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03/31/2004 Archived Entry: "Here it is, BAM!"
Here it is, BAM!
So Randi Rhodes just handed Ralph Nader his ass on her first day on Air America Radio. St. Ralph called up expecting a softball interview where he could plug his site, and Randi hit him four-sqaure with the feelings of democrats all over this country - 'We can't afford you this time, Ralph.'
Nader replied by accusing Randi of oppressing him and denying Americans the right to vote, Randi called him on his bullshit, and Ralph couldn't handle the simple truth.
He hung up.
Now I'm cruising around some of the lefty message boards, and I see people accusing Randi of being 'a female Bill O'Reilly,' saying how she's so mean to be beating up on poor, poor Ralph.
Gotta say i'm amazed. I just spent three years of hearing people saying there should be a liberal radio network so that we could fight back against the Limbaughs and Hannitys, and get the truth out to the public.
Randi Rhodes spoke the truth to Ralph Nader today - 'We can't afford you this time, Ralph' - and what do I see? A buncha goddam liberals going into fainting spells because a liberal radio host was aggressive and told the truth, that's what.
Jesus, people, buck the fuck up already.
As I put it on one liberal forum - Air america came up to the house and knocked on the door at noon today. At about 5:20, Randi Rhodes pushed everyone aside, came up to the door and kicked the fucker wide open. It was truth, it was messy - it was great radio.
If any of you think that a liberal network is going to survive by being genteel and sedate and accomodating and 'refusing to go down to the Republicans' level,' I suggest you finish your brown rice and green tea, hop into that hybrid car and punch up NPR.
This is a fucking street fight. Randi brought her brass knuckles, which is street fight ettiquette. Get over it.
Replies: 27 people speak up
I'm with you, B!
Sorry I missed it
Posted by DaveH. @ 03/31/2004 06:56 PM NY
Gawd, I've missed Randi. Sure, I've been listening to her "Best Of" via her website, but having the real thing again was nearly orgasmic.
As for all those whining that she was "mean", think about what she said early on during her show today. The reason Mario Cuomo didn't survive in talk radio was because he was too nice and didn't "stoop to their level." Sometimes, to be heard, ya just gotta stoop.
Posted by The Tater @ 03/31/2004 07:17 PM NY
Was gonna change my name to "conflicted".
I've been all over blogtopia hyping Randi in comments (and on Seeing the Forest where Dave actually lets me post) since AAR didn't seem to want to bother.
And I'm a Nader voter (this time too). So I was really conflicted when she lowered the big hammer on Ralph. Randi at her best, but I wish she'd have saved it for a real bad guy, not just the conventional target of Demo whining and projection of their own inadequacies.
But it was GOOD RADIO! I think she decided to make headlines (certainly blogtopia ones and maybe real ones) as a kind of stick in the eye to AAR for failing to promote her. Haven't heard Janeane yet, but I'll bet the first day of Air America Radio will finish with Randi as the New Big Name. Hope so, cuz she's my radio goddess, and is by far the biggest RADIO talent on AAR. (Boy do they need Mike Malloy for late night! He'd burn it up.)
So, conflicted, but not all that unhappy.
Posted by richard @ 03/31/2004 07:39 PM NY
Blah3,
I was listening to WLIB at work all day and was very impressed with Al Franken. Then Randi came on: I was blown away! I never heard her before. She's a real street fighter, the kind of kick-you-in-the-teeth fighter the Left has lacked since the 1970's.
Sorry I missed that Nader piece. Message to Ralph: boo fucking hoo.
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 03/31/2004 07:52 PM NY
Metro,
Go to White Rose Society and download any old Mike Malloy show. Randi is the goddess of radio and I love her, but if she blows your doors off, Malloy will knock your house down.
AAR needs Malloy in the after-Janeane slot. He likes that time and he's good then. But they won't dare. He's just too, too, too fucking much for them.
Posted by richard @ 03/31/2004 08:22 PM NY
Randi is the goddess. I'm here in her home turf in West Palm Beach (bringing my mom back to LA and outta the red state), and she always rocked. Today, I heard the Nader interview and he just didn't get it...totally clueless. For a first day, she pretty much kicked ass. So once she gets in the groove of network radio, look out.
