Friday, August 29- Yes We Can... We Just Did!

The Radio Or Not Podcast for Friday 8/29/08 Runtime 18:30

We made history last night. The thing that Barack Obama said toward the end of that very powerful speech is why I say we made history:

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.
For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

And that's really what it was, and what it will be when we take back our country!

I'm fairly sure that anyone interested enough in our world to seek out this blog and listen to the podcast saw Barack Obama accept the Democratic nomination last night, but just in case you didn't, or just want to see it again, here it is.



If you want to read the speech, you can do that here.

For today's podcast, I produced a "Change" mix, using a Sheryl Crow song that she played during last night's festivities, as well as John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change," along with the words of Barack Obama, and a few from Al Gore as well.

I couldn't help but think, as Al Gore spoke so eloquently, where we'd be if the Supreme Court didn't abuse their authority in 2000 to take the presidency away from the man who rightfully won it! I don't think we would have been attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. I believe Gore would have taken the Presidential Daily Briefing that arrived a few weeks earlier and proclaimed "Bin Laden determined to strike in the US" very seriously.

I believe we would not be in the midst of a terrible recession with people, ME INCLUDED, losing their jobs and struggling to pay their bills! I believe gas would not be hovering between $3.75 and $4.00 a gallon!

But, we can't dwell on the past and the "what ifs"... we have to look to the future. And I heard a beautiful future in the words Barack Obama spoke last night. Now we just have to make those words reality!

I want to hear your thoughts on what transpired this week. I want to add your voices to the show, as they were the most important part of my old radio program. I've added a phone line that you can call any time. If I'm in the studio, I'll answer, and record our call, and possibly use it on an upcoming episode. If I'm not in the studio, voicemail will answer. Please leave your comments and thoughts... I may use the recording on the show as well! The number is 954-889-6410. If you're in Skype, you can skype me, using the id nicolesandler.

I will add a poll soon, if I can figure it out, to get your thoughts on a couple of questions... But you can email your responses as well to radioornot @ gmail.com. If I can get a live stream going and take calls and do the program in real time, what time would you like that to happen? Since most of us don't have internet access in our cars - yet - drivetime is probably not the best time to do this. Please let me know, as it'll only work if you're there and listening, and calling!

Feel free to comment in the comments section, call in to 954-889-6410, and spread the word that our voices will still be heard, Radio Or Not!

I ended today's show with the audio from Will.I.Am and John Legend, performing "Yes We Can" last night. Here's the video...



Hear today's show, which runs 18:30 (thanks to a listener suggestion, I'll give you the running time each day) here!

Thursday August 28

Hear my thoughts on yesterday's speeches -- listen to today's Radio Or Not show by clicking here.

Tonight's the big night! Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Party's nomination. It's history in the making, and a night we'll tell our grandchildren about. I'm as excited about it as a kid who's going to the prom. I'll be watching the festivities with members and friends of the Coral Gables area Democratic Club at Fritz & Franz Bierhaus. If you don't already have plans, come on down and join us!

Last night was pretty impressive too! Although the biggest raves are going out for Bill Clinton - much deserved - and Joe Biden - not his strongest speech, in my opinion, I want to sing the praises, for a moment, of John Kerry.

Here's my question: Where was this guy 4 years ago? If we had seen this John Kerry, the world might be a different place today! Kerry's speech didn't get much coverage so, if you didn't see it, do yourself a favor and watch it now!



Joe Biden was... well... ok. Honestly, I expected more. I believe that he was probably overtaken by well-meaning advisors and speechwriters who stripped him of the real-guy essence that is Joe Biden. And that's too bad. I think we'll see the real Joe come out on the campaign trail over the next 2 months. I sure hope so.

That said, Biden wasn't bad. He just wasn't the guy I expected to see. See for yourself:



And then there was my man Bill. Finally, the Bill Clinton I loved. He was back last night, in the finest form. It reminded me of the good old days...



A few notes about the RadioOrNot podcast. I'm getting more comfortable in my home studio, and am working out some of the bugs. Thanks to Marc Germain, of www.TalkRadioOne.com, for helping me out with tips and software.

I used to listen to Marc on the radio in Los Angeles, when he was knows as Mr. KFI and later as Mr. KABC, at the radio stations associated with those call letters. Last year, he moved over to LA's Progressive Talk station, KTLK, as Mr. K... but also used his real name. Although he was the only local host, he was soon let go and replaced with another syndicated show.

Seeing the future of radio as online, Marc started www.TalkRadioOne.com. And he's been very supportive since my path looks to be following his. I encourage you to check out his show!

