1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:21,875 --> 00:00:25,835 Speaker 1: If you are wondering if the American political media industrial 3 00:00:25,915 --> 00:00:30,835 Speaker 1: complex has learned something, anything, anything at all from its 4 00:00:30,875 --> 00:00:34,915 Speaker 1: disastrous stenographic coverage of Donald Trump and his seven years 5 00:00:35,075 --> 00:00:37,595 Speaker 1: of the attempt to overthrow democracy in this country, the 6 00:00:37,635 --> 00:00:42,995 Speaker 1: answer is here, and the answer is no. Mike Pence 7 00:00:43,115 --> 00:00:45,635 Speaker 1: announced last night he is willing to go to the 8 00:00:45,715 --> 00:00:49,995 Speaker 1: Supreme Court if need be, to evade testifying to Special 9 00:00:50,035 --> 00:00:54,635 Speaker 1: Counsel Jack Smith because of quote separation of powers, because 10 00:00:54,675 --> 00:00:58,395 Speaker 1: Smith wants to ask him about January six and on 11 00:00:58,515 --> 00:01:02,195 Speaker 1: January six, Pence was acting as President of the Senate. 12 00:01:02,635 --> 00:01:07,115 Speaker 1: So Pence claims legis slative immunity and says it will 13 00:01:07,195 --> 00:01:11,875 Speaker 1: be wrong to quote establish a precedent where a legislative 14 00:01:11,915 --> 00:01:17,475 Speaker 1: official would be called into court by an executive branch. Curiously, 15 00:01:18,155 --> 00:01:22,715 Speaker 1: none of the coverage of Pence's statement mentions a it's 16 00:01:22,835 --> 00:01:29,195 Speaker 1: complete bullshit, nor specifically be When Pence evaded testifying to 17 00:01:29,235 --> 00:01:34,995 Speaker 1: the January sixth committee, he claimed executive immunity and said 18 00:01:34,995 --> 00:01:37,795 Speaker 1: it would be wrong for quote the Congress to summon 19 00:01:37,875 --> 00:01:40,515 Speaker 1: a vice President of the United States to speak about 20 00:01:40,595 --> 00:01:45,555 Speaker 1: deliberations that took place at the White House, and thus 21 00:01:45,635 --> 00:01:51,195 Speaker 1: nobody reported that c having already claimed legislative immunity and 22 00:01:51,275 --> 00:01:56,155 Speaker 1: privilege and executive immunity and privilege, Pence has now claimed 23 00:01:56,195 --> 00:02:00,075 Speaker 1: every privilege except white privilege and give him some time. 24 00:02:01,715 --> 00:02:05,155 Speaker 1: The American political media industrial complex therefore all to ignore 25 00:02:05,315 --> 00:02:08,795 Speaker 1: d Mike Pence is trying to evade testifying about an 26 00:02:08,835 --> 00:02:16,195 Speaker 1: attempt to murder him. American political reporters forget with extraordinary 27 00:02:16,195 --> 00:02:19,315 Speaker 1: consistency that they are Americans and that when they go 28 00:02:19,395 --> 00:02:21,835 Speaker 1: home for the night, they have to live in America, 29 00:02:21,955 --> 00:02:24,475 Speaker 1: in the country that is created in large part because 30 00:02:24,475 --> 00:02:28,035 Speaker 1: they will not say that wholier than thou con men 31 00:02:28,115 --> 00:02:34,555 Speaker 1: like Mike Pence are smarmy, self contradicting bastards. Reporters deliberately 32 00:02:34,635 --> 00:02:39,395 Speaker 1: suppress the reality that outcomes and moral force matter just 33 00:02:39,555 --> 00:02:44,915 Speaker 1: as much, if not more, than stenography. This was writ 34 00:02:44,995 --> 00:02:49,555 Speaker 1: even larger when Nicki Haley announced her presidential candidacy yesterday, 35 00:02:49,715 --> 00:02:52,395 Speaker 1: and the most prominent political reporters of this country promptly 36 00:02:52,435 --> 00:02:55,715 Speaker 1: announced that they will never, ever ever address the only 37 00:02:55,915 --> 00:03:00,355 Speaker 1: possible newsworthiness and relevance to her vanity campaign, that she 38 00:03:00,635 --> 00:03:04,435 Speaker 1: is the first of the Trump collaborators, the first of 39 00:03:04,515 --> 00:03:09,115 Speaker 1: his good Germans to actually try to succeed him, while 40 00:03:09,235 --> 00:03:13,675 Speaker 1: simultaneously pretending she had distanced herself from his evil, and 41 00:03:13,755 --> 00:03:16,475 Speaker 1: also pretending she and all the others who served him 42 00:03:16,515 --> 00:03:19,915 Speaker 1: did not forfeit for all time their right to hold 43 00:03:20,075 --> 00:03:23,595 Speaker 1: any seat of power or responsibility in the government of 44 00:03:23,635 --> 00:03:29,435 Speaker 1: a democracy that Trump, with their help, tried to destroy. 45 00:03:30,675 --> 00:03:34,275 Speaker 1: The American political media will never ever ever call her 46 00:03:34,355 --> 00:03:39,475 Speaker 1: what she was. Part of a Republican party without guts, 47 00:03:39,995 --> 00:03:46,635 Speaker 1: without spines, without principles, without effect, which once it saw 48 00:03:46,675 --> 00:03:49,235 Speaker 1: Trump would win the nomination and maybe even the election, 49 00:03:49,435 --> 00:03:53,315 Speaker 1: willingly hoard itself out to Trump and tried to bury 50 00:03:53,435 --> 00:04:01,115 Speaker 1: its past brief, fleeting unsuccessful problematic stance against his corruption, 51 00:04:01,155 --> 00:04:05,995 Speaker 1: against his fascism, against his personal loathsomeness. Nicki Haley and 52 00:04:06,075 --> 00:04:11,115 Speaker 1: the others were the central part of the vc GOP 53 00:04:11,635 --> 00:04:14,635 Speaker 1: who in two thousand, seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and 54 00:04:14,715 --> 00:04:19,755 Speaker 1: twenty did Trump's bidding and ignored and covered up and 55 00:04:19,835 --> 00:04:24,995 Speaker 1: shrugged off his ever increasing insanity and incitement and rabid 56 00:04:25,235 --> 00:04:30,475 Speaker 1: hatred of all that which is truly American. And still 57 00:04:30,555 --> 00:04:34,075 Speaker 1: none of that fits the four or five cubby holes 58 00:04:34,155 --> 00:04:38,235 Speaker 1: and story templates that the American political media can understand 59 00:04:39,035 --> 00:04:42,395 Speaker 1: and process and into which it has trying to stuff 60 00:04:42,435 --> 00:04:45,715 Speaker 1: every event and every politician it has covered for the 61 00:04:45,795 --> 00:04:50,995 Speaker 1: last forty years. The evidence that everything some of us 62 00:04:51,035 --> 00:04:54,275 Speaker 1: thought might have been learned in fact has been lost 63 00:04:55,555 --> 00:04:58,675 Speaker 1: was supplied by a thirteen tweet thread from the Haley 64 00:04:58,675 --> 00:05:03,075 Speaker 1: announcement by Robert Costa, who rather inexplicably is the chief 65 00:05:03,075 --> 00:05:07,235 Speaker 1: election and campaign correspond for CBS News. This is nothing 66 00:05:07,235 --> 00:05:10,355 Speaker 1: against Costa. Like most of his contemporaries, he has not 67 00:05:10,475 --> 00:05:13,435 Speaker 1: suited for his job. He has no particular reporting or 68 00:05:13,475 --> 00:05:17,115 Speaker 1: television skills, and he no more understands the world around 69 00:05:17,195 --> 00:05:20,675 Speaker 1: him than an Amazon parrot taught to memorize the names 70 00:05:20,675 --> 00:05:24,195 Speaker 1: of the one