1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:21,115 --> 00:00:25,115 Speaker 1: We must act now against the new McCarthy ism or 3 00:00:25,275 --> 00:00:30,595 Speaker 1: lose the Republic. We need something, almost anything that will 4 00:00:30,635 --> 00:00:38,195 Speaker 1: pick up where the January six Committee left off. Hearings, television, witnesses, subpoenas, admissions, admonitions. 5 00:00:39,235 --> 00:00:42,035 Speaker 1: The Senate would be the best venue. The focus can 6 00:00:42,035 --> 00:00:44,795 Speaker 1: nominally be on the gas lighting of the Mueller Report 7 00:00:44,835 --> 00:00:48,595 Speaker 1: and the true story of Trump's conspiracy with Russia. The focus, 8 00:00:48,635 --> 00:00:52,875 Speaker 1: in fact, must be to kill the new McCarthy ism 9 00:00:52,875 --> 00:00:57,915 Speaker 1: in its nest, the new McCarthy ism. Literally that the 10 00:00:58,035 --> 00:01:05,435 Speaker 1: new Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, who had already promised, warned, hinted, signaled, announced, 11 00:01:05,955 --> 00:01:09,755 Speaker 1: and now confirmed he is forming a subcommittee dedicating it 12 00:01:09,795 --> 00:01:13,155 Speaker 1: to gas lighting on behalf of Trump and whitewashing his 13 00:01:13,235 --> 00:01:16,995 Speaker 1: sedition and treason, and aiming that subcommittee at those who 14 00:01:16,995 --> 00:01:21,435 Speaker 1: have fought back in government and outside of it, particularly 15 00:01:21,475 --> 00:01:24,195 Speaker 1: at the January six Committee, at the good people in 16 00:01:24,235 --> 00:01:27,395 Speaker 1: the FBI, at the good people in the Department of Justice, 17 00:01:27,995 --> 00:01:33,835 Speaker 1: the Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government. It 18 00:01:34,075 --> 00:01:42,075 Speaker 1: is idiocy and slander in car load lots naturally Kevin 19 00:01:42,115 --> 00:01:46,635 Speaker 1: McCarthy is a slanderous political whore and an idiot. Then again, 20 00:01:46,715 --> 00:01:49,155 Speaker 1: so was Joe McCarthy. You do not have to be 21 00:01:49,195 --> 00:01:52,155 Speaker 1: a genius to do what the first McCarthy did, just 22 00:01:52,235 --> 00:01:55,555 Speaker 1: a scheming crook. And if they want a scheming crook 23 00:01:55,595 --> 00:01:58,715 Speaker 1: who is not a genius, they have found their man 24 00:01:59,075 --> 00:02:04,595 Speaker 1: in the second McCarthy. The urgency to act now against 25 00:02:04,755 --> 00:02:07,955 Speaker 1: new McCarthy ism has doubled just since Monday of this 26 00:02:07,995 --> 00:02:11,875 Speaker 1: week because of three developments largely buried under the blissfully 27 00:02:11,995 --> 00:02:16,595 Speaker 1: stupid amusements provided by George Santos, the Biden documents de 28 00:02:16,675 --> 00:02:20,075 Speaker 1: pense documents that Jimmy Carter documents, to say nothing, of course, 29 00:02:20,395 --> 00:02:25,675 Speaker 1: of the Eminem's. The first development obviously nobody being able 30 00:02:25,715 --> 00:02:29,595 Speaker 1: to talk the fascists out of trying to commander political 31 00:02:29,635 --> 00:02:32,755 Speaker 1: discourse in this country till further notice with their version 32 00:02:32,795 --> 00:02:35,715 Speaker 1: of the House on American Activities Committee and the Blacklist 33 00:02:35,955 --> 00:02:38,715 Speaker 1: and the Reign of Terror of the early fifties and 34 00:02:38,875 --> 00:02:46,275 Speaker 1: populating this rogues gallery with Jim Jordan's, darryl Isa Thomas Massey, 35 00:02:46,395 --> 00:02:52,395 Speaker 1: Chris Stewart, Mike Johnson, Chip Roy, Kelly Armstrong, Greg Steuby, 36 00:02:52,995 --> 00:02:59,475 Speaker 1: Dan Bishop, Catchmick Harriet Hageman, and worst of all, the 37 00:02:59,795 --> 00:03:07,995 Speaker 1: scum of the earth Elise Stephanic. The second development necessitating 38 00:03:08,115 --> 00:03:12,355 Speaker 1: urgency of action Monday's arrestive Charles McGonagall, the former head 39 00:03:12,395 --> 00:03:15,355 Speaker 1: of FBI Counterintelligence in New York, to whom I devoted 40 00:03:15,475 --> 00:03:18,355 Speaker 1: the entirety of yesterday's countdown, the former head of the 41 00:03:18,395 --> 00:03:21,915 Speaker 1: earliest investigation into Trump and Russia, one of those near 42 00:03:21,955 --> 00:03:24,315 Speaker 1: the top of the New York Field Office when it 43 00:03:24,395 --> 00:03:27,835 Speaker 1: went rogue and led to the infamous Combe announcement the 44 00:03:27,835 --> 00:03:31,275 Speaker 1: October Surprise of two thousand sixteen, and the follow up 45 00:03:31,315 --> 00:03:35,195 Speaker 1: anonymous quote clearing unquote of Trump just three days after that, 46 00:03:35,795 --> 00:03:40,235 Speaker 1: the re smearing of Hillary Clinton over nothing, the specific 47 00:03:40,355 --> 00:03:44,995 Speaker 1: and targeted and criminal and successful attempt to throw the 48 00:03:45,035 --> 00:03:50,835 Speaker 1: election to Trump. McGonagall faces seventy five years in jail, 49 00:03:51,435 --> 00:03:55,555 Speaker 1: mostly for working illicitly for the very Russian oligarchy was 50 00:03:55,555 --> 00:03:58,835 Speaker 1: supposed to be investigating just seven years ago. If ever 51 00:03:58,995 --> 00:04:03,355 Speaker 1: a defendant was suitable for breaking, for giving up the 52 00:04:03,355 --> 00:04:07,515 Speaker 1: whole corrupt mess on the twenty third floor of Federal Plaza, 53 00:04:07,835 --> 00:04:10,875 Speaker 1: for putting those who tampered with our elections on behalf 54 00:04:10,875 --> 00:04:13,315 Speaker 1: of Trump and maybe on behalf of much worse. If 55 00:04:13,355 --> 00:04:18,755 Speaker 1: anybody is ready to flip, it is Charles flipping McGonagall. 56 00:04:20,635 --> 00:04:24,555 Speaker 1: And now the third development was Trump's revenge porn video 57 00:04:24,795 --> 00:04:30,035 Speaker 1: and his reinstatement to Facebook, both yesterday. Usually there is 58 00:04:30,155 --> 00:04:32,875 Speaker 1: very little reason to bother to listen to what he says. 59 00:04:32,995 --> 00:04:36,675 Speaker 1: It is always the same sing song self pity, the 60 00:04:36,755 --> 00:04:40,635 Speaker 1: same bleatings of the kind of psychotic narcissist who is 61 00:04:40,675 --> 00:04:44,715 Speaker 1: the stupid person's idea of a smart person. But in 62 00:04:44,755 --> 00:04:48,435 Speaker 1: the new McCarthy is m of the weaponization subcommittee. Trump 63 00:04:48,475 --> 00:04:52,595 Speaker 1: smells blood, sees perhaps his best chance since the appointment 64 00:04:52,595 --> 00:04:56,875 Speaker 1: of William Barr, to turn truth into falsehood and falsehood 65 00:04:56,875 --> 00:05:00,435 Speaker 1: into truth, to point at the FBI and shout unclean, 66 00:05:01,355 --> 00:05:03,955 Speaker 1: that those who are in fact noble, and to raise 67 00:05:04,075 --> 00:05:08,075 Speaker 1: up those who have sold their souls. Because, of course, 68 00:05:08,355 --> 00:05:12,555 Speaker 1: the bitterest irony of Joe McCarthy and the Blacklist was 69 00:05:12,595 --> 00:05:15,955 Speaker 1: that freedom was in peril because of the government of 70 00:05:16,035 --> 00:05:20,075 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty. It was imperil because of Joe McCarthy. He 71 00:05:20,355 --> 00:05:23,915 Speaker 1: was the peril. And thus the bitterest irony of the 72 00:05:23,955 --> 00:05:27,915 Speaker 1: new McCarthy ism is that government of today has been weaponized, 73 00:05:28,115 --> 00:05:31,315 Speaker 1: and it was weaponized by and for Trump, And the 74 00:05:31,435 --> 00:05:33,875 Speaker 