Mar 2, 2009 4:13pm

Gibbs v Limbaugh v Obama (Etc)

"What’s the White House’s reaction to Rush Limbaugh saying, again, that he wants the president to fail, specifically, on his economic plans?" CNN’s Ed Henry asked White House press secretary Robert Gibbs today. "And how does that bode for bipartisanship in the future working with the Republicans?"

Clearly sensing an opportunity to hand-select an opponent — not quite a straw man, since Mr. Limbaugh is quite real, but certainly not the man most Republican officials want to be the face of their party — Gibbs said, "I think the question is a good one."

Pushing reporters and cable chatterers to pursue a question that is currently dividing the Republican party — RNC Chairman Michael Steele and Limbaugh have been feuding as of late — Gibbs suggested that "the best question, though, is for you to ask individual Republicans whether they agree with what Rush Limbaugh said this weekend. Do they want to see the president’s economic agenda fail?  You know, I bet there are a number of guests on television throughout the day and maybe into tomorrow who could let America know whether — whether they agree with what Rush Limbaugh said this weekend."

On This Week on Sunday, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., told George Stephanopoulos that he disagreed with what Limbaugh said. "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. And our common-sense, conservative principles of limited government, and the belief in free markets, and the belief that really opportunity can only be created by the private sector are going to undergird our proposals going forward," Cantor said.

On his radio show in January, Limbaugh said of Obama: "I hope he fails … Everybody thinks it’s outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, ‘Oh, you can’t do that.’ Why not? Why is it any different, what’s new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don’t care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: ‘Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.’ Somebody’s gotta say it."

On Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Limbaugh said "This notion that I want the president to fail, this shows you the problem we’ve got. This is nothing more than common sense and to not be able to say it? Why in the world would I want what we just described: rampant government growth, wealth that is not being created yet is being spent? What is in this, what is possibly in this that any of us want to succeed? Did the Democrats want the war of Iraq to fail? They certainly did. And they not only wanted the war in Iraq to fail they proclaimed it a failure. … They hoped George Bush failed. So 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 foundation?"

Gibbs said Limbaugh "doubled down on what he said in January in wishing and hoping for economic failure in this country. I can only imagine what might have been said a few years ago if somebody might have said that on the other side relating to what was going on in this country or our endeavors overseas … I’d like to think and I think most people would like to think that we can put aside our differences and get things done for the American people. We’ll say, in watching a few cable clips of Mr. Limbaugh’s speech, his notion of presidential failures seemed to be quite popular in the room in which he spoke."

Asked if he if was a "political tactic" to elevate Limbaugh, Gibbs said, "I think he elevated himself.  He’s got, I understand, a fairly popular radio show. … I don’t think it’s a crazy question to ask about the commenting on whether or not somebody that seems to be maybe, for lack of a better word, a national spokesperson for conservative views and many in the Republican Party, what do I think about or what does this White House think about him on at least two separate occasions in front of large and applauding audiences seeking the failure of the president’s economic agenda?"

– jpt

User Comments

If this past month is an example of what Obama’s success looks like, I’m not sure how much more this country can stand.

Posted by: Bridget | March 2, 2009, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm

If I were you I wouldn’t worry much about Obama but I would worry about Rush and the people who support him. That is the more interesting story, how hate becomes the nexus of conservative politics in America.

Posted by: Susan Craig | March 2, 2009, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm

Personally I am delighted that oxy boy is further fracturing a party already near total disarray. More power to the pimple butt.

Posted by: tom | March 2, 2009, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm

I asked this in another thread.
Did Bush or any of his spokesmen ever comment on Keith Olbermann and his special comments?
It seems weird to me the President of the United States cares so much about what a radio talk show host has to say.
Wait ’til Obama gets someone like Cindy Sheehan camped in his front yard, or he starts to see lewd t-shirts criticizing him.
Buck up, Obama. You are the most powerful man on the planet. You are going to be criticized. Handle it with class.

Posted by: MayBee | March 2, 2009, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm

Have we set a record for Elephants with the worst memories in history? Republickins have attempted to jam trickle down economics down our throats since Reagan, It’s failed everytime. So what does the memoryless elephant do? He blames the other guy, and hopes for failure..

Posted by: Pliskin | March 2, 2009, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm

Susan, please substantiate your statement that “hate becomes the nexus of conservative politics in America.” And please tell me how this is different than the people who wanted Bush to fail as little as three months ago?

Posted by: TobB | March 2, 2009, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm

Republicans are going into Extinction!

Posted by: Angie in PA | March 2, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm

Also, Pliskin, the stimulus bill Obama just passed is based on “trickle down” —it’s just that the top is the goverment rather than private enterprise. It seems that you can’t even recall yesterday that well.

Posted by: TobB | March 2, 2009, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm

Nobody WANTED Bush to fail, he just did at every opportunity.

Posted by: JR | March 2, 2009, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm

Democrats are using the media to try to paint republicans as Rush.
When democrats gained control of congress in 2007 they just endlessly went on with rhetoric against republicans instead of trying to show leadership.
I wondered why but know now. Particularly with the democratic voters if you just repeat the same garbage over and over and over a lot of people actually are stupid enough to believe it.

Posted by: Cryos | March 2, 2009, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm

‘I asked this in another thread.
Did Bush or any of his spokesmen ever comment on Keith Olbermann and his special comments?
It seems weird to me the President of the United States cares so much about what a radio talk show host has to say.
Wait ’til Obama gets someone like Cindy Sheehan camped in his front yard, or he starts to see lewd t-shirts criticizing him.
Buck up, Obama. You are the most powerful man on the planet. You are going to be criticized. Handle it with class.
Posted by: MayBee”
=====================
He will succeed in making Rush the democratic figurehead of the GOP.
Never underestimate the stupidity of liberals.

Posted by: Cryos | March 2, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm

Limbaugh says that “liberalism” is what’s gotten us “dangerously close to the precipice.” That’s an outright rewriting of the recent past. Jr was the most conservative president in modern American history. The top 1% was his “real base” and he even said so publicly. His economic policies were typical Reaganomics. Massive military spending, deregulation, lack of oversight, debt, and the dismantling of social programs. His social agenda was radically conservative. So let’s be honest about what’s gotten us “dangerously close to the precipice.” It’s Conservatism. So what Rush is really saying underneath all the politics is that he wants Conservatism to fail, since Conservatism is what brought us to the edge of the abyss. And that simple reality of course undercuts all of the nonsense coming out of the bloated drug addict anyway. Rush doesn’t believe a word he says. It’s entertainment. Unfortunately, the Republican base is so radical and so uneducated that they don’t really get it. People like Sarah Palin are ignorant enough to actually believe their own talking points.

Posted by: James | March 2, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm

I’m ready for Gibbs to retire. He’s really not qualified – Obama needs a proficient spokesperson, Gibbs seems way to easily befuddled and frustrated.

Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | March 2, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm

Mr. Obama is spending money that is yet to exist. If he is successful with his agenda, this money will never exist. His greed for social control will not be financed by IOU’s since no one will believe they will ever get their money back. The “full faith and credit of the USA” will be meaningless and worthless.
Rush always stokes emotions. He only wants America and Americans to be great. We didn’t need big government to get that way. We can’t stay that way if governemt is the 800 pound gorilla on our backs.

Posted by: MD as HELL | March 2, 2009, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm

JR, I’d be careful making a statement that NOBODY wanted Bush to fail. Certainly hyperbole, but it makes you look silly. In fact, the Huffington post features an article claiming otherwise just this morning…proven wrong already.

Posted by: TobB | March 2, 2009, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm

I failed to be amazed when the MSM parse Rush’s words in a way that he never said. Rush said that if obama’s plan was to bring socialism to America, then he hopes that obama fails (and so do I)
BTW, Also Concerned in OH, maybe us up here in the 49th state will just stop shipping our oil and natural gas, then we’ll see what you think

Posted by: DJ | March 2, 2009, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm

JR, also, if Bush failed at every opportunity anyway, why is Obama retreading a majority of Bush’s policies?

