Limbaugh the Leader? Obama Chief of Staff Calls Talk Show Host a Barrier to Progress

FoxNews ^ | March 1, 2009 | FoxNews

[FocusNexus]

President Obama's chief of staff said conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh is the de facto leader of the Republican Party, and suggested that Limbaugh's desire for the president's policies to fail is the uniform position of the GOP.

Chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said Limbaugh is the "intellectual force" of the GOP and Republicans now have to live with that choice.

"He is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party. And he has been up front about what he views, and hasn't stepped back from that, which is he hopes for failure. He said it. And I compliment him for his honesty, but that's their philosophy that is enunciated by Rush Limbaugh. And I think that's the wrong philosophy for America," Emanuel said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

On Saturday, Limbaugh gave an hour-and-a-half speech to cap off the three-day Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. Limbaugh said it's fine for Republicans to criticize Obama's plans and Republicans must return to their core philosophies.

He added that Obama's plan won't restore prosperity and that's why he wants it to fail.

[sefarkas]

still cannot get over the fact that THREE NETWORKS carried

No? The MSM's job is to build an audience and one way to do it is to foment discontent. It was an hour 28 minute commercial for Rush -- there is business to be done on both sides. If everything were nice and bipartisan, who would watch? MSM has to make sure there is a credible challenger in the room so everyone will watch the fight. None of the current crop on Capital Hill are up to the challenge, so the MSM has to promote Rush and Rush is more than happy to oblige.

[Waco]

‘’Barrier to progress’’,,,,,towards communism.

[ballplayer]

Perfect eaxample this morning on CNN ,they had the Internet Question “What did you think Of Rush Limbaughs speech last Night ?”The first response I saw was from a Woman who said she was surfing by and saw Limbaugh and she usually cant turn him off fast enough but instead listened to a good portion of his speech and found herself AGREEING with him. This she found Scary.
Now I think this reaction sent shivers down the spines of all Left wing Fairies like Rahm the Ballerina.
I truly believe most Lefties dont listen to Rush they just go by other people opinions and this reaction happens more times than the Left wing loons will admit and so now the assault begins to discredit Rush AGAIN. I hope it only brings more attention to Rush as most of these millions of unemployed have time to listen to him where they didnt before .

[pepperdog]

That's what I want: A "No DC" politician! One that has never set foot in DC, even as a very young child, would be great but I guess that is asking too much. But I surely don't want another Senator or Washington insider. No DC people/politicians/insiders nohow! I am sick to death of DC beltway cliques!

[Jacquerie]

Rush is generally not well-liked in the U.S. by a majority of voters. Only 60% of Republicans have a favorable view of him and even more critical, only 25% of independents have a favorable view of him.

BFD.

Bill Clinton, the definition of narcissism, made his decisions based on polls. Real leaders do not.

Rush speaks the truth. The truth angers liberals. Does the truth anger you?

[A Strict Constructionist]

“Rahm Emmanual attacking Limbaugh?”

Fish heads, fish heads, rolly polly fish heads
Fish heads, fish heads, eat them up
Yumm!

In the morning, laughing happy fish heads
In the evening, floating in the soup

Fish heads, fish heads, rolly polly fish heads
Fish heads, fish heads, eat them up
Yumm!

Ask a fish head anything you want to
They won’t answer, they cant talk

[Jacquerie]

I now see why Obama is against the fairness doctrine and I will predict now that he will veto any fairness doctrine or anything that comes close to it regardless of what it is called.

Wrong.

Obammy is the b!tch of Pelosi and Reid. When our Marxist Congress passes a bill for ACORN groups to make life miserable for radio stations, Hussein will sign it.

