1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,955 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Has 2 00:00:22,155 --> 00:00:28,835 Speaker 1: Trump been flipped on by Louise Burke and Kate Hartson 3 00:00:30,515 --> 00:00:33,155 Speaker 1: as he changed his story about the Mark Milly Iran 4 00:00:33,275 --> 00:00:36,795 Speaker 1: tape three different times yesterday? Oh no, those weren't the 5 00:00:36,795 --> 00:00:40,155 Speaker 1: most carefully guarded military secrets. We have plans for war 6 00:00:40,195 --> 00:00:44,715 Speaker 1: against Iran. They were building plans, plans of buildings and 7 00:00:44,795 --> 00:00:47,555 Speaker 1: golf courses with buildings on them. Yeah, that's the ticket. 8 00:00:47,995 --> 00:00:52,075 Speaker 1: As that was unfolding in Trump's usual cornered, lying eight 9 00:00:52,155 --> 00:00:56,835 Speaker 1: year old's way, something more intriguing and probably more important 10 00:00:56,995 --> 00:01:01,715 Speaker 1: was spotted moving in the shadows of this ever increasingly 11 00:01:01,915 --> 00:01:09,755 Speaker 1: bizarre story. Raiso, Yes, this increasingly bizarre story. Not one, 12 00:01:10,355 --> 00:01:13,955 Speaker 1: not one of the analyzes of the impact of the 13 00:01:14,035 --> 00:01:18,515 Speaker 1: two minutes of his exquisitely detailed narration in real time 14 00:01:18,915 --> 00:01:21,875 Speaker 1: of every detail of his violations of the Espionage Act 15 00:01:21,875 --> 00:01:26,635 Speaker 1: except announcing I am now gathering, transmitting or losing defense information. 16 00:01:27,035 --> 00:01:29,875 Speaker 1: That's eighteen US Code seventy nine to three. If you're 17 00:01:29,915 --> 00:01:33,675 Speaker 1: scoring at home, or even if you're alone. Not one 18 00:01:33,915 --> 00:01:38,955 Speaker 1: analysis of the impact of the recording, Not one puts 19 00:01:38,955 --> 00:01:43,315 Speaker 1: the recording in its proper and its simplest perspective, the 20 00:01:43,435 --> 00:01:48,275 Speaker 1: recording does not exist in a vacuum. The trial will 21 00:01:48,315 --> 00:01:52,435 Speaker 1: not consist of Jack Smith simply introducing himself to the jury, 22 00:01:52,795 --> 00:01:56,555 Speaker 1: pressing play, nodding along for two minutes, and then saying, 23 00:01:57,075 --> 00:02:01,395 Speaker 1: and with that, ladies and gentlemen, the prosecution rests. Yet 24 00:02:01,435 --> 00:02:05,515 Speaker 1: that is exactly how the recording has been a so far, 25 00:02:05,915 --> 00:02:09,795 Speaker 1: it convicts Trump. No, it's exonerating of Trump. No, it's 26 00:02:09,875 --> 00:02:13,515 Speaker 1: viscerally damning in a way no testimony could be. It's infuriating, 27 00:02:13,555 --> 00:02:18,795 Speaker 1: it's sociopathic, it's treason is it's it's a tape of 28 00:02:19,155 --> 00:02:24,875 Speaker 1: five people talking in a room. It's a tape of 29 00:02:25,235 --> 00:02:31,795 Speaker 1: five people, any of whom can be called to testify 30 00:02:32,235 --> 00:02:37,635 Speaker 1: about it. And we don't really know, because nobody's really 31 00:02:37,755 --> 00:02:42,915 Speaker 1: focused on them, who the other four people are. And 32 00:02:42,995 --> 00:02:46,355 Speaker 1: we don't know what they think of the recording, And 33 00:02:46,475 --> 00:02:49,315 Speaker 1: we don't know what they thought of the meeting, and 34 00:02:49,395 --> 00:02:52,115 Speaker 1: they don't know what they saw Trump holding in his 35 00:02:52,275 --> 00:02:58,955 Speaker 1: hand besides his excuse, And we don't know whether any 36 00:02:58,995 --> 00:03:01,675 Speaker 1: of them are already on that list of dozens of 37 00:03:01,755 --> 00:03:05,875 Speaker 1: possible witnesses Jack Smith may call in the document's trial 38 00:03:06,475 --> 00:03:09,515 Speaker 1: and more importantly, Still, as those figures move about in 39 00:03:09,595 --> 00:03:12,395 Speaker 1: the shadows of this story and we think we know 40 00:03:12,515 --> 00:03:19,355 Speaker 1: who they all are, two of them are in effect missing, 41 00:03:21,315 --> 00:03:26,315 Speaker 1: and they may have flipped on Trump. Missing is probably 42 00:03:26,355 --> 00:03:29,835 Speaker 1: too strong a term, but certainly missing in a public sense. 43 00:03:30,635 --> 00:03:33,235 Speaker 1: Who are they and where are they? And why aren't 44 00:03:33,275 --> 00:03:35,235 Speaker 1: they the next part of this story? And why have 45 00:03:35,315 --> 00:03:40,915 Speaker 1: we heard nothing from them or about them? Okay, we've 46 00:03:40,955 --> 00:03:43,955 Speaker 1: known from the beginning that two Trump staffers were present, 47 00:03:44,235 --> 00:03:46,995 Speaker 1: and that a second recording of this conversation with the 48 00:03:47,075 --> 00:03:51,795 Speaker 1: Mark Meadows ghostwriters was made by one of the Trump staffers, 49 00:03:51,835 --> 00:03:55,515 Speaker 1: Margot Martin, the young Trump press aide whom Fox News 50 00:03:55,555 --> 00:03:59,555 Speaker 1: mistook at the arrangement for Milania. But after the recording 51 00:03:59,555 --> 00:04:02,355 Speaker 1: went public Monday night, it was widely reported that the 52 00:04:02,435 --> 00:04:07,195 Speaker 1: gushingly sycophantic, giggling woman with what was described by one 53 00:04:07,235 --> 00:04:11,275 Speaker 1: wag as that fake brin mahr accent, who is heard 54 00:04:11,355 --> 00:04:16,555 Speaker 1: on it throughout it is Trump's hapless press spokesperson, Liz Harrington. 55 00:04:17,555 --> 00:04:21,475 Speaker 1: Three down, two to go, miss kill Gallen. The first 56 00:04:21,595 --> 00:04:23,835 Speaker 1: leaks about this recording, long before the rest of us 57 00:04:23,875 --> 00:04:26,235 Speaker 1: got to hear it, were that it was made by 58 00:04:26,275 --> 00:04:29,755 Speaker 1: two researchers working on the autobiography of the Trump chief 59 00:04:29,755 --> 00:04:32,995 Speaker 1: of staff, the one voted most likely to be indicted, 60 00:04:33,155 --> 00:04:39,115 Speaker 1: Mark Meadows. Then the autobiography became a quote autobiography unquote, 61 00:04:39,115 --> 00:04:42,915 Speaker 1: and the two researchers became a ghostwriter and an editor 62 00:04:43,075 --> 00:04:46,515 Speaker 1: or someone similar. And then last night the pair became 63 00:04:47,075 --> 00:04:50,755 Speaker 1: a writer or editor and one of the two women 64 00:04:50,795 --> 00:04:54,195 Speaker 1: who essentially created their own publishing firm in order to 65 00:04:54,355 --> 00:04:59,435 Speaker 1: put out the Mark Meadows book. Their names are Louise 66 00:04:59,635 --> 00:05:04,035 Speaker 1: Burke and Kate Hartson. I mentioned them at the beginning 67 00:05:04,395 --> 00:05:09,195 Speaker 1: because because maybe they have flipped against Trump, and Hartson 68 00:05:09,315 --> 00:05:12,035 Speaker 1: in particular was famous for a little while in twenty 69 00:05:12,075 --> 00:05:16,235 Speaker 1: twenty one because literally days after January sixth, she was 70 00:05:16,355 --> 00:05:21,035 Speaker 1: fired and her conservative imprint at Hatchet Books was discontinued, 71 00:05:21,275 --> 00:05:24,715 Speaker 1: and so out the door went this woman Hartson, the 72 00:05:24,835 --> 00:05:28,035 Speaker 1: editor who bought and published a Trump Junior book and 73 00:05:28,075 --> 00:05:32,155 Speaker 1: a Judge Janine book and a Vivak Ramaswami book. And 74 00:05:32,315 --> 00:05:36,795 Speaker 1: six months later, either she or her partner Burke or 75 00:05:36,875 --> 00:05:40,555 Speaker 1: both is at Trump's golf course at Bedminster, giggling along 76 00:05:40,595 --> 00:05:44,155 Speaker 1: with Margot Martin and probably Liz Harrington. And there by 77 00:05:44,195 --> 00:05:47,435 Speaker 1: the way getting plans for bombing Tehran and or building 78 00:05:47,435 --> 00:05:51,675 Speaker 1: a new Caddyshack near the clubhouse. Yeah, yeah, classified caddy 79 00:05:51,715 --> 00:05:55,115 Speaker 1: Shack that he could have declassified when he was president, 80 00:05:55,155 --> 00:05:59,275 Speaker 1: Like he says on the tape, they get that bombing 81 00:05:59,315 --> 00:06:03,475 Speaker 1: plan and or Caddy Shack waved in their faces before 82 00:06:04,195 --> 00:06:10,235 Speaker 1: the real fun begins Rasom coats. But last night, buried 83 00:06:10,275 --> 00:06:12,875 Speaker 1: in the tenth paragraph of a sleepy little story in 84 00:06:12,915 --> 00:06:16,995 Speaker 1: the New York Post came a throwaway reference quote. Two 85 00:06:17,235 --> 00:06:20,395 Speaker 1: of the people Trump speaks to in the audio are 86 00:06:20,475 --> 00:06:26,035 Speaker 1: believed to be Kate Hartson and Louise Burke, who had 87 00:06:26,075 --> 00:06:32,955 Speaker 1: started All Seasons Press, a conservative publishing company. Unquote. First 88 00:06:32,955 --> 00:06:37,795 Speaker 1: of all, that's All Seasons Press, not four Seasons. Four 89 00:06:37,835 --> 00:06:40,995 Speaker 1: Seasons was the landscaping company Trump and Giuliani thought, was 90 00:06:40,995 --> 00:06:46,475 Speaker 1: this swanky Philadelphia hotel. More importantly, what is extremely extraordinary 91 00:06:46,475 --> 00:06:50,315 Speaker 1: about this passing reference to the mystery of those who 92 00:06:50,315 --> 00:06:53,635 Speaker 1: may be the two most important witnesses Jack Smith will 93 00:06:53,715 --> 00:06:56,515 Speaker 1: call in this case is that this appears to be 94 00:06:56,595 --> 00:07:00,115 Speaker 1: the first time in nearly two years that either Miss 95 00:07:00,235 --> 00:07:04,835 Speaker 1: Hartson or Miss Burke have been mentioned anywhere in the