Franken, Liddy discuss talk radio at Kalb Report
"For many, talk radio is press ... people will believe it ... I would put a lock box on the paper so people would read the front page before reading the op-ed page," Bohanon said.
Liddy countered Bohanon by arguing that many newspapers' news coverage has a liberal bias.
"The front page of the New York Times is the op-ed," he said.
But Franken said right-wing radio has built up an infrastructure and has scared the mainstream media. He said journalists, such as himself, serve their listeners unlike conservative radio hosts, who manipulate their audience.
As the forum continued, Kalb addressed Kerry's reference to Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter in one of the debates. Both Bohannon and Liddy agreed it was uncalled for, but Franken said Kerry appropriately brought up the fact in the context of the gay marriage issue. He also said Cheney is a hypocrite for supporting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages.
Hypocrisy, Franken said, is a recurring theme in right-wing radio. Earlier this year, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh admitted that he was addicted to the pain reliever Oxy-Contin, but Franken pointed out that Limbaugh has attacked drug users in the past.
"When my friend, Jerry Garcia (of the Grateful Dead), died, (Limbaugh) called him 'another dead doper' and said that all people who do drugs deserve to die."
Kalb asked each of the guests who they expected to win the presidential election. Bohannon and Liddy agreed Bush would emerge victorious, with Bohannon explaining that many of the states the president won in 2000 now have even more electoral votes.
The obstinate Franken said he wants Kerry to win but alleged that groups paid by the Republican Party would shred Democrats' ballots in key swing states such as Oregon and Ohio.
Liddy countered Bohanon by arguing that many newspapers' news coverage has a liberal bias.
"The front page of the New York Times is the op-ed," he said.
But Franken said right-wing radio has built up an infrastructure and has scared the mainstream media. He said journalists, such as himself, serve their listeners unlike conservative radio hosts, who manipulate their audience.
As the forum continued, Kalb addressed Kerry's reference to Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter in one of the debates. Both Bohannon and Liddy agreed it was uncalled for, but Franken said Kerry appropriately brought up the fact in the context of the gay marriage issue. He also said Cheney is a hypocrite for supporting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages.
Hypocrisy, Franken said, is a recurring theme in right-wing radio. Earlier this year, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh admitted that he was addicted to the pain reliever Oxy-Contin, but Franken pointed out that Limbaugh has attacked drug users in the past.
"When my friend, Jerry Garcia (of the Grateful Dead), died, (Limbaugh) called him 'another dead doper' and said that all people who do drugs deserve to die."
Kalb asked each of the guests who they expected to win the presidential election. Bohannon and Liddy agreed Bush would emerge victorious, with Bohannon explaining that many of the states the president won in 2000 now have even more electoral votes.
The obstinate Franken said he wants Kerry to win but alleged that groups paid by the Republican Party would shred Democrats' ballots in key swing states such as Oregon and Ohio.
