1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,075 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. I 2 00:00:22,115 --> 00:00:26,435 Speaker 1: don't think I've ever seen anybody actually put the toothpaste 3 00:00:26,915 --> 00:00:31,395 Speaker 1: back into the tube before even just a lot of 4 00:00:31,435 --> 00:00:35,275 Speaker 1: the toothpaste. Yet that is exactly what Joe Biden did 5 00:00:35,355 --> 00:00:39,795 Speaker 1: last night, many years ago, probably in two thousand and 6 00:00:39,835 --> 00:00:42,715 Speaker 1: six or two thousand and eight. I was seated at 7 00:00:42,755 --> 00:00:45,915 Speaker 1: an anchor desk on an election night at thirty Rock, 8 00:00:45,995 --> 00:00:49,035 Speaker 1: probably a primary night, and the man seated next to me, 9 00:00:49,075 --> 00:00:51,275 Speaker 1: who was at least sixty years old at the time, 10 00:00:51,675 --> 00:00:54,395 Speaker 1: got the queue to do our reset at the top 11 00:00:54,435 --> 00:00:58,115 Speaker 1: of a new hour, and his millions watched, he loudly 12 00:00:58,155 --> 00:01:01,875 Speaker 1: and quickly announced, quote, good evening, the polls have just closed. 13 00:01:01,955 --> 00:01:06,435 Speaker 1: Alongside Chris Matthews. I'm Keith Olberman. He never noticed he 14 00:01:06,475 --> 00:01:09,515 Speaker 1: said it, He never corrected it, he never thought to 15 00:01:09,555 --> 00:01:14,315 Speaker 1: correct it. He certainly never ever would have made a 16 00:01:14,435 --> 00:01:18,875 Speaker 1: joke about it at his own expense. I will now 17 00:01:18,915 --> 00:01:21,835 Speaker 1: say to you, with those two statements as preface, something 18 00:01:21,835 --> 00:01:26,555 Speaker 1: that very few political commentators will say, or sports commentators 19 00:01:26,675 --> 00:01:30,795 Speaker 1: or analysts or political analysts will ever say, I do 20 00:01:30,955 --> 00:01:35,835 Speaker 1: not know right now what we should do next. I 21 00:01:35,875 --> 00:01:38,915 Speaker 1: will also say I was prepared to insist that today 22 00:01:39,435 --> 00:01:43,595 Speaker 1: President Obama and Nancy Pelosi and Chris Dodd and Ted 23 00:01:43,675 --> 00:01:47,675 Speaker 1: Kaufman and Jim Clyburn and Majority Leader Schumer and Minority 24 00:01:47,715 --> 00:01:50,795 Speaker 1: Leader Jeffries and John Meacham and anybody else they think 25 00:01:50,835 --> 00:01:53,035 Speaker 1: would help, needed to go to the White House and 26 00:01:53,075 --> 00:01:56,115 Speaker 1: plead with President Biden to withdraw his name from the 27 00:01:56,155 --> 00:01:59,355 Speaker 1: Democratic ticket. And I am not certain that that is 28 00:01:59,395 --> 00:02:02,955 Speaker 1: not still the best course. And I will also say 29 00:02:02,995 --> 00:02:06,595 Speaker 1: that when ninety minutes before four last night's news conference 30 00:02:06,635 --> 00:02:10,995 Speaker 1: even began, mister Biden called Zelenski Putin, and then when 31 00:02:10,995 --> 00:02:13,595 Speaker 1: the news conference began, he called Vice President Harris vice 32 00:02:13,635 --> 00:02:18,475 Speaker 1: President Trump. I thought that was still the only course, 33 00:02:20,675 --> 00:02:23,715 Speaker 1: and then Joe Biden acknowledged that might be the course. 34 00:02:24,355 --> 00:02:27,955 Speaker 1: There may be multiple courses. And then Biden acknowledged that 35 00:02:27,995 --> 00:02:30,035 Speaker 1: he had to do better, and he had to show 36 00:02:30,115 --> 00:02:33,595 Speaker 1: more people in more unrehearsed settings that he does better. 37 00:02:33,995 --> 00:02:38,195 Speaker 1: And then Biden spent fifteen minutes deconstructing and recapitulating every 38 00:02:38,355 --> 00:02:42,915 Speaker 1: conceivable aspect of our foreign policy, from how this Israel 39 00:02:43,035 --> 00:02:48,315 Speaker 1: different from golda my years Israel, through Ukraine towards China's 40 00:02:48,355 --> 00:02:51,755 Speaker 1: movement towards Russia and Europe's subsequent movement away from China. 41 00:02:52,075 --> 00:02:56,235 Speaker 1: And then he moved effortlessly into self evaluation and evaluation 42 00:02:56,275 --> 00:02:59,115 Speaker 1: of Vice President Harris and of what had changed in 43 00:02:59,115 --> 00:03:02,555 Speaker 1: his original twenty twenty plan to be a transitional president 44 00:03:02,635 --> 00:03:05,795 Speaker 1: to the next generation, and of what's circumstances he might 45 00:03:05,915 --> 00:03:08,955 Speaker 1: not run in after all. And as I started to 46 00:03:09,035 --> 00:03:12,675 Speaker 1: delete line after line after line from my notes from 47 00:03:12,795 --> 00:03:16,195 Speaker 1: yesterday afternoon, up popped something on the front page of 48 00:03:16,195 --> 00:03:21,475 Speaker 1: the Holy goddamn New York Times. President Biden had some flubs, 49 00:03:21,875 --> 00:03:26,075 Speaker 1: but he also delivered kagent responses on some complex issues. 50 00:03:27,875 --> 00:03:31,555 Speaker 1: You bet your ass. And then Joe Biden took the 51 00:03:31,595 --> 00:03:34,435 Speaker 1: two gaffs that he made and he made fun of them, 52 00:03:34,675 --> 00:03:37,075 Speaker 1: and he made fun of himself, and most importantly, he 53 00:03:37,315 --> 00:03:39,915 Speaker 1: jiu jitsued Trump tried to make fun of him, and 54 00:03:40,035 --> 00:03:41,995 Speaker 1: he shoved it back up Trump's ass. 55 00:03:42,355 --> 00:03:43,875 Speaker 2: And now I want to hand it over to the 56 00:03:43,915 --> 00:03:47,595 Speaker 2: President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he 57 00:03:47,635 --> 00:03:54,355 Speaker 2: has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin, President Putin, He's 58 00:03:54,355 --> 00:03:58,555 Speaker 2: got to beat President Pusin. President Lensky, I'm so focused 59 00:03:58,595 --> 00:04:02,675 Speaker 2: on beating Putin. We gotta worry about it anyway, President, 60 00:04:03,555 --> 00:04:06,755 Speaker 2: you are a hell hawker vice President Harris's ability to 61 00:04:07,035 --> 00:04:09,315 Speaker 2: beat Donald Trump if she were at the top of 62 00:04:09,315 --> 00:04:13,755 Speaker 2: the ticket. Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump 63 00:04:13,835 --> 00:04:16,795 Speaker 2: to be vice president. I think she was not qualified 64 00:04:16,835 --> 00:04:20,595 Speaker 2: to be president. Misso in your oling answer, you preferred 65 00:04:20,595 --> 00:04:23,635 Speaker 2: to Vice President Harris as vice President Trump. 66 00:04:24,075 --> 00:04:27,355 Speaker 1: Right now, Donald Trump is usually that to mock your 67 00:04:27,435 --> 00:04:28,715 Speaker 1: age and your memory? 68 00:04:29,035 --> 00:04:33,475 Speaker 2: How do you get bat that criticism from Zenia's listen 69 00:04:33,555 --> 00:04:34,275 Speaker 2: to him? 70 00:04:34,715 --> 00:04:38,355 Speaker 1: Shortly thereafter came the tweet I would presume written by 71 00:04:38,355 --> 00:04:41,435 Speaker 1: somebody else, but under his byline, and certainly consistent with 72 00:04:41,515 --> 00:04:46,315 Speaker 1: that snark. The dare the dismissiveness of what he said 73 00:04:46,355 --> 00:04:49,195 Speaker 1: at the press conference about Trump. It's a screenshot of 74 00:04:49,235 --> 00:04:52,275 Speaker 1: Trump's Joe begins his big boy press conference with I 75 00:04:52,315 --> 00:04:55,155 Speaker 1: wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, 76 00:04:55,155 --> 00:04:57,435 Speaker 1: though I think she was not qualified to be president. 