For months now it has been a topic of conversation in America. Is Rush Limbaugh the de facto leader of the Republican party? Following the defeat of John McCain in the November election, an executive vacuum formed at the top of the party. The same was true when John Kerry failed to best George W. Bush back in 2004, and returned to his old day job in the U.S. Senate. But after McCain's thumping, Limbaugh stepped up to fill the leadership void.
Much to the delight of Democrats, Limbaugh offered his prescriptions on how the GOP should go about rebuilding itself. His insights often clashed with those of other Republicans--Colin Powell and Michael Steele among them--and generated a ton of publicity. While his unofficial spot atop the Republican pop-charts was great for radio ratings, it put many within the party in a difficult position. Those who dared criticize Rush aloud routinely found themselves apologizing in the next breath. Others simply adhered to Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment, hiding Republican-on-Republican strife from the light of day.
Well, Limbaugh's stormy tenure as the "titular" head of the party is now, officially over. Here's Rush, giving his resignation, and taking more swings at Colin Powell in the process.
It's a good bit of entertainment. Meaningless, funny, circular in its logic, incendiary--classic Limbaugh, in other words, whatever his unofficial title may now be.
Mr. Limbaugh has never held any position of responsibility to his listeners, to Republicans or to the citizens of the United States but only to his sponsors. Neither has he ever accepted any such responsibility. In this sense, he has been the very model of the GOP in our day. His dishonest and irresponsible broadcasts have in turn molded the GOP in his image, and the history of the past two decades in American politics cannot be written without emphasizing the part he has played.
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Lennis
11:46AM May 21st 2009
I couldn't agree more. If Rush has such powerful opinions, and the skill to voice those opinions, then he should have the courage to seek high office and take real responsibility for his opinions. No change of consequence has happened in this country without someone stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility. Understand that I'm not a fan of Rush, nor do I like his style of "debating". But I would have to give him a certain level of respect if he decided to run for high office.
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polncorect
12:32PM May 21st 2009
You are SOOOOOOO off the mark, but I bet you pride yourself in your pseudo-intellectualism. Another one who likes to help people with someone else's money, no doubt. Rush is a typical Ronald Reagan Republican, who wants the party to return to those roots. How can Colin Powell be a Republican when he endorsed a socialist for POTUS? The education system in this country is truly broken when people can't even see the disconnect between the words of Colin Powell and his actions.
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OleDad
12:33PM May 21st 2009
His 99% accuracy rating belies your "dishonest" claim. Group think has poisoned you. He speaks the truth with an edge to grate on your nerves, and your "death wishes" show he is right on target. You cry "freedom" in the same breath you shout "death to conservatives." Hypocrites! You don't even know what youre saying.
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n2wartrophies
10:07AM May 21st 2009
The Liberals are more afraid of the Conservatives than the true enemy. The only People I am afraid of is the liberal. If you read their blogs you pick up their hate for any oppenion other than their own. As a child I was never afraid to live in America; now every one is. Rush is just trying to tell you in a funny way the stupidity of our elected officals.
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keri22421
11:08AM May 21st 2009
Interesting because I see the uber conservatives as some of the scariest ones. Both sides hurl insults like crazy but the right gets very personal. I'd never heard so many racial comments and down right ugly thing said (even commenting on the president's wife's butt) that had nothing to do with politics until Obama was elected. I didn't like the comments directed at Bush either but they weren't so very personal.
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BEATLES
11:09AM May 21st 2009
Learn how to spell Rush lover.
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dskaalrud5
11:38AM May 21st 2009
Your post is the ultimate in hypocrisy. Hate? Just take a look at what you've written and you'll see the true nature of republican hate. Democrats don't agree with republicans on the nature of people and that's the rub. Does that give republicans to constantly apply silly labels to those they disagree with? If you can put a label on somebody it's much easier to hate them, right? RIGHT? Oh, and just cone on over: I'll show you how afraid I am of a conservative.
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prcl2001
12:31PM May 21st 2009
i am not afraid to live here n2wartrophies...so you're statement is false...
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jan
10:11AM May 21st 2009
OXYCOTIN....anyone?
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Chris
10:47AM May 21st 2009
Making fun of anyone consertaive or liberal that has over comes addiction is wrong. You need to grow up.
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shoot07
10:56AM May 21st 2009
Chris, when Rush Limbaugh has ripped apart others for their drug problems (like Robert Downey Jr. and Hunter S. Thompson), then he has opened the door to be mocked for his, not because he had a problem, but because ie is a hypocrite.
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mettingc
11:14AM May 21st 2009
People actually listen to this crap? This is 5 minutes of ramblings. What is even the entertainment value of this? Listen to CSPAN. At least over their, people have thoughtful ideas about what they are talking about.
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Brigham Sanders
11:21AM May 21st 2009
learn to spell idiot.
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chimpchimperson
12:10PM May 21st 2009
Limbaugh was never "the leader" of the Republican party. He's just got the loudest mouth and he knows how to get people's attention. His number one concern is not the direction of the Republican party or even the well-being of our nation. His concern is RATINGS and the advertising bucks that come with it. And he's a master at it and it's how he has made his millions.
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BobaLou
12:29PM May 21st 2009
Learn to spell...dummy !
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WADE....
12:44PM May 21st 2009
Obama = Coke head.....bet he sold Crack on the side while doing his snorty snort thang?
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MIKE MCCARTHY
10:29AM May 21st 2009
The only reason Mr.Limbaugh did this was so he could get some sort of childish thrill out of using the word "titular" nearly 20 times within a span of about seven minutes. He does this sort of infantile crap all the time. General Powell is correct in his evaluation of the Mr. Limbaugh and as he himself is so fond of claiming, General Powell is the only one with the guts to say it.
He's your boy Mr. Cheney, why don't you do something with him?
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grdi0408
10:34AM May 21st 2009
If it weren't for Rush nobody would read this bullshit knowles column.
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luckysunday22
11:05AM May 21st 2009
Hahah. You are soooo correct. he's the only reason I even clicked on the link. I have read the other crap this "journalist" or commentator has puked across the page and every one of his articles has been critical of the conservative party in one way or another. I love Rush. I love how he tells it how it is, was, and out to be. If all his critics can say is that he "should OD on oxycotin," then so be it. The people who call him a liar are uneducated and brainwashed by their own philosophy. I have read numerous texts and documents on the subject through college, law school, and in my private life and everything Rush claims concerning what the founders wanted the country to be is correct. No liberal blogger here has ever read the Federalist Papers, or Detoucville, or Locke. But I bet they read Sol Alinky. I bet they read the Communist Manefesto also. How terrible it has become that people who try to teach the real history of this country as opposed to the revisionist history that many have come accustomed to are being told that they are stupid, liars, drug addicts, fat pigs, yada yada.