Can the Dems Ape FOX?

Section of newsletter from opinionjournal.com ^ | 1/2/03 | James Taranto

[BunnySlippers]

Can the Dems Ape Fox?

Democrats "are scouring the nation for a liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh and the many others on the deep bench of Republican friends," the New York Times reports. "They say their concerns have taken on a new urgency because of the rise to the top of the cable news ratings by the Fox News Channel, considered by many to have a conservative slant," adds the Times, considered by many to have a liberal slant.

One group of well-heeled Democrats "is toying with the idea of starting a liberal cable network." John Podesta, who served as Bill Clinton's chief of staff, "is discussing . . . the creation of a liberal version of the Heritage Foundation." Other Democrats and liberals are trying "to foster national liberal radio personalities" to counter the likes of Rush Limbaugh.

Well for crying out loud, guys, why not dare to dream big? American liberalism is pretty pathetic if its highest aspiration is to mimic Fox, Heritage and Rush. Here's a much more ambitious goal: Why not counter the vast right-wing conspiracy by taking over the "mainstream" media? And if it's research you want, maybe you should set your sights on America's system of higher education. If you could get liberals onto college and university faculties, they would have the opportunity to mold young minds as well as influence the political debate.

Imagine a world in which more than 80% of journalists vote Democratic, and in which left-liberal scholars vastly outnumber conservatives at colleges and universities across the country. It'd be a liberal dream, right?

Savvy readers will note that we are describing the world as it is, rather than as it might be. (And we haven't even mentioned Hollywood.) Fox, Rush and Heritage have been successful, and partly it is because they have set themselves apart from the liberal "mainstream." Similar liberal efforts are doomed to fail because they will not be able to set themselves apart.

Maybe there are people who would prefer to get their news from a network that openly acknowledges its liberal bias. But where would such a network find talent? Fox's success isn't just a matter of its alleged conservative slant; it also has an excellent lineup of anchormen, hosts and commentators. Talented right-leaning broadcast journalists--the Brit Humes, Tony Snows and David Asmans of the world--are, we'd venture, more comfortable working for Fox than in a newsroom where most colleagues view their political outlook with disdain.

In contrast, talented liberal broadcast journalists are right at home at CNN, PBS, NPR and what used to be called the three major networks. Why would they want to leave for a network that (unlike Fox) is openly partisan? Similarly, why would a talented scholar want to work for a left-wing Heritage clone rather than get a tenured position at a college somewhere?

Liberals find themselves in a tough situation. They no longer control any branch of government, and while they still predominate in journalism, entertainment and academia, these are not necessarily politically effective institutions. The news media must maintain at least an aura of objectivity. (This applies to "fair and balanced" Fox too, and its news coverage is no more biased than the New York Times' or CNN's.) Hollywood and the academy are insulated from any political accountability by great wealth and tenure, respectively; and the likes of Barbra Streisand and Noam Chomsky do more to discredit the liberal cause than all the Rush Limbaughs put together.

Is there a way forward for American liberals? Probably, but we can't imagine what it might be.

Article also accesses:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/01/politics/01DEMS.html?pagewanted=all&position=top

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Heeheeheeheeheehee...

I wouldn't call FOX conservative though. They're middle of the road. But that's still right of anything else on the boob tube.

[anniegetyourgun]

May they spend all their money trying....

[Mr. K]

you beat me to it... every time I hear the lib's scream that they need to counter Rush or FOX I say "huh?" ... ABCCBSNBCCNN are already the liberal stations...

[upchuck]

"They say their concerns have taken on a new urgency because of the rise to the top of the cable news ratings by the Fox News Channel, considered by many to have a conservative slant,"

Lord the Libs are stoopid. Fox News is pretty much middle of the road. So to the libs Fox is conservative. And to the far-right, Fox is too liberal.

But. Ok, fine. Let's say they do this. Now, what's gonna be the difference between what the DNC comes up with and what's already on ABCCBSNBCPMSNBCCNNETC? I suppose they could invent a network that was even more left than the ones I listed. But, and this is the bottom line, who would watch? All the news outlets except Fox are loosing share. Seems to me a far-left outlet would loose even more.

I can understand the left's problem (gloat, gloat), but starting another lib network isn't gonna help them.

