AGAIN! OBAMA GOONS ATTACK WGN RADIO

The "free speech Liberals" at Lord Barack Obama's Chicago headquarters AGAIN attacked free speech by targeting WGN 720 AM's Milt Rosenberg's radio show last night. This is the second time in about a month that they've done this. Free speech is nice, isn't it? Sure, but if you're an Obamamaniac it's only nice when your side is excercising it. Milt's guest was conservative writer David Freddoso, whose articles can be seen at Human Events, among other places. I caught the last 20 minutes of Milt's show last night and, at first, I thought they were replaying the August 28 show (see Obama Campaign Orchestrating Intimidation). Then I realized it was yet another assault on free speech by so-called Democrats. Friends, true Democrats don't act like that. By coincidence, good friend John Ruberry (Marathon Pundit) tuned in at about the same time, and today John posts this: Obama goons attack free speech on Milt Rosenberg's show, AGAIN! Last week, I purchased David Freddoso's "The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate." I'm about one-third into it, the books is well-written and well-researched, and truthful. Which is why the Obama campaign has its undies in a bunch because Milt Rosenberg had the author on as his guest on his Extension 720 show on WGN-AM. The Cult of Change sounded the alarm and sent its message to its robots via the "Obama Action Wire." FULL POST at Marathon Pundit... The Chicago Tribune noticed, too, of course. They have the same parent company as WGN does, and wrote today that "Chicago radio station WGN-AM is again coming under attack from the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama for offering airtime to a controversial author. It is the second time in recent weeks the station has been the target of an "Obama Action Wire" alert to supporters of the Illinois Democrat." Full Article... On behalf of all conservatives, I'd like to thank the Obama Campaign for finally waking a lot of people up to what we've been saying for decades: The Hard Left in this country does not like freedom of speech for any speech that disagrees with their worldview. Perhaps these episodes will finally wake up the so-called Mainstream Media to the Stalinstic Left, too. RELATED: David Freddoso Publishes The Case Against Barack Obama ... Articles on Judicial Activism by David Freddoso Obama’s Days with Daley David Freddoso Articles at National Review Online The Bench: Alles Klar, Herr Kommissar Obama The Bench: Obama Campaign Orchestrating Intimidation The Bench: Stanley Kurtz Still Lives The Bench: Obama's Orchestrated Intimidation The Bench: Nothing To Fear But Free Speech Itself The Bench: LIKE NAZIS: OBAMA'S VICIOUS MEDIA PERSECUTION The Bench: OBAMA SUPPORTERS SABOTAGING BLOG SITE

Nothing To Fear But Free Speech Itself

Obama thugs tried to shut down a Chicago talk show this week. It was an orchestrated effort by the Obama campaign to intimidate WGN 720 AM, guest Stanley Kurtz and host Milt Rosenberg. The Democrats pretend to love freedom of speech, but they truly don't. They fear like vampires fear sun light. They use confrontation, bullying, fascist-like tactics to suppress free speech. LIKE THIS: Here is the text of the e-mail the Obama campaign sent to supporters [Source: Chicago Tribune] LISTEN to Milt's show with Stanley Kurtz: download the whole show as a podcast(mp3 file here. "If you're having trouble downloading it, just keep trying. Our servers are working as hard as they can to keep up with demand," says WGN. RELATED: Obama Campaign Orchestrating Intimidation WGN Radio - Monthly Program Guide One day, The Bench will write about the orchestrated efforts by petty dictator Joe Moore, alderman of Chicago's 49th Ward and Democrat, to suppress and intimidate the media. What the Obama thugs did to WGN this week is - sadly - a typical, very old trick of the Left.

Obama Campaign Orchestrating Intimidation

The Democrats, while smiling pretty for the cameras in Denver, Obama thugs were busy with Stalinist strategy and brown shirt tactics in Chicago and elsewhere. As Obama gave a pretty speech with no calories last night, there are journalists who are worried about their future, and about the future of free speech in the U.S. We wrote about it yesterday: Obama's people are attacking free speech. It made national news yesterday when Obama-supporting goons tried to intimidate WGN 720 AM radio in Chicago. Author Stanley Kurtz was scheduled as a guest on Extension 720 on Thursday, Aug. 28. Milt Rosenberg has hosted the show for more than 20 years. WGN received thousands of phone calls demanding that they not let him on the air. WGN, to its credit, did not relent and went ahead with the show. The Chicago Tribune reports today that "Sen. Barack Obama's campaign organized its supporters Wednesday night to confront Tribune-owned WGN-AM in Chicago for having a critic of the Illinois Democrat on its air." (Source) Once on the air with Rosenberg, hundreds of calls came in, far more than usual for the show - rude calls, using obscenities, threats... you get the idea. Loving, rational, peaceful Obama supporters threatening with foul language. Why? To suppress the truth about Obama's relationship with terrorists William Ayers. National talk show host Mark Levin spoke with Kurtz just hours after the WGN incident. They discussed the Obama campaign's thuggish antics, which you can listen to (as a .wma file, loads nicely into your Windows Media Player) (Source) Obama's campaign is orchestrating intimidation. Obama's people are threatening donors to not give to Republicans. Obama's thugs are trying to sue journalists - for writing about truth. Obama's dogs have been sent after those who disagree with Obama. The Democrat National Committee knows about and sanctions those activities. That's what happens when extreme Leftists take over: Stalinist strategy, brown shirt tactics. RELATED: Obama campaign swarms to stop Stanley Kurtz reporting on Bill Ayers connection NEXT, THE THUGS CAME FOR STANLEY KURTZ Stanley Kurtz Censor Attempt: WGN Radio Showdown with Obama Supporters OBAMA SUPPORTERS SABOTAGING BLOG SITE Obama Attacking Media, Free Speech OBAMA'S VICIOUS MEDIA PERSECUTION Obama Muzzle List: National Review, Milt Rosenberg, Harold Simmons.... Obama and Free Speech Milt Rosenberg with Stanley Kurtz on Ayers, Obama and Freedom of Speech

