Randi Rhodes calls Clinton and Ferraro ____ _____ and ______

Well, this should be a fairly brief and easy item to write because we can't say so many of the words involved. Well, we can say them -- not that we ever have -- we just can't print them because no one has ever heard these awful words at work or in the street and, thus, the entire Republic would collapse if these words got out.

Because as some presidential candidate once said, "Words are important."

(And don't try to sneak words like ____ or _____ into the Comments section below either because, although we want to hear what you think of this ____  _____ controversy, we're watching very closely.)

It seems that another public broadcast personality -- this time a woman -- in the course of "entertaining" a benefit crowd for KKGN, the Air America outlet in San Francisco, called Sen. Hillary Clinton and ex-Rep. Geraldine Ferraro a whole lot of bad words having to do with prostitutes and what, we imagine, they're supposed to do for that money.

She said that Clinton is a _____  ______. She said Ferraro is also a ______  _________. She also called someone a _____  ________. They are the kind of words and images that get huge laughs when high-priced comedians use them on the _____ stage in Las Vegas, which is a _______ town.

The speaker's name is Randi Rhodes. (Spelling her first name that way makes her sound like a ____  _____, doesn't it?) She is -- or was -- the afternoon host on Air America, the "progressive" radio network that _______ and ______. It's designed to compete with the much larger array of _____ conservative talk-radio hosts and programs that are ______ and _____. Seriously, if you listen to any in that ______ crowd you must be a ______  ______.

In a statement released today, Charlie Kireker, who is the _____ chairman of Air America, said the _____ network "encourages strong opinions about public affairs." But apparently it does not condone words like ______, _______, or ______ when applied to public personalities, even if the speaker was _______ not on the _____ air.

Kireker did not use the words _____ or _______. Or even _______.

But the network did suspend that _____ Rhodes indefinitely. Now she can go to work fulltime to support her candidate that ____  ______.

If you need to hear words like ________  or ________, you can go to that _______ YouTube place and _______ watch and ______ listen until your ____  eyes fall out or you ______. Click here if you _____ must. We could give a _____  ____.

--Andrew Malcolm

Malcolm is a ____ writer with The ____ Ticket.   

Comments

[john Fredrickson]

See you next Tuesday, Randy!

[Doug Terry at terryreport.com]

I don't know what to _______. Since I never use bad words, it was very ___________difficult to make out what was being written above. We are a vulgar country. We have a patent on vulgarity and use it with regularity on all the cable comedy shows. It is not surprising that offensive language is becoming part of everyday life and ruining careers in the process, because we hear it all the time: in movies, on the highway, at work, at the ball game, everywhere but church (unless J. Wright is preaching). I'd rather people be mean with words that with baseball bats, but is that the only choice?

[redwoodtreehugger]

Mr. Tusk: using the words "class" and "Coulter" in the same sentence has me spellbound.
Nice try.

[Ivan Douglas]

I am thoroughly ashamed to be a Democrat. Why all the new-found hatred of the Clintons. Ferraro may have been out of line but Barack Obama himself has said he would never have been where he is if it wasn't for his skin color. Many people at this time in our history want to make a dramatic statement about change from Bush/Cheney. He has capitalized on that in ways that a white man or woman can't--his skin color has huge appeal to Democrats along with his stunning ability to read from a teleprompter while imitating a baptist minister. Democrats who are always looking for new and exciting ways to lose will nominate Obama who thanks to the Wright controversy will not be able to beat John McCain.

[Betty]

Randi speaks whats on her mind. Never without supporting evidence on her own show.

But let me point out that A) it was not a racial comment.

B) she was not at work or on the air

C) dont talk about what you know nothing of.

I voted for hilary but Im taking my vote back. Shes dirty just like a republican but standing on the dems side of the line. The reason I turned prog dem is because it seemed like we were the more honest. But HIlary seems to be just what our forefathers were warning us about in the federalist papers. Shes like a rep in a dems clothing.

Ive lead many people to support air america in its past flights but no more. I wont support them if they suspend her indefinitely

[fred]

give me a break as an African Amer. this race shows me this so call country is still stuck in the 1950's, what the hell did Randi say that was so wrong about those two sorry a$# women, Randi puts it in your face, for all of you that love the troops where is the love for this ex-troop. clinton brought race in and gave all you kkk members reason to break out your sheets and now you are going to put this on Randi. for all you good white folks, congress just passed a bill to say sorry to all the native amers. but will not say sorry for rapping and killing of African Amer. children and women that were slaves or so call citizens of jack up country by every presidents from washington to nixon and you guys think what Randi said was so bad, come live in my world.

[BOB R]

I don't always agree with Randi. Sometimes I think she's over the edge. But her comments regarding Clinton and Ferraro were not made on an Air America broadcast.

They were made at a non-broadcast event. She was doing a comedy monologue. It is difficult to find a comedy club act that does not include the "f" word. The reference to "whores" was used in the context of selling themselves for political gain.

