1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:24,355 --> 00:00:27,315 Speaker 1: It goes without saying that Donald Trump should not merely 3 00:00:27,395 --> 00:00:31,275 Speaker 1: already be under indictment. He should already be under seven 4 00:00:31,275 --> 00:00:33,835 Speaker 1: guard in a super max prison. But he is not. 5 00:00:34,475 --> 00:00:36,595 Speaker 1: And so we have to view last night's leak from 6 00:00:36,595 --> 00:00:39,995 Speaker 1: the Justice Department that it is considering a special Trump 7 00:00:40,075 --> 00:00:44,435 Speaker 1: counsel as good news. Any movement is good news. Any 8 00:00:44,515 --> 00:00:47,995 Speaker 1: leak is good news. Any pushback against the narrative that 9 00:00:47,995 --> 00:00:51,755 Speaker 1: you cannot prosecute the greatest criminal in American history because 10 00:00:51,795 --> 00:00:56,875 Speaker 1: he was president is good news. CNN quoted sources familiar 11 00:00:56,915 --> 00:00:59,635 Speaker 1: with the matter who said that d o J officials 12 00:00:59,675 --> 00:01:03,755 Speaker 1: have debated naming a prosecutor a special counsel when Trump 13 00:01:03,795 --> 00:01:08,155 Speaker 1: makes his campaign to seize power again official. As you know, 14 00:01:08,715 --> 00:01:11,515 Speaker 1: he has been pretending he was not running since noon 15 00:01:11,675 --> 00:01:16,155 Speaker 1: on January. Last night in Iowa, he told one of 16 00:01:16,195 --> 00:01:19,435 Speaker 1: his cult rallies that he will quote very very very 17 00:01:19,515 --> 00:01:23,915 Speaker 1: probably do it again. So they should get ready. You bet. 18 00:01:24,355 --> 00:01:27,115 Speaker 1: Indicting an active candidate for the White House would surely 19 00:01:27,155 --> 00:01:32,115 Speaker 1: spark a political firestorm. CNN notes, ignoring that not indicting 20 00:01:32,195 --> 00:01:35,315 Speaker 1: this active candidate for the White House would also surely 21 00:01:35,395 --> 00:01:39,515 Speaker 1: spark a political firestorm and don't call me surely quote. 22 00:01:39,675 --> 00:01:42,115 Speaker 1: While no decision has been made about whether a special 23 00:01:42,115 --> 00:01:44,635 Speaker 1: counsel might be needed in the future, d o J 24 00:01:44,795 --> 00:01:48,835 Speaker 1: officials have debated whether doing so could insulate the Justice 25 00:01:48,835 --> 00:01:53,435 Speaker 1: Department from accusations that Joe Biden's administration is targeting his 26 00:01:53,515 --> 00:01:57,435 Speaker 1: chief political rival. Obviously, you and I already know what 27 00:01:57,515 --> 00:02:01,515 Speaker 1: CNN does not when Trump is prosecuted, and the use 28 00:02:01,635 --> 00:02:05,035 Speaker 1: immunity that Justice gave his Lackey cash part l on 29 00:02:05,115 --> 00:02:08,355 Speaker 1: Wednesday is more support for the timeline of an espionage 30 00:02:08,395 --> 00:02:12,515 Speaker 1: indictment in the first week of January when he is prosecuted. 31 00:02:12,795 --> 00:02:16,835 Speaker 1: Nothing will insulate the Justice Department because Trump's supporters in 32 00:02:16,875 --> 00:02:20,915 Speaker 1: the Republican Party, in the other seditionist and terrorist organizations 33 00:02:20,915 --> 00:02:24,035 Speaker 1: of this country, in the brainwashing media led by Fox 34 00:02:24,075 --> 00:02:27,555 Speaker 1: News and news Max, they will self martyr as they 35 00:02:27,595 --> 00:02:31,995 Speaker 1: self martyr over anything related to Trump. It is their essence. 36 00:02:33,675 --> 00:02:36,475 Speaker 1: But there are two other details in the CNN Special 37 00:02:36,555 --> 00:02:40,875 Speaker 1: Council story that continued to point to impending indictments of Trump, 38 00:02:40,955 --> 00:02:44,035 Speaker 1: and I don't even think the CNN reporters understand what 39 00:02:44,115 --> 00:02:47,315 Speaker 1: they have here more than what they describe as signs 40 00:02:47,355 --> 00:02:52,355 Speaker 1: of activity inside that sleepy little town of Garlandville. Quoting 41 00:02:52,395 --> 00:02:56,595 Speaker 1: their story, the Justice Department is also staffing up its 42 00:02:56,635 --> 00:03:02,155 Speaker 1: investigations with experienced prosecutors, so it's ready for any decisions 43 00:03:02,195 --> 00:03:06,035 Speaker 1: after the mid terms, including the potent ential unprecedented move 44 00:03:06,075 --> 00:03:11,435 Speaker 1: of indicting a former president. Who does that, who does 45 00:03:11,435 --> 00:03:15,955 Speaker 1: it in that sequence, who first hires very expensive lawyers 46 00:03:16,435 --> 00:03:21,195 Speaker 1: before making the decision whether or not to use them, 47 00:03:21,235 --> 00:03:24,795 Speaker 1: Not even the government is that wasteful. The CNN story 48 00:03:24,835 --> 00:03:27,915 Speaker 1: notes the move I've noted here the reassignment of terrorism 49 00:03:28,075 --> 00:03:32,675 Speaker 1: and espionage prosecutor David Raskin from the January six insurrection 50 00:03:32,755 --> 00:03:36,435 Speaker 1: beat to the Trump Stolen Documents beat, but it adds 51 00:03:36,435 --> 00:03:42,155 Speaker 1: a second, previously unreported roster expansion. David Rhodi, a prosecutor 52 00:03:42,235 --> 00:03:45,955 Speaker 1: turned defense lawyer who previously specialized in gang and conspiracy 53 00:03:45,955 --> 00:03:50,555 Speaker 1: cases and has worked extensively with government cooperators, has joined 54 00:03:50,595 --> 00:03:55,835 Speaker 1: the Department of Justice conspiracy cases. You say government cooperators, 55 00:03:55,835 --> 00:03:59,675 Speaker 1: You say cash Patel, You say turns out in a 56 00:03:59,755 --> 00:04:02,275 Speaker 1: previous spin in the U. S. Attorney's Office for the 57 00:04:02,315 --> 00:04:07,115 Speaker 1: Southern District of New York, this I Rhodie prosecuted terrorism, 58 00:04:07,155 --> 00:04:12,915 Speaker 1: money laundering, bribery, racketeering, and good old obstruction of justice. 59 00:04:13,595 --> 00:04:16,755 Speaker 1: Sounds like Trump's kind of guy. But wait, there's more, 60 00:04:17,195 --> 00:04:21,755 Speaker 1: CNN adds Mr Rohadi quote left a lucrative partnership at 61 00:04:21,755 --> 00:04:26,675 Speaker 1: the prestigious corporate defense firm Sidley Austin in recent weeks 62 00:04:26,675 --> 00:04:29,435 Speaker 1: to become a senior counsel at d o J in 63 00:04:29,475 --> 00:04:35,235 Speaker 1: the Criminal Division in Washington, according to his linked In profile. 64 00:04:36,635 --> 00:04:43,555 Speaker 1: According to his LinkedIn profile, come on forgetting for a 65 00:04:43,595 --> 00:04:46,035 Speaker 1: moment the absurdity of that. How did you find out 66 00:04:46,075 --> 00:04:48,795 Speaker 1: they added a conspiracy prosecutor in the Trump group? Well? 67 00:04:49,115 --> 00:04:53,115 Speaker 1: I saw it on his LinkedIn profile. The question repeats itself, 68 00:04:53,675 --> 00:04:57,675 Speaker 1: Who does this? Who gets a high priced corporate defense 69 00:04:57,715 --> 00:05:01,435 Speaker 1: attorney to quit a partnership to join the Department of 70 00:05:01,555 --> 00:05:05,755 Speaker 1: Justice just in case, maybe on the off chance they 71 00:05:05,795 --> 00:05:11,955 Speaker 1: finally decide to prosecute Trump. Perhaps they did not hire 72 00:05:12,075 --> 00:05:16,395 Speaker 1: Dave Rhody back from White Shoe Law Partners, Inc. To 73 00:05:16,555 --> 00:05:20,715 Speaker 1: have him sit around inside the glass which they can 74 00:05:20,835 --> 00:05:23,755 Speaker 1: break in case of an emergency. When Garland flips a 75 00:05:23,795 --> 00:05:27,595 Speaker 1: coin and it comes up heads. I will give far 76 00:05:27,755 --> 00:05:30,635 Speaker 1: right critics of the Justice Department's handling of this these 77 00:05:30,715 --> 00:05:34,435 Speaker 1: last few weeks. Credit for one thing. Well placed individuals 78 00:05:34,515 --> 00:05:37,195 Speaker 1: inside d o J have done a pretty damn good 79 00:05:37,275 --> 00:05:41,115 Speaker 1: job of getting around this ludicrous do nothing, say nothing 80 00:05:41,155 --> 00:05:44,155 Speaker 1: that might affect any election. You and I know it 81 00:05:44,275 --> 00:05:47,595 Speaker 1: is ludicrous because doing nothing, saying nothing in and of 82 00:05:47,635 --> 00:05:50,995 Speaker 1: itself affects the election. But if you didn't want to 83 00:05:51,035 --> 00:05:54,275 Speaker 1: stick to the rule, you didn't have to go leaking everything. 