It’s almost all out war….among conservatives. Read the ever lively Allahpundit. And read the comments from Rush fans under his post.
Further evidence that conservative talkers such as Rush Limbaugh who played such a vital role in rallying the Republican party faithful in the late 1980s and 1990s by helping provide party members with a cohesive world view, plus a place to get together and talk among like-minded people, have now become akin to members of a condo association who suddenly got on the condo board. He has the power — and if you don’t tow the line the way he wants, your opinion is haughtily dismissed (Like the old joke: “If I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you!”).
The GOP’s problem: the party continues to tow Rush’s line when it’d be far better off moving towards a more thoughtful, affirmative version of conservatism versus the conservatism of exclusion. Which some conservatives are now finding Rush is trying to do with them (but in the end, they’ll all make up and Rush will continue to rule). The GOP needs not only a new generation of leadership — but newer, 21st century, non-baby-boomer media role models who do more than attack, demonize and ridicule people in tidy sound bites. Until then, Limbaugh’s power will likely remain as large as his waist size.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.