Al Franken, Rachel, and the Air America experiment

[orangecrush]

Last edited Sun Feb 24, 2019, 01:10 AM - Edit history (1)

I caught a few episodes at some point.

Al Franken had me in stitches, and Rachel was stellar.

This was an effort to counter the righr wing poison that permeates the a.m. airwaves.

The right wouldn't have purchased something like 90% of the a.m. radio stations in America if they thought they weren't reaching a mass audience.

The problem as I see it was the right had a chokehold on affiliates, very few carried Air America. It was a long shot for me to pick it up in Erie, Pa..

For a brief, shining moment, laughter, good music, culture and TRUTH returned to the a.m. dial.





"News

Air America featured its own news summary breaks at the top of each hour, with content from wire services such as the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). Some affiliates used other news services or would run their own newscasts during the six-minute "news hole" at the top of the hour. AAR later switched to AP Radio Network News, and finally Free Speech Radio News. These newscasts ended on June 29, 2007, with local stations signing up with other radio news networks.

Public affairs and editorials

The public affairs programs tended to closely follow current happenings in the news, with monologues and reflections offered by the hosts and their guests. Listener comments by phone or the Internet were worked into these segments along with the interviews.





Music

Although better known for its political shows, Air America also featured a couple of music oriented shows on weekends. On the Real featuring Chuck D had a strong music focus. The Steve Earle Show (which ended in 2007 with Earle moving to Sirius Satellite Radio[5]) mixed music with political commentary. Dr. Demento was a guest host on the network at least once. Also, most of the talk shows had their own theme songs, used bumper music to segue between commercials and segments, and played political novelty songs. Theme songs and bumper music were generally commercially released rock music."



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_America_(radio_network)

[Snotcicles]

1. Sam Seder Janeane Garofalo Marc Maron Ben Mankiewicz were all on AAR too. nt

[orangecrush]

4. I picked it up

when I was living on the bluff above Lake Erie, next to I-90. Great reception there.

It was a.m. dx (long distance rexception), had to keep adjusting the dial to compensate for drift and fade.

Heard it on a mid 60's tube Motorola table radio, the sound quality gave the show a rich, old timey a.m. sound.

It was a great idea, but was sabotaged by the right wing billionaires, they correctly saw it as a viable threat to their propaganda network.

[lordsummerisle]

127. How was it sabotaged?

I heard it was financial mismanagement that did them in.

[ChubbyStar]

5. I loved Morning Sedition

Marc Maron is FANTASTIC. I called into the show quite a bit. I miss Air America.

[orangecrush]

12. The name of the show

Is a classic!

[Snotcicles]

15. Yeah that was it, I couldn't remember the name. AAR had Mike Malloy Randi Rhodes

Mike Papantonio Robert Kennedy Jr. Ed Schultz A bunch of Big progressive names.
I drove truck so I would listen 8 t0 10 hours of their broadcast often. I miss it too.

[hlthe2b]

77. Firetruck!!!! Yeah, I loved Marc Maron. He almost never touches politics on his WTF podcast now

I was a regular AAR listener and I found their demise to be heartbreaking.

[lordsummerisle]

126. Morning Sedition was a great show n/t

[wasupaloopa]

2. Charles Grodin did a liberal talk show on TV. He was taken off when Clinton was about to be

impeached.


I remember him talking about the right wing reaction to Clinton being impeached.

He said, "The glee!, the glee!, the glee!"

Then he was gone.

[orangecrush]

8. Richard Mellon Scaife

Was the money behind the Arkansas project to get Clinton.

He owned a paper in Pittsburgh, and no doubt had media connections.

[Progressive Jones]

130. Mellon Scaiffe also runs a "foundation" that buys right wing books

in bulk, which makes sales look good on the NYT lists. Then they basically give the books away, or sell them dirt cheap, at rightie conventions, and as radio show giveaways.

It's a scam. Everything the right wing does is some kind of scam...

[elfin]

3. That network saved my sanity

Living in an uber-conservative area when I somehow learned about it. Maybe from DU? Bought satellite radio and fell in love with Al then.

[orangecrush]

9. I had right wingers living in my apt bulding

I made sure they could hear it.

[iluvtennis]

50. LOL, love it

[orangecrush]

53. ...

