1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,315 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. So 2 00:00:22,875 --> 00:00:28,915 Speaker 1: House Republicans have fully embraced Donald J. Trump's tiny, ugly 3 00:00:29,515 --> 00:00:34,835 Speaker 1: Johnson one threatening social media posts from the man whose 4 00:00:34,875 --> 00:00:39,115 Speaker 1: only true skill is threatening social media posts. And these independent, rogue, 5 00:00:39,235 --> 00:00:42,515 Speaker 1: deep thinking men and women of the people fell right 6 00:00:42,555 --> 00:00:47,115 Speaker 1: in line and picked the Eddie Haskell of the Trump 7 00:00:47,235 --> 00:00:52,795 Speaker 1: Christo fascist, homophobic authoritarian theocracy, Mike Johnson of Louisiana to 8 00:00:53,035 --> 00:00:57,035 Speaker 1: lead their jackal pack. The man who once said, you 9 00:00:57,075 --> 00:01:00,115 Speaker 1: know the allegations about these voting machines, some of them 10 00:01:00,155 --> 00:01:03,115 Speaker 1: being rigged with this software by dominion, there's a lot 11 00:01:03,115 --> 00:01:07,995 Speaker 1: of merit to that was in the new Speaker was 12 00:01:08,075 --> 00:01:11,995 Speaker 1: in fact much deeper in the election subversion weeds than 13 00:01:12,075 --> 00:01:16,315 Speaker 1: generally known. Hours after his election, yesterday, sources produced a 14 00:01:16,395 --> 00:01:20,995 Speaker 1: quote record unquote of a closed door Republican meeting on 15 00:01:21,075 --> 00:01:25,995 Speaker 1: January fifth, twenty twenty one, one sunset before the more 16 00:01:26,115 --> 00:01:28,635 Speaker 1: violent of those who agreed with Trump and Speaker Johnson 17 00:01:29,155 --> 00:01:31,795 Speaker 1: tried to seize the capital and overthrow the election by 18 00:01:31,915 --> 00:01:37,155 Speaker 1: violent revolution. Politico obtained the quote record, which, based on 19 00:01:37,235 --> 00:01:40,075 Speaker 1: the precision of the quotes, therein must be a recording 20 00:01:40,675 --> 00:01:44,075 Speaker 1: or a transcript of a recording, but Politico's not saying 21 00:01:44,115 --> 00:01:47,155 Speaker 1: that in any event, Johnson was as strong an advocate 22 00:01:47,315 --> 00:01:49,675 Speaker 1: in that meeting for the lie that the election was 23 00:01:49,755 --> 00:01:53,075 Speaker 1: rigged and the outcome in doubt and the Constitution on 24 00:01:53,155 --> 00:01:56,795 Speaker 1: Trump's side as Steve Bannon or Sean Hannity or any 25 00:01:56,915 --> 00:02:03,875 Speaker 1: proud boy. He is a bastard insurrectionist. It is well 26 00:02:03,915 --> 00:02:06,115 Speaker 1: known that Mike john led the effort to get House 27 00:02:06,155 --> 00:02:09,475 Speaker 1: Republicans to send an amicus brief to the Supreme Court 28 00:02:09,715 --> 00:02:13,315 Speaker 1: for Ken Paxton's authoritarian lawsuit on behalf of the state 29 00:02:13,315 --> 00:02:16,475 Speaker 1: of Texas, which was an attempt to get Clarence Thomas 30 00:02:16,475 --> 00:02:22,475 Speaker 1: and Samuel Alito and their fellow travelers to disenfranchise Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, 31 00:02:22,475 --> 00:02:25,275 Speaker 1: and Wisconsin because each state had voted for Joe Biden. 32 00:02:26,075 --> 00:02:30,595 Speaker 1: That evil compendium of sophistry was so manipulative, so full 33 00:02:30,635 --> 00:02:34,995 Speaker 1: of lawyer crap, that Congressman Mobrooks and Matt Gates would 34 00:02:35,075 --> 00:02:39,555 Speaker 1: later say that Trump should pardon Congressman Mike Johnson and 35 00:02:39,675 --> 00:02:45,035 Speaker 1: every other Congressman who signed the Mike Johnson brief. It 36 00:02:45,235 --> 00:02:48,035 Speaker 1: is not as well known that in the weeks prior 37 00:02:48,075 --> 00:02:51,435 Speaker 1: to the January sixth coup attempt, Trump and Johnson quote 38 00:02:51,635 --> 00:02:57,595 Speaker 1: traded phone calls and discussed legal strategy repeatedly. Johnson was 39 00:02:57,715 --> 00:03:02,395 Speaker 1: Trump's man on the inside, and finally, at the January 40 00:03:02,395 --> 00:03:05,275 Speaker 1: fifth Republican meeting, which turned out to be the House 41 00:03:05,355 --> 00:03:10,795 Speaker 1: insurrection pregame show, this record Politico obtained shows that Johnson 42 00:03:10,875 --> 00:03:13,275 Speaker 1: insisted to his colleagues that quote, it's not over yet, 43 00:03:13,515 --> 00:03:16,115 Speaker 1: and echoed things he'd said in public months before, like 44 00:03:16,155 --> 00:03:19,115 Speaker 1: I don't concede anything, and that the Dominion voting machines 45 00:03:19,155 --> 00:03:21,715 Speaker 1: had quote a software system that is used all around 46 00:03:21,755 --> 00:03:25,595 Speaker 1: the country that is suspect because it came from Ugo 47 00:03:25,755 --> 00:03:30,955 Speaker 1: Chavez's Venezuela unquote. I'll add the footnote here that talk 48 00:03:31,235 --> 00:03:34,555 Speaker 1: like that cost Fox News seven hundred and eighty seven 49 00:03:34,635 --> 00:03:38,315 Speaker 1: million dollars after Dominion sued them but did not sue 50 00:03:38,435 --> 00:03:43,075 Speaker 1: Mike Johnson. All Mike Johnson got was to become Speaker 51 00:03:43,115 --> 00:03:46,915 Speaker 1: of the House, which circles back to lawsuits and Johnson's 52 00:03:46,955 --> 00:03:50,475 Speaker 1: fervent conviction that the only reason, and he still feels 53 00:03:50,475 --> 00:03:53,395 Speaker 1: this way, that Trump did not overturn the twenty twenty 54 00:03:53,395 --> 00:03:56,075 Speaker 1: election was that he did not have good enough lawyers 55 00:03:56,915 --> 00:04:02,555 Speaker 1: he only had Rudy Giuliani. Back to the January fifth meeting, 56 00:04:02,595 --> 00:04:06,115 Speaker 1: which the Washington Post reports separately was at the House's 57 00:04:06,275 --> 00:04:11,315 Speaker 1: Visitor Center. Visitors to the House on January fifth irony There, 58 00:04:11,955 --> 00:04:16,395 Speaker 1: the Post says, Johnson constructed elaborate constitutional talking points to 59 00:04:16,715 --> 00:04:22,195 Speaker 1: use so his fellow Republican congressman could justify overturning an 60 00:04:22,275 --> 00:04:27,435 Speaker 1: election for constitutional reasons, not for fraud reasons, not for 61 00:04:27,635 --> 00:04:33,395 Speaker 1: usurpation reasons, per Politico. Johnson continued to argue on January 62 00:04:33,395 --> 00:04:35,915 Speaker 1: fifth that the next day the House had to object 63 00:04:35,995 --> 00:04:38,795 Speaker 1: to counting the electoral votes submitted by at least a 64 00:04:38,835 --> 00:04:41,435 Speaker 1: minimum number of states won by Joe Biden, and he 65 00:04:41,555 --> 00:04:44,955 Speaker 1: threw in somebody he thought was on his side and 66 00:04:45,075 --> 00:04:50,875 Speaker 1: Trump's side in the whole dispute God. Politico quotes Johnson 67 00:04:50,915 --> 00:04:54,515 Speaker 1: on January fifth as saying, this is a very weighty decision. 