Randi Rhodes Suspended from Air America
And this is what makes talk radio and liberals look bad. Referring to Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as “big F-ing whores” and Geraldine as “David Duke in drag,” does nothing to help promote liberal values and move this country in the right direction. Revving up a crowd is all it does. And not a crowd I’d want over for high tea. Take a look and see for yourself.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfdhWi5MILo]
To its credit, Air America put out this statement:
STATEMENT OF AIR AMERICA RADIO, FROM CHAIR CHARLIE KIREKER
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.
Sounds like a stand-up act to me, just like what comes out of Don Imus’ mouth, and I guess if you’re going to do stand-up that relies on insulting people for laughs then either go independent, or be prepared for that day when your corporate overlord decides you’re speaking a little too “freely.”
No this “act” does nothing to promote liberal values, but there’s nothing in this tape to suggest to me that Randi Rhodes really has anything serious to say.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
in the words of dick chaney….so????
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Anonymous, do mean so what about her suspension, or so what about what she said? Both?
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:29 pm
The Air America station in my area, WWRL 1600, recently replaced Thom Hartmann with Ed Schultz. Nothing against Big Ed, but I’m really upset about Thom being dropped. He is Air America’s best host. Intelligent and well-informed and he never resorts to name-calling or ad hominem attacks. He regulary has right-wingers on his show and has intelligent debates with them. I’ve always found Randi to be a bit grating and bombastic and could only listen to her in small doses. I wish Ed had replaced her instead. I’m pro-Obama myself but I found her comments very distasteful. She needs to grow up. I’m sure right-wing pundits will use this incident as a way to club liberals and call them the Angry Left.
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I believe that we have the right to have faith in anything. You can believe as you so choose. We all have the freedom of religion, which is directly related to the freedom of thought and expression. Yet we have to ballet every day with those in our society who feel that the freedom of religion only applies to their faith, sect, or religion. This is proof positive that a sense of superiority, greed, and the lust for any sense of Divine Entitlement are the result of evangelicalism, fundamentalism or extremism. These aspects always run counter to the constitution, thus competing with the principles that make us a civil society, a free society, a just society. When people discuss the freedom of religion they seem to always refer directly to their religion only, rather than the freedom of all religions. Let us also remember that religion is not just church or faith; rather it is belief and thought. My thoughts, your thoughts, every thought is a belief. We cannot have one without the other. If we think, feel, or believe a particular way about something and repeat that thought more than once we have ritualized a thought. Ritual is what makes religion, religion, plus the aspect of worship, placing, or believing in something that is exalted, praised, or deified in the mind of the individual. Still there are many fellow Americans who have no respect for other’s religion, for their thoughts, or their belief. We have to respect all thought and at the same time respect those who dare to question our thoughts. We also must remember that questioning belief is not disrespect for the individual because if we never questioned any thought we would not have any debate. But it is those people who refuse others the right to believe how they choose or attack people for questioning ideologies that do not respect the constitutional principles of freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. It is such a simple principle, we have the right to believe and we have the right to question that belief. For if my religion is to question everything than it is my right to speak freely. To be offended by speech is to be offended by the right to speak in the first place. To be offended by thought is to be offended by those who dare to question.
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:48 pm
In S. Pasadena California they have declared a cuss-free zone once a year. What is this fascination with “cursing” that permeates our society. Is this a remnant of our puritanical past? I would argue that it is. It is obviously a behavior stemming from Biblical interpretation. But it has been taken to far. Especially when you read the Bible and discover that cursing was when anybody wished ill upon others or taking the Lord’s name in vain. There is no mention of specific words being defined as cuss-words. The greater society has no clue of the fact 99% of the words thought to be curse words are not in any Biblical text. We are under a misconception of what the meaning of “to curse” is. Has anyone heard of placing a curse on someone, as in a spell? Therefore we are living a myth when we as a society ban or censor words or speech. The greater issue is that we are placing limits upon free speech based on false Biblical standards. That would qualify as the government promoting religious doctrine even though the doctrine is not based on any accurate interpretation of Biblical texts. What a shame that we just accept things in our society with no thought put forth as to what is correct or what is the truth of the matter.
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Randi may have the right of free speech but she could have stated her feelings with more eloquence. Though there are political sluts who do abound in Washington D.C. like bacteria. Lobby, K-St., Special Int. groups, think tanks, anyone!
April 3rd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Beautiful !! Liberals eating their own ! I love it ! More please ??
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:35 pm
John, in the name of humanity, do you expect everyone to read all of that? Well, I’m just happy if people read a single sentence of mine.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
When Alan Colmes said before that liberals eat their young, i didn’t believe it, but now i do!
