1 00:00:04,755 --> 00:00:08,995 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:23,115 --> 00:00:25,755 Speaker 1: At the heart of the United States of America is 3 00:00:25,835 --> 00:00:30,195 Speaker 1: your right to live without one political party advocating that 4 00:00:30,275 --> 00:00:33,795 Speaker 1: you should be killed. The central promise of the United 5 00:00:33,835 --> 00:00:37,035 Speaker 1: States of America is your right to be free without 6 00:00:37,075 --> 00:00:40,195 Speaker 1: one political party advocating that any election it loses has 7 00:00:40,235 --> 00:00:43,275 Speaker 1: been fixed, and that it's presumptive presidential nominee has the 8 00:00:43,355 --> 00:00:47,275 Speaker 1: right to overthrow the government. And the essence of the 9 00:00:47,355 --> 00:00:51,355 Speaker 1: United States of America is your responsibility to defend it, 10 00:00:52,475 --> 00:00:56,515 Speaker 1: which today means your responsibility to recognize that if it 11 00:00:56,595 --> 00:01:00,155 Speaker 1: were not so already. Since Friday, it has become clear 12 00:01:00,275 --> 00:01:03,835 Speaker 1: we have a choice in this country. We can have 13 00:01:04,035 --> 00:01:07,955 Speaker 1: the United States of America with freedom and representative government 14 00:01:08,195 --> 00:01:11,875 Speaker 1: and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, or we 15 00:01:11,955 --> 00:01:16,475 Speaker 1: can have the Republican Party. It is inescapable. We can 16 00:01:16,555 --> 00:01:20,755 Speaker 1: no longer have both the stories of the Republican death 17 00:01:20,795 --> 00:01:24,075 Speaker 1: cult of the Gun and the Republican death cult of 18 00:01:24,195 --> 00:01:29,715 Speaker 1: Trump crossed late Saturday night in Colorado, the disaster of 19 00:01:29,715 --> 00:01:32,635 Speaker 1: the appointment of a Special Council ahead, but first this 20 00:01:32,835 --> 00:01:37,195 Speaker 1: nightmare in Colorado springs five dead, at least twenty five 21 00:01:37,275 --> 00:01:40,715 Speaker 1: injured in a mass shooting, the six hundred and first 22 00:01:40,795 --> 00:01:45,955 Speaker 1: in this country this year in Colorado this year, the 23 00:01:46,075 --> 00:01:51,195 Speaker 1: ninth in this country this week. This one in an 24 00:01:51,315 --> 00:01:55,275 Speaker 1: lgbt Q club which held drag shows and which was 25 00:01:55,315 --> 00:01:59,875 Speaker 1: to commemorate Transgender Remembrance Day hours later. This one, after 26 00:02:00,035 --> 00:02:04,515 Speaker 1: days and weeks and months of deliberate and publicized home 27 00:02:04,555 --> 00:02:07,915 Speaker 1: of phobia and the targeting of the transgendered, and the 28 00:02:07,955 --> 00:02:11,795 Speaker 1: demonization of something as unthreatening as men dressed as women 29 00:02:12,195 --> 00:02:16,315 Speaker 1: by dozens of the most prominent Republican candidates from Dessantis 30 00:02:16,395 --> 00:02:19,515 Speaker 1: to Lake to Bobert, and by virtually all of the 31 00:02:19,555 --> 00:02:25,355 Speaker 1: conservative commentators, this one is stochastic terrorism with a direct 32 00:02:25,435 --> 00:02:30,275 Speaker 1: link to the Republican Party dissent into fascism and political violence. 33 00:02:30,515 --> 00:02:35,675 Speaker 1: The suspect is the grandson of a Maga California state assemblyman, 34 00:02:35,795 --> 00:02:41,995 Speaker 1: who had compared January six to Lexington and conquered. Neither 35 00:02:42,115 --> 00:02:44,835 Speaker 1: of the usual gun nut excuses that those who are 36 00:02:44,875 --> 00:02:47,435 Speaker 1: known to the police to be violent are weeded out 37 00:02:47,515 --> 00:02:50,315 Speaker 1: from gun ownership, or that the real cause is mental 38 00:02:50,395 --> 00:02:54,915 Speaker 1: illness can possibly apply here, as it only does in 39 00:02:54,995 --> 00:02:58,515 Speaker 1: five percent of these shootings. Anyway, it can't apply here 40 00:02:58,555 --> 00:03:01,235 Speaker 1: because the suspect was not some stranger to the law. 41 00:03:01,915 --> 00:03:04,635 Speaker 1: A year ago there was a standoff and a threat 42 00:03:04,675 --> 00:03:06,755 Speaker 1: to kill his mother with a bomb, and yet he 43 00:03:06,835 --> 00:03:10,995 Speaker 1: was not prosecuted and not institutionalized, and the sheriff of 44 00:03:11,115 --> 00:03:16,675 Speaker 1: his county is allowed denouncer of red flag laws. We 45 00:03:16,715 --> 00:03:19,595 Speaker 1: have spent the money to train the cops. We have 46 00:03:19,715 --> 00:03:22,595 Speaker 1: spent the money to give the cops the weapons they 47 00:03:22,635 --> 00:03:26,755 Speaker 1: said they need. We have pushed for more good guys 48 00:03:26,875 --> 00:03:31,155 Speaker 1: with guns. We have trained in active shooter drills everybody 49 00:03:31,195 --> 00:03:36,195 Speaker 1: from kindergarteners to stadium ushers. And it did not stop 50 00:03:36,395 --> 00:03:41,155 Speaker 1: Colorado Springs, or the University of Virginia, or Buffalo or Uvaldi. 51 00:03:42,835 --> 00:03:47,515 Speaker 1: In desperately trying to process and understand this spiraling national disaster, 52 00:03:47,835 --> 00:03:52,635 Speaker 1: which gets exponentially worse with every passing week, we always 53 00:03:52,715 --> 00:03:56,035 Speaker 1: leave out one component without which these things couldnot possibly happen. 54 00:03:56,115 --> 00:03:58,515 Speaker 1: We always leave it out because in some ways, it 55 00:03:58,635 --> 00:04:01,715 Speaker 1: is more horrible to contemplate than being in the club 56 00:04:02,195 --> 00:04:04,795 Speaker 1: or in the bus, or in the supermarket or in 57 00:04:04,835 --> 00:04:09,355 Speaker 1: the school. That component is this. There are people in 58 00:04:09,395 --> 00:04:13,875 Speaker 1: this country who want this to keep happening. We live 59 00:04:14,435 --> 00:04:18,515 Speaker 1: in a hell where more children die by gunfire in 60 00:04:18,555 --> 00:04:23,675 Speaker 1: a year than do on duty police officers and active 61 00:04:23,795 --> 00:04:30,595 Speaker 1: military members. The rights cannibalistic obsession is not merely to 62 00:04:30,795 --> 00:04:34,115 Speaker 1: own a gun. It is to own a gun so 63 00:04:34,195 --> 00:04:37,755 Speaker 1: that they can shoot someone who is without a gun. 64 00:04:39,275 --> 00:04:44,315 Speaker 1: The victims are unarmed. Whether it is a psychopath shooting 65 00:04:44,355 --> 00:04:47,315 Speaker 1: you in a classroom, or cops shooting some kid, or 66 00:04:47,435 --> 00:04:51,195 Speaker 1: some homophobes shooting up another lgbt Q club, it is 67 00:04:51,235 --> 00:04:54,555 Speaker 1: not the fight they lust after. It is the unfair fight. 68 00:04:54,675 --> 00:04:58,955 Speaker 1: They don't want you to have a gun. They don't 69 00:04:59,035 --> 00:05:05,235 Speaker 1: want gun fights. They want to hunt people. They want 70 00:05:05,715 --> 00:05:14,035 Speaker 1: to kill people they do not like. They want black 71 00:05:14,075 --> 00:05:20,835 Speaker 1: people shot, they want children shot. They want gay people shot, 72 00:05:21,835 --> 00:05:27,515 Speaker 1: they want Asian people shot, they want Jewish people shot, 73 00:05:28,675 --> 00:05:35,675 Speaker 1: they want liberal people shot. This happens not because this 74 00:05:35,755 --> 00:05:40,195 Speaker 1: country fails to act. It acts. This happens not because 75 00:05:40,195 --> 00:05:43,435 Speaker 1: the Congress fails to act. It acts. This happens not 76 00:05:43,515 --> 00:05:47,395 Speaker 1: because the president fails to act. He acts. This happens 77 00:05:47,435 --> 00:05:51,195 Speaker 1: not because mental health professionals fail to act. They act. 78 00:05:51,915 --> 00:05:54,435 Speaker 1: This happens not because the filibuster is in the way. 79 00:05:54,675 --> 00:05:57,755 Speaker 1: It is a wall of paper. This happens not because 80 00:05:57,755 --> 00:06:00,275 Speaker 1: the gun lobbies in the way. It is a wall 81 00:06:00,395 --> 00:06:03,235 Speaker 1: of paper. This happens not because the Red States are 82 00:06:03,275 --> 00:06:05,995 Speaker 1: in the way. They are a wall of paper. This 83 00:06:06,275 --> 00:06:14,355 Speaker 1: happens because the Republicans let it happen. Republicans equal gun massacres, 84 00:06:14,795 --> 00:06:26,795 Speaker 1: gun massacres equal Republicans. Without one entire political party prostituting itself, 85 00:06:26,915 --> 00:06:30,995 Speaker 1: the gun lobby would lose all of its power. Congress 86 00:06:31,075 --> 00:06:34,395 Speaker 1: would be able to route the death cult. The President 87 00:06:34,435 --> 00:06:38,555 Speaker 1: would be able to enforce the laws and issue executive orders. 