The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

30 July 2009

Libtalker Lynn Samuels Not Backing Down Over 'Birther' Story

'BERTHA THE BIRTHER'

While Others Come Under Fire, Host Remains Resolute







While populist radio and TV host Lou Dobbs remains under fire simply for discussing the issue of Barack Obama's birthplace and lingering questions surrounding its documentation, another talker is standing firm on the subject.

Longtime New York libtalker Lynn Samuels, who has recently made waves by openly questioning Obama's status, isn't allowing criticism of her position to interfere with outspokenness. Now heard on Sirius Satellite Radio's Sirius Left channel, Samuels is a former WABC-AM host.

Adding an element of self-deprecating humor to the mix, Samuels even called herself "Bertha The Birther" in an on-air segment heard during yesterday's program.

Here's the exclusive caught-on-tape clip:





As a campaign created by the left seeks the removal of Lou Dobbs from CNN simply for asking Obama to furnish his original birth certificate, it seems only a matter of time before this angry mob sets its sights on Samuels and her overt disloyalty.


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!


28 July 2009

Al Sharpton Frustrated Media Isn't Sufficiently Fanning The Flames

'THE FEAR I HAVE...'

Sharpton Unhappy With Media Coverage Of Gates 911 Tapes







At a time when
the White House has accused Rush Limbaugh of fanning the flames of racism in order to sell advertising on his show, it's interesting to note the behavior of the Reverend Al Sharpton since Cambridge Police released the Henry Louis Gates 911 tapes. Which side is doing the real race-baiting?

On yesterday's syndicated Al Sharpton Show, the host and niece / sidekick Brittany Sharpton lamented the rapidly-diminishing opportunity for divisiveness to be derived from the incident:



SHARPTON (00:58): You know one of the things Brittany that bothers me as I keep the television on in studio and the cable news station and they’re playing up "no mention of race".

The 911 caller didn’t mention race and the fear I have is when people see that headline they're gonna say, "oh, that proves there wasn’t race involved."

The caller not mentioning race does not mean that race wasn’t involved. It’s what the
cop was dealing with. Had nothing to do with what he was responding to. It’s the actions when he got there.


SHARPTON (43:52): Isn’t the fact that the policeman stepped over the threshold into the house without a warrant mean the policeman broke the law? What was he doing in the house without a warrant?

If Dr Gates establishes it was his house, the policeman had no business being in the house. He didn’t have a warrant and the person's whose house it was establishes it was his house and had not invited him in. So, what was he doing in the house? That’s why I think the President was not off-base saying this was not handled right.






If not for Obama's personal interjection into this issue, it would probably have disappeared from the news cycle several days ago.

With a White House meeting between the parties "on tap" for Thursday, however, the story isn't going anywhere. Will Al Sharpton & Friends yet find an effective way to exploit it?

FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!



24 July 2009

Al Sharpton's Niece Explores Punishment For Woman Who Called Cambridge Police

AL SHARPTON 2.0

Is It Possible To Make The Reverend Appear Moderate?







For those who have long felt the Reverend Al Sharpton was far too moderate, your prayers have finally been answered!

Meet Brittany Sharpton, his niece, radio sidekick and likely graduate of Angela Davis College, where she majored in Stop Snitchin'.

Because the debate over the arrest of Harvard's Henry Louis Gates Jr wasn't quite heated enough, Brittany (shown here, oddly enough, with Newt Gingrich) has decided to finally pin the blame where it belongs: on the neighbor who phoned Cambridge Police to report a possible burglary.

Even when Al Sharpton Show guest David A Wilson attempted to shoot down Brittany's questions about "repercussions" for the nearby resident who called the cops, she pushed the subject anyway. Clearly concerned that his niece was shifting the direction too far from his anti-police tirades, it took Uncle Al's intervention to refocus on the designated talking points.


Here's the clip and partial transcript:






BRITTANY SHARPTON (44:24): What I was also wondering is what should be the repercussions for this lady that reportedly you know called and thought someone was breaking in. If he’s lived here for so many years, I’m sure she knew that, even if she didn’t... (Guest David A Wilson interrupts)


DAVID A WILSON: Well maybe she didn’t know. It just one of those sort of things where it’s difficult. Yeah, cause you would think that she would have recognized him, or you know, I don’t know the circumstances behind that.


