http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19460.html I like this strategy to make republicans own Rush. The political leaders don't want to be told that a radio talk show host is their figurehead, yet they don't dare disagree with him. They can stay silent and allow the democrats to frame the Rush as their leader, or they can speak against it and risk more infighting in their party. I'll be interested to see if this has legs.
Brilliant move. I am glad Obama is leading the Democrats and not Kerry. Kerry was never a strong enough leader to do this.
Rush is a businessman, first and foremost. He ought to be sending Obama Christmas cards for all of the free publicity this is creating for him. I think the hidden agenda of the libs here is to divert attention away from the strongly partisan manner in which they have governed in their first month. By linking Limbaugh to the Republicans, it tries to portray the Republicans as the ones being partisan, when in fact the opposite has been true thus far in 2009. Overall, I think the libs approach here is too indirect and will result in the unintended consequence of strengthening Rush. This move will backfire on them in a major way. By the way -- Rhambo saying this is just the height of irony -- he's arguable the most partisan individual in Washington.
Given your atrocious political instincts, this should be seen as a sign that the Democrats are right on target with their "Rush" strategy. Make no mistake, this is brilliant politics. When most Americans hear the kook fringe positions pushed by Rush they are appalled. The more Democrats can heighten his profile and tie him around the neck of the Republican party, the better.
The Rush strategy is already paying unexpected dividends. Republican leaders are being forced to repudiate the tub of lard and the freepi are not happy. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2196657/posts GOP Chairman Michael Steele Calls Limbaugh Comments "Incendiary and Ugly" - Video 2/28/09 Freedom's Lighthouse ^ | March 1, 2009 | BrianinMO Posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:10:49 AM by Federalist Patriot Here is video of Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele talking with CNN's D.L. Hughley last night, and calling comments made by Rush Limbaugh during his speech to CPAC "incendiary and ugly." Steele said Limbaugh is not the de facto leader of the Republican Party, and that he is an "entertainter." This is exactly the point Rush Limbaugh was trying to make in his speech. Republicans need to stop worrying about what the D.L. Hughley's think! They will never like conservatives or Republicans, because they are liberals! Steele should not have disavowed, in effect, what Rush said. He should have hammered home the core principles set forth by Limbaugh in his speech. . . . . (Watch Video) (Excerpt) Read more at freedomslighthouse.com ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS: Politics KEYWORDS: conservatism; cpac; gop; limbaugh; rinopurge; rnc; rncchairman; steele -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Navigation: use the links below to view more comments. first 1-50, 51-100, 101-150, 151-200 ... 351-394 next last -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:10:50 AM by Federalist Patriot [ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot sigh 2 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:12:19 AM by fhayek [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot UGH. WHY?!?!?! Just when I think returning to the GOP might be a good idea, I hear crap like this. 3 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:12:44 AM by pnh102 (Save America - Ban Ethanol Now!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot Another RINO running the GOP? Shocking. Everybody knows why he was picked and it isn’t because of his ideological conservatism. 4 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:14:24 AM by DemonDeac [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot He should have just left it at “Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer”. No other comment was necessary. Or how about defending the first amendment, while he’s at it. 5 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:15:05 AM by Reagan69 (No Representation without Taxation !) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot This is very disappointing. Personally I was jazzed by everything Rush said. I've never been inspired by Michael Steele's comments on Fox. Now I see why. He's one of "them". 6 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:15:14 AM by steelyourfaith (How many face lifts were required before the Speaker began speaking from her anal orifice?) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot The MSM has a campaign on to get RINOs and regular Republicans to denounce Rush. They scored a hit this time. Bad on Steele. Though he is generally a quick thinker, he needs to take some lessons from Ann Coulter to attack the framework of the question, then give the answer - and not the one the MSM wants.. 7 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:15:33 AM by Paladin2 (No, pundits strongly believe that the proper solution is more dilution.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot buh bye credibility of Michael Steele- what little you had with me knowing what a political campaign loser you were in Maryland with the very folks and factions you claim to be leading the RNC to attract to the GOP 8 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:15:38 AM by silverleaf (Freedom's just another word for "nothing left to lose") [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot Pray for this man to be courageous! We don’t need any more wimps. NOR do we need any armchair-patriot GOP circular firing squads. 9 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:17:00 AM by The Spirit Of Allegiance (Public Employees: Honor Your Oaths! Defend the Constitution from Enemies--Foreign and Domestic!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: silverleaf Perhaps Mr. Steele should be reminded that he can be replaced. 10 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:17:23 AM by DaiHuy (') [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: steelyourfaith This is the guy that many around here want on the next ticket? 11 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:17:30 AM by CindyDawg [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot Gee Michael, maybe your BROTHERS will share a spliff w/you later. How pathetic to cave so they can say your bright. He thinks your a wimp and he’s right. You are the head of the RNC and you don’t want him to fail? Pray for America 12 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:18:22 AM by bray (Welcome to the USSA!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot Perhaps we should take up a collection and buy Steele a CLUE! 13 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:18:24 AM by Walmartian [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: bray Where are all those FRiends that where so excited that they named Steele to the job? 14 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:19:29 AM by omega4179 (Jindal MMXII) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: The Spirit Of Allegiance I assume you are urging us to pray for Rush Limbaugh? He is the courageous one. I have no objections to a circular firing squad if RINO’s are in the middle 15 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:19:56 AM by silverleaf (Freedom's just another word for "nothing left to lose") [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot “Incendiary and Ugly” Sounds like he’s standing up for his “good friends” on the Democrat side. IMHO 16 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:20:17 AM by ripley [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: omega4179 I think Steele might be a Dem plant to destroy the GOP from the inside. 17 posted on Sunday, March 01, 2009 9:20:43 AM by Reagan69 (No Representation without Taxation !) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment #18 Removed by Moderator -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Federalist Patriot HEY STEELE Country and free marktets are going to hell in a handbasket WHEN IS THE TIME TO BE INCENDIARY? When its %*$ Gulags for Conservatives? Thats it I am leaving the party.
