Imus Out at MSNBC

In the mass exodus from Imus (from former guests to the show's sponsors) this is the one that has to hurt the most.

Talk show host Don Imus' situation worsened Wednesday, when MSNBC announced that it would no longer simulcast the "Imus in the Morning" radio program.

In a statement, NBC News announced "this decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process, which initially included the announcement of a suspension. It also takes into account many conversations with our own employees. What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible."

The network statement went on to say, "Once again, we apologize to the women of the Rutgers basketball team and to our viewers. We deeply regret the pain this incident has caused."

While his future at CBS is still uncertain, good for MSNBC for pulling the plug. Finally, Imus's long history of racism, sexism, and homophobia has caught up with him. What had been brushed aside or pooh-poohed as "just Imus's act" has been revealed for the hate speech that it is.

•  Rutgers women held a rally today

  two, one in Newark one in New Brunswick.

  by missreporter on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:39:15 PM PDT

  •  loved nia gill at one of them

    I wish they would have shown more of her on TV. I read about her when people here were promoting her for Corzine's seat after he was elected governor. Very impressive woman.

    by dougymi on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:29:33 PM PDT

  •  IMUS NEW SHOW ON FOX NEWS

    http://www.dailykos.com/...

    Pimpin

    by SemDem on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:49:37 PM PDT

  •  Did you just hear the Rutgers coach on Olbermann?

    She made what is one of the best points of this whole sorry episode:

    That the athletic accomplishment of these amazing young women - their moment in the spotlight, their opportunity for their families and friends to bask in the fruits of their labor - was utterly obliterated by Imus' racist and idiotic remark.

    Imus stole the spotlight that rightly belonged to the Rutgers team.

    I felt really badly for these women when she pointed that out. They kind of lost that moment because of that pompous ass.

    by Swampfoot on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:39:28 PM PDT

    •  Imus's remarks were not just racist

      That has been the focus, and rightly so--Imus and his producer's remarks pandered to the worst racial stereotypes--they also perpetuate the stereotype that the female athelete is less than feminine.

      My mother played basketball in college. She played in the mid '60s, and at a level far below that of the Rutgers women. But I know that growing up she was made fun of for being taller than many of the boys (she's 6') and she's said more than once how ugly she often felt. On a purely personal level, since I'm neither black nor female, this what was offensive to me about Imus's remarks.

      He's getting his just desserts. Next stop, Limbaugh.

      by AustinCynic on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:00:15 PM PDT

  •  Non I blame Jesse Sharpton!

    And that damned Al Jackson  and that Bill Clenis! Three Card Monty, Racial Huckstering Pimps all!

    by Salo on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:18:50 PM PDT

•  Yay

  As I said in the other diary...anyone see the light starting to peek through?

  Imus is the past, and maybe people like Rachel Maddow are the future.

  by Science and Art on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:39:25 PM PDT

  •  and Flavia Colgen

    or however you spell her name. Love them both.

    by phoenixdreamz on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:45:58 PM PDT

  •  So... the strongest voice against Limbaugh, ...

    O'Reilly, Savage, and Hannity is now weakened.

    From campaigning against Don Imus by well funded "civil rights" leaders such as Al Sharpton ???

    Yeah, folks, the ugly old white guy with the nasty mouth is gone from MSNBC.

    Hopefully Imus is not gone forever from the radio. We'll see what CBS has to say in a couple of weeks.

    The spirit of the First Amendment took one helluva hit with this one. All to the convenience of the White House Bushies and America's wingnuts.

    by vets74 on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:28:39 PM PDT

    •  The weirdo factor

      Imus is forever exposed as a weirdo.  Just a really odd dude.  I mean, how do you explain what he said.  Who even formulates that sentence in their head?  Never mind the internal warning 'no, I better not say that.'  Who even formulates that sentence in their head?

      What a weirdo!  I don't know what you're talking about 'the strongest voice against Limbaugh.'

      by ne plus ultra on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:38:00 PM PDT

      •  that's the thing that gets me

        i mean, when did "jigaboo" come back as an acceptable word in ordinary conversation?

        by TrueBlueMajority on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:00:46 PM PDT

    •  Oh yeah, I always look to Imus as the voice of

      reason. I don't know how the public dialogue can get along without him. We're sunk without that ass wipe.

      by overlander on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:51:34 PM PDT

    •  blow it out your ass.

      If Don Imus has the right to say what he wants, then so do we.  And so do the advertisers who pulled their sponsorship.

