Waxman Discredits Right-Wing Hysteria Over Rumored Congressional Investigation Of Talk Radio
Waxman Discredits Right-Wing Hysteria Over Rumored Congressional Investigation Of Talk Radio
On Monday, the American Spectator posted a story on its website claiming that House Oversight Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) “has asked his investigative staff” to compile “reports” on right-wing radio hosts Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. The Spectator, quoting anonymous sources, said the move was part of an effort to bring back the “Fairness Doctrine”:
Others on the Democrat side are pushing ahead with other plans. Rep. Henry Waxman has asked his investigative staff to begin compiling reports on Limbaugh, and fellow radio hosts Sean Hannity and Mark Levin based on transcripts from their shows, and to call in Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin to discuss the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.”
The Spectator’s article was quickly picked up by the rest of the conservative media. On his radio show on Monday, Rush Limbaugh called Waxman “un-American,” comparing him to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Most conservative blogs went into hysterics over the report, though some were skeptical of the source. The Family Research Council also sent an e-mail blast to supporters warning of censorship.
Fox News’s Hannity and Colmes unsurprisingly picked up the story as well. Watch it:
Waxman’s staff responded today, calling the Spectator’s report a “fictitious story“:
On October 8, 2007, the American Spectator printed a fictitious story alleging that Congressman Waxman and the House Oversight Committee were investigating conservative and Republican talk show radio programs.
The American Spectator report is completely false and was written without any documentation or attribution. There is not now nor has there ever been any investigation of this subject. [...]
The American Spectator should immediately retract its report and apologize for the confusion its fictitious report has caused.
On his radio show today, Limbaugh read Waxman’s statement. But Limbaugh refused to believe it, choosing instead to side with the Spectator who “stand[s] by their source”:
I think we need to investigate this. There’s obviously differing opinions here. The American Spectator claims, and they stand by their source, and Waxman is denying it. We need an investigation of this. We need to investigate this investigation, or this alleged investigation. [...]
Maybe some of Waxman’s staff said they’re going to investigate and Waxman didn’t know it for plausible deniability. Who knows. We need to get to the bottom of this. … That’s a pretty serious charge that somebody has made. And the seriousness of the charge here needs to be what is looked at. Anybody can deny anything and demand a retraction.
Given his propensity for smearing U.S. troops and 12-year olds, Rush seems to be quivering at even the false suggestion that his tactics might be revealed to a broader audience.
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59 Responses to “Waxman Discredits Right-Wing Hysteria Over Rumored Congressional Investigation Of Talk Radio”
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I can only imagine how many pairs of Depends got changed today.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:17 pmThats too bad it's just a rumour.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:23 pmWaxman should just tell Rush to put up or shut up. Provide real, honest-to-god evidence or stop making sh!t up. It's far too much to expect an apology, but Rush and the other wingnuts should be cornered like rats and forced to admit they have nothing but innuendo.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:24 pmWow. A completely made-up story, designed to paint Rush and their ilk as victims, in a transparent attempt to distract the public from their very real hatemongering.
I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:28 pmMore right wing misinformation from the right wing misinformation machine.
But screw it. If Rush wants to be investigated, investigate him. Investigate the Spectator while you're at it and sue their ass if they don't retract their story.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:28 pmPoor things are so hysterical, they are so afraid that someone might make them tell to the truth they resort to this! HILARIOUS!
October 10th, 2007 at 6:29 pmBwah, Rush need the fairness doctrine to increase his ratings, cause brother we are kicking his imperialsitic enabling pilonidal ass without them!
October 10th, 2007 at 6:29 pmThe Repukian Fascists are acting like cornered animals. Are they a-skeered that their lies and propaganda is gonna get them exposed for the frauds that they are. Sure seems like it.
Let's give the Repukian Fascists their own state, like Montana or Idaho or both, all the 29%ers can move there and be their own country, they can call it Stupidland, or Fascistionia, or 1984land. Bet the Canadians would hate having them so close to them though, I know I would not want them near me.
Buck Fush
October 10th, 2007 at 6:31 pmI am not for enforcing the fairness doctrine at a time when 70% of America is against such radical imperialism and when Rushes smear ratings are falling due to his hypocritical conduct, the people will make short work of this fool and his Mandevillian enablers.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:35 pmLies is all these wingnuts know!!! If they don't fabricate them they ask Rush, et.al. to make some up for them..
