1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olberman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,755 --> 00:00:36,235 Speaker 1: This is Countdown with Keith Alderman. This country killed Osama 3 00:00:36,235 --> 00:00:40,795 Speaker 1: bin Laden's successor, the architect of nine eleven Saturday in Afghanistan. 4 00:00:41,835 --> 00:00:45,195 Speaker 1: George W. Bush was re elected president in two thousand four. 5 00:00:45,315 --> 00:00:47,395 Speaker 1: The Republicans won the House and the Senate in two 6 00:00:47,395 --> 00:00:52,155 Speaker 1: thousand four, and all of American politics and culture rotated 7 00:00:52,195 --> 00:00:55,715 Speaker 1: around fear of and the Republicans promised to protect you 8 00:00:55,915 --> 00:01:01,635 Speaker 1: from al Qaeda in two thousand four. Today Republicans are 9 00:01:01,715 --> 00:01:06,475 Speaker 1: dismissing the execution of I'man al Zawari as a political stunt. 10 00:01:07,675 --> 00:01:13,195 Speaker 1: Representative cave Woman Marjorie Traitor Green tweeted minutes before President 11 00:01:13,235 --> 00:01:17,315 Speaker 1: Biden's announcement, quote, no one in America has been sweating 12 00:01:17,355 --> 00:01:20,675 Speaker 1: an attack from al Qaeda lately or even heard a 13 00:01:20,795 --> 00:01:23,315 Speaker 1: thing about them. Well, she's kind of right there. We 14 00:01:23,395 --> 00:01:27,355 Speaker 1: have been preoccupied with terrorists, like you know, Trump and 15 00:01:27,515 --> 00:01:31,635 Speaker 1: Marjorie Taylor Green. Her tweet finished quoting her again. But 16 00:01:31,955 --> 00:01:36,235 Speaker 1: Americans are extremely stressed about affording groceries and the Democrats 17 00:01:36,275 --> 00:01:39,355 Speaker 1: big tax hike. Later in her tweet threads, she rolled 18 00:01:39,355 --> 00:01:42,435 Speaker 1: out a conspiracy theory about Ukraine, and another one about 19 00:01:42,435 --> 00:01:48,195 Speaker 1: Iver Mecton, and and and and nothing defines the last 20 00:01:48,275 --> 00:01:51,675 Speaker 1: twenty years of the Republican Party like those tweets from 21 00:01:51,715 --> 00:01:55,915 Speaker 1: that idiot. If you believe the Republicans were exaggerating or 22 00:01:55,995 --> 00:01:59,475 Speaker 1: manipulating the al Qaeda threat in two thousand four, you 23 00:01:59,515 --> 00:02:04,635 Speaker 1: were politically dead. Today that the Republican Party literally tells 24 00:02:04,675 --> 00:02:09,395 Speaker 1: you not to sweat it. I once reported the correct 25 00:02:09,435 --> 00:02:13,555 Speaker 1: details of the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch, who was 26 00:02:13,635 --> 00:02:15,995 Speaker 1: not a hostage at an Iraqi hospital and was not 27 00:02:16,275 --> 00:02:20,115 Speaker 1: extracted by crack troops, but was turned over by a 28 00:02:20,155 --> 00:02:24,115 Speaker 1: brave Iraqi doctor who said her injuries needed better treatment 29 00:02:24,155 --> 00:02:28,995 Speaker 1: than they could provide. The chairman and chief executive officer 30 00:02:29,115 --> 00:02:34,875 Speaker 1: of NBC, Bob Wright, promptly insisted that I apologize on 31 00:02:34,995 --> 00:02:40,195 Speaker 1: the air just for reporting that. Now Marjorie Green can 32 00:02:40,235 --> 00:02:43,915 Speaker 1: tell you to ignore terrorism and instead concentrate on conspiracy 33 00:02:43,955 --> 00:02:47,595 Speaker 1: theories and crap like CRT and drag shows, and what's 34 00:02:47,635 --> 00:02:52,035 Speaker 1: behind that? The cultural purge the Republicans want, like Air 35 00:02:52,115 --> 00:02:56,515 Speaker 1: togn pulled off in Turkey, a cleansing of everybody Republicans 36 00:02:56,555 --> 00:03:02,035 Speaker 1: don't like. I don't really know who David Atkins is 37 00:03:02,395 --> 00:03:05,955 Speaker 1: but he wrote this quote. It sounds ridiculous when you 38 00:03:05,995 --> 00:03:08,635 Speaker 1: say it out loud, but the actual conservative game plan 39 00:03:08,955 --> 00:03:13,115 Speaker 1: is to rule with Putin or Bond style autocracy for 40 00:03:13,235 --> 00:03:17,995 Speaker 1: two generations, turn schools into right wing indoctrination zones, crushing 41 00:03:18,035 --> 00:03:21,675 Speaker 1: millennials and gen z underfoot, while training up jen alpha 42 00:03:21,755 --> 00:03:25,395 Speaker 1: as fascists. That's the through line for all of it. 43 00:03:25,835 --> 00:03:29,235 Speaker 1: They know everyone under forty hates them. They know they've 44 00:03:29,275 --> 00:03:32,675 Speaker 1: lost the broader public and can't win real majorities, so 45 00:03:32,755 --> 00:03:38,435 Speaker 1: their plan is authoritarian minority rule along orbanist lines to 46 00:03:38,675 --> 00:03:44,475 Speaker 1: crush opposition while indoctrinating a new generation. He continued. Meanwhile, 47 00:03:44,555 --> 00:03:48,835 Speaker 1: they absolutely intend on banning birth control, executing teenagers for 48 00:03:48,915 --> 00:03:52,275 Speaker 1: having abortions, and jailing women for crossing state lines for 49 00:03:52,355 --> 00:03:56,355 Speaker 1: reproductive care, all to punish women for daring to have 50 00:03:56,435 --> 00:04:01,635 Speaker 1: sex outside the dictates of fathers, husbands, and pastors for childbearing. 51 00:04:02,075 --> 00:04:05,795 Speaker 1: They also plan to end gay marriage and force LGBT 52 00:04:06,035 --> 00:04:08,635 Speaker 1: people back into the closet. Their game plan is to 53 00:04:08,795 --> 00:04:13,475 Speaker 1: destroy liberalism, train up a new generation of fascists, force 54 00:04:13,555 --> 00:04:17,235 Speaker 1: women into child bearing servitude for white supremacy, and reinstill 55 00:04:17,915 --> 00:04:23,555 Speaker 1: Putent style toxic masculinity in men. It's not a complicated plan, 56 00:04:23,835 --> 00:04:27,835 Speaker 1: Atkins rights. They see Russia and Hungary as global models 57 00:04:27,875 --> 00:04:30,355 Speaker 1: for it. They're planning and executing the plan right out 58 00:04:30,435 --> 00:04:35,155 Speaker 1: in the open. The only question Mr Atkins concluded is 59 00:04:35,195 --> 00:04:37,955 Speaker 1: whether the rest of us will take the necessary all 60 00:04:37,995 --> 00:04:42,155 Speaker 1: of society approach to stopping them. The thing is, in 61 00:04:42,235 --> 00:04:46,275 Speaker 1: spite of the affirmative action for aging white evangelicals that is, 62 00:04:46,355 --> 00:04:49,715 Speaker 1: the Senate, the Electoral College, and they're illegitimate Supreme Court, 63 00:04:49,915 --> 00:04:54,275 Speaker 1: the plan is unlikely to work. It can only succeed 64 00:04:55,035 --> 00:04:57,875 Speaker 1: if the rest of us fail to push back and 65 00:04:57,955 --> 00:05:04,755 Speaker 1: say no society wide. End quote David O. Atkin. So 66 00:05:04,795 --> 00:05:07,595 Speaker 1: he wrote all that on Twitter, which brings you that 67 00:05:08,315 --> 00:05:11,555 Speaker 1: and also brings you the honking sounds made by Marjorie 68 00:05:11,555 --> 00:05:15,635 Speaker 1: traitor Green. Mr Atkins identifies himself as a contributor to 69 00:05:15,675 --> 00:05:19,315 Speaker 1: Washington Monthly. And then this is the important part. Elected 70 00:05:19,315 --> 00:05:24,795 Speaker 1: Democratic National Committee member from California. I am pleasantly surprised 71 00:05:25,195 --> 00:05:27,595 Speaker 1: that Mr Atkins is on the d n C, because 72 00:05:28,035 --> 00:05:30,915 Speaker 1: if there are two bodies in this country working hardest 73 00:05:30,995 --> 00:05:34,555 Speaker 1: against what he warns us of, this slow cooking witches 74 00:05:34,675 --> 00:05:41,635 Speaker 1: brew of white supremacy, fraudulent religion, ginned up outrage, conspiracy theory, addiction, violence, 75 00:05:41,675 --> 00:05:46,195 Speaker 1: and misogyny, this fascism. While you wait, If there are 76 00:05:46,235 --> 00:05:49,355 Speaker 1: two bodies in this country right now working hardest against 77 00:05:49,515 --> 00:05:52,035 Speaker 1: his words, it can only succeed if the rest of 78 00:05:52,115 --> 00:05:54,555 Speaker 1: us fail to push back and say no. If there 79 00:05:54,555 --> 00:05:58,355 Speaker 1: are two bodies doing their damnedest to fail to push 80 00:05:58,395 --> 00:06:01,035 Speaker 1: back and to fail to say no, one of them 81 00:06:01,235 --> 00:06:05,475 Speaker 1: is the bureaucracy and establishment of the Democratic Party, as 82 00:06:05,515 --> 00:06:10,475 Speaker 1: typified by organizations like the Democratic National Committee. I mean, 83 00:06:10,715 --> 00:06:14,555 Speaker 1: think about this just for a second. The last president 84 00:06:14,675 --> 00:06:19,235 Speaker 1: of the United States was impeached twice. He blackmailed friends 85 00:06:19,355 --> 00:06:23,275 Speaker 1: and foes of this nation alike into burying the evidence 86 00:06:23,275 --> 00:06:25,755 Speaker 1: of his conspiracies with the help of a nation that 87 00:06:25,955 --> 00:06:29,675 Speaker 1: is an enemy of this country. He then openly called 88 00:06:29,715 --> 00:06:33,275 Speaker 1: for street thugs, gangs, and vigilantes to come to Washington 89 00:06:33,355 --> 00:06:37,035 Speaker 1: and stop our most sacred institution, the peaceful transfer power. 