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Other Views: Far-right Obama critics get a reply
The Miami Herald ^ | 1/25/09 | LEONARD PITTS JR.

Posted on 01/26/2009 2:46:20 AM PST by gridlock

"I hope he fails" -- Limbaugh

It is, of course, a calculated outrage.

Meaning, it was spewed by a clown in the media circus to kick a familiar sequence into motion: angry denunciation by bloggers, pundits and supporters of President Barack Obama (the ''he'' whose failure is hoped), followed by Rush Limbaugh refusing to retract a word, a courageous truth teller who will not be moved. And, trailing behind, like the folks with brooms trail the elephants in the circus parade, Limbaugh's devotees, complaining that their hero has been misquoted, misunderstood or otherwise mistreated. ``What Rush meant was . . . yadda yadda yadda.''

A calculated outrage.

(snip)

``I hope he fails.''

Do you ever say that about your president if you are an American who loves your country? Would you say it about George W. Bush, who was disastrous; about Bill Clinton, who was slimy; about Jimmy Carter, who was inept; about Richard Nixon, who was crooked? You may think he's going to fail, yes. You may warn he's going to fail, yes.

But do you ever hope he fails? Knowing his failure is the country's failure? Isn't that, well . . . disloyal?

(snip)

Yes, an observer might point out that it's counterproductive to give them attention while decrying their love of attention. But, as already noted, occasionally the clowns spew something that cannot, and ought not, be ignored.

(snip)

(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bho44; ditto; rush; rushlimbaugh; talkradio
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To: dirtbiker

so do I!


61 posted on 01/26/2009 5:07:22 AM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: Darkwolf377
Keyword: Disloyal.

He has set this up such that dissent, disagreement of any kind is considered disloyal to the 0bama administration and then by extension... Disloyal to America and fellow Americans.

It was Ok for the left to be unpatriotic for the last 8 years. It was Ok for them to diss and bash, not only our President...but our very country, countrymen, and military. And while were we critical of their protests etc. we recognized their Right to it. You will not see that reciprocated.

We are going to see a huge push from the leftists to support the 0bama administration and realize we are going to be accused of disloyalty to America if we disagree with the socialist agenda. This is the hard push to accept the “state,” enforce the “state,” and it is fascism.

I too, hope 0bama fails. I am loyal to the Constitution, not the man that is 0bama and not the 0bama agenda. 0bama took an oath to the Constitution and if he fails to uphold that oath of office, then he is a traitor to our Nation.

Therein lies the difference between Limbaugh's love our country vs. 0bama. The 0bamabots have put their loyalty in 0bama, a man and that makes this a dangerous situation.

62 posted on 01/26/2009 5:08:33 AM PST by EBH ( Directive 10-289)
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To: gridlock
Photobucket
63 posted on 01/26/2009 5:23:09 AM PST by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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To: gridlock

Oh, put on your big girl panties and stop your whining!...

...ah, the rapier like wit required for such a comeback...you’re proving my point about the lunacy of tying reaction to real financial setbacks to political persuasion...of course the Obamites would chortle if the market soared...and so would I, and any other sane individual...just as they did also chortle over the losses when Bush was in office, thus betraying their fanatic devotion to political doctrine, much as you are doing...if you don’t aprove of their doing so, why do you do it yourself?


64 posted on 01/26/2009 5:30:44 AM PST by IrishBrigade
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To: gridlock

I refuse to read the article. Did Pitts accuse Rush of racism?


65 posted on 01/26/2009 5:35:33 AM PST by Loyal Buckeye
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To: gridlock
But do you ever hope he fails? Knowing his failure is the country's failure?

Uh, Leonard? If President Obama fails to enact tax increases, or put more leftist lunatics on the federal bench, or sign some goofy legislation for reducing greenhouse gases, or sink us further into debt with New Deal programs, it will NOT mean the failure of the country. In all likelihood it will mean success.

