1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,075 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio, Good 2 00:00:22,115 --> 00:00:28,115 Speaker 1: News Everyone. Trump has ended another social media post by proclaiming, 3 00:00:28,875 --> 00:00:32,155 Speaker 1: give me liberty or give me death. 4 00:00:34,715 --> 00:00:35,075 Speaker 2: Deal. 5 00:00:36,435 --> 00:00:39,955 Speaker 1: On the other hand, Robert F. Kennedy Junior, who may 6 00:00:39,955 --> 00:00:42,075 Speaker 1: turn out to be the spoiler who throws the election 7 00:00:42,155 --> 00:00:45,595 Speaker 1: to Trump, says under oath that his cognitive problems and 8 00:00:45,675 --> 00:00:49,555 Speaker 1: short term and longer term memory loss come from a 9 00:00:49,635 --> 00:00:55,195 Speaker 1: worm that ate his brain and then died. On the 10 00:00:55,275 --> 00:00:58,035 Speaker 1: other other hand, too early to tell if it's an 11 00:00:58,035 --> 00:01:00,795 Speaker 1: outlier or the start of the new wave, but swing 12 00:01:00,875 --> 00:01:07,075 Speaker 1: state poll Wisconsin Quinnipiac registered voters Biden fifty, Trump forty four, 13 00:01:07,475 --> 00:01:11,115 Speaker 1: the three way Biden forty, Trump thirty nine, Kennedy and 14 00:01:11,235 --> 00:01:16,315 Speaker 1: his worm twelve. Nevertheless, I am not confident we can 15 00:01:16,355 --> 00:01:21,675 Speaker 1: stave off fascism in this country because worms in Kennedy's brain, 16 00:01:22,435 --> 00:01:26,555 Speaker 1: and also Trump's trial in Florida has been delayed until 17 00:01:26,555 --> 00:01:29,515 Speaker 1: the twelfth of never by an unqualified judge that he appointed, 18 00:01:29,755 --> 00:01:32,555 Speaker 1: and now his trial in Georgia has been delayed indefinitely, 19 00:01:32,835 --> 00:01:36,555 Speaker 1: probably into next year, because the appeals court there says 20 00:01:36,715 --> 00:01:40,155 Speaker 1: it will listen to Trump's appeal of the ruling that 21 00:01:40,275 --> 00:01:42,635 Speaker 1: the district attorney did not have a financial conflict of 22 00:01:42,635 --> 00:01:45,035 Speaker 1: interest just because she hired her boyfriend to work on 23 00:01:45,075 --> 00:01:48,435 Speaker 1: the case. Because guess what. There is a deep state, 24 00:01:48,875 --> 00:01:51,875 Speaker 1: and among its constituent parts are the entirety of the 25 00:01:51,955 --> 00:01:56,155 Speaker 1: legal system and partisan judges and the Supreme Court and 26 00:01:56,435 --> 00:01:59,235 Speaker 1: a serving Attorney General who will go to his grave 27 00:01:59,755 --> 00:02:03,395 Speaker 1: believing that the people exist to serve the laws, rather 28 00:02:03,435 --> 00:02:07,635 Speaker 1: than the laws exist to serve the people. Also because 29 00:02:07,755 --> 00:02:14,035 Speaker 1: Obama's most public advisor criticized all the naughty talk in 30 00:02:14,115 --> 00:02:18,635 Speaker 1: the Stormy Daniel's testimony and oh, by the way, worms 31 00:02:19,315 --> 00:02:25,875 Speaker 1: in RFK Junior's brain memory loss quote caused by a 32 00:02:25,915 --> 00:02:29,195 Speaker 1: worm that got into my brain and ate a portion 33 00:02:29,355 --> 00:02:33,315 Speaker 1: of it and then died. I have cognitive problems. Clearly. 34 00:02:33,715 --> 00:02:36,755 Speaker 1: I have short term memory loss and I have longer 35 00:02:36,835 --> 00:02:40,555 Speaker 1: term memory loss that affects me. RFK Junior in a 36 00:02:40,595 --> 00:02:44,115 Speaker 1: deposition during his divorce in twenty twelve, in a bid 37 00:02:44,475 --> 00:02:50,635 Speaker 1: to pay less alimony, when Robert F. Kennedy Junior told 38 00:02:50,675 --> 00:02:55,235 Speaker 1: me I was his hero, I knew something was wrong. 39 00:02:56,995 --> 00:02:59,795 Speaker 1: Kennedy told The New York Times that he has recovered 40 00:02:59,835 --> 00:03:03,195 Speaker 1: from brain fog and memory loss, and there were no 41 00:03:03,395 --> 00:03:08,435 Speaker 1: further problems from the worm that ate his brain. Of course, 42 00:03:08,475 --> 00:03:11,075 Speaker 1: if you're like me, you may be wondering if he 43 00:03:11,115 --> 00:03:14,075 Speaker 1: said he had short term memory loss because of the 44 00:03:14,115 --> 00:03:17,195 Speaker 1: worm and longer term memory loss because of the worm. 45 00:03:17,795 --> 00:03:19,995 Speaker 1: You wonder if the odds aren't really good that he 46 00:03:20,235 --> 00:03:23,395 Speaker 1: just forgot about those problems caused by the worm that 47 00:03:23,635 --> 00:03:29,635 Speaker 1: ate his brain and then died. Actually, says an expert 48 00:03:29,675 --> 00:03:33,395 Speaker 1: on parasites interviewed by The Times, Once that worm moves in, 49 00:03:33,795 --> 00:03:37,715 Speaker 1: it's staying. You're going to basically have almost like a 50 00:03:37,835 --> 00:03:41,675 Speaker 1: tumor that's there forever, says Scott Gardner from the University 51 00:03:41,675 --> 00:03:45,475 Speaker 1: of Nebraska at Lincoln. It's not going to go anywhere. 52 00:03:46,275 --> 00:03:53,475 Speaker 1: The cells calcify around the dead worm. So Robert F. 53 00:03:53,555 --> 00:03:58,195 Speaker 1: Kennedy Junior's brain has been partially eaten by a parasite 54 00:03:59,115 --> 00:04:03,355 Speaker 1: which died, and then his brain created a little crypt 55 00:04:03,555 --> 00:04:09,475 Speaker 1: for it like ants tomb hey who's buried in RFK 56 00:04:09,715 --> 00:04:16,235 Speaker 1: Junior's brains tomb or or or RFK Junior's clear mental 57 00:04:16,235 --> 00:04:20,675 Speaker 1: instability and his amazing adherence to conspiracy theories is not 58 00:04:20,875 --> 00:04:24,755 Speaker 1: caused by his little friend WORMI who's always with him. 59 00:04:25,435 --> 00:04:27,955 Speaker 1: When the time spoke to Kennedy. Kennedy said he had 60 00:04:27,995 --> 00:04:31,835 Speaker 1: trouble retrieving words and he had quote severe brain frog 61 00:04:32,395 --> 00:04:36,075 Speaker 1: from for a long time, having eaten almost nothing but 62 00:04:36,195 --> 00:04:40,995 Speaker 1: mercury laden fish like perch and tuna. Quote I love tuna, 63 00:04:41,035 --> 00:04:45,435 Speaker 1: fish sandwiches. I hate them all the time. Kennedy said 64 00:04:45,435 --> 00:04:47,635 Speaker 1: he had his blood tested and the mercury was ten 65 00:04:47,875 --> 00:04:54,195 Speaker 1: times the levels the EPA considers safe. Another expert says 66 00:04:54,235 --> 00:04:57,635 Speaker 1: that another brain problem Kennedy has is far more likely 67 00:04:57,715 --> 00:05:00,875 Speaker 1: to make him act like he acts. He's been hospitalized 68 00:05:01,075 --> 00:05:05,475 Speaker 1: at least four times for atrial fibrillation. He said as 69 00:05:05,555 --> 00:05:09,635 Speaker 1: recently as twenty twelve, doctors used a defibrillator to reset 70 00:05:09,635 --> 00:05:12,875 Speaker 1: his heart rhythm because when it gets bad, quoting RFK 71 00:05:13,035 --> 00:05:16,395 Speaker 1: Junior again, it feels like there's a bag of worms 72 00:05:16,435 --> 00:05:21,515 Speaker 1: in my chest. This seems to be a theme. Bag 73 00:05:21,595 --> 00:05:24,475 Speaker 1: of worms in his chest, dead worm in his brain, 74 00:05:25,355 --> 00:05:30,875 Speaker 1: and he's positioned himself as the young, healthy candidate. Life's 75 00:05:30,875 --> 00:05:37,275 Speaker 1: a lot like that. I hope the worms like tuna. 76 00:05:37,555 --> 00:05:42,515 Speaker 1: The good news here is Kennedy's running mate, Nicole is 77 00:05:42,515 --> 00:05:46,075 Speaker 1: somebody who married money. She has nothing to worry about here. 78 00:05:46,315 --> 00:05:54,755 Speaker 1: No pain, no gain, but no brain, no worms. So 79 00:05:55,995 --> 00:05:57,955 Speaker 1: like the dog in the hat in the room that's 80 00:05:57,995 --> 00:06:02,795 Speaker 1: on fire, says this is fine. The Trump trial resumes 81 00:06:03,235 --> 00:06:05,675 Speaker 1: and you no longer have to explain which one, because 82 00:06:05,715 --> 00:06:08,475 Speaker 1: the hush money election interference won in New York is 83 00:06:08,555 --> 00:06:12,915 Speaker 1: the only one now. Trump begins the day under another 84 00:06:12,955 --> 00:06:15,035 Speaker 1: threat of contempt of court for something we didn't hear 85 00:06:15,075 --> 00:06:18,235 Speaker 1: about until long after court adjourned Tuesday, that he was 86 00:06:18,275 --> 00:06:22,795 Speaker 1: audibly cursing during the Daniels testimony. Justice Jan Mershawn handled 87 00:06:22,795 --> 00:06:26,515 Speaker 1: it during a signbar so as to not embarrass Trump. 