Andrew Sullivan has been straying from the right for quite a while, but he recently made his separation official, saying "To paraphrase Reagan, I didn't leave the conservative movement. It left me. And increasingly, I'm not alone."
On "The Joy Behar Show" last night, the host asked Sullivan if Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, who are now two of the most powerful figures on the right wing, inspired his defection. "They're part of it," he replied. Regardless of whether or not you agree with President Obama's policies, Sullivan said, the president is a "thoroughly decent human being" and to hear Beck and Limbaugh call Obama a "racist" is "disgusting."
Behar agreed, but noted that Beck is a giant on cable news right now, drawing in a huge audience. Sullivan pushed back that ratings do not mean you have any actual ideas to put forth:
If you say the vilest things you will get big hits. But in the long run your credibility will decline. If you believe in the real values of truth telling and moderation, and of balanced budgets -- I mean some of the things that Glenn Beckk believes in I really believe in. I believe, for example, that we need to cut spending dramatically in this country. Unlike Glenn Beck, I have some thoughts on how to do it.
Sullivan also had much to say about one of his favorite subjects: Sarah Palin. He went into detail explaining why he devoted so much coverage to the strange inconsistencies regarding the birth of her son Trig.
Would someone please make sense of this story for me? I mean, that's all I'm saying. I've read this book, I've gone out of my mind trying to understand the story. It does not make any sense. I believe in Judge Judy in a way. If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true.
Behar, despite Sullivan's earnest protests to the contrary, insisted that he seems to be turning into something of a 'lefty.' And to entice him to come fully aboard she got him a gift basket. Sullivan covered his face in mock horror as she unveiled gluten-free treats, a DVD of Michael Moore's "Sicko", and a copy of a Dixie Chicks CD, among other 'lefty' goodies. He did, however, have no problem accepting a DVD of "Cheech and Chong".
WATCH:
WATCH: