Between MSNBC, the radio gig and political operations, the Reverend Al Sharpton's income these days is comfortably one-percenter.
That's why the thought of paying considerably more during Obama's Regime II: The Crappy Sequel must be especially distressing for the Rev. He'll defend his friend until the end, but the pocketbook certainly will take a big hit. During Thursday's edition of Keeping It Real, Al stumbled when a caller confronted him with the facts about O's coming tax hikes. Even when the battle turned emotional and opportunities existed to clarify some assertions (such as the difference between ordinary and business income), he failed to show a basic understanding:
[LATER] AL SHARPTON (20:52): Many people sit around talking about politics that don’t know nothing about what they’re talking about and rather than say well I don’t know this I don’t understand this explain it to me I disagree with that or I just don’t like, they just make stuff up rather than deal with the reality and that to me is not intelligent.
Personal income taxes: Obama would keep tax rates the same for families making less than $250,000 annually. For families earning more than that, he would raise the top two tax brackets to 36 percent and 39.6 percent. The highest tax rates have been 33 percent and 35 percent for the last 11 years.
Obama in February offered a long list of corporate tax breaks he wants to end, ranging from accelerated depreciation and inventory accounting to interest on overseas profits and various tax provisions benefiting oil and gas companies.
Like Romney and Ryan, however, Obama has not presented clear plans for dealing with the much larger, middle-class tax breaks.
Investment income: Obama wants to raise the tax rate on dividends to match the ordinary income tax rate for the two highest income brackets. He would boost capital gains taxes from 15 percent to 20 percent for that group.
Obama's one expen$ive friend, so is he worth it, Reverend?
Back when our "progressive" friends were fired up in OUTRAGE!!!! over just about everything, blaming George W Bush for the world's troubles was reflexive, instinctive and instantaneous.
Now that Obama has sucked the life out of their movement for his own selfish political purposes, however, it takes days to sort out the proper message.
But the bottom line hasn't changed: every conflict, famine or global woe is still W's fault. The only challenge is in connecting the dots.
Thankfully, the left now has Eliot Spitzer handy to save the day. During the most recent edition of Both Sides Now with Huffington & Matalin, the disgraced former New York governor made the case for Bush Administration perma-blame:
ELIOT SPITZER (13:46): George Bush's neo-con worldview caused more harm to this nation and more harm in the Middle East than one can imagine, and, unfortunately, Mitt Romney, weathervane, Etch a Sketch, feckless individual that he is, continues to surround himself with the same people who made every conceivable error when it came to foreign policy.
For resurrecting the tired "neo-con" phrase, Eliot scores extra "progressive" points. Even more for the O-approved Romney tie-in.
Next time, Number Nine, don't forget to add "military-industrial complex" for a bonus happy face sticker on your chart!
Even as the SS Soetoro begins its fateful plunge into the sea, at least one friend appears willing to go down with the ship: the Reverend Al Sharpton. If nothing else, he's loyal.
Clint Eastwood's unscripted, hilarious performance at last night's RNC Convention hit just a bit too close to home for the good rev. During today's Keeping It Real With Reverend Al Sharpton, he called Dirty Harry's speech "offensive" and "demeaning".
For a real knee-slapper, however, we direct your attention to his assertion President Bush never would have been treated this way. Where do we begin to pick that apart?
Here it is:
AL SHARPTON (31 August 01:04:20): the speech, acceptance speech by Mitt Romney probably better delivered as a performer then I thought, but with some very interesting points including a moment that as I said when he talks about we need an American to do great things, was that his birther moment again?
The bizarre and embarrassing and ridiculous and insulting and offensive statement skit whatever you want to call it by Clint Eastwood.
I don’t understand how in a moment of hour primetime where you get to make your case to the country on why you should be president you put up an old actor who offends the presidency referring to the worst of searing words and comes out of this kind of disrespectful bag and that’s what you want to show the country that you want to be President. Well maybe that I who you are.
I mean the Clint Eastwood thing was so demeaning. Imagine if President Obama had an aging actor get up and put an empty chair there and start referring to profanity and all about President Bush or even a presidential candidate what the reaction would be.
A real offensive presentation and then Marc Rubio got up and followed the form of the Republican Convention, he got up talked about Marc Rubio.
You want bizarre? Just wait until Boston Mayor-For-Life Tom Menino addresses Democrats next week. You'll need a translator to understand a word of it.
Welcome to 2012, where our "progressive" friends no longer merely disagree with Republicans, but are furious that an opposition party still exists and dares to hold a convention.
Time to hire Putin for some consulting work?
Tracking the left's moaning and groaning over the surprisingly-compelling GOP gathering is overwhelming, but we've added many libtalk highlights to our YouTube channel which can be found here. Clips are uploaded frequently, so be sure to subscribe if you haven't already done so.
Here are two that stand out: disgraced former Governor Eliot Spitzer (D-NY) shamelessly calling New Jersey Governor Chris Christie "a buffoon" and libtalker Thom Hartmann comparing convention-goers to "cockroaches".
Have a look:
BILL PRESS (29 August 2012 - 42:54): So, I must tell you I was ready for a real barnburner from Chris Christie and I was really disappointed. He didn't rise to the occasion I thought. what was your take?
