I Must Be Doing Something Right In Ireland

This guy thinks I’M a wanker…

On George Hook’s show Friday, I debated Labor Party Deputy Michael D. Higgins—affectionately known to his supporters as “Michael Dee.”   He, in turn, gave me my own pet name:

“Wanker.”

Listen to the audio of my debate with Michael D. here.

Specifically, Deputy Higgins accused me of being “a wanker who’s just whipping up fear.”  Fear of the massive debt the US has added since Obama took office, fear of our inability to pay for the monstrous ObamaCare system that’s already failed the “won’t add a single nickel to the deficit” test, fear of whackjob Islamists who use murder to pursue their aims, etc. etc.

I find it completely rational to have some fear—or at the least grave concern—over all these things.  But the Deputy, a far-lefty, disagreed in the strongest possible terms.

Now, regular listeners to the show know I get called far worse than “wanker” on a regular basis. So I barely noticed it.  My response to the Deputy’s comment was to apologize to the audience.

“I know a lot of you tuned in to hear a right-wing nut spew ignorant, uninformed insults,” I said, “but unfortunately Deputy Higgins beat me to it.”

What’s interesting has been the reaction from the NewsTalk listeners. Some of them are absolutely outraged.  Deputy Higgins has an official position in Irish government and, they feel, it was unacceptable language for him to use.  Several listeners were so outraged that they attended my tea-party meeting in Dublin today specifically to apologize to me on behalf of the Irish people and let me know how offended they found his comments.

Personally, I found Deputy Higgins’ weak logic and unwillingness to acknowledge facts far more bothersome than the name calling. But once again, I’m a conservative talk host in America, so I’m used to being insulted by government officials.

I’ll leave it to the Irish to decide if the Deputy’s comments were out of line.  Regardless, I am grateful for those who’ve risen to my defense.

And a proud, American “wanker.”