Posted on 03/02/2009 9:59:48 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Limbaugh's latest attacker: RNC's Steele By: Jonathan Martin March 2, 2009 12:07 PM EST
On the same night he was offering the keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rush Limbaugh drew criticism from an unlikely source: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.
In a little-noticed interview Saturday night, Steele dismissed Limbaugh as an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”
Steele’s criticism makes him the highest-ranking Republican to pick a fight with the popular and polarizing conservative talk show host.
But the new RNC chairman’s extraordinary comments won’t sit well with the millions of conservative listeners Limbaugh draws each week, and Steele aides scrambled to limit the damage Monday morning by trying to change the subject.
“Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats know they lose an argument with the Republican Party on substance so they are building straw men to attack and distract,” said RNC spokesman Alex Conant.
“The feud between radio host Rush Limbaugh and Rahm Emanuel makes great political theater, but it is a sideshow to the important work going on in Washington. RNC Chairman Michael Steele and elected Republicans are focused on fighting for reform and winning elections. The Democrats’ problem is that the American people are growing skeptical of the massive government spending being pushed by Congressional leaders like Nancy Pelosi.”
Limbaugh, asked to respond, said he’d save his counter-attack for his listeners.
“I’ll handle it on the radio,” he wrote in an e-mail.
In an interview on CNN with D.L. Hughley, Steele assured that he, not Limbaugh, was in charge of the party before saying that he wanted to put the right-wing talker “into context.”
“Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer,” Steele said. “Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment. Yes it’s incendiary, yes it’s ugly.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Well, I admit it, I was certainly wrong about Steele. The hell with the Republican Party then.
I saw that last night and it pissed me off.. plus Hugley’s very racist remarks that Steele didn’t have the balls to come back on, like Hugley saying “we don’t buy Ivory soap politics”..
GOP is now Democrat Lite. Time to find a new political home, IMHO.
I’ll wait for more info. If Steele actually said what he is purported to have said and he actually means it, he might as well fall on his sword right now. Any big name Pubbie who picks a fight with Limbaugh is going to lose. And deservedly so.
Divide and conquer. That’s the MSM’s goal.
Republicans continue to give the Media ammunition. Steele needs to clarify what he said and/or go on Rush’s show.
I wonder if Steele even listened to Rush’s speech at CPAC...
Please, please, PLEASE don't give the GOP any of your money.
If they call your house, then tell them to take you off their phone lists & off their mailing lists, and hang up the phone on them.
His friend Christie Whitmanesque RINOishness slip is showing.
How long is his term again?
Not a surprise. The same guy is viruntly anti-gun.
No surprise here.
Unfortunately Steele picked a fight with someone who has a big megaphone. He could be 100% right, and still lose the battle, for the time being.
It’s like the old adage of don’t pick on someone who buys ink by the barrel.
I’m hearing more and more people who have conservative values saying enough with the rhetoric already.
Time for a new party. Conservatives are no longer welcome in the RNC.
Not one dime...that was going to be my response when the call came and I was going to use Snowe, Collins, and Spector as why I wouldn’t give...now I’ll just say the chairman does not share the same conservative values I think the “head” of our party should have.
I’m tremendously disappointed.
Snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory since his appointment. WTG, Michael.
I watched the clip going around, and I don’t see where Steele called Rush’s specch “ugly” or “incendiary.” Now Hughley did, and Steele didn’t shoot him down, but it did not come from Steele’s lips.
The people who picked this Mr. Steele should be fired! Mr. Steele should be excused from his position and REPLACED!
I am really disappointed by Steele’s comments. That is one reason I fear we will remain in the minority. Conservatives will not stick together. The Dems remain totally united in savaging the right and wanting to destroy us. Too many Republicans still think they can place the nice guy and win. It’s not going to work. GWB proved that.
Hughley is a vulgar comedian anyway. He is the one who should be dismissed as nothing more than an “entertainer.” I did not see the show but it sounds like Steele blew a good opportunity.
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