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The Splintering of the Conservative Media
American Thinker ^ | March 18, 2016 | Steve McCann

Posted on 03/18/2016 2:45:24 PM PDT by Kaslin

Over the past 28 years there has been a sea change in the media. Not only has the monopoly of the so-called mainstream media been shattered but the phenomenal rise of conservative media has been truly stunning. It began in 1988 with the national syndication of Rush Limbaugh and his distinctive brand of conservative political commentary espoused in an entertaining and captivating way, which opened the flood gates for other conservatives, together with Rush, to dominate the talk radio airwaves. In the 1990’s the internet, through hundreds of websites, gave voice to journalists to report stories either ignored or downplayed by the mainstream media and for other conservatives to publish their comments and opinions. Over the years there has been a general good will among all these various players as the goal at the end of the day was to advance the conservative movement as the best political option for the people of this nation.

However, with the overwhelming emergence on the political scene of Donald Trump, someone who is not and has never been a conservative, this once near-monolithic movement is in danger of permanently splintering. While some conservatives are strongly opposed to Trump, many outlets have chosen to unabashedly support him regardless of what he says or does -- or has done or said in the past. Why they have become caught up in the populism sweeping a plurality of primary voters is a question they will have to answer, but on the surface it appears to be for expediency’s sake and not because of any loyalty to ideology.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Cheese, Moose, Sister
KEYWORDS: 2016election; 2ndamendment; america; bettertradedeals; bombisis; boohoo; bringbackcapital; bringbackjobs; bringbackmfg; buildthewall; business; conservatism; conservativecrackup; conservativemedia; conservativesites; cruz; cutcorruption; cutdebt; cuteddept; cutepa; cutgovernment; cutregulations; cutspending; cuttaxes; deportthemall; drillbabydrill; election2016; elections; endsanctuarycities; enforcethelaw; freedom; immigration; jobs; liberty; manufacturing; media; mediabias; moratorium; muslim; nationalsecurity; nationalsovereignty; newyork; patriotism; populism; rebuildeconomy; rebuildmiddleclass; rebuildmilitary; religiousfreedom; repealobamacare; secureborders; securenation; survival; trade; trojanhorse; trump; trumpbaggage
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To: gg188

Scott Brown, Andrea Tantaros, Judge Jeanine Pirro, A.J. Delgado, Eric Bolling, Roger Stone, Jeffrey Lord, Kennedy and Kayleigh McEnany.


21 posted on 03/18/2016 3:08:50 PM PDT by Mozilla
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To: Kaslin

Mark Levin put it best when he divided the Republican Party between progressives (aka the establishment) populist progressives (Buchanan, Perot and Trump) and constitutional conservatives (Cruz).
Of course the last two are better than the first and all three are better than the Left.
You know, choosing between Trump and Cruz is not unlike the way these two gentlemen choose their wives.
A slightly less than glamorous but smart and capable woman like Heidi or bing bada boom bada bing like Trump’s tootsie troika.
All four much better than butt ugly dummies like RINOs or Leftists.
Just a matter of taste.


22 posted on 03/18/2016 3:10:13 PM PDT by Happy Rain (DON'T BLAME ME, I VOTED FOR CRUZ)
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To: Bishop_Malachi

“Moreover, how well has our leadership (including the pundits) served the Conservative movement over the last, say, 15 years?”

Go back to 88. Bush the first gave you an assault rifle ban, Ruby Ridge, the preparations for the Waco raid. With the exception of a shining moment with Newt, its easily over 25 years they have been doing nothing more than screwing us.


23 posted on 03/18/2016 3:11:19 PM PDT by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble mined asses overthrown,,,)
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To: gg188


What conservative commentator is pro-Trump?

Check out NewsMax TV. Steve Malzberg and Dennis Michael Lynch make compelling cases every night. /Cruz Supporter
24 posted on 03/18/2016 3:11:48 PM PDT by SunLakesJeff (Life)
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To: Kaslin

The reason is because we are losing under their leadership.


25 posted on 03/18/2016 3:14:45 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Prayer for Victory is the ONLY way to support the troops!)
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To: Byron_the_Aussie

Right Scoop was 100% fanboys for the very people who dislike Trump so they became anti Trump too. The often attack the Treehouse Conservativessite. They are big fans of Megyn Kelly, Charles Krauthammer, Glenn Beck, Dana Loesch, Mark Levin and The Federalist site. They were for Cruz from day one and were bashing Trump the day he entered.


26 posted on 03/18/2016 3:15:29 PM PDT by Mozilla
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To: Byron_the_Aussie

Right Scoop was 100% fanboys for the very people who dislike Trump so they became anti Trump too. They often attack the Treehouse Conservatives site. They are big fans of Megyn Kelly, Charles Krauthammer, Glenn Beck, Dana Loesch, Mark Levin and The Federalist site. They were for Cruz from day one and were bashing Trump the day he entered.


