Podcast Summary: "ARREST THE ICE MURDERER AND IMPEACH KRISTI NOEM"

Countdown with Keith Olbermann — January 12, 2026 (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

In this contentious and impassioned episode, Keith Olbermann delivers a blistering analysis of the recent killing of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minnesota. He demands immediate legal and political action, including arrests and impeachments of senior Trump administration officials such as Kristi Noem, Todd Lyons, and Tom Homan, alleging a broader climate of state-sanctioned violence and cover-up by the current federal government. Olbermann also explores the physiological and psychological harms of gun use, criticizes political figures from both parties for their inaction or complicity, and devotes his recurring "Worst Persons in the World" segment to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith following Smith's defense of the shooting. The show closes with a reading of James Thurber’s "The Greatest Man in the World," serving as a satirical commentary on American hero worship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Demand for Accountability in the Killing of Renee Good

• Olbermann opens by calling for immediate state and county-level investigations, indictments, and arrests related to the shooting of Minnesota woman Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. He insists on actionable steps:

  • Arrest Ross and his militia associates as accessories.
  • Impeach Kristi Noem (Secretary of Homeland Security), Todd Lyons (ICE Director), and Tom Homan (Border Czar).
  • Charge any officials obstructing the investigation with obstruction of justice.
    Quote:
    "Indict and arrest the ICE shooter Jonathan Ross and the Trump Militia members who were with him as accessories. Impeach Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem, ICE Director Todd Lyons, and Border Czar Tom Homan." – Keith Olbermann [02:12]

• He describes the atmosphere of impunity and celebration among ICE agents following the shooting, noting the chilling lack of fear or risk on Ross's part, as confirmed by leaked video evidence.

2. Political Reactions, Stonewalling, and Tone Policing

• Olbermann lambastes Trump officials for "hiding behind tone," using rhetoric about improving civil discourse as a smokescreen to avoid criticism while threatening more violence if criticism continues. Quote:
  "Tom Homan went on Fox and actually added to this bankrupt bromide new threat: There will be more bloodshed unless we decrease the hateful rhetoric. Translation: more civilians will be shot unless innocent Americans stop saying mean things ..." – Keith Olbermann [06:40]

• ICE Director Lyons directly challenges state authority, daring Minnesota officials to attempt arrests: Quote:
  "My message to the sheriff is, try and arrest my folks. Let's see what happens." – Todd Lyons (read by Olbermann) [08:59]

3. The Role of States in Resisting Federal Overreach

• Urges the state of Minnesota and other states (Illinois, California) to lead the legal response, as federal agencies have "gone rogue," violating their oaths and participating in extralegal violence.
• Cites reported actions by Kristi Noem to prevent Congressional oversight of ICE facilities, outlining the escalation of federal obstruction.

4. Legal and Civil Remedies

• Discusses the possibility of wrongful death and civil rights lawsuits against Ross and federal officials.
• Encourages relentless legal pursuit, noting Minnesota AG Keith Ellison's reminder that "there are no statutes of limitation on these crimes."

5. Public Sentiment and Social Response

• Polls show ICE approval ratings have plummeted since Trump took office: Quote:
  "ICE’s job approval came in at 39% approved, 52% disapproved, for a score of minus 30%. That’s before the last week has played out." – Olbermann citing Elliot Morris [17:22]
• Shares emotional statements from Minnesota Timberwolves announcer Jedidi Jones and retiring Episcopalian Bishop Bob Hirschfeld, the latter warning clergy to "get their affairs in order" for potential civil conflict: Quote — Bishop Hirschfeld:
  "It may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable." [19:50]

6. Analysis of Gun Culture and Its Effects

• Details studies showing that firing guns, particularly indoors or with high-powered weapons, can have concussive effects on shooters’ brains, possibly linking militarized violence with neurological trauma: Quote:
  "You shoot, you get concussed, or very nearly so. You shoot a hundred times you get concussed a hundred times..." – Olbermann, referencing New York Times research [23:14]

7. Broader Trump Administration Developments

• Brief updates on related issues:
  • Continued delay in releasing Jeffrey Epstein files.
  • Rep. Thomas Massie’s push for contempt charges over DOJ withholdings.
  • Jack Smith’s willingness to testify publicly about the Trump investigation, countering GOP misrepresentation.
  • Absurdity of rumors/claims that Trump could "swap" the Nobel Peace Prize for geopolitical leverage.

