I don’t mean to abuse the 12-Step analogy, but CNN needs some sort of treatment for its obsessive coverage of “Breaking News.” The network’s reporting of the Shirley Sharrod scandal is a classic example of overkill. By the time the weekend rolled around, CNN viewers began losing interest in Sherrod. This is unfortunate because there are facets of the story that extend beyond her heroic personal story.

Although the Sharrod debacle is largely about race and racism, the humiliation heaped on the USDA official is also about journalism. Before I take cheap shots at Fox “News,” let me point out the shortcomings of my former place of employment. CNN exploited Sherrod for more sinister reasons than taking up the banner of a wronged person. And I’m referring to something more than its hope for increasing ratings. For the people who underwrote my IRA, it was an opportunity to dump on Fox by pointing the finger of blame to the people who gave the story momentum.

The real blame, of course, falls on the shoulders of Andrew Breitbart, the right-wing rumor-monger whose fantasies are published on his Internet news sites and repeated by the lunatic fringe ad nauseam. He distributed out-of-context remarks made by in a speech to an NAACP gathering in Sherrod’s native Georgia. The African American agriculture official— daughter of a farmer murdered by white men, who were never prosecuted—told the story of how years before a poor, elderly white couple on the verge of losing their farm helped her deal with underlying racial prejudice she harbored since childhood. The Breitbart video only showed the part of her speech about Sharrod’s early attitudes toward whites.

Libel litigation is a pet peeve of mine—mainly because I had to defend myself in eight cases that I can recall. The only one settled in favor of the plaintiff was the most trivial. The Boston TV station I worked for was in the process of being sold and lawyers recommended a few thousand dollars be paid to dispose of the case. But no matter how frivolous, defending against libel is a time-consuming distraction. In Breitbart’s instance, I hope Sharrod carves a big chunk out of his derriere. Thes distribution of the video clip was clearly done maliciously without regard for truth. And he will have a hard time defending the story as being opinion, which has broader protections under libel and defamation laws.

That brings me to the subject of stupid tricks by anchors. Unfortunately, technology has not been developed to stop the lips of news anchors from flapping when they deviate from the teleprompter. In the course of CNN’s saturation coverage of Sharrod, the two most enthusiastic supporters of the Agriculture Department bureaucrat—Kyra Phillips and John Roberts—agreed that it might be time for the government to consider a crackdown on irresponsible bloggers who spread hatred.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/alana-goodman/2010/07/23/cnn-host-calls-crackdown-bloggers-wake-sherrod-incident-something-s-g 

I’m reasonably certain that Phillips and Roberts have both heard of the First Amendment. It even protects people I don’t agree with. And like everyone else, I receive an abundance of viral e-mails filled with misinformation and/or varying levels of hate. It’s sad commentary on a segment of our society, although it is sometimes entertaining to be exposed to the ignorance of people responsible for spreading Internet rumors and speculation. But what the hell? Everybody is entitled to believe what they want to believe. And I know from talking to right-wing family members and friends that my blog posts and opinions are perceived as left-wing ranting. But writing about my version of the world is an American privilege I enjoy exercising.

It is the same privilege exercised by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and other escapees from the nation’s asylums. However, the line is crossed when malicious viral video is presented as legitimate news. The Breitbart segment aired on Fox “News” in the context of legitimacy (if that is even possible on the Republican Propaganda Network). Instead, the story was a personal attack on an obscure federal official in the Obama Administration.

I doubt that Fox will lose viewers because of the gaffe. Most people watching the network don’t really care about facts. The truth only confuses them. Nonetheless, the Sherrod story further revealed the close relationship between Fox and Breitbart—a marriage that had already exposed many times before.

Since Shirley Sharrod’s office is located in close proximity to CNN’s Atlanta headquarters, it was a chance to bring her into the studios and engage in crusading journalism by defending an injustice—especially her idiotic treatment by Department of Agriculture officials who asked for her resignation based on a Fox “News” story. It doesn’t get any more stupid than believing Fox. 

Anyway, I admired CNN for taking up a crusade for justice. At least until I realized that instead of restoring the kind of reporting missing from contemporary television, the network was simply using Sherrod as a way to criticize the competition.

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.

I’m a half-full glass kind of guy. And when bad things happen to good people (or even bad people, for that matter), I look for the positives. In the case of fired Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod much has been gained this week.