90 00:06:37,395 --> 00:06:41,555 Speaker 1: He left office reviled and under threat of indictment. He 91 00:06:41,715 --> 00:06:46,115 Speaker 1: is the leading candidate of his party, the Trump Putent Axis, 92 00:06:46,155 --> 00:06:48,475 Speaker 1: for its nomination for the White House in twenty four 93 00:06:48,515 --> 00:06:50,355 Speaker 1: and you know in your heart that it is his 94 00:06:50,475 --> 00:06:54,835 Speaker 1: intention to then seize control by election by corrupting the 95 00:06:54,875 --> 00:06:59,635 Speaker 1: electoral College, by being installed by the drunks and religious nuts, 96 00:06:59,715 --> 00:07:04,475 Speaker 1: he himself appointed to the Supreme Court by any means available. 97 00:07:05,075 --> 00:07:07,755 Speaker 1: And if he is restored to office, you also know 98 00:07:08,075 --> 00:07:10,875 Speaker 1: in your heart that he will attempt to remain there, 99 00:07:11,355 --> 00:07:13,835 Speaker 1: even though the Constitution of the United States of America 100 00:07:13,875 --> 00:07:16,755 Speaker 1: limits him to two terms. And they will do their 101 00:07:16,835 --> 00:07:20,035 Speaker 1: damned dist including a military coup this time, to keep 102 00:07:20,115 --> 00:07:22,715 Speaker 1: him there as long as he and they want. You 103 00:07:22,915 --> 00:07:28,195 Speaker 1: know that all of that is true. The plot of 104 00:07:28,275 --> 00:07:32,355 Speaker 1: January six, in fact, started on January two, thousand seventeen. 105 00:07:32,715 --> 00:07:35,635 Speaker 1: The first thing Crazy Trump did after the election was 106 00:07:35,675 --> 00:07:38,635 Speaker 1: to begin his campaign for re election. And the plot 107 00:07:39,395 --> 00:07:41,955 Speaker 1: is as active now as it was when the Traders 108 00:07:42,155 --> 00:07:46,715 Speaker 1: stormed up the Capitol steps and Marjorie Trader Greene was 109 00:07:46,755 --> 00:07:51,475 Speaker 1: tweeting about seventeen seventy six. They are operating, as David 110 00:07:51,475 --> 00:07:54,875 Speaker 1: Atkins of the Democratic National Committee so poetically noted right 111 00:07:55,235 --> 00:07:59,275 Speaker 1: out in the open, and when was the last time 112 00:07:59,315 --> 00:08:03,315 Speaker 1: you heard any of this screamed from the rooftops, shouted 113 00:08:03,395 --> 00:08:07,795 Speaker 1: from the campaign plaque forms, even just said aloud quietly, 114 00:08:08,555 --> 00:08:12,835 Speaker 1: but still allowed by anybody besides the January sixth Committee 115 00:08:12,995 --> 00:08:17,195 Speaker 1: by anybody from the Democratic National Committee or the Democratic 116 00:08:17,235 --> 00:08:21,315 Speaker 1: Senatorial Campaign Committee, or from the White House or from 117 00:08:21,355 --> 00:08:25,515 Speaker 1: the Justice Department. A Supreme Court with at least one 118 00:08:25,595 --> 00:08:31,475 Speaker 1: and more realistically three seats stolen from Democratic presidents invalidates 119 00:08:31,595 --> 00:08:34,275 Speaker 1: Roe v. Wade, And suddenly pro choice has jumped from 120 00:08:35,155 --> 00:08:38,555 Speaker 1: of the country to and which Democrats are running on 121 00:08:38,675 --> 00:08:44,715 Speaker 1: that the Democrats are playing defense on gas prices and inflation, 122 00:08:44,835 --> 00:08:47,275 Speaker 1: and still defaulting back to this idea that if they 123 00:08:47,275 --> 00:08:51,795 Speaker 1: can only do something really bipartisan, all the Republicans will 124 00:08:51,835 --> 00:08:54,435 Speaker 1: applaud and vote for them, and they'll win the next 125 00:08:54,555 --> 00:08:59,075 Speaker 1: vote a hundred and fifty million to nothing. And now, 126 00:08:59,115 --> 00:09:03,555 Speaker 1: in its simplest, most easily digestible construction, Joe Biden killed 127 00:09:03,555 --> 00:09:06,995 Speaker 1: the leader of al Qaeda, and the Republicans can get 128 00:09:06,995 --> 00:09:10,555 Speaker 1: away with claiming it is a distraction from gas prices 129 00:09:10,555 --> 00:09:17,915 Speaker 1: coming down Democrats. Let Democrats let slime buckets like Marjorie 130 00:09:17,915 --> 00:09:21,795 Speaker 1: Green say stuff like this without consequences, without making her 131 00:09:21,835 --> 00:09:26,715 Speaker 1: a pariah, without questioning her patriotism, without questioning her sanity. 132 00:09:28,115 --> 00:09:32,635 Speaker 1: I love Joe Biden. I mean that literally. I met 133 00:09:32,715 --> 00:09:36,515 Speaker 1: Joe Biden in March two thousand seven second time. Really, 134 00:09:37,195 --> 00:09:39,635 Speaker 1: He asked me to lunch so he could ask me 135 00:09:39,675 --> 00:09:43,475 Speaker 1: for advice about public speaking. If you can believe that, 136 00:09:43,875 --> 00:09:47,675 Speaker 1: I still can't. And when I asked him, wait, you've 137 00:09:47,675 --> 00:09:50,395 Speaker 1: been in the Senate thirty three years, this is the 138 00:09:50,435 --> 00:09:53,755 Speaker 1: first time you're asking about this, He did not storm 139 00:09:53,795 --> 00:09:58,115 Speaker 1: out or take offense or smile stiffly like any ordinary politician. 140 00:09:58,635 --> 00:10:03,595 Speaker 1: He laughed. He laughed like hell, and I have loved 141 00:10:03,675 --> 00:10:07,155 Speaker 1: him since then and recognized in him one of literally 142 00:10:07,195 --> 00:10:10,955 Speaker 1: only a dozen or fewer true public servants in my 143 00:10:11,115 --> 00:10:15,675 Speaker 1: adult lifetime and in any other era in our history. 144 00:10:16,195 --> 00:10:19,835 Speaker 1: His election after his path would have been one of 145 00:10:19,835 --> 00:10:25,995 Speaker 1: the epic sagas in all of American history. But deep 146 00:10:26,035 --> 00:10:29,075 Speaker 1: in his heart, Joe Biden believes Democrats will retain the 147 00:10:29,115 --> 00:10:31,515 Speaker 1: House and the Senate in the fall and he will 148 00:10:31,555 --> 00:10:36,035 Speaker 1: be re elected in twenty four because they did good things. 149 00:10:36,555 --> 00:10:39,635 Speaker 1: They served the people. They steered us out of the 150 00:10:39,715 --> 00:10:44,395 Speaker 1: madness of crazy Trump. They steered us beyond COVID through inflation, 151 00:10:44,555 --> 00:10:49,875 Speaker 1: past Ukraine that got bin Laden's deputy and successor. The 152 00:10:49,955 --> 00:10:54,595 Speaker 1: Democrats remain invested in the institution of American politics as 153 00:10:54,635 --> 00:10:57,555 Speaker 1: it was the day Joe Biden declared his candidacy for 154 00:10:57,675 --> 00:11:04,955 Speaker 1: president on June. Collaboration and a drink with Ronald Reagan 155 00:11:05,075 --> 00:11:07,715 Speaker 1: and the good rules of the vast American political and 156 00:11:07,795 --> 00:11:12,195 Speaker 1: media industrial complex back when both sides were in bipartisan 157 00:11:12,235 --> 00:11:16,555 Speaker 1: agreement that they could bargain it out, the bipartisan rules 158 00:11:17,235 --> 00:11:20,915 Speaker 1: that ultimately Joe McCarthy gets censured and the chairman of 159 00:11:20,955 --> 00:11:24,835 Speaker 1: the House and American Activities Committees get jail terms and 160 00:11:24,915 --> 00:11:29,435 Speaker 1: Huey Long get shot, and we beat crazy Trump once, 161 00:11:29,875 --> 00:11:34,915 Speaker 1: we'll beat him again. Unfortunately, the lead Democrats also believe 162 00:11:34,955 --> 00:11:37,715 Speaker 1: in the bad rules of the vast American political and 163 00:11:37,755 --> 00:11:42,435 Speaker 1: media industrial complex, like institutional self protection. You know, if 164 00:11:42,475 --> 00:11:46,395 Speaker 1: you can indict an ex president today, doesn't that mean 165 00:11:46,435 --> 00:11:51,515 Speaker 1: you can indict an ex Attorney general tomorrow. Sean Connery 166 00:11:51,555 --> 00:11:54,355 Speaker 1: says in the film The Untouchables, they pull a knife, 167 00:11:54,395 --> 00:11:56,235 Speaker 1: you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to 168 00:11:56,275 --> 00:11:58,515 Speaker 1: the hospital, You send one of his to the morgue. 