1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,035 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. CNN 2 00:00:22,235 --> 00:00:27,595 Speaker 1: chairman Chris Licked strong armed, intimidated, and censored, the network's 3 00:00:27,635 --> 00:00:31,755 Speaker 1: only internal critic of its Trump Nuremberg rally, and lickt 4 00:00:31,755 --> 00:00:35,595 Speaker 1: manufactured the crowd reaction during the broadcast by having a 5 00:00:35,635 --> 00:00:38,875 Speaker 1: stage manager tell the audience it literally could not boo 6 00:00:39,395 --> 00:00:44,755 Speaker 1: or show any disrespect. These shocking but somehow not surprising 7 00:00:44,795 --> 00:00:48,995 Speaker 1: details revealed Friday night, along with the inevitable reality that 8 00:00:49,035 --> 00:00:52,235 Speaker 1: the Trump stunt not only did not provide CNN with 9 00:00:52,275 --> 00:00:55,395 Speaker 1: any ratings bump lasting longer than ninety minutes, but it 10 00:00:55,435 --> 00:00:59,595 Speaker 1: has actually cost the network viewership, apparently around eight percent 11 00:00:59,635 --> 00:01:07,675 Speaker 1: of it so far. First, Chris Licked weasel anti journalistic thug, 12 00:01:08,475 --> 00:01:13,795 Speaker 1: putting the quote fear of God into Oliver Darcy. As 13 00:01:13,835 --> 00:01:16,515 Speaker 1: I mentioned here on Friday, Darcy, author of the CNN 14 00:01:16,595 --> 00:01:20,115 Speaker 1: Reliable Sources newsletter, has been the lone CNN front facing 15 00:01:20,155 --> 00:01:25,275 Speaker 1: employee to even acknowledge the super nova of criticism that 16 00:01:25,355 --> 00:01:30,155 Speaker 1: has engulfed CNN and Licked and Trump. In newsletter tradition, 17 00:01:30,635 --> 00:01:36,195 Speaker 1: that reporting has been austere, calm, dignified, and most importantly balanced. 18 00:01:36,875 --> 00:01:40,875 Speaker 1: Early Thursday morning, he printed thirteen separate brief on the 19 00:01:40,915 --> 00:01:44,235 Speaker 1: record criticisms of the town hall and the CNN decision 20 00:01:44,235 --> 00:01:47,195 Speaker 1: to manufacture it for Trump, But he also printed nearly 21 00:01:47,235 --> 00:01:51,035 Speaker 1: as many defenses and compliments, probably all he could find. 22 00:01:51,835 --> 00:01:55,755 Speaker 1: His only personal interjection was in the opening sentence quote, 23 00:01:55,995 --> 00:01:59,435 Speaker 1: it's hard to see how America was served by the 24 00:01:59,515 --> 00:02:04,835 Speaker 1: spectacle of lies that aired on CNN Wednesday Evening. As 25 00:02:04,875 --> 00:02:07,595 Speaker 1: I also mentioned Friday. Less than nine hours later, Licked, 26 00:02:07,715 --> 00:02:11,835 Speaker 1: a petty, self absorbed, neurotic man with an ego too 27 00:02:12,075 --> 00:02:17,555 Speaker 1: vast for measurement by human devices, closed his internal defense 28 00:02:17,635 --> 00:02:21,035 Speaker 1: of the disaster on a CNN conference call by focusing 29 00:02:21,075 --> 00:02:25,115 Speaker 1: on that very same word Darcy had quote, America was 30 00:02:25,195 --> 00:02:29,555 Speaker 1: served very well by what we did last night. Well, 31 00:02:29,595 --> 00:02:34,235 Speaker 1: now we know what happened next. Friday Evening, Puck News 32 00:02:34,355 --> 00:02:38,115 Speaker 1: blasted out its story of Chris Lickt calling Oliver Darcy 33 00:02:38,435 --> 00:02:43,715 Speaker 1: onto his carpet. Quoting Puck's sources, Lickt summoned Darcy and 34 00:02:43,755 --> 00:02:47,515 Speaker 1: his editor John Pasentino to a meeting with himself, CNN 35 00:02:47,675 --> 00:02:52,515 Speaker 1: Comm's chief Chris Karate, Editorial executive vice president Virginia Moseley, 36 00:02:52,795 --> 00:02:56,635 Speaker 1: and senior vice president of Global News Rachel Smulkin, in 37 00:02:56,675 --> 00:03:00,395 Speaker 1: which they told Darcy that his coverage had been too 38 00:03:00,835 --> 00:03:07,195 Speaker 1: emotional and repeatedly stressed the importance of remaning dispassionate when 39 00:03:07,235 --> 00:03:10,835 Speaker 1: covering the news, be it CNN or any other media organization. 40 00:03:12,235 --> 00:03:17,195 Speaker 1: The first of two quick asides here, I have had 41 00:03:17,595 --> 00:03:21,635 Speaker 1: one on one and group conversations with Chris Lickt, and 42 00:03:21,755 --> 00:03:26,955 Speaker 1: his amorality serves his tonality very well. He can be 43 00:03:27,075 --> 00:03:30,675 Speaker 1: smarmy or cold blooded, or anything else on that spectrum. 44 00:03:31,115 --> 00:03:34,035 Speaker 1: I would expect Puck's sources may have also left out 45 00:03:34,115 --> 00:03:38,035 Speaker 1: one other detail here. There was probably also somebody at 46 00:03:38,075 --> 00:03:42,635 Speaker 1: that meeting from Human Resources, and this was probably a 47 00:03:42,675 --> 00:03:46,955 Speaker 1: potential setup of Darcy and his editor Pasentino, so that 48 00:03:47,075 --> 00:03:50,075 Speaker 1: if and when they do something else licked does not like, 49 00:03:51,195 --> 00:03:54,035 Speaker 1: or if Lickt wants to make up some allegation against 50 00:03:54,115 --> 00:03:59,515 Speaker 1: either man, Lickt can then fire them Back to Puck's reporting, 51 00:04:00,035 --> 00:04:03,035 Speaker 1: it says that Darcy did not roll over again, quoting 52 00:04:03,075 --> 00:04:06,355 Speaker 1: their coverage. Darcy by his work and pushed back on 53 00:04:06,435 --> 00:04:10,355 Speaker 1: the emotional characterization, one source with knowledge of the meeting said, 54 00:04:10,635 --> 00:04:13,875 Speaker 1: But afterward, two sources who heard about the meeting described 55 00:04:13,955 --> 00:04:18,915 Speaker 1: him as visibly shaken. Quote. They put the fear of 56 00:04:19,035 --> 00:04:26,075 Speaker 1: God into him. One source said, unquote. The second quick aside, 57 00:04:26,075 --> 00:04:30,355 Speaker 1: Now Lickts fixation on this word emotional in his criticism 58 00:04:30,395 --> 00:04:33,875 Speaker 1: of Darcy, that does not mean he actually literally meant 59 00:04:33,875 --> 00:04:36,675 Speaker 1: that that was his complaint with Darcy's work. It was 60 00:04:36,715 --> 00:04:40,675 Speaker 1: a filler, a code word, something to put in the template. 61 00:04:41,275 --> 00:04:44,235 Speaker 1: It was probably chosen because it was a word which 62 00:04:44,315 --> 00:04:49,835 Speaker 1: the famously semi literate Lickt actually knows. Chris Lickt wanted 63 00:04:49,875 --> 00:04:52,755 Speaker 1: to say, I'm certain of it that Darcy's coverage had 64 00:04:52,795 --> 00:04:57,955 Speaker 1: been too anti Chris licked Yet there is an irony 65 00:04:57,995 --> 00:05:00,835 Speaker 1: in his choice of that word emotional, and then its 66 00:05:00,875 --> 00:05:06,995 Speaker 1: mate dispassionate, dispassionate. Oh yeah, is that what the Trump 67 00:05:07,035 --> 00:05:14,075 Speaker 1: audience was at your CNN rally, Chris dispassionate. Before we 68 00:05:14,115 --> 00:05:16,835 Speaker 1: resume looking at the censoring of Oliver Darcy, this is 69 00:05:16,875 --> 00:05:19,755 Speaker 1: where a second report from Puck News comes into play. 70 00:05:20,035 --> 00:05:25,035 Speaker 1: Matthew Bartlett, a Republican political consultant who attended the event, said, quote, 71 00:05:25,075 --> 00:05:27,515 Speaker 1: the floor manager came out ahead of time and said, 72 00:05:27,955 --> 00:05:33,515 Speaker 1: please do not boo, please be respectful. You were allowed 73 00:05:33,675 --> 00:05:37,955 Speaker 1: to applaud unquote. That is a time tested and somewhat 74 00:05:37,955 --> 00:05:40,995 Speaker 1: clever way of making sure you will not hear dissent 75 00:05:41,075 --> 00:05:44,195 Speaker 1: from the mob mentality, the same thing you witnessed at 76 00:05:44,275 --> 00:05:47,355 Speaker 1: every Trump event, And certainly you would not have had 77 00:05:47,435 --> 00:05:51,915 Speaker 1: any idea of the silent disgust this same Republican Bartlett 78 00:05:51,955 --> 00:05:55,955 Speaker 1: said was prevalent in the crowd. We have to seriously 79 00:05:56,035 --> 00:05:59,475 Speaker 1: wonder now if the terms under which Trump agreed to 80 00:05:59,515 --> 00:06:03,715 Speaker 1: appear in this monstrosity on CNN, the deal he said 81 00:06:03,755 --> 00:06:08,075 Speaker 1: they gave him included those instructions to the audience going 82 00:06:08,155 --> 00:06:12,275 Speaker 1: into it. The only possible justification for this journalistic treaty 83 00:06:12,315 --> 00:06:15,835 Speaker 1: of Munich was the possibility that one of the crowd 84 00:06:15,875 --> 00:06:18,595 Speaker 1: members would turn out to be one of the nearly 85 00:06:18,675 --> 00:06:22,635 Speaker 1: extinct species of rational Republicans, or at least a DeSantis guy, 86 00:06:23,115 --> 00:06:26,075 Speaker 1: and he or she either would get an actual question 87 00:06:26,235 --> 00:06:29,115 Speaker 1: in or would shout or boo from the audience. And 88 00:06:29,155 --> 00:06:32,635 Speaker 1: now we know that would never have happened, and Trump 89 00:06:32,755 --> 00:06:37,115 Speaker 1: already knew it wouldn't happen on stage from The Guardian's 90 00:06:37,195 --> 00:06:41,355 Speaker 1: Hugo loll on Friday quote. Trump team also figured that 91 00:06:41,435 --> 00:06:44,835 Speaker 1: CNN worked for its needs because it could have Caitlyn 92 00:06:44,915 --> 00:06:48,795 Speaker 1: Collins as the moderator, who has taken care to preserve 93 00:06:49,035 --> 00:06:54,475 Speaker 1: her relationship with the ex president and what relationship is 94 00:06:54,515 --> 00:06:59,755 Speaker 1: that and which Caitlyn Collins was it with? Was it 95 00:06:59,915 --> 00:07:03,235 Speaker 1: more like her pointed stance pushing back against Trump from 96 00:07:03,235 --> 00:07:05,995 Speaker 1: her days as a CNN Went correspondent or was it 97 00:07:06,035 --> 00:07:09,795 Speaker 1: more like the squealing fascist she still was in the 98 00:07:10,035 --> 00:07:12,675 Speaker 1: video clip that's been playing on social media, in which, 99 00:07:12,675 --> 00:07:15,915 Speaker 1: as an entertainment writer working for Tucker Carlson at The 100 00:07:15,995 --> 00:07:19,635 Speaker 1: Daily Caller, she guested on the Fox Morning Show and 101 00:07:19,755 --> 00:07:25,435 Speaker 1: told Steve Doocy that George Sorrow's trying to restructure society. 