Campaign 2008 has now claimed its first talk show host for going over the line: Air America talk show host Randi Rhodes, who was suspended from the progressive talk radio network after using expletives to describe Democrats Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro at a meeting of station affiliates, has reportedly quit the network.
Now the scramble among reporters will be to find out if she did indeed quit, was encouraged to resign, or just had enough and decided to leave the struggling network.
UPDATE: The Huffington Post offers new details. Here’s a key part of it:
The Huffington Post has learned that Randi Rhodes quit Air America after being asked by the network to apologize for her inflammatory remarks against Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro.
A source at Air America, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “Many people screw up and then apologize and move on. Like Imus. Like David Shuster. Like Jay Rockefeller on McCain. Like Obama on Rezko. Like Hillary on Bosnia. Randi Rhodes refused to apologize for her obscene comments and has chosen instead to terminate her relationship with Air America.”
The source also said that there is no love lost between Rhodes and her colleagues at the network. “No one is upset. She made the move but there’s relief and joy.”
The official statement on the Air America website says this:
Last week Air America suspended Randi Rhodes for abusive, obscene language at a recent public appearance in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station.
Air America Media was informed last night by Ms. Rhodes that she has chosen to terminate her employment with the company.
We wish her well and thank her for past services to Air America. We will soon announce exciting new talent.
Radio Ink notes that Rhodes is likely to land somewhere else rather quickly:
But Rhodes may not be off the air for long: On the KKGN website, PD John Scott had early word of Rhodes’ AAR exit and says, “We are bringing her back.” Scott says that on Monday, April 14, “it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family.” Whether that return will be with KKGN itself or through a new syndication deal is yet to be determined.
Here’s the link to the San Francisco based station’s short post which now reads:
“We have been very frustrated the past few days in our efforts to rectify the Randi Rhodes Situation (her suspension by her network, Air America Radio). It is our understanding that today (April 9th) she is no longer an employee of Air America. So we are bringing her back.”
Monday, April 14th at 4pm… it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family.
Be sure to read our previous post which put Rhodes’ suspension in perspective.
What’s most notable about this incident is that it shows that there is a line that can’t be crossed — particularly in a divisive election year.
Vigorous, even controversial discussions or characterizations could spark denunciations but aren’t on the same level as name-calling swearing (even if, as some argued, it was done to be funny or even satirical).
It also underscores the changing nature of Air America, which started out as a company in which progressives had great hope that they could challenge the conservative talk radio’s dominance in the marketplace or, at the very least, checkmate it.. The company has since had problems, reorganized, and was sold. Its present programming is not quite as far to the left as it had been when it debuted amid great fanfare.
Also: given its need to carve out cohesive progressive audiences, Air America could not afford to alienate Hillary Clinton supporters en-masse. Did that play a factor in the suspension and — if it turns out she was actually fired - -departure?
More details will come out via reports — and most certainly via Rhodes herself.
Was there a genuine impasse? Was she basically forced to quit? Or did she simply feel Air America didn’t back her and wanted to move on? Will she be picked up by the same company that syndicates progressive talkers Ed Schultz (who himself created controversy by calling Senator John McCain a warmonger, but that wasn’t quite on the same level as Rhodes’ problem) and Stephanie Miller? Or is she fated to be a local host or syndicated by a lower-profile company?
Stay tuned. Literally.
NOTE THE UPDATE: It sounds as if she was given an ultimatum — apologize or leave so she left. But Rhodes will most certainly have more to say about this at a later date.
