Newt Gingrich better be careful what he wishes for...

Political hack Newt Gingrich had better be careful what he wishes for.  In addition to calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "a trivial politician, viciously using partisanship for the narrowest of purposes, who dishonors the Congress by her behavior." And saying she's "the big loser, because she either comes across as incompetent, or dishonest." Gingrich also said he wants the House to investigate how much Pelosi knew about waterboarding and other controversial practices the CIA used on prisoners.  Despite the fact that I believe Gingrich is just trying to find any kind of distraction right now as only 21% of Americans currently define themselves as 'Republicans,' I think there should be an investigation.  Not only so the real truth can come out, but also because how could the House investigate only Pelosi, and not also investigate what Bush, Cheney and the rest of their administration not only knew and said, but also what they ordered to be done? Think about it.  If you open up an investigation against Pelosi to find out what she knew and when she knew it, how could anyone trying to be fair not investigate Bush, Cheney and the rest of their administration?  Let this next one sink in as well; if Bush, Cheney and Pelosi are all investigated on the subject of waterboarding and torture, who do you think will be in more hot water by the time the investigation is over?  The people who ordered these things done?  Or the person who heard about what was done after it had already taken place?  That's a no-brainer in my book.  So I think this is a great idea, investigate them all.  Leave no rock unturned.  In the end, not only may Newt Gingrich wish that he hadn't opened his mouth, he may have also fired the "starting pistol" that begins the race to investigate Former President Bush and Former Vice President Cheney. Mark 'Marky Mark' Grimaldi The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio - Of, For and By The People." www.lesliemarshallshow.com

John Edwards Cheated!

John Edwards cheated, his wife Elizabeth now knows as does the world. A lot of women are dogging her because she's standing by her man; and I was one of them. That was until I had children.

Look, I was one of the women in America who didnt see a problem with what Lorena Bobbitt did to her husband John. Cut it off and dump him! But now that I have children; and have a family member who survived adultery and have grown up a bit...ok, not much, but a bit....well, I changed my mind! And that a woman has the perrogative to do!

Listen, unless we're in someone's relationship, we dont know what goes on behind closed doors. Elizabeth and John have a history together, children together. She has battled and may continue to battle cancer and even face death. It's easier for a man to find a new mate, and easier for a man to find a new job or career. Elizabeth's job/career has been making John Edwards into the man he is today. He was poor and is now rich. They survived the death of a child together, and having lost my own son 5 years ago, let me tell you, if your marriage can survive that, it can survive anything.

Now dont go thinking "Leslie, you've gone soft on us girl!" Adultery is wrong. And believe me, if my husband cheated, not only would I never trust him again, he would rather I left than the hell I would put him through while staying with him!

But back to Elizabeth Edwards....here is where I think she's wrong...

a) she believes her husband cheated just once and just that one time with that one girl....yes Elizabeth there is a Santa Claus!
b) She says she doesnt know if the baby the woman John Edwards slept with is carrying is his.....has this woman ever heard of DNA!?! She should FORCE her husband to prove his claim that he did not father this child! and
c) I think the saddest thing about all of this is, when Elizabeth and John married, she told him she didnt want a ring, or money, she just wanted one thing from him: for him to be faithful, his fidelity. John Edwards couldnt deliver. He couldnt deliver this to a woman who stood behind him when he was a struggling lawyer, on the campaign trail for the Senate and for the White House as V.P.

Although some of you may feel Elizabeth is the loser here, it is clearly John that's the biggest loser of all, and I'm not talking a t.v. show to lose weight my friend. Sex is sex, but loyalty, well now, that's something you just cant find much of nowadays. And we wonder why 54% of all marriages end in divorce? Marriage isnt the sacred institution it once was....I guess the next question is why....is it our lack of "family values?" (gulp- did I say that?!?) or society's placing a lack of importance on this institution?

One thing I am sure of, it doesnt matter whether it was between a man and a woman, or a man and a man, or a woman and a woman...betrayal is just that, and since Elizabeth was the victim here, she needs to be the one to decide on how she will punish her perpetrator for his crime. I just hope she realizes that the ball's in her court now and I think it's about time that John Edwards supports Elizabeth for a change.

