Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match.

This week Bruce told us about Sgt. 1st Class William Tomlin, via IBD,

" The clash, he says, boiled down to haves vs. have-nots.

"We were throwing hand grenades at them and they were throwing hand grenades at us," he said. "We just had more hand grenades."

Once back with the main group, Henne pushed forward with Tomlin against nearly every assault. Tomlin was calm, Henne says, while moving fast and delegating tasks assertively.

Tomlin stood at the head of the group through a number of blitzes, wielding hand grenades, shoulder-fired rockets and his M4 rifle.

He was acting on his belief that leaders lead, and you can't lead from the back of the pack.

"He was the epitome of what a leader should be," Henne said."

The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Former Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Dore GGold joined me last evening to talk about his new book, The Rise of Nuclear Iran: How Tehran Defies the West.

Along with his former boss and current Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, I've long admired Mr. Gold for the moral clarity he brings to these issues.

This book is filled with such moral clarity. It is a terrific overview of the rise of the Islamic Republic of Iran and how they have deceived the West for more than 30 years. From Amazon,

"Former U.N. Ambassador Dore Gold shows why engaging Iran through diplomacy is not only futile but also could be deadly. In the West, liberal politicians and pundits are calling for renewed diplomatic engagement with Iran, convinced that Tehran will respond to reason and halt its nuclear weapons program. Yet, countries have repeatedly tried diplomatic talks and utterly failed. In The Rise of Nuclear Iran, Gold examines these past failures, showing how Iran employed strategic deception and delay tactics to hide its intentions from the West. He argues that Western policymakers underestimate Iran s hostility toward us and explains why diplomacy will continue to backfire, no matter which party or president is in power."

The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

On issues large and small, I believe the Obama administration has a competence problem.

On the biggest issues, his major legislative initiatives, he has displayed little or indifferent leadership, at best. He essentially turned the stimulus and health care reform over to Nancy and the Gang in congress and they both became runaway disasters for the President. This week, he is giving a Hail Mary, joint session speech to the American people to try and rescue his healthcare reform efforts. This is not a move from a position of strength. By trying to Rham through a 1000-page bill that would shift 18% of the economy into the hands of the American government before the August recess, the president offended many and really eroded the trust people had placed in him. Change is one thing, three card monti with something as personal as healthcare is another.

On the small issues, let’s take a look at another speech this week, to America’s school children. This should have been a layup for the administration. Instead, because of arrogance and overreach, it has become yet another cluster for President Obama. In my opinion, it should not be controversal for the president to address school children. George H.W. Bush did it, Reagan did it, Clinton did too. How tough is it to tell kids to listen to their teachers, study hard and they can achieve their dreams in America. Well, that is clearly too much to ask from an administration with as large a sense of self purpose as this one. The controversy began when the Education Department published supporting materials for teachers will lesson plans for students asking questions like “what can I do to help the president”. Somebody in the department should have known better. Someone should have asked, “isn’t this creepy going to far, are we politicizing this? No, those questions weren’t asked and a simple speech has turned into another example of overreach and arrogance.

Van Jones, well he isn’t large or small, but he is incredibly revealing. How is a guy like this deemed acceptable by this administration? What did they know and what did they choose to ignore. If you believe Barack’s BFF Valerie Jarrett, they knew all about Van Jones and were thrilled to have him on the team. This is a disaster for Obama on several levels. It shows his rhetoric about a new kind of post-partisan politics to be a crock. Van Jones greatest hits include a little didy about George Bush licking a crack pipe. It shows, once again, that our president is comfortable in the company of people many, many Americans find loathsome. Like who? How about his spiritual mentor of 20-years Rev. Wright. Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn. Now Van Jones can be added to the Motley Crew that Barack Obama calls friends. The most fascinating thing about Van Jones isn’t what it tells us about Obama (we knew he had a soft spot for leftist radicals), it is what it says about his second protective unit, the mainstream media. The Van Jones controversy was a creation of the alternative media. Kudos to Glenn Beck for pushing this on Fox, and to Gateway Pundit for pushing in the blogosphere. A Whoite House tzar was forced to resgn in disgrace without barely a word from the major media in the country. Few things demonstrate the media’s fealty to Barack Obama or their irrelevancy, more than the Van Jones episode.