1: very act of forming this subcommittee full of the most 75 00:05:33,875 --> 00:05:38,435 Speaker 1: antidemocracy members of Congress is the new weaponization is the 76 00:05:38,515 --> 00:05:43,195 Speaker 1: new danger is what needs investigation and purging. And so 77 00:05:43,235 --> 00:05:46,115 Speaker 1: the chip Roys and Jim Jordan's and Donald Trump's and 78 00:05:46,115 --> 00:05:50,515 Speaker 1: the new McCarthy ism will brand good evil and evil good, 79 00:05:50,995 --> 00:05:55,315 Speaker 1: and we must stop them. And the easiest way to 80 00:05:55,555 --> 00:06:00,835 Speaker 1: stop them is merely two compete with them, crowd them 81 00:06:00,875 --> 00:06:05,795 Speaker 1: off the bandstand. The goal of a Senate committee to 82 00:06:05,955 --> 00:06:11,075 Speaker 1: investigate anything does not have to be convictions, nor legislation, 83 00:06:11,155 --> 00:06:15,835 Speaker 1: nor existential truth. It just needs to neutralize, to offset, 84 00:06:16,035 --> 00:06:19,715 Speaker 1: to cancel out the show trials of the new McCarthy 85 00:06:19,755 --> 00:06:24,075 Speaker 1: is m There is usually little value in listening to 86 00:06:24,075 --> 00:06:31,075 Speaker 1: Trump's verbal diarrhea and his astonishing imbecility. There is something, though, 87 00:06:31,115 --> 00:06:35,475 Speaker 1: in this clip from his video. This is what we 88 00:06:35,635 --> 00:06:41,275 Speaker 1: must for want of a more sober term counter program. 89 00:06:41,275 --> 00:06:44,195 Speaker 1: Here's just a few of the questions the committee hopefully 90 00:06:44,195 --> 00:06:46,515 Speaker 1: will be asking who in the Maller team was in 91 00:06:46,635 --> 00:06:50,875 Speaker 1: charge of leaking secret information and fake news stories to 92 00:06:51,075 --> 00:06:55,195 Speaker 1: dishonest journalists, of which you are many to perpetrate the 93 00:06:55,275 --> 00:06:57,395 Speaker 1: Russia hooks, and that's what it was turned out. It 94 00:06:57,435 --> 00:07:02,675 Speaker 1: was the total hooks. It was all misinformation, It was 95 00:07:02,755 --> 00:07:06,915 Speaker 1: all horrible thing. Doug was given to the people of 96 00:07:06,955 --> 00:07:12,595 Speaker 1: our country illegally. A great story, scumbag. Wait, that was 97 00:07:12,635 --> 00:07:17,675 Speaker 1: the best take what an illiterate monkey Trump really is. 98 00:07:18,715 --> 00:07:22,715 Speaker 1: But these are his orders to Kevin McCarthy. And as 99 00:07:22,755 --> 00:07:26,035 Speaker 1: we heard the night, McCarthy sold whatever that is that 100 00:07:26,115 --> 00:07:29,115 Speaker 1: he has instead of a soul to get the Speaker's gavel, 101 00:07:29,355 --> 00:07:33,875 Speaker 1: McCarthy has horde himself anew fully and without remorse to Trump. 102 00:07:34,235 --> 00:07:36,515 Speaker 1: He will do the devil's bidding and pretend it is 103 00:07:36,555 --> 00:07:40,755 Speaker 1: God's work. It is not coincidental. Trump issued this video 104 00:07:40,915 --> 00:07:44,355 Speaker 1: yesterday telling McCarthy what to do on the new subcommittee. 105 00:07:44,595 --> 00:07:48,155 Speaker 1: Trump also sent Trump Junior to Washington yesterday to meet 106 00:07:48,195 --> 00:07:51,875 Speaker 1: with McCarthy and do a podcast with him, a Donald 107 00:07:52,035 --> 00:07:57,955 Speaker 1: Cokey Trump Junior Kevin McCarthy podcast, or the Irresistible Farce 108 00:07:58,515 --> 00:08:03,675 Speaker 1: meets the Immovable Objectionable. All right back to the point 109 00:08:03,915 --> 00:08:07,955 Speaker 1: in that video. Trump also publicly designated a new target, 110 00:08:08,355 --> 00:08:12,515 Speaker 1: not for him, but new for this subcommittee, his cherished 111 00:08:12,635 --> 00:08:16,555 Speaker 1: dream of punishing the media that does not applaud him 112 00:08:16,595 --> 00:08:20,715 Speaker 1: of censoring and controlling what America reads and sees, of 113 00:08:20,795 --> 00:08:24,715 Speaker 1: avenging those who told the truth and rewarding those who 114 00:08:24,795 --> 00:08:29,515 Speaker 1: poisoned the nation with conspiracy theories. Now stands outlined and 115 00:08:29,675 --> 00:08:33,435 Speaker 1: tangible in front of him, and it is the new 116 00:08:33,515 --> 00:08:37,075 Speaker 1: McCarthy is a fake press and a corrupt press, and 117 00:08:37,195 --> 00:08:42,355 Speaker 1: by corrupt politicians today. The fake Seale dossier was first 118 00:08:42,395 --> 00:08:45,715 Speaker 1: published because they knew it was fake, and they knew 119 00:08:45,755 --> 00:08:48,595 Speaker 1: that sometimes there'd be a guy like Trump that wants 120 00:08:48,635 --> 00:08:52,115 Speaker 1: to go after them. How many fake news journalists been 121 00:08:52,155 --> 00:08:57,075 Speaker 1: paid or compensated by US government agencies directly or indirectly 122 00:08:57,835 --> 00:09:01,755 Speaker 1: for their all and spreading domestic disinformation like the FBI 123 00:09:01,875 --> 00:09:09,475 Speaker 1: did with Twitter in that was the best take. These 124 00:09:09,515 --> 00:09:13,515 Speaker 1: are the facts Donald Trump conspired with Russia to tamper 125 00:09:13,595 --> 00:09:17,635 Speaker 1: with the two thousand sixteen presidential election. Elements of the 126 00:09:17,675 --> 00:09:20,235 Speaker 1: FBI and other parts of the government of that year 127 00:09:20,315 --> 00:09:25,675 Speaker 1: were indeed weaponized on his behalf to distort and thwart 128 00:09:25,715 --> 00:09:29,355 Speaker 1: the same vote. And when the nation rejected Trump and 129 00:09:29,435 --> 00:09:35,515 Speaker 1: recommitted itself to democracy on January, Trump attempted a full 130 00:09:35,835 --> 00:09:42,955 Speaker 1: scale coup deata. And we Trump haters do we hate Trump? 131 00:09:43,635 --> 00:09:50,995 Speaker 1: You bet? Your ass as our ancestors hated and fought 132 00:09:51,075 --> 00:09:56,355 Speaker 1: and defeated Hitler. Do we have Trump derangement syndrome? Yes? 133 00:09:56,475 --> 00:09:59,955 Speaker 1: Trump is deranged. It is a syndrome he has spread 134 00:09:59,955 --> 00:10:02,595 Speaker 1: to the gullible and the hateful, and we must stop it, 135 00:10:02,955 --> 00:10:06,035 Speaker 1: reverse it, cure those who can be cured, and prevent 136 00:10:06,035 --> 00:10:11,155 Speaker 1: those who cannot from sabotaging freedom in this country. And 137 00:10:11,355 --> 00:10:15,595 Speaker 1: all we need here is a choice of viewing an 138 00:10:15,635 --> 00:10:19,635 Speaker 1: alternate feed to vy for the lead slots in the 139 00:10:19,715 --> 00:10:22,915 Speaker 1: daily newscasts and the places above the fold in the 140 00:10:22,915 --> 00:10:25,955 Speaker 1: newspapers and in the upper left hand corner and the 141 00:10:25,995 --> 00:10:29,555 Speaker 1: top of the feeds online, because we do not have 142 00:10:29,675 --> 00:10:33,395 Speaker 1: to defeat and erase and stop the new McCarthy is M. 143 00:10:34,275 --> 00:10:36,635 Speaker 1: You can't stop the new McCarthy is M. You can 144 00:10:36,715 --> 00:10:41,795 Speaker 1: only hope to contain it. Wait, why in the hell 145 00:10:41,875 --> 00:11:00,515 Speaker 1: does that sound so familiar? Hang on my phone's ringing 146 00:11:00,515 --> 00:11:03,195 Speaker 1: at Stan Patrick? Still ahead. Finally something good comes of 147 00:11:03,275 --> 00:11:07,675 Speaker 1: the wasted life of George Santos. That Navy veteran from 148 00:11:07,715 --> 00:11:10,795 Speaker 1: New Jersey will be getting a new service dog and 149 00:11:10,915 --> 00:11:15,235 Speaker 1: lifetime care for that dog. Worse persons, just when