169 00:11:59,035 --> 00:12:03,275 Speaker 1: The struggle to save American democracy is at that point 170 00:12:03,435 --> 00:12:07,595 Speaker 1: right now, and to a metaphorical knife fight for the 171 00:12:07,635 --> 00:12:11,275 Speaker 1: future of this country, when the mainstream Democrats are fighting 172 00:12:11,435 --> 00:12:17,355 Speaker 1: against crazy people and fascists, and when the mainstream Democrats 173 00:12:17,395 --> 00:12:21,955 Speaker 1: now have the body of bin Laden's deputy. The mainstream 174 00:12:21,995 --> 00:12:25,315 Speaker 1: Democrats have brought to this metaphorical knife fight for our 175 00:12:25,355 --> 00:12:34,395 Speaker 1: future a bio fuel plant in Iowa. But as I said, 176 00:12:34,755 --> 00:12:37,875 Speaker 1: the fascist plot to overthrow this government can, as David 177 00:12:37,915 --> 00:12:40,875 Speaker 1: Atkins wrote, only succeed if the rest of us fail 178 00:12:40,955 --> 00:12:43,395 Speaker 1: to push back and say no. And there are two 179 00:12:43,555 --> 00:12:45,995 Speaker 1: entities doing more than any others to make sure we, 180 00:12:46,235 --> 00:12:48,715 Speaker 1: in fact do fail to push back and we do 181 00:12:48,875 --> 00:12:52,275 Speaker 1: fail to say no. The Mainstream Democratic Party is one 182 00:12:52,315 --> 00:12:56,235 Speaker 1: of those entities, and the other entity is the American 183 00:12:56,395 --> 00:13:02,635 Speaker 1: news media. We can actually fix the American news media. 184 00:13:04,275 --> 00:13:07,235 Speaker 1: This is what we have to do. Turn up the 185 00:13:07,315 --> 00:13:09,475 Speaker 1: volume a little bit. I think I have to whisper 186 00:13:09,595 --> 00:13:15,195 Speaker 1: this part. Do not patronize the guy who I once 187 00:13:15,235 --> 00:13:18,275 Speaker 1: put on TV, who now writes things for CNN's website, 188 00:13:18,355 --> 00:13:23,955 Speaker 1: like how Elon Musk could quote rescue Donald Trump, as 189 00:13:23,995 --> 00:13:26,915 Speaker 1: if Elon Musk and a rescue Donald Trump wouldn't try 190 00:13:26,915 --> 00:13:29,795 Speaker 1: to imprison or kill everybody who works for CNN and 191 00:13:29,835 --> 00:13:34,515 Speaker 1: maybe everybody who watches CNN. Do not patronize him. Do 192 00:13:34,595 --> 00:13:37,395 Speaker 1: not patronize the network I worked at Last Century, where 193 00:13:37,395 --> 00:13:40,555 Speaker 1: the co new president hires one of the Trumpists who 194 00:13:40,595 --> 00:13:44,875 Speaker 1: blackmailed Ukraine and who now has Ukrainian blood on his hands. 195 00:13:45,355 --> 00:13:48,475 Speaker 1: The co president hires him and says, with people recording 196 00:13:48,555 --> 00:13:51,075 Speaker 1: him saying it, that he's doing it so his news 197 00:13:51,115 --> 00:13:54,315 Speaker 1: division can have access to the Republicans once they take 198 00:13:54,355 --> 00:13:56,715 Speaker 1: the House. As if those Republicans won't figure out a 199 00:13:56,715 --> 00:14:00,315 Speaker 1: way legal or not to destroy CBS News or turn 200 00:14:00,435 --> 00:14:05,875 Speaker 1: it into more fascist propaganda. But there is also a 201 00:14:05,955 --> 00:14:10,075 Speaker 1: secret cheat code for getting the American media, American television 202 00:14:10,115 --> 00:14:13,235 Speaker 1: to do what you want besides boycotting the parts that 203 00:14:13,315 --> 00:14:18,115 Speaker 1: don't get it. And it's simple. TV news loves noise. 204 00:14:19,515 --> 00:14:24,435 Speaker 1: This is not new today, It is just more today. 205 00:14:24,555 --> 00:14:28,915 Speaker 1: So make that noise. When Marjorie Green mocks the execution 206 00:14:28,955 --> 00:14:32,915 Speaker 1: of the leader of al Qaeda, When Trump while taking 207 00:14:33,035 --> 00:14:36,195 Speaker 1: Saudi money to host a golf tournament while this country 208 00:14:36,235 --> 00:14:39,835 Speaker 1: is killing bin Laden's deputy, When Trump says nobody ever 209 00:14:39,875 --> 00:14:43,995 Speaker 1: got to the bottom of nine eleven, every prominent Democrats 210 00:14:43,995 --> 00:14:48,715 Speaker 1: should call press conferences and call them both what they are. Disloyal. 211 00:14:49,355 --> 00:14:52,275 Speaker 1: They should say Green and Trump have spat on the 212 00:14:52,315 --> 00:14:55,955 Speaker 1: graves of the dead of nine eleven. They should call 213 00:14:56,075 --> 00:15:00,955 Speaker 1: them terrorists. Sympathizers, they should call them Green and Trump 214 00:15:01,115 --> 00:15:08,155 Speaker 1: what they are, terrorists, Whether Democrats like it or not. 215 00:15:08,235 --> 00:15:11,075 Speaker 1: The loud subtext of the elections of two months hence 216 00:15:11,235 --> 00:15:15,835 Speaker 1: will be which party loves and defends America and which 217 00:15:16,675 --> 00:15:22,995 Speaker 1: doesn't and wants to see millions of Americans disappear. And 218 00:15:23,035 --> 00:15:25,555 Speaker 1: if you send your thugs to invade the Capitol and 219 00:15:25,675 --> 00:15:27,755 Speaker 1: kill the Vice President and the Speaker of the House, 220 00:15:27,755 --> 00:15:30,035 Speaker 1: and if you mock the nine eleven victims, and you 221 00:15:30,195 --> 00:15:36,795 Speaker 1: insist America must not sweat terrorism, you have to be 222 00:15:36,955 --> 00:15:42,235 Speaker 1: buried under a mountain of bad media placed there pound 223 00:15:42,235 --> 00:15:58,475 Speaker 1: by pound by the Democrats. Post Scripts to the News, 224 00:15:58,475 --> 00:16:02,195 Speaker 1: Worse Person's Sports, and why the baseball trade deadline is 225 00:16:02,195 --> 00:16:06,115 Speaker 1: actually an annual disaster for the sport, and also the 226 00:16:06,155 --> 00:16:09,075 Speaker 1: forty three anniversary of the death of a great athlete 227 00:16:09,435 --> 00:16:11,795 Speaker 1: and I had to cover it for a radio network 228 00:16:11,835 --> 00:16:15,275 Speaker 1: on my seventh night as a professional at the age 229 00:16:15,835 --> 00:16:33,835 Speaker 1: of twenty. Coming up on Countdown just to head my 230 00:16:33,875 --> 00:16:37,395 Speaker 1: postscripts to the news segment plus Worse Persons and Sports, 231 00:16:37,435 --> 00:16:39,955 Speaker 1: But first, in each edition of Countdown, we feature a 232 00:16:40,035 --> 00:16:42,995 Speaker 1: dog in need whom you can help. Every dog has 233 00:16:43,035 --> 00:16:45,715 Speaker 1: its day. You can help this one and all of 234 00:16:45,715 --> 00:16:48,155 Speaker 1: our subjects on my Twitter feed for pups in trouble. 235 00:16:48,235 --> 00:16:53,035 Speaker 1: That's at Tom Jumbo Grumbo today. Are you near Riverside, California? 