Posted on 10/04/2006 10:00:36 AM PDT by truthfinder9
Republicans have to take the gloves off and come out swinging if they expect to survive the elections in November, top radio talker Rush Limbaugh said Tuesday on his nationally syndicated radio program.
Noting that House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., who appeared on his show Tuesday, has said he will not resign despite the editorial call from the Washington Times to do so, a fiery Rush said he hopes Hastert does much more than just talk on the issue.
Rush then ripped into the GOP, saying: "It's time for the Republicans to fight back. This is getting absurd. This constantly being on the defense or waiting for the next shoe to drop [has to stop]" he said.
"It's time for the Republicans to fight back and, led by Hastert, point out how the Democrats continue to avoid the real issues of importance . . . and are trying to distract the American people from what essentially is a non-existent agenda on the part of the Democrats to deal with things that really, really matter."
Limbaugh is frustrated by the media frenzy that is trying to take national security issues off the radar screen for voters in the midterm elections.
"The idea that the GOP side of the House of Representatives is a bunch of perverts hitting on [congressional] pages is absurd," Rush said. "It is the Democrats who have condoned that kind of behavior in the past. It's the Democrats who don't find that behavior repugnant in any way, shape, matter or form. This is not about protecting the children as far as they're concerned: this is a strategic attack, timed during an election and the Republicans don't have to sit there and take it," Rush stormed.
On a roll, Rush continued his tirade: "They can say whatever they want to say about it, but then return fire. The president is doing his bit. He's on a campaign trip, he's out West. He's continuing to say that the security of the country can't be trusted in [Democrats'] hands."
Rush said he didn't agree that the GOP won't be able to hold Foley's Florida congressional seat in the November elections.
"The Republicans have held this seat for 25 years," Rush told his national radio audience. "I would be surprised if they lose this seat. We still have this mindset that all the voters are major fools and idiots and whatever the media bubble of the day is affects them and they respond to all this . . . I think it's just the opposite and the Democrats are going to overplay their hand on this . . . They'll overreact - they'll take it too far."
Rush added that "This latest assault by Democrats will not work unless the Republicans surrender, stay on the defense, and damage themselves. Let the Democrats resign. Let Nancy Pelosi resign. I could make a case that she should resign, immediately. Here's my basis [for saying that]: Nancy Pelosi knows the person who planted the story about Foley five weeks before the election. She might not know who specifically did it, but she knows where it came from - all the liberal Democrats do."
Rush repeated his charge that the whole thing is a "strategic Democrat-timed scandal" to discourage the conservative Republican base and dissuade them from voting in the upcoming mid-term elections.
"None of this is to defend family," he said. "Some people on our side are totally missing the boat. I understand the need to stand up righteously and morally and say we as conservatives do not tolerate and will not put up with this kind of behavior from members of our movement and our Party. I understand that, but this is not about him [Foley] anymore."
He continued: "This is about the Democratic plan to take over the House and we have people who do not recognize what this really is and do not understand the Democrats' Clinton war room strategy behind this and are literally falling into the hands of the Democrats.
"This is not about children, this is not about pedophilia, this is not about any of that," Rush fumed. "It is all about hardball politics."
Rush got it right on the money. GOP needs to be out front saying things like if you vote the Dems in power we will lose the war in Iraq. We will pull the troops out. Terrorists will regather their strength. We will not be able to listen to Al-Qaeda phone calls adequately. We will be attacked again because we will embolden the enemy. The Dems brought it on themselves put them on the defensive I would love to hear how they explain their positon of defeatism.
Taking off the gloves? Gee....I thought that's why the GOP/Bush have been trying so hard to buy friends over the last six years by spending our money like drunken sailors?
Rush, as usual, is acting his predictable pre-election role as loyal soldier for his GOP masters. He can be depended on to be in lock-step at election time, even if the candidate is Guiliani or McCain.
Rush speaks the truth here...
Its a serious lack of leadership. Hastert dosnt have it and neither does First. They havent the balls to stand up to democrats, and thats the fact.
It'll NEVER happen. They're to scared to be labeled haters.
Freak'n wuss'es
I agree but I have no hope that the GOP even knows how to fight. Hastert is not a street fighter. It's going to be up to us...the rank and file base to get energized and build some enthusiasm for the GOP.
Go Rush!
If the GOP loses in Nov., it's their own darn fault. The spinelessness of the GOP is infuriating.
Street fighter? Perhaps not. Hastert and other big government Republicans, like Bush, are at their best when they picking taxpapyers pockets the "legal" way.
Yes he is, but is the GOP leadership listening? I've been waiting for years and nothing happens!
Sadly, you are correct.
The basis is that the Dems apparently knew about the Foley communications as long as a year ago, and have been sitting on it until the 2006 elections. Foley is a creep, but he's now gone. Dems who sat on this story for political purposes, thereby endangering other pages working in the House, are no less "creepy," and many of them should go.
On another note, it's appalling that Gerry Studds had sex with an underage page, and while censured by the House, was re-elected to his congressional position for six more terms.
Me too.
Go away. I don't want to waste any time on "the GOP isn't ideologically pure enough for perfect me so I'll let the left take over and show them!" types like you.
Then, why did you waste your time replying to me?
You forgot to include Lott. If Frist could find 60 senators to go along with him, he would be powerful. Thanks to Lott, 51 is not enough. As soon as the Democrats get back in control of the senate, 51 will be enough again.
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