I Love Air America: Hosts Refuse to Dismiss Farrakhan's "Whites Blew Up Levees"

PittsburghAfterDark

PittsburghAfterDark

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Friday, Sept. 16, 2005 1:13 a.m. EDT
Air America Hosts: Farrakhan Not Wrong on Levees

Two hosts at the liberal radio network Air America are defending Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan - saying he's not wrong to suspect that white people deliberately blew up the levees in New Orleans.

"You cannot blame people for coming up with conspiracy theories," Air America host Chuck D. said, after he was asked Thursday about the paranoid pronouncement by MSNBC's Tucker Carlson.

"They look on television and see that the government is four days late in saving people [who are] supposed to be their citizens," Chuck D. explained.

Carlson gave him a second chance to denounce Farrakhan's lunatic declaration, saying, "You're a smart guy. You know that white people didn't blow up the levees to kill black people. You've gotta know that didn't happen."

But the Air America host refused to budge, insisting instead that there was a chance Farrakhan could be right.

"I can't say unless I know for sure what's the actual facts and what's actually false," the rapper-turned-talk host said.

Carlson tried a third time, telling Chuck D.: "Look, I can say for certain that it was not a white conspiracy. White people did not blow up the levee to kill black people."

Still, the radio lefty wouldn't denounce Farrakhan's poisonous rant, saying only, "I don't think it's a person at fault but I think the system needs revamping."

After failing to persuade Chuck D., the MSNBC host turned to panelist Rachel Maddow, who also hosts a show on Air America.

Asked if she believed that white people deliberately destroyed the levees, Maddow declined to render a personal judgment - and instead defended the sentiment behind the toxic hypothesis.

"Conspiracy theories don't necessarily help but you have to understand where they come from," she told Carlson. "They come from people feeling like this disaster had a real racial component. I mean, it was a majority-black city that was absolutely abandoned by the country."

On Monday, Farrakhan uncorked his ugly theory, telling a North Carolina audience: "I heard from a very reliable source who saw a 25 foot deep crater under the levee breach. It may have been blown up to destroy the black part of town and keep the white part dry."
Link

Do you think these two subscribe to Farrakhan's "Mother Ship" or "Mother Plane" theory as well?
 
While I agree that the Farrakhan charge is ludicrous, you might gain more credibility if your source wasn't a right-wing news agency engaging in editorialism.
 
What part of the heading "With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff" clued you on to the fact that this is a transcript?

Reads more like an article to me.

As a fan of Chuck D, I'm admittedly disappointed (but in no way surprised). I would like to read the *entire* transcript of the show, not just bits and pieces that could potentially be shown to make the discussion look worse than it is.

Now go away PAD, start other topics and scamper away quickly before you're told what a fucking idiot you are.
 
[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']It's a transcript :roll: not an editorial.[/QUOTE]

You think THIS is a transcript and not an editorial:

"Carlson gave him a second chance to denounce Farrakhan's lunatic declaration."

You'd better consult your dictionary.
 
The relevant part of the transcript (thanks Duo!):

CARLSON: OK, well speaking of minister, I‘m glad you brought up Minister Farrakhan because he, of course, needless to say weighed in on Hurricane Katrina. He said this, “I heard from a very reliable source who saw a 25-foot deep crater under the levee breach. It may have been blown up to destroy the black part of town and keep the white part dry.”

Now that‘s a lunatic thing to say. That‘s a hateful thing to say. That‘s going to make people more paranoid and unhappy. Will you just say to people who listen to what you say that that‘s wrong and even to traffic in a conspiracy theory like that hurts this country?

CHUCK D: You cannot blame people for coming up with conspiracy theories when they look on television and see that the government is four days late in saving people that are supposed its citizens.

CARLSON: But you‘re a smart guy. You know that white people didn‘t blow up a levee to kill black people. Now come on. You know that that didn‘t happen.

