John LeBoutillier
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003

Yesterday in the New York Times it was announced that a rich group of liberals – led by Sheldon and Anita Drobny of Chicago, longtime backers of the Clintons and Al Gore – are donating $10 million to finance a "liberal talk show network" around the country.

Their purpose?

To counter what they see as the conservative slant of talk radio hosts around the nation and thus to alter the 'political' trend to the right in this country.

Guess what?

This will be a total flop.

Because these lefties just don't get it.

For liberals there already is a liberal talk radio network. It is called National Public Radio.

For other talk radio listeners, the very last thing they want to hear is liberal ideas. And this is what liberals like Bill Clinton, who recently complained about the influence of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly, and the Drobnys do not understand: The great majority of talk radio listeners are sick and tired of the basic liberal message of more government to solve our problems.

In fact, talk radio listeners are more discerning than average people. They are also better read, more knowledgeable and more interested in current events.

Liberals like the Clintons and the Drobnys have disdain for average people and believe Rush and Sean are 'brainwashing' their listeners into toeing the GOP line. Nothing could be further from the truth; these listeners are already conservative – and are ecstatic in a pop culture crammed with anti-Americanism to find someone with whom they agree.

No wonder the Clinton News Network (CNN) on TV has fallen in the ratings to Fox, which appeals to the very same audience as do most talk radio shows. CNN's on-air bias and culture are out of synch with cable news viewers the very same way liberal talk radio hosts don't 'fit' the basic talk radio audience.

The Drobnys and the Clintons think the problem is the 'medium' – when in fact their problem is their message. Big Government, a culture of lies and an amoral personal approach to life encompass today's liberal point of view. And that simply won't sell to the millions of patriotic Americans who use talk radio as a way to commune with like-minded citizens in a new form of national town hall.

Liberals – who have caused most of the problems we have in this country – now call themselves "progressives" because most people cringe at the thought of listening to more "liberals" and more "liberalism." It is typical liberal/leftist thought to try to jam a talk radio network down the radio industry's throat from the top down just the way they have jammed social and economic policy from Washington down the throats of average Americans.

America – thank goodness – does not work that way. In radio, if a host can't get good ratings, he/she is getting canned – period! Al Franken, an entertaining comedian, is going to have to earn an audience – not be given one by fiat.

So many liberals have tried – and all have failed. True, there are pockets of liberalism like New York City and Berkeley where a leftist can survive on the air. But to make such a host a national figure just is not going to happen.

What the Drobnys and Clintons need to do is simple: Forget trying to hijack talk radio as a medium to infect with their failed message. Instead, they need to change their message first – and then see if there is an audience for it.

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