Air America Host Randi Rhodes Suspended For Calling Hillary A "Big F*cking Whore"

Air America host Randi Rhodes called both Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton "whores" in a recent appearance, seen below. Rhodes, who hosts a weekday radio show on Air America, said to the cheering crowd, "What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a fucking whore!" She then proceeded to say, "Hillary is a big fucking whore, too" to a mixed audience reaction. "You know why she's a big fucking whore? Because her deal is always, 'Read the fine print, asshole!'"

Watch:

Update: Rhodes has been now been suspended from the network. Air America released the following statement:

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.

Comments

[StillAmused]

"at a recent public appearance on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station."

ON BEHALF OF AIR AMERICA.

Which part of this sequence do you knuckle-draggers not understand? This wasn't a private gig as a standup.

I've been a big Rhodes fan for a long time, but I've found myself tuning out as she increasingly slipped into the tank for Obama at the expense of her usually-sharp, reasonably balanced commentary on ISSUES and the real criminals destroying America.

Judging from some of the comments on this thread, there's a new martyr for the brain-dead. Sooner or later, the Kool Aid gets you.

Drink up, dullards.

[realwoman]

Dear Mr.Genius,
Knuckle-draggers, dullards, Kool-aid drinkers? Wow, I've never heard that before. You are so smart. Tell us, oh great one, one "reasonably balanced" comment Rhodes has ever made. She's as predictible as the nightly line-up on Olbermann, and just as nuts.

[StillAmused]

"Dear Mr. Genius... Wow, I've never heard that before. You are so smart. Tell us, oh great one..."

Lisa Loopner, is that you?

[schmuckwithearlaps]

Not only are the haters, so well represented in the posters here, going to cause Obama to lose to McCain, but if this continues through the summer the Dems will lose the House and Senate majorities gained in 2006. Even state legislative majorities are danger if voters march in to the voting booths and vote the straight Republican ticket from top to bottom. Is hating so satisfying that it is worth all of this? I sense that many people on this board are feeling a kind of incredible cathartic satisfaction in letting it all pour out against Hillary. This cuts very deep. So will our losses in November.
If the Democratic party becomes the party of God Damn America If 40% of voters have no place to go in November, then the left will achieve something that used to be a very popular word in progressive circles, "re-allignment". A new political party will be formed, and the hundreds of Democrats for McCain organizations will form the starting point for this party. Is that what you guys want? If not, let's see some civility. Look it up.

[JohnTalbutt]

What you should have done as a Hillary supporter, was to encourage her not to campaign for John McCain, not to play the race card over and over again (which would actually have helped her because most whites were offended by being played for stupid) and to stop Bill with his sneaky inference that the only to candidates in the race who were patriotic were McCain and Hillary.

My candidate, Barack Obama, has run a clean campaign laying the basis for uniting the party after winning the nomination. God knows what Hillary could do after Bill's red faced finger waging and Carville's "Judas" remarks. But maybe you can help them get a grip.

[StillAmused]

"play the race card over and over again"

Instead of ingesting everything you're fed by the brain-dead media, do a little research. For example, in South Carolina, Bill Clinton was pressed by reporters, for at least ten minutes, on historic racial voting patterns in the state (attested to by Rep. Kendrick Meek [D, FL], an African-American who witnessed the whole exchange). It was in that context that Clinton -- appropriately, and in very COMPLIMENTARY terms -- referred to Jesse Jackson's earlier, and Obama's current, campaigns.

The media dullards decided, FOR YOU, that Clinton was "injecting race" into the campaign and, uninformed as you are, you swallowed it.

"Bill with his sneaky inference that the only to candidates in the race who were patriotic were McCain and Hillary"

Another press invention, hardly supported by Clinton's complete speech (available on YouTube, if you're clever enough to find it). This distortion has been subsequently acknowledged by several reputable press commentators.

Small detail... Clinton never used the word "patriotic". He referred to people who "love their country", and he never MENTIONED Obama... 'cause you don't campaign for your primary opponent (unless you're fencepost-stupid).

"My candidate, Barack Obama"

Lucky Barack.

[Drewkowski]

Any Democrats who would leave the party and support McCain over what is plain ol' bickering need to be politically reeducated by having several grams of lead placed in their craniums.

You are suggesting that, rather than forming a new party that conveys their values, they would support the party that is opposite their values?

If such people exist, they are purely emotional, non-human, non-thinking machines that deserve no part in the extraction of oxygen from our atmosphere, let alone participation in out political process.

[jseipp]

... that deserve no part in the extraction of oxygen from our atmosphere, let alone participation in our political process...

That's funny! I'm going to start using it. It expresses the way I feel about people like Rush Limbaugh etc...

[thefixisin]

Randi I too have quit listening to your show as you are to radical for me. When I did listen to you, your own words were about a nomination wait until the process is over then support the Democratic nominee, Why did you not stay true to your own words?

[JohnTalbutt]

I think it was the way the Clintons campaigned.

[tish]

J Talbutt---And your candidate campaigns as if he is the Left's new Messiah who deserves to be coronated before letting the primary process run its course.