Posted by: TobB | March 2, 2009, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm

If I were you I wouldn’t worry much about Obama but I would worry about Rush and the people who support him. That is the more interesting story, how hate becomes the nexus of conservative politics in America.
Posted by: Susan Craig | Mar 2, 2009 4:30:40 PM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Susan Craig: If the truth is hate than let’s GO-FOR-IT!!!! before this ogalala destroys America!!!!

Posted by: Mildred | March 2, 2009, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm

Nothing warms my heart more than hearing the Repub’s yell and rant and scream and complain and cry and moan and whine and writhe in their collective agony. It tells me Obama has is right. The louder they are, the harder they fell. Give it up! or not. I don’t care. We tried it your way for the better part of 30 years. The proof is in the mess we are in. After the Dem’s have fixed your mess over the next 30 years, THEN come talk to me. Til then… scream a little louder, wouldja? tee hee.

Posted by: LisaKfromTacWa | March 2, 2009, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm

I’m ready for Gibbs to retire. He’s really not qualified – Obama needs a proficient spokesperson, Gibbs seems way to easily befuddled and frustrated.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | Mar 2, 2009 4:53:01 PM
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Haven’t you heard that if you surround yourself with “stupid and inept” you look great?

Posted by: Martin | March 2, 2009, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm

It’s funny to come to these corporate news websites and see all the Republicans losing their minds. I have to say that as a liberal, it’s incredibly refreshing to see the insects scurrying around in the light of day. Boy do they hate Obama for trying to fix the mess their boy Jr got us into. Republicans used to get so upset when liberals wouldn’t support Bush in the name of patriotism just because he lied us into a war. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Republicans don’t have a patriotic bone in their bodies even though it’s Bush’s mess Democrats are trying to keep from tanking the world economy. As usual, Democrats like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have to come in and clean up the beds Republicans peed in and the messes they made on the kitchen floor. It’s like taking care of children. The children don’t get it. They don’t appreciate it. All they do is cry. These Republicans aren’t the types of Americans the rest of us take pride in. While they sit around on their hands and cry, the rest of us are the ones who have to actually do the work of cleaning up their mess. Being a Democrat is a thankless job, but at least we have the peace of mind to know that we’re dealing with people who have the minds of children, and they can’t really help themselves. There’s a sort of reassurance to be found as a Democrat knowing that you’re the only adults in the room at this point, after Conservatism utterly failed America. Oh, and I love Gibbs. I love how he’s always got that smile on his face. He knows what I’m talking about. He knows the other side is a joke.

Posted by: James | March 2, 2009, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm

Nothing he said could be more true. Somebody had to say it. They did want Bush to fail, they did want us to lose in Iraq. Democrats elected a cult of personality instead of a qualified leader and now were all gonna pay for it.

Posted by: John | March 2, 2009, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm

What I see is that people are cheering on their side without regard to the facts. Eight years of self-serving interests by the GOP and BushCo. brought us to the lowest point many of us can remember economically. Now, they want to watch the country fall apart and scream at the top of their lungs, “Obama and the Liberals ruined the country!!” But the reality is that Bush allowed Free Market Anarchy, which rewarded corporations when they outsourced to India, bought ridiculously cheap goods from China, or anything else that took Dollars and Jobs away from America. The “smart” corporations did a musical chairs number with overseas accounts to avoid taxable income in the US. Shameful. Unpatriotic. Limbaughs’ brand of Conservatives love Almighty Profit more than God or Country. AMERICA NEEDS AMERICANS TO BUY AMERICAN. Yes, We CAN!!!!!!

Posted by: True Blue american | March 2, 2009, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm

tax cuts will not help – no one can afford to buy anything- so small business is done- get real!
Posted by: 1369 | Mar 2, 2009 5:01:54 PM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you are listening to MSNBC I am not suprized that you don’t know what a tax cut is. It puts more money in your pocket and helps small business survive; without a tax cut you are doomed in this economy…get use to it.
Your new “God” will not save America with this bs he is proposing and putting into law….we are doomed.

Posted by: Molly | March 2, 2009, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm

This is beautiful.
A fight between Rush and Steele for the soul of the GOP with Rush winning thus far.
2010 is gonna be a breeze.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 2, 2009, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm

Palin in the White House would be an excuse to overthrow the entire system. Not only is she crooked, She is also an idiot on par with W.

Posted by: True Blue american | March 2, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm

“Democrats elected a cult of personality instead of a qualified leader and now were all gonna pay for it.”
Said without a hint of self awareness as the follow Rush off a cliff.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 2, 2009, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm

Change is always hard so I’m prepared to give everyone here who wants the President to fail the benefit of a doubt that you don’t really understand what you’re saying.
What are the other solutuions put forth by anyone else who actually knows what they are talking about instead of automatically saying it won’t work.
If it was McCain/Palin, does anyone actually think they would be doing any better? Instead of just reacting to the rhetoric you hear from both sides, think about the consequences of action vs lack of action. What other solutions are being put forth that will save our economy and jobs. Does everyone here think just tax cuts and infrastructure alone will save jobs? WIth no jobs, how are people going to pay for health care or should I say, who is going to pay for health care. When rural or small hospitals close because they are too much in hte red, who will suffer? Without insurance or medicare reform, how are our elder citizens going to pay for our meds. As city after city and state by state gets so far overbudget, who’s going to keep us safe after policemen and firemen are laid off? Who’s going to teach our children when schools are forced to let teachers go.
SOme people seem to have this mentatlity that if we just wait, everything will cure itself. Our free market capitalism will conquer all. I guess my question is that if you don’t have any money to spend, there will be very few of us with capitalistic ventures. It looks like we get to relive the stone age.

Posted by: Donna | March 2, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm

I think Rush is just a straight shooter. If anything is the cause of this mess it was the constant demeaning of George Bush, an intentional program to bring him down. It was the Democrats who were hoping and praying for him to fail. Not once
or twice but at every step.
They were even OK with bringing the economy to the edge. They have achieved their goal and they will have to live with the results, but alas, we will too.

Posted by: B Justin | March 2, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm

What a loathsome man. Failed policies and failed ideology. Fear, Hatred and Division. That’s all they’ve got

Posted by: thebob.bob | March 2, 2009, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm

“He will succeed in making Rush the democratic figurehead of the GOP.
Never underestimate the stupidity of liberals.”
So, was it the “liberals” who named Limbaugh an honorary member of the House Republican Caucus?
Was it the “liberals” who invited him to speak at CPAC and give a rousing, inflammatory speech before all the conservative leaders?
Was it a “liberal” congressman who stated that Rush and Hannity are the conscience of the conservative movement? nope try a Republican from Georgia..
“Underestimating the stupidity of liberals”..?..? ROFLMAO!!!!!

Posted by: Paige | March 2, 2009, 5:15 pm 5:15 pm

Rush just causes controversy to boost his ratings. Then he can earn more money to support his drug habit. His intelligence is on par with a cockroach and he should be considered with equal importance as one.

Posted by: Michael Valentine Smith | March 2, 2009, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm

I do not always agree with Mr. Limbaugh but I do on this. If Obama succeeds my children and grandchildren will have the America of the last 200+ years virtually destroyed. Yes, I would gladly face depression and worse before I would see our country stolen.
We are being subjected to a blitzkreig. By Obama and the liberals. They hate the real America and are striving to transform our country into a “workers paradise” with themselves as the new absolute leaders.

Posted by: Scottm | March 2, 2009, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm

I am beginning to think oxy boy is a closet liberal. Yes, he is indeed a gift from God

Posted by: tom | March 2, 2009, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm

I think Gibbs is a great guy. I watched him tear up Sean Insanity Hannity like confetti and loved it. Rush is just a stupid blowhard and a smarmy coward. He is not going to risk confronting Gibbs because the only thing Rush cares for his skin! Obama wants to transform America and all success to him. In fact he should change it so much that the GOP is reduced to a gooey mess and simply washed away forever.
And “Obamacrat for Palin” when is Sarah filing that 1040X for fudging her personal expenses?

