McCain vs. Limbaugh

[nhboy]

"You can tell a lot about how the news media feel about conservatives by watching how they talk about Rush Limbaugh. They want his influence curbed. They pine for the day his career hits the skids. They're constantly looking for a moment where they can declare that conservatives no longer have — that Rush Limbaugh no longer has — the Grand Old Party in a menacing trance. They don't want Republican candidates seeking a Limbaugh endorsement.

They think they found that moment on Jan. 19.

When McCain won the South Carolina primary, The Washington Post sharply declared the next day that he had "defused conservative attacks, from Rush Limbaugh to Tom DeLay." CNN's Carol Costello sounded boastful a few days later: "Conservative radio talkers bragged their influence helped put George W. Bush in office. How times have changed. Now leading many Republican polls — John McCain. And those same talkers aren't bragging anymore. Voters have betrayed them, despite what's playing on Rush Limbaugh's show."

McCain vs. Limbaugh - Yahoo! News

 

[Larry Gude]

It's always...

...fascinated me the way so many people want to silence critics. They don't seek to promote their own ideas. They don't argue their own merits. They think everyone opposed to them is either a robot controlled by evil forces or the evil force itself.

They want their opponents silenced.

 

[SamSpade]

Oh for crying out loud! Anything wrong with being critical of a Republican by a conservative? It's not as though they don't get enough from the left.

And as Larry put it so nicely, so many on the left don't seem to see the healthy nature of critique within the ranks. Let Limbaugh say what he wants - it won't end his talk show, and he honestly may have a point. I'm not certain who I'll vote for if it becomes a Hillary/McCain race, but - I've seen Hillary in the White House. It's not going to be her.

 

[Larry Gude]

The...

so many on the left don't seem to see the healthy nature of critique within the ranks. Let Limbaugh say what he wants - it won't end his talk show, and he honestly may have a point. I'm not certain who I'll vote for if it becomes a Hillary/McCain race, but - I've seen Hillary in the White House. It's not going to be her.

...myopia of the left lead many to near euphoria in `92 when Bubba won thinking the key to Rush's success was GOP power. I think they were actually shocked when his market exploded. They honestly don't seem to get how this works.

 

[SamSpade]

...myopia of the left lead many to near euphoria in `92 when Bubba won thinking the key to Rush's success was GOP power. I think they were actually shocked when his market exploded. They honestly don't seem to get how this works.

Must be - they don't get why Air America and liberal radio does so badly EVEN WITH heavy private contributions. Limbaugh has said on his program many times - he doesn't survive on contributions, he gets it by advertising. And that's because he has actual listeners.

 

[Larry Gude]

I always wonder...

Must be - they don't get why Air America and liberal radio does so badly EVEN WITH heavy private contributions. Limbaugh has said on his program many times - he doesn't survive on contributions, he gets it by advertising. And that's because he has actual listeners.

...if an Air America fan truly believes it doesn't do well because people actually don't support what is said on their shows or if the huddled masses are simply brainwashed by the right.

 

[vraiblonde]

Must be - they don't get why Air America and liberal radio does so badly EVEN WITH heavy private contributions. Limbaugh has said on his program many times - he doesn't survive on contributions, he gets it by advertising. And that's because he has actual listeners.

I think liberals donate money to Air America so they don't have to listen to it. The shows really are terrible.

 

[Larry Gude]

Your...

I think liberals donate money to Air America so they don't have to listen to it. The shows really are terrible.

...descriptions of Randy Rhodes last week still makes me howl. Bad radio and TV have their own beauty. You just have to know how to look for it.

 

[SamSpade]

...if an Air America fan truly believes it doesn't do well because people actually don't support what is said on their shows or if the huddled masses are simply brainwashed by the right.

