Limbaugh Agonistes
By Al Giordano
I knew that great things would come out of it when Kos picked up Jed Lewison (of The Jed Report) on waivers and brought him to his front page. From that came the Daily Kos TV project. The latest to come out of it is a wonder of the Internet, as it demonstrates that it wasn't the Obama administration that brought attention to talk host Rush Limbaugh anew in 2009: the Republican party leadership and the right wing media noise machine was promoting the hell out of him - and his now infamous CPAC speech from last weekend - already.
This video ought to be mandatory watching for the "ignore him" crowd that deludes itself that if only we would all just cover our virgin ears Rush Limbaugh would vaporize and disappear. Truth is, to ignore him would be political malpractice of the kind that the left has engaged in since 1988 when Limbaugh first took to the national airwaves. "Ignore him" was the unspoken policy of most progressives (with important exceptions like Senator-elect Al Franken who, in 1996, penned the best-seller, Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot).
Limbaugh's weakness that the Democrats are now turning against him is his "me syndrome." He loves the attention, and it has brought him, he says, additional listeners and ad sales revenue (although much of that is surely the result of a temporary bump in rubbernecking on the highway: the cars slow down to get a glimpse of a gory accident scene, but eventually they move on down the road). To Limbaugh, it doesn't really matter that the greater attention upon him is causing his beloved GOP to bleed away any residual sympathy that Independent voters may have had for it (Limbaugh is extremely unpopular among those traditionally swing voters). To Rush, the world revolves around Rush, and he'll never, ever take one for the team.
If the controversy puts a few extra dollars in his pocket, the radio millionaire is more than happy to see his own party ship sink and drown. Which is why he keeps rephrasing his "I hope he fails" statement about President Obama, backpedaling while at the same time repeating it ever louder. Contrition just isn't a move in his playbook. That's his weakness, and at last the political left is seizing upon it to rip the toxic political climate he's built... into shreds.
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Jed nails it
Submitted on March 6th, 2009 by absentee bob (not verified)The GOP's self-inflicted wounds are fun to witness. That Rush video is topped only by Jed's video the other day about Fox perpetuating Bobby Jindal's mention of the fictional Obama plan to build a light rail from Disneyland to some brothel in Nevada. Classic stuff that documents for all to see just how far the GOP will go with its fabrications in an attempt to discredit. It is not as if they couldn't find some stuff that is actually true and real to criticize. That'd be too hard.
Right on
Submitted on March 6th, 2009 by Lolis (not verified)Ignoring Rush has not made him go away. I think the left should confront him and any other right-winger that lies about Obama policies and is trying to rewrite the history of the past eight years.
This is destroying the Republican Party not just because Rush's views on most people are so toxic, but also because it makes the party look weak when they all apologize to him or refuse to criticize him. Even if you think Rush has a place in this world most people would agree that politicians should not take their marching orders from him.
The 2010 ads will be full of some Rush's more offensive comments and Congressional Republicans praising Rush for his voice and leadership. This will be good. It is time to put Republicans on notice that nobody is going to put up with their BS anymore. It is not normal to say you hope a president's policies fail. I never heard Democrats say they hoped the Iraq War or No Child Left Behind would fail and as much I disliked Bush I never even thought it. Opposition is much different than rooting for failure and people who deal in the real world understand that.
Rush Limbaugh's Kennedy Comment
Submitted on March 6th, 2009 by Tom in Ma (not verified)Daily Kos is afire that Rush said that the Health Care Reform Bill will be called "The Ted Kennedy Memorial Health Care Bill." It's a Rush-style joke, and a taunt.
However, it works for me. Let's do name it the "Ted Kennedy Health Care Bill." We can add the Memorial when it's appropriate. I would think Ted would appreciate no other memorial more. Hell, let's call it KennedyCare and remind every American for decades which party is on their side.
Amen to this post, Al.
Submitted on March 6th, 2009 by Amanda (not verified)I am so thrilled to see the Dems not 100% in the fetal position all the time! This is what I've always loved about Howard Dean -- and, imo, why so many establishment Dems hate him so much; he refuses to cower to bullies and he calls a spade a spade. It has been such a long time since the Dems took on the bullies.
