1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,915 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. I 2 00:00:21,955 --> 00:00:26,755 Speaker 1: am convinced Sam Alito is lying about who put the 3 00:00:26,875 --> 00:00:30,195 Speaker 1: flags up, and I am convinced I can prove it. 4 00:00:30,435 --> 00:00:33,915 Speaker 1: And I am convinced. The proof is contained not in 5 00:00:33,995 --> 00:00:38,195 Speaker 1: the upside down American flag in Virginia and not in 6 00:00:38,315 --> 00:00:41,915 Speaker 1: the Appeal to Heaven flag in New Jersey. The proof 7 00:00:42,115 --> 00:00:47,755 Speaker 1: is contained in the other flag. Quote, my wife is 8 00:00:47,875 --> 00:00:52,995 Speaker 1: fond of flying flags. I am not. She was solely 9 00:00:53,035 --> 00:00:56,755 Speaker 1: responsible for having flagpoles put up at our residence and 10 00:00:56,875 --> 00:01:00,635 Speaker 1: our vacation home. Alito writes to fifty members of the 11 00:01:00,635 --> 00:01:03,995 Speaker 1: House who had asked him to recuse himself from trump 12 00:01:04,075 --> 00:01:07,315 Speaker 1: an election cases before the Supreme Court, and who he 13 00:01:07,395 --> 00:01:12,395 Speaker 1: has refused in the case of the Virginia Distress flag. Quote, 14 00:01:12,675 --> 00:01:18,475 Speaker 1: she has flown other patriotic flags, college flags, flags supporting 15 00:01:18,555 --> 00:01:22,595 Speaker 1: sports teams, et cetera. In Virginia, quote, I had nothing 16 00:01:22,715 --> 00:01:25,235 Speaker 1: whatsoever to do with the flying of the flag. My 17 00:01:25,355 --> 00:01:28,995 Speaker 1: wife and I own our Virginia home jointly. She therefore 18 00:01:29,035 --> 00:01:31,355 Speaker 1: has the legal right to use the property as she 19 00:01:31,435 --> 00:01:34,315 Speaker 1: sees fit. In New Jersey quote, our vacation home was 20 00:01:34,395 --> 00:01:37,955 Speaker 1: purchased with money she inherited from her parents and is 21 00:01:38,035 --> 00:01:40,835 Speaker 1: titled in her name. I had no involvement in the 22 00:01:40,875 --> 00:01:45,915 Speaker 1: decision to fly that flag, etc. Et cetera, et ceta. Wait, 23 00:01:47,715 --> 00:01:52,555 Speaker 1: what was that one part in the middle there? She 24 00:01:52,755 --> 00:02:01,755 Speaker 1: has flown other patriotic flags, college flags, flags supporting sports teams. 25 00:02:04,875 --> 00:02:08,315 Speaker 1: In that photograph in the New York Times of the 26 00:02:08,355 --> 00:02:13,075 Speaker 1: Alito's vacation home in New Jersey, well her home, she 27 00:02:13,315 --> 00:02:17,395 Speaker 1: just lets him live there. I suppose there are three 28 00:02:17,715 --> 00:02:23,195 Speaker 1: flags seen flying Shae Alito, a flag of the town 29 00:02:23,315 --> 00:02:26,995 Speaker 1: that the house is in that stopped, the steel appeal 30 00:02:27,035 --> 00:02:32,355 Speaker 1: to Heaven flag and the third flag saluting your two 31 00:02:32,395 --> 00:02:39,955 Speaker 1: thousand and twenty two National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. Martha 32 00:02:39,995 --> 00:02:45,155 Speaker 1: and Alito is an Air Force brat Florida, Maine, the Azores. 33 00:02:45,515 --> 00:02:47,755 Speaker 1: She moved around a lot as a kid. She wound 34 00:02:47,835 --> 00:02:51,955 Speaker 1: up at the University of Kentucky, grad school and undergraduate. 35 00:02:52,155 --> 00:02:56,075 Speaker 1: Later moved to Jersey, where she met her husband. Samuel. 36 00:02:56,115 --> 00:03:00,955 Speaker 1: Alito is from Trenton, the New York end of the 37 00:03:00,995 --> 00:03:04,195 Speaker 1: Philly suburbs. He has said that while he was at 38 00:03:04,275 --> 00:03:08,875 Speaker 1: Prince also outside Philly, quote, my real ambition at the 39 00:03:08,915 --> 00:03:14,395 Speaker 1: time was to be the Commissioner of Baseball. He attended 40 00:03:14,395 --> 00:03:17,835 Speaker 1: the Philadelphia Phillies fantasy camp in nineteen ninety four. He 41 00:03:17,915 --> 00:03:22,795 Speaker 1: had baseball cards made up of himself showing him in 42 00:03:22,875 --> 00:03:26,755 Speaker 1: a Phillies uniform. At the Phillies fantasy camp. He threw 43 00:03:26,795 --> 00:03:28,955 Speaker 1: out the ceremonial first pitch at a Phillies game in 44 00:03:28,995 --> 00:03:31,995 Speaker 1: two thousand and six, wearing his own Phillies uniform. He 45 00:03:32,075 --> 00:03:35,035 Speaker 1: threw out another ceremonial first pitch at a Phillies spring 46 00:03:35,115 --> 00:03:38,155 Speaker 1: training game a year later. There are professional photos of 47 00:03:38,235 --> 00:03:41,635 Speaker 1: imposing in a Phillies uniform in front of a Phillies locker. 48 00:03:41,795 --> 00:03:44,315 Speaker 1: There is another one with him with his arm around 49 00:03:44,635 --> 00:03:49,075 Speaker 1: the Philly fanatic who is the mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies. 50 00:03:49,675 --> 00:03:53,915 Speaker 1: He has refused to answer reporters questions and has laughed 51 00:03:53,995 --> 00:03:57,395 Speaker 1: at them happily as to whether or not he has 52 00:03:57,435 --> 00:04:02,315 Speaker 1: ever worn a Philadelphia Phillies uniform under his judicial robes 53 00:04:02,715 --> 00:04:08,635 Speaker 1: while in court. Quote he DVRs nearly every Phillies game, 54 00:04:09,115 --> 00:04:13,115 Speaker 1: reported Yahoo Sports in twenty thirteen, and keeps up on 55 00:04:13,275 --> 00:04:18,875 Speaker 1: the fightings via MLB Network. The Los Angeles Times wrote 56 00:04:18,915 --> 00:04:22,075 Speaker 1: of Alito, those who know Alito best say he has 57 00:04:22,235 --> 00:04:27,955 Speaker 1: just three. Loves baseball, his family, and the law. Quote. 58 00:04:27,955 --> 00:04:30,315 Speaker 1: If you said to me where is sam Alito, I 59 00:04:30,355 --> 00:04:34,315 Speaker 1: would guess at the ballpark, home with his family, or 60 00:04:34,355 --> 00:04:38,955 Speaker 1: at the library. Those are the three places he lives 61 00:04:39,235 --> 00:04:43,675 Speaker 1: his life. A former Alito clerk told the La Paper, 62 00:04:46,035 --> 00:04:48,395 Speaker 1: but it was his wife who put up the Phillies flag, 63 00:04:49,075 --> 00:04:55,115 Speaker 1: not him, Not him, the Phillies fan. He knew nothing 64 00:04:55,155 --> 00:04:58,155 Speaker 1: about that either. He knows nothing about flags. His wife 65 00:04:58,235 --> 00:05:02,035 Speaker 1: does all the flags. His wife chose, of all things, 66 00:05:02,075 --> 00:05:05,955 Speaker 1: not just any Phillies flag to fly, but the flag 67 00:05:06,635 --> 00:05:12,195 Speaker 1: of the two twenty two Phillies, the second most ill 68 00:05:12,475 --> 00:05:19,355 Speaker 1: starred Phillies team in lifelong Phillies fans sam Alito's long life. 69 00:05:20,075 --> 00:05:23,915 Speaker 1: The twenty twenty two Phillies written off for dead early 70 00:05:23,995 --> 00:05:27,675 Speaker 1: in the season, who fired their manager, and then, under 71 00:05:27,675 --> 00:05:30,515 Speaker 1: the guidance of an interim manager who was intending to 72 00:05:30,675 --> 00:05:36,515 Speaker 1: retire from baseball that fall, they somehow won the Wild Card, 73 00:05:37,035 --> 00:05:41,635 Speaker 1: upset the favorite Cardinals, upset the favored Braves in the playoffs, 74 00:05:41,795 --> 00:05:45,555 Speaker 1: upset the favorite Padres, reached the World Series and almost 75 00:05:45,595 --> 00:05:48,835 Speaker 1: impossibly won two of the first three games against the 76 00:05:48,875 --> 00:05:53,035 Speaker 1: favorite American League champion Astros, and then in the fourth game, 77 00:05:53,195 --> 00:05:56,995 Speaker 1: two games away from a World championship, the Phillies were 78 00:05:58,315 --> 00:06:03,555 Speaker 1: no hit. They got no hits, and before they and 79 00:06:03,635 --> 00:06:05,635 Speaker 1: their fans did, I ment chin Sam Alito is a 80 00:06:05,635 --> 00:06:08,875 Speaker 1: Phillies fan. Before they and their fans had managed to 81 00:06:08,995 --> 00:06:14,115 Speaker 1: notice what had happened, the Phillies managed to score a 82 00:06:14,155 --> 00:06:17,475 Speaker 1: total of just three runs in the last three games 83 00:06:17,475 --> 00:06:20,515 Speaker 1: of the series, and instead of leading the World Series 84 00:06:20,555 --> 00:06:25,635 Speaker 1: two games to one, they lost the World Series in 85 00:06:25,915 --> 00:06:31,635 Speaker 1: just six games. And no team has disappeared like that 86 00:06:31,755 --> 00:06:34,635 Speaker 1: in the middle of any World Series since the nineteen 87 00:06:34,755 --> 00:06:39,755 Speaker 1: eighty three Philadelphia Phillies. And even die hard Phillies fans 88 00:06:39,875 --> 00:06:44,155 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two wept, But there were true Phillies fans, 89 00:06:44,675 --> 00:06:49,195 Speaker 1: lifelong Phillies fans who were still willing to show their 90 00:06:49,315 --> 00:06:54,235 Speaker 1: pride and put up flags celebrating that cursed twenty twenty 91 00:06:54,235 --> 00:07:00,915 Speaker 1: two Phillies team. And yeah, it was missus Alito who 92 00:07:00,955 --> 00:07:05,395 Speaker 1: put up the twenty twenty two Phillies flag. Not missed Alito, 93 00:07:07,475 --> 00:07:10,475 Speaker 1: my wife is fond of flying flags, I am not. 94 00:07:13,355 --> 00:07:15,795 Speaker 1: Next you'll be saying, my wife is fond of the 95 00:07:15,795 --> 00:07:21,955 Speaker 1: Philadelphia Phillies. I am not. Now, there are lots of 96 00:07:21,995 --> 00:07:25,675 Speaker 1: other points to make about sam Alito