1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio, 2 00:00:22,235 --> 00:00:27,075 Speaker 1: Yippi Kai a Mother Putin the President's surprise trip to 3 00:00:27,195 --> 00:00:30,755 Speaker 1: Kiev this morning into a war zone to meet Vladimir Zelinski, 4 00:00:30,915 --> 00:00:34,995 Speaker 1: virtually a year after Putin expected to own Kiev, to 5 00:00:35,235 --> 00:00:39,675 Speaker 1: symbolically personally deliver half a billion dollars more in aid 6 00:00:39,755 --> 00:00:44,075 Speaker 1: to Ukraine as the sun broke over Ukraine and across 7 00:00:44,115 --> 00:00:49,395 Speaker 1: the United States on our President's Day. It works on 8 00:00:49,515 --> 00:00:53,555 Speaker 1: so many levels to so many different audiences that it 9 00:00:53,675 --> 00:00:59,515 Speaker 1: borders on genius. The first audience for which all this 10 00:00:59,755 --> 00:01:24,595 Speaker 1: is intended you. The news of Joe Biden's surprise now 11 00:01:24,835 --> 00:01:28,435 Speaker 1: shock trip broke about five am Eastern, meaning there basically 12 00:01:28,555 --> 00:01:30,795 Speaker 1: wasn't anybody in the United States who did not wake 13 00:01:30,915 --> 00:01:34,315 Speaker 1: up to that audio and video of Biden in his 14 00:01:34,435 --> 00:01:38,795 Speaker 1: simple black overcoat and his neat suit and his aviators 15 00:01:39,075 --> 00:01:42,555 Speaker 1: walking with Zelenski out of St. Michael's Cathedral in Kiev 16 00:01:43,075 --> 00:01:48,235 Speaker 1: as the Ukrainian National Air raid siren went off. It 17 00:01:48,395 --> 00:01:52,955 Speaker 1: is nearly impossible to surprise the American public anymore about anything, 18 00:01:52,955 --> 00:01:54,995 Speaker 1: at least that part of the American public that pays 19 00:01:55,035 --> 00:01:57,955 Speaker 1: attention to politics and world events. And yet here it 20 00:01:58,075 --> 00:02:02,355 Speaker 1: is what do you mean Biden went to Ukraine overnight, 21 00:02:03,395 --> 00:02:06,635 Speaker 1: if there is any wavering of support in this country 22 00:02:06,835 --> 00:02:10,355 Speaker 1: for backing Ukraine against Russian aggression and butchery, if there 23 00:02:10,435 --> 00:02:14,075 Speaker 1: is any swerving away a year in from the reality 24 00:02:14,435 --> 00:02:16,755 Speaker 1: that for the one time since nine the world is 25 00:02:16,795 --> 00:02:19,435 Speaker 1: actually faced with the fact that that message, if they 26 00:02:19,435 --> 00:02:22,355 Speaker 1: don't fight the mayor, we may wind up fighting them here. 27 00:02:22,515 --> 00:02:25,435 Speaker 1: That that's almost literally true, and not just an excuse 28 00:02:25,515 --> 00:02:29,675 Speaker 1: to go into Korea or Vietnam or Iraq if anything 29 00:02:30,035 --> 00:02:34,515 Speaker 1: is in fact melting away. Nothing does more to shore 30 00:02:34,675 --> 00:02:39,435 Speaker 1: up American door to door resolve than that video, than 31 00:02:39,595 --> 00:02:45,075 Speaker 1: that audio, than that siren, than that simple message Biden 32 00:02:45,875 --> 00:02:50,995 Speaker 1: in Ukraine. The timing for the President is also exquisite. 33 00:02:51,635 --> 00:02:56,155 Speaker 1: It is President's Day, It is the one year anniversary 34 00:02:56,195 --> 00:03:00,235 Speaker 1: of the week of our warnings to Zelenski himself. This 35 00:03:00,315 --> 00:03:03,555 Speaker 1: country was, of course, actually ahead of Ukraine in our 36 00:03:03,675 --> 00:03:07,195 Speaker 1: understanding of what intended to do a year ago today. 37 00:03:07,315 --> 00:03:10,155 Speaker 1: And no matter what the bleating of our local neighborhood 38 00:03:10,155 --> 00:03:13,995 Speaker 1: American fascists in the Republican Party might say, the Biden 39 00:03:14,035 --> 00:03:17,915 Speaker 1: appearance is worth a thousand speeches from morons like Lauren 40 00:03:17,955 --> 00:03:21,115 Speaker 1: Bobert and Marjorie Trader Green who are back home in 41 00:03:21,155 --> 00:03:23,835 Speaker 1: their beds trying to figure out how to spell Ukraine. 42 00:03:24,715 --> 00:03:27,395 Speaker 1: And if you want a little further juxtaposition, and I 43 00:03:27,435 --> 00:03:30,675 Speaker 1: believe this was accidental. What was supposed to be an 44 00:03:30,715 --> 00:03:34,035 Speaker 1: anti war protest in front of the White House yesterday, 45 00:03:34,195 --> 00:03:37,875 Speaker 1: the rage against the war machine turned out to be 46 00:03:37,995 --> 00:03:43,595 Speaker 1: people carrying not only Putin's war machine Z banner, the 47 00:03:43,635 --> 00:03:46,835 Speaker 1: ones that his troops were carrying as they invaded, and 48 00:03:47,075 --> 00:03:52,235 Speaker 1: carrying Soviet Union red hammer and sickle flags. And the 49 00:03:52,275 --> 00:03:55,155 Speaker 1: optics of that are so laugh out loud tone depth 50 00:03:55,195 --> 00:03:58,195 Speaker 1: that if you told me that the flags and the 51 00:03:58,195 --> 00:04:02,995 Speaker 1: banners and the marchers were actually supplied Soto Voce by 52 00:04:03,075 --> 00:04:06,915 Speaker 1: the White House, I wouldn't be as surprise Soviet flags 53 00:04:06,955 --> 00:04:11,595 Speaker 1: in front of the White House, supposedly for peace, anti war, 54 00:04:11,835 --> 00:04:15,475 Speaker 1: Soviet Union flags, the hammer and sickle. As Russia tries 55 00:04:15,515 --> 00:04:18,715 Speaker 1: to annect Ukraine and Putin tries to rebuild the Soviet 56 00:04:18,715 --> 00:04:21,875 Speaker 1: Empire and win the Cold War thirty three years later 57 00:04:22,155 --> 00:04:26,315 Speaker 1: and dominate Europe, could there be a less popular cause 58 00:04:26,475 --> 00:04:32,835 Speaker 1: in the United States. What a contrast, The impact in Ukraine, 59 00:04:32,875 --> 00:04:36,515 Speaker 1: of course, is almost automatically understood their country was not 60 00:04:36,875 --> 00:04:40,355 Speaker 1: subsumed by the Russian war machine, and yet a year 61 00:04:40,435 --> 00:04:45,035 Speaker 1: of incredible hardships and death and destruction, even after all that, 62 00:04:45,195 --> 00:04:47,635 Speaker 1: it is not free of Russia. And it is hard 63 00:04:47,635 --> 00:04:50,715 Speaker 1: to imagine that even if internal forces in Russia were 64 00:04:50,755 --> 00:04:54,355 Speaker 1: to begin to gather against Putin right now, that it 65 00:04:54,395 --> 00:04:56,955 Speaker 1: will not be another year before Ukraine will be safe, 66 00:04:56,995 --> 00:05:00,315 Speaker 1: if it will be safe. So Biden's sudden appearance on 67 00:05:00,355 --> 00:05:03,515 Speaker 1: a Monday morning in Kiev is exactly the kind of 68 00:05:03,595 --> 00:05:08,515 Speaker 1: symbolism that will boost the already extraordinary courage and endurance 69 00:05:08,635 --> 00:05:12,915 Speaker 1: of my Ukrainian cousins. It's like a renewal of strength. 