84 00:05:54,315 --> 00:05:56,395 Speaker 1: You could have indicted Trump when it became clear he 85 00:05:56,435 --> 00:06:01,115 Speaker 1: had stolen documents detailing another nation's nuclear capabilities, and stolen 86 00:06:01,155 --> 00:06:04,475 Speaker 1: documents about China and Iran, and stolen documents that would 87 00:06:04,515 --> 00:06:07,275 Speaker 1: give way U s intelligence assets and maybe get some 88 00:06:07,355 --> 00:06:12,915 Speaker 1: of our spies and moles and sources killed. So still, 89 00:06:13,115 --> 00:06:15,835 Speaker 1: we try to be of good cheer, even as we 90 00:06:15,875 --> 00:06:20,075 Speaker 1: recognize that earlier action, earlier recognition that Trump's tenure in 91 00:06:20,115 --> 00:06:23,475 Speaker 1: the Whitehouse should make the willingness to prosecute him stronger 92 00:06:23,475 --> 00:06:26,875 Speaker 1: and not weaker, might have impacted the mid terms in 93 00:06:26,915 --> 00:06:31,275 Speaker 1: some positive way. I was asked yesterday by a reporter 94 00:06:31,395 --> 00:06:34,915 Speaker 1: why I keep pounding CNN's new management for trying to 95 00:06:34,995 --> 00:06:38,795 Speaker 1: keep its news coverage straight down the middle. I pointed 96 00:06:38,795 --> 00:06:42,675 Speaker 1: out that when one party is dedicated to preserving democracy 97 00:06:42,955 --> 00:06:46,875 Speaker 1: even for when they themselves lose elections, and the other 98 00:06:46,955 --> 00:06:51,715 Speaker 1: party is dedicated to destroying democracy even when they win elections. 99 00:06:52,195 --> 00:06:55,315 Speaker 1: Covering them both straight down the middle is like taking 100 00:06:55,315 --> 00:06:58,995 Speaker 1: the same journalistic and ethical approach to the murderer and 101 00:06:59,115 --> 00:07:04,475 Speaker 1: the murder victim, pending whatever the Justice Department does. Hang on, 102 00:07:04,715 --> 00:07:07,235 Speaker 1: let me see if anybody is updated their linked in 103 00:07:07,435 --> 00:07:12,915 Speaker 1: profile to I just indicted Trump, pending what they may 104 00:07:13,035 --> 00:07:15,435 Speaker 1: or may not do. The strongest action against him to 105 00:07:15,555 --> 00:07:19,275 Speaker 1: date has just been made by the Citizens for Responsibility 106 00:07:19,275 --> 00:07:22,755 Speaker 1: and Ethics in Washington CREW, which said yesterday that when 107 00:07:22,795 --> 00:07:26,115 Speaker 1: Trump does formally declare his bid to again take over 108 00:07:26,195 --> 00:07:30,675 Speaker 1: our country, Crew will sue to get him disqualified from 109 00:07:30,715 --> 00:07:33,675 Speaker 1: ever again holding office. This, of course, would be under 110 00:07:33,675 --> 00:07:37,395 Speaker 1: section three of the fourteenth Amendment, which originally barred Civil 111 00:07:37,435 --> 00:07:40,795 Speaker 1: War Confederate leaders from trying to regain power in the 112 00:07:40,915 --> 00:07:44,955 Speaker 1: Union by disqualifying anyone who had engaged in insurrection against 113 00:07:44,955 --> 00:07:48,515 Speaker 1: the Constitution when they had sworn to protect the Constitution. 114 00:07:48,755 --> 00:07:52,875 Speaker 1: It sounds like a ridiculously long shot, but Crew has 115 00:07:52,915 --> 00:07:56,035 Speaker 1: already made it stick. When a new Mexico judge ordered 116 00:07:56,115 --> 00:08:00,555 Speaker 1: Coy Griffin a January six, insurrectionist removed from his position 117 00:08:00,755 --> 00:08:05,275 Speaker 1: as County Commissioner of Otero County. There it is useful 118 00:08:05,315 --> 00:08:08,915 Speaker 1: to periodically remind ourselves that all of this is still 119 00:08:08,955 --> 00:08:12,555 Speaker 1: as insane as it was the day Trump came down 120 00:08:12,595 --> 00:08:16,195 Speaker 1: that goddamned escalator in the lobby of the Bad Taste 121 00:08:16,195 --> 00:08:20,915 Speaker 1: Building over here on Fifth Avenue a week ago. This morning, 122 00:08:21,555 --> 00:08:25,515 Speaker 1: a fervent maga lunatic, a believer in the big lie 123 00:08:25,555 --> 00:08:28,995 Speaker 1: about the election, a q and on cultist of Pizza 124 00:08:29,035 --> 00:08:33,515 Speaker 1: Gate idiot in short, one of Donald Trump's henchman, broke 125 00:08:33,555 --> 00:08:36,395 Speaker 1: into the home of the Speaker of the House of 126 00:08:36,515 --> 00:08:40,515 Speaker 1: Representatives with the intention of torturing her with a hammer 127 00:08:40,755 --> 00:08:43,795 Speaker 1: until she told him some kind of truth he wanted 128 00:08:43,835 --> 00:08:46,395 Speaker 1: to hear, and when she was not there, he instead 129 00:08:46,395 --> 00:08:49,915 Speaker 1: fractured her husband's skull and then admitted to police on 130 00:08:50,075 --> 00:08:53,955 Speaker 1: tape that this was a political suicide mission to stop 131 00:08:53,995 --> 00:08:57,635 Speaker 1: the Democrats and their quote lies coming out of Washington. 132 00:08:57,755 --> 00:09:03,035 Speaker 1: D C. And his party's candidates are favored to take 133 00:09:03,075 --> 00:09:06,755 Speaker 1: the House or the Senate or both next Tuesday instead 134 00:09:06,795 --> 00:09:10,395 Speaker 1: of scratching into prison walls. How many more years they 135 00:09:10,435 --> 00:09:15,155 Speaker 1: have to serve before they are eligible for parole. It 136 00:09:15,355 --> 00:09:19,355 Speaker 1: is madness, and it results from the good guys playing 137 00:09:19,475 --> 00:09:23,075 Speaker 1: by the rules while the fascists break all of them 138 00:09:23,115 --> 00:09:27,155 Speaker 1: and wine when caught and fundraise on getting away with it. 139 00:09:27,795 --> 00:09:31,235 Speaker 1: And so I am thinking today of the nineteen century 140 00:09:31,315 --> 00:09:36,395 Speaker 1: British Liberal Member of Parliament Henry la Boucher, who complained 141 00:09:36,435 --> 00:09:40,395 Speaker 1: of the ceaselessly pious and infinitely holier than now Prime 142 00:09:40,435 --> 00:09:45,275 Speaker 1: Minister W. E. Gladstone quote. I don't object to Gladstone 143 00:09:45,355 --> 00:09:49,635 Speaker 1: always having the ace of Trump's up his sleeve, but 144 00:09:49,875 --> 00:09:54,235 Speaker 1: merely to his belief that the Almighty put it there 145 00:10:08,195 --> 00:10:13,875 Speaker 1: still ahead. Basketball's Kyrie Irving suspended finally for anti semitism. 146 00:10:13,915 --> 00:10:17,035 Speaker 1: I told you Ellen Musk's idea of selling blue check 147 00:10:17,075 --> 00:10:20,475 Speaker 1: marks was blackmail, and now it turns out, yeah, it's blackmail. 148 00:10:21,195 --> 00:10:23,555 Speaker 1: In the wake of the dubious World Series No Hitter, 149 00:10:23,555 --> 00:10:26,595 Speaker 1: there's something about the nine World Series Perfect Game that 150 00:10:26,715 --> 00:10:29,755 Speaker 1: was anything but perfect. You've probably never heard about it before. 151 00:10:30,355 --> 00:10:34,355 Speaker 1: Prosecute officials who made bad COVID decisions, Laura Angram says, 152 00:10:34,995 --> 00:10:37,515 Speaker 1: does she know who the lead official was who made 153 00:10:37,515 --> 00:10:41,835 Speaker 1: the bad COVID decisions? And it's Friday's with Thurber this 154 00:10:41,955 --> 00:10:44,355 Speaker 1: time his story of the man who boasted one time 155 00:10:44,395 --> 00:10:47,675 Speaker 1: too many about how good fortune was saving him from disaster. 