ELIOT SPITZER: I though his speech was flat I thought it was predictable pandering there was nothing it in keeping with the rest of the evening in terms of its sophistry and compete delusional claims of economic theory and if Chris Christie is supposed to be some better orator completely missed me completely totally missed me. I just thought he was a buffoon.
[...]
SPITZER (43:46): Look I thought the best speech of the evening by far was Ann Romney’s. I thought hers was a good speech. I thought the rest were absolutely abominable in terms of their just rank falsehoods pandering and I’m glad to see it is a bit early so I haven’t seen as many editorials on stuff as I want, but boy at least the New York Times calls them out on sheer lies and distortions.
PRESS: Yeah right no exactly.
And from Thom Hartmann's syndicated libtalk program:
THOM HARTMANN (1:58): Mother Earth seems to be saying [to Republicans], 'You know all that money you're taking from the fossil-fuel industry...and not just you, by the way, but all the TV networks that are down there covering you and sucking up to you...they're taking that same money in the form of hundreds of millions of dollars of advertising.'
HARTMANN (2:50): They shut down the first day [of the RNC]. They'll be back tomorrow. Nothing stops them. It's like cockroaches.
And we suppose they won't mind a dose of criticism aimed at their convention next week, right?
*** UPDATE: NO RETRACTION / CLARIFICATION ISSUED DURING TUESDAY'S BROADCAST ***
Ever wonder where kooky "progressive" conspiracy theories get their start? Monday's Al Sharpton radio show provides a case study.
During his syndicated Keeping It Real program, the reverend engaged a hoax caller in all seriousness as that person spread an outrageous "slavery" lie about Mitt Romney and his family. It apparently originated with a political parody site.
Though Sharpton did express a limited degree of skepticism during the call, his response did little to keep a crazy new claim from spreading across America.
This is why hosts have call-screeners: to keep out the riff-raff and check out assertions before they reach the airwaves. A smarter (or more honest) talker would have seen right through this absurdity:
Throughout the call, Sharpton seems about 50% suckered, not especially skeptical until its conclusion. We'll expect a full retraction during his next program, but will that be enough to stop this new lie from taking on a life of its own?
Libtalkers Fret Over Fluff 'Reporters' With Obama Access
MUG-GED BY OBAMA 'Progressive' Loyalty Goes Unrewarded
He sucked-up to the president for four years and all he got was this lousy coffee mug!
As it becomes clear Obama would rather hang out with entertainment "reporters" and Hollywood celebs than answer real questions about his policies, let's shed a tear today for our shunned "progressive" friends. George Clooney is apparently far more appealing.
Leading the sob-brigade today was libtalker Bill Press, who lamented the Dear Leader's mistreatment despite having dutifully attended daily media briefings at the White House. As Press could easily be considered the most loyal of lefty talkers, public criticism of Obama is highly unusual.
From today's syndicated radio / CurrentTV-aired program:
BILL PRESS (4:15): So, President Obama he’s not doing any interviews for the hardworking serious Reporters like me that go to the briefings every day. Instead he’s giving interviews to like Entertainment Tonight and of course when you give interviews to Entertainment tonight you get asked the serious questions like do you and George Clooney talk on the cell phone very often.
[After Entertainment Tonight audio plays]
PRESS: Yeah okay so he’s got my, obviously he’s [Clooney] got his cell phone number but he doesn’t use it much huh?
OGBURN: Do you love how Obama puts it? He’s [Clooney] very sensitive about not bothering me you know I mean you know. He talked about it the way that you know like a dating couple would talk. He knows I’m very busy and she doesn’t bother me at work yeah you know she respects that.
PRESS: Ha ha ha. But, anytime she wants to call.
OGBURN: Yeah, she knows I’m always there for her.
PRESS: Okay, he’s [Obama] not the only one to have a man crush on George Clooney.
Not only is this rare criticism from a libtalker, but it's the kind of language that could get a conservative host in a bit of trouble. Suggesting Obama and Clooney are some kind of an item? From the left? We are truly navigating uncharted waters.
Violent 'Progressive' Language Follows DC Shootings
FRINGE BINGE
Could Rabid Rants Spark Next Shooting Spree?
It's a question we've often been asked: why bother keeping tabs on lefty talk hosts with small audiences?
Our answer has never changed: all it takes is one or two crackpot listeners to cause innocent people to get hurt. And given nationwide availability via satellite radio and the Internet, libtalkers are not as obscure as some believe.
After a disturbing shooting incidentat the Family Research Council's DC headquarters earlier this week, the issue should now be settled for good. Though we're not blaming "progressive" talkers for the attack, their giddy response could encourage further violent, anti-conservative attacks. And for that reason, it's necessary to keep close tabs on their hate speech.
How many listeners does Mike Malloy have? The better question is this: what kind of person agrees with his unhinged rants? Would you want a Malloy listener living in your neighborhood?
Below, see his response to the FRC shootings. Should this really be ignored?
MIKE MALLOY (06:24): ya filthy, filthy right-wing bastards! You're going too far! You really are going too far! One of these days somebody's going to go berserk and walk into one of your filthy holes of religious insanity with a gun! Oh! I think that happened today! [Referring to shootings at the Family Research Council's DC office] [...]
