It seems Rush is not the only one to "turn a deaf ear": Yes, that was bad, but I couldn't resist. I listen to Rush on occasion, because for all the bombast and one-sided arguments, he is smart, and has a firm grasp on one version of conservatism, which can certainly make some good points. I, like you, am not sure how the comparison gets made of Hearst to Rush (or is it vice-versa?). What Goodman is really complaining about, and you and I have discussed before, is that there simply aren't any good left-leaning talk radio hosts. Why? Because lefties come across as whining, which no one likes to hear about ("it isn't fair, it isn't fair!"). Conservatives, on the other hand, do a much better job of being entertaining, because they can make fun of the liberals, which everyone likes to hear -- even if you're a liberal (we're all self-loathing anyway).