1 00:00:04,835 --> 00:00:22,675 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Trump 2 00:00:22,915 --> 00:00:27,355 Speaker 1: is now testing how much of a dictatorship his Republicans 3 00:00:27,635 --> 00:00:32,195 Speaker 1: will let him start. The obvious reality about Attorney General 4 00:00:32,275 --> 00:00:37,475 Speaker 1: designate Beavis and Botox and Health and Human Services Secretary 5 00:00:37,555 --> 00:00:43,275 Speaker 1: designate sideshow Bobby Kennedy because doctor Mengela is unavailable, is 6 00:00:43,275 --> 00:00:46,875 Speaker 1: that whatever happens next, Trump will not withdraw Gates' nomination 7 00:00:47,235 --> 00:00:50,475 Speaker 1: or Kennedy's nomination or any of the other nominations. He 8 00:00:50,555 --> 00:00:54,035 Speaker 1: will not compromise. He is not playing three dimensional chess. 9 00:00:54,435 --> 00:00:58,915 Speaker 1: These creatures and the other psychotics have been chosen because 10 00:00:59,475 --> 00:01:06,035 Speaker 1: they are unacceptable, because they are unqualified, because they are unbalanced. 11 00:01:06,435 --> 00:01:09,795 Speaker 1: This is Trump saying he doesn't care about any of that. 12 00:01:10,795 --> 00:01:14,275 Speaker 1: Trump does not think he's overplayed his hand. Trump knew 13 00:01:14,315 --> 00:01:17,195 Speaker 1: the House Ethics reporting to Gates' sex life was going 14 00:01:17,235 --> 00:01:19,955 Speaker 1: to come out, as it already did yesterday when ABC 15 00:01:20,075 --> 00:01:22,835 Speaker 1: reported that the woman who testified to the House hearing 16 00:01:22,915 --> 00:01:25,755 Speaker 1: said she had sex with Gates when she was seventeen. 17 00:01:25,915 --> 00:01:29,955 Speaker 1: Trump doesn't care. Trump cares whether or not she was hot, 18 00:01:31,115 --> 00:01:33,915 Speaker 1: just like his only reaction to the RFK Junior Olivia 19 00:01:33,995 --> 00:01:39,275 Speaker 1: Newsy story was to consider consoling her ex fiance in 20 00:01:39,315 --> 00:01:43,435 Speaker 1: an entirely different way, though he cares about one thing. 21 00:01:43,995 --> 00:01:47,675 Speaker 1: If he ever answers a media question again, he will 22 00:01:47,715 --> 00:01:51,955 Speaker 1: say the ABC leak about Gates or the full committee 23 00:01:51,955 --> 00:01:55,235 Speaker 1: report if it leaks, is fake and it's a witch hunt, 24 00:01:55,595 --> 00:01:59,035 Speaker 1: and they are all lying, and only he tells the truth, 25 00:01:59,475 --> 00:02:03,355 Speaker 1: and ultimately it's just another attack on him. And he 26 00:02:03,435 --> 00:02:06,555 Speaker 1: is going to make it and the Kennedy nomination into 27 00:02:06,595 --> 00:02:11,835 Speaker 1: a life or death loyalty test for his cult and 28 00:02:11,915 --> 00:02:15,595 Speaker 1: his slaves. And as much as I hate every last 29 00:02:15,635 --> 00:02:19,315 Speaker 1: Republican lawmaker, I almost feel sorry for them. Right now. 30 00:02:19,435 --> 00:02:23,715 Speaker 1: Trump is going to demand they approve Gates as Attorney 31 00:02:23,755 --> 00:02:28,955 Speaker 1: General and Kennedy at HHS and maybe Patel at FBI. 32 00:02:29,715 --> 00:02:33,395 Speaker 1: Any way, or at minimum, he's going to demand that 33 00:02:33,435 --> 00:02:36,915 Speaker 1: the Senate gets out of the way with recess appointments 34 00:02:37,035 --> 00:02:42,395 Speaker 1: instead of hearings. That's the plan. The plan is I decide, 35 00:02:42,475 --> 00:02:47,315 Speaker 1: and you do what I say. We are already here. 36 00:02:48,195 --> 00:02:51,795 Speaker 1: This is the fork in the fascist road. Deliberately choose 37 00:02:51,835 --> 00:02:55,755 Speaker 1: people with no morals, no qualifications, and no qualities except 38 00:02:55,835 --> 00:03:00,555 Speaker 1: absolute fealty to the dictator that insist that everybody say 39 00:03:00,595 --> 00:03:06,235 Speaker 1: they're great let's salute them. Same for this woman Gnome, 40 00:03:06,795 --> 00:03:12,235 Speaker 1: same for the disgusting Gabbard, same for this pig Hegsith, 41 00:03:12,675 --> 00:03:15,755 Speaker 1: same for him naming all his personal attorneys to key 42 00:03:15,915 --> 00:03:22,075 Speaker 1: roles at DOJ, and it will probably work. It has 43 00:03:22,315 --> 00:03:26,835 Speaker 1: so far. The Republicans in charge of this country got 44 00:03:26,835 --> 00:03:29,355 Speaker 1: to be in charge of this country by not caring 45 00:03:29,355 --> 00:03:32,755 Speaker 1: about this country, nor caring about anything else but power. 