --> 00:19:09,355 Speaker 1: take about Hampshire, Abby Phillip of CNN, she is apparently 261 00:19:09,435 --> 00:19:13,515 Speaker 1: adored by Washington insiders, CNN gave her her own show 262 00:19:13,555 --> 00:19:16,555 Speaker 1: at ten PM last year. I know you didn't hear 263 00:19:16,555 --> 00:19:19,435 Speaker 1: about that, did you. It's the show they preempt once 264 00:19:19,475 --> 00:19:23,195 Speaker 1: a week to instead run Charles Barkley and Gail King, 265 00:19:23,235 --> 00:19:26,115 Speaker 1: which should tell you everything you need to know about 266 00:19:26,155 --> 00:19:30,395 Speaker 1: Abby Phillip. Yet there was more to tell. This was 267 00:19:30,475 --> 00:19:36,915 Speaker 1: her take Tuesday night. I'll remind you this is ostensibly 268 00:19:36,955 --> 00:19:42,115 Speaker 1: a news anchor, a CNN anchor, you know, and so you. 269 00:19:42,075 --> 00:19:44,235 Speaker 2: Know, as Nicki Haley put it, I think it's actually 270 00:19:44,315 --> 00:19:46,195 Speaker 2: such a smart way to put it. Maybe the first 271 00:19:46,275 --> 00:19:49,195 Speaker 2: person to let the first party to let go of 272 00:19:49,235 --> 00:19:51,715 Speaker 2: their eighty year old might be the victor, But who's 273 00:19:51,755 --> 00:19:54,075 Speaker 2: going to be the one to move first? And I 274 00:19:54,115 --> 00:19:56,715 Speaker 2: think that's where that's where we are as a country, 275 00:19:56,755 --> 00:19:59,275 Speaker 2: and that's why this is kind of such an intractable problem. 276 00:19:59,395 --> 00:20:02,075 Speaker 2: Nobody wants Trump, nobody wants Biden, but nobody wants to 277 00:20:02,155 --> 00:20:05,035 Speaker 2: be the very the first to walk away from either. 278 00:20:05,315 --> 00:20:09,835 Speaker 1: I'd be startled at Abby phillips amazing combination of condescension 279 00:20:09,995 --> 00:20:16,955 Speaker 1: and inaccuracy and right wing trash. But this is CNN. 280 00:20:16,995 --> 00:20:20,755 Speaker 1: And by the way, Monday's cable ratings are the most 281 00:20:20,755 --> 00:20:24,675 Speaker 1: recent ones out, and the Abby Phillip program is literally 282 00:20:24,715 --> 00:20:27,955 Speaker 1: the second lowest rated show in primetime in cable news. 283 00:20:28,475 --> 00:20:32,315 Speaker 1: She had what was for her a strong night Monday Night, 284 00:20:32,635 --> 00:20:37,675 Speaker 1: nearly one third of the audience of Lawrence O'Donnell. She 285 00:20:37,755 --> 00:20:40,555 Speaker 1: had ninety three thousand viewers in the twenty five to 286 00:20:40,595 --> 00:20:44,435 Speaker 1: fifty four advertising demo. She has a national TV show 287 00:20:44,875 --> 00:20:49,275 Speaker 1: with a staff and a green room and coffee, and 288 00:20:49,395 --> 00:20:53,915 Speaker 1: her demo audience is twenty percent smaller than the daily 289 00:20:54,075 --> 00:20:59,675 Speaker 1: audience of this podcast, which I do by myself in 290 00:20:59,755 --> 00:21:05,235 Speaker 1: my spare time. Not only do they preemp once a 291 00:21:05,235 --> 00:21:07,395 Speaker 1: week for Charles Barkley and Gail King, but when they do, 292 00:21:09,875 --> 00:21:12,995 Speaker 1: Barkley and King get ratings twenty percent higher than hers. 293 00:21:13,555 --> 00:21:22,515 Speaker 1: I have no idea why. Also of interest here, so, 294 00:21:22,595 --> 00:21:25,395 Speaker 1: how did the state Senate elect a guy was about 295 00:21:25,435 --> 00:21:29,235 Speaker 1: to be arrested as a charged January sixth Trump election 296 00:21:29,395 --> 00:21:34,315 Speaker 1: denier insurrectionist. How did they elect him onto their state 297 00:21:34,435 --> 00:21:40,035 Speaker 1: board of Elections. Well, apparently the answer is they never 298 00:21:40,195 --> 00:21:47,795 Speaker 1: asked him about January sixth. Holy crap, that's next. This 299 00:21:47,995 --> 00:22:15,795 Speaker 1: is countdown. This is countdown with Keith Oberman still ahead. 300 00:22:15,795 --> 00:22:19,635 Speaker 1: On countdown, since we began this episode with the overwhelming 301 00:22:19,675 --> 00:22:24,675 Speaker 1: and possibly invincible truth of both sides ism just another 302 00:22:24,715 --> 00:22:27,675 Speaker 1: of the many default positions in journalism that favor Trump 303 00:22:27,795 --> 00:22:32,315 Speaker 1: and fascism and the denial that anything important is actually 304 00:22:32,395 --> 00:22:36,115 Speaker 1: at risk. I'm going to devote today's things I promised 305 00:22:36,155 --> 00:22:39,435 Speaker 1: not to tell to the answer to this question, which 306 00:22:39,635 --> 00:22:44,235 Speaker 1: of the following cable news channels has never suddenly lurched 307 00:22:44,235 --> 00:22:46,715 Speaker 1: to the far right in hopes that it could get 308 00:22:46,795 --> 00:22:56,995 Speaker 1: more fascists watching a Fox, b CNN or c MSNBC. Well, 309 00:22:57,035 --> 00:22:58,955 Speaker 1: of course it's a trick question. The answer is d 310 00:23:00,115 --> 00:23:02,595 Speaker 1: None of them have never done that. All of them 311 00:23:02,835 --> 00:23:07,155 Speaker 1: have gone far right of the day. MSNBC tried to 312 00:23:07,235 --> 00:23:12,355 Speaker 1: move to the right of Fox News the Michael Savage saga. 313 00:23:12,955 --> 00:23:15,995 Speaker 1: Next first time for the daily roundup of the miss Grants, 314 00:23:15,995 --> 00:23:19,075 Speaker 1: morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens who constitute two days 315 00:23:19,635 --> 00:23:24,395 Speaker 1: worst perusons the were Bronze worse. Frank Farion, the German 316 00:23:24,475 --> 00:23:28,875 Speaker 1: music producer behind the group Milli Vanilli, the duo that 317 00:23:28,955 --> 00:23:33,515 Speaker 1: had three number one singles in nineteen eighty nine until 318 00:23:33,555 --> 00:23:38,755 Speaker 1: one day at a concert in of all places, Bristol, Connecticut. Hello. 319 00:23:40,355 --> 00:23:43,795 Speaker 1: The record they were lip syncing to skipped and it 320 00:23:43,875 --> 00:23:47,635 Speaker 1: kept repeating, girl, you know it's girl. You know it's girl. 321 00:23:47,675 --> 00:23:50,315 Speaker 1: You know it's girl. You know it's girl. You know 322 00:23:50,395 --> 00:23:54,715 Speaker 1: it's and one of the members of the duo fled 323 00:23:54,955 --> 00:23:59,515 Speaker 1: from the stage in panic. Yet it was not until 324 00:23:59,555 --> 00:24:02,995 Speaker 1: after Millie Vanilli took home the Grammy for the Best 325 00:24:03,075 --> 00:24:06,235 Speaker 1: New Artists that the scam was revealed. Not only were 326 00:24:06,515 --> 00:24:10,675 Speaker 1: they not singing, but it wasn't even them on the record. 327 00:24:10,675 --> 00:24:13,995 Speaker 1: They were lip syncing too. Anyway. The producer at the 328 00:24:14,035 --> 00:24:17,795 Speaker 1: heart of this, mister Farrian, he's dead. Is it unfair 329 00:24:17,835 --> 00:24:19,675 Speaker 1: to put a guy on the worst Person's List when 330 00:24:19,715 --> 00:24:23,635 Speaker 1: he dies? Yes, yes it is. But when else would 331 00:24:23,675 --> 00:24:26,075 Speaker 1: I get the chance to tell that great story again? 332 00:24:26,995 --> 00:24:29,755 Speaker 1: Frank Farrion was eighty two years old when he died 333 00:24:29,835 --> 00:24:36,195 Speaker 1: in Miami, Or was he? The runners up? Worser News Nation, 334 00:24:36,355 --> 00:24:39,075 Speaker 1: the right wing TV network that pretends to be neutral 335 00:24:39,235 --> 00:24:42,955 Speaker 1: and above the fray, and it's actually right wing and 336 00:24:43,075 --> 00:24:45,835 Speaker 1: it's actually just the nicket night for cable news hosts 337 00:24:46,435 --> 00:24:51,235 Speaker 1: Dan Abrams, Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Cuomo. It also pretends to 338 00:24:51,275 --> 00:24:55,395 Speaker 1: have viewers, it doesn't. But now it has launched News 339 00:24:55,515 --> 00:24:58,795 Speaker 1: Nation Audio, in which it will take important sound bites 340 00:24:58,835 --> 00:25:02,995 Speaker 1: from its beloved newscasts and offer them to participating radio 341 00:25:03,035 --> 00:25:06,635 Speaker 1: stations around the country. So now you have two News 342 00:25:06,755 --> 00:25:11,115 Speaker 1: Nation options. You cannot watch it on TV and you 343 00:25:11,155 --> 00:25:14,595 Speaker 1: cannot listen to it on the radio. But the winner 344 00:25:14,715 --> 00:25:19,235 Speaker 1: the worst the State Senate of Maryland and President Bill Ferguson, 345 00:25:19,315 --> 00:25:23,195 Speaker 1: Democrat from Baltimore. There is a lot of introspection in 346 00:25:23,235 --> 00:25:25,715 Speaker 1: the State Senate right now, and when you hear politicians 347 00:25:26,155 --> 00:25:31,995 Speaker 1: use the word introspection, they mean paddick. Last year, Carlos 348 00:25:32,155 --> 00:25:36,395 Speaker 1: Ayala got broad bipartisan support. People noted whimsically that he 349 00:25:36,475 --> 00:25:39,675 Speaker 1: used to be a vice president at Purdue Farms and 350 00:25:39,755 --> 00:25:42,515 Speaker 1: his mother used to be married to Frank Purdue, the 351 00:25:42,595 --> 00:25:45,155 Speaker 1: Frozen Chicken King, who used to do his own TV 352 00:25:45,235 --> 00:25:49,755 Speaker 1: commercials because bluntly, he looked like a chicken. Mister Ayala 353 00:25:49,755 --> 00:25:53,635 Speaker 1: then sailed through a