Pundit Review Radio

Adam Reilly of the Boston Phoenix joined me tonight to talk about the head scratching drug arrest of a Boston firefighter. This comes at a time when the union is in a bitter contract negotiation and drug testing is a key issue. Talk about bad timing. Here’s the Herald’s Peter Gelzinis, "When the cops came upon Anthony Gaston, he had allegedly just disposed of his funny cigarette . . . while dressed in his uniform . . . seated behind the wheel of an official fire department Chevy parked in front of a hydrant . . . and just across the street from the Dorchester District Court." That’s not what the union was looking for. A few years ago, things were much different for Gaston, "In July 2002, Gaston was profiled in a NewsCenter 5 story after making a daring rescue to get residents out of a burning building. Gaston rushed into the building on Wales Street in Boston and led six residents to safety. He suffered smoke inhalation during the rescue." This is an interesting topic and Adam and the callers were excelle

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Bruce told us about Major William Chesarek Jr., a U.S. Marine who received the British Distinguished Flying Cross. "Chesarek made a daring choice: he dove into the gun battle, flying as low as possible to draw the enemy’s attention away from the troops on the ground. The tactic worked – even as it endangered Chesarek’s helicopter." What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Tonight, Bruce told us an incredible story of love and devotion. Meet Ellicia Stanley & her husband SPC Reid Stanley, What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station

It was our great pleasure to welcome John Hinderaker of Powerline to Pundit Review Radio. John and his colleagues at Powerline are among the best in the blogosphere. We talked to John about the latest gift from 60 Minutes to the blogosphere, their hit piece last week on Karl Rove. We also discussed the campaign and how the GOP should go after Obama in the general election. John also gave us some insight into a leading contentder for VP on the Republican side, MN Gov.Tim Pawlenty. This was a fun half hour and we look forward to visiting with John again as the campaign unfolds. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station

We had an exciting, up and coming candidate for Congress join us on Sunday evening. His name is Kieran Michael Lalor and he is running in the 19th district in NY to unseat the faded pop star John Hall (remember the band Orleans? Me neither!) . You can check out just how liberal Congressman Hall is here. Kieran is a man of character and integrity with a great personal story that demonstrates a committment to family, community and country. Kieran is the founder of Iraq Veterans for Congress, a group of Republican Iraq war veterans running for Congress. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Tonight, Bruce told us about PVT Dwayne Turner of the 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, "Turner, a combat medic, won the Silver Star during an attack by insurgents in which he was badly wounded, but continued to render critical care to 16 members of his unit until he passed out from loss of blood…The determination to aid his comrades, the courage and fortitude to continue while badly wounded, the valor necessary to brave fire and wounds to recover the wounded in his unit and treat them is not only inspiring but indicative of the caliber of soldiers we have in our military. And, of course, he feels he was just “doing my job”." What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media me

Bronze Star recipient Pete Hegseth, executive director and co-founder of Vets for Freedom returned to Pundit Review Radio this afternoon to discuss his organizations upcoming National Heroes Tour. "The National Heroes Tour is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment, and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. At this critical juncture in our country, we need Americans, lawmakers and the media, to fully recognize—and appreciate—the sacrifice of our brave military and the dramatic success they have achieved, especially in Iraq with the new counterinsurgency strategy." Joining Pete will be some of the incredible heroes of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those of you who are familiar with our Someone You Should Know series should recognize these names, David Bellavia, Marcus Lutrell and Marco Martinez. In addition to talking about the National Heroes Tour, I had to ask about funding for veterans care and what his group is doing to pressure Congress to do more.

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Tonight, Bruce told us about Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who has been recommended for only the fourth Medal of Honor since 9/11. "Said Cpl. Brannon Dyer, "He saved half my fire team,". And Lance Cpl. Rob Rogers said, "It's stuff you hear about in boot camp, about World War II and Tarawa Marines who won the Medal of Honor.". Peralta was so proud of being an American citizen and a Marine that he proudly wore a military tattoo on his arm, and hung medals, commendations and plaques with the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence around his bed at his family's home in the San Diego. He is what being an American is all about. He was also a Marine’s Marine. And that is why Sgt. Rafael Peralta, immigrant, infantryman, American and nomi

Greg Allen, a Florida-based, nationally syndicated talk host, joined us tonight to discuss the primary on Tuesday and the race in general. Greg is a really interesting guy. He’s not just a thoughtful commentator on all things political, he has a number of other interests including food, travel and music. Greg was present at the birth of alternative rock at CBGB’s in the 70’s, managed a band and even penned a couple of songs recorded by Ronnie Spector. For 20-years, he was the music critic for Atlantic City Press. You can learn more about Greg and his eclectic show at TheRightBalance.org What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Tom Bevan, from the indespensible Real Clear Politics, joined us tonight for a discussion about polling, politics and the upcoming primaries in Michigan and South Carolina. It was a pleasure to welcome Tom back to the show. All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Kevin Gutzman, J.D., Ph.D. is associate professor of American history at Western Connecticut State University. Professor Gutzman joined us tonight to talk about his fascinating book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution. "The Constitution of the United States created a representative republic marked by federalism and the separation of powers. Yet numerous federal judges–led by the Supreme Court–have used the Constitution as a blank check to substitute their own views on hot-button issues such as abortion, capital punishment, and samesex marriage for perfectly constitutional laws enacted by We the People through our elected representatives. Now, The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to the Constitution shows that there is very little relationship between the Constitution as ratified by the thirteen original states more than two centuries ago and the “constitutional law” imposed upon us since then. Instead of the system of state-level decision makers and elected officials the Constitution was i