OBAMA SUPPORTERS SABOTAGING BLOG SITE

Team Obama is orchestrating attacks on the free press of the United States. One of their targets is WGN radio in Chicago. The Swamp, a blog site by the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau, has had to shut down their comments on a post about the Obama attacks on WGN. The reason: So many comments that WGN's server is overwhelmed. The Chicago Tribune and WGN radio are owned by the same company. THIS IS PROBABLY because of numerous Team Obama people sending multiple comments, in much the same way that a criminal hacker will disable a web site - by sending so much traffic to it that it cannot handle the volume. RELATED: Obama thugs threatening free speech (Marathon Pundit) This has been a troubling week for America. And we could be in for a rough ride if Barack Obama becomes president. Obama Attacking Media, Free Speech LIKE NAZIS: OBAMA'S VICIOUS MEDIA PERSECUTION

More Roundeye Stoopidity

Roundeye's "manager" Mark is a determined man. In another poorly crafted letter to The Bench, the fun continues. The note below is a followup to his earlier note today (see Band Tries to Intimidate Blogger).

heart rogers park wrote: Dear MORON, I sent the email for Roundeye's show, and if you have a problem with Brettly, you can take it up with him personally. Part 2, those are Roundeye's top 40 friends, who have used those images as part of their myspace profile, for use on Myspace, but you would not know that - obviously. This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail (or the person responsible for delivering this document to the intended recipient), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail, and any attachment thereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please respond to the individual sending the message, and permanently delete the original and any copy of any e-mail and printout thereof. Dear Mark, Since you admit to sending the unsolicited, obscene filth to me via email, then I suppose in one sense Brettly is off the hook and it is you that I should report to the proper authorities. However, since you did it as a representative of Brettly's band, there may be an expanded circle of responsibility there. Since you think Brettly should take up problems personally, why are you intervening on his behalf in regard to my parody use of Roundeye's logo? Your paragraph that begins with "Part 2" is vague and unclear. Please clarify. Did you mean "MySpace?" You wrote "myspace," and since you seem so concerned about the proper use of logos, and I suppose trademarks, you should really type "MySpace" correctly. It would be like typing "kleenex" instead of "Kleenex." Obviously. Mark, what is your last name? If you're going to write notes such as these you should have the professional courtesy of disclosing your identity. Finally, Mark, I note that you are sending these notes to me at the address posted at the top of this blog for comments. Therefore, the stupid paragraph does not apply: It states that your e-mails "and any attachments thereto, [are] intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein" (that's me) "and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information." Nope, not in any of your notes so far. "If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail," it says, and I am indeed the intended recipient, "you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail, and any attachment thereto, is strictly prohibited." So, since I am the intended recipient, I am allowed to disseminate, distribute, print or copy your e-mails - or publish them on my blog. Thanks, and kind regards. Please write again, Genius.

RELATED: Red Line Tap Bartender's Obscene Email Blast

DEFEND THE NEWS STAR, MARCH 6

The News-Star is a little neighborhood newspaper with great big job to do: Cover Chicago at the neighborhood level in a way the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times are not able or willing to do. Many, many stories are covered every week by the News-Star and its sister publications under the umbrella of The Chicago Journal. The News-Star and the sister papers get down into the neighborhoods, covering local store openings, neighborhood politics, school events and neighbors in a way that the "big" media just do not do. To lose the Chicago Journal's family of mighty little newspapers, or for the Chicago Journal to lose its nerve, would be a tragedy for Chicago. But on March 6, 2008 you can witness an attempt by a bunch of self-appointed neighborhood "leaders" to bully the new publisher of the Chicago Journal papers. These "leaders" - Brian White, DevCorp, the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce and others - would prefer that the Chicago Journal papers be cheerleaders for their socialist programs. They would prefer that the Chicago Journal cave in to their veiled demands to be just another sympathetic mouthpiece for aldermen, self-appointed "leaders" and others. Don't let them get away with it. Defend the News-Star and show your support for a free press, a press free from the bullies who pretend to be your "leaders": Thursday, March 6, 2008 6:45 pm – 8:45 pm Rogers Park Chicago Public Library, 2nd floor Community Room 6907 N. Clark Street, Chicago (312) 744-0156 RELATED: THE NEWS-STAR IS UNDER ATTACK

THE NEWS-STAR IS UNDER ATTACK

There is a sneaky attempt by self-appointed "leaders" of the greater Rogers Park communities (49th and 50th Wards of Chicago) to muzzle the free press and bully private enterprise. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

They are, to put it simply, trying to intimidate Dan Haley, the new publisher of the New-Star newspaper.