A Liberal talk radio saying profanity on Liberal Democrats running for the white house??
MY GOD!
Not even Rush has called that name to Hillary but Air America does?
Rhandie rhodes is out of her mind! Not only did she destroy Air America Reputation but she destroys the liberal talk radio as being crazy!
She should resign! She shouldn’t be allowed to be called a liberal no more, now she is just nuts!
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Good point to bring up, Louie. I see two ways of looking at this. You can either, a., implicitly condone her actions by saying that admonishment of uninhibited expression is anti liberal, or, b., condemn her behavior because of it’s intolerant, hence anti liberal, tone.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
*its.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I couldn’t agree more with Allison’s comments. Very distraught as well that Air America’s Thom Hartmann was replaced on WWRL here in New York City. I think he’s truly superb. I don’t really care that much for Ed Shultz but I also would have been fine with him replacing Randi Rhodes as well. Small doses indeed.
Allegedy WWRL (which also carries Alan Colmes’ program) is Air America’s flagship station. They have also replaced talk show host Lionel’s program with a 2 HOUR INFOMERICAL. At 9 o’clock in the morning. What talk radio station puts on an infomercial at 9AM? I realize they must be hurting for money but this is a travesty. Totally disgusted and I wish I knew more about what is going on there.
And to John D. Prince… you might want to consider breaking up your posts into something called paragraphs. They come in handy sometimes. Thanks.
April 3rd, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I hadn’t heard that Rhodes said that Ferraro was “David Duke in drag.” I don’t agree with the wording of some of Rhodes’ other comments, but Ferraro certainly is a militant white supremacist.
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
shes got bigger balls than you alan.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:08 am
That was a stand up bit. They did a Reverend Wright on Rhandi. She (Rhandi) is a true Liberal. Taking on the fight, doing the research to educate and inform her listeners.
Hilary will say and do anything including lie to become president. She used Rove tactic. She has clearly become a replican.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Oh puleeeeze! Repuglicans are always spewing shit (case in point, mAnn Coulter) and are never called on it. The minute a liberal says something off-color, he/she is ostracized.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Damn - what’s up with Air America? This seems to be an event unrelated to their business. It seems that Randy is preaching to a choir, and although I’m disappointed that Randi is being so blatantly open about her stance, at least we can expect her stance is an informed opinion. I too have been disappointed in Clinton and Ferraro, but emotions are high, and when we’re defensive, we go to the lowest place within us. Hilary, Geraldine, and Randi will all get better when this is all over.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
We have finally overcome the divisiveness of the 90’s! Thank you, Randi!
April 4th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Used to enjoy the Randi show until she got ridiculous.
Geraldine Ferraro is amazing and set the stage for other women to make a mark as per Hillary Clinton, like her or not! Randi’s “mark” is a definite negative, debilitating, and bitter one towards her own sex and did zilch toward helping a country so desperately in need of help!
April 4th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
W F G when I use the Quote from dick cheny “so” you are to back down and cower, its a non issue! cheny knows all and sees all never question him he will get angry.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
The worst thing, I think, is that calling people names is kind of juvenile, unless it’s really funny, and this seemed funny like most of Comedy Central is funny, by which I mean really kind of a bore.
April 4th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
randi can be my whore anytime
April 4th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Where’s Sharpton when you need him?
I guess he is kissing Obama’s ass along with Obama’s mentor Anti American ass hole! WRIGHT
Oh no Obama is some where giving a speech to idiots that listen…Drink the kool aid guys! You’ll deserve the diahriah that you’LL get!
April 6th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Lets get serious..who is Randi?? Here are truths that you all need to know about Obama-
65) I did NOT play the race card: - LIAR - [03/31/2008] Obama was the first to play the race card. According to Phialdelphia Inquirer, Quietly, the storm over the hateful views expressed by Sen. Barack Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has blown away the most insidious myth of the Democratic primary campaign. Obama and his surrogates have charged that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has deliberately and cleverly played the race card in order to label Obama the “black” candidate. Read more here
66) I did not take money from oil companies: - LIAR - [03/31/2008]
THE FACTS: True enough, Obama does not take money from oil companies. No candidate does. It is illegal for corporations to give money to politicians. Corporations, however, do have political action committees that collect voluntary donations from employees and then donate them to candidates. Obama doesn’t take money from PACs. He also doesn’t take money from lobbyists.
But he does accept money from executives and other employees of oil companies and two of his fundraisers are oil company executives. As of Feb. 29, Obama’s presidential campaign had received nearly $214,000 from oil and gas industry employees and their families, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Clinton had received nearly $307,000 from industry workers and their families and Republican Sen. John McCain, the likely GOP presidential nominee, received nearly $394,000, according to the center’s totals.
