1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,755 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. President 2 00:00:21,795 --> 00:00:25,675 Speaker 1: Biden needs to federalize the Tennessee National Guard in order 3 00:00:25,675 --> 00:00:29,795 Speaker 1: to help re establish democracy in that state. Yesterday, in 4 00:00:29,835 --> 00:00:33,035 Speaker 1: one of the worst episodes of sanctioned government bigotry and 5 00:00:33,155 --> 00:00:37,435 Speaker 1: racism in recent history, the Republicans supermajority in the Tennessee 6 00:00:37,435 --> 00:00:42,195 Speaker 1: State Assembly voted to expel two African American lawmakers who 7 00:00:42,235 --> 00:00:45,875 Speaker 1: had joined a public protest pleading for stricter gun laws 8 00:00:46,115 --> 00:00:49,595 Speaker 1: after the shooting at the Covenant Christian School. The protest 9 00:00:49,715 --> 00:00:53,795 Speaker 1: briefly interrupted a debate and the Republicans. The white Republicans, 10 00:00:54,115 --> 00:00:57,035 Speaker 1: literally reacted to the protest, in which the most dangerous 11 00:00:57,035 --> 00:01:01,475 Speaker 1: weapon wielded was a megaphone, by comparing it to the 12 00:01:01,595 --> 00:01:06,515 Speaker 1: January sixth insurrection at the United States Capitol. Yesterday, on 13 00:01:06,595 --> 00:01:10,035 Speaker 1: a motion from a white Republican named Andrew Farmer, Representative 14 00:01:10,075 --> 00:01:13,715 Speaker 1: Justin Pearson of Memphis was expelled from the Tennessee Assembly. 15 00:01:14,075 --> 00:01:18,595 Speaker 1: So was Justin Jones, representative of Nashville, not reprimanded, not 16 00:01:18,835 --> 00:01:23,355 Speaker 1: censured expelled. A third member of the House involved with 17 00:01:23,435 --> 00:01:27,075 Speaker 1: the protest, Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, survived the move to 18 00:01:27,075 --> 00:01:30,715 Speaker 1: expel her by just one vote. She is not. African 19 00:01:30,755 --> 00:01:35,395 Speaker 1: American democracy is on the verge of collapse. In Tennessee. 20 00:01:35,595 --> 00:01:39,155 Speaker 1: Republicans have gerrymandered the state to give rural white areas 21 00:01:39,235 --> 00:01:42,795 Speaker 1: absolute control over the racially diverse cities of Tennessee. The 22 00:01:42,875 --> 00:01:46,635 Speaker 1: Republicans will brook no gun reform, no gun debate, no 23 00:01:46,715 --> 00:01:50,955 Speaker 1: gun discussion, and certainly no gun protests, even as terrified 24 00:01:51,035 --> 00:01:57,115 Speaker 1: school children in their own state begged them too. During reconstruction, 25 00:01:57,235 --> 00:02:00,195 Speaker 1: the federal government sent troops into most of the South 26 00:02:00,235 --> 00:02:04,435 Speaker 1: to try to re establish representative government and integrated government. 27 00:02:04,435 --> 00:02:08,035 Speaker 1: For the first time in nineteen fifty seven, when Governor 28 00:02:08,115 --> 00:02:11,395 Speaker 1: Orville Faubus brought the Arkansas National Guard to Little Rock 29 00:02:11,475 --> 00:02:16,355 Speaker 1: High School to prevent its integration. President Dwight Eisenhower nationalized 30 00:02:16,395 --> 00:02:20,195 Speaker 1: that Arkansas National Guard and had its members instead protect 31 00:02:20,235 --> 00:02:23,715 Speaker 1: the nine African American students. Six years later, the same 32 00:02:23,755 --> 00:02:26,795 Speaker 1: scenario played out in Alabama, where Governor George Wallace tried 33 00:02:26,795 --> 00:02:29,955 Speaker 1: to block the integration of the university there. President John F. 34 00:02:30,035 --> 00:02:33,475 Speaker 1: Kennedy federalized the Alabama Guard under the Insurrection Act of 35 00:02:33,515 --> 00:02:37,195 Speaker 1: eighteen oh seven. It is time for President Biden to 36 00:02:37,235 --> 00:02:40,475 Speaker 1: take the same steps to re establish democracy in Tennessee 37 00:02:40,515 --> 00:02:44,755 Speaker 1: because the racial parallels to Little Rock and Tuscaloosa are 38 00:02:44,795 --> 00:02:49,995 Speaker 1: simply differently constructed. Representatives Jones and Pearson were not expelled 39 00:02:50,035 --> 00:02:53,675 Speaker 1: because they attacked gun rights, or because they protested, nor 40 00:02:53,755 --> 00:02:57,235 Speaker 1: because they interrupted debate with a megaphone. They were expelled 41 00:02:57,275 --> 00:03:01,475 Speaker 1: because they did all that while being black. If you 42 00:03:01,595 --> 00:03:04,395 Speaker 1: don't believe me, listen, not just to what the expulsion 43 00:03:04,395 --> 00:03:10,035 Speaker 1: build sponsor this cracker lawyer NRA member Andrew Farmer said 44 00:03:10,195 --> 00:03:14,075 Speaker 1: to Representative Pearson, but how he said it. The only 45 00:03:14,115 --> 00:03:16,915 Speaker 1: things he left out were what we have here is 46 00:03:16,995 --> 00:03:22,195 Speaker 1: failure to communicate and quote boy unquote ar in this 47 00:03:22,275 --> 00:03:26,195 Speaker 1: Tennessee General Assembly. That's why you're standing there because of 48 00:03:26,275 --> 00:03:30,275 Speaker 1: that temper tantrum that day, for that yearning to have attention. 49 00:03:31,195 --> 00:03:35,595 Speaker 1: That's what you wanted, but you're getting it now. So 50 00:03:35,635 --> 00:03:38,675 Speaker 1: I disadvise you. If you want to conduct business in 51 00:03:38,715 --> 00:03:42,515 Speaker 1: this house, follow bill, be recognized, stand there and present 52 00:03:42,555 --> 00:03:44,875 Speaker 1: it and pass it. All you gotta do is pass 53 00:03:44,915 --> 00:04:02,555 Speaker 1: a bill. Represent Pearson. Now you all heard then, how 54 00:04:02,595 --> 00:04:07,475 Speaker 1: many of you would want to be spoken to that way? 55 00:04:12,075 --> 00:04:14,635 Speaker 1: How many of you want to be spoken to that way? 56 00:04:17,515 --> 00:04:21,195 Speaker 1: We're not talking about politics, We're not talking about even 57 00:04:21,395 --> 00:04:23,675 Speaker 1: gotten violent. How many of you would want to be 58 00:04:23,675 --> 00:04:32,195 Speaker 1: spoken to that way. The reason that I believe the 59 00:04:32,275 --> 00:04:35,955 Speaker 1: sponsor of this legislation, of this resolution spoke that way 60 00:04:38,075 --> 00:04:42,595 Speaker 1: is because he's comfortable doing it, because there's a decorum 61 00:04:42,635 --> 00:04:48,675 Speaker 1: that allows it. As a decorum that allows you to 62 00:04:48,755 --> 00:04:53,155 Speaker 1: belittle people. We didn't belot nobody. Another white Republican Representative 63 00:04:53,235 --> 00:04:58,155 Speaker 1: Geno Bulso, while questioning Representative Jones, said that failing to 64 00:04:58,195 --> 00:05:01,515 Speaker 1: expel the members would quote simply invite him at his 65 00:05:01,635 --> 00:05:05,955 Speaker 1: colleagues to continue to engage in mutant on the House 66 00:05:05,995 --> 00:05:11,875 Speaker 1: floor mutiny. I am surprised that Representative Bolso left out 67 00:05:11,915 --> 00:05:17,035 Speaker 1: the word uppity. After the expulsions, Representative Pearson explained what 68 00:05:17,435 --> 00:05:20,955 Speaker 1: this was really about in order that the National Rifle 69 00:05:20,995 --> 00:05:23,875 Speaker 1: Association and all of these gun lobbyists continue to be 70 00:05:23,915 --> 00:05:26,955 Speaker 1: able to have control over our legislation. What bard from 71 00:05:27,035 --> 00:05:28,875 Speaker 1: my mind right now is we need to fight for 72 00:05:29,075 --> 00:05:31,635 Speaker 1: democracy in the state of Tennessee, and we need people 73 00:05:31,675 --> 00:05:33,795 Speaker 1: not only just to vote, but people the sharp and 74 00:05:34,115 --> 00:05:37,075 Speaker 1: counsel that we can depend the gun that is happening 75 00:05:37,115 --> 00:05:39,755 Speaker 1: in our state. This is wrong, This is unjust, and 76 00:05:39,835 --> 00:05:41,235 Speaker 1: this is not the way that it has to be. 77 00:05:41,555 --> 00:05:43,515 Speaker 1: There is a better way for us to live, and 78 00:05:43,635 --> 00:05:45,715 Speaker 1: we don't have to live this way. But the Republican 79 00:05:45,755 --> 00:05:47,555 Speaker 1: Party of the State of Tennessee want to keep things 80 00:05:47,595 --> 00:05:49,915 Speaker 1: the saves. If you want to fight to ten if 81 00:05:49,955 --> 00:05:51,355 Speaker 1: you want to help to make this place for a 82 00:05:51,435 --> 00:05:53,875 Speaker 1: better place, you have to use your voice, you have 83 00:05:53,995 --> 00:05:59,515 Speaker 1: to use your power. Yes, sometimes you gotta get expelled. Sea. 84 00:06:01,315 --> 00:06:07,675 Speaker 1: I'm going this institution had kage, the injustice must have changed, 85 00:06:07,875 --> 00:06:15,635 Speaker 1: and I'll continue to find them. My family wille coming back. Yes, 86 00:06:16,035 --> 00:06:19,395 Speaker 1: it is almost certain when selecting temporary replacements for the 87 00:06:19,515 --> 00:06:24,555 Speaker 1: expelled members, their home county boards will choose Justin Jones 88 00:06:24,595 --> 00:06:28,475 Speaker 1: and Justin Pearson. Then there will be special elections, and 89 00:06:28,635 --> 00:06:31,155 Speaker 1: the men cannot be expelled twice for the same actions. 