By Scoop Stanton
I often say “It’s what we do.” Which is a quote from New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton. I also say “Things happen for a reason.” In my teenage years I was hooked on Rush Limbaugh and later Michael Savage, Howard Stern and then Opie and Anthony. I love radio. Both music and talk. As I got older it was more talk than music as the music stations went to hell. In 2005, I came across a website that eventually led me to “The Political Cesspool.” I said “Oh, I got to listen to this!” And I was hooked! James Edwards was talking like no other radio host anywhere. Not even Michael Savage. I emailed the kid and told him I was a fan. And he responded back! I listened more and more and emailed again and again. And he responded! I decided to take a chance. I asked James if I could be the European Correspondent to “The Political Cesspool.” And he said yes! Mind you, we never met face to face. We didn’t know one another from Adam. I could have been a plant from the SPLC or ADL and he could be the Sean “P. Diddy” Combs of radio or something.
I first started calling in at 2 am from Spain on my dime. I was nervous, mumbling, and unprepared. Things haven’t changed! I talked about going to Morocco, which was like a prequel for the movie Taken, eating fresh fish and so on. I earned the nickname “Scoop” from Cesspool alumni Winston Smith since I always had the “scoop.”
In 2007, I rotated back to the states and went to training in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. Memphis was only five hours away. After class one Friday I hauled ass to Memphis. I was running late and had no US cell phone and no way to let James know I was running late. I arrived at the “spacious and testefully decorated” WLRM studios in the bean field in Millington. I had to run to the bathroom and heard James ask Eddie if he heard something and if the Bombardier was packing heat! I heard a knock and then Eddie asked: “Scoop!?” “Yeah!” Whew! I finished my business and joined the show. I sat down the very first time with James and Eddie and said: “I’m home!” The next night I met up with James, Eddie, then Winston, Geoff Melton and some of the wives. We went out to eat then to a Ron Paul meet up. Eddie opened his mouth and was ejected and Winston and I were scribbling nonsense on a post it note! “These are my people!” Later that night we went to a karaoke bar which I was dragged on stage! We sang “Runaround Sue.” We tore the house down. We were getting phone numbers, women’s unmentionables and lots of love. James was carried on some fans’ shoulders and I got a bucket of Gatorade dumped on me. “We were the God Damn Rolling Stones!” James has a different recollection of that night.
The joke around here is that nobody leaves. Why would they? I booked Sean Bergin and Jim Lancia as guests. Both were unreal. James and I knew we needed these men to help with the show. So i did a “shotgun job offer” where I tell Sean and Jim on their segment that were looking for someone to help with the show with talent and determination then offer the position on the air! And the bit bombed! Badly! But they came on board. When some depraved human being shot up the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, we were one of few media outlets to denounce the shooting, despite our differences with the Alphabet Mafia. Sean picked apart the media for the cover up and Jim destroyed the cops for their failure. James and I listened with baited breath.
In 2014, I reached out to Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Charlie LeDuff. When we spoke on the phone he was going a mile a minute. I was silent. He asked me if I was recording the conversation. My response was: “No, but I wish I was!” Charlie came on and it was one of many car wrecks with us! Years later he came on as a guest on “Red 42” then a guest on “75 Radio” and now a part of the family! LeDuff was a part of the greatest night in the history of Liberty News Radio: October 28, 2023!
Anthony Cumia was someone I looked up to as a younger man. He was fired in 2014 for his posts on Twitter about the woman who attacked him. I told James he would be good for the show, and convinced him to book him. August 2, 2014 will be a night that will live for me forever. Anthony Cumia on the Cesspool! It was honestly the best interview Cumia and James ever did. Unfortunately we never got to work with him again.
The Cesspool had Geno Steaks founder Joey Vento on as a guest. Vento made headlines with a sign that read: “This is America, please order in English.” I came up with an idea. I was in DC and Sean was in New York; Road Trip! Sean and I did a report live from Geno’s. Sean claimed he was frantically doing research while I was stuffing my face with a sandwich. He wasn’t lying. During the segment, Sean sad he was going to give me $20 to the street musicians to stop playing!
