Ed Schultz
Encyclopedia
Edward Andrew "Ed" Schultz (born January 27, 1954) Is an American
television and radio host and a liberal political commentator . He is the host of The Ed Show
, a daily news talk program on MSNBC
, and The Ed Schultz Show
, a talk radio
show, nationally syndicated by Dial Global
, promising "straight talk."
and grew up in the Larchmont area near Old Dominion University
, the son of George (an engineer) and Mary (an English teacher). He graduated in 1972 from Maury High School in Norfolk. He moved to Minnesota
to play football
on a scholarship from Minnesota State University Moorhead
. He made All-American and became the NAIA
passing leader in 1977 and signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders
. In 1979, Schultz tried out for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
, a Canadian Football League
team.
for 15 years for two local stations, KTHI-TV (now KVLY-TV
) and WDAY-TV
. Schultz anchored nightly sports broadcasts, and became well known across the state for his high-energy radio and TV play-by-play of North Dakota State University
(NDSU) football
and basketball games.
Schultz, who was touted as the "Voice of the Bison" for many years at WDAY, left in 1996 and began broadcasting for KFGO
in Fargo, doing play-by-play work on University of North Dakota
(UND) Fighting Sioux football
broadcasts beginning in 1998. Schultz incurred the ire of NDSU fans when he began to disparage the Bison during rival Sioux broadcasts after his many years of NDSU announcing. Schultz left as UND play-by-play man in 2003 to focus on his national radio show.
In a 2003 Sports Illustrated
article on North Dakota, Schultz, who was viewed as too loud and opinionated, was tied for second with George Steinbrenner as an "Enemy of the State" with 5% of the vote. Brett Favre was first with 39%.
Schultz was a finalist for the Minnesota Vikings
radio play-by-play broadcast job in 2001, a job that eventually went to Terry Stembridge, Jr.
radio show was very similar to his WDAY Viewpoint program and quickly grew into a regional broadcast dominating the North Dakota airwaves, with additional listeners in South Dakota
, western Minnesota
, Montana
, Manitoba
, and Saskatchewan
. Schultz's political views leaned towards the right during the early years, and Schultz told the Los Angeles Times
that he "lined up with the Republicans
because they were anti-tax, and I wanted to make a lot of money...." Schultz pondered a run as a Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives against Democrat
ic Rep. Earl Pomeroy
in 1994, but decided against it after visiting with state Republican leaders.
The Ed Schultz Show
was broadcast from the Fargo, North Dakota
studios of KFGO
, via the Jones Radio Network to over 100 radio stations . The show is presently syndicated by Dial Global. It can currently be heard nationwide on Sirius Satellite Radio's
"Sirius Left
" channel, and XM Radio's America Left
channel. The program can also be heard on Armed Forces Radio. Schultz's radio show moved to New York City in May 2009, a relocation brought on by his new television show at MSNBC
(see below).
Schultz continued to experience audience growth throughout 2005 and into 2006. According to a 2008 survey done by Talkers magazine, he ranked #17 nationally, with a weekly audience of more than 3 million listeners.
On November 30, 2006, Schultz announced he was moving to the "prime real estate" time slot from noon to 3 p.m. ET, to directly compete with Rush Limbaugh
, whose show is also broadcast in that time slot.
During his show on May 24, 2011, Schultz called Laura Ingraham
both a "right-wing slut" and a "talk slut". Feminist organizations including the Women's Media Center
called for his suspension. The following day he stated on his show "I just want to make sure that if there are any ladies out there who were offended that I used that term, I do apologize. I didn't mean to offend you." Schultz further stated he had again embarrassed his family and reached once again "the lowest of the low" for himself. Ingraham accepted his apology, saying "Ed Schultz said something about me on his show that was not all that nice, to say the least. It was pretty crude. He apologized, and I accept his apology. It seemed heartfelt, it seemed like he really wished he hadn’t said it and I accept that apology”. MSNBC
issued a statement saying that it had accepted Schultz's offer to take one week of unpaid leave.
announced the launch of The Ed Show
, anchored by Schultz. The program replaced the 6 pm show 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with David Shuster
, who moved to the 3pm to 5pm slot. The Ed Show debuted at 6 pm on Monday, April 6, 2009.
