NO CORRECTION --- NO SURPRISE

On April 20th Jacques Steinberg, a reporter for The New York Times, wrote an article titled "Talk Radio Tries for Humor and a Political Advantage." Steinberg's article was merely another salvo in the broad based mainstream media assault on talk radio. Steinberg took out after Opie and Anthony (Oh yeah ... that's talk radio), Imus, Limbaugh, Savage and, at the very end, me.

He did spell my name right. Good for Jacques.

For the portion aimed at me Steinberg chose to write of my comments on the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Why not? Everybody else has! Steinberg addressed some of my specific comments and then wrote: "A few moments later, as a transition to a commercial break, Mr. Boortz paused to play a snippet of a pop song from the 1980's. His choice? "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar."

Wrong. Not true. Didn't happen. And the accusation angered me ... let me tell you why.

From the summer of 1979 until the spring of 1981 Atlanta suffered a series of murders of black children generally known as the Atlanta Child Murders. During this period 29 black children and a few adults were killed. It seemed as if every day we would learn of another body found behind an office building, in a vacant field or by a road.

During that time I was privileged to know a morning radio pair known as Ross and Wilson. Brian Wilson is now a program director at a talk radio station and Ross Brittain is probably managing his multi-million dollar portfolio from a yacht in the Caribbean. One day, so the legend goes, Ross and Wilson were interrupted by a news bulletin that the body of yet another child had been found. When the news report ended they came back on the air and played "Another One Bites the Dust." That rumor, which persists to this day, is untrue. And just how do I know? Because at the time I was a practicing attorney in Atlanta and Ross Wilson was a client. I had some involvement in his contract negotiations with the radio station. These two will be forever dogged by the false charge that they followed the report of the discovery of a murdered black child with that song, though it never happened.

You can see, then, why I take it someone personally when this New York Times reporter comes up with his "His choice? "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar" line.

Let me explain to you how our "bumper music," as we call it, is played. Royal Marshall, our broadcast engineer, is surrounded by computer screens in his studio next to mine. We peer at each other through soundproof glass. Four times an hour Royal will play some music to transition us into a break. To play this music Royal goes to one of those computer screens. On that touch-screen there are about seven squares. They contain labels such as "Rock Bumps," "Country Bumps," Pop Bumps," etc. In each one of these "files" there are about 80 or so short mpg files of music. They are played by a computer in rotation. When Royal presses one of those labels the next mpg file plays. Neither he nor I knows what the music will be until it starts playing.

So ... as you can see, the instrumental (Steinberg didn't mention that, did he?) version of Benatar's hit was not chosen by me, as he charged, nor was it chosen by Royal. The computer did it. Bad computer. I'll reboot it after the show today to show it who's boss.

After I read the story in the Times last Friday morning I had Belinda call Jacques Steinberg to set the record straight. His response? "I'm sticking with my story." Belinda handed the phone to me and I explained to Steinberg just what I explained to you here. He asked me a few questions and then said "I'll talk to my editor." That was the last we heard from Steinberg or from The New York Times. No correction. No surprise.

So ... what will the net result from The New York Times false reporting be? Media Myrmidons for America have already picked up on it. They reported yesterday on their website that that I " ... aired an instrumental version of the Pat Benatar song, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." They didn't say I "chose" it, only that I "aired" it. But the urban legend is born and will be with me for quite a while. I will admit that the people at Media Myrmidons are pretty good at correct errors -- unlike the Times. Let's see if they publish a clarification here.

Back to the Times. What we have here, as evidenced by their refusal to print a correction, is evidence that their goal is not to report on talk radio, but rather to attack talk radio. The accuracy of the reporting matters not, the affect it has on talk radio counts, not the truth.

We are approaching one of the most contentious presidential elections in my memory. There is no incumbent. There is no vice-president trying to move up. The field is wide open and the leftist media is determined that the White House shall be put into the hands of a liberal Democrat this time around -- preferably Hillary Rodham -- and they're not going to let such trite matters as truth and journalistic ethics get in their way. The New York Times and other mainstays of the leftist media know that talk radio is going to have an influence in this election. They want that influence lessened, and they'll remain on the attack -- truth be damned -- until they get more talk show host scalps on their belts or until the election results are in. The death of Air America was their call to arms. The downfall of Don Imus was their shot in the arm.

Me? I take it in stride. As I said, they spelled my name right. Now if they would only post my website. One thing for sure ... the attack on talk radio is actually having an unintended consequence. More listeners.

So, to those of you who have tuned in to hear the green-eyed monster "choose" bad bumps to besmirch the memories of those who die tragically, welcome! If you've come to hear the crap the left has been feeding you, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

IT WOULD SEEM I'VE GOTTEN ON JAY BOOKMAN'S LAST GOOD NERVE

Remember Jay Bookman's screed against the FairTax early this week? I responded to it in Monday's Nealz Nuze. It now seems that many of you sent less-than-polite emails to Mr. Bookman. Please don't. Leave the man alone. Bookman's mind is made up about the FairTax. He doesn't like it. How a liberal could oppose a tax system that completely lifts the federal tax burden off the backs of the poor, I don't understand. But he doesn't like it and that's how it's going to stay.

