Randi sure is taking a lot of credit for starting Air America

[marbuc]

Listening to her, one might get the impression that she did so single-handedly.

[longship]

1. Randi needs to hold her ego in check.

It really gets in the way of making her show great.

[beaconess]

2. I thought I was the only one who felt that way

I love Randi, but she really seems to have gotten full of herself lately.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. I agree

I finally had enough when she dissed another progressive talk show host. Funny, I'd never listen to Ed Schultz before that day, but I've been listening to him ever since.

[beaconess]

8. The turning point for me happened last week

when a man called in who said he was an African American Republican who was frustrated with his party and was interested in hearing what the Dems had to say. But he suggested that Randi stop being so hostile toward all Republicans, especially those like him who were just trying to find the right way - that she'd attract a lot more people like him to her side if she wasn't so nasty to them.

Randi lit in to him like nobody's business, said that if he was a black Republican he must be very confused, accused him of personally attacking her, which he hadn't and wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise. Then she hung up on him.

It was pretty shocking. Here was a guy that she could have easily brought over to the light, but instead she treated him like crap and probably lost him (and who knows how many others) for good.

Now I just turn her off when she comes on.

[safi0]

24. I didn't quite

Have the epiphany you did, but I stopped listeneing because of two reasons. The more minor reason is that I prefer Ed Schultz because he actually gets guests, Randi never has guests. Once every couple months she'll have Gov. Dean, but I've been listening to Schultz the past couple of months and he's probably had half the Democratic US Senators on his show during that time period. He's the one that gets the interview, he got Hackett the day after he announced his candidacy for US Senate, he got Earl Pomeroy right after he came back from Iraq.

The other reason is that Randi is a prick to all her guests, even the ones who agree with her. She never lets anyone talk even those who agree with her. I was listening to Ed on Thursday and he had some moderate Republican on. This guy voted for Clinton and he was a traveling salesman so he spent a lot of time in his car so he listened to a lot of RW radio, he said he'd turned sharply right the last few years and RW radio was the likely reason. This guy listed off a bunch of talking points and in a very respectful way refuted all of them. At the end of the call the guy said he would listen to him again.

[clarknyc]

4. Same here.

The sniping about what goes on behind the scenes is tedious and unprofessional.

[Fla4kerry]

7. I have listened to her since the onset of AA

but I have noticed she does have her days of high ego.Was there any other AA broadcasters there in Washington or was it for her ?? I have flipped to Schultz sometimes as well, who is also full of himself. Maybe that's the name of the game?
Does anyone know what is happening with Mark & Mark early show, I had heard awhile back AA wasn't going to renew their contract. Just wondering.

[3waygeek]

15. I think Rachel Maddow was in DC this AM

but I only caught the last 10 minutes of her show so I'm not sure.

[robbedvoter]

5. Not singlehandedly - but she did work hard for it

She lobbied for it in Washington for years. Sorry if this bothers ya.

[marbuc]

11. Ego does bother me

There were many other people involved in AARs genesis. Al worked without salary until they got on their feet.

What did Randi do? She bitched about not getting her moving expenses paid in a timely manner. I listen to Randi and like most of what she says, but sometimes she really irritates me.

[madaboutharry]

6. I love Randi too, most of the time.

I think she is a good soul, but sometimes she talks too much. I sometimes find myself thinking: "Hey Randi, shut up already!" She is a lot like my mom, another Brooklyn girl!

[bunny planet]

12. She is flawed (who isn't) but I love her anyway. We need her intelligence

and her passion. Her sense of humor is very New Yawk, equal parts self-deprecating and egotistical. She is neurotic as hell and seems insecure, that's why she overcompensates.

She was instrumental in getting Air America off the ground though. She had a very big role in it and gets bent out of shape when everyone gives Al the credit. What I get from her is that she realizes that they needed his fame to attract the attention but that it still pisses her off all the same.

[madfloridian]

9. Randi is intelligent and does her research well. Ed does not.

Ed gets talking points from the Clinton wing and he goes with the talking points, never looking back.

If Randi makes a mistake she apologizes. If Ed makes one, even if we send proof, he refuses to acknowledge it.

Ed's former manager is AAR now, and I feel for Randi a lot. She is the best at AAR, but I have a feeling she will be undermined a lot.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. Randi doesn't always do research

She was talking about the LDS Church and from what she said it was obvious she knew nothing about them. Even though Reid is Mormon, it is important to note how cultish the LDS Church is. I have done research on this group, and some of their practices are invasive and downright scary.

[benddem]

10. A few months back

I wrote and told her that it didn't improve her image to keep putting Al Franken down. She really needs to check in the ego. The thing that irritates me the most is when she tells people the Dems lost the 2004 election cause SHE didn't have enough time on the air. She keeps saying the next election will be different cause she will make it happen.
I hope she is right...but doubt that she will make any difference.

[madfloridian]

13. I have noticed a lot of attacks on her lately.

And usually there is a reference to how really good Big Eddie is. I have seen this at several forums, some where the discourse is usually pretty decent.

Hmmmm...mmmmmmm

But that's ok. We don't need to do Randi's research for her. But we do have to send research to Big Eddie's staff. They don't do research there. They use talking points. And they are not often very progressive ones, either.

[leesa]

17. Yeah, me too. If they like Ed, listen to him and don't listen to Randi if

you don't like her. Ed is so boring and underinformed I can't stomach it, but if he appeals to you, turn her off and him on.

[Talismom]

14. She's smart and well informed. She's a real professional who takes her job

seriously and for these things I have a lot of respect. But there's not bout a doubt it--she' a big time narcissist!

[Kahuna]

16. It took a while for Randy to grow on me. But now I find that I agree with

her more often than not. I think she has a lot of common sense and she's a quick thinker. As far as her taking credit goes, she gets annoyed because Al is considered more or less, "Mr. Air America." She's more or less, "Randi Who?" I understand that she gets annoyed because she has been fighting for this for a long time and she considers Al a Johnny come lately.

[egadsbrain]

18. Randi NEEDS that big head...

for her big brain! She annoys me too sometimes, but I just turn her off for awhile. I think she'd get more attention (and strokes for that ego) if she'd write a book, or go on more TV shows like the other AAR hosts but she's said that she hates "the shows."

:)

[otohara]

19. She Takes Credit For Telling Everybody

everything!

It's hugely annoying and ridiculous!

[marbuc]

20. You mean the flippant "you know this because I told you about it?"

yes, I agree. She has never been an original source of my information. The best thing about her show is the interviews. These are few and far between.

[otohara]

23. Her Interviews - She Does Most of Talking

it's all about Randi - Hello Sen. Reid, I'm so glad to see you again, it's been a while since we had dinner, when you told me, me, me, - then it's "we're out of time" buh bye.

[leesa]

26. Why do you listen to her...just to bitch and whine?

Hugely annoying and ridiculous.

[laugle]

21. Well a month ago or so randi said she knew why Bush was keeping the

troops in IRAQ; she said "it was cheaper to let them die there than to bring them home," I almost fell of my seat!

I thought randi is getting a little nutty.

Anyway....I'm 53 and me thinks it's just the old menopause blues.....so I give her a break!

[rucky]

25. they didn't slot her on the PM drive for nothing

she was the only professional broadcaster on board

:shrug: