1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Oldman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:21,915 --> 00:00:27,595 Speaker 1: Protect George Santos at all costs. I have a lot 3 00:00:27,595 --> 00:00:30,475 Speaker 1: of thoughts about the January six Committee report, and especially 4 00:00:30,515 --> 00:00:34,395 Speaker 1: the revelation that Milania Trump was terrified that because of 5 00:00:34,435 --> 00:00:37,555 Speaker 1: the coup, Rudy Giuliani was gonna see her walking around 6 00:00:37,595 --> 00:00:43,155 Speaker 1: in her robe. But first, I love George Santos with 7 00:00:43,235 --> 00:00:47,955 Speaker 1: every fiber of my being. American political history is filled 8 00:00:47,995 --> 00:00:52,795 Speaker 1: with other Congressmen, other candidates, other senators, other presidents, other 9 00:00:52,955 --> 00:00:57,115 Speaker 1: pundits who have been walking time bombs for their own party. 10 00:00:57,275 --> 00:01:02,715 Speaker 1: But George Santos is unique. All previous walking time bombs 11 00:01:03,035 --> 00:01:08,355 Speaker 1: have eventually detonated and then dispersed. But George Santos is 12 00:01:08,395 --> 00:01:12,275 Speaker 1: the Sisyphus of walking political time bombs. He blows up, 13 00:01:12,515 --> 00:01:15,795 Speaker 1: he does his collateral damage to this Republican or that one. 14 00:01:16,155 --> 00:01:20,835 Speaker 1: The smoke clears, and then he blows up again. He 15 00:01:21,035 --> 00:01:27,075 Speaker 1: is the bomb cyclone of congenital liars. It has now 16 00:01:27,115 --> 00:01:30,435 Speaker 1: become evident, as newly as last night, that Santos could 17 00:01:30,435 --> 00:01:34,475 Speaker 1: not only become the poster boy for not just Republican dishonesty, 18 00:01:34,515 --> 00:01:40,195 Speaker 1: but Republican moronic dishonesty and Republican laugh out loud, stupid dishonesty, 19 00:01:40,275 --> 00:01:43,795 Speaker 1: and he could not only cost Kevin McCarthy the House speakership, 20 00:01:44,035 --> 00:01:47,075 Speaker 1: but he might be able to first get McCarthy a 21 00:01:47,195 --> 00:01:53,035 Speaker 1: hamstrong speakership beholden to lunatics like himself, and he might 22 00:01:53,115 --> 00:01:58,875 Speaker 1: then be able to get McCarthy fired later because per Politico, 23 00:01:59,115 --> 00:02:02,915 Speaker 1: McCarthy support for the speakership vote will be so razor 24 00:02:03,035 --> 00:02:06,875 Speaker 1: thin that he will have to out to the Freedom Caucus. 25 00:02:06,955 --> 00:02:10,555 Speaker 1: And if Santos has to quit at some point, that 26 00:02:10,755 --> 00:02:13,755 Speaker 1: support will get thinner and thinner, and the Freedom Caucus 27 00:02:13,755 --> 00:02:16,675 Speaker 1: will be able to force McCarthy out the first time 28 00:02:16,715 --> 00:02:20,195 Speaker 1: he does not do what they want. And remember, the 29 00:02:20,275 --> 00:02:23,675 Speaker 1: Freedom Caucus does not exist to legislate nor even to 30 00:02:23,795 --> 00:02:29,235 Speaker 1: block democratic policy. It exists only to get its members reelected. 31 00:02:29,595 --> 00:02:33,755 Speaker 1: By keeping their supporters in a perpetual state of paranoid 32 00:02:33,875 --> 00:02:39,515 Speaker 1: xenophobic agitation between them, George Santos and the Freedom Caucus 33 00:02:39,515 --> 00:02:46,155 Speaker 1: can reduce the Republican House majority into purposeless, ineffective arguing chaos. 34 00:02:46,595 --> 00:02:53,555 Speaker 1: Thank you, lord, let me repeat my plea Democrats make 35 00:02:53,675 --> 00:02:58,075 Speaker 1: all the calls for santos resignation that your conscience or 36 00:02:58,155 --> 00:03:05,195 Speaker 1: your constituency demands, but nobody. Nobody is to file emotion 37 00:03:05,715 --> 00:03:09,475 Speaker 1: to prevent him from being seated in Congress next week. 38 00:03:10,115 --> 00:03:15,675 Speaker 1: Protect George Santos at all costs. I mean, think of 39 00:03:15,715 --> 00:03:18,355 Speaker 1: all we know about Santos that we did not know 40 00:03:18,515 --> 00:03:21,835 Speaker 1: twenty four hours ago, and think what this list will 41 00:03:21,875 --> 00:03:26,875 Speaker 1: look like by next week. Like George Santos claimed to 42 00:03:27,035 --> 00:03:33,475 Speaker 1: be black. July, he tweeted, MLK did not die for 43 00:03:33,595 --> 00:03:37,555 Speaker 1: us to go back to segregation. As a bi racial person, 44 00:03:37,915 --> 00:03:42,715 Speaker 1: I stand tall against segregation of any kind. A respondent asked, 45 00:03:42,795 --> 00:03:47,475 Speaker 1: without rancor, how are you by racial? There are three races, Black, Caucasian, Asian, 46 00:03:47,515 --> 00:03:52,315 Speaker 1: which two are you? On July six, Santos responded, Caucasian 47 00:03:52,995 --> 00:03:59,355 Speaker 1: and black unquote. Like George Santos hates those who are 48 00:03:59,395 --> 00:04:05,795 Speaker 1: compelled to dishonesty in public life, August tweeted all caps 49 00:04:05,955 --> 00:04:12,035 Speaker 1: Biden is a pathological liar. Like George Santos is opposed 50 00:04:12,075 --> 00:04:15,995 Speaker 1: to people posing as Republican candidates just to take and 51 00:04:16,115 --> 00:04:21,995 Speaker 1: make money. October nine, he tweeted, I'm tired of grifters 52 00:04:22,035 --> 00:04:25,835 Speaker 1: and frauds in politics. We need to get serious if 53 00:04:25,875 --> 00:04:30,595 Speaker 1: we are going to win in two like his mother's 54 00:04:30,635 --> 00:04:34,155 Speaker 1: family has lived in Brazil since the late eighteen hundreds 55 00:04:34,835 --> 00:04:39,675 Speaker 1: and she was also born there. But she was also 56 00:04:39,875 --> 00:04:44,595 Speaker 1: also born a white woman from Belgium who immigrated to 57 00:04:44,635 --> 00:04:49,955 Speaker 1: the United States. Like last week, I joked George Santos, 58 00:04:50,075 --> 00:04:52,835 Speaker 1: if that is your real name. Well, it turned out 59 00:04:52,835 --> 00:04:56,235 Speaker 1: he claimed his mother's real name was Zabrovsky, and there 60 00:04:56,315 --> 00:04:59,595 Speaker 1: is evidence he used the names Zabrovsky himself and fund 61 00:04:59,715 --> 00:05:04,675 Speaker 1: raised it off of it. Total fabrication. Apparently, like George, 62 00:05:04,675 --> 00:05:10,715 Speaker 1: George Santos is opposed to corruption. March, he tweeted, content 63 00:05:10,915 --> 00:05:14,035 Speaker 1: of character is what is important and what we need 64 00:05:14,035 --> 00:05:19,075 Speaker 1: to be teaching our children. Like speaking of teaching, he 65 00:05:19,115 --> 00:05:22,315 Speaker 1: didn't just lie about his college education. He lied about 66 00:05:22,355 --> 00:05:26,155 Speaker 1: his high school education. His parents quote sent me to 67 00:05:26,195 --> 00:05:28,995 Speaker 1: a good prep school, which was horrors Man Prep in 68 00:05:29,035 --> 00:05:32,435 Speaker 1: the Bronx, and in my senior year prep school, unfortunately 69 00:05:32,435 --> 00:05:35,315 Speaker 1: my parents fell on hard times. The first thing to 70 00:05:35,395 --> 00:05:39,795 Speaker 1: go was the prep school horrors Man, a rival school 71 00:05:39,835 --> 00:05:42,395 Speaker 1: of my own prep school, obviously not quite as good 72 00:05:42,435 --> 00:05:45,795 Speaker 1: as my own prep school, and as meticulous and bluntly, 73 00:05:46,195 --> 00:05:49,475 Speaker 1: righteously venomous about anybody who claimed to go there. When 74 00:05:49,475 --> 00:05:52,715 Speaker 1: they did not, as all the prep schools are horrors 75 00:05:52,795 --> 00:05:57,555 Speaker 1: man says conclusively, George Santos never went to horrors Man like. 76 00:05:58,195 --> 00:06:02,075 Speaker 1: While working at Goldman Sacks, he got up on quote 77 00:06:02,315 --> 00:06:06,715 Speaker 1: the stage at the largest private equity conference in the world, Salt, 78 00:06:07,115 --> 00:06:11,875 Speaker 1: run by Anthony Scaramucci, and he berated his employer, well, 79 00:06:11,915 --> 00:06:16,795 Speaker 1: I did that, just two problems there. Scaramucci confirmed Santos 80 00:06:16,875 --> 00:06:20,875 Speaker 1: never went to any SALT conference and of course criticizing 81 00:06:20,915 --> 00:06:26,235 Speaker 1: his employer, Santos never worked for Goldman Sachs Like. If 82 00:06:26,235 --> 00:06:30,635 Speaker 1: you want to attend his quote swearing in celebrations next Tuesday, 83 00:06:30,675 --> 00:06:33,195 Speaker 1: for a hundred dollars or five dollars for v I 84 00:06:33,275 --> 00:06:35,635 Speaker 1: P S. You get a round trip bus from New 85 00:06:35,715 --> 00:06:38,235 Speaker 1: York to Washington, you get a tour of the Capitol 86 00:06:38,275 --> 00:06:42,315 Speaker 1: grounds courtesy team Santos, and you get lunch. And the 87 00:06:42,435 --> 00:06:46,555 Speaker 1: date of the swearing in on the invitation is January three, 88 00:06:48,595 --> 00:06:53,475 Speaker 1: which is three sixty one days ago. And lastly, like 89 00:06:54,315 --> 00:06:58,035 Speaker 1: the Republican District Attorney investigating to see what crimes, if any, 90 00:06:58,075 --> 00:07:01,315 Speaker 1: Santos is actually committed, has since been joined by the 91 00:07:01,395 --> 00:07:05,755 Speaker 1: Queen's District Attorney. The New York State District attorney and 92 00:07:05,835 --> 00:07:08,955 Speaker 1: the U S attorney in Brooklyn who is apparently following 93 00:07:08,995 --> 00:07:12,555 Speaker 1: the money. I mean, at this rate, by next week 94 00:07:13,395 --> 00:07:17,355 Speaker 1: George Santos will be under investigation by the World Court 95 00:07:17,515 --> 00:07:22,595 Speaker 1: at the Hague. I cannot say this too many times. 