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."
Unfortunately, that's true. A couple years ago we were begging for a primary challenge to McPain here in AZ - if we'd had one I really think we could have gotten rid of him finally.
DeWine got ZERO credit for his "moderation" with the Gang of 14 or his ANWR vote. Now, just think: if he had aggressively supported the conservative judges and slapped down Harry Reid and his little filibusters, and if he had voted for ANWR, do you think he would have received fewer "independent" votes? I don't. So his moderation got him zip, zero, nada, while it screwed us.
The solution is obvious, and should be advocated by Limbaugh himself: A NEW CONTRACT WITH AMERICA.
Start it right now. Include those most important things near and dear to the hearts of conservatives. ALL conservatives, not just some conservatives.
(draft list)
1) A balanced budget.
2) A line-item veto.
3) Close the border with Mexico to illegal aliens with a fence.
4) Break up the media oligopoly.
5) End the death tax.
6) Partial privatization of Social Security.
7) Increase the manpower strength of the military.
Once this new CONTRACT WITH AMERICA is created, then approach EACH AND EVERY REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS AND THE SENATE AND CANDIDATE WHO RUNS FOR CONGRESS AND THE SENATE IN 2008 NOW!
They should have a chance to sign their name to the new CONTRACT WITH AMERICA at least a dozen times before the next election. It should be pounded in to them that this is what their constituants want.
And the republican party as a whole must know that it should only support candidates who sign on the dotted line. If they refuse to sign, or if they renig after they are elected, then they are OUT OF THERE.
Rush Limbaugh can lead the charge on this one. Every week on his radio show he can read off the names of republicans who have signed on, and those who refuse. Then let's see how long the hold-outs can hold out, with their constituents barking at their heels for months on end.
If they can make it all the way to 2008 without signing on, then they might as well become democrats, because they are either really democrats, or they are into it only for themselves.
Shermy, could the fellow who made the corruption comment have been Ed Rollins, former Reagan pollster? I heard him (on tape) on "Quinn and Rose" say something comparable today.
"Santorum lost because the whole GOP failed. He was taken down with the ship. No unified conservative message fail Santorum. Not Santorum himself." That may be part of it, but Santorum lost convincingly, while others were in very close races.
iraq isn't going to recover.
In the case of the press, as others here have said, we should have been on offense with the William Jefferson scandal, the Sandy Burglar scandal, the NY Times leaks---these things should have involved prosecutions and indictments. Now, I know the counter argument is that you get portrayed as "doing nothing but investigating." But we can walk and chew gum at the same time. When you keep these enemy (and I intentionally use that word here) on the front pages, you somewhat neutralize the press because they at least have to deal with the allegations on a regular basis.
re: The Republicans were hunkered down and playing defense in midfield
Kinda like they decided to freeze the ball, and their plan worked very well, except they were behind when they came up with the brilliant strategy! Just a shame no one thought to check out the scoreboard before embarking on their daring plan.
Looking at Bob Casey's campaign website, you can tell he ran as a liberal in conservative clothes. I can't help but imagine Casey scratched what itched on those people who were tired of Repubs running things but dont want flaming leftists even though Casey is one. He posed as not one.
I dont expect to see Casey there for more than one term personally after they witness him. Same with Sherrod Brown.
My speculation about Graham is FBI files. He seems a little light in the loafers. But this is rank gossip. Who knows? All we know is he is a liberal Republican in a conservative state. We need a conservative from that state, and we need about 15 more conservatives in the Senate to get close to a majority. That will take 3 or 4 election cycles, if the GOP is well led by a charismatic figure. If not, it is probably wishful thinking, and you better just hope for conservatives being a large part of a majority Republican country. Even that is in the balance in the 2008 election, and will be gone if immigration reform passes.
Hey, I'm not giving the GOP a pass on terrible legislation and pig-trough spending. But I do think we were up 20-0 and had them on the one, and let them go 99 yards for a touchdown.
Gotta be something else. Was he a phony before when he had to act and vote a certain way because of his House distract?
Good point on Kelo. How many states are now passing anti-Kelo legislation?
You're a fellow hoosier huh. Watching the returns last night made me sick. Knowing that Howard County help do in Chocola makes me upset to call Kokomo home.
I am hard pressed to find any ballot measures that get those kind of Yes votes.
Here, here! Excellent ideas. If you need any help getting this one starting give me a holler!
"Shermy, could the fellow who made the corruption comment have been Ed Rollins, former Reagan pollster? I heard him (on tape) on "Quinn and Rose" say something comparable today."
Per image search, no. The fellow had dark hair, and a five - clock shadow.
I think I said the reporter was Britt Hume?? Looking at more pics it could have been Brian Williams. I'm not good at TV personalities. :)
The statement occurred around 1:30-2:00 a.m. EST time
Looks like we got a troll in our midst.
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