1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:23,715 --> 00:00:30,035 Speaker 1: Republicans are stupid, They're unpatriotic, simple minded. The real world 3 00:00:30,115 --> 00:00:33,355 Speaker 1: is just a fantasy basketball draft. Face plant about the 4 00:00:33,355 --> 00:00:37,035 Speaker 1: return of Brittany Grinder yesterday has not only reaffirmed that 5 00:00:37,155 --> 00:00:41,235 Speaker 1: Republicans are stupid, but it is also underscored that on 6 00:00:41,275 --> 00:00:44,475 Speaker 1: the rare occasion when a glimmer of smart might somehow 7 00:00:44,515 --> 00:00:48,875 Speaker 1: sneak through, Republicans will deliberately pretend to be even more 8 00:00:48,955 --> 00:00:51,995 Speaker 1: stupid than they are in order to appeal to their 9 00:00:52,035 --> 00:00:56,435 Speaker 1: stupid base full of stupid people. Some are born stupid, 10 00:00:56,515 --> 00:01:00,595 Speaker 1: some achieve stupidity, and some have stupidity thrust upon them. 11 00:01:00,635 --> 00:01:04,875 Speaker 1: Like you know, Peter Doocey, the legacy higher that X 12 00:01:04,915 --> 00:01:09,275 Speaker 1: News inexplicably sends to get humiliated by the Press Secretary 13 00:01:09,355 --> 00:01:11,875 Speaker 1: Karine Jean Pierre at the White House every day in 14 00:01:11,955 --> 00:01:17,235 Speaker 1: his prisoner swap. Why did Russia get such a better deal? Look, 15 00:01:17,755 --> 00:01:21,195 Speaker 1: you know I've talked about this, and I'll say this again. 16 00:01:22,235 --> 00:01:26,475 Speaker 1: Here were our choices. Our choices was uh, Brittany or 17 00:01:26,555 --> 00:01:29,435 Speaker 1: no one at all? Bringing home one American or no 18 00:01:29,595 --> 00:01:35,155 Speaker 1: American at all? And that's We'm a prolific arms dealer 19 00:01:35,555 --> 00:01:38,475 Speaker 1: who was convicted of trying to kill Americans who was 20 00:01:38,515 --> 00:01:41,755 Speaker 1: called the Merchant of Death. The professional athlete is also 21 00:01:41,755 --> 00:01:46,595 Speaker 1: an American citizen, so let's not forget that he was 22 00:01:46,635 --> 00:01:50,915 Speaker 1: the higher draft choice. The president of the United States, 23 00:01:50,955 --> 00:01:55,435 Speaker 1: any president of the United States and his diplomats managed 24 00:01:55,475 --> 00:01:59,155 Speaker 1: to extract an American hostage from Russia during what is 25 00:01:59,195 --> 00:02:03,955 Speaker 1: a proxy world war against Russia. And this bone head 26 00:02:04,715 --> 00:02:07,075 Speaker 1: son of a bone head says it was a bad 27 00:02:07,155 --> 00:02:10,235 Speaker 1: deal because he personally has determined it's a bad deal. 28 00:02:10,275 --> 00:02:12,595 Speaker 1: But's the only possibility is that it is a bad 29 00:02:12,635 --> 00:02:18,915 Speaker 1: deal weaponized Republicans stupidity. Trump went stupid on the grinder 30 00:02:18,955 --> 00:02:22,715 Speaker 1: release quote. Why wasn't former Marine Paul Whalen included in 31 00:02:22,755 --> 00:02:25,755 Speaker 1: this totally one sided transaction? He would have been let 32 00:02:25,795 --> 00:02:30,355 Speaker 1: out for the asking unquote, Except Whalen was seized by 33 00:02:30,355 --> 00:02:34,955 Speaker 1: the Russians on December two, eighteen. Thus Trump had two 34 00:02:35,075 --> 00:02:39,035 Speaker 1: years and twenty two days as president to get Whalen back. 35 00:02:39,395 --> 00:02:42,235 Speaker 1: And since Trump insists Whalen would have been let out 36 00:02:42,235 --> 00:02:45,235 Speaker 1: for the asking, the only possible conclusions are either that 37 00:02:45,275 --> 00:02:48,075 Speaker 1: Trump never asked, or that he asked and he was 38 00:02:48,155 --> 00:02:51,915 Speaker 1: turned down. And he's now lying. Either case makes Trump 39 00:02:51,955 --> 00:02:55,995 Speaker 1: looks stupid, and Trump bringing his failure up and reminding 40 00:02:55,995 --> 00:02:59,555 Speaker 1: everybody about it is stupid. Why why is that the 41 00:02:59,715 --> 00:03:04,555 Speaker 1: first knee jerk move to invoke your own stupidity? Could 42 00:03:04,795 --> 00:03:08,355 Speaker 1: imagine if President Trump cave to Putin like this, wrote 43 00:03:08,355 --> 00:03:11,995 Speaker 1: the x Trump doctor now Congress and Ronnie glug Glug Jackson, 44 00:03:12,475 --> 00:03:16,195 Speaker 1: President Trump would never make a deal like this exactly. 45 00:03:16,355 --> 00:03:19,555 Speaker 1: Ronnie Trump never did make a deal like that. And 46 00:03:19,595 --> 00:03:22,515 Speaker 1: Whalen has been in a Russian prison ever since. Why 47 00:03:22,555 --> 00:03:27,475 Speaker 1: do the fascists go stupid? What about retired marine who 48 00:03:27,475 --> 00:03:30,675 Speaker 1: has been unjustly detained for years? Paul Whalen asked the 49 00:03:30,755 --> 00:03:35,155 Speaker 1: lame duck Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, reverting to type. Surely 50 00:03:35,195 --> 00:03:39,315 Speaker 1: an arms dealer is worth two innocent people. Again, this 51 00:03:39,635 --> 00:03:46,075 Speaker 1: isn't a fantasy sports league trade. How flat out stupid? 52 00:03:46,955 --> 00:03:51,675 Speaker 1: And why address Whalen's supposed innocence or anything about his background. 53 00:03:51,755 --> 00:03:54,995 Speaker 1: I mean, he was court martialed out of the Marines 54 00:03:55,035 --> 00:03:59,195 Speaker 1: for attempted larceny, lying, dere election of duty, more weaponized 55 00:03:59,235 --> 00:04:03,035 Speaker 1: Republican stupidity. He's an American, Let's get him home. Don't 56 00:04:03,075 --> 00:04:08,435 Speaker 1: bring up his relative innocence. The swamp and her perception 57 00:04:08,475 --> 00:04:11,915 Speaker 1: that it meant benefits Russia is quote another reason to 58 00:04:12,035 --> 00:04:16,155 Speaker 1: impeach Biden, says Marjorie Trailer Park Green, who of course 59 00:04:16,635 --> 00:04:21,315 Speaker 1: wants to give Ukraine to Russia. Again, like you could 60 00:04:21,315 --> 00:04:24,275 Speaker 1: tamper on the knee with a reflex hammer and her 61 00:04:24,355 --> 00:04:29,555 Speaker 1: stupid bone would vibrate. Why there are only a thousand 62 00:04:29,595 --> 00:04:33,475 Speaker 1: other examples only from yesterday Stephen Crowder, who must daily 63 00:04:33,475 --> 00:04:35,995 Speaker 1: face the shame that he works for the idiot Glenn 64 00:04:35,995 --> 00:04:40,075 Speaker 1: Beck brought up quote, the talent pool is incredibly shallow 65 00:04:40,195 --> 00:04:43,835 Speaker 1: in women's basketball. A kid named c. J. Pearson, who 66 00:04:43,915 --> 00:04:47,475 Speaker 1: works for Praguer you that is supposedly academia and not 67 00:04:47,595 --> 00:04:52,275 Speaker 1: a curse word. Yeah, well, Prager, you quote Brittney Grinder 68 00:04:52,395 --> 00:04:55,675 Speaker 1: niled Paul Whalen serve guests. Which one we left to 69 00:04:55,795 --> 00:04:59,355 Speaker 1: rot in a Russian prison cell? Again, Whalen was court martialed. 70 00:04:59,515 --> 00:05:02,795 Speaker 1: The last president left him there. This one is still 71 00:05:02,795 --> 00:05:05,955 Speaker 1: trying to extricate him. But again, and the through line 72 00:05:06,035 --> 00:05:10,115 Speaker 1: here is the stupidity. I would read more of these, 73 00:05:10,155 --> 00:05:13,315 Speaker 1: but you know we can't do this all day. And 74 00:05:13,395 --> 00:05:17,515 Speaker 1: the stupidity is clearly not just a bug. It's a feature. 