Ronn Owens on Hardball Ronn just appeared on Hardball. Chris started by asking "is San Francisco as bad -- oops I mean as left as people think it is?" to which Ronn replied absolutely not, San Francisco is part of the larger bay area which may lean a wee bit left if it leans at all. Then they moved onto gay marriage, political centrists, the FCC and the negative campaign ads. The best question was "why do people call into talk-radio shows?" Some people call because they have something to add, Ronn said. But many people call in "because of something called 'ego', Chris, a word neither you nor I are familiar with". The line got an approving laugh from Matthews. All in all a good segment. Chris also plugged Ronn's new book. I think Ronn's next book should be "Liberals are from Mars, Conservatives are from Venus," a guide for talking to the other side. I wonder which side would buy more copies? 5:15:30 PM    comment []   - See Also:  Politics | San Francisco

Salon on Stern Good article in today's Salon on Stern's wedge strategy. It's not the indecency hysteria that caused Clear Channel to pull Stern's show from six markets, he claims, but rather his anti-Bush remarks. Is he sincere or strategically using this political claim as a wedge to keep himself on the air? "He's got one of the biggest audiences in all of radio, and perhaps the most loyal," says Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers magazine, the nonpartisan monthly that covers radio's news/talk industry. "And that's why he's so dangerous for the White House."... ..."Our research shows many, many people in the 30- to 40-year-old range who were Bush supporters are rethinking that position and turning away from Bush because of what Howard Stern has been saying," says Harrison.... ...There are early signs that Bush supporters are indeed nervous about Stern's crusade. This week Limbaugh wrote a newspaper Op-Ed column dismissing Stern's claims against Bush as coming from "the left-wing fringe." (Stern returned fire, labeling Limbaugh a Bush "lackey.")... ..."There's no question," says Harrison, "Stern is the sleeping giant of liberal radio."... 4:22:51 PM    comment []   - See Also:  Politics

"Delay" AND "Indictment" Too good to be true? Tom DeLay's funny-money trail The GOP strongman's political machine has stopped at nothing to extend its power. Now it's facing indictments for violating Texas campaign finance laws. By Lou Dubose 3:58:26 PM    comment []   - See Also:  Politics

Back Online? test... Wow me weblog seems to be working again.  2:10:57 PM    comment []