NBC’s Today Trumpets the “Liberals' Answer to Rush Limbaugh” (Blowhard Ed Schultz)

Media Research Center ^ | March 3, 2003 | Brent Baker

[PJ-Comix]

     Can you imagine the Today show running a promotional segment about Rush Limbaugh in 1988, months after he launched his national show, but when it was only carried by a few stations? That never happened, but on Tuesday, Today dedicated a 7:30am half hour segment to a glowing look at liberal talk show host Ed Schultz, whom Katie Couric claimed is “shaking up the industry,” though he began a national show, which is not carried by any significant station nor in any major city, barely two months ago. Couric touted him as “the man being called the liberals' answer to Rush Limbaugh."

     Jamie Gangel trumpeted: “Up until now successful talk radio has pretty much been dominated by conservative hosts. But there's a new guy in town and people across the country are tuning in.”

     Several conservative hosts are carried by many more stations than Schultz, such as Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Michael Reagan, Neal Boortz and G. Gordon Liddy -- and they all must earn advertiser dollars while Schultz’s show, based in the tiny market of Fargo, North Dakota, is funded by a left-wing outfit, Democracy Radio, which raised money to fund the program. And some local liberal talk show hosts, such as Bernie Ward on KGO in San Francisco, have a larger audience than Schultz, as do numerous liberal talk shows distributed nationally by NPR and other public radio groups.

     Gangel highlighted how “in his market he trounces Rush Limbaugh in the ratings," but she failed to note that in Fargo they do not go head-to-head. They are on the same station, KFGO (AM 790) at different times.

     MRC analyst Geoff Dickens took down how Couric teased the upcoming segment on the March 2 Today:

     -- At the top of the show: "Plus who in the heck is Ed Schultz? We're gonna profile the man being called the liberals' answer to Rush Limbaugh."

     -- "Coming up in our next half-hour a radio host who had a change of heart and is now taking his liberal views nationwide."

     -- "And then there's a different sound coming from your radio days these days. It's a liberal talk show host. Some say it's the left wing's answer to Rush Limbaugh. And you might be surprised to hear that this liberal host originates form the conservative heartland. We're gonna meet him in this half-hour."

     -- Matt Lauer got into the act too: "And he calls himself a gun-totin', red meat eatin' liberal. Meet Ed Schultz, the radio talk show host raising tempers and ratings."