This is almost comical but some (few) actually listen...scary...
October 10th, 2007 at 6:37 pmTheir campaign to turn the words 'Fairness Doctrine' into a bugaboo seems not to begaining much traction with the general public.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:38 pmBut then, most of them don't tend to equate rebuttal with an attempt to violate the First Amendment.
When will this BS end? Congress should ignore these things. They have more important things to do, ya think?
October 10th, 2007 at 6:42 pmRush and his ilk are so desperate they'll grab at straws like this to divert attention away from the endless grinding disaster BuschCo has become.
Sheer desperation on the part of El Rushbo!!!
October 10th, 2007 at 6:43 pmThey have more important things to do, ya think?
Comment by APEC not OPEC — October 10, 2007 @ 6:42 pm
Hmmm... seems to have drunk the Kool-aid. It's now become a "Fact"...
October 10th, 2007 at 6:44 pmLied about "Phoney Soldiers", lied about 12 year old SCHIP recepient; lied about phoney American Spectator article.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:47 pmWow, a "Hat Trick" in one week; way to go rushbo.
I'm not a total grammar/spelling cop, but I did like this passage in the Spectator, where the writer put some snark on the alleged DC staffer.
"Bad grammar and ill-informed opinions aside, the DNC hopes to raise millions of dollars of Limbaugh."
Buncha morans.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:52 pmBuncha morans.
Loosers.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:57 pmIt would be ironic if congress did have to open an investigation because of these false smears they are spreading on Waxman.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:58 pmWhere are the trolls. I think this issue brought in thousand of them the last time it was here.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:03 pmLoosers.
Comment by koko the talking gorilla — October 10, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
lol! Yeah, that's my favorite.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:03 pmSuch immaturity as I've never seen! Doesn't Rush realize that by making a target of himself, warranted or otherwise, it will work against him? They think they're discrediting Waxman but this is doing the reverse.
Are there any Republicans out there with a brain these days????
This is a case of desperate men doing desperate things. When you reach the bottom of the cesspool though, all you get up is the scum from the bottom all over you!
October 10th, 2007 at 7:07 pmWhere are the trolls.
They're taking a "time out." They're a little extra-cranky from getting bashed around all day on health care.
I just wanna point out again, mostly because it aggravates the trolls so much, what a great job Pelosi and Reid are doing smacking the GOP around on health care. Two out of three Americans favor universal health care, and it’s an issue they care deeply about. GOP members of Congress, if they want to keep their jobs, are gonna have to split with the White House on this. That’s a first, and it bodes well for the Dems’ effort to reign in Bush’s Iraq fiasco.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:09 pmVeritas, the people who coined Culture of Victims are now being victimized by the left, apparently.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:10 pmSpeaking of trolls; I have to say this as troll-dung free as I have seen TP in quite some time. Most of the usual ranters are gone, especially mr. p and jakey.
But they will slither back, some how, some way.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:11 pmCould it be that we have finally given the right enough rope and they are finally about to hang themselves?
October 10th, 2007 at 7:13 pmLimbaugh, O'Reilly, Malkin and Beck have reached critical mass. Who's going to clean up the mess when they explode?
October 10th, 2007 at 7:18 pmCarter:U.S. tortueres
October 10th, 2007 at 7:20 pmUS declares Turkish surpression of Armenians genocide
Meanwhile...you know how right wingers always say there is no market for "Librul" talk radio, even though those evil Libruls run Hollywood, the recording industry, the literary world, Broadway, and all other creative media?
Well, "Librul" Ed Schultz is now attracting just as many listeners as Bill O'Reilly does. That's a pretty big story, if you ask me.
----------------------------------
Progressive talker Ed Schultz ties Bill O'Reilly in audience size
According to Talker's Magazine, a trade industry publication, the nation's largest progressive talk show radio host Ed Schultz is now tied in the number of radio listeners to conservative radio personality Bill O'Reilly.
Last November, Schultz leapt from 3pm to 6pm ET to the choice noon to 3pm ET slot, the same time slot as conservative talker Rush Limbaugh and, at the time, Air America's Al Franken.
