The inability to make distinctions, or the belief that one’s audience is so unable. R. Emmett Tyrrell begins his defense of Oxyconservative Rush Limbaugh as follows:
Really, it is not very amazing that a government vendetta has been launched against Rush Limbaugh, the very successful and gifted talk show host. Governments have attempted to suppress criticism for centuries. The Founding Fathers were acutely aware of that, and provided strong protections in our system of government for dissent and for free speech.
Bravo, Bob–you almost sound like one of those kooky libertarians who criticizes the war on drugs or the PATRIOT Act. The government certainly is repressing Mr. Limbaugh, as it does millions of others, but as soon as this truth is recognized, it’s gone. After moving the shells about a bit, Tyrrell comes back to repression, but the repressors have suddenly changed:
[T]he American press is today highly politicized, and its politics are antithetical to Limbaugh’s. The press is liberal. Limbaugh is a dissident in the best sense of the word. He is conservative. That the press in general ignores the attempts to suppress him is another example of its stupendous hypocrisy, but this is not surprising. …
The harassment of Limbaugh provides another unlovely glimpse into the workings of the liberal elites.
Wait–David Broder and Maureen Dowd control the federal drug cops and Florida authorities? Why, I coulda sworn Dubya is president of the U.S.A. and Jeb runs the show down in Tallahassee! But they and their policies couldn’t be at fault; no, it’s the big bad liberals.
My God, no wonder this war was such an easy sell.