*Voice of Reason: Air America Radio

While I listened for several hours yesterday (and I admit, I didn't have time to listen to much except al franken and some of the "majority report"), I didn't hear anything which was very "left" at all. Al Franken, who described himself as a DLC Democrat, touted the Kerry party line, and "forced" Michael Moore to renounce his support of Nader in 2000.

I heard no voices speaking anything positive, like universal health care, pulling troops out of Iraq, repealing the Patriot Act. I heard no words of support for either Kucinich or Nader. It was mostly the Kerry/DLC line. I hope I'm wrong and some of these things were addressed when I wasn't listening.

While it was funny, and a relief from the right wing crap, a contest of who is loudest, or most clever in denouncing the right wing cabal does not prove any progressive credentials to me.

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This was like the election that got Clinton into power before we realized
what an idiot we had been played for.
This is a platform to bash Nader, Pimp for Kerry and generally perform
a shallow spectacle to provide harmless joshing where kite strikes
are called for. A waste of air power.
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I have to agree with the above. Most of what I heard would not make right wingers blanch at all. What distinguishes liberals from conservatives these days? It's certainly not opposition to war, challenging attacks on workers or fighting the decimation of the environment.
Air America needs left wingers.

I've listened to the Air America programming the last two days and I'm disappointed. The right-wingers are going to be very happy, will have plenty to bash and this left-wing experiment will be a blip on the radar screen of talk radio if Al Franken continues to act like an idiot every morning. Realistically, how long is the old hate Rush, hate Bush, hate right wingers, hate, hate, hate all day going to last before people simply switch the dial? Give us information and make it relevant. So far, they've chosen to emulate the same nonsense that they denounce from the other right-wing hosts and that is simply boring radio.

Hey they just started-cut 'em a break.And I think a lot of people will find the BushCabal trashing cathartic.I did.I need to get my anger out-and that's what I interpret it as,anger and not necessarily hate-and Garafulo,Franken,and the rest really speak to me.I think we should absolutely support it.Talk about the show to your friends.


That said,no,I'll agree,the show is not leftist enough for my taste either.Al Franken is very centrist(conservative?)Democrat.He needs a spiritual awakening or a reality enema,its true.I may not agree with his political beliefs,but I think he's a brilliant comic and I respect his talent.Having spent some misguided time in AA meetings,Stuart Smalley especially makes me laugh.But enough fawning on Franken.


They're all plugging Kerry.It's understandable-Their feeling is,get Bush out.At any cost.Even at the cost of a vapid,stony New Englander Skull-n-Bonesman.Sometimes people write that there's really no difference between Bush and Kerry.Well,let me tell you where the difference lies.It lies with the treatment of the poor,and Kerry WILL treat the poor marginally better.As an economically depressed single mom and activist for the poor for 20 years,I can tell you that life for the poor is better under the Democrat.In the long run,its no better,the poor will always be screwed,for ever and ever amen.But when a Democrat is in power,things almost inexplicably get a little easier,a little more bearable.

P.S.I'm not an apologist for the DNC or anyone else and also not a troll.Just a mama who wants her life(and the world's) to get better.

RNC Radio (the echo chamber) is one long 24/7 ad for the wonderful successes of the Bush administration. Air America is an attempt to fight this by presenting a liberal view. It isn't just Al Franken (although he's great!) There are a number of different shows - check the rest of them out if you don't care for the ones you've heard, they're all worth a listen.

I am very glad to have something on the AM band that that has humor, intelligence, guests I'd like to hear (Hillary Clinton, Michael Moore, Paul Krugman etc.) and doesn't recite a 'Bush great leader fixing Clinton problems' mantra every few minutes.

It's nice to have an alternative. Give it a chance.

As a registered independent, centrist on most issues, I found 620am to be at least a breath of fresh air. With all the stations in portland on the am dial including 860, 750 and 1190, at least 620 gives a different perspective.

In reading some of the negative responses, it became clear to me that the supporters of Rush, Larson, Hannity and O'reilly to name a few, want no part of a network that evens the playing field. In stating that the station will fail solely because of Franken being an "idiot" shows the lack of reason and clarity. I would be suspicious that, in fact, when Franken speaks of the "mindless, fools that take their marching orders from rightwing radio" that he could be referring to you.

Franken is not the only host. There are several others including Ed Shultz and Randi Rhodes that are both nationally syndicated. In fact, Rhodes is nationally syndicated by Clear Channel radio and has consistently maintained higher ratings than Rush Limbaugh nationwide. Those are the facts. It just has been the people that you have been listening to that didn't tell you. Just look it up.

Furthermore, the statement by Sheepdog that Air America is somehow a platform to bash Nader, Pimp for Kerry and generally perform
a shallow spectacle to provide harmless joshing where kite strikes are called for, I am sure many hope so. But, I guess you mean it is different than right-wing radio that bash Kerry, Shill for Bush and generally act pretentious to form a false notion in the minds of the fools that are too stupid to fly a kite. Look, try and at least be a little balanced in your assessment. Don't marginalize one and not the other. That is just a waste of comment space.

