WP: Armed Forces Radio Tunes Out Liberal Show Host

[highplainsdem]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/17/AR2005101701666.html


Armed Forces Radio Tunes Out Liberal Show Host

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 18, 2005; Page C01

Liberal radio talker Ed Schultz was eagerly anticipating his debut yesterday on Armed Forces Radio, which agreed last month to carry his program to nearly a million soldiers around the world.

But at 7 a.m., Schultz's producer got a call from Allison Barber, the Pentagon's deputy assistant secretary for internal communications, who said without explanation that the deal was off.

Perhaps, Schultz said in an interview, it was just a coincidence that he spent the end of last week chastising Barber for coaching a group of U.S. soldiers in Iraq before a teleconference with President Bush.

<snipping paragraphs including some about Manny Levy, chief of the radio division for the Armed Forces Network, contacting Schultz's distributor last month about the AFN decision to carry the first hour Schultz's show starting 10/17>

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said last night that Levy "got ahead of the process" and that no decision had been made in a review of which programming to add to the network. When asked about Schultz's insistence that his criticism of Barber played a role, Whitman called that "an unfortunate misperception on his part. That has nothing to do with this."

<snip>

It's very clear from what Levy said last month that a decision had been made, and it's been reversed. I hope this gets a lot of attention in the MSM.

[IndianaGreen]

1. Allison Barber is the woman that prepped the troops for Bush's

video conference.

On edit:

Bush Thanks Soldiers in Rehearsed Talk

"This is an important time," Allison Barber, deputy assistant defense secretary, said, coaching the soldiers before Bush arrived. "The president is looking forward to having just a conversation with you."

Barber said the president was interested in three topics: the overall security situation in Iraq, security preparations for the weekend vote and efforts to train Iraqi troops.

As she spoke in Washington, a live shot of 10 soldiers from the Army's 42nd Infantry Division and one Iraqi soldier was beamed into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building from Tikrit the birthplace of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"I'm going to ask somebody to grab those two water bottles against the wall and move them out of the camera shot for me," Barber said.

A brief rehearsal ensued.

"OK, so let's just walk through this," Barber said. "Captain Kennedy, you answer the first question and you hand the mike to whom?"

"Captain Smith," Kennedy said.

"Captain. Smith? You take the mike and you hand it to whom?" she asked.

"Captain Kennedy," the soldier replied.

And so it went.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1212494

[highplainsdem]

2. Yes. Her pettiness and vindictiveness couldn't be more obvious.

I hope that if enough of the MSM pick up this story, the Pentagon might be shamed into reversing her decision and carrying Schultz's program.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Here is the bio of the former grade school teacher...

Ms. Barber comes to her position with extensive experience in public relations and advertising. Prior to this position, Ms. Barber was the President of Sodenta, her public relations firm in Washington, D.C. Previously, she was President of the Washington D.C. office of PlowShare, a Connecticut-based advertising agency. From 1992 to 1998, she was a Public Relations Director for the American Red Cross. From 1986 to 1991, Barber was a grade school teacher at Merrillville Public School in Indiana and served as Vice President of the Teachers Association.

Education: Ms. Barber holds a BS in Elementary Education from Tennessee Temple University and a MS in Elementary Education from Indiana University.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/abarber-bio.html

[ugarte]

6. Tennessee Temple University??

Just when I think I've heard of every college in America. Sounds like a mail-order diploma mill.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Independent Baptist university founded on the Bible

I Googled it after reading your post, what a gem! Read it and weep:

It is a new day at Tennessee Temple University! As your
president, I am pleased to welcome you to campus for the 2005-
2006 year. God’s good plans are to bless you and give you a
future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11), but only His mind can
comprehend the historical significance of this pivotal year at TTU.
He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20).
And God wants to do some exceeding and great and awesome
works through you.

It is going to be a great year because, JESUS IS AWESOME!

http://www.tntemple.edu/clientImages/31498/Docs/StudentHandbook.pdf

http://www.tntemple.edu/templates/custenntemple/default.asp?id=31498

[bahrbearian]

9. So Iraq is really a Noble Cause-ade just like Chimpy says.

Jesus is going to kick Mohammad's ass. I meant Saddam's ass.

[IndianaGreen]

10. I am sure that Barber believes in Creationism just as she

believes that Xtians should evangelize the heathen Iraqis.

Go to the website and read the student handbook, it really tells you what a fundie wacko school Ms Barber's alma mater turns out to be.

[Judi Lynn]

11. I hope there's someone who can override her theft of their right

to choose what they will hear on their Armed Forces Radio service.

It shouldn't have to be restricted to a view which represents only one part of the U.S. citizens who are footing the bill for Armed Forces Radio.



The Thing which stole their choice.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Barber thinks she is doing Jesus's work

Why is that man holding a flag behind Barber?

[Judi Lynn]

13. Just checked the link. Here's the caption to the photo....

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Allison Barber addresses 56 new recruits who took the Oath of Enlistment in the Winner's Circle at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway May 22. The recruits represented the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Photo by Samantha Quigley

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2005/20050523_1281.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I almost wish I hadn't gone to look! I cannot believe they signed these guys into U.S. military service at the Indianpolis Motor Speedway!

They are apparently really in a hurry to get them. Am I wrong to think this should be treated a little more respectfully? Sheesh.

[corporatemedia]

3. MSM? There is no MSM. No "Main Stream Media." ONLY me..................

CM

CORPORATE MEDIA

[arwalden]

5. Thank You! -- I Loathe That "MSM" and "Main Stream Media" Crap!

[second edition]

7. No fan of Schultz,but it is just wrong for this country to not allow

opposing points of view. Somehow, it doesn't surprise me though, not with this administration. They don't want the troops to hear other voices other than those speaking their own beliefs- that is why they would allow someone as self serving and inflammatory as Limbaugh who twists and manipulates the truth and out and out lies because he spews what they want the troops to actually hear and accept as truth.

[ailsagirl]

14. DOD says Schultz needs a million listeners for AFR-- they lie!!

DOD Says Ed Schultz Needs A Million Listeners for American Forces Radio

By Doris Lane
Posted on Fri Oct 28th, 2005 at 11:49:08 AM EST

They lie!

Big Ed has almost twice a million listeners a week. (See below.)

But, first, it's a big day on Big Ed's radio show today. He's broadcasting from the Plumbers' and Pipe Fitters Union Hall in Columbus OH. Wes Clark, Paul Hackett and Joe Wilson will be on the show, which airs from 3PM-6PM Eastern. I don't know if the three will be on together, but Clark is scheduled for the 5-6PM hour.

If you don't get Ed's show, you can listen live on-line at his website. Ed said yesterday that Clark's letter-writing campaign has pulled in 20,000 letters to Congress in a week. If you haven't sent yours, do it!

Congress is listening.

Stars & Stripes, 10/28/05

http://www.dembloggers.com/