Thom Hartmann and Dennis Kucinich

[flakban]

----- Original Message -----
From: Jason Bell
To: Peter B Collins
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2008 7:22 PM
Subject: Thom Hartmann as your guest


Hi Peter B,

Over the weekend I listened to your broadcasts of Thursday and Friday on Portland's KPOJ. I'd like to inform you of something that occurred on Thom Hartmann's National show of Thursday, July 31. You may, or may not be aware of it.

As part of an effort to promote his petition supporting impeachment hearings, Dennis Kucinich appeared as one of Thom Hartmann's guests during the Thursday broadcast of Hartmann's national show. The petition, with over 100,000 signatures, would be presented to Speaker Pelosi later that day. Rep. Kucinich explained the intent of the petition to Hartmann's listeners, encouraging those who had not yet signed it to do so at http://kucinich.us within the remaining few hours.

Here's the part that was infuriating to me. Shortly after the interview had concluded, Hartmann expressed to his listeners that he considered impeachment "a lost cause", suggesting that if Rep. Kucinich managed to successfully compel impeachment proceedings at this point, Sen. Obama's campaign success would be jeopardized. Hartmann explained that in his opinion if the impeachment process were initiated, the media would devote 100% of its Democratic issue airtime, including that allocated to Barack Obama's campaign statements, exclusively to those matters relevant to the impeachment proceedings. Hartmann told his listeners that going forward with impeachment would effectively kill media coverage of Sen. Obama's activities and campaign statements, and that the Republican media coverage would continue in an unrestricted manner, thus allowing Sen. McCain and his advocates to make their promotional statements as usual. Hartmann's ultimate message was that the active impeachment process would destroy Sen. Obama's chances to prevail in the general election.

The clear recommendation from Thom Hartmann was for his listeners to refrain from signing Rep. Kucinich's petition -- Hartmann virtually stabbed Rep. Kucinich (as well as his long-fought effort) in the back once he'd disconnected. This kind of behavior just torques me!

Please know that I'm mindful you weren't happy with my attitude and opinions relating to the predominant failure of progressive radio hosts to address and promote corporate media accountability some months ago. But for what it's worth, Peter B., I listen to you as often as possible and I support nearly all of your views -- I can't say that for any other talk show host. Matters involving our previous correspondence aside, I consider what Hartmann did to Rep. Kucinich and his cause on Thursday to be both unethical and reprehensible.

This correspondence is merely intended to be informative. If you're interested, I would expect that an archived copy of Hartmann's Thursday show is available for download. I'm not advocating that you slam Hartmann on your own program; I know you would never do that and I understand that you respect him. Needless to say, I do not respect him.

Thanks for your time, Peter B.

Jason Bell


----- Original Message -----
From: Peter B. Collins
To: Jason Bell
Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 12:31 PM
Subject: Re: Thom Hartmann as your guest


Jason,

I appreciate this info, as I did not hear it myself. It surprises me, as Thom is usually very respectful of guests and doesn't say critical things after they've gone. He is entitled to his opinion re "lost cause" and the potential distraction, but I think the Constitution is more important than the presidential campaign, regardless of who wins. If we don't fight to restore the Consititution, the political issues pale in comparison. I saw Thom over the weekend in Madison, if I'd known this then, I would've talked to bim about it.

best

pbc