On Fox News Sunday, Wallace did not note Inhofe changed his story about talk radio allegations
On the June 24 edition of Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace reported on Sen. James Inhofe's (R-OK) disputed claim that he had overheard Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) discussing a "legislative fix" for right-wing talk radio, but Wallace did not note that Inhofe had altered a crucial element of the story since his allegations were first made public. Wallace said Inhofe "says that he overheard Barbara Boxer and Hillary Clinton three years ago complaining about talk radio and saying there should be a legislative fix." Wallace was referring to comments Inhofe had made during a June 22 interview on Fox News' Your World. However, as blogger Greg Sargent observed, Inhofe had first asserted during a June 21 interview on Los Angeles radio station KFI 640 AM's The John Ziegler Show that he had overheard the conversation between Boxer and Clinton "the other day" but then said on Your World that the conversation had occurred "three years ago."
As Wallace reported and Media Matters for America has noted, the offices of both Boxer and Clinton deny that the conversation ever took place.
Inhofe asserted during his June 21 appearance on The John Ziegler Show that "I was going out to vote the other day" and he "was walking with two very liberal gals," later identified as Clinton and Boxer, who "were outraged by something" a conservative talk radio host said. Inhofe claimed that Clinton and Boxer stated: "We've got to do something about this. These are nothing but far right-wing extremists. We've got to have a balance. We have got to have a legislative fix to this."
But during an interview with host Neil Cavuto on the June 22 edition of Fox News' Your World, Inhofe claimed to have "told this story well over 100 times on the radio, on TV, in the last three years." He continued: "[T]his is about three years ago. ... They are yelling and screaming and complaining about right-wing radio. 'They're all right wing, we can't let them keep doing that. There has to be a fix to this.' "
By contrast to Wallace's reporting, during the June 22 edition of Fox News' Special Report, guest host Bret Baier accurately reported that Inhofe had altered the timeline of his story:
BAIER: And Republican Senator James Inhofe said on Fox this afternoon that a conversation he overheard between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barbara Boxer about wanting a, quote, "legislative fix" for conservative talk radio actually occurred three years ago. Inhofe told a Los Angeles radio station yesterday that he overheard the senators complaining about something they had heard on the air, quote, "the other day". Inhofe quoted the two senators as saying "We've got to do something about this. These are nothing but far right-wing extremists. We've got to have a balance. There's got to be a legislative fix to this."
But the offices of both Senator Clinton and Senator Boxer had the same response to Fox News, saying the conversation never happened, and today, Inhofe clarified the timeline on this story, saying he's recounted a three-year-old conversation well over 100 times on radio and TV since then.
In a June 22 interview with Scott Baker, a correspondent for the online news portal Breitbart.tv, Inhofe claimed that he knew immediately that he had originally misrepresented the timeline of his alleged account, but decided not to correct it: "Well, I thought about that right when I said it, but I've told this story so many times I thought, 'Well, if the other day's not today' -- no, this is a long time ago." Breitbart.tv was founded by former Drudge colleague Andrew Breitbart.
From the June 24 edition of Fox News Sunday:
WALLACE: Let me bring in Senator [Dianne] Feinstein [D-CA]. Oklahoma Senator Inhofe says that he overheard Barbara Boxer and Hillary Clinton three years ago complaining about talk radio and saying there should be a legislative fix. Both of them deny it ever happened. But let me ask you about yourself. Do you have a problem with talk radio, and would you consider reviving the Fairness Doctrine, which would require broadcasters to put on opposing points of view?
FEINSTEIN: Well, in my view, talk radio tends to be one-sided. It also tends to be dwelling in hyperbole. It's explosive. It pushes people to, I think, extreme views without a lot of information. This is a very complicated bill. It's seven titles. Most people don't know what's in this bill. Therefore, to just have one or two things dramatized and taken out of context, such as the word amnesty, we have a silent amnesty right now, but nobody goes into that, nobody goes into the flaws of our broken system. This bill fixes those flaws. Do I think there should be an opportunity on talk radio to present that point of view? Yes, I do, particularly about the critical issues of the day.
From the June 22 edition of Fox News' Your World:
CAVUTO: On to politics: Who is lying here? What is the big question right now after Democratic Senators Clinton and Boxer flatly deny having a conversation that this guy swears they did? If he's telling the truth, the Sean Hannitys and Rush Limbaughs of talk radio could be big targets. On the phone with us right now, Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma. Senator, the senators I just mentioned say they never had this conversation where they more or less implied they were going to go after right-wing radio. What do you say?
INHOFE: I never said that. What I said was, and here's the funny thing, Neil, I've told this story well over 100 times on the radio, on TV in the last three years. I was going up the elevator with them -- this is about three years ago -- to vote. They are yelling and screaming and complaining about right-wing radio. "They're all right wing, we can't let them keep doing that. There has to be a fix to this." And I said, "You girls don't understand, it's market-driven, and there's no market for your liberal tripe." Now -- and I've said that story so many times because it is funny, and people -- liberals don't understand that.
From a June 22 interview on Breitbart.tv:
BAKER: Well, let me ask you this, because I believe, in the account that you gave on the radio last night, the one that we put up on Breitbart.tv, you said this happened the other day, so now you're saying it was a little bit longer ago.