Leslie Marshall

The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People"http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com/

What does America think of President Obama's first 100 days?

Many Presidential Scholars will tell you that the first 100 days can really set the stage for a Presidency.  So that may help to explain why President Obama has taken on so much at once.  Or you can just look back to late September, when Senator John McCain was ready to pull out of one of the Presidential debates.  Then Senator Obama said, "Presidents need to be able to do more than one thing at a time."  Looks like now President Obama is one person who also 'walks the walk.'   According to one report, a top White House aide says of the 100-day mark: "This isn't Biblical. You don't do 100 days and rest," but acknowledges that President Obama's first 100 days have been the most productive since FDR's.  When it comes to the economy, President Obama has passed a $787 billion dollar stimulus package, protected homeowners with Housing recovery measures, and put laws on the books aiming to prevent another financial collapse like the one that happened under the Bush Administration.  The President has also signed into law a bill that provides 4 million uninsured children with health care, set a fixed timetable for withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq, ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay prison, and ended the use of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques."   The American people have noticed all of the work the President has done, and according to polls, they think the country is better off for it.  An Associated Press-Gfk poll released yesterday shows that for the first time since January of 2004, more Americans than not say that the country is headed in the right direction.  The "right direction" poll number is up 8 points since February, and a remarkable 31 points since October, the month before President Obama's election.     According to the poll, most Americans say President Obama is changing things at about the right speed. Only about a third say he's trying to change too many things too quickly. Seven in ten Americans say it is reasonable to expect it to take longer than a year to see the results of President Obama's economic policies. Seven in ten Americans also say that President Obama understands the concerns of ordinary Americans. That's a sharp contrast to former President Bush, who won re-election in 2004 despite the fact that 54 percent of voters on that Election Day said he cared more about large corporations.   The thing that stands out the most to me in all of this, is the huge increase in the American people's confidence.  As previously stated, the "right direction" poll number is up 8 points since February, and an astounding 31 points since October, the month before President Obama's election.  And any good Economist will tell you, the Economy will start to get back on track once the American people get their confidence back.  It's only 100 days, but according to you the American people, we're "on the right track."    Mark "Marky Mark" Grimaldi   The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com

CIA Agents that Tortured Terror Suspects will not be prosecuted

I am deeply disappointed today in the President I elected. President Obama is keeping with the old Bush tactics by absolving the CIA of their sins of torture during interrogation.

A "suspect" is just that, suspect.....one we are suspicious of in the course of an action, a crime, even terrorism. One of the wonderful things about America in my opinion is the idea that we're actually innocent until proven guilty; that the burden of proof is on the prosecutorial team. I know that during war, or a suspect of terror for instance, isnt covered under the same rights that you and I are as citizens. But let's talk about a suspect, or a prisoner of war's rights, shall we?

On August 12, 1949, the Geneva Conventions adopted their "Treatment for Prisoners of War." The Geneva Conventions state, and I quote:

the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to prisoners of war:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples. And the wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.

(Which the International Red Cross already stated was not always complied with).

According to the information I have read in the Bush memos, and I havent read them in their entirety as of yet, we, the United States, and members of our Central Intelligence Agency, under the Bush administration violated this convention. The U.S., the CIA and all governing bodies involved, including the former President, Vice President, his administration, etc. are guilty of breaking International law. This makes us no different than North Korea with their nukes or Iran's threat to destroy Israel.

For President Obama to forgive and move on in a matter of speaking is not only unbecoming the conduct of a sitting President, it makes him no different than a Bush Washington insider. It also gives the CIA a green light to torture in the future, threatens our climb back to the level of respect we as a nation once received from the world; and hurts our own military or citizens who might be kidnapped or arrested and held as hostages or prisoners, whether in a time of war, or in a time of peace. (Which the conventions specifically state the above mentioned applies to). I am deeply disappointed and have lost both trust and respect for my President today.

Leslie Marshall, Host
The Leslie Marshall Show"
The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of, For, And By The People"
www.lesliemarshallshow.com

Fox Hits a New Low, Again...

