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Top Liberal Radio and TV Host Thom Hartmann Doesn’t Think Conservatives Are Evil

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by Tommy Christopher | 5:05 pm, May 24th, 2011

» 38 comments

Although conservatives like Rush Limbaugh currently dominate talk radio, there are a few liberals, like Bill Press, and Ed Schultz, who have managed to break that stranglehold and maintain a beachhead in the format. Perhaps the best kept secret in progressive talk radio, though, is that Thom Hartmann sits atop the pack, and he does it with a minimum of the antagonism that is de rigeur in today’s political media. With a recent move to Washington, DC, and a move into television, is Hartmann poised to break out?

Hartmann is well-known among progressives, mainly due to his stint on Air America Radio, but even many of them might be unaware of Hartmann’s impressive reach. His radio show, The Thom Hartmann Program, is syndicated by Dial Global (who also syndicate Bill Press and Ed Schultz, among others), and has placed him as the top liberal host in Talkers Magazine’s Heavy 100 three years in a row.
His radio show is also simulcast for television on Free Speech TV.

Hartmann also produces and hosts The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann, an hourlong TV show that’s available in over 55 million households (about 80% of the number Keith Olbermann boasts for Current) via the RT America network and FSTV.

The talent required to host a 3 hour radio show doesn’t always translate to TV (just ask Rush Limbaugh), but Hatmann’s hour is a refreshing mix of interviews, commentary, and panel discussion. Unlike some liberal TV personalities, Hartmann welcomes conservatives to his show, and while the repartee is sharp, it is also respectful and fun.

Hartmann’s attitude toward conservatives stems not only from a cool temperament, but from his relationship with his late father, a lifelong conservative. As an adolescent, Thom campaigned with his dad for Barry Goldwater, but even as their worldviews diverged, their mutual affection remained. Hartmann is no liberal “squish,” though. His views are not triangulated to make nice with the other side, which makes his ability to get along with them that much more remarkable.

With the recent move from Portland to Washington, DC, and into television, Hartmann is poised to make a greater impact on the liberal media, and the larger political media as well. For the moment, though, he’s happy in his own skin, and with the independence of owning his own shows. He’s already established, and retired from, several careers (including best-selling author), so even if Hartmann doesn’t feel driven to take over the town, his cool brand of commentary is something it needs more of.

In an exclusive interview with Mediaite, Hartmann talks about the liberal media landscape, Fox News, the recent intramural feud over the killing of Osama bin Laden, and his own future.

Air America Radio, Barry Goldwater, Bill Press, Current, ed schultz, fox news, Free Speech TV, keith olbermann, Osama bin Laden, Rush Limbaugh, Talkers Magazine, The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann, Thom Hartmann

Dem4Ever

This clown is a Lib. He is destined to fail!!! Right Tommy!?!? You did say he’s sitting on top of a pile of dung!!!
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

What? LOL “Bill Press, and Ed Schultz, who have managed to break that stranglehold and maintain a beachhead in the format.” LOL are you kidding me? Walk down any street in the country and ask people who those two goons are? Do the same with Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck. NO contest.

Try some more lib spin.
Moderate

“Thom Hartmann sits atop the pack,”

How much did he pay you to write that article. You overdid it.
insideguy

I like THom but his show is boring most of the time in my opinion. He’s a smart guy but doesn’t have the charisma on the radio that a lot of right wingers have. But he is a smart dude.
lonestar77

“Top Liberal Radio and TV Host Thom Hartmann Doesn’t Think Conservatives Are Evil”

I knew he was out there somewhere. His nickname should be “needle in a haystack”.
Moderate

insideguy said:
I like THom but his show is boring most of the time in my opinion.

It is a liberal thing, that is why they fail.
Barack Must Go

My god, this guy is more boring than a dead man if this demo tape is his usual schtick. NPR would love to get a hold of this firebrand.
Barack Must Go

By any chance is Bill Press your dad? Or are you’re just two lonely ships that crossed in the night in Kalamazoo one very, hot Summer night back in ’97 maybe……..
The Lantern of Truth

Top Liberal Radio and TV Host Thom Hartmann Doesn’t Think Conservatives Are Evil

But what do you think , Tommy ?
Sean68

This is what’s known as damning with faint praise.
david r

I played his clip ‘The Nature of Humanity.” He basically takes the Locke approach that the state of nature is a state of peace. He believes that hierarchical structures are put in place based on the notion that humans need to be controlled because they are inherently bad or anarchists. But since they are nice, this is all wrong. He should change his name to Thom Pollyanna. I tended to agree with his reasoning that mammals are hard-wired for democracy. I liked him more than Rachel, Ed or Larry.
puck30

“Top Liberal Radio and TV Host Thom Hartmann Doesn’t Think Conservatives Are Evil”

Oh no Tom! now you’ve just lost the entire inside-the-beltway crowd, quick just tell everybody you weren’t feeling well.

BTW: How’s your gold doing?

http://www.thomhartmann.com/

(scroll down)
Color Me Badd

Thom Hartmann is not a secret to me, he is probably the smartest political talker on the air, he is a guy that has conservatives on the air everyday and respects them and gives them time to express their views. I wish more of the media was this way but it isn’t it is full of Ed Schultz/Rush Limbaugh types who scream and yell and bully the opposition. Thank G_d for Thom Hartmann!
Color Me Badd

Thank you Tommy for doing this piece, you deserve respect at Mediaite. I sometimes am hard on the writers here but Tommy is fair and is a good journalist.
Color Me Badd

insideguy said:
I like THom but his show is boring most of the time in my opinion. He’s a smart guy but doesn’t have the charisma on the radio that a lot of right wingers have. But he is a smart dude.

