NYT: As Talk Radio Wavers, Bush Moves to Firm Up Support

[seafan]

As Talk Radio Wavers, Bush Moves to Firm Up Support

By JIM RUTENBERG
Published: October 17, 2006



White House photo by Eric Draper

President Bush discussed his policies with conservative radio hosts last month at the White House, including, from left, Mike Gallagher, Neal Boortz, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and Michael Medved.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 — On an overcast Friday morning last month, White House aides ushered an influential group of conservative radio hosts into the Oval Office for a private audience with the president.
The meeting, which was not announced on the president’s public schedule, was part of an intensive Republican Party campaign to reclaim and re-energize a crucial army of supporters that is not as likely to walk in lockstep with the White House as it has in the past.
Conservative radio hosts are breaking with the Republican leadership in ways not seen in at least a decade, and certainly not since Rush Limbaugh’s forceful advocacy of the party in 1994 spawned a new generation of stars, said Michael Harrison, publisher of the industry’s lead trade publication, Talkers.

snip

The White House and the Republican National Committee are hammering home that point in interviews, talking-point bulletins and a healthy dollop of pomp that only a White House can provide.
The effort will peak on Oct. 24, when the administration will hold something of a talk-radio summit meeting, inviting dozens of hosts to set up booths on the White House grounds, where top cabinet officials are expected to sit for interviews.

The party chairman, Ken Mehlman, has already been working overtime on the talk radio circuit. From Wednesday to Friday of last week, he was interviewed a total of 20 times in Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio, promoting party stances on tax cuts and terrorism.
But, several hosts said, the most telling development so far this year was the White House decision to invite some of the most popular hosts to the Oval Office for off-the-record time with the president.
Kevin Sullivan, the White House communications director, said the meeting was among the latest examples of the administration’s effort to put Mr. Bush in front of more news media as his own best spokesman. The president also gave interviews recently to several television anchors and held an Oval Office chat with a group of conservative writers.

And Mr. Bush granted an on-camera interview to Bill O’Reilly of the Fox News Channel. The first of three parts ran Monday night.

snip

And the fight against terrorism dominated the discussion at the meeting.

“This was clearly, clearly an effort to kind of rally the troops when the troops need rallying,” said Mike Gallagher, who attended the meeting and whose daily program reaches at least 3.75 million people each week. “They know that we’ve got an audience of people who may or may not be on the political fence right now.”
Mr. Gallagher said that he and the other hosts — Mr. Hannity, Ms. Ingraham, Neal Boortz and Michael Medved — talked about the experience on their programs “for days and days and days.”
(Mr. Limbaugh said that he met with Mr. Bush and Karl Rove, the president’s chief strategist, in the Oval Office in June, but generally tried to keep his distance to maintain independence.)

snip

[LynnTheDem]

1. Catapulting that propaganda!

:rofl:

[bdamomma]

50. that's what it is exactly

bush is giving his instructions to spread more lies over the airwaves and get those who are so ignorant to believe that he is doing well in Iraq. what fuckin' lapdogs.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Now, THAT'S a room-full-o-stupid!

:dunce:

[rodeodance]

5. W surrounded by the fundie talkies. says it all.

[maseman]

27. You must remember something

The people who listen to these radio shows are already die-hard Repukes who will be voting a straight ticket of Rs come Nov. 7th. Whenther these people meet with the President or not, their listeners will be voting Rs.

Also, the audiences of these people, besides Hannity, are really ver small. Neal Boortz owns Atlanta, but has not much anywhere else. Ingraham is on tiny stations all over and is run at night in many markets. Mike Gallagher is on in the middle of the night in most markets. Michael Medved? Now there's a powerful force in talk radio...NOT!

[krkaufman]

61. Bush "won" Florida in 2000 by a few hundred votes.

This is all about revving-up a demoralized base (note that they haven't done anything this brazen in past elections) in order to get them out to the polls in two weeks.

[KittyWampus]

21. my IQ probably just fell a few points looking at that pix.

[KittyWampus]

22. The hatemongers probably all felt so honored.

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. A room full of hate! Hate mongers and spewers!

[underpants]

26. "brain trust"

:sarcasm:

:rofl:

[calimary]

28. I wouldn't use either words "brain" or "trust" in the same sentence

with any of these people. Neither word applies.

