RADIO TALKERS EAT THEIR OWN, PART II

by Steve Young

Last week, Fox's Bill O'Reilly dedicated a show to tell other talk show hosts how they should act.

ABC Radio's Mark Levin took exception and threatened to go a full hour detailing Bill's "Porn" problem.

This past week Salem Radio's Michael Medved tore a new one into his talk show brethren at right wing web site, Townhall.com, over what he believes is unfair treatment of John McCain.

"Of course, this discussion only begins to scratch the surface when it comes to the smears and distortions against Senator McCain from some of his long-standing foes in the Republican establishment. Fortunately, the Senator himself is getting more opportunity to speak directly to the American people, above the heads of the talk radio hosts who are leading the hysterical charge against him."

Sean Hannity spent a good portion of his show basically saying that he can say what he wants to say and then he did.

It's an explosion of blaring disagreement all born out of what is a new ball game for conservative talk radio, a Republican presidential selection process that's anything but slam bang vote for one man.

And if the one man becomes John McCain the Lords of Loud might just become awfully quiet.

Glen Beck said he would believes he "wouldn't be able to pull the lever for McCain."

The loudest Lord of Loud, Rush Limbaugh, led the way with a verbal blitz, not just against McCain but against his closest rival in South Carolina, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

"I'm here to tell you, if either of these two guys get the nomination, it's going to destroy the Republican Party. It's going to change it forever, be the end of it"

But the disagreements on the right's dial seems to be more than just a battle over which candidate would best suit each talker.

Continuing his attempt to use homeless veterans as a punching bag for his nightly attack of John Edwards, O'Reilly brought on Fox Contributor Col. David Hunt to back up his contention that the economy has nothing to do with veterans ending up on the street. Hunt who is far more veteran than BillO is a journalist, refused to join the siege on Edwards and instead spoke to the very real problems facing our returning soldiers. BillO tried tirelessly to return to the Edwards and David Letterman comments the night before, but Hunt didn't bite, causing the other comely guest to become a silent partner in the conservative threesome.

Newest member to the right wing radio talk show party and former comic, Dennis Miller, discounted the entire talk show business by telling O'Reilly that in the presidential campaign "only Limbaugh matters...the others (which would include Hannity, O'Reilly, et al) don't matter a twit." Miller also pretty much dismissed the import of the Factor, reminding BillO that no candidates will come on with BillO.

Put on Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries."

Cue the helicopters.

I'll get put on the Jiffy Pop.

Ah, I love the smell of right wing hosts burning each in the morning.

Smells like anything but victory.