1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,595 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. To 2 00:00:21,715 --> 00:00:25,635 Speaker 1: be blunt about it, rare has been the election when 3 00:00:25,675 --> 00:00:29,995 Speaker 1: the vice presidential choice has actually helped the Democratic campaign. 4 00:00:30,715 --> 00:00:35,275 Speaker 1: But rarer still has been the election when both vice 5 00:00:35,315 --> 00:00:40,675 Speaker 1: presidential choices have actually helped the Democratic campaign. It is 6 00:00:40,755 --> 00:00:44,435 Speaker 1: a given that they should have Tim Walls make ten 7 00:00:44,475 --> 00:00:49,395 Speaker 1: speeches a week every warehouse, farmhouse, hen house, outhouse, and doghouse. 8 00:00:50,275 --> 00:00:54,915 Speaker 1: But Democrats should also now anonymously flood the Trump campaign 9 00:00:55,315 --> 00:00:58,675 Speaker 1: and every Republican in the country with a succinct and 10 00:00:58,755 --> 00:01:07,115 Speaker 1: anonymous message send more jd Vance, My God, is this 11 00:01:07,275 --> 00:01:14,875 Speaker 1: guy an idiot? More accurately, JV Vance JV what a gift? 12 00:01:15,475 --> 00:01:21,195 Speaker 1: JV Vance has launched twenty years after after the original 13 00:01:21,315 --> 00:01:26,035 Speaker 1: attempt to do this succeeded against John Kerry. Jd vance 14 00:01:26,235 --> 00:01:31,195 Speaker 1: has launched a new swift boat campaign against a man, 15 00:01:31,675 --> 00:01:35,755 Speaker 1: Tim Walls, governor of Minnesota, who served in the military 16 00:01:35,795 --> 00:01:41,315 Speaker 1: for twenty four years. And Tim Walls is the victim here, obviously, 17 00:01:41,795 --> 00:01:46,555 Speaker 1: but moreover, jd vance has launched this campaign, this swift 18 00:01:46,635 --> 00:01:51,995 Speaker 1: voting effort while being the running mate of a draft dodger. 19 00:01:53,115 --> 00:01:56,155 Speaker 1: If there is one topic you do not want to 20 00:01:56,195 --> 00:02:01,515 Speaker 1: bring up as Trump's campaign slowly bleeds to death, one 21 00:02:01,755 --> 00:02:06,155 Speaker 1: topic you do not want to insert into the national 22 00:02:06,235 --> 00:02:12,035 Speaker 1: dialogue right now. It's stolen valor. And if that were 23 00:02:12,075 --> 00:02:14,995 Speaker 1: not enough, if it were not enough to bring the 24 00:02:15,235 --> 00:02:20,355 Speaker 1: entirety of the Trump bone spurs draft avoidance, and that's 25 00:02:20,435 --> 00:02:23,955 Speaker 1: the best interpretation of it, story back to life after 26 00:02:24,115 --> 00:02:27,915 Speaker 1: literally fifty five years. If there's one thing you don't 27 00:02:27,995 --> 00:02:31,235 Speaker 1: want to do besides that, it's to bring up this 28 00:02:31,355 --> 00:02:34,435 Speaker 1: story again and this question of valor and who's telling 29 00:02:34,675 --> 00:02:38,555 Speaker 1: the truth about their military record when your own role 30 00:02:38,795 --> 00:02:44,555 Speaker 1: in the United States military was as a Marine correspondent. 31 00:02:45,915 --> 00:02:52,435 Speaker 1: Captain J. V. Vance was a correspondent with the Marines 32 00:02:52,515 --> 00:02:58,315 Speaker 1: in Iraq. Brian Williams in uniform. Everybody more on that. Presently, 33 00:02:58,955 --> 00:03:03,115 Speaker 1: he's trying to swift vote to smear a man who 34 00:03:03,235 --> 00:03:06,715 Speaker 1: served in the National Guard for nineteen eighty one through 35 00:03:06,835 --> 00:03:11,835 Speaker 1: two thousand and five and who retired at one rank 36 00:03:11,915 --> 00:03:14,875 Speaker 1: lower than he actually served at because he had not 37 00:03:15,035 --> 00:03:19,555 Speaker 1: finished one training course, so he took the benefits hit 38 00:03:20,115 --> 00:03:23,395 Speaker 1: rather than try to fudge the promotion. That is who 39 00:03:23,435 --> 00:03:29,275 Speaker 1: is being attacked here by JD. Vance. Thus JV reopens 40 00:03:29,315 --> 00:03:33,075 Speaker 1: the entire question not only of what Trump was not 41 00:03:33,155 --> 00:03:38,275 Speaker 1: doing in Vietnam, but what he Vance was not doing 42 00:03:38,315 --> 00:03:44,355 Speaker 1: in Iraq as a Marine correspondent. And of course, the 43 00:03:44,475 --> 00:03:46,875 Speaker 1: last phrase you would ever want to use under these 44 00:03:46,875 --> 00:03:51,035 Speaker 1: circumstances would be the one that goes stolen valor. 45 00:03:51,515 --> 00:03:53,915 Speaker 2: He has not spent a day in a combat zone. 46 00:03:53,995 --> 00:03:57,315 Speaker 2: What bothers me about Tim Waltz is the stolen valor garbage. 47 00:03:57,435 --> 00:03:59,515 Speaker 2: Do not pretend to be something that you're not. And 48 00:03:59,515 --> 00:04:01,555 Speaker 2: if he wants to criticize me for getting an Ivy 49 00:04:01,635 --> 00:04:04,355 Speaker 2: League education, I'm proud of the fact that my Mamma's 50 00:04:04,315 --> 00:04:06,355 Speaker 2: support to me that I was able to make something 51 00:04:06,395 --> 00:04:08,555 Speaker 2: to myself. I'd be ashamed if I was him and 52 00:04:08,595 --> 00:04:10,555 Speaker 2: I lied about my military service like he did. 53 00:04:10,875 --> 00:04:14,355 Speaker 1: Stolen valor said by a man who was in Iraq 54 00:04:15,435 --> 00:04:18,795 Speaker 1: as a correspondent. Now, look, I'm not going to go 55 00:04:18,835 --> 00:04:22,955 Speaker 1: and use that phrase stolen valor against JV. Vance, because 56 00:04:22,995 --> 00:04:27,435 Speaker 1: if you go to Iraq as a correspondent, as a 57 00:04:27,875 --> 00:04:33,155 Speaker 1: innocent bystander, as a member of a peace group somehow 58 00:04:33,195 --> 00:04:36,275 Speaker 1: embedded with the Marines, you still stood an excellent chance 59 00:04:36,315 --> 00:04:38,675 Speaker 1: of getting your arm blown off. On a good day. 60 00:04:39,355 --> 00:04:42,995 Speaker 1: It required heroism, and it certainly counts as military service. 61 00:04:43,195 --> 00:04:45,475 Speaker 1: I'm not doing what JV. Vance is trying to do 62 00:04:45,595 --> 00:04:49,355 Speaker 1: to Tim Walls. On the other hand, as it points 63 00:04:49,395 --> 00:04:51,915 Speaker 1: out in his biography, he enlisted in the US Marine 64 00:04:51,955 --> 00:04:56,315 Speaker 1: Corps and served in Iraq as a combat correspondent for 65 00:04:56,515 --> 00:05:00,875 Speaker 1: six months late in two thousand and five. I swear 66 00:05:00,915 --> 00:05:05,235 Speaker 1: to God, part of the second Marine Aircraft Wing Public 67 00:05:05,435 --> 00:05:13,995 Speaker 1: Affairs section. I presume they had battles with Iraqi pr people. 68 00:05:15,635 --> 00:05:18,195 Speaker 1: He said his service taught him how to live like 69 00:05:18,195 --> 00:05:22,235 Speaker 1: an adult. But he added, oh my goodness, get this tattooed. 70 00:05:23,315 --> 00:05:28,435 Speaker 1: I was lucky to escape any real fighting. That's a 71 00:05:28,515 --> 00:05:32,035 Speaker 1: marine talking. I was lucky to escape any real fighting. 72 00:05:32,275 --> 00:05:35,195 Speaker 1: But this guy over here is guilty of stolen valor 73 00:05:35,915 --> 00:05:38,835 Speaker 1: not only that, but Vance has tried to pin the 74 00:05:38,835 --> 00:05:42,875 Speaker 1: Iraq War on Joe Biden because as a senator, President 75 00:05:42,875 --> 00:05:47,955 Speaker 1: Biden voted and was conned by Colin Powell and everybody 76 00:05:47,995 --> 00:05:51,395 Speaker 1: in the DOJ and everybody in the Bush administration and 77 00:05:51,475 --> 00:05:54,235 Speaker 1: in the Office of Homeland Security and Dick Cheney and 78 00:05:54,315 --> 00:05:57,515 Speaker 1: all the other scumbags. He was conned, as many of 79 00:05:57,635 --> 00:06:01,635 Speaker 1: us were. I wasn't, but I'll be part of that 80 00:06:02,555 --> 00:06:06,595 Speaker 1: era in news for all time. He was conned as 81 00:06:07,195 --> 00:06:11,435 Speaker 1: Biden now says, but JD. Vance wants to make the 82 00:06:11,475 --> 00:06:14,475 Speaker 1: Iraq war Biden's fault, not Bush's fault. As late as 83 00:06:14,475 --> 00:06:18,675 Speaker 1: twenty ten, JV. Vance was publicly supporting Bush's war in Iraq. 84 00:06:18,915 --> 00:06:22,675 Speaker 1: Now he says, he fell for George W. Bush's propaganda 85 00:06:22,995 --> 00:06:27,635 Speaker 1: about Iraq. Wait a minute, that was propaganda that was 86 00:06:27,715 --> 00:06:31,315 Speaker 1: lying about Iraq. And you were one again, what did 87 00:06:31,355 --> 00:06:34,515 Speaker 1: you serve as you were a general? Oh no, you 88 00:06:34,595 --> 00:06:37,835 Speaker 1: were a public affairs Colonel JD. Vance. You were in 89 00:06:37,955 --> 00:06:41,755 Speaker 1: charge of spreading propaganda. So this war that was based 90 00:06:41,795 --> 00:06:45,195 Speaker 1: on lies and propaganda by George W. Bush, you were 91 00:06:45,195 --> 00:06:48,435 Speaker 1: one of the people who perpetrated the lying. Well, we 92 00:06:48,555 --> 00:06:50,755 Speaker 1: want to give you a full credit for that. Thank 93 00:06:50,835 --> 00:06:57,235 Speaker 1: you for your service, Liar Brian