1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,115 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. The 2 00:00:22,235 --> 00:00:28,515 Speaker 1: journalistic malpractice was so thorough, the internal staff rage so vituperative, 3 00:00:28,675 --> 00:00:33,435 Speaker 1: and the on air ratings so amazingly underwhelming that if 4 00:00:33,475 --> 00:00:37,035 Speaker 1: Anderson Cooper or Wolf Blitzer or Jake Tapper or all 5 00:00:37,115 --> 00:00:39,515 Speaker 1: three of them went into the office of Chris Licht's 6 00:00:39,555 --> 00:00:42,435 Speaker 1: boss this afternoon and said that the Trump town hall 7 00:00:42,555 --> 00:00:45,355 Speaker 1: was the final straw, and it had damaged theirs and 8 00:00:45,395 --> 00:00:49,475 Speaker 1: the network's credibility, and they were walking out. Chris Licht 9 00:00:49,475 --> 00:00:55,275 Speaker 1: would be gone from CNN by Monday. It was that bad. 10 00:00:56,235 --> 00:01:00,595 Speaker 1: And then there is Anderson Cooper. Anderson Cooper began his 11 00:01:00,715 --> 00:01:06,875 Speaker 1: program last night regretting that cnae were quote staying in 12 00:01:06,995 --> 00:01:13,515 Speaker 1: their silos. He directed his infamous and long standing condescension 13 00:01:13,635 --> 00:01:18,755 Speaker 1: to his own audience or whatever was left of it 14 00:01:18,915 --> 00:01:23,915 Speaker 1: after the Trump debacle. Now he said, maybe you haven't 15 00:01:23,915 --> 00:01:27,035 Speaker 1: been paying attention to him since he left office, thinking 16 00:01:27,075 --> 00:01:32,275 Speaker 1: it can't happen again. Anderson Cooper's premise that to understand 17 00:01:32,275 --> 00:01:34,955 Speaker 1: Trump and the threat he poses, we have to approve 18 00:01:35,155 --> 00:01:40,235 Speaker 1: of CNN's capitulation to and collaboration with him is absurd, indefensible, 19 00:01:40,555 --> 00:01:46,275 Speaker 1: and sanctimonious, instead of using his platform to bravely recognize 20 00:01:46,315 --> 00:01:49,915 Speaker 1: that the threat of Trump is paralleled within CNN by 21 00:01:49,915 --> 00:01:53,755 Speaker 1: the threat of Chris Lickt and the Conservatives He's prostituted 22 00:01:53,795 --> 00:01:57,875 Speaker 1: the network for. Instead of showing just some guts, Anderson 23 00:01:57,955 --> 00:02:01,995 Speaker 1: Cooper decided to try to guilt whoever was left to 24 00:02:02,115 --> 00:02:07,835 Speaker 1: watch CNN last night. I worked with Anderson Cooper at 25 00:02:07,875 --> 00:02:09,915 Speaker 1: CNN in two thousand and one and two thousand and two, 26 00:02:10,115 --> 00:02:13,035 Speaker 1: and I never got his appeal then or since. To me, 27 00:02:13,155 --> 00:02:17,955 Speaker 1: he has been a living, breathing marketing experiment, a failed 28 00:02:18,115 --> 00:02:22,515 Speaker 1: marketing experiment. The ratings have reflected that this attack on 29 00:02:22,555 --> 00:02:28,555 Speaker 1: his own viewers confirmed that shame on him. I'm going 30 00:02:28,595 --> 00:02:32,035 Speaker 1: to do my best to simplify the ratings thing. There 31 00:02:32,075 --> 00:02:36,395 Speaker 1: are two ratings. One is for total audience, the number 32 00:02:36,435 --> 00:02:40,115 Speaker 1: of people who watched, which is useful from a political 33 00:02:40,155 --> 00:02:44,115 Speaker 1: point of view and certainly from a boastfulness point of view. 34 00:02:44,155 --> 00:02:47,795 Speaker 1: But then there is the demo audience viewers aged twenty 35 00:02:47,835 --> 00:02:51,475 Speaker 1: five to fifty four. That is the only number that 36 00:02:51,555 --> 00:02:55,035 Speaker 1: the advertisers look at. It's the only one the executives 37 00:02:55,115 --> 00:02:59,355 Speaker 1: look at. The CNN town Hall drew three million, three 38 00:02:59,435 --> 00:03:03,675 Speaker 1: hundred and eight thousand total viewers. It drew seven hundred 39 00:03:03,675 --> 00:03:07,355 Speaker 1: and eighty one thousand demo viewers. Both of those numbers 40 00:03:07,395 --> 00:03:10,195 Speaker 1: are roughly what they get on an average day at 41 00:03:10,715 --> 00:03:15,555 Speaker 1: ABC's Good Morning America. That total audience that Trump drew 42 00:03:15,555 --> 00:03:18,275 Speaker 1: on CNN was a little more than half of what 43 00:03:18,555 --> 00:03:23,275 Speaker 1: NBC Nightly News gets every evening. The demo audience was 44 00:03:23,315 --> 00:03:26,595 Speaker 1: ten percent less than what NBC gets every evening, and 45 00:03:26,995 --> 00:03:30,995 Speaker 1: all of the ratings were less than CNN's twenty twenty 46 00:03:31,155 --> 00:03:35,755 Speaker 1: town hall with Joe Biden. And the Trump disaster made 47 00:03:35,795 --> 00:03:39,355 Speaker 1: no inroads for CNN's streaming services either. Barely one hundred 48 00:03:39,395 --> 00:03:41,795 Speaker 1: thousand people watched it that way. And you'll hear none 49 00:03:41,835 --> 00:03:44,795 Speaker 1: of this from CNN, because it can rightly boast about 50 00:03:44,795 --> 00:03:48,795 Speaker 1: how many more people watched it than did Fox or MSNBC, 51 00:03:49,075 --> 00:03:52,035 Speaker 1: or how many times larger the audience was than what 52 00:03:52,235 --> 00:03:56,835 Speaker 1: CNN usually gets. But all of that is whistling past graveyards, 53 00:03:57,875 --> 00:04:00,355 Speaker 1: and there is one more set of numbers to go through, 54 00:04:00,395 --> 00:04:05,595 Speaker 1: because they prove that CNN and Chris Licked got nothing 55 00:04:05,715 --> 00:04:08,595 Speaker 1: out of this, not even in the most base principles. 56 00:04:08,675 --> 00:04:13,835 Speaker 1: Be damned, profit, be praised, money, grubbing way. They got nothing. 57 00:04:14,755 --> 00:04:18,715 Speaker 1: One hour after the Hinden Trump crashed and burned live 58 00:04:18,795 --> 00:04:24,475 Speaker 1: on CNN, the ratings bump that Chris licked expected was gone. 59 00:04:25,395 --> 00:04:29,275 Speaker 1: In the ten o'clock hour, CNN was back to third place, 60 00:04:29,395 --> 00:04:33,115 Speaker 1: half a million total viewers behind Fox, three hundred thousand 61 00:04:33,115 --> 00:04:37,475 Speaker 1: behind MSNBC. Three quarters of that total audience had vanished 62 00:04:37,475 --> 00:04:41,635 Speaker 1: before midnight. By the eleven o'clock hour, that demo audience 63 00:04:41,675 --> 00:04:44,475 Speaker 1: of seven hundred and eighty one thousand had shrunk back 64 00:04:44,555 --> 00:04:49,395 Speaker 1: to one hundred and eighty six thousand. They got nothing 65 00:04:49,515 --> 00:04:53,995 Speaker 1: out of it. Nobody stayed to watch what followed. Nobody 66 00:04:54,075 --> 00:04:56,955 Speaker 1: saw it and said, I like this new CNN. I'm 67 00:04:56,995 --> 00:05:01,515 Speaker 1: going to try out their other shows. I mean, I 68 00:05:01,555 --> 00:05:04,355 Speaker 1: was reminded of Herman Melville describing the sinking of the 69 00:05:04,435 --> 00:05:07,155 Speaker 1: Peace Quad at the end of Moby Dick. For an instant, 70 00:05:07,195 --> 00:05:12,435 Speaker 1: the transit boat's crew stood still, then turned the ship great, God, 71 00:05:12,755 --> 00:05:17,195 Speaker 1: where is the ship now? Small fowls flew screaming over 72 00:05:17,235 --> 00:05:21,075 Speaker 1: the yawning gulf. A sullen white surf feed against its 73 00:05:21,075 --> 00:05:25,795 Speaker 1: steep sides. Then all collapsed, and the great shroud of 74 00:05:25,835 --> 00:05:31,355 Speaker 1: the sea rolled on. As it rolled five thousand years ago. 75 00:05:32,875 --> 00:05:38,155 Speaker 1: The end, the ratings bump, great God, where is the 76 00:05:38,235 --> 00:05:43,835 Speaker 1: ratings bump? Bad news? Chris licked your boat sank the end, 77 00:05:46,075 --> 00:05:49,795 Speaker 1: and the price of that mediocre audience will continue to 78 00:05:49,835 --> 00:05:52,435 Speaker 1: be paid for by CNN for months and for years 79 00:05:52,475 --> 00:05:55,115 Speaker 1: to come, because, as I said here yesterday, she should 80 00:05:55,475 --> 00:05:58,155 Speaker 1: e Gene Carroll now says she may sue Trump for 81 00:05:58,315 --> 00:06:01,795 Speaker 1: defamation again for what he said on CNN. And she 82 00:06:01,835 --> 00:06:04,555 Speaker 1: added she didn't say anything earlier because she was asleep 83 00:06:04,795 --> 00:06:08,395 Speaker 1: during the program, which means she and CNN management were 84 00:06:08,435 --> 00:06:13,595 Speaker 1: on equal footing there. I think overall there were only 85 00:06:13,675 --> 00:06:18,555 Speaker 1: three kinds of reactions to the CNN televised abortion, and 86 00:06:18,675 --> 00:06:23,235 Speaker 1: one of them was almost irrelevant, the tepid forced defense 87 00:06:23,315 --> 00:06:26,275 Speaker 1: of the event as newsworthy or as a reminder of 88 00:06:26,315 --> 00:06:29,475 Speaker 1: the walking evil that is Trump. Virtually all of the 89 00:06:29,515 --> 00:06:33,835 Speaker 1: reactions seemed to divide into just two other kinds. First, 90 00:06:33,835 --> 00:06:37,315 Speaker 1: that it was a violation of everything CNN once stood for, 91 00:06:37,675 --> 00:06:41,275 Speaker 1: a repertorial cataclysm, a betrayal of its audience and its 92 00:06:41,355 --> 00:06:45,475 Speaker 1: reporters and its traditions, a self defenestration valuable only as 93 00:06:45,515 --> 00:06:48,915 Speaker 1: a reminder to American media that to turn live television 94 00:06:48,955 --> 00:06:52,955 Speaker 1: over to a lying madman, is itself a form of madness? 