What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

[burd]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Buckley, quote from 1968, to Gore Vidal


Buckley, on the above exchange, in 1985

Another good one:


I like William Buckley. But let's not pretend he was all about elevating the discussion. In fact, if he had said the first two quotes in 2010, I'd imagine the liberal media would be calling feverishly for him to resign right now.

No he most definitely was not all about elevating the discussion, and he could play dirty and he regularly said outlandish things--he liked attention. But he did also thrive on elevating the discussion, and I think the discussion was often better as a result. I didn't agree with him most of the time, but he brought real game.

One more thing before I have to go home and clean my room. The last several paragraphs of Justice Holmes' dissent in Abrams v. United States are, I think, some of the most wonderfully expressed thoughts in jurisprudence. In today's context, that case would have involved Islamic fundamentalists, not Bolsheviks. But in today's world, he would be excoriated by Beck and Limbaugh, not for the imprudent extent to which he advocated the protection of free speech, but for trying to feed our great country to the terrorists.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Buckley, quote from 1968, to Gore Vidal


Buckley, on the above exchange, in 1985

Another good one:


I like William Buckley. But let's not pretend he was all about elevating the discussion. In fact, if he had said the first two quotes in 2010, I'd imagine the liberal media would be calling feverishly for him to resign right now.

It's utterly amazing, all these years later, you're still concerned about Buckley's use of an unfriendly term for what Vidal is, but have no apparant concerns about his use of "Nazi" to describe WFB. Buckley wasn't a Nazi, while Vidal is unquestionably. . .gay. Why can't you allow for the fact that Buckley might actually be sincere in his outrage at being called a Nazi? What would you be saying, decades later, if Buckley referred to Vidal as a communist? I'd imagine you'd think that was below the belt.

Two of my favorite Buckley quotes: When asked what would be the first thing he'd do if he was elected Mayor of NY "demand a recount."

And when asked why Bobby Kennedy wouldn't debate him: "Why does Bologna reject the grinder."

Buckley, among his many accomplishments, put the award winning documentary about Stalin's terror famine in the Ukraine on "Firing Line." The "Harvest of Despair" opened many eyes to this enormous crime, which took the lives of 7 to 10 million people. PBS had refused to air it because they were in one of their periodic charm offensives with the Soviet Union. And the broadcast also made it possible to reveal the unconscionable reporting of the NYT's Walter Duranty, who told the world there was no terror famine, when he knew there was. Gotta break some eggs, dontcha know?

Despite taking a few comments from a 50 year career out of context, no rational person can argue that Buckley wasn't a positive influence on the level of political discourse in this country. An enormous influence. And you need only ask the people with whom he disagreed (other than that sodomite Vidal) to prove the point.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Haha, settle down Old Pio, I'm totally on your side here. I said I like William Buckley.

I'm just expressing disagreement with the constant yearning that seems to come from some Washington reporters and others for the "good old days", where people cared about the issues. That's utter bull****.

Remember that presidential election where one candidate spread rumors about another candidate's illegitimate son? What year was that again? 2000, 2008?
Nope, try 1884

Edit: Maybe "cared about the issues" is too harsh. I do think people cared about them back then and still do now. Let's not pretend that this nasty "partisanship" that everyone is moaning about now is new though. Or even that it's a bad thing.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Haha, settle down Old Pio, I'm totally on your side here. I said I like William Buckley.

I'm just expressing disagreement with the constant yearning that seems to come from some Washington reporters and others for the "good old days", where people cared about the issues. That's utter bull****.

Remember that presidential election where one candidate spread rumors about another candidate's illegitimate son? What year was that again? 2000, 2008?
Nope, try 1884

Edit: Maybe "cared about the issues" is too harsh. I do think people cared about them back then and still do now. Let's not pretend that this nasty "partisanship" that everyone is moaning about now is new though. Or even that it's a bad thing.

Still, you look at the people Buckley had on "Firing Line" over the years, and the intellectual level of those discussions, it makes today's programming look like media day at Middle School.

You're right of course, politics as someone said, ain't beanbag. Look at the editorial cartoons of Lincoln. And David Brinkley always used to tell the story about a southern pol who got a lot of traction by pointing out his opponant's wife was a "well known thespian."

After Reagan got elected, somebody asked Buckley if he'd be interested in a position in the new administration that would give him more "influence." He replied that he was happy editing the magazine, every issue of which the president read cover to cover.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

I saw a comment on some blog the other day that was along the lines of "the ones that praise him now were those who were tearing him down while he was alive"... he's so good because, you know, he's kinda dead.