After Keith Olbermann left MSNBC, The Ed Show moved to the 10 PM ET
time slot on January 24, 2011.
On October 19, 2011, NBC announced that beginning October 24, 2011, The Ed Show
would be moving to the 8 p.m. Eastern slot, with The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell
returning to the 10 p.m. slot.
On August 15, 2011, Schultz used an edited video clip of Texas Governor Rick Perry
at a rally talking about the national debt crisis. Governor Perry said this “Getting America back to work is the most important issue that faces this country, being able to pay off $14.5 trillion or $16 trillion worth of debt. That big black cloud that hangs over America, that debt that is so monstrous.” The audio of the clip was cut off after “America”, so Schultz’s audience did not hear “that debt that is so monstrous.” Governor Perry refers to the debt before and after the “big black cloud” statement. Ed said “That black cloud Perry is talking about is President Barack Obama
.” The following day on his TV show Schultz apologized for taking Governor Perry out of context. “We did not present the full context of those statements and we should have,” Schultz said “No doubt about it, it was a mistake and we regret the error … we should not have included it in our coverage.”
. Regarding his position on abortion
, Schultz is quoted as stating: "Now, as far as abortion is concerned, in my heart I'm a Christian. I'm against it. But we're livin' in a country where the majority rule and I'm not, as a talk show host, overturning Roe v Wade."
which began a long, slow decline of her mental health. Schultz found it frustrating trying to get her the services that she needed. Another was that he met a psychiatric nurse named Wendy who ran a homeless shelter
in Fargo. He attributed much of his political change to her, and although he had criticized the homeless on his show, he said in his book that she helped to humanize them. To his surprise, he found that some of the people he had insulted were veterans, and many were unable to get the psychiatric or medical services that might help them. He says that was the moment he began to look at poverty differently.
He became a Democrat in 2000 marking the formal turn in his politics from conservative to liberal. He went out to do radio promotions in rural North Dakota, and told reporters about how he met farmers who were suffering and hard-working people who were going hungry, even though Republicans said the economy was doing fine. It's been noted by some that he has remained silent over President Obama's past comments touting the turnaround in the U.S. economy. (Vowell 2004) He began to hold benefits to raise money for people in the heartland who were going through tough times. In addition, he began questioning some of the assertions of George W. Bush
; although he supported several Republican candidates in the 2000 election
, he was becoming critical of other Republicans. Schultz considered running for the Democratic-NPL party nomination for governor
against incumbent Republican John Hoeven
in 2004
, but decided to continue his career in radio.
, laid-off United States
workers who have exhausted their unemployment benefits.
On August 4, 2010, Schultz hosted the announcement of Senator Debbie Stabenow
's (D-MI) The Americans Want to Work Act (S. 3706), which would extend unemployment benefits to 99ers and provide employer incentives to hire the long-term unemployed. (video).
The Ed Show
works with the National Association of Free Clinics
to help people without health insurance get basic care. The next one will be held in New Orleans on August 29th, the anniversary of Katrina.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television and radio host and a liberal political commentator . He is the host of The Ed Show
The Ed Show
The Ed Show is an hour-long weeknight news commentary program on MSNBC. The program is hosted by Ed Schultz, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio program, The Ed Schultz Show. It debuted on MSNBC on April 6, 2009, at 6 P.M. ET. It moved to 10 P.M. ET, filling the time slot previously...
, a daily news talk program on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, and The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show is a radio program hosted by Ed Schultz. It was formerly broadcast from KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota. It is heard on a network of over 100 stations , including seven of the 10 largest radio markets...
, a talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
show, nationally syndicated by Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....
, promising "straight talk."
Early life
Schultz was born in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and grew up in the Larchmont area near Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
, the son of George (an engineer) and Mary (an English teacher). He graduated in 1972 from Maury High School in Norfolk. He moved to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
to play football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
on a scholarship from Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead is a four-year, public university located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has an enrollment of nearly 7,500 students and 337 full-time faculty members. MSUM is a part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system...
