The Dangerous Influence of Far-Right Talk Radio on American Politics

[Ivan Seeking]

I tried listening to Limbaugh a number of times and thought he was loony – the Art Bell of Politics - but I had never heard the Lars Larson or Michael Savage shows: WOW! What a couple of nuts. But of the three Michael Savage takes the cake. To the best of my ability to be precise, here are a few quotes from today’s show:

Liberals are all fascists and perverts

Young people have their minds polluted by college

The raid on the [so called] Mormon complex [they're not really Mormons, but he meant the child abuse case] recently was done to prevent Romney from getting back into the race.

Perhaps the close race between Hillary and Obama is really a conspiracy to overshadow McCain. [at least he only presented this as a theory]

Fear Obama! I think he will, by executive order, legalize gay marriage

Obama will make appointments such as: Al Sharpton as Secretary of Labor, and Jessie Jackson as Supreme Court Judge

Fear Obama! Fear what he will do! [he said this many times, he said this many times, he said this many times]

Al Sharpton was protesting and arrested today because he is jealous of Obama

The white race is dying out and it’s all because of the liberal agenda. Gays, boys who only want sex and don’t want to make babies and become men, and Hollywood whores, are the reason. [As near as I could tell]

Hate crime laws only apply to whites

White people who support Obama are just liberals who feel guilty [about slavery, apparently]

When a caller suggested that if Obama gets elected, the country will be covered with Mosques, Savage agreed.

The Dems and the Reps want to ban talk radio.

It was also one of the most convoluted rants that I've ever heard. Neither Larson or Savage would last a day at PF. They would be banned as crackpots.

Is it any wonder that with people like this bending the ear of working class Americans - hour after hour, day after day, year after year - we get what we have in Washington? But the worst of it is that in spite of the nonsense this guy spreads like horse manure, I defend his right to free speech. At the same time, it makes me sick to see what his brand of bs, and that of his comrades in arms, Larson & Limbaugh, has done to the country. And I have to wonder if there comes a point where his words of hatred are indeed like yelling fire in a crowded theater.

 

[lisab]

That kind of rhetoric puts a knot in my stomach.

There's a guy at my work who listens to this stuff. I get my share of it from time to time.

Since when is "college educated" a derisive term? God forbid that you open your mind to an alternate point of view!

And what is it about this new breed of conservatives and fear? They revel in it.

Conspiracies, conspiracies everywhere - they seem to see a boogie man around every turn.

And gays...and illegal aliens...and guys who don't wear flags on their lapels...on and on it goes. So much to fear, so little time.

 

[Evo]

Oy, they sound like a couple of nuts.

 

[edward]

A bit of Michael Savage (audio). The guy is a total nut case, and apparently some of his listeners are too.

 

[Benzoate]

I tried listening to Limbaugh a number of times and thought he was loony – the Art Bell of Politics - but I had never heard the Lars Larson or Michael Savage shows: WOW! What a couple of nuts. But of the three Michael Savage takes the cake. To the best of my ability to be precise, here are a few quotes from today’s show:



When a caller suggested that if Obama gets elected, the country will be covered with Mosques, Savage agreed.



It was also one of the most convoluted rants that I've ever heard. Neither Larson or Savage would last a day at PF. They would be banned as crackpots.

Is it any wonder that with people like this bending the ear of working class Americans - hour after hour, day after day, year after year - we get what we have in Washington? But the worst of it is that in spite of the nonsense this guy spreads like horse manure, I defend his right to free speech. At the same time, it makes me sick to see what his brand of bs, and that of his comrades in arms, Larson & Limbaugh, has done to the country. And I have to wonder if there comes a point where his words of hatred are indeed like yelling fire in a crowded theater.

I have not listened to Larson and Limbaugh, But Michael Savage says some crazy and outrageous things. For instance, he said that people with autism should be separated from the rest of society. The Guy is delusional sometimes. I have found his show unbearable to listened to for the past couple of days. He calls Obama's preacher un-american because he holds opinions that are not the opinions of a lot of Americans. But his show is definitely hysterical, mostly when he isn't talking about politics.

 

[Poop-Loops]

I've heard of a bunch of right-wing idiot crackpots like Limbaugh, Savage, O'Reilly, etc. But I've never heard of actual left-wing nuts that are equivalent.

 

[Gokul43201]

But I've never heard of actual left-wing nuts that are equivalent.

There are those too...but they are just nowhere near as popular or well-financed.

 

[chemisttree]

A bit of Michael Savage (audio). The guy is a total nut case, and apparently some of his listeners are too.

