Political Cesspool Radio Program returns to the airwaves on June 1
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Dynamic show returns to air with new look and even brighter prospects!
“Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.”
– Robert E. Lee
It is with absolute joy and elation that we announce to you that The Political Cesspool Radio Program will return to the live airwaves beginning Sunday, June 1, in Memphis, Tennessee. That’s right! The trailblazing show that never backed down is coming back for a second tour of duty.
With the show in syndication and a lasting legacy firmly established, James Edwards and Company took a leave of absence from live broadcasting after their program on Friday, February 15. While they did enjoy a couple months of much needed rest and relaxation, it didn’t take them long to realize that retirement just didn’t suit them. A warrior’s rightful place is on the front lines.
For all intents and purposes, you can expect the same hard hitting commentaries and star-studded guests when the show returns. It’ll be the same show with the same hosts. However, a few improvements have been made and we’re confident that you’ll be excited about what we’ve done!First of all, the show will now be in a weekly format, rather than nightly. This will allow us to pursue other opportunities (speaking engagements, media appearances, etc.) while still maintaining our radio presence. You’ll still be able to listen live via the internet (Sundays, 4pm-7pm Central) and our broadcast archives are, and will remain, on demand.
Secondly, our website has been overhauled and we’re just giddy about the proactive changes! We invite you to take a peek at our new-look internet headquarters for yourself! Be sure to make daily visits to stay on top of James Edwards’s blog! James will be writing multiple articles each day as a compliment to the on-air work he and the staff will be doing. Many of these articles have already been posted. Great reading!
I’d like to be clear that our decision to return to the airwaves was not made haphazardly, nor was the conclusion reached over night. After careful thought and nearly two months of consideration, we made the determination that our work was vital. If we could physically and mentally bear the cross, it should be done. It is our duty, after all, just like General Lee said.
Just as confident as we are in our decision to return, we are equally sure that The Political Cesspool will soar to unprecedented heights. There’s simply no other talk radio program in the country today that possesses our truthful and fearless demeanor. We’re proud to be your voice.
That being said, there are a few things you can do to help us make a big splash upon our return!
1) Make a vital financial contribution today that will help us cover the costs associated with production. This is of the utmost importance.
2) Please consider forwarding this announcement to your personal mailing lists and/or posting it to your website. We want as many people as possible to be aware of our efforts!
3) Explore our new-look website and bookmark it for frequent visits! Take a look at our new blog (we’re very excited about it) and be sure to sign up for our new e-mail updates. (http://www.thepoliticalcesspool.org/)
4) Should you be so inclined, we ask you to read the rest of this e-mail, which contains a brief history about our show. We want our friends to become reacquainted with our unique story!
5) Tune in live every Sunday, beginning June 1, 2008!
We look forward to serving you again. Together, we promise to fight valiantly as we ride to the sound of the guns without retreat, surrender, or apology!
– – – Brief History of The Political Cesspool Radio Program – – –
By January 1, 2008, The Political Cesspool Radio Program had long-since skyrocketed to stardom and become the most courageous political talk show in America. How did that happen? Ask five guys and you’ll get five different answers, but they all start in Memphis, Tennessee, during the summer of 2004…
THE BEGINNING
James Edwards was sitting on a bench outside of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville when he received a call from Austin Farley. The pair had first met in 2002, when both had been candidates for State Representative. Austin had received word that there was an opportunity for them to start their own political talk radio program on a local AM station in Memphis and asked if James would be willing to co-host the program. James readily agreed.
The duo hastily began making preparations for the show. The goal of the program was to establish a legitimate paleoconservative voice on the AM airwaves, an alternative to the GOP talking heads like Sean Hannity; a show that would speak candidly about sensitive issues such as race, immigration, foreign policy and much more. Even though Whites represented the vast majority of the American population, we had no mainstream radio voice. That would soon change. The Political Cesspool enjoyed a modest launch on October 26, 2004.