INHOFE: Well, I thought about that right when I said it, but I've told this story so many times I thought, "Well, if the other day's not today" -- no, this is a long time ago. And the reason I know how long ago it was, Scott, is because when I keynoted the Republican convention about a month ago, this was the Oklahoma convention, I was talking to someone who had had the, what I had said in the past, and I said, "Now tell me what stories not to tell, that I've told before." And they said, "Well, you ought to tell your elevator story again, even though you've told it twice before at two other conventions. It brings down the house." And so I said -- so it's been at least that long.
hard to believe that clinton and boxer would be "yelling and screaming", as inhofe has them doing.
Can't picture Hillary throwing a lamp at Bill's head either. Oh wait she did.
you were there?
So what if Inhofe made it up? As liberals still, incredibly, say about Dan Rather's phony memos from 2004, "the evidence was fake but the story is true" (yes they say this with a straight face and it doesn't embarrass them at all regardless of how many intelligent people on the right and left walk away from the conservation, embarrassed to be a part of it).
This is the same thing, only it actually makes sense this time.
Inhofe's story might've been made up, who knows. But the left is trying to bring back the communist Fairness Doctrine, since, at last count, only 247 people in America enjoyed listening to liberals whine about how evil America is and why we aren't raising taxes.
Dianne Feinstein said this only yesterday.
Liberals can't compete in an intellectual arena in which they are held accountable for their beliefs and ideas. So, like petulant, petty little kids who can't get their way on the playground, they will try to force liberal talk radio onto the airwaves.
We might not know it from Inhofe's story, but we have confirmation from Feinstein. His evidence might be fake, but his story is true, memoheads.
Inhofe might be a scaly liar, but it’s all good, his lies serve the sick conservative agenda of faithfully misrepresenting liberalism.
Inhofe may be a scaly liar, but it’s all good, his lies further the sick conservative agenda of misrepresenting liberals.
"so what if inhofe made it up?" says all we need to know about you.
As usual you are so delusional. First we DONT say the memos were FAKE but the story was true. We say the memos werent confirmed, they have never been proven to be fakes. However CBS should not have gone with copies. Also the contents of the memos WERE confirmed NOTHING ANYWHERE confirms this story of Inohofes. Only on Planet Wingnut can someone with the IQ of a dustbunny actually say with a straight face that saying both sides of an issue should be heard somehow it makes sense that liberals cant compete in the intellectual arena. Actually we compete quite well WHEN WE ARE HEARD which is what is behind the fairness docrtine. You certainly spew talking points like a well groomed and well brainwashed propaganda parrot, one who has never had an original thougth in his life but logic you havent shown a shred of.
We say the memos werent confirmed, they have never been proven to be fakes.
It was Rather's job to prove the memos were real, and all of the experts hired by CBS told them not to use the documents in their story. It isn't anyone's job to prove they're fake.
If you really think they must be proved fake, then you, Solon, need to prove that you weren't involved in 9/11. As you just made very clear, it's not my job to prove you were the 20th terrorist and just missed your plane on 9/11, it's your job to prove you were not the 20th highjacker.
See how silly your reasoning is?
I know Inhofe made a fool of himself, but Feinstein made it clear that since the left cannot succeed on nationally syndicated talk radio, they are at least thinking about forcing liberal talk onto the airwaves.
Maybe they should try getting a better product, instead of making the gov't demand that it's purchased by people who aren't interested.
Oh she did? Really? You want to provide some evidence, please? Or you want to just admit that's another one of those If It Gets Repeated Often Enough, It Becomes The Truth peices of mud slung at the Clintons?
When are you going to get over the fact that the Clintons have been married for more than thirty years to the same people, that their marriage has had ups and downs but they've gotten through them, and that they raised a stable, intelligent daughter in the process? My guess is: Never. It's much more fun to make stuff up about domestic violence, isnt it? What a sad person you are.
Taz
Do you have a link that shows that Senator Clinton threw a lamp at Pres Clinton? If so could you provide it? I had not heard that as being true before.
So Inhofe never heard of MORA? Gee, Hinchey is gonna hafta get serious here!
so he's basically full of crap. just another republican congressman who wouldn't know the truth if it slapped him in the face.
i'm stunned.
Inhofe (R-OkeyDokey)... 'I said you girls don't understand- it's market driven and there's no market for your liberal tripe- and that's funny and liberals are stupid...' THANKS FOR THE ECON LESSON *SENATOR*.... Maybe he should have paid speaking engagements directed at complaining, dumb liberal girls who would pay a TON to hear his oh-so-unique insight into what drives the 'market' and what constitutes FAIRNESS on the airwaves... can't wait 'till he rolls into town...
'I said you girls don't understand- it's market driven and there's no market for your liberal tripe- and that's funny and liberals are stupid...'
Remember when the right was "telling" us that we'll never win if we keep calling people stupid? Guess they don't really listen to themselves much...
I've never been to Oklahama, but considering the two men they've elected to the US Senate, I can only assume that it is a very, very strange place. Apparently its still a reservation- except now, instead of Native Americans, its populated by a race of people with the combined IQ of a box turtle.
Imhofe, after changing his story a couple of times, has no leg to stand on. He was boasting about this on some small scale conservative talk show, and I'm betting he didn't think that he'd actually get called out on it.
Remember, this is the same guy that claimed that the global warming hoax was being perpetrated, mostly by people behind the Weather Channel, in order to boost their ratings, and to scare people into watching the Weather Channel. No, I can't make things like this us. He actually said that.
It's true. The Weather Channel hired a global warming alarmist to up ratings. She promptly declared that any meteoriologist that didn't bow down to the global warming god have his/her credentials revoked.
hahahahahahahahahahaha!
hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
you actually buy that don't you?!?
