1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio, 2 00:00:23,875 --> 00:00:29,075 Speaker 1: Terminate the Constitution. A man whose words have previously deliberately 3 00:00:29,235 --> 00:00:32,555 Speaker 1: unleashed an attempted coup against the democratically elected government of 4 00:00:32,595 --> 00:00:36,155 Speaker 1: the United States, now calls for the termination of the 5 00:00:36,235 --> 00:00:39,755 Speaker 1: Constitution of the United States, and forty eight hours later, 6 00:00:39,795 --> 00:00:43,635 Speaker 1: he has not been arrested by the FBI, nor apprehended 7 00:00:43,675 --> 00:00:47,075 Speaker 1: by the Secret Service, nor detained by the military in 8 00:00:47,115 --> 00:00:50,635 Speaker 1: a brig or a stockade. The way this country, throughout 9 00:00:50,635 --> 00:00:53,115 Speaker 1: its history has responded to those who have begun a 10 00:00:53,195 --> 00:01:00,955 Speaker 1: seditious conspiracy to overthrow the government twice, this is madness. 11 00:01:02,075 --> 00:01:05,315 Speaker 1: If you or I simply had, for this second time 12 00:01:05,715 --> 00:01:09,155 Speaker 1: threatened the life of a president, or of almost any 13 00:01:09,195 --> 00:01:13,195 Speaker 1: elected official, or indeed of almost anybody in this country, 14 00:01:13,275 --> 00:01:15,995 Speaker 1: when the first time you or I did that, a 15 00:01:16,035 --> 00:01:18,635 Speaker 1: mob showed up and tried to kill that president, or 16 00:01:18,715 --> 00:01:23,555 Speaker 1: officer or citizen. By now we would have been in custody, 17 00:01:23,635 --> 00:01:26,795 Speaker 1: and neither of us would have had the added history 18 00:01:26,835 --> 00:01:30,395 Speaker 1: of loudly and defiantly demanding the right to yell fire 19 00:01:30,515 --> 00:01:36,395 Speaker 1: in every crowded theater we have ever passed. Well Answers 20 00:01:36,475 --> 00:01:40,075 Speaker 1: Ohio Congressman Dave Joyce, chairman of a group of supposed 21 00:01:40,155 --> 00:01:44,515 Speaker 1: moderates within the GOP whose campaign website is nonetheless dominated 22 00:01:44,515 --> 00:01:49,315 Speaker 1: by an upshot of Trump's comb over. Well, he says 23 00:01:49,315 --> 00:01:51,915 Speaker 1: a lot of things, but that doesn't mean it's ever 24 00:01:51,955 --> 00:01:57,835 Speaker 1: going to happen. As ludicrous and stupid as that sounds, 25 00:01:58,275 --> 00:02:01,475 Speaker 1: I would argue that David Joyce is closer to expressing 26 00:02:01,755 --> 00:02:05,755 Speaker 1: the preferred response in almost every order of this government. 27 00:02:05,995 --> 00:02:08,755 Speaker 1: And seven eighths of the media is supposedly there to 28 00:02:08,835 --> 00:02:13,155 Speaker 1: watch dog government when it gets this amazingly stupid. It's 29 00:02:13,195 --> 00:02:15,515 Speaker 1: not like it's going to happen. I mean, how is 30 00:02:15,555 --> 00:02:18,355 Speaker 1: that guy actually gonna kill anybody with that gun? He's 31 00:02:18,395 --> 00:02:22,515 Speaker 1: a terrible shot. How is that terrorists really going to 32 00:02:22,675 --> 00:02:27,195 Speaker 1: destroy Dave Joyce's home of Ashtonbula County, Ohio. We don't 33 00:02:27,235 --> 00:02:31,115 Speaker 1: even know if he knows how to detonate it. Why 34 00:02:31,115 --> 00:02:34,115 Speaker 1: should we The New York Times even covered this? He says, 35 00:02:34,155 --> 00:02:36,395 Speaker 1: crap like this all the time. We don't want this 36 00:02:36,435 --> 00:02:41,475 Speaker 1: story obscuring our big feature on Anderson Cooper's pain. He 37 00:02:41,515 --> 00:02:43,835 Speaker 1: says a lot of things. That doesn't mean it's ever 38 00:02:43,875 --> 00:02:48,995 Speaker 1: going to happen. The way January six never happened. Oh sorry, 39 00:02:49,075 --> 00:02:55,955 Speaker 1: bad example. I know, as you know, that none of 40 00:02:56,035 --> 00:03:01,275 Speaker 1: Trump's latest new high in low holds together logically. We 41 00:03:01,395 --> 00:03:04,795 Speaker 1: all know that he calls to terminate the rule of 42 00:03:04,835 --> 00:03:09,035 Speaker 1: the Constitution literally hours after putting out a video claiming 43 00:03:09,075 --> 00:03:14,755 Speaker 1: his January six stochastic terrorist mob is being treated unconstitutionally, 44 00:03:15,475 --> 00:03:17,795 Speaker 1: while he himself is again seeking an office where the 45 00:03:17,795 --> 00:03:20,155 Speaker 1: first thing you do upon assuming it is to swear 46 00:03:20,195 --> 00:03:23,715 Speaker 1: to uphold the Constitution, while the leader of his party 47 00:03:23,715 --> 00:03:27,115 Speaker 1: in Congress scornfully announces that the first thing he will 48 00:03:27,155 --> 00:03:29,635 Speaker 1: do in the new Congress is to have Republicans stand 49 00:03:29,675 --> 00:03:31,955 Speaker 1: up and proudly read a loud, word for word on 50 00:03:31,995 --> 00:03:34,515 Speaker 1: the record for the first time in years, the entirety 51 00:03:34,555 --> 00:03:42,475 Speaker 1: of the Constitution which Trump wants terminated. But if we 52 00:03:42,555 --> 00:03:45,155 Speaker 1: have learned one thing in the last seven years of hell, 53 00:03:45,835 --> 00:03:49,195 Speaker 1: it is that logic has nothing to do with it, 54 00:03:49,235 --> 00:03:52,315 Speaker 1: certainly not for the idiots who constitute Trump's base and 55 00:03:52,435 --> 00:03:57,275 Speaker 1: his set of potential terrorists as well. Their word is angertainment. 56 00:03:57,995 --> 00:04:03,195 Speaker 1: For some, the umbridge itself suffices. For others, like Trump himself, 57 00:04:03,235 --> 00:04:07,355 Speaker 1: it must always esc late from there. Trump himself was 58 00:04:07,435 --> 00:04:12,195 Speaker 1: responding to the elon Musk Matt Taiebee quote revelations about 59 00:04:12,235 --> 00:04:16,435 Speaker 1: Hunter Biden's laptop, which turned out to prove a tiebe 60 00:04:16,555 --> 00:04:20,635 Speaker 1: found no evidence of government involvement in Twitter's decisions. Be 61 00:04:21,075 --> 00:04:23,955 Speaker 1: As a New York Post reporter said, uh, this was 62 00:04:23,995 --> 00:04:27,635 Speaker 1: not the smoking gun we were hoping for. C. Musk 63 00:04:27,715 --> 00:04:32,155 Speaker 1: has no idea of time, specifically what the word tomorrow means. 64 00:04:32,835 --> 00:04:36,755 Speaker 1: D The entire takeaway is that Musk and other fascists 65 00:04:36,915 --> 00:04:39,555 Speaker 1: are trying to make the world safe for dick picks 66 00:04:40,275 --> 00:04:44,115 Speaker 1: and e I owe you an apology for having put 67 00:04:44,155 --> 00:04:48,115 Speaker 1: Matt Tayebee on MSNBC all those years ago. But the 68 00:04:48,155 --> 00:04:52,955 Speaker 1: Biden laptop Festival of me, when escalated by Trump's call 69 00:04:53,035 --> 00:04:56,915 Speaker 1: to overthrow the Constitution, has been enough to then on 70 00:04:57,075 --> 00:05:00,435 Speaker 1: leash a profound threat of political violence and maybe at 71 00:05:00,515 --> 00:05:04,915 Speaker 1: least two attempted domestic terror attacks, one of which may 72 00:05:04,915 --> 00:05:09,075 Speaker 1: have succeeded. Hours after Trump did what he did, a 73 00:05:09,115 --> 00:05:13,515 Speaker 1: Minnesota Republican named Shukri Abdi Rahman, who once tried to 74 00:05:13,555 --> 00:05:16,715 Speaker 1: get the nomination to run against Congresswoman Ilan Omar in 75 00:05:16,715 --> 00:05:20,675 Speaker 1: the fifth District in Minnesota, posted quote, we can no 76 00:05:20,755 --> 00:05:23,555 Speaker 1: longer get rid of tyranny by the ballots. It's only 77 00:05:23,675 --> 00:05:28,515 Speaker 1: by the bullets now. When Twitter twenty four hours later 78 00:05:28,635 --> 00:05:33,675 Speaker 1: removed that this, Abdi Rahman responded, quote, it's no