236 00:16:53,515 --> 00:16:57,435 Speaker 1: Could you help adopt or foster Tilly. She's a seven 237 00:16:57,515 --> 00:17:01,555 Speaker 1: year old Siberian Husky mix, a beautiful white and gray 238 00:17:01,595 --> 00:17:05,115 Speaker 1: dog with piercing eyes. She has arthritis, but she's sweet 239 00:17:05,195 --> 00:17:08,795 Speaker 1: and she's in trouble. They're nineties six dogs on death 240 00:17:08,875 --> 00:17:11,395 Speaker 1: row at the kill shelter in Riverside. They're all listed 241 00:17:11,435 --> 00:17:15,115 Speaker 1: on the Instagram account I Love Rescue till he's been 242 00:17:15,115 --> 00:17:17,755 Speaker 1: there a month. You can save Tilly at the Riverside, 243 00:17:17,795 --> 00:17:20,635 Speaker 1: California City Shelter. Look her up on my dog Twitter 244 00:17:20,675 --> 00:17:25,275 Speaker 1: account Tom Jumbo Grumbo Tilly, She and all the others 245 00:17:25,395 --> 00:17:30,115 Speaker 1: in Riverside also on Instagram at I Love Rescue. Thank you. 246 00:17:52,195 --> 00:17:54,875 Speaker 1: All right, let's add to your knowledge with a little 247 00:17:54,915 --> 00:17:58,995 Speaker 1: more news. Time for postscripts to the news, some headlines, 248 00:17:59,235 --> 00:18:02,635 Speaker 1: some thoughts, some laughs, dateline d c apropos of the 249 00:18:02,675 --> 00:18:06,915 Speaker 1: earlier commentary. Whatever the publicans do, hit them over the 250 00:18:06,995 --> 00:18:10,035 Speaker 1: head with it. John Stewart just got them to reverse 251 00:18:10,075 --> 00:18:14,115 Speaker 1: on the veterans burn Pit Healthcare bill. The one cancoon 252 00:18:14,395 --> 00:18:18,515 Speaker 1: Cruise and Steve Danes blocked and we're fist bumping about 253 00:18:18,915 --> 00:18:22,195 Speaker 1: knowing that they were on the Senate Chamber camera. Mitch 254 00:18:22,275 --> 00:18:25,515 Speaker 1: McConnell on the bill last night, quote, it will pass 255 00:18:25,635 --> 00:18:29,315 Speaker 1: this week. Democrats will now, of course, forget about it. 256 00:18:29,355 --> 00:18:33,555 Speaker 1: Instead of putting Crews and Danes in blast in every ad, 257 00:18:33,595 --> 00:18:38,075 Speaker 1: every television station, every campaign in the mid terms, hit 258 00:18:38,155 --> 00:18:42,355 Speaker 1: them over the head with it. Dateline, the voting booths 259 00:18:42,355 --> 00:18:45,275 Speaker 1: primary day in Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, and Washington State. The 260 00:18:45,355 --> 00:18:49,115 Speaker 1: endorsement from Psycho Trump was much coveted for the Republican Senate. 261 00:18:49,155 --> 00:18:53,155 Speaker 1: Not in Missouri state Attorney General Eric Schmidt, or disgraced 262 00:18:53,235 --> 00:18:57,035 Speaker 1: resigned governor and accused domestic violence purp with a campaign 263 00:18:57,115 --> 00:19:00,035 Speaker 1: ad in which he threatened to shoot other Republicans. Eric 264 00:19:00,035 --> 00:19:07,275 Speaker 1: Grayden's The A Team So Trump super Genius wrote last night, 265 00:19:07,755 --> 00:19:10,715 Speaker 1: I am therefore proud to announce that Eric has my 266 00:19:10,835 --> 00:19:18,315 Speaker 1: complete and total endorsement Eric Schmidt. Brighton's idol L Douche 267 00:19:18,475 --> 00:19:22,995 Speaker 1: spokesman Taylor Butter, which says the statement quote speaks for itself. 268 00:19:23,915 --> 00:19:27,395 Speaker 1: You bet it does. Stateline Phoenix on the eve of 269 00:19:27,395 --> 00:19:30,635 Speaker 1: the primary, and Arizona Senate candidate Attorney General Mark Burnovitch. 270 00:19:30,675 --> 00:19:32,995 Speaker 1: She's the one who does not look like he was 271 00:19:33,195 --> 00:19:35,995 Speaker 1: hypnotized but didn't come out of it when the magician 272 00:19:36,035 --> 00:19:38,875 Speaker 1: snapped his fingers. That would be blake Masters. This is 273 00:19:38,915 --> 00:19:41,355 Speaker 1: the other guy Bernavite, who says he has wrapped up 274 00:19:41,355 --> 00:19:46,915 Speaker 1: the endless Arizona fraudulent fraudulent voter claims about dead voters. 275 00:19:47,355 --> 00:19:51,355 Speaker 1: He wrote the paranoid state Senate President Karen fan that 276 00:19:51,515 --> 00:19:54,355 Speaker 1: of the two dred and eighty two supposedly dead voters 277 00:19:54,355 --> 00:19:57,515 Speaker 1: that she and her sleuths found, two eight one of 278 00:19:57,555 --> 00:20:02,115 Speaker 1: them aren't even dead. Well, many aren't dead, and quote, 279 00:20:02,555 --> 00:20:06,035 Speaker 1: we're very surprised to learn that they were allegedly deceased. 280 00:20:06,515 --> 00:20:11,595 Speaker 1: Once again, you bet Dateline d C. Trump goon guy 281 00:20:11,795 --> 00:20:14,795 Speaker 1: refit the first January six terrorists to go to trial 282 00:20:15,395 --> 00:20:18,755 Speaker 1: gets seven years and three months in prison, add on 283 00:20:18,795 --> 00:20:20,995 Speaker 1: the extra three months because he was a three per center. 284 00:20:21,395 --> 00:20:25,355 Speaker 1: He did not, though, get the desired terror offense multiplier. 285 00:20:25,795 --> 00:20:45,915 Speaker 1: The FBI was tipped off by his son. Thank you, 286 00:20:46,075 --> 00:20:49,835 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust. Dateline Atlanta, the two day Atlanta Music Fat 287 00:20:49,875 --> 00:20:53,715 Speaker 1: Midtown Festival schedule for next month is canceled. Why four 288 00:20:54,235 --> 00:20:56,835 Speaker 1: It's in a city park, and the state Supreme Court 289 00:20:56,915 --> 00:21:00,035 Speaker 1: has ruled that Georgians can carry guns in city parks. 290 00:21:00,395 --> 00:21:03,315 Speaker 1: Some of the scheduled artists and Jack White, Future and 291 00:21:03,395 --> 00:21:06,875 Speaker 1: Fallout Boy were supposed to play, they refused to perform 292 00:21:06,955 --> 00:21:10,275 Speaker 1: where guns are allowed. Organizers were also afraid that if 293 00:21:10,315 --> 00:21:14,995 Speaker 1: they banned guns, they get sued. Sorry, Atlanta, this is 294 00:21:15,035 --> 00:21:18,675 Speaker 1: how fascist Republican state leaders will eventually be crushed. We 295 00:21:18,755 --> 00:21:21,515 Speaker 1: treat their cities and towns like they were South Africa 296 00:21:21,955 --> 00:21:27,355 Speaker 1: during apartheid and dateline Bedminster, New Jersey a follow up 297 00:21:27,355 --> 00:21:30,115 Speaker 1: on the Trump buried his first wife at the first 298 00:21:30,155 --> 00:21:32,955 Speaker 1: tea at his first golf course to get the first 299 00:21:32,995 --> 00:21:38,195 Speaker 1: tax break. The one in whole scandal found yesterday about 300 00:21:38,195 --> 00:21:41,595 Speaker 1: Trump's two thousand seven bid for a family mausoleum with 301 00:21:41,715 --> 00:21:44,995 Speaker 1: nineteen foot high obelisks in the middle of the course. 302 00:21:45,555 --> 00:21:49,355 Speaker 1: The then mayor of Bedminster, Robert Holt Away with a 303 00:21:49,515 --> 00:21:52,835 Speaker 1: prescient argument to the city council that the grave of 304 00:21:52,915 --> 00:21:56,675 Speaker 1: Donald Trump will attract the wrong sort of people, like 305 00:21:56,875 --> 00:22:00,555 Speaker 1: he said in Austria quote where a Nazi war criminal 306 00:22:00,675 --> 00:22:04,355 Speaker 1: was buried, and that became quote a tourist attraction to 307 00:22:04,755 --> 00:22:10,355 Speaker 1: thousand seven right on the money, Mr holt Away. This 308 00:22:11,035 --> 00:22:17,315 Speaker 1: is Sports Center. Wait check that not anymore. This is 309 00:22:18,115 --> 00:22:35,555 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Alberman in Sports Baseball's trade Deadline, six 310 00:22:35,555 --> 00:22:38,235 Speaker 1: pm Eastern today. The game's ended last night with Juan 311 00:22:38,355 --> 00:22:41,555 Speaker 1: Soto still Washington National, but after his last at bat 312 00:22:41,595 --> 00:22:44,035 Speaker 1: against the New York Mets, his batting coach came up 313 00:22:44,075 --> 00:22:46,235 Speaker 1: to Soto and gave him a big hug. It was 314 00:22:46,315 --> 00:22:50,035 Speaker 1: not about the at bat Soto had walked. It's amazing 315 00:22:50,075 --> 00:22:54,275 Speaker 1: to realize that possible. Ex Washington National Soto was second 316 00:22:54,315 --> 00:22:56,715 Speaker 1: in the m v P balloting last year to ex 317 00:22:56,795 --> 00:23:00,235 Speaker 1: Washington National Bryce Harper. Fifth in the same voting was 318 00:23:00,315 --> 00:23:05,555 Speaker 1: ex Washington National Trade Turner ex Washington National Ax Scherzer. 