and these goddamned flags, 97 00:07:26,235 --> 00:07:29,075 Speaker 1: like how he has now changed his Virginia story three 98 00:07:29,195 --> 00:07:33,715 Speaker 1: times already, and the one constant that there was a 99 00:07:33,835 --> 00:07:37,795 Speaker 1: verbal confrontation involving the Alitos and somebody with an f 100 00:07:37,995 --> 00:07:42,835 Speaker 1: Trump sign, and then missus Alito flew the American flag 101 00:07:42,915 --> 00:07:46,915 Speaker 1: upside down. It's an international side of distress. Well, the 102 00:07:46,915 --> 00:07:52,555 Speaker 1: people in the neighborhood dispute said, no, that's not the 103 00:07:52,595 --> 00:07:55,915 Speaker 1: way it happened. She flew the flag upside down in 104 00:07:56,035 --> 00:07:59,195 Speaker 1: the beginning of January, and the name calling incident that 105 00:07:59,275 --> 00:08:05,315 Speaker 1: took place six weeks later, and maybe she spit at 106 00:08:05,395 --> 00:08:09,515 Speaker 1: their car. And there's that little problem of the bitter 107 00:08:09,635 --> 00:08:12,555 Speaker 1: irony of some of his language in his refusal letter 108 00:08:12,635 --> 00:08:16,315 Speaker 1: to the fifty representatives who demanded he recuse. My wife 109 00:08:16,355 --> 00:08:20,595 Speaker 1: is an independently minded, private citizen. She makes her own decisions, 110 00:08:20,595 --> 00:08:24,075 Speaker 1: and I honor her right to do so. That was 111 00:08:24,235 --> 00:08:28,555 Speaker 1: written by the man who made sure Roe V. Wade 112 00:08:28,675 --> 00:08:32,995 Speaker 1: was overturned. He won't interfere in his wife's decisions. He's 113 00:08:33,155 --> 00:08:39,875 Speaker 1: happy to interfere in your wife's body. All that tells 114 00:08:39,915 --> 00:08:45,635 Speaker 1: me sam Alito is a goddamned liar who is lying 115 00:08:45,875 --> 00:08:50,515 Speaker 1: about these flags and everything they imply and everything you 116 00:08:50,595 --> 00:08:53,595 Speaker 1: can imagine. But you can throw all of that out 117 00:08:53,635 --> 00:08:56,035 Speaker 1: as far as I am concerned, and just stick to 118 00:08:56,155 --> 00:08:59,355 Speaker 1: one piece of evidence, and I will stake my case 119 00:08:59,475 --> 00:09:03,355 Speaker 1: on that one piece of evidence, A flag saluting the 120 00:09:03,395 --> 00:09:08,675 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two Philadelphia Phillies. The peak quad of baseball 121 00:09:08,715 --> 00:09:16,275 Speaker 1: teams was not flown the next summer by Martha an Alito. 122 00:09:39,435 --> 00:09:43,835 Speaker 1: Speaking of staking your case, jury gets the Trump Stormy 123 00:09:43,915 --> 00:09:47,395 Speaker 1: Daniel's election interference case, and within hours they are asking 124 00:09:47,435 --> 00:09:50,675 Speaker 1: the judge for a copy of his instructions and a 125 00:09:50,755 --> 00:09:55,915 Speaker 1: copy of David Pecker's testimony from the beginning of that trial. 126 00:09:55,955 --> 00:09:58,595 Speaker 1: And anybody who has ever covered more than two trials 127 00:09:58,635 --> 00:10:02,395 Speaker 1: in their life knows that juries that want to have 128 00:10:02,475 --> 00:10:07,235 Speaker 1: testimony re read to them the first day are looking 129 00:10:07,315 --> 00:10:13,475 Speaker 1: to confirm their intention to convict the guy. More importantly, 130 00:10:13,475 --> 00:10:17,595 Speaker 1: they are not looking to confirm some doubts about Michael Cohen. 131 00:10:18,515 --> 00:10:21,755 Speaker 1: And doubt about Michael Cohen was basically the only defense 132 00:10:21,835 --> 00:10:25,115 Speaker 1: Trump offered. The testimony they want to see again has 133 00:10:25,155 --> 00:10:27,515 Speaker 1: nothing to do with Michael Cohen, So whether he lied 134 00:10:27,835 --> 00:10:32,515 Speaker 1: or didn't lie, and to whom and when incidental show 135 00:10:32,595 --> 00:10:37,435 Speaker 1: me the pecker. This jury has its equivalent of a 136 00:10:37,475 --> 00:10:42,115 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two Phillies flag. So maybe in that courthouse 137 00:10:42,395 --> 00:10:46,155 Speaker 1: the question isn't what, but when, which means the only 138 00:10:46,235 --> 00:10:50,755 Speaker 1: questions outside the courthouse begin with what is the Biden 139 00:10:50,875 --> 00:10:55,395 Speaker 1: campaign's plan in the event of a guilty verdict or 140 00:10:55,595 --> 00:11:02,035 Speaker 1: verdicts against Trump? What are the Democrats' plans? What are 141 00:11:02,075 --> 00:11:07,155 Speaker 1: they going to do with this? Is somebody going to 142 00:11:07,195 --> 00:11:10,755 Speaker 1: call for Trump to drop out, for the Republicans to 143 00:11:10,915 --> 00:11:15,275 Speaker 1: throw him out? Because the idea of running a convicted 144 00:11:15,595 --> 00:11:19,555 Speaker 1: felon who interfered with a presidential election and was just 145 00:11:19,675 --> 00:11:24,595 Speaker 1: convicted of it, running that man for president is on 146 00:11:24,835 --> 00:11:30,195 Speaker 1: any party line, sorry, antithetical to every concept of law 147 00:11:30,235 --> 00:11:33,875 Speaker 1: and order ever floated from any time in our political 148 00:11:33,915 --> 00:11:38,955 Speaker 1: history or from anywhere along our political spectrum. Is the 149 00:11:38,995 --> 00:11:42,675 Speaker 1: Biden campaign going to make sure that every Democrat, from 150 00:11:42,675 --> 00:11:45,715 Speaker 1: the President to all the governors, to the senators, to 151 00:11:45,795 --> 00:11:50,395 Speaker 1: Obama to the deputy assistant associate temporary high school intern 152 00:11:50,435 --> 00:11:54,795 Speaker 1: in the White House Press Office calls him convicted felon, 153 00:11:54,955 --> 00:12:03,195 Speaker 1: Donald Trump convicted felon, and Republican nominee Donald Trump convicted 154 00:12:04,075 --> 00:12:16,715 Speaker 1: felon and Republican nominee Donald Trump. Anybody got a plan? Anybody, 155 00:12:16,875 --> 00:12:19,715 Speaker 1: because it sure seems like even Trump is confident that 156 00:12:19,755 --> 00:12:22,715 Speaker 1: the jury is going to nail him. Because even for him, 157 00:12:22,875 --> 00:12:26,915 Speaker 1: even on the way out of a courtroom, this was 158 00:12:26,955 --> 00:12:35,355 Speaker 1: a goddamned strange name check, Mother Teresa. You say, Mother Teresa, 159 00:12:35,555 --> 00:12:37,115 Speaker 1: what were you banging her too? 160 00:12:37,755 --> 00:12:40,395 Speaker 2: I mean that mother's racially don't be their judge. 161 00:12:40,435 --> 00:12:42,195 Speaker 1: But we'll see, we'll see. 162 00:12:41,995 --> 00:12:42,315 Speaker 2: How we. 163 00:12:46,315 --> 00:12:49,915 Speaker 1: Does that mean you think of yourself as more holy 164 00:12:50,035 --> 00:12:56,875 Speaker 1: than Mother Teresa? Now that, ma'am is a brilliant, goddamned question. 165 00:13:06,835 --> 00:13:10,955 Speaker 1: Back to Trump's inexorable march towards ethnic cleansing, with the 166 00:13:10,995 --> 00:13:14,435 Speaker 1: concept of ethnic being very fluid and basically being replaced 167 00:13:14,435 --> 00:13:18,395 Speaker 1: by people who have thwarted him. The general heading of 168 00:13:18,435 --> 00:13:23,195 Speaker 1: Trump deportations, Trump concentration camps, Trump deploying the military against 169 00:13:23,235 --> 00:13:27,995 Speaker 1: citizens and non citizens alike. Two reports, one from the 170 00:13:28,075 --> 00:13:32,395 Speaker 1: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Crew is the first. 171 00:13:33,195 --> 00:13:36,955 Speaker 1: It has completed an analysis of more than thirteen thousand 172 00:13:36,995 --> 00:13:40,635 Speaker 1: Trump social media posts spanning all of twenty twenty three 173 00:13:41,035 --> 00:13:44,275 Speaker 1: through April first of this year, and the totals are staggering. 174 00:13:44,675 --> 00:13:49,715 Speaker 1: Twenty five of those posts have included direct threats to 175 00:13:49,955 --> 00:13:56,835 Speaker 1: deploy FBI raids, general investigations, DOJ, indictments, and jail time 176 00:13:57,355 --> 00:14:03,795 Speaker 1: against the President of the United States twenty five. And 177 00:14:03,835 --> 00:14:08,035 Speaker 1: that total does not include the reposting of threats made 178 00:14:08,075 --> 00:14:11,395 Speaker 1: by others, including images of violence like the one of 179 00:14:11,475 --> 00:14:13,595 Speaker 1: President Biden bound and gagged in the back of a 180 00:14:13,635 --> 00:14:18,315 Speaker 1: pickup truck, hypothetically kidnapped or already murdered. And also this 181 00:14:18,355 --> 00:14:21,075 Speaker 1: total does not include the redistribution of a post by 182 00:14:21,075 --> 00:14:24,755 Speaker 1: the sadist Marjorie Taylor Green demanding that Biden quote should 183 00:14:24,755 --> 00:14:28,035 Speaker 1: be handcuffed and hauled out of the White House. Crew 184 00:14:28,755 --> 00:14:32,755 Speaker 1: notes in its report that Trump has also threatened senators, judges, 185 00:14:33,515 --> 00:14:37,795 Speaker 1: non governmental organizations, members of Biden's family, and of course 186 00:14:37,995 --> 00:14:42,355 Speaker 1: the entire world. The post from last August fourth, you 187 00:14:42,395 --> 00:14:46,075 Speaker 1: may have forgotten quote if you go after me, I'm 188 00:14:46,435 --> 00:14:50,715 Speaker 1: coming after you. If that were not bad enough, there 189 00:14:50,755 --> 00:14:52,995 Speaker 1: is a different kind of report, the second one I 190 00:14:53,075 --> 00:14:56,635 Speaker 1: referred to from the Washington Post following up on Trump's 191 00:14:56,675 --> 00:15:01,195 Speaker 1: threat to deport student protesters any students quote one thing 192 00:15:01,275 --> 00:15:05,515 Speaker 1: I do is any student that protests I throw them 193 00:15:05,555 --> 00:15:09,635 Speaker 1: out of the country. There was seeming vagueness in Trump's 194 00:15:09,675 --> 00:15:13,275 Speaker 1: statement to donors that statement from whom he was demanding 195 00:15:13,315 --> 00:15:15,835 Speaker 1: twenty five or fifty million dollars apiece to keep their 196 00:15:15,875 --> 00:15:20,755 Speaker 1: taxes down, about whether he meant American students or foreign 197 00:15:20,795 --> 00:15:25,275 Speaker 1: students studying here. But the Post has uncovered evidence that 198 00:15:25,395 --> 00:15:33,635 Speaker 1: while in office, Trump did deport illegally American citizens. To quote. 