1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:24,515 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Trump's 2 00:00:24,875 --> 00:00:31,235 Speaker 1: sheef thug wants to put Rachel Meadow in prison. This 3 00:00:31,275 --> 00:00:33,395 Speaker 1: is not hyperbole, This is not symbolism. This is not 4 00:00:33,435 --> 00:00:38,275 Speaker 1: an empty threat. Quote. I need investigations, trials and then incarceration. 5 00:00:38,715 --> 00:00:42,155 Speaker 1: Andrew Weissman on MSNBC and Rachel Matadow and all of 6 00:00:42,195 --> 00:00:46,555 Speaker 1: them unquote. Oh and just so we are clear on this, 7 00:00:47,355 --> 00:00:52,795 Speaker 1: it's Rachel Matdow. Now you are next. We're close to 8 00:00:52,835 --> 00:00:57,275 Speaker 1: it because Trump is this close to suing you for 9 00:00:57,395 --> 00:01:01,235 Speaker 1: writing mean tweets about him, or for not voting for him, 10 00:01:01,515 --> 00:01:03,675 Speaker 1: or if your name is Anne Seltzer, for putting out 11 00:01:03,675 --> 00:01:06,235 Speaker 1: a Des Moines Register action poll that did not favor 12 00:01:06,315 --> 00:01:10,515 Speaker 1: him enough not I may sue them. At least I'll 13 00:01:10,515 --> 00:01:16,435 Speaker 1: scare them. A lawsuit in Iowa for consumer fraud filed 14 00:01:16,795 --> 00:01:19,955 Speaker 1: against the Des Moines Register lawyer hired. His name is 15 00:01:19,995 --> 00:01:22,675 Speaker 1: Alan Ostergren, and if you look him up in Google reviews, 16 00:01:22,875 --> 00:01:25,275 Speaker 1: like Phil Bump of The Washington posted, you will find 17 00:01:25,395 --> 00:01:31,155 Speaker 1: he literally has a one star rating. Emboldened by such 18 00:01:31,275 --> 00:01:36,355 Speaker 1: pathetic self prostituting excuses for American leadership as Jeff Bezos 19 00:01:36,555 --> 00:01:40,715 Speaker 1: Patrick Soun Schong, Joe Scarborough and Bob Eiger and all 20 00:01:40,755 --> 00:01:44,195 Speaker 1: the snatch defeat from the jaws of victory cowards at 21 00:01:44,195 --> 00:01:47,715 Speaker 1: Disney and ABC News. Trump has now lost any remaining 22 00:01:47,755 --> 00:01:50,995 Speaker 1: sense that anybody is even going to try to stop him. 23 00:01:52,355 --> 00:01:54,635 Speaker 1: It is hard to point at a crazy man and 24 00:01:54,715 --> 00:02:00,035 Speaker 1: say he's now lost it. But he's now lost it. 25 00:02:02,475 --> 00:02:07,955 Speaker 1: You are next, Well, you're probably behind me, and you 26 00:02:07,995 --> 00:02:12,035 Speaker 1: and I are both behind Matadow, and she's behind Anne Seltzer. 27 00:02:12,115 --> 00:02:16,355 Speaker 1: But you know what I mean. ABC folds on Saturday 28 00:02:16,435 --> 00:02:20,075 Speaker 1: and by Tuesday. Trump has sued the Des Moines Register 29 00:02:20,395 --> 00:02:23,955 Speaker 1: for what might have been an accurate poll because it 30 00:02:24,155 --> 00:02:28,195 Speaker 1: said he wouldn't win Iowa by as much as he 31 00:02:28,315 --> 00:02:33,195 Speaker 1: thought he would. In other words, he's suing a newspaper 32 00:02:33,275 --> 00:02:36,835 Speaker 1: for having dared to not predict he was going to 33 00:02:36,955 --> 00:02:40,715 Speaker 1: run up the score. And the creature who wants to 34 00:02:40,715 --> 00:02:44,035 Speaker 1: imprison Meadow for some conspiracy that exists only in the 35 00:02:44,075 --> 00:02:48,475 Speaker 1: place his brain should be is Steve Bannon. Steve Bannon, 36 00:02:48,515 --> 00:02:51,075 Speaker 1: the guy who looks like a boxing hobo traveling the 37 00:02:51,115 --> 00:02:56,195 Speaker 1: country in empty freight trains. Trump, though, is still thinking 38 00:02:56,235 --> 00:02:59,555 Speaker 1: about suing Bob Woodward for election interference. He is still 39 00:02:59,555 --> 00:03:01,835 Speaker 1: thinking about suing the Pulitzer Prize Committee. And if that 40 00:03:01,915 --> 00:03:04,635 Speaker 1: sounds familiar, it's because he already sued them two years 41 00:03:04,715 --> 00:03:10,315 Speaker 1: years ago. Helpfully, an op ed in the Washington Post, 42 00:03:10,795 --> 00:03:16,475 Speaker 1: Jay Bezo's proprietor from a Columbia historian named Robert Y. Shapiro, 43 00:03:17,035 --> 00:03:20,035 Speaker 1: which is still prominent on the Washington Post site, insists 44 00:03:20,075 --> 00:03:23,595 Speaker 1: none of this will happen, mister Shapiro, and I want 45 00:03:23,595 --> 00:03:25,995 Speaker 1: to see a copy of his diploma before I call him. 46 00:03:26,035 --> 00:03:32,595 Speaker 1: Professor insists Joe Biden should pardon Trump in part because quote, 47 00:03:33,035 --> 00:03:36,515 Speaker 1: it would enable Trump to devote all of his administration's 48 00:03:36,555 --> 00:03:42,355 Speaker 1: attention to governing instead of seeking revenge and retribution against 49 00:03:42,355 --> 00:03:46,035 Speaker 1: his enemies unquote. And if that isn't the dumbest, most 50 00:03:46,155 --> 00:03:51,995 Speaker 1: naive thing ever written, it's close. Revenge and retribution are 51 00:03:52,075 --> 00:03:56,675 Speaker 1: two of only four or five emotions that Trump shares 52 00:03:57,475 --> 00:04:02,755 Speaker 1: with human beings. Mister Shapiro also notes in his op 53 00:04:02,915 --> 00:04:06,315 Speaker 1: ed how well fords pardon of Nixon worked out for 54 00:04:06,395 --> 00:04:10,115 Speaker 1: the country. And here's a man employed at any institution 55 00:04:10,235 --> 00:04:13,155 Speaker 1: of higher learning more respected than the Good Humor ice 56 00:04:13,195 --> 00:04:15,995 Speaker 1: cream truck. And he does not realize that Ford's pardon 57 00:04:16,075 --> 00:04:19,435 Speaker 1: of Nixon is how humanoids like Trump first understood that 58 00:04:19,515 --> 00:04:25,755 Speaker 1: he could get away with it. Trump sued ABC, He 59 00:04:25,795 --> 00:04:30,035 Speaker 1: may sue CBS. He's just sued a polster. His boxing 60 00:04:30,115 --> 00:04:32,755 Speaker 1: hobo wants to arrest Meadow. Trump wants to sue the 61 00:04:32,795 --> 00:04:36,155 Speaker 1: Politzer Prize people again. They're going after Liz Cheney. He's 62 00:04:36,195 --> 00:04:41,355 Speaker 1: in revenge and retribution reruns. But go on, tell me 63 00:04:41,475 --> 00:04:45,195 Speaker 1: why we should permit him to become president a month 64 00:04:45,235 --> 00:04:45,715 Speaker 1: from now. 65 00:04:45,875 --> 00:04:48,315 Speaker 2: I'm doing this not because I want to. I'm doing 66 00:04:48,355 --> 00:04:50,275 Speaker 2: this because I feel I have an obligation to. I'm 67 00:04:50,315 --> 00:04:54,235 Speaker 2: going to be bringing one against the people in Iowa. 68 00:04:54,475 --> 00:04:58,115 Speaker 2: Their newspaper, which had a very very good pulster who 69 00:04:58,115 --> 00:05:01,035 Speaker 2: got me right all the time. And then just before 70 00:05:01,075 --> 00:05:02,955 Speaker 2: the election she said I was going to lose by 71 00:05:02,995 --> 00:05:05,515 Speaker 2: three or four points. That it became the biggest story 72 00:05:05,555 --> 00:05:08,675 Speaker 2: all over the world because I was going to win 73 00:05:08,755 --> 00:05:12,115 Speaker 2: Iowa by twenty points. The farmers loved me, and I 74 00:05:12,115 --> 00:05:15,555 Speaker 2: love the farmers, and it was interesting the way she 75 00:05:15,595 --> 00:05:17,755 Speaker 2: did it. She brought it down two weeks before she 76 00:05:17,795 --> 00:05:19,475 Speaker 2: said I was going to only win by four That 77 00:05:19,555 --> 00:05:20,235 Speaker 2: was a big story. 78 00:05:20,555 --> 00:05:23,795 Speaker 1: Suing the polster for publishing a poll that had him 79 00:05:24,995 --> 00:05:30,915 Speaker 1: winning insisting that is consumer fraud when he won Iowa, 80 00:05:31,915 --> 00:05:35,035 Speaker 1: when he won the election, How can he say this 81 00:05:35,115 --> 00:05:37,915 Speaker 1: with a straight face, Because he thinks he has now 82 00:05:37,955 --> 00:05:41,315 Speaker 1: gotten the right to avenge himself against anybody who didn't 83 00:05:41,355 --> 00:05:46,795 Speaker 1: support him or who didn't support him enough. And crazier still, 84 00:05:46,995 --> 00:05:49,835 Speaker 1: he thinks there is general agreement that he is entitled 85 00:05:49,835 --> 00:05:53,715 Speaker 1: to this. I cannot state this more simply, nor state 86 00:05:53,755 --> 00:05:59,995 Speaker 1: it too often. This is just the beginning. Today, Trump 87 00:06:00,035 --> 00:06:03,955 Speaker 1: and his scumbags are merely suing or threatening public figures 88 00:06:04,035 --> 00:06:07,835 Speaker 1: who have arded or angered or disagreed or just not 89 00:06:07,955 --> 00:06:11,955 Speaker 1: agreed enough with him. He is still threatening CBS with 90 00:06:11,995 --> 00:06:14,715 Speaker 1: a lawsuit over how it edited an interview that wasn't 91 00:06:14,755 --> 00:06:18,035 Speaker 1: with or about him. Next he will be suing people 92 00:06:18,035 --> 00:06:20,955 Speaker 1: for voting for Nicki Hayley, or for moving out of 93 00:06:20,955 --> 00:06:25,755 Speaker 1: a Trump building, or for thinking bad thoughts about him, 94 00:06:26,235 --> 00:06:32,035 Speaker 1: like in that Twilight Zone episode. Some of these hypotheticals 95 00:06:32,075 --> 00:06:34,555 Speaker 1: are too crazy even for Trump. But do not forget 96 00:06:34,555 --> 00:06:37,875 Speaker 1: that part of Trump's personal motivation for pursuing the presidency 97 00:06:37,875 --> 00:06:40,315 Speaker 1: in the first place was his long standing dream of, 98 00:06:40,955 --> 00:06:45,075 Speaker 1: as he put it in twenty sixteen, opening up the 99 00:06:45,155 --> 00:06:49,275 Speaker 