Americablogger Email Exchange with Fox's Colmes (Suggests He Quit)

Jersey Jay at Americablog posted this exchange of emails with Alan Colmes into an open thread. I am posting all of them here. Here is the permanent link:
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/05/late-night-open-thread_16.html


I'm thinking of starting a movement to convince Alan Colmes to leave Hannity & colmes forever. As Bob Sommersby's The Daily Howler is always saying, we've got to hold our own "liberal" talking heads, pundits and scribes accountable. Some of them do worse damage then the right wingers. I traded some email with Mr. Colmes recently. See thread below:

Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 1:15 AM
To: Show -Colmes
Subject: Stop complying with Hannity's deception

Alan,
I followed you on late night NY radio 20 years ago and always enjoyed listening to your program. It got me through many too quiet graveyard shifts at Ma Bell and I called in a number of times to voice my opinion. I'm about to do that again here.
Please get off that Fox cable show and away from that deceiver
Hannity. Your participation allows him to appear as if he's giving balance to the issues he covers, but that is not the case to the progressive observer, at least in the Tri-State area. Hannity has the upper hand and control in how
issues are approached, and you often appear dismissed and/or disrespected.
I can not imagine why you would allow yourself to be part of the worst liberal bashing, Republican supporting, fact distorting programs that Fox airs, a cable "news" network which bases its entire outlook on these same practices. Is it the money (no small factor) or your friendship with Hannity? The recent tapes distributed by Harry Shearer show Sean's true nature, and make me wonder if he feels the same way about you.

I'm not trying to be insulting here, Alan. I truly question your involvement. Your leaving that show would strike a blow for truth, and I'd support and promote wherever you landed (Air America would love to have you
and Randi would give you a big make-up kiss!).

Please stop helping Hannity and Fox. They are helping to poison this country against progressive ideals and, in the words of Jon Stewart to Crossfire's Begala and Carlson, they "are hurting America", and "please stop".

I'd be very interested in a response from you on this idea. Thanks for your time.

Jay

p.s. Your friendship with Ann Coulter gives me even greater pause. She is simply a terrible person, an outright liar and distorter of facts. Can you
consider someone a friend who believes you are a traitor because you're a liberal? If so, perhaps all this is a game perpertated on the public for money, with phony positions and diatribes and name-calling, followed by an off-the-air slap on the back and drinks at the pub.

Alan's reply:
From: "Show -Colmes"
Date: Wed, 11 May 2005 12:08:52 -0400

Jay,

In fact what you say IS insulting (especially when you insinuate that I do it for the money) and shows you don't really understand what I do. My voice is more important where it is now, rather than only preaching to the choir. Furthermore, I do my own radio show that also appears on Sirius and XM, on the same channels carrying Air America. My opinions are not stiffled, and if I were to leave my job (nice of you encourage me to quit my job, by the way...why don't you quit yours?) there'd be another liberal in my chair...and I guess whoever that person would be would also attract your disdain.

Me again:
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 9:32 AM
To: Show -Colmes
Subject: RE: Stop complying with Hannity's deception


Alan,
Perhaps I was being overly familiar.

Insulting you wasn't my intention. Saying money is no small factor is recognizing that we all work for money, and the money comment in my p.s. is directed at Ms. Coulter. I admit I truly despise Coulter for the damage she does to reasoned discourse, and for her mission of demonizing all who think like me (AND YOU) as traitors, baby killers, god haters, etc, out to destroy America because "Liberals hate the future and want to destroy it" (an actual quote from her book).

I was aware you have other paying outlets, so you leaving your position is nothing like me leaving mine, where I support a family of 6 on my 5 digit income.
Whoever replaced you in that chair would attract my questions, not my disdain. If I disdained you, I wouldn't have bothered to write you with my opinions. As I said earlier, I'm an old fan from way back who is confused by what you're trying to accomplish there.

