1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:22,475 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. The 2 00:00:22,515 --> 00:00:26,595 Speaker 1: first girl I walked up to was crouched down, covering 3 00:00:26,635 --> 00:00:29,395 Speaker 1: her head in the bushes, so I felt for a pulse, 4 00:00:30,115 --> 00:00:35,515 Speaker 1: pulled her head to the side, and she had no face. Alan, 5 00:00:35,795 --> 00:00:41,835 Speaker 1: Texas Saturday. We live now in a society where our 6 00:00:41,995 --> 00:00:46,595 Speaker 1: children are randomly put to death in public so that 7 00:00:46,755 --> 00:00:51,475 Speaker 1: our Republican congressman can smilingly pose for Christmas cards while 8 00:00:51,475 --> 00:00:54,795 Speaker 1: they hold weapons of mass murder which they can barely lift. 9 00:00:55,555 --> 00:00:57,795 Speaker 1: And after this past weekend, we live now in a 10 00:00:57,795 --> 00:01:02,075 Speaker 1: society where the sacrifice of these children at adults as well, 11 00:01:02,875 --> 00:01:06,835 Speaker 1: is melding with right wing tear rorism. The shooter in Allen, 12 00:01:06,955 --> 00:01:10,475 Speaker 1: Texas wore a patch with a symbol standing for right 13 00:01:10,595 --> 00:01:14,235 Speaker 1: wing death Squad, and his social media history is filled 14 00:01:14,235 --> 00:01:18,355 Speaker 1: with white supremacists and Nazi posts. And the motive of 15 00:01:18,395 --> 00:01:21,075 Speaker 1: the creature who then drove a car into a bus 16 00:01:21,075 --> 00:01:23,475 Speaker 1: stop in front of a Texas shelter filled with immigrants 17 00:01:23,595 --> 00:01:28,635 Speaker 1: yesterday needs far less analysis. Why it's almost as if 18 00:01:28,635 --> 00:01:33,435 Speaker 1: people acted on the imaginary terrors. Fox quote news unquote 19 00:01:33,475 --> 00:01:37,715 Speaker 1: has been selling them for years, selling them for decades, 20 00:01:38,475 --> 00:01:43,315 Speaker 1: selling them for every day of its existence. We live 21 00:01:43,395 --> 00:01:46,755 Speaker 1: now in a society where we ban books that the 22 00:01:46,795 --> 00:01:51,955 Speaker 1: exploitative cynical Republicans venomously insist can harm children, Where we 23 00:01:52,035 --> 00:01:55,915 Speaker 1: ban drag shows that the exploitative cynical Republicans moronically insist 24 00:01:56,155 --> 00:01:59,875 Speaker 1: can harm children. Where we banned doctors from helping kids 25 00:01:59,875 --> 00:02:04,595 Speaker 1: in crisis that the exploitative cynical Republicans manipulatively insists can 26 00:02:04,795 --> 00:02:10,075 Speaker 1: arm children. But we do not ban assault weapons. And 27 00:02:10,155 --> 00:02:14,235 Speaker 1: we do not ban television channels and streaming services and 28 00:02:14,315 --> 00:02:20,475 Speaker 1: websites that endlessly beckon the evil to stochastic terrorism on 29 00:02:20,595 --> 00:02:25,755 Speaker 1: behalf of white supremacy. We ban people from voting because 30 00:02:25,835 --> 00:02:28,715 Speaker 1: Republicans don't like how they're going to vote. We ban 31 00:02:28,875 --> 00:02:33,075 Speaker 1: representatives from state legislatures because Republicans don't like how they 32 00:02:33,115 --> 00:02:37,755 Speaker 1: have voted. We ban immigrants, and we ban some stem cells. 33 00:02:37,755 --> 00:02:40,915 Speaker 1: And we ban transgender athletes as if the women's Olympic 34 00:02:40,955 --> 00:02:44,795 Speaker 1: team consisted only of them. We ban water bottles on 35 00:02:44,875 --> 00:02:47,955 Speaker 1: planes because twenty years ago a Republican told us some 36 00:02:48,235 --> 00:02:52,395 Speaker 1: terrorists were planning to mix fluids during flights to blow 37 00:02:52,475 --> 00:02:57,915 Speaker 1: up planes. But we do not ban assault weapons because 38 00:02:57,955 --> 00:03:07,075 Speaker 1: Republicans will tell you bans don't work. Our children are 39 00:03:07,235 --> 00:03:13,395 Speaker 1: randomly put to death in public in order to protect 40 00:03:13,435 --> 00:03:18,635 Speaker 1: somebody's right to randomly put other innocent people to death 41 00:03:19,315 --> 00:03:24,275 Speaker 1: in public. Once a month, once a week, once a day. 42 00:03:25,835 --> 00:03:30,875 Speaker 1: Our citizens are randomly put to death in public to 43 00:03:31,035 --> 00:03:36,235 Speaker 1: protect a right to own guns that does not exist, 44 00:03:36,795 --> 00:03:40,115 Speaker 1: a right to own guns in an amendment to the Constitution, 45 00:03:41,075 --> 00:03:43,715 Speaker 1: an amendment that does not have the word own in it, 46 00:03:43,795 --> 00:03:49,075 Speaker 1: nor any synonym for own in it. And when it 47 00:03:49,115 --> 00:03:54,115 Speaker 1: becomes unmistakably obvious that with each child murdered to protect 48 00:03:54,195 --> 00:03:58,595 Speaker 1: Republicans right to kill other children to come, we, the 49 00:03:58,595 --> 00:04:02,035 Speaker 1: ones who did not die in Texas Saturday or Sunday, 50 00:04:02,395 --> 00:04:07,635 Speaker 1: are absorbing psychological trauma after psychological trauma. When it becomes 51 00:04:07,755 --> 00:04:11,835 Speaker 1: unmistakably obvious that with each death, a little piece of 52 00:04:11,995 --> 00:04:16,995 Speaker 1: us dies inside, and within ten years or one year 53 00:04:17,275 --> 00:04:19,755 Speaker 1: or one month, the pain of that is too large 54 00:04:19,795 --> 00:04:23,875 Speaker 1: to continue to process it, we simply pretend it doesn't 55 00:04:24,075 --> 00:04:27,635 Speaker 1: hurt anymore. We simply pretend it doesn't hurt to think 56 00:04:27,675 --> 00:04:30,475 Speaker 1: of the horror and the terror of those children and 57 00:04:30,515 --> 00:04:33,915 Speaker 1: those adults in their final moments, we simply stop dealing 58 00:04:33,955 --> 00:04:37,115 Speaker 1: with it, or fighting back against it, or recognizing that 59 00:04:37,195 --> 00:04:40,715 Speaker 1: the viscera and the brains on the sidewalks outside the 60 00:04:40,795 --> 00:04:43,835 Speaker 1: malls of America might as well be our own. And 61 00:04:43,875 --> 00:04:46,315 Speaker 1: when it turns out, the good guys with guns can't 62 00:04:46,355 --> 00:04:49,595 Speaker 1: stop it, and the responsible gun owners can't stop it, 63 00:04:49,715 --> 00:04:52,715 Speaker 1: and the Democrats can't stop it, and the Republicans won't 64 00:04:52,715 --> 00:04:56,955 Speaker 1: stop it, and the Republicans, like the local congressman Keith's self, 65 00:04:57,515 --> 00:05:01,995 Speaker 1: insists thoughts and prayers are working, and if you disagree 66 00:05:01,995 --> 00:05:04,155 Speaker 1: with him, you are one of the quote people that 67 00:05:04,235 --> 00:05:08,635 Speaker 1: don't