THE ROBERT W. WHITAKER ARCHIVE

Respectable conservatives used to make a lot of noise about how they wanted a conservative network on television. Now that Fox News is providing exactly that, I can't find mention of it in those same respectable conservative media.

Since I am one of those who used to make my living speaking for the American right, I think I can explain this silence.

People who make their living as respectable conservatives have found a cushy niche in our society. They can ignore touchy issues like immigration or the insane Republican pursuit of the liberal minority vote. They never have to do anything hard, like asking a liberal to define the word "Racist," which they use as a club against us.

Respectable conservatism has become a formula. Those who make their living as respectable conservatives have found that if they get in the right groove, and avoid saying anything that would hurt the left, they get lots of exposure on the liberal media as the "opposition."

This formula requires no courage and very little intelligence. In fact, any sign of intelligence or courage on the right threatens liberals. As a result, today's conservative spokesmen are lightweights who ignore the big, dangerous issues and make liberals feel comfortable. So the liberal media monopoly lets them in.

I often had to follow those rules myself, and I am ashamed of it and refuse to do it any more.

But this happy little world of respectable conservatism can only last as long as there are no big and professional conservative media. All we have speaking for us today are the selected lightweights that liberals allow to speak for conservatism.

Now that the real thing is here, respectable conservatives have found out an unpleasant truth

If the big-time professionals like Fox News are now going to take over safe, respectable conservatism, there will be no place for the liberals' pet conservatives.

Right now, on any debate on a liberal network, all the respectable conservative has to do is look at the Internet and talk about the stories the solid liberal media simply don't mention. But if the big leaguers like Fox News take over reporting, what are the little lightweight respectable conservatives going to talk about?

Suddenly, lightweight conservatives are finding that the idea of a real, professional conservative network is a threat to them. If the pros take over respectable conservatism, those who want to make a living in this business may have to start talking seriously about serious issues.