Why I Won’t Miss The Globies
by Brian Maloney, March 6th, 2009 at 02:58pm
Beyond a handful of good people I won’t name (to keep them out of trouble), I sure won’t miss The Globies the day they join other newspapers in publishing’s great ash heap of history.
For today’s example, let’s compare how the Boston Globe and Herald have covered the Obamista Regime’s recent attempt to build lasting popularity by attacking Rush Limbaugh. While the latter paper actually thought to contact El Rushbo, scoring a rare interview in the process, The Globies rely on childish insults and silly comparisons.
Isn’t it funny that the Globe actually sees itself as the highbrow paper? How does this childish Ellen Goodman piece fit with that desired self-image? Take a look:
Dressed in a style David Letterman later labeled as “Eastern European Gangster,” Rush Limbaugh delivered a rousing 85-minute sermon to conservative true believers that included an unapologetic hope that Obama will fail. Ah yes, a talk-radio host who’d rather be (far) right than have his country rescued. Charming.
Limbaugh was not only a counterpoint to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who delivered the hapless Republican response to the president. He managed to bully the Republican leadership, including its party chair, the misnomered Michael Steele. After saying Limbaugh was “incendiary” and “ugly,” Steele turned to mush and groveled about being “a little bit inarticulate.”
Despite watching Limbaugh’s rant at 30,000 feet, I read glowing reviews saying that “it will be talked about for years and even decades.” And so I am forced to return to the subject our man Rush implied just days earlier: “Why don’t women like me?”
This question came after Public Policy Polling showed a gender gap of massive proportions in his approval ratings - 56 percent of men view him favorably compared with only 37 percent of women.
Pew Research folks have charted an even deeper divide in the audience - 72 percent of his listeners are men, only 28 percent are women. Nevertheless, with the deepest of faux sincerity, Limbaugh announced a Female Summit on his favorite subject: Rush Limbaugh.
As he framed it, “Cause I’m just a harmless little fuzz ball. I’m the sweetest, the nicest, most generous, compassionate, confident, cocky, I-know-what-I-want-and-I-know-what’s-right-and I’m-going-to-say-what-I-think kind of guy you could run into, and I’m saying to myself, ‘What could be the explanation for the gender gap?’ ”
Gosh. Was it something he said? Could it have the teensiest bit to do with all those “feminazi” cracks? Was it his warning that “the last place you want to be is between a liberal who gets herself pregnant and a morning-after pill”? Was it his crack that Hillary would lose because Americans didn’t want to see a woman age in office? Or his description of New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as “marginally hotter than the former senator.” If that were the only problem, we could cure it with duct tape.
Now a touch of reality here. Women don’t tune in to talk radio as much as men. Talk radio has been the forum of the “angry white man” since the 1990s. Women have had quite enough men yell at them, thank you, and Rush is more than vaguely reminiscent of the boss from hell.
But Rush, who brags “I own the men,” asked “What must I do now to own the women?” Well, sweetie, Oprah owns the women. If Rush talks at women, Oprah talks with women.
Just imagine Limbaugh in marriage therapy letting his wife speak for an uninterrupted five minutes. You don’t own women unless you can listen to them.
More to the point, remember that Oprah is all about change. Rush, however, is the prototype of the Man Who Won’t Change.
Overall, this is the kind of outdated anti-Rush rant we saw a lot of during the Clinton years. Honestly, who still quotes has-been David Letterman on any subject? Beyond seeing her pals take control of the country for sinister purposes, who seriously believes Oprah is about “change”?
And how many of these Globies really stood by Hillary Clinton beyond the minute somebody else a bit more politically-correct came along?
In addition, why should anyone apologize for hoping Obama’s socialism fails? It isn’t American, not that it matters to anyone on Morrissey Boulevard.
Finally, Goodman jumps the shark with this inappropriate comparison:
Yes, our pinup boy has a following of about 20 million listeners. But last time I looked, Obama won with nearly 70 million voters.
That’s the same silly “I won” argument used by Obama to shove his crazy spending plans down our throats. But here’s a key difference: Rush has maintained the loyalty of those 20 million listeners for over 20 years, while Obama’s voters merely jumped on board with a political fad.
In a year, when Obama’s approval numbers are in the tank, Rush’s audience will still be there. I’d rather have 20 million dedicated fans than any number of young voters with the attention span of a gnat, many of whom have already moved on to the next fleeting craze.
For Goodman and her fellow Globies, years of working inside the paper’s sheltered environment has turned their brains into mush.
By contrast, through a constructive approach, the Herald added to the debate, with a follow-up piece published today.
Which paper truly deserves to survive?
UPDATE: NewsBusters has its own take here
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23 Comments Add your own
1. stonecutter | March 6th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Obama had 70 million votes because there were only two real choices. There are plenty of choices on the radio plus satillite plus Ipods and cd’s and others, yet 20 million still tune into Rush. Also discounted is the 60+ million that voted AGAINST Obama that are being told to shut up and pay the bill!
2. tess | March 6th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Russ sux
3. gingers_jake | March 6th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Twenty million listen to Limbaugh week-in week-out, month-in month-out, year-in year-out.
How many of the 70 million have recovered from their Obasms and after several weeks now have buyer’s remorse?
4. Cap'n Spackle | March 6th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
They’re upset because Rush hopes Obama fails to Mugabeize our major financial institutions and industries. That’s pretty hilarious, considering they and the NYT were actively working against our national security interests because they didn’t like Bush. That’s why I canceled their rag. For extra hilarity, look what’s happened in the past 2 1/2 years since I canceled.