What a riot! He appears to hate Starbucks as well. Now THAT's unamerican...
Who listens to this guy? Sounds to me like the angry bitter types do.

 

[Benzoate]

What a riot! He appears to hate Starbucks as well. Now THAT's unamerican...
Who listens to this guy? Sounds to me like the angry bitter types do.

believe it or not, this guy has the third most listened to radio talk show in the country.

 

[chemisttree]

I loved the clip. He rants about people in Starbuck's ordering coffee or anything with 'mocha' or 'latte' like it's a crime.

Third most listened to? I'm grabbing my gun and my bible and hunkerin' down...

I thought either NPR's Morning Edition or All Things Considered were the third most listened to radio show. Talk show... Radio show... What's the difference?

Glenn Beck claims to be the third most listened to talk show. (I googled 'third most listened to talk show radio program') Laura Ingraham also claims that title according to Tammy Bruce.

I've got a feeling that Michael Savage is waaayy down the list.

 

[Gokul43201]

Approximate weekly audience (in millions):

Rush Limbaugh - 13.5+
Sean Hannity - 12.5 +
Michael Savage / Dr Laura Schlessinger - 8.0+
Glenn Beck / Laura Ingraham - 5.0+
Neal Boortz / Mark Levin / Dave Ramsey - 4.0+
Mike Gallagher / Michael Medved - 3.75+

http://www.listafterlist.com/tabid/57/listid/10652/Personalities/Top+Talk+Radio+Shows.aspx

 

[seycyrus]

I've heard of a bunch of right-wing idiot crackpots like Limbaugh, Savage, O'Reilly, etc. But I've never heard of actual left-wing nuts that are equivalent.

Why throw in O'reiley with the other two? Clinton. Obama and many many other liberals have appeared on his show. Some do so on a regular basis.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

In the clip, I was struck by his comment about the liberals from San Francisco coming to Oregon and ruining the place in the 1970s.

In Portland, in the early 70s, there were still public drinking fountains marked as "white only". Also, as I was finishing college at OSU, a retiring physics professor told me that during the 60s, some big shot with the KKK ran the physics department. I think he actually said that the guy was the Grand Wizard of the KKK.

I had a very good Chinese friend who was afraid to come to Oregon because it was generally believed among Chinese immigrants that Oregon is too dangerous for non-whites.

Yep, the liberals have absolutely ruined the place! Bring back the real men and their white sheets!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I was personally targeted by some of these types when I moved here because I declared myself to be an environmentalist. My life was threatened and I was harrassed for a couple of years - midnight phones calls, threats, and I think someone got into our house once. I ended up having to involve the Dept of Justice because the police were involved as well. The information from a phone tap that I had ordered by the court mysteriously disappeared. One guy told me that I was going to be arrested for jaywalking and that I would commit suicide while I was in jail.

It is nice to have a relative working with the FBI.

Yep, the liberals have absolutely ruined the place.

 

[Poop-Loops]

Why throw in O'reiley with the other two? Clinton. Obama and many many other liberals have appeared on his show. Some do so on a regular basis.

Clinton (of the BIll variety) appeared on Limbaugh's show recently.

If you listen to O'Reilley you'll notice that he's just as batsh** insane as the others. His War on Chrismas? Please.

 

[drankin]

LOL, Savage rocks!

 

[seycyrus]

If you listen to O'Reilley you'll notice that he's just as batsh** insane as the others. His War on Chrismas? Please.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. O'reilley is nowhere near as controversial as those others you mentioned.

I also believe that there an ongoing effort to remove christianity from christmas. How can you not?

You might agree with the effort, but to deny that it exists, cmon.

I'm going to be away for the next few days, but perhaps on one of thse upcoming nights, we can agree to watch an episode of O'reiley and discuss just how crazy it was. On a segment by segment basis.

And then, just to "correct" the intolerable (*shudder*) fact that Fox gained an extra viewer for an hour one night, we can do the same thing with a show of your choice. I already watch CNN every night, so perhaps something on MNBC.

 

[Poop-Loops]

I'm sorry, but I disagree. O'reilley is nowhere near as controversial as those others you mentioned.

I also believe that there an ongoing effort to remove christianity from christmas. How can you not?

You might agree with the effort, but to deny that it exists, cmon.

I'm going to be away for the next few days, but perhaps on one of thse upcoming nights, we can agree to watch an episode of O'reiley and discuss just how crazy it was. On a segment by segment basis.

And then, just to "correct" the intolerable (*shudder*) fact that Fox gained an extra viewer for an hour one night, we can do the same thing with a show of your choice. I already watch CNN every night, so perhaps something on MNBC.

I don't care about where you percieve bias in other shows. I admit that there is bias in every show. I watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann and he makes it clear that he doesn't like Republicans, will want Obama to win, but will settle for Clinton instead of McCain. Do I agree with him? No. But he doesn't make a total ass of himself by saying that Americans slaughtered Germans in Malmedy or to try and shup up his own guest for speaking his mind and going against what O'Reilly is saying.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Bill_O'Reilly

 

[seycyrus]

And what is it about this new breed of conservatives and fear? They revel in it.

I missed your commentary earlier, and I have to say, i don't know where to start. You seem to be just as guilty of generating stereotypes as those you accuse.

Conspiracies, conspiracies everywhere - they seem to see a boogie man around every turn.

Are you referring to the 9-11 conspiracies, or the "vast right wing" conspiracy?

...and illegal aliens...and guys who don't wear flags on their lapels...on and on it goes. So much to fear, so little time.

Some people believe that enforcing the law is a good thing.

The flag on the lapel thing...is that related to clinton campaing's notification that Obama was not properly covering his heart while the anthem was being sung?

If you are referring to the lapel controversy a few years back, the actual problem was that people were being *forced* to remove their lapel pins.

 

[lisab]

I'm sorry, but I disagree. O'reilley is nowhere near as controversial as those others you mentioned.

I also believe that there an ongoing effort to remove christianity from christmas. How can you not?

You might agree with the effort, but to deny that it exists, cmon.

I'm going to be away for the next few days, but perhaps on one of thse upcoming nights, we can agree to watch an episode of O'reiley and discuss just how crazy it was. On a segment by segment basis.

And then, just to "correct" the intolerable (*shudder*) fact that Fox gained an extra viewer for an hour one night, we can do the same thing with a show of your choice. I already watch CNN every night, so perhaps something on MNBC.

Really? You think there's a war on Christmas? Seriously...? Wow...I'm kind of speechless.

As for O'Reilly, regarding a case where a boy was abducted and held for 4 years: that kidnapped boy *LOVED* being held captive!

http://mediamatters.org/items/200701170009

Ummmm...no, the boy was repeatedly raped by his captor.

If you ever have some time to kill and want to get a look at the sick inner workings of O'Reilly, read through the legal papers that were filed when he was hit by a sexual harassment case:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013043mackris1.html

The guy's a nutcase.

 

[Cyrus]

Really? You think there's a war on Christmas? Seriously...? Wow...I'm kind of speechless.

As for O'Reilly, regarding a case where a boy was abducted and held for 4 years: that kidnapped boy *LOVED* being held captive!

http://mediamatters.org/items/200701170009

Ummmm...no, the boy was repeatedly raped by his captor.

If you ever have some time to kill and want to get a look at the sick inner workings of O'Reilly, read through the legal papers that were filed when he was hit by a sexual harassment case:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013043mackris1.html


The guy's a nutcase.

:rofl: Damn, what a perv!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Limbaugh “Releases” Superdelegates to Obama

After months of promoting “Operation Chaos,” in which the conservative talk show host pushed listeners to vote for Clinton to aid McCain, he pulls back on Wednesday and tells them to go for Obama.

Adds: “He will lose. He will lose big and you supers know it….but go ahead. Go ahead and get in the tank for him.” [continued with clip]

http://thepage.time.com/2008/05/07/limbaugh-releases-the-superdelegates-to-obama/

First Limbaugh loved Bush, then he hated him. First he wanted Hillary, now he wants Obama. Perhaps he is taking drugs again.

 

[seycyrus]

I don't care about where you percieve bias in other shows. I admit that there is bias in every show.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that when you type bat*&&^, you were just mispelling the word "bias".

I watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann...

Yeah, I watch that too. He makes a total ass of himself in lots of other ways.

As for your cherry picked examples...that's all they are. Selected by people trying to push a point.

So... I guess i got you scheduled for next week for watching the shows? O'reiley on Monday, and Olberman on Tuesday?

 

[seycyrus]

Really? You think there's a war on Christmas? Seriously...? Wow...I'm kind of speechless.

I'm positive that I phrased my opinion in quite a different way. Why do you feel the need to introduce such erroneous language to represent my point of view?

*cherry picked examples clipped*

So, are we going to watch two different shows on Tuesday and Wednesday then?

 

[Poop-Loops]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that when you type bat*&&^, you were just mispelling the word "bias".

Yeah, I watch that too. He makes a total ass of himself in lots of other ways.

