New GOP Standard Bearer Rush Limbaugh Is Less Popular Than Jeremiah Wright

By Max Blumenthal, The Daily Beast. Posted February 7, 2009.

What happened next provided a perfect example of Limbaugh's dictatorial power. The next day, Gingrey, a former obstetrician, crawled on to The Rush Limbaugh Show to diagnose himself as suffering from foot-in-mouth disease. "I clearly ended up putting my foot in my mouth on some of those comments," Gingrey pleaded, "and I just wanted to tell you, Rush--and all our conservative giants, who help us so much to maintain our base and grow it to get back this majority--that I regret those stupid comments."

Another illuminating instance of Limbaugh's hold over congressional GOP leaders arrived when he announced, on the day of Obama's swearing-in, "I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: 'Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.' Somebody's gotta say it." Rep. Mike Pence, the former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the nexus of right-wing House members, rushed to Limbaugh's defense during an interview with MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell.

"I certainly hope there will be strong opposition to Obama's agenda from voices like Limbaugh" Pence said. "I certainly understand what he was saying." When O'Donnell read to Pence Limbaugh's statement that Americans should not "bend over and grab their ankles" because Obama is the first black president, Pence intensified his apologia, flatly declaring, "I don't believe Rush Limbaugh's got a racist bone in his body." (In 2003, Limbaugh was forced to resign as a commentator for NFL games on ESPN for on-air remarks about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb: "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do wellhe got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve.")

Pro-Obama progressive groups in Washington are exploiting Limbaugh's resurgent power to assail lockstep Republican opposition to Obama's stimulus package. Yesterday, Americans United for Change announced plans to expand on the "Rush to Failure" ads it is already running in the districts of vulnerable Republican senators. The ads declare, "Every Republican voted with Limbaugh, and against creating four million new American jobs."

Democratic strategist James Carville reacted with glee when I interviewed him about Limbaugh's re-emergence. "From a political standpoint it's fine with me," Carville told me. "I'm absolutely elated to acknowledge his primacy in the Republican Party."

Limbaugh may not yet have precipitated his dream of Obama's failure, but he has at least guaranteed the Republicans' servility. In doing so, one of the most unpopular men in American politics has ensured that even amid the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, he is still, in the words of his new acolyte, Congressman Gingrey, "living well."

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Max Blumenthal is a senior writer for The Daily Beast and writing fellow at The Nation Institute, whose book, Republican Gomorrah (Basic/Nation Books), is forthcoming in Spring 2009. Contact him at maxblumenthal3000@yahoo.com.

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