On the March 16 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage played audio clips from Barbara Walters' interview with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, portions of which aired on the March 16 edition of ABC's Good Morning America. In one clip that Savage aired, Walters said to Chavez, “You are a very dignified man, but we have heard you call the president of the United States a devil, a donkey, a drunk, a liar, a coward, a murderer -- what does all this name-calling accomplish?” In response, Savage said: “She used this dictator in Venezuela as a forum, as a fulcrum, in order to call the president those names.” Savage added: “Notice what this double-talking slut just did, this mind-slut Barbara Walters. And I stick by those words. She's an empty mind-slut. She'd peddle anything for a ratings point.” Savage went on to call Walters a “mental prostitute” and said, “I think that the woman is vermin. I think she's dirt.”
Savage also gave Walters “the Quisling award” -- a reference to Vidkun Quisling, described on Britannica.com as a “Norwegian army officer whose collaboration with the Germans in their occupation of Norway during World War II established his name as a synonym for 'traitor.' ” Savage said: “I rest my case. All of the chief, chiefs from CBS, whether it's this one, Walters, or the other one, the meatloaf thrower, the manic-depressive meatloaf thrower Mike Wallace [of CBS' 60 Minutes], who went over to [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad, all of them are quislings in the estimation of yours truly, Michael Savage.”
As Media Matters for America noted, in his February 16 broadcast, Savage attacked ABC News correspondent Diane Sawyer for her February 13 interview with Ahmadinejad, calling her “a lying whore,” “a prostitute,” and “a witch,” and saying she was “disgusting” and “full of crap.” He also said: “I stand by those words, and if you don't like it, sue me. Take me to a court of law for calling you a whore, because you are an intellectual prostitute for what you have done for ratings.”
As Media Matters has noted, Savage was signed by Hollywood's Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for “representation in all areas” -- including television and film -- but was reportedly dropped after Media Matters documented his comments attacking singer and CAA client Melissa Etheridge for thanking her wife during her Academy Awards acceptance speech. Savage also responded to Etheridge's speech by stating that homosexual marriage “makes me want to puke” and saying that married gay couples' raising of children amounts to “child abuse.”
The Savage Nation reaches more than 8 million listeners each week, according to Talkers Magazine, making it the third-most-listened-to talk radio show in the nation, behind only The Rush Limbaugh Show and The Sean Hannity Show.
From the March 16 edition of Talk Radio Network's The Savage Nation:
SAVAGE: So Braba Bwalters [sic] goes and interviews [Hugo] Chavez, who's a good friend of Ahmadinejad -- but let's put aside Ahmadinejad. Chavez has said he wants to overthrow America, OK? You get it? And so she goes down there, and listen to her kissing his behind in clip 25:
WALTERS: You are a very dignified man, but we have heard you call the president of the United States a devil, a donkey, a drunk, a liar, a coward, a murderer -- what does all this name-calling accomplish?
CHAVEZ: Yes, I called him a devil --
SAVAGE: Do you notice what she just did? She used this dictator in Venezuela as a forum, as a fulcrum, in order to call the president those names.
Now, I don't like Bush's policies in most cases, but I would never call him those names. Notice what this double-talking slut just did, this mind-slut Barbara Walters. And I stick by those words. She's an empty mind-slut. She'd peddle anything for a ratings point.
Listen to clip 28:
WALTERS: Would you like some coffee first? I understand you drink too much coffee.
CHAVEZ: Yes, but you didn't drink yours.
WALTERS: No, I --
CHAVEZ: Yours must be cold.
WALTERS: You want mine?
CHAVEZ: Yes, you didn't drink yours. It must be cold.
WALTERS: It is cold. We'll get --
CHAVEZ: Yes, give it to me. I will drink it.
WALTERS: OK.
SAVAGE: See that? See how nice that prostitute is? That mental prostitute, Bra-buh-buh-buh Walters? It sickens me. And I'm not going to mince words because she thinks she's the queen of all media. I think that the woman is vermin, I think she's dirt. And I give her the Quisling award today.
Who is Quisling? Vidkun Quisling, 1887-1945, was a Norwegian army officer. He was a fascist politician. He held the office -- well, let me just cut to the chase. He collaborated with the Nazis in World War II. His surname has become an eponym for “traitor.”
Why? Well, he worked with the Nazis before they took over Norway. And after they took over Norway, he encouraged many Norwegians to join the SS division, the Norwegian SS division. He collaborated in the deportation of Jews from Norway. He was responsible for the execution of Norwegian patriots, who actually fought in the underground against Nazis. Consequently, he was given the death penalty.
The name “Quisling” now means “traitor,” especially a collaborationist.
I rest my case. All of the chief, chiefs from CBS, whether it's this one, Walters, or the other one, the meatloaf thrower, the manic-depressive meatloaf thrower Mike Wallace, who went over to Ahmadinejad, all of them are quislings in the estimation of yours truly, Michael Savage. Have a nice break.