75 00:05:18,515 --> 00:05:21,835 Speaker 1: The Republican Party, the home of fascism in this country, 76 00:05:22,115 --> 00:05:27,555 Speaker 1: starts still with somewhere around its membership believing Trump will 77 00:05:27,635 --> 00:05:32,555 Speaker 1: somehow be reinstated because he is the president right now. 78 00:05:33,395 --> 00:05:35,835 Speaker 1: Of course, if he is the president right now, he 79 00:05:35,875 --> 00:05:40,595 Speaker 1: can't run again in and to be reinstated would require 80 00:05:40,715 --> 00:05:44,955 Speaker 1: and even Trump himself said this termination of the constitution. 81 00:05:45,155 --> 00:05:47,835 Speaker 1: Try to terminate the Constitution and you are in a 82 00:05:47,875 --> 00:05:50,595 Speaker 1: state of insurrection against it, and the government can just 83 00:05:50,675 --> 00:05:54,595 Speaker 1: send the military to subdue you. It may be their plan, 84 00:05:54,675 --> 00:05:57,075 Speaker 1: and as I said yesterday, we should roll it up 85 00:05:57,115 --> 00:06:00,075 Speaker 1: and Trump with it as soon as possible. But ultimately 86 00:06:00,115 --> 00:06:04,595 Speaker 1: it is still a pretty stupid plan. And then come 87 00:06:04,875 --> 00:06:10,475 Speaker 1: the stupider people. Half of Marjorie Taylor Green's tweets contain 88 00:06:10,555 --> 00:06:14,075 Speaker 1: a hilarious mistake which befits somebody whose head looks like 89 00:06:14,075 --> 00:06:17,355 Speaker 1: a carved Halloween pumpkin come to life. We know she 90 00:06:17,435 --> 00:06:21,195 Speaker 1: wanted Trump to institute quote martial law m A R 91 00:06:21,555 --> 00:06:24,835 Speaker 1: S h a L L, like in Marshall Mathers or 92 00:06:24,875 --> 00:06:28,595 Speaker 1: Marshall University. When she referred to a congressional meaning of 93 00:06:28,715 --> 00:06:32,115 Speaker 1: only members, I was relieved she hadn't written members only. 94 00:06:32,995 --> 00:06:35,595 Speaker 1: And of course there are the true lunatics. You saw 95 00:06:35,635 --> 00:06:38,195 Speaker 1: the woman who insisted that there is no President Biden, 96 00:06:38,235 --> 00:06:42,555 Speaker 1: that he is being portrayed by Jim Carrey and James 97 00:06:42,595 --> 00:06:48,195 Speaker 1: Woods wearing masks. How stupid is that, as if you 98 00:06:48,235 --> 00:06:53,155 Speaker 1: couldn't cast somebody better than James Woods. But she did 99 00:06:53,275 --> 00:06:56,155 Speaker 1: underscore this obsession the farthest of the far right have 100 00:06:56,555 --> 00:07:02,835 Speaker 1: with disguises and re appearances, and especially reincarnations. At least 101 00:07:03,315 --> 00:07:06,875 Speaker 1: they think this is pass bole idiots. I suppose one 102 00:07:06,915 --> 00:07:09,435 Speaker 1: thing to believe that John F. Kennedy is coming back 103 00:07:10,355 --> 00:07:14,115 Speaker 1: senior or junior, it varies from week to week and 104 00:07:14,235 --> 00:07:16,715 Speaker 1: nut job to nut job, But it is quite another 105 00:07:16,795 --> 00:07:20,355 Speaker 1: to spend actual money on a campaign sign using his name. 106 00:07:21,515 --> 00:07:25,555 Speaker 1: The latest Republican miraculous return is supposed to be Princess Diana. 107 00:07:25,995 --> 00:07:28,195 Speaker 1: And if you somehow got past what for me is 108 00:07:28,235 --> 00:07:33,435 Speaker 1: a full stop barrier, these people are dead, you might 109 00:07:33,555 --> 00:07:37,035 Speaker 1: wonder why the liberal JFK or the even more liberal 110 00:07:37,115 --> 00:07:40,875 Speaker 1: JFK Jr. Or the still more liberal Princess Diana would 111 00:07:40,915 --> 00:07:42,995 Speaker 1: come back and have anything to do with Trump besides 112 00:07:43,075 --> 00:07:47,635 Speaker 1: kicking his ass. But this would require a logic, a 113 00:07:47,755 --> 00:07:52,035 Speaker 1: non stupidity lost on a group that listens to Trump, Trump, 114 00:07:52,075 --> 00:07:54,595 Speaker 1: who on the same day this past summer demanded Biden 115 00:07:54,675 --> 00:07:58,595 Speaker 1: take a dementia test. Trump mindlessly claimed he aced, and 116 00:07:58,595 --> 00:08:03,275 Speaker 1: then moments later Trump endorsed something named j. D. Mandel 117 00:08:03,635 --> 00:08:07,155 Speaker 1: in the Ohio Center at Republican primary, which was not 118 00:08:07,315 --> 00:08:11,955 Speaker 1: quite JD. Vance and not quite Josh Mandel. In some 119 00:08:12,235 --> 00:08:15,835 Speaker 1: the triumph of Republican stupidity is so complete that the 120 00:08:15,875 --> 00:08:18,955 Speaker 1: best of the latest jokes is you could get them 121 00:08:18,995 --> 00:08:22,355 Speaker 1: to support eliminating the Electoral College just by telling them 122 00:08:22,355 --> 00:08:28,195 Speaker 1: they teach CRT. There sadly the jokes and the sheer 123 00:08:28,235 --> 00:08:32,555 Speaker 1: inanity that inspire them obscure and awful reality. Whatever stupidity 124 00:08:32,595 --> 00:08:36,915 Speaker 1: Republicans don't achieve naturally, they supplement. They are at abyss 125 00:08:37,075 --> 00:08:40,155 Speaker 1: levels of stupidity in this country. And I truly believe 126 00:08:40,515 --> 00:08:44,795 Speaker 1: this is a choice. The stupidity is a language all 127 00:08:44,835 --> 00:08:50,355 Speaker 1: its own, a reverse superiority and indecipherable code, impervious to 128 00:08:50,435 --> 00:08:53,875 Speaker 1: logic or intelligence. And I am not the first to 129 00:08:53,995 --> 00:08:59,035 Speaker 1: postulate this. The Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoffer could have been 130 00:08:59,035 --> 00:09:02,275 Speaker 1: writing about Taylor Green or Herschel Walker, or the entirety 131 00:09:02,275 --> 00:09:04,395 Speaker 1: of q and On, or anybody who spent the pandemic 132 00:09:04,715 --> 00:09:09,315 Speaker 1: doing their own research. Stupidity, the pastor wrote, is a 133 00:09:09,315 --> 00:09:13,155 Speaker 1: more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may 134 00:09:13,195 --> 00:09:16,675 Speaker 1: protest against evil, it can be exposed, and if need 135 00:09:16,755 --> 00:09:21,315 Speaker 1: be prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within 136 00:09:21,395 --> 00:09:24,715 Speaker 1: itself the germ of its own subversion, in that it 137 00:09:24,835 --> 00:09:27,355 Speaker 1: leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of 138 00:09:27,635 --> 00:09:36,595 Speaker 1: unease against stupidity. Pastor Bonholfer writes, we are defenseless. It's 139 00:09:36,595 --> 00:09:38,395 Speaker 1: as if von Hoffer were trapped in a room with 140 00:09:38,475 --> 00:09:43,515 Speaker 1: Lauren Bobert and Tulsei Gabbard quote. Neither protests nor the 141 00:09:43,635 --> 00:09:48,235 Speaker 1: use of force accomplish anything here. Reasons fall on deaf ears. 142 00:09:48,595 --> 00:09:52,475 Speaker 1: Facts that contradict one's pre judgment simply need not be believed, 143 00:09:52,835 --> 00:09:56,715 Speaker 1: and in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical. 144 00:09:57,275 --> 00:10:02,715 Speaker 1: And when facts are irrefutable, they are just pushed aside as, inconsequential, 145 00:10:02,835 --> 00:10:07,755 Speaker 1: as incidental. My late friend George Carlin made a million 146 00:10:07,795 --> 00:10:10,995 Speaker 1: observations on this exact topic, but the most pertinent might 147 00:10:10,995 --> 00:10:14,675 Speaker 1: be one of his classic statistical observations, like the fact 148 00:10:14,675 --> 00:10:21,675 Speaker 1: that literally someone somewhere is the world's worst doctor, and worse, 149 00:10:22,235 --> 00:10:27,395 Speaker 1: somebody else has an appointment to see him tomorrow. To 150 00:10:27,555 --> 00:10:30,475 Speaker 1: our point, George noted that if you consider the intelligence 151 00:10:30,515 --> 00:10:33,275 Speaker 1: of the average American, or the lack of intelligence of 152 00:10:33,315 --> 00:10:36,595 Speaker 1: the average American, it is truly terrifying to realize that 153 00:10:36,595 --> 00:10:40,315 Speaker 1: that means half the people in this country are even dumber. 