Mike Rosen's Got an Odd "Sense of Humor"

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by: Colorado Pols

Can’t see the audio player? Click here.

We thought it only fair, after the considerable argument yesterday over conservative radio host and Denver Post columnist Mike Rosen’s comments in a debate with liberal radio host David Sirota earlier this week regarding the proposed Park 51 Islamic cultural center in New York, to listen to his podcasted show from Thursday for any follow-up. And as you can hear above, a caller indeed brought up Rosen’s answer that “I think they should be allowed to build it, followed by the hijacking of an Iranian plane right into that building and blow it to smithereens!” Note that the audio clip above has been edited to include the original quote from the debate, then the call.

Rosen’s response to the caller is awkward, even though the caller is friendly, which makes sense given how it’s hard to defend the subject matter–but Rosen does have the chutzpah to refer to the proposed Islamic center as a question of “taste” without a shred of irony, and says his call to hijack an Iranian airliner and crash it into the center was “a little emotionalism, see I’m capable of that too.” And naturally, the “other side” (this presumably being people who don’t think it’s funny to make jokes about crashing more planes into Manhattan) has “no sense of humor.”

But then Rosen very weirdly ends the call with a few words about how we would be “stupid” to not fear “Islamic fundamentalist terrorism”–this sounds like less of a joke, doesn’t it?

Bottom line: We think this could have been more of a desperate publicity stunt for Rosen than anything else. It’s quite possible that Rosen would say something like this simply to boost his stagnant radio audience, and generate earned press. There are a lot of media types who think the only way to preserve their jobs long-term is to find some loyal segment, however fringy, that will keep paying for them. Worked for Glenn Beck. Is his “common sense conservative,” or whatever he branded himself before, too boring to sell in today’s shock-jock marketplace?

That, to us, seems to be the most likely explanation, as tempting as it is to call it crazy. A crass ploy for ratings, and seeking an elevated national profile by glomming on to a well-traveled controversy. Nothing more, when you get down to it, than an entertainer looking for a paying audience.

Trouble is, it’s not really very entertaining.

UPDATE: Liberal activist group Progress Now of “Gunny Bob” boycott fame is, as you’d expect, a little pissed. Release follows, says Kjersten Forseth, “In years of holding right-wing public figures in Colorado accountable for extremist rhetoric, we’ve never seen anything like this.”

Denver Post columnist, Mike Rosen, calls for another attack on New York City

ProgressNow Colorado asks Coloradans to repudiate Rosen’s call for murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 8, 2010

CONTACT: Kjersten Forseth, Executive Director at 719-641-4674

DENVER: Learning of talk-radio host and Denver Post columnist Mike Rosen’s call earlier this week in a broadcast debate for “the hijacking of an Iranian plane” to crash into a proposed Islamic cultural center in New York City, ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest online progressive advocacy organization, called on all Colorado citizens to repudiate these hateful and extremist statements.

“In years of holding right-wing public figures in Colorado accountable for extremist rhetoric, we’ve never seen anything like this,” said Kjersten Forseth, Executive Director of ProgressNow Colorado. “Nothing comes close to the unbelievable indifference shown by Rosen to the victims of the worst terrorist attack in American history, not to mention the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world who had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11.”

“[It] doesn’t matter whether you support the construction of the Park 51 project in lower Manhattan or not,” continued Forseth. “How could Rosen possibly be so callous as to call, even as a lame attempt at satire, for crashing another airliner into New York City?”

In a broadcast debate between Rosen, fellow right-wing radio host Peter Boyles, and progressive morning radio host David Sirota of AM760, Rosen said of the proposed Park 51 project, “I think they should be allowed to build it, followed by the hijacking of an Iranian plane right into that building and blow it to smithereens.” Audio of this debate is available online at the websites of both 850 KOA and AM760.

“Despite what the world might think based on Rosen’s comments, Colorado is made up of decent and tolerant people,” Forseth said. “And we must have the courage to speak louder than the extremists who would shame our entire state by asking for another terrorist attack on New York City–which would kill hundreds if not thousands more innocent Americans.”

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15 thoughts on “Mike Rosen’s Got an Odd “Sense of Humor””

DavidThi808 says:

October 9, 2010 at 6:25 pm

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Aristotle says:

October 9, 2010 at 6:29 pm

And it will probably work.

Well, hopefully this will wake up those of us who are more righteous in our quest to realize America’s unique potential as a great nation where all are equal and free to be themselves. There are still a lot of Americans who don’t recognize those who are different as worthy of the freedoms we celebrate here, and are ignorant enough to judge 1.5 billion people by the absolute worst individuals that that huge population includes.