Taking Randi off the air about this is lame. I am more offended when a corporatist like Hillary impersonates a populist. Ferraro is Walter Mondale and Tip O'Neil's biggest mistake ever. A giant "zero" elevated to the status of sacrificial lamb and she was too stupid to see it coming. Now she's just a bitter old Hillary groupie.

Air America's NYC affiliate (aka "flagship station" ) just dumped two of its programs and replaced them with the non-AAR Ed Schultz program and two health related infomercial type programs. AAR's new owner should worry less about Randi and her colorful, albeit sometimes bizarre humor, and more about fielding a winning slate of programs that make the network profitable.

Comparison's with last year's Don Imus incident are off base. Imus and his henchman Bernard McGurk, made their comments about young girls (probably all under 21 years old) who were not public figures.

[Mark Campanaro]

Randi Rhodes must be celebrating. She hasn't had this many people hear her say anything--ever. When I whistle at the urinal in my company's restroom, I have a bigger audience than she currently has Air America. Who cares what she says. She is one angry and painfully sad human being. I hope she doesn't lose her pathetic little gig over this.

[Patricia]

I am very disappointed in Randi Rhodes. I am a life time Democrat and she does not speak for me. Her behavior is similar to Rush Limbaugh's. I do not listen to her anymore. She is entitled to her opinion, but that does not mean that she has the right to denigrate the choice of others. I am with Hillary all the way.

[Peter Henderson]

I watched the video on youTube and the atmosphere was similar to a comedy club or a 'roast'. If you only see a person on a mass market show you may be suprised when you hear them speak in a limited distribution medium. The sad fact is that at least 2/3 of the stations on my cable package offer talk shows, comedy shows, and movies where all these words and more are used. Sexual scenes and flamboyant dirty talk are ubiquitous. The only words that are never used are two that offend women, even though one of them is very common in everyday speech. And we all know about the vocabulary in contemporary music. In such a climate, it seems hypocritical to get all upset over this.
The latest line is that Rhodes's comments were 'sexist'. Apart from stretching the meaning of 'sexist', people have the right to express sexist opinions don't they? Freedom of thought, anyone?
It seems not a day goes by that someone doesn't get in trouble for saying something offensive. Gee, people offend ME all the time and I have to put up with it. I guess we are supposed to vote for the candidate whose supporters offend the fewest self-appointed thought cops. What about the ISSUES? Since it's clear we can't have clean speech, let's at least have free speech, and stop firing people, demanding gratuitous apologies, and feigning outrage whenever someone speaks honestly.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

I think the words that best sum up the three front runners for party choices are Decrepit-McCain, Delusional-Clinton, Da Man-Obama

[Rob]

Liberals are the biggest hypocrites. Ferraro and Hillary merit even harsher words then Rhodes used. This is censorship pure and simple. Air America is a farce.

[Jim T1212]

Liberals always remark sarcastically how conservatives claim the moral high ground. This woman just shows how liberals have claimed the gutters of morality.

[Ishmael]

My wife and I attended the event in SF and heard the entire routine along with the rest of a packed house of 500 or so others. I heard nothing that was not factually correct. I also heard the audience's response which was overwhelmingly positive towards Randi. As I have stated on other boards and to Mike Malloy tonight on his show, When you see Ms. Clinton genuflecting before the altars of Faux News, Rupert Murdoch, Richard Mellon Scaife and their media henchmen, what are you supposed to call her?

So I leave this quote from Father Mapple's Sermon in Moby Dick to my shipmate Randi Rhodes.

"And Jonah, bruised and beaten, his ears, like two sea shells, still multitudinously murmuring of the ocean, Jonah did the almighty's bidding. And what was that, shipmates? To preach the TRUTH in the face of FALSEHOOD.

Now shipmates, woe to him who seeks to pour oil on the troubled waters after God has brewed them into a gale.
Yea, woe to him who, as the Pilot Paul has it, while preaching to others, is himself a castaway. How delight is to Him who, against the proud Gods and Commodores of this Earth, stands forth his own inexorable self. who destroys all sin, though he pluck it out from under the robes of SENATORS and JUDGES. And eternal delight shall be his who, coming to lay him down, can say; Oh, Father, mortal or immortal, here I die. I have striven to be thine more than to be this world's or mine own. Yet this is nothing, I leave eternity to thee. For what is man, that he should live out the lifetime of his God?"

[Mr. Ming]

I'm an undecided voter but if I were choosing between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton based on the rhetoric of their supporters and surrogates I'd have no problem in choosing Hillary Clinton. Her supporters and bloggers are mature and don't seem to be filled with such hatred toward everyone who disagrees with them. Maybe the lesson of Reverend Wright is real. Maybe Obama supporters aren't happy unless they have someone to hate, be it Italian "garlic noses," Jews or all whites. Randi Rhodes is simply vile no matter when or where she made her disgusting comments. No she should not lose her job over this. She's in a hell of her own making just by being who and what she is. Vile.

