I’m not a big fan, but Michael Wolff nails what President Obama is doing by invoking Rush Limbaugh’s name. Like Rove, Rush is more hype than anything. And Limbaugh has not tangled with someone at President Obama’s level, not even Bill Clinton. At some point, we’re going to carve this into the White House lawn:
I am amused by the simplicity of this game.
The thought that the rumor that Limbaugh would be invited to meet was actually leaked by Obama’s people is genius if it’s true.
Um… they have tangled before, if indirectly, and Limbaugh came out on top. Obama was one of the signatories to that infamous letter of condemnation that every single Democratic senator signed and sent to his employer that Limbaugh then put up for auction, with all the proceeds going to charity. Then he doubled down, saying that he would match the winning bid for the letter out of his own pocket, and challenged each and every senator who’d signed it to do the same.
In the end, the Marine Corps/Law Enforcement Foundation received over 4.2 million dollars — half from the winning bidder, half from Limbaugh, and not a single penny from any of the senators.
I don’t like Limbaugh, but I have to admire his response here. He beat the combined forces of the entire Democratic membership of the US Senate like a rented mule — including Senator Barack Obama (D-IL).
Obama needs to have someone tell him the aphorism about wrestling with pigs.* The main result of attacking Limbaugh directly is to help him score even more favorable publicity and higher ratings.
And it’s usually great fun to watch.
J.
* “Never wrestle with pigs. You get dirty, and the pig enjoys it.”
Because the American people rallied around Limbaugh when he said he hopes Obama fails.
Jay, you do realize it’s not 2003 any longer, correct? And that your bullshit doesn’t pass anybody’s smell test?
And by “beat them” you mean ranted on his radio show as usual as the senators did unimportant things like run the country.
the senators did unimportant things like run the country.
…right into the ground. (rimshot)
If it was so unimportant, Oliver, why did they start it? Why did they write and all sign the letter?
Oh, yeah. Because you (the plural “you,” meaning Media Matters) egged them on. You trumped up that whole mess, then ended up scoring Limbaugh fantastic positive publicity and helped a very worthy charity collect over four million dollars.
Not a penny of it out of your own pockets, or out of the pockets of the senators who jumped to do your bidding, then tried to pretend it was no big deal when it became apparent they’d stepped in a big, teeming pile of crap.
Well, except for Harry Reid, who tried to spin it as a great and magnanimous charitable gesture and claim the credit — despite that he had contributed exactly not one red penny.
I’d let myself forget your (collective, plural again) role in the whole hysterically funny story, Oliver. You thought you’d finally “got” Limbaugh, and even got the entire Democratic contingent of the Senate to play along — and it went exactly nowhere. Which is why you’re now spinning it as “no big deal.” Sorry, there ain’t enough WD-40 in the world to grease things up for that spin to get going.
There’s a part of me that would love to see Limbaugh brought low by his own hubris. (And yeah, the man has enough pride for any seventeen people.) But it didn’t happen that time. Media Matters and the combined efforts of every single Democratic senator couldn’t pull it off, so why do you think one of those senators, even with the “bully pulpit” behind him, can do it?
I’d suggest that Obama follow your advice and focus on “unimportant things like run(ning) the country” instead of picking a fight with Limbaugh. Especially since it has about as much chance of success as, say, French military aggression.
J.
I reall fail to see how one off-hand comment, “don’t be
an asslike Rush,” is a fight or attack. Backhanded slap, maybe. BTW, taking a couple of million outta Rush’s pocket is a good thing, stimulating, a challenge I’ll bet he never makes again.Anyone ever ask how many jobs Rushbo created with his tax breaks over the last 8 yrs? That doesn’t include dealers, attorneys, alimony and piss-boys. Overtipping doesn’t constitute expanding an enterprise.
…as the senators did unimportant things like run the country
Actually, at that time the senators weren’t getting a whole lot done of note. I do recall them taking time out of their busy schedules (at least the Democrat senators) to lambast Limbaugh. Then when it became known that a bidder for the letter signed by Harry Reid and 42 Dem senators was going to pay $2.1mm, Harry Reid had the audacity (and I guess the time away away from important things like running the country to try to take credit for the letter and its enormous proceeds. He even called for his fellow citizens and senators to put differences aside and contribute to the MC/LEF charity…
“I ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED WITH THE MEANS TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WORTHWHILE CAUSE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE WHEN WE CAN PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE, EVEN HARRY REID AND RUSH LIMBAUGH, WE SHOULD DO THAT AND TRY TO ACCOMPLISH GOOD THINGS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS DOES THAT.”
