Comments on: Air America Under Investigation for Bush Gunshot Skit

By: Matt Sharkey

Matt Sharkey — Sat, 07 May 2005 04:30:07 +0000

A threat is a statement to a targeted individual backed by the capacity to carry out the malicious intent of the statement. If I say that I am going to kill some person on the other side of the world, I have very little capacity to do so, and I have spread the message of my intent to a single person here on my side of the world. We have here a company with hundreds of employees and lots of resources airing a message to all of the peers of this individual threatening malicious and deadly intent to him. Now, I intent to vote against every Republican in every election from now until I die, but Air America has actually made a threat on the life on the President of the US.

By: Arlene Montemarano

Arlene Montemarano — Tue, 03 May 2005 23:05:15 +0000

FYI - Liberal Talk Radio

There are some programs on Air America that are worth paying attention to. Here is a website for the archives of one of them (no commercials, and you can download and listen to any of her programs any time at all.):

http://www.randirhodesarchives.com
She is a very smart lady who uses original documents as her source material most of the time. It would be hard to listen to an entire program from these archives and not be impressed by her.

Arlene Montemarano
Silver Spring, Maryland

By: JackLewis.net

JackLewis.net — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 15:29:34 +0000

Air America threatens to shoot Bush
From the Drudge Report: The red-hot rhetoric over Social Security on liberal talkradio network AIR AMERICA has caught the attention...

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 14:36:09 +0000

"If the bit was understood to be a threat against the president," Rhodes explained, "I need to apologize to the president of the United States, and I do. I also need to apologize to the Secret Service [which] has a very, very serious job. If they had to take two seconds out of their day to look into me, I apologize for that. ... But where is the apology when they threaten judges from the Senate floor or from the House floor? Or where's the investigation into [WND columnist] Ann Coulter's mouth? ... "[My apology] is sincere. I feel bad that anybody would feel threatened by comedy. That's one thing, but I also feel bad that it wasn't funny. And I also feel bad that there could be a perception that I would be advocating violence against anybody, let alone the president of the United States of America. It's no secret that I think he's a terrible president, but I don't think that anybody should have violence advocated against them in any way, shape or form ever! ... That [skit] will never see the light of day again. It was bad." Rhodes received numerous calls of support over the matter, including one from Andrew, who identified himself as a conservative Christian in Long Island, N.Y. "We don't agree [politically]," Andrew said, "but there's no reason why â for something like that â you should get in trouble." Rhodes said she's been contacted by producers of NBC's "Today Show" who want her to provide them the skit to air on national television, along with an appearance by Rhodes. "How in the world could a bad bit be worthy of a 'Today Show' segment, but the 15 years of talk radio in the wilderness of the conservative AM dial means nothing?" Rhodes asked rhetorically. "You don't become a media whore because now there's an opportunity to get your mug on the freakin' TV. It's not what I'm about."

By: The Dread Pundit Bluto

The Dread Pundit Bluto — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 05:51:16 +0000

Considering the high level of mental instability it takes for a person to be a regular listener of Air America, it's irresponsible for them to make jokes like that. Someone may decide he wants to impress Jodie Foster.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 02:18:38 +0000

What a joke! Why would the SS waist their time. Oh! Wait did I say SS? You know these neonazi's need to get a life, or I mean neoKKK, come on who's running the WHITEhouse anyway. We've had real honest threats coming from claim "born-again" with worse notes than AirAmerica. Judges have already been murdered because a Delayed fire and brimstone. Perhaps, he just feels like wasting your tax dollars, or appeaing like everyone is out to get them.

By: billy

billy — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:57:37 +0000

who exactly is this "anonymous source" from the government who doesnt know the law.

By: John Thacker

John Thacker — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:23:35 +0000

The Secret Service had the same policy of investigating all threats against Clinton. Usually just a brief visit or phone call to make sure it was a joke. Was a running joke on USENET as a result.

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:21:06 +0000

The file was obviously RENAMED because all you morons jumped on that link from Drudge's site to hear it and caused a considerable jump in the fan's bandwidth usage. Was it even linked to with his permission? I doubt it. As many times as Ann Coulter and the rest have made remarks about killing public figures, it's really sick that you all suddenly take this seriously.

By: adonai

adonai — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:19:54 +0000

another link to the idiotic parody...click the nickname while it lasts, the guy just renamed the file

By: billy

billy — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:18:42 +0000

exclllent update. at least one blog on the internet has been informative on this issue.

By: Ugh

Ugh — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 23:02:36 +0000

Volokh has more. I think it is the Secret Service's (was going to abbreviate SS but brrrr) policy to investigate all such comments no matter how obvious it might be that it's a joke.

By: billy

billy — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 22:52:39 +0000

it would be a real stretch, if that were true, to call that a threat. and probably a first amendment violation too. the secret service should stop looking into art exhibits and comedy routines and get into doing its real job.

By: Brilliant at Breakfast

Brilliant at Breakfast — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

in, even if H.R. doesn't agree. Randi doesn't have one of those. But I'll give Randi credit for this: She does her homework. She doesn't just pull stuff out of her ass, and the one time she went over the line, she recognized that it was offensive and apologized profusely. And she hasn't done anything like it since -- unlike Imus, unlike Glenn Beck, unlike Rush Limbaugh, unlike Ann Coulter, and the other lizardbrains of the right who spew this kind of thing daily. And those who would crucify Rhodes might recall that