46 00:03:34,555 --> 00:03:39,155 Speaker 1: If it doesn't, If there really are thirty votes against 47 00:03:39,835 --> 00:03:44,115 Speaker 1: the nomination of Matt Gates in the Senate, and there 48 00:03:44,155 --> 00:03:48,435 Speaker 1: actually is a hearing and Matt Gates actually is defeated, 49 00:03:48,915 --> 00:03:51,795 Speaker 1: then there is an entirely new ballgame in this country. 50 00:03:51,915 --> 00:03:56,835 Speaker 1: Then Trump has been humiliated and defeated entirely by his 51 00:03:56,875 --> 00:04:02,035 Speaker 1: own side. And Republicans, whether it is four of them 52 00:04:02,315 --> 00:04:06,195 Speaker 1: or forty of them, will have set boundary or maybe 53 00:04:06,195 --> 00:04:09,835 Speaker 1: more than boundaries. Once the momentum of a dictatorship in 54 00:04:09,915 --> 00:04:15,275 Speaker 1: the formation is stopped, it can be destroyed. This could 55 00:04:15,315 --> 00:04:22,955 Speaker 1: be existential for Trump. It is amazing that this perverted, slimy, 56 00:04:23,115 --> 00:04:29,355 Speaker 1: pompadored defeat Madison Cawthorne wannabe and the rotting, literally worm 57 00:04:29,475 --> 00:04:33,355 Speaker 1: eaten corpse of Robert F. Kennedy Junior could unintentionally be 58 00:04:33,435 --> 00:04:38,995 Speaker 1: the things that preserve or destroy American democracy. But that's 59 00:04:39,035 --> 00:04:42,435 Speaker 1: where we're going, and we don't have far to get there. 60 00:04:44,195 --> 00:04:46,155 Speaker 1: Oh and by the way, that rule, do not obey 61 00:04:46,195 --> 00:04:50,555 Speaker 1: in advance. First the Washington Post obeyed in advance. Now 62 00:04:50,595 --> 00:04:54,195 Speaker 1: it's CNN. Oliver Darcy of Status Report Now says the 63 00:04:54,235 --> 00:04:56,315 Speaker 1: new boss of what used to be a news network 64 00:04:56,355 --> 00:04:59,395 Speaker 1: has told a company wide town hall that CNN will 65 00:04:59,435 --> 00:05:02,675 Speaker 1: not revert back to the wall to wall coverage of 66 00:05:02,715 --> 00:05:05,435 Speaker 1: the Trump White House that defined it in it it's previous. 67 00:05:05,475 --> 00:05:09,675 Speaker 1: Life go deeper, he said. According to Darcy and Report 68 00:05:09,755 --> 00:05:12,955 Speaker 1: on the impact that policies decided on in Washington have 69 00:05:13,075 --> 00:05:15,395 Speaker 1: on the rest of the country, there's more to life 70 00:05:15,435 --> 00:05:22,075 Speaker 1: than these inside the Beltway stories like the destruction of democracy. 71 00:05:23,475 --> 00:05:25,715 Speaker 1: The new boss is named Mark Thompson. He has another 72 00:05:25,915 --> 00:05:28,995 Speaker 1: wash out from the toxic world of British journalism where 73 00:05:28,995 --> 00:05:33,675 Speaker 1: they could not care less. He is a Matt Gates, 74 00:05:33,835 --> 00:05:37,355 Speaker 1: Bobby Kennedy, Cash Patel kind of guy in terms of 75 00:05:37,555 --> 00:05:40,675 Speaker 1: what he cares about in life, not being what he 76 00:05:40,795 --> 00:05:44,155 Speaker 1: does for a living. He's not a journalist. He's a 77 00:05:44,195 --> 00:05:49,035 Speaker 1: man who bosses journalists. If this were the summer of 78 00:05:49,075 --> 00:05:51,995 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty three, and there had been a CNN Mark 79 00:05:52,035 --> 00:05:55,155 Speaker 1: Thompson in charge of it, would be saying less gettysburg mate, 80 00:05:55,355 --> 00:06:00,075 Speaker 1: less civil law, more about the price of firewood, and 81 00:06:00,155 --> 00:06:04,315 Speaker 1: the next tour of the singer Jenny Lynde, the future 82 00:06:04,355 --> 00:06:12,235 Speaker 1: of the that's just a story. So if after this 83 00:06:12,515 --> 00:06:16,635 Speaker 1: slitmus test, I'm Trump and I'm appointing not my horse 84 00:06:16,835 --> 00:06:20,755 Speaker 1: like Caligula, but my whores, you will still obey me 85 00:06:20,875 --> 00:06:24,475 Speaker 1: and approve them. If it's not Trump that has been destroyed, 86 00:06:24,475 --> 00:06:27,755 Speaker 1: but democracy, we then move on to the next step. 87 00:06:28,875 --> 00:06:33,955 Speaker 1: Trump then confirming in the near future that no Wednesday 88 00:06:34,035 --> 00:06:36,515 Speaker 1: in front of the House Republican Caucus, No, he was 89 00:06:36,595 --> 00:06:39,875 Speaker 1: not joking. He believes he is entitled to a third 90 00:06:39,995 --> 00:06:42,635 Speaker 1: term and you are going to give it to him. 91 00:06:42,995 --> 00:06:52,955 Speaker 1: And I have a lot about that story. It is 92 00:06:52,995 --> 00:06:57,035 Speaker 1: a House bill, and the Republicans control the House, and 93 00:06:57,115 --> 00:07:00,435 Speaker 1: so it will not pass the House because Republicans in 94 00:07:00,475 --> 00:07:04,315 Speaker 1: the House have even fewer morals than Republicans in the Senate. 