Posted on 03/25/2011 5:44:32 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Craig in central Florida. You are on Open Line Friday. Hi.
CALLER: Hey, Rush. Dittos. It's great to talk to you.
RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much.
CALLER: I'll get right to my point here. I just have a simple question for you. Are you going to endorse a GOP candidate?
RUSH: You mean in the primaries?
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: It would only be the second time if I did it. I know, the pressure is on, the pressure is on. Everybody says look what happened last time when I didn't, I know.
CALLER: If you don't plan to, I beg you to do it, you know, considering the circumstances in the country right now, and based on the results from last time, getting McCain.
RUSH: Yeah, I know. You're blaming me for that?
CALLER: No, no, no, I'm not blaming you. I mean, everybody has a reason for what they do but, you know, the country needs conservatives, in particular need that kind of leadership.
RUSH: Let me ask you a question. I'm gonna turn it around on you. You know who the field is right now pretty much, right?
CALLER: Yeah.
RUSH: Who do you endorse?
CALLER: If I had to vote for somebody right now I'd probably vote for Bachmann.
RUSH: Michele Bachmann.
CALLER: I mean I like Palin. I don't really understand all the hatred for Palin. I think it's almost like an infection that a lot of even conservatives buy into that --
RUSH: Fear. It's fear.
CALLER: I don't understand it, but I would vote for Bachmann. But you know it's gonna save the candidates a ton of money, a tone of hard feelings and backbiting. And it's gonna allow them to save their money to go up against Obama who's gonna have, they say, a billion dollars in the bank.
RUSH: Well, some of that goes beyond the scope of my responsibilities here, saving money. But nevertheless, I understand your concerns. It's a question I've been asked by many. If you look at the way this field is shaping up, you've got Bachmann, you have Palin, Christie, Trump, any number of people here that you could coalesce behind. It will be an interesting period of time. Did I hear you say that you like McCain or did you say Palin?
CALLER: No, no, no, I like Palin.
RUSH: Palin.
CALLER: McCain, I feel the same way that you do about McCain. I mean I voted for him but I held my nose when I did it, though.
RUSH: Well, the real question is who is Colin Powell going to endorse because he is said to be the prototypical Republican and he's not gonna be running and we've always been told that General Powell, keep a sharp eye on how he's thinking, who he endorses, that's probably the best route the Republican Party could take.
CALLER: Well, I could kinda care less about that, but I think you're ducking me here. You're really not gonna give me a yes or no?
RUSH: (laughing) I'm just having fun with you.
CALLER: I know.
RUSH: No, I don't know. Look, what do you want me to do? If there's nobody in the field that I am jazzed about, which is entirely possible, if there's nobody in the field, what I'm gonna have to do then is say, okay, this election had better be about Obama, and I think it ought to be anyway. This election should be all about Obama because, frankly, I would vote for Elmer Fudd than Obama. I would vote for whoever the Republicans nominate.
CALLER: Of course.
RUSH: I don't care.
CALLER: Everybody would. Any conservative would, but you're in a unique position to just clean out the field, allow all these candidates to back up the person --
RUSH: No. No wait a minute, now. Wait a minute -- (crosstalk)
CALLER: -- spending their money trashing them.
RUSH: I'm not trying to slither out of this. I'm trying to tell you as honestly as I can, what if there isn't anybody I'm passionate about? I could do that, I could pick somebody, but if I don't have passion about it, I can't. I'm not a liar. I can't come in here and tell you I'm razzmatazz, rolled, and ready to go.
CALLER: Nah, you don't have to be passionate to endorse somebody.
RUSH: Thanks to you my own staff is ganging up on me in here.
CALLER: Good.