88 00:06:39,195 --> 00:06:42,595 Speaker 1: The filibuster would be irrelevant. The Red States would fall 89 00:06:42,675 --> 00:06:45,595 Speaker 1: one after the other, and the will of the people, 90 00:06:46,195 --> 00:06:49,595 Speaker 1: sixty one percent of whom want an assault weapon ban, 91 00:06:49,955 --> 00:06:53,435 Speaker 1: the will of the American people would prevail in the 92 00:06:53,515 --> 00:06:59,195 Speaker 1: United States of America. But there is a political party 93 00:06:59,595 --> 00:07:04,315 Speaker 1: prostituting itself, and that party is the Republican Party. And 94 00:07:04,355 --> 00:07:06,675 Speaker 1: there may or may not be anything we can do 95 00:07:06,755 --> 00:07:11,835 Speaker 1: quickly enough to stop these ritualized, sacrificial murders of our 96 00:07:11,955 --> 00:07:17,915 Speaker 1: children by Republicans and our innocent citizens by Republicans to 97 00:07:18,035 --> 00:07:25,075 Speaker 1: a non existent quote constitutional right, unquote. But the sooner 98 00:07:25,155 --> 00:07:29,275 Speaker 1: Democrats tell the truth with rage and with revenge. In 99 00:07:29,315 --> 00:07:35,155 Speaker 1: their words, the sooner they say, those guys, those kids, 100 00:07:35,715 --> 00:07:41,835 Speaker 1: those Americans are dead because the Republicans stopped gun control. 101 00:07:42,715 --> 00:07:49,755 Speaker 1: The sooner we will make some impact. The Second Amendment 102 00:07:49,875 --> 00:07:54,995 Speaker 1: argument is a complete lie. The word own is not 103 00:07:55,195 --> 00:07:58,715 Speaker 1: in the Second Amendment, and there are no words that 104 00:07:58,915 --> 00:08:03,395 Speaker 1: mean own in the Second Amendment, even though the Constitution 105 00:08:03,475 --> 00:08:07,955 Speaker 1: and the Bill of Rights constitute in large part a 106 00:08:08,115 --> 00:08:12,475 Speaker 1: property contract. In the seven thousand, six hundred and seventy 107 00:08:12,475 --> 00:08:15,275 Speaker 1: six words in the Constitution with all its amendments, the 108 00:08:15,315 --> 00:08:19,555 Speaker 1: words vote, votes and voting appear thirty seven times. The 109 00:08:19,635 --> 00:08:25,155 Speaker 1: words rights and right appear fifteen times, but words relating 110 00:08:25,195 --> 00:08:30,595 Speaker 1: to money and ownership appear one hundred and three times 111 00:08:30,755 --> 00:08:34,275 Speaker 1: and not once in the Second Amendment. If they had 112 00:08:34,315 --> 00:08:42,275 Speaker 1: meant own, it would have said own. So to adapt 113 00:08:42,355 --> 00:08:46,035 Speaker 1: what was said after an anti slavery publisher was assassinated 114 00:08:46,035 --> 00:08:50,635 Speaker 1: in eighteen thirty seven, is America free or are we 115 00:08:50,795 --> 00:08:55,115 Speaker 1: slaves to the mob rule of gun owners and lobbyists 116 00:08:55,995 --> 00:09:00,235 Speaker 1: because the Republicans, who are at fault for gun massacres, 117 00:09:00,675 --> 00:09:03,595 Speaker 1: managed to fool not only their own cultists, but many 118 00:09:03,715 --> 00:09:07,755 Speaker 1: normal people to do in the Red States under Republican control, 119 00:09:07,995 --> 00:09:11,075 Speaker 1: the party line is gun violence is a problem in 120 00:09:11,115 --> 00:09:15,275 Speaker 1: the Blue states in the cities. In fact, your chance 121 00:09:15,315 --> 00:09:17,475 Speaker 1: of dying by a gun in Texas is nearly three 122 00:09:17,475 --> 00:09:20,435 Speaker 1: times more than it is in New York. Your chance 123 00:09:20,475 --> 00:09:22,715 Speaker 1: of dying by a gun in Louisiana and Mississippi and 124 00:09:22,715 --> 00:09:25,715 Speaker 1: Wyoming is nearly twice as much as it is in Illinois. 125 00:09:26,355 --> 00:09:28,635 Speaker 1: Your chance of dying by a gun in Idaho and 126 00:09:28,755 --> 00:09:31,635 Speaker 1: Kansas and Nevada and Indiana and half a dozen other 127 00:09:31,675 --> 00:09:34,635 Speaker 1: Red states is twice as much as it is in California. 128 00:09:37,195 --> 00:09:39,795 Speaker 1: There are small actions you and I could take to 129 00:09:39,915 --> 00:09:43,395 Speaker 1: push back against this nightmare. We could encourage and support 130 00:09:43,435 --> 00:09:45,755 Speaker 1: the boycotts by students who have done more than any 131 00:09:45,755 --> 00:09:49,835 Speaker 1: other group of Americans. We could demand credit card companies 132 00:09:49,875 --> 00:09:53,355 Speaker 1: refuse to let customers use their credit services to buy 133 00:09:53,395 --> 00:09:56,555 Speaker 1: at least the worst of the guns and supplies. We 134 00:09:56,595 --> 00:10:01,235 Speaker 1: could demand news organizations show, where possible, the images of 135 00:10:01,275 --> 00:10:05,635 Speaker 1: what one of these guns actually does to a human body. Away. 136 00:10:05,835 --> 00:10:08,435 Speaker 1: We all showed the images of the Nazi death camps 137 00:10:08,435 --> 00:10:10,635 Speaker 1: after World War Two, when so many said it was 138 00:10:10,675 --> 00:10:13,875 Speaker 1: too graphic, Because that is the point. It is too graphic. 139 00:10:14,155 --> 00:10:16,675 Speaker 1: It is too graphic to be shown, and therefore it 140 00:10:16,835 --> 00:10:21,715 Speaker 1: is too graphic to let happen. Yet after each one 141 00:10:21,755 --> 00:10:26,515 Speaker 1: of these, after each one, Republicans immediately try to turn 142 00:10:26,595 --> 00:10:33,315 Speaker 1: the subject to the quote mental health crisis, and many 143 00:10:33,355 --> 00:10:36,275 Speaker 1: Democrats buy into this line in whole or in part. 144 00:10:36,875 --> 00:10:39,955 Speaker 1: But there is no mental health crisis. Fewer than five 145 00:10:39,995 --> 00:10:44,155 Speaker 1: percent of the shooters have any identifiable mental illness, but 146 00:10:44,355 --> 00:10:48,515 Speaker 1: one percent of the shooters have guns. The only mental 147 00:10:48,515 --> 00:10:51,635 Speaker 1: health crisis is insisting that the weekly mass murders in 148 00:10:51,635 --> 00:10:56,555 Speaker 1: this country have nothing to do with guns. More Republicans, 149 00:10:56,995 --> 00:11:02,275 Speaker 1: more gun deaths, more Republicans, more mass shootings, more Republicans, 150 00:11:02,275 --> 00:11:05,875 Speaker 1: more dead second graders and first graders and kindergarteners and 151 00:11:06,035 --> 00:11:11,355 Speaker 1: LGBTQ people and minorities say it. This is the Republican business. 152 00:11:11,875 --> 00:11:14,555 Speaker 1: They enable the gun lobby to sell more guns, to 153 00:11:14,715 --> 00:11:19,155 Speaker 1: kill more children, to kill more Americans. Republicans did this, 154 00:11:20,955 --> 00:11:26,635 Speaker 1: and especially two Democrats. Stop invoking God every time this happens. 155 00:11:26,955 --> 00:11:29,835 Speaker 1: If you want to pray for the victims of the 156 00:11:29,915 --> 00:11:34,835 Speaker 1: latest Republican mass murder or their loved ones, go ahead, please, 157 00:11:35,955 --> 00:11:38,155 Speaker 1: but do it in private, or do it at the 158 00:11:38,315 --> 00:11:41,595 Speaker 1: end of your speech. The night of the Texas shooting 159 00:11:41,635 --> 00:11:46,195 Speaker 1: in May, Joe Biden made nine references to God, Mr President, 160 00:11:46,195 --> 00:11:48,475 Speaker 1: whether you believe there is a God or you don't 161 00:11:48,595 --> 00:11:51,595 Speaker 1: is irrelevant. The faithful and the atheist would have to 162 00:11:51,635 --> 00:11:54,475 Speaker 1: agree with this. If there is one, God has clearly 163 00:11:54,595 --> 00:12:00,475 Speaker 1: left this for us to solve. And the President is, 164 00:12:01,315 --> 00:12:07,075 Speaker 1: as Lincoln once said, clothed in immense powers. Use them already. 