95 00:07:04,835 --> 00:07:08,435 Speaker 1: But at least Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman has stood up 96 00:07:08,435 --> 00:07:12,155 Speaker 1: and said this. He has proposed a formeral House resolution 97 00:07:12,355 --> 00:07:15,355 Speaker 1: quote which would reaffirm that the twenty second Amendment is 98 00:07:15,435 --> 00:07:19,315 Speaker 1: explicit in prohibiting presidents who have served two full terms 99 00:07:19,435 --> 00:07:23,315 Speaker 1: from running for the presidency again, and condemned President Elect 100 00:07:23,395 --> 00:07:27,115 Speaker 1: Trump's frequent statements suggesting he could serve past the end 101 00:07:27,395 --> 00:07:31,755 Speaker 1: of his most recent term. What we need, what we 102 00:07:31,915 --> 00:07:35,355 Speaker 1: really need is that statement proposed and passed in the 103 00:07:35,395 --> 00:07:39,755 Speaker 1: Senate while the Senate is still in Democratic hands. But 104 00:07:39,835 --> 00:07:43,275 Speaker 1: I'm sure that before doing that, Senate Judiciary Chairman Durbin 105 00:07:43,515 --> 00:07:48,675 Speaker 1: would need to study those words for thirty to forty years. 106 00:07:50,675 --> 00:07:54,675 Speaker 1: In any event, do not sleep on the Trump third 107 00:07:54,875 --> 00:08:01,995 Speaker 1: term idea. I'm begging you. After Congressman Goldman introduced that measure, 108 00:08:02,355 --> 00:08:05,315 Speaker 1: he was greeted by a surprisingly large arge number of 109 00:08:05,315 --> 00:08:09,235 Speaker 1: reactions from the left that mirrored the reactions that I 110 00:08:09,395 --> 00:08:13,875 Speaker 1: got yesterday to my coverage of Trump's slow burn towards 111 00:08:13,955 --> 00:08:16,915 Speaker 1: running for a third term. If he isn't dead by then, 112 00:08:17,795 --> 00:08:20,675 Speaker 1: he's joking. He's joking. He's not joking. He's not joking. 113 00:08:20,715 --> 00:08:23,435 Speaker 1: He's running. He's president again for a third term. That's 114 00:08:23,475 --> 00:08:27,355 Speaker 1: the sequence. The gist of the reaction to this is, 115 00:08:27,635 --> 00:08:30,555 Speaker 1: why are you wasting time on this topic when it's 116 00:08:30,595 --> 00:08:33,395 Speaker 1: a moot point? And the twenty second Amendment to the 117 00:08:33,395 --> 00:08:39,035 Speaker 1: Constitution limits the president to two terms. Well, sir, the 118 00:08:39,115 --> 00:08:43,515 Speaker 1: Constitution also bars anybody who participated in an insurrection from 119 00:08:43,555 --> 00:08:47,995 Speaker 1: serving in office. The fourteenth Amendment is explicit about that. 120 00:08:48,475 --> 00:08:51,315 Speaker 1: In fact, the fourteenth Amendment was used in New Mexico 121 00:08:51,675 --> 00:08:55,395 Speaker 1: against one of the January sixth gang. And yet here 122 00:08:55,435 --> 00:08:59,395 Speaker 1: we are the head of that gang. Trump set to 123 00:08:59,475 --> 00:09:03,715 Speaker 1: be sworn in as president sixty seven days from now. 124 00:09:05,555 --> 00:09:08,955 Speaker 1: The Supreme Court will say what the twenty second Amendment 125 00:09:08,995 --> 00:09:12,595 Speaker 1: to the Constitution actually says, and of course it will 126 00:09:12,595 --> 00:09:15,755 Speaker 1: have been Trump who will have told them what to 127 00:09:15,835 --> 00:09:21,115 Speaker 1: say it actually says. And since last spring, the fascists 128 00:09:21,115 --> 00:09:25,515 Speaker 1: have been field testing exactly how best to go around 129 00:09:25,635 --> 00:09:28,715 Speaker 1: the twenty second Amendment and get Trump, if he isn't 130 00:09:28,755 --> 00:09:33,275 Speaker 1: dead by then, a third term. The headline last spring 131 00:09:33,355 --> 00:09:38,795 Speaker 1: in the magazine The American Conservative Trump twenty twenty eight. 132 00:09:39,515 --> 00:09:42,595 Speaker 1: The sub headline to this piece, the twenty second Amendment 133 00:09:42,675 --> 00:09:49,235 Speaker 1: is an arbitrary restraint on presidents who serve non consecutive 134 00:09:49,355 --> 00:09:56,835 Speaker 1: terms and on democracy itself. The Republicans started joking and 135 00:09:56,915 --> 00:10:01,075 Speaker 1: tweaking and triggering the left with variations on this theme. 