1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,635 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. I 2 00:00:21,715 --> 00:00:26,355 Speaker 1: am not a member of any organized political party. I 3 00:00:26,395 --> 00:00:30,115 Speaker 1: am a Democrat. Will Rogers, of course, first quoted in 4 00:00:30,195 --> 00:00:33,955 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty five, quoted posthumously in fact, which is completely 5 00:00:33,995 --> 00:00:37,475 Speaker 1: appropriate given how the rest of us feel right now. 6 00:00:38,915 --> 00:00:41,995 Speaker 1: I am afraid it is going to keep going exactly 7 00:00:42,195 --> 00:00:47,115 Speaker 1: like this until Joe Biden with jaws, or until all 8 00:00:47,235 --> 00:00:51,195 Speaker 1: doubts are erased. And as we contemplate the upcoming NATO 9 00:00:51,275 --> 00:00:54,755 Speaker 1: news conference, please tell me how all doubts would ever 10 00:00:54,835 --> 00:01:01,075 Speaker 1: be erased. First, in this sequence of events, this Sisyphus 11 00:01:01,355 --> 00:01:05,075 Speaker 1: and the hill and the rock jazz, the withdrawal will 12 00:01:05,075 --> 00:01:07,755 Speaker 1: have been tamped down, or those talking it will have 13 00:01:07,835 --> 00:01:11,475 Speaker 1: been bludgeoned and shamed, basically where we were on Monday. 14 00:01:11,995 --> 00:01:15,795 Speaker 1: Then it will rise up again courtesy of the amazed, 15 00:01:16,035 --> 00:01:18,475 Speaker 1: those who are amazed that it quieted down when the 16 00:01:18,515 --> 00:01:21,835 Speaker 1: thing seems so obvious to them. Then someone with actual 17 00:01:21,995 --> 00:01:25,475 Speaker 1: power here, like say Nancy Pelosi, will say something in 18 00:01:25,635 --> 00:01:31,115 Speaker 1: code indirectly to the President via television that sounds like 19 00:01:31,595 --> 00:01:34,555 Speaker 1: maybe you should think about getting out, But then she 20 00:01:34,635 --> 00:01:37,355 Speaker 1: will dilute her own words a few minutes later to 21 00:01:37,435 --> 00:01:41,795 Speaker 1: a different source. Then a few electeds will insist he leave, 22 00:01:41,915 --> 00:01:45,235 Speaker 1: or they will seem to insist. Then celebrity democrats like 23 00:01:45,315 --> 00:01:49,715 Speaker 1: say George Clooney will chime in, and everybody can make 24 00:01:49,715 --> 00:01:52,275 Speaker 1: the same joke about it, like huh, good night and 25 00:01:52,275 --> 00:01:56,035 Speaker 1: good luck Joe, and then somebody and yesterday it was 26 00:01:56,035 --> 00:01:58,595 Speaker 1: an uninformed candidate for the Senate from New Jersey will 27 00:01:58,635 --> 00:02:00,915 Speaker 1: wonder out loud and get into print if there is 28 00:02:00,915 --> 00:02:02,955 Speaker 1: some way to force Joe Biden off the ticket, and 29 00:02:03,195 --> 00:02:08,115 Speaker 1: there isn't, and the whole thing will calm down for 30 00:02:08,195 --> 00:02:10,355 Speaker 1: as long as a day, maybe thirty six hours, and 31 00:02:10,395 --> 00:02:13,395 Speaker 1: then a day or thirty six hours later, all start 32 00:02:13,475 --> 00:02:16,115 Speaker 1: up all over again, and the cycle will keep going 33 00:02:17,155 --> 00:02:21,275 Speaker 1: through the beginning of November. The only variety to the equation, 34 00:02:21,915 --> 00:02:25,115 Speaker 1: the equation of evasion, will be when we hit those 35 00:02:25,155 --> 00:02:30,155 Speaker 1: moments of existential dread like today, like mister Biden's scheduled 36 00:02:30,155 --> 00:02:32,955 Speaker 1: news conference at the NATO summit. Oh what's on his 37 00:02:32,995 --> 00:02:33,875 Speaker 1: schedule today? 38 00:02:34,115 --> 00:02:34,355 Speaker 2: Oh? 39 00:02:34,475 --> 00:02:38,315 Speaker 1: Nothing much, just another bottomless pit he can fall into 40 00:02:38,875 --> 00:02:41,635 Speaker 1: and take us with him. Oh no, even if he 41 00:02:41,675 --> 00:02:43,755 Speaker 1: doesn't fall in, we'll get like twelve to twenty four 42 00:02:43,755 --> 00:02:46,955 Speaker 1: hours of every one of his words being parsed on 43 00:02:46,995 --> 00:02:50,155 Speaker 1: every news channel like they were from a newly discovered 44 00:02:50,235 --> 00:02:53,595 Speaker 1: parchment from the Dead Sea scrolls. Ah, you're right, but 45 00:02:53,675 --> 00:02:56,635 Speaker 1: don't use that Dead Sea Scrolls analogy where everybody can 46 00:02:56,635 --> 00:03:00,955 Speaker 1: hear you. We're trying to avoid talking about his age. 47 00:03:02,115 --> 00:03:06,875 Speaker 1: On February twenty eighth, twenty and twenty, Catherine Joan Bettingfield 48 00:03:06,955 --> 00:03:10,875 Speaker 1: retired as Joe Biden's White House communications director to become 49 00:03:10,955 --> 00:03:14,635 Speaker 1: head of the Environmental Defense Action Fund. She was once 50 00:03:14,715 --> 00:03:19,395 Speaker 1: campaigned spokesperson for John Edwards, which really means she was 51 00:03:19,475 --> 00:03:22,635 Speaker 1: campaign spokeswoman for the late Elizabeth Edwards, who should have 52 00:03:22,715 --> 00:03:26,435 Speaker 1: been president. She worked in the Obama administration. She worked 53 00:03:26,435 --> 00:03:29,115 Speaker 1: with Vice President Biden. She was deputy manager of his 54 00:03:29,155 --> 00:03:31,635 Speaker 1: twenty twenty campaign. And if you can imagine this, I 55 00:03:31,715 --> 00:03:34,075 Speaker 1: used to work for her father when he was an 56 00:03:34,115 --> 00:03:37,395 Speaker 1: executive at CNN in my second stint there about two 57 00:03:37,395 --> 00:03:40,115 Speaker 1: decades ago, and he very well might have been the 58 00:03:40,115 --> 00:03:43,475 Speaker 1: only sane one in management there. So she is not 59 00:03:43,555 --> 00:03:46,475 Speaker 1: a person of extremes or panic or indiscretion. And thus 60 00:03:46,515 --> 00:03:51,235 Speaker 1: what she said yesterday matters more to me, and I 61 00:03:51,275 --> 00:03:54,595 Speaker 1: hope more to you, than does what Nancy Pelosi said, 62 00:03:55,555 --> 00:03:59,755 Speaker 1: I know firsthand better than almost anyone. Miss Bettingfield writes 63 00:03:59,995 --> 00:04:04,355 Speaker 1: how smart the Biden team is about data at about 64 00:04:04,355 --> 00:04:07,755 Speaker 1: ignore the noise. They are right that the game here 65 00:04:07,875 --> 00:04:11,115 Speaker 1: is to convince voters, not pundits. But when the battle 66 00:04:11,155 --> 00:04:14,475 Speaker 1: over the public data is so overwhelmingly negative, it's a 67 00:04:14,515 --> 00:04:18,795 Speaker 1: good moment to put forward your theory of the case. 68 00:04:19,915 --> 00:04:22,795 Speaker 1: If they have data that supports the path to victory 69 00:04:22,955 --> 00:04:26,235 Speaker 1: that they see, they should put it out there now 70 00:04:26,795 --> 00:04:30,395 Speaker 1: and help people who badly want to beat Trump rally 71 00:04:30,795 --> 00:04:38,435 Speaker 1: around it. People want to see the path well exactly, 72 00:04:39,915 --> 00:04:43,555 Speaker 1: less hand ringing, less where's your loyalty? Less nobody gets 73 00:04:43,555 --> 00:04:48,715 Speaker 1: to tell Biden what to do. More data. The irony 74 00:04:48,875 --> 00:04:52,715 Speaker 1: is there is data supporting the go with Joe conclusion. 75 00:04:52,715 --> 00:04:56,635 Speaker 1: And again I remain agnostic about this, but Northeastern University 76 00:04:56,675 --> 00:05:00,755 Speaker 1: is experimenting with advanced data and putting it together with polling. 77 00:05:00,795 --> 00:05:03,795 Speaker 1: They call it Chip fifty, And the key to it 78 00:05:03,835 --> 00:05:07,835 Speaker 1: isn't that advanced. Actually, it's not ask bunches of people 79 00:05:08,035 --> 00:05:11,435 Speaker 1: several times a year. It's ask the same bunch of 80 00:05:11,475 --> 00:05:15,555 Speaker 1: people several times a year, and doing so before and 81 00:05:15,595 --> 00:05:18,795 Speaker 1: after the debate. To quote the Chip fifty report finds 82 00:05:18,795 --> 00:05:20,915 Speaker 1: that Biden held on to ninety four percent of the 83 00:05:20,915 --> 00:05:23,115 Speaker 1: people who said they would support him before the debate. 