There are some things that you just don't do.  Laugh at an old person if they fall.  Make fun of a handicapped person.  Taunt a homeless person.  These are things that we're taught at a very young age.  When we see someone else do them, we are disgusted and appalled by them; and rightfully so.  Yet the Fox Network and Fox News don't share that common sense.  Maybe it's because ruthless media hoarder Rupert Murdoch owns both of them.  Maybe it's because Fox doesn't have a problem profiting off of some of the worst things we face in life.  Either way, they do not seem to have a conscience, and their newest show proves it. If you haven't heard about the show, it's called 'Someone's Gotta Go."  Each Episode will feature a person getting laid off in these tough economic times.  To make matters worse, before the poor sap is laid off, the whole world will know how much money they make.  That's right; Fox will show everyone's salaries on the show before they help give someone the ax.  Also, the employee will not be fired by their boss based on their performance or anything practical like that; Fox will let the employee's co-workers fire them.  So this means if you're a hard worker and a bunch of slackers at your company don't want you making them look bad by actually doing your job, they get to fire you.  Great business model.  In such tough economic times that have resulted in people actually snapping and shooting their entire families to death; does Fox try to help?  No, they offer to go outside of their own company to fire people and actually make the situation worse.  And while all of this is going on, they're profiting from it.  I can't think of many things more disgusting or wrong than that.  The creator of the show, Fox's Mike Darnell, says he isn't concerned about the emotional fallout in a workplace after "Someone's Gotta Go," where an employee might be left to work with a colleague they'd just said on national television should be fired. "Sounds like good reality television," he said. "You just described a good concept for a reality TV show."  Mike, let's just say you'd better hope the two of us never meet in a dark alley; because I'd like to give you more than a piece of my mind.  As if taking tough economic times and then profiting off of making them worse isn't bad enough, there's more.  If we don't rise up and send a message to Fox that we do not want this show to air, then we're saying not only are we okay with this, we're okay with the precedent it sets and what's yet to come.  If we let this show air, what's next?  Fox gathers up a group of Cancer patients and decides which one is denied health care?  Fox gets a room of pregnant women together and they can't leave until they pick which mother's baby should be aborted?  Don't think that's possible?  Well if you don't tell Fox that enough is enough right now, then don't be surprised when they take it to the next level, again.  There are plenty of entertaining shows out there that don't hurt people like this.  We don't need this America. If you are outraged and do not want Fox profiting off of everyday people suffering in these difficult times, you can do something about it.  If you'd like, you can call Fox or write them a letter and tell them you do not want "Someone's Gotta Go" to air.  You can also tell them if the show does air, you will not watch any programming from the Fox Network or Fox News.  The phone number for Fox Broadcasting Company is (310) 369-1000, Fax - (310) 369-1283.  If you'd like to send them a letter their mailing address is: Fox Broadcasting Company 10201 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90035 Mark "Marky Mark" Grimaldi Executive Producer The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of, For, And By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com

Who is the bad guy? Palestine or Israel...

When you read headlines like : "Palestinian kills 14 year old child with a pick ax..." it is hard to feel any remorse for the Palestinian people. But that is just the problem with America and the American media.

If you travel or live outside the country, as I have, you will see with Al Jazeera, the BBC, etc., that the Palestinian's arent always the bad guys. True, Hamas are terrorists and must revoke their charter and recognize the state of Israel. True, the Palestinian people were desperate to elect Hamas in the first place; but that is just it my friend, they ARE desperate. Desperate for peace, desperate to be heard, desperate to send their child to school without strapping a bullet proof vest on them; desperate to feed their aching bellies and to bandage their bleeding wounds.

If you believe everything you read, hear and see in the American media, you would think that the Israeli's are all loving people who want peace and never are the perpetrators in any violent situation; they are simply defending themselves. Although when it comes to dealings with Hamas this might be true; it is not true in dealing with the Palestinian population as a whole. The problem, as one of my callers so eloquently illustrated on my talk program Thursday evening, is that Americans view Palestinians as all supporters of Hamas; ergo they are all terrorists. They are all the bad guys.

