LimbaVents

QOTD, Joe Sudbay: So, Rush really is the great and powerful Oz of the GOP. All Republicans must kneel -- and cower -- before him. He has shown the nation that yes, in fact, he does control the GOP. And, the Republican Party's operating principle is Rush's mantra: "I want Obama to fail," which really means "I want the U.S. to fail." At least we all know now.

Good to know bit of the day, from Steve Benen: * Despite what you may hear from a Republican member of the Virginia state assembly, the stimulus bill isn't like slavery.

Steve Benen: * And finally, Rush Limbaugh generated huge applause at CPAC for labeling the White House agenda as a "bastardization of the Constitution." He proceeded to say, "We believe that the preamble to the Constitution contains an inarguable truth that we are all endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness." Given his interest in the "bastardization of the Constitution," it's worth noting that these words aren't in the preamble to the Constitution.

Limbaugh Follies

Benen: IS THERE A THIRD CHOICE?....

...when CNN's D.L. Hughley referred to Limbaugh as "the de facto leader of the Republican Party," Steele quickly interjected, "No, he's not. I'm the de facto leader of the Republican Party."

Now, I'm delighted to hear Steele refer to Limbaugh as "incendiary" and "ugly." Chances are, the RNC chairman is going to have to walk that back fairly soon -- Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) can probably offer him some advice -- but Steele was probably trying to appear reasonable and credible, at least temporarily, while talking to Hughley.

Wonderful sequence of Limbavents from AmericaBlog's John Aravosis. In sequence
3/2/09 03:55:00 PM Limbaugh blasts GOP party head Steele, questions why any Republican would ever give a dime to the RNC

The GOP meltdown continues. Earlier today, Joe reported that the head of the Republican party, Michael Steele, called comedian Rush Limbaugh "incendiary" and "ugly." Well, Limbaugh struck back today on his radio show. It looks like Limbaugh called on Republicans to stop donating to the Republican party.

It seems to me that it’s Michael Steele who is off to a shaky start….

...

Why are you running the Republican Party? Why do you claim you lead the Republican Party when you seem obsessed with seeing to it that President Obama succeeds? I frankly am stunned that the chairman of the Republican National Committee endorses such an agenda…

I don’t understand why you’re asking Republicans to donate to the Republican National Committee if their money is going to be spent furthering the agenda of Barack Obama? ...

The first African-American titular head of the Republican party versus the racist bigot who really heads the Republican party. Guess which one is going to win this battle, and which one is going to be canned first?

How long until Rush starts singing racist songs about Steele?

1. 3/2/09 06:15:00 PM No Apology To Rush Limbaugh From RNC Chair Michael Steele From Greg Sargeant at the Plum Line.
2. 3/2/09 06:38:00 PM Steele caves, apologizes to GOP party chair Rush Limbaugh
   Well, it's clear who wears the pants in that family. Steele now says that, while he said Rush Limbaugh was "an entertainer," "ugly," and "incendiary," those weren't the words he was thinking. Those words just magically ushered forth from the mouth of the Republican party chair - he was basically speaking to the media while speaking in tongues. Or perhaps he was drugged. Or simply stupid. Whatever the reason, it's a rather amazing admission for the head of the entire Republican party to say that he give interviews and says things that he has no idea how they come out of his mouth.
3. 3/02/2009 08:09:00 PM Dem party chair: Steele's apology proves Limbaugh is leading force behind GOP “I was briefly encouraged by the courageous comments made my counterpart in the Republican Party over the weekend challenging Rush Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party and referring to his show as ‘incendiary’ and ‘ugly.’ However, Chairman Steele’s reversal this evening and his apology to Limbaugh proves the unfortunate point that Limbaugh is the leading force behind the Republican Party, its politics and its obstruction of President Obama’s agenda in Washington. Just this weekend, Rush Limbaugh repeated his claim that he is rooting for the President to fail. The last time Rush Limbaugh said he wanted the President to fail, virtually every single Republican in Congress followed his lead and voted against the President’s plan to create or save 3.5 million jobs.
   
   “As Congress works to pass the President’s budget, Republicans need to stop following divisive figures like Rush Limbaugh, stop apologizing to him and put aside the failed politics of the past so we can put our economy back on track, reform our health care system, break our dependence on foreign oil, improve our schools, and lay the foundation for long-term growth in the 21st Century.”

