Cable News Shows Realize: Conservatives Are More Popular Than Ever

posted at 11:19 am on October 29, 2009 by Michael van der Galien

In my latest post for David Horowitz’s NewsRealblog I opine that cable news networks like Fox News and even MSNBC, are picking up on the fact that conservative candidates for office are more popular than ever.

Well, ever, since 1994, at least:

MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” invited conservative Republican Mario Rubio on two days ago, for instance (watch it here). Rubio is the former speaker of the Florida Senate, a real conservative, and he decided to challenge Governor Charlie Crist in the race for Senator Mel Martinez’s Senate seat.

Although Rubio was initially considered to be an underdog without a chance of winning, he has become increasingly famous, with conservative bloggers and voters preferring him over his moderate Republican opponent, Crist. Hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough even went so far as to describe the conservative Floridian as one of the most “interesting” and “fascinating” candidates to run for office this election cycle.

One day before Rubio made this, for him vital appearance on a national show, Fox News host Glenn Beck invited another renegade conservative on his show: Doug Hoffman, who runs for Congress in New York. Not only did Beck interview Hoffman, he also joined Sarah Palin, Steve Forbes, Rick Santorum and Dick Armey in endorsing him, instead of the official candidate of the GOP, moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava.

The real surprise here isn’t that conservatives are becoming increasingly popular, but that cable news shows are so quick to catch up on it. That has taken me somewhat by surprise.

Then again, Beck is an outspoken libertarian and Scarborough pretends to be a conservative. So perhaps it is less surprising then one would assume at first sight. Still, it’s a healthy, encouraging development.

Meanwhile, the sudden interest in Rubio, has forced Governor Charlie Crist to attack his main competitor for Martinez’s Senate seat. Although Crist was once considered to be one of the most talented governor in the country, who could become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in 2012 or 2016, he has been unable to deal with Rubio’s criticism, labeling Crist a fake conservative.

So what can Crist do once he realizes that ignoring Rubio isn’t going to work? Right; launch a smear campaign. Both the St. Petersburg Times and the Miami Herald have noted that Crist’s allies have started to “push back at the notion that Rubio is a conservative’s dream candidate.”

His sin? Marco Rubio is not a real fiscal conservative because he is paying off a mortgage and student loans. Dude.

Do I sense the odious smell of desperation in the air?

Blowback