On Sotomayor, Fabled Conservative Media "Echo Chamber" Hampers G.O.P.
So the conservative pundits are walking back their overheated attacks on Judge Sotomayor, from Newt Gingrich eating his tweets to Rush Limbaugh announcing he may even back her nomination. But all the theatrics are obscuring a larger problem for the GOP: The fabled conservative media echo chamber, it turns out, is too successful.
For years, independent experts and strategists in both parties all agreed that conservative media was a crucial part of the Republican Party's resurgence. Talk radio mobilized the base, with Rush Limbaugh wielding influence that rivaled most GOP senators. Fox News framed national debates and turned party talking points into conventional wisdom. It worked so well, Democrats pined for their own echo chamber, plowing money into think tanks and political media efforts to imitate the GOP model. The message machine that helped put Republicans in power, however, now looks like an albatross for the opposition party.
Let's take a step back. There has not been a single hearing on Sotomayor's nomination, but Senate Republicans are already playing defense over the party's response to the nomination. But who speaks for the Republican Party? As every politico knows, the GOP's Supreme Court vision was hijacked by Limbaugh and Gingrich, two of the most visible pundits atop the conservative media machine. While the Republicans who wield actual power in this process -- U.S. Senators and especially judiciary committee members -- have to angle for a single TV appearance, Gingrich holds court with his paid platform on Fox. (Rush also dropped by there Wednesday). Gingrich amplifies his views with an online regimen that is downright millennial in its scope -- even including "Second Life." His instantly infamous "Latina woman racist" tweet dominated several news cycles, and his blog post recanting it topped all online political news Wednesday, (according to the news aggregator Memeorandum). And now Limbaugh is backtracking as only he can, volunteering that he might support Sotomayor after all -- but he still thinks she is a racist. Apparently racism is not a disqualifying judicial quality for him.
All the fireworks, of course, are good for buzz and ratings. They were also good for keeping opponents off balance, for a time, when the conservative media's adjoining political party controlled government. The incentives for niche political programming, however, run counter to the needs of a political party trying to crawl from 40 Senate seats to a winning national coalition.
Republican officials are learning that in the minority, their echo chamber still works, but it's working against them.
Photo: Gingrich meets with President Obama and Rev. Sharpton in the Oval Office in May. Credit: White House Flickr Feed.
This post was originally published in The Nation.
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I was saying this to some friends over the weekend. The Mighty Wurlitzer was cranked up too loud and too soon. Conservatives were hating on Sotomayor before her name was even officially announced, and once it was announced, their bile bubbled up in the form of outwardly racist and sexist comments that instantly caused Americans who would have been neutral on her nomination to start seeing her as a victim of hate speech.
So now, before the hearings even start, the conservatives are on the defesive and will be forced as a consequence of their own nastiness to be on their best behavior during the hearings. Because now everyone is paying attention, wondering if Republicans are going to confront her directly with their racist attitudes (rather than hiding behind Fox and Twitter as they have up until now).
The "echo chamber" is working counter-intuitively here, I think, not simply because the GOP is in the minority, but because the loudest voices in the GOP are now shouting ideology that is offensive to the majority of Americans. This puts the GOP in the odd position of being able to very quickly and effectively get a message that makes most people cringe to dominate several news cycles.
Very well said. Thank you.
I hope this article is right, for as the GOP stands now, I totally disavow their ideology. In fact, as they stand now, it boggles my mind as to why they have as many followers as they do. Having said that, the Democrats aren't above some criticism either, but, my, they stand tall compared to the current GOP ideology and have for about 12 years in my view. I just don't understand wanting to be sooo conservative--and their ranting and outright hatefulness. I am always wishing that we had two parties toward the middle or just left of middle with only minimal differences in thought. America would be so much better for it. Our country needs to embrace diversity, education, health care for all, acceptance of taxation for sound , smart government, and a common sense approach for energy conservation which would include engaging in other energy sources, and a "less is more" mentality when it comes to consumerism. What a wasteful nation we are living in huge homes, driving SUVs, big box churches, big box retail outlets. Shoot, I could go on and on. No one listens to me, though!
We're listening, Cleanerman. That was so well said - I think you should run for office!
But unapologetic Senate Democrats claimed victory and vowed to continue trying to block any Bush nominees who are, in the words of Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, "far beyond the mainstream."
Estrada's nomination had enough support to pass the Senate, which requires only a simple majority.
But Republicans, despite repeated tries, could not muster the 60 votes needed to block the filibuster by Democrats.
The other two other Bush nominees Senate Democrats are filibustering are Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, nominated for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, and Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor, nominated for the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
But Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, said the withdrawal was a "a victory for the Constitution."
"It reflects a clear recognition by Miguel Estrada, and, hopefully this White House, that under the Constitution the Senate has shared power over judicial appointments," Kennedy said.
Living in the rear view mirror is not helping or advancing the work that needs to be done to move this country forward.
Estrada was not a SCOTUS nominee. Plus, Sotomayor's record and beliefs are within the mainstream. Sotomayor is a liberal but she is not a radical like a lot of Bush appointees were. That is the difference. The Senate allowed Clarence Thomas, Scalia, and Roberts to be confirmed with up or down votes and Democrats declined to use their right to filibuster.