RUSH: The election is going to be about Obama. (interruption) I'm suggesting to you that it is entirely possible a loser candidate will get the nomination. That's what I'm telling you. It has to be about Obama, it has to be. That's what all this is about. It has to be about Obama. We can't handle four more years of this. What do you mean, if it's you-know-who? Who the hell is you-know-who? (laughing) Now they're throwing names at me, folks, they're telling me, "If you know it's such-and-such it's gonna be a disaster and if it's that person it's gonna be a disaster." It may well be. That's what I'm telling you. It may well be a disaster, and regardless what it is, the election has to be about Obama, it's got to be. That's the only logical thing anyway. We have got to stop this, even if it's a stopgap, Elmer Fudd, I don't care, pick a name. This is why I don't understand all this talk, and I hear about people, "I don't think Palin's the one, do you, Rush?" Well, she's a lot better than some of the others already in the field, all right? We could say that about a lot of them. (interruption) Yeah, I know, I know, I need to -- (interruption) No, because nobody knows that.
Snerdley's just said, "You gotta pick the person who can win." I gotta pick the person who could best beat Obama, who has the best chance of beating Obama, that's what you think? Who can win the nomination or beat Obama? Saving the country is about getting rid of Obama, and I'm telling you, you guys are not hearing me. You're not hearing me because you don't want to face the truth. The truth is, the sad reality is we may end up with Milquetoast as a nominee. We still have to get rid of Obama, in which case it has to be, the election has to be about Obama. It has to be. You'll see. You'll see. Staff still doubts me. I know some of you people do, but they know me best, they still doubt me. I'll tell you this. Whoever in this field takes it to Obama the straightest, the hardest, and the most direct is who's gonna win. Somebody's gonna have to take it to Obama. This is not a pussyfoot around type election. This is not, "Well, we gotta worry about what they say about us, gotta worry about our PR, we gotta worry about charges of racism." Somebody's gonna have to be willing to take it to Obama. It's going to be about him and four more years of this stuff, and we'll see if there's anybody in this field willing to do that. All right. Thanks for the call out there. I appreciate it.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I'll tell you something else. This Libya stuff and the Japanese earthquake has created an impression that might not be accurate. Let me just put it this way. Do not believe that the Tea Party has forgotten about this budget business, the spending, what the Republicans on Capitol Hill are doing, make no mistake. They are as focused, they're gonna be as demanding, they're gonna be watching. It's only intensifying. This reluctance on the part of the Republican leadership to deal seriously with spending and defund Obamacare, there is a lot happening, it's not being reported on 'cause the press shoves it aside for this sexier stuff, the Japanese earthquakes, the tsunami, the Japanese syndrome and all that stuff, then Libya and everything else, but the pressure being brought to bear on Republicans regarding spending, Tea Party, they're swelling in their ranks, their enthusiasm's growing, their demands are intensifying. Just 'cause you're not hearing about it doesn't mean that it's been forgotten or the energy or passion has evaporated, because that isn't the case at all.
END TRANSCRIPT
Trump is a clown. A smart clown, but a clown nonetheless. And he greases the skids for his own purposes. He is not an actor who wants to serve his country like Reagan was. He is a businessman/celebrity who acts to serve himself. He can say whatever he pleases because he doesn’t have to answer to anyone for it. And that is what he does. But he is no president of the United States.
The Libs and Republican establishment/RINO`s, are in bed together trying to spin that Bachmann is more popular now than Palin.
Its simply not the case in my circle.
The MSM is working this angle non stop, hope people do not fall for it.
Damn well said, Mesta. I strongly agree.
The only downside to choosing West as her running mate, is that most Americans have no idea who he is. VP running mates are normally chosen for what they can bring to the ticket.
In West's case, he'd surely pull Tea Party voters who might otherwise feel soft on Palin, but he wouldn't bring much in the way of any other voting block. He just hasn't been around long enough to have a great deal of influence in national politics yet.
That said, he's probably one of the very best choices she could make for the day to day job of serving as VP - especially given the reasons you stated.
ONE. Count them. ONE nationally televised speech or debate with Allen West and there would be instant love. I’m telling you. The TEA party knows him already. The man has it...whatever it is...he’s a Conservative love magnet. Trust me on this.
