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pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:18 PM Jul 2012

WH responds to Armed Forces Radio 'Dump Rush' petition: No

Rush Limbaugh and Armed Forces Radio

By Bryan G. Whitman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs for Department of Defense

Thank you for your interest in American Forces Network (AFN) programming for our service members overseas. We appreciate your participation in the "We the People" platform on www.whitehouse.gov and your concerns about the programming available to our troops.

AFN is charged with providing current information and entertainment programming to our Department of Defense audiences overseas, similar to what they could see and hear via the media in the United States. AFN acquires top-rated radio programs, as measured by audience ratings in the United States, and delivers them via satellite to our soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen stationed worldwide in 177 countries. AFN does not advertise on, provide any funding for, offer products for sale, or sponsor any of the programs (including the Rush Limbaugh Show) it relays to its audiences.

AFN does not censor content, and we believe it is important that service members have access to a variety of viewpoints.

See the complete list of political talk shows offered on AFN.

Review all of our radio and television services/schedules.

Again, thank you for your interest in our service members and the programming services AFN extends to them.

Tell us what you think about this response and We the People.



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pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
6. The petition was posted on the WH site, addressed to SecDef
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:44 PM
Jul 2012

Responses are not necessarily from the WH, but from the appropriate executive department. In this case, from DoD.

hack89

(39,171 posts)
14. No bureaucrat is going to willingly set off a political firestorm in the middle of an election year.
Sat Jul 14, 2012, 10:25 AM
Jul 2012

pissing off the president is not career enhancing.

lunatica

(53,410 posts)
5. I got that too
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:38 PM
Jul 2012

I think the White House is right in not getting involved. They shouldn't ever be in the business of censoring anyone or anything. We would be screaming if they were to censor one of ours.

Let the 'free market' decide.

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
8. Actually, it's nice that they emailed petition signers
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 09:22 PM
Jul 2012

I wasn't expecting that. Thought we'd just have to keep going back to the petition page to see if an answer had been posted.

hack89

(39,171 posts)
9. Smart move
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 09:42 PM
Jul 2012

when you have Romney on the ropes, don't let him escape by picking a senseless political fight.

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
10. It has nothing to do with Romney
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 09:52 PM
Jul 2012

This goes back a few months, and the administration could have responded much earlier.

The result was predictable, as dropping Rush would be perceived by many as political--even though there's valid reason to drop his show because of its misogyny and racism.

Canuckistanian

(42,290 posts)
11. Then why not INCLUDE someone like Hartmann or Schultz?
Fri Jul 13, 2012, 09:59 PM
Jul 2012

By sponsoring the Pigboy ALONE, there are serious questions of fairness.

Why does he get such special treatment?

MineralMan

(146,192 posts)
15. They do. That's why the announcement suggested looking
Sat Jul 14, 2012, 10:36 AM
Jul 2012

at the schedule. I'd like to see Rush gone, too, but AFN selects shows on a ratings basis, not on a political one. It's really the only thing they can do.

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