And as long as I'm at it...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2888413&mesg_id=2888413

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. A room full of misfits getting their marching orders. How predictable.

And what does Gallagher have on his head - A flea-market Davey Crockett hat?

[Champion Jack]

6. Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha !!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha !!!!!

[Mad_Dem_X]

63. LOL!

That is a room full of evil, that's for sure.

[seafan]

4. One more telling clip. This guy is losing it.

For an hour and a half, Mr. Bush discussed his case for the war in Iraq, his immigration proposals and even the personality of his Scottish terrier Barney, who scratched on the door during the session until the president relented and let him into the office, according to several hosts who attended.

Our troops are dying, our jobs are leaving, our seniors are unable to get out of the Medicare doughnut hole, our schools are failing, North Korea is firing off nuclear weapon tests, our electoral process is criminally compromised, child predators are shielded in the GOP, graft and corruption have metastasized throughout the Republican Party, our treasury is spent on mammoth tax cuts to the rich in a time of a war of *'s making, Americans are now subject to arrest, detention and torture with the stroke of *'s pen today....



And he talks about his dog's personality and how to propagandize the American population.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Ah, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. This is hilarious. Do they think anyone

has been fooled by these mutants? The very idea of treating this side-show as something legitimate is scandalous!

These right-wing perverts couldn't possibly do more to serve _Bush than they have been doing every day since he started campaigning in 1999 and 2000. They are so in his camp they are hidden in his butt.

The photo opp, showing him actually SPEAKING with them is disturbing, however. Is there any doubt whatsoever they sold their souls long ago, and will be spewing his talking points until their last gasps?
That's all they are capable of doing.





They are such damaged goods they are screwed if the right-wing ever loses its illegitimate death grip on our government. Normal people should never take them seriously in the future. They are compromised beyond repair. It was voluntary.

[Rose Siding]

8. The Brain Trust

:eyes: Who's the dopey looking one? No, not that one. The other one.

[MaineDem]

9. Laura is an ostrich

I was listening to Laura Ingraham's show for a little while yesterday. She was discussing the new book about Faith and the White House. SHe said she disagreed with the author; no one in the White House ever called the regigious right "nuts" or anything like that.

Her next guest was Robert Novak. She asked him what he thought about the claims in the book and he said he believed it completely! He had heard the same things from his sources.

Shut her up - at least for a while. I loved it!

[Supersedeas]

43. Yep, without the regurgitation of talking points--she'd have no show

Wonder if she revealed this little Cheerleading pow-wow to her listeners.

Like they care about facts and bias!?!

[maxrandb]

10. YGTBFSM!! WARNING: Graphic Language

For those of you not in the Navy, that stands for "You Got To Be Fucking Shitting Me". We do love our acronyms.

This, right below is the funniest shit I've heard in ages....

(Mr. Limbaugh said that he met with Mr. Bush and Karl Rove, the president’s chief strategist, in the Oval Office in June, but generally tried to keep his distance to maintain independence.)

How this is fucking legal is beyond me. How this does not count as an "in-kind" campaign contribution to the republican neo-con Party is ludicrous.

These are OUR PUBLIC AIRWAYS people. These fucking pricks, every last one of them; Limpballs, Insanity, Medved, Boortz, Ingraham...AND ALL THEIR FUCKING LOCAL COOKIE-CUTTER HATE TALK CUPIE DOLLS have DESTROYED THIS FUCKING COUNTRY and made it something I no longer can recognize.

Someone needs to file a fucking class action suit against these fucking ass-pickles...PRONTO!!

If you wonder why I am so fucking pissed about this shit, then let me tell you what it is like to an active duty military member in a place where there is nothing but right-wing hate radio available on your AM dial...AND THAT JUST HAPPENS TO BE EVERYWHERE IN THE FUCKING UNITED STATES AND ON AFRTS.

Imagine if you will that you're wearing the uniform of your country. The uniform that you have worn with pride and professionalism for over 22 years. Now imagine that you're wearing that uniform driving home from the ship you just deployed on for 8 months away from your family and loved ones. Imagine that you want a traffic and weather report, and imagine that the only way you can get a traffic and weather report is to first listen to some loud-mouthed asshole describe you as a "terrorist sympathizing, communist, socialist French Surrender Monkey, who wants more American troops to be killed in Iraq".