165 00:12:07,435 --> 00:12:12,315 Speaker 1: We need executive orders to ban and restrict and hobble 166 00:12:12,595 --> 00:12:20,715 Speaker 1: the purchase of these weapons of Republican death. It was 167 00:12:20,755 --> 00:12:23,835 Speaker 1: Senator Elizabeth Warren who noted that executive orders alone could 168 00:12:23,875 --> 00:12:27,795 Speaker 1: broaden the requirement for background checks for virtually every gun buyer, 169 00:12:28,635 --> 00:12:32,235 Speaker 1: and to report multiple purchases, and to raise the minimum 170 00:12:32,275 --> 00:12:35,075 Speaker 1: age to buy a gun, and to increase prosecution for 171 00:12:35,155 --> 00:12:38,555 Speaker 1: gun trafficking across the Texas border, and to revoke the 172 00:12:38,595 --> 00:12:41,755 Speaker 1: license of gun dealers who break the laws, and to 173 00:12:41,875 --> 00:12:44,915 Speaker 1: investigate and prosecute the n r A, and to keep 174 00:12:44,995 --> 00:12:47,635 Speaker 1: guns out of the hands of any domestic abuser. That's 175 00:12:47,715 --> 00:12:51,795 Speaker 1: just what any president could do today. And if a 176 00:12:51,915 --> 00:12:55,995 Speaker 1: court blocks those orders, Mr President, issue another one. Issue 177 00:12:55,995 --> 00:12:58,915 Speaker 1: twenty of them, Issue two thousand of them, Issue two 178 00:12:58,955 --> 00:13:01,595 Speaker 1: million of them. I want the corrupt Republican judges and 179 00:13:01,635 --> 00:13:05,715 Speaker 1: the Republican gun lobby waiting knee deep in it executive orders. 180 00:13:08,915 --> 00:13:11,315 Speaker 1: And if that is still not enough, Mr President, if 181 00:13:11,315 --> 00:13:15,035 Speaker 1: the Attorney General of Texas confesses, as he did that night, 182 00:13:15,315 --> 00:13:18,795 Speaker 1: that he cannot enforce gun laws, you must do what 183 00:13:18,875 --> 00:13:23,155 Speaker 1: Eisenhower and Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson did when other state 184 00:13:23,195 --> 00:13:26,915 Speaker 1: attorneys general and other governors confessed that they couldn't or 185 00:13:26,995 --> 00:13:33,435 Speaker 1: wouldn't enforce integration laws. Send in troops to enforce them, 186 00:13:33,635 --> 00:13:38,555 Speaker 1: or wait, wait for whatever and whoever is to be 187 00:13:38,675 --> 00:13:43,035 Speaker 1: hunted next. Because police arrested two men in Penn Station 188 00:13:43,075 --> 00:13:46,395 Speaker 1: in New York Friday night with weapons with plans to 189 00:13:46,435 --> 00:13:49,555 Speaker 1: shoot up a synagogue, and last night they closed the 190 00:13:49,595 --> 00:13:52,355 Speaker 1: campus at the University of New Orleans over a threat 191 00:13:52,355 --> 00:13:55,755 Speaker 1: from a former student, and hours after, five died at 192 00:13:55,795 --> 00:14:00,635 Speaker 1: Club Q in Colorado, the Lives of TikTok twitter account 193 00:14:00,675 --> 00:14:05,955 Speaker 1: invoked drag shows again and targeted two more Colorado state representatives. 194 00:14:08,035 --> 00:14:14,275 Speaker 1: First and foremost, Mr President, stop dancing around the truth. 195 00:14:16,435 --> 00:14:21,515 Speaker 1: These children in Texas, these grocery shoppers in Buffalo, These 196 00:14:21,555 --> 00:14:23,755 Speaker 1: people just out for a Saturday night in a place 197 00:14:23,795 --> 00:14:28,115 Speaker 1: they considered their haven. In Colorado Springs, they were killed 198 00:14:28,155 --> 00:14:35,275 Speaker 1: by Republicans directly or stochastically say it. Use your immense 199 00:14:35,315 --> 00:14:40,515 Speaker 1: powers to clothe these truths with legitimacy and acceptability. When 200 00:14:40,555 --> 00:14:44,235 Speaker 1: Republicans come out as they are still removing the dismembered 201 00:14:44,235 --> 00:14:47,155 Speaker 1: bodies of the people the Republicans have decided are suitable 202 00:14:47,195 --> 00:14:51,835 Speaker 1: to be hunted, and when Republicans bombit nonsensical excuses claiming 203 00:14:51,875 --> 00:14:54,955 Speaker 1: that this happened because the school didn't have high en offenses, 204 00:14:55,195 --> 00:14:58,235 Speaker 1: or because the targets weren't hard enough, or they outright 205 00:14:58,395 --> 00:15:00,435 Speaker 1: lie and say, if they'd only had a cop in 206 00:15:00,475 --> 00:15:03,555 Speaker 1: the school in Ubaldi when the cops stood and watched, 207 00:15:04,395 --> 00:15:06,595 Speaker 1: or they outright lions say, have only there's been a 208 00:15:06,635 --> 00:15:08,675 Speaker 1: good guy with a gun in the tops market in 209 00:15:08,675 --> 00:15:11,315 Speaker 1: Buffalo when there was a retired cop with a gun 210 00:15:11,355 --> 00:15:14,635 Speaker 1: inside and he's dead too, Or when they outright lions say, 211 00:15:14,635 --> 00:15:16,315 Speaker 1: if there had only been a cop in Club Q 212 00:15:16,475 --> 00:15:19,275 Speaker 1: and Colorado Springs when the shooter was stopped when an 213 00:15:19,355 --> 00:15:22,395 Speaker 1: unarmed man grabbed the gun from his hand and hit 214 00:15:22,475 --> 00:15:25,955 Speaker 1: him with it. When they do all that, come out 215 00:15:26,115 --> 00:15:32,835 Speaker 1: and say it, President Biden, the Republicans murdered these Americans. 216 00:15:38,835 --> 00:15:42,555 Speaker 1: As I said earlier, there are two vital topics today. 217 00:15:42,675 --> 00:15:44,755 Speaker 1: The other is the appointment of a special counsel by 218 00:15:44,755 --> 00:15:48,835 Speaker 1: the Attorney General Merrick Garland. And for anybody who says 219 00:15:48,875 --> 00:15:51,235 Speaker 1: this is a good idea, or it at least cannot 220 00:15:51,235 --> 00:15:56,195 Speaker 1: be a truly bad idea, I have two words. Robert Mueller. 221 00:15:57,475 --> 00:16:06,275 Speaker 1: That's next. This is countdown. Forty six days from now, 222 00:16:06,315 --> 00:16:09,515 Speaker 1: the second anniversary of Donald Trump's first attempt to overthrow 223 00:16:09,555 --> 00:16:13,275 Speaker 1: this government by violent coup will come and go, and 224 00:16:13,395 --> 00:16:17,475 Speaker 1: the new Special Council will not yet have completed decorating 225 00:16:17,515 --> 00:16:21,515 Speaker 1: his own office. The second anniversary of the first request 226 00:16:21,515 --> 00:16:24,915 Speaker 1: from the National Archives for Trump to return the classified 227 00:16:24,955 --> 00:16:28,275 Speaker 1: documents he stole may come and go, and the new 228 00:16:28,315 --> 00:16:30,875 Speaker 1: Special Council may not yet have completed indicting the worst 229 00:16:30,875 --> 00:16:36,435 Speaker 1: criminal in this nation's long history. Merrick Garland believes he 230 00:16:36,515 --> 00:16:40,275 Speaker 1: has all the time in the world. Merrick Garland does 231 00:16:40,315 --> 00:16:43,635 Speaker 1: not seem to understand that there is a presidential election 232 00:16:43,675 --> 00:16:45,715 Speaker 1: in less than two years that may sweep him from 233 00:16:45,715 --> 00:16:51,355 Speaker 1: office and end any prosecution. Merrick Garland believes American representative 234 00:16:51,395 --> 00:16:56,155 Speaker 1: government is eternal. Merrick Garland believes etiquette is more important 235 00:16:56,195 --> 00:16:59,835 Speaker 1: than justice. Merrick Garland may himself now be guilty of 236 00:16:59,875 --> 00:17:04,435 Speaker 1: obstruction of justice. Merrick Garland is the wrong man in 237 00:17:04,475 --> 00:17:11,115 Speaker 1: the wrong place at the wrong time. He must be dismissed. 