Foremost is exposing low-life Andrew Breitbart’s as right-wing scum. Prior to releasing an out-of-context video segment of a speech Sherrod made to an NAACP gathering in Georgia, Breitbart’s Internet site was the source of much of the racist propaganda on Fox “News.” Most notorious was heavily edited undercover video of a Breitbart operative posing as a pimp while seeking financial help from ACORN to open new whorehouse. Fox repeatedly ran the video and it flooded the Internet. Although, the black activist political organization claimed the video failed to reflect what really happened, Breitbart refused to release the raw tape. ACORN has since disbanded, in large part because of the publicity given the right-wing manufactured scandal.

The simpleton Breitbart “investigative reporter” playing the pimp role subsequently stumbled over his idiocy when he tried to entrap Louisiana U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu by tampering with telephone lines in her New Orleans office. Accompanied by two equally moronic “undercover agents” dressed as telephone repairmen, the trio was arrested and ultimately cut a deal with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges.

Brietbart has also been involved in other unsavory schemes designed to embarrass the Obama Administration, Democrats and anyone else on his enemies list. What makes him dangerous is the fact that Fox “News” will spread any rumor he passes along. Breitbart receives frequent French kisses from Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. They in turn spread the germs to fans. The good news is that the Sherrod incident might cause a few people to use mouthwash after being exposed to the Republican Propaganda Network.

Actually, there was a minor miracle on Fox. Glenn Beck came to the defense of Sherrod. It is the first time to my knowledge that he has ever told the truth about anything dealing with the Obama Administration.

Before reporting other positives from the Sherrod incident, I need to explain what happened for the benefit of readers who may have been trapped in remote parts of the world during the the past 72 hours, or failed to pass within 100 yards of a television set carrying CNN. The network went wall-to-wall on coverage, trapping Sherrod in its Atlanta studios and refusing to allow her to leave until Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack dropped to his knees, begged forgiveness and offered her a big promotion to compensate for his stupid decision seeking the Georgia official’s resignation before viewing the full video of Sherrod’s inspiring speech about her transformation from judging farmers by the color of their skin. She told the audience that a white farm couple in south Georgia helped her realize that poverty was color blind. The elderly couple were the first to come to Sherrod’s defense, telling reporters that the Agriculture Department official went far beyond the call of duty to help them save their farm. The Breitbart video only showed a few seconds of Sherrod’s speech in which she gave background of her epiphany about race.

Another possible bright spot in the debacle is the embarrassment it caused the Obama Administration in what is tantamount to an admission that officials actually watched Fox “News” and give a shit about its distortions. Maybe they accidentally switched to Fox to get away from Rick Sanchez. If that is the case, Fox could pick-up Administration viewers in August when Sanchez temporarily replaces Campbell Brown in the 8:00 p.m. slot. That is like replacing a healthy diet with junk food. Brown was one of CNN’s better anchors and reporters. On the other hand, Sanchez only acts like he knows what he is talking about. He was in top form yesterday, treating the Sherrod story like it was a state funeral. Overreaction to overreaction is the best way to describe his reporting.

Despite going overboard yesterday in its Sherrod coverage, I was happy to see CNN mount a strong defense of the woman. Objectivity was cast aside, which is sometimes appropriate in journalism—though not to the extent of Sanchez’s often uninformed reporting. Fortunately, the Sherrod issue was so clearcut that CNN avoided an outbreak of shrinking testicles—a virus that has regularly swept the network in the past when dealing with controversy. Believe me, I know. Read all about it in my book. Can’t resist the chance for a quick plug.

Back to the half-full glass. The biggest positive to emerge in recent days is Shirley Sherrod. The daughter of a farmer murdered by white men never brought to justice, she has become a hero of millions of people this week. Instead of going quietly after being publicly humiliated by her bosses and the NAACP, she defended herself with the kind of dignity that exposed Andrew Breitbart, Fox “News” and right-wing hate-mongers as people devoid of moral consciences.

If Sherrod can resist exploiting the scandal and/or being exploited, not only will her glass be half-full, it will overflow.

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.

