John McCain, Rush Limbaugh, CBS Radio

MC CAIN VS LIMBAUGH

Also: CBS Dumping Stations In Droves





Will bashing conservative talkers Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage over the illegal immigration issue boost Sen. John McCain's 2008 electoral fortunes? Since it's obviously a part of his new presidential campaign strategy, the Republican from Arizona sure seems to think so.

Also included on his hit list: CNN anchor Lou Dobbs.

Coming from a state with perhaps America's biggest illegal alien crisis, is McCain really in a good position to attack commentators who merely reflect widespread voter sentiment on the issue?

Only upcoming polls will be able to say for sure.

To make his attacks, McCain used a New York Observer interview :

The exclusive audience included R.N.C. finance chair Lewis Eisenberg, Blackstone Group co-founder Peter G. Peterson, former Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman and Gail Hilson, the politically influential socialite who has organized events for Mr. McCain in the past.

“What kind of a country do we want to be?” Mr. McCain asked his audience, walking around in the middle of a horseshoe-shaped table as he proceeded to answer his own question.

He cautioned against ghettoizing immigrants, which he noted has brought about disastrous results in France, and criticized elements in his own party as “nativist” before lambasting the punditry of Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs and Michael Savage for helping to “fuel the problem,” according to two of the sources.

Limbaugh, for his part, didn't waste any time firing back. From a rough transcript prepared by the Rush Limbaugh Echo:

McCain is trying to drive a wedge. 'Nativists' are the last things we are. I have told you about my grandfather debating 'Immigration' in high school in 1904. I have supported the president's speech.

McCain is making it more complicated than it is. Just tell us how many immigrants you want to come in each year. Then explain enforcement.

For both Limbaugh and Savage (pictured right), the senator's ill-conceived antics are just what the doctor ordered. Heading into what would ordinarily be a slow summer season, the hosts now have in McCain a better target than they ever could have imagined.

Over at the Huffington Post, they're busy eating up whatever McCain has to say.

From the right, more at Isn't It Rich.


Elsewhere, why is CBS Radio so inclined to bail out of some of America's fastest growing metro areas? In medium- market regions across the country, it's now looking to sell a large number of stations.

Included on the newly- released list are outlets in San Antonio, Austin and Fresno.

In my latest Inside Radio column, we take a look at the firm's possible motives, as well as Wall Street's reaction.


Also: TVNewser reports ABC is partly digging in its heels on their now widely- discredited report that House Speaker Hastert was facing a corruption investigation. More from Powerline and Riehl World View.

--- At LGF: is the Voice Of America radio service merely a pro-Islamofascist propaganda tool?

--- In a station editorial, news/talker CJME/Regina wonders why Prime Minister Stephen Harper feels taking on the liberal (and Liberal) media is worth the hassle.

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