102 00:07:26,355 --> 00:07:29,515 Speaker 1: By the way, I did just ask a rhetorical question. There. 103 00:07:29,555 --> 00:07:32,475 Speaker 1: We all know which Caitlin Collins Trump thought he could 104 00:07:32,555 --> 00:07:36,275 Speaker 1: rely on on Wednesday night, and the results proved Trump correct. 105 00:07:37,075 --> 00:07:40,355 Speaker 1: Trump is now in fact fundraising off this farce t 106 00:07:40,555 --> 00:07:42,835 Speaker 1: shirts with a picture of him and the CNN logo 107 00:07:42,955 --> 00:07:46,155 Speaker 1: on it, only with the sea replaced by T for Trump. 108 00:07:46,515 --> 00:07:52,635 Speaker 1: This is TNN nice work. Blicked back to the timeline 109 00:07:52,675 --> 00:07:54,875 Speaker 1: as it is slowly leaking out. We also have a 110 00:07:54,915 --> 00:07:57,835 Speaker 1: snippet from what was going on backstage, just as the 111 00:07:57,955 --> 00:08:02,195 Speaker 1: unnamed floor manager was pre censoring the audience, the Guardian 112 00:08:02,315 --> 00:08:06,475 Speaker 1: also reported quote Trump told licked backstage that he would 113 00:08:06,475 --> 00:08:10,475 Speaker 1: boost their ratings, to which Lickt nodded and said he 114 00:08:10,515 --> 00:08:15,515 Speaker 1: should have quote a good conversation and have fun. I mean, 115 00:08:16,475 --> 00:08:22,435 Speaker 1: imagine the stupidity, the naivete, the lack of any moral 116 00:08:22,555 --> 00:08:26,315 Speaker 1: grounding or any connection to reality, for the head of 117 00:08:26,355 --> 00:08:30,835 Speaker 1: an American news organization of any size or shape to 118 00:08:31,035 --> 00:08:35,395 Speaker 1: look into the dead, scheming, soulless eyes of a man 119 00:08:35,435 --> 00:08:38,195 Speaker 1: who spent all of his last two months in office 120 00:08:38,355 --> 00:08:41,675 Speaker 1: trying to overturn the election and overthrow the government, and 121 00:08:41,795 --> 00:08:48,395 Speaker 1: telling him to have fun. Say Adolph, have fun out there. 122 00:08:48,995 --> 00:08:55,715 Speaker 1: Hey Paul Pott, have a good conversation. Stalin, knock him dead. 123 00:08:58,875 --> 00:09:01,875 Speaker 1: The question still remains what Chris Lickt got for his 124 00:09:01,995 --> 00:09:05,555 Speaker 1: glad handing of pure evil wearing an excessively long tie. 125 00:09:05,835 --> 00:09:08,395 Speaker 1: What he got for beating up the sole voice of 126 00:09:08,475 --> 00:09:12,595 Speaker 1: even milk toast descent within CNN, And the earliest data 127 00:09:12,755 --> 00:09:15,075 Speaker 1: is in It came in on Friday as well, and 128 00:09:15,155 --> 00:09:18,195 Speaker 1: it suggests he got a loss of eight percent of 129 00:09:18,235 --> 00:09:24,675 Speaker 1: CNN's primetime audience. On Tuesday night PT pre Trump, CNN 130 00:09:24,755 --> 00:09:28,115 Speaker 1: averaged five hundred and eighty nine thousand total viewers throughout 131 00:09:28,155 --> 00:09:31,555 Speaker 1: primetime one hundred and thirty four thousand in the advertising 132 00:09:31,595 --> 00:09:34,875 Speaker 1: demo of viewers age twenty five to fifty four. On 133 00:09:34,995 --> 00:09:39,075 Speaker 1: Thursday night, at after Trump, the numbers were down to 134 00:09:39,115 --> 00:09:41,355 Speaker 1: five hundred and thirty eight thousand total and one hundred 135 00:09:41,355 --> 00:09:43,635 Speaker 1: and twenty four thousand in the demo, and that is 136 00:09:43,675 --> 00:09:47,395 Speaker 1: an eight percent loss, not all that much worse than 137 00:09:47,435 --> 00:09:51,595 Speaker 1: CNN's last year of ratings under Lickt, which have been 138 00:09:51,635 --> 00:09:55,115 Speaker 1: the TV equivalent of stick a mirror under CNN's nose 139 00:09:55,195 --> 00:09:59,035 Speaker 1: to see if it's still breathing. But it is conclusive 140 00:09:59,075 --> 00:10:02,635 Speaker 1: evidence that the Trump farce on Wednesday gained the network 141 00:10:03,115 --> 00:10:07,475 Speaker 1: absolutely nothing in terms of audience, Just as on that night, 142 00:10:07,515 --> 00:10:09,755 Speaker 1: it was clear Trump's viewers left as soon as he 143 00:10:09,755 --> 00:10:12,835 Speaker 1: stopped talking. That was at nine to ten Eastern. By 144 00:10:12,915 --> 00:10:15,715 Speaker 1: ten Eastern or so, as I have mentioned, CNN was 145 00:10:15,755 --> 00:10:21,355 Speaker 1: again in last place in Cable News. Now for a 146 00:10:21,395 --> 00:10:26,915 Speaker 1: brief moment about the loudest voices inside vs CNN. This 147 00:10:27,035 --> 00:10:29,995 Speaker 1: happened too late Thursday night for me to have seen it, 148 00:10:30,355 --> 00:10:33,235 Speaker 1: and judging by the ratings, nobody else saw it either. 149 00:10:33,675 --> 00:10:38,155 Speaker 1: But CNN gave Caitlyn Collins her own primetime hour Thursday Night, 150 00:10:38,195 --> 00:10:42,195 Speaker 1: a preview of the permanent primetime assignment licked incredibly thinks 151 00:10:42,355 --> 00:10:45,515 Speaker 1: we'll pull the network out of the crapper. The first 152 00:10:45,555 --> 00:10:50,915 Speaker 1: topic of the Caitlyn Collins Show was Caitlyn Collins and 153 00:10:50,955 --> 00:10:55,155 Speaker 1: the opening panel was a fawning collection of political opportunists 154 00:10:55,635 --> 00:10:58,795 Speaker 1: and guess what they all thought Caitlyn Collins was great 155 00:10:59,235 --> 00:11:02,355 Speaker 1: and they wanted to tell her. So. It was a 156 00:11:02,515 --> 00:11:06,515 Speaker 1: sad looking group, something between those crazy Russian TV commentators 157 00:11:06,675 --> 00:11:09,715 Speaker 1: calling for the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and 158 00:11:09,795 --> 00:11:13,995 Speaker 1: the collection of silent film stars shown morosely playing bridge 159 00:11:14,075 --> 00:11:18,275 Speaker 1: in the classic movie Sunset Boulevard. I mean, David Axelrod 160 00:11:18,315 --> 00:11:24,915 Speaker 1: is still alive, Maggie Haberman, the hapless Van Jones. Was 161 00:11:24,955 --> 00:11:28,755 Speaker 1: this the night Van Jones that Caitlin Collins truly became president? 162 00:11:30,475 --> 00:11:32,275 Speaker 1: And of course that means we have to circle back 163 00:11:32,315 --> 00:11:37,555 Speaker 1: and recognize that if they are VCCNN, then their Marshall 164 00:11:37,635 --> 00:11:46,235 Speaker 1: Petin is Anderson freaking Cooper boiled alive at every corner 165 00:11:46,355 --> 00:11:49,555 Speaker 1: online and off for attacking his own viewers with the 166 00:11:49,555 --> 00:11:55,275 Speaker 1: now eternal career ending staying in your silo quote. Cooper 167 00:11:55,395 --> 00:11:58,355 Speaker 1: actually went back on the air Friday night, not one 168 00:11:58,475 --> 00:12:02,155 Speaker 1: mention of the blowback against him, his sanctimonious assault on 169 00:12:02,195 --> 00:12:05,475 Speaker 1: his own fans, nor the ludicrousness of his argument, which 170 00:12:05,475 --> 00:12:09,795 Speaker 1: I guess boils down to U. Peons must all expose 171 00:12:09,875 --> 00:12:14,915 Speaker 1: yourself to Trump, I guess, before Trump exposes himself to you. 172 00:12:16,315 --> 00:12:19,555 Speaker 1: The impeccable Philip Bump of the Washington Post was ready, 173 00:12:19,595 --> 00:12:23,155 Speaker 1: as always with the receipts. As the kiddos say, he 174 00:12:23,195 --> 00:12:25,635 Speaker 1: would have made a great founding member of the Society 175 00:12:25,675 --> 00:12:29,915 Speaker 1: for American Baseball Research. Again Friday night, Bump wrote, quote, 176 00:12:30,195 --> 00:12:34,875 Speaker 1: CNN has collectively mentioned the supporters of Obama, Romney, Clinton, 177 00:12:34,955 --> 00:12:40,435 Speaker 1: and President Biden about ten thousand times combined since January 178 00:12:40,475 --> 00:12:46,035 Speaker 1: twenty ten. It has mentioned Trump's supporters more than twenty 179 00:12:46,075 --> 00:12:51,435 Speaker 1: two thousand times since then. Unquote, Phil Bump says it's 180 00:12:51,435 --> 00:12:53,675 Speaker 1: the same on the other cable news channels, twice as 181 00:12:53,675 --> 00:12:58,915 Speaker 1: many references to Trump supporters as all other political supporters combined. 