1: libel laws. Opening them up to make it easier to 100 00:06:49,395 --> 00:06:59,035 Speaker 1: sue you for anything, not voting for him, not writing 101 00:06:59,035 --> 00:07:04,075 Speaker 1: an op ed praising him, enough, giving an award to 102 00:07:04,075 --> 00:07:08,075 Speaker 1: somebody who had investigated his crimes. From this day on, 103 00:07:08,195 --> 00:07:11,875 Speaker 1: the official language of San Marcos will be Swedish, says 104 00:07:11,875 --> 00:07:14,875 Speaker 1: the revolutionary leader Esposito after he sees his control in 105 00:07:14,915 --> 00:07:18,315 Speaker 1: the political comedy Bananas and goes crazy with power. In 106 00:07:18,315 --> 00:07:21,635 Speaker 1: addition to that, all citizens will be required to change 107 00:07:21,635 --> 00:07:25,675 Speaker 1: their underwear every half hour. Underwear will be worn on 108 00:07:25,715 --> 00:07:31,035 Speaker 1: the outside so we can check. I mean, what is 109 00:07:31,075 --> 00:07:36,635 Speaker 1: the exact distance between that and suing a polster for 110 00:07:36,795 --> 00:07:41,075 Speaker 1: saying you are winning? How much shorter is it than 111 00:07:41,075 --> 00:07:44,075 Speaker 1: we would have thought before this blight descended upon us? 112 00:07:44,195 --> 00:07:48,035 Speaker 1: How much shorter is it when Trump has appointed former 113 00:07:48,115 --> 00:07:53,915 Speaker 1: newspaper Flamenco Correspondence as his own concierge judges and cases 114 00:07:53,995 --> 00:07:59,155 Speaker 1: go to this judge? How far are we away from this? 115 00:08:00,155 --> 00:08:03,235 Speaker 1: When nutjob Congress and Barry lauder Milk just issued his 116 00:08:03,315 --> 00:08:07,115 Speaker 1: own made up reports in which he recommends criminal charges 117 00:08:07,395 --> 00:08:15,795 Speaker 1: against Liz Cheney for I don't know snydness. I don't know, 118 00:08:17,915 --> 00:08:23,875 Speaker 1: but I'm so glad ABC News and Disney and mild 119 00:08:23,995 --> 00:08:29,355 Speaker 1: pal Bob Eiger settled Trump's case against them, and everybody's 120 00:08:29,475 --> 00:08:35,555 Speaker 1: just moving on to morning in America. That's the case 121 00:08:35,555 --> 00:08:41,075 Speaker 1: where George Stephanopolis accurately paraphrased Judge Lewis Kaplan's finding about 122 00:08:41,115 --> 00:08:44,995 Speaker 1: Trump and rape, the one in which Judge Caplan wrote, 123 00:08:45,275 --> 00:08:48,755 Speaker 1: quoting the judge. The only point on which Ms. Carroll 124 00:08:49,035 --> 00:08:51,875 Speaker 1: did not prevail was whether she had proved that mister 125 00:08:51,915 --> 00:08:55,515 Speaker 1: Trump had quote raped unquote her within the narrow technical 126 00:08:55,555 --> 00:08:58,555 Speaker 1: meaning of a particular section of the New York Penal Law, 127 00:08:59,035 --> 00:09:01,955 Speaker 1: a section that provides that the label rape has used 128 00:09:01,955 --> 00:09:05,395 Speaker 1: in criminal prosecutions in New York flies only to vaginal 129 00:09:05,475 --> 00:09:09,115 Speaker 1: penetration by a penis. The definition of rape in the 130 00:09:09,115 --> 00:09:12,315 Speaker 1: New York Penal Law is far narrower than the meaning 131 00:09:12,355 --> 00:09:17,075 Speaker 1: of rape in common modern parlance. It's definition in some dictionaries, 132 00:09:17,235 --> 00:09:20,795 Speaker 1: in some federal and state criminal statutes, and elsewhere. The 133 00:09:20,875 --> 00:09:23,355 Speaker 1: finding that Missus Carroll failed to prove that she was 134 00:09:23,475 --> 00:09:26,475 Speaker 1: quote raped unquote within the meaning of the New York 135 00:09:26,475 --> 00:09:29,275 Speaker 1: Penal Law does not mean that she failed to prove 136 00:09:29,275 --> 00:09:32,995 Speaker 1: that mister Trump quote raped unquote her. As many people 137 00:09:33,035 --> 00:09:37,355 Speaker 1: commonly understand the word quote rape unquote. Indeed, as the 138 00:09:37,395 --> 00:09:40,755 Speaker 1: evidence at trial recounted below makes clear, the jury found 139 00:09:40,795 --> 00:09:45,275 Speaker 1: that mister Trump in fact did exactly that unquote. Judge 140 00:09:45,355 --> 00:09:52,275 Speaker 1: Kaplan in his written filing in the Egene Carroll case, Hell, 141 00:09:52,355 --> 00:09:54,035 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have wanted to go on the court with 142 00:09:54,275 --> 00:09:57,555 Speaker 1: just that as my evidence that I didn't make a 143 00:09:57,595 --> 00:10:04,355 Speaker 1: demonstrously false statement of fact, would I, Bob Igern't I 144 00:10:04,395 --> 00:10:07,795 Speaker 1: wanted I have to prove that George's statement wasn't false 145 00:10:08,515 --> 00:10:13,195 Speaker 1: and didn't have reckless disregard for its lack of falsity. 146 00:10:13,795 --> 00:10:16,115 Speaker 1: Wouldn't I wanted to have to prove you didn't damage 147 00:10:16,155 --> 00:10:23,275 Speaker 1: Trump's reputation. That's Trump, whose own Vice president elect JV. 148 00:10:23,435 --> 00:10:29,875 Speaker 1: Vance once called him hitler. Gotta settle that case, because 149 00:10:29,955 --> 00:10:34,195 Speaker 1: not only do you have to protect your money, but 150 00:10:34,515 --> 00:10:36,395 Speaker 1: you know, there was this great op ed in the 151 00:10:36,515 --> 00:10:39,235 Speaker 1: Washington Post by some guy named Shapiro about how pardoning 152 00:10:39,275 --> 00:10:41,875 Speaker 1: Trump would enable him to stop seeking revenge and retribution 153 00:10:41,955 --> 00:10:46,715 Speaker 1: against his enemies. This is for the public good. Tell 154 00:10:46,715 --> 00:10:51,555 Speaker 1: me something, Bob, tell me something. Jeff Bezos, tell me something. 155 00:10:51,635 --> 00:10:56,515 Speaker 1: Patrick schun Shanng, you little La Times whore, after you 156 00:10:56,675 --> 00:10:59,395 Speaker 1: ordered your newspaper to stop writing about Trump's nominees for 157 00:10:59,435 --> 00:11:02,475 Speaker 1: a while, and to send you anything they ever did. 158 00:11:02,515 --> 00:11:05,995 Speaker 1: Write about them again. Tell me what you do now 159 00:11:06,995 --> 00:11:11,115 Speaker 1: the next time you report that Trump lost the twenty 160 00:11:11,155 --> 00:11:45,955 Speaker 1: twenty election and Trump sues you, Suddenly I have the 161 00:11:45,995 --> 00:11:49,555 Speaker 1: perfect idea for an ABC reality show. Just put a 162 00:11:49,595 --> 00:11:52,755 Speaker 1: little lipstick camera next to every one of the executives 163 00:11:52,795 --> 00:11:56,395 Speaker 1: at ABC and Disney going forward, and when Trump sues 164 00:11:56,435 --> 00:12:00,595 Speaker 1: them next time, because he will just take their reactions 165 00:12:00,595 --> 00:12:05,795 Speaker 1: and put them on TV, you'll break all ratings records. 166 00:12:06,715 --> 00:12:10,035 Speaker 1: But we settled with him. We gave him fifteen million 167 00:12:10,075 --> 00:12:19,035 Speaker 1: dollars for his Trump presidential memorial sinkhole. They have all 168 00:12:19,115 --> 00:12:25,595 Speaker 1: gone nuts further nuts. It was at the same Young 169 00:12:25,635 --> 00:12:29,555 Speaker 1: Republican dinner in New York where that one bozo pitched 170 00:12:29,635 --> 00:12:33,515 Speaker 1: face first off the stage and took the podium down 171 00:12:33,555 --> 00:12:36,795 Speaker 1: with him in the most eloquent expression by any Trumpist 172 00:12:36,835 --> 00:12:40,635 Speaker 1: in the history of their movement, at which Steve Bannon 173 00:12:40,715 --> 00:12:46,435 Speaker 1: issued his threat against Rachel Maddow. The third term Magic Act, 174 00:12:46,475 --> 00:12:48,235 Speaker 1: in which you make the twenty second Amendment to the 175 00:12:48,235 --> 00:12:52,395 Speaker 1: Constitution disappear, came up again. I recall being mocked for 176 00:12:52,515 --> 00:12:55,555 Speaker 1: insisting here again and again and again that as soon 177 00:12:55,595 --> 00:12:57,635 Speaker 1: as Trump was back in office, they would start making 178 00:12:57,715 --> 00:13:00,955 Speaker 1: up a path focused on whether it means only two 179 00:13:01,115 --> 00:13:07,435 Speaker 1: terms or only two consecutive terms by which he could 180 00:13:07,515 --> 00:13:09,795 Speaker 1: run again in twenty twenty eight if he isn't dead then, 181 00:13:10,435 --> 00:13:14,395 Speaker 1: or maybe even if he is. I was told I 182 00:13:14,595 --> 00:13:18,235 Speaker 1: was laugh out loud wrong, he'd never try that. It's 183 00:13:18,235 --> 00:13:24,115 Speaker 1: in the constitution, and I was wrong. They didn't wait 184 00:13:24,155 --> 00:13:26,395 Speaker 1: for him to go back into office before they started 185 00:13:26,395 --> 00:13:32,915 Speaker 1: this Bannon quote. The Viceroy Mike Davis tells me, since 186 00:13:32,955 --> 00:13:36,395 Speaker 1: it doesn't actually say consecutive, that maybe we do it 187 00:13:36,435 --> 00:13:43,155 Speaker 1: again in twenty eight. Here it comes, and then the 188 00:13:43,195 --> 00:13:48,515 Speaker 1: smooth segue into Soviet style vast conspiracy show trials. Quoting 189 00:13:48,555 --> 00:13:52,875 Speaker 1: Bannon again, we want retribution and we're going to get retribution. 