believe in an almighty God who is absolutely in 68 00:05:08,675 --> 00:05:13,835 Speaker 1: control of our lives. That translates insanely as this solution 69 00:05:14,035 --> 00:05:18,155 Speaker 1: to all of these nightmares. God wanted the thirteen thousand, 70 00:05:18,515 --> 00:05:22,115 Speaker 1: nine hundred people shot to death in this country already 71 00:05:22,155 --> 00:05:28,555 Speaker 1: this year. He wanted them dead, and now the cops 72 00:05:28,555 --> 00:05:32,635 Speaker 1: can't stop it. So the cops simply hold a news 73 00:05:32,715 --> 00:05:37,235 Speaker 1: conference at which they take no questions and blandly congratulate 74 00:05:37,315 --> 00:05:41,995 Speaker 1: themselves and deal disdainfully with the victims and the implications, 75 00:05:42,035 --> 00:05:44,635 Speaker 1: and without emotion, they read off the number of those 76 00:05:44,675 --> 00:05:49,075 Speaker 1: put to death this time, and the number transported to hospitals, 77 00:05:49,075 --> 00:05:51,475 Speaker 1: and how badly they feel, and you realize that they 78 00:05:51,555 --> 00:05:56,075 Speaker 1: now treat the public execution of nine more of us 79 00:05:57,235 --> 00:06:09,275 Speaker 1: as if it was bad weather. Gun mass are bad weather. Hurricanes, tornadoes, 80 00:06:09,315 --> 00:06:13,515 Speaker 1: flash floods, mudslides, wildfires, children randomly put it to death 81 00:06:13,555 --> 00:06:15,675 Speaker 1: by guns in public. It is all the same now 82 00:06:15,715 --> 00:06:18,755 Speaker 1: to them, it is all inevitable, it is all unavoidable, 83 00:06:18,755 --> 00:06:24,315 Speaker 1: It is all uniquely, necessarily, permanently American. It is weather. 84 00:06:27,195 --> 00:06:31,355 Speaker 1: Ban licenses to carry handguns in Texas, and effectively ban 85 00:06:31,515 --> 00:06:34,035 Speaker 1: mental health care in Texas by cutting two hundred and 86 00:06:34,075 --> 00:06:37,075 Speaker 1: eleven million dollars out of the budget, and ban abortion 87 00:06:37,275 --> 00:06:39,915 Speaker 1: because we're pro life, and banned books because the kids 88 00:06:39,915 --> 00:06:42,915 Speaker 1: are too precious to be indoctrinated, and banned drag shows 89 00:06:42,915 --> 00:06:45,315 Speaker 1: because we must protect kids from grooming, and we must 90 00:06:45,395 --> 00:06:47,715 Speaker 1: make sure the kids are fine and fit and happy. 91 00:06:47,755 --> 00:06:50,835 Speaker 1: So somebody who can get a weapon of war and 92 00:06:50,955 --> 00:06:53,995 Speaker 1: every fourth or fifth day put groups of our children 93 00:06:54,075 --> 00:06:58,555 Speaker 1: to death. But at least first the children were not 94 00:06:58,595 --> 00:07:05,835 Speaker 1: polluted by books. If the thirteen thousand, nine hundred people 95 00:07:06,235 --> 00:07:08,915 Speaker 1: already put to death by guns in this country this 96 00:07:09,075 --> 00:07:12,955 Speaker 1: year had been murdered by people working for the Mexican 97 00:07:13,035 --> 00:07:15,675 Speaker 1: drug cartels, what would the Republicans have been willing to 98 00:07:15,715 --> 00:07:20,555 Speaker 1: do about the guns. Well, we saw that Marjorie Taylor 99 00:07:20,595 --> 00:07:24,795 Speaker 1: Green combined her unique gifts of ethnic hatred and prejudice 100 00:07:25,155 --> 00:07:27,635 Speaker 1: to assume that that's what the Hispanic last name of 101 00:07:27,675 --> 00:07:32,555 Speaker 1: the Allen shooter must have meant. When the Republicans wanted 102 00:07:32,555 --> 00:07:34,635 Speaker 1: to sell the fear that there was a terrorist around 103 00:07:34,675 --> 00:07:38,515 Speaker 1: every corner, Suddenly there were metal detectors outside every sports stadium, 104 00:07:38,635 --> 00:07:40,515 Speaker 1: just in case somebody tried to bring in a gun, 105 00:07:41,955 --> 00:07:44,475 Speaker 1: and outside every political event, just in case somebody tried 106 00:07:44,475 --> 00:07:46,835 Speaker 1: to bring in a gun, and with not a minute's 107 00:07:46,835 --> 00:07:50,035 Speaker 1: worth of self reflection or appreciation of the irony, suddenly 108 00:07:50,075 --> 00:07:53,795 Speaker 1: you could not bring a gun into the meeting of 109 00:07:53,835 --> 00:08:00,715 Speaker 1: the NRA. There is overwhelming support in this country for 110 00:08:00,875 --> 00:08:06,435 Speaker 1: four simple steps that will at least reduce this transformation 111 00:08:06,675 --> 00:08:12,995 Speaker 1: of mass murder into bad weather. Eighty percent believe in 112 00:08:13,075 --> 00:08:19,515 Speaker 1: banning assault weapons eighty percent. Eighty one percent believe in 113 00:08:19,635 --> 00:08:22,435 Speaker 1: raising the age to buy all guns or keeping the 114 00:08:22,475 --> 00:08:27,515 Speaker 1: age at twenty one. Eighty one percent believe in rigorously 115 00:08:27,635 --> 00:08:32,315 Speaker 1: enforcing existing gun laws, and eighty seven percent want background 116 00:08:32,635 --> 00:08:37,075 Speaker 1: checks for all gun purchasers. And these numbers are from 117 00:08:37,155 --> 00:08:44,115 Speaker 1: two weeks ago in a poll done by Fox. And 118 00:08:44,195 --> 00:08:46,835 Speaker 1: none of it can pass a Republican House of Representatives 119 00:08:47,435 --> 00:08:50,795 Speaker 1: populated with whores bought and sold by the gun and 120 00:08:50,875 --> 00:08:53,395 Speaker 1: death lobby. And since none of it can pass a 121 00:08:53,435 --> 00:08:57,075 Speaker 1: Republican House of Representatives and the whores therein, this falls 122 00:08:57,115 --> 00:09:00,955 Speaker 1: to the President of the United States. It was Senator 123 00:09:00,995 --> 00:09:04,395 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Warren who observed that executive orders alone could broaden 124 00:09:04,395 --> 00:09:08,115 Speaker 1: the re requirement for background checks for virtually every gun buyer, 125 00:09:09,195 --> 00:09:13,035 Speaker 1: and to report multiple purchases, and to raise the minimum 126 00:09:13,035 --> 00:09:16,395 Speaker 1: aged by a gun, and to increase prosecution for gun 127 00:09:16,435 --> 00:09:19,955 Speaker 1: trafficking across that Texas border, and to revoke the license 128 00:09:19,995 --> 00:09:23,435 Speaker 1: of gun dealers who break the laws, and to investigate 129 00:09:23,475 --> 00:09:26,715 Speaker 1: and prosecute the NRA, and to keep guns out of 130 00:09:26,755 --> 00:09:29,835 Speaker 1: the hands of any domestic abuser. That's just what any 131 00:09:29,915 --> 00:09:34,395 Speaker 1: president could do today. And if a court blocks your orders, 132 00:09:34,475 --> 00:09:39,755 Speaker 1: mister presidents, issue another order, issue another twenty issue, another 133 00:09:39,835 --> 