If you listened to progressive talk-radio host David Sirota and conservative Michael Brown on the radio, before they were paired up on KHOW’s new afternoon talk show, you know that Brown was explicitly pro-Romney.

But you might not know whether Sirota would vote for Obama at all.

So you wonder, how will this play out on their new show, called the Rundown.

Will Brown be telling listeners to vote for Romney, while Sirota says both candidates are, as Ralph Nader liked to say, tweedle dee and tweedle dum?

If so, who wants to listen that one-sided conversation?  It sounds too much like some bizarre permutation of the conservative love fest you’d hear on the Caplis and Silverman Show, which used to occupy Sirota and Brown’s afternoon slot on 630-AM KHOW (3 – 7 p.m.)

Asked about this via email, Brown, whom President George Bush thought was doing a “heck’ve a job” during the Katrina disaster, wrote:

Brown: “I do plan to vote for Romney and will actively support him. I probably am more enthusiastic about Romney than Sirota is about BHO. But, having said that, we’re not really discussing that issue much on air. My guess is left-leaning listeners might be upset at both of us — me for supporting Romney and David for criticizing BHO.”

Exactlty. Left-leaning listeners like me might get upset and turn off the radio, like I did when Caplis and Silverman piled on Obama. I mean, among other things, it’s boring, even if you don’t love Obama. It’s bad radio.

I asked Sirota how he’d counter Brownie when he starts telling us to vote Romney, or that Romney will do a heck’ve a job as President:

Sirota: “When this show was formulated, one thing that was central was that our show was not going to be agenda radio. It’s not going to be Crossfire. I really take that to heart. It’s not foremost on my mind to convince people to vote for one candidate or another. I’m not enthused about Obama or Romney.”

But, still, I said to Sirota, what if Brownie is sitting next to you telling people to vote for Romney?

“I would ask people to think about how much of a difference there is between Obama and Romney,” Sirota told me. “There are some differences but they are not epic.”

Sirota said that when the issue of Obamacare come up on a recent show, Brownie trashed the legislation but Sirota defended aspects of it, saying he did not like the way it was structured but that “uninsured people will at least be a little better off.”

“I was not a big proponent of Obamacare, but I took general side of the progressive push for universal health care, and he disagreed.”

“One of the things we are trying to do,” Sirota continued, “is to remove the issues from the candidates themselves, and talk about the bigger issues.”

“The only way to reach a broad audience of listeners is to get to the bigger, more universal issues. That’s one of the reasons the presidential race won’t be a big part of our show.”

“The people aren’t interested in the minutia,” Sirota said.

It’s true that issues inspire and motivate people more than the horse race, and usually more than candidates.

But if Brownie is holding forth about how we should vote Obama out, I’m hoping Sirota will tell us who he’s going to vote for and why, even if he thinks the difference is small. It will make for a better radio show.

If you’ve been listening to President Obama lately, you know he talks a lot about Americans helping each other out, having each other’s backs, and creating opportunity for those who deserve it.

This obviously contrasts with the themes you hear a lot from conservatives, who are all about going it alone, and it’s not clear what happens if you go down, even for a little while. Someone might pick up the lifeline and help you out, if you’re in trouble, but god forbid it’s the governement.

One of many conservative talk show hosts in Colorado who sings this tune is Michael heck’ve-a-job Brownie, whose new radio show (with progressive David Sirota) starts today on KHOW during the slot formerly occupied by Caplis and Silverman.

Here’s an example of Brownie’s right-wing messaging in action, from his Feb. 28 KOA show, and it’s an excellent sample of the conservative message machine in action.

Brownie begins below by reading a reading a quote from an Obama speech:

“America is about all being in it together, about giving people a hand up. When our assembly lines grind to a halt, we work together to get them going again. And when someone else falters, we give them a hand up because we are all in it together.”

[Brownie’s analysis begins:] And we’re not all in it together…. I’d like to be the guy who took down Limbaugh… because if I don’t have that desire to grow and get better and do the very best I can, I’m wasting your time…And in terms of giving people a hand up, what’s the difference between giving people a hand up or a hand down?…

[Another Obama quote:] “The idea that we are all in it togetether and that I’m my brother’s keeper ad my sister’s keeper, that’s a value,” said Obama.

[Brownie’s analysis:] Yes, I would agree Mr. President. But the problem is, when you say the idea that we are all in it together and that I’m my brother’s keeper, you literally mean you, the government, the presidency. ..

I absolutely and unequivically disagree with that value. I, individually, am my other individual’s brother keeper. I am my sister’s keeper. I am my neighbor’s keeper. You, the government, are not my keeper….

Listen here: Why Brownie thinks we’re not all in it together 2-28-12 KOA

On KHOW 630-AM, starting at 3 p.m. today, Sirota will be the counterpoint to Brownie.

He’ll undoubtedly do it better than Craig Silverman ever did, because Silverman leaned right himself.

But whether he wins the hot-air-fest against Brownie or not, to survive in this time slot on KHOW, Sirota will need progressives to listen and call in.

If you hated KHOW’s Caplis & Silverman, which I didn’t, because it was right (Silverman) vs. more-right (Caplis), and the left was absent, then you’ll love this news: July 16, KHOW will launch The Rundown with David Sirota & Michael Brown 3-7 p.m.

I’ve always wondered whether a real left-right show would work on conservative talk radio. Now we’ll find out.

These guys don’t tow the party line, which makes you wonder how many guests will go on the show. But they’re both smart, yes, even Brown, and so maybe the show can keep the attention of political junkies even without the great guests (mostly GOP) that Caplis and Silverman had.

They’ve co-hosted previously on KOA radio.

Sirota just emailed the note below to his subscribers:

Friends:

Just some news I wanted to pass on to you – Clear Channel Media and Entertainment this afternoon officially announced the launch of “The Rundown with Sirota and Brown” – a brand new radio show that I will be co-hosting with President George W. Bush’s former FEMA director Michael Brown.

The show will launch on July 16th and air weekdays from 3pm to 7pm MT on Colorado’s top-rated KHOW. You will be able to listen to it on your radio dial in Colorado at AM630 or from anywhere on the iHeartRadio app or at www.khow.com.

After 3 plus years hosting the award-winning morning show on Colorado’s progressive talk station AM760, I will definitely miss my current job. Creating a show rooted in journalism has been a truly amazing experience. That journalistic mission is what I am focused on bringing into The Rundown on KHOW – and I’m thrilled at the opportunity. It’s a really big opportunity.

I hope you’ll tune in – and hope you are all having a great summer.

Rock the boat,

David

I hope to catch up with Sirota to discuss the show when he returns from vacation.