We need more "fair and balanced" reporting in our media with regards to the middle east; and I'm not talking the fair balance Fox News Channel gives you. We need the facts from both sides so we can determine the truth and form our opinions based on that truth. In the case of Israel, it is certainly not a "liberal" media. There can never be peace in the middle east if America continues to bankroll Israel. There can never be peace in the middle east if Americans continue their hatred toward Palestinians. There can never be peace in the middle east without truth, plain and simple.

Leslie Marshall

The Leslie Marshall Show"
The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People"
www.lesliemarshallshow.com

Drugs Legal in America?

Drugs legal in America.  At first glance, it sounds alarming to some.  But why is that the case when so many drugs are already legal in the U.S.?  Prozac, Valium, Oxycontin, Viagra, and Cialis just to name a few.  Those roll off of the tongue with ease.  But the mention of Marijuana, Cocaine, Ecstasy and Heroin generate a much different reaction from most Americans. Forget why this is, people don't usually examine the reason for their reaction.  Maybe it was growing up with some education programs fighting drug use, like D.A.R.E.  Or maybe it was someone's parents or family that instilled in them that drug use is wrong.  It's tough to credit society these days with steering people away from drugs.  Any good that society does is easily neutralized with one hour of Entertainment News and learning about who's abusing what this week.  We know drugs can be harmful.  That's not the issue at hand.  The real question is, could they be less harmful on society? The growing violence across the U.S.- Mexican border is spilling over into America more and more every day.  And let's face it, many Americans don't start paying attention to something until it's in our backyard.  So while we have the attention of the American people, it's the perfect time to pose this question:  Should the United States of America legalize drug use? If we did, it could help to stop the drug-related violence along our border and around the rest of our country.  The Government could also regulate the production and sale of these drugs which would have a lot of positive effects on the country.  First, the Government could produce the drugs and the FDA could inspect and regulate them.  This would mean a much safer product and clear warnings for people who use them, like cigarettes and alcohol already have listed on their packaging.  Second, the Government could tax these drugs at a high rate like they do on cigarettes and make a great deal of money for the country and its states.  Third, legalizing drugs could give the U.S. a shot in the arm as a travel destination for tourists.  Just like Amsterdam is a destination for people who want to smoke Marijuana legally. Lastly, the Government could use this money for a variety of useful purposes.  They could use it to help balance state budgets (46 of our 50 United States could file bankruptcy this year due to the Recession).  For those concerned about preventing drug use, the Government could use this new found money to fund drug rehab programs that are underfunded, or don't exist yet. Now legalizing drugs isn't all a big positive.  Some people may not currently use drugs because they are afraid of being arrested and thrown in jail.  Those same people may not feel that fear if these drugs are legal and more pure, which could lead to them using.  But then again, why is this prospect okay with some Americans for alcohol and tobacco, but not for drugs? I say make alcohol and tobacco illegal just like other drugs are, or start making Marijuana legal.  I still can't sit here and say I'd be okay with Cocaine, Heroin, and Ecstasy being legal.  Marijuana has some medical benefits, like relieving the pain of terminally ill people and is legal in some parts of the U.S. for that specific use.  At worst, Marijuana kills some brain cells, makes people lazy and gives them the munchies.  If people want to do that to themselves, that is their personal choice.  I'm okay with it in exchange for the benefits I listed above, as long as they're not hurting anyone else.  But the harder drugs that I mentioned seem to make people more dangerous when they are on them.  Therefore, I think the negatives far out way the positives for those.  So in my United States, if you can buy cigarettes and alcohol legally, you should be able to do the same for Marijuana.  In the meantime we should at least stop crowding our jails with non-violent drug offenders.  It doesn't help in rehabbing the drug users and it's just another bill for the American tax payers.  Looks like New York Governor David Paterson and I are on the same page.  Just today he agreed to ease drug laws in N.Y.  These drug laws were once among the harshest in the nation and led a movement more than 30 years ago toward mandatory prison terms.  Paterson says that judges will now be able to use techniques like treatment and counseling that have proven more effective than prison for low-level offenders. At the same time, penalties will be toughened for drug kingpins.  New York has taken the lead here America, let's follow. Leslie Marshall and Mark Grimaldi The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com