77 00:04:58,675 --> 00:05:04,315 Speaker 1: Great job. Joe attached to that this dagger thrust from Biden. Quote. 78 00:05:04,315 --> 00:05:06,475 Speaker 1: By the way, yes, I know the difference one's a 79 00:05:06,515 --> 00:05:13,355 Speaker 1: prosecutor and the others a felon. I do not know 80 00:05:13,675 --> 00:05:18,355 Speaker 1: what to do next. I do know that I am 81 00:05:18,355 --> 00:05:21,235 Speaker 1: not alone in suggesting that had President Biden spoken in 82 00:05:21,315 --> 00:05:24,435 Speaker 1: that way during the debate, or if he had held 83 00:05:24,475 --> 00:05:28,075 Speaker 1: that news conference the night after the debate, it would 84 00:05:28,115 --> 00:05:30,755 Speaker 1: have been almost impossible for the events of the last 85 00:05:30,755 --> 00:05:34,155 Speaker 1: two weeks to have unfolded the way they did. Impossible. 86 00:05:35,795 --> 00:05:38,795 Speaker 1: It is also impossible to conceive of Trump holding such 87 00:05:38,875 --> 00:05:44,755 Speaker 1: a press conference dealing substantially and accurately with foreign policy. Now, 88 00:05:44,795 --> 00:05:47,235 Speaker 1: I mean the actual foreign policy of the world out 89 00:05:47,275 --> 00:05:50,515 Speaker 1: here that we live in, and not the vainglorious fantasies 90 00:05:50,555 --> 00:05:53,635 Speaker 1: of a madman who I am convinced does not believe 91 00:05:53,675 --> 00:05:55,755 Speaker 1: he is mortal or is that he is ever going 92 00:05:55,835 --> 00:06:00,235 Speaker 1: to die. I don't mean asking Trump to hold a 93 00:06:00,315 --> 00:06:03,995 Speaker 1: substantive fifty minute news conference. I mean asking him to 94 00:06:04,035 --> 00:06:07,555 Speaker 1: hold three or four minutes about other things and other 95 00:06:07,595 --> 00:06:11,995 Speaker 1: people besides himself, and how wonderful he is. And by 96 00:06:12,035 --> 00:06:14,275 Speaker 1: the way, every three or four minutes Trump makes more 97 00:06:14,315 --> 00:06:19,395 Speaker 1: gaffs than Biden did in one hour last night. In 98 00:06:19,435 --> 00:06:21,835 Speaker 1: two thousand and nine, I had the odd pleasure of 99 00:06:21,875 --> 00:06:24,115 Speaker 1: an off the record lunch at the White House with 100 00:06:24,235 --> 00:06:28,315 Speaker 1: President Obama, and I believe eleven other commentators and news 101 00:06:28,395 --> 00:06:32,595 Speaker 1: analysts were there. I could look up the names the 102 00:06:32,635 --> 00:06:35,515 Speaker 1: premise of it, explained Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, when I 103 00:06:35,555 --> 00:06:38,795 Speaker 1: expressed surprise that people were taking notes, was that all 104 00:06:38,835 --> 00:06:41,795 Speaker 1: of these guys, John Dickerson was there, Geene Robinson from 105 00:06:41,795 --> 00:06:44,395 Speaker 1: the Washington Post, a bunch of others. They would be 106 00:06:44,475 --> 00:06:48,595 Speaker 1: writing columns or doing pieces on what Obama might think 107 00:06:48,635 --> 00:06:51,435 Speaker 1: about this foreign policy issue or what his options might 108 00:06:51,515 --> 00:06:54,675 Speaker 1: be in that domestic policy dilemma. And the White House thought, 109 00:06:54,795 --> 00:06:56,995 Speaker 1: what the hell, let's at least let them find out 110 00:06:56,995 --> 00:07:00,995 Speaker 1: what he's actually thinking. So when they guess in their columns, 111 00:07:01,235 --> 00:07:04,835 Speaker 1: maybe they'll be right. And I got to hear of 112 00:07:04,835 --> 00:07:08,155 Speaker 1: Barack Obama weave together over one of the best meals 113 00:07:08,195 --> 00:07:11,395 Speaker 1: I've ever been served, everything from Afghanistan to the price 114 00:07:11,435 --> 00:07:13,075 Speaker 1: of the produce sitting in front of us, and I 115 00:07:13,155 --> 00:07:16,755 Speaker 1: was confident I would never hear anything as intricate and 116 00:07:16,875 --> 00:07:22,315 Speaker 1: as accurate or as comprehensive again in my life. Biden 117 00:07:22,435 --> 00:07:27,875 Speaker 1: exceeded that last night and mixed in humility and mixed 118 00:07:27,875 --> 00:07:31,275 Speaker 1: in pure anger at the end. And by the way, 119 00:07:31,395 --> 00:07:33,555 Speaker 1: on the record, and that little. 120 00:07:33,435 --> 00:07:39,275 Speaker 2: Button, yeah, control guns, not girls, I mean the idea 121 00:07:39,955 --> 00:07:42,475 Speaker 2: we're sitting around this for Kamos so good as well. 122 00:07:42,955 --> 00:07:47,915 Speaker 2: We're sitting around more children are killed as by a 123 00:07:48,075 --> 00:07:52,795 Speaker 2: bullet in any other cause of death. The United States 124 00:07:52,835 --> 00:07:57,115 Speaker 2: of America, What hell are we doing? What are we doing? 125 00:07:58,195 --> 00:08:00,675 Speaker 2: We got a candidate say promised, then don't worry. I'm 126 00:08:00,715 --> 00:08:02,795 Speaker 2: not going to do anythe I'm not going. 127 00:08:02,795 --> 00:08:03,315 Speaker 3: To do anything. 128 00:08:03,795 --> 00:08:07,475 Speaker 1: So I do not know what to do next other 129 00:08:07,595 --> 00:08:11,355 Speaker 1: than to think about it some more. Because as impressive 130 00:08:11,395 --> 00:08:15,155 Speaker 1: as that was, it did not magically wipe away the 131 00:08:15,235 --> 00:08:18,315 Speaker 1: remaining negatives, And the primary remaining negative is that there 132 00:08:18,355 --> 00:08:22,915 Speaker 1: is now a presidential campaign who's genuinely mentally ill. Candidate 133 00:08:23,035 --> 00:08:26,555 Speaker 1: is being let off the hook for calling Biden Obama, 134 00:08:26,915 --> 00:08:30,715 Speaker 1: and calling Nicky Haley Nancy Pelosi, and for forgetting his 135 00:08:30,835 --> 00:08:34,795 Speaker 1: son's name, and for descending into gibberish five times a speech, 136 00:08:35,115 --> 00:08:37,915 Speaker 1: week in and week out. Because the other guy is 137 00:08:37,915 --> 00:08:40,515 Speaker 1: the president of the United States and not insane, so 138 00:08:40,715 --> 00:08:43,755 Speaker 1: we hold him to a higher standard, and because the 139 00:08:43,755 --> 00:08:47,035 Speaker 1: news media of this nation is irreparably broken, and because 140 00:08:47,075 --> 00:08:50,475 Speaker 1: that opposition campaign has sixty one million dollars in AD 141 00:08:50,515 --> 00:08:52,915 Speaker 1: money to spend on making sure that everybody in this 142 00:08:52,955 --> 00:08:55,075 Speaker 1: country who's not giving Joe Biden to benefit of the 143 00:08:55,075 --> 00:08:58,355 Speaker 1: doubt or wasn't watching the news conference. Here's him calls 144 00:08:58,395 --> 00:09:02,715 Speaker 1: Zlenski putin. And after the debate, that benefit of the 145 00:09:02,755 --> 00:09:04,915 Speaker 1: doubt started to dry up, and as of last night 146 00:09:04,955 --> 00:09:09,795 Speaker 1: the wellbed had been pretty dry. I'm out of analogies here. 147 00:09:09,835 --> 00:09:13,795 Speaker 1: Maybe toothpaste in the well bed. There also remains the 148 00:09:13,875 --> 00:09:16,595 Speaker 1: unmistakable