Mike Stark
Encyclopedia
Mike Stark is an American reporter, blog
ger, political activist, and graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. His work often appears at StarkReports.com, The Huffington Post
, Daily Kos
and several other group-blogs. He was a panelist at the 2006 and 2007 Yearly Kos conventions.
The first call-in campaign was directed at Bill O'Reilly
's Radio Factor. It was a response to O'Reilly's creation of a petition on his website that called for the replacement of Keith Olbermann
and cancellation of his show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann
. Stark encouraged callers to tell O'Reilly how much they enjoyed Olbermann's television show. Over the course of the week, approximately 15 callers that Stark recruited were put on the air with O'Reilly. As they mentioned Olbermann's name, they were disconnected by the host.
Eventually, a "spinner" from Florida
called O'Reilly and mentioned Keith Olbermann
's name. The audio of Olbermann's name was never broadcast, but Stark captured the following exchange from the BillOReilly.com webcast:
The caller said, on air, "I like to listen to you during the day. I think Keith Olbermann —"
O'Reilly then cut in, and with his on-air co-host E.D. Hill, responded to the caller, saying:
"Wingnuts
" is a neologism referring to far-right conservatives. Allen's campaign noted that the Calling All Wingnuts blog is subtitled Kickin' ass on the lyin' side: A never-ending battle against stupid, ugly, deceitful and corrupt right-wing water carriers.
macaca incident
, Stark attended a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Harrisonburg
, Virginia
. Senator Allen was the featured speaker. At the conclusion of the Senator's speech, Stark approached the Senator and asked, "Senator Allen, given what's been in the news, some of the law students are wondering... have you ever used the word 'nigger'?"
Allen responded, "What? No..."
Stark pressed, "Never in your life?"
Allen replied, "No... No."
Stark continued, "Well, can you explain the confederate flag and the noose you kept in your office?"
Eventually Allen's staff had Stark ejected from the hotel premises and the rest of the Senator's campaign events scheduled for that day were canceled.
Stark posted the audio of the exchange at his blog.
Two month's later, on October 31, 2006, Stark attended another campaign rally and asked Allen about the senator's arrest record and prevailing rumors of prior spousal abuse. A widely seen video that aired on national news programs showed Allen's campaign staffers wrestling Stark to the ground after Stark asked the Senator, "Senator Allen: did you spit on your first wife?" Later that day Stark filed a complaint with the local police department, which served search warrants to local TV stations who had recorded the incident. After review, the commonwealth's attorney
decided not to charge anyone, but noted that Stark had the right to bring evidence before a magistrate. Through April 2007, Stark has not chosen to do so.
Several days later, Stark was briefly detained and handcuffed, but not arrested, at another Allen rally after an Allen supporter claimed Stark pushed him to the ground.
's Reliable Sources
on the topic in January 2007, Stark described himself as a "champion of the First Amendment
.
outside his apartment regarding JetBlue's sponsorship of the YearlyKos
convention. O'Reilly drew criticism for approaching a private citizen at his home.
Stark responded by confronting O'Reilly outside his home. He distributed copies of O'Reilly's sexual harassment lawsuit to O'Reilly's neighbors, and put up signs that read "Bill O'Reilly: LIAR", "Bill O'Reilly: PERVERT", and "Bill O'Reilly: CAN'T BE TRUSTED WITH YOUR DAUGHTERS" in his neighborhood. Later that morning, Stark approached the television and radio show host as he retrieved his newspaper. A journalist that accompanied Stark took pictures and video. Stark's action drew both praise and criticism in the blogging world, and earned him the title of "Worser Person in the World" on Olbermann's TV show.
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger, political activist, and graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. His work often appears at StarkReports.com, The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
, Daily Kos
Daily Kos
Daily Kos is an American political blog that publishes news and opinions from a progressive point of view. It functions as a discussion forum and group blog for a variety of netroots activists, whose efforts are primarily directed toward influencing and strengthening the Democratic Party...
and several other group-blogs. He was a panelist at the 2006 and 2007 Yearly Kos conventions.
Activities related to Calling All Wingnuts blog
Using his former blog, CallingAllWingnuts.com, as an organizing tool, Stark recruited a team of individuals willing to volunteer time calling into various conservative radio shows.The first call-in campaign was directed at Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
's Radio Factor. It was a response to O'Reilly's creation of a petition on his website that called for the replacement of Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
and cancellation of his show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
. Stark encouraged callers to tell O'Reilly how much they enjoyed Olbermann's television show. Over the course of the week, approximately 15 callers that Stark recruited were put on the air with O'Reilly. As they mentioned Olbermann's name, they were disconnected by the host.