MALLOY (06:53): so this is what the fanatics - these filthy, degenerate gutter Christians are doing. They would happily sacrifice this 10-year old child in order to save their goddamn fetus!
[...]
MALLOY (07:32): and that's the only thing that mattered to this filthy, gutter, stinking corpse-eating, filthy anti-abortion movement. I - I cannot come up with harsh enough or strong enough language about these -these - these scum. A 10-year old! Goddamn you people, you have 10-year old daughters, what would you do what would you do?
How about you, Tony Perkins, you got a 10-year old daughter, you ever had one? Supposing your brother raped her and impregnated her and she was 10 - what would you do, Tony Perkins? You filthy swine!
[...]
MALLOY (08:36): it’s a council of a bunch of Christian corpse-eaters!
[...]
MALLOY (09:01): you know this has gotta be a conservative! Liberals hate guns! We hate 'em! So this had to be a conservative who walked in with a six-hour, 9 millimeter handgun pulled it from his backpack!
If conservative groups want to avoid being the next "progressive" target, it's time to overlook tiny ratings and instead focus on the extreme physical danger their fringe element poses.
Al Sharpton, Eliot Spitzer Defend Stumbling Joe Biden
NUMBER 9: IT'S FINE!
'Chain' Gang Rallies Around Joe
We know they'd do anything for their Dear Leader, but how about walking the plank for his embattled second-in-command?
After a dismal weekfor Joe Biden, it wasn't clear whether our "progressive" friends would stand by the gaffe-prone Democrat or demand a pre-convention replacement. Biden is now little more than a drag on the Obama ticket.
But some on the left were quick to defend the former Delaware senator today, including Eliot "Client 9" Spitzer and the Reverend Al Sharpton. The syndicated Keeping It Real and MSNBC host tried to turn the tables by fingering Republicans as the true racists, with questionable results.
From today's Sharpton radio program:
AL SHARPTON (20:15): I think that unquestionably he [Biden] is speaking in front of a black crowd, but I think he said the middle class I think he clearly did not say blacks where as they [Republicans] have been more direct so I don’t think it’s double standard. I think it was I think he used the wrong term I think it might have been over the top. But, what hateful? If he was referring to the middle class even in front of a black audience I don’t know how you make that hateful.
DAVID WILSON (REGULAR GUEST): Yeah yeah I I I you know I don’t know I don’t know I mean it it if I ha ha ha. It is one of those things where I just think they’re simply trying to
SHARPTON: Reach WILSON: Reach and they’re trying to to sort of ah tag this on to President Obama. One of the things I’ve noticed about Mitt Romney’s campaign stumping speech is saying how divisive President Obama is, I think that’s a line that the Republican Party is going to really try to stick to.
SHARPTON: Yeah. WILSON: Saying that President Obama is promoting hatred and divisiveness. Um so you know I I I don’t know how if that’s going to stick and I doubt it will, but it’s certainly something that they’re they’re trying to make. SHARPTON: And I also think that ah we should deal with the fact that even if they’re not being political and I think they are, even if they [Republicans] really thought this was some borderline hate statement they’d have more credibility if they said and we should stop saying things too. But to just jump on Biden when you out there with "birther" and out there with "food stamp president" and out there with "I told them they’re not getting any more free stuff" and act like there ain’t nothing wrong with that but I’m gonna take this stretch here is crazy.
I mean I’ve said things that I know I shouldn’t have said that and therefore I can question him about "food stamp president", but you can’t give yourself immunity and then turn around and jump on somebody else without people saying wait a minute you don’t have the moral standing to take that position.
WILSON: Yeah, yeah I, it and that’s so true. I mean I think that you know ah um the Romney campaign they can’t complain about anybody using racially charged rhetoric when they’ve been the the you know they’ve been the the main ones doing it.
And from today'sBill Press Show, here's Spitzer defending the embattled veep:
BILL PRESS (36:33): Romney calls it a new low in American politics Eliot.
ELIOT SPITZER: Beats me, seems you know this is again the Romney campaign desperate to find something to change the topic. They’re the ones who used the metaphor of being shackled.
PRESS: Hmm… hmm… Unchain Wall Street.
SPITZER: And Vice President Biden is saying they’re going to shackle you not ah ah I don’t even know where to start, it’s all they all, this kind of pop on to the wires yesterday and I said oh this is worse than silliness. We’re finally talking about substance let’s stay on substance. Let's talk Medicare lets' talk taxes. Lets talk the real issues, we're down to about you know twelve weeks to go or some such if I'm right and so, let's get serious about this.
PRESS: Yeah, I mean I think clearly Joe Biden was making a play on words, on their own words, right, which is to unchain Wall Street. But I don't know about you, but I'm getting sick and tired of Mitt Romney whining.
If Obama fails to pluck Biden from the campaign trail, explaining away his screw-ups could become all-consuming, wasting precious resources. Here's to more Joe!
David Shuster: Romneys Bought Hammer To Smash Losing Horse
'TIC' CROCK
Former MSNBC Talker: Mitt May Have Asperger's
They'll say anything to demonize Mitt Romney.
For the latest example of "progressive" gutter politics, we turn to former MSNBC host David Shuster, now of CurrentTV.