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Tonight, Bruce told us an amazing story about about an amazing Marine, Silver Star rceipient SGT Leandro Baptista, USMC, "In terms used to describe generations of heroes of American wars, the citation recounted how on April 7, 2004, 60 insurgents in fortified positions ambushed Baptista’s 25-man platoon while they rode in a five-vehicle convoy just south of Fallujah. With six men wounded and two vehicles out of action, Baptista “sprinted across a shallow canal, climbed a 10-foot berm, and charged towards the enemy.” Under fire, he knocked out one gun emplacement and grabbed three other Marines to help continue his charge. After disarming an improvised bomb that threatened backup forces, Baptista split his men up, and the ad hoc te

We welcomed back Victor Davis Hanson tonight to discuss the election and a few of his recent articles about McCain, Hillary and a whole lot more. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Tonight we spoke with Dick Moody, a retired Air Force Lt. Col., Vietnam veteran, father of two children who have served in Iraq, and the founder, along with his wife Christine, of Operation Troop Support, Danvers group mails 22,000 packages to soldiers "DANVERS - To Dick and Christine Moody and thousands of troops stationed overseas in places like Besmaya, Numaniyah and Kirkush, the number 22,112 held a special meaning this holiday season. That’s the number of gift-wrapped presents the Moodys’ grassroots group, Operation Troop Support, managed to land in the laps of thousands of soldiers serving in 13 countries this holiday season. “Your packages made Christmas somewhat like Christmas in this far away land, and we all appreciate it greatly,” Army Sgt. Justin Ellenton, a Danvers patrolman who is serving in Baghdad, wrote in an e-mail. “We’ve been told this is the largest grass-roots mailing (for the troops) in the country,” Moody said." This is a fraction of what Operation Troop Support does. Perhaps th

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Bruce was awesome tonight, telling us about Sgt. Eddie Jeffers and his essay Hope Rides Alone, "Right now, the burden is all on the American soldiers. Right now, hope rides alone. But it can change, it must change. Because there is only failure and darkness ahead for us as a country, as a people, if it doesn’t. Let’s stop all the political nonsense, let’s stop all the bickering, let’s stop all the bad news and let’s stand and fight! Isn’t that what America is about anyway?" Tonight’s Someone You Should Know was personal for Gregg, he is friends with Eddie’s father David. David also has a blog , Salt and Light. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give vo

We are very fortunate to be able to say that retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters is a friend of the show and a frequent guest. Ralph was absolutely on fire tonight, he was GREAT. Apparently, Ralph didn’t get the memo laying out the narrative in the wake of this week’s assassination of Benazir Bhutto. She was the savior for democracy in Pakistan, right? Not according to Ralph, THE BHUTTO ASSASSINATION: NOT WHAT SHE SEEMED TO BE, "She was a splendid con, persuading otherwise cynical Western politicians and “hardheaded” journalists that she was not only a brave woman crusading in the Islamic wilderness, but also a thoroughbred democrat. In fact, Bhutto was a frivolously wealthy feudal landlord amid bleak poverty. The scion of a thieving political dynasty, she was always more concerned with power than with the wellbeing of the average Pakistani. Her program remained one of old-school patronage, not increased productivity or social decency." Ralph also talked about domestic politics in the wake of this development

Bill Roggio is one of the best analysts covering the global war on terror and it was a pleasure to welcome him back to Pundit Review Radio. His website, The Long War Journal is an invaluable resource. "The Long War Journal is dedicated to providing original and accurate reporting and analysis of the Long War (also known as the Global War on Terror). This is accomplished through its programs of embedded reporters, news and news aggregation, podcasts, and other multimedia formats. The Long War Journal is published by Public Multimedia Inc., a nonprofit media company." We talked about some interesting, if not well reported, developments in Iraq, as well as overview of the situation in Pakistan. All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen jo

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. Tonight Bruce told us about Army 2LT Mark Daily. Mark was named the ROTC’s outstanding cadet for 2005 and also a Distinguished Military Graduate, the highest ROTC award. Mark was killed by an IED in Mosul this January. Two small items in an OC Register profile jumped out at me, they demonstrate how mature and wise beyond his years he was. On his Web site, Mark listed his top interests as family, peace and progress. He said his heroes were immigrants who risk their lives to achieve better ones. Bruce told us about something Mark wrote on his MySpace page explaining once and for all why he joined, "This question has been asked of me so many times in so many different contexts that I thought it would be best if I wrote my reasons

It was great to welcome back Matthew Currier Burden, aka Blackfive, to Pundit Review Radio. Matt’s Someone You Should series has become a big part of our show, and so has Bruce McQuain from QandO, who joins us each week to tell these amazing stories. Bruce and Matt talked about what makes Gen. Petreaus such a special leader and the progress on the ground in Iraq and the sudden lack of media interest. Matt told a great personal anecdote to illustrate how much things have changed on the ground. We also talked about the recent op-ed in the Washington Post by formerly anti-Iraq war General John Batiste which he co-authored with Pete Hegseth of Vets for Freedom. Finallly, Matt told us about a Christmas day special on ESPN about Sergeant Joey Bozik What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this u

Tonight I welcomed back Dylan DeSilva, the incredible 15 year old behind Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops. Dylan told Bruce McQuain and I about his recent trip to Bethesda Naval Hospital and his recent event in P-Town. Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops 1831 Long Pond Road Brewster, MA. 02631 dylan@capecod4thetroops.com What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg 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 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.