CON GAMES: Conservative Politics Nothing But A Talk Show
February 2nd, 2010 at 07:39am Michael Conniff 2
As a talk show host, I am immensely gratified by the political career path yapping portends. I could become a talking points talking head like Mike Pence, the Congressman from Indiana who cut his bleep filling radio frequencies in his home state. I could wallow in the footsteps of J.D. Hayworth, the conservative former Congressman now ready to spank John McCain because the former Republican Presidential nominee is not nearly conservative enough. Or, if folks get scared enough about whatever, I could fold up my tent like Lou Dobbs of CNN and migrate toward the Presidential race in 2012, mumbling all the way about the way things are s’posed to be.
Were I conservative, I would have much to run on, but the beauty of my campaign is I would never have to revert to the facts. Were I to run I would take my lead from Karl Rove: the architect himself chided those sadly limited to “fact-based” stratagems. Facts are stubborn thing, for sure, but only if you care about them. Once you leggo things that actually happened, you can run happily as a conservative until the internet gives way to the outernet—about the time being “weak on climate change” becomes a right-wing talking point in 2050.
Take pay-as-you-go. When President Barack Obama tried to throw the switch on legislation that would require new programs to actually be paid for—and tax cuts to be accompanied by cuts in spending—conservative members of Congress got more agitated than Joe Pesci pushing and shoving in “Goodfellas.” When the President suggested a slice in spending in the State of the Union, the people stage right sat on their hands like they had to go to the washroom like right now.
As a conservative, you see, I would have the innate ability to oppose exactly those things I stand for—tax cuts, pay as you go—because I am not a fact-based Pollyanna moaning about a balanced budget. Even without my talk show, I could still make a living as a talking head dedicated to scoring talking points in the name of “the people.”
I ask you people, does it get any better than that? You can say anything, whether you mean it or not, and then go on your jolly way slamming the Left as the root cause of all things pukifying.
And here’s the best part, Mortimer. Should my campaign falter—should the voters ever tell me to stick it where the sunspots don’t shine—then I have the best backup plan since President George W. Bush went back to Crawford to give his brush a haircut. Worst case, I can resume my pose behind the golden microphone, there to mangle facts as I turn mealy-mouthed liberals and their causes into mush.
Is this a great country—or what?
Entry Filed under: Media, Con Games, United Post
















2 Comments Add your own
1. jonnynogood | February 3rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
you should reference this graphic when keep saying on air that the economy turned around in march of 09?
http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html
2. televail | February 16th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
You, sir are more than a fraud. I listened to your monolog this morning, Feb 16th, and I did listen very carefully, as you were speaking about tea parties. I then went to my gym, picked up a copy of the New York times, and lo and behold, there was your very monolog, word for word, from David Barstow. There is a word for this in journalism, it is plargourism, and you are guilty! I will be calling you tomorrow morning to inform your audience and call you out on the air.
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