At first, The Political Cesspool aired locally on AM 1600 WMQM each Tuesday and Thursday from 7pm – 9pm CST. James Edwards and Austin Farley rounded out their on-air lineup by enlisting long time friends Jess Bonds and Bill Rolen to serve as guests hosts. This quartet constituted the original crew of the show.
After a couple of months on-air, this uniquely refreshing show had quickly developed a cult following in the Memphis area. The buzz was so distinct that James and Austin decided to have an official “kickoff” party for the show at a local barbecue restaurant. Invitations to the December event were sent to a small but growing fan base.
The show brought in film star Sonny Landham (Predator, 48 Hours) to serve as the keynote speaker. The “kickoff” turnout surpassed expectations when a standing room only crowd gathered to show their support! The Political Cesspool was on its way.
EXPANSION, GROWTH, ACCLAIM
Due to the early success of their work, the hosts decided to pursue an offer that would allow them to become a nightly program. In March of 2005, The Political Cesspool moved to sister station AM 1380 WLRM and began broadcasting live, Monday – Friday, from 7pm – 9pm CST. The team was very excited about the growth of their volunteer radio project. This was also when the live streaming audio (simulcast) and broadcast archives were first introduced to the listening audience. This technological advancement made it possible for people to listen to the live shows or to previously aired broadcasts from anywhere on the globe via their home computer.
Not long after the move to WLRM, The Political Cesspool would receive acclaim from the City of Memphis itself. Memphis City Councilman E.C. Jones presented the radio program with a certificate of recognition on behalf of the City Council for its, “Outstanding contributions to the community.” Furthermore, Councilman Jones names James Edwards and Austin Farley as “Honorary Memphis City Councilmen.”
Shortly thereafter, The Political Cesspool accomplished what would prove to be a major coup in April of 2005. This, you may remember, was the month that the original Minuteman Project took to the Mexican border. Each night during the month of April, The Political Cesspool aired a 15-minute segment, live from the border, featuring on-the-scene reports from the likes of Michael Gaddy, Joe McCutchen, Chris Simcox and Jim Gilchrist.
This program was supporting and promoting the Minuteman Project’s efforts long before it became en vogue. Former Treasurer of the United States, Angela “Bay” Buchanan, also came on The Political Cesspool during this month’s broadcasting lineup to show her support for the cause.
ART FRITH JOINS THE STAFF
The only thing that the Cesspool Boys lacked during those early days was some production savvy. And that’s exactly what they got when former Navy Chief Art Frith became producer and studio engineer. Art’s work ethic instantly added another layer of class to the operation.
Art had spent a lifetime in radio and instantly improved the show by creating a better intro/outro, spot breaks, bumpers and other various production works. He became a fast friend and an invaluable part of the team…and not a moment too soon!
The Political Cesspool was going places and the nightly guests were becoming more and more renowned. Shortly after Art’s arrival, James and Austin were joined on-air by the legendary General Harold “Hal” Moore. Hal Moore’s story inspired the movie We Were Soldiers, in which Mel Gibson played his character.
THE POLITICAL CESSPOOL SAVES THREE CONFEDERATE PARKS
As the show continued to grow, an opportunity to flex some muscle presented itself and the hosts decided to take their activism to the streets. It was in June of 2005 that a couple of black malcontents in Memphis decided that they would try to rectify a major problem that plagued there city. Were they thinking of ways to curb crime? No. They sought to eradicate three long-standing Confederate Parks from downtown.
Even though polls conducted by the local NBC affiliate proved that the residents of Shelby County were overwhelmingly in favor of maintaining the parks, The Political Cesspool was the only entity in town who was publicly defending them. Meanwhile, the anti-Southern agitators were doing all the could to mount support for their “cause.”