Williams in a uniform. Yes, uh, 94 00:06:57,275 --> 00:07:00,755 Speaker 1: I personally captured Sodom Hussein. He was staying in my basement, 95 00:07:00,915 --> 00:07:04,235 Speaker 1: in my basement, in my pehouse in the middle of 96 00:07:04,315 --> 00:07:11,195 Speaker 1: the desert a near Sodom City. Now, Vance does not 97 00:07:11,235 --> 00:07:13,555 Speaker 1: have to take all of the blame on this. If 98 00:07:13,595 --> 00:07:17,155 Speaker 1: you are familiar with the original swift boat story, one 99 00:07:17,315 --> 00:07:20,075 Speaker 1: of the scumbags in charge of the swift boating of 100 00:07:20,155 --> 00:07:24,355 Speaker 1: John Kerry, in which the campaign of George W. Bush 101 00:07:24,435 --> 00:07:31,115 Speaker 1: in two thousand and four managed to get MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBSABC, 102 00:07:31,395 --> 00:07:35,635 Speaker 1: all of them to question the exact details of where 103 00:07:35,715 --> 00:07:38,795 Speaker 1: the boat was and where John Kerry was and where 104 00:07:38,835 --> 00:07:41,795 Speaker 1: the island was when they gave John Kerry one of 105 00:07:41,835 --> 00:07:45,915 Speaker 1: his medals while he was serving in battle in Vietnam, 106 00:07:46,035 --> 00:07:48,395 Speaker 1: and they tried to make him look like he was 107 00:07:48,795 --> 00:07:52,595 Speaker 1: some sort of draft dodger, when of course Donald Trump 108 00:07:52,675 --> 00:07:56,355 Speaker 1: was a draft dodger and George W. Bush avoided active service, 109 00:07:56,555 --> 00:07:59,755 Speaker 1: never left Texas for his military service. They managed to 110 00:07:59,795 --> 00:08:02,355 Speaker 1: do this with the complicity of the media and a 111 00:08:02,355 --> 00:08:04,435 Speaker 1: few of us in the back going. I don't think 112 00:08:04,475 --> 00:08:07,675 Speaker 1: this this is right. It was par for the course 113 00:08:07,715 --> 00:08:11,435 Speaker 1: with the Bush era. And as we know now Public 114 00:08:11,475 --> 00:08:14,995 Speaker 1: Affairs Colonel JD. Vance was helping on this whole Bush 115 00:08:15,035 --> 00:08:17,715 Speaker 1: measure from Iraq, but that would be in two thousand 116 00:08:17,755 --> 00:08:20,515 Speaker 1: and five. This is two thousand and four. One of 117 00:08:20,595 --> 00:08:25,115 Speaker 1: the Bush administration's swift voters is now Senior something or 118 00:08:25,115 --> 00:08:29,475 Speaker 1: another senior asshole on the Trump campaign. So they worked 119 00:08:30,035 --> 00:08:32,555 Speaker 1: on this in two thousand and four. It worked so well, 120 00:08:32,915 --> 00:08:36,755 Speaker 1: and they've decided to use it again. And they've stepped 121 00:08:36,795 --> 00:08:40,515 Speaker 1: on their own dicks again because they are emphasizing the 122 00:08:40,555 --> 00:08:44,875 Speaker 1: fact that Donald Trump dodged the draft and the phony 123 00:08:44,915 --> 00:08:48,435 Speaker 1: war of Iraq, all of the lies, all of the 124 00:08:48,475 --> 00:08:52,915 Speaker 1: propaganda from George W. Bush was sold in part by 125 00:08:52,995 --> 00:08:59,475 Speaker 1: public Affairs Colonel JD. Vance, the gift that keeps on given. 126 00:09:00,035 --> 00:09:04,035 Speaker 1: But wait, there's more from JV. He's offered to debate, 127 00:09:04,835 --> 00:09:09,835 Speaker 1: to debate Kamala Harris. If you've ever heard the cliche 128 00:09:09,875 --> 00:09:12,555 Speaker 1: too clever by half and wondered what it actually meant, 129 00:09:12,595 --> 00:09:17,355 Speaker 1: this is too clever by half. He's playing dumb. He 130 00:09:17,395 --> 00:09:20,115 Speaker 1: doesn't have to play very hard to give this impression 131 00:09:20,155 --> 00:09:24,235 Speaker 1: across to anybody, but he is playing dumb and claiming that, well, officially, 132 00:09:25,035 --> 00:09:27,875 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris is still the vice president. I will debate her. 133 00:09:28,755 --> 00:09:31,475 Speaker 1: They don't really have a vice it's been certified already. 134 00:09:32,675 --> 00:09:36,995 Speaker 1: He also stalked the Vice president's playing yesterday, adding to 135 00:09:37,075 --> 00:09:43,035 Speaker 1: the weird creep factor, leading also to a tweet from 136 00:09:43,115 --> 00:09:46,315 Speaker 1: Congressman Moskowitz saying he's been on Air Force two, the 137 00:09:46,395 --> 00:09:49,075 Speaker 1: Vice President's plane, and it has a very nice sofa. 138 00:09:50,155 --> 00:09:53,675 Speaker 1: This guy is just tone deaf and is another one 139 00:09:53,675 --> 00:09:57,635 Speaker 1: of the Dunning Krueger group. No earthly clue that he's 140 00:09:57,675 --> 00:10:00,635 Speaker 1: not the smartest guy in the room when he's probably 141 00:10:01,035 --> 00:10:06,715 Speaker 1: seventh from the bottom. The takeaway the headline to the 142 00:10:06,875 --> 00:10:12,675 Speaker 1: entirety of the Tim Walls era just starting day three, 143 00:10:12,755 --> 00:10:17,155 Speaker 1: But the headline, the point is he's happy. People like 144 00:10:17,395 --> 00:10:21,715 Speaker 1: happy voters. Like happy voters are fed up with these 145 00:10:21,795 --> 00:10:27,195 Speaker 1: angry conspiracy theories, these whiners like Trump and Vance. If 146 00:10:27,195 --> 00:10:31,275 Speaker 1: there's anything that the Kamala Harris campaign exploding out of 147 00:10:31,275 --> 00:10:34,075 Speaker 1: the gates and now exploding again out of the gates 148 00:10:34,195 --> 00:10:36,435 Speaker 1: with the addition of Walls has shown, it's that we 149 00:10:36,555 --> 00:10:41,435 Speaker 1: don't want everybody to be angry all the time. And 150 00:10:41,555 --> 00:10:44,115 Speaker 1: again you put on the list of the people who 151 00:10:44,195 --> 00:10:46,955 Speaker 1: are angry all the time. I'm on that list. I 152 00:10:47,035 --> 00:10:51,555 Speaker 1: get the point. So here, like we don't have enough 153 00:10:51,595 --> 00:10:56,035 Speaker 1: here from JV. Vance, he went and got more angry yesterday. 154 00:10:56,275 --> 00:11:00,435 Speaker 1: He got a gift from the almighty. You want evidence 155 00:11:00,475 --> 00:11:03,715 Speaker 1: that there might be a god. JD. Vance got a 156 00:11:03,795 --> 00:11:07,755 Speaker 1: gift from that entity if he really exists. Yesterday, a 157 00:11:07,875 --> 00:11:14,435 Speaker 1: reporter asks him, what makes you happy? I mean, utterly 158 00:11:14,555 --> 00:11:16,955 Speaker 1: teed up to make inroads, to be able to push 159 00:11:16,995 --> 00:11:20,795 Speaker 1: back against tim walls, to stop the bleeding before it 160 00:11:20,875 --> 00:11:25,275 Speaker 1: turns into a hemorrhage, to compete with walls for the 161 00:11:26,035 --> 00:11:30,675 Speaker 1: I like America. I'm happy. What makes me happy? I 162 00:11:30,835 --> 00:11:34,755 Speaker 1: like dogs and cats. I like ice cream. I like America. 163 00:11:34,875 --> 00:11:37,475 Speaker 1: I like to smile at the flag. I like to 164 00:11:37,515 --> 00:11:40,795 Speaker 1: wrap myself in the flag. I like Donald Trump. Donald 165 00:11:40,835 --> 00:11:44,195 Speaker 1: Trump makes me happy. Say something like that. He couldn't 166 00:11:44,315 --> 00:11:46,875 Speaker 1: he couldn't do it. He couldn't stop himself. What makes 167 00:11:46,915 --> 00:11:49,955 Speaker 1: you happy, He's asked, He answers in effect, I like 168 00:11:50,075 --> 00:11:54,075 Speaker 1: being mad. He did everything except say I'm only happy 169 00:11:54,075 --> 00:11:56,515 Speaker 1: when it rains. I only smile in the dark. My 170 00:11:56,555 --> 00:11:59,435 Speaker 1: only comfort is the night gone black. I didn't accidentally 171 00:11:59,435 --> 00:12:02,275 Speaker 1: tell you that I'm only happy when it rains. A 172 00:12:02,315 --> 00:12:06,115 Speaker 1: little bit different here, how the criticizes being too serious 173 00:12:06,355 --> 00:12:09,515 Speaker 1: entertain me sometimes. What makes you smile? 174 00:12:09,875 --> 00:12:11,435 Speaker 2: What makes you happy? 175 00:12:12,555 --> 00:12:12,835 Speaker 1: Well? 176 00:12:13,115 --> 00:12:15,515 Speaker 2: I smile a little lot of things, including bogus questions 177 00:12:15,515 --> 00:12:19,035 Speaker 2: from the media. Man, I mean, look, I think if 178 00:12:19,075 --> 00:12:21,155 Speaker 2: you watch, if you watch a full speech that I give, 179 00:12:21,315 --> 00:12:23,595 Speaker 2: I actually I'm having a good time out here and 180 00:12:23,635 --> 00:12:26,395 Speaker 2: I'm enjoying this. But look, sometimes you got to take 181 00:12:26,395 --> 00:12:29,075 Speaker 2: the good with the bad, and right now I. 182 00:12:28,995 --> 00:12:31,675 Speaker 1: Am angry at JV. If you want something to really 183 00:12:31,715 --> 00:12:36,355 Speaker 1: be unhappy about, the first vance versus happy Tim Walls. 