...will Republicans have the guts and decency to say, "No, I think Rush Limbaugh is wrong?"

[babylonsister]

:wow:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_01/027488.php

QUOTE OF THE DAY.... Rush Limbaugh actually said this on the air today. He wasn't kidding.

"What Mr. Loughner knows is that he has the full support of a major political party in this country. He's sitting there in jail; he knows what's going on. He knows that a Democrat {sic} Party -- the Democrat {sic} Party -- is attempting to find anybody but him to blame.

"He knows if he plays his cards right that he's just a 'victim.' He's the latest in a never ending parade of victims brought about by the 'unfairness of America.' The 'bigotry, racism, homophobia' of America. The 'mean-spiritedness of America.' <...>

"That smiling mugshot -- this guy clearly understands he's getting all the attention, and he understands he's got a political party doing everything it can, plus a local sheriff doing everything they can to make sure he's not convicted of murder."

No one could possibly believe this garbage. It's idiotic gibberish, disconnected from reality on multiple levels.

But here's the follow up for any Republican willing to answer: do you agree with Rush Limbaugh's assessment? Do you believe Democrats have offered their "full support" to a gunman who killed six innocent people and tried to assassinate a Democratic congresswoman? Is the GOP also convinced that Democrats want to ensure the killer's acquittal?

Or, for once in their lives, will Republicans have the guts and decency to say, "No, I think Rush Limbaugh is wrong"?

—Steve Benen

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. Nope

They're all afraid of Boss Limbaugh. Well, everybody maybe except for Colin Powell, who AFAIK never retracted his negative comments about Limbaugh but everybody else who has ever had a "moment of clarity" about him has inevitably retracted their negative comments and went back and kissed his a**. I'm mainly thinking of that one Republican Congressmen who said something negative about him in Congress and must've caught a lot of flak for it because shortly thereafter went on his show to prostrate himself before Limbaugh and begged for his forgiveness. The same dynamic seems to be in play in regards to Queen Sarah. Peggy Noonan and KARL ROVE (of all people) have both said something "offensive" about/towards Sarah Palin and had to retract/smooth over their comments later.

[tblue37]

14. I read a thread earlier today about some *anonymous* Republican

congressman who agreed that the vitriolic rhetoric was implicated, but who wanted to remain anonymous because he was afraid of a backlash if his party's base found out who he was.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

15. I saw that too

and we're just supposed to believe that the Republican Party is supposed to be "tough" on terrorism, "tough" on crime, etc.?
They (along with some NIMBY Democrats) are so afraid of terrorists that they can't allow a civilian trial of a high-profile terror suspect in New York nor can they handle terror suspects being moved from Gitmo into any one of a number of Supermax prisons that are normally considered to be good enough to house killers, rapists, and worse. Republicans must actually be really afraid of people like Limbaugh and Palin (or their followers) that they can't manage to issue even tepid criticisms of either of them, which actually proves the point that they, at least on some level, acknowledge that all of the hate rhetoric and vitriol out that they've helped put out there and/or encourage is threatening THEM as well.

[bushisanidiot]

2. no. repukes are quick to turn on their own when they don't 'fall in line with the current meme

they are incapable of doing any internal "soul searching" because all they care about is appearing to be correct, no matter the body count.

[drm604]

3. No.

I wish I could say otherwise but they won't. I've given up on expecting anything resembling decent behavior from them. There may be a few isolated examples but I expect very few public repudiations of anything Limbaugh says.

[villager]

4. No. Like most bullies, they're actually cowards.

n/t

[ZombieHorde]

5. I would be surprised if any elected Republican dared go against Rush.

Ron Paul may be able to get away with it, but that would be about it.

[hlthe2b]

6. no.. not until that asshole...

is finally pounded in six feet or more underground to the entry to his fires of hell.

[Zoeisright]

7. Decent? Repukes?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[creon]

8. No

No Republican is going to say any such thing.

[justiceischeap]

9. Nope, there's a Republican that spoke to the WSJ anonymously

Saying the ReThugs needed to dial it back but I don't think we'll see one say it publicly.

What's sad is that not all Republicans are horrible people and they're party is being taken over by the NutBaggers.

[whathehell]

10. No and Hell No...that train left the station long ago...Rushbo rules repukes. n/t

[bigwillq]

11. No (nt)

[handmade34]

12. I want to shake them

why in hell haven't any republicans called out the hate speech???!!

[dave29]

13. off the record.... maybe

but probably not.

[baldguy]

16. To be a Republican lawmaker means you're a coward.

[ncteechur]

21. To be a republican lawmaker means you are Rush's colon.

[old mark]

17. They have no idea what "guts and decency " are...nt

[jillan]

18. Decency? That has 3 syllables, they have no idea what that means ;)

[karynnj]

19. Former Senator Danforth has spoken against the RW of the Republican party

- most recently in support of Senator Lugar, who blasted Republican Senators and the forces behind them back in December. http://thinkprogress.org/2010/11/27/danforth-lugar-overboard/

This is a broader condemnation than "Limbaugh", but it is the best I can remember. (I still remember when even the MSM "forgave" Limbaugh for his over the top attack on anti-war Iraq vets - calling them "fake" soldiers - the repeated comment was that Limbaugh had "supported the troops" for decades". )

[ncteechur]

20. Um....no. Never. Nada. Won't happen. Not in a million years.

[wiggs]

22. The whole point of using polarization, hate, fear, and misinformation as a primary

campaign tactic is to remove facts and reason from the decision making-process for voters. Those RW campaign designers want as many voters as possible to vote R without a second thought and without consideration of issues.

It has been done so effectively that the core RW 25%-30% of the nation (enough for a majority during a mid term election) don't recognize hypocrisy, embarrassment, twisted logic, etc when they see it. Doesn't matter. All that matters is loyalty to team.

The southern strategy was about this too.

[11 Bravo]

23. I'm going to assume that is a rhetorical question, because the answer is self-evident.

When is th last time any prominent Republican "refudiated" the bulbous bullshitting bloviator without immediately walking back their comments?