confirmation hearing and he was added 354 00:25:53,635 --> 00:25:57,195 Speaker 1: to the Maryland State Board of Elections last year. Then 355 00:25:57,515 --> 00:26:02,675 Speaker 1: last month, mister Iowa was arrested by the FBI on 356 00:26:02,835 --> 00:26:06,515 Speaker 1: felony and misdemeanor charges because the new member of the 357 00:26:06,555 --> 00:26:10,715 Speaker 1: Maryland State Board of elections is being prosecuted for his 358 00:26:10,995 --> 00:26:17,955 Speaker 1: role in January sixth. Video and testimony shows Ayala in 359 00:26:17,995 --> 00:26:22,875 Speaker 1: a huge painter's mask, carrying a flagpole with the word 360 00:26:22,955 --> 00:26:25,875 Speaker 1: defend and an image of an M sixteen on it, 361 00:26:26,355 --> 00:26:29,555 Speaker 1: climbing over the police barricades on January sixth, going into 362 00:26:29,555 --> 00:26:32,315 Speaker 1: the capitol on January sixth, jabbing the flag pole at 363 00:26:32,355 --> 00:26:35,395 Speaker 1: capitol police officers on January sixth. Now, what was January 364 00:26:35,515 --> 00:26:39,475 Speaker 1: sixth about again? Oh? Yeah, trying to prove a legitimate 365 00:26:39,515 --> 00:26:43,355 Speaker 1: election had been stolen from a lying sack of shit 366 00:26:43,555 --> 00:26:50,355 Speaker 1: would be dictator? Well, well, yeah, this Aywa has considerable 367 00:26:50,435 --> 00:26:55,555 Speaker 1: experience in election issues and chicken, he'd be great. The 368 00:26:55,595 --> 00:26:59,675 Speaker 1: Maryland Democrats who supported him are all on record now 369 00:27:00,115 --> 00:27:03,515 Speaker 1: with basically some variation of the same quote. We don't 370 00:27:03,555 --> 00:27:05,435 Speaker 1: know how this could have happened. We will try to 371 00:27:05,475 --> 00:27:08,275 Speaker 1: find new methods of blah blah blah blah blah. Well, 372 00:27:08,275 --> 00:27:11,515 Speaker 1: you could have asked him, or you could have googled him. 373 00:27:11,755 --> 00:27:16,275 Speaker 1: Turns out they never asked him the Maryland State Senate. 374 00:27:16,835 --> 00:27:19,475 Speaker 1: By the way, Ayalla resigned from the state election board 375 00:27:19,475 --> 00:27:21,435 Speaker 1: after he was arrested. Hey, maybe you guys, you got 376 00:27:21,435 --> 00:27:23,395 Speaker 1: an opening maybe you could replace him with this Mike 377 00:27:23,475 --> 00:27:30,115 Speaker 1: Lindell guy. He seems nice. Two days worse persons and 378 00:27:51,115 --> 00:27:53,195 Speaker 1: you the number one story on the countdown and my 379 00:27:53,275 --> 00:27:55,995 Speaker 1: favorite topic, me and things I promised not to tell 380 00:27:55,995 --> 00:28:00,155 Speaker 1: And who boy, they're all still at it in cable news. Huh, 381 00:28:00,635 --> 00:28:03,355 Speaker 1: still hoping they'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be two 382 00:28:03,395 --> 00:28:06,515 Speaker 1: thousand and five again, and everybody watches one of the 383 00:28:06,635 --> 00:28:10,275 Speaker 1: channels and hundreds of millions of dollars and just waiting 384 00:28:10,355 --> 00:28:13,155 Speaker 1: to be made. And our industry is not dying. 385 00:28:13,235 --> 00:28:14,355 Speaker 2: It's not, it's not, it's not. 386 00:28:15,595 --> 00:28:19,395 Speaker 1: I'll repeat my point about the desperate attempts at CNN 387 00:28:20,235 --> 00:28:25,475 Speaker 1: and MSNBC and the minor ones to court right wing viewers. 388 00:28:26,315 --> 00:28:29,955 Speaker 1: I mean, once again, i'll mention the name Abby Philip. 389 00:28:30,875 --> 00:28:35,795 Speaker 1: This is no boating accident. Virtually every mainstream media organization 390 00:28:35,875 --> 00:28:38,235 Speaker 1: in this country, as I have said time and time again, 391 00:28:38,515 --> 00:28:43,315 Speaker 1: has already had the same meeting. Let's now discuss how 392 00:28:43,395 --> 00:28:47,075 Speaker 1: if Trump seizes power again and America goes fully fascist 393 00:28:47,115 --> 00:28:49,595 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty five, how can we do the most 394 00:28:49,595 --> 00:28:54,195 Speaker 1: important thing that journalism demands. How can we still protect 395 00:28:54,515 --> 00:28:59,275 Speaker 1: this company's profits. I say this not merely because I 396 00:28:59,355 --> 00:29:02,675 Speaker 1: know most of the people running the mainstream media organizations, 397 00:29:02,835 --> 00:29:06,995 Speaker 1: but because these conversas have already happened, and they happened 398 00:29:07,155 --> 00:29:12,235 Speaker 1: long ago, largely because the first not white guy president 399 00:29:12,355 --> 00:29:14,755 Speaker 1: was elected