National Review confesses: Pat Robertson an influential figure

[brooklynite]

A number of conservatives and Republicans have criticized televangelist Pat Robertson for suggesting that the U.S. government assassinate Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. "What an offense that this man was a serious candidate for the presidency," wrote NR's Richard Brookhiser, referring to Robertson's 1988 run for the Republican nomination, in which Robertson defeated eventual nominee George H. W. Bush in the Iowa caucuses. "He was our Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton."

...snip...

The condemnations made clear that Robertson's comments had absolutely no support anywhere. But they did not address another question: Just how influential is Robertson in today's politics?

The answer from many conservatives, especially those in Washington and New York, would be quick and clear: Robertson has virtually no influence at all. "I don't know anybody in the religiously conservative world who takes their nods from Pat," said one conservative who closely tracks the world of faith and politics. "He's just sort of had his day. Plus, you combine about three or four crackpot comments a year, and even your own constituents say you're nuts. He's worn out his welcome, even with his own people."

...snip...

...there is also some evidence to suggest that Robertson is not quite as marginalized a figure as conservatives would like to believe. His main forum, the television program The 700 Club, is available in nearly all of the country on the ABC Family Channel, FamilyNet, the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and some broadcast stations. According to Nielsen Media Research, The 700 Club, aired each weekday, has averaged 863,000 viewers in the last year. While that is not enough to call it a popular program, it is still a significant audience. It is, for example, more than the average primetime audience for CNN last month — 713,000 viewers — or MSNBC, which averaged 280,000 viewers in prime time. It is also greater than the viewership of CNBC and Headline News.

http://nationalreview.com/york/york200508250914.asp

[edbermac]

1. Influential figure? So were Bin Laden and Hitler.

Not to mention Joe Stalin and Ghengis Khan...:sarcasm:

[jonnyblitz]

2. how can so many people fall for such (((crap))))

that makes me sad. :(

[Cha]

3. pat robertson should

be so classy to be your "Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton"..the senile one couldn't hold a candle to Jesse Jackson Or Al Sharpton.

It's gratifying somehow to know that the grand mediawhores on cnn don't get as many viewers as robertson.

Everyone now knows pat is an insane fundy but cnn goes under the guise of "news".

Although, Jon Stewart cut them down last night on his show..anyone see that?

[Kurovski]

4. Yes, and it can be seen again today as Comedy Central re-runs

it during the day/early evening.

"The condemnations made clear that Robertson's comments had absolutely no support anywhere."

Not the white House, they seem to agree as no condemnation has yet come from them.

Rove's commandment the first: Don't piss-off the Extremist Fundies.

[Cha]

5. On Jon's last night..

The honcho at cnn addressing fauxsux.. was defending Costas' right to decline to keep talking about Aruba and said something about there was real news out there and then Jon showed clips of all the talkingheads on cnn talking about EVERYTHING from pamela anderson to panda bears :silly:

[Kurovski]

6. And tonight on Larry King...

Bicycle-humper Lance Armstrong defends his ability to make millions via product endorsements.