190 00:13:53,275 --> 00:13:56,995 Speaker 1: You have to. It's not personal, it's not personal. They 191 00:13:57,075 --> 00:14:00,075 Speaker 1: need to learn what populist nationalist power is on the 192 00:14:00,115 --> 00:14:05,195 Speaker 1: receiving end. I need investigations, trials, and then incarceration. And 193 00:14:05,315 --> 00:14:08,115 Speaker 1: I'm just talking about the media. Should the media be 194 00:14:08,195 --> 00:14:11,715 Speaker 1: included in the mass criminal conspiracy against President Trump? Should 195 00:14:11,755 --> 00:14:15,275 Speaker 1: Andrew Weisman on MSNBC and Rachel Maddow and all of 196 00:14:15,315 --> 00:14:18,715 Speaker 1: them We want all your emails, all your text messages, 197 00:14:18,875 --> 00:14:22,955 Speaker 1: everything you did. You colluded in a conspiracy with Merrick Garland, 198 00:14:23,195 --> 00:14:30,515 Speaker 1: Nancy Pelosi, Lisa Monico, and Jack Smith unquote, a conspiracy 199 00:14:30,555 --> 00:14:38,715 Speaker 1: against Trump involving Merrick Garland. I wish these are the 200 00:14:38,795 --> 00:14:43,875 Speaker 1: people who guide Trump, the ones Joe Scarborough and Mika 201 00:14:43,915 --> 00:14:49,395 Speaker 1: Przhinsky in effect went and before whom they prostrated themselves, 202 00:14:51,355 --> 00:14:59,955 Speaker 1: the ones who want to arrest Scarborough's and Prashinski's co workers. Now, honestly, 203 00:15:00,075 --> 00:15:02,635 Speaker 1: it's not that big a jump for Scarborough. He tried 204 00:15:02,675 --> 00:15:05,275 Speaker 1: to get Matdow fired in two thousand, Seve Evan two 205 00:15:05,355 --> 00:15:08,035 Speaker 1: thousand and eight, two thousand and nine, twenty ten. I 206 00:15:08,115 --> 00:15:10,875 Speaker 1: can't testify to any days since, but I've been told 207 00:15:11,035 --> 00:15:16,555 Speaker 1: it continued after I left there, So arrest her. Eh. 208 00:15:16,875 --> 00:15:20,035 Speaker 1: A week ten days ago, the entertainment website Variety asked 209 00:15:20,035 --> 00:15:22,235 Speaker 1: me to write a thing for their year end issue, 210 00:15:22,275 --> 00:15:26,795 Speaker 1: seven hundred words on what MSNBC should do now, because, 211 00:15:26,795 --> 00:15:29,955 Speaker 1: of course, the ratings collapsed at MSNBC after the election, 212 00:15:30,475 --> 00:15:36,715 Speaker 1: and Scarborough and Mika also collapsed. Seven hundred words now, 213 00:15:37,155 --> 00:15:40,595 Speaker 1: Surprisingly enough, I have a lot more than seven hundred 214 00:15:40,595 --> 00:15:44,035 Speaker 1: words on this topic. I believe, in fact the word 215 00:15:44,075 --> 00:15:50,555 Speaker 1: count on my laptop read infinity. But Variety did a 216 00:15:50,675 --> 00:15:52,475 Speaker 1: nice job of editing, and I thanked them for it 217 00:15:52,515 --> 00:15:54,835 Speaker 1: before it posted yesterday. I'd like to read you the 218 00:15:54,875 --> 00:15:58,555 Speaker 1: piece now, but annotated and expanded upon in some places, 219 00:15:59,035 --> 00:16:00,915 Speaker 1: and I put a few things back in that they 220 00:16:00,995 --> 00:16:03,955 Speaker 1: took out for space, nothing more than that, and amplify 221 00:16:03,995 --> 00:16:06,595 Speaker 1: in a couple of points. Originally they titled this when 222 00:16:06,635 --> 00:16:10,315 Speaker 1: it posted yesterday Keith Olberman on how MSNBC should approach 223 00:16:10,475 --> 00:16:14,915 Speaker 1: Trump two point zero, But shortly thereafter they changed the headline, 224 00:16:14,995 --> 00:16:17,475 Speaker 1: and unlike the New York Times, they didn't stuff it 225 00:16:17,515 --> 00:16:23,275 Speaker 1: through the deflavorizing machine. The new Variety headline Keith Olberman, 226 00:16:23,475 --> 00:16:26,995 Speaker 1: how can MSNBC save itself after Trump's win? First step 227 00:16:27,195 --> 00:16:31,355 Speaker 1: fire Mika and Joe. Okay, I have to admit I 228 00:16:31,475 --> 00:16:37,835 Speaker 1: giggled for an hour and then I give fawed Keith Olderman. 229 00:16:37,875 --> 00:16:41,555 Speaker 1: How can MSNBC save itself after Trump's win? First step 230 00:16:41,875 --> 00:16:45,715 Speaker 1: fire Mika and Joe? By Keith Olderman. This is the 231 00:16:45,795 --> 00:16:50,515 Speaker 1: article quote by Keith Olberman, What does MSNBC do now 232 00:16:50,835 --> 00:16:53,995 Speaker 1: after Trump accomplished the undead thing and retook the White House? 233 00:16:54,155 --> 00:16:58,155 Speaker 1: After Comcast announced plans to spin off the network along 234 00:16:58,155 --> 00:17:00,595 Speaker 1: with others, in such haste that its new company was 235 00:17:00,675 --> 00:17:04,515 Speaker 1: named spin Co after Joe Scarborough and Mika Braginski went 236 00:17:04,555 --> 00:17:07,755 Speaker 1: on their show and welcomed our new insect overlords after 237 00:17:07,835 --> 00:17:15,155 Speaker 1: its audience vanished, nothing stay the course. The audience is 238 00:17:15,195 --> 00:17:19,195 Speaker 1: exhausted and needs a break. It'll be back and resistier 239 00:17:19,315 --> 00:17:26,595 Speaker 1: than ever. Suffer the ratings troth. Here's my first aside. 240 00:17:26,755 --> 00:17:29,315 Speaker 1: How has this not occurred to anybody else that it's 241 00:17:29,355 --> 00:17:33,635 Speaker 1: a troth? I cut back from five podcasts a week 242 00:17:33,715 --> 00:17:37,075 Speaker 1: to two. You want to listen to five of these 243 00:17:37,755 --> 00:17:41,635 Speaker 1: right now? Every week? You think I want to write 244 00:17:41,675 --> 00:17:46,995 Speaker 1: five of these. I'm having trouble doing two. Maybe in 245 00:17:47,115 --> 00:17:50,635 Speaker 1: January we do more. Right now, we need to rest 246 00:17:50,675 --> 00:17:53,315 Speaker 1: and husband our resources, and I might point out and then, 247 00:17:53,355 --> 00:17:55,915 Speaker 1: in terms of the ratings, although the Fox ratings went 248 00:17:55,995 --> 00:17:59,915 Speaker 1: up from disastrous to twenty percent better than disastrous after 249 00:17:59,955 --> 00:18:04,195 Speaker 1: Trump won, After Obama one in two thousand and eight, 250 00:18:04,795 --> 00:18:09,275 Speaker 1: at MSNBC collapsed. There were meetings with executives there who 251 00:18:09,315 --> 00:18:14,155 Speaker 1: couldn't understand it. But Obama won. Why a week later 252 00:18:14,235 --> 00:18:17,635 Speaker 1: are we getting one tenth of the audience? And I said, 253 00:18:17,835 --> 00:18:24,275 Speaker 1: everybody's still drunk. They really didn't understand it. I believe 254 00:18:24,395 --> 00:18:28,035 Speaker 1: sometimes often as I'm just dozing off falling to sleep 255 00:18:28,075 --> 00:18:31,195 Speaker 1: at night, I sometimes actually believe that there is a 256 00:18:31,275 --> 00:18:34,355 Speaker 1: place in this country where they decide who runs all 257 00:18:34,395 --> 00:18:38,675 Speaker 1: the television networks, all of them. Not just MSNBC or 258 00:18:39,115 --> 00:18:40,875 Speaker 1: ESPN or any of the ones I've worked at, but 259 00:18:41,075 --> 00:18:45,275 Speaker 1: all of them. Who ne Vision and Telemundo included. Where 260 00:18:45,275 --> 00:18:48,315 Speaker 1: they all sit around and they go, all right, who's 261 00:18:48,355 --> 00:18:54,515 Speaker 1: the worst possible person to run the Hallmark channel? This 262 00:18:54,595 --> 00:18:59,195 Speaker 1: guy doesn't like romance movies. Put him in charge. I 263 00:18:59,275 --> 00:19:03,235 Speaker 1: really think so. The ratings are down at MSNBC. I 264 00:19:03,275 --> 00:19:07,715 Speaker 1: can't imagine why the audience does not want to see 265 00:19:07,755 --> 00:19:11,795 Speaker 1: the news. And unlike other places, you can't just lie 266 00:19:11,875 --> 00:19:15,555 Speaker 1: to them about what's happening. I mean not really. You 267 00:19:15,595 --> 00:19:18,795 Speaker 1: can soften it up a little bit. You can try 268 00:19:18,795 --> 00:19:22,315 Speaker 1: to be encouraging, you can try to be entertaining. You 269 00:19:22,315 --> 00:19:25,115 Speaker 1: can do that maybe twice a week, like I'm doing, 270 00:19:25,875 --> 00:19:27,675 Speaker 1: rather than say, twenty four hours a day. Of course, 271 00:19:27,715 --> 00:19:31,395 Speaker 1: the audience is going to go away anyway. Back to 272 00:19:31,435 --> 00:19:34,595 Speaker 1: what I wrote for Variety, I mean, obviously you have 273 00:19:34,675 --> 00:19:39,315 Speaker 1: to fire mister and missus Scared Bro, however, continue their 274 00:19:39,315 --> 00:19:42,875 Speaker 1: banal but largely benign political coffee class show without them 275 00:19:43,035 --> 00:19:46,555 Speaker 1: and their insistence that we all join their msn VS, 276 00:19:47,915 --> 00:19:52,795 Speaker 1: nobody will remember they were ever there. Another aside, I 277 00:19:52,875 --> 00:19:56,115 Speaker 1: happen to be very proud of that phrase, msn VS. 278 00:19:57,195 --> 00:20:00,635 Speaker 1: You don't know about VC France, Google it. It's on 279 00:20:00,795 --> 00:20:04,395 Speaker 1: every morning now with cout Scarborough. They also cut the 280 00:20:04,435 --> 00:20:07,715 Speaker 1: neck sentence, which I thought sold the point. Remember the 281 00:20:07,835 --> 00:20:14,715 Speaker 1: Daily Show with Craig Kilbourne. Yeah, when Craig Kilbourne left 282 00:20:14,715 --> 00:20:16,835 Speaker 1: the Daily Show to go do the CBS Show after 283 00:20:16,955 --> 00:20:20,155 Speaker 1: David Letterman, boy oh boy, the predictions where the new 284 00:20:20,155 --> 00:20:21,755 Speaker 1: host was never going to be able to live up 285 00:20:21,755 --> 00:20:24,195 Speaker 1: to Kilbourne's reputation. It was never going to be as 286 00:20:24,235 --> 00:20:26,075 Speaker 1: good as it was with Kilbourne. The next host was 287 00:20:26,115 --> 00:20:31,515 Speaker 1: Sean Stewart. Do you remember MSNBC Mornings with David Gregory 288 00:20:31,555 --> 00:20:34,955 Speaker 1: and Contessa Brewer. They were the ones who succeeded Don 289 00:20:34,995 --> 00:20:37,875 Speaker 1: iMOS when they