Mark Levin is right that Republican primaries are crucial for advancing conservatism. Rush should be discussing these pivotal primaries against RINOs.
Any idiot can advocate for McCain or even Castle, Specter or Olympia Snowe against a socialist-democrat. That is only the minimum to advance conservatism; sometimes it’s counterproductive. To truly change the ideological makeup of the Repub. Party and the government, we need to get the constitutional, Tea Party-style candidates through the primaries.
If Rush would do this his influence would be even greater. The vast majority of his audience is already supporting McCain over Zero. But Republicans in his audience looking at a Rubio vs. Crist or Specter vs. Toomey primary need to truly understand the differences between true conservatism and RINOs.
“VP running mates are normally chosen for what they can bring to the ticket.”
But I think mccain chose Sarah because he thought she was a sure loss. That man did not want to win the election. And he would not allow Sarah to be Sarah once he realized how popular she was.
Col. West would be an outstanding campaigner and asset to Palin in so many ways. I don’t think she would tether him or muzzle him like mccain did to her.
He is a remarkable man and she is a remarkable woman. Together, I think they are invincible. Seriously. In fact, the more I think about it, the more sure I am.
Plus many of McCain’s campaign aides were ex-Romney people who saw how charismatic and powerful Gov. Palin was and went to work to sabotage the election and her chances of ever running for anything else.
No, not really. There isn't anything left of the republic now. We're a banana republic military junta at present.
> I hate to disagree with Rush but this election is about way more than Obama.
I agree and part of the problem is that the establishment GOP needs to be the party of ideas. It’s not going to win anything by talking about what they aren’t. They need to define solutions for the future, then stop at nothing to make sure it gets done.
Somewhere in your post, you lost me. Aren’t those primaries past, and didn’t we win? The mccain thing was the LAST election and a setupfrom the getgo. We never had a prayer of stopping him. We know better now. So what is it you are saying? That Rush should jump in feet first without even knowing who is running?
He has made it pretty clear that he wants Conservatives, not rinos. What exactly do you want him to do right now? Has holdon “endorsed” a candidate who hasn’t announced yet?
Epic FAIL!!! All they did was show us the real romney. And it ain’t pretty.
Very well stated. I agree with your assessment. West is a great compliment to Sarah.
They are both outsiders to Washington and they both are tenacious fighters who love their country. West is an amazing patriot!
West would make minced meat of Biden in any debate -- that would be a joy to behold.
I feel Obama so fears Sarah that he would find a way NOT to debate her. I watched the 06 debates when she ran for Governor. She was masterful. She is a genius at politics and engaging her opponents.
“Palin/West ticket is about the best thing going for 2012. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
Good one, too.
I don’t think he should. All he will do is anger people, no matter whom he endorses.
Think outside of the box. Why not Bigelow / Grey 2012
What I meant to suggest was Rush does not want to be the one who slows down the agenda of getting rid of zero in any way shape or form.
I’m not saying Rush should endorse anyone for president now, I’m saying he should end his policy of neutrality in Republican primaries. I cited some examples from the past.
By the way, Rush mentioned breaking the rule one other time. Who was the person he endorsed in a primary on another occasion?
You've got a point there, Mesta. Allen West is charismatic in the extreme, and naturally attracts followers because of his (very real) warrior bearing and the strength of his message.
In lieu of a nationally televised speech or debate, West could begin taping weekly addresses to his constituents, and post them to his congressional website. They'd probably go viral.
He is a remarkable man and she is a remarkable woman. Together, I think they are invincible.
Yes, Sarah would be 'in it to win it', and would choose someone like West because he would be of like mind and temperament. I don't think she'd put the slightest damper on him during the campaign, and would, in fact, encourage him to make the same sorts of motivational speeches that he's done in the past.
The more I look at the concept of them running together, the better I like it. In fact, I'm starting to think that he's the best choice she could make.
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