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"Roger
Hedgecock, the Very Model of a Modern
Major Generalist" It would be an epic epiphany if Ann Coulter were to appear on television one day and take back every nasty thing she had ever said, that she had been wrong about things and wanted to straighten them. Of course, she experienced no such jarring epiphany, but Rush did when he witnessed the ethical collapse of people whom he had loyally supported in Congress. For once, running short on aplomb, he blurted out, ”I am no longer going to carry the water for those people.” In Rush’s mind, that probably meant everyone until he could sort them out later. In fact, he had fooled himself as much as he had everyone else when he misjudged some of the republican congressmen as being paragons. It was like that scene on “The Bridge on the River Kwai” when the P.O.W colonel (Alec Guinness) in a moment of clarity about his misjudgment in helping the Japanese build a bridge in the Burmese jungle piteously asks himself, “What have I done?” He then collapses on the plunger that blows up the bridge he had caused to be built. Unlike the colonel, Rush did not blast any bridges behind him, but he is now passionately against amnesty, and uncontrolled Mexican immigration and has put a face on the problem, George Bush’s. Roger Hedgecock, Rush’s favorite sub, was one of the first to publicly lose faith in Bush. Good reason. The President, in 2000, vowed that the Mexican borders would be sealed, then continued allowing illegals to flood into the country, unchecked. Roger angrily called him on it. Hedgecock’s first foray called, “Light up the border,” occurred in 1990, when he inspired hundreds of San Diegans to charge to the border and stand guard against the invasion of illegals. Since then, he has declared war on amnesty, and the President’s apparent sub rosa aim to bring it about. He even excoriates Bush when he guests on Rush’s program, something that guest protocol would not have allowed even months ago. Roger Hedgecock not only used his San Diego KOGO AM radio show and Rush’s big forum for his campaign to blast the disguised amnesty bill, but recently reached out to 29 other talk hosts across the country to join him in what he calls a “Hold their feet to the fire” trip to Washington to confront the pro amnesty lawmakers face to face. The 30 hosts inspired hundreds of listeners to make the trip last April, at their own expense, and invade the cloistered offices of the vagrant lawmakers who supported amnesty. Senator Diane Feinstein, avidly pro amnesty, hosts a weekly breakfast for constituents in a forum in which she hears their concerns on various matters. She unwittingly opened the breakfast session to a roomful of the radio talk show trippers who rose, in a seemingly endless line, to proclaim their objection to amnesty and their determination to wreak their revenge on wayward senators. The speakers faced her, and reeled off the reasons for their strong anti-amnesty beliefs: that our welfare system was being overwhelmed, that social security would be wrecked, that illegals were being given free medical, that the school classes were crammed with non-paying illegals…y mucho mas. This was a sensory overload for Senator Feinstein, who abruptly rose and deserted her own breakfast session. Word got around fast and some of the Washington lawmakers barred entry to the trippers. It was like the lawmakers were boarding up for a hurricane. No problem. Roger and his colleagues had planned the perfect storm of protest. There were no reports of “incidents” that day. Those who were rebuffed simply backed off, and went to their next assigned law maker. Asked to bottom line the results, Roger reported that they changed the votes of seven senators, enough to tip the balance against amnesty. It was a strong showing by the talk shows. Senator Mitch McConnell, no softie, said, “Okay. I get the message. You don’t want this immigration bill.” He voted against amnesty. Trent Lott, stung at this affront to the senate (his)dignity, proclaimed that, “Something has to be done about these talk shows.” Rush Limbaugh, back in fine fettle, shot back, “Something has to be done about Trent Lott.” The 2004 wars were not without casualties. Rush was wounded but nothing worth E.R. treatment. Rush is…well…. Rush. He took a ratings hit, but is rebounding, because he is… Rush. He was down, but now he is popping back up, kind of a Limbaugh Rock. Mark Larson, recently at KOGO is a gifted humorist, but not about right wing conservatism. He stood staunchly and defied the buffeting winds of change, rather than bend with them. Cliff Albert, his friend and brilliant KOGO PD tried to resuscitate him for a couple of ratings books. But Mark didn’t fibrillate. Look for him to rebound, He is a valued Christian conservative, having landed a gig on an obscure San Diego station at 1700 AM, as far right on the dial as you can get. Larson did not fail due to a lack of ability, but because the heretofore solid republican ground shifted under him, while he was trying to carry all that water. Roger Hedgecock was ready to spend a little R and R after his Washington amnesty rumble when a disquietening event occurred on his watch in San Diego. Muslims demanded the right of their children to pray to Allah at Carver Elementary, a right denied Christian children. It is now a hot issue. When he requests a listener vote on any of his burning issues, he usually receives 500 replies. This time he got 10,000 votes pro and con, some from as far away as Abu Dhabi. The tally thus far is 50/50. Obviously, there is an internet web across the Muslim world dedicated to the spread of Islam, ready for instant reaction. In San Diego, the Muslim camel’s nose is under the tent. Look for another Roger Hedgecock national talk show campaign, this time not in Washington, but reaching into your neighborhood school. Post Scriptum: Senator Feinstein is not totally tone deaf. Prompted by Roger and other major talkers, she assembled a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to bring to the surface the facts concerning the 11 and 12 year imprisonment of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Campean, the Border Patrolmen convicted of wounding a proven Mexican drug smuggler in the rear while he fled. The Senate hearing revealed U.S. Attorney, Johnny Sutton, to be defiant toward any further investigation of the issue. He did not go under oath. President Bush decided that Sutton needed his backing. At a recent appearance, he declared that Johnny Sutton is his “personal friend” and that he, Bush, was not going to grant the two Border Patrolmen either a pardon or a commutation for what many, including Roger, claim was an offense that called for, at most, a two day suspension. Senator Feinstein, Rep. John Conyers and other key legislators, are demanding an appeal. Bush has shown that he does not bow to such pressure, so there is another tangent in the support system. The alleged statue under which Johnny Sutton prosecuted does not exist in actual law, the appeal is being filed on this legal basis. Addendum This piece was not meant to encourage the invasion of Washington or to impose on you my personal views toward immigration and amnesty. Rather, it is an historic piece. Roger Hedgecock has added a new dimension to the art of talk radio, what Randy Michaels has termed “three dimensional radio” He has gained the support of other talk hosts when vital national issues arise, adding a third dimension: physical participation by the hosts and their thousands of listeners whose total national cume reach is in the millions and growing. The Talk Show Hosts who went with Roger to Washington…
Janet Parshall, Syndicated, Across
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