[quidnunc]

Jim Robinson wrote: "I'm a little surprised they came out of the box so cynically," Totally tone deaf.

It wasn't so long ago that Rush was singing a completely different tune.

He was adament that the only way to advance the conservative agenda was through winning elections, and that the GOP was the only game in town for conservatives.

[Jim Robinson]

And that is still the case. I doubt Rush will abandon Bush or the GOP and neither will I. But I do object to the president appointing his personal friend and lawyer to such an important lifetime position.

[Maynerd]

He (Limbaugh) was adament that the only way to advance the conservative agenda was through winning elections, and that the GOP was the only game in town for conservatives.

As Paul Harvey says, "Here's the rest of the story." Why does Limbaugh want to win elections? To advance conservatism not just to win more elections. I hope "Republicans" are not in the early stages of Lord Actons maxim:

power corrupts. absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[Cicero]

As you point out, Rush has usually supported Bush. Indeed, he has often been criticized by conservatives for supporting Bush more warmly than he should. That gives his current grave doubts about the Miers nomination greater credibility. Rush has never jumped on Bush gratuitously, as far as I can remember.

Neither have I. But the way he has handled this whole business suggests that he is desperate, understands he has made a serious political miscalculation, yet cannot face the idea of backing down. So all we get is talk about repackaging the candidate, or foolish gratuitous insults against anyone who questions him.

Face it, Card and the other Bush functionaries have never addressed this kind of language to Teddy Kennedy, or to any of the other liberals who have outright accused the president of being a stupid liar. But they do it to their own base when they dare question this decision. Even the Telegraph admits that this is unprecedentedly stupid:

"The use of such language by a top Bush aide about prominent Republican party supporters was unprecedented, indicating a growing sense of desperation."

[WOSG]

It wasn't so long ago that Rush was singing a completely different tune. He was adament that the only way to advance the conservative agenda was through winning elections, and that the GOP was the only game in town for conservatives.

Rush hasn't changed his tune. He'll criticize Republicans when they do nconservative things... his analysis has been spot-on, here as elsewhere. He's given the Bush WH a fair hearing, heck he had Cheney on day 1 of this. He's not been bashing Miers.... but has told the truth: For conservatives, this is *at best* a missed opportunity to prove that open conservatives CAN get on the court.