184 00:12:36,435 --> 00:12:42,595 Speaker 1: Polling will be coming out soon. Meanwhile, his boss, mister 185 00:12:42,795 --> 00:12:46,275 Speaker 1: stolen Valor of nineteen sixty six, nineteen sixty seven and 186 00:12:46,475 --> 00:12:50,835 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty eight three Pete winner of Mister Stolen Valor 187 00:12:50,915 --> 00:12:54,555 Speaker 1: of the Year, Draft dodger Don. He stepped on his 188 00:12:54,635 --> 00:12:59,795 Speaker 1: own wang yesterday too. The standard Trump anybody who opposes 189 00:12:59,835 --> 00:13:03,635 Speaker 1: me as a communist stream merged with the you thought 190 00:13:03,715 --> 00:13:06,915 Speaker 1: January sixth was better? What about when the entire country 191 00:13:06,955 --> 00:13:10,235 Speaker 1: burned to the ground by Black Lives Matter, especially Minneapolis. 192 00:13:10,715 --> 00:13:15,235 Speaker 1: These two streams merged. Trump did it. Trump has spent 193 00:13:15,555 --> 00:13:18,675 Speaker 1: the entirety of the time since Tim Walls was given 194 00:13:18,715 --> 00:13:22,315 Speaker 1: the vice presidential slot on the Harris campaign blaming Tim 195 00:13:22,355 --> 00:13:28,595 Speaker 1: Walls and Tim Walls alone for communism, inflation, gas prices. 196 00:13:29,035 --> 00:13:32,395 Speaker 1: The troubled Trump has keeping his hair just the right 197 00:13:32,635 --> 00:13:39,635 Speaker 1: color of orange. He's been complaining about Tim Walls and 198 00:13:39,715 --> 00:13:42,555 Speaker 1: insisting its Tim Walls and Tim Walls did a terrible job. 199 00:13:42,595 --> 00:13:45,355 Speaker 1: And he's going to, in that phrase from Steven Miller, 200 00:13:45,515 --> 00:13:49,435 Speaker 1: turn the entirety of the Midwest into Mogadishu, except now 201 00:13:49,435 --> 00:13:52,675 Speaker 1: it turns out, thank you ABC News. Trump got on 202 00:13:52,715 --> 00:13:54,715 Speaker 1: the blower with all the governors in the middle of 203 00:13:54,755 --> 00:13:58,555 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, late in the spring, after Trump had tweeted 204 00:13:58,635 --> 00:14:05,195 Speaker 1: liberate Minnesota, jeopardizing Tim Walls's life by doing so. After 205 00:14:05,235 --> 00:14:09,115 Speaker 1: all that, after the rioting, such as it was trivial 206 00:14:09,155 --> 00:14:11,995 Speaker 1: compared to January sixth, got on the phone with a 207 00:14:11,995 --> 00:14:15,475 Speaker 1: bunch of governors to talk about how he thought walltz 208 00:14:15,635 --> 00:14:18,915 Speaker 1: was doing with the protest in Minnesota, and Donald Trump 209 00:14:19,275 --> 00:14:25,515 Speaker 1: could not stop praising Governor to Walls. I know Governor 210 00:14:25,555 --> 00:14:29,875 Speaker 1: Walls is on the phone and we spoke, and I 211 00:14:29,955 --> 00:14:31,915 Speaker 1: fully agree with the way he handled it. 212 00:14:31,875 --> 00:14:32,955 Speaker 2: The last couple of days. 213 00:14:32,955 --> 00:14:36,275 Speaker 1: I asked him to do that. The best example I 214 00:14:36,315 --> 00:14:40,555 Speaker 1: alluded to it a couple of seconds ago is Indianapolis. 215 00:14:40,915 --> 00:14:43,275 Speaker 1: Two days three days later, I spoke to the governor. 216 00:14:43,315 --> 00:14:46,835 Speaker 1: The Governor's I think on the calliny he's an excellent guy. 217 00:14:47,235 --> 00:14:52,435 Speaker 1: By the way, the police station in Minneapolis that was burned, 218 00:14:53,115 --> 00:14:56,195 Speaker 1: that you will hear a lot about as they continue 219 00:14:56,235 --> 00:14:58,715 Speaker 1: this thread, as they continue to throw anything they can 220 00:14:58,755 --> 00:15:00,955 Speaker 1: think of against the wall, and so far they have 221 00:15:01,035 --> 00:15:03,835 Speaker 1: not even hit the wall yet. One of the people 222 00:15:03,835 --> 00:15:08,315 Speaker 1: who burned it to the ground was a Maga provocateur, 223 00:15:09,075 --> 00:15:12,835 Speaker 1: a member of the Boogaloo Boys. So when you hear oh, 224 00:15:12,875 --> 00:15:16,755 Speaker 1: they burned down a Minneapolis police station while Tim Walls 225 00:15:16,875 --> 00:15:20,675 Speaker 1: was governor, just remember like the guy who shot at Trump, 226 00:15:21,355 --> 00:15:24,835 Speaker 1: it was Maga, And you could just take some of 227 00:15:24,875 --> 00:15:28,235 Speaker 1: that tape of Trump and you could say, we're Tim 228 00:15:28,315 --> 00:15:33,355 Speaker 1: Walls and Kamala Harris, and we approved this message because 229 00:15:33,435 --> 00:16:02,555 Speaker 1: Donald Trump is an effing moron. Now your polls round up, 230 00:16:02,595 --> 00:16:06,275 Speaker 1: and again, the overarching theme of the polls ever since 231 00:16:06,355 --> 00:16:10,875 Speaker 1: Harris replaced Biden in this campaign has been the same message. 232 00:16:11,195 --> 00:16:14,955 Speaker 1: These are the kind of inroads that were hoped for 233 00:16:15,155 --> 00:16:18,955 Speaker 1: by perhaps Labor Day or maybe October first. They are 234 00:16:18,995 --> 00:16:22,835 Speaker 1: already here and there is as yet no indication they 235 00:16:22,835 --> 00:16:28,555 Speaker 1: are even slowing down. You gov for the Economist yesterday 236 00:16:28,755 --> 00:16:35,275 Speaker 1: Harris forty five, Trump forty three. Data for Progress Russ 237 00:16:35,435 --> 00:16:39,355 Speaker 1: felt only that's Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The second time 238 00:16:39,355 --> 00:16:43,035 Speaker 1: they've done this trial July twenty third, the results were 239 00:16:43,475 --> 00:16:48,355 Speaker 1: Trump fifty percent in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Biden forty 240 00:16:48,395 --> 00:16:53,635 Speaker 1: three percent. The new poll dated August seventh, Harris forty 241 00:16:53,675 --> 00:16:57,435 Speaker 1: eight forty seven, So Biden was losing by seven to 242 00:16:57,555 --> 00:17:00,915 Speaker 1: Trump and Harris is beating Trump by one. The swing 243 00:17:01,235 --> 00:17:06,115 Speaker 1: in a matter of two weeks, two weeks eight points 244 00:17:06,355 --> 00:17:09,195 Speaker 1: and by the way, a very good job by Data 245 00:17:09,235 --> 00:17:11,995 Speaker 1: for Progress because they polled the sane people about how 246 00:17:12,035 --> 00:17:14,835 Speaker 1: they would be voting if it were still Biden in 247 00:17:14,915 --> 00:17:18,275 Speaker 1: the campaign for the Democrats, and the wisdom of this 248 00:17:18,395 --> 00:17:21,635 Speaker 1: move and the timing of this move, which will be judged, 249 00:17:21,675 --> 00:17:24,715 Speaker 1: I think by historians to be just as important as 250 00:17:24,715 --> 00:17:29,195 Speaker 1: the move itself. The timing of this and the fact 251 00:17:29,235 --> 00:17:33,115 Speaker 1: of this is indicated by the results of this poll 252 00:17:33,515 --> 00:17:37,715 Speaker 1: Data for Progress in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Again it's 253 00:17:37,755 --> 00:17:41,315 Speaker 1: forty eight forty seven Harris, and those voters said if 254 00:17:41,315 --> 00:17:43,475 Speaker 1: it had been Biden running, it would be forty seven 255 00:17:43,595 --> 00:17:47,355 Speaker 1: forty two Trump. So there is a swing right now 256 00:17:48,075 --> 00:17:52,075 Speaker 1: of six points in favor of Kamala Harris and against 257 00:17:52,115 --> 00:17:56,315 Speaker 1: Donald Trump by virtue of the presidential nominee being Kamala Harris. 258 00:17:56,795 --> 00:18:02,995 Speaker 1: Marquette University Law Wisconsin voters likely voters Harris fifty Trump 259 00:18:03,035 --> 00:18:06,915 Speaker 1: forty nine, and they did about two hundred different issues. 260 00:18:07,075 --> 00:18:10,795 Speaker 1: These are just the highlights. Harris is seen as better 261 00:18:10,915 --> 00:18:17,315 Speaker 1: on abortion policy, healthcare, ensuring fair and accurate elections, on Medicare, 262 00:18:17,595 --> 00:18:22,075 Speaker 1: and on Social Security. Some specific questions, Does the phrase 263 00:18:22,395 --> 00:18:27,515 Speaker 1: is a strong leader fit Harris? Fifty percent say it 264 00:18:27,595 --> 00:18:30,915 Speaker 1: fits very well or somewhat well. Does it fit Trump? 265 00:18:31,115 --> 00:18:34,195 Speaker 1: Fifty eight percent say it fits very well or somewhat well. 266 00:18:34,275 --> 00:18:37,715 Speaker 1: So the big thing Trump has going for him, one 267 00:18:37,755 --> 00:18:41,755 Speaker 1: of the two big issues his own seeming personal strength. 268 00:18:42,235 --> 00:18:47,675 Speaker 1: Because America has always loved bullshit, his seeming strength is 269 00:18:47,795 --> 00:18:50,875 Speaker 1: only at this point one hundred days out, an eight 270 00:18:50,955 --> 00:18:54,155 Speaker 1: percent advantage over a presidential candidate who has been the 271 00:18:54,195 --> 00:18:58,195 Speaker 1: candidates for two and a half weeks. Another one, Does 272 00:18:58,235 --> 00:19:01,515 Speaker 1: the phrase has the right temperament to be president? Fit 273 00:19:01,595 --> 00:19:04,475 Speaker 1: these two characters? Well, see if you can guess how 274 00:19:04,475 --> 00:19:07,875 Speaker 1: this one turned out. Does it fit Harris? Fifty six 275 00:19:07,915 --> 00:19:11,435 Speaker 1: percent say you bet you. It is Wisconsin after all. 276 00:19:11,675 --> 00:19:14,875 Speaker 1: Does it fit Trump? Forty two percent say it fits 277 00:19:14,955 --> 00:19:17,755 Speaker 1: very well or somewhat well. That's forty two percent that 278 00:19:17,915 --> 00:19:21,875 Speaker 1: is below the percentage of voters who are Republicans in Wisconsin. 