154 00:10:41,315 --> 00:10:45,635 Speaker 1: In all this Pastrick Dietrich Bonhoffer continued, the stupid person, 155 00:10:45,835 --> 00:10:50,235 Speaker 1: in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self satisfied 156 00:10:50,635 --> 00:10:55,235 Speaker 1: and being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. 157 00:10:55,915 --> 00:10:58,795 Speaker 1: For that reason, greater caution is called for than when 158 00:10:58,955 --> 00:11:02,755 Speaker 1: the malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade 159 00:11:02,795 --> 00:11:07,355 Speaker 1: the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous. 160 00:11:08,035 --> 00:11:12,075 Speaker 1: Quoting again, upon closer observation, it becomes apparent that every 161 00:11:12,115 --> 00:11:15,835 Speaker 1: strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it 162 00:11:15,915 --> 00:11:20,515 Speaker 1: of political or religious nature, infects a large part of 163 00:11:20,595 --> 00:11:25,395 Speaker 1: humankind with stupidity. The fact that the stupid person is 164 00:11:25,435 --> 00:11:28,115 Speaker 1: often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that 165 00:11:28,155 --> 00:11:31,835 Speaker 1: he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually 166 00:11:31,875 --> 00:11:34,115 Speaker 1: feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, 167 00:11:34,355 --> 00:11:38,315 Speaker 1: but with slogans, catch words and the like that have 168 00:11:38,475 --> 00:11:43,875 Speaker 1: taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, 169 00:11:43,915 --> 00:11:48,075 Speaker 1: and abused in his very being, having thus become a 170 00:11:48,155 --> 00:11:52,035 Speaker 1: mindless tool. The stupid person will also be capable of 171 00:11:52,235 --> 00:11:56,755 Speaker 1: any evil, and at the same time incapable of seeing 172 00:11:57,315 --> 00:12:01,515 Speaker 1: that it is evil. This is where the danger of 173 00:12:01,755 --> 00:12:06,835 Speaker 1: diabolical misuse lurks, for it is this that can once 174 00:12:06,955 --> 00:12:14,515 Speaker 1: and for all destroy human beings. End quote. Pastor Dietrich 175 00:12:14,595 --> 00:12:17,075 Speaker 1: von Hoffer didn't just write all this, He lived it. 176 00:12:17,195 --> 00:12:19,955 Speaker 1: What I have read you he wrote inside a German 177 00:12:19,995 --> 00:12:23,235 Speaker 1: prison camp. He was a double agent, serving as a 178 00:12:23,315 --> 00:12:27,915 Speaker 1: domestic spy while also sabotaging the very Nazi spy networks 179 00:12:27,915 --> 00:12:30,595 Speaker 1: he supervised. He was part of the group that tried 180 00:12:30,595 --> 00:12:36,715 Speaker 1: to assassinate Hitler on July four. They hanged Pastor bon Hoffer. 181 00:12:36,795 --> 00:12:42,075 Speaker 1: On April nine, the stupid people hanged him three weeks 182 00:12:42,115 --> 00:12:44,875 Speaker 1: to the day before, the one all the stupid people 183 00:12:44,875 --> 00:12:51,835 Speaker 1: looked up to. Hitler killed himself against stupidity, we are defenseless. 184 00:12:52,395 --> 00:12:56,035 Speaker 1: The stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is 185 00:12:56,155 --> 00:13:03,555 Speaker 1: utterly self satisfied and being easily irritated becomes dangerous. But 186 00:13:03,795 --> 00:13:08,155 Speaker 1: as always the weapons we have, the only weapons we have, 187 00:13:08,755 --> 00:13:12,435 Speaker 1: are to be found in truth and the willingness to 188 00:13:12,755 --> 00:13:19,955 Speaker 1: use the words we have been given. These people, Republicans, fascists, 189 00:13:21,235 --> 00:13:27,795 Speaker 1: they are stupid. The last time their stupidity was overlooked, ignored, 190 00:13:28,195 --> 00:13:32,475 Speaker 1: apologized for, they coughed up Hitler. The last time they 191 00:13:32,515 --> 00:13:34,555 Speaker 1: were allowed to run one of the most powerful nations 192 00:13:34,595 --> 00:13:37,955 Speaker 1: in the world, they nearly destroyed the world. We begin 193 00:13:38,075 --> 00:13:41,315 Speaker 1: to fight them by not being afraid to draw the 194 00:13:41,395 --> 00:13:45,715 Speaker 1: link between modern stupidity and modern Hitler's, by not being 195 00:13:45,715 --> 00:13:51,715 Speaker 1: afraid to call the stupid stupid to their face and dangerous. 196 00:13:53,115 --> 00:13:56,675 Speaker 1: This we must resume. At some point in this country, 197 00:13:56,715 --> 00:14:00,755 Speaker 1: we stopped shaming stupidity. We stopped looking at the Peter 198 00:14:00,915 --> 00:14:05,315 Speaker 1: Doocey's and the Marjorie Trailer Park Greens and the Elon 199 00:14:05,475 --> 00:14:09,635 Speaker 1: Musk's and saying, no matter what their power or influence 200 00:14:09,835 --> 00:14:13,315 Speaker 1: or success, we must call them what they are. They 201 00:14:13,315 --> 00:14:17,915 Speaker 1: are still stupid, and in their brainless response to something 202 00:14:17,955 --> 00:14:22,875 Speaker 1: as straightforward and positive as the rescue of Brittany Grinder, 203 00:14:23,395 --> 00:14:30,355 Speaker 1: they are stupid. Let us never flag in our exertions 204 00:14:30,475 --> 00:14:51,035 Speaker 1: or our willingness to call them that still ahead. The 205 00:14:51,115 --> 00:14:53,715 Speaker 1: Justice Department wants a judge to find Trump's gang in 206 00:14:53,755 --> 00:14:56,515 Speaker 1: contempt of court because it is convinced, even after the 207 00:14:56,595 --> 00:15:01,075 Speaker 1: latest find that he is still hiding classified documents somewhere. 208 00:15:02,235 --> 00:15:05,595 Speaker 1: Congressman Paul goes our spokesman says, own a fool would 209 00:15:05,675 --> 00:15:08,955 Speaker 1: believe he doesn't believe in the Constitution. And the spokesman 210 00:15:09,035 --> 00:15:12,955 Speaker 1: is so committed, so believing in his boss, that the 211 00:15:12,995 --> 00:15:16,435 Speaker 1: spokesman will not give his name to the media. And 212 00:15:16,595 --> 00:15:19,435 Speaker 1: James Thurber's grammar school where he was a scholar in 213 00:15:19,475 --> 00:15:22,315 Speaker 1: the fourth grade, and the rest of the class was 214 00:15:22,355 --> 00:15:25,475 Speaker 1: between sixteen and twenty two years old, and their baseball 215 00:15:25,515 --> 00:15:27,675 Speaker 1: team was good enough that they figured they could beat 216 00:15:27,715 --> 00:15:32,675 Speaker 1: Ohio State. I went to Sullivant In Friday's with Therber. 217 00:15:33,395 --> 00:15:41,315 Speaker 1: That's next, This is countdown. This is countdown with Keith 218 00:15:41,315 --> 00:15:48,115 Speaker 1: old woman still a head on Countdown Friday's with Theurber. 