1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:23,035 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. The 2 00:00:23,115 --> 00:00:29,955 Speaker 1: greatest President since FDR is dead, My friend, What a 3 00:00:29,995 --> 00:00:32,955 Speaker 1: privilege it has been to call him a friend. President 4 00:00:32,995 --> 00:00:36,595 Speaker 1: Jimmy Carter would disagree that he is still the lead 5 00:00:36,715 --> 00:00:39,875 Speaker 1: story the day after. After all, he might note he 6 00:00:40,115 --> 00:00:44,115 Speaker 1: was one hundred years old, he was in hospice for 7 00:00:44,195 --> 00:00:48,675 Speaker 1: a year and a half. His own grandson, a reliable 8 00:00:48,715 --> 00:00:51,515 Speaker 1: reporter on most occasions, said he was in his final days. 9 00:00:51,715 --> 00:00:56,475 Speaker 1: That was last May fifteenth. How Keith, is this a 10 00:00:56,595 --> 00:01:02,555 Speaker 1: surprise to you? President Carter would say, the Braves letting 11 00:01:02,595 --> 00:01:05,235 Speaker 1: Freddie Freeman go to the Dodgers should have been a 12 00:01:05,275 --> 00:01:09,955 Speaker 1: surprise to you. He might have argued that the story 13 00:01:09,955 --> 00:01:13,035 Speaker 1: of constitutional scholars arguing that even at this late hour, 14 00:01:13,155 --> 00:01:17,875 Speaker 1: Congress has all the enabling legislation it needs to disqualify 15 00:01:17,915 --> 00:01:21,635 Speaker 1: Trump from taking power, that the Supreme Court roadblock had 16 00:01:21,675 --> 00:01:25,155 Speaker 1: been overcome without the Supreme Court noticing that that was 17 00:01:25,195 --> 00:01:30,115 Speaker 1: the lead story. I'm going to overrule him. I will 18 00:01:30,155 --> 00:01:33,595 Speaker 1: get to that story in a moment. I do not 19 00:01:34,115 --> 00:01:37,675 Speaker 1: honestly know if Jimmy Carter would have argued about my 20 00:01:37,755 --> 00:01:40,795 Speaker 1: other point. I don't know he would have argued that 21 00:01:40,835 --> 00:01:46,115 Speaker 1: he was not the greatest president since FDR. Jimmy Carter 22 00:01:46,315 --> 00:01:52,315 Speaker 1: was an extraordinary mixture, possibly a unique mixture of intelligence, 23 00:01:53,475 --> 00:02:04,075 Speaker 1: self confidence, uncertainty, honesty, and realism. I suspect he might 24 00:02:04,115 --> 00:02:07,995 Speaker 1: have said, whoever the greatest president since FDR was? He 25 00:02:08,075 --> 00:02:13,755 Speaker 1: got re elected, and here I will again overrule him. 26 00:02:16,355 --> 00:02:20,435 Speaker 1: The essence of the election of President Carter as an outsider, 27 00:02:20,475 --> 00:02:23,755 Speaker 1: the governor of Georgia, who once went, as the famous 28 00:02:23,835 --> 00:02:28,115 Speaker 1: story goes on the show What's My Line, where contestants 29 00:02:28,195 --> 00:02:30,835 Speaker 1: used to guess what somebody did for a living, and 30 00:02:30,875 --> 00:02:34,435 Speaker 1: as he was running for president, none of the contestants 31 00:02:34,635 --> 00:02:39,915 Speaker 1: knew who he was, underscored the fact that the American 32 00:02:39,955 --> 00:02:44,755 Speaker 1: political system still worked after what Richard Nixon did to 33 00:02:44,795 --> 00:02:49,795 Speaker 1: it in the nineteen sixties and early nineteen seventies. In fact, 34 00:02:50,075 --> 00:02:56,675 Speaker 1: the entirety of the Carter presidency, sometimes successful, sometimes desperately unsuccessful, 35 00:02:56,675 --> 00:03:00,435 Speaker 1: but always professional, even in dealing with crises in his 36 00:03:00,515 --> 00:03:08,555 Speaker 1: own family and his own cabinet. Professional, operative, open wherever possible, 37 00:03:10,395 --> 00:03:17,995 Speaker 1: restored the premise of American government, whatever the outcome, was 38 00:03:20,035 --> 00:03:23,595 Speaker 1: the transformation of the presidency, which was a joke. On 39 00:03:23,675 --> 00:03:27,715 Speaker 1: January first, nineteen seventy six, a joke along with the 40 00:03:27,755 --> 00:03:30,555 Speaker 1: idea of believing that the government might actually do something 41 00:03:30,675 --> 00:03:33,755 Speaker 1: good rather than something to you. That was a joke 42 00:03:34,395 --> 00:03:39,595 Speaker 1: held universally in spite of party. Not a menace, not 43 00:03:39,675 --> 00:03:45,155 Speaker 1: a conspiracy, not a maga, lunatic, paranoid, sons of bitches 44 00:03:45,475 --> 00:03:52,035 Speaker 1: kind of stupidity, but genuine We're done with this attitude. 45 00:03:52,595 --> 00:03:55,995 Speaker 1: Maybe we should make a new country attitude, not violent, 46 00:03:56,155 --> 00:04:01,435 Speaker 1: not retributory. Just after Nixon and Ford, I've had enough 47 00:04:01,515 --> 00:04:04,355 Speaker 1: of this whole government thing. The man who changed that 48 00:04:04,475 --> 00:04:08,915 Speaker 1: Wasjimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter was a president from the first 49 00:04:09,035 --> 00:04:12,675 Speaker 1: day to the last day, and in ways he has 50 00:04:12,755 --> 00:04:16,795 Speaker 1: yet to be given credit for restored the concept of 51 00:04:16,835 --> 00:04:22,435 Speaker 1: American government. And then the guy after him pissed it 52 00:04:22,475 --> 00:04:26,475 Speaker 1: all away. But look what he did in the Middle 53 00:04:26,515 --> 00:04:32,715 Speaker 1: East midway through his only term. The Camp David Accords 54 00:04:33,875 --> 00:04:36,475 Speaker 1: essentially peace in the Middle East, or at least a 55 00:04:36,515 --> 00:04:39,515 Speaker 1: stopping of the escalation of the disasters of the Middle 56 00:04:39,555 --> 00:04:43,675 Speaker 1: East that have been going on uninterrupted for forty years, 57 00:04:43,675 --> 00:04:47,715 Speaker 1: well four thousand and forty years. Peace in the Middle 58 00:04:47,755 --> 00:04:50,755 Speaker 1: East until the terrorists in both of the principal countries 59 00:04:51,155 --> 00:04:55,315 Speaker 1: undid it, killed their own leaders, assassinated their own directors 60 00:04:55,315 --> 00:04:59,475 Speaker 1: and presidents. Because of course, too much peace is bad 61 00:04:59,515 --> 00:05:02,595 Speaker 1: for the terrorism business, and thus too much peace is 62 00:05:02,675 --> 00:05:06,875 Speaker 1: bad for the military business. On the second day of 63 00:05:06,955 --> 00:05:13,715 Speaker 1: Jimmy Carter's administration, he pardoned the Vietnam draft evaders. Spiritually, 64 00:05:15,235 --> 00:05:18,835 Speaker 1: the next time Trump says something about Jimmy Carter, somebody 65 00:05:18,835 --> 00:05:23,995 Speaker 1: should smack Trump in the mouth. Pardoned those who did 66 00:05:24,035 --> 00:05:28,395 Speaker 1: not and would not fight in Vietnam, would not subject 67 00:05:28,395 --> 00:05:34,155 Speaker 1: themselves to the draft. He was a hardliner President Carter 68 00:05:34,235 --> 00:05:41,235 Speaker 1: against Russia while also reducing nuclear weapons. He gave the 69 00:05:41,275 --> 00:05:47,075 Speaker 1: Panama Canal back. This is in the news recently because 70 00:05:47,115 --> 00:05:50,515 Speaker 1: of course we did steal the canal from Panama. In fact, 71 00:05:50,515 --> 00:05:57,515 Speaker 1: we fomented a revolution within Panama to create the entire 72 00:05:57,595 --> 00:06:02,875 Speaker 1: country and the canal zone. And my source for this 73 00:06:02,955 --> 00:06:06,675 Speaker 1: is President Theodore Roosevelt, who did it and said I 74 00:06:06,755 --> 00:06:11,795 Speaker 1: stole it fair and square. At least reportedly he said 75 00:06:11,795 --> 00:06:16,635 Speaker 1: that others certainly did. In his cabinet, Carter fought back 76 00:06:16,635 --> 00:06:19,755 Speaker 1: against an economy the GOP had sabotaged throughout the nineteen 77 00:06:19,795 --> 00:06:23,675 Speaker 1: sixties and seventies for the sake of big business. He 78 00:06:23,755 --> 00:06:26,275 Speaker 1: fought back against the energy crisis, and we may never 79 00:06:26,435 --> 00:06:30,155 Speaker 1: know to what degree since the Republicans got involved in 80 00:06:30,195 --> 00:06:32,955 Speaker 1: the thing that resulted from the energy crisis, the Iran 81 00:06:33,115 --> 00:06:37,075 Speaker 1: hostage drama, they got involved in that illicitly. We'll never 82 00:06:37,115 --> 00:06:39,955 Speaker 1: know to what degree the Republicans were involved in the 83 00:06:40,115 --> 00:06:42,995 Speaker 1: raising first of gas prices and then the gas shortage 84 00:06:43,395 --> 00:06:49,795 Speaker 1: of nineteen seventy eight. In nineteen seventy nine, Carter was 85 00:06:49,835 --> 00:06:52,675 Speaker 1: the first to address toxic waste dump sites and the 86 00:06:52,675 --> 00:06:57,675 Speaker 1: poisoning of the land the love Canal idea. He actually 87 00:06:57,795 --> 00:07:00,195 Speaker 1: drained the swamp. One of the reasons he did not 88 00:07:00,475 --> 00:07:04,355 Speaker 1: get all the support that he needed to run a 89 00:07:04,395 --> 00:07:07,755 Speaker 1: competitive race against Ronald Reagan in nineteen eighty was because 90 00:07:07,795 --> 00:07:09,955 Speaker 1: he'd pissed off all the Congressmen and the senators. He 91 00:07:09,955 --> 00:07:12,795 Speaker 1: would not play Democratic Party politics. He would not take 92 00:07:12,835 --> 00:07:15,235 Speaker 1: their phone calls, he would not give them the appointments 93 00:07:15,275 --> 00:07:19,395 Speaker 1: that they wanted. He would not support their boondoggles and 94 00:07:19,475 --> 00:07:26,795 Speaker 1: their pork barrel options. He actually did with this idiot 95 00:07:26,835 --> 00:07:29,875 Speaker 1: Trump has been talking about. He actually tried to turn 96 00:07:29,915 --> 00:07:35,755 Speaker 1: the government back into a government. He bailed out Chrysler, 97 00:07:37,795 --> 00:07:40,795 Speaker 1: he bailed out Chrysler and in turn probably bailed out 98 00:07:40,795 --> 00:07:43,635 Speaker 1: the entirety of the American auto industry in the seventies, 99 00:07:43,675 --> 00:07:45,715 Speaker 1: and if it had collapsed in the nineteen seventies, the 100 00:07:45,795 --> 00:07:48,995 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties would have seen another depression. He created the 101 00:07:48,995 --> 00:07:53,075 Speaker 1: Department of Education, and boy oh boy, though what he 102 00:07:53,115 --> 00:07:55,835 Speaker 1: should have done was given the Department of Education weapons 103 00:07:56,115 --> 00:08:00,155 Speaker 1: nuclear weapons. Because the lack of education in this country, 104 00:08:00,195 --> 00:08:02,555 Speaker 1: which was already becoming a parent by the time the 105 00:08:02,555 --> 