You are correct, where that show is concerned, I certainly do not
understand what you do. Let me ask you these questions:
Do you choose the guests that appear on the show as often as Hannity?
Do you ever get to threaten guests with having their mike shut off, removal from the program or never being asked back again?
Do you ever get to shout down the opposing opinion as Hannity so often does?
Do you believe the regular audience of your show and Fox in general give any weight to liberal opinion at all?
Do you believe that "choir" you won't preach to sees what you're doing as aiding the progressive cause?
Do you get that kind of feedback and support from your radio listeners?

Just wondering, Alan. I look forward to your response. Thanks.

Jay

Alan replies:
From: "Show -Colmes"
Subject: RE: Stop complying with Hannity's deception
Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 15:23:33 -0400

I'm not going to get into a long email debate, nor do I feel I have to defend what I do. But to address just a couple of your points: I don't choose to shut off mikes and shout at people. That doesn't mean I lose the debate. And I don't "choose" not to preach to the choir. You missed my point. I don't ONLY preach to the choir. And for those not in the choir, what I say is important.

Now me:

It's not a debate, Alan. It's just a request for information and understanding. I agree that shutting down the opposing opinion doesn't mean you win a debate. It is the worst moment on all the talk and news/opinion programs I see.
Those questions I asked come from a personal perspective that you appear to be the junior partner in that relationship, with less control of the pace and direction of the show. Again, not trying to insult you by saying that. It's an observation that ticks off liberals on your behalf. I may be totally off base on that, and that's why I'm asking.

I will rephrase the last question and ask again:
Do you receive feedback from the progressive/liberal community that your efforts on "Hannity and Colmes" is aiding the progressive cause?

Thanks for taking the time to respond, Alan. I can see that attacking Hannity may be raising your hackles, since you say you are friends. Although it appears I am annoying you, I'm on your side.

Jay


That was the last one. I can see Alan may actually believe he is doing a good thing. He needs many people to tell him otherwise. If people could write him and let him know how it all lokks from the outside, who knows?? Maybe we could throw a wrench into insaHannity's ultimate mission - at least temporarily.

ALAN COLMES NEEDS OUR HELP!!
Jersey Jay | 05.17.05 - 12:01 am | #

with the right wing talking points. "How do you answer these charges?" is his standard tack. Then with the set up out of the way, Hannity comes in with his standard stack of lies, followed by a loaded question. It's like watching some good cop, bad cop routine. When Colmes tells the victim "I'm on your side." while he continues to drill them with the right wing talking points, it rings so hollow. Alan Colmes is no liberal's hero. He is a shill, and a boring shill at that, who never makes much more than the most minimal case for the opposition.

who gets "healed" at every "performance"..:puke:

But then he's making a good living for a guy without "anchorman looks", so I am sure he's providing well for his family..

He knows what his role is, Hannity's butt-boy. Of course he'll defend that in an email exchange. He's happily cashing his paycheck for being the brutalized liberal.

He has his reward.

Bake

dog and pony show.

I think he doth protesteth too much.

..except the man isn't preaching to ANYBODY. Rather he's sitting silently while his "partner" the dominionist fundie Opus Dei lunatic does all the preaching, and the PNAC choir of guest stars yells "AMEN".

Speak up, Rabbi Colmes, because nobody is hearing your sermon. If indeed you even have one.

If he would correct Hannity every time he calls Colmes a "liberal". He should say "Actually I'm a moderate centrist, not a liberal." ANd if he would re-name his book "Red, White and Moderate", because he has publicly admitted that he is NOT a liberal but a moderate centrist.

...Hannity, to get an endless array of book deals that would keep Colmes set for life.

trying to give you three million dollars. Sincere, optimistic, assuming the best of all parties, and genius.

Let's all believe Colmes is working for the progressive cause, right. Oh ya.

Poster upthread is dead on, Colmes is a ho. For sure. Alan. one day the money is going to run out and there you will be with a sore behind and no more dough. Sad man, got to go.

And it made me physically ill.

It reminded me of old black and white films from the 30's and 40's, and even 50's, where a racial or ethnic group is shamefully stereotyped, given clownish costumes and absurd lines to parrot, and made to appear foolish for the amusement of the audience.

Colmes plays that sort of stereotyped role on that program...I found it unwatchable.

Edit to get players straight!