secret 79 00:05:33,675 --> 00:05:36,075 Speaker 1: that our founders would have taken up arms and put 80 00:05:36,115 --> 00:05:38,675 Speaker 1: to use the real purpose of the Second Amendment to 81 00:05:38,835 --> 00:05:43,875 Speaker 1: take out this tyrannical government unquote. As of this recording, 82 00:05:44,435 --> 00:05:51,835 Speaker 1: Shukri Abdi Rahman has not yet been arrested again. Why not? Here? 83 00:05:51,875 --> 00:05:54,075 Speaker 1: In New York Saturday morning, there was an attempt to 84 00:05:54,115 --> 00:05:57,475 Speaker 1: break up a drag story our event in or near 85 00:05:57,515 --> 00:06:00,475 Speaker 1: Lincoln Center in what might be a lesson for all 86 00:06:00,515 --> 00:06:04,795 Speaker 1: the homophobes, or is at minimum simply hilarious. Three the 87 00:06:04,915 --> 00:06:10,555 Speaker 1: quote protesters, including a woman, were attacked supposedly by six 88 00:06:10,595 --> 00:06:14,555 Speaker 1: people who threw eggs at them and then stole the 89 00:06:14,595 --> 00:06:19,355 Speaker 1: woman's purse. And then as the quote protesters ran away, 90 00:06:19,395 --> 00:06:23,955 Speaker 1: somebody threw a brick in their direction. But it wasn't 91 00:06:23,955 --> 00:06:26,635 Speaker 1: so funny. In Moore County, North Carolina, which remained under 92 00:06:26,635 --> 00:06:30,435 Speaker 1: a curfew last night because two power substations were shot 93 00:06:30,555 --> 00:06:34,875 Speaker 1: up on Saturday, and nearly forty thousand residents remained without electricity, 94 00:06:34,995 --> 00:06:38,275 Speaker 1: and it could remain that way until Thursday, a woman 95 00:06:38,395 --> 00:06:42,795 Speaker 1: named Emily Rainey posted on social media quote, the power 96 00:06:42,955 --> 00:06:45,795 Speaker 1: is out in Moore County and I know why. And 97 00:06:45,875 --> 00:06:48,955 Speaker 1: she showed a picture of the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines, 98 00:06:49,035 --> 00:06:52,675 Speaker 1: North Carolina, where an eighteen and older drag event was 99 00:06:52,715 --> 00:06:58,635 Speaker 1: scheduled and went on anyway by flashlight. Quote. God will 100 00:06:58,675 --> 00:07:02,755 Speaker 1: not be mocked, she added. North Carolina police last night 101 00:07:02,795 --> 00:07:05,395 Speaker 1: seemed to indicate they had interviewed her. She was lying 102 00:07:05,515 --> 00:07:09,515 Speaker 1: or delusional, or both. But the through line here is this, 103 00:07:09,755 --> 00:07:14,195 Speaker 1: Emily Rainey is an ex Army side ops officer who 104 00:07:14,235 --> 00:07:18,515 Speaker 1: in tried to circumvent COVID restrictions in Southern Pines and 105 00:07:18,595 --> 00:07:22,195 Speaker 1: who then led a group of people to here Trump 106 00:07:22,235 --> 00:07:28,235 Speaker 1: speak on January. Can you draw a truly straight line 107 00:07:28,235 --> 00:07:31,835 Speaker 1: specific cause and effect between Trump's madness about the Constitution 108 00:07:32,035 --> 00:07:35,155 Speaker 1: and the call for political assassination in Minnesota or the 109 00:07:35,195 --> 00:07:38,355 Speaker 1: attack that went so hilariously wrong in New York, or 110 00:07:38,395 --> 00:07:42,395 Speaker 1: whatever has happened in North Carolina. The answer is at 111 00:07:42,395 --> 00:07:47,075 Speaker 1: this point I no longer care. I am satisfied that 112 00:07:47,115 --> 00:07:51,195 Speaker 1: the guilt has been painted in broad strokes only because 113 00:07:51,235 --> 00:07:55,795 Speaker 1: the day before that Trump was anti constitution. Trump positioned 114 00:07:55,875 --> 00:08:00,235 Speaker 1: himself as pro constitution and in doing so, once again 115 00:08:00,275 --> 00:08:04,315 Speaker 1: publicly and loudly hinted that he will pardon people who 116 00:08:04,355 --> 00:08:09,795 Speaker 1: commit at crimes on his behalf. We have been treated unconstitutionally, 117 00:08:09,875 --> 00:08:13,715 Speaker 1: in my opinion, and very very unfairly, and we're going 118 00:08:13,755 --> 00:08:15,915 Speaker 1: to get to the bottom of it. Our country is 119 00:08:15,955 --> 00:08:19,195 Speaker 1: going communists. This is what happens, and we can't let 120 00:08:19,235 --> 00:08:21,475 Speaker 1: it happen. We have to stop it. So I want 121 00:08:21,475 --> 00:08:23,875 Speaker 1: to thank everybody for working so hard. I know how 122 00:08:23,875 --> 00:08:27,555 Speaker 1: hard you're working to get justice for people that are 123 00:08:27,595 --> 00:08:31,115 Speaker 1: imprisoned right now and people that are being tormented. You 124 00:08:31,195 --> 00:08:34,195 Speaker 1: can let it happen. We're going to stop it. We're 125 00:08:34,195 --> 00:08:39,435 Speaker 1: going to win. Between that and the post. This is seditious, conspiracy, 126 00:08:39,995 --> 00:08:44,355 Speaker 1: encourage terrorism, specify a target or an aim, promise pardons. 127 00:08:44,595 --> 00:08:47,715 Speaker 1: And each day we do not act against Trump, we 128 00:08:47,795 --> 00:08:51,675 Speaker 1: increase the chances that he will regain power. And as 129 00:08:51,715 --> 00:08:55,995 Speaker 1: insane and as impossible as this sounds, he will destroy 130 00:08:56,075 --> 00:08:58,715 Speaker 1: whatever he can and as of now, this includes the 131 00:08:58,755 --> 00:09:02,395 Speaker 1: constitution of the United States of America. He will destroy 132 00:09:02,475 --> 00:09:06,675 Speaker 1: whatever he can because simply we have let him get 133 00:09:06,715 --> 00:09:12,915 Speaker 1: away with it so far. This must stop. And the 134 00:09:12,915 --> 00:09:16,195 Speaker 1: final component here The final metric of just how bad 135 00:09:16,275 --> 00:09:18,755 Speaker 1: this is and just how urgently it must be responded 136 00:09:18,795 --> 00:09:22,675 Speaker 1: to and how he must be thwarted is simple. It 137 00:09:22,795 --> 00:09:25,595 Speaker 1: is a thought experiment. Some of us might be the 138 00:09:25,635 --> 00:09:28,875 Speaker 1: New York Times waiting twenty four hours to write anything 139 00:09:28,915 --> 00:09:32,875 Speaker 1: about Trump and his desire to eliminate the Constitution. Some 140 00:09:32,995 --> 00:09:35,915 Speaker 1: of us might be this idiot from Ohio. Congressman Joyce 141 00:09:35,995 --> 00:09:38,635 Speaker 1: with the rationalization says a lot of things that don't 142 00:09:38,675 --> 00:09:43,395 Speaker 1: mean never gonna happen. But what if these precise Trumpian 143 00:09:43,515 --> 00:09:48,275 Speaker 1: comments had been made by somebody else where? Would we 144 00:09:48,395 --> 00:09:52,475 Speaker 1: be right now in this country? As this country if 145 00:09:52,475 --> 00:09:55,675 Speaker 1: the story was quote, a massive fraud of this type 146 00:09:55,675 --> 00:09:59,475 Speaker 1: and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, 147 00:09:59,475 --> 00:10:04,395 Speaker 1: and articles, even those found in the Constitution, Florida Governor 148 00:10:04,515 --> 00:10:08,315 Speaker 1: ro De Santis said today, Or where would we be 149 00:10:08,515 --> 00:10:11,835 Speaker 1: right now if the story was quote? Elon Musk posted 150 00:10:11,875 --> 00:10:14,875 Speaker 1: a Twitter poll asking if the U. S should declare 151 00:10:14,955 --> 00:10:17,835 Speaker 1: the rightful winner, or do you have a new election? 152 00:10:19,035 --> 00:10:22,595 Speaker 1: Or where would we be right now if the story 153 00:10:22,755 --> 00:10:31,155 Speaker 1: was quote. Unprecedented fraud requires unprecedented cure, wrote President Joe Biden. 