00:08:06,115 Speaker 1: Department of Education was instituted Byjimmy Carter to just set 106 00:08:06,155 --> 00:08:09,355 Speaker 1: some sort of minimum standards, that decline has now turned 107 00:08:09,675 --> 00:08:17,195 Speaker 1: into a world in which half of Americans are mortally stupid, 108 00:08:18,435 --> 00:08:21,915 Speaker 1: and of course, under dire circumstances in which part of 109 00:08:21,955 --> 00:08:25,075 Speaker 1: this country, part of the political structure of this country, 110 00:08:25,155 --> 00:08:31,595 Speaker 1: was operating against him. He dealt honorably with the Iran 111 00:08:31,675 --> 00:08:39,035 Speaker 1: hostage crisis, and it did him in And did that 112 00:08:39,155 --> 00:08:41,755 Speaker 1: make him the greatest president since FDR? I think it did, 113 00:08:41,795 --> 00:08:45,355 Speaker 1: because let's look exactly at the histories in capsule of 114 00:08:45,395 --> 00:08:51,475 Speaker 1: the ones since FDR Truman well meaning, and he did 115 00:08:51,555 --> 00:08:54,115 Speaker 1: well under the circumstances. I guess. On the other hand, 116 00:08:54,115 --> 00:08:56,235 Speaker 1: he did not stand up to Joe McCarthy, and when 117 00:08:56,275 --> 00:08:58,515 Speaker 1: the tough got going, or the going got tough, he 118 00:08:58,555 --> 00:09:01,515 Speaker 1: got out of town and back to independence Missouri. He 119 00:09:01,555 --> 00:09:05,235 Speaker 1: also failed internationally. Yes, we probably should have been involved 120 00:09:05,235 --> 00:09:07,755 Speaker 1: in some way in Korea. The way he handled it 121 00:09:08,595 --> 00:09:15,715 Speaker 1: met with disaster, he pleased no one. Eisenhower twice lied 122 00:09:15,755 --> 00:09:20,995 Speaker 1: about his health and his near fatal heart attacks. Should 123 00:09:20,995 --> 00:09:24,715 Speaker 1: not have been able to run for presidential reelection in 124 00:09:24,795 --> 00:09:31,475 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty six, spent months not in charge of the government, 125 00:09:34,555 --> 00:09:39,155 Speaker 1: and he introduced Richard Nixon to US. JFK didn't stop 126 00:09:39,195 --> 00:09:41,675 Speaker 1: the Bay of Pigs, set the tone for the Cuban 127 00:09:41,675 --> 00:09:47,715 Speaker 1: missile crisis, introduced in many respects the TV presidency that 128 00:09:47,795 --> 00:09:50,955 Speaker 1: we have now. It was fine for him. He was 129 00:09:50,995 --> 00:09:53,035 Speaker 1: a smart man who understood that it could not be 130 00:09:53,275 --> 00:09:55,955 Speaker 1: just a TV presidency. But do you think the current 131 00:09:55,995 --> 00:09:58,475 Speaker 1: guy understands that, I mean, the guy who's supposed to 132 00:09:58,475 --> 00:10:01,235 Speaker 1: take office in two weeks, do you think he understands that. 133 00:10:01,875 --> 00:10:03,875 Speaker 1: I don't think he understands which is left and which 134 00:10:03,875 --> 00:10:11,035 Speaker 1: is right. But I digress. JFK didn't stop the Bay 135 00:10:11,075 --> 00:10:13,395 Speaker 1: of Pigs, set the tone for the Cuban missile crisis. 136 00:10:13,475 --> 00:10:18,875 Speaker 1: Was late on civil rights and under different circumstances. Perhaps 137 00:10:18,955 --> 00:10:23,475 Speaker 1: a second term, his personal life could have been the 138 00:10:23,555 --> 00:10:31,875 Speaker 1: background for a new international blackmail attempt every hour. Maybe 139 00:10:31,915 --> 00:10:33,875 Speaker 1: it didn't bother people at the time that he appointed 140 00:10:33,915 --> 00:10:38,955 Speaker 1: his own brother as Attorney general. Maybe the institutionalization of 141 00:10:38,995 --> 00:10:41,955 Speaker 1: that family as a political force and the beginning of 142 00:10:42,115 --> 00:10:47,315 Speaker 1: regal families in this country wasn't apparent to be the 143 00:10:47,355 --> 00:10:51,475 Speaker 1: disaster that it has become. But let me know what 144 00:10:51,555 --> 00:10:54,875 Speaker 1: you think of the idea of your brother as attorney 145 00:10:54,915 --> 00:10:57,915 Speaker 1: general if and when in the next four years Trump 146 00:10:57,915 --> 00:11:00,195 Speaker 1: announces that one of his relatives is going to be 147 00:11:00,275 --> 00:11:05,315 Speaker 1: his successor, and then we'll talk about the Kennedys. And 148 00:11:05,395 --> 00:11:08,195 Speaker 1: of course it was the youngest of the Kennedys who 149 00:11:08,395 --> 00:11:15,395 Speaker 1: undermined Jimmy Carter Lyndon Johnson. The idea of the great 150 00:11:15,435 --> 00:11:18,155 Speaker 1: society and the integration, as we called it in the 151 00:11:18,195 --> 00:11:21,155 Speaker 1: sixties would have made him the best of the presidents 152 00:11:21,155 --> 00:11:24,195 Speaker 1: since FDR. Except for the small matter of Vietnam, which 153 00:11:24,235 --> 00:11:27,595 Speaker 1: destroyed his presidency and nearly this country and overwhelmed everything 154 00:11:27,635 --> 00:11:31,315 Speaker 1: good that he did. Johnson is the most tragic president 155 00:11:31,355 --> 00:11:35,715 Speaker 1: since FDR Nixon. All he tried to do was make 156 00:11:35,915 --> 00:11:39,875 Speaker 1: everything that the president did illegal into something that was 157 00:11:40,035 --> 00:11:44,715 Speaker 1: okay among them. All he tried to do is choose 158 00:11:44,795 --> 00:11:47,915 Speaker 1: the nominee of the other party who would run against him, 159 00:11:47,995 --> 00:11:51,115 Speaker 1: and in many respects he succeeded to turn it into 160 00:11:51,155 --> 00:11:53,555 Speaker 1: a two party system in which one of the parties 161 00:11:53,955 --> 00:11:59,315 Speaker 1: was the subsidiary of the other party. Don't tell Trump 162 00:12:00,435 --> 00:12:05,355 Speaker 1: Ford pardon Nixon. You will never ever ever convince me, 163 00:12:05,515 --> 00:12:09,355 Speaker 1: and I am now yes, vouching for a conspiracy theory, 164 00:12:09,555 --> 00:12:12,355 Speaker 1: you will never convince me that there was not some 165 00:12:12,395 --> 00:12:16,075 Speaker 1: sort of tacit agreement beforehand between Ford and Nixon that 166 00:12:16,115 --> 00:12:19,155 Speaker 1: if Nixon resigned, Ford would pardon him. But the whole 167 00:12:19,195 --> 00:12:22,355 Speaker 1: idea that this country was spared something because Nixon did 168 00:12:22,435 --> 00:12:25,635 Speaker 1: not go on trial. There wasn't going to be a trial. 169 00:12:25,675 --> 00:12:27,955 Speaker 1: He wasn't going to go to jail. But we might 170 00:12:27,955 --> 00:12:30,235 Speaker 1: have gotten something out of that that would have told 171 00:12:30,275 --> 00:12:35,715 Speaker 1: future presidents, don't break the goddamned laws. Instead, Gerald Ford, 172 00:12:35,715 --> 00:12:38,675 Speaker 1: never elected to the vice presidency and certainly never elected 173 00:12:38,755 --> 00:12:42,115 Speaker 1: to the presidency, decided for all time that all future 174 00:12:42,155 --> 00:12:45,435 Speaker 1: presidents should get this message. Do whatever you can get 175 00:12:45,475 --> 00:12:49,875 Speaker 1: away with. Then we have the Jimmy Carter presidency. As 176 00:12:49,875 --> 00:12:57,595 Speaker 1: I outlined, it before. Reagan, terrible actor, political opportunist, a 177 00:12:57,635 --> 00:13:02,035 Speaker 1: one time liberal leader of the Union in Hollywood, whose minions, 178 00:13:02,675 --> 00:13:07,235 Speaker 1: at best, this is the best interpret his minions treasonously 179 00:13:07,275 --> 00:13:11,035 Speaker 1: betrayed this country and caused our hostages to be held 180 00:13:11,115 --> 00:13:14,235 Speaker 1: longer in Iran, just so that they could use that 181 00:13:14,515 --> 00:13:17,675 Speaker 1: as a political hammer to beat Jimmy Carter into the 182 00:13:17,675 --> 00:13:21,075 Speaker 1: ground during the nineteen eighty election. Those hostages might have 183 00:13:21,155 --> 00:13:24,355 Speaker 1: been out sooner but for Ronald Reagan. May he be 184 00:13:24,515 --> 00:13:29,275 Speaker 1: burning in hell. I might add as well, Ronald Reagan 185 00:13:29,355 --> 00:13:31,955 Speaker 1: was mentally unfit for that office no later than nineteen 186 00:13:31,995 --> 00:13:34,715 Speaker 1: eighty five, and if he had not been shot in 187 00:13:34,795 --> 00:13:37,995 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty one, he would not have been reelected. As 188 00:13:38,035 --> 00:13:42,675 Speaker 1: we have seen that play out again. Bush one was 189 00:13:42,715 --> 00:13:48,115 Speaker 1: a condescending joke. Clinton. His presidency was fine in terms 190 00:13:48,155 --> 00:13:50,555 Speaker 1: of most of the things that can go right or 191 00:13:50,595 --> 00:13:55,275 Speaker 1: go wrong. His personal choices, including the idea that somehow 192 00:13:55,395 --> 00:14:00,075 Speaker 1: the first Lady should be considered, based largely on that 193 00:14:01,235 --> 00:14:03,875 Speaker 1: as a candidate for the US Senate in let's see 194 00:14:03,915 --> 00:14:07,835 Speaker 1: what state shall we pick, or that the first Lady 195 00:14:07,835 --> 00:14:13,515 Speaker 1: should become president, those turned into furtherances of the disasters 196 00:14:13,555 --> 00:14:18,715 Speaker 1: previously outlined by the Kennedy presidency. We should not have 197 00:14:18,875 --> 00:14:24,555 Speaker 1: legacy presidents Bush two, if his father was a joke. 198 00:14:25,235 --> 00:14:27,755 Speaker 1: Bush two was a lazy joke who had no interest 199 00:14:27,755 --> 00:14:37,195 Speaker 1: in America and who mainstreamed torture and the breaking of laws. Obama, 200 00:14:37,795 --> 00:14:39,875 Speaker 1: I don't think he achieved what he could have achieved. 201 00:14:39,955 --> 00:14:42,795 Speaker 1: I think the healthcare system is marvelous. I think they 202 00:14:42,875 --> 00:14:45,155 Speaker 1: will eventually find ways to roll most of it back. 203 00:14:46,515 --> 00:14:48,795 Speaker 1: So I think Obama's legacy will become he did not 204 00:14:48,915 --> 00:14:53,755 Speaker 1: prosecute Bush or at least say no, you broke the law. 205 00:14:54,315 --> 00:14:57,835 Speaker 1: Your people broke the law, and we are going to 206 00:14:57,875 --> 00:15:01,555 Speaker 1: do something about it. Another president who defended the rights 207 00:15:01,555 --> 00:15:10,755 Speaker 1: of presidents Biden, my friend, never once saw Trump needing 208 00:15:10,835 --> 00:15:15,795 Speaker 1: to be defeated, not just defeated with principles and uprightness 209 00:15:15,795 --> 00:15:19,235 Speaker 1: and results and a good place to live, but defeated 210 00:15:19,315 --> 00:15:22,075 Speaker 1: in that way and then come over here, mister Trump 211 00:15:22,115 --> 00:15:24,355 Speaker 1: and your supporters and kick them all on the groin. 