John Cole adds: Imagine a Massive Highway Pileup. Now Imagine Clown Cars. Awesome, Isn’t It?

This just keeps getting better and better:

"In a little-noticed interview Saturday night, Steele dismissed Limbaugh as an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”"

Benen: Democrats would, under normal circumstances, work very hard to drive a wedge between the Republican Party's leadership and its activist base. Over the last couple of weeks, that's happening anyway, without Dems having to lift a finger. The one person rank-and-file Republicans follow with the most enthusiasm is using his show to bash the Republican Party, insult the RNC chairman, and undermine the party's fundraising efforts. What's more, with his comments yesterday, Steele effectively baited Limbaugh into launching today's tirade, which only keeps the right-wing blowhard front and center for another day. If the DNC were writing the script, it would look quite a bit like this.

Andrew Sullivan: Comrade Steele dutifully apologizes to the Great Leader and offers his regrets to his fellow comrades in the movement. Re-education camp will follow shortly. This climb-down marks the end of establishment Republican resistance to the Poujadist pontificator. It's Rush's party now. So why shouldn't he run for president in 2012? Make Palin his veep - and be done with it.

Benen: For those keeping score at home, this is reversal #3 for Republicans who've been recently critical of Limbaugh. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) groveled for Rush's forgiveness in late January, and Gov. Mark Sanford's (R-S.C.) office quickly backpedaled after the governor said, "Anyone who wants [President Obama] to fail is an idiot." Steele took slightly longer to prostrate himself -- he made the comments on Saturday night -- but that's only because the remarks didn't rise to public attention until yesterday. That Gingrey, Sanford, and Steele were all correct in their assessments is irrelevant. This isn't about accuracy; it's about making sure the right-wing blowhard and his followers are happy.


John Cole: The 2012 Republican Frontrunners

“But ultimately what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy.” – Sarah Palin

“One thing we can all do is stop assuming that the way to beat [the Democrats] is with better policy ideas.” – Rush Limbaugh

Palin/Limbaugh 2012, because ideas don’t matter (and thank goodness for that!).

(thanks to Jay in Oregon for the bumpersticker)

*** Update ***

Sorry for the wall to wall Rush stuff, but this is too funny. Steele is now walking back his remarks:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”

“My intent was not to go after Rush – I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh,” Steele said in a telephone interview. “I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. … There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership.”

***

“I went back at that tape and I realized words that I said weren’t what I was thinking,” Steele said. “It was one of those things where I thinking I was saying one thing, and it came out differently. What I was trying to say was a lot of people … want to make Rush the scapegoat, the bogeyman, and he’s not.”

“I’m not going to engage these guys and sit back and provide them the popcorn for a fight between me and Rush Limbaugh,” Steele added. “No such thing is going to happen. … I wasn’t trying to slam him or anything.”

Too late. We know where the real power in the GOP is these days. Rahm Emanuel, yesterday:

EMANUEL: You just named them. It was Rush Limbaugh. I mean, he has laid out his vision, in my view, and he said it clearly, and I compliment him for that. He’s been very upfront and I compliment him for that. He’s not hiding.

He’s asked for President Obama and called for President Obama to fail. That’s his view. And that’s what he has enunciated. And whenever a Republican criticize him, they have to run back and apologize to him, and say they were misunderstood.

I’m dying here. Explain again to me how it was a mistake to elevate Rush Limbaugh?

Josh: 60 MPH into a Wall. "Jonathan Taplin takes stock of the highspeed collapse of conservatism."

John Cole: Delusional “It must be very strange to be Rush Limbaugh. A man of extraordinary vision and brilliance approaching to genius….” Speaking of Rush, this Breitbart piece is the most delusional thing I have ever read: "... ... ... ...." No one who can write full sentences is this crazy, so this has to be an act designed to corner the wingnut niche.

• DougJ on Socratic debate.
  

  Another nugget of greatness from the Breitbart piece John just wrote about:

  Anonymous liberal commentators, the rabid pests of the new media, sought out the most popular conservative blogs to flood the zone with familiar Rush Limbaugh slanders. Their goal: To demoralize the right with layer upon layer of media domination. Only talk radio with its emphasis on Socratic debate over raw emotionalism and with Mr. Limbaugh in the driver’s seat has escaped the left’s clutches of pure media dominance.