     Couric set up the eventual segment: "Don't touch that dial. A radio talk show host based in North Dakota is shaking up the industry, daring to tread where few liberals have gone before. Ed Schultz is being called the liberal Rush Limbaugh. Our national correspondent Jamie Gangel traveled to Fargo to meet him. Hi, Jamie, good morning."
     Gangel: "Good morning, Katie. He certainly is shaking things up. Up until now successful talk radio has pretty much been dominated by conservative hosts. But there's a new guy in town and people across the country are tuning in. Fargo, North Dakota, home of farmers, mythical winters, the conservative heartland. But these days when they turn on the radio this is the man they're listening to. 50-year-old Ed Schultz, the voice of liberal talk radio."
     Ed Schultz on his show: "This unlike anything else you've heard on the radio dial, I realize that."
     Gangel: "Yes, that's right. Once a dyed-in-the-wool conservative Ed Schultz is now a defender of the left-"
     Schultz: "And don't blame the quote, liberal media, for this at all folks-"
     Gangel: "A champion of the Democratic Party."
     Schultz: "-it was the Clinton economic plan that turned that sucker around is what it took."
     Gangel: "And a card-carrying Bush-basher."
     Schultz: "-just ask the President one question. Were you AWOL? Yes or no?...We've never had a President who has stretched the military as thin as this guy has!"
     Gangel: "A talk show veteran of 20 years Schultz's sound and style are often compared to Rush Limbaugh."
     Schultz: "This program is 100 percent right all the time."
     Gangel: "They even share a local billboard in town but Schultz says that's where the similarity ends. You're being called the liberal Rush Limbaugh. How do you feel about that?"
     Schultz: "Well I, I mean they can call me anything they want, I've been called worse...I know that I can do this. And I know that I have the experience, the moxie and everything it takes to be a good talk show host. I don't care if you're in Fond du Lac or Flint or Fargo, talent's talent."
     Gangel: "And with listeners Schultz doesn't pull his punches."
     Schultz on his show: "Don't, don't twist what Senator Kerry is saying...Hold on a second!...Let me tell you something sir, somebody's gotta pay it...This administration's done nothing to make your world better."
     Gangel: "But even those who disagree with him are fans."
     Tim Skauge, Ed Schultz fan: "I don't know. Either you love him or you hate him but you still listen to him."
     Schultz: "They're running baseball the same way they're running Iraq!"
     Rob Lynch, Ed Schultz fan: "Occasionally I yell at the radio and at the speakers. But for the most part I really enjoy his show."
     Gangel: "In fact, Schultz himself admits he is a recent convert to liberal causes. In many ways you're pretty conservative. You voted for one Democrat in your life."
     Schultz: "He won too."
     Gangel: "You're a hunter."
     Schultz: "Yeah."
     Gangel: "You are against abortions. So is it for real or is it for ratings?"
     Schultz: "No it's very real. I, I have a story to tell and I'm for the little guy."
     Gangel: "Schultz credits his transformation to his wife Wendy, a psychiatric nurse who now works as his producer."
     Wendy Schultz: "And we're still waiting to hear from Kerry. It looks pretty good for today."
     Gangel: "When they met she was working at a homeless shelter and invited him to lunch. A bologna sandwich, which he says, changed his life."
     Ed Schultz: "It was a real bologna sandwich and there wasn't anything on it. And that might have been a first. I think my wife was telling me, 'you're pretty lucky and this is how the other side of the fence lives and maybe you ought to see it.'”
     Gangel: "So they decided to take his show on the road. This is the famous Winnebago."
     Schultz: "This is the Big Eddie Cruiser."
     Gangel: "And Schultz says the people he met had a profound impact."
     Schultz: "I saw what was happening in the heartland. I mean I saw families that couldn't afford health care. I saw families that were losing their farms. I've been to farm auctions. I've seen tears come down the, the face of good Americans. It swells me up to talk about it, it does. America can do better than this."
     Gangel: "Schultz's new politics matched up with Democratic sponsors who are helping to syndicate his show."
     Schultz: "I think tomorrow we're gonna try to have Hillary Clinton on the program."
     Gangel: "Thus far it appears to be working. Schultz is number one in local ratings, has been picked up by more than a dozen stations across the country and Democrats are lining up to be on his show."
     Schultz, interviewing John Kerry: "Some right wing operatives have come out and called you a cad, a kept man, a gigolo. Is John Kerry gonna stand up and give it right back to them?"
     John Kerry: "Absolutely, when it's appropriate."
     Gangel: "It is no secret that you are on the air for the next two years because Democratic donors have put up $2 million to launch this. Can you really say what you think?"
     Schultz: "Well I had it written in our agreement that I'm not beholden to anybody."
     Gangel: "You can say what you want to say?"
     Schultz: "Absolutely. I said Howard Dean had the willies."
     Schultz, during his show: "I told you a long time ago that the Al Gore endorsement was gonna do nothing for Howard Dean. That the, the Bradley endorsement was going to do nothing for Howard Dean."
     Gangel: "And in the end Schultz says he knows success will come down to one thing."
     Schultz: "There's no magic to this stuff. The name of the game is to get ratings and if you don't get ratings you're out. And that's why they say, 'Ed you're in.'"
    
     Gangel, back in studio with Couric: "For the record Ed will not forgive me, Katie, if I don't mention that in his market he trounces Rush Limbaugh in the ratings, Katie."
     Couric: "Jamie, what about nationwide? How's he doing?"
     Gangel: "You know, reality check. Rush Limbaugh is on 600 stations but they hope to get Ed up to 40 by the end of the year which would be huge in, in radio stations and, and they think he's really catching on."
     Couric: "Alright, Jamie Gangel. Jamie, thanks so much."