182 00:12:59,995 --> 00:13:04,595 Speaker 1: So Anderson, there is no silo, there is no lit 183 00:13:04,755 --> 00:13:07,475 Speaker 1: sending only to people you agree with, and clearly there 184 00:13:07,555 --> 00:13:12,275 Speaker 1: is no future for Anderson Cooper. I have endured plenty 185 00:13:12,355 --> 00:13:15,195 Speaker 1: of live frick of seeing on social media, and I 186 00:13:15,235 --> 00:13:18,795 Speaker 1: have seen others endure far worse. But what different about 187 00:13:18,835 --> 00:13:21,955 Speaker 1: this time? What different about the response to Anderson Cooper 188 00:13:21,995 --> 00:13:25,915 Speaker 1: and this amazing condescension of his was he has been 189 00:13:25,955 --> 00:13:30,675 Speaker 1: rejected by his own side. Some of us, I think, 190 00:13:30,755 --> 00:13:34,515 Speaker 1: came close to capturing this, but not as close, and 191 00:13:34,635 --> 00:13:37,715 Speaker 1: not as angrily, and not as much with a sense 192 00:13:37,795 --> 00:13:42,755 Speaker 1: of being personally hurt. As the former CNN analyst Sonny 193 00:13:42,795 --> 00:13:47,795 Speaker 1: Hosten on The View on Thursday. This is extraordinary worth 194 00:13:47,875 --> 00:13:52,315 Speaker 1: hearing in full before we finally get back to poor 195 00:13:52,315 --> 00:13:56,475 Speaker 1: old Oliver Darcy, especially given that, as you will hear, 196 00:13:57,235 --> 00:14:02,275 Speaker 1: she describes herself as a friend of Anderson Cooper. 197 00:14:02,475 --> 00:14:05,235 Speaker 2: I think that you don't give a big and a 198 00:14:05,315 --> 00:14:08,115 Speaker 2: racist and a misogynist and a liar and a treator 199 00:14:08,955 --> 00:14:14,155 Speaker 2: and a sexual abuser and a defamer a platform of 200 00:14:14,235 --> 00:14:18,915 Speaker 2: three million people. And I'm saddened. I used to work 201 00:14:18,955 --> 00:14:21,315 Speaker 2: for CNN for quite some time. Anderson Cooper has been 202 00:14:21,315 --> 00:14:23,875 Speaker 2: my friend for over twenty years, and I'm sadden that 203 00:14:23,915 --> 00:14:27,275 Speaker 2: he tried to gaslight me yesterday by saying that people 204 00:14:27,315 --> 00:14:29,995 Speaker 2: are in silos. People aren't living in a silo. They 205 00:14:30,035 --> 00:14:33,195 Speaker 2: are choosing to listen to the lies or not forty 206 00:14:33,235 --> 00:14:35,675 Speaker 2: six point nine percent of people voted for Trump in 207 00:14:35,715 --> 00:14:38,555 Speaker 2: twenty twenty, but he lost the popular vote by over 208 00:14:38,675 --> 00:14:43,355 Speaker 2: seven million people. We know who this man is. We 209 00:14:43,555 --> 00:14:45,955 Speaker 2: learned who this man is, and we did not need 210 00:14:46,035 --> 00:14:49,235 Speaker 2: to see what we saw. I think that that town 211 00:14:49,315 --> 00:14:53,035 Speaker 2: hall will be studied in journalism schools around the country 212 00:14:53,075 --> 00:14:57,275 Speaker 2: as to what not to do. It was not fact 213 00:14:57,395 --> 00:15:02,955 Speaker 2: checked appropriately. I don't believe again, but the girl I'm 214 00:15:02,995 --> 00:15:06,355 Speaker 2: good enough in that such a brain line, Can I 215 00:15:06,395 --> 00:15:10,475 Speaker 2: just not be interrupted for a second. She didn't have 216 00:15:10,475 --> 00:15:14,035 Speaker 2: the rain. He agreed to the interview because he knew 217 00:15:14,075 --> 00:15:15,195 Speaker 2: he could steamroll her. 218 00:15:15,515 --> 00:15:16,835 Speaker 1: That's not fair, Jake. 219 00:15:16,675 --> 00:15:18,435 Speaker 2: Tappert, I have done it to anyone would have done 220 00:15:18,475 --> 00:15:20,875 Speaker 2: a better job. And I will tell you that. Remember 221 00:15:20,915 --> 00:15:23,995 Speaker 2: Trump walked out of a sixty minutes interview with Leslie 222 00:15:23,995 --> 00:15:26,875 Speaker 2: Stall because she was fact checking him in real time 223 00:15:27,315 --> 00:15:32,115 Speaker 2: every single time. It's time for some real introspection at 224 00:15:32,195 --> 00:15:36,995 Speaker 2: CNN because I often thought, like, just Judge brandeis because 225 00:15:36,995 --> 00:15:39,835 Speaker 2: the Supreme Court Justice actually brandeised that sunlight is said 226 00:15:39,875 --> 00:15:43,395 Speaker 2: to be the best of disinfectants. This time, that's what 227 00:15:43,435 --> 00:15:46,675 Speaker 2: this side is. No CNN went with les moonvez this 228 00:15:46,795 --> 00:15:49,915 Speaker 2: was a business decision less. Moonvez said, this was awful 229 00:15:49,955 --> 00:15:52,955 Speaker 2: for the country, but it was good for CBS. This 230 00:15:53,075 --> 00:15:56,115 Speaker 2: was awful for the country, CBS, it was awful for 231 00:15:56,155 --> 00:15:59,635 Speaker 2: the country, But congratulations CNN for making a little bit 232 00:15:59,675 --> 00:16:01,755 Speaker 2: of money on the backs of our democracy. 233 00:16:02,195 --> 00:16:07,275 Speaker 1: Did anybody see Anderson Cooper's face after that? No, Well, 234 00:16:07,315 --> 00:16:09,355 Speaker 1: we'll just look around the studio for it later. It 235 00:16:09,435 --> 00:16:12,635 Speaker 1: probably popped off, just like his limbs did after Sonny 236 00:16:12,635 --> 00:16:17,835 Speaker 1: Hostin took him the f apart. Well, now finally we 237 00:16:17,875 --> 00:16:21,235 Speaker 1: can come back to poor mister Darcy. I noted here 238 00:16:21,395 --> 00:16:24,795 Speaker 1: yesterday that the silence inside CNN on the record anyway, 239 00:16:24,875 --> 00:16:29,235 Speaker 1: was both sad and terrifying. The decisions and the deciders 240 00:16:29,315 --> 00:16:33,235 Speaker 1: who inflicted upon us the Trump town hall reflected journalistic 241 00:16:33,275 --> 00:16:39,995 Speaker 1: malpractice and citizenship betrayal. But Anderson Cooper's maudlin and condescending 242 00:16:40,035 --> 00:16:43,355 Speaker 1: attack on his own audience and the utter silence of 243 00:16:43,435 --> 00:16:48,035 Speaker 1: Wolf Flitzer and Jake Tapper and Aaron Burnett and all 244 00:16:48,115 --> 00:16:53,835 Speaker 1: of CNN's reporters and commentators, those are different. Those are 245 00:16:54,155 --> 00:16:59,435 Speaker 1: moral failings. If one of those people stood up and 246 00:16:59,595 --> 00:17:05,475 Speaker 1: protested Licht's support with his fascist masters might be irreparably 247 00:17:05,635 --> 00:17:09,475 Speaker 1: or at least significantly damaged. If two of them stood 248 00:17:09,555 --> 00:17:13,035 Speaker 1: up and protested together, the support might disappear. If three 249 00:17:13,035 --> 00:17:17,555 Speaker 1: of them stood up together, Chris lickt might disappear. Ladies 250 00:17:17,555 --> 00:17:22,075 Speaker 1: and gentlemen of CNN, do you stand for anything? Does 251 00:17:22,075 --> 00:17:26,435 Speaker 1: that organization mean anything to you? I was not there 252 00:17:26,475 --> 00:17:28,995 Speaker 1: on day one, but I was there at the end 253 00:17:29,035 --> 00:17:32,155 Speaker 1: of year one, and I'm damn proud of it, and 254 00:17:32,235 --> 00:17:35,715 Speaker 1: I grieve that what Chris licked has done to it 255 00:17:35,795 --> 00:17:41,075 Speaker 1: by prostituting it. You are the ones Will Flitzer, Jake Tapper, 256 00:17:41,395 --> 00:17:44,675 Speaker 1: Aaron Burnett, even Anderson Cooper up there on your high horse. 257 00:17:45,235 --> 00:17:49,395 Speaker 1: You are the ones keeping the original noble idea news 258 00:17:49,955 --> 00:17:53,115 Speaker 1: unrestrained by the need to cut it off and put 259 00:17:53,155 --> 00:17:56,235 Speaker 1: on the Beverly Hillbillies at eight pm while still making money. 260 00:17:56,595 --> 00:17:59,835 Speaker 1: You are the ones charged by history and by your 261 00:17:59,915 --> 00:18:04,795 Speaker 1: own ambitions and principles, with protecting the idea and the 262 00:18:04,835 --> 00:18:08,515 Speaker 1: purpose of CNN, and in a broader sense, with protecting 263 00:18:08,715 --> 00:18:11,395 Speaker 1: the idea and the purpose of journalism, and in a 264 00:18:11,435 --> 00:18:14,915 Speaker 1: broader sense still worth protecting the idea and the purpose 265 00:18:15,155 --> 00:18:20,435 Speaker 1: of American democracy. Are you going to do that? Are 266 00:18:20,515 --> 00:18:24,755 Speaker 1: you going to risk something for it? Have you really 267 00:18:24,835 --> 00:18:27,915 Speaker 1: all been working there for decades and not yet made 268 00:18:28,075 --> 00:18:31,315 Speaker 1: enough money to cover you for the rest of your lives. 269 00:18:32,435 --> 00:18:35,155 Speaker 1: Is there anyone at CNN willing to place their craft 270 00:18:35,635 --> 00:18:40,035 Speaker 1: and their responsibility ahead of their paycheck or not me? 271 00:18:40,315 --> 00:18:43,235 Speaker 1: Just let's have the media critic do it by himself. 