The first test of might came at a public forum held at The Pyramid Arena to address this issue. Due to the fact that The Political Cesspool had been using its media venue to turnout listeners to this meeting, pro-Confederate supporters outnumbered those in favor of removing the parks roughly 200-12, a split that was completely down racial lines. This event was heavily covered by the local press and James Edwards was interviewed by an assortment of newspaper and television reporters.
Despite being out numbered 20-1 in the public forum hosted by the City Center Commission at The Pyramid, “the resistance,” led by black Shelby County Commissioner Walter Bailey, was not deterred. They tried one last, desperate, ploy when they hired civil rights hustler Al Sharpton to come to town to denigrate the parks, which included; Confederate Park, Jefferson Davis Park, and Nathan Bedford Forrest Park. Forrest Park also happens to be the burial site of the legendary hero.
The Political Cesspool immediately sprang back into action. The effort on this occasion was quarterbacked by co-host Bill Rolen, who knew exactly what should be done. He advised the staff to secure a permit for Confederate Park, which was located directly in between of the proposed “march” that Sharpton was going to attempt from Jefferson Davis Park to Forrest Park. We would secure this location and hold a pro-Confederate vigil on the day that the rabble were to be in town.
To say that those efforts proved successful would be an understatement. James Edwards and Austin Farley once again fielded a litany of media interviews in which they articulated the pro-South point of view and, once again, The Political Cesspool was the only organization with the guts to publicly take this stand, although there were many who came to stand with us that day.
By the time it was over, Sharpton was forced to cancel his march, one of the only times in memory that had ever occurred. He was reduced to having a gathering in downtown Memphis that quickly faded. After that day, the move to rename the parks was never resuscitated. They had been saved, our heritage preserved.
The next month, James Edwards, Austin Farley, Jess Bonds and Bill Rolen were awarded the very prestigious National Dixie Defender Award from the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
AUSTIN FARLEY MOVES ON
The Political Cesspool celebrated its one year anniversary on October 26, 2005. It had all come so far. Unfortunately, the toll of doing the show every night for no pay weighed heavily on Austin. Working a full-time day job, then coming into the studio each night was just too much for this married father of four.
In November of that year, Austin informed James that he would be leaving the program that he had co-created in order to spend more time with his family. His decision was completely understandable and his relationship with the other hosts remained strong. Without Austin Farley, there would have never been a Political Cesspool.
Winston Smith was then brought on board to serve as James’s primary co-host, with Jess Bonds, Bill Rolen and Art Frith still maintaining their valuable roles as well. The show continued to coast for the next few months, into the spring of 2006, when it enjoyed a second great crush of media attention.
THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER ATTACKS
In early March, 2006, James Edwards received a call on his cell phone from a reporter from The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper which serves Memphis. James was asked what his reaction was to his show being added to the list of “hate groups” compiled and monitored by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Knowing the high caliber of many of the individuals and organizations on that list, James’s first reaction to the stunning news was sincere. “You’ve just made my day,” he was quoted as saying.
For a week straight, articles condemning the radio program ran in the local paper(s). James also knew that the modus operandi of the SPLC was simply to try and extort any nickel that wasn’t glued to the pockets of their liberal contributors by instilling a fear within them that the next Adolf Hitler was out there lurking. Furthermore, he realized the SPLC wasn’t taken seriously by those important to The Political Cesspool’s existence.
James conducted a few more television interviews with the network affiliates in which he continued to spit in the face of the SPLC by welcoming their attacks as “free publicity.” He couldn’t have been more correct.
This publicity catapulted The Political Cesspool into another realm of popularity with more people now tuned in than ever before. James would soon embark on an aggressive speaking tour. At each stop, the show’s reputation preceded him. It was at this time that everyone associated with the show knew that something special was on their hands.
It was also during this period that James tapped Eddie “The Bombardier” Miller to come aboard as an additional co-host, bringing the current staff roster to six. James, Winston Smith, Eddie and Art Frith were typically in on a nightly basis, with Jess Bonds and Bill Rolen coming in-studio as needed.