media. Yea, 96 00:07:05,555 --> 00:07:08,315 Speaker 1: there is a story about the founding of their conservative 97 00:07:08,315 --> 00:07:11,355 Speaker 1: publishing company in the New York Times on June sixteenth, 98 00:07:11,395 --> 00:07:14,555 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. They are on with Tucker Carlson. The 99 00:07:14,635 --> 00:07:18,195 Speaker 1: next day you remember him. That is turned into a 100 00:07:18,235 --> 00:07:21,075 Speaker 1: Fox website story the day after that, and then there's 101 00:07:21,115 --> 00:07:23,355 Speaker 1: a passing reference to them and a feature on another 102 00:07:23,395 --> 00:07:26,675 Speaker 1: publisher literally their names and nothing else in Slate a 103 00:07:26,675 --> 00:07:30,755 Speaker 1: few weeks later. My point is, right after a flurry 104 00:07:30,795 --> 00:07:34,195 Speaker 1: of publicity for their publishing house being founded and the 105 00:07:34,195 --> 00:07:37,275 Speaker 1: start of the process of publishing the Mark Meadows book, 106 00:07:37,555 --> 00:07:41,755 Speaker 1: one or both of these Conservative martyrs goes or go 107 00:07:42,115 --> 00:07:45,795 Speaker 1: to Bedminster about a month later in July twenty twenty 108 00:07:45,835 --> 00:07:48,995 Speaker 1: one to interview Trump for the Meadows book, and they 109 00:07:49,155 --> 00:07:53,075 Speaker 1: get shown top secret war plans authored by the Chairman 110 00:07:53,195 --> 00:07:56,435 Speaker 1: of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Or it was a 111 00:07:56,475 --> 00:07:59,715 Speaker 1: new golf cart path design for Trump derral that quote 112 00:07:59,875 --> 00:08:01,875 Speaker 1: was done by the military and given to me and 113 00:08:01,915 --> 00:08:05,515 Speaker 1: wins my case for me. And this happens, and they 114 00:08:05,555 --> 00:08:12,275 Speaker 1: see whatever this is, and then they disappear again, disappear 115 00:08:12,315 --> 00:08:15,195 Speaker 1: from public view. I have no reason to believe they're 116 00:08:15,235 --> 00:08:18,355 Speaker 1: actually missing missing, But you do not have to be 117 00:08:18,635 --> 00:08:22,355 Speaker 1: a hyperactive imagination kind of guy to wonder if the 118 00:08:22,355 --> 00:08:25,675 Speaker 1: post is right, And it was both of them that. 119 00:08:25,795 --> 00:08:29,075 Speaker 1: As MS Burke and MS Hartson left Bedminster that day 120 00:08:29,115 --> 00:08:31,355 Speaker 1: two years ago, next month, one of them realized that 121 00:08:31,355 --> 00:08:34,675 Speaker 1: they had just been shown top secrets and they had 122 00:08:34,715 --> 00:08:37,715 Speaker 1: it within their power to get Trump indicted for not 123 00:08:37,955 --> 00:08:41,395 Speaker 1: keeping top secrets secret, and it put the fear of 124 00:08:41,435 --> 00:08:45,795 Speaker 1: God into them right at that moment. Hell Kid Rock says, 125 00:08:45,835 --> 00:08:47,635 Speaker 1: Trump did it with him and even he was smart 126 00:08:47,715 --> 00:08:51,915 Speaker 1: enough to get frightened. What would you do, no matter 127 00:08:51,915 --> 00:08:54,755 Speaker 1: how crazy the Trump cultist you might be, if he 128 00:08:54,835 --> 00:08:57,995 Speaker 1: puts you in that spot, or if your first thought 129 00:08:58,035 --> 00:09:02,635 Speaker 1: isn't I know stuff I shouldn't know what? Is it? Again? 130 00:09:02,675 --> 00:09:06,555 Speaker 1: That happens to people who know stuff they shouldn't know what. 131 00:09:06,715 --> 00:09:09,995 Speaker 1: On the other hand, if you're just an actually loyal, 132 00:09:10,355 --> 00:09:14,555 Speaker 1: hyper patriotic American and you're wondering, why is Trump showing 133 00:09:14,595 --> 00:09:18,195 Speaker 1: this stuff to anybody? Why is he showing it to 134 00:09:18,275 --> 00:09:23,275 Speaker 1: me in his golf club where anybody can get in 135 00:09:23,355 --> 00:09:28,195 Speaker 1: because all you need is cash. Did Louise Burke and 136 00:09:28,315 --> 00:09:31,875 Speaker 1: Kate Hartson talk to a lawyer? Did they wait and 137 00:09:31,995 --> 00:09:34,515 Speaker 1: talk to a lawyer later? Did they lay low until 138 00:09:34,515 --> 00:09:36,595 Speaker 1: a year ago, and the first stories began to break 139 00:09:36,715 --> 00:09:40,675 Speaker 1: about Trump holding on to classified documents. And then did 140 00:09:40,755 --> 00:09:46,675 Speaker 1: they go to the FBI, to the DOJ or via 141 00:09:46,875 --> 00:09:50,395 Speaker 1: an exact opposite route. Did they downplay the secret nature 142 00:09:50,395 --> 00:09:52,035 Speaker 1: of what they'd seen so they could put it in 143 00:09:52,315 --> 00:09:56,475 Speaker 1: Mark Meadow's autobiography that Mark Meadows didn't right And they 144 00:09:56,515 --> 00:10:00,075 Speaker 1: fan girled this whole experience, and they told all their pals, 145 00:10:00,075 --> 00:10:03,515 Speaker 1: and one day somebody from the FBI called them and says, 146 00:10:04,115 --> 00:10:07,035 Speaker 1: U kind of need to interview you. You may be 147 00:10:07,155 --> 00:10:11,075 Speaker 1: in possession of top secret classified information that you're not 148 00:10:11,115 --> 00:10:16,915 Speaker 1: supposed to know, and here's a subpoena just in case. Now, look, 149 00:10:17,595 --> 00:10:23,075 Speaker 1: I am wildly out on several different limbs on several 150 00:10:23,315 --> 00:10:26,795 Speaker 1: different trees, all at the same time here, so I 151 00:10:26,875 --> 00:10:31,395 Speaker 1: could be wildly wrong, but I'm going to revise something 152 00:10:31,435 --> 00:10:35,035 Speaker 1: I suggested here that the recording of this meeting, the 153 00:10:35,115 --> 00:10:39,435 Speaker 1: recording not allegedly done by Trump's Milania double Margot Martin, 154 00:10:39,755 --> 00:10:43,235 Speaker 1: that this recording does not belong to Mark Meadows. Instead, 155 00:10:43,275 --> 00:10:46,435 Speaker 1: it belongs to All Seasons Press, and to Louise Burke 156 00:10:46,475 --> 00:10:48,995 Speaker 1: and to Kate Hartson. And while Meadows would have a 157 00:10:49,115 --> 00:10:51,715 Speaker 1: reason to leak it if he really has flipped on 158 00:10:51,755 --> 00:10:55,435 Speaker 1: Trump and decided to completely destroy Trump. I can't see 159 00:10:55,435 --> 00:10:58,315 Speaker 1: what benefit Burke and Hartson and all seasons would gain 160 00:10:58,595 --> 00:11:02,435 Speaker 1: from anonymously leaking it unless those they leaked it too, 161 00:11:03,035 --> 00:11:05,715 Speaker 1: like CNN and the New York Times and the Washington 162 00:11:05,755 --> 00:11:11,195 Speaker 1: Post and NBC and CBS and the Genesee Valley Penny 163 00:11:11,235 --> 00:11:17,515 Speaker 1: Saver now all owe them huge favors. So I suppose 164 00:11:17,555 --> 00:11:19,395 Speaker 1: that means we need to put back on the table 165 00:11:19,435 --> 00:11:22,795 Speaker 1: the chance that somebody in the DOJ leaked that recording, 166 00:11:23,515 --> 00:11:27,035 Speaker 1: or a Trump lawyer did, or somebody on the periphery somewhere, 167 00:11:28,115 --> 00:11:33,315 Speaker 1: or The important point here is there are not just 168 00:11:33,555 --> 00:11:37,355 Speaker 1: four other people on that tape as Trump crimes and 169 00:11:37,435 --> 00:11:41,675 Speaker 1: does play by play of his crimes. There are four witnesses. 170 00:11:43,195 --> 00:11:45,595 Speaker 1: And while Margot Martin was on the campaign trail with 171 00:11:45,635 --> 00:11:49,595 Speaker 1: Trump last night and Liz Harrington was back somewhere retweeting her, 172 00:11:49,795 --> 00:11:51,515 Speaker 1: and I'm finding it hard to believe either of them 173 00:11:51,555 --> 00:11:54,395 Speaker 1: we'll be smart enough to jump ship in time. You 174 00:11:54,515 --> 00:11:57,555 Speaker 1: have to wonder if the let me now call it 175 00:11:57,675 --> 00:12:02,955 Speaker 1: retirement from public view of publishers. Burke and Hartson follows 176 00:12:03,075 --> 00:12:07,835 Speaker 1: a timeline in which they are protecting themselves. And the 177 00:12:07,995 --> 00:12:11,715 Speaker 1: copy of Jack Smith has of that Trump conversation about 178 00:12:12,155 --> 00:12:16,835 Speaker 1: where to put his highly confidential ball watcher is the 179 00:12:16,875 --> 00:12:21,835 Speaker 1: one Burke and Hartson recorded, and they are already witnesses, 180 00:12:22,955 --> 00:12:30,235 Speaker 1: and mister Trump, perhaps this will refresh your memory. By 181 00:12:30,275 --> 00:12:34,315 Speaker 1: the way, in this perfect little two minute radio play, 182 00:12:35,035 --> 00:12:40,835 Speaker 1: the self Defenestration of Dementia J. Trump, written by Dementia J. Trump, 183 00:12:41,235 --> 00:12:45,875 Speaker 1: audio by Dementia J. Trump, the characters are him and 184 00:12:45,955 --> 00:12:50,395 Speaker 1: the four women. That's Martin and Harrington the gullible employees, 185 00:12:51,075 --> 00:12:56,075 Speaker 1: and Burke and Hartson the witnesses. But there is also 186 00:12:56,155 --> 00:12:59,555 Speaker 1: a sixth character who has no lines and is heard 187 00:12:59,715 --> 00:13:03,875 Speaker 1: only off stage. And as you will now realize, there's 188 00:13:03,875 --> 00:13:06,915 Speaker 1: actually been a re I have kept playing this clip 189 00:13:06,955 --> 00:13:11,635 Speaker 1: because it is the sixth character to whom Trump says 190 00:13:12,075 --> 00:13:17,075 Speaker 1: rasom coats. And the speculation now is the guy he 191 00:13:17,235 --> 00:13:21,755 Speaker 1: tells to bring in the cokes is Walt Nauta, his 192 00:13:21,955 --> 00:13:25,995 Speaker 1: co defendant, who was not, as it turned out, arraigned 193 00:13:25,995 --> 00:13:29,915 Speaker 1: in Florida yesterday because heavy thunderstorms put a ground stop 194 00:13:29,955 --> 00:13:32,395 Speaker 1: on all the flights out of Newark Airport in New Jersey. 