272 00:18:43,475 --> 00:18:48,115 Speaker 1: Let's have Oliver Darcy represent the side of Murrow and 273 00:18:48,235 --> 00:18:53,195 Speaker 1: Cronkite and Bill Zimmerman and low Waters and John Holloman 274 00:18:53,275 --> 00:18:56,675 Speaker 1: and Bernard Shaw in the hotel room in Baghdad, and 275 00:18:56,755 --> 00:19:00,315 Speaker 1: even crazy old Ted Turner himself. Let's let Oliver Darcy 276 00:19:00,555 --> 00:19:03,515 Speaker 1: be the only one willing to say, if we're serious 277 00:19:03,515 --> 00:19:06,155 Speaker 1: about presenting both sides, shouldn't we present the side that 278 00:19:06,235 --> 00:19:10,435 Speaker 1: disagreed with doing this? Shouldn't you go in there with 279 00:19:10,675 --> 00:19:15,635 Speaker 1: Oliver Darcy and say enough? Because guess what. Staying out 280 00:19:15,675 --> 00:19:19,915 Speaker 1: of the fray and protecting your paycheck may work short term, 281 00:19:20,115 --> 00:19:24,435 Speaker 1: may work for years, or then again, it may not 282 00:19:24,555 --> 00:19:27,835 Speaker 1: work at all. There are a lot of ambitious anchors 283 00:19:27,875 --> 00:19:31,675 Speaker 1: without any standards out there, and they're all younger than 284 00:19:31,715 --> 00:19:34,675 Speaker 1: you are. Maybe it would be better if you took 285 00:19:34,715 --> 00:19:38,635 Speaker 1: the risk now in defense of you know, the United 286 00:19:38,675 --> 00:19:42,275 Speaker 1: States of America. Even if Chris licked? Did then get 287 00:19:42,315 --> 00:19:45,275 Speaker 1: you fired? I mean, which would you rather have on 288 00:19:45,315 --> 00:19:48,875 Speaker 1: your tombstone? I got fired because I protested when my 289 00:19:48,955 --> 00:19:52,595 Speaker 1: network's new paste eating boss, Chris Licked sold us out 290 00:19:52,595 --> 00:19:58,235 Speaker 1: to Donald Trump. Or I got fired because they wanted 291 00:19:58,275 --> 00:20:17,355 Speaker 1: to expand Caitlin Collins tonight to five hours long still 292 00:20:17,355 --> 00:20:19,795 Speaker 1: ahead on this edition of Countdown, not gonna lie. The 293 00:20:19,795 --> 00:20:22,275 Speaker 1: rest of this is just a repeat of Friday's episode 294 00:20:22,355 --> 00:20:26,195 Speaker 1: number two hundred. My idea in doing this special edition 295 00:20:26,315 --> 00:20:28,035 Speaker 1: was I was going to put about four or five 296 00:20:28,075 --> 00:20:30,155 Speaker 1: minutes of headlines on at the start of it, then 297 00:20:30,275 --> 00:20:33,595 Speaker 1: just redo all of Friday's show, and I was going 298 00:20:33,675 --> 00:20:35,915 Speaker 1: to do it as short as I could. Well, I'm 299 00:20:35,915 --> 00:20:39,355 Speaker 1: not good at doing short anyway. Friday's episode number two 300 00:20:39,435 --> 00:20:41,875 Speaker 1: hundred is good. But if you've heard it already and 301 00:20:41,915 --> 00:20:44,795 Speaker 1: you want to hit stop now, talk to you Monday. 302 00:20:45,275 --> 00:20:49,395 Speaker 1: If not, I've got the other CNN talent in quotes 303 00:20:49,395 --> 00:20:53,075 Speaker 1: who defended this monstrosity, also the James Thurber story that 304 00:20:53,155 --> 00:20:56,795 Speaker 1: perfectly fits all of the stories of Trump, but particularly 305 00:20:56,835 --> 00:20:59,995 Speaker 1: this one. And I've got what is still the latest 306 00:20:59,995 --> 00:21:02,755 Speaker 1: on whether the President will use the fourteenth Amendment to 307 00:21:02,875 --> 00:21:06,315 Speaker 1: fight off Kevin McCarthy and the debt limit hostage takers. 308 00:21:07,035 --> 00:21:23,355 Speaker 1: That's next. This is countdown. This is countdown with Keith 309 00:21:23,355 --> 00:21:31,675 Speaker 1: Olbooman postscripts to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snarks, 310 00:21:31,715 --> 00:21:35,515 Speaker 1: some predictions, dateline, Washington, more and more signs that the 311 00:21:35,595 --> 00:21:39,995 Speaker 1: administration may actually do something innovative and strident about the 312 00:21:40,035 --> 00:21:42,835 Speaker 1: debt ceiling. The follow up meeting at the White House 313 00:21:42,835 --> 00:21:46,435 Speaker 1: today has been canceled. Speaker McCarthy says it's because there 314 00:21:46,475 --> 00:21:49,675 Speaker 1: has not been enough progress. Others in DC say this 315 00:21:49,835 --> 00:21:53,115 Speaker 1: is because the President is in fact willing to try 316 00:21:53,195 --> 00:21:56,995 Speaker 1: the fourteenth Amendment, willing to try to bypass the Republican 317 00:21:57,035 --> 00:22:02,315 Speaker 1: hostage drama altogether by saying he is constitutionally obligated to 318 00:22:02,435 --> 00:22:04,995 Speaker 1: pay the national debt, and it says so so in 319 00:22:05,035 --> 00:22:08,835 Speaker 1: the fourteenth. The process has been debated, though when Joe 320 00:22:08,835 --> 00:22:11,715 Speaker 1: Biden hinted at this the other day, he indicated it 321 00:22:11,715 --> 00:22:14,995 Speaker 1: would have to be litigated, implying he would do it. 322 00:22:15,395 --> 00:22:18,635 Speaker 1: Others would then sue to stop him. But the Cornell 323 00:22:18,755 --> 00:22:22,035 Speaker 1: law professor Michael Dorf says he's got it backwards, that 324 00:22:22,075 --> 00:22:26,555 Speaker 1: people in favor of using the amendment should sue first. 325 00:22:26,995 --> 00:22:29,755 Speaker 1: They should claim in court that any failure or delay 326 00:22:29,835 --> 00:22:32,595 Speaker 1: by the government in paying them what it owes them 327 00:22:32,835 --> 00:22:36,635 Speaker 1: would cause profound injury. DARF says a suit like that 328 00:22:36,835 --> 00:22:40,635 Speaker 1: was in fact filed. On Monday. The NAGE, the National 329 00:22:40,635 --> 00:22:45,595 Speaker 1: Association of Government Employees, sued FED chaired Janet Yellen on 330 00:22:45,675 --> 00:22:48,875 Speaker 1: other grounds, trying to get a judge to rule that 331 00:22:48,915 --> 00:22:52,875 Speaker 1: the debt default concept is illegal because of separation of 332 00:22:52,915 --> 00:22:55,235 Speaker 1: powers and the Fifth Amendment, and that the debt ceiling 333 00:22:55,315 --> 00:23:00,035 Speaker 1: itself is unconstitutional. Now, look, we are here now in deep, 334 00:23:00,595 --> 00:23:04,515 Speaker 1: deep legal waters, and I'm getting dizzy, and I feel 335 00:23:04,515 --> 00:23:07,555 Speaker 1: like the pea quad is sinking again. But I think 336 00:23:07,595 --> 00:23:11,955 Speaker 1: I understand this, and whatever it is, it's a damn 337 00:23:12,035 --> 00:23:14,635 Speaker 1: sight better of a plan than defaulting or giving into 338 00:23:14,635 --> 00:23:24,915 Speaker 1: this Mountebank, Kevin McCarthy, Thank you, Nancy Faust and Dateline 339 00:23:24,995 --> 00:23:28,635 Speaker 1: New York. The Manhattan District Attorney today charges Daniel J. 340 00:23:28,955 --> 00:23:32,355 Speaker 1: Penny in the choke hold death of the houseless man 341 00:23:32,395 --> 00:23:36,235 Speaker 1: in the New York subway Jordan Neely, second degree manslaughter 342 00:23:36,315 --> 00:23:39,195 Speaker 1: on a simple premise a man threatening people in public, 343 00:23:39,315 --> 00:23:43,195 Speaker 1: like on a subway train, might be restrained or even 344 00:23:43,235 --> 00:23:46,115 Speaker 1: injured in the process by good Samaritans. And the good 345 00:23:46,195 --> 00:23:50,035 Speaker 1: Samaritans get a medal, but choking the man to death 346 00:23:50,715 --> 00:23:53,395 Speaker 1: is not any of that. The other problem here is 347 00:23:53,435 --> 00:23:56,955 Speaker 1: that virtually every news story refers to the now defendant 348 00:23:57,075 --> 00:24:00,795 Speaker 1: Daniel Jpenny as a quote marine veteran, as if we 349 00:24:00,795 --> 00:24:03,275 Speaker 1: were back on the Pea quad as I mentioned in 350 00:24:03,315 --> 00:24:06,515 Speaker 1: the a Bloc and just now. His military status has 351 00:24:06,555 --> 00:24:08,515 Speaker 1: got nothing to do with this. In fact, it gives 352 00:24:08,595 --> 00:24:11,195 Speaker 1: him a benefit of the doubt he clearly does not deserve. 353 00:24:11,955 --> 00:24:14,755 Speaker 1: If the roles had been reversed and Penny had been 354 00:24:14,835 --> 00:24:18,395 Speaker 1: choked to death by a disturbed man named Jordan Neely, 355 00:24:18,795 --> 00:24:22,955 Speaker 1: the headlines would be calling Jordan Neely something like the 356 00:24:23,035 --> 00:24:40,115 Speaker 1: subway strangler coming up Friday's with Thurber and only one 357 00:24:40,195 --> 00:24:43,075 Speaker 1: story that he could possibly offer to us today, the 358 00:24:43,195 --> 00:24:47,795 Speaker 1: greatest man in the world. First, the daily round up 359 00:24:47,795 --> 00:24:50,155 Speaker 1: of the miss Greens, morons and Dunning Kruger effect specimens 360 00:24:50,155 --> 00:24:56,435 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons in the world, Lebrons, Tony Nunciado. 361 00:24:57,195 --> 00:25:01,635 Speaker 1: Tony is standing by his guy, George Santos. George Santos, 362 00:25:01,635 --> 00:25:04,395 Speaker 1: who has been charged with everything but stealing false teeth 363 00:25:04,395 --> 00:25:09,235 Speaker 1: off corpses in the mortuary. But Tony Nunziado says he 364 00:25:09,315 --> 00:25:12,555 Speaker 1: is not ready to call for Santos' resignation from Congress. 365 00:25:12,795 --> 00:25:15,755 Speaker 1: I'll wait to see what they say in court, Nunziato says, 366 00:25:16,275 --> 00:25:19,635 Speaker 1: Especially lately, we see many people being indicted, but they 367 00:25:19,635 --> 00:25:23,315 Speaker 1: were wrong and they were set free. And who is 368 00:25:23,355 --> 00:25:26,435 Speaker 1: this Tony Nunziato who is so optimistic about the chance 369 00:25:26,475 --> 00:25:29,875 Speaker 1: that somehow they've got the wrong guy for all thirteen 370 00:25:29,955 --> 00:25:34,995 Speaker 1: George Santos indictments. Tony Nunziado is chairman of the Republican 371 00:25:35,035 --> 00:25:38,355 Speaker 1: Party of Queens. And when you are the chairman of 372 00:25:38,355 --> 00:25:41,195 Speaker 1: the Republican Party of Queens, it must be very difficult 373 00:25:41,195 --> 00:25:43,875 Speaker 1: to say yes, all right, I'll give up on the 374 00:25:43,875 --> 00:25:45,795 Speaker 1: first guy we actually got elected to the House in 375 00:25:45,835 --> 00:25:51,075 Speaker 1: a million years. The runner up, this Vivek Ramaswami guy. 376 00:25:51,675 --> 00:25:54,195 Speaker 1: I am beginning to think there are people supporting his 377 00:25:54,315 --> 00:25:58,155 Speaker 1: long shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination just for 378 00:25:58,235 --> 00:26:03,675 Speaker 1: the larfs, just because he's so dumb. Ramaswami is thirty 379 00:26:03,675 --> 00:26:06,155 Speaker 1: seven years old and is big. We have to change 380 00:26:06,195 --> 00:26:08,875 Speaker 1: the constitution idea, and they all have big we have 381 00:26:08,915 --> 00:26:12,755 Speaker 1: to change the