279 00:19:22,515 --> 00:19:25,915 Speaker 1: The favorability score in this poll in Wisconsin, Trump was 280 00:19:25,955 --> 00:19:29,195 Speaker 1: at forty one before his own convention and before the 281 00:19:29,195 --> 00:19:32,875 Speaker 1: assassination attempt, it has risen only to forty four. His 282 00:19:32,995 --> 00:19:37,035 Speaker 1: negative is fifty four. He's still ten points underwater. Harris 283 00:19:37,155 --> 00:19:41,075 Speaker 1: is at forty one approval fifty three disapproval, So she 284 00:19:41,355 --> 00:19:44,755 Speaker 1: is just twelve underwater. She's only two points worse than 285 00:19:44,795 --> 00:19:49,075 Speaker 1: he is two and a half weeks in. One more set, 286 00:19:49,195 --> 00:19:52,395 Speaker 1: not so much of polls, but as of interpretation of 287 00:19:52,435 --> 00:19:55,675 Speaker 1: polling and trends. This is Larry Sabato's group at the 288 00:19:55,755 --> 00:19:59,955 Speaker 1: University of Virginia Center for Politics. Their crystal Ball, good 289 00:19:59,995 --> 00:20:02,755 Speaker 1: old fashioned crystal ball, which has nothing to do with 290 00:20:02,795 --> 00:20:07,315 Speaker 1: the former MSNBC host stoll Ball. Thank goodness crystal Ball 291 00:20:07,475 --> 00:20:11,795 Speaker 1: ratings changes. Three states were changed yesterday in the forecast. 292 00:20:12,075 --> 00:20:16,955 Speaker 1: Georgia was lean Trump. It is now considered a toss up. 293 00:20:17,355 --> 00:20:21,755 Speaker 1: Minnesota was lean Democrat. Guess what it is now It's 294 00:20:21,875 --> 00:20:26,555 Speaker 1: now likely Democrat. New Hampshire was lean Democrat. That one 295 00:20:26,595 --> 00:20:30,955 Speaker 1: has also been moved by Sabato and company to likely Democrat. 296 00:20:31,315 --> 00:20:36,395 Speaker 1: And this is all before the Republicans experience when the 297 00:20:36,475 --> 00:20:46,435 Speaker 1: walls come tumbling down on them. Also of interest here, 298 00:20:46,555 --> 00:20:50,675 Speaker 1: remember Valentina, the gal with the ar fifteen running for 299 00:20:50,755 --> 00:20:54,715 Speaker 1: Secretary of State in Missouri, the one who appeared on 300 00:20:54,755 --> 00:20:57,395 Speaker 1: the balcony of the Speaker of the House in violation 301 00:20:57,515 --> 00:21:00,515 Speaker 1: of the rules and laws regarding the use of the 302 00:21:00,875 --> 00:21:04,075 Speaker 1: Speaker of the House's balcony for political purposes. Well, guess 303 00:21:04,115 --> 00:21:07,595 Speaker 1: what not gonna be Secretary of State in Missouri. She 304 00:21:07,755 --> 00:21:12,595 Speaker 1: lost bad. She's not gonna get it. She lost real bad, 305 00:21:12,715 --> 00:21:18,275 Speaker 1: real real bad. Those fun numbers. Next, this is countdown. 306 00:21:20,235 --> 00:21:45,835 Speaker 1: This is countdown with Keith Oberman still ahead of us 307 00:21:45,835 --> 00:21:49,315 Speaker 1: on this editionive Countdown. Somebody mentioned this guy's name yesterday. 308 00:21:49,915 --> 00:21:53,835 Speaker 1: He is still in television. He rarely talks about his 309 00:21:53,955 --> 00:21:57,875 Speaker 1: stint as the general manager of MSNBC because it's kind 310 00:21:57,915 --> 00:22:01,035 Speaker 1: of like that forty nine day term of the former 311 00:22:01,315 --> 00:22:04,075 Speaker 1: UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and the way they talk 312 00:22:04,075 --> 00:22:08,675 Speaker 1: about her now now Liz Truss, Liz Trust who oh, 313 00:22:08,715 --> 00:22:14,955 Speaker 1: the woman who lost to the cabbage That is this story. 314 00:22:15,315 --> 00:22:19,755 Speaker 1: The worst general manager in the world, so bad he 315 00:22:19,835 --> 00:22:21,875 Speaker 1: was compared to a character from the old Candice Berg 316 00:22:21,955 --> 00:22:25,155 Speaker 1: and TV series Murphy Brown. So bad that when it 317 00:22:25,195 --> 00:22:28,235 Speaker 1: was announced they were actually going to make him the 318 00:22:28,435 --> 00:22:33,555 Speaker 1: GM that other executives at MSNBC believed that it was 319 00:22:33,595 --> 00:22:38,195 Speaker 1: an elaborate, practical joke. Ahead in Things I promised not 320 00:22:38,355 --> 00:22:41,195 Speaker 1: to tell first, there are still more new idiots to 321 00:22:41,195 --> 00:22:43,555 Speaker 1: talk about. The daily roundup of the mis grants, morons 322 00:22:43,555 --> 00:22:48,075 Speaker 1: and Dunning Kruger effects specimens who constitute two day's worst 323 00:22:48,115 --> 00:22:52,915 Speaker 1: persons in the world, the Bronze Worst Olympics critics like Trumpy, 324 00:22:53,715 --> 00:22:57,115 Speaker 1: like Victor Orbon, the ones who took on the mayor 325 00:22:57,195 --> 00:23:02,155 Speaker 1: of Paris, A Hidalgo and has been the mayor there 326 00:23:02,195 --> 00:23:06,755 Speaker 1: since twenty fourteen using language like this, I love Anne. 327 00:23:07,915 --> 00:23:11,555 Speaker 1: Religious and political officials you will recall voice outrage in 328 00:23:11,595 --> 00:23:15,875 Speaker 1: response to the opening ceremonies, and the International Olympic Committee 329 00:23:15,915 --> 00:23:20,475 Speaker 1: apologized to anybody who might have been offended because they 330 00:23:20,515 --> 00:23:23,875 Speaker 1: thought it was the Last Supper, being it's a book, 331 00:23:24,435 --> 00:23:26,875 Speaker 1: you don't even know if it's real. You don't even 332 00:23:26,955 --> 00:23:29,715 Speaker 1: know where the Last Supper was. There's no evidence that 333 00:23:29,835 --> 00:23:32,115 Speaker 1: Christ actually existed. If you want to believe it, go 334 00:23:32,195 --> 00:23:35,795 Speaker 1: right ahead. Don't complain about the Olympics because you think 335 00:23:35,915 --> 00:23:38,835 Speaker 1: they made fun of the story. And it wasn't even 336 00:23:38,875 --> 00:23:42,115 Speaker 1: that story they were making fun of. And I am 337 00:23:42,155 --> 00:23:46,475 Speaker 1: being nice. Mayor Hidalgo is not being nice, she said, 338 00:23:46,675 --> 00:23:51,715 Speaker 1: using the English version of this abbreviation. F the reactionaries, 339 00:23:52,235 --> 00:23:55,435 Speaker 1: if this far right, if all of those who would 340 00:23:55,515 --> 00:23:59,675 Speaker 1: like to lock us into a war of all against all, 341 00:24:01,035 --> 00:24:04,515 Speaker 1: said Mayor Hidalio of Paris in an interview with Lemounde 342 00:24:04,955 --> 00:24:07,435 Speaker 1: published Tuesday, and as was noted here in one piece 343 00:24:07,435 --> 00:24:11,275 Speaker 1: of wire copy, using the expletive in the original English, 344 00:24:11,435 --> 00:24:14,035 Speaker 1: she said she's proud of the way the opening ceremonies 345 00:24:14,075 --> 00:24:17,675 Speaker 1: presented Paris to the world, quoting again, Paris is the 346 00:24:17,675 --> 00:24:21,795 Speaker 1: city of all freedoms, the city of refuge for LGBTQI 347 00:24:21,995 --> 00:24:27,595 Speaker 1: plus people, the city where people live together. F the right. 348 00:24:28,675 --> 00:24:31,155 Speaker 1: I would like Mayor Hidalgo to run for mayor of 349 00:24:31,195 --> 00:24:34,155 Speaker 1: New York City. I mean we need a mayor who 350 00:24:34,195 --> 00:24:37,675 Speaker 1: talks like a script from the Sopranos. Just let it 351 00:24:37,675 --> 00:24:41,635 Speaker 1: all hang out, Mayor. Thank you the runner up. Okay, 352 00:24:41,715 --> 00:24:44,955 Speaker 1: don't always let it all hang out. Take, for example, 353 00:24:45,035 --> 00:24:49,875 Speaker 1: our worser today, Philadelphia radio sports reporter Howard Eskin. The 354 00:24:49,955 --> 00:24:54,475 Speaker 1: headline Howard Eskin to remain Eagles sideline reporter, according to 355 00:24:54,475 --> 00:25:00,515 Speaker 1: the Philadelphia Inquirer despite quote unwelcome kiss at Philly's game. 356 00:25:02,035 --> 00:25:05,875 Speaker 1: Howard Eskin, who is currently banned from the state at 357 00:25:05,875 --> 00:25:09,075 Speaker 1: which the Philadelphia Phillies and the NBA Philadelphia seventy six 358 00:25:09,155 --> 00:25:11,515 Speaker 1: Ers play that would be an arena in the seventy 359 00:25:11,555 --> 00:25:15,995 Speaker 1: six ers case, will be the All Sports radio stations 360 00:25:16,195 --> 00:25:20,835 Speaker 1: sideline reporter for Philadelphia Eagles games, following a nearly one 361 00:25:20,875 --> 00:25:25,035 Speaker 1: month hiatus that followed accusations he made an unwanted advance 362 00:25:25,115 --> 00:25:30,435 Speaker 1: towards an Airmark employee, that's the concessionaires at the ballpark 363 00:25:30,515 --> 00:25:34,715 Speaker 1: at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The advance included an 364 00:25:34,915 --> 00:25:39,315 Speaker 1: unwelcome kiss in May. If you've ever seen Howard Eskin, 365 00:25:39,835 --> 00:25:41,795 Speaker 1: you know how old he is. He's two hundred and six. 366 00:25:42,475 --> 00:25:46,115 Speaker 1: All kisses from Howard Eskin would be described as unwelcome. 