70 00:05:14,275 --> 00:05:18,795 Speaker 1: And just as obvious is the message to Russia, Flad, 71 00:05:18,915 --> 00:05:23,555 Speaker 1: You're gonna keep at this. So are we Americans then 72 00:05:23,635 --> 00:05:26,595 Speaker 1: and now. Like to think that the Soviet Union collapsed 73 00:05:26,595 --> 00:05:28,995 Speaker 1: in large part because of if you are a Reagan 74 00:05:29,035 --> 00:05:32,635 Speaker 1: worshiper Reagan, or if you are living in this world, 75 00:05:32,915 --> 00:05:36,635 Speaker 1: American diligence in confronting the last hard line Soviet leaders 76 00:05:36,635 --> 00:05:40,635 Speaker 1: like Bresnell under President Johnson, President Nixon, President Carter, and 77 00:05:40,755 --> 00:05:44,515 Speaker 1: President Reagan. But in point of fact, the Soviets largely 78 00:05:44,675 --> 00:05:48,195 Speaker 1: self destructed. The seeds of the end of their empire 79 00:05:48,275 --> 00:05:51,075 Speaker 1: in the early nineteen nineties will sound awfully familiar to 80 00:05:51,115 --> 00:05:56,595 Speaker 1: the America of three. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan in nineteen 81 00:05:56,675 --> 00:06:00,235 Speaker 1: seventy nine. In what that era is Russia's leaders would 82 00:06:00,275 --> 00:06:02,875 Speaker 1: thought to have been a quick outcome, that they were 83 00:06:02,915 --> 00:06:06,635 Speaker 1: going to handle and win in a matter of days, months, 84 00:06:06,755 --> 00:06:09,835 Speaker 1: or maybe a year, a decade and what would be 85 00:06:09,835 --> 00:06:12,955 Speaker 1: about a hundred and fifteen billion dollars later, the Russians 86 00:06:12,995 --> 00:06:16,475 Speaker 1: had nothing but body bags and angry civilians back home. 87 00:06:16,795 --> 00:06:19,555 Speaker 1: And more importantly, it was the first sign to the 88 00:06:19,635 --> 00:06:22,595 Speaker 1: average Russian on the street that the world was not 89 00:06:22,835 --> 00:06:26,355 Speaker 1: what the Kremlin said it was. And now Putent seems 90 00:06:26,395 --> 00:06:32,195 Speaker 1: hell bent on recreating Afghanistan in Ukraine today. There is 91 00:06:32,275 --> 00:06:36,795 Speaker 1: the old story of rival businessmen making competing American sports leagues. 92 00:06:37,035 --> 00:06:41,435 Speaker 1: A century ago. The established leagues warned the newcomer businessmen 93 00:06:41,555 --> 00:06:44,675 Speaker 1: that this would be very expensive for them. The newcomers, 94 00:06:44,675 --> 00:06:48,435 Speaker 1: with far more money and resources, scoffed, and their leaders 95 00:06:48,475 --> 00:06:51,155 Speaker 1: said to the leader of the established leagues, you send 96 00:06:51,235 --> 00:06:52,995 Speaker 1: your man, and he and I can stand at the 97 00:06:53,075 --> 00:06:56,235 Speaker 1: Hudson River and we can throw silver dollars in one 98 00:06:56,275 --> 00:06:59,555 Speaker 1: at a time, We'll see who runs out of silver 99 00:06:59,675 --> 00:07:04,315 Speaker 1: dollars first. It won't be me. The established leagues sued 100 00:07:04,315 --> 00:07:08,595 Speaker 1: for Pe. There is one more external message contained in 101 00:07:08,675 --> 00:07:12,635 Speaker 1: Biden's trip today, and that is made to Beijing. There 102 00:07:12,635 --> 00:07:15,795 Speaker 1: have been renewed rumors of China coming into support Russia 103 00:07:15,835 --> 00:07:18,835 Speaker 1: with materiel. The United States has for a year been 104 00:07:18,835 --> 00:07:21,635 Speaker 1: warning the Chinese to keep back and stay back, and 105 00:07:21,715 --> 00:07:25,435 Speaker 1: they have. But if they were rethinking that, if Biden's 106 00:07:25,475 --> 00:07:28,355 Speaker 1: actions against the Chinese spy balloon and what now looks 107 00:07:28,435 --> 00:07:32,995 Speaker 1: like something between overly cautious actions against other flying things 108 00:07:33,035 --> 00:07:37,235 Speaker 1: here and well pure stunt work in the sky, if 109 00:07:37,235 --> 00:07:40,155 Speaker 1: those were not warning enough to China, one imagines the 110 00:07:40,235 --> 00:07:44,315 Speaker 1: Chinese got the message this morning, especially with the Chinese 111 00:07:44,355 --> 00:07:49,275 Speaker 1: Foreign minister being in Moscow today, the message you want 112 00:07:49,275 --> 00:07:51,715 Speaker 1: to get involved, President She, You want to throw your 113 00:07:51,755 --> 00:07:55,515 Speaker 1: weight around on this. You really think destabilizing conflict in 114 00:07:55,595 --> 00:07:59,195 Speaker 1: Europe that has to end either with Russia ascendant or 115 00:07:59,315 --> 00:08:03,275 Speaker 1: NATO ascendant is somehow in your interest. Go ahead, China, 116 00:08:03,395 --> 00:08:06,675 Speaker 1: throw your weight around. You've got your man there. Tell 117 00:08:06,715 --> 00:08:10,035 Speaker 1: Putin you can be the front man in peace talks, 118 00:08:10,075 --> 00:08:12,755 Speaker 1: and you can give Putin a climb down so that 119 00:08:12,955 --> 00:08:16,195 Speaker 1: Ukraine does not end with him losing power. Be the 120 00:08:16,315 --> 00:08:21,075 Speaker 1: mediator China. That's the message to them today. Lastly, there 121 00:08:21,155 --> 00:08:24,035 Speaker 1: is one final group for whom Biden's shocked trip to 122 00:08:24,075 --> 00:08:27,155 Speaker 1: the Ukrainian capital this morning will be a potent message 123 00:08:27,355 --> 00:08:31,355 Speaker 1: and potent symbolism, and may have even been intended as such. 124 00:08:32,155 --> 00:08:36,515 Speaker 1: I speak frequently here about the American political media industrial 125 00:08:36,595 --> 00:08:42,035 Speaker 1: complex and it's overwhelming simplicity of mind. It can only 126 00:08:42,075 --> 00:08:46,435 Speaker 1: process four or five templates, It can only understand four 127 00:08:46,555 --> 00:08:49,835 Speaker 1: or five types of stories. It only has four or 128 00:08:49,915 --> 00:08:53,955 Speaker 1: five cubbyholes into which it must try to shove every story, 129 00:08:53,995 --> 00:08:59,675 Speaker 1: from wayward presidential relatives to coup attempts. Well, today's trip 130 00:09:00,115 --> 00:09:04,435 Speaker 1: is template number two. It is story B. It fits 131 00:09:04,435 --> 00:09:17,515 Speaker 1: perfectly into cubby hole upper left. Even American political reporters, commentators, networks, guests, analysts, columnists, stenographers, pundits, 132 00:09:17,595 --> 00:09:22,195 Speaker 1: and parents saw Joe Biden this morning and said, Hey, 133 00:09:22,475 --> 00:09:25,875 Speaker 1: I know who he is, I know what he's doing. 