      This is a  V-I-N-D-I-C-A-T-I-O-N  of the First Amendment.  Get a fucking clue.

      by AlyoshaKaramazov on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:51:50 PM PDT

      •  imus is a wimp compaired to limbaugh

        and the  sooner Americans use their free speech rights to tell their local talk radio station and their local sponsors they dont like the public air waves to sell wars and swiftboat politicians, the better.

        if imus was doing this from a soapbox on the corner it really would be different. and if you dont like a rapper's misoginistic lyrics go after their sponsors too.

        imus wasn't fired, his sponsors felt the power of free speech.  the sooner it happens to limbaugh and his clones the better for America and democracy.

        by certainot on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 11:17:03 PM PDT

    •  First Amendment

      I wish everyone who screams that this is somehow a violation of the First Amendment would take the time to look up what it actually means.

      by TheLoneliestMonk on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:56:00 PM PDT

      •  they don't want to,

        because it interferes with their prejudice and agenda.

        Facts do that, get in the way of prejudice and agenda; it's really sad how many people who consider themselves to be progressive or liberal have such little understanding of what progressive or liberal mean.

        Maybe they should all chip and buy a soapbox for Don to stand on and tell his stupid jokes.

        by shpilk on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:05:09 PM PDT

        •  Mr. Imus can have my $10 any time.

          Soap box, radio program, whatever.

          BTW::: This was taken out of the hands of the Rutgers basketball players.

          So now they will be blamed -- without any real justification -- for silencing a national curmudgeon.

          Giving the power to the basketball players was the right course of action.

          by vets74 on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 10:51:07 AM PDT

    •  ya, I'm really going to miss his insults

      because I just have to know who it's gonna be next week. Imus is a tired old cartoon, who even at the best of times was irritating.

      Save your 'valiant warrior' shit and peddle it somewhere else. There's much more progressive honest voices to replace that bigoted jackass.

      by shpilk on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:02:19 PM PDT

      •  were you a big fan of imus then? n/t

        by cosmic lattice on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:22:22 PM PDT

    •  imo, one thing that is important to me is:

      "WHO IS SPEAKING FOR ME?"

      Yes, Imus may put some hurt on the likes of O'Reilly, Hannity and Rush, and that's all fine and good, but I am not interested in being associated with him when he says gnarly crap like he said about these women in addition to the things he has said in the past.

      I don't want my beliefs about O'Reilly et al being put forth by someone who would say the things he said about those women. I don't want those two associated with each other.

      So yeah, he may realize those fools are fools, but that just makes him less of a fool. He looks like a haggard drunk, and he says shit on air he should, after 30 years of broadcasting, know good and goddamn well he should not say, and that's NOT WHO I WANT IN MY CORNER.

      We have serious issues going on and the people who need to speak to them have to have a little better mind of what the 21st century looks like than Imus. No one, and I mean No One in my circle would ever stand for that kind of shit, wouldn't even mistake it for funny.

      So I say good m'n'f'n riddance to him and the type of discourse he represents.

      by Tirge Caps on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:17:57 PM PDT

      •  Besides

        We have plenty of people now who can refute the Limbaughs. Olbermann, for one.  Mike Malloy, who I'm listening to right now, Randi Rhodes, Thom Hartmann, (Maybe we can get Sam Seder to replace Imus?), Rachel Maddow, Stephanie Miller, there's plenty of them!  Imus is the voice to refute Limbaugh??? give me a fucking break.

        by Hummingbird on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:20:28 PM PDT

    •  And While We're At It...

      Ban the Gangster Rappers, Ms. Colter, Rush Limbo, and anyone, conservative, black, liberal, white, red, or yellow, who is disparaging to other races, gays, or women. We so easily stigmatize Child-Molesters - why can't we stigmatize all offenders of the airways. If we're going to screw Don - we need to screw them all - those forked-tongued devils... I don't think it will happen - Imus is just today's sacrificial lamb - prove me wrong tomorrow, and freedom of speech becomes the fodder of McCarthyism. We'll give Don Imus the heave-ho - but not impeach George Bush when he lies, deceives, and creates terrorist empowerment by his actions, while tearing away at our liberties. No simple solution here by just firing someone - we as a nation, a society, need to make some quick adjustments that require courage and leadership - any volunteers?

      by keechi on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:52:34 PM PDT

    •  Precisely; and WHY liberals Lose elections n/t

      by wxdave on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:12:55 PM PDT

    •  Like Imus was a voice against Limbaugh, sure

      so why were his two favorite politicians that liberal champion Senator Alphonse D'Amato, and the ultra-liberal Joe Lieberman.  Imus was a crank and how he got to this position as an important stop on the politcal circuit is just beyond me.  What kind of friend of the political process is someone who vows never to have Hillary Clinton on his show? I'm not a real big supporter of the Clinton candidacy, but a supposed political guru that refuses to have her on the show is just the same as Fox News in my book.

      by MrJersey on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:38:19 PM PDT

      •  Imus's influence was based on his access...