PAT BUCHANAN AND THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA
As the fall of 2006 approached the show had certainly carved its niche and had a stellar reputation as the unrepentant voice of the Conservative Right. The Cesspoolians were doggedly defiant and never bowed to the false gods of Political Correctness. Their confirmation as a powerhouse in the movement was cemented on September 14, 2006, when former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan took time out of his busy schedule to exclusively promote his most recent book (State of Emergency) on the program.
When Pat agreed to come on The Political Cesspool it sent shock waves throughout the anti-American left. All of their efforts to marginalize our views as “vile and racist” had fallen on deaf ears, as here was one of America’s preeminent conservative leaders agreeing to make our audience his own.
James Edwards had worked hard for the Buchanan for President campaign of 2000 and served as a delegate for Buchanan in Long Beach, California, when Pat was the Reform Party presidential nominee. So, it wasn’t a complete surprise to those in the inner circle when Buchanan appeared on Political Cesspool. But, it still elicited wailing and gnashing of teeth throughout the halls of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“Hawking Racism,” they howled in response to Buchanan’s appearance, but it didn’t matter. Not only would Buchanan never agree to denounce our work, his appearance paved the way in helping The Political Cesspool land a parade of celebrity guests for months to come. The die was cast and the show was moving at a steady rate of ascension.
SITTING ON THE CUSP OF GREATNESS
The staff of the show felt quite accomplished by the time the two-year anniversary rolled around in October 2006. This was when Don and Derek Black offered to run the Cesspool simultaneously on their internet radio network, giving the Memphis dynamo access to another legion of loyal listeners. The marriage was a perfect fit.
As the calendar turned its page to 2007, things were rolling. The nightly guest list rivaled and routinely surpassed the likes of which you’d find on national television programs. Elected officials, scientists, authors, entertainers, candidates and popular pundits were all making the rounds on The Political Cesspool.
During one particular 30-day span, the hosts interviewed the likes of: Dr. Virginia Abernethy, Dr. Chuck Baldwin, Gordon Baum, Esq., Peter Brimelow, Dr. Jerome Corsi, Sam Dickson, Esq., Dr. Thomas DiLorenzo, Dr. David Duke, William Flax, Esq., Dr. Kevin MacDonald, Rev. Ted Pike, Larry Pratt, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, Dr. Tomislav Sunic, Jared Taylor, Mark Weber, Frosty Wooldridge and several other luminaries.
To compliment the increasing popularity, James Edwards brought another stallion into the Political Cesspool’s all-star stable of talent. Geoff Melton was signed on to serve as webmaster and immediately overhauled the show’s much-visited internet headquarters. He implemented several new interactive features and gave the site a contemporary new design. His hard work added another element of depth and was well received by the audience.
JAMES EDWARDS APPEARS ON CNN
Another monumental day in the history of The Political Cesspool took place in April 2007. Producers for CNN’s Paula Zahn NOW program contacted James Edwards to inquire as to whether or not he’d be able to travel to New York to participate in a roundtable discussion regarding self-segregation.
He agreed and was flown to Manhattan for the show, which was a one-hour special edition that aired live on April 4, 2007. Despite being cast as the “bad guy,” James held his ground. With the same eloquence and consistency that had become the hallmark of his work on Political Cesspool, he delivered an unapologetically pro-White viewpoint and captivated a nationwide television audience.
James returned to Memphis a day later and was in-studio with co-host Jess Bonds as they continued their heralded Confederate History Month tribute series. He would go on to appear on CNN twice more during the following month where he discussed how illegal immigration is displacing the founding stock of America and, later, to talk about the black on white double murder of Knoxville residents Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.
The growing support and fanfare surrounding Edwards and The Political Cesspool sent the SPLC into yet another tailspin. This time, Morris Dees & Company wrote a cover story about The Political Cesspool in which they proclaimed the show to be “the radio nexus of hate” and proclaimed that James Edwards was, in fact, “the next David Duke.”
