Conservative Talkers and John McCain

[NENewsGuy]

Conservative media hosts like Rush Limbaugh are bashing John McCain more than they are bashing Hillary Clinton. But Republican voters aren't accepting the my way or the highway attitude from the rightees.

WGSO, New Orleans, radio talk host Jeff Crouere says Republicans aren't taking marching orders from people like Rush Limbaugh, per this article:
Can John McCain Sustain Conservative Attacks?
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/US/Po...McCain_Sustain_Conservative_Attacks__5736.asp

Another article, this one from themoderatevoice.com:
McCain Wins Florida But Must Battle Conservative Talk Radio
http://themoderatevoice.com/politic...y-but-now-must-battle-conservative-talk-radio

 

[Don62]

The subject has been talked about a lot on shows such as CNN's The Situation Room and MSNBC's Hardball.

I did hear Rush today and can see some of his points. Glenn Beck and Boortz hold similar feelings.
I don't know about Hannity because I normally don't tune into his shrill show. Other local hosts didn't like the McCain outcome.

I'm not a fan of McCain and am a former Limbo fan. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

 

[nolaradiobuff]

Here in New Orleans, nobody cares what Jeff Crouere has to say or Bayoubuzz.com for that matter.

The article doesn't say that nobody in New Orleans takes their marching orders from Jeff Crouere either.

It isn't listed there but Crouere goes up against Rush and he has about 1/100th of Rush's audience.

Now, I don't care what Rush has to say or Hannity. I'm a Conservative Republican and I can make up my own mind.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Meanwhile, to the left...Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz are constantly being accused of supporting Obama and bashing Hilary.

I concur with Rachel Maddow: I'm enjoying the fact the righties are frustrated with McCain.

Now, if only Hilary would do more radio interviews... Last time I heard her on the radio she was interviewed by Delilah.

 

[drt]

Conservative talk show host, Dennis Prager, seems to be bucking this trend.

Dennis Prager is on two of the Salem talk stations in the Tampa Bay area; yesterday I was listening to him on WLSS - 930 Sarasota (Florida)
and is very much for John McCain and not at all happy with Mitt Romney and his flip-flopping on so many positions.

Prager went on to point out, what he considered several lies and half-truths by Romney within the last few weeks.

drt-
St Petersburg,FL

 

[dustintv]

Meanwhile, to the left...Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz are constantly being accused of supporting Obama and bashing Hilary.

I concur with Rachel Maddow: I'm enjoying the fact the righties are frustrated with McCain.

Now, if only Hilary would do more radio interviews... Last time I heard her on the radio she was interviewed by Delilah.

As a progressive myself who frequents various liberal blogs and discussion boards it's getting really really ugly now that Edwards and Kucinich are out. Basically it's come down to this:

Support Obama=You're a good for nothing sexist neocon corporate whore
Support Hillary=You're a good for nothing racist neocon corporate whore
??? ??? ???

Frankly I'm shocked and sickened how downhill this election has gotten. I don't know if it's the media playing and pimping up favorites or what. It seems both parties are comepletely dissatisfied with the choices they have right now. How long before the revolution?

 

[jaymarvin]

You guys left this out! Hannity and Chris Mathews were on board the Rudy train early. Looks like that didn't work either.

 

[Don62]

Conservative talk show host, Dennis Prager, seems to be bucking this trend.

Dennis Prager is on two of the Salem talk stations in the Tampa Bay area; yesterday I was listening to him on WLSS - 930 Sarasota (Florida)
and is very much for John McCain and not at all happy with Mitt Romney and his flip-flopping on so many positions.

Prager went on to point out, what he considered several lies and half-truths by Romney within the last few weeks.

drt-
St Petersburg,FL

I listen to and like Praeger as well, but interesting how he glosses over McCain's "dirty tricks" and distortions.

Did anyone watch the Republican debate last night? To see that mean old man griping about an opponent's view of the Iraq war - and to repeat ad nauseum about how much his buddies in the military and Senate support him so much - made me almost want to throw up.

I'm no giant Romney supporter, but he sure looks like he has more ideas and a fresher approach than the windbag establishment candidate who claims he's white as snow all the while stabbing his opponents in the back with his own version of half-truths and distortions.

 

[del_griffith]

I do think it's interesting that it appears that the average republican, and yes even many conservatives, are no longer being motivated and inspired by the Jaw Bone Media. And frankly, the term Jaw Bone Media handle fits boths sides of the political aisle. Jaw Bone Media = a lot of yack and little results.

