Is anyone else not listening to Thom Hartmann because of his connection with RT?

[Catmusicfan]

I use to love listening to this man but since the election and the RT issues I can't stand to listen to him.

[shenmue]

1. Me too

[sharp_stick]

2. I avoid anyone

that even remotely associates with Russian State media.

[Ilsa]

3. I still listen, as often as possible,

on FSTV or Sirius radio. I haven't heard anything in particular that has me concerned that he has changed to accomodate RT. Perhaps I've missed something? I don't see him as another Ed Schultz, who disgusts me now.

If he can present ideas the way he always did, and if RT brings more listeners in to hear him, I'm okay with him doing business as long as he doesn't compromise himself.

[NightWatcher]

4. I don't see how he can accept money from them when they sought to destabilize our Democracy

Just cashing their checks is a betrayal.

I quit the day I found out.

[Ilsa]

9. I try not to judge people's financial needs or goals.

He may be wealthy. Maybe he puts the money towards other good programs, like the Hunter School.

[rickford66]

29. They don't pay him. He pays to use the studio.

He's syndicated and is paid by his sponsors.

[emulatorloo]

34. TYT distributes on YouTube. A progressive graduate student studying media production could

help Thom with production. Or a local cable access studio.

Thom is great but I don't understand his reasoning to remaining with Russian state television. There are other options.

[brush]

79. Exactly. All those other shows on sattelite radio aren't using RT. Why does he have to?

For someone who comes off as so principled, there doesn't seem to be a legitimate excuse for it since other options exist.

[NurseJackie]

82. Thank you. Thoughtful and well-reasoned. An excellent reply.

[Demsrule86]

71. That is supposed to be true...except I and others have noticed he has not covered the Russian

hacking story in any serious way.

[JCanete]

77. okay, that would be fair, but you do understand that American Corporate media has been

destabilizing our democracy for some time right? In fact, it has been dumbing down the American people for the last few decades, ignoring voter suppression, electronic voting, worse education in schools, etc.

so who is worth listening to when everybody is taking money from some machinery that is screwing us? Thom has always had the kind of politics that corporate media, not interested in socialistic ideals, has been loathe to fund and promote. I'll take these alternative messages where I can get them, and like everything, i'll take them with a grain of salt.

[NightWatcher]

84. Effective propaganda doesn't feel like propaganda to those who fall for it.

By not covering the Russia angle he's distracting people from it just the same as Fox News.

[JCanete]

85. Well we see that daily in corporate news on matters of in my opinion, utmost importance, that get

either ignored, or relegated to a blurb...or begrudgingly covered when ignoring them is no longer an option that won't make their "news" organization look like shills.

Are you saying he never talks about Russia? If I do a search that's what I'll find? Or are you saying he doesn't talk about it to your satisfaction?

It is always good advice to not simply rely on one information outlet, for these reasons. Some people have agendas...some simply have a lens or focus or interest...etc.

[NightWatcher]

87. I don't listen but people in this thread say he doesn't mention it.

Listen to his show all you want. Having a relationship with RT crosses a line for me.

I also believe that his super support of Bernie might be responsible for a large number of Bernie or Bust-ers as well which helped like Jill Stein to whittle off votes from Hillary, even if Thom said he supported her.

[JCanete]

88. but you ignored the crux of my thread. Who doesn't cross the line for you, and why? nt

[Joediss]

91. No Russia coverage

I quit watching any show on free speech TV except stephney miller, they all seem like they wanted to follow the Glen Greenwald line, that when I quit watching. No Russia story here......

[burrowowl]

6. I agree!

[phylny]

45. I listen to him as well.

I have the ability to separate his message, which is usually good, from the medium.

[PSPS]

5. The "RT problem" is the least of his woes

He was an obvious charlatan even before his Kremlin ties when he was incessantly hawking the gold scams for his commercials. And it's really boring to listen to his constant chattering. Someone calls up and, after merely saying what they're calling about, Hartmann goes off on a minutes-long diatribe, usually littered with inaccuracies, without the caller ever having a chance to utter another word. When he's done, he just goes on to the next caller. As I've said many times, Hartmann is DU's favorite charlatan.

[still_one]

11. In all fairness so did Randy Rhodes, and a lot of the progressive talk show hosts. That is how they

get their revenue, through advertising.