00:09:42,795 Speaker 1: two thousand of them, issue two million of them. Let 134 00:09:42,835 --> 00:09:45,275 Speaker 1: the NRA and let the Congress, and let the courts 135 00:09:45,435 --> 00:09:51,595 Speaker 1: be waiting knee deep in your executive orders. And if 136 00:09:51,635 --> 00:09:55,395 Speaker 1: that is still not enough, mister president, if the Attorney 137 00:09:55,435 --> 00:09:58,555 Speaker 1: General of Texas confesses, as he did last year, that 138 00:09:58,635 --> 00:10:01,515 Speaker 1: he cannot enforce the gun laws on the books. You 139 00:10:01,635 --> 00:10:05,435 Speaker 1: have to do with Eisenhower and Kennedy and and Johnson 140 00:10:05,475 --> 00:10:10,355 Speaker 1: did when other states attorneys generals and governors confess that 141 00:10:10,395 --> 00:10:13,715 Speaker 1: they could not or would not enforce the laws about integration, 142 00:10:14,035 --> 00:10:17,075 Speaker 1: you send in troops to enforce those laws for the 143 00:10:17,115 --> 00:10:22,475 Speaker 1: states that cannot do it themselves. And first and foremost, 144 00:10:22,475 --> 00:10:27,795 Speaker 1: mister President, stopped dancing around the truth. Thoughts and prayers 145 00:10:27,835 --> 00:10:31,395 Speaker 1: and thanks for the first responders are very nice, and 146 00:10:31,475 --> 00:10:34,595 Speaker 1: they are irrelevant. They contribute to the sense that this 147 00:10:34,795 --> 00:10:40,755 Speaker 1: is just bad weather. The little girl in Allen, Texas, 148 00:10:41,635 --> 00:10:45,315 Speaker 1: the little girl and the little boy, and the other 149 00:10:45,355 --> 00:10:47,315 Speaker 1: little girl, and the other little boy, and the other 150 00:10:47,395 --> 00:10:50,355 Speaker 1: little girl and the other little boy, and all of 151 00:10:50,395 --> 00:10:54,235 Speaker 1: them in Uvaldi, Texas, and the people just out for 152 00:10:54,275 --> 00:10:56,555 Speaker 1: a Saturday night in a place they considered their haven 153 00:10:56,635 --> 00:11:01,315 Speaker 1: in Colorado, and all the others thirteen thousand, nine hundred 154 00:11:01,395 --> 00:11:08,075 Speaker 1: this year, they, mister President, were killed directly or stochastically 155 00:11:09,035 --> 00:11:17,275 Speaker 1: by Republicans. Say that use the powers of your presidency 156 00:11:17,635 --> 00:11:22,995 Speaker 1: to state these truths and give them legitimacy and moral force. 157 00:11:26,155 --> 00:11:29,795 Speaker 1: When Republicans come out while they are still removing the 158 00:11:29,875 --> 00:11:33,675 Speaker 1: dismembered bodies of the people the Republicans have decided are 159 00:11:33,715 --> 00:11:37,435 Speaker 1: suitable to be hunted in this country. And when Republicans 160 00:11:37,515 --> 00:11:41,635 Speaker 1: vomit nonsensical excuses claiming that this happened because God wanted 161 00:11:41,675 --> 00:11:43,995 Speaker 1: it and any way a hero cop stopped it, or 162 00:11:44,075 --> 00:11:46,355 Speaker 1: it could have been worse, or the school didn't have 163 00:11:46,395 --> 00:11:49,715 Speaker 1: high enough fences, or because the target was not hard enough, 164 00:11:49,875 --> 00:11:52,075 Speaker 1: or the outright lie and say, if they'd only had 165 00:11:52,075 --> 00:11:54,555 Speaker 1: a cop in this school in Texas or that school 166 00:11:54,595 --> 00:11:56,995 Speaker 1: in Texas, or that mall in Texas, or that house 167 00:11:57,035 --> 00:12:00,875 Speaker 1: in Texas, or every street corner in Texas when the 168 00:12:00,875 --> 00:12:04,595 Speaker 1: cops of Evaldi stood and watched, or the outright lie 169 00:12:04,755 --> 00:12:06,955 Speaker 1: and say, if only there's been a good guy with 170 00:12:07,035 --> 00:12:09,875 Speaker 1: a gun in that supermarket in Buffalo when there was 171 00:12:09,915 --> 00:12:12,315 Speaker 1: a retired cop with a gun inside and he was 172 00:12:12,395 --> 00:12:14,835 Speaker 1: killed too, or when they outright lie and say if 173 00:12:14,875 --> 00:12:17,155 Speaker 1: only there'd been a cop in the Club Q in 174 00:12:17,235 --> 00:12:20,915 Speaker 1: Colorado Springs when the shooter was stopped by an unarmed 175 00:12:20,995 --> 00:12:23,715 Speaker 1: man who grabbed the gun from his hand and hit 176 00:12:23,795 --> 00:12:27,675 Speaker 1: him with it. When they lie, when the Republicans lie 177 00:12:27,755 --> 00:12:30,675 Speaker 1: about this when the Republicans make you feel as if 178 00:12:30,875 --> 00:12:33,275 Speaker 1: this is the weather and there is nothing to do 179 00:12:33,395 --> 00:12:41,475 Speaker 1: about it. When they lie about it. President Biden, say it. 180 00:12:41,555 --> 00:12:46,635 Speaker 1: The little girl in Texas Saturday, the Republicans murdered her. 181 00:12:47,315 --> 00:12:51,035 Speaker 1: Say it, mister President. It will not change until you 182 00:12:51,195 --> 00:13:08,035 Speaker 1: do so. Still ahead on this edition of Countdown, once again, 183 00:13:08,115 --> 00:13:12,035 Speaker 1: Dick Durbin has resolved the Clarence Thomas scandal. This time 184 00:13:12,635 --> 00:13:16,515 Speaker 1: he has asked Chief Justice Roberts extra nicely to resolve 185 00:13:16,515 --> 00:13:20,075 Speaker 1: it for him. Tucker Carlson has a plan to burn 186 00:13:20,195 --> 00:13:23,595 Speaker 1: down Fox, as I've noted here previously, Fox has a 187 00:13:23,635 --> 00:13:27,155 Speaker 1: plan to burn down Tucker Carlson, as mel Brooks once 188 00:13:27,195 --> 00:13:30,275 Speaker 1: noted in a different context. Get your marshmallows on your sticks, 189 00:13:30,475 --> 00:13:32,435 Speaker 1: but don't everybody rush at them all at once and 190 00:13:32,475 --> 00:13:35,915 Speaker 1: put them out. We want to enjoy this fire. And 191 00:13:35,995 --> 00:13:38,715 Speaker 1: if you think the Meghan Kelly approach to the mass 192 00:13:38,795 --> 00:13:42,235 Speaker 1: murders was reprehensible, consider the idiot who put her on 193 00:13:42,395 --> 00:13:45,515 Speaker 1: NBC News in the first place. I had to consider 194 00:13:45,595 --> 00:13:50,235 Speaker 1: him because I ran into him this weekend, the Andy 195 00:13:50,435 --> 00:13:55,155 Speaker 1: Lack story in things I promised not to tell. That's next. 196 00:13:56,475 --> 00:14:12,115 Speaker 1: This is Countdown. This is countdown with Keith Opleman postscripts 197 00:14:12,115 --> 00:14:14,835 Speaker 1: to the news Dateline, New York. The judge and E 198 00:14:15,075 --> 00:14:18,675 Speaker 1: Gene Carroll's rape and defamation case gave Trump until five 199 00:14:18,715 --> 00:14:22,715 Speaker 1: pm yesterday to testify or get off the pot. Since 200 00:14:22,755 --> 00:14:25,995 Speaker 1: the judge heard nothing from Trump nor his lawyer, Joey Tax, 201 00:14:26,155 --> 00:14:28,635 Speaker 1: so much for the threat to return from Scotland to 202 00:14:28,795 --> 00:14:33,475 Speaker 1: quote confront her. No surprise, as usual, Trump has stayed 203 00:14:33,515 --> 00:14:37,395 Speaker 1: on the pot Dateline Washington. Trump has more to worry about. 204 00:14:37,715 --> 00:14:40,795 Speaker 1: Mike Pence confirmed to the Washington Examiner that he basically 205 00:14:40,875 --> 00:14:43,875 Speaker 1: quoted his own book in testimony to the Special Council's 206 00:14:43,955 --> 00:14:47,075 Speaker 1: Grand Jury, and that would indicate he swore that Trump 207 00:14:47,155 --> 00:14:50,275 Speaker 1: knew in advance that none of the legal schemes to 208 00:14:50,395 --> 00:14:53,755 Speaker 1: overturn the twenty twenty election were going to work, which 209 00:14:53,755 --> 00:14:56,195 Speaker 1: would be evidence that all of the stopped the steal 210 00:14:56,355 --> 00:15:22,115 Speaker 1: fundraising by Trump was actually wire fraud. Thank you, Nancy 211 00:15:22,155 --> 00:15:25,475 Speaker 1: Faust and the Wall Street Journal on the same subject 212 00:15:25,475 --> 00:15:28,715 Speaker 1: puts two and two together, noting that aid Dan Scavino 213 00:15:28,875 --> 00:15:31,475 Speaker 1: testified to the Jack Smith Grand Jury for eight hours 214 00:15:31,555 --> 00:15:34,435 Speaker 1: last week, but that a lot of other Smith witnesses 215 00:15:34,475 --> 00:15:38,275 Speaker 1: are getting callbacks to go over very specific incidents in 216 00:15:38,395 --> 00:15:42,115 Speaker 1: great depth, and the paper concludes, quote Special Counsel Smith 217 00:15:42,235 --> 00:15:45,315 Speaker 1: is racing through a roster of interviews in his wide 218 00:15:45,395 --> 00:15:50,075 Speaker 1: ranging investigations related to former President Trump, including with Pence 219 00:15:50,115 --> 00:15:54,395 Speaker 1: and other top aids, as he contemplates filing charges. According 220 00:15:54,395 --> 00:15:58,115 Speaker 1: to people familiar with the matter, prosecutors revisiting of earlier 221 00:15:58,155 --> 00:16:02,515 Speaker 1: witness testimony points to efforts to tie up loose ends 222 00:16:03,555 --> 00:16:07,675 Speaker 1: dateline How eight Men fight Land, Axios reporting the Tucker 223 00:16:07,715 --> 00:16:10,155 Speaker 1: Carlson is convinced of what I told you last week 224 00:16:10,315 --> 00:16:13,035 Speaker 1: that Fox was the source of all the video and 225 00:16:13,155 --> 00:16:16,235 Speaker 1: text leaks against him, and he is planning to strike 226 00:16:16,395 --> 00:16:20,555 Speaker 1: back quote preparing to unleash allies to attack Fox in 227 00:16:20,555 --> 00:16:23,275 Speaker 1: an effort to bully the network into letting him work 228 00:16:23,315 --> 00:16:26,595 Speaker 1: for or start a right wing rival, sources close to 229 00:16:26,675 --> 00:16:30,995 Speaker 1: him tell Axios in the story Mother Tucker's allies, one 230 00:16:30,995 --> 00:16:34,275 Speaker 1: of whom has identified as Megan Kelly good luck with 231 00:16:34,315 --> 00:16:36,955 Speaker 1: her on your side, confirm his contract runs out at 232 00:16:36,955 --> 00:16:39,155 Speaker 1: the end of next year and he's owed north of 233 00:16:39,235 --> 00:16:41,995 Speaker 1: thirty million, and Fox is willing to pay him out, 234 00:16:42,595 --> 00:16:45,155 Speaker 1: but will force him to sit it out, and he 235 00:16:45,195 --> 00:16:47,155 Speaker 1: thinks he can get them to release him from what 236 00:16:47,195 --> 00:16:49,915 Speaker 1: would be a career ending time on the beat through 237 00:16:49,915 --> 00:16:53,555 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four election, because, quoting Carlson's source, he 238 00:16:53,635 --> 00:16:56,275 Speaker 1: knows where a lot of bodies are buried and is 239 00:16:56,315 --> 00:17:00,875 Speaker 1: ready to start drawing a map. Question, wait, the plan is? 240 00:17:00,955 --> 00:17:03,995 Speaker 1: Carlson starts revealing Fox is full of evil people who 241 00:17:03,995 --> 00:17:09,115 Speaker 1: have done terror. A who doesn't know that? And B 242 00:17:09,955 --> 00:17:14,915 Speaker 1: what part of Fox's audience would not applaud that? And 243 00:17:15,035 --> 00:17:17,675 Speaker 1: Dateline Washington once again, this is not a game yet 244 00:17:17,715 --> 00:17:20,075 Speaker 1: Democrats are showing up to the knife fight with all 245 00:17:20,115 --> 00:17:24,115 Speaker 1: the requisites of flagged football. The Dianne Feinstein disaster on 246 00:17:24,155 --> 00:17:27,475 Speaker 1: the Senate Judiciary Committee is so obvious that even CNN's 247 00:17:27,595 --> 00:17:30,715 Speaker 1: Jake Tapper sat up and took notice. He called Chairman 248 00:17:30,795 --> 00:17:33,595 Speaker 1: Dick Durbin on it yesterday, comparing it to the Ruth 249 00:17:33,635 --> 00:17:37,395 Speaker 1: Bader Ginsburg disaster, and he let Durbin dig and dig 250 00:17:37,435 --> 00:17:40,275 Speaker 1: some more, and Durbin said he wants to treat Feinstein 251 00:17:40,395 --> 00:17:43,435 Speaker 1: quote fairly. I want to be sensitive to her family 252 00:17:43,515 --> 00:17:46,515 Speaker 1: situation and her personal situation. I don't want to say 253 00:17:46,515 --> 00:17:48,115 Speaker 1: that she's going to have to be put under more 254 00:17:48,155 --> 00:17:50,795 Speaker 1: pressure than others have been in the past. But the 255 00:17:50,835 --> 00:17:53,115 Speaker 1: bottom line is the business of the Committee and of 256 00:17:53,155 --> 00:17:56,635 Speaker 1: the Senate is affected by her absence. I will say 257 00:17:56,675 --> 00:18:00,795 Speaker 1: this again, if one absenceee Republican vote, we're keeping a 258 00:18:00,835 --> 00:18:05,555 Speaker 1: Republican Senate Judiciary chairman from subpoena ing Sonia Soto mayor 259 00:18:05,755 --> 00:18:09,395 Speaker 1: or some other liberal justice, you'd suddenly find out that 260 00:18:09,555 --> 00:18:13,555 Speaker 1: metaphorically or literally, that missing Republican senator had fallen out 261 00:18:13,555 --> 00:18:17,355 Speaker 1: a window. Durbin added that he has again asked John 262 00:18:17,435 --> 00:18:22,355 Speaker 1: Roberts to pretty please do something about Supreme Court ethics, 263 00:18:22,955 --> 00:18:40,515 Speaker 1: you know, like start having some So I'm just minding 264 00:18:40,555 --> 00:18:43,075 Speaker 1: my business, walking down my street with one of my 265 00:18:43,235 --> 00:18:45,875 Speaker 1: dogs on Friday night, and here coming the other way. 266 00:18:46,395 --> 00:18:50,155 Speaker 1: The fired NBC news chief who once gave Megan Kelly 267 00:18:50,635 --> 00:18:54,675 Speaker 1: sixty nine million dollars, coming up first time for the 268 00:18:54,755 --> 00:18:56,875 Speaker 1: Daily round Up with the misgrants, morons and Dunnan Kruger 269 00:18:56,875 --> 00:18:59,915 Speaker 1: effect specimens who constitute today's Where's Person's in the world, 270 00:19:00,995 --> 00:19:04,235 Speaker 1: the Bronze to Congress, and Jim Geez. Still nobody's asked 271 00:19:04,275 --> 00:19:07,515 Speaker 1: me whether I beat up my college girlfriend Comber and 272 00:19:07,675 --> 00:19:13,075 Speaker 1: Senator Chuck world's oldest tweeter Grassley. They have Ballyhood, a 273 00:19:13,155 --> 00:19:20,155 Speaker 1: supposed FBI whistleblower document detailing some huge quote bliden crime unquote. 