. He made All-American and became the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
passing leader in 1977 and signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In 1979, Schultz tried out for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
, a Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
team.
Sportscasting
After his football career ended, he worked as a sportscaster in Fargo, North DakotaFargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
for 15 years for two local stations, KTHI-TV (now KVLY-TV
KVLY-TV
KVLY-TV, is an NBC affiliated television station in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, serving Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. It broadcasts on ATSC channel 44, which redirects to former NTSC channel 11 via PSIP. In addition to its main studio in Fargo, it operates a satellite studio in...
) and WDAY-TV
WDAY-TV
WDAY-TV, digital channel 21 , is the ABC affiliate television station for Fargo, North Dakota. The station serves the southern half of the Fargo-Grand Forks television market, with WDAZ-TV in Grand Forks serving the northern half. The two stations are counted as a single unit for Nielsen ratings...
. Schultz anchored nightly sports broadcasts, and became well known across the state for his high-energy radio and TV play-by-play of North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University , is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota. NDSU has about 14,000 students and it is the largest university in North Dakota based on full time students and land size...
(NDSU) football
North Dakota State Bison football
The North Dakota State Bison football program represents North Dakota State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level and competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football...
and basketball games.
Schultz, who was touted as the "Voice of the Bison" for many years at WDAY, left in 1996 and began broadcasting for KFGO
KFGO
KFGO is a radio station broadcasting a news and talk radio format serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. All the offices and studios are located at 1020 S. 25th Street in Fargo...
in Fargo, doing play-by-play work on University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
(UND) Fighting Sioux football
North Dakota Fighting Sioux football
The North Dakota Fighting Sioux are a college football program that competes in the Great West Conference in the NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision...
broadcasts beginning in 1998. Schultz incurred the ire of NDSU fans when he began to disparage the Bison during rival Sioux broadcasts after his many years of NDSU announcing. Schultz left as UND play-by-play man in 2003 to focus on his national radio show.
In a 2003 Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
article on North Dakota, Schultz, who was viewed as too loud and opinionated, was tied for second with George Steinbrenner as an "Enemy of the State" with 5% of the vote. Brett Favre was first with 39%.
Schultz was a finalist for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
radio play-by-play broadcast job in 2001, a job that eventually went to Terry Stembridge, Jr.
Talk radio
Schultz's News and ViewsNews and Views
News and Views is a talk radio program produced by KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota and also aired on stations KFYR-AM in Bismarck, ND and KCJB-AM in Minot, ND.News and Views runs weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m...
radio show was very similar to his WDAY Viewpoint program and quickly grew into a regional broadcast dominating the North Dakota airwaves, with additional listeners in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, western Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. Schultz's political views leaned towards the right during the early years, and Schultz told the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
that he "lined up with the Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
because they were anti-tax, and I wanted to make a lot of money...." Schultz pondered a run as a Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives against Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ic Rep. Earl Pomeroy
Earl Pomeroy
Earl Pomeroy is a lobbyist and former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1993 until 2011. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party.- Early life, education and career :...
in 1994, but decided against it after visiting with state Republican leaders.
The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show is a radio program hosted by Ed Schultz. It was formerly broadcast from KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota. It is heard on a network of over 100 stations , including seven of the 10 largest radio markets...
was broadcast from the Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
studios of KFGO
KFGO
KFGO is a radio station broadcasting a news and talk radio format serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. All the offices and studios are located at 1020 S. 25th Street in Fargo...
, via the Jones Radio Network to over 100 radio stations . The show is presently syndicated by Dial Global. It can currently be heard nationwide on Sirius Satellite Radio's
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
"Sirius Left
SIRIUS Left
SIRIUS Left was Sirius Satellite Radio's liberal talk channel. It featured personalities such as Lynn Samuels, Bill Press, Alex Bennett, Mike Malloy, Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann and newcomer Mark Thompson...
