Cantor Rejects Rush Limbaugh Rhetoric

ABC News ^ | 03/01/09

[cc2k]

During our exclusive interview on "This Week," Republican Whip Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., rejected comments made by Rush Limbaugh at the CPAC conference.

<Snip> Limbaugh said Saturday to the conservative conference, "What is so strange about being honest and saying I want Barack Obama to fail if his mission is to restructure and reform this country so that capitalism and individual liberty are not its foundations?"

Cantor today rejected Limbaugh's rhetoric.

"So the Rush Limbaugh approach of hoping the president fails is not the Eric Cantor, House Republican approach?" I asked.

"Absolutely not," Cantor said. "And I don't -- I don't think anyone wants anything to fail right now. We have such challenges. What we need to do is we need to put forth solutions to the problems that real families are facing today."

[B-Chan]

I’m laughing at all you GOP hardliners who still think these assclowns give a damn what you think. “Don’t waste your vote by voting for a third party candidate” my ass. I intend to waste EVERY vote from now on. will NEVER vote for a Republican or Democrat again if a candidate from a third party or a write-in is on the ballot.

“Oh, but the Dems will win!” So what? Let them! It’s not like the Republicans are any different on the issues that matter. Let the Dems win forever, for all I care. It won’t make one bit of difference.

“How could they betray us?” LOL! They were never on your side to begin with!

[WildcatClan]

Look, I think what we're seeing on here on this thread is a whole lot of FReepers who haven't got the single, slightest clue about politics as it is actually played on the ground. Sorry, but no, you can't just go on national TV as an elected official and as a high-ranking member of the Party apparatus in Congress and just come busting out with how you hope Obama fails miserably, no matter how much you may privately want him to.

You're absolutely right. I think some of it can be attributed to those who are already committed to Romney or some other candidate in 2012. I am not sure how to break it to them, but if Conservatives do not gain a major victory in 2010, there will be no 2012 for them. I might also add that Limbaugh sat on his can and McCain got the nomination. He didn't want to get involved. If he wields so great a power in the GOP he could have said, "I support Hunter, he is the best, and I hope you all will support him too." Using the logic (?) on this thread; Limbaugh would not speak out and endorse a Conservative candidate therefore he is a RINO. Limbaugh did not do that and I understand why. If one holds no credibility or gravitas in their endeavor; the game is over before it begins.

[arjay]

This is just plain sad!
What a wimp.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

That statement is hardly a controversial one. PLease. It’s as mild as a damp dishrag.

I'd still be interested in seeing if you'd have thought to even say it. Point is, it's easy to sit back behind a computer screen and play armchair Congressman. Not so easy to be in the game. A lot of these tough-talkin' FReepers on this thread would probably turn into piles of Jello in an interview like the one we just saw. I guess the upshot is that we could then deride them for being RINOs, too.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

And besides, if what you are implying is that he couldn’t even say such a limpwristed reply because he doesn’t have the balls to satnd up for someone saying the plain uncouched truth, then perhaps the dainty congressman shouldn’t be going on the morning talk shows with the big boys, and perhaps if he isn’t going to fight for core principles or at least verbally defend them, maybe we need a stronger person in that chair.

No, what I'm implying is that you might have been just as dainty. Talk's cheap. Easy for you to sit back and cast stones.

[WaterBoard]

Really?

Did you read the transcript. Cantor is a joke. Apparently, he told a Democrat Reporter the Republican Party is a party of “Exclusion”. What a great cheerleader for our side.

“So the Rush Limbaugh approach of hoping the president fails is not the Eric Cantor, House Republican approach?” I asked.

“Absolutely not,” Cantor said. “And I don’t — I don’t think anyone wants anything to fail right now. We have such challenges. What we need to do is we need to put forth solutions to the problems that real families are facing today.”

Cantor said the Republican Party must change to be more inclusive.

“There is no question the Republican Party has to return to be one of inclusion, not exclusion,” Cantor said when I asked him if he was willing to move the party to the middle on issues like the environment and gay rights.

[SuziQ]

Rush is in a unique position to say what some elected officials feel that they can't say. They want to work with the President, when he's doing something with which conservatives can agree. In actual fact, that won't be very often, but they can make it sound like they want to work together. We need to take that issue away from the Democrats. Republicans have shown themselves willing to work with the President, unless he's doing something that's clearly wrong; that's why the House Republicans, including Rep. Cantor voted against the Porkulus bill.

We don't need to reject or belittle the candidates who are TALKING cooperation; they need to be re-elected, Rush doesn't. These Reps. need to convince not only the Republicans in their districts, but the disaffected Democrats, and the Independents who will be tired of being beaten down by the economy, that they have better ideas than the President, not simply that they oppose everything That One does.

That being said, if any Republicans actually go along with That One's massive spending and entitlement bills, they NEED to be excoriated, just like Specter, Collins and Snowe.

[eyedigress]

I want Stalin to fail! (Does that make me a freedom hater?)

[SuziQ]

Oops! I hadn't read your post before I said the same thing! I think some folks are just on a hair trigger, and are expecting to be sold down the river by elected Republicans.