199 00:15:33,675 --> 00:15:37,635 Speaker 1: An analysis conducted by the Government Accountability Office determined that 200 00:15:37,835 --> 00:15:43,075 Speaker 1: hundreds of likely US citizens were detained by immigration officials 201 00:15:43,275 --> 00:15:47,555 Speaker 1: during Trump's presidency and that dozens were deported. That number 202 00:15:47,675 --> 00:15:52,955 Speaker 1: includes at least five children. These two reports are not 203 00:15:53,115 --> 00:15:58,195 Speaker 1: mentioned today randomly because they mainline into another report from 204 00:15:58,275 --> 00:16:02,515 Speaker 1: Semaphore News, which is based on polling polling by Navigator 205 00:16:02,595 --> 00:16:08,915 Speaker 1: Research about how many voteers know about Trump's Project twenty 206 00:16:08,995 --> 00:16:14,115 Speaker 1: twenty five, The plan to first fire virtually all civil 207 00:16:14,155 --> 00:16:17,155 Speaker 1: service employees, replace the government as we know it with 208 00:16:17,275 --> 00:16:22,115 Speaker 1: Trump approved Trump loyalists, and begin an immediate program of 209 00:16:22,275 --> 00:16:28,235 Speaker 1: mass detention and then deportation, presuming they bother with the deportation. Because, 210 00:16:28,235 --> 00:16:31,435 Speaker 1: of course, history teaches us that once you open concentration 211 00:16:31,595 --> 00:16:34,835 Speaker 1: camps in your country and force people into them. The 212 00:16:34,915 --> 00:16:38,715 Speaker 1: concentration camps tend to stay open, and what happens is 213 00:16:39,115 --> 00:16:42,555 Speaker 1: you begin looking for more people to force into them 214 00:16:42,595 --> 00:16:46,795 Speaker 1: to replace the original people. The results of the polling 215 00:16:47,515 --> 00:16:51,595 Speaker 1: about who knows what about Project twenty twenty five is 216 00:16:51,795 --> 00:16:56,475 Speaker 1: almost as disturbing as Project twenty twenty five. Seventy six 217 00:16:56,635 --> 00:17:01,395 Speaker 1: percent of voters say they know little or nothing about 218 00:17:01,395 --> 00:17:07,795 Speaker 1: Project twenty twenty five. That's all voters, every demographic and 219 00:17:07,875 --> 00:17:11,795 Speaker 1: political group. Perhaps more disturbing than that, seventy one percent 220 00:17:11,835 --> 00:17:15,475 Speaker 1: of Democrats know little or nothing about Project twenty twenty five. 221 00:17:15,875 --> 00:17:20,315 Speaker 1: More shattering, eighty one percent of Independence know little or 222 00:17:20,355 --> 00:17:24,035 Speaker 1: nothing about Project twenty twenty five, and eighty one percent 223 00:17:24,115 --> 00:17:29,115 Speaker 1: of Republicans in whose name this will be done, no 224 00:17:29,275 --> 00:17:33,155 Speaker 1: little or nothing about Project twenty twenty five. In only 225 00:17:33,515 --> 00:17:38,595 Speaker 1: one group surveyed is the complete unawareness of a Trump 226 00:17:38,675 --> 00:17:44,235 Speaker 1: attack extensively game planned already in writing. In only one 227 00:17:44,315 --> 00:17:49,435 Speaker 1: group is the lack of knowledge at less than seventy percent. 228 00:17:49,515 --> 00:17:53,995 Speaker 1: Only one group is even three tenths aware of what 229 00:17:54,155 --> 00:17:59,155 Speaker 1: could be to come. Project twenty twenty five has been 230 00:17:59,195 --> 00:18:09,635 Speaker 1: heard of by thirty one percent of Hispanic Americans. Happily, 231 00:18:09,995 --> 00:18:13,275 Speaker 1: time for your daily comic relief provided by something utterly 232 00:18:13,355 --> 00:18:24,235 Speaker 1: unexpected from Trump. Apparently, there has been electron interference. I 233 00:18:24,235 --> 00:18:27,115 Speaker 1: don't want to alarm you, but if Joe Biden and 234 00:18:27,235 --> 00:18:34,195 Speaker 1: Juan Mayr, Sean and the globalists and the invisible monkey 235 00:18:34,235 --> 00:18:40,595 Speaker 1: frogs are interfering with the electrons, oh, there goes electricity 236 00:18:40,875 --> 00:18:45,275 Speaker 1: and magnets, mah, Trump will have been right. No electrons. 237 00:18:45,315 --> 00:18:48,795 Speaker 1: You get a magnet, wet it will stop working. Also, 238 00:18:48,835 --> 00:18:52,915 Speaker 1: no electrons, there will be no chemistry now, no thermal conductivity. 239 00:18:53,275 --> 00:18:56,675 Speaker 1: And who the hell knows where we're gonna get gravity 240 00:18:56,995 --> 00:19:02,635 Speaker 1: without electrons? How do we know that there has been 241 00:19:02,715 --> 00:19:08,355 Speaker 1: electron interference? A primary Trump spokesman has told us so. 242 00:19:09,675 --> 00:19:15,355 Speaker 1: Not just a Trump spokesman, but is go too, tough 243 00:19:15,395 --> 00:19:20,115 Speaker 1: guy spokesman. I have avoided this comp but after this 244 00:19:20,275 --> 00:19:24,235 Speaker 1: clip played, the comp is everywhere now there is no 245 00:19:24,315 --> 00:19:28,355 Speaker 1: further avoiding it. The statement was made by the Trump spokesman, 246 00:19:28,395 --> 00:19:32,835 Speaker 1: who looks like the late Hawaiian wrestler and actor Harold Sakata, 247 00:19:33,795 --> 00:19:38,635 Speaker 1: who portrayed Auric Goldfingers hatchetman Odd Job in the James 248 00:19:38,675 --> 00:19:44,275 Speaker 1: Bond film Goldfinger. He's Stephen Chung and I do not 249 00:19:44,435 --> 00:19:47,475 Speaker 1: think he has appeared on camera before the press briefing 250 00:19:47,555 --> 00:19:53,235 Speaker 1: that produced this startling revelation about our electrons being interfered with. 251 00:19:54,075 --> 00:19:59,275 Speaker 1: And so, without further ado, here is Trump spokesman Stephen Chung, 252 00:19:59,355 --> 00:20:02,875 Speaker 1: himself a former high school football player and an employee 253 00:20:03,115 --> 00:20:09,075 Speaker 1: of Ultimate Fighting Group, Stephen Chung explaining that there's been 254 00:20:10,075 --> 00:20:11,915 Speaker 1: electron interference. 255 00:20:12,515 --> 00:20:17,235 Speaker 2: Make no mistake, this is electron interference of the highest order. 256 00:20:18,395 --> 00:20:23,035 Speaker 2: Crooked Joe Biden and his campaign are in complete freakout mode, 257 00:20:23,195 --> 00:20:25,595 Speaker 2: and that's why they've gone back on the word. And 258 00:20:25,635 --> 00:20:28,955 Speaker 2: now they've gone in bed with a highly conflicted, conflicted judge, 259 00:20:29,515 --> 00:20:32,995 Speaker 2: and now they're making a political mockery of this entire thing. 260 00:20:34,435 --> 00:20:38,595 Speaker 2: The fact remains that President Trump will overcome. He'll fight 261 00:20:38,675 --> 00:20:42,355 Speaker 2: these charges up and down, and there's nothing to stop 262 00:20:42,395 --> 00:20:44,475 Speaker 2: the truth from coming out. Thank you. 263 00:20:45,235 --> 00:20:48,515 Speaker 1: As I said, I believe that was mister Chung's first 264 00:20:48,555 --> 00:20:52,875 Speaker 1: on camera appearance, or even appearance in front of a microphone, 265 00:20:52,915 --> 00:20:56,235 Speaker 1: at least in this campaign. I can't find anything else 266 00:20:56,355 --> 00:21:00,995 Speaker 1: of him talking online, though you have seen him quoted 267 00:21:01,275 --> 00:21:07,875 Speaker 1: endlessly and constantly, angrily and virulently on Trump's behalf and frankly, 268 00:21:09,355 --> 00:21:15,515 Speaker 1: Stephen Chung needs to speak about Trump on a daily basis. Oh, hell, 269 00:21:15,555 --> 00:21:18,155 Speaker 1: never mind having him speak about Trump. They need to 270 00:21:18,155 --> 00:21:22,275 Speaker 1: give him his own hour on Newsmax or AN or Fox. 271 00:21:22,555 --> 00:21:25,275 Speaker 1: Let's shoot the works here. He needs to have his 272 00:21:25,395 --> 00:21:31,955 Speaker 1: own hour on all the networks simultaneously, MSNBC, CNN, CBS, ABC, 273 00:21:32,035 --> 00:21:39,075 Speaker 1: PBS newsbas Fox, all of them, because well, I need 274 00:21:39,075 --> 00:21:42,235 Speaker 1: to know more about who is interfering with our electrons 275 00:21:42,915 --> 00:21:46,835 Speaker 1: and what the hell Trump's gonna do about it before 276 00:21:46,875 --> 00:21:50,595 Speaker 1: the gravity shuts off and we all float up into 277 00:21:50,635 --> 00:22:04,595 Speaker 1: the sky. Stephen Chung included electron interference also interest here. Well, 278 00:22:04,675 --> 00:22:08,075 Speaker 1: the New York Times has done it again. Electron interference. 