A new survey by Talkers Magazine listed Schultz's weekly audience at 3.25 million weekly listeners, the same number of listeners enjoyed by O'Reilly, host of the Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor.
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Progressive_talker_Ed_Schultz_ties_Bill_1009.html
October 10th, 2007 at 7:23 pmOh, BillO is gonna have a hissy now.
Go, Big Ed!
October 10th, 2007 at 7:31 pmThe American Spectator...
October 10th, 2007 at 8:03 pmFair, balanced, and sometimes true.
You decide.
that is Amazing! Just the mention of the "Fairness Doctrine" and real truth in reporting and they scream in outrage and profess it is "unAmerican"!
Truth and honesty is now UnAmerican! To Fox News! beautiful...
October 10th, 2007 at 8:22 pmIt's so easy to whip up that 25% base isn't it? A few key words ring the bell and the dogs start frothing at the mouth.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:23 pmMr. Colmes was quite the appeaser with Ms. Coulter wasn't he?
October 10th, 2007 at 8:33 pmThat was a truly pathetic performance!
well why the hell aren't they investigating these sleazebags?
October 10th, 2007 at 8:34 pm*
i know one thing for sure... the wingers just may have gotten their info
confused, OR they are trying to somehow divert attention (imagine that)
from something that Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin IS going to try to do...
better pay attention too... this morning i heard on ed schultz show:
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-ND, [...] discuss upcoming FCC plans for media ownership changes and how it impacts progressive talk radio.
the righties are in a hurry to loosen restrictions on ownership...
you think it's bad now...
October 10th, 2007 at 8:39 pm...
2009 - the year to establish a new Fairness Doctrine.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:47 pmJames Wolcott's blog today has a great piece mentioning Limbaugh. So well written.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:56 pmoops... sorry about the stupid spacing... it looked fine before i hit the bold...
and reading through the comments, i see the news about the
schultz ratings ... good new there...
but it's kind of screwed up in a way... i'm a big AirAmericaRadio listener,
but i have to listen on XM (or stream)... the XM programming is not always the same as AAR... they broadcast schultz/jones radio network at
the same time as thom hartmann/AAR... i like both, but i can see where
some would prefer one or the other... i would have to stream to hear hartmann, but the XM is always on, so i end up listening to ed...
he has grown on me... always has the best stories and information AND great guests... even nancy pelosi the other day (but you don't want to
hear about that now... not happy)...
and XM rebroadcasts the first 2 hours of hartmann in the evening, after
RACHEL MADDOW... so i get my smarts fix that way...
anyway... THANK THE GODS FOR AIR AMERICA RADIO
AND ALL PROGRESSIVE RADIO... they have had the biggest impact
on getting OUT the message... notice that a few have even made it to
the cable shows... ed and rachel are especially popular...
you all better hope that the FCC doesn't get the ownership restrictions
October 10th, 2007 at 9:09 pmrelaxed even more, or a LOT of that information will be silenced again...
but of course, that IS the purpose doncha know...
...
Oh well, I guess I'll be the troll.
So the American Spectator puts out a story that Waxman is asking his staff to compile reports on talk radio, and ya'll find it very humorous and snark-worthy. "A completely made-up story", “fictitious story“, "just a rumour".
But just recently Think Progress put out a story that a staffer in Sen. McConnell's office was "Behind The Campaign To Smear" the 12-year old boy in the S-CHIP story, and with just about as much evidence, the shrieks and howling from you can be heard for miles.
And as for Rush choosing not to believe Waxman's denials, "That’s a pretty serious charge that somebody has made. And the seriousness of the charge here needs to be what is looked at."
Well, the standard for that sort of thing has been set for a LOOONG time. Remember the October Surprise where G H W Bush was supposed to have flown to France as part of the Iran hostage crisis to keep it going until after the election? Tom Foley, speaker of the House, "We have absolutely no indication that that happened, but the seriousness of the charge requires us to investigate."
Later,
October 10th, 2007 at 9:32 pmWell, as the pundits remind us, if Rush has done nothing wrong, why won't he welcome an investigation ?
October 10th, 2007 at 9:42 pmJust a reminder, troll feeding is discouraged and could lead to people's heads exploding!