367 00:25:46,395 --> 00:25:49,235 Speaker 1: Apparently this one was a little worse than normal. Have 368 00:25:49,315 --> 00:25:52,235 Speaker 1: I got a story about Howard Eskin for you? When 369 00:25:52,275 --> 00:25:54,795 Speaker 1: I say Howard Eskin is two hundred and six, that 370 00:25:54,915 --> 00:25:59,755 Speaker 1: might be not a bad guess, almost literally true. When 371 00:25:59,795 --> 00:26:03,355 Speaker 1: I got into this business in nineteen seventy nine, Howard 372 00:26:03,435 --> 00:26:07,635 Speaker 1: Eskin was already the sports stringer for United Press Internationals 373 00:26:07,715 --> 00:26:12,235 Speaker 1: radio network in Philadelphia, so I would buy tape from him, 374 00:26:12,315 --> 00:26:15,115 Speaker 1: as we said he would do interviews with players after 375 00:26:15,195 --> 00:26:18,435 Speaker 1: games for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Eagles, the seventy six Ers, 376 00:26:18,635 --> 00:26:21,635 Speaker 1: any other team that existed in those days. He would 377 00:26:21,715 --> 00:26:23,835 Speaker 1: then feed the tape to us in New York and 378 00:26:23,875 --> 00:26:26,755 Speaker 1: he would get fifteen dollars or twenty five dollars or 379 00:26:26,755 --> 00:26:30,755 Speaker 1: whatever it was. In nineteen eighty, the Philadelphia Phillies made 380 00:26:30,755 --> 00:26:35,155 Speaker 1: their first World Series appearance in thirty years, the first 381 00:26:35,195 --> 00:26:37,835 Speaker 1: since they had a lot of reporters covering things like 382 00:26:37,875 --> 00:26:41,875 Speaker 1: the World Series, and we needed for UPI somebody to 383 00:26:41,955 --> 00:26:45,035 Speaker 1: go and cover the World Series in Philadelphia and Kansas City. 384 00:26:45,115 --> 00:26:48,515 Speaker 1: And that was me, age twenty one and the third 385 00:26:48,635 --> 00:26:52,835 Speaker 1: most senior sportscaster out of three for UPI's radio network. 386 00:26:53,475 --> 00:26:56,795 Speaker 1: And my boss Sam Rosen was good enough to hire 387 00:26:56,915 --> 00:27:01,315 Speaker 1: somebody from Philadelphia to make sure that I was okay, 388 00:27:01,395 --> 00:27:04,275 Speaker 1: that there was a back up in case I missed 389 00:27:04,275 --> 00:27:07,275 Speaker 1: a protein interview, to share his tape with me, to 390 00:27:07,315 --> 00:27:09,595 Speaker 1: help me out in any way he could, in addition 391 00:27:09,675 --> 00:27:13,595 Speaker 1: to his other personal responsibilities for his radio station in Philadelphia, 392 00:27:13,635 --> 00:27:19,395 Speaker 1: and that naturally was our stringer in Philadelphia. Howard unwelcome 393 00:27:19,595 --> 00:27:23,035 Speaker 1: kiss Eskin. I'll have to say Howard Eskin did not 394 00:27:23,155 --> 00:27:25,555 Speaker 1: do a bad job. I was twenty one years old 395 00:27:25,635 --> 00:27:28,315 Speaker 1: and didn't have much to compare it to. Using the 396 00:27:28,355 --> 00:27:30,635 Speaker 1: experience of the last forty four years, I'd say he 397 00:27:30,675 --> 00:27:33,355 Speaker 1: did probably a B minus job. He had a lot 398 00:27:33,355 --> 00:27:35,755 Speaker 1: of stuff to do for himself. I didn't need that 399 00:27:35,875 --> 00:27:38,275 Speaker 1: much help. But several times I said, I didn't get 400 00:27:38,315 --> 00:27:40,875 Speaker 1: that interview with Dick ruthven Dowerry. I got it for 401 00:27:40,955 --> 00:27:44,955 Speaker 1: your hair. It's a dub. However, after the Phillies won 402 00:27:44,995 --> 00:27:47,595 Speaker 1: their first World Series ever and they had become the 403 00:27:47,595 --> 00:27:54,315 Speaker 1: Philadelphia Phillies, and I believe eighteen eighty four, they moved 404 00:27:54,315 --> 00:27:58,195 Speaker 1: from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Philadelphia. The Phillies had never won 405 00:27:58,235 --> 00:28:01,235 Speaker 1: the World Series before, so the celebration was kind of big. 406 00:28:01,555 --> 00:28:04,075 Speaker 1: And in nineteen eighty they won the World Series at 407 00:28:04,075 --> 00:28:09,515 Speaker 1: home in Philmladelphia, with the police on horseback ringing the outfield. 408 00:28:10,195 --> 00:28:15,075 Speaker 1: There must have been fifty mounted Philadelphia Police officers on 409 00:28:15,235 --> 00:28:18,395 Speaker 1: the field on the warning track. God help anybody if 410 00:28:18,395 --> 00:28:21,595 Speaker 1: there was a long fly ball, long fly ball deep 411 00:28:21,715 --> 00:28:24,515 Speaker 1: left field. As their announcer Harry Kallis would have said, 412 00:28:26,235 --> 00:28:29,555 Speaker 1: thank goodness, the last out was a pop up in 413 00:28:29,635 --> 00:28:32,835 Speaker 1: any event, That's how worried they were about damage during 414 00:28:32,835 --> 00:28:35,715 Speaker 1: the celebration in Philadelphia, and sure enough, there was a 415 00:28:35,755 --> 00:28:38,915 Speaker 1: little damage when we finally left the ballpark that night 416 00:28:38,955 --> 00:28:43,515 Speaker 1: about four am on the main streets of Philadelphia. The 417 00:28:43,555 --> 00:28:47,275 Speaker 1: amount of broken glass on the streets was about two 418 00:28:47,635 --> 00:28:51,075 Speaker 1: two and a half inches high. Broken glass down the 419 00:28:51,155 --> 00:28:55,955 Speaker 1: middle of Broad Street in Philadelphia. Howard Eskin having been 420 00:28:55,995 --> 00:28:58,595 Speaker 1: paid to take care of me, and since there weren't 421 00:28:58,595 --> 00:29:01,475 Speaker 1: a lot of cabs outside Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia the 422 00:29:01,555 --> 00:29:04,235 Speaker 1: night the Phillies won their first World Series because everybody 423 00:29:04,275 --> 00:29:08,155 Speaker 1: was too busy the breaking glass on Broad Street, Howard 424 00:29:08,275 --> 00:29:10,515 Speaker 1: Eskin said, I'll give you a lift back to your hotel, 425 00:29:11,155 --> 00:29:13,755 Speaker 1: and he took me halfway to my hotel, right into 426 00:29:13,755 --> 00:29:16,555 Speaker 1: the middle of Broad Street for twenty four to twenty 427 00:29:16,635 --> 00:29:20,315 Speaker 1: five am. And he said, yeah, so far as I go, 428 00:29:20,715 --> 00:29:23,155 Speaker 1: you can get a cab from here, and basically pushed 429 00:29:23,155 --> 00:29:27,595 Speaker 1: me out the door. Howard Eskin back once again after 430 00:29:27,795 --> 00:29:33,155 Speaker 1: unwelcome kiss at Phillies game. Give him something unwelcome at 431 00:29:33,155 --> 00:29:38,715 Speaker 1: the Phillies game. And now to our winner, the worst 432 00:29:39,355 --> 00:29:45,675 Speaker 1: Valentina gun nut herself. You remember Valentina Valentina Gomez, the 433 00:29:46,315 --> 00:29:51,235 Speaker 1: immigrant from Colombia, running to get the Republican nomination for 434 00:29:51,275 --> 00:29:55,275 Speaker 1: Secretary of State in Missouri. She's put out video fat 435 00:29:55,315 --> 00:29:58,995 Speaker 1: shaming others, kind of risky considering her own problems with 436 00:29:59,075 --> 00:30:03,915 Speaker 1: the issue. She's made video after video anti gay, anti 437 00:30:04,115 --> 00:30:08,715 Speaker 1: lgb TQ. She's made video after video carrying automatic weapons. 438 00:30:08,795 --> 00:30:11,515 Speaker 1: She made the video I mentioned earlier standing on the 439 00:30:11,555 --> 00:30:16,475 Speaker 1: balcony of the House of Representative Speaker Mike Johnson, which 440 00:30:16,515 --> 00:30:20,355 Speaker 1: you cannot do. You cannot campaign from that spot. Well, 441 00:30:20,955 --> 00:30:23,315 Speaker 1: that issue will be put aside for a time because 442 00:30:23,315 --> 00:30:27,715 Speaker 1: the Republican primary for Secretary of State in Missouri is 443 00:30:27,835 --> 00:30:33,035 Speaker 1: over and guests who didn't win go go with Gomez. No, 444 00:30:33,155 --> 00:30:37,915 Speaker 1: I'm afraid not. Let's see Denny Hoskins one hundred and 445 00:30:37,955 --> 00:30:40,675 Speaker 1: fifty seven one hundred and eighteen votes, twenty four point 446 00:30:40,755 --> 00:30:43,395 Speaker 1: four percent of the vote. Shane Schuler one hundred and 447 00:30:43,435 --> 00:30:47,035 Speaker 1: eight thousand, Mike Carter ninety one, eight sixty six thirteen, 448 00:30:47,395 --> 00:30:52,675 Speaker 1: Dean Plotcher eighty six six, Mary Elizabeth Coleman seventy two, 449 00:30:53,355 --> 00:30:55,795 Speaker 1: Howard Eskin dot sixty Oh no, I just made that 450 00:30:55,835 --> 00:30:59,395 Speaker 1: part up. I don't see Valentina Gomez's name here anywhere. 451 00:30:59,555 --> 00:31:01,595 Speaker 1: On two three, four five, oh, wait a minute, here 452 00:31:01,635 --> 00:31:06,995 Speaker 1: she is. She finished sixth She got forty seven thousand votes. 