Pundit Review Radio

This is from June 21, apologies for the delayed posting. Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined me once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. We staretd with the sad news that Army Sgt. Kevin Dupont had passed away. He put up an incredible fight and inspired many people. Bruce went on to tell us about Army Sgt. John Hoxie, via Army News Service, "Through it all, Hoxie never got discouraged, and never stopped thinking of himself as a member of the Airborne Infantry. He kept in regular contact with his unit, and focused on the goal of recovering from his injuries and returning as soon as possible to regular duty. "You've got two choices. You can either lay down and quit, or you can stand up and fight through your problems and overcome them," he said. In April, Hoxie was able to walk upright with the use of canes, and

We did something a little bit different last night, a segment on movies that moved you. The reason? I had just seen Gran Torino by Clint Eastwood, twice, in a matter of days. What an incredible movie. When people talk of our greatest actor the names Pacino and De Niro always come up before Eastwood. Sure, their resumes are outstanding, having made some of the greatest movies ever made. But what have they done lately, say the last decade or so? That is where their careers and Eastwood’s go in opposite directions. Pacino and DeNero are simply vaccuming as many paychecks as possible these days. If you don’t believe me, try to sit through Righteous Kill. Clint Eastwood continues to make amazing movies. Unforgiven, In the Line of Fire, True Crimes, Gone Baby Gone and now Gran Torino, the best movie of his career. A reviewer at IMDB said this about Gran Torino and Eastwood and I agree compeltely, "If this is Clint Eastwood’s last film, I can only say that that his performance, in this stunning film, is what legen

The Massachusetts state senate has forty members, only five of them are Republicans. One of the five, Robert Hedlund, joined me tonight to discuss pension reform and the state of the GOP in Mass. On pensions, my golf clap stands. Sen. Hedlund is cautiously optimistic that we'll see more serious reform in the future. I hope he's is right. We talked about the state party and its limited resources and he had some good advice for people thinking of running for office. Sen. Hedlund and his fellow Republicans have a very good blog called Scaling the Hill that is a great way to stay informed of what is going on up thee on Beacon Hill. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight Bruce told us about Spc. David Hutchinson, only the fifth Army Reserve Soldier to receive a Silver Star. "Hutchinson’s actions were without a doubt the primary disruptor of the enemy actions that day. His actions contributed to the safety of 17 Soldiers and showed extraordinary courage, loyalty and selfless service under fire." The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citi

Chris Cassidy of the Salem News is delivering a case study every day in the paper on the importance and influence that a watchdog media can have on the governing class. As I’ve said all along, we need the media to play this role in a vibrant democracy. Perhaps he could go to Washington DC and give a seminar to his infatuated colleagues in the White House press corps? Look at what he has accomplished in the course of two weeks; May 26: Earlier pensions OK’d for 911 staff; Plan called “A raid on the retirement system” "Thanks to a subtle change in job title, some North Shore emergency dispatchers will be able to retire five years early under new rules approved by the Essex Regional Retirement Board. By reclassifying police and fire dispatchers as signal operators, the board recently allowed the group to retire with maximum benefits at age 60. That puts them into an elite group of municipal workers who are eligible for retirement before age 65 - a benefit typically reserved for those with hazardous jobs, s

Jim Pethokoukis returned last night to talk about his move from US News & World Report to Reuters and the big initiatives that make up Obamanomics. Jim was on a roll tonight, he managed to get off a great line that could only come from a former Jeopardy champion, Jim: The federal government is so optimized for effeciency. Producer Rob: Lean and mean Jim: You'd be cutting into muscle. Uncle Sam is like one of those ripped body builders, no subcutaneous fat. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight, Bruce honored the men of D-Day, "The liberation of Europe had begun. But it was costly. Of the total 10,000 casualties suffered that day on the beaches by the allies, the US had 6,603 of which 1,465 were killed in action. The Canadians suffered 1,074 casualties (359 KIA) and the British had 2,700. Men who had never set foot on the continent of Europe before died trying to liberate it that day. Today most of them lie in quiet graveyards near where they fell, the only piece of land ever claimed, as Colin Powell said, was enough to lay them to rest. 65 years ago, as the guns boomed, the shells exploded and desperate and courageous men made life and death decisions on the bloody sands of Normandy beaches, the fate of the wo