68 00:04:54,835 --> 00:04:58,315 Speaker 1: All of us have prayed for God's discernment. I know 69 00:04:58,555 --> 00:05:03,155 Speaker 1: I've prayed for each of you individually. Well he was 70 00:05:03,235 --> 00:05:06,115 Speaker 1: praying for Politico. Rep awarded was that they would all 71 00:05:06,195 --> 00:05:10,635 Speaker 1: join him in blocking certification. There was pushback at the 72 00:05:10,715 --> 00:05:13,955 Speaker 1: January fifth meeting from Republican congressman like Don Bacon and 73 00:05:14,035 --> 00:05:17,515 Speaker 1: Chip Roy. If you're wondering where the providence of the 74 00:05:17,595 --> 00:05:21,635 Speaker 1: quote record of this meeting that suddenly appeared after Johnson's election, 75 00:05:22,755 --> 00:05:26,235 Speaker 1: and where this all might have come from Politico quotes Huh, 76 00:05:26,355 --> 00:05:30,075 Speaker 1: chip Roy is telling Johnson on January fifth, quote, let 77 00:05:30,155 --> 00:05:32,995 Speaker 1: us not turn the last firewall for liberty we have 78 00:05:33,115 --> 00:05:36,635 Speaker 1: remaining on its head in a bit of populist rage 79 00:05:36,675 --> 00:05:41,555 Speaker 1: for political expediency. Golly, I can't guess who gave Politico 80 00:05:41,635 --> 00:05:45,995 Speaker 1: the record. Of course, chip Roy and Don Bacon both 81 00:05:46,155 --> 00:05:51,715 Speaker 1: voted for Mike Johnson yesterday. They all did. They all 82 00:05:51,795 --> 00:05:55,835 Speaker 1: voted for him a couple of presents. Nobody voted against him. 83 00:05:55,995 --> 00:05:58,475 Speaker 1: And it is in retrospect amazing that it even took 84 00:05:58,515 --> 00:06:02,115 Speaker 1: the idiots in the House GOP caucus that long to 85 00:06:02,315 --> 00:06:07,035 Speaker 1: find their Johnson with both hands, he checks all the boxes. 86 00:06:07,475 --> 00:06:12,315 Speaker 1: Full on election denihialist nihilists, as noted above, full on 87 00:06:12,395 --> 00:06:17,675 Speaker 1: homophobe wrote newspaper editorials advocating for the criminalization of gay sex. 88 00:06:17,955 --> 00:06:20,675 Speaker 1: Quote your race, creed, and sex are what you are, 89 00:06:21,075 --> 00:06:25,115 Speaker 1: while homosexuality and cross dressing are things you do. States 90 00:06:25,155 --> 00:06:30,595 Speaker 1: have many legitimate grounds to proscribe same sex deviate sexual intercourse, 91 00:06:31,875 --> 00:06:36,675 Speaker 1: full on forced breeder. He tweeted advocating jail time for 92 00:06:36,795 --> 00:06:41,075 Speaker 1: Louisiana doctors who provide reproductive care to women. Quote for 93 00:06:41,235 --> 00:06:43,795 Speaker 1: form an abortion and get imprisoned at hard labor for 94 00:06:43,875 --> 00:06:46,715 Speaker 1: one to ten years and find ten to one hundred 95 00:06:46,755 --> 00:06:52,235 Speaker 1: thousand dollars full on forcing of religion. He defended programs 96 00:06:52,235 --> 00:06:56,435 Speaker 1: at twenty five public universities like Louisiana State as In 97 00:06:56,595 --> 00:07:02,315 Speaker 1: State school that paid with taxpayer money for Christian chaplains 98 00:07:02,315 --> 00:07:06,595 Speaker 1: for their football teams. He insists the first requires student 99 00:07:06,755 --> 00:07:11,675 Speaker 1: led prayers in public schools. This guy is effing nuts, 100 00:07:13,235 --> 00:07:18,595 Speaker 1: full on Hunter Biden DOJ paranoid conspiracy theorist. He liked 101 00:07:18,675 --> 00:07:22,635 Speaker 1: tweets on the subject by Stephen Miller, Matt Gates, and others. 102 00:07:22,795 --> 00:07:26,835 Speaker 1: He demanded Biden administration officials testify three years after he 103 00:07:26,875 --> 00:07:31,155 Speaker 1: demanded the Trump administration officials ignore how subpoena is because 104 00:07:31,675 --> 00:07:37,475 Speaker 1: executive privilege. Full on theocrat. He's the former senior spokesman 105 00:07:37,515 --> 00:07:42,675 Speaker 1: for the ironically named Alliance Defending Freedom, which sues to 106 00:07:42,835 --> 00:07:46,755 Speaker 1: overturn abortion rights, to overturn LGBTQ rights. In order to 107 00:07:46,835 --> 00:07:49,995 Speaker 1: work for the Alliance, you must publicly take an oath 108 00:07:50,035 --> 00:07:55,475 Speaker 1: insisting that you believe God opposes gay people, abortion, transgender therapy, 109 00:07:55,995 --> 00:08:00,875 Speaker 1: anybody who doesn't believe in Jesus Christ and God opposes divorce, 110 00:08:02,395 --> 00:08:09,515 Speaker 1: and most importantly, Mike Johnson is full on anonymous. Politico 111 00:08:09,715 --> 00:08:13,235 Speaker 1: asked Senator Tom Barrasso, number three Republican in the Senate, 112 00:08:13,275 --> 00:08:16,555 Speaker 1: about Johnson. I don't know him. I know what I've 113 00:08:16,555 --> 00:08:20,395 Speaker 1: read in the paper. CNN asked Susan Collins about working 114 00:08:20,395 --> 00:08:24,835 Speaker 1: with Johnson. She said she doesn't know him but was 115 00:08:24,875 --> 00:08:29,235 Speaker 1: going to google him this morning. My god, it actually 116 00:08:29,315 --> 00:08:32,515 Speaker 1: makes you yearn for Susan Collins saying something smarter than that, like, 117 00:08:32,755 --> 00:08:36,555 Speaker 1: I don't know, like Johnson has learned his lesson. And yet, 118 00:08:36,595 --> 00:08:39,195 Speaker 1: while Mike Johnson has ascended out of the wreckage of 119 00:08:39,235 --> 00:08:41,995 Speaker 1: the Republican Party and has already begun to enslave what 120 00:08:42,155 --> 00:08:45,155 Speaker 1: is left of it into fealty to Trump and MAGA, 121 00:08:45,595 --> 00:08:47,395 Speaker 1: while he's made it to the top by virtue of 122 00:08:47,435 --> 00:08:50,795 Speaker 1: having no public profile and no rap sheet and no enemies, 123 00:08:51,075 --> 00:08:54,195 Speaker 1: there is a hidden time bomb that could and I 124 00:08:54,235 --> 00:08:58,075 Speaker 1: emphasized this as a long shot. Only long shots seem 125 00:08:58,115 --> 00:09:00,835 Speaker 1: to be paying off lately. For America's fascists. There is 126 00:09:00,915 --> 00:09:04,395 Speaker 1: a hidden time bomb, a long shot that could undo 127 00:09:05,115 --> 00:09:09,155 Speaker 1: brand new, freshly minted speaker Mike Johnson because the House 128 00:09:09,555 --> 00:09:15,035 Speaker 1: rule on the vacate the chair motion that off Kevin McCarthy, 129 00:09:15,275 --> 00:09:19,595 Speaker 1: it's still there and it still requires only one member 130 00:09:19,955 --> 00:09:25,795 Speaker 1: to trigger all this all over again. One of the 131 00:09:25,915 --> 00:09:29,595 Speaker 1: largely unaddressed aspects of the disease that is Donald Trump 132 00:09:30,155 --> 00:09:33,435 Speaker 1: is the reality that there is almost no politician or 133 00:09:33,475 --> 00:09:37,395 Speaker 1: public figure he has not embraced then denounced, or denounced 134 00:09:37,555 --> 00:09:41,315 Speaker 1: then embraced. As I often point out as proof of 135 00:09:41,355 --> 00:09:46,075 Speaker 1: my theorem, Donald Trump once wrote a fan letter to me. 136 00:09:47,275 --> 00:09:49,555 Speaker 1: And apart from the fact that the Politico report about 137 00:09:49,555 --> 00:09:53,035 Speaker 1: the January fifth meeting confirms that at least one Republican 138 00:09:53,435 --> 00:09:57,555 Speaker 1: who voted for Mike Johnson yesterday seems to be ready 139 00:09:57,555 --> 00:10:02,635 Speaker 1: to unseat him tomorrow and release that report, Johnson has 140 00:10:02,755 --> 00:10:05,755 Speaker 1: another and in this time when we live through the 141 00:10:05,795 --> 00:10:10,475 Speaker 1: trumping looking glass, potentially far more lethal skeleton in his closet, 142 00:10:11,035 --> 00:10:17,875 Speaker 1: and it is this Mike Johnson criticized Donald Trump on 143 00:10:18,435 --> 00:10:22,915 Speaker 1: January sixth, during the insurrection, we heard. 