reality that the news conference last night was a 149 00:09:16,715 --> 00:09:19,755 Speaker 1: first step, and it should have been taken first, and 150 00:09:19,795 --> 00:09:23,115 Speaker 1: now instead it could easily be the last straw, because 151 00:09:23,235 --> 00:09:26,355 Speaker 1: ultimately this is not about Joe Biden doing the job. 152 00:09:26,555 --> 00:09:32,555 Speaker 1: It's about him winning the election. But one thought it 153 00:09:32,715 --> 00:09:35,755 Speaker 1: is possible that in that news conference are the seeds 154 00:09:35,835 --> 00:09:39,035 Speaker 1: of a way to keep President Biden on the ticket 155 00:09:39,915 --> 00:09:43,595 Speaker 1: and get him over the finish line. I have suggested 156 00:09:43,635 --> 00:09:48,635 Speaker 1: here previously that taped television interviews are useless, as was 157 00:09:48,675 --> 00:09:50,715 Speaker 1: the opening of the news conference where he read from 158 00:09:50,755 --> 00:09:53,595 Speaker 1: the teleprompter other than to let him toot his own 159 00:09:53,635 --> 00:09:58,715 Speaker 1: horn for a while. But live television interviews would not 160 00:09:58,795 --> 00:10:02,035 Speaker 1: be useless. Tell NBC the President will give Lester Holt 161 00:10:02,035 --> 00:10:06,235 Speaker 1: an hour, but it must be live, or it must 162 00:10:06,315 --> 00:10:10,195 Speaker 1: be a live town hall, or cancel the interview and 163 00:10:10,235 --> 00:10:14,835 Speaker 1: hold another news conference or a town hall or have 164 00:10:14,955 --> 00:10:18,515 Speaker 1: him just stop people on the street, live, live, live, Live. 165 00:10:19,195 --> 00:10:26,115 Speaker 1: Saturate the airwaves with Joe Biden Live, Joe Biden making 166 00:10:26,195 --> 00:10:29,635 Speaker 1: sense on foreign policy, making sense on jobs, making sense 167 00:10:29,675 --> 00:10:34,035 Speaker 1: on inflation, on democracy, on immigration, on guns, on Trump. 168 00:10:35,155 --> 00:10:41,955 Speaker 1: Flood the Zone with Joe Biden Live every week. Last 169 00:10:41,995 --> 00:10:45,675 Speaker 1: night he did something extraordinary, something I flatly thought impossible 170 00:10:45,715 --> 00:10:47,995 Speaker 1: until I saw it, and I wish I would not 171 00:10:48,035 --> 00:10:50,035 Speaker 1: have believed if I had merely heard an account of it. 172 00:10:50,395 --> 00:10:55,755 Speaker 1: Keep doing that. Bring him back once a week, hell twice. 173 00:10:55,755 --> 00:10:57,915 Speaker 1: If you can get people to carry it, put them 174 00:10:57,955 --> 00:11:00,395 Speaker 1: on live so often that he begins to bore voters 175 00:11:00,435 --> 00:11:02,675 Speaker 1: to tears. All right, all right, I'll vote for you. 176 00:11:02,755 --> 00:11:07,875 Speaker 1: Get off my television. Lost in our attempt to fathom 177 00:11:08,035 --> 00:11:12,875 Speaker 1: how the idiots and haters of this country not just 178 00:11:13,195 --> 00:11:17,755 Speaker 1: stand Trump but love Trump is the simplicity of what 179 00:11:17,795 --> 00:11:23,715 Speaker 1: he means to them. He is a television show. Virtually 180 00:11:23,755 --> 00:11:27,555 Speaker 1: every Saturday for two years, he has gone somewhere and 181 00:11:27,755 --> 00:11:31,075 Speaker 1: in front of a raucous crowd, presented this bizarre cross 182 00:11:31,435 --> 00:11:34,515 Speaker 1: between an hour of he Haw and a Hitler rally. 183 00:11:35,555 --> 00:11:39,835 Speaker 1: It's always there, always talking, always soothing the people whose 184 00:11:39,875 --> 00:11:43,155 Speaker 1: lives are failures, and need somebody else to blame. But 185 00:11:43,395 --> 00:11:52,475 Speaker 1: mostly he's just there like McDonald's. Well, maybe Biden can 186 00:11:52,515 --> 00:11:54,155 Speaker 1: be that for the rest of the nation. Maybe that 187 00:11:54,315 --> 00:11:59,315 Speaker 1: is the lesson the last night. It is sad, and 188 00:11:59,355 --> 00:12:01,875 Speaker 1: as a sixty five year old man, it is terrifying 189 00:12:01,875 --> 00:12:03,835 Speaker 1: for me to contemplate that I will be there soon 190 00:12:03,915 --> 00:12:06,675 Speaker 1: enough to remember the harshness of my own words. But America, 191 00:12:07,155 --> 00:12:11,595 Speaker 1: especially our underinformed voters, will in fact choose the crazy 192 00:12:11,675 --> 00:12:15,395 Speaker 1: old man yelling at the cloud over the sane old 193 00:12:15,435 --> 00:12:20,515 Speaker 1: man who's whispering at the wind. It is cruel, It 194 00:12:20,595 --> 00:12:24,435 Speaker 1: is the opposite of their best interests. That don't make 195 00:12:24,475 --> 00:12:28,035 Speaker 1: it any less true, because, as I have said for 196 00:12:28,075 --> 00:12:29,595 Speaker 1: two weeks, the worst place in the world for the 197 00:12:29,635 --> 00:12:32,595 Speaker 1: hopes of this country and this humanity is where we 198 00:12:32,675 --> 00:12:35,275 Speaker 1: are in the middle, as forces on both sides of 199 00:12:35,315 --> 00:12:38,915 Speaker 1: this heart rending uncertainty gather strength and will and resoluteness, 200 00:12:38,915 --> 00:12:43,235 Speaker 1: and even gather anti Harris polling leaked by the Biden 201 00:12:43,315 --> 00:12:48,835 Speaker 1: campaign in as irrational a political decision as I've ever seen, 202 00:12:51,315 --> 00:12:52,955 Speaker 1: do we give Joe Biden a week to fight his 203 00:12:52,995 --> 00:12:55,195 Speaker 1: way completely back to put the rest of the toothpaste 204 00:12:55,195 --> 00:12:57,515 Speaker 1: in the tube? He said, if they show him data 205 00:12:57,555 --> 00:13:00,515 Speaker 1: that shows he cannot beat Trump, he'll go. He said 206 00:13:00,555 --> 00:13:02,875 Speaker 1: his delegates can vote for somebody else in August at 207 00:13:02,875 --> 00:13:05,395 Speaker 1: the convention. And I know he conditioned on a lot 208 00:13:05,395 --> 00:13:08,675 Speaker 1: of other factors, but can you imagine anybody else saying 209 00:13:08,715 --> 00:13:12,275 Speaker 1: that ever in American history? And then, by the way, 210 00:13:12,515 --> 00:13:18,875 Speaker 1: segueing back to the complicated history between Japan and South 211 00:13:18,955 --> 00:13:27,195 Speaker 1: Korea again, this is not an unquestioned endorsement of the 212 00:13:27,235 --> 00:13:32,395 Speaker 1: continued candidacy of Joe Biden. I have reached the conclusion 213 00:13:32,435 --> 00:13:35,435 Speaker 1: after two years of doing this podcast, and after the 214 00:13:35,435 --> 00:13:38,035 Speaker 1: two weeks since the debate, in which I have thought 215 00:13:38,075 --> 00:13:40,875 Speaker 1: about nothing else, that if Joe Biden's age were not 216 00:13:40,995 --> 00:13:43,755 Speaker 1: part of this campaign, and Joe Biden's gaffes were not 217 00:13:43,795 --> 00:13:46,475 Speaker 1: part of this campaign, and the efforts to shield Joe 218 00:13:46,515 --> 00:13:48,995 Speaker 1: Biden from risky situations were not part of this campaign, 219 00:13:49,315 --> 00:13:53,875 Speaker 1: all of the spotlights, the justifiable spotlights, and the media 220 00:13:53,955 --> 00:13:59,755 Speaker 1: creation spotlights would turn entirely on Trump. The media would 221 00:13:59,835 --> 00:14:06,075 Speaker 1: be full time hunting Trump. I'm not an idiot. I 222 00:14:06,075 --> 00:14:09,075 Speaker 1: don't think Vice President Harris or President Harris would sail 223 00:14:09,235 --> 00:14:13,195 Speaker 1: untouched through an unprecedented replacement campaign. But I do think 224 00:14:13,435 --> 00:14:16,035 Speaker 1: she would get nearly all of the independent voters, and 225 00:14:16,115 --> 00:14:17,915 Speaker 1: I do think she would get nearly all of the 226 00:14:17,915 --> 00:14:20,395 Speaker 1: so called double haters. And I do think she would 227 00:14:20,435 --> 00:14:25,515 Speaker 1: every day speaking, not speaking, smiling, not smiling, tooth pasting 228 00:14:25,635 --> 00:14:28,315 Speaker 1: or not tooth pasting, she would remind every American that 229 00:14:28,795 --> 00:14:35,115 Speaker 1: Trump is a dangerous, psychopathic, unstable old man. Trump's candidacy 230 00:14:35,155 --> 00:14:40,395 Speaker 1: I think is viable, plausible, not inherently ridiculous, largely because 231 00:14:40,955 --> 00:14:43,395 Speaker 1: Joe Biden blunts much of the shock each day that 232 00:14:43,435 --> 00:14:48,395 Speaker 1: Trump should inflict but does not. The number of things 233 00:14:48,395 --> 00:14:50,595 Speaker 1: that we cannot now say about Trump, the number of 234 00:14:50,635 --> 00:14:53,995 Speaker 1: things that would in Biden's absence occur to our vast 235 00:14:54,235 --> 00:14:58,395 Speaker 1: under informed demographic who will actually decide this election, would 236 00:14:58,435 --> 00:15:02,955 Speaker 1: be enormous. The oxygen supply for Trump the other thing 237 00:15:02,995 --> 00:15:06,595 Speaker 1: we can't conceive. He can point to Joe Biden and 238 00:15:06,675 --> 00:15:10,555 Speaker 1: say to his supporters and say, I'm not old, he's old, 239 00:15:11,115 --> 00:15:16,955 Speaker 1: I'm not unreliable. He's unreliable. No Biden, and that vanishes, 240 00:15:18,595 --> 00:15:23,515 Speaker 1: not vanishing from Trump. He will continue to say those things, 241 00:15:24,275 --> 00:15:26,915 Speaker 1: and now he would say new and racist things as well. 242 00:15:27,235 --> 00:15:30,155 Speaker 1: But the ability to point at President Biden and score 243 00:15:30,235 --> 00:15:33,995 Speaker 1: both sides ist, what about his points By merely noting 244 00:15:34,035 --> 00:15:36,955 Speaker 1: Biden's age, or his infirmity or his struggles, that would 245 00:15:36,955 --> 00:15:44,995 Speaker 1: be gone. That enticing scenario remains. And the other problem 246 00:15:45,035 --> 00:15:48,275 Speaker 1: that isn't going away is about those around the president. 247 00:15:48,315 --> 00:15:51,195 Speaker 1: After the news conference yesterday and the news stories yesterday, 248 00:15:51,555 --> 00:15:54,635 Speaker 1: there's no immediate need to test Joe Biden's acuity, but 249 00:15:54,675 --> 00:15:58,555 Speaker 1: there certainly are reasons to test his staff sanity. The 250 00:15:58,635 --> 00:16:02,275 Speaker 1: ABC Washington Post poll yesterday that showed fifty seven percent 251 00:16:02,275 --> 00:16:05,635 Speaker 1: of Democrats want the president to drop out actually buried 252 00:16:05,675 --> 00:16:08,915 Speaker 1: the lead from the poll. It also polled a Trump 253 00:16:08,995 --> 00:16:12,595 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris matchup. She leads that forty nine to forty seven. 254 00:16:12,635 --> 00:16:15,795 Speaker 1: Trump and Biden are tied at forty six, and those 255 00:16:15,915 --> 00:16:19,955 Speaker 1: poll numbers would be Vice President Harris's start, not her finish. 256 00:16:21,195 --> 00:16:23,755 Speaker 1: But a campaign staff memo leaked to The New York 257 00:16:23,795 --> 00:16:28,595 Speaker 1: Times from the Biden campaign chairman and manager insists that 258 00:16:28,755 --> 00:16:32,475 Speaker 1: for the president there is quote clear pathway ahead and 259 00:16:32,515 --> 00:16:36,235 Speaker 1: then goes in a dark direction quote. There is also 260 00:16:36,395 --> 00:16:40,275 Speaker 1: no indication that anyone else would outperform the president versus Trump. 261 00:16:40,635 --> 00:16:45,275 Speaker 1: Hypothetical polling of alternative nominees will always be unreliable, and 262 00:16:45,435 --> 00:16:48,595 Speaker 1: surveys do not take into account the negative media environment 263 00:16:48,835 --> 00:16:52,635 Speaker 1: that any Democratic nominee will encounter. The only Democratic candidate 264 00:16:52,675 --> 00:16:55,275 Speaker 1: for whom this is already baked in is President Biden. 265 00:16:56,915 --> 00:16:59,715 Speaker 1: That there is mud slinging by implication against the vice 266 00:16:59,795 --> 00:17:02,795 Speaker 1: president by those around the president is bad enough. What's 267 00:17:02,835 --> 00:17:08,355 Speaker 1: worse is that those conclusions are ridiculous. After Trump's convictions, 268 00:17:08,395 --> 00:17:12,395 Speaker 1: the President had finally taken the lead in the polling averages. 269 00:17:12,435 --> 00:17:14,515 Speaker 1: He was on the upswing nationally, he was on the 270 00:17:14,595 --> 00:17:18,395 Speaker 1: upswing in every swing state, and now this tie in 271 00:17:18,475 --> 00:17:22,355 Speaker 1: the post ABC poll is the best result since the debate. 272 00:17:23,035 --> 00:17:26,595 Speaker 1: Most polls have Biden trailing by three or four or 273 00:17:26,635 --> 00:17:29,555 Speaker 1: five points and hemorrhaging support in the swing states. It 274 00:17:29,635 --> 00:17:33,155 Speaker 1: is not baked in. To continue the analogy, there is 275 00:17:33,195 --> 00:17:34,955 Speaker 1: a lot more of it in the oven, and the 276 00:17:34,995 --> 00:17:39,395 Speaker 1: goddamned oven may also be on fire. There were also 277 00:17:39,515 --> 00:17:42,635 Speaker 1: three other sets of other leaks yesterday, one to NBC 278 00:17:43,195 --> 00:17:46,395 Speaker 1: attributed to campaign staffers saying they see no path for 279 00:17:46,595 --> 00:17:49,315 Speaker 1: a Biden victory and he should drop out. One to 280 00:17:49,355 --> 00:17:52,595 Speaker 1: The New York Times, attributed to longtime aids and advisors 281 00:17:52,795 --> 00:17:55,275 Speaker 1: saying they are seeking ways to convince him to drop out, 282 00:17:55,915 --> 00:17:59,515 Speaker 1: and a third to the nonprofit Notice News, saying that 283 00:17:59,555 --> 00:18:02,555 Speaker 1: the unanimous support of the Congressional Black Caucus covers up 284 00:18:02,595 --> 00:18:05,955 Speaker 1: several members who believe he needs to step down but 285 00:18:05,995 --> 00:18:09,715 Speaker 1: aren't saying it so they can say they're unanimous. The 286 00:18:09,755 --> 00:18:12,555 Speaker 1: senators at the meeting with Biden staffers say they were 287 00:18:12,595 --> 00:18:16,835 Speaker 1: provided no new data yesterday, no polling, no new information. 288 00:18:18,675 --> 00:18:21,275 Speaker 1: One Democratic senator has now called for Biden to step aside. 