Into the dustbin of history

UPDATE: McBride has reposted the deleted items, which she had taken down 24 hours earlier with no explanation. (Don't ask, don't tell?) She also says: "I doubt I will have anything more to say on this, unless something unforseen comes up." Bets, anyone?
------------------------------------------------------

Taking a page from the old Soviet regimes, which had a system of making inconvenient facts and even images disappear from historical records and photos, Jessica McBride has begun to purge the Internet of some of the things she apparently wishes she had never written.

Brew City Brawler, a frequent McBride critic, discovered the deletions from her blog, and was taken aback. Says the Brawler:

So the casual reader no longer will be able to read her accusations that WTMJ's decision to replace her with Dennis Miller indicated the station was going wobbly on conservatism. Or that she was contemplating suing the Journal Sentinel. Or her fan mail.

Did she figure out attacking not one, but [two] former employers was not a shrewd move in pursuing future employment? Did her buddy Charlie Sykes suggest she was undermining the cause by attacking WTMJ's bonafides? Did WTMJ management contact her regarding her characterization of her final conversations with them?

The Brawler has no idea. But he would suggest that she rename her site mcbridememoryhole.

The Brawler vows he is now through writing about McBride, a college journalism instructor. He says:

...[She] really should not be teaching a profession in which accountability is paramount. In which what you write matters.

Thanks to Folkbum and the Google cache system, we are able to bring you one of last week's classic posts which McBride has deleted from her blog. But this is getting confusing. Is it a public service to make more McBride rants available, or should we all be trying to help her delete them?

Thursday, May 24, 2007
PR 101

Don't put someone in a position where they have to defend their honor and reputation.

I didn't need all of this. Nor did I want it. If they wanted to switch me for Dennis Miller, which was never anything I had heard about before the Cuprisin hatchet job broke, I would have said, your call, your station, thanks for the opportunity. And gone back quietly to my life like Ken Herrera, end of story. I am a big girl. The radio biz is brutal. I get that. I have a full life. Husband, kids, teaching job, column, dog, etc.

But falsely comparing me to Michael McGee Sr. and Don Imus in the state's largest newspaper? Journal Communications didn't think I might want to defend myself about that? What would Ken Herrera have said if they compared him to Michael McGee?

Oh, PR 101A.

Really don't put someone in a position where they have to defend their honor and reputation if they have a widely read blog.

Trust me: I want all of this to just go back to normal. But I will simply not stand for being fraudulently compared to Michael McGee Sr. and Don Imus (if you don't think that comparison was drawn, go read the last paragraph of Tim Cuprisin's "fair-and-balanced" column from Saturday. He wrote: The move came after a series of similar gaffes. Last month, Don Imus was fired by CBS Radio and MSNBC for offensive comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. Earlier this month, Michael McGee was suspended from his WNOV-AM (860) show after offensive comments about the death of WTMJ talker Charlie Sykes' mother.).

Are you kidding me? Go listen to McGee's audio again. Cuprisin really thinks I made a "similar gaffe" - as he falsely wrote, I don't accept those terms - to a man who used the N word repeatedly, and made such statements as this one in the exact infamous radio rant that got McGee kicked off the radio and to which Cuprisin compared me:

Milwaukee as a whole, they hate a (N word excised by me). And they hate, they hate, they hate, and they’re just like they’re on a plantation and when you really think about it. Nothing changed too much telling you when the master’s pissing in your face and telling you it’s rain and the (N word excised by me)’s saying, hey he’s pissing on you. Right in your face.

And that's just for starters. Cuprisin compared me to that? For asking a faux Eugene Kane if he finally thinks it's a crisis after the tragic passing of a little girl whose death I'd already expressed my outrage over on my blog and radio show? (Facts Cuprisin omitted, among others, including all context.)

You know what Don Imus said, which is something I condemned on the radio. He used a racial and misognystic slur. I didn't do anything remotely similar to that. And I won't stand for it.

Frankly, it's so outrageous as to raise defamation (I am a public figure, which makes it a high hurdle legally but don't think I'm not at least considering legal action against the MJS for that comparison).

Furthermore, PR 101B.