The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match.

This week Bruce told us about Staff Sgt. Conrad Begaye, via the amazing Soldiers Angels Germany blog,

"Ambushed near Aranas, Afghanistan, on Nov. 9, 2007, the soldiers were caught in a well-planned crossfire and needed to find cover.

Though he had been shot in the arm, Begaye took a minute to consider his options.

"It was almost like time stood still," he said Tuesday after receiving the Silver Star for his efforts that day. "The only real option I had was over the cliff."

So he started down into a steep ravine, telling his men to follow.

"We were sliding down and the whole time we were still taking accurate fire," he said.

Several soldiers were wounded on the way down and one was killed. But the rest survived to fight on.

Once Begaye and his men found adequate cover, he treated the wounded, called in mortar support and rallied other soldiers who were farther back in the convoy to hold their positions. Mortar fire and reinforcements eventually drove the enemy from the field.

Five soldiers and one Marine died in the battle. Begaye, the ranking soldier after his platoon leader [then 1LT Matt Ferrara] was killed in the initial attack, said he’ll wear his medal in honor of those who didn’t make it.

"I really don’t know how I feel about getting a medal for just doing my job," he said. "So this medal’s not for me, but for the guys who died that day.""

The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match.

This week Bruce told us about Cpl. Richard S. Weinmaster,

"According to his platoon commander, 1st Lt. George Fenton, Weinmaster, a Cozad, Neb., native, was in front of a squad-sized patrol making its way through an eight-foot wide alley bordered on each side by 10-foot tall mud-brick walls, dubbed "ambush alley," when their patrol was attacked by enemy small-arms fire and grenades.

In the midst of the firefight, Weinmaster provided accurate suppressive fire with his SAW until he noticed an incoming grenade land near his team leader, Lance Cpl. Tyler Wilkerson.

Fenton, a Fredericksburg, Va., native, explained how Weinmaster shoved Wilkerson out of the way then jumped toward the grenade to try and smother the blast. As he jumped, the grenade exploded sending the majority of its shrapnel into Weinmaster.

Weinmaster effectively shielded his team leader from the blast and Wilkerson was spared from any shrapnel. Weinmaster, however, received serious wounds, including a piece of shrapnel that entered his left eye socket and traveled halfway into his brain, where it remains to this day.

Despite his grave injuries, Weinmaster re-mounted his SAW and continued to provide effective suppressive fire on the enemy positions 50 yards away.

Staff Sgt. Kyle Lockhart, Weinmaster's former platoon sergeant, said Weinmaster's heroic actions in the heat of battle are a true reflection of his caliber.

"Valor has to come from the heart and soul," said Jim Weinmaster, Cpl. Weinmaster's father. "It has to come from within. Karen [Weinmaster's mother] and I raised him as best as we could, but actions like that go beyond parenting, beyond anything that can be taught."

Weinmaster remained humble throughout the ceremony as well as afterward when he was greeted and thanked by scores of Marines, former Marines and grateful civilians.

"I didn't do anything special," he told everyone. "Everyone on my left and right would have done the same thing. I was just in the right place at the right time."

The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

I want to say thank you to the guys from Blue Mass Group, and all the local bloggers who put politics aside to raise money for the Jared C. Monti Scholarship Fund. As most of you know by now, Raynham, MA native Jared Monti KIA in Afghanistan in 2006 and he was recently awarded the Medal of Honor for his immensely selfless service to this country.

It has been a great two weeks, focusing on something that we can all agree on and support without reservation. Our collective efforts helped generate 35 donations totaling nearly $3000 for the scholarship fund. On behalf of all participating bloggers, THANK YOU!

Last night I was joined in studio by Blue Mass Group co-founder David Kravitz. We were honored and humbled that Jared's father Paul, along with two of Jared's best friends, Darin Souza and Janell Holmes were able to join us as well.

Paul wants Jared remembered for the man he was, not for the soldier he was, and it's easy to see why. As we learned last night, through some highly entertaining stories, Jared was one hell of man. His loss is a big one for the military, but more so for humanity.