Well, it only stands to reason that Dr. Glenn Beck has decided to establish his own university. After all, he is now the distinguished owner of an honorary doctorate degree bestowed on him by the late Jerry Falwell’s prestigious Liberty University.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/06/glenn-beck-university-fox_n_635980.html

Beck University is only taking baby steps in the beginning while waiting for accreditation by the American Association of Public Affairs Embeciles (AAPAE). On-line classes begin with three professors, including the Chairman of LSU’s political science department, James Stoner. According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, Dr. Stoner is an avowed conservative, who has spoken to tea partiers about constitutional issues. He compared his Beck University lectures to guest appearances on the Comedy Channel’s Daily Show by prominent educators, politicians and authors. Stoner said his lectures would be devoted to educating students on matters relating to the U.S. Constitution. He has written extensively on the subject.

A pro-family activist and an expert on business affairs are also early recruits for Beck University’s faculty. I have a couple of suggestions for other faculty members. Brother Jimmy Lee Swaggart would be an excellent selection for a class titled, “Tears and Sobs on Demand.” And how about a class called, “Ten Ways to Escape a Straight Jacket”. Neither of the two subjects are offered by other colleges, although I must admit that I have failed to check the curriculum of Liberty University.

Dr. Beck’s “institution of higher learning” will not award credits for its classes. But the scam…oops, I meant to say tuition is a bargain—$75.00 a year or $45.00 for six months. Students will receive either an education or an indoctrination. And despite Dr. Glenn’s racism, I’m reasonably certain Beck University has an open door policy. But as a precautionary measure, African Americans, Hispanics and Muslims should mark “No Preference” when questioned about race and/or religion.

Seriously, folks, I can’t decide if Glenn Beck is the craziest son-of-a-bitch on radio and television or the smartest con man since the days of P.T. Barnum whose famous quote, “There’s a sucker born every minute” is personified by a large segment of Beck fans. Glenn never misses an opportunity to exploit his celebrity to earn a few bucks. In addition to radio and TV shows, he writes barely coherent books, does live video appearances carried in movie theaters at jacked-up admission prices, and he merchandises lunacy in every forum he can find.

I suspected for a longtime that Beck fans were in on the joke—that they really didn’t take his ramblings seriously. But he is the guy who claims to have started the tea party movement. And the folks shouting about taking back their government are deadly serious. Thankfully, it has failed to grow beyond the size of the Ross Perot base, if that big. November will tell the tale of the tea party’s influence on elections. Actually, a couple of the candidates they support are eligible to share a padded cell with Dr. Beck. But you never know the mood of voters.

I hate to use this cliché because people will think it is autobiographical, but “Ignorance is bliss.” For anyone that doesn’t get it, my middle name is Bliss. I was named after my paternal grandfather and don’t have a clue of its origin. I like to state that the name reflects the ecstasy of my wives—or should I say wife. The other two kicked my sorry ass out. Read all about it my book. But I digress.

Anyway, our nation has dumbed down—thanks in large part to television. Part of the blissful ignorance that has swept the country is a result of laziness. People don’t take the time to read newspapers, magazines or do a little research on the Internet to determine the truth of fables spread by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Keith Olberman and a whole slew of propagandists on the left and right. Like hogs at the trough, they consume whatever is fed to them.

Consequently, politicians treat voters like simpletons. Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen wrote this week about his surprise in learning that a U.S. Senator with a dumb-downed commercial was in fact a pretty smart guy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/05/AR2010070502659.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

In an era when the Internet puts news and background at our finger tips, it is distressing to know that so many people live twitter lives. If Beck University is to succeed, its founder may need to reduce class time to 140 characters.  

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.

Many years ago when Geraldo Rivera was a correspondent for ABC’s 20/20, he chased a pimp down the street during a hilarious ambush interview attempt that began with a fast walk, followed by a jog and then became a full sprint. Had this been in the age of You Tube, the Internet would have been overloaded with viewers. Instead, the video was passed among television newsman as an example of “Geraldo” style jouralism. I’m a longtime critic of the technique, although it was a hallmark of my early career as an investigative reporter in Miami.

