America needs you, Elmer Davis.

[Horse with no Name]

http://www.coutant.org/davis.html
>>>snip
In August, 1939, Davis received a call from Columbia Broadcasting’s news chief, Paul White, asking Davis to fill in as a news analyst for H. V. Kaltenborn, who was off in Europe reporting on the increasingly hostile events. Davis later wrote: “I had done some broadcasting at odd times over the past dozen years, had sometimes even pinch-hit for Kaltenborn during his absences; but to fill in for him in such a crisis as this was a little like trying to play center field in place of Joe DiMaggio.” Davis became an instant success. Edward R. Murrow felt that some of Davis’ success was that his Hoosier accent reminded folks of home.

During the war years, radio listeners tuned in regularly to hear Elmer Davis report and analyze the day’s events. On one occasion he presented the details of the sighting of an unidentified submarine within the U.S. safety (neutrality) zone by announcing, “Of course the safety zone declaration doesn’t say that belligerent war ships must keep out; only that they mustn’t do any fighting. But what are they there for? American neutrality is a serious matter. It seems a pity that it threatens to provide the war with comic relief…” Again, Ed Murrow wrote to Davis. “I have hopes that broadcasting is to become an adult means of communication at last,” said Murrow. “I’ve spent a lot of time listening to broadcasts from many countries… and yours stand out as the best example of fair, tough-minded, interesting talking I’ve heard.” An example of Davis’ tough-minded talk was his broadcast recommending the government disseminate news under one organization.

This would prompt FDR to create the OWI, or Office of War Information, which Davis would be asked to head. Though reluctant at first, Davis finally accepted. Davis always thought of himself as a writer first, but eventually managed to create a powerful organization with one goal in mind: “This is a people’s war, and the people are entitled to know as much as possible about it.

When the war ended, so did the OWI. Davis returned to broadcasting, this time with ABC Radio. During the next decade he would continue to fight for the rights of the individual, including his public disgust with Sen. Joe McCarthy. But near the end of the 1950s, Davis suffered a stroke and later died. Raymond Swing tells a funny story about an incident at Davis’ funeral. Everyone had assembled in the church. Tribute after tribute was voiced by those who knew him best. Everyone was a bit teary after a particular heartfelt adieu. Suddenly the microphone crashed to the floor. Everyone jumped, startled. It was obvious that the hand of no human at all had done this. Then the sound of soft laughter waved through the church. It seemed that everyone had the same thought: Elmer was sick and tired of all the excessive speeches and wanted to get on with the business at hand!

[Horse with no Name]

1. What????Nobody likes Elmer??n/t