144 00:10:22,755 --> 00:10:24,395 Speaker 2: A tweet from the Commander in Chief of a moment 145 00:10:24,395 --> 00:10:26,715 Speaker 2: ago support our capitol, police and law enforcement. 146 00:10:26,755 --> 00:10:29,435 Speaker 1: He writes, they're truly on the side of our country. 147 00:10:29,515 --> 00:10:32,515 Speaker 1: Stay peaceful. Does he need to say more? 148 00:10:33,755 --> 00:10:36,035 Speaker 2: That's a good start. But you know, I do believe, 149 00:10:36,115 --> 00:10:38,275 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, I'm a supporter of the president now, 150 00:10:38,795 --> 00:10:40,795 Speaker 2: but this is the time for the commander in chief, 151 00:10:40,835 --> 00:10:43,315 Speaker 2: that the leader of the country, he still is, that 152 00:10:44,635 --> 00:10:47,715 Speaker 2: to step up and call for calm and speak in 153 00:10:47,795 --> 00:10:50,435 Speaker 2: the same tones, you know, to pull. 154 00:10:50,355 --> 00:10:53,755 Speaker 1: Us together to you and I and even most Republicans, 155 00:10:53,875 --> 00:10:56,795 Speaker 1: especially while the barbarians were at the gate looking for 156 00:10:56,875 --> 00:11:02,355 Speaker 1: congressmen and senators and vice presidents to hang. That that's 157 00:11:02,395 --> 00:11:07,675 Speaker 1: nothing to Trump. That would be utter and unforgivable disloyalty. 158 00:11:07,715 --> 00:11:11,315 Speaker 1: And it is unmistakably true that he has clearly never 159 00:11:11,515 --> 00:11:14,875 Speaker 1: heard that clip of the backbencher he just helped turn 160 00:11:14,915 --> 00:11:18,315 Speaker 1: into Speaker of the House, or it has never been 161 00:11:18,355 --> 00:11:21,035 Speaker 1: thrown in his face with the right framing. You do know, sir, 162 00:11:21,755 --> 00:11:23,835 Speaker 1: that this Johnson guy thought you didn't do enough to 163 00:11:23,835 --> 00:11:26,835 Speaker 1: stop the mob on January sixth. You do know that, sir, 164 00:11:27,035 --> 00:11:31,835 Speaker 1: don't you that he blamed you for doing enough? Sir, 165 00:11:34,315 --> 00:11:36,955 Speaker 1: Mike Johnson could very well still be Speaker of the 166 00:11:36,955 --> 00:11:39,435 Speaker 1: House three hundred and seventy seven days from now election 167 00:11:39,555 --> 00:11:43,355 Speaker 1: Day twenty twenty four. He could very well be there 168 00:11:43,395 --> 00:11:46,115 Speaker 1: on certification Day in twenty twenty five to try to 169 00:11:46,195 --> 00:11:50,355 Speaker 1: illegally subvert that presidential election. In a million different ways. 170 00:11:50,715 --> 00:11:53,395 Speaker 1: As he tried to illegally subvert the twenty twenty election, 171 00:11:53,755 --> 00:11:55,835 Speaker 1: he could betray this country again, and this time he 172 00:11:55,915 --> 00:11:59,875 Speaker 1: might not just merely survive a failed coup but get 173 00:11:59,875 --> 00:12:04,955 Speaker 1: away with his scheme. Or somebody might play that of 174 00:12:05,035 --> 00:12:10,435 Speaker 1: him and Bill Hemmer to Trump, and an hour later, 175 00:12:10,795 --> 00:12:14,235 Speaker 1: an even crazier Trump whore than Mike Johnson in Congress 176 00:12:14,635 --> 00:12:18,035 Speaker 1: could submit a motion to vacate the chair. And they'll 177 00:12:18,075 --> 00:12:21,435 Speaker 1: be throwing Mike Johnson's career over there on the pile 178 00:12:22,155 --> 00:12:25,515 Speaker 1: where the careers of Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise and 179 00:12:25,595 --> 00:12:34,435 Speaker 1: Jim Jordan and Tom Error have already started to rot. Here, 180 00:12:34,875 --> 00:12:37,675 Speaker 1: When the hell is a judge in this country going 181 00:12:37,715 --> 00:12:41,715 Speaker 1: to put Trump in jail? Trump would later storm out 182 00:12:41,755 --> 00:12:45,115 Speaker 1: of the court muttering unbelievable to himself when the judge 183 00:12:45,155 --> 00:12:47,755 Speaker 1: turned down his demand that the case against him, in 184 00:12:47,795 --> 00:12:51,715 Speaker 1: which he is clearly incredibly guilty, be immediately dismissed, but 185 00:12:51,755 --> 00:12:55,195 Speaker 1: at lunchtime he takes the break in the civil fraud 186 00:12:55,235 --> 00:12:58,035 Speaker 1: trial in New York, holds an impromptu news conference on 187 00:12:58,075 --> 00:13:00,675 Speaker 1: the courthouse steps as he was told by Judge Angeron 188 00:13:00,875 --> 00:13:04,595 Speaker 1: not to, and five days after anger On find him 189 00:13:04,755 --> 00:13:07,715 Speaker 1: five grand for breaking the gag order by leaving up 190 00:13:07,755 --> 00:13:12,115 Speaker 1: online and attack on Ngeron's court clerk. Trump again attacks 191 00:13:12,675 --> 00:13:16,035 Speaker 1: the court clerk well judges. 192 00:13:16,555 --> 00:13:20,195 Speaker 2: Very yes, with the person who is very farnes sitting 193 00:13:20,235 --> 00:13:20,995 Speaker 2: along that at the. 194 00:13:21,435 --> 00:13:27,115 Speaker 1: Grass even than he is. The judge was furious. Trump's 195 00:13:27,115 --> 00:13:30,755 Speaker 1: ambulance chasers insisted the reference wasn't to the clerk but 196 00:13:30,875 --> 00:13:34,915 Speaker 1: to the the witness, Michael Cohen, and because they and 197 00:13:34,955 --> 00:13:37,635 Speaker 1: Trump have spent their lives inside the shadow of a 198 00:13:37,675 --> 00:13:40,075 Speaker 1: doubt and thus getting away with it whatever it is. 199 00:13:40,395 --> 00:13:46,035 Speaker 1: And Geron's fury resulted in Trump being fined ten thousand dollars. 200 00:13:47,435 --> 00:13:50,275 Speaker 1: Now I no longer believe anything about dementia j Trump. 