84 00:05:24,115 --> 00:05:27,035 Speaker 1: For Trump, eighty six percent of people who said they 85 00:05:27,035 --> 00:05:29,235 Speaker 1: would support him before the debate said they would do 86 00:05:29,355 --> 00:05:34,315 Speaker 1: so after the debate. Project leader Northeastern professor David Lazar says, 87 00:05:34,355 --> 00:05:37,835 Speaker 1: don't get too excited quoting him. What we see is 88 00:05:37,875 --> 00:05:40,635 Speaker 1: that there is some churn, maybe ten percent or so 89 00:05:40,755 --> 00:05:43,315 Speaker 1: of people change what they answer, but that the net 90 00:05:43,355 --> 00:05:46,755 Speaker 1: result is not a movement away from Biden. If anything, 91 00:05:46,995 --> 00:05:49,995 Speaker 1: it seems that Biden is holding on to his people 92 00:05:50,115 --> 00:05:55,755 Speaker 1: somewhat better than Trump. Now, this is not decisive, and 93 00:05:55,835 --> 00:05:59,075 Speaker 1: if it is relevant to the big question before the debate, 94 00:05:59,235 --> 00:06:02,475 Speaker 1: Biden needed to grow his voter support, not just maintain it. 95 00:06:02,955 --> 00:06:05,675 Speaker 1: If this is relevant to that, it's only and genturally so. 96 00:06:06,755 --> 00:06:10,915 Speaker 1: But where's the White House on this? Don't hit democrats 97 00:06:10,955 --> 00:06:13,915 Speaker 1: over the head with guilt or by pulling rank on them. 98 00:06:14,195 --> 00:06:16,115 Speaker 1: This is the president's decision. Hit them over the head 99 00:06:16,115 --> 00:06:23,435 Speaker 1: with retained support metrics weighted retained support ninety four percent 100 00:06:24,035 --> 00:06:27,075 Speaker 1: is a hell of a lot of percent. Tell people 101 00:06:27,155 --> 00:06:31,395 Speaker 1: about it, and tell people how the Biden campaign sees it. 102 00:06:31,875 --> 00:06:36,115 Speaker 1: As a starting point for winning the election and burying 103 00:06:36,195 --> 00:06:44,435 Speaker 1: Trump in the metaphorical Quicksand I said in February, and 104 00:06:44,555 --> 00:06:46,835 Speaker 1: I said the night of the debate, and I said 105 00:06:46,875 --> 00:06:50,955 Speaker 1: immediately after that that the worst outcome was the scenario 106 00:06:50,995 --> 00:06:55,035 Speaker 1: in which this all played out in public and Biden 107 00:06:55,115 --> 00:06:57,675 Speaker 1: dug in and those who doubted him kept coming back 108 00:06:57,715 --> 00:07:00,275 Speaker 1: every forty eight hours and saying, oh, what about now 109 00:07:00,275 --> 00:07:04,315 Speaker 1: are you leaving now? And yet here we are what 110 00:07:04,395 --> 00:07:07,915 Speaker 1: about now? You're going to leave now? And the most 111 00:07:07,955 --> 00:07:13,435 Speaker 1: powerful voices in the Democratic Party are themselves participating in this, 112 00:07:13,875 --> 00:07:16,715 Speaker 1: playing this game, except it's not a game, it's a 113 00:07:16,835 --> 00:07:24,235 Speaker 1: deadly dance. In February, Axios reported, quote, when White House 114 00:07:24,315 --> 00:07:30,515 Speaker 1: aids appear on MSNBC's Morning Joe, they're often booked between 115 00:07:30,635 --> 00:07:36,115 Speaker 1: seven and seven forty am ET. That's so they'll reach 116 00:07:36,235 --> 00:07:43,795 Speaker 1: one crucial and loyal viewer President Biden. Unquote, Well guess 117 00:07:43,835 --> 00:07:49,275 Speaker 1: what yesterday Nancy Pelosi went on that show at seven 118 00:07:49,395 --> 00:07:51,115 Speaker 1: thirty nine am ET. 119 00:07:51,835 --> 00:07:54,515 Speaker 2: It's up to the president to sucide if he is 120 00:07:54,555 --> 00:07:59,475 Speaker 2: going to run. We're all encouraging him to make that 121 00:07:59,635 --> 00:08:05,755 Speaker 2: decision because time is running short. The I think overwhelming 122 00:08:05,835 --> 00:08:08,475 Speaker 2: support of the caucus. It's not for me to say. 123 00:08:08,515 --> 00:08:13,515 Speaker 2: I'm not the head of the caucus anymore. But he's beloved, 124 00:08:14,075 --> 00:08:18,475 Speaker 2: he is respected, and people want him to make that decision. 125 00:08:18,675 --> 00:08:20,995 Speaker 1: He has me, he has said he has made the decision. 126 00:08:21,035 --> 00:08:24,115 Speaker 1: He has said firmly this week he is going to run. 127 00:08:24,435 --> 00:08:25,555 Speaker 1: Do you want him to run? 128 00:08:26,195 --> 00:08:28,635 Speaker 2: I want him to do whatever he decides to do. 129 00:08:29,075 --> 00:08:32,115 Speaker 2: And that's the way it is. Whatever he decides we 130 00:08:32,155 --> 00:08:34,835 Speaker 2: go with. I think it's really important and I would 131 00:08:34,835 --> 00:08:38,075 Speaker 2: hope everyone would join in. She let him deal with 132 00:08:38,115 --> 00:08:41,235 Speaker 2: this NATO conference. This is a very big deal. Thirty 133 00:08:41,395 --> 00:08:45,595 Speaker 2: heads of over, thirty heads of state are here. He 134 00:08:45,755 --> 00:08:49,435 Speaker 2: is the host of it, and that means not just hosting. 135 00:08:49,475 --> 00:08:53,995 Speaker 2: It means orchestrating the discussion and setting the agenda. And 136 00:08:54,035 --> 00:09:00,475 Speaker 2: he's doing so magnificently. And I've said everyone, let's just 137 00:09:01,035 --> 00:09:05,515 Speaker 2: hold off whatever you're thinking. Either tell somebody privately, but 138 00:09:05,675 --> 00:09:07,515 Speaker 2: you don't have to put that out on the table 139 00:09:07,795 --> 00:09:10,195 Speaker 2: until we see how we go this week. 140 00:09:10,555 --> 00:09:13,515 Speaker 1: A clip from the best part of MSNBC's Morning Joe, 141 00:09:13,915 --> 00:09:17,355 Speaker 1: the part where there was no Joe Scarborough seven thirty 142 00:09:17,475 --> 00:09:22,755 Speaker 1: nine am to speak to the proverbial audience of one 143 00:09:22,915 --> 00:09:26,115 Speaker 1: and when Nancy Pelosi showed up at her office hours later, 144 00:09:26,155 --> 00:09:28,955 Speaker 1: she told ABC News, yes, she does think Biden can win, 145 00:09:29,235 --> 00:09:31,835 Speaker 1: and she told CBS, I think the president is great, 146 00:09:32,075 --> 00:09:34,675 Speaker 1: and there are some misrepresentations of what I have said. 147 00:09:34,955 --> 00:09:37,755 Speaker 1: I never said he should reconsider his decision. The decision 148 00:09:37,835 --> 00:09:39,755 Speaker 1: is the president's. I don't know what's happened in the 149 00:09:39,755 --> 00:09:42,515 Speaker 1: New York Times that they make up news, but if 150 00:09:42,555 --> 00:09:46,955 Speaker 1: that's why you're here, it isn't true. Unquote. So she 151 00:09:47,075 --> 00:09:51,835 Speaker 1: said one thing in a very specifically fuzzy way, if 152 00:09:51,835 --> 00:09:55,835 Speaker 1: you can forgive that contradiction in terms, presumably just to 153 00:09:55,835 --> 00:10:00,195 Speaker 1: get the president's eyebrows to raise. Obviously, the point is 154 00:10:00,235 --> 00:10:03,035 Speaker 1: she said he should make a decision, and of course 155 00:10:03,315 --> 00:10:05,475 Speaker 1: he has not only insisted for ten days now that 156 00:10:05,515 --> 00:10:08,155 Speaker 1: he's made his decision, but he put his decision in 157 00:10:08,275 --> 00:10:11,435 Speaker 1: writing and sent it to all the congressional Democrats on Monday. 158 00:10:11,635 --> 00:10:15,795 Speaker 1: And Nancy Pelosi is still a congressional Democrat. So why 159 00:10:16,475 --> 00:10:19,155 Speaker 1: did she ask him to make a decision he's already 160 00:10:19,195 --> 00:10:23,395 Speaker 1: made and then kind of walk that back while she 161 00:10:23,595 --> 00:10:29,195 Speaker 1: was not on his favorite television show. I guess we 162 00:10:29,235 --> 00:10:31,915 Speaker 1: should be happy this favorite television show is not the monsters, 163 00:10:32,555 --> 00:10:36,915 Speaker 1: so it alarms him. So it gets a message through 164 00:10:37,195 --> 00:10:40,835 Speaker 1: the bubble to Joe Biden without making it look like 165 00:10:40,955 --> 00:10:44,595 Speaker 1: Nancy Pelosi is providing a platform or encouragement for the 166 00:10:44,755 --> 00:10:50,355 Speaker 1: Joe must Go crowd, not encouraging them yet anyway, and 167 00:10:51,515 --> 00:10:55,755 Speaker 1: managing to do so before a meeting scheduled today between Biden, 168 00:10:55,915 --> 00:11:01,115 Speaker 1: aids and worried Democratic senators. Let's see how many of 169 00:11:01,115 --> 00:11:05,995 Speaker 1: them show up to that. Yes, all of a sudden, 170 00:11:06,075 --> 00:11:08,995 Speaker 1: the Democrats are doing exactly what the Republicans do when 171 00:11:08,995 --> 00:11:11,915 Speaker 1: they want to get a message to Trump, go on 172 00:11:11,955 --> 00:11:14,715 Speaker 1: TV and talk to the guy. And yes, there are 173 00:11:14,715 --> 00:11:18,915 Speaker 1: many comparisons between Sean Hannity and Joe Scarborough. There's one 174 00:11:18,995 --> 00:11:23,555 Speaker 1: other thing here, though, that Pelosi mentioned. If Biden were 175 00:11:23,635 --> 00:11:26,275 Speaker 1: to choose to go, he certainly would not have done 176 00:11:26,275 --> 00:11:30,755 Speaker 1: it before the NATO summit ended. He loves NATO. It's 177 00:11:30,875 --> 00:11:33,195 Speaker 1: kind of an obvious statement to say, well, he's not 178 00:11:33,235 --> 00:11:35,155 Speaker 1: going to do it before the NATO thing ends. Well, 179 00:11:35,155 --> 00:11:37,875 Speaker 1: the NATO thing ends today, He's not going to go 180 00:11:37,915 --> 00:11:41,875 Speaker 1: back in time and do it. I suppose the whole 181 00:11:41,875 --> 00:11:44,795 Speaker 1: thing is an informal attempt to soften Biden up, to 182 00:11:44,915 --> 00:11:47,915 Speaker 1: encourage him and him alone to bow out, or at 183 00:11:47,995 --> 00:11:50,955 Speaker 1: least to see if it's possible that he might do that. 184 00:11:53,235 --> 00:11:57,035 Speaker 1: I am comforted as an aside, really only by the 185 00:11:57,075 --> 00:12:01,995 Speaker 1: fact that this idea, the use TV to twist a phrase, 186 00:12:02,315 --> 00:12:07,115 Speaker 1: the medium is the messenger that it's not new. In fact, 187 00:12:07,195 --> 00:12:11,875 Speaker 1: you are alive today in no small part because of 188 00:12:11,955 --> 00:12:16,635 Speaker 1: the chief diplomatic correspondent of ABC News in nineteen sixty two, 189 00:12:16,915 --> 00:12:20,235 Speaker 1: a man named John Scally, and the fact that President 190 00:12:20,315 --> 00:12:25,675 Speaker 1: Kennedy watched Scali's reports, and the chief KGB hood in Washington, 191 00:12:26,435 --> 00:12:31,395 Speaker 1: Alexander Foeman, watched his reports, and when Premier Khrushchev needed 192 00:12:31,395 --> 00:12:34,435 Speaker 1: a back channel to Kennedy to find some other way 193 00:12:34,515 --> 00:12:37,395 Speaker 1: out of the nineteen sixty two Cuban missile crisis other 194 00:12:37,475 --> 00:12:41,595 Speaker 1: than you know, blowing the world up, Foeman told Khrushchev 195 00:12:41,715 --> 00:12:44,755 Speaker 1: they should just go use John Scally. So Foeman met 196 00:12:44,795 --> 00:12:48,635 Speaker 1: Scali at a diner and pitched the essence of the deal. 197 00:12:48,675 --> 00:12:53,475 Speaker 1: But ultimately, you know, saved the world from being blown up, 198 00:12:54,915 --> 00:12:59,195 Speaker 1: and they talked about it over a ham sandwich. A 199 00:12:59,315 --> 00:13:10,075 Speaker 1: service of ABC News, still using television newspeople to decide 200 00:13:10,715 --> 00:13:13,595 Speaker 1: the fate of humanity. What a way to run a 201 00:13:13,715 --> 00:13:34,195 Speaker 1: railroad or a nation. The White House, of course, is 202 00:13:34,315 --> 00:13:37,355 Speaker 1: proving the bromide that insanity is doing the same thing 203 00:13:37,435 --> 00:13:41,275 Speaker 1: over and over again and expecting different results. The taped 204 00:13:41,315 --> 00:13:44,435 Speaker 1: interview with George Stephanoppolis on ABC last week, which was 205 00:13:44,435 --> 00:13:48,275 Speaker 1: somehow supposed to address the President's failure in a live 206 00:13:48,515 --> 00:13:53,075 Speaker 1: group setting, one on one taped interview, which produced more 207 00:13:53,515 --> 00:13:59,195 Speaker 1: indistinct responses added to the confusion. One horrifying answer in 208 00:13:59,235 --> 00:14:02,555 Speaker 1: which Biden clearly accepted the idea of losing to Trump, 209 00:14:02,635 --> 00:14:06,235 Speaker 1: rather than saying over my day body or something similar, 210 00:14:07,715 --> 00:14:10,235 Speaker 1: and as if that fix it project had not resulted 211 00:14:10,235 --> 00:14:12,795 Speaker 1: in more damage that night, Stephanoppolis was then asked by 212 00:14:12,795 --> 00:14:15,835 Speaker 1: some rando with a camera phone rolling on the streets 213 00:14:15,835 --> 00:14:17,995 Speaker 1: of New York if he thought Biden should or could 214 00:14:18,035 --> 00:14:20,115 Speaker 1: serve for another four year term, and rather than saying 215 00:14:20,115 --> 00:14:22,635 Speaker 1: it's not my job to say that, George said no, 216 00:14:22,715 --> 00:14:26,715 Speaker 1: he didn't, and it had been uploaded to TMZ within hours. 217 00:14:28,635 --> 00:14:32,795 Speaker 1: The White House clearly thinks that all went well. They 218 00:14:32,835 --> 00:14:37,835 Speaker 1: have now booked something totally different, a pre taped interview 219 00:14:37,875 --> 00:14:45,315 Speaker 1: with NBC Lester Holtz, because that can't wind up like 220 00:14:45,355 --> 00:14:48,715 Speaker 1: the one with George. The one with George was on 221 00:14:48,915 --> 00:14:52,515 Speaker 1: ABC at eight pm. This one will be on at 222 00:14:52,635 --> 00:15:00,915 Speaker 1: nine on NBC. AH Honest to god, I do not 223 00:15:01,235 --> 00:15:04,835 Speaker 1: think the President of the United States has any you 224 00:15:04,875 --> 00:15:08,475 Speaker 1: in cognitive issues. None. I think he gets tired and 225 00:15:08,635 --> 00:15:11,875 Speaker 1: various speech problems are catching up with him at age 226 00:15:11,915 --> 00:15:15,035 Speaker 1: eighty one, like various speech problems are catching up with 227 00:15:15,075 --> 00:15:18,875 Speaker 1: me at age sixty five. I have only one doubt 228 00:15:18,915 --> 00:15:21,595 Speaker 1: about one corner of his sanity, which is that he 229 00:15:21,635 --> 00:15:24,435 Speaker 1: thinks Scarborough knows what he's talking about and is honest. 230 00:15:24,675 --> 00:15:27,795 Speaker 1: But I do have a series of questions about those 231 00:15:27,875 --> 00:15:32,195 Speaker 1: around him making decisions like this one about the NBC interview. 232 00:15:32,395 --> 00:15:37,155 Speaker 1: I mean, if this goes poorly too, if Holt on 233 00:15:37,235 --> 00:15:41,315 Speaker 1: a Friday is as bad as Stephanopoulos on the previous Friday. 234 00:15:41,515 --> 00:15:44,955 Speaker 1: If the Biden campaign then goes to brainstorm for hours 235 00:15:45,035 --> 00:15:49,155 Speaker 1: to figure out what to do next, and then somebody says, Fellas, Fellas, 236 00:15:49,435 --> 00:15:55,275 Speaker 1: I got it, CBS put him on CBS. That's gotta work. 237 00:15:57,115 --> 00:16:05,235 Speaker 1: This is simple news conferences one a week live, no 238 00:16:05,395 --> 00:16:10,955 Speaker 1: taped interviews or town halls live. If he does well, 239 00:16:12,155 --> 00:16:16,995 Speaker 1: this actually could all go away. If he doesn't well, 240 00:16:17,035 --> 00:16:21,355 Speaker 1: there's your answer right there. And while I understand that 241 00:16:21,395 --> 00:16:24,395 Speaker 1: the words of elected Democrats have to be restrained and 242 00:16:24,435 --> 00:16:27,235 Speaker 1: that a solution to this either with the President staying 243 00:16:27,235 --> 00:16:29,915 Speaker 1: on the ticket or leaving the ticket, that it rests 244 00:16:29,955 --> 00:16:34,595 Speaker 1: on a certain gentleness will everybody is tiptoeing around this, 245 00:16:34,715 --> 00:16:37,595 Speaker 1: and a king Jeffrey says, yes, Biden can win, but 246 00:16:37,675 --> 00:16:42,595 Speaker 1: these are family discussions. You can almost see him doing the 247 00:16:42,595 --> 00:16:45,515 Speaker 1: little button gesture with his lips. The rest of the 248 00:16:45,515 --> 00:16:48,755 Speaker 1: neighborhood is burning to the ground, and nobody is being 249 00:16:48,835 --> 00:16:53,115 Speaker 1: quiet about that. Clooney's obed in The Times begets more 250 00:16:53,195 --> 00:16:57,195 Speaker 1: concern trolling from goddamn David Axelrod, who is becoming the 251 00:16:57,235 --> 00:17:01,675 Speaker 1: mark pen of Pat Caddell's, and the genuine aspects of 252 00:17:01,715 --> 00:17:05,435 Speaker 1: this crisis beget anonymous quotes to places like NBC News, 253 00:17:05,435 --> 00:17:08,235 Speaker 1: in which sources close to the campaign say donations have 254 00:17:08,355 --> 00:17:15,275 Speaker 1: quote absolutely shut off. That's a problem. Journalism or whatever 255 00:17:15,355 --> 00:17:19,595 Speaker 1: our American system is, abhors a vacuum and celebrity op 256 00:17:19,795 --> 00:17:23,195 Speaker 1: eds and bad news and leaks become the only news 257 00:17:23,275 --> 00:17:28,035 Speaker 1: if you are quiet forever. Because while that Northeastern study 258 00:17:28,075 --> 00:17:31,395 Speaker 1: is really insightful and positive, Politico reported bad polling for 259 00:17:31,435 --> 00:17:34,275 Speaker 1: Biden here in New York just an eight point lead 260 00:17:34,355 --> 00:17:38,955 Speaker 1: in this state. And now for the independent journalist Jacqueline Suite, 261 00:17:38,995 --> 00:17:44,475 Speaker 1: Biden down in internal democratic polling in three swing congressional 262 00:17:44,515 --> 00:17:48,355 Speaker 1: districts now held by Republicans, districts that Biden won four 263 00:17:48,435 --> 00:17:51,115 Speaker 1: years ago, down by one point in the twenty second, 264 00:17:51,195 --> 00:17:55,795 Speaker 1: down by double digits in the seventeenth and the nineteenth. 