Dumping Air America's Randi Rhodes Won't Cure Progressives Clinical Hillary Obsession

Air America yak jock should not have been suspended. She should have been canned. That will never happen though. After her moment kid slap, she'll be back on the Air America airwaves with more, albeit slightly toned down until the heats off, ritual diatribes against Hillary Clinton. Rhodes got the momentary bump from the microphone for obliterating the line of public decency by calling Clinton and Clinton backer Geraldine Ferraro every bleeped out word in the book in a public appearance on behalf of Air America.

Rhodes' Don Imus like foul mouthed rant is SOP for a core of so called progressive writers that post on the Huffington Post, and write for the Nation, Mother Jones, Daily Kos, the Underground Democrat, and a handful of other leftist sites. They have feasted at the hate Hillary trough. Their shrill diatribes, name calling, slanders, slurs, distortions and flat out lies should make the hard guys at Fox Network turn red faced. One time radical Jane Fonda kicked off the progressive's clinical obsession with Clinton bashing some months ago when reports surfaced in the Guardian and other on-line sites that Fonda called Clinton a ventriloquist for the patriarchy with a skirt and a vagina. Fonda hotly denied that she said anything of the sort.

But Fonda is a confirmed Obama supporter. And while we'll give her the benefit of the doubt on the Clinton slur, the fact remains that the invectives routinely hurled at Clinton by writers on the above mentioned sites and publications have come borderline close to repeating slurs as vile as what Fonda alleges that she didn't say.

The objection here is not that progressives shouldn't level a reasoned, principled, and critical dissection of Clinton positions. There are legitimate policy issues and positions to take her to task on. Unfortunately, that got tossed and Clinton's left side critics have found it much easier, and more fun, to engage in juvenile delinquent wolf ticket selling. They then pivot and froth, fume, and rail at Fox for doing the same thing. And Heaven forbid if anyone dare utter any criticism of Obama. That's deemed treasonous and the name calling kicks in with a vengeance against the offender.

The reasons for the juvenile delinquent name calling by Rhodes and company boil down to this. Clinton initially backed the Iraq war and refused to apologize for it or claims as Obama wrongly does that he was an outspoken anti-war guy from day one. Two, she supposedly is a back room, deal-making, opportunist Democrat who has been a shill for big money, corporate donors.

Her greatest sin, though, is that she pig headedly stands in the way of the coronation of Obama. A subtext to that is that by blocking the supposed inevitable, she, not Obama, is tearing the guts out of the Democratic Party and is making it that much harder for Obama to coast into the White House. Putting aside for a moment this wishful thinking fantasy land knock, nowhere, and I mean nowhere, have I seen the progressive Hillary baiters itemize exactly what they think they'll get out of an Obama White House that will be radically different than what they'll get from any other top Democrat who's backed by big money corporate interests, pockets money through the back door from corporate special interest lobbyists, is lauded by defense industry top brass, hailed by centrist Democratic Senators and governors, and fawned over by hard nosed GOP conservatives, headed by former Bush political strategist Karl Rove, as Obama is. Tell me?

Liberal Democrats and progressives rhapsodize that Obama is gutsier, visionary, progressive, and far less likely to wheel and deal in high Washington and corporate circles than Hillary. But again that's a delusion.

The ancient political truism for White House aspirants will, no has, kicked in with a fury with Obama. That is run to the right or left when you're on the outside looking in, then flee to the middle when you're on the inside and want to win.

The desperation of progressives to get someone in the White House who will quickly reverse the monumental damage of Bush's policies is understandable. If progressives would simply stick to challenging Obama and Clinton to speak out boldly and clearly about their stance on Supreme court appointments, criminal justice reform, immigration, failing public schools, the HIV/AIDS crisis, and a specific plan for ending the Iraq War, among other seldom heard discussed policy issues then there would be no argument that both need to be hammered for ducking and dodging these thorny issues. But that's far different than acting like 13 year olds and shouting out vile names at one candidate and only one candidate.

Rhodes did just that and got a mild rebuke. But she only engaged in the same silly name calling that her cut buddies on the left have elevated to a high art. Expect no change when Rhodes is quietly eased back in front of an Air America mic. In other words, dumping her won't cure the hateful, and very clinical, Hillary obsession of progressives.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House (Middle Passage Press, February 2008).

Comments

[Darksider]

What Hillary supporters don't get is one simple fact. Hillary is very unlikeable. There is a charisma gap between Hillary and Obama. And politics is partly a popularity contest. Even though Hillary might be better on some issues it doesn't matter. If people can't listen to her speak because her voice grates or if they can't connect to her because she comes off as cold and grasping whose fault is it? It's a shame that we are such a shallow society and that the candidate won't be chosen just on the issues. Because if that was the case we'd all be coronating Dennis Kucinich right now and Hillary still wouldn't be the nominee!!!

