Opinion: Rush Limbaugh’s success: It’s all the liberals’ fault

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Well, we already knew left-leaning softies were to blame for Rush, but it’s not just because they give the radio personality someone to rail against. It’s also because liberals are actually tuning into his program. That’s according to a poll conducted by Zogby International and USC’s Norman Lear Center.

Given what the terms liberal and conservative are actually supposed to mean, it may not be a surprise that bluebloods value diverse viewpoints, while the red-blooded prefer programming aimed at reinforcing their beliefs. And granted, this is the kind of finding that seems to be right up Zogby’s alley. Nevertheless, it’s intriguing that the anecdotal evidence has actually been validated by people who know how to handle statistics.

But the research didn’t just show liberals’ media sources to be more varied than conservatives’. It found that, based on entertainment preferences, people can be clearly grouped into one of three categories: liberal, conservative and moderate. You are what you watch. And read. And play.

A sample of the findings: Liberals like PBS, conservatives dig FOX News. Moderates, meanwhile, watch talk shows and avoid politics as much as possible. It indicates, Lear’s deputy director Johanna Blakley told KPCC’s Larry Mantle, that Oprah’s endorsement of Barack Obama may turn out to be a crucial victory for him.

The whole thing seems to reflect better on lefties than on right-wingers — though happily, they both love Hugh Laurie. But moderates (or ‘purples,’ as the study calls them) come out looking the worst of the bunch. Then again, don’t take my word for it — go read Zogby’s summary yourself, and tell us what you think.

Opinion L.A.: We blog. YOU decide.