319 00:23:05,675 --> 00:23:09,635 Speaker 1: And you wonder why eight different Major League ball clubs 320 00:23:09,875 --> 00:23:14,835 Speaker 1: have moved out of Washington or gone bankrupt in Washington. Meanwhile, 321 00:23:14,835 --> 00:23:18,035 Speaker 1: the newspaper, the Orange County Register says, not that it 322 00:23:18,115 --> 00:23:21,075 Speaker 1: was expected, but the Angels will not trade m v 323 00:23:21,235 --> 00:23:25,075 Speaker 1: P show a Otani, the d h and pitcher. Those 324 00:23:25,115 --> 00:23:27,675 Speaker 1: who were traded the Oakland A's have delta way so 325 00:23:27,715 --> 00:23:31,435 Speaker 1: many stars they are now the Oakland vs. Pitchers Frankie 326 00:23:31,435 --> 00:23:34,955 Speaker 1: Montesse and Lou Trevino to the Yankees for prospects. Trey 327 00:23:35,035 --> 00:23:38,435 Speaker 1: Mancini goes from the Orioles to the Astros, ace reliever 328 00:23:38,635 --> 00:23:41,235 Speaker 1: Josh Hater from the Brewers to the Padres for a 329 00:23:41,275 --> 00:23:45,635 Speaker 1: package including apply named pitching prospect Robert Gasser and picture 330 00:23:45,715 --> 00:23:49,715 Speaker 1: den Nelson Lament And why isn't de Nelson Lament? A 331 00:23:49,875 --> 00:23:54,315 Speaker 1: met Tommy fam outfielder and angry Fantasy football league manager 332 00:23:54,555 --> 00:23:56,475 Speaker 1: goes from the Reds to the Red Sox, but in 333 00:23:56,555 --> 00:24:00,635 Speaker 1: a truly mixed message, Catcher Christian Basquez goes from the 334 00:24:00,675 --> 00:24:03,955 Speaker 1: Red Sox to the Astros. What's going on in Boston? 335 00:24:04,075 --> 00:24:07,275 Speaker 1: Any clue is But there's a bigger issue here, the 336 00:24:07,315 --> 00:24:10,795 Speaker 1: trade deadline itself, and the fans of Soto or Otani 337 00:24:10,955 --> 00:24:14,635 Speaker 1: or whoever else ultimately gets dealt now or next year 338 00:24:14,755 --> 00:24:19,035 Speaker 1: or whenever, the fans who will be heartbroken. Basketball has 339 00:24:19,075 --> 00:24:22,515 Speaker 1: turned player movement into a plus, a kind of frat trick. 340 00:24:22,875 --> 00:24:26,835 Speaker 1: Football has made it impossible. Baseball it's just pain. It 341 00:24:26,875 --> 00:24:29,515 Speaker 1: was posited by the website dead Spin last week that 342 00:24:29,595 --> 00:24:32,715 Speaker 1: if a team would rather trade Soto, who's just twenty 343 00:24:32,755 --> 00:24:36,755 Speaker 1: three years old, for a basketful of top minor league prospects, 344 00:24:36,995 --> 00:24:40,195 Speaker 1: many of whom are older than he is. To do 345 00:24:40,275 --> 00:24:43,275 Speaker 1: that rather than pay him, that means baseball is completely 346 00:24:43,395 --> 00:24:46,915 Speaker 1: screwed up. The suggestion was that the easiest fixed would 347 00:24:46,955 --> 00:24:50,835 Speaker 1: be to eliminate baseball's minor leagues as we know them, 348 00:24:50,835 --> 00:24:53,715 Speaker 1: not the leagues themselves, what they mean, and who owns 349 00:24:53,755 --> 00:24:56,795 Speaker 1: the teams. It sounds crazy, but there's the germ of 350 00:24:56,795 --> 00:25:00,675 Speaker 1: the idea here. This system, in which nearly every minor 351 00:25:00,755 --> 00:25:03,595 Speaker 1: league team is simply a training laboratory for its Major 352 00:25:03,675 --> 00:25:07,915 Speaker 1: league masters, was instituted by the legendary branch Rickey for 353 00:25:07,955 --> 00:25:11,915 Speaker 1: the St. Louis Cardinals of the nineteen twenties. In those days, 354 00:25:11,995 --> 00:25:15,355 Speaker 1: minor league teams signed nearly all the high school and 355 00:25:15,395 --> 00:25:18,995 Speaker 1: college players, trained them, developed them, and sold them to 356 00:25:19,035 --> 00:25:22,795 Speaker 1: the highest big league bidder. Joe DiMaggio wasn't drafted by 357 00:25:22,835 --> 00:25:25,475 Speaker 1: the New York Yankees. He was signed by the minor 358 00:25:25,555 --> 00:25:29,235 Speaker 1: league San Francisco Seals and traded to the Yankees for 359 00:25:29,355 --> 00:25:34,555 Speaker 1: four players and fifty thousand dollars in four Ted Williams 360 00:25:34,595 --> 00:25:37,275 Speaker 1: was bought by the Boston Red Sox from the minor 361 00:25:37,355 --> 00:25:39,835 Speaker 1: league team in San Diego for four players in thirty 362 00:25:39,835 --> 00:25:43,995 Speaker 1: five thousand and ninety eight in St. Louis branch Rickey 363 00:25:44,075 --> 00:25:47,715 Speaker 1: developed the farm system develop your own players because the 364 00:25:47,795 --> 00:25:51,635 Speaker 1: Cardinals were too poor to compete in that player's sale 365 00:25:51,715 --> 00:25:56,235 Speaker 1: market for the Dimaggios and the Williams. Is if dead 366 00:25:56,235 --> 00:25:59,115 Speaker 1: Spin argues, we went back to a world where major 367 00:25:59,195 --> 00:26:02,275 Speaker 1: league teams actually owned the contracts of only thirty or 368 00:26:02,315 --> 00:26:05,235 Speaker 1: forty players at a time, there would not be any 369 00:26:05,275 --> 00:26:09,595 Speaker 1: minor league prospects to trade Juan Soto four. It is 370 00:26:09,755 --> 00:26:13,235 Speaker 1: so novel an idea that it takes a long time 371 00:26:13,315 --> 00:26:16,115 Speaker 1: to recognize that it might be the right thing to do. 372 00:26:16,635 --> 00:26:19,515 Speaker 1: And if you don't think so, wait until your favorite 373 00:26:19,555 --> 00:26:23,195 Speaker 1: team trades your favorite player for five guys, four of 374 00:26:23,235 --> 00:26:29,115 Speaker 1: whom will almost certainly never make it today or next year. 375 00:26:41,915 --> 00:26:45,275 Speaker 1: And guess what time is it? Boys and girls. The 376 00:26:45,355 --> 00:26:48,675 Speaker 1: daily roundup of the miscreants, morons and Dunning Kruger effect 377 00:26:48,755 --> 00:26:55,395 Speaker 1: exhibits to constitute today's worst persons in the world. The 378 00:26:55,515 --> 00:26:59,635 Speaker 1: Silver to Tennessee Senator Marcia Blackburne, weekly candidate for the 379 00:26:59,715 --> 00:27:03,475 Speaker 1: dumbest elected officer of the land. She says on the 380 00:27:03,515 --> 00:27:06,115 Speaker 1: floor of the set at the Act the Climate Inflation 381 00:27:06,235 --> 00:27:10,035 Speaker 1: Deal quote the worst elements of a radical socialist agender 382 00:27:10,635 --> 00:27:18,635 Speaker 1: unquote are being pushed by Senator Joe Manchin. I wish. 383 00:27:19,075 --> 00:27:22,955 Speaker 1: Blackburn also said the bill included a quote multi hundred 384 00:27:23,075 --> 00:27:27,595 Speaker 1: dollar tax hike. Just to clarify, in case you're wondering, 385 00:27:27,635 --> 00:27:32,355 Speaker 1: Marsha Blackburn is an actual senator. She is not a 386 00:27:32,555 --> 00:27:36,635 Speaker 1: character performed by the actress Stephanie Courtney from the insurance 387 00:27:36,635 --> 00:27:42,355 Speaker 1: company commercial. That character is called flows Mom Runner up 388 00:27:42,355 --> 00:27:45,475 Speaker 1: Herschel Walker, the Georgia Senate candidate and the gift who 389 00:27:45,555 --> 00:27:48,555 Speaker 1: keeps on giving every couple of days. Weeks after it 390 00:27:48,635 --> 00:27:52,435 Speaker 1: was acknowledged that he had two more children, of whom 391 00:27:52,475 --> 00:27:55,515 Speaker 1: he did not acknowledge being the father two more than 392 00:27:55,555 --> 00:27:59,035 Speaker 1: we thought, Herschel has finally come up with an excuse, 393 00:27:59,435 --> 00:28:02,355 Speaker 1: and it relates to the campaign and how mean people 394 00:28:02,395 --> 00:28:05,595 Speaker 1: are to him, he told the equally dim Brian Kilmead 395 00:28:05,675 --> 00:28:09,955 Speaker 1: on Fox Nudes. Quote the thing I didn't acknowledge them 396 00:28:09,995 --> 00:28:14,475 Speaker 1: here because in now my two youngest kids, I'm not 397 00:28:14,515 --> 00:28:17,355 Speaker 1: going to acknowledge them because I don't want them to 398 00:28:17,395 --> 00:28:22,875 Speaker 1: be under any kind of scrutiny. Yeah, because Herschel, you 399 00:28:22,915 --> 00:28:26,755 Speaker 1: were anonymous before you ran for office. But the winner. 