8. Olbermann’s Calls to Democratic Senators

• Criticizes Senate Democrats, especially Chuck Schumer and John Fetterman, for failing to take adequate action against Trump and ICE abuses.
• Urges government shutdown as a viable tactic to force change: Quote:
  "Shut the goddamn government down. Period. Not a dime until Trump is hamstrung ... but more importantly, until ICE is neutered." – Keith Olbermann [16:56]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the state’s duty:
  "The state must act against the ICE murderers. The state must act against the ICE terrorists. The state must act against the ICE superstructure that is now covering up this and other ICE crimes." [13:17]

• On ICE’s evolution:
  "ICE has already gone rogue, gone extra legal, crossed the Rubicon past which ICE will not obey the law and ICE will not stop targeting innocent Americans." [13:47]

• On American acceptance of violence:
  "For decades, with the intensity of this seemingly doubling every minute, large swaths of this nation have believed that shooting people is okay." [22:37]

• On what’s fueling paramilitary violence:
  "When I say it may be the guns, I mean literally the gun. The physical fact of the gun, handling a gun, shooting a gun..." [23:00]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Opening Call for Accountability & Impeachment: [02:12–06:10]
• Official Reactions from ICE, Noem, Homan: [06:15–11:05]
• State Response and Legal Mechanisms: [11:12–16:55]
• Polls, Emotional Community Response: [17:10–19:50]
• Bishop Bob Hirschfeld’s Warning: [19:51–22:30]
• Gun Use and Neurological Damage: [23:00–27:40]
• Trump/Epstein/Jim Jordan Updates: [28:22–36:20]
• Nobel Peace Prize Satire: [36:28–37:58]
• Trump’s Helicopter Fantasy & Criticism of Stephen A. Smith: [38:00–45:27]
• “Worst Persons in the World” (Stephen A. Smith): [45:28–56:51]
• James Thurber Reading, “The Greatest Man in the World”: [56:52–End]

“Worst Persons in the World” Segment

• Bronze: Right-wing influencers for hypocrisy regarding US/Venezuela interventionism.
• Runner-up: Financial Times for misleading headline about OnlyFans and US artist visas.
• Worst: Stephen A. Smith (ESPN) — Olbermann delivers a scathing rebuke for Smith’s defense of the ICE shooting, arguing for his firing and disavowing the mixing of fascist politics into sports coverage. Quote:
  "They let him go on a satellite radio show and spout fascism... If Stephen A. Smith will not drop the political show, you have to drop him, Bob. Jimmy, you have to fire him ..." – Keith Olbermann [54:31]

Tone & Language

Olbermann’s signature tone is indignant, urgent, and biting—suffused with dark satire, gallows humor, and rhetorical intensity. His language is direct and frequently profane, particularly when addressing or quoting officials he regards as responsible for the state of affairs.

Closing

Olbermann closes with a reading of James Thurber’s "The Greatest Man in the World," drawing parallels between gullible hero-making and the dangers of unchecked, unworthy authority figures—a satirical comment on contemporary political crises—before ending the episode with his trademark sign-off.

For listeners:
This episode captures Olbermann at his most combative—offering impassioned calls for justice, vivid (and often harrowing) descriptions of political violence, and a fierce challenge to all sides, delivered with sharp wit and unapologetic outrage. If you are looking for nuanced reflection on current events and a provocative indictment of the status quo, this episode is both challenging and engaging.