When Bullies Squeal

by Steve Young

Most of talk radio spent last week attacking John Kerry and his hoodlums on the left for taking unconfirmed information (missing Iraqi munitions) and running with it, because, I guess, that's talk radio's job.

But if you live in Southern California, and listen to talk radio's most listened to afternoon talk radio show (KFI's, 640AM John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou), the focus was more personal...and local. Above all, it was wondrously ironic.

John and Ken, who tend to spotlight local issues more than the standard talk fare, are not adverse to taking that spotlight and using it to pound their victim(s) into bloody, and many times, entertaining, though often, sophomoric, submission.

Last winter, during the California governor recall, you might have thought it was the "John, Ken and David Show."as Congressman David Drier showed up often and seemed to be turning into the co-host for every talk radio show heard across California. That's how many times he showed up on the radio dial as front man for the Schwarzenegger campaign. And it was John and Ken who led talk radio's thorough disemboweling of former governor Gray Davis.

But how times and have changed and how the shoe finds it's way to the other foot. For now it is Drier's bowels that are in danger of becoming disem'd And it has nothing to do with his purported gay outing...not that there's anything wrong with that. It's all about illegal immigration. You know, the issue neither Bush or Kerry will touch with a ten-foot Latino vote. John and Ken have battered Drier and his nebulous record on working to halt the border flow into the States. So brutal the hosts' pummeling, that now Dreier not only refuses to appear on J&K's show, but is also giving the cold shoulder to other stations and shows that he once used to pummel his adversaries; like KABC's Doug McIntire just across the Los Angeles radio dial. Ironical, aye? It gets even better. But you have to sit down first. This is really good.

This summer, John & Ken initiated an effort for listeners to select the Republican legislator who most exemplifies the lack of real effort to halt illegal immigration. And in true talk radio subtlety, they named it their Political Human Sacrifice. Those up for desecration included, among others, representatives Chris Cox, Mary Bono, Darrel Issa (the man that funded the recall campaign against Gov. Gray Davis), Dana Rohrbacher and big winner, David Drier.

Funny, huh? Well, keep reading, folks. This is gonna kill you.

This week, John & Ken received a federal complaint filed by the Dreier Campaign and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) regarding their Human Sacrifice. That's right. The same guy who threw himself whole hog into the (almost) human sacrifice of the (almost human) Davis, is threatening legal action now that it he that is being the one torched at the stake.

For a second, it almost makes talk radio worthwhile. Almost as good as Limbaugh on drugs, Bennett betting and losing millions, O'Reilly phoning in his sexual spin. But this is way better. The others got caught. They knew the news of what they had done had to be silenced as soon as possible. Dreier and his Republican hypocrites think no one notices how pitifully obvious their nonsense is.

Among other hysterical portions of the complaint is that it accuses J&K of "illegally using corporate money to advocate for Congressman Dreier's defeat." It says that "John and Ken's Show has become nothing but a political diatribe." I guess that opposed to the cleaning tips you get on Sean Hannity's three hours a day. Can't wait until the NRCC sues the entire Clear Channel lineup.

The complaint's legal analysis offers a eye-opening revelation..."Conducting corporate radio shows and political rallies that expressly advocate for election or defeat of a clearly identifiable federal candidate does not fall within the First Amendment 'press exemption.'" Holy Moly! All these years of having to listen to Rush and the boys are over, and it's all thanks to the due diligence of Republican oversight. Irony has never found a more deserved archetype.

Amongst other legal blah-blah-blahs and political yada-yada-yadas within the complaint is the fact that, horror upon horror, John and Ken had estimated one particular rally as having, "hundreds and hundreds of people." As if that wasn't bad enough, the dastardly duo felt they had to throw acid on the wound by following that comment up with, hide the children's eyes..."My God, this is a big crowd." Goodness. I'm sorry. I have to catch my breath here. While some legal actions are just nuisance cases, this, ladies and gentlemen, is a prime example of why we have a Constitution. No wonder the NRCC's complaint asks that John, Ken and the other miscreants involved in these felonies "should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law." These traffickers in free speech need to be put away. Hopefully, when they do, they'll throw away the key. Perhaps then, we can all once again sleep the peaceful sleep we once cherished before good people like David Dreier had to suffer having to hear those seven harrowing words..."My God, this is a big crowd."