Congrats, Brad, fine job. Crane seemed to be really flailing around, even though he had the backup support of the studio and you didn't.

I think you really took him by surprise at the beginning with your SL roots. All of a sudden you were "us" instead of "them"! This is a great tactic.

Can you check out the 2nd link above for callers' comments? That link is currently identical to the first link at the moment, and it would be interesting to hear the callers' comments.

Keep up the good work.

I'm not surprised they manipulated you to get you there and didn't mention this "fight" to you but railed you in to get you an issue you cared about into the show. I'm surprised he admitted defeat since that's such a non-rightwinger thing to do. I still don't like they manipulated you.

Oh and I cracked up when he talked about Bush and his little handpicked "Oh I love your Mr. President!" town hall meetings and he compared you to Al Franken and Cindy Sheehan. Hey there are other progressives/liberals out there to compare you to! What about people like Stephanie Miller and Randi Rhodes and Sam Seder or Jerry Springer? *shrug* I guess he had to just get whomever he is aware of and Al is well known. He rambled too much for his introduction. I thought I was going to fall asleep. Now I know why Mike Malloy doesn't allow ramblers on his show. Oy! Now I'm going to go and actually listen to the debate.

Brad, good job, considering the circumstances. The surprising thing about Crane, if he is really a wingnut, is that he is downright civil and fair.

You might have made the point that the yellowcake quote was serious regardless of whether it was true or not or whether British Intelligence stand by it or not, simply because he was quoting intelligence that was still in doubt at the time among his own intelligence services. Most of the other intelligence he or Powell used was likewise vague or uncertain at the time. That fact, by itself, is wrong.

You might have also allowed for the possibility, at the time, of Iraqi efforts to get WMDs, and jumped to the bigger picture. The dangers and costs of the occupation of Iraq were predicted by some and should have been foreseen or at least considered by the White House. What we did was effectively take an uncertain threat in a Hussein regime with possible or developing WMD capabilities, and replace it with a certain one, on an arguably greater scale. It can't be certain that going on attack takes the fighting away from our shores, but it can be pretty certain that it puts us in a bloody mess (aka, War). Apparently, most wingnuts forgot that conventional explosives and guns can still kill and maim.

Anyway, good job. Again.

Wow. Just.... wow.

I didn't realize anyone was still defending the Iraq invasion.

Good job.

They continue to use the same misinformation to defend the Iraq invasion. It's amazing that adamantly telling the same lies over and over again is so effective on their brainwashed followers.

Kudos to Brad for sharing a little reality with Crane Durham's truth-starved audience.

Nice work Brad.
And Crane has to be offered congrats also for having the balls to go toe to toe with a political adversary. You don't hear that much on wingnut radio...
Agreed with #6 that it is really amazing that they keep holding on to the same little lies despite all evidence...

shw

Good for you, Brad! I'm sure we're all very proud of you - your persistence, conviction and presence of mind around potential booby-traps. You're no booby!!!

A good way to know when Crane is suffering an attack of wingnut demensia and dillusion is to count how many "absolutelys" he applies to a particular issue. It's a giant arrow and let's you know the degree of the lie he is telling, whether a light, medium or glaring falsehood. It's amusing that Crane relies so heavily on Hitchens as his source for argument. If you get a chance and need a good jaw slackening belly-laugh-if-it-weren't-so-sad, check into Hitchens' blather and historical revisionism sometime.

AWESOME JOB BRAD! That was a satisfying TKO. Next week --- kickboxing okay?

I think , for Crane's benefit, that all of things he claimed were "absolutely" true be "absolutely" refuted right here. I would like to see Crane's documentation (and source, of course) for his assertions about Valerie Plame, Joe Wilson, etc...

One thing I kept wanting to yell about the Plame issue, as he was saying "Plame sent Wilson to Iraq" was that Valerie Plame had no authority to make the decision on who was sent for this investigation anyway, so what difference would it have made if she suggested him for the job.

The Vice-President's office, as I understand it, wanted someone to investigate the claim of sale of uranium in Niger...Wilson's name was brought up as a good choice because of his experience, and Plame was simply asked to be the conduit to present the opportunity to him FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

So anyway, "Crane-debunking" items should be collected and posted here, and then forwarded to him and his listeners.

It is hard to believe that somebody would continue to smear Joseph Wilson and believe that the "intelligence" wasn't massaged, manipulated or "cherry-picked". You would be hard pressed to find a policy-area that hasn't been messaged, manipulated or "cherry-picked".

