I am putting together a list of local or national talk radio hosts who are either liberal/left-leaning or neutral, with emphasis on intelligent political, social and cultural analysis, although names of limbaughs of the left are welcome as well. I know about AirAmerica, but opinions on their show content would be helpful. Also, internet only "radio" shows.

As the party out of power nationally, we have the opportunity to build up our opposition voices, and promoting people who have at least a local audience, and attempting to get them a more widespread hearing is a big part of that. We have the numbers... the 57 plus million that voted for Kerry, as well as a great many people who didn't vote at all, for one reason or another. Radio reaches many of those people, especially commuters.

If you don't know the call letters of the stations, that's okay. With the names of the individuals (or approximations) I can find out the rest, most likely. Personal opinions on how good the hosts are themselves would be welcome as well.  

Thanks for your help.

focused community-based action The Progressive Focus Center

Washington Post -

President Bush wants the Senate to reconsider 20 nominees for judgeships on federal courts, the White House announced today, renewing a battle with Democrats over some of his more controversial appointments.

In a statement, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Bush intends to submit the nominations again when the Senate reconvenes in January. Most of the 20 were first nominated more than a year ago but never received "up or down votes" on the Senate floor, the statement said. Some were blocked by Democratic parliamentary maneuvering. At least one was placed on the bench anyway through a presidential appointment during a congressional recess.

Of all things that worried me before the election, the Federal and Supreme Court nominations were at the top of the list. I agree with those who think that a Kerry presidency would have been pretty much a mess, with the war and a hostile congress, the deficits and everything else, but I would have been willing to put up with all of that in order to protect the courts. Once those go, we'll have a much, much tougher time of accomplishing anything, regardless of what we do. Which doesn't, of course, mean we stop fighting every step of the way. I do think it's past time to go on the offensive, though.

Here's more:

The list includes 12 nominees for U.S. circuit courts of appeal and eight choices for U.S. district courts. Among the nominees is William H. Pryor, 42, who was placed on the Atlanta-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in February in a recess appointment after Democrats blocked his Senate confirmation, arguing that he was too rigidly conservative and opposed abortion rights.

The Democrats in the Senate were able to prevent the more extreme judges from coming to a vote, through the filibuster and other procedural methods. And I believe that while we lost a couple of seats, we still have enough to filibuster the second time around, if all the Democrats hold firm. We should help make sure they do, once it comes to that point, supporting through letters to not only the Senators and House members, but also to the media, and on the blogs and such, and any other way we have of making sure people know just why these judges are being rejected. The majority of public opinion is on the Democratic side of many of the issues... it's just that through the deception of the Republicans and the laziness of the media, they for some reason think the Republicans support the same issues they do.

We need to figure out a way to change that, on this and on other issues. Maybe break it down into the simplest terms, one liners, showing exactly what it would mean if these sorts of judges got on the Federal benches to people in their lives, and to the lives of their families, beyond the obvious things such as abortion. At least one of the judges is an anti environmentalist, for instance. Bush is apparently planning on renominating in January, and I imagine places like People for the American Way have already done oppo research, from the last time. Now, it's just a matter of putting that information into simple terms and getting it out there.

Progressive Focus Center