Now, as the RadioOrNot podcast develops, it will hopefully become more and more like a regular radio show - except that it'll be online. If you're not yet familiar with Skype, you probably should be. It allows you to make free phone calls all over the world to other Skype users.

If you are on Skype, you can call in to me. Just search for nicolesandler. Call in. If I'm in the studio, I'll record the call and use our conversation on an upcoming show. And if I'm not there, just leave your comments on the voicemail, and I may use that too!

Hopefully by tomorrow or next week, I'll have a phone number you can call from any phone. We're getting there... Radio or Not!

Listen to today's show by clicking here.

Wed August 27 - Hill, Dennis & Montana's Governor

Click here to listen to today's Radio or Not podcast by Nicole Sandler

If you watched yesterday's convention coverage on any of the networks or big cable outlets, you certainly saw Hillary Clinton hit one out of the ballpark! And you saw former VA Governor and now Senatorial Candidate Mark Warner ... um... speak.

Not exactly the most electric keynote speech. At least he had the good sense to recognize in his speech that Barack Obama had that spot 4 years ago. Not even in the same league, let alone ballpark! (Just to keep the sports analogy going...)

Perhaps the Dems would have been better served if one of the other speakers, who didn't get the coverage of the other two, had been the keynoter.

Dennis Kucinich. Wow! I didn't know he had this fire inside him. Where was it during the primary season? If he showed this then, well, he still wouldn't be the nominee. But perhaps he would have been included in more of the debates! And he would have been taken more seriously. If you didn't see him speak yesterday, and if you were watching MSNBC, you didn't, then take a few minutes, and be proud:



But, we already knew about Dennis, and what he stands for. I've been lucky enough to interview him a number of times both during primary season about his candidacy, and after, about his articles of impeachment against both Bush and Cheney.

Watching Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer was a wonderful surprise. He was smart, funny, dynamic, and spot on with a great speech. Again, Mark Warner, listen and learn from this guy:



Hillary was brilliant. I was blown away this morning by the talking heads on MSNBC. I guess I've been lucky that I hadn't heard "The Morning Joe" before. I used to have it on in the studio, but the sound was always down. I hadn't realized what a right-wing tool he was until this week, when I've actually had the chance to listen to what went on there.

I heard him and Pat Buchanan talking about how Hillary didn't have her heart in it, and just wants the presidency in 2012. And Mika, who I guess fills the role of the chick on the show, just nods and echoes whatever the men say. Yuck. Give me Keith and Rachel, or no MSNBC for me!

I was sorry not to have a local microphone this morning to discuss a few of the primary results. I'm thrilled that Dr. Larry Feldman won a seat on the Miami-Dade School Board. I know he'll serve the students, parents and teachers very well.

In the Broward Sheriff's race, I wish Democrats had done their homework. Scott Israel is a Republican, who only changed his party affiliation after Charlie Crist appointed Al Lamberti as interim sheriff after the resignation of Ken Jenne. Israel had written a letter to Crist, saying he intended to be the Republican nominee for Sheriff; when Crist rebuffed him, he decided to run as a Democrat. At this point, I hope people don't continue buying Israel's bull, and vote for the guy who admits being a Republican! I endorse Lamberti!

Tonight, Joe Biden will speak at the convention. As will Bill Clinton. Two guys both known for having sharp tongues and wit. It should be fun. I'll be watching, on C-Span!

And I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Hear today's podcast by clicking here!

Tuesday afternoon--- a noun, a verb and a POW

One thing that's been eating at me all day, but I didn't want to defile the positive message and good feelings from Michelle Obama's appearance last night by bringing John McCain into the equation.

But, apparently, shortly after the beautiful Obama family display in Denver, John McCain was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In one of the early debates between the Democratic candidates for the nomination, Joe Biden said of Rudy Giuliani, that every line from him is the same: a noun, a verb and 9-11. He'll now have to modify that for McCain.

John McCain, who has claimed that his time as a POW shouldn't enter into politics, now uses it as an answer to every uncomfortable question. Just watch this exchange from his appearance with Jay Leno last night:



Unbelievable!

Tuesday August 26

What a time to get kicked off the air! But there's a silver lining to every cloud.

I was able to stay awake last night to watch Michelle Obama's speech, and the wonderful moment that followed when her adorable daughters joined her on the stage for the video hook-up with "Daddy" in Kansas City, watching the convention with the Gerardo Family. Seven-year-old Sasha's taking over the microphone for a spontaneous "Hello Gerardo family" was just about as precious as it gets.

