It's a rare occasion. . .

. . .that Ramesh Ponnuru misses the point, and he does so here, but only by a shade. He is right that some McCain supporters (perhaps even me) may be injuring their cause by "trash-talking the importance of talk radio". I would venture to guess that he's referring to Medved's column earlier in the week, wherein he declared the big loser in South Carolina to be talk radio. While I initially thought he may have a point, upon reflection, I think it was probably on the triumphalist side. At most, it should probably be considered Medved's bookend to Hugh Hewitt's barnyard strut in the wake of Romney's Michigan victory.

I don't think the majority of people who support McCain are trash-talking the "importance" of talk radio so much as they lament its obvious biases and its utter disregard for listeners (current and former) who support him and would like to see him get at least a plausibly objective hearing. It seems to me to be asking a lot for McCain supporters who can somehow find room in their lives for both their candidate, and the opinions of the most influential voices in radio, to sit quietly and take lump after lump, smiling all the while like political Stepford Wives.

I think Mark Levin illustrated this point nicely today, when he essentially played the Soup Nazi card:

As an aside, publicists for five different authors have contacted my office in the last week to request that their clients appear on my program to help promote (i.e., sell) their books. I'll be sure to remove those from the list of perspective guests who, in my view, demean talk radio.

In other words, "So, you think I'm wrong? You think I overestimate my influence? NO PUBLICITY FOR YOU!!!!"