[ChoppinBroccoli]

6. Al Franken's Show Was Amazing

I tried to listen every day, or at least as much as possible, all through 2004. It was hard because I could only hear it over the internet, so I was essentially chained to my computer. My favorite bits were "The Oy Oy Oy Show," and whenever he would "illustrate" graphs, numbers, etc., using the slide-whistle.

[orangecrush]

10. It was a masterpiece of broadcasting

I think Al had as much fun as we did listening!

[mopinko]

13. "who got the memo" was my fave.

but i loved the "oy, oy, oy" bit, too.

the whole thing was set up to fail, tho.

[gay texan]

44. "So how is Israel today?" n/t

[orangecrush]

51. ...

[Dennis Donovan]

17. Morning Sedition...

...was my fave! Unfiltered and Al, afterwards. GREAT radio!

[ChubbyStar]

22. Sedition was sublime radio. I'll tell you a funny story about one of my call ins

Do you accept DU messages? It is too embarrassing to tell the board

[Dennis Donovan]

122. From someone with an Opus avatar?

Sure!

[Blue_playwright]

23. I loved the oy oy oy Show!

Nt

[CentralMass]

52. ...

[orangecrush]

117. Thank you very much!

[HootieMcBoob]

128. Who could forget

Liam The Loose Boweled Leprechaun?

[CentralMass]

134. :-)

[DinahMoeHum]

105. "Lying? or Stupid?" was my favorite with Franken.

n/t

[Clash City Rocker]

7. I liked Jeaneane too

Although, full honesty, I think I had a crush on her at the time. Smart, funny, attractive, what’s not to love? But she took that job seriously and I think she was very good at it.

[orangecrush]

11. Progressive women

Intelligence is naturally attractive.

[Snotcicles]

18. When she would call in as Katherine Harris. I would almost piss myself laughing so hard. nt

[orangecrush]

28. ...

[Dennis Donovan]

14. It was 2004 - I bought satellite radio specifically for it

April, IIRC.

[orangecrush]

29. Being a traditionalist

I listened to this very non-traditional show on a tube radio!

[Dennis Donovan]

71. You're talking to a dude with a working RCA U-109 in his living room!

Last edited Sun Feb 24, 2019, 02:50 PM - Edit history (1)

[orangecrush]

104. Beautiful radio!

Zenith MJ-1035, and two other Zenith tube table sets here!

[Dennis Donovan]

120. I love and miss Zenith! I have a '53 Trans-O

...I bought a transistor Trans-O (a 3000) for 3 bucks at a yard sale 20 yrs ago. Sold it on eBay for $300. I wish I didn't.

An interesting story about my U-109. I had it recapped in 1996 so it was functional.

August 31, 1997, I was listening to the BBC World Service (shortwave), CNN was on my TV and AOL on my pentium 1 computer. The Princess of Wales was killed in an automobile accident and I first heard the news on the (at the time) 60 year-old device, followed by my TV about minute later, and then the internet, about 2 minutes later.

[orangecrush]

137. Weird coincidence

I was driving my van on I-90, heard of her death on my Cobra 148 GTL-F C.B. radio!

That RCA is a honey!


Here is the Zenith 7 tube...

And if that isn't enough, here's 12 tubes!

[orangecrush]

142. 16 tubes in your 109!

Holy crap!




https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/rca_u109.html

[krkaufman]

31. Chuckle!

Yeah, I got a chuckle out of that "late 90s" comment. Per Wikipedia... Launch date: March 31, 2004 (so, yeah, April)

Before podcasts were available (I recall a "Bob" being instrumental, though I've since forgotten the website name), I'd purchased some software explicitly for the purpose of recording the AAR live Internet streams. And I bought a mini FM transmitter in order to broadcast playback throughout the house. (pre-Sonos, etc)

Despite the network's failure, I've generally viewed it as a success, given what Franken, Maddow, Sam Seder and even Mark Maron have done since.

[orangecrush]

45. Thanks, I corrected it

Last edited Sun Feb 24, 2019, 05:37 PM - Edit history (1)

Started drinking pretty heavy after 911, so my memory of dates back then is pretty hazy.

[orangecrush]

46. Got the date wrong

My brain was a bit fogged in those days.

[mopinko]

16. you know what i really remember? no campaign ads.

why the hell john kerry, and other dems, didnt give them a penny in support is one of those things that will forever make me go hmmm.