134 00:09:27,715 --> 00:09:30,555 Speaker 1: They all now can clear their throats and intone the 135 00:09:30,595 --> 00:09:35,035 Speaker 1: words they love to say against the brilliant midwinter sky. 136 00:09:35,155 --> 00:09:38,195 Speaker 1: The President of the United States arrived in war torn 137 00:09:39,035 --> 00:09:42,235 Speaker 1: Ukraine it's Ukraine, right and war torn Ukraine, where the 138 00:09:42,275 --> 00:09:49,115 Speaker 1: plucky Ukrainish Ukrainian president blah blah blah blah blah. Our 139 00:09:49,315 --> 00:09:54,155 Speaker 1: president even gave the American political media a standard wartime 140 00:09:54,235 --> 00:09:58,275 Speaker 1: speech with dozens of different quotes to choose from you 141 00:09:59,235 --> 00:10:06,155 Speaker 1: all Ukrainians, Mr President, remind the world every single day 142 00:10:06,195 --> 00:10:12,195 Speaker 1: with the media, the word courage is from all sectors here, economy, 143 00:10:12,595 --> 00:10:20,675 Speaker 1: all walks, through all life. It's astounded, astounding. Remind us 144 00:10:20,715 --> 00:10:27,355 Speaker 1: that freedom is priceless, it's worth fighting for as long 145 00:10:27,395 --> 00:10:30,675 Speaker 1: as it takes. And that's how long we're gonna be 146 00:10:30,715 --> 00:10:33,435 Speaker 1: with you, Mr President. For as long as it takes, 147 00:10:34,915 --> 00:10:46,875 Speaker 1: We'll do it. Thank you, Yippy kai a mother Putin 148 00:10:47,195 --> 00:11:06,675 Speaker 1: and yippy kai a New York Times. Back after this 149 00:11:06,795 --> 00:11:10,315 Speaker 1: with the issue of those spreading Russian propaganda in this country, 150 00:11:10,635 --> 00:11:14,835 Speaker 1: Musk Tucker Carlson and you know, parts of the Republican Party. 151 00:11:15,355 --> 00:11:38,035 Speaker 1: That's next on this special edition of Countdown. We must 152 00:11:38,355 --> 00:11:43,115 Speaker 1: remove Russia from the United Nations. Prutin is doubling down 153 00:11:43,115 --> 00:11:46,875 Speaker 1: in Ukraine again, targeting civilians and now positioning himself as 154 00:11:46,875 --> 00:11:51,195 Speaker 1: a victim not of the retaliations of war, but of terrorism. 155 00:11:51,235 --> 00:11:53,795 Speaker 1: And it got little attention here, but a Russian hacker 156 00:11:53,875 --> 00:11:58,235 Speaker 1: group has taken thirteen US air travel websites offline, including 157 00:11:58,275 --> 00:12:01,435 Speaker 1: the official sites for l A X and Hartsfield in Atlanta. 158 00:12:01,955 --> 00:12:05,635 Speaker 1: The distributed denial of service attacks did no permanent damage 159 00:12:05,795 --> 00:12:08,395 Speaker 1: and did not last long, but they are the proverbial 160 00:12:08,475 --> 00:12:13,115 Speaker 1: shots across the bow against this country's bow from an 161 00:12:13,155 --> 00:12:17,635 Speaker 1: increasingly desperate Vladimir Putin. Removing Russia from the u N is, 162 00:12:17,675 --> 00:12:20,555 Speaker 1: of course, a million times easier said than done. At 163 00:12:20,595 --> 00:12:23,675 Speaker 1: the u n's formation, Russia was given veto power in 164 00:12:23,715 --> 00:12:26,675 Speaker 1: the Security Council, and it has thus stopped even the 165 00:12:26,715 --> 00:12:30,275 Speaker 1: most milk toast of UN responses about Ukraine, even after 166 00:12:30,315 --> 00:12:35,395 Speaker 1: these latest atrocities. In Russia's eight month long atrocity against Ukraine, 167 00:12:36,235 --> 00:12:38,595 Speaker 1: the only way to get rid of Russia is to 168 00:12:38,755 --> 00:12:42,435 Speaker 1: dissolve the current United Nations and form a new organization 169 00:12:42,755 --> 00:12:46,075 Speaker 1: without Russia, and that could only happen if China were 170 00:12:46,115 --> 00:12:50,475 Speaker 1: to go along with it. That is possible. Given a 171 00:12:50,555 --> 00:12:52,835 Speaker 1: chance to knock Russia down in at least the formal 172 00:12:52,875 --> 00:12:56,675 Speaker 1: arena of diplomacy, the Chinese might just go for it. 173 00:12:56,675 --> 00:12:59,715 Speaker 1: It still remains the longest of long shots. The more 174 00:12:59,755 --> 00:13:03,035 Speaker 1: immediate and practical alternative is for the President to formally 175 00:13:03,075 --> 00:13:07,315 Speaker 1: designate Russia as a state's sponsor of terrorism. This is 176 00:13:07,395 --> 00:13:10,995 Speaker 1: one step the Russians genuinely fear because it would not 177 00:13:11,035 --> 00:13:14,195 Speaker 1: only increase sanctions against the country and its leaders and 178 00:13:14,275 --> 00:13:18,275 Speaker 1: its oligarchs, but it would force many worldwide corporations to 179 00:13:18,315 --> 00:13:22,115 Speaker 1: make a choice do business with the United States or Russia, 180 00:13:22,555 --> 00:13:25,355 Speaker 1: and indeed it would penalize other countries for doing business 181 00:13:25,355 --> 00:13:27,995 Speaker 1: with Russia. It is a little over a month since 182 00:13:28,035 --> 00:13:31,835 Speaker 1: President Biden last dismissed the idea, saying through a spokesperson 183 00:13:31,915 --> 00:13:36,395 Speaker 1: that declaring them a terrorism sponsor could impact humanitarian efforts 184 00:13:36,475 --> 00:13:40,995 Speaker 1: and perhaps peace negotiations. Well, the humanitarian efforts are on 185 00:13:41,035 --> 00:13:43,595 Speaker 1: the rocks as it is, and if after this last 186 00:13:43,635 --> 00:13:47,315 Speaker 1: weekend anybody in the administration actually sees peace negotiations in 187 00:13:47,315 --> 00:13:51,515 Speaker 1: the future, they are