Trapped between Rush and hard place
Illustration by Matt WuerkerCongressional Republicans are trying to figure out how to distance themselves from Rush Limbaugh without really distancing themselves too much from Rush Limbaugh.
Democrats laid the trap by declaring Limbaugh the head of the GOP, and Republicans in Congress can’t seem to figure out how to solve the riddle.
They don’t want to appear that they are taking marching orders from the conservative talk show host, but at the same time, they are wary of criticizing him and enduring the wrath of his powerful microphone and millions of listeners.
In interviews with POLITICO, several GOP leaders took a delicate, almost pained approach to explaining their party’s relationship with Limbaugh. Several senators said Limbaugh is an important voice — but just one of many — in their party. And the senators said nobody wants President Barack Obama to fail, as Limbaugh has repeatedly suggested. But Republicans quickly follow up that point by defending Limbaugh’s comments, saying the talk show host is simply concerned about Obama’s liberal policies.
“My understanding is that the context of what Rush was talking about was that the proposals and policies the administration was trying to implement would contradict basic conservative principles and values,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate GOP leadership. “In that respect, I think that most of us would concur that much of the agenda that the president is trying to implement is not the best prescription for the economy. But I don’t think any of us are wishing for his failure.”
Democrats laid the trap by declaring Limbaugh the head of the GOP, and Republicans in Congress can’t seem to figure out how to solve the riddle.
They don’t want to appear that they are taking marching orders from the conservative talk show host, but at the same time, they are wary of criticizing him and enduring the wrath of his powerful microphone and millions of listeners.
In interviews with POLITICO, several GOP leaders took a delicate, almost pained approach to explaining their party’s relationship with Limbaugh. Several senators said Limbaugh is an important voice — but just one of many — in their party. And the senators said nobody wants President Barack Obama to fail, as Limbaugh has repeatedly suggested. But Republicans quickly follow up that point by defending Limbaugh’s comments, saying the talk show host is simply concerned about Obama’s liberal policies.
“My understanding is that the context of what Rush was talking about was that the proposals and policies the administration was trying to implement would contradict basic conservative principles and values,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate GOP leadership. “In that respect, I think that most of us would concur that much of the agenda that the president is trying to implement is not the best prescription for the economy. But I don’t think any of us are wishing for his failure.”
Thune added that Limbaugh doesn’t speak for him and that “there are a lot of Republicans out there that have their own views of the world.”
Asked if Limbaugh was the party’s leader, Arizona Sen. John McCain, the GOP’s 2008 presidential nominee, said Limbaugh was “one of the voices of the Republican Party.” McCain added:
“I’m sure when he’s saying he wants the president to fail that he’s talking about his policies; he made that clear.”
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 6:47 PM
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