[Tom Bombadil]

and the likes of Barbra Streisand and Noam Chomsky do more to discredit the liberal cause than all the Rush Limbaughs put together.

And they would only be effective in a monopoly media. Rush made it ok to be a conservative and to speak up with questions about socialism and other liberal causes.

He met an unmet need in doing so. Liberals already have NPR and Pacifica.

[marty60]

It would be so depressing, you would have to by the large economy size of Zoloft. This is a non-starter. But, DUMS like to throw money down rat holes.

[exhaustedmomma]

Democrats "are scouring the nation for a liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh

James Carville, Bill Moyer, Chris Matthews, Katy Couric, BABs, etc, etc, etc... not to mention BET, CSPAN, Oxygen channels. It ain't workin' with the libs because they are so over the edge anybody with a grain of brains or an ounce of moral fiber are tuning these freakazoids out.

Ever notice the libs start parroting whatever works for conservatives. Their newest chant is conservative bias. So freshly original. (Rolling eyes)

[tang-soo]

I thought x42 was supposed to have his own radio show. Maybe he can play his sax for the bumper music.

[Mike Darancette]

Democrats "are scouring the nation for a liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh and the many others on the deep bench of Republican friends," the New York Times reports. "They say their concerns have taken on a new urgency because of the rise to the top of the cable news ratings by the Fox News Channel, considered by many to have a conservative slant," adds the Times, considered by many to have a liberal slant.

Being DemocRATS they believe that Fox News and Limbaugh are Svengalis who can force people to desire Conservative concepts.

When in reality it is the Conservative concepts that make Fox and Rush popular.

[VRW Conspirator]

I stated it before on a related thread. It is about truth! Plain and simple. A liberal Rush Limbaugh would have to calmly and politely support liberal arguements while trying to counter conservative callers. This will not work for a liberal.

Humor is based in truth. That is what makes Rush's show so entertaining. Liberals/Leftists cannot give the game away by telling the truth. America will turn to a different station as fast as they rejected Senator Clinton's National Health Care.

[reformed_democrat]

Yes, please! Waste all that RAT money on failed networks!

My thoughts exactly.

You know we (the VRWC) will be blamed for this -- first we laugh at them and hurt their feelings, then we bankrupt them by refusing to pay for their stupidity.

Haters, all of us. Just a bunch of haters!
My thanks to Taliban Patty's spokescritter for the new descriptive pronoun.

[BIGZ]

Well said and in so few words you said it all.

[yendu bwam]

Democrats "are scouring the nation for a liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh and the many others on the deep bench of Republican friends," the New York Times reports.

I don't get it. They already have Dan Rather and Bryant Dumbell.

[yendu bwam]

Some programs for the new liberal channel -

1) How to grade the color of your skin, so you'll know where you can get into college -
2) An important sodomy update for your elementary school kids -
3) How to revive our economy by doubling taxes -
4) Government programs for you when you don't feel like going to work -
5) Advice to teen girls on how to get an abortion for free without your parents knowing -
6) The assault on secular humanist values by radical conservatives who want to keep the word 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance -
7) How to win the war on terrorism by having a multi-party conference with Osama bin Laden and Yasser Arafat -
8) The British way to reduce crime by confiscating guns -
9) How to protect our country from missile attack with treaties -
10) The Kyoto accord - how to use up 10% of our GNP so that we can feel good about ourselves in international forums.

It's gonna be real, real popular!

[hardhead]

I thought most networks WERE liberal.

[lara]

Whatever they do, the taxpayers will end up paying for it.

[hope]

"Liberalism is out of step with mainstream America".

Exactly, and previously they had the lamestream liberal press to spew forth their lies to the American people, over and over again, and the lies were, that most Americans believed along liberal lines. But, mainstream has found something to connect with and talk radio, the internet and Fox, have helped expose these pimply faced, liberals for the immature children that they are.

Liberals are just people who never grow up.

[second_half_recovery]

Democrats "are scouring the nation for a liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh..."

I hear Kim Jong Il will be available soon. Perfect fit!

[driftless]

Have you ever seen a tv show where liberals are slammed and made fun of like what is done to Republicans and conservatives routinely? Can you imagine a top-rated tv show depicting the life of a Republican president and presenting conservative views in a glowing and effusive way? The West Wing should be called The Left Wing and be done with it.