[lbo-talk] um, cass sunnstein?

[M]

It also doesn't help that once the "discussion" is over, the FOX "News" hosts will all refer to the guest as a "left-wing loon" (pick your put-down of choice).
They don't discredit "dissent" -- or even lunacy -- since a right-wing loon with a doctored photo of Obama as Hitler or Stalin is a perfectly acceptable guest and will never be referred to as a loon.

----- Original Message ----
> From: Mark DeLucas <delucasm at yahoo.com>
> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> Sent: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 7:32:15 AM
> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] um, cass sunnstein?
> 
> I think the thing is, if you say something unconventional, in the typical cable 
> debate format, it invariably sounds quite out of the blue.  And usually you 
> aren't talking but shouting, and speaking quickly (and stumbling), with at least 
> on other voice intruding over yours.  Naturally there's no time to explain what 
> you mean.
> 
> So the combined effect is to appear ridiculous--a desperate person saying silly 
> things--like a street person handing out pamphlets.  In other words, a joke.  I 
> don't know if producers consciously devise these situations in order to 
> "discredit" dissent--as if they care.  But surely they recognize the circus 
> effect created by these kinds of interactions, with the dissident reliably 
> playing the clown.