" channel, and XM Radio's America Left
America Left
Sirius XM Left is located at channel 127 on Sirius XM Radio and carries a progressive/liberal talk format. The channel is programmed by Don Wicklin.-America Left :...
channel. The program can also be heard on Armed Forces Radio. Schultz's radio show moved to New York City in May 2009, a relocation brought on by his new television show at MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
(see below).
Schultz continued to experience audience growth throughout 2005 and into 2006. According to a 2008 survey done by Talkers magazine, he ranked #17 nationally, with a weekly audience of more than 3 million listeners.
On November 30, 2006, Schultz announced he was moving to the "prime real estate" time slot from noon to 3 p.m. ET, to directly compete with Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, whose show is also broadcast in that time slot.
During his show on May 24, 2011, Schultz called Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
both a "right-wing slut" and a "talk slut". Feminist organizations including the Women's Media Center
Women's Media Center
Women's Media Center is a 5013 nonprofit women’s organization in the United States founded in 2005 by writers/activists Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem...
called for his suspension. The following day he stated on his show "I just want to make sure that if there are any ladies out there who were offended that I used that term, I do apologize. I didn't mean to offend you." Schultz further stated he had again embarrassed his family and reached once again "the lowest of the low" for himself. Ingraham accepted his apology, saying "Ed Schultz said something about me on his show that was not all that nice, to say the least. It was pretty crude. He apologized, and I accept his apology. It seemed heartfelt, it seemed like he really wished he hadn’t said it and I accept that apology”. MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
issued a statement saying that it had accepted Schultz's offer to take one week of unpaid leave.
Television show
On April 1, 2009, MSNBCMSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
announced the launch of The Ed Show
The Ed Show
The Ed Show is an hour-long weeknight news commentary program on MSNBC. The program is hosted by Ed Schultz, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio program, The Ed Schultz Show. It debuted on MSNBC on April 6, 2009, at 6 P.M. ET. It moved to 10 P.M. ET, filling the time slot previously...
, anchored by Schultz. The program replaced the 6 pm show 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with David Shuster
David Shuster
David Martin Shuster is an American television journalist who has been an anchor for MSNBC and who has also worked for Fox News and CNN. He anchored MSNBC Live weekdays from 10-11am and 3-4pm ET and filled in for Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz and Rachel Maddow on their respective shows...
, who moved to the 3pm to 5pm slot. The Ed Show debuted at 6 pm on Monday, April 6, 2009.
After Keith Olbermann left MSNBC, The Ed Show moved to the 10 PM ET
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
time slot on January 24, 2011.
On October 19, 2011, NBC announced that beginning October 24, 2011, The Ed Show
The Ed Show
The Ed Show is an hour-long weeknight news commentary program on MSNBC. The program is hosted by Ed Schultz, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio program, The Ed Schultz Show. It debuted on MSNBC on April 6, 2009, at 6 P.M. ET. It moved to 10 P.M. ET, filling the time slot previously...
would be moving to the 8 p.m. Eastern slot, with The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program on MSNBC. The program airs live at 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time Monday-Thursday, and is hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell...
returning to the 10 p.m. slot.
On August 15, 2011, Schultz used an edited video clip of Texas Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
at a rally talking about the national debt crisis. Governor Perry said this “Getting America back to work is the most important issue that faces this country, being able to pay off $14.5 trillion or $16 trillion worth of debt. That big black cloud that hangs over America, that debt that is so monstrous.” The audio of the clip was cut off after “America”, so Schultz’s audience did not hear “that debt that is so monstrous.” Governor Perry refers to the debt before and after the “big black cloud” statement. Ed said “That black cloud Perry is talking about is President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.” The following day on his TV show Schultz apologized for taking Governor Perry out of context. “We did not present the full context of those statements and we should have,” Schultz said “No doubt about it, it was a mistake and we regret the error … we should not have included it in our coverage.”