[orangecrush]

32. Great point.

They probably thought the money was better spent elsewhere, not realizing they could concievably make a dent in the right wing talk audience.

[Hoyt]

19. Air America was great. Also liked Randy Rhodes.

[orangecrush]

43. Would love to see a resurgence.

[Nictuku]

95. Randi Rhodes is on the internet M-F

You can listen free live M-F 1-3 pm (PST)

www.randirhodes.com

I get the podcast and listen in my car to and from work. She has a fantastic ability to connect the dots (she reads a lot of newspapers)

She has been way ahead of msm on everything Russia. Its amazing.

The latest info that has come to light is how Flynn was texting about moving forward with lifting Russian sanctions on the day of the inauguration. These sanctions had to be lifted so that Russia could build the nuclear technology that these treasonous bastards were selling to the Saudis. Yes, the freaking Saudis (15 of the 19 terrorists on 911 were Saudi).

Where was the first country Trump went to? Saudi.

Where is the outrage? No wonder the Judge at Flynn's sentencing hearing (which ended up being delayed) ... the Judge asked: (paraphrasing) Why aren't you in Prison for Treason?

Now we know why. Mattis killed the deal, but now that he is gone, who is going to stop it?

Grrr, I don't understand why this is not the Top news of the day. I just don't.

Randi keeps me sane.

[orangecrush]

96. Thank you very much!

And I will certainly check it out!

[DinahMoeHum]

110. She's on YouTube as well, live-streaming. . .

. . .4pm - 6pm Eastern Time

Her Friday shows on Air America started with comic Rusty Warren:

[orangecrush]

118. ....

[Hstch05]

132. Facebook and Progressive Voices

She simulcasts on Facebook and the Progressive Voices website and app. I listen to her on the way home from work every day.

[womanofthehills]

144. I get Randi's podcast too - She gets me all wired up - she's good

I was a big listener of Air America - Al, Stephanie, Rachel, & Randi were my favorites. I also liked Pap and Bobby jr on the weekends.

[Gumboot]

20. Oh, how I miss Air America!

It was where I first discovered Thom Hartmann and one of his regular guests, Bernie Sanders.

Those two gave me so much hope, and such a great education.

Loved Ed Schultz, too.

Damn, I learned so much from that radio station.

[orangecrush]

41. Great times

Sad Ed went to the dark side.

[kimbutgar]

21. I listened all the time

[orangecrush]

40. Thanks!

[yaesu]

24. I used to listen to Air America way back when but I had no idea Rachel was on there

or maybe I forgot. It was a great network run on a shoestring budget.

[orangecrush]

36. Actually heard her

It was a great time.

[mucifer]

79. I remember her saying on her radio show that no one who looked like her could ever

get a network TV show.

She proved herself wrong. Although MSNBC does dress her up and put make up on her so it's kinda true.

[oldsoftie]

89. If you're gonna be on TV, you've GOT to have make up on!! Or look AWFUL.

Its just the way it goes with the extreme lighting.

[mucifer]

90. She was saying she doesn't look like the hosts on CNN MSNBC FOX etc and she doesn't

MSNBC did hire her anyway.

[oldsoftie]

92. I always thought she should have had her OWN show on AA.

I had never heard of her before the AA morning show. You could tell immediately she was the professional. But she had to spend a lot of effort keeping Winstead & Chuck D from wandering off to some nonsense that had nothing to do with the mornings topics!

[orangecrush]

107. She hates the makeup

but tolerates it, from what I saw on a documentary about the show.

[FailureToCommunicate]

25. Air America was a welcome lifeline...before stumbling upon DU.

Thanks for the look back at an old friend...gone too soon, like so many things.

[orangecrush]

33. Rachel and Al

Look so young in those pics.

Glad you enjoyed!

[Baltimike]

26. I streamed it all day every day. nt

[orangecrush]

39. A friendly voice

in the a.m. wasteland!

[Hulk]

27. Nice to reminisce, but this is a BIG...HUGE reason progressives are extinct in rural America...

I've bitched this bitch so many times, but here goes again. Driving across the USA, which I've done a dozen times in the past 10 years, once you are out of the major metro areas, there is absolutely NO progressive radio. It's ALL reich wing and evangelical bull shit. Sometimes you get four or five stations with the same rush limpballs and vannity screaming "socialism"...FIRE!! to the uninformed masses. Then couple that with fox propaganda network, and MSNBC getting about 1/20th of the cable packages, and you can pretty well understand why those folks are backward with the reality of what is going on in the world.