195 00:13:32,395 --> 00:13:34,915 Speaker 1: And also, oh, by the way, the Guardian reports there's 196 00:13:34,915 --> 00:13:37,515 Speaker 1: also the little matter of the Florida lawyer Nauda had 197 00:13:37,555 --> 00:13:41,795 Speaker 1: tentatively retained, suddenly demanding way more money at the last minute, 198 00:13:41,795 --> 00:13:44,955 Speaker 1: because hell, would you take any part of this case. 199 00:13:45,995 --> 00:13:49,275 Speaker 1: The Guardian's Hugo Lowell adds this twist Nauda would not 200 00:13:49,435 --> 00:13:52,435 Speaker 1: pay the extra green for the mouthpiece quote, even though 201 00:13:52,435 --> 00:13:56,435 Speaker 1: he would be paid by Trump's political action committee Save America, 202 00:13:56,795 --> 00:14:00,915 Speaker 1: which has also been paying the fees of Nauta's lead lawyer, 203 00:14:01,035 --> 00:14:05,235 Speaker 1: Stanley Woodward. There is also reason to believe that anything 204 00:14:05,275 --> 00:14:07,675 Speaker 1: Trump can do to slow this all down, he will do, 205 00:14:07,795 --> 00:14:10,195 Speaker 1: and having a reason to delay now his arraignment until 206 00:14:10,195 --> 00:14:12,275 Speaker 1: the end of next week because I'm not going to 207 00:14:12,315 --> 00:14:15,355 Speaker 1: pay a lot for this lawyer. It ain't much, but 208 00:14:15,435 --> 00:14:19,075 Speaker 1: it's a week and I'll get back to the tees 209 00:14:19,355 --> 00:14:22,315 Speaker 1: from earlier about Trump changing his version of the recording 210 00:14:22,355 --> 00:14:25,435 Speaker 1: story three times in a moment. But also pertinent on 211 00:14:25,475 --> 00:14:28,835 Speaker 1: the witness front, CNN dropped a big headline with no 212 00:14:28,995 --> 00:14:32,715 Speaker 1: details behind it last night quote Rudy Giuliani interviewed in 213 00:14:32,795 --> 00:14:38,875 Speaker 1: Special Council's twenty twenty election interference probe Ooooooo. That's though, 214 00:14:38,875 --> 00:14:42,075 Speaker 1: pretty much the whole story CNN has nothing else, not when, 215 00:14:42,635 --> 00:14:45,715 Speaker 1: no specifics, not even a topic heading. It was with 216 00:14:45,995 --> 00:14:49,435 Speaker 1: Juliani and his attorney, Robert Costello. And the word used 217 00:14:49,515 --> 00:14:53,115 Speaker 1: is interviewed, so that would make you assume it was 218 00:14:53,235 --> 00:14:56,035 Speaker 1: not in front of the grand jury. And the rest 219 00:14:56,075 --> 00:14:59,995 Speaker 1: of the piece is the story so far. Also, Kevin 220 00:15:00,115 --> 00:15:04,635 Speaker 1: McCarthy briefly yesterday seemed lukewarm to Trump's candidacy for next year. 221 00:15:04,955 --> 00:15:09,795 Speaker 1: Can he win that election? McCarthy asked CNBC rhetorically, Yeah, 222 00:15:09,835 --> 00:15:12,115 Speaker 1: he can win that election. The question is is he 223 00:15:12,195 --> 00:15:15,395 Speaker 1: the strongest to win the election? I don't know that answer. 224 00:15:16,235 --> 00:15:19,555 Speaker 1: Oh well, McCarthy quickly found out a different answer one 225 00:15:19,835 --> 00:15:23,275 Speaker 1: Trump phone call later, and Kevin McCarthy issued a statement 226 00:15:23,315 --> 00:15:26,875 Speaker 1: that Trump was quote the strongest political opponent for Joe 227 00:15:26,915 --> 00:15:29,555 Speaker 1: Biden next year because Kevin McCarthy is a whore and 228 00:15:29,635 --> 00:15:34,875 Speaker 1: Donald Trump is a pimp. Got it? Okay? Back to 229 00:15:34,955 --> 00:15:37,915 Speaker 1: Trump and the recordings, and we'll let the key question, 230 00:15:38,195 --> 00:15:41,555 Speaker 1: did Louise Burke and Kate Hartson, who you did not 231 00:15:41,675 --> 00:15:45,675 Speaker 1: know existed ten minutes ago, flip on Trump. We'll let 232 00:15:45,715 --> 00:15:49,955 Speaker 1: that just hang there for the more repertorily connected among you, 233 00:15:50,435 --> 00:15:55,475 Speaker 1: dear listener, Trump really did change his story about this 234 00:15:55,715 --> 00:15:59,915 Speaker 1: three times just yesterday. We'll start at the baseline. When 235 00:15:59,955 --> 00:16:02,875 Speaker 1: he got burned by Brett Baar on Fox last week, 236 00:16:02,955 --> 00:16:06,075 Speaker 1: Trump insisted about the document referred to in the transcript 237 00:16:06,115 --> 00:16:10,635 Speaker 1: of the recording, quote, there was no document unquote. After 238 00:16:10,795 --> 00:16:15,235 Speaker 1: the tape emerged Monday night, Trump responded angrily on social 239 00:16:15,275 --> 00:16:19,515 Speaker 1: media with comparatively low key, stochastic terroristic threats against the 240 00:16:19,555 --> 00:16:22,515 Speaker 1: Special Council. But about the evidence itself, he wrote, only 241 00:16:22,955 --> 00:16:25,915 Speaker 1: I come under the Presidential Records Act, which is not 242 00:16:26,035 --> 00:16:28,915 Speaker 1: the same thing as saying there is no document, So 243 00:16:28,995 --> 00:16:32,915 Speaker 1: that was changed number one. Then interviewed by Fox at 244 00:16:32,955 --> 00:16:35,675 Speaker 1: Conquered in Hampshire yesterday, Trump was asked how the fact 245 00:16:35,755 --> 00:16:39,595 Speaker 1: of the recording squares with his absolute statement to bear 246 00:16:39,915 --> 00:16:43,995 Speaker 1: there was no document, and he tossed out a word salad. Quote. 247 00:16:44,235 --> 00:16:46,435 Speaker 1: I said it very clearly. I had a whole desk 248 00:16:46,515 --> 00:16:50,595 Speaker 1: full of lots of papers, mostly newspaper articles, copies of magazines, 249 00:16:50,675 --> 00:16:54,035 Speaker 1: copies of different plans, copies of stories having to do 250 00:16:54,075 --> 00:16:56,915 Speaker 1: with many, many subjects. And what was said was absolutely 251 00:16:56,955 --> 00:17:04,355 Speaker 1: fine unquote. So there was a document, While simultaneously they're 252 00:17:04,355 --> 00:17:09,675 Speaker 1: all h was not a document. It's both changed number 253 00:17:09,715 --> 00:17:14,795 Speaker 1: two and the original version of a Donovan song. Then, 254 00:17:16,275 --> 00:17:20,195 Speaker 1: on board his plane to Semaphore News and ABC News, 255 00:17:20,435 --> 00:17:23,395 Speaker 1: Trump changed his story a third time in one day. 256 00:17:23,435 --> 00:17:26,875 Speaker 1: What we heard was quote, bravado. If you want to 257 00:17:26,875 --> 00:17:31,275 Speaker 1: know the truth, it was bravado, Trump, bravado, no way 258 00:17:32,555 --> 00:17:35,595 Speaker 1: quoting again. I was talking and just holding up papers 259 00:17:35,635 --> 00:17:37,715 Speaker 1: and talking about them. But I had no documents. I 260 00:17:37,715 --> 00:17:40,995 Speaker 1: didn't have any documents. One of the reporters then quoted 261 00:17:41,075 --> 00:17:43,795 Speaker 1: change number two earlier in the day when Trump said 262 00:17:43,835 --> 00:17:49,435 Speaker 1: what he had was copies of magazines, copies of different plans. 263 00:17:49,915 --> 00:17:52,635 Speaker 1: So now Trump says, did I use the word plans. 264 00:17:52,995 --> 00:17:58,555 Speaker 1: What I'm referring to is magazines, newspapers, plans of buildings. 265 00:17:58,795 --> 00:18:03,475 Speaker 1: I had plans of buildings, you know, building plans. I 266 00:18:03,595 --> 00:18:07,835 Speaker 1: had plans of a golf course. Don't mention the grave 267 00:18:07,875 --> 00:18:09,515 Speaker 1: near the first T. Don't mention the grave near the 268 00:18:09,515 --> 00:18:11,275 Speaker 1: first T. Don't mention the grave near the first tea. 269 00:18:12,875 --> 00:18:15,875 Speaker 1: Semaphore reports. Trump added quote, I just held up a 270 00:18:15,915 --> 00:18:19,395 Speaker 1: whole pile of my desk is loaded up with papers. 271 00:18:19,475 --> 00:18:23,715 Speaker 1: I have papers from twenty five different things unquote, such 272 00:18:23,715 --> 00:18:29,595 Speaker 1: as he suggested articles about Iran and then quoting semaphore again. 273 00:18:29,635 --> 00:18:32,475 Speaker 1: At one point, Trump gestured to the seat next to 274 00:18:32,555 --> 00:18:36,275 Speaker 1: him on the plane, where a stack of various papers, newspapers, 275 00:18:36,315 --> 00:18:39,875 Speaker 1: copies of his speech, printouts of articles sat. He grabbed 276 00:18:39,995 --> 00:18:42,555 Speaker 1: some from the pile and placed them in front of him, 277 00:18:42,715 --> 00:18:45,435 Speaker 1: moving them around as he spoke, and offering up a 278 00:18:45,475 --> 00:18:48,675 Speaker 1: physical reenactment of what he said was occurring on the 279 00:18:48,755 --> 00:18:53,995 Speaker 1: audio tape unquote. Then he was asked if he had 280 00:18:53,995 --> 00:18:58,395 Speaker 1: any regrets. He did not, go Sinatra on you, No, 281 00:18:58,475 --> 00:19:01,555 Speaker 1: I have no regrets. I didn't have a classified document. 282 00:19:01,635 --> 00:19:05,515 Speaker 1: There was no classified document on my desk unquote. Just 283 00:19:05,635 --> 00:19:10,355 Speaker 1: a bunch of highly secret golf course building plans that 284 00:19:10,435 --> 00:19:14,395 Speaker 1: the military had done for him, and they're off the record, 285 00:19:14,595 --> 00:19:17,195 Speaker 1: and he could have classified them when he was president. 286 00:19:17,555 --> 00:19:25,315 Speaker 1: And their plans of buildings. I had plans of buildings. 