senators would. I don't know him, I've 71 00:05:24,235 --> 00:05:26,395 Speaker 1: never met him. I don't think he's any worse than 72 00:05:26,435 --> 00:05:31,035 Speaker 1: anybody else. And that's the problem. Costa sent out his 73 00:05:31,155 --> 00:05:34,315 Speaker 1: thirteen tweets that indicate that the Nicki Haley's of this 74 00:05:34,395 --> 00:05:37,235 Speaker 1: world are going to get away with it. They're going 75 00:05:37,275 --> 00:05:40,795 Speaker 1: to be treated in three and four as if they 76 00:05:40,835 --> 00:05:43,555 Speaker 1: did not be trade democracy in two thousand, sixteen and 77 00:05:43,635 --> 00:05:46,435 Speaker 1: seventeen and eighteen and nineteen and twenty and twenty one 78 00:05:46,595 --> 00:05:51,955 Speaker 1: and twenty two. Costa's opus, which dismisses the coup as 79 00:05:52,035 --> 00:05:55,195 Speaker 1: just another question Haley has to address somewhere on the 80 00:05:55,235 --> 00:06:00,235 Speaker 1: list behind immigration and social Security, included this Trump. Costa 81 00:06:00,275 --> 00:06:04,395 Speaker 1: tweeted his conduct January six, his refusal to concede and 82 00:06:04,435 --> 00:06:07,075 Speaker 1: fall so he claimed fraud, and her own changing takes 83 00:06:07,115 --> 00:06:12,915 Speaker 1: on Trump over the years. Imagine von Dirkson, the last 84 00:06:13,035 --> 00:06:17,555 Speaker 1: Nazi ambassador to pre war Britain, running for president of 85 00:06:17,595 --> 00:06:22,595 Speaker 1: West Germany in nine and being asked about Hitler his conduct, 86 00:06:22,715 --> 00:06:26,755 Speaker 1: death camps is overthrowing democracy three, refusing to hold elections, 87 00:06:26,915 --> 00:06:29,355 Speaker 1: and his own changing takes on Hitler over the years. 88 00:06:31,475 --> 00:06:35,155 Speaker 1: That's where we are. If you somehow need to remind 89 00:06:35,195 --> 00:06:38,155 Speaker 1: yourself what is wrong with American political media. What has 90 00:06:38,235 --> 00:06:41,915 Speaker 1: been wrong with American political media since it stopped wondering 91 00:06:41,995 --> 00:06:46,035 Speaker 1: about what the politicians do for or to the country 92 00:06:46,115 --> 00:06:49,835 Speaker 1: once they get elected and started wondering only about their 93 00:06:49,995 --> 00:06:54,595 Speaker 1: changing takes on Trump or the horse race, or polling 94 00:06:55,275 --> 00:07:01,475 Speaker 1: or endorsements or who's paneling this week on Meet the Press. Well, 95 00:07:01,475 --> 00:07:04,155 Speaker 1: if you've forgotten any of that, Costa provides that reminder. 96 00:07:04,915 --> 00:07:08,355 Speaker 1: The threat never mentions her hypocrisy, her lack of character, 97 00:07:08,435 --> 00:07:12,795 Speaker 1: her opportunism, her servitude to this scum Trump I mean 98 00:07:13,435 --> 00:07:18,155 Speaker 1: to America. Nicki Haley is defined by her willingness to oppose, 99 00:07:18,515 --> 00:07:22,195 Speaker 1: then support, then fallen over, then defer to, then insists 100 00:07:22,275 --> 00:07:26,275 Speaker 1: she would never run against Trump formination. If we need 101 00:07:26,315 --> 00:07:29,475 Speaker 1: a fresh reminder of that. Her first big endorsement for 102 00:07:29,515 --> 00:07:33,195 Speaker 1: president yesterday came from Congressman Ralph Norman of Oklahoma, who 103 00:07:33,195 --> 00:07:37,595 Speaker 1: won January, texted Mark Meadows that Trump had to become 104 00:07:37,675 --> 00:07:42,155 Speaker 1: dictator immediately. Quote our last hope is invoking martial law. 105 00:07:42,595 --> 00:07:46,435 Speaker 1: Please urge to President to do so. And of course 106 00:07:46,515 --> 00:07:52,115 Speaker 1: this fascist moron misspelled Marshal and in the coverage not 107 00:07:52,155 --> 00:07:55,395 Speaker 1: only didn't Costa mention Little Ralphie's sedition, he didn't even 108 00:07:55,435 --> 00:08:01,555 Speaker 1: mention Little Ralphie himself, nor the endorsement. Much as the 109 00:08:01,635 --> 00:08:04,275 Speaker 1: Robert Costas of this world want to pretend she is 110 00:08:04,355 --> 00:08:09,075 Speaker 1: just any former administration apparatic from any former administration, from 111 00:08:09,115 --> 00:08:13,995 Speaker 1: Dick Gebhart to Dan Quaile, she is not. Nicki Haley 112 00:08:14,115 --> 00:08:17,715 Speaker 1: was the Ambassador to the United Nations, appointed by and 113 00:08:17,915 --> 00:08:21,955 Speaker 1: answering to Donald Trump, and did she ever answer to him. 114 00:08:22,395 --> 00:08:25,115 Speaker 1: She was the one who announced that Trump's Behest that 115 00:08:25,195 --> 00:08:28,035 Speaker 1: we would stop trying to remove Assad in Syria, and 116 00:08:28,115 --> 00:08:32,275 Speaker 1: thus we would simplify Vladimir Putin's world by or more. 117 00:08:32,955 --> 00:08:35,275 Speaker 1: She was the one who voted at Trump's Behest against 118 00:08:35,275 --> 00:08:37,755 Speaker 1: the U n resolution condemning the death penalty in some 119 00:08:37,835 --> 00:08:41,755 Speaker 1: countries for people being gay. She was the one who 120 00:08:41,755 --> 00:08:44,275 Speaker 1: revealed at Trump's behest that he would move the US 121 00:08:44,315 --> 00:08:48,635 Speaker 1: embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, which of course has never 122 00:08:48,675 --> 00:08:50,595 Speaker 1: been and never will be, anything more than a play 123 00:08:50,635 --> 00:08:54,635 Speaker 1: for the evangelicals who supported Trump and America's fascist years, 124 00:08:55,115 --> 00:08:58,795 Speaker 1: because those evangelicals believe there will be a rapture, but 125 00:08:58,875 --> 00:09:02,035 Speaker 1: it will only happen when all the Jews are in Jerusalem, 126 00:09:02,075 --> 00:09:04,555 Speaker 1: and then they get converted from Judaism, and oh, by 127 00:09:04,595 --> 00:09:08,035 Speaker 1: the way, the ones who don't die. Oh, and also, oh, 128 00:09:08,115 --> 00:09:10,155 Speaker 1: by the way, when the evangelicals talk about all the 129 00:09:10,235 --> 00:09:13,515 Speaker 1: Jews being in Jerusalem, they never advertised this part, but 130 00:09:13,555 --> 00:09:16,595 Speaker 1: they have two plans to make that happen. Either move 131 00:09:16,715 --> 00:09:20,395 Speaker 1: them to Jerusalem or convert or kill all the ones 132 00:09:20,435 --> 00:09:24,835 Speaker 1: who are not in Jerusalem. Nicki Haley announced that first 133 00:09:24,875 --> 00:09:29,395 Speaker 1: part at the United Nations. If Donald Trump had started 134 00:09:29,555 --> 00:09:33,115 Speaker 1: a war somewhere, and there had been a war crimes 135 00:09:33,155 --> 00:09:36,275 Speaker 1: tribunal about the regime that ruled this country from two 136 00:09:36,275 --> 00:09:39,515 Speaker 1: thousand seventeen into two thousand twenty one. Nicki Haley would 137 00:09:39,555 --> 00:09:42,235 Speaker 1: not have been in the first group brought up on charges, 138 00:09:42,315 --> 00:09:44,795 Speaker 1: but she would have been a defendant sooner or later. 