One thing about James is that he is trustworthy. He has given me carte blanche to do what I need to do for the show. So I used the name of “The Political Cesspool” to get into CPAC! I was in hog heaven. The first CPAC I was hanging out with Cesspool fans including Matt Heimbach who was part of our movement that was caught messing with his mother in law as the entire family lived in a trailer! I did meet actor extraordinaire Robert Davi! He couldn’t been any nicer and he wasn’t surrounded by security goons like these wannabe celebrities!
I watched James speak at the National Press Club. James and Jared Taylor blew it out of the water! This event was sponsored by Richard Spenser. James and I were looking at photos of past speakers at the Press Club. I said: “Look James, you should be on that wall!” Such speakers included Janet Napolitano and Nelson Mandela. I then replied: “Well, maybe not.”
Charlottesville was one of the most monumental moments in Cesspool history. Eddie and I were to meet up, observe what was going on, then report on the events and have a couple of laughs. Instead it was a set up where the cops did nothing to prevent the protesters from being harmed. It was one of the most monumental moments in Cesspool history. It was proof positive that we are under attack and nothing is being done to protect us. During the show witness after witness calling in. I usually had the last segment of the show, I got less than five minutes. After three hours we were just getting warmed up, but the show was over. This gave me the idea of “the fourth hour” of TPC. With my work ours changing it was almost impossible to call in.. I went to James and Sam with this idea and their blessing. I wasn’t leaving the Cesspool, just adding an addition. The first spinoff was “Red 42” with Jim Lancia. This lasted for a year as Jim’s heart wasn’t in it. I asked “Political Cesspool” and “Red 42” guest Walter Yurkiw if he wanted to collaborate. He was in. So “Seven Five Radio” was born. Eddie Miller also started a spinoff show. So every Saturday Night we have seven hours of programming with Cesspool staff on Liberty News Radio.
The best part of “The Political Cesspool” is the people of “The Political Cesspool.” These men and women I call family, consider family and love like family. I met some of the greatest people on God’s green earth. That’s why on “75 Radio” I list people from the Cesspool, and frequent contributors Charlie LeDuff and Gary Byrne. The people on air are exactly the same off air. Just the language is cleaner. It was because of James Edwards I was able to meet Eddie, Winston, Sam, Charlie LeDuff, Gary Byrne, Jim Lancia, Sean Bergin, Robert Davi, Sheriff David Clarke, Ed Huebner, Mike Rakebrandt, Andrew Giuliani, Heather Powers McBride and the lovely Danila Rodrigues. It was because of James Edwards I was able to interview Anthony Cumia, Cal Thomas, Lenny Dykstra, Gary Byrne, Michael Dowd and many others. It was James Edwards who helped me achieve my dream of getting into radio. This is something I’ll never forget. One thing about James is that he is selfless. In 2015 when the Dylan Roof fiasco went down, not only was James getting visits from the cops, and getting more death threats and absolutely destroyed in the dumpster fire media, his first concern was for our new member of the family Sean Bergin. ames was worried that all this negative publicity, Sean wouldn’t be able to get another job in “legitimate” media again. Sean’s response was: “Well this Irishman says if they want a fight, then bring it on motherfucker!” Right then and there I knew Sean was one of us!
As for the man who brought us all here; James Edwards. James is a natural talent. At the 20th anniversary show, I was still mesmerized how he did it! Most of it, off the cuff, no notes, and he was in his element. He does his homework and is never at a loss for words. James is also a fighter. He has taken so many shots by the media, SPLC, ADL, politicians, and other so-called colleagues. James makes no excuses and no apologies. At the 20th anniversary party, I had nowhere to sit so James let me sit at the head table with his family. I was honored. I knew what kind of man James is by looking at his kids. Intelligent, well behaved and polite. Since I host “the fourth hour” of the Cesspool, I was “the fourth Edwards child.” Fortunately Dani didn’t have to scold me. Much. But I can’t thank James Edwards enough! It was because of him I was able to meet so many great people throughout the years and have the time of my life. It was James Edwards who made my dream come true! I wanted a career in radio, instead I gained a family!
SEVEN FIVE RADIO 