287 00:19:25,355 --> 00:19:28,475 Speaker 1: You know, what do they call building plans? What do 288 00:19:28,515 --> 00:19:30,755 Speaker 1: they call building plans? Quick? Trump? Quick? What do they 289 00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:37,595 Speaker 1: call them? You know? Building plans? And then somebody tapped 290 00:19:37,595 --> 00:19:40,115 Speaker 1: into the zeitgeist. And here's a lesson from an old 291 00:19:40,155 --> 00:19:45,075 Speaker 1: man who saw Watergate unfolding real time. Never ignore the 292 00:19:45,235 --> 00:19:52,915 Speaker 1: zeitgeist during political conspiracies and political controversies, and one of 293 00:19:52,955 --> 00:19:56,475 Speaker 1: the reporters asked Trump if the audio tape would affect 294 00:19:56,515 --> 00:20:01,195 Speaker 1: whether he would consider a plea deal. The audio tape 295 00:20:01,235 --> 00:20:05,835 Speaker 1: has caused the reporters to have the gonads sufficiently required 296 00:20:05,875 --> 00:20:09,675 Speaker 1: to ask Trump to his face about taking a plea deal. 297 00:20:10,115 --> 00:20:15,595 Speaker 1: That is the new zeitgeist. Well, Trump went into a 298 00:20:15,675 --> 00:20:19,395 Speaker 1: diatribe against Biden, and then the fear receded and the 299 00:20:19,395 --> 00:20:24,635 Speaker 1: bravado came back. Frankly, that you even ask a question 300 00:20:24,795 --> 00:20:30,675 Speaker 1: like that's a disgrace. So let's end it. Unquote, and 301 00:20:31,595 --> 00:20:52,235 Speaker 1: no cokes were brought in. Thank you, Nancy Faust. Also 302 00:20:52,435 --> 00:20:55,835 Speaker 1: of interest here, Robert F. Kennedy Junior holds an event 303 00:20:55,875 --> 00:20:59,635 Speaker 1: with a vax conspiracy theorist who believes and says that 304 00:20:59,715 --> 00:21:05,835 Speaker 1: people who get vaccinated get magnetized. RFK Junior is also 305 00:21:05,955 --> 00:21:10,235 Speaker 1: mentioned as a potential running mate for Trump. And yes 306 00:21:10,635 --> 00:21:16,995 Speaker 1: yesterday I called RFK Junior JFK Junior because I'm Q 307 00:21:18,315 --> 00:21:20,795 Speaker 1: and I have this secret message for all of you 308 00:21:21,115 --> 00:21:30,755 Speaker 1: QP dolls. Quote. That's next. This is countdown. This is 309 00:21:30,915 --> 00:21:43,275 Speaker 1: countdown with Keith Olberman. Postscripts to the news some headlines, 310 00:21:43,315 --> 00:21:50,515 Speaker 1: some updates, some snarks, some predictions. Dateline the Supreme Court. Roberts, Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavanaugh, 311 00:21:50,675 --> 00:21:56,195 Speaker 1: Barrett Jackson vote for the continuation of democracy, Alito, Gorsich, 312 00:21:56,395 --> 00:22:01,035 Speaker 1: Thomas vote against. Presumably the Travel agency's calls got through 313 00:22:01,075 --> 00:22:04,595 Speaker 1: in time. This was the vote yesterday on More v. Harper, 314 00:22:04,715 --> 00:22:08,835 Speaker 1: and by sixty three down goes independent state legislature theory. 315 00:22:09,755 --> 00:22:14,115 Speaker 1: The election's clause does not vest exclusive and independent authority 316 00:22:14,235 --> 00:22:19,715 Speaker 1: in state legislatures to set the rules regarding federal elections rights. 317 00:22:19,795 --> 00:22:23,835 Speaker 1: Chief Justice Roberts a pleasant enough surprise, except Kavanaugh wrote 318 00:22:23,835 --> 00:22:26,915 Speaker 1: a separate opinion, basically saying he thinks maybe it does, 319 00:22:27,755 --> 00:22:30,715 Speaker 1: just that this case didn't prove it. So it's really 320 00:22:30,795 --> 00:22:34,275 Speaker 1: like democracy only has a five to four lead on 321 00:22:34,315 --> 00:22:38,915 Speaker 1: the Court dayline. Tallahassee, Florida Senator Rick Scott birth name, 322 00:22:38,995 --> 00:22:43,475 Speaker 1: of course, was Rick Scott Voldemort, announcing what he called 323 00:22:43,515 --> 00:22:47,555 Speaker 1: a travel warning yesterday that quote, I'm warning socialists and 324 00:22:47,635 --> 00:22:50,795 Speaker 1: communists not to travel to Florida. They are not welcome 325 00:22:50,835 --> 00:22:53,315 Speaker 1: in the Sunshine State. He added, people who believe in 326 00:22:53,355 --> 00:22:56,195 Speaker 1: big government shouldn't come there either. Specifically, he said to 327 00:22:56,355 --> 00:23:00,515 Speaker 1: all these groups, do not take vacations in Florida or 328 00:23:00,635 --> 00:23:06,155 Speaker 1: move to Florida. Florida's leading industry is tourism. So all 329 00:23:06,235 --> 00:23:09,715 Speaker 1: those of you in socialist countries, remember, do not go 330 00:23:09,835 --> 00:23:14,035 Speaker 1: to Florida for any reason. The Senator has just threatened 331 00:23:14,075 --> 00:23:17,555 Speaker 1: your safety when the state of Florida gets an estimated 332 00:23:17,595 --> 00:23:21,835 Speaker 1: sixty two billion dollars a year more from the semi 333 00:23:21,915 --> 00:23:24,395 Speaker 1: socialist government of the United States of America than it 334 00:23:24,435 --> 00:23:27,115 Speaker 1: sends to the semi socialist government of the United States 335 00:23:27,155 --> 00:23:32,115 Speaker 1: of America. So let's stop that right quick dayline purchase 336 00:23:32,275 --> 00:23:35,395 Speaker 1: New York and the world headquarters of PEPSI. I have 337 00:23:35,515 --> 00:23:38,635 Speaker 1: had for many decades a theory that if I were 338 00:23:38,675 --> 00:23:42,795 Speaker 1: to live long enough, I would see every sketch ever 339 00:23:42,875 --> 00:23:47,755 Speaker 1: performed about American society by my heroes and later my friends, 340 00:23:47,795 --> 00:23:50,835 Speaker 1: Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, and my heroes and later 341 00:23:50,915 --> 00:23:53,835 Speaker 1: my friends the members of Monty Python's Flying Circus, I 342 00:23:53,875 --> 00:23:59,515 Speaker 1: would see all of their sketches actually happen. One of 343 00:23:59,595 --> 00:24:03,635 Speaker 1: the best Bob and Ray sketches had Bob as the 344 00:24:03,635 --> 00:24:07,275 Speaker 1: public service hosts on their imaginary radio station, interviewing the 345 00:24:07,395 --> 00:24:11,915 Speaker 1: chairman of the National Ketchup Association about how to correctly 346 00:24:12,035 --> 00:24:16,075 Speaker 1: pour ketchup, and after a demonstration that goes wonderfully awry, 347 00:24:16,315 --> 00:24:18,755 Speaker 1: and the admission that having to hit the bottle of 348 00:24:18,795 --> 00:24:21,755 Speaker 1: the bottom of Ketchup was in fact a marketing device 349 00:24:21,835 --> 00:24:26,635 Speaker 1: by the Ketchup manufacturers. Ray taels Bob by coincidence, its 350 00:24:26,755 --> 00:24:30,235 Speaker 1: National Ketchup Week, and his group is expecting an enormous 351 00:24:30,315 --> 00:24:33,195 Speaker 1: growth in the amount of Ketchup consumed in the United 352 00:24:33,235 --> 00:24:37,075 Speaker 1: States because he has hit on the brilliant idea to 353 00:24:37,355 --> 00:24:43,275 Speaker 1: expand the breadth of the Ketchup footprint by introducing new 354 00:24:43,395 --> 00:24:49,435 Speaker 1: flavors of Ketchup. New Ketchup flavors, asks a very dubious 355 00:24:49,475 --> 00:24:54,115 Speaker 1: Bob Ray replies, in the perfect expression of bureaucratic condescension. Well, 356 00:24:54,155 --> 00:24:57,835 Speaker 1: not Ketchup as you civilians know it now, but I've 357 00:24:57,875 --> 00:25:01,315 Speaker 1: discovered that the entire field of dessert toppings has remained 358 00:25:01,475 --> 00:25:04,595 Speaker 1: utterly untapped by our industry. So we will be using 359 00:25:04,835 --> 00:25:08,675 Speaker 1: National Ketchup Week this year to introduce our new chocolate 360 00:25:08,715 --> 00:25:15,395 Speaker 1: flavored Ketchup for use on ice cream. There is another pause, 361 00:25:15,835 --> 00:25:19,915 Speaker 1: and then Bob says, so you're holding National Ketchup Week 362 00:25:19,995 --> 00:25:25,395 Speaker 1: to promote the sale of chocolate sauce. There's one more pause, 363 00:25:25,475 --> 00:25:28,275 Speaker 1: and Ray says, well, gee, When you put it that way, 364 00:25:28,475 --> 00:25:31,795 Speaker 1: it does sound completely idiotic, doesn't it. What's worse, it's 365 00:25:32,155 --> 00:25:34,515 Speaker 1: all my idea. I better get back to the office 366 00:25:34,515 --> 00:25:36,435 Speaker 1: and stop this thing, but fast. Then you hear a 367 00:25:36,435 --> 00:25:39,155 Speaker 1: man running away and a door slam, and then the 368 00:25:39,155 --> 00:25:45,995 Speaker 1: theme to the program. The Culinary Institute of America's business 369 00:25:46,115 --> 00:25:51,355 Speaker 1: consulting unit has announced that it is teaming up with 370 00:25:51,555 --> 00:25:57,275 Speaker 1: Pepsi to introduce a new sweet and tangy ketchup, Pepsi 371 00:25:57,835 --> 00:26:04,835 Speaker 1: Cola Chop. I'll say that one more time, Pepsi Cola Chop, 372 00:26:05,275 --> 00:26:09,675 Speaker 1: which is designed to be used on hot dogs on 373 00:26:09,755 --> 00:26:13,195 Speaker 1: the fourth of July, so you'll put more ketchup on 374 00:26:13,315 --> 00:26:17,235 Speaker 1: hot dogs. The new cola flavored ketchup will be available 375 00:26:17,235 --> 00:26:20,755 Speaker 1: at several baseball stadiums were free on July fourth itself. 