Posted by Hoffmania! @ 03/31/2004 09:15 PM NY
Thank you for saying so!
Jeesus, I'm so tired of the whining.
Maybe the ditto-whiners will start repeating your comments now instead.
"Franken was kinda weak.."
"Randi was so mean! I'm never listening to her again."
This is the first step on the moon! National liberal radio! We've been waiting for this for years, and you don't like the moon boots?
I've missed Randi so much. I only started listening to her weeks before she went off the air, but it was long enough for her to sink her hooks into me and it hurt to have to let her go.
She can be pretty brash with some callers too. You get used to it. It ain't personal, it's business, baby. And the business is entertainment and education.
If you are a threat to either one you gonna get your ass chewed.
Posted by FreshLaundry @ 03/31/2004 09:28 PM NY
So, shouldn't this be a real wake up call for all the Nader supporters that he really can't stand the heat.
I mean, what does it say about someone running for the Presidency, that they can't handle the TRUTH and then hang up crying foul?
Hey There! Message to all you Nader fools, WAKE THE FUCK UP!!!HE IS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT RUNNING, NEVER WAS AND IS IN THIS FOR HIS REPUBLICAN PALS.
Go now. Splash some cold water in your face, apologize to those around you who you know in your heart that you have offended and help the rest of us beat Bushco out of the park!
Posted by Andrew @ 03/31/2004 09:51 PM NY
I love NPR.
But not nearly as much as Mike Malloy. Nowhere near. That said, NPR gets stories Mike and ieamericaradio.com never saw (well, until Don and TBTM started doing the news for them--*grin*). Even so, NPR can kick ass, too, in their muted, half-whispered stories that don't offend the libs in the middle and upper classes, but still tell the truth about the Unelected Fraud.
They're two different animals. I'll take them both. And good for Randi. She (and Mike too, once they finally hire him) will shine once this thing gets off the ground. They'll be taking names and kicking doors DOWN, baby.
Later.
Posted by Daddy-O @ 03/31/2004 10:11 PM NY
My sentiments exactly, Blah3. Randi was brilliant giving Ralph the well deserved red-ass.
She asked Nader he would build a consensus with if he was elected, if he really thought Dems and Repugs are all the same.
Nader kept whining that this isn't how an interview is supposed to be done, and Randi said, I've been doing radio for 20 years, I know what I'm doing. This is not an interview, this is me telling you why I'm pissed off at you, and asking you to respond.
Randi is the kind of fighter we need doing this stuff.
Posted by melior @ 03/31/2004 11:48 PM NY
It was great to hear Randi "bitch slap" Nader. When I heard he was running again I just about blew a gasket. Hey fellow "Liberals", now's the time to get tough, we can meditate afterwards.
Posted by Comajorr @ 04/01/2004 12:29 AM NY
I missed it! Where oh where can we find an archive of the show? Whiterosesociety doesn't have it nor does the Rhandi Rhodes illegal archives. The Air America site only has live streaming. Help!!!!
Posted by Wayne Byars @ 04/01/2004 01:41 AM NY
Wayne,
From what I've heard, AA will be archiving the shows themselves. No doubt they'll introduce the archive soon.
Posted by editor @ 04/01/2004 02:09 AM NY
What the fuck is wrong with embracing Nader in the sure Blue and sure Red states?
Being angry and truthful is great and overdue ...but whacking this guy hard just divides us more and shows weakness to Repubs ...he espouses so much of what we believe
I haven't headr the show but I like Randi ...demonizing Ralph to the same level as a Repub is just shallow
Get over it? i say dems need to get over the fact that Gore blew it in 2000 and stop minimizing Florida fraud by laying blame elsewhere...
Nader people dont vote Democrat...that's the whole fucking point
sorry to disagree Stranger, you know I'm down but ...
Posted by Damfa @ 04/01/2004 08:09 AM NY
"What the fuck is wrong with embracing Nader in the sure Blue and sure Red states?"