You see, the lines of civility aren't drawn down the middle. I mean, dare we forget the junior senator from the state of Minnesota. I mean, we could have an entire book of non-civil talkers on the left... and yes, the right.

We saw an example of that phenomenon during the coverage of Reagan's funeral. Of course there was some baseline respect for the passing of a president, but the media coverage went far beyond that. IMHO, because they knew he wasn't going to crush them anymore.

Suddenly it was all: "We really respected him." Even though while alive he was a "second rate actor," who was in "Bedtime for Bonzo," who was "too stupid" to be president. Liberals got a lot of laughs when Tip O'Neil called Reagan an "amiable dunce." Well, he was smart enough to win 93 states in his two runs for president.

Earlier, when that corrupt clown Pat Brown said "I want Reagan," he got him, in the race for governor of California. Despite registration favoring Democrats 2 to 1, Reagan beat Brown by a million votes That nasty piece of work Jimmy Carter made the same observation in '80 and lost 44 states and the Senate in the bargain.

 

[ScottM]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

While Olbermann, Rachel (I can bench press more than you) Maddow and the rest of that menagerie at MSNBC appeal to a higher class demographic? Spare me.

No, I would place them in the same category as Beck et al: A lot of noise, and no original thinking.

 

[Jon]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

No, I would place them in the same category as Beck et al: A lot of noise, and no original thinking.

Much like these threads.

 

[ScottM]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Much like these threads.

Precisely. I think we should pitch a twisted version of "The McLaughlin Group" featuring USCHO political thread posters to Comedy Central ... or maybe Lifetime.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Precisely. I think we should pitch a twisted version of "The McLaughlin Group" featuring USCHO political thread posters to Comedy Central ... or maybe Lifetime.

Now that's a good idea. A first for this thread.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Precisely. I think we should pitch a twisted version of "The McLaughlin Group" featuring USCHO political thread posters to Comedy Central ... or maybe Lifetime.

How about Logo?

 

[Jon]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Precisely. I think we should pitch a twisted version of "The McLaughlin Group" featuring USCHO political thread posters to Comedy Central ... or maybe Lifetime.

I'm saving my mute button for Rover.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

I'm saving my mute button for Rover.

Around the Horn?

 

[Jon]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Around the Horn?

I hope USCHO would have more taste than that....

Can't we abandon political griping for the issues that really matter? Like which WCHA team is going down the tubes, the constant derision of Dick Umile, or whether or not the ECAC championship belongs in Albany?

 

[Rover]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Why don't you b**w me?

Senator Craig??? Is that you???

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

I hope USCHO would have more taste than that....

Can't we abandon political griping for the issues that really matter? Like which WCHA team is going down the tubes, the constant derision of Dick Umile, or whether or not the ECAC championship belongs in Albany?

Well, I have some bad news for you...

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Can't we abandon political griping for the issues that really matter? Like which WCHA team is going down the tubes, the constant derision of Dick Umile, or whether or not the ECAC championship belongs in Albany?

Don't forget the issue of if the CCHA is the ECAC of the west. And then someone who can't read will start arguing that one is better than the other.

 

[Jon]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Don't forget the issue of if the CCHA is the ECAC of the west. And then someone who can't read will start arguing that one is better than the other.

And then some nitwit NMU fan that the rest of the NMU fans hate starts in with the Vuvezelas. And then Hokydad shows up. It's an embarrassment of failure.

 

[Hammer]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

I hope USCHO would have more taste than that....

Can't we abandon political griping for the issues that really matter? Like which WCHA team is going down the tubes, the constant derision of Dick Umile, or whether or not the ECAC championship belongs in Albany?

How about whether it's a good idea to get liquored up and moon a trolley that crashed because a couple guys threw a lawn mower in the way?

There. I think I got most of them.

 

[The Sicatoka]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

How about whether it's a good idea to get liquored up and moon a trolley that crashed because a couple guys threw a lawn mower in the way?

There. I think I got most of them.

Now if you had "B roll" tape to run while the talking heads are gibbering we'd be able to kill at least one segment of the show.

 

[Hammer]

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

Re: What happens when you think Fox News is what free and independent media is all about

If you're still talking about Around the Horn, we could just get Dan Lebatard into the room and drop a bomb on the place and kill the whole show.