Most Callers Back U.S. Conduct of War : Radio: Talk-show hosts report outpouring of patriotism. ‘I have never had a subject that so completely galvanized the audience,’ says KABC’s Michael Jackson.

Despite peace demonstrations across the nation, sentiments expressed on radio just after the attack against Iraq were typified by excitement and strong support of President Bush.

“The people who were not in favor of the action seemed to be more vocal in the streets than on the air,” said Jane Norris, producer of a KFI-AM (640) talk show hosted by Joe Crummey. Norris said callers Wednesday night were 3-to-1 in favor of the bombing of Iraq. “There’s this feeling that even if they weren’t in favor (of the bombing) they will still support the troops.”

“I have never had a subject in my 24 years at this station that so completely overwhelmed and immediately galvanized the audience,” said KABC-AM (790) talk-show host Michael Jackson. “In the main, people have been impressed with the performance of the President.”

But there is the concern among radio hosts that the supportive tone might change as soon as Americans are provided with footage of casualties.

“I think people have an initial knee-jerk reaction of patriotism and I sensed it on the telephones last night,” Crummey said. “It seems to me that the information coming out of the Mideast has been managed very slickly. Once the real story gets out or, more of the complete picture is shown, there will be less of the initial euphoria. I think reality will set in a little bit and people will return to where they were before when the country was pretty divided.”

KABC talk-show hosts Ira Fistell and Bill Pearl held a call-in program just a few hours after the initial attack where the tone was overwhelmingly in favor of war.

Fistell, on the air from 6 p.m. to midnight, reported getting only three calls in opposition.

A caller who identified himself as John said: “I know I’m going to catch some flak from protesters on this, but hooray for George Bush. I’m all for the President in this operation. . . .”

Fistell replied: “The thing that’s so startling is that this has gone so perfectly.”

The next caller expressed more of the same reactions.

“I’m in favor of the attack,” said Chuck from Studio City.

Fistell responded: “I don’t know that anybody can be against it at this point.”

Thursday morning a caller read a letter on the “Ken and Barkley Show” written by her son, a serviceman, and dissolved in tears. “Be proud that you had a son that at a time when most young men took from society, gave,” the letter urged his parents.

The letter was followed by a recording of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

KCRW general manager Ruth Hirschmann hosted a talk show with various experts. She asked each: “How can you oppose a war against a man like Saddam Hussein?”

“That stance has made her singularly unpopular with the peacenik crowd,” said KCRW spokeswoman Sarah Spitz.

On another KFI call-in show hosted by psychotherapist Dr. Laura Schlessinger, a caller expressed dismay that the attack had occurred on his 18th birthday, but was supportive of the bombing.

“It’s just unbelievable how a crazy guy like that has gotten hold of the world,” said a caller from West Los Angeles. To protesters, he said: “Raise morale, don’t bring everybody down. . . . They say ‘No Blood for Oil’ but it’s a lot of different things. You can’t just let people get control of countries that way.”

Schlessinger added: “Regardless of your political position, these people are going through hell. When they come back these people have to be supported or they will be devastated.”

On Top 40 station KIIS (102.7-FM and 1150-AM) deejay Hollywood Hamilton told listeners: “We’re doing the job, we’re putting the guy down.”

KLOS’s Mark and Brian found doing an appropriate show on Thursday morning difficult.

“Our listeners keep calling and say, ‘Give us a diversion. Give us something else to think about,’ ” said Brian Phelps. “But you can’t ignore (the war). It’s touching all of us.”

Rap outlet KDAY (1580-AM) has adjusted its music programming, subtracting inappropriate selections of violence.

Noting the aggressive attitudes of some rap songs, station program director Jack Patterson said: “Obviously there’s certain songs with general feelings that might be inappropriate at this time. . . . Basically it’s come down for our little corner of the world to support the guys who actually have to go risk their lives for us.” Callers on public radio station KPCC-FM (89.3), however, widely criticized the attack.

“Bush should not interfere with Arab problems,” said a caller named Sam from Canoga Park. “Now he’s destroying the whole Middle East. This is not fair.”

Said the show’s host and station program director Larry Mantle: “The vast majority of the calls were people who had serious doubts about the action and were quite critical of the decision to launch the offensive. . . . It’s probably the nature of public radio to get a bit more of a liberal audience.”

Contributing to this article were Times Staff Writer Steven Herbert and free-lance writer Steve Hochman.