constitution ideas. His is he wants to 382 00:26:13,035 --> 00:26:16,435 Speaker 1: raise the voting age. He wants to raise it from 383 00:26:16,515 --> 00:26:20,315 Speaker 1: eighteen to twenty five unless you are in the military, 384 00:26:20,995 --> 00:26:24,035 Speaker 1: or you are a first responder, or you pass the 385 00:26:24,035 --> 00:26:26,675 Speaker 1: same civics test they give people who are applying for 386 00:26:26,875 --> 00:26:30,475 Speaker 1: US citizenship. Now, I mean, the civics test idea is 387 00:26:30,475 --> 00:26:33,035 Speaker 1: not a bad one, But give me one example of 388 00:26:33,075 --> 00:26:36,435 Speaker 1: anybody in this country getting smarter about civic responsibility between 389 00:26:36,475 --> 00:26:39,755 Speaker 1: eighteen and twenty five that they'd automatically not have to 390 00:26:39,835 --> 00:26:43,035 Speaker 1: take the test. I mean, make it between eighteen and 391 00:26:43,155 --> 00:26:47,795 Speaker 1: ninety five. Nobody knows civics in this country anymore. I mean, 392 00:26:47,915 --> 00:26:50,755 Speaker 1: be careful on this. If you're actually going to institute 393 00:26:50,795 --> 00:26:54,355 Speaker 1: a civic awareness test before voting, you might shave the 394 00:26:54,435 --> 00:26:58,395 Speaker 1: voting population down to like one hundred thousand people. But 395 00:26:58,475 --> 00:27:01,675 Speaker 1: that's besides the point. Let's say Ramaswami somehow becomes the 396 00:27:01,715 --> 00:27:05,275 Speaker 1: Republican nominee and he really pushes this raise the voting 397 00:27:05,355 --> 00:27:09,715 Speaker 1: age thing, and you are eighteen next year, or you 398 00:27:09,755 --> 00:27:14,035 Speaker 1: are say nineteen or young twenty, and he expects you 399 00:27:14,075 --> 00:27:16,755 Speaker 1: to vote for him, with the premise that voting for 400 00:27:16,835 --> 00:27:20,355 Speaker 1: him would be He's going to take away your right 401 00:27:20,395 --> 00:27:23,035 Speaker 1: to vote for him again in twenty twenty eight. Who 402 00:27:23,075 --> 00:27:25,835 Speaker 1: is going to do this. I'll vote for him, and 403 00:27:25,875 --> 00:27:27,475 Speaker 1: then I won't vote for him because he won't let 404 00:27:27,515 --> 00:27:30,835 Speaker 1: me vote anymore. More importantly, who's dumb enough to run 405 00:27:30,875 --> 00:27:33,035 Speaker 1: for office and say vote for me and I'll take 406 00:27:33,075 --> 00:27:37,915 Speaker 1: away your right to vote. Ramaswami is just a dope, 407 00:27:38,755 --> 00:27:43,075 Speaker 1: but the winner. Poppy Harlow one of the two surviving 408 00:27:43,155 --> 00:27:46,595 Speaker 1: co hosts of CNN's Morning show. And look, we all 409 00:27:46,635 --> 00:27:50,555 Speaker 1: get it. We've all worked with a Poppy Harlow. Management 410 00:27:50,555 --> 00:27:53,075 Speaker 1: could come over and poop in their hat, and your 411 00:27:53,635 --> 00:27:59,275 Speaker 1: own Poppy Harlow would just congratulate them on their aim. 412 00:27:59,435 --> 00:28:04,235 Speaker 1: But her tweet about the you know is just wow. 413 00:28:04,915 --> 00:28:08,435 Speaker 1: Quoting what Caitlin Collins showed the world last night was 414 00:28:08,475 --> 00:28:12,755 Speaker 1: a masterclass in interviewing, real time, backchecking, and holding power 415 00:28:12,795 --> 00:28:16,155 Speaker 1: to account. She is unflappable and was born for moments 416 00:28:16,235 --> 00:28:20,595 Speaker 1: like this. So much love and respect. Unquote. It's just 417 00:28:20,635 --> 00:28:23,635 Speaker 1: a little over the top. Pop makes me think that 418 00:28:23,675 --> 00:28:26,275 Speaker 1: the internal dialogue here is I got rid of that 419 00:28:26,355 --> 00:28:29,875 Speaker 1: loser Don Lemon, and now Colin's just self destructed and 420 00:28:29,955 --> 00:28:34,115 Speaker 1: soon to be mine, all mine. CNN This Morning with 421 00:28:34,595 --> 00:28:40,035 Speaker 1: Poppy Harlow Poppy CNN This morning with Poppy Harlow. Just 422 00:28:40,235 --> 00:28:46,475 Speaker 1: Poppy Arlow. You got it, Harlow. Two days worst Poppy 423 00:28:47,115 --> 00:29:02,475 Speaker 1: in the Lord still ahead on Countdown. With all the headlines, 424 00:29:02,515 --> 00:29:05,275 Speaker 1: there is only one Ferber story with which to resume 425 00:29:05,355 --> 00:29:08,475 Speaker 1: our Friday readings. A tale as fresh as if it 426 00:29:08,515 --> 00:29:12,835 Speaker 1: were written right after the Trump town hall by people 427 00:29:12,875 --> 00:29:16,755 Speaker 1: who then stop watching CNN. The Greatest Man in the World. 428 00:29:17,235 --> 00:29:20,235 Speaker 1: Next First, in each edition of Countdown, we feature a dog. 429 00:29:20,275 --> 00:29:23,115 Speaker 1: Indeed you can help. Every dog has its day. The 430 00:29:23,155 --> 00:29:26,275 Speaker 1: irony of the name of the seventy seven pound brindle 431 00:29:26,355 --> 00:29:28,595 Speaker 1: mix puppy that they are ready to kill at the 432 00:29:28,635 --> 00:29:31,395 Speaker 1: New York Pound is almost too much to bear. He's 433 00:29:31,475 --> 00:29:36,955 Speaker 1: called Free. His human dumped Free there, left him to die, 434 00:29:37,075 --> 00:29:39,995 Speaker 1: said he couldn't pay for him anymore. Just twelve days ago. 435 00:29:40,515 --> 00:29:44,555 Speaker 1: Free knows he's been abandoned. His usual affectionate nature is gone. 436 00:29:45,035 --> 00:29:47,515 Speaker 1: He's seventeen months old, and the biggest complaints against him 437 00:29:47,555 --> 00:29:48,875 Speaker 1: had been if you give him a treat and for 438 00:29:48,875 --> 00:29:51,515 Speaker 1: some reason to try to take the treat away, he growls, 439 00:29:52,195 --> 00:29:54,355 Speaker 1: and he's excitable to the point of being pushy. Well, 440 00:29:54,395 --> 00:29:56,875 Speaker 1: I'm excitable to the point of being pushy for this, 441 00:29:56,955 --> 00:30:00,275 Speaker 1: they will kill him. He needs an adopter or a foster, 442 00:30:00,715 --> 00:30:03,555 Speaker 1: or our pledges to help a rescue save him. Look 443 00:30:03,635 --> 00:30:07,955 Speaker 1: for free on my Twitter feeds. I thank you and free. 444 00:30:07,995 --> 00:30:24,515 Speaker 1: Thanks you to the master the work of James Thurber. 445 00:30:24,835 --> 00:30:28,155 Speaker 1: There is a short film of this story. I don't 446 00:30:28,275 --> 00:30:30,835 Speaker 1: think it really does it justice. I don't think anything 447 00:30:30,875 --> 00:30:35,035 Speaker 1: does it justice. Occasionally, real life does do it justice. 448 00:30:35,155 --> 00:30:38,395 Speaker 1: I've thought I've seen this story playing out in real 449 00:30:38,515 --> 00:30:43,315 Speaker 1: time in this country almost every day for about seven years. 450 00:30:44,595 --> 00:30:48,635 Speaker 1: Sit back and relax, if relax is the right word 451 00:30:48,715 --> 00:30:54,355 Speaker 1: for it. For the Greatest Man in the World, by 452 00:30:54,435 --> 00:30:59,395 Speaker 1: James Thurber. Looking back on it now from the vantage 453 00:30:59,395 --> 00:31:02,195 Speaker 1: point of nineteen forty, one can only marvel that it 454 00:31:02,235 --> 00:31:05,355 Speaker 1: had not happened long before it did. The United States 455 00:31:05,395 --> 00:31:10,275 Speaker 1: of America had been ever since Kitty Hawk blindly constructing 456 00:31:10,275 --> 00:31:14,515 Speaker 1: the elaborate petard by which, sooner or later it must 457 00:31:14,795 --> 00:31:18,915 Speaker 1: be hoist. It was inevitable that someday there would come, 458 00:31:19,035 --> 00:31:23,595 Speaker 1: roaring out of the skies, a national hero of insufficient intelligence, background, 459 00:31:23,675 --> 00:31:27,395 Speaker 1: and character successfully to endure the mounting orgies of glory 460 00:31:27,475 --> 00:31:30,995 Speaker 1: prepared for aviators who stayed up for a long time 461 00:31:31,515 --> 00:31:36,675 Speaker 1: or flew a great distance. Both Lindbergh and Byrd, fortunately 462 00:31:36,675 --> 00:31:40,955 Speaker 1: for national decorum and international amity, had been gentlemen, So 463 00:31:41,115 --> 00:31:45,515 Speaker 1: had our other famous aviators. They wore their laurels gracefully, 464 00:31:45,555 --> 00:31:49,155 Speaker 1: withstood the awful weather of publicity, married excellent women, usually 465 00:31:49,275 --> 00:31:53,115 Speaker 1: fine family, and quietly retired to private life and the 466 00:31:53,195 --> 00:31:58,035 Speaker 1: enjoyment of their varying fortunes. No untoward incidents on a 467 00:31:58,075 --> 00:32:01,795 Speaker 1: worldwide scale marred the perfection of their conduct on the 468 00:32:01,835 --> 00:32:07,395 Speaker 1: perilous heights of fame. Exception to the rule was, however, 469 00:32:08,035 --> 00:32:13,355 Speaker 1: bound to occur, and it did in July nineteen thirty seven, 470 00:32:13,395 --> 00:32:19,235 Speaker 1: when Jack Pal Smirch erstwhile mechanics helper in a small 471 00:32:19,275 --> 00:32:24,755 Speaker 1: garage in Westfield, Iowa, flew a secondhand single motored Breasthaven 472 00:32:24,915 --> 00:32:30,955 Speaker 1: Dragonfly three monoplane all the way around the world without stopping. 