Barack Obama's push: Make Rush Limbaugh appear to be the face of the GOP

WASHINGTON — The Obama White House has begun advancing an aggressive political strategy: convincing the country that the real power behind the Republican Party is not the GOP leaders in Congress or at the Republican National Committee, but rather provocative radio talk show king Rush Limbaugh.

President Barack Obama, top presidential aides and outside Democratic allies have been pushing the message in unison.

At a briefing Monday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked to react to Limbaugh's speech over the weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Limbaugh was characteristically critical of Obama.

"So what is so strange about being honest to say that I want Barack Obama to fail if his mission is to restructure and reform this country so that capitalism and individual liberty are not its foundation?" Limbaugh said. "Why would I want that to succeed?"

Gibbs was prepared for the question.

"I think it would be charitable to say he doubled down on what he said in January in wishing and hoping for economic failure in this country," Gibbs said.

At a private meeting in January, the president told Republican lawmakers that they needed to tune out Limbaugh if they wanted to get things done.

A president's stature is such that anything he makes a focus is immediately elevated. Would Obama be better off ignoring an influential critic with an audience that numbers in the millions? Asked about that Monday, Gibbs stood his ground.

He called Limbaugh "a national spokesperson for conservative views and many in the Republican Party."

"You know," Gibbs said, "I think he elevated himself. He's got, I understand, a fairly popular show."

With the White House working to make Limbaugh the face of the GOP, it is getting some outside assistance.

A tax-exempt group that supports progressive causes — Americans United for Change—is helping finance a television ad that claims GOP leaders are beholden to the radio host. The ad closes with Limbaugh saying of Obama, "I want him to fail."

The quote was part of a comment in which Limbaugh said: "If his agenda is a far-left collectivism—some people say socialism—as a conservative heartfelt, deeply, why would I want socialism to succeed?"

Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United for Change, said the group has discussed the ad campaign with the Democratic National Committee. Woodhouse is joining the DNC next week as its communications director. Asked whether the White House was notified about the ad, Woodhouse said: "They certainly are aware—I'm sure they're aware of what we're doing."

Within the GOP officialdom, Limbaugh is a sensitive subject. The new chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, said on CNN over the weekend that Limbaugh was merely an "entertainer"—and an "incendiary" one at that. Steele also disputed the notion that Limbaugh was the leader of the GOP.

Limbaugh fired back on Monday.

"Now, Mr. Steele, if it is your position as the chairman of the Republican National Committee that you want a left-wing Democrat president and a left-wing Democrat Congress to succeed in advancing their agenda, if it's your position that you want President Obama and Speaker < Nancy> Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid to succeed with their massive spending and taxing and nationalization plans, I think you have some explaining to do. Why are you running the Republican Party?"

Steele later called Limbaugh to apologize, Politico reported.

In an interview Monday, David Axelrod, senior adviser to Obama, pressed the argument that the real GOP boss is not Steele, but Limbaugh.

"I don't see most of these Republican office holders heeling for Mr. Steele like they do for Limbaugh," Axelrod said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-limbaugh_03mar03,0,3567977.story

If the GOP refuses to deny it, then it proves Rush IS the head of the GOP.

If they deny it, then Rush attacks them and they have to apologize the next day- again, proving that what Rush says, goes.

If they start refusing to apologize to Rush...see where this is going?

I think hamstringing the GOP with Rush is a good move-they are in the way...

Robert Gibbs and David Axelrod. Or Rahm Emanuel.

This strategy is beyond brilliant.

There you go.

That's what Rahm Emmanuel said happens. If they speak against the mighty Oxycontin King - they then have to apologize to the lardass for it.

Rush Limbaugh IS the Republican Party. The voice of it. The face of it.

:rofl:

:rofl:

Okay, any Rahm haters reading this: Understand that the Rush-is-your-leader strategy is exactly why Obama picked him for COS. For those who don't see it, remember Rahm is the one who made public the Port Security by Qatar--accurately predicting the racist Republicans would freak out at the idea of a bunch of A-rabs guarding our ports.

Also, he called out Darth for trying to say he wasn't accountable to either the executive or the legislative branch of govt. Rahm's the one who threatened to withold his wages.

I love it! Rush's ego is just as predictable, and he walked right into the gilded cage that was laid out for him. Now we see the sniveling cowards who're all afraid of his power, like those quaking before an angry false God. "Please, your Holiness, let this offering assuage your wrath that it does not rain fire down upon your humble worshippers!"

I haven't been so entertained in months!:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Because that would mean not paying appropriate respect to El Rushbo, which would mean being slammed on the radio, which is just too much for these delicate little daisies to handle.

ya :think:

Obama's just shining some light on the cockroaches..and the corporatemediawhores start braying.

is just a joy to watch them get smacked around without Obama even having to really try.

the fact is Pigboy is the leader of the GOP.

More like the king or emporer.

Nobody can cross him. No one can speak ill of him.

With that kind of power, it is about time the American people become aware of it.

Let's continue to beat this drum. Pigboy is a shameful, hateful loser.

I want to see his mug on TV 24/7......it is only a win/win for Democrats!

Is that the Dope's ego is so titanic that he'll embrace the meme, even as it destroys himself and severely damages the Republican Party.