        ...to Republican males.

        The NASCAR types.

        by vets74 on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 10:43:04 AM PDT

  •  MSNBC - put Tucker in that slot

    Get him out of the evening line up!

    by deepsouthdoug on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:51:23 PM PDT

    •  NO. Tucker with morning coffee

      I'm throwing up in my mouth.  

      Send Tucker back to late night.

      Could KO do morning and night.

      by enough on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:18:43 PM PDT

      •  LOL

        I can't stand him at 4 or 6 either.

        How about just canning him?  

        by deepsouthdoug on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:25:57 PM PDT

        •  You have my vote for that! n/t

          by enough on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:53:32 PM PDT

    •  Put in a Keith re-run!

      I'm on the West Coast.  We get Keith at 5pm and 9pm.  Sometimes I can't make it back in time for his 5pm show, and am out in the evening for his 9pm one.  A late-night replay for us may be very good, and for the East coast folks, those who miss him the day before can now see him in the morning before work.

      by BruinKid on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:07:54 PM PDT

      •  Tivo or DVR. It's great. nt

        by nicejoest on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:32:30 PM PDT

    •  Exposing Tucker to the morning audience

      brings two words to mind: cruel and unusual.

      by MrJersey on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:40:36 PM PDT

  •  Olbermann just said to Jessie Jackson

    That he went to his bosses and told them that Imus should go.  

    He's asking Jessie why aren't you going after the other hate mongers on TV?  A fair question.  

    by deepsouthdoug on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:16:15 PM PDT

    •  Jesse Jackson was disappointing,

      He kept talking about MSNBC,CBS and did not directly answer Keiths questions about Limbaugh, etc.  I have problems with trusting Jesse Jackson after he came down to Clearwater, Fl and politically helped Jeb Bush and the Republican Cabal instigate national unrest in my neighborhood and with my neighbor, Mike Schiavo.  love, mjd

      by mjd in florida on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:32:24 PM PDT

      •  How do you have Jessie Jackson on to

        talk about stupid, racist and insensitive remarks and not mention "Hymietown"?  Could be that's why Jessie was more mumbly-mouthed than normal.

        by MrJersey on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:42:32 PM PDT

  •  The thing that bothers me is ......

    that people have not nailed him sooner, along with Rush and Ann, among others.  I really don't understand the members of the American public who make these people stars by watching them.  Limbaugh even survived his little "drug problem."  While there should be no laws restricting free speech, people like Imus, Rush and Ann Coulter should not be given free passes to take insulting and almost always false shots at anybody they think their audience will allow them to attack (and even laugh at or wink at).  It says something about TV viewers that they enjoy such tripe.  

    If Imus, Rush or Ann actually used a few brain cells and came up with real arguments to support positions instead of invective, insulting names and slander, then I might have though them worthy of my time.

    by Desert Biologist on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:26:33 PM PDT

    •  BIOLOGIST Dude you are Moron!!!

      IMUS  Ann Coulter  and Rush are the  same  thing? are  you fucking   nuts  OR  reallt that  stupid?

      Rush has endorsed   Democrats?

      Ann coulter supported    Ford  in the TN  senate  race?

      The sad thing about  far left wing idiots like you is that they always  eat their  kids

      by wxdave on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:48:09 PM PDT

      •  Far left?

        Anyone that uses that terminology deserves scrutiny.

        by wrights on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 09:25:49 PM PDT

        •  Word Scrutiny

          Who from?  The idea police?

          by Bloopville on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 06:05:52 AM PDT

          •  I suspected a troll...

            And I usually don't make the allegation lightly.

            Far left is a right wing accusation of everyone left of GWB.

            by wrights on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 08:43:20 AM PDT

            •  You don't know the far right

              My friends on the real far right think that Bush and crowd are killing conservatism because they are too liberal.  And, yes, I have friends that range from pre- 1914 arch- conservative pro monarchists to European doctrinaire Marxists, so I actually discuss issues with a whole range of beliefs.  There are neo-cons, paleo cons, conservo - libertarians, liberal libertarians, Centrists, Rightists and Leftists and everything in between, but our parties only represent a left leaning authoritarian centrism (Democrats) and a economically centrist, socially conservative authoriantism (Republicans).  The rest of us are all disenfranchised.

              by Bloopville on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 12:53:40 PM PDT

              •  I know them somewhat..

