Political talk radio has long been a medium monopolized by Republicans. With the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, the Republican viewpoint has had an iron grip over talk radio for years, with hardly any liberal-minded voices ever having a chance to break through. For the longest time, there have simply been no liberal hosts on talk radio with an audience or broadcasting range anywhere near the likes of Rush. This is strange, really, as Rush and Hannity both have in recent years invaded bookstores as well, along with fellow pundits such as the infamous Ann Coulter, and were there opposed and outsold by liberal-minded political books by the likes of Michael Moore and Al Franken. I would often puzzle at how it was that liberals could outsell conservatives in the bookstore yet weren’t given the benefit of the doubt to find an audience on the radio. Have no fear, liberals: this absence of the liberal-minded commentary necessary for balancing political mudslinging scales looks finally on its way to being rectified.
CNN reported this past Monday (Dec. 1) that Democrats are in talks to buy up enough radio stations to broadcast exclusively-liberal talk radio nationwide in full 18 hour days. It’s too early on in the process to say for sure when these highly necessary stations will begin broadcasting (though one can hope well before next November’s presidential election), but it is apparently not too early for names to have been thrown around as to people who could be potential talk-radio hosts. Politically active comedians Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo are both reportedly in consideration for hosting slots.
While I am a big fan of Franken and Garofalo’s unabashedly liberal comedy, I can’t help but find it strange and somewhat depressing that the best voices Democrats can find for themselves are comedians. Rush Limbaugh and most other Republican pundits all bring with them an air of experience as if they could have been members of the Young Republicans club back in their youths. That Democrats can only muster up professional comedians to speak for them (as of now) reflects somewhat poorly on their professionalism. On the other hand, perhaps some humor is just what the Democrats need to reinvigorate their support base, a breath of fresh air in the stagnant vaults of zombie politicians. The prospect of liberal comedian commentators could work for or against the Democratic Party; but, even if it works against them, at least they tried, something they have not seemed to bother doing since Bush started his term in office. The humor could also prove essential for repairing the further damage that will be caused to the Democratic Party by the humorless likes of Joe Lieberman, who’s relation to Al Gore as his former running mate is likely to cost him and perhaps the party as a whole some votes since the American people still react so poorly to Gore for reasons that are beyond me.
I personally cannot wait for the chance to listen to Al Franken’s unique, equally perky and cynical humor on the radio as I drive to or from work. Even if I’m not listening, I’d just feel content knowing that this liberal station was there for me if I should need it. It’s been ridiculously long since the Democratic Party had a real voice in talk radio, and I’m crossing my fingers that this will get off the ground before it is too late for it to make a difference with next November’s election. Godspeed, Al Franken. Godspeed.
Dan Goldstein can be contacted at [email protected].