279 00:22:08,675 --> 00:22:12,515 Speaker 1: Is it real or was it a typo? No, they 280 00:22:12,555 --> 00:22:15,595 Speaker 1: haven't gone that far yet, But The New York Times 281 00:22:15,635 --> 00:22:18,675 Speaker 1: has done it again twice in one edition. Who else 282 00:22:18,715 --> 00:22:22,355 Speaker 1: would you ask to defend Trump in an op ed 283 00:22:22,755 --> 00:22:26,035 Speaker 1: during a trial that has, at its core is paying 284 00:22:26,235 --> 00:22:29,635 Speaker 1: off a pornographic actress one hundred and thirty thousand dollars 285 00:22:29,875 --> 00:22:33,355 Speaker 1: the week before the election? Who would you choose to 286 00:22:33,395 --> 00:22:36,315 Speaker 1: write that op ed rather than the editor of a 287 00:22:36,515 --> 00:22:42,635 Speaker 1: Catholic church magazine who once attacked paw Patrol as the 288 00:22:42,675 --> 00:22:47,395 Speaker 1: depiction of a fascist state. I wish I were kidding. 289 00:22:48,115 --> 00:22:51,635 Speaker 1: You know I am not kidding. Do you see what 290 00:22:51,795 --> 00:22:55,795 Speaker 1: happens when you interfere with electrons? Larry? Do you see 291 00:22:55,995 --> 00:22:58,155 Speaker 1: what happens? That's next? 292 00:22:58,395 --> 00:22:59,995 Speaker 2: This is Countdown. 293 00:23:02,595 --> 00:23:27,075 Speaker 1: This is Countdown with Keith Obert still ahead of us. 294 00:23:27,075 --> 00:23:29,715 Speaker 1: On this edition of Countdown, based on two stories you 295 00:23:29,755 --> 00:23:34,115 Speaker 1: are about to hear about comedy based talk shows and 296 00:23:34,195 --> 00:23:38,835 Speaker 1: the declining quality of executives running news organizations. I want 297 00:23:38,915 --> 00:23:41,995 Speaker 1: to tell you the story of Walter Isaacson, who, in 298 00:23:41,995 --> 00:23:45,435 Speaker 1: two thousand and one combined these two things. He wanted 299 00:23:45,435 --> 00:23:48,195 Speaker 1: to sound me out about a CNN newscast that might 300 00:23:48,235 --> 00:23:51,835 Speaker 1: include humor, and I thought, he gets it, That's what 301 00:23:51,915 --> 00:23:54,555 Speaker 1: I want to do, that's what this network needs. And 302 00:23:54,595 --> 00:23:56,955 Speaker 1: it turned out he wanted me not to host such 303 00:23:56,955 --> 00:24:00,635 Speaker 1: a show, but just to give him my opinion on 304 00:24:00,795 --> 00:24:04,075 Speaker 1: the guy he really wanted, who would never have done 305 00:24:04,115 --> 00:24:08,595 Speaker 1: it in twenty five billion years. Things I promised not 306 00:24:08,715 --> 00:24:12,155 Speaker 1: to tell next, but first, as ever, there are still 307 00:24:12,195 --> 00:24:14,875 Speaker 1: more new idiots to talk about. The daily roundup of 308 00:24:14,875 --> 00:24:18,235 Speaker 1: the miss Grants, morons, Undonning Kruger effects specimens who constitute 309 00:24:19,355 --> 00:24:24,195 Speaker 1: today's worst persons in the world. There's been electron interference, 310 00:24:24,435 --> 00:24:28,155 Speaker 1: the runner up worse, Pat say Jack. I mean, I 311 00:24:28,235 --> 00:24:31,075 Speaker 1: know I shouldn't be complaining that he's retiring from Wheel 312 00:24:31,155 --> 00:24:32,155 Speaker 1: of Fortune next month. 313 00:24:32,315 --> 00:24:33,075 Speaker 2: Thank god. 314 00:24:33,715 --> 00:24:38,075 Speaker 1: Pat Sajack has a public persona. In private, he's a 315 00:24:38,115 --> 00:24:41,075 Speaker 1: fascist and a liar and a credit grabber, and he's 316 00:24:41,075 --> 00:24:43,675 Speaker 1: so lazy that when I guested for the second of 317 00:24:43,715 --> 00:24:47,115 Speaker 1: two times on his long ago CBS late night talk show, 318 00:24:47,315 --> 00:24:50,435 Speaker 1: I got there about an hour ninety minutes before taping began, 319 00:24:50,915 --> 00:24:54,395 Speaker 1: and I asked to say hi to him, and they said, oh, 320 00:24:54,435 --> 00:24:57,235 Speaker 1: he's not here yet. He's been coming in late. And 321 00:24:57,315 --> 00:24:59,195 Speaker 1: I thought it was an excuse to blow me off 322 00:24:59,235 --> 00:25:01,755 Speaker 1: because Pat didn't want to see me or something, until 323 00:25:01,795 --> 00:25:04,435 Speaker 1: I saw him through the window of my dressing room 324 00:25:04,835 --> 00:25:07,515 Speaker 1: drive up to the studio, and then he popped in 325 00:25:07,515 --> 00:25:10,035 Speaker 1: a few minutes later to my dressing room and he said, Hey, 326 00:25:10,235 --> 00:25:14,235 Speaker 1: just got here, Thanks for coming in tonight. Later. And 327 00:25:14,315 --> 00:25:17,155 Speaker 1: this is nineteen eighty nine, this guest appearance, both of them. 328 00:25:17,355 --> 00:25:19,395 Speaker 1: I think the later part is like two thousand and five. 329 00:25:19,795 --> 00:25:23,835 Speaker 1: Pat Sajack decided that he had discovered me and he 330 00:25:23,915 --> 00:25:26,795 Speaker 1: had put me on national television, and I owed him 331 00:25:26,835 --> 00:25:32,195 Speaker 1: my career. The Pat Sajack Show lasted fifteen months. It 332 00:25:32,275 --> 00:25:35,715 Speaker 1: didn't really qualify as national television. I know this because 333 00:25:35,715 --> 00:25:38,275 Speaker 1: I was on the newscast in LA that preceded it, 334 00:25:38,555 --> 00:25:42,875 Speaker 1: and everybody turned off our already lousy ratings. We did 335 00:25:42,955 --> 00:25:46,075 Speaker 1: like twice the audience he did in LA. Also, it 336 00:25:46,155 --> 00:25:49,235 Speaker 1: had Rush Limbaugh on as a guest host, and then 337 00:25:49,275 --> 00:25:52,395 Speaker 1: the audience mutinied and they canceled the whole thing. And oh, 338 00:25:52,475 --> 00:25:55,235 Speaker 1: by the way, I had first gone on national television 339 00:25:55,275 --> 00:26:00,715 Speaker 1: eight years earlier at CNN every day for three years. Anyway, 340 00:26:01,315 --> 00:26:03,875 Speaker 1: with say Jack retiring, it turns out that the primary 341 00:26:03,915 --> 00:26:09,115 Speaker 1: non sports vehicle of political advertising on television, especially conservative 342 00:26:09,115 --> 00:26:14,395 Speaker 1: political advertising, it may disappear the average one of the 343 00:26:14,475 --> 00:26:18,435 Speaker 1: eight million nightly Wheel of Fortune viewers is in the 344 00:26:18,475 --> 00:26:22,795 Speaker 1: sixty five to dead demographic. I can really get away 345 00:26:22,795 --> 00:26:26,235 Speaker 1: with making that joke. Now, that's the key demo though, 346 00:26:26,235 --> 00:26:30,155 Speaker 1: for political ads, the most engaged voters are sixty five 347 00:26:30,235 --> 00:26:34,075 Speaker 1: to dead, and it is kind of by Potterson. Congressman 348 00:26:34,155 --> 00:26:37,515 Speaker 1: Jeff Jackson, the Democratic candidate for Attorney General in North Carolina, 349 00:26:37,955 --> 00:26:41,955 Speaker 1: has posted a video on TikTok explaining that the most 350 00:26:41,995 --> 00:26:46,915 Speaker 1: bang for your political advertising dollar is he like to 351 00:26:47,035 --> 00:26:49,235 Speaker 1: salve the puzzle, pat. 352 00:26:49,195 --> 00:26:51,475 Speaker 3: Want to take you behind the scenes on something. Last year, 353 00:26:51,475 --> 00:26:53,275 Speaker 3: from my campaign, I had to buy a lot of 354 00:26:53,275 --> 00:26:55,955 Speaker 3: advertising on TV, so I learn how much it cost. 355 00:26:56,155 --> 00:26:59,595 Speaker 3: Running One ad on Judge Judy cost me three hundred dollars. 356 00:26:59,715 --> 00:27:03,115 Speaker 3: One ad on Chicago Fire was five thousand dollars because 357 00:27:03,115 --> 00:27:06,075 Speaker 3: it's a big primetime show. One ad during a Panthers 358 00:27:06,075 --> 00:27:10,115 Speaker 3: football game was fifty thousand dollars. I could afford zero 359 00:27:10,235 --> 00:27:13,475 Speaker 3: of those, but Wheel of Fortune. Ads during Wheel of 360 00:27:13,515 --> 00:27:16,195 Speaker 3: Fortune cost three thousand dollars. But they come with a 361 00:27:16,235 --> 00:27:19,235 Speaker 3: pretty big audience, so I bought a lot of those. 362 00:27:19,475 --> 00:27:21,675 Speaker 3: I loaded up on Wheel of Fortune and some other 363 00:27:21,715 --> 00:27:25,195 Speaker 3: shows at similar price points. The effect was immediate. It 364 00:27:25,275 --> 00:27:27,355 Speaker 3: was amazing. It was like, all of the sudden, I 365 00:27:27,475 --> 00:27:29,875 Speaker 3: existed to a bunch of people I had never existed 366 00:27:29,875 --> 00:27:32,635 Speaker 3: to before. Here's why I'm telling you this because last 367 00:27:32,675 --> 00:27:34,635 Speaker 3: week we were all on the House for to vote 368 00:27:34,635 --> 00:27:36,955 Speaker 3: on the debt ceiling. This was the big vote to 369 00:27:37,195 --> 00:27:39,835 Speaker 3: avoid default. And I'm standing next to a congressman who's 370 00:27:39,835 --> 00:27:42,115 Speaker 3: been there for a while, and I say something to 371 00:27:42,195 --> 00:27:45,075 Speaker 3: him like, I hope the country understands that we can't 372 00:27:45,155 --> 00:27:48,235 Speaker 3: keep getting this close to disaster. It's not good. And 373 00:27:48,275 --> 00:27:50,595 Speaker 3: he looked at me and said, how much are you 374 00:27:50,635 --> 00:27:53,275 Speaker 3: willing to spend to teach them? And I knew what 375 00:27:53,355 --> 00:27:55,915 Speaker 3: he meant. He was talking about Wheel of Fortune. 376 00:27:56,315 --> 00:28:01,275 Speaker 1: Liberals have helped maga's scumbag Pat Sajack make millions cool cool, 377 00:28:01,915 --> 00:28:05,275 Speaker 1: all right, But let's be smart here, oh, Biden, campaign 378 00:28:05,915 --> 00:28:11,155 Speaker 1: by out Wheel of Fortune all the spots between now 379 00:28:11,195 --> 00:28:15,195 Speaker 1: and November fifth, all of them, even when Ryan Seacrest 380 00:28:15,195 --> 00:28:19,715 Speaker 1: takes over, by every commercial, every availability, Do it, do 381 00:28:19,835 --> 00:28:25,835 Speaker 1: it now? Do it now? The bronze were Sir Brenda Ramer. 