                Just got an e-mail about what a traitor "Hanoi Jane" is.

                My reply asked about their opinion about politicians that out CIA agents who are serving their country.

                Are they traitors too?

                by wrights on Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 10:48:37 AM PDT

                •  Traitors

                  They are both traitors.  As much as I despised the war in Vietnam, that doesn't give a free pass to Jane Fonda for promoting North Vietnamese goals.  Equally, CIA agents who subvert the constitution, or vice-presidents who subvert the constitution are traiterous. The ends do not justify the means on either sprectrum of political persuasion.

                  by Bloopville on Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 02:23:08 PM PDT

•  That'll leave a mark...

  ...on that ratty head of his.

  by Sean Robertson on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:39:46 PM PDT

  •  Good, he deserves it

    In all the clips I viewed, he seemed wholly unrepentent and slightly outraged that anyone could question that he was a "good man" who "made a mistake."  It was not a mistake, in the common understanding of that term.  This behavior had a long history, in which he took a certain amount of delight.  The racial comments were commonplace with him and his crew, and it is insulting for him  to suggest the we could not tell the difference.

    by vigilant meerkat on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:49:20 PM PDT

    •  I started watching

      Imus a couple of years ago because of the hours I work he's about the only thing on TV.  But as time went by I saw him for what he was and eventually tuned out.

      He has done good and he's done bad ... not too much in the middle. He lacks nobility and so there is no tragedy here.

      

      by craigb on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:11:20 PM PDT

  •  The worst part of this for Imus...

    ... is that he'll have to go back to doing his show from the fungus-infested WFAN studios in Astoria.

    CBS may not have to fire him;  he might very well quit.

    by tbetz on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:52:28 PM PDT

    •  He could just do it from his ranch, couldn't he?

      He worked from there half the time anyway.

      by Sean Robertson on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:57:38 PM PDT

      •  MSNBC simulcast him from his ranch too n/t

        by phoenixdreamz on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:03:36 PM PDT

      •  Let him sing in the shower

        but I do not want to see it.

        by enough on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:54:33 PM PDT

      •  the Ranch where he beats all those sick kids

        I  hope al sharpton  can close  that down as well.... maybe   they can give it a  Good    rap singer   since they spend so much of their time  defending  woman  

        by wxdave on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:51:36 PM PDT

    •  Meanwhile, elsewhere in the corporate media:

      CNN's Glenn Beck says Hillary Clinton is a bitch.

      CNN's Anderson Cooper asks if Nancy Pelosi is "talking with terrorists".

      CNN's Bill Bennett says aborting black babies will reduce the crime rate.

      Fox News' Bill O'Reilly says Mexicans should be deported.

      Michael (Weiner) Savage says Barbara Walters is a whore.

      King Features Syndicate's Ann Coulter says her worst moment was when she had Bill Clinton in her sites and didn't take the shot.

      Who do we take out next?

      by HollywoodOz on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:59:10 PM PDT

      •  So many fascists...

        so little time.

        by jfadden on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:02:45 PM PDT

        •  So many Stalinists, so little IQ [n/t]

          by crankyinNYC on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:38:31 PM PDT

          •  Freedom stops where the freedom of others begins.

            Don't confuse freedom for anarchy and the right to abuse the dignity and reputation of others.  There's no such thing as absolute freedom of speech.  If there were, then we would be able to yell fire in a crowded theater.  Verbal abuse is just as bad as physical abuse.  Try engaging in verbal and public abuse of someone's character and you may be held responsible for damages.  Mr. Imus has been engaging in character assassinations for a very long time, and he hasn't even had the decency to allow the person he's attacking to be present to defend him or herself.  His behavior is the cheap and juvenile bully brand of behavior that's very brave when picking on the weak and defenseless.  It's also not funny.  I guess your definition of a high IQ is the mistaken notion that being fat or female or black is somehow hilarious.  And will you tell me who the Stalinists are?  History tells me that Stalinists persecuted minorities.  As for fascists, I guess we know what they did to minorities and how they put women in their "proper place."

            by trinite on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:39:14 PM PDT

            •  Analysis of a riposte

              I was being glib. I could have said "so many fascists..." but that was already claimed by jfadden's comment that I was responding to "who (sic) do we take out next". As for the IQ part, I am objecting to the notion that we purge the airwaves. My contention is that this shark feeding frenzy about canning Imus will, if carried to its conclusion, ultimately result in bland non-controversial programming, not progressive programming, or as you rightly state, the opportunity for people to confront their defamers. So Stalinist or fascist, in this context it is all the same to me, railing to get someone kicked off the air by persons who mostly never listened to the show. In other words, imposing your will on what others should listen too. For the tenth time I will state that I don't like Imus, but getting him kicked off the air is exercise in "purification" that will yield poor results. Wait until a shock jock says something against the war in Iraq, when the wingers ask that he be fired, well, precedent has been set. The far better thing is to let Imus know that we think he is an ass and don't listen.