Ed Whelan a former law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, has served in positions of responsibility in all three branches of the federal government. He is a regular contributor to National Review's The Corner and Bench Memo blogs and he serves as President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. We discussed everything from the absurd (Democrats warning Republicans to be "exceedingly careful") to the now-infamous "wise Latina" comment to her ruling in the troubling New haven firefighetr case. Bottom line: Her judicial philosophy is troubling and she should be vigorously quesioned about it. That said, elctions have consequences, and someone like her on the court is one one of them. In Democrat circles, she is a mainstream jurist and will be confirmed, but not before what Krauthammer described as a "teachable moment' about the differneces between conservative and liberal judicial philosohy. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we giv

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight, Bruce told us about Staff Sgt. Jason Hendrix. He read portions of a letter that one of SSgt. Hendrix's men, Sgt. Jose M. Soliz, sent to the Hendrix family, "When the whole thing started SSG Hendrix was not in the best position to come to the rescue, but he made his way through hell to get to us. He came to get us even though he knew what it could mean for him and his men but he did it anyway. I can’t tell you that I don’t think of your son SSG Hendrix everyday. I can't tell you that I don’t get tears in my eyes when I think about what he has done for me. Even now as I write this message I think of him as if I had seen him just an hour ago. Jason, you gave your life so that I could live mine. I have no words that could ever t

Author Warrren Kozak joined me tonight to discuss his exceptional biography LeMay: The Life And Wars Of General Curtis LeMay. Like most Americans, I had no idea what a significant man Lemay was in 20th century aviation and warfare. This book also serves as a mini case study in management techniques because Lemay was masterful in building large organizations, fostering open dialog and earning the trust of those he commanded. I highly recommend this book. "The firebombing of Tokyo, the Strategic Air Command, John F. Kennedy, Robert S. McNamara, Dr. Strangelove and George Wallace. All of these have one common link -- General Curtis LeMay, who remains as enigmatic and controversial today as he was during his life. Until now. Warren Kozak traces the trajectory of America's most infamous military commander who killed more civilians than any other man in U.S. history but had a profound impact on winning World War II and the Cold War. LeMay: The Life And Wars Of General Curtis LeMay gives an unprecedented g

A veteran of the Iraq war, David Bellavia is the receipient of a Silver Star, Bronze Star and has been nominated by his leadership for the Medal of Honor. David joined us tonight to tell us about a new organization he has co-founded called The Warrior Legacy Foundation. Their mission is to protect and promote the reputation and dignity of every American veteran. Their Tenets are: I. Defend the Defenders (through advocacy and policy influence, we will enhance our warriors ability to fight and win) II. Care for the Wounded (we will never stop fighting for dignified and complete care of our wounded troops) III. Honor the Sacrifices (we will never forget the Fallen and we will honor the sacrifices made by military families) What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. This was never more true than tonight. Bruce told us about his family, which includes both of his parents who served, along with his own children who are serving now. Bruce shared what this day means to him as well as a recent trip to he took Arlington National Cemetery. This was one of my all time favorite SYSK's. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden's series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called "groundbreaking" by Talkers Magazine, this uni

About six weeks ago we told you the story of Kevin Dupont from Chicopee, MA. Kevin is a 52-year old Army National Guard soldier who volunteered to go to Afghanistan. He was severely injured in an IED explosion while riding in a humvee. He suffered expensive burns and he was fighting for life at US Army Burn Center at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. His friend, MA State Police Sgt. Jim Deyermond, returned tonight to give us an update on Kevin’s condition. It has been an emotional rollercoaster for Kevin, his family and friends. On Kevin’s website at CaringBridge,there is a message board with hundreds of comments of support and encouragement. Kevin’s wife Lisa posted an update tonight that closed with this hopeful passage, "His surgeon made quite a interesting statement yesterday , he stated, I’ve learned my lesson with this guy, I am never giving up on him again. Just when you think he’s down and out, boy he comes right back, time after time……." Kevin faces a long and difficult rehab. If you ar

We’ve been following Dylan Desilva and his organization Cape Cod Cares For Our Troops for about four years now. Every year Dylan hosts his big two-day fundraiser in Hyannis featuring all branches of the military. For the past two years I had the pleasure of taking the entire family. It is quite an event. Unfortunately I was not on the Cape this year, but I did get to speak to Dylan tonight and hear how the first day went. For starters, he raised $12,000 in cash donations. Did I mention that Dylan is 16 years old? Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops 1831 Long Pond Road Brewster, MA. 02631 (508) 896.6424 capecod4thetroops@comcast.net What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

