Image from source, Amazon.com
Back in 1993, I bought my grandmother--a died in the wool, if not logically grounded Republican--Rush Limbaugh's book, The Way Things Ought to Be. Grandma loved the guy. Me, I found him to be a curiosity. I often watched his television program, not as a fan, but for the sheer audacity of it. It was right up there with The Morton Downey Junior Show, or even The 700 Club for its loony, fringe theories and pronouncements.
Limbaugh was successful with his book, and (of course) his radio program, but his TV show tanked. Maybe it was that "TV adds 20 pounds" thing, I dunno. But the point is, Limbaugh was not a mainstream personality. His political ideas were far, far right-wing, and he was basically only taken seriously by like-minded individuals. Like my Grandma.
Since 1993, with the ascendancy of Newt Gingrich, the "Republican Revolution" of 1994, and the two term purgatory of the George W. Bush presidency, Limbaugh (and a host of other far-right ideologues) have ascended into the mainstream. I'm not convinced that his views are mainstream, as the lock-step conservatives seem to constitute a fairly constant 25% of the populace, but Limbaugh is now front-and-center the guy in charge of the Republican Party.
I liken it to a cult. Cults are typically kooky religious sects with charismatic leaders, and are derided by most religious (and non-religious) people. But when cults get big enough, and are around long enough, they become religions. And their leaders go from whack-jobs to "Reverend." Well Reverend Limbaugh and his disciples are now the public face of the Republican Party. And even the official Republicans now have to bend and kiss his ring. Or ass. Take your pick.
[Excerpt]
Limbaugh blasts Steele, the GOP
On the same night he was offering the keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rush Limbaugh drew criticism from an unlikely source: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.
In a little-noticed interview Saturday night, Steele dismissed Limbaugh as an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”
Read more at: Politico
And then. . .
Steele to Rush: I'm sorry
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”
“My intent was not to go after Rush – I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh,” Steele said in a telephone interview. “I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. … There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership. . .”
Read more at: Politico
Limbaugh was successful with his book, and (of course) his radio program, but his TV show tanked. Maybe it was that "TV adds 20 pounds" thing, I dunno. But the point is, Limbaugh was not a mainstream personality. His political ideas were far, far right-wing, and he was basically only taken seriously by like-minded individuals. Like my Grandma.
Since 1993, with the ascendancy of Newt Gingrich, the "Republican Revolution" of 1994, and the two term purgatory of the George W. Bush presidency, Limbaugh (and a host of other far-right ideologues) have ascended into the mainstream. I'm not convinced that his views are mainstream, as the lock-step conservatives seem to constitute a fairly constant 25% of the populace, but Limbaugh is now front-and-center the guy in charge of the Republican Party.
I liken it to a cult. Cults are typically kooky religious sects with charismatic leaders, and are derided by most religious (and non-religious) people. But when cults get big enough, and are around long enough, they become religions. And their leaders go from whack-jobs to "Reverend." Well Reverend Limbaugh and his disciples are now the public face of the Republican Party. And even the official Republicans now have to bend and kiss his ring. Or ass. Take your pick.
[Excerpt]
Limbaugh blasts Steele, the GOP
On the same night he was offering the keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Rush Limbaugh drew criticism from an unlikely source: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.
In a little-noticed interview Saturday night, Steele dismissed Limbaugh as an “entertainer” whose show is “incendiary” and “ugly.”
Read more at: Politico
And then. . .
Steele to Rush: I'm sorry
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”
“My intent was not to go after Rush – I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh,” Steele said in a telephone interview. “I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. … There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership. . .”
Read more at: Politico
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