154 00:10:45,235 --> 00:10:48,475 Speaker 1: Still ahead, you knew it had to happen fascists defending 155 00:10:48,635 --> 00:10:54,915 Speaker 1: Kanye West's anti Semitism and pro Hitler stance. After nine eleven, 156 00:10:54,915 --> 00:10:57,355 Speaker 1: we all knew Rudy Giuliani tried to stay on as 157 00:10:57,475 --> 00:11:00,115 Speaker 1: co mayor of New York, But now the former governor 158 00:11:00,155 --> 00:11:02,635 Speaker 1: of the state claims it was way worse than that. 159 00:11:03,075 --> 00:11:08,395 Speaker 1: Rudy wanted to post pone the election. Baseball's dumbest free 160 00:11:08,395 --> 00:11:11,195 Speaker 1: agent signing the Texas Rangers just spent on an eight 161 00:11:11,435 --> 00:11:15,275 Speaker 1: five million dollars for the sixth best picture on the 162 00:11:15,315 --> 00:11:19,035 Speaker 1: New York Mets. And the day my boss Ted Turner 163 00:11:19,155 --> 00:11:22,675 Speaker 1: humiliated me in public, so I was gonna run up 164 00:11:22,675 --> 00:11:24,675 Speaker 1: behind him and horse collar and and then go back 165 00:11:24,675 --> 00:11:28,875 Speaker 1: into radio until I remember it about that pesky rent. 166 00:11:29,755 --> 00:11:40,355 Speaker 1: That's next. This is countdown. This is countdown with Keith 167 00:11:40,435 --> 00:11:47,115 Speaker 1: Open still ahead on countdown. What was the first thing 168 00:11:47,155 --> 00:11:50,155 Speaker 1: Rudy Giuliani thought of after the nine eleven attacks on 169 00:11:50,275 --> 00:11:54,315 Speaker 1: democracy canceled the election so he could stay in office. 170 00:11:55,275 --> 00:11:57,715 Speaker 1: And the day a New York Yankees outfielder convinced the 171 00:11:57,755 --> 00:12:00,715 Speaker 1: team owner, George Steinbrenner to trade away the man who 172 00:12:00,795 --> 00:12:03,995 Speaker 1: was just elected last night as Baseball's newest Hall of 173 00:12:03,995 --> 00:12:06,635 Speaker 1: Famer coming up first. In each addition of Countdown, we 174 00:12:06,675 --> 00:12:09,075 Speaker 1: feature a dog in need you can help. Every dog 175 00:12:09,115 --> 00:12:12,355 Speaker 1: has its day. This time it's not a dog, it 176 00:12:12,475 --> 00:12:14,875 Speaker 1: is an entire rescue. Our friends at a m A 177 00:12:14,875 --> 00:12:17,355 Speaker 1: Animal Rescue in Brooklyn, New York needs your help. If 178 00:12:17,395 --> 00:12:20,355 Speaker 1: you are in the area, they are remodeling their facility 179 00:12:20,435 --> 00:12:22,995 Speaker 1: and they have to close it entirely for two weeks. 180 00:12:23,155 --> 00:12:26,635 Speaker 1: Everybody out. All the animals at the rescue have been 181 00:12:26,675 --> 00:12:30,715 Speaker 1: fostered out for those two weeks, except for three small dogs, 182 00:12:30,835 --> 00:12:35,635 Speaker 1: including a very soulful gal named Angela, plus two kittens. 183 00:12:35,755 --> 00:12:38,515 Speaker 1: They still need temporary homes or permanent homes if you 184 00:12:38,555 --> 00:12:40,955 Speaker 1: are so inclined. If you're in the New York metropolitan 185 00:12:40,995 --> 00:12:44,235 Speaker 1: area and you can help out, email Foster at a 186 00:12:44,395 --> 00:12:47,235 Speaker 1: m A Animal Rescue dot org or just refer to 187 00:12:47,275 --> 00:12:50,355 Speaker 1: my tweets foster at a m A Animal Rescue dot org, 188 00:12:50,515 --> 00:12:54,515 Speaker 1: or check my tweets I Thank you and a m 189 00:12:54,595 --> 00:13:07,075 Speaker 1: A Animal Rescue and Angela Thank You. Postscripts to the 190 00:13:07,115 --> 00:13:11,195 Speaker 1: news some headlines, some updates, some snarks, some predictions. Dateline Tehran, 191 00:13:11,875 --> 00:13:15,115 Speaker 1: the Iranian Morality Police, Who's murder of a woman not 192 00:13:15,195 --> 00:13:18,475 Speaker 1: wearing her head covering to their liking set off protests 193 00:13:18,475 --> 00:13:21,595 Speaker 1: that have threatened to topple the theocracy. There have been 194 00:13:21,635 --> 00:13:25,275 Speaker 1: abolished by the government or they have not been abolished 195 00:13:25,275 --> 00:13:29,235 Speaker 1: by the government. Iran's Attorney General, Javad Montazeri is reported 196 00:13:29,275 --> 00:13:31,915 Speaker 1: to have said the police quote was abolished by the 197 00:13:31,955 --> 00:13:35,355 Speaker 1: same authorities who installed it, while other officials insist no 198 00:13:35,515 --> 00:13:39,715 Speaker 1: such decision has been made. Dateline Sesame Street the original 199 00:13:39,875 --> 00:13:42,355 Speaker 1: is gone. Bob McGrath, who played the neighbor on the 200 00:13:42,435 --> 00:13:46,355 Speaker 1: landmark PBS Kids show from its pilot in nineteen sixty 201 00:13:46,475 --> 00:13:49,555 Speaker 1: nine through the year two thousand seventeen, has died at 202 00:13:49,555 --> 00:13:52,075 Speaker 1: the age of ninety, according to his family. Before his 203 00:13:52,115 --> 00:13:54,995 Speaker 1: remarkable tenure on the program, Bob McGrath was one of 204 00:13:55,035 --> 00:13:58,515 Speaker 1: the singers on the sixties TV staple, sing along with 205 00:13:58,595 --> 00:14:04,315 Speaker 1: Mitch Miller and Dateline Fascist Ville it had to Happen Morons, 206 00:14:04,395 --> 00:14:08,875 Speaker 1: deff ending Kanye West defending him from what Oh You Remember. 207 00:14:09,155 --> 00:14:12,955 Speaker 1: I gotta watch my accounts because they've been frozen by 208 00:14:13,035 --> 00:14:17,275 Speaker 1: the Jewish banks, so I need to watch my Mills 209 00:14:17,955 --> 00:14:20,315 Speaker 1: instance why people are evil Nazis? So I mean, I 210 00:14:20,675 --> 00:14:22,635 Speaker 1: I disagree with both statements, but I get the I 211 00:14:22,875 --> 00:14:25,075 Speaker 1: don't like the word evil next to Nazis. I think 212 00:14:25,075 --> 00:14:29,635 Speaker 1: we need to look at Oh my goodness, just because 213 00:14:29,675 --> 00:14:31,635 Speaker 1: you don't like one group doesn't mean the other. Look, 214 00:14:31,675 --> 00:14:37,915 Speaker 1: I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis. Oh Man, Well, 215 00:14:37,955 --> 00:14:40,435 Speaker 1: I have to disagree with that, but listen, we're gonna 216 00:14:40,435 --> 00:14:44,915 Speaker 1: go to break. We'll be right back. Kevin Sorbo, who 217 00:14:44,955 --> 00:14:46,875 Speaker 1: may or may not have retired as an actor. It's 218 00:14:46,875 --> 00:14:49,355 Speaker 1: hard to tell. Writing I may not agree with what 219 00:14:49,515 --> 00:14:52,435 Speaker 1: YA said, but he has the right to say it. 220 00:14:52,915 --> 00:14:55,715 Speaker 1: That's how free speech works. Yeah, and the society then 221 00:14:55,755 --> 00:14:57,915 Speaker 1: also has the right to bury him for saying it, 222 00:14:58,115 --> 00:15:01,355 Speaker 1: because that's also how free speech works. Going a little further, 223 00:15:01,475 --> 00:15:05,955 Speaker 1: fascist podcast host Stephen Crowder, please enjoy Mr Crowder's attempts 224 00:15:05,955 --> 00:15:09,235 Speaker 1: to twist himself into a pretzel in a failed effort 225 00:15:09,275 --> 00:15:13,435 Speaker 1: to not repeat the oldest, dumbest trope fallen back on 226 00:15:13,915 --> 00:15:18,835 Speaker 1: by every entertainment failure, such as Stephen Crowder. That it's 227 00:15:18,835 --> 00:15:20,875 Speaker 1: not a lack of talent on the part of you know, 228 00:15:20,915 --> 00:15:24,875 Speaker 1: Stephen Crowder, it is the fault of the you know 229 00:15:25,155 --> 00:15:28,475 Speaker 1: who's who run Hollywood. It's not wrong about everything. Look, 230 00:15:28,475 --> 00:15:32,555 Speaker 1: is there a conversation to be had about secular hum 231 00:15:32,715 --> 00:15:37,555 Speaker 1: humanists with Jewish last names in Hollywood exploiting people in 232 00:15:37,595 --> 00:15:41,275 Speaker 1: positions of you know, the performance arts talent. Yeah. Yeah. 233 00:15:41,395 --> 00:15:43,915 Speaker 1: And by the way, that happens in the conservative movement too, 234 00:15:44,275 --> 00:15:46,755 Speaker 1: behind the scenes, people sign contracts where they don't know 235 00:15:46,795 --> 00:15:49,355 Speaker 1: what they're signing. Yeah, that's true. Is there a disproportional, 236 00:15:49,595 --> 00:15:53,795 Speaker 1: disproportionate number of people with Jewish last names in higher banking? 