Nonetheless, ambush journalism is sometimes the only way to serve the public interest. Such is the case with Tea Party candidate Sharron Angle—the Republican candidate opposing Harry Reid for a U.S. Senate seat in Nevada. TV crews have begun stalking Angle because of her refusal to answer questions about previously stated radical views that seem to advocate taking up arms against our government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/us/politics/29angle.html?th&emc=th

By limiting interviews to right-wing radio shows sympathetic to her views and to appearances on Fox “News,” Ms. Angle re-enforces the old axiom that “the truth hurts.” Her rhetoric is already part of the public record. Among other things, she has called for phasing out Medicare and Social Security, eliminating the EPA and the U.S. Department of Education and making alcohol illegal. While serving in Nevada’s 42-member state Assembly, she voted “no” so often that legislators described votes as “41 to Angle.” 

So given this public record, newsmen have a simple question for the candidate. “Do you really believe your rhetoric, Ms. Angle, or are you truly a right-wing lunatic.” Senate President Harry Reid—an incumbent whose re-election was in serious jeopardy—must fall to his knees daily and thank God for delivering Angle as his opponent in the November elections.

Also remaining close-mouthed in the presence of newsmen is Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul—another Republican with strong support from the tea party movement. Early gaffes about civil rights and his defense of BP in the wake of the Gulf coast oil spill disaster led Paul to become extremely cautious in granting interviews to reporters representing the mainstream media. Early on, Paul cancelled an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, apparently fearing he would make a fool of himself.

More recently, the Louisiville Courier-Journal disclosed that Paul was not certified by the medical clearing house that oversees his Bowling Green practice as a ophthamologist. Instead, he is certified by the National Board of Ophthamology, an organization he created and heads as President. He has refused to answer questions about his self-certification.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100614/NEWS0106/6140307/Rand-Paul-s-ophthalmology-certification-not-recognized-by-national-clearinghouse

When tea partiers are asked about the secrecy of candidates they support, the responses are predictable. “You can’t trust the liberal media.” The “liberal media myth” is a fable fostered by Rush Limbaugh, his idiot clones on Fox “News” and all the Rush wannabes ranting daily on AM radio.

I make no bones about my own progressive political views, which in large part have been hardened by the aforementioned stable of loonies. I know name-calling is counter productive, but at my age it’s better than sex. Indeed, wing-nuts and politicians they endorse have given up on any pretense of civility. So why not join the crowd? More dangerous than the loss of civility is the reality that many journalists have given up on demanding accountability, which allows evasive candidates like Sharron Angle to conceal their true positions on issues.

Maybe it’s time for more reporters to put on Geraldo Rivera running shoes and begin chasing down politicians for answers to tough questions.

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.

As a Father’s Day gift, my wife—a child bride, some friends say—gave me Bill Press’s recently published book, Toxic Talk: How the Radical Right has Poisoned America’s Airwaves. I mentioned to her that wanted the book, even though it was like a choir member requesting a hymnal that he or she had memorized. But reading the book was the first time that I have seen the magnitude of the lies gathered in one place, which is a rather mind-boggling experience.

I don’t recommend the book as a great piece of literature. Press is a liberal Democrat and freely admits his political prejudices. But he did his homework in gathering examples of the lies, distortions and misinformation that dilutes the airwaves. One chapter each is devoted to liars Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage. Two guys with an ounce of brains, presumably—Harvard graduates Bill O’Reilly and Lou Dobbs—share a chapter. That’s too bad because they are probably the worst of the bunch because they have enough sense (a quantam leap on my part) to know they are exploiting fans for personal gain. In a matter of a few paragraphs, the book also cites a few wannabe stars of the far right.

Toxic Talk isn’t particularly well written. However, it catalogues abuses under specific headings and uses direct quotes from radio and television shows hosted by the wild-eyed characters, most of whom seem devoid of consciences since they will say anything for a buck.

Actually, Glenn Beck falls in a different category altogether. From all appearances, he is simply mentally unbalanced. Take, for example, his most recent outbreak of lunacy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/22/glenn-beck-vomits-over-na_n_621551.html

The Bill Press book fills in gaps for me. I have a hard time listening or watching the ranting of wing-nuts for more than a few minutes. Fortunately, I get to watch a lot of right-wing antics on television’s two most legitmate news shows—Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert. For my reading pleasure, Media Matters keeps me abreast with the lunatic fringe. The liberal left-wing Internet site obviously monitors and transcribes AM radio craziness and political distortions of GOP propaganda outlet, Fox “News.”

Speaking of which.