Apparently unsatisfied with the current anti-Mitt smear campaign, he kicked it up a notch earlier today with a couple of sick rants.
Taking place during the syndicated Stephanie Miller Show, Shuster suggested a supposedly anti-social Romney could be diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder. From there, it was all downhill with a sick "joke" about Ann Romney's Olympic Dressage horse being smashed in the head with a hammer for failing to medal.
Take a look:
DAVID SHUSTER (36:32): Every time you hear Mitt Romney speak these days I keep thinking about I have an uncle who specializes in the field of Asperger's, and people with autism, and has been making the point to me for several years that there’s some very brilliant creative people who have Asperger's and he’s suggested perhaps that Mitt Romney has some sort of form of Asperger's because he’s so socially inept in terms of being able to connect with people.
What he thinks is funny is really sort of not so funny. I sort of wonder if there is some sort of tic that he has or something that’s related to that.
[...]
LAVOIE (37:12): He (Romney) has a bucket in his car and he just said hardware stuff.
MILLER: He doesn’t know what a donut is.
SHUSTER: Yeah I bought a hammer to hit Rafalca over the head for getting you know 30th place after we took a $77,000 dollar tax write-off.
LAVOIE: Oh David Shuster!
MILLER: Oh David Louise Shuster! All right.
LAVOIE: Ha ha ha ha!
SHUSTER: I must say, I you know the Rafalca issue is really personally offended me because I’m embarrassed I don’t think our Olympians should be getting in 30th place and especially when they’re taxing tax write offs and if Mitt Romney is pleased of Rafalca proud of Rafalca then he’s got even more problems than he knows.
Is this really the road to a second Obama term? Let's hope the American people think otherwise.
Just how low have our "progressive" friends sunk this year? They're now perfectly happy with overt dishonesty from Democratic Party leaders for the political backbone it supposedly provides.
Let's face it, lefties KNOW Harry Reid is lying about Mitt Romney's tax returns. But some are brazenly calling for more fibbery!
Sadly, there's NO basis for the Nevada Democrat's repeated claims of improprieties. Even the reliably liberal Washington Post has now slammed Harry's antics.
Harry's smear campaign also has outright supporters: check out this disturbing bit from today's (syndicated radio / CurrentTV) Stephanie Miller Show. Here, regular guest Lee Papa's praise is seconded by the host:
LEE PAPA (REGULAR GUEST) (33:52): My ethical standard is that we [Democrats] should be telling better lies. So frankly I don’t even care if this [Reid on Romney’s taxes] is true of not. I think it’s remarkable that a Democrat is actually playing hardball. STEPHANIE MILLER: Yes!
From 1989, here's Yello with "Of Course I'm Lying":
Here's to pathological dishonesty! Let's raise a glass in tribute.
Who knew fast food could prove such a potent weapon against "progressive" tyranny? Just a few more "appreciation" days could cause our miserable liberal friends to self-destruct.
First out of the gate this time was crazed libtalker Mike Malloy, he of the repeated, self-described "violence fantasies" against any and all political opponents. From Dana Perino, Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck to many others, Malloy has wished a painful death upon all of them.
We doubt Malloy will be alone in condemning Chick-Fil-A's record turnout, however. So while we look for other examples, see how much of this epic meltdown your stomach can endure:
MIKE MALLOY (01 August 2012) (18:51): Mike Huckabee, this Rupert Murdoch terror broadcast thug, declared today to be Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day! When in your lifetime, boys and girls, have you ever shown your appreciation to a company whose president stands for bigotry, hate, contempt, lies, religious nonsense? 'Well Mike, I didn't say any of that - I just said 'SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN! Yes, you did say that! Uggghhh!
Huckabee urged American to show their appreciation for this bigotry with their wallets! Yes, goddammit, down with the queers! Ain't no queer ever going to get married in America! Buy a chicken sandwich! This is insanity, this is crazy, this is - this is - the inmates have burst out of the asylum! Give me a chicken sandwich in the name of Jesus! Give me a chicken sandwich to stop the queers! Give me a chicken sandwich uh to let the world know I think - I'm having a heart attack - give me a chicken sandwich because queers shouldn't get married! Give me some waffle fries! Give me one of them peach milkshakes! AMEN!
By God, amen, ain't no queer ever going to get married as long as I can buy a chicken sandwich! You morons! You thick-headed idiotic morons! Oh my god! Some people lined up in the summer heat...lines all around the building to get inside a store, while others waited in cars as far as their eye could see for a chance to place their order at the drive-through window. HI, I'M A LARD ASS! And I'm here to stop the queers! Give me two chicken sandwiches! I'm going to eat here every day til either I die or we have a Defense of Marriage Act - goddammit marriage is under assault here! Give me a chicken sandwich, give me another one! Dumb-assery at its peak! People lined up to buy chicken sandwiches! Ughhh! [Mike sighs and crumples a piece of paper to show his exasperation.]
Stay tuned for more examples of "progressive" tolerance and love.
Though it's obvious Roseanne Barr's future "relevancy" as a public figure hinges on the ability to shock, her ongoing rant-fests sadly appear genuine.