As for your cherry picked examples...that's all they are. Selected by people trying to push a point.

So... I guess i got you scheduled for next week for watching the shows? O'reiley on Monday, and Olberman on Tuesday?

Look, buddy, it's clear that you have a hard-on for O'Reilly, so let's just stop here.

Bill has said numerous stupid things, such as accusing Americans of slaughtering the Germans in Malmedy, claiming that there are no veterans living under bridges (like John Edwards said) and others. The problem is that when he was confronted with irrefutable evidence to the contrary of his opinions, such as retired generals correcting him on Malmedy during his show, a slew of homeless vets showing up at his doorstep, etc., he just shuts up and ignores it. Not cool.

Hey, what's this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=whYi8sCF5Pg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eOpChXhglGg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qil6hE5qWxo&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XrNl6-j9x5w

The man is an idiot and his show is a waste of time. His stories are ridiculous. He decided not to cover the Iraq War, the one he had a boner for, because it brought the US in a negative light. Great journalism, there.

 

[G01]

(Talking about Countdown with Keith Olbermann)

Yeah, I watch that too. He makes a total ass of himself in lots of other ways.

As for your cherry picked examples...that's all they are. Selected by people trying to push a point.

So... I guess i got you scheduled for next week for watching the shows? O'reiley on Monday, and Olberman on Tuesday?

Olbermann is no where near as ridiculous as O'Reilly. They are not even in the same ball park. Olbermann indeed says things that are biased, but when he makes a claim, he backs up his arguments with facts.

Can you give an undisputable fact that there is an organized conspiratorial effort to remove Christianity from Christmas? Neither can Bill O'Reilly.

Can you give an undisputable fact that the kidnapped boy "loved" being kidnapped and raped? Neither can Bill O'Reilly.

Can you provide evidence that the Americans were the war criminals at Malmady? Neither can Bill O'Reilly. Yet, Keith Olbermann can provide counter evidence to this point, present that evidence and then draw a reasonable conclusion from that evidence. That conclusion was the exact opposite of Bill's.

Keith Olbermann engages in what is called "deductive reasoning." Bill O'Reilly engages in what is called "making things up."

 

[G01]

In regards to Savage:

Michael Savage is insane.

I think a scarier thing is though that there are people like him, everyday people, who think the same way.

I personally have met a few. Here's is an example:

My friend's mother is disgusted by Obama because she hates Muslims because Muslims are terrorists. This woman is a college graduate. Strange she has so many facts wrong.

When I told her I supported Obama, she came to the conclusion that I was "corrupted by liberals at my university and couldn't think for myself." Of course, by "think for myself" she actually meant "think the way she wants me to think."

I have been told by other people that I will not be able to get a job if Obama gets elected because affirmative action will get so bad that whites will not be able to get jobs.

There are good number of people, with a good number of votes, who are engaged in this type of ridiculous, unfounded, fear mongering and conspiratorial thinking. I do not even consider myself a liberal! I like to think of myself as a moderate, yet apparently that's to far left for these people... It is kind of scary that Michael Savage's message gets out there to everyday people.

Yet, Michael Savage has every right to be able to think whatever he wants, which is a right he doesn't think the people who don't think the way he does deserve to have.

 

[chemisttree]

I was personally targeted by some of these types when I moved here because I declared myself to be an environmentalist. My life was threatened and I was harrassed for a couple of years - midnight phones calls, threats, and I think someone got into our house once. I ended up having to involve the Dept of Justice because the police were involved as well. The information from a phone tap that I had ordered by the court mysteriously disappeared. One guy told me that I was going to be arrested for jaywalking and that I would commit suicide while I was in jail.

It is nice to have a relative working with the FBI.

Yep, the liberals have absolutely ruined the place.

I was thinking of you when I heard the part about the SF'ers ruining the place. :rofl: Perhaps you should have stuck to "fiscal conservative with libertarian leanings" rather than environmentalist.

 

[chemisttree]

There are those too...but they are just nowhere near as popular or well-financed.

Some of them are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Ward"

 

[drankin]

In regards to Savage:

Michael Savage is insane.

I think a scarier thing is though that there are people like him, everyday people, who think the same way.

I personally have met a few. Here's is an example:

My friend's mother is disgusted by Obama because she hates Muslims because Muslims are terrorists. This woman is a college graduate. Strange she has so many facts wrong.

When I told her I supported Obama, she came to the conclusion that I was "corrupted by liberals at my university and couldn't think for myself." Of course, by "think for myself" she actually meant "think the way she wants me to think."