just seven years and two months after nine 400 00:29:14,755 --> 00:29:19,035 Speaker 1: to eleven. We forget how seriously and terrifyingly we already 401 00:29:19,035 --> 00:29:22,155 Speaker 1: have teetered on the edge of full fledged fascism here 402 00:29:22,475 --> 00:29:24,875 Speaker 1: after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 403 00:29:25,915 --> 00:29:29,515 Speaker 1: Nine to eleven happened between my two tenures at MSNBC, 404 00:29:30,115 --> 00:29:33,035 Speaker 1: but I returned a year and a half after it happened, 405 00:29:33,795 --> 00:29:35,595 Speaker 1: and by then the place I went back to work 406 00:29:35,635 --> 00:29:39,595 Speaker 1: had already hired a sort of Alex Jones prototype radio 407 00:29:39,635 --> 00:29:42,875 Speaker 1: host named Michael Savage, and it was slowly trying to 408 00:29:42,915 --> 00:29:46,635 Speaker 1: build him into the host of a weeknight show. Savage 409 00:29:46,755 --> 00:29:50,435 Speaker 1: was a homophobe plus an equal opportunity bigot. His real 410 00:29:50,515 --> 00:29:52,915 Speaker 1: name was Michael Wiener, and all you need to know 411 00:29:52,915 --> 00:29:54,875 Speaker 1: about him is that he was a Wiener who pretended 412 00:29:54,875 --> 00:29:57,555 Speaker 1: he was a Savage. What happened to him when they 413 00:29:57,595 --> 00:30:00,115 Speaker 1: tried to stick him into primetime, and what he said 414 00:30:00,115 --> 00:30:02,475 Speaker 1: that led to his firing and the blowing up of 415 00:30:02,515 --> 00:30:05,715 Speaker 1: the Let's out Fox Fox News play of the then 416 00:30:05,835 --> 00:30:09,475 Speaker 1: NBC chairman and CEO Bob Wright is a great story. 417 00:30:09,515 --> 00:30:12,955 Speaker 1: I will relish telling you in a moment, but first 418 00:30:13,475 --> 00:30:18,595 Speaker 1: a little context to this. MSNBC and Fox Nudes launched 419 00:30:18,635 --> 00:30:21,595 Speaker 1: within weeks of each other in nineteen ninety six, and 420 00:30:21,715 --> 00:30:24,995 Speaker 1: for a while, in fact, until I left MSNBC in 421 00:30:25,075 --> 00:30:28,675 Speaker 1: December nineteen ninety eight, we were ahead of Fox in 422 00:30:28,755 --> 00:30:34,195 Speaker 1: many time periods, though CNN crushed us both. Then Fox ascended, 423 00:30:34,235 --> 00:30:36,875 Speaker 1: then came nine to eleven, and then Bob Wright thought 424 00:30:36,915 --> 00:30:39,755 Speaker 1: he saw his opportunity. All you need to know about 425 00:30:39,835 --> 00:30:43,555 Speaker 1: him is that after he left the position of running NBC, 426 00:30:43,995 --> 00:30:49,315 Speaker 1: he became a contributor to Fox Business. At MSNBC, Wright 427 00:30:49,355 --> 00:30:52,795 Speaker 1: gave Oliver North his own show and Laura Ingram her 428 00:30:52,835 --> 00:30:55,795 Speaker 1: own show. He had given a program to Alan Keyes, 429 00:30:56,515 --> 00:30:59,115 Speaker 1: a Republican who somehow managed to lose Senate races in 430 00:30:59,115 --> 00:31:03,195 Speaker 1: two different states and washed out three different times in 431 00:31:03,275 --> 00:31:08,355 Speaker 1: Republican presidential primary. His MSNBC show consisted of him giving speeches. 432 00:31:08,995 --> 00:31:11,315 Speaker 1: Though he was alone in a studio with no audience, 433 00:31:11,675 --> 00:31:14,475 Speaker 1: Alan Keys could not break himself up his habit of 434 00:31:14,635 --> 00:31:17,955 Speaker 1: spraying the room with his eyes. The viewer at home 435 00:31:17,955 --> 00:31:20,675 Speaker 1: would see him looking off camera to his left, then 436 00:31:20,755 --> 00:31:23,795 Speaker 1: looking at the camera, then looking off camera to the right. 437 00:31:24,235 --> 00:31:27,035 Speaker 1: He went back and forth like a sprinkler. I remember 438 00:31:27,035 --> 00:31:29,395 Speaker 1: once looking at him and yelling at the TV, hey, 439 00:31:29,435 --> 00:31:33,475 Speaker 1: hell over here, I'm the one in the middle. Bob 440 00:31:33,515 --> 00:31:36,515 Speaker 1: Wright also brought in Joe Scarborough, long before Scarborough knew 441 00:31:36,515 --> 00:31:39,955 Speaker 1: how to disguise much of his fascism. Bob Wright fired 442 00:31:39,955 --> 00:31:43,235 Speaker 1: Phil Donahue, although to be fair, that was really more 443 00:31:43,235 --> 00:31:45,635 Speaker 1: about money than it was about politics. But he replaced 444 00:31:45,675 --> 00:31:47,595 Speaker 1: Donna Hughes's show with what was supposed to be a 445 00:31:47,675 --> 00:31:52,195 Speaker 1: high speed, slightly right leaning newscast produced by a Fox 446 00:31:52,275 --> 00:31:58,675 Speaker 1: News refugee. It was called Countdown with Sam Donaldson, and 447 