376 00:26:21,915 --> 00:26:24,355 Speaker 1: I wish Bob Elliot Ray Goulding were still alive to 377 00:26:24,395 --> 00:26:27,515 Speaker 1: hear this, so Bob could say to Pepsi and the 378 00:26:27,515 --> 00:26:32,635 Speaker 1: Colinary Institute of America, so you've invented a new flavor 379 00:26:32,715 --> 00:26:38,195 Speaker 1: of ketchup in order to promote the sale of cola 380 00:26:38,435 --> 00:26:55,475 Speaker 1: flavored mustard. Still ahead, you saw that the Fox story 381 00:26:55,555 --> 00:26:58,755 Speaker 1: was finally confirmed that they pulled Laura Ingram out of primetime, 382 00:26:58,795 --> 00:27:00,435 Speaker 1: and they put her on at seven, and they put 383 00:27:00,475 --> 00:27:03,235 Speaker 1: that imbecile Jesse Waters on at eight. They kept Hannity 384 00:27:03,235 --> 00:27:06,395 Speaker 1: at nine. They put the with the compulsive head tilt, 385 00:27:06,875 --> 00:27:10,475 Speaker 1: Greg Gut, Greg Gut I think is his name, at 386 00:27:10,515 --> 00:27:13,475 Speaker 1: ten o'clock. This was described as a bid to win 387 00:27:13,595 --> 00:27:17,475 Speaker 1: the next generation of Fox News viewers. I have bad news. 388 00:27:18,355 --> 00:27:22,755 Speaker 1: There isn't one. The species is too old to reproduce, 389 00:27:23,755 --> 00:27:27,315 Speaker 1: and it may very well be the same at CNN 390 00:27:27,355 --> 00:27:30,835 Speaker 1: and MSNBC. The thing is, it didn't have to happen 391 00:27:30,875 --> 00:27:33,435 Speaker 1: so soon, but they all let their cable operations get 392 00:27:33,555 --> 00:27:37,435 Speaker 1: run by and bullied by people who did not understand 393 00:27:37,515 --> 00:27:40,595 Speaker 1: the concept of cable news. And that flashed me back 394 00:27:40,635 --> 00:27:43,875 Speaker 1: to the first day I really realized that was the case, 395 00:27:43,915 --> 00:27:46,115 Speaker 1: and I saw all this coming, which will be fifteen 396 00:27:46,195 --> 00:27:49,995 Speaker 1: years ago this September. It was the day at MSNBC 397 00:27:50,195 --> 00:27:56,275 Speaker 1: when Tom Brokaw screwed everything up. Ahead. First to day 398 00:27:56,355 --> 00:27:57,995 Speaker 1: we round up with the miss Grants, morons and Dunning 399 00:27:58,035 --> 00:28:02,515 Speaker 1: Kruger effect specimens who constitute today's other worst persons in 400 00:28:02,555 --> 00:28:06,475 Speaker 1: the world. The Bronze National Hockey League. Last week, Commissioner 401 00:28:06,515 --> 00:28:10,755 Speaker 1: Gary Bettman sold out every LGBTQ fan, player and other 402 00:28:10,835 --> 00:28:14,115 Speaker 1: participant in the game, and everybody else depended on an 403 00:28:14,195 --> 00:28:18,275 Speaker 1: NHL team to raise consciousness about their own issue, whatever 404 00:28:18,315 --> 00:28:20,915 Speaker 1: it is, by declaring that while the league would still 405 00:28:20,955 --> 00:28:24,075 Speaker 1: hold Pride Nights, it would no longer let players wear 406 00:28:24,155 --> 00:28:28,355 Speaker 1: Pride warm up uniforms for ten lousy minutes before each game, 407 00:28:29,235 --> 00:28:32,115 Speaker 1: or any other special pregame uniforms. And we'll see about 408 00:28:32,195 --> 00:28:38,075 Speaker 1: that come Military Appreciation Day, Military Appreciation Week, Military Appreciation Month, 409 00:28:38,075 --> 00:28:42,555 Speaker 1: and of course Military Appreciation Quarter. Tonight, the NHL opens 410 00:28:42,595 --> 00:28:46,555 Speaker 1: its annual amateur player draft in Nashville, Tennessee, where your 411 00:28:46,555 --> 00:28:50,955 Speaker 1: hosts the Nashville Predators, the majority ownership of which gradually 412 00:28:51,115 --> 00:28:53,795 Speaker 1: is being taken over by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, 413 00:28:54,115 --> 00:28:57,435 Speaker 1: the homophobe who not only opposes same sex marriage, but 414 00:28:57,475 --> 00:28:59,875 Speaker 1: who signed a bill designed to make it more difficult 415 00:28:59,915 --> 00:29:03,955 Speaker 1: for same sex couples to adopt children. The NHL the 416 00:29:04,035 --> 00:29:07,595 Speaker 1: National Hip Hopocracy League, one of whose mottos is Hockey 417 00:29:07,715 --> 00:29:13,875 Speaker 1: is for everyone, Yes, everyone except days, lesbians, allies, everybody. 418 00:29:13,955 --> 00:29:17,515 Speaker 1: The runner up, Elon Musk it is unclear what he's 419 00:29:17,515 --> 00:29:22,395 Speaker 1: doing at Twitter evergreen tweet, but either there is a 420 00:29:22,475 --> 00:29:25,995 Speaker 1: new bug that is restricting by accident just the accounts 421 00:29:25,995 --> 00:29:27,875 Speaker 1: of people who have blocked too many of the new 422 00:29:27,995 --> 00:29:30,275 Speaker 1: right wing issue ads that have begun to take over 423 00:29:30,435 --> 00:29:33,995 Speaker 1: individual feeds on that site, or there is a feature 424 00:29:34,075 --> 00:29:37,075 Speaker 1: that does that. Either way, the feed of the Tennessee 425 00:29:37,155 --> 00:29:40,435 Speaker 1: Holler says, quote, it seems mister free speech Musk is 426 00:29:40,475 --> 00:29:43,395 Speaker 1: restricting the accounts of people who block the spam ads 427 00:29:43,395 --> 00:29:46,115 Speaker 1: he's using to keep Twitter afloat as he turns it 428 00:29:46,115 --> 00:29:49,515 Speaker 1: into a haven for right wing extremism and porn bots. 429 00:29:49,955 --> 00:29:54,675 Speaker 1: Lovely unquote no reply from Musk. Musk was busy sending 430 00:29:54,715 --> 00:29:58,555 Speaker 1: out tweets defending Jordan Peterson and training for the heavyweight 431 00:29:58,595 --> 00:30:03,595 Speaker 1: Ozembic Championship fight against Zuckerberg. But our winner today is 432 00:30:04,075 --> 00:30:08,835 Speaker 1: me Yes. By all accounts, Robert F. Kennedy Junior's online 433 00:30:08,995 --> 00:30:12,355 Speaker 1: health policy roundtable did go off as scheduled last night. 434 00:30:12,635 --> 00:30:14,795 Speaker 1: I'm phrasing it that way because I couldn't find anybody 435 00:30:14,795 --> 00:30:17,955 Speaker 1: who would admit they attended. The real star of the 436 00:30:18,315 --> 00:30:22,195 Speaker 1: rfk our Junior Virtual conspiracy was supposed to be doctor 437 00:30:22,235 --> 00:30:26,835 Speaker 1: Sherry Tenpenny, the osteopath whose license is being challenged after 438 00:30:26,875 --> 00:30:29,475 Speaker 1: she testified to the Ohio House that if you got 439 00:30:29,475 --> 00:30:34,355 Speaker 1: the COVID vaccine, you would become magnetized and metal would 440 00:30:34,355 --> 00:30:39,435 Speaker 1: cling to you. That's who RFK Junior is hanging out with, 441 00:30:39,755 --> 00:30:42,715 Speaker 1: or sticking to, as the case might be. Also, there's 442 00:30:42,755 --> 00:30:45,875 Speaker 1: the Nicke at Night retirement home of TV news News Nation, 443 00:30:45,995 --> 00:30:48,315 Speaker 1: which is still planning a live town hall with RFK 444 00:30:48,475 --> 00:30:51,995 Speaker 1: Junior tonight. The host is Elizabeth Bargas, who bombed out 445 00:30:51,995 --> 00:30:55,035 Speaker 1: of ABC. She says this is everybody's chance to really 446 00:30:55,075 --> 00:30:58,235 Speaker 1: sort of get unedited and live hear him speak and 447 00:30:58,315 --> 00:31:01,075 Speaker 1: listen to how he thinks. This town hall is not 448 00:31:01,115 --> 00:31:05,115 Speaker 1: a town hall about vaccines because we haven't gotten one 449 00:31:05,315 --> 00:31:08,875 Speaker 1: chance to hear Robert F. Kennedy Junior speak, even as 450 00:31:08,875 --> 00:31:12,355 Speaker 1: he's been on every right wing outlet for the last 451 00:31:12,355 --> 00:31:16,435 Speaker 1: three months during his trojan horse Democratic candidacy, even though 452 00:31:16,475 --> 00:31:18,675 Speaker 1: he's not a member of the Democratic Party, he's a 453 00:31:18,715 --> 00:31:22,395 Speaker 1: member of the Looney Party. But the award still goes 454 00:31:22,435 --> 00:31:25,355 Speaker 1: to me because in this podcast yesterday I referred to 455 00:31:25,555 --> 00:31:30,155 Speaker 1: RFK Jr. As JFK Junior. And that's really unfortunate because 456 00:31:30,195 --> 00:31:33,115 Speaker 1: a it's a mistake can be because JFK Junior has 457 00:31:33,155 --> 00:31:35,955 Speaker 1: been dead, just shy of twenty four years now, and 458 00:31:35,995 --> 00:31:39,475 Speaker 1: the only part of RFK Junior that's dead is his sanity. 459 00:31:40,235 --> 00:32:03,475 Speaker 1: Me Today's worst me in the world. Finally, our number 460 00:32:03,515 --> 00:32:06,195 Speaker 1: one story on the Countdown and my favorite topic me. 461 00:32:07,235 --> 00:32:10,355 Speaker 1: I missed the exact anniversary by day, but it's close enough. 462 00:32:10,795 --> 00:32:14,555 Speaker 1: The demand for spots in the Shaye Stadium press box 463 00:32:14,555 --> 00:32:17,075 Speaker 1: that night was so great that there was a signed seating. 464 00:32:17,515 --> 00:32:19,995 Speaker 1: I had no real reason to be there, but as usual, 465 00:32:20,035 --> 00:32:22,115 Speaker 1: the New York Mets took care of me, and so 466 00:32:22,275 --> 00:32:24,555 Speaker 1: on Friday, the fifth of September two thousand and eight, 467 00:32:24,595 --> 00:32:28,155 Speaker 1: I was shouldered to shoulder with reporter friends watching the 468 00:32:28,195 --> 00:32:30,795 Speaker 1: Mets begin to blow their three game Pennant Race lead 469 00:32:30,835 --> 00:32:33,395 Speaker 1: against the Philadelphia Phillies. Sorry Mets fans for bringing this 470 00:32:33,475 --> 00:32:36,955 Speaker 1: up again. Brett Myers had just struck out New York's 471 00:32:36,995 --> 00:32:40,675 Speaker 1: David Wright looking when my phone rang. It was my agent, 472 00:32:40,755 --> 00:32:44,635 Speaker 1: Gene Sage. They just called. She said, flatly, you and 473 00:32:44,675 --> 00:32:47,955 Speaker 1: Matthews have been fired from anchoring the presidential debates because 474 00:32:47,955 --> 00:32:51,995 Speaker 1: of what you said. What I had said had been 475 00:32:52,155 --> 00:32:55,915 Speaker 1: said three nights previously. Chris Matthews and I were co 476 00:32:56,035 --> 00:33:00,315 Speaker 1: anchoring the Republican Convention on MSNBC. He was there in Minneapolis. 