On today's PNN (Pacifica Network News), the network's apolitical news director, Don Rush presented some "balanced" comments on the significance of the re-election of a Democratic President with a Republican Congress. "From the left" as NPR used to do it, was Democratic Party pollster, Stanley Greenberg. Speaking first and then again after Greenberg ("from the right?" ), was William Kristol, publisher of what Rush described as the "conservative" New Standard.

That's Don Rush, not Rush Limbaugh. That is, in fact, how Rush Limbaugh would refer to it, but anyone who knows anything about the Washington political scene, which apparently is considered a hindrance as opposed to a requirement at Pacifica, would hardly address it as anything less than "neo-conservative," and more accurately as "ultra-right-wing."

If McNeil-Lehrer, or just Lehrer, would have used Kristol, FAIR (which stands for Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting when it comes to the mainstream media, and Failure of Accountability in Responding when it comes to criticizing the liberal and pseudo- left), would have been all over them like flies on a cow-patty, in between, of course, their chronic bouts of reminding us of the unreliability of the dear old NY Times.

FAIR is not the only culprit, of course, but it may be the most culpable among a liberal-left media establishment which is a protective of what it considers to be "its own" as the mainstream establishment is of its own.

Almost from the very beginning, I and others have been sending Extra! editor Jim Naureckas and FAIR's Executive Director Jeff Cohen, every piece of information about what has been happening at Pacifica: the mass firings, the secrecy at its board meetings, the repeated use by Pacifica News of the Heritage Foundation (until we embarrassed them about it) and the State Dept. for news comments, and finally, the hiring of the American Consulting Group, the notorious union-busting organization, with such clients as RJR Nabisco, TRW, Dupont and Union Carbide, to write a contract breaking the Pacifica stations' unions, and what have we received in return? An unsigned request to stop sending them so many messages. I agreed to do that if someone on the FAIR staff had the courage to sign their name to such a request. None did, and that tells me and should tell you all you need to know about that organization, unless you think that you need monthly reminders about the unscrupulousness of the mainstream media.

What is the source of their cowardice? Air time in lieu of 30 pieces of silver? Or the fact that their former LA rep, Mark Schubb, is running a Stalinist-like operation down at KPFK, hiring an ACG attorney to fight the union staff? Or that their current flunky in that area, Jim Horwitz (no known relation to David) is on the KPFK Station Board?

Last night, at a book party in San Francisco, I was introduced to a woman by the name of Holly Ainbinder (I believe) who is the Associate Director of FAIR, and I mentioned, in a friendly fashion, that I/we were having some problems with FAIR. Then you mean me, as well, she said or something to that effect. I then asked her if she knew Schubb, which, of course, she did. Since I did not want to get into an argument, I said that we had better leave it there.

A little while later I saw her, on bended knee, literally on bended knee, having a conversation with Don Hazen, the Executive Director of the Institute for Alternative Journalism, who was standing over her. He's the guy that gave Pat Scott the Media Hero award at the Media and Democracy (Hypocrisy?) Congress in SF in March.

To be fair to FAIR, all the progressive media and punditi are aware of what has been happening at Pacifica, and now they are all silent with the notable exception of the San Francisco Bay Guardian and the occasional exception of the East Bay Express; some indeed are shaking their heads, but what is the sound of a head shaking?

There was a hope early on from Michael Parenti, who was out picketing in front of KPFA and talking about a Pacifica conspiracy when they fired Bill Mandel a year ago last May, but then KPFA salted his tail, gave him a series on the air and Michael disappeared from sight. Now they beam him down once a week from the satellite for short political/economic commentaries on what should already be obvious to the average KPFA listener.

The fact that neither KPFA nor Pacifica ever call him to comment on an issue of the day, which would be useful, appears not to faze him any more than has Pacifica's hiring of the American Consulting Group, a fact of which he has been aware for some time. To get around taking a position, Michael no longer accepts questions from the audience when he gives readings. Excuse me! That's the style of prima donnas, not folks committed to the struggle. And at this point in time, I don't care what credentials they have.

Some people have suggested that I should not be criticizing FAIR or Parenti, etc.; that one day they will be useful in this struggle for the soul of Pacifica. Well, the sun has risen and set on that day, and they have been silent. I refuse to be.

The problem with the liberal-left establishment may simply be the fact that they are "established," that they have realized a perverted version of the American dream. They can promote a radical political agenda, and make a comfortable, risk-free living by doing so.