00:31:58,755 --> 00:32:01,755 Speaker 1: needless to say, the right leaning idea went horribly horribly 448 00:32:01,795 --> 00:32:07,555 Speaker 1: wrong after they changed it to Countdown Keith Alderman. MSNBC's 449 00:32:07,555 --> 00:32:11,595 Speaker 1: lineup was remarkably unstable at that time. I had hosted 450 00:32:11,675 --> 00:32:15,115 Speaker 1: its eight pm show from October first, nineteen ninety seven, 451 00:32:15,195 --> 00:32:17,235 Speaker 1: through the beginning of December nineteen ninety eight, and then 452 00:32:17,275 --> 00:32:20,635 Speaker 1: I left to go back to sports and baseball at Fox. 453 00:32:21,595 --> 00:32:24,355 Speaker 1: Then the eight pm hour was hosted by John Hockenberry, 454 00:32:24,795 --> 00:32:28,435 Speaker 1: for three months, then Oli North got his shot a 455 00:32:28,475 --> 00:32:31,275 Speaker 1: month later. They started having rotating liberals co host with 456 00:32:31,355 --> 00:32:34,235 Speaker 1: Oli North in April nineteen ninety nine and it became 457 00:32:34,275 --> 00:32:37,755 Speaker 1: North and Paul Bagala. That was five shows in five months. 458 00:32:38,195 --> 00:32:40,715 Speaker 1: In May they cut North and Begala to half an hour. 459 00:32:41,035 --> 00:32:43,435 Speaker 1: In June they canceled them and replaced them with a 460 00:32:43,475 --> 00:32:47,715 Speaker 1: half hour Ann Curry documentary. In early two thousand, Curry 461 00:32:47,915 --> 00:32:50,635 Speaker 1: was expanded to an hour, but then in May Curry 462 00:32:50,675 --> 00:32:53,835 Speaker 1: was replaced by Lorie Doo. In August two thousand, they 463 00:32:53,875 --> 00:32:58,275 Speaker 1: started their version of Dateline called MSNBC Investigates. In September, 464 00:32:58,355 --> 00:33:01,475 Speaker 1: they cut that show to four days a week and 465 00:33:01,595 --> 00:33:04,555 Speaker 1: launched a vanished White Woman of the Week show actually 466 00:33:05,395 --> 00:33:10,555 Speaker 1: Missing Persons with Diane Diamond, which they canceled after one episode, 467 00:33:11,035 --> 00:33:13,435 Speaker 1: and then they put MSNBC Investigates back on. Then they 468 00:33:13,435 --> 00:33:14,995 Speaker 1: canceled that a month layer to make room for a 469 00:33:15,035 --> 00:33:18,075 Speaker 1: newscast with Forrest Sawyer. Then after the uncertainty of the 470 00:33:18,075 --> 00:33:21,315 Speaker 1: two thousand election, they refocused that as Decision two thousand 471 00:33:21,355 --> 00:33:24,355 Speaker 1: with Forrest Sawyer. In January two thousand and one, they 472 00:33:24,355 --> 00:33:27,595 Speaker 1: canceled Forest Sawyer and put MSNBC Investigates back on for 473 00:33:27,635 --> 00:33:30,475 Speaker 1: the third different time. Then in July they moved The 474 00:33:30,515 --> 00:33:33,275 Speaker 1: News with Brian Williams from nine pm to eight pm. 475 00:33:33,475 --> 00:33:36,315 Speaker 1: Then the next September they moved Brian to CNBC and 476 00:33:36,435 --> 00:33:40,475 Speaker 1: instead launched Phil Donahue show in the eight pm MSNBC slot. 477 00:33:40,995 --> 00:33:43,235 Speaker 1: Then in March two thousand and three they off Donahue. 478 00:33:43,555 --> 00:33:47,115 Speaker 1: They started Countdown originally with Lester Holt, Pat Buchanan and 479 00:33:47,115 --> 00:33:49,835 Speaker 1: Bill Press. Then after the war started and there wasn't 480 00:33:49,875 --> 00:33:52,595 Speaker 1: anything to count Down too anymore, they hired me to 481 00:33:52,635 --> 00:33:56,195 Speaker 1: host Operation Iraqi Freedom, and after one week of that 482 00:33:56,315 --> 00:34:00,835 Speaker 1: show they launched Countdown with Keith Olrman. That's twenty different 483 00:34:00,875 --> 00:34:04,915 Speaker 1: shows or formats in four years and four months. Soh 484 00:34:04,955 --> 00:34:08,995 Speaker 1: Bob Wright's next primetime ideas, And you got to give 485 00:34:09,075 --> 00:34:11,915 Speaker 1: him this much. He had a lot of primetime ideas 486 00:34:12,235 --> 00:34:14,835 Speaker 1: and virtually all of them made it onto TV. His 487 00:34:15,075 --> 00:34:17,635 Speaker 1: next set of ideas was a primetime lineup of me 488 00:34:17,835 --> 00:34:21,675 Speaker 1: doing the News at eight, then Scarborough at nine, then 489 00:34:21,755 --> 00:34:25,475 Speaker 1: Jesse Ventura at ten, and then this Michael Savage character. 