Hello. Dem vs Repub is like watching Mike Tyson fight Evander Holyfield again in 2009. It's sooo played out. I hope both parties die soon. Only the libertarians can save this country.
lt's hard for people to be bipartisan with people who think like this.I gave up on republicans a long time ago.There are only a few I actually like the rest can move out the U.S IMO.
Same with Eric Cantor... http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/01/emanuel-rush-limbaugh-is-the-face-of-the-gop/ Speaking on ABC's This Week, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor said he disagreed with Limbaugh's comments. "And I don't — I don't think anyone wants anything to fail right now. We have such challenges. What we need to do is we need to put forth solutions to the problems that real families are facing today."
Obama 1, Limbaugh 0 I'm struck by the dissonance between the speeches today given by the president and by the leader of the opposition. Here's Obama, shrewdly observed by Al Giordano: I know that the insurance industry won't like the idea that they'll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that's how we'll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won't like the idea that we're ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that's how we'll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won't like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that's how we'll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries. I know these steps won't sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they're gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this: 'So am I.' I concede I couldn't make it through all of Limbaugh's tirade (it was Castro-esque in its length, bombast and reception). I'm actually sympathetic to the broad argument that government is usually not the solution to our problems, and I'm leery of the massive spending this president has proposed in a depression - just as I was leery of the massive spending the last presidentaccomplished in a bubble. But what I heard most of all from Limbaugh was the demonization of libruls, again and again and again. Limbaugh is attacking the motives and good faith of more than half the country - and of a president just elected in a landslide. Limbaugh takes us right back to the 1980s and 1990s - the old red-blue paradigm that has led to massive GOP losses. But Obama has reframed his opponents as the vested interests resisting reform. Who do you think will win on that battlefield?
Got to love the fact we finally have a President who is strong enough to crush his enemies. If Obama can execute global diplomacy the way he is completely undressing the GOP - I really do think he "can". I mean, in one week he's gotten both Rush and Bobby to look like idiots. Who in the GOP is next, who's going to be the next piece of fodder for Obama to destroy? He's mastered their game and turned the tables on them. GOP might actually have to come up with a real agenda this time and stop playing politics. It will be good for the GOP, and very good for America.
Because Dems are better? You just don't notice that half, because you are a democrat, so their radical nature doesn't bother you. Most Americans are somewhat moderate, but radicals are far more likely to speak out. So you aren't going to hear as much from the moderate conservatives that actually make up the majority of the Republican votes.
The spiritual leader of the republican party spoke at CPAC this past Saturday night. -- From Limbaugh's speech: Limbaugh, it seems, meant to say "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," which, of course, is in the Declaration of Independence. Just to be sure, however, the Constitutional Accountability Center compared his remarks to the Constitution's preamble, and didn't find a match. Here is the Constitution's Preamble: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/limbaugh-misquotes-consti_n_171029.html
It's too soon to say this strategy has worked, because I won't rely too much on freeper reactions as a gauge. But the fact that Steele and Cantor spoke up publicly against Rush's message is really something. I think for this story/frame to really get legs, Rush or one of his defenders steps up and pushes back against Steele/Cantor. Then things will get interesting. If the media narrative goes from the liberal blogs to FOX, debating if Rush is the leader of the party, then we'll really see this story expand. I'm certain the republican leadership sees what is happening and must be forming a counter strategy and asking Rush not to hit them. But he's a loose canon. He's an entertainer with a massive following, not an elected leader. He has a big ego and will not react well to receiving orders. On the other hand, the republicans are strong in acting together (for example, to vote against a stimulus bill.) Perhaps they can stave off any public infighting. But there is no clear republican leader now, so the debate is valid. Successfully pinning rush as the republican figurehead would be a master stroke, and condemn the republican party to long term minority status. While the base loves him, independents really really don't. (Hello, Palin.) He is a polarizing figure who enjoys wide support only within the conservative base. If he is not recognized as the leader, but republican infighting ensues over who IS the leader, and especially what the message of the party is... it's still a master stroke.
Oh! It's ON!!!! On his radio show today, Limbaugh fired back, calling the RNC and Michael Steele "so-called Republicans" and saying that they "need a little leadership." "So I am an entertainer and I have 20 million listeners because of my great song and dance routine," Limbaugh said. "Michael Steele, you are head of the Republican National Committee. You are not head of the Republican party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the Republican National Committee...and when you call them asking for money, they hang up on you." "I hope that changes," Limbaugh continued. "It's time, Mr. Steele, for you to go behind the scenes and start doing the work that you were elected to do instead of being some talking-head media star." Some audio from Limbaugh's show:
hahaha you quoted and possibly even listen to Rush!!! be sure to check with the Limbaugh fact checker!
Transcript of some of Rush's response today- I don't think there's much chance that Steele survives this, which is really too bad because I was hoping he'd be around to hamstring the Republicans at least through the 2010 midterms. Now there will probably be the opportunity to replace him with someone competent.