201 00:13:50,355 --> 00:13:53,475 Speaker 1: I do not believe he has ten thousand dollars. But 202 00:13:53,595 --> 00:13:57,115 Speaker 1: the judges, like our layman judges in the news media, 203 00:13:57,155 --> 00:14:00,275 Speaker 1: are so terrified of appearing biased against him. What a 204 00:14:00,395 --> 00:14:03,955 Speaker 1: terrible thing. You're a judge, You're biased against the worst 205 00:14:03,995 --> 00:14:07,035 Speaker 1: criminal of the mayor and history. Shame, shame, shame on you. 206 00:14:08,675 --> 00:14:12,275 Speaker 1: They're so afraid of being judged as biased against him 207 00:14:12,395 --> 00:14:14,675 Speaker 1: that they are bending over backwards to treat him in 208 00:14:14,675 --> 00:14:18,955 Speaker 1: a way that you or I, or a drug dealer 209 00:14:19,075 --> 00:14:22,515 Speaker 1: or a murderer or somebody who merely owed thousands in 210 00:14:22,675 --> 00:14:27,395 Speaker 1: unpaid parking tickets would not be treated. Trump leaves up 211 00:14:27,395 --> 00:14:30,715 Speaker 1: an image of the post you ordered him to take down. 212 00:14:31,475 --> 00:14:36,075 Speaker 1: His lawyers say it was inadvertent. Screw them, screw him, 213 00:14:36,395 --> 00:14:38,275 Speaker 1: find him in contempt, and put him in jail for 214 00:14:38,315 --> 00:14:41,635 Speaker 1: the weekend. Then he comes out and attacks your clerk 215 00:14:41,675 --> 00:14:43,955 Speaker 1: to the news media. His lawyers say he never mentioned 216 00:14:43,995 --> 00:14:46,795 Speaker 1: anybody by name. In fact, he was returning to somebody else. 217 00:14:47,515 --> 00:14:50,955 Speaker 1: Screw them, screw him, find him in contempt, and put 218 00:14:50,995 --> 00:14:54,675 Speaker 1: him in jail for the week Or if you do 219 00:14:54,755 --> 00:14:56,595 Speaker 1: not have the courage to do that, if you do 220 00:14:56,675 --> 00:14:59,875 Speaker 1: not have the foresight to realize that all of our 221 00:15:00,075 --> 00:15:05,435 Speaker 1: other institutional protections against would be mad men dictators failed. 222 00:15:05,995 --> 00:15:08,075 Speaker 1: The news media has failed, the Congress has failed, the 223 00:15:08,115 --> 00:15:11,715 Speaker 1: electoral system has failed. If you cannot imprison him, if 224 00:15:11,715 --> 00:15:14,075 Speaker 1: you do not have the balls to imprison him for 225 00:15:14,195 --> 00:15:17,715 Speaker 1: things you would imprison me for then when you find him, 226 00:15:17,915 --> 00:15:21,635 Speaker 1: make sure he feels it, make sure his supporters feel it, 227 00:15:22,075 --> 00:15:24,635 Speaker 1: make sure it overwhelms every other story on the news 228 00:15:24,675 --> 00:15:27,595 Speaker 1: everywhere in the world. You want to play this game, Trump, Fine, 229 00:15:27,675 --> 00:15:29,515 Speaker 1: we will play it, and we will play it at 230 00:15:29,675 --> 00:15:33,075 Speaker 1: your level. You say, marri Lago is worth one billion, 231 00:15:33,155 --> 00:15:36,595 Speaker 1: five hundred million dollars. That's what this trial is all about. Fine, 232 00:15:36,635 --> 00:15:39,435 Speaker 1: mister Trump, for violating the gag order. You are hereby 233 00:15:39,555 --> 00:15:44,675 Speaker 1: find one billion, six hundred million dollars. Pay the clerk 234 00:15:44,835 --> 00:15:54,435 Speaker 1: on your way out, asshole. Also of interest here speaking 235 00:15:54,475 --> 00:15:58,515 Speaker 1: of horrors, Hoham and other Clarence Thomas scandal, but this 236 00:15:58,555 --> 00:16:00,955 Speaker 1: one was only worth two hundred and sixty seven thousand, 237 00:16:00,995 --> 00:16:04,275 Speaker 1: so it'll barely get a mention anywhere. The good news 238 00:16:04,955 --> 00:16:08,315 Speaker 1: they may have found the workaround for Tommy Tubberville's hold 239 00:16:08,355 --> 00:16:11,995 Speaker 1: on military promotions. The bad news the Mayor of New 240 00:16:12,075 --> 00:16:15,275 Speaker 1: York has said it again. He is the mayor of 241 00:16:15,315 --> 00:16:23,315 Speaker 1: New York because God made him mayor huge if true, 242 00:16:23,795 --> 00:16:25,315 Speaker 1: that's next. This is countdown. 243 00:16:26,595 --> 00:16:44,035 Speaker 3: This is countdown with Keith Oldwoman. This is sports Senate. Wait, 244 00:16:44,235 --> 00:16:51,475 Speaker 3: check that not anymore. This is countdown with Keith. 245 00:16:51,275 --> 00:16:55,675 Speaker 1: Alberman in sports the quick evolution of being a sports 246 00:16:55,715 --> 00:16:59,835 Speaker 1: fan and reporter. When you become a fan as a kid, 247 00:16:59,835 --> 00:17:04,235 Speaker 1: there are baseball managers so old that they were born 248 00:17:04,475 --> 00:17:08,435 Speaker 1: in in the previous century. At some point before you 249 00:17:08,475 --> 00:17:11,035 Speaker 1: get out of high school, probably somebody you saw play 250 00:17:11,115 --> 00:17:15,915 Speaker 1: baseball becomes a manager, and you suddenly feel old. By 251 00:17:15,955 --> 00:17:19,155 Speaker 1: your thirties, all of the managers used to be players 252 00:17:19,155 --> 00:17:22,475 Speaker 1: you saw play. By your fifties, all of the managers 253 00:17:22,555 --> 00:17:25,435 Speaker 1: used to be players you interviewed, or, if you're me, 254 00:17:26,195 --> 00:17:28,115 Speaker 1: people who tell you they used to watch you on 255 00:17:28,155 --> 00:17:31,635 Speaker 1: Sports Center when they were in the minor leagues. And 256 00:17:31,675 --> 00:17:34,555 Speaker 1: by my current age going on sixty five, the managers 257 00:17:35,275 --> 00:17:38,315 Speaker 1: who did not reach the managers as players until you 258 00:17:38,395 --> 00:17:40,515 Speaker 1: had already been a fan for a couple of years. 259 00:17:40,915 --> 00:17:47,395 Speaker 1: Those managers are retiring already. Johnny b Dusty Baker has 260 00:17:47,555 --> 00:17:51,715 Speaker 1: quit managing, bowing out after his Houston Astros lost the 261 00:17:51,755 --> 00:17:54,315 Speaker 1: American League Championship Series. He reached the majors as a 262 00:17:54,355 --> 00:17:57,555 Speaker 1: player in nineteen sixty eight. I first met him and 263 00:17:57,595 --> 00:18:00,315 Speaker 1: interviewed him at the nineteen seventy seven World Series. He 264 00:18:00,355 --> 00:18:02,795 Speaker 1: became a manager in nineteen ninety three. A year after 265 00:18:02,835 --> 00:18:05,715 Speaker 1: I started to host Sports Center. He managed the Giants, 266 00:18:05,795 --> 00:18:08,075 Speaker 1: the Cubs, the Reds, the Nationals, and finally the Astros 267 00:18:08,275 --> 00:18:10,875 Speaker 1: with whom he finally won a World Series last year. 268 00:18:11,435 --> 00:18:14,235 Speaker 1: He's seventy four years old. I don't believe he has 269 00:18:14,315 --> 00:18:17,195 Speaker 1: ever forgotten the name of anybody he has ever met 270 00:18:17,235 --> 00:18:20,435 Speaker 1: on a baseball field. I am not certain he is 271 00:18:20,475 --> 00:18:24,555 Speaker 1: a great strategic in game manager. But please find me 272 00:18:24,635 --> 00:18:27,035 Speaker 1: somebody who will say anything more critical of him than that, 273 00:18:27,435 --> 00:18:30,515 Speaker 1: and I will be very surprised. I'll also be surprised 274 00:18:30,515 --> 00:18:32,435 Speaker 1: if somebody does not try to talk him out of 275 00:18:32,435 --> 00:18:36,075 Speaker 1: retirement in the next few years. There's