SYNDICATION AND HIATUS
For the next six months, the show continued to attract high profile guests while the hosts delivered scintillating commentaries. Veteran warhorse Peter Gemma agreed to serve as a bi-weekly contributor, adding yet another layer of flair to our vast network of connections. His rapid fire commentaries quickly became fan favorites.
By the time Political Cesspool celebrated its third birthday on October 26, 2007, an offer was on the table to become syndicated via the Dixie Broadcasting Radio Network and their affiliate stations. The pairing just made sense and on December 3, 2007, The Political Cesspool went into syndication, with DBN playing previously aired broadcasts each weekday, while our live shows continued to air each weeknight on AM 1380 WLRM in Memphis and via our own internet stream.
The Cesspool hosts headed into 2008 with their popularity at a zenith, but at a great expense. For nearly 3 1/2 years James Edwards and the gang had been putting in full time hours, every day, on a volunteer radio program for which they received absolutely no financial compensation. It had been a labor of love and they had built it from scratch. Quite simply, the crew had been burning the candle at both ends for far too long and needed a break.
The accomplishments had far exceeded their wildest expectations. With the show in syndication and a lasting legacy secured, The Political Cesspool went on hiatus after its regularly scheduled nightly broadcast on Friday, February 15, 2008. During that program, Sam Dickson joined the on-air hosts as they recounted their most memorable moments after having conducted over 800 consecutive live shows. They had never missed a night.
The next week, Political Cesspool founding host James Edwards traveled with his bride to Washington, D.C., to attend the American Renaissance Conference, which was hosted by his good friend, Jared Taylor. The Political Cesspool was an unofficial toast of the conference in the hearts and minds of those in attendance. It was a reception that very much moved the young husband and wife.
In the two months that followed, most of the staff enjoyed time off with their families, while Geoff Melton was settling into a new job opportunity out West that had been offered to him as a result of his work as webmaster for our program.
Everyone was poised for an extended time in the pasture, but Divine Providence had other plans.
JUNE 2008: THE POLITICAL CESSPOOL RETURNS TO THE AIRWAVES
After a few months rest it proved that life on the sidelines was much more difficult than originally envisioned. During his time away from the studio, James received word from WLRM station manager that there was much interest from the local community in having the show return to the live airwaves. Edwards was asked to reconsider his “retirement.” After receiving this phone call and weighing it against the steady stream of similar e-mails he had been getting, he was effectively persuaded.
By May 2008, James had already enlisted a new team of webmasters and marketing experts and began getting work done behind the scenes for a rebirth launch date of June 1, 2008. With a newly revamped website and a collective second wind, The Political Cesspool Radio Program will begin airing a once-a-week live show every Sunday afternoon from 4pm – 7pm CST.
This is a best-of-both worlds scenario for the hosts. By hosting the live program weekly, rather than nightly, they’ll be able to maintain their radio influence without enduring the wear and tear of the demanding hours associated with the show’s original run.
The show is already an established phenomenon and the lighter workload will allow the staff to travel more and participate in other activities associated with the movement, while still commanding their heavyweight radio presence.
We invite you all to join us when The Political Cesspool returns to the air in June, where this story will then continue!
HOW TO LISTEN TO THE POLITICAL CESSPOOL RADIO PROGRAM
LIVE SHOWS
1) Catch us live each Sunday afternoon (beginning June 1, 2008), from 4pm – 7pm Central Time, on AM 1380 WLRM Radio in Memphis, Tennessee.
2) Listen live from around the world via our streaming audio at www.thepoliticalcesspool.org during our regularly scheduled weekly broadcast times.
ARCHIVES
3) If you miss a live show, or just want to listen to any of the previously aired shows that we’ve conducted since 2004, you may do so on-demand by visiting our extensive library of broadcast archives, which are also conveniently located on our website.
http://www.thepoliticalcesspool.org/