Maybe the problem is that Bookman doesn't particularly like me? Do you think that it bothers him that far more people in the circulation area of his newspaper listen to me than read his columns? Could be? Let's see, he calls me the "indoctrinator in chief." Pretty clever stuff there. And in response to my comments about his column Bookman decides to go to ------ Virginia Tech! He writes: "Boortz suggested that if a red-blooded American male like himself had been on campus, the outcome would have been different." Yeah, that's it! I spent hours last week talking about how different things would have been if I had been on campus. Then Bookman calls me: " ...a guy who would rush a crazed gunman with a pistol in each hand." Clearly, with Jay Bookman, it's personal. Fine. Whatever works for him. My criticism of him rested solely on his opinions of the FairTax. He seems to want to open a broader based attack on me. No problem. Whatever works for him. After all .. it must get lonely working for a second rate newspaper with a falling circulation.

Does Jay Bookman understand the FairTax? Consider this paragraph from today's column:

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, decide for yourself. It is accepted by all sides that a retail item that would sell for $100 would cost $130 once the Fair Tax is imposed. Therefore, the accurate sales tax rate is:

A. 23 percent.

B. 30 percent.

If Bookman had read The FairTax Book he would know that an item that costs $100 before the FairTax would still cost just about exactly the same, $100, after the FairTax. The tax on a $100 item would be $23. The tax on a $130 item would be $29.90. Do the math; 23 is 23% of 100 --- 29.9 is 23% of 130.

Bookman also makes a big deal out of my failure to invite him on the show. He says I want to subject him to a FairTax rally pitting him on one side against me and a thousand or so of my cheering FairTax zealots on the other side. Not so, Mr. Bookman. I just would like to engage you in an open one-on one debate on the FairTax. You chose the venue. You chose the audience. Perhaps you could go to Emory University or Georgia State, two notoriously liberal institutions, and ask them if they would like to sponsor such a debate for their students! Set it up! Have your people coordinate the schedule with my people .. and I'm there! I debated your boss, Cynthia Tucker, in front of just such a college forum. If she can handle it, I'm sure you can.

In fact ... this morning I've instructed Belinda to contact Emory University, Georgia State and Georgia Tech to see if just such a debate forum exists, and if they would like to have little old me and hotshot columnist Jay Bookman come debate the FairTax! After all ... why wait for Bookman to set it up! He's more interested in attacking me than in getting to the truth of the FairTax.

Or ... if you like ... you can wait until "The FairTax, Answering the Critics" hits the book stores. Perhaps you might like to read it. But then you haven't read The FairTax Book yet ... so maybe not.

The FairTax is the most thoroughly researched piece of major legislation ever presented to the U.S. Congress. As I've said, it's not perfect .. but it sure beats the hell out of the mess we have right now. The main problem liberals have with the FairTax is that it transfers too much power from government to the people to suit them. They view the tax code as not only a means to raise revenue for the operation of government, but also as a tool to be used to redistribute income and manipulate the economic activities of Americans. With the FairTax it would be difficult for a Democrat to run for office on the promise of raising taxes on the evil rich.

Come on, Mr. Bookman. Chose your audience ... and let's rumble.

But ... in the meantime ... you FairTax supporters leave Mr. Bookman alone. He clearly doesn't like to be challenged.

RANGER ON LEAVE FROM IRAQ'S HEARTFELT PLEA

Boortz Blast newsletter subscribers already received this in their email box, but it's too important to keep exclusive. Vick, a Ranger on leave from Iraq, called the Boortz show and his call has turned out to be one of the most requested pieces of audio we've ever had. Have a listen and see if it doesn't move you to tears. Don't miss the video a listener sent in. And don't forget to share Vick's message with every liberal you know!

A FEW READING ASSIGNMENTS

The Democrats in the House have voted for a date certain for surrender in Iraq. Senate next? Here comes the veto!

Rudy loves a fight --- and the Democrats aren't pleased him saying that they're "waving the white flag." What the hell else would you call it?

The Senate has approved a bill to improve science and math skills in government schools. If they want to improve these skills, how about some school choice? Oh, wait. I remember. Teacher's unions first. Children second.

Joe Lieberman on Iraq. He outlines our challenge there this way: "The challenge before us, then, is whether we respond to al-Qaeda's barbarism by running away, as it hopes we do -- abandoning the future of Iraq, the Middle East and ultimately our own security to the very people responsible for last week's atrocities -- or whether we stand and fight." I knew I liked Lieberman.

Inside Hillary Rodham's counter-attack on Barack Obama! What fun!

I've never liked McCain-Feingold. Bush should be ashamed for having signed it. Mitt Romney writes on the fundamental flaws of this hideous anti-free speech legislation.

This is the perfect Christmas present for my proud beast Coco. I'd better get two. He's sure to wear it out.

And remember, Stop, Look & Listen! [video]

I'm not even going to alter the headline on this story: Farmer finds foot and eats it.

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