Air America's saddest day

[BobcatJH]

Remember the dust-up over John Edwards's two hires, Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan? You know, the personal vendetta and charge for their firings led by bigoted Bill Donohue? That's right, the same Bill Donohue allowed yesterday by Air America host Lionel to repeatedly lie, make racist and homophobic statements and otherwise spew dishonesty unchallenged and unquestioned by his all-too-willing host. But the worst claim - the worst - made by Donohue was that he, unlike others, doesn't call for the firings of his group's targets. Sure you don't, Bill.

I would be remiss if I failed first to point you to posts about yesterday's shameful episode on Air America penned by Marcotte and McEwan, two friends and fellow bloggers subject to the kind of Donohue-led personal vendetta that the bigoted asshole himself yesterday denied in host Lionel's warm, loving embrace. I can't stress enough the insanity of the truly awe-inspiring Donohue claim - a claim unchallenged by Lionel - that he doesn't call for his targets' firings. Oh yeah? Here, for your reading pleasure (and I hope the reading pleasure of those asleep at the switch with Lionel's "show") are specific passages - quotes from Donohue himself - from four Catholic League press releases over an eight-day stretch earlier this year:

February 6: "John Edwards is a decent man who has had his campaign tarnished by two anti-Catholic vulgar trash-talking bigots. He has no choice but to fire them immediately."

February 8: "John Edwards has apparently decided that there is more to be gained by aligning himself with the cultural left than by standing on principle and firing the Catholic bashers on his payroll."

February 12: "John Edwards had better fire Marcotte and McEwan immediately. As I said last week on TV, these two foul-mouthed bigots are loose cannons with no particular loyalty to Edwards. I was just proven right." (From a release titled " EDWARDS BLOGGER STRIKES AGAIN: THEY MUST BE FIRED NOW!)

February 13: "It is not enough that one foul-mouthed anti-Christian bigot, Amanda Marcotte, has quit. Melissa McEwan must go as well. Either Edwards shows her the door or she bolts on her own. There is no third choice - the Catholic League will see to it that this issue won't go away.

"The Edwards campaign is in total disarray and the meltdown will continue unless McEwan is removed from his staff. The fact that Marcotte had to quit suggests that Edwards doesn't have the guts to do what is morally right. He has one more chance - fire McEwan now." (From a release titled "EDWARDS NEEDS TO CAN McEWAN")

Sweet Jesus Christ Dressed as Bill Donohue, there can't be a more textbook example of a blatant, hypocritical, gutless lie than that. And yet it was allowed to see the light of day today - on Air America and on more than one occasion. I repeat, on Air America. The entire premise of Donohue's appearance on Lionel's show was as bogus:

Hold onto your hats, we've got Bill Donohue from the Catholic League. He asks: why is it ok to bash Catholics when there's outrage every time someone hints at insulting Islam or Judaism.

Marcotte, in her post, knocks this ridiculous notion out of the ballpark, but, for a moment, let what happened yesterday settle in: On a show from a progressive radio network hosted by a "talent" apparently important enough to unseat true progressive and friend of the netroots Sam Seder, a known bigot and enemy of everything the network claims to stand for was given ample time to repeatedly lie, make racist and homophobic comments and avoid any and all scrutiny of his own sad record. What's more, by not doing his homework and instead insulting his audience for not getting it, Lionel did himself and his network a tremendous disservice. Tacitly endorsing disgusting bigotry is, in my mind, not a progressive ideal.

And you can spare me the replies that I must have a problem with airing all sides of an issue, a problem with the notion of equal time. Bull. I'm all for opposing opinion and for the idea of it being welcome on Air America. But what I'm not for is hosts uncritically allowing guests to repeatedly make easily-refuted claims. I'm also not for hosts allowing guests to make bigoted comments and then criticizing those who have the temerity to call them bigoted. Look no further than Thom Hartmann as an example of an Air America host who welcomes opposing viewpoints. Hartmann regularly spars with those holding contrary opinions, only he does his job and challenges them using intelligence and class, two concepts lacking in the host warming his chair each morning.

