Daylife/AP Photo by J. Scott Applewhite
Limbaugh laughs with Rumsfeld, end of days in the White House |
In 1994, Rush Limbaugh was a field marshal in the Republican revolution, rallying troops fervid in their passion, armed with a change agenda and determined to shake Washington upside down.
Fifteen years later, Republicans are politically hobbled and Democrats are fervid in their passion, armed with a change agenda and determined, along with their new president, to shake Washington upside down. And again there is Limbaugh, master of the talk radio universe, unchanged and unbowed. If anything, his prominence and political import have increased.
As Republicans grapple with their fall from power and undertake some inevitable soul-searching, not all are comfortable with Limbaugh’s suggestion that he has become the party’s unofficial leader by default. “He motivates a core Republican, who is a very important part of the Republican coalition, and we need those guys to be interested and active,” said Jan van Lohuizen, a GOP strategist in Washington. “But it’s not enough. The Republican Party has shrunk and it needs to be expanding.”
While the GOP’s star has fallen, Limbaugh’s has soared. As party leaders struggle to find their voice, Limbaugh’s baritone booms loud and clear three hours a day, five days a week on 600 radio stations across America. If a $400-million contract and the title of most influential talk radio personality — as voted by industry pros — aren’t sufficient proof, consider President Obama’s decision to pick a fight with him three days into his presidency.
Hosting Republican lawmakers at the White House, Obama called out his nemesis by name. “You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done,” Obama said, pitching his economic stimulus plan and offering a priceless advertisement of Limbaugh’s influence.
Though I never espouse “the worse, the better” tactic for winners, I think it’s superb for losers. Little else could better guarantee continuing devolution of Republican leadership in American politics than putting Limbaugh in charge. It looks like Obama has appointed him.
# 60 bobbo said, “Rush isn’t even a conservative. HE IS AN ENTERTAINER, a clown, for a group of clowns”
Yep, and yet Omama is terrified of him. Go figure…
The conservative constituency Limbaugh caters to turns more middle of the road voters to the Democrats. Actually, he helps us. The same as Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly. They are way to extreme for normal people.
Ivor claims: By listening to him for 6 weeks or more everyday, you risk being cured of your mental-disorder also known as liberalism.
BTDT. Listened to him for at least 30 minutes a day for a long time, a couple years +. I often found myself yelling “You’re such a fscking a$$hole!” at my radio. I also realized something as I encountered the lowest rung on the social ladder and stupid people in my daily life…they were usually dittoheads. As you claim, they’d been brainwashed, part of the cult.
Eventually I had enough of his bombast, his arrogance, and unwillingness to see plain truth when it was right there in his face. These days I prefer to tune my radio to more intelligent discussion.
#65, Alfredo Fettuccine,
Then why doesn’t Obama and crew stop threatening them with the censorship (aka fairness doctrine.)?
Who is threatening anyone with censorship? That was the Republican shtick. The Fairness Doctrine is to give more people a fair opportunity to be heard. Instead, as here with the right wing nuts constantly inventing bullshit, someone may rebut an editorial.
You forget that WE THE PEOPLE own the airwaves. They should not be the domain of only those with deep pockets. Now should they be the private fountain of those with agendas.
Why doest Reid and Obama thank Rush?
Because as I said earlier. The radical right wing nuts push middle of the road Americans into the Democratic camp. Of course, Bush was the major reason, but they didn’t help the major conservative candidate.
I remember, I once was liberal…as loony as the rest of you.
Now you’re just retarded.
# 55 HMeyers said…blah blah blah.
Thank you sir, for making my point for me. Congratulations, you must have been at the top of your government school class. Please continue to post!!
# 63 Olo Baggins of Bywater said…yada yada yada…
Sorry to hear your liberalism disease has eaten too much of your brain for you to recover from. Hope the government aid comes in fast for you.
#57 – Paddy-RAMBO
>>Really? No police at my house. Come on
>>over.
That’s why they call you Paddy-RAMBO, Paddy-RAMBO. Any commie-loving pussy lib fucks wid yoo, and the LIBERAL BODIES WILL PILE UP!!
ROAR! RAMBO’s in town!!!
Ivor, some day you’ll wake up and realize that the best years of your life were wasted believing the rantings of a self-absorbed lunatic on AM radio.
#69, Alfredo,
The premise of public airwaves can be extended logically to include all meda, cable, satellite, internet, even print…all communicate using something that belongs to the public…whether air waves, or public streets.
You have fettuccine between your ears. Now you sound like a Marxist. Regardless, its not true.
I can’t get a broadcast license to put my own show or political viewpoint out there. I can buy my own cable and string it from house to house or buy my own satellite channel or printing press.