hallucinating. Ukrainian President Zelinski has come 188 00:13:51,515 --> 00:13:53,595 Speaker 1: out and said it he will never talk peace with 189 00:13:53,675 --> 00:13:57,355 Speaker 1: Russia as long as Putin is its dictator. But we 190 00:13:57,435 --> 00:14:01,235 Speaker 1: need to do something more about Russia, and obviously or 191 00:14:01,275 --> 00:14:03,515 Speaker 1: we're not going to get into a shooting war with Russia, 192 00:14:03,995 --> 00:14:07,395 Speaker 1: and we're not to cut off all diplomatic relations with Russia, 193 00:14:07,835 --> 00:14:11,235 Speaker 1: but we haven't even addressed relatively minor symbolic acts like 194 00:14:11,395 --> 00:14:14,115 Speaker 1: offering Russian athletes playing in this country at choice of 195 00:14:14,275 --> 00:14:18,275 Speaker 1: renouncing their Russian citizenships were being banned from making their 196 00:14:18,315 --> 00:14:23,195 Speaker 1: millions here. The need to do something more about Russia is, 197 00:14:23,235 --> 00:14:27,035 Speaker 1: of course, not just about Russia. It's also about Elon 198 00:14:27,195 --> 00:14:32,595 Speaker 1: Musk and Tucker Carlson and Michael Flynn and c Pack. 199 00:14:33,595 --> 00:14:37,475 Speaker 1: Because after years of our international moral force being replaced 200 00:14:37,475 --> 00:14:42,715 Speaker 1: by Trump's international protection money NATO scheme, this country again 201 00:14:42,755 --> 00:14:44,915 Speaker 1: stood up for right against wrong. And just as we 202 00:14:44,995 --> 00:14:47,835 Speaker 1: need to make it harder for Russia to bomb playgrounds, 203 00:14:48,315 --> 00:14:50,435 Speaker 1: we need to make it harder for Musk and Carlson 204 00:14:50,475 --> 00:14:53,115 Speaker 1: and the others to supply Russian TV with an endless 205 00:14:53,155 --> 00:14:56,995 Speaker 1: stream of anti Ukrainian sound bites, which is beginning to 206 00:14:57,035 --> 00:15:01,635 Speaker 1: reach the outskirts of Tokyo Rose Territory. Like all stupid 207 00:15:01,755 --> 00:15:05,195 Speaker 1: rich men, Elon Musk has assumed that his wealth has 208 00:15:05,195 --> 00:15:08,635 Speaker 1: somehow bought him intelligence that he did not have. It 209 00:15:08,715 --> 00:15:12,275 Speaker 1: has been two days since he tweeted about the Russian conflict. 210 00:15:12,835 --> 00:15:15,355 Speaker 1: On that occasion, he repeated the old Russian fable about 211 00:15:15,355 --> 00:15:17,875 Speaker 1: the man granted a single wish, with the caveat that 212 00:15:17,955 --> 00:15:20,675 Speaker 1: whatever he gets, his neighbor will get two of. In 213 00:15:20,715 --> 00:15:23,755 Speaker 1: that case, the man says, please poke one of my 214 00:15:23,955 --> 00:15:30,235 Speaker 1: eyes out Musk's insight. Inspired by that fable, his Pearl 215 00:15:30,315 --> 00:15:34,515 Speaker 1: of Wisdom to his million followers quote, and I for 216 00:15:34,555 --> 00:15:37,755 Speaker 1: an eye leaves everyone blind, which is, of course the 217 00:15:37,755 --> 00:15:40,715 Speaker 1: exact opposite of the moral of the Russian fable he quotes, 218 00:15:41,035 --> 00:15:43,395 Speaker 1: which is that Russians are happy to destroy half of 219 00:15:43,475 --> 00:15:46,875 Speaker 1: their world if it would destroy all of somebody else's. 220 00:15:48,595 --> 00:15:50,915 Speaker 1: It was Musk, of course, who thought he was moving 221 00:15:50,955 --> 00:15:54,635 Speaker 1: towards Nobel Peace Prize nominations by taking the Russian demands 222 00:15:54,635 --> 00:15:58,155 Speaker 1: for Ukraine and presenting them as his own, merely because 223 00:15:58,195 --> 00:16:01,955 Speaker 1: he added United Nations supervision to annexation votes in the 224 00:16:01,995 --> 00:16:05,635 Speaker 1: region Russia has seized. Not really. He put it out 225 00:16:05,675 --> 00:16:10,875 Speaker 1: as a Twitter poll, where it lost, naturally. He then 226 00:16:10,915 --> 00:16:14,395 Speaker 1: concluded the vote had been changed by the biggest bot 227 00:16:14,475 --> 00:16:18,435 Speaker 1: attack I've ever seen. Naturally. He then followed up by 228 00:16:18,435 --> 00:16:23,835 Speaker 1: representing the same plebiscite idea only using different words. Naturally, 229 00:16:23,875 --> 00:16:27,435 Speaker 1: he was criticized by such great actual Russian patriots and 230 00:16:27,515 --> 00:16:32,755 Speaker 1: anti Putinists, says Gary Kasparoff, naturally, Musk responded to kaspar Off, 231 00:16:33,155 --> 00:16:36,595 Speaker 1: we gave starlinks to Ukraine and lost eighty million dollars 232 00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:40,035 Speaker 1: plus in doing so. What have you done besides tweet? 233 00:16:41,115 --> 00:16:44,115 Speaker 1: And when readers explained kaspar Off was repeatedly jailed by 234 00:16:44,115 --> 00:16:49,195 Speaker 1: Putin and beaten by Russian police, Musk went silent, and 235 00:16:49,275 --> 00:16:52,235 Speaker 1: everything he writes or says winds up being played on 236 00:16:52,315 --> 00:16:56,115 Speaker 1: Russian television and given widespread coverage on the RT international 237 00:16:56,195 --> 00:17:00,955 Speaker 1: channels and websites. If Musk is motivated by money here 238 00:17:01,635 --> 00:17:04,035 Speaker 1: you'll note from the tweet his eighty million dollars is 239 00:17:04,035 --> 00:17:06,915 Speaker 1: more important to him than casprov being arrested and beaten. 240 00:17:07,275 --> 00:17:10,955 Speaker 1: It is more than likely entirely his own money. But 241 00:17:11,035 --> 00:17:13,955 Speaker 1: the specter of the Russians actually paying some of the 242 00:17:14,035 --> 00:17:17,675 Speaker 1: anti Ukrainian voices in our country has been raised. It 243 00:17:17,795 --> 00:17:21,275 Speaker 1: is not yet two weeks since Spack issued and then 244 00:17:21,315 --> 00:17:27,035 Speaker 1: tried to retract pure Putent propaganda quote. Vladimir Putin announces 245 00:17:27,075 --> 00:17:31,035 Speaker 1: the annexation of four Ukrainian occupied territories. Biden and the 246 00:17:31,115 --> 00:17:35,275 Speaker 1: Dems continued to send Ukraine billions of taxpayer dollars. Meanwhile, 247 00:17:35,675 --> 00:17:38,795 Speaker 1: we are under attack at our southern border, When will 248 00:17:38,875 --> 00:17:43,915 Speaker 1: Democrats put America first and end the gift giving to Ukraine. 