Anyone care to speculate just how much money was donated by Harry Reid and his fellow Democratic senators, busy doing important things running the country?
Not Harry Reid’s finest moment. And this unnecessary move by Obama in his first week in office against Limbaugh only diminishes him and the office of the Presidency. Trying to spin it as political genius is just more of the same slobbering by a euphoric media that I suspect will continue for quite some.
Eeew, spelling “fail”=FAIL
Mark, please. Don’t rewrite history so soon — we haven’t had a chance to forget it for ourselves.
Obama told Republicans in Congress “You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done.”
There are no reports that someone else first invoked Limbaugh’s name — apparently Obama had Limbaugh on his mind already.
Don’t be such a Jaim and just make things up, please.
J.
Um… they have tangled before, if indirectly, and Limbaugh came out on top. Obama was one of the signatories to that infamous letter of condemnation that every single Democratic senator signed and sent to his employer that Limbaugh then put up for auction, with all the proceeds going to charity. Then he doubled down, saying that he would match the winning bid for the letter out of his own pocket, and challenged each and every senator who’d signed it to do the same.
How cute, Jay felt that part about PillPop McDraftdodger sticking his foot in his mouth when he said that American soldiers supporting withdrawal weren’t “real soldiers” wasn’t worth including in the context of his wanking about gettin dem durn libruls.
If Limbaugh wants to “brag” about having to cough up two million to save face and pretend he didn’t shit all over American troops, by all means. He still had to pay a hefty face-saving fine and guess what, chump? Democrats won more seats in the Senate a year later. Golf clap, Big Pharma! Can Limbaugh score a few more victories like that for us?
Would have been nice for Limbaugh to have, you know, actually apologized to our troops, but I guess insulting liberals is just as important to guys like you, Jay.
With the mounting job casualties, here’s hoping SCOTUS either finds someone, somewhere, has standing to require BHO’s birth certificate or fixes attention on a criminal indictment before he wins his War on Prosperity.
August, it’s still arguable about what Limbaugh precisely meant. And it’s not overly relevant to the discussion here.
Indeed, it actually makes my point even stronger. If it was so open-and-shut as you say, then taking down Limbaugh over it would have been a slam dunk. Instead, the Democrats in the Senate completely and utterly choked on it, blew it epically.
And then Harry Reid (D-Caesar’s Palace) comes out and tries to take the credit for raising all that money for charity. God, what a scumbag.
Limbaugh announced he would match the winning bid before the auction started. Imagine if a few of those senators had decided that they would hit Rush hard, in the wallet, and raise enough money to dwarf the 2.1 million the winning bidder ponied up? They could have reclaimed that embarrassing letter, scored major PR points for raising all that money for a very worthy charity, and cost Limbaugh even more money.
But no, they completely and utterly blew it. And Obama was one of those senators.
J.
Whatsamatta, Ted, they finally stop publishing your little rants at Wizbang?
Dude, the birth certificate thing is done.
Bruce, the whole birth certificate thing was done before it started. I only heard one theory about the whole stupid thing that made a lick of sense — Obama held it back because it kept some of the nuts obsessing over that, and not looking for something else, possibly more substantial, to dig into.
Like Napoleon said: “never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake.”
J.
Obama is more hype than anything.
/fixed
Whatever, Jay. I’ve heard that a million times from you.
I’m just trying to make that idiot Ted go back to Wizbang, where even those nutty bastards tell him to STFU.
You mean Rush wasn’t correct that turnout was down in Democratic areas on election day while Republican precincts had lines around the block, leading to the inevitable McCain win? (He had spies all over the place! How could he not be correct?!)
Let me just say that tuning in to the Rush show on election day while I was driving off to go canvassing was one of my more entertaining experiences.
Jay Tea: don’t be like Rush. He’s not your friend. Glomming on to him and cheering on the Republicans who honor him will merely harm and continue to twist your soul.
Bruce, was Ted over at Wizbang? I was for years, and I don’t recall him. I know he was never an author.
