1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,715 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. He 2 00:00:21,795 --> 00:00:26,675 Speaker 1: did not crush DeSantis and Haley in Iowa. The New 3 00:00:26,795 --> 00:00:29,955 Speaker 1: York Times says he crushed DeSantis and Haley in Iowa, 4 00:00:30,035 --> 00:00:34,755 Speaker 1: and Politico also used quote crushing and record setting and vaulting, 5 00:00:34,875 --> 00:00:38,155 Speaker 1: and some clown from Axios named Zachary Bassu wrote he 6 00:00:38,155 --> 00:00:40,675 Speaker 1: couldn't have scripted it any better, and the headline was 7 00:00:40,875 --> 00:00:45,115 Speaker 1: Trump's perfect night. And the reality is Trump got fifty six, 8 00:00:45,715 --> 00:00:48,875 Speaker 1: two hundred and sixty votes in a primary, and that 9 00:00:49,035 --> 00:00:54,995 Speaker 1: is about half the size of this podcast's daily audience. 10 00:00:55,635 --> 00:00:58,555 Speaker 1: And Trump only got fifty one percent of the votes 11 00:00:58,595 --> 00:01:02,035 Speaker 1: in Iowa. And if President Biden got only fifty one 12 00:01:02,075 --> 00:01:06,075 Speaker 1: percent in a primary, they would cancel everything on television 13 00:01:06,115 --> 00:01:09,315 Speaker 1: for the next twenty six days and cover nothing. But 14 00:01:09,555 --> 00:01:12,155 Speaker 1: Biden only getting fifty one percent in the primary right 15 00:01:12,275 --> 00:01:15,195 Speaker 1: up until kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday, twenty six days 16 00:01:15,195 --> 00:01:18,555 Speaker 1: from now, Biden Crisis Day twenty six, we paused now 17 00:01:18,635 --> 00:01:22,275 Speaker 1: for football. Here's the anthem. Join Wolf, Fitzer, Tucker Carlson, 18 00:01:22,355 --> 00:01:26,035 Speaker 1: David Axelrod and Usher at halftime for a preview of 19 00:01:26,115 --> 00:01:32,595 Speaker 1: Biden Crisis Day twenty seven. It's madness. Political media in 20 00:01:32,635 --> 00:01:36,155 Speaker 1: this country has been in freefall since the nineteen nineties. 21 00:01:36,715 --> 00:01:43,675 Speaker 1: Hell I succeeded in it. No experience necessary, but still 22 00:01:43,755 --> 00:01:46,555 Speaker 1: it is hard to believe it could have ever been 23 00:01:46,595 --> 00:01:50,515 Speaker 1: worse than it is right now, even more a victim 24 00:01:50,515 --> 00:01:57,395 Speaker 1: of bandwagoning, even more a john overflowing unto eternity, each 25 00:01:57,555 --> 00:02:02,115 Speaker 1: reporter abandoning reality and objectivity to prove that their take 26 00:02:02,315 --> 00:02:05,595 Speaker 1: was right, or that their next take is first, or 27 00:02:05,635 --> 00:02:09,555 Speaker 1: that they can stuff more undeserved accolades into a sentence 28 00:02:09,595 --> 00:02:14,075 Speaker 1: than anybody else. It's not that they are obsessed with 29 00:02:14,195 --> 00:02:18,715 Speaker 1: the horse race. The horse race coverage is fine. Horse 30 00:02:18,795 --> 00:02:22,195 Speaker 1: race coverage is necessary. The horse race coverage is often 31 00:02:22,235 --> 00:02:26,035 Speaker 1: predictive and useful, But goddamn, when it's a pack of 32 00:02:26,115 --> 00:02:29,715 Speaker 1: miniature ponies struggling to make it around a ten foot track, 33 00:02:30,395 --> 00:02:34,395 Speaker 1: say that. Don't call them secretariat and man of war 34 00:02:34,515 --> 00:02:44,155 Speaker 1: and BoJack Horseman. Ron DeSantis is untethered from reality and literally, 35 00:02:44,475 --> 00:02:48,235 Speaker 1: like the definition of a tragic hero from classic Greek 36 00:02:48,315 --> 00:02:52,355 Speaker 1: literature or from Shakespeare, he has only realized too late 37 00:02:52,435 --> 00:02:56,755 Speaker 1: his mistake and fate has already doomed him before he 38 00:02:56,915 --> 00:03:01,275 Speaker 1: finally started his full throated attack on the ubiquity of 39 00:03:01,315 --> 00:03:05,075 Speaker 1: Trump's corruption, and now now that he has, I've seen 40 00:03:05,115 --> 00:03:09,355 Speaker 1: the light and is telling the truth. He's damaged goods 41 00:03:09,595 --> 00:03:14,555 Speaker 1: and finished. And Nicki Haley is an absolute moron, and 42 00:03:14,595 --> 00:03:17,835 Speaker 1: she will say anything except the truth. And she has 43 00:03:17,955 --> 00:03:22,955 Speaker 1: already pre endorsed Trump for that day when he finally 44 00:03:22,955 --> 00:03:27,275 Speaker 1: eliminates her. And neither of the two of them had 45 00:03:27,315 --> 00:03:30,315 Speaker 1: the presence of mind to look at the polls and say, 46 00:03:31,315 --> 00:03:35,675 Speaker 1: one of us might defeat Trump in Iowa, but the 47 00:03:35,715 --> 00:03:38,795 Speaker 1: other has to drop out, and whichever one of us 48 00:03:38,915 --> 00:03:42,715 Speaker 1: runs has to really hit him in the nuts with 49 00:03:42,835 --> 00:03:49,395 Speaker 1: all barrels. Sea Biscuit and mister Ed, they are not 50 00:03:51,235 --> 00:03:57,155 Speaker 1: the true takeaways from Iowa. Are the true last minute 51 00:03:57,235 --> 00:04:01,155 Speaker 1: break glass in event of emergency instruction for Hampshire next 52 00:04:01,195 --> 00:04:05,715 Speaker 1: week is Trump may have gotten a lot more votes 53 00:04:05,755 --> 00:04:11,355 Speaker 1: than Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis or anybody else, but 54 00:04:11,395 --> 00:04:15,355 Speaker 1: he only got two thousand, two hundred and twenty two 55 00:04:15,515 --> 00:04:18,995 Speaker 1: more votes than everybody else. And I don't know about you, 56 00:04:19,355 --> 00:04:21,915 Speaker 1: but out of one hundred and ten thousand votes, I 57 00:04:21,955 --> 00:04:25,795 Speaker 1: don't think that's exactly. Trump is back to command the 58 00:04:25,915 --> 00:04:29,435 Speaker 1: national psyche he never actually left, which was the headline 59 00:04:29,475 --> 00:04:33,875 Speaker 1: on top of the article by who else Maggie Haberman 60 00:04:35,395 --> 00:04:41,355 Speaker 1: two thousand, two hundred and twenty two more votes loser 61 00:04:41,995 --> 00:04:49,795 Speaker 1: Jay Trump. That's one actual takeaway from Iowa. It leads 62 00:04:49,875 --> 00:04:54,155 Speaker 1: to the second takeaway. One opponent not looking to protect 63 00:04:54,475 --> 00:04:58,755 Speaker 1: his or her ass if they lose to Trump. One 64 00:04:58,875 --> 00:05:04,515 Speaker 1: opponent willing to stand up to this monster could do 65 00:05:04,795 --> 00:05:09,755 Speaker 1: feat him, or at minimum force him to campaign hard 66 00:05:09,915 --> 00:05:13,675 Speaker 1: through the entirety of the Republican primaries. There's also a 67 00:05:13,715 --> 00:05:17,395 Speaker 1: third takeaway, which is that individually, with the great, undulating, 68 00:05:17,635 --> 00:05:22,355 Speaker 1: pulsating cowardice of somebody spending their entire lives standing right 69 00:05:22,515 --> 00:05:26,915 Speaker 1: next to the fire exit, neither of these Schlemels is 70 00:05:26,995 --> 00:05:31,395 Speaker 1: going to stop Trump, who always can rely on the 71 00:05:31,395 --> 00:05:36,315 Speaker 1: fact that he has the courage of his brain damage. 