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
And the worst part, that is so frustrating to me, is that we have to pay for the whole mess. They're like kindergartners with short attention spans. God, I hate politicians and bureaucrats.
Carolyn
Or if you prefer the alternate spelling, PHONY 41.
I see that is the way Rush is spelling it. Both are acceptable in the dictionary. :-)
PHONY 41 OFFER RUSH LIMBAUGH PUBLIC APOLOGY AFTER HARRY REID OUSTED FROM LEADERSHIP
My new dream headline. :-)
Personally- I would have liked it better if he’d told Harry Reid and his gang to go straight to hell- but given the constraints of the real world- this seems to have done the job.
He points out to Reid that he’s using selective hearing, that Rush has been a strong supporter of our military for years, and that FREE SPEECH trumps political gamesmanship.
Thank God for Rush!
You need to do that! All of us need to do that!
This is a killer close. I doubt Reid is smart enough to understand he just got smacked upside the head with this one sentence.
I did not believe the accusations against him then, and frankly, I was appalled at the media and congressional treatment of him.
He would be a far better man than I, as well, if he is indeed of such mind.
I would never forgive or forget that one iota. Not one. Thank you for your post - bill
Basically, it is a type of bill in some part of a legislature that convicts you without trial, and then may proceed to levy punishment.
Our Constitution forbids it in Article 1.
In this case the act itself, and the resultant media storm that ensued, was the punishment itself, intending to muzzle, discredit or otherwise disgrace Rush by using the good offices of the Senate itself.
Theodore Roosevelt
The courts have ruled in favor of Algebra in similar cases.
That is, different things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other.
I maintain that this is, in fact, a de facto Bill of Attainder, insomuch as an actual bill of attainder, de jure, is impossible to achieve in America, and that this was crafted to do the same thing and achieve the same results by other means.
(.....on the other hand, you would have loved MY letter to Martinez, LOL).
Glenmerle, I wish folks wouldn't discourage sending emails to their representatives. A good friend of mine, a recently retired congressman, told me that pro and con emails in most offices are counted by staff members in running tallys which they turn over to their boss.
All of them are not necessarily read through word for word, but the pro or con tenor of the title is recorded, or the text is scanned.
This is why I always put my punchy pro or con point in the title line. I hope someone reads the text, of course, but if not, the thrust will be recorded one way or the other from the title (or opening line).
All emails to elected officials are not protests so they are pretty much read for content unless there are organized deluges. After all, other constituents are constantly emailing for info or help on other issues.....so each email is important to most representatives.
Keep shooting off those emails, folks. Remember how it worked on the amnesty bill.
Does anyone think the Left doesn't email? We must always outweigh them in emails.
Leni
It looks like all of them are in this caucus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus#Current_members
“One thing this has done for sure is that it’s diverted America from hearing about Hsu and Iwannajihad and the other shameful things the liberals and controlling demoncrats are doing...I’m so grateful we have the blogosphere to get the truth out there despite the MSM! But that may be in danger if the beast gains more power! Fight, people! Don’t give up the fight!!!!”
I could not agree more, this is what this is all about, diversion, diversion, diversion. Stay hyper vigilent my friends. Oh, we got trouble, and it ain’t Rush Limbaugh.
bump
Bill Clinton, Media Matters, George Sorass, MoveOn, Main Stream Media and all the lesser minions of this candidate should scare every thinking and caring American voter.
It is evident that the value system of the Clinton Machine is doing whatever it takes to win at any cost.
The current divisive climate in American politics reminds me of 1930’s Germany and the actions of the Brown Shirts.
The Clinton Machine would, given the opportunity, destroy the entire fabric of traditional American.
I hope, for the sake of America, my family and all citizens that voters will wake up and smell the stench in the air left by the Clinton Machine as it systematically destroys those who stand in their way.
I guess I was "stupid" once too because I read the paper and watched the network news. I thought I was informed and fairly up to date on current events. How wrong I was and now my eyes are open. My friends aren't stupid, they just haven't had their awakening yet.
Cite a case that rulse that a Senate resolution can be a bill of attainder, and I will look into it. Otherwise, it is just a stupid resolution, and not a law. Using algebra is just sily.
Being out of touch with the rest of the world in the southern Colorado Rockies for the past four days, I missed what he actually said. Rush and Hannity did not play the passage and I was frustrated until I got back on line and saw the You-tube version and Rush's discussion of it:
THANKS!!!!
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