BRITTANY SHARPTON: Cause I’m thinking, even when the police came and she realized, okay, I’m sure she was still quote-unquote looking out her window she saw that this was Professor Gates, her neighbor after all these years. She should at least you know stopped it just seems like you know anyone could basically report anything and this is what happens when you’re black.


If this is any indication of what can be expected from the next generation of "civil rights leaders", then we'd all better watch out.


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!

22 July 2009

Montel Williams Suggests Republicans Advocate Mass Murder

'JUST SHOOT 'EM'

Libtalker Montel Has Idea For GOP's Obamacare Opponents





*** CAUGHT-ON-TAPE EXCLUSIVE ***


Doing his part to push Obama's socialized medicine plan, Air America libtalker Montel Williams believes the "reform" legislation is so foolproof that the GOP's only potential alternative plan would be mass executions for the uninsured.

Here's the clip, followed by a transcript:






MONTEL WILLIAMS (hour two, 27:24): If in fact the GOP doesn't like any form of... health-care reform, what do we do with those 40 to 60 million uninsured?

From this point on, I'm telling ya, when they show up at the emergency room, just shoot 'em! Kill them! Drag them off and throw them in... I saw that in Kenya.

I [saw] people dying in the [Nairobi] slums, and every morning somebody goes through and retrieves the bodies. If we really say... we can't help those 40 million people, do we have enough body bags? I don't know...


Say what you want about whether Williams is half-joking, serious, or whatever, but if this is what passes for constructive discourse, it's no wonder Obama's plan is facing so much internal resistance from moderate Democrats.

Williams is apparently unaware that millions of these uninsured Americans already qualify for taxpayer-funded public health insurance.

Nor is it any surprise that Barack himself has yet to grasp the proposal's key points.

This isn't the first time we've heard mass-murder rhetoric from liberal talk radio as it relates to their conservative opposition. Why has this become a recurring theme?



FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!

21 July 2009

Al Sharpton Angry With Callers Critical Of Barack Obama

'SHUT UP!'

Protecting Obama, Angry Sharpton Turns Against Audience





*** CAUGHT-ON-TAPE EXCLUSIVE ***


Faced with an increasing number of calls from African-American listeners angry with Barack Obama's performance, a frustrated Reverend Al Sharpton has begun to turn against his own radio audience in an attempt to diffuse it.

Until a week or so ago, Sharpton's radio callers remained seemingly euphoric over Obama's victory, rarely raising critical points. Almost with the flick of a switch, however, listeners are suddenly phoning the syndicated liberal talk host to express their concerns over unfulfilled promises and unclear results.

While polls still show Obama with as much as 97% approval among African-Americans, that doesn't mean there aren't significant concerns beneath the surface.

But these frustrated supporters, both men and women, have clearly phoned the wrong program. Rather than discuss their grievances, Sharpton has taken to angry outbursts, personal insults and threats. Only one, a woman named Fay from Detroit, seemed able to find him agreeable to her points.

Though Sharpton is known for attention-generating public confrontations, his radio program is normally quite the opposite, generally featuring polite conversation and often avoids controversy altogether.

In order to save Obama's strongest base of political support, is Sharpton willing to sacrifice his audience? You betcha.


First, here's the caught-on-tape clip capturing two of these callers, followed by transcripts of three. All have taken place over the past week on his syndicated radio program:







MARK ALLEN (CALLER) (48:22): Listen, man, I want to say something about the President’s (NAACP) speech. You know Al, you’ve run for office before and I can’t imagine after 30 years of us working together in the trenches that you’ve finally become Senator or whatever and I can’t talk to you no more, or you don’t respond the way that you do now to different people that call you from around the world. Even today, they bring you issues. You respond back with yes, no, maybe so. Or something. I think that we had this conversation several months ago.

Remember when Barack Obama first announced, he was going to develop this office on urban policy that was going to lift the people up on the bottom in urban areas, based upon what happens in Chicago.

Well, months later, Chicago's blowing up. Where’s the urban policy? New York, Detroit, all these areas where the NAACP has chapters, they’re dealing with record unemployment, rise in urban crime. And then as opposed to coming before all of these chapters and say look, here’s how my public policy is about to lift all your people up. That you could hold, be publicly accountable to. He gives one of those good, I told you so, do this kind of speech and walk away without saying any public policy by which the people can hold… (Sharpton interrupts)


SHARPTON: So you think there wasn’t enough policy in his speech?