212 00:15:25,195 --> 00:15:27,115 Speaker 1: He never saw it. I don't know that he sees 213 00:15:27,155 --> 00:15:30,675 Speaker 1: it now. Whoever defeats this, if we do defeat it, 214 00:15:30,715 --> 00:15:33,435 Speaker 1: will have done both of those things. Be an upright 215 00:15:33,475 --> 00:15:37,955 Speaker 1: citizen leading an upright presidency or an upright opposition and 216 00:15:38,115 --> 00:15:44,675 Speaker 1: also beat the hell out of these people. Jimmy Carter 217 00:15:44,795 --> 00:15:49,875 Speaker 1: was the best president since FDR, and that he did 218 00:15:49,915 --> 00:15:57,515 Speaker 1: not get reelected was the beginning of the end. When 219 00:15:57,555 --> 00:16:00,755 Speaker 1: I realized sometime late in the nineteen eighty campaign that 220 00:16:00,795 --> 00:16:02,875 Speaker 1: he was going to go down to a big defeat, 221 00:16:03,795 --> 00:16:08,395 Speaker 1: it was clear what America wanted was a spokesmodel, not 222 00:16:08,475 --> 00:16:11,675 Speaker 1: a leader. I mean, honest to goodness, we had never 223 00:16:11,755 --> 00:16:15,195 Speaker 1: before elected somebody solely on the idea that they were 224 00:16:16,195 --> 00:16:22,035 Speaker 1: acting like a president. There was no choice there. Out 225 00:16:22,035 --> 00:16:25,595 Speaker 1: of touch, not mentally fit, wasn't mentally fit when he 226 00:16:25,635 --> 00:16:30,035 Speaker 1: was mentally fit. A man who advocated cruelty and was 227 00:16:30,075 --> 00:16:34,595 Speaker 1: a big fan of the nineteenth century. He thought eighteen 228 00:16:34,675 --> 00:16:37,235 Speaker 1: ninety four was a good year. Only unlike Trump, Reagan 229 00:16:37,315 --> 00:16:41,875 Speaker 1: was virtually there in eighteen ninety four, and he might 230 00:16:41,875 --> 00:16:45,515 Speaker 1: have thought he was in eighteen ninety four a fake 231 00:16:45,635 --> 00:16:48,795 Speaker 1: smile instead of principles, a guy who pretended to be 232 00:16:48,875 --> 00:16:51,995 Speaker 1: perfect as opposed to somebody who acknowledged he was flawed. 233 00:16:52,715 --> 00:16:55,235 Speaker 1: The nineteen eighty election was the beginning of the end 234 00:16:55,235 --> 00:17:00,235 Speaker 1: of our democracy. Even Clinton and Obama won on charisma, 235 00:17:03,155 --> 00:17:07,075 Speaker 1: we re elected him because he was shot work for Trump. 236 00:17:11,355 --> 00:17:14,555 Speaker 1: Jimmy Carter's problem, and he admitted to this in many 237 00:17:14,635 --> 00:17:18,035 Speaker 1: public interviews and also in private. He did not suffer 238 00:17:18,075 --> 00:17:21,235 Speaker 1: fools gladly. He never hid that he was the smartest 239 00:17:21,275 --> 00:17:23,515 Speaker 1: in the room. And he suffered from something that people 240 00:17:23,515 --> 00:17:26,435 Speaker 1: who are like that often suffer from. He could not 241 00:17:26,675 --> 00:17:29,995 Speaker 1: understand why it was not clear to everybody that this idea, 242 00:17:30,355 --> 00:17:32,635 Speaker 1: whether it was his idea or somebody else's, was the 243 00:17:32,675 --> 00:17:34,995 Speaker 1: best one. It was obviously the best one. Well, people 244 00:17:35,035 --> 00:17:38,275 Speaker 1: don't necessarily perceive things as quickly as Jimmy Carter did. 245 00:17:39,475 --> 00:17:43,515 Speaker 1: Jimmy Carter was a nuclear engineer and a small businessman 246 00:17:44,035 --> 00:17:49,995 Speaker 1: and the governor of Georgia. He had more smarts in 247 00:17:49,995 --> 00:17:52,195 Speaker 1: that head than the three presidents before him and the 248 00:17:52,195 --> 00:17:57,555 Speaker 1: three presidents after him combined. And his one fatal tragic 249 00:17:57,635 --> 00:18:01,795 Speaker 1: flaw was he could not hide that. He could not 250 00:18:06,195 --> 00:18:11,635 Speaker 1: just smile with those giant teeth of his and nod 251 00:18:11,795 --> 00:18:17,555 Speaker 1: and then say something unfortunate off camera. Now he stood 252 00:18:17,555 --> 00:18:20,475 Speaker 1: behind everything he did and everything he said, and America, 253 00:18:20,835 --> 00:18:23,435 Speaker 1: which claims to believe in standing behind everything you say 254 00:18:23,595 --> 00:18:28,675 Speaker 1: in everything you do, punished him for it. Now, it 255 00:18:28,835 --> 00:18:33,355 Speaker 1: is interesting that the remaining reasonable people of the other 256 00:18:33,435 --> 00:18:36,715 Speaker 1: party would agree with this. There is no doubt that 257 00:18:36,875 --> 00:18:40,795 Speaker 1: Jimmy Carter had the best post presidency of any president 258 00:18:40,835 --> 00:18:44,675 Speaker 1: in the nation's history. Now, the competition for this is 259 00:18:44,755 --> 00:18:49,315 Speaker 1: kind of minimal because very few presidents live for forty 260 00:18:49,835 --> 00:18:55,635 Speaker 1: three years nearly after their presidency's end. At least many 261 00:18:55,635 --> 00:19:01,275 Speaker 1: of the early ones did not. His post presidency, including 262 00:19:01,315 --> 00:19:06,515 Speaker 1: advocacy for international representative government, a willingness to travel to 263 00:19:07,435 --> 00:19:11,435 Speaker 1: places I wouldn't even spell correctly, to go and try 264 00:19:11,475 --> 00:19:14,715 Speaker 1: to make sure the elections were fair, and his willingness 265 00:19:14,715 --> 00:19:18,075 Speaker 1: to get out a hammer and build somebody a home 266 00:19:19,755 --> 00:19:25,195 Speaker 1: underscored who this man was. He was the greatest president 267 00:19:25,195 --> 00:19:30,755 Speaker 1: since mtr and we did not re elect him because America, 268 00:19:31,315 --> 00:19:33,555 Speaker 1: and if you have not noticed this since November fifth, 269 00:19:33,795 --> 00:19:38,075 Speaker 1: is largely made up of stupid people, the Reagan Bush 270 00:19:38,355 --> 00:19:44,435 Speaker 1: Trump people. Now why I got the privilege of calling 271 00:19:44,555 --> 00:19:50,355 Speaker 1: him a friend in two thousand and eight at the 272 00:19:51,195 --> 00:19:54,635 Speaker 1: Denver Democratic National Convention, the one that nominated Obama. That 273 00:19:54,675 --> 00:19:58,515 Speaker 1: made that official. I was co anchoring with Chris Matthews 274 00:19:58,515 --> 00:20:02,875 Speaker 1: on MSNBC. Yes, I know it was. I haven't been 275 00:20:02,915 --> 00:20:06,915 Speaker 1: able to even say the s correctly since then have I. 276 00:20:06,915 --> 00:20:09,795 Speaker 1: I was co anchoring with Chris Matthews on MSNBC and 277 00:20:09,915 --> 00:20:12,555 Speaker 1: Chris Matthews when it was announced Jimmy Carter was going 278 00:20:12,595 --> 00:20:14,795 Speaker 1: to come over to our location near the train station. 279 00:20:14,875 --> 00:20:18,795 Speaker 1: Because of course, MSNBC's idea of covering the Democratic National 280 00:20:18,795 --> 00:20:21,035 Speaker 1: Convention was that its co anchor should never actually be 281 00:20:21,235 --> 00:20:24,075 Speaker 1: inside the convention. There was just a room with people 282 00:20:24,115 --> 00:20:27,195 Speaker 1: in it who wanted to watch that. So we were 283 00:20:27,195 --> 00:20:29,355 Speaker 1: set up by the train station out under a tent 284 00:20:33,155 --> 00:20:37,235 Speaker 1: I digress. When it was announced that Jimmy Carter would 285 00:20:37,235 --> 00:20:39,555 Speaker 1: be coming over to be interviewed by Chris Matthews and 286 00:20:39,595 --> 00:20:42,955 Speaker 1: I one afternoon during the convention, I was like, oh 287 00:20:43,035 --> 00:20:44,875 Speaker 1: my god, I'm going to meet a former president, the 288 00:20:44,875 --> 00:20:51,755 Speaker 1: first one of my adult life. Goodness. Matthews then began 289 00:20:51,795 --> 00:20:54,235 Speaker 1: to tell stories about Jimmy Carter's good friend, Jimmy Carter, 290 00:20:54,315 --> 00:20:56,155 Speaker 1: Jimmy Carter, my good friend I used to work for. 291 00:20:56,195 --> 00:20:59,115 Speaker 1: I used to advise me. In a minute, it sounded 292 00:20:59,155 --> 00:21:01,555 Speaker 1: like when we used to have reel to reel tape 293 00:21:02,715 --> 00:21:04,355 Speaker 1: and it would begin to run out at the end, 294 00:21:04,435 --> 00:21:06,835 Speaker 1: and the thing would speed up in somebody's voice would 295 00:21:06,875 --> 00:21:09,875 Speaker 1: just kind of start a faster pastor president. That was 296 00:21:09,955 --> 00:21:12,715 Speaker 1: Chris Matthews when he got over excited as opposed to 297 00:21:12,755 --> 00:21:16,355 Speaker 1: the normal level of just slightly over excited. Well, his 298 00:21:16,435 --> 00:21:19,955 Speaker 1: good friend Chris matthews good friend Jimmy Carter came over 299 00:21:20,755 --> 00:21:24,915 Speaker 1: and basically ignored Chris Matthews and said to me off camera, 300 00:21:25,635 --> 00:21:29,315 Speaker 1: but with Matthew standing next to me, that he watched 301 00:21:29,435 --> 00:21:34,675 Speaker 1: Countdown every night. Now, my opinion about his presidency was 302 00:21:34,755 --> 00:21:38,275 Speaker 1: formed before he said that, but it wasn't hurt by 303 00:21:38,315 --> 00:21:42,075 Speaker 1: the fact that he said this. The thought of such 304 00:21:42,115 --> 00:21:45,475 Speaker 1: a thing, and I did not tell him that Ted 305 00:21:45,555 --> 00:21:47,955 Speaker 1: Kennedy also watched Countdown every night. I didn't want to 306 00:21:47,995 --> 00:21:50,715 Speaker 1: bring that up, but the thought of such a thing 307 00:21:50,795 --> 00:21:53,595 Speaker 1: was still one of the pinnacles. In fact, where do 308 00:21:53,635 --> 00:21:56,955 Speaker 1: I go from here moments of my career? It's a 309 00:21:57,035 --> 00:21:59,315 Speaker 1: president of the United States. There, I know he didn't 310 00:21:59,315 --> 00:22:02,555 Speaker 1: get reelected. He watches my newscast. But then he went on, 311 00:22:02,915 --> 00:22:08,355 Speaker 1: he said, we watch it. My wife and I watch 312 00:22:08,395 --> 00:22:12,595 Speaker 1: it with the kids. In fact, several of them usually 313 00:22:12,635 --> 00:22:14,355 Speaker 1: come over every night at eight o'clock so we can 314 00:22:14,435 --> 00:22:17,875 Speaker 1: all watch it together. Now I'm beginning to wonder if 315 00:22:17,915 --> 00:22:20,955 Speaker 1: I am getting pranked, if there's the cameras that are 316 00:22:20,955 --> 00:22:23,675 Speaker 1: around us are in fact rolling, and President Carter has 317 00:22:23,715 --> 00:22:26,235 Speaker 1: for some reason decided to play a trick on me 318 00:22:26,355 --> 00:22:29,675 Speaker 1: to see what my reaction is. If I will faint, 319 00:22:30,675 --> 00:22:32,915 Speaker 1: or if my head will swell to such proportions that 320 00:22:32,995 --> 00:22:39,835 Speaker 1: it will burst. If the President goes on to say, 321 00:22:40,475 --> 00:22:43,195 Speaker 1: we can't all be together. We tend to watch it 322 00:22:43,915 --> 00:22:46,835 Speaker 1: and talk to each other on the phone during the commercials. 