So, having cleared snow off my driveway and car, off I went to the forum on Middle East peace (full report on that at another time). Listening to Rush on the way, I wondered if he’d address the Michael Steele slam, which happened on D.L. Hughley’s show. He didn’t disappoint, via Politico:
“You know who needs a little leadership? Michael Steele and those at the RNC,” Limbaugh said, part of an unusual counter-attack against the elected head of the GOP.
“I hope the RNC chairman will realize he’s not a talking head pundit, that he is supposed to be working on the grassroots and rebuilding it and maybe doing something about our open primary system and fixing it so that Democrats don’t nominate our candidates,” Limbaugh said, his voice rising. “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 trying to be some talking head media star, which you’re having a tough time pulling off.”
After that, I wondered how long it would take Michael Steele to apologize. Also delighting in the very public civil war that is making matters worse for Republicans. I silently bet myself it would be before the end of the day. As if on cue…
By the time I was driving home from the forum, Steele had paid homage to El Rushbo.
On a certain commentators wingnut show, to use Mark Levine’s own words, the “breaking news” from him was that Michael Steele “had been in touch” with Limbaugh. The gist of it was that Steele evidently went over his words and decided he didn’t really mean what he said; that the words he used weren’t actually what he meant and that no insult was intended. Evidently Mr. Steele realized that without Rush Limbaugh there is no Republican Party and thus he’d be out of a job.
Politico has Michael’s mea culpa.
Steele is a little man who just buckled to the HUGE man.
You’d think these grown men would not indulge in this unseemly, very public dog fight at a time when the Republicans look like weaklings anyway. This is just pathetic.
Taylor Marsh says:
02 March 2009 at 7:04 pm
This is just pathetic
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it really is…. over at HuffPo they’re saying Rahm called this one, not sure what that’s about, I must have missed it.
Here it is:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/03/rahm_emanuel_on_cbs_face_the_n.html
Taylor Marsh says:
02 March 2009 at 7:08 pm
Here it is:
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thanks T
You called it over the weekend as well Taylor. At this point we can just sit back and watch the show… the new mantra at the RNC is “don’t look at Rush directly in the eyes…avert your gaze and bow as you pay homage or the beast will be released”
The repubs are all over themselves. It’s truly hysterical. And yes, Rahm really put another nail in the coffin. It was great.
As Michelle Bernard said, Rush is not a Republican, he’s a conservative who wants the conservative values to be the voice of the Republican party. And there are middle of the road Repubs and even liberal Repubs. Unfortunately their voices are no longer heard. Last night Bill Cunningham even said that Eisenhower wasn’t really a Republican, why he was a war hero. They forget that Nixon was a great environmentalist, despite his other shortcomings. And that is not conservative values.
Betsy says:
02 March 2009 at 7:25 pm
and even liberal Repubs
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I’m gong to need amplification on that one Betsy
Olberman is must see TV tonight, he’ll showcase King Rush and his crumbling empire.
A Republican Party In Civil War
by Sam Stein
“We’re fast becoming a regional party instead of a national one,” said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/a-republican-party-in-civ_n_171176.html
Just sitting here reading and LMAO. Rush and his fellow Conservatives are becoming a comedy of the absurd. Why does Rush remind me of “Jabba the hutt” in Starwars? I can’t stop laughing.
Believe it or not GeoT there are liberal Republicans. I have a very good friend who is very liberal but refuses to switch parties, so she will die a Republican. And I’m sure she’s not the only one. They may not always vote party, but they are diehards.
Oh, and by the way, I’m married to a liberal Republican. Even though he has only voted Republican in the primaries the past 20 years, he’s refusing to change parties. His theory is maybe, just maybe he can help change the face of the party here in CO. Although, I’ve told him I seriously doubt that one.
this is soooo good:
LIMBAUGH AT CPAC
by David Frum
“And for the leader of the Republicans? A man who is aggressive and bombastic, cutting and sarcastic, who dismisses the concerned citizens in network news focus groups as “losers.” With his private plane and his cigars, his history of drug dependency and his personal bulk, not to mention his tangled marital history, Rush is a walking stereotype of self-indulgence – exactly the image that Barack Obama most wants to affix to our philosophy and our party. And we’re cooperating!”
http://newmajority.com/ShowScroll.aspx?ID=d22fe4c9-6f8c-4c0d-93af-aed79ad3b467
just to wrap it up:
“Rush is to the Republicanism of the 2000s what Jesse Jackson was to the Democratic party in the 1980s.”
(Frum)
On David Shuster’s show, Ed Shultz was laughing so hard over the Rush/Steele stuff that it was making me laugh. It feels good to be able to sit back and giggle at the Republican’s.
Good article by Frum. They are worried. But the ditto heads are completely oblivious to this. They don’t see him as a big baffoon that Frum describes. But that’s okay, let them be what they are, DITTO HEADS who can’t think for themselves.