CHUCK D: I try to be smart. I try to be smart. I try to be smart and I can‘t say unless I know for sure what‘s actual fact and what‘s actually false. All I‘m saying is that the pictures don‘t lie. When we saw people out there saying “I‘m locked up in the city, I‘m trying to get up out of it and I need the government to help me,” you know, the pictures don‘t lie.

CARLSON: Well the pictures—look, I can say for certain that it was not a white conspiracy. White people did not blow up a levee to kill black people. I think we can say that for sure.

CHUCK D: I don‘t think it‘s a person at fault but I think the system needs some revamping.

CARLSON: All right, Chuck D, formerly of Public Enemy, thanks a lot for coming on.
Click to expand...

Chuck D, as NewsMax trumped up, did not deny that Farrakhan's assertions were ludicrous. What Chuck D is saying, however, is that the federal response was completely inadequate (in that it was very very late). It seems that Chuck D used this question not to vilify Farrakhan, but to promote what he believed to be the underlying racial factors in the federal response.

And if I had a nickel for every time a guest on a political talk show either dodged a question, or spun it to get across their feelings/opinions/interpretations, well, frankly, I'd probably no longer be exempt from the estate tax. ;)

Much ado about nothing, I'm afraid.
 
Now who's editorializing myke? :lol: But seriously, one thing I actually like Carlson for is he'll actually try to call people out on some things, and unlike guys like Jon Stewert, he and his audience (if he even has one) will actually let them respond and not be a big dick about it (sometimes). Personally I don't see why Chuck D. has a radio show. To be honest that's why I never liked Air America much, their talent consists of (IMO) unfunny comedians and rap artists that were popular when I was 12. It's a station that wants to seem like it's so unlike crazy bastards like Rush, when it appears to me to be about the same thing with people always protecting their side of ploitics and their story and their buddies. For instance, I think any real reporter or even political radio personality on either side would've said Farrakhan's theory was baseless and rediculous, but IIRC Chuck D and Farrakhan go way back so that's like a cop asking you if your best friend has ever committed a crime. I do however agree with Rachel Maddow's later comment that Carlson probably should've asked Farrakhan directly rather than have someone respond in his place, but seeing as how Chuck D was they guy who brought Farrakhan's name into it I guess it was kinda fair game.
 
WTF are your guys talking about????

During hurricane Betsy of 1969 & the great Mississipi flood of 1927 the same thing happened so they're well within their right to make these accusations

I'm originally from the south and it's a widely known fact that the governor at the time ordered the levees to be blown up during Hurricane Betsy in 1969.
 
Pittsburgh is a blue city, not a red one. Let him trumpet his partisan ways as much as he wants, he's in the minority here. No matter what he touts and what he believes is a "transcript" the city he lives in doesn't agree with him either.
 
[quote name='captaincold']WTF are your guys talking about????

During hurricane Betsy of 1969 & the great Mississipi flood of 1927 the same thing happened so they're well within their right to make these accusations

I'm originally from the south and it's a widely known fact that the governor at the time ordered the levees to be blown up during Hurricane Betsy in 1969.[/QUOTE]

Not that I believe farrakhan, but, looking on google, the above poster is right. The levees were blown up in 1927, and it appears that it was also done with betsy. Though, at the same time, I've also found out that intentionally breaking levees is a practice done throughout the world, to direct waters into certain areas and, therefore, minimize damage overal or to protect more important areas. I've also seen quotes from people claiming they heard loud blasts before the levees broke, but the sites aren't the most reputable (from things like indymedia).

Basically, I definately don't believe it, but to suggest that a levee was blown to protect valuable areas, like the french quarter, isn't as absurd when you look at what's been done in the past.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']Now who's editorializing myke? :lol: But seriously, one thing I actually like Carlson for is he'll actually try to call people out on some things, and unlike guys like Jon Stewert, he and his audience (if he even has one) will actually let them respond and not be a big dick about it (sometimes). Personally I don't see why Chuck D. has a radio show. To be honest that's why I never liked Air America much, their talent consists of (IMO) unfunny comedians and rap artists that were popular when I was 12....[/QUOTE]

Looks like someone is still peeved that his buddy-in-a-bowtie Carlson was called out for partisan hackery, and then responded by calling Stewart a (and I quote) "buttboy". Stewart runs a comedy show, if you take it seriously then you are the real fool.