[sugarmac]

How narrow minded can you get? Not liking her VOICE? That's more important to you than her ABILITY? Wow. And her voice is her FAULT anyway? Maybe she was too busy doing important things to take speech lessons . . .

[BIllyDelyon]

her voice was just an example... There is plenty to not like about billary....

I believe the point darkside was attempting to make was that the USA is such a 'shallow society' these days, that there are actually people out there who won't vote for her because 'her voice' grates on them. This is the way the USA is now a days.

read the post before you react next time..

[AbbieXHoffman]

Earl, only the luxury of time will show how spot on you are. Keep posting.

[shhhhhhh]

wow... the author of this piece needs to reread the first ammendment. Therein it states,

Here is the basis for our Freedom Of Speech :

Madison's version of the speech and press clauses, introduced in the House of Representatives on June 8, 1789, provided: ''The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.''

Air America's brass has shown their lack of belief in the right of Randi Rhodes to opine freely. If Randi's comments were that offensive, she would have been rebuked at the venue she was hosting. The Air America brass has made an undemocratic decision and probably has those like Ann Coulter, Rick Savage, and Rush Limbaugh. Might I remind AAR that when the righties went after that little boy during the 2004 election cycle, no one got fired, they "sickly" rejoiced in the fact that they attacked this child. Graeme Frost, that was the child whom the right mocked.

In closing, for you to call for Randi Rhodes to be fired is ridiculous on it's face. For AAR to suspend her over comments made at an event that was an invite by membership only event is idiotic and I hope sinks this idiotic XM station. Hopefully, with the merger of SIRIUS and XM, we will be able to get "Talk Left" so we can all ditch "AAR".

[AbbieXHoffman]

This is not a free speech issue. Free speech protects you from the government, not your employer. And this was an AA affiliate event she did this at.

[TimFromLosAngeles]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-norman/randi-rhodes-critics-are_b_96092.html

Rhodes made several provocative comments during a March 22 personal appearance in San Francisco sponsored by the Clear Channel radio station that, at the time, carried her show locally.

It was a Clear Channel event not AAR. Oh and I'm getting word that Randi will be back on in San Fran. If the San Francisco station was AAR, then why is she on there? Because it was not an AAR event.

[billsmile]

The author of this piece states;

"The reasons for the juvenile delinquent name calling by Rhodes and company boil down to this. Clinton initially backed the Iraq war and refused to apologize for it or claims as Obama wrongly does that he was an outspoken anti-war guy from day one. Two, she supposedly is a back room, deal-making, opportunist Democrat who has been a shill for big money, corporate donors."

That's a total fabrication folks. He's lying.

As an actual listener of Rhodes' show the truth is that she didn't approve of Ferraro's race baiting comments or of Clinton's "as far as I know" type of comments. Those are the type of actions which prompted Rhodes' remarks.

Why does the Huffington Post allow such uninformed commentary?

[AbbieXHoffman]

1. Obama actually agrees with Ferraro.
Obama acknowledges, with no small irony, that he benefits from his race. If he were white, he once bluntly noted, he would simply be one of nine freshmen senators, almost certainly without a multimillion-dollar book deal and a shred of celebrity. Or would he have been elected at all?
http://obama.senate.gov/news/050626-when_it_comes_to_race_obama_ma/

2. Axelrod, Obama's campaign manager, pulled Ferraros quotes out of the bowels of the local media and thrust them into the national media simply to call her racist. Why? Because he was trying to get the older woman vote away from Clinton and what better way to do it than demonize an icon to them, namely Ferraro.

3. Axelrod pulled Bills quotes out of the bowels of the local media and thrust them into the national media simply to call her racist. Why? Because he was trying to get the black vote away from the Clintons (who formerly enjoyed those votes) and what better way to do it than demonize an icon to them, namely BC. Jackson didn't even think they were racist.

Now who's race baiting?

[AbbieXHoffman]

5. How outspoken was Obama really against the war when he didn't vote on it?

Though Mr. Obama is framing his candidacy to appeal to Democrats who have long opposed the war, until recently he was not among his party"s most outspoken voices against it. He campaigned strongly against the war in his bid for the Senate in 2004, but when he arrived in Washington he waited 11 months to deliver a major speech on Iraq. And only after Mr. Obama opened a presidential exploratory committee did he introduce legislation to withdraw American combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/us/politics/26obama.html?pagewanted=print


6. Hillary was very clear that she had very serious stipulations to be met for her vote. Here are some quotes from her floor speech.

So Mr. President, for all its appeal, a unilateral attack, while it cannot be ruled out, on the present facts is not a good option.

I believe the best course is to go to the UN for a strong resolution that scraps the 1998 restrictions on inspections and calls for complete, unlimited inspections with cooperation expected and demanded from Iraq.