you 150 00:11:15,315 --> 00:11:18,795 Speaker 1: thought they couldn't get dumber or meaner. The newest conspiracy 151 00:11:18,835 --> 00:11:21,715 Speaker 1: theory is not that Damar Hamlet of the Buffalo Bills 152 00:11:21,755 --> 00:11:24,635 Speaker 1: collapsed because of the COVID vaccine, but that he actually 153 00:11:24,795 --> 00:11:28,395 Speaker 1: died from it. And this whole story of his recovery 154 00:11:28,475 --> 00:11:31,875 Speaker 1: is I don't know. Let's ask jfk Jr. When he 155 00:11:31,915 --> 00:11:34,675 Speaker 1: comes back from the dead. And I mentioned it the 156 00:11:34,675 --> 00:11:37,155 Speaker 1: other day, the Republicans willingness to put some of their 157 00:11:37,155 --> 00:11:41,635 Speaker 1: presidential primary debates on CNN or NBC if the price 158 00:11:41,755 --> 00:11:44,995 Speaker 1: is right, Let's explore what the price was at NBC 159 00:11:45,115 --> 00:11:48,675 Speaker 1: in two thousand and eight. The price was my head, 160 00:11:49,315 --> 00:11:51,995 Speaker 1: and how Tom Brokaw was willing to cut it off 161 00:11:52,075 --> 00:11:54,435 Speaker 1: for them just so he could moderate a debate one 162 00:11:54,515 --> 00:11:58,075 Speaker 1: more time. Things I promised not to tell. That's next 163 00:11:58,155 --> 00:12:11,635 Speaker 1: this discountdown see just countdown with Keith still ahead on countdown? 164 00:12:11,795 --> 00:12:15,755 Speaker 1: Is Damar Hamlin really alive? Are any of us really alive? 165 00:12:16,315 --> 00:12:19,995 Speaker 1: Is the guy asking if Damar Hamlin is alive? Really alive? 166 00:12:21,595 --> 00:12:24,115 Speaker 1: The worst persons coming up? Plus, if NBC is really 167 00:12:24,115 --> 00:12:27,435 Speaker 1: going to tell buys a Republican presidential primary debate, they 168 00:12:27,515 --> 00:12:30,635 Speaker 1: better get ready to fire somebody the Republicans don't like. 169 00:12:32,035 --> 00:12:34,315 Speaker 1: But first. In each edition of Countdown, we feature a 170 00:12:34,355 --> 00:12:36,635 Speaker 1: dog in need you can help. Every dog has its 171 00:12:36,755 --> 00:12:41,315 Speaker 1: day two hugging. Hugging is at the New York Pound 172 00:12:41,355 --> 00:12:44,115 Speaker 1: and there is another massacre going on. Their five dogs 173 00:12:44,195 --> 00:12:47,355 Speaker 1: killed this week alone. They will kill him as early 174 00:12:47,435 --> 00:12:50,795 Speaker 1: as today. He's got all the targets on him. He's 175 00:12:50,795 --> 00:12:54,075 Speaker 1: a sixty two pound dog. He's mixed breed, has a 176 00:12:54,115 --> 00:12:56,835 Speaker 1: black coat, and even though he was dumped by a 177 00:12:56,955 --> 00:12:59,435 Speaker 1: human who just showed up and left without saying a 178 00:12:59,555 --> 00:13:03,955 Speaker 1: word about him, he's gentle and respectful and okay with 179 00:13:04,035 --> 00:13:07,475 Speaker 1: other dogs. He's nervous. He has reason to be. When 180 00:13:07,475 --> 00:13:09,435 Speaker 1: you can pledge to help defray the costs of a 181 00:13:09,555 --> 00:13:12,595 Speaker 1: rescue to save him, you can find him on my 182 00:13:12,635 --> 00:13:16,075 Speaker 1: twitter feed. Your retweets can also help him. I thank 183 00:13:16,115 --> 00:13:31,995 Speaker 1: you and Hugging Thanks you. FOK. Scripts to the news 184 00:13:32,035 --> 00:13:36,835 Speaker 1: some headlines, some thoughts, some snarks, some predictions. Dateline, Port, Washington, 185 00:13:36,955 --> 00:13:40,195 Speaker 1: New York. You will recall the sad story of Sapphire, 186 00:13:40,795 --> 00:13:44,235 Speaker 1: the service dog of disabled and at that time homeless 187 00:13:44,315 --> 00:13:48,355 Speaker 1: Navy that Rich Austof When Sapphire needed surgery to remove 188 00:13:48,395 --> 00:13:52,435 Speaker 1: a tumor, Astov was introduced to Congressman George Santos. This 189 00:13:52,475 --> 00:13:55,515 Speaker 1: was in two thousand sixteen, and told that Santos was 190 00:13:55,555 --> 00:13:58,835 Speaker 1: somebody who could raise the money for the poor dog. Well, 191 00:13:58,835 --> 00:14:00,955 Speaker 1: he raised it all right by a go fund me, 192 00:14:01,075 --> 00:14:03,435 Speaker 1: and then he would not give aust Off the money 193 00:14:03,835 --> 00:14:08,235 Speaker 1: and Sapphire died. After the story, reported by the hyperlocal 194 00:14:08,435 --> 00:14:12,675 Speaker 1: Patch news site, got widespread attention, New York's North Shore 195 00:14:12,755 --> 00:14:16,635 Speaker 1: Animal League offered as off a new service dog and 196 00:14:16,875 --> 00:14:21,275 Speaker 1: lifetime veterinary care for him or her. On the other hand, 197 00:14:21,395 --> 00:14:23,955 Speaker 1: video is now serviced of Santos claiming he was mugged 198 00:14:23,955 --> 00:14:26,115 Speaker 1: in the middle of Fifth Avenue at some point last 199 00:14:26,195 --> 00:14:29,395 Speaker 1: year and they stole his shoes and also there was 200 00:14:29,515 --> 00:14:34,675 Speaker 1: an assassination attempt. Next, I'm expecting George Santos to explain 201 00:14:34,715 --> 00:14:38,875 Speaker 1: that he can travel through time Date Line, New York. 202 00:14:38,955 --> 00:14:41,635 Speaker 1: You and I may think we know the most popular 203 00:14:41,715 --> 00:14:45,835 Speaker 1: movie of all time, and we're wrong. The only answer 204 00:14:46,075 --> 00:14:50,075 Speaker 1: is the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is still shown 205 00:14:50,155 --> 00:14:53,035 Speaker 1: weekly around the country around the world, and fans get 206 00:14:53,075 --> 00:14:57,195 Speaker 1: up and perform along with it in costume, saying the 207 00:14:57,315 --> 00:15:01,275 Speaker 1: dialogue acting out, the plot twists, and the man who 208 00:15:01,355 --> 00:15:05,635 Speaker 1: started all that has passed away. In al Piro went 209 00:15:05,875 --> 00:15:08,395 Speaker 1: to see the Tim Curry Susan Sarandon film, which was 210 00:15:08,435 --> 00:15:11,595 Speaker 1: a bomb at that point, at the Waverley Theater. Here 211 00:15:11,955 --> 00:15:14,475 Speaker 1: he started to talk back to the characters, and soon 212 00:15:14,515 --> 00:15:17,235 Speaker 1: people were showing up to hear him talk back to 213 00:15:17,275 --> 00:15:22,195 Speaker 1: the characters, and that evolved into fan participation in the film, 214 00:15:22,235 --> 00:15:25,475 Speaker 1: and that evolved into the Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan Club, 215 00:15:25,475 --> 00:15:28,835 Speaker 1: which he founded in nineteen seventy seven and of which 216 00:15:28,835 --> 00:15:31,675 Speaker 1: he remained president to look until his death. Last Saturday, 217 00:15:31,955 --> 00:15:36,355 Speaker 1: Salve Piro was seventy one and dateline Hollywood Oops, Bad 218 00:15:36,395 --> 00:15:40,515 Speaker 1: Week if You're named Rogan, the chief content officer of Spotify, 219 00:15:40,635 --> 00:15:43,315 Speaker 1: the one who brought Joe Rogan's podcast to that site 220 00:15:43,315 --> 00:15:47,435 Speaker 1: for tens of millions of dollars down Ostroff fired and 221 00:15:47,555 --> 00:15:51,875 Speaker 1: Fred Rogan different spelling sportscaster at KNBC Los Angeles since 222 00:15:51,995 --> 00:15:56,115 Speaker 1: night is leaving the television station. Rogan projected a nice 223 00:15:56,195 --> 00:15:59,675 Speaker 1: kid next door persona But when I was his rival 224 00:15:59,755 --> 00:16:02,675 Speaker 1: at k CBS TV there, I made a joke about 225 00:16:02,755 --> 00:16:05,035 Speaker 1: him on the air and he promptly called me at 226 00:16:05,075 --> 00:16:07,755 Speaker 1: my office and said he had tapes of everything I 227 00:16:07,835 --> 00:16:10,395 Speaker 1: had ever said about him, and he was going to 228 00:16:10,755 --> 00:16:13,835 Speaker 1: kill me. I used to work with his former fiance 229 00:16:13,995 --> 00:16:15,795 Speaker 1: and one day she took me aside and said she 230 00:16:15,835 --> 00:16:18,315 Speaker 1: needed to talk to somebody who understood what he was 231 00:16:18,355 --> 00:16:21,235 Speaker 1: really like. As she did, she said she had decided 232 00:16:21,275 --> 00:16:24,955 Speaker 1: to marry somebody else, and as I congratulated her on that, 233 00:16:25,395 --> 00:16:27,835 Speaker 1: she said she had wanted Fred to hear it from 234 00:16:27,835 --> 00:16:31,515 Speaker 1: her directly rather than from anybody else. She said he 235 00:16:31,555 --> 00:16:34,795 Speaker 1: seemed to take her call well, but that same evening 236 00:16:34,795 --> 00:16:37,115 Speaker 1: Fred had called her back from his car phone and 237 00:16:37,115 --> 00:16:42,395 Speaker 1: announced he had just gotten married. I'm also reminded that 238 00:16:42,435 --> 00:16:44,955 Speaker 1: when k CBS did not renew my contract at the 239 00:16:44,995 --> 00:16:48,875 Speaker 1: end of nine, the TV sports writer of the Los 240 00:16:48,875 --> 00:16:52,035 Speaker 1: Angeles Times wrote that two would be the year I 241 00:16:52,075 --> 00:16:55,795 Speaker 1: would sink into obscurity and the year that Fred Rogan 242 00:16:55,835 --> 00:16:59,595 Speaker 1: would gain national TV prominence because of his news syndicated 243 00:16:59,635 --> 00:17:06,195 Speaker 1: talk show Fred and Arthel for already three years doing 244 00:17:06,275 --> 00:17:19,795 Speaker 1: exactly the same thing. Wow, all the best on your retirement, Freddie. 245 00:17:22,035 --> 00:17:37,435 Speaker 1: Thank you, Nancy Faust. Now to the daily roundup of 246 00:17:37,435 --> 00:17:40,875 Speaker 1: the miscrants, morons, and Dunning Krueger effect specimens who constitute 247 00:17:40,915 --> 00:17:45,915 Speaker 1: today's worst persons in the world. Lebrons, Baseball's MLB Network, 248 00:17:46,515 --> 00:17:49,835 Speaker 1: there are bad TV ratings, and then there are impossible 249 00:17:49,915 --> 00:17:54,675 Speaker 1: to believe TV ratings. Baseball keeps its announcement of who 250 00:17:54,675 --> 00:17:57,355 Speaker 1: has been elected to its Hall of Fame to itself, 251 00:17:57,395 --> 00:18:00,515 Speaker 1: almost as if it is a secret. It televises these 252 00:18:00,555 --> 00:18:05,235 Speaker 1: announcements live on its own network, MLB Network, at like 253 00:18:05,475 --> 00:18:10,035 Speaker 1: sixty five PM on a weekday evening. Even with that 254 00:18:10,395 --> 00:18:14,435 Speaker 1: bad planning taken into account, this is mind boggling. When 255 00:18:14,435 --> 00:18:17,275 Speaker 1: the former All Star third Basement Scott Roland, became the 256 00:18:17,355 --> 00:18:20,075 Speaker 1: only player elected by the writers and it was announced 257 00:18:20,115 --> 00:18:23,835 Speaker 1: on Tuesday at like six the live announcement was seen 258 00:18:23,955 --> 00:18:27,675 Speaker 1: by for the TV ratings expert and executive VP at 259 00:18:27,675 --> 00:18:32,435 Speaker 1: Fox Sports, Mike mulbile Hill. It was seen by thirty 260 00:18:32,515 --> 00:18:39,235 Speaker 1: five thousand viewers nationwide. Thirty five thousand, or what we 261 00:18:39,435 --> 00:18:43,915 Speaker 1: on this Measly podcast would call a really bad day 262 00:18:43,955 --> 00:18:51,035 Speaker 1: for us. Here on the podcast five thousand, the runner 263 00:18:51,115 --> 00:18:54,115 Speaker 1: up Marjorie Trailer park Green, Steve Bannon is quoted as 264 00:18:54,115 --> 00:18:56,635 Speaker 1: saying Midge thinks she's going to be Trump's running mate 265 00:18:56,675 --> 00:18:59,755 Speaker 1: next year. That's why Bannon says, she's trying to rebrand 266 00:18:59,795 --> 00:19:05,075 Speaker 1: herself as acceptable to the main stream Republicans. Wait, why wait, 267 00:19:05,515 --> 00:19:09,835 Speaker 1: why would rebranding herself as acceptable to mainstream Republicans help 268 00:19:09,875 --> 00:19:14,675 Speaker 1: her get picked by Trump? When MTG looks in the mirror, 269 00:19:15,275 --> 00:19:19,435 Speaker 1: NBC quotes Bannon is saying, she sees a potential presidential 270 00:19:19,595 --> 00:19:25,515 Speaker 1: president smiling back. She sees a potential president smiling back. Well, 271 00:19:25,555 --> 00:19:29,035 Speaker 1: this is breaking news. Her image is visible in a mirror. 272 00:19:30,235 --> 00:19:32,835 Speaker 1: But our winner. There are fascist morons, and there are 273 00:19:32,915 --> 00:19:36,155 Speaker 1: fascist conspiracy addicts, but it takes a special one to 274 00:19:36,315 --> 00:19:40,075 Speaker 1: be a fascist moron conspiracy addict. Such a man is 275 00:19:40,115 --> 00:19:44,435 Speaker 1: Stu Peter's is one of those died suddenly clowns who 276 00:19:44,435 --> 00:19:46,995 Speaker 1: claims everybody who has died in the last couple of 277 00:19:47,075 --> 00:19:51,395 Speaker 1: years who's killed by the COVID vaccine everybody, because apparently 278 00:19:51,435 --> 00:19:54,755 Speaker 1: the plan is for people who believe in science and 279 00:19:54,835 --> 00:19:59,515 Speaker 1: reality and liberals to kill all the people who believe 280 00:19:59,595 --> 00:20:04,635 Speaker 1: in science and reality and liberalism were something nobody's explained. 281 00:20:04,915 --> 00:20:08,675 Speaker 1: End game here anyway. Peters has now topped himself two 282 00:20:08,795 --> 00:20:12,835 Speaker 1: tweets yesterday about the Buffalo Bills player tomar Hamlin, who collapse, 283 00:20:12,915 --> 00:20:18,035 Speaker 1: got immediate CPR and recovered from cardiac arrest, quoting Peters, 284 00:20:18,435 --> 00:20:21,035 Speaker 1: I still have not seen proof Tomorrow Hamlin is alive 285 00:20:21,235 --> 00:20:25,275 Speaker 1: since he collapsed. What kind of proof? Ah, that's what 286 00:20:25,315 --> 00:20:28,195 Speaker 1: tweet number two is about. All Tamar Hamlin has to 287 00:20:28,195 --> 00:20:31,155 Speaker 1: do is get on social media, cut a video and 288 00:20:31,195 --> 00:20:36,275 Speaker 1: put an end to the speculation. What speculation? I want 289 00:20:36,355 --> 00:20:39,275 Speaker 1: to see video of Damar Hamlin holding today's newspaper with 290 00:20:39,315 --> 00:20:43,675 Speaker 1: the date visible. Then this guy Peters, who should check 291 00:20:43,715 --> 00:20:47,795 Speaker 1: he may actually be brain dead, insults Tomorrow Hamlin, who 292 00:20:47,835 --> 00:20:50,875 Speaker 1: he says is dead. Quote what a great opportunity to 293 00:20:50,915 --> 00:20:53,635 Speaker 1: thank his supporters for the ten million they gave his charity. 294 00:20:54,475 --> 00:20:57,755 Speaker 1: Now here's my demand, Mr Peters. All you have to 295 00:20:57,755 --> 00:21:00,635 Speaker 1: do is get on social media, cut a video holding 296 00:21:00,675 --> 00:21:04,155 Speaker 1: today's newspaper with the date visible, alongside a copy of 297 00:21:04,195 --> 00:21:08,195 Speaker 1: your scan, and then I'll believe you have a functioning brain. 298 00:21:09,235 --> 00:21:12,675 Speaker 1: Stuve Peters, who has a website with his name printed 299 00:21:12,675 --> 00:21:17,835 Speaker 1: as just one word, so it also reads stupid ers 300 00:21:18,115 --> 00:21:35,755 Speaker 1: two Day's worst person and w Finally, our number one 301 00:21:35,755 --> 00:21:39,355 Speaker 1: story on the countdown in my favorite topic me I 302 00:21:39,435 --> 00:21:42,395 Speaker 1: missed the exact anniversary by day, but it's close enough. 