     The MRC’s Tim Graham referred me to a press release pushing the show’s supposed success: “After making its debut on January 5, The Ed Schultz Show Syndicated by Jones Radio Networks in association with Democracy Radio, the national show airs Mondays through Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. EST, and can be heard on a variety of talk radio stations throughout the country, as well as worldwide via streaming audio at www.WeGotEd.com.” See: biz.yahoo.com

     Schultz’s Web page, www.WeGotEd.com, suspiciously does not list stations which carry his show. Maybe that’s because, as a Minneapolis Star Tribune article revealed, they are nothing to crow about: “Democracy Radio committed to producing 'The Ed Schultz Show’ for two years over the Jones Radio Networks, a national syndicating company based in Washington, D.C. In addition to airing on stations in North Dakota, Montana and California ('Rebel Radio’ in Needles), the show is broadcast from 2 to 5 p.m. weekdays on XM satellite radio and on the Internet at www.bigeddieradio.com.” For this story about Schultz in full: www.startribune.com

     That’s right, his sole California city is Needles, hardly a major market.

     For his KFGO page: www.kfgo.com

[OldFriend]

Sorry perky one, but no strange new sounds will be coming from MY radio.

[searchandrecovery]

Yea, she did "take one for the team", though. I understand it's a non-pleasant process. I'm just not sure doing it on national tv was the right thing to do - way too much information about that most liberally-biased of all journalists (sorry, tv personalities) (my favorite ck moment - when algore finally lost - she was very very very saddened, almost crying that morning - bwahaha).

[hosepipe]

[ when you hear her show, you'll know why. Randi is so wacky that even the Democrats will be embarrassed by her. ]

Even democrats?.. GET OUT!..(pushing like Elaine does on Seinfeld)
(Eddie Murphy laugh)

[VaBthang4]

Yawn...whatever.

These people are so embarrassingly desperate.

[Desron13]

"Some say it's the left wing's answer to Rush Limbaugh. And you might be surprised to hear that this liberal host originates form the conservative heartland."

Some Say? What, Is Katie Caustic carrying around a mouse in her pocket these days. I suspect the only people that are "saying" this are the Marxist that are paying the bill for this little socialist buffoon.

[BaBaStooey]

It's pretty easy to see where this is going to go. In the rural areas, people are going to listen to something else, and in the urban areas, people aren't going to listen to this guy because he is in their terms, "anti-PETA," "anti-abortion," and "pro-gun."

I'd give this guy about six months, tops. Al Franken's liberal network will probably last longer (by a month or two). At least Al is on somewhat decent Class B AM stations, while Ed is dragging by..either on the really crappy AM stations......or from 10 until 1 AM EST on tape delay when no one is listening on the decent stations.

[Desron13]

"Yes, that's right. Once a dyed-in-the-wool conservative Ed Schultz is now a defender of the left-"

Really? Have they examined this poor fool for premature senility?

[Desron13]

"Schultz credits his transformation to his wife Wendy, a psychiatric nurse who now works as his producer."

Anyone want to take a stab at just where Eddy met his lovely bride?

[pardon]

