Republicans Pulled From the Air After Bashing Obama

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[Editor's Note: The author took an article describing the outrage about the Dixie Chicks dissing President Bush -- overseas -- and applied it to Obama.]

Republican legislators and radio talk show hosts are finding out that criticizing President Obama's plans for health care reform can cost you air play, big time.

Stations across the United States have pulled the Republicans from their rosters following reports that they said they were "ashamed the president of the United States."

Station managers said their decisions were prompted by calls from irate listeners who thought criticism of the president was unpatriotic.

One station in Kansas City, Missouri held an "elephant toss" party Friday morning, where Republican critics were encouraged to dump the group's tapes and CDs into trash cans.

Houston country station KILT pulled the party's records from its playlist -- at least temporarily -- after 77 percent of people polled on its Web site said they supported the move.

"We've got them off the air for right now," said Jeff Garrison, program director at KILT, which is owned by Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting Corp.

"People are shocked. They cannot believe Republicans have attacked the president," Garrison said.

One of the country stations in Dallas that helped champion the GOP when it was scraping by in that city said they are listening to the listener's views but do not think it is right to immediately jump on the bandwagon and stop airing the GOP's view, said program director Paul Williams.

Williams said it is too early to tell how strong a backlash may develop against the GOP. He said the comments touched a deep nerve.

"The listener backlash is probably bigger here than anywhere else," Williams said.

The GOP is the largest media voice in the United States.

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The author is former News Hound Melanie, now at SayItAintSoAlready.com.

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