The Larry Kane Report

Imus has been suspended for two weeks, effective next week.

I won’t repeat the words he uttered about some women basketball stars, but I will comment about the power of words.

Imus is a veteran, a pro, but also a man who has made a career of being different, unusual, ready to go to the edge.

Bill Maher, Ann Coulter and others have learned the art of hate-baiting to a point of disgrace and incompetence. I don’t think Don Imus is a hate-baiter, nor do believe that he deliberately tried to hurt people. But i do believe that he my not have, in the begining, understood the impact of his words.

The real story here is not just his lapse in judgment – it is the power of words. Listening to another radio show this week, I was astounded by the callers who stood up for him, some making it an issue of who said it, rather than what was said.

The real story is that his words resonate to two groups of listeners – the haters, who like what he said and wiill continue to let their ignorance andf bigotry pass on to other generations, and the enraged, who are so upset that his remarks just confirm what they have believed – that America is a racist country.

I have more concern with the haters. They will use any morsel of outrageous comment to reinforce their own public or private intolerance. Many, I’m sure, laughed wth him. Others figured that Imus may have been reflecting their own sordid stereotypes.

That is why this episode is not just a sad story about one person’s mistake.

It is a lesson to people who have broad platforms that their words are powerful. They can be used to inspire, and to incite.

Whatever happens to Don Imus, I hope he has a full understanding of that.

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Ten Americans died in Iraq this past weekend

Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shiite force in Iraq, and close ally of the corrupt Iraqi government, is a key reason why the brave men and women of America, are fighting a futile effort in Iraq. He is the man who makes our tragedy there become a deeper and deeper hole of despair.

On Easter Sunday, al-Sadr urged his many followers to stop killing Iraqis and start attacking Americans. Peaceful man that he is, the murderous leader of the most extreme element of the Shiite community, has laid his intentions bare. He has simply urged his militias to go after Americans, to chase us out, to extricate the “invaders”, as he calls us.

So what do we do?

Will we take it? Should we eliminate him?

If we truly want to establish peace in Iraq, than we must enforce the peace. Will our government stand up to al- Sadr or we will we continue to risk the lives of Americans in a costly charade?

These are important questions. The answers may determine whether the war will soon be over, or we wlll, as many Republicans and Democrats have urged, withdraw our troops to the border, or keep a sizeable force elsewhere in the Middle East, and let the people like Al Sadr and the Sunni militants duke it out in their orgy of blood.

It is now apparent that the “surge” needs another surge, with almost 12 thousand reservists ready for call up.

Should we send even more troops before we figure out what our policy is?

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First and foremost – the Mayor’s race. Philadelphia Magazine is preparing a long and very tough piece on Mayoral frontrunner Tom Knox. Sources tell us that other reporters have the goods, but have decided not to go with the story which deals with charges that Knox presided over predatory lending in Philadelphia, charges that have not yet been proven, or addressed. The question is – if the story is real, why are these publications holding off? The big “if” here is the question of whether the accusations ARE real. The names of the reporters will be withheld to protect my sources and the reporter’s reputations.

More on the Mayor’s race in a moment, but first….

Vice President Dick Cheney’s conduct is once again in question. His assertion that Al Qaeda WAS linked to the Saddam regime fly in the face of new findings that nothing is further from the truth. Is the Vice President in dreamland, or is he just trying to justify the debacle? I doubt whether he is speaking for the President. But remember, he is a heartbeat away.

Attorney General Gonzalez looks like he is in his final days. His top aide quit after refusing to testify about a possible role in the firing of federal prosecutors, perhaps for failing to prosecute politically inspired cases. Watch for action Monday or Tuesday.
Some other flash points this week: We have learned that the campaigns of Michael Nutter and Tom Knox will have their own poll results, perhaps by Tuesday or Wednesday. If they match the Keystone F and M poll, which showed Nutter at 12 percent, you might see an even more agressive Nutter Campaign.

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Yoko joins me in the Comcast CN 8 studios in Washington for the one on one interview that will appear Sunday Night at 9:30 on CN 8, The Comcast Network, The entire program is a tribute to John Lennon. There will be rare footage and a sensitive insight into John’s life. The interview marks the release of my paperback of Lennon Reveal. The show is Voice of Reason, Sunday night at 9:30 on CN 8.

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After 10 days of threats and demonstrations, the great warmonger, President Ahmadinejad of Iran, blinked! In fact, he gave in so fast to British protests with a sudden outburst of warmth that even I was surprised. The saber-rattling, Israeli-baiting, nuclear seeking President was probably told by the nation’s religious leaders to stop the threats, and get real.

The holding of the hostages became a target of wrath of the European nations who are now willing to enhance the boycott of iran.

The President has played the nuclear game with the West craftily, making the development of nuclear power a symbol of national unity.

On the subject of the Brits, the Iranian dictator knew very well that he if he did not relent, the British government would have taken unilateral military action.

That, and his uneasy seat in power, certainly contributed to the compromise to get the sailors out.

Maybe this will provide an opening for an increased dialogue. Maybe this serves as a reminder that when there is a vacuum if talk, danger lurks.

I doubt it, but the Iranian leaders are obviously concerned about the military course, and the 160,000 American forces miles away in Iraq.

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