October 10th, 2007 at 10:23 pmthis is just a pre-emptive strike by the right wing propagandists.
there needs to be a thorough investigation of the managers, the financing, and the advertisers of the companies who support limbaugh, malkin, coulter, the savage hot dog (weiner), et al.
not just their public presence,
but primarily their concerted and rapid shared message, which is clear evidence they are not independent news sources, but rather propaganda organs for the republican party.
nothing demonstrates this better than the effort by republican sen mitch mcconnell's office to coordinate an attack on the family of a kid who was injured in an auto accident and was eligible for schip.
the much needed congressional investigation of fox news officials, et al., will not come this session of congress, but it must come in 2009.
these republican propagandists have been allowed to manipulate the american public for fifteen years now, with no criticism and no evaluation of their blatant lying or their disastrous effect on the american political system.
that effect, in general, involves legitimizing meanness and ignorance in a portion of the electorate.
October 10th, 2007 at 10:33 pmThis is another page where the # of comments are supposed to be 58, but all I get are 39....?
Anyone else with the same issue?
October 10th, 2007 at 11:45 pm... I don't understand. Why should Rush be outraged or afraid if he has nothing to hide? I mean, I'm just saying...
October 11th, 2007 at 12:05 amWell, as the pundits remind us, if Rush has done nothing wrong, why won’t he welcome an investigation ?
Comment by MapleStreet — October 10, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
… I don’t understand. Why should Rush be outraged or afraid if he has nothing to hide? I mean, I’m just saying…
Comment by lespool — October 11, 2007 @ 12:05 am
And here I thought the liberals would be the first to defend someone from government intrusion based sole on the content of their speech. At one time, that would have been called McCarthyism. But I guess that only applies when it is a Republican making an enemies list of Democrats, but when it is in reverse, that's not only OK, but encouraged.
I thought there was a provision somewhere that reads "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
October 11th, 2007 at 12:26 amThis is another page where the # of comments are supposed to be 58, but all I get are 39….?
Anyone else with the same issue?
Comment by TRDaggett — October 10, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
Troll droppings are getting removed and the count is not catching up.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:14 amReichg is an idiot. Only you could try to turn this story around to bash so called "liberals", but that's par for a rightwing moron who can't think for himself. You should be ashamed to be a weak minded, hatemongering fool, who just repeats false stories reported by Fixed News. The sad part is even when morons find out the reports are false you still complain.
Mr. Waxman should investigate Rush Limpbaugh, Sean Handjobty, and all of these other rightwing nuts like Mychel Milken, Bill ORaly, Neil Bort(zss) and the other anti American bigots, and racists. Your party is the party of hate, fear, and ill advised war mongers, who love to invade weak countries and attack fellow Americans.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:01 amAnn Coulter is an IDIOT. She makes me sick to my stomach. This garafe neck, ugly, skinny, pea brain, tramp, needs to get a life. She lies like a cheap azz rug and it doesn't bother her at all. She hates anyone who isn't narrow minded like her. Put her in GITMO. Lets see how long she would want to stay since she's all for it.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:13 amRigid Wing hysteria will be the new thing for the next several years. All of the fascist crap they've pulled will come full circle in indictments and imprisonment. When they're gone writing books about prison life, Coulter and Rush and all the rest of the hatemongers will have to find something else to do. They live on the bullshit they spew and when there are no more true believers to pump them up these bottom feeders will, like the good lyin' sorry-assed pond scum they are, fade away.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:48 amRemember that the whole right-wing talk machine requires fear and paranoia to nourish itself. And one of the classic ways to ramp this up is a good old-fashioned "they're out to get us!" gambit. That's all this is.
Let them scream. Nobody is denying anybody's right to free speech. When they blatantly lie, their lies are being called out, as they always are. In fact, they DEPEND on their lies to be challenged, as this creates publicity for them and fuels controversy they require to survive.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:58 amWith the media so heavily biased, according to the radio nutjobs, you would think they would embrace the fairness doctrine to level the playing field.
October 11th, 2007 at 9:42 amReichg is an idiot. Only you could try to turn this story around to bash so called “liberalsâ€, but that’s par for a rightwing moron who can’t think for himself. You should be ashamed to be a weak minded, hatemongering fool, who just repeats false stories reported by Fixed News. The sad part is even when morons find out the reports are false you still complain.