136 00:10:01,515 --> 00:10:04,675 Speaker 1: Ever since Trump himself mused in two thousand and eight 137 00:10:04,915 --> 00:10:08,315 Speaker 1: that he was owed to third term because during his 138 00:10:08,395 --> 00:10:12,755 Speaker 1: first term, he had been preoccupied with defending his you know, 139 00:10:13,475 --> 00:10:17,235 Speaker 1: crimes against the United States of America. Then there was 140 00:10:17,275 --> 00:10:21,435 Speaker 1: the joky animation, the Trump twenty twenty campaign banner, followed 141 00:10:21,435 --> 00:10:24,555 Speaker 1: by a Trump twenty twenty four campaign banner, fooled by 142 00:10:24,555 --> 00:10:27,395 Speaker 1: a Trump twenty twenty eight campaign banner, followed by a 143 00:10:27,435 --> 00:10:30,355 Speaker 1: Trump twenty thirty two campaign banner, and on and on 144 00:10:30,435 --> 00:10:32,715 Speaker 1: and on until it was a one hundred and two 145 00:10:32,795 --> 00:10:36,155 Speaker 1: year old Trump running in twenty forty eight, and nobody 146 00:10:36,235 --> 00:10:38,595 Speaker 1: was wondering if he'd be dead by then and running 147 00:10:38,595 --> 00:10:41,875 Speaker 1: from a coffin, because after all, it was just a joke. 148 00:10:42,315 --> 00:10:47,595 Speaker 1: They're only doing this to own the Libs. Except that's 149 00:10:48,315 --> 00:10:56,395 Speaker 1: not what they're doing, quoting author in the American Conservative 150 00:10:57,035 --> 00:11:01,835 Speaker 1: Peter Tungeit, I swear to God that's his name. T 151 00:11:02,315 --> 00:11:09,515 Speaker 1: N g u E Tte quoting Tunget on Trump. His 152 00:11:10,275 --> 00:11:13,315 Speaker 1: re emergence as the Republican nominee in twenty twenty four 153 00:11:13,435 --> 00:11:17,035 Speaker 1: is a triumph of democracy. Not only did Trump secure 154 00:11:17,155 --> 00:11:20,395 Speaker 1: the nomination following his defeat in twenty twenty a rather 155 00:11:20,595 --> 00:11:23,875 Speaker 1: incredible feat in and of itself, but did so in 156 00:11:23,915 --> 00:11:28,355 Speaker 1: spite of every obstacle the mainstream media, the Republican establishment, 157 00:11:28,435 --> 00:11:32,275 Speaker 1: and the law fair apparatus have put in his way. 158 00:11:32,915 --> 00:11:37,675 Speaker 1: You see where this is going. Trump overcame obstacles, or 159 00:11:37,715 --> 00:11:41,475 Speaker 1: if you prefer, Trump overcame the law and the constitution, 160 00:11:42,355 --> 00:11:47,235 Speaker 1: and Trump overcame mediocrity and weaponized stupidity and hatred inside 161 00:11:47,275 --> 00:11:51,195 Speaker 1: his own party. Therefore, the constitution shouldn't apply to him. 162 00:11:51,235 --> 00:11:56,315 Speaker 1: He's spatial, especially that part of the constitution that has 163 00:11:56,355 --> 00:11:59,355 Speaker 1: those pesky term limits in it. That twenty second Amendment 164 00:11:59,355 --> 00:12:04,435 Speaker 1: shouldn't apply to him. Republican primary voters quote chose him, 165 00:12:04,715 --> 00:12:09,555 Speaker 1: writes mister Tung It in the American Conservative quote because 166 00:12:09,835 --> 00:12:16,635 Speaker 1: they damn well felt like it. That's the American way. 167 00:12:17,155 --> 00:12:20,715 Speaker 1: The twenty second Amendment. You get two full terms or 168 00:12:20,795 --> 00:12:24,475 Speaker 1: one and a half if you're serving out another president's term. 169 00:12:24,875 --> 00:12:29,355 Speaker 1: Quote sounds reasonable enough, especially in light of FDR's hold 170 00:12:29,395 --> 00:12:32,155 Speaker 1: on the office. Yet those who supported the amendment more 171 00:12:32,195 --> 00:12:35,675 Speaker 1: than seventy years ago could not have foreseen the prospect 172 00:12:35,715 --> 00:12:38,675 Speaker 1: of a one term president who lost the office but 173 00:12:38,675 --> 00:12:42,955 Speaker 1: who later regained it in a subsequent election. The author 174 00:12:43,035 --> 00:12:49,115 Speaker 1: then immediately cites that exact thing happening. He immediately mentions 175 00:12:49,315 --> 00:12:53,515 Speaker 1: the time that that exact thing happened when Grover Cleveland, 176 00:12:53,635 --> 00:12:56,355 Speaker 1: the ex president, came all the way back to being 177 00:12:56,395 --> 00:12:59,795 Speaker 1: president again in eighteen ninety two. And the author also 178 00:12:59,995 --> 00:13:02,915 Speaker 1: leaves out in this idea that nobody could have foreseen 179 00:13:03,075 --> 00:13:07,395 Speaker 1: anything like Trump that while he may see this as 180 00:13:07,435 --> 00:13:11,595 Speaker 1: something from prehistory when dinosaurs still had the vote or something, 181 00:13:12,275 --> 00:13:15,155 Speaker 1: the twenty second Amendment was in fact introduced by a 182 00:13:15,275 --> 00:13:19,795 Speaker 1: Michigan