cover image Let's Be Heard: The King of Conservative Talk Radio Speaks Out to America

Let's Be Heard: The King of Conservative Talk Radio Speaks Out to America

Bob Grant. Pocket Books, $22 (241pp) ISBN 978-0-671-53487-5

The danger of using labels in politics is thrown into relief in this collection of 50-plus essays delivered on radio by talk-show host Grant, who labels himself a conservative. Although he espouses the right-wing positions on big government (bad), taxes (bad), immigration (bad), career welfare clients (bad), the death penalty (good) and affirmative action (bad), he deviates from it by backing abortion rights and euthanasia and opposing term limits on officeholders. On a few issues his positions are more complex: while he backs gun ownership, he supports gun control, and on the subject of racism he avows that he is no more prejudiced than most American whites. He offers several lists, one of black heroes (e.g., Clarence Thomas), one of American heroines (e.g., Phyllis Schlafly) and one of conservatives he dislikes (e.g., Oliver North). A page titled ""Ten Liberals Worth Keeping Around"" is left otherwise blank. The book is likely to arouse as much controversy as Grant does on the air. (May)