Conservative Talk Radio and the Left

Why the left hates talk radio

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Posted: June 10, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern


Maybe we could call it a war council of sorts. A far-left cabal known as "Campaign for America's Future" held a little three-day conference in Washington, D.C., last week. The meeting was highlighted by attacks on the evil, menacing conservative media ... including, of course, talk radio.

For generations, the left controlled the major mass-media outlets in this country including (without limitation, as the lawyer's say) CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and more. Now, the wonderful world of cable television and talk radio have changed things. There is one cable network out there, Fox News, that doesn't seem to toe the leftist line, and liberals are fit to be tied. But their feelings about Fox News are almost benign when compared to their thoughts on talk radio.

One conference speaker said "I turn on the radio, and I hear these talk shows with right-wing drunks calling in, and I ask myself, where are our drunks?"

So, there you go: If you call a talk-radio show and express a thought or idea that doesn't toe the leftist, big-government, anti-individualist line ... you're a "drunk."

I actually have a bit of sympathy for these socialist bedwetters. They've had it their way in the nation's media for so many years, and now that's changing. The agony must be terrible for them to bear.

This past Sunday, for instance, I was listening to one of those terminally boring public-service interview programs on a Southeast Florida radio station. A department store manager was being interviewed about his store's efforts in promoting a drive to collect groceries for a local food bank. This manager moaned about the millions of children in this country who are "dependent" on the school-lunch program for their one good meal of the day.

Ah ... that sounds so touchy-feely and compassionate, doesn't it? All of these children in need. Makes you just want to cry. Then, along comes some wiseacre radio talk-show host who points out that many of these kids are wearing designer clothes and hundred-dollar sneakers while whey shuffle to their tables with their "free lunch." You start to hear that many of these children gobbling down "free food" come from families with some pretty hefty incomes. So, there you go again: This talk-show host is telling people things you would rather not have them hear. Your agenda is wounded.

On another day, the government presents its latest poverty figures. Alas, more Americans are "living in poverty" than ever before. Sounds like it's time for some new grand government spending programs, doesn't it? Then an evil right-wing talk-show host points out that you can have a net worth of over a million dollars in this country, and still be designated by the government as "living in poverty." You start to wonder just how legitimate those poverty figures are and - darn it! - there goes the support for the new spending programs.

Can we pause for a moment here while we try to feel their pain? Imagine how these big-government liberals feel? For decades they didn't have to worry about the other side of the story getting any real coverage. Now they actually have to defend their positions! Do you think grief counseling would help?

We can also understand just why the left is so mightily upset with Fox News right now. During the last few weeks, there has been contentious debate of President Bush's tax-cut plans. Just last week, the Senate, in a disgusting 94-2 vote, decided to send $400 checks to low-income "taxpayers" for every dependent child in their household.

And what happens? Along come those nasty Nazis over at Fox News who point out, in newscast after newscast, that the people who are going to be getting these checks don't pay taxes. In the liberal world, revealing that these people aren't actually taxpayers is very close to heresy.

The latest barrage of hate from talk radio will be about Hillary's book. Do you think that CBS, ABC or NBC will tell you that she didn't actually write it? Yeah, sure they will. But talk-show hosts will! You might even hear that on Fox News! Oh … the hate!

And somewhere in this great land, some talk-show host (probably me) is going to divulge the fact that Hillary Clinton is a life-long accomplished liar of pathological dimensions. This can be nothing but hate speech, true or not.

So, as campaign 2004 approaches, look for more gatherings of frightened liberals dedicated to ending the plague of Fox News and talk radio. Truth hurts.

mamajuana wrote:

So whose comment is this?

I find it easier to talk about topics here when authors can't be attacked.

so, is there any truth to what the author is saying? I agree that it is a bit slighted (like the tower of pisa has a slight lean) to the right, but that is how some see the current situation.