Bush to Obama, "There's no room in the Inn".

[RandFan]

What I liked about Rush's "America Held Hostage" countdown is that it incorrectly assumed that Clinton would not be re-elected. At least, the one that appeared Jan 21, 1993 did.

Looking back on it that was my first inkling that all wasn't right in conservative paradise. I used to defend Clinton a lot just because many of the attacks seemed to me to be based mostly on ideology rather than reasoned disagreements. I was a huge Rush fan at the time. I still think he can be damn funny and very good at skewering liberals and nut job democrats. His arguments can be downright awful though and I find him less and less worthwhile to listen to. I'm down to a handful of shows a year.

 

[gnome]

It's one thing to deliver a message effectively, to persuade others that your ideas are correct and your political opponents' ideas are not. It's a marketplace of ideas where the best idea can dominate.

As soon as it becomes about destroying your opponent's credibility permanently, so that you're the one that will be listened to no matter how good or bad your ideas are, you start to erode your own credibility when people see what you're doing.

It's like destroying the competition instead of beating them. Once they're gone, your quality goes down and your prices go up. You profit, but the consumers (in the marketplace of politics, the populace in general) do not.

 

[RandFan]

I agree. It reminds me of the Michael J. Fox affair. There was no need to attack Fox personally. By doing so Rush acted in a dispicable way. Fox on the other hand acted with such class that Limbaugh only succeceded in making himself look like an ass. There are other examples but that one is most prominent in my memory. The Chelsea affair was crass but I don't see it as damaging as most.

ETA: Now we've veered of topic. Sorry.