238 00:17:12,635 --> 00:17:17,435 Speaker 1: His successor must be instructed by President Biden to instruct 239 00:17:17,435 --> 00:17:20,795 Speaker 1: the special Counsel to indict Trump based on the mountainous 240 00:17:20,795 --> 00:17:25,675 Speaker 1: evidence that exists now. Or his successor must dismiss that 241 00:17:25,715 --> 00:17:28,435 Speaker 1: special counsel and abolish the office as quickly as it 242 00:17:28,515 --> 00:17:32,715 Speaker 1: was created. It is not exaggeration nor hyperbole to say 243 00:17:32,755 --> 00:17:37,515 Speaker 1: the future of the democracy depends on this. There are 244 00:17:37,555 --> 00:17:43,275 Speaker 1: only three explanations for why Garland appointed a special counsel. First, truly, 245 00:17:43,475 --> 00:17:46,595 Speaker 1: he is as clueless as I have suggested earlier about 246 00:17:46,675 --> 00:17:51,155 Speaker 1: how fragile democracy is and how finite time is. Or 247 00:17:51,195 --> 00:17:54,075 Speaker 1: Garland has reset the clock, pushed the prosecution of the 248 00:17:54,275 --> 00:17:56,715 Speaker 1: treason and the treachery of Donald Trump back to square 249 00:17:56,755 --> 00:18:01,435 Speaker 1: one because he believes some mysterious other factors may make 250 00:18:01,475 --> 00:18:07,235 Speaker 1: the prosecution of Trump unnecessary and avoid all. Or because 251 00:18:07,235 --> 00:18:11,475 Speaker 1: he himself either believes you can't prosecute a former president, 252 00:18:12,515 --> 00:18:15,755 Speaker 1: or he sympathizes with Trump and in either case is 253 00:18:15,755 --> 00:18:21,835 Speaker 1: making certain that the prosecution of Trump is impossible. Were 254 00:18:21,995 --> 00:18:27,275 Speaker 1: a special counsel necessary, why did Garland wait. The Mari 255 00:18:27,395 --> 00:18:31,875 Speaker 1: Lago search was August eight. Garland himself felt the need 256 00:18:31,915 --> 00:18:34,395 Speaker 1: to speak to the nation about it and about the 257 00:18:34,435 --> 00:18:39,075 Speaker 1: case on August eleven. The documents have been missing for 258 00:18:39,235 --> 00:18:44,915 Speaker 1: nearly two years. If a special counsel is necessary, why 259 00:18:44,915 --> 00:18:48,395 Speaker 1: did Garland say the special counsel will decide whether or 260 00:18:48,475 --> 00:18:53,075 Speaker 1: not to prosecute. Imagine the landscape, Imagine the changed world. 261 00:18:53,675 --> 00:18:57,115 Speaker 1: If what Garland had announced Friday was a special counsel 262 00:18:57,155 --> 00:19:03,795 Speaker 1: who would decide which Trump crimes to prosecute, rather than 263 00:19:03,875 --> 00:19:06,715 Speaker 1: continue to for merely my own rage here, let me 264 00:19:06,795 --> 00:19:10,795 Speaker 1: quote experts. Many are buying the excuses for this latest 265 00:19:10,915 --> 00:19:14,235 Speaker 1: slow walk, this latest return to the starting line. As 266 00:19:14,235 --> 00:19:17,035 Speaker 1: near as I can calculate, there are seven major excuses. 267 00:19:17,315 --> 00:19:21,235 Speaker 1: The first, a special council will prevent this necessarily grim 268 00:19:21,315 --> 00:19:26,275 Speaker 1: and even solemn prosecution from becoming a spectacle. But Matthew 269 00:19:26,315 --> 00:19:29,315 Speaker 1: Miller was on the Biden transition team and is an 270 00:19:29,315 --> 00:19:32,675 Speaker 1: advisor to his National Security Council. On Matthew Miller writes, quote, 271 00:19:33,035 --> 00:19:36,115 Speaker 1: Garland has good intentions here, but appointing someone who is 272 00:19:36,155 --> 00:19:39,755 Speaker 1: basically the U S. Attorney for Donald Trump with the 273 00:19:39,835 --> 00:19:43,995 Speaker 1: oversight of two very different cases just recreates the circus 274 00:19:44,035 --> 00:19:47,915 Speaker 1: atmosphere that Trump has always used to his advantage, without 275 00:19:47,955 --> 00:19:53,915 Speaker 1: any tangible upside. The second excuse, a special council will 276 00:19:53,955 --> 00:19:57,835 Speaker 1: address the reality that both President Biden and Trump are 277 00:19:57,875 --> 00:20:00,955 Speaker 1: there would be candidates for the White House in it 278 00:20:00,995 --> 00:20:05,195 Speaker 1: will provide separation between the investigation and the campaigns. But 279 00:20:05,355 --> 00:20:09,275 Speaker 1: national security lawyer Bradley Moss rights quote. By announcing a 280 00:20:09,315 --> 00:20:12,275 Speaker 1: special counsel this late in the game, Garland just made 281 00:20:12,275 --> 00:20:15,995 Speaker 1: it more likely that any potential prosecution of Trump will 282 00:20:16,035 --> 00:20:22,115 Speaker 1: bleed into general election season. The third excuse, a special 283 00:20:22,195 --> 00:20:26,955 Speaker 1: council would somehow improve or sharpen the investigation and the prosecution. 284 00:20:27,155 --> 00:20:32,715 Speaker 1: What Watergate prosecutor Jill Winebanks writes expletives deleted. I think 285 00:20:32,715 --> 00:20:35,595 Speaker 1: a special counsel was a waste of time and money, 286 00:20:35,635 --> 00:20:40,355 Speaker 1: insults the prosecutors at d O J, and gains nothing. 287 00:20:41,675 --> 00:20:45,275 Speaker 1: The fourth excuse, a special council will keep this by 288 00:20:45,475 --> 00:20:48,755 Speaker 1: partisan the council Mr Smith has been reported to be 289 00:20:48,835 --> 00:20:53,075 Speaker 1: a Republican or more likely an independent, but even Trump's 290 00:20:53,075 --> 00:20:56,875 Speaker 1: Attorney General William Barr says quote, I personally think they 291 00:20:56,955 --> 00:21:00,835 Speaker 1: probably have the basis for legitimately indicting the president. I 292 00:21:00,915 --> 00:21:04,635 Speaker 1: don't know. I'm speculating, but given what's gone on, they 293 00:21:04,675 --> 00:21:07,955 Speaker 1: probably have the evidence that would check the box. They 294 00:21:08,115 --> 00:21:12,515 Speaker 1: have the case unquote. In short, what could be more 295 00:21:12,635 --> 00:21:18,115 Speaker 1: bipartisan than this? Trump's attorney general is closer to indicting 296 00:21:18,195 --> 00:21:24,475 Speaker 1: Trump than Biden's is the fifth excuse for this. A 297 00:21:24,515 --> 00:21:27,395 Speaker 1: special council will be above the political fray and there 298 00:21:27,395 --> 00:21:31,235 Speaker 1: will be no political influence from either party possible. But 299 00:21:31,355 --> 00:21:34,675 Speaker 1: within hours of the appointment, Marjorie Taylor Green tweeted, quote 300 00:21:34,875 --> 00:21:37,955 Speaker 1: hole and rule, look it up. GOP leader is going 301 00:21:37,995 --> 00:21:40,475 Speaker 1: to put it in place. That means no money, don't 302 00:21:40,515 --> 00:21:45,915 Speaker 1: promise too many jobs. Whoops defunded the hole and rule 303 00:21:46,595 --> 00:21:50,635 Speaker 1: and obscure. Congressional rule from eighteen seventy six allows in 304 00:21:50,755 --> 00:21:55,435 Speaker 1: theory for modifications of appropriations already budgeted, like the way 305 00:21:55,435 --> 00:22:01,475 Speaker 1: the Justice Department has already been budgeted through septem Congresswoman 306 00:22:01,555 --> 00:22:04,315 Speaker 1: Green is, of course an idiot. Even if the House 307 00:22:04,355 --> 00:22:07,475 Speaker 1: passed a home and rule measure to stop the special Counsel, 308 00:22:07,795 --> 00:22:10,435 Speaker 1: it would have to pass the Senate, and it won't. 309 00:22:11,355 --> 00:22:14,435 Speaker 1: But as stupid as Green is, she has already proven 310 00:22:14,755 --> 00:22:18,995 Speaker 1: that the idea of keeping the prosecution sequestered from politics 311 00:22:19,195 --> 00:22:22,595 Speaker 1: just because there is a special counsel is utter nonsense. 