490 00:34:26,235 --> 00:34:29,075 Speaker 1: They began this plot by giving Savage his own show 491 00:34:29,235 --> 00:34:32,755 Speaker 1: an hour every Saturday afternoon. On March eighth, two thousand 492 00:34:32,755 --> 00:34:39,875 Speaker 1: and three, everybody agreed it was crap. On radio, Savage 493 00:34:39,955 --> 00:34:42,715 Speaker 1: sounded kind of threatening, I guess, a kind of red 494 00:34:42,755 --> 00:34:47,115 Speaker 1: meat fascist. But on TV taking calls from viewers in 495 00:34:47,155 --> 00:34:50,355 Speaker 1: a tiny, little, cramped looking studio somewhere in the Bay Area, 496 00:34:50,835 --> 00:34:54,715 Speaker 1: he looked small and whiny and cavetchy, and he was 497 00:34:54,715 --> 00:34:57,635 Speaker 1: wearing a bad tupei and a suit that was far 498 00:34:57,675 --> 00:35:01,995 Speaker 1: worse than that. When I was negotiating my return to 499 00:35:02,115 --> 00:35:04,355 Speaker 1: MSNBC in two thousand and three, I got the executive 500 00:35:04,395 --> 00:35:06,875 Speaker 1: in charge your Primetime to put it in my contract 501 00:35:06,955 --> 00:35:10,155 Speaker 1: that Michael Savage would never appear on my newscast in 502 00:35:10,195 --> 00:35:14,595 Speaker 1: any form unless it was an obituary, open and shut. 503 00:35:15,635 --> 00:35:17,955 Speaker 1: But then on Friday April twenty fifth, two thousand and three, 504 00:35:18,035 --> 00:35:20,395 Speaker 1: I came into work. We were about a month into 505 00:35:20,395 --> 00:35:22,915 Speaker 1: the show, and there in the computer rundown of my 506 00:35:22,995 --> 00:35:27,595 Speaker 1: newscast was a pre recorded Michael Savage commentary. As soon 507 00:35:27,595 --> 00:35:29,715 Speaker 1: as he saw I was in the office, the executive 508 00:35:29,715 --> 00:35:32,635 Speaker 1: producer they had hired from Fox, a cross eyed chainsmoker 509 00:35:32,715 --> 00:35:35,635 Speaker 1: named Dennis Murray, pushed his way into my office and said, 510 00:35:35,915 --> 00:35:38,475 Speaker 1: we have to run a Michael Savage commentary. There's also 511 00:35:38,515 --> 00:35:41,715 Speaker 1: a mandatory Matt Drudge SoundBite. This is per Phil Griffins. 512 00:35:41,715 --> 00:35:43,555 Speaker 1: So don't think you can call Phil to get it dropped. 513 00:35:43,555 --> 00:35:46,075 Speaker 1: He's not in New York. He's not reachable, and he left. 514 00:35:47,235 --> 00:35:49,435 Speaker 1: I called my agent. I told her the story, and 515 00:35:49,515 --> 00:35:51,675 Speaker 1: I'm matter of factively asked, if they don't drop it, 516 00:35:51,715 --> 00:35:54,155 Speaker 1: I have to walk out, don't I mind you? She 517 00:35:54,275 --> 00:36:00,635 Speaker 1: had just exhausted herself negotiating my extremely unlikely return to MSNBC. 518 00:36:01,235 --> 00:36:03,675 Speaker 1: She didn't flinch. Of course, you have to walk out, 519 00:36:03,875 --> 00:36:06,435 Speaker 1: but first call Griffin's office and tell him you're leaving. 520 00:36:06,435 --> 00:36:08,955 Speaker 1: Give him a chance. It'll help when you sue them. 521 00:36:10,555 --> 00:36:14,155 Speaker 1: It was breach of contract. I find dramatic, life changing 522 00:36:14,155 --> 00:36:17,595 Speaker 1: and potentially costly stuff like that is usually way easier 523 00:36:17,595 --> 00:36:20,435 Speaker 1: if you have the high moral ground. So I called 524 00:36:20,515 --> 00:36:23,355 Speaker 1: Griffin's office. His assistant said he was in Washington and 525 00:36:23,435 --> 00:36:25,035 Speaker 1: meetings and could not be reached. I said, well, you 526 00:36:25,035 --> 00:36:27,795 Speaker 1: should reach somebody there. Tell them I just called a 527 00:36:27,835 --> 00:36:30,195 Speaker 1: car to take me home because my contract says you 528 00:36:30,235 --> 00:36:33,115 Speaker 1: can't put Michael effing Savage on my newscast, and somebody 529 00:36:33,195 --> 00:36:35,395 Speaker 1: just did nice working with you all. And tell Phil 530 00:36:35,435 --> 00:36:41,555 Speaker 1: to give me a call sometime sometime was three minutes later. Griffin, 531 00:36:41,595 --> 00:36:45,755 Speaker 1: who frequently panicked outdid himself on this call. You would 532 00:36:45,795 --> 00:36:48,515 Speaker 1: really walk out, buddy, I said, it was in the contract. 533 00:36:48,875 --> 00:36:50,915 Speaker 1: I was putting my pens and books in a box 534 00:36:50,915 --> 00:36:56,035 Speaker 1: as we spoke. I told him he was repeating himself. Finally, 535 00:36:56,075 --> 00:37:00,435 Speaker 1: he said, okay, okay, okay, buddy. Can you look at 536 00:37:00,435 --> 00:37:03,635 Speaker 1: the commentary and find me a reason, a reason that 537 00:37:03,755 --> 00:37:07,715 Speaker 1: isn't about politics? Why shouldn't run? I said, you mean, 538 00:37:07,795 --> 00:37:13,435 Speaker 1: like video quality or racist language or something. Phil Griffin's 539 00:37:13,715 --> 00:37:17,915 Speaker 1: voice brightened. Yeah, good, racist language or something that'd be great. 