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
Nah, you have your list of favorite books on your page.. read it in one of them.
)
If anyone doubts that Rush reads at FR, I have ta tell ya, he used my coined name for Harkin the other day, ‘Tom ‘Dungheap’ Harkin. Wished he’d use my ‘axis of acorns’, bitter little nuts fallen from the clinton tree. I think he’s used my ‘sinkEmperor’ too.
The Clear Channel CEO was called out by Reid. He is treating this as a non-issue. (Ignoring Reid) That’s OK with me. I e-mailed my Senators to say something (even though that’s doubtful). The CEO of Clear-Channel has said his peace and doesn’t need to be political about this. He respectfully said “shovel meet sand”.
I disagree that Ann Coulter should be the one to lead the counter-attack on the “Clinton slime machine”. I shoud have included her, and Michelle Malkin, as early victims of this left led assault on our conservative media super stars.
I wish Brit Hume would host a round table discusion group, discussing and debunking this coordinated attack on the right. Name names, describe the distortion, expose the total disregard for the truth.
That's the professional way to say 'go screw yourself down the street while walking away'.
Does he need a microwave engineer for satellite uplinks and transmission? I am willing to talk.
“Why haven’t the Republicans made out a commendation letter outlining the good Rush has done for the troops?”
—
A rep. named Kensington (I think) filed a bill on 10/1 doing basically just what you call for. It will probably not be approved by the Nancy Baloney House.
Well, that’s different. If someone comes away from the floor and calls him “unpatriotic” and “high on drugs” they may well face a lawsuit.
I know what a bill of attainder is.
Your repeating some copied defination is mildly insulting
>The letter calls for repudiation. Repudiation is not punishment.
Yes, it is.
>and can not even be construed to convey a sense of the Senate.
Yes, it can.
Agreed.
I think some people expect the CEO to act like the way our Republican politicians should be acting. That’s not his job. The republicans in the House and Senate should be giving Reid and Harkin hell, not Clear Channel.
This was a good response. Polite, evasive enough to suit their lawyers, but when the Dems read this the message they are going to get the message “screw you”. the Dems want Limbaugh off air or sanctioned. C.C. has no intention of doing that and told them so. they got slapped down. that’s cause to write C.C. or phone them and thank them for not being intimidated by the Stalinists in the majority. It would be very easy to back down in response, they refused.
Clear Channel got this precisely right. If anyone wants to be angry at anyone other then the phony soldiers OR MSM or Democrats...then be angry at the silent republicans.
He has used a number of brayism and am very proud of his use. It does kinda take them out of my vocab, but a very small price to pay when you hear them used by the Master.
Pray for W and Our Troops
So, Ms. Landrieu joined in the 41? I hope every Rush supporter in Louisiana lets her know how we feel. She’s up for re-election next year, and I hope this becomes a campaign issue.
Same. Smacked them upside the head with a giant velvet hammer.
Ditto! I wrote both of my Senators and Clear Channel. Only one responded.
Hehe, I was hummin’ along workin’ yesterday, with Rush on in the background, and all of a sudden he said ‘Dingheap Harkin’ and it stopped me cold in my tracks! The smile that broke out on my old face was from ear to ear! Like you say, it is such a kick hearing it come from the MahaRushie.
The funniest thing is, he made the comments on the 2nd hour of his program.
Armed Forces network only carries the first hour.
So until Media Matters made a big deal out of it, and the democrats quoted it again and again, the armed forces would not have even known about the comment, much less thought it applied to them.
The letter was a tad verbose, and diplomatic to a fault, but I suppose Mark Mays has to be diplomatic and polite at all times, even to a dishonest scumbag like Reid.
“Didn’t the impeached *Crinton declare that the ‘politics of personal destruction’ should end? Looks like the RATS have perfected it - eh?”
Yep.
Then: Saying the truth about clinton by calling him a liar, draft dodger and adulterer was politics of personal destruction that should end at the waters edge because any criticism of the president is a criticism of the troops he leads as commander in chief.
Now: Calling President Bush, Conservatives, and all others who disagree with the democrats every nasty name under the sun is considered “free speech” and “dissent”
“Rush’s battles are the battles of every conservative, because they don’t only want to silence Rush - they want to silence us.”
—
I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, Free Republic should formally adopt Rush Limbaugh because the lad needs our support and assistance on a daily basis. Satan lurks in a pants suit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.