Talk Show Host Ratings - Levin, Rush, Hannity, Ingraham, Crowley, Grant, Savage, O'Reilly (VANITY)

5/5/04 | Self

[NYC Republican]

I can only comment on the talk show hosts that are on WABC or WWOR radio in the NY Metro region, all can be heard live here http://www.wabcradio.com/ (except for Rush). Feel free to add your comments.

Top Tier:

Rush Limbaugh - Strengths -incredible insight, extremely politically savvy, good listener - patient, educational... solid conservative credential on all fronts, can be funny at times, excellent at satire. Weaknesses - can be full of himself at times. Even though many of his comments (talent on loan from God, maja-Rushdie, the all-knowing...) are said tongue-in-cheek, it gets a little old... his self-promotions can be a bit tough to digest, especially when his book was released.

Rush is the cream of the crop.

Mark Levin - Strengths -quickly becoming my favorite. NO self-promotion, shoots from the lip, says exactly what's on his mind... is EXTREMELY bright (constitutional lawyer), NOTHING politically correct about this guy - unlike Hannity, who tends to play softball with some of his guests, Levin only serves up hardballs. He actually seeks out liberal callers to destroy their logic... GREAT sense of humor... He's a fellow FReeper!!! Weaknesses: can definitely be VERY abrasive at times.. short temper.

If you haven't heard Mark Levin, treat yourself. Especially after a bad political day... He's a breath of fresh air (ABC from 6-7 EST).

Very Good

Laura Ingraham - Ok - NO apologies for having a bigger pic of Laura. She's hot! Strenghts - Very bright, sarcastic (in a good way), intuitive, enjoyable program... humorous, insightful, love the way she blows away the libs and their platforms, stoic delivery is fantastic IMO. Weaknesses - shameless promotion of her book... awful at mimicing others (her British accent during Travelocity ads is atrocious).

Sean Hannity Strenths- Huge exposure -can, and does, make a big dent in getting the message out... the hardest-working conservative around... right on target on all major conservative issues... will confront most libs head-on, though on occasion will play softball... DESPISES the Klintons more than just about anyone I know, does not hold back in expressing his outrage at libs... isn't afraid to challenge the J. Jacksons of the world... excellent at tearing apart libs like Kennedy, Dean, Huffington, etc... excellent at staying on message, and breaking it down to a level that the average non-political soccer-mom can understand... gets the TRUTH out, and exposes the LIB lies!... Weaknesses - shameless self-promotion of his book - thankfully that's ended... not the most informed (yesterday he was calling Kosovo a city)... throws softballs at people like Specter, other libs... Needs to improve his interview skills - needs to become a better listener.

Monica Crowley Strengths- very knowledgeable about international events... forceful, energetic conservative - no holds barred, shoot from both barrels, take-no-prisoners assault on libs... STRONG supporter of the War on Terror, enjoyable program, frequent contributer to the Batchelor (and formerly Alexander) show weaknessTends to spend an inordinate amount of time on the same topics. While Israel is important, the amount of time she spends talking about them is overkill IMO... not a very good interviewer -loses patience quickly.

Good:

Bob Grant StrenthsHas always had solid conservative credentials... not afraid to stand up to, or go head-to-head, with anyone... Excellent at discussing local issues... huge supporter of the WOT. weaknessesSadly, his best days are behind him - he's made a few strategic verbal blunders that have turned off his listeners, and had him PANNED by the media... can be VERY abrasive on the phone... Voice can be very grating, sounds like he's 85 (he's not that far off).

Below Average:

Bill O'Reilly strentgthswhen taking on the conservative side of an issue, can be very forceful, attacks the libs without mercy... HATES the Klintons and Franken as much as anyone... Very good speaking voice, speaks very clearly and fairly eloquently, is fairly patient with callers weaknessesA blowhard... tries so hard to shake the "conservative" label, that he bends over backwards to support liberal issues where ever he can... shameless self-promoter- of his book, of his various shows, etc

Poor:

Michael Savage Strengths - very conservative (though libertarian on other issues) on most issues - excellent views on immigration, despises the libs, Hollywierd... can be very funny and entertaining... very bright guy overall weaknessesThe most shameless self-promoter I've EVER heard. He brings up his book constantly, MONTHLY after its release, he offers tickets to his shows if callers answer questions correctly, he says that he, and HE ALONE, takes credit for having Bush elected, because of his "Passionate Conservative comment"... Is overly shrill - after President Bush proposed (note proposed, it's DOA), Savage called for Bush to be impeached... VERY nasty on the phone, interpersonal skills are awful... Had a caller yesterday say that he's sick of the Right-Wing Propoganda/Bias on talk radio, the same way he used to be sick of liberal bias. Savage agreed!!! He's part of it! He could have said that talk radio doesn't claim to be fair and balanced!... biggest ego I've EVER heard on the radio....