303 00:21:42,875 --> 00:21:46,635 Speaker 1: The demand for spots in the Shay Stadium press box 304 00:21:46,675 --> 00:21:49,155 Speaker 1: that night was so great that there was a signed seating. 305 00:21:49,595 --> 00:21:52,075 Speaker 1: I had no real reason to be there, but as usual, 306 00:21:52,115 --> 00:21:54,195 Speaker 1: the New York Mets took care of me, and so 307 00:21:54,355 --> 00:21:56,875 Speaker 1: on Friday, the fifth of September, two thight, I was 308 00:21:56,955 --> 00:22:00,835 Speaker 1: shoulder to shoulder with reporter friends watching the Mets begin 309 00:22:00,915 --> 00:22:03,195 Speaker 1: to blow their three game Pennant race lead against the 310 00:22:03,235 --> 00:22:06,035 Speaker 1: Philadelphia Philly Sorry, that's fans were bringing this up again. 311 00:22:06,635 --> 00:22:09,635 Speaker 1: Brett Myers had just struck out New York's David Wright 312 00:22:09,795 --> 00:22:13,595 Speaker 1: looking when my phone rang. It was my agent, Jane Sage. 313 00:22:14,115 --> 00:22:17,275 Speaker 1: They just called. She said, flatly, you and Matthews have 314 00:22:17,355 --> 00:22:20,235 Speaker 1: been fired from anchoring the presidential debates because of what 315 00:22:20,395 --> 00:22:25,275 Speaker 1: you said. What I had said had been said. Three 316 00:22:25,355 --> 00:22:28,635 Speaker 1: nights previously, Chris Matthews and I were co anchoring the 317 00:22:28,715 --> 00:22:32,115 Speaker 1: Republican Convention on MSNBC. I was in the studios in 318 00:22:32,155 --> 00:22:35,875 Speaker 1: New York, ostensibly so I could also anchor hurricane coverage, 319 00:22:36,155 --> 00:22:37,795 Speaker 1: although it was pretty clear that at least half the 320 00:22:37,835 --> 00:22:40,995 Speaker 1: reason I was not in Minneapolis was because the Republicans 321 00:22:41,035 --> 00:22:44,555 Speaker 1: had threatened NBC or said they couldn't guarantee my safety 322 00:22:44,795 --> 00:22:48,835 Speaker 1: or something like that, and NBC folded. So I was 323 00:22:48,875 --> 00:22:51,955 Speaker 1: the one during MSNBC's coverage of the two thousand eight 324 00:22:51,995 --> 00:22:54,995 Speaker 1: Republican Convention. Who had to throw it to a video 325 00:22:55,075 --> 00:22:57,995 Speaker 1: they were introducing that we had been told by the 326 00:22:58,035 --> 00:23:02,275 Speaker 1: Republicans was a quote tribute to the dead of nine eleven. 327 00:23:02,675 --> 00:23:06,635 Speaker 1: It was, in fact a enough film. All of the 328 00:23:06,675 --> 00:23:09,715 Speaker 1: images that all of the networks had stopped showing within 329 00:23:09,795 --> 00:23:12,955 Speaker 1: weeks or even days of the attacks. All of those 330 00:23:12,995 --> 00:23:16,835 Speaker 1: images were in this video. People jumping and falling to 331 00:23:16,915 --> 00:23:19,955 Speaker 1: their deaths from the World Trade Center on nine eleven, 332 00:23:20,155 --> 00:23:24,995 Speaker 1: endless replays of the planes hitting the towers, dismembered bodies 333 00:23:25,075 --> 00:23:29,195 Speaker 1: in the plaza, the building collapses, the equally terrifying scenes 334 00:23:29,235 --> 00:23:32,595 Speaker 1: at the Pentagon, and all with a grotesque Robert Davy 335 00:23:32,755 --> 00:23:37,755 Speaker 1: voiceover emphasizing that this was all the Democrats fault. The 336 00:23:37,795 --> 00:23:42,635 Speaker 1: message was simple, elect Obama and you will die like this. 337 00:23:44,075 --> 00:23:47,315 Speaker 1: I was angry just on that base level, or the 338 00:23:47,355 --> 00:23:49,435 Speaker 1: five and a half years I had been back at MSNBC. 339 00:23:49,595 --> 00:23:52,475 Speaker 1: We had been rigorous about not showing any of that video. 340 00:23:53,075 --> 00:23:55,915 Speaker 1: There were rules that if we had to for some reason, 341 00:23:56,195 --> 00:23:58,915 Speaker 1: we should show only the skill images, and even then 342 00:23:58,955 --> 00:24:02,475 Speaker 1: only with extensive warnings to the viewers. But I knew 343 00:24:02,475 --> 00:24:05,395 Speaker 1: from my conversations with the president of msnb C, Phil Griffin, 344 00:24:05,395 --> 00:24:07,555 Speaker 1: who had only known for twenty eight years at that point, 345 00:24:07,995 --> 00:24:10,555 Speaker 1: that he would insist that on the scene in Minneapolis, 346 00:24:10,555 --> 00:24:13,755 Speaker 1: Matthews and Tom Brokaw, whose career at NBC I had 347 00:24:13,795 --> 00:24:17,515 Speaker 1: resurrected after Brian Williams had buried him alive two years earlier, 348 00:24:17,715 --> 00:24:21,635 Speaker 1: that one or both of them would rebuke the GOP 349 00:24:21,875 --> 00:24:24,355 Speaker 1: for showing not a nine eleven tribute, but, as I 350 00:24:24,395 --> 00:24:28,515 Speaker 1: just said, a nine eleven snuff film. The video ended, 351 00:24:28,555 --> 00:24:31,155 Speaker 1: and we came out to Brokaw with Matthews and Brokaw 352 00:24:31,795 --> 00:24:36,835 Speaker 1: kind of coughed, and Matthews said wow. And he turned 353 00:24:36,875 --> 00:24:39,915 Speaker 1: to Brokaw and said, in that loose fire hose delivery 354 00:24:39,915 --> 00:24:43,595 Speaker 1: of his Tom, the kind of underscoring terrorism big thing 355 00:24:43,675 --> 00:24:50,355 Speaker 1: Republican says they triestop Obama. Brokaw droned on approvingly the 356 00:24:50,395 --> 00:24:55,275 Speaker 1: Republicans sneaking a snuff film a band video onto MSNBC 357 00:24:55,355 --> 00:24:58,755 Speaker 1: and by the way, also onto CNN, onto NBC, onto CBS, 358 00:24:58,795 --> 00:25:02,795 Speaker 1: onto ABC without any warning. That was not mentioned by 359 00:25:02,835 --> 00:25:07,715 Speaker 1: Brokaw or Matthews. Back to New York and Keith I 360 00:25:07,795 --> 00:25:10,355 Speaker 1: was supposed to add Liberties about what we were expecting 361 00:25:10,395 --> 00:25:12,475 Speaker 1: from the Republican convention for the rest of the night, 362 00:25:12,475 --> 00:25:14,995 Speaker 1: and then throw to a commercial instead, I said, and 363 00:25:14,995 --> 00:25:18,315 Speaker 1: this is a paraphrase. The original tape disappeared that night 364 00:25:18,995 --> 00:25:21,035 Speaker 1: that before we moved on, I felt I needed to 365 00:25:21,075 --> 00:25:24,795 Speaker 1: apologize that we at MSNBC and for that matter, NBC News, 366 00:25:25,235 --> 00:25:28,715 Speaker 1: had extremely strict rules about not showing that video. The 367 00:25:28,715 --> 00:25:32,835 Speaker 1: Republicans had just shown you without any warning, without any context, 368 00:25:33,315 --> 00:25:35,595 Speaker 1: and we certainly would not have shown the horror and 369 00:25:35,755 --> 00:25:38,675 Speaker 1: death and blamed it on the Democrats, or for that matter, 370 00:25:38,715 --> 00:25:40,355 Speaker 1: blamed it on the Republicans. I said, if we had 371 00:25:40,395 --> 00:25:42,955 Speaker 1: done such a thing ourselves, there would have been people 372 00:25:42,995 --> 00:25:47,715 Speaker 1: fired at NBC News. The public program the GOP provided 373 00:25:47,755 --> 00:25:50,155 Speaker 1: said that was going to be a nine eleven tribute film, 374 00:25:50,235 --> 00:25:53,315 Speaker 1: I said, and so did the private conversations with the network, 375 00:25:53,355 --> 00:25:56,115 Speaker 1: which included the reminder from NBC and MSNBC that we 376 00:25:56,155 --> 00:25:58,875 Speaker 1: had rules against showing the scenes of the horrible death 377 