88 00:06:26,595 --> 00:06:28,915 Speaker 1: And I have really bad news for the Justice and 89 00:06:28,955 --> 00:06:32,475 Speaker 1: anybody else who tries Trump now or next year or 90 00:06:32,515 --> 00:06:34,955 Speaker 1: in the distant future. You're gonna have to embarrass him 91 00:06:34,995 --> 00:06:38,195 Speaker 1: at some point. You cannot expect him to keep doing 92 00:06:38,235 --> 00:06:43,915 Speaker 1: it all by himself. Judge, call him out on this. 93 00:06:43,915 --> 00:06:48,515 Speaker 1: This is the trial. You are the judge. You are 94 00:06:48,675 --> 00:06:52,875 Speaker 1: the last guardrail. If he does this again, tell him 95 00:06:52,915 --> 00:06:54,795 Speaker 1: one more word out of you, and I'm finding you 96 00:06:54,875 --> 00:06:59,115 Speaker 1: in contempt and sending you to Rikers. And No, by 97 00:06:59,195 --> 00:07:01,515 Speaker 1: the way, although they'll probably give it to him, he 98 00:07:01,515 --> 00:07:06,275 Speaker 1: does not automatically get Secret Service protection in jail. The 99 00:07:06,315 --> 00:07:10,875 Speaker 1: statute revised in twenty thirteen merely says an ex president 100 00:07:10,955 --> 00:07:15,475 Speaker 1: can be given lifetime Secret Service protection. There isn't even 101 00:07:15,515 --> 00:07:18,955 Speaker 1: that much clarity about an active presidential candidate who goes 102 00:07:19,035 --> 00:07:22,875 Speaker 1: to jail. Still, he probably will get it, because even 103 00:07:22,995 --> 00:07:26,515 Speaker 1: I would say, if Trump gets sent to jail for 104 00:07:26,635 --> 00:07:30,355 Speaker 1: contempt of court in this case and somebody shives him, 105 00:07:31,235 --> 00:07:34,475 Speaker 1: it's gonna look bad. I mean, the whole question of 106 00:07:34,675 --> 00:07:37,715 Speaker 1: feeding Trump in a New York City detention facility is 107 00:07:37,835 --> 00:07:41,075 Speaker 1: gonna be trouble enough. Trump does not have a Kennedy 108 00:07:41,195 --> 00:07:44,115 Speaker 1: dead bug in his brain, but with that diet of 109 00:07:44,155 --> 00:07:47,315 Speaker 1: his I would not bet against him having a bunch 110 00:07:47,355 --> 00:07:52,235 Speaker 1: of tapeworms. Justice Meyrshawn may also have yet another gag 111 00:07:52,315 --> 00:07:56,035 Speaker 1: order violation. To contend with the order is explicit. Trump 112 00:07:56,115 --> 00:08:00,435 Speaker 1: can't trash the witnesses and he can't instruct anybody else 113 00:08:00,475 --> 00:08:04,275 Speaker 1: to trash them on his behalf. But Parking Lot law 114 00:08:04,355 --> 00:08:07,755 Speaker 1: genie Alina Haba went on Fox late Tuesday night and 115 00:08:07,875 --> 00:08:12,115 Speaker 1: insisted some of the testimony Tuesday quote was frankly false, 116 00:08:12,635 --> 00:08:16,355 Speaker 1: and that would be accusing the witnesses of perjury, and 117 00:08:16,475 --> 00:08:19,155 Speaker 1: Mershaun could easily jail Trump for that, though again he 118 00:08:19,235 --> 00:08:22,435 Speaker 1: probably won't because the area is murky, and he might 119 00:08:22,475 --> 00:08:25,675 Speaker 1: have to prove Trump ordered Habba to say something stupid, 120 00:08:26,355 --> 00:08:30,635 Speaker 1: which would be really tough considering that Habba says something 121 00:08:30,715 --> 00:08:33,955 Speaker 1: stupid pretty much all the time of her own volition. 122 00:08:34,115 --> 00:08:44,835 Speaker 2: Anyway, I can. 123 00:08:44,715 --> 00:08:48,355 Speaker 1: Fake being smart. Two more Trump trial notes to come, 124 00:08:48,395 --> 00:08:50,395 Speaker 1: but I want to circle back to two entities that 125 00:08:50,555 --> 00:08:54,435 Speaker 1: think they understand that the nation is imperiled, but a 126 00:08:54,555 --> 00:08:57,235 Speaker 1: pere to assume that the worst possible outcome is some 127 00:08:57,395 --> 00:09:02,915 Speaker 1: sort of downturn in market futures. These entities are The 128 00:09:02,955 --> 00:09:08,595 Speaker 1: New York Times and David Axelrod. David Axelrod, first, I'll 129 00:09:08,635 --> 00:09:11,915 Speaker 1: just read his post. I'm not a lawyer, but where 130 00:09:11,915 --> 00:09:16,795 Speaker 1: all those cringe worthy, stormy details necessary or even advisable. 131 00:09:18,355 --> 00:09:22,515 Speaker 1: I'm assuming Axelrod means the sex, the details of which 132 00:09:22,555 --> 00:09:28,675 Speaker 1: were in fact minimal. A condom, not a condom, not 133 00:09:28,755 --> 00:09:34,115 Speaker 1: a condom. Oh look out, David Axelrod just fainted. Nearly 134 00:09:34,235 --> 00:09:37,755 Speaker 1: all of her testimony resuming today was about the payoffs 135 00:09:37,755 --> 00:09:40,235 Speaker 1: and the non disclosure agreements and the threats and her 136 00:09:40,235 --> 00:09:42,755 Speaker 1: fears and her interviews, and for all we know, maybe 137 00:09:42,755 --> 00:09:45,635 Speaker 1: that's what Axelrod meant, because he posted his tut tutting 138 00:09:46,395 --> 00:09:49,715 Speaker 1: a mere sixteen hours after Stormy Daniels ended her first 139 00:09:49,795 --> 00:09:52,315 Speaker 1: day of testimony. And I didn't go through his whole feed, 140 00:09:52,595 --> 00:09:55,395 Speaker 1: but it does not look like David Axelrod reads or 141 00:09:55,435 --> 00:10:00,155 Speaker 1: responds to any replies. So his cryptic, useless, unhelpful sentence 142 00:10:00,195 --> 00:10:04,675 Speaker 1: there will remain indecipherable as Trump's trial and the Daniels 143 00:10:04,755 --> 00:10:11,515 Speaker 1: cross examination resume. However, David Axelrod is not indecipherable. He is, 144 00:10:12,195 --> 00:10:16,075 Speaker 1: to quote a sage, a prick. The last we heard 145 00:10:16,115 --> 00:10:18,715 Speaker 1: from him was in February, when he was still helping 146 00:10:18,755 --> 00:10:24,035 Speaker 1: the Republican age plot against Biden, still helping Trump against democracy, 147 00:10:24,755 --> 00:10:27,715 Speaker 1: telling reporters that while Trump was a gaff machine quote 148 00:10:28,315 --> 00:10:33,235 Speaker 1: because he is energetic, these questions are not as profound 149 00:10:33,275 --> 00:10:36,675 Speaker 1: for him, but that when Biden snapped at a CNN 150 00:10:36,795 --> 00:10:39,235 Speaker 1: question about his age, it showed he was old. And 151 00:10:39,635 --> 00:10:42,715 Speaker 1: addressing him, Axelrod said, it's the opinion of a lot 152 00:10:42,715 --> 00:10:45,035 Speaker 1: of Americans who only see you in front of a camera. 153 00:10:45,195 --> 00:10:47,555 Speaker 1: They don't see you in the situation room. They don't 154 00:10:47,595 --> 00:10:49,835 Speaker 1: see you in these closed door meetings. 155 00:10:51,235 --> 00:10:51,515 Speaker 2: Dave. 156 00:10:51,955 --> 00:10:55,755 Speaker 1: That's probably because the doors are closed. I'm just guessing. 157 00:10:57,635 --> 00:11:01,075 Speaker 1: Axelrod started this shit. Last fall. He was one of 158 00:11:01,115 --> 00:11:03,475 Speaker 1: the people who began to help the Trump campaign and 159 00:11:03,515 --> 00:11:07,195 Speaker 1: the Republicans build up the now almost forgotten acted the 160 00:11:07,195 --> 00:11:10,835 Speaker 1: State of the Union age plot, which went away, at 161 00:11:10,875 --> 00:11:15,595 Speaker 1: least according to polling, among everybody but Trump diehards. Axelrod 162 00:11:15,595 --> 00:11:19,115 Speaker 1: complained Biden was not doing enough interviews. Then, as the 163 00:11:19,195 --> 00:11:22,195 Speaker 1: February quote I just read suggested, he complained Biden was 164 00:11:22,235 --> 00:11:27,035 Speaker 1: doing too many interviews. In November, one year before the election, 165 00:11:27,155 --> 00:11:30,955 Speaker 1: Axelrod said Biden needed to get out or get going, 166 00:11:31,435 --> 00:11:35,835 Speaker 1: whatever the hell that means, like stormy details or stormy 167 00:11:35,875 --> 00:11:38,795 Speaker 1: petrels or whatever he wrote yesterday. He didn't explain that 168 00:11:38,875 --> 00:11:43,035 Speaker 1: line either, And then Biden called him a prick, and 169 00:11:43,115 --> 00:11:45,955 Speaker 1: Jonathan Martin, a politico, wrote a series of stories about this, 170 00:11:46,395 --> 00:11:49,435 Speaker 1: ending with his campaign advice that quote, if Biden thinks 171 00:11:49,475 --> 00:11:51,395 Speaker 1: the country is on the line, he should act like 172 00:11:51,435 --> 00:11:54,355 Speaker 1: it and calling David Axelrod a prick is not a 173 00:11:54,395 --> 00:11:58,155 Speaker 1: strategy to win two hundred and seventy electoral votes. And 174 00:11:58,195 --> 00:12:00,875 Speaker 1: you read that bit of wisdom, and you think, has 175 00:12:00,955 --> 00:12:08,355 Speaker 1: Jonathan Martin