72 00:05:36,875 --> 00:05:41,875 Speaker 1: The fourth takeaway is that individually, Haley and DeSantis may 73 00:05:41,915 --> 00:05:46,715 Speaker 1: have lost to Trump Monday, but yesterday Trump went right 74 00:05:46,755 --> 00:05:51,035 Speaker 1: back to losing to e Jene Carroll. And the fifth 75 00:05:51,075 --> 00:05:55,155 Speaker 1: takeaway is that when I first said leaving out the 76 00:05:55,195 --> 00:05:58,395 Speaker 1: top dozen people in each field, if tomorrow you switched 77 00:05:58,475 --> 00:06:01,635 Speaker 1: all the sports reporters and all the political reporters, the 78 00:06:01,755 --> 00:06:04,835 Speaker 1: quality of political reporting in this country would instantly double 79 00:06:05,195 --> 00:06:08,115 Speaker 1: and then get even better with one week of training 80 00:06:08,155 --> 00:06:14,275 Speaker 1: for the new political writers. I was being conservative when 81 00:06:14,275 --> 00:06:20,195 Speaker 1: I first said that in nineteen fricking ninety seven. The 82 00:06:20,315 --> 00:06:24,755 Speaker 1: ultimate reason that the Internet and newspapers and TV and 83 00:06:24,795 --> 00:06:28,355 Speaker 1: social media will continue to spill over with hysterical hype 84 00:06:28,475 --> 00:06:34,035 Speaker 1: about Trump's unbeatability, proven in Iowa where he won by 85 00:06:34,075 --> 00:06:41,155 Speaker 1: two and twenty two votes. Proven in Iowa unbeatable. The 86 00:06:41,275 --> 00:06:43,315 Speaker 1: ultimate reason that we're going to continue to hear that 87 00:06:44,595 --> 00:06:48,715 Speaker 1: is to say that is the case is to fit 88 00:06:48,835 --> 00:06:53,035 Speaker 1: into one of the ten or so templates that American 89 00:06:53,075 --> 00:06:59,435 Speaker 1: political reporters can actually understand. They feel comfortable rewriting something 90 00:06:59,515 --> 00:07:04,435 Speaker 1: they first wrote in nineteen ninety seven. Ooh, he got 91 00:07:04,675 --> 00:07:07,915 Speaker 1: twenty percent more than the runner up. I can use 92 00:07:08,035 --> 00:07:12,355 Speaker 1: words I understand again. Never mind that the only part 93 00:07:12,355 --> 00:07:14,995 Speaker 1: of the Trump campaign that has ever happened before in 94 00:07:15,035 --> 00:07:18,635 Speaker 1: American history, which is an ex president running to regain 95 00:07:18,675 --> 00:07:21,795 Speaker 1: the office, that has not happened in the last one 96 00:07:21,875 --> 00:07:25,475 Speaker 1: hundred and twelve years, and the relevant parts like he's 97 00:07:25,635 --> 00:07:29,755 Speaker 1: facing ninety one charges, like he could die in prison, 98 00:07:30,235 --> 00:07:33,115 Speaker 1: like he actually isn't eligible to be president under the 99 00:07:33,155 --> 00:07:37,195 Speaker 1: fourteenth Amendment, like he's criminally insane, like he seems to 100 00:07:37,235 --> 00:07:43,715 Speaker 1: be rapidly deteriorating both mentally and physically. Those actually important 101 00:07:43,755 --> 00:07:49,195 Speaker 1: parts have not happened before, and that makes political reporters nervous. 102 00:07:51,475 --> 00:07:53,835 Speaker 1: And boy did they sigh with relief when they all 103 00:07:53,915 --> 00:07:57,115 Speaker 1: realized they could go back and use words like crushing 104 00:07:57,395 --> 00:08:04,315 Speaker 1: and record setting and vaulting and perfect and commanding. Because 105 00:08:04,355 --> 00:08:07,355 Speaker 1: for half a century in this country, political reporters have 106 00:08:07,435 --> 00:08:10,155 Speaker 1: secretly all believed that what they write is not about 107 00:08:10,195 --> 00:08:16,235 Speaker 1: the candidates, it is about themselves. It was the prolific 108 00:08:16,315 --> 00:08:19,515 Speaker 1: British author and journalist Arnold Bennett who said it best. 109 00:08:20,035 --> 00:08:22,995 Speaker 1: Bennett wrote for fifty years his novel about the scriver 110 00:08:23,515 --> 00:08:27,315 Speaker 1: who inadvertently invented the credit card. A novel called The 111 00:08:27,435 --> 00:08:30,355 Speaker 1: Card was made into one of the most underrated films 112 00:08:30,395 --> 00:08:34,235 Speaker 1: ever produced with Alec guinnis no less. Arnold Bennett summed 113 00:08:34,315 --> 00:08:38,675 Speaker 1: up this problem. Journalists say a thing they know isn't true, 114 00:08:39,075 --> 00:08:41,155 Speaker 1: in the hope that if they keep on saying it 115 00:08:41,235 --> 00:08:47,955 Speaker 1: long enough, it will be true. Trump got two thousand, 116 00:08:48,195 --> 00:08:53,595 Speaker 1: two hundred and twenty two votes more than the other candidates. 117 00:08:54,195 --> 00:09:04,635 Speaker 1: The town of Mediapolis, Iowa, Medpolis Mediapolis, five miles north 118 00:09:04,875 --> 00:09:08,195 Speaker 1: of Burlington. You can't miss it. It's between Pegtown Cemetery 119 00:09:08,435 --> 00:09:11,795 Speaker 1: and the fine dog breeders at Country Road, Westies. The 120 00:09:11,795 --> 00:09:18,195 Speaker 1: town of Minneapolis, Iowa is two thousand, two hundred and 121 00:09:18,235 --> 00:09:25,755 Speaker 1: fourteen souls in residence. Trump won by two hundred and 122 00:09:25,755 --> 00:09:31,275 Speaker 1: twenty two. Minneapolis has two hundred and fourteen. Trump carried 123 00:09:31,835 --> 00:09:39,115 Speaker 1: Mediapolis just barely, and the media wants you to believe 124 00:09:40,115 --> 00:09:50,155 Speaker 1: as Middieapolis goes, so goes the nation. By the way, 125 00:09:50,195 --> 00:09:53,155 Speaker 1: Trump has also launched something new in Iowa that may 126 00:09:53,155 --> 00:09:55,635 Speaker 1: be far more relevant than the actual vote counts and 127 00:09:55,755 --> 00:09:58,395 Speaker 1: anything that was written about that primary. It is the 128 00:09:58,475 --> 00:10:02,115 Speaker 1: new con. It is the new twenty twenty four Trump 129 00:10:02,275 --> 00:10:08,595 Speaker 1: model con. The new Trump is the God Cohn. I 130 00:10:08,675 --> 00:10:11,195 Speaker 1: played you a clip of him yesterday just saying the 131 00:10:11,195 --> 00:10:14,115 Speaker 1: word God as often as possible, pretending to know what 132 00:10:14,155 --> 00:10:19,715 Speaker 1: it means. Then, during his victory speech, he looked skyward, 133 00:10:20,635 --> 00:10:25,915 Speaker 1: supposedly to honor his late mother in law. Communicate with 134 00:10:26,035 --> 00:10:31,115 Speaker 1: his late mother in law. Tell God, hey, my late 135 00:10:31,195 --> 00:10:33,235 Speaker 1: mother in law would like a seat over on the 136 00:10:33,315 --> 00:10:36,715 Speaker 1: left somewhere. His late mother in law, whose name he 137 00:10:36,715 --> 00:10:38,995 Speaker 1: could not remember, even if you gave him a million 138 00:10:39,035 --> 00:10:42,235 Speaker 1: dollars if he did. I think, though, there was another 139 00:10:42,275 --> 00:10:45,155 Speaker 1: explanation for him looking up into the rafters. There was 140 00:10:45,195 --> 00:10:49,995 Speaker 1: a plate of fries up there. Anyway, they always roll 141 00:10:50,115 --> 00:10:54,355 Speaker 1: out the new KHN too quickly, too obviously. First we 142 00:10:54,395 --> 00:10:56,595 Speaker 1: had that thing at the end of the Iowa with 143 00:10:56,675 --> 00:10:58,955 Speaker 1: him looking up in the rafters for the French fries. 144 00:10:59,035 --> 00:11:03,115 Speaker 1: And then the younger of his twin idiot sons, Eric 145 00:11:03,675 --> 00:11:07,275 Speaker 1: went on some by Thumper podcast and thumped the Bible 146 00:11:07,835 --> 00:11:14,275 Speaker 1: and is now claiming divine intervention got Trump elected. That 147 00:11:15,075 --> 00:11:19,515 Speaker 1: is the con Although talk about not being able to 148 00:11:19,515 --> 00:11:23,635 Speaker 1: remember names, listen to this. Doesn't this sound like Eric 149 00:11:23,635 --> 00:11:25,635 Speaker 1: Trump can't remember the word God. 150 00:11:25,995 --> 00:11:29,835 Speaker 2: Someone something is looking down and guiding him every single day. 151 00:11:29,915 --> 00:11:33,275 Speaker 2: Because there's no way the movie he could have been 152 00:11:33,355 --> 00:11:35,875 Speaker 2: where he is today without the intervention. 