00:25:58,915 --> 00:26:02,995 Speaker 1: and mutilation and destruction. So I apologized on behalf of 378 00:26:03,035 --> 00:26:05,715 Speaker 1: whoever trusted the Republicans to live up to their word, 379 00:26:06,195 --> 00:26:09,275 Speaker 1: that MSNBC viewers were forced to see the video. Our 380 00:26:09,395 --> 00:26:14,635 Speaker 1: network had long before vowed never to show again. So 381 00:26:14,755 --> 00:26:17,915 Speaker 1: three nights later, without as much as an email, this 382 00:26:17,995 --> 00:26:21,275 Speaker 1: Griffin guy had called my agent and told her I 383 00:26:21,315 --> 00:26:25,555 Speaker 1: was fired Matthews two from our further coverage of the 384 00:26:25,675 --> 00:26:30,555 Speaker 1: upcoming McGain Obama debates. She related these details to me 385 00:26:30,595 --> 00:26:32,555 Speaker 1: as I walked down the many ramps in the back 386 00:26:32,675 --> 00:26:35,395 Speaker 1: of Shasee Stadium towards the subway. I told her to 387 00:26:35,435 --> 00:26:37,995 Speaker 1: call Griffin back and tell him I had quit on 388 00:26:38,035 --> 00:26:40,635 Speaker 1: the spot right then and he could work his way 389 00:26:40,635 --> 00:26:45,035 Speaker 1: out of the ensuing disaster. Liberal network MSNBC fires liberal 390 00:26:45,035 --> 00:26:48,035 Speaker 1: host l Werman for criticizing conservatives for sneaking nine eleven 391 00:26:48,075 --> 00:26:51,235 Speaker 1: snuff film onto MSNBC. He could figure that out any 392 00:26:51,275 --> 00:26:53,675 Speaker 1: way he wanted, and he could hear my response on 393 00:26:54,115 --> 00:26:56,915 Speaker 1: I don't know, Good Morning America, CBS, This Morning, the 394 00:26:56,955 --> 00:27:00,355 Speaker 1: PBS News Hour, and any other news program that bothered 395 00:27:00,555 --> 00:27:04,395 Speaker 1: to ask me to stop by and talk. I phoned 396 00:27:04,395 --> 00:27:06,675 Speaker 1: my of in girlfriend, Katie turn told her I was 397 00:27:06,715 --> 00:27:08,755 Speaker 1: on my way home, and I made a few phone 398 00:27:08,755 --> 00:27:11,875 Speaker 1: calls to friendly voices within the NBC management structure and 399 00:27:11,915 --> 00:27:14,275 Speaker 1: got from them a clear picture of what had happened. 400 00:27:14,715 --> 00:27:17,915 Speaker 1: And despite the spotty cell service along the elevated line. 401 00:27:17,955 --> 00:27:20,435 Speaker 1: Heading back to Manhattan. I got a message from a 402 00:27:20,435 --> 00:27:24,075 Speaker 1: newspaper reporter friend who neatly tied together all that I 403 00:27:24,115 --> 00:27:28,315 Speaker 1: was hearing elsewhere. Tom Brokaw is going around NBC saying 404 00:27:28,395 --> 00:27:31,755 Speaker 1: he got you fired from the debates because the Republicans 405 00:27:31,795 --> 00:27:37,195 Speaker 1: told him to. Nine maybe ten months earlier, Phil Griffin 406 00:27:37,235 --> 00:27:38,795 Speaker 1: had come to me and asked me if I would 407 00:27:38,795 --> 00:27:42,315 Speaker 1: be okay with this guy who had been kind of 408 00:27:42,395 --> 00:27:47,115 Speaker 1: disappeared by the network. Tom Brokeaw was his name appearing 409 00:27:47,195 --> 00:27:50,435 Speaker 1: during our weekly coverage of the Democratic and Republican primaries. 410 00:27:50,875 --> 00:27:53,435 Speaker 1: Just a couple of minutes, like from a perspective desk, 411 00:27:53,715 --> 00:27:57,675 Speaker 1: that's all he wants to do. He's really Tom's really unhappy. 412 00:27:57,675 --> 00:28:01,235 Speaker 1: Brian has frozen amount of everything Brian Williams. Of course, 413 00:28:01,635 --> 00:28:05,355 Speaker 1: I was appalled, but not surprised. The hour had gone 414 00:28:05,355 --> 00:28:08,075 Speaker 1: to Brian's head, and of course there it had not 415 00:28:08,355 --> 00:28:11,955 Speaker 1: met much resistance. Plus, as I said to Griffin, you're 416 00:28:11,995 --> 00:28:14,355 Speaker 1: asking me if I'd like to add Tom Broke cause 417 00:28:14,435 --> 00:28:19,315 Speaker 1: experience and Tom Broke caused gravitas two stuff I'm anchoring 418 00:28:19,315 --> 00:28:20,755 Speaker 1: when I'm not sure I know as much as I 419 00:28:20,795 --> 00:28:23,555 Speaker 1: really need to know to do this right, you're asking 420 00:28:23,555 --> 00:28:27,475 Speaker 1: me this. Tom fit in beautifully, and twice after those 421 00:28:27,555 --> 00:28:30,555 Speaker 1: long Tuesday evenings in the primary season, he sent me 422 00:28:30,675 --> 00:28:33,995 Speaker 1: brief emails awarding me what he called the game ball, 423 00:28:35,155 --> 00:28:37,875 Speaker 1: because he was so impressed by my ability to balance 424 00:28:37,915 --> 00:28:41,715 Speaker 1: the roles at political anchor and political commentator, having tried 425 00:28:41,755 --> 00:28:45,315 Speaker 1: this myself. One of them read, I know what a perilous, tight, 426 00:28:45,475 --> 00:28:50,635 Speaker 1: ruthless is. Game ball to Caro, I'm mocking him now, 427 00:28:50,715 --> 00:28:52,955 Speaker 1: but these meant so much to me. I printed the 428 00:28:53,035 --> 00:28:57,275 Speaker 1: emails out and carried them in my wallet. And now 429 00:28:57,355 --> 00:29:00,515 Speaker 1: he was claiming he had gotten me fired because, as 430 00:29:00,555 --> 00:29:05,115 Speaker 1: my newspaper friends said, the Republicans told him to. That 431 00:29:05,275 --> 00:29:08,475 Speaker 1: was not hard to unpack either. Tim Russers had died 432 00:29:08,515 --> 00:29:11,315 Speaker 1: on June three of that year. I anchored that night 433 00:29:11,395 --> 00:29:13,555 Speaker 1: until two in the morning. It was still an open wound, 434 00:29:13,595 --> 00:29:16,995 Speaker 1: there were still tears. We didn't know it then, but 435 00:29:17,075 --> 00:29:20,595 Speaker 1: the structure of NBC News and the perilous tight group 436 00:29:21,275 --> 00:29:25,235 Speaker 1: balancing NBC and MSNBC had died with Tim Russers. So 437 00:29:25,315 --> 00:29:27,835 Speaker 1: did the role of moderator of the second debate between 438 00:29:27,875 --> 00:29:30,955 Speaker 1: John McCain and Barack Obama, scheduled for about a month 439 00:29:31,035 --> 00:29:35,035 Speaker 1: after my subway ride on October seven in Nashville. Tim 440 00:29:35,075 --> 00:29:37,555 Speaker 1: had not even been buried yet when Brokaw began to 441 00:29:37,635 --> 00:29:40,715 Speaker 1: angle to get that assignment, along with brushing away the 442 00:29:40,755 --> 00:29:44,715 Speaker 1: dirt of his petty anti role on the MSNBC Prospective Desk. 443 00:29:44,995 --> 00:29:47,435 Speaker 1: We never saw him again in order that he could 444 00:29:47,475 --> 00:29:51,755 Speaker 1: take Tim's spot as Brian Williams sidekick on Big NBC. 445 00:29:52,955 --> 00:29:55,595 Speaker 1: The month before August, there was a story coming out 446 00:29:55,595 --> 00:29:57,715 Speaker 1: of the east end of the third floor at thirty Rock, 447 00:29:57,755 --> 00:30:00,195 Speaker 1: where NBC News management sat around not doing much of 448 00:30:00,235 --> 00:30:04,515 Speaker 1: anything that a Republican goon named Ed Gillespie had been 449 00:30:04,715 --> 00:30:08,235 Speaker 1: in there with Griffin and the NBC News president, Steve Cappus, 450 00:30:08,235 --> 00:30:10,915 Speaker 1: trying to get me silenced or fired or off the 451 00:30:10,955 --> 00:30:15,355 Speaker 1: convention coverage or something, and that somebody prominent within NBC 452 00:30:15,395 --> 00:30:19,555 Speaker 1: News was in there with Gillespie or was invoked by Gillespie. 