96 00:07:23,355 --> 00:07:32,355 Speaker 1: Democrats leave Georgia alone. There is only one caveat to this, 97 00:07:32,635 --> 00:07:35,275 Speaker 1: and it is just as serious as I have not 98 00:07:35,435 --> 00:07:40,355 Speaker 1: been to this point. It is possible that George santos 99 00:07:40,475 --> 00:07:44,755 Speaker 1: drama ends tragically, or much more likely, it ends with 100 00:07:44,835 --> 00:07:48,595 Speaker 1: some evidence or at least some claim that George Santos 101 00:07:48,675 --> 00:07:53,835 Speaker 1: is not just the lying, manipulative, perfectly untrustworthy Republican, but 102 00:07:53,955 --> 00:07:59,795 Speaker 1: there is something literally, psychologically or emotionally wrong with him, 103 00:07:59,835 --> 00:08:02,995 Speaker 1: and he will make some statement recognizing that fact or 104 00:08:03,075 --> 00:08:08,035 Speaker 1: claiming it. For a week now, George Santos has made 105 00:08:08,075 --> 00:08:11,155 Speaker 1: me think of Brian Williams, and I have told you 106 00:08:11,195 --> 00:08:13,835 Speaker 1: before that I was actually at the New York Rangers 107 00:08:13,835 --> 00:08:18,275 Speaker 1: hockey game in the crowd, the game during which Brian 108 00:08:18,315 --> 00:08:23,275 Speaker 1: Williams self destructed the day he publicly took the story 109 00:08:23,275 --> 00:08:26,875 Speaker 1: of a scary but not directly life threatening experience during 110 00:08:26,915 --> 00:08:29,875 Speaker 1: the invasion of Iraq, where some helicopters that had flown 111 00:08:29,955 --> 00:08:33,115 Speaker 1: hours before his had been hit by fire, and over 112 00:08:33,155 --> 00:08:36,235 Speaker 1: a decade he had gradually inflated this story a little 113 00:08:36,235 --> 00:08:38,315 Speaker 1: bit here, and a little bit more there, and a 114 00:08:38,355 --> 00:08:42,115 Speaker 1: little bit even more than until the day finally arrived 115 00:08:42,155 --> 00:08:46,035 Speaker 1: at this hockey game in when Brian Williams had the 116 00:08:46,075 --> 00:08:49,955 Speaker 1: public address announcer tell of an Army sergeant major who 117 00:08:49,995 --> 00:08:53,795 Speaker 1: aided quote Brian Williams and his NBC news team after 118 00:08:53,875 --> 00:08:57,915 Speaker 1: their Chinook helicopter was hit and crippled by enemy fire. 119 00:08:59,355 --> 00:09:03,995 Speaker 1: There was no enemy fire, there was no hit. They 120 00:09:03,995 --> 00:09:08,155 Speaker 1: were an Iraq back. That was the tipping point at 121 00:09:08,195 --> 00:09:11,435 Speaker 1: which Iraq veterans began to complain about the lives of 122 00:09:11,435 --> 00:09:14,635 Speaker 1: Brian Williams, many of whom had known many of them 123 00:09:14,675 --> 00:09:18,435 Speaker 1: for many years. Williams would eventually be demoted from anchor 124 00:09:18,475 --> 00:09:22,355 Speaker 1: of NBC Nightly News to part timer at MSNBC, But 125 00:09:22,435 --> 00:09:25,475 Speaker 1: as somebody who had known him eighteen years by that point, 126 00:09:25,475 --> 00:09:28,755 Speaker 1: it was clear to me that Brian had something psychologically 127 00:09:28,795 --> 00:09:33,755 Speaker 1: wrong with him. I liked Brian. I wanted to help him. 128 00:09:33,795 --> 00:09:37,075 Speaker 1: He didn't have a lot of friends at NBC. I 129 00:09:37,115 --> 00:09:39,355 Speaker 1: wrote to one NBC executive who was still a friend 130 00:09:39,395 --> 00:09:42,595 Speaker 1: of mine, get him drunk, take him into his office, 131 00:09:42,835 --> 00:09:46,035 Speaker 1: scatter some empty liquor bottles all around, and then calling 132 00:09:46,075 --> 00:09:48,195 Speaker 1: the photographers from the New York Daily News in the 133 00:09:48,195 --> 00:09:51,555 Speaker 1: New York Post and explain Brian's gone to rehab. You 134 00:09:51,595 --> 00:09:54,315 Speaker 1: don't have to say anything else, because rehab is to 135 00:09:54,395 --> 00:09:57,195 Speaker 1: get out of jail free card of the twenty one century. 136 00:09:57,275 --> 00:09:59,675 Speaker 1: He comes back in a month and they will throw 137 00:09:59,715 --> 00:10:04,595 Speaker 1: a parade for him down Broadway. To a former boss 138 00:10:04,755 --> 00:10:07,955 Speaker 1: of mine still at NBC, I sent this email, put 139 00:10:08,035 --> 00:10:10,275 Speaker 1: him on tonight and at the start of nightly have 140 00:10:10,395 --> 00:10:13,995 Speaker 1: him say this, I'm taking a voluntary leave of absence 141 00:10:14,075 --> 00:10:17,595 Speaker 1: for filling the blank days, and during that time, the 142 00:10:17,715 --> 00:10:20,915 Speaker 1: entirety of my salary will be donated to any military 143 00:10:20,995 --> 00:10:23,475 Speaker 1: charity you can think of. Because while I did not 144 00:10:23,555 --> 00:10:27,115 Speaker 1: intend to exaggerate my experience Interack, being hit by small 145 00:10:27,235 --> 00:10:30,275 Speaker 1: arms fire is bad enough, being behind the helicopter that 146 00:10:30,315 --> 00:10:33,835 Speaker 1: got hit with an RPG is worse. Nevertheless, I did 147 00:10:34,035 --> 00:10:37,275 Speaker 1: exaggerate it, and a newsman cannot make a mistake like 148 00:10:37,395 --> 00:10:40,635 Speaker 1: that without consequences. Thank you for your forbearance. Now for 149 00:10:40,635 --> 00:10:44,435 Speaker 1: the rest of tonight's newscast, here is any other NBC 150 00:10:44,555 --> 00:10:49,035 Speaker 1: employees name here I added this PostScript. It was true 151 00:10:49,035 --> 00:10:52,755 Speaker 1: in Brian Williams, and it is true today for almost 152 00:10:52,755 --> 00:10:57,635 Speaker 1: anybody in this situation do this, and he could still 153 00:10:57,675 --> 00:11:03,195 Speaker 1: swerve out of this. It may seem far fetched that 154 00:11:03,315 --> 00:11:06,475 Speaker 1: a congressman elect to has lied about everything except for 155 00:11:06,515 --> 00:11:10,115 Speaker 1: the fact that his name is George, could also still 156 00:11:10,155 --> 00:11:14,435 Speaker 1: swerve out of this. But he could. There is a 157 00:11:14,475 --> 00:11:18,595 Speaker 1: faint warning bell in the story of the George Santos off. 158 00:11:19,515 --> 00:11:24,795 Speaker 1: He was Republican representative Douglas Stringfellow, of Utah War hero. 159 00:11:25,835 --> 00:11:29,675 Speaker 1: As The Washington Post noted, string Fellow rocketed from local 160 00:11:29,755 --> 00:11:33,595 Speaker 1: disc jockey to up and coming Republican star by explaining 161 00:11:33,635 --> 00:11:35,835 Speaker 1: he had been in the OSS during the war. The 162 00:11:35,835 --> 00:11:38,315 Speaker 1: predecessor to the c I a that he had gone 163 00:11:38,355 --> 00:11:41,915 Speaker 1: into Nazi Germany on a secret mission. He had captured 164 00:11:41,955 --> 00:11:45,235 Speaker 1: the physicist who was leading Hitler's effort to develop the 165 00:11:45,275 --> 00:11:49,275 Speaker 1: atomic bomb, which thus stopped the Nazis from getting nukes. 166 00:11:49,355 --> 00:11:53,275 Speaker 1: But he and the gang were captured. He was the 167 00:11:53,315 --> 00:11:56,075 Speaker 1: sole survivor of his unit. He was sent to a 168 00:11:56,115 --> 00:11:59,755 Speaker 1: concentration camp. They made him watch as they tortured his friends. 169 00:11:59,995 --> 00:12:03,755 Speaker 1: They shoved bamboo strips under his nails, then let them 170 00:12:03,795 --> 00:12:06,595 Speaker 1: on fire. Then they lit a pile of other people 171 00:12:06,675 --> 00:12:09,475 Speaker 1: on fire and made him run over the pile of them. 172 00:12:09,875 --> 00:12:12,915 Speaker 1: Then he escaped the concentration camp. And then when he 173 00:12:12,995 --> 00:12:16,035 Speaker 1: got home, just as the war was ending, he stepped 174 00:12:16,035 --> 00:12:18,675 Speaker 1: on a landmine and had to relearn how to walk. 175 00:12:20,875 --> 00:12:26,395 Speaker 1: The landmine part was true, the rest not so much. 176 00:12:27,835 --> 00:12:31,195 Speaker 1: None of it, and it would has proved that none 177 00:12:31,195 --> 00:12:35,075 Speaker 1: of it was true. String Fellow did not resign nor 178 00:12:35,155 --> 00:12:37,715 Speaker 1: give back any of the awards he'd been given, as 179 00:12:37,715 --> 00:12:41,275 Speaker 1: he told this war story again and again on his 180 00:12:41,395 --> 00:12:45,235 Speaker 1: campaign trail, and after he was elected after one term 181 00:12:45,235 --> 00:12:48,235 Speaker 1: in the House, the Republicans found somebody else and nominated 182 00:12:48,315 --> 00:12:52,635 Speaker 1: him instead. String Fellow fell into obscurity. He died in 183 00:12:52,715 --> 00:12:55,715 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty six at the age of just forty four, 184 00:12:56,155 --> 00:12:59,515 Speaker 1: and apart from the obvious tragedy of that half a 185 00:12:59,595 --> 00:13:04,355 Speaker 1: century later, relatives found the manuscript of an unpublished autobiography 186 00:13:04,395 --> 00:13:06,955 Speaker 1: string Fellow had written, in which he said that until 187 00:13:06,995 --> 00:13:12,475 Speaker 1: literally months before he was exposed, he truly believed all 188 00:13:12,515 --> 00:13:15,835 Speaker 1: of that nightmare had happened to him, right down to 189 00:13:15,915 --> 00:13:20,955 Speaker 1: walking over the pile of people being burned alive. String 190 00:13:21,035 --> 00:13:25,235 Speaker 1: Fellow wrote that the delusion must have formed in his 191 00:13:25,395 --> 00:13:32,435 Speaker 1: mind while he was hospitalized recovering from that serious landmine injury. 