another category of 276 00:18:36,075 --> 00:18:38,995 Speaker 1: baseball manager, too, the guy who used to ride the 277 00:18:39,035 --> 00:18:42,395 Speaker 1: subway with I knew Bob Melvin a little bit when 278 00:18:42,395 --> 00:18:44,435 Speaker 1: he was a player and a manager, and then in 279 00:18:44,435 --> 00:18:47,635 Speaker 1: twenty ten he became a consultant for the New York Mets, 280 00:18:48,115 --> 00:18:51,675 Speaker 1: and by chance, we used to sit together during the games, 281 00:18:51,795 --> 00:18:55,835 Speaker 1: and we became fast friends. And we took the subway 282 00:18:56,115 --> 00:18:58,675 Speaker 1: from the ballpark, and he'd never been on it before, 283 00:18:58,755 --> 00:19:01,075 Speaker 1: and he loved it and started taking it all the time. 284 00:19:01,355 --> 00:19:03,275 Speaker 1: And I can now tell you that I even wrote 285 00:19:03,315 --> 00:19:06,675 Speaker 1: a letter of recommendation to a baseball owner on Bob's 286 00:19:06,675 --> 00:19:10,875 Speaker 1: behalf for a managerial job. He did not get their mistake, 287 00:19:11,355 --> 00:19:14,275 Speaker 1: and that Bob has been to my apartment for the 288 00:19:14,315 --> 00:19:18,715 Speaker 1: specific purpose of meeting my dogs. Bob is now going 289 00:19:18,755 --> 00:19:21,955 Speaker 1: to tie Dusty Baker with five different teams managed. The 290 00:19:21,955 --> 00:19:24,995 Speaker 1: record is only six. He will leave the San Diego 291 00:19:24,995 --> 00:19:27,635 Speaker 1: Padres to run the San Francisco Giants next season. What 292 00:19:27,715 --> 00:19:30,715 Speaker 1: is amazing is that Bob became a manager in two 293 00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:32,555 Speaker 1: thousand and three, and the only year he has not 294 00:19:32,675 --> 00:19:35,595 Speaker 1: been a major league manager was twenty ten, the year 295 00:19:35,635 --> 00:19:39,555 Speaker 1: he and I became commuter friends. And to dive into 296 00:19:39,675 --> 00:19:43,075 Speaker 1: the I'm So Old pool one last time on the 297 00:19:43,075 --> 00:19:47,595 Speaker 1: simple premise that it's gonna happen to you too, if 298 00:19:47,635 --> 00:19:50,835 Speaker 1: you're lucky. The ten nominees have been announced for the 299 00:19:50,835 --> 00:19:54,475 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four to Ford Frick Award, enshrinement in the 300 00:19:54,515 --> 00:19:57,875 Speaker 1: Baseball Hall of Fame for a baseball announcer, which should 301 00:19:57,915 --> 00:20:00,995 Speaker 1: be renamed the Vince Scully Award. Anyway, you're ready for 302 00:20:00,995 --> 00:20:04,475 Speaker 1: this list of ten. Joe Buck I worked with him 303 00:20:04,475 --> 00:20:06,795 Speaker 1: for the three seasons at Fox, including the two thousand 304 00:20:06,795 --> 00:20:10,675 Speaker 1: World Series. Joe Costigliono the Red Sox. I never worked 305 00:20:10,675 --> 00:20:14,115 Speaker 1: with him, but he and I were rookie Boston sportscasters 306 00:20:14,115 --> 00:20:17,715 Speaker 1: together thirty nine years ago. Gary Cohen of the Mets 307 00:20:17,755 --> 00:20:20,595 Speaker 1: not only a dear friend, but a decade ago Gary's 308 00:20:20,635 --> 00:20:24,195 Speaker 1: mother revealed we were second generation friends, that she had 309 00:20:24,235 --> 00:20:27,835 Speaker 1: been pre pubescent pals with my uncle Bill in the 310 00:20:27,875 --> 00:20:34,395 Speaker 1: Bronx on weeks Avenue in nineteen fricking forty three. Jacques 311 00:20:34,475 --> 00:20:36,555 Speaker 1: Ducet of the Expos I never met him, but I 312 00:20:36,595 --> 00:20:40,435 Speaker 1: heard him on Expo's French broadcast during vacations to Montreal 313 00:20:40,475 --> 00:20:43,835 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty nine and nineteen seventy. Tom Hamilton of 314 00:20:43,955 --> 00:20:47,635 Speaker 1: the Cleveland Guardians, I actually don't know him. The late 315 00:20:47,755 --> 00:20:50,195 Speaker 1: Ernie Johnson, senior of the Braves. I worked with him 316 00:20:50,195 --> 00:20:51,915 Speaker 1: when I was at CNN, and he and the other 317 00:20:51,955 --> 00:20:54,075 Speaker 1: Braves announcers used to do stuff with us during the 318 00:20:54,115 --> 00:20:57,315 Speaker 1: off season. As fine a guy as his son. Ken 319 00:20:57,395 --> 00:20:59,635 Speaker 1: Korach of the A's amed him in spring training once 320 00:20:59,675 --> 00:21:03,035 Speaker 1: delightful guy, long talk about life. Mike Cruco and Dwayne 321 00:21:03,115 --> 00:21:05,795 Speaker 1: Kuiper of the San Francisco Giant it's friends of mine 322 00:21:05,835 --> 00:21:08,395 Speaker 1: since the nineties. Although Kuiper is mad at me at 323 00:21:08,435 --> 00:21:11,475 Speaker 1: the moment, possibly because I wrote the biography on his 324 00:21:11,595 --> 00:21:14,915 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy six baseball card, the front of which shows 325 00:21:14,915 --> 00:21:18,235 Speaker 1: a picture of somebody else. I texted with Mike Kruco 326 00:21:18,355 --> 00:21:21,435 Speaker 1: yesterday and Dan Shulman of the Blue Jays and ESPN, 327 00:21:21,755 --> 00:21:23,955 Speaker 1: and he and I first worked together in nineteen ninety 328 00:21:23,955 --> 00:21:26,355 Speaker 1: three when we tried to hire him away to join 329 00:21:26,435 --> 00:21:29,475 Speaker 1: us on ESPN Radio. Only ESPN was too cheap to 330 00:21:29,515 --> 00:21:32,395 Speaker 1: pay him to move from Toronto. And I texted with 331 00:21:32,475 --> 00:21:38,955 Speaker 1: him yesterday too. Ten nominees three I worked with four 332 00:21:39,195 --> 00:21:43,395 Speaker 1: good friends, So don't ask me who to vote for. 333 00:21:44,155 --> 00:22:20,715 Speaker 1: That's baseball. Thank you, Nancy Faust. And by the way, 334 00:22:20,715 --> 00:22:25,475 Speaker 1: why don't they have a section four organists at the 335 00:22:25,475 --> 00:22:52,595 Speaker 1: Baseball Hall of Fame? Huh? Asking for a friend? Still 336 00:22:52,635 --> 00:22:55,315 Speaker 1: ahead on countdown? You know what's been lost in American life? 337 00:22:55,555 --> 00:23:02,115 Speaker 1: The intricate, complicated, rehearsed, mean spirited, practical joke. It was 338 00:23:02,195 --> 00:23:04,595 Speaker 1: my pleasure forty one years ago this month to party 339 00:23:04,675 --> 00:23:07,275 Speaker 1: surveying the best one I have ever witnessed, in which 340 00:23:07,315 --> 00:23:08,955 Speaker 1: we got a guy from the New York Times to 341 00:23:08,995 --> 00:23:13,075 Speaker 1: believe that he had just missed the biggest sports story 342 00:23:13,155 --> 00:23:18,195 Speaker 1: of the year. The djanofsky prank in Things I promised 343 00:23:18,195 --> 00:23:20,235 Speaker 1: not to tell Next first time for the daily round 344 00:23:20,275 --> 00:23:22,715 Speaker 1: up of the miscreants, morons and dunning Kruger effect specimens 345 00:23:22,795 --> 00:23:28,435 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons in the world, runs Tommy 346 00:23:28,515 --> 00:23:32,755 Speaker 1: the Tuba Tubberville, the all ears senator from Alabama who 347 00:23:32,755 --> 00:23:35,435 Speaker 1: has been blocking nearly all military promotions while the Middle 348 00:23:35,475 --> 00:23:37,435 Speaker 1: East is at war and Ukraine is going on and 349 00:23:37,475 --> 00:23:40,235 Speaker 1: the Chinese continue to mess around in Asian waters, and 350 00:23:40,915 --> 00:23:44,075 Speaker 1: they may have shut him down. Bunch Bowl News reporting 351 00:23:44,115 --> 00:23:46,715 Speaker 1: that Senate Democrats are preparing a resolution to send to 352 00:23:46,755 --> 00:23:50,355 Speaker 1: the Senate Rules Committee that would allow the promotions, all 353 00:23:50,355 --> 00:23:53,275 Speaker 1: of them to go through except for members of the 354 00:23:53,315 --> 00:23:56,795 Speaker 1: Joint Chiefs or the Unified Combat Commands. All of these 355 00:23:56,875 --> 00:24:01,035 Speaker 1: promotions to be voted on in one bill, thus thwarting 356 00:24:01,155 --> 00:24:04,955 Speaker 1: Senator Dumbo. The Rules Committee will rule on how many 357 00:24:04,995 --> 00:24:08,115 Speaker 1: votes would be required. Punch Bowl reports Tuberville has heard 358 00:24:08,115 --> 00:24:10,395 Speaker 1: about the effort, and with those ears, how could he 359 00:24:10,435 --> 00:24:14,115 Speaker 1: have not had the runner up? Good old Supreme Court 360 00:24:14,315 --> 00:24:19,115 Speaker 1: justice and judicial prostitute Clarence Thomas. There's a scandal about 361 00:24:19,155 --> 00:24:22,555 Speaker 1: him and money. I know, I know you've heard this before. 362 00:24:23,115 --> 00:24:25,195 Speaker 1: Now this is a different scandal about him and money. 363 00:24:25,315 --> 00:24:27,555 Speaker 1: The New York Times says the Senate Finance Committee has 364 00:24:27,635 --> 00:24:31,595 Speaker 1: unearthed evidence about and is investigating the loan that good 365 00:24:31,635 --> 00:24:34,675 Speaker 1: old Claire took in nineteen ninety nine to buy that 366 00:24:34,915 --> 00:24:37,875 Speaker 1: RV that he loves so very much, because it puts 367 00:24:37,955 --> 00:24:39,995 Speaker 1: him out on the road so he can meet the 368 00:24:39,995 --> 00:24:43,915 Speaker 1: people whose lives he ruins for cash two hundred and 369 00:24:43,995 --> 00:24:47,275 Speaker 1: sixty seven thousand, two hundred and thirty dollars in a 370 00:24:47,355 --> 00:24:52,155 Speaker 1: loan for a motor coach alone from healthcare industry mogul 371 00:24:52,195 --> 00:24:55,995 Speaker 1: Anthony Welters, and in two thousand and eight, Welters simply 372 00:24:56,435 --> 00:25:00,795 Speaker 1: wrote off this loan two hundred and sixty seven thousand dollars. 373 00:25:00,835 --> 00:25:03,115 Speaker 1: It's unclear how much Thomas had paid back by then, 374 00:25:03,195 --> 00:25:06,315 Speaker 1: if anything of it. Thomas has refused to comment on 375 00:25:06,355 --> 00:25:08,755 Speaker 1: the Time story, but the far right apparently remains very 376 00:25:08,795 --> 00:25:11,595 Speaker 1: surprised that the rest of us are allowed to discuss this, 377 00:25:12,035 --> 00:25:16,075 Speaker 1: because they're the Supreme Court and they own us. Remember, 378 00:25:17,515 --> 00:25:21,915 Speaker 1: but our winner, New York Mayor Eric Adams, We've heard 379 00:25:21,915 --> 00:25:25,155 Speaker 1: this before. The mayor believes he was put in office 380 00:25:26,035 --> 00:25:29,715 Speaker 1: by God. I thank god, I'm the mayor right now. 381 00:25:30,555 --> 00:25:33,875 Speaker 1: And the more famous nonsense statement quote, there is no 382 00:25:33,955 --> 00:25:36,555 Speaker 1: way God created me for this moment if he did 383 00:25:36,555 --> 00:25:43,035 Speaker 1: not believe this was my moment. Whatever that means. Now, 384 00:25:43,075 --> 00:25:45,635 Speaker 1: those are great in their own way, but it's something 385 00:25:45,675 --> 00:25:49,115 Speaker 1: else when you actually hear him saying it while it 386 00:25:49,195 --> 00:25:54,635 Speaker 1: is being simultaneously translated into Spanish. Mayor Adams has gone 387 00:25:54,635 --> 00:25:59,075 Speaker 1: on a New York Spanish language religion show Radio Vision Christiana, 388 00:25:59,835 --> 00:26:02,235 Speaker 1: and he let one. 389 00:26:02,155 --> 00:26:06,475 Speaker 4: Rip I am mayor be because God gave me the 390 00:26:06,515 --> 00:26:12,035 Speaker 4: authority to be mayor soyl Cande barge Cane, and He 391 00:26:12,115 --> 00:26:15,035 Speaker 4: placed in the hearts of the voters to give me 392 00:26:15,115 --> 00:26:21,915 Speaker 4: that authority, he pus. Sometimes we miss how God operates. 393 00:26:21,995 --> 00:26:24,835 Speaker 1: See, I don't mind you thinking God put you somewhere. 394 00:26:25,275 --> 00:26:27,995 Speaker 1: I don't mind if you believe. You don't believe you 395 00:26:27,995 --> 00:26:31,475 Speaker 1: think the universe is run by an omniscient walrus named Chumley. 396 00:26:32,275 --> 00:26:35,275 Speaker 1: Have fun. But see when you go public like this, 397 00:26:35,395 --> 00:26:38,795 Speaker 1: Mayor Adams, you make a dick out of yourself, out 398 00:26:38,835 --> 00:26:41,715 Speaker 1: of all of us here in big town. Because if 399 00:26:41,795 --> 00:26:47,235 Speaker 1: Chumley or God or whatever really did put you in 400 00:26:47,315 --> 00:26:50,675 Speaker 1: as Mayor of New York, that necessarily means that God 401 00:26:50,755 --> 00:26:53,715 Speaker 1: put all the other mayors of New York. In as 402 00:26:53,795 --> 00:26:57,715 Speaker 1: mayors of New York, God decided Rudy Giuliani was a 403 00:26:57,715 --> 00:27:03,355 Speaker 1: good call. He chose Fernando Wood, the pro secessionists, who 404 00:27:03,435 --> 00:27:06,995 Speaker 1: let two rival gangs of cops fight it out on 405 00:27:07,075 --> 00:27:11,995 Speaker 1: the steps of city Hall. God selected Jimmy Walker, who 406 00:27:12,075 --> 00:27:14,555 Speaker 1: was so corrupt that the bank stopped loaning the city 407 00:27:14,635 --> 00:27:17,115 Speaker 1: any money because he was stealing most of it, and 408 00:27:17,155 --> 00:27:20,315 Speaker 1: whose cops used to arrest innocent women and accuse them 409 00:27:20,315 --> 00:27:23,675 Speaker 1: of prostitution unless they paid them bribes, and who, when 410 00:27:23,715 --> 00:27:26,475 Speaker 1: they finally caught him, made a plea deal in which, 411 00:27:26,875 --> 00:27:29,515 Speaker 1: on top of everything else, he had to immediately get 412 00:27:29,515 --> 00:27:33,395 Speaker 1: on a cruise ship and leave the country for Europe 413 00:27:33,435 --> 00:27:37,035 Speaker 1: for years. See, mister mayor, if you want to think 414 00:27:37,075 --> 00:27:40,235 Speaker 1: that God puts you in office, go nuts. But if 415 00:27:40,235 --> 00:27:43,635 Speaker 1: he put you in office, that means he put all 416 00:27:43,675 --> 00:27:46,995 Speaker 