That doesn't mean her message is particularly coherent. During the most recent edition of public radio's Smiley & West show, a rambling Barr slimed Mitt Romney as a "race-baiter" without a shred of evidence to back up the attack.
Of course, Tavis Smiley and Dr Cornel West could have pressed her for details, but didn't.
Roseanne believes Romney "has figured out how to divide America" but doesn't seem to grasp how his opponent mastered this concept long ago.
From Sunday's Smiley & West program:
ROSEANNE BARR (34:35):Race is what’s really going to determine this next election. Romney is a race-baiter and I mean I really wanna say that.
Romney and people money has figured out how to like totally divide people in America on that issue cause you know that helps money to keep people divided so that they you know go against their neighbors, their brothers so that there’s as close to civil war in this country as there is in every other country where the United States has gone.
We'd suggest she stick to growing macadamia nuts, but what are the odds she'd listen?
In the new "progressive" mindset, it's not enough for political enemies to merely drop dead, it's also important to make sure they're burning in Hell.
Who knew they believed in such concepts?
Yes, in this example, it's Mike Malloy and he's certifiably nuts. That isn't in dispute.
And if we tried to cover every unhinged outburst from his syndicated / satellite libtalk program, the task would quickly prove overwhelming. We've passed on hundreds of recent opportunities.
That said, sometimes it's impossible to ignore Malloy's meanest rants, especially when they speak to a larger trend of "progressive" hate speech. The liberal movement is nastier than ever and his meltdowns don't stand out as much as they used to.
During Tuesday's program, the libtalker "phoned Satan" to check up on the late Andrew Breitbart, who apparently has been sentenced to eternal damnation for failing to adhere to the Dear Leader's Great Teachings:
And here's Malloy's earlier rant from the time of Breitbart's passing:
Hey Mike: we knew Andrew, he was a terrific guy, so shove it up your arse.
THIS IS TEA-N-N James Earl Jones: I Know Racism Better Than Anyone
Though he's best known as the onetime voice of CNN, James Earl Jones now says his heart belongs to rival MSNBC.
During an interview with Tavis Smiley and Dr Cornel West, the actor said he "can't get enough of" the far-left cable talk network. Jones also said he is known to "even venture into the right-wing talk shows sometimes".
West then interjected with the idea that Jones is seeking to discover why the other side is wrong, which didn't meet with any objection by the guest.
The Star Wars actor then went on to disparage Tea Party activists by comparing them to his "racist" grandmother, who supposedly instilled expert knowledge on the subject to a young Jones.
From Sunday's edition of the syndicated Smiley & West show:
JAMES EARL JONES (45:31): I think I have figured out the Tea Party I think I I do understand racism because I was taught to be one by my grandmother. My grandmother was part [tribal affiliation] Indian part black, she hated everybody and she taught all of her children and grandchildren to be racist to hate white people and to distrust black people.
DR CORNEL WEST: Who does she love then?
JAMES EARL JONES: Nobody
WEST: Nobody at all.
JAMES EARL JONES: But that allowed me to figure it out for myself. And I think I know what racism is better than anyone who has ever been a racist.
Extra credit for anyone who can determine how his grandmother's racism proves anything about today's political activists. Of course, logic has little to do with today's emotional "progressive" mindset.
Libtalker Tells Listeners: 'I HATE This G-Damned Country'
HATE-RIOTIC DISPLAYS
It's A Banner Week For 'Progressive' Vitriol
Here's how "progressive" patriotism works: when everything is going exactly their way, liberals grudgingly accept this country. But when their utopian ideals aren't perfectly in place, hate-riotic displays are quickly unleashed.
Contrary to conventional wisdom during the Bush years, the presence of a Democrat in the White House doesn't seem to soften their volcanic rage.
Not one to miss the party is Randi Rhodes pal Nicole Sandler, who professed her hatred during Tuesday's edition of the former's syndicated radio show. Sandler is filling in while Randi is away.
Sandler's reason for despising the United States? Times have been tough since Air America Radio folded! Boy, they never did get over that one, did they:
NICOLE SANDLER (RANDI RHODES SHOW - 03 JULY 2012) (10:40):I HATE this goddamned country! How can I live in a place that lets people go broke because they get sick? How is healthcare not a basic human right?
And here's the now-infamous Bill Press "I hate the National Anthem" rant:
The bottom line: in 2012, our "progressive" friends no longer even pretend to be patriotic, as overt America-bashing is now in vogue.
Tavis Smiley, Cornel West Blast Obama's Hollow Outreach Effort
SMILEY NOT HAPPY
Obamists Losing African-American Support?
While it's no secret Tavis Smiley and Cornel West have long been less-than-enthusiastic about Barack Obama's performance, their latest presidential slam-fest is unusually blunt.
The bottom line: why is the administration still trying to convince African-Americans it deserves their support? Doesn't that reveal some disturbing Oval Office insecurity?
During the most recent edition of the syndicated Smiley & West radio program, the lefty pundits blasted Obama for sending Valerie Jarrett to the National Association of Black Journalists convention in New Orleans to recite meaningless talking points.
Did the president really believe this would fly?