289 00:18:21,315 --> 00:18:24,595 Speaker 1: Fourteen Democratic members of Congress have done the same, including 290 00:18:24,635 --> 00:18:29,235 Speaker 1: the contrarian Marie Glusen camp Perez, and she says the 291 00:18:29,235 --> 00:18:34,875 Speaker 1: President should also resign his office. And then there were 292 00:18:34,915 --> 00:18:40,315 Speaker 1: the radio interviews. The White House provided questions to WURD 293 00:18:40,515 --> 00:18:43,875 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia before it interviewed President Biden, and to the 294 00:18:43,915 --> 00:18:48,635 Speaker 1: Civic Media Progressive Radio Network in Wisconsin. The Philadelphia station 295 00:18:48,675 --> 00:18:51,355 Speaker 1: has already parted ways with its host, who went along 296 00:18:51,395 --> 00:18:55,075 Speaker 1: with this manipulation. Now the Wisconsin outlet is revealing that 297 00:18:55,155 --> 00:18:59,475 Speaker 1: after their interview with the questions, President Biden certainly were 298 00:18:59,635 --> 00:19:03,315 Speaker 1: considered ready for the campaign, was concerned that he had 299 00:19:03,315 --> 00:19:06,235 Speaker 1: made a factual error in one answer and made an 300 00:19:06,315 --> 00:19:09,875 Speaker 1: unfortunate reference to hanging in another answer, and they asked 301 00:19:09,875 --> 00:19:13,835 Speaker 1: the network to edit those answers down, and it complied. 302 00:19:15,955 --> 00:19:18,475 Speaker 1: The New York Times and yes, their editorial choices have 303 00:19:18,555 --> 00:19:22,235 Speaker 1: damaged their reputation beyond repair. The solution here maybe to 304 00:19:22,235 --> 00:19:24,995 Speaker 1: replace The New York Times with Kamala Harris. The New 305 00:19:25,035 --> 00:19:28,595 Speaker 1: York Times actually then did some decent gum shoe reporting. 306 00:19:29,315 --> 00:19:31,795 Speaker 1: It went and looked for more instances of this. It 307 00:19:31,875 --> 00:19:34,795 Speaker 1: cited two interviews on the same day before the State 308 00:19:34,835 --> 00:19:37,355 Speaker 1: of the Union in March, in which Biden was asked, 309 00:19:37,355 --> 00:19:40,115 Speaker 1: first by a radio host in Charlotte, quote if he 310 00:19:40,115 --> 00:19:42,875 Speaker 1: would list his accomplishments, say why he had decided to 311 00:19:42,915 --> 00:19:45,315 Speaker 1: run for a second term, and explain what was its 312 00:19:45,355 --> 00:19:48,875 Speaker 1: stake for black voters in the election. And then same 313 00:19:48,955 --> 00:19:50,955 Speaker 1: day he was asked by a radio host in Dallas, 314 00:19:51,035 --> 00:19:53,875 Speaker 1: quote if he would list his accomplishments, say why he 315 00:19:53,915 --> 00:19:56,075 Speaker 1: had decided to run for a second term, and explain 316 00:19:56,115 --> 00:19:58,155 Speaker 1: what was at stake for black voters in the election. 317 00:19:59,315 --> 00:20:02,555 Speaker 1: And The Times found repeated instances in which, quoting them again, 318 00:20:02,915 --> 00:20:06,995 Speaker 1: the president has been served up identical questions, pre screened 319 00:20:07,115 --> 00:20:10,235 Speaker 1: or suggested ahead of time by campaign staff members, and 320 00:20:10,435 --> 00:20:13,795 Speaker 1: in nearly every case, the questions set the president up 321 00:20:13,835 --> 00:20:21,115 Speaker 1: to deliver on message talking points without notable flubs. The 322 00:20:21,155 --> 00:20:26,195 Speaker 1: ethics of this are atrocious and stupid. How could they 323 00:20:26,275 --> 00:20:30,075 Speaker 1: not know this would come out? The people around Biden 324 00:20:30,115 --> 00:20:34,795 Speaker 1: who did that can destroy him. Yet, so to me, 325 00:20:34,835 --> 00:20:37,795 Speaker 1: the first step now is he needs new people making 326 00:20:37,835 --> 00:20:42,435 Speaker 1: these decisions. Maybe he could do a live news conference 327 00:20:42,475 --> 00:20:45,755 Speaker 1: about it, about new people to make his decisions. Just 328 00:20:45,835 --> 00:20:49,355 Speaker 1: keep him talking every week forty five minutes any topic, 329 00:20:49,595 --> 00:20:52,595 Speaker 1: because he still has got it. They just haven't let 330 00:20:52,675 --> 00:20:57,435 Speaker 1: him show it off. And I might circle back to 331 00:20:57,435 --> 00:20:59,795 Speaker 1: the beginning of this and add that after several years 332 00:20:59,795 --> 00:21:04,075 Speaker 1: of things like the other guy calling himself me, they 333 00:21:04,195 --> 00:21:07,035 Speaker 1: actually management at MSNBC, that is, told me that it 334 00:21:07,115 --> 00:21:10,755 Speaker 1: was now my choice. I could anchor the elections and 335 00:21:10,875 --> 00:21:15,675 Speaker 1: primaries solo going forward, or we could keep the other 336 00:21:15,715 --> 00:21:19,315 Speaker 1: guy as my co anchor. And I said keep him. 337 00:21:19,635 --> 00:21:23,715 Speaker 1: I mean, other than those gaffes, he really knows his stuff. 338 00:21:24,795 --> 00:21:29,595 Speaker 1: And man, those gafs are really funny. You guys ever 339 00:21:29,635 --> 00:21:38,635 Speaker 1: thought of trying to get them sponsored by advertisers? Also 340 00:21:38,675 --> 00:21:41,635 Speaker 1: of interest here, of course, if I invoke Chris Matthews, 341 00:21:41,635 --> 00:21:45,075 Speaker 1: there must be a Chuck Todd story. Well, who could 342 00:21:45,115 --> 00:21:49,275 Speaker 1: make the Biden situation worse. Who could suck the humanity 343 00:21:49,315 --> 00:21:52,195 Speaker 1: out of it, the tragedy even and try to make 344 00:21:52,235 --> 00:21:56,155 Speaker 1: Biden look petty and selfish and merely wind up doing 345 00:21:56,155 --> 00:21:59,195 Speaker 1: that only to himself. Who the hell do you think 346 00:21:59,235 --> 00:22:05,195 Speaker 1: could do that, Chuck Todd, That's who. That's next countdown. 347 00:22:07,675 --> 00:22:33,515 Speaker 1: This is countdown with Keith Oldwoman. Presidents may rise and fall, 348 00:22:33,555 --> 00:22:36,035 Speaker 1: but there are always new idiots to talk about. The 349 00:22:36,115 --> 00:22:39,395 Speaker 1: daily roundup of the miscrants, morons and Dunning Krueger effects 350 00:22:39,395 --> 00:22:46,195 Speaker 1: specimens who constitute today's worst persons in the world, the 351 00:22:46,195 --> 00:22:51,355 Speaker 1: brons worse. Chuck Todd still lurking over in the basement 352 00:22:51,395 --> 00:22:54,715 Speaker 1: at NBC News. He still goes to work even after 353 00:22:54,755 --> 00:22:57,915 Speaker 1: they fired his ass or meet the press. And I 354 00:22:57,955 --> 00:23:00,195 Speaker 1: know this might be seen as somewhat hypocritical of me, 355 00:23:00,275 --> 00:23:05,555 Speaker 1: giving what my open commentary was, but still, Chuck Todd sucks. 356 00:23:06,555 --> 00:23:09,875 Speaker 1: Listen to this clip from his podcast about the president's 357 00:23:09,875 --> 00:23:11,955 Speaker 1: decision to stay in the race. 358 00:23:12,475 --> 00:23:14,715 Speaker 3: It has made me want to rethink a lot of 359 00:23:14,755 --> 00:23:17,555 Speaker 3: the Biden biography. I still can't believe he ran for 360 00:23:17,595 --> 00:23:19,755 Speaker 3: president in the first place, given that his family was 361 00:23:19,795 --> 00:23:23,435 Speaker 3: in crisis in twenty eighteen. That you look at what 362 00:23:23,515 --> 00:23:25,795 Speaker 3: has happened. I can't believe he put his family through 363 00:23:25,835 --> 00:23:30,555 Speaker 3: this and now looking at his behavior now and clinging 364 00:23:30,555 --> 00:23:34,475 Speaker 3: to this, I you know, I think the entire narrative 365 00:23:34,475 --> 00:23:37,155 Speaker 3: on Joe Biden is going to change, and that he 366 00:23:37,275 --> 00:23:40,995 Speaker 3: was he's always been. Everything has been about his ambition, 367 00:23:41,675 --> 00:23:43,075 Speaker 3: and his ambition comes first. 