[LyndaWNewOrleans]

The whole suspending people over these kinds of comments has gotten waaaaaaaaaaaaay out of line.

PTL that Obama talks about hope because that's about as subversive as you're allowed to be in this country anymore.

(I'm calling you out W!)

[bantrybay]

I have been a huge supporter of Randi for many years. Her knowledge and courage to take on the Bushies and Co. is wonderful and make her a hero. But I have STOPPED listening to her the past few months as her rage, venom and virtual hatred, and I mean HATRED for Clinto is alarming and aside from Hannity, she is the worst. Does she not realize that many of her listeners would find this ranting negative? I voted for Hillary and will support Obama even though I do not agree with both of them but why would any public figure tear down a Democratic to the level she has? Is it a femaile thing? I wonder. I do not think that she should be suspended for her comments. Why would Air America now at this late stage after allowing her to rage on against Hillary, now try to quell her speech as hateful and horrible as it was? Some hypocrisy I believe. She needs to look at why her hate is so severe. I wish her well, she can do alot of good if she gets it together.

[thatvisionthing]

And we lost our Air America station a few months ago and I've been missing Randi! Love the video, love her comments, about time someone said it. Go Randi, keep that free speech exercised. Plus I have to smile at the exposure. Oh Air America, don't throw Randi in that briar patch! :-)

[JohnTalbutt]

For some of people, and I am one, there is nothing you can do in American political life more dispicable than play upon racism. Attacking someones patriotism is not far behind. The Clintons did and are continuing to do it. Randi sees it as clearly as the rest of us. You apparently do not. Try this sometime. Just make a survey of how many times Clinton supporters speak or even posts without bringing up race. Not to discuss problems, just to throw it out there and see who bites.

[StillAmused]

What's especially impressive about an uninformed, media-narrative dupe is your insistence on endlessly repeating the baseless themes you've been fed. If we close our eyes, it's almost as if you actually know the meaning of the sounds you're making.

Parrots are like that. Wanna cracker?

[seemlessweb]

HRC - gone from daily discourse in a maximum of 2 months. What a relief!

[LAShores]

As a member and president of the "Whores R Us" club, I am offended by Randi's remarks.
How dare she besmirch the good name of Whores by comparing us to Hillary.

:)

[vinny]

mmm... besmirch...

[tcbwriter]

Grow up. We're talking about electing the leader of our country not voting for American Idol.

[Drewkowski]

tcbwriter - Clever tag line, the "grow up." But realistically, how about considering that an HONEST sex worker in a brothel may indeed have scruples with being compared to the whoring candidate. One is selling time spent with her body for necessary life-sustaining income, the other is selling portions of her soul and dignity for mere political support.

Hmmm. What's worse?

[MNmommy]

Heh.

[maxfusion]

I think Ms. Rhodes underestimated Hillary's reach, or more likely than not, it never entered her pea brain. Don't think for a moment this decision came exclusively from management. How would you like to be in the radio business in a Clinton administration after one of your hosts, representing your network, calls the first female president of The United States a "fucking whore". Particularly after the democrat party meltdown. Ms. Rhodes is a drunk, and not a particularly bright woman. You "progressives" might want to rethink who you choose to carry your limp banner.

[certainot]

she was right that this pRes is a moron and the occupation would be a disaster - your boys limbaugh and hannity have been wrong about EVERYTHING of importance-- who's got the p-brain?

[akkadian]

About time someone addressed Miss-Clinton in her own tongue....

[OnceProudAmerican]

It looks as though we have another loose cannon on deck. I mean between the Rush's the Imus's and all the other "Mouth piece wanna-bees". Do we really need another person showing how big an ASS they can be? And are we so hungry as to need to watch this CRAP!
Our country is fast falling into the black hole of Depression and all we care about is some fool making a complete ass of themselves!
Go figure.

[zelduh]

Did you watch it? (Just curious.)

[rosal]

She was suspended? They should give her a bonus instead.

[tcbwriter]

It's really sad to see people deal with their own issues this way. You must be a very unhappy person to hate someone you don't know this much!

[kinnycut]

Randi's comments may have been harsh, but Hillary Clinton, in the least, has proved to be a bald faced liar, and she has acquired the ability to recreate her own truth, but unlike her husband she hasn't quite perfected that "awe shucks" persona to distract us. The truth is we need Randi she is our answer to Ann Coulter and those other outrageous Gop extremists. Air America should not fire her because that would appear like they were succumbing to some political pressure and that is something they do not want to convey, not even accidently. A slap on the wrist is more than sufficient.

[MNDADDY]

Ann Coulter is laughing at Obama supporters right now. Destroy Hillary, because her side can't.

[thatvisionthing]

Way too flattering to Ann Coulter. She's just mean, Randi's sharp.

[thatvisionthing]

http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/cartoons/11-13-2003.gif

"Conservative humor is picking on people who have less than you. That's not satire, that's just mean." -- Tom Tomorrow

[tcbwriter]

Really? The Bosnia story aside, what has she ever lied about? I've been hearing you people (either Republican haters or Obamite haters) say that for the past year but have yet to hear or read ONE fact to back that up.