156 00:10:48,155 --> 00:10:52,035 Speaker 1: The luck of Jad Peters coming up. That's next. This 157 00:10:52,235 --> 00:11:05,995 Speaker 1: is Countdown. This is Countdown with Keith Olberman still ahead. 158 00:11:06,075 --> 00:11:09,315 Speaker 1: Laura Ingram wants to prosecute government officials who left up 159 00:11:09,315 --> 00:11:15,915 Speaker 1: the COVID pandemic. You mean, like uh Trump, I gotta say, 160 00:11:15,955 --> 00:11:18,995 Speaker 1: I did not see that coming. And as predicted, Elon 161 00:11:19,075 --> 00:11:21,595 Speaker 1: Musk is going to blackmail public figures. Pay me for 162 00:11:21,715 --> 00:11:25,115 Speaker 1: your authentication check mark, or maybe I'll sell your identity 163 00:11:25,115 --> 00:11:28,595 Speaker 1: to somebody else. Worst person's coming up first. In each 164 00:11:28,675 --> 00:11:30,795 Speaker 1: edition of Countdown, we feature a dog in need whom 165 00:11:30,795 --> 00:11:33,555 Speaker 1: you can help. Every dog has its day. Do not 166 00:11:33,715 --> 00:11:36,755 Speaker 1: let cal Too's breed pitbull mislead you. He was a 167 00:11:36,795 --> 00:11:39,875 Speaker 1: spray and his reaction to people feeding him in the pound. 168 00:11:39,915 --> 00:11:42,075 Speaker 1: He wags his tail, he takes the treat gently, he 169 00:11:42,075 --> 00:11:44,995 Speaker 1: doesn't tense up. He's grateful for every act of kindness, 170 00:11:44,995 --> 00:11:47,795 Speaker 1: and he likes the other dogs. He does not like 171 00:11:47,915 --> 00:11:49,795 Speaker 1: being on death row at the New York Pound. It 172 00:11:49,915 --> 00:11:53,115 Speaker 1: is a nightmare there. On top of the usual overcrowding 173 00:11:53,115 --> 00:11:57,275 Speaker 1: and rushed to kill, there's a pneumonia outbreak. Calto's only 174 00:11:57,355 --> 00:11:58,995 Speaker 1: chance to get out as if we pledge to help 175 00:11:59,035 --> 00:12:00,995 Speaker 1: a rescue group pull him out. He has almost no 176 00:12:01,075 --> 00:12:03,995 Speaker 1: pledges right now. He's a good dog. Where his only chance. 177 00:12:04,035 --> 00:12:06,115 Speaker 1: If you can play edge, do so by replying to 178 00:12:06,195 --> 00:12:09,035 Speaker 1: my tweets, either in my personal account or he will 179 00:12:09,075 --> 00:12:11,915 Speaker 1: be the pinned tweet in my account for dogs in need. 180 00:12:12,235 --> 00:12:25,035 Speaker 1: Thank you for helping Calto and for retweeting him. Pot 181 00:12:25,115 --> 00:12:28,075 Speaker 1: scripts to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snarks, 182 00:12:28,075 --> 00:12:32,915 Speaker 1: some predictions, dateline San Francisco. As I guessed the other day, 183 00:12:32,995 --> 00:12:36,755 Speaker 1: Elmo Muskrat's plan to sell Twitter blue check marks to 184 00:12:36,795 --> 00:12:41,435 Speaker 1: anybody who asks is not populism nor fairness. It's blackmail. 185 00:12:41,835 --> 00:12:45,035 Speaker 1: The New York Times has seen internal documents. The new 186 00:12:45,115 --> 00:12:49,475 Speaker 1: form of blue checks will not involve verified identities. You 187 00:12:49,555 --> 00:12:52,195 Speaker 1: will not have to prove you are you. You will 188 00:12:52,235 --> 00:12:55,315 Speaker 1: only have to go pay Elmer. In other words, if 189 00:12:55,355 --> 00:12:57,475 Speaker 1: I don't give him eight bucks a month to be 190 00:12:57,715 --> 00:13:01,235 Speaker 1: Keith Olberman with a check mark, you can give him 191 00:13:01,275 --> 00:13:03,475 Speaker 1: eight bucks a month and you can be Keith Olberman 192 00:13:03,515 --> 00:13:06,515 Speaker 1: with a check mark. What Elston hasn't counted on, of course, 193 00:13:06,555 --> 00:13:08,195 Speaker 1: is that if he does that to say I don't 194 00:13:08,195 --> 00:13:11,155 Speaker 1: know Taylor Swift. She could then sue him for eleven 195 00:13:11,355 --> 00:13:15,075 Speaker 1: billion dollars. The Times also reports Elbert wants to partner 196 00:13:15,115 --> 00:13:20,075 Speaker 1: with celebrities to let tweeters pay to send them direct messages. 197 00:13:20,275 --> 00:13:25,115 Speaker 1: Congrats Elon Musk if just invented stalking prediction. At this rate, 198 00:13:25,115 --> 00:13:27,915 Speaker 1: Twitter will be down to four d and fourteen users 199 00:13:27,955 --> 00:13:32,715 Speaker 1: by next May date. Line Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. CNBC 200 00:13:32,835 --> 00:13:36,035 Speaker 1: has canceled The News with Shepherd Smith. It is the 201 00:13:36,115 --> 00:13:39,155 Speaker 1: latest of about two hundred different programs the network has 202 00:13:39,195 --> 00:13:42,875 Speaker 1: tried since the Clinton Lewinsky scandal ended and it moved 203 00:13:42,915 --> 00:13:46,555 Speaker 1: Chris Matthews to MSNBC. I mean, I'm being serious about this, 204 00:13:46,875 --> 00:13:50,835 Speaker 1: but this represents something bigger. For at least fifteen years, 205 00:13:51,235 --> 00:13:55,235 Speaker 1: various executives at NBC News, at MSNBC, at CNBC were 206 00:13:55,475 --> 00:14:00,075 Speaker 1: Jones ng like you wouldn't believe to hire Shepherd Smith's 207 00:14:00,155 --> 00:14:03,635 Speaker 1: mostly because of his ratings at Fox News, just as 208 00:14:03,635 --> 00:14:06,835 Speaker 1: they hired Megan Helly because of her ratings at Fox 209 00:14:06,875 --> 00:14:09,675 Speaker 1: News and Greta ancest In because of her ratings at 210 00:14:09,715 --> 00:14:13,355 Speaker 1: Fox News, without ever once recognizing that the Fox audience 211 00:14:13,395 --> 00:14:16,995 Speaker 1: would watch an ice cube melting if the ice cube 212 00:14:16,995 --> 00:14:21,515 Speaker 1: could insult liberals and demean minorities. Shepherd Smith rarely did 213 00:14:21,555 --> 00:14:24,235 Speaker 1: any of that stuff, but ratings wise, he slipped streamed 214 00:14:24,275 --> 00:14:27,555 Speaker 1: around such programs. Either way, this does permit me to 215 00:14:27,595 --> 00:14:31,075 Speaker 1: repeat the Saturday Night Live two thousand eleven sketch punchline 216 00:14:31,275 --> 00:14:34,955 Speaker 1: with Bill Hayters Shepherd Smith. It's either the seventh or 217 00:14:34,995 --> 00:14:39,115 Speaker 1: eighth GOP debate. Good evening. I'm Shepherd Smith, and I 218 00:14:39,235 --> 00:14:43,435 Speaker 1: come from a Town full of Secrets and date line 219 00:14:43,475 --> 00:14:46,675 Speaker 1: twelve eleven sixth Avenue, New York City, front page of 220 00:14:46,715 --> 00:14:49,515 Speaker 1: its website last night about the release of Paul Pelosi 221 00:14:49,595 --> 00:14:52,955 Speaker 1: from the hospital, with the headline at Fox News reading 222 00:14:53,635 --> 00:14:59,355 Speaker 1: Nancy Pelosi addresses husband's quote assault on quote by suspected 223 00:14:59,395 --> 00:15:10,115 Speaker 1: illegal immigrant. That address again is twelve eleven sixth Avenue. 224 00:15:16,435 --> 00:15:22,715 Speaker 1: This is Sports Center. Wait, check that not anymore. This 225 00:15:23,715 --> 00:15:30,555 Speaker 1: is countdown with Keith in Sports Game five, Jeremy pain 226 00:15:30,635 --> 00:15:32,875 Speaker 1: your the rookie shortstop who was so good the Houston 227 00:15:32,915 --> 00:15:36,555 Speaker 1: Astros let Carlos Korea walk singled in the first run, 228 00:15:36,635 --> 00:15:39,395 Speaker 1: then homered for the second one, and then Philadelphia native 229 00:15:39,475 --> 00:15:42,835 Speaker 1: Chas McCormick made a leaping catch for the Astros against 230 00:15:42,835 --> 00:15:45,475 Speaker 1: the center field fence for the game's pen ultimate out, 231 00:15:45,795 --> 00:15:49,995 Speaker 1: as Justin Verlander ended his World Series winless streak that 232 00:15:50,115 --> 00:15:52,995 Speaker 1: stretched back to the year two thousand and six. The 233 00:15:53,035 --> 00:15:55,315 Speaker 1: Astros beat the Phillies three to two, and that's how 234 00:15:55,355 --> 00:15:57,995 Speaker 1: much they now lead the World Series by. As it 235 00:15:58,075 --> 00:16:01,515 Speaker 1: shifts back to Houston for Game six Saturday night, what 236 00:16:01,715 --> 00:16:05,355 Speaker 1: happened to that Phillies to one lead. It was noted 237 00:16:05,395 --> 00:16:07,315 Speaker 1: that this was the first time the Phillies had worn 238 00:16:07,355 --> 00:16:10,955 Speaker 1: their powder blue uniforms in a World Series game since 239 00:16:10,995 --> 00:16:15,475 Speaker 1: Game two of the series of Night three, which I 240 00:16:15,555 --> 00:16:18,915 Speaker 1: covered for CNN. What most observers left out of that 241 00:16:18,955 --> 00:16:21,435 Speaker 1: observation was as Game two of the nineteen eighty three 242 00:16:21,475 --> 00:16:24,475 Speaker 1: World Series began, the Philadelphia Phillies had just upset the 243 00:16:24,515 --> 00:16:27,355 Speaker 1: Dodgers three games to one to make the series. They 244 00:16:27,355 --> 00:16:30,635 Speaker 1: had won fifteen of their last eighteen regular season games, 245 00:16:30,835 --> 00:16:33,235 Speaker 1: and they had just beaten the Orioles in Game one 246 00:16:33,515 --> 00:16:35,635 Speaker 1: to take a one nothing lead in the nineteen eight 247 00:16:35,755 --> 00:16:39,435 Speaker 1: three World Series, and then overnight they turned from the 248 00:16:39,475 --> 00:16:42,555 Speaker 1: hottest team in baseball into a squad of old timers. 249 00:16:42,915 --> 00:16:45,435 Speaker 1: The Phillies lost four games in a row to lose 250 00:16:45,475 --> 00:16:48,555 Speaker 1: the World Series in five. They only scored seven runs 251 00:16:48,555 --> 00:16:51,115 Speaker 1: in those four games. That winter. They got rid of 252 00:16:51,155 --> 00:16:54,275 Speaker 1: future Hall of famers Pete Rose, Tony Perez, and Joe Morgan. 253 00:16:54,755 --> 00:16:56,795 Speaker 1: I'm guessing on Rose I could get in in the 254 00:16:56,875 --> 00:16:59,995 Speaker 1: year sixty two. They also got rid of outfielders Gary 255 00:17:00,035 --> 00:17:03,675 Speaker 1: Matthews and Bob Darner, and pitchers Larry Christensen, Willie Hernandez, 256 00:17:03,715 --> 00:17:06,755 Speaker 1: and Ron Reid. Didn't reach the Series again for another decade. 257 00:17:07,235 --> 00:17:09,955 Speaker 1: And another note about the combined no hitter by the 258 00:17:09,995 --> 00:17:13,035 Speaker 1: Astros in Game four of the World Series on Wednesday Night, 259 00:17:13,315 --> 00:17:15,235 Speaker 1: at which I was not alone in taking a lot 260 00:17:15,275 --> 00:17:19,235 Speaker 1: of shots. In fairness, I should take this opportunity to 261 00:17:19,275 --> 00:17:21,995 Speaker 1: point out that the only one picture no hitter in 262 00:17:21,995 --> 00:17:26,195 Speaker 1: World Series history, the Perfect Game in the World Series 263 00:17:26,235 --> 00:17:29,235 Speaker 1: by Don Larson of the Yankees, was aided by a 264 00:17:29,355 --> 00:17:32,235 Speaker 1: vital fact that got lost in the folds of history 265 00:17:32,555 --> 00:17:36,595 Speaker 1: until a kinescope of the TV broadcast of Larsen's Perfecto 266 00:17:36,755 --> 00:17:39,995 Speaker 1: was discovered in two thousand nine. In the third inning, 267 00:17:40,035 --> 00:17:43,075 Speaker 1: the play by play announcer Mel Allen asks the director 268 00:17:43,115 --> 00:17:46,315 Speaker 1: of the broadcast to pan the crowd in the bleachers 269 00:17:46,355 --> 00:17:49,915 Speaker 1: at Yankee Stadium Alan notes that the demand for tickets 270 00:17:49,995 --> 00:17:54,395 Speaker 1: was so large that day sixty four thousand, five nineteen 271 00:17:54,515 --> 00:17:59,515 Speaker 1: fans attended. Sixty four thousand. The Yankees did something unusual 272 00:17:59,835 --> 00:18:02,315 Speaker 1: to make a little more money. They took down the 273 00:18:02,355 --> 00:18:06,675 Speaker 1: so called batter's eye in underfield and they sold hundreds 274 00:18:06,715 --> 00:18:09,715 Speaker 1: of bleacher seats that usually would not be sold because 275 00:18:09,755 --> 00:18:12,275 Speaker 1: you'd be sitting behind this giant tarpel and called the 276 00:18:12,275 --> 00:18:15,275 Speaker 1: batter's eye and short in a day game with the 277 00:18:15,355 --> 00:18:19,115 Speaker 1: crisp New York October combination of sun and shadow, the 278 00:18:19,195 --> 00:18:22,995 Speaker 1: big black square that batters would see behind the picture 279 00:18:23,075 --> 00:18:25,595 Speaker 1: as he releases the ball. Put there so they can 280 00:18:25,635 --> 00:18:28,955 Speaker 1: see him release the ball. It was not there that day. 281 00:18:29,315 --> 00:18:33,515 Speaker 1: The background as consecutive Brooklyn Dodger hitters got nothing off 282 00:18:33,595 --> 00:18:37,675 Speaker 1: Don Larson, was people, many of them in white shirts. 283 00:18:38,875 --> 00:18:42,435 Speaker 1: With that realization, the real achievement on that day was 284 00:18:42,435 --> 00:18:45,035 Speaker 1: not Don Larson's perfect game. It was the fact that 285 00:18:45,075 --> 00:18:48,515 Speaker 1: his Yankee teammates somehow managed to get five hits off 286 00:18:48,555 --> 00:18:51,475 Speaker 1: Sal Magley. The picture of the Brooklyn Dodgers, including a 287 00:18:51,555 --> 00:19:09,395 Speaker 1: home run by Mickey Mantle, Thank you, Nancy Faust. And 288 00:19:09,475 --> 00:19:13,155 Speaker 1: finally somebody did something about Kyrie Irving. The Kanye West 289 00:19:13,195 --> 00:19:17,395 Speaker 1: of the National Basketball Association. He has been suspended indefinitely 290 00:19:17,515 --> 00:19:21,555 Speaker 1: by his team because they say he is quote currently 291 00:19:21,675 --> 00:19:25,795 Speaker 1: unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn nets Man. For 292 00:19:25,835 --> 00:19:28,075 Speaker 1: that to be true, you have to be really unfit. 293 00:19:28,675 --> 00:19:31,995 Speaker 1: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had asked for an apology about 294 00:19:31,995 --> 00:19:36,115 Speaker 1: the anti Semitic associations Irving had made, and he did 295 00:19:36,115 --> 00:19:38,715 Speaker 1: not get it. And then reporters asked Irving for a 296 00:19:38,795 --> 00:19:42,795 Speaker 1: straight up yes or no? Do you have anti Semitic beliefs? Now? 297 00:19:42,955 --> 00:19:45,395 Speaker 1: The correct answer to that question, if it ever comes 298 00:19:45,435 --> 00:19:48,475 Speaker 1: up in your life ten million times out of ten million, 299 00:19:48,675 --> 00:19:52,915 Speaker 1: even if you really do, the correct answer is always no, 300 00:19:53,275 --> 00:19:57,355 Speaker 1: I don't. But Kyrie Irving could not bring himself to 301 00:19:57,475 --> 00:20:03,995 Speaker 1: say even that having anti Semitical leagues. Again, I'm gonna repeat, 302 00:20:04,755 --> 00:20:07,755 Speaker 1: I don't know how the label becomes justified because you 303 00:20:07,755 --> 00:20:09,875 Speaker 1: guys asked me the same questions over and over again. 