237 00:15:54,115 --> 00:15:56,635 Speaker 1: That's that's an argument that can be made. Man, is 238 00:15:56,635 --> 00:15:58,835 Speaker 1: there a conversation, I mean, you had about that. You're 239 00:15:58,835 --> 00:16:01,195 Speaker 1: sure it's not in your demand septim. Is there a 240 00:16:01,195 --> 00:16:05,435 Speaker 1: conversation that we had about that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, there is. 241 00:16:05,715 --> 00:16:10,915 Speaker 1: Here's the conversation. Hey, Crowder, you're an anti Semite bastard. 242 00:16:11,795 --> 00:16:29,515 Speaker 1: Here endeth the conversation. This is Sports Center. Wait, check 243 00:16:29,595 --> 00:16:38,195 Speaker 1: that not anymore. This is countdown with Keith in sports. 244 00:16:38,275 --> 00:16:41,475 Speaker 1: There have been so many different committees responsible for electing 245 00:16:41,515 --> 00:16:44,395 Speaker 1: people to Baseball's Hall of Fame that there is not 246 00:16:44,515 --> 00:16:47,675 Speaker 1: even unanimous agreement as to exactly how many there have been. 247 00:16:48,275 --> 00:16:51,355 Speaker 1: But one of them at least got it partially right yesterday. 248 00:16:51,595 --> 00:16:57,355 Speaker 1: The sixteen member Contemporary Era Committee yesterday voted unanimously to 249 00:16:57,475 --> 00:17:00,075 Speaker 1: elect longtime slugger Fred McGriff to the Hall of Fame. 250 00:17:00,155 --> 00:17:03,355 Speaker 1: Twelve votes were required for election, and each committee member 251 00:17:03,475 --> 00:17:06,395 Speaker 1: could vote for only four of the eight nominees. The 252 00:17:06,475 --> 00:17:09,675 Speaker 1: next closest was Don Manningly with eight votes. Kurt Schilling 253 00:17:09,715 --> 00:17:13,475 Speaker 1: had seven, Dale Murphy had six. The other four nominees, 254 00:17:13,475 --> 00:17:17,395 Speaker 1: including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Raphael Palmeiro, along with 255 00:17:17,435 --> 00:17:23,355 Speaker 1: Albert Bell, were dismissed with this announcement fewer than four votes. Well, 256 00:17:23,955 --> 00:17:27,155 Speaker 1: the man nicknamed the crime Dog, Fred McGriff slugged for 257 00:17:27,555 --> 00:17:30,475 Speaker 1: nine career homers and never had one whiff of steroids 258 00:17:30,515 --> 00:17:32,955 Speaker 1: about him. He played for six teams, he had at 259 00:17:33,035 --> 00:17:35,715 Speaker 1: least ninety nine homers for three of them, playing mostly 260 00:17:35,755 --> 00:17:38,955 Speaker 1: for the Blue Jay's Braves and Rays, all of which 261 00:17:38,995 --> 00:17:42,355 Speaker 1: serves to remind some of us that Friday is the 262 00:17:42,435 --> 00:17:46,355 Speaker 1: fort anniversary of one of the worst trades in baseball history, 263 00:17:46,835 --> 00:17:50,475 Speaker 1: and that that trade just got worse. On December ninth, 264 00:17:51,435 --> 00:17:54,355 Speaker 1: the Toronto Blue Jay's traded minor leaguer Tom Dodd and 265 00:17:54,395 --> 00:17:57,755 Speaker 1: relief pitcher Dale Murray to the Yankees for outfielder Dave 266 00:17:57,835 --> 00:18:00,355 Speaker 1: Collins pitcher Mike Morgan and a minor leaguer who had 267 00:18:00,395 --> 00:18:04,075 Speaker 1: to that point played exactly ninety one professional games, the 268 00:18:04,155 --> 00:18:07,275 Speaker 1: new Hall of Famer Fred McGriff. Years ago, I was 269 00:18:07,315 --> 00:18:09,915 Speaker 1: having dinner with my friend, the late Yankee shortstop and 270 00:18:09,955 --> 00:18:13,875 Speaker 1: then architect of their late nineties dynasty Jeans Stick Michael 271 00:18:14,475 --> 00:18:18,035 Speaker 1: Stick mentioned that trade. He laughed and said, Lou Pinella 272 00:18:18,115 --> 00:18:21,475 Speaker 1: made that deal, and I said, no, that's impossible. Lou 273 00:18:21,555 --> 00:18:24,475 Speaker 1: Pinella was still an active player when when they traded McGriff, 274 00:18:24,955 --> 00:18:27,515 Speaker 1: and Stick laughed again. He said, yep, and the Blue 275 00:18:27,595 --> 00:18:29,795 Speaker 1: Jays were willing to give us Dale Murray and take 276 00:18:29,875 --> 00:18:33,235 Speaker 1: Dave Collins is big contract off our hands. And somebody 277 00:18:33,275 --> 00:18:35,955 Speaker 1: called George Steinbrenner directly, and instead of calling me or 278 00:18:35,955 --> 00:18:39,675 Speaker 1: anybody else who knew, George called his buddy Lou Pinella, 279 00:18:39,715 --> 00:18:43,275 Speaker 1: and lu said, George Tail Murray, Tail Murray is one 280 00:18:43,275 --> 00:18:47,275 Speaker 1: of the greatest relievers in baseball. Stick laughed again. What 281 00:18:47,395 --> 00:18:50,035 Speaker 1: Lou meant, of course, was that Dale Murray always got 282 00:18:50,195 --> 00:18:55,515 Speaker 1: Lou out. Almost nobody else just Lou. So Loo told 283 00:18:55,555 --> 00:18:58,555 Speaker 1: George do whatever you have to do to get Dale Murray, 284 00:18:58,675 --> 00:19:01,875 Speaker 1: do it. So George did it, and at the last 285 00:19:01,915 --> 00:19:04,635 Speaker 1: moment that Jay said, we really liked this other kid. 286 00:19:04,755 --> 00:19:08,075 Speaker 1: You have McGriff down in a ball, we can you 287 00:19:08,115 --> 00:19:12,275 Speaker 1: throw him in? And George said sure, and that stick 288 00:19:12,315 --> 00:19:15,675 Speaker 1: Michael told me is how we lost Fred McGriff for 289 00:19:15,755 --> 00:19:37,675 Speaker 1: absolutely nothing. You want to pass the roles. Thank you, 290 00:19:37,795 --> 00:19:41,515 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust. Speaking of which, in today's game, one of 291 00:19:41,515 --> 00:19:44,155 Speaker 1: the best pictures of the last decade, Jacob de Graham 292 00:19:44,275 --> 00:19:46,915 Speaker 1: left the New York Mets for a five year, five 293 00:19:46,955 --> 00:19:51,635 Speaker 1: million dollar contract with the Texas Rangers. I think they 294 00:19:51,635 --> 00:19:54,275 Speaker 1: overpaid by hundred and eighty five million dollars. The problem 295 00:19:54,315 --> 00:19:56,555 Speaker 1: is de Gram won back to back Cy Young Awards 296 00:19:56,555 --> 00:19:59,675 Speaker 1: in two thousand eighteen and two thousand nineteen and since 297 00:19:59,835 --> 00:20:04,035 Speaker 1: has pitched barely half the time. By modern metrics, he 298 00:20:04,115 --> 00:20:07,755 Speaker 1: was only the sixth best picture on the Mets last season. 