5. Cap'n Spackle | March 6th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
They’re upset because Rush hopes Obama fails to Mugabeize our major financial institutions and industries. That’s pretty hilarious, considering they and the NYT were actively working against our national security interests because they didn’t like Bush. That’s why I canceled their rag.
6. Cap'n Spackle | March 6th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
For extra hilarity, look what’s happened in the past 2 1/2 years since I canceled.
7. WRKO Staffer | March 7th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Magpie is a big fan of the Fairness Doctrine. Remember this summer when she would argue that most listeners didn’t really know what it was about? Has Maggy Magpie ever recovered from her summer of Shrill?
8. bob | March 7th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Ellen Goodman is a gas bag elitist who, like most liberals, just doesn’t get it. Which brings me to my favorite tag line: Liberalism is a mental disorder!
9. piratetoby | March 7th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Magpie’s bitterness became apparent during the election when she’d talk about Hillary. She was adamant that Hillary would never be where she was if not for Bill. Maybe so, but how many others arrived in politics the same way? She would fail to give Hillary credit for her accomplishments. She was so transparent during that time; there was a bitterness and jealousy that permeated her voice. And then Sarah Palin came along and……let the shrillness continue……
Wonder if she’s concerned that she may be tagging onto someone’s coattails?
10. piratetoby | March 7th, 2009 at 11:19 am
bob: impossible to read and take seriously any post that ends w/that dopey savage quote. original thoughts? got any?
11. WRKO Staffer | March 7th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I guarentee you that Magpie Maggy would change her tune on the Fairness Doctrine if it was enacted. She seems all full of shrill and bluster until something actually happens or changes. It is kind of like how she was Ms. Security Mom after 9/11. In this mode, she cheered the troops on to Baghad. Then, when she doesn’t feel threatened anymore, she becomes all John Baez.
12. Circlet Soft | March 7th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
I think Magpie is jealous of Hillary riding Bill’s coattails, especially since Magpie tried to ride that Globe writer’s coattails before they split up.
I wonder who dumped whom?
13. piratetoby | March 7th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Brian,
You criticize Goodman’s piece as “childish”. Why? What’s your opinion on Limbo’s self-description, “Cause I’m just a harmless little fuzz ball. I’m the sweetest, the nicest, most generous, compassionate, confident, cocky, I-know-what-I-want-and-I-know-what’s-right-and I’m-going-to-say-what-I-think kind of guy you could run into…”
Does anyone think that obese, cigar waving, Miami Vice tanned, sprouting man boobs, “Man in Black”, pockets full of Vicodin and Viagra, bloviating narcissist gives a rat’s ass about anything other than himself and his career? Rush is an addict. And addicts are the most self-centered individuals you’ll ever encounter. And I don’t write this as a judgment. Read anything about addiction. It’s a fact.
Rush cares about one thing: Rush.
And those 20 million devoted fans vs young voters? Brian, those young voters are the future, not Rush Limbo.
There’s a good column today in the Globe on the Fairness Doctrine, written by Robt Zelnick. Speaking of Zelnick, has anyone noticed his facial expressions, (or lack of) when he’s speaking? Nothing moves, except his mouth. He barely blinks. His voice never changes either. Always the same tone, as if he feels no emotion. Very strange to watch and listen to.
14. piratetoby | March 7th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Softy,
It’s apparent who dumped who. Not only was the replacement younger, she’s a writer to boot.
Magpie appears to harbor a deeply ingrained resentment. It’s too bad, because until she lets it go, it will rule her.
15. WRKO Staffer | March 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Yeah, the replacement is pretty nice looking. Smart gal too. They are definitely a power couple.
16. piratetoby | March 7th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Staffer,
You needn’t have posted the replacement is great-looking and smart to boot. I could have easily guessed the same.
Move on, Magpie. Don’t let a resentment rule your life. It will prevent you from becoming your true self, and you’ll never be happy.
Face lifts and young pieces of ass are not the key. Neither is competition.
17. ActuaryDot | March 7th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
PBoy, what the hell ave you got against young
pieces of ass? Shame all over yourself.
18. WRKO Staffer | March 7th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Magpie Maggy is a “young” piece of ass?
19. piratetoby | March 7th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
AD, I ave got nothing against a young piece of ass. Nor do I have anything against women who want to get their face lifted. Whatever floats your boat……my point was neither are the key to happiness.
20. ActuaryDot | March 9th, 2009 at 7:07 am
PD, I’ll pass.
21. piratetoby | March 9th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
magpie, magpie…..does anyone come up with questions dumber than the magpie? they’re talking to a nurse who performed the heimlich maneuver and magpie wants to know if the object of the obstruction shot across the room. the nurse answered it didn’t. and magpie comes back with “why not????”
magpie, it’s not like the three stooges. good god.
22. WRKO Stafer | March 9th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Magpie Maggy also said in the 1:00 hour that she is very angry these days.
23. piratetoby | March 9th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I missed her “angry” remark. I was driving when I tuned in, a bit after noon and she was going off on some tangent (stream of conscious-like). There was a breathless urgency in her rave, and as she ranted on and on I thought she must be solo, until Jim interrupted to ask what (if any) was her point. She ignored the question and continued the rant. I think that’s when my brain tuned out.
Everyone has a right to their feelings and I don’t mean to diminish her anger, it’s just tough for me to empathize with a woman who is very well paid for 15 hrs. a week on air, penning a “column” 3X a week, lives in pricey Brookline, has $$ to enjoy family vacations to the Caribbean and spares no expense on beauty treatments, when I see families and lives completely destroyed.
Maybe incorporating a bit of gratitude in her life will help to temper her anger?
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