When new Air America president Mark Green trumpeted the new "Air America 2.0" in March, he wrote the following:

But be a business with a sharp point of view. The era of on-the-one-hand-on-the-other-hand liberalism is over - or as Robert Frost once wrote, "a liberal man is too broad-minded to take his own side in a quarrel." For all those who worry about messianic misleaders governing on a right wing and a prayer, Air America 2.0 will be an answer. For all those fearful of plutocracy and theocracy, the pro-democracy hosts of AAR's programs will be an answer. If the conservative media continue to spout propaganda and call it news, there's now the alternative of truth, justice and the Air American way.

Boy, Mark, that sounds good when you write it for The Huffington Post, but it turns out a bit differently in practice, doesn't it? I'll cut through your self-congratulatory rhetoric and instead offer you this: It's all about legitimacy. The legitimacy Air America seeks and the legitimacy the network grants its most vocal defenders and most frequent listeners. To achieve the former, it's not smart business to insult the latter. And yesterday, we were all insulted. I hope you're happy with your choice to replace Seder. In time, I suspect you'll be as pleased as those responsible for bringing Jerry Springer on-board. Is it too much to ask that the progressive radio network be, well, progressive? I sure hope not.

Don't take this sitting down. Lionel's Web page can be found here. To contact the show, call 212-871-8283 or write at [email protected]. For another feedback form for Lionel's show, click here. Also, contact Air America itself at [email protected].

[spooky3]

1. Sounds as if Donohue has the same problems as Bill O'Reilly

Doesn't "get" truth and has no problem with hypocrisy.

[JohnLocke]

2. Bill Donohue spews hate for a living, and then claims to represent all Catholics.

Thanks for writing this post. K&R.

[blm]

3. Truth is that AirAmerica was retooled to tone down the real left 9antiHillary) voices while

boosting the more corporate and centrist Dems as the representative voices of the 'left' for the primaries.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Case in point. This email from AAR: Here's the 'Comeback Kid' on the 'Comeback Network.'

Italics mine. Email received yesterday, June 13, 2007.

From the Desk of Mark Green
President of Air America Radio

BILL CLINTON TALKS ABOUT AIR AMERICA AND MEDIA BALANCE

I thought that you might be interested in what President Clinton said at our Air America 2.0 ReLaunch dinner, as well as taking a look at the new YouTube video about the network, which concludes with the President's remarks.

We've now completed Phase One of Air America's rebirth. Got new ownership, new management, a new web site and blogger, a stronger lineup built on long-standing talent, a new ad and affiliate firm in Westwood One -- and we completed our ReLaunch Week with interviews of 35 figures, from Obama, Clinton and Edwards to Sorensen, Steinem and Sting.

Further, we'll shortly be announcing our first significant affiliate growth in a year.

To cap it off, Board Chairman Stephen Green, C.O.O. Scott Elberg and I were pleased to welcome the 42nd President of the United States to my home where he explained to 150 radio leaders and talent & friends why he thought it so important that Air America survives and thrives.

In introducing him, I was not shy about reminding all about two things -- first, it was nice to be with a person who in the seventh year of his presidency was at 60% favorable and rising rather than at 30% and falling; and second, who better to explain what it takes to comeback from defeat than someone who fought his way back from his gubernatorial loss in 1980 and from the battering he took before the New Hampshire Primary in 1992.

Here's the "Comeback Kid" on the "Comeback Network":

REMARKS OF PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, JUNE 7, 2007

I'm here because Air America is alive and well.

Since the religious right rose in the late seventies, we have not yet proven in the presidential elections, except for the two in which I was involved, that we can beat Republicans in America. And one of the reasons is that we never had an adequate voice on radio.

So when Air America started, I was elated. And I wasn't particularly surprised that it had growing pains. Now the new climate as well as the talent lineup will dramatically increase the likelihood that this will be a profitable enterprise, because you have people who want edge and want humor.

Fundamentally Democrats like politics when it's doing something for somebody else. We don't get in it just to have the power, we want to do something for somebody. That means we're value voters too, right? Because if we weren't, everybody here would have jumped and been with the Republicans for the past 6 1/2 years.