540 00:37:18,075 --> 00:37:21,795 Speaker 1: Call me back. The executive producer and I went to 541 00:37:21,835 --> 00:37:24,515 Speaker 1: the video edit suite, where a guy named Brendan o'melia 542 00:37:24,595 --> 00:37:27,075 Speaker 1: was cutting out the time Savage had stumbled or flubbed 543 00:37:27,115 --> 00:37:30,795 Speaker 1: while recording this nonsense. First of all, I said to 544 00:37:30,835 --> 00:37:33,915 Speaker 1: the X Fox guy who was the producer, Michael Savage 545 00:37:33,955 --> 00:37:38,355 Speaker 1: is wearing a brown shirt and a brown tie on 546 00:37:38,435 --> 00:37:41,755 Speaker 1: top of his brown shirt. He is literally dressed like 547 00:37:41,795 --> 00:37:46,115 Speaker 1: a Hitler brown shirt. The editor Omelia played the whole 548 00:37:46,195 --> 00:37:48,395 Speaker 1: video for me, and as I dialed Phil Griffin's cell, 549 00:37:48,795 --> 00:37:52,795 Speaker 1: I started laughing. I said, even for racist, homophobic crap. 550 00:37:52,835 --> 00:37:55,755 Speaker 1: This thing makes no sense. He just keeps saying George W. 551 00:37:55,835 --> 00:37:58,155 Speaker 1: Bush is right, because George W. Bush, because he's right. 552 00:37:59,435 --> 00:38:01,635 Speaker 1: He looks small and whiny and convecchy, and he's got 553 00:38:01,635 --> 00:38:03,995 Speaker 1: a bad tupe in a worse suit. We wouldn't run 554 00:38:04,035 --> 00:38:06,675 Speaker 1: this as a sound bite in his obituary. And the 555 00:38:06,755 --> 00:38:11,195 Speaker 1: lighting is terrible and he's dressed as a brown shirt. 556 00:38:12,915 --> 00:38:15,875 Speaker 1: Apparently that was enough. Phil Griffin ordered the piece dropped 557 00:38:15,915 --> 00:38:19,075 Speaker 1: from My show. I think they ran it on Scarborough 558 00:38:19,075 --> 00:38:21,515 Speaker 1: Show at nine PM. In fact, I think I might 559 00:38:21,595 --> 00:38:25,195 Speaker 1: be wrong. They ran two or three Savage commentaries on 560 00:38:25,235 --> 00:38:28,195 Speaker 1: Scarborough shows. I know they intended to, God knows. I 561 00:38:28,235 --> 00:38:32,635 Speaker 1: never watched Scarborough Show. Happily, this was about the time 562 00:38:32,675 --> 00:38:37,155 Speaker 1: Michael Savage ended his own TV career. On Saturday July fifth, 563 00:38:37,195 --> 00:38:40,475 Speaker 1: two thousand and three, show fifteen out of a series 564 00:38:40,515 --> 00:38:45,755 Speaker 1: of Chex's Notes fifteen, Michael Savage was on the air 565 00:38:45,795 --> 00:38:49,635 Speaker 1: live on MSNBC when a caller baited him about gaze. 566 00:38:50,355 --> 00:38:53,835 Speaker 1: Savage replied, quote, so you're one of them sodomists. You 567 00:38:53,955 --> 00:38:57,075 Speaker 1: a sodomite. The caller said, yes, Oh, you're one of 568 00:38:57,155 --> 00:39:00,355 Speaker 1: them sodomites, continuing the quote, you should only get aids 569 00:39:00,355 --> 00:39:02,715 Speaker 1: and die, you pig? How's that? Why don't you see 570 00:39:02,715 --> 00:39:04,955 Speaker 1: if you consume me, you pig, you got nothing better 571 00:39:04,955 --> 00:39:06,915 Speaker 1: to put me down, you piece of garbage. You have 572 00:39:06,955 --> 00:39:08,955 Speaker 1: nothing better to do today. Go eat a sausage and 573 00:39:09,035 --> 00:39:15,235 Speaker 1: choke on it. Get trick andses end quote and Michael Savage. 574 00:39:15,315 --> 00:39:18,195 Speaker 1: And by the way, that quote that I just read 575 00:39:18,275 --> 00:39:20,715 Speaker 1: that was way better than the commentary they had had 576 00:39:20,795 --> 00:39:25,995 Speaker 1: him record for Countdown. Two days later, on Monday, Eric 577 00:39:26,035 --> 00:39:28,595 Speaker 1: Sorenson the president of MSNBC, and he was president of 578 00:39:28,595 --> 00:39:30,515 Speaker 1: all the boring things Bob Wright didn't want to be 579 00:39:30,515 --> 00:39:35,715 Speaker 1: bothered with. At MSNBC. Eric Sorenson fired Michael Savage. Sorenson, 580 00:39:36,035 --> 00:39:38,315 Speaker 1: for whom I worked in Los Angeles in local news 581 00:39:38,355 --> 00:39:41,075 Speaker 1: and who consulted on my show on Current TV as 582 00:39:41,115 --> 00:39:43,995 Speaker 1: recently as twenty eleven, took me for a drink because 583 00:39:43,995 --> 00:39:47,395 Speaker 1: he needed to tell somebody what happened next after he 584 00:39:47,515 --> 00:39:51,995 Speaker 1: fired Michael Savage. As soon as the Savage firing was announced, 585 00:39:51,995 --> 00:39:54,635 Speaker 1: Sorenson said, the phone rang in his office and it 586 00:39:54,755 --> 00:39:58,675 Speaker 1: was Bob Wright, the chairman of NBC. Did you have 587 00:39:58,715 --> 00:40:02,315 Speaker 