Clear Channel CEO Responds to Reid (Letter Hand Delivered to Senate)

The Politico ^ | Tuesday, October 2, 2007 | Carrie Budoff Brown

[kristinn]

Clear Channel CEO Mark P. Mays responded to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in a letter hand-delivered to his office this evening.

Take a look at the letter here.

Full text:

October 2, 2007

The Honorable Harry Reid

S-221 United States Capitol

Washington, D.C. 20501

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

I want to thank you and your Senate Democratic colleagues for sharing your concern over recent comments made by Rush Limbaugh on his daily radio program. First, let me say that the men and women who wear the uniform in defense of our country deserve the utmost respect and gratitude from each and every one of us whom they serve to protect. I assure you that I fully agree with your statement that “not a single one of our sons, daughters, neighbors and friends serving overseas is a phony soldier.” As a grateful American citizen, I would reject anyone’s contention to the contrary.

Mr. Limbaugh’s comments last week have stirred a lot of emotion, and I have carefully read the transcript from the episode in question. I hope you will appreciate that I cannot speak with authority as to whom exactly Mr. Limbaugh’s comments were directed, or what was his intent. Only Mr. Limbaugh can speak to those issues, which he has done.

I can say, however, that over the years Mr. Limbaugh has repeatedly praised the dedication and valor of our brave men and women in uniform. Given Mr. Limbaugh’s history of support for our soldiers, it would be unfair for me to assume his statements were intended to personally indict combat soldiers simply because they didn’t share his own beliefs regarding the war in Iraq. However, if Mr. Limbaugh’s intention was to classify any soldier opposed to the war in Iraq as a “phony soldier,” which he denies, then I, along with most Americans, would be deeply offended by such a statement.

While I do not agree with everything Mr. Limbaugh says on every topic, I do believe that he, along with every American, has the right to voice his or her opinion in the manner they choose. The First Amendment gives every American the right to voice his or her opinion, no matter how unpopular. That right is one that I am sure you agree must be cherished and protected.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel, I support each of our on-air talent’s right to express his or herself freely, as long as they do it within the confines of the laws set forth by Congress. For this reason, I have not and will not impose my own views upon any of our on-air talent. Doing so would, quite frankly, undermine the integrity of the broadcast, undercut the trust with our listeners that they are receiving the true and honest opinions of the radio host, and more importantly fly directly in the face the right to free speech that we hold so dear.

Each and every day, Clear Channel airs a broad diversity of viewpoints from Rush Limbaugh on the right to Air America on the left of the political spectrum. It is inevitable, with so many different perspectives, than an on-air personality will challenge or even offend another segment of the public. I too am sometimes offended by words that are directed at me or a particular belief I hold. However, as a broadcaster and leader of this company, I will always defend the right of our employees and contracted talent to voice their opinions under the protections provided by the First Amendment.

I want to thank you and your colleagues for writing me regarding this matter. Again, I regret that you were offended by Mr. Limbaugh’s statement, regardless of what its intended meaning may have been. I hope that you understand and support my position that while I certainly do not agree with all views that are voiced on our stations, I will not condemn our talent for exercising their right to voice them.

Sincerely,
Mark P. Mays
Chief Executive Officer

[missnry]

Thank you for the Official list of Phoney Senators

Senator Harry Reid, Majority Phoney Leader
Senator Richard Durbin, Assistant Phoney Majority Leader
Senator Charles Schumer, Phoney Vice Chairman, Democratic Conference
Senator Patty Murray, Phoney Secretary, Democratic Conference
Phoney Senator Daniel Akaka
Phoney Senator Max Baucus
Phoney Senator Joseph Biden
Phoney Senator Barbara Boxer
Phoney Senator Sherrod Brown
Phoney Senator Robert Byrd
Phoney Senator Benjamin Cardin
Phoney Senator Tom Carper
Phoney Senator Bob Casey
Phoney Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Phoney Senator Kent Conrad
Phoney Senator Christopher Dodd
Phoney Senator Byron Dorgan
Phoney Senator Dianne Feinstein
Phoney Senator Tom Harkin
Phoney Senator Daniel Inouye
Phoney Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Phoney Senator John Kerry
Phoney Senator Amy Klobuchar
Phoney Senator Mary Landrieu
Phoney Senator Frank Lautenberg
Phoney Senator Patrick Leahy
Phoney Senator Carl Levin
Phoney Senator Blanche Lincoln
Phoney Senator Bob Menendez
Phoney Senator Barbara Mikulski
Phoney Senator Bill Nelson
Phoney Senator Barack Obama
Phoney Senator Jack Reed
Phoney Senator Jay Rockefeller
Phoney Senator Ken Salazar
Phoney Senator Bernie Sanders
Phoney Senator Debbie Stabenow
Phoney Senator Jon Tester
Phoney Senator Jim Webb
Phoney Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Phoney Senator Ron Wyden
The list is so long... and yet so predictable!

