"Today's inauguration of President George W. Bush may depress many Democrats, who had hoped to take back the White House this year. But at Air America, the upstart liberal radio network, there's at least some cause for celebration.

Coinciding with the presidential ceremonies, Air America will launch its brash Bush-bashing talk-radio format onto the airwaves in President Bush's backyard -- Washington, D.C. -- as well as Detroit and Cincinnati, bringing its total nationwide reach to 45 markets.

It's a remarkable feat for a network that was nearly given up for dead just last year. After a hype-filled launch in March, stoked by the passion of the presidential-election campaign, the network ran out of money within six weeks and was kicked off the air in Los Angeles and Chicago, leaving it with just a New York station and two smaller markets. Critics predicted the company wouldn't recover, especially after the election ended and interest in politics faded.

But with an infusion of new financing and new management, the radio network has won high ratings in some of its local markets and has garnered the support of radio-industry giant Clear Channel Communications Inc. It has signed three-year contracts with its top two stars, Al Franken and Randi Rhodes, and raised an additional $19 million from private investors. People familiar with the situation say Air America is also finalizing a deal that would get it back on the air in Los Angeles via KXTA-AM, a Clear Channel sports station."
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB110616841893830479,00.html

If Kerry had won the election, these guys would probably be out of business. It's funny that these guys will owe their success to a Bush Presidency. I guess Clear Channel isn't part of the Vast Rightwing Conspiracy. And speaking of this, Senator Clinton is speaking up about prayer:
"There is no contradiction between support for faith-based initiatives and upholding our constitutional principles," said Clinton, a New York Democrat who often is mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2008.

Addressing a crowd of more than 500, including many religious leaders, at Boston's Fairmont Copley Plaza, Clinton invoked God more than half a dozen times, at one point declaring, "I've always been a praying person."

She said there must be room for religious people to "live out their faith in the public square." "
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/01/20/sen_clinton_urges_use_of_faith_based_initiatives?mode=PF

It would be interesting to hear how Air America addresses this topic.