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Welcome to the Friday, November 13, 2009 edition of Patriot Games Radio. We broadcast weekly on the RFC Radio network.  My guest was DR Tucker, proprietor of The Notes website.  Topics discussed:

The emergence of the “religious Left“, particularly as seen in the ongoing “stealth care deform” debate. Cliff Kincaid chronicles the Vatican’s influence on U.S. politics and the absence of church-state separation alarmist rhetoric ( by the media).  J.F.K’s seminal 1960 speech on church-state separation below. (Please don’t accuse me of anti-Catholicism.  It’s totally not the point).

To address fears that his Roman Catholicism would impact his decision-making, he famously told the Greater Houston Ministerial Association on September 12, 1960, “I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party candidate for President who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters — and the Church does not speak for me.”

Apparently, Nancy Pelosi and Jason Altmire disagree with J.F.K.:

The Los Angeles Times reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic, not only “conferred with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to be sure the new restrictions were acceptable” but “consulted by telephone with a cardinal in Rome.” CNN reported that, as a deal was being made between Pelosi and Catholic lobbyists, “Several Democrats, including Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pennsylvania, said they are in touch with their Catholic Bishops back home. Altmire said he must have the approval of his bishop in Pittsburgh before he can vote yes.”

Where is the media outrage over “the separation of church and state?” In this case, there is direct evidence of a foreign entity, the Vatican, actually passing judgment on legislation and, in effect, delivering votes for it.

Does the Fort Hood murder spree reflect the presence of terrorist elements within the U.S. military? Is Major Nidal Malik Hasan a terrorist or a simply an overwrought soldier? Is/has political correctness wreaking/wrought havoc on this country?

RFC Radio (Radio for Conservatives), is running a terrific contest to send a fortunate winner to the 2010 CPAC conference. The winner receives 2 nights at the Omni-Shoreham hotel (directly across the street from the conference venue), and a conference pass. Contest ends December 4,2009.

Here is the link to Harper Collins, OFFICIAL publisher of Sarah Palin’s memoir.

The authentic cover looks like this:

Governor Sarah Palin's official memoir

Just ask for/look for/order the Harper Collins edition of Sarah Palin’s memoir and you’ll be fine. ANYTHING else is false.

We have previously written about Fox News and Bill O’Reilly in particular. In a nutshell, an O’Reilly-Ailes-Murdoch-Obama powwow apparently resulted in an O’Reilly interview with Obama and O’Reilly’s velvet glove treatment. More than one viewer has asserted that O’Reilly has gone out of his way to “accommodate” Obama’s left wing positions. That is a matter to which I cannot speak directly as I am not a television watcher. Would love your thoughts on the subject.

Equally important however, and perhaps not unrelated is the controversy involving now-fired Fox News paid contributor Marc Lamont Hill. Thanks once again to Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in Media for uncovering this important story. Hill apparently supports convicted cop murderer Mumia Abu Jamal, as well as alleged cop killer Assata Shakur. He is a disciple of the “Center for American Progress”, a “Fairness Doctrine” apologist, and specialist on “Hip Hop Culture”.

Interestingly, both Van Jones and Marc Lamont Hill are public supporters of convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Both were also associated with the George Soros-funded Center for American Progress.

Which leads to the question: who hired him, why, who investigated his background (if anyone) and why was he a frequent guest on the Bill O’Reilly show? ( Huckabee and Van Susteren too).

Hill wrote that “the Fairness Doctrine will provide us with a much-needed respite from the conservative media assault that has undermined democratic discourse and social justice.”

Who would have thought that Hill would later regularly appear on O’Reilly’s Fox News show in the name of “fair and balanced?”

All of this adds to my belief that Fox News-and O’Reilly in particular-were bullied into adding this “progressive” voice to their line-up. The problem is that they rushed into it without checking out Hill’s background.