I marvel at the effectiveness of a good Rovian smear. Here we are, a full two years after the fact and you can hear someone smearing Wilson on a Hack Radio station nearly every day. That is amazing.

I must admit the increasing difficulty in using the "every intelligence agency in the world believed he had WMD" I mean come on. People in our own administration didn't believe the WMD claim. But, I keep trotting it out there and blaming the "extreme media" for not getting the "Truth" out. If the world's great powers all agreed and believed the Bush argument, why did they not participate in military action? The Canadians have fought on the US side in every conflict since the War of 1812. If they believed the Bush argument, why did they pass on participating in coalition? The answer must be in the biased press coverage.

I am just that stupid. The kind of stupid that appeals to truth yet is so ignorant of it. My ignorance goes deep in believing that Conservatism is the result of a rational study of the facts and that opposing views are the result of media bias.

Don't blame me, I am doing the best that I can under the circumstances. I have no experience or education in American Politics, American Political Economy or International Relations. I have no professional accomplishments outside of being a conservative intellectual contortionist on local hack radio. I spend my time in front of my computer reading political affirmations written by other people who spend all their time in front of the computer reading political affirmations written by other people who spend all their time in front of ............. Yet somehow, these folks consider themselves informed about the world.

I was educated through surfing the internet, watching reality television and listening to Rush. I do have credentials that hang in my office. A magnificantly framed original copy of my Heritage Foundation Premium Contect Membership reciept is hanging right next to the mirror. Paid in full. You betcha.

Please Brad Please become a regular guest. My suit is so empty that you will be rhoterically kicking my arse for years to come. I loved every minute of it. If you could goad ole' Gravy Crane into a Cornholio-esque Beavis fit once a week, I think we could be up for a Local Radio Emmy.

And that is Nothing Butt Truth..

Also, Brad, both links are the same...the second link is not the post-debate call-in.

Also, Brad, both links are the same...the second link is not the post-debate call-in.

I agree with Soul Rebel, the second mp3 is not the call-in's. I was looking forward to those.

I loved how unprepared the guy was and he was having you (Brad) doing googling instead of providing the facts. You were more prepared then he was and he kept stumbling around with his thoughts. I love how the rightwingers keep bringing up how Saddam was such a bad guy and everything but yet gee we're now doing that aren't we? We're raping and toturing people of all ages! And Hussein didn't support terrorism and was against BinLadin because he was an extremist where Hussein was a secular and there were other religions there (about 3% were Christian and they worshipped freely).

Second link now fixed! Sorry about that! It now links to the next segment with Crane and his callers!

I am this unprepared across the entire universe of political issues. If you thought I was ignorant on Plamegate, you should hear my thoughts on Economics.

Usually when a knowledgable guest or caller points out an inconsistency, "double-speak", disingenuous statement or out-right insecure delusion, I usually cowar from the argument. I know how little education I have. With Brad, I tried to say the same statements but louder hoping he would relent. But, no. I would pull the talking point card. Brad, would pull the fact card. I would pull meaningless phrase card as, "in a post-7/11 world blah blah blah". Brad would pull another fact card. He was relentless.

Next time your on the show ask me how many people in the world Bush has liberated. Liberated from their property. Liberated from their jobs. And too many liberated from this world.

Finally, anyone remember how much fun we would have during a Iraqi election in the 1990s when the votes would come in: 99% Sadam 1% other 99% turnout. It almost seemed as though an election wasn't taking place but rather people were voting out of fear for their safety. I don't think the ideals of democracy or love of Sadam was driving the strong voter turn-out. I wonder to what degree this dynamic remains in their electorate? Although voter turnout was high in both Iraqi elections, did any of these people actually have an idea of who/what they were voting for and whether it mattered to their future as it had not mattered in the past. Could these dynamics be affecting the inability of the electors to form a government?

Nothing butt the truth please.

You WIPED him up...wow that was good

The thing that gets me is that you are in a car with NO INTERNET ACCESS or access to relevant documents...and he is in a plush studio with information available at his fingertips...and you still made your case.......

The right loves to talk about Wilson's "credibility" yet the most important people in the Plame affair ...the ones on the verge of indictment Libby and Rove are never even brought into the conversation ...what about their credibilities????