If you are going to put someone with a prominent blog in a position where they have to defend their honor and reputation, don't keep endlessly switching your story in emails to upset listeners, putting said blogger in the annoying position of having to defend her honor all over again and hacking off upset listeners more because they see through the shell game. And don't switch the stories in writing because your emails will probably end up in the hands of the talk show host with the huge megaphone across town. Oh, and don't copy the person with the blog on some of the emails with switching stories.

PR 101C

Get your characters right. Consider. Do you really want to go after a conservative for poking harmless fun at EUGENE KANE?

PR 101D

If you want a less ideologically conservative show at night, or anytime else, and you tell that to the person with the blog, just level with the listeners. They can see through anything else, and they're going to figure it out pretty soon anyway when the new host admits he doesn't like the conservative label to... Cuprisin.

Good grief.

By the way, when is Tim Cuprisin going to report that company honcho Jon Schweitzer, in a listener email, changed his story from Saturday's money quote? He now says the Kane situation had nothing to do with canning me: She wasn’t even dismissed over the Eugene Kane piece she aired...

Oh really? On Saturday, he said it "contributed" to it and Cuprisin built his whole story around that, giving the readers what apparently was a false impression about me, at least now according to Schweitzer, Cuprisin's key source.

If MJS is honest, they will report that and retract their entire story, which was apparently based on a completely false premise, according to their key source, in writing.

Tim Cuprisin, I dare you to link to THIS post.

posted by Jessica McBride at 3:13:00 AM

UPDATE: Another batch of deleted McBride posts, sent our way by an e-mailer calling himself Ed Murrow, who says his RSS feed saved these:

MAY 24

Dennis Miller says: I shun the conservative label

I told you so. You know, what? That is WTMJ's right. It's their station. Their company. On Friday, the program director, Tom Parker,(email him at tparker@620wtmj.com), told me they'd decided to move away from "ideologically conservative" programs. He said it wasn't the growth potential of the station anymore. (Except for Charlie's show, he said. Don't worry. I never got the impression they would meddle with Charlie's show at all, and I don't believe Charlie would let them. He's too ethical, and his show is too good and too highly rated). By not mentioning him, I am not implying anything about Jeff, who is also a fantastic person and host. I only know what I was told by Parker.

Tom Parker told me that Dennis Miller is conservative but not ideologically so (whatever that means). That's a better fit coming out of sports, he said. Now the station is denying this in listener emails.

But the proof is in the pudding. I told you so. Again, it's their station. Their right. But why not just be up front about it if that's where they think the audience is? Maybe the audience spoke back?

Tim Cuprisin on Dennis Miller today:

While talk radio of his type is generally labeled as conservative, he doesn't go with that label. "Anybody who says I'm way out on the right is wrong, or way out on the left is wrong," he says, describing himself as a "reasonably measured man."

"I'm not on here to excoriate callers or guests. I'm not on here to be presumptuous enough to think that my opinion should rule. I'll say my opinion, and then I'm willing to be convinced." So who is his audience?

"I'm hoping I'm talking to pragmatists. I'm getting sick of being shouted down by certain people; the stridency is giving me a headache. "The day-to-day discourse in this country, the Hatfield and McCoy thing, it's over for me. It's tired, it's boring."

Blah, blah, blah. Don't trust me. Just read this. Whatever. This is just as tired of a schtick as that which he thinks he's condemning - the, "let's pretend I'm not partisan because people are sick of partisanship" schtick. I don't agree with this at all, so, maybe I just wasn't a good fit for WTMJ in retrospect.

I should have known that two months ago when Parker said I might want to talk less about Doyle, taxes, and Bush, and more about lifestyle issues. I remember going home to my husband and saying, "Paul, does Hannity talk about lifestyle issues? Does Belling? Are we living in the 1960s, when they made my grandmother cover the First Ladies for the women's section of the old Milwaukee Sentinel, when she really
wanted to cover politics?" (As a very young girl, I remember looking at her press passes from the Ladies Teas at the White House in her photo albums).

Let me be honest. Candidly blunt. I was never good at trying to talk about lifestyle issues. Deep down, I know that. I just couldn't force it. Anyway, the night I tried talking about Britney being bald (is that a "lifestyle issue?"), my phone lines jammed for an hour anyway with callers attacking me for talking about Britney being bald. "Don't I talk about the war in Iraq enough for your folks!" I remember
saying. Regular listeners! You know this.