274 00:19:20,355 --> 00:19:24,075 Speaker 1: Turns out it's the Barisma crap all over again. Comber 275 00:19:24,195 --> 00:19:26,075 Speaker 1: was so worked up about it that he accused the 276 00:19:26,115 --> 00:19:30,035 Speaker 1: Bidens of trying to intimidate him because a plane flew 277 00:19:30,075 --> 00:19:33,875 Speaker 1: over the Kentucky Derby on Saturday trailing a banner bringing 278 00:19:33,955 --> 00:19:36,955 Speaker 1: up the allegations about what Comber did to his college girlfriend. 279 00:19:37,355 --> 00:19:41,115 Speaker 1: But Grassley lost the plot Somewhere along the line. Grassley 280 00:19:41,155 --> 00:19:44,275 Speaker 1: went on Newsmax and basically admitted the whole whistleblower story 281 00:19:44,315 --> 00:19:49,395 Speaker 1: could be nonsense. Quote. It's a very serious delegation, Senny. 282 00:19:49,875 --> 00:19:51,995 Speaker 1: I wish I could say that I knew it was 283 00:19:52,155 --> 00:19:56,875 Speaker 1: true or untrue. The old advertising tagline would seem to 284 00:19:56,915 --> 00:19:59,515 Speaker 1: apply here. You ever get the feelings some people just 285 00:19:59,635 --> 00:20:04,315 Speaker 1: stop trying runner up Another Senator, Ted Cruz, the congressman 286 00:20:04,355 --> 00:20:07,235 Speaker 1: from the t Exus thirty second and former linebacker of 287 00:20:07,235 --> 00:20:11,075 Speaker 1: the Tennessee Titans, Colin Allred, declared his candidacy for the 288 00:20:11,115 --> 00:20:14,395 Speaker 1: Democratic nomination to oppose Cruise to the Senate seat, and 289 00:20:14,435 --> 00:20:17,795 Speaker 1: you might say it's thrown Ted. He immediately tried to 290 00:20:17,835 --> 00:20:21,555 Speaker 1: fundraise off it by texting supporters that Allread voted with 291 00:20:21,675 --> 00:20:24,315 Speaker 1: Nancy Pelosi one hundred percent of the time, and he's 292 00:20:24,315 --> 00:20:27,795 Speaker 1: far left, and he doesn't represent and and and then 293 00:20:27,875 --> 00:20:31,355 Speaker 1: there's a mashed up picture in cruises fundraising text that 294 00:20:31,435 --> 00:20:35,435 Speaker 1: shows him seeming to lecture a bespectacled African American man. 295 00:20:35,835 --> 00:20:38,555 Speaker 1: And there's only one problem. The guy in the picture 296 00:20:38,635 --> 00:20:43,515 Speaker 1: is not Congressan Allread, it's Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. 297 00:20:44,595 --> 00:20:46,875 Speaker 1: Hard to tell here either, Ted is too stupid to 298 00:20:46,875 --> 00:20:49,555 Speaker 1: tell the difference between Bragg and Allred where he did 299 00:20:49,555 --> 00:20:53,075 Speaker 1: this deliberately and he thinks Texas voters are too stupid. 300 00:20:53,875 --> 00:20:57,075 Speaker 1: But our winner, the long shot Republican candidate for president, 301 00:20:57,195 --> 00:21:01,075 Speaker 1: Vivek Ramaswami. And they're all kinds of problems with his 302 00:21:01,155 --> 00:21:03,555 Speaker 1: vanity campaign, first of them being he doesn't seem to 303 00:21:03,635 --> 00:21:07,195 Speaker 1: understand that a president serves under the Constitution rather than 304 00:21:07,235 --> 00:21:10,555 Speaker 1: as a kind of elected king. More immediately, though, there's 305 00:21:10,755 --> 00:21:16,475 Speaker 1: his Wikipedia page. Mediaite reports Ramaswami paid a Wikipedia editor 306 00:21:16,555 --> 00:21:20,115 Speaker 1: to alter it, specifically to cut out what would ordinarily 307 00:21:20,115 --> 00:21:23,715 Speaker 1: be a rather trivial detail that in twenty eleven Ramaswami 308 00:21:23,795 --> 00:21:27,595 Speaker 1: want a fellowship for New Americans given out by Paul 309 00:21:27,835 --> 00:21:35,715 Speaker 1: and Daisy Soros. Paul Soros, why would you want Paul Soros' 310 00:21:35,875 --> 00:21:38,475 Speaker 1: name taken out of your Wikipedia page if you're repunning 311 00:21:38,675 --> 00:21:43,115 Speaker 1: for the Republican nomination? Yep, George's brother. The problem with that, 312 00:21:43,235 --> 00:21:46,075 Speaker 1: of course, is the story about getting the story removed 313 00:21:46,075 --> 00:21:49,155 Speaker 1: from the Wikipedia page has now been put into the 314 00:21:49,195 --> 00:21:56,795 Speaker 1: Wikipedia page. Vivic Soros, Why that's Soros's name? Ramaswami, Today's 315 00:21:57,435 --> 00:22:13,195 Speaker 1: worst parson and the world still a head on Countdown? 316 00:22:13,195 --> 00:22:15,955 Speaker 1: Did you see those? Megan Kelly tweets declaring victory in 317 00:22:15,955 --> 00:22:17,795 Speaker 1: her bid to keep the country safe for people who 318 00:22:17,835 --> 00:22:21,515 Speaker 1: want to slaughter children at random. I swear twenty four 319 00:22:21,515 --> 00:22:23,595 Speaker 1: hours before them, I saw the guy who gave her 320 00:22:23,635 --> 00:22:26,995 Speaker 1: all that NBC money she's still living off of. First. 321 00:22:27,035 --> 00:22:29,195 Speaker 1: In each edition of Countdown, we feature a dog ineed 322 00:22:29,235 --> 00:22:31,755 Speaker 1: you can help. Every dog has its day to New 323 00:22:31,835 --> 00:22:34,715 Speaker 1: York and Gray is a victim of the wholesale killing 324 00:22:34,755 --> 00:22:37,115 Speaker 1: going on at the pound here the killing they promised 325 00:22:37,115 --> 00:22:40,075 Speaker 1: would stop. He is a two year old Belgian Malinois 326 00:22:40,635 --> 00:22:44,675 Speaker 1: fifty seven pounds. Loves people, affectionate, social with humans. Wiggley 327 00:22:45,035 --> 00:22:49,035 Speaker 1: loves toys, does not like dogs. Be him for a moment. 