What a lifelong Democrat learned from a year trying to live like a Republican

CBC Radio ^ | November 23 | Out in the Open

[mkleesma]

Ken Stern did not expect to enjoy pig hunting in Texas.

As the former head of NPR, he did not expect to find common ground with the people of evangelical churches or eastern Kentucky coal mines. And he did not expect to renounce his Democratic membership.

But after a year immersed in Republican culture, Stern learned life on the other side of the political divide is far from how it's depicted — a problem he pins on a polarized media landscape, and the very institutions he formerly called home.

[mkleesma]

I almost closed the page after, "As the former head of NPR", but kept reading (there's also an audio file). Not bad, about as fair and gracious as a liberal can be.

[Steely Tom]

Cults tend to be very hard on people who leave.

[reasonisfaith]

The current Marxist strategy is to become populists and “Christians.”

Just like after 2004 when they started their “faith and values” scheme.

What they don’t get is it’s too late for them this time.

[KyCats]

This is a rehash of Goldberg’s “Bias” with the spew inducing B.S. theory being that leftists aren’t really evil. It’s just that there are so many of them that they are victims of their own group think sound chamber.

[rdcbn]

The Progressive Left is steeped in contempt with ordinary, average Americans living in flyover country

Their view is your average American is a stupid, racist bumbler who cannot even manage his or her daily affairs, much less comprehend the complex issues that face the nation or the world

The self proclaimed “Elite” of the Progressive Left, especially those educated in our “Elite” institutions of higher learning are of the opinion that flyover Americans are racist, bible thumping evil far right misanthropes who maintain their station in life purely by oppression of societal “victims” (as defined by identity politics ideology) and they consider flyovers not fully human and fully deserving of the all the hatred and contempt the Left can muster

I other words, they live in an alternate reality which as little basis in fact

[Robert357]

Old news, that I have read before and listened to before.

“...This story originally aired on March 4, 2018.....”

I think that the former PBS executive does have a point. Unfortunately CNN, NY-Slimes, MSNBC and PBS need to do some introspection. The attempt by the media to elect Hillary (as documented by Wikileaks) and de-legitimize Trump verges on criminal.

It is time for the media to apologize and bring back “balanced” reporting.

[outpostinmass2]

This is a rehash of Goldberg’s “Bias” with the spew inducing B.S. theory being that leftists aren’t really evil. It’s just that there are so many of them that they are victims of their own group think sound chamber.

---

I read that book as well. He tried way too hard throughout the book trying to sell Dan Rather as a good person.

[onedoug]

Conservatives must think.

Thinking for one’s self is highly discouraged, if not forbidden within the left’s sphere.

[outpostinmass2]

Remember, you are considered a Nazi if you do not want the government to pay for sex transitions. Also the President is Hitler if he refuses entry to our country to people who want to destroy it.

You must start there when discussing liberals.

[Vigilanteman]

What saddens me most is when conservative parents send their young to elite colleges and hardly recognize what they become in four years of leftist indoctrination.

We limited their choices to colleges which at least made the honorable mention list of YAF's best colleges for conservatives. As a bonus, they all offer reasonable tuition as well.

[Lurkinanloomin]

a problem he pins on a polarized media landscape, and the very institutions he formerly called home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The very institutions he called home were the Ministry of Propaganda.

Without 90% media saturation the left’s lies would not stand in the light of day.

[hiho hiho]

I find this highly insulting. I am a life-long republican. I’m not an “evangelical” Christian, nor to I go out and hunt pigs!

[Vigilanteman]

It doesn't look like YAF publishes a link on their main website, but here are the top 20:
https://thebestschools.org/rankings/20-best-conservative-colleges-america/

[PGR88]

What’s bizarre about this is that its clear that this metrosexual leftist from Washington DC had to work very hard to step out of his bubble and echo chamber.

That should tell him something right there.

[precisionshootist]

I did not finish the story. At some point did he realize he has been living a life of lies? Believing lies, telling lies, living lies.

[ConservativeWarrior]

Yes, because conservatism is all about hunting pigs and evangelical services.

Talk about perpetuating a stereotype.

[monkeyshine]

His point is that media is 5:1 liberal:conservative, and this results in media reporting stories that conform to their views in general. Reporters would never do a story on race relations only interviewing white people, but when it comes to politics they don’t care to bring in opposing opinions to the mix.

Said media paint caricatures of the right and fails to report their actual views and actions. He attended a convetnion of 15,000 young Christians and on the question of poverty and immigration the focus was about how best to help people - a good Christian ideal - but the media portrays it as racism, nationalism and xenophobia (my words paraphrasing his).

He switched parties from D to R during the year, and switched to I after the year. Says being I in DC is a joke.

[rdcbn]

I know and agree completely

In fact, it’s happened to me personally

[wrcase]

Unfortunately those schools are woefully lacking in the study of Engineering or the hard sciences.

[3boysdad]

For a second there I was about to complain because Texas A&M wasn’t showing up in the list, but then it finally landed in the No. 20 position. It’s a great college and am grateful my sons are going there.