153 00:11:37,115 --> 00:11:37,555 Speaker 1: Of God. 154 00:11:37,835 --> 00:11:43,195 Speaker 2: And then I feel it, I know it. I really 155 00:11:43,195 --> 00:11:45,635 Speaker 2: do believe that there's divine intervention there. I think somebody 156 00:11:45,675 --> 00:11:46,355 Speaker 2: was guiding him. 157 00:11:46,635 --> 00:11:54,795 Speaker 1: Yeah, if otherworldly intervention was involved in this, that wasn't God. 158 00:11:56,395 --> 00:11:59,115 Speaker 1: Back here in the real world, the rest of the 159 00:11:59,155 --> 00:12:01,715 Speaker 1: Republican Party is still filled with all the people you 160 00:12:01,875 --> 00:12:06,435 Speaker 1: really wouldn't want to meet. Nikki Haley is simply put 161 00:12:06,915 --> 00:12:10,635 Speaker 1: full of shit. She may in fact be a science 162 00:12:10,675 --> 00:12:16,035 Speaker 1: experiment in which artificial intelligence experts literally stitched together all 163 00:12:16,115 --> 00:12:20,395 Speaker 1: known cliches and excuses and took the result and somehow 164 00:12:20,395 --> 00:12:24,675 Speaker 1: gave it the ability to breathe and speak and smirk 165 00:12:25,955 --> 00:12:27,435 Speaker 1: From CNN, how do. 166 00:12:27,435 --> 00:12:30,995 Speaker 3: You feel about your party's front runner being held liable 167 00:12:31,115 --> 00:12:34,875 Speaker 3: for sexual abuse? I mean, first of all, I haven't 168 00:12:34,915 --> 00:12:38,235 Speaker 3: paid attention to his cases, and I'm not a lawyer. 169 00:12:38,715 --> 00:12:41,475 Speaker 3: All I know is that he's innocent until proven guilty. 170 00:12:41,515 --> 00:12:43,795 Speaker 3: And when he's proven guilty and he's sitting in a courtroom, 171 00:12:43,955 --> 00:12:46,555 Speaker 3: that's exactly what I'm talking about. You've got investigations on 172 00:12:46,595 --> 00:12:47,595 Speaker 3: Trump and Biden. 173 00:12:47,755 --> 00:12:54,555 Speaker 1: Yeah, Nikki, he was convicted, already been convicted. Hearing yesterday 174 00:12:54,755 --> 00:12:56,755 Speaker 1: that you're talking about was about how much he has 175 00:12:56,795 --> 00:13:01,795 Speaker 1: to pay in damages. And you want to be the 176 00:13:01,835 --> 00:13:05,915 Speaker 1: Republican nominee for president, but you're not paying attention to 177 00:13:06,075 --> 00:13:08,995 Speaker 1: the developments that could force the guy ahead of you 178 00:13:09,235 --> 00:13:14,875 Speaker 1: out of the race. Sure, and this was after she 179 00:13:14,955 --> 00:13:19,435 Speaker 1: had imploded on I am out of Fox. I hate 180 00:13:19,435 --> 00:13:21,115 Speaker 1: to run their stuff, but this you got to hear 181 00:13:21,235 --> 00:13:23,875 Speaker 1: verbatim the first voice you will hear is Brian Kilmead. 182 00:13:23,915 --> 00:13:25,955 Speaker 1: And if you think my point about the vacuousness of 183 00:13:25,995 --> 00:13:31,275 Speaker 1: political media is overstated, Brian Kilmead's job, right before he 184 00:13:31,355 --> 00:13:35,475 Speaker 1: started to co anchor Fox and Friends was as the 185 00:13:35,675 --> 00:13:40,395 Speaker 1: sideline reporter for telecasts on the Madison Square Garden TV 186 00:13:40,555 --> 00:13:44,435 Speaker 1: network for a soccer team called the New Jersey Metro Stars. 187 00:13:44,875 --> 00:13:47,515 Speaker 1: Are you a racist party? Are you involved in a 188 00:13:47,595 --> 00:13:48,235 Speaker 1: racist party? 189 00:13:48,315 --> 00:13:52,995 Speaker 3: No, We're not a racist country, Brian. We've never been 190 00:13:53,035 --> 00:13:53,915 Speaker 3: a racist country. 191 00:13:54,435 --> 00:13:59,075 Speaker 1: Racist, of course not. We've never ever been racist. And 192 00:13:59,115 --> 00:14:04,035 Speaker 1: the Civil War wasn't just about slavery. Of course. You 193 00:14:04,035 --> 00:14:05,715 Speaker 1: don't have to go all the way back to Jim 194 00:14:05,795 --> 00:14:08,515 Speaker 1: Crow or the Civil War or Trump's birtherism even to 195 00:14:08,595 --> 00:14:11,035 Speaker 1: address the reality of racism in this country. You only 196 00:14:11,035 --> 00:14:15,795 Speaker 1: have to go back to Monday. The podcaster and political 197 00:14:15,835 --> 00:14:19,675 Speaker 1: writer Will Salatan, whose older brother Paul and I were 198 00:14:19,715 --> 00:14:23,195 Speaker 1: best friends in the fourth and fifth grades, quoted an 199 00:14:23,195 --> 00:14:28,035 Speaker 1: Iowa voter about Ramaswami. I'm not being prejudiced, guys, but 200 00:14:28,155 --> 00:14:31,195 Speaker 1: I don't like his name. I don't like where he 201 00:14:31,315 --> 00:14:34,595 Speaker 1: came from. After nine to eleven, I still harbor a 202 00:14:34,675 --> 00:14:42,875 Speaker 1: lot of hard feelings Ramaswami came from Cincinnati and Monday night, 203 00:14:42,995 --> 00:14:46,435 Speaker 1: Ramaswami realized that all the money in the world is 204 00:14:46,475 --> 00:14:49,715 Speaker 1: not going to get him into the Republican Club. The 205 00:14:49,835 --> 00:14:56,675 Speaker 1: Republican Club full of sick, diseased mfors and the irony 206 00:14:56,715 --> 00:14:59,315 Speaker 1: of ironies. The saddest part of the entire dementia j 207 00:14:59,475 --> 00:15:02,435 Speaker 1: Trump nightmare is that the first people they will turn 208 00:15:02,515 --> 00:15:06,995 Speaker 1: on after they have k purged or killed all the 209 00:15:07,075 --> 00:15:10,595 Speaker 1: Latinos and all the transgenders and all the gays and 210 00:15:10,635 --> 00:15:14,075 Speaker 1: all the intellectuals, the first people they will turn on 211 00:15:14,355 --> 00:15:18,115 Speaker 1: are Viviq Ramaswami and Nick Fuentes and Larry Elder and 212 00:15:18,115 --> 00:15:21,315 Speaker 1: Tim Scott and Nikki Haley. And when they turn on 213 00:15:21,395 --> 00:15:23,715 Speaker 1: Niki Haley, the first thing they will do is make 214 00:15:23,755 --> 00:15:26,755 Speaker 1: her wear a sign that has her birth name on it. 215 00:15:28,075 --> 00:15:32,315 Speaker 1: Ramaswami dropped out, and if Haley and DeSantis don't combine campaigns, 216 00:15:32,355 --> 00:15:35,635 Speaker 1: both of them will drop out. And Asa Hutchinson dropped 217 00:15:35,635 --> 00:15:40,395 Speaker 1: out yesterday, And you're thinking, what yesterday? I thought Hutchinson 218 00:15:40,475 --> 00:15:44,435 Speaker 1: dropped out last year. He does exit with a very 219 00:15:44,475 --> 00:15:47,795 Speaker 1: sad but very true final quote. My message of being 220 00:15:47,875 --> 00:15:51,595 Speaker 1: a principled Republican with experience and telling the truth about 221 00:15:51,595 --> 00:15:58,435 Speaker 1: the current front runner did not sell in Iowa. Two 222 00:15:58,635 --> 00:16:04,675 Speaker 1: postscripts to this magnificent Trump twenty two vote decisive, world 223 00:16:04,835 --> 00:16:08,955 Speaker 1: ending victory. Steve Bannon went on social media yesterday and 224 00:16:08,955 --> 00:16:11,315 Speaker 1: posted a picture of Trump celebrating his fifty one to 225 00:16:11,395 --> 00:16:16,235 Speaker 1: forty nine triumph with the caption comm retribution. Com Retribution 226 00:16:16,875 --> 00:16:19,075 Speaker 1: is not just the name of a harrowing book about 227 00:16:19,115 --> 00:16:24,315 Speaker 1: the dying Confederacies various plots to kidnap and assassinate President Lincoln, 228 00:16:24,675 --> 00:16:27,035 Speaker 1: but it was also the informal name by which the 229 00:16:27,075 --> 00:16:30,955 Speaker 1: Confederacy referred to its various plots to kidnap and assassinate 230 00:16:30,995 --> 00:16:35,355 Speaker 1: President Lincoln. And while I get Bannon's overall shtick, I 231 00:16:35,395 --> 00:16:39,355 Speaker 1: mean he is a murderous psychopath. I get it. I'm 232 00:16:39,355 --> 00:16:43,475 Speaker 1: not sure I understand why he put coum retribution on 233 00:16:43,555 --> 00:16:46,275 Speaker 1: top of a picture of Trump, because to me, that 234 00:16:46,355 --> 00:16:50,955 Speaker 1: implies Steve Bannon has plans to kidnap and assassinate Trump. 