From the program:
TAVIS SMILEY (SUNDAY 01 JULY 2012) (9:27): Valerie Jarrett you know of course the President’s top African-American staffer inside the White House was one of the keynote speakers at the NABJ Convention. This is the annual gathering of the nations National Association of Black Journalists, all the black journalists who belong to this organization were in New Orleans for their annual convention. This is an election year and so the president didn’t make it but he sent Valerie Jarrett and she was there.
And she did in fact say to a room packed full of African-American journalists that the president has genuine love for black people. What’s fascinating about that to me, a few things: number one, that I’ve never heard the president say that. So, to send a surrogate out to tell people that he really loves you is fascinating for me if the president himself doesn’t tell you that I love you. You know that’s like me sending you to tell my momma that I love her.
[...]
TAVIS SMILEY (11:05): Some folks in the audience really wanted to hear her [Valerie Jarrett] just talk about issues and talk about the campaign and talk about things that really matter. But she got up and just read down this laundry list of accomplishments and there were folk in the audience who like okay, we got it.
But the presentation didn’t work because it was just a resuscitation of talking points as if she felt she needed to convince this audience with these talking points that he really had done something that she had to convince them and so here comes the phrase of genuine love. It just struck some in the audience I’m told that she was really really you know working hard to try to sell this story to an audience of black journalists? What do you make of that?
CORNEL WEST: You know I think anytime you have genuine love though, brother, you usually you don’t even have to say it because your record already shows it. I tell my mother I love her, but she already knows it because I take a bullet for her. She knows that if the bullet coming I’m jumping in the way. So the love is the kind of thing already manifests so strongly that to even talk about it is to just put icing on the cake.
And I think she has to say it cause she knows that there’s deep questions in the minds of so many people including black people are to where his commitments really are.
It remains hard to believe any substantial percentage of the African-American vote could be up for grabs this November. But if Obama is even the slightest bit worried, then his campaign has bigger problems than anyone could imagine.
With mainstream media expectations so high, Mike Huckabee's new radio talk show was probably bound to disappoint. But newly-available hard data reveals a gaping donut hole where the audience should be.
It's an ominous sign for Cumulus Media (NASDAQ:CMLS), Huck syndicator and new owner of ABC Radio's largest AM legacy news-talk radio stations.
Widely touted as the "civil" answer to Rush Limbaugh's regime-threatening political effectiveness, the former Arkansas governor became an establishment darling earlier this year when the talk titan got caught up in the Sandra Fluke controversy.
In addition to hundreds of other media outlets, The Wall Street Journal played up his chances of tackling Limbaugh with this fawning coverage:
"Mike Huckabee will pose the most formidable challenge to Limbaugh that I can remember from a conservative hosting in the same time slot and being backed by a major company," said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers Magazine, a talk-radio trade journal.
But the strategy behind Huckabee's new positioning has been flawed from the start: though "civil", his delivery is generally regarded as stiff and dry. Weak performance has opened him up to ridicule from both left and right, including libtalker Randi Rhodes, as seen below:
Equally important: Huck's conservative credentials have become increasingly suspect. If he's really destined to replace Limbaugh on WABC, WLS / Chicago, WBAP / Dallas and many others, how does defending Michelle Obama build that case?
In 2007, the late Robert Novak nailed Huck's real agenda here:
Huckabee is campaigning as a conservative, but serious Republicans know that he is a high-tax, protectionist advocate of big government and a strong hand in the Oval Office directing the lives of Americans.
Until now, they did not bother to expose the former governor of Arkansas as a false conservative because he seemed an underfunded, unknown nuisance candidate. Now that he has pulled even with Mitt Romney for the Iowa caucuses and might make more progress, the beleaguered Republican Party has a frightening problem.
But enough with perceptions: let's look at the facts. According to newly-released Arbitron audience data, the Huckster is off to the kind of start that makes Air America Radio appear downright successful.
That's despite enjoying an avalanche of free publicity upon his debut.
And that's even before we compare him to Rush, as Huck doesn't stand on his own, either:
In New York City, where he currently airs evenings on WOR-AM, Huck ranked just 20th overall in the broadest audience demographic, listeners six and older.
Houston's KSEV registered a tiny 0.1 overall audience share during his timeslot, good for 43th place in what should be a friendly environment.
In Seattle, heard from 4-6pm local time, Mike drew a 0.2 on KCIS-AM, for a 36th place finish.
A similar story in Cincinnati: 0.2 overall and 31st place on WQRT-AM.
Hartford: 0.0 at WDRC-AM
Adding markets where Huckabee goes head-to-head with Limbaugh only underscores the futile nature of this battle:
In San Francisco, where Mike's heard on KSFO, Rush has a 143.4% larger overall audience.
In Dallas, where Cumulus seeks to remove Limbaugh from his longtime home at WBAP, El Rushbo is CRUSHING the Huckster with eleven listeners for every one fried squirrel fan. Mike ranks 40th in the Metroplex.
Portland Oregon: Rush's ratings are 1444% higher. Huck ranks 27th there, heard on KUFO-AM.
Salt Lake City: Rush beating Mike by 13900%. The latter ranks 40th at KKAT.
Providence / New Bedford / Fall River: Huck stuck in 44th, Rush with 766% higher ratings.
Jacksonville: Rush beats by 8500%, Huck takes 27th place.
