Monday, March 30, 2009

David Frum: "Conservatism as an Alienated Cultural Sensibility"

Readers may recall my earlier post on Glenn Beck, "Worst Case Scenario? Preparing for Anarchy in America," as well as my more recent entry, "Michele Bachmann, Saving America," which features video of Beck hammering Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's market-crashing gaffe on the replacement of the dollar as the world's reserve currency.

Well, Beck's in the news today with the New York Times' essay, "
Fox News’s Mad, Apocalyptic, Tearful Rising Star," plus the additional commentary at Memeorandum.

The article praises Beck, saying that the Fox News host "is suddenly one of the most powerful media voices for the nation’s conservative populist anger." Then the Times proceeds to tear him down as if he's some whacked out Black Copter/Roswell conspiracist. That meme alone would be unsurprising coming from the Times. But what caught my attention is that the essay includes an interview with David Frum, who is foisted off as some reference authority on Beck's supposedly marginalizing conservative appeal:

The conservative writer David Frum said Mr. Beck’s success “is a product of the collapse of conservatism as an organized political force, and the rise of conservatism as an alienated cultural sensibility.”

“It’s a show for people who feel they belong to an embattled minority that is disenfranchised and cut off,” he said.
Frum's not the only "authority" on conservative populism cited at the article. But his inclusion here is highly significant, in that he's a key ringleader for a "new right" of "progressive Republicans." Recall that Frum, along with David Brooks, is leading the "dinner party conservatives" in their attacks on the grassroots tea party movement now sweeping the nation, so expect to see more marginalization of folks like Glenn Beck, Glenn Reynolds, Michelle Malkin, and Little Miss Attila, who are rallying a real salt-of-the-earth constituency against the Obamocratic Europeanization of America.

8 comments:

shoprat said...

Marginalized by the media, not by the American people.

Stogie said...

David Frum is a phony and a sell-out. He has zero credibility with me.

Tom the Redhunter said...

What drivel from the Times. I've listened to Beck for years and while and he's not at all like they portray him.

As for from, while I think Stogie goes too far I am losing patience with him.

Ran said...

David Frum, IMHO ... is a product of the collapse of Republican conservatism as an organized political force, and the rise of crapweasel conservatism as an alienated cultural sensibility. That Frum is envious of Beck is clear.

Note to David: It isn't about how "smart" or "educated" or "sophisticated" one is, it's about how learned and communicative one becomes. While I'm on a rant, Davy, do note that leadership isn't about first caving to the Left's silly premises.

Serr8d said...

I like Glenn Beck; he doesn't take himself too seriously, which is a plus for punditry today. An admitted alcoholic and recovering loser, he has great authority when it comes to getting up off the floor.

I took this pic last year, at the NRA Convention at Louisville. Beck was the speaker; exactly what sort of 'touching' is he doing here, with David Keene, 2nd VP of the NRA?

And that cummerbund..Does Ace know of this? )

TomM. said...

David Frum hasn't said a thing about the Tea Party movement, critiquing or otherwise. I don't mind critiques of David Frum, but it would be nice to have them based on fact.

Lester Hunt said...

While you folks are dumping on Frum, you ought to go further and drop the neocon policies that have done so much damage to the country and to the Republican party.

Serr8d said...

From this link (h/t Jeff G)...

Brent Bozell, president of the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, said that Frum has “no legions,” “no audience” and “no following.”

That's well-earned disrespect. Here's hoping Frum keeps up his obviously great works. I'm listening. No, really.