1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,035 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. Tucker 2 00:00:22,115 --> 00:00:27,275 Speaker 1: Carlson's Trump Derangement Syndrome Dance Party went into reruns last 3 00:00:27,395 --> 00:00:30,995 Speaker 1: night and was then canceled out of sheer boredom, whereupon 4 00:00:31,035 --> 00:00:34,875 Speaker 1: its star gave up and ran away, and Carlson, clearly 5 00:00:34,995 --> 00:00:37,875 Speaker 1: terrified and no longer in control of whatever it was 6 00:00:37,915 --> 00:00:40,195 Speaker 1: he had been trying to do with the January sixth 7 00:00:40,195 --> 00:00:43,875 Speaker 1: government video he had gained illicit access to, headed for 8 00:00:43,915 --> 00:00:47,875 Speaker 1: the hills, and before you could say Kevin McCarthy wasn't watching, 9 00:00:48,315 --> 00:00:51,515 Speaker 1: Carlson was reduced to playing a tape of an old 10 00:00:51,675 --> 00:00:55,515 Speaker 1: interview with Russell Brand, who used to be a comedian 11 00:00:55,955 --> 00:01:00,435 Speaker 1: or something, if you want to truly go conspiracy theory 12 00:01:00,475 --> 00:01:03,755 Speaker 1: on this week. The whole force could not have done 13 00:01:03,795 --> 00:01:07,595 Speaker 1: more damage to Tucker Carlson and Fox quote news unquote 14 00:01:07,635 --> 00:01:10,795 Speaker 1: if it had been designed to do so. The further 15 00:01:10,915 --> 00:01:13,875 Speaker 1: Carlson went out onto that limb, the more those who 16 00:01:13,955 --> 00:01:17,595 Speaker 1: helped him out there backed away. Before the day was over, 17 00:01:17,675 --> 00:01:21,595 Speaker 1: Kevin McCarthy was again revealing he didn't even watch a 18 00:01:21,715 --> 00:01:24,395 Speaker 1: prediction here. That was the last time you will hear 19 00:01:24,435 --> 00:01:28,635 Speaker 1: about January sixth from Tucker Carlson for a long long 20 00:01:28,795 --> 00:01:33,275 Speaker 1: time for one practical thing. Carlson apparently ran out of 21 00:01:33,555 --> 00:01:37,115 Speaker 1: new hidden January sixth video. He literally had to show 22 00:01:37,555 --> 00:01:41,995 Speaker 1: old hidden January sixth video the exact same tape last 23 00:01:42,075 --> 00:01:45,915 Speaker 1: night of the Qan on Shaman that he ran Monday night, 24 00:01:45,995 --> 00:01:49,115 Speaker 1: right down to the exact same narration that ran Monday Night. 25 00:01:49,715 --> 00:01:53,555 Speaker 1: Carlson also gave an amazingly tedious twenty minute monologue and listen, 26 00:01:54,235 --> 00:01:57,715 Speaker 1: I know a tedious twenty minute monologue when I hear one, 27 00:01:58,035 --> 00:02:00,435 Speaker 1: I have given one or two of them in my life. 28 00:02:00,955 --> 00:02:04,195 Speaker 1: It was fleshed out with vague demands for apologies from 29 00:02:04,275 --> 00:02:07,795 Speaker 1: Liz Haney and Anderson Cooper. Its tone lacked all of 30 00:02:07,795 --> 00:02:10,835 Speaker 1: the drama of Monday Night's sales job, and it sunk 31 00:02:10,915 --> 00:02:15,435 Speaker 1: quickly from frightening to cetchy. And it was highlighted by 32 00:02:15,435 --> 00:02:19,955 Speaker 1: the epitome of self unawareness, a Tucker Carlson lecture on 33 00:02:19,995 --> 00:02:26,995 Speaker 1: how to tell when terrified small men are lying to you. Then, tellingly, 34 00:02:27,555 --> 00:02:29,955 Speaker 1: twenty eight hours after the revelation of the text in 35 00:02:29,995 --> 00:02:33,115 Speaker 1: which he said of Trump, I hate him passionately, Tucker 36 00:02:33,155 --> 00:02:37,915 Speaker 1: Carlson ran a dead serious report from poor Kevin Cork 37 00:02:38,595 --> 00:02:43,435 Speaker 1: gushing about Trump's recent promise that if elected, we will 38 00:02:43,475 --> 00:02:48,955 Speaker 1: all get new freedom cities and flying cars and a pony. 39 00:02:49,555 --> 00:02:53,155 Speaker 1: Probably Carlson did not say this was him begging for 40 00:02:53,275 --> 00:02:56,235 Speaker 1: mercy from Trump after the I hate him passionately text 41 00:02:56,355 --> 00:02:59,595 Speaker 1: was revealed, he didn't have to say that. So the 42 00:02:59,675 --> 00:03:03,235 Speaker 1: Carlson January sixth video gas lighting ended with a whimper 43 00:03:03,235 --> 00:03:06,595 Speaker 1: and not a bang. Something approaching or exceeding a third 44 00:03:06,635 --> 00:03:09,755 Speaker 1: of the whole thing was just footage of Jacob Chansley, 45 00:03:09,835 --> 00:03:13,155 Speaker 1: the quan On shaman, walking around the halls of Congress, 46 00:03:13,555 --> 00:03:15,915 Speaker 1: which to Carlson was supposed to be as dramatic and 47 00:03:15,955 --> 00:03:19,755 Speaker 1: decisive as the Zapruter film. And Carlson's conclusion was that 48 00:03:19,835 --> 00:03:24,395 Speaker 1: since Chansley didn't kill any police or melt anything inside 49 00:03:24,435 --> 00:03:27,915 Speaker 1: Congress with his eyes, clearly the violent insurrection was not 50 00:03:27,995 --> 00:03:32,155 Speaker 1: a violent insurrection. In conclusion, January sixth is a land 51 00:03:32,155 --> 00:03:38,435 Speaker 1: of contrasts. Thank you. Carlson may have exited stage rights 52 00:03:38,715 --> 00:03:41,835 Speaker 1: out of fear or under orders from his bosses, and 53 00:03:42,075 --> 00:03:45,835 Speaker 1: terminated early his quixotic quest to gaslight the coup and 54 00:03:45,955 --> 00:03:48,395 Speaker 1: lay the ground for the House Republicans to undermine the 55 00:03:48,475 --> 00:03:53,115 Speaker 1: January sixth committee on Trump's behalf, but while he bailed out, 56 00:03:53,435 --> 00:03:58,235 Speaker 1: America piled on Tucker Carlson and Fox quote news unquote 57 00:03:58,235 --> 00:04:01,875 Speaker 1: were attacked by everybody from Ben Shapiro to Joe Biden. 58 00:04:02,635 --> 00:04:05,675 Speaker 1: An ad hoc committee centered by former George W. Bush 59 00:04:05,675 --> 00:04:10,155 Speaker 1: Presidential ethics adviser, demanded the House investigate Speaker McCarthy and 60 00:04:10,235 --> 00:04:13,395 Speaker 1: others for the back room deal that gave Carlson access 61 00:04:13,435 --> 00:04:15,435 Speaker 1: to that video that turned out to be an utter 62 00:04:15,555 --> 00:04:19,915 Speaker 1: boring dud. Liz Cheney issued not an apology, but a dare. 63 00:04:20,195 --> 00:04:24,355 Speaker 1: If House Republicans want new jan six hearings, she wrote, 64 00:04:24,355 --> 00:04:28,915 Speaker 1: bring it on. Senator Cornin of Texas attacked his House 65 00:04:28,995 --> 00:04:32,235 Speaker 1: GOP colleagues, saying, I think they need to watch a 66 00:04:32,275 --> 00:04:37,155 Speaker 1: little less cable TV. And as Speaker McCarthy refused to 67 00:04:37,235 --> 00:04:42,275 Speaker 1: agree with, Carlson refused to disagree with Carlson, refused to 68 00:04:42,315 --> 00:04:44,875 Speaker 1: say if he was going to watch any of Carlson's segments, 69 00:04:44,955 --> 00:04:48,395 Speaker 1: later insisted he had not watched any of Carlson's segments 70 00:04:48,395 --> 00:04:51,835 Speaker 1: so far. Asked if Carlson was right when he said 71 00:04:51,915 --> 00:04:56,475 Speaker 1: January sixth was quote mostly peaceful, McCarthy instead answered something 72 00:04:56,555 --> 00:05:02,115 Speaker 1: about CNN and Congressman Eric Swalwell of California, while CNN 73 00:05:02,195 --> 00:05:05,755 Speaker 1: was unearthing a radio interview from January twenty twenty one 74 00:05:05,995 --> 00:05:09,275 Speaker 1: in which McCarthy said, the mob quote overtook the place. 