Bill Cunningham's Talk Show Bombast Triggers Backlash: He's Popularized 'Hussein'

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Last February, the righty radio talker from Cincinnati's WLW-AM was scolded by John McCain for overdosing on Obama's middle name while warming up a GOP campaign rally. Now there's a slew of new "Husseins" appearing around the United States. The name is being used in a move to show solidarity with Obama, and Husseins have been materializing ever since Cunningham shot off his mouth. From today's New York Times:

"New Husseins began to crop up online as far back as last fall. But more joined up in February after a conservative radio host, Bill Cunningham, used Mr. Obama's middle name three times and disparaged him while introducing Senator John McCain at a campaign rally. (Mr. McCain repudiated Mr. Cunningham's comments). The practice has been proliferating ever since. In interviews, several Obama supporters said they dreamed up the idea on their own, with no input from the campaign and little knowledge that others shared their thought."

There's a link to the Times' story and more here on Rightpundits.

At the time of the "Hussein" incident in the run up to Ohio's March presidential primary, Cunningham was all over FOX and other cable talk shows proclaiming how he planned to vote for Hillary Clinton. Cunningham huffed and puffed and described his coming party switch from R to D as revenge because McCain had dared take him to the woodshed. But Cunningham did not vote for Hillary in the primary. His bloviating turned out to be a charade, all feigned anger and self-promotion probably intended to pump ratings for his radio show. When the Daily Bellwether checked primary day polling records, it discovered Cunningham had actually cast his ballot in the Republican presidential primary. So all his talk about supporting Democratic New York Sen. Hillary Clinton was nothing but gas -- cheap gas at that. Many in Cincinnati believe that Bill Cunningham's show is to verbal gas as Saudi Arabia is to oil -- the planet's largest supplier.