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[personal profile] randy_byers
It seems that Rush Limbaugh understands Obama's strategy better than some leftists do. I got these quotes from an Al Giordano post:

Here's Limbaugh, last Monday, January 26, in response to President Obama's calling him out:

"This is a political play and a lot of people I think are misunderstanding this. ‘He's frightened of Limbaugh.' I don't think he's afraid of anybody. He's the president of the United States. This is a political play to marginalize me so that Republicans are afraid to associate with my ideas or any of us. He wants conservatism, mainstream conservatism to be thought of the way you and I think of communism. He wants it thought of as the most foreign, the most offensive, the most extreme manner of belief possible. There are no elected Republicans who are espousing conservatism today, so he's gotta find somebody who is. I happen to be the most prominent voice, but there are many others, so he focuses on me. This is a Saul Alinsky radical rule number 13: Pick the target, me, isolate it, polarize it. It's almost like Colin Powell. We'll kill it, we'll isolate it, we'll cut its head off. That's what's happening here. This is a purposeful effort to get rid of conservatism as a mainstream way of thinking forever in this country, make no mistake about it."

Later on Monday, in response to a caller, Limbaugh elaborated:

"I don't think that's what this is about all. Remember, now, Barack Obama comes from the Saul Alinsky Rules for Radicals school. The Obama way is to get rid of opposition. Not a fair playing field, you clear it. You get rid of your opponents as quickly and as rapidly as you can. What he's trying to do, as I said in the last hour, is marginalize me to the point that Republicans are afraid to mention my name, that they wouldn't dare do this primarily because he wants conservatism to be thought of the same way you and I think of communism. He wants conservatism to be thought of as the most extreme kooky, wacky thing, and that anybody who publicly espouses it is insane or what have you. There is a method here, and it's not a mistake. The guy did this on purpose. The Drive-Bys are running around talking about whether this was wise to focus on me and build me up and so forth. Believe me, he's gotta compliant GOP already. The GOP, they're all out there saying, ‘Well, we hope he succeeds.'"

Game on.


Guess Limbaugh isn't a big fat idiot after all. He actually knows how the game is played.

Date: 2009-01-31 10:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hal-obrien.livejournal.com
"What he's trying to do, as I said in the last hour, is marginalize me to the point that Republicans are afraid to mention my name..."

Given that I think Limbaugh is a paid operative of the Democratic National Committee, and has been trying to do this for years, it's interesting he's letting half the scales fall from people's eyes. Now if only Limbaugh would admit he's willingly trying to marginalize conservatism... (Let alone, I keep expecting him to sue Colbert for "look and feel." Colbert's act and Limbaugh's act are almost identical in content -- it's just fewer people get Limbaugh's joke.)

Date: 2009-01-31 10:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
Ha! Reminds me of a commenter on the Giordano post who argued that Obama isn't trying to marginalize Limbaugh. Limbaugh's done that to himself. What Obama is trying to do is to tie Republican Congressmen t*o* Limbaugh. Of course, it helps when they are so willing to publicly kiss his ass.

Date: 2009-01-31 10:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kalimac.livejournal.com
What Rush espouses is conservatism??

The Republican Party is compliant?? This would be the Republican Party whose House members voted unanimously against the proposals that Obama bent over to make amenable to them?

No, Rush does live on another planet.

Date: 2009-01-31 11:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
However you want to label Rush's politics, it's true that Obama is working to marginalize them. Part of the play is to use the Republican non-compliance to then tie them to the intransigent Limbaugh. I agree that Rush's characterization of the Republicans and compliant is pretty silly.

Date: 2009-01-31 11:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] supergee.livejournal.com
"He wants conservatism to be thought of as the most extreme kooky, wacky thing, and that anybody who publicly espouses it is insane or what have you."

And what better way than by quoting Rush?

Date: 2009-02-01 03:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ron-drummond.livejournal.com
I haven't read the comments here yet, but I would say yes, RL is describing the situation with some accuracy, the only trouble is, his self-descriptions are completely insane -- RL is not a conservative at all, but a rightwing nutjob par excellence. RL wouldn't recognize a genuine conservative ideal if it tore a big bleeding hunk out of his fat ass. Obama has nothing to fear from real conservatism, and a real conservative is something that RL has never been, is not, and never will be in his wildest dreams: rather, as usual, RL wants to seize the rhetoric and redefine it in his own image. And he's far too good at it for anyone's good. RL's true colors are what Obama seeks to defang; but the idea that Obama wants to end (real) conservatism is laughable.

Date: 2009-02-03 03:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kim-huett.livejournal.com
I don't think Limbaugh is that clever. It should be obvious what is happening. Heck, Radio National had their Washington political correspondent on early last week and he said pretty much the same thing as Limbough is quoted as saying here. Well except he described Limbaugh et al as 'angry' rather than mainstream conservatism. This fellow also suggested that the support for such 'angry' politics is currently on the ebb tide because the public is tired of it rather than because of anything any particular politician says or does.

Date: 2009-02-03 04:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
By the way, I don't know if you heard that John Howard got the last laugh on Obama when Bush let him stay in the house where the president elect usually stays before the inauguration, forcing the Obamas to stay in a hotel. Ah, politics. Humanity at our finest.

Date: 2009-02-05 02:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kim-huett.livejournal.com
I doubt this was much compensation for BooHoo Howard given his illegal occupation of Kiribilli House in Sydney had finally been terminated.

Date: 2009-02-05 02:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
Ah well, now he can make millions writing books and giving speeches, right?

Date: 2009-02-05 03:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kim-huett.livejournal.com
I'm sure he'll make some but perhaps not millions. Not with the growing belief that the neoliberals allowed the current financial situation to occur.

Date: 2009-02-05 04:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
Hm, accountability? What a concept!

Date: 2009-02-05 04:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kim-huett.livejournal.com
It's called, arse, the biting there of. I think we're going to see quite a bit of it over the next couple of years.

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