congressman named Earl Mitchener. Earl Mitchener was sixteen years 183 00:13:19,795 --> 00:13:23,675 Speaker 1: old and already preparing for University of Michigan law school 184 00:13:23,955 --> 00:13:28,915 Speaker 1: when Grover Cleveland was first elected. Earl Mitchener, in just 185 00:13:29,035 --> 00:13:32,875 Speaker 1: his lifetime, not only saw Cleveland re elected after four 186 00:13:32,955 --> 00:13:36,235 Speaker 1: years in the wilderness, but he'd also seen former President 187 00:13:36,275 --> 00:13:39,475 Speaker 1: Theodore Roosevelt try for a third non consecutive term in 188 00:13:39,555 --> 00:13:43,035 Speaker 1: nineteen twelve. He had seen the Republican bid to draft 189 00:13:43,115 --> 00:13:46,275 Speaker 1: former President Calvin Coolidge to run for a third non 190 00:13:46,315 --> 00:13:50,035 Speaker 1: consecutive term instead of President Herbert Hoover. In nineteen thirty two. 191 00:13:50,475 --> 00:13:53,235 Speaker 1: He had seen Hoover himself try for nomination for a 192 00:13:53,275 --> 00:13:55,995 Speaker 1: second non consecutive term in nineteen thirty six and again 193 00:13:55,995 --> 00:14:00,395 Speaker 1: in nineteen forty. Owen Mitchener has also seen Franklin Roosevelt 194 00:14:00,475 --> 00:14:02,475 Speaker 1: run for a third term and get it, and run 195 00:14:02,515 --> 00:14:04,835 Speaker 1: for a fourth term and get it. And he'd seean 196 00:14:04,875 --> 00:14:09,275 Speaker 1: William Jennings Bryan get the Democratic nomination in eighteen ninety 197 00:14:09,275 --> 00:14:13,155 Speaker 1: six and nineteen hundred and having not had enough to 198 00:14:13,235 --> 00:14:16,115 Speaker 1: run for it again in nineteen hundred and eight, and 199 00:14:16,195 --> 00:14:18,835 Speaker 1: even begin to try to get it again for a 200 00:14:18,915 --> 00:14:24,515 Speaker 1: fourth time in nineteen twelve. Mitchner, the congressman behind presidential 201 00:14:24,635 --> 00:14:29,435 Speaker 1: term limits, only saw all that unfold in one lifetime. 202 00:14:30,555 --> 00:14:33,795 Speaker 1: But nobody could have foreseen an ex president regaining the 203 00:14:33,795 --> 00:14:42,035 Speaker 1: White House other than everybody who did. As to the 204 00:14:42,235 --> 00:14:47,235 Speaker 1: audacity that the Constitution would prohibit his trumpness from running 205 00:14:47,275 --> 00:14:50,555 Speaker 1: again in twenty twenty eight, even though he's so special, 206 00:14:51,675 --> 00:14:57,515 Speaker 1: quoting mister tunget again, this is plainly unfair, even though 207 00:14:57,635 --> 00:15:01,515 Speaker 1: the uniqueness it bestows upon him. He was elected, He 208 00:15:01,595 --> 00:15:05,275 Speaker 1: was not reelected. He tried to overthrow democracy failed even 209 00:15:05,315 --> 00:15:08,195 Speaker 1: at that. Well, that's rather akin to, you know, we 210 00:15:08,195 --> 00:15:10,955 Speaker 1: should break the rules for him. He shot a guy 211 00:15:10,995 --> 00:15:14,875 Speaker 1: on Fifth Avenue and they all applauded. The author promptly 212 00:15:14,995 --> 00:15:19,115 Speaker 1: uses for support for his argument two two term presidents 213 00:15:19,795 --> 00:15:23,835 Speaker 1: who each said something doubting the twenty second Amendment and 214 00:15:23,875 --> 00:15:28,555 Speaker 1: the quote artificial limits it places on voter choice, even 215 00:15:28,555 --> 00:15:31,675 Speaker 1: though those two presidents were Reagan, who love him or 216 00:15:31,675 --> 00:15:35,675 Speaker 1: hate him, did win two landslides, and Barack Obama, who 217 00:15:35,715 --> 00:15:39,195 Speaker 1: won the twenty first century equivalent of two landslides, while 218 00:15:39,235 --> 00:15:42,315 Speaker 1: Trump won once with a minority of the popular vote, 219 00:15:42,555 --> 00:15:46,475 Speaker 1: and then this month produced the fiftieth biggest popular margin 220 00:15:46,595 --> 00:15:51,595 Speaker 1: of victory in history, or if you prefer, the fifth smallest. 