Capitalism as a reason for promiting global warming!
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Oh thanks leather that was much needed!
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/05-06-2004/0002168642&EDATE
http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=8&num=11117
You might find these entertaining. So you don't think Global Warming has a capitalist point to it? Ever hear of carbon credits? What do you think that is?
I'm not even going to bother. There is far more money to make to deny it than to promote it. Nice links, I'm not swayed.
So only liberals get these carbon credits? Wow, I am in for some big time money!! All I had to do was be a liberal?!?
So, let me get this straight, Leather, the Weather Channel looks at the overwhelming evidence and makes an informed decision based on the science and you think that this is evidence of a conspiracy? Or are you one of those people that still thinks that the science is open to debate? Like Gravity is just an unproven "THEORY" or the Earth being round is just "Theory". Reminds me of this website I saw once where this person was trying to convince the world that the earth stood still and the heavens rotated around us. It was highly entertaining. He actually used photographs of the night sky taken in time-Lapse to "prove" his theory. Hilarious.
Okay...stay tuned for the next episode of "RightWing Crazy World" where Bush wins the Nobel Peace Prize for winning the hearts and minds of Arabs worldwide and ensuring a great and lasting peace for a thousand years by killing every last terrorist
Since you are from Iowa I assume you know that some of the greatest climatoligists in the midwest say man-made global warming is hooey including this gentleman:
Reid A. Bryson holds the 30th PhD in Meteorology granted in the history of American education. Emeritus Professor and founding chairman of the University of Wisconsin Department of Meteorology—now the Department of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences—in the 1970s he became the first director of what’s now the UW’s Gaylord Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies. He’s a member of the United Nations Global 500 Roll of Honor—created, the U.N. says, to recognize “outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment.” He has authored five books and more than 230 other publications and was identified by the British Institute of Geographers as the most frequently cited climatologist in the world.
Also, you might want to brush up on what carbon credits are. The point was there is money to be made - i.e. capitalism-- on global warming. It has nothing to do with liberalism or conservatism.
And when these GODS of climatology do the actual WORK and produce a peer reviewed study get back to us until then its so much Hooooeeeey
Pretty dubious story. It was just the other day, 3 years ago actually, 2 gals were screaming right next to me in the elevator, they didn't recognize me of course so said it in a crowded elevator even though they mostly scheme in private, being women & all...
Yah, and they screamed about fixing the right wing talk radio guys, & I shore tole 'em...har har that there ain't no market for libral talk....ha ha ha snort!
Whenever there is a talk radio spot open for a major radio company or a talk TV spot in a major TV network,
LIBERALS NEED NOT APPLY.
Liberal talk radio has been a failure. People don't listen, if they did markets would be open for it and they'd be all over the dial.
AirAmerica has been a great test of liberal talk radio's lack of popularity. It didn't provide enough listeners to make it financially profitable. You liberals have a deep rooted misunderstanding of how capitalism works.
Maybe liberal talk shows can find a place on Cuban or Venezuelan radio?
Okay, I'm going to try and make this easy to understand. Progressive talk shows have consistently beat their conservative competition in many major markets despite the fact that they are generally marginalized by being put on lower wattage stations. Ed Shultz beats Hannity in Seattle and many other major markets but continues to be ignored for major deals nationwide. It is a deliberate effort to censor a political viewpoint by corporate controlled media outlets. Period.
It'll be a little easier to understand if you provide a few facts...it's not hard to see Big Ed beating Hannity in Seattle...
However...how 'bout a little proof of your "many major markets"...say like some of the top 10 market areas?
You may very well have a point...if you qualify your claim with data...otherwise it's just chatter...probably heartfelt...but just chatter.
I knew I was going to get this response right after I posted. The problem as you probably know is that due to the lack of progressive radio out there it is almost impossible to come up with head-to-head or apples to apples data. It's easy enough to see circumstantial evidence of this trend in the end of Fairness Doctrine and the parallel ascendence of conservative radio. Now, if this was truly a market driven choice then (since the country is half Democratic and considered "liberal") then one would expect the concurrent rise of progressive radio. But, we didn't see that.
Anecdotally, I live in a mid-major metro area in the midwest and we had Air America here. Granted, its ratings were struggling like any new format does, but before it even had a chance, it was bought and changed to a Christian music station and the ratings plummeted even further? Why? One reason, censorship.
In other words...you can't back up your assertions with facts...relying on words like "circumstantial evidence" and "anecdotally".
Liberal talk radio is flying on a wing and a prayer...because they don't attract listeners...and that's not circumstantial or anecdotal.
The airwaves are not truly "free", when they are owned by corporate interests that only care about promoting their ideology.
Liberals rule in the only true free forum of ideas - the internet.
"Corporate interests" are about making money. If Liberal ideas translated well to Talk Radio and were popular, therefore a money maker, "corporate interests" would be all for it. Your suggestion that "corporate interests" are based on "ideology" is a crock. But I guess it's the best excuse you can offer.
Look, corporate media makes money with conservative talk and I have no problem with that. Great, I say. But this is more than dollars and cents here. This is promoting an openess of discussion and a wide mareket place of ideas. Progressive talk COULD be a money maker but it is not being given a chance! That is where you are wrong. They already make money with conservative talk, they might make MORE with progressive talk if they were to invest in it and let the audience grow, but they are more interested in the short term buck with the built-in rabid right wing audience they already have.