Mr. Waxman should investigate Rush Limpbaugh, Sean Handjobty, and all of these other rightwing nuts like Mychel Milken, Bill ORaly, Neil Bort(zss) and the other anti American bigots, and racists. Your party is the party of hate, fear, and ill advised war mongers, who love to invade weak countries and attack fellow Americans.
Comment by The Shadow — October 11, 2007 @ 7:01 am
While you have such colorful descriptions of the "right wing", I have yet to see any of them resort to the kind of name-calling, insulting language and verbal abuse you use so freely. So, just WHO is 'hatemongering' here?
If you are really so intelligent, why not try to meet me idea-for-idea rather than simply calling me an idiot?
October 11th, 2007 at 10:47 amI love how the conservative pundits only want to protect free speech (or really any part of the constitution) ONLY when it benefits THEM.
What's really silly about this story is that even if Waxman WAS investigating them... so what? They haven't done a damn thing that's illegal. Distasteful, YES, but illegal no. Their fear is the return of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" but even if that came up in a new bill (and I doubt it will because it would affect BOTH political sides in ways they don't want), it likely would never pass and CERTAINLY would be vetoed by Bush.
It's amazing how the real fight with regard to "fairness" in media (which is about airwave, newspaper, and other media CONSOLIDATION AND OWNERSHIP -- nothing more) keeps getting dragged into false accusations about the fairness doctrine.
Yet another example of the big fat cigar-smoking white male going "boo hoo, I'm being oppressed!"
October 11th, 2007 at 1:39 pmLOL! I never thought about that before, but you are right. One the one hand, the media is all "librul" and they don't have a voice. On the other hand, they don't want the fairness doctrine, which by their very own logic, would benefit them because they'd get more of a say.
Excellent point!!!
October 11th, 2007 at 1:41 pmI believe Waxman if he says that he's not investigating. On the other hand, as I've often heard, why should Rush et al worry about an investigation if they are doing nothing wrong?
October 12th, 2007 at 1:22 amDon't like fairness, fine. What the FCC needs to do is insist that every station provide local programming for at least half of its air day. Sure they can get Rush clones, but they have to be local Rush clones.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:19 amIt is said, "I am not for enforcing the fairness doctrine at a time when 70% of America is against such radical imperialism and when Rushes smear ratings are falling due to his hypocritical conduct, the people will make short work of this fool and his Mandevillian enablers."
Well, I agree, but I thought this 10 years ago and they're still out there spewing their lies and hate! So, when is this going to happen? WAKE UP, America!!! WAKE UP!! RUSH IS TALKING NONESENSE AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT! I say call his advertisers and give them a piece of your mind! Now THERE IS FAIRNESS!
That means you'll have to listen to his show at least once to find out who's advertising for him though. Sorry!
Then take on Hannity and the others.
October 13th, 2007 at 8:49 amIt's not fairness that they want! They know they have the airwaves sown up! So, what's fair and who ever promised fairness anyway? Don't liberals listen to the radio? Why is it that right radio has such a monopoly? Ever asked yourself that one? Are liberals too busy making $$ to listen to the radio?
And who are the righties who have so much time on their hands that they are listening to Rush 3 hours a day anyway? Why is this happening? Surely someone knows and can enlighten me! Are they the guys whose jobs have been NAFTA'ed? Is this why they are so angry and willing to buy into the sales job that Rush dishes out....the same sales job that peddles a philosophy that these hurts the very people who support them? Ever thought of kicking yourself in the A _ _?
It's the good ol pocketbook that speaks! So hit them right where it hurts....call the advertisers and complain about the hate and intolerance! Consider it a kick in the pants (they DO carry that wallet over the buttocks, right?)! Or maybe we should just be glad that these rightwing people have an outlet for their rage (Rush and Hannity provide that for them). It's kind of like football. Without it we might have more war! Without Rush and Hannity, we might have righties taking pock shots (with real guns!) at liberals? They siphon off the anger. Be GLAD they're out there?
October 13th, 2007 at 8:58 amHm... I Didn't Know I Was Unamerican - http://www.sharedvoice.org/unamerican/
October 26th, 2007 at 8:56 pm