Political views
Schultz has declared himself a "lefty" and is pro-union and centers a large portion of his radio show on the "plight of working americans." Schultz has stated that he and his sons are gun-owners, although he supports reasonable gun controlGun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
. Regarding his position on abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, Schultz is quoted as stating: "Now, as far as abortion is concerned, in my heart I'm a Christian. I'm against it. But we're livin' in a country where the majority rule and I'm not, as a talk show host, overturning Roe v Wade."
Change of political views
In the late 1990s, Schultz claims a series of events changed his political views from the far right to the far left. One event was his mother's battle with Alzheimer's DiseaseAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
which began a long, slow decline of her mental health. Schultz found it frustrating trying to get her the services that she needed. Another was that he met a psychiatric nurse named Wendy who ran a homeless shelter
Homeless shelter
Homeless shelters are temporary residences for homeless people which seek to protect vulnerable populations from the often devastating effects of homelessness while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact on the community...
in Fargo. He attributed much of his political change to her, and although he had criticized the homeless on his show, he said in his book that she helped to humanize them. To his surprise, he found that some of the people he had insulted were veterans, and many were unable to get the psychiatric or medical services that might help them. He says that was the moment he began to look at poverty differently.
He became a Democrat in 2000 marking the formal turn in his politics from conservative to liberal. He went out to do radio promotions in rural North Dakota, and told reporters about how he met farmers who were suffering and hard-working people who were going hungry, even though Republicans said the economy was doing fine. It's been noted by some that he has remained silent over President Obama's past comments touting the turnaround in the U.S. economy. (Vowell 2004) He began to hold benefits to raise money for people in the heartland who were going through tough times. In addition, he began questioning some of the assertions of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
; although he supported several Republican candidates in the 2000 election
United States elections, 2000
On November 7, 2000, the United States had a general election.-President:George W. Bush ran against Al Gore and was elected to a first term.-United States House of Representatives:...
, he was becoming critical of other Republicans. Schultz considered running for the Democratic-NPL party nomination for governor
Governor of North Dakota
The Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of North Dakota. The current Governor is Jack Dalrymple. The Governor has the right to sign and laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly, into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The...
against incumbent Republican John Hoeven
John Hoeven
John Henry Hoeven III is the junior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Republican Party. He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Kent Conrad retires from the Senate in January 2013.Hoeven served as the 31st Governor of North Dakota,...
in 2004
North Dakota gubernatorial election, 2004
The 2004 North Dakota gubernatorial election took place on 2 November 2004 for the post of Governor of North Dakota. Incumbent Republican Governor John Hoeven was easily re-elected defeating Democratic former state senator Joe Satrom.-Republican nomination:...
, but decided to continue his career in radio.
Causes
Schultz has championed the plight of the 99ers99ers
99ers is a colloquial term for unemployed people in the United States, mostly citizens, who have exhausted all of their unemployment benefits, including all unemployment extensions. As a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress in February 2009, many unemployed...
, laid-off United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
workers who have exhausted their unemployment benefits.
On August 4, 2010, Schultz hosted the announcement of Senator Debbie Stabenow
Debbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001...
's (D-MI) The Americans Want to Work Act (S. 3706), which would extend unemployment benefits to 99ers and provide employer incentives to hire the long-term unemployed. (video).
The Ed Show
The Ed Show
The Ed Show is an hour-long weeknight news commentary program on MSNBC. The program is hosted by Ed Schultz, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio program, The Ed Schultz Show. It debuted on MSNBC on April 6, 2009, at 6 P.M. ET. It moved to 10 P.M. ET, filling the time slot previously...
works with the National Association of Free Clinics
National Association of Free Clinics
The National Association of Free Clinics is a national non-profit association of free medical clinics in the United States, which are themselves community-based, non-profit, volunteer-supported free clinics serving the people without or with little health insurance.The national organization...
to help people without health insurance get basic care. The next one will be held in New Orleans on August 29th, the anniversary of Katrina.
External links
- Official site
- The Ed Schultz Show on the Jones Radio Network
- Ed Schultz on Larry King LiveLarry King LiveLarry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
Transcripts: March 31, 2006, May 12, 2006, May 9, 2008.