192 00:13:32,475 --> 00:13:36,755 Speaker 1: If the string Fellow story was happening today, he could 193 00:13:36,795 --> 00:13:42,435 Speaker 1: easily have been diagnosed with PTSD or a similar internal conflagration, 194 00:13:43,395 --> 00:13:45,835 Speaker 1: or if he didn't have anything really wrong with it, 195 00:13:46,275 --> 00:13:50,595 Speaker 1: he could have claimed it. I don't think any one 196 00:13:50,635 --> 00:13:54,795 Speaker 1: of us actually wishes George Santos any permanent harm, not 197 00:13:54,915 --> 00:13:57,715 Speaker 1: if there is a bona fide medical or physical or 198 00:13:57,755 --> 00:14:03,515 Speaker 1: emotional reason. He has been lying so extraordinarily thoroughly provided 199 00:14:03,515 --> 00:14:07,555 Speaker 1: he stops lying. But from the practical purposes of the 200 00:14:07,555 --> 00:14:11,115 Speaker 1: politics of the new year, of one party is trying 201 00:14:11,155 --> 00:14:14,515 Speaker 1: to destroy democracy, one party is trying to preserve it. 202 00:14:15,275 --> 00:14:19,755 Speaker 1: Strategy political strategy cannot be ignored here. And while it 203 00:14:19,795 --> 00:14:23,755 Speaker 1: would be great to see George Santos redeem himself later, 204 00:14:24,595 --> 00:14:29,355 Speaker 1: for now, we need him exactly where he is right now. 205 00:14:29,995 --> 00:14:34,435 Speaker 1: We need him to keep talking, We need him to 206 00:14:34,635 --> 00:14:39,475 Speaker 1: keep undermining the GOP and Kevin McCarthy, we need him 207 00:14:39,515 --> 00:14:45,435 Speaker 1: to keep lying, and we need to protect George Santos 208 00:14:45,475 --> 00:15:04,515 Speaker 1: at all costs. Still ahead, another commentary is your Lucky Day. 209 00:15:04,995 --> 00:15:07,835 Speaker 1: There is real meaning and a real strategic value in 210 00:15:07,835 --> 00:15:10,875 Speaker 1: the late interview transcript dumps from the January six committee, 211 00:15:11,075 --> 00:15:14,275 Speaker 1: like the one yesterday, And then there are the fun parts, 212 00:15:14,315 --> 00:15:16,795 Speaker 1: like Milania Trump complaining that the coup attempt met too 213 00:15:16,795 --> 00:15:18,915 Speaker 1: many meetings in the White House residence and she was 214 00:15:18,955 --> 00:15:21,555 Speaker 1: afraid Giuliani was gonna see her walking around in her 215 00:15:21,675 --> 00:15:28,595 Speaker 1: rob sports. The Greatest has died, hele in Memoriam Worst 216 00:15:28,835 --> 00:15:31,915 Speaker 1: arrested because of a pizza box in a video he 217 00:15:32,035 --> 00:15:36,435 Speaker 1: made to try to own credit Tunberg on Twitter at 218 00:15:36,475 --> 00:15:40,835 Speaker 1: its Fridays with James thurber All. That is NEXTUS discountdown. 219 00:15:51,315 --> 00:15:54,355 Speaker 1: In a world of rational people, the conspiracy theory that 220 00:15:54,475 --> 00:15:57,395 Speaker 1: January six was entirely the fault of some guy you've 221 00:15:57,435 --> 00:16:00,835 Speaker 1: never heard of named Ray Epps would have been put 222 00:16:00,875 --> 00:16:04,155 Speaker 1: to bed permanently with the latest release of under interview 223 00:16:04,195 --> 00:16:06,995 Speaker 1: transcrip yesterday by the House Committee. But this is not 224 00:16:07,035 --> 00:16:09,555 Speaker 1: a world of rational people. It's America in the waning 225 00:16:09,635 --> 00:16:14,755 Speaker 1: days of two and there are still Republicans. Epps was 226 00:16:14,795 --> 00:16:18,355 Speaker 1: in the Arizona cell of the oath Keepers, and he 227 00:16:18,475 --> 00:16:22,515 Speaker 1: is on video from January five telling Trump supporters to 228 00:16:22,675 --> 00:16:25,555 Speaker 1: go to the Capitol. Then when they all got there 229 00:16:25,595 --> 00:16:27,595 Speaker 1: the next day, he did not go into the Capitol. 230 00:16:28,035 --> 00:16:31,475 Speaker 1: He in fact offered to help police turn back the insurrectionists, 231 00:16:31,875 --> 00:16:34,515 Speaker 1: and he is on tape trying to talk people into 232 00:16:34,675 --> 00:16:39,035 Speaker 1: leaving the grounds. The January six committee report made no 233 00:16:39,155 --> 00:16:44,755 Speaker 1: mention of him for this. The right decided that ray 234 00:16:44,755 --> 00:16:47,715 Speaker 1: Epps was an FBI plant or Antifa, or part of 235 00:16:47,715 --> 00:16:52,115 Speaker 1: a breach team inciting the insurrection, or he works directly 236 00:16:52,195 --> 00:16:57,795 Speaker 1: for Emmanuel Goldstein. Tucker Carlson lunatic, who is incidentally in 237 00:16:57,835 --> 00:17:00,155 Speaker 1: one of those streets in which everything he touches dies 238 00:17:00,955 --> 00:17:04,275 Speaker 1: stay tuned for worse persons, insisted earlier this week that 239 00:17:04,355 --> 00:17:07,515 Speaker 1: the Ry six Committee failed because it did not send 240 00:17:07,555 --> 00:17:13,515 Speaker 1: a criminal referral about ray Epps. Congressman Thomas Massey, Lunatic, 241 00:17:13,875 --> 00:17:17,035 Speaker 1: accused the committee of failing to release the Epps deposition. 242 00:17:18,275 --> 00:17:21,835 Speaker 1: Then yesterday it released the Apps deposition. There is no 243 00:17:21,955 --> 00:17:26,635 Speaker 1: there there in the Epps deposition. The acam's Razor explanation 244 00:17:26,755 --> 00:17:30,035 Speaker 1: is not just obvious but correct. Apps, like dozens of 245 00:17:30,075 --> 00:17:33,595 Speaker 1: those who were charged criminally in the attempted coup, testified 246 00:17:33,675 --> 00:17:37,195 Speaker 1: under oath that he thought the capital was going to 247 00:17:37,235 --> 00:17:40,595 Speaker 1: be open to the public on January six. Now, this 248 00:17:40,675 --> 00:17:44,795 Speaker 1: might have been a dumb conclusion, but dumb conclusions are 249 00:17:44,835 --> 00:17:48,275 Speaker 1: not criminal. When it turned out the capital was not open, 250 00:17:48,435 --> 00:17:52,915 Speaker 1: he bailed out, quoting his deposition, I saw people crawling 251 00:17:52,955 --> 00:17:55,475 Speaker 1: all over the Capitol, climbing the walls. It made me 252 00:17:55,555 --> 00:17:58,715 Speaker 1: kind of ill to my stomach. It had gone beyond 253 00:17:58,795 --> 00:18:02,355 Speaker 1: to what I wanted it to be. They hijacked this cause. 254 00:18:02,715 --> 00:18:05,275 Speaker 1: When they hijacked it and it turned the way, all 255 00:18:05,355 --> 00:18:10,475 Speaker 1: credibility was lost. He also testified under oath that the 256 00:18:10,555 --> 00:18:13,315 Speaker 1: only time he has ever worked for the government was 257 00:18:13,355 --> 00:18:18,315 Speaker 1: when he was in the Marines. Case closed, not that 258 00:18:18,395 --> 00:18:22,715 Speaker 1: any of them will believe Case closed. Epps Is testimony 259 00:18:22,755 --> 00:18:26,155 Speaker 1: is important. It underscores the madness and the complete hypocrisy 260 00:18:26,195 --> 00:18:30,435 Speaker 1: of the January six insurrections, and more importantly, their rationalizations. 261 00:18:30,555 --> 00:18:33,275 Speaker 1: They had to do it for America in seventeen seventy six, 262 00:18:33,275 --> 00:18:35,875 Speaker 1: and Trump won and stopped the steel and this is 263 00:18:35,915 --> 00:18:38,315 Speaker 1: our house and where's Dancy? But it was all false 264 00:18:38,355 --> 00:18:46,635 Speaker 1: flag so the government could arrest somebody or something. I'm 265 00:18:46,635 --> 00:18:48,955 Speaker 1: still not sure. Ray Epps is my favorite part of 266 00:18:48,955 --> 00:18:52,955 Speaker 1: the latest transcript dump. There is Stephanie Grisham insisting Milania 267 00:18:52,995 --> 00:18:56,075 Speaker 1: Trump was pissed about the constant coop meetings being held 268 00:18:56,115 --> 00:18:59,435 Speaker 1: inside the White House residential areas, because that meant Sidney 269 00:18:59,475 --> 00:19:03,515 Speaker 1: Powell or Rudy Giuliani might suddenly appear in her personal space. 270 00:19:04,235 --> 00:19:07,675 Speaker 1: Quoting Grisham, she was very upset because nobody would give 271 00:19:07,675 --> 00:19:10,115 Speaker 1: her a heads up and was she walking around in 272 00:19:10,115 --> 00:19:14,635 Speaker 1: a robe? That kind of thing, speaking of partially undressed, 273 00:19:14,675 --> 00:19:17,355 Speaker 1: There was this question, but I do want to ask you, 274 00:19:17,395 --> 00:19:22,235 Speaker 1: do you know somebody named Ali Akbar Kimberly Gilfoyle. Answer 275 00:19:23,035 --> 00:19:27,235 Speaker 1: is that what terrorists yell Ali Akbar? Now I think 276 00:19:27,275 --> 00:19:29,835 Speaker 1: it is am I wrong. I do not know anyone 277 00:19:29,955 --> 00:19:36,035 Speaker 1: named Allah Akbar. Question, there's an individual named Ali Akbar 278 00:19:36,115 --> 00:19:40,515 Speaker 1: who goes by Ali Alexander. Kimberly Gilfoyle. I've heard of 279 00:19:40,555 --> 00:19:44,835 Speaker 1: Ali Alexander. God, what a dope and a voice on 280 00:19:44,955 --> 00:19:48,835 Speaker 1: her like the public address system at Yankee Stadium only 281 00:19:48,995 --> 00:19:52,835 Speaker 1: louder I met her in two thousand five or so 282 00:19:53,035 --> 00:19:57,035 Speaker 1: at MSNBC when Dan Abrams was trying to hire her 283 00:19:57,075 --> 00:19:59,835 Speaker 1: to be his guest host. Yeah, that's what he was 284 00:19:59,835 --> 00:20:01,995 Speaker 1: trying to do with her. And it was amazing that 285 00:20:02,035 --> 00:20:08,755 Speaker 1: she consistently remembers to breathe anyway. On a meta level, 286 00:20:08,795 --> 00:20:11,995 Speaker 1: there is one question lurking behind yesterday's transcript, dumped on 287 00:20:12,115 --> 00:20:14,635 Speaker 1: all the other releases of the last ten days from 288 00:20:14,635 --> 00:20:18,195 Speaker 1: this committee. What kinds of idiots release an investigation into 289 00:20:18,195 --> 00:20:21,075 Speaker 1: the worst domestic terrorist attack in our history, the most 290 00:20:21,115 --> 00:20:24,155 Speaker 1: heinous attempt to subvert freedom in our history, the most 291 00:20:24,195 --> 00:20:27,315 Speaker 1: threatening attack on democracy in our history? What kinds of 292 00:20:27,355 --> 00:20:31,155 Speaker 1: idiots do that at ten pm on the Thursday before 293 00:20:31,235 --> 00:20:36,035 Speaker 1: Christmas as a nationwide snow calamity looms, And what kinds 294 00:20:36,035 --> 00:20:39,035 Speaker 1: of idiots follow that up by releasing the final transcripts 295 00:20:39,035 --> 00:20:41,595 Speaker 1: of the interviews for their investigations at five pm on 296 00:20:41,635 --> 00:20:44,875 Speaker 1: the Friday before Christmas, and then during the week before 297 00:20:44,995 --> 00:20:49,835 Speaker 1: New Year's I have spent a week fuming about this 298 00:20:50,275 --> 00:20:53,715 Speaker 1: and raging about this, and wondering how Liz Cheney and 299 00:20:53,795 --> 00:20:56,315 Speaker 1: Benny Thompson and Jamie Raskin led us down at the 300 00:20:56,315 --> 00:20:58,995 Speaker 1: final moment, And after long and painful thought, I think 301 00:20:58,995 --> 00:21:02,955 Speaker 1: I have the answer. What kinds of idiots do this? Really? 