been hanging around with RFK Junior's brainworm? No, 176 00:12:08,555 --> 00:12:13,795 Speaker 1: RFK Junior's brainworm is going to be hired by CNN. Okay, 177 00:12:13,835 --> 00:12:17,515 Speaker 1: I amend my earlier comments. David Axelrod is not necessarily 178 00:12:17,555 --> 00:12:22,115 Speaker 1: a prick, but it is clear now he is a 179 00:12:22,235 --> 00:12:25,795 Speaker 1: one hit wonder As a political consultant. His list of 180 00:12:25,875 --> 00:12:32,315 Speaker 1: clients included Obama, Hillary, John Edwards, Chris Dodd. And that 181 00:12:32,555 --> 00:12:35,355 Speaker 1: was just for the two thousand and eight campaign. He 182 00:12:35,435 --> 00:12:39,715 Speaker 1: finally settled on Obama. He had one good, no great idea, 183 00:12:39,995 --> 00:12:43,915 Speaker 1: turn Obama's comparative inexperience from a bug into a feature 184 00:12:43,955 --> 00:12:48,075 Speaker 1: and call it change and make it a catch phrase 185 00:12:48,315 --> 00:12:52,795 Speaker 1: with nice pretty posters. And he's been coasting on it 186 00:12:53,035 --> 00:13:00,115 Speaker 1: ever since our CNN panel tonight, RFK Junior's brainworm and 187 00:13:00,195 --> 00:13:05,235 Speaker 1: David Axelrod back to the New York Time, and I'm 188 00:13:05,235 --> 00:13:08,035 Speaker 1: not going to rehash the entire self immolation by the 189 00:13:08,035 --> 00:13:11,835 Speaker 1: Paper of Record, which should amend its antidiluvian motto to 190 00:13:12,235 --> 00:13:14,675 Speaker 1: all the news that's fit to print, provided you give 191 00:13:14,755 --> 00:13:18,835 Speaker 1: us an exclusive. Just to remind you that first, a 192 00:13:18,955 --> 00:13:22,835 Speaker 1: Times reporter I actually know named Talman Smith tweeted on 193 00:13:22,915 --> 00:13:28,155 Speaker 1: February seventh, quote liberals only primarily blaming the media. When 194 00:13:28,235 --> 00:13:30,995 Speaker 1: was the last time Biden did an open presser or 195 00:13:31,075 --> 00:13:34,675 Speaker 1: did an on record Q and A with us, right, 196 00:13:35,155 --> 00:13:39,795 Speaker 1: thank you, We're not his pr people. It was a 197 00:13:39,835 --> 00:13:43,835 Speaker 1: shocking revelation inside the Times mindset that this is not 198 00:13:43,955 --> 00:13:48,515 Speaker 1: about preserving democracy. We're just being a newspaper. It's about 199 00:13:48,555 --> 00:13:50,635 Speaker 1: whether or not the president does a Q and a 200 00:13:50,755 --> 00:13:54,115 Speaker 1: with the New York Times. Then last month, the former 201 00:13:54,155 --> 00:13:57,755 Speaker 1: Obama stafford Dan Pfeiffer criticized The Times on the whole 202 00:13:57,995 --> 00:14:02,035 Speaker 1: save democracy thing, and then Sunday Times Editor in chief 203 00:14:02,115 --> 00:14:05,835 Speaker 1: Joe Kahn answered Pfeiffer at Semaphore News, who turned his 204 00:14:05,995 --> 00:14:09,195 Speaker 1: flea on behalf of you know, not having a dictatorship 205 00:14:09,355 --> 00:14:12,755 Speaker 1: and dismissed it as some kind of demand by the 206 00:14:12,795 --> 00:14:16,315 Speaker 1: Biden side that the Times become quote an instrument of 207 00:14:16,315 --> 00:14:21,435 Speaker 1: the Biden campaign. Cohn made the rather terrifying assertion that quote, 208 00:14:21,515 --> 00:14:23,755 Speaker 1: it's our job to cover the full range of issues 209 00:14:23,795 --> 00:14:27,035 Speaker 1: that people have at the moment. Democracy is one of them, 210 00:14:27,275 --> 00:14:30,235 Speaker 1: but it's not the top one. Immigration happens to be 211 00:14:30,355 --> 00:14:33,115 Speaker 1: the top, and the economy and inflation is the second. 212 00:14:33,195 --> 00:14:36,715 Speaker 1: Should we stop covering those things because they're favorable to 213 00:14:36,795 --> 00:14:41,795 Speaker 1: Trump and minimize them. The more I have thought about 214 00:14:41,835 --> 00:14:45,875 Speaker 1: that part of the Marie antoinetteesh answer from the Times 215 00:14:46,115 --> 00:14:48,995 Speaker 1: editor in chief, the more I have thought they should 216 00:14:48,995 --> 00:14:52,915 Speaker 1: have fired Jocon on the spot, and not even primarily 217 00:14:52,955 --> 00:14:56,275 Speaker 1: because jo Con seems to be unaware that his paper 218 00:14:56,755 --> 00:14:59,675 Speaker 1: and all papers, and all the freedom of the press, 219 00:14:59,955 --> 00:15:04,155 Speaker 1: and all of American democracy and his personal freedom are 220 00:15:04,235 --> 00:15:07,355 Speaker 1: at sta in this election, and instead he's being a 221 00:15:07,475 --> 00:15:11,955 Speaker 1: snotty schoolboy about it. But rather he should be fired 222 00:15:11,995 --> 00:15:15,675 Speaker 1: because that one answer he gave happens to reek of 223 00:15:15,715 --> 00:15:21,315 Speaker 1: a really really bad reporter or editor or copyboy. Nobody said, 224 00:15:21,355 --> 00:15:24,675 Speaker 1: don't cover all issues. Nobody said become an instrument of 225 00:15:24,715 --> 00:15:27,715 Speaker 1: the Biden campaign. All you were critiqued about was your 226 00:15:27,795 --> 00:15:32,195 Speaker 1: utter inability to get over yourself. The President of the 227 00:15:32,315 --> 00:15:34,955 Speaker 1: United States does not have to give you an interview, 228 00:15:35,435 --> 00:15:37,995 Speaker 1: or give one to the Post or the Wall Street Journal. 229 00:15:38,075 --> 00:15:42,235 Speaker 1: It's not a test of his fitness. And you should 230 00:15:42,235 --> 00:15:47,955 Speaker 1: not be permitted to revenge yourself against him because he 231 00:15:47,995 --> 00:15:52,355 Speaker 1: didn't do the interview. Your belief that you count in 232 00:15:52,475 --> 00:15:56,755 Speaker 1: that way, like the goddamn Times is its own supreme court. 233 00:15:56,835 --> 00:16:01,235 Speaker 1: God help us. That's a test of your fitness, not his, 234 00:16:02,355 --> 00:16:08,115 Speaker 1: and you failed that test. Mister Pfeiffer, whose comments escalated. 235 00:16:08,115 --> 00:16:10,475 Speaker 1: This has now written in a similar vein to what 236 00:16:10,515 --> 00:16:13,075 Speaker 1: I just said. He reminds mister Kahn that he did 237 00:16:13,115 --> 00:16:16,195 Speaker 1: not ask the Times to become propaganda just to worry 238 00:16:16,275 --> 00:16:19,635 Speaker 1: more about the stakes than the horse race, and to 239 00:16:19,795 --> 00:16:22,395 Speaker 1: quote specifically call out the threat that is a second 240 00:16:22,435 --> 00:16:25,395 Speaker 1: Trump presidency in general, he writes, and this is a 241 00:16:25,435 --> 00:16:27,395 Speaker 1: complaint I have had about the New York Times that 242 00:16:27,515 --> 00:16:30,315 Speaker 1: is two decades old. I wish they would take good 243 00:16:30,435 --> 00:16:34,355 Speaker 1: faith criticism from the left with as much seriousness as 244 00:16:34,395 --> 00:16:39,395 Speaker 1: they take bad faith criticism from the right. Unquote exactly 245 00:16:40,555 --> 00:16:44,555 Speaker 1: the Times response not yet upper left hand corner of 246 00:16:44,595 --> 00:16:49,715 Speaker 1: the website yesterday. Green moves to oust Johnson and House 247 00:16:49,755 --> 00:16:53,635 Speaker 1: Republicans clash with public school leaders over anti semitism, claims 248 00:16:53,835 --> 00:16:55,315 Speaker 1: upper right hand corner. 249 00:16:54,995 --> 00:16:56,435 Speaker 2: Of the Times website yesterday. 250 00:16:56,875 --> 00:17:03,395 Speaker 1: Why are we obsessed with breasts? Hey? Now there's a 251 00:17:03,515 --> 00:17:08,115 Speaker 1: segue back to Trump. Two postscripts in this segue about 252 00:17:08,115 --> 00:17:12,595 Speaker 1: social media posts, Trump complained that Tuesday's testimony did not 253 00:17:12,835 --> 00:17:16,875 Speaker 1: include any kind of smoking gun, only he spelled it 254 00:17:17,755 --> 00:17:25,475 Speaker 1: smocking smockig smocking gun. Are we sure about him? In worms? 