Oh I used to debate somewhat regularly with a guy who claimed that the reason tak radio is so successful with the right is that the right wing take on things is so simplified and dumbed down that it can be effectively discussed in short, flag-waving, patriotic 5 minute bits between commercials. Liberal issues are SO MUCH more sophisticated, that any sane discussion would require much longer attention - say, on an hour piece on NPR or on public TV. That liberal ideas were that much more sophisticated.

Yeah. I answered with "No Blood for Oil!" "Anybody But Bush!" "Bush Lied, People Died!".

Followed up with gems like "I voted for it before I voted against it".

Where do people get these ideas, anyway?

I do contend this, however. While right-wing participants aren't always the most cerebral callers - I think they're on the whole more interested in their political issues and with greater numbers. I've discussed issues with some very liberal people - many of whom CAN actually control their rants and insults long enough to hold reasoned discussions and have provided very interesting insights.

But out of 100 liberals I know, they comprise a small fraction, perhaps no more than 2 or 3 percent of the ones I've known. They know their issues, they know their Constitution, they know their history and they know the details. The vast majority couldn't name their own Congressman, a single Supreme Court justice and would seriously struggle remembering the name of the vice-President under any administration. They don't like this and that, but they don't read the paper, barely watch the news and they sure as hell don't follow the Sunday talk shows, read editiorials or read political books.

By comparison - about half of the conservatives I know do at least some of that. I think I'm being very fair. My boss, for example, is a good friend of many years. He's basically conservative, but he doesn't vote because he doesn't give a crap. He keeps up with the basic news that most people hear on the radio, but by and large, he's more concerned with the football scores. He'd make an ass of himself calling into a conservative talk show. My parents on the other hand, devour everything. My sister - who is conserative - reads newspapers, debates online, but doesn't bother buying books. My experience is, it's about half. My liberal relatives, the ones that are convinced 9/11 was an inside job? They don't read anything. Well, except for one of my aunts - she reads all the conspiracy stuff.

 

[High EGT]

P.O. ed

Along with Limbaugh now Ann Coulter is slamming her own party which in my humble opinion speaks well of the right wing media intellectually in that there most public ardent supporters have the ability to self critique regardless of what that could mean in a election year. I would suggest that you would never hear left wingers like Mike Malloy or Al Franken slamming Obama or Hillary in the same manner and would only serve to confuse the Kool-Aid drinkers.

You need little flags like that for Republicans since, as we know from the recent unpleasantness in Florida, Republicans are unalterably stupid.

Welcome to AnnCoulter.com

 

[vraiblonde]

Along with Limbaugh now Ann Coulter is slamming her own party which in my humble opinion speaks well of the right wing media intellectually in that there most public ardent supporters have the ability to self critique regardless of what that could mean in a election year.

That's right. Rush, Ann, etc are conservatives first, Republicans second. Most of the Republicans on here aren't party animals - they'll criticize "their" guy in a second if he does something that's outside the conservative realm.

We don't believe what we do because we're Republicans; we're Republicans because of our beliefs.

 

[vegmom]

Well its a McCain/Romney race now. What are they going to do if McCain wins the nom? Endorse Hillary or Obama? Sheesh I'm a registered Dem and thinking about voting for McCain in the General Election if he gets it. Hillary - no way, Obama-maybe in another 4 years.

 

[Larry Gude]

The...

Where do people get these ideas, anyway?

...Democratic party, as Will Rogers said is 'no particular organized' party.

Look at all the major factions within the party that have profoundly competing interests. All the groups are united by only one thing; they can't be Republicans.

 

[High EGT]

That's right. Rush, Ann, etc are conservatives first, Republicans second. Most of the Republicans on here aren't party animals - they'll criticize "their" guy in a second if he does something that's outside the conservative realm.

We don't believe what we do because we're Republicans; we're Republicans because of our beliefs.

Well as a conservative I guess I would have to agree. That said, then I have only one clear choice for Prez.

 

[Larry Gude]

Wow...

We don't believe what we do because we're Republicans; we're Republicans because of our beliefs.

...that yours? Very nice.