66 posted on 01/26/2009 5:38:38 AM PST by opus86
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To: IrishBrigade

I don’t chortle one way or the other. Note that I do not say that the slide in the market on Inaugeration Day is indicative of anything. I am simply saying that the fact that it did slide means that the Obamites were not able to use a rally in the market to sell their agenda. This is a good thing.

The market is the market. It will do what it is going to do. When it falls, people lose money. When it gains, these same people make money. Whether or not it has anythign to do with Obama is impossible to say. I don’t cringe or chortle one way or the other.


67 posted on 01/26/2009 5:43:19 AM PST by gridlock (QUESTION AUTHORITY)
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To: IrishBrigade

So, how much money did you lose on Inaugeration Day? Was that the straw that broke the camel’s back? If not, stop whining!


68 posted on 01/26/2009 5:45:38 AM PST by gridlock (QUESTION AUTHORITY)
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To: gridlock

Wasn’t there a Pitts back in the MLK days?


69 posted on 01/26/2009 5:46:00 AM PST by AmericanVictory
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To: Enterprise

What they want to say is that disagreeing with Hussein’s socialist policies amounts to treasonous thoughts and should be dealth with harshly. Thankfully, we are not quite there...yet.

I will not be surprised if language, guidelines, goals, etc. is slipped into these bailout and rescue bills that will promote and facilitate the [un]fairness doctrine. If we see that, we will know that the Hussein regime, Pelosi, Schumer, Reid and their press lackeys are going for total and lasting control right now.


70 posted on 01/26/2009 6:05:42 AM PST by citizen (Fascism: All persons, capital & activities exist to support the will & best interests of the State.)
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To: LifeComesFirst

Don’t expect a response.


71 posted on 01/26/2009 6:29:20 AM PST by steve8714 (How do you know your tattoo doesn't read "I love Mangina" in Chinese?)
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To: LifeComesFirst
It is un-American to demand that we owe unfailing allegiance to a President and his or her agenda.

yeah... what happened to "dissent IS patriotic" and

"I'm sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we're Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration."
Hillary Rodham Clinton

72 posted on 01/26/2009 6:34:54 AM PST by MrB (The 0bamanation: Marxism, Infanticide, Appeasement, Depression, Thuggery, and Censorship)
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To: gridlock
You may think he's going to fail, yes. You may warn he's going to fail, yes.

The democrats absolutely hoped W would fail every step of the way (including in the war on terror) and actively tried to make that happen.

73 posted on 01/26/2009 6:35:16 AM PST by VRWCmember
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To: IrishBrigade
...except on Inauguration day el rushbo was chortling over the fact that the stock market was tanking big time...hate to break up this lovefest,

I don't think you hate it at all. It's fun being the iconoclast.

But I was listening on Inauguration Day, too, and your characterization is no more honest than is the writer of this column's. Limbaugh was pointing to the plunge of the stock market not with pleasure but with a "See, I told you so" attitude, which he has every right to do.

Obama is being portrayed as the savior of us all. Pointing to the reaction of the stock market--an indicator of optimism or pessimism about the future behavior of the economy-- to show how his followers' claims that he would change that economy (even as he is merely following in Bush's footsteps in terms of a bailout) is perfectly legitimate.

I am not engaging in a "lovefest" as I have disagreements with Limbaugh and don't listen to him often. It's not a lovefest to merely point out that his take on any subject is not the same as the crowd. Not sure why that ticks you off.

but anybody (especially while reveling in his own wealth) who wishes us to take it on the chin financially, simply to spin a political viewpoint, is hardly heroic in his outlook...

True. It's not the case with Limbaugh, though, as you probably would understand if you weren't so fixed in your own point of view. I sense you have long had problems with him, for some reason.

74 posted on 01/26/2009 6:37:16 AM PST by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life Atheist)
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To: gridlock

I hope and pray that President Obama presides over a free, strong, and prosperous US where our laws become more just, our economy gets better, and government becomes more honest.

However, going by what he has said and already done, the US will be better if his efforts are thwarted by a loyal opposition and his attempts to impose socialism, infringe liberty, and weaken our nation and our allies abroad are stymied.

