I have my father give me a good idea what b.s. is really being spouted up at any given time. First of all, the spin currently is FYI that the Democrats are "full of pride"--they are filled with so much "pride" that they really need to get over themselves, etc.
Here's what he shared this morning.
In addition William Buckley's son should run for office as well as Newt Gingrich--Newt Gingrich is so smart and Karl Rove is such the strategist--after all they wouldn't have him on television all the time, and he even thinks Ann Coulter is sharp, sometimes. He thinks O'Reilly is full of it but watches his show all the time (He tivos it) as well as Hannity, and says in defense that Olbermann and Matthews are also "blow hards" and when I point out the wit of Maddow, Dad says yes, but it's not a "news show." And I tell my Dad, none of them are.]
I also tried to remind him some things that were done back in 1994--but he doesn't remember any of it, and thinks I'm revising history. He still thinks Gingrich is the greatest, especially. Absolutely disturbs me.
But here is now who my Dad is excited about. And when I told him why I didn't like her at all and WOULD campaign against her, Dad was sort of speechless and then gave a defense that astounded me. Dad thinks it will be exciting that our next Governor in California would be Meg Whitman. Dad did not know that she said she was for, advocated for it, and financially supported the Yes on 8 Campaign. And when he learned that, Dad said in defense, "Well wouldn't they say it on the news? And you're for Obama. Obama advocated for it. He's against gay marriage."
I had to let Dad know that no, Obama did NOT advocate for it--the Yes on 8 Campaign took some things Obama did say as against gay marriage (but he's for civil unions) and did not ask his permission. Even before they did that, Obama said he was against Prop 8, and while we can criticize him for not being vocal about it when this was done, he did reiterate he was against Prop 8.
There was also something Dad totally forgot in terms of maneuvers done back then. He has voted a Democrat for President since Nixon (though came very close voting for McCain until Palin opened her mouth, as Dad stated it, and it terrified him) and believes he's moderate though he calls himself a Republican though he rarely votes for one, because of all the wingnuttery, yet he constantly exposes himself to wingnuttery.
My Dad will NOT read--unless it's quickly scanning articles in Barron's--on a rare occasion he'll scan the Los Angeles Times but is more interested in the Sports section. He hasn't read a book in years especially since he's retired, and has bought a computer three different times and never uses it (He only wanted the Internet for stocks information and finds CNBC and Bloomberg) to get the information to him faster. I have tried Dad to read things (including a subscription I got him once) but it doesn't work. If it's not on mainstream t.v. he doesn't see it (well, at least he watches and tivos Maddow. Thank goodness for MSNBC for hiring her)! and he doesn't listen to radio but seemed to enjoy Randi Rhodes the one time she was on the air, and he seems to call Ed Schultz "balanced" so something may be going right, at least, on that end.
My father is definite the ideal "consumer" and target for the Right and he doesn't even know it or realize it. It's not that I've tried. But I'm either discarded being very liberal or because of my profession (I'm a librarian and it's about, I don't know information literacy?) He thinks I'm not paying attention to "the other side" because I read blogs ("Do you Blogger?" he once asked me).
I would've gone further to say that Obama advocates are now working with Camp Courage and told Dad further what I did last weekend, but after talking on and on, when I start to make a point he really cannot defend at this point he suddenly wants to change the subject or cut the conversation off. I feel like it's this frustrating futile exercise with my Dad, where while during last year he did consider voting for Obama a couple of times, apparently the "echo chamber" on the talk shows overpower me, and I'm the "renegade," if you will. (Note: In this case, I do not have to advocate my father's vote as his primary address is in Las Vegas for taxes purposes).
I need to advise all of us we better stop "breeming full of pride" (I know ,like we are), but after seeing so many posts about GOP as Dinosaurs, I'd be one of caution, that there's lots of people like my Dad who only get their information by the remote, and who like to be entertained, and may see O'Reilly as full of it, but still watch him continuously. It's still like me wanting to scream the Lords of the New Church song "Open Your Eyes, see the lies right in front of ya!" and feel like we're still in a somewhat Orwellian world in spite of everything.
I remember Dad telling me that "everyone was against the stimulus bill" including all over CNN, and CNN is balanced, he tells me. I told Dad then as I still try to now, of course they're all against it. The people who own the networks are strongly against it, they're more than happy to air that and tea bag protests to their delight while war protests hardly got the air time, but I'm the renegade and not being "fair" as far as he's concerned.
Anyway, this is a rant. I've had many give me advice before, and believe me compared to people I've phone banked and canvassed, many are much easier. Sometimes family members are the hardest. But I just wish I can find a way to make my Dad see facts, evaluate information, and be truly a critical thinker. Is that so much to ask?