Good news; Ed Schultz’s radio show will be broadcast to the troops after all.
Schultz’s show was yanked from Armed Forces Radio Network without warning the day it was to start, three weeks ago.
Last week, the Pentagon sent letters to a group of congressmen who went to bat for Schultz, saying it had changed its mind: Schultz’s voice would be added to those of Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlessinger and James Dobson on AFRN.
“I am advised that (American Forces Radio and Television Service) managers are updating the program mix and have decided to include additional programs, including the ‘Ed Schultz Show’ …,” said the letter from Lawrence DiRita, deputy assistant secretary of defense.
It’s good to see the Pentagon come around on this. The circumstantial evidence made the Defense Department look pretty bad. After all, Schultz’s show was yanked, the same morning it was going to go live, a day after Schultz mocked Pentagon spokesperson Allison Barber for her role in scripting troops before an “impromptu” teleconference with Bush. Even for an administration known for spiting its critics, this was ridiculous.
Thirteen Dem senators wrote to Rumsfeld demanding an explanation and Wes Clark followed up with an online campaign to get Schultz back on Armed Forces Radio.
What do you know; sometimes Dems’ political pressure can work.