453 00:30:20,115 --> 00:30:23,515 Speaker 1: The rumor mill wasn't certain. As I switched from the 454 00:30:23,555 --> 00:30:26,675 Speaker 1: elevated seven train to the underground f train. The whole 455 00:30:26,715 --> 00:30:30,755 Speaker 1: thing came together before my comments about the GOP Convention 456 00:30:30,875 --> 00:30:33,875 Speaker 1: nine eleven snuff film, Ed Gillespie had come in and 457 00:30:33,915 --> 00:30:37,995 Speaker 1: had somehow vaguely threatened Cappus and Griffin about me using 458 00:30:38,075 --> 00:30:41,715 Speaker 1: as leverage the debate which Tom Brokaw was now supposed 459 00:30:41,755 --> 00:30:46,275 Speaker 1: to moderate, and when I apologized for their video on 460 00:30:46,395 --> 00:30:49,555 Speaker 1: our air, Gillespie must have turned it into an either 461 00:30:49,835 --> 00:30:53,355 Speaker 1: or get rid of me or McCain would refuse to 462 00:30:53,395 --> 00:30:57,515 Speaker 1: participate in any debate moderated by Brokaw or anybody from 463 00:30:57,595 --> 00:31:01,955 Speaker 1: NBC News. And Brokaw had already come back from the 464 00:31:01,955 --> 00:31:04,235 Speaker 1: dead once in two thousand eight, and he would be 465 00:31:04,355 --> 00:31:06,155 Speaker 1: damn him if he would be forced to do it 466 00:31:06,195 --> 00:31:10,235 Speaker 1: a second time. But as the train took me home 467 00:31:10,275 --> 00:31:11,995 Speaker 1: to an apartment, I was now going to have to 468 00:31:12,075 --> 00:31:14,995 Speaker 1: sell since I had just quit MSNBC on the spot 469 00:31:15,035 --> 00:31:18,795 Speaker 1: for folding to such obvious Republican blackmail, something else now 470 00:31:18,795 --> 00:31:23,555 Speaker 1: occurred to me. Why would MSNBC or NBC or our 471 00:31:23,675 --> 00:31:27,395 Speaker 1: parent corporation at the time, ge actually think that they 472 00:31:27,395 --> 00:31:32,235 Speaker 1: could remove me from the debate coverage on MSNBC, where 473 00:31:32,235 --> 00:31:34,835 Speaker 1: the Rachel Meadows Show had yet to be born, and 474 00:31:34,915 --> 00:31:37,155 Speaker 1: the three times a night my show ran accounted for 475 00:31:37,195 --> 00:31:41,275 Speaker 1: something like six of the entire day's network audience, and 476 00:31:41,315 --> 00:31:46,635 Speaker 1: do that without getting a really bad reaction from our audience. Plus, 477 00:31:46,675 --> 00:31:50,955 Speaker 1: if a newspaperman already knew the Brokaw part. How could 478 00:31:50,995 --> 00:31:56,035 Speaker 1: this story be avoided? MSNBC announced it had removed its 479 00:31:56,075 --> 00:31:58,515 Speaker 1: liberal star Keith all Reman from coverage of the McCain 480 00:31:58,595 --> 00:32:03,755 Speaker 1: Obama presidential debates. Sources confirmed former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw, 481 00:32:04,195 --> 00:32:08,315 Speaker 1: now an MSNBC commentator on Alderman's coverage, had helped a 482 00:32:08,315 --> 00:32:13,555 Speaker 1: Republican party to blackmail NBC into the decision. Alderman immediately resigned, saying, 483 00:32:13,635 --> 00:32:16,915 Speaker 1: quote in succumbing to this coercion on behalf of John McCain, 484 00:32:17,035 --> 00:32:20,355 Speaker 1: NBC has now forfeited any right to further be called 485 00:32:20,355 --> 00:32:23,275 Speaker 1: a news organization. And I'm sad to say MSNBC, which 486 00:32:23,275 --> 00:32:29,235 Speaker 1: I built, is now dead. My god, MSNBC and NBC 487 00:32:29,275 --> 00:32:32,475 Speaker 1: News for that matter, would have committed corporate suicide before 488 00:32:32,475 --> 00:32:35,915 Speaker 1: the weekend was over. At that point, it dawned on 489 00:32:35,995 --> 00:32:38,275 Speaker 1: me that the only thing that could save the credibility 490 00:32:38,275 --> 00:32:40,715 Speaker 1: of the whole news division and the careers of Griffin 491 00:32:41,075 --> 00:32:45,315 Speaker 1: and Cappus and NBC Network President Jeff Zucker, and especially 492 00:32:45,355 --> 00:32:49,835 Speaker 1: the career of Tom Brokaw was for me to publicly 493 00:32:49,915 --> 00:32:53,475 Speaker 1: state that I had asked to be removed from anchoring 494 00:32:53,515 --> 00:32:57,555 Speaker 1: the debates because the whatever was just too much blah 495 00:32:57,595 --> 00:32:59,995 Speaker 1: blah blah for me, and I felt I should stick 496 00:33:00,035 --> 00:33:04,515 Speaker 1: to the post debate analysis and commentary. NBC would now 497 00:33:04,515 --> 00:33:06,995 Speaker 1: I'm a choice. They could fire me from the debates 498 00:33:06,995 --> 00:33:10,635 Speaker 1: and destroy everything, including the hundred million dollars a year 499 00:33:10,715 --> 00:33:14,195 Speaker 1: or so in profit that NBC made off MSNBC, or 500 00:33:14,235 --> 00:33:18,475 Speaker 1: I could you know why and claim it was my 501 00:33:18,635 --> 00:33:24,155 Speaker 1: idea and save everybody's ass, including my own. I got 502 00:33:24,195 --> 00:33:26,395 Speaker 1: out of the subway and raced home. Katie met me 503 00:33:26,435 --> 00:33:29,235 Speaker 1: at the door with a big hug. She had been crying. Relax, 504 00:33:29,355 --> 00:33:31,475 Speaker 1: I said, I'm not quitting. In fact, I'm going to 505 00:33:31,515 --> 00:33:35,435 Speaker 1: get a huge raise. Now listen carefully. I called my 506 00:33:35,515 --> 00:33:38,475 Speaker 1: agent and I explained the idea that had lit over 507 00:33:38,515 --> 00:33:41,755 Speaker 1: my head on the subway like a lightbulb to both 508 00:33:41,795 --> 00:33:44,475 Speaker 1: of them. I said, you call Phil Griffin back and 509 00:33:44,515 --> 00:33:47,355 Speaker 1: explained to him that I will personally save his job 510 00:33:47,995 --> 00:33:51,435 Speaker 1: and Steve Campuses and Jeff Suckers and Tom broke Aus 511 00:33:51,515 --> 00:33:55,715 Speaker 1: and everybody else's. I'll take the fall instead of letting 512 00:33:55,715 --> 00:33:59,555 Speaker 1: them all get fired by the MSNBC audience. I'll say 513 00:33:59,595 --> 00:34:02,915 Speaker 1: this was my idea, and all it will cost phil 514 00:34:03,435 --> 00:34:06,915 Speaker 1: Is twelve million in dollars, and he has to leak 515 00:34:06,995 --> 00:34:09,795 Speaker 1: the term so everybody knows it costs him twelve million dollars. 516 00:34:10,635 --> 00:34:13,155 Speaker 1: And she paused for a second and said, it's genius. 517 00:34:13,515 --> 00:34:16,235 Speaker 1: It might not quite be twelve million, but I bet, 518 00:34:16,635 --> 00:34:20,315 Speaker 1: I bet they'll pay you at least nine. On Sunday, 519 00:34:20,435 --> 00:34:23,715 Speaker 1: several news organizations reported I had asked to be taken 520 00:34:23,755 --> 00:34:27,075 Speaker 1: off the anchor desk two months and one week later, 521 00:34:27,115 --> 00:34:30,235 Speaker 1: The New York Times wrote, quote, Keith Alderman, the anchor 522 00:34:30,235 --> 00:34:34,035 Speaker 1: of Countdown on MSNBC, has extended his contract through the 523 00:34:34,075 --> 00:34:38,515 Speaker 1: next presidential election season. The network announced Mr Alderman and 524 00:34:38,635 --> 00:34:42,355 Speaker 1: MSNBC essentially tore up the four year, four million dollar 525 00:34:42,435 --> 00:34:44,995 Speaker 1: year contract they signed last year and replaced it with 526 00:34:45,075 --> 00:34:47,915 Speaker 1: one worth about seven and a half million a year. 527 00:34:49,275 --> 00:34:52,115 Speaker 1: On That was a three and a half million dollar 528 00:34:52,315 --> 00:34:59,755 Speaker 1: raise for four years for a total of fourteen million dollars, 529 00:34:59,795 --> 00:35:02,955 Speaker 1: Except the new contract added two years to my old deal, 530 00:35:02,995 --> 00:35:08,435 Speaker 1: so the race was actually twenty two million dollars. All 531 00:35:08,475 --> 00:35:12,235 Speaker 1: stories have a punchline. This punch line is about Tom Brokaw. 