Guess what? I am interested in Doyle, taxes, and Bush. I think they are important.

What he calls partisanship and boring, I call principle. I don't believe the Hatfield and McCoy thing is boring and tired at all. I respect people who have principles and know their own minds. I am proud to admit that I am conservative in most, although not every, position. I am presumptous enough to think that my opinion should rule - that is, that the conservative opinion should rule.

Ironically, this is exactly the point I made in the "controversial" left side of the moon segment (the part that didn't make it into the Journal Sentinel; the lengthy and serious introduction before the Kane part).

Here's an excerpt of the "controversial" segment (I heard a blogger might have audio coming soon):

All right, so my producer Robert Hampton and I have created a new segment for the program. It is called left side of the moon. And here's where the idea came from. Maybe, I don't know, two weeks ago, an MPS teacher -- a very good teacher by the way -- we don't hear enough about the very good teachers in MPS. And he has a debate class, and he's been inviting very interesting people into that class. Now, I'm not describing myself as very interesting, but he had John Chisholm in there. He had Robert Donovan in there. What a great experience for these MPS kids. And he's been trying to spark debates and then they have to write columns about it or something.

Well, this teacher invited me into the class, and he invited Eugene Kane into the class. On the same day. At the same time. And we were supposed to debate the National Guard going into the inner city issue. Which isn't really my pet issue or anything. But I said all right, I'm game. I'll come in, and I'll try to advance that side. And I thought it was enormous fun, number one. And so Robert and I concocted a new regular segment for the program. It's going to run on Tuesdays and Fridays. Not every single Tuesday and Friday but on Tuesdays and/or Fridays when I have long enough shows. Because those are the days that Robert's my producer. He's sort of done this with me, so I really only want to do this segment when he is here. I will announce it on my blog on wtmj.com when I am going to have a new left side of the moon segment.

The idea behind it is this. I am a little sick and tired, not to criticize anyone else, but I personally as a listener of other conservative shows nationally and everything, I get a little sick and tired of hearing the usual suspects on the shows. Now I love Paul Ryan, wonderful, wonderful man, and Mark Green and all of these individuals, great people, great politicians, have a lot to say but I'm a little bit sick and tired of only hearing conservative hosts talk to the usual suspects. So I thought how interesting would it be to invite a liberal on my show every now and then to have a debate.

Now, let me make this very clear. Let me tell you what left side of the moon will not be. It?s not Kumbayah. We?re not going to be roasting marshmallows in the studio. I?m not going to be holding hands with Eugene Kane or Gov. Doyle or whatever like they do on NPR. This is not National Public Radio, nor will it ever be. Because I don't believe that all ideas are inherently equal. I don't believe that all viewpoints really have equal merit. That's kind of the liberal point of view sometimes, although they say that?s their point of view, that they're the non judgmental ones, and then they judge everybody else.

They say they?re the tolerant ones, who consider all points of view. But they're incredibly intolerant to the conservative point of view. And that's perfectly OK. Because I'm intolerant to the liberal point of view. Not all of the time, but a lot of the time. That's because I do believe that the conservative position -- this is not the Republican position, that's a different thing -- but the conservative position philosophically, is for the most part, most times, logically and ethically stronger than the liberal point of view. And I would like to invite some prominent liberals and maybe some not so prominent ones, we will see, onto the program and ask them to defend their viewpoints.

Uh, yeah. Not a good fit.

Dennis Miller is a good person. But he's just not me. You know, maybe things happen for a reason. If that's what the marketplace wants (which I doubt), they are a business, so go for it, I guess. But don't confuse it with principle.

**********************
MAY 23

Belling on "my carcass"
Don't worry. This carcass ain't dead, yet. It will keep fighting the conservative fight. I don't need corporate America to give me a voice. Not in a new media age.

I knew that would get your attention.

As usual, Mark Belling hits the nail right on the head 9http://www.gmtoday.com/milwaukeetoday/editorials/belling/belling_05232007.asp). He's right on everything in this column, including that the midterms didn't mean people have turned away from the conservative message. They were sending a message on the war (but not to surrender) and on the Republican establishment (Foley, spending, etc...) The pendulum will swing back.