323 00:22:48,955 --> 00:22:54,835 Speaker 1: That's how much we enjoy your newscast. I have disagreed 324 00:22:54,875 --> 00:22:59,075 Speaker 1: with many of your conclusions, but never your process. By 325 00:22:59,075 --> 00:23:02,795 Speaker 1: this point I had lost the ability to speak. That 326 00:23:02,955 --> 00:23:08,315 Speaker 1: he had a little further surprise for me. When it 327 00:23:08,395 --> 00:23:11,035 Speaker 1: nears eight o'clock and the phone rings, I know that 328 00:23:11,075 --> 00:23:14,155 Speaker 1: it's one of my kids or one of my grandkids, 329 00:23:14,635 --> 00:23:18,795 Speaker 1: explaining that they're a little delayed somewhere. So let's hold off. 330 00:23:19,835 --> 00:23:21,995 Speaker 1: They'll be home in nine or ten minutes, so let's 331 00:23:22,075 --> 00:23:24,915 Speaker 1: just pause. I believe it was still a t bow 332 00:23:24,955 --> 00:23:28,435 Speaker 1: at that point, or a DVR. Let's just pause that 333 00:23:28,555 --> 00:23:33,915 Speaker 1: until we can all watch it simultaneously. Jimmy Carter was 334 00:23:33,955 --> 00:23:36,235 Speaker 1: not just a fan of Countdown. He was a super fan. 335 00:23:38,435 --> 00:23:40,755 Speaker 1: And then he said, and the final note to this 336 00:23:41,955 --> 00:23:46,635 Speaker 1: and the reason that he has been in my heart 337 00:23:49,835 --> 00:23:52,915 Speaker 1: since that moment. I had always been fond of him 338 00:23:52,955 --> 00:23:55,475 Speaker 1: and his presidency and what he stood for, and the 339 00:23:55,515 --> 00:23:58,635 Speaker 1: fact that he might have been our last ultimately principled 340 00:23:58,635 --> 00:24:07,875 Speaker 1: man in the office. After this, with me gasping for 341 00:24:07,915 --> 00:24:11,075 Speaker 1: breath inside at least trying to put up a brave 342 00:24:11,155 --> 00:24:13,675 Speaker 1: face and saying thank you more than I have anytime 343 00:24:13,715 --> 00:24:20,595 Speaker 1: in my life, President Carter then asked, saying that his 344 00:24:20,675 --> 00:24:23,275 Speaker 1: wife regretted that she could not be with him for 345 00:24:23,355 --> 00:24:26,755 Speaker 1: this interview. She had a speaking engagement during the convention 346 00:24:27,075 --> 00:24:29,875 Speaker 1: orhether otherwise she would have been there to meet me. 347 00:24:33,195 --> 00:24:37,995 Speaker 1: She said, Keith, do you mind if if we take 348 00:24:38,035 --> 00:24:45,435 Speaker 1: a picture so I can show her? And of course, 349 00:24:45,795 --> 00:24:51,395 Speaker 1: at that moment, Chris Matthews rose and moved into the shot, 350 00:24:52,515 --> 00:24:55,435 Speaker 1: and President Carter, with a big smile on his face, said, 351 00:24:57,555 --> 00:25:01,115 Speaker 1: we'll get a shot another time. This is for Rosalind. 352 00:25:01,515 --> 00:25:10,715 Speaker 1: This just Keith me, Jimmy Carter the best president since FDR. 353 00:25:11,515 --> 00:25:13,795 Speaker 1: And if you disagree with me on that point, I 354 00:25:13,835 --> 00:25:15,995 Speaker 1: think you may agree with me that he probably also 355 00:25:16,195 --> 00:25:25,435 Speaker 1: was the funniest president since FDR. Also, of interest, here, 356 00:25:26,275 --> 00:25:28,435 Speaker 1: thank you, Chris, will get you next time. Also of 357 00:25:28,435 --> 00:25:30,355 Speaker 1: interest here in a world that just got at least 358 00:25:30,355 --> 00:25:33,635 Speaker 1: one percent worse, even though the man who died had 359 00:25:33,675 --> 00:25:38,235 Speaker 1: not been president for sixteen thousand and fifty days. I 360 00:25:38,275 --> 00:25:40,635 Speaker 1: was not kidding about that earlier reference. The plea bi 361 00:25:40,755 --> 00:25:43,755 Speaker 1: legal scholars who have written even now that there is 362 00:25:43,795 --> 00:25:47,075 Speaker 1: a means to at least protest the return of an 363 00:25:47,115 --> 00:25:54,875 Speaker 1: insurrectionist to an office once held by Jimmy Carter might 364 00:25:54,915 --> 00:25:57,795 Speaker 1: as well just have put a pile of human feces 365 00:25:57,835 --> 00:26:06,955 Speaker 1: on the chair. Even now, these legal experts, constitutional scholars, 366 00:26:06,995 --> 00:26:10,675 Speaker 1: in fact, former clerks at the Supreme Court, insists there 367 00:26:10,755 --> 00:26:13,675 Speaker 1: is a means to at least protest the return of 368 00:26:13,755 --> 00:26:17,515 Speaker 1: Trump to power, that Democrats need to just do what's 369 00:26:17,635 --> 00:26:22,475 Speaker 1: right for once and damn the consequences, at least say no, 370 00:26:23,715 --> 00:26:27,195 Speaker 1: even if yes is going to win. They say that 371 00:26:27,235 --> 00:26:31,195 Speaker 1: when the Supreme Court made up a requirement last year 372 00:26:31,715 --> 00:26:36,275 Speaker 1: earlier this year for a legislation to disqualify a presidential 373 00:26:36,395 --> 00:26:40,115 Speaker 1: candidate or president who is connected to a rebellion, the 374 00:26:40,155 --> 00:26:43,995 Speaker 1: Supreme Court missed something. Alito actually slept on the job. 375 00:26:44,475 --> 00:26:48,915 Speaker 1: It did not realize that that required legislation is already 376 00:26:49,195 --> 00:26:52,315 Speaker 1: in place and that if they could do it, they 377 00:26:52,395 --> 00:26:59,235 Speaker 1: could legally and peacefully deny Trump the presidency. That's next. 378 00:26:59,275 --> 00:27:10,435 Speaker 1: This is countdown. President Carter would have looked at the 379 00:27:10,475 --> 00:27:13,995 Speaker 1: headlines as Trump continues to threaten wars of aggression to 380 00:27:14,115 --> 00:27:19,635 Speaker 1: annex Greenland or Mexico or Canada, or maybe it's somewhere 381 00:27:19,675 --> 00:27:21,955 Speaker 1: else like Mars. I haven't checked in the last hour, 382 00:27:22,475 --> 00:27:26,795 Speaker 1: headlines like Musk threatening Maga and Maga turning on Ramaswami. 383 00:27:27,635 --> 00:27:30,795 Speaker 1: While Biden reportedly thinks he would have beaten Trump, President 384 00:27:30,795 --> 00:27:34,395 Speaker 1: Carter would have pointed to this story as the most 385 00:27:34,435 --> 00:27:38,915 Speaker 1: important one. Two legal scholars and former Supreme Court clerks 386 00:27:38,995 --> 00:27:42,275 Speaker 1: insist that a week from today, Democrats in the House 387 00:27:42,355 --> 00:27:46,875 Speaker 1: must refuse to certify Trump's election because the specific legislation 388 00:27:47,195 --> 00:27:51,755 Speaker 1: to disqualify him for insurrection, the legislation the Supreme Court 389 00:27:52,115 --> 00:27:55,675 Speaker 1: made up and demanded in this year's fourteenth Amendment case. 390 00:27:56,035 --> 00:28:01,715 Speaker 1: That legislation already exists. By the way, a week from 391 00:28:01,715 --> 00:28:07,515 Speaker 1: today is January sixth. I will say what I said 392 00:28:07,555 --> 00:28:11,915 Speaker 1: previously on this topic. There are not enough words. There 393 00:28:12,035 --> 00:28:16,235 Speaker 1: is not enough time left in eternity for me to 394 00:28:16,355 --> 00:28:21,515 Speaker 1: completely cover how much this is not going to happen. 395 00:28:22,155 --> 00:28:26,275 Speaker 1: But on the Washington focused news site The Hill, the 396 00:28:26,275 --> 00:28:29,115 Speaker 1: former editor in chief of the Columbia Law Review and 397 00:28:29,395 --> 00:28:33,195 Speaker 1: Justice Potter Stuart Clerk Evan Davis, and the former editor 398 00:28:33,235 --> 00:28:36,515 Speaker 1: in chief of the Yale Law Journal and Justice Potter 399 00:28:36,635 --> 00:28:40,155 Speaker 1: Stuart Clerk. David Shulty insists that no matter what the 400 00:28:40,155 --> 00:28:43,955 Speaker 1: Supreme Court says, and no matter what the consequences might be, 401 00:28:44,555 --> 00:28:48,595 Speaker 1: Trump has already been disqualified from federal office under the 402 00:28:48,635 --> 00:28:52,115 Speaker 1: fourteenth Amendment and Article two of the Constitution gives the 403 00:28:52,155 --> 00:28:56,675 Speaker 1: House the sole authority to confirm a presidential election outcome 404 00:28:57,075 --> 00:29:00,795 Speaker 1: or not. And I will add that while I can't 405 00:29:00,955 --> 00:29:02,955 Speaker 1: tell you how much this is not going to happen, 406 00:29:03,115 --> 00:29:06,875 Speaker 1: it would be nice to see Democrats do something, something, 407 00:29:07,315 --> 00:29:12,515 Speaker 1: anything at all, just to peacefully protest what a failed 408 00:29:12,875 --> 00:29:17,515 Speaker 1: and useless shit show the government at its supposed protections 409 00:29:17,555 --> 00:29:22,515 Speaker 1: against dictatorships and authoritarians and foreign influence on our government 410 00:29:22,595 --> 00:29:27,155 Speaker 1: has become, and what a hapless and flaccid vessel the 411 00:29:27,195 --> 00:29:30,755 Speaker 1: Democratic Party has become in the wake of Trump's treacherous 412 00:29:30,755 --> 00:29:35,635 Speaker 1: conspiracies to transform and subvert what was our clunky but 413 00:29:35,795 --> 00:29:38,995 Speaker 1: largely functional form of representative government in you know, the 414 00:29:39,035 --> 00:29:43,195 Speaker 1: good old days of your like you know, twenty thirteen 415 00:29:43,235 --> 00:29:47,275 Speaker 1: and fourteen, to transform it from that time into a 416 00:29:47,355 --> 00:29:54,595 Speaker 1: subsidiary of Trump or Musk enterprises. You know America X 417 00:29:57,235 --> 00:30:00,155 Speaker 1: in their Peace for the Hill, Davis and Schilty do 418 00:30:00,235 --> 00:30:02,635 Speaker 1: not put it this way, but goddamn it, Democrats, your 419 00:30:02,635 --> 00:30:06,195 Speaker 1: response to this is as telling and cringing a confirmation 420 00:30:06,635 --> 00:30:09,715 Speaker 1: of one party rule as would be any threat from 421 00:30:09,755 --> 00:30:13,875 Speaker 1: Steve Bannon or any goose honk from Maria Bartiromo. And 422 00:30:14,235 --> 00:30:17,715 Speaker 1: until this hour your response to this has been the 423 00:30:17,835 --> 00:30:26,435 Speaker 1: shrug emoji quote. No person shall hold any office civil 424 00:30:26,555 --> 00:30:30,315 Speaker 1: or military under the United States or under any State, who, 425 00:30:30,435 --> 00:30:33,675 Speaker 1: having previously taken an oath to support the Constitution of 426 00:30:33,675 --> 00:30:38,235 Speaker 1: the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion 427 00:30:38,275 --> 00:30:41,275 Speaker 1: against the same, or given aid or comfort to the 428 00:30:41,355 --> 00:30:45,475 Speaker 1: enemies thereof. Congress may, by a vote of two thirds 429 00:30:45,515 --> 00:30:51,035 Speaker 1: of each House, remove such disability. And what about the 430 00:30:51,075 --> 00:30:54,115 Speaker 1: Supreme Court's interference in the constitution Last March in the 431 00:30:54,115 --> 00:30:59,435 Speaker 1: Colorado case Anderson, you may recall Colorado had thrown Trump 432 00:30:59,555 --> 00:31:02,395 Speaker 1: off the ballot there because the fourteenth Amendment says you 433 00:31:02,475 --> 00:31:05,955 Speaker 1: can't be president if you've engaged in or give an 434 00:31:06,035 --> 00:31:12,315 Speaker 1: aid or comfort to an insurrection or rebellion engaged, not 435 00:31:12,435 --> 00:31:16,035 Speaker 1: that you've been convicted or imprisoned for doing so. Engaged. 