Fraters Libertas

Of Mice And Men

Apparently Badgerin' Bob isn't the only one ducking debates these days. "Progressive" talk radio host Eddie Schultz initially invited conservative talker Dennis Prager to verbally throw down over the Bill Bennett flap, but, at least according to Prager, after Prager accepted the challenge Schultz declined to follow through, despite his on air claims to the contrary.

Prager has not yet entered the world of blogging, but from what I heard on his show last week, he has offered to either fly to North Dakota or to pay for Schultz to fly to LA to engage in a little mano a mano rhetorical sparring. Prager says that Schultz refused to take him up on his offer. Here is Schultz's side of the story:

Debate is one of the great tools in America. I have always loved them. The passion, the intensity and the information presented in this type of arena makes us all better.

I have never, never backed down from any debate for any reason. Let me be frank to the whackos on the right who are buying the garbage this zealot is telling his listeners. I became the target after it was made clear our team exposed the racist comments of Bill Bennett.

Kudos to Schultz for "exposing" the comments made on Bennett's nationally syndicated talk radio show and heard by hundreds of thousands of people. He's a regular Woodward and Bernstein, that Eddie is.

The focus then shifted to me, which is fine. I challenged this hate merchant to a debate, apparently he accepted but never contacted us about accepting. He now frames the spin saying I won't debate him. This is so typical of the right! Change the subject, attack, and misinform.

Dennis Prager as a hate merchant? Yeah, Eddie really nailed him with that one. He must be referring to the second hour of Prager's show on Friday which is devoted to nothing but hate. In fact, Prager even calls it the "Hate Hour" and describes it as his favorite time of the show.

Oh wait. That's the "Happiness Hour", isn't it?

Repeatedly he tells his audience I'm a whacked out lefty from Air America. Do some homework guy! I'm not syndicated or associated with AA. He later stirs his rabid audience to make me the target of e-mails claiming I've said no.

I'm confident the details will be worked out and I'm more encouraged that some in Congress will not let this ordeal split away as passing comments on a radio show.

I too am "confident that the details will be worked out" so that Schultz never ends up on the same stage with Prager. Big talk, little walk Eddie.

This latest episode brings to mind an idea that I've been kicking around for a while. A national series of debates featuring some of the biggest names from the left and right side of the radio dial facing off against each other. Affiliate stations in each town would jointly host the events, sell tickets, and handle promotion. For example, here in the Twin Cities you could have AM1280 The Patriot and AM 950 Air America Minnesota co-host the debates. Part of the fun would be competing to sell tickets and make sure you had enough of your supporters on hand. I gotta think that you could pack the house.

The possible lineup could include:

Prager vs. Schultz

Hewitt vs. Franken

Medved vs. Garofalo

You could even add a little local flavor for the under card. Let's see, one of the AM 950 hosts and someone from the NARN. Hmmm...

John Hinderaker vs. Wendy Wilde

The nice thing is that there wouldn't be all that much clean up involved after the event either. The floor would already have been well mopped.

(More on Prager vs. Schultz at Darleen's Place)