A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our President and we say to him - use these powers wisely and as a last resort.

http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html

[sugarmac]

Oh, please! Everyone I know has stopped listening to her because of her idiotic rants. She is so impressed with herself it's painful to listen to her. When I heard what she had said I was shocked enough to go online and see for myself. You call that "disapproving"? She is a Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter wannabe 10 times over. This is what politics has sunk to. Uninformed is the least of it.

[stupidme]

Thats right .... Hillary is no whore. Fox News - Mellon Scaife - Rush Limbaugh's show - And what about Hillary's residency history -- she is a women of the people, as she has only lived in state funded housing her entire political / adult life. No way Hillary is a Whore. What could that Randi Rhodes be talking about. Hillary is truly diverse and who would do nothing that is contrary to her integrity. As bullets fly over my head, Hillary is only about truth, ethics and integrity. Thanks Earl for pointing that out to all of the Obamamaniacs. Clinton / Ingram '08

[chainlink]

Randi has appeared to be immersed in an anti-Hillary theme since she has become enrapt with Sen Obama. Being an avid Randi Rhodes Show fan gives one the sense of belonging to a family. Now it has almost, dare I admit, hurt my feelings that I no longer have a place at her table because I actually support Sen Clinton.This seems absurd. It makes me wonder if Randi knows something unforgivable about Sen Clinton? .
I feel as though AAR has been lacking in support for Randi and her show since day one. She was not promoted initially as were Al Franken and Jeanine Garafalo when she had actual radio experience. AAR had Randi do a signing in Central Park with only a table and no chair to sit in. Air America didn't even provide Randi with any where close to an adequate supply of "give-aways" for her fans on the Alaska cruise.. Maybe AAR doesn't like the fact that she has exclusive rights to the content of her show, or she isn't "compliant" enough for them. That is the beauty of Randi Rhodes. She is a true spirit, tempered with good instincts, judgment and integrity. She has done much for the progressive movement by educating with facts and an insider's perspective while enriching one's intellectual habits in the process.
I really do think that a statement from AAR disagreeing with her comments would have been sufficient. Isn't the progressive movement about free thinking and free speech??

[sugarmac]

As I said before, I used to listen to Randi, but along with her endorsement of Obama came a totally different tack to her show. She has become pompous, obnoxious and more course than ever. Obama supporters have become more like republicans than democrats. Is Karl Rove sneaking in here somewhere? It's getting more swift-boat-ish than the orginal!

[knerd]

Earl,

Thank you for your article.

My decision was made for me early on in this campaign--long before Obamanuts or Clintonistas were a gleam in the eye of Rush Limbaugh.

Barack Hussein Obama gave a filmed interview in which he praised the change of tone in America after the election of Ronald Reagan. Almost immediately, both Hillary and Bill Clinton made public campaign speeches asserting that in the interview Obama had claimed that Republicans had "better ideas" than the Democrats.

Any native speaker of English could see that this was a flat-out distortion of the truth. If it was a deliberate distortion, I don't want to see things like this on Day One. If, however, it was a matter of not really paying attention to the interview--then even worse for Day One of an American president.

And this pattern has continued. I certainly do not hate Hillary Clinton; I actually feel sorry for her. But I just have to shake my head in confused disbelief at the way Hillary has managed her campaign. If this is politics as usual, then it is probably not too surprising that many former Clinton supporters and other citizens are feeling frustration and anger.

There's no excuse for Randi Rhoads' tirade. And I think it speaks just as much to her sense of outrage at the sorts of words and actions that Hillary, Bill and their surrogates are introducing into the contest..

[ENVi]

Thank you for such a fair article. You've put in words I think so many of us have been thinking that has gone wrong with this primary. I do not think you need alot of comment in this article because a well written article that covers all basis usually doesn't trigger disagreement. Disagreement is usuaully what turns turn into the out of control commenting so many other article gets. I think alot of people reading this article go away satisfy that it was fair and objective.

[Jjc2006]

Thank you for your honesty. I knew your diary would not get many responses. After all, you were reasonable and spoke the truth. Senator Clinton is a flawed human being. So is Senator Obama. So am I. So are you. None of us, I believe, are the vile, nasty, vitriolic picture painted of Senator Clinton by the so called progressives. Their voices have convinced me I do not want to be a progressive. I will remain a liberal, thank you very much. I will respect and support people who support things like civil rights, children's rights, women's rights, human rights. Hillary has supported those things for as long as I have...since our college days. No I did not go to college with Hillary but at the same time. And believe it was not so easy to stand up for civil rights then. The romantic vision of that movement is overplayed. It was hard. Many, perhaps even most, middle class white girls were lucky to be in college at all, and most had been conditioned to believe they were sent their to get their MRS. degree.... a husband with a college degree was a good payoff. To stand up for civil rights in mostly white colleges was not exactly common place. Hillary did it. And yet these days she is being called a racist.