ALLEN: I think he did one of those good Sunday morning, like some preachers say, all I gotta do is get up and speak for twenty minutes. I could go back to I could give a good feel-good session. But, when it’s over, I didn’t hear him say nothing about urban policy? Do you know right now Al, there are hundreds of millions of dollars that are still sitting in various levels of bureaucracy of people who got grass roots job programs to put people to work right now. The anti-crime program, ceasefire.

SHARPTON: Well see, I think where I do agree with you is there’s got to be some specifics that why we having the Conference in Atlanta following this up and some of his White House people will be there and we had on the head of urban policy the other day. I agree with you there, but I also question what kind of preachers you hang out with that all they want to do is make us feel good twenty minutes on Sunday morning. But I understand. I know some of the folks you hang out with in Chicago, so I’ll let that go, Mark. We’ll take a break. We’ll be right back.


[...]


SHARPTON: Let’s go to Sadiki in Boston. Sadeki?


SADIKI KAMBON: Rev. Sharpton, how you doing?


SHARPTON: Good how are you?


KAMBON: You and your assistant there, I hope you’re having a good day. What I was calling for is I know there has been a lot of talk in terms of whether or not the President talks down to black people. Let me just say, well, there’s a couple of things. Number one that in certain respects I think that we allow President Obama to patronize us.

Examples being that, like for instance, I think that the NAACP speech and others, nice speeches, but he didn’t say anything and in certain aspects of the words, basically you know critical of black people just like Father’s Day, not this Father’s Day, the one before it. On that Father’s Day he came up and criticized black men in particular about responsibility, which we need to deal with, but did not necessarily have to deal with then.

But for me, when I say patronize, it seems like black folk are still caught up in the euphoria of his election and it’s because he’s a black President that we allow things to happen. Say for instance, and that includes black leadership. Like for instance, the International Conference on Racism, his boycotting that.

And worst thing, we don’t agree with it. Now, do you think the Jews said would say we didn’t we don’t agree with you if he was to send a delegation? No, they told him you better not send a delegation.

Also on the issue of black farmers, where is the money for the black farmers in terms of the compensation for past wrongdoings? The black college issue, I heard you talking about the fact and this is the whole thing about patronizing that he appointed as special consultant to deal on the issue of black colleges. You don’t need a special consultant Mr. President. Put the $85 million dollars back there, not only on a temporary basis, but on a permanent basis.


[...]

SHARPTON (Addressing Sadiki's earlier call, as promised): Where I disagree with a lot of people and I have to say this, is that President Obama is doing what he promised. When some of us said during the election that we need to get straight on things about the black community, a lot of people called, no don’t do that, y’all just jealous, y’all player hating. Told us to shut up.

Now, he is doing exactly what he promised and y’all want us to go back now and make him do something he never promised. The reason that I’ve been so supportive of the President, he ain’t he’s not lied he never told no body he I got to apologize for slavery. He ain’t saying noting now he didn’t say last year. He never told y’all he was supporting reparations. He said he didn’t and y’all beat us down. ‘You gotta support the brother. What are you taking so long for, Sharpton?’

One lady from Chicago ran around lying that I cut a deal with Clinton. And I we went ahead and supported it. Now, when people ain’t getting what they did, what they wanted, its cause we couldn’t get a lot of this press in advance because they told us to shut up and let it go through. So, I mean blame yourselves, activists!

Thank you Fred. Let’s go to Facebook and Twitter.

Now, when I say blame yourselves that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hold him accountable because we should and it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stay on these issues, and we will. That’s one of the reason we’ve been on these things. But, I don’t want to hear it from some people because they were the same people criticizing me when I said ‘Mr. Obama I want to know this that and the other thing' in advance and made him come to our convention and deal with that. They accuse us of everything. Should we hold him accountable? Yes. Should we be critical? Yes.

