Does Al Franken have a self-hatred problem?

[Southsideirish]

Why does he keep interviewing these cretin right wingers? He said he does it so "we" can know what they are like - Al - we KNOW what they are all about - that's why we loathe them!!!

[Sirveri]

1. No

It's always good to understand why people belief certain things. It makes it easier to determine if they are too crazy to be let out into society or not.

[bloom]

2. that's why I stopped listening

I don't listen to right-wing radio by choice.

[opihimoimoi]

3. Al knows what he is doing. To Trust him is better than to trust the Bush

Come, we go find her. She is with Sanity and Reason out there by Burger King.

[DeadHead67]

4. Fuck the Fascist Scum !

I say leave them out of our picture. I hear enough of that shit on NBC from Brokaw and the rest of the closet-nazis. Don't give the bastards any more voice than they have already stolen.

[Southsideirish]

27. This is why I hate "liberals" - "kick me" sign on their backs.

Always so nice, so democratic, so statesman-like, so "f a i r" - makes me want to puke. Do the the right wingers worry about being nice and fair to us - were they nice and fair when they were banging on the walls of the vote-counters in Miami in 2000? Or when I heard the Marine, on CSpan, say he wanted to "rape and kill" the anti-war protesters before Gulf War I? I could go on ad nauseum. I say Franken should just climb into one of those "dunk the clown" set-ups and be done with it.
Oh, and please don't tell me that we "don't have to go down to their level" to fight them - Jesus H. Christ - that's exactly what we have to do!! Fight like wildcats or God knows how the hell this country or world will eventually wind up - we're 3/4 of the way to perdition right now.

Let's just say Busters's won't be on my list of "places to see"this summer.

[BurtWorm]

5. I think he does it as an interesting way of exposing Rush's lies.

Since he can't expose them to Rush's face for a reaction, he exposes them to the next best thing, a dittohead. It's not to give Rush or dittoheads a fair shake. It's to humiliate them. I think.

[bloom]

8. what got me

was when he started agreeing with the guy - seemingly trying to be reasonable and even-handed.

And it didn't make any sense.

[BurtWorm]

10. Well, I missed today's show.

I've caught several others and heard him (and Katherine) say something like, "Okay, so what do you have to say to defend this idiot this time?"

[zaj]

6. I think Al Franken's right...

Engaging the enemy in thoughtful discussion is how you expose their misinformation and flawed logic.

It's a long, slow process... But its worthwhile, IMO.


(self-pimping)
That's the spirit that I created AirAmericaTALK.com. It's for fans of the show and a forum to discuss politics with thoughtful types from both sides of the aisle.

Our slogan: "Challenging Rightwing Rhetoric since 2004"

http://www.AirAmericaTALK.com
(/self-pimping)

[zulchzulu]

7. Al Franken exposes them as idiot assholes

If you listen, you hear how stupid they are.

[Malva Zebrina]

9. I had tuned in to Franken today

and after five minutes of his bragging about how he taught someone everything they know about bbq ing, and how then that person went on to become famous, just turned me off. He may be talented, I have yet to see that talent on his broadcasts--Franken is much overated and I am tired of his selfish bloviating and lack of knowledge on the political issues of the day.

I turned him off.

[BurtWorm]

11. Lack of knowledge!

He's extremely well-informed, as far as I can tell. What makes you say he lacks knowledge? Compared to whom?

[Malva Zebrina]

16. I have listened to him since he was on

He wanders or drifts away from the facts, depends upon his interviewees to clue him in, and uses his humor to hide behind if he is lacking in knowledge of the facts. He is also too willing to let right wingers say their piece on his show. Guy James also does that, however, James then uses his knowledge of the facts to rebut that caller after he hangs up. Ray Talliaferro also rebuts a right wing caller. I know the excuse is that it is necessary to hear from right wingers, in order to get a handle on what they are thinking, but he fails to come back with any significant facts to rebut what they say. I prefer a show that is for progressives more than Franken is. I find his show boring, so lately I just turn him off. I guess I am just not a natural Franken fan. I find him annoying with this bragging and I find his jovial comaraderie with right wingers disconcerting.

[BurtWorm]

17. It's one right winger!

Different strokes, I guess. :shrug:

[NYCGirl]

12. You should have seen him on CNN yesterday...

He debated Bay Buchanan in a segment, and completely stomped her. Knew his facts, and reduced her to rubble.

[onehandle]

13. Al knows the importance of understanding your enemy...

At first listen, r-wingers are annoying on O'Franken. But Al is showing them how wrong their heroes are, and get them thinking.

Al is getting better and better. I am enjoying the show a lot.

[Walt Starr]

14. Yep, after listening to this, I'm done with the O'Franken factor

If I wanted to listen to this shit, I'd turn on Faux News.

I'm done with Franken and AAR is off my dial now.

[ronnykmarshall]

15. Can't stand listening to these wingnuts.

[onehandle]

21. These people at the bar-b-que aren't all wingnuts....

They, like most Americans, are merely misinformed.

Anything that gets a bit of truth to them is fine with me.

[prodigal_green]

18. dumb hicks

No, that is not aimed at all Texans, just the dumb hicks.

He is clear and focused, they sound uneducated and uninformed.

on edit: when Kerry is elected, will these people be just as "sheepish" in their support of the prez-int?

Having said that, I do find these segments annoying. More Saroda! More Brock!

[mzmolly]

19. I love his taking it to the Right Wingers. I think it's awesome!

:toast: to AL!!!

[Cat Atomic]

20. He let's them get away with too much shit.

Like the dipshits he interviewed over the phone at the restauraunt. They just insult him over and over and he let's them.

I like Franken's show quite a bit, but I wish he'd stop having these aggressive right wing dipshits on his show. We've all heard their crap before. They've been insulting us on radio for years.

I understand if Franken doesn't want to be the combative, Bizarro-Rush, but if he doesn't want to put these fuck heads in their place, I wish he'd just ignore them.

[onehandle]

24. Not true. He's coming back at them with facts.

He let's them have their say, then has his say.

An argument is not dialog.

[Cat Atomic]

25. A one-sided string of insults is also not dialogue.

What did that restaurant owner do? He called Franken "spineless", got lots of cheers. When Franken finally responded with some mild criticism, the guy ranted about Franken's lack of manners and hospitality.

We passed the point of dialogue with those idiots long ago. They perceive it as weakness.

[onehandle]

26. I'm wondering if the calls are being listened to by the patrons.

Sadly, they are likely only hearing the people talking on that side of the phone.

[Walt Starr]

28. Exactly, we are now engaged in a Cold civil War

Get bush back in office and it's time to heat it up, too!

[AussieInCA]

22. lol RW response to Al's factual information - I agree to disagree

hello..earth to bush drone...ignorance is a pathetic argument.


Well, Al has turned this around and shown how ignorant the standard Bush supporter is. He did some good examples of this happening in their back yard and RESPONSIBILITY of an occupying force.


RW drone then admits the government isn't perfect...lol. So I guess they are not perfect but don't hold them accountable.

[gasperc]

23. he is being very effective

he won't convert them but at least these right wingers will understand that we love America and don't like what is happening, that the Bush administration is taking us in the wrong direction. And the right wingers talk about the WMDs being found someday, somewhere, well when, we CONTROL the entire country, why has it taken so long, if we can't find the weapons themselves, then what about the factories and chemical and other things necessary to create and use WMDs. it goes on and on...