In an interview on CNN with D.L. Hughley, Steele assured that he, not Limbaugh, was in charge of the party before saying that he wanted to put the right-wing talker “into context.”
“Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer,” Steele said. “Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment. Yes it’s incendiary, yes it’s ugly.”
Rush has yet to respond, telling reporters that he’ll reply on his radio show.
Here is my analysis of this situation: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Now that I have that out of my system, here is what I really think. Steele just played into Rahm Emanuel’s hands perfectly.
Let’s game this out: Emanuel and other Dems have been trying to pump up Limbaugh in an effort to make him the face of the Republican Party. Steele, trying to combat this effort, criticizes Limbaugh on CNN. Now Limbaugh will respond, ripping Steele unmercifully. Here is where it gets fun. Limbaugh’s response will put Steele in a box. He can either:
A. Fight back, aggregating a preexisting divide in the party and alienating his Republican base, or
B. Back down from his earlier criticism of Rush, thus proving Rahm’s point about Rush’s influence within the Republican Party in the first place.
That, my friends, is the definition of a lose-lose situation.
And here’s the best part of the whole thing: While this whole sideshow goes on, Obama and the Democrats in Congress will continue to focus on passing the budget, health care, and a whole host of other things that are more commonly known as “things that actually matter to real people.” Obama will look like even more of a leader compared to Steele and Limbaugh down in their sandbox.
I love it.
Sums it up just about right:
From the Huffington Post
There is something you at MN publius should check out. http://mndaily.com/2009/03/01/student-drop-city-council-race-lied-about-past
It is insane.
That’s beautiful! Rahm - U DA MAN!!!
So, on the one hand, it is pretty hilarious watching all these politicians groveling at the feet of a pig, but at the end of the day, it is very, very scary. Supposedly some of the most powerful men in the country are beholden to this man. Sanford, Steele, et al grovel to this man, and these are supposed to be some of the leaders of our country. Even though it is pathetically funny, it is not healthy for our leaders to have to grovel publicly to anyone. It is like they have no dignity or pride. It is quite sad.
OK the predicted happened — Rush fired at Steele and Steele took option B and caved to Rush. While I do believe this strengthens the Dems and provides them with a path to get things done (ie you are either with RUSH — - liberal Republicans will have trouble owning Rush’s random statements — - or against him). I get the brillance of forcing the Republican Party to be defined by this horrile man but I am also embarrassed that a Hate Mongering Radio Talk Show host is the defacto voice of a major American Party. But as I lived through Bush I gues I can live through almost any level of embarrassment
Which is why Rahm AEmmauel going on Face The Nation yesterday and declaring that Rush Limbaugh as the “face and voice of the Republican Party” was sheer political brilliance on his part. Now the two bull elephants are going at each other.
Ruch is nothing more than an Entertainer who thinks he is the head of the GOP. Aren’t the RNC and the Republican Party the same thing?? Or am I missing something here?