436 00:31:16,355 --> 00:31:22,395 Speaker 1: It's automatic that the Constitution specifically provides a legal requirement 437 00:31:22,995 --> 00:31:28,035 Speaker 1: not to prove guilt of insurrection and disqualification, but to 438 00:31:28,235 --> 00:31:32,275 Speaker 1: disprove it. Namely, that the Congress may waive the insurrection 439 00:31:32,315 --> 00:31:35,715 Speaker 1: disqualification of anybody, even Trump, by a two thirds vote. 440 00:31:36,355 --> 00:31:39,195 Speaker 1: Tells you what the founders had in mind, and the 441 00:31:39,195 --> 00:31:44,395 Speaker 1: authors of the amendment. You are guilty until proven innocent. 442 00:31:46,235 --> 00:31:50,395 Speaker 1: But Sam Alito's all you can eat fascist buffet conveniently 443 00:31:50,395 --> 00:31:53,915 Speaker 1: made up a requirement that reverses what the Constitution says. 444 00:31:55,315 --> 00:31:59,915 Speaker 1: Alito's quote court unquote insists that there must be specific 445 00:32:00,035 --> 00:32:02,315 Speaker 1: legislation to keep Trump or anybody else off the ballot 446 00:32:02,515 --> 00:32:05,155 Speaker 1: or out of office. And Messrs Davis and Sheilton say, 447 00:32:05,595 --> 00:32:10,835 Speaker 1: all right, fine, guess what. That doesn't happen to be 448 00:32:10,915 --> 00:32:14,155 Speaker 1: the case, but let's pretend that is the case. There 449 00:32:14,195 --> 00:32:17,715 Speaker 1: has to be a specific piece of legislation to keep 450 00:32:17,755 --> 00:32:20,755 Speaker 1: Trump out of office. And they say there already is, 451 00:32:22,475 --> 00:32:27,875 Speaker 1: to quote them, specific legislation designed for this situation already exists. 452 00:32:28,115 --> 00:32:31,395 Speaker 1: The Electoral count Act, was first enacted in eighteen eighty 453 00:32:31,435 --> 00:32:34,755 Speaker 1: seven and later amended and restated in twenty twenty two. 454 00:32:35,395 --> 00:32:39,795 Speaker 1: That statute provides a detailed mechanism for resolving disputes as 455 00:32:39,835 --> 00:32:43,995 Speaker 1: to the validity of electoral College votes. The Act specifies 456 00:32:44,115 --> 00:32:47,355 Speaker 1: two grounds for objection to an electoral vote, if the 457 00:32:47,395 --> 00:32:52,675 Speaker 1: electors from a state were not lawfully certified, or if 458 00:32:52,715 --> 00:32:56,675 Speaker 1: the vote of one or more electors was not regularly given. 459 00:32:57,035 --> 00:33:01,995 Speaker 1: A vote for a candidate disqualified by the Constitution is 460 00:33:02,195 --> 00:33:05,435 Speaker 1: plainly in accordance with the normal use of the words 461 00:33:05,795 --> 00:33:10,995 Speaker 1: not regularly given. Disqualification for engaging an insurrection is no 462 00:33:11,155 --> 00:33:15,475 Speaker 1: different from disqualification based on other constitutional requirements, such as 463 00:33:15,595 --> 00:33:20,195 Speaker 1: age citizenship from birth and fourteen years residency in the 464 00:33:20,275 --> 00:33:23,755 Speaker 1: United States. To make an objection under the Count Act 465 00:33:23,875 --> 00:33:26,835 Speaker 1: requires a petition signed by twenty percent of the members 466 00:33:26,835 --> 00:33:29,675 Speaker 1: of each House. If the objection is sustained by majority 467 00:33:29,715 --> 00:33:32,355 Speaker 1: vote in each house, the vote is not counted, and 468 00:33:32,395 --> 00:33:34,835 Speaker 1: the number of votes required to be elected is reduced 469 00:33:34,835 --> 00:33:38,115 Speaker 1: by the number of disqualified votes. In other words, the 470 00:33:38,195 --> 00:33:42,435 Speaker 1: legislation that is required is the Count Act. It's the 471 00:33:42,475 --> 00:33:49,075 Speaker 1: Electoral Count Act of twenty twenty two, once again not 472 00:33:50,075 --> 00:33:57,235 Speaker 1: going to happen. The only people in this country who 473 00:33:57,315 --> 00:34:01,715 Speaker 1: actually believe Trump and MAGA and the Republicans got a 474 00:34:01,795 --> 00:34:05,555 Speaker 1: mandate two months ago and must be obeyed are the 475 00:34:05,635 --> 00:34:12,195 Speaker 1: craziest of his supporters, and maybe Trump himself, and of 476 00:34:12,235 --> 00:34:22,075 Speaker 1: course Joe Scarborough and most PTSD adduled Democratic politicians. Trump 477 00:34:22,235 --> 00:34:26,395 Speaker 1: is guilty of insurrection and cannot be president did not 478 00:34:26,635 --> 00:34:30,395 Speaker 1: work as a campaign slogan this year, so the Democrats 479 00:34:30,395 --> 00:34:32,835 Speaker 1: are now afraid to say it, let alone act on it. 480 00:34:32,915 --> 00:34:35,155 Speaker 1: Let alone act on it by taking a risk, Let 481 00:34:35,155 --> 00:34:38,195 Speaker 1: alone taking a risk for something that ultimately will be 482 00:34:38,275 --> 00:34:42,155 Speaker 1: purely symbolic. Oh no, Now, I'm not standing up for 483 00:34:42,195 --> 00:34:47,555 Speaker 1: the constitution or the truth or reality or the future 484 00:34:47,635 --> 00:34:51,515 Speaker 1: restoration of democracy in this country because in our next 485 00:34:51,515 --> 00:34:54,995 Speaker 1: election somebody will run against me by throwing my objection 486 00:34:55,155 --> 00:34:57,355 Speaker 1: back in my face and calling me a sore loser. 487 00:34:57,715 --> 00:35:01,275 Speaker 1: Oh no, sorry, that was Ted lu the congressman who 488 00:35:01,275 --> 00:35:04,435 Speaker 1: called those who claim Trump is disqualified from office because 489 00:35:04,435 --> 00:35:09,475 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty one insurrection quote sore losers. Democratic congressman, 490 00:35:09,715 --> 00:35:14,955 Speaker 1: sore losers wouldn't want to be sore about the electoral 491 00:35:14,995 --> 00:35:17,795 Speaker 1: process being overthrown by someone whose first plan is to 492 00:35:17,795 --> 00:35:19,995 Speaker 1: make it easier for him to then sue you for 493 00:35:20,115 --> 00:35:24,515 Speaker 1: claiming the electoral process was overthrown. Wouldn't want to stand 494 00:35:24,555 --> 00:35:27,915 Speaker 1: for something, even in a losing cause. Wouldn't want to 495 00:35:27,915 --> 00:35:30,435 Speaker 1: put up a protest to protect your preferred form of 496 00:35:30,475 --> 00:35:34,275 Speaker 1: government when the other guys, with not even one one 497 00:35:34,395 --> 00:35:38,835 Speaker 1: millionth of the constitutional validity behind them, decided they needed 498 00:35:38,835 --> 00:35:42,915 Speaker 1: to protect their preferred form of government and fabricated out 499 00:35:42,915 --> 00:35:47,795 Speaker 1: of whole cloth the African prince spam email equivalent of 500 00:35:47,835 --> 00:35:51,635 Speaker 1: a legal theory of nullifying an election, and to enforce it, 501 00:35:51,795 --> 00:35:54,315 Speaker 1: they sent a mob to try to kill or take 502 00:35:54,395 --> 00:35:58,315 Speaker 1: hostage anybody who got in their way while they were 503 00:35:58,355 --> 00:36:05,795 Speaker 1: at the effing capital four years ago. Next Monday, you know, 504 00:36:06,795 --> 00:36:09,355 Speaker 1: the day the Republicans stuck to the peaceful transfer of 505 00:36:09,395 --> 00:36:16,795 Speaker 1: power and we're not sore losers. The Davis Shilty article was, 506 00:36:16,875 --> 00:36:19,035 Speaker 1: for what it is worth, the most popular piece at 507 00:36:19,035 --> 00:36:21,795 Speaker 1: the Hill website. Normally that kind of fact is irrelevant 508 00:36:21,835 --> 00:36:24,555 Speaker 1: to the public discourse, but since the essence of the 509 00:36:24,595 --> 00:36:28,435 Speaker 1: piece is, maybe you could do what's right rather than 510 00:36:28,515 --> 00:36:30,475 Speaker 1: just what you think you can get away with without 511 00:36:30,515 --> 00:36:32,955 Speaker 1: getting your hands dirty. Maybe you could be just a 512 00:36:32,995 --> 00:36:38,115 Speaker 1: little aggressive rather than maintaining the new democratic mantra of 513 00:36:38,595 --> 00:36:41,195 Speaker 1: they go low, we go high. You'll see the electorate 514 00:36:41,235 --> 00:36:43,515 Speaker 1: will give us a golf clap and then reward us 515 00:36:43,515 --> 00:36:50,475 Speaker 1: with landslide victories forever. This distribution of the article suggests 516 00:36:50,515 --> 00:36:54,115 Speaker 1: that the other way, the way in which Trump's entire 517 00:36:54,275 --> 00:36:59,715 Speaker 1: existence what can I get away with? Does not produce 518 00:36:59,715 --> 00:37:02,715 Speaker 1: a Trump resistance predicated on don't say anything about it, 519 00:37:02,755 --> 00:37:05,515 Speaker 1: trump is getting away with it does not permit a 520 00:37:05,555 --> 00:37:08,595 Speaker 1: judicial response predicated on how can we disfigure the law 521 00:37:08,635 --> 00:37:10,835 Speaker 1: on the Constitution so Trump can get away with it? 522 00:37:10,875 --> 00:37:13,755 Speaker 1: Does not permit a media environment predicated on let's look 523 00:37:13,755 --> 00:37:16,155 Speaker 1: at our latest polling showing how well Trump is getting 524 00:37:16,155 --> 00:37:20,155 Speaker 1: away with it. That there is an alternate to this. 525 00:37:21,795 --> 00:37:26,995 Speaker 1: There is something akin to Henry la Boucher's comment about 526 00:37:26,995 --> 00:37:30,595 Speaker 1: the imperious holier than thou nineteenth century British Prime minister 527 00:37:30,755 --> 00:37:35,795 Speaker 1: William Gladstone, that well, la Boucher did not object to 528 00:37:35,795 --> 00:37:40,035 Speaker 1: Gladstone's habit of hiding a fifth ace up his sleeve. 