382 00:28:25,955 --> 00:28:28,795 Speaker 1: Brenda Ramer is the owner of the aquarium and shark 383 00:28:28,915 --> 00:28:33,875 Speaker 1: Lab by Team Echo in Hendersonville, North Carolina. In February, 384 00:28:34,115 --> 00:28:39,115 Speaker 1: Brenda Ramer announced the impossible. Her aquariums California round ray 385 00:28:39,395 --> 00:28:43,475 Speaker 1: Charlotte was pregnant and had been pregnant since last September, 386 00:28:43,515 --> 00:28:47,395 Speaker 1: and she was due any day now. In captivity, births 387 00:28:47,395 --> 00:28:50,115 Speaker 1: are rare for these rays, but this was even stranger 388 00:28:50,155 --> 00:28:54,315 Speaker 1: because Charlotte Charlotte hadn't had a date in many years, 389 00:28:54,955 --> 00:28:57,995 Speaker 1: and that met either. The father was a bamboo shark 390 00:28:58,275 --> 00:29:01,475 Speaker 1: that shared her tank, which one biologist compared to a 391 00:29:01,515 --> 00:29:06,995 Speaker 1: person mating with an anaconda or it was immaculate conception. 392 00:29:08,195 --> 00:29:12,795 Speaker 1: Now it can happen. It's like really really rare. Well, 393 00:29:12,835 --> 00:29:15,835 Speaker 1: here it is almost June, and nothing further onto pregnancy, 394 00:29:16,155 --> 00:29:19,635 Speaker 1: which is now approaching nine months, more than twice the 395 00:29:19,715 --> 00:29:23,435 Speaker 1: normal pregnancy and gestation for a ray And when a 396 00:29:23,515 --> 00:29:27,155 Speaker 1: reporter asked to see Charlotte, the owner Ms. Raymer told 397 00:29:27,235 --> 00:29:29,755 Speaker 1: him to buy a ticket to the Little Aquarium. And 398 00:29:29,795 --> 00:29:31,995 Speaker 1: then while he was in there, and he saw Charlotte 399 00:29:31,995 --> 00:29:35,995 Speaker 1: and she looked happy and spelt. While the reporter was 400 00:29:36,035 --> 00:29:39,115 Speaker 1: in there, Ms Ramer called the cops, claimed he was 401 00:29:39,355 --> 00:29:45,635 Speaker 1: harassing customers. The reporter also says he saw no baby 402 00:29:45,795 --> 00:29:47,675 Speaker 1: ray Or, and you knew this had to be coming 403 00:29:47,715 --> 00:29:51,515 Speaker 1: at some point. No, no baby shark. Do doo doo 404 00:29:51,635 --> 00:29:56,835 Speaker 1: do doo doo doo doot do But the winner the worst. 405 00:29:56,955 --> 00:30:00,195 Speaker 1: Publisher A. G. Selzberger and his editor Joe con and 406 00:30:00,275 --> 00:30:03,835 Speaker 1: Today's edition of the accelerating self immolation of The New 407 00:30:03,955 --> 00:30:06,955 Speaker 1: York Times. The Times decided it needed to have an 408 00:30:06,955 --> 00:30:10,195 Speaker 1: op ed by the editor of a Catholic literary journal 409 00:30:10,515 --> 00:30:14,315 Speaker 1: who is also a fellow at Catholic University, to defend 410 00:30:14,435 --> 00:30:19,675 Speaker 1: Trump in a case which has at its center him 411 00:30:19,715 --> 00:30:21,795 Speaker 1: paying for the silence of a porn star he had 412 00:30:21,795 --> 00:30:23,675 Speaker 1: sex with right after his wife gave births. 413 00:30:23,715 --> 00:30:24,795 Speaker 2: I guess this is a. 414 00:30:24,795 --> 00:30:27,515 Speaker 1: Different Catholic church than the one I'd heard about all 415 00:30:27,595 --> 00:30:36,395 Speaker 1: my life. Yeah, whatever, AnyWho, Matthew Walter writes, quote, the 416 00:30:36,395 --> 00:30:39,555 Speaker 1: most obvious antecedents for the current prosecution of mister Trump 417 00:30:39,715 --> 00:30:42,235 Speaker 1: date from his time in the White House. The two impeachments, 418 00:30:42,395 --> 00:30:46,835 Speaker 1: the wide ranging investigation of Russian quote collusion that consumed 419 00:30:46,915 --> 00:30:49,635 Speaker 1: roughly half of his term, the speculation about violations of 420 00:30:49,635 --> 00:30:56,915 Speaker 1: the Logan Act, the Logan Act, speculation about violations of 421 00:30:56,915 --> 00:31:00,075 Speaker 1: the Logan Act and the Emoluments Clause, and the suggestion 422 00:31:00,235 --> 00:31:03,315 Speaker 1: that he'd be removed from office under the dubious terms 423 00:31:03,315 --> 00:31:06,635 Speaker 1: of the twenty fifth Amendment. Whatever their merits, these efforts 424 00:31:06,635 --> 00:31:10,515 Speaker 1: were all in their animating spirit, partisan attempts to negate 425 00:31:10,555 --> 00:31:15,195 Speaker 1: the outcome of the twenty sixteen presidential election. Or Trump 426 00:31:15,235 --> 00:31:17,595 Speaker 1: is a Russian asset who sold this country out for 427 00:31:17,635 --> 00:31:21,035 Speaker 1: his own personal gain. You want to both sides this, 428 00:31:21,195 --> 00:31:25,075 Speaker 1: that's the other side of it, asshole. Quoting again, mister Walter, 429 00:31:25,795 --> 00:31:29,235 Speaker 1: It seems as if no one any longer quote accepts 430 00:31:29,475 --> 00:31:32,275 Speaker 1: the outcome of an election. If he disagrees with it, 431 00:31:32,715 --> 00:31:36,635 Speaker 1: an unwelcome result becomes ipso facto evidence of some devious 432 00:31:36,675 --> 00:31:40,795 Speaker 1: attempt to upend the foundations of quote our democracy, one 433 00:31:40,835 --> 00:31:42,835 Speaker 1: to which the proper response is not running a better 434 00:31:42,875 --> 00:31:45,755 Speaker 1: campaign next time, but trying to use whatever legal weapons 435 00:31:45,795 --> 00:31:49,315 Speaker 1: are available to force the victor outside the political realm entirely, 436 00:31:49,475 --> 00:31:52,675 Speaker 1: or at least to render him powerless within it. Well, 437 00:31:52,715 --> 00:31:54,315 Speaker 1: that would be good if you were confessing to this, 438 00:31:54,435 --> 00:31:58,675 Speaker 1: mister Walter. Quote mister Bragg has accused mister Trump of 439 00:31:58,875 --> 00:32:01,915 Speaker 1: conspiring to corrupt a presidential election. In this case, that 440 00:32:02,035 --> 00:32:05,995 Speaker 1: is a tautology. All elections are corrupt in the sense 441 00:32:06,035 --> 00:32:11,995 Speaker 1: of being unavoidably tainted by unlikable personalities, moral failings, dubious coalitions, 442 00:32:12,115 --> 00:32:16,715 Speaker 1: venal motivations, unlovely compromises in the other thousand natural shocks. 443 00:32:16,835 --> 00:32:20,395 Speaker 1: That flesh is heir too. That last part is so 444 00:32:20,475 --> 00:32:23,315 Speaker 1: that you at home will know. Mister Walter read some 445 00:32:23,475 --> 00:32:28,675 Speaker 1: Hamlet once. Pretending that mister Trump's worthiness to serve a 446 00:32:28,715 --> 00:32:31,915 Speaker 1: second term is a matter of criminal law rather than 447 00:32:31,915 --> 00:32:37,435 Speaker 1: a political question, is typical of our American insistence. Blah 448 00:32:37,515 --> 00:32:40,515 Speaker 1: blah blah, blah blah, you got the idea. New York 449 00:32:40,555 --> 00:32:44,235 Speaker 1: Times op ed semi colon Trump is immune from prosecution 450 00:32:44,675 --> 00:32:47,475 Speaker 1: unless he shoots somebody, and maybe not. Then if you 451 00:32:47,555 --> 00:32:50,595 Speaker 1: don't get the idea, I'll add this. Three years ago, 452 00:32:50,635 --> 00:32:54,195 Speaker 1: this Walter character published a piece and it was not parody, 453 00:32:54,715 --> 00:32:57,555 Speaker 1: nor satire, nor even something stripped out of the pages 454 00:32:57,595 --> 00:33:02,195 Speaker 1: of the onion. The headline the fascist state of paw Patrol. 455 00:33:02,755 --> 00:33:07,115 Speaker 1: There is no society or even commerce, just the relentless 456 00:33:07,195 --> 00:33:11,195 Speaker 1: force of the police. By the way, the Times was 457 00:33:11,235 --> 00:33:14,075 Speaker 1: not done with us. The headline writers are very jealous 458 00:33:14,115 --> 00:33:17,595 Speaker 1: of the opinion section's ability to both sides American democracy 459 00:33:17,595 --> 00:33:21,755 Speaker 1: into an early grave quote emerging portrait of judge in 460 00:33:21,835 --> 00:33:28,995 Speaker 1: Trump document's case prepared prickly and slow. Judge Eileen Cannon's 461 00:33:28,995 --> 00:33:32,115 Speaker 1: handling of court hearings offers insights into how the case 462 00:33:32,155 --> 00:33:38,715 Speaker 1: has become bogged down in unresolved issues. Unresolved issues like 463 00:33:38,755 --> 00:33:42,755 Speaker 1: how she's deliberately slow walking the Trump trial because he 464 00:33:43,075 --> 00:33:49,235 Speaker 1: effing appointed her and she has the morals of California 465 00:33:49,355 --> 00:33:54,395 Speaker 1: round ray. Publisher ag Selzberger of The New York Times 466 00:33:54,475 --> 00:33:56,995 Speaker 1: all the news that's fit to print unless it throws 467 00:33:57,035 --> 00:33:59,435 Speaker 1: off the number of angels who can dance on the 468 00:33:59,435 --> 00:34:02,995 Speaker 1: head of a both sides's pin and changes it from 469 00:34:02,995 --> 00:34:07,675 Speaker 1: the mandatory even number to an unacceptable odd number. Two 470 00:34:07,835 --> 00:34:39,195 Speaker 1: days worst publisher in the world. Walter Isaacson was editor 471 00:34:39,235 --> 00:34:42,235 Speaker 1: of Time magazine back when that was like a full 472 00:34:42,275 --> 00:34:49,995 Speaker 1: time paying job. Then Time and CNN merged and they thought, well, hey, 473 00:34:50,275 --> 00:34:53,195 Speaker 1: this guy does news make him like president of CNN 474 