Posted on 04/01/2013 9:01:32 PM PDT by Pinkbell
There are various ways to describe the civil war rising inside the Republican Party: insiders versus outsiders, pragmatists versus true-believers, establishment versus Tea Party. Here’s another: Bill O’Reilly conservatives versus Rush Limbaugh conservatives.
Last week, the two media titans clashed after O’Reilly accused opponents of gay marriage of lacking “compelling argument[s]” and merely “thump[ing] the Bible.” Limbaugh responded by saying that conservative Christians “were sort of marginalized” on O’Reilly’s show. On the surface, the scuffle merely reflected differing opinions about the arguments deployed last week at the Supreme Court. But in reality, it reflected a different view of conservatism itself.
O’Reilly is a conservative populist, which is to say, he only champions those conservative viewpoints that he believes enjoy mass appeal. His evolution on gay marriage—as helpfully chronicled by New York magazine’s Dan Amira—illustrates the point. While O’Reilly’s own views have shifted, what has remained constant is his tendency to justify those views by reference to the popular will. In 2006 O’Reilly said he opposed gay marriage because “it is clear that most Americans want heterosexual marriage to maintain its special place … Traditional marriage is widely seen as a social stabilizer.” In 2009 he again phrased his opposition in terms of public opinion: “You don’t do it [pass gay marriage] particularly if people in California … don’t want it, they think that the heterosexuality is a societal stabilizer.” But by linking his own notions of social stability to those of the public at large, O’Reilly gave himself room to shift. By May of last year he was declaring that “individual states should decide the question.” And last week he said he supported civil unions, while on gay marriage, “I don’t feel that strongly about it one way or another. I think the states should do it.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
He obviously prefers Bill O'Reilly, whereas I prefer Limbaugh as I don't want someone whose beliefs are based on the popular opinion at the time, but on their morals and firmly held beliefs. I don't want someone who will sway with the wind. They'll be on your side one day but not the next. The writer obviously likes this about O'Reilly because the left like people they can shift to their views based on a public poll. The writer concludes:
Like Reagan, O’Reilly has a gift for quietly making peace with progressive advances he formerly opposed while excoriating (and often caricaturing) those leftist innovations that can still be dismissed as fringe. If I were a GOP presidential aspirant, I’d watch O’Reilly closely over the next few years, because the Republican candidate who best articulates his brand of conservatism will be the candidate best able to regain the White House in 2016.
One can only hope not.
Tip:
When you read the article, avoide the comments. They are a liberal playground.
O’Reily isn’t fit to clean Limbaugh’s catbox.
BOR is a spinner, not at all looking out, for YOU!
Who gives a rat’s tail to what O’Reilly Says!
Even Limbaugh has capitulated by saying that gay marriage is “inevitable.”
I say to hell with ‘em both.
Nobody stands for absolutely nothing stronger and outspokendly than Bill OReilly.
Stoopped listening to O years ago. If you always stand in the middle of the road, you’ll get run over.
So now the state once again in it's infinite wisdom meddles where it should never be. In the family. There will be more unintended consequences and America will go the way of Rome and Cyprus. This is inevitable. Liberals can't help themselves and republicans won't help us.
“O’Reily isn’t fit to clean Limbaugh’s catbox.”
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I agree. When I finally got the new G-sat service here in the Philippines, I was excited because it had FOX News and no CNN.
After about a month, or so, I quit watching FOX at all.
I record Rush, Savage, and Kook to Kook by using Dar.fm, a really great service that will automatically record any radio program for you, and you can play them back at your leisure.
You can also fast forward through commercials and breaks.
Your computer does not have to be online for it to record your program.
Yes, I am pimping for the guy that started it, as it is so good, and I want him to stay in business.
Look it up...www.dar.fm
Witness John McCain and Mitt Romney, both I dare say are O'Reilly Republicans.
The Democrats will always give moderates someone to vote for, while conservatives will stay home rather than vote against their conscience, morality and common sense!
Bill O'Really is no conservative.
Only in the weakest of minds does that animal exist.
Rush referring to O’Reilly as “Ted Baxter” cracks me up every time.
O’Reilly loves himself. . simple. .end of story. . .nothing more to O’Reilly than that.
He’s not in favor of it, he just knows that we lost. It’s called realism.
He in fact did say that, and sadly not liking the truth will not stop the Court from ruling just that. He recognizes the handwriting on the wall so to speak.
We are only willing to complain, when we take to the streets let me know.
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