              See, sometimes a pithy riposte is better than a long explanation. Get it?

              by crankyinNYC on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:23:18 PM PDT

              •  I think you're a bit confused.

                You're claiming that what is happening here is a "purge of the airwaves" and an imposition of someone's will concerning what should be seen on television.  You're also equating what happened to Imus with someone speaking up against the war in Iraq.  These issues are not at all the same.  First, Mr. Imus was violating the rights and freedoms of others by defaming their character and personal behavior and ridiculing their looks.  I'm not imposing my will on anyone.  I'm just trying to protect the rights of innocent young women not to be called whores and not to be ridiculed for being female and African-American.  Having an opinion against the war in Iraq does not violate anyone else's personal right not to be defamed in public and have their reputation and self-esteem destroyed.  It's not the imposition of anyone's will here.  It's about the right everyone has to be protected from irrational and destructive abuse, be it physical or verbal.  

                by trinite on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 08:01:22 PM PDT

            •  All these characteristics are hilarious

              Being fat, female or black is hilarious, just as being thin, male and white are hilarious.  As a mixed raced, mixed ethnicity, mixed religion guy, if I worried about insulting people, I'd never be able to tell a joke, because I'd have to boycott myself.  I am both proud and highly amused at all of my chromosomal and cultural constituent parts.  

              Did you here the joke about the skinny white guy .....?

              by Bloopville on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 06:13:12 AM PDT

        •  What is Fascism?

          http://orwell.ru/...

          by xc1427 on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 10:16:42 PM PDT

      •  everyone, or just stop watching

        i've often wondered if all the people that hate o'reilly/ hannity/ savage, etc stopped paying attention, would they disappear?

        i mean we can go one by one trying to fire people.  but what is most effective is not giving them ratings.

        by cosmic lattice on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:17:33 PM PDT

        •  Bad behavior sells.

          Unfortunately, some people are attracted by gross behavior, and some would even watch public hangings.
          Does that mean that this is something we should allow on the public airwaves?  There has to be somebody with the common sense and decency to make sure that the media is not used to denigrate, marginalize, and persecute entire groups of innocent people.  There are serious consequences when we destroy someone's self-esteem and create feelings of inferiority, and sometimes they last for a lifetime.  Is this how we should use the media, to destroy people?    

          by trinite on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:53:30 PM PDT

          •  it's the american way of life

            our humor is insulting and degrading (but sarcastic)

            our foreign policy is economic slavery with bombs

            our political discussions are "he's bad," vs "he's worse"

            hard to see how this will change

            and no, please no public executions puh-puh-puh please

            by cosmic lattice on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:25:35 PM PDT

            •  Hours after the Rutgers womens press converence

              ABC's Dancing with the Stars had a "comedy" segment with Jimmy Kimmel doing the rhumba with a Hispanic guy wearing a dress and dancing.  Comedy, for a cheap laugh, put a man in a dress, because nothing is funnier and more ludicrous than a man dressed up as a woman, because you know that women are so stupid.  Who was Jimmy Kimmel's segment more offensive to, women or Hispanics, or both.  Racism and misogynistic behavior is so ingrained in our culture that we see it and don't even recognize its offense.

              by MrJersey on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 09:18:02 PM PDT

      •  exactly.

        as I said downthread, the ULTIMATE TROLL RATE SYSTEM WORKS!

        Now who's next???:-)

        by donailin on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:21:28 PM PDT

        •  Beck. Please let's go after Beck.

          Come on, he doesn't rate, CNN is easily spooked, and he says some hideous shit.

          All we'd need to do is say 'go' and set the attack hounds on him and his advertisers and he'd be gone in a week.

          by HollywoodOz on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:25:54 PM PDT

          •  I agree

            I think that CNN would be easily spooked if they were in the sights next by massive emails to corporations that advertise on CNN.  There are plenty of reasons to go after him.  If we can get rid of him, after Imus, we might just see companies like Clear Channel re-evaluating their support of the likes of Limbaugh,  ad nauseum.

            by Hummingbird on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:47:41 PM PDT

        •  wha? i'm a troll?

          puh lease

          i'm sorry i don't think firing imus was right

          i don't think it solves anything
          and i don't see what it accomplishes

          better you force him to make it up to the team he insulted (ie - make him pay their tuition)

          but i am wrong
          oh well

          by cosmic lattice on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:07:08 PM PDT

      •  Imus down, Limbaugh to go.

        by Flippant on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:27:50 PM PDT

        •  Limbaugh attacked a 13-year old girl.