221 00:15:52,675 --> 00:15:55,915 Speaker 1: But to quote mister Tungett again, Trump, however, makes an 222 00:15:55,955 --> 00:16:00,515 Speaker 1: even more forceful ethical argument against the twenty second Amendment 223 00:16:00,675 --> 00:16:03,755 Speaker 1: and for its repeal. If a man who once was 224 00:16:03,835 --> 00:16:07,155 Speaker 1: president returned after a series of years to stand again 225 00:16:07,195 --> 00:16:11,595 Speaker 1: for the office and proves so popular as to earn 226 00:16:11,635 --> 00:16:15,955 Speaker 1: a second non consecutive term, as Trump seems bound to, 227 00:16:15,955 --> 00:16:18,275 Speaker 1: to deny him the right to run for a second 228 00:16:18,395 --> 00:16:26,875 Speaker 1: consecutive term cuts against basic fair play. Unquote ah, the 229 00:16:26,995 --> 00:16:31,835 Speaker 1: basic fair play argument Alexander Hamilton thought that up, if 230 00:16:31,835 --> 00:16:37,355 Speaker 1: I recall correctly, or was it George Hamilton quote? If 231 00:16:37,395 --> 00:16:39,635 Speaker 1: by twenty twenty eight voters feel Trump has done a 232 00:16:39,635 --> 00:16:43,035 Speaker 1: poor job, they can pick another candidate. But if they 233 00:16:43,035 --> 00:16:45,955 Speaker 1: feel he has delivered on his promises, why should they 234 00:16:45,995 --> 00:16:52,755 Speaker 1: be denied the freedom to choose him once more? Unquote Well, 235 00:16:53,275 --> 00:16:55,715 Speaker 1: if he really has delivered on his promises, what makes 236 00:16:55,755 --> 00:16:57,675 Speaker 1: you think they will get the chance to deny him 237 00:16:57,675 --> 00:17:00,715 Speaker 1: another term or a fourth one after that. But that's 238 00:17:00,835 --> 00:17:04,595 Speaker 1: besides the point. Just for the moment, this is Trump's 239 00:17:05,195 --> 00:17:09,275 Speaker 1: legal looking version of trying to stay in office for life. 240 00:17:09,595 --> 00:17:13,035 Speaker 1: We'll get to the illegal point later on. I'm sure 241 00:17:14,075 --> 00:17:17,275 Speaker 1: there follows in this piece some hurried sophistry. Quote don't 242 00:17:17,355 --> 00:17:20,315 Speaker 1: let questions of Trump's age in four years fool you? 243 00:17:20,995 --> 00:17:24,195 Speaker 1: And his ability to walk in a straight line, and 244 00:17:24,235 --> 00:17:27,115 Speaker 1: how in twenty thirty two he'd only be eighty six, 245 00:17:28,235 --> 00:17:32,555 Speaker 1: I mean true, he'd be spray tanned, rested, and ready 246 00:17:32,995 --> 00:17:36,315 Speaker 1: having not used his brain in more than twelve years. 247 00:17:37,475 --> 00:17:40,475 Speaker 1: The best part of the American Conservative piece by mister 248 00:17:40,875 --> 00:17:45,915 Speaker 1: tungueit positing Trump deserves a theoretical third term even though 249 00:17:45,915 --> 00:17:50,355 Speaker 1: it's you know, unconstitutional. Is how fluidly this idiot, having 250 00:17:50,395 --> 00:17:53,235 Speaker 1: not come close to proving his case, then concludes he 251 00:17:53,275 --> 00:17:56,715 Speaker 1: has utterly proved his case in a slam dunk, and 252 00:17:56,755 --> 00:18:00,475 Speaker 1: so you better shut up and enjoy it. Quote. Conservatives 253 00:18:00,515 --> 00:18:03,475 Speaker 1: have gritted their teeth for years as the left, in 254 00:18:03,515 --> 00:18:06,715 Speaker 1: their hatred of Trumps, attempted to pervert the meaning of 255 00:18:06,755 --> 00:18:13,035 Speaker 1: the twenty second Amendment unquote, which Democrats haven't, because nobody 256 00:18:13,075 --> 00:18:16,035 Speaker 1: has previously raised the possibility that the twenty second Amendment, 257 00:18:16,195 --> 00:18:20,395 Speaker 1: which precludes a third term, actually encourages the third term. 258 00:18:20,435 --> 00:18:25,115 Speaker 1: Only this guy, mister Tungeit. It's interesting, by the way, 259 00:18:25,235 --> 00:18:28,475 Speaker 1: that a man named Tungeit would use the phrase gritted 260 00:18:28,555 --> 00:18:34,315 Speaker 1: their teeth. Democrats have not tried to pervert the meaning 261 00:18:34,355 --> 00:18:36,715 Speaker 1: of the twenty second Amendment, because if they had, they 262 00:18:36,715 --> 00:18:39,315 Speaker 1: would have found a pretext to run Obama for a 263 00:18:39,355 --> 00:18:44,755 Speaker 1: third term in twenty sixteen, or in twenty twenty, or 264 00:18:45,195 --> 00:18:51,035 Speaker 1: you know, this month or four years from now. Quoting again, 265 00:18:51,275 --> 00:18:53,955 Speaker 1: The case for repealing the twenty second Amendment is far 266 00:18:53,995 --> 00:18:57,915 Speaker 1: more straightforward. As with prohibition, it is simply a matter 267 00:18:57,955 --> 00:19:00,355 Speaker 1: of finding the will to get rid of a bad 268 00:19:00,435 --> 00:19:05,795 Speaker 1: idea that needlessly limits American's freedom. Trump twenty twenty eight 269 00:19:06,675 --> 00:19:12,275 Speaker 1: exclamation point. So this guy is saying it would be 270 00:19:12,315 --> 00:19:18,835 Speaker 1: a triumph of the will, triumph of the Will. Oh yeah, 271 00:19:19,075 --> 00:19:23,395 Speaker 1: like the Lanny Riefenstahl Adolf Hitler film from nineteen thirty five. 272 00:19:23,435 --> 