75 00:05:09,475 --> 00:05:14,155 Speaker 1: People brought ropes straps, possibly to kidnap people inside the house. 76 00:05:14,515 --> 00:05:18,195 Speaker 1: Anybody that participated, McCarthy said, needs to go to court, 77 00:05:18,475 --> 00:05:24,715 Speaker 1: needs to go to jail. Unquote. Ben Shapiro clearing his 78 00:05:24,875 --> 00:05:28,355 Speaker 1: traditional people who own homes it might be flooded due 79 00:05:28,395 --> 00:05:31,715 Speaker 1: to climate change will have already sold them brain fog 80 00:05:32,115 --> 00:05:36,155 Speaker 1: told his audience that January sixth, quote wasn't a peaceful event. 81 00:05:36,555 --> 00:05:40,315 Speaker 1: Tucker also gave credence to the original falsehoods that I 82 00:05:40,355 --> 00:05:43,435 Speaker 1: think Trump was speaking from November fourth to January sixth, 83 00:05:43,675 --> 00:05:46,275 Speaker 1: which is that the election was capable of being overturned, 84 00:05:46,475 --> 00:05:50,715 Speaker 1: that Trump legitimately won the election. Shapiro was far more 85 00:05:50,755 --> 00:05:53,955 Speaker 1: critical even than the President and his spokesman. More than 86 00:05:53,995 --> 00:05:56,915 Speaker 1: one hundred and forty officers were injured on January sixth. 87 00:05:57,075 --> 00:06:00,835 Speaker 1: Biden wrote, I've said before, how dare anyone diminish or 88 00:06:00,875 --> 00:06:03,555 Speaker 1: deny the hell they went through? I stand with the 89 00:06:03,595 --> 00:06:06,795 Speaker 1: Capitol police. I hope house Republicans feel a shame for 90 00:06:06,835 --> 00:06:10,955 Speaker 1: what was done to undermine our law enforcement. The White 91 00:06:10,955 --> 00:06:14,355 Speaker 1: House press spokesman Andrew Bates was left to hit Carlson 92 00:06:14,435 --> 00:06:17,875 Speaker 1: directly and personally quote. We also agree with what Fox 93 00:06:17,915 --> 00:06:21,435 Speaker 1: News his own attorneys and executives have now repeatedly stressed 94 00:06:21,475 --> 00:06:25,675 Speaker 1: in multiple courts of law that Tucker Carlson is not credible. 95 00:06:27,515 --> 00:06:30,995 Speaker 1: The most significant blowback to this disaster, though, had a 96 00:06:30,995 --> 00:06:33,915 Speaker 1: little bit more meat on the bones. The appeal to 97 00:06:33,955 --> 00:06:36,835 Speaker 1: the House Ethics Committee I mentioned earlier. It was from 98 00:06:36,915 --> 00:06:40,995 Speaker 1: Richard Painter, who was Bush's ethics lawyer and wasn't too 99 00:06:40,995 --> 00:06:44,835 Speaker 1: busy while he did it, and Norm Eisen, Obama's ethics lawyer, 100 00:06:45,075 --> 00:06:48,595 Speaker 1: plus Lisa Gilbert and Craig Holman from the group Public Citizen. 101 00:06:48,995 --> 00:06:52,435 Speaker 1: They wrote, quote, the exclusive release of the January six 102 00:06:52,595 --> 00:06:54,915 Speaker 1: video footage appears to have been the result of a 103 00:06:55,035 --> 00:06:59,515 Speaker 1: political agreement between Speaker McCarthy, Tucker Carlson, and others in 104 00:06:59,635 --> 00:07:04,195 Speaker 1: McCarthy's bid to become speaker. They demanded an investigation. The 105 00:07:04,275 --> 00:07:07,875 Speaker 1: lang is formal and controlled. The insinuation is that there 106 00:07:07,915 --> 00:07:10,795 Speaker 1: may have been something that violated House rules, maybe even 107 00:07:10,915 --> 00:07:15,035 Speaker 1: laws governing McCarthy's decision to let Carlson have the video 108 00:07:15,275 --> 00:07:19,435 Speaker 1: that board everybody. Law Professor Lawrence Tribe went further, albeit 109 00:07:19,475 --> 00:07:24,675 Speaker 1: probably unrealistically. How about Tribe asked charging McCarthy with stealing 110 00:07:24,755 --> 00:07:30,355 Speaker 1: government property? Well, sure, why not? The feistiest response was 111 00:07:30,595 --> 00:07:33,755 Speaker 1: Liz Cheney's. And if McCarthy and the radical right who 112 00:07:33,795 --> 00:07:37,315 Speaker 1: still hold the power to oust him, even vaguely understand 113 00:07:37,755 --> 00:07:40,715 Speaker 1: that the video on the Tucker Carlson Show was less 114 00:07:41,075 --> 00:07:46,355 Speaker 1: gas light than it was stomach gas, this might give 115 00:07:46,395 --> 00:07:50,435 Speaker 1: them pause about the essential plan to send a new 116 00:07:50,595 --> 00:07:54,195 Speaker 1: January sixth committee to go and investigate the last January 117 00:07:54,195 --> 00:07:59,755 Speaker 1: sixth committee, tweeted Cheney. Bring it on. Let's replay every 118 00:07:59,755 --> 00:08:02,555 Speaker 1: witness and all the evidence from last year. But this 119 00:08:02,635 --> 00:08:06,235 Speaker 1: time those members who sought pardon and or hid from 120 00:08:06,235 --> 00:08:09,475 Speaker 1: subpoenas should sit on the dais so they can be 121 00:08:09,515 --> 00:08:15,155 Speaker 1: confronted on live TV with the unassailable evidence. And, of course, 122 00:08:15,235 --> 00:08:20,435 Speaker 1: invoking those January sixth hearings, the former congressman underscored why 123 00:08:20,555 --> 00:08:25,715 Speaker 1: the Carlson gaslight gambit went so horribly horribly wrong. Whatever 124 00:08:25,875 --> 00:08:29,515 Speaker 1: else you thought of them, the committee hearings last year 125 00:08:29,595 --> 00:08:34,435 Speaker 1: had drama and action and were forgive me good TV, 126 00:08:35,635 --> 00:08:39,235 Speaker 1: whatever else you thought of it. Carlson's video presentation was 127 00:08:39,795 --> 00:08:44,555 Speaker 1: boring as hell. From decades of having made daily decisions 128 00:08:44,555 --> 00:08:48,315 Speaker 1: about how to convey things viscerally through video on television, 129 00:08:48,675 --> 00:08:51,835 Speaker 1: I get it. I have a little empathy, if not sympathy, 130 00:08:51,875 --> 00:08:55,555 Speaker 1: for Carlson's producers. If you want to show that January 131 00:08:55,595 --> 00:08:59,355 Speaker 1: sixth was not a violent insurrection, that it was sightseers, 132 00:08:59,835 --> 00:09:02,955 Speaker 1: you have to show the audience whatever looks the most 133 00:09:03,035 --> 00:09:07,955 Speaker 1: like Grandma's Summer vacation home movies from nineteen sixty two. 134 00:09:08,835 --> 00:09:12,195 Speaker 1: But there are two insurmountable problems with that. To borrow 135 00:09:12,235 --> 00:09:15,115 Speaker 1: from another set of old daily decisions of mine, you 136 00:09:15,155 --> 00:09:18,555 Speaker 1: could show highlights from that baseball game years ago in 137 00:09:18,555 --> 00:09:21,515 Speaker 1: which the Phillies beat the Cubs twenty three to twenty two, 138 00:09:21,755 --> 00:09:24,555 Speaker 1: and you could try to convince people that no, it 139 00:09:24,675 --> 00:09:28,235 Speaker 