Supporters of Sen. Clinton, let's contact Air America

For the supporters of Sen. Clinton (and the few Obama supporters out there who believe Randi Rhodes was out of bounds), let's contact Air America and encourage them to fire Randi Rhodes.

Let them know a suspension is not enough; she deserves to be fired.

Let's face it:

We don't tolerate this kind of behavior from the right wing pundits. I think all you have to do is replace the name Rhandi Rhodes with Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, then replace the name Hillary Clinton with Barack Obama, and there would be plenty of outrage.

Just because it's left-wing talk radio doesn't make it right. Left wing radio MUST abide by the same standards that we ask of right-wing radio.

They have a contact us form on their website:

http://www.airamerica.com/contact


Here is the message I just sent them:

I am writing to Air America Radio to respectfully request that Randi Rhodes' position with the organization be terminated, in light of her highly inappropriate comments regarding former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro, as well as Senator and current presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

First, I would like to commend Air America for suspending Randi Rhodes. However, I do not believe that a suspension is sufficient. I believe that termination of Randi Rhodes is warranted.

Had Ms. Rhodes made her comments in a capacity as a private citizen and on her own time, one might well argue that no adverse action should be taken against her. However, her comments were made at an event sponsored by an Air America affiliate, so Ms. Rhodes was acting in her official capacity.

Moreover, I believe that Air America, as the premiere vehicle for left-of-center talk radio, must ask itself a fundamental question: what does it stand for?

I believe that had the comments uttered by Ms. Rhodes been made by a Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity or Ann Coulter, many on the left would be outraged, and would be calling for their dismissal.

I also believe that left-of-center talk radio has a morale obligation to abide by the same rules that it asks of its counterparts on the right.

As a former listener of the Randi Rhodes Show, it pains me to now ask for her dismissal. When Air America first started, I found Ms. Rhodes' show highly informative. I can recall that she would place many documents on her website, to support things that she had said over the airwaves. And she encouraged her listeners to not just take her word, but do their own research.

Sadly, that Randi Rhodes is gone, and seems to have been replaced by the Randi Rhodes of today who compares Geraldine Ferraro to a Klan member, and while acting in her official capacity with Air America, makes statements that she cannot back up with fact, such as "If it doesn't work you know she's going all Lieberman, don't you?" So I guess now, Ms. Rhodes is able to read minds and can predict that Sen. Clinton will lose her presidential bid and become an Independent Senator?

In order for Air America not to lose it's credibility, it must terminate Randi Rhodes and replace her with a radio personality who is dedicated not to ad homien attacks, but rather, is dedicated to journalism and educating the public.

Thank you.

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Translation: Replace her with someone who won't attack Hillary.

n/t

There's more going on here than meets the eye, folks.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/04/03/air-americas-randy-rhodes-suspended-we-did-it/#comments

- as

congrats for showing it to the class

And I am no supporter of EITHER candidate, before you say it

"Moreover, I believe that Air America, as the premiere vehicle for left-of-center talk radio, must ask itself a fundamental question: what does it stand for?"

You, apparently, have no idea what the left stands for.

I'll tell you what it does NOT stand for: Petty, dopey witch hunts and people getting fired because they dare to insult a politician.


The cult of Ego strikes again.

:rofl:

sweet... that pretty much sums up hillary and her supporters.

Yes, this place does sound like RW talk sometimes. And all too often you agree with it.

Why is a suspension not enough? What's enough?

All the time. And if you think we don't, ask yourself why Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity or Michael Savage haven't been fired yet.

Randi didn't even say this on the air-- this was in a nightclub, as part of a stand-up routine.

it ain't as clear as you want to believe this to be

What is she, the fucking Pope?

Give it a rest.

Can't you at least wait until she's elected :snarf, snarf: to get the Brownshirts to round up the unbelievers?

their ass kicked and now your trying to take it out on Rhodes. I will support Rhodes.

...she didn't say this on air? she can say whatever she wants, and since it was an Air America event they can do what they feel is necessary. Apparently, they felt suspension was. I can't believe people are trying to pressure AAR to fire this woman because they are offended by what they heard she said. It's a little different if it's broadcast on public airwaves but I would personally say that the suspension may have even been too harsh for a stand-up routine.

blue material in a nightclub and a broadcast over terrestrial radio.