Tryo, I have no desire to be like Rush. I don’t even like the guy. I don’t listen to him. But I do know what happened Obama (with his Democratic colleagues) took him on — and I have no desire to see Limbaugh get another boost like last time.
J.
I do know what happened Obama (with his Democratic colleagues) took him on
You do? Obama did not “take him on.” Rush is quick to anger and quick to stumble. It wasn’t too long ago that an ad done by Michael J Fox threw him into a apoplectic fit, which was a rather humiliating one for him. Your desire to jump to the defense of the guy and inability to condemn the Republicans’ loyalty to him is rather telling… and for you, it’s actually rather dangerous since it puts you straight down a path of becoming a mindless conduit for his talking points. I’ve seen otherwise intelligent adults go down that path, and it’s not pretty at all. If you knew what you were doing, you’d be telling your colleagues and readers at whizbang to avoid this guy. He’s making idiots of you all…. the funny thing is that Obama is kind of daring you guys to keep it up. America sympathizes quite a bit with Obama– families all over have Rush listeners among them, and they’re all sort of embarrassed at those guys. People sympathize with Obama having to deal with the Republican dittoheads in congress he has to put up with. Don’t be like those guys.
Once Obama took on Rush, he was doomed. No way he could ever, you know, become President of the United States.
I don’t use this term lightly Jay, but you really are a fuckwit.
Rush Limbaugh is a racist shithead and the perfect embodiment of the modern Republican party (i.e., since Nixon’s Southern Strategy).
There, I (virtually) said it. Again.
You know Rush wanted so desperately to be invited to George Will’s house too for that dinner. My god, months of material regarding Hussein Obama coming to kiss his viagra and oxycontin-tained pinky ring.
So who knows if the “invite” to Limbaugh was put out by Obama’s camp, but if it was, a brilliant, brilliant move.
Once Obama took on Rush, he was doomed.
-Jaim
The only person here who said that was you. You might want to consider that when you call someone a fuckwit for something that person didn’t say. It gives you the appearance of someone who needs to either make something up or resort to calling people names when you can’t come up with an intelligent counter-argument.
Something everyone knows liberals just never resort to.
Wow, speaking of Democrats with more important things to do…
Dims launch petition against Rush
I guess it’s “Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty –
never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”Close captioned for the clue-impaired:
The last time Obama and the Senate Democrats took on Limbaugh, Limbaugh came out of it even better than when they started.
Now Obama is trying it again. Does anyone actually think that it will in the slightest bit harm Limbaugh? Or, based on past attacks on him, isn’t it far more likely that he’ll once again come out even stronger?
The man has a big enough ego as is. Obama and his idiots shouldn’t keep doing things to make Limbaugh even more insufferable.
J.
Dennis, Barack Hussein Obama is the president of the United States. Rush Limbaugh is a fat, drug-addicted pedophile.
So who won over the past 24 months?
So who won over the past 24 months?
–Jaim
Rush is doing Ok, Jaim. What he does, for what he wants to do, he does well. If he didn’t, neither Obama, nor the DSCC, Dem senators, bizarrely obsessed liberal bloggers and their devotees, nor you would even be talking about him.
The jury is still out on how well BHO will do his job. I’m just not sure what your question has to do with this argument.
for what he wants to do, he does well.
Isolate the 22% nutcases on the right so they can be targeted to lose elections?
Works for me. You GO, Rush!
A far as I am concerned, Rush is a huge plus for America, since he is the public face of hatred and ignorance that are the keystones of the Republican party, and as long as the GOP is represented by hate-filled, screeching morons like Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Coulter, Hannity, Savage, et al, I think the country will be safe in Democratic hands.
What Mr. Obama was saying by analogy is this: You can’t be a 22% moron and do anything constructive for the country.
Um… they have tangled before, if indirectly, and Limbaugh came out on top.
Right. Obama tangled with Limbaugh before and lost, as clearly evidenced in his now being president of the united states. I should lose a fight like that one day.
And Harry Reid. Yeah. What a burn. Must suck to be relegated to Senate Majority Leader.
Jay Tea, you like to collect aphorisms. What’s that one about winning the battle but getting your fucking ass handed to you in the war?
Don’t rewrite history so soon — we haven’t had a chance to forget it for ourselves…Don’t be such a Jaim and just make things up, please.
