"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."

[mathpol]

According to a column by Kathleen Parker, “Barack W. Obama” in the Jan. 30th Washington Post, President Obama said the above during his recent meeting with Senate Republicans. The “W.” in the column’s title is as in George “W.” Bush. The column is headlined on the Opinion Page as

“Obama vs. El Rushbo
The president has chomped on the Master Fisherman's lure.”,

along with a picture of the smiling Limbaugh, which I did not import in deference to those of you with weak stomachs. I cite the column mainly as the source of the quote, and not because of the rather inane commentary Ms. Parker gives.

As I’ve said many times, Limbaugh should not be treated merely as an entertainer and a powerful pundit. When he came on the national scene 20 years ago, he was funny and insightful, and admittedly one-sided. Over the years he has morphed into the current champion of “The Big Lie”, as perfected by Josef Goebbels. (Limbaugh himself has invoked Nazis, using the term “feminazis” to describe women’s libbers.)

Some people don’t take him seriously, but his army of dittoheads certainly do. The most recent example being the reaction to criticism of him by Republican Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), as reported by Alex Koppelman in Salon.

Limbaugh cherry-picks his facts, distorts things when convenient, claims to be omniscient when he is far from it. And, in my opinion, he is also a racist. His faithful followers fail to see how illogical he is.

And he can cause real damage. Witness “Operation Chaos” last summer, when he had people breaking the law (the spirit, at least) by switching their registration in the presidential primaries.

He is much more dangerous than Sean Hannity because
1) To people who can reason at all, Hannity is clearly a fool (admittedly an earnest one).
2) Hannity will allow people who disagree with him to argue with him.

I live in suburban Detroit near Royal Oak, the radio home in the Nineteen Thirties of the anti-Semitic, Nazi sympathizer, Father Charles Coughlin. He was finally silenced by a new Detroit Bishop in 1942. Unfortunately, Limbaugh answers to no one. Although he does have sponsors.

Getting back to the quote from Obama, I think it would be better for him to leave Limbaugh out of this. Limbaugh should be treated as the pariah he truly is. His demagoguery and hateful attacks have disqualified him from a seat at the table of rational discourse, whatever his redeeming features might be.

[madokie]

1. My prediction of limpdick is his life is going to get mighty tough

I believe the President did the right thing by calling him out. The drug addict pedophile needs to be exposed for what he is. Traitor is what that is in case you didn't know that already. I he gets caught with some pills now he'll be toast no matter if they are to prop up his part of his bigoted brain either way he will get scrutinized by the feds and scrutinizing is not something rushbo could survive. Shortly he will be on the way out and when the dust is all settled he will be but a pauper once again. Millions squandered by both he and his supporters.

[Kansas Wyatt]

3. Obama should turn Bush's spy machine back on Limpdick

Use it to crawl up that fat piece of shit's ass with a microscope, and count every damn pill he takes. He'll fuck up somewhere, then throw his sorry ass in a maximum security prison for a hard forty.

Limpdick will then receive the JUSTICE he deserves.

[madokie]

6. I see it coming

And I will watch it with a big assed smile on my face too

[Ken Burch]

2. Proud to be the first Rec.

n/t.

[spanone]

4. i don't read her right wing screed

[n2doc]

5. People give Rush way more credit than he is due

I think that, the more coverage he gets, the higher the chance is that he will say something so offensive it gets him fired or at least "vacationed". He has too big an ego to maintain control, and at some point he is going to let lose with the N word or some other thing that, because the national spotlight is on him, will not be ignored. Sitting there in his studio, with all of his sycophants surrounding him, he is going to mess up. Just human nature to do so.

[mathpol]

7. Rush's offensive comments

He already made one. Several years ago, when CNN mixed up pictures of Obama and Osama bin Laden, CNN apologized to Obama. Rush said they should also apologize to Osama, and he wasn't joking.

[n2doc]

8. Yep, but I still think there are limits

And the brighter the spotlight on him, the more likely those limits will be broken. At least I can hope.

[anonymous171]

9. The GOP loves Limbaugh but doesn't want anyone else to know

[creeksneakers2]

10. Obama should target Limbaugh

Republicans have long benefited from Limbaugh's garbage while keeping themselves out of the muck. Its time for them to either endorse Limbaugh or oppose him. If they endorse, they are stuck with all the garbage Limbaugh says, which is far worse than Reverend Wright. Its all lies and hatred. If they denounce Limbaugh, Limbaugh will turn the base against them.

If we can sever Limbaugh from the GOP, he'll look powerless. That will depress his fans and they'll leave him. For Limbaugh's scam to work, he must look like he's in authority to his followers. He also must be able to frighten anybody who speaks out against him. If everybody speaks out against him, he'll lose the threat that hides his hate spreading lies.

I'm all for conservatives having their share of the debate but the debates should be honest and respectful.