fired Imus when they didn't work out, 290 00:20:37,915 --> 00:20:41,235 Speaker 1: they went to Scarborough and get some We have some 291 00:20:41,315 --> 00:20:45,435 Speaker 1: woman who's free in the mornings Brushinski. Okay, I guess 292 00:20:45,795 --> 00:20:49,435 Speaker 1: that's how that happened. I mean, look, at how MSNBC 293 00:20:49,515 --> 00:20:53,075 Speaker 1: has excised me from their history. Nobody would notice if 294 00:20:53,115 --> 00:20:56,035 Speaker 1: Scarborough disappeared, or if you don't like the idea of 295 00:20:56,035 --> 00:20:59,195 Speaker 1: firing them both, just have him come back next Monday 296 00:20:59,195 --> 00:21:02,635 Speaker 1: with a different wife. Lord knows it wouldn't be the 297 00:21:02,675 --> 00:21:08,075 Speaker 1: first time. Back to the article. Plus, the next money 298 00:21:08,155 --> 00:21:11,875 Speaker 1: is coming from more fervent opposition to Maga. Not less, 299 00:21:12,675 --> 00:21:15,435 Speaker 1: wasn't the Scarborough disaster sixty percent of the demo audience 300 00:21:15,475 --> 00:21:18,555 Speaker 1: gone in three days? Instructive enough? Did you not notice 301 00:21:18,555 --> 00:21:22,355 Speaker 1: CNN going from fact based criticism of Trump's madness to 302 00:21:22,555 --> 00:21:25,795 Speaker 1: hours of cacophonists shouting and sinking to whatever is the 303 00:21:25,835 --> 00:21:31,995 Speaker 1: next level down from irrelevance. Another aside, looking at you, Abby, Philip. 304 00:21:32,835 --> 00:21:35,235 Speaker 1: This formula in which you get eight people around a 305 00:21:35,275 --> 00:21:39,915 Speaker 1: table yelling at Scott Jennings, everybody yelling at everybody else. 306 00:21:40,035 --> 00:21:43,955 Speaker 1: This was the one trick that the former MSNBC executive 307 00:21:44,035 --> 00:21:48,795 Speaker 1: later president, Phil Griffin knew. Every show, every show that 308 00:21:48,835 --> 00:21:51,595 Speaker 1: ever got into ratings trouble, every new show, every old 309 00:21:51,635 --> 00:21:55,355 Speaker 1: show was eventually approached by the show doctor, the man 310 00:21:55,435 --> 00:21:58,755 Speaker 1: with the magic touch at MSNBC, Phil Griffin, and his 311 00:21:58,835 --> 00:22:01,155 Speaker 1: solution was always I think we should have a panel 312 00:22:01,195 --> 00:22:06,915 Speaker 1: with like six people at it every show. Phil Griffin 313 00:22:06,915 --> 00:22:09,035 Speaker 1: is now the president of the Rachel Mattow Production Company. 314 00:22:09,835 --> 00:22:12,355 Speaker 1: If there are any actual charges to be brought against 315 00:22:12,435 --> 00:22:16,315 Speaker 1: Rachel Matdow for anything in this world, it's hiring Phil Griffin. 316 00:22:17,875 --> 00:22:19,915 Speaker 1: Back to the article, did the quarter of a million 317 00:22:19,995 --> 00:22:23,635 Speaker 1: canceled Washington Post subscriptions not tell you something? Or the 318 00:22:23,675 --> 00:22:27,195 Speaker 1: exodus from Twitter X? What do you think happened to 319 00:22:27,235 --> 00:22:30,875 Speaker 1: all these news consumers that they were raptured? They're all 320 00:22:30,915 --> 00:22:33,835 Speaker 1: still there waiting to spend their time and money at 321 00:22:33,875 --> 00:22:40,995 Speaker 1: the only liberal candy store still open, yours. These other 322 00:22:41,075 --> 00:22:44,355 Speaker 1: supposed bastions of journalism have left you a near monopoly. 323 00:22:44,795 --> 00:22:48,475 Speaker 1: And MSNBC only exists today because the last time NBC 324 00:22:48,555 --> 00:22:52,035 Speaker 1: was handed a near monopoly, your management ancestors said, one 325 00:22:52,115 --> 00:22:55,875 Speaker 1: hundred million in profits from Alderman's liberal show. I guess 326 00:22:55,915 --> 00:23:01,355 Speaker 1: we'll take it if we have to. They did cut 327 00:23:01,355 --> 00:23:04,875 Speaker 1: out something which suggests that the resonance of what you 328 00:23:04,915 --> 00:23:06,755 Speaker 1: and I know about what's going on in the media 329 00:23:07,755 --> 00:23:11,955 Speaker 1: not necessarily nationally understood. I added to the part about 330 00:23:11,955 --> 00:23:14,235 Speaker 1: the exodus from Twitter X and the quarter of a 331 00:23:14,275 --> 00:23:17,955 Speaker 1: million Washington Post subscriptions canceled, and the Scarborough disaster and 332 00:23:17,995 --> 00:23:21,235 Speaker 1: the CNN ratings. I added the New York Times losing 333 00:23:21,235 --> 00:23:24,515 Speaker 1: its way for the sake of some flaccid both sides 334 00:23:24,555 --> 00:23:29,515 Speaker 1: of headlines. They cut that out, Still true back to 335 00:23:29,555 --> 00:23:33,155 Speaker 1: the article. In the early years of this century, the 336 00:23:33,195 --> 00:23:37,155 Speaker 1: great minds at GE, then NBC's parent were trying to 337 00:23:37,195 --> 00:23:40,155 Speaker 1: go to the right of Fox by putting on Tucker Carlson, 338 00:23:40,195 --> 00:23:43,115 Speaker 1: Michael Savage, and Laura Ingram. They were thus too busy 339 00:23:43,155 --> 00:23:46,035 Speaker 1: to notice that I was putting on Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, 340 00:23:46,075 --> 00:23:48,635 Speaker 1: and Chris Hayes while they were trying to steal Bill 341 00:23:48,635 --> 00:23:52,275 Speaker 1: O'Reilly away from Fox, or failing that, to transform MSNBC 342 00:23:52,395 --> 00:23:55,595 Speaker 1: into a literal prison documentary channel. I kept Rachel from 343 00:23:55,675 --> 00:23:58,315 Speaker 1: jumping to CNN by giving her four hundred and thirty 344 00:23:58,315 --> 00:24:00,755 Speaker 1: seven dollars out of my own pocket. And the next 345 00:24:00,755 --> 00:24:03,635 Speaker 1: thing the corporate masters knew, we'd spun them all off 346 00:24:03,675 --> 00:24:06,635 Speaker 1: into their own shows an MSNBC was profiting a billion 347 00:24:06,675 --> 00:24:09,195 Speaker 1: a year. By the way, I'd like the four hundred 348 00:24:09,195 --> 00:24:14,955 Speaker 1: and thirty seven dollars reimbursed. Please another side. I know 349 00:24:14,995 --> 00:24:16,875 Speaker 1: you haven't heard the four hundred and thirty seven dollars 350 00:24:16,875 --> 00:24:20,555 Speaker 1: story before. I've kept that as a relative secret. I've 351 00:24:20,595 --> 00:24:24,715 Speaker 1: only told it on let's see two hundred and sixteen 352 00:24:24,795 --> 00:24:31,355 Speaker 1: episodes of this podcast. Well, I'm bitter. Back to the article. 353 00:24:31,435 --> 00:24:35,555 Speaker 1: Generation after generation of NBC executive idiots viewed politics as 354 00:24:35,595 --> 00:24:38,595 Speaker 1: nothing more than a soda brand and believe there was 355 00:24:38,595 --> 00:24:41,915 Speaker 1: some additional audience, undecided or right wing, that they could 356 00:24:41,955 --> 00:24:44,395 Speaker 1: add to the present one if only they also offered 357 00:24:44,395 --> 00:24:49,835 Speaker 1: a different flavor called new MSNBC. The new flavor invariably 358 00:24:49,875 --> 00:24:53,755 Speaker 1: turns out to be turnip. Besides that right wing ruled 359 00:24:53,795 --> 00:24:56,515 Speaker 1: you out in nineteen ninety six. Pursuing it results in 360 00:24:56,555 --> 00:25:03,675 Speaker 1: only one thing, the Scarboroughing of your present audience. That 361 00:25:03,715 --> 00:25:07,075 Speaker 1: doesn't mean you can't tweet stuff. Your primetime audience doesn't 362 00:25:07,115 --> 00:25:10,155 Speaker 1: want new faces. It wants comfort food. So refresh the 363 00:25:10,195 --> 00:25:15,155 Speaker 1: menu and decor scuttle those daytime shows which always existed 364 00:25:15,195 --> 00:25:17,795 Speaker 1: solely to give NBC News execs something to stare at 365 00:25:17,915 --> 00:25:20,275 Speaker 1: while they pretended to work, and replace them with the 366 00:25:20,315 --> 00:25:23,835 Speaker 1: morning formula, only with different sets in different titles. Try 367 00:25:23,995 --> 00:25:29,475 Speaker 1: outsider big personality hosts like Elie Mistal and Pablo Torre. 368 00:25:30,555 --> 00:25:33,155 Speaker 1: You could even try for a truce with your prodigal anchor, 369 00:25:33,275 --> 00:25:39,355 Speaker 1: so he'll be inside the tent peeing out for a change. 370 00:25:39,515 --> 00:25:41,355 Speaker 1: You may have noticed that I included in this one 371 00:25:41,395 --> 00:25:46,715 Speaker 1: paragraph and buried rather successfully. I might add a suggestion 372 00:25:46,835 --> 00:25:51,475 Speaker 1: that they fire Katie Turr and hire me back to 373 00:25:51,515 --> 00:25:53,595 Speaker 1: the article, And now you can finally do something I 374 00:25:53,635 --> 00:25:57,635 Speaker 1: first suggested in nineteen ninety eight. Change the damn name 375 00:25:57,795 --> 00:26:04,395 Speaker 1: of the network. Use the acronym NYWS or American News Network. 376 00:26:04,915 --> 00:26:10,675 Speaker 1: A nice self explanatory f Trump TV. What all this 377 00:26:10,795 --> 00:26:14,115 Speaker 1: will get you? Besides the kinds of profits only a 378 00:26:14,155 --> 00:26:18,315 Speaker 1: monopoly can provide, are non cash virtues like moral force 379 00:26:18,355 --> 00:26:21,995 Speaker 1: and ethics, and journalism and patriotism and liberty. You may 380 00:26:22,035 --> 00:26:24,075 Speaker 1: now be the last line of defense for the free 381 00:26:24,115 --> 00:26:27,035 Speaker 1: press and thus the future of representative government in this country. 