I'm not trying to slight the rural folks. Some great people, but they do NOT get any progressive info at all. I'm not exaggerating one bit. Not even all the major metro areas get NPR. And serious progressive radio is damned near extinct anywhere. We used to get it in Portland,Oregon...but no longer. But you can sure as hell find a half dozen right wing stations to poison your brain with.

The reich wingers have this figured out. We don't. They invest in overkill media to hit these folks that are too busy making a living to scan the net for reality news. The DNC and other progressive organizations invest NADA. Not one fucking progressive network to listen to, cause THEY AREN'T PROFITABLE. Neither are the reich wing networks, but they invest in them and they keep the masses voting "R" and add in the evangelical jihadists, and we are playing a game from the end zone.

We need to invest in rural America. We need to invest in Urban America. If we don't, we just have to pretend that everyone knows the reality of what is going on.............they don't!

[orangecrush]

34. Well said...

In my rural area (off the pavement) local religious stations actually jam NPR. They have adjacent frequencies and crank the power up.

[mwooldri]

131. And an FCC complaint has been filed?

Mind the NPR affiliated station would have to file the complaint for it to have any serious effect... If they're on a translator and they're cranking up the power more than what they're licensed for then that's a violation. But short spacing is a problem and if you're not in the actual service area of that NPR affiliate and are getting the signal as a 'rim-shot' then not a lot that can be done. However translator stations aren't supposed to interfere with class A/B/C stations and if they are then the translator is required to adjust its power or antenna pattern, change frequency, or go off air.

[betsuni]

60. Right wing networks do make money.

Part of their integrated communications strategy. Conservative talk show hosts ask listeners to go to websites for daily surveys on topics and software "captures the names of respondents so that they can be hit up for money. ... But the surveys were actually meaningless ... . Their real purpose was to collect the names and other contact information of survey participants, which the site justified as a way to 'prevent someone from cheating in one of our online petitions or polls by voting more often than the rules allow.' People who signed up would then start receiving a stream of e-mail pitches, including commercial offers such as 'incredible deals of wireless products and services" or 'a win-win offer from Rogaine.' Most, however, combined right-wing activism with opportunities to part with your money, inviting recipients to 'sign a thank you card to Jesse Helms,' 'help the Boy Scouts against political correctness' by donating to scout troops ... or buy books, videos and audio tapes about topics ranging from the Chinese Communist threat to Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly's latest musings." -- from Rampton and Stauber's "Banana Republicans."

[orangecrush]

109. Great summary!

You've obviously done your homework!

[summer_in_TX]

64. Loved Air America!

I changed my commuting route so I could listen, since my route wasn't close to a station that carried it.

Air America struggled financially all along, but the real killer was the boycott from a number of major corporations. If I recall correctly, Hewlett-Packard was one.

The billionaires certainly saw it as a threat.

I totally agree with you. We do indeed need to invest in unbiased and also liberal media in rural and in urban America. But we need to be aware that those who see it as a threat may (WILL!) try to undermine it, and figure out how to ensure they can remain solvent.

[orangecrush]

114. Thanks!

[DFW]

69. This can't be mentioned often enough.

The old Soviet empire grasped this fully. In the old East Germany, while they couldn't block radio and TV from West Germany and West Berlin, they confiscated all newspapers (!!) from anyone entering from the West. The one pocket of true-red die-hard loyalists to "the real existing socialism" of East Germany was a part of Saxony near the Czech border where there was no reception of western media. They thought the west was a place of horror and that they were living in paradise--pretty much identical to the view of people in depressed parts of Republicanland where Fox Noise is not just an option, but pretty much the ONLY option.

They may have never seen a Mexican in their lives, but they just KNOW there are masses of them just waiting to invade their town next week, and that they need Trump and Pence to protect them from it. HOW do they know this? Fox Noise said so, and what could be more reliable than that? (what, indeed?)

[orangecrush]

119. Funny you mention that...

I have a 1961 tube radio enroute to me from former East Germany.

Bought it on German Ebay.

I will imagine a family huddled around it listening to RFE.

[JHB]

85. Bingo. +1 million

Not just commercial stations, but religious ones too. Conservatives invested in media, and as a result blanked huge areas with their version of things, and any opposing views are filtered and spun.

