So I will start with Glenn Beck...most Americans never heard of him, and never listen to him (including me, although I know his name). The majority also never listen to Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, don't know who Bill O'Reilly might be, and of course would offer a "huh" if you asked them about Olbermann, Maddow, Matthews, or even Krugman.
I was absolutely surprised when I met my mailman of many years last Thursday. Typically he is delivering about the time I am getting home, and I just wave and he waves back. As of the 1st of the year, I don't work on Thursday (or Tuesday), but last Thursday, I connected with my mailman in a personal way.
Barely dressed in my depressive somewhat holey but comfortable t-shirt and old pj bottoms at 3:30 in the afternoon, I finally went out to collect my daily newspaper, and noted the mailman was on his way, a half block up, so I waited. You would think I would be embarrassed, but this is a rural area and nobody ever sees me when I am dressed that way, but my mailman did last Thursday, and I wasn't even ashamed. He wouldn't know me or recognize me, I supposed, and gee he was just the mailman after all, that guy I waved to, but never met.
Who would have guessed that my mailman not only knew me, but knew my political persuasion, and felt comfortable talking about "things" with me. Of course, being one of those who have donated even the few dollars I could, I get mail from all over the country. It arrives from political action groups, legal action entities, pacs, candidates, and of course the "party" via local, state and national almost daily. I also have involved myself in a few legal challenges, so I get a lot of mail from agencies and lawyers...
So there I stood, waiting in my old t-shirt and checkered pj bottoms at 3:30 in the afternoon, daily newspaper in hand at the mailbox, and so arrived the mailman. His radio was playing somewhat loudly, but I just tuned it out, saying hello, and offering my hand for whatever the mail brought that day.
I gave him that casual greeting, the hi how are you doing sort of thing, hand extended, but he didn't hand me anything. Instead he said, did you hear that? What? I said. He said, that guy (implying the radio...) do you know who he is? I had to admit my ignorance (after all I didn't dress for conversation). I didn't recognize the radio voice, but I could hear the ranting, so I said, who is that?? My mailman said one word: "Hannity", and I responded in three..."oh that asshole". He started laughing, and then said, they don't say anything nice ever about Obama.
Now, at this point I am thinking I should probably have even put a bra on at 3:30 p.m., much less even dressed, and at the same time am feeling somewhat in awe my mailman is discussing radio chit with me, not even noticing I look like something the dog dragged in...but I do live on a quiet dirt road in a rural area, which made it more surreal, if you understand what I mean.
I looked at my mailman, my hand now dropped, and said, I really don't listen to the fools, but Obama is holding his own, despite what the radio shock jocks are saying. He responded that he just wished they had something "nice to say". At that point, I responded that in 2000, when Bush was announced the "winner", I didn't have anything nice to say for the past 8 plus years, so I guess it was my turn for the other side. He didn't say anything for about 10 seconds, and then laughed.
In thinking about it for the past several days, I realize my mailman is one of those people who drive around all day, seeking something on the radio to feed their brain, who actually listen to the radio personalities (most of them all from the right), even if they don't agree, and getting ticked off at the same time. I also realize my mailman knows I am getting a lot of mail from the "left", and he knew, despite my appearance (which he ignored), I could be trusted for his opinion.