477 00:33:00,795 --> 00:33:03,515 Speaker 1: I was in the studios in New York, ostensibly so 478 00:33:03,595 --> 00:33:06,715 Speaker 1: I could also anchor hurricane coverage, although it was pretty 479 00:33:06,755 --> 00:33:08,395 Speaker 1: clear that at least half the reason I was not 480 00:33:08,515 --> 00:33:12,675 Speaker 1: in Minneapolis was because the Republicans had threatened NBC or 481 00:33:12,715 --> 00:33:15,835 Speaker 1: said they couldn't guarantee my safety or something like that, 482 00:33:15,955 --> 00:33:20,555 Speaker 1: and NBC folded. So I was the one during MSNBC's 483 00:33:20,595 --> 00:33:23,275 Speaker 1: coverage of the two thousand and eight Republican Convention who 484 00:33:23,315 --> 00:33:25,955 Speaker 1: had to throw it to a video they were introducing 485 00:33:26,475 --> 00:33:28,995 Speaker 1: that we had been told by the Republicans was a 486 00:33:29,075 --> 00:33:33,035 Speaker 1: quote tribute to the dead of nine to eleven. It was, 487 00:33:33,235 --> 00:33:37,195 Speaker 1: in fact a snuff film. All of the images that 488 00:33:37,315 --> 00:33:40,155 Speaker 1: all of the networks had stopped showing within weeks or 489 00:33:40,195 --> 00:33:44,035 Speaker 1: even days of the attacks, all of those images were 490 00:33:44,075 --> 00:33:47,475 Speaker 1: in this video. People jumping and falling to their deaths 491 00:33:47,515 --> 00:33:50,515 Speaker 1: from the World Trade Center on nine to eleven, endless 492 00:33:50,715 --> 00:33:55,075 Speaker 1: replays of the planes hitting the towers, dismembered bodies in 493 00:33:55,155 --> 00:33:59,235 Speaker 1: the plaza, the building collapses, the equally terrifying scenes at 494 00:33:59,235 --> 00:34:03,235 Speaker 1: the Pentagon, and all with a grotesque Robert Dove voiceover 495 00:34:03,675 --> 00:34:08,195 Speaker 1: emphasizing that this was all the Democrats fault. The message 496 00:34:08,235 --> 00:34:12,435 Speaker 1: was simple, elect Obama and you will die like this. 497 00:34:13,995 --> 00:34:17,195 Speaker 1: I was angry just on that base level. For the 498 00:34:17,235 --> 00:34:19,355 Speaker 1: five and a half years I had been back at MSNBC, 499 00:34:19,475 --> 00:34:22,315 Speaker 1: we had been rigorous about not showing any of that video. 500 00:34:22,955 --> 00:34:25,795 Speaker 1: There were rules that if we had to for some reason, 501 00:34:26,075 --> 00:34:28,795 Speaker 1: we should show only the skill images, and even then 502 00:34:28,875 --> 00:34:32,355 Speaker 1: only with extensive warnings to the viewers. But I knew 503 00:34:32,395 --> 00:34:35,315 Speaker 1: from my conversations with the president of MSNBC, Phil Griffin, 504 00:34:35,315 --> 00:34:37,515 Speaker 1: who I'd only known for twenty eight years at that point, 505 00:34:37,875 --> 00:34:40,475 Speaker 1: that he would insist that on the scene in Minneapolis, 506 00:34:40,475 --> 00:34:43,675 Speaker 1: Matthews and Tom Brokaw, whose career at NBC I had 507 00:34:43,715 --> 00:34:47,395 Speaker 1: resurrected after Brian Williams had buried him alive two years earlier, 508 00:34:47,635 --> 00:34:51,515 Speaker 1: that one or both of them would rebuke the GOP 509 00:34:51,795 --> 00:34:54,115 Speaker 1: for showing not a nine to eleven tribute, but, as 510 00:34:54,155 --> 00:34:57,675 Speaker 1: I just said, a nine to eleven snuff film. The 511 00:34:57,755 --> 00:35:00,475 Speaker 1: video ended, and we came out to Brokaw with Matthews 512 00:35:00,475 --> 00:35:06,195 Speaker 1: and Brokaw kind of coughed, and Matthews said wow. And 513 00:35:06,235 --> 00:35:09,075 Speaker 1: he turned to Brokaw and said, in that loose fire 514 00:35:09,115 --> 00:35:13,195 Speaker 1: hose delivery of his tom That kind of hunderscorns terrorism, 515 00:35:13,195 --> 00:35:17,035 Speaker 1: big thing Republicans says, they tristop Obama. Brocawd droned on 516 00:35:17,155 --> 00:35:23,395 Speaker 1: approvingly the Republicans sneaking a snuff film, a banned video, 517 00:35:23,915 --> 00:35:27,955 Speaker 1: onto MSNBC and by the way, also onto CNN, onto NBC, 518 00:35:27,995 --> 00:35:31,915 Speaker 1: onto CBS, onto ABC without any warning. That was not 519 00:35:32,075 --> 00:35:36,395 Speaker 1: mentioned by brokaw or Matthews. Back to New York and Keith, 520 00:35:37,555 --> 00:35:39,755 Speaker 1: I was supposed to ad liberates about what we were 521 00:35:39,755 --> 00:35:42,115 Speaker 1: expecting from the Republican convention for the rest of the 522 00:35:42,195 --> 00:35:44,795 Speaker 1: night and then throw to a commercial instead, I said, 523 00:35:44,795 --> 00:35:47,835 Speaker 1: and this is a paraphrase, the original tape disappeared that 524 00:35:47,995 --> 00:35:50,875 Speaker 1: night that before we moved on, I felt I needed 525 00:35:50,875 --> 00:35:53,835 Speaker 1: to apologize that we at MSNBC and for that matter, 526 00:35:53,955 --> 00:35:58,475 Speaker 1: NBC News, had extremely strict rules about not showing that video. 527 00:35:58,515 --> 00:36:01,915 Speaker 1: The Republicans had just shown you without any warning, without 528 00:36:01,915 --> 00:36:04,995 Speaker 1: any context, and we certainly would not have shown the 529 00:36:04,995 --> 00:36:08,075 Speaker 1: horror and death and blamed it on the Democrats, or 530 00:36:08,075 --> 00:36:09,915 Speaker 1: for that matter, blamed it on the Republicans. I said, 531 00:36:09,955 --> 00:36:12,195 Speaker 1: if we had done such a thing ourselves, there would 532 00:36:12,195 --> 00:36:16,355 Speaker 1: have been people fired at NBC News the public program 533 00:36:16,395 --> 00:36:18,675 Speaker 1: the GOP provided said that was going to be a 534 00:36:18,755 --> 00:36:21,435 Speaker 1: nine to eleven tribute film. I said, and so did 535 00:36:21,475 --> 00:36:24,395 Speaker 1: the private conversations with the network, which included the reminder 536 00:36:24,395 --> 00:36:27,515 Speaker 1: from NBC and MSNBC that we had rules against showing 537 00:36:27,515 --> 00:36:30,035 Speaker 1: the scenes of the horrible death and mutilation and destruction. 538 00:36:31,075 --> 00:36:34,555 Speaker 1: So I apologized on behalf of whoever trusted the Republicans 539 00:36:34,555 --> 00:36:37,635 Speaker 1: to live up to their word that MSNBC viewers were 540 00:36:37,635 --> 00:36:40,795 Speaker 1: forced to see the video our network had long before 541 00:36:40,955 --> 00:36:46,235 Speaker 1: vowed never to show again. So three nights later, without 542 00:36:46,275 --> 00:36:49,755 Speaker 1: as much as an email, this Griffin guy had called 543 00:36:49,795 --> 00:36:53,795 Speaker 1: my agent and told her I was fired Matthews two 544 00:36:53,835 --> 00:36:57,955 Speaker 1: from our further coverage of the upcoming McGain Obama debates. 545 00:36:58,955 --> 00:37:01,315 Speaker 1: She related these details to me as I walked down 546 00:37:01,315 --> 00:37:03,635 Speaker 1: the many ramps in the back of Shay Stadium towards 547 00:37:03,675 --> 00:37:06,275 Speaker 1: the subway. I told her to call Griffin back and 548 00:37:06,315 --> 00:37:09,075 Speaker 1: tell him I had quit on the spot right then 549 00:37:09,515 --> 00:37:11,835 Speaker 1: and he could work his way out of the ensuing disaster. 550 00:37:12,555 --> 00:37:16,995 Speaker 1: Liberal network MSNBC fires liberal host Elberman for criticizing Conservatives 551 00:37:16,995 --> 00:37:19,955 Speaker 1: for sneaking nine to eleven snuff film onto MSNBC. He 552 00:37:19,995 --> 00:37:22,355 Speaker 1: could figure that out. Any way he wanted, and he 553 00:37:22,395 --> 00:37:26,075 Speaker 1: could hear my response on I don't know, Good Morning America, CBS, 554 00:37:26,115 --> 00:37:29,195 Speaker 1: This Morning, the PBS News Hour, and any other news 555 00:37:29,235 --> 00:37:32,235 Speaker 1: program that bothered to ask me to stop by and talk. 556 00:37:33,835 --> 00:37:36,155 Speaker 1: I phoned my live in girlfriend, Katie Turr and told 557 00:37:36,195 --> 00:37:38,075 Speaker 1: her I was on my way home, and I made 558 00:37:38,075 --> 00:37:40,635 Speaker 1: a few phone calls to friendly voices within the NBC 559 00:37:40,795 --> 00:37:43,395 Speaker 1: management structure and got from them a clear picture of 560 00:37:43,395 --> 00:37:46,835 Speaker 1: what had happened. And despite the spotty cell service along 561 00:37:46,875 --> 00:37:49,635 Speaker 1: the elevated line heading back to Manhattan, I got a 562 00:37:49,635 --> 00:37:53,195 Speaker 1: message from a newspaper reporter friend who neatly tied together 563 00:37:53,315 --> 00:37:56,795 Speaker 1: all that I was hearing elsewhere. Tom Brokaw is going 564 00:37:56,835 --> 00:38:00,155 Speaker 1: around NBC saying he got you fired from the debates 565 00:38:00,595 --> 00:38:06,075 Speaker 1: because the Republicans told him to. Nine maybe ten months earlier, 566 00:38:06,515 --> 00:38:08,355 Speaker 1: Phil Griffin had come to me and asked me if 567 00:38:08,395 --> 00:38:11,755 Speaker 1: I would be okay with this guy who had been 568 00:38:11,875 --> 00:38:15,755 Speaker 1: kind of disappeared by the network. Tom Brokaw was his 569 00:38:15,915 --> 00:38:19,195 Speaker 1: name appearing during our weekly coverage of the Democratic and 570 00:38:19,235 --> 00:38:22,355 Speaker 1: Republican primaries. Just a couple of minutes, like from a 571 00:38:22,395 --> 00:38:25,715 Speaker 1: perspective desk, that's all he wants to do. He's really 572 00:38:25,755 --> 00:38:29,915 Speaker 1: Tom's really unhappy. Brian has frozen him out of everything. 