473 00:32:33,875 --> 00:32:36,155 Speaker 1: Never before in the history of aviation had such a 474 00:32:36,155 --> 00:32:39,075 Speaker 1: flight as Smirch has even been dreamed of. No one 475 00:32:39,115 --> 00:32:43,635 Speaker 1: had even taken seriously the weird floating auxiliary gas tanks 476 00:32:43,755 --> 00:32:46,875 Speaker 1: invention of the mad New Hampshire professor of astronomy, doctor 477 00:32:46,955 --> 00:32:52,115 Speaker 1: Charles Lewis, Gresham, upon which Smirch placed full reliance when 478 00:32:52,115 --> 00:32:57,195 Speaker 1: the garage worker, a slightly built, surly unprepossessing young man 479 00:32:57,235 --> 00:33:00,315 Speaker 1: of twenty two, appeared at Roosevelt Field early in July 480 00:33:00,475 --> 00:33:05,795 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty seven, slowly chewing a great quid of scrap tobacco, 481 00:33:05,995 --> 00:33:10,995 Speaker 1: and announced, nobody ain't seen no flying yet. The newspapers 482 00:33:11,035 --> 00:33:15,715 Speaker 1: touched briefly and satirically upon his projected twenty five thousand 483 00:33:15,755 --> 00:33:20,915 Speaker 1: mile flight. Aeronautical and automotive experts dismissed the idea, curtly, 484 00:33:21,115 --> 00:33:24,875 Speaker 1: implying that it was a hoax, the publicity stunt. The rusty, 485 00:33:25,235 --> 00:33:31,675 Speaker 1: battered second hand plane wouldn't go, the Gresham auxiliary tanks 486 00:33:32,035 --> 00:33:40,075 Speaker 1: wouldn't work. It was simply a cheap joke smirch. However, 487 00:33:40,315 --> 00:33:42,915 Speaker 1: after calling on a girl in Brooklyn who worked in 488 00:33:42,955 --> 00:33:46,395 Speaker 1: the flap folding department of a large paper box factory, 489 00:33:46,395 --> 00:33:49,955 Speaker 1: a girl whom he later described as his sweet Pittuti, 490 00:33:50,755 --> 00:33:55,555 Speaker 1: climbed nonchalantly into his ridiculous plane at dawn the memorable 491 00:33:55,635 --> 00:33:59,315 Speaker 1: seventh of July nineteen thirty seven, spit a curve of 492 00:33:59,395 --> 00:34:02,875 Speaker 1: tobacco juice into the still air, and took off, carrying 493 00:34:02,955 --> 00:34:06,515 Speaker 1: with him only a gallon of bootleg gin and six 494 00:34:06,795 --> 00:34:12,515 Speaker 1: pounds of salami. When the garage boy thundered out over 495 00:34:12,555 --> 00:34:14,915 Speaker 1: the ocean, the papers were forced to record in all 496 00:34:15,035 --> 00:34:18,915 Speaker 1: seriousness that a man, unknown, young man whose name was 497 00:34:18,995 --> 00:34:23,835 Speaker 1: variously misspelled, had actually set out upon a preposterous attempt 498 00:34:23,875 --> 00:34:27,195 Speaker 1: to span the world in a rickety one engine contraption, 499 00:34:27,555 --> 00:34:31,595 Speaker 1: trusting to the long distance refueling device of a crazy schoolmaster. 500 00:34:32,435 --> 00:34:36,275 Speaker 1: When nine days later, without having stopped once, the tiny 501 00:34:36,315 --> 00:34:39,835 Speaker 1: plane appeared above San Francisco Bay, headed for New York, 502 00:34:39,915 --> 00:34:43,275 Speaker 1: spluttering and choking, to be sure, but still magnificently and 503 00:34:43,355 --> 00:34:47,755 Speaker 1: miraculously aloft the headlines, which long since had crowded everything 504 00:34:47,795 --> 00:34:50,395 Speaker 1: else off the front page. Even the shooting of the 505 00:34:50,435 --> 00:34:55,435 Speaker 1: governor of Illinois by the Valetti Gang swelled to unprecedented size, 506 00:34:55,755 --> 00:34:58,355 Speaker 1: and the news stories began to run to twenty five 507 00:34:58,595 --> 00:35:05,955 Speaker 1: and thirty columns. It was noticeable, however, that the accounts 508 00:35:06,115 --> 00:35:10,195 Speaker 1: of the epoch making flight touched rather lightly upon the 509 00:35:10,275 --> 00:35:15,075 Speaker 1: aviator himself. This was not because the facts about the 510 00:35:15,115 --> 00:35:18,875 Speaker 1: hero as a man were too meager, but because they 511 00:35:18,915 --> 00:35:23,435 Speaker 1: were too complete. Reporters who had been rushed out to 512 00:35:23,515 --> 00:35:26,355 Speaker 1: Iowa when Smirch's plane was first sighted over the ledge, 513 00:35:26,395 --> 00:35:29,155 Speaker 1: a little French coast town of ser Lee Lemaire to 514 00:35:29,315 --> 00:35:31,555 Speaker 1: dig up the story of the great man's life, had 515 00:35:31,595 --> 00:35:34,875 Speaker 1: promptly discovered that the story of his life could not 516 00:35:34,955 --> 00:35:39,115 Speaker 1: be printed. His mother, a sullen short order cook and 517 00:35:39,155 --> 00:35:41,635 Speaker 1: a shack restaurant on the edge of a tourists camping 518 00:35:41,675 --> 00:35:44,955 Speaker 1: ground near Westfield, met all inquiries as to her son 519 00:35:45,035 --> 00:35:47,795 Speaker 1: with an angry and the hell with him a hope 520 00:35:47,835 --> 00:35:51,955 Speaker 1: he drowns. His father appeared to be in jail somewhere 521 00:35:52,075 --> 00:35:57,235 Speaker 1: for stealing spotlights and lap robes from tourists automobiles. His 522 00:35:57,395 --> 00:36:00,995 Speaker 1: young brother, a weak minded lad, had but recently escaped 523 00:36:01,035 --> 00:36:03,835 Speaker 1: from the Preston, Iowa Reformatory and was already wanted in 524 00:36:03,955 --> 00:36:07,075 Speaker 1: several Western towns for the theft of money order blanks 525 00:36:07,075 --> 00:36:12,075 Speaker 1: from post offices. These alarming discoveries were still piling up 526 00:36:12,075 --> 00:36:15,275 Speaker 1: at the very time that pal Smirch, the greatest hero 527 00:36:15,475 --> 00:36:20,075 Speaker 1: of the twentieth century, blear eyed, dead for sleep, half starved, 528 00:36:20,435 --> 00:36:23,395 Speaker 1: was piloting his crazy junk heap high above the region 529 00:36:23,435 --> 00:36:25,795 Speaker 1: in which the lamentable story of his private life was 530 00:36:25,835 --> 00:36:29,275 Speaker 1: being unearthed, headed for New York and a greater glory 531 00:36:29,355 --> 00:36:35,075 Speaker 1: than any man of his time had ever known. The 532 00:36:35,395 --> 00:36:39,115 Speaker 1: necessity for printing some account in the papers of the 533 00:36:39,155 --> 00:36:43,155 Speaker 1: young man's career and personality had led to a remarkable predicament. 534 00:36:43,635 --> 00:36:46,875 Speaker 1: It was, of course, impossible to reveal the facts, for 535 00:36:46,995 --> 00:36:50,315 Speaker 1: a tremendous popular feeling in favor of the young hero 536 00:36:50,435 --> 00:36:52,955 Speaker 1: had sprung up like a grass fire when he was 537 00:36:52,995 --> 00:36:56,355 Speaker 1: halfway across Europe on his flight around the globe. He 538 00:36:56,515 --> 00:37:01,755 Speaker 1: was therefore described as a modest, chap taciturn blonde, popular 539 00:37:01,795 --> 00:37:06,755 Speaker 1: with his friends, popular with girls. The only available snapshot 540 00:37:06,755 --> 00:37:09,715 Speaker 1: of Smirch, taken at the wheel of a phony automobile 541 00:37:09,915 --> 00:37:12,555 Speaker 1: in a cheap photo studio at an amusement park, was 542 00:37:12,595 --> 00:37:16,075 Speaker 1: touched up so that the little vulgarian looked quite handsome. 543 00:37:17,115 --> 00:37:21,915 Speaker 1: His twisted leer was smoothed into a pleasant smile. The 544 00:37:21,995 --> 00:37:25,995 Speaker 1: truth was in this way kept from the youth's ecstatic compatriots. 545 00:37:26,315 --> 00:37:29,635 Speaker 1: They did not dream that the Smirch family was despised 546 00:37:30,075 --> 00:37:33,195 Speaker 1: and feared by its neighbors in the obscure Iowa town, 547 00:37:33,475 --> 00:37:37,915 Speaker 1: nor that the hero himself, because of numerous unsavory exploits, 548 00:37:38,075 --> 00:37:40,595 Speaker 1: had come to be regarded in Westfield as a nuisance 549 00:37:41,075 --> 00:37:46,195 Speaker 1: and a menace. Pal's smirch had the reporters discovered, once 550 00:37:46,315 --> 00:37:50,115 Speaker 1: knifed the principle of his high school, not mortally, to 551 00:37:50,155 --> 00:37:53,395 Speaker 1: be sure, but he had knifed him, and on another occasion, 552 00:37:53,675 --> 00:37:57,555 Speaker 1: surprised in the act of an stealing altar cloth from 553 00:37:57,555 --> 00:38:00,715 Speaker 1: a church, he had bashed the sexton over the head 554 00:38:00,755 --> 00:38:04,155 Speaker 1: with a pot of Easter lilies. For each of these 555 00:38:04,195 --> 00:38:10,195 Speaker 1: offence is he had served a sentence in the reformatory. Inwardly, 556 00:38:10,275 --> 00:38:13,035 Speaker 1: the authorities, both in New York and in Washington, prayed 557 00:38:13,075 --> 00:38:18,155 Speaker 1: that an understanding providence might, however awful, such a thing seemed, 558 00:38:18,795 --> 00:38:22,915 Speaker 1: bring disaster to the rusty, battered plane and its illustrious pilot, 559 00:38:22,995 --> 00:38:26,475 Speaker 1: whose unheard of flight had aroused the civilized world to 560 00:38:26,555 --> 00:38:31,275 Speaker 1: hosannas of hysterical praise. The authorities were convinced that the 561 00:38:31,435 --> 00:38:34,915 Speaker 1: character of the renowned aviator was such that the limelight 562 00:38:34,955 --> 00:38:38,315 Speaker 1: of adulation was bound to reveal him to all the 563 00:38:38,355 --> 00:38:43,915 Speaker 1: world as a congenital hooligan, mentally and morally unequipped to 564 00:38:44,075 --> 00:38:48,755 Speaker 1: cope with his own prodigious fame. I trust, said the 565 00:38:48,795 --> 00:38:51,515 Speaker 1: Secretary of State at one of the many secret cabinet 566 00:38:51,515 --> 00:38:55,955 Speaker 1: meetings called to consider the national dilemma. I trust that 567 00:38:56,075 --> 00:39:00,995 Speaker 1: his mother's prayer will be answered, by which he referred 568 00:39:00,995 --> 00:39:04,395 Speaker 1: to missus Emma's Smirch's wish that her son might be drowned. 