139 00:09:45,675 --> 00:09:48,395 Speaker 1: And Robert Costa and all the others are so close 140 00:09:48,475 --> 00:09:52,115 Speaker 1: to these trees that they have no idea that there 141 00:09:52,195 --> 00:09:59,955 Speaker 1: is even a forest. Costa's Twitter spread shows that no. 142 00:10:00,355 --> 00:10:04,675 Speaker 1: The political industrial complex is so freshly rededicated to make 143 00:10:04,715 --> 00:10:07,235 Speaker 1: king sure all its stories fit into those couple of 144 00:10:07,235 --> 00:10:12,115 Speaker 1: cubbyholes and templates, so panoramically relieved that it can stop 145 00:10:12,195 --> 00:10:16,595 Speaker 1: trying to understand issues too complicated for its own training, 146 00:10:16,955 --> 00:10:22,515 Speaker 1: like treason and sedition and conspiracy and the politics of 147 00:10:22,555 --> 00:10:29,075 Speaker 1: hatred and theocracy and threat. It's so gratified it doesn't 148 00:10:29,075 --> 00:10:31,515 Speaker 1: have to deal with any of that complicated stuff anymore, 149 00:10:31,555 --> 00:10:34,155 Speaker 1: that it will treat the Republicans and the v C 150 00:10:34,355 --> 00:10:37,075 Speaker 1: g OP like Hailey and as if there never was 151 00:10:37,235 --> 00:10:41,355 Speaker 1: a Donald Trump, as if Hailey and Pence and all 152 00:10:41,355 --> 00:10:44,995 Speaker 1: the others were equal partners in democracy rather than the 153 00:10:44,995 --> 00:10:49,355 Speaker 1: most insipid betrayers of themselves and the people they pretended 154 00:10:49,395 --> 00:10:54,675 Speaker 1: to represent, and their country, which, incidentally, reporters, is also 155 00:10:54,915 --> 00:10:59,275 Speaker 1: your country. Trump's attack on America did not begin on 156 00:10:59,355 --> 00:11:02,875 Speaker 1: January six. It began in two thousand fifteen, and it 157 00:11:02,955 --> 00:11:07,595 Speaker 1: nearly succeeded because Nick Haley and people like her and Pence, 158 00:11:07,995 --> 00:11:11,835 Speaker 1: the first line of defense folded like the French before 159 00:11:11,915 --> 00:11:16,355 Speaker 1: Hitler in. And then they all went and asked where 160 00:11:16,395 --> 00:11:19,835 Speaker 1: they needed to go to sign up to join the administration. 161 00:11:20,995 --> 00:11:24,635 Speaker 1: Hailey and people like her could never find enough principles 162 00:11:24,915 --> 00:11:28,835 Speaker 1: nor strength, but they could always find enough rationalizations. And 163 00:11:28,875 --> 00:11:31,435 Speaker 1: when her utter lack of morals can be summed up 164 00:11:31,435 --> 00:11:34,675 Speaker 1: by people like Costa as quote, she didn't hold that 165 00:11:34,795 --> 00:11:38,475 Speaker 1: anti Trump position as a core stance like so many Repubs. 166 00:11:39,035 --> 00:11:42,115 Speaker 1: She threw her support behind Trump and joined his administration 167 00:11:42,875 --> 00:11:46,235 Speaker 1: as if she were undecided about which salad dressing she 168 00:11:46,275 --> 00:11:49,755 Speaker 1: would get that day. When her total self interest at 169 00:11:49,795 --> 00:11:54,155 Speaker 1: a time of ballooning national crisis can be whitewashed and 170 00:11:54,275 --> 00:11:57,035 Speaker 1: gas lighted in that way, it is clear she has 171 00:11:57,115 --> 00:12:03,115 Speaker 1: allies in the complicit media like Costa, whose core stances 172 00:12:03,155 --> 00:12:08,235 Speaker 1: are access to the candidate, scoops and maybe getting to 173 00:12:08,435 --> 00:12:15,435 Speaker 1: moderate a debate someday. I appreciate that to these quote 174 00:12:15,475 --> 00:12:19,875 Speaker 1: reporters unquote, none of what I have said makes the 175 00:12:20,035 --> 00:12:25,435 Speaker 1: slightest sense, and that my criticisms are both astonishing and irrelevant. 176 00:12:26,115 --> 00:12:29,835 Speaker 1: I appreciate that to them, Nicki Haley's candidacy is a 177 00:12:29,915 --> 00:12:33,955 Speaker 1: story about the former U n Ambassador and the former 178 00:12:33,995 --> 00:12:37,635 Speaker 1: woman governor deciding to run for president. They must cover 179 00:12:37,795 --> 00:12:41,275 Speaker 1: this as certainly as a baseball reporter must cover the 180 00:12:41,315 --> 00:12:44,675 Speaker 1: signing of a free agent player who everybody else recognizes 181 00:12:44,675 --> 00:12:48,515 Speaker 1: will be useless, whose personal ethics are weak or in doubt, 182 00:12:48,875 --> 00:12:51,995 Speaker 1: whose salary is so disproportionately large that it will crash 183 00:12:52,035 --> 00:12:56,195 Speaker 1: the franchise. But the Trump acolytes who are today trying 184 00:12:56,235 --> 00:12:59,235 Speaker 1: to use the shallowness of the American political media to 185 00:12:59,275 --> 00:13:05,395 Speaker 1: declare themselves Nazis, but former Nazis. They're not just bad 186 00:13:05,435 --> 00:13:10,115 Speaker 1: players with bad contracts. These are the players who took 187 00:13:10,195 --> 00:13:13,795 Speaker 1: bribes to throw the game. Nicky Haley and the others 188 00:13:13,955 --> 00:13:18,715 Speaker 1: are the cheaters, the performance enhancing drug users of politics, 189 00:13:18,875 --> 00:13:23,515 Speaker 1: the domestic batterers of politics. They have, and oddly enough, 190 00:13:23,555 --> 00:13:26,475 Speaker 1: baseball writers will actually write that they would have no 191 00:13:26,715 --> 00:13:30,035 Speaker 1: place in the game. If you were to try to 192 00:13:30,075 --> 00:13:33,515 Speaker 1: cover that players signing without mentioning any of their real 193 00:13:33,675 --> 00:13:37,995 Speaker 1: past when they showed their real selves there. Nicky Haley 194 00:13:38,035 --> 00:13:40,435 Speaker 1: worked for Trump time. If you tried to do that 195 00:13:40,875 --> 00:13:44,435 Speaker 1: in sports, you would be transferred from the sports department 196 00:13:44,515 --> 00:13:50,995 Speaker 1: over to the political desk. And again this sounds like 197 00:13:50,995 --> 00:13:53,675 Speaker 1: it is some sort of vendetta against this guy Costa, 198 00:13:53,755 --> 00:13:56,955 Speaker 1: and it is not. The New York Times wrote a 199 00:13:57,115 --> 00:14:00,275 Speaker 1: huge piece for today's editions, nearly all of it about 200 00:14:00,355 --> 00:14:04,275 Speaker 1: Nicki Haley, headlined, They're trying to topple Trump, but they 201 00:14:04,315 --> 00:14:08,635 Speaker 1: barely utter his name. And that amazingly apropo headline is 202 00:14:08,675 --> 00:14:11,195 Speaker 1: about Haley and a couple of other would be Republican candidates. 203 00:14:11,235 --> 00:14:14,235 Speaker 1: It is not about Times writers who composed this bilge. 