90 00:06:32,155 --> 00:06:35,195 Speaker 1: But the issue is larger than these two representatives in Tennessee, 91 00:06:35,755 --> 00:06:40,235 Speaker 1: In Tennessee, in Nebraska, in Missouri, in Idaho, in Kansas. 92 00:06:40,755 --> 00:06:44,355 Speaker 1: Throughout this country, democracy is not just failing at the 93 00:06:44,435 --> 00:06:49,115 Speaker 1: local level, it is being killed by Republicans. And in 94 00:06:49,235 --> 00:06:53,555 Speaker 1: every case, as in Tennessee, there is an undertone, often 95 00:06:53,795 --> 00:06:58,715 Speaker 1: an overtone of racism and misogyny, and in every case 96 00:06:58,795 --> 00:07:03,075 Speaker 1: there is the growing menace of fascist ownership of the 97 00:07:03,195 --> 00:07:05,595 Speaker 1: local and state governments in the areas in which they 98 00:07:05,635 --> 00:07:10,115 Speaker 1: are predominant. They are not just winning elections and instituting policies, 99 00:07:10,395 --> 00:07:14,075 Speaker 1: as Republicans and Democrats alike have done since the eighteen fifties. 100 00:07:14,595 --> 00:07:20,355 Speaker 1: These Republicans are trying to put Democrats and democracy out 101 00:07:20,395 --> 00:07:25,155 Speaker 1: of business. President Biden, federalize the National Guard in Tennessee 102 00:07:25,235 --> 00:07:29,115 Speaker 1: and have it and not the Tennessee State troopers protecting 103 00:07:29,155 --> 00:07:32,515 Speaker 1: the Tennessee General Assembly and those who wish to protest 104 00:07:32,955 --> 00:07:39,235 Speaker 1: or to serve there. The fascists are getting uppity. What 105 00:07:39,435 --> 00:07:43,995 Speaker 1: we have is failure to communicate, or as this fascist 106 00:07:44,115 --> 00:07:47,435 Speaker 1: farmer said to Justin Pearson, the Republicans are having temper 107 00:07:47,515 --> 00:07:51,515 Speaker 1: tantrums and they're yearning to have attention. That's what they wanted. 108 00:07:52,195 --> 00:07:57,795 Speaker 1: Well they're getting it now. Federalize the Tennessee Guard, President Biden. 109 00:07:58,115 --> 00:08:01,955 Speaker 1: The trouble there is not ending here. And we know 110 00:08:02,155 --> 00:08:05,715 Speaker 1: who is making the trouble, the andrew Arms and the 111 00:08:05,835 --> 00:08:13,235 Speaker 1: Geno Balsoms of this modern elected streamlined clan, and you, 112 00:08:13,795 --> 00:08:18,395 Speaker 1: mister President, and possibly you alone, have the power to 113 00:08:18,595 --> 00:08:26,715 Speaker 1: stop it. It was a very busy and very disturbing 114 00:08:26,875 --> 00:08:30,315 Speaker 1: day on many fronts, and not just in Tennessee. The 115 00:08:30,475 --> 00:08:34,795 Speaker 1: Senate Judiciary Committee must immediately begin an investigation and televised 116 00:08:34,875 --> 00:08:40,315 Speaker 1: hearings into the newly exposed evidence of repetitive, endless, institutionalized 117 00:08:40,355 --> 00:08:44,595 Speaker 1: corruption by Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court, 118 00:08:44,875 --> 00:08:47,715 Speaker 1: whether an eye to forcing his resignation or his arrest 119 00:08:47,995 --> 00:08:53,595 Speaker 1: or both. House Democrats, though only one Supreme Court justice 120 00:08:53,595 --> 00:08:56,915 Speaker 1: has ever been impeached, though they would certainly lose the vote, 121 00:08:57,315 --> 00:09:02,195 Speaker 1: must immediately introduce articles of impeachment against Justice Thomas. The 122 00:09:02,275 --> 00:09:05,595 Speaker 1: Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, must immediately 123 00:09:05,675 --> 00:09:08,955 Speaker 1: begin a criminal investigation into the dozens, more likely hundreds 124 00:09:08,995 --> 00:09:13,435 Speaker 1: of times that Justice Thomas has violated federal laws prohibiting 125 00:09:13,475 --> 00:09:17,915 Speaker 1: the acceptance of bribes and expensive gifts, and the Attorney 126 00:09:17,955 --> 00:09:21,915 Speaker 1: General must launch similar investigations into the possible bribery of 127 00:09:22,075 --> 00:09:27,715 Speaker 1: Justice Cavanaugh, Justice Alito, Justice Gorsich, Justice Coney Barrett, and 128 00:09:27,995 --> 00:09:33,395 Speaker 1: Chief Justice John Roberts. Chief Justice John Roberts must immediately 129 00:09:33,475 --> 00:09:38,755 Speaker 1: resign during his virtually absentee tenure, the Court has descended 130 00:09:38,835 --> 00:09:42,475 Speaker 1: below the surface of a vast cesspool of corruption and 131 00:09:42,635 --> 00:09:47,195 Speaker 1: political extremism, and it is now unrecognizable even when contrasted 132 00:09:47,435 --> 00:09:50,875 Speaker 1: to the merely biased and manipulated court of just twenty 133 00:09:50,955 --> 00:09:54,955 Speaker 1: years ago. Thomas, if you have somehow missed the report 134 00:09:55,035 --> 00:09:59,675 Speaker 1: by the investigative independent journalists, ProPublica, is not just the 135 00:09:59,755 --> 00:10:03,555 Speaker 1: political prostitute we all knew him to be. For two 136 00:10:03,675 --> 00:10:07,555 Speaker 1: decades now, he has been accepting gifts some worth twice 137 00:10:07,795 --> 00:10:12,595 Speaker 1: his annual income, including exotic vacations for himself and his wife, 138 00:10:12,995 --> 00:10:18,555 Speaker 1: from one Republican The organizations he runs frequently submit petitions 139 00:10:18,595 --> 00:10:21,795 Speaker 1: and briefs to the Supreme Court. He is also a 140 00:10:21,915 --> 00:10:26,675 Speaker 1: Republican mega donor. During these trips and on countless other occasions, 141 00:10:27,115 --> 00:10:31,395 Speaker 1: Clarence Thomas has made himself available to Republican financial powers, 142 00:10:31,555 --> 00:10:35,875 Speaker 1: corporate lobbyists, and other malefactors of mankind. And while in 143 00:10:35,955 --> 00:10:38,755 Speaker 1: twenty twenty his wife was trying to overthrow the government 144 00:10:38,795 --> 00:10:41,675 Speaker 1: of the United States on behalf of the Republican Party, 145 00:10:41,875 --> 00:10:45,235 Speaker 1: Clarence Thomas himself voted with the majority in a twenty 146 00:10:45,515 --> 00:10:50,075 Speaker 1: sixteen Supreme Court case called McDonnell v. United States, in 147 00:10:50,155 --> 00:10:53,875 Speaker 1: which he and the Court ended federal bribery statutes that 148 00:10:53,995 --> 00:10:56,195 Speaker 1: made it a crime for a public official to quote, 149 00:10:56,395 --> 00:11:00,075 Speaker 1: receive or accept anything of value in exchange for being 150 00:11:00,195 --> 00:11:04,395 Speaker 1: influenced in the performance of any official act. Thomas not 151 00:11:04,675 --> 00:11:08,035 Speaker 1: only did not recuse himself from this case, Thomas used 152 00:11:08,115 --> 00:11:12,115 Speaker 1: the power of the court to shield a Republican governor 153 00:11:12,155 --> 00:11:15,915 Speaker 1: of Virginia so venal that he once accepted fifty thousand 154 00:11:15,955 --> 00:11:20,195 Speaker 1: dollars from a businessman and immediately within minutes texted one 155 00:11:20,235 --> 00:11:23,435 Speaker 1: of his aids to arrange the meetings that that businessman 156 00:11:23,595 --> 00:11:27,835 Speaker 1: wanted with state officials. Clarence Thomas then voted, and he 157 00:11:27,955 --> 00:11:30,315 Speaker 1: voted to make the exact kind of bribes that he 158 00:11:30,355 --> 00:11:35,715 Speaker 1: has ritually and voraciously and greedily devoured legal. Clarence Thomas 159 00:11:36,155 --> 00:11:40,395 Speaker 1: is a whore, and particularly in combination with his insurrectionist 160 00:11:40,675 --> 00:11:44,155 Speaker 1: conspiracy theory peddling ex cult member wife, he is a 161 00:11:44,315 --> 00:11:47,275 Speaker 1: clear and present danger to the United States of America 162 00:11:47,675 --> 00:11:50,315 Speaker 1: and the continuation of its form of government and to 163 00:11:50,435 --> 00:11:55,075 Speaker 1: the freedom of its citizens. And Clarence Thomas has got 164 00:11:55,435 --> 00:11:59,515 Speaker 1: to go. And if Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin is 165 00:11:59,555 --> 00:12:02,395 Speaker 1: not up to this urgent and vital task, he needs 166 00:12:02,475 --> 00:12:06,195 Speaker 1: to turn his committee over to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse or 167 00:12:06,315 --> 00:12:09,715 Speaker 1: literally anybody willing to stand for the American public and 168 00:12:09,915 --> 00:12:13,195 Speaker 1: not merely to self protect the a moral bureaucracy of 169 00:12:13,555 --> 00:12:18,315 Speaker 1: the federal government. Sadly, the early returns suggest Durban is 170 00:12:18,355 --> 00:12:20,915 Speaker 1: not even close to being up to this. His reaction 171 00:12:21,035 --> 00:12:25,395 Speaker 1: is barely a notch above Susan Collins levels of quote concern. 