[OUr Civil Liberties Taken in a Time of Nonresponsive Govt but Overly Responsive Coroprations]

It fills me with more despair than ever that Air America itself, full of itself about freedom of speech, the crimes of the Mafia government we have now, purveyor of our civil rights, supposedly, has removed one of their OWN from the air waves because she was doing a comedy monlogue. (You can't help but wonder if it would have been ok if it was Dennis Miller or a guy. I bet you it would have been). Do you realize how doomed we are when the bastion of the left does this? We are _______ed. _____ed I say! (SAY IT AGAIN AND LOUDER THIS TIME).
If you stand back from your party, your loyalties to whoever and spread the lens across the screen of the state of our country, you should get a very sick feeling about this. We ARE being wire-tapped. We ARE being censored. We ARE losing our civil liberties and not see the symbolism of this and be worried is to miss the whole glaring point. And by the way, can anybody say Mike Malloy?

What is AA going to do now? Patrol the air waves for proper behavior in the name of being an outlet for the left or more accurately, the Bill of Rights? Oh my God.

The empire is collapsing folks. It is collapsing. Plan accordingly or find a corporate Mafia you can glom on to for when it gets ugly. Maybe you can make some money off the carnage that is becoming our beloved country.

[Joseph M. Irwin, Msgt., USAF. (Ret.)]

After having my loyality and patriotism questioned, scorned, and ridiculded for the last eight yeras, the words Randi Rhoads uses to describe politicians are not that offensive.

Politicans are whores. Thay are parasites, they are blood-suckers, and they are bottom-feeders.

Hillary ain't a whore.

Her old man proved that.

[Kerry]

This March 22 event was an OBAMA EVENT advertised on the OBAMA WEBSITE!

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

[Frank Thomas]

Ya... It definitely looked like a comedy show imitation. Though I agree with everything Randi said and found it entertaining, I'm sure there were some Hillary supporters in the audience and what she said would have definitely gotten ttheir panties in a wad. They mostly being uptight _______ and all.

Lets face it Air Head America (and I listen to it all the time) is probably false opposition pied-piper propaganda for the most part anyway....I Can't stand that Mark Green character, Thom Hartmann is a trotskyite.. Sam Sedar is pretty good but I hear they shut him up because he once spoke in defense of the Palestinians. OK Here's the truth I still listen because I think I'm in love Stephanie Miller.

[Ziyad]

I fully support Randi. She is entitled to her opinion; Last I checked, this is freedom of speech.

[verycold]

If Randi is intelligent, she certainly did not sound that way when she referenced two very successful women in her own party. Some comments made by Barack in 2005 about his race is pretty much what Geraldine said a few weeks back. He said if it weren't for the color of his skin his books would not have sold as well. He would only be one of many junior senators. Geraldine and Barack made comments based on race, not racially motivated statements. There is a difference. Geraldine is however publicly saying that Barack's campaign is keeping the story alive with coordinated calls calling for her to be fired from her job. Maybe....if so the campaign of unity, hope and change is nothing more than a campaign slogan.

[Di]

Randi Rhodes was sexist and out of line, but that doesn't justify this hatred for Obama. People on both sides of the debate have behaved badly. I think the difference is when we forget about the surrogates and just listen to the candidates, we find that Barack Obama has never said a disparaging thing about anybody while Hillary Clinton has said vicious things that hurt the entire democratic party.

[PortlandMark]

Absolutely she should be suspended; arguably, she should be seriously concerned about her future with Air America.
Quite aside from whether I agree with her about Clinton and Ferraro (I do), when one is speaking at a public event, sponsored by your employer (or employer's affiliate), it is important to be moderate with one's words.
Heck, I'm merely a restaurant manager, and I'm *very* aware that I represent my employer even if I'm just out grocery shopping or having a beer down at the corner tavern. It's even in the handbook!

[Gene]

Air America should be worried about ITS future with out Randi Rhodes. Rachel is nice and informative but lulls me to sleep when I try to listen. Lionel looks like Joe Pechi in my mind and thats all I hear (his diction prowess while impressive grows old). Thom Hartmann rant's... is full of himself and so far left he wouldn't even fit in Communist China. Thank god for the internet so I can find the talkers I like no matter where they land once Air America gives them the boot.

[ed waldo]

I'm always blankety blank astonished when we censor language, but then it's been going on for blankety blank years now. Lenny Bruce died in vain (vein?) evidently.

Worse, the progressive community is going to have to, someday, resolve the blankety blank disconnect between wanting all points of view listened to and wanting to suppress any blankety blank thought or expression that might offend someone.

It is a FUNDAMENTAL contradiction and must, eventually, be resolved.

No: the story here is that this is exactly the same as the Rev. Wright story arc: post an out of date blankety blank snippet of a much longer piece on YouTube. Scream how blankety blank offensive it is, and let the junior high school mentality of the MSM and the blogosmear™ stampede to equally obscene and ill-considered judgment, as if they were not decrying the selfsame words and sentiments that their "morality" mentality scrawls on bathroom stalls when they think that no one is looking.

A blankety blank orgy of blankety blank prudery is still an orgy, after all.

I defend Randi Rhodes' right to say what she said. Period.

blankety blank.