368 00:23:43,435 --> 00:23:45,995 Speaker 1: This isn't bad enough that Chuck doesn't have to project 369 00:23:46,035 --> 00:23:49,635 Speaker 1: his own failures, his own selfishness on a man who's 370 00:23:49,635 --> 00:23:54,155 Speaker 1: actually served this nation. Chuck Todd is a bitter and 371 00:23:54,235 --> 00:23:58,315 Speaker 1: broken man. The runner up, and yes, these last two 372 00:23:58,315 --> 00:24:00,555 Speaker 1: would be in the matter of comic relief, wors sir. 373 00:24:00,995 --> 00:24:03,755 Speaker 1: The Toronto newspaper, the Globe and Mail, proving again the 374 00:24:03,835 --> 00:24:08,275 Speaker 1: value of sentence construction and the placement of commas and 375 00:24:08,435 --> 00:24:11,115 Speaker 1: semi colons and all that kind of stuff. Right there 376 00:24:11,795 --> 00:24:14,355 Speaker 1: there was a picture of the cargo ship the Dolly, 377 00:24:14,875 --> 00:24:18,235 Speaker 1: knocking down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor, 378 00:24:18,635 --> 00:24:22,155 Speaker 1: with crumpled girders sitting on its bow. The headline that 379 00:24:22,195 --> 00:24:26,755 Speaker 1: the Globe and Mail added, Baltimore Bridge collapse. Survivor recounts 380 00:24:26,955 --> 00:24:32,155 Speaker 1: fighting for his life in NBC interview After this week, 381 00:24:32,195 --> 00:24:34,715 Speaker 1: I think we all know how that poor NBC interviewee 382 00:24:34,755 --> 00:24:39,275 Speaker 1: felt Paul's fighting for his life in an NBC interview. 383 00:24:39,355 --> 00:24:43,795 Speaker 1: But our winner, the worst Congresswoman Lauren Bobert, caught on 384 00:24:43,875 --> 00:24:47,875 Speaker 1: May twelfth. It turns out Mother's Day doing eighty four 385 00:24:48,035 --> 00:24:50,275 Speaker 1: in a sixty five mile an hour zone by the 386 00:24:50,315 --> 00:24:54,355 Speaker 1: Colorado State Patrol at Vale Pass. They gave her a 387 00:24:54,395 --> 00:24:57,315 Speaker 1: speeding ticket, told her to pay one hundred and seventy 388 00:24:57,315 --> 00:24:59,635 Speaker 1: four dollars and fifty cents, and she was supposed to 389 00:24:59,675 --> 00:25:03,475 Speaker 1: pay it by July third, and guess what she didn't 390 00:25:03,835 --> 00:25:07,195 Speaker 1: a scoff law. She now has a court appearance scheduled 391 00:25:07,195 --> 00:25:09,555 Speaker 1: for July twenty sixth. Well, I'm just going to assume 392 00:25:09,595 --> 00:25:12,635 Speaker 1: here that she at that court appearance will be explaining 393 00:25:12,715 --> 00:25:18,035 Speaker 1: to the judge that the speeding was accidental because she 394 00:25:18,355 --> 00:25:24,035 Speaker 1: isn't good at handling a stick. Lauren Bobert, get a grip. 395 00:25:24,475 --> 00:25:29,595 Speaker 1: Two Day's worst person in the world. 396 00:25:35,155 --> 00:25:38,435 Speaker 3: That's here it for the ball. Let's get the boy. 397 00:25:54,795 --> 00:25:57,475 Speaker 1: Fridays with Thurber and the Works of the Master, and 398 00:25:57,515 --> 00:26:00,275 Speaker 1: one I have not read to you here before but 399 00:26:00,595 --> 00:26:04,515 Speaker 1: is one of my favorites because it is well you'll 400 00:26:05,755 --> 00:26:11,235 Speaker 1: Fridays with Thurber and the Macbeth Murder Mystery by James Thurber. 401 00:26:12,355 --> 00:26:15,435 Speaker 1: It was a stupid mistake to make, said the American woman. 402 00:26:15,595 --> 00:26:18,235 Speaker 1: I had met at my hotel in the English Lake Country. 403 00:26:18,635 --> 00:26:20,915 Speaker 1: But it was on the counter with the other Penguin books, 404 00:26:21,155 --> 00:26:23,675 Speaker 1: the little sixpenny ones, you know, with the paper covers, 405 00:26:24,235 --> 00:26:26,715 Speaker 1: and I supposed, of course it was a detective story. 406 00:26:27,395 --> 00:26:30,675 Speaker 1: All the others were detective stories. I'd read all the others, 407 00:26:31,235 --> 00:26:33,675 Speaker 1: so I bought this one without really looking at it carefully. 408 00:26:34,155 --> 00:26:36,155 Speaker 1: You can imagine how mad I was when I found 409 00:26:36,235 --> 00:26:43,675 Speaker 1: it was Shakespeare. I murmured something sympathetically. I don't see 410 00:26:43,675 --> 00:26:46,235 Speaker 1: why the Penguin Books people had to get out Shakespeare's 411 00:26:46,275 --> 00:26:49,275 Speaker 1: plays in the same size and everything as the detective stories. 412 00:26:49,835 --> 00:26:54,515 Speaker 1: Went on. My companion, I think they have different colored jackets, 413 00:26:54,555 --> 00:26:58,115 Speaker 1: I said, well, I didn't notice that, she said. Anyway, 414 00:26:58,115 --> 00:27:00,355 Speaker 1: I got real comfy in bed that night and all 415 00:27:00,435 --> 00:27:02,875 Speaker 1: ready to read a good mystery story. And here I 416 00:27:02,955 --> 00:27:08,435 Speaker 1: had the track. If Macbeth a book for high school students, 417 00:27:08,755 --> 00:27:15,075 Speaker 1: like like ivan Hoe or Lorna Doone, I said, exactly, 418 00:27:15,435 --> 00:27:18,355 Speaker 1: said the American lady. And I was just crazy for 419 00:27:18,395 --> 00:27:22,275 Speaker 1: a good Agatha Christie or something. Ercule Poirot is my 420 00:27:22,395 --> 00:27:27,035 Speaker 1: favorite detective. Is he the Rabbity one, I asked, Oh, no, 421 00:27:27,715 --> 00:27:31,315 Speaker 1: said my crime fiction expert. He's the Belgian one you're 422 00:27:31,315 --> 00:27:34,235 Speaker 1: thinking of, mister Pinkerton, the one that helps Inspector Bull. 423 00:27:34,595 --> 00:27:39,435 Speaker 1: He's good too. Over her second cup of tea, my 424 00:27:39,555 --> 00:27:42,595 Speaker 1: companion began to tell me the plot of a detective 425 00:27:42,635 --> 00:27:46,235 Speaker 1: story that had fooled her completely. It seems it was 426 00:27:46,275 --> 00:27:51,195 Speaker 1: the old family doctor all the time. But I cut 427 00:27:51,235 --> 00:27:55,915 Speaker 1: in on her. Tell me, I said, did you read Macbeth? 428 00:27:56,715 --> 00:27:58,875 Speaker 1: I had to read it, She said, there wasn't a 429 00:27:58,915 --> 00:28:01,155 Speaker 1: scrap of anything else to read in the whole room. 430 00:28:02,555 --> 00:28:06,915 Speaker 1: Did you like it, I asked, No, I did not, 431 00:28:07,555 --> 00:28:10,715 Speaker 1: She said decisively in the first place, I don't think 432 00:28:10,715 --> 00:28:15,075 Speaker 1: for a moment that Macbeth did it. I looked at 433 00:28:15,115 --> 00:28:21,315 Speaker 1: her blankly. Did what I asked? I don't think for 434 00:28:21,395 --> 00:28:23,995 Speaker 1: a moment that he killed the king? She said, I 435 00:28:24,035 --> 00:28:26,315 Speaker 1: don't think the Macbeth woman was mixed up in it either. 436 00:28:26,875 --> 00:28:28,955 Speaker 1: You suspect them the most, of course, but those are 437 00:28:28,995 --> 00:28:31,635 Speaker 1: the ones that are never guilty, or shouldn't be anyway. 