235 00:16:52,315 --> 00:17:01,835 Speaker 1: But you do, you Rasputin. And lastly, Trump is deteriorating rapidly. 236 00:17:01,915 --> 00:17:05,755 Speaker 1: There's no mistaking it now. It is now from what 237 00:17:05,875 --> 00:17:10,955 Speaker 1: our admittedly variable facts, Yeah, Biden and Obama have both 238 00:17:10,995 --> 00:17:13,835 Speaker 1: been president. At least when you mistake one for the other, 239 00:17:13,915 --> 00:17:19,995 Speaker 1: you're only confusing two of the same thing. Even his 240 00:17:20,115 --> 00:17:23,715 Speaker 1: mistakes about years make some sense. He was not president 241 00:17:23,715 --> 00:17:28,915 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen, but he was president elect. But this, 242 00:17:28,915 --> 00:17:32,355 Speaker 1: this is calling something by the wrong name when the 243 00:17:32,395 --> 00:17:35,875 Speaker 1: only commonality is that the right name and the wrong 244 00:17:35,955 --> 00:17:42,755 Speaker 1: name sound somewhat similar. This is my ultimate Trump takeaway 245 00:17:43,035 --> 00:17:43,995 Speaker 1: from Iowa. 246 00:17:44,115 --> 00:17:46,635 Speaker 2: He endorsed me four months before I knew I was running, 247 00:17:46,635 --> 00:17:49,075 Speaker 2: about four months before the escalade ride down with our 248 00:17:49,075 --> 00:17:50,195 Speaker 2: great first Lady. 249 00:17:50,875 --> 00:17:56,715 Speaker 1: Up the down escalade on the esplanade covered in marmalade, 250 00:17:57,675 --> 00:18:06,715 Speaker 1: which is what Trump's brain is turning into. Also of 251 00:18:06,755 --> 00:18:10,395 Speaker 1: interest here funniest doggone thing. Looks like the contempt of 252 00:18:10,515 --> 00:18:15,835 Speaker 1: Congress charge against Hunter Biden just went bye bye. Where 253 00:18:15,875 --> 00:18:20,355 Speaker 1: will Marjorie Taylor Green get her new porn? That's next? 254 00:18:20,475 --> 00:18:35,875 Speaker 1: This Discountdown. This is Countdown with Keith Overman, host Scripts 255 00:18:35,915 --> 00:18:41,435 Speaker 1: to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snark, some predictions. Dateline, 256 00:18:41,555 --> 00:18:48,035 Speaker 1: Capitol Hill. You have heard bupkus about Hunter Biden and 257 00:18:48,115 --> 00:18:50,875 Speaker 1: contempt of Congress this week, and you may never hear 258 00:18:50,995 --> 00:18:55,635 Speaker 1: about Hunter Biden and contempt of Congress again. CNN reporting 259 00:18:55,675 --> 00:18:59,915 Speaker 1: that the House Rules Committee yesterday abruptly dropped contempt resolutions, 260 00:19:00,275 --> 00:19:03,515 Speaker 1: and its sources say the Republican waste our tax dollar 261 00:19:03,515 --> 00:19:08,195 Speaker 1: committees quote continued to engage with the Hunter Biden legal 262 00:19:08,235 --> 00:19:10,995 Speaker 1: team about a deposition. Meaning when he showed up to 263 00:19:11,035 --> 00:19:14,275 Speaker 1: the contempt hearing last week and stared down Comer and 264 00:19:14,395 --> 00:19:16,995 Speaker 1: Jordan and Barney Rubble and all the rest of the 265 00:19:17,035 --> 00:19:20,555 Speaker 1: idiots and the political media called it a stunt. No, 266 00:19:20,835 --> 00:19:24,635 Speaker 1: actually he won. This is especially bad news for Marjorie 267 00:19:24,675 --> 00:19:27,915 Speaker 1: Taylor Green. Where will she get her next naked pictures 268 00:19:27,995 --> 00:19:34,515 Speaker 1: of Hunter Biden dateline? Madison Square Garden, New York. The 269 00:19:34,595 --> 00:19:38,515 Speaker 1: worst owner in Sports, James Dolan of the New York Knicks, Rangers, 270 00:19:38,555 --> 00:19:41,995 Speaker 1: the Garden and that large pimple shaped arena in Las Vegas, 271 00:19:42,395 --> 00:19:46,315 Speaker 1: has been sued by a massage therapist named Kelly Croft. 272 00:19:46,715 --> 00:19:50,195 Speaker 1: She says that in twenty fourteen she was pressured into 273 00:19:50,395 --> 00:19:55,315 Speaker 1: unwonted sex with mister Dolan, and that Dolan then manipulated 274 00:19:55,355 --> 00:19:58,035 Speaker 1: her and brought her to California, where she found herself 275 00:19:58,075 --> 00:20:02,515 Speaker 1: alone in a hotel room in Beverly Hills with Harvey Weinstein, 276 00:20:02,835 --> 00:20:06,115 Speaker 1: who then chased her and raped her. In her lawsuit, 277 00:20:06,275 --> 00:20:11,155 Speaker 1: Miss Croft accuses Dolan of assault and sex trafficking. It's 278 00:20:11,155 --> 00:20:14,235 Speaker 1: typical in such suits there is no accompanying evidence. You 279 00:20:14,315 --> 00:20:17,275 Speaker 1: present that at the trial, not in a press release 280 00:20:17,355 --> 00:20:20,715 Speaker 1: about a lawsuit, so there is no independent verification. On 281 00:20:20,795 --> 00:20:26,915 Speaker 1: the other hand, there is this James Dolan is a scumbag. 282 00:20:49,195 --> 00:20:53,075 Speaker 1: Well he is. He's the guy who put the facial 283 00:20:53,155 --> 00:20:57,395 Speaker 1: recognition technology in place at the entrances to Radio City 284 00:20:57,475 --> 00:21:00,915 Speaker 1: Music Hall on Madison Square Garden and would not admit 285 00:21:00,955 --> 00:21:03,355 Speaker 1: anybody who worked for the law firms that were involved 286 00:21:03,355 --> 00:21:07,795 Speaker 1: in lawsuits against him. They had bought tickets, come bag 287 00:21:08,115 --> 00:21:10,875 Speaker 1: still ahead on countdown. We had snow here yesterday, first 288 00:21:10,875 --> 00:21:14,715 Speaker 1: time in seven hundred and one days, and the windows 289 00:21:14,755 --> 00:21:17,675 Speaker 1: got that kind of extray cold feel to it that 290 00:21:17,795 --> 00:21:20,995 Speaker 1: only snow can produce. And as always, when that happens, 291 00:21:21,035 --> 00:21:23,795 Speaker 1: I flashed back to the day my doctor gave me 292 00:21:23,835 --> 00:21:26,155 Speaker 1: a medication I was not prepared for, and the next 293 00:21:26,155 --> 00:21:30,835 Speaker 1: thing I knew, my face was stuck by a frozen 294 00:21:31,035 --> 00:21:34,795 Speaker 1: dewoel to the window of the Metro North commuter train 295 00:21:34,875 --> 00:21:38,955 Speaker 1: I had taken into Grand Central Station. Truly the drool 296 00:21:39,035 --> 00:21:42,675 Speaker 1: of regret without the pillow of remorse in things I 297 00:21:42,715 --> 00:21:45,355 Speaker 1: promised not to tell. Next first time for the daily 298 00:21:45,395 --> 00:21:48,235 Speaker 1: roundup of the misgrants, morons and dunning Kruger effects specimens 299 00:21:48,275 --> 00:21:52,875 Speaker 1: who constitute two days worst persons in the world, the 300 00:21:52,915 --> 00:21:56,595 Speaker 1: bronze worse the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. If 301 00:21:56,635 --> 00:21:59,155 Speaker 1: you're not familiar with this place, Russia is a failed 302 00:21:59,195 --> 00:22:03,795 Speaker 1: state that's kind of near Sweden. Yesterday it posted to 303 00:22:03,875 --> 00:22:07,355 Speaker 1: social media three photos, one of Voladimir Zelenski, the President 304 00:22:07,355 --> 00:22:10,435 Speaker 1: of Ukraine, standing between a Ukrainian soldier and the Prime 305 00:22:10,475 --> 00:22:14,195 Speaker 1: Minister of the United Kingdom, a second photo of Zelensky 306 00:22:14,275 --> 00:22:17,075 Speaker 1: taking a photo of the Prime Minister and that soldier, 307 00:22:17,435 --> 00:22:19,755 Speaker 1: and the third photo a close up of what appears 308 00:22:19,795 --> 00:22:24,235 Speaker 1: to be a tattoo of