Boo hoo: How I became a right-wing talking point

As for the now-infamous kicker itself, there was no discussion or debate – I was asked to appear on John Gibson’s Fox News Radio show, and had an argument that went nowhere (the highlight was when Scott Allen Miller asked if Mary Jo would have approved of a minimum wage increase), while other conservative radio hosts asked me to come on their show and “defend my offensive remarks.” (I declined.) But no other news outlet offered me the chance to appear and have a rational debate, or even expound on the intended meaning of my remarks. The lack of relevant discussion in favor of flame-fanning sound bites was impressive in its effectiveness. As with “death panels,” “socialism,” and countless other partisan shibboleths, the power granted to the phrase “maybe she’d feel it was worth it” was exhaustive. It was pure political theater wielded beautifully, with conservative news outlets veering the discussion wherever they choose – which is usually straight into fear-based misinformation. This tactic for delivering information is irresponsible and unethical, sure – but even more invidious is the effect it is having on American discourse.

It’s no small irony that Kopechne, a staunch Democrat in life, was the centerpiece for this frenzy. The gist of my post was that she believed passionately in the causes that Kennedy championed — a fact that may lend those causes even greater importance. But that slightly nuanced point didn’t matter a bit to Limbaugh’s foot soldiers, who wasted no time launching their full-on rage assault.