In the presser today Gibbs was just asked about what Rush said over the weekend, and Gibbs responded that the press would have to ask individual Republicans whether they want the President's economic agenda to fail. He also helped drive the knife in a bit more on the Rush is the de facto leader of the Republican party line by pointing out that wishing for the President to fail was very popular with the people in the room.
That is your challenge Republicans, are you with Rush, or are you not? As has been pointed out here on Kos repeatedly, the Republicans have no idea who is leading them. President Obama has practically anointed Rush the leader of the GOP, and Rush (being completely inept when it comes to suppressing his own ego) has taken the ball and run with it. If you'll notice, Rush's opinions are now mentioned at the same time as the Republican elected officials.
I was watching Morning Joe this morning (yeah, I know) and they basically seem to think Rush really IS the brains behind the Republican party. Mika and Pat kept remarking about how his ideas are right, he's just packaging them wrong. So I guess people should hope for the President to fail, but not actually SAY it? In fact, Pat is so confident in Rush's abilities, that he thinks Obama's numbers will be "heading back towards 59%." In a clip I saw from the view Elisabeth Hasselbeck "didn't see anything wrong with what Rush said." In fact, when the other ladies pointed out that had someone said they wanted Bush to fail, Rush would have been one of the FIRST people to rake him or her over the coals.
The Huffington Post headline right now is about Steele fighting against Limbaugh to be the de facto leader of the GOPON (although, I have to wonder why anyone would want to be the captain of the Titanic after it hit the iceberg).
Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele took umbrage Saturday night when CNN's D.L. Hughley referred to radio host Rush Limbaugh as "the de facto leader of the Republican party."
"No he's not. I'm the de facto leader of the Republican party," Steele said. The RNC chief went on to call Limbaugh, who that very day delivered the keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, a mere "entertainer" whose show is "incendiary" and "ugly."
On his radio show today, Limbaugh fired back, calling the RNC and Michael Steele "so-called Republicans" and saying that they "need a little leadership."
I suppose that means Michael Steele will have to go on Rush's show and apologize.
In fact, according to the Morning Joe website, Joe Scaroborough doesn't want the President to fail:
[from twitter] JoeNBC: @truthorsnare If the President fails, America fails. I will not cheer for such a thing. I want hurting Americans back to work.
Limbaugh himself, can't help himself according to The Page:
"Well I don't hurt. I am not hurt by any of this. What this is, though, is cruel. It is cruel because it is a game of manupulation emanating from the Oval Office. It is an attempt to distract Americans from the destruction of their ability to earn a living. It is an attempt to distract you from your plunging economy. It is an attempt to distract you from your ability to save for retirement and to pursue happiness. You see, honest face-to-face discussions are fair ... "
"This ongoing game of naming me the head of the Republican party... The point here is to take me ... malign me, take me out of context, what I said, attach it to the Republican party in general because President Obama wants no debate. President Obama wants no discussion. President Obama, as has been his modus operandi since he got into politics, is not a level playing field, is to clear the playing field and he has, of course, this army of the drive-by media assisting at every turn."
So now Rush wants to play the VICTIM? And seriously, is ANYONE out there REALLY going to believe that President Obama DOESN'T want to have a dialogue with people who disagree with him? He spent the first 2-3 weeks of his President talking to the Republicans in the House and the Senate to try to get their input for the stimulus bill. Last week there was an economic summit where there were lots of Republicans given a chance to voice their opinions.
And lo and behold, the RNC follows Rush's lead:
"Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats know they lose an argument with the Republican Party on substance so they are building straw men to attack and distract," said RNC spokesman Alex Conant.
"The feud between radio host Rush Limbaugh and Rahm Emanuel makes great political theater, but it is a sideshow to the important work going on in Washington. RNC Chairman Michael Steele and elected Republicans are focused on fighting for reform and winning elections. The Democrats’ problem is that the American people are growing skeptical of the massive government spending being pushed by Congressional leaders like Nancy Pelosi."
HA! So they try to spin the argument as if it's Steele's? Again, the Republicans have not been the party of ideas for a LONG time, and trying to pretend the Democrats have no ideas when President Obama is putting out a new idea practically everyday is laughable.
I'd loooooove to see the Press take up Gibbs challenge and force the Republicans to say whether they agree with Rush Limbaugh wishing for Obama to fail. To me it looks like they are already being apologists for Rush Limbaugh wanting the President, and the country, to fail. I'll post the transcript of what Gibbs had to say about it when it's available.