265 00:17:55,835 --> 00:18:01,235 Speaker 1: And for God's sakes, please follow Kate Bettingfield's advice. I, 266 00:18:01,395 --> 00:18:03,915 Speaker 1: for one, do not object to President Biden trying to 267 00:18:03,955 --> 00:18:07,555 Speaker 1: hold onto the nomination like our lives depended on it. 268 00:18:08,515 --> 00:18:10,795 Speaker 1: I would like to see him recognize, though, that it 269 00:18:10,875 --> 00:18:15,995 Speaker 1: is actually the election upon which our lives depend And 270 00:18:16,035 --> 00:18:27,275 Speaker 1: as MS Bettingfield suggests, tell us what the plan is electorally. 271 00:18:27,635 --> 00:18:29,995 Speaker 1: One last piece of advice for the Biden campaign and 272 00:18:30,395 --> 00:18:33,275 Speaker 1: for they get rid of Biden campaign as well. You 273 00:18:33,355 --> 00:18:37,035 Speaker 1: are both moving towards the point of no return, and 274 00:18:37,235 --> 00:18:40,715 Speaker 1: in our environment, the easiest way to identify that moment 275 00:18:41,995 --> 00:18:45,635 Speaker 1: is the moment at which major news organizations, already corrupted 276 00:18:45,635 --> 00:18:49,115 Speaker 1: by their corporate masters, no longer feel the need to 277 00:18:49,155 --> 00:18:52,035 Speaker 1: make the slightest attempt to hide the fact that they 278 00:18:52,075 --> 00:18:57,035 Speaker 1: are in the tank partially or completely for Trump and 279 00:18:57,155 --> 00:19:00,715 Speaker 1: for fascism. And they are corporations. They don't even think 280 00:19:00,755 --> 00:19:06,475 Speaker 1: about the nation. They just think about their profits. We 281 00:19:06,595 --> 00:19:08,755 Speaker 1: are approaching that moment. In fact, we may have already 282 00:19:08,835 --> 00:19:11,595 Speaker 1: arrived at it. I will never back away from my 283 00:19:11,675 --> 00:19:14,795 Speaker 1: contention that the lead story the night of the CNN 284 00:19:14,835 --> 00:19:18,235 Speaker 1: debate was not Biden's failures, nor even Trump's fire hose 285 00:19:18,275 --> 00:19:21,835 Speaker 1: of lies, but the fact that CNN not only agreed 286 00:19:22,035 --> 00:19:26,395 Speaker 1: to but seemingly offered to not fact check anything, not 287 00:19:26,475 --> 00:19:31,595 Speaker 1: even occasionally. I have suggested here since this podcast began 288 00:19:31,675 --> 00:19:35,395 Speaker 1: two years and twenty days ago, that some upper echelon 289 00:19:35,555 --> 00:19:38,635 Speaker 1: of the companies that own every significant news organization in 290 00:19:38,675 --> 00:19:41,795 Speaker 1: this country have had the same meeting in which the 291 00:19:41,835 --> 00:19:45,275 Speaker 1: prospect of Trump seizing power again and thus this nation 292 00:19:45,435 --> 00:19:49,195 Speaker 1: going fully fascist, is addressed, and the true threat is 293 00:19:49,275 --> 00:19:55,675 Speaker 1: confronted in the boardrooms of our masters. So, of course, 294 00:19:55,955 --> 00:19:58,635 Speaker 1: to the people who own the New York Times and 295 00:19:58,675 --> 00:20:01,035 Speaker 1: the people who own the Washington Post, and the people 296 00:20:01,035 --> 00:20:05,875 Speaker 1: who own NBC, and especially the right wing who comparatively 297 00:20:06,035 --> 00:20:11,195 Speaker 1: newly own CNN, they will perceive the true threat as 298 00:20:11,755 --> 00:20:16,795 Speaker 1: the threat to their profits. Is that why Jake Tapper 299 00:20:16,835 --> 00:20:19,435 Speaker 1: and Dana Bash failed the minimum test of journalism. Now, 300 00:20:20,155 --> 00:20:22,635 Speaker 1: did the owner go to them and say you can't 301 00:20:22,675 --> 00:20:25,675 Speaker 1: say this? No, did the owner go to one of 302 00:20:25,675 --> 00:20:29,595 Speaker 1: their boss's bosses and say that you bet your ass. 303 00:20:32,115 --> 00:20:36,315 Speaker 1: When I was at NBC, the calls used to come 304 00:20:36,355 --> 00:20:41,875 Speaker 1: from the president of NBC, Bob Wright, directly to the 305 00:20:41,955 --> 00:20:48,875 Speaker 1: executive producer of My show, Phil Griffin. Asked about the 306 00:20:48,995 --> 00:20:53,035 Speaker 1: upcoming presidential election, writes Bloomberg News from the annual Sun 307 00:20:53,155 --> 00:20:59,315 Speaker 1: Valley Billionaires Retreat in Idaho. David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. 308 00:20:59,515 --> 00:21:03,595 Speaker 1: Discovery the man who brought you Chris licked the man 309 00:21:03,635 --> 00:21:06,555 Speaker 1: who brought you the twenty two three CNN Live town 310 00:21:06,675 --> 00:21:11,755 Speaker 1: hall and Trump infomercial financed by the fascist John Malone. 311 00:21:12,515 --> 00:21:17,235 Speaker 1: David Zaslav quote said it mattered less to him which 312 00:21:17,355 --> 00:21:21,635 Speaker 1: party wins as long as the next president was friendly 313 00:21:21,835 --> 00:21:26,835 Speaker 1: to business. Quote. We just need an opportunity for deregulation 314 00:21:27,355 --> 00:21:31,035 Speaker 1: so companies can consolidate and do what we need to 315 00:21:31,035 --> 00:21:37,795 Speaker 1: to be even better. Unquote. Zaslav did not add Trump Land, 316 00:21:37,795 --> 00:21:42,395 Speaker 1: Trump Land uber Alees because he didn't need to. That 317 00:21:42,515 --> 00:21:51,755 Speaker 1: part can be safely assumed also of interest here well. 318 00:21:51,795 --> 00:21:55,235 Speaker 1: Of course, one of Trump's longest standing confidence finally said it. 319 00:21:55,835 --> 00:21:58,315 Speaker 1: One of them was going to just a question of 320 00:21:58,355 --> 00:22:02,155 Speaker 1: which one you ever wonder why we cannot let Trump 321 00:22:02,195 --> 00:22:05,555 Speaker 1: regain the controls no matter what. Remember that one of 322 00:22:05,555 --> 00:22:08,475 Speaker 1: his henchmen has now called the Vice President of the 323 00:22:08,555 --> 00:22:11,995 Speaker 1: United States the possible next president of the United States, 324 00:22:12,155 --> 00:22:19,115 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris quote colored unquote. It only remains to see 325 00:22:19,155 --> 00:22:22,995 Speaker 1: now if you can correctly choose from a few options 326 00:22:22,995 --> 00:22:25,875 Speaker 1: as to who it was. When I say a few options, 327 00:22:25,915 --> 00:22:30,195 Speaker 1: I mean like five or six thousand. That's next. This 328 00:22:30,275 --> 00:22:57,675 Speaker 1: is countdown. This is countdown with Keith Olberman still ahead 329 00:22:57,715 --> 00:23:00,235 Speaker 1: of us on this ediative countdown. Since I just invoked 330 00:23:00,235 --> 00:23:04,075 Speaker 1: corporate greed and corporate fascism and corporate influence over the news, 331 00:23:04,955 --> 00:23:07,195 Speaker 1: it's a good time to tell again the story of 332 00:23:07,195 --> 00:23:12,075 Speaker 1: my great grandfather who accidentally gave away at least sixty 333 00:23:12,195 --> 00:23:17,395 Speaker 1: or seventy million dollars in about two minutes. But it's 334 00:23:17,435 --> 00:23:20,035 Speaker 1: okay because the money went to a major American corporation. 335 00:23:21,395 --> 00:23:23,755 Speaker 1: Things I promised not to tell coming up. But first 336 00:23:23,755 --> 00:23:26,475 Speaker 1: there's still more new idiots to talk about. The daily 337 00:23:26,555 --> 00:23:29,475 Speaker 1: roundup of the misgrants, morons and Dunning Kruger effects specimens 338 00:23:29,475 --> 00:23:33,915 Speaker 1: who constitute today's worst persons in the world, The Brons 339 00:23:34,515 --> 00:23:39,875 Speaker 1: worse the Federalist Society and Project twenty twenty five. Trump 340 00:23:39,915 --> 00:23:42,715 Speaker 1: may be pretending he knows nothing of a document that 341 00:23:42,835 --> 00:23:45,955 Speaker 1: made me think of the Gestapo Black Book, which they 342 00:23:46,035 --> 00:23:48,435 Speaker 1: prepared for their invasion of London that never happened. It 343 00:23:48,475 --> 00:23:52,115 Speaker 1: had the names and addresses of three thousand British citizens 344 00:23:52,155 --> 00:23:55,355 Speaker 1: and organizations that were to be immediately rounded up or 345 00:23:55,395 --> 00:23:58,915 Speaker 1: just shot. And the black Book included everybody from Winston 346 00:23:58,995 --> 00:24:03,195 Speaker 1: Churchill to the Rotary Club. Well, the cat is kind 347 00:24:03,195 --> 00:24:05,195 Speaker 1: of out of the bag about who knows what about 348 00:24:05,195 --> 00:24:09,715 Speaker 1: Project twenty twenty five, let me quote. While former President 349 00:24:09,715 --> 00:24:12,955 Speaker 1: Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project twenty twenty five, 350 00:24:12,995 --> 00:24:16,515 Speaker 1: the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind the policy plan, 351 00:24:16,595 --> 00:24:21,115 Speaker 1: is on full display at the Republican National Convention. The 352 00:24:21,155 --> 00:24:26,115 Speaker 1: Heritage Foundation signed onto the RNC as a convention sponsor. 