Your second point has validity though, and even ignoring the part of whether he is accurate or not, his long drawn out verbosity, got very tiresome and boring very quickly, at least to me.

[PSPS]

15. You're right, they're all charlatans

The funny thing is that the script they all read for the gold scams was exactly the same, word for word. Such obvious hucksterism and dishonesty. It's all just shtick.

[still_one]

17. yup, you nailed it. The right/left/financial networks like Bloomberg and CNBC, they all push

advertising snake oil

[NightWatcher]

92. Buy my book. Buy my book. Buy my book.

[still_one]

7. I found Thom's show pretty boring so I never listened much to him, however, I suspect his RT

connection has more to do with keeping his costs down, than any agreement with issues surrounding RT. While I don't care for Thom, I suspect he is looking for the least expensive platform to help make ends meet.

[pnwmom]

28. He's an "unwitting agent" of Russia. So is anyone else on RT, except for those

who are "witting agents."

[still_one]

33. I have no idea if he is an agent. I am speculating that Hartman's issue is to keep his costs down.

I never cared for Hartman's show before or now.

[pnwmom]

35. An "unwitting agent" isn't an agent in the usual sense. It is someone whose actions

serve Russia, even if that isn't the purpose or intent.

This is the phrase CIA Director John Brennan used in his Senate testimony about people being used by Russia.

[still_one]

38. ok, I just think as far as he is concerned it is a pure economic issue to keep his

costs down.

[pnwmom]

40. Regardless of his motives, he's giving a pretty face to Russia's propaganda network,

and drawing his followers in -- allowing them to think there's no difference between a government run station like RT and a station like CNN or NBC.

[still_one]

42. I agree. RT is a Putin propaganda network

[LaydeeBug]

8. No more Hartmann. No more Schultz. I take a HARD PASS at treason nt

[still_one]

12. I don't listen to either one, but Schultz is a fraud. Hartman I don't care for, but he is not a

fraud

[Gidney N Cloyd]

10. I will listen to almost anyone but I factor in context. Part of critical thinking, I guess.

[Blue_true]

13. I watched him once on MSNBC well before the election issues.

I think he was on either Maddow or Hayes. He struck me as somewhat of a lightweight and a little bit of a weasel.

[napi21]

14. I still listen almost every day. I don't know what you're hearing that I've missed but I still hear

the straight talker I always have. I dont always agree with him as I don't agree with anyone 100%, but I'll keep listening until he changes to someone objectionable to me.

[boston bean]

16. I avoid him like the plague and when he posts here, I always bring it up to him..

No answer/response from him ever.

[Different Drummer]

18. I stopped watching him on Free Speech TV because...

I became annoyed with his habit of reading passages from books he's either authored or co-authored at the start of each hour.

[Trial_By_Fire]

19. Amazing how people pile it on...

I see we have the 'periodic hate Hartmann' thread...

Thom Hartmann is an ally and dedicated progressive liberal Dem...

[Sienna86]

20. Agreed.

He provides a thoughtful, intelligent insight into current and historical issues.

[Raine]

23. Agree nt

[Nevernose]

24. Normally I'd agree

For instance, if this was yet another shit talking post about anything or anyone associated with Bernie Sanders. That's an ally.

But someone who literally signs up with a foreign government's propaganda wing? Fuck that. This guy is clearly not trustworthy.

And I'm a quasi-Trotskyite opposed to even the concept of the nation-state.

(On edit: is anything in my post bold faced? Because it doesn't look that way on my end)

[Trial_By_Fire]

30. Hartmann only talks up America and Democratic ideals...

Conversely, never has Hartmann promoted or said anything positive about russia or putin.

[pnwmom]

36. He has spent a great deal of time trashing Hillary Clinton and many other Democrats.

That served Russia and Putin.

[Trial_By_Fire]

37. Absolutely false...

[boston bean]

59. No not false. It was the truth.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

68. That's a load of bullshit.

Does he disagree with Hillary and our conservadems? Absolutely.

He supported Bernie but I, on several occasions, heard him shut down over the top attempts at Hillary bashing. He specifically said "I'm not going to use my show as a Hillary bashing forum"

[KTM]

74. Yep

I've heard him smack down anti-Clinton callers many times.