573 00:38:29,995 --> 00:38:33,875 Speaker 1: Brian Williams. Of course, I was appalled, but not surprised. 574 00:38:34,315 --> 00:38:37,275 Speaker 1: The power had gone to Brian's head, and of course 575 00:38:37,275 --> 00:38:40,995 Speaker 1: there it had not met much resistance. Plus, as I 576 00:38:41,035 --> 00:38:42,995 Speaker 1: said to Griffin, you're asking me if i'd like to 577 00:38:43,035 --> 00:38:48,515 Speaker 1: add Tom Brokaw's experience and Tom Brocaw's gravitas to stuff 578 00:38:48,555 --> 00:38:50,435 Speaker 1: I'm anchoring when I'm not sure I know as much 579 00:38:50,475 --> 00:38:52,355 Speaker 1: as I really need to know to do this right. 580 00:38:52,875 --> 00:38:56,875 Speaker 1: You're asking me this. Tom fit in beautifully, and twice 581 00:38:56,915 --> 00:39:00,035 Speaker 1: after those long Tuesday evenings in the primary season, he 582 00:39:00,115 --> 00:39:04,395 Speaker 1: sent me brief emails awarding me what he called legame ball, 583 00:39:05,075 --> 00:39:07,795 Speaker 1: because he was so impressed by my ability to balance 584 00:39:07,835 --> 00:39:11,635 Speaker 1: the roles of political anchor and political commentator, having tried 585 00:39:11,635 --> 00:39:14,155 Speaker 1: this myself. One of them read, I know what a 586 00:39:14,315 --> 00:39:20,555 Speaker 1: perilous tight rupeless is game ball, Toko. I'm mocking him now, 587 00:39:20,595 --> 00:39:22,875 Speaker 1: but these meant so much to me. I printed the 588 00:39:22,915 --> 00:39:27,235 Speaker 1: emails out and carried them in my wallet. And now 589 00:39:27,275 --> 00:39:30,395 Speaker 1: he was claiming he had gotten me fired because, as 590 00:39:30,435 --> 00:39:34,995 Speaker 1: my newspaper friend said, the Republicans told him to that 591 00:39:35,195 --> 00:39:38,355 Speaker 1: was not hard to unpack either. Tim Russard had died 592 00:39:38,395 --> 00:39:41,235 Speaker 1: on June third of that year. I anchored that night 593 00:39:41,355 --> 00:39:43,475 Speaker 1: until two in the morning. It was still an open wound, 594 00:39:43,475 --> 00:39:46,915 Speaker 1: there were still tears. We didn't know it then, but 595 00:39:46,995 --> 00:39:51,675 Speaker 1: the structure of NBC News and the perilous tightroup balancing 596 00:39:51,755 --> 00:39:55,395 Speaker 1: NBC and MSNBC had died with Tim Russard. So did 597 00:39:55,395 --> 00:39:57,995 Speaker 1: the role of moderator of the second debate between John 598 00:39:58,035 --> 00:40:01,235 Speaker 1: McCain and Barack Obama, scheduled for about a month after 599 00:40:01,355 --> 00:40:05,155 Speaker 1: my subway ride on October seventh in Nashville. Tim had 600 00:40:05,195 --> 00:40:07,795 Speaker 1: not even been buried yet when Brokaw began to angle 601 00:40:07,875 --> 00:40:10,915 Speaker 1: to get that assignment, along with brushing away the dirt 602 00:40:10,955 --> 00:40:14,635 Speaker 1: of his Penny Ante role on the MSNBC Perspective desk, 603 00:40:14,875 --> 00:40:17,395 Speaker 1: we never saw him again in order that he could 604 00:40:17,395 --> 00:40:21,555 Speaker 1: take Tim's spot as Brian Williams sidekick on Big NBC. 605 00:40:22,875 --> 00:40:25,515 Speaker 1: The month before August, there was a story coming out 606 00:40:25,515 --> 00:40:27,595 Speaker 1: of the east end of the third floor at thirty Rock, 607 00:40:27,635 --> 00:40:30,515 Speaker 1: where NBC News management sat around not doing much of anything, 608 00:40:31,035 --> 00:40:34,715 Speaker 1: that a Republican goon named Ed Gillespie had been in 609 00:40:34,755 --> 00:40:38,155 Speaker 1: there with Griffin and the NBC News president Steve Cappus 610 00:40:38,155 --> 00:40:40,835 Speaker 1: trying to get me silenced or fired or off the 611 00:40:40,875 --> 00:40:45,235 Speaker 1: convention coverage or something, and that somebody prominent within NBC 612 00:40:45,315 --> 00:40:49,555 Speaker 1: News was in there with Gillespie or was invoked by Gillespie. 613 00:40:50,035 --> 00:40:53,395 Speaker 1: The rumor mill wasn't certain. As I switched from the 614 00:40:53,435 --> 00:40:56,595 Speaker 1: elevated seven train to the underground f train, the whole 615 00:40:56,595 --> 00:41:00,595 Speaker 1: thing came together before my comments about the GOP Convention 616 00:41:00,755 --> 00:41:03,595 Speaker 1: nine to eleven snuff film ed Gillespie had come in 617 00:41:03,635 --> 00:41:06,915 Speaker 1: and had somehow big threatened Cappus and Griffin about me 618 00:41:07,555 --> 00:41:11,155 Speaker 1: using as leverage the debate which Tom Brokaw was now 619 00:41:11,195 --> 00:41:15,915 Speaker 1: supposed to moderate, and when I apologized for their video 620 00:41:16,075 --> 00:41:19,195 Speaker 1: on our air, Gillespie must have turned it into an 621 00:41:19,195 --> 00:41:23,075 Speaker 1: either or get rid of me or McCain would refuse 622 00:41:23,155 --> 00:41:27,235 Speaker 1: to participate in any debate moderated by Brokaw or anybody 623 00:41:27,235 --> 00:41:31,755 Speaker 1: from NBC News, and Brokaw had already come back from 624 00:41:31,755 --> 00:41:33,675 Speaker 1: the dead once in two thousand and eight, and he 625 00:41:33,715 --> 00:41:35,915 Speaker 1: would be damned if he would be forced to do 626 00:41:35,995 --> 00:41:39,835 Speaker 1: it a second time. But as the train took me 627 00:41:39,915 --> 00:41:41,755 Speaker 1: home to an apartment I was now going to have 628 00:41:41,835 --> 00:41:44,555 Speaker 1: to sell since I had just quit MSNBC on the 629 00:41:44,595 --> 00:41:48,515 Speaker 1: spot for folding to such obvious Republican blackmail. Something else 630 00:41:48,555 --> 00:41:53,275 Speaker 1: now occurred to me. Why would MSNBC or NBC or 631 00:41:53,315 --> 00:41:57,075 Speaker 1: our parent corporation at the time, GE actually think that 632 00:41:57,115 --> 00:42:01,035 Speaker 1: they could remove me from the debate coverage on MSNBC 633 00:42:01,915 --> 00:42:04,035 Speaker 1: where the Rachel Meadow Show had yet to be born, 634 00:42:04,715 --> 00:42:06,955 Speaker 1: and the three times a night my show ran accounted 635 00:42:06,955 --> 00:42:10,555 Speaker 1: for something like sixty percent of the entire day's network audience, 636 00:42:11,035 --> 00:42:14,475 Speaker 1: and do that without getting a really bad reaction from 637 00:42:14,515 --> 00:42:18,755 Speaker 1: our audience. Plus, if a newspaper man already knew the 638 00:42:18,795 --> 00:42:25,115 Speaker 1: Brokaw part, how could this story be avoided? MSNBC announced 639 00:42:25,115 --> 00:42:27,955 Speaker 1: it had removed its liberal star Keith Alderman from coverage 640 00:42:27,955 --> 00:42:32,115 Speaker 1: of the McCain Obama presidential debates. Sources confirmed former NBC 641 00:42:32,195 --> 00:42:37,315 Speaker 1: News anchorman Tom Brokaw, now an MSNBC commentator on Olberman's coverage, 642 00:42:37,715 --> 00:42:41,075 Speaker 1: had helped the Republican Party to blackmail NBC into the decision. 643 00:42:41,595 --> 00:42:45,635 Speaker 1: Olderman immediately resigned, saying, quote in succumbing to this coercion 644 00:42:45,635 --> 00:42:48,435 Speaker 1: on behalf of John McCain, NBC has now forfeited any 645 00:42:48,515 --> 00:42:51,595 Speaker 1: right to further be called a news organization, And I'm 646 00:42:51,635 --> 00:42:54,235 Speaker 1: sad to say MSNBC, which I built, is now dead. 647 00:42:55,235 --> 00:43:00,515 Speaker 1: My god, MSNBC an NBC News for that matter, would 648 00:43:00,515 --> 00:43:04,835 Speaker 1: have committed corporate suicide before the weekend was over. At 649 00:43:04,875 --> 00:43:06,715 Speaker 1: that point had dawned on me that the only thing 650 00:43:06,715 --> 00:43:09,435 Speaker 1: that could save the credibility of the whole news division 651 00:43:09,475 --> 00:43:13,035 Speaker 1: and the careers of Griffin and Cappus and NBC Network 652 00:43:13,075 --> 00:43:16,795 Speaker 1: President Jeff Zucker, and especially the career of Tom Brokaw 653 00:43:17,395 --> 00:43:21,475 Speaker 1: was for me to publicly state that I had asked 654 00:43:22,035 --> 00:43:25,755 Speaker 1: to be removed from anchoring the debates because the whatever 655 00:43:26,195 --> 00:43:28,835 Speaker 1: was just too much blah blah blah for me, and 656 00:43:28,875 --> 00:43:31,475 Speaker 1: I felt I should stick to the post debate analysis 657 00:43:31,515 --> 00:43:35,795 Speaker 1: and commentary. NBC would now have a choice. They could 658 00:43:35,795 --> 00:43:38,835 Speaker 1: fire me from the debates and destroy everything, including the 659 00:43:39,075 --> 00:43:41,395 Speaker 1: one hundred million dollars a year or so in profit 660 00:43:41,435 --> 00:43:45,595 Speaker 1: that NBC made off MSNBC, or I could you know 661 00:43:46,715 --> 00:43:50,675 Speaker 1: why and claim it was my idea and save everybody's ass, 662 00:43:51,075 --> 00:43:54,875 Speaker 1: including my own. I got out of the subway and 663 00:43:54,955 --> 00:43:56,995 Speaker 1: raced home. Katie met me at the door with a 664 00:43:56,995 --> 00:43:59,755 Speaker 1: big hug. She had been crying. Relax, I said, I'm 665 00:43:59,755 --> 00:44:02,315 Speaker 1: not quitting. In fact, I'm going to get a huge raise, 666 00:44:02,395 --> 00:44:06,635 Speaker 1: now listen carefully. I called my agent and I explained 667 00:44:06,675 --> 00:44:09,035 Speaker 