302 00:21:03,355 --> 00:21:10,555 Speaker 1: Really smart idiots? Consider the most extraordinary of all the 303 00:21:10,595 --> 00:21:14,515 Speaker 1: recommendations by the House Select Committee on January six is 304 00:21:14,555 --> 00:21:17,715 Speaker 1: not the set of criminal referrals, not the play by 305 00:21:17,875 --> 00:21:21,875 Speaker 1: play of Trump's sedition, not the damning documentation of a 306 00:21:21,955 --> 00:21:25,715 Speaker 1: thousand criminals who should spend the lives rotting in prison 307 00:21:25,755 --> 00:21:30,155 Speaker 1: for their perfidy and betrayal. Those things are invaluable, but 308 00:21:30,235 --> 00:21:33,555 Speaker 1: they are surprising only in some details and some specifics. 309 00:21:34,275 --> 00:21:38,875 Speaker 1: The most extraordinary thing this committee did comes on page 310 00:21:38,955 --> 00:21:43,875 Speaker 1: seven sixteen of its final report. Quote. The Committee believes 311 00:21:44,435 --> 00:21:46,835 Speaker 1: that those who took an oath to protect and defend 312 00:21:46,875 --> 00:21:50,915 Speaker 1: the Constitution and then on January six engaged in insurrection 313 00:21:51,275 --> 00:21:55,915 Speaker 1: can appropriately be disqualified and barred from holding government office, 314 00:21:56,155 --> 00:22:00,235 Speaker 1: whether federal or state, civilian or military, absent at least 315 00:22:00,275 --> 00:22:04,075 Speaker 1: two thirds of Congress acting to remove the disability pursuant 316 00:22:04,075 --> 00:22:10,075 Speaker 1: to Section three of the Fourteenth Amendment, permanently barred from 317 00:22:10,075 --> 00:22:15,035 Speaker 1: getting public office. Of course, that's correct, and the committee 318 00:22:15,035 --> 00:22:17,915 Speaker 1: members are hardly the first call to invoke the insurrection 319 00:22:17,955 --> 00:22:20,435 Speaker 1: clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Some of us called for 320 00:22:20,435 --> 00:22:23,915 Speaker 1: it on the night of January. But to see this 321 00:22:23,995 --> 00:22:27,475 Speaker 1: in a congressional report is different than in any other 322 00:22:27,555 --> 00:22:31,275 Speaker 1: context that could be imagined, except in a criminal indictment. 323 00:22:31,875 --> 00:22:35,675 Speaker 1: And yet, at the same time, invoking the Fourteenth Amendment 324 00:22:35,875 --> 00:22:39,555 Speaker 1: in a congressional report is like juggling nitro glycerin and 325 00:22:39,675 --> 00:22:44,875 Speaker 1: dynamite at the same time. Of course, any report containing 326 00:22:44,875 --> 00:22:47,395 Speaker 1: it had to be released virtually in the middle of 327 00:22:47,435 --> 00:22:49,075 Speaker 1: the night, in the middle of the holiday, in the 328 00:22:49,075 --> 00:22:51,675 Speaker 1: middle of the transition from a democratic Congress through a 329 00:22:51,715 --> 00:22:55,635 Speaker 1: Republican one. To do it earlier would have actually risked 330 00:22:56,075 --> 00:22:59,835 Speaker 1: handing the antidemocracy forces of foot in this nation a 331 00:22:59,955 --> 00:23:04,595 Speaker 1: legislative victory. It would have been ideal if a wreck 332 00:23:04,675 --> 00:23:07,835 Speaker 1: inmendation about the fourteenth Amendment had come at any point, saying, 333 00:23:10,275 --> 00:23:13,915 Speaker 1: but even then the risk would have been tangible. Say 334 00:23:13,915 --> 00:23:18,035 Speaker 1: the committee had reported not at Christmas but at Thanksgiving 335 00:23:18,195 --> 00:23:21,515 Speaker 1: or Halloween, and the House had acted on a bill, 336 00:23:22,075 --> 00:23:24,555 Speaker 1: say the one later introduced by the Rhode Island Congress 337 00:23:24,595 --> 00:23:28,035 Speaker 1: and David Cicillini, and actually voted to bar Trump from 338 00:23:28,075 --> 00:23:31,275 Speaker 1: seeking further office, or Trump and Meadows or Trump and 339 00:23:31,355 --> 00:23:35,955 Speaker 1: Meadows and everybody else. Release that finding in April or 340 00:23:36,075 --> 00:23:39,555 Speaker 1: June or September, and the political pressure to pass a bill, 341 00:23:40,515 --> 00:23:43,435 Speaker 1: and since the means of enforcing the fourteenth Amendment are unclear, 342 00:23:43,875 --> 00:23:47,675 Speaker 1: probably just a symbolic bill, the pressure to do that 343 00:23:47,715 --> 00:23:51,875 Speaker 1: would have been unbearable on the Democrats. And what then, 344 00:23:52,515 --> 00:23:55,675 Speaker 1: when the Republicans took control of the House, they are 345 00:23:55,755 --> 00:23:59,035 Speaker 1: already bent on perverting the January six committee itself into 346 00:23:59,115 --> 00:24:03,395 Speaker 1: some assina smear against Nancy Pelosi or farcical defense of 347 00:24:03,435 --> 00:24:07,475 Speaker 1: the trader Trump. What if they had repealed some House 348 00:24:07,555 --> 00:24:10,355 Speaker 1: action invoking the fourteenth Amendment. What if they had passed 349 00:24:10,635 --> 00:24:14,835 Speaker 1: new legislation superseding the recommendation to go for the fourteenth Amendment. 350 00:24:14,875 --> 00:24:17,675 Speaker 1: What if, since the Republican party platform is to see 351 00:24:17,755 --> 00:24:22,115 Speaker 1: legitimate grievances and legal actions taken by Democrats and create 352 00:24:22,195 --> 00:24:25,395 Speaker 1: false fun house mirror versions of them with which to 353 00:24:25,435 --> 00:24:29,635 Speaker 1: attack Democrats, what if Republicans introduced a measure to bar 354 00:24:29,875 --> 00:24:34,755 Speaker 1: Nancy Pelosi or anybody else from public service on some 355 00:24:34,795 --> 00:24:38,795 Speaker 1: specious claim of violation of the Fourteenth on January six 356 00:24:38,835 --> 00:24:44,475 Speaker 1: two one. I have never before accepted the argument that 357 00:24:44,515 --> 00:24:48,595 Speaker 1: we should not act because the fascist bullies might then retaliate. 358 00:24:48,995 --> 00:24:53,155 Speaker 1: There bullies retaliation is all they know. But in this case, 359 00:24:53,155 --> 00:24:55,675 Speaker 1: would it really have been better to have actually passed 360 00:24:56,195 --> 00:24:59,875 Speaker 1: an anti Trump fourteenth Amendment piece of legislation only to 361 00:24:59,995 --> 00:25:02,315 Speaker 1: see it undone by the Republicans a month or two 362 00:25:02,315 --> 00:25:04,675 Speaker 1: months later? Would it really have been better to see 363 00:25:04,675 --> 00:25:07,915 Speaker 1: then be able to hold up a past bill and 364 00:25:07,995 --> 00:25:10,995 Speaker 1: portray it not as the cynical manipulation it would have been, 365 00:25:11,115 --> 00:25:13,995 Speaker 1: but as some kind of triumphant defense of the law 366 00:25:14,515 --> 00:25:19,995 Speaker 1: and triumphant defense of Trump. I think the Committee, in 367 00:25:20,035 --> 00:25:23,795 Speaker 1: the context of the timeline we and they are actually 368 00:25:23,835 --> 00:25:27,235 Speaker 1: stuck in. I think the Committee waited until its recommendation 369 00:25:27,315 --> 00:25:30,075 Speaker 1: could not be acted on in the House so that 370 00:25:30,195 --> 00:25:34,275 Speaker 1: it could not be reacted against in a coming Republican House, 371 00:25:34,755 --> 00:25:37,675 Speaker 1: thus reducing it to a political football and rendering its 372 00:25:37,715 --> 00:25:43,395 Speaker 1: meaning shallow, if not entirely empty. As it is, the 373 00:25:43,435 --> 00:25:46,195 Speaker 1: recommendation about the fourteenth Amendment and everything else in that 374 00:25:46,275 --> 00:25:51,315 Speaker 1: final report goes intact into the political atmosphere, into the 375 00:25:51,395 --> 00:25:55,315 Speaker 1: historical record, and into the lapse of the Department of Justice, 376 00:25:55,915 --> 00:25:59,275 Speaker 1: which still has at least two years to seek indictments 377 00:25:59,275 --> 00:26:04,275 Speaker 1: and convictions that cannot be overturned by Republican sabotage. The 378 00:26:04,315 --> 00:26:07,475 Speaker 1: report itself is now fixed in time. The Republicans can 379 00:26:07,555 --> 00:26:10,795 Speaker 1: assail it, they can complain about it, they can campaign 380 00:26:10,955 --> 00:26:15,235 Speaker 1: on it. But even such transparent con men as Congressman 381 00:26:15,355 --> 00:26:18,515 Speaker 1: James Comer of Kentucky have said they have no plans 382 00:26:18,555 --> 00:26:21,515 Speaker 1: to investigate the committee or its report, which is a 383 00:26:21,555 --> 00:26:25,955 Speaker 1: Republican one eighty from before the elections. That I think 384 00:26:26,075 --> 00:26:29,195 Speaker 1: is why the timing was so weird and so initially disturbing. 385 00:26:29,755 --> 00:26:35,955 Speaker 1: Sneak the document out intact. Your audience is history and 386 00:26:36,315 --> 00:26:41,355 Speaker 1: special counsel Jack Smith. The post report release of the 387 00:26:41,435 --> 00:26:44,395 Speaker 1: last depositions, that's a little harder to suss out, But 388 00:26:44,435 --> 00:26:46,715 Speaker 1: I suspect there was method to this madness as well. 389 00:26:47,195 --> 00:26:51,155 Speaker 1: What Bar and Chow and Ivanka Trump and many others 390 00:26:51,195 --> 00:26:56,315 Speaker 1: said in them actually seems almost responsible and patriotic, almost 391 00:26:56,355 --> 00:27:01,795 Speaker 1: reflects well on the Party of Insurrection. Pats Zippoloni and 392 00:27:01,875 --> 00:27:04,595 Speaker 1: others wrote a note card and over a span of 393 00:27:04,715 --> 00:27:07,435 Speaker 1: three hours, repeatedly handed it to Trump, urging him to 394 00:27:07,475 --> 00:27:10,555 Speaker 1: say or tweet what was on it, namely, anyone who 395 00:27:10,675 --> 00:27:14,275 Speaker 1: entered the Capitol illegally should leave immediately, and he refused. 396 00:27:15,475 --> 00:27:18,355 Speaker 1: Bar says Mitch McConnell, called him right after the election 397 00:27:18,395 --> 00:27:21,715 Speaker 1: and hopes that he bar would tamp down Trump's rumors 398 00:27:21,715 --> 00:27:25,755 Speaker 1: and conspiracy theories. If Anka, says Susan Collins, actually called 399 00:27:25,755 --> 00:27:29,115 Speaker 1: her mid insurrection in hopes she could get her father 400 00:27:29,195 --> 00:27:31,355 Speaker 1: to stop it. I mean, you read that and you 401 00:27:31,395 --> 00:27:35,755 Speaker 1: think January six was actually so serious. Even Susan Collins noticed, 402 00:27:37,755 --> 00:27:41,915 Speaker 1: maybe like burying the call to utilize the fourteenth Amendment. 403 00:27:42,195 --> 00:27:45,315 Speaker 1: Maybe there is more strategy that pertains to those depositions 404 00:27:45,315 --> 00:27:48,515 Speaker 1: that I cannot see. Maybe not, but they did little 405 00:27:48,595 --> 00:27:51,595 Speaker 1: damage to those around Trump, And once again it may 406 00:27:51,755 --> 00:27:54,675 Speaker 1: just have been a case of slip this stuff out 407 00:27:54,715 --> 00:27:57,875 Speaker 1: to the public and the historical record before the Republicans 408 00:27:57,915 --> 00:28:03,355 Speaker 1: take over and burn bag all of it. With this 409 00:28:03,435 --> 00:28:05,995 Speaker 1: past week to think of about it, beyond suggesting the 410 00:28:06,035 --> 00:28:08,515 Speaker 1: wrath of the fourteenth Amendment, I don't see any new 411 00:28:08,555 --> 00:28:11,675 Speaker 1: big picture implications for the January six Committee report that 412 00:28:11,715 --> 00:28:14,715 Speaker 1: we all had not seen previously. There are the Max 413 00:28:14,755 --> 00:28:18,275 Speaker 1: Miller quotes that on January four, Trump did he indeed 414 00:28:18,315 --> 00:28:21,755 Speaker 1: suggest bringing in ten thousand National Guardsmen not to protect 415 00:28:21,755 --> 00:28:24,995 Speaker 1: the capital from his thugs, but to escort and protect 416 00:28:25,155 --> 00:28:28,715 Speaker 1: him and those thugs as they all went to the capital, 417 00:28:29,115 --> 00:28:32,635 Speaker 1: and to guard them from left winger counter protesters, you know, 418 00:28:33,075 --> 00:28:37,595 Speaker 1: the invisible ones that never appeared. Ryan Goodman from the 419 00:28:37,635 --> 00:28:41,795 Speaker 1: website Just Security says he found one smoking gun. It 420 00:28:41,875 --> 00:28:45,915 Speaker 1: was known that Trump had called Ronald McDaniel, the RNC chairperson, 421 00:28:46,395 --> 00:28:48,955 Speaker 1: and then put John Eastman on the phone with her, 422 00:28:49,035 --> 00:28:53,035 Speaker 1: and Eastman told McDaniel, we want you to organize this 423 00:28:53,115 --> 00:28:57,795 Speaker 1: fake collector's scheme. Now, Goodman notes there is sworn testimony 424 00:28:57,875 --> 00:29:00,995 Speaker 1: that McDaniel then called Trump back and said, quote, I 425 00:29:01,195 --> 00:29:09,075 Speaker 1: accept your request, not Eastman's, but Trump's request. There was 426 00:29:09,115 --> 00:29:11,755 Speaker 1: one detail that should be a career ender for a reporter. 427 00:29:12,235 --> 00:29:15,635 Speaker 1: It certainly will not be. Cassidy Hutchinson worries to her 428 00:29:15,675 --> 00:29:20,635 Speaker 1: first attorney, Stephen Passantino, that Maggie Haberman knows that she 429 00:29:20,755 --> 00:29:23,955 Speaker 1: had testified to the committee. Don't worry, says the man 430 00:29:23,995 --> 00:29:27,555 Speaker 1: who had been Trump's White House ethics attorney. Maggie's friendly 431 00:29:27,635 --> 00:29:31,515 Speaker 1: to us, will be fine. Where I running the New 432 00:29:31,595 --> 00:29:33,875 Speaker 1: York Times and read that I would have fired Maggie 433 00:29:33,915 --> 00:29:36,795 Speaker 1: Hayberman on the spot, of course, where I running the 434 00:29:36,795 --> 00:29:38,875 Speaker 1: New York Times, I would have fired Maggie Hayreman in 435 00:29:38,915 --> 00:29:44,035 Speaker 1: two thousand sixteen, different decade, different Judith Miller, same lack 436 00:29:44,075 --> 00:29:48,795 Speaker 1: of integrity. So on the meta level, the January six 437 00:29:48,795 --> 00:29:51,235 Speaker 1: Committee probably got the most out of its material over 438 00:29:51,275 --> 00:29:54,355 Speaker 1: the summer and by the strategy of holding back the 439 00:29:54,355 --> 00:29:57,955 Speaker 1: fourteenth Amendment proposal so it could not be turned against democracy. 440 00:29:58,195 --> 00:30:01,395 Speaker 1: But unstated and transcending all of this is one truth 441 00:30:01,435 --> 00:30:04,075 Speaker 1: about the Committee's report that is so simple that it 442 00:30:04,195 --> 00:30:09,515 Speaker 1: can be easily missed. The report's greatest value is this. 443 00:30:10,355 --> 00:30:15,555 Speaker 1: It is an endless sequence of dueling gloves to be 444 00:30:15,715 --> 00:30:19,955 Speaker 1: taken off and theatrically slapped against the face of Jack Smith, 445 00:30:20,155 --> 00:30:23,595 Speaker 1: the face of Merrick Garland, and the face of the 446 00:30:23,675 --> 00:30:27,635 Speaker 1: rest of the Department of Justice. And the slap simply 447 00:30:27,715 --> 00:30:33,515 Speaker 1: is this, We demand you indict Trump, and do it fast, 448 00:30:34,435 --> 00:30:52,035 Speaker 1: and do it hard. This is Sports Center. Wait, check 449 00:30:52,075 --> 00:31:00,715 Speaker 1: that not anymore. This is Countdown with Keith Alberman in Sports. 450 00:31:00,875 --> 00:31:03,435 Speaker 1: The concern and the sense of crisis during the World 451 00:31:03,635 --> 00:31:09,235 Speaker 1: Soccer Cups Adley was warranted. Edson Arantes Dona Cimento died 452 00:31:09,275 --> 00:31:13,915 Speaker 1: in Brazil yesterday, age two, complications and advancements of colon cancer. 453 00:31:14,995 --> 00:31:18,755 Speaker 1: Pele the greatest player in the history of soccer football worldwide. 454 00:31:19,715 --> 00:31:23,035 Speaker 1: You know that, you know the statistic and sixty seven 455 00:31:23,075 --> 00:31:27,595 Speaker 1: professional games and eighty three goals, seventy seven goals for 456 00:31:27,715 --> 00:31:32,315 Speaker 1: his national team, three World Cups for Brazil. The beautiful smile, 457 00:31:32,995 --> 00:31:38,195 Speaker 1: the constant salesmanship of the beautiful game in the multinational grief. 458 00:31:38,235 --> 00:31:41,835 Speaker 1: You are not seeing much about what made Palis so great. 459 00:31:42,955 --> 00:31:44,955 Speaker 1: I am not an expert on this sport, but I 460 00:31:44,995 --> 00:31:46,715 Speaker 1: did play it in school, and I don't think his 461 00:31:46,755 --> 00:31:50,475 Speaker 1: brilliance was difficult really to assess. Pele was an acrobat, 462 00:31:50,875 --> 00:31:53,555 Speaker 1: the way Michael Jordan could shoot a basketball with perfect 463 00:31:53,555 --> 00:31:56,675 Speaker 1: accuracy even if neither of his feet was anywhere near 464 00:31:56,715 --> 00:32:00,995 Speaker 1: the floor. Pell was like that, only with every part 465 00:32:01,075 --> 00:32:06,395 Speaker 1: of his body airborne horizontal. Well then, just as scissors 466 00:32:06,515 --> 00:32:08,875 Speaker 1: kicked back over his own head and the goalie frozen 467 00:32:08,915 --> 00:32:10,915 Speaker 1: in horror as it hit the back of the net 468 00:32:10,955 --> 00:32:16,435 Speaker 1: behind him on the ground, Pelee had even better body control. 469 00:32:16,475 --> 00:32:19,515 Speaker 1: He could start and stop and start again, or fake 470 00:32:19,595 --> 00:32:21,515 Speaker 1: left and go right around a defender, at all the 471 00:32:21,555 --> 00:32:24,555 Speaker 1: while dribbling the ball with his foot. Some people have 472 00:32:24,715 --> 00:32:28,435 Speaker 1: done these things once or twice in a lifetime. He 473 00:32:28,475 --> 00:32:32,955 Speaker 1: did them once or twice every game. His time in 474 00:32:33,195 --> 00:32:36,035 Speaker 1: this country is not the key part of his story, 475 00:32:36,075 --> 00:32:39,355 Speaker 1: but it is important to remember. In the hours here 476 00:32:39,395 --> 00:32:43,995 Speaker 1: after his passing, he retired at age thirty four in Brazil, 477 00:32:44,635 --> 00:32:48,275 Speaker 1: and was promptly talked into coming out of retirement by, 478 00:32:48,315 --> 00:32:53,755 Speaker 1: in no particular order, the Brazilian government. Henry Kissinger and 479 00:32:53,915 --> 00:32:57,475 Speaker 1: executives of the New York Cosmos and the North American 480 00:32:57,515 --> 00:33:01,155 Speaker 1: Soccer League. Professional soccer had existed in this country for 481 00:33:01,275 --> 00:33:05,275 Speaker 1: eight years, and it was notable only for Kird breaking 482 00:33:05,275 --> 00:33:10,715 Speaker 1: totals of empty seats. The Cosmos played in Downing Stadium 483 00:33:10,755 --> 00:33:13,635 Speaker 1: on Randall's Island, which is about four thirty acres in 484 00:33:13,675 --> 00:33:15,475 Speaker 1: the middle of the East River. Only it don't have 485 00:33:15,635 --> 00:33:20,235 Speaker 1: water on it. It's most famous feature is support statins 486 00:33:20,275 --> 00:33:26,235 Speaker 1: for New York's Triboro Bridge. As of the morning of June, 487 00:33:26,235 --> 00:33:30,995 Speaker 1: the Cosmos record in the little stadium there on Randall's Island. 