Aaron Harber

Infobox Celebrity
name =Aaron Harber


image_size =144px
caption =Aaron Harber
birth_date =birth date and age|1953|6|07
birth_place =Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
death_date =
death_place =
occupation =Talk Show Host, Commentator, Author, and Television Personality
Web site = [http://www.HarberTV.com/HarberTV.com]

Aaron Harber (born June 7, 1953) is an American long-form political TV talk show host featured on KBDI-TV Channel 12 (Colorado Public Television), COMCAST Entertainment Television, and KPXC-TV (ION Media Networks). Aaron often writes columns for "The Colorado Statesman" and "The Denver Daily News", [Citation: The Denver Daily News: “In addition to his work in television, Harber also is a columnist for "The Colorado Statesman" and "The Denver Daily News". [http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=435] ] and serves as an on-air, political analyst for the Denver CBS affiliate, CBS4 (KCNC-TV). [Citation: CBS: “Harber is an on-air political analyst for the Denver CBS affiliate, CBS4 (KCNC-TV).” [http://video.aol.com/video-detail/roundtable-what-happens-after-party-caucus/2344688711] ]

The Aaron Harber Show

Aaron is the host and executive producer of "The Aaron Harber Show" a nonpartisan, political TV Talk Show. [Citation: IMDB: “Harber also serves as the Executive Producer for television programs.” [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1400768/] ] He is best known for his exclusive, long-form interviews with such guests as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, [Citation: The Denver Post: “Beating the national networks to rare interviews is something Harber does regularly.” [http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_4227503] ] FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, President Bill Clinton, former U.S Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, CBS Anchor Bob Schieffer, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, SHELL Oil President John Hofmeister and General David Petraeus (the latter interviews conducted in Iraq and at the Pentagon) [Petraeus interview next for local TV host, Harber snags time with top American commander in Iraq [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5697893,00.html] ] [Citation: The Carol Nashe Group: “Harber is known nationally for his wide range of programming." [http://www.talkshowhosts.com/directoryF-H.htm] ]

General Petraeus

On January 31, 2008, Aaron traveled to Iraq to conduct an interview of General David Petraeus in Baghdad at the General's personal invitation. [Citation: Rocky Mountain News: “Harber also has taken risks for his viewers, such as when he traveled to Iraq to interview General David Petraeus.” [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/mar/18/pearson-iraq-unfiltered/] ] There were three interviews in the series titled "The Real Iraq". The first interview was conducted at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. on September 14, 2007. This first interview by Harber of General Petraeus occurred after the General testified before Congress. The interview of General Petraeus was the last one he granted at the Pentagon before returning to Iraq. [Petraeus interview next for local TV host, Harber snags time with top American commander in Iraq [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5697893,00.html] ]

Notable guests

Some other notable guests of "The Aaron Harber Show" include:Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, [Citation: Colorado Confidential: “Harber hosts the only “live” call-in television programs with Governor Bill Ritter.” [http://www.coloradoconfidential.com/tag.do;jsessionid=94DF7D534A84620B3E4392FDA7A650A0?tag=Aaron+Harber] ]
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, former Congressman Bob Schaffer (R),
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Congressman Mark Udall (D),Colorado U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (D),Colorado U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R),
Queen Noor of Jordan, [Citation: MSNBC: “Harber also is known for his interviews with international guests.” [http://boards.msn.com/thread.aspx?ThreadID=384864] ] 2004 Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry, philanthropist Teresa Heinz Kerry, [Citation: Denver Post.com, Boulder's KBCO celebrates 30 years [http://www.denverpost.com/kreck/ci_6023257] ]
Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff,
green venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, writer Dave Barry,
PBS Anchor Jim Lehrer,
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, “Democracy Now" television & radio host Amy Goodman, former Vice-President nominee Jack Kemp, ABC’s Cokie Roberts,
United Nations Foundation President Tim Wirth, former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson,
futurist John Naisbitt, former U.S. Senator Gary Hart, the artist Christo,
Iraq Study Group Co-Chair & former Congressman Lee Hamilton, former U.S. Secretary of Energy,
Secretary of Transportation, and Denver Mayor Federico Pena,
Washington Post executive Ben Bradlee, Congressman & presidential candidate Tom Tancredo [Citation: Colorado Confedential, Ask Tom Tancredo: Local talk show wants your questions [http://www.coloradoconfidential.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3293] ] , activist & presidential candidate Ralph Nader, Ambassador Swanee Hunt, university president & former U.S. Senator Hank Brown,
Aspen Institute CEO, former TIME Magazine Managing Editor, and former CNN Chairman Walter Isaacson, author & gadfly Jim Hightower, National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, and former Mayor & former DNC Vice Chair Wellington Webb.