382 00:26:27,195 --> 00:26:29,715 Speaker 1: The bullies don't stop hitting you because you are nice 383 00:26:29,755 --> 00:26:32,435 Speaker 1: to them. They stop hitting you when you knock them 384 00:26:32,475 --> 00:26:48,395 Speaker 1: out cold. Put that on MSNBC and all will be well. 385 00:26:48,435 --> 00:26:57,875 Speaker 1: Thanks Keith, great report. Also of interest here Pennsylvania state senator. 386 00:26:57,915 --> 00:27:00,995 Speaker 1: They're twenty twenty two Republican nominee for governor in that state. 387 00:27:01,275 --> 00:27:05,835 Speaker 1: Erupts at a photo of a downed drone being carted 388 00:27:05,835 --> 00:27:10,515 Speaker 1: off on a Northeastern expressway. He feeds all the conspiracy crap. 389 00:27:10,795 --> 00:27:14,155 Speaker 1: Only one problem. That was not a downed drone. It 390 00:27:14,395 --> 00:27:20,355 Speaker 1: was a famous movie prop. Now this had been Trump, 391 00:27:20,395 --> 00:27:23,355 Speaker 1: he would be suing me for disagreeing with him. That's next. 392 00:27:23,595 --> 00:27:24,475 Speaker 1: This is countdown. 393 00:27:26,515 --> 00:27:45,595 Speaker 3: This is countdown, with Keith Alberman. 394 00:27:50,475 --> 00:27:52,675 Speaker 1: Still ahead of us. At lunch the other day, a 395 00:27:52,715 --> 00:27:57,235 Speaker 1: new friend and fellow former colleague of Ted Turner said 396 00:27:57,235 --> 00:28:00,115 Speaker 1: he would be going south and seeing Ted while he 397 00:28:00,195 --> 00:28:02,635 Speaker 1: was south, and he hoped to get him on a 398 00:28:02,635 --> 00:28:07,995 Speaker 1: good day. Ted is eighty six years old. And I 399 00:28:08,035 --> 00:28:10,115 Speaker 1: don't think I'm telling anybody anything. They don't know he's 400 00:28:10,115 --> 00:28:14,515 Speaker 1: been in and out for at least ten years, fifteen 401 00:28:14,595 --> 00:28:19,795 Speaker 1: years now. Having known him half his life, having worked 402 00:28:19,795 --> 00:28:23,515 Speaker 1: for him half Ted's lifetime ago, I think we should 403 00:28:23,515 --> 00:28:26,795 Speaker 1: look at this positively. When Ted Turner was forty three 404 00:28:26,875 --> 00:28:29,955 Speaker 1: years old, none of us who worked for him would 405 00:28:29,955 --> 00:28:35,315 Speaker 1: have expected him to live to well forty four. He 406 00:28:35,435 --> 00:28:39,275 Speaker 1: drank incessantly, he never slept, He took every risk he 407 00:28:39,315 --> 00:28:44,195 Speaker 1: could find. He's eighty six. He's still in and out 408 00:28:45,075 --> 00:28:49,115 Speaker 1: rather than just out. That's a win. Ted won again, 409 00:28:49,675 --> 00:28:53,915 Speaker 1: and boy, could CNN use Ted now, But I want 410 00:28:53,915 --> 00:28:56,075 Speaker 1: to tell one of those stories from the out days, 411 00:28:56,195 --> 00:29:00,555 Speaker 1: when his outness often produced such rage inside him that 412 00:29:00,595 --> 00:29:05,075 Speaker 1: he almost fired me over the hat that my cammerman 413 00:29:05,235 --> 00:29:07,995 Speaker 1: was wearing. It a story, and I almost responded by 414 00:29:08,075 --> 00:29:10,835 Speaker 1: socking him in the jaw, But we made up in 415 00:29:10,875 --> 00:29:14,555 Speaker 1: the end. Things I promise not to tell about Ted 416 00:29:14,635 --> 00:29:18,315 Speaker 1: Turner next first. Believe it or not, there's still more 417 00:29:18,355 --> 00:29:20,675 Speaker 1: new idiots to talk about. The daily roundup of the missgrints, 418 00:29:20,715 --> 00:29:24,675 Speaker 1: morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens who constitute today's other 419 00:29:26,395 --> 00:29:32,555 Speaker 1: worse persons in the world, the bronze worse Trump and 420 00:29:32,675 --> 00:29:36,355 Speaker 1: this tariff bullshit because he thinks the year eighteen ninety 421 00:29:36,355 --> 00:29:41,475 Speaker 1: four was great. The Premiere of Ontario, Doug Ford, has 422 00:29:41,555 --> 00:29:44,875 Speaker 1: responded in a way that could help us go back 423 00:29:44,915 --> 00:29:48,075 Speaker 1: to eighteen ninety four. He says, if Trump follows through 424 00:29:48,155 --> 00:29:50,275 Speaker 1: on this thread of a twenty five percent tariff on 425 00:29:50,315 --> 00:29:54,355 Speaker 1: Canadian goods, he will simply stop Ontario from exporting to 426 00:29:54,435 --> 00:30:01,355 Speaker 1: the US anymore. Electricity. Canada is the source of twenty 427 00:30:01,435 --> 00:30:04,835 Speaker 1: percent of our crude oil, a lot of our our 428 00:30:04,915 --> 00:30:07,635 Speaker 1: natural gas, and of course electricity they generate, which a 429 00:30:07,675 --> 00:30:11,595 Speaker 1: million and a half Americans use in Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, 430 00:30:11,675 --> 00:30:16,795 Speaker 1: places like that lights Out. Incidentally, the website gas Buddy 431 00:30:16,835 --> 00:30:19,355 Speaker 1: says the tariffs could increase the price of a gallon 432 00:30:19,395 --> 00:30:22,155 Speaker 1: of gas by at least thirty cents a gallon, maybe 433 00:30:22,195 --> 00:30:26,795 Speaker 1: seventy cents. The runner up Molly Murphy, a polster who 434 00:30:26,835 --> 00:30:28,755 Speaker 1: did work for Kamala Harrison, who should now be on 435 00:30:28,795 --> 00:30:32,515 Speaker 1: a rocket ship to the sun. She addressed the Democratic 436 00:30:32,635 --> 00:30:36,915 Speaker 1: National Committee Executive Committee's first post election party I'm sorry 437 00:30:36,955 --> 00:30:41,635 Speaker 1: post election conference. Molly Murphy said they blew the election 438 00:30:41,755 --> 00:30:44,475 Speaker 1: because they spent too much time attacking Trump over this 439 00:30:44,515 --> 00:30:50,035 Speaker 1: irrelevant topic of norms. Voters, Molly says, believe quote norms 440 00:30:50,035 --> 00:30:52,275 Speaker 1: if not worked for them, and so we certainly shouldn't 441 00:30:52,315 --> 00:30:54,995 Speaker 1: ask them to clutch their pearls. We risk sounding like 442 00:30:55,075 --> 00:30:59,275 Speaker 1: hall monitors. As to the here and now. Molly adds 443 00:30:59,275 --> 00:31:02,395 Speaker 1: that voters don't care who he's putting in cabinet positions. 444 00:31:02,875 --> 00:31:05,235 Speaker 1: These voters are saying, I always give him pass on 445 00:31:05,275 --> 00:31:09,555 Speaker 1: the outrageous if my costs come down. She insists, they 446 00:31:10,155 --> 00:31:15,075 Speaker 1: should have been focused on household costs. Look, if you 447 00:31:15,155 --> 00:31:18,355 Speaker 1: were a Harris Polster and you are speaking up now 448 00:31:18,835 --> 00:31:22,755 Speaker 1: instead of on October eighteenth or August eighteenth. First off, 449 00:31:23,395 --> 00:31:29,515 Speaker 1: f U. Secondly, it's pretty clear millions of Americans, or 450 00:31:29,555 --> 00:31:32,235 Speaker 1: at least the two hundred and twenty nine thousand, seven 451 00:31:32,315 --> 00:31:35,195 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty six voters in the swing states who 452 00:31:35,195 --> 00:31:39,395 Speaker 1: actually decided the election. It's pretty clear two hundred and 453 00:31:39,395 --> 00:31:41,955 Speaker 1: twenty nine thousand, seven hundred and sixty six people who 454 00:31:42,035 --> 00:31:44,595 Speaker 1: have the right to vote in America chose the wallet 455 00:31:44,635 --> 00:31:49,435 Speaker 1: over the polio and the fascism. Nobody's arguing that they're morons. 456 00:31:50,995 --> 00:31:53,235 Speaker 1: We have bred them to be morons, we have educated 457 00:31:53,275 --> 00:31:55,635 Speaker 1: them to be morons. We have let them educate themselves 458 00:31:55,635 --> 00:31:59,795 Speaker 1: in homeschooling to be morons. They are morons. What a shock. 459 00:32:01,035 --> 00:32:03,795 Speaker 1: But the point that continues to mystify me about second 460 00:32:03,835 --> 00:32:08,715 Speaker 1: guessers like mal Le Murphy and other narrow minded pinheads 461 00:32:08,755 --> 00:32:13,195 Speaker 1: is this, the Democrats spent eleventy billion dollars on advertising 462 00:32:14,755 --> 00:32:17,315 Speaker 1: that much money. I'm just guessing here, but I think 463 00:32:17,595 --> 00:32:22,155 Speaker 1: I think hear me out. We could have covered both topics. 464 00:32:24,155 --> 00:32:28,835 Speaker 1: We could have covered the whole insurrectionisty dictatorshippy thing in 465 00:32:28,875 --> 00:32:32,355 Speaker 1: the ads and the price of the sandwiches and the 466 00:32:32,355 --> 00:32:34,675 Speaker 1: gas thing. Could have done them both, could have put 467 00:32:34,675 --> 00:32:39,075 Speaker 1: them both in the same commercials. Even you think the 468 00:32:39,115 --> 00:32:41,915 Speaker 1: cost of groceries is going down under a Trump dictatorship, 469 00:32:42,155 --> 00:32:45,715 Speaker 1: he wants tariffs on everything, including oil and gas and electricity. 470 00:32:46,075 --> 00:32:48,635 Speaker 1: Your gas is going up under Trump at least thirty 471 00:32:48,635 --> 00:32:51,155 Speaker 1: cents a gallon at least oh and if you try 472 00:32:51,195 --> 00:32:54,755 Speaker 1: to complain about it, Trump will sue you. I'm Kamala 473 00:32:54,795 --> 00:32:57,755 Speaker 1: Harris and I approved this message because your food prices 474 00:32:57,755 --> 00:33:03,635 Speaker 1: will so double under Trump. See other than the choice 475 00:33:03,675 --> 00:33:07,315 Speaker 1: of voices. There you can walk and chew gum at 476 00:33:07,355 --> 00:33:12,275 Speaker 1: the same time. Molly Murphy, well the generic you, but 477 00:33:12,395 --> 00:33:15,555 Speaker 1: our winner. State Senator Doug Mastriano of Pennsylvania. If that 478 00:33:15,755 --> 00:33:18,675 Speaker 1: name sends a shutter down your spine, well it should please. 