Two of Obama’s fundraisers are Robert Cavnar, the chairman and chief executive of Houston-based Mission Resources Corp., and George Kaiser, the president and CEO of Tulsa-based Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. Source: Associated press via Yahoo News
This is the LAUNDRY LIST OF LIES. Updated to reflect new dishonesties.
April 6th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Again who is Randi??? get rid of her! now to the real issue here….messed up above here it goes again!
1.) Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
6.) My Name is African Swahili - LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
7.) I Never Practiced Islam - LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian - LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the language.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience - LIAR, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons.
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs - LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies.
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion - LIAR, you were quite content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of struggle to identify - your classmates said you were just fine.
13.)An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office - LIAR, Ebony has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life - LIAR, Life has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 - LIAR, here you are, despite saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you are all about having experience first.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois - LIAR, they are common for YOU, but not many others have 130 NO VOTES.
17.) Oops, I Misvoted - LIAR, only when caught by church groups and democrats, did you beg to change your misvote.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill - LIAR, you didn’t write it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass - LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to finish.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill - LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own party for its pandering and lack of all regulation - mainly because of your Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
23.) I Have Released My State Records - LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special interests pork hidden within.
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess - LIAR, you were part of a large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens. You failed to mention anyone else but yourself, in your books.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America - LIAR, your 111 economic policies were just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your own bill.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois - LIAR, even your own supporters claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year - LIAR, they were not YOUR bills, but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist you in a future bid for higher office.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA - LIAR, the Candian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism - LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel.
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet - LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida - LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12 times per day for two weeks - and you still lost.
32.) I Won Michigan - LIAR, no you didn’t.
33.) I won Nevada - LIAR, no you did not.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count - LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide - LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote, confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows of time.
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate - LIAR, you passed 26, most of which you didn’t write yourself.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend - LIAR, that friend is threatening to sue if you do not stop saying this. Obama has stopped saying this.
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics - LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate Alice Palmer from running against you.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money - LIAR, you take loads of it.
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists - LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad - LIAR, your own campaign worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace - LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words - LIAR, you inspire people with other people’s words.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate - LIAR, you have passed A BILL in the U.S. Senate - for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq - LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date - AGAIN.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care - LIAR, your plan leaves us all to pay the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
47.) I Only Found Out About My Investment Conflicts Via Mail - LIAR, both companies you site as having sent you letters about this conflict have no record of any such letter ever being created or sent.
48.) I Am As Patriotic As Anyone - LIAR, you won’t wear a flag pin and you don’t put your hand over your heart during the Anthem.
49.) My Wife Didn’t Mean What She Said About Pride In Country - LIAR, your wife’s words follow lock-step in the vein of Wright and Farrahkan, in relation to their contempt and hatred of America.
50.) Wal-Mart Is A Company I Wouldn’t Support - LIAR, your wife has received nearly a quater of a million dollars through Treehouse, which is connected to Wal-Mart.
51.) Treehouse Is A Small Company - LIAR, the CEO of Treehouse last year, made more than the CEO of Wal-Mart, according to public records.
52.) University Of Chicago Hospital Pay Is Fair - LIAR, your wife’s pay raise was nearly 150% her already bloated rate and the hospital is a Non-Profit Hospital, which made $100,000,000 in the last 3 years. They overcharge blacks VS whites for services, and overcharge everyone in general by 538%!
53.)I Barely Know Rezko - Only 5 Billed Hours - LIAR, you have known him for 17 years, and decided to do a real estate deal with him during a time when he was proven to be under investigation. Despite this, you divided your property and had them take off $300K before the mortgage problems started. Then Rezko’s wife buys the lot beside it that you can’t afford, saving you $625,000.
54.) My Donations Have Been Checked Thoroughly - LIAR, you only gave back Hsu ($72K) and Rezko (first $66K, then when caught lying $86K, then when caught lying again $150K and now caught lying YET AGAIN OBAMA, it’s $250k) their money when publically called on their involvement in your campaigns.
55.) My Church Is Like Any Other Christian Church - LIAR, your church is so extreme, the pastor who married you, Rev. Wright, just got done blaming the US for 9/11 and named Louis Farrahkan their person of the year.
56.) I Disagree With My Church All The Time - LIAR, you still have yet to repudiate Wright, who married you and your wife, and you still donate large sums of money to assist the church in furthering its message - hatred and revenge. You donated in 2006 alone, $22,500 to the church that you so terribly disagree with. That is nearly $500 PER WEEK - that sure is disagreement, Senator Obama.