328 00:22:49,075 --> 00:22:51,715 Speaker 1: Imagine what it's like there inside a pound with hundreds 329 00:22:51,755 --> 00:22:55,035 Speaker 1: of dogs, and you came in terrified that he will 330 00:22:55,075 --> 00:22:58,315 Speaker 1: not instantly become better behaved without training. Is their excuse 331 00:22:58,515 --> 00:23:01,395 Speaker 1: to kill him just a week after his human dumped 332 00:23:01,435 --> 00:23:04,155 Speaker 1: him there He's a big, beautiful tan and white dog 333 00:23:04,155 --> 00:23:08,555 Speaker 1: who deserves training to calm him down, not death. Look 334 00:23:08,595 --> 00:23:11,235 Speaker 1: for Gray on my Twitter feeds. Your pledges to defray 335 00:23:11,275 --> 00:23:13,715 Speaker 1: the costs of a rescue to pull and train him 336 00:23:13,755 --> 00:23:18,235 Speaker 1: are his only chance of survival. I thank you, and 337 00:23:18,355 --> 00:23:34,715 Speaker 1: Gray thanks you to the number one story on the 338 00:23:34,715 --> 00:23:38,275 Speaker 1: Countdown and timing is everything. And twenty four hours before that, 339 00:23:38,555 --> 00:23:43,275 Speaker 1: screeching fascist Megan Kelly decided to declare that she and 340 00:23:43,355 --> 00:23:46,075 Speaker 1: the forces of the mass murder of children and the 341 00:23:46,195 --> 00:23:49,035 Speaker 1: unfettered access to weapons of war to use to put 342 00:23:49,115 --> 00:23:53,595 Speaker 1: random citizens to death on American streets had triumphs over 343 00:23:54,075 --> 00:23:57,235 Speaker 1: morality and law. Twenty four hours before she did that, 344 00:23:57,435 --> 00:24:01,355 Speaker 1: on Saturday night on Twitter, I walked past the idiot 345 00:24:02,075 --> 00:24:09,475 Speaker 1: who mainstreamed her at NBC, Andy Lack, as usual. I 346 00:24:09,555 --> 00:24:12,835 Speaker 1: heard Andy Lack before I saw him. I met him 347 00:24:12,875 --> 00:24:15,115 Speaker 1: first in nineteen ninety seven and spoke to him on 348 00:24:15,155 --> 00:24:16,955 Speaker 1: the phone a couple of times and realized he was 349 00:24:16,995 --> 00:24:20,235 Speaker 1: another one of those people you could hear without actually 350 00:24:20,355 --> 00:24:25,795 Speaker 1: using the phone. Married to this foghorn is his utter 351 00:24:25,875 --> 00:24:28,995 Speaker 1: fascination with himself. As I saw him approach from the 352 00:24:29,075 --> 00:24:30,995 Speaker 1: east as my dog and I walked from the west, 353 00:24:31,035 --> 00:24:33,755 Speaker 1: I tried to make myself small and invisible, but I 354 00:24:33,835 --> 00:24:37,075 Speaker 1: really had nothing to worry about. As usual, Andy Lack 355 00:24:37,195 --> 00:24:39,955 Speaker 1: was so absorbed with the sound of his own voice 356 00:24:39,995 --> 00:24:42,315 Speaker 1: and the brilliant points he was making that I could 357 00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:47,035 Speaker 1: have blasted Hello, Andy Adam through a bullhorn and he 358 00:24:47,075 --> 00:24:50,555 Speaker 1: would never have noticed. On the other hand, I noticed 359 00:24:50,595 --> 00:24:54,995 Speaker 1: again that phenomenon of his career and life, that his wife, 360 00:24:55,275 --> 00:25:00,155 Speaker 1: Betsy looks a little like every woman anchor he has 361 00:25:00,355 --> 00:25:04,675 Speaker 1: ever hired. It was Andy Lack who, in his second 362 00:25:04,675 --> 00:25:07,755 Speaker 1: and finally incarnation as the head of NBC News, decided 363 00:25:07,755 --> 00:25:10,675 Speaker 1: that Megan Kelly should be brought over from Fox and 364 00:25:10,795 --> 00:25:14,115 Speaker 1: given a reported sixty nine million dollars over three years. 365 00:25:14,115 --> 00:25:17,915 Speaker 1: Because I forget what he said, but the actual answer 366 00:25:18,035 --> 00:25:21,115 Speaker 1: was she looked like his wife when she was younger. 367 00:25:22,795 --> 00:25:25,555 Speaker 1: As several of my remaining friends at NBC had told me, 368 00:25:25,595 --> 00:25:28,355 Speaker 1: he had already demoted a couple of the minority anchors 369 00:25:28,435 --> 00:25:31,795 Speaker 1: on MSNBC to make room for women anchors he liked 370 00:25:32,275 --> 00:25:37,435 Speaker 1: who looked like his wife at various stages of her life. 371 00:25:37,475 --> 00:25:40,995 Speaker 1: He probably never heard any of the racist, stupid, moronic 372 00:25:41,075 --> 00:25:43,355 Speaker 1: things Megan Kelly had said on the air, nor any 373 00:25:43,355 --> 00:25:45,515 Speaker 1: of the warnings he had been given about here, because 374 00:25:45,835 --> 00:25:51,835 Speaker 1: he was always talking, talking, talking makes me look like 375 00:25:51,915 --> 00:25:55,995 Speaker 1: a mute. Back in nineteen ninety eight at MSNBC, the 376 00:25:55,995 --> 00:25:59,515 Speaker 1: little sputtering nightly news magazine show Lack had hired me 377 00:25:59,555 --> 00:26:02,875 Speaker 1: to do suddenly exploded. We went from literally seventy or 378 00:26:02,915 --> 00:26:06,395 Speaker 1: eighty thousand viewers a night in total, to a million, 379 00:26:06,755 --> 00:26:08,555 Speaker 1: than to a million and a half, then to two 380 00:26:08,635 --> 00:26:11,755 Speaker 1: million a night, just as long as we continued to 381 00:26:11,795 --> 00:26:17,315 Speaker 1: mention Bill Clinton and or Monica s Lewinsky. So after 382 00:26:17,355 --> 00:26:20,315 Speaker 1: a couple of months of this, I decided to quit. 383 00:26:21,915 --> 00:26:24,475 Speaker 1: I had just left the office of my new therapist, 384 00:26:24,595 --> 00:26:27,395 Speaker 1: having spent most of the hour talking about the craziest 385 00:26:27,435 --> 00:26:31,355 Speaker 1: person I had yet met in broadcasting, Andy Lack, the 386 00:26:31,395 --> 00:26:34,075 Speaker 1: president of NBC News, when my phone rang out on 387 00:26:34,115 --> 00:26:37,315 Speaker 1: twenty third Street in New York, and it was Andy Lack. 388 00:26:39,875 --> 00:26:42,155 Speaker 1: The background here is that the problem in short was 389 00:26:42,155 --> 00:26:44,875 Speaker 1: that we had turned my not too successful magazine show 390 00:26:44,875 --> 00:26:47,635 Speaker 1: of nineteen ninety seven into the all Bill Clinton Monica 391 00:26:47,675 --> 00:26:50,755 Speaker 1: Lewinsky showed nineteen ninety eight that there was not enough 392 00:26:51,035 --> 00:26:54,555 Speaker 1: new news about them. Every night did not matter. We 393 00:26:54,635 --> 00:26:57,395 Speaker 1: did at least one show a night, often too often 394 00:26:57,435 --> 00:27:01,275 Speaker 1: for two hours each. If Monica Lewinsky's lawyer said anything 395 00:27:01,315 --> 00:27:03,555 Speaker 1: more detailed than no comment, we stayed on the air 396 00:27:03,635 --> 00:27:07,915 Speaker 1: until we ran out of guests. The whole thing, including 397 00:27:07,915 --> 00:27:12,875 Speaker 1: television's crazed wall to wall reaction, was a carefully planned 398 00:27:12,955 --> 00:27:15,595 Speaker 1: Newt Gingrich plot in which he thought he could actually 399 00:27:15,675 --> 00:27:20,315 Speaker 1: impeach Clinton and then somehow impeach President Al Gore before 400 00:27:20,355 --> 00:27:23,395 Speaker 1: President Gore could get a new vice president confirmed, which 401 00:27:23,395 --> 00:27:27,515 Speaker 1: would mean the new new president would be Newt Gingrich. 