479 00:33:19,595 --> 00:33:22,795 Speaker 1: He was the GOP nominee for governor that year in 480 00:33:22,955 --> 00:33:25,195 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, the one who lost to Josh Shapiro 481 00:33:25,315 --> 00:33:29,595 Speaker 1: by fourteen because Mastriano was a fundamentalist theocrat and an 482 00:33:29,675 --> 00:33:33,155 Speaker 1: election subverter, and a COVID denier and most importantly a 483 00:33:33,555 --> 00:33:39,675 Speaker 1: murn and he's still a mourn. Mastriano posted a photo 484 00:33:39,755 --> 00:33:42,235 Speaker 1: of what he says is a drone looks to be 485 00:33:42,675 --> 00:33:48,275 Speaker 1: four or five feet high, maybe twelve feet wide, lashed 486 00:33:48,315 --> 00:33:50,875 Speaker 1: to the back of a flatbed trailer and being transported 487 00:33:50,955 --> 00:33:54,315 Speaker 1: on a major highway. Breaking News reads the caption to 488 00:33:54,355 --> 00:33:58,555 Speaker 1: this photo. Crashed drone in Orange Beach, retrieved from water 489 00:33:58,715 --> 00:34:04,275 Speaker 1: and taken to undisclosed location for further investigation. But Mastriano, 490 00:34:04,355 --> 00:34:06,835 Speaker 1: though he has the IQ of a brain damaged fish 491 00:34:06,875 --> 00:34:09,595 Speaker 1: that just had a drone crash into it, had much 492 00:34:09,675 --> 00:34:13,955 Speaker 1: more to say about this above the photo of the drone. 493 00:34:15,595 --> 00:34:18,315 Speaker 1: It is inconceivable that the federal government has no answers 494 00:34:18,555 --> 00:34:20,355 Speaker 1: nor has taken any action to get to the bottom 495 00:34:20,395 --> 00:34:23,795 Speaker 1: of the unadefied drones. The fecklessness of this administration was 496 00:34:23,835 --> 00:34:26,675 Speaker 1: on display last year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was 497 00:34:26,675 --> 00:34:29,835 Speaker 1: allowed to fly over the entire continental United States before 498 00:34:29,915 --> 00:34:32,835 Speaker 1: being shot down. Such should be viewed as a threat 499 00:34:32,875 --> 00:34:35,595 Speaker 1: to our nation and citizens. An action is long overdue. 500 00:34:35,835 --> 00:34:38,755 Speaker 1: We have recourses and assets in our arsenal to get answers, 501 00:34:38,875 --> 00:34:41,275 Speaker 1: but I suppose Ukraine is more important to the White House. 502 00:34:41,555 --> 00:34:46,715 Speaker 1: January twentieth can't come soon enough. Mastriano's post got a 503 00:34:46,795 --> 00:34:50,035 Speaker 1: community note because the photo that has driven into this 504 00:34:50,155 --> 00:34:53,435 Speaker 1: madness is not of one of the so called Northeast drones. 505 00:34:53,955 --> 00:34:58,155 Speaker 1: It's a model of a tie fighter from Star Wars. 506 00:34:59,475 --> 00:35:03,355 Speaker 1: A motion picture this photograph being driven along a highway 507 00:35:03,635 --> 00:35:08,635 Speaker 1: in the Philippine, which Doug Mastriano could not distinguish from 508 00:35:08,675 --> 00:35:13,795 Speaker 1: his ass or his elbow. The community note also disappeared 509 00:35:13,875 --> 00:35:17,355 Speaker 1: sometime yesterday, then reappeared, leading to the conclusion that perhaps 510 00:35:17,595 --> 00:35:20,515 Speaker 1: Elon Musk also cannot tell the difference between an actual 511 00:35:20,635 --> 00:35:23,955 Speaker 1: craft capable of flight and a toy. On the way 512 00:35:23,995 --> 00:35:29,715 Speaker 1: to the local Comic con convention, Doug Mastriano boasts he 513 00:35:29,755 --> 00:35:31,755 Speaker 1: spent thirty years in the army and is a veteran 514 00:35:31,795 --> 00:35:34,875 Speaker 1: of desert storm in Afghanistan, and thank you for If 515 00:35:34,915 --> 00:35:37,315 Speaker 1: we hadn't already been doing this, we should start doing 516 00:35:37,395 --> 00:35:40,555 Speaker 1: this immediately. We should question anybody who served in combat 517 00:35:40,595 --> 00:35:43,875 Speaker 1: in the last thirty five years about literal brain damage, 518 00:35:44,635 --> 00:35:47,555 Speaker 1: because we see this time after time they come out 519 00:35:47,595 --> 00:35:50,795 Speaker 1: of service with the best of intentions and with the 520 00:35:50,915 --> 00:35:53,675 Speaker 1: iq of a fish that was just hit by a drone. 521 00:35:54,915 --> 00:35:57,395 Speaker 1: Because this bone had simply picked up this photo from 522 00:35:57,435 --> 00:36:01,075 Speaker 1: some conspiracy website and either assumed he could fool everybody 523 00:36:01,155 --> 00:36:03,555 Speaker 1: with it, or is too far gone himself to know 524 00:36:03,995 --> 00:36:09,715 Speaker 1: it was a pheo of a movie prop. Doug these 525 00:36:09,835 --> 00:36:15,715 Speaker 1: Ano the drunes you're looking for, Mastriano, idiot, and today's 526 00:36:15,955 --> 00:36:36,755 Speaker 1: other worse BUYSI and outer Space. I have one more 527 00:36:36,835 --> 00:36:39,115 Speaker 1: story to tell you about covering the nineteen eighty two 528 00:36:39,235 --> 00:36:42,475 Speaker 1: National Football League players strike, and this is less about 529 00:36:42,515 --> 00:36:45,395 Speaker 1: the strike itself and more about the man for whom 530 00:36:45,555 --> 00:36:50,155 Speaker 1: I covered it, Ted Turner. Ted Turner had put CNN 531 00:36:50,275 --> 00:36:52,795 Speaker 1: on the air just two years earlier, and his sports 532 00:36:52,835 --> 00:36:55,275 Speaker 1: guy Bill McPhail had interviewed me for a job as 533 00:36:55,315 --> 00:36:58,315 Speaker 1: their New York Sports reporter even earlier than that May 534 00:36:58,395 --> 00:37:01,035 Speaker 1: of nineteen eighty and when I did not get it, 535 00:37:01,075 --> 00:37:03,395 Speaker 1: I was genuinely relieved, because I was convinced there was 536 00:37:03,475 --> 00:37:05,795 Speaker 1: no way they would ever get CNN on the air. 537 00:37:06,275 --> 00:37:10,435 Speaker 1: No chance. Ever, Obviously I did not account for Ted 538 00:37:10,475 --> 00:37:14,915 Speaker 1: Turner's stubbornness. Anyway, I wound up going there freelance in 539 00:37:15,035 --> 00:37:17,795 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty one, as I have related in some detail here, 540 00:37:17,915 --> 00:37:20,915 Speaker 1: when Lou Dobbs and his girlfriend, the New York Sports Reporter, 541 00:37:20,995 --> 00:37:23,195 Speaker 1: had to get out of town fast at the existence 542 00:37:23,275 --> 00:37:27,395 Speaker 1: of missus Lou Dobbs. Eight months later, as the nineteen 543 00:37:27,435 --> 00:37:30,195 Speaker 1: eighty two NFL strike loomed. They had made me staff 544 00:37:30,235 --> 00:37:32,595 Speaker 1: and given me a contract, first offering me one thousand 545 00:37:32,635 --> 00:37:34,915 Speaker 1: dollars less a year than they were paying me freelance. 546 00:37:35,555 --> 00:37:38,355 Speaker 1: Even CNN of nineteen eighty two acknowledged the absurdity of 547 00:37:38,395 --> 00:37:43,555 Speaker 1: that mathematical proposition. So I was invested already whining about 548 00:37:43,635 --> 00:37:46,755 Speaker 1: Ted Turner, employee of CNN, when the football players walked 549 00:37:46,795 --> 00:37:49,195 Speaker 1: out in strike in September nineteen eighty two, and that 550 00:37:49,395 --> 00:37:53,235 Speaker 1: strike was my beat every day from March to November. 551 00:37:54,195 --> 00:37:56,435 Speaker 1: A day or so after the strike began, we sent 552 00:37:56,515 --> 00:38:00,075 Speaker 1: up an interview with the president of CBS Sports, Neil Pilson, 553 00:38:00,435 --> 00:38:02,515 Speaker 1: about the effect that the strike would have on TV 554 00:38:02,635 --> 00:38:05,955 Speaker 1: Sports in general and CBS Sports in particular, And as 555 00:38:05,995 --> 00:38:08,915 Speaker 1: the camera crew and I filed into his office, Pilson 556 00:38:08,995 --> 00:38:12,355 Speaker 1: wearily said, nothing against you, guys, but I've done so 557 00:38:12,435 --> 00:38:15,475 Speaker 1: many interviews already about this strike that if you actually 558 00:38:15,515 --> 00:38:17,635 Speaker 1: come up with a question I haven't been asked already, 559 00:38:17,955 --> 00:38:20,795 Speaker 1: I'll give you well. We all leaned in towards him. 560 00:38:20,835 --> 00:38:23,995 Speaker 1: Give us what the job a job interview at least 561 00:38:24,675 --> 00:38:31,075 Speaker 1: fifty dollars, I'll give you CBS Sports caps, not exactly 562 00:38:31,155 --> 00:38:34,115 Speaker 1: a job, but better than nothing. So we rolled tape 563 00:38:34,155 --> 00:38:36,115 Speaker 1: and I said, so, mister Pilson, in light of the strike, 564 00:38:36,155 --> 00:38:39,115 Speaker 1: do you wish CBS Sports did not have the Super 565 00:38:39,155 --> 00:38:42,555 Speaker 1: Bowl this year? As it does? And he laughed, and 566 00:38:42,635 --> 00:38:44,315 Speaker 1: he took off his mic and he went over to 567 00:38:44,355 --> 00:38:47,715 Speaker 1: his office phone. He buzzed his assistant, bring in three caps, 568 00:38:47,835 --> 00:38:50,315 Speaker 1: will you? And he sat back down. He said, you guys, 569 00:38:50,355 --> 00:38:52,995 Speaker 1: did it. Nobody asked me that yet, and it's like 570 00:38:53,035 --> 00:38:55,555 Speaker 1: the only question that really interests me. You're still rolling. 