Friday, September 02, 2016

Today In Republican Detachment Disorder: Michael Gerson



According to Mr. "Smoking gun/Mushroom cloud" one of the most powerful shocks to America's politic system came this very year when it was Suddenly!Revealed! that Conservative media is a midden pile of goblins, whores and assorted other rodent-people:
How Donald Trump has discredited much of conservative media

Of the 2016 election’s lightning storm of shocks, few will have more lasting political consequence than the discrediting of the main media organs of movement conservatism.

Fox News — the “fair and balanced” alternative to the liberal media, the voice of traditional values, the never-ceasing hum in the background of American conservatism — has been revealed as the personal fiefdom of a Donald Trump shill and as an institution apparently operating (according to one lawsuit) “like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny.” While Fox News is not going away, it will need to be relaunched and rebranded as the network of Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly (both fine journalists), rather than of angry white television personalities who employ perpetual outrage as a business model.

Speaking of which, a similar unveiling has occurred with the right’s defining radio personality, Rush Limbaugh. It is difficult to overestimate Limbaugh’s influence on two generations of intensely loyal listeners. Steve Forbes has called him “part of the trinity that made modern conservatism,” in the company of Ronald Reagan and William F. Buckley...
I have it on very good authority that having shocked the world with this theory that he has -- that is to say, which is his -- about Conservative media being run by a mob of deviants and con men, next week Mr. Gerson will be appearing on Thrust to share another bold theory of his about...

...the Brontosaurus:


4 comments:

Green Eagle said...

"While Fox News is not going away, it will need to be relaunched and rebranded as the network of Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly (both fine journalists)..."

As if the concepts of Fox news and fine journalism ever had any intersection in all of human history.

Ferg said...

I think this perfectly illustrates this phenomenon of centrists and right wing hacks suddenly realizing what was obvious for decades.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeOOA9-lL-4

If they are only now able to figure out what the puzzle is after 90% of it is complete, then they are stupid.

Is it possible they knew what was going on the whole time but only now decided to tell the truth because they perceive a change in the direction of profit?

trgahan said...

Some strident, smart mouthed, liberal could point out, given the hiring and firing practices of what Gerson would label non-conservative/liberal/non-partisan media outlets since 2012, that conservative media itself isn't discredited, but the very term is no longer relevant for use in the conservation.

Because when all the news is reported and commented on by conservatives (hacky pundits, water carrying Both Siderists, and don't-call-me-a-Republican Republicans) then no news media is "conservative media."

Edward said...

This has been a good week for "not my baby" and "both sides" pronouncements. My favorite thus far has been Glenn Beck's lament about how Obama blew the historic opportunity to heal race relations in this country that was open to him the beginning of his first term: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/glenn-beck-says-obamas-failure-fix-race-relations-will-go-down-biggest-missed-opportunity-am

Listening to that I, too, blew -- some chunks remembering some fellow talking about hatred for white people and the white culture.

I guess you could say it has been a good Summer, and that this weather is likely to continue well through next year.