1: them schmucks in office too. And maybe you have to wonder, 417 00:27:47,035 --> 00:27:49,715 Speaker 1: mister Adams, did he put you in office as some 418 00:27:49,755 --> 00:27:53,875 Speaker 1: sort of tribute to your greatness or as some kind 419 00:27:53,875 --> 00:27:59,675 Speaker 1: of punishment? Mayor, Eric, don't blame me. I voted for 420 00:27:59,715 --> 00:28:06,715 Speaker 1: the garbage commissioner. Lady Adams two days worse person in 421 00:28:06,915 --> 00:28:24,515 Speaker 1: the world. In March of nineteen eighty two, I went 422 00:28:24,675 --> 00:28:30,075 Speaker 1: from scheduled freelancer to full time as CNN's national sports 423 00:28:30,115 --> 00:28:33,555 Speaker 1: correspondent based in New York. I have mentioned previously that 424 00:28:33,635 --> 00:28:36,515 Speaker 1: they rewarded me by offering me one thousand dollars less 425 00:28:36,515 --> 00:28:38,755 Speaker 1: a year than they were giving me freelance, which tells 426 00:28:38,755 --> 00:28:40,915 Speaker 1: you everything you need to know about working in television. 427 00:28:41,995 --> 00:28:45,155 Speaker 1: CNN also rewarded me by sending me to the first 428 00:28:45,195 --> 00:28:48,995 Speaker 1: meeting of the NFL Players Association and the NFL Management 429 00:28:49,035 --> 00:28:52,995 Speaker 1: Council to negotiate a new contract and avert a strike. 430 00:28:53,475 --> 00:28:57,795 Speaker 1: That year. Kind of missed that target, but while I 431 00:28:57,875 --> 00:29:00,115 Speaker 1: did lots of other stories in my first full year 432 00:29:00,155 --> 00:29:04,555 Speaker 1: at CNN, I was the football strike guy until that 433 00:29:04,835 --> 00:29:07,235 Speaker 1: strike was settled and a new deal was approved at 434 00:29:07,275 --> 00:29:09,355 Speaker 1: a mass meeting in Washington. And the mass meeting in 435 00:29:09,435 --> 00:29:13,235 Speaker 1: Washington currd just before Thanksgiving like forty years ago today, 436 00:29:13,875 --> 00:29:16,515 Speaker 1: and the damn story had started forty years ago last March. 437 00:29:18,315 --> 00:29:22,355 Speaker 1: There are probably fifty seven hundred stories worth telling you 438 00:29:22,395 --> 00:29:25,795 Speaker 1: of covering this thing nearly every day one way or 439 00:29:25,795 --> 00:29:28,995 Speaker 1: the other for eight months, but this one might be 440 00:29:29,075 --> 00:29:33,475 Speaker 1: my favorite. There were I think three other reporters at 441 00:29:33,475 --> 00:29:35,915 Speaker 1: that first bargaining session in New York in March of 442 00:29:35,995 --> 00:29:38,475 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty two. And if these are not the three 443 00:29:38,515 --> 00:29:41,515 Speaker 1: guys I'm thinking of, they became the three guys in 444 00:29:41,555 --> 00:29:44,595 Speaker 1: the subsequent meetings later in March, and then in April 445 00:29:44,635 --> 00:29:47,075 Speaker 1: when we had some in Washington, and throughout the early summer. 446 00:29:47,875 --> 00:29:51,435 Speaker 1: They were Bart Barnes of the Washington Post, Ira Rosenfeld 447 00:29:51,435 --> 00:29:53,955 Speaker 1: of the Associated Press, and Michael Janofski of the New 448 00:29:54,035 --> 00:29:57,715 Speaker 1: York Times. By October, the four of us had been 449 00:29:57,795 --> 00:30:04,075 Speaker 1: joined by maybe one hundred other reporters two hundred. The 450 00:30:04,195 --> 00:30:07,435 Speaker 1: problem with covering any strike, inside sports or outside of 451 00:30:07,475 --> 00:30:09,635 Speaker 1: it is you don't have a lot of news to cover, 452 00:30:10,395 --> 00:30:13,035 Speaker 1: and the only news story your editors or producers or 453 00:30:13,035 --> 00:30:16,915 Speaker 1: readers or viewers want anyway is this one is the 454 00:30:17,035 --> 00:30:20,195 Speaker 1: damn thing over yet, so there was a lot of 455 00:30:20,235 --> 00:30:23,395 Speaker 1: competition among all of us for those few news nuggets 456 00:30:23,395 --> 00:30:27,315 Speaker 1: and sources available to an ever increasing supply of reporters. 457 00:30:27,955 --> 00:30:29,715 Speaker 1: Though I have to say the others, at least the 458 00:30:29,715 --> 00:30:32,035 Speaker 1: originals were all great to me and I to them, 459 00:30:32,635 --> 00:30:34,795 Speaker 1: to the point that when they moved the talks to 460 00:30:34,835 --> 00:30:38,915 Speaker 1: the Hunt Valley Resort Complex in Maryland. United Press International 461 00:30:38,955 --> 00:30:43,395 Speaker 1: and the networks like US called our location Hunt Valley, Maryland. 462 00:30:44,155 --> 00:30:45,995 Speaker 1: But there was such a dearth of news that the 463 00:30:46,035 --> 00:30:49,835 Speaker 1: Associated Press insisted there was no such place as Hunt Valley, Maryland, 464 00:30:49,955 --> 00:30:53,355 Speaker 1: and we were all really in Cockeysville, Maryland. The same 465 00:30:53,395 --> 00:30:57,155 Speaker 1: story would come across the UPI wire dateline Hunt Valley, Maryland, 466 00:30:57,315 --> 00:31:00,435 Speaker 1: and the same story on the AP wire Cockysville, Maryland. 467 00:31:01,475 --> 00:31:05,075 Speaker 1: Then the Associated Press did a story on the dispute 468 00:31:05,195 --> 00:31:08,915 Speaker 1: over the location name. I remember asking Ira Rosenfeld of 469 00:31:08,955 --> 00:31:12,195 Speaker 1: the AP if they had used the dateline Kakysville, just 470 00:31:12,235 --> 00:31:14,595 Speaker 1: so there'd be a dispute, just so he had something 471 00:31:14,595 --> 00:31:21,195 Speaker 1: to write about. He started laughing and walked away anyway. Janofsky, 472 00:31:21,355 --> 00:31:23,835 Speaker 1: the guy from the Times, was the most anxious of 473 00:31:23,875 --> 00:31:29,635 Speaker 1: the bunch. Michael Janofsky was a little abrasive, like literally 474 00:31:29,715 --> 00:31:32,435 Speaker 1: elbowing you out of the way in the scrums with 475 00:31:32,555 --> 00:31:36,075 Speaker 1: media spokesman, or trying to walk those spokesmen out of 476 00:31:36,115 --> 00:31:38,675 Speaker 1: those gaggles and scrums in order to get a one 477 00:31:38,715 --> 00:31:41,595 Speaker 1: on one. I'm from the New York Times, and the 478 00:31:41,635 --> 00:31:43,555 Speaker 1: only thing the owners and the players and the rest 479 00:31:43,555 --> 00:31:46,355 Speaker 1: of US reporters all agreed on was, oh God, here 480 00:31:46,395 --> 00:31:50,275 Speaker 1: comes Danovsky again. So one long night in the resort 481 00:31:50,315 --> 00:31:53,075 Speaker 1: they were using in Kokysville and or Hunt Valley, Maryland, 482 00:31:53,435 --> 00:31:55,155 Speaker 1: one of the Union guys was having a drink with 483 00:31:55,195 --> 00:31:57,875 Speaker 1: a bunch of US media types and we started complaining 484 00:31:57,875 --> 00:32:01,435 Speaker 1: about Jenofsky. And I don't think the prank that was 485 00:32:01,555 --> 00:32:06,555 Speaker 1: hatched was my idea, but I know I was the choreographer. 