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Air America Host Suspended for Attacking Clinton

April 03, 2008 8:39 PM

At a recent event for KKGN, the Air America outlet in San Francisco, talk show host Randi Rhodes had some rather pointed remarks about Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro, likening them to the world's oldest professionals.

You can watch Rhodes's remarks HERE.

The Huffington Post reports that Air America has suspended Rhodes:

"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."

Rhodes was telling a comedic monologue, but she was clearly also not happy about Clinton's constant reminder to pledged delegates that they can vote any way they want under Democratic Party rules. One can view this incident as a lone incident, or one can view it as symbolic of Democratic anger with Clinton.

- jpt

April 3, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (136)

User Comments

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if obama was winning because he was half as smart as hillary on how to handle the issues,i would vote for him
but I have listen to him too. he is not.

People who hate hillary clinton-(which is not a good reason-when we are talking about the country and the issues) are voting for obama

black people are voting for obama because he is black

obama handlers and all the sd jumping on the obama bandwagon are supporting him in hopes of getting something in return


john mccain and his war machine will be president-because the dem. picked the wrong person to run against him

none of these should be reasons to pick the president

Hillary is the only one who has a plan to help this economy-and get the country back on the right track.

now obama supporters do as you leader has told you-write you comments back to me and unite the party.

he will not get my vote in nov.


Posted by: jgaw | Apr 4, 2008 10:54:48 AM

bkmc, I know you haven't noticed, but
obama
has a lot of negatives-and a growing list of negatives.
the sad thing about this whole dialogue
is as with all obama supporters
all you can do is talk negatively about hillary-
obama's supporter alway talk about he is going to unite the country.
obama and his supporters have divided the party.
suggesting that obama ask hillary to be his vp and that she accept it
would be like the student who always spent their time throwing spitballs at the professor and then asking the professor to sit down while the student teach the class.
this is what obama and his handlers have failed to think through.
(1st of all I guess it is ok.with the obama supporters the media, and obama surrogates trash hillary-and hillary should just take it. Why is that?)
Obama cannot win the white house against mccain because he will not
have the supporters of hillary
he will not have the support of dem in fl and mi, he will not have the "old money" of Geraldine F.
and his supporters will desert him-when he has to ask hillary for her support.
the rev. wright thing will come up
anytime you are turning your head to a certain part of the population being silenced and left out of the democratic process-in the long run we all suffer.
and I am not just talking about fl and mi voters.
I am talking about the black people who support hillary.
and any black people reading these comments know what I am talking about.
so do not but obama beside mlk just yet.
mlk would be ashamed of what has happened in the black community with this election.

Posted by: jgaw | Apr 4, 2008 10:40:04 AM

Far left Democrats. Don't flatter yourself. nobody wants you but your own group. That is why the McGoverns and Deans have imploded. Clinton and her supporters will let Obama fail on his own and the DNC behind with it.

Posted by: geevill | Apr 4, 2008 10:15:26 AM

I was delighted when Air America came to my area; that is if I drove about 5 miles from the broadcast antenna. I have usually liked Randi on the radio and on Washington Post Radio.

Then they put Stephine Miller on with her laughing hyena supporting cast and I have stopped listening to her.

I like Obama but I like Hillary too. So, when Air America started supporting people like a high school popularity contest vice talking the issues, i stopped listening to them. In fact, I now listen to O'reilly on the Factor more.

If you are going to be a politician, talk issues and not negatives against personalities. I suspect I will support McCain in the General election because the left has stooped to name calling. Especially the far left.


By the way, Jon Stewart started down the potty and body part road and I stopped watching him for a time. He has cleaned up his act some now. The same goes for South Park. They come up with some good shows and when you aren't suppecting they throw in degrading stuff that is filthy and I am not going to watch thoses shows either. But my grandchildren do and I don't want to support that type of candy. It reminds me when i was a kid. When ever someone said a four letter word, everybody laughted. It is silly, and it is not comety.

Posted by: LL314USA | Apr 4, 2008 10:00:22 AM

To make Hillarys supporter happy, I will suggest she start to run a good campaign, that is only way she can be accepted by me and other Americans.

She is a nice woman but the game is about to be over for her to come back.
There are too much negativity in her campaign. Attack John not Obama. Give John a jab on the right and let Obama give him another one on the left so that Democratic party can win in November. she should stop destroying D party by attacking Obama.

I think Obama will consider her as VP, trust me. She is going to be 1st American vice President.

Go on D party.

McCain is an old man, he is not the type of person the future generation want. Old people with old ideas.

Obama/Hillary ticket will be OK if she stop telling lies, she should not be under any sniper fire any more.
If she continue with the way she is going Obama will look for another VP.

But I want her as VP, we will ask Obama to consider her application.

Happy day everybody.

Posted by: Kay | Apr 4, 2008 9:59:23 AM

Jgaw you sound like a typical HillLover, get over it, Hill the "General Bosnian sniper" is finished, she has to do the right thing drop out. Hill and Ferraro are from the old school, old politics, they are yesterday, they have to understand that and support Obama for tomorrow. Hill is unelectable with more than 50% negatives, that is the end of it. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.