00:19:27,035 Speaker 1: Got it well, I know, can't spell triumph of the 273 00:19:27,075 --> 00:19:33,875 Speaker 1: Will without Trump. Where you might ask in this article 274 00:19:33,995 --> 00:19:38,755 Speaker 1: is the process by which the twenty second Amendment is repealed? Well, sir, 275 00:19:38,835 --> 00:19:42,955 Speaker 1: there is none. The Roberts Court disqualifying vote against the 276 00:19:42,995 --> 00:19:47,075 Speaker 1: fourteenth at its invention of a non existent congressional action 277 00:19:47,355 --> 00:19:50,115 Speaker 1: to implement the fourteenth Amendment, when in fact the fourteenth 278 00:19:50,155 --> 00:19:54,315 Speaker 1: Amendment insists there must be congressional action only to override it. 279 00:19:55,035 --> 00:19:58,395 Speaker 1: That is shown as the green light for a very 280 00:19:58,435 --> 00:20:02,875 Speaker 1: simple Republican plan. If Trump isn't dead by twenty twenty eight, 281 00:20:02,955 --> 00:20:05,755 Speaker 1: and they want to run him again, as he doubtless 282 00:20:05,795 --> 00:20:08,475 Speaker 1: will want to run again, and the plan is this, 283 00:20:09,675 --> 00:20:14,115 Speaker 1: they just do it, and then they dare you to sue. 284 00:20:15,155 --> 00:20:18,395 Speaker 1: They run him. They to again use the author's phrase, 285 00:20:18,595 --> 00:20:21,475 Speaker 1: run him, because they damn well feel like it. They 286 00:20:21,595 --> 00:20:25,155 Speaker 1: string out the nominating process just long enough so that 287 00:20:25,195 --> 00:20:28,955 Speaker 1: the court cases don't really become relevant until late spring 288 00:20:29,035 --> 00:20:31,475 Speaker 1: or summer, and when the Supreme Court finally gets around 289 00:20:31,475 --> 00:20:35,115 Speaker 1: to it in July or August. Right at twenty twenty 290 00:20:35,155 --> 00:20:38,515 Speaker 1: eight convention time, the Court will have to tisk tisk 291 00:20:38,635 --> 00:20:41,315 Speaker 1: the political system and say that to strike Trump from 292 00:20:41,355 --> 00:20:43,515 Speaker 1: the ballot at such a late date would be an 293 00:20:43,595 --> 00:20:48,275 Speaker 1: unthinkable denial of the rights of millions of fascists, some 294 00:20:48,355 --> 00:20:50,995 Speaker 1: of whom were five when he first declared for the domination, 295 00:20:51,835 --> 00:20:57,315 Speaker 1: to vote for him again. Because well, because of the constitutions, 296 00:20:59,435 --> 00:21:05,395 Speaker 1: no fair rule. But certainly, you say, if suddenly Trump 297 00:21:05,395 --> 00:21:07,955 Speaker 1: can run for a third term, the third term thing 298 00:21:07,995 --> 00:21:11,555 Speaker 1: would not apply just to Trump. The Republicans have missed 299 00:21:11,555 --> 00:21:14,555 Speaker 1: the small detail, haven't they. Suddenly Barack Obama, who would 300 00:21:14,595 --> 00:21:17,395 Speaker 1: be sixty seven in twenty twenty eight, and Bill Clinton, 301 00:21:17,395 --> 00:21:20,595 Speaker 1: who would still be two months younger than Trump, they 302 00:21:20,635 --> 00:21:23,355 Speaker 1: would be eligible to run for their own third terms. Ah, 303 00:21:23,515 --> 00:21:27,275 Speaker 1: not so fast. What the Trumpsts are setting up is 304 00:21:27,315 --> 00:21:31,275 Speaker 1: a Supreme Court ruling that only presidents who have served 305 00:21:31,635 --> 00:21:38,835 Speaker 1: two non consecutive terms can seek a third. Literally, the 306 00:21:39,035 --> 00:21:44,115 Speaker 1: only other person in human history this would apply to 307 00:21:44,315 --> 00:21:51,435 Speaker 1: would be Grover Cleveland. Grover Cleveland was a Democrat, but 308 00:21:52,595 --> 00:21:57,155 Speaker 1: he's been dead since nineteen oh seven. So even if 309 00:21:57,195 --> 00:21:59,475 Speaker 1: we dig them up and run them for a third 310 00:21:59,715 --> 00:22:05,875 Speaker 1: non consecutive term, he'd be almost as mental and confident 311 00:22:06,075 --> 00:22:15,475 Speaker 1: as Donald Trump is. Now, remember, before you get lost 312 00:22:15,675 --> 00:22:18,795 Speaker 1: in Gates and the rest of these idiots and the 313 00:22:18,835 --> 00:22:22,515 Speaker 1: next Trump outrage, that Trump declared he was running for 314 00:22:22,595 --> 00:22:27,155 Speaker 1: reelection literally before he was sworn in in twenty seventeen. 