529 00:37:41,475 --> 00:37:44,435 Speaker 1: Laba Cher did object to Gladstone's repeated insistence that the 530 00:37:44,435 --> 00:37:50,475 Speaker 1: fifth ace had been put up his sleeve by Almighty God, 531 00:37:52,475 --> 00:37:58,355 Speaker 1: that there is a philosophy that we could adopt that says, 532 00:37:58,435 --> 00:38:04,515 Speaker 1: no matter the consequences, somebody somewhere, at some point has 533 00:38:04,555 --> 00:38:08,555 Speaker 1: to say, I don't care if you got away with it, 534 00:38:09,515 --> 00:38:18,515 Speaker 1: you still stole it, that that philosophy shall not perish 535 00:38:18,555 --> 00:38:46,275 Speaker 1: from the earth. I will confess that, despite my clenched fists, 536 00:38:47,595 --> 00:38:51,115 Speaker 1: and despite my taking a page from the late President 537 00:38:51,155 --> 00:38:57,995 Speaker 1: Carter's attitude towards such things, I also like the completely 538 00:38:58,115 --> 00:39:02,075 Speaker 1: opposite approach to the certification next week of King Dumbass. 539 00:39:02,195 --> 00:39:09,795 Speaker 1: The first, namely let them fight. The Democrats, as you know, 540 00:39:10,315 --> 00:39:14,915 Speaker 1: disappeared just after midnight on November sixth, And the group 541 00:39:14,995 --> 00:39:17,475 Speaker 1: that has done more damage to Maga and Trump than 542 00:39:17,675 --> 00:39:24,435 Speaker 1: even revivified punch throwing Democrats could even dream of is 543 00:39:25,715 --> 00:39:33,795 Speaker 1: Maga and Trump and Musk and Ramaswami, the Schwam as 544 00:39:33,835 --> 00:39:39,555 Speaker 1: we call him. If somehow you missed this, Musk told 545 00:39:40,035 --> 00:39:46,955 Speaker 1: the nativist, racist, anti immigrant Magabase to quote take a 546 00:39:46,995 --> 00:39:57,235 Speaker 1: big step back and quote f yourself in the face, which, 547 00:39:57,275 --> 00:39:58,835 Speaker 1: to be honest, I always thought was a Robert F. 548 00:39:58,915 --> 00:40:05,435 Speaker 1: Kennedy junior quote, take a big step back and f 549 00:40:05,675 --> 00:40:18,915 Speaker 1: yourself in the face. Somebody's Ketaman arrived on time. This, 550 00:40:19,075 --> 00:40:21,515 Speaker 1: I think is the ten thousandth time I have said this. 551 00:40:21,795 --> 00:40:25,115 Speaker 1: The democracy abides, not so much because of the exertions 552 00:40:25,115 --> 00:40:27,435 Speaker 1: of those of us who want to preserve it as 553 00:40:27,475 --> 00:40:30,995 Speaker 1: the utter stupidity of those who would destroy it. Now, 554 00:40:31,035 --> 00:40:33,435 Speaker 1: I am not going to try to recap every part 555 00:40:33,515 --> 00:40:36,555 Speaker 1: of the Maga Civil War, except to mention the two 556 00:40:36,595 --> 00:40:41,675 Speaker 1: newest developments, which, like the old developments, each reminds me 557 00:40:42,515 --> 00:40:47,835 Speaker 1: of exactly the same comedy bit Dave Chappelle as Clayton Bigsby, 558 00:40:48,355 --> 00:40:52,235 Speaker 1: the sightless KKK member who had never learned he was black. 559 00:40:53,275 --> 00:40:57,715 Speaker 1: That's Maga, that's everybody in Maga. That's Trump, that's Musk, 560 00:40:57,755 --> 00:41:03,155 Speaker 1: that's Ramaswami, that's all of them. The new developments. After 561 00:41:03,195 --> 00:41:05,795 Speaker 1: spending forty four billion dollars to turn Twitter into an 562 00:41:05,835 --> 00:41:08,035 Speaker 1: asset for Putin and China and Trump and a haven 563 00:41:08,075 --> 00:41:10,915 Speaker 1: for Nazis and a place he himself can write f 564 00:41:11,195 --> 00:41:17,555 Speaker 1: yourself in the face in caps, Musk yesterday pleaded, please 565 00:41:17,675 --> 00:41:21,995 Speaker 1: post a bit more positive, beautiful or informative content on 566 00:41:22,035 --> 00:41:31,435 Speaker 1: this platform. That's stupid, even for him. What could be 567 00:41:31,475 --> 00:41:36,515 Speaker 1: even more stupid than that? Ramaswami yesterday posted and affirmative Action, 568 00:41:36,955 --> 00:41:40,035 Speaker 1: America is the land of meritocracy, let me do it 569 00:41:40,315 --> 00:41:47,395 Speaker 1: Ramaswami's voice, and affirmative Action America's land for meritocracy. True. 570 00:41:48,155 --> 00:41:52,155 Speaker 1: If by meritocracy mister Hairdoo means not merely selling the 571 00:41:52,195 --> 00:41:54,995 Speaker 1: snake oil but running up the stock price of the 572 00:41:55,035 --> 00:41:58,955 Speaker 1: snake oil company to make countless millions before it all collapses, 573 00:41:59,555 --> 00:42:04,875 Speaker 1: that's a meritocracy. Also, even after this weekend, it is 574 00:42:04,915 --> 00:42:07,435 Speaker 1: not clear to that genuinely stupid man that the vast 575 00:42:07,435 --> 00:42:11,035 Speaker 1: majority of his fascist supporters believed that he vivet Ramaswami 576 00:42:11,115 --> 00:42:14,795 Speaker 1: is where he is because and only because of affirmative action. 577 00:42:18,235 --> 00:42:20,635 Speaker 1: For a while, I was trying to figure out which 578 00:42:20,715 --> 00:42:23,675 Speaker 1: was true here, Whether Musk and Ramaswami were not aware 579 00:42:23,675 --> 00:42:27,955 Speaker 1: that when the maggots said they wanted all foreigners out, 580 00:42:28,715 --> 00:42:32,435 Speaker 1: they meant all of them, except maybe Musk and Ramaswami, 581 00:42:33,475 --> 00:42:36,195 Speaker 1: but certainly the kinds of foreigners that Musk and Ramaswami 582 00:42:36,395 --> 00:42:39,235 Speaker 1: wanted to hire and bring here on H one B 583 00:42:39,475 --> 00:42:43,115 Speaker 1: employment visas. I've been trying to figure out whether it 584 00:42:43,155 --> 00:42:46,075 Speaker 1: was that or that the MAGA rank and file on 585 00:42:46,155 --> 00:42:48,595 Speaker 1: scum and vermin did not realize that when Trump promised 586 00:42:48,635 --> 00:42:52,795 Speaker 1: to round up and expel all migrants. He meant all 587 00:42:52,835 --> 00:42:56,395 Speaker 1: migrants except the ones that he and Musk and Ramaswami 588 00:42:56,435 --> 00:43:01,315 Speaker 1: want to hire and bring into this country. The answer, 589 00:43:01,355 --> 00:43:04,515 Speaker 1: of course, is why can't it be both? Because it 590 00:43:04,555 --> 00:43:12,355 Speaker 1: is both, because they are all Clayton Bigsby. Conveniently, Trump 591 00:43:12,435 --> 00:43:15,635 Speaker 1: has ratcheted up a notch here by revealing he appears 592 00:43:15,675 --> 00:43:19,755 Speaker 1: to have been involved in aiding illegal immigration, that is, 593 00:43:19,835 --> 00:43:24,155 Speaker 1: immigration that violates immigration law. He told the New York Post, quote, 594 00:43:24,475 --> 00:43:27,715 Speaker 1: I have many H one B visas on my properties. 595 00:43:28,995 --> 00:43:32,035 Speaker 1: Not only did Trump repudiate H one B visas during 596 00:43:32,035 --> 00:43:35,435 Speaker 1: the twenty sixteen campaign, but the H one B visa 597 00:43:35,635 --> 00:43:40,195 Speaker 1: is exclusively for specialty occupations and foreign applicants who have 598 00:43:40,315 --> 00:43:42,835 Speaker 1: expertise that cannot be found, or at least cannot be 599 00:43:42,875 --> 00:43:48,715 Speaker 1: found easily among Americans who are already here. Think nuclear engineers, 600 00:43:49,835 --> 00:43:54,435 Speaker 1: not grounds keepers. Tending to the first hole where Ivana 601 00:43:54,635 --> 00:43:58,435 Speaker 1: is buried at Trump's Gulf Rama in Bedminster, New Jersey. 602 00:43:59,315 --> 00:44:04,315 Speaker 1: H one bees Less, Carl Speckler, more Werner Van Prau, 603 00:44:08,995 --> 00:44:12,475 Speaker 1: unclear who will fire whom here, though Bannon has called 604 00:44:12,595 --> 00:44:15,395 Speaker 1: Musk a toddler and my god it's happened to Bannon 605 00:44:15,515 --> 00:44:18,475 Speaker 1: is finally right about something. But Musk and Trump now 606 00:44:19,035 --> 00:44:23,555 Speaker 1: cannot coexist because Musk seems to think Trump will let 607 00:44:23,675 --> 00:44:27,675 Speaker 1: him decide things like this, and Musk's behavior is getting 608 00:44:27,795 --> 00:44:30,955 Speaker 1: even more deranged than Trump's, and Trump has got to 609 00:44:31,035 --> 00:44:35,555 Speaker 1: realize this. Musk has now, in addition to all this 610 00:44:35,915 --> 00:44:39,355 Speaker 1: telling people to f themselves in the face while then 611 00:44:39,475 --> 00:44:43,195 Speaker 1: asking for a more beautiful content, He has now written 612 00:44:43,195 --> 00:44:47,875 Speaker 1: an editorial supporting those German AfD neo nazis an actual 613 00:44:48,035 --> 00:44:51,835 Speaker 1: newspaper editorial, and the first rule of Trump Neo Nazi 614 00:44:51,835 --> 00:44:54,515 Speaker 1: club is say whatever you want, just remember never write 615 00:44:54,555 --> 00:45:02,155 Speaker 1: it down. Never write it down, Elmo. Meanwhile, Ramaswami, of course, 616 00:45:02,315 --> 00:45:07,515 Speaker 1: sees the opportunity to become other Musk. This raises the 617 00:45:07,515 --> 00:45:10,875 Speaker 1: delightful prospect of what happens to Musk and his influence 618 00:45:11,035 --> 00:45:13,875 Speaker 1: when he and Trump split or at least distance themselves 619 00:45:13,875 --> 00:45:19,035 Speaker 1: from one another. I mean, maybe Musk does wind up 620 00:45:19,035 --> 00:45:20,915 Speaker 1: as Speaker of the House. God knows. Mike Johnson is 621 00:45:20,955 --> 00:45:24,395 Speaker 1: now one vote away from being thrown off the bridge 622 00:45:24,475 --> 00:45:41,275 Speaker 1: of death. African or European swallow my Mike Johnson impression. 623 00:45:42,515 --> 00:45:44,795 Speaker 1: Back to seizing the Panama Canal and moving it to 624 00:45:44,875 --> 00:45:49,635 Speaker 1: Greenland or whatever the latest non forever war. Trump is 625 00:45:49,715 --> 00:45:53,515 Speaker 1: ginning up. Hard to believe the media could get more 626 00:45:53,555 --> 00:45:56,115 Speaker 1: complicit in the coming fascism. But yeah, you know, that's 627 00:45:56,155 --> 00:45:58,515 Speaker 1: one area in which they all appear to be hiring. 628 00:45:59,635 --> 00:46:03,755 Speaker 1: New York Times. Trump showed that his America First philosophy 629 00:46:05,155 --> 00:46:09,475 Speaker 1: has an expansionist dimension by calling for or asserting US 630 00:46:09,515 --> 00:46:17,155 Speaker 1: control over the Panama Canal and Greenland. An expansionist dimension, 631 00:46:17,355 --> 00:46:27,075 Speaker 1: that's what it is like, you know, Hitler's expansionist dimension. CNN. 632 00:46:27,955 --> 00:46:36,555 Speaker 1: Trump is teasing US expansion into Panama, Greenland, and Canada. 