255 00:17:26,515 --> 00:17:30,115 Speaker 1: And then the first post in I don't know how 256 00:17:30,195 --> 00:17:36,155 Speaker 1: long about which I am conflicted. At ten fifty seven 257 00:17:36,195 --> 00:17:42,915 Speaker 1: pm Tuesday night, quote, I spotted Ratings challenged Lawrence O'Donnell 258 00:17:43,035 --> 00:17:48,035 Speaker 1: of MSDNC in the courthouse today. I haven't seen him 259 00:17:48,035 --> 00:17:54,635 Speaker 1: in years. He looks like shit, a real loser. Firstly, 260 00:17:55,315 --> 00:17:59,075 Speaker 1: O'Donnell looks like shit. Look, this is urgent rumors of 261 00:17:59,075 --> 00:18:02,195 Speaker 1: a Trump financial crisis must be true. Therefore we must 262 00:18:02,195 --> 00:18:06,875 Speaker 1: buy Donald Trump a mirror. Then the other side of 263 00:18:06,875 --> 00:18:11,075 Speaker 1: the story. This next part was submitted by a friend who, 264 00:18:11,315 --> 00:18:14,035 Speaker 1: like me, once worked with and got worked over by 265 00:18:14,195 --> 00:18:19,555 Speaker 1: Lawrence O'Donnell, who, when Joe Scarborough is finally incarcerated, will 266 00:18:19,595 --> 00:18:24,075 Speaker 1: be the least sincere person on that network. The author 267 00:18:24,235 --> 00:18:27,955 Speaker 1: is anonymous, but he has written it as Lawrence O'Donnell, who, 268 00:18:27,955 --> 00:18:31,715 Speaker 1: I can assure you has only ever been anonymous when 269 00:18:31,715 --> 00:18:35,275 Speaker 1: he's called conservatives to leak stuff to them, to undercut 270 00:18:35,315 --> 00:18:39,915 Speaker 1: his colleagues at MSNBC. The impression of his voice is, 271 00:18:39,995 --> 00:18:44,675 Speaker 1: I would say, mediocre, but unavoidable under the circumstances. E 272 00:18:45,315 --> 00:18:49,675 Speaker 1: ah not every former chief of staff for Senator Daniel 273 00:18:49,675 --> 00:18:53,315 Speaker 1: Patrick moynihan, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, the most 274 00:18:53,355 --> 00:18:58,115 Speaker 1: powerful legislative committee in history, turned Emmy nominated writer performer 275 00:18:58,195 --> 00:19:03,875 Speaker 1: on Aaron Sorkin's landmark series The West Wing, turned cable 276 00:19:03,915 --> 00:19:08,235 Speaker 1: news guest in the medium's nascent stages, turned commander of 277 00:19:08,275 --> 00:19:12,275 Speaker 1: the ten PM Eastern time slot. Is immediately recognizable by 278 00:19:12,355 --> 00:19:16,475 Speaker 1: former presidents of the United States, but I happened to be, 279 00:19:17,595 --> 00:19:20,075 Speaker 1: which reminds me of the time I found myself playing 280 00:19:20,115 --> 00:19:23,595 Speaker 1: miniature golf on Martha's Vineyard with former R and C 281 00:19:23,795 --> 00:19:29,995 Speaker 1: chairman Haley Barber, former Ronald Reagan's speechwriter Peggy Noonan, longtime 282 00:19:30,115 --> 00:19:34,995 Speaker 1: Kennedy confidant Pierre Salinger, and the fifth of Charlie's Angels, 283 00:19:35,515 --> 00:19:38,555 Speaker 1: Shelley Hack. Went up to the first tea at this 284 00:19:38,635 --> 00:19:43,555 Speaker 1: particular Martha's Vineyard mini golf course, stepped Senator Orn Hatch 285 00:19:43,595 --> 00:19:49,235 Speaker 1: of Utah and his companion Loretta Switt hot Lips Hulahan 286 00:19:50,075 --> 00:19:55,955 Speaker 1: from the CBS television version of Mash m Star Astar 287 00:19:56,675 --> 00:20:03,835 Speaker 1: s Star h Thank you, my anonymous friend. You left 288 00:20:03,875 --> 00:20:06,475 Speaker 1: out that before he played mini golf, Lawrence was, no doubt, 289 00:20:06,515 --> 00:20:09,355 Speaker 1: just back from dinner with an actress who was half 290 00:20:09,755 --> 00:20:18,155 Speaker 1: of half his age. Also of interest here not yet 291 00:20:18,195 --> 00:20:21,715 Speaker 1: finished with Lawrence O'Donnell. Plus you can make jokes about 292 00:20:21,795 --> 00:20:24,555 Speaker 1: Robert F. Kennedy Junior's brain where I'm I mean, he 293 00:20:25,115 --> 00:20:28,835 Speaker 1: brought it up under oath as an excuse for why 294 00:20:28,875 --> 00:20:31,595 Speaker 1: I didn't have to fay so much alimony, So it 295 00:20:31,755 --> 00:20:37,235 Speaker 1: is fair game. But you know what, you congressman over there, 296 00:20:37,475 --> 00:20:40,235 Speaker 1: you probably shouldn't make a joke in which you link 297 00:20:40,275 --> 00:20:47,195 Speaker 1: it to his father's assassination or his uncle the President's assassination. 298 00:20:48,515 --> 00:20:50,555 Speaker 2: That's next. This is Countdown. 299 00:20:52,715 --> 00:21:17,435 Speaker 1: This is Countdown, with Keith Olberman still ahead of us 300 00:21:17,475 --> 00:21:20,435 Speaker 1: on this editiontive Countdown. Well, Trump brought him up, and 301 00:21:20,475 --> 00:21:22,675 Speaker 1: then I brought him up, and then my anonymous friend 302 00:21:22,675 --> 00:21:24,515 Speaker 1: brought him up. So why not let me tell you 303 00:21:24,595 --> 00:21:28,635 Speaker 1: about the day Lawrence O'Donnell was eating lunch on the 304 00:21:28,755 --> 00:21:33,235 Speaker 1: sidewalk right outside my apartment building and he suddenly admitted 305 00:21:33,555 --> 00:21:37,795 Speaker 1: that he and the others crashed MSNBC, and I almost 306 00:21:37,875 --> 00:21:40,915 Speaker 1: forgave him were trying to steal Countdown from me while 307 00:21:40,915 --> 00:21:43,275 Speaker 1: I was on leave taking care of my dying father, 308 00:21:44,675 --> 00:21:47,675 Speaker 1: but I didn't things I promised not to tell ahead 309 00:21:48,155 --> 00:21:51,715 Speaker 1: and it includes another Aaron Sorkins story, But first, as ever, 310 00:21:51,755 --> 00:21:54,515 Speaker 1: there are still more new idiots to talk about. The 311 00:21:54,595 --> 00:21:58,155 Speaker 1: daily roundup of the miscrants, morons, and dunning Krugriffet specimens 312 00:21:58,275 --> 00:22:05,555 Speaker 1: who constitute two days worst persons in the world worser 313 00:22:06,195 --> 00:22:10,875 Speaker 1: some guy named Jim Kortovich. Jim Kortovich is identified by 314 00:22:10,915 --> 00:22:15,315 Speaker 1: The New York Times as the high flying lobbyist spin 315 00:22:15,475 --> 00:22:19,075 Speaker 1: doctor for the Saudi's Kataris, et cetera. And he is 316 00:22:19,075 --> 00:22:21,515 Speaker 1: apparently mentioned in a new book called The Wolves of 317 00:22:21,635 --> 00:22:25,315 Speaker 1: k Street, which is about lobbyists, especially Republicans, like this 318 00:22:25,395 --> 00:22:27,915 Speaker 1: guy at korta blitch or whatever his name is. The 319 00:22:27,955 --> 00:22:31,515 Speaker 1: authors reported that a client was suing this man, and 320 00:22:31,595 --> 00:22:35,155 Speaker 1: they excerpted that part of their book in Politico and 321 00:22:35,195 --> 00:22:39,155 Speaker 1: they added this quote. Before our book went to press, 322 00:22:39,235 --> 00:22:42,315 Speaker 1: we reached out to Kordovich for comment. He responded by 323 00:22:42,395 --> 00:22:46,395 Speaker 1: text and email with the swagger he's become known for quote, 324 00:22:46,675 --> 00:22:49,915 Speaker 1: I'm coming after you full guns, and that's why I 325 00:22:50,075 --> 00:22:52,755 Speaker 1: live where I do and why you live where you do. 326 00:22:53,275 --> 00:22:56,435 Speaker 1: We are going to the mattress, and like everything in 327 00:22:56,475 --> 00:23:07,395 Speaker 1: my life, I will win. Uh. It's it's mattresses. We 328 00:23:07,435 --> 00:23:09,955 Speaker 1: are going to the mattresses, not we are going to 329 00:23:09,995 --> 00:23:14,195 Speaker 1: the mattress. Famous line from the Godfather about the mafia 330 00:23:14,235 --> 00:23:16,875 Speaker 1: families going through all out war is we go to 331 00:23:16,915 --> 00:23:19,435 Speaker 1: the mattresses, as in, we'll have to have so many 332 00:23:19,475 --> 00:23:22,275 Speaker 1: people fighting, we have to get a secret location to 333 00:23:22,355 --> 00:23:25,235 Speaker 1: house them all, and we all have to find dozens 334 00:23:25,235 --> 00:23:28,955 Speaker 1: of new mattresses for them. Saying we are going to 335 00:23:28,995 --> 00:23:33,675 Speaker 1: the mattress sounds like wow, it sounds like you only 336 00:23:33,715 --> 00:23:37,235 Speaker 1: have the one mattress, and like you didn't really watch 337 00:23:37,275 --> 00:23:42,395 Speaker 1: The Godfather, which means you'll soon be sleeping with the fishes. 338 00:23:43,835 --> 00:23:47,835 Speaker 1: The runner up worser speaker Mike Johnson, Just when you 339 00:23:47,875 --> 00:23:50,675 Speaker 1: thought he might not be a total Trump whore, he 340 00:23:50,715 --> 00:23:52,875 Speaker 1: stood on the side of January sixth, in front of 341 00:23:52,875 --> 00:23:56,115 Speaker 1: scumbags like Cleta Mitchell and Steven Miller, and I think 342 00:23:56,155 --> 00:23:58,275 Speaker 1: there was one person in the pink pants suit. In 343 00:23:58,315 --> 00:24:01,715 Speaker 1: the back there was beetlejuice. And Johnson explained why the 344 00:24:01,755 --> 00:24:04,155 Speaker 1: House wants to make it illegal for non citizens to 345 00:24:04,235 --> 00:24:07,195 Speaker 1: vote in federal elections, given that you know it already 346 00:24:07,435 --> 00:24:11,155 Speaker 1: is illegal for non citizens to vote in federal elections. 