400 00:28:26,755 --> 00:28:29,835 Speaker 1: I mentioned Trump in the Eric Graighten's Eric Schmidt Senate 401 00:28:29,875 --> 00:28:33,235 Speaker 1: primary and Missouri finally endorsing last night and endorsing simply 402 00:28:34,035 --> 00:28:37,675 Speaker 1: Eric there was supposed to be some kind of subtlety 403 00:28:37,875 --> 00:28:41,755 Speaker 1: or pun or wiggle room or wit to this or 404 00:28:41,915 --> 00:28:46,315 Speaker 1: something this deliberately not mentioning which of the two erics 405 00:28:46,315 --> 00:28:50,035 Speaker 1: he was endorsing. But on the old Trump train, the 406 00:28:50,155 --> 00:28:54,355 Speaker 1: caboost did not get the message. Kimberly Gilfoyle, the one 407 00:28:54,435 --> 00:28:58,315 Speaker 1: with the photo album of all her old boyfriends. If 408 00:28:58,355 --> 00:29:02,235 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, the girlfriend of says somebody 409 00:29:02,395 --> 00:29:06,475 Speaker 1: fiance girl. What is she sitting nobody's sister? Letn't she something? 410 00:29:06,795 --> 00:29:08,995 Speaker 1: But if she just she just hangs around and takes 411 00:29:08,995 --> 00:29:12,075 Speaker 1: pictures of them. Anyway, she put out a video last 412 00:29:12,155 --> 00:29:16,315 Speaker 1: night and she's supporting Eric Grayden's calling him the true 413 00:29:16,355 --> 00:29:18,995 Speaker 1: hero of the MAGA movement. So we have a new 414 00:29:19,035 --> 00:29:23,675 Speaker 1: pronunciation on maga. In the video, the Maga video, Miss Gilfoyle, 415 00:29:23,715 --> 00:29:26,595 Speaker 1: who is now fifty three years old, is depicted wearing 416 00:29:26,635 --> 00:29:31,595 Speaker 1: a tight fitting red sweater with extra cleavage, neon pink lipstick, 417 00:29:32,155 --> 00:29:36,235 Speaker 1: partially dyed brown hair draped over her boosom, and size 418 00:29:36,355 --> 00:29:41,475 Speaker 1: thirty two fake eyelashes. Why given how the Lunatic Right 419 00:29:41,595 --> 00:29:44,915 Speaker 1: is going after drag shows and drag queens. Why do 420 00:29:45,035 --> 00:29:49,115 Speaker 1: all the leading women of the Lunatic Right the maga wagons? 421 00:29:49,115 --> 00:29:54,235 Speaker 1: Why did they dress and make up like drag queens? Kim, 422 00:29:54,275 --> 00:29:58,115 Speaker 1: I spoiled the joke? What joke? Eric? Eric? Who do 423 00:29:58,235 --> 00:30:00,715 Speaker 1: I go out with somebody named Eric? I don't get it? 424 00:30:00,915 --> 00:30:34,195 Speaker 1: Gilfoyle Today's worst Wirst the World. And Now, as we 425 00:30:34,275 --> 00:30:37,195 Speaker 1: always do, we always do. This is the second episode 426 00:30:37,235 --> 00:30:39,835 Speaker 1: of the podcast. Now, as we always do, we close 427 00:30:39,915 --> 00:30:42,155 Speaker 1: with the number one story on the countdown things I 428 00:30:42,275 --> 00:30:46,555 Speaker 1: promised not to tell. And back to my favorite topic. Me. 429 00:30:47,675 --> 00:30:52,875 Speaker 1: August second, nineteen seventy nine is now forty three years ago. 430 00:30:53,315 --> 00:30:56,755 Speaker 1: And if I sound incredulous about that, it's because I'm 431 00:30:56,755 --> 00:31:00,395 Speaker 1: incredulous about that. A certain part of me is always 432 00:31:00,435 --> 00:31:04,995 Speaker 1: living back there on August nine, and the rest of 433 00:31:05,075 --> 00:31:07,915 Speaker 1: that day is seared into my memory like my name 434 00:31:07,915 --> 00:31:12,035 Speaker 1: and address. One month earlier to the day, July nineteen 435 00:31:12,075 --> 00:31:14,515 Speaker 1: seventy nine, I had been in the stands in my 436 00:31:14,635 --> 00:31:17,475 Speaker 1: family seats back of first base at Yankee Stadium in 437 00:31:17,515 --> 00:31:21,515 Speaker 1: New York, a twenty year old Yankees fan, applauding Thurman 438 00:31:21,555 --> 00:31:24,595 Speaker 1: Munson's RBI double and Lou Panello's two for four day 439 00:31:24,675 --> 00:31:28,195 Speaker 1: and Roy White's appearance since Roy White was my mother's 440 00:31:28,275 --> 00:31:33,195 Speaker 1: favorite Yankee player months in particularly, he had been playing 441 00:31:33,235 --> 00:31:36,555 Speaker 1: for the Yankees since I was nine. I was now twenty, 442 00:31:36,595 --> 00:31:41,595 Speaker 1: thus more than half my life now. On August nine, 443 00:31:41,795 --> 00:31:43,875 Speaker 1: seventy nine, I was finishing the first month of my 444 00:31:43,955 --> 00:31:48,475 Speaker 1: professional broadcasting career. It was my seventh or eighth solo 445 00:31:48,635 --> 00:31:53,595 Speaker 1: shift anywhere for money. I was the nighttime sportscaster of 446 00:31:53,675 --> 00:31:58,515 Speaker 1: United Press Internationals Radio Network one thousand stations worldwide known 447 00:31:58,515 --> 00:32:02,035 Speaker 1: as u p I Audio. For my first sportscast of 448 00:32:02,075 --> 00:32:05,355 Speaker 1: the night due to go at five a m. I 449 00:32:05,395 --> 00:32:08,515 Speaker 1: had long since finished my script. Tom Watson was leading 450 00:32:08,595 --> 00:32:11,355 Speaker 1: Round one of the PGA Golf in Michigan. The lawyer 451 00:32:11,395 --> 00:32:14,715 Speaker 1: who owned Washington of the NFL, Edward Bennett Williams. He 452 00:32:14,795 --> 00:32:17,955 Speaker 1: had just bought the Baltimore Orioles. There was an exposed 453 00:32:18,075 --> 00:32:22,315 Speaker 1: Cubs matinee at baseball game in Montreal that prevailed through 454 00:32:22,475 --> 00:32:26,435 Speaker 1: three rain delays. It was just about five forty three 455 00:32:26,435 --> 00:32:28,915 Speaker 1: pm Eastern Time, and I was making the short walk 456 00:32:29,315 --> 00:32:32,835 Speaker 1: from the little sports cubbyhole to the little main on 457 00:32:33,035 --> 00:32:37,355 Speaker 1: air studio in UPI World headquarters in the Daily News building, 458 00:32:37,475 --> 00:32:39,915 Speaker 1: or if you saw the movie The Superman building on 459 00:32:40,675 --> 00:32:44,155 Speaker 1: Street in Manhattan. I was just walking past the bank 460 00:32:44,195 --> 00:32:50,195 Speaker 1: of thermal printers, each making their sluggish, muted hong honking 461 00:32:50,315 --> 00:32:54,555 Speaker 1: sound as they slowly printed stories out onto what wasn't 462 00:32:54,755 --> 00:32:58,355 Speaker 1: really paper. There was the main UPI wire, the UPI 463 00:32:58,435 --> 00:33:01,595 Speaker 1: Sports Wire, the UPI Business Wire, the UPI International Wire, 464 00:33:01,795 --> 00:33:06,155 Speaker 1: the UPI Radio wire, several internal message wires by which 465 00:33:06,155 --> 00:33:08,755 Speaker 1: the u p I bureaus around the world could communicate 466 00:33:08,795 --> 00:33:11,795 Speaker 1: with headquarters in New York, or as it was abbreviated 467 00:33:11,955 --> 00:33:16,835 Speaker 1: n X. Those message wires were the nine equivalent of texting. 468 00:33:17,675 --> 00:33:20,795 Speaker 1: As I got within a foot of these machines, one 469 00:33:20,795 --> 00:33:23,235 Speaker 1: of them made a noise I had never heard before, 470 00:33:23,595 --> 00:33:28,115 Speaker 1: a series of ten really loud bells. As I moved 471 00:33:28,115 --> 00:33:30,235 Speaker 1: over to see what the hell they could mean, the 472 00:33:30,235 --> 00:33:33,115 Speaker 1: news editor, Frank Rayphael came over to check as well. 473 00:33:33,675 --> 00:33:40,435 Speaker 1: We saw the words simultaneously. We gasped simultaneously, Cleveland Bureau 474 00:33:40,515 --> 00:33:44,035 Speaker 1: to n X, Thurman Munson Catcher, Captain New York Yankees 475 00:33:44,115 --> 00:33:51,755 Speaker 1: dead piloting private plane, Canton Akron Airport thirty Still it 476 00:33:51,875 --> 00:33:55,315 Speaker 1: stuns me to read those words aloud. As soon as 477 00:33:55,315 --> 00:33:58,315 Speaker 1: they finished printing, Cleveland sent it again. The bells went 478 00:33:58,355 --> 00:34:00,715 Speaker 1: off again. I could see I now had about a 479 00:34:00,755 --> 00:34:03,435 Speaker 1: minute until I went on the air. The editor pointed 480 00:34:03,475 --> 00:34:05,795 Speaker 1: this out to me, I have to add live the 481 00:34:05,795 --> 00:34:07,675 Speaker 1: sports cast, then come out here and do a voice 482 00:34:07,715 --> 00:34:09,555 Speaker 1: or just talk about his career. Keep repeating that it's 483 00:34:09,555 --> 00:34:11,755 Speaker 1: a bulletin that he's dead, and that he was piloting 484 00:34:11,755 --> 00:34:14,435 Speaker 1: a private plane. You know anything about him and planes? 