          Called her "the White House dog."

          Nuthin' happened.

          That was Chelsea Clinton.

          Now if she'd been black ?????

          by vets74 on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:32:36 PM PDT

          •  asdf

            He would have still gotten away with it. Your point being?

            by TheLoneliestMonk on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:57:49 PM PDT

          •  If She Had Been Black?????

            You must have forgotten how the rightwing noise machine spewed its racist venom at Bill Clinton.  And by no means did they leave out Chelsea or Hillary! Bill supposedly had Black children by Black women. Hillary was a lesbian who'd had an affair with Vince Foster and then turned around and murdered him. Chelsea was mocked for her looks ad nauseum! The corporate media treated the entire Clinton family shamefully, and white progressives and Democrats looked the other way or chimed in!  He was poor white trash! Learn this lesson, now,  if you can get over your racism! By that I mean, stop viewing this situation through the prism of it's unfair a racist white person finally suffered the consequences of his racist behavior! Get that ugly racism out of your system, vet74!  Racial hatred can clog your arteries just like fat, believe me!

            by LizOnlineInGa on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:05:22 PM PDT

          •  I'm a flipflopper

            Troll rated you, then removed it. If Chelsea had been black, what? Limbaugh would have lost his job? Meanwhile, the Rutgers team is getting something special (Imus' skull on a platter) because so many of its player are black? What? What? Elaborate.

            by overlander on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:51:49 PM PDT

            •  Right. That is a question, not a statement.

              We have no idea what would happen to Limbaugh if he attacked a black 13-year old girl.

              He insulted Chelsea Clinton just as bad as Iums insulted the rutgers college-age girls. Nothing happened.

              I am willing to bear some level of over-the-top insulting language. Even oon the radio and television. It goes with the territory, assuming you want Free Speech.

              People will push the limits and go over the limits of civility from time to time.

              But I do think that calling a 13-year old a "dog" is worse than calling 19- and 20-year olds "nappy-headed ho's." Not be much, to be sure.

              But 13 ?????

              by vets74 on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 10:27:49 AM PDT

          •  What's your point?

            The right wing spin machine viciously attacked the Clinton's.. are you thinking had she been black this would have stopped somehow?  Unh uh.  The momentum wasn't there.  We are at a tipping point, people have had enough.  That's what's going on here.

            Americans are f-ing sick of this vicious hate-mongering.  It's the final straw, and the rest of these media clowns are going to start feeling pretty uncomfortable very, very soon.

            Unfortunately, I think that Fox will be the hardest nut to crack.  Let's go for Glenn Beck next.

            Karma is a bitch, ya know?

            And before you start screaming about free speech again, get this... this is not the GOVERNMENT shutting these people down, this is the PEOPLE shutting them down.  This is the people saying "Enough of this hate-speech, we are SICK Of this." This is a bunch of people saying to companies who sponsor this crap, "we won't BUY your products if you keep supporting these assholes". This is American capitalism and democracy at the grassroots.  

            by Hummingbird on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:19:19 PM PDT

            •  yeah, F-R-E-E S-P-E-E-C-H.

              It's not just about what government does.

              It's about what we do.

              It's about tolerance. Going both ways.

              Tolerance by speakers toward individuals they oppose or dislike. Tolerance by listeners of speech that may here and there go over the normal limits.

              We protect the Constitution best by living up to the standard of its ideas.

              by vets74 on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 10:33:46 AM PDT

              •  So you don't support libel laws?

                Slander laws?
                Copyright laws?

                by HollywoodOz on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 01:57:20 PM PDT

            •  Wanna get effective action ???

              Then act.

              Set up economic boycotts against companies that finance the wingnut ranters.

              This is not a difficult problem.

              How hard can it be to publish lists of the commercials that run on Limbaugh, O'Reilly, this creep Beck ???

              Check out who is backing these thugs. Then never, ever buy anything from their parent companies.

              (I do databases. Anybody got source data ?)

              by vets74 on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 10:39:33 AM PDT

              •  That's what was done

                People are boycotting the sponsors.  This affects the corporations and that's why they dropped Imus.  As I said DEMOCRACY IN ACTION!

                by Hummingbird on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 10:27:02 PM PDT

        •  ANOTHER idiot on the left

             It is sad to see how   many of these idiots here   think Imus   is    equal to  Rush

          Rush is far worse and is   true  Nazi and  what Imus  said  was a   bad unfunny joke

          Imus has called   Cheney a War criminal... Rush hasnt

          by wxdave on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:56:19 PM PDT

          •  no need to equate Imus with Rush

            Rush is in his own class of asshole.