57.) I Have Clean Connections Despite Rezko - LIAR, you are not only connected to Exelon and Rezko, you are also connected to Hillary PAC supporter Mr. Hsu, AND an Iraqi Billionaire of ill repute, Nadhmi Auchi, who ripped off people in the Food For Oil, Iraqi deal. Seems Mr. Auchi may have helped Obama buy his million dollar property long before Obama had millions of dollars. Wonder what favors Mr. Auchi expects, when Obama leaves Iraq free to be taken over by special interests such as him.
58.) I never heard sermons like Rev. Wright’s, that have been in videos all day, You Tube - LIAR! 3 days later during your Mea Culpa BS speech you said “Did I hear controversial statements while I sat in that church? Yes I did.”
59.) The Passport Invasion is a conspiracy to find dirt on me! - LIAR. Your own Campaign Foreign Policy Advisor is the CEO of the company that looked into your records. PS - You had them look into yours to hide the fact you looked into Clinton’s and McCain’s more than a year before!
60.) Rev. Meeks has nothing to do with my campaigning - LIAR. Rev. Meeks appeared in ads for your Senate Campaign, donated to you, and helped raise money, then AND NOW. PS - He also seems to despise America.
61.) My wife didn’t mean America is ignorant, she was just using a phrase - LIAR. Again, MicHELLe’s comments perfectly sync with Wright’s, Meeks’, and Farrakhans, both in language, anger, and direction.
62.) I am very Anti-Terror - LIAR. [03/30/2008] One of your good pals is long time radical and terrorist William Ayers, with whom you have been seen in the last 12 months and who has helped the now jailed khalidi, Professor at Columbia who invited Ahmadinejad to the University, to raise money for Palestinian terrorism attacks against Israel. PS - Your church published a pro Hamas Manifesto - guess you weren’t there on THAT Sunday either? How lucky for you.
63.) I have the best plan to cure the Mortgage Crisis - LIAR. [03/30/2008] You and your campaign buddy Penny SubPrime Bank Collapse Prizker have had your little fingers full of subprime cash - Obama has taken $1,180,103 from the top issuers of subprime loans: Obama received $266,907 from Lehman, $5395 from GMAC, $150,850 from Credit Suisse First Boston, $11,250 from Countrywide, $9052 from Washington Mutual, $161,850 from Citigroup, $4600 from CBASS, $170,050 from Morgan Stanley, $1150 from Centex, and last but certainly NOT LEAST - Obama received $351,900 from Goldman Sachs. I am sure that cash all came from folks who knew the subprime loan they had was a dream, eh?
64) I played greater role in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death penalty and abortion - LIAR - [03/31/2008] It was found that Obama — the day after sitting for the interview — filed an amended version of the questionnaire, which appears to contain Obama’s own handwritten notes added to one answer. Read Obama had greater role on liberal survey
65) I did NOT play the race card: - LIAR - [03/31/2008] Obama was the first to play the race card. According to Phialdelphia Inquirer, Quietly, the storm over the hateful views expressed by Sen. Barack Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has blown away the most insidious myth of the Democratic primary campaign. Obama and his surrogates have charged that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has deliberately and cleverly played the race card in order to label Obama the “black” candidate. Read more here
66) I did not take money from oil companies: - LIAR - [03/31/2008]
THE FACTS: True enough, Obama does not take money from oil companies. No candidate does. It is illegal for corporations to give money to politicians. Corporations, however, do have political action committees that collect voluntary donations from employees and then donate them to candidates. Obama doesn’t take money from PACs. He also doesn’t take money from lobbyists.
But he does accept money from executives and other employees of oil companies and two of his fundraisers are oil company executives. As of Feb. 29, Obama’s presidential campaign had received nearly $214,000 from oil and gas industry employees and their families, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Clinton had received nearly $307,000 from industry workers and their families and Republican Sen. John McCain, the likely GOP presidential nominee, received nearly $394,000, according to the center’s totals.
Two of Obama’s fundraisers are Robert Cavnar, the chairman and chief executive of Houston-based Mission Resources Corp., and George Kaiser, the president and CEO of Tulsa-based Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. Source: Associated press via Yahoo News
This is the LAUNDRY LIST OF LIES. Updated to reflect new dishonesties.
Oh Randi,who ever you are… here is more material for you!
April 6th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Apparently, Janeane Garofalo called Sam Seder (who was subbing for Randi) and stuck up for the suspended host. She also took a swipe at Mr. Colmes, calling him a “Stockholm Syndrome Sufferer” and lamented that he was on WWRL. Oh, well. I think Randi should just apologize on her show to Hillary and Geraldine and then get on with things. Why should she be fired when you have Coulter, Limbaugh, Beck, and Savage being allowed to make a buck spewing nothing BUT hate?
April 6th, 2008 at 4:34 pm