204 00:14:15,075 --> 00:14:18,195 Speaker 1: In thirty three paragraphs in the New York Time, there's 205 00:14:18,355 --> 00:14:23,515 Speaker 1: one reference to Trump's efforts to end the democracy, and 206 00:14:23,555 --> 00:14:27,595 Speaker 1: thus the New York Times one reference to the fact 207 00:14:27,675 --> 00:14:30,755 Speaker 1: that Haley and Pence and all the others gave Trump 208 00:14:30,995 --> 00:14:36,475 Speaker 1: cover before or after, accessories before or after the fact. 209 00:14:37,035 --> 00:14:40,155 Speaker 1: And here is the one reference Nicki Hayley. The New 210 00:14:40,235 --> 00:14:45,235 Speaker 1: York Times rights left quote his administration in and making 211 00:14:45,275 --> 00:14:50,275 Speaker 1: halting efforts to criticize him after the January attack on 212 00:14:50,395 --> 00:14:56,835 Speaker 1: the Capitol unquote, yet more evidence that as we careeing 213 00:14:56,915 --> 00:15:02,515 Speaker 1: towards more mindless coverage of four campaign season, the American 214 00:15:02,675 --> 00:15:06,755 Speaker 1: political media complex will never be accused of believing that 215 00:15:06,835 --> 00:15:11,595 Speaker 1: the ends justify the means. To these quote reporters unquote, 216 00:15:11,595 --> 00:15:18,355 Speaker 1: there are no ends. There are only means. And lastly, 217 00:15:18,395 --> 00:15:21,235 Speaker 1: it will shock you. I know that the thirty three 218 00:15:21,275 --> 00:15:25,155 Speaker 1: paragraphs of means without ends in The Times was co 219 00:15:25,355 --> 00:15:45,115 Speaker 1: authored by Maggie Aberman. Still ahead, Raquel Welch has died. 220 00:15:46,515 --> 00:15:48,235 Speaker 1: It might be in bad taste, but it means that 221 00:15:48,275 --> 00:15:51,555 Speaker 1: Peter Cook and Dudley Moore Raquel Welch story from the 222 00:15:51,595 --> 00:15:55,995 Speaker 1: movie they did together must be told. Baseball's first day 223 00:15:55,995 --> 00:15:59,355 Speaker 1: of spring training, and speaking of bad contracts, Jacob deGrom 224 00:15:59,475 --> 00:16:02,515 Speaker 1: of the five million dollar free agent deal with Texas. 225 00:16:02,515 --> 00:16:05,875 Speaker 1: He's not hurt, They're due is going to hold him 226 00:16:05,915 --> 00:16:12,035 Speaker 1: back a day or two, or if the Graham averages hold. 227 00:16:13,115 --> 00:16:15,995 Speaker 1: And this actually happened to me yesterday. I was asked 228 00:16:16,035 --> 00:16:18,755 Speaker 1: on the street what the best thing my dad ever 229 00:16:18,875 --> 00:16:21,875 Speaker 1: said was. So I had to explain, and I had 230 00:16:21,875 --> 00:16:25,115 Speaker 1: to explain how it wound up on HBO. I will 231 00:16:25,155 --> 00:16:27,475 Speaker 1: explain that to you as well in things I promised 232 00:16:27,475 --> 00:16:35,115 Speaker 1: not to tell. That's next. This is countdown. This is 233 00:16:35,235 --> 00:16:41,475 Speaker 1: countdown with Keith Alberman postcripts to the news, some headlines, 234 00:16:41,515 --> 00:16:44,795 Speaker 1: some updates, some snarks, some predictions. State Line, Washington. It 235 00:16:44,915 --> 00:16:48,115 Speaker 1: is not just Jack Smith's subpoena of Mike Pence. The 236 00:16:48,115 --> 00:16:51,555 Speaker 1: Special counsel was also demanding documents and testimony now from 237 00:16:51,595 --> 00:16:54,755 Speaker 1: Trump Chief of staffed Mark Meadows. And given the number 238 00:16:54,795 --> 00:16:58,515 Speaker 1: of texts and clandestine meetings, Meadows was at the center 239 00:16:58,555 --> 00:17:00,835 Speaker 1: of I have some advice for him. I mean, I 240 00:17:00,875 --> 00:17:03,915 Speaker 1: am no lawyer, but my suggestion to Meadows would be 241 00:17:04,755 --> 00:17:10,435 Speaker 1: lee to Brazil. Dateline Mari Lago. Here's a twist. Trump 242 00:17:10,475 --> 00:17:14,075 Speaker 1: flamed his defeat in part on Mailian voting and ballot collection, 243 00:17:14,195 --> 00:17:17,355 Speaker 1: or as the conspiracy theorists call it, ballot harvesting. Now 244 00:17:17,355 --> 00:17:20,475 Speaker 1: he has sent fundraising emails trying to raise money to 245 00:17:20,515 --> 00:17:24,475 Speaker 1: fortify the Republican effort to increase mail in voting and 246 00:17:24,595 --> 00:17:29,515 Speaker 1: ballot harvesting. Dateline Guam. Unnamed US officials tell The New 247 00:17:29,595 --> 00:17:33,355 Speaker 1: York Times they think the shotdown Chinese spy balloon was 248 00:17:33,395 --> 00:17:36,635 Speaker 1: not supposed to be targeted at Idaho or the Midwest, 249 00:17:36,755 --> 00:17:41,315 Speaker 1: or anywhere else on its eventual Hindenburg like path that 250 00:17:41,395 --> 00:17:45,035 Speaker 1: it was supposed to overfly Guam and Hawaii, which is great, 251 00:17:45,075 --> 00:17:49,995 Speaker 1: I guess, except Guam and Hawaii are also America and 252 00:17:50,075 --> 00:17:53,115 Speaker 1: dateline Los Angeles. The actress Raquel Welch has not at 253 00:17:53,115 --> 00:17:55,635 Speaker 1: the age of eighty two at her home after what 254 00:17:55,715 --> 00:17:59,035 Speaker 1: her agent said was a brief illness, usually dismissed because 255 00:17:59,075 --> 00:18:01,915 Speaker 1: of her voluptuous figure and how much we saw of it. 256 00:18:02,475 --> 00:18:06,955 Speaker 1: She gave excellent performances in several movies, including Fantastic Voyage 257 00:18:07,075 --> 00:18:10,075 Speaker 1: and The Three Musketeers The Ladder of which she won 258 00:18:10,115 --> 00:18:13,195 Speaker 1: a Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Golden Globe 259 00:18:13,235 --> 00:18:17,635 Speaker 1: for in nine four. She was also superb in Bedazzled 260 00:18:17,915 --> 00:18:21,715 Speaker 1: the Seven Vehicle for the then team of British comedians 261 00:18:21,715 --> 00:18:27,075 Speaker 1: Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. She played lust be Dazzled 262 00:18:27,155 --> 00:18:30,075 Speaker 1: produced one of the greatest movie stories of all time. 263 00:18:30,435 --> 00:18:34,955 Speaker 1: Possibly apocryphal and maybe not appropriate for an obituary, but 264 00:18:35,475 --> 00:18:37,915 Speaker 1: there you go. As the movie was being made, they 265 00:18:37,915 --> 00:18:41,195 Speaker 1: had not decided on a title. The brilliant Peter Cook 266 00:18:41,315 --> 00:18:47,515 Speaker 1: suggested calling the film Raquel Welch mystified producers couldn't figure 267 00:18:47,555 --> 00:18:51,635 Speaker 1: it out. Why call the movie Raquel Welch. Finally, Cook, 268 00:18:51,795 --> 00:18:55,275 Speaker 1: in his most dead pan voice, explained that that way 269 00:18:55,515 --> 00:19:00,155 Speaker 1: theater marquees around the world would read Peter Cook and 270 00:19:00,315 --> 00:19:19,355 Speaker 1: Dudley Moore in Raquel Welch. This is Sports Center. Wait, 271 00:19:19,555 --> 00:19:27,195 Speaker 1: check that not anymore. This is Countdown with Keith Alberman 272 00:19:27,715 --> 00:19:32,195 Speaker 1: heyo in Sports Over the Winter. Two times Cy Young 273 00:19:32,235 --> 00:19:35,155 Speaker 1: Award winner Jacob deGrom left the New York Mets to 274 00:19:35,155 --> 00:19:38,275 Speaker 1: sign a five million dollar free agent contract with the 275 00:19:38,315 --> 00:19:43,555 Speaker 1: Texas Rangers. New York baseball fans, dyspeptic without interruption since 276 00:19:43,555 --> 00:19:47,235 Speaker 1: the Irvington's of New Jersey stopped the Brooklyn Atlantics thirty 277 00:19:47,275 --> 00:19:50,915 Speaker 1: six game winning streak in June of eighteen sixty six, 278 00:19:51,395 --> 00:19:54,715 Speaker 1: were oddly quiet about their one time hero de Grom 279 00:19:54,715 --> 00:19:58,075 Speaker 1: departing for Arlington. That was largely because de Graham had 280 00:19:58,115 --> 00:20:00,915 Speaker 1: pitched only twenty six times in the last two