Those execs who think otherwise, and choose to ride the short-term wave of today rather than the steady tide of principle, will find themselves sadly mistaken and exposed as utterly lacking principle in the end, in my opinion. As I've said before, I don't know a single person who wants their taxes raised, criminals released, and America to surrender to the terrorists. Well, maybe one or two. They're all in
the MSM and academia. But other than that...

******************
MAY 23

Charlie and Mark

Let me make this very clear: Charlie Sykes and Mark Belling are both men I respect. I have known them both for a long time, back into the late 1990s, when I wrote a column on gangs that sparked their interest. As a conservative, I want MORE conservative voices in this community, and I am glad that Milwaukee is lucky enough to have four strong conservative talk radio voices, in Charlie, Mark, Jeff Wagner,and Jay Weber (plus rising star James T. Harris). Too bad Vikki McKenna doesn't come in here - she is amazing.

Mark and Charlie have turned conservative talk into a fine art with their very different, and extremely effective, styles.

I will never forget how Mark Belling went to bat for me a long time ago. He asked me on his television show, but Milwaukee Journal Sentinel management said they preferred that I didn't go on the program. I don't remember the exact date. It was probably the late 1990s. Mark called Editor Martin Kaiser and raised holy hell about it.

He asked why they only allowed the males in the newsroom to go on his show. Marty came out of his office a couple minutes later and rather sheepishly said I could go on the Belling show. Mark gave me a chance. He has always shown me respect. He's an absolute master at what he does. I appreciate Mark's defense of me this week.

If it weren't for Charlie Sykes, I wouldn't have a blog. Charlie Sykes encouraged me to start my very first blog. Charlie is a man of brilliant intellect, and I've learned a lot from him. Our families have a lot in common. His father was a professor at UWM and Charlie used to work at the newspaper too, among other things. He first invited me on his television show years ago (the Monica Ray story) and on his radio show. He's been very kind to me and is my friend. Charlie had nothing to do with the actions of WTMJ management. He doesn't run the radio station. I appreciate the nice and very gracious things he said about me today on his show and blog. I thank him for that enormously.

*************
MAY 22

Listener/reader response

Update: Click on the home page for regular posts on other issues now. I am getting sick of my own story.

I thought you might be interested in hearing the opinion that will never make it through the mainstream media's gate (see vanishing "defense"
(http://latermeask.blogspot.com/2007/05/cuprisin-watch-case-of-missing-post.html) post). I have removed the writers' names to protect their privacy. These are all people I don't personally know. They also aren't party activists, as far as I know. Those emails and calls came in too in far greater numbers than I ever expected, but I've selected a sampling for posting below of emails from "average" listeners only. I'm not going to post them all. The response has been overwhelming and is so greatly appreciated. It's really been amazing the past couple of days - Thanks.

Incidentally, I've received a grand total of two angry, vicious emails, including one that said, "we at UWM know who you are." (I received zero complaints after the segment aired, even though many people called in with ideas for left side of the moon's next guest, until Jim Rowen and Tim Cuprisin started making hay with it on Friday morning. Then I got a grand total of two, and they weren't that angry. They were just questioning about what they had read.)

Those emails have been drowned out by the kindness anyway, so thanks. I haven't even been able to obtain the emails in my company account since Friday morning because they blocked it out after telling me I could access it. These are just the ones coming through my personal blog email, which people are just starting to find again.

What these emails tell me is this: This is not so much about me (trust me, I recognize that) as it is about the fact that people are hungering for more conservative voices. There still aren't that many of us outside the Web. The most disturbing part of this entire story is that WTMJ told me they are moving away from "conservative ideological" programs due to the midterms. I was also told at one
point to talk less about Doyle, taxes, and Bush! (yeah, right). Frankly, it's their station. If that's the direction they want to go in, it's obviously their right.

But WTMJ radio is the "largest stick in the state", so that means fewer conservative ideological local/state voices in this state. Furthermore, there are people at night who do hunger for issues-driven shows with a local/state bent. That's a great thing for civic life.

Also, the conservative audience gets it - they understand that the liberal media, in concert with the partisan attack blogs, are attempting to silence conservative voices these days, especially those critical of... well, the liberal media.

Why won't the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel print this side of the story? We all know the answer to that question, don't we?