            Still, you don't have to be with the "far left" to think that Imus got his pink slip from MSNBC the old fashioned way: he earned it.

            African Americans have every right to be pissed off not only for this comment (which IMNSHO was certainly a firing offense on its own) but his whole history of these kinds of comments.  It's a long list.

            Is Rush worse? Is Rush a lot further to right?  Yeah.

            "Ditto" for Anne Colter, or whatever he/she calls him/herself since the operation.

            Both have been fired from positions after the same kinds of comments.  And I'd guess that Imus' firing will give both of them something to chew over.

            It's not that Rush hasn't been fired.  It's that he hasn't been fired yet.  He may not get fired that soon.  But the times are changing.  Give it some time.

            by mbayrob on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 10:04:54 PM PDT

      •  Peter Boyles has hate radio-Denver (KHOW radio)

        He is simulcasting with unF.A.I.R. - the racist anti-immigration group - in Washington, DC this month from Washington, DC. I wrote about it on SquareState.net moments ago.

        There is a lot of hate radio in our country and if Imus is gone, then everyone else should be too!

        by greenchiledem on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:42:56 PM PDT

        •  but not Peter Boyle right?

          cause i thought he's a terrific guy and was great in young frankenstein

          plus i think he's dead

          by cosmic lattice on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:27:04 PM PDT

          •  That would be right out of the XFiles

            and I'm not talking "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" either.  The good Mr. Boyle passed away last year.

            by mbayrob on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 10:07:54 PM PDT

          •  Correct not the actor Boyle. n/t

            by greenchiledem on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 05:18:36 AM PDT

      •  The Nest Time One of These Jerks Crosses the Line

        He/She should be targeted by the progressive community.  Our passivity is the problem.  This is not about free speech or the First Amendment.  We're not advocating for any legislation to ban or outlaw certain words. We're simply expressing our preference or contempt for specific ideas, words, and beliefs.  Fair game in the marketplace of ideas!

        by LizOnlineInGa on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:55:49 PM PDT

        •  I Posted Two Diaries Here

          I posted diaries on Sunday and Monday calling for MSNBC to fire Imus - and there were posters who signed on to the call and sent emails to the network.  We were part of getting him off the air.  One more network to go.

          by Athena on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:36:22 PM PDT

      •  And this is why...

        ..I think Don Imus is not getting fair treatment. Sure he's a jerk, yes he said something offensive.

        But why does he get tarred and feathered yet Limbaugh, Savage, Beck, Coulter and the rest you list (and don't list) all get a slap on the wrist, if that?

        I'd frankly rather see THEM tarred and feathered in the media before idiotic Don Imus. I mean come on, his ratings aren't even that great, which means those others reach wider audiences than he does.

        by shmolnick on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 05:51:32 PM PDT

        •  you gotta start somewhere nt

          by sunshineonthebay on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:36:59 PM PDT

        •  There is real damage everyday

          I just do not think Imus needed to be off the air. Sharpton and Jackson do not speak for all. There is serious hypocrisy here. If Imus goes, they ALL should go. Starting with Beck, Limbaugh, Coulter and others. Will you recognize America then?
          Those young women at Rutgers are going to have fine careers and great lives. Nothing that Imus or any rapper or hip-hop artist says will change that for those fine young women.
          For me, the real damage is done when someone with access over the airwaves says I am not a true American if I do not support this particular war and/or this President. That kind of thing is said by people who, if they could, would deny me the right to speak or vote.

          by Up to here on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:42:21 PM PDT

          •  The right to speak.

            I think you're confusing the right to speak with the right to attack others with your speech.  There is no absolute right of free speech or anything else because when you live in a society instead of a deserted island, you're not the only person with rights.  Your rights stop where someone else's rights begin.  You cannot use your freedom of speech to ruin someone's else's life.  Using the airwaves to constantly denigrate and laugh at women and minorities is wrong, and Mr. Imus has been doing it for a long time.  It's beyond time that it stopped.  If we don't protect everyone's rights, then we are giving in to the concept of rights for the strongest, richest, and most powerful among us.  Do we want survival of the fittest to be the law here or do we want to protect everyone, especially the weakest among us?

            by trinite on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:05:52 PM PDT

          •  Just wait

            Imus was the first, believe me, the marketplace and the American people will get rid of the rest of these bastards.