But should some of y’all that jumped on us and told us don’t ask him no questions, shut up, I don’t want to hear from you! I want and I dare you to call my show because I’m going to tell you to your face, you didn’t want it. Some of y’all thought you were going to get your little deal, you didn’t get it and now you’re mad. Hello. Cause I know people who went publicly hollering and screaming, “where’s Sharpton? What’s the deal?’


[...]


FAY (female caller from Detroit): Okay, hi Rev Al Sharpton and Britney (producer / niece). My opinion is, the President is keeping to his campaign promises, but he’s not completing things. He’s taking on too many things at one time. For example, we need jobs. People need jobs. If you don’t have jobs, you can’t revenue money and you can’t bring in money. I just feel that even though he (Obama) gave money out to the different states, no jobs were created. People are still losing… (call disconnected)


SHARPTON: Now I think you have a legitimate concern. The one thing I think there’s a problem and I saw the President’s Budget Director on one of the shows last night, is that you know they’re not in this recovery, there’s not jobs that are being I think that’s a legitimate concern. So on that one I’ll give you that. I think Fay raises a very good concern.


From here, will Sharpton continue to take these calls, screen them out, or develop a new strategy altogether? Only one thing's for sure: there will be more.


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




17 July 2009

MSNBC's Schultz Has On-Air Meltdown Over Rush Limbaugh

WHO'S THE REAL 'LOSER'?

Would Ed Schultz Really Stand By His Claims?







In broadcasting, there's
an old saying that it's perfectly okay to develop a huge ego, as long as the ratings are there to back it up.

Clearly, Ed Schultz is unaware of this, or he's gone so far off the deep end that he has lost any sense of self-awareness. That's perhaps the only way to explain his increasingly-desperate tirades against conservatives, other liberals (!) and even callers.

Sure, he's looking for attention and in providing it here, there is some risk in simply handing him the career promotion Schultz (seen in image in front row of presidential news conference) craves more than life itself. On the other hand, his claims are so dubious as to demand our scrutiny.

Using personal insults to attack Rush Limbaugh is now so common on the left side of the political fence that it's almost become mundane. Schultz, however, takes the hate to a new level, making fun of El Rushbo's hearing loss and perhaps worst of all, calling him a "fat pig" and a "loser":


Here's the exclusive Radio Equalizer clip and transcript from Wednesday's Ed Schultz Show:





SCHULTZ (18:36): Apparently the drug-ridden loser Rush Limbaugh, he thinks because he's got a lot of money and a lot of stations that he's a success in life, the guy that can't hear because he did so many drugs and had no self-discipline and character has now taken his first shot at me on "The Ed Show" on MSNBC. I love it!


SCHULTZ: Do you know why we call it "The Ed Show"? Because I'm not beholden to anybody. I don't need to be called some title, other than me, Ed! And I start every show with an Op-*Ed*.

And I'm inviting the drug-ridden scumbag, Rush Limbaugh, on The Ed Show to debate me on any topic! He won't do it because he's a drug addict and he's a coward, a complete coward. Plus he probably couldn't hear me if he was on The Ed Show.


SCHULTZ: C'mon you fat pig. Let's get it on. I'm getting ratings without you. Hell, I'm doing you a favor. C'mon, Rush! Let's get it on! Get out of your compound down there. Get away from your drugs. Go see the doctor and get some hearing. Maybe you could pick up a 19th girlfriend. Maybe you could try marriage again. By the way, Rush, you got any kids? Oh, you're out of the mainstream!

Oh but you got a radio show that they shove on everybody. C'mon, Rush, come on "The Ed Show". Prove to your listeners that you're not a coward. By the way, let's play golf since you like to do that. My family can kick your ass in that too.



But who is the real "loser"? Since successful talk stations are built around his program, it's hard to imagine any station believing Rush Limbaugh has been "forced" upon them.

At the same time, Ed's MSNBC ratings simply do not supply Schultz with bragging rights. In fact, they are abysmal. On Wednesday, for example, The Ed Show had the lowest 25-54 ratings in all of cable news-talk, with an average of just 71,000 viewers. Even Headline News beat him. Yesterday, the numbers were only marginally better.

In the end, if Ed cares at all about maintaining personal credibility, he should refrain from attempting to deny Rush Limbaugh's success. That simply isn't in dispute.