UPDATE: Gibbs doesn't think, even with Rush being the de facto leader of the Republican Party, that bipartisanship is dead. Reiterates that people should ask people if they agree with Rush and hope that Obama's agenda fails. Let's keep fanning the flames :o)
UPDATE #2: CSPAN is replaying the presser from the top on TV, so you can catch his answer if you turn there now.
UPDATE #3: If you were interested in what Rush had to say on his show about Steele, it sounds like Steele got the taste slapped out of his mouth (metaphorically speaking of course):
"So I am an entertainer and I have 20 million listeners because of my great song and dance routine," Limbaugh said. "Michael Steele, you are head of the Republican National Committee. You are not head of the Republican party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the Republican National Committee...and when you call them asking for money, they hang up on you."
"I hope that changes," Limbaugh continued. "It's time, Mr. Steele, for you to go behind the scenes and start doing the work that you were elected to do instead of being some talking-head media star."
OUCH!
UPDATE #4: So Steele apologized, that was quick! LOL. Anywhoo, here's video (thanks Jed!)
UPDATE #5: David Frum is not happy. . . LOL (h/t Huffington Post)
On the one side, the president of the United States: soft-spoken and conciliatory, never angry, always invoking the recession and its victims. This president invokes the language of "responsibility," and in his own life seems to epitomize that ideal: He is physically honed and disciplined, his worst vice an occasional cigarette. He is at the same time an apparently devoted husband and father. Unsurprisingly, women voters trust and admire him.
And for the leader of the Republicans? A man who is aggressive and bombastic, cutting and sarcastic, who dismisses the concerned citizens in network news focus groups as "losers." With his private plane and his cigars, his history of drug dependency and his personal bulk, not to mention his tangled marital history, Rush is a walking stereotype of self-indulgence – exactly the image that Barack Obama most wants to affix to our philosophy and our party. And we’re cooperating! Those images of crowds of CPACers cheering Rush’s every rancorous word – we’ll be seeing them rebroadcast for a long time.
[snip]
But do the rest of us understand what we are doing to ourselves by accepting this leadership? Rush is to the Republicanism of the 2000s what Jesse Jackson was to the Democratic party in the 1980s. He plays an important role in our coalition, and of course he and his supporters have to be treated with respect. But he cannot be allowed to be the public face of the enterprise – and we have to find ways of assuring the public that he is just one Republican voice among many, and very far from the most important.
That's gonna be tough with everyone kissing Limbaugh's ass so much.
UPDATE #7: Well looks like Eric Cantor is a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge Limbaugh fan:
While Cantor seems to be trying to dissociate himself from Limbaugh’s hateful rhetoric today, he has been a vigorous defender of it in the past. In 2007, Cantor rushed to Limbaugh’s side when Limbaugh came under fire for notoriously claiming that U.S. troops who support withdrawal from Iraq are "phony soldiers." Cantor went as far as to blast an appeal rallying support for Limbaugh:
From: Rep. Eric Cantor, Chief Deputy Republican Whip website@nrcc.org
Date: Oct 4, 2007 2:19 PM
Subject: Rush Needs Your Support
Friends,
One failure after another, Washington Democrats have built a record of legislative failure; one disappointment after another, Washington Democrats have failed to deliver results to the people who got them there. [...]
That’s why I’m encouraging you to click here to "Stand With Rush" and sign this petition. It is at moments like these when we need to band together as conservatives and fight back. [...]
I want to send Washington Democrats a message that their attempts to distract aren’t working – I stand with Rush Limbaugh against liberal attacks.
Rep. Eric Cantor (R - VA)
Chief Deputy Republican Whip
EricCantor.com
P.S. Please remember to Stand With Rush and sign the petition.
The website referenced in his letter, Stand With Rush (www.standwithrush.com), was "paid for and authorized by" Cantor’s congressional campaign, Cantor for Congress.
Recently, Cantor embraced Limbaugh’s suggestion to use the term "porkulus" for the economic recovery bill. Cantor in fact appeared on Limbaugh’s show and said, "Let me tell you something ... that’s a great description." Cantor then told Limbaugh, "Thank goodness you’re there to try and help get the message out."
LOL, wonder what Cantor would say if we asked him today. . .