1: to fire americ? Wright asked in his nasal, Long Island accent, 588 00:40:02,955 --> 00:40:07,235 Speaker 1: and Sorenson said he answer, yes, I literally had to. 589 00:40:07,315 --> 00:40:09,315 Speaker 1: I had to fire him. Remember the clause in his 590 00:40:09,395 --> 00:40:12,835 Speaker 1: contract there are forty phrases he's not allowed to use 591 00:40:12,875 --> 00:40:15,195 Speaker 1: on the show. It literally says, if you say any 592 00:40:15,235 --> 00:40:18,595 Speaker 1: of the following forty things, you will be automatically fired 593 00:40:18,595 --> 00:40:22,075 Speaker 1: for cause and get no money. Remember remember what number 594 00:40:22,115 --> 00:40:25,275 Speaker 1: four on that list is. Number four is quote, I 595 00:40:25,315 --> 00:40:29,075 Speaker 1: hope you get AIDS and die unquote. And then he said, 596 00:40:29,115 --> 00:40:32,395 Speaker 1: I hope you get AIDS and die. Bob, I literally 597 00:40:32,595 --> 00:40:36,195 Speaker 1: had to fire him. I had to fire him. It's 598 00:40:36,275 --> 00:40:40,355 Speaker 1: in the contract. Eric Sorenson told me. There was a 599 00:40:40,435 --> 00:40:43,595 Speaker 1: long pause on the other end of the phone, and 600 00:40:43,595 --> 00:40:47,035 Speaker 1: then Bob Wright said, in anticipation of all that we 601 00:40:47,075 --> 00:40:50,435 Speaker 1: have seen in television news since all the meetings about 602 00:40:50,475 --> 00:40:53,955 Speaker 1: what happens if the country goes fully fascist, and NBC 603 00:40:54,235 --> 00:40:57,675 Speaker 1: and CNN and CBS and ABC all want to protect 604 00:40:57,715 --> 00:41:01,355 Speaker 1: their profits and do the devil's work, Bob Wright said, 605 00:41:01,395 --> 00:41:05,515 Speaker 1: after a long pause to Eric's Warrenson, who had just 606 00:41:05,595 --> 00:41:08,355 Speaker 1: fired Michael Savage because it was in the contract. Bob 607 00:41:08,395 --> 00:41:13,075 Speaker 1: Wright said, softly and sadly, but Eric, did you have 608 00:41:13,195 --> 00:41:30,675 Speaker 1: to fire him? But did you have to fire him. 609 00:41:31,275 --> 00:41:33,075 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 610 00:41:33,115 --> 00:41:36,035 Speaker 1: you for listening. Countdown. Musical directors Brian Ray and John 611 00:41:36,075 --> 00:41:39,315 Speaker 1: Phillip Shanelle arranged, produced, and performed most of our music. 612 00:41:39,675 --> 00:41:42,475 Speaker 1: Mister Ray was on guitars, bass and drums, and mister 613 00:41:42,515 --> 00:41:46,275 Speaker 1: Schanale handled orchestration and keyboards. And the music was produced 614 00:41:46,315 --> 00:41:50,075 Speaker 1: by Tko Brothers and by me pushing a button on 615 00:41:50,115 --> 00:41:54,035 Speaker 1: this machine. Other music, including some of the Beethoven compositions, 616 00:41:54,395 --> 00:41:57,035 Speaker 1: were arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. 617 00:41:57,475 --> 00:42:00,275 Speaker 1: The sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, 618 00:42:00,355 --> 00:42:03,715 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. Our 619 00:42:03,835 --> 00:42:06,795 Speaker 1: Satirical and Pit. The musical comments are by Nancy Faust. 620 00:42:06,995 --> 00:42:10,155 Speaker 1: The best baseball stadium organist ever our announce you today 621 00:42:10,195 --> 00:42:12,995 Speaker 1: is my friend Stevie Manzant. Everything else was pretty much 622 00:42:13,035 --> 00:42:15,395 Speaker 1: my fault. So that's countdown for this the two hundred 623 00:42:15,435 --> 00:42:18,235 Speaker 1: and eighty sixth day until the twenty twenty four US 624 00:42:18,275 --> 00:42:23,955 Speaker 1: presidential election, and the fifteenth day since Dementia J. Trump's 625 00:42:24,115 --> 00:42:27,315 Speaker 1: first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the 626 00:42:27,395 --> 00:42:31,115 Speaker 1: United States. Use the Fourteenth Amendment. Use the insurrection at 627 00:42:31,195 --> 00:42:34,395 Speaker 1: use the justice system, use the mental health care system 628 00:42:34,555 --> 00:42:38,875 Speaker 1: to stop him from doing it again while we still can. 629 00:42:39,755 --> 00:42:42,235 Speaker 1: The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow, Bolton says, the news 630 00:42:42,315 --> 00:42:45,435 Speaker 1: warrants till then. I'm Keith Olverman. Good morning, good afternoon, 631 00:42:45,475 --> 00:43:05,315 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Ulderman is 632 00:43:05,315 --> 00:43:10,115 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 633 00:43:10,155 --> 00:43:14,835 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.