353 00:24:26,915 --> 00:24:30,795 Speaker 1: The group plans to host a policy fest in downtown 354 00:24:30,875 --> 00:24:38,515 Speaker 1: Milwaukee on Monday, which is the day Trump will become 355 00:24:38,555 --> 00:24:43,195 Speaker 1: the nominee of the Republican Party, and a following social 356 00:24:43,235 --> 00:24:50,835 Speaker 1: event at a nearby bar. Who's reporting that The Washington Examiner, 357 00:24:50,875 --> 00:24:52,795 Speaker 1: the right wing news outlet. Do they seem to be 358 00:24:52,875 --> 00:24:53,715 Speaker 1: hiding it at all? 359 00:24:54,835 --> 00:24:57,915 Speaker 3: By the way, hey, can we get somebody to send 360 00:24:57,995 --> 00:25:01,155 Speaker 3: copy of Project twenty twenty five over to David Zaslavitt 361 00:25:01,195 --> 00:25:01,915 Speaker 3: Warner Bros. 362 00:25:01,995 --> 00:25:02,555 Speaker 1: Discovery. 363 00:25:03,875 --> 00:25:06,035 Speaker 3: No, no, no, no, now tell him we want yeah, 364 00:25:06,195 --> 00:25:09,355 Speaker 3: tell him. I want to know if he has any notes, 365 00:25:09,955 --> 00:25:14,275 Speaker 3: any additions, anything he'd like, anything he doesn't like. 366 00:25:15,355 --> 00:25:22,955 Speaker 1: Zazz Lab again, z z as in Nazi the runners 367 00:25:23,035 --> 00:25:27,435 Speaker 1: up exo Planet HD one eight nine seven thirty three 368 00:25:27,635 --> 00:25:30,395 Speaker 1: B because it stinks. This may be the first time 369 00:25:30,515 --> 00:25:34,635 Speaker 1: I've made a planet, the entirety of a planet the 370 00:25:34,675 --> 00:25:36,635 Speaker 1: worst persons in the world, because of course they're not 371 00:25:36,715 --> 00:25:39,275 Speaker 1: in the world. They're in the universe, and they're an 372 00:25:39,395 --> 00:25:42,115 Speaker 1: entire planet, so they'd actually be the worst persons in 373 00:25:42,675 --> 00:25:49,115 Speaker 1: another world. AnyWho. Scientists made an exciting and pungent announcement 374 00:25:49,155 --> 00:25:53,155 Speaker 1: about a nearby exo planet this week. According to news reports, 375 00:25:54,115 --> 00:25:58,595 Speaker 1: planetary body with a likeness to Jupiter has one small problem. 376 00:25:58,995 --> 00:26:03,875 Speaker 1: It smells of rotten eggs. Analyzing data governed gathered rather 377 00:26:03,955 --> 00:26:08,355 Speaker 1: by the James Space Telescope, scientists discovered that exoplanet HD 378 00:26:08,475 --> 00:26:12,995 Speaker 1: one eighty nine seventy three three B contains hydrogen sulfide, 379 00:26:13,075 --> 00:26:16,635 Speaker 1: a colorless gas emitted by decaying organic matter with a 380 00:26:16,675 --> 00:26:22,035 Speaker 1: strong egg like odor. In addition to hydrogen sulfide, researchers 381 00:26:22,035 --> 00:26:24,875 Speaker 1: found carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, and heavy metals in the 382 00:26:24,955 --> 00:26:29,035 Speaker 1: unique exoplanet's atmosphere. According to what was published in Nature 383 00:26:29,195 --> 00:26:33,675 Speaker 1: magazine on Monday, it was initially discovered in two thousand 384 00:26:33,715 --> 00:26:36,435 Speaker 1: and five. It is located approximately sixty five light years 385 00:26:36,475 --> 00:26:40,715 Speaker 1: from Earth in the constellation Vulpecula. So you just make here, 386 00:26:41,235 --> 00:26:42,875 Speaker 1: Just go out here, make a laught at the light, 387 00:26:43,715 --> 00:26:47,675 Speaker 1: and then go up b FDR for sixty five light years. 388 00:26:49,435 --> 00:26:51,595 Speaker 1: Some days that'll only get you to ninety sixth Street 389 00:26:51,995 --> 00:26:58,515 Speaker 1: near the constellation Velpecula. Thought there was a hockey player's name, Bopecula, 390 00:26:58,915 --> 00:27:01,715 Speaker 1: So a defenceman with the phoenix robe runners of the WHA. 391 00:27:03,155 --> 00:27:07,235 Speaker 1: Now the reports we're getting all quoting nature have been 392 00:27:07,275 --> 00:27:11,195 Speaker 1: cleaned up. They say that the place smells like rotten eggs. 393 00:27:11,235 --> 00:27:14,595 Speaker 1: The BBC World News report on this was a little 394 00:27:14,675 --> 00:27:19,955 Speaker 1: less coy. It noted in a priceless Eternal on screen 395 00:27:20,035 --> 00:27:24,635 Speaker 1: graphic that quote the hydrogen sulfide on HD one eight 396 00:27:24,755 --> 00:27:29,995 Speaker 1: nine seven three three B is also found in farts unquote. 397 00:27:31,595 --> 00:27:37,355 Speaker 1: This is the BBC Foughts, speaking of which the winner, 398 00:27:37,395 --> 00:27:41,595 Speaker 1: doctor Sebastian Gorka, the former advisor to the Hungarian fascist 399 00:27:41,675 --> 00:27:45,555 Speaker 1: Victor Orban, the former Steve Bannon ass kisser, the guy 400 00:27:45,595 --> 00:27:48,155 Speaker 1: who dyes his gray hair and gray beard with I 401 00:27:48,195 --> 00:27:51,995 Speaker 1: don't know some of Rudy Giuliani's leftover shoe polish. The scumbags, 402 00:27:52,035 --> 00:27:54,515 Speaker 1: so scumbag as she was actually fired by the Trump 403 00:27:54,555 --> 00:28:00,155 Speaker 1: White House eight months in last time. The human fart 404 00:28:00,675 --> 00:28:03,355 Speaker 1: who has still lingered around the fringes of the fascist 405 00:28:03,355 --> 00:28:05,795 Speaker 1: community as an online common who is there to make 406 00:28:05,835 --> 00:28:08,355 Speaker 1: sure the fascists continue to hate the right people. The 407 00:28:08,435 --> 00:28:11,675 Speaker 1: asshole who wore the Nazi related tunic medal to Trump's 408 00:28:11,715 --> 00:28:15,595 Speaker 1: inauguration in twenty sixteen. And he's the one who said it. 409 00:28:16,195 --> 00:28:19,475 Speaker 1: Listen to what he's called Kamala Harris. Do these donors 410 00:28:19,515 --> 00:28:21,475 Speaker 1: really think that Kamala Harris is going to do better 411 00:28:21,475 --> 00:28:24,035 Speaker 1: in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania than Joe Biden? Would? 412 00:28:24,035 --> 00:28:26,515 Speaker 2: I mean, that's siming because it can't it can't be anybody. 413 00:28:26,755 --> 00:28:29,955 Speaker 1: Rob, You're being logical. Stop it all right, she's a 414 00:28:30,035 --> 00:28:34,435 Speaker 1: Dei higher, right, she's a woman, she's colored, therefore she's 415 00:28:34,435 --> 00:28:37,435 Speaker 1: got to be good, That's right. Sebastian Gorka has called 416 00:28:37,475 --> 00:28:39,675 Speaker 1: the Vice President of the United States, whom he is 417 00:28:39,715 --> 00:28:43,515 Speaker 1: not as smart as nor as successful, a Dei hire, 418 00:28:44,395 --> 00:28:50,515 Speaker 1: and he has called her quote colored unquote. There are 419 00:28:50,555 --> 00:28:53,915 Speaker 1: several unpleasant aspects to the possible replacement of Joe Biden 420 00:28:53,955 --> 00:28:56,035 Speaker 1: on the Democratic ticket. When I say several, I mean 421 00:28:56,075 --> 00:28:59,355 Speaker 1: several hundred. But there is at least one absolute positive. 422 00:28:59,875 --> 00:29:02,595 Speaker 1: Making Kamala Harris the presidential nominee or better yet, the 423 00:29:02,635 --> 00:29:05,555 Speaker 1: president in the event of an actual Biden retirement, would 424 00:29:05,595 --> 00:29:11,035 Speaker 1: be irresistible to the stains of this world like Sebastian Gorka, 425 00:29:11,395 --> 00:29:15,675 Speaker 1: and they would out themselves as the stinking, oxygen wasting 426 00:29:15,995 --> 00:29:20,115 Speaker 1: human fart planets that they really are. In the interim, 427 00:29:20,635 --> 00:29:27,435 Speaker 1: he's just Sebastian the racist Gorka two days, worst person 428 00:29:28,555 --> 00:29:33,755 Speaker 1: in the world. Hey, maybe you'd like to Sebastian, you 429 00:29:33,755 --> 00:29:35,995 Speaker 1: want to take a quick trip to HD one eight 430 00:29:36,115 --> 00:29:40,315 Speaker 1: nine seven three three B. Yeah, it's sixty five light 431 00:29:40,395 --> 00:29:42,555 Speaker 1: years away, so it's going to be a one way trip. 432 00:29:43,795 --> 00:30:02,635 Speaker 1: Mother to the top of the countdown and the number 433 00:30:02,675 --> 00:30:05,995 Speaker 1: one story in my favorite topic me and what is 434 00:30:06,235 --> 00:30:09,915 Speaker 1: some much needed comic relief today. I think though my 435 00:30:10,035 --> 00:30:12,555 Speaker 1: late father would never have agreed with that statement, not 436 00:30:13,275 --> 00:30:18,675 Speaker 1: at all. My great grandfather told this story something like 437 00:30:18,755 --> 00:30:21,995 Speaker 1: every day until he died. It was legendary in the family. 