Classical Values :: Parody for profit of conservatism? <br>Or profitable parody of conservatism?

August 02, 2007

Parody for profit of conservatism?
Or profitable parody of conservatism?

I don't know which I consider more newsworthy -- another bizarre outburst by Michael Savage or the fact that Ace has actually linked Media Matters' account of it, but hey, both events happened.

Hmm...

Now that I think about it, Ace linking Media Matters is a far more unusual event than Michael Savage simply behaving in the way he usually does.

What Ace found interesting enough to link was the suggestion by Savage that the Democrats might have brought on Chief Justice Roberts' seizure. Here's Savage:

Am I to believe that there's no connection between Charles Schumer on Friday saying that he would never appoint, or never, excuse me, approve another Bush appointment to the court, to any court? And then the chief justice suffers a so-called seizure two days later? You're telling me there's no possibility of a conspiracy by the Democrats to have caused this seizure in some manner? Tell me that it's not possible. Tell me that the stakes are not so high that the liberals -- who've finally lost the court after 50 years -- that they would stop short of anything like this. Tell me it's not possible, and I'll tell you you're a liar.

Ace, while no fan of Savage, listened to the recording closely, and thinks it might be parody:

I really don't like Michael Savage, and I actually began linking this as a slam on him. But as I listened to the tape I realized he was most likely goofing on the Truther Left. Something that Media Matters cannot even acknowledge as a possibility.

I'm glad to entertain the possibility that Michael Savage is engaged in parody. I don't expect him to disclose it, though, as I doubt he'd want his own Bircher/Trilateral Commission/Bildabetterburger truthers to suspect he's secretly laughing at them.

But with Savage, yes, insincerity is always a distinct possibility.

I'm disinclined to believe anything the man says anyway, whether it's undisclosed parody or not. I think Savage has two primary goals:

get attention, which means getting ratings any way he can (the irony is that I'm discussing him).

discourage liberals who might tune into his show (and who might have otherwise had second thoughts, particularly after 9/11) from drifting towards conservatism.

I think Savage's contributions to Jerry Brown speak volumes about the sincerity of his "conservatism."

I think it's more likely that his conservatism is a parody than his financial contributions. But with Savage, you never know. Perhaps he'll parody Hillary with a few thousand dollars.

UPDATE: My thanks to Pajamas Media for the link!

posted by Eric on 08.02.07 at 01:46 PM

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Comments

I am beginning to think that Savage is a leftist mole planted to make right wingers look bad. Does that make me a conspiracy theorist?

John Kaiser · August 2, 2007 04:18 PM

Something clearly doesn't make sense about the guy. I've been trying to figure him out since 1994:

http://www.classicalvalues.com/archives/2003/07/_the_suspicious.html

If it's a conspiracy theory, welcome to the club!

Eric Scheie · August 2, 2007 06:13 PM

Savage is always pretty easy to figure out. When he's being sarcastic or (as Limbaugh called it) is demonstrating absurdity by being absurd...he always takes a different tone. He starts enlongating words, and talking in an odd, slow, singsong voice. It's the only time I ever find him entertaining.

Kenny Simpson · August 2, 2007 07:00 PM

I listen to him but I don't think he has very much credibility.

goon · August 2, 2007 08:16 PM

I think he is an idiot most of the time. He has the same credibility as those he vilifies. Sadly he is a reflection of his audience. He does live in "San Fransicko", as he likes to say, doesn't he? Of course, I think Limbaugh is pretty lame/overrated too. He seems to have a pretty good handle on reality but not the "Real", if you know what I mean. He is a materialist first, middle, and last, it seems to me. If you listen to Limbaugh you will occasionally hear a caller that makes him look like the shallow dilettante he is. Hannity, Ingram at least have the good sense to have (semi) intelligent guests on from time to time and those times can tend to be educational.

The public gets the politicians it deserves. It also gets the "entertainment" it deserves. Talk radio, like almost everything else in media, is banal, trite, vapid, and just plain silly....most of the time. You gotta wade thorough too much crap to make the occasional find of a pearl of wisdom worth it. That's why I depend on the web and books for information/opinion.

John Hinds · August 3, 2007 11:43 AM

Michael Savage is not a parody. If you actually listened to him, you would know that. He consistantly supports israel and is an advocate for the jews. He was a powerful figure in preventing the amnesty bill, and urged his millions of listeners to call congress to stop it. He helped destroy bush's dubai ports deal. He donated thousands of dollars to Paul Williams, who is trying to expose islamic terrorism. His wife gave thousands of dollars to the republican party, even though he is very critical of republicans as well as dems. He is very critical of bush's handling of the war, saying that it is not being fought tough enough.

benny · August 5, 2007 12:41 PM