Posted by: BKMC | Apr 4, 2008 9:54:33 AM

An Angry Democratic Woman, I think you're wrong. The reason people like myself are against Hillary is not because she is a woman but because she is a Clinton. We've seen this act before and it is very tiring. I am an Independent voter who actually voted for Bill twice but will not vote for Hillary because of the way both of them have conducted themselves in this campaign. It is truly shameful. They are no better than Republicans.

Posted by: Indy_Voter | Apr 4, 2008 9:49:13 AM

It's be come clear the the hateful far left who spew venom at Presdient Bush are now spewing their hate at Hillary Clinton because she refuses to quit in favor of an unelectable extreme liberal

Posted by: geevill | Apr 4, 2008 9:20:02 AM

dl,
You sound like a typical obama
supporter, and I appreciate your passion
but I wrote a comment from my heart
and you answered me back with
MSM soundbites.
which proves my point, obama supporters are following blindly.
not researching for yourself
You are probally one of the well off and financially doing pretty good.
good for you.
but if you are working class poor or middle class-I suggest you go back and read hillary clintons plans to help the healthcare, ecomony, affordable healthcare, etc.-you will see hillary has the plan to help us.

I am not a blindly following clinton supporter. and I will not make my comments from someone elses soundbites

obama cannot win the white house against mccain

Posted by: jgaw | Apr 4, 2008 9:19:01 AM

Jgaw

You are wrong...still blindly following Clinton. Yes look at their experience...who spent more time not being political for their own career... who gave up time working in washington to help the poor, the laid off, the disenfranchised.

Who puts their own nomination ahead of the health of the party and the country.
Not only is she losing but most of the country doesn't like her... you are telling me her typical old time politics ...her strengths (fighting for something in a way that drives the congress further to their corners and knowing how to do that within the old time political machines) is better than someone saying "take down the machines", someone who say the people are who need to fight and unites people to do that in a way that no other politician has been able to with people that have never been motivated to...

Look at history...change happens when the people, who weren't motivated...suddenly get motivated. Not when some pol who has been part of the systems problems use the same tactics to say they will change it.

In Clinton's definition...
Abe Lincoln, MLK, Robert Kennedy, the American Revolution, Rosa Parks, Jesus for Chrissake ...would all be called "a fairy tale"...

who knows if this will be a great moment...but ...
"if one candidate is trying to scare you, and the other one is trying to make you think, if one candidate's appealing to your fears, and the other one's appealing to your hopes. You better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope."

This is about getting out of scare you politics and intimidation ("he can't win" - disgusting) and changing America to what it's promise and responsibility is... and that is not a fairy tale.

Posted by: dl | Apr 4, 2008 9:00:37 AM

I seems unlikely Rhodes was suspended for her comments. I think AAR was just waiting for an excuse to do it. Once her program format moved to a non-stop commercial for Obama she had to have been losing market share, pissing off listeners, and generally tarnishing the AAR brand.

Rhodes is paid to have an opinion, yes, but she is primarily paid to entertain her audience. A non-stop Obama commercial is not entertaining.

Posted by: David H | Apr 4, 2008 8:54:46 AM

These idiodic liberals. I sent Randi Rhodes a mail a long time ago about the tone of her show, and of course, she ignored me. What these dumb fools forget is that MORE than half of the democratic party is women. And women make up the MAJORITY of the democratic structure, the ground game.. the phone banks, the polling place representatives, the behind the scenes work that campaigns rely on. We've supported these men TIME and TIME again, expecting them to stand up for us.. which some HAVEN'T. When guys like John Kerry and Chris Dodd choose a novice like Obama, over a far more practical candidate like Clinton.. we know the real reason and we are insulted. We are SICK of being taken for granted.

If Rhodes and these other so called "women" who use these terms against their own gender think that will endear any of us to their candidate, they are CRAZY. Keep up this rhedoric, and just enough women will deflect, giving McCain the edge. We are the silent majority, the forgotten majority. You guys count on us EVERY election, maybe we won't be there this time.

Posted by: An Angry Democratic Woman | Apr 4, 2008 8:46:11 AM

doreen,
you left the candidate who will work for the people-Hillary

go back and check what hillary will do to help-read her plans on the issues

(and if you can't stand her for some other reason)

just hold your nose and vote for her anyway.

your pocketbook will thank you for it.

I'll say it again

an obama or mccain presidency
will be a loss to the working class and poor in this country.

This election is all about the marriage of the economy to the iraq war

and neither obama or mccain can steer us back on the right track from either of those issues.

Mccain will keep us warring

obama-saying he was against the war in the beginning-and I will end the war
(as if his just saying that will end the war-because he has no real plan)

Hillary will set things right for this country-she owes it to us.

Hold your nose and vote for hillary

Posted by: jgaw | Apr 4, 2008 8:20:17 AM

Considering the regular remarks on Air America about Republicans, and President Bush specifically, it seems it only outrageous on that outlet to trash democrats.

Btw, which of the 2 listeners reported it?

