Episode 42: Who the HELL is Rush Limbaugh?!

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What does Eric Cantor, Michael Steele, and every republican congressman to appear on left-leaning cable news shows have in common? They are ALL afraid of Rush Limbaugh! Rush is easily the third most irrelevant voice in the Republican Party (with Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity at the #2 and #1 spot respectively). There are some things that he says that are flat out incorrect: “democrats put the recovery bill in .pdf format so it is unsearchable” or anything to do with ACORN. And he said the worst thing a person can say especially in tough times – “I hope President Obama fails.”

People on the right with good sense know that he is fully of crap (or more accurately from their point of view can be full of crap sometimes). And really, that’s ok. Rush is an entertainer – a radio personality. He has to say incendiary things to get people all riled up because that’s how he keeps his job. It’s working! He even got President Obama’s attention! God forbid a republican disagrees with him though; poppa Limbaugh gives his republican critics an on-air spanking and then he gets an apology. For goodness sake, Steele apologized to Rush 51 minutes after comments he made on D.L. Hugeley’s show. Where are their backbones? Why can’t they stand up for what they truly believe in?

The answer is very easy. The republicans don’t want to upset the base – the only people who give credence to Rush’s illegitimacy. The base which primarily consists of the outer reaches of the far, ultra conservative, super pro-gun, super duper anti-abortion-or-God-will-destroy-you right. The SAME base for which 100% of the constituency voted for McCain! Are they crazy???? Republicans listen, just do the right thing. Disagree with Rush and call him out on it when he’s wrong. They can lose 100% of the “base” (who will otherwise vote libertarian) and STILL can win an election by focusing center right and “Regan democrats.” Some say that their unceasing veneration of Rush Limbaugh is the best present a liberal can ask for. That may be true, but personally, I’d rather see good politics than a left vs. right ideological power struggle. Lofty ideals? Probably.