219 00:15:48,875 --> 00:15:53,195 Speaker 1: I went to Sullivant. I went to Sullivant was my 220 00:15:53,275 --> 00:15:57,435 Speaker 1: father's favorite Thurber story. It is of an educational world 221 00:15:57,635 --> 00:15:59,715 Speaker 1: in which kids could be forced to repeat the fourth 222 00:15:59,755 --> 00:16:04,075 Speaker 1: grade for a year. Were two years, we're twenty years 223 00:16:04,915 --> 00:16:07,155 Speaker 1: coming up first. In each edition of Countdown, we feature 224 00:16:07,195 --> 00:16:09,195 Speaker 1: a dog in need you can help. Every dog has 225 00:16:09,235 --> 00:16:13,395 Speaker 1: its day. Let's talk about Moon in New York. Moon 226 00:16:13,515 --> 00:16:16,595 Speaker 1: is a calm, sweet faced German shepherd with gentle eyes. 227 00:16:17,355 --> 00:16:20,155 Speaker 1: She was not just homeless, but as she wandered the streets, 228 00:16:20,355 --> 00:16:22,715 Speaker 1: limping due to a bad leg, she was getting skinnier 229 00:16:22,755 --> 00:16:26,635 Speaker 1: and skinnier, and nobody did anything. The Trina and Friends 230 00:16:26,715 --> 00:16:29,155 Speaker 1: Rescue finally grabbed her and just in time, she was 231 00:16:29,235 --> 00:16:32,995 Speaker 1: literally starving to death. Moon is safe now, but in 232 00:16:33,035 --> 00:16:36,435 Speaker 1: addition to time to recover, she's going to need antibiotics 233 00:16:36,795 --> 00:16:39,555 Speaker 1: and treatment for the bad leg and eventually a loving home. 234 00:16:39,915 --> 00:16:42,795 Speaker 1: They're doing a fundraiser on Cuddly for Moon, and you 235 00:16:42,835 --> 00:16:45,675 Speaker 1: can find Moon there where you can find her on 236 00:16:45,715 --> 00:16:49,395 Speaker 1: my Twitter feeds. I thank you and Moon thanks you. 237 00:17:05,755 --> 00:17:08,875 Speaker 1: Post Scripts to the news some headlines, some updates, some snarks, 238 00:17:08,875 --> 00:17:11,875 Speaker 1: some predictions. State Line Washington, there was more to that 239 00:17:11,955 --> 00:17:15,715 Speaker 1: discovery of even more stole unclassified documents in a Trump 240 00:17:15,795 --> 00:17:20,075 Speaker 1: storage facility in Florida. This week, The Washington Post reports 241 00:17:20,155 --> 00:17:23,835 Speaker 1: a the Justice Department is still convinced that Trump is 242 00:17:23,875 --> 00:17:28,955 Speaker 1: still hiding more classified documents somewhere. The Post also reports 243 00:17:28,995 --> 00:17:32,795 Speaker 1: the Justice Department has asked a judge to hold Trump's 244 00:17:32,835 --> 00:17:35,675 Speaker 1: office and lawyers in contempt of court for failing to 245 00:17:35,715 --> 00:17:39,515 Speaker 1: fully comply with the subpoena from May to turn over 246 00:17:39,555 --> 00:17:43,635 Speaker 1: everything classified and sign a new document guaranteeing that everything 247 00:17:43,675 --> 00:17:47,235 Speaker 1: classified has been turned over. The impeccable Ryan Goodman of 248 00:17:47,315 --> 00:17:50,635 Speaker 1: Just Security underscores one quote in this report from the 249 00:17:50,635 --> 00:17:53,835 Speaker 1: Washington Post. Trump's side has taken the position that such 250 00:17:53,875 --> 00:17:57,035 Speaker 1: a request is unreasonable, that no lawyer could sign such 251 00:17:57,075 --> 00:18:00,275 Speaker 1: a blanket certification in good faith or advise any client 252 00:18:00,355 --> 00:18:03,715 Speaker 1: to do so. But Goodman notes that in June, after 253 00:18:03,795 --> 00:18:07,475 Speaker 1: the semi co operative search at Mari Lago, Trump's own 254 00:18:07,595 --> 00:18:12,595 Speaker 1: lawyers drafted and signed exactly that kind of blanket certification 255 00:18:12,875 --> 00:18:16,635 Speaker 1: and it wasn't accurate, and Evan Corcoran, Trump lawyer wrote it, 256 00:18:16,795 --> 00:18:20,195 Speaker 1: and Christina Bob Trump lawyer signed it, and Trump has 257 00:18:20,235 --> 00:18:22,755 Speaker 1: since demoted Bob back to being a talking head on 258 00:18:22,795 --> 00:18:27,755 Speaker 1: Trump trump Propaganda TV Dateline. Also Washington there are at 259 00:18:27,835 --> 00:18:30,195 Speaker 1: least five people about whom the nine eleven Committee is 260 00:18:30,195 --> 00:18:34,515 Speaker 1: considering making criminal referrals. Trump obviously, his chief of staff, 261 00:18:34,555 --> 00:18:37,755 Speaker 1: and kup Henchman, Mark Meadows, and three men who might 262 00:18:37,835 --> 00:18:41,835 Speaker 1: also be charged for being the dumbest lawyers in the universe, 263 00:18:42,395 --> 00:18:47,115 Speaker 1: Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, and Rudy Giuliani. This first CNN 264 00:18:47,795 --> 00:18:50,275 Speaker 1: it is notable and it has been noted that the 265 00:18:50,275 --> 00:18:55,115 Speaker 1: criminal referrals really don't mean anything. Any evidence the nine 266 00:18:55,115 --> 00:18:58,515 Speaker 1: eleven committee has might mean something. Not so at the referrals, 267 00:18:58,595 --> 00:19:02,235 Speaker 1: you could make criminal referrals. In fact, why haven't you 268 00:19:03,035 --> 00:19:05,595 Speaker 1: dateline Moore County, North Carolin nd of The lights are 269 00:19:05,755 --> 00:19:09,635 Speaker 1: back on the blackout caused by domestic terrorism against two 270 00:19:09,675 --> 00:19:15,635 Speaker 1: power substations. There is almost over still no arrests nor explanations, 271 00:19:15,755 --> 00:19:20,075 Speaker 1: especially since an anti lgbt Q activists who boasted about 272 00:19:20,115 --> 00:19:23,915 Speaker 1: knowing why it happened referring to a drag show, was 273 00:19:24,075 --> 00:19:27,515 Speaker 1: visited by the county sheriff, who, instead of interrogating her, 274 00:19:28,475 --> 00:19:46,395 Speaker 1: parayed with her. This is Sports Center Wait, check that 275 00:19:47,555 --> 00:19:55,075 Speaker 1: not anymore. This is Countdown with Keith Alberman in sports 276 00:19:55,155 --> 00:19:58,275 Speaker 1: Bunch of eight baseball free agent signings, Mets center fielder 277 00:19:58,315 --> 00:20:01,435 Speaker 1: Brandon Nimo returns to New York. He gets eight years, 278 00:20:01,555 --> 00:20:04,835 Speaker 1: hundred sixty two million dollars. There's a political joke there. 279 00:20:04,875 --> 00:20:06,955 Speaker 1: Will leave it out. The Mets also signed free agent 280 00:20:06,995 --> 00:20:10,275 Speaker 1: reliever David Robertson, who finished last year with the Phillies, 281 00:20:10,515 --> 00:20:13,555 Speaker 1: who began his career with the Yankees. Red Sox fans 282 00:20:13,555 --> 00:20:16,955 Speaker 1: are still ready to sack Fenway Park after star shortstops 283 00:20:16,955 --> 00:20:19,875 Speaker 1: Andre Bogarts walked away from their last place team to 284 00:20:19,955 --> 00:20:23,635 Speaker 1: join the San Diego Padres. And Jason Heyward, who when 285 00:20:23,675 --> 00:20:26,075 Speaker 1: he reached the Atlanta Braves back in two thousand ten, 286 00:20:26,155 --> 00:20:29,035 Speaker 1: was thought to be the game's next superstar, has signed 287 00:20:29,035 --> 00:20:32,795 Speaker 1: with the Dodgers. It is a minor league contract with 288 00:20:32,835 --> 00:20:36,315 Speaker 1: an invitation to spring training. He is thirty three years 289 00:20:36,315 --> 00:20:39,835 Speaker 1: old now, and his buddy and fellow former Brave Star 290 00:20:39,995 --> 00:20:43,395 Speaker 1: prospect Freddie Freeman, is the very well paid Dodger first 291 00:20:43,395 --> 00:20:47,955 Speaker 1: baseman and from football former San Francisco fort Star receiver 292 00:20:48,075 --> 00:20:50,595 Speaker 1: says he is ready, willing and able to return to 293 00:20:50,635 --> 00:20:54,795 Speaker 1: his original team and help out and catch passes for them. 294 00:20:55,475 --> 00:21:00,275 Speaker 1: Terrell Owens t O is forty nine. He broke in 295 00:21:00,275 --> 00:21:04,315 Speaker 1: in He caught his last NFL pass in two thousand ten. 296 00:21:04,915 --> 00:21:07,475 Speaker 1: No idea if the Niners are interested, but this would 297 00:21:07,515 --> 00:21:11,035 Speaker 1: not be some sort of record. The NBA Cleveland Cavaliers 298 00:21:11,115 --> 00:21:13,675 Speaker 1: reached out to the great Wilt Chamberlain, who had not 299 00:21:13,715 --> 00:21:17,155 Speaker 1: played basketball in seven seasons and was then forty five 300 00:21:17,235 --> 00:21:19,355 Speaker 1: years old, and tried to talk him out of retirement, 301 00:21:19,635 --> 00:21:23,395 Speaker 1: and five years later the New Jersey Nets called Wilt 302 00:21:24,675 --> 00:21:34,035 Speaker 1: when he was fifty. I had fridays with Thurber and 303 00:21:34,075 --> 00:21:37,275 Speaker 1: his childhood at the Sullivan School in Columbus, Ohio, where 304 00:21:37,275 --> 00:21:41,195 Speaker 1: several players on the middle school baseball team. We're between 305 00:21:41,235 --> 00:21:45,195 Speaker 1: the ages of sixteen and twenty two years old. First 306 00:21:45,235 --> 00:21:48,395 Speaker 1: the daily roundup of the miscreants, morons and Dunning Kruger 307 00:21:48,395 --> 00:21:53,595 Speaker 1: effect specimens who constitute today's worst persons in the world. 