569 00:39:05,995 --> 00:39:09,035 Speaker 1: It was, however, too late for that spurch had leaped 570 00:39:09,075 --> 00:39:11,115 Speaker 1: the Atlantic and then the Pacific as if they were 571 00:39:11,235 --> 00:39:14,235 Speaker 1: mill ponds. At three minutes after two o'clock on the 572 00:39:14,275 --> 00:39:18,035 Speaker 1: afternoon of July seventeenth, nineteen thirty seven, the garage boy 573 00:39:18,395 --> 00:39:21,515 Speaker 1: brought his idiotic plane into Roosevelt Field for a perfect 574 00:39:21,795 --> 00:39:26,875 Speaker 1: three point landing. It had, of course been out of 575 00:39:26,915 --> 00:39:29,755 Speaker 1: the question to arrange a modest little reception for the 576 00:39:29,795 --> 00:39:32,555 Speaker 1: greatest flier in the history of the world. He was 577 00:39:32,635 --> 00:39:36,235 Speaker 1: received at Roosevelt Field with such elaborate and pretentious ceremonies 578 00:39:36,275 --> 00:39:41,555 Speaker 1: as rocked the world. Fortunately, however, the warren and spent 579 00:39:41,675 --> 00:39:45,875 Speaker 1: hero promptly swooned, had to be removed bodily from his plane, 580 00:39:45,875 --> 00:39:48,275 Speaker 1: and was spirited from the field without having opened his 581 00:39:48,315 --> 00:39:52,155 Speaker 1: mouth once. Thus he did not jeopardize the dignity of 582 00:39:52,195 --> 00:39:56,475 Speaker 1: his first reception, a reception illumined by the presence of 583 00:39:56,515 --> 00:39:59,435 Speaker 1: the Secretaries of War and the Navy. Mayor Michael J. 584 00:39:59,555 --> 00:40:03,635 Speaker 1: Moriarty of New York, the Premier of Canada, Governor's Faamine Groves, 585 00:40:03,755 --> 00:40:07,195 Speaker 1: mcpheeley and critic Field, and a brilliant array of European diplomats. 586 00:40:08,155 --> 00:40:11,275 Speaker 1: Smirch did not, in fact come too in time to 587 00:40:11,315 --> 00:40:14,275 Speaker 1: take part in the gigantic hullabaloo arranged at City Hall 588 00:40:14,355 --> 00:40:17,235 Speaker 1: for the next day. He was rushed to a secluded 589 00:40:17,315 --> 00:40:21,435 Speaker 1: nursing home and confined in bed. It was nine days 590 00:40:21,475 --> 00:40:23,515 Speaker 1: before he was able to get up, or, to be 591 00:40:23,715 --> 00:40:29,235 Speaker 1: more exact, before he was permitted to get up. Meanwhile, 592 00:40:29,275 --> 00:40:31,955 Speaker 1: the greatest minds in the country in solemn Assembly, had 593 00:40:32,035 --> 00:40:36,275 Speaker 1: arranged a secret conference of city, state and government officials, 594 00:40:36,315 --> 00:40:39,595 Speaker 1: which Smirch was to attend for the purpose of being 595 00:40:39,635 --> 00:40:46,435 Speaker 1: instructed in the ethics and behavior of heroism. On the 596 00:40:46,515 --> 00:40:48,835 Speaker 1: day that the little mechanic was finally allowed to get 597 00:40:48,875 --> 00:40:50,915 Speaker 1: up in dress and for the first time in two weeks, 598 00:40:50,955 --> 00:40:53,555 Speaker 1: took a great chew of tomacco, he was permitted to 599 00:40:53,595 --> 00:40:57,635 Speaker 1: receive the newspaper men this by way of testing him out. 600 00:40:58,835 --> 00:41:02,835 Speaker 1: Smirch did not wait for questions. Huse, guys, he said, 601 00:41:03,475 --> 00:41:07,075 Speaker 1: and the Times man winced. Youse, guys can tell a 602 00:41:07,155 --> 00:41:10,115 Speaker 1: cock euyed world that I put it over on Lindbergh. 603 00:41:10,195 --> 00:41:16,675 Speaker 1: See yeah, made an assaid I'm two frogs. The two frogs. 604 00:41:17,315 --> 00:41:19,835 Speaker 1: It was a reference to a pair of gallant French 605 00:41:19,875 --> 00:41:23,475 Speaker 1: flyers who, in attempting a flight only halfway round the world, 606 00:41:23,515 --> 00:41:27,115 Speaker 1: had two weeks before unhappily been lost at sea. The 607 00:41:27,195 --> 00:41:29,795 Speaker 1: Times Man was bold enough at this point to sketch 608 00:41:29,835 --> 00:41:33,595 Speaker 1: out for Smirch the accepted formula for interviews in cases 609 00:41:33,635 --> 00:41:36,075 Speaker 1: of this kind. He explained that there should be no 610 00:41:36,395 --> 00:41:41,475 Speaker 1: arrogant statements belittling the achievements of other heroes, particularly heroes 611 00:41:41,475 --> 00:41:45,275 Speaker 1: of foreign nations. A the hell with that, said Smirch, 612 00:41:46,115 --> 00:41:49,075 Speaker 1: I did it. See I did it, and I'm talking 613 00:41:49,155 --> 00:41:54,075 Speaker 1: about it, And he did talk about it. None of 614 00:41:54,115 --> 00:41:58,515 Speaker 1: this extraordinary interview was, of course printed. On the contrary, 615 00:41:58,555 --> 00:42:01,755 Speaker 1: the newspapers, already under the disciplined direction of a secret 616 00:42:01,755 --> 00:42:05,635 Speaker 1: directorate created for the occasion and composed of eightsmen and editors, 617 00:42:05,995 --> 00:42:08,875 Speaker 1: gave out to a panting and restless world that Jackie, 618 00:42:09,675 --> 00:42:13,235 Speaker 1: as he had been arbitrarily nicknamed, would consent to say 619 00:42:13,275 --> 00:42:16,715 Speaker 1: only that he was very happy, and that anyone could 620 00:42:16,715 --> 00:42:19,915 Speaker 1: have done what he did. My achievement has been I 621 00:42:19,995 --> 00:42:24,475 Speaker 1: fear slightly exaggerated. The Times Man's article had him protest 622 00:42:24,515 --> 00:42:28,635 Speaker 1: with a modest smile. These newspaper stories were kept from 623 00:42:28,675 --> 00:42:31,875 Speaker 1: the hero, a restriction which did not serve to abate 624 00:42:31,995 --> 00:42:36,875 Speaker 1: the rising malevolence of his temper. The situation was indeed 625 00:42:37,075 --> 00:42:42,515 Speaker 1: extremely grave for Pale Smirch was, as he kept insisting, 626 00:42:42,955 --> 00:42:46,755 Speaker 1: raring to go. He could not much longer be kept 627 00:42:46,795 --> 00:42:49,635 Speaker 1: from a nation clamorous to lionize him. It was the 628 00:42:49,635 --> 00:42:52,995 Speaker 1: most desperate crisis the United States of America had faced 629 00:42:52,995 --> 00:42:58,875 Speaker 1: since the sinking of Lusitania. On the afternoon of the 630 00:42:58,915 --> 00:43:02,195 Speaker 1: twenty seventh of July, Smirch was spirited away to a 631 00:43:02,235 --> 00:43:07,355 Speaker 1: conference room in which were gathered mayor's, governor's, government officials, behaviorist, psychologists, 632 00:43:07,395 --> 00:43:11,355 Speaker 1: and editors. He gave them each a limp moist paw, 633 00:43:11,835 --> 00:43:18,275 Speaker 1: and a brief, unlovely grin, hi he said. When Smirch 634 00:43:18,355 --> 00:43:20,435 Speaker 1: was seated, the Mayor of New York arose, and, with 635 00:43:20,515 --> 00:43:24,275 Speaker 1: obvious pessimism, attempted to explain what he must say and 636 00:43:24,315 --> 00:43:27,835 Speaker 1: how he must act when presented to the world, ending 637 00:43:27,875 --> 00:43:30,355 Speaker 1: his talk with a high tribute to the hero's courage 638 00:43:30,355 --> 00:43:33,595 Speaker 1: and integrity. The mayor was followed by Governor Fannaman of 639 00:43:33,635 --> 00:43:37,235 Speaker 1: New York, who, after a touching declaration of faith, introduced 640 00:43:37,515 --> 00:43:41,675 Speaker 1: Cameron Spottiswood, second Secretary of the American Embassy in Paris, 641 00:43:41,795 --> 00:43:45,795 Speaker 1: the gentleman selected to coach Smirch in the amenities of 642 00:43:45,835 --> 00:43:50,875 Speaker 1: public ceremonies. Sitting in a chair with a soiled yellow 643 00:43:50,915 --> 00:43:54,155 Speaker 1: tie in his hand and his shirt open at the throat, unshaved, 644 00:43:54,635 --> 00:43:58,915 Speaker 1: smoking a rolled cigarette, Jack Smirch listened with a leer 645 00:43:59,075 --> 00:44:02,995 Speaker 1: on his lips. I get you, I get you, He 646 00:44:03,075 --> 00:44:07,155 Speaker 1: cut in nastily. You want me to act like a softie? Huh? 647 00:44:07,395 --> 00:44:10,875 Speaker 1: You want me to act like that? Many murmany baby 648 00:44:10,955 --> 00:44:15,715 Speaker 1: face lind big huh, well nuts to that. See. Everyone 649 00:44:15,755 --> 00:44:18,875 Speaker 1: took in his breath sharply. It was a sigh and 650 00:44:18,915 --> 00:44:24,995 Speaker 1: a hiss. Mister Lindbergh began a United States Senator purple 651 00:44:25,035 --> 00:44:29,395 Speaker 1: with rage, and mister bird Smirch, who was paring his 652 00:44:29,555 --> 00:44:33,675 Speaker 1: nails with a jackknife, cut in again. Boyd, He exclaimed, Oh, 653 00:44:33,715 --> 00:44:37,475 Speaker 1: for God's sake, that big somebody shut off the blasphemies 654 00:44:37,595 --> 00:44:40,475 Speaker 1: with a sharp word. A newcomer had entered the word 655 00:44:40,635 --> 00:44:43,635 Speaker 1: the room. Everyone stood up, except Smirch, who was still 656 00:44:43,635 --> 00:44:46,835 Speaker 1: busy with his nails, and he did not even glance up. 657 00:44:46,915 --> 00:44:50,875 Speaker 1: Mister Smirch, said someone sternly, the President of the United States. 658 00:44:52,075 --> 00:44:53,875 Speaker 1: It had been thought that the presence of the Chief 659 00:44:53,915 --> 00:44:56,915 Speaker 1: Executive might have a chastening effect on the young hero, 660 00:44:57,355 --> 00:45:00,235 Speaker 1: and the former had been, thanks to the remarkable cooperation 661 00:45:00,315 --> 00:45:03,675 Speaker 1: of the press, secretly brought to the obscure conference room. 662 00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:14,675 Speaker 1: A great, painful silence fell. Smirch looked up, waved a 663 00:45:14,675 --> 00:45:18,675 Speaker 1: hand at the President. How are you coming, he asked, 664 00:45:19,595 --> 00:45:28,395 Speaker 1: and began rolling a fresh cigarette. The silence deepened. Someone 665 00:45:28,515 --> 00:45:34,075 Speaker 1: coughed in a strained way. Jesus hot, ain't it, said Smirch. 