Posted on 01/14/2003 2:56:58 PM PST by rhema
The New York Times frets. Its first front page for 2003 blared, "Outflanked Democrats Wonder How to Catch Up in Media Wars." The piece recounts the failures of liberals on radio and television: Mario Cuomo, Jim Hightower, Geraldo. Now Mrs. Marlo Thomas, Phil Donahue, tanks on MSNBC because the callers are not there.
Worse, bemoans the Times, a massive media juggernaut of conservatives, from Rush Limbaugh to Bill O'Reilly, monopolizes thought. Flummoxed Democrats quoted in the article sound daft. Liberals envision daily staff meetings of media baron Rupert Murdoch's conglomerate in which CEO Rush Limbaugh gives Sean Hannity, Michael Reagan, et al., their talking points for the day. They then toss darts at photos of Alec Baldwin and Sean Penn, and depart in black helicopters. "The vast right-wing conspiracy! It's alive!!!" liberals point and bellow.
John Podesta, former Clinton chief of staff, and Stephen Kirsch, Internet entrepreneur and $1.0 million donor in 2002 alone to the DNC, exclaim, "We need our own Rush Limbaugh!" Fools they be. There will never be a liberal Rush Limbaugh. Conservative talk radio, Fox News and conservative personalities succeed because the public chooses them.
Liberals continue attempts at end runs around human nature. Their Title IX litigation that demands parity for female collegiate sports drones on because people don't want to pay to watch broads shooting hoops. Policy wonks jabbering about how bad things are in America is not their cup of tea either. When Americans have a choice, whether in mid-term elections, TV, or radio listening pleasure, they choose conservatives.
Democrats approached Haim Saban, Hollywood mogul and creator of deeply moving entertainment such as "The Power Rangers," to fund a network to counter Fox. For conspiracy theory, left-wing style, check out Saban's political donations. He gave $10.7 million to the DNC in 2002 and tosses about $1,000 donations to Hillary, Jean Carnahan, Feinstein, Kerry, etc. as if they were quarters.
Even Saban told them to pound sand because he understands the bottom line of business, and there will be no ROI from liberals. Heck, even liberals don't listen to themselves. NPR, the taxpayer-funded liberal media machine, has an audience that is 72% conservatives.
Why do conservatives listen to NPR? Well, we don't get near as angry about Daniel Schorr's contortions or Nina Totenberg's hissy fits as liberals do about Jerry Falwell or Charlton Heston. We listen for the hoots. To us, NPR is pure unadulterated fodder for laughing out loud at the bias, feigned concern, and stewing and fretting over SUVs. Herein lies the Podesta blind spot. Liberalism is the entertainment.
But James Carville and John McCain, who called Mr. Limbaugh a "clown," mistakenly believe that the draw is the packaging. This bunch of ragtag media warriors is not exactly Hollywood material. Mr. Limbaugh has no guests on his show. Bill O'Reilly is not a particularly pleasing man to gaze upon, but he tackles what was once unspeakable. Rita Cosby of Fox News has a weekend-anchor-hired-out-of-Pittsburgh-look, but she has a nose for news and will not let interviewees wriggle out of answering.
Liberals can't do witty satire or rapier-sharp response and analysis. Al Franken's book, "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot," is about all liberal comedy can offer. Michael Gartner, former head of NBC news when Dateline got caught adding incendiary devices to enhance video of its staged exploding GM gas tanks, said in response to Mr. Limbaugh decrying the unfairness of the report, "He's a showoff, a showman and a jerk."
Media conservatives draw audiences because they are upbeat about life and America. Sean Hannity sounds happy and grateful. Mr. Limbaugh breathes opportunity in America. Mr. O'Reilly smiles with self-deprecation even during his hate mail. Author and JWR columnist Ann Coulter told CSPAN she has a great life, thanks to the American people.
Who on the left could be upbeat? Find me one happy liberal. Imagine Nina Totenberg and Barbra Streisand as joint hosts. The listeners would need Midol. "Now, pulling off the robes and tackling the issues of the day, your host, Ruth Bader Ginsburg!"
Conservatives offer a marketplace of ideas. Listeners and viewers tune in to debate, not grouse. Vouchers got their legs in conservative media and will not die because these outlets keep the data flowing. Welfare reform founds its roots here. These ideas, ultimately embraced by Clinton himself, work! It's substance, not form.
By contrast, Donahue recently had Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins on to discuss the war in Iraq. If you're looking for substance, Sarandon, Robbins and Donahue are dead men walking.
Liberals will never have their Rush Limbaugh. Liberals lack solutions, not media outlets for their tired musings. It ain't the messenger, stupid; it's the message.
Because if you say it enough times it begins to stick in the publics mind. Think of what they call Republicans every night on the nightly news. Uneducated, racist,gun nut, right wing, homophobic, hate filled, heterosexual, K-Mart shopping, Bible Toting, conservative, Evangelical, Christian Taliban, anti choice, Nazi! Lets not forget the "angry white male" or the "vast right wing conspiracy". I much more of a problem with the "main stream news media".
Politics have never been a gentlemans sport
I just sent a nastygram to my local talk radio station programming director in protest against the Doug Steffan show. Here was his response:
...good news for you and many others who won't tune in until after the 6-9 Doug Steffan show. A change is coming. Very soon, in fact. It will focus on local, national issues along with current events. Strangely, this area...democrats outnumber the republicans by a 2-1 margin. This program on from 6-9 is centered around liberals-yet no one wants to hear it. I think it is humorous.
Morning programming is, to be frank, a real bitch to find. Our hands were tied when Imus was forced off the air.
Imus cost us monthly $1,600. His numbers were slipping and advertisers were not buying. So we were spending that much and not even hitting half of the costs to run the program.
Rush, Sean Hannity and everyone else on our station cost absolutely nothing to air their programs. We stuck with Imus as long as we could..but the boat was nearly sunk when we pulled the plug.
Hear, hear. The sobriquets for Sen. Daschle bother me the worst. Like anybody here needs to be reminded who (or what) he is.
I've never heard a radio host use names like Fool Dumbahue, Dumbocrats and Hitlery. Those are all names I've only seen used by FReepers.
Here are some funny names I have heard radio hosts call Libs and other RATS, though:
Tom "Puff" Daschle
El Loco Poco Dicko
Algore
Grayout Davis
Gray Doofus
Gay Davis
Patsy "The Squint-Eyed" Schroeder (a blast from the past that still brings a smile to my face)
Calypso Louie
Serpenthead
The Forehead
To be a liberal today is to be at war with reality and logic. If you think I'm making these generalities up, just visit some of the Democratic websites like DU and others.
An excellent plan! They would be burning up money that would otherwise go toward buying and litigating elections and they would be heard by no one.
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