312 00:22:23,755 --> 00:22:26,115 Speaker 1: And if that were not enough, hours after that came 313 00:22:26,115 --> 00:22:29,355 Speaker 1: the admission of the Reverend Rob Shuck that Supreme Court 314 00:22:29,475 --> 00:22:32,795 Speaker 1: Justice Samuel Alito not only met privately with donors supporting 315 00:22:32,835 --> 00:22:35,795 Speaker 1: the hobby Lobby case in two thousand fourteen, but Shuck 316 00:22:35,795 --> 00:22:39,115 Speaker 1: ale edges Alito leaked the decision to them three weeks 317 00:22:39,155 --> 00:22:41,795 Speaker 1: before it was announced. And in that context, if you 318 00:22:41,875 --> 00:22:44,875 Speaker 1: think there is any kind of separation between the law 319 00:22:44,995 --> 00:22:50,235 Speaker 1: and politics in this country, you are crazy. The sixth 320 00:22:50,235 --> 00:22:54,315 Speaker 1: excuse a special council fits this case precisely. It expresses 321 00:22:54,355 --> 00:22:58,955 Speaker 1: the intent of the original Special Council regulations. But the 322 00:22:58,995 --> 00:23:01,635 Speaker 1: civil liberties lawyer and he'll cut you'all with whom I 323 00:23:01,675 --> 00:23:03,595 Speaker 1: want shared a stage and an a c l U 324 00:23:03,675 --> 00:23:08,355 Speaker 1: event in Boston wrote the original special Counsel regulations. He 325 00:23:08,395 --> 00:23:11,795 Speaker 1: wrote them now writes that they were designed to be 326 00:23:11,875 --> 00:23:15,635 Speaker 1: used when you feared the administration in office might try 327 00:23:15,675 --> 00:23:18,995 Speaker 1: to cover up crimes. Quote so to me, I don't 328 00:23:19,035 --> 00:23:22,315 Speaker 1: see what the case is for a special counsel, he adds, 329 00:23:22,675 --> 00:23:25,035 Speaker 1: I don't think it's needed under the regulations, and I 330 00:23:25,075 --> 00:23:29,275 Speaker 1: think it risks delaying this investigation needlessly. He adds, if 331 00:23:29,315 --> 00:23:31,795 Speaker 1: there's anything we've learned, it's that Trump and his base 332 00:23:31,875 --> 00:23:35,315 Speaker 1: will criticize anyone who goes against his wishes. It doesn't 333 00:23:35,355 --> 00:23:38,235 Speaker 1: matter if it's Merrick, Garland, Jack Smith, or even his 334 00:23:38,275 --> 00:23:42,075 Speaker 1: own vice president. They attack anyone who disagrees, and a 335 00:23:42,195 --> 00:23:46,675 Speaker 1: special counsel does nothing to change that fact. And lastly, 336 00:23:46,755 --> 00:23:50,275 Speaker 1: Neil Cutchall says Attorney General Garland said it was because 337 00:23:50,315 --> 00:23:52,955 Speaker 1: of a conflict of interest because Trump has announced that 338 00:23:52,995 --> 00:23:55,795 Speaker 1: he's running and Biden is evidently running in twenty four 339 00:23:55,835 --> 00:24:00,475 Speaker 1: as well. That to me, is tantamount to rewarding Donald 340 00:24:00,515 --> 00:24:03,515 Speaker 1: Trump for all of the maneuvers that he's making, including 341 00:24:03,555 --> 00:24:08,915 Speaker 1: announcing his Canada see right now, and the seventh and 342 00:24:09,235 --> 00:24:12,595 Speaker 1: saddest excuse of them. All that history tells us there 343 00:24:12,715 --> 00:24:15,435 Speaker 1: is no way an Attorney general would appoint a special 344 00:24:15,475 --> 00:24:19,355 Speaker 1: counsel if he was intending to not prosecute a case. 345 00:24:20,755 --> 00:24:22,795 Speaker 1: The expert I would like to quote here would be 346 00:24:23,715 --> 00:24:29,035 Speaker 1: Robert Mueller. But Robert Mueller won't say anything. Of course 347 00:24:29,955 --> 00:24:34,035 Speaker 1: he doesn't have to. His eternal silence proves that the 348 00:24:34,035 --> 00:24:37,075 Speaker 1: work of a special counsel can give even a president 349 00:24:37,155 --> 00:24:40,795 Speaker 1: no choice but to resign, but that the work of 350 00:24:40,795 --> 00:24:43,035 Speaker 1: a special Council could also give an Attorney general and 351 00:24:43,115 --> 00:24:47,555 Speaker 1: a president license to lie indefinitely that they have been cleared. 352 00:24:49,675 --> 00:24:52,475 Speaker 1: I sincerely hope I am wrong about Merrick Garland. I 353 00:24:52,515 --> 00:24:56,755 Speaker 1: do not believe I am. Ask yourself this, if you 354 00:24:56,835 --> 00:24:59,395 Speaker 1: were the head of the Justice Department and you were 355 00:24:59,435 --> 00:25:02,795 Speaker 1: trying to run the clock out on prosecuting a crime 356 00:25:03,395 --> 00:25:07,755 Speaker 1: and trying make sure that it's the clock that gets 357 00:25:07,755 --> 00:25:13,275 Speaker 1: blamed and not you, what would you do? You would 358 00:25:13,355 --> 00:25:32,035 Speaker 1: do exactly what Merrick Garland just did. Still Ahead, uncountdown. 359 00:25:32,075 --> 00:25:34,315 Speaker 1: As I've mentioned, I have altered the format today to 360 00:25:34,395 --> 00:25:37,035 Speaker 1: make room for the two commentaries, so still ahead, worse 361 00:25:37,155 --> 00:25:42,635 Speaker 1: persons looking at you, Maggie Haberman and Geraldo Rivera Sports. 362 00:25:42,675 --> 00:25:47,115 Speaker 1: The infamous Mickey Mantle lewd questionnaire goes to public auction 363 00:25:47,995 --> 00:25:49,995 Speaker 1: and in things I promised not to tell the day, 364 00:25:50,035 --> 00:25:53,355 Speaker 1: the Union media guy and all the reporters covering the 365 00:25:54,315 --> 00:26:00,675 Speaker 1: football strike except one franked that one that's next. This 366 00:26:00,795 --> 00:26:12,595 Speaker 1: is countdown. This is countdown with Keith Olberman still ahead. 367 00:26:12,595 --> 00:26:16,115 Speaker 1: It is the second most lewed document in baseball history, 368 00:26:16,115 --> 00:26:20,955 Speaker 1: and now you can own it. The most lewed document. No, 369 00:26:21,315 --> 00:26:25,395 Speaker 1: you can't have that. It's all mine. I'll explain first. 370 00:26:25,395 --> 00:26:27,315 Speaker 1: In each edition of Countdown, we feature a dog in 371 00:26:27,315 --> 00:26:29,755 Speaker 1: need you can help. Every dog has its day. This 372 00:26:29,875 --> 00:26:34,435 Speaker 1: is extraordinary. The actress, comedian and singer Elaine Boosler has 373 00:26:34,515 --> 00:26:37,555 Speaker 1: for twenty one years been running a nonprofit rescue called 374 00:26:37,595 --> 00:26:41,395 Speaker 1: Tales of Joy, and she has an amazing offer. Anyone 375 00:26:41,395 --> 00:26:44,075 Speaker 1: who adopts any of the dogs on the New York 376 00:26:44,075 --> 00:26:47,795 Speaker 1: Pound kill list will receive a full year of free 377 00:26:47,835 --> 00:26:54,475 Speaker 1: dog food, treats, vaccines, plush, leash, bed, collar toys, standard 378 00:26:54,515 --> 00:26:58,315 Speaker 1: vet visits. Now is the time, So many great dogs 379 00:26:58,355 --> 00:27:03,675 Speaker 1: need you. Wow. There are eighteen dogs on the kill 380 00:27:03,755 --> 00:27:06,235 Speaker 1: list at the n y a CC the New York Pound. 381 00:27:07,395 --> 00:27:09,675 Speaker 1: See my Twitter feed and my pinned tweet at tom 382 00:27:09,795 --> 00:27:12,995 Speaker 1: Jumbo Grumbo for biographies of all of them. And remember 383 00:27:12,995 --> 00:27:15,755 Speaker 1: Elaine's offer. You get freak care from her and free 384 00:27:15,875 --> 00:27:19,275 Speaker 1: unconditional love from a dog who otherwise may not live. 385 00:27:19,995 --> 00:27:32,715 Speaker 1: I thank you, and I thank Elaine. Postscripts to the 386 00:27:32,715 --> 00:27:36,715 Speaker 1: news some headlines, some updates, some snarks, some predictions, state Line, Louisville. 387 00:27:37,195 --> 00:27:39,995 Speaker 1: Nothing new on the James Comer scandal. You'll remember he 388 00:27:40,035 --> 00:27:42,555 Speaker 1: is the incoming chairman of the House Oversight Committee, and 389 00:27:42,635 --> 00:27:46,075 Speaker 1: has promised investigations of Hunter Biden and Joe Biden. He 390 00:27:46,115 --> 00:27:48,995 Speaker 1: has not commented on any investigations of the charges made 391 00:27:48,995 --> 00:27:52,755 Speaker 1: in two thousand fifteen by his college girlfriend, Marylyn Thomas 392 00:27:52,995 --> 00:27:55,395 Speaker 1: that he hit her, threatened her life, drove her to 393 00:27:55,435 --> 00:27:58,155 Speaker 1: a clinic to abort their child, then tried to cover 394 00:27:58,235 --> 00:28:00,875 Speaker 1: up his involvement in that by getting her to not 395 00:28:00,995 --> 00:28:04,675 Speaker 1: write his name in the paperwork. Dateline New York City, 396 00:28:04,915 --> 00:28:08,635 Speaker 1: as COVID researches on the West Coast sufficiently that several 397 00:28:08,635 --> 00:28:11,835 Speaker 1: communities recommend now that they are residents where masks in 398 00:28:11,915 --> 00:28:16,315 Speaker 1: indoor spaces. Again, a couple of pleasantly startling facts. The 399 00:28:16,395 --> 00:28:19,435 Speaker 1: percentage of residents in New York City who are fully 400 00:28:19,515 --> 00:28:27,755 Speaker 1: vaccinated is now eighty two eighty two. And nationally, for 401 00:28:27,875 --> 00:28:30,595 Speaker 1: all the whining and all the protests and all the 402 00:28:30,675 --> 00:28:37,675 Speaker 1: Tucker Carlson It's six and dateline San Francisco el Mo Musk, 403 00:28:37,875 --> 00:28:41,795 Speaker 1: using an easily corruptible and heavily bought susceptible online internet 404 00:28:41,835 --> 00:28:45,795 Speaker 1: survey that most news organizations have foolishly called a vote 405 00:28:45,995 --> 00:28:50,595 Speaker 1: or a poll, has restored Donald Trump's Twitter account. Thus, 406 00:28:50,635 --> 00:28:55,955 Speaker 1: here are Trump's lifetime accomplishments. November two thousand sixteen, against 407 00:28:55,995 --> 00:28:59,795 Speaker 1: all odds, is elected president of the United States of America. 