I'm for a temporary suspension, maybe a few days. Then let's move on.

We can go back to listening to Rush! And Bill! And Sean! And Michael Savage!!

:woohoo:

Who needs left wing radio??

Great idea. You Hillary fans are just full of great ideas!!

Leave that to those r/w ranters.

when you are willing to give up your freedom of speech, then we can start talking about taking it away from others.

by what I had read on here. She was using whore not as a descriptor for someone who has sex for money or even as a derogatory word for a woman, but as someone who will sell themselves to the highest bidder. Politicians do that. And people call politicians whores all the time. This can't be the first time you've heard this. I hear it on the radio and television all the time. Secondly, the phrase "the left's David Duke" is hyperbole. It's a device used a lot in comedy. I believe she meant that literally as much as I believe that David Cross "I would rather hear the death rattle of my only child than listen to that ".

If she was speaking at the United Nations and said that the context would be different and you guys could be offended, but she was in a nightclub doing a comedy act. chill out.

... and Hillary's supporters are on a witchhunt, not because of the 'whore' comments but because Randi has become anti-Hillary.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5392593

What is "progressive" education, for example?

There is no one definition and certainly no one expression of it.

doesn't sing Clinton's praises 24/7?

here I see is, right wing radio don't attack their own party. They attack the dems. Shouldn't the left wing radio be going after the repugs instead of Clinton? That is not gonna help win any election

Granted, they'll all fall in line, now, but RW talk was vehemently against McCain during the campaign.

:rofl:

If the hillary supporters who write AAR are as looney as the ones who post here, Randi is likely to be unsuspended and given a big raise.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

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I hear he dared to expose The Queen as well.

:eyes:

I certainly think that with his constant pimping and bidding for Obama he's lost his credibility, and I've unsubscribed from his podcasts.

But he certainly hasn't called her a whore or anything else outside her name, to my knowledge.

So I don't believe he should be fired.

Sweet! Thanks for the tip...

Countdown with Keith Olbermann podcast/RSS feed

The most interesting thing that Britney Spears uttered on my TV before I could find the remote was, "Fuck all y'all." Fabulous.

Viva Randi Rhodes and free speech.

Charming.

showing some fascism here pal. Unreal. This is a wakeup call to me about Clinton and her followers. These people are not liberals by any chance. Perhaps what Samantha Power said is true.

then Rhodes should follow suit...........
Right DUer's?!?

Suspended yes. These two though are not the same. Now Imus and Colbert at the WH dinner perhaps. Both were damn funny.

Randi... off-air comments regarding two public, political figures.

Add'l differences exist, but I'm not going to delude myself that you actually care about reality.

I'm not a big fan of her show as of recent times, but what exactly did she say? What were her exact words?

If it's about lying, the Clinton team have hardly a leg to stand on.

Yeah, it was tasteless and over the top. But was it on AAR at the time? No.

She should be suspended for a month perhaps. Fired? Give me a break.

"We" have no authority to fire her. AAR does and should do what they think most represents their standards.

Specifics...

I agree what she said was tasteless to some, although the audience liked it. Should she be fired? In my view, no. Suspension for a month and an apology when she comes back.

Something about a martial arts business from Newark, NJ. It was not an AAR event nor was she paid to be there by AAR.

http://airamerica.com/blog/2008/apr/03/statement-air-america-radio-chair-charlie-kireker-1
STATEMENT OF AIR AMERICA RADIO, FROM CHAIR CHARLIE KIREKER
By air america

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2008

New York - Air America has suspended on-air host Randi Rhodes for making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton, at a recent public appearance on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station.