172 00:12:26,355 --> 00:12:30,715 Speaker 1: Today's report, Durban writes, demonstrates yet again that Supreme Court 173 00:12:30,835 --> 00:12:34,235 Speaker 1: justices must be held to an enforceable code of conduct, 174 00:12:34,635 --> 00:12:38,115 Speaker 1: just like every other federal judge. The pro publica report 175 00:12:38,275 --> 00:12:42,875 Speaker 1: is a call to action, and the Senate Judiciary Committee 176 00:12:42,955 --> 00:12:48,355 Speaker 1: will act end quote. How will it act, Senator Durban? 177 00:12:48,795 --> 00:12:52,915 Speaker 1: When how many more times will Clarence Thomas loot this country? 178 00:12:53,315 --> 00:12:56,115 Speaker 1: How much more will he steal? How many more of 179 00:12:56,235 --> 00:12:59,235 Speaker 1: his Supreme Court votes will he sell before he and 180 00:12:59,395 --> 00:13:03,035 Speaker 1: his seditious wife are investigated and removed and punished and 181 00:13:03,195 --> 00:13:07,035 Speaker 1: the vermin who bribed them prosecuted and imprisoned as well. 182 00:13:08,115 --> 00:13:13,675 Speaker 1: Clarence Thomas, a living, breathing for sale sign, has been 183 00:13:13,795 --> 00:13:17,635 Speaker 1: prostituting himself and the Supreme Court and this country since 184 00:13:17,795 --> 00:13:22,315 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety one. When will his reign of justice denied 185 00:13:23,115 --> 00:13:29,835 Speaker 1: is available for the right price be ended permanently. Senator Whitehouse, 186 00:13:29,875 --> 00:13:32,475 Speaker 1: who chairs the Subcommittee on the Federal Courts, at least 187 00:13:32,515 --> 00:13:36,955 Speaker 1: put some anger into his words. This cries out for 188 00:13:37,075 --> 00:13:39,795 Speaker 1: the kind of independent investigation that the Supreme Court, and 189 00:13:39,955 --> 00:13:43,555 Speaker 1: only the Supreme Court across the entire government refuses to perform. 190 00:13:45,435 --> 00:13:48,795 Speaker 1: And the best bet for Democrats to do something anything 191 00:13:49,115 --> 00:13:52,795 Speaker 1: is in the Senate. If a Democratic strategist named Max 192 00:13:52,915 --> 00:13:56,435 Speaker 1: Burns is to be believed, quote, one Democratic House member 193 00:13:56,515 --> 00:13:59,515 Speaker 1: tells me by a text, public trust in the Supreme 194 00:13:59,595 --> 00:14:03,875 Speaker 1: Court is already bad. A big circus would destroy it completely. 195 00:14:04,755 --> 00:14:10,995 Speaker 1: Vote yes, exactly. That's where we are. The Supreme Court 196 00:14:11,115 --> 00:14:15,155 Speaker 1: is now a theocratic entity, enslaving the majority of Americans 197 00:14:15,795 --> 00:14:20,315 Speaker 1: to its own religious beliefs, except when religious beliefs aren't involved, 198 00:14:20,355 --> 00:14:23,275 Speaker 1: and the justice is like this whore Clarence Thomas have 199 00:14:23,435 --> 00:14:28,155 Speaker 1: been bought and paid for. Better that public trust in 200 00:14:28,355 --> 00:14:30,955 Speaker 1: this form of the Supreme Court of the United States 201 00:14:31,035 --> 00:14:34,475 Speaker 1: be destroyed completely than for this Supreme Court to be 202 00:14:34,595 --> 00:14:39,675 Speaker 1: run by this utterly corrupt Clarence Thomas and his psychotic wife. 203 00:14:41,075 --> 00:14:45,635 Speaker 1: The serial bribing of Clarence Thomas, documented by Pro Publica, 204 00:14:45,915 --> 00:14:48,795 Speaker 1: reads like something out of the nineteenth century. And the 205 00:14:48,915 --> 00:14:53,915 Speaker 1: professionally corrupt New York City politician Boss Tweed. A twenty 206 00:14:54,195 --> 00:14:58,115 Speaker 1: nineteen vacation on a thirty seven million dollar private jet 207 00:14:58,595 --> 00:15:01,715 Speaker 1: and a private yacht worth at least half a million dollars. 208 00:15:01,795 --> 00:15:04,555 Speaker 1: The vacation, not the yacht. The jet and the yacht 209 00:15:04,795 --> 00:15:09,755 Speaker 1: owned by Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas. Other trips on 210 00:15:09,875 --> 00:15:12,275 Speaker 1: the yacht one a day cruise in Georgia, one something 211 00:15:12,395 --> 00:15:16,595 Speaker 1: larger around twenty thirteen in New Zealand, another trip to 212 00:15:16,755 --> 00:15:21,595 Speaker 1: the Greek Islands, another destination unknown date known because the 213 00:15:21,715 --> 00:15:25,035 Speaker 1: host had customized polo shirts made for the guests with 214 00:15:25,155 --> 00:15:27,555 Speaker 1: the name of the yacht and the year two thousand 215 00:15:27,555 --> 00:15:30,915 Speaker 1: and seven emblazoned on them, and Clarence Thomas has been 216 00:15:30,995 --> 00:15:34,675 Speaker 1: brazen enough to be photographed wearing that shirt. Shirts provided 217 00:15:34,755 --> 00:15:40,275 Speaker 1: by Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas. Two eleven donation to 218 00:15:40,395 --> 00:15:43,315 Speaker 1: a tea party group also half a million dollars. The 219 00:15:43,435 --> 00:15:47,995 Speaker 1: group was founded by Jinny Thomas. The group's top employee, 220 00:15:48,035 --> 00:15:49,795 Speaker 1: who was paid a salary of one hundred and twenty 221 00:15:49,835 --> 00:15:55,595 Speaker 1: thousand dollars, was Jinny Thomas. The donation came from Harland 222 00:15:55,635 --> 00:15:59,915 Speaker 1: Crowe of Dallas, Texas. Annual access to a private resort 223 00:16:00,075 --> 00:16:03,555 Speaker 1: in the Adirondack Mountains called top Ridge, where hangs a 224 00:16:03,675 --> 00:16:07,395 Speaker 1: painting show Clarence Thomas smoking a cigar with four other men. 225 00:16:08,075 --> 00:16:12,315 Speaker 1: One is the notorious Republican moneyman and Federalist Society fascist 226 00:16:12,475 --> 00:16:18,075 Speaker 1: organizer Leonard Leo. One is Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas. 227 00:16:18,875 --> 00:16:22,595 Speaker 1: Rooms at another resort nearby Nowhere near is nice. Start 228 00:16:22,955 --> 00:16:25,915 Speaker 1: at twenty two hundred and fifty dollars a night. You 229 00:16:26,035 --> 00:16:28,995 Speaker 1: cannot buy your way though into the top Ridge resort 230 00:16:29,035 --> 00:16:32,475 Speaker 1: where this picture hangs. It is private. It is owned 231 00:16:32,515 --> 00:16:38,395 Speaker 1: by Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas. The late nineteen nineties 232 00:16:38,475 --> 00:16:41,115 Speaker 1: gift of a Bible once owned by Frederick Douglas worth 233 00:16:41,115 --> 00:16:44,955 Speaker 1: at least nineteen thousand dollars. The gift came from Harland 234 00:16:45,035 --> 00:16:47,875 Speaker 1: Crowe of Dallas, Texas. Another portrait of Clarence Thomas and 235 00:16:47,995 --> 00:16:53,275 Speaker 1: Jenny Thomas, value unknown. The painting was commissioned by Harland 236 00:16:53,315 --> 00:16:56,235 Speaker 1: Crowe of Dallas, Texas. A recent donation to Yale Law 237 00:16:56,315 --> 00:16:58,235 Speaker 1: School and the amount of one hundred and five thousand 238 00:16:58,275 --> 00:17:01,955 Speaker 1: dollars for the Justice Thomas Portrait Fund. The generous gift 239 00:17:02,075 --> 00:17:06,995 Speaker 1: of Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas, a trip from Washington 240 00:17:07,075 --> 00:17:10,155 Speaker 1: to Texas on a private jet to a private home 241 00:17:10,875 --> 00:17:13,595 Speaker 1: so Clarence Thomas could swear in a Fifth Circuit judge 242 00:17:13,635 --> 00:17:16,675 Speaker 1: with the utterly appropriate name for purposes of the startling 243 00:17:16,755 --> 00:17:21,955 Speaker 1: pro publica story of James Hoe. The jet which the 244 00:17:22,035 --> 00:17:24,875 Speaker 1: rental of an equivalent private jet would cost about seventy 245 00:17:24,915 --> 00:17:27,595 Speaker 1: thousand dollars for this trip, and the number of Thomas 246 00:17:27,675 --> 00:17:29,915 Speaker 1: trips on the jet are at least in double figures. 247 00:17:29,955 --> 00:17:33,875 Speaker 1: The jet and the home are owned by Harland Crowe 248 00:17:33,915 --> 00:17:37,715 Speaker 1: of Dallas, Texas. In October twenty twenty one trip on 249 00:17:37,875 --> 00:17:41,475 Speaker 1: that jet to Mahwah, New Jersey, so Thomas could speak 250 00:17:41,475 --> 00:17:44,675 Speaker 1: at the dedication of an eighteen hundred pound statue of 251 00:17:44,835 --> 00:17:48,395 Speaker 1: his eighth grade teacher, a nun called Sister Virgilius, a 252 00:17:48,515 --> 00:17:51,635 Speaker 1: speech Thomas ended by thanking the people who paid for 253 00:17:51,755 --> 00:17:56,635 Speaker 1: that statue, mister and missus. Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas. 254 00:17:57,195 --> 00:18:01,155 Speaker 1: A twenty twenty one documentary about Clarence Thomas called Born Equal, 255 00:18:01,595 --> 00:18:04,275 Speaker 1: in which with a straight face, Clarence Thomas says, I 256 00:18:04,755 --> 00:18:08,195 Speaker 1: for the RV parks, I prefer the Walmart parking lots 257 00:18:08,235 --> 00:18:12,035 Speaker 1: to the beaches and things like that. The documentary was 258 00:18:12,115 --> 00:18:17,155 Speaker 1: funded by Harland Crowe of Dallas, Texas, and Harlan Crowe 259 00:18:17,715 --> 00:18:21,435 Speaker 1: and Clarence Thomas and Jinny Thomas did not even bother 260 00:18:21,955 --> 00:18:26,675 Speaker 1: to hide their tracks. Pro Publica documented his litany of 261 00:18:26,715 --> 00:18:32,675 Speaker 1: offenses simply by looking at flight records and from conducting 262 00:18:32,715 --> 00:18:35,595 Speaker 1: interviews with everybody from staff on a super yacht to 263 00:18:35,755 --> 00:18:41,115 Speaker 1: a Scubra instructor in Indonesia, and from documents distributed among 264 00:18:41,155 --> 00:18:49,235 Speaker 1: the employees of Harlan Crowe of Dallas, Texas. Harland Crowe 265 00:18:49,315 --> 00:18:52,355 Speaker 1: is a seventy four year old real estate developer. He 266 00:18:52,475 --> 00:18:54,875 Speaker 1: and Clarence Thomas met in nineteen ninety six. He got 267 00:18:54,915 --> 00:18:57,955 Speaker 1: the anti tax group Club for Growth up on its 268 00:18:58,035 --> 00:19:00,915 Speaker 1: financial feed after a shaky start. He is on the 269 00:19:00,995 --> 00:19:04,155 Speaker 1: board of the far right Hoover Institution and the American 270 00:19:04,275 --> 00:19:08,235 Speaker 1: Enterprise Institution. He has given ten million dollars to Republican 271 00:19:08,315 --> 00:19:12,715 Speaker 1: candidates and organizations, those to whom news of his donations 272 00:19:12,875 --> 00:19:16,875 Speaker 1: has been required. The rest of the donations untold amounts 273 00:19:16,915 --> 00:19:21,155 Speaker 1: we know nothing about. The Harvard Business School Club of 274 00:19:21,395 --> 00:19:26,035 Speaker 1: Dallas conducted something called the Real Estate Magnate interview series 275 00:19:26,155 --> 00:19:29,515 Speaker 1: Quick Questions, Quick answers. Harland Crowe has asked what scares 276 00:19:29,555 --> 00:19:34,155 Speaker 1: you the most. Harland Crowe's answer was one word, Marxism. 277 00:19:36,315 --> 00:19:38,995 Speaker 1: The Supreme Court justice was impeached by the House in 278 00:19:39,155 --> 00:19:41,955 Speaker 1: eighteen oh four and then acquitted by the Senate. There 279 00:19:42,035 --> 00:19:45,875 Speaker 1: has never been any Supreme Court justice removed, no matter 280 00:19:45,915 --> 00:19:50,555 Speaker 1: how corrupt by legal means. The supposed sanctity of this court, 281 00:19:50,835 --> 00:19:54,675 Speaker 1: its restoration from the whorehouse that people like Clarence Thomas 282 00:19:54,755 --> 00:19:57,355 Speaker 1: and Jenny Thomas and Harland Crowe have made it into 283 00:19:57,675 --> 00:20:01,595 Speaker 1: can be accomplished only grimly by waiting for people like 284 00:20:01,755 --> 00:20:06,955 Speaker 1: Thomas to resign or die. According to federal law US 285 00:20:07,075 --> 00:20:11,395 Speaker 1: Code five CFR Part two six three five, sub Part B, 286 00:20:12,515 --> 00:20:16,115 Speaker 1: government employees may accept gifts of almost any kind and 287 00:20:16,195 --> 00:20:19,515 Speaker 1: are not required to report them, nor are they subject 288 00:20:19,595 --> 00:20:23,275 Speaker 1: to investigation for conflicts of interest or bribery because of them, 289 00:20:23,675 --> 00:20:28,155 Speaker 1: provided those gifts are worth no more than four hundred 290 00:20:28,195 --> 00:20:33,875 Speaker 1: and fifteen dollars. The four hundred and fifteen dollars threshold 291 00:20:34,355 --> 00:20:38,395 Speaker 1: would have been passed literally within five seconds of the 292 00:20:38,555 --> 00:20:43,155 Speaker 1: first moment that this scumbag Clarence Thomas first stepped onto 293 00:20:43,275 --> 00:20:51,075 Speaker 1: Harlan Crows thirty seven million dollar jet in Dallas, Texas 294 00:20:56,475 --> 00:21:00,315 Speaker 1: and separate from both of those stories. Supreme Court sea 295 00:21:00,355 --> 00:21:04,155 Speaker 1: separate sheet for bribery rate card. There is also news 296 00:21:04,195 --> 00:21:08,435 Speaker 1: today out the defendant, knowing that he would get his 297 00:21:08,555 --> 00:21:10,795 Speaker 1: ass kicked if he actually did more than just threatened 298 00:21:10,795 --> 00:21:14,835 Speaker 1: to subpoena the Manhattan District Attorney Alban Bragg, the wonderfully 299 00:21:14,995 --> 00:21:20,955 Speaker 1: incompetent Congressman Jim Jordan, has instead subpoenaed former Manhattan Assistant 300 00:21:20,995 --> 00:21:26,115 Speaker 1: District Attorney Mark Pomerantz. Pomerantz resigned over Bragg's hesitation to 301 00:21:26,275 --> 00:21:29,475 Speaker 1: pursue the original case against the defendant left to him 302 00:21:29,475 --> 00:21:33,435 Speaker 1: by his predecessor. The DA's office has already forbidden Pomerants 303 00:21:33,475 --> 00:21:37,355 Speaker 1: to testify, and rightly so. Jim Jordan now threatens contempt 304 00:21:37,435 --> 00:21:40,515 Speaker 1: of Congress charges which the Department of Justice will not 305 00:21:40,755 --> 00:21:43,955 Speaker 1: act upon, of course, and which is kind of undercut 306 00:21:43,995 --> 00:21:46,595 Speaker 1: by the fact that Jim Jordan ignored a subpoena from 307 00:21:46,635 --> 00:21:50,915 Speaker 1: the House January sixth Committee DA. Bragg also hinted again 308 00:21:50,955 --> 00:21:55,635 Speaker 1: that Jordan is coming very close to obstructing a criminal investigation. Frankly, 309 00:21:56,795 --> 00:22:01,875 Speaker 1: Pomerantz should testify. Bragg himself should testify if Jim Jordan 310 00:22:01,955 --> 00:22:05,875 Speaker 1: wants to hold an unofficial version of the defendant's stormy 311 00:22:05,995 --> 00:22:10,115 Speaker 1: Daniel's election interference and tax of Aasian trial inside his 312 00:22:10,235 --> 00:22:14,075 Speaker 1: congressional hearing room. Go for it. It'd be like arresting 313 00:22:14,155 --> 00:22:17,435 Speaker 1: the defendant every day for a week after week after week, 314 00:22:18,955 --> 00:22:21,075 Speaker 1: and one more thing from the arrest of the defendant. 315 00:22:21,155 --> 00:22:23,355 Speaker 1: And how in the hell has this not become a headline? 316 00:22:23,395 --> 00:22:27,475 Speaker 1: Alvin Bragg has a tape of the defense. All right, 317 00:22:27,595 --> 00:22:31,755 Speaker 1: I want to be absolutely clear here Trump. Alvin Bragg 318 00:22:31,835 --> 00:22:35,595 Speaker 1: has a tape of Trump and lawyer A lawyer A 319 00:22:35,795 --> 00:22:38,755 Speaker 1: is Michael Cohen, and they are discussing how to payoff 320 00:22:38,835 --> 00:22:42,875 Speaker 1: woman one. That's Karen McDougall. Lordie, lordie, there's a tape. 321 00:22:44,155 --> 00:22:47,275 Speaker 1: Bragg writes about it in his Statement of Facts Item fourteen, 322 00:22:47,315 --> 00:22:50,155 Speaker 1: which apparently every reporter in this country failed to read. 323 00:22:51,155 --> 00:22:54,795 Speaker 1: I'll use the names, not the identity hiders quote. In 324 00:22:54,875 --> 00:22:59,355 Speaker 1: a conversation captured in an audio recording in approximately September 325 00:22:59,395 --> 00:23:03,995 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen concerning McDougall's account, the defendant and Cohen discussed 326 00:23:04,035 --> 00:23:08,795 Speaker 1: how to obtain the rights to McDougal's account from Ami Ami. 327 00:23:08,955 --> 00:23:12,395 Speaker 1: That's the National Enquirer publishing company and how to reimburse 328 00:23:12,555 --> 00:23:16,435 Speaker 1: AMI for its payment. Cohen told the defendant he would 329 00:23:16,635 --> 00:23:20,115 Speaker 1: open up a company for the transfer of McDougall's account 330 00:23:20,155 --> 00:23:22,955 Speaker 1: and other information, and stated that he had spoken to 331 00:23:23,035 --> 00:23:26,635 Speaker 1: the chief financial officer for the Trump organization about quote, 332 00:23:26,875 --> 00:23:30,955 Speaker 1: how to set the whole thing up. The defendant asked, quote, 333 00:23:31,515 --> 00:23:33,795 Speaker 1: so what do we gotta pay for this one fifty 334 00:23:34,515 --> 00:23:39,395 Speaker 1: and suggested paying by cash. When Cohen disagreed, the defendant 335 00:23:39,435 --> 00:23:44,595 Speaker 1: then mentioned payment by check. There is no other reference 336 00:23:44,635 --> 00:23:47,715 Speaker 1: to recordings in Bragg's filing. There is no guarantee that 337 00:23:47,755 --> 00:23:51,235 Speaker 1: a judge would let a surreptitiously recorded conversation into the 338 00:23:51,355 --> 00:23:54,035 Speaker 1: record at trial. But one thing is I think certain. 339 00:23:54,395 --> 00:23:58,235 Speaker 1: If there is one conversation involving the defendant on tape, 340 00:23:58,515 --> 00:24:01,875 Speaker 1: there are more than one conversation on tape, and they 341 00:24:01,995 --> 00:24:05,035 Speaker 1: probably all sound just as eloquent as the defendant saying, 342 00:24:05,435 --> 00:24:07,515 Speaker 1: so what do we got to pay for this one fifty? 