347 00:24:12,235 --> 00:24:15,315 Speaker 1: Ugly little Johnson said, with an actual smirk and laugh, 348 00:24:15,755 --> 00:24:19,435 Speaker 1: we all know intuitively that a lot of illegals are 349 00:24:19,515 --> 00:24:22,795 Speaker 1: voting in federal elections, but it's not been something that's 350 00:24:22,835 --> 00:24:26,595 Speaker 1: easily provable. We don't have that number, unquote. Actually we 351 00:24:26,675 --> 00:24:29,795 Speaker 1: do have that number, and we all know intuitively that 352 00:24:29,835 --> 00:24:33,595 Speaker 1: Republicans foster this distrust in reality and law so they 353 00:24:33,595 --> 00:24:37,475 Speaker 1: can blame their losses on imaginary threats like massive illegal voting, 354 00:24:37,635 --> 00:24:40,355 Speaker 1: when time and time again, the only people even accused 355 00:24:40,395 --> 00:24:43,875 Speaker 1: of illegally voting turn out to be Republicans. And by 356 00:24:43,915 --> 00:24:46,435 Speaker 1: the way, Mike, about your election to the House, you 357 00:24:46,515 --> 00:24:49,235 Speaker 1: won by less than forty one thousand votes. We all 358 00:24:49,275 --> 00:24:52,875 Speaker 1: know intuitively that even the people of Louisiana aren't that 359 00:24:53,195 --> 00:24:56,955 Speaker 1: stupid to have elected a slick, slimy homophobe who we 360 00:24:57,035 --> 00:25:00,715 Speaker 1: all know intuitively seems to protest a little too much. 361 00:25:01,115 --> 00:25:04,275 Speaker 1: So we all know intuitively that election must have featured 362 00:25:04,275 --> 00:25:07,755 Speaker 1: some e What was that number, Mike, We don't have 363 00:25:07,795 --> 00:25:13,675 Speaker 1: that intuitively number? Intuitively do we? On? Congratulations on surviving 364 00:25:13,715 --> 00:25:16,875 Speaker 1: the latest attempt by your own party to fire you, 365 00:25:17,275 --> 00:25:21,755 Speaker 1: to vacate the chair yesterday? Why when the Republicans do 366 00:25:21,835 --> 00:25:25,595 Speaker 1: this do I always think of vacate in its gastro 367 00:25:25,755 --> 00:25:31,595 Speaker 1: intestinal sense, But our winner the worst Why it's Mike 368 00:25:31,715 --> 00:25:37,835 Speaker 1: Johnson's fellow Republican Congressman Mike Mike Collins of Georgia. Last week, 369 00:25:38,035 --> 00:25:40,635 Speaker 1: he tweeted out a video of the racist student at 370 00:25:40,635 --> 00:25:44,435 Speaker 1: the University of Mississippi making monkey gestures at a protester 371 00:25:44,715 --> 00:25:47,915 Speaker 1: who happened to be an African American woman. He put 372 00:25:48,395 --> 00:25:51,435 Speaker 1: our tee on it that read something like ole miss 373 00:25:51,555 --> 00:25:54,875 Speaker 1: doing the job, getting the job done. Well. That's when 374 00:25:54,915 --> 00:25:57,835 Speaker 1: some of his donors, like a little company called Coca Cola, 375 00:25:58,155 --> 00:26:01,915 Speaker 1: began to take heat and give heat about Collins's endorsement 376 00:26:01,995 --> 00:26:08,195 Speaker 1: of you Know Over nineteen fifty eight style racism on tape. Well, 377 00:26:08,835 --> 00:26:12,835 Speaker 1: Mike Collins of this week saw Mike Collins of last 378 00:26:12,875 --> 00:26:19,395 Speaker 1: week and said, hold my racist beer. Yesterday afternoon, long 379 00:26:19,475 --> 00:26:23,675 Speaker 1: after the RFK junior brainworm story had spread nationally, Mike 380 00:26:23,755 --> 00:26:28,555 Speaker 1: Collins returned to Twitter x and wroach quote, you either 381 00:26:28,835 --> 00:26:32,795 Speaker 1: die a Kennedy with a hole in the brain or 382 00:26:32,955 --> 00:26:36,755 Speaker 1: live long enough to become a Kennedy with a hole 383 00:26:36,915 --> 00:26:42,195 Speaker 1: in the brain. As I said earlier, RFK Junior's worm 384 00:26:42,835 --> 00:26:45,355 Speaker 1: is fair game. He brought it up, and he brought 385 00:26:45,395 --> 00:26:46,555 Speaker 1: it up so he didn't have to pay a lot 386 00:26:46,595 --> 00:26:48,875 Speaker 1: of alimony, but to turn it into a joke about 387 00:26:48,915 --> 00:26:54,955 Speaker 1: the assassination of President Kennedy and Senator Kennedy, both shot 388 00:26:54,995 --> 00:26:56,755 Speaker 1: through the brain, and not just two of the most 389 00:26:56,755 --> 00:26:59,995 Speaker 1: traumatic events in American history, but two of its gloriousts. 390 00:27:01,275 --> 00:27:04,355 Speaker 1: This shows that this scumbag Mike Collins has somehow managed 391 00:27:04,475 --> 00:27:08,235 Speaker 1: to dishonor both the House Freedom Caucus and his family 392 00:27:08,355 --> 00:27:15,275 Speaker 1: ancestral home of Butts County, Georgia, Congressman Mike Collins. Hey, Mike, 393 00:27:15,475 --> 00:27:18,435 Speaker 1: you've lucked out here. You don't even have a brain. 394 00:27:18,475 --> 00:27:23,875 Speaker 1: We can make jokes about two days, worst person and 395 00:27:24,115 --> 00:27:43,635 Speaker 1: the world. Now to the number one story on the 396 00:27:43,635 --> 00:27:46,515 Speaker 1: countdown in my favorite topic, me and Things I promised 397 00:27:46,555 --> 00:27:49,915 Speaker 1: not to tell. Early on the afternoon of Monday, May 398 00:27:49,955 --> 00:27:53,795 Speaker 1: twenty third, twenty sixteen, I bounced out of my New 399 00:27:53,875 --> 00:27:57,155 Speaker 1: York City apartment building, began to walk past the tourist 400 00:27:57,395 --> 00:28:02,395 Speaker 1: trap brunch spot in the lobby, and froze there at 401 00:28:02,395 --> 00:28:05,355 Speaker 1: one of the cramped outdoor tables stare up at me 402 00:28:05,435 --> 00:28:08,915 Speaker 1: in blank surprise. That must have matched my own staring 403 00:28:08,955 --> 00:28:13,635 Speaker 1: down at him in blank surprise. Was Lawrence O'Donnell. I 404 00:28:13,715 --> 00:28:17,315 Speaker 1: decided to go silly. Hey, get out of my house, 405 00:28:18,235 --> 00:28:21,875 Speaker 1: he laughed, I laughed. It didn't seem forced. He introduced 406 00:28:21,875 --> 00:28:25,275 Speaker 1: me to his companion, his daughter. This my dear is 407 00:28:25,355 --> 00:28:29,115 Speaker 1: Keith Ulderman. Keith started us all at MSNBC, and then 408 00:28:29,155 --> 00:28:32,195 Speaker 1: he left, and and here Lawrence gave one of his 409 00:28:32,275 --> 00:28:39,675 Speaker 1: long pauses, and we crashed it. I wanted to be generous, 410 00:28:39,715 --> 00:28:42,715 Speaker 1: I started to politely contradict him, and I just couldn't 411 00:28:42,715 --> 00:28:48,435 Speaker 1: do it. M yeah, pretty much anyway, About thirty seconds 412 00:28:48,475 --> 00:28:51,355 Speaker 1: of courteous nothingness followed, and I wish the O'Donnell's well, 413 00:28:51,395 --> 00:28:55,515 Speaker 1: and then I left. It was the most pleasant experience 414 00:28:55,595 --> 00:28:58,235 Speaker 1: I ever had with Lawrence O'Donnell. In fact, it might 415 00:28:58,275 --> 00:29:00,675 Speaker 1: have been the only pleasant experience I ever had with 416 00:29:00,755 --> 00:29:06,475 Speaker 1: Lawrence O'Donnell. After I finally convinced and bullied and blackmailed 417 00:29:06,595 --> 00:29:10,195 Speaker 1: MSNBC management into letting Rachel Meadow become the regular guest 418 00:29:10,195 --> 00:29:12,915 Speaker 1: host for my show, and she aced it and then 419 00:29:12,995 --> 00:29:16,595 Speaker 1: rightly got her own show, and she aced that and 420 00:29:16,675 --> 00:29:20,475 Speaker 1: became a star. I went looking for a new guest host. 421 00:29:20,515 --> 00:29:22,755 Speaker 1: My first idea was a frequent guest we had named 422 00:29:22,835 --> 00:29:26,515 Speaker 1: Chris Hayes. I didn't get far. Management had its own 423 00:29:26,555 --> 00:29:30,075 Speaker 1: idea and my input was not required. They wanted former 424 00:29:30,195 --> 00:29:34,875 Speaker 1: Vermont governor and Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean. And Howard 425 00:29:34,955 --> 00:29:37,915 Speaker 1: is a really smart guy and great on TV. But 426 00:29:38,075 --> 00:29:41,115 Speaker 1: Howard had a bit of a teleprompter problem. One of 427 00:29:41,155 --> 00:29:45,395 Speaker 1: my producers swears that Howard once read Good Evening, I'm 428 00:29:45,435 --> 00:29:49,795 Speaker 1: Howard Dean for her, governor of Vermont. This is countdown. 429 00:29:51,315 --> 00:29:51,795 Speaker 2: I do know. 430 00:29:51,995 --> 00:29:53,995 Speaker 1: Whatever he did on the air, it was bad enough 431 00:29:54,035 --> 00:29:56,315 Speaker 1: that one week when I was off and at the 432 00:29:56,315 --> 00:29:58,635 Speaker 1: Baseball Hall of Fame in Coopertown, New York, and a 433 00:29:58,635 --> 00:30:01,315 Speaker 1: baseball news story broke and he was filling in for me. 434 00:30:01,635 --> 00:30:04,315 Speaker 1: My producers called me there and asked me to come 435 00:30:04,355 --> 00:30:07,555 Speaker 1: on from the streets of Cooperstown and be a guest 436 00:30:07,595 --> 00:30:13,275 Speaker 1: on my own show, just to help Howard Dean out. Anyway. 