And Jay Tea, please. You have to stop writing things like this. For reals.
Here two of the most reasons why:
Roe v Wade didn’t say anything about “viability”.
Negotiations with Libya about WMD began in 2003.
Those are just two of the egregiously stupid, comepletely wrong things you’ve posted here recently.
Where you get the idea that you can criticize anyone on these terms, is just beyond me.
Oh and Jay Yea, I noticed you haven’t trotted out your favorite reason for why you don’t like Rush Limbaugh. You know, the one you drag out every time you’ve mentioned his name here and at Wizbang until just recently. Why is that?
Since you have such a problem with re-writing history, would you like me to remind everyone?
August, it’s still arguable about what Limbaugh precisely meant.
Only to idiots.
And it’s not overly relevant to the discussion here.
Jay: Look over here!
The funny way you characterize it is that we thought we “got” Limbaugh. “Got” in this case means listening to him and telling people what he said. For decades Rush got away with this and now he doesn’t and while it doesn’t drive him as nutty as it does O’Reilly, it drives him insane.
And as others point out, the more Rush Limbaugh becomes the face of the Republican party, the better for Dems.
I always think its funny how you guys consistently go “I don’t listen to Rush, but here’s 5 paragraphs echoing him and defending him”. Etc.
And Harry Reid. Yeah. What a burn. Must suck to be relegated to Senate Majority Leader.
This argument is akin to saying George Bush won over all his critics and political rivals because ‘Gee, what a burn it is for him to have been the President of the United States.’ Your logic, dear fafaroo, is somewhat lacking in clarity.
Not a first for you, but this one is especially baffling for someone accusing someone else of being egregiously stupid. But I’ve read somewhere before, that it’s fairly common for people to accuse other people of negative characteristics that they also possess. Don’t know if it’s true or not, just read it somewhere.
This argument is akin to saying George Bush won over all his critics and political rivals because ‘Gee, what a burn it is for him to have been the President of the United States.’
Um, Dave. George Bush did win over all of his critics. That’s why the country is so fucked up right now.
The last time Obama and the Senate Democrats took on Limbaugh, Limbaugh came out of it even better than when they started.
Jesus, this is why I love you dipshits. To whom? Seriously, did I miss the week of stories on CNN and in major newspapers about how Limbaugh totally schooled Democrats, or the alternate reality where Limbaugh “came out of it better” in any way that actually hindered electoral victories for Democrats? Wait, where are you harping about it? A few blog posts? Some clever reposte on another of Oliver’s comments?
My god, I thank god every fucking morning that for years now you fuckers have been too stubborn and stupid to realize that being able to claim snarky victories on your weblogs isn’t what the rest of the real world actually gives a shit about. Congratulations, you and Limbaugh felt smug about Democrats for a few days. Meanwhile, we took a few more seats in the Senate and elected Obama in a landslide.
The reason you’ve gone mental these last few weeks is because we all understand that what cons consider “victory” is liberals being upset. Your entire political philosophy is based on annoying people, and that we’ve won, are happy, and actually optimistic about stuff drives you fucking insane.
Again, my fucking god, you stupid, stupid, stupid little boy, what in god’s name do you really see here as a “victory” for Limbaugh? That he might get a few more days of free press and better ratings for having a public snit over comments from Barack Obama who is now President of the United States of America? That’s really it? That’s what makes you happy? That’s the best you can have as a “win” against liberals who are actually getting some shit done? I’d cry if I actually had sympathy for you.
Oh woe is us! Limbaugh’s gonna get us again! Oh man, he totally fucking schooled us while we were busy giving women better pay protection and restoring international family planning and when we get better rights for unions and can Bush’s ridiculous estate tax cuts, at least you’ll be able to remember than one time you wrote a blog post about how we’re stupid.
You make me so happy, Jay. So very, very happy.
Rush Limbaugh is still a racist asshole and still the paragon of the modern Republican (i.e., since Nixon’s Southern Strategy).
I don’t see anyone arguing that point. Prob’ly ’cause it’s not debatable.
Oh, yeah. Because you (the plural “you,” meaning Media Matters) egged them on. You trumped up that whole mess, then ended up scoring Limbaugh fantastic positive publicity and helped a very worthy charity collect over four million dollars.