seasons 281 00:20:00,995 --> 00:20:03,795 Speaker 1: due to a series of arm problems that all began 282 00:20:03,875 --> 00:20:06,435 Speaker 1: the same way. He's not injured, He's just got a 283 00:20:06,475 --> 00:20:08,635 Speaker 1: little sore nows he's gonna miss a start, or it's 284 00:20:08,675 --> 00:20:10,835 Speaker 1: a little bit of a strain or that just as 285 00:20:10,835 --> 00:20:13,035 Speaker 1: a precaution, want to hold him out for a couple 286 00:20:13,035 --> 00:20:17,355 Speaker 1: of days. At ten o one Central Time yesterday morning, 287 00:20:17,355 --> 00:20:20,715 Speaker 1: the Texas Rangers proudly tweeted a photo of de Gram, 288 00:20:20,715 --> 00:20:24,315 Speaker 1: their new ace, walking into their spring training facility, with 289 00:20:24,355 --> 00:20:28,875 Speaker 1: the caption de Gram clocking in well, and then a 290 00:20:28,915 --> 00:20:33,595 Speaker 1: couple of hours, de Gram clocked out. Now he's not injured, 291 00:20:33,635 --> 00:20:37,195 Speaker 1: says Texas Rangers boss Chris Young. It's just cold in 292 00:20:37,235 --> 00:20:41,035 Speaker 1: spring training and they want to hold him out for 293 00:20:41,075 --> 00:20:53,195 Speaker 1: a couple of days. Thank you, Nancy Faust. And if 294 00:20:53,235 --> 00:20:56,635 Speaker 1: your local sports ball teams games are shown on one 295 00:20:56,675 --> 00:21:01,075 Speaker 1: of the Bally's regional sports networks, maybe by a transistor 296 00:21:01,275 --> 00:21:04,955 Speaker 1: radio or a TV with rabbit ears or something. Their 297 00:21:05,035 --> 00:21:08,195 Speaker 1: parent company did not make roughly a hundred forty million 298 00:21:08,235 --> 00:21:11,915 Speaker 1: dollars in interest payments due yesterday on the cash notes 299 00:21:12,035 --> 00:21:15,715 Speaker 1: keeping the company afloat, and that company declared it has 300 00:21:15,835 --> 00:21:18,715 Speaker 1: entered the thirty day grace period in order to better 301 00:21:18,755 --> 00:21:22,715 Speaker 1: assess its future. And this is basically a bankruptcy warning. 302 00:21:22,995 --> 00:21:27,315 Speaker 1: The entire structure of sports on television and untouchable cash 303 00:21:27,395 --> 00:21:31,115 Speaker 1: cow as recently as two or three years ago is 304 00:21:31,195 --> 00:21:34,435 Speaker 1: up in the Air Valleys has TV rights for fifty 305 00:21:34,555 --> 00:21:38,115 Speaker 1: five of the teams in the NBA, w n b A, NHL, 306 00:21:38,595 --> 00:21:42,235 Speaker 1: and in baseball and in preseason football, And forgive me, 307 00:21:42,275 --> 00:21:44,795 Speaker 1: I meant to say that correctly, w n B A, 308 00:21:45,675 --> 00:21:50,035 Speaker 1: and even networks not affiliated with Ballet's are having financial problems. 309 00:21:50,555 --> 00:21:53,555 Speaker 1: MSG Network in New York is co owned with the 310 00:21:53,555 --> 00:21:56,395 Speaker 1: New York Rangers and the New York Knicks and Madison 311 00:21:56,395 --> 00:21:58,715 Speaker 1: Square Garden. And we've been through this a thousand times. 312 00:21:58,755 --> 00:22:01,755 Speaker 1: All The Rangers just left on a West coast swing, 313 00:22:02,275 --> 00:22:05,715 Speaker 1: but their television play by play team in my first Boss, 314 00:22:05,755 --> 00:22:09,675 Speaker 1: Sam Rosen, did not go with them. The Rangers game 315 00:22:09,755 --> 00:22:13,155 Speaker 1: last night was in Vancouver, the announcers Sam and Joe 316 00:22:13,235 --> 00:22:18,515 Speaker 1: mccleetti were in New York. MSG did send a radio crew, 317 00:22:19,395 --> 00:22:22,795 Speaker 1: but only half of the usual allotment. The only set 318 00:22:22,875 --> 00:22:26,395 Speaker 1: the play by play man, the color guy stayed home. 319 00:22:40,355 --> 00:22:42,435 Speaker 1: Had things I promised not to tell. In the day, 320 00:22:42,435 --> 00:22:47,235 Speaker 1: Aaron Sorkin borrowed my dad's Pitheist observation and put it 321 00:22:47,315 --> 00:22:50,715 Speaker 1: on TV first time for the daily round up of 322 00:22:50,715 --> 00:22:53,875 Speaker 1: the misgrants, morons and Dunning Kruger effect specimens who constitute 323 00:22:53,915 --> 00:22:59,475 Speaker 1: today's worst persons in the world. The bronze Indiana Congresswoman 324 00:22:59,595 --> 00:23:03,195 Speaker 1: Victorious Sparks, who was a little late to the news 325 00:23:03,275 --> 00:23:06,035 Speaker 1: Max party, the one in which fascists try to take 326 00:23:06,315 --> 00:23:10,115 Speaker 1: news Max, raising its price for direct TV to carry it, 327 00:23:10,475 --> 00:23:14,635 Speaker 1: raising it from zero dollars to thirteen million dollars a year, 328 00:23:14,675 --> 00:23:18,995 Speaker 1: and direct TV saying half off. They're trying to transform 329 00:23:19,075 --> 00:23:25,035 Speaker 1: that into you know, the crucifixion. It's, quote, according mss Sparks, 330 00:23:25,155 --> 00:23:29,795 Speaker 1: an issue of government created, protected and subsidized monopolies turning 331 00:23:29,875 --> 00:23:33,035 Speaker 1: us into an oligarchy. If we continue on this path, 332 00:23:33,115 --> 00:23:38,435 Speaker 1: we will start resembling a totalitarian country very soon. Unquote. 333 00:23:38,915 --> 00:23:42,555 Speaker 1: Congresswoman's Sparks was born in the Soviet Union in what 334 00:23:42,755 --> 00:23:46,275 Speaker 1: is now Ukraine, which is getting bombed daily by an 335 00:23:46,355 --> 00:23:51,235 Speaker 1: actual totalitarian country called Russia. And for her, of all people, 336 00:23:51,635 --> 00:23:55,395 Speaker 1: to compare news Max's inability to gauge its own price 337 00:23:55,475 --> 00:24:01,355 Speaker 1: point correctly to authoritarian governments is an insult to every 338 00:24:01,475 --> 00:24:07,115 Speaker 1: Ukrainian American like me. Congress Woman shut up. The runner 339 00:24:07,195 --> 00:24:10,155 Speaker 1: up Oklahoma District Judge Lynn McGuire, who has ruled that 340 00:24:10,275 --> 00:24:13,915 Speaker 1: Chris Williams has lost parenting rights to see the son 341 00:24:14,075 --> 00:24:17,395 Speaker 1: she had with her then wife, Rebecca Wilson. You know 342 00:24:17,395 --> 00:24:20,275 Speaker 1: who does now have parenting rights according to Judge McGuire, 343 00:24:20,675 --> 00:24:25,755 Speaker 1: the sperm donor. You heard me. The sperm donor is 344 00:24:25,755 --> 00:24:28,835 Speaker 1: a guy named Harlan Vaughan, and he is who Chris 345 00:24:28,915 --> 00:24:31,715 Speaker 1: Williams and Rebecca Wilson went to when they wanted to 346 00:24:31,755 --> 00:24:36,995 Speaker 1: have a child. Since then, Rebecca Wilson has moved in 347 00:24:37,075 --> 00:24:41,715 Speaker 1: with the sperm donor and she and Harlan Mr Sperm 348 00:24:41,915 --> 00:24:44,875 Speaker 1: claimed Chris Williams was abusive and they want the court 349 00:24:44,955 --> 00:24:48,555 Speaker 1: to get her parenting rights revoked and assigned to the 350 00:24:48,635 --> 00:24:52,635 Speaker 1: guy who brought the sperm. The judge has agreed. And 351 00:24:52,675 --> 00:24:53,915 Speaker 1: if you don't think this is going to be used 352 00:24:53,955 --> 00:24:57,075 Speaker 1: as a precedent to start taking parental rights away from 353 00:24:57,115 --> 00:25:02,115 Speaker 1: same sex couples, you're still asleep. But our winners Tennessee lawmakers, 354 00:25:02,115 --> 00:25:06,315 Speaker 1: Senators Frank Nicely and Representative Paul Cherrell. They want to 355 00:25:06,355 --> 00:25:09,395 Speaker 1: rename a portion of a street in Nashville after Trump. 