A talk with sam seder

"If this guy was found in his apartment with say, a bunch of Iron Maiden albums -- there'd already be congressional hearings."

We were talking to Sam Seder Tuesday as the news was breaking in Knoxville that the crazed shooter of Unitarians hated liberals, had the collected works of O'Reilly, Hannity and Savage by his bed, and was on food stamps.

The story didn't have much in the way of legs outside Tennessee, but surely that was because there was no mention of it by Fox News stars Billo or Hannity. Michael Savage had another more pressing fire to put out.

"It's obviously an extreme case." Seder said "He was a major head case. Right wing media foments this kind of anger at the world, and at liberals. It lays bare that the conservative ideology really has nothing to do governing -- it really has to do with an anger that there's a whole world of people who are not you."

Sam Seder will be in Seattle August 16 for KPTK's sold-out “We The People” forum.  We'll be there along with Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow, Randi Rhodes, and Mike Malloy. Seattle's own Ron Reagan will modulate.

Sam, 41, is on-line editor for Air America, and does fill-ins and promotional work but he's a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and seminal talker on AAR as co-host with Janeane Garofalo on Air America Radio's The Majority Report.

He says progressive talk had "a huge impact" on the 2006 election. Jim Webb, who became a senator from Virginia (and mentioned as a veep candidate for Obama) got his first national exposure on The Majority Report. "Ned LaMont announced his candidacy on air with me filling in for Randi Rhodes, he says.

The so-called "Fighting Dems" the non-incumbent military veterans running for Congress in 2006 as Democrats began on air-on The Majority Report with Markos Moulitsas (of DailyKos) a veteran.

The Sam Seder Show which followed TMR, had several iterations and slots on AAR, and he says there's another in the talking stage. "Mark Maron  and I are trying to figure out -- at the very least -- an Internet show."

Right now, he's digging his online job: "It's hard to know when, but [the net] will be the major distribution platform for audio content -- it already is -- but we're only five  years away from having the internet in the majority of new cars, and a only a couple of years from everyone listening on their phones."

Comments

[joanie]

Why didn't you ask him why he's not on instead of that insipid Eckart fanatic and fool Richard Green of Clout! I don't think anybody listens to that show!

Michael, you don't know enough about Air America or Sam Seder.

BTW, you should have said "Dahlia says hello." You can all figure that one out for yourselves. Also, tell him to look her up when he comes to town.

I get so exasperated with the lack of coverage for Air America on this blog!

[joanie]

BTW, LOVE YOU SAM AND MISS YOU ON THE SAMMYCAM!

(hmmm, you never did answer my email why I couldn't instant message on my mac...)

[Fremont]

Joans, you can be this blog's AAR expert...give us info that Bla'M has onitted. I now have more info about Seder than before I read this post, but you can elaborate.

I'll be there for the Reagan modulation and the fab panel discursion...

[joanie]

Goldstein in for Dave Ross today. Talking Gregoire and the Spokane Indian gambling thing.

[sparky]

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thom Hartmann on AIR AMERICA ( ahem....) talking about how Amtrak needs to be overhauled and increased significantly in order to meet the demand because of higher gas prices.
Also talking about how the oil companies don't need the tax breaks, considering their profits in the billions this year, and how T.Boone Pickens told listeners to contact Congress to renew the Alternative Energy Act.

I listened to Sam sometimes, but if he pairs up with Mark Maron, I will give that a pass. The only ones who think Maron is funny is Sam..... and Maron. He only half heartedly tries to fit the news into his "comedy" routine.

[joanie]

I didn't know Mark Maron until recently when I heard him in for Malloy (??). By himself, he was okay. Not comedic.

I hate that, too. Entertaining doesn't always mean comedy.

I heard yesterday that the oil profits were the highest in history for any corporation. Can that be true?

[joanie]

David Goldstein sure knows his political facts better than Dave. Now, if he could just dial it down a notch...

[joanie]

Actually, it's nice to Goldstein back on the radio. He is energetic and interesting.

[sparky]

11.68 billion in profits just for Exxon Mobile. Why in the world would they want to go to the expense of doing any more drilling when they pull in that amount of money doing nothing?

I heard about a bill that will be coming back before Congress that will require oil companies to drill on leases within a specific amount of time or they lose the lease. Of course, they first have to build more refineries...which means money going OUT...not something they like to do.

[Duffman]

Gotta remember...those 'huge' profits by big oil get split 50/50 with Uncle Sam...Hmmmm, indirect form of taxation to us at the gas pump?

[AuthenticAndrew]

Phil the producer junkie just said something rather ironic to Dori in regard to some government official who doesn't work every other Friday; "Friday off? we need to get into a different line of work!" he says to the man who just took a four-day weekend.

BTW, there's absolutely nothing unusual about government workers having non-standard shifts. If anything a 9-5 shift shift is the exception not the rule.

