Media Matters, in case anyone is unaware, is an organization
dedicated to the proposition that the liberal media is
insufficiently liberal. So when the New York Times
published a friendly 8,000-word
profile of Rush Limbaugh in its Sunday magazine, it was
inevitable that Media Matters' Eric
Boehlert would have a conniption over the "squishy-soft . . .
puff piece":
For Limbaugh, the ego-stroking profile was quite an
achievement: The mighty, and allegedly liberal, New York
Times conducted what appeared to be a lengthy, in-depth, and
objective profile of Limbaugh and came away very impressed by the
titan talker. The Times, quite emphatically, provided its
editorial seal of approval to Limbaugh, complete with the
flattering, Tony Soprano-like cover
photo. . . .
I understand that Beltway media players routinely play nice with
Limbaugh and his fringe brand of conservatism. Spooked by his
liberal-bias charges, the mainstream press corps has for years
treated Limbaugh with undeserved respect, worked overtime to soften
his radical edges, and presented him as simply a partisan
pundit.
Twenty million listeners -- some "fringe"! Boehlert can be forgiven
for pining nostalgically for the days when
Time
magazine presented Limbaugh as a threat to America, and when
Limbaugh was among the
"purveyors of hatred and division" President Clinton blamed for
the Oklahoma City bombing.
topics:
Conservatism
