Kitty To The Rescue

FLUFFY ON STEROIDS

Time For Our Secret Weapon



While we certainly don't expect news outlets in ultra-lefty Portland to ask book-tour hypocrites tough questions, today's Oregonian interview piece officially takes the Frankenfluffy cake.

For that rare honor, the Radio Equalizer rolls out ace interrogator Hello Kitty, fresh from Git'mo, who we think can hold Al Franken's feet to the fire much better than the Northwest's puff-piece-churning "journalists".

Kitty, we believe, could probably manage at least one question about Al Franken's knowledge of the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club scandal, where $875,000 in taxpayer funds were diverted from the Bronx-based nonprofit, to the liberal radio network.

With even a quick Google check, the Oregonian's Jeff Baker could have uncovered what we proved here, via a notarized document, that Franken at the very least knew about the scandal in 2004, not this past August, as he claims. Other questions about Franken's role in Air America's many flaps still beg to be asked.

In this alleged "interview", however, none of it is ever mentioned. Forget the Twin Cities townhouse, Al, Portland is the place for you! It's where corruption is overlooked, at least for those with the correct partisan designation.

It doesn't seem to be an accident, either, that it's one of the few cities where Franken actually admits to working for Air America! Elsewhere, he's generally failed to mention it, except when directly asked.

Yes, for partisan fluff of this magnitude, Baker is hereby inducted into the Frankenfluffy Hall of Shame. Get a load of this:


When Al Franken takes over the world, he won't forget the little people. Like you, Mr. and Mrs. Portland Liberal.

It was you who listened to Franken's talk show on the Air America Radio network, thereby convincing radio conglomerate Clear Channel to start carrying the network in other markets, thereby allowing Franken to run for the U.S. Senate and launch his political career.


But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Franken's on the phone from Air America headquarters in New York.

He's just finished his radio show and is getting ready to go on a national tour to promote his new book, "The Truth (With Jokes)" (Dutton, $25.95, 352 pages), and he's eager to give some love to his people in the Pacific Northwest, especially those who listen to him on KPOJ (620).

"Portland is great," Franken said. "We do really well in Portland. It's one of our better stations, and it's a Clear Channel station. Because of the progress we made in Portland, we're now on 27 Clear Channel stations around the country.

"What happened was we were doing well in Portland, but (Clear Channel) said, 'This is Portland, a very liberal city, so we need to try this in another market.'

So they took it to San Diego, and it worked there, so they've taken it elsewhere because they're seeing that every place they put us on, we go up and the right-wing stations go down."


Franken says San Diego "worked", but KLSD-AM is currently in 22nd place overall, according to Radio & Records. Again, basic Oregonian fact-checking could have uncovered this deceit. Ratings for the station essentially peaked a year ago, later dropping, then settling into a low-flying holding pattern.

Portland, Oregon, remains Air America's only real runaway success. That's great for KPOJ, but a network can't be built on one city alone.

As for his claim Air America's supposed "increasing" ratings mean conservative talk is losing listeners, can we have at least one piece of evidence to back that up?

More:

Those numbers are enough to make Franken chuckle with delight, something he does all the time, even when he's making a serious political point.

He's a comedian who cracks himself up and who enjoys tormenting Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh every day.

His one-word critique of O'Reilly's recent appearance on "The Daily Show": "Awful."

His one-word critique of O'Reilly can't be printed in a family newspaper. Reminded of this, Franken happily amended it to "jerk."


Al, have you seen the reviews of your recent TV appearances?


Once Franken declares his candidacy, for anything, he would have to give up his show on Air America.

He said he couldn't talk about his contract with the network but did say he didn't plan to replace his co-host, Katherine Lanpher, who left this month.

"I like radio a lot," Franken said.

"When I was writing this book, the three hours a day I was on the air I was like, 'My God, I don't have to write.'

There's a lot of preparation you have to do, and it can be a little relentless, but the immediacy of it is great."

Franken's show is made up of him talking, bantering with his producers and interviewing guests. He doesn't take many calls from listeners and can get into detailed conversations that can come across as scintillating or hopelessly wonky, depending on the topic or point of view.


Al, along with others on Air America, don't take calls because they lack necessary debating skills. Who are we kidding here?

Hope Franken's ready for Hello Kitty, the questions are about to get much, much tougher.

We're declaring war on Frankenfluffy.


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Hello Kitty, Mr. Franken graphics by Pete at IHillary

Franken Softballs by David A Lunde