299 00:20:07,755 --> 00:20:10,275 Speaker 1: In fact, he was only tied for six on the 300 00:20:10,315 --> 00:20:13,435 Speaker 1: Mets last season. But the decision to invest that much 301 00:20:13,475 --> 00:20:16,435 Speaker 1: money in de Gram is actually a little worse than 302 00:20:16,515 --> 00:20:19,195 Speaker 1: it sounds, or may have occurred to you. Lots of 303 00:20:19,195 --> 00:20:21,835 Speaker 1: pictures get hurt, lots of pictures come back, lots of 304 00:20:21,915 --> 00:20:24,155 Speaker 1: pictures get better. Even at the age of thirty five, 305 00:20:24,555 --> 00:20:27,395 Speaker 1: the age to Graham will reach in June. But almost 306 00:20:27,475 --> 00:20:29,715 Speaker 1: all of them who do that do it after they 307 00:20:29,755 --> 00:20:33,715 Speaker 1: have had whatever was wrong with them corrected surgically. Each 308 00:20:33,835 --> 00:20:38,715 Speaker 1: time de Gram couldn't pitch, the treatment was rest This 309 00:20:38,755 --> 00:20:40,755 Speaker 1: may not be a question of how much de Gram 310 00:20:40,835 --> 00:20:44,475 Speaker 1: is a health risk ine and beyond maybe a question 311 00:20:44,475 --> 00:20:48,195 Speaker 1: of how much Degram is a surgery risk. Texas Rangers 312 00:20:48,235 --> 00:20:50,835 Speaker 1: go to New York next August to play the Mets. 313 00:20:51,355 --> 00:20:54,435 Speaker 1: As a friend of the podcast joked, wow, just in 314 00:20:54,515 --> 00:20:58,395 Speaker 1: time for de Gram's first start of the season. And 315 00:20:58,475 --> 00:21:00,795 Speaker 1: a soccer note, the US was knocked out of the 316 00:21:00,835 --> 00:21:03,835 Speaker 1: World Cup in Qatar by the Dutch Saturday, three to one. 317 00:21:04,235 --> 00:21:08,635 Speaker 1: As one Carl Sharrow roach, this is the first time 318 00:21:08,795 --> 00:21:11,675 Speaker 1: in history the US has left the Middle Eastern countries 319 00:21:11,755 --> 00:21:21,515 Speaker 1: so quickly. Head Not only did I work for Ted Turner, 320 00:21:21,555 --> 00:21:24,955 Speaker 1: but I covered Ted Turner and at the football strike. 321 00:21:24,995 --> 00:21:27,915 Speaker 1: While covering Ted Turner and working for Ted Turner, I 322 00:21:27,995 --> 00:21:31,395 Speaker 1: nearly decked Ted Turner things I promised not to tell. 323 00:21:31,475 --> 00:21:34,795 Speaker 1: Coming up first, the daily roundup of the miscreants, morons 324 00:21:34,795 --> 00:21:38,115 Speaker 1: and Donning Kruger effects specimens who constitute today's worst persons 325 00:21:38,115 --> 00:21:42,155 Speaker 1: in the The Ron's Points Bet, one of the sports 326 00:21:42,195 --> 00:21:46,195 Speaker 1: wagering firms. It started a new thing called Lightning Bets, 327 00:21:46,235 --> 00:21:48,875 Speaker 1: so put out a story that went viral that it's spokesman, 328 00:21:48,875 --> 00:21:52,475 Speaker 1: former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, had by been hit by 329 00:21:52,555 --> 00:21:55,995 Speaker 1: lightning in Venezuela. Then it released a commercial in which 330 00:21:56,035 --> 00:21:58,835 Speaker 1: Breeze is seen getting hit by lighting. A group called 331 00:21:58,955 --> 00:22:03,355 Speaker 1: Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International has responded with 332 00:22:03,515 --> 00:22:07,435 Speaker 1: justifiable anger. A spokesman said, this is a deadly injury 333 00:22:07,475 --> 00:22:10,635 Speaker 1: and it is disappointing to see the continual ridicule of 334 00:22:10,715 --> 00:22:14,315 Speaker 1: lightning and electrical Injury Survivors and comical lights in which 335 00:22:14,315 --> 00:22:17,715 Speaker 1: it is presented for commercial gain and profit. About twenty 336 00:22:17,715 --> 00:22:21,315 Speaker 1: eight Americans a year die from lightning strikes, way more 337 00:22:21,355 --> 00:22:25,555 Speaker 1: than say die from terrorism. Imagine a commercial on TV 338 00:22:25,675 --> 00:22:28,235 Speaker 1: in which they make a joke about somebody dying in 339 00:22:28,275 --> 00:22:33,435 Speaker 1: a terrorist attack while gambling. Runner up Sharon Shannon Epstein, 340 00:22:33,875 --> 00:22:36,875 Speaker 1: a passenger on a Spirit Airlines flight from New Orleans 341 00:22:36,875 --> 00:22:39,555 Speaker 1: to New Jersey last month. It has now been revealed 342 00:22:39,555 --> 00:22:42,475 Speaker 1: that seeing a couple of passengers she perceived to be Latino, 343 00:22:42,955 --> 00:22:46,795 Speaker 1: Miss Epstein asked them if they were quote smuggling cocaine. 344 00:22:47,515 --> 00:22:50,115 Speaker 1: When the flight crew decided she should not be on board. 345 00:22:50,195 --> 00:22:53,915 Speaker 1: She had to be removed, and she was, shall we say, reluctant, 346 00:22:54,515 --> 00:22:57,755 Speaker 1: quoting the website nola dot com. In the scuffle, she 347 00:22:57,835 --> 00:23:01,075 Speaker 1: injured six deputies, biting one on the arm and breaking 348 00:23:01,075 --> 00:23:04,035 Speaker 1: the skin and kicking another in the groin, all the 349 00:23:04,035 --> 00:23:06,835 Speaker 1: while telling everybody involved that they would lose their jobs 350 00:23:06,875 --> 00:23:10,275 Speaker 1: because her uncle was friends with Trump. Who's your uncle, 351 00:23:10,995 --> 00:23:14,115 Speaker 1: former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. And you'd think, if 352 00:23:14,115 --> 00:23:16,995 Speaker 1: you're going to throw his name around like that, niece, Karen, 353 00:23:17,675 --> 00:23:19,595 Speaker 1: you'd be up to date enough to know that Trump 354 00:23:19,675 --> 00:23:23,955 Speaker 1: is no friend of Chris Christie's, but our winner. Speaking 355 00:23:24,035 --> 00:23:27,715 Speaker 1: of Rudy Giuliani, you may recall that after the nine 356 00:23:27,715 --> 00:23:32,835 Speaker 1: eleven attacks, the arrogant Giuliani we knew before then disappeared briefly, 357 00:23:33,395 --> 00:23:38,155 Speaker 1: and the hair painting sputtering conspiracy nuts had yet to appear. 358 00:23:38,795 --> 00:23:42,635 Speaker 1: But by September two thousand one, Giuliani was hinting that 359 00:23:42,635 --> 00:23:44,715 Speaker 1: it would be dangerous for New York City if he 360 00:23:45,115 --> 00:23:48,515 Speaker 1: left office as scheduled on December thirty one, and so 361 00:23:48,555 --> 00:23:50,795 Speaker 1: he proposed to the governor of New York State that 362 00:23:50,875 --> 00:23:53,395 Speaker 1: he should stay on for a year. As co mayor 363 00:23:53,555 --> 00:23:56,835 Speaker 1: with his successor. Turns out it was way worse than that. 364 00:23:57,075 --> 00:23:59,835 Speaker 1: Governor George Pataki has a new book coming out, and 365 00:23:59,875 --> 00:24:04,355 Speaker 1: he says Giuliani first asked Pataki to overrule the city's 366 00:24:04,475 --> 00:24:07,715 Speaker 1: lee Egal term limits so Giuliani could run again for 367 00:24:07,835 --> 00:24:10,835 Speaker 1: mayor for a third term six weeks later, and when 368 00:24:10,835 --> 00:24:14,035 Speaker 1: he would not do that, Giuliani simply said that Pataki 369 00:24:14,115 --> 00:24:18,275 Speaker 1: should just cancel the election. Better than all this, Giuliani 370 00:24:18,315 --> 00:24:20,715 Speaker 1: does not deny he wanted one of those outcomes, because, 371 00:24:20,715 --> 00:24:23,235 Speaker 1: of course, the first thing you want to do after 372 00:24:23,315 --> 00:24:26,595 Speaker 1: the worst terrorist attack in America's history, which your own 373 00:24:26,595 --> 00:24:30,675 Speaker 1: political party has already billed as the attack on democracy, 374 00:24:30,715 --> 00:24:37,155 Speaker 1: is to, you know, cancel an election. Rudy Uh, I 375 00:24:37,275 --> 00:24:57,995 Speaker 1: had two good weeks, Giuliani Today's worst person and to 376 00:24:58,235 --> 00:25:00,955 Speaker 1: the number one story on the countdown and my favorite topic, 377 00:25:01,115 --> 00:25:04,275 Speaker 1: me and things I promised not to tell then before 378 00:25:04,395 --> 00:25:07,915 Speaker 1: the anniversary of this event recedes into the forgotten past, 379 00:25:08,635 --> 00:25:10,635 Speaker 1: I have one more story to tell you about covering 380 00:25:10,635 --> 00:25:14,075 Speaker 1: the nine eight two National Football League players strike, and 381 00:25:14,115 --> 00:25:17,155 Speaker 1: this is less about the strike itself and more about 382 00:25:17,155 --> 00:25:21,595 Speaker 1: the man for whom I covered it, Ted Turner. Ted 383 00:25:21,635 --> 00:25:24,435 Speaker 1: Turner had put CNN on the air just two years earlier, 384 00:25:24,715 --> 00:25:27,235 Speaker 1: and his sports guy Bill McPhail had interviewed me for 385 00:25:27,275 --> 00:25:29,875 Speaker 1: a job as their New York sports reporter even earlier 386 00:25:29,915 --> 00:25:33,155 Speaker 