I don’t care about charisma or flash I care about facts, period. You might get caught up in the Hollywood BS, but not me. I like the media to tell the truth something Thom does every day on his show.
Color Me Badd

Plus The Last Days Of Ancient Sunlight is one of the best books I have ever read, okay enough of me shilling for Hartmann, but seriously I am surprised to see him on Mediaite. He exists outside of this pro wrestling type political game. Wow this was a great thing to see today.
GreyGoose

Uh oh, this guy is finished. Libs are supposed to “tow the line” and far in lock-step with the rest of the sheep. OR ELSE THEY ARE DONE! Just look at Alan Colmes
Color Me Badd

One other thing if Thom gets big, it should scare every Republican out there, he is a smart, articulate guy who is not a bombthrower, he is the future of the media I really do hope.
turk281

Color Me Badd said:
One other thing if Thom gets big, it should scare every Republican out there, he is a smart, articulate guy who is not a bombthrower, he is the future of the media I really do hope.

That’s nice that he’s more civil than most.

A shame he’s a new age quack profiting from “How to Feel Good” mumbo jumbo.
Kitsune

Being civil means he won’t last. If he can’t make his choir feel good about being nasty jerkasses to anyone who doesn’t agree with him, they won’t stick with him very long.
Mas Liberty5

You post this article Tommy but you don’t touch the news about Obama, and the neocons renewing the Patriot Act for another 4 years.
insideguy

Yea color me badd like I said I like the guy. He has a lot of interesting ideas, not really a bomb thrower, but ya got admit he basically blames everything that bad that has happened in the past 40 years on republicans and or conservative policies. He’s like a mellow Rush limbaugh except from the other side. Ahh maybe thats going to far your right he does have conservatives on his show a lot, and not the crazy ones generally either ,cause they are to easy to pick on. I don’t not like him but he is in an entertainment medium, just wish there would be a little more spunk there ya know :)
Dem4Ever

Where is Barack? Why won’t he come home? There are people in Missouri suffering and dying! Is he extending his European vacation until this weekend? OMG!!! Does Barack think he is an emperor? Well, Mr. POTUS, you have a good time. Your arrogance will be your downfall.
http://www.harropson.com WHarropson

I hope he’s on late. I’m trying to get off my sleep medication and I may benefit from his program.
DaTruth

Tommy, what is this article all about? Seriously…it’s just a PR piece for this guy. Why is this newsworthy? An “exclusive” interview with Mediaite? Are online outlets fawning all over him to try and snare him as the big “get”?
Azarkhan

Think about it again, Thom. In your heart, you know they’re evil.
darladoon

hartmann’s awesome. great guy. great show.
Morgan

Tommy Christopher wrote:> Hartmann also produces and hosts The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann, an hourlong TV show that’s available in over 55 million households…

Available in over 55 million households? How many of those choose not to watch him?
http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

Color Me Badd said:
Thom Hartmann is not a secret to me,

LOL, everything that is true is a secret to you.
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JasonMays

Dem4Ever said:
Where is Barack? Why won’t he come home? There are people in Missouri suffering and dying! Is he extending his European vacation until this weekend? OMG!!! Does Barack think he is an emperor? Well, Mr. POTUS, you have a good time. Your arrogance will be your downfall.

Barack Obama doesn’t like white people.
Davo

Tommy Christopher said:
“Top Liberal Radio”

Now there’s an oxymoron suitable for a subtitle for a skit on SNL. “Top Liberal radio” would equate to a battery powered crystal transmitter in the closet of a 6 year-old. Now, that’s funny, I don’t care WHO you are.

Tommy Christopher said:
Hartmann also produces and hosts The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann, an hourlong TV show that’s AVAILABLE in over 55 million households

Nice try, Tommy. I have a barrel of garbage that’s “AVAILABLE” to anyone wanting to pick it up from my back yard. That doesn’t mean any more than Hartmann’s garbage being “AVAILABLE in 55 million households.” “Who cares?” is the answer to both ‘AVAILABILITIES.”
BatBoy

No one cares what that RACIST Thom Hartmann thinks.

Tommy writes “Hartmann also produces and hosts The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann, an hourlong TV show that’s available in over 55 million households”

Now if Hartmann could just get some of those 55 million to turn their TV on!
Color Me Badd

gordonbloyershow said:
LOL, everything that is true is a secret to you.

Sobriety is a secret to you.
greg454

So if progressives win and conservatives end in concentration camps, will Hartman give them chocolates like Dr. Menguele used to do with his victims? Because make no mistake, progressives want to kill you.
http://www.libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
Dem4Ever

JasonMays said:
Barack Obama doesn’t like white people.

…just their money…
Snidely

Gee. I wish I were one of the 55 million viewers to whom his show were available. The only “Progressives” I can get now are CNBC, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, ABC, CBS… Oh. I guess most of what’s available on TV is “Progressive”.
hgovernick

greg454 said:
So if progressives win and conservatives end in concentration camps, will Hartman give them chocolates like Dr. Menguele used to do with his victims? Because make no mistake, progressives want to kill you.
http://www.libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/

Not everybody. Just you.