[eyespysomething]

Jack Kingston of GA did:

Resolution about Rush

[babyfreep]

Our troops are fighting and dying to bring to others the freedoms that many take for granted. It is unconscionable that Mr. Limbaugh would criticize them for exercising the fundamentally American right to free speech. Mr. Limbaugh has made outrageous remarks before, but this affront to our soldiers is beyond the pale.

"What's really funny is, they [Iraq war critics] never talk to real soldiers," the caller said. "They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media."
"The phony soldiers," Limbaugh then said.

I know what Rush meant by his statement and they do, too, creeps. What is "unconscionable" is that they even dare to utter that statement..."Our troops are fighting and dying to bring to others the freedoms that many take for granted." democRATS make me sick.

[visualops]

I believe you are absolutely right, and somebody with Rush 24/7 should email him about it.

[bill1952]

All that I see missing is the official sentence - and I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that it was done just that way to achieve plausible deniability - and, perhaps, the actual floor vote, but it still seems about as close as it can get in this system.

It was done by Senators speaking on the Senate floor.

I agree that if it had been done in a non official capacity, then it would be fairly protected, but this has the color of the authority of the US Senate, and that is what it seems to be.

[BallyBill]

The CEO should not have had to say anything. Republicans should have been the ones to tell Soros ..I mean Reid to drop dead.

[fish hawk]

Rush said this morning that he can not sue. Something about he being a celebrity and in the news all the time therefore makes him fair game for just about anything with no recourse.

[festus]

I’m sure McCain was one of them.

[Miss Didi]

Rush: Folks, I am more energized and focused on the task of advancing liberty and victory than ever before. I am more energized and focused on the task of defeating Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Hillary Clinton than ever before. I will not rest. I'm not going to stop until they are exposed, until they are pushed back and defeated. They must not control our government; they must not be put in charge of our military; they must not gain the power they crave to shut down talk radio and free speech wherever they don't like it. They must not control anything in which our future is at stake. Let me add another point about all this. It has not gone unnoticed here that only a handful of Republicans and conservatives have dared to speak up about what has been taking place here. I see it. Most of them think I can handle these things on my own and so forth, but there's a fear out there. The fear and the weakness that permeates the Republican Party, and even parts of the conservative movement is also on display now, as it has been for too long.

[eyedigress]

He was personnaly called out.

[Yardstick]

It should have been a stronger statement.

Without a doubt.

He states and restates that Rush has a right to say what he said, but Reid never claimed otherwise in his letter. And he halfway concedes the point Reid is actually trying make -- that Rush dissed the troops -- when he begins his statements with "While I may not agree with what the hosts say..."

What a limp noodle. Where is the backbone, people?

On the other hand, I guess I can sympathize somewhat since the Dems are liable to muzzle ClearChannel if they perceive him as being uppity.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

I’ve heard that 41 Democrat Senators signed the letter to Clear Channel. Any idea who the 41 are?

From Dummy Underground

[Miss Didi]

See Rush’s explanation at Post #87...

[Don Carlos]

"It seems like this is something where Limbaugh could sue and win easily."

Since the remarks were made from the floor of the Senate during debate, there is probably zero chance of a lawsuit due to that immunity thingy.

That's why Rush challenged Dingy Harry to appear on his show, or repeat what he said face to face. Had the remarks been repeated as Rush dared Harry to do, Rush would have had Dingy by the short curley hairs, IOW a hands down winner in court.

[eyedigress]

Even Greta is covering this now! Wow...

[Marysecretary]

All the usual suspects. Surprise, surprise, surpriiiissseeee.

[Miss Didi]

I thought she was in Aruba...thanks, turning it on now.

[fish hawk]

I’ve tried Savage more than once and he is such a rude loud mouth a hole that I can only take a few minutes at a time. Now I give him no time at all. Rush is my main man.

[fish hawk]

I’ve tried Savage more than once and he is such a rude loud mouth a hole that I can only take a few minutes at a time. Now I give him no time at all. Rush is my main man.

[ozzymandus]

dear harry, FU.