###

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your show and how disgusted I am in regard to your treatment and firing. We are in a culture war and the liberals fight dirty. I am hoping that while this battle was lost, the war will eventually be won. I would very much like to see you surface on another station. Keep up the good work.

###

I just sent this to wtmj: "I was so pleased when you put Jessica on the air. That move showed a great deal of forward thinking on your part. She is a super star of the evening air waves. I would look forward to her show with a great deal of enthusiasm . I think that your dismissal of her was narrow minded, prejudicial, and showed poor judgment. I would hope that you would reconsider your decision. If
not, I will be listening to Mark Levine on another station." I will be "listening" to you, Jessica, on your blog. Keep up the good work.

###

I'm sorry about your recent dismissal from WTMJ Radio. I haven't heard much about it yet today, but was very upset about it. I look forward to your show, as I work nights by myself and enjoy your company. I have just recently started reading your blog and will continue to do so. Sorry again.

###

I have enjoyed listening to you on WTMJ and your podcasts.. I was so disappointed to hear of their decision regarding your show. I always appreciated how you disected a subject. The way you handled some of the strangest of night time callers and the way you maintained your objectivity during your husband's statewide campaign were a tribute to your professional integrity. I hope we get to hear you again on the
airwaves. Until then, my best to you on your career at UWM and with your blog.

###

Jessica, I never wrote to a talk show host before, but I thought that I ought to let you know that I will miss your presence on the radio. You've been a very pleasant breath of fresh air in the evenings and I look forward to hearing you again on another medium. WTMJ is clearly in a meltdown these days.

###

I was out of town and when I got back home on Sunday night my husband told me about your being fired from WTMJ.

I became a listener of your show only recently and really enjoyed it. Mostly I appreciated the fact that you told it like it is. You don't dance around a subject and when conservatives (Republicans) are wrong you point it out. My best to you and your family.

A loyal listener,

###

I can't believe you are off..I loved you and your show..Now what do I do...I wish you well.

###

It is sad to see a world where people get fired over something they didn't say. You were NOT making fun of the murder of a 4 year old but rather of Eugene Kane. I am sorry. But I glad you are back blogging because we need your common sense voice

###

First, I would like to say that I'm sorry you're gone from WTMJ. I always enjoyed listening to you. Second, I just read your blog post about illegals. I agree 100%!

###

I just want to give my best wishes to your new future since leaving TMJ. It's disheartening to hear that you had to endure a situation in which your employer didn't support you. I caught parts of your show a few times and thought it was well done. I read your blog for the first time and will check back from time to time now.

###

(listener forwarded this message the listener sent to station management)

Jon, ....I understand you canned JMcB. I consider the circumstances questionable & therefore am immediately "canning" radio 620. 1/ First, radio 620 comes off my truck radio memory buttons, and off the 2 radios in my home that also have memory buttons. 2/ Further, if I hear WTMJ on ANY radio, I will insist insofar as possible that the station be changed or the radio turned off. This will apply in the health club I frequent, and several other locations. If others ask why I make my 'urgent' request, I will freely tell them. 3/ Finally, I will forward copies of this email to all local listings in my email address book, with an explanation, and ask that they implement these same 3 steps.

###

I'm writing a quick note to let you know that I will miss your show. I work second shift and always enjoyed listening to your show driving home at night. There are not nearly enough female conservative voices out there, so you will be missed. I think am620 is probably betting that the Dennis Miller show will be successful but I'm not so sure. He didn't work out well on Monday night football and he gets tiresome to
listen to after awhile. good luck to you - I will be following your blog.

###

It?s no wonder the people in this state are so liberal, there is no news source to inform them of the truth. Excellent article by the way, I am going to be directing quite a few people to it. By the way, I'm sorry about your TMJ firing, but those hacks and communists wouldn't know the truth if it bit them in the ass.

###

I'm shocked. Given the opportunity, TMJ has revealed their true colors. TMJ is now forever linked to cowardly liberal bias.

###

My daughter, who lives in Brookfield, told me about your problem with WTMJ. I am extremely disappointed that they have acted this way. I live in the Fox Valley and listen to WTMJ for much of the day, and alway sended with your program. In fact I was always glad when the sporting events were over, and even happier when they didn't occur at all and you could have a full show. Always regretted weekends when you wouldn't be'on air'. I know you will find something else, but I am sorry - we really need more female influences in this world! I do thank you for your informative program and trust you will be 'back' again soon on a station that has enough power to come to the Fox Valley.

