From: nate@psygate.psych.indiana.edu (Nathan Engle)
Subject: Re: (no subject given)
Organization: Psych Department, Indiana University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 14:21:25 GMT

art@world.std.com (Al Thompson) writes:
>nate@psygate.psych.indiana.edu (Nathan Engle) writes:
>   I'm not sure if you're married or not, but 
>   if you are then try walking away from your wife while she's talking to 
>   you and see what reaction you get. IMHO Bill was only being diplomatic  
>   so as to preserve his own domestic tranquility. If you think that makes 
>   Clinton look foolish then I think I would assume that you're either not 
>   married (like Rush), or that your wife is an angelic telepath.

>No, I'm married.  That notwithstanding, I thought it was funny.

    Ok then, I'm curious. Do you "ask your wife's permission" before you 
walk away from her while she's telling you something? Should we all stand 
around and laugh at you if you do?

>   >  When was the last time the New York times or Dan Rather said they 
>   >  were trying to make money? 

>       I'm not aware that I've ever heard Dan Rather or the New York 
>   Times wasting air time or column space on a point as self-evident and 
>   unnewsworthy as that one. Of course they're in business to make money.

>Sure, but have you ever heard them admit it?

    What did I just say in that previous paragraph? No, I have never heard 
Dan Rather or the New York Times "admit" on the air that they're in the 
business to make money, but I really do think that the point is so patently 
obvious that I can understand why they don't have time to squeeze it into 
a half hour news program. News programs are supposed to report news, not 
to give apologies for the fact that they have to eat too.

    Rush seems to have plenty of time on the air for discussing himself 
and his motivations for being on the air, but not very much for listening 
to callers who fail to get directly to the point. I was really surprised 
yesterday at the way that Rush kept on jostling his callers to get to the 
subject that was showing on his studio monitor. In a couple cases he 
interrupted callers and gave the whole listening audience a little lecture 
about getting to the point. Then a little later he got so distracted in the 
middle of a digression that he couldn't even remember what he was talking 
about. I guess it's just all part of being the best talk show host on Earth.

>   My interest in this discussion has been to try to convince Dittoheads 
>   that when Tom or I bring up points on which we disagree with Rush 
>   that it's not automatically a case of liberals having no sense of 
>   humor.

>Show me one liberal with a sense of humor, at least about political matters.

    I guess that since you're asking the question you're implying that I 
don't fit that bill? After all, I'm questioning the entertainment value 
of Rush's program. That must make me pretty humorless, huh?

>       To the extent that some part (perhaps an increasing part) of Rush's 
>   show is comprised of political commentary I would think that it ought to 
>   be fair game for Tom and I to give our opinions of what we think about 
>   the weight and substance of Rush's criticisms. I try not to pick on 
>   instances where Rush is obviously making a joke, but it's not always 
>   immediately obvious when jokes begin and political opinion ends.

>Fine, go right ahead.  That gives me no problem at all.  Again, though,
>remember that political commentary can be entertaining in the broad sense
>of the word.

    Ok, however I'm still left with an unsettled feeling that the very 
next time I criticize something Rush said on the basis of its political 
content some Dittohead is going to come along and tell me to lighten up 
because Rush was obviously just joking. If you're curious about what 
gives me that feeling then read back about 6 posts in this thread. As I 
recall Tom was just doing exactly what you have said gives you "no problem 
at all", but somebody told him to "lighten up"...

--
Nathan Engle                        Software Juggler
Psychology Department               Indiana University
nate@psygate.psych.indiana.edu      nengle@copper.ucs.indiana.edu
Xref: sparky talk.politics.misc:69483 alt.politics.libertarian:3878