Over the past ten years, I’ve regularly worked out at health clubs in two golf communities— first in Georgia following my retirement from CNN, and more recently in my adopted home of Louisiana. I’m guessing the majority of my neighbors in both places are die hard Republicans. Arriving for my 6:30 exercise time in the morning, the television has almost always been on Fox “News.” I find that a bit surprising because in both communities, a large percentage of the residents are well-educated college graduates. Sadly, though, most apparently don’t subscribe to newspapers or major news magazines. If so, I believe they would have doubts about what Fox represents as “fair and balanced” news. Instead, I hear intelligent folks—including some members of my family—parroting the propaganda, lies and distortions proselytized by Fox and its pundits. It would be interesting to hear their responses if they took time to read Toxic Talk. But that ain’t gonna happen. Facts only confuse these people.

And late word just in.

CNN announced today that it has hired a narcissistic, whore-hopping egomaniac to replace Campbell Brown as a prime time anchor. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer—a disgraced liberal Democrat—will host the show with Washington Post conservative columnist, Kathleen Parker. I really don’t care about Spitzer’s taste for hookers, his narcissism or outsized ego. What I care about is CNN’s decision to replace a news program with an updated version Crossfire, a program that aired many years ago when I worked for the network. 

Coincidentally, given the topic of this post, Toxic Talk author Bill Press was the liberal voice on Crossfire. Pat Buchanan occupied the chair on the right. The show was entertaining. But it didn’t qualify as news, nor occupy a prime time slot. In my opinion, the mummy show, Larry King, provides enough entertainment for CNN’s prime time. But what the hell do I know?

I predicted that Rich Sanchez would replace Campbell Brown. So the bad news that CNN is dumping a news show is tempered by the good news that I was wrong.

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.

For eight years, pundits made exaggerated complaints that George W. Bush was too dumb to be President. Remember Ronald  Reagan? And for two years, the same pundits complain that President Obama is too smart. Remember Bill Clinton? I ain’t got no fine college education, but I’m smart enough to recognize stupidity when it comes from the mouths of no-it-all political commentators, reporters and talk show hosts. 

In the latest stupid episode of the dumbing-down of America, an alleged “expert” on speech patterns characterized the President’s recent Oval Office speech about the Gulf oil spill as too complicated for the average television viewer to comprehend.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/obama-oil-spill-speech-cr_n_615796.html

I watched the President’s speech and understood every word he said. Didn’t go to the dictionary even once. Granted, I went a little bit beyond the 9.9 grade level that the “expert” claimed was required to understand the address. In fact, I’m the proud owner of a diploma from Tuscaloosa, Alabama Senior High School. Graduated in the top 80% of my class. Sadly, I couldn’t maintain the momentum during one semester at the University of Alabama, where I failed every course except ROTC. The school has a dumb rule requiring students to attend classes. A few years later, I attended disc jockey school for four semesters. However, spinning records only makes people dumber. Have you heard of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and other ex-disc jockeys now make a living by drooling on microphones? 

Anyway, I rated Obama’s speech as okay—though unnecessary. I rate it much higher than saying, “Let’s bomb the hell out of Baghdad and give CNN some visual news to report.” The President did what President’s are supposed to do. He re-enforced his Administration’s commitment to assist people and businesses effected by the spill. Proof came the following day when he shook-down BP for $20-billion—”shake-down” being the decription given the escrow fund by a stupid GOP Congressman (told you I recognized stupid when I heard it). 

The fund will go a long way in diminishing some of the fears of Gulf coast folks whose lives have been put on hold.  It will also help keep the courts unclogged by thousands of lawsuits. Though painful to plaintiff lawyers deprived of their 40% contingency fees, providing an alternative to litigation will expedite the payment of claims.

Obama’s speech notwithstanding, he can say nothing, nor can he do anything at this point to satisfy his critics and/or the people suffering from the tragedy. I hope he regularly recites the Serenity Prayer. If you don’t know words, it’s time to move out of your cave.

Unfortunately, a sizeable segment of society avoids making independent judgments about solutions to ongoing catrastophes, controversial issues and political dilemmas. Too often they are willing to accept the judgments of idiots. I ask again, have you heard of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, et al?

