Posted on 12/16/2004 5:02:52 AM PST by johnny7
WASHINGTON — Right-wing talk radio is badly in need of a new demon, or, more accurately, a new person to demonize.
I am an AM-radio addict — good show, bad show, it doesn't matter because you're going to be out of range in 45 minutes anyway — and this fall I had occasion to do lots of long-distance driving. Sadly, local AM-radio shows are disappearing. You can still find ample religion and country-and-western on AM, but that's a little too much sin and adultery for my tastes. That leaves your reliable right-wing hosts — Rush, Laura, G. Gordon, Michael and the gang.
In retrospect, the golden age of right-wing radio talk was the Clinton years. Something about Bill and Hillary tapped deep reservoirs of venom and outrage. And when calm and civility threatened to break out, the Clintons always seemed ready with a fresh scandal, even, as they exited the White House for the last time, thoughtfully issuing wholesale pardons to a colorful collection of rogues and scoundrels. Truly, demons walked the Earth in those days.
Alas for the vibrancy of the right-wing talkers, their man George W. Bush was elected president and their party, the Republicans, controlled Congress. They went through the motions, but the old flash and fire weren't there. I began to realize how dire the lack of demons was early in the Bush administration when, in response to political columns, I would get e-mails asking if I were aware of the threat to civilization posed by one Tom Daschle. The common phrasing of many of the e-mails was a tip-off to their origin in right-wing talk radio. Now I'm all in favor of people taking an interest in current events and public affairs, but, really, there's no reason a person with a reasonable life has to know the name of the minority leader of the U.S. Senate. This was going fairly deep into the bench in search of demons. Bill Clinton was still on the loose, but he was writing a book, mourning his dead dog, opening a library and having heart surgery, all stuff that's hard to attack. Hillary, of course, became the junior senator from New York. The talkers, and the right generally, pray that Hillary will run for president in 2008. But she'll run for re-election first in 2006 and, unless your pulse quickens to dairy price supports, mass transit funding and Upstate economic development, there's not much there by way of red meat. Four years is too far off; heck, in radio, six minutes is too far off.
Mercifully, the Democratic primaries came around again, and a fine collection of targets they made, and the best target of all, John Kerry, got nominated. The more he explained his positions, the more impenetrable they became, and he had a puzzling inability to hit back. You could say pretty much anything about him with impunity, and the talkers did. His wife, the charming and intelligent Teresa Heinz Kerry, somehow became a cross between Madame Defarge and the Dragon Lady. His running mate, John Edwards, was a little harder to work with since the talkers had to explain to their audiences who he was before they attacked him. Laura Ingraham called Edwards "pretty pony" and "show pony." And then on Nov. 3, it was all over. The two Johns and Teresa, all the demons, were gone. It was like the saloon brawl in a Western movie when the good guys look around and all the bad guys are out cold or gone; that sort of "Now what do we do?" moment.
The right-wing talkers have been flailing in a demon-free environment ever since. Not too long ago I heard Rush Limbaugh tell his audience, "Don't be fooled, my friends, by this Harry Reid." (Ital) Harry Reid? (endital) Of course his listeners weren't fooled; most of them probably had no idea who Harry Reid is.
Harry Reid is a Democratic senator from Nevada and next month he will become the new minority leader of the U.S. Senate. The demon situation is that desperate.
Yeah Dan... unfortunate comment Sen. Reid (D)NV made on Timmy Russert's show. Guess we're too smart for our own good.
'Whatta a-hole!
Hey!
Is this jerkwad calling me some kind of loser...WITH NO LIFE??!!
(Stalks off thread. Picks up latest edition of "Journal of American Politics." Cross-references ACU rating of Peter Hoekstra from 104th session of Congress with ACU rating from 106th session.
There's a presumption here that Rush's audience is as stupid as the author.
What a crackpot. I'm sure this guy has clothes hanger scars on his head from birth. Where do they find these dunderheads?
So the people who voted for Bush are stupid, but they don't need to know who the minority leader is? Keep 'em in the dark, and they won't vote for what's best for them.
Maybe they figure they can get away with more if we don't know their names. They should wear masks or nylon stockings over their heads or something.
That cesspool, the United (League of) Nations is still available for the job of demon...
Funny thing is: Rush first became popular during the Presidency of George Bush (41), pre-Clinton, pre-Kerry, etc.
In fact, if anything, Rush was at his funniest in those days, because he had no single democrat lightning rod. He did updates about "animal rights wackos," "feminazis" etc., everyday.
Therefore, I would think Rush would have enough material just from the various liberal advocacy groups that still exist.
And, of course, the Hildebeast
The writer assume that right wing talk radio always needs a single person to go after. One can have a great talk radio program just reading the news and continually seeing where right wing principles apply. There is no fear of us running out of nut job left wingers to talk about.
This A-hole is just trying to get his column mentioned on Rush's show. There's nothing in his column that hasn't been said before, and it's certainly been addressed by Rush many times.
He should know this name, but I should not???? Elitist punk!
The charming and intelligent Teresa ---- What rock has this writer been under for the last few months? With her comments about Laura Bush never having a real job, the raisins and booze, etc., I'd have a hard time calling her intelligent. BOZO? Yes. Intelligent, no way.
The lovely Laura referred to the lightweight Edwards as"Silky Pony." If Dale listened, as he claims he did, he would have known that.
They don't need demons. They have a full-time job clearing up the confusion spread by confused but nonetheless determined-to-explain characters like Dale McFeatters.
Yeah, what kind of thing is that to say? O_o
A) Bush the first was seen as not carrying on the Reagan Revolution. No great communciator, a thousand points of light, out of touch, seen as an elitist among the rank and file grass roots folks. B) There was an unbelieveable rise in Populism, ergo the rise of Ross Perot. C) It was chic to be anti-government. D) The Dems controlled congress and manipulated Bush I. E) Rush was novel and a back bencher much like Newt on his rise to the 94 election and the Contract with America.
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