He was the first I heard to call attention to this deal. He was on every talk show that I listen to, (which does not include Michael Savage - but I can imagine their conversation!)
From his sounding the alarm, elected officials began to be asked for comments. None of them had a clue about the deal but that did not stop most from making knee-jerk comments.
Meanwhile, Michelle Malkin and some at NRO got on the hysteria bandwagon. As soon as the press corps got over their Cheney fixation, they were able to focus on this.
And so Americans have spent the past week, sounding a lot like the folks around the world who got hysterical over reports of drawings of the prophet.
It has been profoundly disallusioning for me - I have had to switch to Discovery Health, or HGTV to regain some compusure.
Gaffney: According to records, the UAE has had some questionable dealings with some folks--
Savage: George W. Bush is a liberal traitor who can't say a complete sentence and his pro-homosexual agenda is proof he should be impeached!
Gaffney: Uh...yeah. Anyway, I was alarmed when--
Savage: Liberals! LIB-ER-ALLLLS!!!!! Drunken drug addicted homosexual godless commie scum!
Gaffney: Do you want me to go outside for a minute, Michael?
Savage: The Mexicans are probably behind this, and the AIDS-infested commie pinko, George Bush is a traitor, and drugs, DRUGS!!! Rush Limbaugh is jealous of me!
(sound of door closing quietly)
Savage: Where the hell did he go? The liberals must have dragged Frank Gaffney out into the alley, which is a mess because the drunks in the garbage union have let the rats and the filth take over, and they're doping him up with the heroin George W. Bush gave them! You're all jealous of me! YEEARRGGHH!!!!
Announcer: SAVAGE!
Well, Americans haven't been killing anybody, they've been talking and trying to find out the truth.
And for the people who are lashing out at the "hysterics", well, even the President had no idea what was going on.
Maybe there is nothing to worry about. But within the span of a few short days, a bombshell that nobody understood was dropped on us.
I don't think people have to get angry at each other just because they have differences of opinions that are based on sketchy information (I've been to Dubai, etc.).
And so far, I still think it's a bad idea. It is unfortunate that a (current) ally is being mistreated, but that is as a result of the current system, which apparently didn't require approval from Homeland Security (at the least).