could someone explain this to me?

[Donna Halper]

>Joe P said--
>
>And, IMHO, the liberals hosts on AA, have all, at one time or another,
>impied that.

Wow.  This reminds me of that old theory about how each of us hears what we 
want to hear, or how our listening reflects what we already believe.  I 
think some of my friends who are conservative expect to hear "blame 
America" stuff on AA because they are told so often on right-wing radio 
that all liberals and progressives are disloyal and hate America (Anne 
Coulter and Michael Savage have both said liberals are traitors).  But I've 
*never* heard Al Franken or Randi Rhodes say 9/11 was America's 
fault.  They were however, very critical of the war and of the policies of 
the Bush administration, such as the lies about WMD, the plan to invade 
Iraq (rather than Saudi Arabia), not having a plan to secure the peace 
after Saddam was overthrown, etc.  How is it an example of blaming America 
if a talk show host criticizes those in power?  Rush and Michael and Sean 
and Bill criticized every single thing Bill Clinton did.  Do they hate 
America?

My point is not that AA is perfect-- it's not.  It has its moments of 
excellence, and on many days, it still has growing pains.  I don't agree 
with everything I hear on AA, just as I hope sincerely that the 
conservatives on this list don't agree with every word that Rush Limbaugh 
utters.  Again, all I was hoping for was an analysis of how we've all 
gotten so polarized and how our choices in talk radio reflect that 
polarization.  But please, JP, give a listen to Ed Schultz (3-6 pm 
weekdays) or listen to a couple of days of Franken and you will hear plenty 
of guests, from both the right and the left.  Yes, you will hear Bush 
criticized, but you won't usually hear him insulted with the kind of 
vehemence and anger I hear from some right wing hosts when they mention the 
Clinton years.  And you absolutely won't hear Schultz or Franken (or even 
Rhodes or Stephanie Miller) say 9/11 was our own fault.  There are some far 
left critics I can think of who undoubtedly were guests on various shows, 
and *they* may have said that, although I can't even recall a guest making 
that assertion.  But hey, sometimes talk hosts or guests say stoooopid 
things.  Again, I have no problem with right wing hosts who disliked 
Clinton's *policies*-- my problem is when either side throws words like 
traitor and nazi and fascist around and totally demonizes the 
person.  Clinton was not the worst president ever, and Bush is not a 
candidate for sainthood (or vice versa, depending on which side you are 
listening to).