BTW, I'm not saying she lied about Bosnia - I've seen accounts by many others who were there that would prove otherwise. I just know that you would reach there first because it's all you've got.

[research]

Randi is the smartest liberal I have every heard. I want her back. If she violated her contract with AAR, they should fine her and she should get over it.

Love you Randi!

[hopeforchange]

I guess Rhodes didnt read the fine print of her contract.

[research]

we don't know yet, do we?

[Suprshrink]

I stopped listening to "progressive talk radio" months ago because of the venom and vitriol. I could not believe that individuals who presumably share my political leanings could be speaking of another progressive in the manner we now witness at its extreme by Randi Rhodes. If Obama had never entered this race every one of the progressive would have been praising and defending Clinton without hesitation. But now that the "wonder boy" is doing well, they feel they have to extinguish Clinton to sustain his slight lead. i wrote a letter to Randi months ago telling her how I felt about her rhetoric but she continued to rail against Clinton in the most noxious way. Hers was the last program I stopped listening to because I held out hope that she would be fair but, now, I see she only got worse. For those of you who think referring to women as "whores, bitches, or other derogatory terms is standard linguistics, I say to you that you must be self-hating to accept this nomenclature.

[dawlishgal]

Hyperbole from a psychiatrist? Diagnosing "every one of the progressive" by putting the same words into each and every one of their mouths?

Seriously, does the APA (either of them) know about this?

I was opposed to Hillary because I recognized a few years back that-- between the two of them-- the Clintons had flung our working class into an impossible and unfair competitive situation in the world labor market. His lies about opposing NAFTA,, then his betrayal of working class voters in pushing it through within months of being elected , then --added to that-- her failure with her healthcare program. Callous and irresponsible acts that forced our workers into unfair bottom-line competition with workers from EVERYWHERE else, places where employers are not forced to provide and pay for workers' healthcare because governments (all but ours) believe that healthcare is a basic human right.

Even so, I might have been able to supress my dismay, had Hillary not received more from lobbyists from the same healthcare corporations that spent millions on a lying ad campaign to bring down her plan....more than any other candidate, including Republicans. The impression is that they are rewarding her for past failure and paying again for future failure.

Obama had NOTHING to do with my having arrived at a decision to never support the Clintons again for anything. In fact, until he withdrew, I supported Edwards. Clinton has "extinguished" herself with her narcissism and her bad behavior.

[zelduh]

The Clintons have admitted that they are playing "gutter politics." They are always espousing that "Politics is a dirty game. If you don't like it, get out of politics."

Obama has not gotten into the mud they way they want him to play in - and they cannot deal with clean politics. It is quite obvious (to me) that HILLARY IS SIMPLY OUTCLASSED BY OBAMA. And every time I hear a Clintonista talk about Wright, I feel more strongly about it.

[chersplace]

People You have got to be kidding. I have never seen anyone play Dirty politics as dirty as Barack Obama. He has been playing dirty since he entered politics.
He has used race from day one. He has accused other of racsim while attending a racist church for 20 years. He has lied over and over. Any person with half a brain can see the media bias.
The media has been running the longest infomercial ever and the product they are selling is Barack Obama.

Barack Obama doesn't have as much CLASS AS HILLARY CLINTON in his little finger.

She is the only one who has tried to get her message out and explain her plans for our country. The media does not cover any of this, they cover stupid games that Obama gives them the rules for. Get real people. This is the election for our President.

A vote for Obama is a vote for McCain
A vote for Hillary is a vote for a better America.

[allensf]

thats the diff between conservative radio listeners and liberal radio listeners and also that is the reason we are always behind. Conservative radio is much more vitriolic on a routine basis and you don't hear them whining about it. I am a liberal and get so tired of these easily offended traitors like the one above.

[tcbwriter]

I'm totally with you. Same reaction, same response, same hope for improvement. I gave up 2 months ago when I could no longer take it. When I wrote to Randi I asked her to explain the difference between her and Rush Limbaugh.

It's sad. We waited so long to have progressive voices on the radio and they've all let us down.

The funny thing is that, while they sit behind their microphones spewing venom and castigating Hillary Clinton - who quite possibly could be the Democratic Presidential Nominee (and certainly had a very good chance when the vitriolic remarks first began) - they accuse Hillary being the one who is destroying the Democratic Party. On second thought, it's not funny; it's sad and disgusting.

[jseipp]

I agree with both comments above and disagree with the one below. We're not "traitors"
I simply can't stand how obnoxious Randi Rhodes is. I used to listen to her but got tired of her rambling on and on about nothing usually. 80% of what she say's is total gobbledegook. Who wants to hear all the gory details about her hysterectomy? Not most guys. She's such an airhead. Blah, blah, blah. On and on and on. She's alway's interrupting her callers and guests. She's got a giant ego. It's all about Randi and HER opinions. I hope they fire her and replace her with someone with more substance. I listen to Thom Hartman and then as soon as I hear Randi's voice come on I switch over to NPR.

[XCITIZEN]

What I want to know is, did she really smash her teeth out on the pavement the night she fell on her face staggering out of a bar drunk and afterward claimed she was attacked, which she then revised to having no idea what hit her?