[IronLionZion]

91. Fire and brimstone appeals to the conservative mind

When liberals try similar tactics, it just comes across as amusing. Liberals would rather listen to music. Rural conservatives are the ones who spend several hours a day listening to talk radio, especially during commuting hours. It's easier to brainwash them with fear, anger, and hate. Progressive ideas just aren't as effectively delivered over radio.

The people who lose money investing in RW hate radio know they will get it back in tax cuts and business deals as more Republicans are elected to office.

[certainot]

30. best thing could happen is cohen gets asked about why trump team studied talk radio in 2014

and if trump paid limbaugh to win the primaries. were those hannity real estate connections laundered russian real estate?

a single question in the public hearings suggesting that would destroy limbaugh

tell the dem reps on that committee to ask.

sam nunberg says trump hired him to listen to 1000s of hours of talk radio in 2014 - the same year those russians that mueller indicted were working here, the same year a russian troll described how they would get handed topics to work with

randi talked about how it was sabotaged, and now the rw monopoly is now a russian tool

i think one of the investors was an anschutz heir and then there was some money guy who ended up a fugitive in the phillippines

dems can destroy rw radio now with artificial intelligence and getting 88 of our universities to stop supporting 260 limbaugh stations republiconradio.org

[orangecrush]

37. Great points

I wish more people got it.

[Yavin4]

35. Al Franken's show was the first time that I heard the name, "Barack Obama". n/t

[orangecrush]

38. Not,suprised

A.A.R. was cutting edge!

[brooklynite]

42. No, the problem was: liberals don't listen to endless hours of political talk radio...

If there was money to be made broadcasting to liberals, someone would set up a radio system to reach them.

[orangecrush]

48. Judging from this thread

Quite a few liberals listened to and enjoyed Air America.

[brooklynite]

54. And so did I...but not endlessly

DU doesn't not reflect anything approaching the interests of a mass audience.

[mucifer]

80. That's not true. Bill Clinton got rid of the Fairness Doctrine allowing right wingers to

buy their power to control am radio.

[yaesu]

88. No, the Fairness Doctrine was repealed in 1987 by the FCC under direction of Dennis R. Patrick

who was a lawyer and Reagan White House aide. Though Clinton did further weaken the competitive nature of the industry by further deregulation which cause small markets to be gobbled up by just a few, RW media giants.

[oasis]

47. What a different world we lived in. It's so crazy today.

[orangecrush]

49. Have to agree

with you on that.

[CottonBear]

55. I absolutely lived for Air America!

I live in Georgia and the only non-RW radio is the local NPR station.

I listened on my car radio and on an analog dial Sony Walkman. I could adjust the Walkman dial ever so slightly so that I could tune in the station.

I seem to remember that Al Franken was the first host on the air for Air America. I think a Grateful Dead tune was played.

[John1956PA]

56. Rachel Maddow and Lizz Winstead were humorous on their morning "Unfiltered" Show. n/t

[OMGWTF]

57. A rich Dem needs to buy Clear Channel and stamp out hate radio.

For a look at the Air America days, check out "Left of the Dial" -- https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=left+of+the+dial+documentary&view=detail&mid=FC06562D8983B68AE571FC06562D8983B68AE571&FORM=VIRE

[Liberty Belle]

62. Yes, that would be the best investment any rich liberal could possibly make

to save our nation. Maybe get a sham corporation so they wouldn't realize who was taking them over.

[crazytown]

63. Randi Rhodes

I enjoyed her show, particularly her reflections on the military. The subsequent controversies not so much.

[DinahMoeHum]

112. Yeah, someone like Tom Steyer.

n/t

[lillypaddle]

58. AAR didn't fail, it opened the door

I listened religiously when I wasn't at work. Such a wonderful and surprising shocker to have progressives to listen to, and to be able to shun rushbo and his ilk.

I will forever be grateful to Air America!!!

[orangecrush]

124. Agree!

And love your username!

[lillypaddle]

138. Thanks

[orangecrush]

139. ...

[station agent]

59. Sam Seder and Randi Rhoades

both have their own youtube channels that are very active and well produced.