249 00:17:44,755 --> 00:17:48,635 Speaker 1: The message was so blatant that military journalist David Larter, 250 00:17:49,075 --> 00:17:52,355 Speaker 1: formerly of Navy Times and Defense News, said that the 251 00:17:52,435 --> 00:17:55,315 Speaker 1: FBI should take a look at the money flowing into 252 00:17:55,355 --> 00:17:58,475 Speaker 1: Spack and where it's coming from, and that's not a 253 00:17:58,555 --> 00:18:03,315 Speaker 1: joke end quote. It was the former John McCain campaigner 254 00:18:03,355 --> 00:18:06,675 Speaker 1: Steve Schmidt who observed last spring that the Russians had 255 00:18:06,675 --> 00:18:08,995 Speaker 1: been trying to buy their way into the Republican Party 256 00:18:09,035 --> 00:18:11,195 Speaker 1: since at least two thousand six and two thousand seven, 257 00:18:11,395 --> 00:18:14,715 Speaker 1: and that McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis was tied to 258 00:18:14,835 --> 00:18:18,915 Speaker 1: Paul Manafort and Oleg Deripaska and through them to putin. 259 00:18:19,875 --> 00:18:24,555 Speaker 1: Starting more or less contemporaneously with Schmidt's observations, Tucker Carlson 260 00:18:24,595 --> 00:18:27,795 Speaker 1: began to side with Russia every night. His work was 261 00:18:27,835 --> 00:18:31,395 Speaker 1: so consistent and dependable that they began to rebroadcast entire 262 00:18:31,435 --> 00:18:35,115 Speaker 1: segments on State TV in Russia with captions, though delightfully 263 00:18:35,155 --> 00:18:39,475 Speaker 1: they got his name wrong and continually called him Tucks 264 00:18:39,475 --> 00:18:44,275 Speaker 1: and Carlson. When the nord Stream natural gas pipeline was sabotaged, 265 00:18:44,595 --> 00:18:47,795 Speaker 1: Tucks and Carlson stated as if it were true. He 266 00:18:47,915 --> 00:18:51,555 Speaker 1: said that he is true that we were the ones 267 00:18:51,555 --> 00:18:53,755 Speaker 1: who blew it up, that Joe Biden did it directly 268 00:18:53,835 --> 00:18:56,915 Speaker 1: or through proxies, and he continued his theme that Biden's 269 00:18:56,955 --> 00:19:01,075 Speaker 1: actions for Ukraine are actually actions against Russia quote as 270 00:19:01,115 --> 00:19:06,235 Speaker 1: payback for getting Trump elected unquote, of Trump's own ties 271 00:19:06,275 --> 00:19:07,875 Speaker 1: to Russia and the lengths to which he went to 272 00:19:07,915 --> 00:19:10,355 Speaker 1: bury them, the lengths to which he is still trying 273 00:19:10,355 --> 00:19:13,195 Speaker 1: to bury them. I don't know that anything new can 274 00:19:13,235 --> 00:19:17,555 Speaker 1: be said, however, they do it. The Russians own Trump. 275 00:19:18,875 --> 00:19:21,475 Speaker 1: There are others. There is at least one host on 276 00:19:21,515 --> 00:19:25,395 Speaker 1: the Real America's voice streaming network who has praised Putin 277 00:19:25,475 --> 00:19:29,275 Speaker 1: for claiming the American left is satanic. The former u 278 00:19:29,475 --> 00:19:32,195 Speaker 1: n w M D inspector Scott Ritter is a frequent 279 00:19:32,235 --> 00:19:35,435 Speaker 1: guest on Russian television praising Putin. And I played this 280 00:19:35,515 --> 00:19:38,555 Speaker 1: next clip yesterday, but it is worth hearing again. This 281 00:19:38,715 --> 00:19:43,715 Speaker 1: is the former, however, briefly, national Security Adviser to the 282 00:19:43,795 --> 00:19:49,835 Speaker 1: President of the United States, Michael Garbage Flynn, famous for 283 00:19:49,915 --> 00:19:53,915 Speaker 1: attending a two thousand fifteen Moscow gala and sitting at 284 00:19:53,915 --> 00:19:59,875 Speaker 1: the head table with Vladimir Putin. These are not shy leaders. 285 00:19:59,875 --> 00:20:04,395 Speaker 1: These are bowl leaders who have every everything at stake 286 00:20:04,475 --> 00:20:09,595 Speaker 1: and terms of protecting their country. So these these fools 287 00:20:09,635 --> 00:20:12,115 Speaker 1: and I and like I said about Zelenski and his 288 00:20:12,155 --> 00:20:14,555 Speaker 1: statement about nuclear war, and people can go to the 289 00:20:14,635 --> 00:20:16,915 Speaker 1: various telegram and or my various social media to see 290 00:20:16,955 --> 00:20:20,595 Speaker 1: it that that is a foolish person. But what's more, 291 00:20:20,915 --> 00:20:25,275 Speaker 1: what's more dangerous than that is a is a dangerous fool. 292 00:20:26,635 --> 00:20:30,075 Speaker 1: There is, however, some comic relief in this whole grim business. 293 00:20:30,155 --> 00:20:33,635 Speaker 1: To circle back to Tucks and Carlson, We're Jiminy Glick. 294 00:20:34,755 --> 00:20:37,915 Speaker 1: Call him what you will. Tucker Carlson has had as 295 00:20:37,955 --> 00:20:42,435 Speaker 1: a handwringing guest the loathsome former Congresswoman Telse Gabbard. What 296 00:20:42,555 --> 00:20:45,315 Speaker 1: you will hear next is two commentators on Russian TV 297 00:20:45,795 --> 00:20:49,475 Speaker 1: as the clip of Carlson and Gabbard plays. The first 298 00:20:49,515 --> 00:20:52,395 Speaker 1: says her comments are important because she is a member 299 00:20:52,435 --> 00:20:55,315 Speaker 1: of the Democratic Party and thus an internal critic of 300 00:20:55,395 --> 00:20:59,235 Speaker 1: Joe Biden. The second one says, with clear regret in 301 00:20:59,315 --> 00:21:04,675 Speaker 1: his voice, Nah, sorry, I wish, but Tulsea Gabbard blames 302 00:21:04,755 --> 00:21:19,435 Speaker 1: Biden for everything all the time the administ Yet yet Lastly, 303 00:21:19,475 --> 00:21:21,595 Speaker 1: there is no avoiding the reality that many of us 304 00:21:21,635 --> 00:21:23,555 Speaker 1: now calling to push the envelope as far as we 305 00:21:23,595 --> 00:21:27,195 Speaker 1: safely can against Russia. Find out which of its defenders 306 00:21:27,195 --> 00:21:29,635 Speaker 1: here are being paid by that nation or its intermediaries. 307 00:21:29,955 --> 00:21:34,715 Speaker 1: Designate Russia as state sponsors of terror. Reform the United Nations. 