But regarding conservative hosts, there was a time, especially with Rush, that when he spoke the masses would respond. This is particularly interesting looking at Rush in general and consevative talkers as a whole, since they were often cited for their ability to do just that; motivate, mobilize and chart a course for the right leaning masses.

I think the shift comes from a variety of factors. One being that most major talkers are now on heritage stations. Heritage stations are the stations that seldom get punched or dialed off. So much so they've almost become background with the exception of the news/traffic elements. The shows themselves have almost become passive noise in the background. When Rush first started, people had to listen to rim shots and distant stations to hear him. They searched him out. They no longer have to do that as his popularity grew and he located on the blow torch stations.

To a point, some of major hosts lost some credibility and standing during the Bush administration when they were left playing defense instead of offense. Especially after so many promises of wait til we get the legislative and the executive and watch what happens. Being on the offense is always more fun than being on the defense and makes for better talk radio. I've heard more than one host lose their bravado when talking about the President or when the congress was in republican hands. Yes, as they are so fond of pointing out, especially in the last few days, that they have been critical, it wasn't with the biting commentary and comedic bits that had been reserved for and used so effectively against liberals and democrats.

To a point, the hosts also lost some credibility in the 06 elections when they largely put forth the house AND senate would not change hands. This missed that one by a wide mile. It became an issue about being more in touch with their K Street sources than with their listeners on the street.

The Salem guys suffer the same fate as the Air America guys. First they aren't always sought out and secondly they are on to many second and third tier stations to effectively compete and be heard.

 

[jimwalsh2001]

You know, there are other stories out there. Powerful, compelling human dramas like, say, this one:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_left_story/20080130_Bidding_goodbye.html

Modest proposal: Instead of boring us with the same old canned opinions about the same old canned candidates (totally indistinguishable from what a thousand other hosts/channels/candidates are saying), some of said hosts might think about hitting on topics and events that have a direct effect of peoples' lives, or at least have an element of drama and human interest about them...


...and no, "immigration" doesn't count... ;D

 

[Lando Griffin]

...pr maybe this means that most radio listenrs DO think for themselves when ti comes down to the truth... Listeners of Conservative hosts have been ridiculed by The Left as "sheep" who do what Limbaugh tells them to do... This scenario, however, proves that those accusations were a mere fallacy.

That being said, the rank-and-file republican voters are the ones being heard. While I am no fan of McCain and dread the notion of McCain vs. Clinton or Obama, most of us will still vote our conscience on Election Day 2008 and not let any demogogue -- right or left -- tell them how to cast their collective balots...

 

[del_griffith]

I disagree. There was a time when the gospel of Rush or Sean was in fact.......the gospel. It was heard and often followed. I've hung around conservative web sites long enough to see post after post waiting for Rush's explanation of something stupid that a republican or conservative did. That is post after post back in time. That doesn't happen so much any more.

Rush and Sean will claim success for Harriet Meyers. (Actually I heard more of the Salem hosts being credited by talk radio listeners than I did Rush or Sean) So they too believe they have influence over their listeners. Or at least on air claim that they kept the masses informed on the hoodwink. They love their sheep when they are in control and take the accolades, hate it when the mainstream media call their sheep.......sheep.

But the flocks are thinning. Yes, both Rush and Sean still have audience loyality that most hosts still dream of having. It just isn't as large and as in tune with the hosts as what it once was. And they are quicker to break when they don't agree.

 

[cflmusiclover]

don't these guys understand

That it's the opinion of the people that really counts, not theirs. I hear a lot of "talk radio will have none of this John McCain stuff", yet it's not talk radio who should determine who works or doesn't work.

Not to mention the newly-released study that said unequivocally that opinion talk radio has almost no influence over voters (below):
http://news.****************/cgi-bin/$rol.exe/headline_id=b10562

And, the Republican Party wonders why they're in tatters these days. Their "divide and conquer" has ended up with them eating their own.

 

[KFodor]

Politics aside, the real radio question here is:

Are Rush and Sean (and the others, including the progressive talkers, too) entertaining people when they are, basically, advocating a particular candidate?

I'd like to say yes, but lately the browbeating, chest thumping and "Dammit! I'm Right! Listen to me!" attitudes (because some listeners think differently than them) could very well be wearing thin on a portion of the audience.

Makes you wonder if some of the talk hosts have become too full of themselves and are forgetting that, at the end of the day, it's about entertaining listeners, not politics. They are, basically "talk jockies", radio hosts...they don't run the parties...and never did. Though, have they been used by the parties? Of course.

