When I went to Albany a few weeks ago for the State Democratic Committee Spring meeting. I took the time to do one of my favorite things - listen to right wing radio.

Nothing gets me fired up more than listening to right wing talk radio so my 4 hour drive was filled with it. This time, I brought a tape recorder and recorded my observations with the intent to merge into a post. A couple of hours of Rush and a couple of hours of Hannity. These shows aired Tuesday May 8.

I found it interesting that the points they made were the same. I already know this and having listened before - I know this. I’ve read analysis by David Brock and other books like What Liberal Media. I understand it. However to hear it first hand (again) it was eerie.

Anyway Rush or Hannity comments as well as my musings on them are below the fold. The points about Feminism, American automakers and blaming Bush for everything kept coming back. There is a quote about feminism that I found quote interesting. but you have to read below the fold.

So here is what I learned from Rush

He used the term “Democrat party” over and over again. Probably to attempt to get this incorrect usage into the vocabulary.

A Randy Kuhl ad came on the show from Coalition for a Democratic Workplace. I wonder if there is a relationship between them and U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbying group who recently awarded Randy an Enterprise award. Oh you can read more about the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace at there website or the counterpoints here. The organization is basically an anti-union lobbying group composed of retailers. Gee imagine that

He was talking about GM and their cars. I guess he got a tour or something. Continual, endless praise for GM and how they are making fuel efficient cars. He was actively hawking GM. It sounded weird.

So the next segment was about the feminization of the American culture and the steady encroachment of liberalism into our culture. See he says God is the one who created the natural roles of men and women. Oh, he says feminists are upset at how unkind nature was to them. (either a quote or a very close paraphrase).

Then off on a thread on how the Democrats will blame Bush for everything and 1180am started to breakup. So I switched to 810 am out of Albany.

Hannity show

Hannity opens and releases his wrath on Paris Hilton for incurring a DUI. Paris gets branded a Hollywood elite. Yep. I see that - Paris liberal elite..

Then there was an entire segment about blaming Bush and how everyone is unfairly blaming Bush for everything. Like Mia’s post on the Chili Blog where she conducts an exercise in wasting time. No - not everything is Bush’s fault - just the stuff he directed or condoned in the past 6 years.

Then Hannity says if you take out the Iraq war from Bush’s troubles everything else is great. So what are we blaming Bush? The economy is strong, blah blah blah….

From there he moves in to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are separate implying not linked - so much for the global war on terror - Hannity must not have gotten the memo.

Then he compliments GM, discusses feminism and thankfully I arrived in Albany.

It was interesting that both shows had similar content and same talking points.

Listening to both shows I was struck by the commonality of the arguments. Truth through repetition. GM is doing great because it has hybrid cars available in a couple years. Feminists hate men because as Rush said - they are mad because of how unkind nature has been to them.

Both shows made those points - in different ways but nevertheless.

Both shows also had a self-promotion segment where sterotypical “liberals” were verbally beat down. Wild and crazy (by my standards) comments were played as though they represented real people and that would allow either Rush or Hannity to rant (shout down) how crazy liberals are. Frankly what I remember of the comments I thought the comments were crazy too as would many readers here but they were painted as true

This really is a noise machine. eventually people simply believe because they heard the same point stated multiple ways, multiple times over and over again.

Remember this was only 4 hours of a day. I’m guessing the same points are made everyday all week.

Have a listen some time and try to stay on the road. This is where low information “conservative” types are getting their information.