Michael Savages the Nation
December 29, 2003
Perhaps I shouldn’t have. I knew what could happen if I switched radio stations during weeknight time slot. But I was desperate. PBS, oasis of thoughtfulness and moderation, was not less so at moment but I was bored by voice of gentle man chronicling love of cartoons. So I pushed button for ESPN radio where fans hungry for sports can sometimes hear about real athletic endeavor but are often battered by blowhards, who never could play, insulting integrity and talent of those who can. Tonight, I didn’t last until manly banter. Instead, I heard two guys laughing at something unfunny one had said. I waited several seconds as lunacy increased, and shuddered how long it might have continued if not cut off with announcement these clever lads had great show, and, presumably, this was highlight. Perhaps I shouldn’t have pushed button summoning Michael Savage, but wanted to hear energetic voice by someone, anyone, as drove into night.
You always get good voice with Michael Savage. You know when you hear it, and he says, when you’re blessed with voice wonderful as mine, people would enjoy listening even if I just read phone book. Savage, of course, always has much more urgent agenda. Tonight he ranted how wrong, foolish, and ultimately un-Savage United States was for rushing to supply humanitarian and rescue aid to earthquake victims in Iran. Twenty thousand dead people had recently been pulled from rubble, thousands more injured, and nation was bereaved, yet Savage, ultimate armchair warrior, could only lament Iranians will still hate us, still attack us, and take aid from naïve white Christians and then turn on benefactors. He insisted U.S. is not merely foolish for helping victims but has ulterior motive: graft. Johnson & Johnson (he cited) and other huge corporations are getting payoffs from government. That’s all effort to help people is – idiocy, weakness, and sordid financial deal.
Savage voice, however technically sound, is too strident, and agenda too alarming, to comfort oneself with notion wide and growing popularity is primarily due to comedic ability. Michael Savage is not funny. Rush Limbaugh’s funny, intentionally or not. Savage is serious, or good pretending white man is oppressed, and United States is comatose giant vulnerable to destruction by Muslims and liberals and weaklings and, evidently, even conservative elements in national government. Conspiracies abound in his world, and one wonders who core listeners are. Most surely are white and enjoy listening to eternal Armageddon. But do they really believe Michael Savage?