Who here changed his/her mind on Ed Schultz? Did not? And why?

[AzNick]

I've always loved the guy since he started his progressive-oriented show on AAR back in 04 and I have been an avid listener from the beginning.

Somehow when it was announced that he would be put on MSNBC, many here, I would say a majority, objected, some saying he was not liberal enough, others that Cenk would have filled the slot better (although I love TYT, I disagreed respectfully).

Did you change your mind on Ed? Or didn't you?

And why?

I am interested to know!

Personally, I think he is doing a heck of a job on MSNBC and I think he now fully deserves a replay for the West coast. Even my wife, who is not really a big fan of the usual hosts on MSNBC, and is not really into politics as much as me (although she was an Obama supporter when I was still rooting for Clinton), seems to like him and sits with me often to listen to him. She comes from a blue collar, meat and potato Midwestern family, maybe he connects with those folks more easily.

[Dr Fate]

1. Always loved him and even disagree with him now & then, still listen every single day. n/t

n/t

[blondeatlast]

10. Me as well. I grew up in Montana and Colorado and he talks to the Dems I knew then. nt

[annabanana]

2. I think he's doing very well. ( Better than I expected)

He speaks to a particular demographic that might not respond to either Keith or Rachel.

AND.. His very first show, he seemed a little fuzzy on the ins and outs of the health reform debate.. BUT by his SECOND show, not only had he figured it out.. he had come down squarely and forcefully on the side of the angels.

[onehandle]

3. He's an asskicker that bucks the liberal elitist label.

He does nothing but good for us on the radio and on MSNBC.

Always liked him.

[lib_wit_it]

27. Yep, he sure is a guy I think lots of non-libs could relate to and maybe be convinced by. But I wish

Cenk could be on MSNBC also.

[hlthe2b]

4. I was skeptical (having sometimes been really dismayed with radio

show and some of his views there). He was a former REPUG after all and retains some very conservative views.

BUT, I have been extremely pleased with his MSNBC show, his stance on health care, his absolute defense of unions. He has become a true populist and a courageous one, at that. As a westerner/midwesterner myself, I like the fact that he is no holds barred. He speaks exactly what he thinks. That is refreshing.

[omega minimo]

5. If his Foghorn Leghorn shouty voice wasn't repellent, I would be able to listen and tell you.

:hi:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. first time i heard him, I thought, yuck. That lasted about a month.

Then, I heard him interview an ultraconservative religious freak. He was well prepared, had all the data, and politely took him apart. Wish I had a tape of it. Using logic and the bastard's own words, he rendered the fool into foolishness.

[mwooldri]

7. I like Ed.

Never really changed my mind on him. He still to me does sound an awful lot like Slush Limpballs - but then I hear Ed on the satellite radio vs that other guy on crackly AM...

Sadly I don't hear a lot of him, much less watch him. I gave up the cable company's DVR (to save costs) and I get him on delay on my way in to work on Sirius, and Hartmann's repeat coming home the next morning.

[Justitia]

8. I have become a huge fan. He is unapologetically liberal, straightforward & kicks ass on HCR!

I loved, loved, loved when he said "I don't care what it costs"

I have become a huge fan of Ed - he takes it right to whoever needs to hear it.

He has been a GREAT addition to the MSNBC lineup. Go Ed!

[stevedeshazer]

9. I find it funny that 2-3 years ago, many here hated Ed Schultz and loved Randi Rhodes

Now it's flipped.

Personally, I listen to both from time to time, and they both have a place.

[Jennicut]

11. He is down to earth and straightforward. He is doing great on MSNBC.

I always liked him.

[paulsby]

24. rhodes is fun

but in a clownish. almsot joan rivers sort of way.

ed is the real deal, not a sarcastic self deprecating comic like rhodes.

[tinkerbell41]

12. I love him always have.

I love Keith and Rachel, when I want to hear"smart, and thoughtful". When I want to hear from a regular guy, like the tradesmen I work with I listen to ED! A lifetime Illinoisan, he makes me feel at home. The way he says what he says, calling out the bullshit even when he is wrong it gets me fired up to keep fighting.

[paulsby]

25. i totally disagree

i can't understand how anybody can (but obviously many do) view olberman as "smart and thoughtful". id definitely say that about maddow and definitely about ed.

keith just seems way too much schtick and not much substance. clownish, almost cartoonish.

[tinkerbell41]

31. It's the speaking style.

The inflection, tone , choice of words, etc.. I think Ed is smart, obviously but when I have him on I feel like I am on lunch break with the guys. I can't explain it.

[AzNick]

36. He has an AM radio speech

Just like the Wall Of Sound was designed for the AM radio, Ed's voice speaks so he can be heard well over the AM.

So for a guy like me who listens to him on XM, the Internet and MSNCB, it sounds like he's just yelling BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE IT.

But then the truth dawned on me once, and I understand why he speaks like that.

It makes him unique, if you ask me and I think the red meat eaters like him for that.

[paulsby]

37. as a confirmed red meat eater

i agree. like i said, i LOVE maddow. but i also love ed.

just like i love a nice elegant meal, but i also love acheeseburger

[ClearPresentDanger]

13. Not my demo

but I can see reaching out to his...demo...as worthwhile at this point.

He's definitely changed since he went on TV...it's like they told him "you must act like Glen Beck"

He came right out and said he did his a show about Michael Jackson because he was ordered to.