485 00:34:15,275 --> 00:34:18,995 Speaker 1: And I remember saying, oh God, I do. And he said, well, 486 00:34:19,075 --> 00:34:21,915 Speaker 1: use whatever you think fits. If more details come in, 487 00:34:21,955 --> 00:34:23,955 Speaker 1: I'll bring them into you. I'll try to get somebody 488 00:34:23,995 --> 00:34:28,195 Speaker 1: at the airport for some sound. I don't remember anything 489 00:34:28,195 --> 00:34:30,555 Speaker 1: of what I said on the air that night, nor 490 00:34:30,715 --> 00:34:33,555 Speaker 1: in the special report the voice er the editor had 491 00:34:33,555 --> 00:34:35,555 Speaker 1: had me record. As soon as I finished that live 492 00:34:35,595 --> 00:34:39,795 Speaker 1: sports cast, it was all recorded. I never wanted to 493 00:34:39,875 --> 00:34:43,235 Speaker 1: hear any of it. I never wanted to keep any 494 00:34:43,275 --> 00:34:45,875 Speaker 1: of it. I have basically the rest of my career 495 00:34:45,955 --> 00:34:50,195 Speaker 1: on tape. But I knew my youth was over right then. 496 00:34:50,995 --> 00:34:53,835 Speaker 1: Thurman Munson had joined the Yankees when I was nine 497 00:34:53,915 --> 00:34:57,875 Speaker 1: years old, literally more than half my life ago. He 498 00:34:57,995 --> 00:35:00,875 Speaker 1: was the first good rookie I ever saw added to 499 00:35:01,035 --> 00:35:04,555 Speaker 1: my team. My family was convinced he looked like my mo. 500 00:35:04,715 --> 00:35:07,675 Speaker 1: There's cousin Billy. I met him a couple of times, 501 00:35:07,755 --> 00:35:10,635 Speaker 1: had photographed him once, interviewed him once. He was gruff 502 00:35:10,995 --> 00:35:14,955 Speaker 1: and forbidding, but I had never had a problem with him. 503 00:35:14,955 --> 00:35:17,875 Speaker 1: What I knew about him and his plane I spoke 504 00:35:17,915 --> 00:35:21,915 Speaker 1: of as generically as possible. In my mind. I flashed 505 00:35:21,955 --> 00:35:24,435 Speaker 1: back to lunch in the press room at Yankee Stadium 506 00:35:24,475 --> 00:35:27,155 Speaker 1: four months earlier, when I was still in college with 507 00:35:27,195 --> 00:35:31,595 Speaker 1: my friend Rick Serone, the editor, not the catcher Munson. 508 00:35:31,995 --> 00:35:35,355 Speaker 1: Rick said, almost surreptitiously, leaning in towards me over the 509 00:35:35,395 --> 00:35:40,195 Speaker 1: little table. Munson is flying his own plane back home 510 00:35:40,275 --> 00:35:45,275 Speaker 1: to Ohio on like every day off. The Yankees are 511 00:35:45,715 --> 00:35:49,635 Speaker 1: terrified he's not as good a pilot as he thinks 512 00:35:49,675 --> 00:35:53,355 Speaker 1: he is, honest to God, one of the executives is 513 00:35:53,395 --> 00:35:56,915 Speaker 1: trying to get George, that would be George Steinbrenner, the owner, 514 00:35:57,315 --> 00:36:00,675 Speaker 1: to trade him to Cleveland, just so he'll get out 515 00:36:00,715 --> 00:36:04,595 Speaker 1: of the damn plane. They're all terrified he might wind 516 00:36:04,755 --> 00:36:10,275 Speaker 1: up killing himself. I don't know how many special reports 517 00:36:10,315 --> 00:36:13,195 Speaker 1: I did forty three years ago today, in addition to 518 00:36:13,235 --> 00:36:16,595 Speaker 1: a new sportscast every hour. Later, a friend of mine 519 00:36:16,595 --> 00:36:18,435 Speaker 1: from college who didn't even know I had gotten the 520 00:36:18,555 --> 00:36:22,195 Speaker 1: job as a sportscaster. I was so new there, told 521 00:36:22,235 --> 00:36:25,395 Speaker 1: me he was driving in Buffalo listening to the all 522 00:36:25,475 --> 00:36:27,755 Speaker 1: news station on the radio. He heard them say munths 523 00:36:27,795 --> 00:36:29,715 Speaker 1: and had been killed and with more here's Keith, old 524 00:36:29,715 --> 00:36:32,115 Speaker 1: woman in New York. And he said he almost drove 525 00:36:32,155 --> 00:36:36,355 Speaker 1: off the road because of the double shock. And I 526 00:36:36,395 --> 00:36:39,715 Speaker 1: do know my boss, Sam Rosen, who did the morning 527 00:36:39,755 --> 00:36:42,275 Speaker 1: shift and would have only gotten home from it around 528 00:36:42,275 --> 00:36:45,115 Speaker 1: one or two pm. He came back into the office 529 00:36:45,155 --> 00:36:49,035 Speaker 1: to supervise things and to put together a long memorial 530 00:36:49,195 --> 00:36:52,635 Speaker 1: special to feed that the thousand stations that used our 531 00:36:52,715 --> 00:36:56,115 Speaker 1: stuff would all use. I was so glad to see 532 00:36:56,155 --> 00:36:58,915 Speaker 1: Sam that day. And then he handed me a piece 533 00:36:58,915 --> 00:37:04,035 Speaker 1: of paper. Those are the home phone numbers for lou 534 00:37:04,115 --> 00:37:09,555 Speaker 1: Panella and Roy White. Call them, try to do interviews. 535 00:37:10,475 --> 00:37:17,075 Speaker 1: Be gentle record first, ask later, like Munson. They had 536 00:37:17,115 --> 00:37:20,115 Speaker 1: played in that game a month before. Really was my 537 00:37:20,235 --> 00:37:22,835 Speaker 1: last as a fan. Roy White had been with the 538 00:37:22,915 --> 00:37:27,675 Speaker 1: Yankees since I was six years old. Luke van Ella 539 00:37:27,755 --> 00:37:29,715 Speaker 1: answered his phone and somehow I asked him if he 540 00:37:29,755 --> 00:37:31,635 Speaker 1: would talk to me for two minutes, and he did, 541 00:37:32,315 --> 00:37:37,795 Speaker 1: and almost immediately he burst into tears. There was such raw, immediate, 542 00:37:37,915 --> 00:37:41,315 Speaker 1: brutal pain in his voice. I did the only thing 543 00:37:41,355 --> 00:37:43,875 Speaker 1: I could think of. I said, listen, you should not 544 00:37:43,915 --> 00:37:46,635 Speaker 1: have to do this all night. I will make copies 545 00:37:46,675 --> 00:37:49,195 Speaker 1: of this interview and give it to the other radio 546 00:37:49,275 --> 00:37:52,675 Speaker 1: networks so they will leave you alone. And only then 547 00:37:52,715 --> 00:37:55,155 Speaker 1: did I think to ask my boss Sam, who by 548 00:37:55,155 --> 00:37:57,435 Speaker 1: the way, still does the New York Rangers games on TV, 549 00:37:58,235 --> 00:38:01,515 Speaker 1: if that was okay, and mercifully, Sam said, it was 550 00:38:01,555 --> 00:38:04,915 Speaker 1: a great idea. When I called Roy White, and Roy 551 00:38:04,955 --> 00:38:07,675 Speaker 1: White was literally on the Yankees the day I became 552 00:38:07,755 --> 00:38:11,715 Speaker 1: a Yankee fan, he begged me to tell him that 553 00:38:11,875 --> 00:38:15,515 Speaker 1: they had discovered some kind of a mistake that Thurman 554 00:38:15,595 --> 00:38:20,115 Speaker 1: Munson was not dead. Both he and Panella were blunt, 555 00:38:20,595 --> 00:38:24,755 Speaker 1: but gentle and courteous. And I did make copies of 556 00:38:24,755 --> 00:38:27,675 Speaker 1: the interviews, and I can see myself handing a cassette 557 00:38:27,675 --> 00:38:30,795 Speaker 1: to a guy from NBC Radio named Mike Levinthal, who 558 00:38:30,835 --> 00:38:33,995 Speaker 1: ran a kind of cartel, almost a black market among 559 00:38:34,035 --> 00:38:38,035 Speaker 1: New York radio sports reporters. Those interviews, the parts with 560 00:38:38,115 --> 00:38:42,835 Speaker 1: Panella and White, not me. We're all over radio that day. 561 00:38:42,995 --> 00:38:45,555 Speaker 1: I also remember discovering, after three or four hours of 562 00:38:45,595 --> 00:38:48,955 Speaker 1: literally working non stop, that I had never really known 563 00:38:48,995 --> 00:38:51,995 Speaker 1: what that meant before. I remember I was supposed to 564 00:38:51,995 --> 00:38:53,795 Speaker 1: be done at eleven PM, that was the end of 565 00:38:53,835 --> 00:38:56,035 Speaker 1: the shift, but I stayed until one am, and I 566 00:38:56,075 --> 00:38:58,955 Speaker 1: just may rarely made the train the last one of 567 00:38:58,995 --> 00:39:02,075 Speaker 1: the night back to my house. I remember my boss 568 00:39:02,115 --> 00:39:04,635 Speaker 1: Sam Rose and talking to our stringer in San Francisco, 569 00:39:04,675 --> 00:39:08,595 Speaker 1: fellow named Rob Navius, and he said, they're killing my team. 570 00:39:08,635 --> 00:39:12,675 Speaker 1: I should go to Mexico and smoke myself blind. The 571 00:39:12,795 --> 00:39:16,355 Speaker 1: things you remember at a time of stress and tragedy. 