Bernie’s Q&A: Limbaugh, Netanyahu, Trump, McDougal and more! (6/4) — Premium Interactive ($4 members) Welcome to this week’s Premium Q&A session for Premium Interactive members. I appreciate you all signing up and joining me. Thank you. Editor’s note: If you enjoy these sessions (along with the weekly columns and audio commentaries), please use the Facebook and Twitter buttons to share this page with your friends and family. Thank you! Now, let’s get to your questions (and my answers): I’d like to hear your thoughts on Clay Travis and Buck Sexton moving into the 12-3 radio time slot once occupied by Rush Limbaugh. Clay Travis carved out a niche a few years ago when he became one of the more high profile moderate / conservative voices in sports talk radio. When everyone at ESPN was going ga ga over Kapernick, Obama, and everything anti-Trump, Travis went the other direction. I am not sure if he is totally sincere in his beliefs or if he is just an opportunist, but I have to give him credit for realizing that being another liberal voice in the sea of liberal media voices won’t help you stand out. — Joe M. It takes a certain amount of courage to challenge the prevailing “wisdom” in the world of sports journalism (or journalism generally). But I have a theory when it comes to replacing iconic figures like Rush Limbaugh: You’re better off waiting and replacing the person who replaced Limbaugh. Now Travis and Sexton will inevitably be compared to Rush — and it’s a comparison that can’t turn out well. But hey, it’s a job and a paycheck, so good luck to them. Bernie, I believe that most of your readers accept that the media has become more bias as compared to when you first started. Many commentators point to educational indoctrination and fiduciary motives as the root cause of Media bias. I’ve wondered if this transformation is more deeply rooted in this country’s detachment from our country’s original Judeo- Christian values? Americas Judeo-Christian beliefs accept the inherent corrupt nature of humans and it is these Judeo- Christian values that in the past, had kept our worst nature in check. As communication via media increased so did the influence and power of politicians and “The Media”. Could it be this new power and lack of our original value constraints, that provided the impetus for Politicians and Media to feel that they can act without consequence. Might this also be the reason why the media is so frightened of Judeo-Christian values? — George A. Good question, George, but honestly … it’s too deep for me. I think bias in the news is a problem for more secular reasons: too many liberals in the world of journalism who think their values are reasonable and even moderate. So to some extent they don’t see their bias as bias at all, but as the “correct” way to report a story. If it’s more than that, if it has something to do with the breakdown of Judeo-Christian values, I’m not the guy with an answer. Sorry. Sir Bernie—apparently President Biden (our legitimate president) made a rather… ahem… discomforting remark …about a young girl and how he loved the barrettes in her hair, and how she looks like she’s 19 years old sitting there with her legs crossed. Is this something that conservative media websites blew out of proportion? I didn’t see who was being addressed so I don’t know if it was taken out of context or not. Even if it is what the right wingers are insinuating, I (as a right winger) see it as inappropriate and weird but not necessarily sinister—-just a doddering old man saying something that’s F—ING DUMB! Here’s what I want to know—-in your opinion was this simply a dumb remark blown out of proportion, or was it something creepier? Also—-dumb or creepy, what do you think the mainstream media’s take would have been had President Trump made the same observations in the same context? — “Cross Legged 19-Year-Old” Regards From The Emperor I watched the video. What’s the big deal. I’m so sick and tired of partisans on the right picking at everything Biden does … just as partisans on the left picked at everything Trump said or did. Okay, if Trump made the same comment, it might have been big news. I’m shocked! But one of the reasons I watch almost no cable in prime time anymore is because I’ve had enough of the stupid, partisan shots at whoever the enemy is. But let’s me clear: That’s what many viewers want and the cable channels and the dopey websites are more than happy to give the customer what he wants. Count me out! Bernie, [regarding Monday’s column], I love you like a brother and think your heart is in the right place but I do not believe we can dismiss the election malfeasance narrative. We have already seen that there is very little that the Left won’t attempt in their Machiavellian world / mindset. It is VERY important that we find out what happened and probably has been happening for years. Brained washed youth and illegal immigrants form a fairly solid and growing base, throw in the possibility (needs to be proven) of perpetual cooking of the voting books and we have no chance going forward. If I were Trump I wouldn’t let it go either. Put yourself in his shoes and I think you might understand the frustration. — Thomas C. Take it up with Donald Trump’s legal team — the same team that brought more than 60 cases alleging fraud … in front of all sort of judges … some appointed by Trump himself … and they lost every time out. If there was fraud that was so widespread that it turned the election for Biden, Trump’s team failed to prove it. As far as Trump not letting go: He’s a narcissist of monumental proportions. He can’t accept defeat. And, sorry, Thomas, but he’s bamboozled a lot of his fans into believing his nonsense. I know you won’t like my answer, but unlike the idiots on cable TV, I won’t pander. Hi. Answering your question to me from last week: there are MANY things that the Democrats do that concern me. Policy wise I think they’re wrong on most things (foreign, fiscal, domestic, etc.). On the culture, the wokeness stuff drives me crazy and I think a lot of it is bad for society. But being a Republican myself (for a very long time), today’s GOP especially embarrasses and disappoints me because they no longer stand for any of the things that made me a Republican in the first place. They scrapped conservatism for Trump populism. Character no longer matters. The truth no longer matters. Accountability no longer matters. Not even the constitution matters – look at all the Republicans in congress voted against certifying the last election. I have no real expectations for the Democrats. They have been getting it wrong for a LONG time. I expect the GOP the be better than them but they no longer are. Both parties are jokes. — Jen R. I couldn’t have said it better! Thanks, Jen. It looks like Benjamin Netanyahu will be ousted as prime minister of Israel. Do you have any thoughts on him as a leader, and do you think Israel will miss his leadership? — Ralph P. I don’t keep up with Israel’s domestic politics. That said, Netanyahu is a tough pol who often gets criticized for his toughness. But he lives in a tough neighborhood and that needs to be taken into account. Generally speaking, I like him. But again, if I were more savvy about Israel’s internal politics I might have another opinion. Israelis may miss his leadership in the long run but it looks like he’s on his way out, so in the short run they won’t miss him. They’re the ones kicking him out. Naomi Osaka made a lot of news recently when she revealed mental health issues that make post-match interviews virtually impossible. Ricky Williams also had social anxiety issues, and a number of other notable stars admit to similar limitations. From the fan’s perspective, revealing sports star interviews are few and far between. I can’t think of the last one I found interesting. We hear a lot of coach-speak and bland statements from players. With the rise of 24/7 sports media, social media and commentary, do we really need these anymore? I’m all for “shut up and dribble 2.0”, where players play and commentators comment. — Steve R. I just did an interview with sports journalist Jason Whitlock for a new online men’s magazine. I’ll share at least some of it with you when it goes live. Whitlock is the exception to the rule: He’s black, he’s conservative, and he says interesting things. Players have the right to speak up on issues they find important. And fans have the right to say I didn’t tune in to a basketball game to get a lecture on critical race theory. A lot was talked about Stormy Daniels and the Trump payoff a few years ago. This week we’re hearing more about actress Karen McDougal who also (allegedly) had a sexual affair with Donald Trump.