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By GUY KOVNER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Former TV talk show host Phil Donahue said Monday he is enjoying his first foray into congressional politics by stumping for fellow
Phil Donahue, left, campaigns for North Coast congressional candidate Norman Solomon in Sebastopol on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. (CHRISTOPHER CHUNG/ PD)
liberal Norman Solomon on the politically green North Coast.
“I am having a very exciting time,” Donahue, 76, said at a meet-and-greet at Two Acre Wood, a co-housing community in Sebastopol.
Solomon, a Marin County author and activist, is one of 11 candidates seeking to represent the new coastal district in Congress, a wide open race triggered by Petaluma Democrat Lynn Woolsey’s decision to retire this year.
Donahue, white-haired and wearing rimless glasses, built a national reputation as host of an Emmy Award-winning syndicated talk show that ran for 26 years, ending in 1996, and that ranked 29th on TV Guide’s list of the top 50, all-time best shows in 2009.
As long as he was on TV, Donahue said he was precluded from political campaigning. He did back consumer advocate Ralph Nader’s presidential bid in 2000.
“We took a beating,” Donahue said, referring to the criticism that Nader’S campaign cost Democrat Al Gore the election. He said he did not support Nader in 2004.
But he jumped at the chance to back Solomon, whom he met at a media conference about six years ago in St. Louis.
“I thought, ‘Wow, I want him to win,’ ” Donahue said. “It’s nice to be in the company of a person who agrees with me.”
Donahue said he was “knocked out” by Solomon’s book and documentary film, “War Made Easy,” chronicling government propaganda campaigns that led the United States into Vietnam and Iraq.
“I never realized what you could do with the politics of fear,” Donahue said. President George W. “Bush did it brilliantly.”
Solomon’s book also covered the termination of Donahue’s talk show on MSNBC, which started in July 2002 and was canceled in early 2003 before the March invasion of Iraq.
“Liberal was not good for business,” Donahue said. “They did not want that voice on the air. It wasn’t rah-rah.”
Donahue said he spent five years as co-director of an award-winning 2007 documentary, “Body of War,” about a disabled Iraq war veteran named Tomas Young, who was paralyzed by a bullet to the spine.
Donahue, who lives in New York City with his wife, Marlo Thomas, said he is dismayed by America’s seemingly steady escalation into what he calls “a warrior nation.”
Donahue, who accepts the label of either liberal or progressive, cited Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s strong words about Iran as a continuation of that trend.
“Rick Santorum can’t wait to invade Iran,” Donahue said. “He’s convinced it will help him get elected. What worries me is he may be right.”
Electing a liberal like Solomon to Congress will inspire others to speak out against a nation engaged in “perpetual war,” Donahue said.
Donahue and Solomon will appear at 5 and 7 p.m. today at the Saturday Afternoon Club, 107 South Oak St., Ukiah, and on Wednesday in Redway and Eureka in Humboldt County.
You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at guy.kovner@ pressdemocrat.com or 521-5457.
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@mockingbird
Simply replace the word “Republican” with “Democrat” and “right-wing” with “left-wing,” and you’ll be much more accurate in your daily rant.
Obama and his euro-socilaist gang are little more than liars and hypocrites who will destroy this country with their stupid policies and absurd, criminal spending.
But thoughtful people already know that.
Norman Solomon just switched over to the Democratic Party a couple years ago after spending a lifetime beating up on Democrats. It’s interesting that Donahue makes a point of saying he supported Nader in 2000…so did Solomon. Solomon did everything he could to take the elections in 1996, 2000, and 2004 away from Democrats. Look at the results of that dumb move.
Brenda says Solomon brags about dropping out of high school. So how is he qualified for Congress? He couldn’t even pass a federal Civil Service Exam to work at the Post Office. From what I’ve heard, he would also have trouble passing the security clearance for a regular federal job. He was a ’60s radical not a “liberal”. He’s actually mocked Democrats, centrists, and “liberals” his whole life. He’s an extreme leftist…but maybe Donahue doesn’t know the difference.
Why would Phil Donahue campaign for a man who never graduated from high school? In fact, he brags about it.
“Made Love, Got War,” by Norman Solomon, pp. 35-43.