315 00:22:27,395 --> 00:22:30,995 Speaker 1: He will probably be more circumspect this time, because this 316 00:22:31,275 --> 00:22:35,835 Speaker 1: is a big deal. Even the New York Times would 317 00:22:35,835 --> 00:22:39,795 Speaker 1: probably notice that him going for a third term would 318 00:22:39,835 --> 00:22:46,355 Speaker 1: be the absolute point of no return towards dictatorship. Probably 319 00:22:46,355 --> 00:22:53,035 Speaker 1: they'd notice. But Trump is building towards it. And if 320 00:22:53,035 --> 00:22:55,475 Speaker 1: this thing in the American Conservative is not enough of 321 00:22:55,515 --> 00:23:00,635 Speaker 1: a warning, there are other articles springing up online with 322 00:23:00,875 --> 00:23:05,155 Speaker 1: ambiguous titles, and when I say ambiguous, I mean not 323 00:23:05,235 --> 00:23:10,435 Speaker 1: at all ambiguous titles like the twenty second Amendment doesn't 324 00:23:10,475 --> 00:23:14,955 Speaker 1: say what you think it says. These articles offer not 325 00:23:15,035 --> 00:23:19,155 Speaker 1: only ways to ignore the twenty second Amendment, but additional workarounds, 326 00:23:19,675 --> 00:23:23,355 Speaker 1: like electing a different Republican ticket in twenty twenty eight, 327 00:23:23,595 --> 00:23:30,075 Speaker 1: the Lurelin Wallace option. You elect two other idiots president 328 00:23:30,115 --> 00:23:34,155 Speaker 1: and vice president, and then you make Trump Speaker of 329 00:23:34,155 --> 00:23:37,795 Speaker 1: the House, which is legal, and then you get the 330 00:23:37,835 --> 00:23:42,235 Speaker 1: newly elected Republican president and vice president to both resign, 331 00:23:43,195 --> 00:23:52,995 Speaker 1: making Speaker Trump president still for a third term. These 332 00:23:54,235 --> 00:23:57,915 Speaker 1: compared to the twenty second Amendment stuff read like rejected 333 00:23:57,955 --> 00:24:01,515 Speaker 1: scripts from the West Wing. But then again, so does 334 00:24:01,555 --> 00:24:04,475 Speaker 1: all of American political history since the year twenty fifteen. 335 00:24:06,675 --> 00:24:10,675 Speaker 1: The point of this is, yes, Gates is a disaster. 336 00:24:11,675 --> 00:24:15,795 Speaker 1: Gabbard is worse, bad enough that our European allies are 337 00:24:15,875 --> 00:24:19,235 Speaker 1: already murmuring that they would have to stop sharing intelligence 338 00:24:19,915 --> 00:24:24,995 Speaker 1: with the Director of National Intelligence in this country. Hegsith 339 00:24:25,435 --> 00:24:28,435 Speaker 1: is ready to deploy US troops against US citizens on 340 00:24:28,555 --> 00:24:33,515 Speaker 1: US soil. These are all true things, but don't take 341 00:24:33,515 --> 00:24:38,915 Speaker 1: your eye off the big ball. Trump's mission, his sole purpose, 342 00:24:39,355 --> 00:24:45,195 Speaker 1: his only means of staying literally alive, is to find 343 00:24:45,315 --> 00:24:52,355 Speaker 1: a way to stay in office forever. Period. And Peter 344 00:24:52,675 --> 00:24:57,355 Speaker 1: tung its essay in The American Conservative was the sound 345 00:24:58,235 --> 00:25:04,395 Speaker 1: of Trump's GPS being switched on to help him find that. 346 00:25:06,595 --> 00:25:10,715 Speaker 1: And if you need one last confirmation of that, of 347 00:25:10,755 --> 00:25:13,755 Speaker 1: the importance of this, of how it is not a moot, 348 00:25:13,795 --> 00:25:17,115 Speaker 1: point of how the twenty second Amendment will be reread 349 00:25:17,155 --> 00:25:21,275 Speaker 1: to indicate that it's about making lollipops illegal, if that's 350 00:25:21,315 --> 00:25:23,755 Speaker 1: what Trump wants it to say. If you want one 351 00:25:23,875 --> 00:25:29,955 Speaker 1: last confirmation here it is Lisa Needham at the site. 352 00:25:30,115 --> 00:25:35,475 Speaker 1: Public notice connected the final dots. Remember the name of 353 00:25:35,515 --> 00:25:38,875 Speaker 1: the magazine that mister Tungitt wrote this for, The American 354 00:25:38,915 --> 00:25:47,555 Speaker 1: Conservative quote. The American Conservative is a partner of Project 355 00:25:47,995 --> 00:25:56,435 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. As promised, at least two countdowns a 356 00:25:56,475 --> 00:26:00,355 Speaker 1: week going forward, Mondays and Thursdays. Definitely more as circumstances 357 00:26:00,395 --> 00:26:04,795 Speaker 1: warrant and permit. This was one of those circumstances. You're welcome. 358 00:26:04,955 --> 00:26:08,275 Speaker 1: The next scheduled edition is Monday. Until then, I'm Keith Aulderman. 359 00:26:08,315 --> 00:26:12,315 Speaker 1: Good Night and good luck. Countdown with Keith Alderman is 360 00:26:12,355 --> 00:26:17,155 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 361 00:26:17,195 --> 00:26:21,875 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.