408 00:29:00,315 --> 00:29:05,115 Speaker 1: November two thousand two gets his account reinstate did on 409 00:29:05,155 --> 00:29:24,835 Speaker 1: a free website. This is SportsCenter. Wait, check that, not anymore. 410 00:29:25,635 --> 00:29:31,755 Speaker 1: This is countdown with Keith Alberman. Time for the bi 411 00:29:31,795 --> 00:29:35,675 Speaker 1: weekly International Soccer Championship. As you know, if your team 412 00:29:35,755 --> 00:29:39,515 Speaker 1: or nation loses the this Cup or the Copa do that. 413 00:29:40,315 --> 00:29:42,755 Speaker 1: Don't worry. There will be another championship they can play 414 00:29:42,795 --> 00:29:46,875 Speaker 1: for in at most two weeks from now. Twelve years 415 00:29:46,915 --> 00:29:50,315 Speaker 1: of slave labor and selling out soccer's good name came 416 00:29:50,355 --> 00:29:54,515 Speaker 1: to a climax yesterday when World Cup host Cutar got 417 00:29:54,555 --> 00:29:58,195 Speaker 1: blitzed to zip by Ecuador in the opening game after 418 00:29:58,315 --> 00:30:02,315 Speaker 1: an opening ceremony starring Morgan Freeman, and it had to happen. 419 00:30:02,715 --> 00:30:05,835 Speaker 1: Mr Freeman finally found a script even he could not 420 00:30:06,035 --> 00:30:09,435 Speaker 1: make sound good. The Cup opened in the wake of 421 00:30:09,475 --> 00:30:12,635 Speaker 1: the host Qatar. He's asking Los Angeles Time sportswriter Kevin 422 00:30:12,675 --> 00:30:15,755 Speaker 1: Baxter to take off his face mask because it was 423 00:30:15,795 --> 00:30:20,555 Speaker 1: in the rainbow colors representing the LGBTQ community. Homosexuality is 424 00:30:20,595 --> 00:30:22,835 Speaker 1: illegal in cut Oar and bluntly, I don't know why 425 00:30:22,835 --> 00:30:26,035 Speaker 1: a team representing the United States is still participating in 426 00:30:26,115 --> 00:30:29,475 Speaker 1: this homophobia, especially in light of what's happened in Colorado 427 00:30:30,155 --> 00:30:32,795 Speaker 1: on a broader scale. Just before the World Cup began, 428 00:30:33,195 --> 00:30:36,395 Speaker 1: the Qatar's banned the seal a sale of beer in 429 00:30:36,435 --> 00:30:39,995 Speaker 1: the stadiums after saying they would allow it. Except they 430 00:30:39,995 --> 00:30:43,675 Speaker 1: didn't ban the sale of beer in the stadiums, they 431 00:30:43,755 --> 00:30:47,355 Speaker 1: just raised the price. Sky Sports reporting that you can 432 00:30:47,515 --> 00:30:51,475 Speaker 1: buy beer or any kind of alcohol in the stadium 433 00:30:51,515 --> 00:30:53,635 Speaker 1: in a luxury suite, And you can get into a 434 00:30:53,715 --> 00:30:57,515 Speaker 1: luxury suite, providing you buy a corporate hospitality ticket, which 435 00:30:57,515 --> 00:31:00,755 Speaker 1: will only cost you twenty two thousand, six hundred dollars. 436 00:31:01,555 --> 00:31:06,955 Speaker 1: International Soccer's boss Gianni Infantino defended Qatar's greed by saying 437 00:31:06,955 --> 00:31:10,355 Speaker 1: the Qataris were being discriminated against, and he knew how 438 00:31:10,395 --> 00:31:13,395 Speaker 1: that felt because as a child he had red hair 439 00:31:13,515 --> 00:31:18,195 Speaker 1: and freckles. And no, he's not kidding, at least he 440 00:31:18,235 --> 00:31:21,795 Speaker 1: does not know. He's not kidding. On a lighter note, 441 00:31:21,835 --> 00:31:25,435 Speaker 1: the second most profane document in baseball history is up 442 00:31:25,435 --> 00:31:29,355 Speaker 1: for auction next month. Leland's will sell the infamous Mickey 443 00:31:29,395 --> 00:31:35,755 Speaker 1: Mantle lewd questionnaire in it. Then Yankees public relations director 444 00:31:35,795 --> 00:31:39,395 Speaker 1: Bob Fishel rights to Mantle on December four, v two, 445 00:31:39,435 --> 00:31:41,955 Speaker 1: inviting him to the team's nineteen seventy three Old Timer's 446 00:31:42,075 --> 00:31:45,355 Speaker 1: Day and asking him what he considered his most outstanding 447 00:31:45,435 --> 00:31:50,035 Speaker 1: experience at Yankee Stadium to put it in the program. 448 00:31:50,195 --> 00:31:53,955 Speaker 1: Mantel rights back and answers, well, I can't tell you. 449 00:31:54,315 --> 00:31:56,195 Speaker 1: I can't tell you what he wrote back and answered, 450 00:31:56,195 --> 00:31:59,155 Speaker 1: But Mantel explained it happened under the right field bleachers 451 00:31:59,195 --> 00:32:02,995 Speaker 1: near the Yankees bullpen. To the follow up question, this 452 00:32:03,035 --> 00:32:06,115 Speaker 1: event occurred on or about to give as much detail 453 00:32:06,155 --> 00:32:09,155 Speaker 1: as you can, while Mantel does that too, and the 454 00:32:09,195 --> 00:32:12,315 Speaker 1: part I can read is it was about the third 455 00:32:12,395 --> 00:32:31,675 Speaker 1: or fourth inning. I had a pulled groin. Thank you, 456 00:32:31,795 --> 00:32:34,395 Speaker 1: Nancy Faust, as I said. The mental questionnaire is only 457 00:32:34,435 --> 00:32:38,355 Speaker 1: the second most profane document in baseball history. The first 458 00:32:38,435 --> 00:32:42,955 Speaker 1: is from eight It followed an apparently exponential explosion in 459 00:32:42,995 --> 00:32:46,555 Speaker 1: the use of profanity in the National League, which was 460 00:32:46,595 --> 00:32:51,195 Speaker 1: the only major baseball league in eight especially by players 461 00:32:51,275 --> 00:32:56,435 Speaker 1: two fans titled Special Instructions to Players. It is so 462 00:32:56,715 --> 00:33:01,715 Speaker 1: filled with expletives that in eight it was illegal to 463 00:33:01,995 --> 00:33:05,875 Speaker 1: send this document the warning by mail you could be 464 00:33:05,955 --> 00:33:09,275 Speaker 1: arrested because of all of the square words in the document. 465 00:33:09,675 --> 00:33:14,115 Speaker 1: Copies were hand delivered by messenger to each team's manager. 466 00:33:14,435 --> 00:33:16,755 Speaker 1: The manager in turn handed them to players, who were 467 00:33:16,755 --> 00:33:20,795 Speaker 1: instructed to read and sign another document confirming they had 468 00:33:20,835 --> 00:33:24,075 Speaker 1: read the Special Instructions to Players, and then give the 469 00:33:24,115 --> 00:33:28,235 Speaker 1: original back to their manager. I can read you this much. 470 00:33:28,995 --> 00:33:32,475 Speaker 1: It quotes players, umpires, and fans as complaining of quote 471 00:33:32,835 --> 00:33:37,315 Speaker 1: such brutal language as you blank blanking son of a blank, 472 00:33:37,555 --> 00:33:43,835 Speaker 1: and you blank blanking blank, you blank blanking dog, kiss 473 00:33:43,915 --> 00:33:48,395 Speaker 1: my blank, you son of a blank. It really makes 474 00:33:48,395 --> 00:33:52,075 Speaker 1: the nineteenth century come alive for me. I am not 475 00:33:52,115 --> 00:33:54,955 Speaker 1: bidding on the Mantle questionnaire. I am proud to say 476 00:33:54,995 --> 00:33:59,875 Speaker 1: there are two copies of the Special Instructions to Players 477 00:33:59,915 --> 00:34:03,635 Speaker 1: still known to be extant, and I own both of 478 00:34:03,675 --> 00:34:20,195 Speaker 1: them now. The daily roundup of the miscreants, morons and 479 00:34:20,275 --> 00:34:23,995 Speaker 1: dunning Krueger effect specimens who constitute today's worst persons in 480 00:34:24,035 --> 00:34:28,995 Speaker 1: the world. The Bronze Dr Ronnie Jackson, MAGA congressman from Texas, 481 00:34:29,035 --> 00:34:31,755 Speaker 1: though you don't see him mentioned the doctor part that 482 00:34:31,835 --> 00:34:35,515 Speaker 1: much anymore. Maybe this is why he writes, masks are 483 00:34:35,635 --> 00:34:38,795 Speaker 1: just a big lie. They don't work, never have. They 484 00:34:38,795 --> 00:34:41,755 Speaker 1: should not be forced on our children. COVID is over, 485 00:34:42,155 --> 00:34:44,955 Speaker 1: and everyone who pushed the lies should be locked up. 486 00:34:46,075 --> 00:34:48,635 Speaker 1: Everyone who pushed the lie should be locked up. Ronnie 487 00:34:48,715 --> 00:34:52,075 Speaker 1: Jackson writes, Ronnie's actually right without knowing it. The lies 488 00:34:52,115 --> 00:34:54,595 Speaker 1: about COVID where by people in the Trump administration like 489 00:34:54,715 --> 00:34:57,715 Speaker 1: him and the functionally challenged people like Joe Rogan and 490 00:34:57,795 --> 00:35:01,155 Speaker 1: David Portnoy pretending to be anti vacts when in fact 491 00:35:01,395 --> 00:35:04,475 Speaker 1: they're actually just afraid of the needle. The runner up 492 00:35:04,715 --> 00:35:09,795 Speaker 1: Erldo Rivera, HAROLDO Rivera. It's Tom Brokaw doing Heeraldo Rivera's name. 493 00:35:09,795 --> 00:35:14,035 Speaker 1: Harold ra tweeted at ten thirty eight pm Friday, for 494 00:35:14,155 --> 00:35:17,355 Speaker 1: the good of the nation, Ford pardoned Nixon. For the 495 00:35:17,395 --> 00:35:20,955 Speaker 1: good of the nation, Biden should pardon Trump. It will 496 00:35:20,995 --> 00:35:24,795 Speaker 1: never occur to Helder that Trump did what he did 497 00:35:24,955 --> 00:35:29,155 Speaker 1: in part because Ford pardon Nixon. Because the lesson of 498 00:35:29,155 --> 00:35:31,995 Speaker 1: the Ford pardon of Nixon isn't that we should forgive 499 00:35:32,115 --> 00:35:35,275 Speaker 1: trespass for the sake of the nation. The lesson affords 500 00:35:35,315 --> 00:35:38,515 Speaker 1: pardon of Nixon is that if your president, the more 501 00:35:38,635 --> 00:35:40,435 Speaker 1: laws you break, the more likely you are to get 502 00:35:40,475 --> 00:35:45,315 Speaker 1: away with it. But our winner, Maggie Haberman, who has 503 00:35:45,355 --> 00:35:49,315 Speaker 1: never learned anything, no lessons to be learned. There quote 504 00:35:49,715 --> 00:35:53,595 Speaker 1: the new tone of the teleprompter speech during his announcement 505 00:35:53,715 --> 00:35:56,835 Speaker 1: is over. Trump, responding to the appointment of a special council, 506 00:35:56,915 --> 00:36:05,195 Speaker 1: calls the election rigged as he speaks at Marilago thinks 507 00:36:05,235 --> 00:36:12,515 Speaker 1: there's ever been a new Trump tone. Maggie, No, this 508 00:36:12,675 --> 00:36:16,475 Speaker 1: was the day Trump truly became president. Heberman two Day's 509 00:36:17,355 --> 00:36:30,355 Speaker 1: worst person in the world. Finally to the number one 510 00:36:30,395 --> 00:36:33,435 Speaker 1: story on the countdown on this day of scrambled formats, 511 00:36:33,475 --> 00:36:35,835 Speaker 1: thank you for your patients and my favorite topic, me 512 00:36:36,115 --> 00:36:38,915 Speaker 1: and an abbreviated edition of things I promised not to tell. 513 00:36:39,595 --> 00:36:42,275 Speaker 1: And we are now forty years and five days. It 514 00:36:42,315 --> 00:36:44,955 Speaker 1: turns out past the end of the nine eight two 515 00:36:45,035 --> 00:36:47,875 Speaker 1: National Football League players strike, so I better tell this 516 00:36:47,955 --> 00:36:52,435 Speaker 1: story now or wait a year. In March of two 517 00:36:52,435 --> 00:36:57,275 Speaker 1: I went from scheduled freelancer to full time as CNN's 518 00:36:57,395 --> 00:37:01,155 Speaker 1: national sports correspondent based in New York. I have mentioned 519 00:37:01,155 --> 00:37:04,115 Speaker 1: previously that they rewarded me by offering me a thousand 520 00:37:04,115 --> 00:37:06,315 Speaker 1: dollars less the year than they were giving me freelance, 521 00:37:06,435 --> 00:37:08,435 Speaker 1: which tells you everything you need to know about working 522 00:37:08,435 --> 00:37:12,835 Speaker 1: in television. CNN also rewarded me by sending me to 523 00:37:12,875 --> 00:37:16,075 Speaker 1: the first meeting of the NFL Players Association and the 524 00:37:16,195 --> 00:37:20,635 Speaker 1: NFL Management Council to negotiate a new contract and avert 525 00:37:20,675 --> 00:37:25,355 Speaker 1: a strike. That year. Kind of missed that target, But 526 00:37:25,635 --> 00:37:27,915 Speaker 1: while I did lots of other stories in my first 527 00:37:27,915 --> 00:37:32,235 Speaker 1: full year at CNN, I was the football strike guy 528 00:37:32,515 --> 00:37:34,875 Speaker 1: until that strike was settled and a new deal was 529 00:37:34,915 --> 00:37:37,195 Speaker 1: approved at a mass meeting in Washington. And the mass 530 00:37:37,235 --> 00:37:40,635 Speaker 1: meeting in Washington curred just before Thanksgiving, like forty years 531 00:37:40,675 --> 00:37:43,875 Speaker 1: ago today, and the damn story had started forty years 532 00:37:43,915 --> 00:37:49,795 Speaker 1: ago last March. They are probably fifty seven hundred stories 533 00:37:49,875 --> 00:37:53,315 Speaker 1: worth telling you of covering this thing nearly every day 534 00:37:53,355 --> 00:37:56,675 Speaker 1: one way or the other for eight months, but this 535 00:37:56,715 --> 00:38:00,475 Speaker 1: one might be my favorite. There were I think three 536 00:38:00,595 --> 00:38:03,595 Speaker 1: other reporters at that first bargaining session in New York 537 00:38:03,635 --> 00:38:05,915 Speaker 1: in March of nineteen eight d two. And if these 538 00:38:05,955 --> 00:38:08,835 Speaker 1: are not the three guys I'm thinking of, they became 539 00:38:08,875 --> 00:38:11,835 Speaker 1: the three guys in the subsequent meetings later in March, 540 00:38:11,995 --> 00:38:14,035 Speaker 1: and then in April when we had some in Washington 541 00:38:14,115 --> 00:38:17,355 Speaker 1: and Throughout the early summer, they were Bart Barnes of 542 00:38:17,395 --> 00:38:20,955 Speaker 1: the Washington Post, Ira Rosenfeld of the Associated Press, and 543 00:38:21,035 --> 00:38:25,115 Speaker 1: Michael Janofsky of the New York Times. By October, the 544 00:38:25,115 --> 00:38:28,995 Speaker 1: four of us had been joined by whom maybe hundred 545 00:38:29,355 --> 00:38:34,195 Speaker 1: other reporters, two hundred. The problem with covering any strike, 546 00:38:34,275 --> 00:38:36,355 Speaker 1: inside sports or outside of it is you don't have 547 00:38:36,395 --> 00:38:39,515 Speaker 1: a lot of news to cover, and the only news 548 00:38:39,515 --> 00:38:42,435 Speaker 1: story or editors or producers or readers or viewers want 549 00:38:42,475 --> 00:38:46,555 Speaker 1: anyway is this one is the damn thing over yet. 550 00:38:47,635 --> 00:38:49,595 Speaker 1: So there was a lot of competition among all of 551 00:38:49,635 --> 00:38:53,355 Speaker 1: us for those few news nuggets and sources available to 552 00:38:53,395 --> 00:38:56,715 Speaker 1: an ever increasing supply of reporters. Though I have to 553 00:38:56,755 --> 00:38:59,035 Speaker 1: say the others, at least the originals were all great 554 00:38:59,075 --> 00:39:01,515 Speaker 1: to me and I to them, to the point that 555 00:39:01,555 --> 00:39:04,195 Speaker 1: when they moved the talks to the Hunt Valley Resort 556 00:39:04,235 --> 00:39:07,995 Speaker 1: compla in Maryland, United Press International and the networks like 557 00:39:08,115 --> 00:39:12,715 Speaker 1: us called our location Hunt Valley, Maryland. But there was 558 00:39:12,755 --> 00:39:15,475 Speaker 1: such a dearth of news that the Associated Press insisted 559 00:39:15,515 --> 00:39:18,475 Speaker 1: there was no such places Hunt Valley, Maryland, and we 560 00:39:18,475 --> 00:39:22,075 Speaker 1: were all really in Cockiesville, Maryland. The same story would 561 00:39:22,115 --> 00:39:25,395 Speaker 1: come across the U. P I wire dateline Hunt Valley, Maryland, 562 00:39:25,515 --> 00:39:28,675 Speaker 1: and the same story on the AP wire Cockiesville, Maryland. 