The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

07 December 2005

Newspaper Endorses Al Franken For US Senate

STINKIN' ANNOUNCEMENTS?

Early Franken Endorsement, Armed Forces Radio Pickup



At least one newspaper is so eager to sweep away Republicans, it's already making what seems to be an endorsement, for a 2008 race!

Why wait for a declaration from the potential candidate, or bother to consider who else might run for the seat?

Announcements? We don't need no stinkin' announcements!

Sure enough, the lucky recipient is our friend Al Franken, who must have been thrilled to read this Madison Capital Times editorial, as he visited Wisconsin's notoriously liberal seat of government:

Editorial: Senator Franken


This newspaper always counted the late U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone among its favorite people in Washington. Indeed, there were more than a few days during the Minnesota Democrat's two terms in the Senate when we wished he was representing Wisconsin.

Wellstone's death in 2002 hit Wisconsin progressives every bit as hard as it did our neighbors to the west. Many of us thought we had lost our third senator.

Almost as painful was the news, barely 10 days later, that Norm Coleman, a protege of White House political czar Karl Rove and Vice President Dick Cheney, would replace Wellstone. In the Senate, Coleman has proved to be a grandstanding partisan whose self-serving sleaziness stands in dramatic contrast to Wellstone's honorable service.

So it is that, like a great many Minnesotans, we are looking for a suitable replacement for Wellstone to stand against Coleman in the 2008 Senate race.

One of the most intriguing prospects, Al Franken, the comedian, author and social commentator, is in Madison today to present his Air America radio show. And we welcome him as an eminently suitable contender.

Nice how they explain why a Wisconsin newspaper is taking a stance on a future Minnesota race, isn't it?


If you've stopped laughing and are ready to return to reading now, here's the report on Franken's visit, note how the WMTV-TV 15 reporter used it as an opportunity to bash Rush Limbaugh:

Madison was in the national spotlight Tuesday, as liberal talk radio host Al Franken brought his show to our city.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz proclaimed today "Al Franken Day" in Madison.

Is that a good or bad thing? Well, that probably depends on your political beliefs.

"We're a different kind of talk show than the right wing does,” says Franken. “I tend to interview a lot of people, we tell the truth, things like that."

A crowd packed into the Barrymore Theater to watch the Air America host interview guests like Mayor Dave Cieslewicz today.

But are political talk radio hosts like Franken or Rush Limbaugh further dividing our already divided nation? And do their listening audiences always understand that what they're listening to is opinion, not a news broadcast?

We put those questions to a journalism expert.

"To me it's kind of a scary scenario to think of people saying I've learned what's going on in the world today by listening to Rush Limbaugh," says Professor Emeritus James Hoyt of the UW-Madison School of Journalism. "A lot of opinion broadcasting masquerades as news. It has the feel, the look of news, but clearly it's not."


Does hosting Al Franken
really put a city in the national spotlight? No need to ponder such weighty matters, as our man Stuart was most likely basking in the glow of an official "Al Franken Day" proclamation by the city of Madison:


The live-broadcast was well-received by the politically-liberal crowd. "It's a great event whenever Al comes to town," Turaney explains. "It's great, especially on a cold winter day, to get together and see how many people are like-minded. It's great to see how many people came out and how happy everybody was."

Franken is situated at center stage on a table with two chairs variously occupied by guests appearing live today. Banners for The Mic flank the makeshift studio, as the radio station (not to mention the Air America network) scores promotional points with this tour.

Numerous local lefty pundits are present: John Nichols and The Mic's Lee Rayburn, for starters, with lanyard ID-wearing guests about as well. Rainbow Bookstore has the concession to sell copies of Franken's latest book, The Truth (With Jokes) (and that book only), parked at the back of the lobby adjacent to two theater entrances.

Cieslewicz subsequently thanks Madisonian Terry Kelly for helping jumpstart the liberal radio network. "On behalf of the city of Madison," the mayor closes, "I declare today to be Al Franken Day." With that and a little more banter, the segment finishes just before 11:45 am. (via Isthmus)


Terry Kelly, by the way, is an Air America Radio investor and Piquant LLC boardmember based in the area. Good thing nobody asked him about the network's current financial picture, that would've spoiled all the fun.

And isn't it nice to see all of these "like-minded" people getting together? No need for dissenting viewpoints in Madison, pesky, unenlightened "non-progressives" are kept well outside city limits.


Meanwhile, can leftists please stop whining about Armed Forces Radio, now that the network has decided to carry an hour of Franken's show each weekday?

From Radio Ink:


The Al Franken Show has been picked up by the American Forces Network. AFN Radio will distribute the first hour of Franken's radio show as part of the inventory of stateside programming it provides to its affiliates overseas.

"We are very grateful the AFN has recognized that Al Franken is a profound and unique American voice with a significant following and that it is appropriate for his program to be one of the listening options for those who serve in the armed forces,” said Air America Radio CEO Danny Goldberg.

"I am absolutely thrilled that the Al Franken Show will be carried on the American Forces Network, though, of course, that means I will have to stop criticizing President Bush. After all, he is our commander-in-chief,” said Franken.

Note the snide remark by Franken. It's a shrewd move by AFN Radio: silence critics and run Al's show until Air America collapses.

UPDATE: Welcome Michelle Malkin readers, please visit main page for new Springer/Franken stories.

Ready to get serious about Christmas and other shopping today? Why not support the Radio Equalizer at the same time? Your Amazon orders that originate with clicks here, regardless of your final selections, help to support this work.

Thanks again for your vital assistance!

Franken photo: Capital Times library picture
Frankensunk: Pete at IHillary for the Radio Equalizer. Visit Pete's site for many more funny gags!