I will say that the press in general is finally doing it's job in calling out the federal government on Katrina, and even though I don't waste my time with Carlson's show, I wouldn't be surprised if Carlson was trying to make a late jump onto the bandwagon.

And Chuck D. is awesome. Sure, he's not popular anymore, because he's not rapping about big cars and getting tail like P Diddly, instead he's talking out against undue corporate influence and his honest political viewpoint as a black person in America. I may not agree with him all the time, but I still think he has ten times more courage then a guy like 50 cent whose greatest assets seem to be an inability to speak proper english and being used for target practice by a bunch of gang bangers.
 
[quote name='camoor']Looks like someone is still peeved that his buddy-in-a-bowtie Carlson was called out for partisan hackery, and then responded by calling Stewart a (and I quote) "buttboy". Stewart runs a comedy show, if you take it seriously then you are the real fool.

I will say that the press in general is finally doing it's job in calling out the federal government on Katrina, and even though I don't waste my time with Carlson's show, I wouldn't be surprised if Carlson was trying to make a late jump onto the bandwagon.

And Chuck D. is awesome. Sure, he's not popular anymore, because he's not rapping about big cars and getting tail like P Diddly, instead he's talking out against undue corporate influence and his honest political viewpoint as a black person in America. I may not agree with him all the time, but I still think he has ten times more courage then a guy like 50 cent whose greatest assets seem to be an inability to speak proper english and being used for target practice by a bunch of gang bangers.[/QUOTE]

It's somewhat about that famous crossfire deal, but not really about Carlson, to be honest I don't even like Carlson that much (the lame ass bowtie thing is pretty stupid for starters). However, I just said I liked him because he actually called out his guests alot on some subjects whcih is something other famous interviewers will never do (cough...Larry King).

I've said it before here, I think Stewart is becoming a hypocrite. I do watch the daily show, at least once a week. I used to watch it before it basically became the same long running jokes over and over, but that's another story. Stewart criticizes other meida people and organizations for being too partisan and his show is about as partisan as you can get. Just compare how he'll have soft glove, buddy-buddy interviews for most everyone leaning left and try to grill lots of those leaning right (some deserve it though, but not always). For a host he has seemingly little control over his largely disrepsectful audience (or all the control, who knows). Then whenever someone tries to call him on it, he uses the same excuse you did "well it's not a news show, it's comedy." For starters, if it was really comedy, get some fresh material, maybe you know have some comedic guests on etc, but he'd much rather play the part of polictical advocate and jouralist because he's found it boosts ratings. Also, that excuse is absolute crap. Talk just about anyone from ages 15-25 (maybe older) and alot of them will actually tell you they watch the daily Show as a source of news, if not their only source of news even if it's not exactly real news. In fact people here on CAG have said the same thing. And I am positive Stewart knows this, he probably had to acknowledge that fact when the damn TV Critics Association gave his show best a News Program of the Year award. Also it's won two peabody Awards, and those awards are big in world of broadcast journalism. He had to remind them it wasn't really news. There's this big media blitz for the Daily show from merchandise to satire laced history textbooks and I think alot of it has gone to Stewert's head. It's satire, I get it, but sadly, I think many people, especially younger people, do in fact look to it as a source of reliable news and not just satire. But really this is not about the Daily Show, I've made my statement about that show in the past in other hreads anyhow so I'll shut up.

Also I never meant to disregard Chuck D's abilities as a musician, in fact I'd probably listen to his music anyday over someone like 50 Cent's and that's saying something because I don't care for rap music that much at all. However, I just don't see why he has his own radio show on the subject of politics and what not over other people (I'm assuming it's about politics as a never much listen to the radio or Air America for that matter). I have the same feelings as to why guys like Dennis Miller had similar shows on TV.
 