453 00:31:07,075 --> 00:31:10,515 Speaker 1: She got seven and four tenths percent of the vote. 454 00:31:10,995 --> 00:31:13,755 Speaker 1: She only missed by one hundred and ten thousand votes 455 00:31:13,835 --> 00:31:18,875 Speaker 1: for the Republican primary, but she did finish ahead of 456 00:31:19,155 --> 00:31:25,395 Speaker 1: Jamie Corley by one thousand. Congratulations Valentina Valentina Gomez, who 457 00:31:25,515 --> 00:31:29,675 Speaker 1: lost to Denny Hoskins, who has been sued for defamation 458 00:31:30,315 --> 00:31:35,235 Speaker 1: by Denton Loudermill of Olatha, Kansas, after Hoskins shared an 459 00:31:35,315 --> 00:31:39,235 Speaker 1: image of Loudermill in handcuffs and falsely identified him as 460 00:31:39,275 --> 00:31:42,435 Speaker 1: an undocumented immigrant and one of the shooters at the 461 00:31:42,515 --> 00:31:50,915 Speaker 1: Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting louder Mill. Valentina Gomez sixth place, 462 00:31:51,755 --> 00:31:56,155 Speaker 1: probably should have brought a bigger gun. Today's worse person 463 00:31:57,355 --> 00:32:13,355 Speaker 1: than the world. You can get a cab from here 464 00:32:19,235 --> 00:32:21,315 Speaker 1: to the number one story on the Countdown and my 465 00:32:21,395 --> 00:32:24,955 Speaker 1: favorite topic me and things I promised not to tell 466 00:32:25,635 --> 00:32:29,035 Speaker 1: And with that bill O'Reilly cris Cuomo thing in worse 467 00:32:29,115 --> 00:32:32,635 Speaker 1: Persons about that network News Nation, I was reminded that 468 00:32:32,675 --> 00:32:35,275 Speaker 1: there's another guy who has a show on it. And 469 00:32:35,355 --> 00:32:37,435 Speaker 1: if you have not seen this network, you are among 470 00:32:37,515 --> 00:32:39,955 Speaker 1: roughly eight billion people. It's kind of like the nick 471 00:32:40,075 --> 00:32:42,115 Speaker 1: at night of cable news. You turn to it and 472 00:32:42,195 --> 00:32:44,035 Speaker 1: five will get you ten that your immediate reaction will 473 00:32:44,035 --> 00:32:48,675 Speaker 1: be I didn't know he was still alive anyway. It 474 00:32:48,715 --> 00:32:52,955 Speaker 1: reminded me of this story about this other guy. I 475 00:32:53,195 --> 00:32:58,235 Speaker 1: was a witness to the greatest management fiasco in television history, 476 00:32:58,915 --> 00:33:02,395 Speaker 1: and it began on Monday, June twelfth, two thousand and six. 477 00:33:04,155 --> 00:33:06,195 Speaker 1: My girlfriend and at the time, Katie Urr, was coming 478 00:33:06,235 --> 00:33:08,875 Speaker 1: in from la for a week, and my vacation had 479 00:33:08,915 --> 00:33:12,075 Speaker 1: started the previous Friday at exactly nine oh one pm. 480 00:33:12,435 --> 00:33:14,795 Speaker 1: At nine oh two pm on that Friday night, the 481 00:33:14,835 --> 00:33:18,675 Speaker 1: acting chief of MSNBC, Phil Griffin, called me, insisting that 482 00:33:18,795 --> 00:33:21,475 Speaker 1: even though I was on vacation, we had to meet 483 00:33:22,155 --> 00:33:25,995 Speaker 1: for breakfast at nine thirty am Monday. I said that 484 00:33:26,075 --> 00:33:28,755 Speaker 1: made it a not vacation, and he said, we will 485 00:33:28,795 --> 00:33:31,555 Speaker 1: give you two additional days off later. Something is happening 486 00:33:31,555 --> 00:33:37,435 Speaker 1: you need to know about first, I sighed. The previous Wednesday, 487 00:33:37,435 --> 00:33:39,915 Speaker 1: they had fired the president of MSNBC, the one who 488 00:33:39,955 --> 00:33:43,155 Speaker 1: had once chased me around our offices in Secaucus, New Jersey, 489 00:33:43,355 --> 00:33:46,035 Speaker 1: threatening to kill me because he was squeamish about blood. 490 00:33:46,875 --> 00:33:49,275 Speaker 1: See if that makes any logical sense to you. He 491 00:33:49,395 --> 00:33:52,995 Speaker 1: threatened to kill me because he was squeamish about blood. 492 00:33:53,555 --> 00:33:57,675 Speaker 1: Jeff Zucker, then the president of NBC, had called my 493 00:33:57,795 --> 00:34:01,075 Speaker 1: agent and asked how my relationship with the aforementioned acting 494 00:34:01,195 --> 00:34:03,715 Speaker 1: chief Phil Griffin was. It was obvious they were going 495 00:34:03,795 --> 00:34:06,195 Speaker 1: to put Griffin in charge charge, and as the marquee 496 00:34:06,235 --> 00:34:08,275 Speaker 1: anchor on the network, they needed me to find it 497 00:34:08,315 --> 00:34:10,915 Speaker 1: out from them rather than from a gossip site or something. 498 00:34:11,555 --> 00:34:15,515 Speaker 1: I could not begrudge them the courtesy. So on the 499 00:34:15,555 --> 00:34:18,395 Speaker 1: first weekday of my vacation, Griffin and I met for breakfast, 500 00:34:18,435 --> 00:34:21,435 Speaker 1: and as soon as coffee arrived, he said, so listen, buddy, 501 00:34:22,395 --> 00:34:24,755 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be an executive in charge of MSNBC, but 502 00:34:24,795 --> 00:34:27,875 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be staying here in the city to oversee 503 00:34:27,915 --> 00:34:31,995 Speaker 1: the Today Show. So MSNBC will also have a general manager, uh, 504 00:34:32,155 --> 00:34:34,515 Speaker 1: and the general manager will be in charge in secaucas 505 00:34:34,955 --> 00:34:38,755 Speaker 1: and the new general manager will be Dan Abrams. Well, 506 00:34:38,795 --> 00:34:41,635 Speaker 1: I paused for a second and then burst into laughter. 507 00:34:42,315 --> 00:34:47,275 Speaker 1: I mean thirty seconds of a riotous belly laugh, loud 508 00:34:47,355 --> 00:34:52,835 Speaker 1: enough that other people at the restaurant at Norma's in 509 00:34:52,875 --> 00:34:55,355 Speaker 1: the Parker Meridian in New York City turned around to 510 00:34:55,435 --> 00:34:57,515 Speaker 1: look at me to find out what was so funny. 511 00:34:58,635 --> 00:35:02,995 Speaker 1: Then I composed myself. Then I laughed again, then a 512 00:35:03,035 --> 00:35:06,155 Speaker 1: third laugh, then a fourth laugh. Oh my god, Phil, 513 00:35:06,235 --> 00:35:08,675 Speaker 1: that is the best. You get me to get up 514 00:35:08,715 --> 00:35:10,755 Speaker 1: early on the first day of my vacation and you 515 00:35:10,835 --> 00:35:15,955 Speaker 1: hit me with that Dan Abrams running something we've known 516 00:35:15,995 --> 00:35:19,115 Speaker 1: each other, what Phil twenty five years next month? That 517 00:35:19,275 --> 00:35:22,555 Speaker 1: is the best joke you have ever told me. Dan 518 00:35:22,795 --> 00:35:25,875 Speaker 1: Abrams and I laughed again for another thirty seconds, and 519 00:35:25,915 --> 00:35:27,555 Speaker 1: one of my friends, who was a waiter there, came 520 00:35:27,595 --> 00:35:32,315 Speaker 1: over and said, everything okay. Because Phil could never interrupt 521 00:35:32,355 --> 00:35:35,395 Speaker 1: anybody who was praising him. He smiled back at me, 522 00:35:35,515 --> 00:35:38,395 Speaker 1: and when I finally stopped laughing, he said, well, thanks, 523 00:35:38,475 --> 00:35:41,315 Speaker 1: I guess, but I'm serious. We've been talking to Dan 524 00:35:41,395 --> 00:35:43,195 Speaker 1: for several months about this, and he just has the 525 00:35:43,275 --> 00:35:48,275 Speaker 1: kind of analytical mind that it had taken me more 526 00:35:48,275 --> 00:35:50,915 Speaker 1: than a minute to realize Griffin was serious that he 527 00:35:50,995 --> 00:35:53,555 Speaker 1: and the President of NBC News, Steve Cappus, and that 528 00:35:53,635 --> 00:35:57,435 Speaker 1: President of NBC Jeff Zooker, had actually decided to take 529 00:35:57,475 --> 00:36:00,675 Speaker 1: the host of our nine PM show, which had been 530 00:36:00,675 --> 00:36:07,315 Speaker 1: devoted for years to excruciating, lowess, common denominator tabloid crap 531 00:36:07,435 --> 00:36:11,435 Speaker 1: coverage of the missing white woman of the week. To 532 00:36:11,555 --> 00:36:14,915 Speaker 1: take a man who had the respect of absolutely no 533 00:36:14,995 --> 00:36:19,675 Speaker 1: one on air or off at MSNBC, A man who 534 00:36:19,715 --> 00:36:23,035 Speaker 1: made me in that regard looked like Saint Francis of ASISI. 535 00:36:23,675 --> 00:36:26,235 Speaker 1: A man who had only been in television for twelve years, 536 00:36:26,435 --> 00:36:28,795 Speaker 1: a man who had never run anything in his life, 537 00:36:29,035 --> 00:36:33,355 Speaker 1: A man with indescribably bad hair that none of us 538 00:36:33,395 --> 00:36:36,715 Speaker 1: could identify. Was it a two pe? Was it a weave? 