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. If Rush were within reach...I'D RIP HIS TITS OFF!

[boilinmad]

11. !!!!BRAVO!!!!!!!....

....I HATE their spewing vomitus so much, it makes me crazy.....To think theres an audience for this shit is amazing...And, the fact that they're allowed into the Whitehouse is almost too much to bear.....Hey mr. president, take a meeting with Al Franken, Randi Rhodes, Jeanine Garafaolo , or how about ANYBODY with 1/2 a brain, and see how well you do, you idiot.:grr:

[Binka]

19. Get Over Here So I Can KISS You!

Post of the YEAR! These sanctimonious ass carrots have created a situation that is FUBAR. I'll help you rip Rush's tits off because Lord knows we'll never be able to find his balls to kick.

[Demit]

29. Impressively excellent rant! Every last syllable!!!

And there's something about your final sentence... I wish I had that on tape. I'd never get tired of listening to it. LOL!

[maxrandb]

31. Thanks. I'm usually pretty peaceful

but the hate radio folks bring out an anger in me that actually scares me sometimes.

I've done my best to turn it off and tune it out, but there are times, (like when you're stuck in tunnel traffic for an hour, or when the sky turns purple, and you'd like to know what the traffic and weather conditions are), that you're stuck having to listen to their vitriol, just to get a "blanking" traffic report.

"SUPPORT THE WAR ON DRUGS-STOP LISTENING TO RUSH"

[seafan]

34. They stopped hiding their crimes a long, long time ago.

This is the culmination of 35+ years of attacking the media as *liberal*.

Today we have a former FOX right wing mouthpiece as the White House Press Secretary, a cowed media, and now nearly absolute media control by 4 or 5 corporations that will propagandize at the whim of *u$hCo.


For 40 years the right wing has plotted from the shadows to build its democracy-wrecking machine, all in the name of absolute power, control and insatiable greed.

And only recently have the general population started to wake up.




Now is our moment at the ballot box to take down these criminals along with with their murderous ideology, spelling permanent end to these Nixonian/IranContra/neocon/fundamentalist ideologues.

It won't be pleasant for *u$hCo.


Thank you for your service to America, maxrandb.

[Miss Chybil]

33. Geez, I wish I could recommend your post! nt

[Rebellious Republican]

44. AHOY MATES! PULL IN YOUR SCUPPERS AND COME ALONG SIDE.

Fuckin' "A" maxrandb, you just made this old salt proud!!!

Wanna barrow this "one finger salute". I have used it many times to illustrate my frustration with this administration. Kind of a modern day fickle finger of fate award.

Fair winds and following seas shipmate.

Hands, Salute............Ready, Two!

[maxrandb]

49. That's Awesome!

I will definitely use it.

Used to love the "fickle finger of fate" award on LAFF-IN.

[Supersedeas]

51. nothing different that the more nuanced forms of propoganda with we get

on cable (psst--that's why they are not complaining so much--and further why you are only hearing about it now--LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW). They get their turn to dance cheek to cheek with the President and in return blow up Osama Tapes on the eve of the election.

Quid Pro Quo with the Corp Media is nothing new.

[0007]

52. After you rip his tits off, I'd give ya scissors to cut his tongue out!

[krkaufman]

59. I bet you're thinking this original story is piddling, now ....

... after Tuesday's whorefest.

[maxrandb]

62. If a "blanking" tornado ripped across the lawn

of the White House right about now, it would make this country stronger, safer, saner, and better.

This whorefest makes me more sure than ever that it is PAST TIME FOR DEMOCRATS TO STOP ACTING NICE TO THESE FUCKING PRICKS. Every last one of them needs to go to the fucking Hague with Rumsfeld, Cheney and **.

[krkaufman]

65. I concur. But fear we're still 5-10 years from the populace, at large,

... from being bitch-slapped back to reality.

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. My caption: Titanic officers discuss Nov. 7th's scheduled lifeboat drill

[calimary]

45. Looks like Vanity got him little self a haircut. Makes him look like

a helmet head. Bizarre. Do you suppose coultergeist will be pissed because she wasn't among this crop of the "anointed ones"?

