Ohhhh the gnashing of teeth that comes with the realization that they've been played better than Karl Rove ever could.

OlafTheBent: Ohhhh the gnashing of teeth that comes with the realization that they've been played better than Karl Rove ever could.

Rove would have got the timing down better. Like during an election cycle.

lunchinlewis: Rove would have got the timing down better. Like during an election cycle.

They're not going to get any smarter any time soon. So there will be more opportunities.

Lando Lincoln: They're not going to get any smarter any time soon. So there will be more opportunities.

Not sure who the White House would be willing to go after that is a big juicy target like Rush. Or are you saying they will just keep hammering on him?

lunchinlewis: OlafTheBent: Ohhhh the gnashing of teeth that comes with the realization that they've been played better than Karl Rove ever could.

Rove would have got the timing down better. Like during an election cycle.

This is actually a much longer time frame exercise. The democrats are forcing Republicans to choose between distancing themselves from Rush publicly and risking his wrath which will resonate with the base or embracing him and thereby marginalizing themselves politically in the eyes of most moderates. It denies them the free ride that they used to get from the wingnuts. Now they must either swear their allegiance and genuflect to the extreme of their party in order to derive the benefit from that extreme. Pretty smart by the dems if you ask me.

I believe magicians call this `distraction'. Obama's probably sneaking socialist health care and banking into being while the righteous righties are running to Rush's defense.

lunchinlewis: Not sure who the White House would be willing to go after that is a big juicy target like Rush. Or are you saying they will just keep hammering on him?

Rush Limbaugh is a never-ending fountain of opportunities. The other retarded conservapundits will eventually join in the fray, and then the White House will be able to collectively point their finger at this group and ask, "What kind of party are you guys running over there?"

It's amazing that the Obama (and the other lefties) are so fixated on one person. Does he pose that much of a threat to them?

oldfarthenry: I believe magicians call this `distraction'. Obama's probably sneaking socialist health care and banking into being while the righteous righties are running to Rush's defense.

Good. What you call socialist health care is our society committing to protecting one of our core rights: right to life.

Lando Lincoln: Rush Limbaugh is a never-ending fountain of opportunities. The other retarded conservapundits will eventually join in the fray, and then the White House will be able to collectively point their finger at this group and ask, "What kind of party are you guys running over there?"

As funny as it is to watch now, I just don't think the public has the attention span for this to go on for 18 months before they say "yeah yeah, we get it, talk about something else".

OTOH, Rush is not the type to shut up, so I guess it's going to be a case of who has to have the last word.

Did subtard watch too much Lou Dobbs last night?


If I were in the WH I would be doing everything possible to make sure that as many Americans as possible believed that Rush was running the GOP. That would certainly speed up their party fading into obscurity...

dj_bigbird: It's amazing that the Obama (and the other lefties) are so fixated on one person. Does he pose that much of a threat to them?

Yes, that's exactly what it is. We are really afraid of Rush Limbaugh. Please don't tell anyone.

dj_bigbird: Does he pose that much of a threat to them?


You really don't get it at all, do you?


Hint: We're not afraid of Coulter either...

This is farking outrageous. How can you libtards justify and defend President B. Hussein Osama spending all of his time and energy on tarnishing the reputation of a true patriot like Rush Limbaugh instead of trying to fix the economy and protect us from the Islamic freedom-hating terrorists?

Lando Lincoln: Yes, that's exactly what it is. We are really afraid of Rush Limbaugh. Please don't tell anyone.

Yeah but it's kind of like that old street-wise saying, don't mess with a crazy person.

BritneysSpeculum: This is actually a much longer time frame exercise. The democrats are forcing Republicans to choose between distancing themselves from Rush publicly and risking his wrath which will resonate with the base or embracing him and thereby marginalizing themselves politically in the eyes of most moderates. It denies them the free ride that they used to get from the wingnuts. Now they must either swear their allegiance and genuflect to the extreme of their party in order to derive the benefit from that extreme. Pretty smart by the dems if you ask me.

This.

Eddie Adams from Torrance: This is farking outrageous. How can you libtards justify and defend President B. Hussein Osama spending all of his time and energy on tarnishing the reputation of a true patriot like Rush Limbaugh instead of trying to fix the economy and protect us from the Islamic freedom-hating terrorists?

bacon?

lunchinlewis: Rove would have got the timing down better. Like during an election cycle.

do you think we're not in an election cycle? we're always in an election cycle, for the house and 1/3 of the senate.

Somebody needs to tell them that it is not wise to feed a troll.

burndtdan: do you think we're not in an election cycle?

I really wouldn't have made that statement if I felt otherwise.