356 00:25:09,875 --> 00:25:13,955 Speaker 1: I want to call it President Donald Trump Boulevard. Presumably 357 00:25:13,955 --> 00:25:17,275 Speaker 1: it would go nowhere. Now neither of them represent Nashville, 358 00:25:17,395 --> 00:25:21,315 Speaker 1: But because state lawn Tennessee supersedes local ordinances, these two 359 00:25:21,435 --> 00:25:24,195 Speaker 1: yokels believe they have the final word on what the 360 00:25:24,235 --> 00:25:27,595 Speaker 1: streets in Nashville shall be called, and they want that 361 00:25:27,675 --> 00:25:30,395 Speaker 1: portion named for Trump. And if that's not offensive enough, 362 00:25:30,435 --> 00:25:33,235 Speaker 1: since it doesn't say run in front of the County Jail. 363 00:25:33,555 --> 00:25:37,435 Speaker 1: The street they want to call President Donald Trump Boulevard 364 00:25:37,795 --> 00:25:42,275 Speaker 1: is currently part of the place known as John Lewis Way, 365 00:25:43,555 --> 00:25:48,115 Speaker 1: after the Congressman, after my friend, the late John Lewis, 366 00:25:48,235 --> 00:25:52,035 Speaker 1: John Lewis Way, which contains several of the lunch counters 367 00:25:52,075 --> 00:25:56,395 Speaker 1: at which Lewis first protested. Tennessee Republicans Frank Nicely and 368 00:25:56,435 --> 00:25:59,715 Speaker 1: Paul Scharrell. How about this stretch of Amy Lynn Drive 369 00:25:59,795 --> 00:26:03,515 Speaker 1: out near Tune Airport, how about you name that after Trump? 370 00:26:03,795 --> 00:26:07,075 Speaker 1: You know where the guard arbage dump is. Nicely and 371 00:26:07,235 --> 00:26:24,195 Speaker 1: Cherrell Today's worst persons and still ahead on countdown. So 372 00:26:24,275 --> 00:26:28,275 Speaker 1: while I'm walking the dogs today looking for Flacco, I 373 00:26:28,315 --> 00:26:30,435 Speaker 1: get stopped by a young lady and we somehow start 374 00:26:30,475 --> 00:26:33,195 Speaker 1: talking about my dad and the best thing he ever said. 375 00:26:33,235 --> 00:26:34,955 Speaker 1: And I had to explain not only what it was 376 00:26:35,475 --> 00:26:37,475 Speaker 1: and what it meant, but how it wound up. On 377 00:26:37,515 --> 00:26:42,035 Speaker 1: the seventh episode of the HBO series Newsroom, starring Jeff 378 00:26:42,115 --> 00:26:46,355 Speaker 1: Daniels Things I promised not to tell. Next, first, speaking 379 00:26:46,395 --> 00:26:48,315 Speaker 1: of dogs, In each addition of Countdown, we feature a 380 00:26:48,355 --> 00:26:51,515 Speaker 1: dog in need you can help. Every dog has its day. 381 00:26:52,315 --> 00:26:55,915 Speaker 1: Good news, Joy was rescued. Her sister Easy is at 382 00:26:55,915 --> 00:26:58,515 Speaker 1: a foster, which is good news too. Now to Guinness, 383 00:26:58,955 --> 00:27:01,515 Speaker 1: who for three years has been a foster with special 384 00:27:01,555 --> 00:27:05,475 Speaker 1: needs Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation SNAr North the they help 385 00:27:05,555 --> 00:27:08,355 Speaker 1: him recover from being shot in the head, and then 386 00:27:08,355 --> 00:27:10,635 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago the foster family noticed he 387 00:27:10,715 --> 00:27:13,435 Speaker 1: was off balance. They m r eyed him. It's brain 388 00:27:13,555 --> 00:27:16,595 Speaker 1: cancer and as terrible as it sounds, there's no cancer 389 00:27:16,595 --> 00:27:19,915 Speaker 1: anywhere else in his body, and dogs handle targeted radiation 390 00:27:19,955 --> 00:27:22,875 Speaker 1: way better than humans do. The neurologists believe they can 391 00:27:22,875 --> 00:27:25,755 Speaker 1: stop the tumor even reverse its growth, and give him 392 00:27:25,755 --> 00:27:29,355 Speaker 1: a good life. The fundraiser Forgiveness Guinness with One End, 393 00:27:30,075 --> 00:27:32,595 Speaker 1: is on Giving Grid. You can find him there or 394 00:27:32,635 --> 00:27:36,795 Speaker 1: on my Twitter feeds. I thank you, and Guinness, thanks you. 395 00:27:44,675 --> 00:27:47,115 Speaker 1: Finally our number one story in the Countdown Things I 396 00:27:47,195 --> 00:27:50,075 Speaker 1: Promised not to tell And back to my favorite topic, me. 397 00:27:51,315 --> 00:27:54,075 Speaker 1: I heard Jeff Daniels say the words, and in the 398 00:27:54,115 --> 00:27:57,635 Speaker 1: next minute my cell phone rang it was an ex girlfriend. 399 00:27:57,995 --> 00:28:01,275 Speaker 1: While we were talking, an email arrived from another ex girlfriend, 400 00:28:01,355 --> 00:28:03,475 Speaker 1: and then in came at text from the current girlfriend 401 00:28:03,515 --> 00:28:06,795 Speaker 1: at her folks house, then two more emails, and before 402 00:28:06,835 --> 00:28:10,835 Speaker 1: I was off the phone, two voicemails, and then regular 403 00:28:10,915 --> 00:28:13,755 Speaker 1: friends started to contact me. This is just over ten 404 00:28:13,835 --> 00:28:17,235 Speaker 1: years ago now. Was Sunday, August five, two thousand twelve, 405 00:28:17,835 --> 00:28:21,795 Speaker 1: Jeff Daniels was playing the controversial newscaster and commentator on 406 00:28:21,915 --> 00:28:26,675 Speaker 1: Aaron Sorkin's HBO series Newsroom, which was based structurally on 407 00:28:26,835 --> 00:28:30,515 Speaker 1: Me and Countdown. And I know this because Aaron Sorkin 408 00:28:30,675 --> 00:28:33,675 Speaker 1: told me so before he filmed any of it. And 409 00:28:33,755 --> 00:28:36,155 Speaker 1: I know this because he asked me if he could 410 00:28:36,155 --> 00:28:38,715 Speaker 1: base the pilot episode on what happened to me at 411 00:28:38,875 --> 00:28:42,075 Speaker 1: MSNBC in the spring and summer of two thousand ten. 412 00:28:42,355 --> 00:28:44,675 Speaker 1: And I know this because he came in and shadowed 413 00:28:44,715 --> 00:28:47,355 Speaker 1: the staff of Countdown for two days to get the 414 00:28:47,395 --> 00:28:49,795 Speaker 1: feel for the place. And I know this because he 415 00:28:49,795 --> 00:28:54,435 Speaker 1: wound up basing one character, Maggie Jordan's on my assistant, 416 00:28:54,675 --> 00:28:58,915 Speaker 1: Margaret Judson, and then hiring Margaret Judson as a consultant, 417 00:28:59,195 --> 00:29:01,235 Speaker 1: and then hiring her as an actress to play a 418 00:29:01,275 --> 00:29:04,035 Speaker 1: part that wasn't supposed to be her, and I know 419 00:29:04,155 --> 00:29:06,955 Speaker 1: this because he was furious when I would not fly 420 00:29:07,075 --> 00:29:09,675 Speaker 1: to Denver. I think it was to do a cameo 421 00:29:09,795 --> 00:29:12,235 Speaker 1: in the pilot. And I know this because he said 422 00:29:12,275 --> 00:29:14,395 Speaker 1: he was hiring me as a consultant. And I know 423 00:29:14,515 --> 00:29:16,675 Speaker 1: this because I never saw a dime out of it. 424 00:29:17,875 --> 00:29:20,795 Speaker 1: This was the second time Aaron Sorkin had based one 425 00:29:20,835 --> 00:29:23,715 Speaker 1: of his TV series on one of my TV series. 