In certain professions or activities, there’s one guy who’s so ridiculously far ahead of everyone else, all that’s left is a race for second place.
Take binge drinking, for example: Andre the Giant is the greatest drunk who ever walked on planet Earth, period, end of story. I’m sure you knew some frat guy somewhere who was a legendary campus lush, but unless he downed 119 beers in six hours and consumed 7,000 calories daily from alcohol, Andre would drink him under the table, belch, and go hit the local bars.
For conservative media, there’s also a clear-cut number one, and it’s the late, great Rush Limbaugh. Nobody else comes close. The talk show industry is rife with egos and insecurities, so it’s awfully revealing that virtually NO ONE claims to be better than Rush. (And those who do usually weren’t conservatives, such as Howard Stern and his ilk.) It was just so patently obvious that Rush Limbaugh was THE radio icon for the conservative moment that you couldn’t credibly argue the contrary.
For a very long time, conservative talk radio consisted of Planet Limbaugh, surrounded by smaller satellites who echoed his talking points. He was to conservatives what The New York Times is to liberals: Rush set the daily agenda and defined the terms; everyone else amplified his message (with varying degrees of success) on their shows. Even today, Limbaugh’s influence looms large over radio, podcasts, political language, and cable news.
So who’s number two?
William F. Buckley deserves strong consideration. He was the driving intellectual force that mainstreamed conservativism to the masses. From his TV appearances to his (near) fist-fight with Gore Vidal to the creation of “National Review,” Buckley was just as powerful as Limbaugh in his own way.
I met Buckley in the 1990s, and even though he might not be Andre-level, man, that dude could REALLY hold his booze. He gave a speech at Virginia Tech after downing dozens of drinks for dinner; he had to hold onto the podium to stop from swaying. But it was a great speech! No slurring whatsoever. And the moment it was over, he was back in the hospitality suite to grab half a dozen new cocktails.
Sean Hannity has been one of the most influential conservatives for roughly 20 years. He’s the Republican version of “The King of All Media,” because he’s had a top radio show, top TV show, best-selling books, and even produced successful movies. He’s steady and reliable, but never really emerged from Limbaugh’s gargantuan shadow; he was always kind of like Limbaugh lite. He also lacks the showmanship, creativity, and knack for irreverence that made Rush so special. But he’s been one of the most consistently successful conservatives in media for decades, and that’s got to count for something. He also has a reputation for being incredibly nice. He was to me.
G. Gordon Liddy was a driving force in his day, booming “Radio Free D.C.” broadcasts in his distinctive voice. If the G Man had been born 20 years later, he would’ve made a killing on podcasts. A historic figure in his own right, Liddy’s “review and commentary on the news” and bleeping of the Washington Post’s name were hugely popular in conservative circles. He was also semi-crazy — which isn’t necessarily a complaint: Crazy people can be very effective in this kind of format.
He would experience considerable blowback if he were on the air today: I remember one time, a kid called and complained about being bullied, and Liddy advised him to bring a gun to school for protection. According to Liddy’s logic, “It’s better to be judged by 12 than carried in a coffin by six.”
For a long time, he owned the 9 a.m. timeslot, entertaining listeners until Rush began at noon.
What about Tucker Carlson? He’s certainly one of the most influential hosts in recent memory. For a short while, he was so powerful and held so much sway that he legitimately rivaled Limbaugh’s influence at his peak. Since leaving Fox News, his impact has steadily declined, and his interview with Putin — although interesting and newsworthy — was tarnished by his shilling for Russian propaganda. His over-the-top praise of a Russian supermarket and acting like the bread he saw was manna from Heaven has a Fonzie-jumping-the-shark feel.
Glenn Beck was deeply influential for quite a while — and in a way, he still is. He gambled big-time on the creation of Blaze Media, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to independently keep it afloat. He’s closer to the Limbaugh style with his use of passion, humor, and originality, blended a bit with his “Morning Zoo” experience from traditional radio. During the Obama Administration, he was probably the most talked-about, most controversial conservative in media, but his star has dimmed in recent years.
Paul Harvey was the only other right-leaning radio icon who could legitimately rival Limbaugh in overall influence. But he’s difficult to categorize because he was more of a short-form storyteller than a radio or TV host. But there’s no denying his longevity or impact.
There’s also Michael Savage (who my Dad always liked). He was one of the few conservative hosts who’d take potshots at Limbaugh, and he seemed to fill a void for listeners who thought, “I really like Liddy, but is there anyone else out there who’s even MORE crazy?” And the less we can say about his short-lived MSNBC show, the better.
In recent years, Ben Shapiro has steadily risen in the conservative ranks, and his outlet, The Daily Wire, has succeeded where The Blaze has fallen. With his YouTube presence, prolific use of social media, subscriber base, podcasts, and even feature films, Shapiro (and his merry gang) have probably created the most influential outlet for today’s young conservative.
From the “What Is a Woman” documentary by his colleague Matt Walsh to his gauntlet of benchmates, which includes Michael Knowles, Andrew Klavan, and Brett Cooper, The Daily Wire has emerged as the media outlet of choice for conservatives under the age of 40 — and with a young, dedicated audience base, Shapiro and his minions could be even more influential in the years to come.
The final candidate for you to consider is Roger Ailes. Though not an on-air talent himself, his brainchild — the Fox News Channel — was the single most important conservative media outlet from the late 1990s through most of Trump’s term. If you wanted to be a national player in conservative politics, Fox News was the one outlet you’d sell your soul to appear on because it was so much larger than everything else. That’s not as true anymore.
Since Ailes was forced out, the influence of Fox News has noticeably tapered off as well. Conservative candidates went from fearing Fox News to scoring points by attacking it, which absolutely would never have happened under Ailes’ tutelage.
To recap, we’ve awarded the Gold to Rush Limbaugh. But as for the Silver or Bronze? Let’s hear what you think in the comments.
In the meantime, since it’s Friday, I’ll be by the pool, working on my Andre the Giant impression. Cheers!
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