27 posted on 03/18/2016 3:16:19 PM PDT by Mozilla
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To: SunLakesJeff

Mike Gallagher and Sean Hannity are obviously pro Trump though Hannity doesn’t go nuts like Mike with anti-Trump callers.


28 posted on 03/18/2016 3:16:26 PM PDT by Happy Rain (DON'T BLAME ME, I VOTED FOR CRUZ)
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To: Kaslin

Yes, what a shame about Megyn Kelly and Fox News. Just tragic.


29 posted on 03/18/2016 3:17:41 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Mozilla

and rush is so so in the bag for cruz, the establishment candidate, but he tries so hard to hide it from his audience, not to upset his 1% buddies and to keep the dollars rolling in. only very certain types of callers get in now and he lets them do all of his “i’m in for cruz BS” and rush just tries to help them! at this point of the campaign i prefer beck in that he proudly supports cruz and no doubt about it while rush is a Hippo-crate!! never listen to him anymore...already got off the beck shit long time ago...

TRUMP is the only honest one out there at this point. no one else could have brought together all the liars from both the right and the left and the media together on the same team before they all realized what had happened. the government needs to be overthrown at this point if Trump isn’t elected president...it serves none of the 99% anymore!


30 posted on 03/18/2016 3:21:28 PM PDT by ldish (Have had enough...you??????)
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To: Mozilla
I wonder why a Cruz supporter would think they could advance their candidate's cause by smearing Trump? Or, vice versa?

Gotta be ego.

31 posted on 03/18/2016 3:24:50 PM PDT by Byron_the_Aussie (Michelle Obama, The Early Years: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBYGxBlFOSU)
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To: Thibodeaux; onyx; JustAmy; trisham; DJ MacWoW; RedMDer; musicman; Lady Jag; TheOldLady; ...

Official position statement:

Free Republic will be happy with either of our leading anti-establishment candidates and is committed to supporting whichever of these two fine pro-America candidates wins the nomination. In fact, FR is committed to supporting whichever leading pro-America candidate results from this primary over the godless America-hating socialist democrats.

The survival of our nation is paramount to all other concerns at this time.

We are on a mission from God: To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.


32 posted on 03/18/2016 3:25:32 PM PDT by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to to God!)
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To: Fhios

“Cruz isn’t even as conservative as the RINO-Right wants as they’ll find out if he’s ever elected President.”

It will basically be Bush the 3rd term. That’s ok with some, but they should expect little beyond that.


33 posted on 03/18/2016 3:26:54 PM PDT by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble mined asses overthrown,,,)
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To: Jim Robinson

Dittos


34 posted on 03/18/2016 3:26:57 PM PDT by OwenKellogg (Trump all the way.)
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To: Kaslin

” I’m a unifier.” —Donald Trump (yeah, right)!


35 posted on 03/18/2016 3:27:31 PM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (Personality-centered, Machiavellian, group-think authoritarian populism. There you have it: Trumpism)
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To: gaijin
Sorry, I’m on the barricades with the dirty rebels.

Excellent. Same here.

36 posted on 03/18/2016 3:27:33 PM PDT by sargon
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To: Kaslin; All

It is a pure strawman position. It was never true.

There was always disagreement in the “conservative media”. The big difference this year is that we have two exceptionally good outsider candidates, and both have very good chances of winning the presidency if they get the nomination.

Just an old fashioned political fight.

The writer sounds as if he is p*ssed that everyone does not automatically agree with him.


37 posted on 03/18/2016 3:27:51 PM PDT by marktwain
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To: Kaslin

I have an answer for you McCann:

Unless the influx of illegal invaders is stopped and even reversed, this country is lost.

The Constitution, what’s left of it, will be rendered meaningless. All the other legitimate problems we have are moot if we’re overrun by those who are incompatible with the American culture and American values. These are not the Ellis Island immigrants of yesteryear.

Only Donald Trump understands this and is serious about doing something meaningful about it. Everyone else unwilling to do what it takes.

By the way, what about all those who did it legally - jumped through hoops, took the time, spent the money, studies American history? Why does nobody address that injustice?

If Mr. McCann cares to look into it further, read Ann Coulter’s book ‘Aidos America’.


38 posted on 03/18/2016 3:28:45 PM PDT by MichaelCorleone (Jesus Christ is not a religion. He's the Truth.)
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To: KyCats

So in essence you only read what you want to believe and don’t like to have your ligic or leanings healthily challenged now and again?


39 posted on 03/18/2016 3:29:18 PM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (Personality-centered, Machiavellian, group-think authoritarian populism. There you have it: Trumpism)
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To: Jim Robinson

Lord that’s true. Anyone still standing is exponentially better that the evil and completely corrupt Marxist Hillary.
Bernie is a straight out communist. Trumps ex said she recognized that right away since she grew up in communism.


40 posted on 03/18/2016 3:30:10 PM PDT by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble mined asses overthrown,,,)
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