Rupert Murdoch isn't ideologically driven? Are you serious to suggest that making a profit justifies everything? Or are you really Wesley under another name?
Please re-read 1984. You might find some interesting parallels with what's going on today.
IF that were true why is it Donahue got canned while being the highest rated show on his network and why did Hightower get canned while KILLING in the ratings by Disney?
I'm not sure who actually owns the internet -- is it Al Gore?
I think I understand it now. It IS harder to program progressive radio when a significant portion of the market thinks what Leather said is funny. I mean, if all you gotta do is have some windbag scream and point at Clinton and say Internet and Al Gore in the same sentence and you get ratings, that's gold! And advertisers have to LOVE a stupid market segment like that because those listeners have already demonstrated they'll buy anything.
If that is a contract offer, I'll take it.
Here's one example for you. Ed Schultz beats Limbaugh in Miami market:
[link to rawstory.com]
Gee, big surprise. I can't manage to post a working link, as usual. I still don't understand why a simple cut and paste never seems to work on this site. Anyway, it was an article about Schultz pulling ahead of Limbaugh in the ratings for the 25-54 age group.
Oh my aching side...you cite data from the winter of 2005...lol.
If you had looked a little further...you would find that Limbaugh spanked Big Ed in the 2006 spring ratings in the coveted 25-54 demo...3.0 to 1.6.
In the all listeners category Limbaugh outstroked Big Ed...3.8 to 2.2.
Spanking and outstroking? Now that's pretty funny.
Yes, that article was out of date, but it still shows Schultz beating Limbaugh in a major market, which is what you asked for. And since then, he's beaten Hannity in Denver, San Diego, Portland and Seattle.
In other words, you will fall back on evidence that is irrelevant to support your ideas in the face on contradictory evidence not in the form of statistcs?
Okay, your choice, but I am not here to convince YOU of anything. This is something that anyone without an ideological axe to grind knows and understands. It would be like saying that some widget on sale at WalMart outsells my thingamajig on sale out of my garage. Well, obviously, you say smugly, no one wants your tingamajig because the widgets outsell it! Ignoring that I have to sell it out of my garage because WalMart doen't want my tingamajig to ruin the market for their widget based on a non-market-driven reason. Clearly the market place of ideas rejects liberal talk radio, you say. I say, you're full of it and there are no RELEVANT statistics to back your point either.
Besides the issue here is fairness, not markets. In a democracy, all sides of an issue should be discussed and right now, that is not happening.
Ah yes, the old liberal playbook...when you can't compete...dumb down the market.
See page 14 of the playbook...when you have an inferior product...howl for government intervention...and put out a loud squeal that "it's not fair".
No, no dumbing down the market is rightwing radio's prime directive. Lay out issues in the most simplistic way so you're rabid, ignorant base can rally themselves into a lather with chants of "Government's Not Fair"
Ran out of steam, huh?
Keep clinging to the hope that the only reason your thingamajig doesn't sell is that people are too stupid...that's from page 8 of the old liberal playbook...the chapter on elitism.
Wesley you are so ignorant! It shouldn't surprise me. Are you actually implying that conservatives are more intelligent than liberals? So liberals have to resort to dirty tricks or something to even the playing field? Either way you "typically" get liberals wrong again.
I'm not implying anything...I'm referring to the comment from iowadem about conservatives, "you're rabid, ignorant base"
It makes no difference to me if you cling to the absurd proposition that airamerica is alive and well...but I must caution you on the medical hazards of continuing to hit yourself in the fist with your face.
Once again, read slowly so you can comprehend, Air America and other liberal talk radio is on the air as I type this. Seems you are the one devoid of reality.You are the ones clinging to absurd notions. You can't even accept something as evident as Air America being on the air and solvent. The denial is really quite puzzling. It's a simple fact, but if you accept it, you'll have to re-think your entire ridiculous premise. They say ignorance is bliss so I can't say as I blame you. Keep denying man.
- Air America and other liberal talk radio is on the air as I type this - bing
In a word...barely. Even Big Ed doesn't want anything to do with that bunch of losers.
At least we got you from bankrupt to barely on the air. Eventually you might actually come to the realization that Air America makes money and has a market. We can dream can't we? Keep trying Wesley.
You have provided no evidence that they are making money since their declared bankruptcy.
Their market? Even Bozo the Clown had a market when he was on the air...although a very tiny one.
Show some proof of their profitablity...show how many affliates they have...and their total market share...then we can discuss your claims.
It's up to you...until then...boring.
Google it you lazy slob! There's plenty of evidence. Go to Randi Rhodes web site to check out the latest affiliates ADDED. Let go of the denial man, it's really kind of creepy.
Do your own research. i know what I'm talking about before I write it, I don't run out and find links for the likes of you.
- i know what I'm talking about before I write it - bing
Great...show their profitability...number of affiliates...total market share.
I've done the research...lets see how honest you are...careful now...your credibility is at stake.
My credibility is at stake? I don't think so chief. I don't keepa running tab of affiliates nor do I race to check the national ratings for this demographic or that.
I've heard Bill OReilly and the rest of you yokels talk about the failure of Air America radio for 4 years and yet they are still on the air. Still getting callers, making commercials, and gaining affiliates.
That's what I thought...all hat and no cattle.
Thank you for validating this fact...you're uninformed.
OK! Oh that's funny. So very funny. Sorry I won't play along with your little game. hahahahahahahaha. Oh, wheeze, stop it!