Gotta say, I have newfound admiration for Rahm Emanual. It's funny, you know -- both Emanuel and Dean are far more moderate/centrist than I am. But I can forgive a lot if I don't have to watch the poeple who supposedly represent my side of the aisle snivel and grovel and apologize for breathing and do the opposition's work for them. Ugh! It's a recipe for a dying party and I'm so glad to see it revived bit by bit, even tho we have a long way to go to really rebuild, imo.
Oh and couldn't agree with Tom more -- I want my KennedyCare now, dammit! Was great to see Teddy yesterday. So proud he's my Senator. Universal healthcare as a living memorial to him would be the most fitting tribute, I agree. Bring it on!
This episode has been a pleasure to witness
Submitted on March 6th, 2009 by nepat (not verified)The curtain has finally been pulled back on the Mythical Rush - long deified by the right but largely mysterious to the rest of the nation - and revealed...a bursting-at-the-seams parade balloon pumped up with hate speech and "conservative" hot air. The best part of his fall to earth has been his landing with a thud on top of the entire Republican caucus. He just smothers them all and makes them look weak and politically impotent. This is like an old Japanese horror movie, with Rush lumbering down the street and thousands of Republicans running in fear. Most entertaining!
Spot on
Submitted on March 6th, 2009 by Tara Van NimanWatching the Republicans and their circular firing squad is quite hysterical. And playing the vicitim??!? Please. This gets back to Obama's favorite remedy...sunlight is the best disinfectant. I believe there was a Dem strategy there. But the beauty of it all is that all it took was a nudge in the right direction and the Repubs perpetuate the whole thing. And clearly Rush's ego/self-interest are key to the whole thing.
It's funny because I guess I learned it here weeks ago that this was going on. I even told a friend who called me all agitated about the whole I hope he fails comment. I said, Don't worry. Rush polls AWFUL amonng D's and I's. The more people know about this the better.
OT: Al, you should use this Bonnie Erb column today as an example of how NOT to be a journalist. If only Obama could be more positive about this disaster we're in, it would all be better!
http://www.caglepost.com/column/Bonnie+Erbe/119859/Obama+Must+Learn+When...
@ 4:57 pm by Tom in
Submitted on March 7th, 2009 by Trinity (not verified)@ 4:57 pm by Tom in Ma
"KennedyCare"....I LOVE it!
Limp Paw
Submitted on March 7th, 2009 by gizmo (not verified)The great thing about Limbaugh becoming the face of the GOP is that he is a loose cannon, liable to spout off with some embarrassing nonsense at any moment. The Republicans are sitting on a ticking bomb, with no ability to control it.
This has been interesting to watch
Submitted on March 8th, 2009 by We Won't Get Fooled Again (not verified)I haven't been too worried about the whole Rushathon.
It appears to me to be a case of giving someone enough rope.
At some point the GOP and the Faux mouthpiece has to figure out that everything they say and do is being watched and recorded.
You just can't lie publically anymore, there is someone out there that will refute it. Jed does a fine job.
Just because some folks have a short attention span, doesn't mean all folks do.
Sorry, this is just fun
Submitted on March 9th, 2009 by jhaygood (not verified)I love the fact that as the GOP hoists each new (old) spokesperson, whether that is Palin, Newt, Rush, Steele or whoever is next, I get to say to myself, "Yes! I completely approve!" The GOP has mistaken winning some elections by saying "Lower taxes!" with actually being in tune with the American spirit.
And what we are seeing now (since sometime last summer) is people saying, verbally and with votes that we are, to some degree, our brothers and sisters keepers. We actually are not comfortable with a law of the jungle approach to policy. We actually care. And the more they rally around hateful zealots like the above mentioned bunch, they just double-down on a losing ticket. And I enjoy every minute of it.
The other beauty of this
Submitted on March 11th, 2009 by Phoenix Woman (not verified)Look at the people defending Limbaugh and/or attacking the Dems for pointing out that water is wet. By doing this, they are outing themselves as either open enemies to progressivism, or nominal allies who are so stupid and/or timid and/or disingenuous that they're about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine. This is good for us to know.