Posted on 10/16/2007 10:25:49 AM PDT by mnehring
Air America radio host Randi Rhodes is temporarily off the air, but claims she was brutally attacked near her Manhattan apartment are bogus, her lawyer and a police source said today.
Fellow host Jon Elliott claimed on the liberal radio network that Rhodes had been mugged while walking her dog, Simon, on Sunday night. Elliot, who said Rhodes lost several teeth in the attack, waxed about a possible conspiracy.
"Is this an attempt by the right-wing, hate machine to silence one of our own?" he asked on the air, according to Talking Radio, a blog. "Are we threatening them? Are they afraid that we’re winning? Are they trying to silence intimidate us?"
A police source said Rhodes never filed a report and never claimed to be the victim of a mugging. Cops from Manhattan's 17th Precinct called her attorney, who told them Rhodes was not a victim of a crime, the source said.
Rhodes' lawyer told the Daily News she was injured in a fall while walking her dog. He said she's not sure what happened, and only knows that she fell down and is in a lot of pain. The lawyer said Rhodes expects to be back on the air Thursday. He stressed there is no indication she was targeted or that she was the victim of a "hate crime."
Rhodes started with the Air America when it launched in 2004. Her show airs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
The network released a statement that said Rhodes "experienced an unfortunate incident."
"The reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded," the statement read by a receptionist at the network's New York offices said. "Ms. Rhodes is looking forward to being back on the air on Thursday."
Still, the tale lived on in the blogosphere.
"What the %$#$ is WRONG with you people?? Are you that SICK in the head that just because you don’t agree with someone’s political views you believe that they deserve to be mugged? Are you on the right that DEMENTED??," a blogger called neddlenosehanty posted on watchingthewatchers.org.
Another blogger shot back, "I very seriously doubt if this unfortunate woman was mugged by a conservative. To jump to the conclusion that she was mugged by someone on the right is bigotry of another kind. Think not?"
That is, when she stopped to tip something out of a bottle, Simon was busy tipping something out of himself, and she failed to notice as she started stepping forward again.
Of course, it could have been one of her fellow BPs that neglected to clean up after a pet.
The last radio show host I know of that was really mugged was whacked out on an AIDS meds combo, and robbed as he wandered the streets one weekend.
Mugged, fell down, whatever.
Hey, I’m glad it wasn’t a “Right Wing Assault.” They might have come after ME!
Maybe Randi can take a page from Dan Rather’s playbook and call the story “fake but accurate.”
Hey, a 50% increase in listenership ain't bad. :=)
Miss Rhodes moments after the fall.
Doesn’t Franken pick on people he can actually beat, like Alan Colmes (at some awards dinner)?
Probably fell down some stairs drunk.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Tori Spelling.
Do you suppose she could have been falling down, sloppy drunk?
If she filed a false police report, she is in trouble.
I kind of think that the proper conservative response to a false accusation concerning the reported mugging of Randi Rhodes is to adopt the line from “Dirty Harry” after the child-murdering villian has himself beaten up to frame Harry with the deed. As best I recall it, it goes:
“Why do you say it couldn’t have been you?”
“Because he looks too damn good!”
Adapted to the present situation:
“Why do you say it couldn’t have been a conservative?”
“Because she looks too damn good!”
One wonders how long it will take for her attorney to sue the City of New York for her clumsiness. As we know, Lefties (and unfortunately, some on the right) reject the very notion of personal responsibility.
that station (am 1360 in San Diego) is changing to
sports on Nov 1...
Man's best friend. :)
yep, or stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk while doing a pub crawl.
LOL!
A police source said Rhodes never filed a report and never claimed to be the victim of a mugging.
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.