95 00:06:54,395 --> 00:06:57,715 Speaker 1: And the second main reaction was summarized by an online 96 00:06:57,755 --> 00:07:01,875 Speaker 1: poll yesterday that asked, simply, do you think President Trump 97 00:07:01,995 --> 00:07:07,835 Speaker 1: beat CNN last night? The people who were not enraged 98 00:07:08,035 --> 00:07:12,275 Speaker 1: by the CNN Trump infomercial shouted as if one we 99 00:07:12,355 --> 00:07:17,515 Speaker 1: owned the libs Merca. CNN did not gain their respect. 100 00:07:18,115 --> 00:07:20,715 Speaker 1: It did not gain a conservative audience for a future 101 00:07:20,795 --> 00:07:23,835 Speaker 1: Caitlyn Collins primetime show. I believe they'll be going with 102 00:07:23,875 --> 00:07:27,195 Speaker 1: the title no It's not mister President with Caitlyn Collins. 103 00:07:28,315 --> 00:07:31,235 Speaker 1: CNN did not gain any future viewership of any kind. 104 00:07:31,435 --> 00:07:33,515 Speaker 1: They were all gone within an hour and a half. 105 00:07:34,515 --> 00:07:38,755 Speaker 1: The extra crowd rushed for the exits. As I have outlined, 106 00:07:38,995 --> 00:07:41,915 Speaker 1: the people who liked it liked it because they perceived 107 00:07:41,915 --> 00:07:46,035 Speaker 1: it as damaging CNN, as bringing pain to CNN viewers. 108 00:07:46,315 --> 00:07:53,035 Speaker 1: That is what Chris Licked sold CNN's soul for his 109 00:07:53,235 --> 00:07:57,755 Speaker 1: story and his boss's story of why they did this 110 00:07:58,595 --> 00:08:01,555 Speaker 1: and why they had fired liberal hosts and why they 111 00:08:01,595 --> 00:08:06,395 Speaker 1: had rewarded conservative hosts and why they were platforming Trump slaves, 112 00:08:07,395 --> 00:08:10,355 Speaker 1: is that they will regain CNN's old status, That they 113 00:08:10,395 --> 00:08:13,915 Speaker 1: will present both sides, and they will serve the great middle, 114 00:08:14,475 --> 00:08:17,075 Speaker 1: and everyone will be having a voice that is heard. 115 00:08:17,155 --> 00:08:19,355 Speaker 1: And while it is possible that this is not a 116 00:08:19,395 --> 00:08:23,115 Speaker 1: cover story, and Chris licked and the others actually believe 117 00:08:23,275 --> 00:08:28,195 Speaker 1: this nonsense, their problem is both sides want nothing to 118 00:08:28,315 --> 00:08:31,555 Speaker 1: do with the other side, and the great middle no 119 00:08:31,635 --> 00:08:37,315 Speaker 1: longer exists. And giving away editorial control over your network 120 00:08:37,595 --> 00:08:42,555 Speaker 1: live for seventy minutes, whether to the worst Republican demagogue 121 00:08:42,635 --> 00:08:47,155 Speaker 1: in American history or some hypothetical worst Democratic demagogue in 122 00:08:47,195 --> 00:08:51,635 Speaker 1: American history, some new Huey Long, that's not going to 123 00:08:51,675 --> 00:08:57,275 Speaker 1: positively impact your ratings one bit. And yet, as Chris 124 00:08:57,315 --> 00:08:59,875 Speaker 1: Lickt got on an editorial call with his staff at 125 00:08:59,995 --> 00:09:03,355 Speaker 1: nine am yesterday and boasted that Caitlin Collins was a 126 00:09:03,435 --> 00:09:06,075 Speaker 1: rock star and look at all the news we made 127 00:09:06,155 --> 00:09:12,395 Speaker 1: and no Chris news networks cover news. They don't make news. 128 00:09:13,275 --> 00:09:16,555 Speaker 1: Ask an adult next time. And as CNN made sure 129 00:09:16,635 --> 00:09:20,875 Speaker 1: those comments were heard by or leaked to x CNN 130 00:09:20,915 --> 00:09:24,515 Speaker 1: media guy Brian Stelter and a Washington Post media guy, 131 00:09:24,795 --> 00:09:27,595 Speaker 1: and as maybe a dozen different CNN people on airon 132 00:09:27,635 --> 00:09:31,515 Speaker 1: afnonymously bemoaned the disaster of the Trump Town Hall. Not 133 00:09:31,715 --> 00:09:37,595 Speaker 1: one of those voices went on the record, except for one. 134 00:09:37,675 --> 00:09:41,955 Speaker 1: Oliver Darcy, the company's media reporter, was out with the 135 00:09:41,995 --> 00:09:46,155 Speaker 1: Reliable Sources newsletter that he took over from Stelter about 136 00:09:46,235 --> 00:09:49,195 Speaker 1: three hours after the fiasco ended Wednesday night. And he 137 00:09:49,475 --> 00:09:54,035 Speaker 1: is an efing hero, an efing hero in danger of 138 00:09:54,075 --> 00:09:58,995 Speaker 1: losing his job, but an efing hero. Nonetheless, Oliver Darcy 139 00:09:59,115 --> 00:10:04,315 Speaker 1: began this CNN newsletter, this CNN product, this CNN promotional device. 140 00:10:04,675 --> 00:10:07,835 Speaker 1: He began it with quote, it's hard to see how 141 00:10:07,875 --> 00:10:12,315 Speaker 1: America was served by the spectacle of lies that aired 142 00:10:12,355 --> 00:10:17,875 Speaker 1: on CNN Wednesday evening. Note pleased that Darcy used that 143 00:10:17,955 --> 00:10:22,875 Speaker 1: word served to criticize CNN. Just after midnight, un less 144 00:10:22,875 --> 00:10:25,155 Speaker 1: than nine hours later, Chris Lickt would use that same 145 00:10:25,195 --> 00:10:32,435 Speaker 1: word served to defend CNN. After Darcy's pointed first sentence, 146 00:10:32,435 --> 00:10:36,155 Speaker 1: there followed no fewer than thirteen lurid on the record 147 00:10:36,195 --> 00:10:39,355 Speaker 1: criticisms of the program and of Lickt and of CNN. 148 00:10:39,955 --> 00:10:43,795 Speaker 1: Darcy included the CNN defenses and the pathetic boasts about 149 00:10:43,835 --> 00:10:47,715 Speaker 1: how well it all went. He is a brave man. 150 00:10:48,875 --> 00:10:55,035 Speaker 1: The aforementioned Tapper, Blitzer, and especially Cooper are not brave men. 151 00:10:56,955 --> 00:10:59,835 Speaker 1: They could learn something from him, So could the national 152 00:10:59,875 --> 00:11:04,595 Speaker 1: CNN correspondent Kristin Holmes, who actually wrote this two mornings ago. 153 00:11:04,835 --> 00:11:08,395 Speaker 1: Quote Trump's CNN town hall is a sign of a 154 00:11:08,435 --> 00:11:13,155 Speaker 1: broader and more traditional campaign strategy. The town hall event 155 00:11:13,275 --> 00:11:15,955 Speaker 1: in New Hampshire Wednesday evening joins a list of other 156 00:11:16,115 --> 00:11:20,835 Speaker 1: signs that Trump is adopting a more traditional campaign in 157 00:11:20,875 --> 00:11:25,675 Speaker 1: his third run for the White House. CNN published that 158 00:11:26,235 --> 00:11:29,875 Speaker 1: at seven am Wednesday, and, as the cliche goes, it 159 00:11:29,995 --> 00:11:38,235 Speaker 1: did not age well. One last worst point this perhaps 160 00:11:38,475 --> 00:11:44,635 Speaker 1: enters a realm I'm going to call television political science fiction. 161 00:11:46,315 --> 00:11:51,195 Speaker 1: Why haven't we heard anything more about the quote deal 162 00:11:52,475 --> 00:11:55,035 Speaker 1: that the day before the broadcast, Trump said CNN gave 163 00:11:55,115 --> 00:11:58,835 Speaker 1: him the deal. We are all operating under the assumption 164 00:11:59,235 --> 00:12:03,275 Speaker 1: I am that licked and CNN and Collins screwed up, 165 00:12:04,075 --> 00:12:07,155 Speaker 1: screwed up by doing this live, screwed up by doing 166 00:12:07,155 --> 00:12:09,435 Speaker 1: it with an audience, screwed up by doing it with 167 00:12:09,475 --> 00:12:12,595 Speaker 1: a wildly pro Trump audience, screwed up by having a 168 00:12:12,675 --> 00:12:16,355 Speaker 1: persistent but impotent questioner who really did seem to think 169 00:12:16,355 --> 00:12:19,115 Speaker 1: that simply gain saying Trump would somehow get him to 170 00:12:19,115 --> 00:12:24,835 Speaker 1: stop lying. After seventy five years of lying. But what 171 00:12:24,955 --> 00:12:30,155 Speaker 1: if they didn't screw up? What if that was the plan? 172 00:12:31,435 --> 00:12:37,035 Speaker 1: What if that was the deal. CNN is rightfully desperate 173 00:12:37,115 --> 00:12:41,115 Speaker 1: to get those fantastic Trump ratings back. They were ratings 174 00:12:41,195 --> 00:12:45,075 Speaker 1: like none other, and they want them back. They made 175 00:12:45,075 --> 00:12:49,915 Speaker 1: me a deal. I couldn't refuse that word deal. It 176 00:12:49,955 --> 00:12:53,515 Speaker 1: was so alarming that even right winger Bill Mitchell, formerly 177 00:12:53,595 --> 00:13:00,595 Speaker 1: a rabid and often irrational Trump supporter, now booming Ron DeSantis, noticed, quote, 178 00:13:00,955 --> 00:13:03,915 Speaker 1: what kind of deal? Would that be? A promise he 179 00:13:03,955 --> 00:13:07,955 Speaker 1: would only get softball questions, A promise the crowd would 180 00:13:07,995 --> 00:13:12,195 Speaker 1: be handpicked favorable to him. Will Trump be provided the 181 00:13:12,315 --> 00:13:19,955 Speaker 1: questions ahead of time? What kind of deal? I don't remember. 