I never called anyone stupid, although you are making a case to be the first today. I said that people don't know about my thingamajig because I sell it out of my garage rather than push it out of 1,000's of Megachurches called "Walmart"!
Because reality has a liberal bias and people are already generally "lilberal" they would buy into progrressive radio givent he chance! It's the whole point of this discussion.
- I never called anyone stupid - iowadem
- you're rabid, ignorant base - iowadem
That must be libspeak...that I don't understand.
Rabid and ignorant aren't stupid. I'll go the extra mile. You are ignorant, rabid AND stupid.
Thanks Bing, I didn't want to pull out the dictionary and spank him with it, but sometimes it just has to be done.
I got your back!
By the way, Wes, are you planning on responding to the substance of my post or have you "run out of steam"?
Nope...just waiting for Heckel and Jeckel to post some facts.
What kind of "facts" are you looking for. The ones where Air America is solvent and operating? The ones where corporate consolidation has perfectly coincided with right-wing radio domination? Democrats and their liberal ideas won the 2006 election despite the cacophony of howling from the rightwing talking heads on talk radio? The fact that you come in here and demand facts for anyone's opinion while providing none of your own?
If I need to present "facts" to you on these issues, then I fear they may fall on deaf ears. So you will pardon me if I ignore your demand and assume that the majority of people reading this thread understand.
I see, so you are for firing most of the faculty at Iowa and Iowa State Universities because the schools are publically owned and it is not fair that 90 percent of the faculty are liberal.
Great idea, a Fairness in Education Doctrine.
Well if conservatives didn't hate education so much maybe there would be more in our schools. They just hate critical thinking because if people can't think for themselves they sure as hell won't become conservatives.
Facts?! Since when are conservative concerned with facts? They just get in the way of your ideology.
good point. I would however remind everone that the airwaves are ultimately controled by the government, which gives the right to the corporation. Dont forget that this is really government censorship at root. It is also worked alot like payola used to be. Consistently put the songs you want to be hits on the radio and they become hits. Dont play what you want to fail.
There are two issues here: the popularity of Progressive Talk Radio, and the popularity of Air America. There are a lot of great progressive radio hosts out there who get decent ratings, but they generally get the cold shoulder from Air America because Air America is a cheap operation. I hate to say that, because I'm a liberal and had high hopes for it when it got underway ( it was the main reason I invested in XM radio.) Young Turks are boring and often offensive, Lionel is a joke, and Ed Schultz is too often afraid to defend the Progressive side and more interested in sucking up to his guests. Al Franken was great, but he's gone now. Sam Seder was great, but his daily show was canned over money issues. Tom Hartmann isnt carried by XM, so the satellite radio community only hears him on weekends. Mike Malloy and Jon Elliot are heard briefly, late night, or not at all. If Air America was willing to invest money on real talent instead of cutting corners, it would be a real threat to Conservative talk radio. But right now, its more interested in the bottom line, and the bottom line isnt about the message, its about making money.
This is a problem because progressive radio is not pushed and given the time to lose money like many of the conservative shows were early on. Rush didn't turn his mike on one day and have the most listened to show in the country. It took time for him to grow and the owners were more than willing to lose money on him early on in order to cement an audience. Air America has no such cushion.
And you can prove that Limbaugh "lost money" early on?
What's even funnier is the liberal defense that "we didn't have enough time to lose money"...sweet fancy moses...lol
Limbaugh himself admits that his career had several stops and starts before he got popular. Now, of course, Limbaugh is a well-known liar, so maybe we shouldnt assume he's telling the truth in this case, either...
While you didn't address the points of his ratings or revenue...you raise an interesting point.
During his rise to the top...he never bawled, "it's not fair"...like the howl from failing liberal talk radio.
Actually Wesley Limbaugh whined constantly about how liberals were trying to take him off the air and he encouraged his listeners to be very vocal about it. There was no proof of course. But it's also significant to note that the Miami market is Rush's back yard. If people are given a real choice they are choosing liberal talk. Because it's fact based, not just pimping for the Democratic Party, and conservatives are part of the programming.
You are really very smug and often completely wrong about your assumptions about liberals in general. I'd encourage everyone to just allow Wesley to make his ridiculous comments and treat him like a child that walks into the middle of a movie.
Are you Barbara Walters?
If MMFA were a movie, what movie would it be?
Dawn of the Dead?
I know it's hard for you to accept because you have been clinging to this myth that Air America is doomed but alas it's been 4 years and market share is growing. I'm not sure what Barbara Walters has to do with it. But I'm confident that it makes sense to you so have it.
I didn't listen to talk radio because there was nothing intelligent on it. now there is so I listen and enjoy it. I'm not the only one.
If MMFA were a movie, what movie would it be?Dawn of the Dead? - leatherhelmet / Monday June 25, 2007 02:08:54
George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead" is one of the finest horror movies of all time. A high tribute indeed from leatherhelmet.
And MediaMatters is eerily like Dawn of the Dead. The rational human protagonists trying to protect the future of civilization, while fending off the supernaturally influenced, droning Republo-zombies who come here coveting the juicy liberals' brains.
Wesley, Rush Limbaugh probably didn't have instant success when he began which hardly excuses Air America from doing well out of the gate. After all Liberals claim their ideas resonate with a majority, or at least half of the population, so wouldn't stand to reason that Air America or Liberal radio in general should have been an instant success? Of course it wasn't so it must be a vast right wing corporate plot.
