Is Rush Limbaugh moving to Austin, TX?

Since he appears to be on his last leg (0.00 / 0)

I don't know why not.

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by: Elsbeth @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:40:22 PM UTC

Great music video... (0.00 / 0)

Rush's new theme song?

Best,
David

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by: David Kobierowski @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 18:28:27 PM UTC

You really (0.00 / 0)

think Rush has "talent." I don't know that I would call it that. Nor do I "respect" whatever it is. I think he has messed with our political system. And he takes advantage of people, not unlike a scam artist. He's a radio scam artist. Politicians like Rick Perry who admire and promote him are no better than he is.  

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by: Elsbeth @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 02:45:19 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, Rush has talent (0.00 / 0)

Elsbeth,

He's a partisan hack, but he's a good one.  Dems would love to have him on our side if we agreed with him on policy.

Is Rush so different than partisan hacks on Air America?  I'd argue he's smarter than most of the other hate-radio hosts on the left and the right.  He has some occasional charm, and he's an artist at capturing his audience and communicating his msg.

What he does is sneaky, yet brilliant.  If you listen to the beginning of any of his arguments, he typically offers an interesting piece of information to capture his audience...something that is insightful to anyone, no matter what their political flavor.  Then he begins to shift gears and frames the argument brilliantly, so that it's a choice between the Big Mac or a McDonalds cheeseburger, but you're still buying from McDonalds, so most listeners fall for his trap...then he comes in for the kill and spanks the Dems with his closing argument.

Where he fails is most of his arguments are fear-based.  Fear is a very powerful tool, but it's been overused by the Bush Adm., so much that it has lost a lot of its stickiness, unless it's a very real fear like terrorism.

His strategy is clever and effective...many independents follow him because of this bait-and-switch and framing.  I don't know of any other talk show host that can do this.  Hannity tries, but he typically fails.  It's a bait-and-switch sales-job, but it works.  In politics, the ends justifies the means, so Rush wins the prize.

Yes, Rush does have talent.  I disagree with 85% of his policy, and I don't like the way he personally attacks others...it's cheap and bullying with is mic, but just because I disagree with his policy doesn't mean I think less of his ability to communicate a message and capture his audience.  He's one of the best at that...his crime is he's on the wrong side.  If he was pushing Dem's policies, he'd probably be our hero.

Another example would be President Reagan.  Again, I'd disagree with most of his policies, but he was amazing at communicating a message and capturing his audience...and even connecting with his audience.   Would you say that Reagan didn't have talent??

Best,
David

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by: David Kobierowski @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 04:29:22 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I wouldn't compare (0.00 / 0)

Rush Limbaugh with Ronald Reagan. Even though Reagan did do a lot of work for ultra conservative causes.

You agree with 15% of Rush's policies? You seem to be giving him a political office. That's interesting.

I don't think what your wrote here is true either:

If he was pushing Dem's policies, he'd probably be our hero.

Deceit is not my idea of heroism. And when I hear it from anyone pushing Democratic Party policies I react negatively to that as well. I don't think anyone should appreciate someone that does what Rush does everyday.

Air America started out as a reaction to all of the conservative talk radio, didn't it? It now seems much better at "setting an agenda" unrelated to what the conservative radio talk is doing. And that's good.

I know that you are in the business. And I can understand that you have a different perspective. But I don't like that Rush Limbaugh and the rest of them seem to have influenced radio to such an extent that everyone sees them as the "success stories."

I look forward to a new paradigm that has nothing to do with this one. And I should think that would be a noble goal for anyone striving to succeed in the talk radio business.

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by: Elsbeth @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 14:40:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well said (3.00 / 1)

Yes, Rush and other right-wing Conservatives took over the airwaves in the mid 80's, shortly after the FCC got rid of the fairness doctrine (equal airtime for opposing viewpoints)...and Rush fully capitalized on it.

Radio, because of it's limited # of airwaves, belongs to the public.  Unfortuntely, it's mostly commercialized by a few large media corporations, and monopolized by angry conservatives.  I agree with you and I hope it changes and becomes a more fair and open medium of communication.

Good discussion.

David

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by: David Kobierowski @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 19:39:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]