KSFO's Rodgers: "Well, thank God you didn't offer [Al Sharpton] watermelon."

On the April 4 broadcast of San Francisco radio station KSFO's Morning Show, while discussing the "rise" of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as a presidential candidate, co-host Melanie Morgan claimed, "You know, there's nobody more disturbed than [Rev.] Al Sharpton" over Obama's popularity. Morgan then referred to her July 6, 2006, appearance on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, during which she stated that she would "bomb Reverend Sharpton and others" who were engaging in a "Troops Home Fast" protest "with bread." The protest reportedly entailed "giving up food on designated days and encouraging others to fast." On the Morning Show, Morgan told co-host Lee Rodgers: "Do you remember when he was on that rolling fast for peace with Cindy Sheehan ... and I went on television and offered him ... a loaf of bread? He did not like that, Lee. ... [H]e did not like that at all." Rodgers replied: "Well, thank God you didn't offer him watermelon."

On the July 6, 2006, Hannity & Colmes, Sharpton, who was also a guest on the show, responded to Morgan's offer of bread by saying:

SHARPTON: [D]oes she speak for the mainstream Republican Party? You know, if some Christian right leader like [Rev.] Jerry Falwell wanted to fast, I would respect that. This is the way the right behaves. When people raise their commitment, their view, they're mocked by them. We're talking about people dying, and she's coming with props. Even [Hannity & Colmes co-host] Sean Hannity has more class than that.

Media Matters for America has documented previous incidents of racially charged smears on KSFO, including Morgan stating that congregants at the Trinity United Church of Christ, of which Obama is a member, believe "their allegiance goes to Africa before it goes to America." KSFO Sussman, Morgan & Vic co-host Brian Sussman has also called Obama a "Halfrican." Sussman later issued an apology on his website, describing his comments about Obama as "insensitive."

From the April 4 broadcast of KSFO's Morning Show:

MORGAN: You know, there's nobody more disturbed than Al Sharpton over the rise of Obama.

OFFICER VIC (co-host Tom Benner): Yes. I was going to say, "Boy, has he been disenfranchised."

MORGAN: Oh, yeah.

RODGERS: Yeah, well, he's thinking, you know, Jesse Jackson has been fading away for the past several years -- no longer a factor. That Al was just waiting to jump in there and say, "I am the voice of black America," and I'll be damned if before he can even get up any real momentum, here comes Barack Obama.

MORGAN: Yeah, you know, I don't think the Reverend Al Sharpton is temperamentally suited to become president of the United States.

RODGERS: And you know.

MORGAN: I only say that based on personal experience with him.

Do you remember when he was on that rolling fast for peace with Cindy Sheehan, and Jane Fonda and the gang --

RODGERS: Oh yeah.

MORGAN: -- and I went on television and offered him --

OFFICER VIC: Oh, that's right.

MORGAN: -- as a compassionate conservative, a loaf of bread? He did not like that, Lee. I say that because he did not like that at all.

RODGERS: Well, thank God you didn't offer him watermelon.

[laughter]

MORGAN: He didn't. Now, that would have made news I suspect.

RODGERS: Oh, lord have mercy.

From the July 6, 2006, broadcast of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

COLMES: Now, Melanie, you know, the game that you play on the right is, anytime someone like Cindy Sheehan or anybody on the left makes a statement, you want to tie it and identify mainstream Democrats and say, "That's what the party is. That's what they speak for." The prime minister of Iraq, [Nuri Kamal Al-] Maliki, said that there should be an investigation into the allegations of murder and rape by American soldiers -- that people were killed in cold blood. Is he speaking for the Democratic Party as well?

MORGAN: Well, first, before I answer that question, let me just say one thing, Alan, to Reverend Sharpton. I know that he's been undertaking this hunger fast with Cindy Sheehan and Susan Sarandon and all of the other Hollywood liberal types, so I just want him to know that I have brought him a gift tonight.

Now, we conservatives do believe in peace through strength, so we are going to bomb Reverend Sharpton and the others with bread. We have the classic Wonder Bread and we have San Francisco sourdough bread.

COLMES: I'm glad you're only using bread if you're bombing them.

SHARPTON: Well, I mean, does she speak for the mainstream Republican Party? You know, if some Christian right leader like Jerry Falwell wanted to fast, I would respect that. This is the way the right behaves. When people raise their commitment, their view, they're mocked by them. We're talking about people dying, and she's coming with props. Even Sean Hannity has more class than that.

COLMES: By the way, Melanie, you didn't answer my question.

[...]

MORGAN: Hey, Reverend, I gave you some free bread, here, so let me talk for a moment, OK? I want to say something very important.

The entire country has mixed emotions about Cindy Sheehan. Her popularity approval ratings are down in the 30s and low 20s. Regardless of what you think of her, let me say very clearly, what she said in that comment was slanderous about our American troops. She slandered --

HANNITY: Absolutely.

MORGAN: And she slandered -- and --

COLMES: What you said about sending someone to a gas chamber was despicable, Melanie Morgan.

MORGAN: Let me finish. Let me finish.

COLMES: Unfortunately, we are just out of time.

MORGAN: And she also slandered the memory of her son, Casey. Our troops are not murderers.