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American Afternoon with Hal Sparks Thursday June 5th 2008

By Eric Camille
40 years ago today Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California primary.  He was charging towards the Democratic party’s nomination for president after a series of primary wins.  Hal welcomes Thurston Clarke to the show in HOUR ONE.  Clarke is a writer and historian best known for general interest non-fiction, although he has also written one work of fiction. Thurston Clarke is the author of ten books of nonfiction and fiction. One recent work is Ask Not. The Inauguration of John F. Kennedy and the Speech that Changed America.  Hal and Thurston Clarke will be discussing the Kennedy family and how their misfortunes throughout history have changed the way we look at current elections and candidates.

Cliff Schecter, who wrote, The Real McCain, will be Hal’s guest in HOUR TWO.  Schecter is a veteran campaign strategist and political commentator. Schecter writes a monthly column distributed by Knight Ridder and was a guest columnist for United Press International from 2002-2004. His work has been featured in a variety of publications including The Miami Herald, The American Prospect, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Fordham Urban Law Journal, The Sacramento Bee and Salon.com. He blogs for The Gadflyer and writes a weekly satirical column each Friday called "Cliff's Corner," summarizing the week's most ridiculous events for AMERICAblog. Surprisingly, Tom DeLay gets mentioned a lot.

The conversation switches to the possibility of war with Iran before Bush exits the White House.  Robert Naiman will join Hal in HOUR THREE.  Naiman is National Coordinator of Just Foreign Policy, a membership organization devoted to reforming U.S. foreign policy to reflect the values and serve the interests of the majority of Americans. Naiman edits the daily Just Foreign Policy news summary.  JFP's web site is www.justforeignpolicy.org.

Plus your calls and much more on American Afternoon with guest host Hal Sparks.

Comments

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A day 4 AGs. Can U spell RENO DRUG WAR? What's domestic terrar?

Vapor lock this:

http://airamerica.com/node/78102/445024#comment-445024

Then pick the REAL ENEMIES, the "innocent" moles who cut off their nose to spite their face "DELIBERATELY" and choose your weapons:

Every Democrat in the Senate likes to imagine himself as a friend of the middle class. But few take the delusion to the extremes of Chuck Schumer. In his book Positively American, the senator from New York writes in eerie detail of his decades-long, entirely imaginary friendship with Joe and Eileen Bailey, a nonexistent middle-class couple from Long Island who struggle to get by on $75,000 a year. So committed is Schumer to his phantom friends that he has even introduced them to Majority Leader Harry Reid, confessing that he speaks to them daily and would be consulting them on every decision he makes as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

"Chuck," Reid told him, "I wouldn't want it any other way."

But Schumer's love of his made-up friends in the middle class didn't stop him from championing one of the biggest tax breaks for billionaires in the history of the republic. Last year, Democrats in the House fought to close a loophole that levies a tax rate of only 15 percent — barely half what real-life versions of the Baileys pay — on hedge-fund managers who make as much as $3.7 billion a year. But when the debate reached the Senate, Schumer broke with his fellow Democrats and sided with Wall Street — inspiring the hedge-fund industry to hail him as its "guardian."

www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/20961789/the_senate_caves/print

By SingSingJune 5, 2008 - 3:46pm

Hey Hal,

You are doing a fine job, your pace is great, your vibe feels invigorating and informative.

You are also up to date with today's news and facts, which sadly Kuby was not.

If you want to do more radio, I will listen to you anytime.

Why don't you send your airchecks to Nova M and see if they will have the good sense to hire you.

Dug the living heck out of you on QAF. Can't you get Sarah Jessica Parker to finance a QAF movie? (snort). Miss u tho.

By skiddlybopJune 5, 2008 - 4:48pm

You're Doing a Heckuva Job Sparky!

It's been an entertaining week so far Hal. I don't know how interested you are in doing this gig on a regular basis, but the bosses at AAR would be wise to keep you in the Rolodex. You're a natural.

By nosyneighbourJune 5, 2008 - 6:07pm

yaaaaaaaay Hal!

I have been enjoying Hal very much all week. I agree the recorded introductions are as dull as "press one for Hal" or "the red zone is for loading and unloading of Hal only." If I wasn't at work, I'd call in and give you an enthusiastic introduction like Kermit introduced guests on the Muppet Show.

Give a big handforHalSparksYaaaaaaaay!

By minecritterJune 5, 2008 - 7:01pm

still on Kermit

Maybe someone could splice Hal's name into a Kermit the Frog introduction. At least the robo-voices pronounce his name right, unlike poor Rachel Maddow (rhymes with shadow!).

By minecritterJune 5, 2008 - 9:05pm

1 day behind coz I podcast,

1 day behind coz I podcast, but I wanted to say how much I'm digging Mr. Sparks = )

I sure hope we hear more of him on AAR - he's terrific! Funny, funny, hip & super smart - I really like the way he engages w/ callers.

Oh & I keep thinking that announcer guy's voice reminds me of the man who used to be on Laugh-in (yes, I'm that old), Gary Owens....?

By pinellasJune 5, 2008 - 10:43pm

Comments

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