343 00:24:07,795 --> 00:24:13,355 Speaker 1: Which reads like a line from the Sopranos. I mean, geez, defendant, 344 00:24:13,835 --> 00:24:17,675 Speaker 1: paying one fifty one fifty wouldn't even buy you an 345 00:24:17,755 --> 00:24:35,995 Speaker 1: hour of Clarence Thomas's time. Owen, CBS News is confirming 346 00:24:36,075 --> 00:24:38,915 Speaker 1: what had been reported earlier in the week that former 347 00:24:38,995 --> 00:24:43,675 Speaker 1: and current US Secret Service officials will after all testify 348 00:24:43,995 --> 00:24:48,555 Speaker 1: today through special Counsel Jacksmith's Grand Jury in relation to 349 00:24:48,635 --> 00:24:52,355 Speaker 1: the classified documents Trump stole and stashed at Marilago. There 350 00:24:52,435 --> 00:24:55,155 Speaker 1: were conflicting reports whether it would be now or later, 351 00:24:55,395 --> 00:24:58,715 Speaker 1: and according to to CBS, it'll be now. Still ahead 352 00:24:58,755 --> 00:25:03,115 Speaker 1: on this initiship countdown absolutely incomprehensible. The Biden administration cuts 353 00:25:03,115 --> 00:25:06,995 Speaker 1: a deal with the Theocrats. Some trans athletes can be 354 00:25:07,235 --> 00:25:13,555 Speaker 1: banned from scholastic sports, because appeasing terrorists always works, right, Joe, 355 00:25:14,075 --> 00:25:16,595 Speaker 1: I mean this is almost at the level of maybe 356 00:25:16,635 --> 00:25:19,355 Speaker 1: we need a new candidate next year. Kind of offensive, 357 00:25:19,435 --> 00:25:24,075 Speaker 1: mister President. Sports first, baseball boasted, this is the one 358 00:25:24,235 --> 00:25:28,115 Speaker 1: sport where there is no clock. Then they instituted a clock, 359 00:25:28,435 --> 00:25:31,595 Speaker 1: a pitch clock, now the inevitable. A week after the 360 00:25:31,675 --> 00:25:34,915 Speaker 1: first use of the pitch clock, the pitch clock is 361 00:25:34,995 --> 00:25:39,435 Speaker 1: now available to be sponsored. Report from the City of 362 00:25:39,555 --> 00:25:43,715 Speaker 1: Merchandise coming up. It's an all new things I promised 363 00:25:43,755 --> 00:25:46,315 Speaker 1: not to tell. Actually, in one way that's not true. 364 00:25:46,435 --> 00:25:48,555 Speaker 1: Most of what I'll be reading I wrote in March. 365 00:25:49,115 --> 00:25:52,995 Speaker 1: March nineteen seventy nine. It's about the day I met 366 00:25:53,075 --> 00:25:55,635 Speaker 1: the man who would become my first boss in radio, 367 00:25:55,915 --> 00:25:58,115 Speaker 1: and I met the man who would become the chairman 368 00:25:58,155 --> 00:26:01,155 Speaker 1: of Disney. I had to write a school paper on 369 00:26:01,315 --> 00:26:05,475 Speaker 1: an interesting character I had just met, and I tunes, Yes, 370 00:26:05,755 --> 00:26:08,675 Speaker 1: the guy who did not become the chairman of Disney. 371 00:26:09,115 --> 00:26:12,395 Speaker 1: And in worse persons, Travis Tritt. He's going to show 372 00:26:12,475 --> 00:26:16,435 Speaker 1: them trans friendly bud Light people. He will not let 373 00:26:16,595 --> 00:26:20,515 Speaker 1: bud Light give him any more free bud Light. By God, 374 00:26:20,595 --> 00:26:23,595 Speaker 1: what a sacrifice. It's like he jumped on a grenade 375 00:26:23,835 --> 00:26:27,955 Speaker 1: at That's next. This is an all new edition of Countdown. 376 00:26:34,675 --> 00:26:42,435 Speaker 1: This is Countdown with Keith Olberman Owe scripts to the news, 377 00:26:42,595 --> 00:26:46,795 Speaker 1: some updates, some insights, some snarks, some prediction. State Line, Washington, 378 00:26:46,915 --> 00:26:50,715 Speaker 1: mister President, you are not serious. The Biden administration has 379 00:26:50,755 --> 00:26:54,955 Speaker 1: proposed new regulations to allow colleges and high schools to 380 00:26:55,315 --> 00:27:00,555 Speaker 1: bar some transgender athletes from some scholastic sports based on 381 00:27:00,795 --> 00:27:06,355 Speaker 1: quote fairness unquote translated from bureaucratic ease. Blanket bands on 382 00:27:06,435 --> 00:27:08,755 Speaker 1: the athletes that have been instituted in twenty different states 383 00:27:08,795 --> 00:27:12,035 Speaker 1: around the country would be eliminated, but if they could 384 00:27:12,155 --> 00:27:17,235 Speaker 1: justify it on quote educational grounds. The schools could ban 385 00:27:17,395 --> 00:27:20,595 Speaker 1: a given trans athlete from a given sport. The example 386 00:27:20,635 --> 00:27:24,715 Speaker 1: the Washington Post offered was keeping a trans athlete off 387 00:27:25,195 --> 00:27:28,755 Speaker 1: a competitive high school track and field team would be okay. 388 00:27:29,475 --> 00:27:33,755 Speaker 1: Keeping a trans athlete off the intramural middle school kickball 389 00:27:33,875 --> 00:27:38,195 Speaker 1: team would not be okay. The various AstroTurf organizations trying 390 00:27:38,235 --> 00:27:41,475 Speaker 1: to eliminate trans athletes, and for that matter, trans people, 391 00:27:42,115 --> 00:27:45,235 Speaker 1: immediately rejected the compromise because you don't try to appease 392 00:27:45,475 --> 00:27:52,235 Speaker 1: terrorists or fascists, or especially fascist terrorists, mister President. Speaking 393 00:27:52,275 --> 00:27:56,275 Speaker 1: of which, date Line TV land Sean Spicer, the first 394 00:27:56,835 --> 00:28:01,155 Speaker 1: Trump Press Secretary and most recently host of the Newsmax show. 395 00:28:01,995 --> 00:28:07,435 Speaker 1: Spicer and Company is out of leaving Newsmax after contract 396 00:28:07,475 --> 00:28:11,635 Speaker 1: negotiations reportedly fell apart. He said, quote, It's time for 397 00:28:11,715 --> 00:28:13,955 Speaker 1: me to move on to a new challenge, a new adventure, 398 00:28:14,075 --> 00:28:17,195 Speaker 1: and a new opportunity to serve the American people. Just 399 00:28:17,355 --> 00:28:19,595 Speaker 1: guessing here, but I believe Sean Spicer will now go 400 00:28:19,795 --> 00:28:23,435 Speaker 1: across the country door to door and lie to people 401 00:28:23,595 --> 00:28:39,195 Speaker 1: one at a time rather than all at once. This 402 00:28:40,275 --> 00:28:46,515 Speaker 1: is sports Center, Wait, check that not anymore. This is 403 00:28:47,395 --> 00:28:53,275 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Alberman in sports bizarre start at the Masters, 404 00:28:53,395 --> 00:28:56,395 Speaker 1: on the first toll of the world's most overrated sporting event, 405 00:28:56,555 --> 00:29:01,635 Speaker 1: John Ram registered a four put double bogey. He starts 406 00:29:01,755 --> 00:29:04,395 Speaker 1: round two as the co leader seven hundred sixty five, 407 00:29:04,715 --> 00:29:08,115 Speaker 1: lowest score in Master's history by anybody who started with 408 00:29:08,195 --> 00:29:11,475 Speaker 1: a double Bogeye Brooks, Kpka and Victor Hovland are also 409 00:29:11,595 --> 00:29:16,355 Speaker 1: at seven. Under baseball, I swear fifty seven seasons. Now, 410 00:29:16,475 --> 00:29:20,395 Speaker 1: I have been following this sport every day, winter, spring, summer, 411 00:29:20,435 --> 00:29:24,035 Speaker 1: and fall, and I did not see this coming. The 412 00:29:24,235 --> 00:29:27,635 Speaker 1: new pitch clock, which keeps the action moving, has been 413 00:29:27,795 --> 00:29:31,395 Speaker 1: in use for literally eight days. It's not the first 414 00:29:31,435 --> 00:29:33,955 Speaker 1: time Baseball tried to introduce a pitch clock, they had 415 00:29:33,955 --> 00:29:36,595 Speaker 1: one in nineteen sixty eight, but this is the first 416 00:29:36,635 --> 00:29:40,675 Speaker 1: time it stuck, and admittedly it has helped so sure enough. 417 00:29:41,315 --> 00:29:44,515 Speaker 1: A sports business publication is reporting that Major League Baseball 418 00:29:44,635 --> 00:29:50,275 Speaker 1: is now offering sponsorship deals for the pitch clock. Quote. 419 00:29:50,635 --> 00:29:55,595 Speaker 1: MLB is open for business. Unquote. It is supposedly calling 420 00:29:55,675 --> 00:30:00,555 Speaker 1: timex Omega Rolex and offering to call the pitch clock. 421 00:30:00,915 --> 00:30:06,355 Speaker 1: The pitch timer. See, all right, Rolex would be nice, 422 00:30:06,395 --> 00:30:09,035 Speaker 1: but I'm thinking. The real choice for the sponsor of 423 00:30:09,115 --> 00:30:13,355 Speaker 1: this clock is Bang's Funeral Home, West Green Street, Ithaca, 424 00:30:13,435 --> 00:30:16,715 Speaker 1: New York. When your time is up, go out in 425 00:30:16,875 --> 00:30:32,835 Speaker 1: a Bangs. I know I've used that joke before. It's 426 00:30:32,875 --> 00:30:35,715 Speaker 1: still so good. Still ahead. On an awfully chunky edition 427 00:30:35,755 --> 00:30:39,715 Speaker 1: of Countdown, March twenty, nineteen seventy nine. It was quite 428 00:30:39,755 --> 00:30:42,755 Speaker 1: a day for yours, truly, and I know this because 429 00:30:42,795 --> 00:30:46,835 Speaker 1: I wrote a paper for college documenting it, and I 430 00:30:46,955 --> 00:30:49,355 Speaker 1: still have the paper. I found it the other day. 431 00:30:49,995 --> 00:30:52,875 Speaker 1: The star of the paper is a man who to 432 00:30:53,115 --> 00:30:55,275 Speaker 1: this day is the play by play announcer of the 433 00:30:55,315 --> 00:30:58,115 Speaker 1: New York Rangers and was my first boss. You will 434 00:30:58,195 --> 00:31:03,315 Speaker 1: never believe who I overlooked writing this paper first time 435 00:31:03,355 --> 00:31:05,115 Speaker 1: for the daily roundup, for the miss Grants, Warns and 436 00:31:05,235 --> 00:31:08,035 Speaker 1: Dunning Kruger Effect specimens who constitute today's worst person in 437 00:31:08,075 --> 00:31:10,955 Speaker 1: the world. I got a time for the bronze. Fittingly, 438 00:31:10,995 --> 00:31:14,475 Speaker 1: it's between two of the dumbest people in human history. First, 439 00:31:14,595 --> 00:31:20,875 Speaker 1: Glenn Beck Old Lonesome Roads is back. With Trump's arrest. 