1: than that May of nineteen eighty, And when I did 387 00:25:33,195 --> 00:25:35,395 Speaker 1: not get it, I was genuinely relieved, because I was 388 00:25:35,395 --> 00:25:37,875 Speaker 1: convinced there was no way they would ever get CNN 389 00:25:37,955 --> 00:25:42,235 Speaker 1: on the air, no chance. Ever. Obviously I did not 390 00:25:42,275 --> 00:25:46,635 Speaker 1: account for Ted Turner's stubbornness. Anyway, I wound up going 391 00:25:46,675 --> 00:25:49,595 Speaker 1: their freelance. In one is I have related in some 392 00:25:49,675 --> 00:25:52,515 Speaker 1: detail here when Lou Dobbs and his girlfriend, the New 393 00:25:52,595 --> 00:25:54,875 Speaker 1: York Sports reporter had to get out of town fast 394 00:25:54,915 --> 00:25:59,275 Speaker 1: at the existence of Mrs Lou Dobbs. Eight months later, 395 00:25:59,315 --> 00:26:02,355 Speaker 1: as the two NFL strike loomed, they had made me 396 00:26:02,435 --> 00:26:04,835 Speaker 1: staff and given me a contract, first offering me a 397 00:26:04,835 --> 00:26:06,875 Speaker 1: thousand dollars less a year than they were paying me 398 00:26:06,955 --> 00:26:10,195 Speaker 1: freelance even c an end of nineteen eighty to acknowledge 399 00:26:10,195 --> 00:26:14,755 Speaker 1: the absurdity of that mathematical proposition. So I was infested 400 00:26:14,835 --> 00:26:18,235 Speaker 1: already whining about Ted Turner, employee of CNN, when the 401 00:26:18,275 --> 00:26:21,635 Speaker 1: football players walked out in strike in September two and 402 00:26:21,755 --> 00:26:25,875 Speaker 1: that strike was my beat every day from March to November. 403 00:26:26,755 --> 00:26:28,955 Speaker 1: A day or so after the strike began, we sent 404 00:26:29,075 --> 00:26:32,635 Speaker 1: up an interview with the president of CBS Sports, Neil Pilson, 405 00:26:32,995 --> 00:26:35,075 Speaker 1: about the effect that the strike would have on TV 406 00:26:35,235 --> 00:26:38,555 Speaker 1: Sports in general and CBS Sports in particular, And as 407 00:26:38,595 --> 00:26:41,475 Speaker 1: the camera crew and I filed into his office, Pilson 408 00:26:41,555 --> 00:26:44,995 Speaker 1: wearily said, nothing against you, guys, but I've done so 409 00:26:44,995 --> 00:26:48,075 Speaker 1: many interviews already about this strike that if you actually 410 00:26:48,075 --> 00:26:50,275 Speaker 1: come up with a question I haven't been asked already, 411 00:26:50,475 --> 00:26:53,355 Speaker 1: I'll give you. Well. We all leaned in towards him. 412 00:26:53,395 --> 00:26:56,635 Speaker 1: Give us what the job, a job interview at least 413 00:26:57,275 --> 00:27:03,195 Speaker 1: fifty dollars, I'll give you CBS Sports caps man, not 414 00:27:03,275 --> 00:27:06,435 Speaker 1: exactly a job at better than HM. So we rolled 415 00:27:06,435 --> 00:27:08,355 Speaker 1: tape and I said, so, Mr Pilson, in light of 416 00:27:08,355 --> 00:27:11,155 Speaker 1: the strike, do you wish CBS Sports did not have 417 00:27:11,315 --> 00:27:14,595 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl this year? As it does? And he laughed, 418 00:27:15,075 --> 00:27:16,795 Speaker 1: and he took off his mic and he went over 419 00:27:16,835 --> 00:27:19,475 Speaker 1: to his office phone. He buzzed his assistant, bring in 420 00:27:19,555 --> 00:27:22,515 Speaker 1: three caps, will you? And he sat back down. He said, 421 00:27:22,555 --> 00:27:25,275 Speaker 1: you guys, did it. Nobody asked me that yet. And 422 00:27:25,315 --> 00:27:27,515 Speaker 1: it's like the only question that really interests me, You're 423 00:27:27,555 --> 00:27:31,435 Speaker 1: still rolling. Neil Pilson then proceeded to give a lengthy 424 00:27:31,475 --> 00:27:34,275 Speaker 1: and thoughtful answer about how as long as the season 425 00:27:34,355 --> 00:27:37,075 Speaker 1: was not canceled, it was probably better to have the 426 00:27:37,115 --> 00:27:40,995 Speaker 1: next Super Bowl because people would be so grateful that 427 00:27:41,115 --> 00:27:45,075 Speaker 1: after the strike they wound up playing it anyway. So 428 00:27:45,155 --> 00:27:47,475 Speaker 1: now a week goes by after that interview, and the 429 00:27:47,515 --> 00:27:50,115 Speaker 1: bargaining sessions between the players and the owners are taking 430 00:27:50,115 --> 00:27:53,995 Speaker 1: place in a Manhattan hotel, the Lows on Lexington Avenue, 431 00:27:54,115 --> 00:27:57,715 Speaker 1: a dump with a nice lobby. All that matters to 432 00:27:57,755 --> 00:28:00,155 Speaker 1: me is the Lows with the dump and the nice 433 00:28:00,195 --> 00:28:04,395 Speaker 1: lobby is literally three blocks from my apartment. The players 434 00:28:04,395 --> 00:28:06,755 Speaker 1: and the owner has just marched through a long hallway 435 00:28:06,755 --> 00:28:09,835 Speaker 1: into private rooms. That's all we see of them. It 436 00:28:09,995 --> 00:28:12,955 Speaker 1: is not heavy lifting. There are nice seats at least 437 00:28:12,955 --> 00:28:15,795 Speaker 1: in that lobby. But it is enlivened one day by 438 00:28:15,875 --> 00:28:18,755 Speaker 1: news that our boss, Ted Turner has asked the union 439 00:28:19,035 --> 00:28:21,795 Speaker 1: if he can come in and meet with their twenty 440 00:28:21,835 --> 00:28:24,915 Speaker 1: odd player negotiating team because he wants to pitch them 441 00:28:24,955 --> 00:28:28,715 Speaker 1: on something. He was in fact do there yesterday but 442 00:28:28,915 --> 00:28:33,115 Speaker 1: was unavoidably detained. The rumor the players told me. Never 443 00:28:33,195 --> 00:28:36,995 Speaker 1: confirmed was that while changing planes in Chicago, Turner and 444 00:28:36,995 --> 00:28:42,155 Speaker 1: an air hostess had ensconced themselves in a dumpster or 445 00:28:42,195 --> 00:28:45,395 Speaker 1: the other version was in a janitor's closet for twelve 446 00:28:45,435 --> 00:28:50,915 Speaker 1: hours of whoopee, and that's why he was a day late. Anyway, 447 00:28:50,915 --> 00:28:53,235 Speaker 1: I'll walk into the Lows that morning and if somehow 448 00:28:53,275 --> 00:28:55,515 Speaker 1: I had not been able to recognize my camera crew, 449 00:28:55,595 --> 00:28:57,955 Speaker 1: sure enough, it is the same two guys who have 450 00:28:58,075 --> 00:29:01,195 Speaker 1: been with me at Neil Pilson's office at CBS when 451 00:29:01,235 --> 00:29:03,315 Speaker 1: I asked him the question. He had not been asked before. 452 00:29:03,355 --> 00:29:07,395 Speaker 1: Earning us free CBS for its caps, and the cameraman 453 00:29:07,475 --> 00:29:10,635 Speaker 1: and the deck operator are, of course wearing their CBS 454 00:29:10,675 --> 00:29:14,995 Speaker 1: sports caps. And understand in two CNN was not an upstart. 