The lack of logic around here is stunning!
"Rush Limbaugh probably didn't have instant success when he began ... so wouldn't [it]stand to reason that Air America or Liberal radio in general should have been an instant success?...The lack of logic around here is stunning!"- July Mom
Thanks for the witty critique of your own post, July Mom.
Gee Lefty I'm so sorry you can't refute what I wrote. But nice cut and crop job that proves absolutely nothing, other than you can't counter my post. But thanks for trying to play.
You contradicted yourself genius! No rebuttal necessary.
Here's the part of my post Left very conveniently left out in his crop job genius.
which hardly excuses Air America from doing well out of the gate. After all Liberals claim their ideas resonate with a majority, or at least half of the population
What a shame your reading skills are about 4th grade level. Also a shame that Lefty has to deliberately distort my post. Typical Liberal tactic, especially around here.
Why are you here? If we all are talking beneath you and don't understand logic you must just like to punish yourself? Or do you consider yourself a martyr? In any case, the condtradiction is this:
Rush didn't start out good.
Liberals should have started out good if their ideas truly resonated with the public.
Ruch must have started out slow because his ideas didn't resonate either.
Does this make it easy for you now?
Yes, please Wesley and July Mommy leave us poor unedumicated and ignorant liberals with our typical liberal tactics and please go to more intelligent web sites like drudge or town hall. You tried to edumicate us and we are clearly beyond all hope of reedumicating.
Is there really a liberal handbook?
If there is, I wasn't issued it at my last underground liberal meeting. I must have missed paying my dues!
They don't take money. We're communists remember? Comrade!
But, I thought we were limosine liberals with billions of dollars to spend on taxes (which we love) and bending the will of the populace to submit to our socialistic autocracy.
Our plans for world domination must be funded with our elitist dollars!
No no, other elitists dollars! We liberals must remain incredibaly wealthy so only tax Republicans, and dead people.
Man, I obviously need to bone up on my liberal talking points. I am a little rusty, I guess. You're right, though, only hard-working Americans who love the flag and freedom so much they put little decals on their SUV's and massive gas-guzzling trucks get taxed...oh, and law abiding corporations whose only admirable intent if to make money so the little guy can have a job (liberals just want regulations that drive them out of business and give all the jobs and welfare to illegal immigrants).
No one, in the history of the planet, has ever "given" anyone a job. And certainly no one has ever started a business for the purpose of giving someone a job. That's just a peice of Corporate Mythology.
People start businesses to MAKE MONEY. They cant make money without WORKERS. They hire workers to help them make MORE MONEY. There's no charitable impulse involved. Simple enough for you? Get it now? Or do you go into work every morning and fall to your knees and thank your boss for "giving" you your job?
Maybe you do such a CRAPPY job, it really IS charity to pay you to do it?
Liberals should have started out good if their ideas truly resonated with the public.
Wait you guys can't have it both ways. Are you saying Liberal ideas don't resonate with the public? Because the claim around here is usually the opposite.
More of that Liberal logic.
Rush was a newcomer to radio. Anyone just starting off has to build an audience. Air America had Franken and Rhodes, both already well known. Still they sank in the ratings.
Do you get the difference yet?
I don't think Rhodes was that well known. She certainly didn't have the name recognition of Franken -- and still doesn't, from what I can tell.
I think this idea that they should have done well "out of the gate" is fantasy. I'm sure AA would have enjoyed that kind of success. But at the same time, I'm not sure that Franken didn't do well right out of the gate. As I understand it, he competed well with established radio programming. I know I found his program interesting and extremely listenable. Just critiquing right wing media gave him all the material he needed for a daily program.
Thom Hartmann is claiming he reaches 2-3 million listeners per show. He is a man of upstanding character and credentials. That may not be Rush Limbaugh numbers but that's hardly a drop in the bucket.
Yea, Franken has done quite well. Even Libaugh would agree there. As for the others, outside of their local audience they were completely unknown. To have grown as quickly as they have while their conservative counterpoints continue to languish and decline is indicative of their appeal and, given an equal and fair chance, eventual competitive place on radio.
Typical liberal tactics, logic, reason and civility when it's shared. If you truly are a mommy, I pray for the education of your children. Lord knows we have to take care of enough idiots who were raised by conservatives.
Sorry, Julymom. I wasn't trying to distort anything, just editing for clarity.
How does the part I omitted change the meaning of your post at all? I was assuming if AirAmerica appealed to 1/2 of the country, then Rush must as well.
Seriously,your original post was not very clear, but I don't see how I "distorted" anything.
I thought I was being nice by not piling on Julymom, as she had already pointed out the problem with her own post.
Then Wesley has to really blast her credibility by saying she seems logical to him. Har!
However, your logic is not lacking...you nailed this issue.
The only defense that liberals can mount for their failed attempt at talk radio is to blather about conspiracies and a high pitched squeal that "it's not fair".
Good job, mom.
The "attempt" is not over by the way. Air America is still around, you know, as are a number of other progressive talk shows. There is work to be done, for sure, but the idea that progressive radio is dead is wrong.
I wonder what the argument will be when the shoe is on the other foot? When progressive radio dominates the airwaves, will we see the same passive acceptance by drooling rightwing ideologues? Methinks, not. I mean look at their rantings about the so-called "liberal media". They can't help but spout how "unfair" and un-American that is!