304 00:20:10,595 --> 00:20:12,755 Speaker 1: But this is not going to turn into a spinner 305 00:20:12,795 --> 00:20:16,275 Speaker 1: house cycle of questions upon questions. I tells you, guys 306 00:20:16,275 --> 00:20:18,875 Speaker 1: how I felt. I respect all walks of life and 307 00:20:18,955 --> 00:20:22,835 Speaker 1: embrace all walks of life. That's where I sit. I 308 00:20:22,835 --> 00:20:28,275 Speaker 1: think people want yes or no, I cannot be anti 309 00:20:28,355 --> 00:20:34,675 Speaker 1: Semitic if I know where I come from. I cannot 310 00:20:34,715 --> 00:20:37,435 Speaker 1: be anti Semitic if I know where I come from, 311 00:20:37,635 --> 00:20:40,515 Speaker 1: or being suspension will last at least five games. He 312 00:20:40,515 --> 00:20:42,755 Speaker 1: knows where he's going for the five games, while he 313 00:20:42,835 --> 00:20:46,355 Speaker 1: is confident he knows where he comes from, or whatever 314 00:20:46,395 --> 00:20:49,155 Speaker 1: that garbage was, he said. The FBI last night was 315 00:20:49,195 --> 00:20:52,715 Speaker 1: busy warning citizens of nearby New Jersey of credible information 316 00:20:52,755 --> 00:20:56,235 Speaker 1: of a broad threat to synagogues in that state. Two 317 00:20:56,315 --> 00:20:59,155 Speaker 1: other important notes from sports. The greatest punter in the 318 00:20:59,235 --> 00:21:03,275 Speaker 1: history of football, college or pro has died. Ray Guy 319 00:21:03,275 --> 00:21:06,195 Speaker 1: of Southern Mississippi and the gun Raiders was seventy two. 320 00:21:06,395 --> 00:21:08,995 Speaker 1: He'd been sick for a while. In fourteen years, he 321 00:21:09,075 --> 00:21:12,995 Speaker 1: had three punts blocked and more than his punts landed 322 00:21:13,035 --> 00:21:17,195 Speaker 1: inside the opposition's twenty yard line. And Sunday is the 323 00:21:17,235 --> 00:21:20,835 Speaker 1: New York City Marathon. Runners can usually rely on the 324 00:21:20,955 --> 00:21:25,755 Speaker 1: usual early November temperatures high forties, low fifties. The forecast 325 00:21:25,795 --> 00:21:31,955 Speaker 1: for Sunday somewhere around seventy degrees with eighty five percent humidity. 326 00:21:32,555 --> 00:21:48,915 Speaker 1: Good luck out their kids ahead Fridays with Thurber and 327 00:21:49,035 --> 00:21:51,755 Speaker 1: his relative who used to boast about how something told 328 00:21:51,835 --> 00:21:55,195 Speaker 1: him to avoid the sinking ship for the collapsing lumber yard, 329 00:21:55,795 --> 00:21:59,795 Speaker 1: and then one day that's something stopped warning him. The 330 00:21:59,915 --> 00:22:02,995 Speaker 1: luck of Chad Peters coming up first, the daily round 331 00:22:03,035 --> 00:22:05,435 Speaker 1: Up with the miscreants, morons and Donning crew refect specimens 332 00:22:05,435 --> 00:22:09,955 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons in the world. The Bronze 333 00:22:10,275 --> 00:22:13,515 Speaker 1: the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. I know this will 334 00:22:13,555 --> 00:22:16,795 Speaker 1: feed into COVID paranoia, but you know, don't. Don't worry 335 00:22:16,795 --> 00:22:21,275 Speaker 1: about that, worry about this. The website The Intercept reports 336 00:22:21,275 --> 00:22:23,995 Speaker 1: that on the first Friday of September in two thousand eleven, 337 00:22:24,035 --> 00:22:27,195 Speaker 1: a researcher in a lab a block from Central Park 338 00:22:27,235 --> 00:22:30,315 Speaker 1: in New York was working on an experiment with a ferret, 339 00:22:31,035 --> 00:22:35,835 Speaker 1: and the ferret had been infected with the influenza strain, 340 00:22:36,155 --> 00:22:41,435 Speaker 1: the first pandemic, the one that killed maybe fifty million 341 00:22:41,475 --> 00:22:45,155 Speaker 1: people worldwide. The ferret bit the scientist, and bit so 342 00:22:45,235 --> 00:22:47,155 Speaker 1: hard that it went through two pairs of gloves and 343 00:22:47,155 --> 00:22:50,355 Speaker 1: broke skin. I'm thinking the ferret was mad at being 344 00:22:50,395 --> 00:22:54,835 Speaker 1: infected with the influenza strain. Anyway, the problem here is 345 00:22:54,915 --> 00:22:58,675 Speaker 1: Mount Sinai responded by giving the researcher a flu shot, 346 00:22:59,115 --> 00:23:03,155 Speaker 1: giving him a respirator mask and a prescription for tamiflu, 347 00:23:04,075 --> 00:23:08,035 Speaker 1: and sending him home. Obviously he did not wind up 348 00:23:08,075 --> 00:23:10,395 Speaker 1: spreading it around the world and causing a new round 349 00:23:10,435 --> 00:23:13,715 Speaker 1: of flu in two thousand November. That's not the point. 350 00:23:14,075 --> 00:23:16,435 Speaker 1: They never found a good treatment for that flu let 351 00:23:16,435 --> 00:23:20,275 Speaker 1: alone a vaccine, so why is anybody screwing around with it? 352 00:23:20,515 --> 00:23:24,835 Speaker 1: Let it lie dormant. The runner up. William J. Briggs 353 00:23:24,875 --> 00:23:27,635 Speaker 1: the second, the attorney for Josh Primo, the player the 354 00:23:27,635 --> 00:23:31,755 Speaker 1: San Antonio Spurs dumped last week at the repeated accusations 355 00:23:31,755 --> 00:23:35,595 Speaker 1: that he indecently exposed himself to multiple women, at least 356 00:23:35,675 --> 00:23:40,515 Speaker 1: three of them, including the team's psychologist, Dr Hillary Coffin. 357 00:23:41,075 --> 00:23:43,915 Speaker 1: The team did not renew Dr Coffin's contract, and she 358 00:23:43,955 --> 00:23:47,195 Speaker 1: said yesterday she would now file criminal complaints, and she 359 00:23:47,315 --> 00:23:50,915 Speaker 1: sued the San Antonio Spurs and the player Primo, saying 360 00:23:50,955 --> 00:23:56,795 Speaker 1: Primo exposed himself to her nine different times. Primo's attorney 361 00:23:57,035 --> 00:24:01,595 Speaker 1: Briggs with this response to imply the doctor was coming 362 00:24:01,595 --> 00:24:05,435 Speaker 1: on to Primo, quoting Briggs in an act of betrayal 363 00:24:05,475 --> 00:24:10,195 Speaker 1: against her young client. Dr Coffin, who is forty years 364 00:24:10,235 --> 00:24:15,475 Speaker 1: Old falsely claims Josh Primo exposed himself. Dr Coffin's allegations 365 00:24:15,515 --> 00:24:22,395 Speaker 1: are either a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment, or utter fantasy. Wow, 366 00:24:22,595 --> 00:24:26,315 Speaker 1: so age shame the woman claims she lied or was 367 00:24:26,395 --> 00:24:30,275 Speaker 1: having a fantasy about this basketball kid. It's an interesting 368 00:24:30,315 --> 00:24:33,195 Speaker 1: strategy by Primo hiring a lawyer who might be a 369 00:24:33,195 --> 00:24:38,875 Speaker 1: bigger scumbag than he is. But our winner or Ingram 370 00:24:38,915 --> 00:24:41,555 Speaker 1: a new kick for Eva Braun with a Fox show 371 00:24:41,595 --> 00:24:46,195 Speaker 1: and a deviated septum. Prosecuting governor government officials for their 372 00:24:46,235 --> 00:24:50,995 Speaker 1: bad responses to COVID Now amnesty from the CONVID police, 373 00:24:51,235 --> 00:24:55,395 Speaker 1: she wrote in a retweet zero. This was a retweet 374 00:24:55,435 --> 00:24:58,435 Speaker 1: of her own video segment from her Fascist Festival show, 375 00:24:58,835 --> 00:25:01,955 Speaker 1: which itself asked the rhetorical question she had Darren me, 376 00:25:02,035 --> 00:25:05,595 Speaker 1: amnesty for officials who made this asterians call bitness, Asians 377 00:25:06,955 --> 00:25:11,835 Speaker 1: prosecuting officials who made disastrous COVID decisions. I have to 378 00:25:11,875 --> 00:25:15,435 Speaker 1: say I did not see Laura Ingram coming out in 379 00:25:15,515 --> 00:25:19,195 Speaker 1: favor of indicting Trump for how he handled the pandemic. 380 00:25:20,275 --> 00:25:28,275 Speaker 1: Laura Drake that bleach Ingram two days worst person in 381 00:25:28,435 --> 00:25:43,755 Speaker 1: the world to the number one story on the countdown, 382 00:25:43,755 --> 00:25:45,675 Speaker 1: and this being the Friday edition, this is the day 383 00:25:45,675 --> 00:25:49,155 Speaker 1: I give you a break from my endless career reminiscences 384 00:25:49,675 --> 00:25:53,915 Speaker 1: that takes us to the morning of August three, and 385 00:25:53,995 --> 00:25:56,195 Speaker 1: instead I bring you some of the timeless classics of 386 00:25:56,275 --> 00:26:00,435 Speaker 1: James Thurber. Thurber wrote a lot about his family, and 387 00:26:00,475 --> 00:26:04,195 Speaker 1: has time has gone by, especially since his death, we 388 00:26:04,275 --> 00:26:06,835 Speaker 1: have found doubt that his family promptly wrote a lot 389 00:26:06,875 --> 00:26:09,595 Speaker 1: back to and about him, and a lot of those 390 00:26:09,635 --> 00:26:14,355 Speaker 1: writings had swear words in them. Thurber's brothers were particularly 391 00:26:14,435 --> 00:26:17,075 Speaker 1: unhappy with how they were portrayed, even though their names 392 00:26:17,075 --> 00:26:20,235 Speaker 1: were changed in all the stories. Other family members said 393 00:26:20,275 --> 00:26:22,715 Speaker 1: a lot of the stories that Thurber wrote were often 394 00:26:23,195 --> 00:26:28,675 Speaker 1: well embellished. But in Thurber's defense, it's fiction. It's supposed 395 00:26:28,675 --> 00:26:31,395 Speaker 1: to be embellished. That's why they paid him for it. 396 00:26:31,635 --> 00:26:35,555 Speaker 1: Otherwise it would be stenography. I mean, I really would 397 00:26:35,595 --> 00:26:38,875 Speaker 1: not bet money that the luck of Jad Peters from 398 00:26:38,875 --> 00:26:42,955 Speaker 1: thurber collection The Middle Aged Men on the Flying Trampiez. 