I had the honor of speaking to retired Lt. Col. Oliver North about his new book American Heroes: In the Fight Against Radical Islam Most people hear the name Oliver North and think Fox News or a bit further back, Iran-Contra. What is largely forgotten is the fact that this man is a combat decorated Marine. His awards for service in combat include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for valor, and two Purple Hearts for wounds in combat. If you’ve ever listened to our Someone You Should Know segment, you know what kind of courage and bravery it takes to be awarded medals like that. American Heroes: In the Fight Against Radical Islam: "What is a hero? Oliver North says, “Real heroes are selfless. Those who serve America in harm’s way in the war against radical Islam have that quality in abundance. And so do their families and loved ones at home. Yet, they rarely get the attention or coverage they deserve . . . I never cease to be amazed at the self-discipline of these brave young Americans. They can endure t

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight, Bruce told us about Marine Cpl. Jason Jones, "Cpl. Jason Jones, one of three Marines embedded with the two platoons of soldiers, seized the initiative and began firing his weapon at the enemy while encouraging and guiding his comrades to organize a counter attack. Jones’ actions grew bolder as casualties mounted and the firefight intensified. He sprinted across the terrain under heavy enemy fire to a wounded Afghan soldier and pulled him to safety as rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire exploded around them. But the fight was not over. Members of the U.S. Army platoon were pinned down. “We got a call on the radio saying ‘we’re dying, we’re dying and I’m the last one left,’” said Jones, the 24 year-old native of

As we do every Sunday at 9pm, we welcomed Bruce McQuain from QandO.net and the number one milblog Blackfive.net back to the show. Before we got to this weekend's edition of SYSK, we spent a few weeks chatting about the week that was. We discussed Obama's decision to reverse himself on releasing the so-called "torture photos" and on the use of military tribunals. Yes, he flip-flopped, but what is most important is that he landed in the right place. Unfortunately for Obama, his wise eversals were completely overshadowed by San Fran Nan and amateur hour press conference where she accused the CIA of regularly lying to Congress. Pelosi was left to twist in the wind by not only her number 2, Steney Hoeyer, who said "he did not reach that conclusion" about CIA briefings. CIA Director Panetta didn't just throw her under the bus, he backed it up and ran over her again for good measue. Most importantly, President Obama left Pelosi twisting and alone. Only a media that loses interest in the story can save Pelo

Paul and I were joined by Eric Maddox. As an Army Staff Sergeant, Eric was an interrogator assigned to Tikrit where he soon realized that the insurgency was not being run by former regime elements, the so-called Deck of Cards. Eric realized that the regime elements went into self-preservation mode and were too fragmented. Saddam was using his most basic social networks for protection and to run the insurgency. For his efforts, Eric Maddox was awarded the DIA Director’s Award, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement for his key role in the capture of Saddam Hussein. He’s written a great book about his experiene in Iraq called Mission: Black List #1 The Inside Story of the Search for Saddam Hussein Today, Eric has been hired by the DoD as the first ever civilian interrogator. He has deployed to Afghanistan, back to Iraq, and other locations around the world for interrogation operations. He teaches new interrogation methodology and techniques for the government

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match. Tonight, Bruce told us about Sgt. 1st Class Ray A. Plasterer. From the Army Times, "Sgt. 1st Class Ray A. Plasterer said he hadn’t seen a firefight like the one he saw May 10 in Afghanistan since he and his fellow Rangers did their part during the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. This time, the firefight nearly cost Plasterer his life and on Oct. 17 he was awarded a Silver Star medal at Fort Benning, Ga., for what he did under a hail of withering gunfire." The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to

Ret. Lt. Col. Ralph Peters is one of our favorite guests and we are honored that he is such a good friend of the show. His New York Post columns have been absolutely terrific lately. In fact, Ralph has the single best description of Obama foreign policy to date, "Obama means well. Just as Jimmy Carter, his policy godfather, meant well. But the road to embassy takeovers and strategic humiliation is paved with good intentions -- coupled with distressing naivete." Ralph told us he finds President Obama "awesomely naive" and he described him as "Jimmy Carter without the raging testosterone." OUCH. Ralph was just terrific as he broke down Obama's Apologypalooza World Tour. We also discussed the Homeland Security report that smeared not just conservatives, but veterans as well. If you think Ralph is upset with the president, you should hear what he had to say about Janet Napolitano, the Director of Homeland Security. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. E