440 00:31:21,355 --> 00:31:26,315 Speaker 1: He says Democrats are now mimicking exactly what Vladimir Putin 441 00:31:26,435 --> 00:31:32,195 Speaker 1: did to his political enemy. No. Putin first had his 442 00:31:32,275 --> 00:31:35,755 Speaker 1: political enemy Alexei Nivalni, attacked on the street with chemicals 443 00:31:35,835 --> 00:31:39,835 Speaker 1: intended to blind him. Then when that didn't work, they 444 00:31:39,915 --> 00:31:42,515 Speaker 1: attacked him with different chemicals on the street with the 445 00:31:42,595 --> 00:31:45,795 Speaker 1: intention of blinding him. Then they poisoned him with nerve gas. 446 00:31:46,035 --> 00:31:49,835 Speaker 1: Then after Nivalney left the country, Putin learned her back 447 00:31:49,955 --> 00:31:54,835 Speaker 1: from Germany and then jailed him. Beck is tied for 448 00:31:55,715 --> 00:31:58,395 Speaker 1: the third place honors here with Charlie Kirk, the balloon 449 00:31:58,555 --> 00:32:02,475 Speaker 1: headed guy. It's worth to have a cost of unfortunately 450 00:32:02,595 --> 00:32:05,675 Speaker 1: some gun deaths every single year year, so that we 451 00:32:05,755 --> 00:32:09,115 Speaker 1: can have the Second Amendment to protect all our other rights. 452 00:32:09,395 --> 00:32:14,035 Speaker 1: Kirk says, as if anybody has ever used a gun 453 00:32:14,555 --> 00:32:17,995 Speaker 1: against the government to protect his other rights in this country, 454 00:32:18,515 --> 00:32:22,035 Speaker 1: and the government has all the tanks and bombs and stuff, Bob, 455 00:32:22,075 --> 00:32:24,915 Speaker 1: but Kirk made this worse. He then suggested, trying to 456 00:32:24,995 --> 00:32:29,195 Speaker 1: reduce gun deaths, how didn't we stop shootings at baseball 457 00:32:29,275 --> 00:32:33,155 Speaker 1: games because we had armed guards, which isn't the case. 458 00:32:33,755 --> 00:32:37,635 Speaker 1: There haven't been shootings at baseball games, and you can't 459 00:32:37,715 --> 00:32:42,395 Speaker 1: bring a gun into a baseball game because everybody has 460 00:32:42,435 --> 00:32:45,635 Speaker 1: to go through a magnetometer. Would you think those things 461 00:32:45,675 --> 00:32:50,235 Speaker 1: were Charlie just taking pictures of your underwear. Just not bright, guys. 462 00:32:51,075 --> 00:32:54,355 Speaker 1: The runners up President Chris Licked paced boy and his 463 00:32:54,515 --> 00:32:59,595 Speaker 1: sort of star Don Lemon. This is the lickt Lemon combination. 464 00:33:00,115 --> 00:33:03,635 Speaker 1: A CNN continues to implode. Vanity Fair magazine has sliced 465 00:33:03,715 --> 00:33:06,835 Speaker 1: up what passes for on air star anchor Don Lemon. 466 00:33:07,195 --> 00:33:11,475 Speaker 1: Licked destabilized Lemon by moving him from a good nighttime 467 00:33:11,515 --> 00:33:14,515 Speaker 1: show which he's solo anchored, to a morning disaster with 468 00:33:14,675 --> 00:33:17,955 Speaker 1: three anchors, Lemon, somebody they hired from The Daily Caller, 469 00:33:18,315 --> 00:33:22,715 Speaker 1: and a journeyman anchor named Hoppy Partlower. I don't know something. 470 00:33:23,155 --> 00:33:25,675 Speaker 1: Vanity Fair has an awful lot of awful things to 471 00:33:25,715 --> 00:33:27,595 Speaker 1: say about Don Lemon in this article, but this is 472 00:33:27,635 --> 00:33:30,475 Speaker 1: the worst. During a two thousand and eight rivalry with 473 00:33:30,635 --> 00:33:34,475 Speaker 1: then co anchor Kiera Phillips, Lemon was reportedly upset that 474 00:33:34,595 --> 00:33:37,915 Speaker 1: she was sent to Iraq and he wasn't. Phillips was 475 00:33:37,995 --> 00:33:40,355 Speaker 1: out to dinner with two staffers from their show when 476 00:33:40,395 --> 00:33:43,595 Speaker 1: she received the first of two text messages from an 477 00:33:43,675 --> 00:33:47,235 Speaker 1: unknown phone number. This is two thousand and eight. Who 478 00:33:47,355 --> 00:33:50,355 Speaker 1: sent text messages in two thousand and eight, especially who 479 00:33:50,395 --> 00:33:53,915 Speaker 1: sent text messages that read now you've crossed the line, 480 00:33:54,075 --> 00:33:57,595 Speaker 1: and you're going to pay for it. Vanity Fair claimed. 481 00:33:57,675 --> 00:34:01,155 Speaker 1: CNN investigated and proved that the texts were traced back 482 00:34:01,275 --> 00:34:06,235 Speaker 1: to Don Lemon. He denies that. But the Travis Tritt, 483 00:34:06,675 --> 00:34:09,355 Speaker 1: who was apparently a country singer who wears really tight 484 00:34:09,555 --> 00:34:13,715 Speaker 1: pastel colored pants, I have no other information. He blocked 485 00:34:13,715 --> 00:34:16,555 Speaker 1: me on Twitter after I mocked him. The lunatic right 486 00:34:16,715 --> 00:34:20,075 Speaker 1: is expressing rage on a level rare even in its 487 00:34:20,195 --> 00:34:24,475 Speaker 1: world of umbridge and paranoia. Because bud Light used a 488 00:34:24,595 --> 00:34:27,955 Speaker 1: transperson in an ad campaign or on a can or 489 00:34:27,995 --> 00:34:32,315 Speaker 1: a bottle or something. It's exhausting. I can't keep track anymore. 490 00:34:32,835 --> 00:34:35,475 Speaker 1: So the far right lunatics are trying to outdo each 491 00:34:35,515 --> 00:34:39,355 Speaker 1: other in aggressively boycotting bud Light. Kid Rock, who was 492 00:34:39,355 --> 00:34:41,715 Speaker 1: apparently a non country singer who had a hit in 493 00:34:41,875 --> 00:34:45,475 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine or something, used a machine gun to 494 00:34:45,555 --> 00:34:48,555 Speaker 1: shoot up a six pack of bud Light two of 495 00:34:48,595 --> 00:34:50,995 Speaker 1: the applause of hundreds or something. I don't know what 496 00:34:51,115 --> 00:34:53,475 Speaker 1: was going on there. Maybe it was his new song. 497 00:34:54,395 --> 00:34:56,795 Speaker 1: So this trit had to do something even more dramatic. 498 00:34:56,875 --> 00:35:00,875 Speaker 1: Quote other artists who are deleting anheuser Busch products from 499 00:35:00,915 --> 00:35:04,195 Speaker 1: their hospitality writer might not say so in public for 500 00:35:04,275 --> 00:35:08,595 Speaker 1: fear of being ridiculed and canceled. I have no such fear. Unquote. 501 00:35:09,515 --> 00:35:12,075 Speaker 1: Let me translate this for you. When he writes deleting 502 00:35:12,235 --> 00:35:16,635 Speaker 1: Anheuser Busch products from their hospitality writer, what he means 503 00:35:16,915 --> 00:35:20,395 Speaker 1: is Travis Tritt will no longer let the venues at 504 00:35:20,435 --> 00:35:24,915 Speaker 1: which he performs give him any cans of bud Light 505 00:35:25,195 --> 00:35:32,995 Speaker 1: for free. Wow. What a sacrifice, Holy cow, Travis Tritt. 506 00:35:33,155 --> 00:35:37,235 Speaker 1: It's like you're donating a kidney to a stranger. No, no, wait, 507 00:35:37,315 --> 00:35:39,355 Speaker 1: it's more than that. It's like you're going to the 508 00:35:39,555 --> 00:35:44,475 Speaker 1: guillotine in somebody else's place. Travis. It is a far 509 00:35:44,755 --> 00:35:47,755 Speaker 1: far better free beer. I give up than I have 510 00:35:47,915 --> 00:35:55,435 Speaker 1: ever given up before. Trit two days, worst person. And 511 00:35:55,755 --> 00:36:11,915 Speaker 1: now to the number one story on the countdown on 512 00:36:12,035 --> 00:36:14,955 Speaker 1: my favorite topic, Me and Things I promised not to tell. 513 00:36:15,435 --> 00:36:17,675 Speaker 1: It was James Thurber who once pointed out that the 514 00:36:17,755 --> 00:36:22,435 Speaker 1: secret to great writing was never throw away anything you 515 00:36:22,595 --> 00:36:26,675 Speaker 1: have written. He confessed that I believe in nineteen fifty 516 00:36:26,715 --> 00:36:29,635 Speaker 1: eight that he had managed to rework stuff that he 517 00:36:29,715 --> 00:36:33,875 Speaker 1: had written in nineteen eighteen. Well, I can finally top him. 518 00:36:34,555 --> 00:36:37,155 Speaker 1: I wrote what You're Gonna Hear Next on March twenty seventh, 519 00:36:37,755 --> 00:36:41,635 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy nine. It was a creative writing assignment for 520 00:36:41,755 --> 00:36:44,555 Speaker 1: my last English class at Cornell, and it was simple, 521 00:36:44,595 --> 00:36:47,715 Speaker 1: somebody you have met recently who you found interesting or 522 00:36:47,915 --> 00:36:52,115 Speaker 1: under interesting circumstances. Four to five pages, typed double space. 