Brains: Rush To Judgement!

[elfs]

You must have been living under a rock to have missed the Rush Limbaugh kerfluffle. It's still going on. Rush went to the Conservative Political Action Convention last weekend, where he had a big speech and was more or less lifted up by the attendees as the fatted calf idol of the Republican Party, worthy of worship.

Since then, several prominent Republicans and conservatives have been criticizing Rush for his divisive, inflammatory rhetoric. Party chairman Michael Steele called Rush's speech "ugly" and stated that Rush is "an entertainer, not a leader."

So far, every one of his critics, at least within the party itself, have since issued apologies to Rush and called him "an important voice," "a prominent conservative," "an intellectual powerhouse." And others have rushed in from all sides to defend Limbaugh:

Powerline: Apparently, like Rush's liberal critics, Steele has never actually listened to Rush. Otherwise, it would never occur to him to call Rush's program "ugly."

Malkin: Played right into the Left's hands. Congratulations. This will do wonders for party fund-raising efforts... on the other side

Riehl: It's not easy watching a black guy stumble around in the dark, but really, I'm trying... The Republicans finally get an RNC Chairman of color and all they got was another dumb, potentially too moderate, gutless wonder of a Republican in the end. If nothing else, there is equality in that.

And my favorite, Andrew Breitbart: Anonymous liberal commentators, the rabid pests of the new media, sought out the most popular conservative blogs to flood the zone with familiar Rush Limbaugh slanders. Their goal: To demoralize the right with layer upon layer of media domination. Only talk radio with its emphasis on Socratic debate over raw emotionalism and with Mr. Limbaugh in the driver's seat has escaped the left's clutches of pure media dominance.

(Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan, who says Breitbart "seems to have lost his mind," for a lot of this. I mean, really, talk radio is "Socratic debate over raw emotionalism?" Has he ever even heard talk radio?)

Meanwhile, deep inside the echo chamber, Republicans are decrying the fact that news programs have discussed at length the factual errors in Limbaugh's speech. Limbaugh at one point misquoted the opening of the Declaration of Independence and then stated it was "the Preamble to the Constitution." Pointing out factual errors is, according to Newsbusters, "nasty conservative bashing."

David Frum has gone out on a limb and criticized Rush, and states the obvious. While describing Obama as cool, soft-spoken, and well-versed in the language of responsibility and self-restraint, he says of Rush:

A man who is aggressive and bombastic, cutting and sarcastic, who dismisses the concerned citizens in network news focus groups as "losers." With his private plane and his cigars, his history of drug dependency and his personal bulk, not to mention his tangled marital history, Rush is a walking stereotype of self-indulgence – exactly the image that Barack Obama most wants to affix to our philosophy.

Rush has become the Jesse Jackson of the Republican Party: something liberals can use for years to shame more seriously minded conservatives.

Rush, on the other hand, is having a laugh. Frum is right: the worse the party does, the better it is for Limbaugh. It's easier to be the angry voice of the disempowered than it is the responsible voice of leadership. Rush wouldn't know how to lead. As a radio personality, however, he does know how to market himself:

The administration is enabling me. They are expanding my profile, expanding my audience and expanding my influence. An ever larger number of people are now being exposed to the antidote to Obamaism: conservatism, as articulated by me. An ever larger number of people are now exposed to substantive warnings, analysis and criticism of Obama's policies and intentions, a 'story' I own.

And then Matt Yglesias documents the condemnation of Frum from the right.

And if you need a giggle: The Rush Limbaugh Apology Generator.

Personally, I'm enjoying the Rush meltdown. I hope they figure out how to throw him under a bus, and soon, because his lowbrow, nasty variety of autocratic "conservatism" doesn't deserve political power. We need a balanced voice trying to create a vision of America that includes individual sovereignty, a notion paid only lip service (but for the past eight years, curiously better served) by Democratic institutions.

Comments

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

I just keep watching the implosion and wondering just who the hell is in charge over there. The mask has finally been ripped away and we can see every ugly aspect of ultra-conservatism in the glare of the lights. I too would like to see a measured, intelligent opposition to the party in power, but that hasn't been the GOP's schtick for generations.

[rhonan.livejournal.com]

Ah, the sweet taste of schadenfreude. It goes so well with a nice merlot and some Beecher's Cheese.

[norikos-author.livejournal.com]

It's probably too much to hope for that they find a way to tie Ann Coulter to him before they throw him under the bus. Still, I can dream....

[tagryn]

Rush (and Hannity, for that matter) is no more the "leader" of the GOP than Oprah is the leader of the Democrats. An extremely important, high-profile communicator of their ideas and viewpoint? Absolutely. But an organizer and leader? No.

That's why a lot of Republicans are upset with Steele - he's one of the ones supposed to be doing the organizing and leading, instead of going on talk shows wasting time on this. This qualifies as an early misstep that he needs to learn from.

[nbarnes.livejournal.com]

The idea that Limbaugh somehow has an articulate or substantive critique of the Obama administration's policies or progressivism in general is one of the weirder delusions on display in all this. "An ever larger number of people are now exposed to substantive warnings, analysis and criticism of Obama's policies and intentions"?

[lucky-otter.livejournal.com]

The whole situation is hilarious. I also hope that they manage to shut Rush down soon, though, as he is not someone I want wielding political power. The other option is that he drags the Republican party down with him, but that seems unlikely.

[mikstera.livejournal.com]

"An extremely important, high-profile communicator of their ideas and viewpoint? Absolutely."

Rush? Rush Limbaugh? You really think he represents the ideas and viewpoints of the GOP?

My wife and I were watching "The Daily Show" today, where they covered Rush's performance at CPAC, and Steele's actions.

She turned to me and asked "I don't get it... are they insane or evil... or both?" I wonder the same... the crazy is just oozing out of their pores at this point.

[(Anonymous)]

Am I out of line for hoping that this insanity in the GOP eventually leads the evangelicals and anti-intellectuals to break off and form their own party, where they can quietly wither into obscurity? I'd give anything to see the GOP bounce back. We need a reasonable voice of opposition in this country.

Anonymous Blog Reader #127

Excuse me?

[(Anonymous)]

"I also hope that they manage to shut Rush down soon"

Who are "they"? What about Voltaire's idea here: "I disagree strongly with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." I may be one of the most vocal republicans in my family, and I don't like Rush's show, but he makes the radio stations money in advertising so he gets to stay on the air.

Joshua Sasmor

Re: Excuse me?

[lucky-otter.livejournal.com]

By "shut down", I meant marginalize politically, not prevent him from speaking. And by they, I meant Republicans. I don't think that his show should be shut down.

Re: Excuse me?

[elfs.livejournal.com]

There's more than one way to "shut down" Rush Limbaugh. The best way is to take away his oxycontingen by denying him the attention he so obviously needs and loves. It won't happen, of course; too many people love him and dedicate themselves to his blunt, crude and vicious appeal. But as long as there is this schism within the Republican party between those who think and those who feel, it will continue to be a fringe party with less that 20% approval ratings.

Re: Excuse me?

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Funny, isn't it? I used the much more violent metaphor of "throwing Rush under a bus," and that didn't raise an eyebrow. You used the phrase "shut down" and suddenly someone's panties are wadded.