Radio Knave.

     Every town bigger than Bugtussle seems to have a loudmouth, low-rent Rush Limbaugh imitator on its terrestrial airwaves. Some have several, often including the syndicated Oracle of OxyContin himself.

     Such is the case in Phoenix, where one of the country's many mimics plies his ignorant tools of the trade.

     KFYI-AM is a typical talk radio station. Appealing to the lowest common denominator by endlessly repeating right-wing rumors, innuendoes, urban legends and lies, its blueprint is identical to scores of AM stations across the country: to reproduce the Limbaugh schtick to the point of outright aping. It's the pre-eminent, predictable routine of conservative talk radio, the medium's most successful and least challenging format.  

     Bruce Jacobs is KFYI's resident Limbot. He is as you might imagine: unoriginal, witless, mean-spirited and shameless. Much like Limbaugh himself, but without the $400 million contract.  

     Here's some basement-quality Bruce, with the equally dim J.D. Hayworth, parodied here yesterday: 

     Last summer, Jacobs attacked the widow of a slain Phoenix police officer over one of right-wing radio's core talking points, immigration reform. 

     Julie Erfle had the temerity to travel to Washington, DC with Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon to push for immigration reform. To radio right-wingers, of course, "reform" is processed as "amnesty," and, besides--it would leave them with too much dead air to fill.

     According to Azcentral.com, Jacobs said, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Julie Erfle...I don't know how you can look at your kids and do this. . . . When the next police officer is gunned down or killed . . . is it fair to blame you? Because I am going to give you partial blame.

     "Put that in your legacy for your husband."

     Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris wasn't impressed: "To do the kind of attack that this Bruce Jacobs did on the widow of a murdered officer that gave his life for this community less than year ago . . . is reprehensible." 

      And for a guy who is paid to run his mouth, the big-talking Bruce was at a loss for words in an e-mail to The Arizona Republic: "I don't speak to your lying publication." 

     Way to man-up, tough guy.

      I bring up this lowlife because I read where Our Boy Bruce was an eager promotional tool for the outer fringe's protest yesterday as President Obama visited Dobson High School in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa. The recently-signed economic stimulus has the GOP Confederates and their dwindling followers in an uproar, and right-wing talk radio plays a huge role nation-wide in message repetition and troop recruitment.

     According to the East Valley Tribune, approximately 500 to 600 anti-Obama protestors showed up, and KFYI was a main booster. There was also a simultaneous protest against redneck Mariposa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio; strange bedfellows, indeed.    

     Both groups were dwarfed by the number of Obama supporters.

     The Phoenix area has been especially hard hit by the economic meltdown, especially in the housing sector. 

     According to USA Today, median home prices have plummeted from $208,000 a year ago to less than $138,000. A single zip code in the area has 1,500 foreclosures, and 45% of all real estate transactions in this former boomtown stem from foreclosures.

     Meanwhile, talk radio bottom-feeders like Jacobs feed on the anger. A sampling of the signs quoted in the East Valley Tribune at the KFYI-promoted rally read like Limbot radio promos:

     "Resist Cult Obama"

     "It's our money stupid"

     "Don't drink the purple Kool Aid."

     "We've seen the pork. Where's the beef?"

     "Obama speaketh with forked tongue"

     "Mr. Obama show me your birth certificate"

     "Obama cares more about the terrorists than the sailors"

     "B.O. smells and so does socialism"

     KFYI-AM is owned by Clear Channel, well-known in media circles as the owner of over 1,200 radio stations across the country, many with right-wing talk radio formats.

     In the Phoenix-area alone, the San Antonio-based Clear Channel owns eight stations, yet another argument against ownership of multiple stations in a single market.

     In January, a Wall Street Journal  report noted that Clear Channel would be cutting 1,500 jobs, 7 percent of its workforce. Most of the cuts will come in sales, although the Journal said the conglomerate is planning to replace some local programming with syndicated shows.

     Running a single generic syndicated show on multiple stations is cheaper than paying multiple local talent (I'm being generous with that word), and Clear Channel is clearly hurting. 

     Hey, Bruce: maybe you should get your real estate license.   

Postscript:

I e-mailed this post to Jacobs. Here's the response:

yawn mooch...go beg like a dog...do you fetch papers also beggar...hey beggar I think I heard that very same promise what 15 years ago...hey do you chase a ball like a dog as well because you beg like 1

So that passes as the wit of Bruce Jacobs. They'll hire anybody to yell on the radio these days.