I was more to the right then; well I was a 20-something stupid "Reagan Democrat" who thought Tom Clancy and Limpballs represented the best of US foreign policy and that what was good for business was good for us. As of yet, I had no experience and observations to compare it to. Yet, even then, his brash arrogance and ridicule of environmentalists, labor, and minorities made me squirm. He definitely got meaner in the early 90's: Much more snarky and bitter. It was also clear to me that the many of his adoring callers/fans "agreed" with him, and laughed and cheered him on in his parodies of what he presented as "the left" did so more out of some kind of neocon solidarity than actual consensus. Indeed, many called and basically said: "Yeah, you have a point but that was just too over-the-top and in bad taste". He would just basically react by either accusing them of being a "seminar caller" or by flatly stating that this show was about what HE wanted to talk about.
For every critic that made it past his call screener ( only the most unfocused or inarticulate ones ) there would be 4 more calls from the most vile sort of neocon writ so large, you'd swear they were paraphrasing off of a checklist: Usually sneering obnoxiously brash financial types crowing how much they made while Limpballs cheered them on about what an excellent testament their "work" was to some entrepreneurial spirit of the USA! USA! USA!
What I'm really telling you all is that I know his absolute vileness all to well due to familiarity. Before Fox and other 24/7/365 news outlets, this is how conservatives ID'd each other. The talking points were there on AM radio: Once they had visual punch and rapid-fire delivery of TV news, the ignorance spread like a fire on a Christmas tree.
I haven't thought about it before, but now when I do, I see lived through it. I'm not glad to say so.
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