Sometimes they forget that 'strategery' has to be employed.

[MeanWestTexan]

Cantor is a wonk. Very conservative.

I love the guy, but he is not quite ready to understand how evil his oppposition is. He actually tries to get things done with the Dhim, believing them persuadable.

It’s a fallacy of an intelligent, open, mind -— the assumption of good faith of other people.

[WildcatClan]

Cantor the RINO on Gun Control:

* Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005)
* Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse. (Apr 2003)
* No lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jan 2001)
* Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record. (Dec 2003)
* Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC. (Mar 2007)

[WildcatClan]

Cantor the RINO on Abortion:

* Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
* Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
* Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
* Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
* Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003)
* Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
* Voted YES on funding for health providers who don’t provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
* Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
* Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
* Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
* Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance. (Dec 2006)
* Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion. (Jan 2008)

[SuziQ]

Yeah, I recognize the distinction: personal aspirations over pricinple.

The proof is in the pudding. How has Rep. Cantor voted? He joined ALL of the House Republicans in voting against the Porkulus bill.

Please don't fall for the MSM's tactics of trying to alienate conservatives. They want to see the Republicans fail, and that will only occur if we let it happen.

[dforest]

Cut the purist crap out. I am sick of it. How about you folks who like the unpure, just go vote for liberals.

Then you will no longer have to mess with “so-called” purists, who are actally CONSERVATIVES.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Like I said,knife to a gun battle.Men,real ones anyway, dont mince words.

[MeanWestTexan]

Cantor has probably the most conservative voting history in the US House (beating Duncan Hunter, for example).

Look at his ACU rating, for example:

http://www.acuratings.org/2006all.htm

There are many other examples.

[MeanWestTexan]

Correcting my tag line -— was a vestigal joke.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

You're absolutely right. I think some of it can be attributed to those who are already committed to Romney or some other candidate in 2012. I am not sure how to break it to them, but if Conservatives do not gain a major victory in 2010, there will be no 2012 for them. I might also add that Limbaugh sat on his can and McCain got the nomination. He didn't want to get involved. If he wields so great a power in the GOP he could have said, "I support Hunter, he is the best, and I hope you all will support him too." Using the logic (?) on this thread; Limbaugh would not speak out and endorse a Conservative candidate therefore he is a RINO. Limbaugh did not do that and I understand why. If one holds no credibility or gravitas in their endeavor; the game is over before it begins.

Well, people on here need to think a little bit. If conservatives don't unite and FORCE the GOP into the right direction, there won't even be a 2010. There won't be anything.

I'm firmly convinced that about half the people posting on this thread are either DU plants or are sub-normal IQ mouthbreathers. Those are the only seemingly conceivable explanations.

It's like they have this weird self-fulfilling prophecy thing going on. They want to believe that the GOP is full of RINOs, and is therefore "not worthy" of their support (in which I think they overestimate their own importance, btw). So, they split the conservative vote by not voting or voting third party, and they don't get involved at the grassroots level, etc. Then, when conservatism predictably is weakened as a result, GOP elected officials at the national level start to drift Left, since that where the people who actually bother to show up and vote "obviously" want them to be. This, then, gives the nose-pickers the opportunity to further screech about how the GOP is just full of RINOs and "not worthy" of their support, ad nauseum.

Look, the cycle has got to be broken somewhere. The GOP won't swing back to conservatives until conservatives get organised and present a united front, instead of splitting their vote across fifty gadzillion pissant little third parties or staying home. United conservatives are what will convince the Party apparatus that the Right is where its bread is buttered. If conservatives want the GOP to bethe credible vehicle for conservatism that we need, then guess what? Conservatives will have to actually get off their duffs and get active in MAKING it so.

I think that's a lot of the problem, right there. Many conservatives are just insular and lazy. It's easier to whine about RINOs than it is to run for county chairman or public office or show up for a rally.

Other conservatives are cowards and fair-weather friends. It's easy to be conservative and support the GOP when Reagan is in office and it looks like things are going our way. It's not so easy when we're on the outs, like we are now. Many of these conservatives who profess to not msupporting the GOP because "it's all full of RINOs", I think, are just using this as an excuse not to have to do any heavy lifting or put their precious pride on the line. It's easier to just sit it out and be a whiner than it is to invest time and effort into an election, only to lose.

Frankly, any conservative who thinks the right course is to toss the GOP in the can and not vote, or vote third party, is either stupid, lazy or cowardly.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

I intend to waste EVERY vote from now on. will NEVER vote for a Republican or Democrat again if a candidate from a third party or a write-in is on the ballot.

So, remind me again why we should care what you think about anything, then?

[traditional1]

"Cantor has to stand for election and as such cannot be advocating failure. Limbaugh gets to sit on the sidelines and say whatever he wants (as he should).

Is it that hard for people to recognize the distinction?"

Right; we need politicians that don't speak with any integrity, and represent something different than their speeches say?

We've had enough of catering to some "broad voterbase" while giving up on principle. What Limbaugh said is simply that he hopes that socialism is a failure, so that we can get back to values that were intended in the Constitution. If Cantor is not in accord with that, he's not a Conservative but just another politician who will say anything to stay in office.