 

[DaleGriffin]

Here is an interesting tactic from the McCain people:

To all:

Wow this is great to see. Political muscle is built by one person talking to one person and so on. Now it seems we have jumped to dozens of people talking to dozens more.

I urge you all to do as I have done and simply contact the stations that carry the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh, Coulter et al and let them know that you are tuning them out and turning them off. If enough of us do it, they'll get the message.

I have no problem with someone supporting a different candidate. Steve Maloney supported Rudy when I was already strongly pro-McCain. But just like Rudy and McCain, we kept our discourse respectful and civil and see where we are now; working together for the betterment of our party and our country.

I believe that ultimately the frenzied hate-speech coming from the far-right towards John McCain will backfire in much the same way Bill Clinton's attacks on Obama in South Carolina led to Obama's devastating victory over Hillary there.

I would suggest that those of us working to elect John McCain constitute the new majority in the Republican Party...what I like to term, the Rational Right.

PS...any of you on this list who are bloggers, please send me the URL as I would love to come visit and check out your blogs.

PPS...Sheridan Folger's new e-mail address is [email protected]

Brad Marston
National Chairman
McCainVictory08
Support John McCain

Hate speech? Sound familiar?

 

[Jay F]

I guess the talk hosts don't have much influence. But I have to say as a person who loathes John McCain (I didn't just jump on the bandwagon, I have strongly disliked him for over a decade), it is music to my ears to hear all of these talk shows bash him. I actually look forward to hearing Rush now, my heart beats in excitement when I hear his theme music, I haven't felt that way since 1991!!! I have also become a Hannity fan. I was under the wrong impression that he was just a mouth piece for the RNC. No, he has a mind of his own. I have also become a huge Hugh Hewitt fan, he has become my favorite talk host. I appreciate how these talk hosts, as well as bloggers like Michelle Malkin, are conservatives first, Republicans second. Their ideology and values are more important than party loyalty.

I have a bad feeling all of these hosts will eventually "step into line" and support McCain. Not because they like him, but because the Dems are slightly more liberal. I guess I can't blame them. But when that day comes, I will be listening to a lot less talk radio!

 

[KFodor]

If Rush and Sean, et al want to stick to their guns, fine. They are allowed, and should be allowed their opinions...

But, remember, they need to do it in an "entertaining" manner. Entertainment, not political ideology is what got people "to the party", so to speak. Once they stop entertaining, and choose to continuously brow-beat their listeners to agree with them, they're in the same territory, tactically speaking only, as some of the Air America hosts. It's a fine line they have to walk.

The listeners are, and should be allowed to, disagree...even with El Rushbo.

Isn't it Sean Hannity who has said over and over on his radio show (back in the days when Rudy was still in the hunt)..."Any of the 4 major political candidates would make a better President than Hillary Clinton"? I believe he was even including McCain in that statement.

 

[Don62]

Isn't it Sean Hannity who has said over and over on his radio show (back in the days when Rudy was still in the hunt)..."Any of the 4 major political candidates would make a better President than Hillary Clinton"? I believe he was even including McCain in that statement.

The Great One also errantly endorsed the Gubernator, over a more qualified conservative gubernatorial candidate, much to the displeasure of many of Sean's listeners. I remember some of them calling and trying to dissuade Sean's wrong approach. Look how great that pick turned out to be.

I too though Sean would pick the party favorite. I hadn't listened to his show in a long time and was I surprised (and in agreement with him) when I tuned in Friday.

 

[Jay F]

I was just thinking that there is anther way to look at this. What if these popular talk hosts were not attacking John McCain? My guess is that McCain would be winning in landslides, much greater than his relativeley narrow victories (and in several cases loses) and the 33% or so of the vote he has been getting.

Most voters are uninformed. They don't really think much about politics in their daily life. Because of his name recognition, I would say it's the natural order of things for McCain to do well, especially with the MSM pushing him. Many voters who consider themselves conservative probably just assumed ol' Mac was one of them, especially considering his military background (which is the one issue where he is conservative).

My guess is it will be closer than predicted on Super Tuesday. The word is getting out to the uninformed conservatives that McCain is a RINO. He might win on Tuesday, but the margin of victory would be much larger if he had the approval of the talk hosts. So I would say they DO have influence.

 

[cm454]

2 POINTS:


1) Most voters DO NOT even listen to talkradio. That may be good, that may be bad. Considering how one-sided talkradio has become ideologically, maybe it's more of a positive.

2) Don't give Sean Hannity too much credit here. He only breaks with the Republican party when daddy Rush does. If you look back, that's EXACTLY his M.O.