486 00:32:07,355 --> 00:32:09,795 Speaker 1: The area I had to work with in the hotel 487 00:32:09,915 --> 00:32:12,875 Speaker 1: in which we were permitted to roam ran from a 488 00:32:12,915 --> 00:32:16,195 Speaker 1: swimming pool around a corner, down a one hundred foot 489 00:32:16,195 --> 00:32:19,475 Speaker 1: hallway into the lobby, which was the press room and 490 00:32:19,555 --> 00:32:24,155 Speaker 1: press conference venue. So we waited until we saw Janoski 491 00:32:24,235 --> 00:32:27,075 Speaker 1: go down that hall away from the main lobby and 492 00:32:27,155 --> 00:32:30,355 Speaker 1: around the corner towards the hotel rooms themselves, and then 493 00:32:30,395 --> 00:32:33,995 Speaker 1: at least a dozen of us waited like Evil's school 494 00:32:34,075 --> 00:32:37,195 Speaker 1: kids in the main part of that hallway between the 495 00:32:37,235 --> 00:32:40,315 Speaker 1: swimming pool and the lobby. We sent a spotter to 496 00:32:40,355 --> 00:32:43,515 Speaker 1: stand near the pool to alert us. So as Michael 497 00:32:43,555 --> 00:32:46,435 Speaker 1: Janoski of The New York Times turned the corner one 498 00:32:46,515 --> 00:32:50,675 Speaker 1: hundred feet away, he saw the NFLPA press aid literally 499 00:32:50,995 --> 00:32:54,795 Speaker 1: pushing some of us and everybody yelling, and him saying, fine, 500 00:32:54,915 --> 00:32:57,915 Speaker 1: it's true, it's true. It's over. Now I can't say 501 00:32:57,955 --> 00:33:01,595 Speaker 1: another goddamn thing. I quit. He's trying to get away 502 00:33:01,635 --> 00:33:04,635 Speaker 1: from us. There are arms flailing through the air, voice 503 00:33:04,875 --> 00:33:09,115 Speaker 1: is raised, a lot of oaths and swear words. In short, 504 00:33:09,155 --> 00:33:12,275 Speaker 1: we have convinced mister Janofsky of the Times that he 505 00:33:13,195 --> 00:33:18,995 Speaker 1: has just missed the end of the football strike. Janofsky 506 00:33:19,195 --> 00:33:22,315 Speaker 1: sprints the one hundred feet, grabs the union guy and says, 507 00:33:22,475 --> 00:33:25,195 Speaker 1: tell me, tell me, it's settled, it's over. Tell me. 508 00:33:25,755 --> 00:33:28,995 Speaker 1: And this man, Dave had also been a press staffer 509 00:33:29,035 --> 00:33:32,715 Speaker 1: in the Kennedy administration, and this was not his first 510 00:33:32,755 --> 00:33:36,355 Speaker 1: prank against a reporter. He says, I'm sorry, Mike, I 511 00:33:36,395 --> 00:33:40,275 Speaker 1: don't work for the NFLPA anymore. I just quit. If 512 00:33:40,315 --> 00:33:42,035 Speaker 1: you want this story, you better get it from the 513 00:33:42,035 --> 00:33:46,315 Speaker 1: executive director Ed Garvey or the president Gene Upshaw. So 514 00:33:46,435 --> 00:33:50,715 Speaker 1: now Janofski grabs Bart Barnes of the WAPPO, who had 515 00:33:50,755 --> 00:33:53,195 Speaker 1: to have been I don't know, ten years older than 516 00:33:53,275 --> 00:33:56,395 Speaker 1: Janofsky was, and he says, you have to tell me, Bart, 517 00:33:56,835 --> 00:34:01,395 Speaker 1: I'll pay you, at which point all of us lose it. 518 00:34:01,915 --> 00:34:05,275 Speaker 1: I mean me and the AP guy Ira, we broke character. 519 00:34:05,595 --> 00:34:11,235 Speaker 1: We doubled over with laughter. Now Djanofsky froze. Dave from 520 00:34:11,235 --> 00:34:14,555 Speaker 1: the Union laughed so hard he turned red, and Jenofsky 521 00:34:14,835 --> 00:34:18,235 Speaker 1: marched off, announcing he would get us and get us soon. 522 00:34:19,475 --> 00:34:21,795 Speaker 1: I don't think he ever did. Though. If I had 523 00:34:21,795 --> 00:34:24,595 Speaker 1: to do a phoner for CNN when Jenofsky was around 524 00:34:24,595 --> 00:34:27,395 Speaker 1: that lobby or any other other places we did this story, 525 00:34:27,675 --> 00:34:30,635 Speaker 1: I always made sure I guarded the phone disconnect button 526 00:34:30,675 --> 00:34:34,755 Speaker 1: with my free hand, just in case. But what he 527 00:34:34,835 --> 00:34:39,875 Speaker 1: did do was leaves sports all together for safer and 528 00:34:39,995 --> 00:34:44,835 Speaker 1: more fun topics like covering the Environmental Protection Agency and 529 00:34:44,875 --> 00:35:03,355 Speaker 1: getting writing stories about pesticides and recycling mercury. I've done 530 00:35:03,355 --> 00:35:05,435 Speaker 1: all the damage I can do. He thank you for listening. 531 00:35:05,475 --> 00:35:07,795 Speaker 1: Countdown has come to you from the Vin Scully Studios 532 00:35:07,795 --> 00:35:10,955 Speaker 1: at the Olderman Broadcasting Empire in New York. If you 533 00:35:11,035 --> 00:35:13,275 Speaker 1: know anyone who does not listen to this podcast and 534 00:35:13,355 --> 00:35:18,195 Speaker 1: might enjoy it, first off, why secondly tell the others. 535 00:35:20,115 --> 00:35:23,475 Speaker 1: Countdown musical directors Brian Ray and John Phillips Shanelle arranged, produced, 536 00:35:23,475 --> 00:35:25,835 Speaker 1: and performed most of our music. Mister Shanelle handled the 537 00:35:25,915 --> 00:35:29,035 Speaker 1: orchestration and keyboards. Mister Ray was on the guitarist, bass 538 00:35:29,035 --> 00:35:33,075 Speaker 1: and drums produced by Tko Brothers. Other music including Beethoven 539 00:35:33,155 --> 00:35:36,235 Speaker 1: stuff arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. 540 00:35:36,515 --> 00:35:38,955 Speaker 1: The sports music courtesy of ESPN, Inc. And it was 541 00:35:38,955 --> 00:35:41,555 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis. We called the Olderman theme 542 00:35:41,555 --> 00:35:45,675 Speaker 1: from ESPN two. Our satirical and pithy musical comments are 543 00:35:45,675 --> 00:35:49,155 Speaker 1: from Nancy Faust, the best baseball stadium organist ever. Our 544 00:35:49,235 --> 00:35:52,155 Speaker 1: announcer today was my friend Jonathan Banks from Breaking Bad 545 00:35:52,155 --> 00:35:55,755 Speaker 1: and Better Call Saul at Airplane. Everything else is pretty 546 00:35:55,795 --> 00:35:58,875 Speaker 1: much my fault. That's countdown for this the oney twenty 547 00:35:58,955 --> 00:36:02,075 Speaker 1: fourth day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against the 548 00:36:02,115 --> 00:36:05,875 Speaker 1: democratically elected government of the United States. Convict him now 549 00:36:06,275 --> 00:36:09,595 Speaker 1: while we still can. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. 550 00:36:09,635 --> 00:36:12,635 Speaker 1: Bulletin says the news warrants till then. I'm Keith Olreman. 551 00:36:12,715 --> 00:36:28,115 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck. Countdown 552 00:36:28,155 --> 00:36:31,915 Speaker 1: with Keith Olreman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 553 00:36:31,995 --> 00:36:36,915 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 554 00:36:36,995 --> 00:36:38,835 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.