Posted on 02/11/2016 7:57:59 AM PST by SeekAndFind
You can read his extended comments at his website. A Twitter pal tagged me this afternoon after Rush said this and claimed that he’d just endorsed Cruz; Redditors are interpreting it the same way. It does seem to follow logically that the biggest name in conservative talk radio, who’s been preaching Reagan conservatism to millions for 30 years, is dropping an endorsement when he calls a candidate the next best thing to Reagan himself. (Rush quasi-endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2008 primary in a similar way, complimenting him as the only Republican candidate who represented all three legs of the conservative stool.) But I assume Rush himself will deny that tomorrow, partly because he doesn’t formally endorse candidates in primaries and partly because of the noteworthy caveat he drops here:
They were going left as fast as Deion Sanders can backpedal. They were moving left faster than anybody I’ve ever seen go left. And I opened the program yesterday saying, “You will never, ever have to worry about that with Ted Cruz.” And then I expanded on it. And let me say one thing: If conservatism is your bag, if conservatism is the dominating factor in how you vote, there is no other choice for you in this campaign than Ted Cruz, because you are exactly right: This is the closest in our lifetimes we have ever been to Ronald Reagan.
In terms of doctrinaire, understandable, articulated, implementable conservatism, there’s nobody closer. But I think the electorate at this point in time… We don’t know, Brian. If you look at Trump’s coalition, there’s a lot of assumptions being made about it, because he’s running as a Republican and in the Republican primary, and it’s assumed the Republican base is who’s voting here. Therefore, it’s assumed the majority of Trump’s coalition’s conservatives. And there are a lot.
But he’s broad. He’s all over the spectrum.
That’s the last eight months of Trumpmania and talk radio synthesized in one bit of audio. We’ve got the truest conservative candidate since Reagan in the race this year, which, one would think, would merit some sort of enthusiastic endorsement — but Rush puts the brakes on. Cruz is the candidate you should support if “conservatism is your bag.” At best, it’s a qualified endorsement. Hearing that on his show of all places, that you may want to consider this or that if you’re into conservatism, is like hearing someone on the NFL Network say you may want to consider this or that if you’re into football. On the one hand, he’s simply recognizing reality: As he himself recently said, for some people (although not for him) “nationalism and populism have overtaken conservatism in terms of appeal.” True enough. For those people, Trump’s the guy. On the other hand, Cruz is facing a primary in 10 days that may very well decide the fate of the Republican nomination. Given the stakes there, with South Carolina forced to choose between a true-blue disciple of Reagan and a populist who seems capable of smashing the Republican coalition, the vote on February 20th is arguably the most momentous night the conservative movement will have experienced since 1980. If talk radio, which has been preaching conservative populism since the Reagan era, wants to give Cruz a boost over the nationalist Trump, now would seem to be the time. The fact that the quasi-endorsement comes with a qualifier anyway — vote Cruz, if conservatism’s your thing — feels like a bad sign. Just one more reason why I think Trump’s a heavy favorite for the nomination.
Actually, there’s another significant element to this clip. Would Rush praise Cruz quite so effusively, implicitly elevating him over Rubio (and everyone else) in terms of his conservative credentials, if he thought Rubio was still a plausible nominee? Remember, Rush has had warm words for Rubio lately, defending him as a bona fide conservative despite attacks on Rubio from the right that he’s some establishment water carrier. If Rubio had finished a strong second last night, creating a three-way race with Trump and Cruz, Rush might have felt obliged to hedge on Cruz being Reagan’s true heir or even included Rubio in the praise. Some of this, I think, is him bowing to the reality that, at least for the moment, Cruz is the only game in town if you want to stop Trump before he’s unstoppable.
Trump is not just the WAY. He’s also the TRUTH and the LIFE. He is beholden to none and benevolent to all. PBUH.
Cruz is the only guy running who has forcefully opposed the GOP-E. That’s not opinion. And, Cruz has never blathered on about how well he gets along with Democrat monsters. If Ted had ever spouted this same BS about his love affair with Harry, Nancy and Chuck U, you Trump followers would never let up about it.
And you’d be 100% right, and I’d drop Ted like an anchor.
I’m looking for someone to be there own person, not to wrap themselves in a better president’s clothes, and think I’m just supposed to pretend like they are that person.
Be your own man, not do a cheap impression of him.
I have no idea, Reagan also stole votes from Black candidate. Reagan was Canadian or US citizen? Reagan was Gov. long experience, what this Lounge Preacher had ever done?
Rush should go back to double dose of his oxi pills.
If you saw the SNL skit of teddy, that’s only a small taste of what they have in store for him, Heidi, and his lunatic father. Cruz would never sell to the general public, he would be a national laughing stock.
I dumped Rush when he promoted Marco GLOBALIST Rubio as a true conservative just before NH.
Cruz defines himself by his enemies, moderates hate him, GOP hates him, media hates him, etc.. Problem is, he has to keep stacking that already crowded enemy field to get his message out.
Rush Limbaugh is toast....no burnt toast!!!
Cruz is the margarine version of Reagan
lol. Rush has carved himself out a profitable niche.
love Rush but here he is FOS as the only candidate that talks directly to the people speaking like the people and speaking over the media is Trump.
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Limbaugh didn’t compare ability to communicate, rather who is a constitutional conservative.
Apples and oranges, trump is by far the better carnival barker. Cuz understands and see issues in that context rather than what he think the mob wants to hear.
What do you mean I’m no longer a freeper ?
He’ll be even more similar to Reagan in 8 years.
I heard Rush. What you say about him being in love with Marco is dead wrong. He defended him against Krispy’s attacks, citing that all candidates deliver the same lines over and over, including Krispy.
Levin led off his show Monday with Krispy repeats, such as “They tell me I have time for one more question. I’ll take TWO!”
Saying all of this, I feel like I'm betraying Rush.
So no, Cruz is no Reagan.
Rush is right if conservatism is your only criteria.
Trump has many conservative aspects, but has two that I appreciate:
First Trump is openly planning on using the welfare of the middle class as his decision criteria. This means he can and likely will ask some special interests to take a back seat. GOPe types are very concerned about this because they are used to pulling the strings.
Second, Trump in general has been quicker than the conservative movement to indicate the prime areas for concentration by his administration. For example, the level of immigration has been unsolved for many years, and never talked about in an free and open discussion. Trump said it in his announcement and has not quit. Others have come to join him, after Trump tested the waters. To me this means we should have Trump as our leader. I would not throw Cruz away, Trump will put good people in a lot of positions in a Trump administration.
I hear he has a yuge portrait of himself in his pad that is kinda creepy but i still listen every day
RE: I have no idea, Reagan also stole votes from Black candidate. Reagan was Canadian or US citizen?
Cruz DID NOT STEAL votes from a black candidate.
As for being born Canadian, I don’t think that’s what Rush is referring to (something Cruz has no control over ). He’s arguing — POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.
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