Episode 69: The Rise of the Inexplicable Republican Best Friend
It\u2019s a trope that dates back more than a decade, but the rise of Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has seen a recent resurgence in the liberal\u2019s \u201cInexplicable Republican Best Friend,\u201d a specific genre of concern trolling where a long-time Republican operative, politician or pundit offers supposedly well-intentioned \u201cadvice\u201d to Democrats about how they can win elections, which always relies on avoiding veering \u201ctoo far left.\u201d
These takes\u2013\u2013frequently featured as earnest appeals in liberal and centrist outlets\u2013\u2013are ostensibly framed as straight-talk advice that should be accepted as objectively in the Democrats\u2019 best interest, and never presented as an ideological argument that would otherwise make sense coming from a right-winger. \u201cRepublican hates socialism\u201d isn\u2019t that newsworthy, whereas \u201cGOP operative identifies Democrats\u2019 best interests" somehow is. \xa0As with most ideological scams, it only travels in one direction: leftward. One seldom hears liberals or leftists give \u201cadvice\u201d to Republicans about they ought to do to win.
But somehow the inverse isn\u2019t true. Anti-choice, climate change denying, racist, rape apologist, warmongering, overpaid mercenary GOP \u201cstrategists\u201d are treated like objective, neutral voices simply looking out for the best interests of the people and institutions they\u2019ve spent their entire careers trying to destroy.
We are joined by Huffington Post senior reporter Ashley Feinberg.