I see Limbaugh's success in two parts: 1) reward for taking the vanguard in conservativism and influencing politics and leadership in our direction, and 2) an investment in ensuring the sustainability of this.
There is no doubt that Limbaugh has been successful in mobilizing Republicans by pioneering the AM radio medium to counter the MSM.
But people invested in Limbaugh by supporting his show, supporting his sponsors, supporting his charities, and supporting the knock-offs that Limbaugh inspired.
Now they're looking to him to make due on that investment, and that means sometimes putting aside the stories of golf trips on private jets, smoking cigars with world leaders, and other fruits of his success, and sometimes getting dirty again and paying back the hard returns on that investment to those who expected it when necessary.
We see in hindsight how necessary a time the 2008 election was. The 2010 election was a necessary time. The 2012 election is too consequential to be cavalier about it now.
The NY-26 special election should be a wake-up call on how serious the Democrats are taking all the elections, now including state judicial elections. We need to mobilize all our forces, too, to close the gaps for 2012 that are being shown to us now.
We don't have many leaders who are today in a position to do this now. We only have the few people that we invested in to be in place now to do this.
-PJ
i have no such expectations of rush
my guess is that if rush changed into something he is not now, his popularity and influence would plummet
It should be but it won't be. Republicans are cooked for 2012.