JARED C. MONTI SCHOLARSHIP FUND

MAILING ADDRESS:

Jared C. Monti Scholarship Fund

c/o Bristol County Savings Bank

108 N. Main Street

Raynham, MA 02767

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

What a pleasure to welcome filmmaker Harris Done to Pundit Review Radio. He has made a tremendous documentary, which is on the Military channel all month, about the vital and life saving role dogs played in the brutal war in the Pacific. I'm a history buff and have spent counless hours watching the black and white WWII documentaries. I never knew about the war dogs. Thank you Harris for making this movie.

Ironic that we interviewed Harris on the very night Michael Vick was on 60 Minutes. The tale of two dogs.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match.

This week Bruce told us about

Sgt. 1st Class Jarion Halbisengibbs. From the WaPost,

" So the three Americans, led by Halbisengibbs, assaulted the house. They stacked up outside the doorway, Halbisengibbs threw in a fragmentation grenade, killing two fighters inside as the soldier rushed in. "You could see faceless shapes scurrying around the room grabbing weapons, and less than three seconds we received AK-47 fire," said Lindsay, who was hit in the throat. Chaney was shot through the pelvis and hip. Moments later, the insurgents threw a grenade, blasting both of them out the door and into the courtyard.

"I was hyperventilating and throwing up," on the verge of passing out, said Lindsay. Without the strength to lift his rifle, he said he rolled over then pulled out his pistol as enemy bullets flew over his head. "I fired a few rounds so no one would walk over and shoot me," he said.

Chaney lay in the courtyard, unable to feel his legs, but kept firing his rifle, killing an insurgent shooting a him nearby. Chaney and Lindsay received Silver Stars today for their actions.

Meanwhile, Halbisengibbs "continued to clear the structure in complete darkness as his night vision goggles and personal radio were all destroyed by enemy gunfire at point blank range," the official narrative said. "Stumbling over a dead enemy, he was shot in the thumb and propelled to the ground by the blast" of the grenade. "Alone, he relentlessly continued to engage the concealed enemy and in a moment of intense close quarters battle killed one additional terrorist inside the now chaotic structure."

Moving into the courtyard to protect his two comrades who lay exposed there, Halbisengibbs was suddenly shot through the abdomen. "It felt like white hot lightning shooting through my stomach, and I felt my hip pop out," he said. But even as he fell to the ground he raised his rifle and killed the fighter only 12 feet away.

Despite a serious wound, he then reloaded his M-4 rifle, "and linked up with the rest of my jundis [Iraqi forces] and got them to finish the fight," he said. During the frenzied battle, Halbisengibbs recalled the odd sensation of looking through his green night vision goggles and feeling "disassociated . . . like watching yourself do something."

Obaeideah was killed during the assault.

All three Green Berets said they have recovered, although they still experience pain from their injuries. Chaney and Lindsay have deployed again to Iraq. Halbisengibbs, who has a black belt in tae kwon do and joined the Special Forces after a stint as a delicatessen cook in Ann Arbor, Mich., expects to deploy again soon."

The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

What a pleasure to welcome filmmaker Harris Done to Pundit Review Radio. He has made a tremendous documentary, which is on the Military channel all month, about the vital and life saving role dogs played in the brutal war in the Pacific. I'm a history buff and have spent counless hours watching the black and white WWII documentaries. I never knew about the war dogs. Thank you Harris for making this movie.

Ironic that we interviewed Harris on the very night Michael Vick was on 60 Minutes. The tale of two dogs.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

What a pleasure to welcome filmmaker Harris Done to Pundit Review Radio. He has made a tremendous documentary, which is on the Military channel all month, about the vital and life saving role dogs played in the brutal war in the Pacific. I'm a history buff and have spent counless hours watching the black and white WWII documentaries. I never knew about the war dogs. Thank you Harris for making this movie.

Ironic that we interviewed Harris on the very night Michael Vick was on 60 Minutes. The tale of two dogs.

What is Pundit Review Radio?

On Boston’s Talk Station WRKO since 2005, Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to the radio every Sunday evening from 8-10pm on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.