399 00:26:43,515 --> 00:26:46,515 Speaker 1: And what a title that is, The middle Aged Man 400 00:26:46,555 --> 00:26:50,075 Speaker 1: on the Flying Trapeeze. I'm not gonna bet money that 401 00:26:50,115 --> 00:26:56,835 Speaker 1: this is accurate, especially the finale. But so what not? 402 00:26:56,955 --> 00:26:59,355 Speaker 1: Long ago a book was actually put out that tries 403 00:26:59,435 --> 00:27:02,155 Speaker 1: to present the facts of each of the James Thurber 404 00:27:02,275 --> 00:27:05,075 Speaker 1: stories about his family, about his life in Columbus, Ohio, 405 00:27:05,275 --> 00:27:09,955 Speaker 1: about his marriages. It's interesting, but kind of misses the point. 406 00:27:10,635 --> 00:27:14,395 Speaker 1: Maybe it's true, maybe it ain't, but it certainly is 407 00:27:15,195 --> 00:27:21,275 Speaker 1: the luck of Jad Peters by James Thurber. Aunt Emma 408 00:27:21,395 --> 00:27:24,635 Speaker 1: Peters at eighty three, the year she died, still kept 409 00:27:24,675 --> 00:27:27,715 Speaker 1: in her unused front parlor on the table with Jad 410 00:27:27,755 --> 00:27:32,755 Speaker 1: Peters's collection of lucky souvenirs a large, rough fragment of rock, 411 00:27:33,755 --> 00:27:38,275 Speaker 1: weighing perhaps twenty pounds. The rock stood in the center 412 00:27:38,315 --> 00:27:40,875 Speaker 1: of a curious array of odds and ends. A piece 413 00:27:40,875 --> 00:27:45,435 Speaker 1: of tent canvas, a chip of pine wood, a yellow telegram, 414 00:27:45,475 --> 00:27:48,835 Speaker 1: some old newspaper clippings, the cork from a bottle, a 415 00:27:48,875 --> 00:27:52,595 Speaker 1: bill from a surgeon. Aunt Emma never talked about the 416 00:27:52,635 --> 00:27:56,115 Speaker 1: strange collection, except once during her last days, when somebody 417 00:27:56,155 --> 00:27:58,155 Speaker 1: asked her if she wouldn't feel better if the rock 418 00:27:58,635 --> 00:28:02,715 Speaker 1: were thrown away. Let it stay where Elizabeth put it, 419 00:28:03,275 --> 00:28:07,475 Speaker 1: She said, all that I know about the souvenirs I 420 00:28:07,515 --> 00:28:09,635 Speaker 1: have got from other members of the family. A few 421 00:28:09,675 --> 00:28:12,195 Speaker 1: of them didn't think it was decent that the rock 422 00:28:12,595 --> 00:28:15,475 Speaker 1: should have been part of the collection, but Aunt Lizabeth, 423 00:28:16,475 --> 00:28:20,355 Speaker 1: Emma's sister, had insisted that it should be. In fact, 424 00:28:20,395 --> 00:28:23,555 Speaker 1: it was Aunt Lizabeth Banks who hired a man to 425 00:28:23,915 --> 00:28:26,635 Speaker 1: lug it to the house and put it on the 426 00:28:26,675 --> 00:28:30,075 Speaker 1: table with the rest of the things. It's as much 427 00:28:30,115 --> 00:28:33,155 Speaker 1: God's doing as that other cladded chap, she would say, 428 00:28:34,035 --> 00:28:36,155 Speaker 1: and she would rock back and forth in her rocking 429 00:28:36,195 --> 00:28:39,235 Speaker 1: chair with a grim look. You can't taunt the lard, 430 00:28:39,595 --> 00:28:43,155 Speaker 1: she would add. She was a very religious woman. I 431 00:28:43,275 --> 00:28:47,275 Speaker 1: used to see her now and again at funerals, tall, gaunt, grim, 432 00:28:47,315 --> 00:28:48,995 Speaker 1: but I never talked to her if I could help it. 433 00:28:49,115 --> 00:28:53,235 Speaker 1: She liked funerals, and she liked to look at corpses, 434 00:28:53,635 --> 00:28:59,035 Speaker 1: and that made me afraid of her. Just back of 435 00:28:59,075 --> 00:29:01,955 Speaker 1: the souvenir table at Aunt Emma's on the wall hung 436 00:29:01,955 --> 00:29:04,795 Speaker 1: a heavy framed full length photograph of Aunt Emma his 437 00:29:04,915 --> 00:29:08,915 Speaker 1: husband Jad Peters. It showed him wearing a hat and 438 00:29:09,035 --> 00:29:13,315 Speaker 1: overcoat and carrying a suitcase. When I was a little 439 00:29:13,315 --> 00:29:15,595 Speaker 1: boy in the early nineteen hundreds and was taken to 440 00:29:15,715 --> 00:29:19,315 Speaker 1: Aunt Emma's house near Sugar Grove, Ohio, I used to 441 00:29:19,315 --> 00:29:22,555 Speaker 1: wonder about that photograph. I didn't wonder about the rock 442 00:29:22,835 --> 00:29:24,955 Speaker 1: and the other objects, because they weren't put there until 443 00:29:25,035 --> 00:29:28,435 Speaker 1: much later. It seemed so funny for anyone to be 444 00:29:28,515 --> 00:29:32,915 Speaker 1: photographed in a hat and overcoat and carrying a suitcase, 445 00:29:33,755 --> 00:29:36,475 Speaker 1: and even funnier to have the photograph in large to 446 00:29:36,715 --> 00:29:43,155 Speaker 1: almost life size and put inside so elaborate frame. When 447 00:29:43,155 --> 00:29:46,195 Speaker 1: we children would sneak into the front parlor to look 448 00:29:46,235 --> 00:29:48,635 Speaker 1: at the picture, Aunt Emma would hurry us out again. 449 00:29:48,835 --> 00:29:50,875 Speaker 1: When we asked her about the picture, she would say, 450 00:29:51,035 --> 00:29:54,395 Speaker 1: never you mind. But when I grew up, I learned 451 00:29:54,475 --> 00:29:56,835 Speaker 1: the story of the big photograph and of how Jad 452 00:29:56,835 --> 00:30:00,835 Speaker 1: Peters came to be known as Lucky Jad. As a 453 00:30:00,875 --> 00:30:03,635 Speaker 1: matter of fact, it was Jad who began calling himself 454 00:30:03,715 --> 00:30:07,435 Speaker 1: that once. When he ran for a county office and lost, 455 00:30:07,755 --> 00:30:11,395 Speaker 1: he had Lucky Jad Peters printed on his campaign cards. 456 00:30:12,395 --> 00:30:16,635 Speaker 1: Nobody else took the name up, except in a scoffing way. 457 00:30:17,435 --> 00:30:20,595 Speaker 1: It seems that back in when Jad Peters was about 458 00:30:20,635 --> 00:30:22,635 Speaker 1: thirty five, he had a pretty good business of some 459 00:30:22,715 --> 00:30:24,995 Speaker 1: kind or other, which caused him to travel around quite 460 00:30:24,995 --> 00:30:27,355 Speaker 1: a lot. One week, he went to New York with 461 00:30:27,435 --> 00:30:30,235 Speaker 1: the intention of going on to Newport later by ship. 462 00:30:31,035 --> 00:30:33,875 Speaker 1: Something turned up back home, however, and one of his 463 00:30:33,955 --> 00:30:37,435 Speaker 1: employees sent him a telegram reading, don't go to Newport, Urgent, 464 00:30:37,515 --> 00:30:42,195 Speaker 1: you return here. Jad's story he was that he was 465 00:30:42,275 --> 00:30:44,995 Speaker 1: on the ship ready to sail, and the telegram was delivered. 466 00:30:45,715 --> 00:30:47,555 Speaker 1: It had been sent to his hotel, he said, a 467 00:30:47,555 --> 00:30:50,235 Speaker 1: few minutes after he had checked out, and an obliging 468 00:30:50,315 --> 00:30:53,155 Speaker 1: clerk had hustled the messenger boy on down to the dock. 469 00:30:53,515 --> 00:30:58,195 Speaker 1: That was Jad's story. Most people believed when they heard 470 00:30:58,195 --> 00:31:01,515 Speaker 1: the story that Jad had got the wire at his hotel, 471 00:31:01,675 --> 00:31:04,275 Speaker 1: probably hours before the ship sailed, for he was a 472 00:31:04,275 --> 00:31:08,075 Speaker 1: great on an adorning a tail at any rate, whether 473 00:31:08,155 --> 00:31:10,755 Speaker 1: or not he rushed off the ship just before the 474 00:31:10,795 --> 00:31:13,995 Speaker 1: gang plank was hauled up, its sailed without him, and 475 00:31:14,115 --> 00:31:16,035 Speaker 1: some eight or nine hours out of their harbor, it 476 00:31:16,155 --> 00:31:18,555 Speaker 1: sank in a storm, with the loss of everybody on board. 