###

Take care and good luck with your future endeavours? Do a podcast.Keep getting your message out there!

###

I just read your blog in illegal?s and cannot agree more. I will also be contacting our public elected officials to put the heat on. In liberal-ville, that is tough sledding, but the message has to be presented even if it is not understood. Kenosha hopefully will wake up and DO SOMETHING. We will miss you on TMJ?you were very good.

###

I will miss your show and just wanted you to know I will be searching your blog for your new station and for news we do not always find elsewhere. Thank you for all your great work and thought provoking news you have done. Wtmj has lost alot caving to the thought police and ever considering getting rid of you. Please you do not need to respond as I am sure you getting tons of support but know there are many thinking of you considering the friends and family I have gotten to listen to your show. I just wanted to let you know you had me and many others as a fan.

###

I just wanted to send you a note of support. You are fantastic and will continue to do great things. I am so sorry for the abuse you are getting.

###

I don't know what the fall-out from the recent personel moves at 620 will be, but if they keep canning talent, Air America might have a new home. Of course, maybe 620 has insider news that the fairness doctrine is coming back and they are "scrambling"several years in advance to get in compliance.

###

What happened to you at TMJ reminds me of Bernie What's-His-Name's book title: "Crazies To The Left Of Me, Wimps To The Right". That explains it exactly. Obviously, Cuprisin spun the spot for effect, and TMJ responded "appropriately" in the wake of Imus and that moron McGee. C.Y.A. is a convenient excuse here... But, frankly, I think the station has made a programming error. I don't know what market share you had, but I suspect Miller's will be less.

###

(Another email to the station forwarded to me) Hello, You've just lost me as a "loyal WTMJ listener." And I am the person in the demographic that you need the most. White. Female, Baby Boomer with money. Conservative. Republican. You made a terrible mistake by firing Jessica McBride. She was such a breath of fresh air to TMJ. This will be a big deal for me to seek out other radio stations at my age. I
grew up listening to your radio station. Now I am gone. You've made a terrible decision to fire her. And I hate baseball. But I'd stay up late and listen to those games just for Jessica to come on the air. Even if it was for 30 minutes. I needed her to inform me of what was going on in the community. And she delivered it to me the way I understood it.

### Well, I could go on. But you get the point.

*********************
MAY 19
Kenosha's accused cop killer is an illegal immigrant on state
supervision recently given HUBER jail

New update: New conservative blogger reaction (sorry, I know I didn't
catch all of it. I've been busy today).

Silent E Speaks
(http://silentespeaks.blogspot.com/2007/05/wtmj-fires-jessica-mcbride.html)/Stepping Right Up (http://steppingrightup.blogspot.com/2007/05/wtmj-has-some-explaining-to-do.html)./ Ask Me Later (http://latermeask.blogspot.com/2007/05/cuprisin-watch-case-of-missing-post.html) on the vanishing post/ Tom McMahon (http://www.tommcmahon.net/2007/05/the_continuing_.html)./ Badger Blogger (http://badgerblogger.com/?p=5331)./ Pete Republic (http://peterepublic.org/archives/2007/05/jessica_mcbride_1.html)/ John McAdams (http://mu-warrior.blogspot.com/2007/05/wtmj-has-pulled-jessica-mcbrides-blog.html) (also go to his home page and scroll down for more today)/ Real Debate Wisconsin (http://realdebatewisconsin.blogspot.com/2007/05/breaking-news-mcgee-calls-for-mcbride.html)/ Shark and Shepherd (http://sharkandshepherd.blogspot.com/2007/05/laffaire-mcbride.html)/ James Wigderson
(http://wigdersonlibrarypub.blogspot.com/2007/05/mcgee-jr-looking-for-revenge.html)/

Mark Belling Monday
podcast(http://www.belling.com/cc-common/podcast.html) (he talked about this at 3 and at 4).

The listener and reader responses are overwhelming, as well as the calls from conservative activists all over the state. I have been completely inundated with them today. Thank you to all!