308 00:21:54,155 --> 00:21:57,475 Speaker 1: The Bronze. Jim Jordan's not even in power yet and 309 00:21:57,555 --> 00:22:01,955 Speaker 1: already lying in Congress. Representative Eric Swalwell asked him about 310 00:22:01,955 --> 00:22:05,515 Speaker 1: a tweet on the House Judiciary Republicans at count, the 311 00:22:05,675 --> 00:22:08,835 Speaker 1: home page for which notes it is run by Jim 312 00:22:08,915 --> 00:22:16,355 Speaker 1: Jordan's the tweet the infamous Kanye Ellen Trump tweet. Jordan's 313 00:22:16,395 --> 00:22:24,355 Speaker 1: response was that tweet was on our account. That so, no, 314 00:22:24,435 --> 00:22:30,915 Speaker 1: it's my time. That was not on our account, you know, Jim. 315 00:22:30,915 --> 00:22:34,115 Speaker 1: The top photo on the page just a graphic reading 316 00:22:34,155 --> 00:22:38,075 Speaker 1: House of Representatives Judiciary Committee ranking member Jim Jordans and 317 00:22:38,115 --> 00:22:40,715 Speaker 1: the description reads official Twitter for the House Committee on 318 00:22:40,715 --> 00:22:46,275 Speaker 1: the Judiciary Republicans established ranking Member Jim Jordan's, but it's 319 00:22:46,315 --> 00:22:49,795 Speaker 1: not their account, but Jim Jordan's still knows. It was 320 00:22:49,835 --> 00:22:54,475 Speaker 1: removed fire. The runner up, Oh look, it's an audio 321 00:22:54,595 --> 00:22:59,515 Speaker 1: Daily double today Eric Trump moron twin number two. Eric 322 00:22:59,555 --> 00:23:02,755 Speaker 1: did a streaming show with this woman, Julie Green, who 323 00:23:02,835 --> 00:23:05,515 Speaker 1: claims God tells her what's gonna happen next Tony. She's 324 00:23:05,515 --> 00:23:07,795 Speaker 1: gotten everything wrong for the last two years, meaning God 325 00:23:07,875 --> 00:23:11,395 Speaker 1: is either pranking her or she has a tumor anyway. 326 00:23:11,515 --> 00:23:14,755 Speaker 1: Eric explained how he serves his Lord by making his 327 00:23:14,955 --> 00:23:18,635 Speaker 1: kids say the Pledge of Allegiance week up at four 328 00:23:18,675 --> 00:23:20,875 Speaker 1: thirty in the morning, every single morning. I say the 329 00:23:20,875 --> 00:23:23,275 Speaker 1: Pledge of Allegiance to my five year old and my 330 00:23:23,275 --> 00:23:25,235 Speaker 1: three year old. In fact, they say them now, and 331 00:23:25,235 --> 00:23:27,475 Speaker 1: they do so beautifully. And then I say the Lord's Prayer, 332 00:23:27,515 --> 00:23:29,115 Speaker 1: and I say to other little family prayers that we have, 333 00:23:29,155 --> 00:23:32,155 Speaker 1: and then I make them say something that's meaningful to them. 334 00:23:32,155 --> 00:23:34,555 Speaker 1: I do this every single night at seven forty five, 335 00:23:34,595 --> 00:23:36,635 Speaker 1: no matter where I am in the world. If I 336 00:23:36,675 --> 00:23:39,915 Speaker 1: can't be there, on doing it on face time with 337 00:23:39,915 --> 00:23:43,635 Speaker 1: with my wife and kids. They see my and and honestly, guys, 338 00:23:43,635 --> 00:23:51,035 Speaker 1: that's how I live a clean, positive life. Of course, 339 00:23:51,115 --> 00:23:54,155 Speaker 1: between four thirty in the morning and seven at night, 340 00:23:54,715 --> 00:23:57,635 Speaker 1: Eric Trump spends his time siphoning money away from cancer 341 00:23:57,715 --> 00:24:01,595 Speaker 1: charities and back into the Trump organization. But our winner, 342 00:24:01,635 --> 00:24:04,835 Speaker 1: Congressman Paul goes Are the dentist you always behave and 343 00:24:04,875 --> 00:24:07,155 Speaker 1: looks like he's just emptied an entire tank of his 344 00:24:07,195 --> 00:24:11,035 Speaker 1: own laughing gas. Congressman goes Are is desperately trying to 345 00:24:11,075 --> 00:24:15,035 Speaker 1: avoid blame and maybe arrest. After his tweet Wednesday praising 346 00:24:15,075 --> 00:24:19,155 Speaker 1: and endorsing Trump's call to terminate the Constitution or parts 347 00:24:19,235 --> 00:24:22,395 Speaker 1: of it. I support and agree with the former president, 348 00:24:22,435 --> 00:24:28,435 Speaker 1: goes Our wrote, unprecedented fraud requires unprecedented cure unquote, or 349 00:24:28,475 --> 00:24:31,115 Speaker 1: at least it did until goes Are deleted the tweet 350 00:24:31,115 --> 00:24:36,835 Speaker 1: without any explanation. Now there's an explanation, goes Are spokesperson. 351 00:24:37,115 --> 00:24:40,875 Speaker 1: Spokesman is the actual identification, told the website The Hill quote. 352 00:24:41,475 --> 00:24:44,235 Speaker 1: Those who claim either Trump or Congressman goes Are don't 353 00:24:44,235 --> 00:24:47,435 Speaker 1: believe in the Constitution, are acting in bad faith, or 354 00:24:47,475 --> 00:24:51,435 Speaker 1: are low i Q people unable to comprehend our language 355 00:24:51,555 --> 00:24:57,195 Speaker 1: or our actions. End quote, said the spokesman who refused 356 00:24:57,435 --> 00:25:03,275 Speaker 1: to give his name to the Hill website. The spokesman 357 00:25:03,315 --> 00:25:06,115 Speaker 1: for Paul Goes are so supportive of the congressman and 358 00:25:06,235 --> 00:25:09,195 Speaker 1: confident and he's not going to be arrested that he 359 00:25:09,195 --> 00:25:17,155 Speaker 1: wouldn't give his own name. Today's worst Person in the 360 00:25:17,235 --> 00:25:30,995 Speaker 1: World to the number one story on the Countdown and 361 00:25:31,075 --> 00:25:35,155 Speaker 1: Friday's with Thurber. And I don't know when I went 362 00:25:35,315 --> 00:25:39,795 Speaker 1: to Sullivant became my father's favorite Thurber story. I suspect 363 00:25:39,835 --> 00:25:41,875 Speaker 1: it was in the hospital when I was reading to 364 00:25:41,955 --> 00:25:44,195 Speaker 1: him in the last six months of his life. I 365 00:25:44,235 --> 00:25:45,875 Speaker 1: know I read it to him at least half a 366 00:25:45,915 --> 00:25:49,595 Speaker 1: dozen times, the first five by his request. The last 367 00:25:49,595 --> 00:25:53,235 Speaker 1: time he did not request it. In fact, and this 368 00:25:53,315 --> 00:25:56,195 Speaker 1: is the most perverse kind of compliment I think any 369 00:25:56,555 --> 00:26:00,715 Speaker 1: writer has ever received. I read this story to him. 370 00:26:00,755 --> 00:26:02,835 Speaker 1: It was the last thing that I read to him. 371 00:26:02,875 --> 00:26:04,995 Speaker 1: In fact, it was the last thing he did on earth, 372 00:26:05,075 --> 00:26:07,675 Speaker 1: was to listen to this story in a state of 373 00:26:07,795 --> 00:26:11,755 Speaker 1: semi consciousness. He waited till the end of it. He 374 00:26:11,795 --> 00:26:16,955 Speaker 1: took one deep, satisfied breath, and he died. I don't 375 00:26:16,995 --> 00:26:19,035 Speaker 1: recommend this, but I think it does speak to the 376 00:26:19,115 --> 00:26:23,915 Speaker 1: quality of the writing I went to Sullivant by James Thurber. 