[seafan]

13. Oh Really hopes we don't forget him....

Liberal media, my foot.

[TheCowsCameHome]

14. Notable features of guests:

Gallagher: Proudly wears cheap rug from K-Mart blue light special, thinks it's genuine mink.

Booortz: Babbles on like an 85 year old man with Alzheimers and hemmorhoids.

Ingraham: Learned to talk through her nose in 3rd grade, still thinks it's fashionable.

Hannity: Carries Las Vegas marriage certificate to Terri Schiavo around wherever he goes, thinks it's legal and binding.

Medved: Comes along to clean room after the above players have dripped Republidrool on rugs.

[Felix Mala]

15. Did someone forget to bring the snakes for them to handle?

[StraightDope]

46. That is, HANDS-DOWN the BEST saying ever!

Smilin' Bush says, "You can fool 29% of the people all of the time!"

:rofl:

[Felix Mala]

48. Thanks. I'll be happy to send you a copy.

BTW, Morgantown is one of the funnest college towns in America! I had a blast there.

[MGKrebs]

16. Pay attention Gallagher! GALLAGHER! (snap, snap)

You OK there bud?

[Judi Lynn]

20. He's reviewing mental images of Bush in his flight suit. n/t

[calimary]

55. Nah, vanity is doing that. "LOOK at the PACKAGE on that guy!!!"

It does make one wonder why a grown man would gush about another grown man's "package," now, doesn't it? WHY was that so significant to you, vanity-boy?

[Tempest]

17. And despite all the face time, Shrub's approval rating is dropping

You'd think Shrub would get the hint and SHUT THE HELL UP!

[wholetruth00]

18. I think this is outrageous and shameful. In your face propaganda machine

and the Democrats remain silent on this? Unbelievable! Don't people see and understand how dangerous this type of meeting and power is to democracy and freedom here at home? Would we not decry Saddam's control of selected media outlets? This is totalitarinism in spades. The fact that even people here at DU are making light of this event tells me there is little hope for this nation. Few seem to be serious about our Constitution and our democratic Republic.

[Judi Lynn]

23. Do you think there is one single Democrat who isn't fully aware

of the treachery involved in bringing our country to this evil condition?

Many of us have been watching with horror, rage, and disgust since Ronald Reagan destroyed the Fairness Doctrine.

No one here is truly amused, as you should recognize instinctively.

[maxrandb]

30. Well, there "is" Sean Hannity's favorite Dem. Joe Lieberman n/t

[brentspeak]

40. What do you mean, "remain silent on this"?

What do you think Air America is/was all about?

[stanwyck]

25. The desired demographics have shifted to the left

witness Olbermann, Stewart, Colbert, and Maher.
And these people are in a business. Make no mistake. They're paid entertainment.
Scarsboro has already shifted.
O'Reilly occasionally tries to hedge his bets.
So does Boortz.
And we've already seen key Republicans speaking out against Bush policy on Iraq.
After the mid-terms? Bush will be abandoned. By everyone.
And the hate talkers are no exception.
It's all about the money.
(look at who gets the top drawer guests: Stewart gets the Pres. of Pakistan, Clinton, James Baker, Madeline Albright, Howard Dean. Last night, Olbermann even had John Ashcroft....guess ole John actually wants to sell some books beyond the Scaife bulk buying scam which floats Hannity, O'Reilly, and Coulter.)
But, hey, the older market with less education is still in the conservative hatetalker corner.
They just don't buy as much stuff.
And, at the end of the day, buying more stuff is just more important than what Georgie Porgie wants.

[Miss Chybil]

32. Is this legal? Are they going to invite Randi Rhodes? nt

[yellowcanine]

35. No Rush? Oxyman out of the loop? Bummer. Maybe that is why

Bush had to "make nice" by sending "Pepper" Dick to go on Limpball's show today.

[wageslave71]

36. This is like watching a train wreck

in slow motion. Nobody takes these has-beens seriously except the 20-30% that have no inclination to remove their heads from their asses. Guess you gotta play on the only string you have.

[maxrandb]

37. It Just Occurred to me

These right-wing wankers are being used like the "fluff" girl in a John Holmes movie.