[PhilDragoo]

[ballplayer]

Funny that the Ballerina wasnt Complaining when the Democrats were rooting for our defeat every step of the way in Iraq. The Iraqi people will never vote for an interim Government,the Iraqi people will never have an election ,to much Violence in Iraq ,the Iraqi people will never vote for a Constitution ,they will never vote for a Permanent Govt .
The war is Lost ,our troops are worse than the Nazis ,George Bushs prescription drug program is to confusing will never work ,besides it is the biggest expansion of the welfare state since Medicare what is he trying to do Bankrupt our children and Grandchildren?
Selected Not Elected ,Bush Is not running the Country Cheney is . Bush started this war for his friends in Texas ,Halliburton,Enron ,Bush is a Moron ,cant Speak ,everyone Hates the United States ,Bush is Trashing the Constitution ,didnt connect the dots ,Bush Bombed the world Trade Center .
Not Once did George W Bush Go out and attack Individual Americans By name even under this Constant Barage for 8 years and Yet the ONE after 1 month cant take the Heat for trying to destroy the United States Of America .
I would have more respect for the Fraud if he had the guts to just say right out he is remaking the US in the Mold of the Soviet Union. But his type dont do things in the light of day,they are snakes in the grass,Back stabbers

[Squantos]

Sweet !

[Gordon Greene]

I think everyone on all the posts about this are missing the real point of the attacks...

“Rush Limbaugh is the de facto leader of the Republican Party” Barack Obama

Why do you think he said that? There is no way that Obama can just come out and ask the Republican Party to forsake Rush like he did Jeremiah, his grandma and all the rest of his buddies. This is like you said a “divide and conquer” ploy, but more than that it is a roundabout way to get back at Rush and other talk show hosts for bringing the sins of his friends to light and making him repudiate them.

This is the moral equivalent of what they accuse George Bush of doing when we went into Iraq. Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright have been Obama’s surrogate fathers and he is taking out the people who took out his daddy.

Plain and simple...

[Prole]

Right on, and F.U.R.E.

[BuffaloJack]

Rush is Right..
Obama NEEDS to FAIL.

[taraytarah]

“And it’s our desire that the Republicans would work with us and try to be constructive, rather than adopt the philosophy of somebody like Rush Limbaugh, who is praying for failure.”

If we truly want to be constructive, striving for prosperity and extending true charity, upholding the values and visions of our founding fathers, then we definitely should all be literally praying for the failure of all those intent on destroying our cherished country, whose blessings and freedoms are sealed in the blood of her fallen heroes.

The success and victory of America lies in the failure and defeat of her enemies, both foreign and domestic.

[rocksblues]

Every time I watch the House or Senate on TV, I get this strange feeling that everybody is wearing madras shirts, white chino pants and hush puppies with no socks. Where are the real Americans?

[Neverforget01]

If we take Rush as the leader of the party then we need to get used to Republicans yielding the real power to the Dems and get used to seeing liberal legislation being rammed down our throats for years to come.

We tried your way..we got McCain and failure.

Rush is NOT the leader of the Republican party. Rush's philosophy SHOULD be the philosophy of the Republican party. Appeasing Democrats is the surest road to failure.

[Jim Noble]

You people don't understand communists.

Whenever and wherever they come to power, their plans fail. They have an uniform explanation of this, and there is a Soviet neologism for the people who bring it about.

These people are the wreckers.

Before the wreckers can work their evil, it's important that they be rounded up and liquidated.

But in order to gain the power to liquidate the wreckers, running dogs, and capitalist roaders, first the people must understand that it is THEM, not the Dear Leader and not the Party, which is at fault.

Making Rush a "barrier to progress" is the first step on the road to the Gulag and to the execution post.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying. America is not Venezuela, or Cuba. We have infinitely more social cohesion and life force than Chile did in 1973, or Indonesia did in 1965. By what they are doing, they will destroy themselves.

But make no mistake, the attack on Rush is a new thing, a communist thing - and we should expect much, much more of the same before they bring the temple down on their own heads.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Rush is NOT the leader of the Republican party. He IS the leader of the Conservative movement.

Republican and Conservative are not mutually inclusive terms.

[PA-RIVER]

BO is a fool picking this fight, and I’m glad he did.

FUBO FUBO FUBO
FUBO FUBO FUBO
FUBO FUBO FUBO
FUBO FUBO FUBO
FUBO FUBO FUBO

[PA-RIVER]

That makes a great bumper sticker.

I hope to see it on million cars by april.

The man makes me sick to my stomache. I would gladly pay to say to his face.