Posted by: sudarshan | March 2, 2009, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm

Obama is a slick politician, that’s all. When all this economic devastation is over the U.S. citizens will have to tally up over $65,000 per family to pay for all the rich’s tax shelter’s and “losses”. The writing is on the wall. Americans – we just got suckered! Prove me wrong.
Ex-Democrat (as of last week)

Posted by: mATT | March 2, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm

Rush Limbaugh has been shown to be drug user and the way he talks he still may be using them, that is for someone to investigate.
He has become the spokesman for the republican party, that I am sure of for most of the republicans are dancing to his tune.

Posted by: Carl Justus | March 2, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm

Hope that Obama fails? If Obama fails, doesn’t America fail? I’d call that Un-American.
Who’s side is Rush Limbaugh on anyway, Bin Laden’s?

Posted by: Ken Reynolds | March 2, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm

Jake,
You can try soooo hard to hide the fact that your man Obama doesn’t have a clue how to fix this financial crisis, you can try to switch subjects or keep on making excuses for Obama.

Posted by: 2nfer | March 2, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm

Is this the American Way of fixing things? Dems wanted Bush to fail.. so we want Obama to fail!! what kind of whinning sore loosers do we have in this country!

Posted by: George | March 2, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm

Limbaugh is no strawman, and I’m glad they are doing this. Many republicans are *quite* happy to have the opiod addict be the face of their party, just so long as they personally don’t have to acknowledge the fact. This will force them to either make the guy irrelevant, or align themselves unambiguously with the wach-job side of the party.

Posted by: phreejazz | March 2, 2009, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm

“It seems weird to me the President of the United States cares so much about what a radio talk show host has to say.”
It felt weird to me when Palin forced her daughter to make a birth announcement in response to rumors on the internet but these are the times we live in I guess.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 2, 2009, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm

Those of you criticizing Republicans, let’s get one thing straight here. There is a difference, a STARK difference between conservatives and most Republicans. Rush Limbaugh speaks for CONSERVATIVES. He is not, nor have ever been, a spokesperson for the RNC, he doesn’t hold any position in the RNC, and to say that Republicans listen to Limbaugh is ludicrous. In fact, if they WOULD HAVE listened to Rush all this time, they wouldn’t be in the situation they’re in. We conservatives don’t march in lockstep with the RNC unlike you liberal snots who have to have the DNC hold your hands and divide you into groups to represent that party. So I appreciate you criticizing Republicans, because hey, we conservatives for the most part, don’t like the GOP either. But don’t automatically assume that by bashing Republicans it’s hurting conservatives too.

Posted by: Brian | March 2, 2009, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm

Here’s my economic stimulus package summed up in 3 words:
“Cut And Run”

Posted by: matt | March 2, 2009, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm

Rush Limbaugh is an idiot. Any one in their right mind, even if they are multi-millionaires hoping the president’s economy policy fails cannot be in a stable mind.
I understand he was once using drugs and somehow the district attorney nothing about it for he ia a rich man. I he had been a poor man he would now be in prison serving his time like all the rest of poor drug users.
Limbaugh has also become the spokesman for the republican party, if you do not believe it just watch what he says and the republicans do.

Posted by: Carl Justus | March 2, 2009, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm

Limbaugh can say with a straight face that the mess our economy is in, is due to liberalism when Bush and the repubs controlled everything for six years. And the last two the dems hands were tied because they didn’t have enough of a majority to overcome Bush’s veto power. But it is still liberals fault. Limbaugh is either clueless or playing Republicans for fools to get ratings.

Posted by: Lydia | March 2, 2009, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm

I am 60 years old. The fear I have now exceeds the Carter administration. At no other time have I been more fearful. President Bush let conservatives down in an almost unforgivable way by handing Obama and the extreme liberals our country on a silver platter. As of January 1 2009, Bush was the worst president in my time. This congress and president is bringing us to our knees.

Posted by: Glenn Hunter | March 2, 2009, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm

We should all want some of the Pelosi/Obama policies to fail.
European Socialism should FAIL. Capitalism should WIN.
Government RESTRICTING individual liberties should FAIL. Individual rights and liberties should WIN.
Transitioning terrorism to a criminal matter should FAIL. The war on terrorism and the protection of American security from foreign enemies shold be the job of the military and it should be the goal of every American ( Harry Reid included) that the US military should WIN.

Posted by: Lewis | March 2, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm

Notice the hypocrisy (hippocrazy… crazy hippo)… Rush the crazy hippo is simple enough to think that people can’t see his outrageous hypocrisy.. and he’s right on one level… 26% of the population can’t.

Posted by: jerryt | March 2, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm

The way 95% of you show complete ignorance of facts so that you argue about whether your party’s dad can beat up the other party’s dad is very scary. How can democracy work with idiots like you?

Posted by: Slater | March 2, 2009, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm

It looks like all you Liberals are ready to sign up for Obama’s Civilian National Security Force!!
What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a waste!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’ll see who has the last laugh, and i’ll tell you Obama dosen’t care who is laughing in the end, He has an agenda that dosen’t include you, he just needed your votes to get in power.

Posted by: dotherightthing | March 2, 2009, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm

Jake,
You can try soooo hard to hide the fact that your man Obama doesn’t have a clue how to fix this financial crisis,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Possible. But then nor do the Republicans. But the big difference is the Democrats have a plan and are going to implement it. It might work. It might not.
The Republicans response so far is “We don’t know what to do so we aren’t going to do anything. And furthermore, we don’t want to help the Democrats.”
So do you want to risk doing nothing? Doing nothing to correct things got us to this point. Doing nothing make fix the problem.
Sure, and monkeys will fly out of my butt.

Posted by: Willard | March 2, 2009, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm

Knee-jerk reactionary dems have taken the “I want BO to fail” as “I want the country to fail”. Quite different. I love the USA and wnat it to succeed. But I, like limbaugh, do not believe that BOs actions and proposals will lead to the USAa success. Therefore I wanted the porkulus to fail, i want his budget proposal to fail, i want wealth-shifting, class-warfare creating tax policies to fail, and i’ll want his run toward universal health care to fail. What is so hard to understand about that?

Posted by: George | March 2, 2009, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm

I see many of these ideological negative spins from the same super talk show patriots ie: the hope that Bush fails, country first bumper stickers as more knee-jerk idiocy. Firstly…the complaint about the Iraq war was that it was ALWAYS a bad idea, both before and after the invasion…clearly history confirms this, as well as the multiple trillion debts incurred and in the pipeline. The dishonest budgeting, immoral tax cuts, huge deficit spending has put us in this terrible situation.
One thing I will give the so called right…Ponytail Quale Palin would have known the importance of Volcano monitoring.

Posted by: Joe | March 2, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm

Why did Rush NOT complain for the 8 years that BUSH & Republican House and Senate let the bankers do whatever the hell they wanted. If he was not smart enough to point out then, the problems that are now occurring from these banking policies, what makes anyone think he might be right now ? BUSH/REAGAN policies mostly made the Rich MUCH richer – including Rush. I will listen to him if he servers time for the Oxy drug abuse for a few years, and pays his dues to society first.

Posted by: Veteran Voter | March 2, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm

He has an agenda that dosen’t include you, he just needed your votes to get in power.
And you have the clairvoyancy to determine this somehow? Or did Emanuel cll you on your blackberry and lay out the whole agenda just for you?
Isn’t that special.

Posted by: Al Franken | March 2, 2009, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm

Limbaugh and the neocons need to face it- more people are going to get a slice of the pie. The old, fat, ugly dinosaurs might actually have to pay in and not be quite as greedy and rich as previous. Conservatives hate seeing people succeed, especially people of different “class” or race. Fox needs to stop spewing this propaganda and just give up. Also, Rupert Murdoch, we know you were behind the cartoon. Give it a rest and give the people and the nation a chance to prosper again.