377 00:26:25,875 --> 00:26:28,955 Speaker 1: I was reminded the other morning by what I don't remember, 378 00:26:28,955 --> 00:26:31,915 Speaker 1: and it doesn't matter, of a crisp September morning last 379 00:26:32,035 --> 00:26:34,515 Speaker 1: year when I went to the Grand Central to see 380 00:26:34,515 --> 00:26:37,595 Speaker 1: a little boy of ten get excitedly on a special 381 00:26:37,635 --> 00:26:40,155 Speaker 1: coach that was to take him to a boys school 382 00:26:40,675 --> 00:26:43,635 Speaker 1: somewhere north of Boston. He had never been away to 383 00:26:43,675 --> 00:26:48,195 Speaker 1: school before. The coach was squirming with youngsters. You could 384 00:26:48,235 --> 00:26:52,315 Speaker 1: tell after a while the novitiates shining and tremulous and 385 00:26:52,355 --> 00:26:55,435 Speaker 1: a little odd from the more aloof boys who had 386 00:26:55,435 --> 00:26:58,595 Speaker 1: been away to school before. But they were very much 387 00:26:58,595 --> 00:27:02,435 Speaker 1: alike at first glance. There was for me, in case 388 00:27:02,475 --> 00:27:04,595 Speaker 1: you thought I was leading up to that, no sharp 389 00:27:04,875 --> 00:27:09,275 Speaker 1: feeling of old lost years in the tense atmosphere of 390 00:27:09,275 --> 00:27:11,835 Speaker 1: that coach. Because I never went away to a private school. 391 00:27:11,835 --> 00:27:14,995 Speaker 1: When I was a little boy. I went to Sullivant 392 00:27:15,075 --> 00:27:18,275 Speaker 1: School in Columbus. I thought about it as I walked 393 00:27:18,315 --> 00:27:22,755 Speaker 1: back to my hotel. Sullivant was an ordinary public school, 394 00:27:22,795 --> 00:27:25,235 Speaker 1: and yet it was not like any other I have 395 00:27:25,395 --> 00:27:29,275 Speaker 1: ever known of. In seeking an adjective to describe the 396 00:27:29,355 --> 00:27:34,235 Speaker 1: Sullivant School of my years eight, I can only think 397 00:27:34,275 --> 00:27:40,795 Speaker 1: of tough. Sullivant School was tough. The boys of Sullivant 398 00:27:40,875 --> 00:27:43,835 Speaker 1: came mostly from the region around Central Market, a poorish 399 00:27:43,915 --> 00:27:48,195 Speaker 1: district with many families of the laboring class. The school 400 00:27:48,195 --> 00:27:51,035 Speaker 1: district also included a number of homes of the upper classes, 401 00:27:51,075 --> 00:27:53,395 Speaker 1: because at the turn of the century, one or two 402 00:27:53,435 --> 00:27:57,395 Speaker 1: old residential streets still lingered near the shouting and rumbling 403 00:27:57,435 --> 00:28:00,715 Speaker 1: of the market, reluctant to surrender their fine old houses 404 00:28:00,755 --> 00:28:04,555 Speaker 1: to the encroaching rabble of commerce and become as a last. 405 00:28:04,675 --> 00:28:10,875 Speaker 1: They now have more vulgar business streets. I remember always, 406 00:28:10,995 --> 00:28:15,635 Speaker 1: first of all, the Sullivant baseball team. Most grammar school 407 00:28:15,675 --> 00:28:17,795 Speaker 1: baseball teams are made up of boys in the seventh 408 00:28:17,835 --> 00:28:19,955 Speaker 1: and eighth grades, or they were in my day, But 409 00:28:20,075 --> 00:28:23,595 Speaker 1: with Sullivant it was different. Several of its best players 410 00:28:23,595 --> 00:28:26,435 Speaker 1: were in the fourth grade, known to the teachers of 411 00:28:26,435 --> 00:28:30,635 Speaker 1: the school as the terrible fourth. In that grade you 412 00:28:30,755 --> 00:28:40,075 Speaker 1: first encountered fractions and long division, and many pupils lodged 413 00:28:40,195 --> 00:28:46,435 Speaker 1: there for years like logs in a brook. Some of 414 00:28:46,475 --> 00:28:48,755 Speaker 1: the more able baseball players have been in the fourth 415 00:28:48,755 --> 00:28:53,035 Speaker 1: grade for seven or eight years, then two. There were 416 00:28:53,035 --> 00:28:55,275 Speaker 1: a number of boys who had not been in the 417 00:28:55,315 --> 00:28:58,075 Speaker 1: class past the normal time, but were nevertheless deep into 418 00:28:58,195 --> 00:29:03,155 Speaker 1: their teens. They had avoided starting to school by eluding 419 00:29:03,195 --> 00:29:05,715 Speaker 1: the truant officer until they were ready to go to 420 00:29:05,795 --> 00:29:08,555 Speaker 1: long Pants, but he always got them in the end. 421 00:29:09,395 --> 00:29:12,115 Speaker 1: One or two of these fourth graders were seventeen or 422 00:29:12,155 --> 00:29:16,195 Speaker 1: eighteen years old, but the dean of the squad was 423 00:29:16,235 --> 00:29:20,035 Speaker 1: a tall, husky young man of twenty two who was 424 00:29:20,075 --> 00:29:22,955 Speaker 1: in the fifth grade. The teachers of the third and 425 00:29:23,035 --> 00:29:24,995 Speaker 1: fourth had got tired of having him around as the 426 00:29:25,075 --> 00:29:28,555 Speaker 1: years rolled along and had pushed him on. His name 427 00:29:28,595 --> 00:29:33,955 Speaker 1: was Dana Wainey, and he had a mustache. Don't ask 428 00:29:33,955 --> 00:29:36,355 Speaker 1: me why his parents allowed him to stay in school 429 00:29:36,395 --> 00:29:39,515 Speaker 1: so long. There were many mysteries at Sullivant that were 430 00:29:39,555 --> 00:29:42,715 Speaker 1: never cleared up. All I know is why he kept 431 00:29:42,755 --> 00:29:46,235 Speaker 1: on in school and didn't go to work. He liked 432 00:29:46,315 --> 00:29:49,355 Speaker 1: playing on the baseball team, and he had a pretty 433 00:29:49,395 --> 00:29:51,875 Speaker 1: easy time in class because the teachers had given up 434 00:29:51,915 --> 00:29:56,795 Speaker 1: asking him any questions at all years before. The story 435 00:29:56,995 --> 00:29:59,195 Speaker 1: was that he had answered but one question in the 436 00:29:59,275 --> 00:30:02,235 Speaker 1: seventeen years he had been going to classes at Sullivant, 437 00:30:02,515 --> 00:30:06,715 Speaker 1: and that was what is one use of the comma 438 00:30:07,395 --> 00:30:12,435 Speaker 1: the commie, said Dana embarrassedly, unsnarling his long legs from 439 00:30:12,515 --> 00:30:15,555 Speaker 1: beneath a desk much too low for him. Is used 440 00:30:15,555 --> 00:30:19,435 Speaker 1: to shoot marbles with commies was our word for those 441 00:30:19,675 --> 00:30:23,635 Speaker 1: cheap ten cent marbles, in case it wasn't yours. The 442 00:30:23,715 --> 00:30:28,675 Speaker 1: Sullivan School baseball team of nine five defeated several high 443 00:30:28,715 --> 00:30:31,275 Speaker 1: school teams in the city and claimed the high school 444 00:30:31,355 --> 00:30:33,795 Speaker 1: championship of the state, to which title it had, of course, 445 00:30:33,835 --> 00:30:37,795 Speaker 1: no technical right. I believe the boys could have proved 446 00:30:37,795 --> 00:30:40,875 Speaker 1: their moral right to the championship, however, if they had 447 00:30:40,915 --> 00:30:43,235 Speaker 1: been allowed to go out of town and play all 448 00:30:43,315 --> 00:30:46,355 Speaker 1: the teams they challenged, such as the powerful Dayton and 449 00:30:46,395 --> 00:30:50,155 Speaker 1: Toledo Nines. But their road season was called off after 450 00:30:50,195 --> 00:30:53,955 Speaker 1: a terrific fight that it occurred during one game at 451 00:30:53,995 --> 00:31:00,235 Speaker 1: Mount Sterling or Piqua or Zenia, I can't remember which. 