402 00:27:29,475 --> 00:27:33,115 Speaker 1: So I wanted out because we were no longer just 403 00:27:33,355 --> 00:27:36,875 Speaker 1: covering this, we were participating in it. I said, let 404 00:27:36,915 --> 00:27:40,315 Speaker 1: me leave, or let me do something else, change the topic, 405 00:27:40,435 --> 00:27:44,475 Speaker 1: because I'm done. The problem was every time I said 406 00:27:44,515 --> 00:27:47,835 Speaker 1: something like I'm done, or I let my cynicism about 407 00:27:47,835 --> 00:27:50,515 Speaker 1: the story escape on the air, the ratings went up. 408 00:27:51,275 --> 00:27:53,875 Speaker 1: The year before, MSNBC was lucky to get one hundred 409 00:27:53,915 --> 00:27:58,115 Speaker 1: thousand viewers for one fifteen minute period a month. Now, 410 00:27:58,155 --> 00:28:00,195 Speaker 1: we were upset if we did not get a million 411 00:28:00,275 --> 00:28:04,995 Speaker 1: viewers a minute. MSNBC was actually making money, and that 412 00:28:05,115 --> 00:28:08,555 Speaker 1: was almost entirely because of my shows. So when I 413 00:28:08,595 --> 00:28:11,555 Speaker 1: wanted to quit, people like Andy Lack wanted not to 414 00:28:11,675 --> 00:28:14,835 Speaker 1: kill me, but to force me to stay there and 415 00:28:14,955 --> 00:28:17,595 Speaker 1: keep talking like that woman who does the news on 416 00:28:17,675 --> 00:28:21,595 Speaker 1: North Korean television. To make that possible, Andy Lack tried 417 00:28:21,595 --> 00:28:24,715 Speaker 1: everything promises that I and not Brian Williams, would be 418 00:28:24,715 --> 00:28:26,995 Speaker 1: the next anchor of NBC Nightly News once he got 419 00:28:27,075 --> 00:28:31,995 Speaker 1: rid of Tom Brokaw, more money, time off, threats, threats 420 00:28:32,035 --> 00:28:36,795 Speaker 1: against my family, anything except the first step towards letting 421 00:28:36,835 --> 00:28:40,115 Speaker 1: me change the show or leave it. The first step 422 00:28:40,155 --> 00:28:42,875 Speaker 1: would have been just talk to me, face to face. 423 00:28:44,555 --> 00:28:46,515 Speaker 1: That was what he was calling to talk about on 424 00:28:46,555 --> 00:28:49,515 Speaker 1: the warm afternoon of the twenty seventh of May nineteen 425 00:28:49,595 --> 00:28:54,155 Speaker 1: ninety eight. How he couldn't talk to me. It was 426 00:28:54,235 --> 00:28:57,475 Speaker 1: exactly as crazy as it sounds, and it underscored what 427 00:28:57,595 --> 00:29:00,675 Speaker 1: I saw that Friday evening on my dog walk. You 428 00:29:00,875 --> 00:29:06,395 Speaker 1: think I can talk, Holy cow. First, I asked Lack 429 00:29:06,435 --> 00:29:07,995 Speaker 1: if I could come into his office to talk to 430 00:29:08,075 --> 00:29:10,355 Speaker 1: him about it. He said no. I asked him if 431 00:29:10,395 --> 00:29:11,755 Speaker 1: we could talk about it on the phone. At some 432 00:29:11,795 --> 00:29:14,875 Speaker 1: point he said no. Then he proceeded to talk about 433 00:29:14,915 --> 00:29:17,155 Speaker 1: it well, he began. If you're a calling about this 434 00:29:17,275 --> 00:29:19,195 Speaker 1: meeting of life business, if you just want to stir 435 00:29:19,275 --> 00:29:21,235 Speaker 1: the pot about how you're not satisfied with the show 436 00:29:21,275 --> 00:29:22,995 Speaker 1: at the moment, I might add, only at the moment 437 00:29:23,115 --> 00:29:25,275 Speaker 1: the nuance and subtleties of your career will I'd have 438 00:29:25,355 --> 00:29:27,235 Speaker 1: to say no, we can't meet. Of course, in saying 439 00:29:27,275 --> 00:29:29,315 Speaker 1: that I'm always available to meet with you, I love you. 440 00:29:29,515 --> 00:29:36,275 Speaker 1: But to me he paused for no discernible reason, possibly 441 00:29:36,395 --> 00:29:39,195 Speaker 1: in the desperate attempt to remember what he had just said. 442 00:29:40,315 --> 00:29:42,915 Speaker 1: In my mind. There now appeared at the bottom of 443 00:29:42,955 --> 00:29:46,995 Speaker 1: that news channel ticker that always goes across it that 444 00:29:47,155 --> 00:29:49,715 Speaker 1: flashed a message about not worrying about what I would 445 00:29:49,755 --> 00:29:51,515 Speaker 1: hear next, that all this was just some sort of 446 00:29:51,555 --> 00:29:55,555 Speaker 1: test of the Andy Lack emergency random thoughts warning system. 447 00:29:56,315 --> 00:29:59,715 Speaker 1: He suddenly resumed, It's just not the right time, it's premature, 448 00:29:59,755 --> 00:30:01,515 Speaker 1: it's too early in the process. And in saying it's 449 00:30:01,515 --> 00:30:03,035 Speaker 1: too early in the process, I'm not saying there is 450 00:30:03,075 --> 00:30:05,835 Speaker 1: a process. I'm just saying saying that there shouldn't be 451 00:30:05,835 --> 00:30:08,835 Speaker 1: a process yet, because it's just not right the right 452 00:30:08,835 --> 00:30:10,515 Speaker 1: time for this, And I don't think we've explored the 453 00:30:10,555 --> 00:30:13,275 Speaker 1: options fully for improving how you see what's happening. And 454 00:30:13,275 --> 00:30:15,995 Speaker 1: when I say we, of course I mean you and 455 00:30:15,995 --> 00:30:18,635 Speaker 1: Phil Griffin, You and Phil Griffin, because Phil's part of 456 00:30:18,635 --> 00:30:21,115 Speaker 1: this process, not to imply there is a process, but 457 00:30:21,235 --> 00:30:23,355 Speaker 1: rather he's just at the beginning of this situation, of 458 00:30:23,395 --> 00:30:25,595 Speaker 1: the resolution of this situation, not that this is a 459 00:30:25,635 --> 00:30:29,155 Speaker 1: situation that requires resolution necessary because I think you know, 460 00:30:29,275 --> 00:30:31,915 Speaker 1: in life, you have many times, many durations, many seasons, 461 00:30:31,955 --> 00:30:35,355 Speaker 1: many years where you might say you're unhappy or discontented 462 00:30:35,475 --> 00:30:37,315 Speaker 1: or in some way not pleased with what you're doing, 463 00:30:37,435 --> 00:30:39,555 Speaker 1: but you'll have plenty of opportunities to make changes in 464 00:30:39,555 --> 00:30:42,235 Speaker 1: the direction of your life. Obviously, not now. You made 465 00:30:42,235 --> 00:30:44,195 Speaker 1: these changes last year, and you committed to it, and 466 00:30:44,235 --> 00:30:46,835 Speaker 1: I committed to it, and you've done such an outstanding job, 467 00:30:46,995 --> 00:30:49,675 Speaker 1: a thoroughly outstanding job, that I can't tell you how 468 00:30:49,715 --> 00:30:51,875 Speaker 1: much we value you. And I was on Larry King 469 00:30:52,035 --> 