426 00:29:24,315 --> 00:29:27,875 Speaker 1: The other was called Sports Night, and Esquire Magazine once 427 00:29:27,915 --> 00:29:31,115 Speaker 1: asked me to interview Sorkin about Sports Night, and I 428 00:29:31,155 --> 00:29:34,035 Speaker 1: asked him the real tough question, what was the origin 429 00:29:34,115 --> 00:29:37,635 Speaker 1: of Sports Night? And his answer was, quote, you are 430 00:29:37,715 --> 00:29:40,955 Speaker 1: the origin. So when The New York Times had called 431 00:29:40,995 --> 00:29:43,995 Speaker 1: me about Newsroom, I lightheartedly said it was nice to 432 00:29:43,995 --> 00:29:46,915 Speaker 1: know in advanced this time that Aaron Sorkin was making 433 00:29:46,915 --> 00:29:50,595 Speaker 1: a TV series about me. Sorkin did not like this 434 00:29:50,835 --> 00:29:54,395 Speaker 1: at all, and he told all his actors to tell 435 00:29:54,435 --> 00:29:57,075 Speaker 1: all their interviewers that this was not true. And I 436 00:29:57,115 --> 00:29:59,235 Speaker 1: know that because Jeff Daniels told me that that was 437 00:29:59,235 --> 00:30:04,635 Speaker 1: what Sorkin had told him. Sorkin is interesting. I had 438 00:30:04,795 --> 00:30:07,115 Speaker 1: known him for about ten or twelve years when he 439 00:30:07,155 --> 00:30:09,515 Speaker 1: came into countdown to see what it looked and felt like, 440 00:30:10,195 --> 00:30:13,635 Speaker 1: and he was twenty minutes late. And my assistant Margaret 441 00:30:13,955 --> 00:30:16,555 Speaker 1: after whom he named Maggie Jordan's, whom he then hired 442 00:30:16,595 --> 00:30:18,475 Speaker 1: away from me, and when he finally hired as an 443 00:30:18,515 --> 00:30:20,995 Speaker 1: actress to play Tess Weston, and she was great by 444 00:30:21,035 --> 00:30:24,075 Speaker 1: the way. Margaret brings him in and he apologizes for 445 00:30:24,235 --> 00:30:26,275 Speaker 1: being late, and he says he's staying in a hotel 446 00:30:26,315 --> 00:30:28,315 Speaker 1: two blocks away, and he should have just walked, but 447 00:30:28,355 --> 00:30:30,915 Speaker 1: instead he got in a car, and the next thing 448 00:30:30,955 --> 00:30:33,795 Speaker 1: he knew, he was six blocks away, caught in traffic 449 00:30:34,195 --> 00:30:36,635 Speaker 1: caused by the complete shutdown of one of the crosstown 450 00:30:36,715 --> 00:30:40,875 Speaker 1: streets for mid day construction. And I laughed and I said, well, 451 00:30:41,515 --> 00:30:44,195 Speaker 1: like my late father, the architect used to say, New York, 452 00:30:44,715 --> 00:30:47,515 Speaker 1: it'll be a great town whenever they finish it. And 453 00:30:47,635 --> 00:30:50,755 Speaker 1: he laughed, and I laughed. And two years later, in 454 00:30:50,795 --> 00:30:54,875 Speaker 1: the seventh episode of the HBO Newsroom series first aired 455 00:30:54,875 --> 00:30:58,155 Speaker 1: on August five, two twelve, and reaired throughout the week, 456 00:30:58,715 --> 00:31:02,435 Speaker 1: Jeff Daniels as the anchorman Will McAvoy, who wasn't me 457 00:31:02,555 --> 00:31:05,315 Speaker 1: but actually kind of was me. He is late to 458 00:31:05,395 --> 00:31:09,315 Speaker 1: his newsroom because he gets caught in Manhattan traffic caused 459 00:31:09,315 --> 00:31:11,595 Speaker 1: by Sunday night street construction, and he says to his 460 00:31:11,635 --> 00:31:15,835 Speaker 1: exasperated producer, New York, it'll be a great town whenever 461 00:31:15,875 --> 00:31:20,875 Speaker 1: they finish it. That's when my phone and email blew up, 462 00:31:20,955 --> 00:31:24,635 Speaker 1: and the then girlfriend, and like forty of all of 463 00:31:24,675 --> 00:31:28,915 Speaker 1: my exes ever all had the same question, New York, 464 00:31:28,955 --> 00:31:31,475 Speaker 1: It'll be a great town whenever they finish it. Isn't 465 00:31:31,475 --> 00:31:34,275 Speaker 1: that what your dad used to say? Even the ones 466 00:31:34,275 --> 00:31:37,035 Speaker 1: who never met my dad knew this because I used 467 00:31:37,075 --> 00:31:40,235 Speaker 1: to quote him constantly, because the real humor in the 468 00:31:40,315 --> 00:31:42,435 Speaker 1: quote is the fact that my dad was an architect 469 00:31:42,435 --> 00:31:45,715 Speaker 1: and construction was his business. New York, It'll be a 470 00:31:45,755 --> 00:31:49,995 Speaker 1: great town whenever they finish it. And then one of 471 00:31:49,995 --> 00:31:52,235 Speaker 1: the last of the x is reached out. She waited 472 00:31:52,315 --> 00:31:54,995 Speaker 1: until the show was over. Now, I don't think any 473 00:31:55,075 --> 00:31:58,195 Speaker 1: of us is proud of this, but she had also 474 00:31:58,355 --> 00:32:02,355 Speaker 1: dated Sorkin once or twice, and since she had written 475 00:32:02,395 --> 00:32:05,155 Speaker 1: celebrity stories for a New York newspaper, he had later 476 00:32:05,195 --> 00:32:08,515 Speaker 1: asked her by email what the world of gossip reporting 477 00:32:08,595 --> 00:32:11,715 Speaker 1: was like, and she told him by email, and what 478 00:32:11,835 --> 00:32:15,035 Speaker 1: she now told me made Aaron Sorkin's use of my 479 00:32:15,155 --> 00:32:18,155 Speaker 1: dad's quote and other parts of my life seemed like 480 00:32:18,235 --> 00:32:22,515 Speaker 1: possible coincidences. She said. She was watching the third, maybe 481 00:32:22,675 --> 00:32:26,075 Speaker 1: fourth episode of Newsroom, and in walked a new character, 482 00:32:26,195 --> 00:32:29,275 Speaker 1: a gossip columnist, a woman, and the first sentence the 483 00:32:29,355 --> 00:32:33,515 Speaker 1: character said was my friend. And Ex said word for 484 00:32:33,595 --> 00:32:36,555 Speaker 1: word something she had sent to Sorkin in one of 485 00:32:36,595 --> 00:32:40,235 Speaker 1: the emails about the gossip business. She said, when she 486 00:32:40,355 --> 00:32:42,875 Speaker 1: heard it, her face started to get read, and it 487 00:32:42,875 --> 00:32:46,955 Speaker 1: would keep getting reader. The gossip columnist character's second line 488 00:32:46,955 --> 00:32:49,635 Speaker 1: had also been cut and pasted from my ex's email, 489 00:32:50,115 --> 00:32:52,635 Speaker 1: then her long speech, then all of her dialogue. She 490 00:32:52,675 --> 00:32:55,435 Speaker 1: said in her second scene, my ex actually managed to 491 00:32:55,435 --> 00:32:58,275 Speaker 1: record that episode and to find her own email to 492 00:32:58,355 --> 00:33:00,515 Speaker 1: Sorkin and to compare them. And she said, other than 493 00:33:00,635 --> 00:33:04,275 Speaker 1: changing a couple of tenses, he had used her answers 494 00:33:04,315 --> 00:33:09,235 Speaker 1: verbat him. I met the actor Josh Charles during the 495 00:33:09,235 --> 00:33:11,715 Speaker 1: two thousand World Series. I was there anchoring it for 496 00:33:11,795 --> 00:33:15,555 Speaker 1: Fox Sports. Josh was there promoting his new show on Fox. 497 00:33:16,235 --> 00:33:20,235 Speaker 1: Josh had played Dan Rydell on Sorkin's Sports Night series, 498 00:33:20,275 --> 00:33:23,435 Speaker 1: and even Sorkin and I agreed dan Rydell is just 499 00:33:23,595 --> 00:33:26,835 Speaker 1: me with a different haircut. I was walking up sixth 500 00:33:26,915 --> 00:33:29,715 Speaker 1: Avenue one day in October two thousand and from several 501 00:33:29,755 --> 00:33:34,475 Speaker 1: blocks away, I saw Josh Charles walking towards me, so 502 00:33:34,515 --> 00:33:36,755 Speaker 1: I had several minutes to prepare what I could say 503 00:33:36,795 --> 00:33:40,995 Speaker 1: to him. This was not spontaneous, sadly, but after our 504 00:33:41,155 --> 00:33:44,275 Speaker 1: eyes met and I smiled, and he gave me that yes, 505 00:33:44,395 --> 00:33:48,035 Speaker 1: I'm on TV. Look that I recognized and have myself deployed. 