Now I think the country wants an alternative voice. And I think that the loud, clanging, bullying that we have seen from a narrow slice of the Republican Party dominating the media and often carrying the presidential elections is unlikely to prevail anymore.

This is the environment in which Air America relaunches. It has a chance to shape the debate in this country and has a chance to attract listeners who want to hear an alternative voice and don't want to be pushed around--and would like to have somebody who is in it for somebody else. They also want to laugh when something is funny and they want to be touched when they need to be touched. So I think there is an enormous market out there that is more right than when this enterprise first began.

You can imagine how lonely it was for 8 years to only have the occasional columnist who would write an article that only a few people might read that had some measure of sanity. But there was almost nobody on the radio. You can change that. And all of us who are here have the power to help them, by advertising, by supporting them, by doing interviews. We need to do this.

The country never really got to see what it would be like to have all the talk show rhetoric turned into policies in real life until Republicans had the Congress and the White House. They are trying to take advantage of a murky situation now of us having a narrow majority in Congress and them having the White House to find something else to divide us about. You are really important. In a way, Air America will be a more important force in the next 2 years than it was in the previous 6. This is a big year. It's an important time. And so I'm glad you're all here tonight. And I ask you after you leave tonight to continue to support them. They're a good team.

[blm]

11. Exactly - they pushed out all those left voices who opposed BushInc all these years

pretty much on their own, and now will highlight the centrist Dem voices and pretend they are the left in this country who have been leading the opposition to BushInc, though they have actually been the Democrats siding with BushInc on so many of his policies and shying away from battles opposing Bush these past 7 years.

[NYCGirl]

26. Yeah, Mark Green is so DLC — that's why he wrote this book last year:

[defendandprotect]

27. Green is either totally confused -- or knows what he is doing with AA

Which is it?

Lionel is garbage --
and from what I heard before tuning out completely, right-wing minded.

Hartmann is like Bill Moyers --
Questionable as to what he is really doing -- and will never get anyone up off the couch to do anything about anything -- news of fascism delivered in soothing tones!

ALL of this detracts from Randi Rhodes program and AA in general --
Listeners -- like me -- will not bother tuning in.

So -- what is it? Is Green confused about his own radio station, who he fired and who he hired????

Or is he part of new lies to the progressive audience????

I'd say the latter --

Will Randi tell us what's really going on?

By the way . . . this also gives you an idea of how dangerous any progressive ideas are for the right-wing which runs strictly on lies/propaganda.

[bullimiami]

4. i really had no problem with lionel putting donohue on.

he says they are friends (which I dont get at all but whatever) but he disagrees with him about virtually everything.
thom has all sorts of freaks on as guests for debate. al used to have his screwed up friend mark on.
i dont think it hurt anything. we know right from wrong, truth from lies and sane from insane. a few minutes of that a-hole on aa isnt going to change any of us.

[jgraz]

16. Yeah, I wish Hartmann would knock it off as well

Don't those right-wing hacks get enough airtime? Why the hell is it the progressive's responsibility to air "all sides" of an argument?

Donohue is the real attention whore, pretending that his sick hatred is representative of all Catholics. Every time you give him a platform you perpetuate that hatred.

[Chemical Bill]

5. There are no left wing voices allowed in corporate media.

What passes for "left" is too often warmed over centerist. I would be happier if every media didn't let lies go unchallenged.

I do like Randi Rhodes, though.

Bill

[Javaman]

6. After Marc Maron, Sam Seder and the general watering down of AA

I can't listen to them anymore. I will catch the occasional Randi or Rachel shows, but that's about it for me.

Once the Dems took congress, that station turned into a cast of wusses.

I remember when AA was angry and controversial. Now it's an angry boy scout working on his merit badge for lobbying.

[krispos42]

7. I'm very glad my local AAR affiliate doesn't get him

AM950 grabs a couple of shows from Jones Radio, as well as Mike Malloy.

[HootieMcBoob]

8. Seder was my favorite

He is smart, funny, passionate, informative and entertaining while, all the time, treating his callers with great respect. Lionel is annoying, boring, trite, ill-informed while being, at the same time, patronizing, condescending or outright hostile to his guests.