I echo the comments from above, it was a job well done. However, when Durham kept trying to make the point that the U.S. had no choice to invade because Saddam Hussein was not allowing the UN inspectors enough time to fine WMD, it could have been pointed out to Durham that the United States, according to the Downing Street Minutes, had already been bombing Iraq in the summer of 2002, six to eight months before the actual invasion began. Colonel Sam Gardiner recently confirmed that assertion on Democracy Now!, also adding that the amount of bombs, at one point, had doubled during those air attacks. One wonders, how many Iraqis have been killed and maimed and grievously wounded because of those air attacks initiated by the United States? So much for this country attempting to benevolently spread democracy upon a supposed backward nation. To paraphrase a quote from the Vietnam era- They had to destroy a country in order to save it [allegedly].

Sorry to be so cynical, but, uh, did this whole headache get the bozo off the air? Or even make him change his "nothing but the truth" shtick? He's using your credibility to make himself seem honest, when he is no such thing. Your "win" here just helps him keep his listeners hypnotized. I think you should stop this stuff. Only waste your breath on these guys if it's going to get them banned from the airwaves. It's worth it if you save people from them, and I think you actually helped this liar come off as if he's an honest man.

It's NOT a difference of opinion. It's posture duking it out with reality for the top seat. Don't go back on his show please.

Fine job, Brad. Too bad you didn't get to talk about democracy or the myriad of demonstrable Bush administration lies (which will soon bring it down in flames... trust me .

But the Niger/Wilson one is a big one and you did a great job. (Plus Crane Durham is kinda squeaky hysterical, isn't he? We'll see a lot more hysteria among "dead-enders", as you call them, in the coming weeks.)

I didn't know you were in Sacramento, but maybe we will run across each other someday. I've been in Sacramento a lot lately, and on April 29th - Saturday - we and our new impeachment group will be joining many other individuals and groups (at the Democratic State Convention) in a massive rally to educate and exhort the Democratic Party of California - the largest single political organization in the United States - to stand up for democracy and the Constitution.

I hope everyone who can will be there. So far, it looks like there will be some nice weather.

OH MY GOSH!

You did a fabulous job, Brad! Really.

What I found interesting was the listeners' comments in the follow-up. I am truly amazed that there are still many people with faith-based blindness in Bush as their fearless leader.

I was raised in a conservative extremely right-wing family and I believed the party line completely as well. That is, until I got educated, went out into the world, and saw the truth with my own eyes. What the press reported was not the truth.

Thus, started my real education about politix.

(If those listeners honestly studied the bare facts, and then compared the "news" to the bare facts, they simply could not continue to believe in Bush. Perhaps this is why they don't want to know the real facts. It is scary to give up all that you believe in...)

Pran

No contest!

It's just too bad there aren't more talk show hosts like this dude, Crane Durham. He was knocked back on his heals, and he did get "excited"...but at least he didn't start the insult line that the other jack asses are so great at.

With experiences like this, maybe, just maybe the real truth can be heard. Possibly it will sink in if they hear it more than once.

These people aren't "bad", they are just stuffed with wrong information and blind faith. Congrats to you Brad. I'm glad we have a spokeperson on our side that keeps cool, and delivers the facts with respect. Granted...not all these talk show hosts deserve respect.

Let me make it clear - When I said, "Too bad you didn't get to talk about democracy or the myriad of demonstrable Bush administration lies (which will soon bring it down in flames... trust me . I meant those lies will bring the Bush administration down in flames - not democracy!

I'd better be more careful about my writing before I shoot something off to the blog. Gettin' lazy.

Good job ! That's what talk radio used to sound Like. . . . .

When Crane asked you to point out a lie about Iraq that GW told in the run up to war the 1st thing that came to mind was Bush's claim that Iraq had UAVs that could attack the us mainland.
I'm not a military expert but when he said that I knew it was false. We didn't start using UAV's until Afganistan, and even if he did have them, they how would they get out of Iraq with a no fly zone?
That is always a good one to point out the lies and fearmongering.

Ahahaha!! Great job Brad! You're a natural at this! What a blessing that we have you out there fighting the good fight! Cool as a cucumber you are! Love it!

I believe the conservative bloggers would say that poor Crane was... unhinged? Bwahahaha. Good job, Brad.

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I don't blame Crane for forcing you to talk about the Iraq war, because it's something he's had three years to collect false information about. If he had to debate about democracy, he wouldn't have had any material at all. If I were you, I wouldn't go on again unless he can agree to cover the voting issues. I'll bet you he won't do it, because he knows he has NO talking points except fraud commited forty years ago.

good work in disecting the bug, brad... you were cool, calm and surgical, whereas he was shrill, overly excited and repeatedly flustered... and best yet, he was unable to back up his bull...

p.s., next time he pumps in toby keith, ask him to play a request... like the dixie chix...