Sunday, March 01, 2009

Remembering Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey, long-time radio personality, died yesterday at age 90. Paul Harvey had a warm, sonorous voice that seemed made for radio. It made you feel you were listening to your dad or maybe to God; it was filled with kindness and projected wisdom and confidence.

I first noticed Paul Harvey when I was 21 years of age, when I was young, confused and scared of life. I really enjoyed his radio broadcasts.

C-Dubya over at Michelle Markin's site said that Harvey was a blogger before there were blogs, perhaps the world's first conservative talk radio pundit. Harvey had a tremendous sense of good speech making, e.g. the pregnant pause, the dramatic flourish, the sudden, illuminating and satisfying conclusion.

Paul Harvey was a conservative in many ways, but could be the maverick from time to time. He towed nobody's party line, carried no one's water but his own.

I didn't always agree with him. He wanted to pull out of Viet Nam and I resented his saying so on the radio, as I thought it strengthened the resolve of the communists and domestic traitors here at home. No Sheeples blog has an excellent video up at her site. The video is of a Paul Harvey broadcast, "A Letter from God." Again, there is much in it that I like and agree with, but not everything. The video does demonstrate well Paul Harvey's warm and authoritative voice.

Check it out at this link.

I will always remember Paul Harvey. He was, to me, a beloved personality and a friend I never met, but always respected and always enjoyed. May he rest in peace.

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