Which really, really pisses off Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Grover Norquist et al. And when Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, James Dobson, Tony Perkins and Grover Norquist are unhappy, well, I'm ecstatic. Mmmmm, schadenfreude.
Schadenfreude - : enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others, from the German Schaden damage + Freude joy.
Let's examine the damage and the joy of McCain's success, shall we? What is it about McCain that makes Rush and Ann and Grover quiver in their knickers? I suspect it's that he does not worship at the altar of Karl Rove, nor play by the Right Wing-Nut Rules like Dubya and Cheney. Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, et al. rose to prominence in the 1990s as the voices of conservative indignation, providing their audiences with daily offerings of righteous (and lucrative) umbrage over William Jefferson's shenanigans, and Hillary's Hillary-ness. Limbaugh proved that there's a lot of ad money to be made sputtering about besmirched "family" values and spewing femi-nazi bile. For the battalion of the bitter, the gravy train may be about to end. McCain is no fan of Karl Rove, not after Rove's South Carolina smear campaign aimed at McCain's adopted baby daughter in the 2000 primary (see http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/03/21/the_anatomy_of_a_smear_campaign/ if you have forgotten about this one). McCain, who helped bring down Jack Abramoff and the K Street irregulars won't be sending staffers to Grover Norquist's (Abramoff's best friend for life without parole) prayer breakfasts for fat cats the way Cheney and Dubyah have for the past 7 years (you can read more about Grover here http://slate.msn.com/id/2085277/). McCain won't be providing any softball one-on-one interviews with Limbaugh the way Dubya does (Dubya even calls Rush a "journalist").
Why are all the right-wing media whores - Coulter & Hannity & Limbaugh & Dobson (yes, the Family Research Council is really a media conglomerate) and all the rest - so afraid of McCain and promising to vote for Hillary if McCain gets the nomination? I think it's because they will lose access, lose influence, and hence lose money. These folks are entertainers (hard as it is to believe that anyone would find their bilious blather entertaining), after all. Limbaugh, for example, has 20 million listeners (can you believe that?) and brings in hundreds of $$ millions in annual ad revenues to Clear Channel, his master. Coulter's book sales, Limbaugh & Hannity's ad sales, Dobson's and Perkins' Christian tchotchke revenue streams, all have swelled over the past 8 years as Rove, Cheney and Dubya paid homage to their influence. The Bush team played along, never pulling back the curtain on the wing-nut horde's Wizard of Oz facade. McCain is not a frat-boy glad-hander like Bush, McCain won't play the Rush Limbaugh back-slap game. For this reason alone (although there are others to be sure) we should all be loving John McCain. For he may deliver us from Rush...
10 comments:
Breaking news that you already know by now....Mitt Quit.
That leave Huckabee and McCain -- well, and Paul, if he counts.
As Murray put it, now we will have a contest between Hope and Fear (Obama / McCain.)
John, as for being torn between Clinton and Obama -- in what way is Clinton's political technique different than the current occupant? You talked a lot about how McCain is different, and I agree, and that's one reason he scares me less than the rest. But I'm a bit of the opinion that Hillary operates in the tradtional way -- she manipulates, she threatens, she does her version of the back-slap. In listening to Obama I hear nothing of that from him. From Obama I hear an entirely new, humane, concilliatory approach. No manipulation. That's why I'd like to take my chances on Obama. He is different enough that the rest of the world will listen and withhold judgement for just enough time to make a change -- With Hillary, no one will listen to her, right off the bat. She may be smart, but she is just like all the rest.
Although I'm not unhappy about the news, I am kind of surprised that Mitt dropped out (suspended? what does that mean?)
By the way, John is my brother and I just have to share a memory with him. Mom discovered Rush before I did. One day, we were in the car and she said "You've got to hear this guy" and put him on the radio. She got great pleasure out of me hearing "feminazi" for the first time and for awhile pretended that she thought he was great.