182 00:13:20,075 --> 00:13:23,435 Speaker 1: I may have mentioned before that CNN chairman Chris Lickt 183 00:13:23,435 --> 00:13:27,675 Speaker 1: and I worked at MSNBC simultaneously for six long years. 184 00:13:28,755 --> 00:13:33,675 Speaker 1: Thus I can say I know him to be devious, underhanded, amoral, 185 00:13:34,115 --> 00:13:37,195 Speaker 1: willing to do anything to accumulate power, and willing to 186 00:13:37,235 --> 00:13:40,515 Speaker 1: do anything for anybody who can give him that power. 187 00:13:41,595 --> 00:13:43,595 Speaker 1: So do I know for a fact that he made 188 00:13:43,675 --> 00:13:48,915 Speaker 1: any kind of deal with Trump for the questions, for 189 00:13:49,115 --> 00:13:52,595 Speaker 1: access to the questions beforehand? No? I know none of 190 00:13:52,635 --> 00:13:56,155 Speaker 1: those things. I know only that if evidence were produced 191 00:13:56,195 --> 00:13:58,875 Speaker 1: that the answer to any or all of those rhetoricals 192 00:13:59,235 --> 00:14:02,275 Speaker 1: is yes, I wouldn't even bat an eyelash in surprise. 193 00:14:02,995 --> 00:14:06,915 Speaker 1: It's Chris lickt You'll notice I left out the part 194 00:14:06,995 --> 00:14:10,395 Speaker 1: about a promise the crowd would be handpicked favorable to 195 00:14:10,475 --> 00:14:13,795 Speaker 1: him that mister Mitchell mentioned, because we already knew the 196 00:14:13,835 --> 00:14:16,435 Speaker 1: crowd would be ringers. It was to be made up 197 00:14:16,475 --> 00:14:19,995 Speaker 1: exclusively of those registered to vote in the Hampshire Republican primary, 198 00:14:20,075 --> 00:14:22,595 Speaker 1: and Trump was pulling above sixty percent in that state. 199 00:14:23,555 --> 00:14:26,875 Speaker 1: I will note CNN made a point of saying, again 200 00:14:26,955 --> 00:14:31,435 Speaker 1: and again until the broadcast ended, that it had carefully 201 00:14:31,515 --> 00:14:36,195 Speaker 1: selected the audience. There is no doubt it selected the 202 00:14:36,315 --> 00:14:40,435 Speaker 1: questions from the audience. I think there is doubt, however, 203 00:14:40,795 --> 00:14:44,435 Speaker 1: that this was all the product of Chris Licht's incompetence. 204 00:14:45,635 --> 00:14:49,595 Speaker 1: He is a man of many different skills. This could 205 00:14:49,635 --> 00:14:55,155 Speaker 1: easily have been the product of Chris Licht's evil. To 206 00:14:55,195 --> 00:14:57,315 Speaker 1: try to wrap this up on a slightly lighter note, 207 00:14:57,395 --> 00:15:00,195 Speaker 1: there is Licht and his choice of words. Again, that 208 00:15:00,355 --> 00:15:02,795 Speaker 1: conference call that everybody in the Western world seems to 209 00:15:02,835 --> 00:15:05,715 Speaker 1: have been on except you and me on it licked 210 00:15:05,835 --> 00:15:11,155 Speaker 1: said quote. America was served very well by what we 211 00:15:11,195 --> 00:15:23,035 Speaker 1: did last night. Wait Served, Served, Served, seen the most 212 00:15:23,235 --> 00:15:29,115 Speaker 1: terrifying episode from the original Twilight Zone Lately, mister viewer, 213 00:15:29,475 --> 00:15:33,555 Speaker 1: mister viewer, don't get on that network. The rest of 214 00:15:33,595 --> 00:15:53,475 Speaker 1: the book to serve America. It's it's a cookbook. Hellow, 215 00:15:53,515 --> 00:15:57,395 Speaker 1: mister Chambers still ahead on this edition of Countdown. It 216 00:15:57,555 --> 00:16:01,675 Speaker 1: is interesting that other than Cooper's self righteous pedantry, nobody 217 00:16:01,875 --> 00:16:07,035 Speaker 1: on CNN defended any of this, any of it except 218 00:16:07,115 --> 00:16:10,395 Speaker 1: one on air person, one on air person who just 219 00:16:10,475 --> 00:16:13,835 Speaker 1: couldn't stop praising Caitlyn Collins. And I'm wondering if that's 220 00:16:13,875 --> 00:16:17,115 Speaker 1: because if they do promote Caitlyn Collins to primetime, that 221 00:16:17,355 --> 00:16:21,835 Speaker 1: one person who so praised her will be the senior 222 00:16:21,955 --> 00:16:26,915 Speaker 1: anchor in the mornings. Worst persons coming up and hewing 223 00:16:26,995 --> 00:16:29,555 Speaker 1: back to the Trump part of this disaster, it's Fridays 224 00:16:29,555 --> 00:16:32,475 Speaker 1: with Thurber, and there is one Thurber story above all 225 00:16:32,555 --> 00:16:36,195 Speaker 1: others that continues to fit the reality of his depravity 226 00:16:36,515 --> 00:16:42,475 Speaker 1: being mistaken for power. The greatest men in the world. First, 227 00:16:42,475 --> 00:16:44,995 Speaker 1: it looks more and more like President Biden really might 228 00:16:45,195 --> 00:16:49,155 Speaker 1: use the Fourteenth Amendment to bypass the Republican hostage takers 229 00:16:49,315 --> 00:16:52,595 Speaker 1: who are threatening default on the national debt. The question 230 00:16:52,875 --> 00:16:56,835 Speaker 1: is do you sue or do you wait to get sued? 231 00:16:57,675 --> 00:17:07,755 Speaker 1: That's next, This discountdown. This his countdown with Keith old Woman. 232 00:17:12,075 --> 00:17:15,515 Speaker 1: Postscripts to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snark, 233 00:17:15,635 --> 00:17:19,435 Speaker 1: some predictions, dateline, Washington, more and more signs that the 234 00:17:19,475 --> 00:17:23,915 Speaker 1: administration may actually do something innovative and strident about the 235 00:17:23,955 --> 00:17:26,755 Speaker 1: debt ceiling. The follow up meeting at the White House 236 00:17:26,755 --> 00:17:30,355 Speaker 1: today has been canceled. Speaker McCarthy says it's because there 237 00:17:30,355 --> 00:17:33,595 Speaker 1: has not been enough progress. Others in DC say this 238 00:17:33,715 --> 00:17:37,035 Speaker 1: is because the President is in fact willing to try 239 00:17:37,115 --> 00:17:40,875 Speaker 1: the fourteenth Amendment, willing to try to bypass the Republican 240 00:17:40,955 --> 00:17:46,195 Speaker 1: hostage drama altogether by saying he is constitutionally obligated to 241 00:17:46,315 --> 00:17:49,755 Speaker 1: pay the national debt, and it says so in the fourteenth. 242 00:17:50,395 --> 00:17:53,515 Speaker 1: The process has been debated, though when Joe Biden hinted 243 00:17:53,515 --> 00:17:55,995 Speaker 1: at this the other day, he indicated it would have 244 00:17:56,075 --> 00:17:59,915 Speaker 1: to be litigated, implying he would do it. Others would 245 00:17:59,915 --> 00:18:03,395 Speaker 1: then sue to stop him. But the Cornell law professor 246 00:18:03,435 --> 00:18:06,635 Speaker 1: Michael Dorf says he's got it. Backwards that people in 247 00:18:06,755 --> 00:18:11,395 Speaker 1: favor of using the amendment should sue first. They should 248 00:18:11,395 --> 00:18:13,995 Speaker 1: claim in court that any failure or delay by the 249 00:18:13,995 --> 00:18:17,395 Speaker 1: government in paying them what it owes them would cause 250 00:18:17,475 --> 00:18:21,035 Speaker 1: profound injury. Dorff says a suit like that was in 251 00:18:21,075 --> 00:18:25,235 Speaker 1: fact filed. On Monday. The NAGE, the National Association of 252 00:18:25,275 --> 00:18:30,435 Speaker 1: Government Employees, sued FED chair Janet Yellen on other grounds, 253 00:18:30,515 --> 00:18:33,395 Speaker 1: trying to get a judge to rule that the debt 254 00:18:33,435 --> 00:18:37,315 Speaker 1: default concept is illegal because of separation of powers and 255 00:18:37,355 --> 00:18:41,515 Speaker 1: the Fifth Amendment, and that the debt ceiling itself is unconstitutional. Now, look, 256 00:18:41,555 --> 00:18:46,555 Speaker 1: we are here now in