Not-Fox news outlets are commonly called “lamestream media” by Fox adherents wannabe-pundits talking heads watchers:

ZING!

“Liberal bias” is often fingerpointed at outlets who aren’t owned by media magnates who inherited their wealth and influence report the news in a way that doesn’t conform with your view.

Frankly that accusation – of bias – goes both ways, which makes it hard to talk about the real issues.

But the argument breaks down entirely when you put real thinkers in a tank, and watch which way the praise is flung.

Earlier this month when MSNBC ran their ‘7 Days of Genius‘ segments, it actually wasn’t surprising to the “lieberal” in me that Rachel Maddow chose a “Red State” Republican strategist as her first recipient – and the second recipient in the series. Again, let me make this point: the lamestream MSNBC launches a new series about “geniuses” and their flagship anchor chooses to profile a Republican – an I-never-heard-of guy named Chris Jankowski who initiated a program going back many years now that produced “waves” in off-Presidential election years under the title REDMAP, or REDistricting MAjority Project.

I lost track of how many times Maddow calls Jankowski “genius” because she used it so much.

“operational genius”
“unsung political genius”
“when it comes to political genius…”

At one point she says “you did something brand new [in politics].”

When was the last time you heard anyone on the Right call anyone on the Left a “genius” or acknowledge that the operational and tactical moves they made contributed to something heretofore unseen in the political arena?

Yeah, thought so.

And therein lies the problem with the Conservative mindset. Maddow can admit her bias – “I don’t know if you know this, but I’m a Liberal.” – while acknowledging her opposition’s brilliance. I’ve watched the segment three times because I was in awe at what I didn’t know before and what I too can only describe as genius politicking. The Conservative mindset however cannot and will not think objectively even about it’s obvious other. I challenge you to find me an example of a prominent Conservative describing something on the other side of the aisle as “genius” simply on its merits. It doesn’t exist. Meanwhile, liberal thinkers, while pushing liberal agendas, can actually critically think through and acknowledge issues, even those they don’t agree with. That’s the difference.