A key (unseen) character in Philip Roth's "The Plot Against America" (yes, we're still talking about it) is Walter Winchell. In real life, Winchell, a tabloid journalist, was one of America's most popular voices in the 1930s... and one of its most hated.

In his weekly radio broadcast, Winchell, loud and obnoxious, raged and ranted against all that irked him. (A trailblazer for modern talk radio, to say the least.) Among his favorite targets were Nazis. Winchell, the son of Jewish immigrants, hated what was happening in Europe, and used his influence to curb the rise of fascism in America. (Take note, modern talk radio.) He also bashed Nazi sympathizer Charles Lindbergh, damaging his reputation (potentially stopping "The Plot Against America" in real life?). All of this earned Winchell a lot of admirers and a lot of enemies.

Alas, Winchell did not always appear on the right side of history. In the 1950s, he sided with Joe McCarthy and his campaign to find "enemies within". Considering that Jews became a frequent target of McCarthyism, it makes one wonder how Winchell could have make such a u-turn.

At least he was flexible with his ideology? Can't say that about modern talk radio...