I support Hillary. I will support Obama. I would have supported Edwards.

There are no moral absolutes.
Thank you sir for your fine writing.

[sugarmac]

Jjc2006: That's a good letter; I couldn't agree more. The Clintons are the least racist people in the country, and the fact that the black community has so abandoned her is sad. Then there's Gov. Richardon. He could have just kept quiet if he didn't want to support them. I understand black women who are torn, but they should choose whichever they feel will make the better president, not based on race or gender. Like you, I like(d) Obama and support Hillary, but his supporters are really turning me off.

[gabbyone]

Randi works for Air America. She was representing them at an affiliate. Air America woke
up one morning to this headline....."Air America Host Randi Rhodes calls Senator Clinton
f............ whore." I guess if this were your company, you would give her a raise. If
Randi had been a Clinton supporter and called Obama the N word or worse put the f
word before the N word - would you be defending her today? The author of this article
is right, she should be fired. We will never end this blatent sexism or racism, if we keep
defending the Randi Rhodes of our society. If the people who support Obama really believe
we are better off as a country allowing this type of foul language to become common place,
America will never restore it's image of a great country in the world again. We will be the
country with the big F before States instead of United.

[ignatov]

"If the people who support Obama really believe we are better off as a country allowing this type of foul language..."

So Obama supporters must condemn a Hillary joke told by a liberal pundit.

This reminds me of Tim Russert making Obama repudiate comments made by Harry Belafonte despite the lack of any connection between the two men other than, you know, their race.

Should McCain boosters apologize for Ann Coulter calling John Edwards a faggot?

[mellene]

This remark was said no "on air" and shouldn't amount to a suspension/firing unless America wants a new test for what employees say when they're not at work or in private. This is an extremely dangerous precedent if it stands and then Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly and the like better watch what they say when they're not on air. I'll be you it's far worse. Why VP Cheney cursed out a senator when he was on the Hill and nothing happened to him, so I guess it's a double standard for Dems only.

[cgrantham]

Randi Rhodes made these comments at a March 22 Obama event sponsored by KKGN-AM. The event is currently, as I type, promoted on Obama's official campaign website. You can see all this here:

http://www.nashvilleistalking.com/node/31505

So far, Obama has given America the worst example of a racist campaign surrogate in the form of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The Obama campaign has now given us America's worst example of a talk show host's vitriol. And on both instances, Obama fails to speak up for a better way. He gives excuses to why these people are his family and are being unfairly treated. Is this the kind of person we want in the White House?

[Donewiththedems]

She should not have been suspended or canned. She says what she thinks, she's the real deal. The problem for her though is that Air America is run by Clinton supporters. She was suspended not because of what she said but who she said it about.

Regarding to the rest of your post, I was an avid Obama supporter for quite some time. Admittedly I was a bit naive but Clinton backers made certain I knew about his alignment with the GOP on foreign policy, his big oil backers, and so on. I finally got it through my head that he's not so great but I'm not about to turn around and support somebody else!

The system is broken, liberalism is divided and conquered in this country, if anybody is going to fix it it won't be the Dems. It will take nothing short of a massive economic collapse for people to understand that we can't just look out for our own self interests, that by helping others we are helping ourselves. Obama uses this rhetoric but it's just rhetoric, people aren't willing to make sacrifices for the good of others. It just makes them feel good to pretend they are.

Thank you for reinforcing my decision that no Democrat is going to fix the system, and that I was a fool for supporting any of them. At least if McCain wins then maybe things will get bad enough people will get off their butts and do something about it.

[Pieface]

Randi Rhodes is a pretty crappy standard for the Progressive movement to hold up to the country.

[KJK]

I am saddened that such damage is being done to the Democratic party, the U.S. and even the world by something as simple as school yard name calling. Every time an otherwise brilliant democrat like Samantha Power or Rhandi Rhodes is cut down by that simple behavior it gives fuel to the neocon regime that got us into all the messes we face as a country and as a world. Hey Democrats we need to win this thing! Stop name calling! Lives depend on it. Please!

[KJK]

Has anyone noticed the thread of commonality in the recent spate of resignations in the Democratic ranks including the otherwise brilliant Samantha Power, Geraldine Ferraro, and now Rhandi Rhodes?It seems to me that when we engage in name calling and personal smears we not only shoot ourselves in the foot, we damage the Democratic party and ultimately our country and actually the world. If we keep disqualifying ourselves by using denigrating language we give advantage to the party that we seek to replace. Don't we already know how much damage to our country and the world that can wreak? Come on out there and start being a reflection of the dignity and grace that Barack Obama represents. It's not that complicated. No more name calling. Please!!!