308 00:21:34,755 --> 00:21:38,355 Speaker 1: Without Russia, we are in the extraordinary position of acting 309 00:21:38,355 --> 00:21:42,555 Speaker 1: against everything we have proclaimed in the past. I grew 310 00:21:42,635 --> 00:21:44,755 Speaker 1: up thinking that the Russians were a menace only because 311 00:21:44,795 --> 00:21:47,075 Speaker 1: of the nature of their government at that time, and 312 00:21:47,155 --> 00:21:50,755 Speaker 1: I really believed, when the Soviet Union fell apart piece 313 00:21:50,795 --> 00:21:54,155 Speaker 1: by peace, that they could create and protect something very 314 00:21:54,195 --> 00:22:00,915 Speaker 1: close to democracy. Silly me. Ideally, though, I would like 315 00:22:00,995 --> 00:22:04,035 Speaker 1: to be right all the time, twenty four hours a 316 00:22:04,115 --> 00:22:09,435 Speaker 1: day forever. But as a second option, I'd rather be 317 00:22:09,595 --> 00:22:26,435 Speaker 1: right right now to the number one story on the 318 00:22:26,475 --> 00:22:29,635 Speaker 1: countdown on my favorite topic, me and things I promised 319 00:22:29,635 --> 00:22:33,555 Speaker 1: not to tell. Early in two thousand seven, my phone 320 00:22:33,675 --> 00:22:37,475 Speaker 1: rang at MSNBC headquarters in New Jersey. The Senator would 321 00:22:37,515 --> 00:22:39,435 Speaker 1: like to take you to lunch the next time he's 322 00:22:39,435 --> 00:22:41,955 Speaker 1: in New York. He needs your advice. Would you be interested? 323 00:22:42,555 --> 00:22:46,555 Speaker 1: It was Joe Biden's press guy. My first reaction was 324 00:22:46,635 --> 00:22:49,315 Speaker 1: to ask if they had called the wrong number. My 325 00:22:49,435 --> 00:22:51,195 Speaker 1: next reaction was to make sure this was not some 326 00:22:51,235 --> 00:22:53,995 Speaker 1: sort of policy question, because as a news anchor and 327 00:22:54,075 --> 00:22:57,715 Speaker 1: commentator for MSNBC, it did not seem appropriate to offer 328 00:22:57,755 --> 00:23:00,915 Speaker 1: advice to a candidate for his party's presidential nomination. And 329 00:23:02,275 --> 00:23:06,875 Speaker 1: doesn't that seem quite right now, Seawan Hannity No. I 330 00:23:06,955 --> 00:23:11,035 Speaker 1: was told it was more technical, more about communications, no policy, 331 00:23:11,435 --> 00:23:15,235 Speaker 1: my antique standards satisfied, I said sure. They gave me 332 00:23:15,275 --> 00:23:17,995 Speaker 1: a couple of dates. They suggested, given his schedule, the 333 00:23:17,995 --> 00:23:20,155 Speaker 1: best place to eat would be a restaurant in Manhattan, 334 00:23:20,635 --> 00:23:22,315 Speaker 1: and it turned out it happened to be about forty 335 00:23:22,315 --> 00:23:25,875 Speaker 1: five seconds from my home. So the day and hour 336 00:23:26,115 --> 00:23:29,875 Speaker 1: arrived March two thousand seven, and I made it to 337 00:23:29,915 --> 00:23:32,915 Speaker 1: the restaurant all the way down there, forty five seconds 338 00:23:32,915 --> 00:23:35,675 Speaker 1: from my home. I sat down, and moments later in 339 00:23:35,715 --> 00:23:38,995 Speaker 1: came the Senator from Delaware and his press guy. He 340 00:23:39,115 --> 00:23:42,995 Speaker 1: had the big welcoming smile and equally big welcoming handshake 341 00:23:43,075 --> 00:23:45,355 Speaker 1: that you may have seen from back when candidates could 342 00:23:45,395 --> 00:23:48,035 Speaker 1: still go greet the people in the crowd. He reminded 343 00:23:48,035 --> 00:23:49,675 Speaker 1: me that we had met briefly when he was in 344 00:23:49,715 --> 00:23:52,955 Speaker 1: Los Angeles for the two thousand Democratic Convention and happened 345 00:23:52,955 --> 00:23:55,035 Speaker 1: to be staying in the hotel there in which I lived. 346 00:23:55,955 --> 00:23:58,635 Speaker 1: Senator Biden then said some nice things about my days 347 00:23:58,635 --> 00:24:01,675 Speaker 1: in sports, and particularly about the commentaries I had begun 348 00:24:01,755 --> 00:24:06,635 Speaker 1: to do the previous summer on MSNBC. Those special comments, 349 00:24:06,675 --> 00:24:09,075 Speaker 1: he said, with first a smile and then a whistle. 350 00:24:10,755 --> 00:24:13,475 Speaker 1: There was, then and there remains now, almost no space 351 00:24:13,515 --> 00:24:16,355 Speaker 1: between the public Joe Biden of the campaign or the 352 00:24:16,395 --> 00:24:20,035 Speaker 1: presidency and the guy who talks informally to some knucklehead 353 00:24:20,075 --> 00:24:23,355 Speaker 1: off the streets, which in this story is me. The 354 00:24:23,395 --> 00:24:26,115 Speaker 1: word malarkey was used during our lunch, and I remember 355 00:24:26,115 --> 00:24:28,195 Speaker 1: that particularly because, as I told him, I went to 356 00:24:28,235 --> 00:24:31,675 Speaker 1: grammar school with a kid named Malarkey. And he was 357 00:24:31,755 --> 00:24:33,555 Speaker 1: delighted by that. And he said, he assumed we gave 358 00:24:33,595 --> 00:24:35,235 Speaker 1: the fellow a hard time. And I said, yeah, but 359 00:24:35,275 --> 00:24:37,995 Speaker 1: not because of his name. None of us third graders 360 00:24:38,035 --> 00:24:40,875 Speaker 1: knew what malarkey meant. Why did you give him a 361 00:24:40,875 --> 00:24:43,995 Speaker 1: hard time? Then Biden asked, it was the third grade. 362 00:24:44,075 --> 00:24:46,795 Speaker 1: I said, everybody gave everybody a hard time. He liked 363 00:24:46,795 --> 00:24:49,875 Speaker 1: that answer. But back to the point of the lunch. 364 00:24:50,315 --> 00:24:54,795 Speaker 1: Your language in these special comments, he said, in those days, 365 00:24:54,835 --> 00:24:58,355 Speaker 1: people often brought up my language. See I used to 366 00:24:58,355 --> 00:25:01,635 Speaker 1: tell President Bush to shut the hell up, only because 367 00:25:01,635 --> 00:25:04,115 Speaker 1: they wouldn't let me use the other word. And some 368 00:25:04,195 --> 00:25:06,595 Speaker 1: of the event of that presidency so infuriated me that 369 00:25:06,595 --> 00:25:09,875 Speaker 1: I would actually Redden on camera, and I don't Redden 370 00:25:10,035 --> 00:25:15,555 Speaker 1: in a sauna. Once my high school history teacher, a distinguished, 371 00:25:15,555 --> 00:25:18,195 Speaker 1: an elegant man whose nine older siblings had been born 372 00:25:18,235 --> 00:25:22,235 Speaker 1: in Vienna and who had the courtliness which that implies, 373 00:25:22,755 --> 00:25:26,595 Speaker 1: mentioned the language of the special comments, and I thought 374 00:25:26,635 --> 00:25:30,395 Speaker 1: I was in for it. He