####

I may not blog on this site permanently (some things are in flux), but this post couldn't wait. WTMJ 620 AM has asked to continue my blog (that's why it's still up), but I have no interest in doing so. I will be asking them to remove my name and blog from it. So, for now, you can check this site for postings.

Update: I noticed I am getting heavy traffic to my blog. So I have decided to say a bit more - briefly. Then, I will move on to the illegal immigrant story. It's a good one, so please read on.

I am disappointed because I fear that WTMJ has set a new standard for "offensiveness" on the radio that all conservative hosts in this town are now going to be judged by. I think that's a very dangerous precedent that should concern anyone who cares about a thriving conservative media. It's a tactic that the left has seized on since Don Imus (who wasn't even a conservative host). The threshhold for offense is lowering every day (I was one of those who argued that what Don Imus said was clearly offensive, by the way. But in cases that are at the best close calls, hosts deserve the defense of management).

I believe strongly in the power of a growing conservative media, which we didn't always have. This new tactic has been wedded with attempts to renew the Fairness Doctrine and to stifle conservative talk radio using campaign finance laws. Thus, it's important that corporate management defend its hosts, particularly when partisan liberal blogs (including a juvenile/abusive anonymous one and one run by the man who was the other finalist for my job at UWM) are driving the outrage in
concert with the liberal media. I do believe that they are moving more away from conservative ideological programs anyway - at least that's what I was told - which is also disappointing.

I appreciated the people I worked with greatly. Charlie Sykes, Jeff Wagner, Joe Scialfa, Stacy Blasiola, my producers, Rick Belcher (the program director who hired me) - class acts all. They do great work, and I am sure they will continue doing it and being champions of the conservative voice on the air and the Web. I appreciate the emails and calls from average listeners who enjoyed the show. They are people
I've never even met, and the support has been overwhelming. I also appreciated Mark Belling's defense of me on his show (). He always says it like it is, and that's something I really respect. Thank you also to the conservative bloggers and activists who have defended me -
Texas Hold Em
(http://texasholdemblogger.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/wtmj-and-jessica/), Real
Debate Wisconsin
(http://realdebatewisconsin.blogspot.com/2007/05/wrong-outrage-people.html),
Badger Blogger (http://badgerblogger.com/?p=5316), Wigderson
(http://wigdersonlibrarypub.blogspot.com/2007/05/mcbride-fired.html),
Pete Republic
(http://peterepublic.org/archives/2007/05/weighing_in_on.html) and
others.

Things happen the way they happen. I'm not a person who will sit around dwelling on it. The beauty of the new media is that anyone can blog or broadcast in five minutes anyway. I have things to say about the world, so I will keep saying them in one format or the other. To be honest, I couldn't work for a station that doesn't defend its hosts when they come under fire from the left, because that's almost a daily
occurrence in this field.

In the segment in question, I had posed a series of serious questions that I really would like the answer to. I came up with the questions I would have really asked if Eugene Kane had agreed to come on - because I had invited him. Another was: What's one solution, other than blaming the system, that you have for solving the violent crime problem? And: Why do you see race in absolutely everything? The question that liberal blogs and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel jumped on - and took out of context - asked whether, in light of the 4-year-old girl's death, Eugene Kane would at least finally acknowledge it's a crisis in Milwaukee. I would like to know the
answer to that question still. This was part of a lengthy discussion about a new segment on my show in which I would debate liberals. I had expressed my outrage over Jasmine's death on the radio and my blog. I made light of the fact only that Eugene Kane refused to come on the show to talk about serious issues by using the sound effect (as I noted in my original post on this at the time of the show, I know
Eugene was on vacation that day. I had invited him on the show as a blanket invitation at a time that worked in his schedule, and he said no to ever come on). I also said during the program that I was giving him a standing invite to change his mind and come on any time in the future. I would have asked the same questions had he done so. The point of the segment was to ask liberals the questions the media won't ask them - the tough questions.

My point in asking the "controversial" question was that we are in a crisis in the City of Milwaukee. Until the community admits the magnitude of the problem, the community won't ever begin to solve it. Period. It's important that hosts be allowed to say controversial things.

It is what it is. Life goes forward. I don't intend to say any more about it. I just want to move on, look ahead. So let's go forward by getting back to the issues now.