# Do right-wing talkers actually believe their own schtick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 4, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278 "2009-05-04T13:51:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/41 "2009-05-05T02:26:35Z")
People like Coulter, Hannity, and Limbaugh say many stupid things, not because they are stupid, but because they know their audience is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/42 "2009-05-05T03:05:52Z")
I wonder about their ecology, seems like the environment supports an abundance of these sorts of punditti, the\* creme de la dumb\*. Who writes their checks? What does a second-stringer pull down, say, a farm-team fascist like Michael Medfly or Hugh Hewitt? All of that money provided by the Sleep Number Bed and gold hustlers? Doesn’t seem to be much in the way of Darwinism going on here. Common sense would suggest that as their demographic shrivels, their feed bags might lighten, but that doesn’t _appear_ to be the case. You don’t see any standing by the freeway entrance with signs saying “Will Distort for Food”? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/43 "2009-05-05T13:33:30Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > How the hell did this turn into a forum about Bill Clinton? Because the Clintons \*always \*make everything about themselves and their own immoral power-lust, didn’t you know that? They’re just eeevul, and this thread is even more proof of it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/44 "2009-05-05T14:28:31Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > How the hell did this turn into a forum about Bill Clinton? **Shodan** ’s Law: Any thread that in any way suggests that Republicans and/or Conservatives or any one or subset of them are hypocritical, venal, corrupt or in any other way less than perfect, must therefore be turned into a thread about Bill Clinton. He’s done it easily a hundred times over the past nine years. And will no doubt continue to do so every time the issue comes up. What disturbs me is how people insist on feeding him. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/45 "2009-05-05T14:52:53Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I wonder about their ecology, seems like the environment supports an abundance of these sorts of punditti, the\* creme de la dumb\*. Who writes their checks? What does a second-stringer pull down, say, a farm-team fascist like Michael Medfly or Hugh Hewitt? All of that money provided by the Sleep Number Bed and gold hustlers? Doesn’t seem to be much in the way of Darwinism going on here. To continue the analogy, it doesn’t require a very large segment of the population to support them in their ecological niche. If only 5% of the adult population of the US supports them, by buying their books, subscribing to their newsletters, and buying products from the sponsors of their TV shows, that’s 10 million supporters. Darwinian evolution allows life forms to evolve into the oddest of niches, where they can remain protected by the strange ecology of that niche from outside competition. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/46 "2009-05-05T14:57:42Z")
I think their audience is pretty static. They never had moderates or independents anyway. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/47 "2009-05-05T16:59:14Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Your “cite” does not describe harassment of any kind. Umm Clinton sexually harassed Monica Lewinsky. He was in a position of authority over her. Even if it’s consentual an argument for harassment can still be made. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/48 "2009-05-05T17:05:40Z")
You didn’t read the “cite” either. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/49 "2009-05-06T00:13:03Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > You didn’t read the “cite” either. Who’s got time for “reading” and “citations” when you’ve got your gut and general knowledge to fall back on? ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/50 "2009-05-06T02:45:36Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Umm Clinton sexually harassed Monica Lewinsky. He was in a position of authority over her. Even if it’s consentual an argument for harassment can still be made. I think the word “unwanted” has to be in there somewhere for it to be sexual harassment. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/51 "2009-05-06T03:03:38Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > People like Coulter, Hannity, and Limbaugh say many stupid things, not because they are stupid, but because they know their audience is stupid. DING! DING! DING! WE HAVE A WINNAH!! 🙂 On a more serious note, not all the audience is stupid, but there was recent evidence that smart right wing talkers do not believe their own shtick. They do indeed know that a good chunk of the audience can not handle the truth, or they fear what would happen to their careers if their true opinions were constantly known. > **[Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy Caught On Tape Disparaging Palin Choice: "Political...](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/peggy-noonan-mike-murphy_n_123647)** > > Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy Caught On Tape Disparaging Palin Choice: "Political Bullshit," "Gimmicky" > [@](#): > > Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy Caught On Tape Disparaging Palin Choice: “Political Bullshit,” “Gimmicky” That tape BTW was one of the main reasons why it disgusted me to hear many right wingers that claimed to be smart defending a choice like Palin. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/52 "2009-05-06T09:19:53Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > I think the word “unwanted” has to be in there somewhere for it to be sexual harassment. Indeed. If you read the Star Report which should be rated R you find Monica had two orgasms and the “cum shot” was her idea. She felt to was unsatisfying for her as a woman to give oral sex to a man and not have him climax. Bill bless his heart did not want to take it to completion because “it depends on what the definition of is, is.” Monica did not want be cheated. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278/53 "2009-05-06T16:35:53Z")
> [@bup](#): > > It probably depends on the talker in question. Some may get talking points from actual Republican operatives; I don’t know. I doubt they all do. I think each talker deserves his own debate ‘trial.’ This is really the only worthwhile point in the whole damn thread. In one occasional listener’s opinion: Limbaugh, Beck, and Boortz all freely admit that some of what they say is exagerrated for humorous effect and/or to deliberately outrage any uptight liberals listening (which is also of comedic value; one pictures a goateed guy in a black turtleneck turning purple with rage). Hannity is an idiot, but a sincere one. Hugh Hewitt and Dennis Miller are sincere, and not idiots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-right-wing-talkers-actually-believe-their-own-schtick/495278.md?page=2)