For most of my career in broadcasting, I worked with people better educated than me. As Senior Investigative Correspendent in CNN’s Special Assignment investigative unit, I was surrounded by reporters and producers with Ivy League diplomas and degrees from several prestigious universities. Earlier in my career, I spent five years an under-educated, redneck ex-drunk in charge of an investigative unit at a highly acclaimed local station in “Blue Blood” Boston. In these and other environments throughout my career, academic shortcomings caused me hang-ups. I compensated for the insecurities by reading everything I could get my hands on, developing a polysyballic vocabulary and a smart-ass attitude.  

My wife, who has two advanced degrees, has jokingly threatened to slap me (I think its a joke) if I repeat one more time, “I ain’t got no fine college education like you,” a phrase I frequently use when pontificating on some obscure topic I read about in books and magazines that are published for readers above the 9.9 grade level. I’ve subscribed to New Yorker for years. I read most articles and even profess to understand many of its cartoons. I hope that makes me seem sophisticated?  

I realize there are other smart-asses, who say I never needed to go beyond the 9.9 grade level. After all, I was a television reporter. Indeed, TV news is responsible for dumbing down America. Investigative reporting has all but disappeared from television. Too complicated. Therefore, most muckraking that is left falls into the category of superficial. In the latter days of my career, reporters were advised by so-called “news doctors” to make stories “viewer friendly.” 

Maybe the President should hire a “news doctor” so he can begin his speeches by saying, “Oil rig went boom, boom.”

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.

Glenn Beck has reached a milestone by signing up the 400th radio station for his syndicated show. Being a fair guy and knowing that a few drooling right-wingers scan this blog, I refer readers to Glenn’s website listing all the stations that air his rants. 

http://media.glennbeck.com/content/radio/

Happy now?

The headline of today’s blog post refers to the dilemma faced of AM radio station ownrs. Over the past two decades, listeners have deserted AM radio with the speed of folks fleeing a theater following a shout of “fire.” That is, of course, until Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and other talk show hosts representing the lunatic fringe came along.

In a strange turnabout, listeners tune in to hear these characters shout “fire.” They have become the ”saviors” of AM radio. Otherwise, folks listen to FM stations, satellite or personal digital collections. Air America was once a liberal alternative. But nobody cared. Or listened. The network went into bankruptcy earlier this year.

There are also a few stations that depend on ESPN for programming. However, all sports, all the time can get boring for people who don’t go to sleep wearing baseball caps and/or football helmets.

That brings me to Savior with a capital “S.” Many AM stations around the country have been “saved” by religious programming. In fact, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries controls 28 radio stations—AM and FM—mainly in the south and midwest. And his programs are carried by many other stations. In fact, radio was the financial salvation of the disgraced preacher’s ministry following sex scandals that nearly destroyed Swaggart’s $150-million a year organization.

Moreover, religious and Gospel music programming has salvaged untold numbers of AM and FM radio stations—especially in rural areas. On long drives, it is interesting and sometimes entertaining to scan stations and listen to preachers of every persuasion. Radio time is relatively cheap on small stations. So just about any pastor can afford to spread his or her message on the airwaves. And they can recoup the investment with a pitch to listeners for contributions. Long before TV evangelists spiritually manipulated audiences for a few dollars, preachers found radio to be a lucrative venue.

The irony in contemporary radio is that the Becks and Limbaughs violate every principle of Christianity. Their messages of hate, distortion and misinformation contaminate the airwaves. Even more curious is that a large segment of their listening audiences profess to be “good Christians.” Yet, they have no qualms about proselytizing the gospel of the loonies.

By the way, is Rush Limbaugh gay? I don’t have any evidence to suggest that he is, but why shouldn’t I ask questions and spread unfounded rumors in the same manner as Limbaugh and his ilk. After all, he paid Elton John a million dollars to play at his recent wedding to bride number four. And right-wing homophobics like Limbaugh often get caught in gay scandals. Just asking. Sometimes, I can’t resist taking cheap shots.

Anyway, this whole issue of choosing between Glenn Beck, et al, and Jesus causes me to wonder about my own choices as the owner of a radio station on the brink of bankruptcy. I’ve been in that position.

After starting my broadcasting career almost a half century ago in a tiny radio station in Northern California, I began harboring a dream of ownership. In my minds eye, I could see me in the owners chair, making all the decisions about programming and format. Twenty years later, I fulfilled my wish. A partner and I bought KCLF, an AM station in New Roads, Louisiana. Its signal barely reached across the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge, where I was then a mini-Mike Wallace exposing crime and corruption in the Capitol City.