Therefore I hope he fails to implement his agenda and his ideas are discredited. I DO NOT want the nation to fail. Failure of a politician is NOT failure of the country, the author’s assertion that ‘his failure is our failure’ is simply an echo of past dictators. e.g. ‘I am the state’ Louis XIV


75 posted on 01/26/2009 6:47:47 AM PST by SeminoleSoldier
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To: SeminoleSoldier
Recall the speech Elizabeth II gave on Coronation Day, where she pledged to be "of service" to her people, a statement that carried special weight in British society. This was in marked contrast to the old notions of royalty, epitomized by Louis XIV (L’état, c’est moi.).

Now I see a parade of empty-headed Obamites, all pledging to be of service to "their" President, and it makes me think we are taking a huge step backwards.

76 posted on 01/26/2009 7:08:46 AM PST by gridlock (QUESTION AUTHORITY)
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To: gridlock

His failure would be the nation’s success.


77 posted on 01/26/2009 8:01:47 AM PST by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN)
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To: gridlock
(snip) ``I hope he fails.'' Do you ever say that about your president if you are an American who loves your country?

Yes. I hope that Obama's programs fail because they will be bad for the country. For the sake of the country, I hope Obama is stymied and in the end fails to enact his program. Short of that, I hope that he meets with political failure so that better policies can be put in place as soon as possible. The worst outcome would be extended Democrat power.

should a patriotic German wish that Hitler 'succeed' or 'fail' in building hte Third Reich in 1933?

78 posted on 01/26/2009 8:02:06 AM PST by WOSG (Oppose the bailouts, boondoggles, big Government -202-224-3121.)
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To: LifeComesFirst
“Your entire argument, while internally logically consistent, begins with the false antecedent that for a President to fail is necessarily the same thing as for America to fail. Not so. For one thing, we have to know what type of failure we’re talking about. “Fail” at what? Fail to show up for work everyday? Fail to get dressed? Fail to eat breakfast? Fail to lower or raise taxes? Fail to lower or increase spending? Discussion must begin with an understanding of what Limbaugh was talking about. Fortunately we don’t have to wonder, we do indeed know what Limbaugh was talking about because he said so himself. He wants Obama to fail not at making the country a better place, but to fail in implementing his agenda. He’s not the only one. It is un-American to demand that we owe unfailing allegiance to a President and his or her agenda. Rather, it is quite American to have one’s own opinions about what policies the government should pursue and which it should abandon, and to express those opinions with speech, the written word, and especially at the ballot box

Brilliant and well-stated. Of course Pitts knew that. His out-of-context quote is all about finding another right-wing strawman to bash.

79 posted on 01/26/2009 8:03:28 AM PST by WOSG (Oppose the bailouts, boondoggles, big Government -202-224-3121.)
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To: LifeComesFirst
“Your entire argument, while internally logically consistent, begins with the false antecedent that for a President to fail is necessarily the same thing as for America to fail. Not so. For one thing, we have to know what type of failure we’re talking about. “Fail” at what? Fail to show up for work everyday? Fail to get dressed? Fail to eat breakfast? Fail to lower or raise taxes? Fail to lower or increase spending? Discussion must begin with an understanding of what Limbaugh was talking about. Fortunately we don’t have to wonder, we do indeed know what Limbaugh was talking about because he said so himself. He wants Obama to fail not at making the country a better place, but to fail in implementing his agenda. He’s not the only one. It is un-American to demand that we owe unfailing allegiance to a President and his or her agenda. Rather, it is quite American to have one’s own opinions about what policies the government should pursue and which it should abandon, and to express those opinions with speech, the written word, and especially at the ballot box

Brilliant and well-stated. Of course Pitts knew that. His out-of-context quote is all about finding another right-wing strawman to bash.

80 posted on 01/26/2009 8:03:28 AM PST by WOSG (Oppose the bailouts, boondoggles, big Government -202-224-3121.)
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