Walter Schneller, told me 375 00:25:30,475 --> 00:25:32,435 Speaker 1: on the day I had graduated that my plans to 376 00:25:32,475 --> 00:25:34,675 Speaker 1: be a sportscaster were very nice, and he was sure 377 00:25:34,675 --> 00:25:35,995 Speaker 1: I would go and do that, but that he was 378 00:25:36,035 --> 00:25:38,715 Speaker 1: also sure that I would wind up in politics someday, 379 00:25:39,075 --> 00:25:42,355 Speaker 1: either as reporter or combatant. And I told him I 380 00:25:42,435 --> 00:25:46,355 Speaker 1: was flattered, but he was crazy. Mr Schneller was the 381 00:25:46,395 --> 00:25:48,195 Speaker 1: one who, years later, was put in charge of the 382 00:25:48,195 --> 00:25:52,955 Speaker 1: school's surprisingly generous fund for bringing in speakers to address 383 00:25:52,995 --> 00:25:55,675 Speaker 1: the student body, and he was very annoyed by the 384 00:25:55,715 --> 00:25:58,475 Speaker 1: fact that for decades all of the speakers had either 385 00:25:58,715 --> 00:26:03,235 Speaker 1: looked like Hugh Sidy, the columnist for Time Magazine, or 386 00:26:03,235 --> 00:26:06,475 Speaker 1: they had been hughes I d the columnist for Time Magazine. 387 00:26:07,035 --> 00:26:10,395 Speaker 1: He began scouring the Northeast for anybody smart who might 388 00:26:10,475 --> 00:26:14,795 Speaker 1: have a diverse background, and that's how he happened to 389 00:26:14,795 --> 00:26:17,515 Speaker 1: be driving to the railroad station at Terrytown, New York, 390 00:26:17,555 --> 00:26:21,395 Speaker 1: one morning to meet the train that carried that day's 391 00:26:21,435 --> 00:26:24,915 Speaker 1: guest speaker, an editor of the Harvard Law Review named 392 00:26:24,915 --> 00:26:29,835 Speaker 1: Barack Obama. His last words to Obama were, I'm sure 393 00:26:29,875 --> 00:26:33,795 Speaker 1: you're going to go very far. So Mr Schneller and 394 00:26:33,795 --> 00:26:36,835 Speaker 1: I were talking about the commentaries again about two thousand 395 00:26:36,915 --> 00:26:40,435 Speaker 1: six or seven, and he said about the language, and 396 00:26:40,515 --> 00:26:45,595 Speaker 1: I braced myself and preemptically apologized, No, no, He said, urgently, 397 00:26:45,635 --> 00:26:48,435 Speaker 1: you missed my point entirely. I am amazed that your 398 00:26:48,555 --> 00:26:52,075 Speaker 1: language is so restrained. If I were speaking, I would 399 00:26:52,115 --> 00:26:55,595 Speaker 1: have called Mr Bush a And thereupon Mr Schneller made 400 00:26:55,635 --> 00:27:01,115 Speaker 1: reference to somebody's mother. So when Joe Biden asked about 401 00:27:01,155 --> 00:27:04,275 Speaker 1: the language I used, I was wary, but he followed 402 00:27:04,275 --> 00:27:06,315 Speaker 1: it by saying that it was kind of why he 403 00:27:06,355 --> 00:27:09,715 Speaker 1: had asked me to lunch. I watched those commentaries. You do, 404 00:27:10,155 --> 00:27:12,955 Speaker 1: and people send me the video and my staffers tell 405 00:27:12,995 --> 00:27:15,315 Speaker 1: me about them, and every time I think the same thing. 406 00:27:15,715 --> 00:27:18,955 Speaker 1: Here you are expressing anger, but as close as it 407 00:27:18,995 --> 00:27:20,995 Speaker 1: comes to the line, you never cross it. I say 408 00:27:20,995 --> 00:27:23,115 Speaker 1: to my staff folks, is he too angry for you? 409 00:27:23,315 --> 00:27:27,315 Speaker 1: And they say no, just right. So here's my question, 410 00:27:27,435 --> 00:27:30,195 Speaker 1: and then we can enjoy this great lunch. Here. When 411 00:27:30,195 --> 00:27:32,555 Speaker 1: I'm passionate about something and I speak on the Senate 412 00:27:32,595 --> 00:27:35,115 Speaker 1: floor or anywhere else, I get told by my friends 413 00:27:35,115 --> 00:27:37,955 Speaker 1: and my enemies, you're too angry. And when I really 414 00:27:37,995 --> 00:27:41,475 Speaker 1: am angry, they all say, you're really too angry. And here, 415 00:27:41,555 --> 00:27:44,675 Speaker 1: Joe Biden laughed. Now you you go on TV, far 416 00:27:44,835 --> 00:27:48,715 Speaker 1: larger audience, far longer speeches, and people say that Alderman guy, 417 00:27:48,755 --> 00:27:52,355 Speaker 1: he's righteously indignant. And now, with a mixture of laughter, 418 00:27:52,435 --> 00:28:00,355 Speaker 1: astonishment and curiosity, said me, I'm angry. You you're righteously indignant. 419 00:28:00,915 --> 00:28:03,595 Speaker 1: How do you do that? How do you do it? Man? 420 00:28:03,675 --> 00:28:10,875 Speaker 1: Can you tell me? Without thinking? I replied? You have 421 00:28:10,955 --> 00:28:14,115 Speaker 1: been in the Senate for how long? Now, Senator thirty 422 00:28:14,155 --> 00:28:19,675 Speaker 1: four years? He nodded. And you're only just asking this 423 00:28:19,795 --> 00:28:24,435 Speaker 1: question now. The words were barely out of my mouth. 424 00:28:24,475 --> 00:28:27,075 Speaker 1: When I froze, this was not a friend or a 425 00:28:27,115 --> 00:28:29,635 Speaker 1: colleague who would take the little joking jab I had 426 00:28:29,675 --> 00:28:32,955 Speaker 1: just thrown in the way in which I intended. This 427 00:28:33,035 --> 00:28:37,115 Speaker 1: was a politician. Politicians may have senses of humor, very 428 00:28:37,115 --> 00:28:40,115 Speaker 1: few have a sense of humor about themselves. In that 429 00:28:40,195 --> 00:28:43,915 Speaker 1: split second, I assumed Joe Biden might get up and leave. 430 00:28:44,955 --> 00:28:47,635 Speaker 1: And he was silent for a moment, and then the 431 00:28:47,675 --> 00:28:50,235 Speaker 1: corners of his mouth turned up into my great relief, 432 00:28:50,235 --> 00:28:53,555 Speaker 1: he burst into laughter. He rocked back into his chair. 433 00:28:53,795 --> 00:28:56,835 Speaker 1: He slapped the table with a pump. My god, that's funny. 