1: was actually a nothing, nothing, double no hit game. You 140 00:09:28,275 --> 00:09:31,435 Speaker 1: could show not the eleven home runs that were hit, 141 00:09:31,755 --> 00:09:36,795 Speaker 1: but the eleven strikeouts and the fifteen walks. The first 142 00:09:36,875 --> 00:09:40,275 Speaker 1: insurmountable problem is, no matter what highlights of calm and 143 00:09:40,395 --> 00:09:45,155 Speaker 1: serenity and in action you show, the final score still 144 00:09:45,275 --> 00:09:46,955 Speaker 1: was twenty three to twenty two, and there are lots 145 00:09:46,955 --> 00:09:48,995 Speaker 1: of peeled the people out there who just will not 146 00:09:49,155 --> 00:09:53,115 Speaker 1: join you in lying about the score. But the second 147 00:09:53,195 --> 00:09:57,835 Speaker 1: insurmountable problem is what did in Tucker Carlson, and by extension, 148 00:09:57,835 --> 00:10:00,875 Speaker 1: what did in Kevin McCarthy, and by extension, what did 149 00:10:00,915 --> 00:10:06,355 Speaker 1: in Donald Trump? That tape full of walks and strikeouts 150 00:10:07,195 --> 00:10:11,835 Speaker 1: is what we in television call a tough watch. Nobody 151 00:10:11,915 --> 00:10:16,315 Speaker 1: wants to see walks and strikeouts. Nobody will sit there 152 00:10:16,355 --> 00:10:22,075 Speaker 1: and watch walks and strikeouts. In this case, the Tucker 153 00:10:22,155 --> 00:10:26,675 Speaker 1: Carlson crowd was expecting I don't know, video of Nancy 154 00:10:26,755 --> 00:10:31,035 Speaker 1: Pelosi smashing open a Capitol window with her head, or 155 00:10:31,075 --> 00:10:35,275 Speaker 1: at least shots of this guy Ray Epps doing something 156 00:10:35,475 --> 00:10:39,315 Speaker 1: rather than just standing there and all Tucker Carlson and 157 00:10:39,395 --> 00:10:43,715 Speaker 1: ultimately all this will be remembered, as is Tucker Carlson 158 00:10:43,795 --> 00:10:49,795 Speaker 1: having just this three nights worth of video of this idiot, 159 00:10:50,075 --> 00:10:55,395 Speaker 1: the QAnon shaman, wandering around the Capitol halls looking like 160 00:10:56,235 --> 00:11:02,435 Speaker 1: he'd lost his wallets somewhere. It was not violent, Unfortunately 161 00:11:02,955 --> 00:11:09,075 Speaker 1: for Tucker Carlson and the gass. It also was not interesting. 162 00:11:23,075 --> 00:11:25,315 Speaker 1: Stell ahead of us in this edition of Countdown, the 163 00:11:25,475 --> 00:11:30,075 Speaker 1: one hundred and fiftieth edition of the podcast, a Texas 164 00:11:30,155 --> 00:11:33,755 Speaker 1: State Representative is now pushing a c session referendum there. 165 00:11:34,515 --> 00:11:38,195 Speaker 1: Earlier from him, he presented an offer for the death 166 00:11:38,195 --> 00:11:41,315 Speaker 1: penalty for abortions at another bill that would give a 167 00:11:41,355 --> 00:11:44,475 Speaker 1: tax break for straight married couples who've never been divorced. 168 00:11:44,555 --> 00:11:48,555 Speaker 1: But now an enterprising reporter has discovered that that Texas 169 00:11:48,635 --> 00:11:51,955 Speaker 1: State rep appears to have found his wife on a 170 00:11:52,035 --> 00:11:57,395 Speaker 1: website that fills itself as an alternative option to mail 171 00:11:57,595 --> 00:12:04,075 Speaker 1: order brides from the Philippines. In paste eating News, CNN's 172 00:12:04,115 --> 00:12:07,435 Speaker 1: president his troops to quote avoid the sugar high of 173 00:12:07,555 --> 00:12:11,275 Speaker 1: ratings that shouldn't be a problem, and he promises his 174 00:12:11,395 --> 00:12:15,235 Speaker 1: new show will stop people in their tracks because of 175 00:12:15,275 --> 00:12:18,915 Speaker 1: its new theme song. And the question used to be 176 00:12:19,115 --> 00:12:24,475 Speaker 1: NBC's biggest promotional catchphrase, where in the world is Matt Lauer? Well, 177 00:12:24,515 --> 00:12:27,955 Speaker 1: where in the world is Matt Lauer? The answer maybe hell. 178 00:12:28,555 --> 00:12:31,195 Speaker 1: A story from before the revelations that should have set 179 00:12:31,235 --> 00:12:33,555 Speaker 1: off more alarm bells than it did the day he 180 00:12:33,675 --> 00:12:36,635 Speaker 1: trying to get me fired from NBC for getting a 181 00:12:36,755 --> 00:12:40,875 Speaker 1: huge scoop interview with somebody everybody wanted to interview. The 182 00:12:40,955 --> 00:12:45,635 Speaker 1: problem was Lauer wanted to interview him first. That's next. 183 00:12:45,875 --> 00:13:00,755 Speaker 1: This is countdown. This is Countdown with Keith Alberman. Postscripts 184 00:13:00,755 --> 00:13:04,395 Speaker 1: to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snarks, some predictions. 185 00:13:04,475 --> 00:13:08,755 Speaker 1: They Line Washington Representatives Marjorie Trayer Green and James Comer 186 00:13:09,155 --> 00:13:11,995 Speaker 1: say they and the staff of the House Oversight Committee 187 00:13:12,035 --> 00:13:15,475 Speaker 1: are setting up a tour for a congressional delegation to 188 00:13:15,515 --> 00:13:21,515 Speaker 1: go see January sixth, insurrectionists in a DC jail one 189 00:13:21,595 --> 00:13:25,435 Speaker 1: way trip I hope. Date Line, Raleigh, North Carolina. After 190 00:13:25,475 --> 00:13:29,115 Speaker 1: a judge said his sexual battery suit against CEPAC major 191 00:13:29,195 --> 00:13:34,395 Speaker 1: Domo and theocratic hypocrite Matt Slap could not continue were 192 00:13:34,395 --> 00:13:37,915 Speaker 1: he to remain anonymous, thirty nine year old Carlton Hoffman 193 00:13:38,235 --> 00:13:40,955 Speaker 1: put his name on the suit. He is a longtime 194 00:13:40,995 --> 00:13:44,315 Speaker 1: aide to Republican campaigners, and you know what he accuses 195 00:13:44,435 --> 00:13:47,355 Speaker 1: Slap of doing. It is nice to be able to 196 00:13:47,355 --> 00:14:09,715 Speaker 1: put a name to the face. Thank you, Nancy Faust. Dateline, 197 00:14:09,755 --> 00:14:14,115 Speaker 1: New York. Puck News reports that CNN president and guy 198 00:14:14,155 --> 00:14:16,675 Speaker 1: who when we worked together at MSNBC, we all thought 199 00:14:16,795 --> 00:14:21,435 Speaker 1: eight paced Chris Licht has held a company town hall 200 00:14:21,795 --> 00:14:24,795 Speaker 1: in which he claims his new CNN programs have created 201 00:14:24,875 --> 00:14:28,915 Speaker 1: buzz and are driving the conversation and other cliches he 202 00:14:29,035 --> 00:14:32,955 Speaker 1: once heard a real television executive say. Licht added that 203 00:14:32,995 --> 00:14:36,115 Speaker 1: his new midday show quote will stop people in their 204 00:14:36,195 --> 00:14:40,635 Speaker 1: tracks because of the new set and the theme song. 205 00:14:41,435 --> 00:14:45,075 Speaker 1: Licht also told staffers, quote, no short term audience gain 206 00:14:45,475 --> 00:14:48,515 Speaker 1: is worth doing long term damage to our brand, and 207 00:14:48,595 --> 00:14:52,475 Speaker 1: advise them to quote avoid the sugar high of ratings, 208 00:14:53,195 --> 00:14:55,955 Speaker 1: which shouldn't be a problem at CNN. By late Tuesday night, 209 00:14:56,035 --> 00:15:01,435 Speaker 1: CNN's ratings had sunk to one third of MSNBC's and 210 00:15:01,675 --> 00:15:20,475 Speaker 1: MSNBC's ratings are terrible ahead in retrospect, boy, were MSNBC 211 00:15:20,555 --> 00:15:23,835 Speaker 1: and NBC banned places to work? A large part of 212 00:15:23,835 --> 00:15:26,915 Speaker 1: that was the presence then of Matt Lauer. If he 213 00:15:27,035 --> 00:15:29,155 Speaker 1: liked you, if you did what he told you to do, 214 00:15:29,195 --> 00:15:31,555 Speaker 1: it was a golden ticket. But if you crossed him, 215 00:15:31,595 --> 00:15:35,395 Speaker 1: he would try to destroy you. Well, first he liked me, 216 00:15:35,475 --> 00:15:37,475 Speaker 1: then he tried to destroy me. Coming up in Things 217 00:15:37,475 --> 00:15:40,075 Speaker 1: I Promised Not to Tell first time for the daily 218 00:15:40,155 --> 00:15:42,995 Speaker 1: roundup of the miscreants, morons and Dunning Kruger effect specimens 219 00:15:42,995 --> 00:15:47,515 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons in the world. The bronze. 