I’m not sure how I feel about this. David Frum and Robert Reich have been doing a radio show called Marketplace for years. David Frum has resigned from his position because he no longer agrees with the Republican Party on a host of issues, including economic policy. His reasoning is that the show is supposed to have a right/left format, and if he isn’t representing the right’s point of view, there’s something wrong with that. Here’s how he puts it:
When speaking wholly and declaredly for myself, I can shrug off (admittedly – with some regret) the distance I have drifted from old comrades. When I’m called on to do point-counterpoint, I can’t deny that there is something false about the situation. The many listeners to Marketplace who share the consensus conservative view are entitled to hear somebody articulate that view as well as it can be articulated. The listeners who do not share the consensus conservative view would benefit even more from a strong presentation of that alternative opinion.
If I can’t or won’t do that job, then I should make way for somebody who can and will.
Accordingly, I have resigned my role on the Marketplace program, nominating potential replacements from closer to the present GOP consensus. I may not agree with that consensus, but I cannot deny its existence and importance.
Imagine if Joe Lieberman refused to be cast opposite a Republican because he doesn’t represent the left anymore on foreign policy. We often complain about how the progressive point of view isn’t heard in media. We’ll see Evan Bayh debating Jon Kyl, as if that represented the political divide in this country. From that standpoint, I can understand how Frum feels like a phony.
But why do we have to have programs with such a black and white format? First of all, I have never gotten the sense that Robert Reich shies away from making unorthodox comments or criticizing the leadership of the Democratic Party. I never listened to the show, but I think it’s more interesting to hear from thoughtful people who aren’t just going to parrot the party line.
Yet, being more interesting cannot be allowed. So, some hack will replace Frum to parrot the party line. I understand why the right pushed Frum to quit this job. We’d get annoyed under the same circumstances in reverse. Just think about the heat Alan Colmes took for sticking with Sean Hannity for all those years.
Still, this is no way to have a political debate.