571 00:38:56,835 --> 00:38:59,555 Speaker 1: Neil Pilson then proceeded to give a lengthy and thoughtful 572 00:38:59,635 --> 00:39:02,635 Speaker 1: answer about how as long as the season was not canceled, 573 00:39:02,675 --> 00:39:06,355 Speaker 1: it was probably better to have the Super Bowl because 574 00:39:06,395 --> 00:39:09,395 Speaker 1: people would be so grateful that after the strike they 575 00:39:09,435 --> 00:39:13,475 Speaker 1: wound up playing in anyway. So now a week goes 576 00:39:13,555 --> 00:39:16,155 Speaker 1: by after that interview, and the bargaining sessions between the 577 00:39:16,195 --> 00:39:19,075 Speaker 1: players and the owners are taking place in a Manhattan hotel, 578 00:39:19,235 --> 00:39:23,315 Speaker 1: the Lows on Lexington Avenue, a dump with a nice lobby. 579 00:39:24,315 --> 00:39:26,875 Speaker 1: All that matters to me is the Lows with the dump, 580 00:39:27,035 --> 00:39:30,355 Speaker 1: and the nice lobby is literally three blocks from my apartment. 581 00:39:31,315 --> 00:39:33,635 Speaker 1: The players and the owners just march through a long 582 00:39:33,755 --> 00:39:36,715 Speaker 1: hallway into private rooms. That's all we see of them. 583 00:39:37,235 --> 00:39:40,075 Speaker 1: It is not heavy lifting. There are nice seats at 584 00:39:40,195 --> 00:39:43,035 Speaker 1: least in that lobby, but it is enlivened one day 585 00:39:43,115 --> 00:39:45,675 Speaker 1: by news that our boss, Ted Turner has asked the 586 00:39:45,835 --> 00:39:48,755 Speaker 1: union if he can come in and meet with their 587 00:39:48,835 --> 00:39:52,075 Speaker 1: twenty odd player negotiating team because he wants to pitch 588 00:39:52,155 --> 00:39:55,595 Speaker 1: them on something. He was in fact due there yesterday 589 00:39:56,075 --> 00:40:00,075 Speaker 1: but was unavoidably detained. The rumor the players told me 590 00:40:00,355 --> 00:40:04,195 Speaker 1: never confirmed, was that while changing planes in Chicago, Turner 591 00:40:04,275 --> 00:40:08,435 Speaker 1: and an air hostess had ensconced themselves in a dumpster 592 00:40:09,475 --> 00:40:12,235 Speaker 1: or the other version was in a janitor's closet for 593 00:40:12,435 --> 00:40:15,595 Speaker 1: twelve hours of whoopee, and that's why he was a 594 00:40:15,755 --> 00:40:19,875 Speaker 1: day late. Anyway, I walk into the Lows that morning, 595 00:40:19,915 --> 00:40:22,155 Speaker 1: and if somehow I had not been able to recognize 596 00:40:22,195 --> 00:40:24,875 Speaker 1: my camera crew, sure enough it is the same two 597 00:40:24,955 --> 00:40:27,075 Speaker 1: guys who had been with me at Neil Pilson's office 598 00:40:27,355 --> 00:40:29,875 Speaker 1: at CBS when I asked him the question he had 599 00:40:29,915 --> 00:40:32,555 Speaker 1: not been asked before, earning us free CBS sports caps, 600 00:40:33,995 --> 00:40:36,515 Speaker 1: and the cameraman and the deck operator are of course 601 00:40:36,715 --> 00:40:40,675 Speaker 1: wearing their CBS sports caps and understand in nineteen eighty two. 602 00:40:40,875 --> 00:40:44,635 Speaker 1: CNN was not an upstart. It was not the feisty outsider, 603 00:40:44,715 --> 00:40:47,795 Speaker 1: It was not the future of news. We were called 604 00:40:47,955 --> 00:40:52,715 Speaker 1: pretend TV. It was said that CNN stood for Chicken 605 00:40:52,875 --> 00:40:57,155 Speaker 1: Noodle News. One day, I called somebody up and asked 606 00:40:57,155 --> 00:40:59,915 Speaker 1: for press credentials for Cable News Network, and the guy said, 607 00:41:00,315 --> 00:41:03,875 Speaker 1: Cable News Network. The either people own the news stands downtown. 608 00:41:05,275 --> 00:41:07,075 Speaker 1: I had no idea what he was talking about, so 609 00:41:07,155 --> 00:41:08,755 Speaker 1: I went to one of the newstands and I asked 610 00:41:08,795 --> 00:41:10,715 Speaker 1: the guy who owns this place? And he pointed to 611 00:41:10,795 --> 00:41:14,395 Speaker 1: a plaque and it said owned by Cabbell News Company. 612 00:41:15,595 --> 00:41:18,915 Speaker 1: The Kabbell News Company, owner of downtown newstands, was better 613 00:41:19,075 --> 00:41:24,355 Speaker 1: known than Cable News Network. We got scoffed at in 614 00:41:24,475 --> 00:41:27,435 Speaker 1: some arenas and venues like Madison Square Garden in New York. 615 00:41:28,035 --> 00:41:30,315 Speaker 1: Our crews were not admitted because they were not in 616 00:41:30,395 --> 00:41:34,275 Speaker 1: the Union. So the CBS sports caps were an important, 617 00:41:34,355 --> 00:41:38,595 Speaker 1: albeit borrowed touch of legitimacy and dignity, especially for my 618 00:41:38,715 --> 00:41:42,555 Speaker 1: cameraman and my deck guy. So the three of us 619 00:41:42,635 --> 00:41:45,635 Speaker 1: position ourselves in that long haul in the lobby, waiting 620 00:41:45,715 --> 00:41:48,275 Speaker 1: for my boss, Ted Turner, me holding the mic, with 621 00:41:48,355 --> 00:41:50,675 Speaker 1: the big red CNN logo on the mic flag and 622 00:41:50,755 --> 00:41:54,195 Speaker 1: the crew wearing their gaudy CBS sports caps, and in 623 00:41:54,555 --> 00:41:59,395 Speaker 1: Ted walks emerging from the brilliant early autumn sunshine, filtering 624 00:41:59,435 --> 00:42:01,515 Speaker 1: in from behind him from the street like this was 625 00:42:01,555 --> 00:42:05,435 Speaker 1: a perfectly lit movie scene, and he sees me and 626 00:42:05,555 --> 00:42:09,195 Speaker 1: recognize me and smiles and comes over and beams hot, damn, 627 00:42:09,235 --> 00:42:12,235 Speaker 1: it's my CNN crew, And he shakes my hand and 628 00:42:12,315 --> 00:42:14,555 Speaker 1: we roll tape and I start to asking my first question, 629 00:42:14,635 --> 00:42:18,355 Speaker 1: and suddenly the joy drains from his face and he 630 00:42:18,435 --> 00:42:21,715 Speaker 1: stops me. Oh, did what they wearing on their heads? 631 00:42:22,595 --> 00:42:24,955 Speaker 1: He gestures at the cameraman and the deck guy, and 632 00:42:25,035 --> 00:42:26,955 Speaker 1: I explained the Baxter, I don't give a damn who 633 00:42:26,995 --> 00:42:30,355 Speaker 1: gave him them? Is a CNN crew, they wearing CBS 634 00:42:30,395 --> 00:42:32,955 Speaker 1: sports caps. Get them off they damn heads. And he 635 00:42:33,075 --> 00:42:38,555 Speaker 1: pushes me, I mean really shoves me and strides past us. Now, 636 00:42:38,635 --> 00:42:42,835 Speaker 1: even then, I'm five six inches taller than Ted Turner 637 00:42:42,875 --> 00:42:46,035 Speaker 1: and twenty five pounds heavier at least, And maybe I 638 00:42:46,115 --> 00:42:48,755 Speaker 1: can live with my employer embarrassing me in public, but 639 00:42:48,875 --> 00:42:50,955 Speaker 1: I do not have to let him shove me in 640 00:42:50,995 --> 00:42:53,955 Speaker 1: front of all the other reporters. So for a second, 641 00:42:53,995 --> 00:42:56,995 Speaker 1: I think, Ah, I'm just gonna run down the hall 642 00:42:57,155 --> 00:43:00,275 Speaker 1: and catch him and horse collar the bastard from behind. 643 00:43:01,355 --> 00:43:03,795 Speaker 1: About a year into my TV career, I have already 644 00:43:03,835 --> 00:43:06,235 Speaker 1: accepted that there are positives to television, but I've also 645 00:43:06,275 --> 00:43:09,075 Speaker 1: already learned nearly all the negatives. And not three months earlier, 646 00:43:09,715 --> 00:43:12,195 Speaker 1: I had gone over to ABC to interview with them 647 00:43:12,235 --> 00:43:16,195 Speaker 1: about going back to do radio sports. Seems to me, 648 00:43:16,315 --> 00:43:18,475 Speaker 1: given what I know about Ted Turner, dragging him to 649 00:43:18,515 --> 00:43:20,675 Speaker 1: the ground and then quitting TV forever would be a 650 00:43:20,755 --> 00:43:32,235 Speaker 1: pretty appropriate farewell. And then one word popped in my head. Rent, Ah, right, Rent, 651 00:43:34,155 --> 00:43:36,795 Speaker 1: So quickly I go to Plan B to be fair 652 00:43:37,835 --> 00:43:40,035 Speaker 1: in thought, if not an action. Ted Turner was right. 653 00:43:40,635 --> 00:43:43,875 Speaker 1: Look pretty silly to have the CNN camera crew wearing 654 00:43:44,035 --> 00:43:47,795 Speaker 1: CBS sports caps while interviewing the founder and owner of CNN, who, 655 00:43:47,835 --> 00:43:50,075 Speaker 1: by the way, was in the newspaper constantly because he 656 00:43:50,155 --> 00:43:53,755 Speaker 1: kept saying he was going to buy CBS. Plus, I 657 00:43:53,835 --> 00:43:55,435 Speaker 1: still had a story to do that day, and that 658 00:43:55,595 --> 00:43:57,075 Speaker 1: crew is going to have to go back into the 659 00:43:57,195 --> 00:43:59,675 Speaker 1: room where Turner would be meeting with the players about 660 00:43:59,675 --> 00:44:03,195 Speaker 1: an hour later for the proverbial spray shot that would 661 00:44:03,195 --> 00:44:06,195 Speaker 1: give us some video to use of their meeting, and 662 00:44:06,315 --> 00:44:09,315 Speaker 1: simply having my guys take their caps off was not 663 00:44:09,435 --> 00:44:12,835 Speaker 1: going to suffice. So I ran the three blocks back 664 00:44:12,875 --> 00:44:14,955 Speaker 1: to my apartment to grab the only bit of merch 665 00:44:15,195 --> 00:44:18,275 Speaker 1: or swag produced in the first two years of CNN. 666 00:44:18,395 --> 00:44:23,995 Speaker 1: Something they had and apparently inexhaustible supply of CNN bumper stickers. 