220 00:15:48,235 --> 00:15:51,955 Speaker 1: Jesse Waters proof that if you hang around Fox quote 221 00:15:51,995 --> 00:15:56,035 Speaker 1: news unquote long enough, taking the manure out to fertilize 222 00:15:56,075 --> 00:16:00,635 Speaker 1: the lawns, eventually they'll give you your own show. Jesse Waters, 223 00:16:00,675 --> 00:16:03,875 Speaker 1: now part of two different hours devoted to distracting viewers 224 00:16:03,915 --> 00:16:07,835 Speaker 1: from reality, announced yesterday about doctor Anthony Fauci, who's helped 225 00:16:07,875 --> 00:16:11,155 Speaker 1: save countless American lives despite the best efforts of Trump 226 00:16:11,195 --> 00:16:14,435 Speaker 1: and idiots like Waters to kill them. He said a 227 00:16:14,515 --> 00:16:17,555 Speaker 1: fouchi quote, I always thought when we were going to 228 00:16:17,835 --> 00:16:20,835 Speaker 1: rast him, and then he said, it'll have to wait 229 00:16:20,915 --> 00:16:24,595 Speaker 1: until a Republican attorney general. Jesse Waters used to be 230 00:16:24,755 --> 00:16:29,035 Speaker 1: Bill O'Reilly's in house stalker, signed to harass women reporters 231 00:16:29,035 --> 00:16:32,115 Speaker 1: who had been critical of O'Reilly for you know, he's 232 00:16:32,195 --> 00:16:35,075 Speaker 1: lying in his fascism and his misogyny and his threats. 233 00:16:35,915 --> 00:16:39,075 Speaker 1: Billow was convinced that Fox security could arrest people who 234 00:16:39,155 --> 00:16:42,155 Speaker 1: said things on his show that he didn't like, so naturally, 235 00:16:42,195 --> 00:16:44,435 Speaker 1: Waters would conflate the bubble in which he lives at 236 00:16:44,435 --> 00:16:49,395 Speaker 1: Fox with the Republican Party and with law enforcement. You 237 00:16:49,555 --> 00:16:52,275 Speaker 1: do that, little Jesse, you and your wee go arrest 238 00:16:52,355 --> 00:16:55,955 Speaker 1: doctor Fauci. Runners up the fascist school board at the 239 00:16:55,995 --> 00:17:00,715 Speaker 1: infamous Pennridge High School District in Pennsylvania, halfway between Philadelphia 240 00:17:00,755 --> 00:17:04,235 Speaker 1: and Allentown, halfway between twenty twenty three and the year 241 00:17:04,355 --> 00:17:09,115 Speaker 1: nine hundred. They're not satisfied with sneaking book bands into play. 242 00:17:09,755 --> 00:17:13,035 Speaker 1: The Bucks County Beacon has discovered that several titles made 243 00:17:13,035 --> 00:17:17,475 Speaker 1: controversial by the Republicans remained in the school library, sometimes 244 00:17:17,475 --> 00:17:20,595 Speaker 1: with as many eight or nine copies of each book available, 245 00:17:20,955 --> 00:17:24,555 Speaker 1: but each copy of each of these books had been 246 00:17:24,635 --> 00:17:28,835 Speaker 1: checked out. Eight or nine of each book checked out 247 00:17:29,355 --> 00:17:33,515 Speaker 1: for one year. You want to read John Green's Looking 248 00:17:33,515 --> 00:17:37,155 Speaker 1: for Alaska, The library computer system says the wait until 249 00:17:37,155 --> 00:17:40,755 Speaker 1: the book is available is between three hundred and fifty 250 00:17:40,795 --> 00:17:44,035 Speaker 1: seven and three hundred and fifty eight days. But our 251 00:17:44,075 --> 00:17:48,755 Speaker 1: winner Brian Slayton, Texas state representative, who has filed a 252 00:17:48,755 --> 00:17:50,955 Speaker 1: bill that would put a referendum on the next ballot 253 00:17:50,995 --> 00:17:54,635 Speaker 1: there asking voters to decide whether or not Texas should 254 00:17:54,715 --> 00:18:00,475 Speaker 1: investigate c session. Yeah, good idea. Every year Texas gets 255 00:18:00,475 --> 00:18:04,195 Speaker 1: around thirty six billion dollars more in funds and resources 256 00:18:04,395 --> 00:18:07,355 Speaker 1: from the federal government and from the Blue States, then 257 00:18:07,395 --> 00:18:10,915 Speaker 1: it gives to the federal government. Now imagine a Texas 258 00:18:10,915 --> 00:18:13,915 Speaker 1: without that thirty six billion a year, without any US 259 00:18:13,995 --> 00:18:19,115 Speaker 1: military basis, whose schools could not play sports against American colleges, 260 00:18:19,395 --> 00:18:22,995 Speaker 1: where the space center would be moved out. Without American funding, 261 00:18:23,035 --> 00:18:27,195 Speaker 1: Texas would be bankrupt in days, as one South Carolini 262 00:18:27,235 --> 00:18:29,675 Speaker 1: instead of his state as it started to ce sed 263 00:18:29,755 --> 00:18:32,875 Speaker 1: before the Civil War. Texas is too small for a 264 00:18:32,955 --> 00:18:36,155 Speaker 1: republic and too large for an insane asylum. But wait, 265 00:18:36,235 --> 00:18:41,315 Speaker 1: there's more about this guy. Slayton Representative Brian Slayton. He 266 00:18:41,395 --> 00:18:44,675 Speaker 1: has previously introduced bills in the Texas legislature to make 267 00:18:44,715 --> 00:18:50,155 Speaker 1: all abortions in Texas illegal and punishable by death. We're 268 00:18:50,355 --> 00:18:54,635 Speaker 1: right to life. We're gonna kill you. It was also 269 00:18:54,675 --> 00:18:57,835 Speaker 1: another bill of his criminalized gender affirming care for kids, 270 00:18:57,835 --> 00:19:00,395 Speaker 1: and last month he introduced a tax credit for quote, 271 00:19:00,675 --> 00:19:04,795 Speaker 1: qualifying married couples as would be ones who were straight 272 00:19:04,835 --> 00:19:08,275 Speaker 1: and had never been divorced. All of this holier than now. 273 00:19:08,355 --> 00:19:12,115 Speaker 1: Interference in people's private lives led a Texas Observer reporter 274 00:19:12,395 --> 00:19:16,355 Speaker 1: named Stephen Manicelli to do a little digging on Representative Slayton. 