His second wife. Who is now on the fulltime payroll of Democracy Radio. This by the way is funded by wealthy democrats who are pals of Senators, Kennedy, Dacshle, Dorgan etc. They contributed $1.8 million dollars.
Big EGO(Ed) out smarted the people at Democracy Radio who are not very sharp operators. So Ego man
talked them into a 2 yr contract
and he has full control. So thats
a neat $250k a year or $500k sucked out by him. Than he got his wife under the 2 yr plan and another $50k for 2 years. So he makes $600k plus huge expenses
paid. So at least $800K goes to the EGO man after one year, leaving a balance of 1 million and another year to pay and thats another $800k, leaving a small amoiunt of $200k for all other expenses over two years.
So clearly he comes out as the big winner.Even if his network fails as it appears it will as hwe only has 11 stations on. Thats very very very very poor but again he could care less as he makes the guarranteed big bucks to wing it and pretend he is the democratic
preacher know all even though he just switch from being a conservative.
Plus he is smart enough to use his good ratings on his local station Clear channels KFGO to get them to let him keep his local show and thus he has even more control and makes a secured $150k a year. So
this man has outsmarted Clear Channel and the Democrat Senators
to A UNBELIEVABLE STGAGE OF POWER AND PERSONAL MONEY.
So much so that there are major internal problems at KFGO. Big Ego
is running the show and does what he wants when he wants and steps all over the rest of the employees. Its manager simply cant handle this ego and lets him do whatever. Except, Clear Channel who owns KFGO, will not allow Ed with his National show to go in the afternoons on KFGO and Ed is being pressured big time...to..why arent you KFGO, the big station? If you are the so called manager, than why dont you put yourself on?(HE is NOT the manager, never has been, never will)
So Ed keeps pushing on the local show, that he should be on the national show on his station. He is really pushing Clear Channel to the point I wouldnt be surprised very soon that Clear Channnel will order his local termination ibn the best interests of the other employees and listners.
He cant keep doing both shows. Actually he is stupid to do both.
The local show ties him down bigtime and is mickey mouse comparted to the national show
attempt.
Someone bigger than the EGO man at Clear Channel needs to step in and
handle him and put him in place.
Now he attacaks Clear Channels prize big boy..Rush Limbauggh. Calling him a druggie and other names is wrong and he does it on Clear Channels station.
Something has to give and its obvious KFGO has a very weak
General Manager who doesnt dare to put him in place.
And remember Mr Ego has 11 stations on...rinky dinky am stations with tiny listnership. Rush has 645 radio stations on and he is in all major markets. Absolutely no comparison...Rush is huge, the King and Ed is a tiny
fake.
His national show also has on
Fargo advertisers on with his North Dakota stations that upsets KFGO. His national show is taking away KFGO secrets, ad dollars and more so ratings and listners.His
afternoon show is going in direct competition to KFGO and their other personalities on the air.
Doesnt make sense.
Also, a lot of people have commented on his show in that he says he prides his show on we dont screen people....but in all reality, he does only its hidden so listners are not aware...when one comes on , he is control right off the bat and if she or he goes off in any hard right way , he simply intimidates them by being
loud, harsh and mean like, causing the caller to stop and not say as much...also he often takes the callers subject and goes into a long preacher like expert who knows all there is about Bush and the economy and all...always his take of BS...causes the caller to stop or go away, thus its really his show, not the callers as
he says. And he will cut off any one who has a point different than his by saying"Im against the clock, gotta go".

So the man has outsmarted the employers, the senators, the listners etc....a out of controlled man. This wont last as his callers will figure out his
fake thing.

And he isnt done..hustling...now he has announced he has a upcoming gig with NFL football?

A real piece of work.

[N. Theknow]

*Yawn *

If this guy is the "liberals" answer to Rush Limbaugh", then, as usual, liberals don't understand the question.

[jackbill]

they hope to get Ed up to 40 by the end of the year which would be huge in, in radio stations

Laura Ingraham was talking about this last night. She has been on the air for six months and is on something like 260 stations.

Jamie Gangel is a Mega-Clymer. She needs a reality check.

[ChadGore]

"The problem with our liberal friends is not that they know so much,
but that they know so much that isn't so"
-- Ronald Reagan

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Schultz: "I saw what was happening in the heartland. I mean I saw families that couldn't afford health care. I saw families that were losing their farms. I've been to farm auctions. I've seen tears come down the, the face of good Americans. It swells me up to talk about it, it does. America can do better than this."

"And the media still covers for the democrats actions in causing this", Schultz added.

[Otto Krueger]

Here are Ed's stations, as noted on www.kfgo.com

Here is the List of Stations carrying the Ed Schultz Show

KTOX / Needles CA
KNDK / Langdon ND
KBSR / Billings MT
KHDN / Hardin MT
KQLX / Lisbon ND
KQDJ / Jamestown ND
WAAM / Ann ARBOR MI
WSGW / Saginaw MI
KUGN / Eugene OR
WATA / Boone, NC
KBUR / Burlington IA

XM Satellite CH 166
Sirus Satellite CH 143

[Freakazoid]

This guy sounds not like a liberal but like a pitchforker. Ask him if he has any books signed by Pat Buchannon.

[Comus]

Rush has one thing the libs are not going to be able to get - - listeners.

[PJ-Comix]

He explains the whole gig with his sandwich story: plain baloney!

Yeah, one friggin' baloney sandwich and we are supposed to believe he changed his entire political philosophy over it. BALONEY!

[henbane]

=

[nutmeg]

read later bump