Just today on the radio he had on someone on from Politico...we all know he knows that ain't 'natural'.

Also today, I heard him using a phony argument against some guy who complained about his editorial...IIRC it was
about caving in to Max Boughtout...he stalled for time by saying "I can't believe I'm hearing this" a few times then changed the subject.

sure he's better than what came before...but he's a transitional organism...some day he will just be another layer in the fossil record. But for the record, he's just a panicky whiny ass titty baby. With a radio show.

[islandmkl]

21. 'not my demo'....obviously...

you forgot to define 'your demo' to explain your take...

and, before you get surprised...we will all merely be another minute particle of our current developing 'fossil layer'...

your evaluation...'panicky whiny ass titty baby' sounds like a phrase you have heard before, possibly directed at yourself...without a radio show.

[ClearPresentDanger]

35. you could have

You could have just come out and asked what 'demo' meant. It's short for demographic.

[TexasObserver]

14. Unabashedly liberal. First one since Corp media booted Phil Donahue.

I like him. I wouldn't want all my news to be him, but he's fun.

[CitizenPatriot]

15. he was new to me

and I love him. I think he rounds out the group at MSNBC- and yes, he appeals to friends I have in the Midwest -- just down to earth, working class feeling to the guy; takes no crap.

And he's a great supporter of the cause:-) Kicks some ASS and talks to Pukes like they talk to us. I love it:-)

[bermudat]

16. Have to admit I did not care for him on the radio.

Big Eddie is now one of my favs. Here he is on before Tweety. Watch Ed then turn

the tv off until Olbermann then Rachel. He's the first one I heard call bluedog

dems 'bluecross dems'. Red meat liberal.

[movonne]

17. Yes ... I have changed my mind about Ed....I can't believe how much

I like him...

[Cresent City Kid]

18. My only experience of him is on MSNBC

I like his straight forward style. I prefer Keith Olberman, but I like Ed. I have no doubt about where he stands, he just puts it out there.

[Motown_Johnny]

19. Remember that old commercial...." if you want someone's attention, whisper"

all this guy does is yell

I like him but I think the message would be clearer if he spoke more and shouted less

[paulsby]

26. this works VERY well with drunks btw

a very salty cop taught me this, and it works wonders. sorry, a bit off topic.

[Cleita]

20. Didn't care for him at first although I knew he was really good at

labor issues. He seems to have grown out since then and dropped a lot of his mid-west conservatism, the things that turned me off about him, and now I think he's great, especially since he jumped on the health care debate and came out on the intelligent side of the issue.

[TheWebHead]

22. that Mike Newcomb phone call didn't do him a lot of good

more here..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x926549

the file no longer exists but my memory of it was Ed lashing out at Newcomb over buying a station in Phoenix that would be financed with a large pool of small investors instead of Ed and a few others buying it and his tone was hardly progressive. If anyone has that edcallsin.mp3 and want to upload it I'd like to hear it again to refresh my memory. He has major ego issues, not atypical with a radio talk show host obviously, but I remember that blackballing Larry Johnson because he was a regular on Olbermann before he lost his marbles w/ the Obama/Clinton primary last year... Ed thought that was a betrayal for him to be on with Keith and wouldn't have him on his show anymore. lol

[paulsby]

23. i've always been a supporter

he's personable, sensible, has a lot of charisma (that translates well to tv), and speaks plainly but convincingly.

i've always thought olbermann is a clown. can't go with the olbermann worship amongst many here. but big ed is great.

i think ed and maddow are a potent duo.

fwiw, i have tons of repub friends. i mentioned maddow and ed to them. and several actually really like ed and maddow. iow, if you can appeal, on a political show like they have, to people who have vastly different views, that says a lot.

frankly, and this may sound trite, i also like the fact that ed simply looks like a guy that can "hold his own".

[KharmaTrain]

28. Ed's Come A Long Way

He's never been affiliated with AAR...his show is on Jones Radio but is heard in many areas on AAR outlets.

Ed came out of Fargo...as conservative an area as you'll find and has built his franchise nicely. His original premise was to be a "moderate" at least in a right wing frame of mind...to attract listeners who wouldn't listen to an "easterner" like Al Franken (yes, I know he's from Minnesota, but his AAR show was out of New York). Ed focused on gaining the trust of conservative station owners and managers to build up his syndication that got him national attention. In short he beat the system from within...truly a unique story.

Now that Ed's national, he's let go of trying to pander to conservatives and I'm sure he's being encouraged by MSNBC to be populist...more or less a leftist version of a Lou Doobies.

Ed's not as much blue collar as he is "non-New York/Hollywood"...a personality that has done very well with "independents" and moderate republicans (yes there are some still out there).

[a kennedy]

29. don't know why I didn't like him on the radio, but he does a great job on TV

:thumbsup: :applause: :patriot:

[ellie]

30. I don't watch him

I really don't know who he is.

[Canuckistanian]

32. I've been listening to his radio show

I'm impressed with his fire and no-BS attitude. He's a lot better than he used to be.

But I wish he'd quote more facts and figures in his arguments. He always makes these grand declarative statements about healthcare issues, but rarely backs them up with numbers and specifics.

In other words, I'd like him to be more of a Thom Hartmann, if that's possible.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[undeterred]

34. When he starts talking football and fishing

my eyes glaze over, but I'm sure that helps him reach a lot of people.