Sunday, April 11, 2004
The ever-sensible William Raspberry has justified reservations about the launch of liberal talk radio in his Stop Embracing the Negative :
I agree with him. The excitement I've felt from liberal friends about this is more the "Now we're going to stick it to them the same way they've stuck it to us" variety than "Now we have a new outlet for educating the public." Depending on how the format of this whole thing shakes out, either could be true.
If this just ultimately becomes a means for liberals to rain hate and half-truths on conservatives, I don't see much value to it. The Limbaugh method is beneath us. We gain nothing by muddying ourselves, other than the validation of Republican claims that liberals really are smug elitists. As Harry Truman was wont to say, "Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and the pig loves it."
- Now, Franken is a funny enough guy, I suppose, as an entertainer. But to the extent he sees his role as countering right-wing misrepresentations with left-wing misrepresentations, my response is: Who needs him?
The answer to lies and partisan innuendo is not more lies but truth -- truth at least to the best ability of journalists to uncover it.
I agree with him. The excitement I've felt from liberal friends about this is more the "Now we're going to stick it to them the same way they've stuck it to us" variety than "Now we have a new outlet for educating the public." Depending on how the format of this whole thing shakes out, either could be true.
If this just ultimately becomes a means for liberals to rain hate and half-truths on conservatives, I don't see much value to it. The Limbaugh method is beneath us. We gain nothing by muddying ourselves, other than the validation of Republican claims that liberals really are smug elitists. As Harry Truman was wont to say, "Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and the pig loves it."