I would love to have ABC, NBC, CBS and other Obama media forced to air Limbaugh replies to every newscast…but that kind of fairness is not what you brain police want…
When the major networks editorialize then I see no problem with offering equal time for a rebuttal.
Your positions are vacuous non sequiturs most see through, if only their attention is directed to fact…reality…
Do you even know what you are trying to say?
Allowing the public to consider arguments critically, that is what you liberals hope to squash with your “fairness doctrine”…
In order to fairly assess any situation requires knowing more than just the pro or con side.
But I have hope…if Obama and crew get their way…the collapse will be so great…Liberalism will be finished for the next hundred years…
Well, the Republicans have been finished off. who will replace the Democratic party? The Greens?
@Ivor Biggun
You can tell you are in a wealthy democracy when ..
a. There is electricity running to your residence, required by law, no matter where you live
b. Phone service at your residence, required by law no matter where you live
c. Mail service, almost exclusively home delivery
d. Feds making sure your food is safe and your air is clean
e. Public school systems universally — yeah some suck, but that is a local issue and you have the right to move.
f. Did you know some countries like China you don’t have the right to move? Or freedom to travel.
All of this splendor, living the life no Middle Ages king could ever dream of.
And while you are listening to radio show about politics — which means it is a radio show about how the government is run and how it makes a difference who is elected and the host advocates a certain point of view — you complain about how the government is contrary to your freedoms.
Doesn’t this seem a little strange?
#73–HMyers==excellent post. Maybe too subtle.
For a long time for almost any assessment I would say: “It can always be better, and it can always be worse.”
You have changed me today Mr. HMyers. Now I will say: “It can always be a little bit better, but certainly very much worse.”
Thank you. I live for these moments of insight.
@Bobbo
Thanks 😉
@Ivor Biggun
I don’t think Rush has any duty to be fair and balanced.
Any attempt would result in the introduction of an ineffective co-host that would make Alan Colmes of Hannity/Colmes look a debate champ.
But Rush spends almost never discusses politics.
He plays a sound-bite of some idiot who is usually a Democrat where they say something idiotic and then he harps on it for 30 minutes.
My opinion is that any media attention focusing on politicians and their behavior is a good thing and a valuable public service.
This is what the media is supposed to do; it says so in the Constitution and is why we have freedom of the press.
Even if one-sided.
Rush is a turd…
Art Bell is King
How many chins can one man have ?
If the Republicans need this “Jabber the Hut” representing them, in order to think straight. Then they’re in more trouble that they know. Apparently, they don’t know the phrase “history repeats itself”, or they might recognize something of a Hilter persona in Rush. And how they’ve practically turn their souls over to him, in order to win such a fleeting victory. Do they really believe in this horse-crap Democrats vs Republicans rivalry? Or do they just want the rest of us to believe in it. Cause they all vote on the same side, whenever it counts. Like for NAFTA, and the Iraq war. I think both parties are just shaking down the taxpayers, for as much as they can get. And pretending to be at odds with each other, over trifles. But in the end they still get the billions they both want. And still find creative ways to waste it. So screw all this phony rivalry pretense. Rush gets paid $400 Million to keep it alive. Like some over paid, over weight, WWE ringmaster. For a fight we should know is rigged.
# 73 Hmeyers said,
“You can tell you are in a wealthy democracy that is about to collapse when ..”
There, I corrected it for ya.
# 79 Glenn E. said, “Apparently, they don’t know the phrase “history repeats itself”, ”
Oh, like when Clinton ran hard left HIS 1st two years and lost the House?
No, they are well aware of history. Maybe, Omama should take a class or two…
#72, Fusion,
I can’t get a broadcast license to put my own show or political viewpoint out there.
Actually, you can. There are low power licenses that will let you reach a non-trivial number of people.
Now, that being said, depending on population density, the cost may or may not be worth it. If your opinions get a large enough following, you might get picked up for syndication and then the money would really start rolling in.
#82, Loser,
Back from feeding the guppies.
There are low power licenses that will let you reach a non-trivial number of people.
If you can get one, most are reserved for community groups / universities. With most their range is less than 1 mile.
That might be a great alternative for the libertarians, but I think not for equality.
#82, Loser,
Back from feeding the guppies?
There are low power licenses that will let you reach a non-trivial number of people.
If you can get one, most are reserved for community groups / universities. With most their range is less than 1 mile.
That might be a great alternative for the libertarians, but I think not for equality.
Does Limbaugh have GOP by the short and curlies with his radio ministry? /// The question puts the emphasis on the wrong end of the equation: “Is the Repuglicant Party’s appeal so limited that it now must conform to the harangues from any of a number of the hardcore base demagogues? And, of course, the answer is yes.