America is only as strong as our weakest link, and Rosen represents that link today – the bigots who resent the presence of anyone who’s different, who appropriate the blood of 3,000 dead in the name of intolerance and inequality. We have a long way to go if we want to make our society one where we really are blind to religion, race, gender, and orientation. We won’t have an equitable society as long as this ignorance thrives.

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Froward69 says:

October 9, 2010 at 6:31 pm

hide their HATE behind “patriotism”.

not only to discredit President Obama but also to dismantle the United States Government from within.

they USE the Constitution when convenient and even then selfishly.

as if they were as Patriotic as they claim to be. They would not advocate more violence but rather, advocate true free market competition. Competition in building a synagogue or a Mega church across the street from the Islamic center.

NO they would rather incite MORE violence to bring on the rapture prematurely. (believing of course the rapture would actually happen.)

TRUE American Patriots are a peace loving classless society. (watch “classless” be misinterpreted by the right.)

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1. Aristotle says:
  
  October 9, 2010 at 6:35 pm
  
  Given how many of them have no class, after all.
  
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sxp151 says:

October 9, 2010 at 7:02 pm

Mass murder is hilarious. Buildings blowing up hahahaha a bunch of bleeding corpses all over the place heeheehee flames and bodies everywhere ohohohoho!

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MADCO says:

October 9, 2010 at 7:16 pm

then we should put pictures of it on every major media outlet in the world and say In the US we allow freedom for all Americans. Americans who want to protest this community center-mosque because of what criminal terrorists did, Americans who wanted to build this place, Muslim Americans, atheist Americans, all Americans. But make no mistake, protecting the freedom of all AMericans is not a sign of weakness, it is our strength. It is not an invitation to further attack. We will defend our nation and all Americans with American fierceness. Criminals will be caught and punished.

etc and so on

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1. BlueCat says:
  
  October 9, 2010 at 7:28 pm
  
  That, not 9/11, is so clearly what this mosque would represent and be celebrating!
  
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2. DavidThi808 says:
  
  October 9, 2010 at 8:19 pm
  
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Muhammad Ali Hasan says:

October 9, 2010 at 8:39 pm

…I’m not crazy about Glenn Beck, but he would never say such a thing

Rosen is trying to say this was a joke? I didn’t find it funny – nor did the hundreds of people who applauded them – they seemed to ‘appreciate’ his comment

A joke is when the crowd ‘laughs’

There was nothing funny about what Rosen said – more importantly, I’m not convinced he was joking

For what it is worth, the Founder of Muslims For Bush calls for all sponsors of Rosen’s show to withdraw funding and KOA to fire him

Of note – I did purchase radio space on Rosen’s show when I ran for State Treasurer and I regret doing that

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1. MADCO says:
  
  October 9, 2010 at 10:25 pm
  
  Don’t cut off your hand to realize it – but politically moderate leaders who are serious about freedom, fairness and opportunity for all Americans are in the D party.
  
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  1. Muhammad Ali Hasan says:
    
    October 10, 2010 at 3:02 am
    
    And yes – you’re on to something
    
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    1. MADCO says:
      
      October 10, 2010 at 3:43 am
      
      If Reagan were alive – he have to run as a D. He’d be kicked out of the current R party, derided as a RINO for raising taxes, and “soft” for not invading Iran when he had the chance.
      
      If Abraham Lincoln was alive today, he have to run as a D, too.
      
      The R’s have lost it. They could get it back- but they gave in to the teaparty.
      
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      1. Ralphie says:
        
        October 10, 2010 at 3:44 am
        
        He’d be in diapers and speaking word salad.
        
        I’m just sayin’, ya know?
        
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Boots_Mcgee says:

October 9, 2010 at 10:46 pm

KOA lives for feeding red meat to the fear and hate crowd, but Denver Post typically tries to play to a wider audience. His publicity stunt should pay off with a big pink slip from the Denver Post. Our state’s largest paper cannot give voice to Rosen’s hate-speech. I have informed the Post that either they fire Rosen, or I am cancelling my subscription. I encourage anyone who values a safe public discourse, or at least one that does not promote violence, to do the same.

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1. JeffcoBlue says:
  
  October 11, 2010 at 12:46 am
  
  The Post’s story on this buried the fact that Rosen even gets a check from them to like the 13th paragraph. They’re so desperate to sell papers they’d probably give Jim Welker a column.
  
  Really hoping that Maddow or Olbermann grab in on Monday and jack him up good.
  
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