Since Rush Limbaugh has been under fire for his comments about Sandra Fluke, it hasn’t just been advertisers who are heading for the hills. People who had supported Limbaugh in the past are starting to wonder what he’s up to. Many of them have grown increasingly uncomfortable with what he says on his show sometimes. But, In the 12:00-3:00 time slot, Limbaugh is the only game in town.
Until now.
Starting April 9, 2012, Gov. Mike Huckabee is throwing his hat into the arena. His new radio show will air in exactly the same time slot as Limbaugh on the Cumulus radio networks. Huckabee’s aim to unseat Limbaugh is apparent from his shows tag line: More Conversation. Less Confrontation.
Rush Limbaugh has a huge conservative fan base that are used to him adding humor and very blunt talk when discussing his point of view. Some who only listen occasionally don’t see the humor and take everything he says literally. They also don’t appreciate the blunt talk. Prior to Limbaugh and Fox News and then the internet there weren’t conservatives with national platforms in the media.
Rush’s attacks on liberalism daily has worn on liberals over the years, hence the backlash over his comment about Sandra Fluke. This is their opportunity to strike back and coincidentally Huckabee’s opportunity to step up to the plate for conservatives with a nicer and gentler radio program. Huckabee plans to challenge Rush by attracting those that seek a less pointed discussion.
Huckabee aims to soften that rhetoric, get people talking again. And, his brand of conservative approach could be the very place that advertisers, radio stations and frustrated conservatives can go as an alternative to Limbaugh’s heated rhetoric. Huckabee could even make the notion of conservative talk radio palatable to progressives who don’t mind a good debate, so long as it is civil. Time will tell.