523 00:36:53,475 --> 00:36:57,235 Speaker 1: I'll spare you the suspense. It's about Sam Rosen, as 524 00:36:57,275 --> 00:36:59,155 Speaker 1: you will hear. I had what seemed to be a 525 00:36:59,275 --> 00:37:02,555 Speaker 1: courtesy interview with Sam Rosen in his office at UPI 526 00:37:02,715 --> 00:37:06,795 Speaker 1: Audio in New York on Thursday, March twenty second, nineteen 527 00:37:06,875 --> 00:37:09,515 Speaker 1: seventy nine. I didn't think anything had come of it, 528 00:37:10,115 --> 00:37:13,835 Speaker 1: but on July third, nineteen seventy nine, UPI Audio hired 529 00:37:13,915 --> 00:37:17,915 Speaker 1: me my first job. I was replacing their sports director. 530 00:37:18,355 --> 00:37:21,235 Speaker 1: Thought I named Maury Trumbull, who was leaving to go 531 00:37:21,355 --> 00:37:24,915 Speaker 1: be the sports director of NBC Radio. Yes, they used 532 00:37:24,955 --> 00:37:29,035 Speaker 1: to have such jobs. Morey and I overlapped for about 533 00:37:29,075 --> 00:37:32,315 Speaker 1: ten days, so technically he was my first boss. But 534 00:37:32,515 --> 00:37:35,075 Speaker 1: really Sam was my first boss, and he not only 535 00:37:35,235 --> 00:37:38,835 Speaker 1: survived it, he's still working. He's been the play by 536 00:37:38,875 --> 00:37:41,515 Speaker 1: play announcer of the New York Rangers since nineteen eighty four. 537 00:37:42,075 --> 00:37:45,155 Speaker 1: And he remains a friend. I guess I'm not that 538 00:37:45,355 --> 00:37:49,635 Speaker 1: tough on my employers after all. Just as interesting, though, 539 00:37:49,835 --> 00:37:52,435 Speaker 1: is a guy you will here referred to in passing 540 00:37:52,515 --> 00:37:56,915 Speaker 1: in the second sentence as an ABC Sports executive. I 541 00:37:56,995 --> 00:38:00,435 Speaker 1: will explain who that was and is after I read 542 00:38:00,475 --> 00:38:03,595 Speaker 1: you the original. From the original copy, I might add 543 00:38:04,075 --> 00:38:07,435 Speaker 1: which I will start doing in one second from now. 544 00:38:09,155 --> 00:38:13,075 Speaker 1: Keith Olberman English one thirty five point one three March 545 00:38:13,235 --> 00:38:18,435 Speaker 1: twenty seven, nineteen seventy nine. By the time I cornered 546 00:38:18,515 --> 00:38:21,515 Speaker 1: Sam Rosen in the back room of United Press International's 547 00:38:21,555 --> 00:38:24,355 Speaker 1: offices in New York City, March twenty second had already 548 00:38:24,395 --> 00:38:28,555 Speaker 1: qualified as a very bizarre day. In the preceding twelve hours, 549 00:38:28,635 --> 00:38:30,915 Speaker 1: I had dragged myself out of bed despite half a 550 00:38:31,035 --> 00:38:35,035 Speaker 1: night's sleep, conducted a successful job interview with an ABC 551 00:38:35,275 --> 00:38:38,955 Speaker 1: Sports executive who turned out to be a former wtko 552 00:38:39,115 --> 00:38:43,395 Speaker 1: ITHACA dish jockey, gotten drunk before noon at a bar 553 00:38:43,675 --> 00:38:47,715 Speaker 1: run by an ex Cornell basketball player, sobered myself up 554 00:38:47,755 --> 00:38:51,035 Speaker 1: in the bowels of New York's subway system, and walked 555 00:38:51,155 --> 00:38:56,195 Speaker 1: at least three miles on the hard city streets. Sam 556 00:38:56,395 --> 00:39:00,315 Speaker 1: Rosen is a sportscaster for the United Press Audio Network, 557 00:39:00,675 --> 00:39:03,475 Speaker 1: a low grade national organization with which I had some 558 00:39:03,635 --> 00:39:07,315 Speaker 1: contact on some all hope of employment. The Rosen, who 559 00:39:07,395 --> 00:39:11,915 Speaker 1: introduced himself to a burnt out, tired me, was a burly, 560 00:39:12,155 --> 00:39:15,715 Speaker 1: slow moving man, broad in the shoulders, straightforward and confident, 561 00:39:15,955 --> 00:39:20,955 Speaker 1: and the owner of distractingly bushy sideburns. He had consented 562 00:39:20,995 --> 00:39:22,755 Speaker 1: to spend a few minutes with me at the request 563 00:39:22,795 --> 00:39:26,115 Speaker 1: of Roger Norham, a UPI newscaster whom I had met 564 00:39:26,155 --> 00:39:29,955 Speaker 1: through a contact just four days earlier. Norham had thought 565 00:39:30,035 --> 00:39:31,995 Speaker 1: Rosen might be able to help me in my efforts 566 00:39:32,035 --> 00:39:34,715 Speaker 1: to get a job, and at the very least critique 567 00:39:34,715 --> 00:39:39,435 Speaker 1: a tape of one of my broadcasts. Page two. Rosen 568 00:39:39,555 --> 00:39:43,275 Speaker 1: began slowly and deliberately reviewing his rise to network radio 569 00:39:43,395 --> 00:39:46,195 Speaker 1: from humble beginnings as a gopher in a New York station. 570 00:39:46,995 --> 00:39:49,555 Speaker 1: It's a hard business, Keith, he pointed out. You have 571 00:39:49,635 --> 00:39:51,995 Speaker 1: to be prepared to start at the bottom, even say 572 00:39:52,035 --> 00:39:55,715 Speaker 1: as an intern for a radio or TV station. I noted, 573 00:39:56,475 --> 00:39:59,555 Speaker 1: rather meekly than I spent the summer of nineteen seventy 574 00:39:59,595 --> 00:40:01,915 Speaker 1: eight in just such a capacity at Channel five in 575 00:40:01,995 --> 00:40:06,195 Speaker 1: New York. Rosen seemed surprised, then a little miffed at 576 00:40:06,275 --> 00:40:08,875 Speaker 1: my sliver of experience and seemed to be groping for 577 00:40:08,955 --> 00:40:12,275 Speaker 1: something else to suggest, Well, it's good to define just 578 00:40:12,435 --> 00:40:14,355 Speaker 1: where you want your career to go and how it 579 00:40:14,435 --> 00:40:18,275 Speaker 1: will go. Rosen's confidence disappeared a second later when I 580 00:40:18,355 --> 00:40:21,155 Speaker 1: recounted my decision at the age of eight to become 581 00:40:21,195 --> 00:40:24,635 Speaker 1: the country's top sportscaster by starting in radio and then 582 00:40:24,715 --> 00:40:29,435 Speaker 1: moving into television. He looked at me with mystification and 583 00:40:29,635 --> 00:40:32,275 Speaker 1: slowly leaned back in his seat, to the accompaniment of 584 00:40:32,315 --> 00:40:35,395 Speaker 1: a groan from rusty hinges and the squeak of the 585 00:40:35,515 --> 00:40:40,795 Speaker 1: chairs casters against the tile floor. Maybe you should try stringing, 586 00:40:41,155 --> 00:40:43,715 Speaker 1: he offered, and began to explain the radio term for 587 00:40:43,875 --> 00:40:47,395 Speaker 1: providing reports or newsmaker's comments to a station or network 588 00:40:47,435 --> 00:40:50,675 Speaker 1: on a freelance basis. He stopped explaining when I noted 589 00:40:50,715 --> 00:40:54,035 Speaker 1: I had done that for three city stations and two networks, 590 00:40:54,635 --> 00:41:02,155 Speaker 1: including his own. Page three. Oh. There followed a classic 591 00:41:02,315 --> 00:41:06,395 Speaker 1: deafening silence. Finally, Rosens on something he presumed I couldn't 592 00:41:06,395 --> 00:41:10,835 Speaker 1: possibly have done already, small market radio. He blurted, barking 593 00:41:10,875 --> 00:41:13,035 Speaker 1: the words out as if he were desperately answering some 594 00:41:13,315 --> 00:41:17,715 Speaker 1: oral test. Question. At the last possible second. Sam looked 595 00:41:17,795 --> 00:41:20,755 Speaker 1: hopefully at me, but I disappointed him by reviewing my 596 00:41:20,915 --> 00:41:24,555 Speaker 1: four years at w VBR, the station's ratings and nature, 597 00:41:25,035 --> 00:41:28,795 Speaker 1: and my thousand or so broadcasts on it. He was 598 00:41:28,915 --> 00:41:33,315 Speaker 1: now getting upset. It was evident, and Sam later embarrassedly 599 00:41:33,515 --> 00:41:36,395 Speaker 1: admitted that he was approaching our talk as a major 600 00:41:36,515 --> 00:41:40,875 Speaker 1: league baseball player might a clinic with a dozen little leaguers. Well, 601 00:41:40,915 --> 00:41:42,875 Speaker 1: you just can't expect a job in New York out 602 00:41:42,915 --> 00:41:45,955 Speaker 1: of college, he was nearly pleading, and then more sternly, 603 00:41:46,115 --> 00:41:50,115 Speaker 1: you have to be realistic. Well, Sam, I had decided 604 00:41:50,155 --> 00:41:52,235 Speaker 1: to take the offensive at this point and was speaking 605 00:41:52,315 --> 00:41:55,475 Speaker 1: softly and unpresumptuously. Do you think my four years in 606 00:41:55,555 --> 00:41:58,035 Speaker 1: Ithaca will be discounted because I was a college student. 607 00:41:58,275 --> 00:42:01,235 Speaker 1: It's small market radio, and I don't think it can 608 00:42:01,315 --> 00:42:06,195 Speaker 1: get much better in small market radio. Can we listen 609 00:42:06,235 --> 00:42:08,915 Speaker 1: to my tape now? Is that okay? Sure? My pleasure? 