In the end, they are going to regret taking on Rush.
Posted on 10/02/2007 6:43:31 PM PDT by kristinn
Edited on 10/02/2007 7:29:10 PM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
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
The smear is already defeated. Rush’s employer told harry reid to go pound sand.
I wish it had been stronger too. However, it is quite pleasurable to see “first amendment rights!” shoved back in their faces.
Everytime they criticize the military, what do they say?
“Dissent is patriotic!” Well, they’ve just been told Rush’s dissent from them is his first amendment right, and patriotic.
Case closed.
We have been suffering fools like Mell Martinez and Trent Lott for too long.
The fact they will not stand and be counted when right vs wrong is so crystal clear speaks volumes to their LACK of character.
A letter?
Savage is in his own boat. He does’nt care about Rush. While entertaining at times he is hard to listen to.
What Reid and the dems did was two fold.
One was an attempt to push as hard as they could to see if they could silence one of the Rights best spokesman. If they succeeded they gain valuable time to get traction with their agenda. Rush, and others like him is part of the reason they are at an 11% approval rating and can’t get anything substantive passed.
The second was an attempt to push as hard as they could to see if they could silence one of the Rights best spokesman. In taking this bold step they step very far out on the cliff. If the public, the pubie politicians, and the right lets this slide by their next attack will be even more bold. This attempt was also to test their ability to shift of the public back to neutral.
What we do now will matter more than anyone can know. The effects of how we handle this will matter for longer than we can imagine.
In the end, they are going to regret taking on Rush.
Is there a ^senator^ that would bring to the floor a resolution !!!repudiating!!! the Reid-DemoCaucus letter?
That will satisfy me more than some weak sophistry emanating from the HoReps.
Exactly! I did ask him to address the poor way of Reid understanding Rush, he still told him to get out the back end of of a shovel.
People that will say or do anything to get what they want, no, in this case to try to TAKE what they want are not the kinds of people we need in Washington. The Clinton way of doing things must stop.
Even if it isn’t technically a Bill of Attainder, it sure smells like it, and I think the subject should be broached. The Dems started this mess, I say let’s help them dig a deeper hole for themselves.
There’s a lesson here. I thought we couldn’t possibly do worse when Tom Daschle was majority leader. Then Harry Reid came along . . .
“I think one of the Republicans did put forth a commendation resolution for Rush, for all he has done for the troops. Today or yesterday. It was in one of the recent threads, perhaps someone can link it.”
Members of the House did, but I have not heard a single Republican in the Senate do anything!
placemark
It seems like Mark P. Mays is Chicken liver he knows what Rush was talking about people who are con artist who pose as our Military etc.
Wow what two stepping this chicken liver was giving!
You don’t have to agree with Rush just acknowledge truth of what wasn’t said and what was said!
I didn’t know Caligula’s horse had so many names.
Here is my problem with the response. In the same letter where the CEO references the right to free speech in the constitution, he THEN brings up free speech in the CONFINES of the laws set forth by Congress. Is this CEO invited them to make a law, inviting them to create a law that would be UNCONSTITUTIONAL?????
The Democrats are making every effort to shutdown and shutup anyone that might be a threat to the election of Hillary as President. Look for more of this as the election gets closer.
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