We used 6+ data here, though advertisers usually favor Adults 25-54. But the picture isn't brighter there, either.
Moreover, in most of these metro regions, the trend is actually moving further against Huckabee.
We could only find one place where the former GOP presidential candidate fared relatively well: in Nashville, from noon-1pm at WWTN-FM, resulting in 12th place and a respectable 4.1 overall share. Perhaps he could become a local host there.
The bottom line: we know why the establishment media loves Huck, but we can't figure out why Cumulus would willingly undermine itself with this truly doomed effort, unless they're looking for a giant tax write-off.
Radio execs cannot force listeners to tune into a bad program, no matter how hard they try. It's a lesson they NEVER, ever seem to learn.
Libtalker Slams Ann Romney Over 'Elite Sport' MS Therapy
MS BS
Mean Machine Targets Ann Romney
Here's another one we can't pin entirely on a single angry libtalker: the sick new "progressive" war against Ann Romney.
Her crime? A love for horses and what she sees as therapeutic while dealing with the effects of Multiple Sclerosis.
Despite following nationally-recognized advice for soothing the debilitating symptoms of MS, she's been derided by the left for participating in an "elitist sport", dressage. Ann's 15-year-old mare has won a place in this summer's London Olympic Games.
BILL PRESS (12:28): This is what’s so BS about that right? We can’t criticize her [Ann Romney] for having this elitist sport because she has MS right, so he ties it right to that, yeah as if everybody whose got MS this is the answer to it.
This is what doctors prescribe. Oh you have MS ah well I have an easy cure, just go out and buy a dressage horse and you’ll be just fine.
And yet here's what the National Library of Medicine recommends for MS patients:
The following may also be helpful for people with MS:
Physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and support groups
Assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, bed lifts, shower chairs, walkers, and wall bars
A planned exercise program early in the course of the disorder
A healthy lifestyle, with good nutrition and enough rest and relaxation
Avoiding fatigue, stress, temperature extremes, and illness
Isn't this low-stress activity exactly what Ann Romney should be doing?
The bigger question: do our "progressive" friends really feel this is a winning strategy for November?
With a breathtakingly-obnoxious presentation,floundering libtalker Geraldo Rivera has found a way to chase off any remaining listeners. If he could bottle this on-air audience repellent, it could prove especially useful for summer campers.
Coming just months after he implored Romney to "admit he's Mexican", WABC's Designated Station-Killer was at it again yesterday with a ridiculous Mitt The Racist smear.
As the one-time Gerald Riviera fancies himself the last word on such matters, who are we to argue?
It's an easy way to excuse Obama's many failures: his opponent's a bigot!
From yesterday's radio show:
ERIC BOLLING (GUEST, FOX NEWS CHANNEL) (24:22): Aren't Latinos historically very, very religious?
GERALDO RIVERA: Yes.
BOLLING: Aren't they historically very, and by the way, isn't the Latino unemployment rate pushing 11 percent also?
GERALDO: It's pretty high.
BOLLING: Yeah. So why, you're Latino, why would you vote for President Obama if in your community there's 11 percent unemployment? He's clearly not doing anything ...
GERALDO: Because you vote for the other guy and the other guy wouldn't even let you in his apartment.
[...]
GERALDO (26:20): I believe that immigration has been so hyped by the media and by cable news that now people would rather live next door to a child molester than an illegal alien.
And here's his earlier "Mitt The Mexican" rant:
If it seems like we're picking on Geraldo a lot, it's because we are. He deserves it.
Giddy Radio Suits Take Geraldo National Despite Horrible Ratings
HOODIE-WINKED
Geraldo's Ratings Claims Collide With The Facts
Question one: why are the new owners of some of America's largest talk stations so eager to kill radio's most successful format?
Question two: why are these corporate suits so adamant about shoving unpopular air talent into cities where they aren't wanted?
After conservative talk's incredible success over the past two decades, one might think those now overseeing ABC Radio's AM stations would build upon that legacy. Instead, they're actively destroying it from within.
Today's Exhibit A: libtalker Geraldo "Hoodie" Rivera, aka Gerald Riviera, he of the swinging chairs, broken noses and empty vaults. What compelled Cumulus broadcast execs to give this notorious huckster a radio show at nearly 69 mystifies many. But what we do know is that the facts don't match his employer's wild claims.
The truth: Geraldo repels radio listeners better than DEET could ever deter mosquitoes.
Yesterday, Cumulus (NASDAQ:CMLS) suits continued their recent public tradition of bashing conservative talk radio in a press release touting Geraldo as a "solution" to the "problem":
CUMULUS MEDIA NETWORKS ANNOUNCES NEW GERALDO RIVERA NATIONAL RADIO SHOW
New York (June 11, 2012) – Cumulus Media Networks, with more than 4,000 affiliate radio stations reaching 121 million listeners, will offer stations nationwide a live 9 am-noon radio show hosted by award-winning journalist and commentator Geraldo Rivera beginning August 13.
Rivera began hosting live and local radio shows titled “GERALDO” in the New York City and Los Angeles markets earlier this year. Following the success of those shows, GERALDO will become a single live national show launching in advance of this summer’s political conventions. The tagline of GERALDO is, “Not Red. Not Blue. But Red, White & Blue.”