This was a very short sighted move by aar. They will be sorry that they did it. It's worse than replacing Morning Sedition with Springer.

[madfloridian]

10. Recommended...I miss Sam and I despise Lionel's show.

Simply can not listen.

[JPZenger]

21. Please bring back Sam Seder on weekdays

Lionel is definately a step backwards from Sam Seder.

[The Wizard]

12. Lionel should go back to

making model trains. His show sucks in comparison to San Seeder. Maybe he's Mark Green's secret lover.
Air America went from compelling to convention, excepting Randi, Rachel and Hartman. They're bringing too many knives for a gun fight. What's next, Bob Grant?

[Alexia Wheaton]

13. I know alot of people on this side don't like Ed Schultz, but you...h

have to admit that he is no where near as bad as this Lionel. I personally listen to Stephanie Miller.

[Zodiak]

14. Air America 2.0

"Voice of the DLC"

How typical for corporatists to corrupt something good into something bad.

Lionel sucks, and has always sucked. He was awful in Columbus...so awful he was never listened to. If corporatists took over Air America, then it is typical for them to start off by getting a loser like Lionel. They pick their advisors the same way. DLCers can't win an election unless they convince people they are really Democrats.....the same goes for this sad operation that used to be Air America.

I'm not fooled. NovaM has Mike Malloy, and therefore NovaM gets my ear. I have long ago learned to recognize true progressives from repackaged corporate pablum promoted as "leftie".

[jgraz]

15. K&R -- get this idiot off my radio

[Sarah Ibarruri]

22. I don't like Lionel either but....

He's in his right to have William Donohue on his program if he wants. And William Donohue is in his entire right to insist that the Catholic Church gets attacked far more than the Jewish, Protestant and Islamic faiths. He's not lying in that regard. The Catholic Church has always been seen in a negative light in this country. This is a Protestant country, not a Catholic one. Look how amazed and shocked the nation was when Kennedy was elected President. Find pedophile priests and it becomes a never-ending party for the Protestants. Sure there are priests that are pedophiles, and of course it looks even worse than Protestant pedophiles, or any other sort of pedophile because priests are supposed to maintain celibacy. However, the same core of Americans that always enjoyed attacking the Catholic Church before, continues to do so, and no one can convince me that the Protestants, the Jews, and the Muslims are any purer, any holier, or any more innocent in this regard than the Catholics are. But I don't know if discussing this is important or not to our country's future.

My only concern right now is this: that we get these fascists out of the White House.

If we get another Republican president, we're screwed, this will become even more of a hellhole, and at that time I'll be leaving the country.

[jgraz]

23. Hey, he has every right to have the Grand Wizard of the KKK on his show

And I have every right to say he's a clueless loser for doing it. I also want to get the fascists out of the White House, and I know right-wing apologists like Lieonel make that job a lot harder.

[rickrok66]

17. I am glad that I switched to Sirius

I get Sirius Left which has Stephanies Miller, Ed Schultz, Alex Bennett, Mike Malloy, Thom Hartman, and Lynn Samuels. I wonder what will happen if they merge with XM. Will someone get bumped or will we get 2 left channels?

Personally, I like Stephanie Miller and Mike Malloy.

[Morgana LaFey]

18. K&R

[1776Forever]

19. Randi Rhodes said Lionel watches Fox News everyday at the station - she turns it off

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

I can't stand Lionel - I think he is a righty lefty righty lefty - take your pick. I told Air America what I thought too! I don't turn the AA on till Ed Schultz and Randi come on then go to Nova M and listen to it.

:dilemma:

[NYCGirl]

20. Yes, so he can write blogs like this. He really nails Dennis Miller and Bill O'Reilly.

http://www.airamerica.com/lionel/node/12

I watched (yet again) in absolute horror the May 30th edition of Faux News Channel’s “The Factor” (sounds like a blood disorder). Bill O spoke with “comedian” Dennis Miller in a regular segment entitled “Miller Time.” Clever. The presentation was noteworthy to say the least.