13 Comments:

  • Up early again, Mr. Tuck?

    By Blogger Lokki, at 07 December, 2005 09:51  

  • Brian,

    You continue to provide no evidence that AAR is in serious financial trouble. You don't know its revenues or its costs, which therefore means who don't know how much in the red or black it is. All you have is supposition based on distain.
    Or am I wrong? Do you have some actual financial facts to share?

    By Blogger Justin, at 07 December, 2005 11:07  

  • In yet another blow to accuracy in media, the Madison Capital Times not only refers to Al Franken as a "comedian" but lists it first in the list of his "achievements." As I've said before, I defy anyone to name one incidence of anything vaguely humorous to come from this hack.

    On a side note, it's interesting that Armed Forces Radio would essentially decide to opt for radio silence once a week. That hour of course being the hour Franken's show is aired. The military will surely join the rest of the nation in ignoring Air America.

    Actually, I'm always surprised to hear that they're still around. Do they even broadcast in New York? If they do, judging by the number of Liberal callers on WABC and WOR, the Libs either don't know where it is or don't want to listen to it. Or option three, they know it exists, don't know where it is and don't care to find out. After all, EVP is probably more interesting and makes more sense than Airhead America.

    By Blogger Dr. T, at 07 December, 2005 11:40  

  • Armed Forces Radio is now also carrying Sean Hannity, as Hannity has said several times this week. The Hannitizer is also picking up his
    500th affiliate, which is approximately 430 more than
    the sleep-inducing Stuart Smalley.

    By Blogger raccoonradio, at 07 December, 2005 11:49  

  • Sorry, I think this is as clear an endorsement for Franken's potential senate run as could be possible at this early state.

    The paper hedged only slightly, they've made it clear they're supporting him, without regard to other candidates.

    The headline says it all.

    By Blogger Brian Maloney, at 07 December, 2005 11:59  

  • besides the fact that aar has no advertisers, where do you think the money would be coming from? It costs a lot of $$$ a month to run aar, they pay a lot of $$$ for most of their stations, they pay talent lots of $$$, executives get paid lots of $$$, they pay lawyers lots of $$$ for all the suits, their rent is high in NYC, etc...
    AAR does, indeed, have advertisers. To suggest otherwise is simply false (perhaps you should listen to it every now and then). It also has very deep-pocketed & apparently committed investors.
    I'm not suggesting that AAR is in good financial shape, simply that Brian should not continue stating the opposite without proof. Show me a balance statement, layoffs, etc. Until then, all Brian is offering is an assumption based on an obsessive hatred of all things AAR.

    By Blogger Justin, at 07 December, 2005 12:02  

  • Let me make this clear: I do not know if AAR has strong or weak financials. I am not suggesting they are strong or weak. I am only saying that any such assumptions (pro or con) are not currently backed up by the appropriate evidence.
    I apologize if my earlier posts implied that I think AAR is doing well financially. I have no evidence to base that on, and don't make the suggestion. The question now is if Brian will issue a similar apology, since he too has no evidence upon which to base his statements that AAR is in financial trouble.

    By Blogger Justin, at 07 December, 2005 15:25  

  • FYIFYI:

    You are mistakenly equating "sources" with "evidence." You are right that reporters do not reveal their "source" (i.e, who supplied the information), but they do supply the "evidence." No biz reporter would write that a company was in financial trouble without some numbers to back it up. to date, Brian has produced no such numbers.

    By Blogger Justin, at 07 December, 2005 22:08  

  • Still no response Brian? OK, let's try this: How much more money will AAR spend in 2005 than it takes in? I assume you know the answer, since you claim to know the network is in bad financial shape.

    By Blogger Justin, at 08 December, 2005 10:45  

  • still waiting brian....

    By Blogger Justin, at 09 December, 2005 06:27  

  • Dick Tuck -- the guy whose name brings to mind the climax of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective -- wrote:

    His track record is that he's been predicting the bankruptcy of AAR since day one. Yet, they continue growing and adding stations. They now are beating Rush in two fairly large markets, Denver and Portland.

    Brian is tilting at windmills, that's all.


    Here's a link to the Arbitron page. If you are, like your hero Franken, someone who can't tell the difference between the truth and a lie, you will ignore this post. If not, you will provide proof that LiAAR is beating Rush in Denver.

    Prove it, Dick.

    By Blogger L.N. Smithee, at 09 December, 2005 13:55  

  • Franken has little to no chance of winning in this state, in my opinion. Coleman looks more moderate around here than Milwaukee would have us believe. He has opposed ANWAR in the past and spent the last couple of years dismantling corruption at the UN. Not exactly a partisan issue. (Or, it shouldn't be.)

    Coleman also brought hockey back to Minnesota and will always be revered for it. Hockey may be the only thing that right and left in Minnesota agrees on.

    Mark Kennedy is a popular Republican and it's no surprise that Franken wants no part of that. The state Dem's still haven't come up with a serious candidate to oppose him. Plus, Mark Dayton has proved a completely ineffective party hack with nary a single original idea.

    If Franken thinks Coleman's is the easier seat, he should think again. It will not be that simple. The Dem's could win the seat with a serious moderate candidate, but a highly partisan, idiotic, comic with a track record of outlandish statements a mile long and who is just barely identified as a Minnesotan isn't going to get the job done. Not by a long shot.

    I hope Franken does run against Coleman. Nothing could be better at highlighting the fact that the state party can't come up with a single serious challenger. The destruction of state Dem's would essentially be complete.

    In that sense, Franken in the "white flag" candidate.

    By Blogger Teaparty, at 10 December, 2005 13:58  

  • still waiting brian....

    By Blogger Justin, at 11 December, 2005 20:57  

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