455 00:29:15,155 --> 00:29:17,795 Speaker 1: It was not the feisty outsider, It was not the 456 00:29:17,835 --> 00:29:23,355 Speaker 1: future of news. We were called pretend TV. It was 457 00:29:23,395 --> 00:29:28,435 Speaker 1: said that CNN stood for Chicken Noodle News. One day, 458 00:29:28,475 --> 00:29:30,715 Speaker 1: I called somebody up and asked for press credentials for 459 00:29:30,795 --> 00:29:34,115 Speaker 1: Cable News Network and the guy said, Cable News Network 460 00:29:34,155 --> 00:29:38,155 Speaker 1: are either people own the news stands downtown. I had 461 00:29:38,155 --> 00:29:39,955 Speaker 1: no idea what he was talking about, so I went 462 00:29:39,995 --> 00:29:41,435 Speaker 1: to one of the news stands, and I asked the 463 00:29:41,435 --> 00:29:43,435 Speaker 1: guy who owns this place? And he pointed to a 464 00:29:43,475 --> 00:29:48,235 Speaker 1: plaque and it said owned by Cabell News Company. The 465 00:29:48,315 --> 00:29:51,555 Speaker 1: Cabell News Company, owner of downtown news stands, was better 466 00:29:51,595 --> 00:29:56,955 Speaker 1: known than Cable News Network. We got scoffed at in 467 00:29:57,035 --> 00:30:00,035 Speaker 1: some arenas and venues like Madison Square Garden in New York. 468 00:30:00,595 --> 00:30:02,915 Speaker 1: Our crews were not admitted because they were not in 469 00:30:02,955 --> 00:30:06,875 Speaker 1: the Union. So the CBS sports camps were an important, 470 00:30:06,915 --> 00:30:11,195 Speaker 1: albeit borrowed touch of legitimacy and dignity, especially for my 471 00:30:11,275 --> 00:30:15,195 Speaker 1: cameraman and my deck guy. So the three of us 472 00:30:15,195 --> 00:30:18,275 Speaker 1: position ourselves in that long haul in the lobby waiting 473 00:30:18,315 --> 00:30:20,875 Speaker 1: for my boss, Ted Turner, me holding the mic with 474 00:30:20,915 --> 00:30:23,275 Speaker 1: the big red CNN logo on the mic flag, and 475 00:30:23,315 --> 00:30:26,835 Speaker 1: the crew wearing their gaudy CBS sports caps and in 476 00:30:27,115 --> 00:30:31,995 Speaker 1: Ted walks emerging from the brilliant early autumn sunshine, filtering 477 00:30:32,035 --> 00:30:34,115 Speaker 1: in from behind him from the street like this was 478 00:30:34,155 --> 00:30:38,075 Speaker 1: a perfectly lit movie scene. And he sees me and 479 00:30:38,115 --> 00:30:41,795 Speaker 1: recognized me and smiles and comes over and beams hot, damn, 480 00:30:41,795 --> 00:30:44,835 Speaker 1: it's the CNN crew. And he shakes my hand and 481 00:30:44,875 --> 00:30:47,155 Speaker 1: we roll tape and I start to asking my first question, 482 00:30:47,195 --> 00:30:50,955 Speaker 1: and suddenly the joy drains from his face and he 483 00:30:51,035 --> 00:30:55,835 Speaker 1: stops me. What they wearing on their heads? He gestures 484 00:30:55,875 --> 00:30:58,115 Speaker 1: at the cameraman and the deck guy, and I explained 485 00:30:58,115 --> 00:31:01,075 Speaker 1: the BACKSTA. I don't give a damn who gave him them. 486 00:31:01,155 --> 00:31:03,555 Speaker 1: This is the CNN crew. They wait in CBS sports caps. 487 00:31:03,595 --> 00:31:06,275 Speaker 1: Get them off, they damn, and he pushes me, I 488 00:31:06,355 --> 00:31:11,755 Speaker 1: mean really shoves me and sprides past us. Now, even then, 489 00:31:12,995 --> 00:31:15,875 Speaker 1: I'm five six inches taller than Ted Turner and twenty 490 00:31:16,155 --> 00:31:19,275 Speaker 1: pounds heavier at least, and maybe I can live with 491 00:31:19,315 --> 00:31:21,835 Speaker 1: my employer embarrassing me in public, but I do not 492 00:31:22,195 --> 00:31:24,035 Speaker 1: have to let him shove me in front of all 493 00:31:24,075 --> 00:31:28,075 Speaker 1: the other reporters. So for a second, I think I'm 494 00:31:28,155 --> 00:31:30,595 Speaker 1: just gonna run down the hall and catch him and 495 00:31:30,795 --> 00:31:34,795 Speaker 1: horse collar the bastard from behind. About a year into 496 00:31:34,835 --> 00:31:37,235 Speaker 1: my TV career, I have already accepted that there are 497 00:31:37,275 --> 00:31:39,915 Speaker 1: positives to television, but I've also already learned nearly all 498 00:31:39,955 --> 00:31:42,835 Speaker 1: the negatives. And not three months earlier, I had gone 499 00:31:42,835 --> 00:31:45,635 Speaker 1: over to ABC to interview with them about going back 500 00:31:45,675 --> 00:31:49,395 Speaker 1: to do radio. Sports. Seems to me, given what I 501 00:31:49,395 --> 00:31:51,595 Speaker 1: know about Ted Turner, dragging him to the ground, and 502 00:31:51,595 --> 00:31:54,835 Speaker 1: then quitting TV forever would be a pretty appropriate farewell. 503 00:31:56,195 --> 00:32:03,195 Speaker 1: And then one word popped in my head, rent all right, 504 00:32:03,675 --> 00:32:08,075 Speaker 1: right right, And so quickly I go to Plan B 505 00:32:08,675 --> 00:32:11,875 Speaker 1: to be fair in thought, if not an action, Ted 506 00:32:11,915 --> 00:32:14,995 Speaker 1: Turner was right, look pretty silly to have the CNN 507 00:32:14,995 --> 00:32:19,355 Speaker 1: camera crew wearing CBS sports caps while interviewing the founder 508 00:32:19,355 --> 00:32:20,955 Speaker 1: and owner of CNN, who by the way, was in 509 00:32:20,955 --> 00:32:23,555 Speaker 1: the newspaper constantly because he kept saying he was gonna 510 00:32:23,555 --> 00:32:27,435 Speaker 1: buy CBS. Plus, I still had a story to do 511 00:32:27,515 --> 00:32:29,035 Speaker 1: that day, and that crew was gonna have to go 512 00:32:29,115 --> 00:32:31,435 Speaker 1: back into the room where Turner would be meeting with 513 00:32:31,475 --> 00:32:34,555 Speaker 1: the players about an hour later for the proverbial spray 514 00:32:34,675 --> 00:32:37,395 Speaker 1: shot that would give us some video to use of 515 00:32:37,435 --> 00:32:41,155 Speaker 1: their meeting. And simply having my guys take their caps 516 00:32:41,275 --> 00:32:44,635 Speaker 1: off was not going to suffice. So I ran the 517 00:32:44,635 --> 00:32:46,915 Speaker 1: three blocks back to my apartment to grab the only 518 00:32:46,955 --> 00:32:49,995 Speaker 1: bit of merch or swag produced in the first two 519 00:32:50,075 --> 00:32:54,035 Speaker 1: years of CNN, something they had and apparently inexhaustible supply 520 00:32:54,155 --> 00:32:58,315 Speaker 1: of CNN bumper stickers. I must have had a hundred 521 00:32:58,355 --> 00:33:00,275 Speaker 1: of them in my place alone, and there were boxes 522 00:33:00,315 --> 00:33:03,435 Speaker 1: and cartons and boxes and cartons of them in the 523 00:33:03,475 --> 00:33:06,835 Speaker 1: New York Bureau, which was funny enough as it was, 524 00:33:06,875 --> 00:33:08,595 Speaker 1: since I don't think all the people who worked at 525 00:33:08,675 --> 00:33:14,515 Speaker 1: CNN in New York in two owned six cars among them. Anyway, 526 00:33:14,555 --> 00:33:16,795 Speaker 1: I trimmed a couple of the stickers down to just 527 00:33:16,875 --> 00:33:20,715 Speaker 1: the CNN logos and raced back to the Crappy Lows Hotel, 528 00:33:20,755 --> 00:33:22,635 Speaker 1: and just as they were calling for the cruise to 529 00:33:22,675 --> 00:33:25,275 Speaker 1: come in to get the spray shots of Ted meeting 530 00:33:25,275 --> 00:33:29,235 Speaker 1: with the players, I put those CNN logo stickers over 531 00:33:29,315 --> 00:33:32,755 Speaker 1: the CBS logos on my guys caps, and to my delight, 532 00:33:32,835 --> 00:33:36,235 Speaker 1: they stuck in place a little large, but it worked. 533 00:33:36,995 --> 00:33:39,675 Speaker 1: Minutes later, the boys came out of the meeting room 534 00:33:39,715 --> 00:33:43,075 Speaker 1: and the cameraman was in hysterics. He wound the video 535 00:33:43,115 --> 00:33:45,235 Speaker 1: back and had me watch it through the viewfinder of 536 00:33:45,275 --> 00:33:48,075 Speaker 1: the camera. As soon as they had walked in, Turner 537 00:33:48,155 --> 00:33:50,235 Speaker 1: started to give them dirty looks, and then suddenly one 538 00:33:50,235 --> 00:33:53,315 Speaker 1: of the NFL players said, Hey, Ted, there's your crew. 539 00:33:53,675 --> 00:33:56,795 Speaker 1: There's your CNN crew. Hey see it n over here. 540 00:33:57,675 --> 00:34:01,115 Speaker 1: Everybody was laughing, and now Ted was beaming that them. 541 00:34:01,155 --> 00:34:05,715 Speaker 1: That's my crew, all right, good work. Boys. When his 542 00:34:05,795 --> 00:34:07,875 Speaker 1: meeting with the players broke up. An hour later, I 543 00:34:07,875 --> 00:34:11,035 Speaker 1: got a message from Ted's assistant to wait for him 544 00:34:11,075 --> 00:34:14,075 Speaker 1: around a corner from the main lobby so he could 545 00:34:14,115 --> 00:34:18,155 Speaker 1: give me give CNN exclusive details about what he was 546 00:34:18,155 --> 00:34:20,115 Speaker 1: trying to sell the players on. It was a series 547 00:34:20,115 --> 00:34:22,915 Speaker 1: of exhibition games so the striking players could make a 548 00:34:22,915 --> 00:34:26,315 Speaker 1: little money on the side that he could televise and 549 00:34:26,355 --> 00:34:28,675 Speaker 1: there would be a pitch to the National Labor Relations 550 00:34:28,675 --> 00:34:31,435 Speaker 1: Board that the strike had been forced on the players 551 00:34:31,515 --> 00:34:34,475 Speaker 1: by the owners, which would have meant the players would 552 00:34:34,475 --> 00:34:39,195 Speaker 1: have all become free agents. Ted wanted them, all of them, 553 00:34:39,235 --> 00:34:42,155 Speaker 1: every player in the National Football League, to sign instead 554 00:34:42,195 --> 00:34:45,515 Speaker 1: with him. He would create a twenty four team league. 