The Influence, Or Lack Thereof, Of Squawk Radio

From the incomparable xoff:

The same is true of talk radio, which will be quick to take credit for any electoral success on Tuesday, with Ron Johnson the first to say that's how he won (if he wins). He kissed Charlie Sykes's ring (and who knows what else) before deciding to run, to make sure he's have his blessing.

Sykes was the emcee at a Johnson weekend rally in Oshkosh, and will play the same role at Scott Walker's closing rally in Wauwatosa.

But here's the thing: Most Wisconsinites don't listen to or pay attention to talk radio, either. Sykes's audience is about 2 per cent of the adult households in the Milwaukee metro area, perhaps 20,000 people on average. Mark Belling has similar numbers in the afternoon. It's a very limited listenership, and most of them are already convinced; they are not undecideds tuning in to be persuaded.

As much as we like to demonize them, their role is limited. They have more clout with conservative activists and Republicans who hang on their every word -- and with the editors and publishers at their sister publication, the Journal Sentinel. But the impact on the general public is miniscule, and Dems and progressives do ourselves a disservice by blaming Sykes, Belling & Co. for the ills of the world. They simply aren't that important, and we should not elevate them by acting like they are.

They may be riding the runaway Tea Party train and hanging on for dear life, but they are not steering.

Hey, Look At Us! Pleeeeeease!

Brian Fraley, part of the Republican front group, MacGuyver Institute, wrote a piece that can only be described as a desperate plea for attention and/or credibility:

Can you imagine that? The Doyle Administration is actually forecasting an imbalance of a quarter of billion dollars in the General Fund and most of the State of Wisconsin is clueless because for whatever reason, the news has gone unreported by traditional information sources. People may be suffering ‘bad economic news’ fatigue, but that’s not a reason to let such news go unreported.

It is a compelling example of the need for MacIver News Service to exist.

However, immediately following that, Fraley belies his protestations of being a legitimate news service:

Through MNS, we provide the public with copyright free, original news reporting on the actions and policies of state and local governments, including the actions and policies of specific elected public servants. Our perspective pieces offer analysis and commentary on these same policies and people.

The MacIver Institute cares about public policy and the impact public policy decisions will have on Wisconsin’s future.

We understand the economic model of the news business has changed. Outlets that used to have significant resources devoted to following state government are now lucky to have one set of eyes watching the Capitol on a part-time basis.

In part, that’s why we started the MacIver News Service.

Any blogger, pamphleteer, newspaper or broadcast station in the state is free to reproduce our articles, with attribution, at no cost. Thanks to our various distribution and social networking channels, our reports have been seen by hundreds of thousands of individuals over the last year and a half.

So while we are dismayed at the fact significant stories are being missed by the traditional media, we are proud of the reputation we’re building. Here at MacIverInstitute.com, our goal is to create a place to which people who share our concerns can turn for information and insight.

An actual news service is only interested in reporting the news, not setting forth a certain political philosophy or controlling the facts that are to be disseminated in order to promote a candidate or an agenda.

If they want to be considered a credible news source, they need to work on their objectivity and a full representation of the facts, not just the ones they think will promote their political agenda. But then again, being a news service isn't what they were formed to do, now was it?

The Squawker and The Tweeter

Charlie Sykes is fond of saying that any press releases issued by a politician late on a Friday is either bad news or something that they are not very proud of.

I can't wait to see how Chuckles spins that fact that Scott Walker, who announced that he would announce his gubernatorial campaign this Tuesday, actually announced it late Friday. To make it even more comical, Walker did via Twitter.

That must mean that it is really bad news and/or he is really ashamed of his candidacy.

I could agree to either or both of those.

Squawkers Rally Around Walker

As the Chief points out, Kevin Fischer has spent an inordinate amount of the time trying to pucker up to the Milwaukee County Executive. In fact, the right wing echo chamber is putting out the rally cry to come and support their fearless and clueless leader, which is all being spurred on by Orville Seymour:

“Why is it that the left is very good at rallying around a cause or a candidate yet the right allows there causes and candidates (Scott Walker) to sit out there all alone and fend for themselves?

Yesterday, the left (Milw. County labor unions) held a rally to denounce Scott Walker for not taking Federal stimulus money and there is talk that they are gearing up for a Recall effort against Walker. I have not heard a single word from any conservative about this or an effort to stand up for Walker and his principles.

I think we all know in out heart of hearts that what Walker is doing or not doing in this case is the right thing to do, even if we don't completely understand all of the economic principles behind his decision. So why is it that conservatives are so reluctant to stand up for Walker and his principles?”

Well, gee, Orville, do you think it is because people are starting to see that Walker is not interested in saving their tax dollars, or preserving the quality of life that Milwaukee County deserves. Or that people are sick of Walker taking their hard earned tax dollars and giving it to his cronies instead of providing services like he is supposed to be doing.

If you want to really know the truth about what is happening regarding Walker, I would suggest that the gentle reader to these fine sites:

Haas 414

Brew City Brawler

Left On The Lake

and of course, my other castle, Cognitive Dissidence.

They Say It Like It's A Bad Thing

Chuckles has a link to a parody done of the New York Times. It is supposedly to mock all of the things that liberals have on their agenda. In other words, these are the things that Charlie and his listeners think are bad things or just plain silly:

• Ending the Iraq War and bringing our brave men and women home.
• The Bush Administration admitting that it lied to get us into Iraq.
• Bush being held accountable for his misdeeds.
• Everyone receiving affordable health care.
• The Constitution being restored.
• Stabilizing the economy.
• Creating jobs.
• Repairing the country's infrastructure.

If these things are wrong, I'm sure glad I'm not part of the Right.

I'm Convinced. I'm Changing Sides.

I am now going to vote Republican.



H/T to Pundit Nation

It Must Be An Election Year.

You can always tell when it's an election year. The politicians are begging for money. The PACs are gearing up their smear ads. Bloggers start foaming at the mouth. And the local right wing media starts to become dismissive of anyone who would disagree with their distorted view of reality.

McIlheran gets that ball rolling when he gets snarky about a NY Times editorial that bemoans that the current administration feels it necessary to cover up yet another one of their poor decisions and scandals. This time it's the torture videos that were "conveniently" destroyed.

McIlheran shows his borderline personality issues with this:

Not that I recommend you actually read the New York Times' editorial -- it took me three tries, another can of Mountain Dew and a stab in the hand with my pen -- but it is a distillation of the general left-wing anomie that will inform much of the upcoming political season.

He then sets up and lashes out at his straw man opponent with this:

The only reason to bring this up, however, is that it neatly encapsulates the utter alienation from our country that the mainstream left feels. Keep this in mind. Keep it in mind when, for the next 10 months, you read story after story about how the economy is the worst ever, the war is an utter failure and laundry just doesn't get as clean as it used to. Keep in mind that the reigning assumption for some large share of the opinionators and news interpreters is, "America sucks."

In other words, don't believe what you hear in the news. The truth would hurt the conservative cause. Personal responsibility does not apply to conservatives and anyone who says so is just so negative.

But to know what really sucks, Mike Mathias has given us, but a few examples.