“Despite the nation’s partisan divide, the success of the show on WABC and KABC is a clear indication that there is room in radio for someone who is not associated with a particular ideology.
"I’m a patriot and a pragmatic idealist, who believes both the political left and the right have contributions to make. I’ve also developed a comfortable enough relationship with the audience over the last four plus decades in television news for listeners in a spirited way to tell me when they think I’m full of beans. Like I say, ‘I’m not always right.’
"I’m grateful to Cumulus for giving me the shot at the national show, and look forward to broadcasting live from the presidential nominating conventions.”
“When Geraldo agreed to host shows for Cumulus stations in New York and L.A. we had a hunch there’d be national substantial listener interest in his incisive and insightful style, and now we’re thrilled that with GERALDO such a success in those two markets the show will now be available across the country,” said John Dickey, co-chief operating officer of Cumulus.
As an iconic personality best known by his first name, GERALDO focuses on the day’s biggest and most talked-about topics — ranging from national politics to shocking crimes to social issues. His WABC/KABC shows led the coverage during the early stages of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman murder case. And his comments of the role apparently played by the young victim’s clothing, his ‘hoodie’, became the basis for an international debate.
He has broadcast live from Afghanistan during an enemy attack, and from Quantico, Virginia, “The Crossroads of the United States Marines.” Further his campaign to put a father’s name on every birth certificate is an example of how talk radio can lead a substantive conversation aimed at resolving a national problem. The show includes listener calls, with emphasis on the kind of intelligent, energetic and controversial talk that he is known for worldwide.
Rivera will continue hosting his Sunday prime time show on Fox News, where he is a frequent contributor to weekday programming throughout the day and during prime time.
Born in New York City, Rivera started his broadcast career on WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News in 1970. He also contributed a radio commentary on WPLJ and the ABC-FM radio network from 1973 to 1976. As the Big Apple’s most visible street reporter of the era, Rivera broke numerous award-winning investigations, including the historic expose of the wretched conditions at the Willowbrook State School on Staten Island that resulted in the institution closing and the start of more humane care of the developmentally disabled nationwide.
A member of the original casts of ‘Good Morning America’ and ABC’s ‘20/20’, Rivera is a veteran correspondent who also worked on NBC News ‘Dateline’, hosted the syndicated ‘Geraldo Rivera Show’ for eleven years, and hosted CNBC’s top-rated program ‘Rivera Live’, which led the nation’s coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trials and the Clinton Impeachment.
The winner of the prestigious Peabody, DuPont-Columbia, Scripps-Howard, several Robert F. Kennedy journalism awards, ten local and national Emmys, and many others, Rivera has raised and donated millions for charity. An unfailing supporter of the military, he is the Fox News Channel’s senior war correspondent, and has reported from all the world’s battlefields including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, the civil wars in South and Central America, the Philippines, the entire Middle-East and the Persian Gulf. He is also senior columnist for Fox News Latino. Married to the former Erica Levy, Rivera is the father of five he is an attorney and the author of seven books.
Aside from the absurd touting of Geraldo's ridiculous, one-man anti-hoodie movement, there's a BIG problem: his radio program has NOT been a success by any measurement. It's widely regarded as a boring, listless disaster.
And ratings? In Los Angeles, where he's heard on company-owned KABC, newly-released figures show a donut hole where Geraldo's audience should be.
According to Arbitron, KABC's morning programming averages 14,800 listeners six and older per quarter-hour from 9-10am. When Rivera takes over at 10am, that figure immediately drops to 6600 and remains stuck there until the conclusion of his show at noon.
In the especially important 25-54 demographic, the numbers are bleak, averaging about 2600 listeners per quarter-hour.
When Sean Hannity airs at noon, listenership shoots straight back up to an 18,300 average per quarter-hour. By the end of his show, Hannity's number has increased to 22,200. Larry Elder fares even better at 3pm, with 26,500.
Ratings then remain solidly above Geraldo's through the end of afternoon drive. Before Rivera joined KABC, ratings were said to be at least 50% higher in that time slot.
Meanwhile, in New York City, where Geraldo has been hosting a separate program unique to that market, the story is the same. On WABC, he's again the lowest-rated host on that station's daytime lineup, with a 1.2 share in the 25-54 demo.
Worse, he's actually played a key role in sinking WABC'soverall figures since joining, from a 3.6 share of the audience last December to 2.7 today.
Those figures were also released by the ratings firm yesterday.
But don't take Arbitron's word for it, judge for yourself: how compelling could a talk show be with embarrassing moments like these? Take a look at just a few we've documented this year:
Geraldo calls for government licensing of all parents:
Race-card antics that could make Sharpton and Jackson blush:
Rivera implores Mitt Romney to admit he's "Mexican":
The bottom line: the Dickey Brothers, who rule over Cumulus with an iron fist, can't POSSIBLY claim Geraldo is a radio success story. They have been in the business long enough to understand ratings, so why the love for unsuccessful libtalk and hostility toward audience-friendly conservative programming?
That's why the thought of paying considerably more during Obama's Regime II: The Crappy Sequel must be especially distressing for the Rev. He'll defend his friend until the end, but the pocketbook certainly will take a big hit. 