275 00:19:16,755 --> 00:19:19,355 Speaker 1: Let me just read you what Monicelli said he found, 276 00:19:19,595 --> 00:19:22,835 Speaker 1: quote did not expect to learn today that a Texas 277 00:19:22,875 --> 00:19:27,755 Speaker 1: State representative's wife of only a few years advertised herself 278 00:19:27,875 --> 00:19:31,635 Speaker 1: on a dating website that promotes itself as an alternative 279 00:19:32,075 --> 00:19:37,835 Speaker 1: to Thailand and Philippines mail order bride agencies. Unless there's 280 00:19:37,875 --> 00:19:40,475 Speaker 1: another woman, he went on who looks similar, is the 281 00:19:40,515 --> 00:19:44,115 Speaker 1: same age and has the same name as Slayton's wife. 282 00:19:44,195 --> 00:19:47,275 Speaker 1: It seems that Brian Slayton's wife had a profile on 283 00:19:48,195 --> 00:19:51,995 Speaker 1: find love Asia, where she was friends with a now 284 00:19:52,035 --> 00:19:56,795 Speaker 1: defunct account named Irish Ranger. Manicelli of The Texas Observer 285 00:19:56,955 --> 00:20:03,035 Speaker 1: observes that the profile bore the name Sharman sagaray Yabo, 286 00:20:03,155 --> 00:20:07,715 Speaker 1: and the representative's wife ca yourself, Sharman, why Slayton man? 287 00:20:07,795 --> 00:20:10,675 Speaker 1: Lookie here? They each had the same jobs listed on 288 00:20:10,715 --> 00:20:15,755 Speaker 1: their LinkedIn pages, And yeah, who cares. Love is love? 289 00:20:16,715 --> 00:20:19,315 Speaker 1: But Slayton thinks that should only be true for him, 290 00:20:19,555 --> 00:20:23,355 Speaker 1: and he's legislating against it being true for anybody else. 291 00:20:23,435 --> 00:20:28,995 Speaker 1: So fim Texas Representative Brian. I can't remember if I 292 00:20:29,075 --> 00:20:32,235 Speaker 1: cried when I read about his mail order bride Slayton 293 00:20:32,675 --> 00:20:50,355 Speaker 1: two days worst person and still ahead on countdown? Boy 294 00:20:50,475 --> 00:20:53,315 Speaker 1: was he a schmuck? Somebody asked me recently. Where in 295 00:20:53,355 --> 00:20:56,195 Speaker 1: the world is Matt Lauer. I should have known it 296 00:20:56,235 --> 00:21:00,755 Speaker 1: was far worse than we did know at NBC. One 297 00:21:00,755 --> 00:21:02,835 Speaker 1: time I got a great scoop, opened a door for 298 00:21:02,955 --> 00:21:05,675 Speaker 1: him to get a greater scoop, and so he tried 299 00:21:05,715 --> 00:21:08,955 Speaker 1: to get my scoop killed. My show canceled, and me fired. 300 00:21:09,475 --> 00:21:13,155 Speaker 1: The Matt Lauer Terry Shibo story next. First in each 301 00:21:13,315 --> 00:21:15,195 Speaker 1: edition of Countdown, we feature a dog in need. You 302 00:21:15,195 --> 00:21:17,915 Speaker 1: can help every dog as its day to New York 303 00:21:17,995 --> 00:21:21,675 Speaker 1: and Basil an eighty eight pound ten and white pity mix, 304 00:21:21,755 --> 00:21:23,835 Speaker 1: and this is simply he doesn't like other dogs. When 305 00:21:23,835 --> 00:21:26,435 Speaker 1: he's calm and not at a kill pound, he'll ignore 306 00:21:26,475 --> 00:21:29,435 Speaker 1: other dogs, but under stress, he becomes terrified of them. 307 00:21:29,635 --> 00:21:31,755 Speaker 1: He needs to be the solo dog in a home. 308 00:21:31,795 --> 00:21:35,035 Speaker 1: But he's great with people, fun, gentle, a big goofball. 309 00:21:35,195 --> 00:21:38,035 Speaker 1: They call him the pup for absolutely everybody. The New 310 00:21:38,115 --> 00:21:40,355 Speaker 1: York Pound has put him on death row and time 311 00:21:40,395 --> 00:21:43,515 Speaker 1: is running out. Our pledges to help defray or rescues, 312 00:21:43,555 --> 00:21:46,195 Speaker 1: expenses to get him out of there or his only chance. 313 00:21:46,715 --> 00:21:49,195 Speaker 1: You can find Basil on my Twitter feed. There's a 314 00:21:49,275 --> 00:21:51,955 Speaker 1: video of him not reacting to other dogs, and your 315 00:21:51,995 --> 00:21:56,515 Speaker 1: pledges and retweets could save him. I thank you, and 316 00:21:56,635 --> 00:22:11,875 Speaker 1: Basil thanks you to the number one story on the 317 00:22:11,875 --> 00:22:14,915 Speaker 1: Countdown and my favorite topic, me and things I promised 318 00:22:14,955 --> 00:22:16,875 Speaker 1: not to tell. And somebody asked me the other day, 319 00:22:16,875 --> 00:22:19,555 Speaker 1: whatever happened to Matt Lauer? And I said, I don't know, 320 00:22:19,635 --> 00:22:22,555 Speaker 1: but I hope it was unpleasant. If the name Matt 321 00:22:22,635 --> 00:22:25,635 Speaker 1: Lauer is remembered at all today, it is for two facts. 322 00:22:26,155 --> 00:22:29,435 Speaker 1: One but he was the face of NBC News until 323 00:22:29,555 --> 00:22:33,595 Speaker 1: November twenty ninth, seventeen, when the network suddenly announced there 324 00:22:33,595 --> 00:22:37,115 Speaker 1: were credible allegations against him of sexual misconduct and that 325 00:22:37,195 --> 00:22:41,235 Speaker 1: he had been fired, effective immediately. And two the lesser 326 00:22:41,275 --> 00:22:44,435 Speaker 1: known fact that everybody at NBC knew he was an 327 00:22:44,475 --> 00:22:48,475 Speaker 1: evil figure who dominated all of management at thirty Rock 328 00:22:48,555 --> 00:22:51,755 Speaker 1: and in many cases coerced them into looking the other way, 329 00:22:52,155 --> 00:22:56,035 Speaker 1: despite decades of abuse of women employees and of bullying 330 00:22:56,035 --> 00:22:59,475 Speaker 1: and retribution against male employees, including other people on TV. 331 00:23:00,635 --> 00:23:03,915 Speaker 1: This was so well known inside NBC News that even 332 00:23:03,955 --> 00:23:05,675 Speaker 1: some of us who had left and had been gone 333 00:23:05,715 --> 00:23:08,235 Speaker 1: for years knew in advance he was to be fired. 334 00:23:08,795 --> 00:23:13,635 Speaker 1: I found out like four days before it happened, and 335 00:23:13,835 --> 00:23:16,555 Speaker 1: much of the bad conduct at least the bad conduct 336 00:23:16,635 --> 00:23:19,675 Speaker 1: in the office involving the mail employees I saw happen 337 00:23:19,755 --> 00:23:23,395 Speaker 1: in real time. When I returned to NBC in February 338 00:23:23,395 --> 00:23:26,755 Speaker 1: two thousand and three, I was one of Lower's favorites. 339 00:23:27,075 --> 00:23:30,995 Speaker 1: For some reason. My show Countdown was the last program 340 00:23:31,035 --> 00:23:34,115 Speaker 1: he watched before he went to sleep, or maybe more correctly, 341 00:23:34,315 --> 00:23:37,315 Speaker 1: before he went to bed. He used to do these 342 00:23:37,435 --> 00:23:39,875 Speaker 1: moronic where in the world is Matt Lower segments in 343 00:23:39,915 --> 00:23:43,035 Speaker 1: which he created video clues as to his whereabouts that 344 00:23:43,075 --> 00:23:45,755 Speaker 1: would run on the Today Show. And one day one 345 00:23:45,755 --> 00:23:47,795 Speaker 1: of his producers called and said, Lauer was such a 346 00:23:47,795 --> 00:23:50,035 Speaker 1: fan of Countdown he wanted to do a special clue, 347 00:23:50,395 --> 00:23:54,395 Speaker 1: just four countdown. Well, we had like two hundred thousand 348 00:23:54,435 --> 00:23:57,755 Speaker 1: viewers in night. We took whatever we could get some 349 00:23:57,915 --> 00:24:01,795 Speaker 1: free Matt Lauer. Sure. By the way, I was reminded 350 00:24:01,835 --> 00:24:05,195 Speaker 1: recently that one MSNBC wag used to answer that rhetorical 351 00:24:05,275 --> 00:24:08,715 Speaker 1: question where in the world is Matt Lower by answering 352 00:24:09,035 --> 00:24:13,995 Speaker 1: in the bedroom of somebody else's wife. Anyway, Lower, if 353 00:24:14,035 --> 00:24:17,155 Speaker 1: you think the Republican's ability to turn any tragedy into 354 00:24:17,235 --> 00:24:20,995 Speaker 1: a political issue is something new, or that television's ability 355 00:24:20,995 --> 00:24:23,795 Speaker 1: to turn any tragedy into ratings is something new, or 356 00:24:23,795 --> 00:24:27,235 Speaker 1: that Matt Lower's ability to make anything worse was something new. 357 00:24:27,635 --> 00:24:32,195 Speaker 1: Consider the case of Terry Shivo. Terry Shivo was a 358 00:24:32,235 --> 00:24:36,035 Speaker 1: woman in Florida, twenty six years old, struck by cardiac arrest. 