Chrissy
I may be naive, Cynthia, but I do think that Hillary cares for people (remember her "we really screwed these people" comment?). I think she goes through the motions of the game because they work for her, as despicable and shallow as they (the rules) are. I think (and hope) Obama can find a different way. Obama is touted for his authenticity and I believe he can communicate with different types without sacrificing that. I think Hillary has 'resorted' to some nasty habits because she herself has been screwed, and I think that's what she's talking about when she touts her experience...that it's hard to play the game and not come away unscathed, bitter, and willing to play dirty if it gets things done more quickly. I hope (yes, audaciously) that Barack can walk the high road.
As for these horrible people on the radio....I can't CAN"T listen to them without losing my normal dignified composure. The only thing that saves me from dark despair is the thought that only the converted are listening to these preachers. Is there a left wing equivalent of these people that drives conservatives insane, too? Carville, maybe? NPR? My friend/boss can't listen to WERS...he snarls every time they say "music for the independent mind"! HAHAHAHA...ahem.
Also, please, a quick refresher in feminazi-ism? Is this term just meant to paint feminists in a one-dimensional, crazy, obsessed, and ugly light?
Chrissy -- I was listening to NPR and a discussion of dismantling a campaign -- the word 'suspended' is used because the actual machinery is still in place and may take as many as 2-4 years to wind down, what with accountants, lawyers, payroll, finances, equipment....
Here's the link if you'd like to hear it.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18826378
Rush has an appeal because he does what everyone wishes they could do sometimes -- knock the holier than thou folks off their pedestal. Abuse (think: Three Stooges) is a long-standing form of humor (gives the powerless a feeling of control) but his is juvenile, agenda-driven and repetitive. He deals strictly in sarcasm -- the tool of the weak. I think he would be brilliant if he were more ecumenical in his abuse, and also if he were more intellectual. (think: Jon Stewart or (maybe) even Steven Colbert.)
"I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe, and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right."
- George W. Bush
(I wanted to add this to John's first blog entry where I mentioned that Bush 'believes' stuff but doesn't 'know' anything.) (gives me a queasy stomach...)
As my son would say, Rush is a "hater". And Rush will continue to have access and make money as long as he can commiserate with the rest of the "haters" in this country. Certainly, many listen to Rush and Anne and Sean because they agree with the politics of the converstaion. I would argue, though, that most listen because they are miserable. And unless Obama is impressive enough to make *everyone* feel hopeful when he takes office, Rush will continue --quite successfully -- to spew hatred and make millions as the mouthpiece for misery.
Lisa
"mouthpiece for misery"
very well-put.
Yes, very well put.
Also very disheartening to think how many people are miserable and full of hate in such a wealthy country.
And I want to clarify that my comments regarding Clinton were not meant to be a defense of how she is running her campaign. I am glad that I've been hearing a lot of "fact-checking" from the press, and in that case at least, perhaps the main-stream media is actually doing its job and presenting the truth.
I am wondering if "suspended" also means you might jump back in??? who knows? something quirky happens and Mitt has the $$$ to re-engage in the process. Unlikely and weird I am sure.. but I wonder.
I think the Hillary factor includes years/decades of files & tidbits the opposition will dredge up, infuse with some new vitriol and flame everywhere... this will just continue the devisiveness we are so tired of. Hillary is part of the well-oiled Clinton machine. The deals, the favors, the good ole boys. How can that history not be attached to a fair amount of baggage?
who knows - maybe Chelsea or her boyfriend will "act up" or be set up and that can be a new Hillary flaw... Americans do not take kindly to a "bad" mother.
I had similar thoughts about the credentials of the "entertainers" who are the stalwarts of conservatives. I think you should also mention Tom Delay. I thought he was in prison, but he was on the cable talk circuit, bashing McCain and opining about whatever he has knowledge of, which I can only guess gerrymandering. I only hope that I get a chance to vote for Obama on this round.
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