666 00:45:35,755 --> 00:45:39,715 Speaker 1: He loosened two more shirt buttons, revealing a hairy chest 667 00:45:39,755 --> 00:45:44,475 Speaker 1: and the tattooed word sadie enclosed in a stenciled heart. 668 00:45:45,755 --> 00:45:48,955 Speaker 1: The great and important men in the room, faced by 669 00:45:48,955 --> 00:45:53,515 Speaker 1: the most serious crisis in American history, exchanged worried frowns. 670 00:45:54,355 --> 00:45:58,355 Speaker 1: Nobody seemed to know how to proceed. Come on, come on, 671 00:45:58,715 --> 00:46:01,715 Speaker 1: said Smirch. Let's get the hell out of here. Why 672 00:46:01,755 --> 00:46:04,355 Speaker 1: do I start cutting in on the parties? Eh? And 673 00:46:04,435 --> 00:46:09,475 Speaker 1: when is there gonna be this in it? He rubbed 674 00:46:09,475 --> 00:46:14,395 Speaker 1: a thumb and forefinger together meaningly, money, exclaimed a state 675 00:46:14,475 --> 00:46:20,195 Speaker 1: senator shocked. Pale. Yeah money, said Pal, flipping his cigarette 676 00:46:20,195 --> 00:46:23,715 Speaker 1: out of the window. And big money. He began rolling 677 00:46:23,755 --> 00:46:28,995 Speaker 1: a fresh cigarette. Big money, he repeated, Frowning over the 678 00:46:29,075 --> 00:46:32,595 Speaker 1: rice paper. He tilted back in his chair and leered 679 00:46:32,675 --> 00:46:36,475 Speaker 1: at each gentleman separately, the leer of an animal that 680 00:46:36,635 --> 00:46:40,115 Speaker 1: knows its power, the leer of a leopard loose in 681 00:46:40,235 --> 00:46:44,715 Speaker 1: a bird and dog shop. Ah, for God's sake, let's 682 00:46:44,755 --> 00:46:48,235 Speaker 1: get someplace where it's cool, he said. I've been cooped 683 00:46:48,315 --> 00:46:52,515 Speaker 1: up plenty for three weeks. Smirch stood up and walked 684 00:46:52,515 --> 00:46:55,635 Speaker 1: over to an open window, where he stood staring down 685 00:46:55,715 --> 00:47:00,395 Speaker 1: into the street nine floors below. The faint shouting of 686 00:47:00,475 --> 00:47:03,715 Speaker 1: newsboys floated up to him. He made out his name, 687 00:47:04,075 --> 00:47:09,315 Speaker 1: hot Da, he cried, grinning ecstatic. He leaned out over 688 00:47:09,355 --> 00:47:14,315 Speaker 1: the sill. You tell him, babies, he shouted down. Hut 689 00:47:14,475 --> 00:47:18,595 Speaker 1: diggity dog. In the tense little knot of men standing 690 00:47:18,595 --> 00:47:23,075 Speaker 1: behind him, a quick, mad impulse flared up. An unspoken 691 00:47:23,155 --> 00:47:26,915 Speaker 1: word of appeal of command seemed to ring through the room, 692 00:47:27,195 --> 00:47:31,355 Speaker 1: yet it was deadly silent. Charles K. L Brand, Secretary 693 00:47:31,395 --> 00:47:33,155 Speaker 1: to the Mayor of New York City, happened to be 694 00:47:33,195 --> 00:47:36,915 Speaker 1: standing nearest smirch. He looked inquiringly at the President of 695 00:47:36,955 --> 00:47:42,715 Speaker 1: the United States. The President, pale grim nodded shortly. Brand 696 00:47:42,955 --> 00:47:46,595 Speaker 1: a tall, powerfully built man wants to tackle at Rutgers University, 697 00:47:46,915 --> 00:47:50,235 Speaker 1: stepped forward, seized the greatest man in the world by 698 00:47:50,275 --> 00:47:52,315 Speaker 1: his left shoulder and the seat of his pants, and 699 00:47:52,395 --> 00:47:56,035 Speaker 1: pushed him out the window. My god, he's fallen out 700 00:47:56,035 --> 00:47:58,915 Speaker 1: the window, cried a quick witted editor. Get me out 701 00:47:58,915 --> 00:48:01,515 Speaker 1: of here, cried the President. Several men sprang to his side, 702 00:48:01,515 --> 00:48:03,475 Speaker 1: and he was hurriedly escorted out of a door toward 703 00:48:03,475 --> 00:48:05,555 Speaker 1: a side entrance of the building. The editor of the 704 00:48:05,595 --> 00:48:08,795 Speaker 1: Associated Press took charge. Being used to such things crisply, 705 00:48:08,835 --> 00:48:11,875 Speaker 1: he ordered certain men to leave, others to stay. Quickly. 706 00:48:11,915 --> 00:48:14,155 Speaker 1: He outlined a story which all the papers were to 707 00:48:14,195 --> 00:48:16,595 Speaker 1: agree on, sent two men to the street to handle 708 00:48:16,635 --> 00:48:19,275 Speaker 1: that end of the tragedy, commanded a senator to sob 709 00:48:19,555 --> 00:48:23,915 Speaker 1: and two congressmen to go to pieces nervously. In a word, 710 00:48:24,235 --> 00:48:27,635 Speaker 1: he skillfully set the stage for the gigantic task that 711 00:48:27,875 --> 00:48:30,995 Speaker 1: was to follow, the task of breaking to a grief 712 00:48:31,035 --> 00:48:36,515 Speaker 1: stricken world. The sad story of the untimely accidental death 713 00:48:36,675 --> 00:48:42,955 Speaker 1: of its most illustrious and spectacular figure. The funeral was, 714 00:48:42,995 --> 00:48:48,075 Speaker 1: as you know, the most elaborate, the finest, the solemnest, 715 00:48:48,835 --> 00:48:51,475 Speaker 1: and the saddest ever held in the United States of America. 716 00:48:52,395 --> 00:48:56,515 Speaker 1: The monument in Arlington Cemetery, with its clean white shaft 717 00:48:56,555 --> 00:49:00,475 Speaker 1: of marble, then the simple device of a tiny plane 718 00:49:00,675 --> 00:49:06,035 Speaker 1: carved on its base, is a place for hilgrims in 719 00:49:06,195 --> 00:49:10,755 Speaker 1: deep reverence to visit. The nations of the world paid 720 00:49:10,835 --> 00:49:17,155 Speaker 1: lofty tributes to Little Jackie Smirch, America's greatest hero. At 721 00:49:17,155 --> 00:49:20,195 Speaker 1: a given hour, there were two minutes of silence throughout 722 00:49:20,195 --> 00:49:24,115 Speaker 1: the nation. Even the inhabitants of the small, bewildered town 723 00:49:24,195 --> 00:49:29,115 Speaker 1: of Westfield, Iowa, observed this touching ceremony. Agents of the 724 00:49:29,155 --> 00:49:33,155 Speaker 1: Department of Justice sought to that one of them was 725 00:49:33,275 --> 00:49:36,115 Speaker 1: especially assigned to stand grimly in the doorway of a 726 00:49:36,115 --> 00:49:40,075 Speaker 1: little shack restaurant on the edge of the tourist's camping 727 00:49:40,155 --> 00:49:45,395 Speaker 1: ground just outside the town. There, under his stern scrutiny, 728 00:49:45,955 --> 00:49:49,755 Speaker 1: Missus Emma Smirch bowed her head over two Hamburger steaks 729 00:49:49,795 --> 00:49:53,515 Speaker 1: sizzling on her grill, bowed her head and turned away, 730 00:49:54,675 --> 00:49:58,075 Speaker 1: so that the secret serviceman could not see the twisted, 731 00:49:58,875 --> 00:50:06,795 Speaker 1: strangely familiar leer on her lips. The Greatest Man in 732 00:50:06,835 --> 00:50:24,435 Speaker 1: the World by James Thurber. Of all the Thurber works, 733 00:50:24,555 --> 00:50:26,715 Speaker 1: I really think that is the one you could most 734 00:50:26,755 --> 00:50:30,075 Speaker 1: easily update, expand upon, and make it into a twenty 735 00:50:30,195 --> 00:50:33,835 Speaker 1: first century movie. I've done all the damage I can do. Here. 736 00:50:33,875 --> 00:50:36,075 Speaker 1: Here are the credits. Most of the music was arranged, 737 00:50:36,115 --> 00:50:38,955 Speaker 1: produced and performed by Brian Ray and John Phillips Chanel, 738 00:50:39,315 --> 00:50:42,475 Speaker 1: who are the Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards 739 00:50:42,475 --> 00:50:45,915 Speaker 1: by John Phillip Shanel, Guitars, bass and drums by Brian Ray, 740 00:50:45,995 --> 00:50:49,635 Speaker 1: produced by Tko Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been arranged 741 00:50:49,675 --> 00:50:52,955 Speaker 1: and performed by No horns allowed. The sports music is 742 00:50:52,995 --> 00:50:55,395 Speaker 1: the Olderman theme from ESPN two, and it was written 743 00:50:55,395 --> 00:50:59,675 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN EC Musical comments 744 00:50:59,675 --> 00:51:02,995 Speaker 1: by Nancy Fauss. The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our 745 00:51:02,995 --> 00:51:06,395 Speaker 1: announcer today was Jonathan Banks from Breaking Bad. Everything else 746 00:51:06,475 --> 00:51:08,955 Speaker 1: is pretty much my fault, and I thank you for 747 00:51:08,995 --> 00:51:13,195 Speaker 1: bringing us to two hundred episodes of this thing. A 748 00:51:13,235 --> 00:51:16,075 Speaker 1: couple of them have been slightly updated, but you know what, 749 00:51:16,115 --> 00:51:18,795 Speaker 1: I mean two hundred. Anyway, that's countdown for this, the 750 00:51:18,795 --> 00:51:21,195 Speaker 1: eight hundred and fifty seventh days since Donald Trump's first 751 00:51:21,195 --> 00:51:25,075 Speaker 1: attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 752 00:51:25,395 --> 00:51:28,755 Speaker 1: Don't forget to keep arresting him while we still can. 753 00:51:29,395 --> 00:51:32,755 Speaker 1: The next scheduled countdown is Monday. Until then, I'm Keith Olberman. 754 00:51:32,795 --> 00:51:47,955 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck. Countdown 755 00:51:47,995 --> 00:51:51,755 Speaker 1: with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 756 00:51:51,835 --> 00:51:56,795 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 757 00:51:56,835 --> 00:51:58,675 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.