610 00:42:09,275 --> 00:42:11,995 Speaker 1: Sam appeared relieved by not having to answer my question, 611 00:42:12,035 --> 00:42:14,595 Speaker 1: and he quickly threaded the brown tape through one of 612 00:42:14,635 --> 00:42:19,515 Speaker 1: the studio's many large tape recorders. Page four. He hit 613 00:42:19,595 --> 00:42:22,555 Speaker 1: the on button and sat back. My voice was soon 614 00:42:22,635 --> 00:42:26,715 Speaker 1: reverberating in the small room. At first, Rosen simply gazed 615 00:42:26,755 --> 00:42:29,995 Speaker 1: at the revolving reels and played with his sideburns. At 616 00:42:29,995 --> 00:42:32,755 Speaker 1: the moments passed, however, the motion stopped and he sat 617 00:42:32,875 --> 00:42:36,035 Speaker 1: up in his chair. Finally, with the tape over, he 618 00:42:36,235 --> 00:42:38,755 Speaker 1: moved his lips as if to comment, but couldn't manage 619 00:42:38,795 --> 00:42:42,875 Speaker 1: more than a nervous laugh. Then suddenly his tone changed. 620 00:42:44,235 --> 00:42:48,195 Speaker 1: You know, Keith, this tape. No, maybe I shouldn't point. Well, 621 00:42:48,275 --> 00:42:51,475 Speaker 1: we just hired a guide at du Sports starting next month, 622 00:42:51,515 --> 00:42:53,235 Speaker 1: and I don't have anything to do with the hiring 623 00:42:53,315 --> 00:42:57,435 Speaker 1: or anything. But here Rosen stopped staring past me and 624 00:42:57,635 --> 00:43:01,595 Speaker 1: looked me instead, squarely in the eyes. His tape wasn't 625 00:43:01,635 --> 00:43:05,915 Speaker 1: half as good as yours. I'm very again, a brief 626 00:43:05,955 --> 00:43:11,075 Speaker 1: silence and a staccato delivery. I'm very impressed. It was 627 00:43:11,195 --> 00:43:13,995 Speaker 1: at once one of the most prideful and disheartening moments 628 00:43:14,035 --> 00:43:16,555 Speaker 1: of my life. I couldn't help but smile at the 629 00:43:16,595 --> 00:43:19,915 Speaker 1: thought that perhaps my basic skills were indeed honed enough 630 00:43:19,955 --> 00:43:22,515 Speaker 1: to the point of excellence. But at the same time, 631 00:43:22,555 --> 00:43:25,595 Speaker 1: I since having been purposely placed in the right place 632 00:43:25,675 --> 00:43:29,555 Speaker 1: at the wrong time, upi audio. As Sam later noted 633 00:43:29,915 --> 00:43:33,955 Speaker 1: hadn't had any changes in sports staff since nineteen seventy four, 634 00:43:34,755 --> 00:43:37,195 Speaker 1: and here there had been an opening filled just a 635 00:43:37,275 --> 00:43:40,595 Speaker 1: week before, filled by somebody who sounded only half as 636 00:43:40,675 --> 00:43:46,515 Speaker 1: good as me, page five. The rest of my conversation 637 00:43:46,555 --> 00:43:49,755 Speaker 1: with Sam Rosen was far more enjoyable and relaxed. It 638 00:43:49,915 --> 00:43:54,395 Speaker 1: had been graphically illustrated to me that patronizing condescension could 639 00:43:54,435 --> 00:43:58,195 Speaker 1: be turned into genuine respect by my simply flashing a 640 00:43:58,275 --> 00:44:01,355 Speaker 1: little talent. Sam spent the rest of my time in 641 00:44:01,395 --> 00:44:04,555 Speaker 1: the studios bathing me in compliments, offering me any assist 642 00:44:04,715 --> 00:44:07,435 Speaker 1: since he could, and urging me to make a lot 643 00:44:07,515 --> 00:44:11,235 Speaker 1: of people listen to the tape. Make them listen to it, 644 00:44:11,395 --> 00:44:15,795 Speaker 1: he suggested, drawing on our just concluded experience. Early in 645 00:44:15,915 --> 00:44:22,875 Speaker 1: the conversation, the instructor in this class English what was it? 646 00:44:23,115 --> 00:44:28,955 Speaker 1: One thirty five point one five one three gave me 647 00:44:29,075 --> 00:44:31,995 Speaker 1: a check mark with a plus on it. Sounds like 648 00:44:32,075 --> 00:44:34,195 Speaker 1: a great experience. I can't believe that you'll have any 649 00:44:34,235 --> 00:44:37,155 Speaker 1: difficulty in finding a suitable job. This is well written, 650 00:44:37,235 --> 00:44:40,395 Speaker 1: it's clear to the point, narrative, some cleverness as usual, 651 00:44:40,475 --> 00:44:44,035 Speaker 1: but cuteness firmly under control. Also, perhaps because written fast. 652 00:44:44,475 --> 00:44:48,315 Speaker 1: None of those awkward spots caused by your fondness for 653 00:44:48,555 --> 00:44:52,835 Speaker 1: being indirect. Some things have not changed at all since 654 00:44:52,915 --> 00:44:55,235 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy nine. I wish I could remember the name 655 00:44:55,275 --> 00:44:58,115 Speaker 1: of the teaching assistant who wrote that she was very nice, 656 00:44:58,435 --> 00:45:03,915 Speaker 1: extremely supportive, and obviously clare voyant. Now a little reminder 657 00:45:03,995 --> 00:45:06,915 Speaker 1: that you cannot, always, to paraphrase Shakespeare, look into the 658 00:45:06,995 --> 00:45:09,275 Speaker 1: seeds of time and say which grain will grow and 659 00:45:09,355 --> 00:45:13,795 Speaker 1: which will not. The ABC Sports executive and former W. T. 660 00:45:13,995 --> 00:45:17,275 Speaker 1: Ko Ithaca, New York disc jockey I met earlier in 661 00:45:17,395 --> 00:45:20,835 Speaker 1: the day, to whom I gave short shrift to say 662 00:45:20,875 --> 00:45:24,275 Speaker 1: the least in sentence to a paragraph one was a 663 00:45:24,475 --> 00:45:27,915 Speaker 1: vice president at a broadcast called Wide World of Sports 664 00:45:27,995 --> 00:45:30,035 Speaker 1: who gave me a brilliant piece of advice that I 665 00:45:30,075 --> 00:45:32,795 Speaker 1: will save for a later edition of Things I promised 666 00:45:32,875 --> 00:45:38,635 Speaker 1: not to tell. And his name was Robert Bob Iger, 667 00:45:39,275 --> 00:45:43,355 Speaker 1: I g E. R. By nineteen eighty nine, Iger was 668 00:45:43,395 --> 00:45:46,355 Speaker 1: the head of entertainment at the ABC Television Network. In 669 00:45:46,475 --> 00:45:49,875 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety four, he became president of Cap City's ABC, 670 00:45:50,075 --> 00:45:53,955 Speaker 1: which owned ESPN, so he became my ultimate boss in 671 00:45:54,115 --> 00:45:57,435 Speaker 1: my third year there. The next year, Disney bought ABC, 672 00:45:57,715 --> 00:46:00,915 Speaker 1: mostly so it could get its hands on ESPN. Iger 673 00:46:00,995 --> 00:46:03,875 Speaker 1: became president of Disney in two thousand, chairman in two 674 00:46:03,915 --> 00:46:06,955 Speaker 1: thousand and five. He retired in twenty twenty one, but 675 00:46:07,675 --> 00:46:11,275 Speaker 1: he returned to the job at Disney last year. And 676 00:46:11,515 --> 00:46:13,355 Speaker 1: as I have said to him every time we have 677 00:46:13,515 --> 00:46:17,835 Speaker 1: talked since March twenty second, nineteen seventy nine, when we 678 00:46:17,995 --> 00:46:21,555 Speaker 1: met and here, I thought you were just some middle 679 00:46:21,595 --> 00:46:24,115 Speaker 1: manager who still wanted to be a sportscaster when he 680 00:46:24,235 --> 00:46:40,395 Speaker 1: grew up. I've done all the damage I can do here. 681 00:46:40,475 --> 00:46:42,515 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Here the credits. Most of the 682 00:46:42,635 --> 00:46:45,515 Speaker 1: music was arranged, produced and performed by Brian Ray and 683 00:46:45,595 --> 00:46:49,075 Speaker 1: John Philip Channel, who are the Countdown musical directors. All 684 00:46:49,315 --> 00:46:53,035 Speaker 1: orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Chanel, guitars based and 685 00:46:53,115 --> 00:46:57,115 Speaker 1: drums by Brian Ray, produced by Tko Brothers. Other Beethoven 686 00:46:57,155 --> 00:46:59,875 Speaker 1: selections have been arranged and performed by the group No 687 00:47:00,035 --> 00:47:03,355 Speaker 1: Horns Allowed. The sports music is the Olderman theme from 688 00:47:03,595 --> 00:47:05,875 Speaker 1: ESPN two, and it was written by Mitch Warren Davis 689 00:47:05,955 --> 00:47:09,675 Speaker 1: courtesy of ESPN, Inc. Musical comments by Nancy Faust, the 690 00:47:09,715 --> 00:47:13,515 Speaker 1: best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today was Kenny Maine. 691 00:47:14,195 --> 00:47:17,355 Speaker 1: Everything else is pretty much my fault. So let's countdown 692 00:47:17,395 --> 00:47:20,755 Speaker 1: for this, the eight hundred and twenty second day since 693 00:47:20,955 --> 00:47:24,675 Speaker 1: the defendants first attempted coup against the democratically elected government 694 00:47:24,675 --> 00:47:28,755 Speaker 1: of the United States. Don't forget keep arresting him while 695 00:47:28,875 --> 00:47:32,635 Speaker 1: we still can. The next scheduled countdown is Monday. Until then, 696 00:47:32,635 --> 00:47:36,435 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Olderman. Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. 697 00:47:45,555 --> 00:47:49,475 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For 698 00:47:49,715 --> 00:47:54,555 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 699 00:47:54,835 --> 00:47:56,795 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.