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The question is whether Tom Ashbrook, of NPR's "On Point," is consigned to go to hell when he dies, or is already broadcasting from hell.

So he's reporting that McCain is in trouble. Ashbrook decides this not because of any issue or political stance, but because McCain's campaign is reportedly low on money.

So who's going to benefit from this, Tom asks his guest. Guliani?

The guest says, actually, the winner of two debates, second place in another debate, Dr. Ron Paul... and Ashbrook is already laughing. Mocking laughter. Starts to say On Point covered that. "He does well in Internet polls..."

And I turn the radio off. I have work to do. But this is well over a year before the election. There are no credible polls. The media and money, working together, will no doubt remove the real choices from this presidential election. Our own creepily disconnected and power-mad ex-Governor, Mitt Romney, gets treated as a major candidate by Ashbrook from the git-go, despite non-existent poll numbers, because he has money and is establishment. Polls (of whom, the tiny fraction of the population that is likely Republican primary voters?) are a thread-bare excuse to de-legitimize candidates at all frightening to imperial interests.

If in the goddamned two years Ashbrook and the rest of the media spend talking about the upcoming election asked the question of what kind of country, what kind of world, we wanted, if possible policies were discussed, the election would be between Dennis Kucinich (health care, peace, economic justice, global warming, impeaching Cheney and Bush administration people and ending corruption) and Ron Paul (no international entanglements, no sovereignty-threatening trade agreements or world courts, small government, closed borders, against abortion, restrict eminent domain).

Tom Ashbrook, staunch defender of the establishment, will help make sure that never happens.

He will ignore, distort, and ridicule even small suggestions of real change, making collective decision-making about our hard choices ahead more difficult and perhaps fatally delaying peaceful change, all so the people disproportionately benefiting from U.S. global bullying and corrupt policies can continue to benefit a little longer.

Tom Ashbrook helps protect the establishment that is delivering hell on earth around the world and in the United States.

Ashbrook, I dare you to have Joe Bageant or James Herod on your show for five minutes, let alone give an extended block to truly great speakers like Glen Ford or Andrea Smith.

(Note to Andrea, you need your own web site.)