The debate over Iraq lit up the airwaves as the hottest-talk topic last week, accounting for 49% of the cable and radio airtime, according to PEJ’s Talk Show Index from Sept. 9-14. That was the most time devoted to the subject in 2007, barely edging out the 48% of the newshole filled by the policy debate on January 7-12, the week when President Bush initially announced the “surge.” Only two stories—the Virginia Tech shooting rampage in the week of April 15-20 (63%) and the firing of talk host Don Imus (61%) during the week of April 8-13—generated more talk conversation than last week’s Iraq showdown.
One of the nice things about the PEJ report is that I get quotes from some of the crazies that I either don't listen to at all or don't have the time to listen to. Here's a great example:
...conservative radio talker Michael Savage took a distinctly different view. “I watched General Petraeus today and I was proud of him,” said Savage. “And I watched the general take the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune from those slimy, backstabbing, anti-American scum called Democrats.”
I know that Savage is a vile extremist but the GOP isn't that far behind him. You might recall that Karl Rove expressed a despicable smear about liberals two summers ago and Sen. Lindsey Graham has the same mindset as Rove and Savage1:
LOWRY: First of all, Alan is flat-out wrong when he says General Petraeus is not including Sunni-on-Sunni and Shia-on-Shia deaths in his numbers. He was asked about this yesterday, and he said, "Look, it was in my chart for total civilian deaths, which are down across Iraq."But, Senator, just let me say one thing really quickly. I think something people admire you on both sides is you always comport yourself in a civil and intelligent way when debating any issue. And what do you think it says about the state of this debate that one of the most liberal groups in the country ran a full page ad calling General Petraeus "General Betray Us"?
GRAHAM: It shows that there are some people in this country who have lost sight of what's going on in Iraq, what's going on in the world, and it's a new low. Taking a man who's lived his life with honor and integrity and accusing him of sending people to their death because of some unknown political agenda, accusing him of sending his own son into a war he believes has been lost or that he's lying about, you know, somebody who would do that should burn in Hell.
1Fox News Network
September 11, 2007 Tuesday
SHOW: FOX HANNITY & CO
9:00 PM EST
Interview With Lindsey Graham
BYLINE: Rich Lowry, Alan Colmes
GUESTS: Lindsey Graham
SECTION: NEWS; Domestic
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