359 00:24:36,635 --> 00:24:39,155 Speaker 1: It did not kill her, but it left her in 360 00:24:39,195 --> 00:24:43,555 Speaker 1: a living nightmare. She was in a quote persistent vegetative state, 361 00:24:44,115 --> 00:24:47,755 Speaker 1: not brain dead, but neither was she conscious. And worse, 362 00:24:48,515 --> 00:24:52,675 Speaker 1: her eyes were open and her head moved constantly and 363 00:24:52,795 --> 00:24:57,875 Speaker 1: involuntarily and in a regular pattern. Her parents, I guess, 364 00:24:57,915 --> 00:25:02,035 Speaker 1: understandably unwilling to accept this terrible fate, quickly discovered that 365 00:25:02,035 --> 00:25:05,795 Speaker 1: if you moved a balloon through her hospital room, Terry 366 00:25:05,835 --> 00:25:11,115 Speaker 1: Shibo's head and gaze would seem to follow the balloon. Unfortunately, 367 00:25:11,195 --> 00:25:14,195 Speaker 1: if you did not move a balloon through her hospital room, 368 00:25:14,235 --> 00:25:17,155 Speaker 1: Terry Shibo's head and gaze would still follow the same 369 00:25:17,195 --> 00:25:19,795 Speaker 1: exact path as it did when there was a balloon. 370 00:25:20,835 --> 00:25:24,075 Speaker 1: Her husband, Michael, spent seven years in the courts trying 371 00:25:24,115 --> 00:25:27,275 Speaker 1: to get his wife's feeding tube removed and thus release 372 00:25:27,355 --> 00:25:29,635 Speaker 1: her and him and everybody in the family from this 373 00:25:29,715 --> 00:25:34,715 Speaker 1: living hell. And her parents fought him and finally in 374 00:25:34,715 --> 00:25:38,195 Speaker 1: two thousand and three, the parents went public. They showed 375 00:25:38,315 --> 00:25:42,035 Speaker 1: video of their daughter her head following that balloon around 376 00:25:42,075 --> 00:25:45,195 Speaker 1: the hospital room. They contacted every politician who would take 377 00:25:45,235 --> 00:25:49,515 Speaker 1: their call. The Republican leader in the Senate, doctor Bill 378 00:25:49,635 --> 00:25:53,275 Speaker 1: Frist of Tennessee, a heart surgeon, said on the Senate 379 00:25:53,315 --> 00:25:55,955 Speaker 1: floor that, of course he could not diagnose a patient 380 00:25:56,235 --> 00:25:59,955 Speaker 1: just from a videotape. And then he proceeded to diagnose 381 00:26:00,115 --> 00:26:03,075 Speaker 1: a patient just from a videotape. He said on the 382 00:26:03,115 --> 00:26:06,035 Speaker 1: Senate floor. She should not be taken off life support. 383 00:26:07,315 --> 00:26:10,515 Speaker 1: The Shivo's eventually got Republicans to pass a bill in 384 00:26:10,595 --> 00:26:13,355 Speaker 1: the House and send it taking her case away from 385 00:26:13,355 --> 00:26:16,555 Speaker 1: the Florida courts and putting it into the federal courts. 386 00:26:17,195 --> 00:26:20,595 Speaker 1: And President George W. Bush actually flew back from vacation 387 00:26:20,675 --> 00:26:24,795 Speaker 1: in Texas to Washington just to sign that law on camera. 388 00:26:24,875 --> 00:26:29,995 Speaker 1: Of course, this was a topic for all of tabloid television, 389 00:26:30,035 --> 00:26:32,675 Speaker 1: and for all of tabloid television that pretends it is 390 00:26:32,675 --> 00:26:36,435 Speaker 1: not tabloid television, like the Today Show, and it went 391 00:26:36,475 --> 00:26:39,955 Speaker 1: on for months. Eventually there was a pack of guests 392 00:26:40,035 --> 00:26:43,275 Speaker 1: willing to appear on your show and imply cleverly that 393 00:26:43,395 --> 00:26:47,115 Speaker 1: Michael Shibo had caused his wife's vegetative state and was 394 00:26:47,195 --> 00:26:51,195 Speaker 1: now trying to quote finish the job from my own network. 395 00:26:51,475 --> 00:26:54,875 Speaker 1: Joe Scarborough, who had been a lawyer, put on Terry 396 00:26:54,875 --> 00:26:58,275 Speaker 1: Shivo's brother and sister, and they both implied there was 397 00:26:58,355 --> 00:27:02,075 Speaker 1: quote foul play. Joey scars put it this way. I 398 00:27:02,155 --> 00:27:05,995 Speaker 1: am quoting him. They can attack every last person who 399 00:27:06,075 --> 00:27:09,355 Speaker 1: is trying to save this young woman from starvation. But 400 00:27:09,475 --> 00:27:13,475 Speaker 1: in the end Americans shocked by this mccabre chapter in 401 00:27:13,515 --> 00:27:16,675 Speaker 1: American politics. We'll see the Democrats as the party on 402 00:27:16,715 --> 00:27:20,115 Speaker 1: the side of death and see George Bush as the 403 00:27:20,195 --> 00:27:27,555 Speaker 1: defender of defenseless une. Joe Scarborough MSNBC, Joe Scarborough's a 404 00:27:27,635 --> 00:27:31,275 Speaker 1: jackass and a fraud. If you watch his show, you 405 00:27:31,315 --> 00:27:35,555 Speaker 1: are getting hustled. If you go on his show, there's 406 00:27:35,555 --> 00:27:39,515 Speaker 1: another word for that anyway. Finally, sanity prevailed. A court 407 00:27:39,675 --> 00:27:42,355 Speaker 1: ordered the feeding tube removed in March two thousand and five. 408 00:27:42,435 --> 00:27:46,355 Speaker 1: Two weeks later, Terry Shivo died. The autopsy showed her 409 00:27:46,395 --> 00:27:49,595 Speaker 1: brain was half its normal size. It had been irreversibly 410 00:27:49,675 --> 00:27:53,955 Speaker 1: damaged fifteen years earlier. There were no signs of physical trauma, 411 00:27:54,195 --> 00:27:59,155 Speaker 1: not the slightest indication of foul play. In January of 412 00:27:59,195 --> 00:28:01,435 Speaker 1: two thousand and six, I got a phone call. It 413 00:28:01,515 --> 00:28:05,155 Speaker 1: was Michael Shivo. He said rather matter of acte that 414 00:28:05,155 --> 00:28:08,115 Speaker 1: he had tried to avoid watching as the tragedy he 415 00:28:08,235 --> 00:28:11,555 Speaker 1: and his wife endured was turned into a multi network 416 00:28:11,635 --> 00:28:14,475 Speaker 1: soap opera. But he found that there was one reporter 417 00:28:14,475 --> 00:28:17,795 Speaker 1: who tried to balance the hysteria and to treat him fairly, 418 00:28:18,235 --> 00:28:20,635 Speaker 1: and that that was me. And he wanted to know 419 00:28:20,675 --> 00:28:23,195 Speaker 1: if I wanted to be the first person to interview him. 420 00:28:23,995 --> 00:28:26,875 Speaker 1: Nothing fancy, he said. This guy, Matt Lauer, he said, 421 00:28:26,875 --> 00:28:28,475 Speaker 1: had been calling him once a week and wanted to 422 00:28:28,475 --> 00:28:30,715 Speaker 1: walk with him on the beaches of Florida and do 423 00:28:30,755 --> 00:28:33,115 Speaker 1: a three hour interview for Today in Nightly News and 424 00:28:33,235 --> 00:28:36,395 Speaker 1: Dateline and MSNBC. Michael Shibo didn't want to do any 425 00:28:36,435 --> 00:28:38,995 Speaker 1: of that, and he didn't like Matt Lauer at all, 426 00:28:39,635 --> 00:28:41,315 Speaker 1: and he was thinking if he had to sit down 427 00:28:41,355 --> 00:28:43,835 Speaker 1: with one of the celebrity interviewers, it would probably be 428 00:28:43,955 --> 00:28:46,155 Speaker 1: Diane Sawyer, but he hadn't made up his mind yet. 429 00:28:47,035 --> 00:28:49,515 Speaker 1: What Michael Shivo wondered was if he could just go 430 00:28:49,555 --> 00:28:53,155 Speaker 1: to a studio in Tampa one morning before work and 431 00:28:53,355 --> 00:28:55,675 Speaker 1: have me go to a studio in New York and 432 00:28:55,835 --> 00:28:59,995 Speaker 1: I could interview him remotely well naturally, I said yes. 433 00:29:00,595 --> 00:29:02,795 Speaker 1: So on February first, two thousand and six, I got 434 00:29:02,835 --> 00:29:05,355 Speaker 1: up way earlier than usual. I went to thirty Rock. 435 00:29:05,395 --> 00:29:07,795 Speaker 1: I got into a studio. I taped an interview with 436 00:29:07,835 --> 00:29:12,715 Speaker 1: Michael Shibo. Bluntly, he was as dull an interviewee as 437 00:29:12,715 --> 00:29:15,835 Speaker 1: I could imagine, and my questions were deliberately not hysterical. 438 00:29:15,915 --> 00:29:18,955 Speaker 1: But it was a good factual interview, and for a 439 00:29:19,035 --> 00:29:22,195 Speaker 1: network that struggled as much as MSNBC, it was a 440 00:29:22,195 --> 00:29:26,115 Speaker 1: big deal for journalistic credibility, just to balance what we 441 00:29:26,155 --> 00:29:30,155 Speaker 1: had been playing on the Scarborough Show. Everybody at NBC 442 00:29:30,195 --> 00:29:32,475 Speaker 1: News knew we were doing it. We recorded it at 443 00:29:32,595 --> 00:29:38,555 Speaker 1: NBC News using NBC News control rooms and videotape. Everybody knew, 444 00:29:38,595 --> 00:29:41,275 Speaker 1: including the President of NBC News, Steve Kappus, and the 445 00:29:41,275 --> 00:29:45,555 Speaker 1: executive producers of Today Nightly News Dateline, all of whom 446 00:29:45,555 --> 00:29:48,995 Speaker 1: were interested in using clips of the interview. After I finished, 447 00:29:49,035 --> 00:29:51,835 Speaker 1: I went and visited the executive in charge of MSNBC 448 00:29:51,955 --> 00:29:54,355 Speaker 1: in his office at thirty Rock. Then I went home 449 00:29:54,395 --> 00:29:57,315 Speaker 1: and I took a nap before I went into MSNBC 450 00:29:57,435 --> 00:30:00,235 Speaker 1: in the late afternoon to prepare my eight pm show. 451 00:30:01,675 --> 00:30:05,115 Speaker 1: When the phone rang there, it was Steve cappus president 452 00:30:05,115 --> 00:30:09,355 Speaker 1: of NBC News. Look, you've interfered with the Today Show's 453 00:30:09,395 --> 00:30:12,395 Speaker 1: long standing plans and commitments. We have signed contracts with 454 00:30:12,395 --> 00:30:16,195 Speaker 1: Michael Shivo. Matt Lower is furious, but I understand Shivo 455 00:30:16,355 --> 00:30:18,595 Speaker 1: offered you this interview, so you couldn't have known how 456 00:30:18,595 --> 00:30:21,915 Speaker 1: you were violating the Today Show. And Matt I pointed 457 00:30:21,915 --> 00:30:24,555 Speaker 1: out that Shivo had said specifically that he had not 458 00:30:24,635 --> 00:30:28,475 Speaker 1: signed anything with anybody. The president of NBC News ignored this. 459 00:30:28,755 --> 00:30:30,795 Speaker 1: Here's the offer, Matt and I will make you. You 460 00:30:30,875 --> 00:30:33,395 Speaker 1: don't run the interview tonight. We will run a segment 461 00:30:33,435 --> 00:30:35,915 Speaker 1: of it tomorrow on Today, giving a full plug to countdown. 462 00:30:36,115 --> 00:30:38,515 Speaker 1: Then tomorrow night you can run a four minute segment. 463 00:30:38,755 --> 00:30:40,875 Speaker 1: The rest of your interview can run. And I think, 464 00:30:40,915 --> 00:30:43,915 Speaker 1: despite what you've done to us, your interview should run 465 00:30:44,435 --> 00:30:48,315 Speaker 1: after Matt Lowers does sometime next month. I think this 466 00:30:48,355 --> 00:30:51,075 Speaker 1: is a great idea, since Matt wants me to fire you. 467 00:30:52,555 --> 00:30:54,835 Speaker 1: I said this was the dumbest thing I had ever heard, 468 00:30:55,155 --> 00:30:57,395 Speaker 1: which was saying a lot. Since I had spent nearly 469 00:30:57,435 --> 00:31:01,115 Speaker 1: three years working at Fox. There was nothing about our 470 00:31:01,195 --> 00:31:04,475 Speaker 1: interview that risked Matt Lower's prospects of getting his own interview. 471 00:31:04,715 --> 00:31:07,275 Speaker 1: In fact, it probably increased them. I could now pitch 472 00:31:07,395 --> 00:31:11,635 Speaker 1: Michael Shivo on Lour's behalf. Michael Shibo did not like Louer. 473 00:31:12,555 --> 00:31:16,435 Speaker 1: On the other end of the phone, Kappus gasped, doesn't 474 00:31:16,475 --> 00:31:21,155 Speaker 1: like Louer. Don't say that. But to bury our interview 475 00:31:21,155 --> 00:31:24,315 Speaker 1: for a month was crapping all over MSNBC and me 476 00:31:24,515 --> 00:31:28,075 Speaker 1: and Michael Shibo, and journalistically it was indefensible and it 477 00:31:28,155 --> 00:31:33,675 Speaker 1: made me feel like walking out. Steve Kappus, whose later 478 00:31:33,795 --> 00:31:37,155 Speaker 1: boss at NBC told me that she fired him for 479 00:31:37,315 --> 00:31:40,235 Speaker 1: telling her that he would never take orders from a woman, 480 00:31:40,915 --> 00:31:43,715 Speaker 1: began to scream, as I noted at the time in 481 00:31:43,755 --> 00:31:47,115 Speaker 1: my diary, like a twelve year old. I offer you 482 00:31:47,155 --> 00:31:49,515 Speaker 1: a way out and not getting fired and not get 483 00:31:49,555 --> 00:31:51,715 Speaker 1: Matt Lauer on your ass, and you threatened to quit. 484 00:31:52,515 --> 00:31:54,355 Speaker 1: I pointed out that I had not threatened to quit. 485 00:31:54,395 --> 00:31:56,035 Speaker 1: I told him that if there really had been a 486 00:31:56,115 --> 00:31:59,235 Speaker 1: contract with Michael Shivo, even if he had not mentioned 487 00:31:59,275 --> 00:32:02,275 Speaker 1: it to me, any of the one hundred NBC executives 488 00:32:02,275 --> 00:32:04,835 Speaker 1: who had note about my interview with Michael Shivo for 489 00:32:05,035 --> 00:32:07,875 Speaker 1: like a week would have. I had even sent Brian 490 00:32:07,955 --> 00:32:10,795 Speaker 1: Williams a note asking if there were any specific questions. 