It is well known that Alderman Joe Moore (49th) and Alderman Bernie Stone (50th) are not fond of an unfettered press. They are both know citywide for calling newspaper editors and screaming - literally - that they don't like what reporters write. They demand that editors give reporters a "good talking to." But the aldermen are not alone. The Queen of DevCorp North, Bimberly Kares, is not much better, and all of her staff are very tight lipped. Brian White of Lakeside CDC is part of this group, which also includes 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman David Fagus, CAPS fetishist Kevin O'Neal, and others who hate the free press.

These neo-Stalinists are especially freaked out by the now-not-so-new phenomenon of bloggers. See, you can call and scream at an editor. You can threaten them with business license shenanigans, and you can intimidate their advertisers. They are frustrated by local bloggers (citizen journalists) who have no advertisers, no business licenses and - in short - nothing that these bullies can threaten us with (legally)?

Here's what you do. You hold a "community meeting" and pretend it's something that the entire community wants. The following was printed in this week's News-Star and also appears at Lakeside CDC's web site as a PDF. It is subtle, and tells us more about the author than was intended. The Bench's very own Cryptology Unit went to work on it. Following is notice from Lakeside CDC, with The Bench's analysis inserted:

West Rogers Park Community Organization

Presents

“Covering the Community:Perspectives from the New News-Star”

With Special Guests Dan Haley, Publisher, Oak Park Wednesday Journal & Lorraine Swanson, Editor, News Star

Thursday, March 6, 2008
6:45 pm – 8:45 pm
Rogers Park Chicago Public Library
2nd floor Community Room
6907 N. Clark Street, Chicago

In this era of 24-hour news cycles, web blogs-as-news, and ever-increasing demands for residents’ time and attention, the role of community newspapers continues to evolve. In January 2008, the News Star newspaper was sold to the Oak Park WednesdayJournal newsgroup along with other Pioneer Press publications. The News Star has served in one form or another as the community newspaper in Rogers Park and WestRidge since the 1930s.

ANALYSIS: Author is something of a Luddite, with a fear of the new media (new sites, blog sites, etc.). He has an obvious ignorance of what blogs are. Evidence: His use of the phrase "web blogs." There is no such thing. The correct term, "blogs," is short for "web logs," not "web blogs." Furthermore: Author misunderstands the nature of a privately owned newspaper. Evidence: He says that the News-Star has "served...as the community newspaper," whereas in reality every newspaper serves as a revenue generating business. In the case of a newspaper, they do this by selling advertising space. They sell advertising space by providing readers for advertisers, not by providing public service announcements or propaganda for aldermen.

On March 6, 2008 the new publisher and editor of the News Star will meet with residents, community leaders, and business owners to share their plans and hear what readers and advertisers want from the paper. A lively discussion is anticipated. The meeting is open to the public; seating is first come first served. Call (773) 381-5253 or visit www.wrpco.org on the web for more info.

ANALYSIS: Author uses phrase "residents, community leaders, and business owners," but he does not make clear which residents, leaders, or business owners. Furthermore, there are - to use a round figure - over 100,000 residents in the areas served by the News-Star. However many residents will be able to cram into the library on March 6 will represent an insignificant percentage of the total. Same for the business owners; there are many hundreds of them. As for "leaders," does he mean elected leaders, or self-appointed "leaders?" The author also fails to explain how many employees of DevCorp North, Lakeside CDC, Northside POWER, and other quasi-Stalinist organizations will pack the room on March 6. "A lively discussion" is not only anticipated, it is guaranteed. In fact, The Bench sincerely hopes there will be security guards stationed around the room.

Co-sponsored by West Ridge Chamber of Commerce, DevCorp North, and Partners for Rogers Park

ANALYSIS: These organizations are headed by self-appointed "leaders," none of whom were elected by the general population of the neighborhoods served by the News-Star. Furthermore, they all have cozy ties to Aldermen Moore and Stone.

META ANALYSIS: The event is straight out of the old Soviet Union playbook of mock trials, with a clever (and necessary) twist. If these self-appointed "leaders" had their way, they would lock up publisher Dan Haley, editor Lorraine Swanson, and turn the News-Star into another propaganda rag such as the RPCC "newspaper" or the DevCorp propaganda pamphlets. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for these "leaders," we have a long tradition of democracy, freedom of speech and private enterprise in this country, unlike the old Soviet Union (Russia). Nevertheless, these "leaders" continue to work at slowly chipping away at our freedoms. This is just one more attempt to put a chink in democracy's armor.

RECOMMENDATION: Get all your friends to join you in support of Dan Haley, Lorraine Swanson and the Chicago Journal's News-Star on March 6, 2008.