I like how you don’t even mention WHICH “worthy” charity he donated to. For all we know, he could’ve donated it to Focus on the Family, Liberty University, or the IRA.
August, it’s still arguable about what Limbaugh precisely meant.
Not really, no.
Obama is more hype than anything.
Still kicked your collective asses. What does that make you?
Oliver, no one disputes what Limbaugh said. Lord knows you’ve got staffers poring over every single public utterance (and, possibly, some private ones) the guy makes. He’s gotta be near the top of the list of Media Matters’ hit list.
What is questionable is how to interpret what he said.
You have yours, and it’s damning.
He has his, and it’s exculpatory.
His is also far, far more consistent with his prior words and deeds. So on any objective scale, you’re just out to get the guy.
It was, if anything, analogous to John Kerry’s “get stuck in Iraq” botched joke. Nobody who anything about Kerry thought he was really calling the troops stupid, but the arrogant fop of a gigolo stuck to his guns and insisted that he hadn’t misspoken, but had been misunderstood.
Yes, Obama is president. Yes, Harry Reid is still majority leader. But it is indisputable: the last time those two Einsteins decided to take on Limbaugh, Limbaugh ended up coming out looking like the winner and they looked like bozos. While I have no problem with the latter, I don’t really like seeing Limbaugh having more reasons to act like the pompous lout he is.
Nor should you.
I’ll stick with my “wrestling with a pig” metaphor on politicians picking fights with Limbaugh. It fits on so many levels.
J.
“His anxiety might have something to do with his precipitous weight gain.”
Methinks Mr. Wolff has this exactly backwards.
I like how you don’t even mention WHICH “worthy” charity he donated to.
Boys Club of Haiti?
Pharmacists Without Borders?
I always think its funny how you guys consistently go “I don’t listen to Rush, but here’s 5 paragraphs echoing him and defending him”. Etc.
–OW
But you praised Jessica Alba when she called BillO an asshole but wouldn’t say why she called him that because it would mean she actually watched the guy’s show.
I like how you don’t even mention WHICH “worthy” charity he donated to.
–Duros Hussein and Zython
He did mention the charity Limbaugh donated $4.2mm to. That you two don’t seem to know but pretend to be experts on the subject speaks volumes.
What is questionable is how to interpret what he said.
No, it isn’t. Only to right wingers who don’t understand 1+1=2 like the rest of us.
Also, what August said.
But it is indisputable: the last time those two Einsteins decided to take on Limbaugh, Limbaugh ended up coming out looking like the winner and they looked like bozos.
I would argue it’s Limbaugh that brought a knife to a gun fight.
He can blather about letters all he wants, ‘har-de-har I made ‘em look dumb’ and so forth, but at the end of the day it’s they who gave him (who was doing all he could to help Republicans win), Hannity and co. a royal ass-kicking last November.
In other words, August’s point, thirded.
“I don’t listen to Rush, but here’s 5 paragraphs echoing him and defending him”
And no one these days has to listen to him to know what he says. Just about every syllable he utters is reprinted on a myriad of liberal blogs daily. The “We watch him so you don’t have to” sites. You know, blogs who claim the guy has been completely marginalized and is totally irrelevant but give in to their compulsion to report on everything he ever says. Sites like firedoglake, where Jane Hamsher blogged just a little over a year ago about Limbaugh:
“It’s time to take him out.”
He’s irrelevant, but they have to take him out.
He’s irrelevant, but they have to take him out.
He’s not at all irrelevant. He’s a widely heard racist shithead and the face of the modern Republican party. He makes Father Coughlin look like a piker. Good outfits like Media Matters should continue to simply show the rest of the Reality Based World what that asshole says.
Dipshits like Dennis will continue to defend Limbaugh. They have no choice. That’s who the Republicans are since the Southern Strategy.
I live overseas but still stay in touch with American news, Jay Tea. I had heard Limbaugh’s terrible slight against troops that wanted the war to end. I hadn’t heard anything about this stupid letter auction. How does Limbaugh come off better when the only blip on the radar that makes any impact is him saying asinine things about our troops?
Jay Tea, for someone who dislikes Rush so much you sure know a lot about him and how he defends himself. It’s almost like for all your previous talk about how you find Rush repugnant because of his Chelsea Clinton jokes you actually listen to the guy and find him worthy of defense.