Posted by: mark | March 2, 2009, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm

When Republicans say “socialism,” they mean a well regulated capitalism that actually spurs competition. When they say “capitalism,” they really mean corporate fascism and giant corporate monopolies that kill competition. The problem seems to me to be that Republicans seem to have their own faith-based dictionaries.

Posted by: James | March 2, 2009, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm

I love the USA and wnat it to succeed. But I, like limbaugh, do not believe that BOs actions and proposals will lead to the USAa success.
Maybe so. But you folks lost the election. So now you get to have popsickles and go outside and play with your friends in the back yard. We’ll call you when dinner is ready.
See how it works?? Kewl huh???!!!

Posted by: A. Nony Mouse | March 2, 2009, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm

Rush is irrelevant. He faded with Hannity and the rest when they destroyed McCain. Their common enemy doesn’t exist and never has. It was great for fund raising but few are following now hence the bombast hoping for rebirth of the fantasy movement of the perfect conservative. He’s out of gas, wouldn’t be a problem normally but when you are at 30,000 feet the local gas station can’t help.

Posted by: bob12 | March 2, 2009, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm

Government RESTRICTING individual liberties should FAIL. Individual rights and liberties should WIN.
To Lewis, this is your comment. DO you REALLY want to talk about restricting liberties? How about Bush’s wire tapping laws? I don’t hear anyone on the Conservative side crying about “Big Brother is Watching” when he did this yet Obama is the Marxist? Puleez.

Posted by: JDI | March 2, 2009, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm

I never much listened to Limbaugh before, but I caught part of his speech on TV the other night, and I have to say I was impressed, inspired even.
Obama is bankrupting the country. (I know we were already bankrupt. This is not an endorsement of Bush, who was wack too.) But Obama and Pelosi are going to ruin the economy. It will take years to recover. I hate to admit now that I actually liked Obama and considered voting for him. He is a disaster already.

Posted by: Dan | March 2, 2009, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm

RUSH GETS IT!!! YOU CANNOT TAX AND SPEND YOUR WHY TO PROSPERITY. WHETHER YOU LIKE HIM OR NOT IS THE PROBLEM. CURRENTLY 40% OF AMERICANS PAY NO TAXES, UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PLAN THAT NUMBER GOES TO 50%. THE TOP 20% OF TAXPAYERS PAY 80% OF ALL TAXES COLLECTED, UNDER THE PRESIDENT”S PLAN THE NUMBER GOES TO 90%. AT WHAT POINT DO YOU SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. IF PRESIDENT OBAMA CONFISCATED ALL THE MONEY FROM THE TOP 20% HE STILL COULD NOT FUND ALL OF HIS BUDGET. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO STOP GIVING AWAY OUR TAX DOLLARS AND REWARDING BAD BUSINESS DECISIONS. WE ALSO NEED TO REEL IN RUN AWAY GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND WASTEFUL PROGRAMS. IF YOU WORK HARD, DO THE RIGHT THINGS LIKE PAYING YOUR BILLS, LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS, SAVE FOR RETIREMENT, AND PAY YOUR “FAIR” SHARE OF TAXES, YOUR REWARD IS TO BE SADDLED WITH MORE DEBT AND HIGHER TAXES BY THE SAME POLITICIANS THAT GOT US THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. NAME ONE COUNTRY THAT HAS TAXED AND SPENT ITS WAY TO PROSPERITY. WHAT RUSH IS WARNING US AGAINST IS MORE BIG GOVERNMENT AND CREEPING SOCIALISM.

Posted by: VERNE | March 2, 2009, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm

Partisan hackery is what got us this knee deep in sh@t. The GOP doesn’t have a clue as to how to fix this problem- Otherwise they would have fixed it when they had the opportunity. Notice even now the GOP only complains- it doesn’t offer a solution. I think mistaking punditry for reporting or even intellectual thought is a path that has led us very far off course and divided us horribly.

Posted by: WakeUpFools! | March 2, 2009, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm

When Republicans say “socialism,” they mean a well regulated capitalism that actually spurs competition.
~~~~~~~
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Posted by: Plumber | March 2, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm

Personally I truly believe that BOTH liberals and conservatives are certifiable and we who sit in the middle, middle-class economically and politically, are being squeezed like cider out of an apple..Time for reasonable thinking..

Posted by: Parallax View | March 2, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm

The democrats didn’t have to want Bush’s policy to fail, the policy failed on its own. Where were the republican representation when things were getting bad economically? The GOP had 12 years control of the House and Senate and 8 years of control of the Presidency with years of overlap and they did NOTHING!!! The county wanted change and voted for it. It is too bad we are still seeing repubicans promoting their failed policies. If republicans couldn’t get it right for all of those years, how can you expect them to be right now?

Posted by: Tanis | March 2, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm

I never much listened to Limbaugh before, but I caught part of his speech on TV the other night, and I have to say I was impressed, inspired even.
Dude, maybe true, but you don’t want to go around admitting this. Certainly not on the internet. Do you need a do over?

Posted by: A Puzzelled Citizen | March 2, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm

Verne,
Republican capitalism=Corporate fascism and huge corporate monopolies that kill competition.
Democratic capitalism (Republicans call it socialism)=A well regulated capitalism that discourages corporate monopolies and spurs competition.

Posted by: James | March 2, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm

The reason Limbaugh’s statement of wanting Obama’s economic policies to fail is because of the terrible state our economy is in. If it collapses totally we all lose big. Why can’t people see that Limbaugh hoping Obama’s policies fail to help the economy is like hoping the captain of your ship fails to repair the leak in said ship. Limbaugh’s hatred would rather see the country fail than have Obama help us all. Limbaugh appears to be an unpatriotic, very wealthy person who doesn’t care about anyone not in his income bracket when he makes stupid comments like that.

Posted by: Lydia | March 2, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm

Never underestimate the ability of a liberal to be totally confused, and the tendency to spout fairy tales in substitution for historical facts.
Rush’s comments regarding his desire for Obama to fail, when taken in context, and all of the sentences are included, are proper for any patriot. Who in their right mind would want America to sink into Socialistic, Communism? Apparently the current administration and it’s liberal following.
The bright side of this discussion is, the liberals continue to display their total contempt for the Constitution, and all that it stands for. Oh, I forgot; The Constitution “Is a living document”. It’s subject to the whims of any liberal, activist court’s interpretations.
This country has a number, unseen heretofore, of people who have absolutely no comprehension of the English language, and it’s utility. We are surrounded by individuals who understand absolutely nothing of what they know. God help us. The liberal, socialist Democrats won’t.

Posted by: Swampy | March 2, 2009, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm

Rush is a joke. Conservatism failed. He knows it, the American people know it, and Michael Steele and the rest of his ilk know it. They’ve said as much. The GOP has fractured into a million little pieces as a result. They’ll reconstitute themselves into two new parties: the neo-con warhawk cupcakes like Rush, Feith, Wolfowitz, and Cheney and the Whig party (look it up). Either way they will be in minority status for at least two terms of an Obama administration, who at this early stage still has 65% approval and backing from the American people, regardless of how much the media elites and jerks like Rush, Hannity, Coulter, Ingraham, Savage, and Beck try to postulate otherwise. The 35% that do not approve are & will make up the two new factions of the GOP minus 10% of independents. Split probably evenly down the middle that leaves about 13% for each. The two parties will never agree on policy, they will never agree on a cohesive platform, and they will never join ranks ever again after this debacle. There are a ton of conservatives that are running away from the Republican Party. Look around. The writing is on the wall.
Permanent minority status. That’s the Republican party of today, folks!

Posted by: STILTON | March 2, 2009, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm

Rush is just a talkshow jerk with a lot of personal problems.
Obviously not intelligent enough to even realize that he is driven the GOP to be a regional Party. How sad.
His arguments are very childish and immature. Just sound bites after sound bites.
But America is far more literate than Rush. So everyone has figured out what a jerk he is, except the hardcore GOP, living on the GOP Island.

Posted by: BB | March 2, 2009, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm

I am a moderate Republican, have been for 40 years and I hope that we can get back to our core values which clearly were dismantled under W.
But I got laid off 3 weeks ago and there’s very little out there for a 55 year old machinist. I’ve got about 6 months of savings in the bank.
If Obama can come in and stem the tide of US unemployment and help me to get health coverage for my wife and I (and, frankly, the jury is still out), I will support him like I’ve never supported a public official before. Hell, I’ll work for his re-election! If he fails, I don’t know what we’ll do.

Posted by: James from AZ | March 2, 2009, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm

JDI…”DO you REALLY want to talk about restricting liberties? How about Bush’s wire tapping laws? I don’t hear anyone on the Conservative side crying about ‘Big Brother is Watching’ when he did this yet Obama is the Marxist? Puleez.”
I can’t speak for the author of the post, but I was against the first bailout nd TARP, and I was against warrantless wiretapping. Obama, on the other hand, said he was against it and would never vote for a bill that included retroactive immunity (and then he voted for it). As much as I disagree with Bush, it makes me nostalgic for him.

Posted by: TobB | March 2, 2009, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm

Nobody wanted Bush’s tax cuts to fail, did they? Everybody wanted the US to win in Iraq, didn’t they? Huh? – What’s that you say? Are you saying that there were actually people who wanted Bush’s policies to fail? Who might that be?

Posted by: Sigmonde | March 2, 2009, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm

HOW COME ALL YOU PEOPLE HAVE AN OPINION NOW !! I HOPE IT WAS BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN ILL THE LAST 8 YEARS AND COULD NOT SPEAK UP-BECAUSE IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LAST 8 YEARS THEN YOU CANNOT HAVE AN OPINION NOW. JUST SHUT UP AND DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TOLD. WE ARE IN A JAM WHERE ALL OF YOUR POLICIES WERE COUNTER USA–WHICH IS A COUNTRY FOR THE PEOPLE-NOT FOR THE WEALTHTY-BECAUSE YOU THINK THEY WILL GENERATE JOBS, ETC-THEY FOR THE MOST OF THE 100 OR SO I KNOW GENERATE 10 TIMES MORE TRASH AND WILL DIE TO PROTECT THEIR TOYS. MOST OF THEIR CHILDREN ARE SPOLIED LAZY, AND NOT WELCOME AT MY HOUSE–WOULD RATHER HAVE A POOR UN TRAVELED KID WITH A BIG HEART-THAT NEEDS MY HELP THAN A KID THAT KNOWS IT ALL AND WILL END UP IN FINANCIAL RUIN FOR STEALING MY MONEY. DONOT TRUST ANYBODY WITH WEALTH- I TRUST PRISONERS, DRUG USERES AND THE UNEMPLOYEED MUCH MORE. ITS A SHAM WHAT THE WEALTH HAS TURNED PEOPLE INTO AND THERE IS NO END ANLESS WE STOP IT

Posted by: ROGER | March 2, 2009, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm

Ok, ALL you GENIUS Republicans on this board.What are your solutions for our economy, health care, energy, medicare, and social security. All I’m hearing is this won’t work and and I hope this fails, and we want more tax cuts (even though that hasn’t worked out so well for us so far). Then again, maybe you GENUISES don’t think we have a problem our economy, health care system, need for energy, medicare system or social security.

Posted by: Donna | March 2, 2009, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm

“But don’t automatically assume that by bashing Republicans it’s hurting conservatives too.”
Actually, it’s the right wing conservatives who are destroying the Republican party. There is no room in the Republican party for moderates anymore.
Comedian, Robin Williams summed it up nicely when he said a moderate Republican is like a gun rack on a Volvo. Not something you see very much.
A Shame.

Posted by: Paige | March 2, 2009, 5:56 pm 5:56 pm

I find it pathetic that Rush is now the face of the Republican Party. This coward, who would gladly send the children of his supporters to die in wars based on lies, dodged the draft by claiming disabilty from an infected hair on his butt and when called out over his drug abuse at first, till it was no longer possible, tried to lie his way out of his illegal behavior. A great American,lol.
For those claiming he doesn’t represent the GOP can’t admit that very few have of their leaders are too gutless to stand up to Rush. If they do criticise him, they appear on his show within days to grovel. I predict Steele will.

Posted by: Chaz | March 2, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm

When the Liberal Democrats become less concerened about the field mouse, the spotted owl, old growth forrests, the whales, rainforests, acid rain, global warming and get there head in the real world where somtimes you have an obligation help other countries remove murderous crushing regimes. Where it might be a nice idea to maybe not consider aborting your children as casual as changing socks. Out of one side of your mouth I hear “think of the children!” Try it sometime.
When you become less fixated about the freedom of taking pictures of coffins rather then humbled by the sacrifices of those lying in them, perhaps we would have more to agree about.

Posted by: The irony of your discontent | March 2, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm

Imagine where will Rush be if the president’s plan succeeds? He will be hiding behind curtains. After what all he has said, the idea of president’s success must be so scary to him that he is going get louder. He is going to work as hard as he could to make sure that the president fails. Talk about self proclaimed real american whose ego is higher than country, its citizen and humanity.

Posted by: Al Sita | March 2, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm

Everybody knows Hair Romney is the real voice of the GOP and always was. Snicker. A mormon. A mormon who believes in public healthcare. A mormon socialist who specialized in corporate buyouts, downsizing, layoffs, and shipping jobs overseas.
Hmmm…
Maybe Republicans better stick with Rush.

Posted by: James | March 2, 2009, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm

So, let me see if I have this right. If anyone speaks out in opposition to Obama, his policies, or his cabinet picks, or anything else, you are a racist, unpatriotic, anti-Christian or just a plain hater? lol

Posted by: Sigmonde | March 2, 2009, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm

I think it only fair that, since Obama wants me to fail, I should want Obama to fail. Liberals wanted Bush to fail. Not it’s MY TURN!

Posted by: R Ethridge | March 2, 2009, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm

CPAC is the brain of ‘conservatism’.
Rush and a 13 year old boy were the highlights.
Romney already rejected by the GOP, far behind McCain, is now the leading GOP candidate for 2012. huh???
Rush is now trashing the RNC chairman, Steele.
Just put 1+1 to figure out that the GOP is in a freefall.

Posted by: BB | March 2, 2009, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm

Rush (Archie Bunker) is the most ignorant of ignorants and I can’t wait until he’s just like Sarah Palin — an also-ran.

Posted by: Common Sense | March 2, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm

Isn’t it interesting how Republicans talk about the “obligation” America has to rebuild Iraqi schools, protect Iraqi civilians with more cops, rebuild Iraqi roads and infrastructure…
but when it comes to doing the same thing for Americans, not one single Republican will actually vote to do it.
Republicans sure do love those Iraqis. They sure do love to shower them with our tax dollars. The people they really seem to hate though are the hard working Americans who actually live in this country right here.

Posted by: James | March 2, 2009, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm

So, let me see if I have this right. If anyone speaks out in opposition to Obama, his policies, or his cabinet picks, or anything else, you are a racist, unpatriotic, anti-Christian or just a plain hater?
No, I’m thinking more like just ignorant?

Posted by: Al Franken | March 2, 2009, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm

Once again most of you who didn’t listen to Mr Limbaugh have received slanted reporting on the subject. He does not want the President to fail. Just his uneducated and ill conceived stimulus agenda. I agree something needs to be done but this is not the way it needs to be handled. Mark my words…Before it’s over liberals and conservatives will be standing side by side against this admionistration.

Posted by: Chuckashay | March 2, 2009, 6:05 pm 6:05 pm

1) LOL Rush…keep up the good work, the 1990-2000 style republican party should be dead in no time, and you’re certainly helping it along
2) Looking at many posts here, I once again wonder: why did we ever show conservatives how to use the web? Maybe I’m old fashioned, but back in the pre-web days, the posters were more intelligent, and the idiots only used compuserve.

Posted by: Jason | March 2, 2009, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm

James from AZ, I admire your honesty. I wish you luck finding another job. For yours and everyone else’s future, I hope Obama can help the economy slowly turn around and make health care available affordably for everyone.
Your comment about supporting him if he succeeds really show what an open-minded person you are.
Take care.

Posted by: Lydia | March 2, 2009, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm

Posted by: The irony of your discontent | Mar 2, 2009 5:59:20 PM
so..we’ll “have more to agree about” if have more wars (regime change) sacrificing the lives of our honored men and women in uniform as well as innocent civilians and do whatever you say.? Oh, but don’t have an abortion because that is killing.
Your post isn’t ironic – it’s just plain ludicrous.

Posted by: Paige | March 2, 2009, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm

Rush didn’t say he wants the economy to fail. He said he wanted the democratic policies that spent billions of our tax dollars on pork projects. and very little on stimulus to fail. Mr. Gibbs is mis-stating the facts. As the presidential spokesman, he has a moral and ethical obligation to get his facts straight.

Posted by: Paul | March 2, 2009, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm

When you become less fixated about the freedom of taking pictures of coffins rather then humbled by the sacrifices of those lying in them, perhaps we would have more to agree about.
Those are rights many of the families of these hero’s would like restored after Bush took them away.
Me, I am more concerned about some of our constitutional liberties Bush/Cheney were willing to sacrifice in order to strengthen their rein over the citizens.

Posted by: Al Franken | March 2, 2009, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm

BB:”Romney already rejected by the GOP, far behind McCain, is now the leading GOP candidate for 2012. huh???”
CPAC attendance is VERY heavily weighted towards college students for a number of reasons (they have the time, they get in for a tenth what everyone else pays, etc.). The straw poll is strictly for fun, it is not any reasonable indication of the party at large.

Posted by: jhw539 | March 2, 2009, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm

“Ok, ALL you GENIUS Republicans on this board.What are your solutions for our economy,….”
Cut marginal tax rates and capital gains tax for business. This is what creates increased productivity, growth and jobs. Businesses create jobs and Obama’s stimulus does nothing for business. BTW, Obama’s “tax cut” for the middle class is not a tax cut. Reducing your withholding gives you a little more spending money but you will owe the same amount of taxes when you file. He fooled you, no?

Posted by: Sigmonde | March 2, 2009, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm

As the presidential spokesman, he has a moral and ethical obligation to get his facts straight.
So Rush doesn’t have to labor under these restrictions?

Posted by: Pundjeet | March 2, 2009, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm

Swampy,
You talk about the Liberal comprehension of the English Language. If you are such an expert why don’t to you “its” correctly? ( Apparently the current administration and it’s liberal following.)

Posted by: AD Levy | March 2, 2009, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm

I wish Rush would share his with listeners how he thinks MANY of them are OVERPAID (and that many of their jobs should be sourced to more competetive countries).

Posted by: Jay | March 2, 2009, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm

The older I get, the more I realize how right Rush really is!

Posted by: Obama, the second coming | March 2, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm

Of course we want Obama to fail. The man is a communist. Who wants communism to succeed?
He wants to “nationalize” the banks(socialism). He wants to do the same to healthcare.
When is the last time you saw the gov’t do something better than the private sector?
Communism & socialism have failed everywhere they have been tried. They never elevate anyone. All they do is make everyone(except those in gov’t) the same; poor.

Posted by: Early American | March 2, 2009, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm

Apparently, from your brilliant comment, you are an excellent example of a product of the Canadian Public Educational System.
I was thinking the same thing. Those damn Cannucks are a lot more perceptive and aware then we give them credit for, eh??
Must be that good Canadian beer.

Posted by: A. Nony Mouse | March 2, 2009, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm

Sigmonde:”Cut marginal tax rates and capital gains tax for business. This is what creates increased productivity, growth and jobs. ”
Just for historical perspective, how do the current capital gains tax rates compare to during prosperous periods (I know they are below Reagan era levels now)? Same for marginal tax rates – we know they are below the boom period of the 90′s already. How far do taxes get cut and- just like with spending- how do we continue to pay for a first world nation without that revenue?
When Bush took office, he cut taxes to give back the projected $5.6 trillion surplus (seriously, look up the Feb 22,2001 transcript). After giving away the surplus (rather than paying down our debt), the economy crashed. So ANOTHER tax cut to deal with the crash. All this has proven that tax cuts just don’t work (unless you look at the massive increase in income disparity – Wall Street loved the tax cuts at bonus time!).

Posted by: jhw539 | March 2, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm

The day Bush won in 2004, I took off my Kerry bumper sticker. I hoped, even though I know it was wrong, that the president knew something I did not and that his policies would succeed.
It’s un-American to wish ill of our country’s endeavors and hope for failure of policies. Even you don’t agree with the ideology, you should hope for the success of our country.

Posted by: Seattle | March 2, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm

Is there a coup in our future?

Posted by: tom | March 2, 2009, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm

Bridget….we already have experienced a redistribution of wealth under W, as gazillions of dollars were removed from middle class earners into the pockets of the very wealthy. W pulled a tri-fecta by simultaneously whiping out millions of middle class jobs and causing the banking industry collapse. Good job Brownie, uh, I mean Bushie.

Posted by: TomTee | March 2, 2009, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm

What the GOP does not understand, liberalism is NOT socialism.
Hoover pushed the economy to a freefall. This freefall impacted everybody to the point that people had to be liberated from poverty.
The situation is not different, Bush and GOP pushed the US economy into a down spiral. The ‘free market’ has capital to do anything. The last thing who want to do is to pour more tax payer money into the ‘burning’ hands of the same people who started the fire to begin with.
We, The American People are very smart, and we will NOT let that happen.
That is what the November’08 election was all about.
In Michigan, there are schools asking our children to bring their own toilet paper. How down do we have to go for the GOP to understand that we have to invest in our own Nation?
Were the 1$ trillion spent to ‘liberate’ the Iraqis better than investing in our own Nation?

Posted by: BB | March 2, 2009, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm

Early American:”When is the last time you saw the gov’t do something better than the private sector?”
The internet springs to mind (invented, developed, and the backbone laid as pure “government pork”). The FDIC also seems to be an awful lot better insurance corporation than AIG.

Posted by: jhw539 | March 2, 2009, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm

Here’s a challenge. Put Limbaugh in the driver’s seat. Run him for president in 2012. Put all your money and all your wonderful philosphy in action and let’s see what happens.
Can Rushie win the big one? I would be willing to find out. And if he won I would sit quietly and wait for 4 years.
And after that we would all know. Any Republicans got the cohones to actually do this? Any credibility to see what the fat man is really capable of in the real world???
Any one? C’mon, any of you guys???

Posted by: Al Franken | March 2, 2009, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm

I’m fairly liberal, but I never wanted Bush to fail, otherwise I wouldn’t have been so outraged on the many occasions when he did. I just want the people running the country to make their decisions for the country, not in order to save face. I don’t consider my pride to take any part in my politics. Which is why Limbaugh is a talk show host. He’s entitled to his opinion, but clearly no one is offering him a position of power, or a vote in any of the bodies of government. He’s on the extreme. Either side, ultra-liberal or ultra-conservative could crush this country if given too much influence. One of the problems is that conservatives often take the term “left” and “liberal” and immediately equate it with socialism/communism. This is a failure to understand the political spectrum. I could do the same, but why would I? It doesn’t make any sense to accuse you of being a fascist just because your a conservative. This helps nothing.

Posted by: entitled | March 2, 2009, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm

@Swampy:
LOL. Sure, the last eight years was all the Democratic Party’s fault! OH MY GOD that is rich..
Bush never vetoed a spending bill EVER. Those originated in a Republican-controlled House AND Senate for 6 of those 8 years. Your leaps in logic are admirable, but they are 100% WRONG.

Posted by: STILTON | March 2, 2009, 6:29 pm 6:29 pm

Swampy:”But, let’s be honest, (if that’s possible) it was a Democrat controlled Congress that reigned for the last six years.”
WHAT? The Republicans controlled the Senate until 2006. Since then they’ve launched twice as many filibusters per yer than any other Senate, ever, in the history of the nation, to prevent the Democrats from changing course.
Please, lets not only be honest but lets all live in REALITY. The Democrats HAVE NOT CONTROLLED CONGRESS THE LAST 6 YEARS. This is black-and-white, documented, no opinion or interpretation reality…

Posted by: jhw539 | March 2, 2009, 6:29 pm 6:29 pm

Rush is on loan from God. I can’t wait until God needs him back for his sage advice

Posted by: tom | March 2, 2009, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm

Al Franken:”Here’s a challenge. Put Limbaugh in the driver’s seat. Run him for president in 2012. Put all your money and all your wonderful philosphy in action and let’s see what happens.”
Right – like the Democrats would ever put one of their loud mouth lefty comedians up for elected office and get anywhere…

Posted by: jhw539 | March 2, 2009, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm

TomTee,
/—–
we already have experienced a redistribution of wealth under W, as gazillions of dollars were removed from middle class earners into the pockets of the very wealthy. W pulled a tri-fecta by simultaneously whiping out millions of middle class jobs and causing the banking industry collapse. Good job Brownie, uh, I mean Bushie.
—–/
Well said. They (Rush-following republicans) don’t have the ability to reason, so I’m sure this was wasted on them.

Posted by: Common Sense | March 2, 2009, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm

“Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here”. Really? What a moron. Why does anyone listen to this drug addict fool. He should change his name to Lush Bimbo!
Our real problem is that a truly free market is able to spiral out of control and is subject to wild corrections and bubbles. So his own party shares a lot of the blame for getting us here through deregulation and by hoping that the markets would correct themselves. A truly free market is financial anarchy, and no one (not even politicians) want that. It would make this catastrophe look like a walk in the part. But as usual the Repuke-agains are preying on the general public’s vast lack of knowledge of finance. Why do you think they don’t teach our kids about this stuff? We can teach them how we killed off the “Indians” but now how to manage their money.
This country is in trouble… and blaming the 30-some-odd-day-old administration for all our ills is so beyond ignorant it only serves to accelerate the vicious cycle.

Posted by: Rich | March 2, 2009, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm

I am in the hightech private sector.
Our innovations are not looking beyond 5 years.
If you really needs a breakthrough, then there is need to be a lot of R&D money. Wallstreet does not like the idea of spending too much in R&D. Wallstreet always penalizes companies trying to invest longterm by down grading their stocks.
They only way right now for us to look ahead (beyond 5 years) is to work directly with Universities, obviously those subsidized by the government.
The government has to be in tuned to support those future programs like solar enery, where we are trailing Germany right now.
Try not to paint a black and white brush on government programs.
Obviously this is far too complex for Rush and Co. So they will continue to trash all governement programs more out of philosophy and ideology rather than practicality.

Posted by: BB | March 2, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm

For the record, the Republicans controlled both the House and the Senate for 6 of the 8 years under Bush. I don’t know how you can come up with the misinformation that Frank and others blocked major legislation from being enacted, when point of fact is the Bush administration removed or neutered every major banking oversight committee or department of the Federal government to enable a ‘free market’ system, and did not veto a single spending or appropriations bill until the Democrats controlled the House and Senate after the 2006 elections.

Posted by: patriotgames | March 2, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm

Fire Dept= Socialism
Police Dept= Socialism
Public Schools=Socialism
Libraries=Socialism
Social Security=Socialism
We’re as not a democracy as much as we would like to think.

Posted by: Jay | March 2, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm

obamas fine but lets be honest here clinton should have been prez then obama so we have 16 good years as it will take 8 or so to fix the republican mess trickle down has never worked nore will it we should do trickle up
pay off people homes so they can buy cars and many other things instead of giveing money to banks so they can loan it out at a ripoff rate so after 30 years you bought that house three times over get a clue thats like someone holding a gun to your head legally lol so any who pay off the homes of people with real homes 180 k and under then watch people have hope again and a life you might even see smiles oh my
the way its been since reagan will never work and yes id say reagan was one of the worst ever but all republicans are there free market well free market dont work you will never get raise’s that keep pace with the cost of liveing im wondering where my bail out is makes me wonder why i ever built one home or store or office building in thise country i build the world you all live in my bodys shot for it and i have nothing but bills yet will i get help no i think not but hey lets bail some waste of life out we would not want them to use there own cash lol id also like the stock market gone kaput why it fosters greed pure and simple lets get this health care done to i want a system like canada or france or the uk has as they have pain there treated they need a operation its there no pre approvals no notheing except a longer life lol
yeah i miss bill things were so nice then oh btw anyone notice how gas dropped when bush was on his way out lol i guess lies killing backroom deals wont get you inpeached but a bj will sad rly

Posted by: bobthebuilder | March 2, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm

It is as if the losers in this argument suddenly have crystal balls, and now know who will have the last laugh.
Who here really understands why we are in this horrible economic downturn? Could it be from criminal conduct? Corporate stupidity? Negligent application of regulatory laws? The wars we cannot afford?
How many of you posters are in serious debt? Will you ever pay it off? At 30%?
Should corporations have the same rights (of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness) as human beings? So far, it looks like they have more.
So what does it matter if you are a conservative or a liberal when this horrible recession threatens the well-being of millions of families? It’s hard to think about individual freedom when you can’t find a place to live, and your stomach is empty.
Get real. Really, folks.

Posted by: Locutia | March 2, 2009, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm

Sorry for the confusion. I’m not he real Al Franken. I haven’t a clue as to his political acumen. I just like the Stuart smalley character he portrays on SNL. Atr you straight now? Good.
If Limbaugh clains to be an expert on why Obama’s qualifications are all circumspect, that Obama is a phoney, that he understands better how Republican philosophy will be the only solution then why wouldn’t he be the logical choice for the Republican nominee for 2012. I swear to the God of your choice, i will vote for him if he is on the ballot in my state.
I am willing to go that far to give him the opportunity to fail. Honest Injun!!

Posted by: Al Franken | March 2, 2009, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm

FARM SUBSIDIES = BIG SOCIALISM!!!!
Amtrak = socialism but I sure wish we had European style train service, fast, frequent, cheap

Posted by: tom | March 2, 2009, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm

We will fail as a country if half of us fight against our president. It’s one thing to disagree and debate, and another to hope for failure. McCain would have stimulus package too, except the same people who picked Palin would be controlling its distribution.

Posted by: Ha | March 2, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm

Communism and socialism are not the same thing. For pete’s sake, do people actually know anything around here? Was Clinton a Socialist? Same tax rate as Obama proposes. Was FDR a Socialist? Higher tax rate than Obama. Was Kennedy a socialist? 70% top marginal tax rate. Did any of these presidents “destroy capitalism”? No, they made this country great.

Posted by: Tom | March 2, 2009, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm

“Sorry for the confusion. I’m not he real Al Franken.”
Hopefully this wasn’t aimed at me – I assumed it was strictly an assumed name, but I couldn’t resist amusing myself with a snarky comment. Liberals who believe what they spout are willing to stand before voters, conservatives… not so much.

Posted by: jhw539 | March 2, 2009, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm

The US economic bus is stuck in the mud
Half the passengers are getting out to push. The other half are sitting on the bus yelling profanities at those that are pushing.
For all our talk of how much we all love this country, we sure have a funny way of expressing it.

Posted by: norris hall | March 2, 2009, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm

I just realized the crux of Rush;s argument for wishing Obama fails is thet liberals did it first!
He really is the emotional equivalent of a 5 year old.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 2, 2009, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm

Imagine where will Rush be if the president’s plan succeeds?
~~~~
Are you asleep? There is not a chance in hell that the president’s (lack of) plan will succeed.
Wake up. It’s done.