I have been told by other people that I will not be able to get a job if Obama gets elected because affirmative action will get so bad that whites will not be able to get jobs.

There are good number of people, with a good number of votes, who are engaged in this type of ridiculous, unfounded, fear mongering and conspiratorial thinking. I do not even consider myself a liberal! I like to think of myself as a moderate, yet apparently that's to far left for these people... It is kind of scary that Michael Savage's message gets out there to everyday people.

Yet, Michael Savage has every right to be able to think whatever he wants, which is a right he doesn't think the people who don't think the way he does deserve to have.

Dr Savage is a genius and borderline insane. I like to listen to him because he can say some outrageous stuff and back it up with intelligent reasoning. He is one of those classic individuals that are completely set in their way of thinking, which is refreshing by itself in a world of the wishy-washy. You can't blame people from calling him nuts but he makes some deep points that really get you thinking.

The one thing I agree with him completely on is his philosophy of language, culture, and borders as being an essential distinction to maintain in the US. Everything else is thought provoking entertainment that can be really inspiring at times.

And of course he can think whatever he wants and be confident that he is right!

 

[Gokul43201]

The O'Reilly Saga, Part 1 of many:

O'REILLY: Have you been in combat Colonel?
CROWLEY: Yes.
PUCKETT: Me? No, sir, I have not.
O'REILLY: How 'bout you, Colonel?
CROWLEY: Yes.
O'REILLY: So you know what we're talkin' about. "Cause I was in combat and when you are there your adrenalin is flying through your ears. And you know you've got the gun and I just couldn't understand ...

And from another show:

"I've been in combat. I've seen it. I've been close to it. And if I'm... my unit is in danger, and I've got a captured guy, and the guy knows where the enemy is, and I'm looking him in the eye, the guy better tell me. That's all I'm going to tell you. He better tell me. If it's life or death, he's going first."

O'Reilly had never served in the military or reported from a combat zone, ever. Later in the same show.

O'Reilly: We've got a caller. Roger. Roger from Portland, Oregon. What say you Roger?

Roger: Yeah, hey, Bill. First things first. You just said you've been in combat, but you've never been in the military, have you?

O'Reilly: No I have not.

Roger: Then why do you say you've been in combat?

O'Reilly: Why do I say that, Roger? Because I was in the middle of a couple of firefights in South and Central America.

Roger: But you were a media guy.

O'Reilly: Yeah. A media guy with a pen, not a gun. And people were shooting at me, Roger.

Roger: People might think that you actually were in the military.

O'Reilly: Oh... We don't want to mislead anybody. But I made it quite clear... quite clear in many, many circumstances --

Roger: [mumbles something about being, or not being, "fair and balanced"]

O'Reilly: [quietly disconnects Roger] Yeah. Hey listen, Roger. You can take your little "fair and balanced" uh... snip remark and shove it, okay? You're not getting on this air. Um... You, mister macho man, have never come close to anything I've done, down where I've been. So take a walk and... uh... 'nuff said.

Not surprisingly, O'Reilly wasn't anywhere near the action during the El Salvador or Falkland Island conflicts. He reported on both stories from the CBS office in Buenos Aires.

http://www.newshounds.us/2005/12/04/bill_oreilly_decorated_war_vet_murtha_afraid_to_come_on_the_factor.php
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/7/11/133950.shtml

 

[Poop-Loops]

Dr Savage is a genius and borderline insane. I like to listen to him because he can say some outrageous stuff and back it up with intelligent reasoning. He is one of those classic individuals that are completely set in their way of thinking, which is refreshing by itself in a world of the wishy-washy. You can't blame people from calling him nuts but he makes some deep points that really get you thinking.

Name one.

The one thing I agree with him completely on is his philosophy of language, culture, and borders as being an essential distinction to maintain in the US. Everything else is thought provoking entertainment that can be really inspiring at times.

Nationalism? You're into that garbage? Watch this over and over until you get that stuff out of your head:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M

 

[Poop-Loops]

Some of them are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Ward"

Ouch! Those right-wing nutters are well... nuts, but they're not that disgusting. Maybe O'Reilly, but even not that far.

 

[drankin]

Name one.



Nationalism? You're into that garbage? Watch this over and over until you get that stuff out of your head:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M

Help me out here, I just read the definition to make sure I'm not missing anything. What's wrong with Nationalism?

I won't be watching any youtube for a few hours, I'm at work.

 

[Poop-Loops]

You live on a tiny planet and you want to make "your land" even smaller by placing arbitrary borders around it and keeping out "other people" as if they were somehow different. The very idea of nationalism is stupid.

Have you ever been outside the US?