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
F&^% those who do not want to attack Hitlery because she is a woman. She and her political machine are the greatest threats to the security and welfare of this nation since Jimmy Carter, maybe even worse.
Yes, Rush is up to defeating them. He has spent a good portion of his life doing it, but I think you will agree that this isn’t Rush’s battle alone. We all have a stake in it.
Rush’s battles are the battles of every conservative, because they don’t only want to silence Rush - they want to silence us.
You better put some Ice on that Dirtbag!
Pray for W and Our Troops
Boortz was also talking about that subject, he said since they said it on the senate floor, they are insulated from being sued for anything they say, but then he added, if they said it over the air on the radio that it might be possible.
“nor did any of them listen to the audio or read the whole transcript”
What would you expect from a bunch of Rats who can’t even read a bill before voting on it?
I think we should elect teachers to congress cuz the lawyers can’t read.
Simple. Because the so called Republicans in Congress, to a man and woman, are cowards and afraid to OFFEND the Marxists. They are the Nevil Chamberlains of the party. Cowards.
I agree that this has the smell of such a bill, but let's remember what a Bill of Attainder actually is. It is a piece of legislation which finds one or more individuals guilty of a crime (generally a capital crime), and asseses the penalty, without any participation of a court of law. This penalty was frequently a beheading of a nobleman, or, even more frequently, the drawing and quartering of a commoner.
Whatever this smear campaign is I doubt that we are going to see anyone drawn and quartered (for anyone who doesn't know what that is, it is what they did to William Wallace at the end of Braveheart).
And while I'm here, that commie-lover Tom Harkin needs to be kicked to the curb with authority. Harkin = d-bag to the Nth degree.
Thank you for the ping!
To say the least. The Clear Channel president does nothing to refute Harry Reid's lies about what Rush actually said. Is he running scarred of Queen Hilary and a new fairness doctrine?
Anything from the floor “On Record” is protected from any judicial action. They just didn’t realize it would be this crap against a private citizen.
Once again, BOTH my RAT Senators prove what idiots they truly are.
Letter of censure. Sort’a like sticking your tongue out someone.
No kidding.
The next question is, is there even any member of the senate willing to read even that, lame, statement into the record?
"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."
?!!!????
I agree. I was listening when Rush heard Reid's scurrilous words. They were really quite shocking. They went to break. I could just visualize the law department scrambling. Rush comes back and calls Reid out. Good work law department, I thought. It was fast and smart.
Dingy Harry, the biggest flop ever to sit in the Senate Majority Leader’s seat
@@@@@@
If he was a Republican, we would be hearing about his abysmal poll numbers every day and night on all news reports.
Probably not as long as they were in session.
Ok. Can the Senate legally "censure" a private citizen?
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