I would take a hard look at Larry Elder. the Sage of South-Central Los Angeles. He is quick-witted, humorous, and has the ability to grasp the big picture, but he's a bit more libertarian than Rush, which some dittoheads may find off-putting. Another excellent choice would be John Batchelor. Besides being well-informed on the big issues, he has the best theme song of any talk show host,
Midnight, the Stars and You.