477 00:31:19,435 --> 00:31:23,275 Speaker 1: That's why he had the photograph taken and enlarged. It 478 00:31:23,355 --> 00:31:25,715 Speaker 1: showed him just as he was when he got off 479 00:31:25,755 --> 00:31:29,755 Speaker 1: that ship, he said, And that is how he came 480 00:31:29,795 --> 00:31:33,235 Speaker 1: to start his collection of lucky souvenirs. For a few years, 481 00:31:33,235 --> 00:31:36,035 Speaker 1: he kept the telegram and the newspaper clippings of the 482 00:31:36,075 --> 00:31:39,555 Speaker 1: ship disaster tucked away in the family Bible, but one 483 00:31:39,635 --> 00:31:41,995 Speaker 1: day he got them out and put them on the 484 00:31:42,035 --> 00:31:47,235 Speaker 1: parlor table under a big glass bell. From eight up 485 00:31:47,275 --> 00:31:50,555 Speaker 1: until nine, when Jad died, nothing much happened to him. 486 00:31:50,595 --> 00:31:52,915 Speaker 1: He is remembered in his later years as a garrulous, 487 00:31:52,915 --> 00:31:55,875 Speaker 1: boring old fellow whose business slowly went to pieces because 488 00:31:55,875 --> 00:31:58,475 Speaker 1: of his lack of industry, and who finally settled down 489 00:31:58,475 --> 00:32:01,715 Speaker 1: on a small farm near sugar Grove and barely scraped 490 00:32:01,715 --> 00:32:05,115 Speaker 1: out an existence. He took to drinking in his sixties 491 00:32:05,395 --> 00:32:09,395 Speaker 1: and from then on made Aunt Emma's life miserable. I 492 00:32:09,435 --> 00:32:11,795 Speaker 1: don't know how she managed to keep up the payments 493 00:32:11,835 --> 00:32:15,155 Speaker 1: on his life insurance policy, but some way or other 494 00:32:15,315 --> 00:32:19,035 Speaker 1: she did. Some of her relatives said among themselves that 495 00:32:19,075 --> 00:32:21,475 Speaker 1: it would be a blessing if Jad died in one 496 00:32:21,475 --> 00:32:25,195 Speaker 1: of his frequent fits of nausea. It was pretty well 497 00:32:25,235 --> 00:32:27,435 Speaker 1: known that Aunt Emma had never liked him very much. 498 00:32:27,435 --> 00:32:29,715 Speaker 1: She married him because he asked her to twice a 499 00:32:29,755 --> 00:32:32,275 Speaker 1: week for seven years, and because there had been absolutely 500 00:32:32,315 --> 00:32:35,555 Speaker 1: nobody else she cared about. She stayed married to him 501 00:32:35,555 --> 00:32:38,475 Speaker 1: on account of their children, and because her people always 502 00:32:38,475 --> 00:32:42,835 Speaker 1: stayed married. She grew in spite of Jad to be 503 00:32:42,875 --> 00:32:45,275 Speaker 1: a quiet, kindly old lady as the years went on, 504 00:32:45,435 --> 00:32:48,515 Speaker 1: although her mouth would take on a strained, tight look 505 00:32:48,755 --> 00:32:51,235 Speaker 1: when Jad showed up at dinner time from wherever he 506 00:32:51,275 --> 00:32:54,435 Speaker 1: had been during the day, usually from down at Prentice's 507 00:32:54,595 --> 00:32:57,035 Speaker 1: store in the village, where he liked to sit around, 508 00:32:57,035 --> 00:32:59,355 Speaker 1: telling him about the time he just barely got off 509 00:32:59,395 --> 00:33:03,955 Speaker 1: the domed boat in New York Harbor, and adding tales 510 00:33:04,115 --> 00:33:08,355 Speaker 1: more or less fantastic of more recent close escapes he 511 00:33:08,395 --> 00:33:13,675 Speaker 1: had had. There was his appendicitis operation. For one thing, 512 00:33:13,715 --> 00:33:16,115 Speaker 1: he had come up out of the ether, he would say, 513 00:33:16,195 --> 00:33:20,075 Speaker 1: just when they had given him up. Dr Benham, who 514 00:33:20,075 --> 00:33:22,915 Speaker 1: had performed the operation, was annoyed when he heard this, 515 00:33:23,155 --> 00:33:25,275 Speaker 1: and once met Jad in the street and asked him 516 00:33:25,315 --> 00:33:29,315 Speaker 1: to quit repeating the preposterous story. But Jad added the 517 00:33:29,355 --> 00:33:34,035 Speaker 1: doctor's bill to his collection of Talisman's anyway. And there 518 00:33:34,155 --> 00:33:35,395 Speaker 1: was the time when he had got up in the 519 00:33:35,395 --> 00:33:37,195 Speaker 1: min idol of the night to take a swig of 520 00:33:37,195 --> 00:33:39,835 Speaker 1: stomach bitters for a bad case of heartburn, and had 521 00:33:39,875 --> 00:33:43,475 Speaker 1: got hold of the carbolic acid bottled by mistake. Something 522 00:33:43,595 --> 00:33:45,235 Speaker 1: told him he would say to take a look at 523 00:33:45,235 --> 00:33:47,795 Speaker 1: the bottle before he uncorked it, so he carried it 524 00:33:47,835 --> 00:33:50,635 Speaker 1: to a lamp, lighted the lamp, and he'd be goddamn 525 00:33:50,755 --> 00:33:55,195 Speaker 1: if it wasn't carbolic acid it was. Then he added 526 00:33:55,235 --> 00:33:59,715 Speaker 1: the cork to his collection. Old Jad got so that 527 00:33:59,755 --> 00:34:02,235 Speaker 1: he could figure out lucky escapes for himself in almost 528 00:34:02,235 --> 00:34:06,235 Speaker 1: every disaster and calamity that happened in and around her grove. Once, 529 00:34:06,355 --> 00:34:09,635 Speaker 1: for example, a tent blew down during windstorm at the 530 00:34:09,675 --> 00:34:13,555 Speaker 1: Fairfield County Fair, killing two people and injuring a dozen others. 531 00:34:14,835 --> 00:34:17,435 Speaker 1: Jad hadn't gone to the fair for the first time 532 00:34:17,515 --> 00:34:21,235 Speaker 1: in nine or ten years that year. Something told him 533 00:34:21,595 --> 00:34:24,595 Speaker 1: he would say to stay away from the fair that year. 534 00:34:25,315 --> 00:34:27,835 Speaker 1: The fact that he always went to the fair when 535 00:34:27,835 --> 00:34:31,155 Speaker 1: he did go on a Thursday, and that the tent 536 00:34:31,235 --> 00:34:35,795 Speaker 1: blew down on a Saturday didn't make any difference to Jad. 537 00:34:36,755 --> 00:34:39,915 Speaker 1: He hadn't been there, and the tent blew down and 538 00:34:39,955 --> 00:34:43,235 Speaker 1: two people were killed. After the accident, he went to 539 00:34:43,275 --> 00:34:45,755 Speaker 1: the fairgrounds and cut a piece of canvas from the 540 00:34:45,795 --> 00:34:48,515 Speaker 1: tent and put it in the parlor table next to 541 00:34:48,555 --> 00:34:53,675 Speaker 1: the cork from the carbolic acid bottle. Lucky Jad Peters. 542 00:34:55,595 --> 00:34:58,155 Speaker 1: I think Aunt Emma got so that she didn't hear 543 00:34:58,315 --> 00:35:01,315 Speaker 1: Jad when he was talking, except on evenings when neighbors 544 00:35:01,355 --> 00:35:03,715 Speaker 1: dropped in, and then she would have had to take 545 00:35:03,755 --> 00:35:06,075 Speaker 1: hold of the conversation. Shouldn't steer it away from any 546 00:35:06,115 --> 00:35:09,115 Speaker 1: opening that might give Jad a chance to tell of 547 00:35:09,235 --> 00:35:13,635 Speaker 1: some close escape he had had. But he always got 548 00:35:13,635 --> 00:35:17,315 Speaker 1: his licks in. He would bind his time creaking back 549 00:35:17,355 --> 00:35:21,595 Speaker 1: and forth in his chair, clicking his teeth, not listening 550 00:35:21,675 --> 00:35:24,435 Speaker 1: much to the talk about the crops and begonias and 551 00:35:24,475 --> 00:35:28,435 Speaker 1: the latest reports on the Spencer's feeble minded child. And 552 00:35:28,595 --> 00:35:32,835 Speaker 1: then when there was a long pause, he would clear 553 00:35:32,875 --> 00:35:36,275 Speaker 1: his throat and say that that reminded him of the 554 00:35:36,355 --> 00:35:39,035 Speaker 1: time he had a mind to go down to Pulland's 555 00:35:39,115 --> 00:35:41,875 Speaker 1: lumberyard to fetch home a couple of two by forest 556 00:35:41,955 --> 