Rush Limbaugh: GOP At A Loss

Boston Herald ^ | 03/05/09 | Jessica Heslam

[raccoonradio]

Tells Herald party has no leader

Conservative talk titan Rush Limbaugh told the Herald that while he’s “the most prominent national figure actually tying Barack Obama to his policies,” the Republican Party doesn’t actually have a “leader” to take on the new administration.

“The Republican Party and the conservative movement are two different things. I have nothing to do with the party,” Limbaugh said yesterday in an e-mail. “Clearly, the GOP has no ‘leader’ right now, and they won’t until a viable presidential candidate surfaces. I have no idea who that will be.”

The right-wing radio host has emerged as the de facto leader of conservatives as the Republican Party spirals into disarray. Limbaugh’s status was only bolstered this week when Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele buckled and apologized for calling him an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”

Yesterday, the talker challenged President Obama to a debate.

Limbaugh said the White House is trying “in every way possible” to say that he’s the leader of the GOP “because they are trying to marginalize me.”

“In truth,” Limbaugh wrote, “they are elevating me, growing my audience and enabling me to get my message out to an even wider audience than my 20-22 million radio audience.”

In an age of Twitter and Facebook, the low-rent, old-fashioned talk radio show is still a huge means of communication.

Newspaper readership is down. Less people are tuning into TV news. But talk radio ratings are healthy, said Talkers Magazine publisher Michael Harrison. “Of all of the advertising-based media, talk radio seems to be one that can benefit by trouble because people talk about it,” Harrison said.

Professor Thomas Patterson of Harvard’s Kennedy School said Limbaugh’s audience rivals that of National Public Radio. “Radio advertising is down, but the radio audience isn’t down very much. There are a lot of pieces of Limbaugh’s presence that are politically meaningful and not to be brushed aside as small,” Patterson said, “but to call him the leader of the Republican Party seems, to me, a stretch.”

Yet Boston-based radio consultant Donna Halper, author of “Icons of Talk,” says Limbaugh is indeed the leader of the GOP right now. “Rush Limbaugh right now is the person that most Republicans associate with good times. ‘Boy, we took back Congress when Rush stepped up,’ ” she said. “People really do believe that he has that ability.”

[raccoonradio]

Related
Rush Limbaugh’s statement

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1156336

[sickoflibs]

Thank you Rush!

[Grunthor]

“The Republican Party and the conservative movement are two different things.”

Glad to see that Rush agrees with me.

[J. Rexmire]

Congress still needs to feel the heat on the fairness doctrine. Click here and send a personalized fax to your members of congress. Or send a blast fax to all Democrats or Republicans, or Senators or House members. Tell the "NO" to the Fairness Doctrine. Yes to free speech.

[raccoonradio]

>>Limbaugh’s audience rivals that of National Public Radio

For those who say that there really isn’t any liberal talk radio (thus their desire to bring back the Fairness Doctrine),
to quote Howie Carr: “(Air America flopped because) there already is a taxpayer funded
liberal radio network. It’s called NPR.”

[evad]

"Committee Chairman Michael Steele buckled and apologized for calling him an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”"

These people can't get anything right OR they intentionally misrepresent everything, take your pick.

Michael Steele apologized for the "ugly" reference, which was totally out of order.

Time to move on.

[Nervous Tick]

Republicans don’t have time to lead, FRiend.

They’re too busy wrestling with each other for a good position at the pork trough.

[FlashBack]

Thank You Rush! I'll be renewing my subscription soon!!!!
If the GOP/RNC want any cash they have to prove themselves to me first!

[raccoonradio]

True, but up here in New England, we wouldn’t know. We don’t have any Republicans in office...OK, maybe one or two
and of those...

(ME: two RINO Senators)
(NH: Sununu lost)
(MA: Zero Republicans in US Senate, US House, governorship,
atty general, treasurer, etc.; a scant few in state
legislature)
(RI: Patrick Kennedy, son of Sir-Drinks-A-Lot)
(VT: Senators Leaky Leahey and “Hoy! Oym Boynie Sandizz!”)
etc.
(Overall: ZERO US Reps in New England)

[TurtleUp]

“Clearly, the GOP has no ‘leader’ right now, and they won’t until a viable presidential candidate surfaces. I have no idea who that will be.”

I don't know for sure who that leader will be either, but I'm hoping we find a great leader.

[numberonepal]

Paging Michael Steele. Michael Steele please pick up the white courtesy phone. Michael Steele.

[olivia3boys]

“*Less* people are watching TV news and reading newspapers?”

Maybe *fewer* people watch the news and read newspapers because the Boston Herald includes such poor grammar.

[wny]

"The right-wing radio host has emerged as the de facto leader of conservatives as the Republican Party..."

The Obamademholes issue the talking points and his MSMwhores run with them. I'm Shocked!

[mad_as_he$$]

It was faux apology in any case. Came off as limp and not sincere.

[Capn Nickerson]

To the extent that the conservative movement is driving congressional Republicans right now, it’s fair to say that Rush really is “he who must be obeyed” if you’re a GOP congress-person. Twenty-two million listeners can unleash a hell of a lot of angry emails, phone calls and faxes if you vote the wrong way on a bill, and in a lot of conservative districts a no-confidence vote from Rush could easily cost you your seat—Rush can motivate conservative voters or not, as he chooses. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to suggest that to an extent, anyway, Rush really is driving the GOP conversation right now.

[deannadurbin]

...I have no idea who that will be

John Thune is very handsome and has a lovely family. I never hear anything about him. Why doesn’t he run?

[Cicero]

I hate to sound like a Bush-basher, but a lot of this is Bush’s fault. He and Rove went out of their way to keep young, up-and-coming conservatives out of office. They repeatedly backed RINOs like Specter, Schwarzenneger, and even Lincoln Chaffee.

One of a president’s jobs is to leave things in good shape for his successor. Bush managed to preside over a self-destructing Republican party in his last years in office. For eight years he failed to do ANYTHING about Democrat corruption at the polls, same day registration, registration of aliens, registration without proof of ID, etc.

Dick Cheney was a great guy, but usually a Vice President is chosen in the second term who can be groomed to run for president. That wasn’t done, either.

Finally, he installed a bunch of jerks in the RNC and the other Republican HQs. Bush was a good guy, decent and honest, but a lousy politician.

Personally, I think that Sarah Palin is capable of leading a comeback, but it’s far from clear that she will get the chance to do it. Not if the Dems, the media, and the Country Clubbers can possibly keep her out.

[Vaduz]

Boston Herald includes such poor grammar yes gooder grammar is a requirement for a news paper.