Posted on 11/08/2006 11:54:25 AM PST by Ol' Sparky
'Liberated' Limbaugh flays GOP for lame campaign
Radio host: Conservative values not trumpeted by 'I'm-afraid-of-my-shadow Republican Party'
Posted: November 8, 2006
2:10 p.m. Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh says Republicans are to blame for their own demise at the polls by failing to run a campaign trumpeting conservative values.
"You and I hunger for ideological leadership and we're not getting it from the top. Conservatism, conservative ideology was nowhere to be found in this campaign from the top," Limbaugh said today in his post-election analysis. "The Democrats beat something with nothing. They didn't have to take a stand on anything other than their usual anti-war position. They had no clear agenda and believe me, they didn't dare offer one. Liberalism will still lose every time it's offered."
Democrats took control of the House of Representatives for the first time since 1994, with the fate of the Senate still uncertain.
Limbaugh said Republicans allowed themselves to be defined by Democrats and the media, and says they instead should have gone on the offensive.
"It's silly to blame the media. It is silly to blame the Democrats. It is silly to go out and try to find all these excuses," he said. "We have proven we can beat them. We've proven we can beat Democrats. We've proven we can withstand whatever we get from the drive-by media. Conservatism does that. Conservatism properly applied – proudly, eagerly with vigor and honesty – will triumph that nine times out of 10 in this current political environment and social environment in this country. It just wasn't utilized in this campaign."
Limbaugh, a longtime proponent of conservative ideology, believes the primary reason Republicans didn't campaign on their beliefs is "fear of criticism from those in the so-called establishment; and nobody wants to be criticized and nobody wants to go through their life in fear."
He listed a number of benchmarks which should have been the basis for successful campaigns including no terrorist attacks on the U.S. since Sept. 11, 2001, gasoline prices averaging $2.08 per gallon, increased take-home pay, a strong economy and an unemployment rate at a historically low level.
"We all know that there's very positive things happening out there, but it was not trumpeted by the people who should have been shouting it from the rooftops because they were proud of it," Limbaugh said. "They should have been shouting it from the rooftops, 'Look what we've done! Look how America can improve. Look how your future is brighter!' ... instead of allowing the template to be set by its critics. ... You have a defensive, Gee-I'm-afraid-of-my-shadow Republican Party."
In answering questions about how he feels about the election results, Limbaugh said, "I feel liberated. ... I no longer am gonna have to carry the water for people who I think don't deserve having their water carried. ... If those in our party who are going to carry the day in the future both in Congress and the administration are going to choose a different path than what most of us believe, then that's liberating. ...
"There have been a bunch of things going on in Congress. Some of this legislation coming out of there that I have just cringed at. And it has been difficult coming in here trying to make the case for it when the people who supposedly in favor of it can't even make the case themselves."
During the last mid-term congressional election in 2002, Limbaugh proclaimed the Democratic Party to be in total chaos, and advised it to drop failed strategies if members wish to see political gains in the future.
"They're a party in total disarray, total collapse, total chaos," he said at the time.
During the 2004 campaign, Limbaugh said the Democratic Party was completely without a leader in its hunt to regain the White House, and members were desperately trying to invent one.
"They are so absent leadership right now it's a joke," said Limbaugh, "and everybody knows this in the media, and the Democrats are out trying to manufacture one – they're trying to create one. And they've got this list of nine candidates for the Democratic nomination, and nobody can name one of them."
He is saying exactly what many of us feel!... But he was doing "his duty" trying to counter balance the message of the MSM cheerleading for the left. Rush did "his duty" just because he thinks the Reps, regardless of mistakes, are better than liberals. He also says, "he did it (carry the water), because we are at war" (and we wanted to protect the soldiers)
BUT WE LOST!... an now we can let it all out.
For some reason I feel I should wait a few days... just to let the president, everyone two or three days to digest the huge change that just took place.... BUT I DO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE PRESIDENT!... and I know he is going to make me sick again with the Immigration thing. It makes me nervous when I hear he thinks he has a much better chance of passing his "Immigration reform" with the Rats... It makes me wonder if he is really (or has ever been) a conservative or actually a very... what? liberal president?... [sight] I better stop here now :)
Rush is afraid the president and our Reps will begin to carry the water for the left in order "to be loved."
THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME!... Wait to see how happy McaCaIn and Hegel and all the other leftist will be even more loud on the side of the Rats...
And with the nomination of McCain or Guiliani, the buse will roll back and forth across us.
Thanks Rush... I guess he is ending his career being an RNC cheerleader and maybe getting back to basics again.
In fact, most, if not all economic numbers were WORSE in 1982 than when Reagan took office in Jan. 1981. The lag was still in effect and the breaks were only starting to be applied and the accelerator being depressed.
I couldn't agree more. What the hell was Hastert thinking?
A Republican going into cahoots with Scrappleface Pelosi was more than I could handle. I just about snapped! We had a corrupt liberal nailed dead in his tracks, and Hastert defends him. What a loser!
I have never supported either of those groups. Unlike other countries, our system generally does not handle more than two parties very well. I'd much rather try to reform the Republican Party.
Santorum lost because the whole GOP failed. He was taken down with the ship. No unified conservative message fail Santorum. Not Santorum himself.
Go take another pill.
Bet on it.
I PERSONALLY made signs saying
HUNTERS-
CLAIRE MCCASKILL WILL TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY
The NRA is to blame for Missouri's losses, IMO
Further on this, let us not forget that the democrats had been in control of the House for 20+ years in 1982. And if memory serves me right, only 1 time prior had the party in the white house gained house seats during a midterm.
And with yesterday, the democrats would have had to win 58 seats in the house I believe (i know its over 50) to just reach the avg. number of seats gain in 2 off year elections during a two term presidency.
But...but...Republicans like Rudy are the only ones who can defeat Hillary in 2008. </sarcasm>
The thing is, if the president was interested in his poll numbers why do you think its taken him so long to do so?
Seems pretty stupid to start kissing butt two years before a presidential election, which leads me to believe its only scaremongering by the likes of rush. The president to the cost of his rating ALL through his presidency has stood his ground, so I don't see that changing all that much.
I'd guess that majority would be vastly smaller if it weren't for some ill timed scandals.
What happened to Lindsay Graham? He really seems to have done a total 180 from his days in The House.
No, instead they donned blindfolds.
I think we're starting to see the new look of America. Years of media brainwashing and dumbing down of Education and belittling God has taken its toll. I don't think this is a Conservative Country anymore. The fact is there were record turnouts in this country...and it was not because of Conservatives.
I think we're starting to see the new look of America. Years of media brainwashing and dumbing down of Education and belittling God has taken its toll. I don't think this is a Conservative Country anymore. The fact is there were record turnouts in this country...and it was not because of Conservatives.
I think we're starting to see the new look of America. Years of media brainwashing and dumbing down of Education and belittling God has taken its toll. I don't think this is a Conservative Country anymore. The fact is there were record turnouts in this country...and it was not because of Conservatives.
I think you are absolutely right on this! Hopefully our Pubbies will recognize this as well and get back to our core principles that put them in power in the first place.
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