Creep

Your first impression about South Carolina Joe Wilson was correct. He's an opportunistic creep. His outburst during Obama's speech now seems more planned and premeditated than ever. Get this.

If you wondered how fast WTIC-AM would slide to the bottom

(WTIC-AM. Dimmer, longer.)

It didn't take long.

Granted, Vicevich began his extra hour on Friday, Jan. 2, but this morning, on his first Monday, of his first full week of expanded programming, I decided to tune in one last time to be an earwitness to the transition to advanced stupidity.

I was not disappointed.

At five minutes to nine, conservo-solo-host Ray Dunaway called Vicevich to the mic, and together they concluded that Harry Reid (who I am no great fan of), was the "most despicable person on earth." Harry Reid? Spineless, maybe. Driven by devotion to his benefactors, probably (but these days, which politician isn't?), but "most despicable?" Seems like the start of some the same kind ongoing right-wing hyperbole Limbaugh invented.

Harry Reid is a "weasel" Dunaway pronounced.

So much for balanced on-air opinionating.

Vicevich began his show with a months-old Nancy Pelosi soundbite that he must have played hundreds of times on his show (every time I ever listened, he played it at least twice), a music cut from Rodney Crowell (one of the twelve American acts he actually knows anything about), and then launched into a stammering (because he is a stammerer) tirade about corrupt Democrats. While he might be right on the Democrats, he laughably omitted any hint that Republicans, especially Bush Republicans, might also be guilty (and have been shown to be guilty) of cronyism, corruption and pay-to-play.

Vicevich announced the litany of tired-and-true conservative commentators who would join him over the next few days, hiccuped through a lame tribute to Diane Smith, and then with Dunaway on mic with him, they launched into a defense of "poor John Rowland" who was driven from office on "trumped-up charges."

Oh lord.

Is this the same John Rowland I'm thinking of? The one who was convicted of corruption and did jail time? That John Rowland?

I had had enough. I reprogrammed my pre-set, and tuned into John Dankowsky, who inevitably will garner a lot of new listeners. If WNPR would feature traffic reports (and they should), I would never have a reason to tune to any AM radio stations.

With confirmation that CBS is preparing WTIC-AM for sale, we can only hope that the dim-burning light of conservative liars will disappear when some corporate giant like ClearChannel who will make it all-satellite all the time, and another local station will disappear, along with its vexingly-stupid show hosts.

I've been thinking this for years; I just wish I'd thought to say it out loud first

Bill Maher should get a lot of crap for his recent definition of an asshole, but I couldn't agree with him more. This segment from his New Rules portion of his show is a beautiful dissection of the jingoistic, bellicose, hypocritical ravings from the chickenhawks on the right. Wear a flag pin, wear a yellow ribbon, wear a rubber bracelet, but for god's sake don't volunteer yourself or anyone in your family for difficult duty.

No ugly cracks please

As one of his last, and most important tasks, it seems Karl Rove is determined to get to the bottom of a serious breach in security.

After a speech at American University earlier in the year, he was taunted mercilessly by some protesters who were determined to display their better side.

This obviously raised a stink with Rove, who is now turning to the Secret Service to perform some serious undercover work. I'm sure they'll discover whomever was behind this dastardly behaviour. Rove, apparently, does not appreciate being the butt of someone else's idea of a joke.

Thanks for your service, Karl.