If you didn't get to see Michelle's beautifully written and flawlessly delivered speech, and the sweet, real family moments that followed, you can watch it here now:



In a week that's had me overwhelmed with emotion, thanks to the wonderful calls and emails I've been getting, last night was one of those amazing moments. To paraphrase a Michelle Obama comment that had the cons going for her jugular, for the first time in many, many years, I was proud of the "first family" that could be!

I just finished today's podcast, which you can hear by clicking here, or subscribing to the podcast using iTunes. I've heard from a few people who want to help me take this to the next level, as they say, so with some luck and hard work, this will morph into something more than a daily commentary in the not too distant future.

I didn't get into my thoughts about Ted Kennedy's appearance last night, but it was one of those magical, historic moments.



I don't know that I really need to add any more to his speech... it speaks for itself.

Today is primary day in South Florida. Somehow, I never made it to the polls for early voting, and I forgot to send in my request for an absentee ballot. So, I'm off to vote right now. Please do the same. As I say all the time, every voice counts!

Now for the commercial... Please visit www.NicoleSandler.com for info about voiceover services, and www.LegacyVideoProductions.com to preserve, protect and pass down your family photos, home movies and stories!

Radio Or Not Podcast - Tuesday August 26, 2008

Monday morning August 25

Wow. A weird morning. I awoke at 4:06, without the alarm, and realized I could just go back to sleep. The alarm woke me at 7, at which time I actually played the role of mom. I got my daughter up, made her breakfast and took her to school. It was somewhat surreal, but it felt good.

I came back home, and continued to assemble an email list, and get my blog and podcast up and running again.

Here's the first commentary. Feel free to write your thoughts and ideas to me at RadioOrNot.com, and we'll take the internet by storm.

Thanks for listening... Radio Or Not!

Nicole

The Next Chapter Begins

For almost a year, I've been hosting the morning show on WINZ. In all honesty, I'm surprised it lasted that long!

As you'll see by listening to some of the earlier podcasts on this site, my radio career has dominated by music-- not talk, and certainly not politics! My passion was always music.

That is, until everything started unraveling under the leadership of George W. Bush!

I moved back to South Florida after a stint programming WXRV in Boston. I often say I don't which is worse, working for a behemoth broadcasting company, or the independent station owned by the crazy guy who thinks he knows how to program a radio station just because he has the money to be a radio station owner. I still don't know the answer.

Anyway, I had had enough of radio, and moved back down here to start my own little video production business-- taking people's old photos, home movies, memories and stories, and turning them into beautifully produced videos and DVDs to preserve the family histories and allow them to be passed down to future generations.

My problem was, and is, that I'm a creative person. I love doing the work. Not so much the business end of things. Certainly not the selling and asking for money. So, after a couple of years of burning through my savings, it was time to get back to radio!

But during those two years in South Florida, there was no music station to meet my eclectic taste. I had become a listener of the progressive talk station, and knew that was where I belonged.

I was hired to produce a new morning show with former Miami Herald columnist Jim DeFede hosting. The producer gig soon added lots of other responsibilities: Promotion Director for the station, and an ever expanding on-air role as a sidekick of sorts, and then news anchor.

Then Jim had some health problems, so when he was out, I sat in the big chair. The first few times were really weird. In music radio, it's drilled into you to say what you need to say in as few words as possible, and get back to the music. Talk radio is a completely different world.

When Jim's contract wasn't renewed last August and he left, I really didn't expect to be given the job, eventhough I though I was doing a fairly decent job. Finally, at the end of the year, they told me the job was mine.

And now, just about a year after I took over, I've been replaced with Imus.

I have lots of ideas about why they made this move, but contractually, I'm not allowed to talk about it. So I won't.

But I will take it as a sign that it's time to move on, and look toward the future.

The future of broadcasting, I believe, will come through the internet. It's the great equalizer. No longer will we need radio towers and transmitters to get our voices heard. Wi-fi is already in cars. Not mine... but if you have one of those new iPhones, you can stream internet radio! It will be in our cars before you know it.

I'll start slowly. Tomorrow morning, after I take Alison to school, I'll come home and record a commentary, and podcast it... right here!

It may take me a few weeks, but pretty soon I'll have the capability of doing interviews and taking phone calls. I hope you'll stick with me through the journey.

I will need some help to make this work. Advertisers for the podcasts. Clients for Legacy Video Productions (yes, I still do it on the side... and I still hate asking for money, but I will!), and clients for my voiceover services (that website will be active soon).

Stay tuned, and be sure to tell your friends where I am. Radio or Not... here I come.