452 00:31:00,755 --> 00:31:04,715 Speaker 1: Our first baseman, Dana Wayney, crowned the umpire with a 453 00:31:04,715 --> 00:31:08,355 Speaker 1: backed during an altercation overcalled strike and the fight was on. 454 00:31:09,115 --> 00:31:11,195 Speaker 1: It took place in the fourth inning, so of course 455 00:31:11,195 --> 00:31:14,035 Speaker 1: the game was never finished. The battle continued on down 456 00:31:14,115 --> 00:31:16,595 Speaker 1: into the business section of the town and raged for 457 00:31:16,715 --> 00:31:20,915 Speaker 1: hours with much destruction of property. But since Sullivan was 458 00:31:20,955 --> 00:31:24,275 Speaker 1: ahead of the time seventeen to nothing, there could have 459 00:31:24,315 --> 00:31:28,355 Speaker 1: been no doubt as to the outcome. Nobody was killed. 460 00:31:29,315 --> 00:31:31,635 Speaker 1: All of us boys were sure our team could have 461 00:31:31,675 --> 00:31:34,875 Speaker 1: beaten Ohio State University that year, but they wouldn't play us. 462 00:31:35,115 --> 00:31:40,275 Speaker 1: They were scared. Wayney was by no means the biggest 463 00:31:40,355 --> 00:31:42,555 Speaker 1: or toughest guy on the Grammar School team. He was 464 00:31:42,635 --> 00:31:46,115 Speaker 1: merely the oldest, being about a year the senior of Floyd, 465 00:31:46,835 --> 00:31:49,995 Speaker 1: the center fielder who could jump five feet straight into 466 00:31:50,035 --> 00:31:54,355 Speaker 1: the air without taking a running start. Nobody knew, not 467 00:31:54,475 --> 00:31:57,075 Speaker 1: even the Board of Education, which once tried to find 468 00:31:57,115 --> 00:32:02,715 Speaker 1: out whether Floyd was Floyd's first name or his last name. 469 00:32:03,835 --> 00:32:08,395 Speaker 1: He apparently only had one. He didn't have any parents, 470 00:32:08,435 --> 00:32:11,275 Speaker 1: and nobody, including himself, seemed to know where he lived. 471 00:32:12,195 --> 00:32:14,555 Speaker 1: When teachers insisted that he must have another name to 472 00:32:14,595 --> 00:32:18,235 Speaker 1: go with Floyd, he would grow sullen and ominous, and 473 00:32:18,275 --> 00:32:21,515 Speaker 1: they would cease questioning him because he was a dangerous 474 00:32:21,555 --> 00:32:25,155 Speaker 1: scholar in his schoolroom brawl, as Mr Harrigan, the janitor 475 00:32:25,155 --> 00:32:27,315 Speaker 1: found out one morning when he was called in by 476 00:32:27,355 --> 00:32:31,955 Speaker 1: a screaming teacher. All our teachers were women to get 477 00:32:31,995 --> 00:32:35,795 Speaker 1: Floyd under control. After she had tried to whip him 478 00:32:35,835 --> 00:32:39,675 Speaker 1: and he had begun to take the room apart, beginning 479 00:32:39,675 --> 00:32:44,475 Speaker 1: with the desks. Floyd broke into small pieces the switch 480 00:32:44,635 --> 00:32:48,155 Speaker 1: she had used on him. Some said he also ate it. 481 00:32:48,915 --> 00:32:50,635 Speaker 1: I don't know, because I was home sick at the 482 00:32:50,635 --> 00:32:55,315 Speaker 1: time with mumps or something. Harrigan was a burly, iron 483 00:32:55,395 --> 00:32:57,755 Speaker 1: muscle janitor, a man come from a long line of 484 00:32:57,835 --> 00:33:01,195 Speaker 1: coal shovelers, but he was no match for Floyd, who 485 00:33:01,235 --> 00:33:03,715 Speaker 1: had to be sure the considerable advantage of being more 486 00:33:03,755 --> 00:33:07,915 Speaker 1: aroused than Mr Harrogan. When their fight started, Floyd had 487 00:33:07,995 --> 00:33:10,315 Speaker 1: him down and was sitting on his chest in no time, 488 00:33:10,315 --> 00:33:12,155 Speaker 1: and Harrigan had to promise to be good and to 489 00:33:12,235 --> 00:33:16,075 Speaker 1: say that's what I get ten times before Floyd would 490 00:33:16,155 --> 00:33:20,635 Speaker 1: let him up. I don't suppose I would ever have 491 00:33:20,755 --> 00:33:24,595 Speaker 1: got through Sullivan School alive if it hadn't been for Floyd. 492 00:33:25,235 --> 00:33:28,595 Speaker 1: For some reason, he appointed himself my protector, and I 493 00:33:28,755 --> 00:33:32,275 Speaker 1: needed one. If Floyd was known to be on your side, 494 00:33:32,355 --> 00:33:35,355 Speaker 1: nobody in the school would dare be after you and 495 00:33:35,435 --> 00:33:37,635 Speaker 1: chase you home. I was one of the ten or 496 00:33:37,675 --> 00:33:41,315 Speaker 1: fifteen male pupils in Sullivan School, who always are almost 497 00:33:41,355 --> 00:33:45,875 Speaker 1: always knew their lessons, and I believe Floyd admired the 498 00:33:45,915 --> 00:33:48,995 Speaker 1: mental prowess of a youngster who knew how many continents 499 00:33:48,995 --> 00:33:53,915 Speaker 1: there were and whether or not the sun was inhabited. Also, 500 00:33:54,035 --> 00:33:56,275 Speaker 1: one time, when it came to be my turn to 501 00:33:56,355 --> 00:33:58,835 Speaker 1: read to the class, we used to take turns reading 502 00:33:58,875 --> 00:34:03,235 Speaker 1: American history allowed I came across the word ducane and 503 00:34:03,395 --> 00:34:08,635 Speaker 1: knew how to pronounce it. That charmed Floyd, who had 504 00:34:08,675 --> 00:34:11,635 Speaker 1: been slouched in his seat idly following the printed page 505 00:34:11,635 --> 00:34:15,035 Speaker 1: of his worn and penciled textbook. How do you know 506 00:34:15,115 --> 00:34:19,235 Speaker 1: that was Duquesne boy, he asked me after class. I 507 00:34:19,275 --> 00:34:22,875 Speaker 1: don't know, I said, I just knew it. He looked 508 00:34:22,915 --> 00:34:26,355 Speaker 1: at me with round eyes. Oh that's something he said. 509 00:34:27,075 --> 00:34:29,435 Speaker 1: After that word got around that Floyd would beat the 510 00:34:29,435 --> 00:34:32,835 Speaker 1: tar out of anybody that messed around with me. I 511 00:34:32,915 --> 00:34:34,995 Speaker 1: wore glasses from the time I was eight, and I 512 00:34:35,075 --> 00:34:37,515 Speaker 1: knew my lessons, and both of those things were considered 513 00:34:37,515 --> 00:34:42,675 Speaker 1: pretty terrible at Sullivant. Floyd had one idiosyncrasy, though, in 514 00:34:42,715 --> 00:34:46,635 Speaker 1: the early nineteen hundreds, long warm, furry gloves that came 515 00:34:46,675 --> 00:34:50,715 Speaker 1: almost to your elbows were popular with boys, and Floyd 516 00:34:50,795 --> 00:34:54,275 Speaker 1: had one of the biggest pairs in school. He wore 517 00:34:54,315 --> 00:34:59,355 Speaker 1: them the year round. Dick Peterson was an eithern greater 518 00:34:59,435 --> 00:35:01,315 Speaker 1: figure on the baseball team and in the school than 519 00:35:01,315 --> 00:35:03,875 Speaker 1: Floyd was. He had a way in the classroom of 520 00:35:03,915 --> 00:35:12,675 Speaker 1: blurting out long, deep rolling be u for no reason 521 00:35:12,835 --> 00:35:16,475 Speaker 1: at all. Once he licked three boys his own size 522 00:35:16,555 --> 00:35:19,955 Speaker 1: single handed, really single handed, for he fought with his 523 00:35:20,075 --> 00:35:23,195 Speaker 1: right hand and held a mandolin in his left hand 524 00:35:23,235 --> 00:35:28,515 Speaker 1: all the time. It came out uninjured. Dick and Floyd 525 00:35:28,555 --> 00:35:31,355 Speaker 1: never met in Mortal Kombat, so nobody ever knew which 526 00:35:31,395 --> 00:35:34,995 Speaker 1: one could beat, and the scholars were about evenly divided 527 00:35:35,035 --> 00:35:38,595 Speaker 1: in their opinions. Many a fight started among them after 528 00:35:38,595 --> 00:35:41,835 Speaker 1: school when the argument came up. I think school never 529 00:35:41,915 --> 00:35:45,355 Speaker 1: let out at