Hats off to David Brooks, conservative op-ed columnist for the New York Times, who wrote on October 2 about ineffectual right-wing “talk jocks.”
Microphone huggers like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly are caught up in “the myth of their own power,” Brooks writes, as he points out their negative effect on the Republican Party.
Of course, the blowhards are blowing back, calling Brooks “irrelevant” and “incoherent.” Limbaugh called him “jealous.” (Of what? Dittoheads vs. intelligent readers?) And, they all just love one more opportunity to blast the New York Times.
But, Brooks makes his case – that “the rise of Beck, Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and the rest has correlated almost perfectly with the decline of the G.O.P.” – with indisputable facts from recent election history.
Hey, this column has ticked off the big boys of right-wing talk, so why wouldn’t you want to read it?
"The Wizard of Beck," David Brooks, New York Times, October 2, 2009.
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demwit
Chronicling the absurd, the obnoxious, the outright lies, the occasional truths and the downright mystical out of the mouths of politicians and pundits.
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9 comments:
Excellent column by Brooks.
But I think some credit should be given to the Limbaughs and Becks of this world. They offer a service. Not only do they entertain but they give a voice to so may "losers" and hot-heads that would otherwise take matters into their own hands. The rantings and tirades those talk jocks offer sort of defuses much of the anger in their listeners, thus making things a little saver for all of us.
Maybe there's a cure for stupidity after all. If one (David Brooks) can see the light re: the radical right-wing, maybe there's hope of educating a few at a time.
Read a little earlier that the reason Glenn Beck can cry on cue is because he rubs Vick's Salve under his eyes. According to the report, he was caught doing this during break times. Vick's will certainly bring tears to your eyes!
But you still have to wonder about the people who can listen to the blowhard's psychobabble as much as you wonder about the blowhards. If they start singing "If I only had a brain..." that will signal hope (for healing stupidity) really is eternal. Perhaps the day is dawning when people will live in unity.
Unity, it's like blue jeans for the soul.
Caught Brooks on Meet the Press this morning. It seems that a few more conservative journalists are trying to fight for the sake of real conservatives, lately. They're tired of the fringe hijacking their party and ideals and turning it into a cheap circus.
Good blog.
CDM: Thanks for dropping in and cmmentng. The best part of this blog is the comment zone, and the fact the trolls stay away! I laughed out loud when “Linda” said Sue’s blog is “slanted.” Guess she didn’t read the blog description. Brooks did a brave thing. He’s written a few other columns critical of certain conservatives. I missed MTP and am just interested enough to take a look at the transcript. Thanks!
Airth: It’s really good to see you back!
Tiny: “blue jeans for the soul.” Nice.
BJ
Frodo will be impressed when Brooks writes about Ensign, Vitter, Craig, and Sanford. There was a time and a place where each one of these characters would've had a very prominent Scarlet "A" inscribed on the forehead.
The Republican "loyal opposition" has tolerated much for which they must reckon.
Where is Ken Starr when we need him?
For that matter, where was he for the last eight years?
BJ
airth10 said:
"The rantings and tirades those talk jocks offer sort of defuses much of the anger in their listeners, thus making things a little saver for all of us."
I don't know if I agree. The stupids I know think the talk jocks are gods. The tirades just make them more sure, more scared, more "right."
The fiery heads incite more hatred and anger, not less. (IMO) - bbj
Hey B.J., Linda reminds me of Babs Bush. I'm almost positive you heard of her remark concerning the influx of people to Houston after Katrina, yes? Thus, Babs and Linda are both ethnocentric by definition.
Loved the retort, classic.
Hi CDM:
If you’d like to email, Sue can give you my address. Yes, Brinkley’s book reported on Babs Bush’s insensitve remarks when she visited the Astrodome. I’m sure you heard the answer she gave at a book festival when questioned about the Iraq war, I think. She said she didn’t want to worry her “beautiful mind” about such things.
Would love for you to take a look at my latest post re. Greeks!
Thanks, BJ
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