TALK, TALK & MORE TALK

Talk seems to be a common theme since the election ended. Everybody's debating what will happen and why.

Regardless of the court decision, the talk will continue. Last week I mentioned news sites that were getting record hits during this post-election analysis.

The same holds true for many of the high-powered talk show hosts.

Today, we're going to visit some of the sites that have been garnering millions of hits during this time of political uncertainty. Many of these guys are simply adding fuel to the fire -- regardless of the side of the fence on which they sit.

Do you ever watch the "O'Reilly Factor"? You'll never wonder where Bill O'Reilly sits on the issues.

www.foxnews.com/oreilly

One thing I like about O'Reilly is that he closes each show with several of his e-mails from fans -- the good, the bad and the ugly. You can join the comment right off this page.

He's described as cantankerous, intimidating or just plain rude, but he's certainly becoming a leader in cable talk.

He opens his show with a monologue, then turns to Q&A with guests and finishes by answering his critics and his fans. He keeps questioning guests until he gets an answer. His issues are the hot news of the day, and let's guess what the current discussions are about.

He's not afraid to throw a punch at other big-name talk show hosts and news commentators.

Make sure to check out links to his "Talking Points" and "Most Ridiculous Item" of the Day. Just so you know, this is O'Reilly's stance on the recount: "The Factor has consistently said that there is no legal reason to hand-count the votes in South Florida. "

You can also see highlights of the past week in the video archive.

Certainly one of the better known players in cable talk is Larry King. You can find him online at

www.cnn.com/larryking

CNN bills Larry's program as "your favorite talk show," and the numbers certainly bear out the boast. Larry King Live has been on 15 years, bringing headline-making, news-breaking interviews to a global audience.

King's guests include a mix of celebrity interviews and players in the hot news topics of the day. He has a conversational interviewing style and this friendly tone often prompts some surprises from guests.

Think of it: Viewers in more than 230 million households from 212 countries and territories tune in regularly to Larry King Live. No pressure there. He regularly talks to such high-profile guests as the Clintons, Dalai Lama, Prince Albert, Madonna, Mikhail Gorbachev, Yasser Arafat, Margaret Thatcher and Al Pacino. Quite a mix.

At this site, you can review the day's topic or guests. You can sign up for daily e-mail from Larry King or you can voice your opinion in the forums. You can also read on-air transcripts.

You can also listen to CNN TV or Watch CNN TV, by clicking on the multimedia option at the left.

Chris Matthews' show, "Hardball," on MSNBC is another player in the cable TV game.

www.msnbc.com/news/hardball_front.asp

They're playing hardball in the back rooms of Washington and Florida. Chris Matthews wants you to join him for his version weekdays on MSNBC.

When he's not doing "Hardball," he's Washington bureau chief for the San Francisco Examiner and a nationally syndicated columnist since 1987.

He learned politics as a speech writer for President Jimmy Carter and long-time top aide to Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr.

There's not much of an interactive nature with Chris on this Web site. You can find out more about his new "Hardball" book, which features observations of a political insider.

Love him or hate him: Rush Limbaugh still draws millions of listeners each week. And his Web site is very popular as well.

www.rushlimbaugh.com

According to Nielsen Net Ratings for the week ending Nov. 12, Limbaugh was the No. 1 broadcast media Web site on the Internet for at-work use with more than 20 million total page views. That's more than ABC, NBC, CBS.

On his Web site, you can review the highlights of Limbaugh's daily radio broadcast or connect to his radio show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. You can also check out video, audio or text highlights. You can read the "Pearls of Wisdom from the Maha Rushie" with his quotes of the day. You can also check out a Paul Shanklin's parody on the politics of the day or link over to his Web site for more.

There's also a link to Katherine Harris' Website -- you know, the Secretary of State from Florida. Talk about being thrust into the national limelight. There's an e-mail link as Rush encourages you to e-mail your support.

If you click on "about the show" on the top bar, you get a direct e-mail link to Rush. If you listen to his show, it's clear that he reads many of his e-mails every day -- and even during the show.

Fox News also brings you Hannity and Colmes, another hot talk show guaranteed for plenty of disagreement.

Every weeknight, the show brings an unscripted fast-paced debate featuring conservative Sean Hannity and liberal Alan Colmes.

www.foxnews.com/hannityandcolmes

You can check out the guests that will be on each night, or peruse a recap of past shows through transcripts and video.

The show started on Fox in 1996. Hannity made his name on radio in Atlanta and still hosts an afternoon talk show on an AM radio station. Colmes also made his initial mark in radio. He still hosts a radio talk show.

You can also participate in the Hannity and Colmes forum. You can learn more about both the hosts at their own Web sites, www.alan.com or www.hannity.com.

If you're looking for outrageous commentary, check out the Web site of Neal Boortz. He's a Libertarian, which means he doesn't really like the Democrats or Republicans. But he does tend to lean more conservative, and he really dislikes Bill Clinton.

www.boortz.com

You can learn more about Boortz and even his "institute for insensitivity training." His site features this warning about the election: "We, the people of Florida, are holding this election hostage. When you promise to stop sending us your old people, we will release your election." You can then click on a button that says "Blame Florida" for clothing of the same boast. You can also download a free diploma from the Electoral College. Boortz encourages you to "get your doctorate in fuzzy math." You can also learn more about Neal Boortz and his nationally syndicated radio show. He has about 3 million listeners.

You can learn more about Neal than you ever wanted to know at his Web site, or listen to his show from 7:30 to 11 a.m.. A portion of the show also airs on KZIM-AM 960. You can also e-mail him from the Web site. He's another one who enjoys e-mail.

Of course, if you're tired of it all, you can curl up with a good book and take a break.

What's your favorite news talk Web site? E-mail me at jonia@sehosp.org.

See you in cyberspace.

Joni Adams is the Webmaster at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, www.southeastmissourihospital.com