deep, deep legal waters, and 257 00:18:46,635 --> 00:18:49,235 Speaker 1: I'm getting dizzy, and I feel like the Pea quad 258 00:18:49,355 --> 00:18:53,435 Speaker 1: is sinking again. But I think I understand this, and 259 00:18:53,755 --> 00:18:56,675 Speaker 1: whatever it is, it's a damn sight better of a 260 00:18:56,715 --> 00:18:59,475 Speaker 1: plan than defaulting or giving into this mount to bank. 261 00:18:59,595 --> 00:19:09,355 Speaker 1: Kevin McCarthy, Thank you, Nancy Faust and Dateline, New York. 262 00:19:09,395 --> 00:19:13,875 Speaker 1: The Manhattan District Attorney today charges Daniel J. Penny in 263 00:19:13,955 --> 00:19:16,475 Speaker 1: the choke hold death of the houseless man in the 264 00:19:16,475 --> 00:19:20,475 Speaker 1: New York Subway, Jordan Neely, second degree manslaughter on a 265 00:19:20,475 --> 00:19:23,555 Speaker 1: simple premise a man threatening people in public, like on 266 00:19:23,595 --> 00:19:27,675 Speaker 1: a subway train might be restrained or even injured in 267 00:19:27,715 --> 00:19:30,955 Speaker 1: the process by good Samaritans, and the good Samaritans get 268 00:19:30,995 --> 00:19:34,875 Speaker 1: a medal, but choking the man to death is not 269 00:19:35,035 --> 00:19:37,915 Speaker 1: any of that. The other problem here is that virtually 270 00:19:37,995 --> 00:19:41,475 Speaker 1: every news story refers to the now defendant Daniel J. 271 00:19:41,715 --> 00:19:44,955 Speaker 1: Penny as a quote marine veteran, as if we were 272 00:19:45,275 --> 00:19:47,315 Speaker 1: back on the Pea quad as I mentioned in the 273 00:19:47,315 --> 00:19:50,635 Speaker 1: a Bloc and just now. His military status has got 274 00:19:50,675 --> 00:19:52,635 Speaker 1: nothing to do with this. In fact, it gives him 275 00:19:52,635 --> 00:19:55,115 Speaker 1: a benefit of the doubt he clearly does not deserve. 276 00:19:55,875 --> 00:19:58,635 Speaker 1: If the roles had been reversed and Penny had been 277 00:19:58,755 --> 00:20:02,315 Speaker 1: choked to death by a disturbed man named Jordan Neely, 278 00:20:02,715 --> 00:20:06,875 Speaker 1: the headlines would be calling Jordan Neely something like the 279 00:20:06,915 --> 00:20:23,995 Speaker 1: subway strangler, coming up Fridays with Thurber and only one 280 00:20:24,075 --> 00:20:26,955 Speaker 1: story that he could possibly offer to us today, the 281 00:20:27,115 --> 00:20:31,675 Speaker 1: greatest man in the World. First, the daily round up 282 00:20:31,675 --> 00:20:34,075 Speaker 1: of the miss Greens, morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens 283 00:20:34,075 --> 00:20:39,075 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons in the world. The Bronze 284 00:20:39,195 --> 00:20:44,155 Speaker 1: Tony Nunziato. Tony is standing by his guy, George Santos. 285 00:20:44,755 --> 00:20:47,515 Speaker 1: George Santos, who has been charged with everything but stealing 286 00:20:47,595 --> 00:20:52,035 Speaker 1: false teeth off the corpses in the mortuary. But Tony 287 00:20:52,115 --> 00:20:54,955 Speaker 1: Nunziado says he is not ready to call for Santos' 288 00:20:55,075 --> 00:20:58,115 Speaker 1: resignation from Congress. I'll wait to see what they say 289 00:20:58,115 --> 00:21:02,155 Speaker 1: in court, Nunziado says, Especially lately, we see many people 290 00:21:02,195 --> 00:21:05,915 Speaker 1: being indicted, but they were wrong. Day was set free. 291 00:21:06,675 --> 00:21:09,635 Speaker 1: And who is this Tony Nunziato who is so optimistic 292 00:21:09,635 --> 00:21:12,795 Speaker 1: about the chance that somehow they've got the wrong guy 293 00:21:12,915 --> 00:21:17,955 Speaker 1: for all thirteen George Santos indictments. Tony Nunziado is chairman 294 00:21:18,035 --> 00:21:21,635 Speaker 1: of the Republican Party of Queens. And when you are 295 00:21:21,675 --> 00:21:24,195 Speaker 1: the chairman of the Republican Party of Queens, it must 296 00:21:24,275 --> 00:21:27,315 Speaker 1: be very difficult to say yes, all right, I'll give 297 00:21:27,435 --> 00:21:29,275 Speaker 1: up on the first guy we actually got elected to 298 00:21:29,315 --> 00:21:32,955 Speaker 1: the House in a million years. The runner up, this 299 00:21:33,235 --> 00:21:37,035 Speaker 1: Vivek Ramaswami. Guy. I am beginning to think there are 300 00:21:37,075 --> 00:21:40,915 Speaker 1: people supporting his long shot bid for the Republican presidential 301 00:21:40,955 --> 00:21:45,675 Speaker 1: nomination just for the larfs, just because he's so dumb. 302 00:21:46,395 --> 00:21:49,315 Speaker 1: Ramaswami is thirty seven years old and is big. We 303 00:21:49,435 --> 00:21:51,995 Speaker 1: have to change the constitution, idea and they all have 304 00:21:52,195 --> 00:21:55,235 Speaker 1: big we have to change the constitution ideas. His is 305 00:21:55,955 --> 00:21:59,755 Speaker 1: he wants to raise the voting age. He wants to 306 00:21:59,835 --> 00:22:03,235 Speaker 1: raise it from eighteen to twenty five unless you are 307 00:22:03,275 --> 00:22:07,155 Speaker 1: in the military, or you are a first responder, or 308 00:22:07,195 --> 00:22:09,795 Speaker 1: you pass the same civics test they give people who 309 00:22:09,835 --> 00:22:13,235 Speaker 1: are applying for US citizenship. Now, I mean, the civics 310 00:22:13,275 --> 00:22:16,235 Speaker 1: test idea is not a bad one, But give me 311 00:22:16,275 --> 00:22:18,875 Speaker 1: one example of anybody in this country getting smarter about 312 00:22:18,915 --> 00:22:22,835 Speaker 1: civic responsibility between eighteen and twenty five that they'd automatically 313 00:22:23,235 --> 00:22:26,035 Speaker 1: not have to take the test. I mean, make it 314 00:22:26,035 --> 00:22:30,675 Speaker 1: between eighteen and ninety five. Nobody knows civics in this 315 00:22:30,755 --> 00:22:33,435 Speaker 1: country anymore. I mean, be careful on this. If you're 316 00:22:33,475 --> 00:22:37,035 Speaker 1: actually going to institute a civic awareness test before voting, 317 00:22:37,275 --> 00:22:39,835 Speaker 1: you might shave the voting population down to like one 318 00:22:39,875 --> 00:22:43,915 Speaker 1: hundred thousand people. But that's besides the point. Let's say 319 00:22:43,995 --> 00:22:47,675 Speaker 1: Ramaswami somehow becomes the Republican nominee and he really pushes 320 00:22:47,715 --> 00:22:51,875 Speaker 1: this raise the voting age thing, and you are eighteen 321 00:22:52,075 --> 00:22:57,195 Speaker 1: next year, or you are say nineteen or a young twenty, 322 00:22:57,235 --> 00:22:59,115 Speaker 1: and he expects you to vote for him with the 323 00:22:59,155 --> 00:23:03,275 Speaker 1: premise that voting for him would be He's going to 324 00:23:03,315 --> 00:23:05,275 Speaker 1: take away your right to vote for him again in 325 00:23:05,315 --> 00:23:08,795 Speaker 1: twenty twenty eight. Who is going to do this. I'll 326 00:23:08,835 --> 00:23:10,755 Speaker 1: vote for him, and then I won't vote for him 327 00:23:10,755 --> 00:23:13,875 Speaker 1: because he won't let me vote anymore. More importantly, who's 328 00:23:13,955 --> 00:23:16,155 Speaker 1: dumb enough to run for office and say vote for 329 00:23:16,195 --> 00:23:20,195 Speaker 1: me and I'll take away your right to vote. Ramaswami 330 00:23:20,315 --> 00:23:25,635 Speaker 1: is just a dope, but the winner. Poppy Harlow one 331 00:23:25,675 --> 00:23:29,195 Speaker 1: of the two surviving co hosts of CNN's Morning show. 332 00:23:29,755 --> 00:23:31,915 Speaker 1: And look, we all get it. We've all worked with 333 00:23:31,955 --> 00:23:36,155 Speaker 1: a Poppy Harlow. Management could come over and poop in 334 00:23:36,195 --> 00:23:39,595 Speaker 1: their hat, and your own Poppy Harlow would just congratulate 335 00:23:39,595 --> 00:23:46,115 Speaker 1: them on their aim. But her tweet about the you 336 00:23:46,195 --> 00:23:51,275 Speaker 1: know is just wow. Quoting what Caitlin Collins showed the 337 00:23:51,315 --> 00:23:54,955 Speaker 1: world last night was a masterclass in interviewing, real time, 338 00:23:55,075 --> 00:23:58,715 Speaker 1: fact checking, and holding power to account. She is unflappable 339 00:23:58,755 --> 00:24:01,755 Speaker 1: and was born for moments like this. So much love 340 00:24:01,835 --> 00:24:05,635 Speaker 1: and respect. Unquote. It's just a little over the top. 341 00:24:05,875 --> 00:24:09,155 Speaker 1: Pop makes me think that the internal dialogue here is 342 00:24:09,435 --> 00:24:11,835 Speaker 1: I got rid of that loser Don Lemon and now 343 00:24:11,915 --> 00:24:15,675 Speaker 1: Colin's just self destructed and soon to be mine, all mine. 344 00:24:16,355 --> 00:24:22,555 Speaker 1: CNN This Morning with Poppy Harlow. Poppy CNN This Morning 345 00:24:22,555 --> 00:24:26,595 Speaker 1: with Poppy Harlow. Just Poppy Rlow. You got it, Harlow. 