http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_3266.shtmlAll of a sudden a spate of right-wing icons seem less, well, iconic. Three in a row -- William Bennett, George W. Bush and Rush Limbaugh --have transformed themselves from political pillars to pitiable paleoliths.
To be "fair and balanced" about this, the left wing has lost more than its share of discredited heroes in the past few years (Gray Davis the most recent, Jesse Jackson before him and Bill Clinton before him.) But their falls from grace lacked the certain pop, pop, pop, rapid-fire velocity with which the right is doing in so many of its own of late.
Just five months ago we learned the Bookie of Virtues (as he was widely described by the liberal media) had a hidden vice: gambling. Republicans' own four-star culture war general had lectured the nation on all manner of ills, and been remunerated generously for his profligate advice, at $50,000 per lecture in some cases. However, the former Education secretary remained comfortably quiet on one societal ill: gambling. Why? It was his own. Down came the Bennett statue and we have heard little from him since.
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On Bush:Why? This conservative idol was found to have been prevaricating about Iraq and his ultra-liberal attitude towards government spending was sending the economy into a tizzy.
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Then there's Rush. Ah, Rush, that "great American" in President Bush's description. Not only does Limbaugh self-immolate on ESPN by making a completely gratuitous and somewhat racist remark. Shortly thereafter Rush reveals (only because he was about to be busted by a federal investigation) that he's hooked on prescription pain killing drugs procured illegally and in massive amounts. He's now in hiding in rehab.
This writer says Rush can only redeem himself by going to jail.