Posted by: Plumber | March 2, 2009, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm

“The internet springs to mind (invented, developed, and the backbone laid as pure “government pork”). The FDIC also seems to be an awful lot better insurance corporation than AIG.”
I also prefer our military to the paid mercenaries of Blackwater.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 2, 2009, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm

I believe in capitalism and free market democracy, but with certain caveats. The problem we have now with the party that claims to support this type of government is a distinct lack of moral clarity. Free markets and capitalism can only be a good, workable solution when the major movers and shakers are honest and act out of conscience, and not greed. I’d never deny them the opportunity to make an honest buck, but it must be done in such a way that it works for the common good. Unchecked greed bolstered by crappy policy is what got us into this mess. That’s not a partisan issue…it’s something that infects the system, regardless of politics.
I don’t agree with all Obama’s ideas, but I sure don’t want to see him fail. I’m a 53-year-old college-educated male who cannot find work right now, and my retirement fund is non-existent because of the stock market. Regardless of my politics, I hope Obama is the most successful President we’ve ever had, because we’re going to need him to be.
Rush also overlooks another point. When his adversaries hoped the war in Iraq would fail, he called them un-American and and unpatriotic. Is he willing to now place those same labels on himself for hoping Obama fails? Anything less is hypocrisy.

Posted by: S_Heriger | March 2, 2009, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm

BB,
“Obviously this is far too complex for Rush and Co. So they will continue to trash all governement programs more out of philosophy and ideology rather than practicality.”
And sheer greed. I’m with you, but the loud mouths that are still bitter have invested Jake’s board.

Posted by: Common Sense | March 2, 2009, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm

I see I touched a few nerves. That’s good. The misinformation, however is well seated within your own foggy imaginations. I happen to have archival footage of the Democrats, with time stamps, declaring that “Nothing is wrong”, “I see no problems with these institutions”..a list of C-Span footage of Democrats declaring that all is well.
But, that’s fine. No one with any capacity for reasoning, would think that a liberal leftie could ever accept the facts. The facts tend to get in the way. So, lets have another,foaming at the mouth, liberal try to describe the Regan tax cuts as “trickle down economics”, that never worked. Where the Hell were you?
BTW, the “it’s” typo is in fact incorrect. I suppose you have never made a typo when communicating with children. I would like to clarify one thing though, I tend to generalize too much when I refer to “liberals”. I recognize that all liberals are not idiots, and I also recognize that all conservatives aren’t dealing with a full deck.
Okay, onto the act of enraging another follower of the Messiah. It is the same people who refer to the “trickle down economics”, that also bash the firing of the Traffic Controllers, who defied federal law, and struck. They were warned that they would be terminated if they continued to break the law, and jeopardize public safety. They, never the less, continued to do so. It was the liberal Democrats that wailed, cried and gnashed their teeth that the law was administered.
So, what did we hear continually? Trickle down economics don’t work, and he fired Air Traffic Controllers, who were in violation of federal law. The OMB records bear out the fact that the so called “trickle down economics” did in fact work. So keep drinking the Kool-Ade, “Jonestown Brew”.

Posted by: Swampy | March 2, 2009, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm

So many people with different opinions. Everyone is entitled to have a say. Must you fill your time with nothing but empty words and almost no facts. The unemployed and those who still jobs are under maximum stress. Yet all we seem to do is to criticize our fellow citizens. How about helping each other for a change. The last thing I need is for this country to collapse. As a 100% disabled vet I depend fully on the working people for my daily assistance. For this I am thankful, check your values please folks.

Posted by: Jas Milan | March 2, 2009, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm

Coward Steele just apologized to Limbaugh. Talking about terrorism!
Who is the defacto GOP leader? Confusion times 100

Posted by: BB | March 2, 2009, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm

wow!!!
The masters of idealogy.
The Republicans hate socialism to the point that they forget that public schools, our Police, our Military, our Fire departements, we all benefited from are all socialistic in nature. All 100% funded by the government or public money.
Do the Republicans know what they talk about?
As mentioned before, the ‘free market’ has ZERO capital right now to even pay their own bills, so they all turn to the Government to rescue them… other words begging for socialism…
In a normal course of 100% capitalism, all these banks and insurance companies which are already insolvent would have to file for bankruptcy (at least chap11)… understood? So let AIG, Bank of America, GMAC, Chase/Wamu all fail?
GOP’s,- you cannot have it both ways. Make up your mind.

Posted by: BB | March 2, 2009, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm

It seems to me that the left in this country are scared to death of Rush Limbaugh. The MSM wants to make him the leader of the GOP even though he is not a republican. They want to set him up in order to lambaste him and discredit him. I think that has worked for them very well in the past, like when they set out to destroy Sarah Palin. Trouble is though, Limbaugh is a private citizen who does not hold nor seeks political office. Therefore by targeting him, they are attacking a private citizen. That is the sticky wicket. Can government officials or rather should government officials be allowed to attack a private citizen for having an opinion other than that of the sitting administration. If the answer is yes, then we need to rewrite the first amendment, if not, then they need to leave it alone. Everyone knows that Press Sec. Gibbs is a walking talking joke and I know he won’t last long, but currently he is wonderful entertainment. This man must be acting on orders from above or he is suicidal when it comes to his career. So to sum things up, Limbaugh is a private citizen with an opinion, we can argue how influential his opinion is, but he is a private citizen and should not be singled out for punishment by the federal government.

Posted by: Veritas | March 2, 2009, 10:23 pm 10:23 pm

but he is a private citizen and should not be singled out for punishment by the federal government.”
Just like the cowardly Rush you claim persecution that does not exist(impending Fairness Doctrine) so that your lies and hatred go unchallenged.
That time is over.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 2, 2009, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm

Ryan, you must be forgetting that there is msnbc, cnn, abc, and all the other outlets that do nothing but give the opposite opinion. Give us a break, we weren’t born yesterday! Why are you so afraid of an opposing opinion? Dissent is American!

Posted by: Veritas | March 3, 2009, 12:29 am 12:29 am

For any Republican who believes that the rest of us are “scared” of Rush Limbaugh…
How out of touch with the rest of America can you possibly be?
You have no leader, so the White House is defining one FOR you: The leader of the GOP is now a loud-mouthed radio personality.

Posted by: Jan | March 3, 2009, 5:40 am 5:40 am

Awesome from the OBAMA White House.
Rahm, Axelrod, Gibbs really defining a leader for the GOP.
Got to be smart.

Posted by: Jim | March 3, 2009, 11:37 am 11:37 am

Obama lied and Democracy died.
Go Rush! Go Steele!

Posted by: SweenDog | March 3, 2009, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm

I have watched Morning Joe all morning long. The coverage of Rush is crap. The one person said that 17 million people watching a tv show about a man picking from women is the core of America. What about 30 million unrelated people who feel Rush gives them voice. The White House is mocking us. One of the reason that Hillary bombed was that people held her accountable for Bill Clinton mocking us. Keep going White House, 2010 is coming. Who cares who the republican is, we are voting against the dnc. That is how Obama got elected. People did not vote for Obama, they voted against the rnc. It swings both ways.

Posted by: independentvoter | March 4, 2009, 8:08 am 8:08 am

It is somewhat amazing for people to just have no compassion, what happens to some of you when the country was derailing? You can say whatever you want about Obama, one thing, I’m sure of is that “the Lord is his shepherd and he shall not want or fail” as, he is the country’s. Wish yourself and family what you wish the others. If Limbaugh wants Obama to feel it is just plain common sense, he is a noted failure himself.

Posted by: Tyty | May 20, 2009, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm

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