[indthkr]

"Actually, that would be the best thing to happen to the republican party in decades. One can only hope."

Definitely not.

Rush Limbaugh has been known to make a lot of good points on his show, and I'd be the first to defend his right to have his show, but at the end of the day, the guy has NO operational responsibility for the functioning of the RNC, or America for that matter.

While Steele probably could have stated the situation more effecively, he is fundamentally correct: Limbaugh at this point is basically just a Radio Personality and Entertainer. When the day comes where Limbaugh is measured by something other than selling ad space, maybe I'll take him more seriously.

[Cedric]

Agreed.

The last thing the GOP needs right now is to have a radio guy who open states he'll never run for office deemed to be the head of the party.

Prescription for electoral disaster.

[adorno]

Rush Limbaugh has been known to make a lot of good points on his show, and I'd be the first to defend his right to have his show, but at the end of the day, the guy has NO operational responsibility for the functioning of the RNC, or America for that matter.

Limbaugh at this point is basically just a Radio Personality and Entertainer. When the day comes where Limbaugh is measured by something other than selling ad space, maybe I'll take him more seriously.

Though not operationally responsible for any government or civilian positions, Rush has meant more to the conservative cause than any republican or conservative in the last 30 years, other than Reagan. There have been thousands of republicans who have been elected to positions of responsibility who have not come even close to the influence that Limbaugh exerts on conservatism.

As such, he is a leader. He has more followers than any one person in any leadership position right now when it comes to the republicans.

Though he functions as a "radio personality" and an "entertainer", his influence on republicans far surpasses any that Steele or any republican could hope for. He speaks about the conservative cause and understands it a lot better than any one in a visible position right now, and that includes Steele or any elected "republican" official.

If any republican elected official, or "selected" official (such as Steele), wants to trash or disown Rush, then they are in effect also disowning the conservative cause. I would rather follow a Limbaugh than a Steele who would compromise his conservatism for minor gains in political correctness or diplomacy.