434 00:28:57,395 --> 00:29:02,275 Speaker 1: More laughter, My god, it's true, louder laughter. I don't 435 00:29:02,275 --> 00:29:05,675 Speaker 1: mind telling you I have loved him ever since. I 436 00:29:05,675 --> 00:29:09,075 Speaker 1: didn't think I had much advice for Senator Biden, But 437 00:29:09,155 --> 00:29:11,315 Speaker 1: as we talked about this topic, he asked me follow 438 00:29:11,395 --> 00:29:13,675 Speaker 1: up questions that made me analyze for the first time 439 00:29:13,955 --> 00:29:17,755 Speaker 1: some of the processes I used when writing and reading 440 00:29:17,755 --> 00:29:20,315 Speaker 1: on television. I've never thought of them before because I've 441 00:29:20,355 --> 00:29:23,035 Speaker 1: never had lunch with Joe Biden before. I will not 442 00:29:23,235 --> 00:29:25,595 Speaker 1: bore you with the full results of the dissection of 443 00:29:25,635 --> 00:29:29,115 Speaker 1: the process of turning anger into righteous indignation. The most 444 00:29:29,195 --> 00:29:31,995 Speaker 1: valuable conclusion was the oldest one in the book. I 445 00:29:32,035 --> 00:29:34,635 Speaker 1: always wrote late at night while fully angry, and then 446 00:29:34,635 --> 00:29:37,355 Speaker 1: in the morning I would take things out of the script, 447 00:29:37,675 --> 00:29:43,075 Speaker 1: usually the juicier adjectives. Whatever anger was left was only 448 00:29:43,155 --> 00:29:45,915 Speaker 1: the most intense and the most justifiable. And if you 449 00:29:46,035 --> 00:29:49,035 Speaker 1: presented twenty four hours after you have written it, you'll 450 00:29:49,075 --> 00:29:52,235 Speaker 1: be in control of the anger. Your anger will not 451 00:29:52,315 --> 00:29:56,635 Speaker 1: be in control of you. Shorter version, sleep on it. 452 00:29:58,755 --> 00:30:01,475 Speaker 1: I saw the senator next in August of two thousand 453 00:30:01,635 --> 00:30:05,955 Speaker 1: seven Democratic primary debate the A F L. CIO candidates 454 00:30:05,955 --> 00:30:13,635 Speaker 1: for him, officially Soldier Field Chicago, who was outdoors degrees humidity, 455 00:30:13,915 --> 00:30:20,595 Speaker 1: threat of killer thunderstorms, Obama, Clinton, Biden, Dodd Richardson, Cucinach Edwards, 456 00:30:20,635 --> 00:30:24,315 Speaker 1: and the moderator me. There are photos of this Joe 457 00:30:24,315 --> 00:30:27,115 Speaker 1: Biden and I walking towards each other, hands extended for 458 00:30:27,115 --> 00:30:30,275 Speaker 1: a greeting, and I remember it clearly. He is literally 459 00:30:30,315 --> 00:30:32,355 Speaker 1: asking me if I've noticed that he's been trying to 460 00:30:32,395 --> 00:30:35,115 Speaker 1: turn his anger into righteous indignation, and he's asking me 461 00:30:35,155 --> 00:30:39,035 Speaker 1: if I thought he'd succeeded. Well, he did not succeed 462 00:30:39,075 --> 00:30:42,595 Speaker 1: in that debate. He actually came over to me during 463 00:30:42,635 --> 00:30:44,875 Speaker 1: the commercial break and told me what he was going 464 00:30:44,955 --> 00:30:47,475 Speaker 1: to do when we came back, and I told him, 465 00:30:47,515 --> 00:30:51,275 Speaker 1: don't do that, and he did it anyway and it 466 00:30:51,315 --> 00:30:53,115 Speaker 1: looked bad, and later he let me know I was 467 00:30:53,195 --> 00:30:56,515 Speaker 1: right and he was wrong. And since then I can't 468 00:30:56,555 --> 00:31:02,795 Speaker 1: recall him being angry, certainly not inappropriately angry, not even 469 00:31:02,875 --> 00:31:07,075 Speaker 1: in those debates with that goddamn mad and his words 470 00:31:07,155 --> 00:31:11,195 Speaker 1: were harsh, the tone was less so perfect eight plus. 471 00:31:12,395 --> 00:31:15,275 Speaker 1: But it occurs to me in all the analysis of 472 00:31:15,395 --> 00:31:18,915 Speaker 1: all the changes in Joe Biden since day one, in 473 00:31:19,915 --> 00:31:22,955 Speaker 1: three or even the vice presidency, nobody touches on this 474 00:31:23,075 --> 00:31:26,515 Speaker 1: one thing. As late as fifteen years ago, he seemed 475 00:31:26,555 --> 00:31:30,115 Speaker 1: to be a hothead. When was the last time he 476 00:31:30,155 --> 00:31:33,115 Speaker 1: was accused of that. I'm not saying I had anything 477 00:31:33,155 --> 00:31:37,755 Speaker 1: to do with that, But two years in and he's 478 00:31:37,795 --> 00:31:42,275 Speaker 1: not even accused of being a hothead. It's an awfully 479 00:31:42,395 --> 00:31:59,715 Speaker 1: nice change, isn't it. This special edition of Countdown has 480 00:31:59,755 --> 00:32:02,475 Speaker 1: come to you from the studios of Alderman Broadcasting Empire 481 00:32:02,555 --> 00:32:06,275 Speaker 1: World Headquarters in the Sport Its Capsule Building in New York. 482 00:32:06,315 --> 00:32:08,515 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Here are the credits. Most of 483 00:32:08,515 --> 00:32:11,915 Speaker 1: the music, including our theme from Beethoven's Ninth arranged, produced 484 00:32:11,915 --> 00:32:14,315 Speaker 1: and performed by Brian Ray and John Philip Shanelle. The 485 00:32:14,355 --> 00:32:18,035 Speaker 1: Countdown musical directors guitars based on drums by Brian Ray, 486 00:32:18,355 --> 00:32:21,915 Speaker 1: all orchestration and keyboards by John Philip s Chanelle, produced 487 00:32:21,915 --> 00:32:24,875 Speaker 1: by T k O Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been 488 00:32:24,915 --> 00:32:28,235 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by No horns allowed. The sports music 489 00:32:28,315 --> 00:32:30,835 Speaker 1: the Old Women theme for Me ESPN two, written by 490 00:32:30,915 --> 00:32:35,115 Speaker 1: Mitch Warren Davis, appearing courtesy of ESPN, Inc. Musical comments 491 00:32:35,115 --> 00:32:38,235 Speaker 1: from Nancy Fausts, the best baseball stadium organist ever, and 492 00:32:38,395 --> 00:32:41,435 Speaker 1: everything else is pretty much my fault. So let's countdown 493 00:32:41,435 --> 00:32:44,235 Speaker 1: for this the seven and seventy six day since Donald 494 00:32:44,235 --> 00:32:47,675 Speaker 1: Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 495 00:32:47,715 --> 00:32:50,955 Speaker 1: the United States. Arrest him now while we still can. 496 00:32:51,475 --> 00:32:54,235 Speaker 1: The next scheduled countdowns tomorrow. Until then, I'm Keith old 497 00:32:54,275 --> 00:32:57,315 Speaker 1: Room and good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. 498 00:33:04,355 --> 00:33:07,155 Speaker 1: Count Down with Keith Olderman is a production of I 499 00:33:07,315 --> 00:33:10,995 Speaker 1: heart Radio. For more podcasts from i heart Radio, visit 500 00:33:10,995 --> 00:33:14,435 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 501 00:33:14,515 --> 00:33:15,675 Speaker 1: get your podcasts.