Mageba,
thanks for pointing out how civil Democrats are when they oppose a nominee. The screaming banshees of the republican party and their nasty "racist" accusations are an embarrassment for the entire country. Especially their leader's Rush and Newt who managed to alienate the hispanic vote FOREVER.
nice call!
Mrs. Sotomayor, will get in and she will answer all questions asked. I don't believe Mrs. Sotomayor, is racist or the statement she made was racist. Mrs. Sotomayor, is a smart woman and is a very capable american, who will interpret the law and carry out her duties as the next Supreme Court Judge, only because our president chose her as the next judge to be seated for that seat, did we hear about the supposed racist statement. For years we have had laws in place for all people which were put there for the rights of people but not all the time were they carried out fairly for some class of american people. America, the beautiful has not always been that beautiful to certain class of people, we have had and do have our share of racist, clearly this woman isn't. She will answer that statement and explain what she meant and why it was stated. I am glad that she was chosen, now there is one that has that seat now that I would not have chosen but he now is seated. I am so glad President Obama, chose this qualified young lady, who will be seated in the next chair.
It's Judge Sotomayor.
Mrs. Sotomayor, being addressed the way I address her is respect, I know as well as you she is a judge, nothing wrong with the way I address her.
Fortunately, the Democratic party has it's own voice in the media; any legitimate news agency that reports responsibly. The uber conservative media outlets are drawing an audience mostly over 60. It's scary to think the Grandparents of America share the intolerant, bigoted views. The very same people who taught us to say please and thank you and not to lie.
Most ironic are the "complaints" of the conservative voices on how they are covered via more rational entertainment venues. And where are the cries of outrage from the highly Christian demographic of the Republican party? Lies are being spewed like nuclear waste along with thinly veiled racism and all sense of manners or decorum have been euthanized by Fox News. Don't forget, this is the same organization that brings us shows like Family Guy and the Simpsons. While both are quite humorous, they don't exaclty promote family values. What would Jesus think?
There are plenty of us over 60 years old who are not conservatives.
True! So true
I agree just as most white males of a certain age are quite sane and resonable - the few zany apples have brought about profiling.
Minorities have made this same argument with views of affirmative action being the sole reason for a Yale, Harvard, Princeton or and higher learning grad.
There are a lot of us over 60 who no longer vote Republican.
I voted for Reagan, and a lot of other Republican candidates for high offices, but the GOP today has become something that I detest - they are actually anti-American.
PAT BUCHANAN and LOU DOBBS got a good shot for presidency in 2012,hee!hee!hee!
The fresh new faces of the GOP!
On the little country called "White Superior" of the coast of Alaska.
Here is the GOP Republican policy:
LIE, SCARE, CAST DOUBT, SCARE, SCARE, SCARE,
LIE, WAR-PROFITEER, CORRUPT, STEAL USTreasury money
and push INTO POCKETS OF RICH CORPORATE PALS
scare, bamboozle and call ANYTHING THAT'S
NOT FOR THE RICH = "socialism".
That's a weak smoke screen for republican policy
of SOCIALISM FOR THE RICH.
That kind of socialism is OK, of course.
Republican Motto: CRIME PAYS!
[and...you CAN get away with it all].
Like yellin' down a well, hearing your own echo and then stating "somebody HELP this man-he's DROWNING!"
Carry on.
I believe the word is karmaquences.
Conservative crash and burn rhetoric worked for them during the 1980s and 1990s when times were good. They built a political majority on these tactics. It was all new to everyone - shoot from the hips, say anything because no body will challenge you, hide your draconial policies behind moderates until you get to keys to the kingdom. In 2001, conservatives controlled it all. By 2006, people had started seeing through their rhetoric and realized that these clowns had pulled the wool over their eyes.
Now, they have no moderates to hide behind and what they have created is biting them to no end.
This is what happens when you build your house on quicksand. It will tumble down and take you and yours with it.
They are reaping what they have sown. I just hope the whole country doesn't have to participate in the reaping. I fear that Rome is burning -
Good! Not fast enough, IMHO.
It seems the republicans just can't do anything right. After doing al they can to defend and deny destroying the economy, creating endless wars and potentialy commiting war crimes they discover that their "party of no" philosophy backfires, their policy of attacking any and all minorities backfires, their policy of letting fanatics speak for them backfires. Good grief, can't they do anything right?
Republicans, here's a clue. The vast majority of Americans are NOT fanatics of most any kind. We're fairley tolerant of others, we want peace, we don't advocate killing those who may disagree with us, we want a strong economy, we want our politicians to actually care about us and the country first, we want to raise our families, own a home, have a decent job, educate our children and hopefully leave this world a better place than we found it.
exactly.
Which begs the question. Who will be the last man standing? Who is the real Republican? Newt or Rush?
Maybe Pat Buchanan? I am sick of him - he has been on TV since Watergate. Go Away Pat, you are 71 yro!
Neither of them are real...in ANY respect.
Where is former Govenor of Massachusetts William Weld?
Has Rush sold his apartment AND his condo NYC yet?
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