Talk show host laments spoiling of U.S. citizens: Jim Bohannon "militant moderate"

Columbia Missouri Daily Tribune ^ | July 31, 2002 | DIDI TANG

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Radio talk show host Jim Bohannon coined the phrase "militant moderate" to describe himself, and he says the terms are far from being an oxymoron.

"I feel passionately and strongly about" being a moderate, Bohannon said. "Too much emphasis has been placed on extremes … Too many people think moderates are sort of wimpy and lacking in result."

And the nationally syndicated talk-show host tried to disprove that yesterday at a local Rotary Club luncheon, where he delivered a speech on the United States after Sept. 11.

While the tragedies have unified the country, Bohannon said, he also believes Americans have been spoiled. He said the desire for instant gratification among the American public doesn’t serve the nation.

"It’s not our right to get on an airplane faster," Bohannon told more than 100 Rotarians and their friends at Columbia’s Northwest Rotary Club. "It’s a convenience. It’s a privilege."

He explained that rights are spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and state laws. But, he said, "We have a tendency to assume if I want it, it’s a right."

Bohannon lamented on the nation’s short attention span and mocked those who stand right in front of a microwave with the attitude "I want the food now."

"Never give up. Don’t get bored, don’t get tired of the efforts, and then you can prevail," Bohannon said of the nation’s efforts against terrorism. "We’re facing a reality. We didn’t choose it. And deal with it."

Bohannon’s speech was well-received among the audience.

"I loved it. It was very good," Christy Welliver said. "He’s the middle-of-the-road kind."

Another Rotarian, Mike Flanagan, said Bohannon’s moderate stance should be taken with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the speech "was very thought-provoking," Flanagan said.

Instant gratification "is the epitome of the American society," he said. "In what I call the MTV generation; they see it, they want it. If they can’t get it right now, it’s not worth having. That’s horrible."

Fred Parry, president of the Rotary Club, said he was impressed with Bohannon’s frankness.

"I think he offered some very candid responses as to how the United States should position itself to be a world leader," he said. Parry also is a talk show host at KFRU, a local radio station where Bohannon’s syndicated programs are on the air every weekday.

Bohannon, a graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, was on his way yesterday to Lebanon, Mo., where he will attend his 40-year class reunion at Lebanon High School this week.

Tonight, Bohannon will be broadcasting live from the Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, and he plans to interview Republican Senate candidate Jim Talent.

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Every once in a while I listen to Bohannon.

Ashland, Missouri

[Stingray51]

If he's the guy I am thinking of, he's a liberal who, like most of them, calls himself a moderate.

[Jesse]

he's a liberal who, like most of them, calls himself a moderate.

Yep. He's a moderate like Hillary is a moderate. I got into it with him on his show over gun control. Typical liberal...when I started presenting him with facts which thoroughly contradicted and refuted his world view and "moderate" outlook calling for "reasonable" gun control, he responded with ad hominem attacks and hung up. Haven't listened to him since.

Same smug, self righteous attitude probably the reason he isn't a talk radio superstar. All hat, no cattle, or in his case, all voice, no message.

Of course, the danger with these true liberals, but self proclaimed moderates is, they end up redefining what moderate is. Me, I'm one of those out there libertarians, so middle of the road is on the dark side of the moon as far as I'm concerned.

[3AngelaD]

Oh, dear. This could have been peeled straight off of The Onion. I Guess Missouri journalism school isn't insisting that its students grasp the concept of irony any more.

[RightWhale]

I thnk is is a little left of moderate. But he isn't all bad. He sure isn't a full-blown Liberal, and his radio talk show is actually the best in the business.

[elephantlips]

Defining moderation would be a great start. Conservatism as it is known today was moderate to left of center in the late 1700s. As each generation passes, we redefine the "middle" and those who were moderates become extremists without so much as raising an eyebrow. Talk about your relativism!

[bandleader]

Hey Jim,When was the last time that you came across a book about"GREAT MODERATES"?????????????

[subterfuge]

I've listened to his show and it is a luke-warm, milk toast kind of a show. Bohanan is liberal he just doesn't know it.

I heard his interview with Ann Coulter a couple weeks ago and he started nit-picking her about some really small isssue (and he was wrong) fwiw. She refuted what he said pretty easily and he had to take a station break. Hm.

[sapper7]

I agree. He is a liberal and just refuses to admit it.

[Peter Libra]

I listened to Bohannon over ten years or so ago. A caller came on and expressed his concern about immigrants who took complete advantage of the American system. The caller felt that it was unfair, to expect established Americans, to support these people. He mentioned that some of them do not even care to integrate into American society.

Bohannon jumped on him. "Can you prove that"? he rasped. Then he went through his liberal homily and snidely got rid of the caller. I do not remember what group the caller was refering to.

I can only repeat what a lawyer said of a principle witness in a murder case many, many years ago. (Evans Vs The Crown)."Do not, I repeat, do not trust ********."

Trust Bohannon at your peril, he is an out and out liberal.

[RightWhale]

I have called his show. He is more than polite and lets you make your point if you show any slight sign of intelligence. He even asks sometimes if you have any more to add even if he doesn't agree with you. His own positions are clear enough. I heard the interview with Coulter. It was not confrontational, more of a discussion, totally unlike the usual liberal hit piece rant.

As long as we are discussing blind liberals in the media: Dirk Van is a rampant godless-greenie liberal of the curmudgeous kind. Usually polite, though, and taken aback if someone questions his opinion.

[HumanaeVitae]

He joins the ranks of other "moderates" such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Breyer.

[Wondervixen]

I worked at a hotel in one of my many post high school jobs and one night I was listening to his show before shift change. The subject was Hillary's health care and how wonderful it would make things for everybody when all businesses were forced to ante up for their employees.

One caller made the assessment that if that were to happen to lower paying employers like McDonalds, a Big Mac would have to be raised to $10 just to offset the "tax" Hillary's task force would put on them. To this, Bohannon barked back at the man "WELL, MAYBE A BIG MAC SHOULD COST $10!"

Reminds me of Slick & his answer when someone pointed out that a $12 pizza at Pizza Hut would raise to $25 or $30..."Well, I'D be willing to pay $25 for my pizza" he told them.

Yea, liberals are REALLLLLLY in-touch with the American people, aren't they?

[RightWhale]

I assume everybody listened to Bohannon last night and heard a Democrat caller describe his show as right wing, and heard Bohannon shill for the Free Republic Pro-War Demonstration. He mentioned the Free Republic demonstration several times. Didn't catch which demonstration it was, but urged those in the area to come out and participate. It is time to recognize that Bohannon is not a vile leftist anymore; a person, even a media person, can reform himself.