Even more importantly, when you do encounter Air America Radio, at least try to listen and comprehend. Remember, its not conservative talk radio, where all your thoughts and feelings are given to you.

No kidding GOOGLe it to find a record of the history.

I heard Jeanne Garafalo once and she was crude and shocking -but not articulate and penetrating. The truth is shocking enough -don't need to grandstand.

Maybe we can influence them to get the top progressives from the internet radio-like Mike Malloy.

and writers like Thom Hartmann, David Korten, William Blum, Arundahti Roy etc.?

Amazingly, Conservatives and Right Wingers who hate the Air America Radio show and criticize it will not be missed at all. Don't listen to it if it bothers you that much! Those of us who love the station, will continue to listen to the programs because we want to. Thousands of people streamed the station through the Internet during the first week of programs. No one is being forced to listen. Furthermore, name calling towards those with differing opinions is not very adult. There are enough of those types currently in the media and the White House who yell, scream and defame others who disagree with them. Air America Radio is a welcome alternative to extreme right television and radio to many of us. Frankly, I am thrilled to have another listening choice.

I have to say that Air America radio is a breath of fresh air!! It's about time that idiots like Rush, Sean Hanity and the like were exposed for the liars they are. It is the first step to gaining back the freedoms which are slowly being taken away from us by the Bush Right!

When I first heard that "Air America" was going on the air, I cheered. Then I contacted KPOJ 620 AM, the "Air America" affiliate in Portland, Oregon. [I am from the Eastern side of the Country and am now living in Fairbanks, Alaska] I asked if I could use the KPOJ 620 AM logo on my site as a graphic link to their site. The webmaster very nicely agreed and emailed the logo to me. THAT is the good part.

The BAD part came when I began to listen to Randi Rhodes. I can handle everybody else on "Air America" but I cannot tolerate Ms. "Wrong" Rhodes...at all! Who does she think she is speaking for?
Certaintly not me!

I'm not a Republican. I don't shop at Mal-Wart. I have visited every State except Hawaii over the past eight years and I'm a registered voter. I pay attention to what is going on and I try to learn more every day. That is why I was looking forward to the wisdom from "Air America" radio.

I listen to local Alaskan stations and to other radio stations around the World via the internet. I subscribe to newsletters and research websites. And I love hearing what everybody has to say about issues facing us all today.

But after a few days of listening to Randi Rhodes, I turned "Air America" off. Ms. "Wrong" Rhodes told the listening audience "I have a confession to make...I don't listen to talk radio." And when a male listener called her, made some excellent comments and then asked to share a short poem with everybody...she disconnected the call. And then she said "I don't accept poems or singing...I sing but nobody else does." The guy didn't want to sing...he wanted to share something that I, personally, would have loved to have heard. If his poem was anything like his comments, then I'm sure the poem would have been enjoyed by everyone. It would have been a heck of a lot better than listening to Rhodes' rotten whiskey-voice for several more hours!

Another listener called and said that he had never called a radio station before. He said that he wasn't real familiar with all of the ins-and-outs of the subject matter. Rhodes turned a condescending tone of voice on him and said "That's okay...I'll teach you everything that you need to know."

Oh really?

The fact is that Randi "Wrong" Rhodes does NOT know everything or she'd be in Washington DC at everybody's beck and call! She's as arrogant a mike hog as Rush Limbaugh. She might have a different political stance...but she's cut from the same talk-jock cloth.

"I'M more important than you listeners...you dum little sheep who listen to me and then buy the stuff that's advertised in the commercials."

The above comment is the message that Rhodes conveyed to me. It's a shame that she is in the line-up. She's turned a great broadcasting idea into another example of "Hot Air America."

I turned-off "Air America." The manager at KPOJ sent me an email. And although he said that he was sorry that I didn't like the "Air America" programming...he never asked me why. I removed the links to KPOJ and "Hot Air America" from the website that I'm building. And if anyone asks me I will say that Randi "Wrong" Rhodes is a borning loudmouth and "Air America's" biggest mistake.

If you don't like her, don't listen! Seriously, one of may favorite qualities of Air America is the sheer diversity of the DJs. As much as I respect Franken, I think he's way off some of the time.

As a firearm loving, meat eating, sailor-mouthed, debaucherous yet sensible liberal female, to me she embodies the perfect balance of humor and common sense.

Insulated folks in metropolitan areas (I'm in NYC) MUST remember we aren't the norm. Like it or not, the nice people in "flyover" states are essential to secure a victory in the White House this fall. Randi has the curmodgeonly disposition essential to captivate and perhaps change the mind of the average undecided voter.