Country Radio Stations Shockingly Ban George Bush

In a stunning development, country music radio stations have started to refuse to air anything said by President George W. Bush, following his unprecedented attack on an American citizen and presidential candidate while overseas.

It called to mind when country music stations similarly stopped playing the Dixie Chicks music after its lead singer made critical comments about Mr. Bush while in concert in London.

"We never objected to the Chicks criticizing George Bush," said Charlie Benson, program director of WUSU 106.1-FM in Jackson. "That's America, that's Freedom of Speech. Two-thirds of the country is criticizing George Bush today. But there's an unwritten rule about criticizing American foreign policy when you leave our shores, and the Dixie Chicks broke that. Now, President Bush has, as well."

Mr. Bush was giving a speech in Israel's parliament, the Knesset. He likened Americans who wanted to negotiate with terrorists the same as former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appeasing Adolf Hitler before World War II.

A spokesman for the White House said that Mr. Bush wasn't referring to Barack Obama, but country radio programmers weren't buying it.

"Who else was he talking about?," asked an incredulous Larry Mittlehorn, VP of Programming for the Mighty Airspace Group, a syndicator to 38 country music stations, which has now instituted its Bush ban. "Please. The President of the United States doesn't go to the Israeli parliament and complain about some unknown guys in a bar [moaning] about foreign policy. Our listeners are smarter than that. They understand who he was trying to blast. That dog won't even think about hunting."

Echoing those thoughts was Belinda Ransel, who heads up Station Relations for Mighty Airspace. 'What we're hearing in our conversations with stations is that some think this is much worse than what the Dixie Chicks did. That was just an opinion during a concert, part of an entertainment. But the President was speaking in the general assembly of a foreign government before politicians discussing actual policy. It just rankles our stations. It just feels wrong, feels really bad to them. 'Scary' and "Big Brother" are the words we're hearing. It's not the America they and their listeners love and salute. That's not our flag."

Currently, 147 country music stations have instituted the ban, a number which has been growing by the hour. Clear Channel, a major syndicator to all radio formats across America, is considering the ban, which would increase the numbers significantly and be a major blow to the White House. Several Clear Channel stations have independently instituted their own ban.

The problem might be even worse for the Bush Administration, however, as a second issue has surprisingly cropped up in the controversy, which is reaching epidemic proportions. Country stations are not only concerned with the precedent of the U.S. leader criticizing the presidential candidate of an opposing party while overseas in a foreign parliament - but the accuracy of the criticism, as well.

Jerry Calderon is editor of Country Radio Today, one of the leading industry magazines. He's been in close contact with program directors across the nation ever since President Bush's speech made the news, and has noticed a trend.

"Even those who don't support Barack Obama are upset because they understand this is a complete distortion of what Barack Obama has ever said." Calderon noted that quite a few PD's [program directors] have been very angry at the distortion which they see as deliberate. "These are people who talk for a living. They understand that simply talking to other countries - even if enemies - is how nations avoid war. That's totally different from negotiating with terrorists. And it has nothing to do with appeasement, which is when Neville Chamberlain literally signed away the country of Czechoslovakia to Hitler."

One program director was even more blunt.

"I voted for George Bush twice. In fact, I voted for George Bushes four times," said J.J. Nelson of WAM 98 in Columbus. "But this is offensive. This insults me. And my listeners. It implies that we don't know history and don't understand what 'appeasement' actually is and what Neville Chamberlain actually did. Our listeners support America and support the troops. But they, but we don't support being disrespected this way. We're better than this. Shame on George Bush."

Nelson added, "And I can say that because I'm a proud American. And I'm proudly in America - not overseas, in the Israeli Knesset."

In response to the ban, White House spokesman Dana Perino said that the President may have been referring to a different appeasement, and said she believed that Neville Chamberlain's "Munich Agreement" was related to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Update: The White House Communications Department corrected Ms. Perino's comments and released the following statement. "The Munich Agreement and Cuban Missile Crisis have nothing in common and occurred 30 years apart on different continents about completely different issues."

Update II: Upon further research, it turns out that nothing in the above article is true. Though it should be. The author apologizes for any confusion.

Comments

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

If, per Churchill, an appeaser is one who feeds the alligator hoping to be eaten last, then what should we call someone who believes in sticking his nation's blood and treasure in the alligator's mouth to prove his mastery of the beast?

Bushbot.

[jackstpaul]

Robert, I knew from the start, but it's a great, great work of satire.

To get at the imagined hypocrisy--that is, that no stations will be doing this--it would make for a good piece of real journalism to seek out relevant people to ask about this. They did ban the Dixie Chicks, so are they going to ban Bush? Or if not, why not? It could be a nice way to examine the beliefs and values held by some—so they claim in the abstract—and how consistent they are in applying them when the ideological partner (Bush) is the offending party.

The Dana Perino Cuban missile crisis tie is incredible. Such a great synopsis of right-wing political and ideological posturing; the emptiness and misapplied historical reference. Hilarious.

An excellent, funny piece of writing. It's a real classic.

[PuritanDescendant]

Too bad they wont' air what Bush says. Whenever Bush's lips move it helps the Democrats. Come on out of the Whitehouse King George and keep reminding America about your presidency.

[citadelgrrl05]

you are an ass..I actually was beleiving it was true..I was actually rooting them on!!!!

[burntbeans]

DAMN YOU! i totally fell for it.

[seatea1967]

Wow. Totally got me. Really I should have known better, but for a brief 30-second period I had some hope there. Ok... kinda crushed now.

[Querent]

The one thing that momentarily made me think I was going to have to Google this before discarding it as "satire" was the reference to Dana Perino confusing Munich with the Cuban missile crisis. That was totally believable.

[burnt]

I burned my "7,000 Greatest G.W. Bush Speechs" CD in protest... brilliant satire Robert. thanks

[hopeless277]

Actually this article IS true. Just in reverse. The country channels are banning OBAMA because if he has a foreign name, he must be a terrorist.

But seriously, this is the second 'fake' article I have read on Huffpost today. To say the least it is REALLY ANNOYING. I'll think twice before reading a Elisberg post again.

[blaqntelligence]

Now that's a shame. I really thought radio had developed a conscience until I read the last sentence.
Then again, I should have know with the Limbaugh's, Hannity's, and Beck's polluting the airways....No way.

[zaneblue]

Damn, you totally had me.

[altohone]

I wish I could have believed it, but knew it was bull from the title.

Entertaining the fantasy was possible until you mentioned Clear Channel, and I knew for sure what your last sentence would be.


Just out of curiosity, did you entertain the possibility of actually calling some real people and asking what they think?

[lobear00]

This administration will go where "Snakes won't go! thats real deep.

[thisoldbroad]

Now I'm confused & annoyed! Is this a joke?

[thisoldbroad]

I'm confused & annoyed now - is this entire article a joke?

[bmora]

Yes.

[Javalation]

No, the last sentence was accurate and factual.