Al Franken’s Suicide Mission: Liberals can’t do talk radio

NRO ^ | 2/21/2003 | Jonah Goldberg

[Husker24]

Meanwhile, Al Franken the author of Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot thinks there's another reason for not trying to ape Rush. "I think the audience isn't there for a liberal Rush," he said on the Donahue show, "Because I think liberals don't want to hear that kind of demagoguery." ..........the very definition of a Liberal.

[eeman]

I know this is cheap juvenile humor but:

.....animal-rights groups denouncing the "Gay Rodeo."

What type of events do they have at the Gay Rodeo?

[JoJo Gunn]

Bareback Riding....

[PFKEY]

It concerns itself with grievances, not ideas.

And given enough time people get tired of this crying wolf and cease to listen any longer.

I pray that we are getting to that point.

[Slyfox]

Franken and company have it all wrong. As usual.

Liberals only know how to deal in ridicule. Of course, they are just following the leadership of their mentor, Saul Alinsky who considered ridicule a socialist's best weapon when fighting the right. Ridicule is an action or words intended to evoke comtemptuous laughter or feelings at the expense of others.

Rush Limbaugh and the whole "Right Wing" crew deal in satire, which is described as being 'irony, sarcasm or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly or vice'. It actually takes a lot more thought to present satire and to understand satire.

Radio audiences are so used to real satire. Anything else will just get on their nerves.

[Jhoffa_]

"I think the audience isn't there for a liberal Rush," he [Franken] said on the Donahue show..

Wrong, I think it is.. But you will have to be smarter than Rush to get them.

If you can be the man to give them superior arguments and talking points. Logical, methodical arguments with substance then they will love you.

If you go on the air and try to do a comedy routine, you will fail. If you go on the air full or hate and vitrol, you will fail.

If you go on the air and present people with a more realistic, factual and logical side of politics and the liberal ideology, then you will be the most successful radio talk show host in North America. And then Democrat party will make you one of the richest men in North America as well.

But that's how you're going to have to earn it. Beat Rush and the conservatives in a debate, hands down and regularly.. with no emotional appeals or other hyjinks.

[tophat9000]

What type of events do they have at the Gay Rodeo?

Ah... Bareback riding?

[Nick Danger]

Anybody who wants to hear liberals on the radio can tune in NPR and have no commercials. Any attempt to run a liberal show on a commercial radio station has to compete with that. I don't think they can. So long as the Democrats maintain taxpayer-supported Democratic Party Radio, they will never see success on advertising-supported radio. There just isn't enough audience left over after most of the liberals have gone down to the left end of the dial.

The Democrats probably thought they were pulling a fast one when they started non-commercial liberal radio, but in fact they hosed themselves. Rush Limbaugh was the Universe's revenge for the Democrats sucking all of the liberals out of the audience pool available to commercial radio stations. Once NPR started up, there was nobody left out there for the commercial guys to appeal to except conservatives.

[Ichneumon]

If you go on the air and present people with a more realistic, factual and logical side of politics

One of the biggest reasons I listen to Limbaugh is that he's absolutely one of the best political analysts out there. He has better insights into the political maneuvers and motivations of both the Democrats *and* the Republicans than any of the "official" political pundits.

He's also got a better track record of predicting how the public tide will turn in reaction to various political moves, and how one political group will respond to the other when they do something.

I'd still listen to him for that reason alone even if the hilarious skits, songs, and satire were to disappear from his show.

He's also something that no liberal talk host will ever likely be -- optimistic, upbeat, and an unashamed believer in America.

[sheik yerbouty]

Rump wrangling?

[lewislynn]

One of the biggest reasons I listen to Limbaugh is that he's absolutely one of the best political analysts out there. He has better insights into the political maneuvers and motivations of both the Democrats *and* the Republicans than any of the "official" political pundits.

I feel the same. In fact I could do without the callers. I mentally tune in to the monologues and tune out the rest on all the talk shows....Hannity and Medved are tuned out completely.

[Axenolith]

This type of stuff is always great, anything that fruitlessly bleeds cash from liberal elitists kicks BUTT!!

[Dark Knight]

I don't think I saw the real reason why a liberal talk show will fail. They have this strange idea that you can just put a talk show together and it will happen. ALL the current top talk shows have hosts that have spent years in training for the big time. YEARS. Liberals and demoncrats want to have a show NOW. No real prep time, no real training. We want it now!

Limbaugh, Hannity, Leykis, and Stern did not just wake up and say, "Gosh, I want to be a top rated talk show host." They put in years before it happened. They also are very attuned to their audience. You can't train someone on that in 5 minutes, it takes years. That's why Hightower, Cuomo et. al. failed. They were not radio.

DK

[demosthenes the elder]

"For the record, I didn't make-up the phrase "coalition of the oppressed." I first saw it in a poster in Dupont Circle put up by animal-rights groups denouncing the "Gay Rodeo." It explained that rodeos demean horses and cattle and since these animals are equal members of the "Coalition of the Oppressed" gays should not contribute to their persecution."

Oh, my God.
just... oh, my God!

[Shryke]

They love hatchet jobs, low blows....

Um, I think, in Clinton's case, they need to transpose the "blow" and "hatchet".

Hrm, maybe in my case too. Sorry.

[UbIwerks]

Mike Savage pointed out that this liberal radio station would be a good opportunity for scammers.

Maybe someone could get together a bullhockey resume and ask for advance money up front (snicker).

[Liberty Valance]

Dang!

[johnny7]

If I remember correctly, many pf Cuomo's callers were conservatives.

I believe the lack of liberal callers frustrated him. They would rather rant against a Rush than discuss idea's.

Here's an idea, why don't they hire Penn & Teller! HA! One of'em never talks!

If they do decide on Franken, it will be 3 solid hours of Bush-bashing... no substance and feeble attempts at humor.