00:34:53,275 --> 00:34:56,035 Speaker 1: or something. And in his first three months, Walter decided 475 00:34:56,075 --> 00:35:00,355 Speaker 1: CNN needed a comedy news show, but as I will 476 00:35:00,355 --> 00:35:02,035 Speaker 1: tell you, he never thought I would be right for that. 477 00:35:02,195 --> 00:35:04,915 Speaker 1: Then he decided CNN needed a new eight pm news 478 00:35:04,915 --> 00:35:08,115 Speaker 1: cast from somebody outside of the company actually signed me 479 00:35:08,155 --> 00:35:10,835 Speaker 1: to a contract to maybe do it. Then decided now 480 00:35:10,835 --> 00:35:12,955 Speaker 1: I wasn't right for it. Then he had to oversee 481 00:35:12,995 --> 00:35:15,595 Speaker 1: CNN's nine to eleven coverage, and then he had to 482 00:35:15,595 --> 00:35:18,395 Speaker 1: make a crucial decision that the future of CNN was 483 00:35:19,355 --> 00:35:23,235 Speaker 1: Anderson Cooper, who has done as much as anybody to 484 00:35:23,275 --> 00:35:26,035 Speaker 1: make sure that CNN has in that time sunk from 485 00:35:26,115 --> 00:35:31,635 Speaker 1: first place in the field to last. The part about 486 00:35:31,675 --> 00:35:35,715 Speaker 1: the humorous news show put Walter Isaacson back in the 487 00:35:35,755 --> 00:35:39,475 Speaker 1: news early this year because Chris licked and honestly, CNN 488 00:35:39,515 --> 00:35:41,395 Speaker 1: ought to build a statue to him, and I have 489 00:35:41,475 --> 00:35:44,875 Speaker 1: a festival every year like La Tamatina in Italy, where 490 00:35:44,875 --> 00:35:48,155 Speaker 1: everybody stands around and throws tomatoes at the statue. Chris 491 00:35:48,195 --> 00:35:52,875 Speaker 1: licked was per Semaphore News is reporting quote considering hiring 492 00:35:52,955 --> 00:35:56,995 Speaker 1: a comedian to host one of CNN's primetime shows to 493 00:35:57,195 --> 00:35:59,875 Speaker 1: fill the primetime nine to eleven PM hours with a 494 00:35:59,955 --> 00:36:02,915 Speaker 1: non traditional version of the news. Five people with the 495 00:36:02,955 --> 00:36:08,875 Speaker 1: planning said executives have floated names including Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, 496 00:36:08,995 --> 00:36:12,195 Speaker 1: Arcinio Hall, and John Stewart and have looked at other 497 00:36:12,235 --> 00:36:16,595 Speaker 1: comedic focused talk shows for inspiration. And as I read 498 00:36:16,595 --> 00:36:19,675 Speaker 1: this story, I found myself transported back in time to 499 00:36:19,715 --> 00:36:25,355 Speaker 1: the office of Walter Isaacson, President of CNN, Friday, August third, 500 00:36:25,915 --> 00:36:30,195 Speaker 1: two thousand and one. His big office was filled with 501 00:36:30,235 --> 00:36:33,355 Speaker 1: the brilliant late summer sun. He called me in. He 502 00:36:33,355 --> 00:36:35,555 Speaker 1: said how much he had enjoyed how I had used 503 00:36:35,635 --> 00:36:39,075 Speaker 1: humor in my work at ESPN and MSNBC, and that 504 00:36:39,195 --> 00:36:40,915 Speaker 1: he had what he thought was a great idea, and 505 00:36:40,915 --> 00:36:43,835 Speaker 1: he wanted my thoughts. What if we took an hour 506 00:36:43,955 --> 00:36:47,155 Speaker 1: in primetime and instead of being deadly serious CNN or 507 00:36:47,275 --> 00:36:50,955 Speaker 1: conversational CNN, or even point counterpoint CNN. What if we 508 00:36:50,955 --> 00:36:58,075 Speaker 1: were funny CNN? Satirical CNN sounded familiar to me because 509 00:36:58,115 --> 00:37:01,515 Speaker 1: I had pitched this exact idea to Walter and his 510 00:37:01,635 --> 00:37:04,915 Speaker 1: bosses not a month before. I still have the email 511 00:37:04,955 --> 00:37:07,715 Speaker 1: in my computer. I had done a version of it 512 00:37:08,155 --> 00:37:12,115 Speaker 1: for CNN in my sports reporting when I started in 513 00:37:12,195 --> 00:37:15,715 Speaker 1: TV two decades before, and then I had raised it 514 00:37:15,755 --> 00:37:18,555 Speaker 1: to something higher and more of a proven success at ESPN, 515 00:37:18,635 --> 00:37:21,435 Speaker 1: and I did it at MSNBC in nineteen ninety seven 516 00:37:21,435 --> 00:37:25,675 Speaker 1: and nineteen ninety eight. More sardonic than satirical, more bitter 517 00:37:25,755 --> 00:37:29,835 Speaker 1: than humorous, but it got some laughs. In two thousand 518 00:37:29,835 --> 00:37:31,915 Speaker 1: and one, I happened to be back with CNN as 519 00:37:31,955 --> 00:37:35,515 Speaker 1: a scheduled freelancer filling in on the show. Jeff Greenfield 520 00:37:35,595 --> 00:37:37,995 Speaker 1: was supposed to host at eleven o'clock every night. Then 521 00:37:38,035 --> 00:37:41,195 Speaker 1: he broke his ankle or something. My agent was negotiating 522 00:37:41,235 --> 00:37:43,435 Speaker 1: to get me the eight pm hour that they were 523 00:37:43,475 --> 00:37:45,715 Speaker 1: going to give to somebody who was not currently on 524 00:37:45,795 --> 00:37:49,835 Speaker 1: the network, and I had said, obviously, you couldn't have 525 00:37:49,875 --> 00:37:51,955 Speaker 1: a comedian do the news, but you could have a 526 00:37:51,995 --> 00:37:55,555 Speaker 1: newscaster with a decent sense of comedy bring a humorous 527 00:37:55,595 --> 00:37:59,555 Speaker 1: starting point to it. And not only was I qualified, 528 00:37:59,555 --> 00:38:01,435 Speaker 1: but as I said to Walter, right then I can 529 00:38:01,475 --> 00:38:03,995 Speaker 1: do the key thing. That is the only way you 530 00:38:04,035 --> 00:38:06,435 Speaker 1: can get away with this idea. I can be the 531 00:38:06,475 --> 00:38:10,235 Speaker 1: guy on the air doing the slightly funny news when 532 00:38:10,275 --> 00:38:15,035 Speaker 1: a bridge suddenly collapses, or Ronald Reagan dies or there 533 00:38:15,115 --> 00:38:18,795 Speaker 1: is a terrorist attack, and I can swerve back into 534 00:38:18,835 --> 00:38:23,155 Speaker 1: serious coverage before the network crashes, because you know, it 535 00:38:23,195 --> 00:38:27,195 Speaker 1: had a comedy show on when the world ended. Walter 536 00:38:27,555 --> 00:38:31,715 Speaker 1: nodded politely. What would you think of John Stewart? He asked, 537 00:38:31,835 --> 00:38:34,115 Speaker 1: do you think the audience would buy John Stuart doing that? 538 00:38:34,355 --> 00:38:39,075 Speaker 1: I think he's great, don't you, I said frankly, Walter, No, 539 00:38:40,195 --> 00:38:42,435 Speaker 1: mostly for the reason I just outlined. I mean, if 540 00:38:42,515 --> 00:38:44,755 Speaker 1: John Stewart is doing your funny news one night and 541 00:38:44,755 --> 00:38:47,955 Speaker 1: then there's unfunny news, you are And then I said 542 00:38:47,955 --> 00:38:51,955 Speaker 1: a word that rhymed with duct And I also said 543 00:38:51,955 --> 00:38:54,115 Speaker 1: that I didn't know him well, but everybody I knew 544 00:38:54,195 --> 00:38:58,995 Speaker 1: who did said John Stuart was insufferable, impossible to work with, 545 00:38:59,275 --> 00:39:03,595 Speaker 1: A dreadful and dreary person notorious for stealing other people's 546 00:39:03,595 --> 00:39:07,355 Speaker 1: ideas and pretend they were his. I said his point 547 00:39:07,355 --> 00:39:10,515 Speaker 1: of view was closer to my own, but that, frankly, 548 00:39:10,555 --> 00:39:14,195 Speaker 1: the closest personality comp in cable News to John Stewart 549 00:39:14,315 --> 00:39:19,875 Speaker 1: was actually Bill O'Reilly. I saw my words bounce off 550 00:39:19,915 --> 00:39:23,275 Speaker 1: Walter's head and float out the window of his CNN 551 00:39:23,555 --> 00:39:27,915 Speaker 1: top floor office. Do you think John would do it 552 00:39:27,995 --> 00:39:30,075 Speaker 1: to be fair? I don't think they asked him In 553 00:39:30,115 --> 00:39:34,395 Speaker 1: two thousand and one, the previous time, a CNN president 554 00:39:34,395 --> 00:39:36,675 Speaker 1: thought of this idea and mistakenly believed he was saying, 555 00:39:36,795 --> 00:39:39,195 Speaker 1: let's have John Stewart do the news, when in fact 556 00:39:39,235 --> 00:39:41,635 Speaker 1: what he was saying was let's have John Stewart's ratings 557 00:39:41,675 --> 00:39:45,075 Speaker 1: between nine and ten every night, because that's what Chris 558 00:39:45,115 --> 00:39:49,755 Speaker 1: Lick was thinking, as it was what Walter Isaacson was thinking, 559 00:39:50,995 --> 00:39:54,635 Speaker 1: and why Chris Licked immediately moved the idea from impossible 560 00:39:54,675 --> 00:39:59,035 Speaker 1: crash and burn to feasible. No on Stewart, Let's call 561 00:39:59,155 --> 00:40:01,035 Speaker 1: Arsenio Hall. He's alive. 562 00:40:01,155 --> 00:40:01,315 Speaker 2: Right. 