Lets Be Reasonable-every time they do a debate the Republican candidates get more freakish. They’re stumbling over each other trying to make themselves look more rightwing than their competitors. It’s not a rightwing, fiscally conservative, fiscally responsible agenda they’re voicing but real crazy, destructive policy proposals that will destroy this country AND BUSINESS TOO. And they want in our bedrooms to tell us what we can and cannot do. They lie, because some of these Republicans were pro choice at one time. Newt finding religion, that’s the biggest laugh of all for this narcissist. The only sane one I can see in the bunch is Huntsman. The Republicans see him as liberal but that’s deceptive. He’s definitely a far right conservative, nowhere near the middle.
Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot. In his victory speech today, Romney says he wants to make the American military so strong that no one would dare attack us. Doesn’t he realize that we spend more than the next 17 nations combined!? The people attacking us don’t care about the size of our military. He just doesn’t get it. Independents and even a number of Republicans are voting for Paul, because he wants to bring our troops home. Those folks won’t be voting for Romney come November. And after his PAC spent 3.5 million to attack Gingrich in Iowa, now he says that some desperate opponents are siding with Obama by attacking him!? What a hypocrite!
This is the face of the Left mired in their intellectual fantasies about the unfairness of American Capitalism and the unequal outcomes that he can’t quite get his arms around.
http://thepatriotcaucus.com/2011/10/23/milton-friedman-owns-phil-donahue/
You don’t have to be a Republican to mock Phil Donahue. This guy was born to be mocked. Perhaps there would be way more progressives in this country if people like Donahue would just go away. He’s one of many, Michael Moore is another. The right doesn’t have a lock on poisonous discourse. Donahue is pompous and elitist, and if he got on a flight (probably a private jet) to support Solomon, well, there’s plenty of other anti-war people in the race to support.
Progressives proclaim to be these open minded thinkers but generally I find many of them closed minded and mean spirited, like Donahue. At least Bill Clinton liked people, which is why he got a second term.
It’s comical how the left-wingers who post here take themselves so seriously, while spreading the same old bird-brained Marxist lies that only someone without a clue could actually believe.
If you’ve heard Phil Donahue interviewed, he’s a tool for the lunatic left. Of course, he was happy to play the capitalist pig for years and make millions for himself. But his opinions are no more valuable than anyone else, and probably make a lot less sense.
We don’t think there is a Marxist in the White House, we know it from listening to his own words.
The Reds and Pinkos of old have been replaced by true Communists calling themselves Democrats.
Fear not ladies; we won’t imprison you or place chastity monitors in your boudoirs.
We will cut Federal spending by half; abolish public employee unions; lower taxes across the board; eliminate most of the crushing regulations and restore American liberty.
All while driving liberals crazy!
Susan
This website has been abandoned to the same 10 Tea Party Agenda 21 fanatics for the past year. The PD has allowed them to run amuck and they hide behind fake names “John Galt” “Skippy” etc and blather on and on about Agenda 21. Most sane people just watch and laugh….
Susan Santiago, you must be new to the site. These guys are regulars. In fact, I think the teapartiers are here in full force. You have more guts than I do. I try to point out their inconsistancies, their preoccupation with Area 51, oops AGENDA 21 or whatever, and ICLEI and socialism and so on.
I wish for the Republicans of old that had critical thinking and problem solving skills instead of knee jerk reactions against “librals” and “socialists”. Presidents like Ike and Teddy and Abe who would be considered socialist by the current Republican party. Scary indeed these Republican candidates for President. I find myself hoping for a Huntsman or Roemer. SOMEONE with a little worldly experience and intelligence just in case Obama doesn’t win. I wouldn’t vote for either but at least they’re not bumbling fools tripping over their own tongues.
As usual, the comments are so full of the misinformed who have no clue that the real clowns are the idiots running for the Republican Presidential candidacy – OMG – the entire world is laughing at them! Norm Solomon and Phil Donahue are brilliant – but you have to be brilliant to get it and Anderson, Beezow !!##! (what the F?), ‘Lil ‘Skippy” (?) skipping home to mommy,Follower (sheep – obvious you aren’t capable of “leader”) can’t even come close spelling brilliant!
Phil has been on the wrong side of history for decades.
Now a supporter of Norm?
It figures.
Wake me up if either of these clowns are ever right about anything.
“President George W. “Bush did it brilliantly.”
At least socialists are consistent if nothing else. Bush is an idiot. Bush is brillant.
Tha Mayans were right. The end is near.
Screwballs of the World, Unite!!!
The Circus has come to town. led by the clowns.
It’s rare that you get a big flashing, red, neon “don’t vote for THIS guy whatever you do” sign like this.
Thanks Phil!