Oh you poor ignorant soul. Wesley, AirAmerica still exists reaching millions of listeners around the country even if people are forced to pay for it by buying XM radio. Liberal talk hasn't failed. I know reality is a sore subject for you but really, it's getting embarrassing.
Bankrupt generally means failure...
They aren't bankrupt. Now what talking point you going to flop out? Where do you get your propaganda from? Forget I asked.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013062airamerica1.html
OCTOBER 13--Air America Radio today filed for bankruptcy, listing liabilities in excess of $20 million and assets of only $4 million. The Chapter 11 filing by Piquant LLC, the radio network's parent company, was made in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The list of Air America's creditors runs 25 pages, and includes on-air personalities like Al Franken ($360,749.98) and Chuck D ($10,749.99), as well as law firms, landlords, limousine firms, and a variety of other businesses. The company's single largest creditor is Rob Glaser, founder of RealNetworks, who is owed $9.8 million, according to the bankruptcy petition. Below you will find an excerpt of the court filing showing all Air America debtors
And they are no longer in bankruptcy and didn't dissolve. Kind of destroys your theory doesn't it?
Someone bought them out of bankruptcy and is paying their bills, they didn't earn the money to pay their bills.
I don't care if Air America is on and if they succeed more power to them. You are the one saying they are so successful and the numbers and having to go through bankruptcy court suggest otherwise.
No leather you assumed I said something I didn't. I never said they were a financial boon. I said they were not bankrupt and were still on the air and getting advertising and affiliates. All true. Many companies don't do well, file for bankruptcy and move on. But to claim as Wesley was that they were a failure simply wasn't accurate.
Sorry bing, but a liberal icon...none other than Big Ed Schultz agrees with me:
- Air America sucks! Their programs are horrible. Their business practices are an embarrassment. They can't sell a single advertisement! They haven't made a dime! Al Franken leaving is the best thing that could have happened to talk radio. - Ed Schultz from dailykos
A line from a great Vern Gosdin song...That just about does it...don't it.
I like Ed Shultz. He's no icon. And he has been critical of their business plan and rightfully so. Liberals can be liberal and disagree. I know you think you got me but sadly you failed again.
Thank you Wesley. It's hard to understand the logic of some of the Liberal kids around here, but it's not a job I can do alone. But since it takes a village to raise them, it stands to reason it would take a village to cut through all their BS.
There is no BS from the liberals here mommy, it's all coming from you. AirAmerica is not bankrupt. Like many smug conservatives you believe you know what you are talking about but lo and behold you are operating from false pretenses. I'm listening to AirAmerica right now. Strange but commercials are being played, some of the on air talent actually does these commercials. That's strange if they aren't marketable or bankrupt. Perhaps you are just full of it.
Then stop whining. Air America is a colossal success.
Anyone got some aspirin? Liberal logic can give one a headache
Who's whining? You're the ones clinging to a myth and making fools of yourselves. Glad you could finally admit that Air America is solvent and commercially successful. Now take that pearl of wisdom and apply it to your overly emotional and ignorant world view. Feel free to take any necessary medication.
I'm sorry you don't get sarcasm Bingo.
No big surprise though.
Let me read your mind. Oh, I don't care. never mind.
If the media is market driven as y'all like to suggest, and there is a pervasive liberal media bias as y'all like to suggest wouldn't it stand to reason that the majority of us are liberal? Too logical for y'all? Y'all are wrong on all counts.
Yet they are still on the air, selling commercials etc. The AirAmerica is dead mantra can be put to bed now. It's been 4 years and revenue is heading in the correct direction.
Liberal talk radio has been a failure. People don't listen, if they did markets would be open for it and they'd be all over the dial.
The problem is that it is not very intertaining to watch liberals being reasonable, inclusive, comprehensive, or understanding. It's boring.
It will not sell adult diapers or payday loans.
Conflict, attack, controversy, hatred, animosity, zonophobia, racism are all much more exiting to overfed, over-stimulated under-excercised, uninformed, citizens. They will stay tuned in through the ads if you keep them "juiced up".
Liberals are not as good at delivering that product.
Even the TV and cable right wing talkers would have trouble making good ratings if they had to compete with live sex shows and blood sport. Success in the market place should not be the sole measure of worth.
Valid points. I think liberal talk radio doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator. Let's face it fart jokes and fear sell a lot more product than reasonable discourse, transcripts and actual audio content.
It's a different animal. I shudder when I hear some say that left radio is the same as right.They really are 2 different animals.
It's entirely possible that Inhofe was in an elevator and Clinton and Boxer said what he claimed--up until that last sentence. 2004? 2003? Two Democratic Senators discussing proposed legislation? When the Republican majority was talking 'the nuclear option' to eliminate the filibuster? Yeah, right. Legislative fixes. They'd be discussing that in public. Sure.
I think you've probably got it right. It is quite probable that he may have overheard a conversation in which the two Senators were complaining about the scourge of Conservative Talk Radio, becaus it is a huge problem; Feinstein's comments were absolutely correct. Given that, I think the "legislative fix" part was an embellishment on Inhofe's part, because he knew it would get him a lot of attention on Conservative Talk Radio...and it has.
The "legislative fix" is pretty apparent from this interview with Lott and Feinstein.
The fix is to get rid of career political hacks like these two stooges. Both blathered about the fact that the American public was too stupid to understand the immigration bill...it's complicated and has lots of moving parts...most people don't know what's really in the bill...blah blah blah.
That's just code speak for passing an unworkable piece of legislation and then crowing about their legislative success...when it's really a steaming pile of horseturds.
