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."
Just like when Rush's hero, Ronald Reagan lost 26 seats in his first moid-term election.
He's accurate to an extent.
But one day later, to do what really ammounts to lambasting the gop is hardly going to help.
He was in a sense scaremongering that the president is about to do a u turn on things like stem cell research and gay marriage which is nonsense.
The issues at stake were iraq, and corruption. Conservativr america DID NOT reject conservative principles.
The democrats played a dirty game through their left wing buddies in the media and put out one or two conservative candidates to take the house and a couple of senate races.
They abandoned their principles to do so, where as the GOP has stood by its, even at the cost of the election.
Once iraq recovers, I wonder what the democrats are going to do with all these 'semi' conservatives on their cards.
My guess, is more infighting.
He's accurate to an extent.
But one day later, to do what really ammounts to lambasting the gop is hardly going to help.
He was in a sense scaremongering that the president is about to do a u turn on things like stem cell research and gay marriage which is nonsense.
The issues at stake were iraq, and corruption. Conservativr america DID NOT reject conservative principles.
The democrats played a dirty game through their left wing buddies in the media and put out one or two conservative candidates to take the house and a couple of senate races.
They abandoned their principles to do so, where as the GOP has stood by its, even at the cost of the election.
Once iraq recovers, I wonder what the democrats are going to do with all these 'semi' conservatives on their cards.
My guess, is more infighting.
Ever hear the term "collateral damage"? Nufsed.
I know this sounds crazy, but maybe you could blame the loser in the race for not getting enough votes to win. Just a thought.
Bib; I have a question, and I'm not being facetious.
Haven't you been surprised everytime Santorum won an election in that state? I never quite believed that Pennsylvania was that conservative - it was like he cast a spell on them.
That being said, he performed better in this campaign than almost every other Republican I can think of. Him and Steele.
Another question: if they both ran, who is the more appealing Presidential candidate now? Santorum or Allen?
I disagree. Bush has a long and storied history of not vetoing anything that crosses his desk. Even the McCain-Feingold abomination was signed by Bush, for cryin' out loud!
If the Dhimmicrats pass it, expect Bush to sign it. He's been rubberstamping their runaway spending this long. What the hell makes you think he's going to change his approach now??
I suspect Rumsfeld saw the writing on the wall - he would be innefective, and the dems would see to that by having him in the hot seat testifying day in and day out, trying to 'get' him.
It will be a witch hunt, I am certain of that. Better to get a fresh face in there so the DOD can sail on an keep the mission running, without the constant congressional distraction certain to be created by Pelosi.
"Nothing like being kicked while you are down."
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I agree it seems like poor taste, BUT!!! isn't this part of the reason the PUBS got beat. They are too worried about being nice to everybody instead of fighting for what they believe in. Also, having gotten knocked down isn't it a good time to really analyze what their core principals are?
I not so sure the Congressional leadership wasn't conservative enough. But it was totally uninspired. It did nothing, stood for nothing.
Well, it WAS a lame campaign.
The Republicans were hunkered down and playing defense in midfield, and refused to go for the long game when they had the ball.
High and rising stock market, falling energy prices, full employment, relative peace at home, things under control in Iraq. How could any of that be bad?
The American public never heard that view of things.
Republicans got so fat that their balls disappeared.
Time for a diet and a rethink.
Oh, that'll really help. Then the Republicans can be the minority party for the next thirty years.
Santorum lost 2006 in 2004.
Because the difference on both of those for example is, bush actually makes decisions based on very hard held beliefs.
When it comes to a few issues he will not go back.
He could not have made any clearer his opposition to them.
If anything happens to Bush and Cheney in the next two years and Nambla Nan becomes president by default, will Hillary run for the top job as a RINO?
Sometimes the truth hurts! Suck it up. Learn from the mistakes, and come back stronger!
"...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."
Should read:
"...talk-show host Rush Limbaugh says Republicans are to blame for their own demise at the polls by failing to ACT ON AMERICAN-CONSERVATIVE VALUES."
Better late than never, I suppose.
Speaker Hastert defending that trash William Jefferson, D-LA, was the last straw.
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