Its not what Rush “has” but rathere what the Republicant Party “does not have” that controls the relationship.
#85, Poison Twin,
You crack me up.
Libertarianism is all about equality of opportunity vs your collectivist stance of equality of outcome.
You should learn of what you speak vs what you feel.
If you can get one, most are reserved for community groups.
That ought to be right up your ally then. You aren’t trying to make money, right? You want to do it for free? Community outreach and all that?
With most their range is less than 1 mile.
True, but you can get up to 100w which will transmit way more than a mile. CB radios transmit with up to 3 watts and they can reach two-three miles and more on a clear day.
And if you were really serious about doing something you could always start a blog.
#87–Loser==”Libertarianism is all about equality of opportunity vs your collectivist stance of equality of outcome.” /// Complete BS. Its about people of privilege not wanting to lose their advantage to others emerging from disadvantaged circumstances. Completely f&cktarded self-centeredness to think pretty much anything in life is “fair.”
Liebertarians. Keeping the lie alive.
# 88 bobbo said, “Complete BS. Its about people of privilege not wanting to lose their advantage to others emerging from disadvantaged circumstances.”
So, according to you, all Libertarians are of the “privileged class”?
Or, if they ALL aren’t, you are a liar… Which is it?
#89–Paddy===oooh! You math whiz==you got me. Ok, many/most–but far more than you probably think and certainly way more than LIEBERTARIAN thinks.
If you are “successful” it was a combination of luck and circumstance and hard work unless you inherited it all.
Lets take the case you are probably thinking of. Poor kid works his way out of poverty and thinks everyone else should too.
Note–not retarded, not hit by car crossing street, access to books, probably a supporting adult somewhere in the picture – – etc.
F&cktarded not to recognize how the necessities of a good life are so unequally distributed. Just because YOU got YOURS is no reason to shit on other people which is what LIEBERTARIANS do.
#90 booboo said, “tortured logic”
From deciphering your babble I can see that you admit that you were lying when you stated this about Libertarians”
“Its about people of privilege not wanting to lose their advantage to others emerging from disadvantaged circumstances.”
See, it’s simpler if you just admit straight out that you are a liar.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. No Bush, No Palin, but you can always count on a thread about Rush to spike the hit count and get the crazy liberals back to the blog.
Actually, I recently picked up Rush in my dead pool. An increase in weight plus no more good pain medication is going to do him in.
As for the thread itself, at a high level Rush is right: The GOP would be better off focusing on electing conservatives than trying to cater to moderates.
91–Paddy-Zero. OK.
92–JamesHill==As for the thread itself, at a high level Rush is right: The GOP would be better off focusing on electing conservatives than trying to cater to moderates. /// How high do you have to get to think that?
Fiscal Conservatives?
Social Conservatives?
Religious Conservatives?
Any differences there?
Palin?
To deny that Limbaugh’s is smart and has enormous power would be foolhardy with 12 million-plus obedient listeners,
He’s no Karl Rove. His “Operation Chaos” was a complete flop and only help to strengthen Obama’s ground game where the GOP got hauled over the coals in the general election.
If he were a Senator he would have long ago have been toast, as he would be held accountable for all the horrific consequences of his supported positions. As a performer he can just reinvent him self every day and find some lame excuse for why his previously loved conservative plans failed. All the power of a political leader and none of the responsibility wow maybe he is smarter than Rove.
This man could never win a national election to become a representative of our nation, but he is damn good at hiding behind his mic and throwing stones at those brave enough take on the job.
Divorce 3 times I assume from woman..?.. he would fail on the GOP sanctity of marriage test.
No stranger to the illegal use of drugs
He has more gaffes than Joe Biden
I’d love to go on but you can all just google him for the hypocrites.
I think the Rush phenomenon is best understood by watching the movie Network.
you go Big Man Rush On
I for one hope Obama succeeds.
I hoped against all odds that W would succeed but my fears were all and then some realized.
#92, Cow-Patty,
Still posting drivel.
From deciphering your babble I can see that you admit that you were lying when you stated this about Libertarians”
So you think you are a pretty smart guy because you twisted Bobbo’s words around to something he didn’t say.
Hey, when are you going to post that clarification on what Barney Frank said? That link you posted first was bullshit because it said nothing of the kind. Kind of like your posts.
#96, Fusion,
I went to the link and I saw it. It wasn’t the exact words Paddy-O used but it was the gist of the conversation.
REP. FRANK: Well, you change it by the voters being tougher. Frankly, I think that part of the problem is the voters. […] I don’t think they hold us to a high enough standard.
I didn’t think I would ever agree with Frank on anything but he’s right. It is the voters’ fault. Of course, that doesn’t mean they should take advantage of the situation either.