Nothing, if Nader won't go back on his word and end up campaigning in swing states like he did in 2000 (when he LIED and said he wouldn't campaign in swing states then did anyway). Also, this year there are some formerly 'solid' red and blue states that very well could be in play - Minnesota especially. Oh yeah, and is Nader gonna take money from the Republicans again? Boy that sure would be swell!
"stop minimizing Florida fraud by laying blame elsewhere..."
If Nader hadn't have campaigned in Florida, if he would have just stayed the fuck out of it when it looked like thigns were getting close, even WITH the fraud there Gore would have won anyway with even a FRACTION of the Nader votes. THAT'S THE FUCKING POINT. Liberals couldn't and can't control what illegalities in FL that took away Dem votes. But Liberals CAN control who they vote for and realize that in a close election, we need all the votes we can get for anyone opposing the Republican Right.
"Nader people dont vote Democrat...that's the whole fucking point"
In 2004 they SHOULD. Or would you rather see another 4 years of Bush? WOuld you rather make the lame "there's no difference between them" argument after 4 years that have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is a BIG DAMN DIFFERENCE.
But go ahead. Stay up on your "i'm morally superior by voting for Nader" high horse. If he siphons enough votes away in close states to hand the election to Bush again (no matter the effectiveness of the Kerry campaign) I'm gonna be super pissed off, and so should everyone in this country to the left of Genghis Khan.
Posted by Jason @ 04/01/2004 08:38 AM NY
jason..
preach on brotha
Posted by djdissent @ 04/01/2004 09:02 AM NY
"Nader people dont vote Democrat...that's the whole fucking point"
Really??? And you know this b/c you've talked to all the "Nader people" and confirmed that they don't vote Democrat? Sorry, hasty generalizations aren't proof, they're logical fallacies. For the record, most of the people I know who voted for Nader last time around normally DO vote Democrat (and no, I'm not saying that means most Nader people vote Democrat, I'm only talking about the ones I know). If you have numbers that indicate MOST Nader supporters don't vote Democrat, by all means post them, AND cite your source (hopefully one that can be verified), but don't think you can just toss out generalizations with nothing to back them up and not get called on it!
Posted by Tina @ 04/01/2004 09:07 AM NY
Good Radio?
I'm glad she told Ralph hw's full of shit. But shouting matches don't make good radio. Well, at least not for me. He hung up. That doesn't make it good radio. Good radio would be her challenging Ralph on his "they're all the same" bullshit. Showing him to be the egotist he is. Instead, she simply used the same tactics the right has used over and over again "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" until he did.
That's not good radio. I like Randi, but I get the feeling she wasn't sure she could actually debate him so she got mad and yelled at him instead.
*sigh*
Posted by JaBbA @ 04/01/2004 11:44 AM NY
The idiots at XM Satellite Radio are pre-empting Randi Rhodes' show with some Gomer from Fargo ND named Ed Schultz. XM only has the last hour of Randi. I have nothing against Ed Schultz, he is actually not too bad, but he is not Randi! I LOVE Randi Rhodes! She is SO intelligent and entertaining. Please everybody lets get the pressure on XM to carry her whole show & put big-Ed on later. I wrote them a nasty-gram and told them it would be the movie equivalent of replacing Jim Carrey with Pauly Shore. They are both entertainers, and they both have Fans but they are making a BIG mistake!
Posted by Teklab @ 04/01/2004 12:38 PM NY
JaBbA (that was weird to type),
Randi tried to get an answer out of him, from what i heard. Ralph didn't want to answer the question, he wanted to plug his web site, and when confronted to answer the question, fell back on to criticising Randi's interviewing style.
The problem is that very few interviewers ever challenge Nader. He was clearly not used to it, and tried to muddy the waters.
Randi didn't bite, even though Ralph clearly tried to bait her - did you catch his snide little comment, 'Do you have any listeners?'
Maybe I'm taking up for Randi because she's become a friend of mine over the last couple of years. I'll cop to that. But Ralph lobbed a few bomblets of his own, all in an effort to avoid answering the fucking question.
I think she did the right thing - she exposed Ralph as the onion-skinned egotist he clearly is.
Posted by editor @ 04/01/2004 12:48 PM NY
Right on... we don't need Ralph Nader in the election this time, and it's about damn time someone called BullShit on him.
Posted by sellursoul @ 04/01/2004 12:53 PM NY
I'm listening to her for the first time and I LOVE HER!!
When will someone have the cojones to put Randi on a show with Annthrax (you listenin' Maher?)? She would mop the floor with her and give her a waxing as well.
Posted by Linda @ 04/01/2004 03:48 PM NY
I love Randi. Got that out of the way.
I voted for Nader the last two elections, and I will vote for him again this time. If you Nader-haters got your wish and he were prevented from running (call yourselves DEMOCRATS, huh?), I would vote for whatever Green or socialist or whackoid leftist happened to appear on my ballot. Luckily I live in San Francisco, so I can pretty much count on SOMETHING whacky on my ballot. But if I lived in South Dakota and the two parties were my only choice, I WOULD NOT VOTE.
It's not Nader you should be mad at -- it's ME. I am not one of you. I do not claim to be "pure" or "superior". You say that I claim that, but you are simply lying. I do not claim any of those things. Or maybe you think I am pure or superior for actually voting for what I prefer rather than one degree of evil or another. but then that's your problem, isn't it?
Posted by richard @ 04/01/2004 07:10 PM NY
Richard, thank you. Ha ha I am amazed at the hostility about Nader ...there appears to be little difference in the degree of animosity as between Ralph and your average republican ...hehehe
i think the key part of Randi's take was that she loves what Nader is about but sees him as a luxury candidate...can't afford him when times are so evil and four more years of evil would be devastating...i think that's a valid point ... but i don;t think it applies in the sure-thing red/blue states (NOT minnesota, that's in play) can anyone see a problem with voting for Nader in TEXAS????? how about Idaho, or NY which, if it is so fragile that we need every vote for Kerry, it's all over anyway cuz less blue states will surelyt fall...
as for egos, it's hard to imagine how the established politicians' egos could be any bigger...seems to me that if Nader wanted attentuion and love he could have teamed up with the Dems for a cushy office long ago.
anyway, I just hope Stranger knows where I am coming from and doesn't mind if i rouse a little rabble ...jeebus, I gave money to Kerry for crying out loud, and one of his Dem contenders....Peace on y'all
Posted by Damfa @ 04/01/2004 10:19 PM NY
I actually listened to her ambush of Nader.
Yes, it was an ambush.
He thought, reasonably, that he was going to be interviewed. She really came off as an asshole. Just another mindless, screaching asshole of the airwaves. Oh, excuse me, Assholette.
Is Air America the LIBERAL Network or the DEMOCRAT Network. The Network where you better do as Rabid Rhodes says?
If you are going to be so dogmatic, intolerant and irresponsible...
(Blaming Nader for the loss---don't Republicans blame Clinton for everything?)
...then why shouldn't people just vote for the political party that at least ADMITS who and what they are?
What hypocrites you all are...
Fuck us, huh?
Guess your boy in gonna lose the election, again.
Posted by Chris @ 04/02/2004 02:59 PM NY
I have always liked Ralph Nader and Randi Rhodes. I didn't get to hear her talk with Nader (I hope the Air America folks do get their pieces archived soon!) but I have to say that I believe Randi is right. If a person has a gunshot wound and treatable skin cancer, I say that we have to worry about the gunshot wound first. The Democrats piss me off - and the DLC makes me want to scream - but Bush is SO dangerous to our democracy and to the world that I would vote for ANY Democrat to get him out of power.
In another day and time, Ralph might have had a chance at my vote. I couldn't vote for Ralph last time around because I believe it was already clear BEFORE Florida that Bush would be a nightmarishly bad president, but my dad voted for him. Now he and all of his friends (there are several of them, all 75+!!) who voted for Nader are in the ANYONE BUT BUSH club.
I just wish the rest of the Naderites would behave like responsible adults. When our democracy and environment and peace in the world are in such clear and mortal danger (don't these Nader voters have children they want to keep out of BushCo's wars?? children they want to breathe clean air and drink clean water?), how can you possibly waste a single vote on Nader?
Posted by Jeannie @ 04/03/2004 08:47 PM NY
Damfa,
No prob. I hear ya.
Posted by editor @ 04/03/2004 09:49 PM NY