Someone must be responsible for instilling in Mr. Miller the fanciful notion that he’s funny, poignant, witty and relevant. The modern day, likable Republican lapdog and acolyte. Maybe he spoke with his agent and is now attempting to reinvent his career as the lovable conservative. Shtick. Gimmick. Pathetic. It is novel. Think about it. The Hollywood elite actor establishes himself as virtually the lone conservative. That rara avis. Sounds good on paper.

Miller tries so hard to maintain this role of the cool hipster while prattling on about the country’s inability to see what’s really happening. But the act. That Miller thing. He’s becoming a caricature of himself. That “coo-coo, ring-a-ding-ding, daddy-o” bit has run its proverbial course. He’s the latter day minstrel show. He’s vaudeville, disco. He’s groovy, 23 skidoo. An anachronism. The act is dead. But I must admit I like it. I like laughing at Miller and marvel at to how he doesn’t get it.

-snipped-

Bill, bless his heart, was vintage Bill. His phraseology contrasted with the one-man Rat Pack was at best pedestrian. Bill’s a simpleton. A brusque, rough-around-the-edges chuff. “Your humble correspondent.” The loudmouth at the meeting hall.

[The Wizard]

24. Dennis Miller

jumped the shark when he thought going country and western would revive his failing career. His CNBC show was so bad they had to pay people to sit in the audience. His career peaked with News Update on SNL, and that was five years before baseball. As for now, Dennis Miller sucks dicks and barks at the moon, and Billo is just a jerkoff. Come to think of it, they're perfect together.

[disndat]

25. Lionel is probably

hoping to get a job with Faux News where he belongs. As for Mark Green, he is probably placing his bet on a Hillary presidency and he will become part of her team. Thank goodness, they can not touch Randi. If AAR loses Randi, they will belly up.

[lpbk2713]

28. You had me worried there for a moment.

At first I thought you were talking about PHIL Donahue.

I must be getting dyslexic. :crazy:

[FloridaJudy]

29. So did I

We dyslexics have more fnu.

[lpbk2713]

31. Ever heard about the amnesiac agnostic dyslexic?

He stays awake all night wondering if there's a dog.

:eyes: :eyes:

[FloridaJudy]

32. Nope, but I'm a member of the Untied Church of Dog n/t

[Doctor_J]

30. Lionel is a winger

I heard an ad for his show last week, in which he said he would be having as a guest the director of the ultra-right-wing Catholic League to discuss "The War On Catholics", and it was clear that Lionel would be agreeing with him.

I wouldn't bother to write to AAR. They demoted Seder to make room for this dumbass, they knew what they were doing. Better to switch over to Steph from 9-12.

[PBass]

33. Don't get me started on all the things that are wrong with Air America now...

Lionel is as edgy as a jello salad. He's a royal putz.

Air America now broadcasts Neil Cavuto's Business Report, every day at around 5:50 EST. Yes, "that" Neil Cavuto from Fox News is getting paid by Air America to syndicate his report.

Air America has been gutted, in my opinion. It's a shadow of what it could be. I've been listening to NPR in the morning, because frankly NPR is more topical, more serious and more relevant than Air America is... if you can believe that.

I live in NYC and the AAR flagship station has 6 hours of Armstrong Williams a day (the Sammy & Army show). Four hours of Sammy/Army in the morning and then two hours rebroadcast between 8 and 10 pm... because it's such a good show, it needs to be played twice (dripping sarcasm). On the weekend we don't even get Sam Seder, we get infomercials all day long, instead. Air America's flagship station is a mess.

-------------------------------------

Bill Donohue has a problem telling the truth... there's a clip on YouTube of Bill Donohue on the "Opie and Anthony" show, getting grilled because he called the TV show Lucky Louie "barbaric" and "obscene" but then says he's never seen the show.

"Louis CK and Bill Donahue go at it on Opie and Anthony. Bill slammed Louis' show to the press, even though hes never seen it. And ole Blockhead Bill couldnt justify his actions. Sounded like a true hypocrite."

Louis CK calls him a liar, on the air. I won't post the link because I don't want to promote Opie and Anthony. But Donohue is a hack and an idiot.