I think the daily show is just a liberal political comedy show. I don't use it for news or anything, and oddly only really watched it in canada (they even advertise it more up there), but it's definately a horrible source of news if that's all you watch. It has a news element which, quality or not, is essentially a vehicle for liberal political jokes.

Though, as to chuck D, rap has had a long history of political activism. The recent glut of money, party and advertisement focussed rappers is a result of the mainstreaming of rap.
 
[quote name='alonzomourning23']Not that I believe farrakhan, but, looking on google, the above poster is right. The levees were blown up in 1927, and it appears that it was also done with betsy. Though, at the same time, I've also found out that intentionally breaking levees is a practice done throughout the world, to direct waters into certain areas and, therefore, minimize damage overal or to protect more important areas. I've also seen quotes from people claiming they heard loud blasts before the levees broke, but the sites aren't the most reputable (from things like indymedia).

Basically, I definately don't believe it, but to suggest that a levee was blown to protect valuable areas, like the french quarter, isn't as absurd when you look at what's been done in the past.[/QUOTE]

It's possible, and I'm familar with the technique of blowing levees to prevent further damage to other areas and perhaps that was used at some ppint here. For instance IIRC, in the case of Betsy the city was flooding during the storm thanks to surges pushing water over the levees, which is why they were built higher afterwards. But my feeling was that this accusation was that they blew the levees to originally begin the flooding, maybe that's a poor assumption.

I don't know why the levees broke, but I've heard a run away barge may have caused one and I also heard the mayor and the Corps of Engineers say one was specifically caused by a pump station being overwhlemed. On the internet I also some reports about documented large cracks that went unrepaired. I think there's even theories out there that Al Qaida blew up the levees (which is more crazy than his IMO). All of those thing seem much more plausible to me (Edit: save for the al qaida one of course). I suppose this conspiracy theory is possible, it'd be hard to engineer the flood waters to react just like you'd want, but still possible. Though like you I guess I don't really believe at all.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']Also I never meant to disregard Chuck D's abilities as a musician, in fact I'd probably listen to his music anyday over someone like 50 Cent's and that's saying something because I don't care for rap music that much at all. However, I just don't see why he has his own radio show on the subject of politics and what not over other people (I'm assuming it's about politics as a never much listen to the radio or Air America for that matter). I have the same feelings as to why guys like Dennis Miller had similar shows on TV.[/QUOTE]

That's cool, I can see your point about the Daily Show, to be honest I don't watch it myself because I too see it as the same joke again and again. However sometimes I listen to the O'Reilly show for entertainment - and I'm not trying to be provacative here but it really makes me laugh my ass off - and the only difference that I see is that O'Reilly is doing either the screaming maniac or classic dead-pan while Stewart's game is acting smarmy and cracking wise. And O'Reilly plays the same game (I heard him say his show is 100% entertainment and his listeners should pickup a newspaper) yet I bet he is still the trusted source of "news" for many Americans. I guess my point is that it happens on both sides of the fence, but many conservatives (not you, but many) never see it that way.

However as for Chuck D, I think you should give him a listen, because as you say he really isn't the kind of rapper that is popular today and he has done other things in his life such as championing certain political causes or testifying before congress. I don't know many mainstream rappers of today that would openly condemn certain exploitative practices of corporations in a political forum, especially versus the record label cartels.
 
[quote name='alonzomourning23']I think the daily show is just a liberal political comedy show. I don't use it for news or anything, and oddly only really watched it in canada (they even advertise it more up there), but it's definately a horrible source of news if that's all you watch. It has a news element which, quality or not, is essentially a vehicle for liberal political jokes.

Though, as to chuck D, rap has had a long history of political activism. The recent glut of money, party and advertisement focussed rappers is a result of the mainstreaming of rap.[/QUOTE]

i disagree that the Daily Show is in any way shape or form 'liberal'

they are VERY equal opportunity when it comes to making politicians look like asses.
 
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