The witless challenge the wits

townhall.com ^ | 1/19/04 | Suzanne Fields

[kattracks]

We must wish Al Franken well. Heaven knows the left needs all the help it can get in its search for a place on the radio dial, but Al is going unarmed into a battle of wits and humor against Rush Limbaugh.

"We're trying to give people an alternative," he told The Washington Post. "We want to provide a change in the political landscape and a beacon of hope for ordinary Americans who work hard and play by the rules." That sounds like an appeal to the dittoheads, and they've already got Rush.

Conservatives have been winning the culture war because the soldiers of the left are firing mostly blanks. Comedian Dennis Miller, who's getting a new talk show on CNBC, tells why he slid to the right. "Well, can you blame me?" he asks the New York Times. "One of the biggest malfeasances of the left right now is the mislabeling of (Bush as) Hitler."

[My2Cents]

I like Dennis Miller's line:

"The left thinks everyone's Hitler. Bush is Hitler; Rumsfeld is Hitler; Ashcroft is Hitler...They think everyone is Hitler except that foreign guy with the mustache dropping people into woodchippers."

[longtermmemmory]

Obvious Al has not read any Mass court opinions.

I think Franken is going to adopt an anti-call in format. More akin to a radio SNL format. He can't do serious comentary he has to couch it as satire in order avoid liability. (his oriely bash book had to be hidden in humor and he was unable to claim it as serious analysis.)

Franken must have a good agent.

[Consort]

Bob Franken is funnier than Al Franken.

[pax_et_bonum]

"Heaven knows the left needs all the help it can get in its search for a place on the radio dial, but Al is going unarmed into a battle of wits and humor against Rush Limbaugh."

Al = future Darwin Award nominee

[Squantos]

That web site has some nice stuff .......:o)

[CyberAnt]

I was watching Booknotes today. Franken and Alterman were paired against Ingraham and Tucker Carlson. It was hysterical. At the end, Laura directed her statement to Franken about all the Bush is stupid, Bush is a moron, Bush is Hitler, and all Bush does is lie, lie, lie. Laura said, "you know what .. the public is not buying that". That ended the show, and Franken could not reply.

Tucker was awesome and constantly beat up on both Franken and Alterman. Also .. Laura brought her Ann Coulter doll with her and was using it to answer some of the Al and Eric idiot questions.

[raybbr]

Conservatives have been winning the culture war because the soldiers of the left are firing mostly blanks.

She's right. The homosexual lobby isn't getting any stronger; the illegals are treated like illegals; we don't have signs all over in spanish; Christian religions aren't being trashed; school systems are teaching our children very well; taxes are down at all levels of government; criminals are getting appropriate punishment, etc. Yeah, she's right. I feel so much better now.

[aruanan]

"We're trying to give people an alternative," he told The Washington Post. "We want to provide a change in the political landscape and a beacon of hope for ordinary Americans who work hard and play by the rules."

Throughout history more people have chosen to eat bread than cow pies. The fact that so many people eat bread doesn't mean they lack an alternative. You're not giving them an alternative, Al; you're just giving them another reason to continue to choose bread over dung.

[moneyrunner]

The operative word here is “winning.” Conservatives have not won the culture war yet because Liberals have not surrendered. But … we are in the process of forming a majority that will lead to the Liberals’ defeat.

It took a generation to install Liberals in the seats of power in the arts, academia, The church, the press and the courts. It will take a generation to replace them.

Just remember that the issues that bother you are the issues that also bother the vast majority of your neighbors. With the advent of talk radio, conservative publications, the Internet (including our little colony right her), conservative intellectuals, Fox and a few other outlets, conservative have found a voice and a rallying point around which an increasingly fed-up majority of ordinary Americans bring their enthusiasm.

Conservatives are building activists that will one day dominate our institutions. But it will take time. In the meantime, only with a positive outlook will we gain more troops. Anger and despair is self-destructive. It drives people away. It’s Howard Dean’s problem, don’t make it yours.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Speaking of the Great Liberal Talk Radio Hopes, MSNBC is using Fargo, ND-based "nationally syndicated talk show host" Ed Schulz for Hawkeye Caukeye commentary. I just laughed, 'nationally syndicated'? What's he on? 5 stations?

And it's a huge joke that the liberals have talk radio envy? Let's trade talk radio for the NY Times, Wash Post, LA Times, CBS, ABC, NBC and CNN? Would they make that trade?

[wayoverontheright]

Just remember that the issues that bother you are the issues that also bother the vast majority of your neighbors. With the advent of talk radio, conservative publications, the Internet (including our little colony right her), conservative intellectuals, Fox and a few other outlets, conservative have found a voice and a rallying point around which an increasingly fed-up majority of ordinary Americans bring their enthusiasm.

Also, these new conservative media have succeeded in EXPOSING the Left's illicit and clandestine relationship with power and socialism. There are still Bush haters out there, however, and they don't seem to be coming our way in great numbers.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

I was watching Booknotes today. Franken and Alterman were paired against Ingraham and Tucker Carlson. It was hysterical. At the end, Laura directed her statement to Franken about all the Bush is stupid, Bush is a moron, Bush is Hitler, and all Bush does is lie, lie, lie. Laura said, "you know what .. the public is not buying that". That ended the show, and Franken could not reply

Anyone have a transcript?

Also .. Laura brought her Ann Coulter doll with her and was using it to answer some of the Al and Eric idiot questions.

LOL! Ann doesn't have to debate Al Franken--she can just send her doll!

[CyberAnt]

Doesn't C-SPAN sponsor Booknotes .. maybe you can get a transcript from them. If I made any gross error in translation, please let me know.