SEASON 2 EPISODE 55: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN

A-Block (1:44) SPECIAL COMMENT: Trust me: I think the Trump Gag Order is an extraordinary and terrific thing and I've invested all my money in popcorn futures. But the real headline coming out of Judge Tanya Chutkan's courtroom is her vow not to alter the start date of the Subversion Trial: March 4, 2024. This means it doesn't get postponed beyond the election and it also SEEMS as if she is taking the idea of starting it early as a punishment for WHEN Trump violates the gag order off the table.

If that's the case - and she's promised a full written statement detailing the "sanctions" if he doesn't seal his lips closed with epoxy - then there are few options for her. She can fine him, or jail him. And even if she goes for the first one he'll eventually do it so many times she'll have no choice but to go to the second one. REVOKE. HIS. BAIL.

Trump already began testing the boundaries, and trying to see if he can get his Renfields to carry his water for him. And there were many tea leaves from the hearing to read - and all of them look bad for your favorite traitor.

Plus I have some stuff on the Jordan Speaker vote and Israel-Hamas. But the story that actually stuns me was one I thought I saw coming. As predicted here, the other shoe after NBC going soft on Trump on The Meet The Press interview has fallen: NBC gets the 3rd Republican Presidential debate. But they have debate "partners" including the appalling Rumble (Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate claim homes there) and Salem Radio (Charlie Kirk, Dinesh D'Souza, Jenna Ellis, Hugh Hewitt). Hewitt may be a co-moderator.

Where are NBC's liberals here? When is enough enough? How much money is enough for my old protege to say "I refuse to be associated with any of this. Drop it or I'm out." I took a stance like that and I sleep well every night because of it. Rachel Maddow's voice still matters here and she's not using it. Assuming it's still - at $31,000,000 per annum - HER voice.

B-Block (24:24) IN SPORTS: Marlins prove sexism still flourishes in baseball by humiliating successful General Manager. The worst National Anthem you've ever heard. (30:09) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: PBS correspondent is genuinely startled Democratic house members correctly call Jim Jordan an "insurrectionist" (wait'll she hears about the gymnasts). Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA gets whacked at ASU. Lauren Boebert barely knew the man she made sweet music with at "Beetlejuice" - except her campaign spent $300 at his bar.

C-Block (36:30) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: That hockey anthem gave me a flashback to the day I was at Madison Square Garden and they directed our attention to the big screen on the scoreboard where NBC's Brian Williams promptly destroyed his own career.