Bell Business

Lionel vs Donohue Broohaha

I guess I posted too soon on Lionel. Or maybe not, I'm not sure. In any event, I did not listen to the majority of his interview with Bill Donohue. What I did hear did not seem to me to be him kow-towing to Donohue. Apparently, others viewed it differently.

Here is Amanda Marcotte's take.

Obviously, Donohue is an asshole. That said I was glad to hear him talking on Air America, because I think it's important to engage people like him in dialog. From what I heard Lionel wasn't exactly enhancing his credibility, but then I I only heard a little bit of it.

I guess I feel about Donohue the same way I do about North Korea and Iran. Most of the time, the people you really need to talk to are not your friends. They're the people you have the biggest problem with.  It sounds like Lionel didn't do a very good job  (again, I only heard a small bit) but at least he had a dialog going.

I'm all for the voices of the left getting a bigger forum, and I think Seder did a good job at that. But personally, it doesn't help me to hear Duncan Black, or Glenn Greenwald (love 'em both) talking about what they just wrote about. I'd rather hear someone I agree with have an intelligent argument with someone I don't agree with. You can argue that it's enhancing the credibility of those who are not credible. And you'd be right. But I think it's beside the point. Bill Donohue already has credibility. The way to take it away is to engage him in intelligent debate, and take him down, peg by peg.

If you go with Amanda's opinion, it sounds like Lionel failed on this score. I'm not in a position to doubt her, but rereading her post it seems that she didn't actually listen to the whole interview either.  She certainly doesn't post any quote (from the interview) that paints Lionel in a bad light.

If I were Marcotte I'd be sensitive about Donohue as well. He called for her firing from the Edwards campaign. IMO, the big deal there is that Edwards caved instead of standing his ground, but I think I get that. I just wish he hadn't done it. THAT is giving Donohue cred he doesn't deserve. (I guess I shouldn't say that Edwards exactly caved. I don't remember if Marcotte resigned or what. I think she did. I just don't remember Edwards defending her so much.)

But I don't need a radio station where liberals talk to other liberals any more than I need one where conservatives talk to other conservatives.

Lionel

I was among those who decried Air America for dumping Sam Seder's daily show. I like Sam very much, although I don't think it's helpful that he refers to republicans as "rape-ublicans" all the time.

Also, I was among those who pre-judged the unfortunately one-named Lionel before I ever heard him speak.

Anyway, I've heard a little bit of him over the last couple days, and I actually like him. And he actually gets some crazy conservative guests on his show, something Sam seemed to have a problem doing. This morning, for example, he had on the odious Bill Donahue.

I still think AA was wrong to exile Sam to his Sunday show, but I'm not entirely disappointed in Lionel. I'm gonna have to listen some more to get a better opinion, but right now it's favorable. I guess my point is there's certainly room for both of them.

Of course, listening from NJ, just about anything's a relief after the moronic Sammy and Army show. Those two are so dumb it hurts.