They are definitely willing tools and fools of the reich-wing, but I bet, JUST LIKE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS, they're being used to manipulate the huddled masses.

[JoFerret]

38. Hilarious

<<Mr. Limbaugh said that he met with Mr. Bush and Karl Rove, the president’s chief strategist, in the Oval Office in June, but generally tried to keep his distance to maintain independence.>>

[phoebe]

54. Rash was probably told to keep away - how does one "generally"

try to keep one's distance? Hide under a desk, behind a tree, have bad breath? In a room that's what maybe 20 by 20 how does one manage this?? Enquiring minds want to know...

[calimary]

56. Perhaps he didn't want to be seen as their "peer." If he can crow

about his own one-on-one meeting with bush AND rove, that sets him apart as their superior. When I was working, there was a distinct hierarchy - those in the lofty heights considered important enough to get the one-on-ones and everybody else stuck in the gang-bang, having to share the same quotes and fighting to see who got a question in. He has to press a psychological advantage now that there are so many wolves howling outside his door. There's quite a crowd, by now, just itching to move him off his presumed pedestal of primacy, and take over as the king of hate radio (or queen, in the case of darling nasal little snot-nose laura ingraham).

[brentspeak]

39. How pathetic that Bush and the GOP rely on these born liars

[stanwyck]

41. Poor Bush. He ought to have the lefties there

What's the sense of having these choir members in the Oval Office?
They're losing ratings by spouting their Bushian master's absurdities.
And their other bosses, the suits, aren't happy with the ad revenue.
That market that buys everything, the 20-40 yr. olds, aren't tuning in.
Imagine that.
Not wanting to listen to these wizened puppets with their seething rage toward the world.
Meanwhile, Keith, Jon, Bill, and Steven are reaping the revenue from the desired demographics.
Bush is an idiot.
He's got the wrong group surrounding him.
Again.

[JoFerret]

42. "Bush moves to firm up support" TSK. No more porn

Bush moves to firm up support (as the actress said to the bishop.)

[nookiemonster]

47. Jeesh! If their brains were dynamite,

they wouldn't have enough to blow their nose.

Tools.

:silly:

[Release The Hounds]

53. Rush is claiming independence?

And i thought Boortz was a "Libertarian".

[stanwyck]

58. Boortz is a lapdog

He's been bought. He used to be a Libertarian. But the Libertarians have disowned him. They picketed his station. (I live in Atlanta.)
He's been told what to say for ratings. And he slavishly does what his masters tell him to do. Sits up, begs, and he's great at rolling over.
Back in the '80's, Boortz would hang up on male callers who called to decry abortion. Why? He said, when you can get pregnant, call me back!
Not so anymore.
You wouldn't believe what he says on his show. (a co-worker has him on daily. I get secondhand Boortz).
Women beat themselves up, call the police, so they can get an advantage in child custody and divorce proceedings. Yeah, right, Boortz.
He's incredibly racist and sexist -- which plays well with the people who like him.
Plus, he's really lazy. Listen for five minutes and you'll pick up on at least 3-5 blatant fact errors. Not this his audience will know.
Here in Atlanta, he's a joke with everyone except Bubba.
But, hey, Bush likes him.

[BigDDem]

57. Who's the scary looking guy

with the bad rug?

[lpbk2713]

68. Laura Ingraham

:rofl: :rofl:

[Vinca]

60. Is anyone else pissed that the people's house is being used

as election central for the right wing nutcakes? I wish we could charge them rent. It doesn't seem fair.

[annabanana]

64. We are NOW watching the fruits of this meeting

rot all over the radio. Did this "pep talk" send the RW Slime Diving Team to new depths? Or have they bounced their heads off the bottom of the trench?

[kskiska]

66. I caught part of a Mike Gallagher show the other day

He was telling his listeners that "A vote for a Democrat is a vote for a terrorist." He was also advocating changing our justice system so that an alleged criminal could just be taken out back and shot immediately without a trial. Most of his callers agreed.

[lpbk2713]

67. The RW machine couldn't make it without their apologists/propagandists.

So if it looks like they need pumping up, especially while all their numbers are so low two weeks before mid-terms, its in BushCo's best interest to oblige.