Contrarian Programming Approach

As others have noted, Harber’s approach to broadcasting differs from most political talk shows which are loud and rancorous. Rather, his program attempts to provide a forum for accuracy and truth via mutually respectful discourse in a format in diametric opposition to television’s addiction to the generation of gratuitous conflict, false controversy, polarization, and unfounded personal attacks. "The Aaron Harber Show" tries to give everyone a fair chance to speak in a setting conducive to honest and candid discussion. As a result, it attracts viewers from business, government, politics, and the Media.t [Citation: A Truth In Political Advertising, "transform politics in America" [http://www.tipap.org/about_key.htm] ]

Other Media Work

Since 1998, Harber also has served as the on-camera Political Analyst for CW2 of the CW Network (previously Tribune Broadcasting station KWGN/WB2 – part of the Warner Brothers Network) in Denver and across Colorado. He is a columnist for the State’s major political publication, "The Colorado Statesman". He also write as a columnist for "The Denver Daily News". [Citation: Coyote Gulch, "2003 Denver Municipal Election - KBDI Election Coverage" [http://radio.weblogs.com/0101170/2003/05/02.html] ]

"The Senate In Balance"

In January 2008, Aaron Harber executive produced a new series, "The Senate in Balance". [Citation: The Denver Post: Politics West: “Harber also is the Executive Producer of 24-program series entitled, "The Senate In Balance". [http://www.politicswest.com/campaign2008?page=6] ] The series is designed as a public platform for Mark Udall (D) and Bob Schaffer (R), the two major party candidates in the highly-contestant United States Senate race in Colorado.

The series focuses on the contest between former Colorado Congressman Bob Schaffer and incumbent Congressman Mark Udall to replace retiring Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colorado).The race is on the national radar screen and is recognized as one of the most competitive Senate seats in the country.No two federal candidates have participated in such an extensive series in the history of the nation.

In addition to the two candidates, Colorado’s two current Colorado U.S. Senators, Wayne Allard (R) and Ken Salazar (D) have agreed to participate in this history-making series as have former Colorado U.S. Senators Bill Armstrong (R), Hank Brown (R), Ben Campbell (R), Gary Hart (D), and Timothy Wirth (D). [Citation: My FOX Colorado: "Udall, Schaffer Trade Barbs in FOX 31 Debate.” [http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/pages/News/Politics/Detail;jsessionid=F7FFB07B7F51FE6B89D88A9CF8419B4C?contentId=7126978&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.14.1&sflg=1] ]

"2008 Denver Democratic National Convention Series"

In addition to his other two shows, Aaron Harber produced 10-episode series documenting the 2008 Democratic National Convention. [Citation: Denver Business Journal, "DNC chatter, KBDI to offer DNC coverage, highlights" [http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/08/18/daily16.html?ana=from_rss] ] This convention was historic in nature because it was the 100th anniversary of Denver's first and only Democratic National Convention since the 1908 Democratic National Convention. The convention was held at Denver's Pepsi Center and was the anniversary of the nomination of William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska as the 1908 Democratic Presidential candidate, was went on to lose the election against Republican William Howard Taft.

Harber interviewed pertinent guests for the series such as Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., Barack Obama National Campaign Co-Chair Federico Pena, Denver 2008 Host Committee President and Chair of the Board of Directors Elbra Wedgeworth, Denver 2008 Host Committee CEO Michael Dino, Denver 2008 Host Committee Co-Chair and chief fundraiser Steven Farber, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. [Citation: Rocky Mountain News: “Hickenlooper confident that fundraising is on track.” [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/04/hickenlooper-confident-that-fundraising-is-on/] ]

Early Career

Aaron Harber’s first stint in broadcasting was in 1992 as the host of the "The WatchDog" -- a political issues, consumer affairs, and citizens' rights program on the Talk of the Rockies Network. In 1994, he became host of “Against The Rush” – initially framed as a humorous but cogent response to Rush Limbaugh which quickly stopped paying attention to Limbaugh and, instead, tackled the issues of the day. Pre-Television Media CareerHarber is known as an ardent defender of the First Amendment and equal rights for all, He gained national recognition when he was sued frivolously for $20 million by Rush Limbaugh, et al, for using the word "Rush" in the title of his national radio program ("After the Rush"). With broad-based support across the entire political spectrum, Aaron prevailed in the federal court case. In 1998, Aaron moved from the Talk America Radio Network (where he was heard on 51 radio stations across the country) exclusively into the television arena. Since then, he has appeared on and hosted a number of television and radio programs. The talk industry's leading publication -- "TALKERS MAGAZINE" -- selected Aaron out of 5,000 hosts across the country as one of America's “100 Most Important Talk Show Hosts” in 1997 (along with other hosts such as Don Imus, G. Gordon Liddy, Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlesinger, Howard Stern, and Bruce Williams).

Formal Education

Aaron Harber was graduated first in his class and as valedictorian from Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. He then was graduated from Princeton University with an AB, and received a special certificate from The Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, where he concentrated in Economics.

At Princeton, Aaron became the first person in the then 220-year history of the University to win the two awards for being the person who did the most for his class (the W. Sanderson Detwiler 1903 Prize) and the most for the University (the Class of 1901 Medal).

Aaron Harber received a Master's Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he concentrated in Ethics in business, government, and politics.