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I'm sure I'll be flogged for some of my opinions, but they're just that, my opinions... Please enlighten us on any other talk show hosts that we should listen to (Melved, etc).

[ken5050]

I can't even begin to go there, touch that..you win..I concede...LOL!!!

[RightWhale]

Bohannon is highly professional, as is Larry King. Both are way Left, but reasonable most of the time. Bohannon thinks he is Moderate, LOL. Both George Noori and Art Bell dabble in political talk and seem to be Conservative, but aren't consistent, esp. on Global Warming.

[Bluntpoint]

Before he went off the air in Cincinnati about 6 or 7 years ago.

He is entirely unapologetic about his mistresses.

He chortles that a real man cannot be tied down to one woman.

He suggests that it is in God's plan that big, virile men like him go forth and multiply.

I found it all distasteful.

[LiteKeeper]

Dennis Prager and Hugh Hewitt are also excellent; Mike Gallagher is pretty good too.

[Protagoras]

Larry Elder, all the rest are second tier IMO.

[NYC Republican]

She's really not a babe.

Laura sure is...

[mbraynard]

You sure about that? Certain?

[Bluntpoint]

I like both Hewitt and Prager.

I put Gallagher in the same league with Hannity.

They both amaze all the old women in their remedial GED classes.

[Bluntpoint]

Heard it with my own two cute little ears.

Hell, read his book, Will, he writes about his own infidelity.

[kevao]

The difference is that Sean hawked his book for about a 5 or 6 weeks tops. Savage is still hawking his book, shamelessly, many many months after his release. Not only that, but his tour as well.

I see, so you don't have a problem with self-promotion per se.

[Allan]

I would rate both Bob Grant and certainly Michael Savage much higher.

Yes Savage has a big 'ego'
but name one talk show host who doesn't.
Savage just doesn't make a pretence of being humble.
When he is in his best form
his spontaneous verbal skills are breathtaking.

As for Bob Grant
I find him extremely sympathetic
as a fellow curmudgeon.
He is equally abrasive with those
who agree with him
as with those
who disagree.
It's all good fun.
And his opinion is extremely astute
on almost every issue.

[NYC Republican]

I see, so you don't have a problem with self-promotion per se.

Sure I do, I tuned out Sean (and criticized him here on FR for it), but it was for a very limited time, unlike Weiner, er, I mean, Savage.

[exile]

"I've often wondered if either Michelle Malkin or Ann Coulter could pull off a daily radio show. Ann I'm not so sure about, but I think Michelle could do it."

I think Ann could pull it off, besides being very intelligent, and a babe, she's also wickedly funny. I'd love to hear her rip into a few seminar callers.

[kevao]

Not only that, but his tour as well.

Which one, the Hannitization tour or the Savagitization tour?

[ovrtaxt]

I love listening to Mike Savage. He's a great story teller, he always has an entertaining angle on current events, and he's as unpredictable as a hurricane. But his unpredictability also leads to self- contradictory statements.

He's very emotion-driven. Lots of fun to listen to.

Boortz has the best sense of humor of any host.

[radiohead]

he is a cheerleader for the values and culture that made America great.

There are times when I think Savage is completely insane, but 99.99% of the time, I agree with Savage and with your take on him. There is an American culture, there are American values, and we are losing them rapidly.

an aside - I recall Rush saying that his staff agrees with him politically. Sean has liberals working with him. I have come to see liberalism as a mental problem and don't know how Sean can have these people on his staff. Let them work for Jennings, et al. I have no interest in hearing Sean talk to some young, idiot, liberal female on his staff. I never discount the possibility of sabotage from these people. Fire her and get a hard working conservative onboard.

[genghis]

PHil Hendrie- some of the funniest moments in the history of radio. he had a nutrtionist on who claimed that a diet of 100% cady was good for kids. Obviously a total farce, but the callers, well that is why we had the du.

[uncitizen]

Can someone remind me of the name of the old gentleman that sometimes sat in for Savage and on WND radio? He was a White House correspondent during Clintons time and would ask unbelieveably great questions. The other correspondents would laugh at him sometimes but it never stopped him. His name was long and unusual. And he was great on the radio.

[Allan]

Les Kinsolving.

[Bluntpoint]

Was it this old guy?