438 00:28:33,955 --> 00:28:36,875 Speaker 1: I'm afraid I began that I but don't you see, 439 00:28:37,355 --> 00:28:40,555 Speaker 1: said the American lady. It would spoil everything if you 440 00:28:40,595 --> 00:28:43,475 Speaker 1: could figure out right away who did it. Shakespeare was 441 00:28:43,475 --> 00:28:46,595 Speaker 1: too smart for that. I've read that people never have 442 00:28:46,715 --> 00:28:49,995 Speaker 1: figured out Hamlet, so it isn't likely Shakespeare would have 443 00:28:50,035 --> 00:28:54,795 Speaker 1: made Macbeth as simple as it seems. I thought this 444 00:28:55,075 --> 00:29:01,115 Speaker 1: over while I filled my pipe. Who do you suspect? 445 00:29:01,515 --> 00:29:08,635 Speaker 1: I asked suddenly, Macduff, she said promptly. Good God, I 446 00:29:08,755 --> 00:29:12,875 Speaker 1: whispered softly. Oh McDuff did it all right, said the 447 00:29:12,955 --> 00:29:17,955 Speaker 1: murder specialist. Erkuo Paro would have gotten him easily. How 448 00:29:17,995 --> 00:29:21,835 Speaker 1: did you figure it out? I demanded, Well, she said 449 00:29:22,035 --> 00:29:25,435 Speaker 1: I didn't right away. First I suspected Banquo, and then 450 00:29:25,435 --> 00:29:28,115 Speaker 1: of course he was the second person killed. That was 451 00:29:28,155 --> 00:29:30,875 Speaker 1: good right in there that part. The person you suspect 452 00:29:30,915 --> 00:29:34,475 Speaker 1: of the first murder should always be the second victim. 453 00:29:35,155 --> 00:29:38,795 Speaker 1: Is that so, I murmured. Oh, yes, said my informant. 454 00:29:38,995 --> 00:29:42,595 Speaker 1: They had to keep surprising you well after the second murder. 455 00:29:42,635 --> 00:29:46,675 Speaker 1: I didn't know who the killer was for a while. Uh. 456 00:29:46,715 --> 00:29:51,395 Speaker 1: How about Malcolm and Donald Bain, the King's sons, I asked, 457 00:29:51,915 --> 00:29:55,355 Speaker 1: as I remember it, they fled right after the first murder. 458 00:29:55,475 --> 00:29:59,995 Speaker 1: That looks suspicious. Too suspicious, said the American lady, much 459 00:30:00,075 --> 00:30:04,355 Speaker 1: too suspicious. When they flee, they're never guilty. You can 460 00:30:04,395 --> 00:30:09,875 Speaker 1: count that, I believe. I said, I'll have a brandy, 461 00:30:10,395 --> 00:30:14,795 Speaker 1: and I summoned the waiter. My companion leaned toward me, 462 00:30:14,995 --> 00:30:19,595 Speaker 1: her eyes bright, her teacup quivering. Do you know who 463 00:30:19,675 --> 00:30:24,475 Speaker 1: discovered Duncan's body? She demanded? I said, I was sorry, 464 00:30:24,475 --> 00:30:29,555 Speaker 1: but I had forgotten McDuff discovers it, she said, slipping 465 00:30:29,595 --> 00:30:33,235 Speaker 1: into the historical present. Then he comes running downstairs and shouts, 466 00:30:33,395 --> 00:30:37,835 Speaker 1: confusion has broke open the Lord's anointed temple, and sacrilegious 467 00:30:37,915 --> 00:30:40,635 Speaker 1: murder has made his masterpiece, and on and on like that. 468 00:30:41,355 --> 00:30:43,995 Speaker 1: The good lady tapped me on the knee. All that 469 00:30:44,035 --> 00:30:47,675 Speaker 1: stuff was rehearsed. She said, you wouldn't say a lot 470 00:30:47,715 --> 00:30:50,555 Speaker 1: of stuff like that offhand, would you, if you'd found 471 00:30:50,555 --> 00:30:56,595 Speaker 1: a body. She fixed me with a glittering eye. I began, 472 00:30:56,715 --> 00:31:00,235 Speaker 1: you're right, She said, you wouldn't unless you had practiced 473 00:31:00,275 --> 00:31:03,755 Speaker 1: it in advance. My god, there's a body in here 474 00:31:03,875 --> 00:31:08,115 Speaker 1: is what an innocent man would say. She sat back 475 00:31:08,195 --> 00:31:12,915 Speaker 1: with a confident glare. I thought, for a while, but 476 00:31:13,395 --> 00:31:17,035 Speaker 1: what do you make of the third murderer, I asked, 477 00:31:17,035 --> 00:31:21,115 Speaker 1: You know the third murderer has puzzled Macbeth's scholars for 478 00:31:21,235 --> 00:31:25,475 Speaker 1: three hundred years. That's because they never thought of McDuff, 479 00:31:25,755 --> 00:31:28,795 Speaker 1: said the American lady. It was McDuff. I'm certain you 480 00:31:28,835 --> 00:31:32,195 Speaker 1: couldn't have one of the victims murdered by two ordinary thugs. 481 00:31:32,595 --> 00:31:36,235 Speaker 1: The murderer always has to be somebody important. But what 482 00:31:36,355 --> 00:31:39,595 Speaker 1: about the banquet scene, I asked, after a moment, how 483 00:31:39,595 --> 00:31:43,995 Speaker 1: do you account for Macbeth's guilty actions there when Banquo's 484 00:31:43,995 --> 00:31:48,195 Speaker 1: ghosts came in and sat in his chair. The lady 485 00:31:48,315 --> 00:31:51,635 Speaker 1: leaned forward and tapped me on the knee again. There 486 00:31:51,715 --> 00:31:55,515 Speaker 1: wasn't any ghost, she said. A big strong man like 487 00:31:55,555 --> 00:31:58,755 Speaker 1: that doesn't go around seeing ghosts, especially in a brightly 488 00:31:58,875 --> 00:32:02,475 Speaker 1: lighted banquet hall with dozens of people around. Macbeth was 489 00:32:02,595 --> 00:32:09,915 Speaker 1: shielding somebody. Who was he shielding, I asked, missus Macbeth. 490 00:32:10,035 --> 00:32:13,435 Speaker 1: Of course, she said, he thought she did it, and 491 00:32:13,515 --> 00:32:15,875 Speaker 1: he was going to take the rap himself. The husband 492 00:32:15,955 --> 00:32:19,995 Speaker 1: always does that when the wife is suspected. But what 493 00:32:20,515 --> 00:32:25,435 Speaker 1: I demanded about the sleepwalking scene, then the same thing, 494 00:32:25,515 --> 00:32:28,595 Speaker 1: only the other way around, said my companion. That time 495 00:32:28,955 --> 00:32:33,395 Speaker 1: she was shielding him. She wasn't asleep at all. Do 496 00:32:33,435 --> 00:32:38,075 Speaker 1: you remember where it says enter lady Macbeth with a taper? Yes, 497 00:32:38,635 --> 00:32:41,395 Speaker 1: I said, Well, people who walk in their sleep never 498 00:32:41,555 --> 00:32:46,035 Speaker 1: carry lights, said my fellow traveler. They have a second sight. 499 00:32:46,515 --> 00:32:50,315 Speaker 1: Did you ever hear of a sleepwalker carrying a light? No, 500 00:32:50,995 --> 00:32:54,675 Speaker 1: I said, I never did. Well, then she wasn't asleep. 501 00:32:54,755 --> 00:33:00,715 Speaker 1: She was acting guilty to shield Macbeth. I think, I said, 502 00:33:01,355 --> 00:33:05,195 Speaker 1: I'll have another brandy, and I called the waiter. When 503 00:33:05,195 --> 00:33:07,795 Speaker 1: he brought it, I drank it rapidly and rose to go. 504 00:33:09,275 --> 00:33:12,395 Speaker 1: I believe I said that you have got hold of something. 