488 00:33:31,515 --> 00:33:36,915 Speaker 1: The record crowd was six thousand that day. With pell 489 00:33:37,195 --> 00:33:39,915 Speaker 1: added to their roster, they put eighteen thousand in the 490 00:33:39,995 --> 00:33:44,915 Speaker 1: stands somehow, and ABC televised the game nationally, and within 491 00:33:44,955 --> 00:33:46,915 Speaker 1: a year the Cosmos were playing not in the middle 492 00:33:46,915 --> 00:33:50,675 Speaker 1: of East River. They were playing at Giants Stadium, where 493 00:33:50,675 --> 00:33:54,035 Speaker 1: a seven playoff game in a thunderstorm with Pela on 494 00:33:54,115 --> 00:33:59,715 Speaker 1: the Cosmos through seventy seven thousand fans. Two years earlier, 495 00:33:59,755 --> 00:34:03,675 Speaker 1: the record had been six thousand when he retired from 496 00:34:03,715 --> 00:34:06,595 Speaker 1: the Cosmos and four good On October one of that year, 497 00:34:06,915 --> 00:34:09,275 Speaker 1: he played the first half of a game for his 498 00:34:09,355 --> 00:34:12,795 Speaker 1: Brazilian team Santos, and they played the second half of 499 00:34:12,875 --> 00:34:16,915 Speaker 1: his American team at Cosmos that game, which mattered nothing 500 00:34:16,915 --> 00:34:20,555 Speaker 1: in any standings anywhere. That game drew seventy five thousand. 501 00:34:21,875 --> 00:34:26,555 Speaker 1: The enormous crowds did not outlast Peal's time here, but 502 00:34:26,675 --> 00:34:29,795 Speaker 1: they showed what soccer could do in America and could 503 00:34:29,915 --> 00:34:33,715 Speaker 1: yet do. And if the sport ever gets anywhere near 504 00:34:33,795 --> 00:34:38,235 Speaker 1: that big here, somebody better name a stadium after him 505 00:34:38,355 --> 00:34:55,675 Speaker 1: or maybe twelve of them. Still ahead Fridays with Thurber 506 00:34:55,755 --> 00:34:59,315 Speaker 1: maybe his most famous story, certainly the most reprinted one 507 00:34:59,315 --> 00:35:02,795 Speaker 1: in books everywhere. The Night the Bed fell First, the 508 00:35:02,835 --> 00:35:05,795 Speaker 1: daily roundup of the misgriants, morons and dunning Kruger effect 509 00:35:05,795 --> 00:35:11,715 Speaker 1: specimens who constitute today's worst prisons in the world. The 510 00:35:11,795 --> 00:35:14,195 Speaker 1: Bronze to the New York Times once again. The Times 511 00:35:14,275 --> 00:35:17,235 Speaker 1: is absolutely intent on turning every mouse into an elephant, 512 00:35:17,235 --> 00:35:20,035 Speaker 1: and every elephant into a mouse. As you may know, 513 00:35:20,275 --> 00:35:24,595 Speaker 1: nearly a year ago Russia invaded Ukraine. It is now 514 00:35:24,635 --> 00:35:28,315 Speaker 1: trying to destroy Ukraine's power infrastructure in hopes of freezing 515 00:35:28,395 --> 00:35:32,115 Speaker 1: Ukraine's population to death. The Times headline on this topic 516 00:35:32,715 --> 00:35:36,835 Speaker 1: hardline positions by Russia and Ukraine. Dim hope for peace 517 00:35:36,875 --> 00:35:43,235 Speaker 1: talks quite intransigent those Ukrainians, that hardline position, demanding Russia 518 00:35:43,315 --> 00:35:45,435 Speaker 1: not try to destroy them and kill all their people. 519 00:35:46,075 --> 00:35:49,835 Speaker 1: But wait, there's more. Same issue of the newspaper, Times headline, 520 00:35:50,235 --> 00:35:52,635 Speaker 1: George Santos is in a class of his own, but 521 00:35:52,835 --> 00:35:56,315 Speaker 1: other politicians have embellished their resumes too. Well, if he's 522 00:35:56,315 --> 00:35:58,875 Speaker 1: in a class of his own, why are you equating 523 00:35:58,955 --> 00:36:03,195 Speaker 1: him to those who are not in a class of 524 00:36:03,275 --> 00:36:08,955 Speaker 1: his own? That's what class his own means. It's both sides. 525 00:36:09,115 --> 00:36:12,155 Speaker 1: Is hum? What about is um? And the destination point 526 00:36:12,195 --> 00:36:15,915 Speaker 1: here is to preserve the Times. Access journalism of the 527 00:36:15,915 --> 00:36:20,515 Speaker 1: worst order. Speaking of access journalism, the runners up we 528 00:36:20,555 --> 00:36:24,075 Speaker 1: have a team, Ryan Lizza of Politico and Olivia Newsy 529 00:36:24,155 --> 00:36:26,475 Speaker 1: of New York Magazine. Anyway, that's how she pronounced it. 530 00:36:26,515 --> 00:36:29,715 Speaker 1: When I knew her, it might be NEWTSI or Nuzzy. 531 00:36:31,195 --> 00:36:33,595 Speaker 1: One thing I know, she can't make up her mind news. 532 00:36:33,635 --> 00:36:36,395 Speaker 1: He was once a promising political writer, but has developed 533 00:36:36,395 --> 00:36:43,035 Speaker 1: into an access journalist. She recently published a long, really 534 00:36:43,075 --> 00:36:46,515 Speaker 1: long piece on Trump that got absolutely no pick up anywhere, 535 00:36:46,795 --> 00:36:51,795 Speaker 1: even after Trump complained about it and attacked News He's looks. 536 00:36:51,795 --> 00:36:54,675 Speaker 1: But that was not because Ryan Lizza didn't try. He's 537 00:36:54,715 --> 00:36:57,195 Speaker 1: one of the editors of the Daily Political newsletter and 538 00:36:57,235 --> 00:37:00,755 Speaker 1: The Day News. He's piece ran Ryan Lizz's newsletter ran 539 00:37:00,875 --> 00:37:04,195 Speaker 1: five paragraphs about it and described it as a quote 540 00:37:04,275 --> 00:37:07,675 Speaker 1: rolic look under the hood and said news he scored 541 00:37:07,715 --> 00:37:10,875 Speaker 1: an incisive interview. And nowhere was it mentioned that Liza 542 00:37:10,915 --> 00:37:15,675 Speaker 1: and Newsy are engaged. The free publicity for the fiance's 543 00:37:15,755 --> 00:37:23,195 Speaker 1: magazine article is just coincidental, no doubt OI. But the 544 00:37:23,275 --> 00:37:26,195 Speaker 1: gold goes to Andrew Tate the other day was a 545 00:37:26,235 --> 00:37:30,555 Speaker 1: misogynist online influencer hiding out apparently in Romania. And if 546 00:37:30,595 --> 00:37:32,395 Speaker 1: you had ever heard of him, it was probably because 547 00:37:32,435 --> 00:37:35,435 Speaker 1: Tucker Carlson interviewed him once and defended him and then said, 548 00:37:35,955 --> 00:37:39,515 Speaker 1: they're telling us he's a criminal. Okay, has he been charged? 549 00:37:40,835 --> 00:37:45,075 Speaker 1: Four months later, the answer is yeah, apparently thanks to Greta, 550 00:37:45,155 --> 00:37:49,915 Speaker 1: Tuneberg and Pizza. Tate tried to troll Greta about the 551 00:37:49,915 --> 00:37:52,595 Speaker 1: thirty three cars he claims to own and how he 552 00:37:52,715 --> 00:37:54,955 Speaker 1: wanted her to send him her email so he could 553 00:37:55,155 --> 00:37:58,235 Speaker 1: write her a lengthy email and detail how many emissions 554 00:37:58,595 --> 00:38:02,035 Speaker 1: his cars are spewing into the atmosphere, and she wrote 555 00:38:02,035 --> 00:38:04,475 Speaker 1: back and said, sure, here's my email. I'll clean this 556 00:38:04,555 --> 00:38:08,115 Speaker 1: up a little. My email is small d energy at 557 00:38:08,155 --> 00:38:12,595 Speaker 1: Getta life dot com. Tate was so owned by this 558 00:38:12,675 --> 00:38:15,675 Speaker 1: that he put together a two minute video be rating 559 00:38:15,715 --> 00:38:19,475 Speaker 1: her and posted it everywhere, and then Romanian authorities came 560 00:38:19,515 --> 00:38:22,435 Speaker 1: to his hid out and arrested him because in the 561 00:38:22,555 --> 00:38:26,555 Speaker 1: video Tate included a pizza box, which is clearly from 562 00:38:26,595 --> 00:38:31,115 Speaker 1: a pizza chain that operates only in Romania. The Romanian 563 00:38:31,155 --> 00:38:33,355 Speaker 1: government had apparently been waiting for evidence that he was 564 00:38:33,395 --> 00:38:37,315 Speaker 1: actually in Bucharest. Their lawyer now confirms Tate and his 565 00:38:37,395 --> 00:38:40,875 Speaker 1: brother have been detained in a human trafficking and rape investigation. 566 00:38:41,915 --> 00:38:47,995 Speaker 1: Andrew do not mess with credit. Toneberg plays Tate two 567 00:38:48,075 --> 00:39:07,555 Speaker 1: days worse person. And I have argued before that James 568 00:39:07,555 --> 00:39:10,435 Speaker 1: Thurber is the greatest American humorist. And it dawns on 569 00:39:10,515 --> 00:39:13,315 Speaker 1: me that the argument is not unlike the idea that 570 00:39:13,435 --> 00:39:17,035 Speaker 1: show Hey Otani of the Los Angeles Angels is almost 571 00:39:17,075 --> 00:39:20,355 Speaker 1: automatically the most valuable player in baseball each year because 572 00:39:20,355 --> 00:39:22,955 Speaker 1: he is an All Star hitter and an All Star 573 00:39:23,075 --> 00:39:27,395 Speaker 1: pitcher in the same body. James Thurber was a brilliant writer, 574 00:39:27,795 --> 00:39:30,195 Speaker 1: and in his spare time it was an equally brilliant, 575 00:39:30,235 --> 00:39:34,835 Speaker 1: almost avant garde artist in the same body. His simple 576 00:39:34,995 --> 00:39:38,835 Speaker 1: drawings to pick the most complex of emotions and comedic situations. 