539 00:36:37,235 --> 00:36:40,075 Speaker 1: Was he hit by lightning? And that was the most 540 00:36:40,115 --> 00:36:43,355 Speaker 1: sincere thing about him? His hair? They had actually decided 541 00:36:43,395 --> 00:36:48,035 Speaker 1: to appoint this gossip monger with no experience to run 542 00:36:48,075 --> 00:36:51,995 Speaker 1: a network that was just now finally establishing itself as 543 00:36:52,035 --> 00:36:58,035 Speaker 1: a factor in American political media. Christ Phil, what are 544 00:36:58,035 --> 00:37:01,035 Speaker 1: you thinking? I said to him, He's a buffoon. I'd 545 00:37:01,155 --> 00:37:06,275 Speaker 1: rather work for Joe Scarborough. He's condescending, he insults his producers, 546 00:37:06,275 --> 00:37:10,555 Speaker 1: he insults our producers. He leaks constantly to the reporters 547 00:37:10,555 --> 00:37:14,035 Speaker 1: and the gossip blogs. Half of his exclusive sources turn 548 00:37:14,115 --> 00:37:17,275 Speaker 1: out to be wrong. And I might be the best 549 00:37:17,275 --> 00:37:22,435 Speaker 1: friend he has there. Phil Griffin chugged his coffee. Well, 550 00:37:22,595 --> 00:37:25,555 Speaker 1: I'm sorry about that. I mean, I mean it's not 551 00:37:25,595 --> 00:37:28,155 Speaker 1: going to make any practical difference for you. You would countdown 552 00:37:28,195 --> 00:37:30,035 Speaker 1: will report directly to me. Dan isn't going to have 553 00:37:30,035 --> 00:37:32,955 Speaker 1: any responsibilities running the primetime shows. He's only going to 554 00:37:32,995 --> 00:37:35,115 Speaker 1: be hands on with the daytime shows. But he'll be 555 00:37:35,155 --> 00:37:36,755 Speaker 1: the general manager of the network. And we think he 556 00:37:36,755 --> 00:37:40,595 Speaker 1: has a lot of exciting ideas. And I said exciting 557 00:37:40,675 --> 00:37:45,955 Speaker 1: ideas about what exciting ideas about Sean Beney Ramsey. Phil, 558 00:37:46,275 --> 00:37:50,395 Speaker 1: We have just stopped being the running joke, the bottomless 559 00:37:50,435 --> 00:37:54,035 Speaker 1: punchline of cable news. And once this gets out, we 560 00:37:54,115 --> 00:37:56,755 Speaker 1: will be less respected than we were a year ago. 561 00:37:58,235 --> 00:38:01,675 Speaker 1: I paused, and the news bounced off the walls of 562 00:38:01,715 --> 00:38:07,195 Speaker 1: the restaurant and hit me afresh again. Dan Abrams, general 563 00:38:07,715 --> 00:38:14,635 Speaker 1: manager of MSNBC. He will get you fired, Phil. I 564 00:38:14,675 --> 00:38:16,355 Speaker 1: don't know if he will get you fired because he's 565 00:38:16,355 --> 00:38:18,595 Speaker 1: trying to get you fired, or he'll get you fired 566 00:38:18,595 --> 00:38:21,115 Speaker 1: because he'll be so bad at this that everybody will quit. 567 00:38:21,395 --> 00:38:24,755 Speaker 1: But you've just committed professional suicide. You and Cappus and 568 00:38:24,835 --> 00:38:30,595 Speaker 1: Zuker dead men walking. Phil Griffin was now read I 569 00:38:30,635 --> 00:38:33,115 Speaker 1: had only previously seen him read when he was very, 570 00:38:33,355 --> 00:38:36,275 Speaker 1: very drunk and we were in our twenties. I was 571 00:38:36,315 --> 00:38:38,195 Speaker 1: hoping you'd give him a chance, and I said some 572 00:38:38,275 --> 00:38:41,515 Speaker 1: very pleasant things about giving him a chance to destroy 573 00:38:41,555 --> 00:38:43,315 Speaker 1: what we had been building up for the last year. 574 00:38:43,635 --> 00:38:45,675 Speaker 1: And did Phil remember that my contract was up in 575 00:38:45,715 --> 00:38:48,635 Speaker 1: six months and CNN was already publicly courting me to 576 00:38:48,675 --> 00:38:51,915 Speaker 1: go there. I said, I'm gone. You might as well 577 00:38:51,955 --> 00:38:56,635 Speaker 1: release me from the contract right now. I'm out. And 578 00:38:56,675 --> 00:38:58,835 Speaker 1: then something else popped into my mind. Oh, and listen, 579 00:38:58,835 --> 00:39:01,115 Speaker 1: did you think there might be a problem because he 580 00:39:01,155 --> 00:39:03,315 Speaker 1: and I dated the same woman nine years ago, and 581 00:39:03,355 --> 00:39:05,115 Speaker 1: he told her she'd be making a misas to get 582 00:39:05,155 --> 00:39:13,275 Speaker 1: involved with me. Phil's eyes widened. He had forgotten, Like 583 00:39:13,355 --> 00:39:16,595 Speaker 1: I said, he'll have nothing to do with Countdown. An 584 00:39:16,675 --> 00:39:19,635 Speaker 1: hour later, my home phone rang and it was Dan Abrams. 585 00:39:19,835 --> 00:39:21,755 Speaker 1: I just wanted to say how much I'm looking forward 586 00:39:21,755 --> 00:39:24,995 Speaker 1: to working with you on Countdown. As time goes by, 587 00:39:25,235 --> 00:39:27,675 Speaker 1: Phil will be more and more overwhelmed at the Today Show, 588 00:39:27,675 --> 00:39:29,955 Speaker 1: and I'll be making the day to day decisions. I'll 589 00:39:29,955 --> 00:39:34,555 Speaker 1: be your guy. After a few minutes of this, which 590 00:39:34,595 --> 00:39:37,235 Speaker 1: I swear I could hear, his phone scratching against his 591 00:39:37,315 --> 00:39:40,235 Speaker 1: two pay and during which I said nothing but uh huh. 592 00:39:41,355 --> 00:39:44,355 Speaker 1: My home phone rang again and it was the NBC president, 593 00:39:44,435 --> 00:39:48,155 Speaker 1: Jeff Zucker. So, you guys report to Dan, and if 594 00:39:48,195 --> 00:39:49,675 Speaker 1: you need to go further, you can go to Phil. 595 00:39:49,755 --> 00:39:51,635 Speaker 1: And I said, Phil had just told me Abrams would 596 00:39:51,635 --> 00:39:53,915 Speaker 1: have nothing to do with countdown, and I intended to 597 00:39:53,915 --> 00:39:57,275 Speaker 1: make sure that was true. Zucker, showing the loyalty and 598 00:39:57,315 --> 00:40:00,435 Speaker 1: consistency that was so publicly displayed in the original Chris 599 00:40:00,475 --> 00:40:05,235 Speaker 1: Cuomo CNN fiasco, immediately said, well, if this doesn't work, 600 00:40:05,675 --> 00:40:08,875 Speaker 1: f Dan Abrams, hell, F Phil Griffin, you come to me. 601 00:40:10,635 --> 00:40:12,475 Speaker 1: The first thing I had done when I had gotten 602 00:40:12,515 --> 00:40:15,075 Speaker 1: home was to call my executive producer, i Isy Povich. 603 00:40:15,835 --> 00:40:18,235 Speaker 1: She had been as fascinated as I had been as 604 00:40:18,275 --> 00:40:21,195 Speaker 1: to why I had to have a business breakfast on 605 00:40:21,315 --> 00:40:25,315 Speaker 1: day one of a vacation. Well, I sighed, You'll never 606 00:40:25,395 --> 00:40:30,395 Speaker 1: believe who the new general manager of MSNBC is. She 607 00:40:30,515 --> 00:40:33,795 Speaker 1: guessed Phil Griffin than me, and then the manager of 608 00:40:33,835 --> 00:40:37,315 Speaker 1: the New York Yankees, Joe Tory. I said, all would 609 00:40:37,315 --> 00:40:42,195 Speaker 1: have been better choices. I said, it's Dan Abrams. She 610 00:40:42,395 --> 00:40:45,675 Speaker 1: laughed so hard I had to pull the phone away 611 00:40:45,675 --> 00:40:50,195 Speaker 1: from my ear. After she finally calmed down, is he said, 612 00:40:50,595 --> 00:40:53,155 Speaker 1: you had me going, Oh my god, what a disaster 613 00:40:53,315 --> 00:40:57,195 Speaker 1: that would be. I'm sorry I fell into the bit. Yeah, 614 00:40:57,355 --> 00:41:00,795 Speaker 1: just kidding, she laughed again. No, actually, I'm not kidding. 615 00:41:00,955 --> 00:41:04,195 Speaker 1: She laughed again and said come on, and so I said, yeah, yeah, 616 00:41:04,195 --> 00:41:07,235 Speaker 1: I'm kidding. She laughed again. No actually I'm not kidding. 617 00:41:07,275 --> 00:41:09,795 Speaker 1: Dan Abrams is the new general manager, she laughed again. 618 00:41:10,755 --> 00:41:12,835 Speaker 1: We must have done this for two or three minutes. 619 00:41:13,755 --> 00:41:16,235 Speaker 1: It was an old Eddie Izzard bit. I stole it 620 00:41:16,275 --> 00:41:21,275 Speaker 1: from him about the death of Engelbert humperdink. I finally 621 00:41:21,275 --> 00:41:25,235 Speaker 1: stopped when she said, wait, I saw Dan Abrams getting 622 00:41:25,235 --> 00:41:28,315 Speaker 1: out of his car in the President's parking space this morning. 623 00:41:28,355 --> 00:41:32,795 Speaker 1: You're you're not quit kidding. Oh my god. I have 624 00:41:32,835 --> 00:41:37,355 Speaker 1: to call my husband and tell him I'm quitting. Well, 625 00:41:37,395 --> 00:41:39,595 Speaker 1: it all worked out about as well as I had predicted. 626 00:41:39,875 --> 00:41:42,475 Speaker 1: At his first meeting with the producers, Dan Abrams revealed 627 00:41:42,475 --> 00:41:45,315 Speaker 1: his first exciting idea. He had apparently been given enough 628 00:41:45,395 --> 00:41:47,755 Speaker 1: lead time about his appointment to have made up giant 629 00:41:47,875 --> 00:41:51,795 Speaker 1: banners containing the new MSNBC network slogan, which he had 630 00:41:51,875 --> 00:41:55,635 Speaker 1: dreamed up. The banners He told the producers, we're going 631 00:41:55,635 --> 00:41:58,195 Speaker 1: to be hung around the studios, and in fact, we're 632 00:41:58,235 --> 00:42:01,315 Speaker 1: being hung around the studios as they spoke, and behind 633 00:42:01,355 --> 00:42:03,675 Speaker 1: him there was one covered in a drape cloth, and 634 00:42:03,715 --> 00:42:06,475 Speaker 1: he pulled the string. The cloth fell off, revealing his 635 00:42:06,515 --> 00:42:13,435 Speaker 1: first exciting idea, the new network slogan MSNBC keeping it real, 636 00:42:14,915 --> 00:42:22,995 Speaker 1: keeping k eeipi n apostrophe, no g keeping. That was 637 00:42:23,075 --> 00:42:26,835 Speaker 1: the highlight of his tenure as the general manager. The 638 00:42:26,915 --> 00:42:30,955 Speaker 1: blowback against his appointment was so universal nobody trying to 639 00:42:31,115 --> 00:42:34,915 Speaker 1: hide it. Abram's first move was to cancel a show 640 00:42:34,915 --> 00:42:39,155 Speaker 1: hosted by an Xbox News walking malliprop artist named Rita Cosby. 