On the October 11 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage claimed that Media Matters for America has “an obsession with me, they have a real jones on with me.” Savage read aloud from a Media Matters item documenting his assertion that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is a “traitor” who “should be tried for treason, and when she's found guilty, she should be hung,” and then said: "[O]ne thing for Media Matters, whether they're liberal or conservative, at least they got the quote right." He added: “I have no qualms with it, because when I read it this morning, I said, ”You know what? I'm not ashamed of anything I said. I believe in every word I said."
From the October 11 edition of Talk Radio Network's The Savage Nation:
SAVAGE: Now I want to read you something from a group called Media Matters. It's a liberal media watchdog group. They have an obsession with me, they have a real jones on with me. But at least they quote me correctly. The headline at Media Matters says: “Savage said Madeleine Albright is traitor who should be hung.” Now, I'm going to read you this, and I want to ask you if you -- well, let me read it first:
On the October 9 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage declared that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is a, quote, “traitor” who, quote, “should be tried for treason, and when she's found guilty, she should be hung,” close quote. Savage called Albright a traitor because he said she went to North Korea and came back like former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain came back and said, “Chancellor [Adolf] Hitler has told me he simply wants to take a little piece of territory.” Savage, who also branded former Clinton national security adviser Samuel Berger a, quote, “traitor” and referred to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi [CA] as Nancy Paleolosi, because, quote, “she is living in the Paleolithic.” Added of Albright, quote, “when she is hung, maybe the other quislings in our government will get the message that we're going to crack down on them,” close quote. As Media Matters for America has documented, Savage has previously called Albright a hag and a, quote, “monster in a dress,” close quote.
From the October 9th edition of Talk Radio Network's The Savage Nation.
Then they quote Michael Savage.
The fact of the matter is, in the year 2000, there was an article that I have in my hand -- “U.S. aid helps North Korea build nukes, Congress told,” close quote. Then Michael said, “Did you know that the Clinton administration, in the mid-'90s, financed two light-water nuclear reactors in North Korea? Did you know any of that? That's number one. Number two: I want to direct you to a traitor. In my opinion, she should be tried for treason, and when she's found guilty, she should be hung. And when she is hung, maybe the other quislings in our government will get the message that we're going to crack down on them, and that our safety and the safety our children mean something to us. The picture I have on michaelsavage.com of Madeleine Albright holding hands with Kim Jong the Second [sic] should chill you to your core. I don't know which one is uglier; I don't know which one is more sinister, but this is not a laughing matter.
Madeleine Albright went to North Korea, she legitimized the pot-bellied pig. She is the reason he did this. He outsmarted her. She came back like Chamberlain came back and said, quote, 'Chancellor Hitler has told me he simply wants to take a little piece of territory.' She is the traitor. Sandy Berger is the traitor. And so, don't make any mistakes about it. Now, if you think that Nancy Paleolosi's leadership is going to save us from North Korea or China's nukes, you're crazy. You're crazy. I've given her a new name. It's Nancy Paleolosi, because Nancy Paleolosi is living in the Paleolithic,” close quote.
Is there anything I said in this that you disagree with? And if so, why? I called Madeleine Albright a traitor. I said she should be tried for treason. I called Sandy Berger a traitor who should be tried for treason. I said that if Nancy -- excuse me, I said that if Madeleine Albright is found guilty of treason for what she did with North Korea, she should be hung. And I said that after she is hung, this will send a message, a message, a message to the other quislings in our government who are selling us out for a few dollars. Agree or disagree with anything I said. And one thing for Media Matters, whether they're liberal or conservative, at least they got the quote right. I have no qualms with it, because when I read it this morning, I said, “You know what? I'm not ashamed of anything I said. I believe in every word I said.”
Andrew Ironside is an intern at Media Matters for America.