That is from Frum’s vantage point, GeoT. Jesse Jackson was an important figure in politics in the 1980s. You can’t equate a black activist with a radio show entertainer.
Bob Frum (per GeoT): “Rush is to the Republicanism of the 2000s what Jesse Jackson was to the Democratic party in the 1980s.”
Well, Mr. Frum is to Democratic Party today what the Detroit Lions were to the 2008 NFL season.
I suspect this has been the plan all along. When the stimulus plan first came out, Obama told them, that they could not listen to Rush. At that point, Chris Mathews said, ‘why would the President elevate Rush Limbaugh, by commenting on him”.
Obama knew that Rush’s ego would switch to over-drive, and he would have to come out even stronger. Which Rush predictably did, saying that he hoped Obama would fail.
Now they all look like fools.
Just some Obama ji-jit-su. The Repubs got played.
Check. Mate.
Kaine Statement: Steele Apology to Rush Limbaugh Proves the Point:
Limbaugh is Leading Force behind Republican Party
Washington, DC – On the same day GOP Chairman Michael Steele apologized to conservative talk radio show host Rush Limbaugh for courageously challenging Limbaugh’s role as leader of the Republican Party calling his show “incendiary” and “ugly,” Governor Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, issued the following statement calling on Republicans in Washington to stop following Rush Limbaugh’s lead:
“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.”
Taylor Marsh says:
02 March 2009 at 9:30 pm
That is from Frum’s vantage point, GeoT. Jesse Jackson was an important figure in politics in the 1980s. You can’t equate a black activist with a radio show entertainer.
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right, I realize that, I was just highlighting another sample of the unraveling thread on the right…they’re taking pot shots at each other.
Yep Audiegrl, the Repubs got played…..and I’m loving it.
Donald from Hawaii says:
02 March 2009 at 9:47 pm
heh-heh…
Steele’s apology was very stupid. One up for Gibbs this week.
Steele is now toast, I suspect.
Oh, btw, Rove is the real spokesperson. That’s obvious to me, anyway.
First question: what’s the over/under on how long it takes now for Frum apologize to Rush?
Second question: if it takes longer than 24 hours, what sort of penalty is imposed? Waterboarding?
*chuckle*
Rush apparently really articulated a great many people’s feelings, so the answer to your question is when those feelings change.
That depends on whether Obama’s humongous spending bill actually works.
We’ll have to see.
AnninCA says:
Rush apparently really articulated a great many people’s feelings, so the answer to your question is when those feelings change.
***
AnninCA – with all due respect (and thanks for the chuckle), what exactly did Rush articulate that “a great many people” find so compelling? That Republicans shouldn’t try to outdo Dems with better policy ideas? And forgive me, but I don’t think I would use the word “articulated” and Rush in the same sentence with respect to his CPAC speech … however, I admit a bias: I find the man abhorrent.
” AnninCA says:
02 March 2009 at 11:56 pm
*chuckle*
Rush apparently really articulated a great many people’s feelings, so the answer to your question is when those feelings change.”
AnninCa, limpwithnoballs articulated the feelings of the 25% of racists, misogynists, xenophobes, homophobes and rightwingnut American talibangelicals that thought the torturer in chief did a FINE job as President.
And apparently he articulates YOUR feelings as well.
And OH BABY IS THIS FUN watching these “people” eat each other alive. I’m hoping for more apperances of the sweaty one.
Every Dem who gets in front of a micraphone or camera should be lamenting the FACT that ol limpwithnoballs is the head of the repugnantklan. What a “shame” it is that the far rightwing fringe of America haters has taken over that Grand Old Party!
As far as jessie jackson. I have never thought Jessie was out for anyone but Jessie all the way back to his lying about being on the balcony with Dr. King and cradling him as he died after being shot.
Ralph Abernathy, a REAL civil rights activist said it best. “Martin had a dream, Jessie has a scheme.”
And goodness dosen’t it appear that like father like son is aplicable in this case.
The heads of repugs exploded over Dems electing Al Franken and what do repugs do? They turn their party over to a drug addicted comic. Is this their idea of one upping the Dems? As one of their new stars Bachman says…”You Be Da Man”. Welcome to La La Land.
Hmmmmm*……I don’t think Franken wins much of anything, other than a seat. 230 votes, and obviously…..there were flub-ups. Aren’t there always?
My opinion is simple. I’ve worked the polls. There’s never going to be a perfect election.
You get down to 230 votes?
That’s a tie.
Neither candidate was wrong to duke this out.
Well gee AnninCa this being a Democratic Republic and all the way it works is you have 230 more votes that’s called YOU WIN! NOT that’s a tie. So the correct way to put it is FRANKEN WON. Or COLEMAN LOSES. NOT that’s a tie.