Franken's Delusions
Al Franken's big mouth has gotten him into trouble once again, and placed him in the delicious position of looking like an even bigger blow-hard than usual. Last year, Franken announced that he would run against Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman in 2008. Then, recently, he claimed he would seek to replace Senator Mark Dayton in 2006. When Dayton announced that he would not be seeking another term in two years, the grassy-knoll left was vibrating with expectation, speculating that Franken would actually do what he claimed he would do. How disappointed they must have been today, because apparently Franken is as much a prevaricator and a coward when it comes to his personal ambitions as he is on his rather pathetic radio program.
Air America, the "network" that carries Franken's talk show, continues to hover at the bottom of program ratings, and this may shed some light on his back-track. It is easy to make dramatic announcements meant to stimulate the radical left, but quite another thing to face the reality of your own obscurity. While Franken rants and raves, red-faced and shaking, listeners are shedding him at an astounding rate, according to a January report in Mediaweek. In New York City, the heart of Bush-hating liberalism, Franken's network outlet WLIB has dropped from a 1.4 overall share to 1.2 in the fall Arbitron ratings book. More telling, however, is that surrounded by the wackiest, angriest, and most liberal audience in the country, WLIB can barely make the top 25 stations in New York City. In Minneapolis, second only to NYC as a leftist bastion, Air America station KSNB is not even in the top 25, and is regularly beaten by Spanish music station WDGY-AM!
The problem for Franken is that he is just not very good. Or very bright. Or very interesting. His show is unprofessional and disjointed, and comparisons to Rush Limbaugh and Shaun Hannity for production alone highlights Franken's juvenile effort even more. Not to mention that Limbaugh and Hannity cream Franken in the ratings in every city where both are heard. Because of this, Air America continues to operate in the red, just as it has since the network's highly publicized launch in March 2004. Demonstrating that optimism is never a sure sign of intelligence or reason, Air America President John Sinton recently told the Wall Street Journal that he expects to turn a profit any day now, but in the meantime is scrambling to secure investment.
Don't look for an IPO anytime soon.
Poor Al also has another little problem. He is unhinged, and no one feels comfortable around a crazy man. One needs only to listen to his show for a short period of time to believe that his anger and resentment at being on the losing end of every issue has warped him beyond his control. Maybe in calm moments of fleeting rationality, he sees himself for what he really is, not what his synchophants tell him. It was probably during these moments of lucidity that he smartly decided against presenting himself in a more public forum, like, say, a Senatorial campaign. You can only physically attack so many hecklers before they throw you in the booby-hatch.
Franken's "official" reason for not running for the Senate is that he will honor his two-year commitment to Air America. How noble. A more likely reason is that he knows he could never win, never even come close, even in Minnesota. You can't run a campaign from the insular cocoon of a radio broadcast booth, surrounded by lackeys who provide an echo chamber for every nutty belief and statement, broadcasting to a handful of disaffected malcontents. You can't secure votes by hob-nobbing at a Hollywood cocktail party. He would actually have to get out and face opposition, something he does not handle well. Having watched Franken on television, a medium that amplifies his worst tendencies and traits, one can just imagine a Captain Queeg moment nearly every day.
Franken should stop deluding himself about his personal popularity and depth of public support, and stick with what he does best.
Losing audience.
Air America, the "network" that carries Franken's talk show, continues to hover at the bottom of program ratings, and this may shed some light on his back-track. It is easy to make dramatic announcements meant to stimulate the radical left, but quite another thing to face the reality of your own obscurity. While Franken rants and raves, red-faced and shaking, listeners are shedding him at an astounding rate, according to a January report in Mediaweek. In New York City, the heart of Bush-hating liberalism, Franken's network outlet WLIB has dropped from a 1.4 overall share to 1.2 in the fall Arbitron ratings book. More telling, however, is that surrounded by the wackiest, angriest, and most liberal audience in the country, WLIB can barely make the top 25 stations in New York City. In Minneapolis, second only to NYC as a leftist bastion, Air America station KSNB is not even in the top 25, and is regularly beaten by Spanish music station WDGY-AM!
The problem for Franken is that he is just not very good. Or very bright. Or very interesting. His show is unprofessional and disjointed, and comparisons to Rush Limbaugh and Shaun Hannity for production alone highlights Franken's juvenile effort even more. Not to mention that Limbaugh and Hannity cream Franken in the ratings in every city where both are heard. Because of this, Air America continues to operate in the red, just as it has since the network's highly publicized launch in March 2004. Demonstrating that optimism is never a sure sign of intelligence or reason, Air America President John Sinton recently told the Wall Street Journal that he expects to turn a profit any day now, but in the meantime is scrambling to secure investment.
Don't look for an IPO anytime soon.
Poor Al also has another little problem. He is unhinged, and no one feels comfortable around a crazy man. One needs only to listen to his show for a short period of time to believe that his anger and resentment at being on the losing end of every issue has warped him beyond his control. Maybe in calm moments of fleeting rationality, he sees himself for what he really is, not what his synchophants tell him. It was probably during these moments of lucidity that he smartly decided against presenting himself in a more public forum, like, say, a Senatorial campaign. You can only physically attack so many hecklers before they throw you in the booby-hatch.
Franken's "official" reason for not running for the Senate is that he will honor his two-year commitment to Air America. How noble. A more likely reason is that he knows he could never win, never even come close, even in Minnesota. You can't run a campaign from the insular cocoon of a radio broadcast booth, surrounded by lackeys who provide an echo chamber for every nutty belief and statement, broadcasting to a handful of disaffected malcontents. You can't secure votes by hob-nobbing at a Hollywood cocktail party. He would actually have to get out and face opposition, something he does not handle well. Having watched Franken on television, a medium that amplifies his worst tendencies and traits, one can just imagine a Captain Queeg moment nearly every day.
Franken should stop deluding himself about his personal popularity and depth of public support, and stick with what he does best.
Losing audience.
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