Posted by: Crazy Politico | Apr 4, 2008 8:09:42 AM

Obama and his henchmen put Randi Rhodes up to it. Just like they sent those two college students to harass Chelsea about Monica Lewinsky. Let's not forget that Obama also threw his white grandmother (who raised him) under the bus during his speech. Obama and his henchmen are even worse than the Republicans. They are a horrible disgusting gang. If Obama's the nominee, I will either vote for McCain or I won't vote at all. Obama is a disgrace to the democratic party the the USA.

Posted by: Doreen | Apr 4, 2008 8:08:05 AM

the last 8 years has taught us the american voter has the luxury to not really take the voting process seriously, Everyone knows Al gore was smarter that geo. bush-but the media helped sway the voters then.
and it is happening all over again
Why are the clinton supporters digging in and saying "we will not vote for obama"
because this time around Hillary is smarter than obama-and all the people supporting him are supporting for the wrong reason-everything is listed. But none of his supporters are looking at the big picture clearly-these times are not right for someone who does not know the ins and outs of washington.
He has run on the notion he is going to be able to go to washington and change the way it works.
Well the career people of washington-the establishment-are not going to close their minds (as his supporters have) and just go with him.
We all know the media and the dem. elite have been shamefully supporting obama and not being fair to the other candidate-Hillary and no other opponent deserves to be treated this way.
And shame on obama-if he is so above the fray-whatever happened to the notion of beating someone fair and square-if he beats hillary it will not have been fair and square-
the greatest thing that should be helping obama win-is his command of the issues and having solutions for them
he does not-and he does not deserve to win.
so another election will be hijacked
if obama wins the dem nomination it will have been on
Democratic Elite supporting him-and being unfair to the opponent

Favortism from the media-(Everytime the media says something negative about hillary-they should ask themselves-would we be saying or doing this if she were a black woman?

Black people voting blindly for him

With all of those things going for a person how can they lose?

this election cycle (Just like with GBush-is all about the candidate-people wanted to have a beer with him,and now people are voting for obama because he is charming-and just seems nice)

and the american people get the shaft again.

After reading some of the obama supporters comments-i have decided for me
this is a waste of time
I will from now on out spend the time making calls for hillary-and hoping some of the states left to vote will do the correct thing.
to the people in the states left to vote
send the media a clear message:
We will not be duped again-
do not listen to the media who is clearly trying to steal the election for obama.
all of the people you watch and listen to on tv will be just fine financially
it does not matter to them who is in office. Many of them are all ready writing their books about this-which will put plenty more money in their pockets. and what will happen with the working middle class and especially the poor black people voting blindly for obama? It is going to be hard.
I heard al sharpton say-we are going to help obama get in there-and the minute we see he is not doing the right thing-we will call him out on it.
Well my friends-this is how these people make their living-so al sharpton having said that-he knows and we now know-al is going to be busy during obamas term in office (but mind you obama will not get past mccain)
If you think the rep. did a job on Kerry
just wait until you see what they will bring to obama.
Obama cannot win the white house against mccain. The media knows it
hillary and her supporters know it.
and obama knows it.


Posted by: jgaw | Apr 4, 2008 8:04:01 AM

Rhandi Rhodes comedienne or not took it too far... she comes off looking like everything Obama is fighting against.

She hasn't done anyone any favors when she comes back fighting fire with fire.

2 wrongs don't make a right.

Although did you see the interview on Fox with Ferraro and Bill Hemmer. I have always defended her as just having made an obtuse mistake and then at this interview yesterday I found myself screaming some really not nice things at this woman in the TV set yesterday.

If you haven't seen it, what I realized was ...she's not stupid or ignorant (you ahve to see this interview)...Hemmer even started losing it on her...

She really has not ever gotten past the fact that Obama is a black man. She doesn't see anything...I mean anything past the fact that he is a black man...

You should have seen Bill Hemmer (who I think has now become your typical Fox guy) ...he was flabbergasted at what she was saying...because you realized (for those of who have always defended her as just being stupid) ...she's racist...but she doesn't even know it's racism...

She, I don't think, is hard pressed to see Obama as a human of her standing really seriously that is all anyone could take from her comments...you have to see the interview.

Posted by: dl | Apr 4, 2008 7:38:49 AM

“One can view this incident as a lone incident, or one can view it as symbolic of Democratic anger with Clinton.”

or

One can view this incident as symbolic of the frustration that Obama supporters feel over the fact the Obama has not been able to put this thing away yet. He has momentum on his side; he has raised tons more money than Clinton; he has the media on his side; he has the Democratic elite on his side. And still – according to national polls, more than 4 out of 10 Democratic voters prefer Hillary Clinton.

Posted by: Barb | Apr 4, 2008 7:22:17 AM

Hillary has been elected twice to the Senate. Her first term was largely ineffective. Her second term has been entirely on the campaign trail. Someone PLEASE tell me how that translates into 35 years experience?????

Posted by: Thumper | Apr 4, 2008 6:25:03 AM

"If a politicial doesnt want to get beat up, he or SHE shouldnt run for office" - Bill Clinton.


Stop whinning about Hillary-bashing.

Posted by: Alexander | Apr 4, 2008 6:12:07 AM

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