[pnwmom]

27. He's not an ally. He gave DT a big assist with his Democrat-bashing. n/t

[BannonsLiver]

65. Who is employed by the Putin regime

[LanternWaste]

90. Almost as amazing as people purposefully confusing "criticism' and 'hate'

Almost as amazing as people purposefully confusing "criticism' and 'hate' to better validate their sense of oppression as instructed to by their biases.

Sacred cows are bemusing.

[Hieronymus]

21. I used to listen often, but found he repeats himself a lot ..

I don't watch now.

[Stand and Fight]

22. Same. No longer care to hear what he has to say.

[GoCubsGo]

25. Nope.

I turn him off whenever he brings on some right-wing nutjob. Which is far too often for my liking. Or, when he gets too gloom-and-doomy, which is far too often for my liking. But, he does have interesting guests, like Rep. Mark Pocan.

[elleng]

26. SILLY not to listen to him, imo.

[SHRED]

31. So now we're bashing Thom?

This is lunacy.

[Trial_By_Fire]

32. It's been going on for a while now...

They just periodically bring it up again out of the clear blue...

Why anybody would bash Thom about his loyalty to America and Democratic values is beyond me...

[pnwmom]

39. Thom is allowing himself to be USED by the Russian propaganda network, RT.

That's plenty of reason to bash him.

[Ilsa]

47. How are they using him? He's been trashing Putin

about interfering with the election since last year. He's hammered Trump and the gop about taxes, healthcare, the environment, etc.

[SHRED]

48. Exactly!

[pnwmom]

50. His presence there legitimizes their network in the eyes of his supporters.

That outweighs the "hammering" that he does to DT.

[Ilsa]

51. Not with me. I doubt I'm the only one who sees it this way.

It's not like all of his listeners are stupid or something.

[pnwmom]

52. Any of his fans who didn't vote for HRC in the general ARE stupid. n/t

[Ilsa]

58. TH enthusiastically endorsed HRC. And there were

non-fans of TH that didn't vote for her, too. I know some. They are, until they see the light, former friends due to their vicious statements.

[MurrayDelph]

41. I gave up on him many years ago, but not because of RT

One of his biggest bugaboos has always been trade deficit.

Several years ago, he was constantly haranguing about wanting tariffs, and suggested a "compromise" with the "free trade" crowd: he was willing to trade birthright citizenship in order to get tariffs.

Trading away a right that doesn't affect him in order to get something that he wants struck me as "mighty white of him."

[left-of-center2012]

43. I got tired of the gold commercials

I liked some of his views,
but the pimping for buying gold ran me away.

[SalviaBlue]

44. No.

Have fun, though. This post is repeated regularly. It will get lots of play.

I am a big fan of Thom Hartmann, a liberal progressive, like me.

[Foamfollower]

46. As far as I'm concerned, he's as evil as any other Trump supporter out there.

And yes, I consider him a Trump supporter.

[SHRED]

49. Then you don't listen to his show

Or you wouldn't say that.

[Foamfollower]

60. I'll say it agan, Thom Hartmann is a Trump Supporter

One cannot be affiliated with RT and NOT support Trump.

[rockfordfile]

96. I agree and Thom isn't a trumpf supporter .

The Jill Stein supporters are idiots.

[90-percent]

53. Thom has 100% editorial power on his RT show

Reframe your POV that Thom is using RT against Putin by simply talking about whats going on in the world. It's almost like there's some big conspiracy to get liberal dems to attack their long time stalwarts for truth and justice here on DU? Like bots trying to divide and conquer their enemy via mind control propaganda.

Who else in media meets the ethical standards you all demand of thom??

-90% Jimmy

[rusty quoin]

54. I've listened to him since 2004. Thom is still right with me

[cry baby]

55. Me! nt

[bdjhawk]

56. What happened to Ed Schultz?

I lost track of him and now it sounds like he is working against the good guys. What is the background on his change? He used to be a good spokesperson for Dems.

[NewJeffCT]

67. Ed follows the money

he was a right winger, then supposedly saw the light and was a progressive populist for several years, then after getting canned by MSNBC, he moved back to being a right winger

[OnDoutside]

57. Me too. He's either a hypocrite or a Putin puppet.

[R B Garr]

62. +1

[mfcorey1]

61. I stopped listening because his show is boring.

[Freethinker65]

63. Progressive radio (Air America, WCPT) got me through the Bush years

I was happy to have found Liz, Rachel, Sam, Al, Randi, Mike, and later Thom and Stephanie, etc.