563 00:40:03,395 --> 00:40:06,635 Speaker 1: The longest than a common Many News Hybridge show can 564 00:40:06,795 --> 00:40:10,075 Speaker 1: be is about thirty minutes, and one can argue based 565 00:40:10,075 --> 00:40:12,955 Speaker 1: on audience retention for the John Stewart Daily Show and 566 00:40:12,995 --> 00:40:17,195 Speaker 1: the Colbert Raport. It's actually closer to about fifteen minutes, 567 00:40:18,115 --> 00:40:21,195 Speaker 1: as Clicked must have remembered from his days running Colbert's 568 00:40:21,235 --> 00:40:25,635 Speaker 1: amazingly unfunny CBS program. No late night comedy show that 569 00:40:25,755 --> 00:40:28,635 Speaker 1: dabbled in news in a monologue or even multiple desk 570 00:40:28,715 --> 00:40:31,795 Speaker 1: segments has ever done more than about ten twelve minutes 571 00:40:31,835 --> 00:40:35,115 Speaker 1: of it a night. And I mean the superstars limited 572 00:40:35,155 --> 00:40:37,915 Speaker 1: themselves to ten minutes of it to night. David Letterman, 573 00:40:37,955 --> 00:40:41,755 Speaker 1: Johnny Carson, even Jay Leno others have tried ten minutes 574 00:40:41,795 --> 00:40:45,675 Speaker 1: of news humor and were never heard from again. And 575 00:40:45,755 --> 00:40:48,635 Speaker 1: if you doubt me, ask yourself if you remember the 576 00:40:48,755 --> 00:40:52,435 Speaker 1: Pat Sayjack Show on CBS at eleven thirty every night, 577 00:40:52,755 --> 00:40:58,075 Speaker 1: or Comedy Central's The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, or frankly, 578 00:40:58,715 --> 00:41:00,915 Speaker 1: what do you remember of the third incarnation of the 579 00:41:00,995 --> 00:41:04,435 Speaker 1: Daily Show with Trevor Noah, who kept the franchise alive 580 00:41:04,435 --> 00:41:06,955 Speaker 1: after Stewart retired. But my god, it was just barely 581 00:41:08,355 --> 00:41:12,195 Speaker 1: and Chris Lickt of the We thought they were paced eaters. 582 00:41:12,235 --> 00:41:17,075 Speaker 1: Lichts supposedly brought up Trevor Noah and did bring up 583 00:41:17,155 --> 00:41:19,155 Speaker 1: John Stewart in an interview with The New York Times 584 00:41:19,155 --> 00:41:23,155 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two, and so then somebody thought of 585 00:41:23,315 --> 00:41:28,635 Speaker 1: Charles Barkley and my old college colleague Bill Maher, a 586 00:41:28,755 --> 00:41:32,075 Speaker 1: semaphore noted, Marr is a potentially more realistic prospect. The 587 00:41:32,115 --> 00:41:34,715 Speaker 1: host of HBO's long running weekly show that bears his 588 00:41:34,795 --> 00:41:38,155 Speaker 1: name is already in house at Warner Bros. Discovery. CNN's 589 00:41:38,195 --> 00:41:41,715 Speaker 1: parent company. Puck reported this week that CNN is in 590 00:41:41,795 --> 00:41:45,235 Speaker 1: talks to begin airing some of Marr's weekly extra HBO segments. 591 00:41:47,035 --> 00:41:49,955 Speaker 1: There were several problems with Bill Maher. Of course, for 592 00:41:50,035 --> 00:41:54,715 Speaker 1: twenty five years, he has been abhorred by conservatives. They 593 00:41:54,755 --> 00:41:57,675 Speaker 1: got him canceled from his original nightly show on ABC 594 00:41:57,835 --> 00:42:02,235 Speaker 1: politically incorrect after nine to eleven. That's fine, Conservatives are 595 00:42:02,275 --> 00:42:05,315 Speaker 1: not going to watch CNN no matter what is fascist 596 00:42:05,315 --> 00:42:09,075 Speaker 1: owner John Malone might do. But the issue here is 597 00:42:09,315 --> 00:42:12,035 Speaker 1: Mar has also gradually spent nearly all of his goodwill 598 00:42:12,075 --> 00:42:17,315 Speaker 1: and reputation with liberals. They may not all abhor him yet, 599 00:42:17,795 --> 00:42:20,555 Speaker 1: but he stopped being appointment viewing for liberals perhaps as 600 00:42:20,555 --> 00:42:24,275 Speaker 1: long as a decade ago. Also, if the quality of 601 00:42:24,355 --> 00:42:26,875 Speaker 1: the humor in his once a week HBO show is 602 00:42:26,915 --> 00:42:31,915 Speaker 1: an indicator. Putting him on nightly on CNN starting say, 603 00:42:32,755 --> 00:42:35,875 Speaker 1: next Monday, would mean he would be out of material 604 00:42:35,955 --> 00:42:41,995 Speaker 1: by next Thursday, maybe next Wednesday. I also know Bill 605 00:42:42,595 --> 00:42:45,755 Speaker 1: since literally nineteen seventy eight, and I used to be 606 00:42:45,875 --> 00:42:48,555 Speaker 1: on the HBO show often, and he invariably told me 607 00:42:48,595 --> 00:42:50,595 Speaker 1: that the best thing that ever happened to him was 608 00:42:50,595 --> 00:42:52,955 Speaker 1: getting away from having to do a TV show every night, 609 00:42:53,235 --> 00:42:55,795 Speaker 1: that six days of prep for one show was a 610 00:42:55,835 --> 00:43:02,475 Speaker 1: tough enough ratio. Finally, CNN had the brilliant idea it 611 00:43:02,515 --> 00:43:05,635 Speaker 1: would solve that problem by putting mar just once a 612 00:43:05,675 --> 00:43:09,395 Speaker 1: week on in his timeslot, his regular favorite time slot, 613 00:43:09,555 --> 00:43:13,115 Speaker 1: late nights on Fridays. It took the segment he used 614 00:43:13,155 --> 00:43:16,235 Speaker 1: to do after his HBO show was over that they 615 00:43:16,275 --> 00:43:18,915 Speaker 1: would put online, and instead they put it in the 616 00:43:18,955 --> 00:43:22,195 Speaker 1: eleven pm Friday night CNN newscast, and it got an 617 00:43:22,235 --> 00:43:26,755 Speaker 1: audience literally half the size of this podcast. I think 618 00:43:26,795 --> 00:43:31,035 Speaker 1: they've canceled it for good, but who knows, because honestly, 619 00:43:31,395 --> 00:43:37,475 Speaker 1: who'd notice. And Lastly, while it is assumed people actually 620 00:43:37,555 --> 00:43:40,115 Speaker 1: watch Bill Maher's show, there is no proof of that. 621 00:43:41,275 --> 00:43:44,195 Speaker 1: HBO does not produce ratings for the programs it puts 622 00:43:44,275 --> 00:43:47,115 Speaker 1: on cable. It's not in the ratings game. It's in 623 00:43:47,155 --> 00:43:50,795 Speaker 1: the subscription game. As I suggested just now, we don't 624 00:43:50,835 --> 00:43:53,755 Speaker 1: know how many people watch mar We know there aren't 625 00:43:54,315 --> 00:43:57,435 Speaker 1: maybe any conservatives. We don't know if there are still 626 00:43:57,795 --> 00:44:02,075 Speaker 1: any liberals, And that, of course, is the other fundamental 627 00:44:02,155 --> 00:44:05,195 Speaker 1: flaw here. The cover story for Chris Lichts actual job 628 00:44:05,355 --> 00:44:10,235 Speaker 1: was he was to bring back balanced a political news Well, quick, 629 00:44:10,635 --> 00:44:15,075 Speaker 1: name me the last a political news comedian or satirist. 630 00:44:15,595 --> 00:44:20,475 Speaker 1: I'll wait. Even if you think the foppish guy they 631 00:44:20,515 --> 00:44:26,195 Speaker 1: have on Fox, Blowfeld or Gutworm or whatever his name 632 00:44:26,275 --> 00:44:30,995 Speaker 1: is is actually funny, is he a political letterman? Was 633 00:44:31,035 --> 00:44:33,675 Speaker 1: actually kind of a political Yet most of his political 634 00:44:33,715 --> 00:44:36,795 Speaker 1: stuff wound up mocking Republicans because they do things that 635 00:44:36,835 --> 00:44:40,915 Speaker 1: are easier to laugh at, like John McCain lying to 636 00:44:40,995 --> 00:44:43,155 Speaker 1: him and not showing up for that two thousand and 637 00:44:43,235 --> 00:44:45,435 Speaker 1: eight hour long interview we were supposed to get just 638 00:44:45,475 --> 00:44:50,075 Speaker 1: before the election, and they had to bring in me. Sorry, 639 00:44:50,875 --> 00:44:54,075 Speaker 1: when Colbert, who is far more conservative than he wants 640 00:44:54,115 --> 00:44:56,755 Speaker 1: you to know, could cover up his intent by pretending 641 00:44:56,755 --> 00:44:59,635 Speaker 1: he was just pretending he was far more successful than 642 00:44:59,635 --> 00:45:01,555 Speaker 1: he is now. And it needs to be remembered that 643 00:45:01,675 --> 00:45:05,715 Speaker 1: until Trump's ascension, CBS, with that guy Licked in charge 644 00:45:05,715 --> 00:45:08,115 Speaker 1: of it, was about to swap him and the a 645 00:45:08,275 --> 00:45:13,075 Speaker 1: political and a funny James Cordon and Relegate Colbert at 646 00:45:13,115 --> 00:45:17,075 Speaker 1: twelve thirty at night. And even if you disagree with 647 00:45:17,075 --> 00:45:19,595 Speaker 1: my comedy analysis, the bottom line is you cannot do 648 00:45:19,635 --> 00:45:23,075 Speaker 1: comedy about news without being political. And you can't put 649 00:45:23,075 --> 00:45:25,595 Speaker 1: a comedian in the driver's seat of a real newscast 650 00:45:25,755 --> 00:45:28,035 Speaker 1: because one day he will have to segue into live 651 00:45:28,115 --> 00:45:31,355 Speaker 1: coverage of the massive explosion down at the Goiter clinic. 652 00:45:33,155 --> 00:45:35,635 Speaker 1: If you really wanted to do an hour or just 653 00:45:35,795 --> 00:45:38,115 Speaker 1: half an hour of comedy news, it would have to 654 00:45:38,115 --> 00:45:40,395 Speaker 1: be political, and it would have to be hosted by 655 00:45:40,435 --> 00:45:43,715 Speaker 1: somebody able to turn on a dime. From the Chuckle 656 00:45:43,795 --> 00:45:48,555 Speaker 1: Hut to Good Evening, there are dead ex presidents. You're 657 00:45:48,595 --> 00:45:53,395 Speaker 1: talking Al Franken or maybe maybe me, and CNN is 658 00:45:53,435 --> 00:45:55,955 Speaker 1: not going to hire Al Franken. And guess what, CNN 659 00:45:56,035 --> 00:46:00,755 Speaker 1: is definitely definitely not going to hire me. So let 660 00:46:00,795 --> 00:46:04,035 Speaker 1: us go back in time again to Walter Isaacson's office, 661 00:46:04,115 --> 00:46:09,235 Speaker 1: long before before anybody heard of God damned Elon MUCKs. 