438 00:30:22,035 --> 00:30:25,155 Speaker 1: There is considerable circumstantial evidence that it is all true, 439 00:30:25,555 --> 00:30:28,075 Speaker 1: and the last possible date that it could have happened 440 00:30:28,115 --> 00:30:32,955 Speaker 1: was one hundred and fourteen years ago, last Friday, September sixteenth, 441 00:30:33,075 --> 00:30:38,475 Speaker 1: nineteen oh eight. Anthony Zelenski was born in Crackoff in 442 00:30:38,555 --> 00:30:41,715 Speaker 1: Poland in eighteen sixty eight. My sister just found some 443 00:30:41,795 --> 00:30:44,635 Speaker 1: evidence that he changed the way his name was spelled, 444 00:30:44,955 --> 00:30:48,475 Speaker 1: that it was originally Zelenski with two ys or two 445 00:30:48,515 --> 00:30:50,835 Speaker 1: eyes at the end, just like the Ukrainian president. We're 446 00:30:50,915 --> 00:30:54,315 Speaker 1: kind of pleased with her discovery. Antony, or as my 447 00:30:54,395 --> 00:30:57,795 Speaker 1: father nicknamed him, the Great Financier, was a natural musician. 448 00:30:58,115 --> 00:31:01,315 Speaker 1: He could sing, play any instrument, He could compose music 449 00:31:01,315 --> 00:31:03,475 Speaker 1: and lyrics. He could teach you how to play. He 450 00:31:03,515 --> 00:31:06,395 Speaker 1: could build or repat hair anything from a kazoo to 451 00:31:06,475 --> 00:31:10,195 Speaker 1: a grand piano, and that from his late teens is 452 00:31:10,195 --> 00:31:13,115 Speaker 1: how he made his money. He traveled all around Europe 453 00:31:13,155 --> 00:31:16,475 Speaker 1: from maybe eighteen eighty six onwards, staying at rich people's 454 00:31:16,475 --> 00:31:19,875 Speaker 1: houses for several days, teaching the girls had to sing 455 00:31:19,915 --> 00:31:22,075 Speaker 1: and the boys how to play whatever was lying around 456 00:31:22,115 --> 00:31:27,995 Speaker 1: the house, fixing the family harpsichord, cobbling together the odd flute. 457 00:31:28,195 --> 00:31:31,835 Speaker 1: One day, we're guessing around eighteen eighty nine eighteen ninety, 458 00:31:31,875 --> 00:31:34,515 Speaker 1: he traveled to the home of well off merchants in Odessa, 459 00:31:34,595 --> 00:31:38,115 Speaker 1: then part of Russia, the Shevchenkos. He taught the boys 460 00:31:38,115 --> 00:31:39,995 Speaker 1: how to sing and the girls had to play the organ, 461 00:31:40,075 --> 00:31:45,075 Speaker 1: and then he fell in love with the youngest daughter, Matrona. 462 00:31:45,915 --> 00:31:49,435 Speaker 1: The Sheefchenkos were not happy when they discovered them in 463 00:31:50,315 --> 00:31:54,595 Speaker 1: love and chased my great grandfather and their daughter out 464 00:31:54,635 --> 00:31:56,875 Speaker 1: of the house, out of the city, and out of 465 00:31:56,875 --> 00:32:01,035 Speaker 1: the country. Antony went home to poland married his child bride, 466 00:32:01,275 --> 00:32:03,595 Speaker 1: returned to crack Off, where all of his family then 467 00:32:03,715 --> 00:32:05,995 Speaker 1: chased them out of that house, out of that city, 468 00:32:05,995 --> 00:32:08,115 Speaker 1: and out of that country. Get lost with you and 469 00:32:08,155 --> 00:32:11,475 Speaker 1: your Russian horror, he would later tell the nephew for 470 00:32:11,555 --> 00:32:15,675 Speaker 1: whom my father was named Teddy. Antony and Matrona had 471 00:32:15,675 --> 00:32:18,315 Speaker 1: to think fast it's eighteen eighty nine, eighteen ninety where's 472 00:32:18,315 --> 00:32:20,435 Speaker 1: a hard working guy thrown out of Russia and Poland 473 00:32:20,515 --> 00:32:23,715 Speaker 1: going to go? They arrived in New York City within weeks. 474 00:32:24,075 --> 00:32:26,555 Speaker 1: As I said, he was a natural musician. He picked 475 00:32:26,635 --> 00:32:29,195 Speaker 1: up English quickly, and supposedly within a month or two, 476 00:32:29,275 --> 00:32:32,355 Speaker 1: he was leaving his wife, my great grandmother, in an 477 00:32:32,355 --> 00:32:35,795 Speaker 1: apartment in the Bronx and getting on trains for distant 478 00:32:35,835 --> 00:32:38,755 Speaker 1: cities as far west as Chicago, going to the rich 479 00:32:38,795 --> 00:32:41,715 Speaker 1: people's homes and getting one hundred dollars to teach the music, 480 00:32:41,755 --> 00:32:44,675 Speaker 1: write music, repair musical instruments, and then get right back 481 00:32:44,715 --> 00:32:48,115 Speaker 1: on the train to New York. Though he earned a 482 00:32:48,315 --> 00:32:51,515 Speaker 1: very good income doing this, especially for an immigrant, Antony 483 00:32:51,515 --> 00:32:55,395 Speaker 1: and Matrona lived frugally, often without hot water in their home. 484 00:32:55,475 --> 00:33:00,875 Speaker 1: Because my great grandfather was now driven, driven to avenge 485 00:33:00,995 --> 00:33:05,155 Speaker 1: himself Teddy, he would tell his nephew, who told me, Dad, 486 00:33:05,675 --> 00:33:07,955 Speaker 1: I save every dollar I can save. I in West, 487 00:33:07,955 --> 00:33:10,875 Speaker 1: in the safest in westment in the world, the Polish 488 00:33:10,955 --> 00:33:13,955 Speaker 1: national bonds. For one day, I shall return to the Krackoff. 489 00:33:14,315 --> 00:33:16,155 Speaker 1: I shall buy the biggest house on top of the 490 00:33:16,195 --> 00:33:19,835 Speaker 1: biggest hill and stand outside all day waiving my money 491 00:33:19,835 --> 00:33:22,035 Speaker 1: at my relatives who made me and your aunt leave, 492 00:33:22,275 --> 00:33:25,515 Speaker 1: and saying to them, f you, this is my goal. 493 00:33:26,875 --> 00:33:29,795 Speaker 1: And on and on. This went for a decade and 494 00:33:29,915 --> 00:33:32,875 Speaker 1: more until he went to Flint, Michigan, to do his 495 00:33:32,995 --> 00:33:36,235 Speaker 1: usual routine to stay at the house of a prosperous American, 496 00:33:36,555 --> 00:33:39,795 Speaker 1: write a family song, repair the broken tuba, teach the 497 00:33:39,875 --> 00:33:42,515 Speaker 1: kids to play the guitar, and generally delight the family, 498 00:33:42,955 --> 00:33:45,155 Speaker 1: in this case the family of a businessman who he 499 00:33:45,235 --> 00:33:49,835 Speaker 1: remembered as mister Billy. Came the end of my great 500 00:33:49,835 --> 00:33:53,915 Speaker 1: grandfather stay with mister Billy in Michigan and his family 501 00:33:54,035 --> 00:33:57,355 Speaker 1: in Michigan, and mister Billy was so taken with Anthony 502 00:33:57,475 --> 00:34:00,155 Speaker 1: Zelenski that he took him personally to the train station 503 00:34:00,275 --> 00:34:03,555 Speaker 1: in Flint and went with him onto the platform to 504 00:34:03,635 --> 00:34:06,355 Speaker 1: wait for the train. Zelinsky, he said, we have been 505 00:34:06,395 --> 00:34:09,515 Speaker 1: delighted to have you here that I would be honored 506 00:34:09,595 --> 00:34:11,875 Speaker 1: if you would accept instead of the five hundred dollars 507 00:34:11,915 --> 00:34:15,195 Speaker 1: I owe you, please take one thousand dollars in stock 508 00:34:15,235 --> 00:34:18,475 Speaker 1: certificates from my business. My way of saying thanks and 509 00:34:18,555 --> 00:34:22,875 Speaker 1: hoping you can return and visit us again. My great 510 00:34:22,915 --> 00:34:25,955 Speaker 1: grandfather said he was almost moved to tears by the gesture. 511 00:34:26,555 --> 00:34:29,635 Speaker 1: But mister Billy, he explained, I live very inexpensively and 512 00:34:29,675 --> 00:34:33,115 Speaker 1: I invest all my money in the world's safest in Westment, 513 00:34:33,835 --> 00:34:39,035 Speaker 1: the Polish National Bonds. Mister Billy congratulated Antony on his prudence, 514 00:34:39,075 --> 00:34:40,715 Speaker 1: but said, I believe I am at the cusp of 515 00:34:40,715 --> 00:34:43,195 Speaker 1: the next great business in this country. I would again 516 00:34:43,315 --> 00:34:45,315 Speaker 1: offer you this stock. I think you will make so 517 00:34:45,435 --> 00:34:49,915 Speaker 1: much money that you could buy all the Polish National Bonds. 