            And this isn't about free speech, no government is shushing them.  This is the American people putting pressure on the corporations that carry their shows and support their shows.  This is democracy in action.

            Besides it can be said that if you work for a company you really don't have free speech if you are on their station, and if the company says. "that's out of bounds" then they have the right to fire them if they cross the line.

            by Hummingbird on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 07:34:15 PM PDT

      •  all of the above

        I believe Glen Beck singlehandedly contributes to an increase in racism.

        by sunshineonthebay on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:34:42 PM PDT

      •  Unless I've missed something

        I hate to see Anderson Cooper in this list.  He did some great work from Africa and then from New Orleans.  I'll give you a Joe Scarborough and a Tucker Carlson, if you'll pardon my cautious defense of Anderson Cooper.

        by enough on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:57:31 PM PDT

        •  I would not put Anderson

          on this list.  His biggest problem is lazy journalism, but I've never seen him being racist or sexist.  In fact he covered the devastation in Katrina more than just about anyone.  

          I don't even mind Joe Scarborough, he's been ok on the war lately...  He annoys me on other aspects, but he's no Rush, or O'Reilly.  I think he's a fairly honest Republican, even if he's tremendously stupid on some issues.  But he's not been sexist or racist that I've seen, so he isn't in the same category.  I don't watch Tucker so I can't comment on him.  At least Joe permits debate, and frequently has liberal pundits on his show (sometimes even more than repugs, sometimes three libs and him) so we at least HAVE a debate.  Anyone who invites Katrina van den Heuven isn't all bad.

          by Hummingbird on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 11:06:21 PM PDT

        •  When Cooper runs a segment about Pelosi..

          ..called 'talking with terrorists', I think he's entered into the arena of hate.

          by HollywoodOz on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 02:00:34 PM PDT

    •  Hey Go Easy on Astoria

      I hope you're not dissing Astoria ...  I'm writing from an apartment that faces the entrance of Kaufman/WFAN Studios.  Have lived here 6 years and I like the 'hood.

      Lots of mixed emotions about this situation.  I have a close friend who used to read news for Imus and although I could never bring myself to listen to the show because he always spewed this infantile crap, I always understood he was a liberal at heart.

      Before I comment any further will read down-thread to see if others are picking up on some of the hypocrisy underlying this situation.

      by emobile on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:30:56 PM PDT

      •  Not dissing Astoria...

        ... just remembering why Imus moved himself and Chuck to New Jersey when MSNBC gave him the chance.  

        Concerned about the old fool's health, Mrs. Imus had brought in experts who determined that the Astoria studio is in a "sick" building, with mold and fungus in the inadequate ventilation system, and WFAN management wasn't interested in spending the money necessary to make it healthy.

        by tbetz on Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 01:29:18 AM PDT

  •  Kudos to Spocko's Brain and Mike Stark

    Remember they started this whole idea of getting to advertisers about hate speech.  Great strategy.

    by pioneer111 on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:03:33 PM PDT

•  Good

  May this decision ripple outward into hate radio.

  by bumblebums on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:39:56 PM PDT

  •  If Imus got fired...

    ... why do Rush and Hannity and BillO and Michael Wienersavage still have jobs???

    Time for the LWNM to rev up and demand more heads on pikes.  

    by Dallasdoc on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:42:20 PM PDT

    •  Cue the White Hate-Mongering Victims' Chorus...

      One of their own has been tagged and bagged...tonight should be a delight to watch...

      by TheManWithNoPoint on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:45:20 PM PDT

      •  It's a witch hunt

        That seems to be their favorite whine lately, what will Libby and Gonzo and Don, oh my!

        Of course, when your neighborhood is infested with witches, what else is there to do?

        by Dallasdoc on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:47:09 PM PDT

        •  They will be foaming at the mouth

          and all of his old media buddies will be lamenting the fact that a decent good guy who made a mistake while attempting to be humerous was forced out by the politically correct outcries of those who just do not understand.

          by vigilant meerkat on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 03:52:31 PM PDT

        •  Witch hunt?

          Well then, sing it loud...

          "Ding dong the witch is dead
          Ding dong the wicked witch is dead!"

          by jfadden on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:04:46 PM PDT

        •  Make it true

          To hell with them.  They've been whining about witch hunts for so long, I think it's about damn time they actually started to see what one REALLY looks like.

          by rabel on Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 04:10:41 PM PDT

          •  If you haven't done anything wrong...

            ... you don't have anything to worry about.

            Isn't that what they always say while they're pissing on the Constitution?