563 00:39:29,635 --> 00:39:33,315 Speaker 1: Then the Associated Press did a story on the dispute 564 00:39:33,395 --> 00:39:37,155 Speaker 1: over the location name. I remember asking Ira Rosenfeld of 565 00:39:37,155 --> 00:39:39,795 Speaker 1: the AP if they had used the dateline cockies Bill 566 00:39:40,235 --> 00:39:42,475 Speaker 1: just so there'd be a dispute, just so he had 567 00:39:42,515 --> 00:39:49,355 Speaker 1: something to write about. He started laughing and walked away. Anyway, Janovsky, 568 00:39:49,555 --> 00:39:52,035 Speaker 1: the guy from the Times, was the most anxious of 569 00:39:52,075 --> 00:39:57,835 Speaker 1: the bunch. Michael Janoski was a little abrasive, like literally 570 00:39:57,875 --> 00:40:00,635 Speaker 1: elbowing you out of the way in the scrums with 571 00:40:00,715 --> 00:40:04,275 Speaker 1: media spokesman, or trying to walk those spokesmen out of 572 00:40:04,315 --> 00:40:06,915 Speaker 1: those aggles and scrums in order to get a one 573 00:40:06,915 --> 00:40:09,795 Speaker 1: on one. I'm from the New York Times, and the 574 00:40:09,835 --> 00:40:11,755 Speaker 1: only thing the owners and the players and the rest 575 00:40:11,755 --> 00:40:14,595 Speaker 1: of US reporters all agreed on was, oh God, here 576 00:40:14,595 --> 00:40:18,475 Speaker 1: comes Janovsky again. So one long night in the resort 577 00:40:18,515 --> 00:40:21,235 Speaker 1: they were using in Cockiesville and or Hunt Valley, Maryland, 578 00:40:21,635 --> 00:40:23,355 Speaker 1: one of the Union guys was having a drink with 579 00:40:23,395 --> 00:40:26,035 Speaker 1: a bunch of US media types and we started complaining 580 00:40:26,035 --> 00:40:29,635 Speaker 1: about Janofsky. And I don't think the prank that was 581 00:40:29,715 --> 00:40:34,755 Speaker 1: hatched was my idea, but I know I was the choreographer. 582 00:40:35,595 --> 00:40:37,995 Speaker 1: The area I had to work with in the hotel 583 00:40:38,115 --> 00:40:41,075 Speaker 1: in which we were permitted to roam ran from a 584 00:40:41,115 --> 00:40:45,115 Speaker 1: swimming pool around a corner, down a one foot hallway 585 00:40:45,155 --> 00:40:48,035 Speaker 1: into the lobby, which was the press room and press 586 00:40:48,075 --> 00:40:52,515 Speaker 1: conference venue. So we waited until we saw Jenovski go 587 00:40:52,675 --> 00:40:55,715 Speaker 1: down that hall away from the main lobby and around 588 00:40:55,715 --> 00:40:58,755 Speaker 1: the corner towards the hotel rooms themselves, And then at 589 00:40:58,795 --> 00:41:02,635 Speaker 1: least a dozen of us waited like evil school kids 590 00:41:03,035 --> 00:41:05,795 Speaker 1: in the main part of that hallway between the swimming 591 00:41:05,795 --> 00:41:08,835 Speaker 1: pool and the lobby. We sent a spotter to stand 592 00:41:08,875 --> 00:41:12,275 Speaker 1: near the pool to alert us. So has Michael Janovski 593 00:41:12,515 --> 00:41:14,995 Speaker 1: of the New York Times turned the corner a hundred 594 00:41:14,995 --> 00:41:18,315 Speaker 1: feet away, he saw the nfl P, a press aid 595 00:41:18,435 --> 00:41:22,995 Speaker 1: literally pushing some of us, and everybody yelling, and him saying, fine, 596 00:41:23,155 --> 00:41:26,115 Speaker 1: it's true, it's true. It's over. Now. I can't say 597 00:41:26,155 --> 00:41:29,835 Speaker 1: another goddamn thing. I quit. He's trying to get away 598 00:41:29,835 --> 00:41:33,675 Speaker 1: from us, their arms flailing through the air, voices raised 599 00:41:33,715 --> 00:41:37,475 Speaker 1: a lot of oaths and swear words. In short, we 600 00:41:37,515 --> 00:41:41,635 Speaker 1: have convinced Mr Janovsky of the Times that he has 601 00:41:41,715 --> 00:41:47,915 Speaker 1: just missed the end of the football strike. Jenovsky sprints 602 00:41:47,955 --> 00:41:51,075 Speaker 1: the hundred feet, grabs the Union guy and says, tell me, 603 00:41:51,275 --> 00:41:54,635 Speaker 1: tell me it's settled, it's over. Tell me and this man, 604 00:41:54,715 --> 00:41:58,795 Speaker 1: Dave had also been a press staffer in the Kennedy administration, 605 00:41:59,435 --> 00:42:02,195 Speaker 1: and this was not his first prank against the reporter. 606 00:42:02,795 --> 00:42:05,235 Speaker 1: He says, I'm sorry, Mike, I don't work for the 607 00:42:05,355 --> 00:42:08,875 Speaker 1: nfl p A anymore. I just quit. If you want 608 00:42:08,915 --> 00:42:11,075 Speaker 1: this story, you better get it from the executive director 609 00:42:11,155 --> 00:42:15,435 Speaker 1: Ed Garvey or the president Geane Upshaw. So now Jenovsky 610 00:42:15,475 --> 00:42:19,115 Speaker 1: grabs Bart Barnes of the WAPO, who had to have 611 00:42:19,195 --> 00:42:22,275 Speaker 1: been I don't know, ten years older than Jenovsky was, 612 00:42:22,475 --> 00:42:25,275 Speaker 1: and he says, you have to tell me, Bart, I'll 613 00:42:25,435 --> 00:42:29,595 Speaker 1: pay you, at which point all of us lose it. 614 00:42:30,075 --> 00:42:33,475 Speaker 1: I mean me and the AP guy. Ira, we broke character. 615 00:42:33,795 --> 00:42:39,435 Speaker 1: We doubled over with laughter. Now Janovsky froze Dave from 616 00:42:39,435 --> 00:42:42,715 Speaker 1: the Union laughed so hard he turned red, and Janowski 617 00:42:43,035 --> 00:42:46,435 Speaker 1: marched off, announcing he would get us and get us soon. 618 00:42:47,675 --> 00:42:49,995 Speaker 1: I don't think he ever did, though. If I had 619 00:42:49,995 --> 00:42:52,755 Speaker 1: to do a phoner for CNN when Janovsky was around 620 00:42:52,795 --> 00:42:55,515 Speaker 1: that lobby or any other other places we did this story. 621 00:42:55,875 --> 00:42:58,795 Speaker 1: I always made sure I guarded the phone disconnect button 622 00:42:58,875 --> 00:43:02,995 Speaker 1: with my free hand, just in case. But what he 623 00:43:03,035 --> 00:43:08,075 Speaker 1: did do was lee Eve sports altogether for safer and 624 00:43:08,155 --> 00:43:13,035 Speaker 1: more fun topics like covering the Environmental Protection Agency and 625 00:43:13,075 --> 00:43:25,515 Speaker 1: getting writing stories about pesticides and recycling mercury. I've done 626 00:43:25,515 --> 00:43:27,675 Speaker 1: all the damage I can do here. Thank you for listening. 627 00:43:27,715 --> 00:43:30,355 Speaker 1: If you're not following or subscribed or whatever, please do so. 628 00:43:30,915 --> 00:43:33,635 Speaker 1: Here are our credits. Most of the music, including our 629 00:43:33,715 --> 00:43:37,355 Speaker 1: theme here from Beethoven's Ninth, was arranged, produced, and performed 630 00:43:37,395 --> 00:43:39,875 Speaker 1: by Brian Ray and John Philip Channel. They are the 631 00:43:39,915 --> 00:43:43,835 Speaker 1: Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards by John Philip 632 00:43:43,915 --> 00:43:47,475 Speaker 1: Chanelle guitars based on drums by Brian Ray, produced by 633 00:43:47,475 --> 00:43:50,675 Speaker 1: t k O Brothers. Other Beethoven selections have been arranged 634 00:43:50,675 --> 00:43:53,795 Speaker 1: and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. The sports 635 00:43:53,915 --> 00:43:56,755 Speaker 1: music is the Alberman theme from ESPN two, and it 636 00:43:56,795 --> 00:43:59,835 Speaker 1: was written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. 637 00:44:00,395 --> 00:44:03,835 Speaker 1: Musical comments from Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist 638 00:44:03,875 --> 00:44:07,075 Speaker 1: ever are announce youre today was Larry David. Everything else 639 00:44:07,155 --> 00:44:09,635 Speaker 1: was pretty much my fault. So let's countdown for this 640 00:44:09,675 --> 00:44:13,475 Speaker 1: the six five day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup 641 00:44:13,515 --> 00:44:16,515 Speaker 1: against the democratically elected government of the United States. I 642 00:44:16,635 --> 00:44:19,195 Speaker 1: usually say here, arrest him now while we still can, 643 00:44:19,275 --> 00:44:21,755 Speaker 1: But of course the Special Council has not yet started 644 00:44:21,795 --> 00:44:25,035 Speaker 1: on his job. So furrow your brow and say serious 645 00:44:25,075 --> 00:44:29,155 Speaker 1: things about him now while we still can. New episode 646 00:44:29,155 --> 00:44:31,675 Speaker 1: tomorrow until then on Keith old Reman. Good morning, good afternoon, 647 00:44:31,715 --> 00:44:41,115 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith old Woman 648 00:44:41,275 --> 00:44:44,715 Speaker 1: is a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts 649 00:44:44,715 --> 00:44:47,395 Speaker 1: from I heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, 650 00:44:47,475 --> 00:44:50,875 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.