518 00:34:51,035 --> 00:34:55,155 Speaker 1: My great grandfather, standing there on the train station in Flint, Michigan, 519 00:34:55,235 --> 00:34:58,795 Speaker 1: fought for a moment. I know, mister Billy, you mentioned 520 00:34:58,875 --> 00:35:01,835 Speaker 1: you own a manufactory in town. What is this you manufactur? 521 00:35:02,755 --> 00:35:05,355 Speaker 1: Mister Billy said, we are in the automobile old business. 522 00:35:05,395 --> 00:35:09,075 Speaker 1: Mister Zelinsky, my great grandfather lit up is the streets 523 00:35:09,075 --> 00:35:12,315 Speaker 1: of New York are filled with automobiles. This is the 524 00:35:12,355 --> 00:35:15,755 Speaker 1: coming thing. But I will still take the cash and 525 00:35:15,835 --> 00:35:18,195 Speaker 1: in west in the world's safest in Westment the Polish 526 00:35:18,235 --> 00:35:22,435 Speaker 1: National Bonds. The train was late. There was an awkward 527 00:35:22,515 --> 00:35:25,595 Speaker 1: silence now between them, which my great grandfather finally broke. 528 00:35:26,155 --> 00:35:28,875 Speaker 1: Do I know the name of your company, mister Billy, 529 00:35:29,515 --> 00:35:32,115 Speaker 1: and mister Billy replied, well, that's the topic of the moment, 530 00:35:32,155 --> 00:35:34,195 Speaker 1: mister Zelensky, and I must say, having gotten to know 531 00:35:34,235 --> 00:35:36,475 Speaker 1: you a little bit, I'm not at all surprised you 532 00:35:36,555 --> 00:35:40,955 Speaker 1: brought this subject up. Currently, my company is called Buick 533 00:35:41,115 --> 00:35:45,195 Speaker 1: Motor Cars. My great grandfather said, Ah, yes, Buck, I've 534 00:35:45,235 --> 00:35:48,995 Speaker 1: heard of Buck. You're changing the name. Not exactly, said 535 00:35:49,035 --> 00:35:52,075 Speaker 1: mister Billy. I believe the automotive business is going to 536 00:35:52,075 --> 00:35:55,595 Speaker 1: grow exponentially. But we have one large company in the field, Ford, 537 00:35:55,995 --> 00:35:58,235 Speaker 1: and we have dozens of smaller ones like Buick. And 538 00:35:58,915 --> 00:36:01,155 Speaker 1: I'm about to buy up several of my competitors and 539 00:36:01,235 --> 00:36:04,555 Speaker 1: form one big company, bigger than Ford, and we will 540 00:36:04,715 --> 00:36:09,275 Speaker 1: dominate automobiles for decades to come. Ah yes, said my 541 00:36:09,315 --> 00:36:13,475 Speaker 1: great grandfather. And what will you call this behemoth? Mister 542 00:36:13,515 --> 00:36:16,035 Speaker 1: Billy laughed again. You cut to the heart of the matter, 543 00:36:16,075 --> 00:36:19,195 Speaker 1: mister Zelensky. We're debating that right now. We need a 544 00:36:19,315 --> 00:36:24,315 Speaker 1: name that expresses our national stature. My great grandfather shook 545 00:36:24,315 --> 00:36:26,915 Speaker 1: his head at the obviousness of this. The problem is 546 00:36:26,955 --> 00:36:30,075 Speaker 1: an easy one. No, you use National National Motor Cars. 547 00:36:30,875 --> 00:36:35,795 Speaker 1: Mister Billy laughed again. Your insight is extraordinary. That was 548 00:36:35,875 --> 00:36:37,995 Speaker 1: our first thought as well, but would you believe there 549 00:36:38,115 --> 00:36:41,795 Speaker 1: is a company in Indiana, of all places, they make 550 00:36:41,835 --> 00:36:45,355 Speaker 1: electric automobiles which will never work, and they're called National 551 00:36:45,395 --> 00:36:49,035 Speaker 1: Motor Vehicles. We need another name. American has also taken. 552 00:36:49,075 --> 00:36:51,635 Speaker 1: Continental has taken it. Damn it, mister Zelensky. We can't 553 00:36:51,635 --> 00:36:55,275 Speaker 1: think of a good name that isn't already taken. My 554 00:36:55,355 --> 00:36:58,195 Speaker 1: great grandfather, who had just turned down the stock and 555 00:36:58,275 --> 00:37:00,715 Speaker 1: a thousand dollars worth of the stock in this company, 556 00:37:00,835 --> 00:37:03,475 Speaker 1: thought for a second, you wish to express the national, 557 00:37:03,635 --> 00:37:10,195 Speaker 1: the American, the broadly available or available National? Continental? National? 558 00:37:11,075 --> 00:37:16,995 Speaker 1: What is the word in English? The general the general 559 00:37:17,435 --> 00:37:21,355 Speaker 1: availability of your vehiculars? Well, mister Billy, why not that? 560 00:37:22,195 --> 00:37:28,435 Speaker 1: Why not general? General automobiles, general automotive, general motor car, 561 00:37:29,195 --> 00:37:34,915 Speaker 1: maybe general motors. Now it was time for mister Billy 562 00:37:34,995 --> 00:37:43,995 Speaker 1: to become pensive. Finally he spoke general motors. Hmmm, does 563 00:37:44,035 --> 00:37:46,915 Speaker 1: have a certain ring to it, mister Zelinsky. Oh look 564 00:37:47,275 --> 00:37:54,275 Speaker 1: here's your train. Mister Billy was, of course Billy Durant, 565 00:37:54,555 --> 00:37:57,715 Speaker 1: and he owned Durant Dorge, and then he owned Buick, 566 00:37:57,995 --> 00:38:01,235 Speaker 1: and then he consolidated thirteen auto manufacturers and ten parts 567 00:38:01,235 --> 00:38:04,835 Speaker 1: and accessory companies together into as It was called the 568 00:38:04,875 --> 00:38:07,955 Speaker 1: day Billy and his partners opened the escrow account Wednesday, 569 00:38:07,995 --> 00:38:12,675 Speaker 1: September sixteenth, nineteen oh eight, General Motors Holding Company. My 570 00:38:12,755 --> 00:38:16,275 Speaker 1: great grandfather, having gotten another five hundred dollars to invest 571 00:38:16,275 --> 00:38:19,595 Speaker 1: in the world's safest investment instead of one thousand dollars 572 00:38:19,635 --> 00:38:23,235 Speaker 1: in stock in not General Motors in nineteen oh eight, 573 00:38:23,355 --> 00:38:27,115 Speaker 1: but the company that would become General Motors, and having 574 00:38:27,155 --> 00:38:32,715 Speaker 1: given its chairman the name General Motors for free, waved goodbye, 575 00:38:32,755 --> 00:38:36,635 Speaker 1: got on the train return to New York. He died 576 00:38:36,675 --> 00:38:40,075 Speaker 1: fifteen years later. And to his credit, we know of 577 00:38:40,195 --> 00:38:43,515 Speaker 1: the detail of this story because the person who told 578 00:38:43,555 --> 00:38:45,715 Speaker 1: it to everyone with a laugh, with a warning to 579 00:38:45,755 --> 00:38:47,835 Speaker 1: his relatives that none of them had the genes of 580 00:38:47,875 --> 00:38:53,795 Speaker 1: a businessman either, was my great grandfather himself. Needless to say, 581 00:38:54,875 --> 00:38:58,915 Speaker 1: this good self deprecating humor makes him my favorite of 582 00:38:58,955 --> 00:39:02,275 Speaker 1: all my ancestors, and I hope wherever he went when 583 00:39:02,275 --> 00:39:05,075 Speaker 1: he died in nineteen twenty three, his humor went with him. 584 00:39:05,555 --> 00:39:08,235 Speaker 1: Because there were several postscripts to this story that lend 585 00:39:08,235 --> 00:39:15,395 Speaker 1: it authenticity and induce further rage in his descendants. My 586 00:39:15,515 --> 00:39:18,315 Speaker 1: father was very much alive in nineteen forty. He was 587 00:39:18,315 --> 00:39:21,675 Speaker 1: an eleven year old boy with his uncle Teddy, Antony's nephew, 588 00:39:21,795 --> 00:39:24,595 Speaker 1: living with my dad and grandparents and my uncles in 589 00:39:24,635 --> 00:39:28,035 Speaker 1: the Bronx. My dad, who did not meet his grandfather, 590 00:39:28,115 --> 00:39:30,995 Speaker 1: Antony Zelensky, said, there was a knock on the apartment 591 00:39:31,035 --> 00:39:32,715 Speaker 1: door one day and he opened it to the site, 592 00:39:32,795 --> 00:39:35,035 Speaker 1: as he put it, of the two best suits of 593 00:39:35,075 --> 00:39:39,315 Speaker 1: clothing I had ever seen. The men wearing them asked 594 00:39:39,315 --> 00:39:43,115 Speaker 1: for my dad's uncle. He got him, and the men 595 00:39:43,155 --> 00:39:47,275 Speaker 1: began to speak Polish to Uncle Teddy. Gentlemen, we are 596 00:39:47,315 --> 00:39:49,475 Speaker 1: here in America. You will please speak English in front 597 00:39:49,475 --> 00:39:53,155 Speaker 1: of my family, mister Zelinsky. One of them said, we 598 00:39:53,235 --> 00:39:55,675 Speaker 1: know that your uncle left you his investments in Polish 599 00:39:55,755 --> 00:39:59,475 Speaker 1: national bonds. He was obviously a great patriot. We represent 600 00:39:59,555 --> 00:40:02,475 Speaker 1: the Polish government in exile when we run the Nazis 601 00:40:02,475 --> 00:40:04,795 Speaker 1: out of our homeland and freedom is again ours. I know, oh, 602 00:40:04,835 --> 00:40:08,395 Speaker 1: your uncle would have and you would want the free 603 00:40:08,435 --> 00:40:13,995 Speaker 1: Polish National state to not be burdened financially, to be unburdened. 