Podcast 203

Being Right. An email sparks some thoughts about the political discourse in The United States. Should a person who puts themselves out in the public eye as a commentator always be right, as in ‘correct’? Should everything they say be required to be proven ‘correct’ at a later date? Should a major league ball player leave the game if he fails to make an important catch? What does it mean to take a risk? What lessons have been learned in almost twenty years of talk radio? Political figures, writers, musicians, actors, comedians, and especially talk and podcast hosts take risks and put themselves ‘out there’ everyday. Should a person decline to use their talents because they are afraid of being ‘wrong’? Moreover, does the country gain from the increasing practice of demonizing and trying to destroy people who say things others disagree with, or are ‘shocked’ by? How has talk radio, and cable television (which has stolen the talk radio format) turned the body politic into tribes that demand their point of view, and only their point of view, be heard. Why radio and TV managers are suddenly terrified by opinions. How podcasting is changing this. And, a pitch for contributions to the Bob Davis Podcasts for the Podcast Van. Sponsored by Baklund R & D.

PODCAST 163

The Situation In Iraq. As things in Iraq deteriorate former Vice President Dick Cheney throws a zinger at President Obama. Are we now back in a bi-polar ‘Bush Was Wrong-It’s Not Obama’s Fault’ discussion? What should people who advocated for the war in Iraq (including lawmakers who voted to authorize it) say? President Obama as been in office almost 6 years, and has had time to arrange things in Iraq to his liking. How’s that working out? What is Obama responsible for? Is it his policy that leads to chaos enveloping the whole region? What impact did 9-11 have on talk radio and the way we talk about these issues? A late night walk-and-talk brings up some thoughts about all these subjects. And a critique of the remake of the 1967 Classic ‘Bonnie and Clyde’. Sponsored by Baklund R & D

Podcast 145

Revolution? Really? Some people in America today have started to call for a revolution, and talk openly about how it would be great if it was peaceful, but ok if it was bloody. This is something that has to be addressed. In my view this is one of the most infantile, uninformed, and ignorant ‘movements’ — if you can call it that — in the American political experience today. What do our fathers and mothers and grandparents have to teach us about the adversity they lived through in the 30’s and 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and the 1970’s? They learned to work together, because the nation’s survival depended on it. How sad that some of the sons and daughters of the ‘greatest generation’ want to take their toys home and demand revolution … a revolution the young people of today will have to fight. Is this what you really want? Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul