The Blogora: The Rhetoric Society of America

 

Walsh v. O'Reilly


Submitted by Jim Aune on June 14, 2009 - 7:11am


Adorno wrote, "You cannot have a conversation with a fascist." I tend to agree, most of the time. Joan Walsh of Salon went on O'Reilly. Here's an interesting discussion on Ta-Nehisi Coates' blog about the propriety of her choice. What do you think?

Submitted by slewfoot on June 14, 2009 - 6:06pm.

I'm teaching a course on celebrity culture in the fall, and so just got cable last week. I look forward to watching this kind of stuff, not because I think it's good, but because it is unquestionably rhetorically fascinating.

I applaud Walsh for doing this. She barely gets a word in, but when she does, it sounds reasonable and respectful. O'Reilly just proves he's "a fascist." She never loses her cool, and (I think) shows O'Reilly to be a bully.

Submitted by Shaunessy on June 17, 2009 - 1:27pm.

Walsh defends here decision to wade into the O'Reilly bully pulpit here:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/politics/2009/06/12/oreilly_walsh/ind...

"This is not about debate nor offering an alternate point of view. This is the Harlem Globetrotters, and if you're too good to be the Washington Generals, he will make you into them by editing and lying."