604 00:40:13,995 --> 00:40:17,555 Speaker 1: In fact, to the greatest possible degree, mister Zelenski, your 605 00:40:17,635 --> 00:40:21,315 Speaker 1: uncle was the fourth largest private investor in Polish national 606 00:40:21,315 --> 00:40:23,595 Speaker 1: bonds in North America. In fact, he was just behind 607 00:40:23,635 --> 00:40:27,915 Speaker 1: the National Bank of Mexico. Will you retire his bonds 608 00:40:27,955 --> 00:40:34,035 Speaker 1: for a nominal fee as a great Polish patriot. My 609 00:40:34,195 --> 00:40:36,875 Speaker 1: dad was never sure how nominal the fee was, but 610 00:40:36,915 --> 00:40:39,115 Speaker 1: he was convinced his uncle got less than five hundred 611 00:40:39,155 --> 00:40:41,515 Speaker 1: dollars for what was at least one hundred thousand dollars 612 00:40:41,515 --> 00:40:45,675 Speaker 1: in bonds during the year nineteen fifty or later. My 613 00:40:45,835 --> 00:40:48,835 Speaker 1: dad did not spend his life wondering about his grandfather's 614 00:40:48,875 --> 00:40:52,475 Speaker 1: magnificent moment of investment stupidity, but it would occasionally wake 615 00:40:52,515 --> 00:40:55,155 Speaker 1: him in the middle of the night, and on his 616 00:40:55,275 --> 00:40:58,515 Speaker 1: nightly commutes from Manhattan to our little home in the suburbs, 617 00:40:58,835 --> 00:41:01,035 Speaker 1: he came to know the other regulars on the train, 618 00:41:01,715 --> 00:41:05,475 Speaker 1: just like Don Draper did on Mad Men. In fact, 619 00:41:05,955 --> 00:41:07,835 Speaker 1: and one of the regulars on the train turned out 620 00:41:07,875 --> 00:41:12,395 Speaker 1: to be a stock historian. Eventually Dad told him the 621 00:41:12,435 --> 00:41:15,715 Speaker 1: story of antony' Zelensky and Billy Durant and General Motors, 622 00:41:16,315 --> 00:41:18,595 Speaker 1: and the stock historian invited him to stop by the 623 00:41:18,635 --> 00:41:22,155 Speaker 1: office at lunch one day. Sit down, Ted, and I 624 00:41:22,195 --> 00:41:27,715 Speaker 1: mean sit down ted. The historian showed his math. This 625 00:41:27,835 --> 00:41:30,355 Speaker 1: was what one thousand dollars in buick in nineteen oh 626 00:41:30,395 --> 00:41:33,635 Speaker 1: eight turned into when Billy Durant created General Motors in 627 00:41:33,715 --> 00:41:36,795 Speaker 1: nineteen oh eight, and here's where it split, and see, 628 00:41:36,835 --> 00:41:39,955 Speaker 1: and here's where it split again, and here's where it quartered. 629 00:41:39,995 --> 00:41:42,915 Speaker 1: After they forced Durant out, and then he bought Chevrolet, 630 00:41:43,075 --> 00:41:45,435 Speaker 1: and he came back in and took over General Motors again, 631 00:41:45,555 --> 00:41:48,835 Speaker 1: and it split. And my father said, he started to sweat. 632 00:41:48,955 --> 00:41:53,195 Speaker 1: Just tell me already, ted the thousand dollars your great 633 00:41:53,195 --> 00:41:56,475 Speaker 1: grandfather turned down in General Motors in nineteen oh eight 634 00:41:56,555 --> 00:42:02,995 Speaker 1: would now be worth approximately sixty million dollars, my father said. 635 00:42:02,995 --> 00:42:05,635 Speaker 1: He struggled to not pass out his friend from the train, 636 00:42:05,755 --> 00:42:10,235 Speaker 1: then said, plus the value of the name. I can't 637 00:42:10,235 --> 00:42:13,035 Speaker 1: get that exactly, the stock historian said, but it's got 638 00:42:13,075 --> 00:42:16,355 Speaker 1: to be another couple million, five ten maybe, especially if 639 00:42:16,355 --> 00:42:21,755 Speaker 1: he'd taken stock in exchange for the name. There's one 640 00:42:21,835 --> 00:42:25,315 Speaker 1: more twist to the knife. Well, so far, there's still 641 00:42:25,355 --> 00:42:28,875 Speaker 1: plenty of time for more. When the Unions ran the 642 00:42:28,915 --> 00:42:32,355 Speaker 1: Soviets out of Poland and Lech Valsa became President of 643 00:42:32,395 --> 00:42:34,875 Speaker 1: the Free Poland in nineteen ninety, he gave a speech 644 00:42:34,995 --> 00:42:39,035 Speaker 1: establishing the new government. He spoke naturally in Polish until 645 00:42:39,075 --> 00:42:42,435 Speaker 1: that is, it was time to address one topic. The 646 00:42:42,515 --> 00:42:45,835 Speaker 1: President read that part of the speech in English. My 647 00:42:45,955 --> 00:42:48,715 Speaker 1: government will recognize and honor the following years of the 648 00:42:48,715 --> 00:42:53,635 Speaker 1: Polish national bonds. My father called me in Los Angeles 649 00:42:53,635 --> 00:42:56,555 Speaker 1: that night. He had spoken to his stock historian friend 650 00:42:56,675 --> 00:43:00,835 Speaker 1: again and gotten a new rough estimate. My great grandfather 651 00:43:00,875 --> 00:43:04,635 Speaker 1: had turned down sixty, maybe seventy million dollars in general 652 00:43:04,835 --> 00:43:08,275 Speaker 1: motor stock to keep, say, one hundred thousand dollars in 653 00:43:08,355 --> 00:43:11,395 Speaker 1: Polish bonds due in the year nineteen fifty, and lec 654 00:43:11,435 --> 00:43:14,195 Speaker 1: Falessa had just said, we'll pay on those bonds that 655 00:43:14,235 --> 00:43:17,795 Speaker 1: were doing nineteen fifty and so if great grandfather's nephew 656 00:43:17,915 --> 00:43:22,115 Speaker 1: Teddy had just sat on them, those bonds would have 657 00:43:22,155 --> 00:43:29,355 Speaker 1: been worth five or six million dollars. Keith, my father said, quietly, 658 00:43:30,075 --> 00:43:34,435 Speaker 1: let me remind you again what the great financier my 659 00:43:34,635 --> 00:43:40,995 Speaker 1: grandfather told everyone told all of us, none of us, 660 00:43:41,875 --> 00:43:59,795 Speaker 1: none of us have the genes of a businessman. I've 661 00:43:59,835 --> 00:44:01,515 Speaker 1: done all the damage I can do here. Thank you 662 00:44:01,515 --> 00:44:06,195 Speaker 1: for listening. Countdown. Musical directors Brian Ray and John Phillips arranged, produced, 663 00:44:06,195 --> 00:44:08,315 Speaker 1: and performed most of our music. Mister Ray was on 664 00:44:08,355 --> 00:44:12,195 Speaker 1: the guitars, based in drums. Mister Schanelle handled orchestration and keyboards, 665 00:44:12,355 --> 00:44:15,355 Speaker 1: produced by Tko Brothers, and it was not sponsored by 666 00:44:15,515 --> 00:44:19,635 Speaker 1: General Motors. Other music, including some of the Beethoven compositions, 667 00:44:19,675 --> 00:44:22,315 Speaker 1: were arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. 668 00:44:22,755 --> 00:44:25,795 Speaker 1: Sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, written 669 00:44:25,795 --> 00:44:29,715 Speaker 1: by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. Our satirical 670 00:44:29,755 --> 00:44:32,235 Speaker 1: and fifthy musical comments are by Nancy Fauss. The best 671 00:44:32,275 --> 00:44:35,235 Speaker 1: baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today is my friend 672 00:44:35,315 --> 00:44:39,195 Speaker 1: Stevie van Zandt, and everything else was pretty much my fault, 673 00:44:40,115 --> 00:44:42,555 Speaker 1: except for the GM part, which was my great grandfather's. 674 00:44:43,115 --> 00:44:46,155 Speaker 1: That's countdown for this one hundred and eighteenth day until 675 00:44:46,155 --> 00:44:50,155 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four presidential election and the two hundred 676 00:44:50,155 --> 00:44:53,395 Speaker 1: and eighty first day since convicted fellon Donald Trump's first 677 00:44:53,395 --> 00:44:57,275 Speaker 1: attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 678 00:44:57,715 --> 00:45:00,875 Speaker 1: Use the September eighteenth sentencing hearing. Use the mental health 679 00:45:00,915 --> 00:45:05,435 Speaker 1: system you've got it, mister president. Use presidential immune against 680 00:45:05,475 --> 00:45:10,915 Speaker 1: him to stop him from doing it again while we 681 00:45:11,115 --> 00:45:17,275 Speaker 1: still can. The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Bolton's as 682 00:45:17,315 --> 00:45:20,435 Speaker 1: the news requires. Till then, I'm Keith Olderman. Good morning, 683 00:45:20,515 --> 00:45:40,635 Speaker 1: good afternoon, good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith 684 00:45:40,635 --> 00:45:45,715 Speaker 1: Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 685 00:45:45,875 --> 00:45:49,875 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 686 00:45:49,915 --> 00:45:50,835 Speaker 1: your podcasts.