491 00:32:10,835 --> 00:32:13,635 Speaker 1: He wanted me to ask Shivo so he could use 492 00:32:13,675 --> 00:32:18,635 Speaker 1: a clip on NBC Nightly News. Somehow, Cappus began to 493 00:32:18,635 --> 00:32:22,555 Speaker 1: scream again in an even higher pitched voice. Matt Lower 494 00:32:22,635 --> 00:32:25,075 Speaker 1: advises me to simply kill your interview with Michael Shivo, 495 00:32:25,155 --> 00:32:26,635 Speaker 1: and I'm trying to find a way out for you. 496 00:32:26,875 --> 00:32:29,435 Speaker 1: You start bringing up ancient history from a week ago. 497 00:32:31,075 --> 00:32:34,115 Speaker 1: He really said that ancient history from a week ago. 498 00:32:34,995 --> 00:32:37,555 Speaker 1: I said, why don't we do it this way? We 499 00:32:37,755 --> 00:32:40,995 Speaker 1: run a thirty second clip tonight, the Today Show runs 500 00:32:41,035 --> 00:32:43,755 Speaker 1: whatever it wants to tomorrow, then we run the rest 501 00:32:43,755 --> 00:32:46,355 Speaker 1: of the interview tomorrow night in the night after well, 502 00:32:46,555 --> 00:32:48,995 Speaker 1: Cappus resumed screaming. So let me see if I got 503 00:32:49,035 --> 00:32:51,915 Speaker 1: this straight. Matt Lower is incensed over you stepping in 504 00:32:51,995 --> 00:32:54,675 Speaker 1: on his interview. I'm offering you publicity on the Today's 505 00:32:54,675 --> 00:32:57,315 Speaker 1: Show and not getting fired, and your answer is we're 506 00:32:57,315 --> 00:33:00,275 Speaker 1: going to run seventeen minutes of it. I'm so impressed 507 00:33:00,275 --> 00:33:03,835 Speaker 1: with your professionalism, Keith. I will always remember how cooperative 508 00:33:03,875 --> 00:33:07,355 Speaker 1: you were. Fine, you do whatever you want, mister professional, 509 00:33:08,035 --> 00:33:11,275 Speaker 1: run the whole half hour tonight. Don't you understand television 510 00:33:11,475 --> 00:33:13,755 Speaker 1: Matt needs to be able to say in his first 511 00:33:13,835 --> 00:33:20,155 Speaker 1: interview since his wife's death. For the fifty third time 512 00:33:20,155 --> 00:33:22,915 Speaker 1: in my career at NBC News, I thought somebody was 513 00:33:23,235 --> 00:33:25,715 Speaker 1: secretly filming this and making a segment on it for 514 00:33:26,875 --> 00:33:32,475 Speaker 1: I don't know, punked or did they still run candid camera? Well? 515 00:33:32,515 --> 00:33:34,795 Speaker 1: Getting back to the interview here with Kappas, I said 516 00:33:34,795 --> 00:33:37,235 Speaker 1: that in a month, nobody was going to remember my 517 00:33:37,355 --> 00:33:40,875 Speaker 1: interview and Matt could still say in his first network 518 00:33:40,915 --> 00:33:43,955 Speaker 1: interview since his wife's death, while Kappas ignored that too, 519 00:33:44,155 --> 00:33:46,555 Speaker 1: I have been advised to kill the countdown piece outright, 520 00:33:46,755 --> 00:33:50,355 Speaker 1: but you do whatever you want for your little countdown show. 521 00:33:50,595 --> 00:33:53,755 Speaker 1: Go ahead, incur the enmity of Matt Lauer. You think 522 00:33:53,795 --> 00:33:58,635 Speaker 1: he'll forget this over the next two years, Matt Lauer 523 00:33:58,755 --> 00:34:01,635 Speaker 1: hired away two of my producers, then made a supposed 524 00:34:01,675 --> 00:34:04,315 Speaker 1: peace offering by running a segment that was to be 525 00:34:04,715 --> 00:34:06,915 Speaker 1: used by my show every Friday on the Today Show 526 00:34:06,915 --> 00:34:09,475 Speaker 1: that required two of my producers to stay up all 527 00:34:09,555 --> 00:34:12,755 Speaker 1: night editing and thus not work on my show on Friday. 528 00:34:12,755 --> 00:34:17,995 Speaker 1: By some strange coincidence. For four consecutive weeks, the Countdown 529 00:34:18,035 --> 00:34:22,555 Speaker 1: piece never ran. It was just more petty revenge. The 530 00:34:22,675 --> 00:34:26,595 Speaker 1: Datasio also booked me as a guest four times, canceled 531 00:34:26,635 --> 00:34:30,515 Speaker 1: all four times, once the morning of my interview as 532 00:34:30,635 --> 00:34:33,395 Speaker 1: I was shaving to go in and do the interview. 533 00:34:34,995 --> 00:34:38,355 Speaker 1: The punchline, of course, my little interview back then with 534 00:34:38,395 --> 00:34:41,235 Speaker 1: Michael Shibo ran over the next three nights. It did 535 00:34:41,275 --> 00:34:45,195 Speaker 1: not really affect our ratings. It did contribute some tiny 536 00:34:45,195 --> 00:34:48,755 Speaker 1: amount to the tiny amount of actual journalism MSNBC had 537 00:34:48,795 --> 00:34:53,155 Speaker 1: done on the Shibo story at counterbalanced that schmuck Scarborough. 538 00:34:54,155 --> 00:34:56,755 Speaker 1: And on March twenty six, two thousand and six, the 539 00:34:56,995 --> 00:35:01,795 Speaker 1: Matt Lauer interview aired with Michael Shibo, and as NBC 540 00:35:01,915 --> 00:35:05,235 Speaker 1: publicity phrased it, Michael and his New y sit down 541 00:35:05,275 --> 00:35:10,555 Speaker 1: for their first network interview with NBC News is Matt Lauer. 542 00:35:12,195 --> 00:35:29,395 Speaker 1: Just like I had suggested, Thank you for listening. Countdown 543 00:35:29,435 --> 00:35:32,715 Speaker 1: Episode number one fifty has come to you from the 544 00:35:32,755 --> 00:35:36,075 Speaker 1: studios of the Alberman Broadcasting Empire hiatt op its headquarters 545 00:35:36,075 --> 00:35:39,955 Speaker 1: in the Sports Capsule Building here in New York. Here 546 00:35:39,995 --> 00:35:42,195 Speaker 1: are the credits. Most of the music was arranged, produced 547 00:35:42,195 --> 00:35:44,875 Speaker 1: and performed by Brian Ray and John Philip Channel. They 548 00:35:44,875 --> 00:35:48,315 Speaker 1: are the Countdown musical directors, produced by t Ko Brothers. 549 00:35:48,515 --> 00:35:52,355 Speaker 1: All orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Schanel, guitarist, bass 550 00:35:52,395 --> 00:35:55,715 Speaker 1: and drums by Brian Ray. Other Beethoven selections have been 551 00:35:55,795 --> 00:35:59,395 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by No Horns Allowed. The sports music 552 00:35:59,515 --> 00:36:02,395 Speaker 1: is the Alberman theme from ESPN two and it was 553 00:36:02,475 --> 00:36:06,195 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. Musical 554 00:36:06,235 --> 00:36:09,235 Speaker 1: comments by Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever 555 00:36:09,555 --> 00:36:12,675 Speaker 1: our announced today was my friend Richard Lewis. Everything else 556 00:36:12,755 --> 00:36:15,795 Speaker 1: was pretty much my fault. Let's countdown for this the 557 00:36:15,835 --> 00:36:19,555 Speaker 1: seven hundred ninety third day since Donald Trump's first attempted 558 00:36:19,595 --> 00:36:22,395 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 559 00:36:22,795 --> 00:36:27,035 Speaker 1: Arrest him now while we still can. The next scheduled 560 00:36:27,035 --> 00:36:30,395 Speaker 1: countdown is tomorrow, So until then, I'm Keith Olderman. Good morning, 561 00:36:30,435 --> 00:36:53,955 Speaker 1: good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman 562 00:36:54,155 --> 00:36:58,595 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 563 00:36:58,795 --> 00:37:02,795 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 564 00:37:02,795 --> 00:37:03,715 Speaker 1: your podcasts.