the soldier's hand. It writes 309 00:22:24,315 --> 00:22:26,835 Speaker 1: a picture worth a thousand words. There is no God, 310 00:22:26,955 --> 00:22:30,475 Speaker 1: says the tattoo, and indeed for the Holy Kiev, unholy 311 00:22:30,635 --> 00:22:34,435 Speaker 1: Kiev regime, neo Nazis, and they're war mongering blah blah 312 00:22:34,435 --> 00:22:37,795 Speaker 1: blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. The implication was 313 00:22:37,875 --> 00:22:42,115 Speaker 1: that a tattoo that read there is no God was 314 00:22:42,235 --> 00:22:45,995 Speaker 1: on Zelensky's hand, which would have to be a neat 315 00:22:46,035 --> 00:22:49,635 Speaker 1: trick since he's shown taking the photo and the hand. 316 00:22:49,715 --> 00:22:54,035 Speaker 1: Whatever the tattoo says is that of the soldier. Come on, losers, 317 00:22:54,355 --> 00:22:57,355 Speaker 1: you're not just talking to your idiot citizens who believe 318 00:22:57,395 --> 00:23:01,795 Speaker 1: your kindergarten propaganda and keep electing that bastard putin. You're 319 00:23:01,795 --> 00:23:06,835 Speaker 1: in the big leagues now, lie better. Runners up speaking 320 00:23:06,875 --> 00:23:12,155 Speaker 1: of witch worser, podcaster Chad Cultken and Will Sasso of 321 00:23:12,275 --> 00:23:16,835 Speaker 1: Mad TV calling themselves an AI comedy troupe called Dudez. 322 00:23:18,075 --> 00:23:22,715 Speaker 1: Dudez has posted to YouTube a comedy special called George 323 00:23:22,835 --> 00:23:27,315 Speaker 1: Carlin I'm Glad I'm Dead, in which its AI avatar 324 00:23:27,435 --> 00:23:29,715 Speaker 1: claims that it listened to all of my friend mister 325 00:23:29,755 --> 00:23:33,035 Speaker 1: Carlin's work and studied it and is doing an impression 326 00:23:33,075 --> 00:23:37,835 Speaker 1: of him. My other friend, George's daughter, Kelly, has demanded 327 00:23:37,875 --> 00:23:40,555 Speaker 1: that these idiots pull the thing off YouTube because it's 328 00:23:40,555 --> 00:23:43,955 Speaker 1: not an impression. She says, it's just her father's voice 329 00:23:44,355 --> 00:23:48,115 Speaker 1: and some of his jokes repurposed. The art form of 330 00:23:48,155 --> 00:23:50,875 Speaker 1: comedy is such a unique expression of the human mind 331 00:23:50,995 --> 00:23:55,875 Speaker 1: and journey, Kelly Carlin writes, this mastardization of existing comedic 332 00:23:55,955 --> 00:23:59,435 Speaker 1: material feels like a very sad day for the art 333 00:23:59,515 --> 00:24:05,595 Speaker 1: form and all human expression. She's right is George Carlin 334 00:24:05,675 --> 00:24:08,875 Speaker 1: was not just profound, he was prolific. There is enough 335 00:24:08,875 --> 00:24:12,955 Speaker 1: material of him by him, not some bad remix by 336 00:24:12,995 --> 00:24:16,435 Speaker 1: some two bit podcaster and somebody desperate enough to admit 337 00:24:16,635 --> 00:24:20,515 Speaker 1: he was associated with the horribly unfunny Mad TV that 338 00:24:20,595 --> 00:24:24,555 Speaker 1: it could last you for a year long binge. All 339 00:24:24,675 --> 00:24:29,355 Speaker 1: George Carlin, all the time. Now, I missed George, But 340 00:24:29,475 --> 00:24:33,035 Speaker 1: our winner the worst Nate Cohne of The New York Times, 341 00:24:33,355 --> 00:24:36,755 Speaker 1: posting to Twitter x and explaining a data glitch from Iowa. 342 00:24:37,315 --> 00:24:41,155 Speaker 1: We had a hicc up with the GOP precinct feed. 343 00:24:41,475 --> 00:24:47,635 Speaker 1: He reel writes cool, cool, but he spells hiccup. Hi 344 00:24:48,075 --> 00:24:55,555 Speaker 1: ck hyphen up, hik up. They change it. Was there 345 00:24:55,595 --> 00:25:00,035 Speaker 1: a vote and I missed it? Hi ccup. I mean here, 346 00:25:00,075 --> 00:25:03,555 Speaker 1: I am going back to how lost American political reporters are, 347 00:25:03,835 --> 00:25:06,395 Speaker 1: and I'm just stomping this thing into the ground by now. 348 00:25:06,475 --> 00:25:09,195 Speaker 1: But I did a little work on Nate's curious spelling 349 00:25:09,235 --> 00:25:11,995 Speaker 1: of hiccup. And why would you think that the American 350 00:25:12,035 --> 00:25:15,315 Speaker 1: political media system is in disarray when it turns out 351 00:25:15,395 --> 00:25:18,475 Speaker 1: it's chief political polling analyst at The New York Times 352 00:25:18,875 --> 00:25:22,595 Speaker 1: uses the spelling of hiccup that was last seen in 353 00:25:22,635 --> 00:25:26,115 Speaker 1: the addition of Webster's Dictionary that was published in the 354 00:25:26,235 --> 00:25:32,395 Speaker 1: year eighteen twenty eight. Nate, Yes, I am about to 355 00:25:32,435 --> 00:25:39,155 Speaker 1: celebrate my two hundredth birthday cone two days worst person 356 00:25:39,675 --> 00:25:51,835 Speaker 1: the world to the number one story on the Countdown, 357 00:25:51,875 --> 00:25:53,515 Speaker 1: and things I promised not to tell. And this is 358 00:25:53,555 --> 00:25:56,395 Speaker 1: anything but an important career story. But I was reminded 359 00:25:56,435 --> 00:25:58,515 Speaker 1: of it recently and I laughed like hell, so I 360 00:25:58,555 --> 00:26:02,435 Speaker 1: thought maybe you should too. I haven't seen all of 361 00:26:02,435 --> 00:26:04,675 Speaker 1: them in this country, but to my mind, the most 362 00:26:04,795 --> 00:26:08,075 Speaker 1: underrated of American rivers is the one I grew up 363 00:26:08,115 --> 00:26:11,035 Speaker 1: along the Hudson. It gets a bad rap because it's 364 00:26:11,035 --> 00:26:14,795 Speaker 1: associated with New York City and the deteriorating remnants of 365 00:26:14,835 --> 00:26:17,835 Speaker 1: the city's once dominant piers, some of which have been 366 00:26:17,955 --> 00:26:22,195 Speaker 1: unused and rotting for half a century now. But further upstate, 367 00:26:22,315 --> 00:26:24,995 Speaker 1: literally just past the city line, the Hudson is a 368 00:26:25,115 --> 00:26:29,755 Speaker 1: magnificent river just to watch, never mind ride on. This 369 00:26:29,915 --> 00:26:32,515 Speaker 1: is particularly true during a stretch in which the western 370 00:26:32,635 --> 00:26:34,595 Speaker 1: side of the river is fronted by a series of 371 00:26:34,635 --> 00:26:39,715 Speaker 1: sheer cliffs called the Palisades brownish black and striated carved 372 00:26:40,035 --> 00:26:42,355 Speaker 1: as the river took shape millions of years ago, but 373 00:26:42,395 --> 00:26:48,635 Speaker 1: always looking like they had been carefully designed for esthetic effect. Unfortunately, 374 00:26:48,675 --> 00:26:52,155 Speaker 1: they are best seen from the commuter railroad that runs 375 00:26:52,195 --> 00:26:55,195 Speaker 1: along the Hudson into Westchester County, New York, instead of 376 00:26:55,235 --> 00:26:58,915 Speaker 1: a series of parks or even private palaces. Our forefathers 377 00:26:58,955 --> 00:27:01,435 Speaker 1: had the presence of mind to build factories and copper 378 00:27:01,555 --> 00:27:04,835 Speaker 1: processing plants and other nightmares right on the Hudson. And 379 00:27:05,715 --> 00:27:09,355 Speaker 1: because of the obvious transportation benefits the Hudson provided, and 380 00:27:09,435 --> 00:27:11,435 Speaker 1: so the train tracks were laid out next to the 381 00:27:11,475 --> 00:27:13,715 Speaker 1: river because that made it even easier to get stuff 382 00:27:14,075 --> 00:27:16,355 Speaker 1: to and from the big city. And damn the views 383 00:27:16,875 --> 00:27:19,835 Speaker 1: or the ability to appreciate life on the water or 384 00:27:19,875 --> 00:27:25,195 Speaker 1: the pollution. Still, if you ever find yourself now taking 385 00:27:25,275 --> 00:27:28,755 Speaker 1: a train from Grand Central Station into the western half 386 00:27:28,795 --> 00:27:32,395 Speaker 1: of Westchester, get a window seat on the left side 387 00:27:32,395 --> 00:27:34,515 Speaker 1: of the trainer. Better yet, when you come back into 388 00:27:34,595 --> 00:27:36,995 Speaker 1: New York City, sit on the right side, on the 389 00:27:37,115 --> 00:27:40,435 Speaker 1: river side, and you will get fifteen minutes or more 390 00:27:40,475 --> 00:27:44,475 Speaker 1: of the most magnificent view imaginable out the big windows 391 00:27:45,035 --> 00:27:49,355 Speaker 1: winter's spring, summer, or fall. The palisades provide the Hudson 392 00:27:49,395 --> 00:27:53,315 Speaker 1: with a magnificent frame that's almost like a miniature Grand Canyon. 