"Air America encourages strong opinions about public affairs but does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts," said chair Charlie Kireker.


http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/air-america-hos.html
"Air America has suspended on-air host Randi Rhodes for making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton, at a recent public appearance on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station. 'Air America encourages strong opinions about public affairs but does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts,' said chair Charlie Kireker."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-norman/rhodes-says-air-america-b_b_94981.html
At an appearance in San Francisco sponsored by Air America's local affiliate, Rhodes referred to Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as "fucking whores." It's widely understood this epithet, delivered in the context of a well-received comedic rant, is what prompted the suspension. But Air America's terse statement on the matter, offers no explanation beyond declaring it "does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/04/03/2008-04-03_air_americas_randi_rhodes_suspended.html
This routine, performed for a private audience at a club in San Francisco and sponsored by the local Air America affiliate, also featured politically incorrect, though not quite so graphic, commentary on folks like former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro and former New Jersey first lady Dina McGreevey.

Mike Malloy is on that radio station and he's not on AAR anymore.

You can watch the video here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/03/air-america-host-randi-rh_n_94863.html

She starts off on Geraldine Ferraro first, calling her the David Duke of the left.

And then she starts on Sen. Clinton, calling her a whore too and saying fuck you.

The amazing thing is that Randi is critizing Sen. Clinton for being a person of facts.

She said of Sen. Clinton "Her thing is always, read the fine print."

She was referring to Sen. Clinton having said that there's no rules governing how the superdelegate should decide who to vote for....So she starts mocking Sen. Clinton talking about the superdelegates, and then she calls Sen. Clinton a whore and says her thing is "read the fine print."

The funny thing is I thought that's what Randi was always about: reading the fine print and being dedicated to the FACTS.

So now she's critizing Sen. Clinton for reminding us of the facts?

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I thought that progressives believe in second chances. Let Randi apologize and then allow her to return to the air.

Have you forgotten all of the good that Randi has done? There hasn't been a more persistent critic of the criminal Bush Administration than Randi. That should be worth something.

:shrug:

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yes, thrown under the bus!

First of all, I didn't agree with Randi's comments. And I thought the suspension was probably justified IF the comments were given in a forum sponsored or affiliated with Air America.

That said, Randi was in the trenches in Florida defending Bill Clinton from all the right-wing attacks when no one outside of Palm Beach knew who she was. She was down there pushing the issue of voter disenfranchisement (along w/ Greg Palast) when the media was content to let the right-wing thugs steal the 2000 election.

People make mistakes and this was one. But there is NO WAY I will call for, ask, request (however you want to phrase it) for Randi, or any other progressive host for that matter, to be fired. At a time when we have to deal with the Rush Limbaughs and Sean Hannitys and Laura Ingrahams and Glenn Becks, we need ALL THE PROGRESSIVE VOICES WE CAN FIND out there.

And I am personally SICKENED by the fact that anyone would try to silence a progressive voice. Pretty soon, we'll have thrown all the liberal babies out with the bathwater only to find that in our brave quest, we've left ourselves surrounded with right-wing, conservative, corporate fascists.

I will write to Air America and tell them that they damn better well better NOT FIRE Randi Rhodes.

I think it WAS called freedom of speech....was, as in the past tense.

:hi:

Let AA fire her. Pretty soon they won't be left with anyone.

GOD DAMN Air America!

That is all.

exactly. :D

I can now relate to how German women fell into line.

If you don't like what a radio host is pointing out about Hillary Clinton, then call up. We can always use a good laugh.

the last thing I would do is protest it

Wasn't there that guy on MSNBC where Clinton said something like suspension was too good for him? Today Rhodes. Tomorrow the world!

Gimme a break...

I don't agree with what she said but fired? After all the shit Rush has said about Hillary and everyone else on the left where the fuck is your thread asking for Rush to be fired? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

Some Hillary supporters need to just join the GOP already.

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but still, it's interesting to have a front row seat to watch an entire country go insane..

And Sen. Clinton a "whore."

It seems to me that with DU's Obama supporters, all reason gets thrown out the windown. It's OK to have open season on Sen. Clinton and anyone who supports her.

By saying Geraldine Ferraro is the left's equivalent of David Duke, she was in effect calling her a Klansperson, since that's what Duke was.

But, that's totally OK, as far as the Obama supporters on here are concerned. They have no problem with that.

Amazing.

:thumbsup:

But that's totally OK, as far as the Clinton supporters on here are concerned. They have no problem with that.

