In this past week, particularly within the realm of talk radio, I feel we've reached a threshold. I've been particularly impressed with the Sheehan story in Crawford while the President is on vacation. It's August and everyone is out of D.C. while the electorate enjoys there vacations and peruses the issues of the day. Alot of important political impressions have been made upon the American voter during the dog days of summer. The Watergate hearings in 1973 come to mind, Chicago in August of 1968 and then, of course, MLK on a scorching day in Washington D.C. back in 1963 provided the spark that set the agenda for civil rights at the dusk of the Kennedy era.
Could this issue with Cindy Sheehan, the mom camped out in Crawford demanding a meeting with Bush, be the flashpoint that's bound to inflame passions and further the divisions so apparent in this country. Those of us who remember the Vietnam/Civil Rights era of the 1960's (and 70's) can see the writing on the wall. As someone who oppossed going into Iraq in the first place back in 2002, I remember telling friends and family that this is what was bound to happen. That a mom, respected in her community, a youth counselor within the Catholic Church and a greiving parent of a dead soldier, was going to ignite the debate.
It's now a late Sunday summer morning and the pundits and talking heads have given there views on the T.V. How do you feel about how talk radio has addressed this issue?
In Thursdays News-Tribune the Sheehan story made the front page. All day Thursday and Friday right-wing talk radio, and the T.V. soundbite media, tried to pin Sheehan on two issues and they were whether she was a tool of the Michael Moore radical left wing and whether relatives within her family supported her position or not. Everyone across the board all over right wing talk and T.V. had the same two questions. And someone named Dana Brown got a letter to the editor printed in the Trib expressing those exact same thoughts ONE DAY after the story appeared.
Instead of questioning, reporting, investigating and being objective, the pundits simply attack. I doubt Sheehan even really cares about Michael Moore but someone, somewhere co-ordinated the talking points within the corporate media. As a broadcaster I know, and you GOP talking heads know as well, that there's planted calls, media strategy sessions and, if need be, book deals, appearance fees, and general ass kissing.
What the American public is asking this summer is whether talk radio is even viable and can be trusted or is it all some sort of game driven by dollars and ego. And has right wing media gone too far attacking the only voice you, in the media, failed to recognize until now. That voice is of a greiving mother.
The polls say your ratings could plummet.
Could this issue with Cindy Sheehan, the mom camped out in Crawford demanding a meeting with Bush, be the flashpoint that's bound to inflame passions and further the divisions so apparent in this country. Those of us who remember the Vietnam/Civil Rights era of the 1960's (and 70's) can see the writing on the wall. As someone who oppossed going into Iraq in the first place back in 2002, I remember telling friends and family that this is what was bound to happen. That a mom, respected in her community, a youth counselor within the Catholic Church and a greiving parent of a dead soldier, was going to ignite the debate.
It's now a late Sunday summer morning and the pundits and talking heads have given there views on the T.V. How do you feel about how talk radio has addressed this issue?
In Thursdays News-Tribune the Sheehan story made the front page. All day Thursday and Friday right-wing talk radio, and the T.V. soundbite media, tried to pin Sheehan on two issues and they were whether she was a tool of the Michael Moore radical left wing and whether relatives within her family supported her position or not. Everyone across the board all over right wing talk and T.V. had the same two questions. And someone named Dana Brown got a letter to the editor printed in the Trib expressing those exact same thoughts ONE DAY after the story appeared.
Instead of questioning, reporting, investigating and being objective, the pundits simply attack. I doubt Sheehan even really cares about Michael Moore but someone, somewhere co-ordinated the talking points within the corporate media. As a broadcaster I know, and you GOP talking heads know as well, that there's planted calls, media strategy sessions and, if need be, book deals, appearance fees, and general ass kissing.
What the American public is asking this summer is whether talk radio is even viable and can be trusted or is it all some sort of game driven by dollars and ego. And has right wing media gone too far attacking the only voice you, in the media, failed to recognize until now. That voice is of a greiving mother.
The polls say your ratings could plummet.