Feel the love

My dad passed the URL for my blog around and got this back from his brother, mon oncle Bob:

'After reading Mike's self-description I couldn't believe he said the following about Michael Moore: "I find him an insufferable ass. To say he puts himself in the way of his message is an understatement." (It takes one to know one.)'

Dad's pal Mary Jo also took exception to my remark about Moore. To amplify, I think his methods almost guarantee that he isn't changing any minds. He's a hero to certain people that agree with the opinions that he champions. I agree with the opinions that he champions but feel that his shrillness and his capacity to put his own aggrandizement on a par with the issue at hand won't win any converts...and converts is what matters.

Similarly, on the online conferencing system The WELL, which I've called home for nearly 14 years, I find myself defending my criticisms of Air America's Randi Rhodes.

There I wrote:

"She does 'blather and spew'...that she does *liberal* blather and spew doesn't really mitigate that. She doesn't back up her righteous indignation with much of anything. If you're in the amen corner you may not notice that she offers no arguments to actually alter anyone's perception or raise anyone's awareness. It's all voice-raising informed by the assumption that the bad guys are obviously the bad guys and we're the good guys. Fine, as far as it goes which isn't really anywhere. Pointing out an outrage is ok...yelling about the same outrage for an hour isn't really compelling. She also tosses around a lot of bathroom/bedroom/locker-room quips to poor effect. She's bawdy without being funny and she doesn't notice because she doesn't stop to breathe. The stuff today about the 80-pack tampon supply was just beneath her audience if not her. I'm left thinking that all the shows on AAR hit the same set of talking points, albeit liberal talking points and each host is aiming at a different "brow". Rhodes aims low for people that don't want to have to remember too much information but just like to say "attaboy girl" when she gives the other team hell. In truth she reminds me more of the other team than the rest on the schedule."

I appreciate the red meat but I want my green leafy vegetables too.