I'm sure it'll get me out of a jam one of these days.

that she went to far. It suits your agenda. Funny how some Hillary supporters have no problem spewing garbage from places like Fox news, The American Conservative, Michelle Malkin and Joe "dead intern in my office" Scarborough when it suits them. These are people and sites that have relentlessly bashed the hell out of Hillary over the years and tried to get Bill impeached. But hey their on your side now so that makes it ok. I'm sure they'll keep supporting Hillary once the primary is over.

Randi fucked up. Got suspended. Deserved it. But you want to make it into a campaign issue.

All I see are the Obama supporters defending her, and your talking points for tonight seem to be that none of Sen. Clinton's supporters are Democrats...that if we want Air America to hold her accountable, we are not Democrats and we don't believe in free speech.

That's what every Obama supporter coming into my thread is saying tonight.

I see NO Obama supporters taking Randi Rhodes to task...I only see them defending her.

I'm proof of that, I just told you I thought she deserved suspension, yet you posted that you didn't see one, and I saw at least one other in your thread. And there were many more today, you just choose not too see it.

Edit: Posts 30, 32, 43 all claim it was wrong or over the top. But don't let that get in the way of your anger.

"I see NO Obama supporters taking Randi Rhodes to task...I only see them defending her." I take it you saw none of those posts or the one I wrote that you responded to. :shrug:

the goal post to get moved. You know, "well those people don't represent Obama supporters" or something like that... :rofl:

You missed it.

As for firing her for it, I think suspension for a reasonable time and an apology upon returning is sufficient enough.

You want blood. So be it.

and implement a Nanny Police because they don't like certain language. Don't like it? Don't fucking listen to it.

You, who said you'll volunteer for McCain, lost all credibilty, and have zero right to lecture ANYONE on ANYTHING.

jebus you people are idiots

Let’s contact Air America Radio and tell its top brass that we want Taylor Marsh to replace Randy Rhodes. Taylor tells it like it is, but she has class and dignity. She also has a wicked sense of humor and the lively style needed for AM radio. Taylor would be perfect! Let them know! :)

You are no more a "journalist" than
James Dale Guckert aka Jeff Gannon.

I am heartened to see the majority of DUers don't agree with such tactics.

Or Michael Savage's? Or Bill O'Reilly's? Or Glen Beck's?

I'm gonna guess... ZERO.

There has been a lot of noise from right wing radio that could keep all the mamby pamby purists of thought real busy if they want.

OK, what Randi said was a little over the top (although it wasn't on the radio but in some comedy club) and she's suspended, but to call for her to be fired is exactly the kind of shit I'm used to seeing from the Hillbot sheep.

Never mind the Heroine Of Tuzla insults our military and lies like a cheap whore, but wants to try to cheat her way into a nomination she lost clearly.

Let Randi be suspended for a tad. What she said at a comedy club and not on the radio should be enough blood on the floor for some people.

Now if we should play this little game of firing those who dare insult the slimy Clinton machine, then there's a lot of territory to cover.

Thank you DU. I was beginning to lose faith. I hate to reply and keep this kicked, but I want to say how totally *sickened* I am by how many DU'ers (and you know who you are) have turned on people like Randi and Keith and, in all fairness, the Big Dog. But to call for the capital punishment of the workplace over *this* is despicable. Is this is what we can expect from a HRC presidency?

Thank you DU for not encouraging this foolishness.

I'm not willing to throw one of the few progressives in the media under the bus.

Barack Obama, judging from how she talked on her show.

That might be part of the reason she is down on Hillary.

That said, I am not a Hillary or Barack supporter, but I really don't care for Randi's constant dissing of Sen. Clinton.

no thanks

It's what Rash Limpballs would do!

..folks will see why Randi took er position. This is horrendous to see. I would never rejecta fellow liberal for opposing Obama. This thread is so depressing it almost makes you lose all hope.

Makes all kinds of sense!

:eyes:

Let's let it lie. Next thing, you guys will be calling for her to be publicly horsewhipped.

Oh wait... this is insane.

I think they are holding her to a higher standard because she is a woman. She sounded like she was doing a comedy act to me.