Into the belly of the beast

Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America

John Avlon

Started reading this morning.  I definitely would not put Keith Olbermann, shown on the cover, in the "wingnut" category.  And it can be argued that the term "wingnut" is properly applied to only to right-wing extremists, which he isn't.

Still, the basic premise is accurate:  the lunatic fringe has indeed hijacked America.  

The author is a writer for The Daily Beast, an on-line magazine.  His most recent article is titled "The Phony Centrism of Charlie Crist."  Avolon considers himself a genuine centrist.  You might also want to look at his article, Paranoia on Patriots' Day.

Comments

[Katiebell]

Crist  may have jumped the Republican bus...And he may not be someone I liked much, but compared to Marco Rubio....well, he seems to be a moderate Centric....With Crist leaving, well...there is no option in Florida that can win against Rubio,  which makes me sad sad sad.

[electric firefly]

I'm stunned that Keith Olbermann is on the cover with those two.  I hope the book is good, but the cover alone makes me question its credibility.  Perhaps it should make me question my own bias.  I do have a lot of love for Keith Olbermann.

[DoctorD42]

Me too on KO, although if I had to choose just one from MSNBC, it would be Rachel Maddow.  I think she is really careful in research, and doesn't try to be as funny and sarcastic.  But both are great!

[DelusionalAngel]

Keith Olbermann really?  He gets a little emotional at times, but like Rachel Maddow tends to base his arguments in facts.  Where as the other two on the cover just play off people's emotions and don't use facts umm ever. 

If they had to use someone from MSNBC to be the far left loon. they should have used Ed Schultz, he's the craziest one they have.

[DoctorD42]

Angel, I don't watch Schulz, but share the same impression.  

Where are the left-wing crazies?  In my youth, there were lots, but now, it seems like there aren't hardly any remaining!  When Obama is sometimes termed a "socialist," you know that political dialog has moved very very far to the right.

[DelusionalAngel]

Well I finally went and looked at the description of the book on Amazon.  According to the description "What’s a Wingnut? It’s someone on the far-right wing or far-left
wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans and the
unhinged activists, the hardcore haters and the paranoid conspiracy
theorists. They’re the people who always try to divide us instead of
unite us."

If that is what the publisher/author think a wingnut is, they may be a little nutty themselves.  They're saying "Professional partisans", "unhinged activists", "hardcore haters", and "paranoid conspiracy theorists" are all the same?   If they're using haters as just the slang term and professional partisans as people who act professionally using facts but are obviously biased (say Rachel Maddow) that's NOWHERE near the same as a "paranoid conspiracy theorist" or "unhinged activist".  Some may annoy you if you disagree while the others can actually be DANGEROUS. 

[DoctorD42]

Angel, yes, you are right!  Although in the case of the Republicans, sometimes it does seem to me that even official party leaders and legislators are taking their talking points and worldview from the more rapid media commentators.

It is all pretty confusing and sad.  But certainly Rachel Maddow doesn't belong with "unhinged activists."  She is one of the best-researched and most responsible voices on tv.  I think so, anyhow.