It was a bad day for talk radio – with one more case of toxic talk.
Unfortunately, this time it came from the left – and from a good friend.
Understandably angry at Laura Ingraham’s baseless attack on President Obama for just happening to be in England when tornadoes struck Missouri – Ed Schultz struck back on his afternoon radio show. And, in an emotional outburst, called her an ugly name for a woman.
It’s an ugly and insensitive word, in my opinion, whether on the air and off the air. But definitely not appropriate on the air.
Was it wrong for Ed to do so? Absolutely.
But here’s the difference. Ed was the first to admit it. He acknowledged he was wrong. He apologized. And he’s taking a week’s unpaid leave from MSNBC as punishment.
What a contrast with right-wingers.
Did Glenn Beck apologize, or get suspended, for calling President Obama a racist? No! Did Michael Savage apologize, or face discipline, for calling Diane Sawyer a “lying whore?” No! Did Mark Levin apologize for calling Sonia Sotomayor a “bigot?” Of course, not!
That’s the difference in talk show hosts going over the line. Right-wingers do it all the time; progressive hosts, rarely. Lefties always apologize; righties, never.
That’s my parting shot for today.