Randi
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiEKQloWXK6SLttZgw1wbnQ/videos

Sam
https://www.youtube.com/user/SamSeder/videos

[Liberty Belle]

61. Make no mistake, Air American was driven off the air by the right wingers.

The San Diego affiliate ran on a Clear Channel station. Near election time they booted Air America off for a sports talk show that proved to have dismal ratings yet kept that on air anyhow.

Even with a weak signal, the station still had a good following, but Clear Channels politics are conservative and it wasn't about to tolerate liberals on the air once they started to attract a following.

Similar scenarios played out across the country.

[orangecrush]

116. Word!

[dewsgirl]

65. She is too adorable in that photo.😘

[SKKY]

66. He wasn't on AAR, but the local AAR affiliate had a guy named Stacey Taylor...

...who was excellent. I know he covered for Randy Rhodes a few times, but aside from that, he's kinda dropped off the face of the earth. Dude was legit though, no doubt.

[orleans]

67. i was so excited that air america was about to

broadcast the first show--my mom and i had two radios on in the house, tuned in and ready to go an hour ahead of time.

and in that hour ahead of time the chicago station played classic hippie protest music. and then, officially, air america was on with al franken. it was heaven.

i fell in love with randi rhodes after hearing her show a couple times.

i streamed on the computer and would turn it on in the morning before work so my mom could turn on the speakers and listen to al and randi while i was gone. then i'd download randi's show later that night. i even had an air america sweatshirt (not sure what has happened to it at this point in my life tho)

forever grateful for aar

[orangecrush]

121. Thanks for sharing the memory!

I would love that sweatshirt!

[saveferris]

68. Until AirAmerica returns

You've got more than radio stations.

You have the fine folks at:

ProgressiveVoices.com

(Featuring Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy, to name a few).

and

NetrootsRadio.com

Festuring Daily Kos' David Waldman, Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes, Sam Seder, Nicole Sandler and Mike Malloy.

In fact, you can hear the stations anywhere on your smartphones on TuneIn and Stitcher.

Onward!

[DFW]

70. I discovered Air America on my summer vacations in the USA.

I was in eastern Massachusetts, so I had no problem receiving it. I remember once turning it on and impatiently waiting to hear some program I wanted to hear, and realized I was way too early. I was about to turn it off again, but the woman that was talking was just brilliant. Bursting with both intelligence and humor. I thought WOW, who IS this? Her name was Rachel Maddow.

I remember Al Franken and Thom Hartmann used to encourage people to send in satirical music for their programs, so I sent in songs mocking Bush and Cheney by a nascent project I was involved in out of Atlanta, "The Freedom Toast." Lo and behold, I was soon hearing songs whose lyrics I had written on both programs! When I heard Bobby Kennedy was doing a show, too, I thought I would finally do something I never do: call in. He and I were schoolmates in Washington while his dad was Attorney General. He didn't remember me, of course, but I stumped him the first time I called in and said, "hi, Bob, it's been a long time."

I never actually met Al Franken until he was a Senator, and he didn't remember playing my music on his show, either, but I forgave him, since he did SO much cool stuff on that show, I don't see how anyone could expect him to remember it. He probably had someone else selecting the music anyway, although Thom Hartmann seemed to remember (I think Thom DID select his own music).

[orangecrush]

125. Thank you!

Appreciate your sharing the memories!

[judesedit]

72. Stephanie Miller Ed Schultz Nicole Sanders Jim Dafete

All of them were good. Listened as ofren as possible. Of course, Rachel, Al, Randy. Who'd I forget?

[judesedit]

73. Sam Sedar, Thom Hartmann, too

:&gt

[judesedit]

75. Marc Maron was funny. I miss that great line-up.

I often wondered why some wealthy progressive didnt buy that syndicate or another. Even now...voices from the left are rare. We have to hunt them down. Some find zero sources in their areas. Sometimes I think people claim to be progressive, but really don't want anything to change that could possibly alter their current financial status, earned or given to them. Same with Evangelical Christians when you think about it. It's really all about the money when you come down to it.

[lindysalsagal]

78. Marc was my drive-in. Morning Sedition! Boomer lives!

I would have jumped off a bridge during the schrub admin without Marc tearing up Cheney et. al.

I've since attended 4 of his live standups. He's great when he's off air and can just riff and cuss and swear and tear up the gop. He has no handlers off air. Awesome.

His TV shows and podcast are great, too. Marc's an acquired taste. I'm just neurotic enough to really get him.