346 00:24:26,995 --> 00:24:45,435 Speaker 1: Two days worst Poppy in the world. Still ahead on Countdown, 347 00:24:45,515 --> 00:24:48,195 Speaker 1: with all the headlines, there is only one Ferber story 348 00:24:48,235 --> 00:24:51,155 Speaker 1: with which to resume our Friday readings, A tale as 349 00:24:51,195 --> 00:24:54,755 Speaker 1: fresh as if it were written right after the Trump 350 00:24:54,795 --> 00:24:58,955 Speaker 1: town hall by people who then stop watching CNN. The 351 00:24:59,075 --> 00:25:02,875 Speaker 1: Greatest Man in the World. Next First, in each edition 352 00:25:02,915 --> 00:25:05,075 Speaker 1: of Countdown, we feature a dog. Indeed you can help. 353 00:25:05,075 --> 00:25:08,275 Speaker 1: Every dog has its day. The irony of the name 354 00:25:08,395 --> 00:25:11,475 Speaker 1: of the seventy seven pound brindle Micks puppy that they 355 00:25:11,475 --> 00:25:13,395 Speaker 1: are ready to kill at the New York Pound is 356 00:25:13,435 --> 00:25:18,315 Speaker 1: almost too much to bear. He's called Free. His human 357 00:25:18,395 --> 00:25:21,555 Speaker 1: dumped Free there, left him to die, said he couldn't 358 00:25:21,595 --> 00:25:25,075 Speaker 1: pay for him anymore. Just twelve days ago. Free knows 359 00:25:25,115 --> 00:25:29,115 Speaker 1: he's been abandoned. His usual affectionate nature is gone. He's 360 00:25:29,155 --> 00:25:31,595 Speaker 1: seventeen months old, and the biggest complaints against him had 361 00:25:31,595 --> 00:25:32,875 Speaker 1: been if you give him a treat and for some 362 00:25:32,915 --> 00:25:35,435 Speaker 1: reason to try to take the treat away, he growls, 363 00:25:36,115 --> 00:25:38,275 Speaker 1: and he's excitable to the point of being pushy. Well, 364 00:25:38,315 --> 00:25:40,795 Speaker 1: I'm excitable to the point of being pushy for this, 365 00:25:40,875 --> 00:25:43,795 Speaker 1: they will kill him. He needs an adopter or a 366 00:25:43,795 --> 00:25:46,915 Speaker 1: foster or our pledges to help a rescue save him. 367 00:25:47,235 --> 00:25:50,435 Speaker 1: Look for free on my Twitter feeds. I thank you 368 00:25:51,195 --> 00:26:07,635 Speaker 1: and free. Thanks you to the master the work of 369 00:26:07,755 --> 00:26:11,235 Speaker 1: James Thurber. There is a short film of this story. 370 00:26:11,595 --> 00:26:14,235 Speaker 1: I don't think it really does it justice. I don't 371 00:26:14,235 --> 00:26:17,995 Speaker 1: think anything does it justice. Occasionally, real life does do 372 00:26:18,115 --> 00:26:21,795 Speaker 1: it justice. I've thought I've seen this story playing out 373 00:26:21,835 --> 00:26:26,075 Speaker 1: in real time in this country almost every day for 374 00:26:26,155 --> 00:26:31,915 Speaker 1: about seven years. Sit back and relax, if relax is 375 00:26:31,915 --> 00:26:36,235 Speaker 1: the right word for it. For the Greatest Man in 376 00:26:36,275 --> 00:26:42,515 Speaker 1: the World by James Thurber. Looking back on it now 377 00:26:42,595 --> 00:26:45,435 Speaker 1: from the vantage point of nineteen forty one can only 378 00:26:45,475 --> 00:26:47,875 Speaker 1: marvel that it had not happened. Long before it did. 379 00:26:48,395 --> 00:26:51,755 Speaker 1: The United States of America had been ever since Kitty 380 00:26:51,795 --> 00:26:56,755 Speaker 1: Hawk blindly constructing the elaborate petard by which, sooner or 381 00:26:56,835 --> 00:27:02,315 Speaker 1: later it must be hoist. It was inevitable that someday 382 00:27:02,355 --> 00:27:05,115 Speaker 1: there would come, roaring out of the skies a national 383 00:27:05,155 --> 00:27:09,795 Speaker 1: hero of insufficient intelligence, background and character, successfully to endure 384 00:27:09,795 --> 00:27:13,555 Speaker 1: the mounting orgies of glory prepared for aviators who stayed 385 00:27:13,635 --> 00:27:17,075 Speaker 1: up for a long time or flew a great distance. 386 00:27:18,315 --> 00:27:22,955 Speaker 1: Both Lindbergh and Byrd, fortunately for national decorum and international amity, 387 00:27:23,355 --> 00:27:27,595 Speaker 1: had been gentlemen, So had our other famous aviators. They 388 00:27:27,635 --> 00:27:31,435 Speaker 1: wore their laurels gracefully, withstood the awful weather of publicity, 389 00:27:31,635 --> 00:27:36,035 Speaker 1: married excellent women, usually fine family, and quietly retired to 390 00:27:36,115 --> 00:27:39,835 Speaker 1: private life and the enjoyment of their varying fortunes. No 391 00:27:40,315 --> 00:27:44,715 Speaker 1: untoward incidents on a worldwide scale marred the perfection of 392 00:27:44,755 --> 00:27:49,075 Speaker 1: their conduct on the perilous heights of fame. The exception 393 00:27:49,275 --> 00:27:54,555 Speaker 1: to the rule was, however, bound to occur, and it 394 00:27:54,635 --> 00:28:00,075 Speaker 1: did in July nineteen thirty seven, when Jack pal smirch 395 00:28:00,715 --> 00:28:04,595 Speaker 1: erstwhile mechanics helper in a small garage in Westfield Eye, 396 00:28:05,315 --> 00:28:11,315 Speaker 1: flew a secondhand, single motored Brestaban Dragonfly three monoplane all 397 00:28:11,515 --> 00:28:18,435 Speaker 1: the way around the world without stopping. Never before in 398 00:28:18,475 --> 00:28:20,955 Speaker 1: the history of aviation had such a flight as Smirches 399 00:28:21,035 --> 00:28:24,755 Speaker 1: even been dreamed of. No one had even taken seriously 400 00:28:24,795 --> 00:28:28,595 Speaker 1: the weird floating auxiliary gas tanks invention of the mad 401 00:28:28,675 --> 00:28:32,835 Speaker 1: New Hampshire professor of astronomy, doctor Charles Lewis, Gresham, upon 402 00:28:32,915 --> 00:28:37,315 Speaker 1: which Smirch placed full reliance. When the garage worker, a 403 00:28:37,435 --> 00:28:42,555 Speaker 1: slightly built, surly unprepossessing young man of twenty two, appeared 404 00:28:42,555 --> 00:28:46,555 Speaker 1: at Roosevelt Field early in July nineteen thirty seven, slowly 405 00:28:46,835 --> 00:28:51,595 Speaker 1: chewing a great quid of scrap tobacco, and announced, nobody 406 00:28:51,635 --> 00:28:55,915 Speaker 1: ain't seen no flying yet. The newspapers touched briefly and 407 00:28:56,035 --> 00:29:01,835 Speaker 1: satirically upon his projected twenty five thousand mile flight. Aeronautical 408 00:29:01,995 --> 00:29:05,675 Speaker 1: and automotive experts dismissed the idea kurt, implying that it 409 00:29:05,715 --> 00:29:10,315 Speaker 1: was a hoax, the publicity stunt. The rusty, battered second 410 00:29:10,315 --> 00:29:17,235 Speaker 1: hand plane wouldn't go, the Gresham auxiliary tanks wouldn't work. 411 00:29:18,195 --> 00:29:24,875 Speaker 1: It was simply a cheap joke. Smirch, however, after calling 412 00:29:24,915 --> 00:29:27,395 Speaker 1: on a girl in Brooklyn who worked in the flap 413 00:29:27,435 --> 00:29:30,755 Speaker 1: folding department of a large paper box factory, a girl 414 00:29:30,995 --> 00:29:36,075 Speaker 1: whom he later described as his sweet Bitituty climbed nonchalantly 415 00:29:36,115 --> 00:29:39,955 Speaker 1: into his ridiculous plane at dawn the memorable seventh of 416 00:29:40,035 --> 00:29:44,195 Speaker 1: July nineteen thirty seven, spit a curve of tobacco juice 417 00:29:44,195 --> 00:29:47,235 Speaker 1: into the still air, and took off, carrying with him 418 00:29:47,515 --> 00:29:52,075 Speaker 1: only a gallon of bootleg gin and six pounds of salami. 419 00:29:54,355 --> 00:29:56,955 Speaker 1: When the garage boy thundered out over the ocean, the 420 00:29:56,995 --> 00:30:00,275 Speaker 1: papers were forced to record in all seriousness that a mad, 421 00:30:00,675 --> 00:30:05,395 Speaker 1: unknown young man his name was variously misspelled, had actually 422 00:30:05,555 --> 00:30:08,755 Speaker 1: set out upon a preposterous attempt to span the world 423 00:30:08,835 --> 00:30:12,435 Speaker 1: in a rickety one engine contraption, trusting to the long 424 00:30:12,515 --> 00:30:17,875 Speaker 1: distance refueling device of a crazy schoolmaster. When nine days later, 425 00:30:18,035 --> 00:30:21,515 Speaker 1: without having stopped once, the tiny plane appeared above San 426 00:30:21,595 --> 00:30:25,075 Speaker 1: Francisco Bay, headed for New York, spluttering and choking, to 427 00:30:25,075 --> 00:30:29,315 Speaker 1: be sure, but still magnificently and miraculously aloft the headlines, 428 00:30:29,515 --> 00:30:33,075 Speaker 1: which long since had crowded everything else off the front page. 429 00:30:33,115 --> 00:30:35,635 Speaker 1: Even the shooting of the Governor of Illinois by the 430 00:30:35,715 --> 00:30:40,795 Speaker 1: Valetti Gang swelled to unprecedented size, and the news stories 431 00:30:40,835 --> 00:30:45,955 Speaker 1: began to run to twenty five and thirty columns. It 432 00:30:46,155 --> 00:30:51,275 Speaker 1: was noticeable, however, that the accounts of the epoch making 433 00:30:51,395 --> 00:30:57,315 Speaker 1: flight touched rather lightly upon the aviator himself. This was 434 00:30:57,355 --> 00:30:59,835 Speaker 1: not because the facts about the hero as a man 435 00:30:59,915 --> 00:31:06,155 Speaker 1: were too meager, but because they were too complete. Reporters 436 00:31:06,195 --> 00:31:08,875 Speaker 1: who had been rushed out to Iowa when Smirch's plane 437 00:31:08,915 --> 00:31:11,595 Speaker 1: was first sighted over the little French coast town of 438 00:31:11,795 --> 00:31:14,515 Speaker 1: Serlee Lemaire to dig up the story of the great 439 00:31:14,555 --> 00:31:18,155 Speaker 1: man's life, had promptly discovered that the story of his 440 00:31:18,195 --> 00:31:22,315 Speaker 1: life could not be printed. His mother, a sullen short 441 00:31:22,435 --> 00:31:24,475 Speaker 1: order cook and a shack restaurant on the edge of 442 00:31:24,515 --> 00:31:28,355 Speaker 1: a tourist's camping ground near Westfield, met all inquiries as 443 00:31:28,395 --> 00:31:30,675 Speaker 1: to her son with an angry and the hell with 444 00:31:30,795 --> 00:31:34,635 Speaker 1: him a hoppy drowns. His father appeared to be in 445 00:31:34,835 --> 00:31:40,555 Speaker 1: jail somewhere for stealing spotlights and lap robes from tourists automobiles. 446 00:31:41,075 --> 00:31:44,515 Speaker 1: His young brother, a weak minded lad, had but recently 447 00:31:44,635 --> 00:31:47,675 Speaker 1: escaped from the Preston, Iowa Reformatory and was already wanted 448 00:31:47,675 --> 00:31:50,555 Speaker 1: in several Western towns for the theft of money order 449 00:31:50,635 --> 00:31:55,755 Speaker 1: blanks from post offices. These alarming discoveries were still piling 450 00:31:55,835 --> 00:31:58,755 Speaker 1: up at the very time that Pal Smirch, the greatest 451 00:31:58,875 --> 00:32:02,835 Speaker 1: hero of the twentieth century, blear eyed, dead for sleep, 452 00:32:03,075 --> 00:32:06,955 Speaker 1: half starved. Was his crazy junk heap high above the 453 00:32:06,995 --> 00:32:09,595 Speaker 1: region in which the lamentable story of his private life 454 00:32:09,635 --> 00:32:12,595 Speaker 1: was being unearthed, headed for New York, and a greater 455 00:32:12,755 --> 00:32:15,915 Speaker 1: glory than any man of his time had ever known. 456 00:32:18,915 --> 00:32:22,875 Speaker 1: The necessity for printing some account in the papers of 457 00:32:22,915 --> 00:32:25,795 Speaker 1: the young man's career and personality had led to a 458 00:32:25,915 --> 00:32:30,115 Speaker 1: remarkable predicament. It was, of course, impossible to reveal the facts, 459 00:32:30,755 --> 00:32:33,915 Speaker 1: for a tremendous popular feeling in favor of the young 460 00:32:33,995 --> 00:32:36,755 Speaker 1: hero had sprung up like a grass fire when he 461 00:32:36,795 --> 00:32:39,395 Speaker 1: was halfway across Europe on his flight around the globe. 462 00:32:40,115 --> 00:32:44,595 Speaker 1: He was therefore described as a modest, chap taciturn blonde, 463 00:32:45,155 --> 00:32:50,035 Speaker 1: popular with his friends, popular with girls. The only available 464 00:32:50,075 --> 00:32:52,915 Speaker 1: snapshot of Smirch, taken at the wheel of a phony 465 00:32:52,955 --> 00:32:56,075 Speaker 1: automobile in a cheap photo studio at an amusement park, 466 00:32:56,355 --> 00:32:59,955 Speaker 1: was touched up so that the little vulgarian looked quite handsome. 467 00:33:00,995 --> 00:33:05,795 Speaker 1: His twisted leer was smoothed into a pleasant so the 468 00:33:05,915 --> 00:33:09,875 Speaker 1: truth was in this way kept from the youth's ecstatic compatriots. 469 00:33:10,235 --> 00:33:13,515 Speaker 1: They did not dream that the Smirch family was despised 470 00:33:13,995 --> 00:33:17,115 Speaker 1: and feared by its neighbors in the obscure Iowa town, 471 00:33:17,395 --> 00:33:21,835 Speaker 1: nor that the hero himself, because of numerous unsavory exploits 472 00:33:21,995 --> 00:33:24,515 Speaker 1: had come to be regarded in Westfield as a nuisance 473 00:33:24,995 --> 00:33:30,115 Speaker 1: and a menace. Pal's smirch had the reporters discovered once 474 00:33:30,195 --> 00:33:34,035 Speaker 1: knife the principle of his high school, not mortally, to 475 00:33:34,035 --> 00:33:37,315 Speaker 1: be sure, but he had knifed him, and on another occasion, 476 00:33:37,595 --> 00:33:41,475 Speaker 1: surprised in the act of an stealing altar cloth from 477 00:33:41,475 --> 00:33:44,635 Speaker 1: a church, he had bashed the sexton over the head 478 00:33:44,675 --> 00:33:48,075 Speaker 1: with a pot of Easter lilies. For each of these 479 00:33:48,115 --> 00:33:54,075 Speaker 1: offenses he had served a sentence in the reformatory. Inwardly, 480 00:33:54,195 --> 00:33:56,955 Speaker 1: the authorities, both in New York and in Washington, prayed 481 00:33:56,955 --> 00:34:02,075 Speaker 1: that an understanding providence might, however awful, such a thing seemed, 482 00:34:02,715 --> 00:34:06,835 Speaker 1: bring disaster to the rusty, battered plane in its illustrious pilot, 483 00:34:06,915 --> 00:34:10,395 Speaker 1: whose unheard of flight had aroused the civilized world to 484 00:34:10,475 --> 00:34:15,195 Speaker 1: hosannas of hysterical praise. The authorities were convinced that the 485 00:34:15,355 --> 00:34:18,795 Speaker 1: character of the renowned aviator was such that the limelight 486 00:34:18,835 --> 00:34:22,195 Speaker 1: of adulation was bound to reveal him to all the 487 00:34:22,235 --> 00:34:27,835 Speaker 1: world as a congenital hooligan, mentally and morally unequipped to 488 00:34:27,955 --> 00:34:32,675 Speaker 1: cope with his own prodigious fame. I trust, said the 489 00:34:32,675 --> 00:34:35,395 Speaker 1: Secretary of State, at one of the many secret Cabinet 490 00:34:35,435 --> 00:34:39,875 Speaker 1: meetings called to consider the national dilemma. I trust that 491 00:34:39,995 --> 00:34:44,915 Speaker 1: his mother's prayer will be answered, by which he referred 492 00:34:44,915 --> 00:34:47,715 Speaker 1: to missus Emma's. Smirch's wish that her son might be 493 00:34:47,835 --> 00:34:52,955 Speaker 1: drowned was, however, too late for that Smirch had leaped 494 00:34:52,955 --> 00:34:55,035 Speaker 1: the Atlantic and then the Pacific as if they were 495 00:34:55,115 --> 00:34:58,155 Speaker 1: mill ponds. At three minutes after two o'clock on the 496 00:34:58,195 --> 00:35:01,915 Speaker 1: afternoon of July seventeenth, nineteen thirty seven, the garage boy 497 00:35:02,315 --> 00:35:05,435 Speaker 1: brought his idiotic plane into Roosevelt Field for a perfect 498 00:35:05,715 --> 00:35:10,795 Speaker 1: three point landing. It had, of course been out of 499 00:35:10,795 --> 00:35:13,635 Speaker 1: the question to arrange a modest little reception for the 500 00:35:13,675 --> 00:35:16,475 Speaker 1: greatest flier in the history of the world. He was 501 00:35:16,555 --> 00:35:20,155 Speaker 1: received at Roosevelt Field with such elaborate and pretentious ceremonies 502 00:35:20,155 --> 00:35:25,475 Speaker 1: as rocked the world. Fortunately, however, the warren and spent 503 00:35:25,595 --> 00:35:29,755 Speaker 1: hero promptly swooned, had to be removed bodily from his plane, 504 00:35:29,795 --> 00:35:32,155 Speaker 1: and was spirited from the field without having opened his 505 00:35:32,235 --> 00:35:36,075 Speaker 1: mouth once. Thus he did not jeopardize the dignity of 506 00:35:36,115 --> 00:35:40,395 Speaker 1: his first reception, a reception illumined by the presence of 507 00:35:40,435 --> 00:35:43,355 Speaker 1: the secretaries of War and the Navy, Mayor Michael J. 508 00:35:43,475 --> 00:35:47,555 Speaker 1: Moriarty of New York, the Premier of Canada, Governors Fannamine Groves, 509 00:35:47,635 --> 00:35:51,075 Speaker 1: mcpheeley and Critchfield, and a brilliant array of European diplomats. 