Lars Larson, Thom Hartmann, Talk Radio

ON THE OTHER FOOT

Over Military Avoidance, Libtalker Taken To Task







After years of conservative talk show hosts and Republican politicians being criticized over personal military service records, isn't it time to see the same standards applied to their liberal counterparts?

In a new piece for Human Events, Portland- based syndicated talk host Lars Larson has done just that, blasting Al Franken replacement Thom Hartmann (seen in left image) over a statement the latter recently made to the Oregonian newspaper.

In the story, Hartmann claims he avoided combat during the Vietnam War by flunking, perhaps intentionally, a necessary physical exam:

"LBJ wanted to kill me"

Born in 1951, Hartmann was raised to be a Republican by his father, Carl, a tool-and-die worker who sent his son to ring doorbells for Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign in 1964. Off to Michigan State University in 1967, the academic surroundings and the shadow of the Vietnam War pushed young Thom -- a precocious student -- leftward.

"I realized Lyndon Johnson wanted to kill me," he says.

Still, Hartmann joined the Air Force in 1968, thinking he could work as an engineer, thus avoiding dangerous duty. Quickly realizing he was wrong, Hartmann managed to flunk an end-of-basic-training physical, earning a quick ticket back to civilian life.

Back at Michigan State, Hartmann spun records and read the news on a local radio station. He met his wife, Louise, and dropped out of school, eventually starting an advertising agency with a friend. On the side, he founded an herbal tea company, which didn't do well. ("Celestial Seasons ate our lunch.")

Just yesterday, by the way, we took Hartmann to task over the same story, for a different reason.

Now, conservative rival talker Larson (seen here) has come out swinging against Hartmann over his Vietnam record.

Here is an excerpt from the piece:

Air America's New Standard Bearer
by Lars Larson


The standard liberal rap on President George W. Bush includes the often-disproved allegation that he failed to deliver on his military service commitment during the Viet Nam War.

Specifically, the left accuses the President of signing up for the National Guard to avoid being sent to Viet Nam and then reneging on his Guard duties to go off and do something frivolous while American draftees were fighting and dying in Asian jungles.

I was reminded of this liberal mantra this week as I read a fawning piece on the new standard bearer for the nation's only liberal talk radio network, Thom Hartmann...


(Second excerpt)


The guy picked to fill the funny man’s shoes… and go toe-to-toe with the single most successful man in talk radio… is Thom Hartmann. Thom and I know each other; we work in the same city (Portland, Oregon) for different companies but in studios that are only a few hundred yards apart. We disagree about almost everything political, but we regularly swap emails and we’ve even broken bread on occasion.

Then I read about his military record.

The February 19 Portland Oregonian newspaper (aka, The Daily Fish Wrapper) ran a glowing piece about Franken’s replacement this week. It quotes the Viet Nam era college student saying, "I realized Lyndon Johnson wanted to kill me," and then went on to say:

"...Hartmann joined the Air Force, thinking he could work as an engineer, thus avoiding dangerous duty. Quickly realizing he was wrong, Hartmann managed to flunk an end-of-basic training physical, earning a quick ticket back to civilian life.

Back at Michigan State, Hartmann spun records and read the news on a local radio station."

From this it's only reasonable to infer that Hartman lied his way out of the Air Force, which is a federal crime. Under Article 83 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice:

Any person who--

(1) procures his own enlistment or appointment in the armed forces by knowingly false representation or deliberate concealment as to his qualifications for the enlistment or appointment and receives pay or allowances thereunder; or

(2) Procures his own separation from the armed forces by knowingly false representation or deliberate concealment as to his eligibility for that separation;

shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

The man who will now lead the liberal battle against Rush Limbaugh in talk radio and who will tell America daily about the illegal war by the illicit president with the questionable military record has some very serious questions to answer about his apparent violation of the UCMJ.

I challenged Oregonian writer Peter Carlin about the softball treatment of Hartmann's departure from the military and he responded via e-mail on February 19, 2007:


If Thom were aggressively advocating that other people go off to fight after avoiding wartime service -- e.g. noted military enthusiasts Bush, Cheney, Limbaugh, et. al -- the conflict would have been that much more striking.

For Thom, who is nothing if not a persistent voice against the war, it's just another step in the established pattern. An interesting topic, though. Were you draft age during 'Nam? And what'd you do about it?


Thom will now lead the AAR talkers in telling America that we are in an illegal war created by an illegal President with an illicit record of military service. I wonder whether he will tell his audience that in 1967 America had a legal draft and a legal right to demand service from Thom and he found a way to get around it? Will he admit or deny lying his way out of the Air Force?

Eager to join the fun, Willamette Week, a lefty "alternative" publication serving Portland, has already weighed in on the battle.

Larson's point is well taken: if Hartmann really wants to be a big- shot after stepping into Al Franken's shoes, it's time for some honesty regarding his background.

In addition, we'd love to see him verify these wild audience claims.

You've stepped into the kitchen, Thom, here comes the heat.


ELSEWHERE: new items at SaveWRKO.


Will you support the Radio Equalizer?

Your Amazon orders that begin with clicks here, regardless of what you ultimately purchase, greatly assist this site's efforts.

Or, please consider making a contribution at the Honor System box. Thanks again!

Technorati tags: talk radio portland oregon oregonian lars larson thom hartmann air america al franken vietnam war vietnam service record