505 00:33:13,075 --> 00:33:15,755 Speaker 1: Would you lend me that? Macbeth. I'd like to look 506 00:33:15,795 --> 00:33:18,195 Speaker 1: it over tonight. I don't feel somehow as if I've 507 00:33:18,515 --> 00:33:22,195 Speaker 1: ever really read it. I'll get it for you, she said, 508 00:33:22,275 --> 00:33:26,595 Speaker 1: but you'll find that I'm right. I read the play 509 00:33:26,675 --> 00:33:29,915 Speaker 1: over carefully that night, and the next morning, after breakfast, 510 00:33:29,955 --> 00:33:32,595 Speaker 1: I sought out the American woman. She was on the 511 00:33:32,675 --> 00:33:36,035 Speaker 1: putting green, and I came up behind her silently and 512 00:33:36,075 --> 00:33:40,875 Speaker 1: took her arm. She gave an exclamation. Could I see 513 00:33:40,915 --> 00:33:44,155 Speaker 1: you alone? I asked in a low voice. She nodded 514 00:33:44,155 --> 00:33:47,715 Speaker 1: cautiously and followed me to a secluded spot. You've found 515 00:33:47,755 --> 00:33:52,995 Speaker 1: out something, she breathed. I've found out, I said, triumphantly, 516 00:33:53,195 --> 00:33:57,555 Speaker 1: the name of the murderer. You mean it wasn't McDuff, 517 00:33:57,915 --> 00:34:02,795 Speaker 1: She said. McDuff is as innocent of those murders, I said, 518 00:34:03,435 --> 00:34:08,595 Speaker 1: as Macbeth and the Macbeth woman. I opened the copy 519 00:34:08,635 --> 00:34:10,635 Speaker 1: of the play which I had with me, and turned 520 00:34:10,635 --> 00:34:13,955 Speaker 1: to act too seem to hear, I said, you will 521 00:34:13,955 --> 00:34:18,955 Speaker 1: see where Lady Macbeth says, I laid their daggers ready. 522 00:34:19,595 --> 00:34:23,315 Speaker 1: He could not miss him. Had he not resembled my 523 00:34:23,475 --> 00:34:27,235 Speaker 1: father as he slept, I had done it. Do you 524 00:34:27,435 --> 00:34:34,235 Speaker 1: see no, said the American woman bluntly. I don't. But 525 00:34:34,275 --> 00:34:37,075 Speaker 1: it's simple, I exclaimed. I wonder I didn't see it 526 00:34:37,155 --> 00:34:42,235 Speaker 1: years ago. The reason Duncan resembled Lady Macbeth's father as 527 00:34:42,275 --> 00:34:48,875 Speaker 1: he slept is that it actually was her father. Good God, 528 00:34:49,355 --> 00:34:55,275 Speaker 1: breathed my companion softly. Lady Macbeth's father killed the king, 529 00:34:55,555 --> 00:34:59,515 Speaker 1: I said, and, hearing someone coming, thrust the body under 530 00:34:59,515 --> 00:35:03,275 Speaker 1: the bed and crawled into the bed himself. But said 531 00:35:03,275 --> 00:35:05,595 Speaker 1: the lady, you can't have a murder who only appears 532 00:35:05,595 --> 00:35:09,155 Speaker 1: in the story once. You can't have that I know that, 533 00:35:09,675 --> 00:35:11,875 Speaker 1: I said, and I turned to Act two, Scene four. 534 00:35:12,115 --> 00:35:18,115 Speaker 1: It says, here enter Ross with an old man. Now 535 00:35:18,355 --> 00:35:21,155 Speaker 1: that old man is never identified, and it is my 536 00:35:21,315 --> 00:35:24,635 Speaker 1: contention that he was old mister Macbeth, whose ambition it 537 00:35:24,795 --> 00:35:28,795 Speaker 1: was to make his daughter queen. There you'll have your motive. 538 00:35:29,675 --> 00:35:32,715 Speaker 1: But even then, cried the American lady, he's still a 539 00:35:32,755 --> 00:35:37,795 Speaker 1: minor character, not, I said, gleefully when you realize that 540 00:35:37,875 --> 00:35:40,675 Speaker 1: he was also one of the weird sisters in disguise. 541 00:35:41,755 --> 00:35:45,755 Speaker 1: You mean, one of those three witches. Precisely, I said, 542 00:35:46,075 --> 00:35:49,595 Speaker 1: listen to this speech of the old man's. On Tuesday last, 543 00:35:49,715 --> 00:35:52,835 Speaker 1: a falcon towering in her pride of place was by 544 00:35:52,875 --> 00:35:56,755 Speaker 1: a mousing owl, hawked at and killed. Who does that 545 00:35:57,155 --> 00:36:02,235 Speaker 1: sound like? It sounds like the way the three witches talk, 546 00:36:02,715 --> 00:36:08,355 Speaker 1: said my companion reluctantly. Precisely, I said, again, Well, said 547 00:36:08,355 --> 00:36:11,995 Speaker 1: the American woman. Maybe you're right, but I'm sure I am, 548 00:36:12,115 --> 00:36:14,235 Speaker 1: I said. And do you know what I'm going to 549 00:36:14,275 --> 00:36:20,195 Speaker 1: do now? No, she said, what buy a copy of Hamlet? 550 00:36:20,675 --> 00:36:27,715 Speaker 1: I said, and solve that. My companion's eyes brightened. Then 551 00:36:28,075 --> 00:36:32,555 Speaker 1: she said, you don't think Hamlet did it? I am? 552 00:36:32,915 --> 00:36:40,715 Speaker 1: I said, absolutely positive, he did not, but who she demanded, 553 00:36:40,955 --> 00:36:47,195 Speaker 1: who do you suspect? I looked at her cryptically, everybody, 554 00:36:47,595 --> 00:36:51,555 Speaker 1: I said, and disappeared into a small grove of trees 555 00:36:52,355 --> 00:36:58,195 Speaker 1: as silently as I had come. The Macbeth Murder Mystery 556 00:36:58,995 --> 00:37:14,595 Speaker 1: by James Thurber. I've done all the damage I can 557 00:37:14,635 --> 00:37:17,915 Speaker 1: do here. Thank you for listening. Maybe by Tuesday I'll 558 00:37:17,955 --> 00:37:22,235 Speaker 1: figured this out. Probably not. Countdown. Musical directors Brian Ray 559 00:37:22,275 --> 00:37:25,035 Speaker 1: and John Phillip Schanelle arranged, produced, and performed most of 560 00:37:25,035 --> 00:37:28,035 Speaker 1: our music. Mister Ray was on the guitars, bass and drums, 561 00:37:28,035 --> 00:37:32,115 Speaker 1: and mister Chanelle handled orchestration and keyboards. Produced by Tko Brothers. 562 00:37:32,475 --> 00:37:35,315 Speaker 1: Other music, including some of the Beethoven compositions, arranged and 563 00:37:35,355 --> 00:37:38,875 Speaker 1: performed by No Horns Allowed. Sports music is the Olderman 564 00:37:38,955 --> 00:37:41,955 Speaker 1: theme from ESPN two, written by Mitch Warren Davis Curtisy 565 00:37:41,955 --> 00:37:45,395 Speaker 1: of ESPN inc. Our satirical and pithy musical comments are 566 00:37:45,435 --> 00:37:48,395 Speaker 1: by Nancy Fauss. The best baseball stadium morganist ever our 567 00:37:48,435 --> 00:37:51,355 Speaker 1: announcer today is my friend Jonathan Banks. Everything else was 568 00:37:51,395 --> 00:37:54,875 Speaker 1: pretty much my fault. So that's countdown for this the 569 00:37:54,875 --> 00:37:58,475 Speaker 1: one hundred and seventeenth day until the twenty twenty four 570 00:37:58,555 --> 00:38:02,115 Speaker 1: presidential election. Now, wouldn't it be funny if over the 571 00:38:02,155 --> 00:38:08,675 Speaker 1: weekend Trump dropped out or was dropped out. It's also 572 00:38:08,715 --> 00:38:13,315 Speaker 1: the eighty second day since convicted felon Donald J. Trump's 573 00:38:13,435 --> 00:38:17,275 Speaker 1: first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the 574 00:38:17,355 --> 00:38:21,315 Speaker 1: United States. Use the September eighteenth sentencing hearing. Use the 575 00:38:21,355 --> 00:38:26,195 Speaker 1: mental health system, mister president, you've got it. Use presidential 576 00:38:26,235 --> 00:38:30,275 Speaker 1: immunity against Trump to stop him from doing it again 577 00:38:30,955 --> 00:38:36,155 Speaker 1: while we still can put the toothpaste back in his tube. 578 00:38:36,955 --> 00:38:39,075 Speaker 1: You know what I mean. The next scheduled countdown he 579 00:38:39,155 --> 00:38:42,435 Speaker 1: is Tuesday bulletins is the news requires till then, I'm 580 00:38:42,515 --> 00:38:46,155 Speaker 1: Keith Olberman. I'm going to go think good morning, good afternoon, 581 00:38:46,195 --> 00:39:10,715 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman is 582 00:39:10,715 --> 00:39:15,555 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 583 00:39:15,595 --> 00:39:20,235 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.