I had a discussion with my friend Nick a few days ago about which people on the right we felt were convincing in getting the message out. Our mutual friend is steadily moving towards the right and so the topic has come up a few times. Who was the best at making converts and the most expeditious? There were a few names thrown around, so I'll rehash our conclusions in no particular order...
Ann Coulter doesn't make the right any friends. She may be right, but if you offend those you are trying to convert to the point lividity, you've lost any effectiveness you may have had. Coulter cracks me up, and given the medley of hate mongers on the Left, I truly wouldn't have a problem with what she says. My only real problem is that she could easily stand in the way of someone switching sides.
Michelle Malkin, while I have no doubt she is a great gal, seems to be in on the name-calling bit as well. I didn't realize this until tonight when she was on Hannity. Olbermann's (albeit awful) comments about her didn't seem all that bad given this new revelation.
Nick recently turned me on to Mr. Dennis Prager - his personal favorite in the convincing category. Mr. Prager is completely brilliant in his own right, if only for his ability to force clarity on issues. His command of logic is pretty impenetrable from what I've seen (heard?). He doesn't name call or (worse) make fallacious arguments. The amount of respect he has for people simply on the basis of their humanity is also noteworthy, although it really does pale in comparison for me to his deft grasp on the issues.
My choice would be Thomas Sowell. He is ever articulately on the offensive towards the Left without ever naming them or losing his cool. What's even better? They hardly know who he is. I think the popularity of ninjas lately is sort of absurd but Sowell is, hands down, the Right's ninja. (The frustrating part is the Right hardly knows who he is either. If they did, he'd never be able to write another book given his interview schedule.)
It wouldn't surprise me if Glenn Beck is the most well-read person on cable news right now. His, uhhh, television-side manner isn't exactly my favorite, but his CPAC speech recently was excellent. Also, I also see a lot of my personality in him which is probably what bugs me. I wish he were more effective (or maybe I just wish he were cooler) in the way he communicates his message. It would also help the cause a great deal if he stayed away from pseudo-conspiracy theories to sell his research. Not sure he'd convince anyone who wasn't completely open-minded already...
Who do you think is most effective in conveying the Right's message to masses?
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5 comments:
Thomas Sowell is a gem of a man. I've admired him for so long, I don't even recognize his true face from the thumbnail image I was accustomed to seeing in the newspaper pages.
Rabbi Daniel Lapin is a breath of fresh air on talk radio. His teachings are steeped in Hebrew Scripture. He is a strong conservative, a lover of humanity, and of course has a kind tongue.
Mark Levin is intelligent and civil, but his monotone voice is monotonous. He rarely engages in inflammatory rhetoric like others.
Ken Hamblin, the Black Avenger, was my absolute favorite when I lived in Denver. I'm not sure whether he still does a radio show.
I do not think that Ann Coutler is trying to convert anyone. She relishes getting under the skin of liberals and then watching the hullabaloo. Personally, I love her because she researches her facts and comes to common sense conclusions - and she makes it all very entertaining!
Personally, I think Glenn Beck is very effective in the way he communicates his message. He brings it down to the layman’s level, which is very helpful for those who are not politically/historically in tune. As for the pseudo-conspiracy theories, he is making logical conclusions from history. He is basically saying that we’ve been down this road before, so why do we think we will end up in a different place this time? In an interview someone asked him, “What do you want people to say about you after you’re gone?” Without hesitation he replied, “He was wrong.” He really hopes that his “pseudo-conspiracy theories” are wrong, but he high doubts it.
My vote would go to Glenn Beck. His ratings (at time higher than Bill O’Reilly’s) prove that he is very effective in conveying the Rights message to the masses.
Dr.'s Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams are right up there at the top of my list......pity that Beck doesn't do a show with these gentlemen.
I'd choose Charles Krauthammer. He makes succinct, logical arguments and manages to work in some pithy comments that make for good sound bites.
Michelle Malkin is a sweet and lovely in person. I have heard the same about Ann Coulter. I think they're two women who get a lot of flack from the left and use wit and sarcasm to fight back. Also, they never sink quite to the level of their foes.
Keep in mind, much of what Ann says is taken out of context. She is incredibly smart, and it is almost impossible to give her a fair "sound bite" because her points last longer than 10 seconds.
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