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




15 July 2009

Left-wing Firebrand Lynn Samuels Questions Obama's True Place Of Birth

'HE'S LYING'

Libtalker Sirius About Challenging Obama's Claims







It's radio's equivalent of a man-bites-dog story: a left-wing talker jumping into an Obama controversy that even some conservative hosts and bloggers find difficult to discuss.

The flap over Barack Obama's birth certificate and whether he was truly born inside the United States, or in Kenya as some have alleged, seemed to die down a bit after the election. Several recent developments, however, have the Internet once again buzzing:


A US Army Major has successfully (?) argued that he shouldn't be deployed to Afghanistan because the Commander-in-Chief isn't legitimately serving as US president. The Army has now determined that he will not be required to report for duty.


A federal judge in California has agreed to hear a case that would attempt to settle the issue.


Lingering confusion over which Hawaiian hospital is claimed to be Obama's birthplace has raised new questions.


Enter Lynn Samuels, longtime liberal firebrand formerly of WABC radio in New York City and now featured on the "Sirius Left" channel at the satellite radio network. During Monday's program, Samuels made this surprising case for a cover-up in the Obama birth certificate matter:






Samuels is far better known for over-the-top rhetoric against Dan Quayle and other conservatives. Here's an interview she did with a left-wing Internet site after her removal from WABC in 2002.

Given these recent developments, it appears the issue could re-emerge on the political frontburner at an unexpected time. If Obama has definitive evidence to support the claim of a Hawaiian birth, will he bring it forward, or allow this matter to fester for years to come?


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




14 July 2009

Republican AG Sues Over 'Racist' Ratings System

SHARPTON'S SERVANT?

Republican AG McCollum Sues Over 'Racist' Ratings







Just one day after an unprecedented request for a federal minority broadcasting bailout was made, a new front in the war against "racist" ratings has opened up in the state of Florida.

It's enough to make Al Sharpton & Friends jump for joy twice over: while weakened radio operators he favors seek to grab lifesaving taxpayer handouts, the new, more accurate electronic ratings system that prevents cheating is potentially shut down.

Known as the Portable People Meter (PPM), Arbitron's high-tech measuring device does away with old-style, fraud-prone diaries. In many cities, the updated technique has revealed significantly higher news-talk ratings, seemingly at the expense of hip-hop and certain other music stations. Diaries were prone to great exaggeration by highly-motivated fans of FM morning shows on music stations.

While campaigning last year, Barack Obama took an official position against PPM.

Eliminating PPM could have the effect of reducing ratings for Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Dr Laura Schlessinger and a host of local talkers across the country.


But while previous opposition to PPM on racial grounds has come entirely from Democrats, today they were happily joined by a Republican: Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. A declared candidate for governor next year, McCollum today took the extreme step of filing suit against Arbitron, claiming PPM is harming minority-owned stations.

From the South Florida Business Journal:


The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court by Attorney General Bill McCollum, alleges that Arbitron’s sampling methodology “significantly undercounts” minority listeners, and that the “flawed ratings … threaten the viability of ratio stations … that air programming targeted at those minorities.”

Arbitron solicits listeners intended to be representative of the market being measured. They agree to have their radio listening monitored through Portable People Meters (PPMs), which record encoded transmissions in radio frequencies detected in the vicinity of the device. Arbitron then converts the data into ratings of the radio stations in that market. Those ratings are expected to be released later this week.

Advertisers rely on the ratings to determine where to buy commercials. The lawsuit alleges that Arbitron’s PPM service produces unreliable ratings because it fails to recruit minorities as panelists and, ultimately, fails to use sufficient data from minorities to calculate ratings.

The suit claims that Arbitron has produced “pre-currency” ratings in the Miami area market based on the new methodology that “show significant decreases for several minority broadcasters, especially given the fact that certain minority broadcasters are not subscribing to this methodology and are thus excluded from the ratings.”

Advertising agencies have already begun contacting numerous minority broadcasters in the Miami market, seeking to negotiate a 30 percent to 50 percent discount in their rates in anticipation of the currency ratings under Arbitron’s new methodology, the suit claims.


But pre-currency ratings
are not legitmate, they represent a trial run in each market while Arbitron fine-tunes the system. To file suit based on those preliminary numbers is putting the cart before the horse.

