Is Glenn Beck Fox's Keith Olbermann?

Opinion: Fox, like MSNBC, learns the hard way

From Jennifer Rubin Right Turn blog, The Washington Post:

As other conservatives and I have written, whether on the topic of his inappropriate use of Holocaust talk or with regard to the many other instances of inflammatory language, Glenn Beck has proved himself to be a poor representative of the conservative movement. He provides fodder for the left, eschews substance in favor of vitriol and is often simply wrong on the facts. Unfortunately, many conservatives have largely ignored his behavior, just as those on the left refused to recognize that Keith Olbermann was a menace to the image of liberals.

Beck once again has proven how uncivil and unreasoned he is, this time going after Bill Kristol, whom Beck has not the decency to refer to by his real name. Bill took Beck to task recently for his hysterical language and reaction to the Egyptian revolution. And Beck proved Bill's criticism correct by unleashing a stream of insults. You don't have to favor Bill's approach to Egypt or anything else to realize an ad hominem attack without any intellectual argument is really not what conservatives should be all about. There has been plenty of spirited and collegial debate on the topic on the right, as I have explained. But Beck's spasm of bile does his network no favors.

The problem with ranting extremists is they usually wind up impaling themselves and their employers. MSNBC figured out that it could field liberal hosts who were as popular with its audience as Olbermann, without having to put up with the hassles. You wonder how long Fox will take to reach the same conclusion about its own unhinged screamer.

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