437 00:30:14,035 --> 00:30:16,235 Speaker 1: Their next idea was a guy who had been kicking 438 00:30:16,235 --> 00:30:20,555 Speaker 1: around MSNBC since its founding in nineteen ninety six. Lawrence 439 00:30:20,635 --> 00:30:27,515 Speaker 1: O'Donnell was one of the original MSNBC Friends, The MSNBC Friends, 440 00:30:28,315 --> 00:30:32,315 Speaker 1: political pundits who sat on clearstools at a clear table 441 00:30:32,835 --> 00:30:34,875 Speaker 1: or in a set designed to look like a booth 442 00:30:34,955 --> 00:30:38,435 Speaker 1: at a coffee shop. No, I'm not making this up. 443 00:30:38,955 --> 00:30:44,115 Speaker 1: Among the friends were An Colter and Laura Ingram, if 444 00:30:44,115 --> 00:30:47,595 Speaker 1: you can believe it, once or twice an hour, the 445 00:30:47,755 --> 00:30:51,435 Speaker 1: rather CNN, like all news coverage on MSNBC in its 446 00:30:51,435 --> 00:30:54,395 Speaker 1: first couple of years, would pause and three or more 447 00:30:54,435 --> 00:30:59,795 Speaker 1: of these friends would appear, chew over the MSNBC headlines, 448 00:31:00,315 --> 00:31:06,195 Speaker 1: and then disappear. Lawrence O'Donnell was one of the friends. 449 00:31:06,915 --> 00:31:11,155 Speaker 1: It was as bad as it sounds. Then Lawrence O'Donnell 450 00:31:11,155 --> 00:31:14,355 Speaker 1: pretty much disappeared. You would see him on MSNBC as 451 00:31:14,355 --> 00:31:16,875 Speaker 1: a guest every once in a while, but mostly he 452 00:31:16,955 --> 00:31:20,435 Speaker 1: pursued his acting and producing career. He played President Bartlett's 453 00:31:20,435 --> 00:31:23,635 Speaker 1: father on the West Wing, the one who beat him 454 00:31:23,675 --> 00:31:27,795 Speaker 1: throughout college. Lawrence was very convincing, and then around two 455 00:31:27,835 --> 00:31:30,355 Speaker 1: thousand and eight, we started getting pressure to bring him 456 00:31:30,395 --> 00:31:33,155 Speaker 1: in as a guest on Countdown, like once a week 457 00:31:33,275 --> 00:31:35,715 Speaker 1: or twice a week. I was not sure what that 458 00:31:35,835 --> 00:31:38,035 Speaker 1: was all about, but he had been a Senate staffer 459 00:31:38,355 --> 00:31:41,075 Speaker 1: and he knew the healthcare debate and other wonky stuff 460 00:31:41,115 --> 00:31:44,515 Speaker 1: pretty well, so I gave my assent for whatever that 461 00:31:44,595 --> 00:31:48,355 Speaker 1: was worth. Not long after that, Lawrence came into my office. 462 00:31:48,435 --> 00:31:51,035 Speaker 1: He really needed my support, he said, to get him 463 00:31:51,035 --> 00:31:53,955 Speaker 1: more involved in MSNBC. He knew I had gone to 464 00:31:53,995 --> 00:31:57,435 Speaker 1: bat for Rachel, and before her, I'd gone to bat 465 00:31:57,435 --> 00:32:00,155 Speaker 1: for Tom Brokaw, and for people like Chuck Todd and 466 00:32:00,235 --> 00:32:02,955 Speaker 1: Chris Hayes and others who are now getting steady incomes 467 00:32:02,955 --> 00:32:06,955 Speaker 1: from NBC. I don't remember his argument on his own behalf. 468 00:32:06,995 --> 00:32:09,235 Speaker 1: I do remember I didn't have much of a reason 469 00:32:09,235 --> 00:32:11,675 Speaker 1: to say no, and he wasn't asking me to do 470 00:32:11,755 --> 00:32:15,235 Speaker 1: a lot, so I said yes. The next thing I knew, 471 00:32:15,595 --> 00:32:18,315 Speaker 1: I was reading a memo announcing that Lawrence O'Donnell had 472 00:32:18,315 --> 00:32:21,315 Speaker 1: been appointed as the new full time guest host of Countdown. 473 00:32:22,955 --> 00:32:25,155 Speaker 1: This was in the winter of two thousand and nine 474 00:32:25,155 --> 00:32:28,155 Speaker 1: twenty ten, when my late dad was fighting so valiantly 475 00:32:28,395 --> 00:32:31,195 Speaker 1: to stay alive after colon cancer and more importantly, a 476 00:32:31,235 --> 00:32:35,555 Speaker 1: series of infections. Dad had the immune system of an alien. 477 00:32:36,035 --> 00:32:38,475 Speaker 1: The average white cell count in a healthy adult is 478 00:32:38,515 --> 00:32:41,915 Speaker 1: between four thousand and eleven thousand. One night, Dad's was 479 00:32:41,955 --> 00:32:45,355 Speaker 1: at thirty three thousand, and the doctors told me to 480 00:32:45,435 --> 00:32:48,635 Speaker 1: prepare to make the call to let him go. They 481 00:32:48,675 --> 00:32:51,995 Speaker 1: had one antibiotic left to try on him. The next morning, 482 00:32:52,395 --> 00:32:55,115 Speaker 1: Dad's white cell count, which had been thirty three thousand, 483 00:32:55,395 --> 00:33:02,395 Speaker 1: was eight thousand, onward he fought. Unfortunately, he was eighty 484 00:33:02,475 --> 00:33:05,995 Speaker 1: years old and he had not exerc since Harry Truman 485 00:33:06,075 --> 00:33:10,075 Speaker 1: was president, and eventually he ran out of Houdini tricks. 486 00:33:10,355 --> 00:33:12,355 Speaker 1: I had been visiting him twice a day for six 487 00:33:12,395 --> 00:33:15,795 Speaker 1: months while still doing Countdown and the NBC Sunday Night 488 00:33:15,835 --> 00:33:18,995 Speaker 1: Football Show. But now, as it hit late February of 489 00:33:18,995 --> 00:33:23,355 Speaker 1: twenty ten, his bright days became fewer and farther in between, 490 00:33:23,435 --> 00:33:25,555 Speaker 1: and the hope that was propelling me to keep being 491 00:33:25,875 --> 00:33:29,515 Speaker 1: his full time caregiver and Countdown's full time host both 492 00:33:29,555 --> 00:33:32,315 Speaker 1: began to fade. In the last two weeks of my 493 00:33:32,395 --> 00:33:35,235 Speaker 1: dad's life, as the doctors tried all the long shot things, 494 00:33:35,515 --> 00:33:39,595 Speaker 1: I asked MSNBC for a leave of absence. Finally the 495 00:33:39,635 --> 00:33:43,435 Speaker 1: inevitability became inarguable, and we let Dad go. On Saturday, 496 00:33:43,475 --> 00:33:47,395 Speaker 1: March thirteenth, twenty ten. My sister held his hand and 497 00:33:47,435 --> 00:33:49,995 Speaker 1: I read him his favorite Thurber story, and as soon 498 00:33:50,035 --> 00:33:53,635 Speaker 1: as I finished it, he exhaled deeply and peacefully, and 499 00:33:53,755 --> 00:33:59,915 Speaker 1: he died. I think I took another week off, maybe two, 500 00:34:00,035 --> 00:34:03,355 Speaker 1: and I vaguely recall emails from friends at Countdown that 501 00:34:03,435 --> 00:34:05,355 Speaker 1: I may have paid passing the time attention to, but 502 00:34:05,915 --> 00:34:09,475 Speaker 1: I really didn't. Most of the staff, including people who 503 00:34:09,475 --> 00:34:13,515 Speaker 1: came up from Washington, like Howard Feynman or Gene Robinson 504 00:34:13,515 --> 00:34:17,555 Speaker 1: of the Washington Post, always friends to me. They attended 505 00:34:17,555 --> 00:34:21,995 Speaker 1: my dad's memorial service. I believe Lawrence o'donald, who was 506 00:34:22,035 --> 00:34:24,355 Speaker 1: of course filling in for me on Countdown, was there too, 507 00:34:24,395 --> 00:34:28,195 Speaker 1: but maybe not, I do not remember. And then came 508 00:34:28,235 --> 00:34:29,995 Speaker 1: the day when I went back to the office full 509 00:34:30,035 --> 00:34:34,795 Speaker 1: time and my assistant grabbed me both hands on my wrist. 510 00:34:35,035 --> 00:34:37,355 Speaker 1: You did not answer my emails, she said, with a 511 00:34:37,395 --> 00:34:41,675 Speaker 1: fervency she rarely exhibited. For God's sake, do not ever 512 00:34:41,835 --> 00:34:45,995 Speaker 1: leave me alone with Laurence O'Donnell again, I snapped back 513 00:34:46,035 --> 00:34:50,995 Speaker 1: to attention. Had he, you know, bothered her? Not that way, 514 00:34:51,435 --> 00:34:53,595 Speaker 1: she said, But he's a son of a bitch. He 515 00:34:53,675 --> 00:34:55,435 Speaker 1: treats me and everybody who was in a producer here 516 00:34:55,475 --> 00:34:58,275 Speaker 1: like dirt. And since you didn't read my emails, I 517 00:34:58,315 --> 00:34:59,995 Speaker 1: just have to tell you this. He's trying to get 518 00:35:00,035 --> 00:35:02,835 Speaker 1: you fired so he can take over Countdown. And if 519 00:35:02,835 --> 00:35:05,435 Speaker 1: you think he's nuts, one of your scene producers is 520 00:35:05,435 --> 00:35:09,475 Speaker 1: in on it too with him. I have to admit, 521 00:35:10,035 --> 00:35:12,955 Speaker 1: even now, of all the things I went through at 522 00:35:12,955 --> 00:35:18,755 Speaker 1: that very very strange place MSNBC. Even now, this story 523 00:35:19,275 --> 00:35:24,035 Speaker 1: still shocks me. The senior producers of Countdown consisted of 524 00:35:24,035 --> 00:35:27,835 Speaker 1: a guy who'd been a producer who booked satellite transmissions 525 00:35:27,835 --> 00:35:32,235 Speaker 1: for MSNBC until I asked that he'd be promoted, and 526 00:35:32,435 --> 00:35:34,915 Speaker 1: one was a guest booker for the daytime shows until 527 00:35:34,955 --> 00:35:37,995 Speaker 1: I asked that she be promoted. Another was a line 528 00:35:38,035 --> 00:35:40,555 Speaker 1: producer who was well regarded only for his ability to 529 00:35:40,595 --> 00:35:43,235 Speaker 1: time a show until I asked for him to be promoted. 