I had a long passionate conversation with a coworker this morning.

He's an absolute Limbaugh groupie. I love him to death, but whenever we talk politics, it's like he's coming from an alternate reality. He doesn't believe polls because "pollsters routinely interview 70% Democratic households". He considers global warming a hoax and backed that up by citing the guy who founded the Weather Channel(!), who said so. He thinks the media is out to destroy Palin and is covering up that Joe Biden is the dumbest senator (citation: apparently Biden at a speech recently he asked a supporter to stand up and be recognized, not knowing the dude was in a wheelchair).

Again, he's a sweet fellow--a decent coach and gets along with the kids he teaches. But it's like the word politics shows up and a part of his critical thinking faculties transport over to the Planet of the Donuts.

I know he can't be flipped, but does anyone have any tricks for misdirecting conversations with such people?

In all seriousness, have a conversation with him telling him that you value his friendship and respect him for believing what he thinks is right, but that talking politics is off limits because neither of you will find common ground. Sometimes it's better to set those limits explicitly, than to bottle up frustration.

I have some conservative friends that I know I can talk to, and I make sure I respect their opinions, even the ones I disagree with as they do the same with me. With others, I know that can't happen so we stay away from those topics.

Around Politics or religion or whatver - then go for it.

But if you find the expereince of discussing politics like an emotional landmine, in the interests of strentgthening the friendship, it is better to set boundaries.

See if he can figure it out.

That's the first step.

Then the second step is to point out what they do with his petrodollars.

On edit: he'll obviously love it (not) when he hears Chavez is redistributing his money with socialist policies. Of course you have various other dictators as well benefiting.

while regrettable I don't think it was indicative of anything more than a gaffe
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/09/oops-biden-asks-politicia_n_125198.html

...I just put a sympathetic look on my face, watch them intently while their mouths are moving, and then nod seriously and say something along the lines of: "Don't be afraid. It won't be that bad. You'll have plenty of notice about setting up the Gulags and concentration camps, and even if Canada won't let you in, you can probably do alright in Mexico."

And then get on with what I was doing.

Never try to teach a pig to sing.

resignedly,
Bright

brother-in-law.

if they won't listen to other points of view. There is an older couple who have an auto repair business on the corner and I used to stop in almost every day when walking my dog. I knew they were Republicans because of their Bush Cheney sticker in the window. We never talked politics till after 911 but even then it wasn't too bad. Slowly I realized that the man listened to Limbaugh all day on the radio. I made it a point never to talk politics with them.

A few weeks before the 2004 election we got Air America radio and I became much more aware of how virulent Limbaugh is and how much he hates women, though I had never listened to him myself. One day the male business owner got in my face and told me that John Kerry was not a "patriot" but George Bush was. This infuriated me. He also told me that all Americans have health care because all we have to do is go to the emergency room- a Limbaugh talking point. After that I didn't stop by any more and I take my car to the other auto repair place. I know that guy is a Republican too but he doesn't ever bring it up.

I think the business owner who talked Republican politics has lost some business because this is a Democratic city. They took their Bush Cheney sticker down. He can be a nice guy to other Republicans but I have no need of "friends" who listen to hate radio.

so much the general citizenry.

How did you reply to his statements?

stop saying this crap?