Lovin' me some Maaaarc!! I shook his hand briefly once. Didn't want to be a jerk. Typical Marc: He looked bewildered, but needy all at once! What if people like me didn't ask to say hello? He'd be depressed even more!!!

[judesedit]

76. Oops...Nicole Sandler. I'm surprised I remembered what I did.

[suffragette]

74. I remember Rachel and Chuck D hosting together. Great stuff!

[samnsara]

81. i was a commuter and this was so wonderful! Up until then all I would hear...

..would be Monsters in the Morning (which was great) and once in awhile rush would accidentally come across the airwaves...THEN!!!!!! Air America!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh I miss Al... I was so hoping for a President that would make me laugh.

Guess we didnt deserve him either

[orangecrush]

113. Great times

and I agree, it is sad.

Hopefully Roger Stone's Karma will catch up with him now.

[IADEMO2004]

82. Air America and Sirius Radio an oasis from hate country and Jesus radio in Western Iowa

Sirius Radio is still the only connection to rational radio here.

[Liberal In Texas]

84. Yes, SiriusXM is a must anymore.

Aside from the PBS stations and community radio, radio is a wasteland.

[orangecrush]

102. Truth

[Dave Starsky]

83. The Air America affiliate in Albuquerque, NM, is still going strong.

Although AA went away a long time ago, KABQ is still broadcasting progressive radio and, incredibly, is now owned by iHeart (AKA Clear Channel). Stephanie Miller, Bill Press, and Thom Hartmann are still there.

You can also listen to it anytime you want using the iHeart radio app (KABQ 1350). I seem to recall that it's one of the most popular progressive radio stations in the country.

[orangecrush]

101. Thanks for the tip!

I will check it out!

[Politicub]

86. I miss Air America

It was a breath of fresh air in Atlanta.

[orangecrush]

100. Here in Erie Pa. too!

[CTyankee]

87. Stephanie Miller had me laughing so hard I once had to pull over to the side of the road to

pull myself together!

It was one of the brightest lights in my firmament. I lived for that show!

[orangecrush]

99. Thanks for sharing the memory!

[MustLoveBeagles]

93. I miss Air America

I wish it would come back.

[orangecrush]

98. Same here!

[CrispyQ]

94. The Democratic Party should have actively sought donors to support AA, even at a loss.

The biggest mistake the dems/left made was ignoring hate radio for four decades & they continue to do it to this day. This is how we ended up with old white men wearing tee shirts that read "I'd rather be a Russian than a Democrat."

The democratic party better wake up. More now than ever, politics is marketing. Only when you succeed at that can you make policy.

[orangecrush]

97. Agree 100%.

You put it better than I ever could.

Al tried, and succeeded to an extent.

[dameatball]

103. My youngest daughter would like that Motorola radio.

[orangecrush]

106. Sadly

I no longer have it.

But I do have several monster Zenith table sets, one is a 12 tube stereo monster.

I hope your daughter enjoys her radio hobby!

[dameatball]

108. Lol. At one time it was all about turntables and LP's...:) It's been quiet on that front for a while

[orangecrush]

111. I have under my bed, 6 feet away from me

A 1962 "suitcase" Magnavox record player, English made, that weighs 50 pounds!

A true "portable"!

[DinahMoeHum]

115. Air America used to air this song, starring "Rush Limbaugh". . .

. . ."singing". . .

. . .and when I first heard it, I was driving. . .and almost ran off the road from laughing. . .

[orangecrush]

123. ...

[zentrum]

129. Thank you so much for posting this!

[orangecrush]

135. My pleasure!

Air America was a ray of sunshine in those dark days.


To give you an idea of my radio obsession...

[zentrum]

143. A Beauty!

Radio is a very special medium.

[orangecrush]

145. Thank you!

[Cetacea]

133. Thank you! n/t

[orangecrush]

136. Very welcome!

[Bettie]

140. Air America was the

reason we first got satellite radio. Only way to get anything other than right wing/religious talk in Iowa.

[orangecrush]

141. Good reason!

Thanks!

[HipChick]

146. That Sinclair broadcasting with Boris whatsisname

has me up in arms...can't remember the name of his segment, but he lies 100x per min...I only watch local news for adverse local weather now

[orangecrush]

147. Sinclair is RWNJ network

[HipChick]

148. Yep...and on a lot of local stations..