Posted on 05/09/2007 4:02:46 AM PDT by Kaslin
We've now finished the first two presidential debates, both on MSNBC. Pundits are debating whether they will make a difference in the race, but one thing is very clear: It's business as usual for the media moderating these things. The Democrats were treated to an amiable chit-chat among friends. The Republicans took round after round of hostile fire from enemies. Nothing ever changes. The Democrats are spoiled like rotten kids, and the Republicans are invited to sleep on a bed of nails -- and do so willingly.
But the dynamic now has been made even worse by the petulant petitions and protests of the censorious left, the ones who claim to be "democrats" but want to remove Fox News Channel from the news media. Leftists believe in a media strategy with all the sophistication of holding your breath and turning blue. Fox hatred is required. On the Huffington Post, author Carol Hoenig argued the Democrats should debate on Fox. Even so, her article was headlined "Fox News: A Cancer on Society."
It's about time the GOP put an end to this charade by refusing to debate on CNN or MSNBC when they employ left-wing political pundits who throw roses at liberal politicians while they hurl invective at Republicans. So why don't they take a stand? Because they're afraid of the consequences. The Democrats can refuse to debate on Fox News, and the other networks chortle. If the Republicans refuse to debate on MSNBC, they infuriate NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, PBS and NPR.
So what? What are these networks going to do in retaliation? Stop covering them? The news media need both parties as much as the parties need the news media. Conservatives and Republicans should stop taking this longstanding injustice sitting down -- and if they take a stand, their supporters will cheer.
The left-wing campaign to "unseat" Fox News (as the anti-Fox "News Hounds" blog calls it) should be a rallying cry for the GOP. If the left wants to assert that Fox is not a "legitimate" news channel, then the right should go to the mattresses to reply that the so-called "mainstream" media are an illegitimate gang of shameless Democratic partisans with James Carville on their speed dial.
The left is deadly serious, making it crystal clear that it's not a joke when radio hosts warn about them cracking down on conservative speech with a new "Fairness Doctrine" if the Democrats take control of both Congress and the White House. They will go from merely turning down Fox invitations to turning off conservative talk radio.
What should conservatives do? Start with the debates. Conservatives probably cannot expect to face moderators who don't have Democratic politics on their resume, from Tim Russert to George Stephanopoulos to Chris Matthews to even Brian Williams (if you count being an intern in the Carter White House). This should not necessarily be a disqualifier. Let's remember that some anchors without party jobs in their past (Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifill, both of PBS) have regularly leaned left in their debate performances. But Republicans and conservatives ought to be more forceful in demanding fairness and balance in the questioning these moderators provide.
The first line of defense has to come from the contenders themselves. On several occasions in the GOP debate, Mitt Romney mildly protested the premise of liberal questions that emerged. Chris Matthews asked, with a straight face: "Would it be good for America to have Bill Clinton back living in the White House?" "You have got to be kidding," Romney replied, a good answer that exposed this for what it was: a question straight from the liberal template.
The Washington Post refugees at Politico.com asked Romney another loaded question: "What do you dislike most about America?" One might argue that the ex-Posties were merely forwarding the Voice of the People, but of course they're choosing from a flood of e-mails, and to select something that dopey reeks of bad, and partisan, judgment. Can you imagine the uproar if Fox asked Howard Dean that one in the 2004 cycle?
Next, the GOP debate negotiators should start playing hardball and protesting up front when potential moderators are suggested. They ought not to suggest, but demand, a Brit Hume or a Chris Wallace as moderators. Further, they ought to do more to press for a panel of questioners to allow more diversity in questioning.
In fact, why don't the Republicans just have a presidential debate on radio with talk-show host moderators? Invite Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and so on to be the questioners. Why do Republicans always insist on playing by liberal media rules, on their field?
Finally, Republicans should mock the Democratic withdrawal from Fox with a loud, continuing question: How will Hillary and Co. handle Osama bin Laden when they don't have the courage to handle questioning from Brit Hume?
Lecturer, syndicated columnist, television commentator, debater, marketer, businessman, author, publisher and activist, L. Brent Bozell III, 51, is one of the most outspoken and effective national leaders in the conservative movement today.
Too many Republicans believe by playing it “safe”, that will get them elected, but it does just the opposite. All we want is some leaders in this party who will stand and fight, not sit and cower, because they don’t have the guts to punch the bullies lights out.
Good ideas, but it will never happen.
The Republicans lost the will to fight YEARS ago. They only fight overseas, now.
At the very least, maybe the Pubs could insist that the moderator explain his political background so that the audience could have a sense of his biases (for instance Matthews being an aide to Tip O’Neal).
By the way, has anyone noticed that General Motors is now a Rush sponsor? I seem to recall wails and screeches of dismay about two years ago (from the DBM) when GM announced that they would no longer advertise in the Los Angeles Times. Here's a link.
Could these two events be related?
They are the SCUM of the earth.
I noticed Fred Thompson wasn’t there.
Of course no. Fred Thompson is not a candidate yet.
no=not
He could have been had he to.
I like your home page by the way :)
Excellent idea. Rush, Sean and Laura could then provide equal time for the RATS.
I think not! As Rush calls the dems linguini spined, the GOP is just as bad. Won't stand for anything!
Well, anything that’s spoiled needs to be thrown out. Better to keep democrats refrigerated.
The Pub candidates don't have to collectively demand an explanation. What they do need is the ability to think quickly on their feet and when faced with a loaded question, fire back at the moderator. For example:
Candidate John Doe (insert the candidate of your choice): Mr. Matthews, while I am well aware that you were once a top aid to liberal Democrat Congressman Tip O'Neal and expect questions like this, for the sake of our audience, could you at least pretend to be unbiased for a few minutes this evening.
If every Pub candidate gets in Chrissy's face like this, then Chrissy will spend half the evening on the defensive trying to pull his panties out of his butt.
Republicans are and have been afflicted since FDR with Second-String-Syndrome. They understand that they have no actual right to rule and when they do it is an embarrassing fluke. They feel they must constantly make nice with the Democrat Natural Rulers as they hold the naturally Democrat positions in some sort of trust awaiting the return of the proper holders of power, the Democrats. They feel the same way about the media. The Media is properly Left and Republicans must play on the proper Left playing field there. Anything conservative or Republican is slightly disreputable and not Authentic. Republicans believe the Democrat Left is the real Voice Of The People and Republicans are only there to try to get them to remember some non-People types oconcerns occasionally.
Pinging for general interest, since this is the same group we must overcome.
Excellent article.. Too bad it will fall on deaf ears...
Maybe GM has actually studied the history of Rush’s sponsors and their zoom upward after paying Rush’s premium advertising rates.
It is sad when the people with the biggest cajones in the conservative movement are the women.
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