Melanie Morgan

The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy (Finally) Embraces New Media to Support the Troops

An all-star cast of conservative talkers -- El Rushbo, Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingraham, Dr. Laura, as well as Nancy Reagan and former UN rep John Bolton -- is coming together (virtually) Thursday for one big telethon. An online telethon, that is, hosted in Mountain View that aims to raise enough cash ($500,000) to send a care package to every U.S. armed service unit stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan in time for July 4. The big gig starts at 1 p.m. Left Coast time. Check it out here.

Conservatives and new media? Hmmm. Those two haven't exactly danced a lot together. Who -- and what -- could bring this crew together?

None other than ex-KSFO morning talker Melanie Morgan. On March 4, the day after she was let go by KSFO in a salary-purging move, Morgan was on the horn with Malkin talking about this and that. Morgan, through her Move America Forward outfit, has sent 41 tons of goodies to troops stationed overseas, and wanted to do something "large, bold and dramatic" for the troops in time for July 4. The two conjured up the telethon plan and will co-host the festivites from U-Stream.TV studios in lovely Mountain View.

"In this election cycle, the news about the troops is getting lost," Morgan said. Indeed, any news about the war is getting lost.

So, Morgan and Malkin thought, let's put on a show. A new media show. Some talk stations -- including the Bay Area's own conservative chat house KSFO -- will simulcast portions of the telethon throughout the day.

"Conservatives have not used new media that successfully before," she said. "Our strength is talk radio, so why don't we try to meld the two."

Guests will appear via Skype or webcam, some during their radio shows. The eight-hour telethon will also feature troops stationed in the Middle East and family members stateside.

And, Morgan -- who some liberals best know for being named Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" a couple of times -- promises no politics. "There is no political element to this," Morgan said. "It is nonpolitical and nonpartisan."

That will be a challenge, given the liberal-free lineup. (Jackie Mason and Kelsey Grammer represent the celeb contingent.) Without naming anybody specific, Morgan said she reached out to some liberal voices but found no takers.

So, in addition to being a swell way to help U.S. soldiers abroad, this sounds like an opportunity for the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy to test its new media wings. Maybe if it works well, even the relcitrant conservatives can link arms on behalf of John McCain this fall, right?

Morgan laughed, and wouldn't nip at the partisan bait. "You mean the vast right wing support-the-troops conspiracy."

Morgan looks forward to interacting with the audience via live online chats. Now that should make for some entertaining webcasting, given that it will be bit risky, no? "We understand that," Morgan said. "We know we're taking a chance here."

Posted By: Joe Garofoli (Email) | June 24 2008 at 06:00 AM