532 00:35:12,515 --> 00:35:16,355 Speaker 1: We would have gotten away with this cleanly. NBC would 533 00:35:16,355 --> 00:35:18,395 Speaker 1: have gotten its money's worth for the twenty two million 534 00:35:18,395 --> 00:35:20,235 Speaker 1: in hush money, which is what it was, that it 535 00:35:20,235 --> 00:35:22,795 Speaker 1: had to pay me because I had agreed with them 536 00:35:22,915 --> 00:35:26,555 Speaker 1: rolling over for the Republican Party blackmail. Except Brokaw could 537 00:35:26,635 --> 00:35:30,355 Speaker 1: not keep his mouth shut. So proud was he of 538 00:35:30,475 --> 00:35:33,795 Speaker 1: preserving his role as the moderator of the October seven 539 00:35:33,955 --> 00:35:38,635 Speaker 1: NBC debate that he had to explain in explicit detail 540 00:35:39,035 --> 00:35:42,315 Speaker 1: in public how he went to his bosses at NBC 541 00:35:42,355 --> 00:35:46,675 Speaker 1: News and threatened them on behalf of the GOP. On 542 00:35:46,755 --> 00:35:50,555 Speaker 1: September twenty nine, two eight, a lengthy and glowing broke 543 00:35:50,635 --> 00:35:53,875 Speaker 1: Off profile appeared in The New York Times. Quote Mr 544 00:35:53,915 --> 00:35:57,595 Speaker 1: Brokaw said that over the summer he had quote advocated 545 00:35:58,275 --> 00:36:01,395 Speaker 1: within the executive suite of NBC News to modify the 546 00:36:01,435 --> 00:36:04,115 Speaker 1: anchor duties of the MSNBC host Keith all Woman and 547 00:36:04,155 --> 00:36:06,635 Speaker 1: Chris Matthew was on election night and on nights when 548 00:36:06,675 --> 00:36:10,355 Speaker 1: there were presidential debates. Mr Brocas said he had also 549 00:36:10,395 --> 00:36:14,355 Speaker 1: conducted some shuttle diplomacy in recent weeks between NBC and 550 00:36:14,395 --> 00:36:17,755 Speaker 1: the McCain campaign. His mission, he said, was to assure 551 00:36:17,835 --> 00:36:22,115 Speaker 1: the candidates aids that despite some negative on air commentary 552 00:36:22,155 --> 00:36:25,675 Speaker 1: by Mr Olberman, in particular, Mr McCain could still get 553 00:36:25,675 --> 00:36:31,515 Speaker 1: a fair shake from NBC news unquote. Oh that was 554 00:36:31,595 --> 00:36:36,995 Speaker 1: his mission. The hell it was happily brocat just could 555 00:36:36,995 --> 00:36:41,955 Speaker 1: not resist boasting even further. The next sentence actually reads quote. 556 00:36:43,195 --> 00:36:45,635 Speaker 1: Mr Brokaw said he had been told by a senior 557 00:36:45,715 --> 00:36:49,355 Speaker 1: McCain aide whom he did not name, that the campaign 558 00:36:49,355 --> 00:36:52,595 Speaker 1: had been reluctant to accept an NBC representative as one 559 00:36:52,595 --> 00:36:56,875 Speaker 1: of the moderators of the three presidential debates until his 560 00:36:57,075 --> 00:37:01,475 Speaker 1: name was invoked. Quote. One of the things I was 561 00:37:01,595 --> 00:37:05,395 Speaker 1: told by this person was that they were so irritated. 562 00:37:05,635 --> 00:37:08,795 Speaker 1: They said, if it's an NBC moderator for any of 563 00:37:08,795 --> 00:37:13,755 Speaker 1: these debates, we won't go, Mr Brokaw said, quoting him again. 564 00:37:14,395 --> 00:37:17,315 Speaker 1: My name came up, and they said, oh, hell, we 565 00:37:17,435 --> 00:37:20,835 Speaker 1: have to do it because it's going to be Brokaw. 566 00:37:23,115 --> 00:37:26,515 Speaker 1: There is a second punchline after all this, when the 567 00:37:26,555 --> 00:37:29,635 Speaker 1: new format came out and I was sitting there counting 568 00:37:29,675 --> 00:37:33,795 Speaker 1: my money, MSNBC had David Gregory quote anchor unquote the 569 00:37:33,835 --> 00:37:38,635 Speaker 1: debate coverage. David was terrific during this. Practically all this meant, anyway, 570 00:37:38,715 --> 00:37:41,235 Speaker 1: was that I was on the er until literally nine 571 00:37:41,475 --> 00:37:44,555 Speaker 1: seconds before each debate began, which is when I said, 572 00:37:44,795 --> 00:37:47,475 Speaker 1: now here's David Gregory. And he was then on for 573 00:37:47,555 --> 00:37:50,035 Speaker 1: four or five minutes after the debate ended, which is 574 00:37:50,075 --> 00:37:53,675 Speaker 1: when he said, now here's Keith Olberman. And on election 575 00:37:53,795 --> 00:37:58,075 Speaker 1: night itself, with David again formally anchoring per the Republican 576 00:37:58,115 --> 00:38:01,515 Speaker 1: blackmail at ten PM, to his great credit and to 577 00:38:01,595 --> 00:38:05,835 Speaker 1: my eternal gratitude, David Gregory said, with the last voting 578 00:38:05,835 --> 00:38:08,755 Speaker 1: booth closing at eleven PM, NBC News can now project 579 00:38:08,755 --> 00:38:12,315 Speaker 1: the winner of the two thousand eight presidential election, Keith 580 00:38:13,395 --> 00:38:31,075 Speaker 1: bless him. Plus I still have all the money your 581 00:38:31,195 --> 00:38:35,915 Speaker 1: Republican Party. Then and now, John Towne has come to 582 00:38:35,915 --> 00:38:38,795 Speaker 1: you from the world headquarters of the Old Woman Broadcasting 583 00:38:38,795 --> 00:38:42,915 Speaker 1: Empire in the Sports Capsule Building in New York. Thank 584 00:38:42,955 --> 00:38:46,955 Speaker 1: you for listening. Here are the credits. I don't know 585 00:38:46,955 --> 00:38:49,675 Speaker 1: why I use that voice. Most of the music, including 586 00:38:49,715 --> 00:38:53,555 Speaker 1: our theme from Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, produced and performed 587 00:38:53,595 --> 00:38:56,395 Speaker 1: by Brian Ray and John Philip Chanelle. They are the 588 00:38:56,435 --> 00:39:01,795 Speaker 1: Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Chanelle, guitars, 589 00:39:01,835 --> 00:39:04,915 Speaker 1: bass and drums by Brian Ray, produced by I. T. 590 00:39:05,115 --> 00:39:08,395 Speaker 1: K O Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been arranged and 591 00:39:08,475 --> 00:39:12,395 Speaker 1: performed by No Horns Allowed. The sports music is the 592 00:39:12,395 --> 00:39:15,395 Speaker 1: Old Woman theme from ESPN two, and it was written 593 00:39:15,395 --> 00:39:19,475 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. Musical comments 594 00:39:19,475 --> 00:39:22,715 Speaker 1: from Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our 595 00:39:22,715 --> 00:39:25,675 Speaker 1: announcer today was Richard Lewis, and everything else is pretty 596 00:39:25,755 --> 00:39:29,115 Speaker 1: much my fault. So that's countdown for this, the seven 597 00:39:29,155 --> 00:39:33,235 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty first day since Donald Trump's first attempted 598 00:39:33,315 --> 00:39:36,715 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 599 00:39:37,315 --> 00:39:41,595 Speaker 1: Arrest him now while we still can. The next scheduled 600 00:39:41,595 --> 00:39:44,555 Speaker 1: countdown is tomorrow. I'm Keith Alderman. Until then, good morning, 601 00:39:44,555 --> 00:39:56,435 Speaker 1: good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Old 602 00:39:56,435 --> 00:39:59,515 Speaker 1: Woman is a production of I heart Radio. For more 603 00:39:59,635 --> 00:40:02,995 Speaker 1: podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 604 00:40:03,075 --> 00:40:06,475 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.