577 00:39:39,115 --> 00:39:42,915 Speaker 1: His dogs are immortal. And then there were his captions. Well, 578 00:39:42,955 --> 00:39:45,395 Speaker 1: I can't do anything with his drawings in a podcast, 579 00:39:45,395 --> 00:39:48,315 Speaker 1: so I'll just read and I will read you now 580 00:39:48,315 --> 00:39:51,435 Speaker 1: in this episode what is probably his most famous story 581 00:39:52,635 --> 00:39:56,595 Speaker 1: from My life and hard Times, The Night the bed fell. 582 00:39:57,595 --> 00:40:03,635 Speaker 1: But James Thurber, I suppose that the high water mark 583 00:40:03,875 --> 00:40:07,195 Speaker 1: of my youth in Columbus, Ohio was the night the 584 00:40:07,275 --> 00:40:11,915 Speaker 1: bed fell on my father. It makes a better recitation unless, 585 00:40:12,075 --> 00:40:14,115 Speaker 1: as some friends of mine have said, one has heard 586 00:40:14,155 --> 00:40:16,315 Speaker 1: it five or six times. Then it does a piece 587 00:40:16,355 --> 00:40:20,355 Speaker 1: of writing, for it is almost necessary to throw furniture around, 588 00:40:20,595 --> 00:40:23,835 Speaker 1: shake doors, and bark like a dog to lend the 589 00:40:23,915 --> 00:40:28,235 Speaker 1: proper atmosphere and very similitude to what is admittedly a 590 00:40:28,515 --> 00:40:34,835 Speaker 1: somewhat incredible tale. Still it did take place. It happened 591 00:40:34,875 --> 00:40:37,115 Speaker 1: then that my father had decided to sleep in the 592 00:40:37,155 --> 00:40:40,155 Speaker 1: attic one night to be away where he could think. 593 00:40:41,155 --> 00:40:44,075 Speaker 1: My mother opposed the notion strongly, because she said the 594 00:40:44,115 --> 00:40:47,155 Speaker 1: old wooden bed up there was unsafe. It was wobbly, 595 00:40:47,715 --> 00:40:50,355 Speaker 1: and the heavy headboard would crash down on Father's head 596 00:40:50,395 --> 00:40:54,635 Speaker 1: in case the bed fell and kill him. There was 597 00:40:54,675 --> 00:40:57,795 Speaker 1: no dissuading him, however, and at a quarter past ten, 598 00:40:57,835 --> 00:40:59,635 Speaker 1: he closed the attic door behind him and went up 599 00:40:59,635 --> 00:41:04,275 Speaker 1: the narrow, twisting stairs. We later heard aminous creakings as 600 00:41:04,275 --> 00:41:07,595 Speaker 1: he crawled called into bed. Grandfather, who usually slept in 601 00:41:07,635 --> 00:41:10,155 Speaker 1: the attic bed when he was with us, had disappeared 602 00:41:10,195 --> 00:41:13,555 Speaker 1: some days before. On those occasions, he was usually gone 603 00:41:13,555 --> 00:41:16,395 Speaker 1: six or eight days, and returned growling and out of 604 00:41:16,435 --> 00:41:20,035 Speaker 1: temper with the news that the Federal Union was run 605 00:41:20,075 --> 00:41:22,795 Speaker 1: by a passel of blockheads, and that the Army of 606 00:41:22,835 --> 00:41:25,635 Speaker 1: the Potomac didn't have any more chance than a fiddler's bitch. 607 00:41:27,795 --> 00:41:30,795 Speaker 1: We had visiting us at the time, a nervous first 608 00:41:30,795 --> 00:41:33,835 Speaker 1: cousin of mine named Briggs Beale, who believed that he 609 00:41:33,915 --> 00:41:37,355 Speaker 1: was likely to cease breathing when he was asleep. It 610 00:41:37,475 --> 00:41:39,995 Speaker 1: was his feeling that if he were not awakened every 611 00:41:40,075 --> 00:41:43,795 Speaker 1: hour during the night, he might die of suffocation. He 612 00:41:43,835 --> 00:41:46,595 Speaker 1: had been accustomed to setting an alarm clock to ring 613 00:41:46,635 --> 00:41:50,915 Speaker 1: at intervals until morning, but I persuaded him to abandon this. 614 00:41:51,795 --> 00:41:53,555 Speaker 1: He slept in my room, and I told him that 615 00:41:53,595 --> 00:41:56,395 Speaker 1: I was such a light sleeper that if anybody quit 616 00:41:56,435 --> 00:41:59,155 Speaker 1: breathing in the same room with me, I would wake instantly. 617 00:41:59,755 --> 00:42:02,875 Speaker 1: He tested me the first night, which I had suspected 618 00:42:02,915 --> 00:42:06,955 Speaker 1: he would, by holding his breath after my regular breathing, 619 00:42:06,955 --> 00:42:10,795 Speaker 1: had convinced him I was asleep. I was not asleep, however, 620 00:42:10,875 --> 00:42:15,875 Speaker 1: and called to him. This seemed to allay his fears 621 00:42:15,915 --> 00:42:18,595 Speaker 1: a little, but he took the precaution of putting a 622 00:42:18,635 --> 00:42:22,635 Speaker 1: glass of spirits of camphor on a little table at 623 00:42:22,635 --> 00:42:25,475 Speaker 1: the head of his bed in case I didn't arouse 624 00:42:25,515 --> 00:42:28,115 Speaker 1: him until he was almost gone. He said he would 625 00:42:28,195 --> 00:42:32,555 Speaker 1: sniff the camphor. A powerful revivor, Briggs was not the 626 00:42:32,595 --> 00:42:36,595 Speaker 1: only member of his family and his crotchets. Old Aunt 627 00:42:36,635 --> 00:42:39,595 Speaker 1: Melissa Belle, who could whistle like a man with two 628 00:42:39,635 --> 00:42:42,675 Speaker 1: fingers in her mouth, suffered under the premonition that she 629 00:42:42,755 --> 00:42:45,715 Speaker 1: was destined to die on South High Street because she 630 00:42:45,755 --> 00:42:48,915 Speaker 1: had been born on South High Street and married on 631 00:42:48,995 --> 00:42:53,115 Speaker 1: South High Street. Then there was Aunt Sarah Chauffe, who 632 00:42:53,195 --> 00:42:55,275 Speaker 1: never went to bed at night without the fear that 633 00:42:55,355 --> 00:42:59,035 Speaker 1: a burglar was going to get in and blow chloroform 634 00:42:59,195 --> 00:43:03,235 Speaker 1: under her door through a tube to avert this calamity, 635 00:43:03,275 --> 00:43:05,395 Speaker 1: For she was in greater dread of an aesthetics than 636 00:43:05,435 --> 00:43:09,835 Speaker 1: of losing her household goods. She always piled her money, silverware, 637 00:43:09,875 --> 00:43:13,715 Speaker 1: and other valuables in a neat stack just outside her bedroom, 638 00:43:13,755 --> 00:43:16,275 Speaker 1: with a note reading, this is all I have. Please 639 00:43:16,315 --> 00:43:18,915 Speaker 1: take it and do not use your chloroform, as this 640 00:43:18,955 --> 00:43:22,995 Speaker 1: is all I have. Aunt Gracie Chow also had a 641 00:43:22,995 --> 00:43:26,675 Speaker 1: burglar phobia, but she met it with more fortitude. She 642 00:43:26,835 --> 00:43:29,315 Speaker 1: was confident that burglars had been getting into her house 643 00:43:29,315 --> 00:43:32,835 Speaker 1: every night for forty years. The fact that she never 644 00:43:32,915 --> 00:43:36,475 Speaker 1: missed anything was to her no proof. To the contrary, 645 00:43:36,635 --> 00:43:38,875 Speaker 1: she always claimed that she scared them off before they 646 00:43:38,875 --> 00:43:43,835 Speaker 1: could take anything by throwing shoes down the hallway. When 647 00:43:43,875 --> 00:43:46,315 Speaker 1: she went to bed, she piled where she could get 648 00:43:46,355 --> 00:43:49,995 Speaker 1: at them handily, all the shoes there were about her house. 649 00:43:50,755 --> 00:43:52,755 Speaker 1: Five minutes after she had turned off the light, she 650 00:43:52,755 --> 00:43:57,715 Speaker 1: would sit up in bed and say hark. Her husband, 651 00:43:57,995 --> 00:44:00,515 Speaker 1: who had learned to ignore the whole situation as long 652 00:44:00,555 --> 00:44:04,275 Speaker 1: ago as nineteen o three, would either be sound asleep 653 00:44:04,835 --> 00:44:08,075 Speaker 1: or pretend to be sound asleep. In either case, he 654 00:44:08,075 --> 00:44:11,075 Speaker 1: would not respond to her, tugging and pulling, so that 655 00:44:11,155 --> 00:44:15,115 Speaker 1: presently she would arise, tiptoe to the door, open it slightly, 656 00:44:15,155 --> 00:44:17,915 Speaker 1: and he was shoe down the hall in one direction, 657 00:44:18,515 --> 00:44:20,955 Speaker 1: and it's mate down the hall in the other direction. 658 00:44:21,315 --> 00:44:25,115 Speaker 1: Some nights she threw them all, some nights only a 659 00:44:25,155 --> 00:44:30,275 Speaker 1: couple of pair. But I am straying from the remarkable 660 00:44:30,275 --> 00:44:32,875 Speaker 1: incidents that took place during the night that the bed 661 00:44:32,915 --> 00:44:36,315 Speaker 1: fell on father. By midnight we were all in bed. 662 00:44:36,915 --> 00:44:39,515 Speaker 1: The layout of the rooms and the disposition of their 663 00:44:39,555 --> 00:44:42,435 Speaker 1: occupants is important to an understanding of what later occurred. 664 00:44:43,595 --> 00:44:48,355 Speaker 1: In the front room upstairs, just under father's attic bedroom, 665 00:44:48,475 --> 00:44:51,395 Speaker 1: where my mother and my brother Herman, who sometimes sang 666 00:44:51,595 --> 00:44:55,915 Speaker 1: in his sleep, usually marching through Georgia or onward Christian soldiers, 667 00:44:56,835 --> 00:44:59,435 Speaker 1: briggs Beale and myself were in a room adjoining this one. 668 00:44:59,795 --> 00:45:02,115 Speaker 1: My brother Roy was in a room across the hall 669 00:45:02,195 --> 00:45:05,875 Speaker 1: from ours. Our bull terrier Wrack, slept in the hall. 670 00:45:07,195 --> 00:45:09,795 Speaker 1: My bed was an army cot, one of those affairs 671 00:45:09,835 --> 00:45:12,595 Speaker 1: which are made wide enough to sleep on comfortably only 672 00:45:12,635 --> 00:45:15,275 Speaker 1: by putting up flat with the middle section the two 673 00:45:15,355 --> 00:45:18,355 Speaker 1: sides which ordinarily hang down like the sideboards of a 674 00:45:18,435 --> 00:45:22,115 Speaker 1: drop leaf table. When these sides are up. It is 675 00:45:22,275 --> 00:45:26,715 Speaker 1: perilous to roll too far toward the edge, for then 676 00:45:26,755 --> 00:45:29,635 Speaker 1: the cot is likely to tip completely over, bringing the 677 00:45:29,675 --> 00:45:32,355 Speaker 1: whole bed down on top of one with a tremendous 678 00:45:32,395 --> 00:45:38,275 Speaker 1: banging crash. This, in fact, is precisely what happened about 679 00:45:38,315 --> 00:45:40,995 Speaker 1: two o'clock in the morning. It was my mother who, 680 00:45:41,035 --> 00:45:43,555 Speaker 1: in recalling the scene later, first referred to it as 681 00:45:43,595 --> 00:45:47,355 Speaker 1: the night the bed fell on your father. Always a 682 00:45:47,395 --> 00:45:52,315 Speaker 1: deep sleeper and slow to arouse, I had lied to Briggs. 