555 00:34:45,755 --> 00:34:48,955 Speaker 1: He would give the Union half ownership of every team, 556 00:34:49,035 --> 00:34:51,195 Speaker 1: he would find backers for the other half, and all 557 00:34:51,275 --> 00:34:55,835 Speaker 1: he wanted was the TV rights. It didn't happen, obviously, 558 00:34:55,875 --> 00:35:00,235 Speaker 1: but what a breathtaking scheme. Anyway. Turner was all smiles 559 00:35:00,275 --> 00:35:01,795 Speaker 1: when he came out of the meeting to tell me 560 00:35:02,155 --> 00:35:03,715 Speaker 1: before he met with the rest of the press, and 561 00:35:03,755 --> 00:35:05,875 Speaker 1: he said, great with the a good work, but I 562 00:35:05,915 --> 00:35:07,435 Speaker 1: have to get you guys some real you'll see it 563 00:35:07,555 --> 00:35:11,515 Speaker 1: ed sports aspect Christmas. Ted stayed another fifteen or twenty 564 00:35:11,515 --> 00:35:15,075 Speaker 1: minutes doing god knows what with God knows whom. I 565 00:35:15,075 --> 00:35:17,075 Speaker 1: didn't see any dumpsters in the hotel, and then he 566 00:35:17,155 --> 00:35:19,115 Speaker 1: left by the main exit as the rest of the 567 00:35:19,155 --> 00:35:22,315 Speaker 1: camera crews and reporters trailed him. I went along just 568 00:35:22,315 --> 00:35:23,955 Speaker 1: to see if there was anything he hadn't told me. 569 00:35:23,955 --> 00:35:25,595 Speaker 1: And as he went out the doors to his car, 570 00:35:25,995 --> 00:35:29,635 Speaker 1: he said, seem and I said, don't forget the hats, 571 00:35:30,635 --> 00:35:34,075 Speaker 1: and Ted Turner gave me one of the dirtiest looks 572 00:35:34,075 --> 00:35:39,955 Speaker 1: I have ever gotten in my life. Sure enough, a 573 00:35:39,995 --> 00:35:42,795 Speaker 1: couple of days before Christmas, I get a call from 574 00:35:42,795 --> 00:35:45,275 Speaker 1: my boss in Atlanta. Just got in a box of 575 00:35:45,315 --> 00:35:48,995 Speaker 1: a hundred CNN Sports Truckers caps from Ted Turner's office. 576 00:35:49,435 --> 00:35:50,915 Speaker 1: I don't know what the hell this is all about, 577 00:35:50,955 --> 00:35:53,555 Speaker 1: but his assistant says, if we wanted to know, we 578 00:35:53,595 --> 00:35:56,875 Speaker 1: should call you. I was very proud of making the 579 00:35:56,915 --> 00:36:00,875 Speaker 1: correct choice between correcting mistake and getting us all hats 580 00:36:01,555 --> 00:36:07,115 Speaker 1: and assaulting him. There is one PostScript. Ted talked the 581 00:36:07,115 --> 00:36:10,235 Speaker 1: players into the exhibition games. I mentioned only two of them, 582 00:36:10,235 --> 00:36:12,955 Speaker 1: one at RFK Stadium in Washington, which I went to 583 00:36:13,235 --> 00:36:18,475 Speaker 1: on assignment. Seated next to Ted Turner, he had two 584 00:36:18,515 --> 00:36:22,355 Speaker 1: flasks with him. Anyway. The crowd was so small at 585 00:36:22,435 --> 00:36:24,955 Speaker 1: RFK Stadium in Washington that at one point they got 586 00:36:24,995 --> 00:36:27,275 Speaker 1: on the p A system and ask all the fans 587 00:36:27,715 --> 00:36:30,515 Speaker 1: to go sit down behind the player benches so the 588 00:36:30,555 --> 00:36:33,835 Speaker 1: TV shots of the game wouldn't show all those empty seats. 589 00:36:34,675 --> 00:36:37,715 Speaker 1: The other game was in the Los Angeles Coliseum. They 590 00:36:37,795 --> 00:36:41,195 Speaker 1: drew even less, maybe a thousand fans, probably more like 591 00:36:41,275 --> 00:36:45,555 Speaker 1: five hundred, five hundred fans in the l A Colosseum. 592 00:36:45,715 --> 00:36:48,795 Speaker 1: Five hundred fans looks like the raisins and rice pudding. 593 00:36:50,395 --> 00:36:53,115 Speaker 1: But it was the name of his ad hoc league 594 00:36:53,155 --> 00:36:55,715 Speaker 1: with these games in Washington and l A that still 595 00:36:55,755 --> 00:36:59,115 Speaker 1: sticks with me forty years later. Ted named it himself. 596 00:37:00,035 --> 00:37:03,395 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure he did this deliberately. I know nobody 597 00:37:03,475 --> 00:37:05,755 Speaker 1: else noticed it until I may a big deal about it. 598 00:37:06,515 --> 00:37:10,635 Speaker 1: Ted Turner called his ill fated venture his ursat's National 599 00:37:10,675 --> 00:37:17,435 Speaker 1: Football League the quote all Star Season, and I said, perfect. 600 00:37:17,835 --> 00:37:22,275 Speaker 1: The acronym you have built for it is a s S. 601 00:37:36,115 --> 00:37:37,875 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 602 00:37:37,915 --> 00:37:40,035 Speaker 1: you for listening. If you're not following or subscribed to 603 00:37:40,075 --> 00:37:43,075 Speaker 1: the podcast, please do so. If you can stop somebody 604 00:37:43,075 --> 00:37:45,635 Speaker 1: on the Street get them to subscribe to I'd appreciate it. 605 00:37:45,955 --> 00:37:47,875 Speaker 1: Here are the credits. Most of the music, including our 606 00:37:47,915 --> 00:37:51,395 Speaker 1: theme from Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, produced, and performed by 607 00:37:51,395 --> 00:37:54,035 Speaker 1: Brian Ray and John Philip Schanelle. They are the Countdown 608 00:37:54,155 --> 00:37:58,675 Speaker 1: musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Chanelle, guitars, 609 00:37:58,755 --> 00:38:01,355 Speaker 1: bass and drums by Brian Ray, produced by T K 610 00:38:01,515 --> 00:38:05,155 Speaker 1: O Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been arranged down performed 611 00:38:05,155 --> 00:38:08,635 Speaker 1: by No Horns allowed. The sports music is the Olderman 612 00:38:08,715 --> 00:38:11,155 Speaker 1: theme from me ESPN two and it was written by 613 00:38:11,195 --> 00:38:14,955 Speaker 1: Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. Musical comments by 614 00:38:15,075 --> 00:38:18,395 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer 615 00:38:18,395 --> 00:38:21,395 Speaker 1: today was Stevie van Zant, and everything else is pretty 616 00:38:21,475 --> 00:38:24,275 Speaker 1: much my fault. So that's countdown for this the six 617 00:38:25,435 --> 00:38:28,955 Speaker 1: day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically 618 00:38:28,955 --> 00:38:32,795 Speaker 1: elected government of the United States. Arrest him now while 619 00:38:32,915 --> 00:38:36,555 Speaker 1: we still can a new addition tomorrow Until then on 620 00:38:36,675 --> 00:38:39,795 Speaker 1: Keith Alderman. Good Morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. 621 00:38:49,275 --> 00:38:52,435 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart 622 00:38:52,515 --> 00:38:55,955 Speaker 1: Radio for more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the 623 00:38:55,995 --> 00:38:59,595 Speaker 1: i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 624 00:38:59,635 --> 00:39:00,555 Speaker 1: your podcasts.