Lott and Feinstein are perfect examples of the rot in our political system...out of touch and consumed with retaining power...pompously speaking down to us from Olympus...because you and I are too stupid to know what's best for our country.
Yeah, the legislative fix is apparent...show these buffoons and others like them the gate.
I must agree with much of what you say. Washington has become incestuous and corrupt. Part of the blame, I believe, rests with the news media. Putting aside Right vs. Left, it seems that the Press in general has become lazy and sensationalized to the point that we are not getting the information we need, unless we're willing to dig for it. But, who cares? Paris Hilton gets out of jail tomorrow! Woo-Hoo!
I agree about the "lazy and sensational" aspect of your comment. The press is all too willing to repeat unfounded information without doing their job of confirming facts.
Many headlines or radio/tv teasers have no real connection to the underlying story.
While I disagree with mmfa's politics...big surprise...I respect the fact that they provide well sourced info...that I can "dig into" and make up my own mind.
FOX News new slogan: Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Inhofe : "I thought, 'Well, if the other day's not today' -- no, this is a long time ago."
Technically correct. There's today, and there's the "other days", which are all of the days from when the earth was formed up to and including yesterday.
I'll bet this Okie fish story has gotten a lot better over the years.
"Now -- and I've said that story so many times because it is funny, and people -- liberals don't understand that."
Here's a trick that liars use to back away when caught red-handed. He's basically telling us that it's a tall tale, but it's a good one, so he keeps on telling it. He also seems to think that the amount of times he's told it absolves him of any responsibility to the truth. He's told it 100 times, so who cares if it's true or not? It's a good story. But liberals just don't understand that you can't let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Conservatives figured out a long time ago that if you repeat a lie often enough, and you have the Corporate Media repeat it for you ad nauseum, it eventually becomes Fact. Gore Claimed He Invented The Internet. The Democrats Refused to let Bob Casey Speak at the 1992 Democratic Convention Because He's Pro-Life. The Republicans are Great On Foreign Policy and National Security, the Democrats are Weak on Both. And so on. The facts are totally unimportant- repetition ("launching the propaganda," as George W Bush put it) is the key.
When was the last time anyone heard a right winger say that the so-called "liberal media" was fair and indicative of the "marketplace" of ideas? If their argument that conservative radio is a ratings giant because it has won in the "marketplace of ideas" then how does that square with their conspiracy theory about the liberal leanings of our MSM? Which is it? A grand conspiracy or economics, guys?
When was the last time anyone heard a right winger say that the so-called "liberal media" was fair and indicative of the "marketplace" of ideas? If their argument that conservative radio is a ratings giant because it has won in the "marketplace of ideas" then how does that square with their conspiracy theory about the liberal leanings of our MSM? Which is it? A grand conspiracy or economics, guys? - IowaDem / Monday June 25, 2007 01:16:19 PM EST
A quick guide...
Talk Radio: Market Forces
"Liberal" Media: Conspiracy
Hollywood: Conspiracy
Academia: Conspiracy
Atmospheric & Life Sciences: Conspiracy
Thanks, Chris, for the clarification. It makes perfect sense now. In righty world anything that fits the ideology is due to their massive intellect and winning ideas. If something doesn't fit, then it is the product of a massive "liberal" conspiracy (i.e. "gay mafia" with their "gay agenda", the "liberal" MSM, global warming and the weather channel)
Exactly. if the main stream media is liberally biased and is market driven then by their own skewed logic they lose the debate in the market place of ideas.
Conservative ideas still suck, whether they are popular, market driven or more profitable. The Constitution is a liberal document signed by a bunch of liberals. Deal with it!
Which explains, Bing, why they have to corner the radio market to "catapult the propaganda" as their glorious leader would say.
Yes, this may shock our conservatives here but the founders were actually anti-capitalist! Gasp!!! The horror!
"Catapult the propaganda" = lying.
I guess righties love it when radio hosts endlessly repeat proven falsehoods and smears. Eases the guilt of their party ruining the country all in the name of the mighty $$.
Let them have their radio - we have the internet (and truth) on our side.
Back to the topic at hand. Doesn't it appear that Inhofe is senile? The other day, or 3 years ago, on the way to the capitol and now it's in the elevator. Global warming is a big hoax, etc. etc. The man isn't right in the head. He belongs on right wing radio.
It's kind of amazing to watch the downward spiral of Republicans at this point. It must be a little mind-numbing for them to witness the complete and utter dismantling of their supposed empire. Wasn't it just a few years ago there was talk of Republicans never losing control of any branch of government from now until forever. Now they are maniacally eating their own and spouting all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories as they fade into irrelevance. It would be kinda sad if they were, say a cute spider that spun webs with uplifting messages, but in this case I just wanna step on the icky spider!!
One thing you conservative yokels don't consider in your zeal to bury AirAmerica is the business model.quite radical really. Instead of selling a show they are trying to sell an entire network to radio stations. Many mistakes were made in the early days. Very little radio talent was hired on originally and the marketing has been horrible. Despite this they have a new owner new line ups and new affiliates. They can't wait for it to die but it refuses to. They say no one listens but here we are. They say it doesn't make money but they keep selling advertising.
Remind me to email Hannity a hate email for convincing these wingnuts they know how to debate an issue.
Have I been banned?
Not banned...just an error with the comment system.
Thanks Lukas. I am constantly flirting with using foul language. I don't wan to get bumped as I enjoy posting here.