While suits have also been filed in Maryland and New York, this is the first case of a Republican being pulled into Sharpton's kooky ratings conspiracy theory. If McCollum has made this move to boost his gubernatorial candidacy, he'd better watch for a potential backlash from conservative talk radio fans who aren't inclined to carry water for friends of Obama.


Meanwhile, Arbitron faces renewed pressure over PPM from far-left Democrats in the House of Representatives, who are now pushing for a second congressional investigation. From Research:


Critics of Arbitron’s portable people meter-based (PPM) radio ratings system are lobbying for a second congressional investigation into claims that minority broadcasters have been adversely affected by the introduction of the technology.

James Winston, executive director of the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (Nabob), led calls for the House Committee on the Judiciary - chaired by Congressman John Conyers (pictured) - to intervene at a hearing last Thursday, citing Arbitron’s “failure” to obtain accreditation from the Media Rating Council (MRC) in 13 out of 15 PPM markets as grounds for an investigation.

“Arbitron has not implemented PPM correctly, and the refusal of the MRC to accredit it only reinforces the accuracy of Nabob’s assessment,” Winston said. “If Arbitron is allowed to move forward issuing flawed reports on African-American and Hispanic audiences, it will result in huge financial losses for the radio stations serving those audiences and might even force some stations out of business.”

Last week’s hearing focused on trends affecting minority broadcast ownership. Though other issues were raised in the testimonies given by witnesses, the introduction of PPM emerged as a common cause for concern. Already the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are holding their own inquiries.


Under unprecedented political
pressure, Arbitron counters that the government can't control a private company's proprietary research. PPM foes seem to realize this, that's why their approach involves nothing less than brute force to eliminate this technological advancement in audience measurement.


McCollum image: Orlando Sentinel

FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.


Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




13 July 2009

Sotomayor Backers Resort To Old Rush-Bashing Trick

ANTI-RUSH RE-RUN

'Act Blue' Pushes Fundraising To Air Divisive Radio Ad







Recycling an old idea that has previously produced unclear results, left-wing groups backing US Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor are raising money to air new Spanish-language anti-Rush Limbaugh ads.

Working in conjunction with ActBlue, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) seeks to air the Rush- bashing spot on as many stations as possible, hoping to spark pro- Sotomayor calls to congressional representatives.

PCCC says that its staffers are former MoveOn.org activists, as well as advisors to 2008 Democratic campaigns, while ActBlue is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with directors coming primarily from the ranks of the Bay State's left-wing political establishment.

Called "Denuncia Rush", the campaign has so far raised $1520 (Update: over $2000) toward the purchase of airtime. It's also been uploaded to YouTube:





At NewsBusters, there's a discussion of this campaign.


In March, Democrats hoped
to erect a billboard near Limbaugh's home (seen above) that would attack the syndicated talker, but the effort ultimately fizzled.

Beyond needlessly promoting ethnic division, it's hard to fathom what Democrats are hoping to accomplish with this ad. Since Sotomayor is widely seen as having a lock on the nomination process, the effort would seem unnecessary.

So what is their true goal? Is this simply another excuse to bash conservative talk radio?



FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




11 July 2009

Libtalker Ed Schultz Takes Heat For Slamming Al Franken

BLOWBACK

Franken Proves A Particularly Polarizing Figure







Since his installation
as US Senator, the biggest surprise regarding Al Franken is how polarizing he can be within his own liberal side of the fence.

For slamming Franken on the air, libtalker Ed Schultz faced almost immediate blowback from callers. Was Ed prepared? It doesn't appear that way.

Here's one example that turned particularly nasty:





CALLER (35:10): You know, I listen to you talk about Rush Limbaugh and how awful he is. You're becoming him, Ed. You've got to become ...

SCHULTZ: Now, you're, you're, you're way over the top now. That is a personal shot. I am not a drug addict, you bastard.


CALLER: Sounds like you're drinking.

SCHULTZ: And how dare you call me that.


CALLER: It sounds like you're drinking.

SCHULTZ: And how dare you call me that ...


CALLER: I didn't call you a drug addict ...

SCHULTZ: How dare you, how dare you put me in what that scumbag who is a liar. I'm not a liar. Let me tell you, John, I am not a liar.


CALLER: Oh, I believe that you're not a liar ...


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




10 July 2009

Al Franken's Former Talk Radio Colleagues Vocalize Disapproval

FRANKEN-LY UNHAPPY

Schultz Tirade Against New Senator Provides Reality Check




*** FRESH UPDATE HERE: SCHULTZ TAKES CALLER HEAT FOR SLAMMING FRANKEN ***


Likely knowing full well that Al Franken has yet to prove his worth as a US Senator, the alleged funnyman's mainstream media pals are working overtime to remake his dodgy image.

Suddenly, Stuart Smalley is revealing his "solemn" side, studying the issues and making a real effort to work with others. Heck, he's even a great roommate!

Peel away that thin layer of overt partisan spin, however, and it becomes clear that unease related to Franken's legendary personal baggage remains as strong as ever. Worse, his recent words and actions have generated new anger, this time from the left.


Leading the charge on that front is MSNBC / syndicated radio libtalker Ed Schultz, who has been outspoken this week in airing grievances against a politician whose candidacy he strongly supported. Schultz believes Franken has already sold out his beliefs in exchange for Beltway-style good 'ol boys acceptance.

From Tuesday's radio program, here's the exclusive audio and transcript:


SCHULTZ (03:51): Franken, I don't care if it's his first day in the Senate, I don't like what I'm hearing! How do you stand in front of crowds and listen to what people want for several years and then go to Washington and say, I'm proud to be number two from Minnesota! That's my vote, buddy! I did everything I could to help you defeat Norm Coleman!

I don't want you to go say that you're the number two senator from Minnesota. I don't want the bar lowered to the point where, well, we're really not sure if we can get this done or not. Where's all that tough talk in these books you sold about what a big fatass Limbaugh is! Why don't you go call the Republicans a bunch of fatasses and we're going to kick your ass and IT'S TIME NOW TO GET IT DONE! -


SCHULTZ (05:57): The irony of this is unbelievable! For of all people, to be number 60, a guy who has been torn apart by the righties! Beaten up by O'Reilly! Trashed by Hannity! Ripped apart by Limbaugh! Made fun of (makes mocking voice), Air America this, Air America that, dut da dut da dut, and what does Al do? (with heavy sarcasm) He's ready to reach across the aisle (sigh)...







In addition, newly-discovered
audio of a January edition of the Randi Rhodes Show reveals why she doesn't think Franken will make an "honest" senator:


RHODES - 07 JANUARY 2009 - (8:12): Minnesota? Who the hell knows what’s going on there. First, it’s really kind of creepy. I gotta tell you you. Here’s your choices in Minnesota, worse or worst. Pick one.

You think I care, you’ve got worse and worst. That’s what you’ve got to choose from there. At one point for a really long time worse is 200 votes ahead. Then worst get 200 votes ahead.

Now you know they go we counted some much we get anymore we get like I can’t count anymore, certify something. Oh well we will certify, eeny meeny miney Franken. You should certify Tom Davis, he was the funny one. Seriously. You know I. So they certify Franken, I’m like holy crap, I can’t believe that. I cannot believe it.


RHODES (34:52): The reasons that I have for thinking he (Franken) will make a terrible Senator are really valid. I’ve kept them to myself. I’ve not put them on the air. I let the man run without the burden of what I know, which is all documentable and researchable and you can find it on the Internet. Never said a word. Left it to the voters in Minnesota to find out. Left it to Norm Coleman to expose it if he did some background operational research he could have found a lot of stuff. Didn’t bother to do it.

It’s Norm Coleman’s fault. I tell you that I think Norm Coleman is a horrible Senator. I think he’s a horn dog. I think he’s a womanizer. I think he’s a liar and I think he’s a terrible senator.

On the other hand, I’ve got plenty of reasons to believe that Al Franken is not going to be the type of honest senator, the kind of transparent operator that were were voting for. The kind of transparency and accountability that we voted for, he doesn’t fit that mold. I know some stuff. I choose not to put it on the air.






Why is it that so many who've worked closely with Al Franken in the past have since become his most outspoken critics?


Classic Franken image: David A Lunde

FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




07 July 2009

Sharpton Caller Links Sarah Palin, Michael Jackson

'THAT'S INTERESTING'

Sharpton Willing To Entertain Palin - Jackson Plot Scenario







Did Sarah Palin step
down as governor of Alaska because she was about to be exposed as having "done something" to Michael Jackson?