1: the idea that had lit over my head on the 668 00:44:09,035 --> 00:44:12,915 Speaker 1: subway like a light bulb to both of them. I said, 669 00:44:12,955 --> 00:44:15,235 Speaker 1: you call Phil Griffin back and explain to him that 670 00:44:15,275 --> 00:44:19,355 Speaker 1: I will personally save his job and Steve Campus's and 671 00:44:19,475 --> 00:44:23,475 Speaker 1: Jeff Zoker's and Tom Brokaw's and everybody else's. I'll take 672 00:44:23,555 --> 00:44:27,035 Speaker 1: the fall instead of letting them all get fired by 673 00:44:27,035 --> 00:44:31,435 Speaker 1: the MSNBC audience. I'll say this was my idea, and 674 00:44:31,515 --> 00:44:35,715 Speaker 1: all it will cost Phil is twelve million dollars, and 675 00:44:35,915 --> 00:44:38,275 Speaker 1: he has to leak the term so everybody knows it 676 00:44:38,315 --> 00:44:41,395 Speaker 1: cost him twelve million dollars. And she paused for a 677 00:44:41,475 --> 00:44:44,435 Speaker 1: second and said it's genius. It might not quite be 678 00:44:44,555 --> 00:44:47,355 Speaker 1: twelve million, but I bet, I bet they'll pay you 679 00:44:47,355 --> 00:44:52,235 Speaker 1: at least nine. On Sunday, several news organizations reported I 680 00:44:52,275 --> 00:44:55,635 Speaker 1: had asked to be taken off the anchor desk two 681 00:44:55,715 --> 00:44:58,795 Speaker 1: months and one week later, The New York Times wrote, quote, 682 00:44:59,035 --> 00:45:02,955 Speaker 1: Keith Olderman, the anchor of Countdown on MSNBC, has extended 683 00:45:02,955 --> 00:45:06,475 Speaker 1: his contract through the next president election season. The network 684 00:45:06,515 --> 00:45:10,995 Speaker 1: announced mister Alberman and MSNBC essentially tore up the four year, 685 00:45:11,435 --> 00:45:14,195 Speaker 1: four million dollar year contract they signed last year and 686 00:45:14,275 --> 00:45:17,075 Speaker 1: replaced it with one worth about seven and a half 687 00:45:17,115 --> 00:45:21,115 Speaker 1: million a year. Oh, that was a three and a 688 00:45:21,195 --> 00:45:25,995 Speaker 1: half million dollar raise for four years. We're a total 689 00:45:26,195 --> 00:45:31,915 Speaker 1: of fourteen million dollars, except the new contract added two 690 00:45:31,955 --> 00:45:34,035 Speaker 1: years to my old deal, so the raise was actually 691 00:45:34,435 --> 00:45:40,235 Speaker 1: twenty two million dollars. All stories have a punchline. This 692 00:45:40,315 --> 00:45:43,675 Speaker 1: punchline is about Tom Brokaw. We would have gotten away 693 00:45:43,755 --> 00:45:47,315 Speaker 1: with this cleanly. NBC would have gotten its money's worth 694 00:45:47,355 --> 00:45:49,235 Speaker 1: for the twenty two million in hush money, which is 695 00:45:49,275 --> 00:45:51,115 Speaker 1: what it was that it had to pay me because 696 00:45:51,155 --> 00:45:54,195 Speaker 1: I had agreed with them rolling over for the Republican 697 00:45:54,235 --> 00:45:58,235 Speaker 1: Party blackmail. Except Brokaw could not keep his mouth shut, 698 00:45:58,515 --> 00:46:01,915 Speaker 1: so proud was he of preserving his role as the 699 00:46:01,955 --> 00:46:05,555 Speaker 1: moderator of the October seventh NBC debate that he had 700 00:46:05,595 --> 00:46:10,795 Speaker 1: to explain in explicit detail in public how he went 701 00:46:10,835 --> 00:46:13,795 Speaker 1: to his bosses at NBC News and threatened them on 702 00:46:13,915 --> 00:46:18,275 Speaker 1: behalf of the GOP. On September twenty ninth, two thousand 703 00:46:18,275 --> 00:46:21,595 Speaker 1: and eight, a lengthy and glowing Brocaw profile appeared in 704 00:46:21,595 --> 00:46:24,915 Speaker 1: The New York Times. Quote mister Brocaw said that over 705 00:46:24,915 --> 00:46:29,395 Speaker 1: the summer he had quote advocated within the executive suite 706 00:46:29,435 --> 00:46:32,195 Speaker 1: of NBC News to modify the anchor duties of the 707 00:46:32,315 --> 00:46:35,755 Speaker 1: MSNBC hosts Keith Alderman and Chris Matthews on election night 708 00:46:35,835 --> 00:46:39,595 Speaker 1: and on nights when there were presidential debates. Mister brocass 709 00:46:39,595 --> 00:46:42,555 Speaker 1: said he had also conducted some shuttle diplomacy in recent 710 00:46:42,595 --> 00:46:46,915 Speaker 1: weeks between NBC and the McCain campaign. His mission, he said, 711 00:46:46,995 --> 00:46:50,955 Speaker 1: was to assure the candidate's aids that despite some negative 712 00:46:50,995 --> 00:46:54,755 Speaker 1: on air commentary by mister Olberman in particular, mister McCain 713 00:46:54,835 --> 00:47:01,035 Speaker 1: could still get a fair shake from NBC News. Unquote, Oh, 714 00:47:01,075 --> 00:47:06,315 Speaker 1: that was his mission. The hell it was. Lee Brokaw 715 00:47:06,515 --> 00:47:10,155 Speaker 1: just could not resist boasting even further. The next sentence 716 00:47:10,355 --> 00:47:14,835 Speaker 1: actually reads quote Mister Brocaw said he had been told 717 00:47:14,875 --> 00:47:17,795 Speaker 1: by a senior McCain aide whom he did not name, 718 00:47:18,475 --> 00:47:21,275 Speaker 1: that the campaign had been reluctant to accept an NBC 719 00:47:21,515 --> 00:47:24,795 Speaker 1: representative as one of the moderators of the three presidential 720 00:47:24,795 --> 00:47:30,675 Speaker 1: debates until his name was invoked. Quote. One of the 721 00:47:30,675 --> 00:47:34,155 Speaker 1: things I was told by this person was that they 722 00:47:34,155 --> 00:47:38,315 Speaker 1: were so irritated. They said, if it's an NBC moderator 723 00:47:38,315 --> 00:47:41,955 Speaker 1: for any of these debates. We won't go, mister Brocaw said, 724 00:47:42,755 --> 00:47:46,635 Speaker 1: quoting him again. My name came up and they said, oh, hell, 725 00:47:47,115 --> 00:47:50,755 Speaker 1: we have to do it because it's going to be Brokaw. 726 00:47:53,035 --> 00:47:56,435 Speaker 1: There is a second punchline. After all this, when the 727 00:47:56,475 --> 00:47:59,515 Speaker 1: new format came out and I was sitting there counting 728 00:47:59,555 --> 00:48:03,675 Speaker 1: my money, MSNBC had David Gregory quote anchor unquote the 729 00:48:03,715 --> 00:48:08,515 Speaker 1: debate coverage. David was terrific during this. Practically all this meant, anyway, 730 00:48:08,635 --> 00:48:11,315 Speaker 1: was that I was on the air until literally ninety 731 00:48:11,355 --> 00:48:14,515 Speaker 1: seconds before each debate began, which is when I said, 732 00:48:14,715 --> 00:48:17,395 Speaker 1: now here's David Gregory. And he was then on for 733 00:48:17,435 --> 00:48:19,915 Speaker 1: four or five minutes after the debate ended, which is 734 00:48:19,955 --> 00:48:23,515 Speaker 1: when he said, now here's Keith Olberman. And on Election 735 00:48:23,675 --> 00:48:27,955 Speaker 1: Night itself with David again formally anchoring per the Republican 736 00:48:27,995 --> 00:48:31,235 Speaker 1: blackmail at ten fifty nine PM, to his great credit 737 00:48:31,235 --> 00:48:34,995 Speaker 1: and to my eternal gratitude, David Gregory said, with the 738 00:48:35,075 --> 00:48:38,035 Speaker 1: last voting booth closing at eleven PM, NBC News can 739 00:48:38,075 --> 00:48:39,955 Speaker 1: now project the winner of the two thousand and eight 740 00:48:40,035 --> 00:48:46,435 Speaker 1: presidential election, Keith bless him. Plus I still have all 741 00:48:46,435 --> 00:49:01,835 Speaker 1: the money. I've done all the damage I can do here. 742 00:49:01,915 --> 00:49:03,995 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Here are the credits. Most of 743 00:49:04,035 --> 00:49:06,915 Speaker 1: the music was range, produced and performed by Brian Ray 744 00:49:06,915 --> 00:49:10,675 Speaker 1: and John Phillip Shaneale, who are the countdown musical directors. Guitars, 745 00:49:10,715 --> 00:49:14,395 Speaker 1: bass and drums by Brian ray All, orchestration and keyboards 746 00:49:14,395 --> 00:49:18,475 Speaker 1: by John Phillip Shaneale, produced by Tko Brothers. Other Beethoven 747 00:49:18,515 --> 00:49:20,835 Speaker 1: selections have been arranged and performed by the group No 748 00:49:20,955 --> 00:49:24,715 Speaker 1: Horns Allowed. Sports music is the Ulriman theme from ESPN 749 00:49:24,755 --> 00:49:27,555 Speaker 1: two and it was written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy 750 00:49:27,595 --> 00:49:31,155 Speaker 1: of ESPN Inc. Musical comments by Nancy Fauss. The best 751 00:49:31,155 --> 00:49:34,275 Speaker 1: baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today was my friend 752 00:49:34,275 --> 00:49:37,555 Speaker 1: Stevie van Zant. Everything else was pretty much my fault. 753 00:49:37,915 --> 00:49:39,955 Speaker 1: So that's countdown for this the nine hundred and fourth 754 00:49:40,035 --> 00:49:43,515 Speaker 1: day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically 755 00:49:43,515 --> 00:49:47,035 Speaker 1: elected government of the United States. Arrest him again while 756 00:49:47,075 --> 00:49:50,475 Speaker 1: we still can. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Till then, 757 00:49:50,475 --> 00:49:53,355 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Olerman. Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good 758 00:49:53,435 --> 00:50:02,475 Speaker 1: luck Raysom Coats and countdown with Keith Olderman is a 759 00:50:02,515 --> 00:50:08,475 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. More podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 760 00:50:08,555 --> 00:50:11,915 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.