Absentee ownership of KCLF provided me an AM radio education. I learned it was a shortcut to bankruptcy. My big mistake was programming the station with what I liked—old time rock and roll from the fifties and sixties. In a small community with a large population of African Americans and an equal number of young people, all of whom preferred FM, I was doomed from the get-go. The station eventually put me in bankruptcy court.     

Glenn, Rush and the others were not around to offer me salvation. Although KCLF carried a few religious broadcasts, Jesus was not present enough to keep the creditors from the door. Its now easy for me to criticize station owners who opt to carry hate-filled programming to avoid financial ruin. But in retrospect, WWJD? What would John do? Or have done? 

I’m lucky. I never had to make the choice.

My memoir, Odyssey of a Derelict Gunslinger, is available at amazon.com and independent bookstores. It offers much more than $19.99 worth of laughs. The book is an account of my illustrious (I choose the adjectives) career.   

One of the lucky breaks of my career is I never worked fulltime in the nation’s Capitol. My ego is big enough as it is. As I have stated a few times on this blog, the arrogance and self-importance of investigative reporters is almost unbearable—only exceeded in conceit and smugness by the Washington media. Whatever legal drugs these guys and gals are smoking, injecting or swallowing, should be made available to shrinks, who treat people for low self-esteem. 

My venture today into pyschiatric analysis of journalists is prompted by a Washington Post article this week by media critic Howard Kurtz, who profiles hard-working NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd. According to the article, Todd—one of the better political reporters in D.C.—believes President Obama has “disdain” for the press.  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/23/AR2010052303957.html

Todd’s remarks are a reflection of an attitude that is pervasive among Washington journalists. They feel politicians and bureaucrats—no matter the rank—should bow before them. The fact that Obama ignores shouted questions, as Todd states in the article, doesn’t translate to “disdain.” It falls into the category of civility, a characterisic lost in today’s toxic politics. Indeed, Obama promised to bring a level of civility to Washington and journalists fell to their knees in ass-kissing praise of the concept.

During my 30 years of muckraking, I experienced the euphoria of having powerful people bow before my threats of exposure. However, my ego gratification was usually tempered with the realization that it was not me who possessed the clout to intimidate, but rather the network or television station I happened to work for at the time. And it was proportionate to the importance of my reporting venue. Telephone calls were returned a lot more quickly during my CNN days and gigs at ABC than were the responses when I was a reporter with 250 watt KVML in the foothills of Northern California’s Sierra Mountains. A lone exception to the rule was my seven years of muckraking at WBRZ in Baton Rouge. But again, it was the station’s  no-holds barred reputation that struck fear in the hearts of evil-doers. I was only the facilitator.

It seems to me that most Washington political journalists forget that in the absence of the news organization paying their salaries, all the clout they enjoy diminishes to near invisibility. “What did you say your name was,” becomes a frequent refrain.

I agree with Chuck Todd and other Washington reporters that the President needs to conduct more news conferences. He picks and chooses one-on-one interviews with television anchors and correspondents that are often focused on just a few issues. By the same token, his one-on-one sessions with 60 Minutes are far more informative than having questions shouted in a way that made ABC’s Sam Donaldson famous. Or is it notorious. Still, the free-wheeling questions and answers during press conference are far more revealing than teleprompter speeches and brief announcements. Quite frankly, I get tired of seeing him on my TV screen so often. Even so, Obama regularly faces unrehearsed questions from the people who really count—the citizens attending town hall meetings. Compared to the self-important posturing by reporters at news conferences, the encounters with real people are far more relevant. I don’t mean to imply that reporters are unreal people. They just appear that way sometimes.

Moving along, there is good news for Rush Limbaugh fans. A new biography is being released.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/24/AR2010052403339.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

God help me. But in reading the review, I identified with some of Rush’s quirks like insecurity and addiction. The author writes that Limbaugh’s insecurities stem from childhood memories of his parents telling him that without a college education, he would never amount to anything. My folks did the same. At least I succeeded beyond their expectations.

And of course there is Rush’s well-publicized propensity for popping pills—another character defect we share. Until 39+ years ago, I popped beer can tops, wine bottle corks and the tops of any other alcoholic beverages I could get my hands on.

Come to think of it, I may have also ingested the same potions that inflate the egos of Washington journalists—hopefully in smaller doses.