393 00:27:55,155 --> 00:27:58,035 Speaker 1: I remember thinking of all this that one day early 394 00:27:58,075 --> 00:28:00,355 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty I was finally feeling a little better 395 00:28:00,435 --> 00:28:04,195 Speaker 1: thanks to doctor Cecilini. Doctor Cecilini had been my physician 396 00:28:04,235 --> 00:28:07,315 Speaker 1: since I was a boy, and he was the school doctor, 397 00:28:07,355 --> 00:28:11,155 Speaker 1: and he'd been the town doctor since about nineteen forty four, 398 00:28:11,595 --> 00:28:14,475 Speaker 1: and he always name dropped other patients I'd never heard of. 399 00:28:15,235 --> 00:28:17,715 Speaker 1: And as I finished my last growth spurt at the 400 00:28:17,795 --> 00:28:20,115 Speaker 1: end of my twentieth year, I had frequent back pain, 401 00:28:20,195 --> 00:28:23,355 Speaker 1: no fun at all, and sleeping on the floor helped 402 00:28:23,355 --> 00:28:26,075 Speaker 1: a little, but not enough. And finally Cecilini, who had 403 00:28:26,115 --> 00:28:28,475 Speaker 1: been a hospital doctor during World War Two and had 404 00:28:28,515 --> 00:28:33,715 Speaker 1: seen everything, said hey, just get this prescription filled. Take 405 00:28:33,755 --> 00:28:35,395 Speaker 1: one on them every day for the next week. It's 406 00:28:35,435 --> 00:28:38,235 Speaker 1: called a muscle relaxing. This will loosen up your back 407 00:28:39,195 --> 00:28:43,515 Speaker 1: and always lessen the pain. Well, bet, just don't you know, 408 00:28:43,635 --> 00:28:47,155 Speaker 1: don't operate any heavy machinery. You operate heavy machinery when 409 00:28:47,155 --> 00:28:51,195 Speaker 1: you do those sportscasts. Yars Keith had a patient try 410 00:28:51,235 --> 00:28:53,475 Speaker 1: to run a processor at the copper factory while he 411 00:28:53,515 --> 00:28:57,795 Speaker 1: took this nineteen fifty seven lost three fingers. Leonardo ben Venuti. 412 00:28:57,875 --> 00:28:59,355 Speaker 1: You know any of the ben Venutis used to live 413 00:28:59,355 --> 00:29:05,715 Speaker 1: on Williams Street. I laughed, this was him every time, 414 00:29:06,315 --> 00:29:11,155 Speaker 1: the ben Venuti's on Williams Street, the Smith's on william Street, 415 00:29:11,195 --> 00:29:15,995 Speaker 1: the Williams on Smith Street. Anyway, back to the muscle relaxance, 416 00:29:16,075 --> 00:29:18,275 Speaker 1: I don't think I had ever heard of them before, 417 00:29:18,395 --> 00:29:21,875 Speaker 1: let alone taken one. I took my barking back to 418 00:29:21,915 --> 00:29:24,555 Speaker 1: the pharmacy in my hometown of Hastings on Hudson, New York. 419 00:29:24,715 --> 00:29:26,835 Speaker 1: I got the prescription filled, I bought a soda at 420 00:29:26,875 --> 00:29:29,475 Speaker 1: the pizza parlor across the street, and I ambled down 421 00:29:29,515 --> 00:29:33,755 Speaker 1: the tiny village's picturesque business district. It's three blocks long, 422 00:29:34,435 --> 00:29:38,075 Speaker 1: past the statue our old neighbor, Jacques Lipshits donated, and 423 00:29:38,115 --> 00:29:41,075 Speaker 1: the ultra modern library, and right into the train station. 424 00:29:41,675 --> 00:29:44,995 Speaker 1: It was January. It was about twelve degrees and as 425 00:29:45,035 --> 00:29:46,875 Speaker 1: I waited for the train to make its forty minute 426 00:29:46,875 --> 00:29:49,195 Speaker 1: trip into the city and my job as a sportscaster 427 00:29:49,315 --> 00:29:51,995 Speaker 1: for the radio network of United pres International, I took 428 00:29:51,995 --> 00:29:56,195 Speaker 1: the pill what were they called again, muscle muscle relaxance. 429 00:29:56,875 --> 00:30:00,875 Speaker 1: That doctor c had given me and given his other patient, 430 00:30:01,075 --> 00:30:03,475 Speaker 1: Rico Rendazzo. Or was that some guy he mentioned in 431 00:30:03,555 --> 00:30:07,355 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty six to me, I worked the night shift 432 00:30:07,355 --> 00:30:09,795 Speaker 1: at UPI, so the train was almost always empty, and 433 00:30:09,835 --> 00:30:12,355 Speaker 1: thus I almost always had my choice of window seats. 434 00:30:13,115 --> 00:30:17,115 Speaker 1: Midday and midwinter combined to make the sun glisten with 435 00:30:17,275 --> 00:30:20,675 Speaker 1: extra sparkle off the magnificent Hudson, and the sun's angle 436 00:30:20,795 --> 00:30:25,275 Speaker 1: was such that the palisades behind them gleamed brightly as well. 437 00:30:25,955 --> 00:30:28,675 Speaker 1: And I was thinking about just how gorgeous they were, 438 00:30:28,795 --> 00:30:35,235 Speaker 1: and how underrated the Hudson was, And and I felt 439 00:30:35,235 --> 00:30:40,675 Speaker 1: myself drifting away. I felt two hands, one on each shoulder, 440 00:30:40,715 --> 00:30:44,035 Speaker 1: shaking me violently. Hey buddy, Hey, Hey, hey, hey buddy. 441 00:30:44,595 --> 00:30:48,075 Speaker 1: I fought to open my eyes and to avoid the 442 00:30:48,115 --> 00:30:52,435 Speaker 1: bad breath now enveloping my face. As I finally came around, 443 00:30:52,435 --> 00:30:55,195 Speaker 1: I realized it was the conductor who had just taken 444 00:30:55,275 --> 00:30:58,835 Speaker 1: my ticket. The train wasn't moving, In fact, only half 445 00:30:58,875 --> 00:31:01,555 Speaker 1: of the lights were on in the train. The palisades 446 00:31:01,595 --> 00:31:05,395 Speaker 1: were long gone, not the Hudson nor the Palisades, but 447 00:31:05,515 --> 00:31:08,915 Speaker 1: darkness came in through the windows. I was completely confused. 448 00:31:09,155 --> 00:31:10,995 Speaker 1: Am I shake it off? You gotta get out of here. 449 00:31:11,315 --> 00:31:13,595 Speaker 1: This is as far as we go. Train's going out 450 00:31:13,595 --> 00:31:15,675 Speaker 1: of service. You don't get off now, you'll be parked 451 00:31:15,715 --> 00:31:17,795 Speaker 1: under thirty seventh straight for the rest of the day. 452 00:31:19,355 --> 00:31:21,755 Speaker 1: Through my fog and my haze, I finally began to 453 00:31:21,835 --> 00:31:25,115 Speaker 1: understand what had happened and where I was, and I 454 00:31:25,155 --> 00:31:28,315 Speaker 1: began to try to stand when a horrifying awareness overtook me. 455 00:31:28,635 --> 00:31:31,355 Speaker 1: I could not move the right side of my face. 456 00:31:32,155 --> 00:31:35,795 Speaker 1: What was worse, I could barely feel the right side 457 00:31:35,795 --> 00:31:39,035 Speaker 1: of my face. Good God, what had happened to me? 458 00:31:39,795 --> 00:31:42,755 Speaker 1: Was this like that haunting episode of Alfred Hitchcock where 459 00:31:42,755 --> 00:31:45,155 Speaker 1: the woman is struggling to wake up and remember the 460 00:31:45,195 --> 00:31:48,235 Speaker 1: details of the accident out on San Francisco Bay the 461 00:31:48,315 --> 00:31:51,315 Speaker 1: night before, Only as it finally comes back to her, 462 00:31:51,395 --> 00:31:54,715 Speaker 1: it turns out the accident had drowned her boyfriend, and 463 00:31:54,795 --> 00:31:57,035 Speaker 1: the reason it was so difficult to remember was, as 464 00:31:57,035 --> 00:31:58,915 Speaker 1: she realized only when she got up and saw her 465 00:31:58,915 --> 00:32:02,115 Speaker 1: reflection in a mirror, that the accident hadn't happened last night, 466 00:32:02,235 --> 00:32:04,675 Speaker 1: but it had happened in nineteen oh five, and she'd 467 00:32:04,795 --> 00:32:07,075 Speaker 1: been in an insane asylum for half a century. Was 468 00:32:07,115 --> 00:32:12,075 Speaker 1: that what had happened to me. No, actually, as I 469 00:32:12,115 --> 00:32:15,155 Speaker 1: discovered when my struggle finally freed my face from the 470 00:32:15,195 --> 00:32:19,275 Speaker 1: train window to which it had stuck, because I had 471 00:32:19,435 --> 00:32:23,795 Speaker 1: drooled for like thirty five consecutive minutes, because I had 472 00:32:23,795 --> 00:32:26,195 Speaker 1: taken the muscle relaxing, because I had taken an honest 473 00:32:26,275 --> 00:32:29,795 Speaker 1: empty stomach, because I knew nothing about muscle relaxance. Because 474 00:32:29,835 --> 00:32:33,435 Speaker 1: I was out cold with my mouth open, pressed up 475 00:32:33,435 --> 00:32:36,395 Speaker 1: against the train window on a twelve degree day, and 476 00:32:36,475 --> 00:32:42,555 Speaker 1: I had gotten frozen to the glass. Look, it was 477 00:32:42,555 --> 00:32:45,195 Speaker 1: not quite half a century in an insane asylum, but 478 00:32:45,235 --> 00:32:48,915 Speaker 1: certainly more embarrassing. It seemed like it took me half 479 00:32:48,955 --> 00:32:53,195 Speaker 1: a century to pull all of this together. I stood 480 00:32:53,275 --> 00:32:56,635 Speaker 1: up wobbly. I apologized to the conductor, and I mumbled 481 00:32:57,635 --> 00:33:02,475 Speaker 1: back pain new drug. And as I banked from one 482 00:33:02,555 --> 00:33:05,435 Speaker 1: side of the doorway to the other and bounced out 483 00:33:05,435 --> 00:33:09,115 Speaker 1: onto the platform, the conductor shouted after me, only take 484 00:33:09,195 --> 00:33:14,355 Speaker 1: him at night, Huh that little saga? Yeah, Doc, my 485 00:33:14,515 --> 00:33:16,475 Speaker 1: back is better, but I left half the skin on 486 00:33:16,475 --> 00:33:18,995 Speaker 1: my right cheek frozen into the one twenty from Hastings 487 00:33:19,035 --> 00:33:23,635 Speaker 1: to Grand Central. He'd probably say, yeah, that happened to 488 00:33:23,675 --> 00:33:27,315 Speaker 1: another patient of mine. Carlo John Lombardo. That reminded me 489 00:33:27,355 --> 00:33:29,675 Speaker 1: of a much later story from doctor Cecilini, and I 490 00:33:29,675 --> 00:33:33,075 Speaker 1: don't want to leave the wrong impression here. Edward Cecilini 491 00:33:33,235 --> 00:33:37,235 Speaker 1: was a terrific doctor. He practiced into his nineties. He 492 00:33:37,315 --> 00:33:38,875 Speaker 1: used to tell me to come visit him at his 493 00:33:38,955 --> 00:33:41,595 Speaker 1: practice in his home on Farragut Parkway. Anytime I was 494 00:33:41,675 --> 00:33:44,635 Speaker 1: up from the city visiting my folks, Well, Josh shoot 495 00:33:44,635 --> 00:33:48,155 Speaker 1: the praise, and he'd tell me about something about treating 496 00:33:48,315 --> 00:33:52,155 Speaker 1: Umberto Flambini in the Army Hospital in nineteen forty four. 497 00:33:52,675 --> 00:33:54,275 Speaker 1: And he'd asked me if I went to school with 498 00:33:54,355 --> 00:33:56,555 Speaker 1: Marco Bartolini and then say he had to go. He 499 00:33:56,635 --> 00:33:59,195 Speaker 1: was taking a course over at Sony Purchase about the 500 00:33:59,235 --> 00:34:02,875 Speaker 1: latest computer aided diagnostic till the man was ninety years old. 501 00:34:03,115 --> 00:34:08,755 Speaker 1: He never stopped learning. Great man. And did he howl 502 00:34:08,955 --> 00:34:13,355 Speaker 1: at the muscle relaxing story. Sorry, sorry, I didn't warn you. 503 00:34:13,435 --> 00:34:15,835 Speaker 1: Oh well, I just take him at NAIDA. I had 504 00:34:15,835 --> 00:34:20,435 Speaker 1: another patient do that nineteen seventeen. It's just all right anyway. 505 00:34:20,475 --> 00:34:23,115 Speaker 1: Now it's nineteen ninety five and I'm working at ESPN 506 00:34:23,275 --> 00:34:25,915 Speaker 1: and I'm supposed to fly to Vancouver to do a 507 00:34:25,955 --> 00:34:28,755 Speaker 1: cameo in an Adam Sandler golf movie, which I suppose 508 00:34:28,795 --> 00:34:30,755 Speaker 1: is Happy Gilmore, and I didn't want to try to 509 00:34:30,795 --> 00:34:35,235 Speaker 1: fly to Chicago and then changed for Vancouver after going 510 00:34:35,275 --> 00:34:37,395 Speaker 1: the two hours from the middle of Connecticut to JFK. 511 00:34:37,755 --> 00:34:40,635 Speaker 1: So I came in to my folks house the day 512 00:34:40,675 --> 00:34:42,875 Speaker 1: before I took the folks out to dinner. I stayed 513 00:34:42,915 --> 00:34:45,115 Speaker 1: over in the spare room to leave from their house 514 00:34:45,155 --> 00:34:47,555 Speaker 1: to the airport in the morning. And at some point 515 00:34:47,635 --> 00:34:49,395 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night, I began to have 516 00:34:49,555 --> 00:34:52,755 Speaker 1: chest pains. Literally the top of my ribs hurt and 517 00:34:52,795 --> 00:34:55,315 Speaker 1: my breathing was constricted, and I couldn't get back to sleep. 518 00:34:55,515 --> 00:34:57,035 Speaker 1: And now I'm thinking, I don't know what's wrong, but 519 00:34:57,115 --> 00:35:00,675 Speaker 1: something is wrong. So I canceled the trip and I 520 00:35:00,715 --> 00:35:02,875 Speaker 1: head up to doctor Cecilmini as soon as he's opened 521 00:35:02,955 --> 00:35:05,075 Speaker 1: up shop, and he's eighty five now, and he gives 522 00:35:05,115 --> 00:35:06,835 Speaker 1: me the big welcome as usual, and I tell him 523 00:35:06,835 --> 00:35:10,395 Speaker 1: this story and he says, oh, yeah, to think it's 524 00:35:10,435 --> 00:35:12,595 Speaker 1: nothing to worry about, but we we should get this 525 00:35:12,675 --> 00:35:14,715 Speaker 1: on the record just in case your movie company gets 526 00:35:14,755 --> 00:35:18,115 Speaker 1: pissy with you about canceling. Dad happened to another friend 527 00:35:18,115 --> 00:35:22,395 Speaker 1: of mine, patient Francesco Lula Bridget He had a cameo 528 00:35:22,435 --> 00:35:24,915 Speaker 1: and Moby Dick in nineteen fifty six. He had cancel. 529 00:35:24,955 --> 00:35:27,355 Speaker 1: He wanted it soon. How about you get your dad 530 00:35:27,435 --> 00:35:29,995 Speaker 1: just drive you up to the hospital Dobbs Ferry. I 531 00:35:30,115 --> 00:35:32,755 Speaker 1: meet you there and oh like half an hour hour 532 00:35:32,755 --> 00:35:35,515 Speaker 1: and a half something like that. Let me just run 533 00:35:35,555 --> 00:35:37,075 Speaker 1: a couple of tests on you when we got you out. 534 00:35:37,115 --> 00:35:40,035 Speaker 1: There's no rush whatsoever. What's ther now? He stares off 535 00:35:40,035 --> 00:35:42,315 Speaker 1: into space for a second, and he looks back at me. 536 00:35:42,355 --> 00:35:45,275 Speaker 1: He says, I got I got an idea a little simpler. 537 00:35:46,395 --> 00:35:48,555 Speaker 1: I have to go there later up to drop off 538 00:35:48,555 --> 00:35:53,035 Speaker 1: some paperwork on some other guy. Frisco. Gaspuci, No Frisco. Anyway, 539 00:35:53,115 --> 00:35:54,835 Speaker 1: Just give me a second. I'll call him. I'll tell 540 00:35:54,875 --> 00:35:56,715 Speaker 1: him what's coming on. I just you just hop in 541 00:35:56,755 --> 00:35:58,235 Speaker 1: the car with me and go out in the waiting room, 542 00:35:58,275 --> 00:36:00,355 Speaker 1: cause I'm going to call him about Frisco. And I 543 00:36:00,355 --> 00:36:04,595 Speaker 1: got to worry about doctor patient confidentiality. But about Frisco getspoocy. 