Matt Drudge and the Republican delusion

[babylonsister]

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/brent_budowsky/27643/matt_drudge_and_the_republican_delusion

Matt Drudge and the Republican delusion
by Brent Budowsky | March 27, 2010 - 9:29am



In my opinion Matt Drudge is the most important and influential single figure in American media. In terms of daily and ongoing influence he is more influential than The New York Times, the television networks, cable news or anyone else.

Let me suggest here that Drudge's power may turn out to be more of a curse than a blessing for Republicans and conservatives because in my view, it fosters delusions that can lead to defeat. Recently a Gallup poll, of course highlighted on Drudge, found that Obama's numbers had (then) turned more unfavorable than favorable. This has (now) dramatically changed, unreported by Drudge, with Obama's favorables now well above his unfavorables. The generic Democratic vote is leading the generic Republican vote in the last Gallup congressional election survey. The healthcare bill has passed and the president's polls have moved up. Democratic numbers have crept up. Media focus on right-wing death threats is alienating political independents and motivating the Democratic base. But readers of Matt Drudge, listeners to Rush Limbaugh and viewers of Glenn Beck are being fed a false dose of Republican triumphalism and a megaphone for what a majority of voters might see as extremism that is both delusional and politically damaging to Republicans.

Drudge only reports the polls he likes, which gives a warped view of the state of the nation. Limbaugh says he wants opponents "wiped out," sounding like Michael Corleone and far out of touch with heartland America. Glenn Beck attacks Bruce Springsteen's “Born in the USA.”

Excuse me? Attacking “Born in the USA”? What a great Republican platform — for Democrats! Where do these delusions come from, and on what planet are these people living?

It is true that countless lazy individuals in media just read Drudge, patronize his propaganda, and parrot his party line like robots. His influence is unquestioned and immense. Let’s give Matt Drudge credit for entrepreneurial drive to have reached this summit of American media. Let’s give a round of boos for progressives with money who never even attempted a meaningful challenge to Drudge.

But my point today is, delusions lead to defeat and Republicans are falling into the trap. Matt Drudge could be an albatross for Republicans who believe their own propaganda, in the same way that Limbaugh and Beck could be true geniuses about promoting themselves for profitability but major dangers to conservatives and Republicans.

Drudge may not report it, but the healthcare bill passing has put the president on the upswing, Democrats lead Republicans in the Gallup poll, the negatives of the healthcare bill are starting to recede, independents are alienated by right-wing extremism, the jobs picture I predict will soon brighten, and the Democratic base is finally being motivated.

Matt Drudge may be the most important and influential figure in American media and journalism, but this may well be a curse for conservatives, not a blessing. Dreams die hard and delusions lose elections.

[Cha]

1. What a statement on the US

media when drudge heads the pack of mediawhores.

[Donnachaidh]

2. Drudge, early on in his net *career* tried to be a gossip columnist on usenet

And he was quite literally laughed off the groups. I guess he found his niche and his intelligence level in the puke party. :shrug:

[Doctor_J]

3. HOw can we believe, after 20 years of letting this stupid closet queen

wreak his havoc on the country, that suddenly his partisan propaganda is going be a burden for the Repukes?

Our denial is nearly as costly as the right-wing media monopoly

[babylonsister]

5. 20 years? Really? I think all the partisan propaganda might

be at risk once the majority of people compare and contrast, re: HCR, for starters. There will always be those who will swallow the swill, but if even politico discovers a clue, I'd be happy.

[Old Troop]

12. Closet Queen? NT

[jillan]

4. I love Budowsky - he is one of the better opinion journalists around.

He is not afraid to speak the truth.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. This isn't just an issue with Drudge, but with all Right Wing Media, Fox etc.

They'll never report if Obama or the Dems are improving in public standing, or if they do it will be highly distorted and editorialized, but they will highlight and crow about any defeat suffered by Obama or the Democrats as a whole.

This leads to a very distorted sense of reality among people who consume only this type of media, who, if you talk to them, are convinced that 80 percent of America is outraged by the health care bill and ready to start a new civil war.

[babylonsister]

7. Spot on. Maybe we all need to broaden our horizons as far as

watching/reading about diverse news and opinions. But we know they're low-info folks who'd never consider that.

[Enthusiast]

10. That's it.

They would never consider reading or listening to a contrary opinion. That is the difference.

Funny, we can't help but hear their position, it is shouted in our ears 24/7.

[Enthusiast]

9. Very nice post MM.

I think the same.

[Jackpine Radical]

8. I think the old distinction between the delusional followers and the psychopathic leaders

is important here. The leaders have always lied to their ignorant masses. The question is whether or not the leaders themselves are believing the swill. If they are, they're headed off the cliff right along with their armed and rabid lemmings. If they aren't buying their own lies, then they must be scared shitless & trying to figure out what to do next.

[Jade Fox]

11. I think they have been buying their own lies for awhile now....

This is the downside of the Right Wing Noise Machine: Its sponsors seem to have become deeply confused themselves about what is fact and what is spin.

It's been clear to me for a long time that the Right truly believes the reason most Americans are center/left is because of "liberal media bias", and all that was needed was a change in that bias to turn the American political landscape around. Conservative control of the media worked for awhile, and got a big boost from 9/11.

But Conservatives don't give much credit to people thinking for themselves. They also did not predict the internet providing uncontrollable access to information. The Right has upped lying to where they are poised to become The Boy Who Cried Wolf: They risk people not believing them even when they tell the truth.