dKos:

It was announced on Air America Radio, Jon Elliot's show tonight, that Randi Rhodes was attacked in a park in NYC walking her dog.[..]

A fellow blogger's account from the UK:

Sideshow - Uk

Get well soon, Randi Rhodes. I don't usually have time to listen to her show but I tend to leave AAR on when I'm in front of my computer - but when I heard Lionel sitting in for her, I just turned it off. Sorry, I just can't listen to him. But right now I'm listening to John Elliot and he says Randi was attacked last night while she was walking her dog. She wasn't carrying a bag and was just in sweats, and she was beaten up pretty badly and had some teeth knocked out. Elliot is saying it sounds like it was neither a sexual assault nor a robbery and he suspects it was political. The way things are going, he could be right.

Without any information (or confirmation) I think we should be careful about assuming motivations behind the attack. I'll only say on behalf of C&L that we wish Randi a speedy recovery.

Joe Gandelman has more...

UPDATE: Thom Hartmann just read the official AAR statement on his program:

October 16-NEW YORK-On Sunday evening, October 14, Air America host Randi Rhodes experienced an unfortunate incident hindering her from hosting her show. The reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded. Ms. Rhodes looks forward to being back on the air on Thursday.

UPDATE #2: We're getting conflicting reports on exactly how Randi got hurt. So without Randi Rhodes's own statement clearing up the speculation, we'll stick with just wishing her a speedy recovery.

Thom Hartmann had a little discussion of this on his radio program on Friday, but I'd like to see the discussion on C&L.

Given Rush Limbaugh's callous dismissal of Elizabeth Edwards's announcement that her cancer had recurred; Bill O'Reilly's incredibly patronizing timeout of Lis Wiehl for giving the correct information; Tucker Carlson describing Hillary Clinton as "castrating", Glenn Beck referring to Rosie O'Donnell as a "fat witch", not to mention the Republican platform of removing choice for women and then castigating "Welfare Queens," what on earth could make any woman want to be a Republican? What do the Malkins, Coulters and O'Beirnes get out of being part of a party that has so little respect for women and make subjugating them part of their platform?

I heard this on Thom Hartmann's program this morning and it stunned me. H.R. 4239 was introduced on November 4th. Its Senate companion bill (S. 3880) was passed UNANIMOUSLY in September.

Here's the summary:

Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act - Rewrites federal criminal code provisions regarding animal enterprise terrorism to prohibit anyone from traveling in, or using the mail or any facility of, interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of damaging or disrupting an animal enterprise and, in connection with such purpose: (1) intentionally damaging, disrupting, or causing the loss of property used by or owned in connection with such enterprise; (2) intentionally placing a person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to that person or a family member through threats, vandalism, property damage, trespass, harassment, or intimidation; or (3) conspiring or attempting to do so. Prescribes escalating penalties.

Authorizes restitution for: (1) the reasonable cost of repeating any experimentation that was interrupted or invalidated as a result of such offense; (2) the loss of food production or farm income reasonably attributable to such offense; and (3) any other economic damage, including any losses or costs caused by economic disruption, resulting from such offense.

That's right, PETA is now a terrorist organization. In my college days, I protested (along with other students) the biology department of my university when some of the animal experiments they did and their treatment of lab animals came to light. By this definition--so purposefully vague, except for the use of the word "terrorist"--I would be considered a terrorist for my participation. And with powers the President has claimed on fighting terrorism, that student protest could leave me in jail without any rights--or much, much worse.

Greg Palast: A Labor Day recipe...and an an excerpt from Thom Hartmann's new book, "Screwed: The Undeclared War On the Middle Class." Is anyone surprised that more
people are unemployed during conservative presidencies?

Pharyngula: A conservative Christian opposing public prayer at football games! Seems he'd been in Hawai'i, where he'd been shocked to discover that pre-game prayers were given by Buddhist monks.

NewsHog: Hey, don't look over there. There's nothing to see. Look over here instead!

AGITPROP: Weekend Wingnut Roundup...and don't miss Welcome to Pottersville's Assclowns of the Week

CNN - President wants Senate to hurry with new laws...BUT WAIT! This was 1996 and the president was Bill Clinton, prodding recalcitrant Republicans to pass terrorism legislation. (Hat tip Cell Whitman)

Lost in Tarnation: Islamoconfusion is the result when you can't keep your lies straight about why we invaded Iraq.

How's that Hooker Dick Morris?

Thom Hartmann had Dick Morris (I am the toe man) on his show today and there was a very interesting exchange. Morris was prattling on about how wonderful Condi Rice is when Thom questioned her job performance. Immediately, Dick began assaulting Sandy Berger so Hartmann reminded Dick of his hooker obsession. Morris hung up on him.

Download | play -MP3 (

The White Rose Society has all of Hartmann's audio files.

Sandy Berger told me personally Dick that he told Condi Rice when she came into office-that his words to her were look out for Osama Bin Laden. He's coming to get you. You need to be paying attention. This has to be your number one priority and she said, "OK thank you very much for that information," and did then nothing.

Morris: Did he, did he take the documents out of his socks when he told you that?

Hartmann: Come on Dick, do you want me to talk about hookers with you? Come on Dick.

Morris: Okay, well thanks very much for the interview. Bye-bye. (hangs up)

If more talk show hosts did this sort of thing there wouldn't be many extreme right wing apologists left on the airwaves.