530 00:35:43,995 --> 00:35:45,715 Speaker 1: And then there was the old friend of mine who 531 00:35:45,755 --> 00:35:48,235 Speaker 1: had been blown out of ESPN in a sexual harassment 532 00:35:48,355 --> 00:35:51,555 Speaker 1: porn link email scandal and was headed back to college 533 00:35:51,595 --> 00:35:54,755 Speaker 1: to start his career all over again until I asked 534 00:35:54,755 --> 00:35:58,635 Speaker 1: that he'd be hired and then promoted. I did some 535 00:35:58,715 --> 00:36:00,795 Speaker 1: digging and I was going to confront O'Donnell about it 536 00:36:00,835 --> 00:36:03,475 Speaker 1: when somebody told me he had tweeted something negative about 537 00:36:03,515 --> 00:36:05,915 Speaker 1: me and about count So I got a hold of 538 00:36:05,955 --> 00:36:07,555 Speaker 1: him and I said, this did not seem to be 539 00:36:07,555 --> 00:36:11,595 Speaker 1: in keeping with MSNBC traditions and rules, you know, the 540 00:36:11,635 --> 00:36:14,435 Speaker 1: ones about not peeing inside the tent. And he said, 541 00:36:14,435 --> 00:36:17,755 Speaker 1: what do you know about MSNBC? Traditions. I've been here 542 00:36:17,875 --> 00:36:20,675 Speaker 1: since nineteen ninety six. I never left and came back. 543 00:36:22,115 --> 00:36:25,355 Speaker 1: So I went to my boss, the president of the network, 544 00:36:25,395 --> 00:36:27,835 Speaker 1: Phil Griffin, the one who would not hire Rachel Meadow, 545 00:36:28,155 --> 00:36:29,915 Speaker 1: and before I could say they'd have to get rid 546 00:36:29,915 --> 00:36:32,355 Speaker 1: of him, Griffin said it was all academic. They were 547 00:36:32,395 --> 00:36:35,035 Speaker 1: preparing the press release as we spoke for Lawrence's new 548 00:36:35,195 --> 00:36:38,195 Speaker 1: show at ten o'clock called The Last Word, and oh, 549 00:36:38,235 --> 00:36:40,875 Speaker 1: by the way, Keith, two of your senior producers are 550 00:36:40,915 --> 00:36:44,675 Speaker 1: going with him to run his show. If this sounds 551 00:36:45,075 --> 00:36:48,435 Speaker 1: vaguely familiar to you, it is the plot of the 552 00:36:48,475 --> 00:36:53,875 Speaker 1: pilot for the old Aaron Sorkin HBO series Newsroom. I 553 00:36:53,955 --> 00:36:57,195 Speaker 1: was still friendly with Aaron then, so he actually asked. 554 00:36:57,715 --> 00:37:00,515 Speaker 1: As I related this to him in real time in 555 00:37:00,595 --> 00:37:03,115 Speaker 1: emails and phone calls, he asked if he could use 556 00:37:03,155 --> 00:37:06,555 Speaker 1: it in the plot, rather than just what he often did, 557 00:37:06,635 --> 00:37:09,675 Speaker 1: which was to use it without asking. The problem was 558 00:37:10,755 --> 00:37:13,315 Speaker 1: none of this made any sense in the real world, 559 00:37:13,515 --> 00:37:15,755 Speaker 1: although it made a pretty good pilot for Aaron Sorkin. 560 00:37:16,275 --> 00:37:19,195 Speaker 1: In going into the ten PM slot, Lawrence O'Donnell would 561 00:37:19,195 --> 00:37:23,195 Speaker 1: be replacing a rerun of Countdown, and even if O'Donnell 562 00:37:23,235 --> 00:37:26,355 Speaker 1: did much better in the ratings, much much better. There 563 00:37:26,435 --> 00:37:29,555 Speaker 1: was no way it could ever make enough money to 564 00:37:29,595 --> 00:37:35,195 Speaker 1: make the move make sense. O'Donnell's new show would necessarily 565 00:37:35,195 --> 00:37:38,675 Speaker 1: cost MSNBC between ten and fifteen million dollars to produce 566 00:37:38,795 --> 00:37:41,235 Speaker 1: every year. Didn't have anything to do with him. That 567 00:37:41,395 --> 00:37:46,475 Speaker 1: was the cost. The Countdown rerun cost, not ten fifteen 568 00:37:46,475 --> 00:37:49,475 Speaker 1: million dollars a year. It count however much they paid 569 00:37:49,515 --> 00:37:52,595 Speaker 1: the guy who pushed the play button that fired up 570 00:37:52,635 --> 00:38:01,115 Speaker 1: the videotape of the Countdown replay amortized. Later that day, 571 00:38:01,155 --> 00:38:04,195 Speaker 1: a sympathetic NBC executive called me up and explained the 572 00:38:04,235 --> 00:38:07,955 Speaker 1: move to me. First, Griffin was convinced O'Donnell was about 573 00:38:07,955 --> 00:38:11,995 Speaker 1: to leave us and sign with CNN. I said, well, 574 00:38:11,995 --> 00:38:16,515 Speaker 1: that's a good idea for everybody involved except CNN. Turned 575 00:38:16,515 --> 00:38:18,995 Speaker 1: out CNN had not even talked to him, but Griffin 576 00:38:19,035 --> 00:38:22,995 Speaker 1: did not know that. More importantly, Comcast had already finalized 577 00:38:23,035 --> 00:38:26,195 Speaker 1: its agreement to buy NBC effective the following January, and 578 00:38:26,235 --> 00:38:29,035 Speaker 1: as part of the deal, they were entitled to review 579 00:38:29,115 --> 00:38:31,835 Speaker 1: what all the executives in the company had done, and 580 00:38:31,875 --> 00:38:34,715 Speaker 1: they had already looked at MSNBC President Phil Griffin and 581 00:38:34,755 --> 00:38:39,955 Speaker 1: discovered he had never done anything in panic. Griffin told 582 00:38:39,995 --> 00:38:42,355 Speaker 1: colleagues he had to launch a new show of his 583 00:38:42,475 --> 00:38:49,915 Speaker 1: own immediately. This is the series Aaron Sorkin should have made. 584 00:38:50,075 --> 00:38:52,555 Speaker 1: As to the producers who left my show to go 585 00:38:52,635 --> 00:38:56,235 Speaker 1: with O'Donnell while my father was dying, one of them 586 00:38:56,235 --> 00:38:58,835 Speaker 1: told me a couple of years after she left MSNBC 587 00:38:58,995 --> 00:39:01,875 Speaker 1: for the last time, every day when I went into 588 00:39:01,955 --> 00:39:04,515 Speaker 1: that Last Word office, I realized you were getting your 589 00:39:04,675 --> 00:39:08,235 Speaker 1: revenge on me without even having to lift a finger. 590 00:39:09,435 --> 00:39:12,275 Speaker 1: Lots of people I've worked with, probably a majority of 591 00:39:12,315 --> 00:39:16,835 Speaker 1: people i've helped, have behaved like Lawrence O'Donnell, because, remember 592 00:39:16,955 --> 00:39:21,915 Speaker 1: it's television. It is a mental illness. The comparatively healthy 593 00:39:21,915 --> 00:39:24,075 Speaker 1: people are the ones who acknowledge it's a mental illness. 594 00:39:24,395 --> 00:39:28,875 Speaker 1: But Lawrence O'Donnell was something special. A year before my 595 00:39:29,075 --> 00:39:31,955 Speaker 1: dad died, almost to the day, in fact, I was 596 00:39:31,955 --> 00:39:35,075 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles appearing on Bill Maher's show, and one 597 00:39:35,075 --> 00:39:37,835 Speaker 1: of the other guests that night was the actress Carrie Washington. 