Randi Rhodes Suspended For Calling Hillary ‘Big F-ing Whore’

The bitterness of the Democratic presidential race kicked up another notch yesterday, with the discovery that popular Air America radio host Randi Rhodes recently performed a profanity-laced standup routine in which both Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton were repeatedly referred to as “big f-ing whores” (minus the sanitization, naturally). (She also called Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Dick Cheney racists and anti-Semites but Air America seems not to be upset by that.)

Here’s the video — which hasn’t been sanitized:

Air America released the following statement:

Air America has suspended on-air host Randi Rhodes for making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton, at a recent public appearance on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station.

“Air America encourages strong opinions about public affairs but does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts,” said chair Charlie Kireker.

Brian Maloney questions the timing: “Consider this: the incident occurred two full weeks ago, on 22 March. What explains the delay in her removal? Certainly, there wasn’t a public controversy to deal with, almost no one not in attendance that night even knew about it.” He notes that Kireker is a Clinton supporter and that Rhodes has made even more outrageous statements about the likes of Mitt Romney without repercussions.

Rhodes is claiming breach of contract and that her employers have “damaged my hard won excellent reputation in the broadcast industry.” No, really.

Meanwhile, award-winning columnist, reporter, editor, author, bon vivant and raconteur Stacy McCain defends “his girl” from Rhodes’ insults.

via memeorandum

FILED UNDER: 2008 Election, Blogosphere, Media, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Bithead says:

    Rhodes continues to amaze me with her ability to dig deeper holes with her mouth…. particularly since she has so few teeth to dig with anymore, given her recent battle with 17 martinis and a New York city curbstone.

  2. Anderson says:

    She also called Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Dick Cheney racists and anti-Semites but Air America seems not to be upset by that.

    Ah, but did she call them big f—ing racists?

  3. James Joyner says:

    Ah, but did she call them big f — -ing racists?

    I don’t recall. One suspects the Air America management isn’t particularly offended by expletives, though, given their track record.

  4. Richard Jacobs says:

    Perhaps she should not have called Ferraro and Clinton whores, but calling Nixon, Reagan and Cheney racists and anti-Semites is right on.

  5. Bithead says:

    On what basis, Richard, do you make that statement?

  6. Triumph says:

    How does one suspend an “on-air” host for a radio network that isn’t broadcast anywhere?

  7. Opinionated1 says:

    This race is amazing. Hillary a whore….if anything she handled herself with dignity and grace during that whole Monica thing. Where do these people come off.

  8. mike says:

    She is just another Andrew Dice Clay – nothing intelligent to say therefore just fill the airtime with expletives – can you imagine if this was done by Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity? There would be congressional inquiries.

  9. yetanotherjohn says:

    This is part of why I am enjoying this years democratic primary. It is exposing the left’s hypocrisy. Saying vile things about republicans is just humor, can’t you take a joke? Say something vile about a democrat and its suspensions and lawsuits.

  10. Michael says:

    This comment refers to a since-deleted spam message – jhj

    tom chastain:
    Way to push book sales in a completely unrelated story.

    Well, maybe there is some relationship to whoring and unsolicited sales pitches….

  11. M1EK says:

    She’s just awful. When we still had AA here in Austin, I tried to listen, and she was a less entertaining version of Rush Limbaugh with the kind of accent I still have nightmares about from growing up in South Florida.

  12. ObamaMama says:

    in response to Opinionated1, how she handled herself during Monika-gate is irrelevant. How long ago was that? How is she handling herself now? She has been grasping at straws, trying to come up with ways to re-interpret the facts. It’s rather pathetic and sad, really. And then there’s Bill. Until recently, I was impressed with what he’d been doing post-white house with all the charity work, but now, he’s coming off at least as bad as Hillary. They both apparently think they are entitled to it. The arrogance! She thought she had it all wrapped up well before super-Tuesday, which she thought would confirm her assumption. And she was OK with FL & MI being stripped of their delegates back then, too. She agreed to not campaign in those states. Was she not disenfranchising them?! She and her campaign are acting more and more republican in their tactics and their tone as time passes. I would have voted for her, if Obama hadn’t come into the picture, and I was torn for a while, but the more she opens her mouth, the more I’m convinced Obama is absolutely the right choice. Hilary is a politician, Obama is an inspiration.

  13. Eneils Bailey says:

    Air America has suspended on-air host Randi Rhodes for making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton

    Ever once in a while, I listen to this person on the radio; I think she falls somewhere to the left of Marx and Engels and to the right of Mao Tse-Tung and Stalin.
    Don’t want to give her too much credit, she may increase her listening audience from ten to twelve.

  14. J Hernandez says:

    How can someone like this woman can be allowed to host a Radio show?? Why was Imus fired again??? No matter how bad she may think Ferraro and Clinton are, the whore like behavior belongs to
    Randi Rhodes. They should keep her off the airwaves. All her admirers should have their own fund raising for her. You will need the money to get this nut-job a 10 years counseling program with Dr Phil

  15. Gilman Vital says:

    I really don’t think this merits a suspension, but I agree that Randi Rhodes comments were over the line and distasteful. I think the fact that she didn’t say this on the air should be considered. Air America obviously hired her because of her outrageousness, so Air America shouldn’t try to disown her as soon as that outrageousness boils over. I think she should be let off with a warning.

  16. PROUDAMERICAN says:

    WHY DIDN’T OBAMA OBJECT TO RHODES’ OUTBURSTS?

    HE WAS THE FIRST CANDIDATE TO DEMAND DON IMUS BE FIRED WHEN HE MADE REMARKS ABOUT A WOMEN’S TEAM—-OOPS—I FORGOT—THEY WERE BLACK.

    HE ONLY FIGHTS FOR HIS FATHER’S HERITAGE—NOT HIS MOTHER’S. TYPICAL WHITE PEOPLE DON’T COUNT.