[joanie]

What's your source for that, duff?
I want to seer it in writing and not yours.

[joanie]

Well, this morning we heard the adult host; now it's time for the whiny kids.

Dori is having a tantrum of sorts. I'm hearing lots of heavy breathing, esasperated heaves, shouting and WHINING!

I think Dori missed joining Greek Row - did he go to college? He's living his missed frat parties today.

[Duffman]

IRS corporate tax rate for oil companies...look it up; not quite 50% but close enough for Gov't work. And is their reported profit before or after taxes.

[chuck]

So, the question now is "is the $11,680,000,000.00 net or gross. Does the gummint get $4,672,000,000.00 as their share of the profits or did the gummint already take $6,541,000,000.00 leaving the net $11.680 billion?
How much of that profit goes to us stock holders? Including all of us with 401K's, gummint and private pension funds?
This does not take to account fuel taxes that you and I pay at the pump.
Still, that is a crap load of $$$.
What's this thread about? Oh yes, Sam Seder. I got nothing.

[joanie]

Oh, duff, you think they actually pay 50%? Everything is so simple on the right, isn't it?

Hmm, 50% of what? That you would make such a statement without considering accelerated depreciation, tax breaks, stock options, etc. etc. etc. makes your business acumen questionable.

I understand that many corporations pay no taxes. If the oil companies actually paid what the statutes require, they'd fire their accountants and hire new ones.

BTW, I asked for sources. So much for your reading comprehension as well.

[Luke]

I know this is thoroughly off-topic, but what happened to Rachel Belle at KIRO?

[sparky]

From www.pollster.com

Electoral votes

Obama 284, McCain 147, Tossup 107.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win. Today, Obama is 14 EVs above that threshold, while McCain is 123 below it.

check out the website for the map

[KS]

Pollster.com - must be a website run by delusional progressives.

Try RealClearpolitics.com for a more balanced and realistic analysis - Obambam is ahead, but by a far smaller amount. Don't look now, but his stock appears to have slipped a bit this past week.

[KS]

For your entertainment and as a community service...

http://oregonionvideo.blogspot.com/

[sparky]

Sorry, KS. In the end all that matters is the Electoral Vote. All those other polls are meaningless, even the ones that show Obama ahead.

[nevets]

Has anyone besides me noticed that Exxon and the other oil companies have only been bringing in these huge profits since the Libs took control. Oh, they were already making money yes, but not like these 10's of billions they have been taking in lately. So Joanie, If you want this to stop, you should call your congresswomen and tell them you are tired of these profits and open up Off-shore drilling and ANWR. Until then, quit your complaining.

[nevets]

And it looks like Hussein is softening his stance on the idea. He must be getting nervous to make such a drastic flip-flop and go against the party line.

[nevets]

Sam Seder is a true Commie is he truely beleives in a windfall profit tax on oil companies. Because Capitalism, in its most basic form is based on profit being the fair reward from the application of land, labor, capital and entrepeneurial ability. Whereas Socialism in its most basic form takes what it needs as it needs it to provide for the citizenry.

[nevets]

"In the end all that matters is the Electoral Vote. All those other polls are meaningless"

This is too funny, especially after Sparky just sourced POLLSTER.com. POLL-ster.com.

Sparky, where did POLL-ster.com get thier numbers?

[sparky]

It's past your bedtime Steven.

[nevets]

Y'know Sparky, that was just as hilarious as the statement you made a couple weeks ago about there being no "Friggin ICE" at the Noth Pole.

[nevets]

And another sign that Hussein is nervous, now he opposes offering reparations to the descendants of slaves, putting him at odds with some black groups and leaders.

[nevets]

Was I right, this guy is a "Son of Bush"

[Duffman]

'Oh, duff, you think they actually pay 50%? Everything is so simple on the right, isn't it?

50% was a 'rough' number; it's actually a stepped scale, and with enormous net profits like that w/probably be in the 40's percentage rate, so excuse me on that account. My point was they don't get away from Uncle Sam; I don't care how many CPA's they have.
I tend to be on the right on certain issues yes, but on the left on many more.

'So much for your reading comprehension as well.'

You can continue to insult me if you must, but it doesn't affect me and only portrays you in a lesser light. I will always have respect for both you and 'sparky' as I well recall (when I first arrived herein) how welcoming and helpful you both were [true to your professions] - before you prematurely (& somewhat incorrectly) deduced my political slant. Oh well, such is life in 'ol Blatherville, eh.

[Dave (not dave ross)]

Just for the sake of accuracy, A Andrew, in your earlier post today you did correctly quote the comment about govt workers and friday off, however Phil, dori's producer was away on friday and that quote came from someone named Chris, phil was not there.

[KS]

Obama is indeed the Manchurian Candidate programed by one Mr. Axelrod.

For a funny movie, a must see is Swing Vote. A pretty good one for Kevin Costner.