641 00:42:39,475 --> 00:42:43,835 Speaker 1: She almost took hostages. Abrams delayed the meeting to tell 642 00:42:43,875 --> 00:42:48,395 Speaker 1: her staff from noon until six pm. Abrams then gave 643 00:42:48,435 --> 00:42:51,595 Speaker 1: an interview about his vision for MSNBC and told the 644 00:42:51,635 --> 00:42:56,755 Speaker 1: reporter quote, documentaries are our most important programs, and the 645 00:42:56,795 --> 00:43:01,595 Speaker 1: staffs of the uncanceled primetime shows mine included nearly walked 646 00:43:01,595 --> 00:43:04,635 Speaker 1: out because in fact we were our most important programs. 647 00:43:05,395 --> 00:43:09,315 Speaker 1: While Griffin prevented that mass resignation by swearing Abrams had 648 00:43:09,355 --> 00:43:13,875 Speaker 1: been misquoted. Abrams then launched a series of radio commercials 649 00:43:14,355 --> 00:43:19,075 Speaker 1: for MSNBC documentaries. Abrams tried to get a producer named 650 00:43:19,075 --> 00:43:21,395 Speaker 1: Bill Wolf, who had been told he was going to 651 00:43:21,435 --> 00:43:24,435 Speaker 1: be the new general manager, to instead host his own show. 652 00:43:25,355 --> 00:43:27,515 Speaker 1: He told me he had figured out the perfect guest 653 00:43:27,515 --> 00:43:30,395 Speaker 1: host for Countdown and was already in negotiations with him. 654 00:43:30,555 --> 00:43:34,595 Speaker 1: Dan Rather, my girlfriend Katie's father, then chimed in with 655 00:43:34,635 --> 00:43:37,635 Speaker 1: a new nickname for Abrams that spread across the television 656 00:43:37,635 --> 00:43:42,515 Speaker 1: industry Miles Miles, as in Miles the boy producer from 657 00:43:42,515 --> 00:43:47,555 Speaker 1: the sitcom Murphy Brown. I even felt sorry for him, 658 00:43:47,835 --> 00:43:50,675 Speaker 1: it was that bad, and of course I was promptly 659 00:43:50,715 --> 00:43:53,595 Speaker 1: repaid for this mistake. A week after Abrams was hired, 660 00:43:53,835 --> 00:43:57,915 Speaker 1: the cable news blogger named Brian Stelter, who inexplicably wound 661 00:43:57,955 --> 00:43:59,755 Speaker 1: up first at The New York Times and then at CNN, 662 00:43:59,755 --> 00:44:01,595 Speaker 1: and you heard about him getting fired over the summer. 663 00:44:01,995 --> 00:44:04,475 Speaker 1: Brian Stelter called to say he had been told by 664 00:44:04,475 --> 00:44:07,675 Speaker 1: a source at NBC that I had just been fired 665 00:44:08,355 --> 00:44:11,555 Speaker 1: at a meeting an hour before by Abrams and an 666 00:44:11,635 --> 00:44:15,835 Speaker 1: NBC executive named Randy Falco. In fact, Abrams was at 667 00:44:15,835 --> 00:44:19,435 Speaker 1: a meeting with Zucker and the NBC News president, Cappus 668 00:44:19,715 --> 00:44:21,995 Speaker 1: as they desperately tried to steer out of the fatal 669 00:44:22,035 --> 00:44:26,195 Speaker 1: skid they had all swerved into. Phil Griffin was furious. 670 00:44:26,995 --> 00:44:29,915 Speaker 1: Griffin told me he suspected Abrams had been somehow connected 671 00:44:29,915 --> 00:44:32,515 Speaker 1: to this leak about this fake story about me getting fired, 672 00:44:32,715 --> 00:44:36,355 Speaker 1: and he began an investigation of him and never trusted 673 00:44:36,435 --> 00:44:41,835 Speaker 1: him again. One week appointed Monday, and a lame duck 674 00:44:42,355 --> 00:44:52,115 Speaker 1: the following Monday, keeping it real keeping. On August ninth, 675 00:44:52,315 --> 00:44:55,115 Speaker 1: three days shy of the two months mark, Phil Griffin 676 00:44:55,155 --> 00:44:57,835 Speaker 1: called my office an hour and a half before my show. Okay, 677 00:44:57,875 --> 00:44:59,875 Speaker 1: you want to say I told you so, but we've 678 00:44:59,875 --> 00:45:01,555 Speaker 1: made it clear to Dan that he won't be involved 679 00:45:01,595 --> 00:45:04,515 Speaker 1: in any major decisions going forward. He will remain general, 680 00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:07,955 Speaker 1: but I'm running everything. In a year or so, buddy, 681 00:45:08,155 --> 00:45:10,475 Speaker 1: we'll say he found out he just had to go 682 00:45:10,555 --> 00:45:13,395 Speaker 1: back on the air, and he'll resign and we'll give 683 00:45:13,435 --> 00:45:16,075 Speaker 1: him the nine PM show. Probably, you have to keep 684 00:45:16,115 --> 00:45:21,555 Speaker 1: this confidential. I did. I'm surprisingly good at that, at 685 00:45:21,635 --> 00:45:25,155 Speaker 1: least still, I started this podcast. Fourteen months later they 686 00:45:25,275 --> 00:45:28,155 Speaker 1: offed him, by which time I had already started to 687 00:45:28,195 --> 00:45:30,115 Speaker 1: lobby them to make the nine PM host not Dan 688 00:45:30,155 --> 00:45:33,155 Speaker 1: Abrams but Rachel Maddow. They finally gave into that in 689 00:45:33,195 --> 00:45:36,035 Speaker 1: September two thousand and eight, and Dan did not have 690 00:45:36,075 --> 00:45:38,355 Speaker 1: a show or a title, and he finally got the 691 00:45:38,395 --> 00:45:42,595 Speaker 1: message and he left NBC in twenty eleven. The last 692 00:45:42,635 --> 00:45:45,475 Speaker 1: I had heard of Dan Abrams before the News Nation 693 00:45:45,635 --> 00:45:49,915 Speaker 1: retirement home. He had launched a new website. It's called 694 00:45:50,675 --> 00:45:58,075 Speaker 1: Whiskey Raiders because it rates various brands of whiskey. He 695 00:45:58,195 --> 00:46:04,595 Speaker 1: got it, Raiders, Ray Ters, you got it. It's a punt. 696 00:46:05,755 --> 00:46:10,395 Speaker 1: Presumably he chose that pun because somebody else had already 697 00:46:10,475 --> 00:46:26,915 Speaker 1: taken keeping it real. I've done all the damage I 698 00:46:26,915 --> 00:46:29,355 Speaker 1: can do here. Thank you for listening, and sorry again 699 00:46:29,475 --> 00:46:34,235 Speaker 1: for the continuing brevity and raggedness powering through here with 700 00:46:34,315 --> 00:46:37,395 Speaker 1: the bad throat as the kids say. Brian Ray and 701 00:46:37,475 --> 00:46:40,755 Speaker 1: John Phillip Schanelle musical directors, have Countdown, arranged, produced and 702 00:46:40,795 --> 00:46:43,995 Speaker 1: performed most of the music. Mister Chanelle handled the orchestration 703 00:46:44,075 --> 00:46:46,395 Speaker 1: and the keyboards. Mister Ray was on the guitars, the bass, 704 00:46:46,395 --> 00:46:50,075 Speaker 1: and the drums, produced by Tko Brothers. Our satirical and 705 00:46:50,075 --> 00:46:53,435 Speaker 1: fithy musical comments are by the best baseball stadium organist ever, 706 00:46:53,555 --> 00:46:56,955 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust. The Sports music is the Olderman theme from 707 00:46:57,155 --> 00:47:00,635 Speaker 1: ESPN two, written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. 708 00:47:01,155 --> 00:47:04,075 Speaker 1: Other music arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. 709 00:47:04,715 --> 00:47:07,395 Speaker 1: Speaking of music, my announcer today was my friend, the 710 00:47:07,435 --> 00:47:10,795 Speaker 1: one and only Stevie van Zant. Everything else was pretty 711 00:47:10,835 --> 00:47:13,995 Speaker 1: much my fault. That's countdown for this the ninetieth day 712 00:47:14,475 --> 00:47:18,395 Speaker 1: until the twenty twenty fourth presidential election. They three hundred 713 00:47:18,395 --> 00:47:24,155 Speaker 1: and ninth day since convicted felon draft dodger j Trump's 714 00:47:24,315 --> 00:47:27,595 Speaker 1: first attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the 715 00:47:27,715 --> 00:47:30,675 Speaker 1: United States. Thanks for reminding me that about all that 716 00:47:30,795 --> 00:47:35,795 Speaker 1: jv vans use the September eighteenth sentencing hearing. Use the 717 00:47:35,795 --> 00:47:39,115 Speaker 1: mental health system. You've got it. President Biden used presidential 718 00:47:39,115 --> 00:47:43,315 Speaker 1: immunity to stop him from doing it again while we 719 00:47:43,435 --> 00:47:49,635 Speaker 1: still can. And anti Semitic, anti immigration, psychotic Republicans, please 720 00:47:49,635 --> 00:47:53,395 Speaker 1: stop shooting at Trump. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. 721 00:47:53,635 --> 00:47:57,115 Speaker 1: Bulletins as the news requires and the voice permits till 722 00:47:57,155 --> 00:48:00,275 Speaker 1: the next one. I'm Keith Olvermant. Good morning, good afternoon, 723 00:48:00,395 --> 00:48:15,315 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman is 724 00:48:15,315 --> 00:48:20,155 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 725 00:48:20,195 --> 00:48:24,835 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.