“But it is really not easy to make fun of the Obamas, because they’re really — they’re kind of really perfect, aren’t they?”
- Joy Behar on Lary King Live
Shorter August J. Pollack, and his second, and his third… what Joy Behar said.
What is questionable is how to interpret what he said.
Oh, I see, the old “taken out of context” defense.
like how you don’t even mention WHICH “worthy” charity he donated to.
–Duros Hussein and Zython
He did mention the charity Limbaugh donated $4.2mm to. That you two don’t seem to know but pretend to be experts on the subject speaks volumes.
Mine was a joke, son. You missed, I say ya missed it.
It’s almost like for all your previous talk about how you find Rush repugnant because of his Chelsea Clinton jokes you actually listen to the guy and find him worthy of defense.
Actually, Jay Tea doesn’t really mind Chelsea Clinton jokes:
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2004/11/18/sometimes-i-hav.php
Dipshits like Dennis will continue to defend Limbaugh.
-ed
How have I defended him? To argue that Obama is making a mistake in this instance and that is echoes a mistake Dems made in a prior instance with him, in other words not following the groupthink here, and that liberal blogs are overly obsessed with his every word, is not necessarily defending him.
That’s a concept guys like you just cannot get your hands around.
And what’s with the constant name-calling, ed? Like BHO’s inability to put Rush and Hannity out of his mind, it only diminishes you.
Mine was a joke, son. You missed, I say ya missed it.
-Duros Hussein
Oh, I see, the old “taken out of context Mine was a joke” defense.
How have I defended him?
So you’re admitting that Rush Limbaugh is a racist shithead and the perfect embodiment of the modern Republican party (i.e., since Nixon’s Southern Strategy). That’s awesome Dennis. I’m proud of you. No kidding.
Now about that Iraq Invasion, will you admit that Saddam Hussein had no substantial ties to Al-Queda and that Dick “Dick” Cheney lied about it? Because that’s important too.
Congratulations for taking a step towards Reality. Keep on chooglin’!
Listening to Rush right now. His impotent fuming is better than music to my ears.
Obama had dinner with every conservative mouthpiece EXCEPT Rush, and now Rush is in a snit because the most popular girl in school, whom he hates and has said so, won’t invite him to the koolkidz party.
Obama is milking Rush like a prize cow, and Rush is helping him. It’s like political jujitsu, where Obama just allows his opponent to beat himself by flailing helplessly.
It’s refreshing that Obama can tie the opposition of his stimulus plan to a racist hyper-partisan radio pundit, and instead of being able to shake it the Republicans rise to the bait and embrace it. Sucked along by that vacuum of absent leadership I guess.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the face of the new Republican party…
Rush Limbaugh. [Cue the Barack the Magic Negro song].
fafaroo: Oh and Jay Yea, I noticed you haven’t trotted out your favorite reason for why you don’t like Rush Limbaugh. You know, the one you drag out every time you’ve mentioned his name here and at Wizbang until just recently. Why is that?
You criticize him for bringing it up when he does, and now you criticize him for not bringing it up when he hasn’t?
OW: And as others point out, the more Rush Limbaugh becomes the face of the Republican party, the better for Dems.
Only if the Dems keep pointing it out and using him as an example. I’m telling ya, the Dems should be taking every opportunity (and they get provided with lots) to paint the right and the Repubs in particular as hateful, ignorant liars who are out to screw you until the public common sense about them is “Oh, you can’t believe anything they say.”
Rush Limbaugh has been the face of the Republican party since the early 90’s. Chris Bowers has a nice post on the Republican Limbaugh Problem. Apparently the racist shithead doesn’t poll well (who knew?) despite being the epitome of the modern racist asshole (the chickenhawk actually once called veterans against the Iraq Invasion “phony soldiers”). Allowing the rest of the country (and world) see the cozy relationship between Mr. Limbaugh and the Republican party may be a good thing for those of us who lean Reality Based.
Chris Bowers has a nice post on the Republican Limbaugh Problem.
…er, over at Open Left. Check it out.
You criticize him for bringing it up when he does, and now you criticize him for not bringing it up when he hasn’t?
You got your hobbies, I got mine.
Oh, I see, the old “taken out of context Mine was a joke” defense.
No, actually, I think the context is right there. What I was implying is that Rush is a drug-crazed pedophile.