510 00:35:52,075 --> 00:35:55,195 Speaker 1: Smirch did not, in fact come too in time to 511 00:35:55,235 --> 00:35:58,155 Speaker 1: take part in the gigantic hullabaloo arranged at City Hall 512 00:35:58,275 --> 00:36:01,155 Speaker 1: for the next day. He was rushed to a secluded 513 00:36:01,235 --> 00:36:05,355 Speaker 1: nursing home and confined in bed. It was nine days 514 00:36:05,355 --> 00:36:07,395 Speaker 1: before he was able to get up, or, to be 515 00:36:07,595 --> 00:36:13,115 Speaker 1: more exact, before he was permitted to get up. Meanwhile, 516 00:36:13,195 --> 00:36:15,875 Speaker 1: the greatest minds in the country in solemn assembly, had 517 00:36:15,955 --> 00:36:20,195 Speaker 1: arranged a secret conference of city, state and government officials, 518 00:36:20,195 --> 00:36:23,515 Speaker 1: which Smirch was to attend for the purpose of being 519 00:36:23,555 --> 00:36:30,355 Speaker 1: instructed in the ethics and behavior of heroism. On the 520 00:36:30,435 --> 00:36:32,755 Speaker 1: day that the little mechanic was finally allowed to get 521 00:36:32,795 --> 00:36:34,835 Speaker 1: up in dress and for the first time in two weeks, 522 00:36:34,835 --> 00:36:37,435 Speaker 1: took a great chew of tomacco, he was permitted to 523 00:36:37,475 --> 00:36:41,555 Speaker 1: receive the newspaper men this by way of testing him out. 524 00:36:42,755 --> 00:36:46,755 Speaker 1: Smirch did not wait for questions. Use guys, he said, 525 00:36:47,355 --> 00:36:50,995 Speaker 1: and the Times man winced use guys. Can tell a 526 00:36:51,075 --> 00:36:53,955 Speaker 1: cock eyed world that I put it over on Lindberg. 527 00:36:54,075 --> 00:37:00,555 Speaker 1: See yeah, man, an assaid, I'm two frogs. The two frogs. 528 00:37:01,235 --> 00:37:03,755 Speaker 1: It was a reference to a pair of gallant French 529 00:37:03,795 --> 00:37:07,355 Speaker 1: flyers who, in attempting to flight only halfway round the world, 530 00:37:07,395 --> 00:37:10,995 Speaker 1: had two weeks before unhappily been lost at sea. The 531 00:37:11,115 --> 00:37:13,675 Speaker 1: Times Man was bold enough at this point to sketch 532 00:37:13,715 --> 00:37:17,515 Speaker 1: out for Smirch the accepted formula for interviews in cases 533 00:37:17,515 --> 00:37:19,995 Speaker 1: of this kind. He explained that there should be no 534 00:37:20,315 --> 00:37:25,355 Speaker 1: arrogant statements belittling the achievements of other heroes, particularly heroes 535 00:37:25,395 --> 00:37:29,195 Speaker 1: of foreign nations. Ah the hell with that, said Smirch. 536 00:37:30,035 --> 00:37:32,995 Speaker 1: I did it. See I did it, and I'm talking 537 00:37:33,035 --> 00:37:37,995 Speaker 1: about it. And he did talk about it. None of 538 00:37:38,035 --> 00:37:42,435 Speaker 1: this extraordinary interview was, of course printed. On the contrary, 539 00:37:42,475 --> 00:37:45,635 Speaker 1: the newspapers, already under the discipline direction of a secret 540 00:37:45,635 --> 00:37:49,555 Speaker 1: directorate created for the occasion and composed of statesmen and editors, 541 00:37:49,915 --> 00:37:52,795 Speaker 1: gave out to a panting and restless world that Jackie, 542 00:37:53,595 --> 00:37:57,155 Speaker 1: as he had been arbitrarily nicknamed, would consent to say 543 00:37:57,195 --> 00:38:00,595 Speaker 1: only that he was very happy, and that anyone could 544 00:38:00,635 --> 00:38:03,835 Speaker 1: have done what he did. My achievement has been I 545 00:38:03,875 --> 00:38:08,395 Speaker 1: fear lightly exaggerated. The Times Man's article had him protest 546 00:38:08,435 --> 00:38:12,555 Speaker 1: with a modest smile. These newspaper stories were kept from 547 00:38:12,595 --> 00:38:15,795 Speaker 1: the hero, a restriction which did not serve to abate 548 00:38:15,915 --> 00:38:20,755 Speaker 1: the rising malevolence of his temper. The situation was indeed 549 00:38:20,995 --> 00:38:26,435 Speaker 1: extremely grave for Palell. Smirch was, as he kept insisting, 550 00:38:26,875 --> 00:38:30,675 Speaker 1: raring to go. He could not much longer be kept 551 00:38:30,675 --> 00:38:33,515 Speaker 1: from a nation clamorous to lionize him. It was the 552 00:38:33,555 --> 00:38:36,875 Speaker 1: most desperate crisis the United States of America had faced 553 00:38:36,915 --> 00:38:42,795 Speaker 1: since the sinking of Belusitania. On the afternoon of the 554 00:38:42,795 --> 00:38:46,115 Speaker 1: twenty seventh of July, Smirch was spirited away to a 555 00:38:46,155 --> 00:38:51,235 Speaker 1: conference room in which were gathered mayors, governors, government officials, behaviorist, psychologists, 556 00:38:51,275 --> 00:38:55,275 Speaker 1: and editors. He gave them each a limp moist paw, 557 00:38:55,715 --> 00:39:02,115 Speaker 1: and a brief, unlovely grin, hi, he said. When Smirch 558 00:39:02,275 --> 00:39:04,315 Speaker 1: was seated, the Mayor of New York arose, and, with 559 00:39:04,355 --> 00:39:07,595 Speaker 1: ob his pessimism, attempted to explain what he must say 560 00:39:08,075 --> 00:39:10,675 Speaker 1: and how he must act when presented to the world, 561 00:39:11,435 --> 00:39:13,795 Speaker 1: ending his talk with a high tribute to the hero's 562 00:39:13,835 --> 00:39:17,315 Speaker 1: courage and integrity, The mayor was followed by Governor Fannman 563 00:39:17,395 --> 00:39:20,475 Speaker 1: of New York, who, after a touching declaration of faith, 564 00:39:20,555 --> 00:39:25,595 Speaker 1: introduced Cameron Spottiswood, second Secretary of the American Embassy in Paris, 565 00:39:25,715 --> 00:39:29,715 Speaker 1: the gentleman selected to coach Smirch in the amenities of 566 00:39:29,755 --> 00:39:34,755 Speaker 1: public ceremonies. Sitting in a chair with a soiled yellow 567 00:39:34,835 --> 00:39:38,035 Speaker 1: tie in his hand and his shirt open at the throat, unshaved, 568 00:39:38,515 --> 00:39:42,795 Speaker 1: smoking a rolled cigarette, Jack Smirch listened with a leer 569 00:39:42,955 --> 00:39:46,915 Speaker 1: on his lips. I get you, I get you, He 570 00:39:46,995 --> 00:39:51,075 Speaker 1: cut in nastily. You want me to act like a softie? Huh? 571 00:39:51,315 --> 00:39:54,755 Speaker 1: You want me to act like that memny memny baby 572 00:39:54,875 --> 00:39:59,595 Speaker 1: face lind big huh, Well nuts to that. See. Everyone 573 00:39:59,675 --> 00:40:02,795 Speaker 1: took in his breath sharply. It was a sigh and 574 00:40:02,835 --> 00:40:08,875 Speaker 1: a hiss. Mister Lindbergh began a United States Senator purple 575 00:40:08,955 --> 00:40:13,315 Speaker 1: with rage, and mister bird Smirch, who was paring his 576 00:40:13,435 --> 00:40:17,595 Speaker 1: nails with a jackknife, cut in again. Boyd. He exclaimed, Oh, 577 00:40:17,635 --> 00:40:21,395 Speaker 1: for God's sake, that big somebody shut off the blasphemies 578 00:40:21,515 --> 00:40:24,355 Speaker 1: with a sharp word. A newcomer had entered the word 579 00:40:24,555 --> 00:40:27,555 Speaker 1: the room. Everyone stood up, except Smirch, who was still 580 00:40:27,555 --> 00:40:30,715 Speaker 1: busy with his nails, and he did not even glance up. 581 00:40:30,835 --> 00:40:34,795 Speaker 1: Mister Smirch, said someone sternly. The President of the United States. 582 00:40:35,955 --> 00:40:37,755 Speaker 1: It had been thought that the presence of the chief 583 00:40:37,835 --> 00:40:40,835 Speaker 1: Executive might have a chastening effect on the young hero, 584 00:40:41,235 --> 00:40:44,155 Speaker 1: and the former had been, thanks to the remarkable cooperation 585 00:40:44,235 --> 00:40:47,555 Speaker 1: of the press, secretly brought to the obscure conference room. 586 00:40:48,915 --> 00:40:58,555 Speaker 1: A great painful silence fell. Smirch looked up, waved a 587 00:40:58,595 --> 00:41:03,595 Speaker 1: hand at the President. How you coming, he asked, and 588 00:41:03,715 --> 00:41:12,875 Speaker 1: began rolling a fresh cigarette. The silence deepened. Someone coughed 589 00:41:13,195 --> 00:41:17,995 Speaker 1: in a strained way. Jesuits hot, ain't it, said Smirch. 590 00:41:19,675 --> 00:41:23,595 Speaker 1: He loosened two more shirt buttons, revealing a hairy chest 591 00:41:23,675 --> 00:41:28,395 Speaker 1: and the tattooed word sadie enclosed in a stenciled heart. 592 00:41:29,635 --> 00:41:32,835 Speaker 1: The great and important men in the room, faced by 593 00:41:32,875 --> 00:41:37,435 Speaker 1: the most serious crisis in American history, exchanged worried frowns. 