667 00:44:24,675 --> 00:44:26,115 Speaker 1: I must have had one hundred of them in my 668 00:44:26,235 --> 00:44:29,315 Speaker 1: place alone, and there were boxes and cartons and boxes 669 00:44:29,395 --> 00:44:33,195 Speaker 1: and cartons of them in the New York bureau, which 670 00:44:33,315 --> 00:44:34,915 Speaker 1: was funny enough as it was, since I don't think 671 00:44:34,955 --> 00:44:37,035 Speaker 1: all the people who worked at CNN in New York 672 00:44:37,115 --> 00:44:41,755 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty two owned six cars among them. Anyway, 673 00:44:41,995 --> 00:44:44,195 Speaker 1: I trimmed a couple of the stickers down to just 674 00:44:44,315 --> 00:44:48,075 Speaker 1: the CNN logos and raced back to the Crappy Low's hotel, 675 00:44:48,155 --> 00:44:49,995 Speaker 1: and just as they were calling for the crews to 676 00:44:50,115 --> 00:44:52,675 Speaker 1: come in to get the spray shots of Ted meeting 677 00:44:52,715 --> 00:44:56,595 Speaker 1: with the players, I put those CNN logo stickers over 678 00:44:56,755 --> 00:45:00,155 Speaker 1: the CBS logos on my guys caps, and to my delight, 679 00:45:00,275 --> 00:45:03,595 Speaker 1: they stuck in place a little large, but it worked. 680 00:45:04,875 --> 00:45:07,195 Speaker 1: Later the boys came out of the meeting room, and 681 00:45:07,275 --> 00:45:10,755 Speaker 1: the cameraman was in hysterics. He wound the video back 682 00:45:10,795 --> 00:45:13,115 Speaker 1: and had me watch it through the viewfinder of the camera. 683 00:45:13,595 --> 00:45:15,955 Speaker 1: As soon as they had walked in, Turner started to 684 00:45:15,955 --> 00:45:17,795 Speaker 1: give them dirty looks, and then suddenly one of the 685 00:45:17,955 --> 00:45:21,515 Speaker 1: NFL players said, Hey, Ted, there's your crew. There's your 686 00:45:21,635 --> 00:45:26,235 Speaker 1: CNN crew. Hey CNN over here. Everybody was laughing, and 687 00:45:26,315 --> 00:45:29,675 Speaker 1: now Ted was beaming that them. That's my CNN crew. 688 00:45:29,675 --> 00:45:33,675 Speaker 1: All right, good work boys. When his meeting with the 689 00:45:33,755 --> 00:45:35,915 Speaker 1: players broke up an hour later, I got a message 690 00:45:35,915 --> 00:45:39,315 Speaker 1: from Ted's assistant to wait for him around a corner 691 00:45:39,395 --> 00:45:42,955 Speaker 1: from the main lobby so he could give me give 692 00:45:43,075 --> 00:45:46,155 Speaker 1: CNN exclusive details about what he was trying to sell 693 00:45:46,195 --> 00:45:48,595 Speaker 1: the players on. It was a series of exhibition games 694 00:45:48,995 --> 00:45:50,915 Speaker 1: so the striking players could make a little money on 695 00:45:50,995 --> 00:45:54,155 Speaker 1: the side, that he could televise and there would be 696 00:45:54,195 --> 00:45:56,515 Speaker 1: a pitch to the National Labor Relations Board that the 697 00:45:56,555 --> 00:45:59,675 Speaker 1: strike had been forced on the players by the owners, 698 00:45:59,915 --> 00:46:02,595 Speaker 1: which would have meant the players would have all become 699 00:46:02,755 --> 00:46:06,875 Speaker 1: free agents. Ted won haunted them, all of them, every 700 00:46:06,955 --> 00:46:10,075 Speaker 1: player in the National Football League to sign instead with him. 701 00:46:10,635 --> 00:46:13,515 Speaker 1: He would create a twenty four team league. He would 702 00:46:13,555 --> 00:46:16,795 Speaker 1: give the union half ownership of every team. He would 703 00:46:16,835 --> 00:46:19,235 Speaker 1: find backers for the other half, and all he wanted 704 00:46:19,755 --> 00:46:23,475 Speaker 1: was the TV rights. It didn't happen, obviously, but what 705 00:46:23,595 --> 00:46:27,915 Speaker 1: a breathtaking scheme. Anyway, Turner was all smiles when he 706 00:46:27,955 --> 00:46:29,875 Speaker 1: came out of the meeting to tell me before he 707 00:46:29,955 --> 00:46:31,515 Speaker 1: met with the rest of the press, and he said, 708 00:46:31,555 --> 00:46:33,515 Speaker 1: great with the hat, good work, but I have to 709 00:46:33,595 --> 00:46:35,595 Speaker 1: get you guys some real sea and ed sports hats 710 00:46:35,635 --> 00:46:39,395 Speaker 1: for Christmas. Ted stayed another fifteen or twenty minutes doing 711 00:46:39,435 --> 00:46:42,915 Speaker 1: god knows what with God knows whom. I didn't see 712 00:46:42,915 --> 00:46:44,955 Speaker 1: any dumpsters in the hotel, and then he left by 713 00:46:45,035 --> 00:46:47,115 Speaker 1: the main exit as the rest of the camera crews 714 00:46:47,155 --> 00:46:49,995 Speaker 1: and reporters trailed him. I went along just to see 715 00:46:49,995 --> 00:46:51,595 Speaker 1: if there was anything he hadn't told me, And as 716 00:46:51,635 --> 00:46:53,795 Speaker 1: he went out the doors to his car, he said, 717 00:46:53,955 --> 00:46:58,115 Speaker 1: see overman, and I said, don't forget the hats, and 718 00:46:58,275 --> 00:47:01,555 Speaker 1: Ted Turner gave me one of the dirtiest looks I 719 00:47:01,635 --> 00:47:07,635 Speaker 1: have ever gotten in my life. Sure enough, a couple 720 00:47:07,675 --> 00:47:10,275 Speaker 1: of days before Christmas, I get a call from my 721 00:47:10,355 --> 00:47:12,715 Speaker 1: boss in Atlanta. I mean just got a box of 722 00:47:12,755 --> 00:47:16,355 Speaker 1: one hundred CNN Sports Truckers caps from Ted Turner's office. 723 00:47:16,835 --> 00:47:18,315 Speaker 1: I don't know what the hell this is all about, 724 00:47:18,355 --> 00:47:20,955 Speaker 1: but his assistant says, if we wanted to know, we 725 00:47:21,035 --> 00:47:24,275 Speaker 1: should call you. I was very proud of making the 726 00:47:24,355 --> 00:47:28,275 Speaker 1: correct choice between correcting mistake and getting us all hats 727 00:47:28,955 --> 00:47:34,475 Speaker 1: and dissaulting him. There is one PostScript. Ted talked the 728 00:47:34,555 --> 00:47:37,595 Speaker 1: players into the exhibition games. I mentioned only two of them, 729 00:47:37,675 --> 00:47:40,355 Speaker 1: one at RFK Stadium in Washington, which I went to 730 00:47:40,635 --> 00:47:45,795 Speaker 1: on assignment, seated next to Ted Turner. He had two 731 00:47:45,915 --> 00:47:49,755 Speaker 1: flasks with him. Anyway, the crowd was so small at 732 00:47:49,875 --> 00:47:52,355 Speaker 1: RFK Stadium in Washington that at one point they got 733 00:47:52,395 --> 00:47:55,195 Speaker 1: on the PA system and asked all the fans to 734 00:47:55,275 --> 00:47:58,235 Speaker 1: go sit down behind the player benches so the TV 735 00:47:58,395 --> 00:48:01,155 Speaker 1: shots of the game wouldn't show all those empty seats. 736 00:48:02,075 --> 00:48:05,155 Speaker 1: The other game was in the Los Angeles Collis. They 737 00:48:05,195 --> 00:48:08,595 Speaker 1: drew even less, maybe one thousand fans, probably more like 738 00:48:08,675 --> 00:48:13,315 Speaker 1: five hundred five hundred fans in the LA Coliseum. Five 739 00:48:13,435 --> 00:48:17,875 Speaker 1: hundred fans looks like the raisins and rice pudding. But 740 00:48:17,995 --> 00:48:20,635 Speaker 1: it was the name of his ad hoc league with 741 00:48:20,755 --> 00:48:23,555 Speaker 1: these games in Washington and LA that still sticks with 742 00:48:23,715 --> 00:48:27,995 Speaker 1: me forty years later Ted named it himself. I'm pretty 743 00:48:27,995 --> 00:48:31,515 Speaker 1: sure he did this deliberately. I know nobody else noticed 744 00:48:31,515 --> 00:48:34,115 Speaker 1: it until I made a big deal about it. Ted 745 00:48:34,195 --> 00:48:38,515 Speaker 1: Turner called his ill fated venture his Erzatz National Football 746 00:48:38,595 --> 00:48:44,795 Speaker 1: League the quote all Star season, and I said, perfect. 747 00:48:45,275 --> 00:48:49,315 Speaker 1: The acronym you have built for it is a s S. 748 00:49:03,315 --> 00:49:05,115 Speaker 1: I've done all that average I can do here. Thank 749 00:49:05,155 --> 00:49:07,595 Speaker 1: you for listening. Brian Ray and John Phillip Schaneil the 750 00:49:07,635 --> 00:49:10,555 Speaker 1: musical directors have Countdown, arranged, produced, and performed most of 751 00:49:10,635 --> 00:49:14,515 Speaker 1: our music. Mister Chanelle handled orchestration at keyboards, mister Ray 752 00:49:14,595 --> 00:49:16,075 Speaker 1: was on the guitars, bass and drums, and it was 753 00:49:16,115 --> 00:49:20,035 Speaker 1: produced by Tko Brothers. Our satirical and fifty musical comments 754 00:49:20,035 --> 00:49:22,675 Speaker 1: are by the best baseball stadium organist ever, Nancy Faust. 755 00:49:23,275 --> 00:49:26,075 Speaker 1: The sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, 756 00:49:26,515 --> 00:49:30,115 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis Curtisy of ESPN Inc. Other 757 00:49:30,275 --> 00:49:32,955 Speaker 1: music arranged and performed by the group No Horns allowed, 758 00:49:33,475 --> 00:49:36,475 Speaker 1: and my announcer was my friend. Why this is a coincidence, 759 00:49:36,715 --> 00:49:41,675 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust? Everything else was, as ever my fault. My 760 00:49:41,795 --> 00:49:44,275 Speaker 1: best wish is, of course, to Ted Turner. My first 761 00:49:44,635 --> 00:49:48,795 Speaker 1: television boss of bosses. That's countdown for today, Just one 762 00:49:49,275 --> 00:49:52,275 Speaker 1: four hundred and ninety five days until the scheduled end 763 00:49:52,355 --> 00:49:57,035 Speaker 1: of the lame duck presidency of Trump. Probably your lawsuit 764 00:49:57,155 --> 00:50:01,995 Speaker 1: may vary. The next scheduled countdown is Monday. As always, 765 00:50:02,115 --> 00:50:04,715 Speaker 1: bulletins as the news warrants till the next one, and 766 00:50:04,715 --> 00:50:08,635 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Aldrimman. Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and 767 00:50:09,595 --> 00:50:28,355 Speaker 1: good luck. Countdown with Keith Olberman is a production of iHeartRadio. 768 00:50:28,675 --> 00:50:33,795 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 769 00:50:34,115 --> 00:50:36,035 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.