In a media diet switch (typically internet news and blogs) KFI Talk Radio filled my time driving to and from yesterday’s UCLA academic seminar. I rarely venture out of Glendale on long freeway drives in commuter traffic; this is the first time I’ve listened for more than a few minutes to John and Ken.
On my way to UCLA, from 3-4 in the afternoon, they read from California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring’s expense reports. Expecting the Republican Party to oppose ballot propositions raising state taxes, they were wondering on air what justified thousands of dollars in hotel bills (including one from a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee) and other expenditures paid for by California Republican Party donations. What on earth does justify them, and what justifies state government jobs given to politicians’ relatives and family members (as reported this morning in the LA Times)?
It must be just business as usual; although one would think that the magnitude of this economic crisis would be forcing even government and its associated sister industries to tighten their belts. Those who tell out of work job-seekers to look in the government sector know what they are talking about.
John and Ken went on to salute KNBC reporter and Glendale resident Conan Nolan, who confronted Governor Schwarznegger yesterday at a Monterey Park anti-gang rally, asking him to comment on his low approval numbers and on polls showing voters turning against the tax hike ballot propositions. John and Ken contended that this portion of the news conference was actually excised from the governor’s office transcript of the rally and news conference. It doesn’t appear to be on KNBC’s website, either.
On the way back to Glendale, I tuned in to hear about a small protest in Oakland in support of the memory of the criminal who gunned down four police officers there. This blog can’t do justice to the rhetorical skill with which the KFI commentators rebutted the spokesperson’s claims that racial discrimination justified their stand.
Those of us who don’t spend a lot of time battling traffic on the freeways fighting traffic may be missing some things…
Dear Editor
All I can say is wow! Okay, I can also say Damn! This is great. So far I have only read about KFI talk radio and I’d like to say that on Pacifica Radio, KPFA, out of the Bay Area they made such twist regard the slain officers. Now Pacifica Radio is well-known as I’m sure you know for its far left perspective and I expected to hear them editorialize to that effect. But at least on the day that I tuned in the commentator was quite plain and direct about it, something to the effect that anyone who commits murder is culpable, period. As a relatively regular listener I was relieved to hear them take the only sane, sensible position.
At any rate I am in awe of your effort here and surely Glendale and greater Los Angeles will undoubtedly benefit from it. Bravo!
Jack
Jack,
Thanks for your comment and review! Unfortunately I could not find an audio link on KFI’s website to the telephone exchange between the interviewer and the uhuru nation spokesperson. It gave me, and I’m sure many other Southern California listeners, comfort to hear a common sense response to such misdirected community anger.
E, I like Ken/John on KFI. They can be hilarious & right on. Sometimes, they can also miss the mark.
Good reporting on the reporters.