Let's Rumble

Harry and et alia of Scratchings are

... out of patience with famous liberals who are kind of against war, but not willing to yell about it on their radio shows.

Specifically, they are irked by Al Franken and Air America.

Thus, it falls to me to defend Franken, etc., in what I hope will blossom into a vicious, dirty little online war.

1. I strenuously disagree with et alia about Franken's funniness. I don't listen to every second of Air America's broadcasts, but I defy anyone to say Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them and Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot aren't funny. I defy you!

Plus, Franken was often genuinely funny on SNL. He is funny. It cannot be denied. Do not deny it.

2. Air America does have strong whitebread, NY-Times-on-the-radio tendencies. But.

In these days of modern times, even the NYT types, with all their flaws, need to be defended. Yes, they're incredibly white. Yes, they are blind to anything having to do with class. And yes, if necessary they will kill millions so Hillary will be elected and they can be appointed Assistant Undersecretary of State for East Africa.

However, they do have one redeeming quality, which is they aren't batshit crazy. They do care about reality, even if they miss huge swaths of it because of their nice liberal blinders. That's a low standard to meet, but here in 2005 I consider anyone an ally if they aren't certifiably insane.

Franken isn't certifiably insane. And if larger progressive forces make enough noise to make him feel safe, he will stride in the right direction. And you never know when the previously irksome nice liberals will have had enough and will break completely. This has already happened to Jeffrey Sachs, and Paul Krugman may be nearing such a point himself.

3. Air America can surprise you from time to time. It's not JUST polishing the Democrats' knobs. Janeane Garofalo in particular comes up with some pretty frank statements and guests. Chuck D, though there less these days, has also been impressive and interesting.

SO IN CONCLUSION

I understand the temptation to dismiss these folks. But honestly, our forces are not so powerful that we're in any position to throw poop at anyone even vaguely sympathetic. We don't have to love them, nor they us. But let's save the internecine bloodbath for the Biden administration.