00:30:54,235 Speaker 1: last week and Larry said to me, I love Ulderman, 470 00:30:54,395 --> 00:30:56,235 Speaker 1: and I said, I love Ulderman, and he said, I 471 00:30:56,315 --> 00:30:58,475 Speaker 1: wish I could be doing for you what He's doing 472 00:30:58,515 --> 00:31:00,355 Speaker 1: for you. And this is not that you should think 473 00:31:00,355 --> 00:31:03,035 Speaker 1: that I'm totally blowing smoke up your backside, but the 474 00:31:03,115 --> 00:31:07,355 Speaker 1: critical acclaim, especially the insider's critical acclaim, the people whose 475 00:31:07,395 --> 00:31:10,315 Speaker 1: opinions matter consistently rating you is the best at this 476 00:31:10,435 --> 00:31:12,595 Speaker 1: on the cutting edge, and for that matter, the ratings 477 00:31:12,595 --> 00:31:14,635 Speaker 1: have been outstanding. And I'm fully committed to you in 478 00:31:14,675 --> 00:31:16,635 Speaker 1: all senses of the word. But if you want to 479 00:31:16,675 --> 00:31:19,155 Speaker 1: talk to me about in some way changing what you're doing, 480 00:31:19,355 --> 00:31:22,155 Speaker 1: it just doesn't enter into the equation. Because things are 481 00:31:22,155 --> 00:31:25,275 Speaker 1: going so well then we're just delighted with the program. 482 00:31:25,355 --> 00:31:27,835 Speaker 1: And you need to understand that on my radar screen, 483 00:31:27,875 --> 00:31:29,955 Speaker 1: this isn't even on the fast track, because why should 484 00:31:29,955 --> 00:31:31,715 Speaker 1: I say to you, Look, I want to change this 485 00:31:31,795 --> 00:31:34,675 Speaker 1: completely successful show when it's been such a success and 486 00:31:34,715 --> 00:31:37,475 Speaker 1: a complete one and a runaway hit, and everybody says 487 00:31:37,475 --> 00:31:40,035 Speaker 1: to me how smoothly you've made the transition from sports, 488 00:31:40,115 --> 00:31:41,835 Speaker 1: And I can't talk to you about it because I 489 00:31:41,875 --> 00:31:44,475 Speaker 1: love you. I mean, I'm fully behind you one hundred percent, 490 00:31:44,635 --> 00:31:46,875 Speaker 1: and you have my support and my commitment and my 491 00:31:46,915 --> 00:31:49,515 Speaker 1: resources and they're all at your beck and call anytime 492 00:31:49,555 --> 00:31:51,795 Speaker 1: you need them or you need me. But there aren't problems, 493 00:31:51,875 --> 00:31:53,875 Speaker 1: and I love the show and the thought of tinkering 494 00:31:53,875 --> 00:31:56,115 Speaker 1: with it or adjusting it just is the farthest thing 495 00:31:56,115 --> 00:31:58,355 Speaker 1: from my mind right now. But you have to understand 496 00:31:58,355 --> 00:32:01,075 Speaker 1: I'm completely committed to you and Phil then what you're doing, 497 00:32:01,155 --> 00:32:02,795 Speaker 1: and I just can't talk to you about it now, 498 00:32:02,835 --> 00:32:05,035 Speaker 1: although the door is always open, and you know you 499 00:32:05,075 --> 00:32:06,875 Speaker 1: can call me and talk to me at any time 500 00:32:06,915 --> 00:32:10,515 Speaker 1: about anything. And when I say I mean anything, I 501 00:32:10,835 --> 00:32:13,395 Speaker 1: don't mean this, and I can envision changing things because 502 00:32:13,395 --> 00:32:19,635 Speaker 1: I don't have to click. That was Andy Lack, the 503 00:32:19,675 --> 00:32:23,195 Speaker 1: president of NBC News, talking to me about not talking 504 00:32:23,195 --> 00:32:27,075 Speaker 1: to me about changing the Clinton Lewinsky TV marathon. It 505 00:32:27,235 --> 00:32:30,555 Speaker 1: is possible that after all these years, I did not 506 00:32:30,755 --> 00:32:34,755 Speaker 1: quote his three minute spasm of words completely accurately. But 507 00:32:34,835 --> 00:32:39,435 Speaker 1: if I did not, I got damned close. So the 508 00:32:39,475 --> 00:32:43,235 Speaker 1: next time Megan Kelly says something stupid or tweets something stupid, 509 00:32:43,275 --> 00:32:46,355 Speaker 1: and it's got to be soon, she's due, just remember, 510 00:32:46,875 --> 00:32:51,075 Speaker 1: don't just blame her spread it around. Blame the guy 511 00:32:51,115 --> 00:32:55,875 Speaker 1: who stuck her on an actual television network with a reputation, 512 00:32:56,755 --> 00:33:01,755 Speaker 1: Andy Lack, and say your criticisms of Andy Lack as 513 00:33:01,795 --> 00:33:05,035 Speaker 1: loud as you want, because just remember he he's going 514 00:33:05,075 --> 00:33:10,155 Speaker 1: to keep talking and he'll never hear a word of it. 515 00:33:24,555 --> 00:33:26,395 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do. Here. Here 516 00:33:26,395 --> 00:33:28,675 Speaker 1: are the credits. Most of the music was arranged, produced, 517 00:33:28,675 --> 00:33:31,235 Speaker 1: and performed by Brian Ray and John Phillips Shanelle. The 518 00:33:31,315 --> 00:33:36,555 Speaker 1: Countdown musical directors. All orchestration and keyboards by John Phillip Shanelle. Guitars, 519 00:33:36,555 --> 00:33:40,235 Speaker 1: bass and drums by Brian Ray, produced by Tko Brothers. 520 00:33:40,715 --> 00:33:43,475 Speaker 1: Other Beethoven selections have been arranged and performed by the 521 00:33:43,475 --> 00:33:46,955 Speaker 1: group No Horns Allowed. The sports music is the Olberman 522 00:33:47,035 --> 00:33:49,115 Speaker 1: theme from ESPN two, and it was written by Mitch 523 00:33:49,115 --> 00:33:53,795 Speaker 1: Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN Inc. Musical comments by Nancy Fauss. 524 00:33:53,835 --> 00:33:57,155 Speaker 1: The best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today was 525 00:33:57,195 --> 00:34:00,355 Speaker 1: my friend Larry David. That little husk in my voice 526 00:34:00,395 --> 00:34:03,755 Speaker 1: is courtesy of a springtime allergy attack here in New York, 527 00:34:04,315 --> 00:34:07,075 Speaker 1: and everything else is pretty much my fault. So that's 528 00:34:07,075 --> 00:34:08,955 Speaker 1: countdown for this the eight hundred and fifty third day 529 00:34:09,035 --> 00:34:12,395 Speaker 1: since Donald Trump's first attempted coup against the democratically elected 530 00:34:12,395 --> 00:34:15,195 Speaker 1: government of the United States, do not forget to keep 531 00:34:15,275 --> 00:34:19,035 Speaker 1: arresting him while we still can. The next scheduled countdown 532 00:34:19,075 --> 00:34:22,275 Speaker 1: is tomorrow. Until then on Keith Olberman, good Morning, good afternoon, 533 00:34:22,315 --> 00:34:39,355 Speaker 1: good night, and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman is 534 00:34:39,355 --> 00:34:44,195 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 535 00:34:44,195 --> 00:34:48,875 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.