CrankMyBlueSax: Somebody needs to tell them that it is not wise to feed a troll.

See in my view, feed them all the more. The more they spew the more people will see how they truly are.

Gorge yourself Rush! Eat as much as you want.

pixistick: Gorge yourself Rush! Eat as much as you want.

That is one strategy, so it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm not so sure that much of Rush's "base" is in play for the Democrats, but the swing voters might take some notice.

Eddie Adams from Torrance: This is farking outrageous. How can you libtards justify and defend President B. Hussein Osama spending all of his time and energy on tarnishing the reputation of a true patriot like Rush Limbaugh instead of trying to fix the economy and protect us from the Islamic freedom-hating terrorists?

2/10...the "true patriot" comment was a little obvious.

CrankMyBlueSax
Somebody needs to tell them that it is not wise to feed a troll.

I'd normally agree, but in this case it's working out rather well for the Democrats. The Republicans took the opportunity to prove the point that a hateful, irrational talk radio windbag is their leader. Limbaugh's detached from reality listeners think it's great, more reasonable people head for the hills, and the GOP continues to decline.

"If you're a talk radio host and you have five million who listen and there are 50 million who hate you, you make a nice living. If you're a Republican party, you're marginalized."

http://egan.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/fears-of-a-clown/?hp

/sorry, don't feel like fixing the link for the Fark tool

lunchinlewis: That is one strategy, so it will be interesting to see what happens. I'm not so sure that much of Rush's "base" is in play for the Democrats, but the swing voters might take some notice.


True conservatives have sold out their party. What you're seeing right now, and many people are pointing this out, is that the GOP leadership now has to make a very important decision: Tell the world that they really do think the way that Rush does and that Rush successfully gets their message across, or tell the world that Rush is just an entertainer who rarely knows WTF he's talking about.

Time to choose GOP, time to choose...

oldfarthenry: I believe magicians call this `distraction'. Obama's probably sneaking socialist health care and banking into being while the righteous righties are running to Rush's defense.

Did Stevie McSweatervest finally get to you?

pwhp_67: True conservatives have sold out their party

That's kind of backwards. I think true conservatives want their real party back. For myself, and I can probably speak for my like-minded friends around here, we really don't give a hoot what Rush says or does. I'm trying to remember what he said in his speech at the GOP Convention, but I'm having some trouble remembering it.

lunchinlewis: That's kind of backwards. I think true conservatives want their real party back. For myself, and I can probably speak for my like-minded friends around here, we really don't give a hoot what Rush says or does. I'm trying to remember what he said in his speech at the GOP Convention, but I'm having some trouble remembering it.


I think when the GOP went all out to get the Christian right to vote for Reagan they sold their soul and haven't gotten it back yet. It was that pandering, to such a huge degree, that directly led to Rush, Coulter, and Bill.

Now they're stuck. This is why real Conservatives are no longer voting for Republicans. It's why Bush had an approval rating below 30% and it's why the Dems are more than happy to keep shoving a microphone in front of Rush and anybody in the GOP who defends him or says anything nice about the man instead of flat out rejecting his hateful, divisive, bullshiat...

BritneysSpeculum: This is actually a much longer time frame exercise. The democrats are forcing Republicans to choose between distancing themselves from Rush publicly and risking his wrath which will resonate with the base or embracing him and thereby marginalizing themselves politically in the eyes of most moderates. It denies them the free ride that they used to get from the wingnuts. Now they must either swear their allegiance and genuflect to the extreme of their party in order to derive the benefit from that extreme. Pretty smart by the dems if you ask me.

I know. It's brilliant - so much so that i'm having trouble believing that a democrat came up with it. Obama and his team are scary level smart.

pwhp_67: I think when the GOP went all out to get the Christian right to vote for Reagan they sold their soul and haven't gotten it back yet.

Ok, I was thinking fiscal conservatives and you obviously were talking about social conservatives.

gustakooka: 2/10...the "true patriot" comment was a little obvious.

Defender of freedom?

dj_bigbird: It's amazing that the Obama (and the other lefties) are so fixated on one person. Does he pose that much of a threat to them?

No, Limbaugh poses a bigger threat to the Republican party. Obama just figured he'd point that out to the voters. That might help when he has to push some unpopular legislation through congress in the semi-near future. it's always helpful to have your opponent off balance and distracted.

Weaver95: it's always helpful to have your opponent off balance and distracted.

Obama seems to be really good at playing rope-a-dope.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Weaver95: it's always helpful to have your opponent off balance and distracted.