683 00:45:53,115 --> 00:45:55,995 Speaker 1: I was at first unconscious of what had happened when 684 00:45:55,995 --> 00:45:58,755 Speaker 1: the iron cot rolled me onto the floor and toppled 685 00:45:58,835 --> 00:46:02,595 Speaker 1: over on me. It left me still warmly bundled up 686 00:46:02,595 --> 00:46:05,635 Speaker 1: and unhurt, for the bed rested above me like a canopy. 687 00:46:05,755 --> 00:46:08,635 Speaker 1: Hence I did not wake up, only reached the edge 688 00:46:08,675 --> 00:46:12,755 Speaker 1: of consciousness and went back. The racket, however, instantly awakened 689 00:46:12,755 --> 00:46:14,635 Speaker 1: my mother in the next room, who came to the 690 00:46:14,715 --> 00:46:18,595 Speaker 1: immediate conclusion that her worst dread was realized the big 691 00:46:18,675 --> 00:46:23,035 Speaker 1: wooden bed upstairs had fallen on father. She therefore screamed, 692 00:46:23,835 --> 00:46:27,635 Speaker 1: let's go to your poor father. It was this shout, 693 00:46:27,915 --> 00:46:30,955 Speaker 1: rather than the noise of my cot falling, that awakened 694 00:46:30,995 --> 00:46:33,315 Speaker 1: herman in the same room with her. He thought that 695 00:46:33,395 --> 00:46:37,675 Speaker 1: mother had become for no apparent reason, hysterical. You're all right, mama, 696 00:46:37,995 --> 00:46:41,515 Speaker 1: he shouted, trying to calm her. They exchanged shout for 697 00:46:41,675 --> 00:46:45,875 Speaker 1: shout for perhaps ten seconds. Let's go to your poor father, 698 00:46:46,515 --> 00:46:51,595 Speaker 1: and you're all right. That woke up Briggs. By this 699 00:46:51,675 --> 00:46:54,155 Speaker 1: time I was conscious of what was going on in 700 00:46:54,155 --> 00:46:57,515 Speaker 1: a vague way, but did not yet realize that I 701 00:46:57,635 --> 00:47:02,675 Speaker 1: was under my bed instead of on it. Briggs, awakening 702 00:47:02,675 --> 00:47:05,075 Speaker 1: in the midst of loud shouts of fear and prehension, 703 00:47:05,155 --> 00:47:07,875 Speaker 1: came to the quick conclusion that he was suffocating and 704 00:47:07,915 --> 00:47:11,035 Speaker 1: that we were all trying to bring him out. With 705 00:47:11,155 --> 00:47:15,395 Speaker 1: a low moan, he grasped the glass of camphor at 706 00:47:15,395 --> 00:47:17,675 Speaker 1: the head of his bed, and instead of sniffing it, 707 00:47:19,035 --> 00:47:22,995 Speaker 1: he poured it over himself. The room reeked of camphor 708 00:47:24,355 --> 00:47:27,475 Speaker 1: ah choked Briggs like a drowning man, for he had 709 00:47:27,475 --> 00:47:31,155 Speaker 1: almost succeeded in stopping his breath under the deluge of 710 00:47:31,315 --> 00:47:34,995 Speaker 1: pungent spirits. He leaped out of bed and groped toward 711 00:47:35,035 --> 00:47:36,955 Speaker 1: the open window, but he came up against one that 712 00:47:37,035 --> 00:47:40,955 Speaker 1: was closed. With his hand, he beat out the glass, 713 00:47:41,515 --> 00:47:43,635 Speaker 1: and I could hear it crash and tinkle on the 714 00:47:43,675 --> 00:47:47,235 Speaker 1: alleyway below. It was at this juncture that I, in 715 00:47:47,315 --> 00:47:50,475 Speaker 1: trying to get up, had the uncanny sensation of feeling 716 00:47:50,515 --> 00:47:55,275 Speaker 1: my bed above me foggy with sleep. I now suspected, 717 00:47:55,315 --> 00:47:57,955 Speaker 1: in my turn, that the whole uproar was being made 718 00:47:57,995 --> 00:48:01,075 Speaker 1: in a frantic endeavor to extricate me from what must 719 00:48:01,115 --> 00:48:03,955 Speaker 1: be an unheard of, in perilous situation. Get me out 720 00:48:03,955 --> 00:48:06,835 Speaker 1: of this old, get me out. I think I had 721 00:48:06,835 --> 00:48:09,675 Speaker 1: the nightmarish belief that I was entombed in a mine 722 00:48:10,395 --> 00:48:16,315 Speaker 1: the global gas Briggs floundering in his camphor. By this time, 723 00:48:16,355 --> 00:48:20,475 Speaker 1: my mother, still shouting, pursued by herman, still shouting, was 724 00:48:20,515 --> 00:48:22,555 Speaker 1: trying to open the door to the attic in order 725 00:48:22,595 --> 00:48:25,435 Speaker 1: to go up and get my father's body out of 726 00:48:25,435 --> 00:48:31,915 Speaker 1: the wreckage. The door was stuck, however, and would not yield. 727 00:48:32,315 --> 00:48:34,995 Speaker 1: Her frantic polls on it only added to the general 728 00:48:35,035 --> 00:48:38,035 Speaker 1: banging and confusion. Roy and the dog were now up, 729 00:48:38,075 --> 00:48:42,835 Speaker 1: the one shouting questions, the other barking. Father, farthest away 730 00:48:42,835 --> 00:48:45,155 Speaker 1: and soundest sleeper of all, had by this time been 731 00:48:45,195 --> 00:48:48,715 Speaker 1: awakened by the battering on the attic door. He decided 732 00:48:49,155 --> 00:48:54,355 Speaker 1: that the house was on fire. O Come, O come, 733 00:48:54,955 --> 00:48:58,115 Speaker 1: he wailed in a slow, sleepy voice. It took him 734 00:48:58,155 --> 00:49:01,475 Speaker 1: many minutes to regain full consciousness. My mother, still believing 735 00:49:01,515 --> 00:49:05,075 Speaker 1: he was caught under the bed, detected in his I'm coming, 736 00:49:05,475 --> 00:49:08,435 Speaker 1: the mournful resigned note of one who was preparing to 737 00:49:08,475 --> 00:49:13,155 Speaker 1: meet his maker. He's dying, she shouted. I'm all right. 738 00:49:13,675 --> 00:49:16,915 Speaker 1: Briggs yelled to reassure her. I'm all right. He still 739 00:49:16,915 --> 00:49:20,035 Speaker 1: believed that it was his own closeness to death that 740 00:49:20,235 --> 00:49:24,035 Speaker 1: was worrying Mother. I found at last the light switch 741 00:49:24,115 --> 00:49:25,995 Speaker 1: in my room, unlocked the door, and Briggs and I 742 00:49:26,115 --> 00:49:29,115 Speaker 1: joined the others at the attic door. The dog, who 743 00:49:29,195 --> 00:49:32,755 Speaker 1: never did like Briggs, jumped for him, assuming that he 744 00:49:32,835 --> 00:49:35,555 Speaker 1: was the culprit in whatever was going on, and Roy 745 00:49:35,875 --> 00:49:39,315 Speaker 1: had to throw Rex and hold him. We could hear 746 00:49:39,355 --> 00:49:42,235 Speaker 1: Father crawling out of the bed upstairs. Roy pulled the 747 00:49:42,235 --> 00:49:44,675 Speaker 1: attic door open with a mighty jerk, and Father came 748 00:49:44,715 --> 00:49:48,115 Speaker 1: down the stairs, sleepy and irritable, but safe and sound. 749 00:49:49,035 --> 00:49:51,955 Speaker 1: My mother began to weep when she saw him. Rex 750 00:49:52,035 --> 00:49:57,715 Speaker 1: began to howl. What in the name of God is 751 00:49:57,795 --> 00:50:03,835 Speaker 1: going on here? Asked Father. The situation was finally put 752 00:50:03,875 --> 00:50:08,595 Speaker 1: together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Father caught a cold 753 00:50:08,635 --> 00:50:10,835 Speaker 1: from prowling around in his bare feet, but there were 754 00:50:10,835 --> 00:50:15,795 Speaker 1: no other bad results. I'm glad, said mother, who always 755 00:50:15,835 --> 00:50:19,635 Speaker 1: looked on the bright side of things, that your grandfather 756 00:50:19,835 --> 00:50:35,835 Speaker 1: wasn't here. I've done all the damage I can do here. 757 00:50:35,875 --> 00:50:38,435 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. If you're not following or subscribing 758 00:50:38,475 --> 00:50:42,075 Speaker 1: to the podcast, please do so. Here are our credits. 759 00:50:42,115 --> 00:50:44,515 Speaker 1: Most of the music, including our theme, which is from 760 00:50:44,515 --> 00:50:47,795 Speaker 1: Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, produced and performed by Brian Ray 761 00:50:47,795 --> 00:50:50,875 Speaker 1: and John Philip Chanelle, who are the Countdown musical directors. 762 00:50:51,155 --> 00:50:55,115 Speaker 1: All orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Chanelle. Guitars Bassed 763 00:50:55,115 --> 00:50:58,435 Speaker 1: and drums by Brian Ray, produced by t k O Brothers. 764 00:50:58,755 --> 00:51:01,555 Speaker 1: Other Beethoven selections have been arranged and performed by No 765 00:51:01,715 --> 00:51:04,995 Speaker 1: Horns Allowed. The sports music is the older and theme 766 00:51:05,075 --> 00:51:07,435 Speaker 1: from the ESPN two and it was written by Mitch 767 00:51:07,475 --> 00:51:10,995 Speaker 1: Warren Davis courtesy of the ESPN Inc. Musical comments by 768 00:51:11,075 --> 00:51:14,595 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust, the best baseball stadium organist ever. Everything else 769 00:51:14,675 --> 00:51:17,715 Speaker 1: is pretty much my fault. That's countdown for this the 770 00:51:17,755 --> 00:51:21,675 Speaker 1: seven four day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against 771 00:51:21,675 --> 00:51:25,235 Speaker 1: the democratically elected government of the United States. Arrest him now? 772 00:51:25,395 --> 00:51:29,075 Speaker 1: Why only still? Can a new edition Monday? Until then, 773 00:51:29,075 --> 00:51:31,795 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Alderman. Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, good luck, 774 00:51:31,955 --> 00:51:39,835 Speaker 1: and Happy New Year. Countdown with Keith Alderman is a 775 00:51:39,915 --> 00:51:43,475 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from I 776 00:51:43,595 --> 00:51:47,075 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 777 00:51:47,315 --> 00:51:49,315 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.