633 00:46:36,875 --> 00:46:42,635 Speaker 1: By Steve Contorno, Trump appears to be entertaining an American 634 00:46:42,755 --> 00:46:47,315 Speaker 1: territorial expansion that, if he's serious, would rival the Louisiana 635 00:46:47,395 --> 00:46:52,475 Speaker 1: purchase or the deal that netded Alaska from Russia. Yes, 636 00:46:52,915 --> 00:46:57,435 Speaker 1: that's exactly what it's like. It's like the Louisiana purchase 637 00:46:58,715 --> 00:47:07,995 Speaker 1: where we sent the French money for Louisiana and the French. Okay, 638 00:47:08,795 --> 00:47:14,315 Speaker 1: it's like the purchase of Alaska from Russia, not like 639 00:47:14,395 --> 00:47:22,835 Speaker 1: Hitler marching into the Rhineland. It's it's expansion, like we're 640 00:47:22,835 --> 00:47:28,515 Speaker 1: adding two teams to our league. What it is is 641 00:47:28,715 --> 00:47:33,235 Speaker 1: it's more media ass kissing. That's what it is, coming 642 00:47:33,315 --> 00:47:37,115 Speaker 1: from shock of shocks, the fatally compromised CNN and it's 643 00:47:37,195 --> 00:47:43,835 Speaker 1: new chairman, Scott Jennings. I made that up. Scott Jennings 644 00:47:43,915 --> 00:47:46,275 Speaker 1: is not the chairman of CNN. But you believed it, 645 00:47:46,315 --> 00:47:50,195 Speaker 1: didn't you. And while we are on the subject of 646 00:47:50,275 --> 00:47:53,755 Speaker 1: kissing Trump's ass I'd like to just say to hell 647 00:47:53,915 --> 00:48:00,635 Speaker 1: with Alvin Bragg. Yes that Alvin Bragg. I repeat, I 648 00:48:00,675 --> 00:48:05,155 Speaker 1: am completely opposed to the targeted assassinations of any buddy, 649 00:48:06,315 --> 00:48:12,395 Speaker 1: especially in my neighborhood. It's murder and it should be 650 00:48:12,435 --> 00:48:19,235 Speaker 1: prosecuted as such, and Alvin Bragg should resign. Today Alvin 651 00:48:19,275 --> 00:48:22,675 Speaker 1: Bragg has added a charge of first degree murder in 652 00:48:22,835 --> 00:48:31,515 Speaker 1: furtherance of terrorism. Trump's insurrectionists attacked the capital of the 653 00:48:31,635 --> 00:48:35,555 Speaker 1: United effing States of America, and none of them has 654 00:48:35,595 --> 00:48:42,635 Speaker 1: been charged with anything resembling terrorism. And again, not to defend, 655 00:48:42,635 --> 00:48:47,075 Speaker 1: nor encourage, nor excuse Luigi Mangione's presumed shooting of Brian 656 00:48:47,155 --> 00:48:52,795 Speaker 1: Thompson around the corner from my house. But guess when 657 00:48:52,835 --> 00:48:57,435 Speaker 1: it isn't terrorism. Remember when I said I really hope 658 00:48:57,475 --> 00:48:59,835 Speaker 1: they didn't do any polling on this murder because part 659 00:48:59,835 --> 00:49:04,075 Speaker 1: of me was afraid of what it would show. Turns 660 00:49:04,075 --> 00:49:06,275 Speaker 1: out should have been all of me that was afraid 661 00:49:06,795 --> 00:49:10,595 Speaker 1: Nork and Orc. The posters at the University of Chicago 662 00:49:11,315 --> 00:49:14,515 Speaker 1: asked who bears responsibility for the assassination. Eight out of 663 00:49:14,515 --> 00:49:18,035 Speaker 1: ten Americans said the assassin allegedly that is mister Mangione. 664 00:49:19,275 --> 00:49:21,475 Speaker 1: Eight out of ten said he bears a great deal 665 00:49:21,635 --> 00:49:26,035 Speaker 1: or some responsibility. Can't sneak anything past the American public 666 00:49:26,075 --> 00:49:30,115 Speaker 1: eight out of ten. Seven out of ten, however, said 667 00:49:30,195 --> 00:49:34,475 Speaker 1: denials of coverage and excessive profits mean the healthcare industry 668 00:49:34,555 --> 00:49:37,155 Speaker 1: bears at least a moderate amount of responsibility for the 669 00:49:37,235 --> 00:49:41,835 Speaker 1: death of Brian Thompson. Seven out of ten is not terrorism. 670 00:49:42,195 --> 00:49:47,675 Speaker 1: It's a vast majority. And if you are Alvin Braggan, 671 00:49:47,715 --> 00:49:50,435 Speaker 1: you have decided this is the place to test out 672 00:49:50,475 --> 00:49:54,035 Speaker 1: the what about the corporations? Won't anybody think about the 673 00:49:54,115 --> 00:49:59,515 Speaker 1: corporations terrorism bonus clause law? You are knowingly or otherwise 674 00:49:59,715 --> 00:50:02,755 Speaker 1: doing it as a sop to Trump and his minions, 675 00:50:02,955 --> 00:50:06,475 Speaker 1: because this is Trump logic. Try to hang or shoot 676 00:50:06,595 --> 00:50:10,275 Speaker 1: or beat to death politicians and their husbands who disagree 677 00:50:10,315 --> 00:50:15,275 Speaker 1: with Trump, not terrorism, shoot corporate executives so detached from 678 00:50:15,355 --> 00:50:18,835 Speaker 1: morality that seven out of ten Americans think that to 679 00:50:18,875 --> 00:50:25,275 Speaker 1: some degree they had it coming. That's terrorism if you're Trump, 680 00:50:26,835 --> 00:50:30,035 Speaker 1: or if you're trying to save your own ass and 681 00:50:30,235 --> 00:50:40,115 Speaker 1: you are Alvin Pragg. I will note that District Attorney 682 00:50:40,155 --> 00:50:43,595 Speaker 1: Bragg and Judge Van Mere Shawn also both stealthily slow 683 00:50:43,635 --> 00:50:46,835 Speaker 1: walk the sentencing of Trump before the election. I don't 684 00:50:46,835 --> 00:50:48,195 Speaker 1: know if it would have made a difference in the 685 00:50:48,195 --> 00:50:50,275 Speaker 1: election or not, but I think it is pretty clear 686 00:50:50,555 --> 00:50:53,635 Speaker 1: now that they both were confident it would make a 687 00:50:53,635 --> 00:50:57,155 Speaker 1: difference in how much vengeance Trump would seek against them. 688 00:50:57,595 --> 00:51:03,075 Speaker 1: So to hell with them both. Speaking of which worst 689 00:51:03,155 --> 00:51:09,835 Speaker 1: persons is next? Spoiler alert, it's Jank Yuger. Does this 690 00:51:09,995 --> 00:51:37,115 Speaker 1: countdown with Keith Olberman Aberman? Believe it or not, There's 691 00:51:37,155 --> 00:51:39,915 Speaker 1: still more new idiots to talk about before we close 692 00:51:39,995 --> 00:51:42,715 Speaker 1: this one out. The daily roundup of the miss Grants, Morons, 693 00:51:43,155 --> 00:51:48,155 Speaker 1: and Dunning Krueger effects specimens who constitute today's other worst 694 00:51:48,195 --> 00:51:52,555 Speaker 1: persons in the world, The Brons worse Two unidentified men 695 00:51:52,595 --> 00:51:57,635 Speaker 1: from Washington State. What did you do for Christmas? How 696 00:51:57,635 --> 00:52:03,315 Speaker 1: did you spend Christmas Eve? These guys went out looking 697 00:52:03,395 --> 00:52:11,395 Speaker 1: for sasquatch. They're not living anymore. Actually they died in 698 00:52:11,595 --> 00:52:16,635 Speaker 1: Washington State. They were from Oregon. A fifty nine year 699 00:52:16,635 --> 00:52:19,275 Speaker 1: old and a thirty seven year old unidentified as we 700 00:52:19,355 --> 00:52:22,555 Speaker 1: recorded this, appeared to have died from exposure. According to 701 00:52:22,595 --> 00:52:30,915 Speaker 1: the Scamania County Sheriff's Office at a Facebook post from 702 00:52:30,995 --> 00:52:33,755 Speaker 1: the Associated Press story, the weather and the men's lack 703 00:52:33,835 --> 00:52:37,595 Speaker 1: of preparedness led the office to draw that conclusion. It 704 00:52:37,715 --> 00:52:42,635 Speaker 1: said they went out looking for sasquatch in a heavily 705 00:52:42,675 --> 00:52:47,675 Speaker 1: wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Coincidentally, talking 706 00:52:47,715 --> 00:52:51,115 Speaker 1: about best presidents and funniest presidents, that would be Gifford 707 00:52:51,115 --> 00:52:54,035 Speaker 1: Pinchow was the head of the first Department of Interior 708 00:52:54,155 --> 00:52:58,475 Speaker 1: under Teddy Roosevelt. So this is one hundred and fifty 709 00:52:58,515 --> 00:53:03,195 Speaker 1: miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. A family member reported the 710 00:53:03,235 --> 00:53:05,995 Speaker 1: missing at around one am on Chris Day, after they 711 00:53:06,075 --> 00:53:09,595 Speaker 1: failed to return from their Christmas Eve outing. They said 712 00:53:09,635 --> 00:53:13,635 Speaker 1: they were looking for sasquatch. Apparently they went out into 713 00:53:13,675 --> 00:53:19,915 Speaker 1: the woods on Christmas Eve wearing overcoats. I'm inferring that 714 00:53:20,035 --> 00:53:22,355 Speaker 1: from the story. I don't know that it was overcoats. 715 00:53:22,515 --> 00:53:26,235 Speaker 1: It might have been sweaters. Sixty volunteer search and rescue 716 00:53:26,235 --> 00:53:31,515 Speaker 1: personnel helped in the three day search, canine teams, drone teams, 717 00:53:31,555 --> 00:53:37,635 Speaker 1: ground teams, infrared technology to search from the air. Because 718 00:53:37,675 --> 00:53:43,235 Speaker 1: we let people like this out in public, Let's go 719 00:53:43,355 --> 00:53:49,595 Speaker 1: find sasquatch. Now you're dead. Is Sasquatch there? And we 720 00:53:49,755 --> 00:53:53,275 Speaker 1: have all the pious Oh what a tragedy. It's they 721 00:53:53,315 --> 00:53:59,355 Speaker 1: went looking for sasquatch. The runner up, mary Anne Williamson. 722 00:53:59,675 --> 00:54:02,235 Speaker 1: I don't know her attitude about Sasquatch, but I wouldn't 723 00:54:02,275 --> 00:54:06,595 Speaker 1: be a bit surprised she is running for Chairman of 724 00:54:06,635 --> 00:54:10,755 Speaker 1: the Democratic National Committee because this is not enough of 725 00:54:10,795 --> 00:54:14,275 Speaker 1: a hell for us. What fresh hell is this? It's 726 00:54:14,315 --> 00:54:16,795 Speaker 1: one in which Mary Anne Williamson wants to be the 727 00:54:16,915 --> 00:54:21,795 Speaker 1: chair of the Democratic National Committee. MAGA is a distinctly 728 00:54:21,835 --> 00:54:24,115 Speaker 1: twenty first century political movement, and it will not be 729 00:54:24,195 --> 00:54:28,435 Speaker 1: defeated by a twentieth century toolkit. Data analysis, fundraising, field 730 00:54:28,515 --> 00:54:31,675 Speaker 1: organizing and beefed up technology. While all are important, will 731 00:54:31,715 --> 00:54:33,955 Speaker 1: not be enough to prepare the way for the Democratic 732 00:54:33,995 --> 00:54:36,675 Speaker 1: victory in twenty twenty four and beyond. That's why I 733 00:54:36,715 --> 00:54:40,075 Speaker 1: have decided to run for DNC chair this year. Writes 734 00:54:40,155 --> 00:54:42,955 Speaker 1: Mary Anne Williamson. So what else is there going to 735 00:54:42,995 --> 00:54:46,915 Speaker 1: be besides data analysis, fundraising, field organizing, beefed up technology. 