Paul Harvey, 1919-2009: R.I.P.

Paul Harvey, the radio broadcaster whose daily news show and "Rest of the Story" segments have entertained millions, has passed away at age 90.

I used to listen to Paul Harvey in Florida as a boy on the local country AM station; his news came on twice daily, once in the 9:00 hour and again at 12:00 p.m. Unabashedly patriotic and conservative, he was the first person on radio to broadcast views that I personally agreed with. That was the Vietnam era, and all the rest of the news was negative and depressing; Harvey dutifully reported the bad news, but also would dedicate time to uplifting stories of the goodness of the US. Perhaps you might in these more cynical days call that propagandizing; I call it balance. Perhaps you think that America is basically the problem rather than the solution, a force for evil instead of a force for good; Harvey didn't think so, and neither do I.

On the radio, his was the sole voice crying out in the wilderness. Rush Limbaugh eventually came and eclipsed Harvey in popularity and audience, but never matched Harvey's essential goodness; Limbaugh polarizes, Harvey united, because although Harvey held conservative views of the world, I never heard him run down the political opposition the way that Limbaugh does. Think of it this way: Limbaugh, in a generous mood, would give a dinner for his fellow conservatives; Harvey, always in a generous mood, would give a dinner for his fellow Americans. That is the essential difference between the two men.

He did it for nearly 60 years, even to the very end. His beloved wife Angel died last year, and as often happens with a love match that strong, Harvey lingered only a short time before following after her.

Hello, Americans, this is Paul Harvey; stand by for news!

That wonderful resonant, cheerful voice is gone now. Thank you, Paul Harvey, for all those decades of uplifting radio.

Update: The Washington Post has a fine story about Harvey that was written during the Clinton adminstration.