00:35:45,675 Speaker 1: to show up the chicken house, Will sir. He had 557 00:35:45,715 --> 00:35:47,675 Speaker 1: potted around the house a little while and was about 558 00:35:47,675 --> 00:35:50,555 Speaker 1: to set out for Pullands when something told him not 559 00:35:50,835 --> 00:35:54,235 Speaker 1: to go a step. And it was that very day 560 00:35:54,275 --> 00:35:56,995 Speaker 1: that a pile of lumber in the lumberyard let go 561 00:35:57,235 --> 00:36:00,595 Speaker 1: and crushed Grant Pullan's legs, so it had to be amputated, 562 00:36:01,355 --> 00:36:06,235 Speaker 1: will sir, he would say. But Aunt Emma would cut 563 00:36:06,275 --> 00:36:10,035 Speaker 1: in on him at this point. Everybody's heard that old chastnat, 564 00:36:10,315 --> 00:36:13,395 Speaker 1: she would say, with a forced little laugh, fanning herself 565 00:36:13,435 --> 00:36:17,235 Speaker 1: in quick strokes with an old palm leaf fan Dad 566 00:36:17,275 --> 00:36:20,435 Speaker 1: would go sullen and rock back and forth in his chair, 567 00:36:20,555 --> 00:36:23,755 Speaker 1: clicking his teeth. He wouldn't get up when the guests 568 00:36:23,875 --> 00:36:27,195 Speaker 1: rose to go, which they always did at this juncture. 569 00:36:27,955 --> 00:36:30,755 Speaker 1: The memento of his close escape from the Poland lumber 570 00:36:30,835 --> 00:36:34,115 Speaker 1: Yard disaster was, of course, the chip of pine wood. 571 00:36:36,155 --> 00:36:38,635 Speaker 1: I think I have accounted now for all of Jad's 572 00:36:38,675 --> 00:36:42,115 Speaker 1: souvenirs that I remember, except the big rough fragment of rock. 573 00:36:43,035 --> 00:36:46,115 Speaker 1: The story of the rock is a strange one. In 574 00:36:46,155 --> 00:36:50,075 Speaker 1: August County engineers were widening the channel of the Hocking 575 00:36:50,155 --> 00:36:52,555 Speaker 1: River just out of the side of Sugar Grove, and 576 00:36:52,635 --> 00:36:56,475 Speaker 1: had occasion to do considerable blasting out of riverbed rock. 577 00:36:57,875 --> 00:37:00,795 Speaker 1: I have never heard Clem Warden tell the story himself, 578 00:37:00,795 --> 00:37:03,155 Speaker 1: but it has been told to me by people who have. 579 00:37:03,915 --> 00:37:06,955 Speaker 1: It seems that him was walking along the main street 580 00:37:06,995 --> 00:37:08,995 Speaker 1: of Sugar Grove at about a quarter to four when 581 00:37:08,995 --> 00:37:11,835 Speaker 1: he saw Jad coming along toward him. Clem was an 582 00:37:11,875 --> 00:37:13,915 Speaker 1: old crony of Jad's, one of the few men of 583 00:37:13,955 --> 00:37:16,675 Speaker 1: his own generation who could tolerate Jad and the two 584 00:37:16,715 --> 00:37:19,995 Speaker 1: stopped on the sidewalk and talked. Clem figured later that 585 00:37:20,035 --> 00:37:22,595 Speaker 1: they talked for about five minutes, and then either he 586 00:37:22,715 --> 00:37:26,035 Speaker 1: or Jad said something about getting on, so they separated, 587 00:37:26,115 --> 00:37:30,275 Speaker 1: Jad going on towards Prentice's store slowly on account of 588 00:37:30,315 --> 00:37:34,275 Speaker 1: his rheumatic left hip, and Clim going in the other way. 589 00:37:35,195 --> 00:37:37,715 Speaker 1: Clem had taken about a dozen steps when suddenly he 590 00:37:37,795 --> 00:37:42,955 Speaker 1: heard Jad called him, say clam, Jad said. Clem stopped 591 00:37:42,955 --> 00:37:45,675 Speaker 1: and turned around, and there was Jad walking back toward him. 592 00:37:45,835 --> 00:37:48,755 Speaker 1: Jad had taken about six steps when suddenly he was 593 00:37:48,995 --> 00:37:53,115 Speaker 1: flung up against the front of Matheny's Harness store like 594 00:37:53,235 --> 00:37:56,795 Speaker 1: a sack assault, as Clem put it. By the time 595 00:37:56,875 --> 00:38:00,115 Speaker 1: Clem could reach him, he was gone. He never knew 596 00:38:00,115 --> 00:38:02,275 Speaker 1: what hit him, Clem said, and for quite a few 597 00:38:02,315 --> 00:38:05,115 Speaker 1: minutes nobody else knew what hit him either. That somebody 598 00:38:05,115 --> 00:38:08,075 Speaker 1: in the crowd that gathered found the big muddy rock 599 00:38:08,355 --> 00:38:11,595 Speaker 1: lying in the road by the gutter. A particularly big 600 00:38:11,635 --> 00:38:14,675 Speaker 1: shot of dynamite set off in the river bed had 601 00:38:14,795 --> 00:38:18,195 Speaker 1: hurtled the fragment through the air with terrific force. It 602 00:38:18,235 --> 00:38:21,115 Speaker 1: had come flying over the four story Jackson building like 603 00:38:21,155 --> 00:38:25,355 Speaker 1: a cannon ball, and it had struck Jad Peters squarely 604 00:38:25,435 --> 00:38:29,795 Speaker 1: in the chest. I suppose old Jad had not been 605 00:38:29,835 --> 00:38:32,995 Speaker 1: in these grave two days before. The boys at Prentices 606 00:38:33,075 --> 00:38:36,515 Speaker 1: quit shaking their heads solemnly over the accident and began 607 00:38:36,635 --> 00:38:43,835 Speaker 1: making funny remarks about it. Cal Gregg's was the funniest, well, Sir, 608 00:38:44,195 --> 00:38:47,035 Speaker 1: said Cal. I don't suppose none of us will ever 609 00:38:47,115 --> 00:38:50,355 Speaker 1: know what it was now, but something must have told 610 00:38:50,435 --> 00:38:58,315 Speaker 1: Jad to turn around. The luck of Jad Peters by 611 00:38:58,435 --> 00:39:15,315 Speaker 1: James thurber Well, Sir, and then all the diamonds I 612 00:39:15,355 --> 00:39:18,875 Speaker 1: can do here. Thanks for listening. Follow this podcast. If 613 00:39:18,915 --> 00:39:21,875 Speaker 1: you're not doing so already, Tell a friend, stop a neighbor, 614 00:39:22,755 --> 00:39:25,515 Speaker 1: punch a passers by. We're number one among news and 615 00:39:25,555 --> 00:39:29,155 Speaker 1: political podcasts not produced by any network. I'm greedy, I 616 00:39:29,195 --> 00:39:31,595 Speaker 1: want more. Here are the credits. Most of the music, 617 00:39:31,595 --> 00:39:34,555 Speaker 1: including our theme from Beethoven's Ninthier, was arranged, produced and 618 00:39:34,555 --> 00:39:36,915 Speaker 1: performed by Brian Ray and John Philip Chanelle. They are 619 00:39:36,955 --> 00:39:40,635 Speaker 1: the Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards by John 620 00:39:40,635 --> 00:39:43,955 Speaker 1: Philip Chanelle. Guitarist based in drums by Brian Ray, produced 621 00:39:43,955 --> 00:39:47,155 Speaker 1: by t k O Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been 622 00:39:47,195 --> 00:39:50,475 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by no horns allowed. The sports music 623 00:39:50,595 --> 00:39:53,355 Speaker 1: is the Alderman theme from ESPN two, which was written 624 00:39:53,355 --> 00:39:57,195 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy a ESPN Inc. Musical comments 625 00:39:57,195 --> 00:40:00,395 Speaker 1: from Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our 626 00:40:00,395 --> 00:40:03,995 Speaker 1: announcer today was John Deane and well sir, everything else 627 00:40:04,115 --> 00:40:07,035 Speaker 1: is pretty much my fault. So that's countdown for this 628 00:40:08,555 --> 00:40:11,835 Speaker 1: day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically 629 00:40:11,875 --> 00:40:15,315 Speaker 1: elected government of the United States. Arrest him now while 630 00:40:15,395 --> 00:40:18,475 Speaker 1: we still can. A new episode on Monday. Until then 631 00:40:18,475 --> 00:40:22,235 Speaker 1: on Keith Alderman, Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and well sir, 632 00:40:22,875 --> 00:40:32,155 Speaker 1: good luck. Countdown with Keith old Reman is a production 633 00:40:32,315 --> 00:40:35,955 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 634 00:40:36,115 --> 00:40:39,675 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 635 00:40:39,715 --> 00:40:41,075 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.