Remember that Hill wasn’t just a guest; he was a paid contributor, meaning that he had special status and a contract with the channel. In addition to multiple appearances on “The O’Reilly Factor,” he also appeared on “Hannity,” “Huckabee,” and “On the Record” with Greta Van Susteren.

I told Murdoch that I understood why Fox News wants to appear “fair and balanced,” but that this was ridiculous. Murdoch must have come to the conclusion that it was ridiculous as well, and he said Hill was out. Many members of Murdoch’s board were in the room of the New York Hotel where he made this announcement.

The notion that Fox News is a haven for conservatives is sheer mythology. It simply is relatively less corrupt than the dinosaur media rites. Once again, a tip of the cap to the folks at Accuracy in Media.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I found this fascinating quote today:

A former Rocky Mountain News reporter has started a new life as the owner and operator, editor, advertising sales manager, and principal reporter of a small newspaper in New Mexico.  His operation serves as an example of a new model of print media, that may save small town newspapers from demise.  M. E. Sprengelmeyer calls it a “Tom Sawyer” business plan, convincing his friends, including several former Rockey Mountain News colleagues, how fun it would be to send him free businesss.  From The New York Times:franklincenterhq.org, Search, Oct 2009

You should read the whole article.

The Boston Phoenix weighs in with an unusual profile of Fox News Channel/talk radio star Glenn Beck and the role his strong Mormon faith has apparently played in his rise to media power. Reporter Adam Reilly suggests that Beck’s prominence could pose problems for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney if Romney chooses to run for President again in 2012; if the Fourth Estate successfully promotes the notion that Romney is as dogmatic in his faith as Beck supposedly is, independents could think twice before supporting him. Then again, the voters did not hold Barack Obama’s faith–and his church–against him in 2008…

Give credit to Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi for calling out the anonymous blogger who’s trying to launch a boycott of Boston talk-radio legend Howie Carr’s show. Carr has his flaws, as we all do, but those who don’t like his flaws have an option: turning the dial.

This attempt to force Carr off the the WRKO-AM airwaves doesn’t make a lick of sense. No one is compelled to listen to Carr’s show, or any other politically-themed show in this region. I know there are right-leaning Bay Staters who are not fans of the show hosted by Margery Eagan and Jim Braude on WTKK-FM, but I can’t imagine these folks wasting time on a boycott effort. So why is this Howie-hater even bothering?

For those of you hungry for real reporting and news, I recommend you to the site of Accuracy in Media. I will post my interview with its president Don Irvine shortly.

Cliff Kincaid does a brilliant job of reporting and investigation. Here is his Van Jones collection through September 10, 2009.

Who is Van Jones?. the blogger who uncovered Van Jones. Van Jones’ impact on Obama’s presidency.

with advisors like this, who needs enemies? It would not be surprising to learn that McKinnon circulated/initiated the smears against Palin would it?????

The Boston Globe reports that Massachusetts State Senate President Therese Murray is considering dissing democracy by signing on to Senator Ted Kennedy’s proposal to have Gov. Patrick appoint a temporary senator to substitute for Kennedy in the months prior to a special election to fill his seat. The Boston Herald also has a blood-boiling piece about a state representative who’s all in favor of Kennedy’s pathetic proposal–and who “laughed when asked whether he would support the change if Republican Mitt Romney were still governor.” There needs to be a backlash–a serious backlash–against this sort of amoral arrogance in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In a rebuke to Boston Mayor Tom Menino, a Reagan-appointed US District Court Judge struck down a Menino-created ordinance ordering cab drivers in the city to buy new hybrid cabs within six years. The judge declared that Menino exceeded his authority with the ordinance, because Congress has the sole power to regulate fuel economy standards. This ruling should become an issue in this year’s hotly contested mayoral election. Doesn’t the city of Boston deserve a mayor who will respect federal laws, and not flout them?

If Michael Flaherty, Sam Yoon and Kevin McCrea are smart, they will seize upon this ruling. It could play a role in Menino hailing a cab to leave City Hall for good.

UPDATE: More from Boston.com.