662 00:46:09,315 --> 00:46:12,235 Speaker 1: Back to Walter's office at CNN and the dear innocent 663 00:46:12,355 --> 00:46:17,515 Speaker 1: free Deluge days of August two thousand and one, and 664 00:46:17,555 --> 00:46:20,315 Speaker 1: when Walter Isaacson was the president of CNN after Rees 665 00:46:20,355 --> 00:46:23,115 Speaker 1: Schoenfeld had been it, and Bert Reinhardt, whom I worked for, 666 00:46:23,195 --> 00:46:25,195 Speaker 1: and Tom Johnson, who I did not but I knew, 667 00:46:25,195 --> 00:46:27,315 Speaker 1: and Rick Kaplan, who I did work for later, and 668 00:46:27,395 --> 00:46:30,035 Speaker 1: Walter was before John Klein who tried to bring me 669 00:46:30,075 --> 00:46:32,275 Speaker 1: back to CNN in two thousand and six but got 670 00:46:32,315 --> 00:46:35,675 Speaker 1: overruled by Jim Walton, who had been the backup Chiron 671 00:46:35,795 --> 00:46:38,195 Speaker 1: guy on my CNN sports cast in nineteen eighty three, 672 00:46:38,355 --> 00:46:41,075 Speaker 1: and Jim was also president, and then Jim fired John, 673 00:46:41,115 --> 00:46:42,835 Speaker 1: and then somebody fired Jim, and then they brought in 674 00:46:42,875 --> 00:46:44,915 Speaker 1: Jeff Zooker and he tried to bring me back in 675 00:46:44,915 --> 00:46:47,315 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, and then they fired him, and then it 676 00:46:47,315 --> 00:46:48,955 Speaker 1: was Chris Licked and then they fired him. And now 677 00:46:48,995 --> 00:46:51,555 Speaker 1: I got that British guy who once bit a producer 678 00:46:51,595 --> 00:46:56,475 Speaker 1: because he thought it was funny. I can't actually recall 679 00:46:56,555 --> 00:46:59,875 Speaker 1: how long I was in Walter Isaacson's office that summer day, 680 00:46:59,915 --> 00:47:02,835 Speaker 1: so long ago. He had a lot of questions he 681 00:47:02,875 --> 00:47:05,035 Speaker 1: wanted to ask me, and he continually refer heard to 682 00:47:05,035 --> 00:47:08,275 Speaker 1: my experience mixing humor and serious coverage in sports, and 683 00:47:08,355 --> 00:47:11,155 Speaker 1: even right then when I was filling in for Jeff Greenfield, 684 00:47:12,075 --> 00:47:14,595 Speaker 1: and the longer I was in there, the more it 685 00:47:14,675 --> 00:47:17,035 Speaker 1: seemed like he was leading up to asking me if 686 00:47:17,075 --> 00:47:22,195 Speaker 1: I wanted to try it, and he never asked. And 687 00:47:22,275 --> 00:47:25,835 Speaker 1: what made that even crazier was not long after CNN 688 00:47:25,915 --> 00:47:28,955 Speaker 1: offered me the job of lead anchor and managing editor 689 00:47:28,995 --> 00:47:34,675 Speaker 1: at its CNNSI Sports network, and a different contract as 690 00:47:34,715 --> 00:47:38,395 Speaker 1: a full time salaried host and essayist on news and 691 00:47:38,515 --> 00:47:42,155 Speaker 1: sports for the regular CNN network, and a third contract, 692 00:47:42,355 --> 00:47:45,035 Speaker 1: a holding contract, which would really just be a pre 693 00:47:45,155 --> 00:47:48,915 Speaker 1: negotiation in case they chose me from the finalists for 694 00:47:49,035 --> 00:47:53,915 Speaker 1: their main eight o'clock anchor flagship show, and it turned 695 00:47:53,955 --> 00:47:58,875 Speaker 1: out a month later they shuddered CNNSI, but we did 696 00:47:58,915 --> 00:48:02,835 Speaker 1: proceed on the anchor essayist contract and we signed that 697 00:48:02,915 --> 00:48:05,675 Speaker 1: holding contract. So I had two contract with CNN, and 698 00:48:05,715 --> 00:48:08,435 Speaker 1: then at eight o'clock they never executed my other contract 699 00:48:08,475 --> 00:48:14,675 Speaker 1: because they gave the show two Connie Chung Connie Chung 700 00:48:16,035 --> 00:48:19,555 Speaker 1: and then they canceled her show one year later. Walter 701 00:48:19,715 --> 00:48:21,995 Speaker 1: left CNN in January two thousand and three, and a 702 00:48:21,995 --> 00:48:25,475 Speaker 1: month later I returned to MSNBC and we started Countdown. 703 00:48:26,275 --> 00:48:29,755 Speaker 1: Politics and commentary gradually squeezed out the time I had 704 00:48:29,795 --> 00:48:33,315 Speaker 1: devoted to the humor and satire. But originally Countdown was 705 00:48:33,395 --> 00:48:36,475 Speaker 1: as much satire as it was controversy. And one day 706 00:48:36,475 --> 00:48:39,675 Speaker 1: in two thousand and five, a call was transferred into 707 00:48:39,715 --> 00:48:42,435 Speaker 1: my office from one of our guest bookers who said 708 00:48:42,475 --> 00:48:45,035 Speaker 1: somebody that they tried to get to be on the 709 00:48:45,075 --> 00:48:46,915 Speaker 1: show was not going to do it, but he wanted 710 00:48:46,915 --> 00:48:50,315 Speaker 1: to talk to me. While he was on the line, Keith, 711 00:48:50,355 --> 00:48:52,835 Speaker 1: it's Walter Isaacson. I've been meaning to call you for 712 00:48:52,835 --> 00:48:54,955 Speaker 1: a couple of months. I don't know if you remember this. 713 00:48:55,155 --> 00:48:57,195 Speaker 1: In fact, I kind of hope you don't. But in 714 00:48:57,235 --> 00:48:59,475 Speaker 1: two thousand and one, do you remember I asked you 715 00:48:59,475 --> 00:49:01,955 Speaker 1: about doing a newscast with a comedy element to you, 716 00:49:01,995 --> 00:49:03,835 Speaker 1: and I must have asked you about John Stewart, and 717 00:49:03,835 --> 00:49:06,035 Speaker 1: everybody liked John Stuart and I just wanted to say 718 00:49:06,355 --> 00:49:08,715 Speaker 1: I watch Countdown every night, and every night I say 719 00:49:08,715 --> 00:49:11,435 Speaker 1: to myself, this is exactly the show I wanted. And 720 00:49:11,475 --> 00:49:13,275 Speaker 1: the guy was sitting on the other side of my 721 00:49:13,315 --> 00:49:15,955 Speaker 1: goddamn desk and I didn't even see him because I 722 00:49:15,995 --> 00:49:18,395 Speaker 1: was looking at it backwards, and I just kicked myself. 723 00:49:20,315 --> 00:49:22,355 Speaker 1: This is the man who just fixed the Elon Musk 724 00:49:22,475 --> 00:49:27,355 Speaker 1: quotes what Walter Isaacson said next in two thousand and five. 725 00:49:27,555 --> 00:49:29,715 Speaker 1: Should be a lesson to anybody else who wants to 726 00:49:29,795 --> 00:49:33,275 Speaker 1: try Walter Isaacson's idea from two thousand and one and 727 00:49:33,315 --> 00:49:38,355 Speaker 1: claim it is their idea. You don't get a comedian 728 00:49:38,395 --> 00:49:41,875 Speaker 1: to do funny news, Walter said, as if I had 729 00:49:41,915 --> 00:49:46,355 Speaker 1: not told him this. You get a newsman who's kind 730 00:49:46,355 --> 00:50:05,355 Speaker 1: of funny to do news that's kind of funny. I've 731 00:50:05,355 --> 00:50:07,115 Speaker 1: done all the damage I can do here. Thank you 732 00:50:07,155 --> 00:50:10,075 Speaker 1: for listening. Countown musical directors Brian Ray and John Phillip 733 00:50:10,075 --> 00:50:14,275 Speaker 1: Schanel arranged, produced, and performed most of our music. Mister 734 00:50:14,355 --> 00:50:16,955 Speaker 1: Ray was on guitars, bass and drums. Mister Shanelle handled 735 00:50:17,035 --> 00:50:20,675 Speaker 1: orchestration and keyboards, and they're doing very well despite the 736 00:50:20,715 --> 00:50:25,155 Speaker 1: electron interference. It was produced by Tko Brothers. Other music, 737 00:50:25,195 --> 00:50:27,915 Speaker 1: including some of the Beethoven, arranged and performed by the 738 00:50:27,915 --> 00:50:31,155 Speaker 1: group No Horns Allowed sports music when we play it 739 00:50:31,195 --> 00:50:33,715 Speaker 1: is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, written by Mitch 740 00:50:33,755 --> 00:50:37,595 Speaker 1: Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN inc. Our satirical and fifthy 741 00:50:37,715 --> 00:50:40,435 Speaker 1: musical comments are by Nancy Fauss, the best baseball stadium 742 00:50:40,515 --> 00:50:43,635 Speaker 1: organist ever. Our announcer was my friend Tony Kornheiser, and 743 00:50:43,675 --> 00:50:47,875 Speaker 1: everything else was pretty much my fault. That's countdown for this, 744 00:50:48,155 --> 00:50:51,355 Speaker 1: the one hundred and sixty first day until the twenty 745 00:50:51,395 --> 00:50:56,835 Speaker 1: twenty four presidential election, the fortieth day since Dictator Jay 746 00:50:56,875 --> 00:51:00,435 Speaker 1: Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 747 00:51:00,475 --> 00:51:05,395 Speaker 1: the United States. Use the legal system, use the mental 748 00:51:05,395 --> 00:51:09,235 Speaker 1: health system, huge presidential immunity of that happens, use the 749 00:51:09,355 --> 00:51:15,915 Speaker 1: not regularly given elector objection option. Use electron interference to 750 00:51:16,075 --> 00:51:19,915 Speaker 1: stop him from doing it again. While we stell ten. 751 00:51:21,635 --> 00:51:24,195 Speaker 1: The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Bolletins is the news 752 00:51:24,235 --> 00:51:27,235 Speaker 1: warrants till then. I'm Keith Olderman. Good morning, good afternoon, 753 00:51:27,275 --> 00:51:29,435 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. 754 00:51:40,115 --> 00:51:47,635 Speaker 2: This is electron interference of the highest order. A yai ya. 755 00:51:47,715 --> 00:51:52,475 Speaker 1: These are the flags of elito insurrection. Appeal to have 756 00:51:52,635 --> 00:51:55,915 Speaker 1: been sad. You know a damn thing. Why don't you 757 00:51:56,075 --> 00:52:05,755 Speaker 1: ask them what dad? Yai I am Martha an ELITEO. Oh, 758 00:52:05,795 --> 00:52:06,755 Speaker 1: it's my flag. 759 00:52:06,835 --> 00:52:07,715 Speaker 2: It's my world. 760 00:52:07,795 --> 00:52:11,755 Speaker 1: I deny you excess. It's an international signal. 761 00:52:11,995 --> 00:52:12,195 Speaker 2: Love. 762 00:52:12,355 --> 00:52:18,075 Speaker 1: Distress Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. 763 00:52:18,355 --> 00:52:23,675 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 764 00:52:23,795 --> 00:52:25,755 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.