Don't pile on me. Just a link to Brian Mahoney at Radio Equalizer, who is always more than a fair man in his analysis. Some of his links and quotes are rather troubling. Given the liberal media's tendency to ignore, or impugn so many conservative personalities who have had great success, it is something of a puzzle while they seem so intent on propping Beck up. Is it only because he has prominent liberals handling his business and image? I wish I knew. But it has always been cause for alarm given how little I trust liberals and the liberal media. See both links if you haven't. I'm open to opposing views. That doesn't mean some of this isn't rather curious imo. They do love to set the Right up, just as they did with John McCain. Remember? He was the candidate the Left feared! Yeah, sure, how did that work out for us? feh!
More important is the state-run media's curious role in promoting Beck. Is it designed to install someone they see as highly vulnerable to oversee conservatives, leading to subsequent damage?
Lefties recognize Beck's unpredictable behavior and habit of making strange statements that serve the movement poorly, such as his assertion that McCain's presidency would have been worse for America than Obama's.
In addition, it is then relatively easy to use Beck's words to undermine Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Levin, Sarah Palin and others.
Another tactic: pitting other conservatives against Beck, accusing them of "jealousy" in relation to his "success".
Beck, Palin, hell while we are at it why not Michael Savage?
Meanwhile:
http://rsmccain.blogspot.com/2009/11/sheer-evil-genius.html?showComment=1259015338353#c4069314277367482540
One of the best Sullivan comments evah (courtesy of Palladian at Althouse)...
Posted by: Joe | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 06:04 PM
Nobody listens to Mark Levin. That's why the Lame-stream media ignore him. The biggest right-wing media person is Rush, and Beck has quickly taken second place. That guy promoting the Hannitization of America probably comes in third place. I'm not saying I'm ranking them how I like them. I'm trying to rank them according to how much "pull" they have with voters (and, of course, my estimate could be wrong, which should go without saying). I also think the left perceives Beck as self-demonizing. However, I think they're wrong.
Posted by: Al in St. Lou | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 06:14 PM
i think the left are trying to lure beck into running for public office.
of courses he should not bite that bait, as he is better off where he is at.
Posted by: arlenearmy | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 06:16 PM
I don't know anyone who doesn't listen to Levin.
Posted by: KillTruck | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 06:34 PM
My position:
1. the Left wants to win. They plan ahead.
2. put in place a conservative sounding pundit--smooth him out on CNN, move him to FOX. Promote him over all media: books,TV, radio, magazine covers, rallies. Start a boycott! That will get them riled up. Have the president sneer about the 5 o'clocker!
3. It doesn't matter what he says, how anti-Left he sounds, what conservative ideas he supports, as long as he does ONE THING--push, push push for a third party. Promote the meme that both parties are the same.
What a bonus for them if the consevatives fight amonst themselves over this guy.
I would like someone (Dr. Helen?) to talk about the sophisticated methods of manipulation now in use. I'm sure they've gotten very clever with opinion swaying.
Posted by: Bob | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 06:58 PM
Hey Al!
Yeah, I, too, am "not" listening to Levin right now! (It's a commercial break, dude. The Great One will return in a minute...)
As for Beck and the Third Option... Perhaps I've missed it, but he seems to support most of all a full re-boot of the Repubes by Constitutionally grounded fresh blood. THAT is Option 'A'.
Me, just me - if the Republicans give us another RINO on the ticket, I will definitely vote third party, Option 'B'. There is no return to Liberty with a RINO Administration and Congress - just a gentler, slower landing into hostile Tyranny. That's just me.
Posted by: Ran / Si Vis Pacem | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 07:10 PM
I don't remember that the Left feared McCain the most. The loved him, and they were right to. With him as the R nominee, the election was win-win for them.
They're Sullivan over Beck because many people agree with what he says, and what he says isn't good for Leftists.
I'm not a regular Beck watcher but the only people I've seen reporting that Beck wants a third party are those who never met a really, really popular conservative they can lower themselves to like.
Posted by: mariner | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 07:26 PM
Why Does The Left Want Beck To Lead The Conservative Movement?
Because of all the big-name conservatives around today, Beck is the easiest to demonize. Limbaugh and Hannity have always been gadflies, demagogues, and effective rabble-rousers. But they both hew to a more conventional conservative line: no conspiracy theories, no End Of The World predictions (at least, not until Barry Lackwit was elected), not much in the way of religious demagoguery, and no active attempts at political activism. Also, both of them have been around for a while. Most people are aware of them, and anyone who has actually listened to either of them for any length of time knows that the Left's attempts to demonize them are off-base.