594 00:41:38,275 --> 00:41:42,155 Speaker 1: Nobody seemed to know how to proceed. Come on, come on, 595 00:41:42,635 --> 00:41:45,595 Speaker 1: said Smirch. Let's get the hell out of here. Why 596 00:41:45,675 --> 00:41:48,395 Speaker 1: do I start cutting in on the parties? Eh? And 597 00:41:48,435 --> 00:41:53,395 Speaker 1: when is there gonna be this in it? He rubbed 598 00:41:53,395 --> 00:41:58,315 Speaker 1: a thumb and forefinger together meaningly, money, exclaimed a state 599 00:41:58,395 --> 00:42:04,075 Speaker 1: senator shocked. Pale. Yeah money, said pal, flipping his cigarette 600 00:42:04,075 --> 00:42:07,675 Speaker 1: out of the window. And big money. He began rolling 601 00:42:07,675 --> 00:42:12,915 Speaker 1: a fresh cigarette. Big money, he repeated, Frowning over the 602 00:42:12,995 --> 00:42:16,515 Speaker 1: rice paper. He tilted back in his chair and leered 603 00:42:16,555 --> 00:42:20,355 Speaker 1: at each gentleman separately, the leer of an animal that 604 00:42:20,555 --> 00:42:24,035 Speaker 1: knows its power, the leer of a leopard loose in 605 00:42:24,115 --> 00:42:28,635 Speaker 1: a bird and dog shop. Ah, for God's sake, let's 606 00:42:28,635 --> 00:42:32,155 Speaker 1: get someplace where it's cool, he said. I've been cooped 607 00:42:32,235 --> 00:42:36,435 Speaker 1: up plenty for three weeks. Smirch stood up and walked 608 00:42:36,435 --> 00:42:39,555 Speaker 1: over to an open window, where he stood staring down 609 00:42:39,595 --> 00:42:44,315 Speaker 1: into the street nine floors below. The faint shouting of 610 00:42:44,395 --> 00:42:47,635 Speaker 1: newsboys floated up to him. He made out his name, 611 00:42:47,995 --> 00:42:53,235 Speaker 1: hot Dog, he cried, grinning ecstatic. He leaned out over 612 00:42:53,275 --> 00:42:58,275 Speaker 1: the sill. You tell um babies, he shouted down, Hot 613 00:42:58,395 --> 00:43:02,475 Speaker 1: diggity Dog. In the tense little knot of men standing 614 00:43:02,515 --> 00:43:06,955 Speaker 1: behind him, a quick, mad impulse flared up. An unspoken 615 00:43:07,035 --> 00:43:10,795 Speaker 1: word of appeal of command seemed to ring through the room, 616 00:43:11,115 --> 00:43:15,275 Speaker 1: yet it was deadly silent. Charles K. L Brand, secretary 617 00:43:15,315 --> 00:43:17,075 Speaker 1: to the Mayor of New York City, happened to be 618 00:43:17,115 --> 00:43:20,835 Speaker 1: standing nearest smirch. He looked inquiringly at the President of 619 00:43:20,875 --> 00:43:26,635 Speaker 1: the United States. The President, pale grim nodded shortly. Brand 620 00:43:26,875 --> 00:43:30,515 Speaker 1: a tall, powerfully built man wants to tackle at Rutgers University, 621 00:43:30,835 --> 00:43:34,155 Speaker 1: stepped forward, seized the greatest man in the world by 622 00:43:34,155 --> 00:43:36,195 Speaker 1: his left shoulder and the seat of his pants, and 623 00:43:36,315 --> 00:43:39,955 Speaker 1: pushed him out the window. My god, he's fallen out 624 00:43:39,955 --> 00:43:42,795 Speaker 1: the window, cried a quick witted editor. Get me out 625 00:43:42,835 --> 00:43:45,395 Speaker 1: of here, cried the President. Several men sprang to his side, 626 00:43:45,435 --> 00:43:47,355 Speaker 1: and he was hurriedly escorted out of a door toward 627 00:43:47,395 --> 00:43:49,475 Speaker 1: a side entrance of the building. The editor of the 628 00:43:49,475 --> 00:43:52,675 Speaker 1: Associated Press took charge. Being used to such things crisply, 629 00:43:52,755 --> 00:43:55,795 Speaker 1: he ordered certain men to leave, others to stay. Quickly. 630 00:43:55,835 --> 00:43:58,075 Speaker 1: He outlined a story which all the papers were to 631 00:43:58,115 --> 00:44:00,515 Speaker 1: agree on, sent two men to the street to handle 632 00:44:00,555 --> 00:44:03,235 Speaker 1: that end of the tragedy. Commanded a senator to sob 633 00:44:03,475 --> 00:44:07,835 Speaker 1: and two congressmen. I go to pieces nervously. In a word, 634 00:44:08,155 --> 00:44:11,555 Speaker 1: he skillfully set the stage for the gigantic task that 635 00:44:11,795 --> 00:44:14,915 Speaker 1: was to follow, the task of breaking to a grief 636 00:44:14,955 --> 00:44:20,435 Speaker 1: stricken world. The sad story of the untimely accidental death 637 00:44:20,555 --> 00:44:26,875 Speaker 1: of its most illustrious and spectacular figure. The funeral was, 638 00:44:26,915 --> 00:44:32,035 Speaker 1: as you know, the most elaborate, the finest, the solemnest, 639 00:44:32,755 --> 00:44:35,395 Speaker 1: and the saddest ever held in the United States of America. 640 00:44:36,315 --> 00:44:40,395 Speaker 1: The monument in Arlington Cemetery, with its clean white shaft 641 00:44:40,435 --> 00:44:44,475 Speaker 1: of marble and the simple device of a tiny plane 642 00:44:44,555 --> 00:44:49,955 Speaker 1: carved on its base, is a place for pilgrims in 643 00:44:50,115 --> 00:44:54,675 Speaker 1: deep reverence to visit. The nations of the world paid 644 00:44:54,755 --> 00:45:01,035 Speaker 1: lofty tributes to Little Jackie Smirch, America's greatest hero. At 645 00:45:01,075 --> 00:45:04,115 Speaker 1: a given hour, there were two minutes of silence throughout 646 00:45:04,115 --> 00:45:08,035 Speaker 1: the nation. Even the inhabitants of the small, bewildered town 647 00:45:08,115 --> 00:45:13,035 Speaker 1: of Westfield, Iowa, observed this touching ceremony. Agents of the 648 00:45:13,035 --> 00:45:17,595 Speaker 1: Department of Justice sought that one of them was especially 649 00:45:17,635 --> 00:45:20,355 Speaker 1: assigned to stand grimly in the doorway of a little 650 00:45:20,395 --> 00:45:24,555 Speaker 1: shack restaurant on the edge of the tourist's camping ground 651 00:45:24,595 --> 00:45:30,275 Speaker 1: just outside the town. There, under his stern scrutiny, Missus 652 00:45:30,315 --> 00:45:34,115 Speaker 1: Emma Smirch bowed her head over two Hamburger steaks sizzling 653 00:45:34,195 --> 00:45:38,755 Speaker 1: on her grill, bowed her head and turned away, so 654 00:45:38,795 --> 00:45:43,355 Speaker 1: that the secret serviceman could not see the twisted, strangely 655 00:45:43,515 --> 00:45:50,795 Speaker 1: familiar leer on her lips. The Greatest Man in the 656 00:45:50,875 --> 00:46:08,555 Speaker 1: World by James Thurber. Of all the Thurber works, I 657 00:46:08,635 --> 00:46:11,635 Speaker 1: really think that is the one you could most easily update, 658 00:46:11,795 --> 00:46:15,275 Speaker 1: expand upon, and make into a twenty first century movie. 659 00:46:16,195 --> 00:46:17,915 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Here 660 00:46:17,915 --> 00:46:20,355 Speaker 1: are the credits. Most of the music was arranged, produced, 661 00:46:20,395 --> 00:46:23,395 Speaker 1: and performed by Brian Ray and John Phillip Schanel, who 662 00:46:23,395 --> 00:46:26,475 Speaker 1: are the Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards by 663 00:46:26,555 --> 00:46:29,835 Speaker 1: John Phillip Shanel, Guitars, bass and drums by Brian Ray, 664 00:46:29,875 --> 00:46:33,555 Speaker 1: produced by Tko Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been arranged 665 00:46:33,595 --> 00:46:36,875 Speaker 1: and performed by No Horns allowed. The sports music is 666 00:46:36,875 --> 00:46:39,275 Speaker 1: the Olderman theme from ESPN two and it was written 667 00:46:39,275 --> 00:46:43,555 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. Musical comments 668 00:46:43,595 --> 00:46:46,835 Speaker 1: by Nancy Fauss. The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our 669 00:46:46,875 --> 00:46:50,275 Speaker 1: announcer today was Jonathan Banks from Breaking Bad. Everything else 670 00:46:50,395 --> 00:46:52,875 Speaker 1: is pretty much my fault, and I thank you for 671 00:46:52,915 --> 00:46:57,115 Speaker 1: bringing us to two hundred episodes of this thing. A 672 00:46:57,155 --> 00:46:59,875 Speaker 1: couple of them have been slightly updated, but you know 673 00:46:59,915 --> 00:47:02,595 Speaker 1: what I mean. Two hundred anyway, that's countdown for this, 674 00:47:02,635 --> 00:47:04,675 Speaker 1: the eight hundred and fifty seventh days since Donald Try 675 00:47:04,715 --> 00:47:08,075 Speaker 1: I'm first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 676 00:47:08,075 --> 00:47:11,915 Speaker 1: the United States. Don't forget to keep arresting him while 677 00:47:11,995 --> 00:47:15,835 Speaker 1: we still can. The next scheduled countdown is Monday. Until then, 678 00:47:15,875 --> 00:47:18,995 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Olberman. Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and 679 00:47:19,355 --> 00:47:34,915 Speaker 1: good luck. Countdown with Keith Olberman is a production of iHeartRadio. 680 00:47:35,195 --> 00:47:40,355 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 681 00:47:40,635 --> 00:47:42,595 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.