Mark Levin is the resident screamer among conservative talk show hosts, and basic civility is clearly not on his menu, as he routinely cuts off any caller whose opinions vary from his by deriding the caller as an “idiot” or a “drone,” his pet word for liberals. One of Levin’s stunts is to broadcast presidential addresses, like President Obama’s speech last night on Afghanistan, with “commentary,” meaning that he delivers nasty asides, sarcastic quips and mocking rants while the President is speaking.

There is no excuse for such conduct. Levin doing this for his audience, anti-Obama as it almost certainly is, still violates all standards of respect, civility, fairness and citizenship. Dissecting the President’s word and attacking his message after the speech is  appropriate. Treating any presidential address like an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (except on the Comedy Channel, I suppose, except that it only seems to think its funny to have comedians riffing while Republicans are talking) is not very different from shouting “You lie!”  Everyone deserves the opportunity to communicate without interference, interruptions and ridicule. Levin has criticized college students for shouting down speakers with whom they disagree; how does he rationalize his hypocrisy?

If anyone doesn’t want to see or hear a President’s speech to the nation, that is a personal choice. Talking over a speech and ridiculing it while the President is speaking, however, even while watching in one’s own home, is disrespectful and unfair. Doing so over the radio is indefensible.