At a time when many on the left are using Jackson's death for political purposes, especially to smear conservatives (or anyone suggesting Jacko was not a saint), this one deserves to win first prize for sheer creativity. At the time of his passing, your Radio Equalizer warned of this inevitable trend.

While that kind of kooky theory might sound preposterously funny to the mentally well-adjusted among us, a caller to Al Sharpton's radio show yesterday appeared absolutely serious in suggesting a Palin-led plot to get Michael Jackson.

It's probably the wackiest Sharpton moment since The Reverend called Somali pirates a "voluntary coast guard".


Hey, there are always nutty callers out there, right? And occasionally, they sneak past call-screeners and reach the airwaves.

What's different here, however, is Sharpton's willingness to entertain the possibility, rather than dismiss it outright.

Sure, why not? No theory is too bizarre for the king of conspiracies.

Here's the transcript and clip:





FEMALE CALLER (31:50): He (Michael Jackson) is truly the soundtrack of my life. I also have a theory about Sarah Palin as well and I’m going to put it out there on radio, hopefully someone can investigate.

But, I think maybe she did something to Michael Jackson. Maybe there’s a scandal there. Maybe she’s stepping down because something’s about to come out. I don’t know, but I’m gonna just put it out there on your show so we’ll see.


SHARPTON: All right, thank you for your call, Ashley. That’s interesting. I’ll put it out, we’ll see. I don’t know.


Is it really interesting, Al, or certifiably nutty? Sharpton has cooked up so many conspiracies over the years that it's no wonder his listeners feel comfortable sharing them on his program.


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.


Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!




05 July 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Rush Limbaugh Breaks Silence Over Palin Resignation

'IT'S ALL SPECULATION'

RUSH: Establishment 'Still Scared To Death Of (Palin)'





*** EXCLUSIVE TO THE RADIO EQUALIZER ***


How does Rush Limbaugh
see Sarah Palin's resignation announcement?

Though an assortment of pundits both left and right have been quick to offer their views on Palin's move to step down as governor of Alaska, the talk titan has been one of the most significant figures to remain absent from the debate.

With her press conference taking place after the end of his Friday program and El Rushbo's summer golfing holiday beginning immediately thereafter, there has been no opportunity to comment on a development that has shaken the political world.

Through persistence and a bit of luck, however, your Radio Equalizer was able to track down Limbaugh, who offered a three minute taped answer to our key question: does Sarah Palin have a political future?

In the response, Limbaugh denounced Beltway and state-run media speculation over Palin's next move, as well as dismissals of her future viability, comparing it to unfounded rumors regarding Michael Jackson's actual cause of death. He was careful to note that both establishment Democrats and Republicans were writing her political obituary, but that it was more than premature.


Here's the exclusive
Radio Equalizer clip featuring Rush's response:





Limbaugh's analysis bears some resemblance to fellow talker Mark Levin's, which we featured in our previous post. Also included there is an exclusive interview with Dr Laura Schlessinger on how family issues may have played a role in Palin's decision.


Meanwhile, Ann Coulter has also added her two cents to the debate with a commentary featured at WowOWow, a site for women:


It’s a weird Washington insider perspective to be perplexed by what she’s doing. Contrary to Mark Sanford’s e-mails to his mistress, no one was really impressed with him; 99.99999999999999999% of Americans didn’t know who he was.

Who is more influential: Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge and Bill O’Reilly, or Tim Pawlenty, Bobby Jindal and Mark Sanford (before the fall)? As Palin said, God bless people who run for political office, but – and she didn’t say this part – she’s too big to be a lame-duck governor stuck dealing with fishing licenses in Anchorage right now.

She’ll be much bigger now and can play on the national stage without constantly setting off state ethics investigations by loons, parasites and liberals. None of this applied to McCain or Kerry – both of whom went back to the Senate – because their national campaigns diminished them. Palin’s national campaign made her a major star. As she said, she’s not retreating, she’s advancing in another direction.


ALSO: No FBI investigation of Palin


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.


Amazon orders originating with clicks here benefit The Radio Equalizer's ongoing operations.

Your PayPal contributions keep this site humming along. Thanks!






 
Page Rank Checker

Powered by Blogger