Eventually, a "spinner" from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
called O'Reilly and mentioned Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
's name. The audio of Olbermann's name was never broadcast, but Stark captured the following exchange from the BillOReilly.com webcast:
The caller said, on air, "I like to listen to you during the day. I think Keith Olbermann —"
O'Reilly then cut in, and with his on-air co-host E.D. Hill, responded to the caller, saying:
"Wingnuts
Wingnut (politics)
"Wingnut" is used in United States politics as a political epithet referring to a person who holds extreme political views. According to Merriam-Webster, it is analogous with the word "radical." In American politics, the term is more often aimed at members of the political right than those of the...
" is a neologism referring to far-right conservatives. Allen's campaign noted that the Calling All Wingnuts blog is subtitled Kickin' ass on the lyin' side: A never-ending battle against stupid, ugly, deceitful and corrupt right-wing water carriers.
Reporting on Senator Allen's reelection bid
In August 2006, in the immediate aftermath of George Allen'sGeorge Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
macaca incident
Macaca (slur)
Macaca is a word used by George Allen in 2006 that began a controversy because it sounds similar to the French word "macaque". It was reported by journalists to be a racial slur against African immigrants in some European cultures; and by Zairian painter Tshibumba Kanda Matulu to be a pejorative...
, Stark attended a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Senator Allen was the featured speaker. At the conclusion of the Senator's speech, Stark approached the Senator and asked, "Senator Allen, given what's been in the news, some of the law students are wondering... have you ever used the word 'nigger'?"
Allen responded, "What? No..."
Stark pressed, "Never in your life?"
Allen replied, "No... No."
Stark continued, "Well, can you explain the confederate flag and the noose you kept in your office?"
Eventually Allen's staff had Stark ejected from the hotel premises and the rest of the Senator's campaign events scheduled for that day were canceled.
Stark posted the audio of the exchange at his blog.
Two month's later, on October 31, 2006, Stark attended another campaign rally and asked Allen about the senator's arrest record and prevailing rumors of prior spousal abuse. A widely seen video that aired on national news programs showed Allen's campaign staffers wrestling Stark to the ground after Stark asked the Senator, "Senator Allen: did you spit on your first wife?" Later that day Stark filed a complaint with the local police department, which served search warrants to local TV stations who had recorded the incident. After review, the commonwealth's attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney is the title given to the elected prosecutor of felony crimes in Kentucky and Virginia. Other states refer to similar prosecutors as District Attorney or State's Attorney....
decided not to charge anyone, but noted that Stark had the right to bring evidence before a magistrate. Through April 2007, Stark has not chosen to do so.
Several days later, Stark was briefly detained and handcuffed, but not arrested, at another Allen rally after an Allen supporter claimed Stark pushed him to the ground.
Highlighting violent speech on talk radio
Stark has also drawn attention for his support of anonymous blogger Spocko in his efforts to bring what he called "violent commentary" on San Francisco area radio station KSFO to the attention of its advertisers. In an interview on CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Reliable Sources
Reliable Sources
Reliable Sources is a weekly show on CNN, focusing on analysis of the American news media. It was initially created to cover the media's coverage of the Persian Gulf War, but has since also covered the media's coverage of the Valerie Plame affair, the War in Iraq, the outing of Mark Felt as Deep...
on the topic in January 2007, Stark described himself as a "champion of the First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
.
Bill O'Reilly feud revisited
In the summer of 2007, Bill O'Reilly sent a film crew to confront JetBlue CEO David BargerDavid Barger
David J. Barger is the current President and the Chief Executive Officer of JetBlue Airways. He was part of JetBlue's founding team and is on the corporation's board of directors.- Career :...
outside his apartment regarding JetBlue's sponsorship of the YearlyKos
YearlyKos
Netroots Nation is a political convention for American progressive political activists, originally organized by readers and writers of Daily Kos, a liberal political blog. It was previously called YearlyKos...
convention. O'Reilly drew criticism for approaching a private citizen at his home.
Stark responded by confronting O'Reilly outside his home. He distributed copies of O'Reilly's sexual harassment lawsuit to O'Reilly's neighbors, and put up signs that read "Bill O'Reilly: LIAR", "Bill O'Reilly: PERVERT", and "Bill O'Reilly: CAN'T BE TRUSTED WITH YOUR DAUGHTERS" in his neighborhood. Later that morning, Stark approached the television and radio show host as he retrieved his newspaper. A journalist that accompanied Stark took pictures and video. Stark's action drew both praise and criticism in the blogging world, and earned him the title of "Worser Person in the World" on Olbermann's TV show.