I listened for several years even transitioning when Air America folded and streaming individual shows for more convenient times. I found out about DU from progressive radio and/or one of their hosts chat rooms.

I gradually started to listen to progressive talk radio less, until today where I rarely listen to it. I actually now much prefer the silence of reading about politics and daily events to political chatter. Moving to RT has nothing to do with me not tuning in to Thom.

I used to enjoy listening to Thom. He seemed to be more of a straight talker with less reliance on comedy or shock "journalism". I have come to understand that most radio personalities are foremost entertainers for their audience.

[BannonsLiver]

64. If someone is on Putin's payroll (which Hartmann most certainly is) that's a deal breaker for me.

[MineralMan]

66. I've never followed him, even when he was actively

posting his blog stuff on DU.

[NewJeffCT]

69. I was never a big fan of Thom

He has some good information on his show, but he is not exactly high on the entertainment scale - I found his show dry and bland. He's like the Mike Dukakis of progressive radio hosts. Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhoads and others can inform you and entertain you at the same time.

[Demsrule86]

70. He is so smart. But the end came for me when he called Russia 'an emerging Democracy'

I don't listen anymore. I am so sad that he has chosen this path...in his defense,there seems to be very little support for liberal media.

[Snotcicles]

72. Guilt by association? He has stated many time RT has never interfered in his content decisions.

In the past you would have to have done something to warrant shunning, here on DU.

[Snotcicles]

73. Listening right now on XM 127. nt

[NurseJackie]

80. Of course that's what Hartmann's going to say. Why would he ADMIT otherwise?

[Abu Pepe]

75. why should you hold it against someone for working for

a hostile foreign power that worked to elect Trump?

[hotrod0808]

76. Still a fan of Hartmann and have listened to him for a decade

Mr. Hartmann is an informed thinker who does the job a host should do: drive me to research subjects and form my own thoughts. That is to say that I do not agree with everything he says, but it drives me to think about my thoughts on every subject on his show.

[GusBob]

78. I listen to his show. Dont agree with everything. But he is a straight shooter

I fail to see any RT influence. One is rarely rarely going to agree with everything one hears.

I listen to alot of radio shows. He has, hands down, far and above, the best most intelligent callers in the business

[classof56]

81. Actually, I'm listening to Thom streaming live right now.

I have supported him and his reasoned, intelligent message for many years. As far as I'm concerned, he speaks truth to power and has guests who do the same. Except of course those RWers who spew their nonsense. He is a worthy advocate for them, calls out their lies and idiocy firmly but respectfully. Sometimes I wish he'd smack 'em in the chops, but at least he gives 'em an earful about where they are wrong. He has frequently referred to DU posts on his program, but I'm guessing, given this thread, he may not be inclined to do that much in the future. Too bad. he's been an advocate for this site and those who support the Democratic platform. I watched his RT programs until I changed internet providers, but never saw anything to indicate he was a "Russian tool".

I have no problem with him reading from his and other authors' books during his broadcasts. I've read a lot of his writing, and appreciate his integrity and honesty.

Peace, everyone.

[KG]

83. I lulz'd

[Nanjeanne]

86. Listen often. Never heard any pro Putin talk. Learn a lot from him. Listen on Sirius Progress or

watch on Free Speech TV.

[Gothmog]

89. Being associated with RT is a negative

[Kaleva]

93. Just trying to keep up with what's posted here at DU takes all my time

[DefenseLawyer]

94. No offense to any of the radio talkers

But if you listen long enough to them you realize that none of them are particularly smart. Not stupid, mind you, just not particularly smart. Most of them, both from the left and the right, got their start in radio as disc jockeys (Hartman included); a job that requires a certain gift of gab, not amazing intelligence. I listen to Hartman in the car sometimes and find it keeps my attention most of the time, but I'm certainly not looking to a radio guy as some kind of great thinker I should "follow" as a leader.

[Bradical79]

95. Won't listen to anyone associated with RT

I liked him previously, but it's not like you can't listen to liberal/progressive voices just as good (or better) who aren't on Russian propaganda outlets. It's not like I know the guy or owe him any loyalty.