544 00:36:05,075 --> 00:36:06,835 Speaker 1: You know, I gotta worry about that. So I don't 545 00:36:06,835 --> 00:36:11,435 Speaker 1: want you listening to that. So now Ed Cecilini is 546 00:36:11,515 --> 00:36:13,715 Speaker 1: driving me to Dobbs Ferry Hospital, and I'm thinking about 547 00:36:13,755 --> 00:36:17,115 Speaker 1: how much he defines the idea of a really dedicated doctor, 548 00:36:17,115 --> 00:36:19,035 Speaker 1: and how every other patient he's ever mentioned to me, 549 00:36:19,155 --> 00:36:22,075 Speaker 1: I've never heard of one of them. And we get 550 00:36:22,115 --> 00:36:24,595 Speaker 1: to the hospital. I don't know. We talked about baseball 551 00:36:24,755 --> 00:36:26,835 Speaker 1: or my folks or something, and he drives right up 552 00:36:26,835 --> 00:36:28,795 Speaker 1: to the er and we walk in like it's nothing, 553 00:36:28,795 --> 00:36:31,635 Speaker 1: and he waves to the admitting nurse. Hi, Sheila, how's 554 00:36:31,635 --> 00:36:34,075 Speaker 1: your son, Shila? And he points at me. He says, 555 00:36:34,195 --> 00:36:37,075 Speaker 1: that's the guy, and he says, like it was absolutely 556 00:36:37,075 --> 00:36:39,075 Speaker 1: the way they do it at every hospital. You can 557 00:36:39,115 --> 00:36:40,915 Speaker 1: go all his info from him. After we run this 558 00:36:40,955 --> 00:36:43,395 Speaker 1: little check on all right, and we go right into 559 00:36:43,435 --> 00:36:46,115 Speaker 1: the room and two nurses are in there and they 560 00:36:46,155 --> 00:36:47,675 Speaker 1: say hi, and one of them tells me to take 561 00:36:47,675 --> 00:36:50,755 Speaker 1: off my shirt. The other starts shaving places on my chest, 562 00:36:50,795 --> 00:36:52,875 Speaker 1: and before I know what's happening, I've got electrodes on 563 00:36:52,915 --> 00:36:54,555 Speaker 1: me and they're hooking me up to an EKG and 564 00:36:54,595 --> 00:36:57,075 Speaker 1: they're drawing blood. In Cecellini reads the start of the 565 00:36:57,075 --> 00:36:59,275 Speaker 1: EKJ print out and he smiles at me. He says, 566 00:36:59,675 --> 00:37:02,755 Speaker 1: I'm sorry I scammed you, but the way you described 567 00:37:02,795 --> 00:37:05,075 Speaker 1: your chest pains, I thought it was, eh, what fifty 568 00:37:05,075 --> 00:37:06,715 Speaker 1: to fifty He had had a heart attack. Last thing 569 00:37:06,715 --> 00:37:08,595 Speaker 1: I wanted to do is tell you that just in 570 00:37:08,595 --> 00:37:09,995 Speaker 1: case you had had a heart attack. And then he 571 00:37:10,035 --> 00:37:12,635 Speaker 1: had another one that happened to another patient of mine, 572 00:37:12,715 --> 00:37:17,315 Speaker 1: Bernardo Petra Sante. You know, Bernardo, Oh, I mean only 573 00:37:17,315 --> 00:37:20,875 Speaker 1: here this, Ah, You're fine. Let me just wait on 574 00:37:20,875 --> 00:37:23,715 Speaker 1: the blood gases, double check that. Go out there and 575 00:37:23,715 --> 00:37:25,515 Speaker 1: do the paperwork for shill at the desk. Guy, I 576 00:37:25,515 --> 00:37:29,195 Speaker 1: think it's just a muscle problem. The son of a 577 00:37:29,275 --> 00:37:32,315 Speaker 1: gun had not only made sure I didn't know it 578 00:37:32,435 --> 00:37:36,035 Speaker 1: might be serious, it might be heart attack serious, but 579 00:37:36,155 --> 00:37:40,115 Speaker 1: he conned me into going to the emergency room without 580 00:37:40,195 --> 00:37:42,355 Speaker 1: alarming me or even letting me know that was his 581 00:37:42,435 --> 00:37:46,915 Speaker 1: plan along. And as I'm brushing the shaved hairs off 582 00:37:46,955 --> 00:37:49,475 Speaker 1: my chest and putting my shirt on, I say thanks, 583 00:37:49,475 --> 00:37:53,595 Speaker 1: and then it hits me, Hey, another thing, Doc, Bernardo 584 00:37:53,675 --> 00:37:57,755 Speaker 1: Pietra Sante and Umberto Flambini and all these other patients 585 00:37:57,795 --> 00:38:01,395 Speaker 1: you've mentioned all these years. They don't really exist, do they. 586 00:38:02,035 --> 00:38:05,475 Speaker 1: And he says, oh, got me about that. I learned 587 00:38:05,475 --> 00:38:07,515 Speaker 1: a long time ago. Make sure your patient never feels 588 00:38:07,515 --> 00:38:10,395 Speaker 1: like they're the first idiot to have done this to themselves. 589 00:38:10,515 --> 00:38:12,635 Speaker 1: Come on, I'll give you a lift back to your folks. 590 00:38:12,995 --> 00:38:14,795 Speaker 1: Might look in and see how your dad's doing. If 591 00:38:14,795 --> 00:38:29,795 Speaker 1: he's got a moment. I've done all the damage I 592 00:38:29,875 --> 00:38:33,675 Speaker 1: can do here. Thank you for listening. My face was 593 00:38:33,795 --> 00:38:38,155 Speaker 1: stuck to the side of the train window and they 594 00:38:38,155 --> 00:38:43,395 Speaker 1: were about to move the train back into storage. Thank 595 00:38:43,395 --> 00:38:48,635 Speaker 1: you for listening. Thank you, doctor Cecilini. Even despite that, 596 00:38:48,795 --> 00:38:51,715 Speaker 1: what a great man he was. Countdown. Musical directors Brian 597 00:38:51,795 --> 00:38:55,155 Speaker 1: Ray and John Phillip Chanel Arrange produced and performed most 598 00:38:55,155 --> 00:38:58,635 Speaker 1: of our music. Mister Ray was on guitars, bass and drums. 599 00:38:58,635 --> 00:39:01,955 Speaker 1: Mister Chanelle handled the orchestration and the keyboards produced by 600 00:39:01,995 --> 00:39:06,235 Speaker 1: Tko Brothers. Other music include some of the Beethoven compositions, 601 00:39:06,355 --> 00:39:09,595 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. Sports 602 00:39:09,675 --> 00:39:12,515 Speaker 1: music is the Oulderman theme from ESPN two, written by 603 00:39:12,515 --> 00:39:16,395 Speaker 1: Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. Our satirical and 604 00:39:16,515 --> 00:39:19,715 Speaker 1: pithy musical comments were by Nancy Faust, the best baseball 605 00:39:19,755 --> 00:39:23,355 Speaker 1: stadium organists ever. Our announcer today is my friend Howard Feynman, 606 00:39:23,435 --> 00:39:27,035 Speaker 1: and everything else was pretty much my fault. That's countdown 607 00:39:27,075 --> 00:39:29,555 Speaker 1: for This the two hundred and ninety fourth day until 608 00:39:29,595 --> 00:39:33,075 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four US presidential election, and the one 609 00:39:33,755 --> 00:39:37,275 Speaker 1: hundred and seventh day since dementia j Trump's first attempted 610 00:39:37,315 --> 00:39:39,955 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government at the United States. 611 00:39:40,555 --> 00:39:43,675 Speaker 1: Use the Fourteenth Amendment, the Insurrection Act, the justice system, 612 00:39:43,875 --> 00:39:47,075 Speaker 1: and the GOP primary to stop him from doing it 613 00:39:47,115 --> 00:39:52,315 Speaker 1: again while we still can. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. 614 00:39:52,355 --> 00:39:54,955 Speaker 1: Bulletins is the news warrants till then. I'm Keith Olberman. 615 00:39:55,235 --> 00:40:14,675 Speaker 1: Good Morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck. Countdown 616 00:40:14,755 --> 00:40:18,475 Speaker 1: with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 617 00:40:18,595 --> 00:40:23,515 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 618 00:40:23,555 --> 00:40:25,395 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.