Yes, it does. It matters a lot more than a fight that Rush is more than happy to keep alive.
You've got your loudly-expressed opinion -- and it's justified. But it's a simple fact that the more time Obama spends fighting individual media personalities, the more damage he's doing to himself. Rush will be just fine.
Oh, and if Rush isn't that smart, and his program "does little to advance conservative thought", then why is he being singled out? Hmmmmmm? Why isn't John Derbyshire? Why isn't Rich Lowry? Why isn't [insert name here]?
Let's be clear. Rush is a talented entertainer who knows his audience, and who knows exactly how to play to conservatives' emotional responses. That's not an intellectual basis for anything. Rush's format does not permit him to spend time on anything other than a narrow set of topics, shallowly addressed. It's fine for what it is -- but it will never enable another Reagan-class political revolution.
That will serve Rush very well: he's blessed by his enemies in this case. Just as a debate would be conducted on a ground of Obama's choosing, this little flap is being conducted on Rush's home turf. Obama cannot compete there, and he's a fool for trying to do so.
Good for you. You have your own reasoned explanation for Rush’s success. And approximately 20 million others disagree. Certainly that’s a small number when compared to the rest of America. But it’s not insignificant when compared to the readership or listening audience of other conservative spokesmen, is it.
Good day.