Ed Schultz to Radio Show Caller: I Don't Shill for GE! I Shill for Obama!

Ed Schultz touts his radio program as the place "where America comes to talk" -- providing that "America" agrees with Schultz.

Good example of the habitually acerbic Schultz's response to criticism was heard on the show yesterday when a caller questioned the basis for Schultz's support of President Obama's use of drones to kill suspected terrorists. (audio clip after page break)

The caller alleged that Schultz backs Obama's drone policy because General Electric, which unloads its 49 percent share of MSNBC parent company NBCUniversal at the end of March, profits from selling drones. Schultz has appeared on "The Ed Show" weeknights on MSNBC since April 2009.

The exchange was short and toxic, standard Schultz procedure for handling callers who dare deviate from the party line (h/t for audio, Brian Maloney at mrctv.org) --

CALLER: Hey, regarding drones, you suddenly sound like a neo-conservative, so I googled 'unmanned aerial systems,' otherwise known as drones, and the words 'General Electric,' and I see your parent company is knee-deep in profiteering off drone manufacturing. Also ...

SCHULTZ: And you think that that, and you think that that drives my opinion?

CALLER: I don't know, it's just weird ...

SCHULTZ: Oh, give me a break! (crosstalk, argument ensues) Terry, listen to what the hell you're saying! You're trying to say that because, you think, do you, do you think, I am with the president! Exclu-, excuse me, I am with the president! I'm with the president on this!

CALLER: You're an idiot! (obviously caller is a frequent listener). You're an idiot, war-profiteering, you should be speaking about GE paying some taxes too instead of gutting Social Security or the sequester ...

SCHULTZ: Wow, psycho talk ... (Schultz referring to name of segment that used to appear on "The Ed Show" until MSNBC, in rare example of good judgment, told him to drop its insipid title).

CALLER: Your parent company pays no taxes ...

SCHULTZ: ... psych-, keep going, keep going, this is good. So sick in Los-, Terry, sick in Los Angeles. (how dare you question my purity!)

CALLER: Google 'unmanned aerial systems' and 'GE' and you'll see, they are profiteering off drones and now all of a sudden ...

SCHULTZ: You just found that out?! You just found that out?! (heck, I've known about their war profiteering for years!). Terry, it is a fact (Schultz imitating Dick Cheney) that you have lost your mind ...

CALLER: Did you have a lobotomy?! Did you have a lobotomy in the last four years?!

SCHULTZ: ... uh, it is a fact that, Terry, that you better watch out, you might be taken out by a drone yourself, Terry, you just never know. (guffaws). Folks, let me tell you something -- if I get to the boardroom of General Electric, to that pay grade, I'll do something about it, OK? But for her to call in and say that that affects where I stand on issues, that's a stretch. Hysterical, she's just absolutely hysterical! (in mocking, misogynist tone).

Don't you love it when hard-core leftists argue? Alas, it seldom lasts long. All that much-touted fervor for diversity (except of opinion, where it matters most) quickly achieving critical mass and -- poof -- game over.