506 00:33:48,515 --> 00:33:51,795 Speaker 1: He switched suddenly to shock and even a little apprehension, 507 00:33:52,355 --> 00:33:54,355 Speaker 1: and I said the line I had been rehearsing in 508 00:33:54,435 --> 00:33:58,475 Speaker 1: my head for several minutes. Excuse me. You don't get 509 00:33:58,555 --> 00:34:01,635 Speaker 1: to say this often in life, But didn't you used 510 00:34:01,675 --> 00:34:04,915 Speaker 1: to play me on TV? Right there on six to 511 00:34:04,955 --> 00:34:07,355 Speaker 1: then you? Josh told me about the ordeal of working 512 00:34:07,395 --> 00:34:09,395 Speaker 1: with and for Aaron Sorkin, and I thought he just 513 00:34:09,475 --> 00:34:14,355 Speaker 1: met for actors, but I later found out because New York, 514 00:34:14,475 --> 00:34:17,555 Speaker 1: it'll be a great town whenever they finish it. Josh 515 00:34:17,595 --> 00:34:19,795 Speaker 1: and I are still friends. We've got two ball games together. 516 00:34:19,915 --> 00:34:22,195 Speaker 1: We were in a fantasy baseball league together, and one 517 00:34:22,275 --> 00:34:25,195 Speaker 1: night on my ESPN two show, we came back from 518 00:34:25,195 --> 00:34:28,515 Speaker 1: commercial giving the audience no warning or explanation, and we 519 00:34:28,555 --> 00:34:31,595 Speaker 1: simply started co anchoring the show and calling it Sports 520 00:34:31,715 --> 00:34:35,275 Speaker 1: Night and making references to the program and to Newsroom. 521 00:34:35,355 --> 00:34:38,115 Speaker 1: And then he said, why did we keep reading this? 522 00:34:38,635 --> 00:34:40,955 Speaker 1: And I said, I don't know. I just assumed Sorkin 523 00:34:40,995 --> 00:34:44,715 Speaker 1: had run out of new ideas. The mutual laughter that 524 00:34:44,795 --> 00:34:49,275 Speaker 1: followed was sincere, there is one more punchline to the 525 00:34:49,315 --> 00:34:53,435 Speaker 1: Newsroom Sorkin story, because I was like his seventh guest ever. 526 00:34:53,555 --> 00:34:57,955 Speaker 1: When Stephen Colbert wrapped up the Colbert Report on Comedy Central, 527 00:34:58,315 --> 00:35:01,195 Speaker 1: I was invited to be on the final farewell episode, 528 00:35:01,475 --> 00:35:05,355 Speaker 1: me and like nine other people. They're were so many 529 00:35:05,395 --> 00:35:09,315 Speaker 1: of us, ranging from Barry Manilow to Brian Cranston to 530 00:35:09,515 --> 00:35:13,075 Speaker 1: Big Bird, that they had like nine green rooms in 531 00:35:13,115 --> 00:35:15,475 Speaker 1: the Comedy Central building. And I get there and they 532 00:35:15,515 --> 00:35:17,355 Speaker 1: send me to the green room I would be sharing 533 00:35:17,355 --> 00:35:19,395 Speaker 1: with several other people. And I trudge up a bunch 534 00:35:19,435 --> 00:35:21,555 Speaker 1: of stairs to the top floor and in this big 535 00:35:21,635 --> 00:35:25,755 Speaker 1: room there is only one other performer there yet it's 536 00:35:25,835 --> 00:35:29,955 Speaker 1: Jeff Daniels. Without saying hello, he says, now, wait, let 537 00:35:29,995 --> 00:35:34,235 Speaker 1: me explain, Sorkin told me, and I explained, and then 538 00:35:34,235 --> 00:35:37,195 Speaker 1: he explained, and then I explained some more and Jeff said, 539 00:35:38,195 --> 00:35:43,955 Speaker 1: oh a lot, and once he said oops, and Sarkin 540 00:35:44,035 --> 00:35:46,875 Speaker 1: didn't tell me that. And after about three minutes he said, 541 00:35:47,395 --> 00:35:49,315 Speaker 1: so I owe you an apology and I said, no, 542 00:35:49,395 --> 00:35:52,075 Speaker 1: you don't. It's not your fault. And he smiled and 543 00:35:52,075 --> 00:35:55,835 Speaker 1: he said, well great, I'm glad. So can we take 544 00:35:55,875 --> 00:35:58,315 Speaker 1: a picture together that I can put out on Twitter? 545 00:35:58,875 --> 00:36:01,835 Speaker 1: And I said, yeah, absolutely, but only if you captured 546 00:36:01,915 --> 00:36:05,075 Speaker 1: in it New York. It'll be a great on whenever 547 00:36:05,115 --> 00:36:20,435 Speaker 1: they finish it. Countdown has come to you from the 548 00:36:20,435 --> 00:36:25,355 Speaker 1: studios of Alderman Broadcasting Empire World Headquarters in the Sports 549 00:36:25,355 --> 00:36:28,555 Speaker 1: Capsule Building in New York. Thank you for listening. Here 550 00:36:28,555 --> 00:36:30,835 Speaker 1: are the credits. Most of the music, including our theme 551 00:36:30,955 --> 00:36:34,555 Speaker 1: Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, produced, and performed by John Philip 552 00:36:34,595 --> 00:36:38,315 Speaker 1: Shanelle and Brian Ray, who are the Countdown musical directors. Guitars, 553 00:36:38,315 --> 00:36:41,635 Speaker 1: bass and drums by Brian Ray, All orchestration and keyboards 554 00:36:41,635 --> 00:36:44,515 Speaker 1: by John Philip Shanelle, produced by t k O Brothers. 555 00:36:44,755 --> 00:36:47,395 Speaker 1: Other Beethoven selections of it arranged and performed by No 556 00:36:47,595 --> 00:36:50,955 Speaker 1: Horns Allowed. The sports music is the Alderman theme from 557 00:36:51,195 --> 00:36:55,635 Speaker 1: ESPN Too. It was written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy ESPN, Inc. 558 00:36:56,235 --> 00:36:59,795 Speaker 1: Musical comments from Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever. 559 00:37:00,155 --> 00:37:02,595 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was Richard Lewis. And everything else is 560 00:37:02,595 --> 00:37:05,715 Speaker 1: pretty much my fault. And that is countdown for this, 561 00:37:05,755 --> 00:37:10,315 Speaker 1: the seven seventy second day since Donald Trump's first attempted 562 00:37:10,355 --> 00:37:13,235 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government in the United States. 563 00:37:13,715 --> 00:37:17,715 Speaker 1: Arrest him now while we still can. The next schedule 564 00:37:17,795 --> 00:37:20,075 Speaker 1: countdown is tomorrow, and until then, I'm Keith old Reman. 565 00:37:20,115 --> 00:37:32,995 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. Countdown with 566 00:37:33,115 --> 00:37:35,875 Speaker 1: Keith old Reman is a production of I Heart Radio. 567 00:37:36,155 --> 00:37:39,075 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the I 568 00:37:39,195 --> 00:37:43,555 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.