Obama seems to be really good at playing rope-a-dope.

well, if your opposition plans on doing nothing but obstructing you, then making them lose focus is a good idea.

lunchinlewis: Ok, I was thinking fiscal conservatives and you obviously were talking about social conservatives.


Yeah. Although it probably wouldn't be a bad idea for either of them to rethink who they want to be the face of their party...

pwhp_67: Yeah. Although it probably wouldn't be a bad idea for either of them to rethink who they want to be the face of their party...

Noted.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Weaver95: it's always helpful to have your opponent off balance and distracted.

Obama seems to be really good at playing rope-a-dope.

It is a rope a dope strategy. Will Rush respond with some out and out hate speech that must be regulated...by a Fairness Doctrine perhaps? I haven't quite got this one figured out yet, but I think they are hoping for a number of things:

1. Distraction from the economy.
2. Distraction from the passage of spending bills, and steps toward universal health coverage.
3. Marginalize, if possible, Republicans as a party by identifying with a guy who champions Reagan as the highest form of conservative...risks more of a martydom than marginalizing anyone.
4. Push for talk radio to go so berserk that a Fairness Doctrine or regulation of political hate speech must be passed.

I_C_Weener: 3. Marginalize, if possible

What do you mean 'if possible'? Have you been paying attention the last two election cycles?

cameroncrazy1984: I_C_Weener: 3. Marginalize, if possible

What do you mean 'if possible'? Have you been paying attention the last two election cycles?

We'll see. Opposition parties have a lot to offer the masses if instant gratification is not provided by the incumbent party.

I_C_Weener: Opposition parties have a lot to offer the masses if instant gratification is not provided by the incumbent party.

That may be generally true, but the opposition party usually needs to have more focus than "my opponent is wrong", which is pretty much all the republicans have offered so far.

It's the classic Kerry '04 strategy.

pwhp_67: dj_bigbird: Does he pose that much of a threat to them?


You really don't get it at all, do you?

If they aren't, then why are they so fixated on him? By talking about him constantly, they just give him free advertising.

dj_bigbird: If they aren't, then why are they so fixated on him? By talking about him constantly, they just give him free advertising.


I'm pretty sure that's what they want.

They want Steele to tell the country, this includes every single fiscal and social conservative, that Rush is DEAD ON when talking about what the GOP wants and how they'll get there.

This will guarantee huge Republican losses for as long as he's on the air...

dj_bigbird: If they aren't, then why are they so fixated on him? By talking about him constantly, they just give him free advertising.

You're not really reading this thread are you? Several people have pointed out exactly how the democrats gain from Rush's high profile idiocy.

Dr. Rosenrosen: That may be generally true, but the opposition party usually needs to have more focus than "my opponent is wrong", which is pretty much all the republicans have offered so far.

That's true...however, I remember a Clinton strategy too.

"Its the economy stupid."

dj_bigbird: pwhp_67: dj_bigbird: Does he pose that much of a threat to them?


You really don't get it at all, do you?

If they aren't, then why are they so fixated on him? By talking about him constantly, they just give him free advertising.

I think that was the point.

I_C_Weener: 1. Distraction from the economy.
2. Distraction from the passage of spending bills, and steps toward universal health coverage.
3. Marginalize, if possible, Republicans as a party by identifying with a guy who champions Reagan as the highest form of conservative...risks more of a martydom than marginalizing anyone.
4. Push for talk radio to go so berserk that a Fairness Doctrine or regulation of political hate speech must be passed.

1. I really don't see Obama trying to distract us from the economy. He seems pretty focused on it.
2. Possibly, but I doubt it. The biggest possibility is that he's playing to bypass the filibuster process for the budget bill and will get the simple majority votes instead of the usual 60-vote filibuster-proof majority.
3. No, I don't think that there's any chance that Rush will be seen as a martyr.
4. No, I highly doubt that this is a play for a Fairness Doctrine. That's just a dumb idea through and through.

Oh the poor pathetic GOP, your being permanently branded the party of old, racist, fat white guys and this the best you can do?

Your going to be in the wilderness for a long, long time.

They are trying to trap Rush into saying something off color, so they can bring back the Fairness Doctrine.

That and Obama does not accept private citizens to criticize him, or in Joe the Plumber's case, ask him questions.

Whatever your opinion of Joe may be, think of the scary precedent Obama started by illegally using government resources to dig up dirt and publicly embarrass him simply because he asked Obama a question and put him on the spot.

Making Rush the face of the Republican party is not a bad thing for the Democrats.

Rush is a pill popper, a relentless partisan, and an egomaniac. Make him the face of the party and then move in for the kill with rumors of sex tourism. It's not supposed to be fair... it's politics.