T.J. WALKER

Looking for the Liberal News Media

We all "know" that "the media" is run by nothing but liberals, right? Apparently we must all be self-hating liberals. How else do you explain the following news items that floated across my desk this week?

Item: Conservative writer Cal Thomas's syndicator announces that Thomas is now the most widely syndicated columnist in America, appearing in over 500 papers a week. It's one thing when a conservative pundit like George Will gets into a gazillion newspapers. Deep down you know he sneers at the rank-and-file conservative, and he wouldn't be caught dead at an anti-abortion rally. Will is too busy looking for authentic inkwells for his 2000-dollar pens.

But Cal Thomas? Yuck! For years, Thomas was the spokesman for Jerry Falwell, someone who has given aid and comfort to racists, homophobes, and misogynists continually for 35 years.

Item: A new study by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy reports that conservative think tanks are dramatically outspending liberal think tanks in America. Right wing groups spent $158 million in 1996. That's even more than the Republican Party spent, assuming of course you believe that there is a difference between the two. The results: You can't watch PBS or the cable news channel without seeing some "senior research fellow" presenting "research" that, surprise, shows that liberals have screwed up everything in society.

On the radio front, Clinton-hating Rush Limbaugh is no longer the number one talker. He's been supplanted by Dr. Laura, a mother-hating misanthrope who blames everything from bedwetting to divorce on liberals.

Think TV is any better? Moderate Democrat Ed Koch is no longer judge of the Peoples' Court. In: Judge Judy, she's tough as nails and doesn't want to be confused with some liberal panty.

Don't get me started on the Fox News Channel, but when host Bill O'Reilly went on vacation recently, who was the replacement? Former Congressman Bob Dornan, the wife-beating, right wing wacko who has been ostracized by Newt Gingrich and Tom Delay for being "too out there." Enough said.

It's time for a new strategy. Would all the liberals who control the media please step down. Then, we can hire some self-hating conservatives who would hire liberals out of guilt.

T.J. Walker is the executive producer of TJWalker.Com, a news and information web site featuring original audio/video/text news and perspective. See (www.tjwalker.com).