Sullivant without at least one fight starting up, 530 00:35:45,355 --> 00:35:47,675 Speaker 1: and sometimes there was many as five or six raging 531 00:35:47,675 --> 00:35:50,035 Speaker 1: between the corner of Oak and sixth Streets and the 532 00:35:50,035 --> 00:35:54,875 Speaker 1: corner of Rich and Fourth Streets four blocks away. Now 533 00:35:54,915 --> 00:35:57,795 Speaker 1: and again, virtually the whole school turned out to fight 534 00:35:57,835 --> 00:36:01,115 Speaker 1: the Catholic boys of the Holy Cross Academy in Fifth 535 00:36:01,115 --> 00:36:05,355 Speaker 1: Street near town for no reason at all. In winter 536 00:36:05,515 --> 00:36:08,995 Speaker 1: with snowballs and ice balls, in other seasons with fists, 537 00:36:09,115 --> 00:36:15,035 Speaker 1: brick bats, and clubs. Dick Peterson was always in the van, yelling, singing, 538 00:36:15,395 --> 00:36:19,275 Speaker 1: bey anging, whirling all the way around. When he swung 539 00:36:19,315 --> 00:36:21,155 Speaker 1: with his right or if he hadn't brought his mandolin 540 00:36:21,315 --> 00:36:25,195 Speaker 1: his left and missed. He made himself the pitcher on 541 00:36:25,235 --> 00:36:28,315 Speaker 1: the baseball team because he was the captain. He was 542 00:36:28,395 --> 00:36:31,155 Speaker 1: the captain because everybody else was afraid to challenge his 543 00:36:31,235 --> 00:36:36,035 Speaker 1: self election except Floyd. Floyd was too lazy to pitch, 544 00:36:36,035 --> 00:36:38,115 Speaker 1: and he didn't care who was captain because he didn't 545 00:36:38,115 --> 00:36:42,995 Speaker 1: fully comprehend what that meant. On one occasion, when Earl Battock, 546 00:36:43,475 --> 00:36:46,755 Speaker 1: a steam fitter's son, had shut out Mound Street School 547 00:36:46,795 --> 00:36:49,555 Speaker 1: for six innings without a hit, Dick took him out 548 00:36:49,555 --> 00:36:53,035 Speaker 1: of the pitcher's box and went in himself. He was 549 00:36:53,115 --> 00:36:55,155 Speaker 1: hit hard and the other team scored, but it didn't 550 00:36:55,155 --> 00:36:58,035 Speaker 1: make much difference because the margin of Sullivan's victory was 551 00:36:58,115 --> 00:37:01,915 Speaker 1: so great the team didn't lose a game for five 552 00:37:02,235 --> 00:37:06,115 Speaker 1: years to another grammar school. When Dick Peterson was in 553 00:37:06,155 --> 00:37:09,595 Speaker 1: the sixth grade, he got into a saloon brawl and 554 00:37:09,755 --> 00:37:14,395 Speaker 1: was killed. When I go back to Columbus. I always 555 00:37:14,435 --> 00:37:17,435 Speaker 1: walked past Sullivant School, and I have never happened to 556 00:37:17,475 --> 00:37:19,675 Speaker 1: get there when classes were letting out, so I don't 557 00:37:19,715 --> 00:37:22,755 Speaker 1: know what the pupils are like. Now. I am sure 558 00:37:22,795 --> 00:37:26,315 Speaker 1: there are no more Dick Peterson's and no more Floyd's, 559 00:37:27,875 --> 00:37:33,195 Speaker 1: unless Floyd is still going to school there. The playyard 560 00:37:33,275 --> 00:37:36,195 Speaker 1: is still entirely bare of grass and covered with gravel, 561 00:37:36,355 --> 00:37:39,235 Speaker 1: and the sycamore still lining the curve between the schoolhouse 562 00:37:39,235 --> 00:37:42,635 Speaker 1: fence and the Oak Street car line. A street car 563 00:37:42,675 --> 00:37:45,395 Speaker 1: line running past a schoolhouse is a dangerous thing as 564 00:37:45,395 --> 00:37:47,995 Speaker 1: a rule, but I remember no one being injured while 565 00:37:47,995 --> 00:37:51,515 Speaker 1: I was attending Sullivant. I do remember, however, one person 566 00:37:51,555 --> 00:37:54,715 Speaker 1: who came very near being injured. He was a motorman 567 00:37:55,395 --> 00:37:58,515 Speaker 1: on the Oak Street line, and once when his car 568 00:37:58,635 --> 00:38:01,195 Speaker 1: stopped at the corner of six to let off passengers, 569 00:38:01,235 --> 00:38:04,075 Speaker 1: he yelled at Chudy Davidson, who played third base on 570 00:38:04,075 --> 00:38:06,035 Speaker 1: the ball team, was a member of the Terrible Fourth 571 00:38:06,075 --> 00:38:09,475 Speaker 1: to get out of the way. Shooty was fourteen years 572 00:38:09,515 --> 00:38:12,355 Speaker 1: old but huge for his age, and he was standing 573 00:38:12,355 --> 00:38:16,355 Speaker 1: on the tracks taking a chew of tobacco. Come on 574 00:38:16,475 --> 00:38:18,835 Speaker 1: down off of that con I'll not keep locked off, 575 00:38:19,875 --> 00:38:21,995 Speaker 1: said Shooty, and what I can only describe as a 576 00:38:22,155 --> 00:38:26,715 Speaker 1: sullivant tone of voice. The motor man waited until Shooty 577 00:38:26,795 --> 00:38:29,995 Speaker 1: moved slowly off the tracks. Then he went on about 578 00:38:29,995 --> 00:38:32,995 Speaker 1: his business. I think it was lucky for him that 579 00:38:33,075 --> 00:38:40,115 Speaker 1: he did. There were boys in those days. I went 580 00:38:40,315 --> 00:38:57,355 Speaker 1: to Sullivant by James Thurber. I've done all the damage 581 00:38:57,355 --> 00:38:59,155 Speaker 1: I can do here. Thank you for listening. If you're 582 00:38:59,195 --> 00:39:02,035 Speaker 1: not following, or subscribed or whatever to this podcast, please 583 00:39:02,075 --> 00:39:05,315 Speaker 1: do so, and please stop somebody on the street and 584 00:39:05,355 --> 00:39:08,235 Speaker 1: get them too as well. Maybe we could make this 585 00:39:08,315 --> 00:39:12,435 Speaker 1: podcast popular in prisons. Here are the credits. Most of 586 00:39:12,435 --> 00:39:15,115 Speaker 1: the music, including our theme from Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, 587 00:39:15,155 --> 00:39:17,835 Speaker 1: produced and performed by Brian Ray and John Philip Chanelle. 588 00:39:18,035 --> 00:39:21,755 Speaker 1: They are the Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards 589 00:39:21,755 --> 00:39:25,395 Speaker 1: by John Philip Chanelle, guitars, bass and drums by Brian Ray, 590 00:39:25,475 --> 00:39:29,235 Speaker 1: produced by t Ko Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been 591 00:39:29,315 --> 00:39:33,315 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by No Horns Allowed. The sports music 592 00:39:33,435 --> 00:39:35,675 Speaker 1: is the Olberman theme from ESPN two, and it was 593 00:39:35,675 --> 00:39:39,555 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis. Courtesy of ESPN Inc. Musical 594 00:39:39,595 --> 00:39:42,875 Speaker 1: comments from Nancy Faust, the best baseball stadium organist ever. 595 00:39:43,395 --> 00:39:47,355 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was Jonathan Banks, breaking bad. Everything else 596 00:39:47,355 --> 00:39:50,035 Speaker 1: pretty much my fault. So let's countdown for this the 597 00:39:50,035 --> 00:39:53,155 Speaker 1: seven hundred and third day since Donald Trump's first attempted 598 00:39:53,235 --> 00:39:56,595 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 599 00:39:57,075 --> 00:40:00,475 Speaker 1: Arrest him now while we still can. We'll have a 600 00:40:00,475 --> 00:40:03,035 Speaker 1: new edition Monday. Until then, I'm Keith Olverman. Good morning, 601 00:40:03,035 --> 00:40:14,555 Speaker 1: good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Alderman 602 00:40:14,715 --> 00:40:18,155 Speaker 1: is a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts 603 00:40:18,195 --> 00:40:20,835 Speaker 1: from I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 604 00:40:20,915 --> 00:40:24,315 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.