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August 03, 2005
Defending the indefensible?
I've been joking about the Air America scandal -- in a post and in an Air America parody. Certainly, it's beyond dispute that things don't look good for Air America, either. While I agree that if this were a right-wing network there'd be a lot more coverage, whether this is really being "kept out of the major media" is at least debatable; after all, I first read that Air America was in trouble in the Philadelphia Inquirer (albeit in a highly sanitized writeup). I've had fun with the story, but right now something is bothering me about it, and that's the kneejerk assumption by so many people that Al Franken is somehow culpable. I haven't seen any evidence that he is. If the guy is working for (or employed by) Air America, even if Air America is a corrupt, cynical organization that swindles the poor, how does that make Franken guilty unless he's an executive of the company or on the Board of Directors? I understand that people dislike Al Franken's politics (I know I do), but at the risk of appearing moronic, I'd like to pose a question: Does anyone know what he's accused of actually doing? Might be payback, I suppose.... "Frankengate" is funny (and just wait Mr. Snitch, you'll roast in Hell for coining the term!) -- but is it really up to the level of really serious scandals like "Gannongate"? Or "Nadagate"? posted by Eric on 08.03.05 at 06:11 PM
Comments
Thanks! Eric Scheie · August 3, 2005 09:38 PM I did what Franken generally does and threw facts aside to go for the funny in the 'Frankengate' title. But I did go to some effort to make it clear that Franken is not implicated in anything at this point. Probably he won't be, either. I feel for him - reading through the case you hear about salaries unpaid, equipment that doesn't work, etc. AA is/was a struggling network (although it was struggling partly because its stars were WAY overpaid). Franken makes his living by painting the right as hypocritical and clueless. If AA is the model for how Franken's bunch would run the country, I'll have to stick with the clueless crowd. Mr. Snitch! · August 3, 2005 09:49 PM I see that Franken is on "vacation" and that his show is running "best-ofs" right now. His show is marketable, and there's talk of him moving to another radio network. If he does, that will most likely be the coffin nail for AA. BTW, I thought your post was quite funny. :) Eric Scheie · August 4, 2005 06:40 AM I can't say that I'm an Air America hater, since i'm totally indifferent to it as I've never listened to it and most of the time don't remember that it exists. I must confess that, whenever I see the words "Air America", I at first think of American Airlines. I'm an NPR hater, though, if that will make you feel any better, as I do have to listen to it when I'm with my brother (who I love and who is a lot smarter than me in most ways). I've learned not to try to argue politics with my family. Just love your family and shut up. You are quite right that looks here to be an incidence of financial corruption would be used against any Right-Winger or Objectivist if the tables were turned. Steven Malcolm Anderson the Lesbian-worshipping man's-man-admiring myth-based egoist · August 4, 2005 03:26 PM |
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Very fair comment. I'm a big Air America hater (it is intellectually dishonest when not empty), and Al Franken has been neither funny nor interesting for a very very very long time. But there is nothing connecting him or Janeane Garafolo to this (and there appears to be some question about whether Janeane even is being paid for her gig, so good for her if so). So no point in playing like a Demo and pinning this on someone not connected to the fraud.
But Al and the other on-air talent had better hope that is and remains the case, or they will be massive targets. It will be interesting if one or more starts to distance themselves from the operation, tho.