598 00:39:38,075 --> 00:39:40,475 Speaker 1: She was very nice to me, very sweet, a very 599 00:39:40,475 --> 00:39:44,515 Speaker 1: big fan, and she asked to stay in touch. Sure enough, 600 00:39:44,555 --> 00:39:46,915 Speaker 1: after my father died, after the memorial. After I was 601 00:39:46,955 --> 00:39:49,235 Speaker 1: back at work, I had to go to his house 602 00:39:49,235 --> 00:39:51,755 Speaker 1: for the first time since he had passed away. It 603 00:39:51,875 --> 00:39:55,435 Speaker 1: was about as much fun as it sounds. In the 604 00:39:55,515 --> 00:39:57,995 Speaker 1: car on the way back into New York City. The 605 00:39:58,115 --> 00:40:01,755 Speaker 1: solemnity of it. Both my parents died within eleven months 606 00:40:01,755 --> 00:40:04,635 Speaker 1: of each other. It really hit me for some reason 607 00:40:05,155 --> 00:40:08,155 Speaker 1: for the first time, full force, and I was about 608 00:40:08,195 --> 00:40:12,635 Speaker 1: to lose it when the car approached a billboard overlooking 609 00:40:12,635 --> 00:40:15,115 Speaker 1: the West Sidne Highway in New York City. And whose 610 00:40:15,195 --> 00:40:17,835 Speaker 1: big smiling face was on the ad on that billboard, 611 00:40:18,995 --> 00:40:22,355 Speaker 1: Carrie Washington. And it flashed me right back to her 612 00:40:22,435 --> 00:40:25,435 Speaker 1: kindness in la and it helped me overcome this bump 613 00:40:25,475 --> 00:40:28,715 Speaker 1: in my mourning. So I wanted to drop her a note, 614 00:40:28,835 --> 00:40:34,155 Speaker 1: nothing big, nothing suggestive. I wasn't hinting at asking her out. 615 00:40:34,515 --> 00:40:37,795 Speaker 1: Just you never know how you might help somebody in 616 00:40:37,835 --> 00:40:42,675 Speaker 1: a time of crisis. Thanks for letting me smile. That 617 00:40:42,835 --> 00:40:45,395 Speaker 1: was the whole message. I asked my assistant to figure 618 00:40:45,395 --> 00:40:46,715 Speaker 1: out how to get it to her, and that was 619 00:40:46,755 --> 00:40:51,515 Speaker 1: the end of it, except a week later, the fact 620 00:40:51,555 --> 00:40:54,195 Speaker 1: that I wrote her a note wound up in a 621 00:40:54,235 --> 00:41:02,555 Speaker 1: column written by an colter. I was astonished how why, 622 00:41:02,715 --> 00:41:07,035 Speaker 1: and Colter it was her usual the brain doesn't quite 623 00:41:07,275 --> 00:41:09,835 Speaker 1: work right kind of stuff. She implied, I was hitting 624 00:41:09,835 --> 00:41:12,355 Speaker 1: on Kerry Washington and said how stupid I had to 625 00:41:12,395 --> 00:41:14,835 Speaker 1: be to not realize she was involved with somebody, and 626 00:41:14,915 --> 00:41:17,595 Speaker 1: on and on and on, no mention of my father's passing, 627 00:41:17,915 --> 00:41:20,915 Speaker 1: or the mar show or the billboard or her smiling face. 628 00:41:22,195 --> 00:41:24,915 Speaker 1: I went back to my assistant and I said, hey, 629 00:41:25,315 --> 00:41:28,715 Speaker 1: what on earth did you do with that note to 630 00:41:28,835 --> 00:41:32,395 Speaker 1: Carrie Washington? And she said, oh, I gave it to 631 00:41:32,435 --> 00:41:36,875 Speaker 1: this Lawrence O'Donnell guy. And I said, good God, why 632 00:41:36,875 --> 00:41:39,755 Speaker 1: did you do that? And she said, well, he's dating 633 00:41:39,835 --> 00:41:42,435 Speaker 1: Carrie Washington. I thought you knew that. I thought that's 634 00:41:42,435 --> 00:41:43,795 Speaker 1: why you asked me to get. 635 00:41:43,635 --> 00:41:44,915 Speaker 2: It to her. 636 00:41:46,075 --> 00:41:48,995 Speaker 1: So it wasn't hard to figure out from there. Lawrence 637 00:41:49,035 --> 00:41:52,635 Speaker 1: had called his old friend from the old MSNBC Friends 638 00:41:52,715 --> 00:41:56,035 Speaker 1: of nineteen ninety six and Colter and told her about 639 00:41:56,075 --> 00:41:59,595 Speaker 1: the note, inventing whatever motive his jealous little mind could 640 00:41:59,675 --> 00:42:02,755 Speaker 1: dream up. It should have gotten him fired from NBC, 641 00:42:02,915 --> 00:42:05,315 Speaker 1: but unfortunately his boss was just as much of a 642 00:42:05,395 --> 00:42:08,515 Speaker 1: fourteen year old emotionally as he was. And meanwhile, I 643 00:42:08,555 --> 00:42:10,955 Speaker 1: had decided to get out of MSNBC anyway when the 644 00:42:10,955 --> 00:42:14,555 Speaker 1: time was ripe. As it turned out, it ripened in 645 00:42:14,675 --> 00:42:18,115 Speaker 1: January twenty eleven. I've told that story in other episodes, 646 00:42:18,715 --> 00:42:22,155 Speaker 1: like sixty of them. It's kind of complicated, and since 647 00:42:22,315 --> 00:42:25,315 Speaker 1: nobody ever actually asked me why Countdown the TV show ended, 648 00:42:25,515 --> 00:42:28,235 Speaker 1: I've probably got another sixty episodes worth of information about 649 00:42:28,235 --> 00:42:34,635 Speaker 1: that anyway in twenty fifteen, since repeatedly over the following 650 00:42:34,635 --> 00:42:37,155 Speaker 1: ten years, there were overtures by both sides to bring 651 00:42:37,235 --> 00:42:41,075 Speaker 1: Countdown and Me back to MSNBC. In twenty fifteen during 652 00:42:41,115 --> 00:42:44,075 Speaker 1: the World Series, in fact, the then president of NBC News, 653 00:42:44,435 --> 00:42:47,355 Speaker 1: Andy Lack, asked me to come back and do a 654 00:42:47,475 --> 00:42:51,235 Speaker 1: new show at MSNBC and move to Los Angeles and 655 00:42:51,275 --> 00:42:54,915 Speaker 1: have a co host, a conservative, and not do any commentaries. 656 00:42:56,035 --> 00:42:59,155 Speaker 1: And actually this new show is somehow less appealing than 657 00:42:59,195 --> 00:43:03,555 Speaker 1: it sounds. But the punchline of all punchlines is contained 658 00:43:03,555 --> 00:43:07,275 Speaker 1: in what Lack wanted to all my new twenty fifteen 659 00:43:07,355 --> 00:43:10,155 Speaker 1: MSNBC show that never was. It tells you all you 660 00:43:10,235 --> 00:43:12,755 Speaker 1: really need to know about the last word with Lawrence 661 00:43:12,795 --> 00:43:17,115 Speaker 1: O'Donnell and MSNBC and O'Donnell's place in TV history at 662 00:43:17,115 --> 00:43:22,875 Speaker 1: its demise and the end of MSNBC. NBC new president 663 00:43:22,955 --> 00:43:26,155 Speaker 1: Lack was brimming with enthusiasm about this name that he 664 00:43:26,195 --> 00:43:28,715 Speaker 1: had come up with for my new show, how Good 665 00:43:28,795 --> 00:43:32,395 Speaker 1: the perfect title. Lack told me, we're gonna call it 666 00:43:32,475 --> 00:43:37,595 Speaker 1: The Last Word with Keith Olberman, and I didn't laugh 667 00:43:37,675 --> 00:43:41,275 Speaker 1: for guffaw. I just said, Andy, you have a show 668 00:43:41,315 --> 00:43:45,235 Speaker 1: called the Last Word The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell. 669 00:43:46,395 --> 00:43:50,755 Speaker 1: Andy Lack now laughed, huh, hopefully not for much longer. 670 00:43:50,795 --> 00:43:51,275 Speaker 2: I don't. 671 00:44:04,675 --> 00:44:06,395 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 672 00:44:06,435 --> 00:44:09,755 Speaker 1: you for listening. Countdown Musical directors Brian Ray and John 673 00:44:09,755 --> 00:44:13,035 Speaker 1: Phillip Schanel arranged, produced, and performed most of our music. 674 00:44:13,395 --> 00:44:16,115 Speaker 1: Mister Ray was on the guitars, bass and drums, and 675 00:44:16,195 --> 00:44:19,475 Speaker 1: mister Shanelle handled orchestration and keyboards, and it was produced 676 00:44:19,475 --> 00:44:23,835 Speaker 1: by Tko Brothers and not by Aaron Sorkin. Other music, 677 00:44:23,875 --> 00:44:26,955 Speaker 1: including some of the Beethoven compositions, arranged and performed by 678 00:44:26,955 --> 00:44:29,675 Speaker 1: the group No Horns Allowed. The sports music is the 679 00:44:29,755 --> 00:44:33,115 Speaker 1: Ulbriman theme from ESPN two, written by Mitch Warren Davis 680 00:44:33,275 --> 00:44:37,155 Speaker 1: courtesy of ESPN Inc. Our satirical and pithy musical comments 681 00:44:37,195 --> 00:44:39,915 Speaker 1: are by Nancy Fauss, the best baseball stadium organist ever. 682 00:44:40,235 --> 00:44:43,795 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was my friend Kenny Maine. Everything else 683 00:44:43,995 --> 00:44:47,355 Speaker 1: was pretty much my fault, and later it will be 684 00:44:47,395 --> 00:44:49,995 Speaker 1: Aaron Sorkins. That's countdown for this the one hundred and 685 00:44:50,075 --> 00:44:54,035 Speaker 1: eighty first day until the twenty twenty four presidential election, 686 00:44:54,675 --> 00:44:59,115 Speaker 1: and the two hundred and twentieth day since Dictator Jay 687 00:44:59,155 --> 00:45:02,155 Speaker 1: Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 688 00:45:02,195 --> 00:45:06,275 Speaker 1: the United States. Use the justice system, use the mental 689 00:45:06,275 --> 00:45:10,395 Speaker 1: health system, use the not regularly given elector objection option, 690 00:45:10,875 --> 00:45:15,155 Speaker 1: use if it happens, presidential immunity to stop him from 691 00:45:15,195 --> 00:45:21,675 Speaker 1: doing it again while we still can. The next scheduled 692 00:45:21,675 --> 00:45:24,915 Speaker 1: countdown is tomorrow. Bulletins is the news warrants until then, 693 00:45:24,915 --> 00:45:28,115 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Ouldreman. Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and 694 00:45:28,355 --> 00:45:48,235 Speaker 1: good luck. Countdown with Keith Oldreman is a production of iHeartRadio. 695 00:45:48,515 --> 00:45:53,675 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 696 00:45:53,955 --> 00:45:55,915 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.