572 00:39:16,635 --> 00:39:19,835 Speaker 1: In my youthful misunderstanding of how these things worked, I 573 00:39:19,875 --> 00:39:22,435 Speaker 1: found myself coming back to the thought that I had 574 00:39:22,435 --> 00:39:25,395 Speaker 1: somehow failed Thurman months and by not telling somebody about 575 00:39:25,395 --> 00:39:28,395 Speaker 1: that Yankee fear from April, that he was not as 576 00:39:28,395 --> 00:39:31,995 Speaker 1: good a pilot as he thought he was. Although even 577 00:39:32,035 --> 00:39:35,075 Speaker 1: then I asked myself, who were you going to tell? 578 00:39:37,155 --> 00:39:39,635 Speaker 1: There are two postscripts to my story of the twenty 579 00:39:39,715 --> 00:39:43,275 Speaker 1: year old me covering the night Thurman Monthson died. Twenty 580 00:39:43,355 --> 00:39:45,555 Speaker 1: years later, I was hosting baseball's game of the Week 581 00:39:45,595 --> 00:39:47,555 Speaker 1: on Fox, and I asked by producer what we were 582 00:39:47,555 --> 00:39:52,875 Speaker 1: doing for the months in anniversary. He asked what anniversary. 583 00:39:53,035 --> 00:39:55,915 Speaker 1: He was younger than I was. I had to explain 584 00:39:55,955 --> 00:39:58,955 Speaker 1: it to him. Even then, you want to write something 585 00:39:58,955 --> 00:40:01,115 Speaker 1: we can pre produce, like a minute and a half 586 00:40:02,235 --> 00:40:05,675 Speaker 1: minute and a half, I did it. I didn't think 587 00:40:05,755 --> 00:40:07,755 Speaker 1: much of it. A couple of years later, I was 588 00:40:07,795 --> 00:40:09,995 Speaker 1: one of the public address announcers at Old Timer's Day 589 00:40:09,995 --> 00:40:13,235 Speaker 1: at Yankee Stadium, invited by the PR director Rick Serone. 590 00:40:14,635 --> 00:40:17,755 Speaker 1: Same Rick Serone who in April nineteen seventy nine told 591 00:40:17,755 --> 00:40:20,035 Speaker 1: me about Munthson and the private planes and the Yankees 592 00:40:20,115 --> 00:40:25,155 Speaker 1: feares it is a small world. The twenty fifth anniversary 593 00:40:25,155 --> 00:40:28,115 Speaker 1: of Thurman Munson's death was just days away. His widow, 594 00:40:28,195 --> 00:40:30,835 Speaker 1: Diane was there. We had never met. Then she saw 595 00:40:30,875 --> 00:40:32,355 Speaker 1: me on the field and raced up to me and 596 00:40:32,435 --> 00:40:35,555 Speaker 1: hugged me. That piece you did on him on the 597 00:40:35,595 --> 00:40:37,955 Speaker 1: Game of the Week, when was it five years ago? 598 00:40:38,635 --> 00:40:41,555 Speaker 1: That was the best memorial I've ever seen to Thurman. 599 00:40:42,995 --> 00:40:46,195 Speaker 1: We both cheered up. I couldn't believe she said that. 600 00:40:47,275 --> 00:40:49,915 Speaker 1: I told her about that night in nineteen seventy nine, 601 00:40:49,995 --> 00:40:52,475 Speaker 1: what had been like for me, I said, I knew 602 00:40:52,515 --> 00:40:54,955 Speaker 1: it was almost insulting to tell her, but I thought 603 00:40:54,995 --> 00:40:58,635 Speaker 1: it was important somehow to share. She hugged me again. 604 00:40:58,835 --> 00:41:03,355 Speaker 1: It was deeply moving and it is still The other 605 00:41:03,395 --> 00:41:07,835 Speaker 1: PostScript I only learned of last year. For forever, and 606 00:41:07,875 --> 00:41:10,595 Speaker 1: the coincidence here with my friend and former boss Sam 607 00:41:10,675 --> 00:41:12,315 Speaker 1: Rosen being the Hall of Fame announcer of the New 608 00:41:12,395 --> 00:41:16,035 Speaker 1: York Rangers hockey team is extraordinary. But for forever, the 609 00:41:16,115 --> 00:41:18,955 Speaker 1: reporter covering that hockey team, the Rangers, for the newspaper, 610 00:41:18,995 --> 00:41:22,275 Speaker 1: The New York Post, has been Larry Brooks. I had 611 00:41:22,355 --> 00:41:25,755 Speaker 1: forgotten until last year that the year that Thurman Munson 612 00:41:25,795 --> 00:41:28,395 Speaker 1: was killed, Larry was a very very young beat reporter 613 00:41:28,755 --> 00:41:33,155 Speaker 1: covering not Rangers hockey, but Yankees baseball. And somebody sent 614 00:41:33,195 --> 00:41:37,235 Speaker 1: me a clipping from the New York Post from Saturday July, 615 00:41:39,155 --> 00:41:43,595 Speaker 1: five days before Munson's fatal plane crash. It is almost 616 00:41:44,155 --> 00:41:51,835 Speaker 1: beyond belief. Larry Brooks's story began quote reports of Thurman 617 00:41:51,955 --> 00:41:58,595 Speaker 1: Munson's death are exaggerated, at least slightly unquote. Of course, 618 00:41:58,635 --> 00:42:01,635 Speaker 1: he was using a metaphor. Munson's knees had been giving 619 00:42:01,715 --> 00:42:04,315 Speaker 1: him trouble, and the manager of the Yankees. Billy Martin 620 00:42:04,355 --> 00:42:07,195 Speaker 1: was given him more time off between catching assignments than usual, 621 00:42:07,475 --> 00:42:12,115 Speaker 1: but Larry's story also included an even more jaw dropping quote. 622 00:42:13,195 --> 00:42:16,475 Speaker 1: Asked about the rumors he might not catch again this year, 623 00:42:16,595 --> 00:42:20,755 Speaker 1: Munson said, I don't know who started them. It was Martin. 624 00:42:21,235 --> 00:42:24,075 Speaker 1: Asked after the game how his knees felt, he said, 625 00:42:24,675 --> 00:42:31,475 Speaker 1: quote sore, real sore. Hey, you might be seeing my 626 00:42:31,595 --> 00:42:41,395 Speaker 1: last hurrah unquote. Larry says that since August three years ago, 627 00:42:41,955 --> 00:42:47,715 Speaker 1: that story has haunted him. Now it haunts me, maybe 628 00:42:47,755 --> 00:42:59,635 Speaker 1: it haunts you. All right, I've done all the damage 629 00:42:59,675 --> 00:43:02,715 Speaker 1: I can do here for another day. The Countdown theme 630 00:43:02,755 --> 00:43:06,395 Speaker 1: from Beethoven's Ninth Range Produce stand performed by Countdown musical 631 00:43:06,395 --> 00:43:10,595 Speaker 1: directors Brian Ray and John Philip Chanelle. All orchestration and 632 00:43:10,675 --> 00:43:13,795 Speaker 1: keyboards by John Philip Chanelle. Guitars, bass and drums by 633 00:43:13,835 --> 00:43:18,435 Speaker 1: Brian Ray. Produced by t Ko Brothers. Beethoven Selections like 634 00:43:18,515 --> 00:43:22,195 Speaker 1: this one performed by No Horns allowed our sports music. 635 00:43:22,275 --> 00:43:25,995 Speaker 1: The Olberman theme written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of 636 00:43:25,995 --> 00:43:29,595 Speaker 1: the ESPN, Inc. The famous Nancy Faust on the organ. 637 00:43:29,955 --> 00:43:33,035 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was my friend John Deane everything else 638 00:43:33,115 --> 00:43:36,675 Speaker 1: is my fault. If you've listened thus far and this far, 639 00:43:36,915 --> 00:43:38,795 Speaker 1: you will be as pleased as I was to discover 640 00:43:38,875 --> 00:43:43,475 Speaker 1: We debuted at number seventeen on the Apple Podcasts News Chart. 641 00:43:43,915 --> 00:43:47,715 Speaker 1: So thanks for your reviews, rates, and subscriptions. And so 642 00:43:47,795 --> 00:43:50,355 Speaker 1: that is countdown for this the five and seventy third 643 00:43:50,435 --> 00:43:54,195 Speaker 1: day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically 644 00:43:54,195 --> 00:43:57,755 Speaker 1: elected government of the United States. Keith Olberman, good morning, 645 00:43:57,795 --> 00:44:08,555 Speaker 1: good afternoon, good night, and good luck. M Countdown with 646 00:44:08,635 --> 00:44:11,755 Speaker 1: Keith Olderman is a production of I heart Radio. For 647 00:44:11,955 --> 00:44:14,955 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart 648 00:44:15,035 --> 00:44:19,075 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.