Beck, on the other hand, is a fan of conspiracy theories and apocalyptic scenarios. His religion is a regular part of his schtick. And he is now actively trying to form a new political movement. In short, he's easy to paint as a wacko, because he's more than halfway to really being a wacko. And to make matters worse, the more popular he gets, the farther wacko-wards he moves. Hence, if he's the leader of the Conservative Movement, then the entire Conservative Movement must be wacko.
Posted by: wolfwalker | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 07:35 PM
Lefty hopes we'll be distracted. They want us to fret about our young Turks while lefty plots to smash us with Commie-care and amnesty. We've just won Cap 'n Tax, so no trizacta for you, lefty. Let's send him home penniless.
Posted by: Mr, Sauce | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 07:45 PM
"Beck has quickly taken second place"
Dude, get your hands on some ratings info. You're way wrong on that if you're talking radio. Beck isn't even in many large markets. And where he is, his success is rather limited. TV and radio are two different things. Besides, I thought Beck was a libertarian, not a conservative, assuming he knows what he actually is? I somewhat doubt it. H eseems to be a TV personality, rather than having any clear ideology.
Posted by: Dan Riehl | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 09:15 PM
John McCain would have won if he did not vote for the $700B bail-out (cash for Goldman employee bonus'). Not that he would be any better than Barack Obama, because we all know that when push comes to shove the only aspect of his conservatives values that is not up for sale is his National Security credentials, and no matter how much Barack may hate our military, there is no chance he would allow his image to be tarnished with attacks in this country that he could have avoided.
Posted by: astonerii | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 11:23 PM
I don't think Beck's assertion that a McLame administration would have been a disaster is so strange. During the campaign, Rush had a candid moment where he said that we wouldn't have to worry so much about what was coming out of the Democrat Congress as much as what would come out of the McLame Cabinet. It is strange if you think that all politicians should seize the center and mix equal parts of each party's positions. You know, like taking a bit of wine from the Republicans' flask and mixing it with an equal quantity of strychnine from the Democrats' flask. It'd be just like Bush 3.
That said, I agree that we should be careful who (if anyone) we anoint to lead the Conservative Movement.
Posted by: Steve Poling | Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Teees a tangled web we weave ... maybe a lil early for 2012 post mortems/endoscopes ... methinks? Daily televison has to provide daily content. Good, bad, indifferent. Every single day. Day after day, someone's gotta dig up some fresh red meat, from somewhere. To feed the masses. Rooted/planted in front of their glowing, wall sized televisions. Anaesthetized.
Dear Leader is on the air twenty four hours a day. Every outlet. Every channel. Every means of distribution. Flinging his extry spayshul brain drippings.
Quality people. Not quantity.
Pull it back a little, we ain't going nowhere .... no f*cking where at all. Without the big tent. And agreeing to disagree. I'd like to think we can at least agree on the most pressing issue? Saving our dying country. Before it well and truly IS too freakin late [my jury's still out on that (only the future knows)]. F*ck this litmus test bullsh*t (all the way up with a red hot poker).
We are Americans. Celebrate our differences. The ones given to us by our cherished Constitution. That hempcloth rag ... that Chucklehead uses to wipe his stankbutt.
http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/2009-11-12/
Posted by: Elmo | Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 08:08 AM
"Why Does The Left Want Beck To Lead The Conservative Movement?"
Perhaps because he sounds like a loon, and if he became the voice of conservatism that would discredit conservatism to the vast majority of people who aren't already predisposed to be on his side. Why do you think the Obama administration tried so hard to paint Rush Limbaugh as the head of the Republican party a few months ago? Because he's a loathsome turd, and the majority of people find him distasteful.
Posted by: Yossarian | Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 11:03 AM
If conservatives don't want to be portrayed as being led by loathesome wackaloons like Rush, Beck, Levin, Savage and Hannity, maybe they should start watching or listening to a better sort of commentator. Oh, wait, they can't, because there's no one like that out there. The conservative movement has gone batshit crazy and will stay that way for years.
Good luck with Palin/Beck in 2012, meatheads! Also, Orly Taitz!
Posted by: MoeLarryAndJesus | Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 02:14 PM
We made Sarah Palin praise Glenn Beck. . And we made Limbaugh only LOOK like the head of the GOP by tricking elected Republicans into attacking Michael Steele when he made a mild criticism of Rush.
You SHOULD distrust us ..we're THAT sneaky.
And if you can't take the hint - if you don't want these idiots to look like they are the spokesmen for the Right then encourage elected Republicans to stop sucking up to them. Simple. Take responsibility, and donh't blame them on liberals. The truth shall set you free!
Posted by: Vynotagoose | Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 01:27 AM
liberals the odumboites will do their own selves in.keep up the good work beck.
Posted by: your mama | Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 06:33 PM