No, actually, I think the context is right there.
It was, sorry, my mistake. I tried to put ’strikes’ around the ‘taken out of context’ phrase but it didn’t appear like I wanted it to. Good joke though. Really funny. Before reading that had never ever heard anyone on a liberal blog joke about Limbaugh’s drug and pedophile allegations.
Before reading that had never ever heard anyone on a liberal blog joke about Limbaugh’s drug and pedophile allegations.
So now you’re defending the thrice divorced racist asshole and paragon of modern Republican-hood? Oh Dennis, I thought we were making progress. Oh well, keep calling them “allegations” if you must.
What are the “tenets of the Laffer Curve”?
fafaroo: You got your hobbies, I got mine.
Fair enough!
(And notice, fafaroo didn’t feel it necessary to respond by yelling “Liar!” or “Fucking ‘tard!”. I’m jus sayin’.)
Good joke though. Really funny.
We call it snark around these parts, pod’ner.
Aren’t you aware of all internet traditions?
August J. Pollack hit it out of the park. Just what exactly is a “win” these days for Rush? Better ratings? So instead of the hardcore idiot squad that makes up 20% of our country, he goes up to 22% or so?
Obama is president. Dems are in charge of Congress. A huge roll-back of Bush II’s deregulation and reckless, incompetent military strategies are about to go “poof.”
Dems, being the reality based folks that they are, believe in actual victories. Republicans, slipping into obscurity as the regional party for southern white males, can only take pleasure in symbolic ones, since they’re incapable of real ones any longer.
O-dub makes a good point as well. For all the millions Rush rakes in as a demagogue, he’s a net bonus for the future of the Democratic party. The guy is red-faced pig, and he’s maxed out his popularity demographic. There’s no longer any “cross-over” potential for his racist, ignorant schtick.
Say g’night, Republicans.
I usually sit on the fence when there is a Jay Tea argument going on, but I have to say I understood exactly the point he was making: it is a waste of good time for Obama (and aides) to attack Rush, because doing so helps Rush. It gets Rush publicity he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Ignoring Rush marginalises Rush more than baiting him.
That said, Jay, a recent bit of research has shown over the centuries that the French have won more battles than anyone else (it was on QI, so, even though contentious, it’s probably true, just like Earth having a second moon is (also) true. Called cruithne or something)
J.G.Thayer” “The last time Obama and the Senate Democrats took on Limbaugh, Limbaugh came out of it even better than when they started.”
Maybe in your conservative addled mind, but not in reality.
‘We can argue about what Rush really meant…’ is evidence that what you believe is far from reality.
There’s no longer any “cross-over” potential for his racist, ignorant schtick.
Though I’m ashamed to admit I contribute my drop in the bucket to the show’s revenue, I listen now and then for the whole trainwreck value.
JT – “Now Obama is trying it again. Does anyone actually think that it will in the slightest bit harm Limbaugh?”
True. It won’t harm him as much as it should but that’s only because his base are a bunch of unreflecting, “fiercely independent” ditto heads. I hope he chokes on his own bile and then spits it into Hannity’s face.
Parthenon: Though I’m ashamed to admit I contribute my drop in the bucket to the show’s revenue,
Not unless you patronize his sponsors or are somehow counted be Nielsen (or whoever tracks ratings for the radio).
“Not unless you patronize his sponsors or are somehow counted be Nielsen (or whoever tracks ratings for the radio).”
I don’t think anyone does, at least not in a meaningful way. Radio ratings are a joke. They are virtually no better than random guessing.
CSS: I don’t think anyone does, at least not in a meaningful way. Radio ratings are a joke. They are virtually no better than random guessing.
Going off topic here, but speaking of ratings, can anyone explain to me just why there is a “ratings sweeps week”? All the networks put on their high-interest shows to try to draw the largest audience during one week. To what point?
If I’m an advertiser looking to spend my money on TV I would think I don’t care how large an audience you drew on some particular week. I want to know how many eyeballs you deliver week after week during the regular season. The logic escapes me.
“Going off topic here, but speaking of ratings, can anyone explain to me just why there is a ‘ratings sweeps week’?”
No.
It might have made sense one time in the past. Perhaps it was too complicated to get ratings all year round. But there’s no reason to continue that now.