736 00:54:46,915 --> 00:54:52,795 Speaker 1: What do you got, Marianne, Crystals, vibes. We've tried crystals 737 00:54:52,795 --> 00:54:58,395 Speaker 1: and vibes, but you got you got Sasquatch, your Democratic 738 00:54:58,435 --> 00:55:03,715 Speaker 1: nominee in twenty twenty eight. Sasquatch. We found him. As 739 00:55:03,715 --> 00:55:06,155 Speaker 1: we're continuing to build the memorial for those two men 740 00:55:06,155 --> 00:55:08,635 Speaker 1: who died just after Christmas in twenty twenty four, when 741 00:55:08,635 --> 00:55:10,955 Speaker 1: they went out looking, they found him. Because of those men, 742 00:55:11,515 --> 00:55:14,355 Speaker 1: that idiot Olderman, remember him, He made fun of them. 743 00:55:14,595 --> 00:55:17,395 Speaker 1: Now we've made seven hundred foot tall monuments to them 744 00:55:17,395 --> 00:55:22,595 Speaker 1: in the forests in Washington State. I have mentioned this before. 745 00:55:22,635 --> 00:55:24,915 Speaker 1: Somebody tried to set me up on a date at 746 00:55:24,955 --> 00:55:29,675 Speaker 1: Mary Anne Williamson's request. With Mary Ann Williamson, I have 747 00:55:29,795 --> 00:55:32,595 Speaker 1: described to you in my personal life and the many, 748 00:55:32,635 --> 00:55:35,075 Speaker 1: many bad choices I have made, that was one of 749 00:55:35,075 --> 00:55:38,715 Speaker 1: the good choices. Pew pew pew. Those are all the 750 00:55:38,755 --> 00:55:42,715 Speaker 1: bullets that I avoided in that one. And speaking of 751 00:55:42,715 --> 00:55:46,035 Speaker 1: which in a different context, no dating involved here, but 752 00:55:46,915 --> 00:55:53,315 Speaker 1: bullets ducked are winner Jank Huger, who did some sort 753 00:55:53,315 --> 00:55:58,635 Speaker 1: of panel discussion with Charlie Kirk because sure, let's negotiate 754 00:55:58,675 --> 00:56:02,995 Speaker 1: with them. Joe Scarborough would not have sat down with 755 00:56:03,075 --> 00:56:06,995 Speaker 1: Charlie Kirk. Jank. I have to admit I underestimated the 756 00:56:07,155 --> 00:56:11,555 Speaker 1: tribalism on our side. These people are fascists. It's not 757 00:56:11,795 --> 00:56:16,115 Speaker 1: tribalism to oppose fascists. We spilled the blood of what 758 00:56:17,155 --> 00:56:21,595 Speaker 1: five hundred thousand Americans in the Second World War fighting fascists. 759 00:56:22,995 --> 00:56:26,635 Speaker 1: That's not tribalism. It was self defense. I thought once 760 00:56:26,675 --> 00:56:29,355 Speaker 1: people realized that I am defending left wing positions in 761 00:56:29,395 --> 00:56:31,875 Speaker 1: front of right wing crowds, they would understand that's not 762 00:56:31,995 --> 00:56:35,235 Speaker 1: selling out, that's the opposite. But no, most seem to 763 00:56:35,235 --> 00:56:36,995 Speaker 1: think just the mere act of talking to the other 764 00:56:37,075 --> 00:56:39,755 Speaker 1: side is an unbearable heresy. This is because it's an 765 00:56:39,835 --> 00:56:43,675 Speaker 1: unbearable heresy. The only thing you get from them in 766 00:56:43,795 --> 00:56:48,075 Speaker 1: talking to them is the possibility that one of them 767 00:56:48,155 --> 00:56:50,715 Speaker 1: might say something stupid that you can then put on 768 00:56:50,795 --> 00:56:53,635 Speaker 1: your show, which they will then clip and alter in 769 00:56:53,715 --> 00:56:57,875 Speaker 1: such way to make you look stupid. We should never 770 00:56:57,955 --> 00:57:03,155 Speaker 1: talk because that's appeasement, etc. Yes, it's appeasement. It's exactly 771 00:57:03,195 --> 00:57:07,515 Speaker 1: the same thing. Jank. The fact that people can't see 772 00:57:07,515 --> 00:57:10,635 Speaker 1: how crazy that sounds shows you how thick the bubbles are. 773 00:57:10,835 --> 00:57:14,595 Speaker 1: The bubbles are in your bloodstream. Jank see a physician. 774 00:57:16,995 --> 00:57:21,755 Speaker 1: On and on and on this rationalization for Jank Huger, 775 00:57:21,875 --> 00:57:25,555 Speaker 1: who has taken every political position available for the last 776 00:57:25,555 --> 00:57:30,635 Speaker 1: twenty years loudly and with absolute certainty and bashed everybody 777 00:57:30,675 --> 00:57:35,115 Speaker 1: who disagreed with him, is now telling us that the 778 00:57:35,275 --> 00:57:40,475 Speaker 1: key to this is to exchange ideas with Charlie Kirk. 779 00:57:42,075 --> 00:57:46,515 Speaker 1: Let me explain briefly Jank Huger. At MSNBC, I think 780 00:57:46,515 --> 00:57:48,715 Speaker 1: we had him on once and I listened to him 781 00:57:48,755 --> 00:57:51,275 Speaker 1: and realized that what he was talking about and what 782 00:57:51,355 --> 00:57:54,515 Speaker 1: had actually happened were not the same things. I said, 783 00:57:54,635 --> 00:57:58,035 Speaker 1: we don't put him on again. Somebody at MSNBC, I 784 00:57:58,035 --> 00:58:00,915 Speaker 1: believe it was Phil Griffin hired him as a guest 785 00:58:00,955 --> 00:58:03,875 Speaker 1: host or invited him in as a contributor, and I 786 00:58:03,955 --> 00:58:07,195 Speaker 1: remember himing around my office waiting for me to come 787 00:58:07,235 --> 00:58:11,195 Speaker 1: out so he could meet me. And I was literally 788 00:58:11,275 --> 00:58:13,355 Speaker 1: in that position of having to leave to go to 789 00:58:13,435 --> 00:58:20,435 Speaker 1: the bathroom. And I held it in later at Current TV, 790 00:58:20,755 --> 00:58:24,435 Speaker 1: where I tried to hire first Rachel Maddow. Well, okay, 791 00:58:24,635 --> 00:58:26,915 Speaker 1: It was an idea, as I said to her, look 792 00:58:27,195 --> 00:58:30,115 Speaker 1: at least, said to her through her agent, who had 793 00:58:30,115 --> 00:58:33,195 Speaker 1: been my agent. At least you'll get more money out 794 00:58:33,195 --> 00:58:37,235 Speaker 1: of it from NBC. Little did I know, And when 795 00:58:37,235 --> 00:58:38,795 Speaker 1: that didn't work out, I had an idea for a 796 00:58:38,835 --> 00:58:42,395 Speaker 1: show at nine o'clock, an extension of Countdown with Chris 797 00:58:42,395 --> 00:58:46,835 Speaker 1: Hayes and Gene Robinson. Those are the people I wanted 798 00:58:46,875 --> 00:58:50,235 Speaker 1: to hire. The guy that Al Gore's business partner, Joel 799 00:58:50,355 --> 00:58:55,635 Speaker 1: Hyatt hired was Jank Huger. When Jank Huger was hired, 800 00:58:56,075 --> 00:58:58,635 Speaker 1: I gathered my staff together and I said, I think 801 00:58:58,955 --> 00:59:02,675 Speaker 1: I think they spent all the money on me this. 802 00:59:03,075 --> 00:59:05,115 Speaker 1: If you guys want to start looking for work, I 803 00:59:05,155 --> 00:59:07,075 Speaker 1: will not hold it against you. I will write you 804 00:59:07,115 --> 00:59:11,035 Speaker 1: all letters of reference. I think I said to them 805 00:59:11,355 --> 00:59:15,955 Speaker 1: in Whenever. That was July of twenty eleven. I think 806 00:59:15,995 --> 00:59:19,115 Speaker 1: we have eight to twelve months, but I'm not sure 807 00:59:19,715 --> 00:59:23,035 Speaker 1: they got rid of me. I believe eight months from 808 00:59:23,035 --> 00:59:27,595 Speaker 1: that point. And if there's any further information about Jank Yuger, 809 00:59:27,675 --> 00:59:31,075 Speaker 1: you need to know a lot of people are paying 810 00:59:31,115 --> 00:59:34,875 Speaker 1: attention to Jink right now. He's having a moment and 811 00:59:34,875 --> 00:59:38,755 Speaker 1: then a reposting of that. I have to admit I 812 00:59:38,835 --> 00:59:41,795 Speaker 1: underestimated the tribalism on our side. A lot of people 813 00:59:41,835 --> 00:59:44,715 Speaker 1: are paying attention to Jank right now. He's having a moment, 814 00:59:45,675 --> 00:59:50,355 Speaker 1: signed former Congressman Matt Gates, showing an interest in something 815 00:59:50,355 --> 00:59:52,995 Speaker 1: other than a seventeen year old girl for the first 816 00:59:52,995 --> 00:59:57,555 Speaker 1: time in months. Jank, when Matt Gates is on your side, 817 00:59:58,115 --> 01:00:01,755 Speaker 1: you're on your way out. He's not having a moment. 818 01:00:01,995 --> 01:00:06,075 Speaker 1: What he's having is an episode. Uger two days other 819 01:00:06,795 --> 01:00:34,435 Speaker 1: worst person than the world. I've done all the damage 820 01:00:34,475 --> 01:00:37,395 Speaker 1: I can do here. Thank you for listening. Shank Huger, 821 01:00:37,475 --> 01:00:40,475 Speaker 1: Holy crap. Brian Ray and John Phillip Chanel, the musical 822 01:00:40,515 --> 01:00:44,235 Speaker 1: directors of Countdown Arranged, produced and performed most of our music. 823 01:00:45,035 --> 01:00:47,355 Speaker 1: I never ascertained by the way, whether or not Current 824 01:00:47,395 --> 01:00:50,035 Speaker 1: TV paid Jank Huger or it was the other way around. 825 01:00:52,395 --> 01:00:55,235 Speaker 1: Brian and John Phillip Chanel Arrange produced and performed most 826 01:00:55,235 --> 01:00:58,395 Speaker 1: of our music. Mister Chaneil on orchestration and keyboards, mister 827 01:00:58,475 --> 01:01:01,035 Speaker 1: Ray on guitars, bass and drums. It was produced by 828 01:01:01,035 --> 01:01:04,515 Speaker 1: Tko Brothers. Our satirical and pithy musical comments are by 829 01:01:04,555 --> 01:01:08,555 Speaker 1: the best baseball stadium organist ever Nancy Faust. The sports 830 01:01:08,635 --> 01:01:11,355 Speaker 1: music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, written by 831 01:01:11,355 --> 01:01:15,475 Speaker 1: Mitch Warren Davis courtesy ESPN, Inc. Other music arranged and 832 01:01:15,475 --> 01:01:18,675 Speaker 1: performed by the group No Horns Allowed. My announcer today 833 01:01:18,715 --> 01:01:21,115 Speaker 1: was my friend Larry David doing his impression of the 834 01:01:21,155 --> 01:01:24,635 Speaker 1: late announcer a Yankee Stadium, Bob Shepard. Everything else was 835 01:01:24,835 --> 01:01:30,835 Speaker 1: as ever, my fault. That's countdown for today, Just eighty 836 01:01:30,875 --> 01:01:33,275 Speaker 1: three days until the scheduled end of the lane duck 837 01:01:33,315 --> 01:01:38,075 Speaker 1: presidency of Trump. Probably the next scheduled countdown will be 838 01:01:38,115 --> 01:01:43,075 Speaker 1: next Monday, because it's New Year's As always, bulletins is 839 01:01:43,115 --> 01:01:46,315 Speaker 1: the news warrants till next time. I'm Keith Ouldraman. Good morning, 840 01:01:46,395 --> 01:01:51,035 Speaker 1: good afternoon, good night, good luck, and Happy New Year. 841 01:02:10,355 --> 01:02:14,315 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For 842 01:02:14,475 --> 01:02:19,555 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 843 01:02:19,675 --> 01:02:21,595 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.