Limbaugh McCain’s Most Valuable Asset?

February 13, 2008

Comments

Rush Limbaugh says he’s John McCain’s “most valuable asset” and playfully suggests that he’s criticizing him so vehemently in order to boost his support among swing voters.

“What people don’t realize is that I am doing McCain the biggest favor that can be done for him by staying out of this,” he continued. “If I endorsed him thoroughly and with passion, that would end the independents and moderates, because they so despise me and they so hate me.”

[…]

“Couldn’t it be said, if somebody wanted to…that I am secretly supporting McCain, because I secretly do want him to win, but I know full well that if I come out and endorse him, he’s cooked?” Limbaugh asked. “Who may be in this whole kit and caboodle, this who shebang, the most valuable asset McCain has? Me.”

Limbaugh has a huge following and is no doubt influential at the margins. Yet I can’t imagine there are all that many people out there basing their vote on Limbaugh.

13 responses to “Limbaugh McCain’s Most Valuable Asset?”

yetanotherjohn

February 13, 2008 at 12:28 pm

Limbaugh does not have an army of robots who will pull the lever however he says (witness the GOP primaries which would show evidence of such a capability if it existed). What he can do is form issues and bring up relevant facts in ways that differ from the MSM. If Obama is the democratic nominee, then Rush will be bringing up issues that Obama would prefer to keep quite (such as his call for a complete handgun ban). In a way, Rush will be weakest if Hillary gets the nod as he won’t have “new” material to work from and Hillary’s perception is already set, especially among those who would hear directly or indirectly from Rush.
mannning

February 13, 2008 at 1:30 pm

In every speech I have heard by Obama, he is prattling about hope and a better time for the country, united we stand, etc. I have never, in any of his talks, heard him address substantive issues. If this guy wins the election, we will have signed him a blank check.

I do hope that the coming campaign is about issues and not hope. One can imagine with a sense of doom what unchecked hope and an open purse would do to our nation!
Tlaloc

February 13, 2008 at 1:56 pm

If this guy wins the election, we will have signed him a blank check.

It’s too bad we don’t have any checks or balances on the power of a unitary executive, huh?

oh…

The people driving the car off the cliff suddenly realize they’re *also* strapped in. Hope you enjoy the plunge you insisted on arranging.
G.A.Phillips

February 13, 2008 at 2:22 pm

In every speech I have heard by Obama, he is prattling about hope and a better time for the country, united we stand, etc. I have never, in any of his talks, heard him address substantive issues. If this guy wins the election, we will have signed him a blank check.

slick Willy Jr. don’t need any, is it not obvious who the mind numbed robot army is marching for?

is the liberals who all think they are being an individual, and unique, not realizing that they are just like the 60’s retread monkeyworshping baby murdering 8track minded flower sniffing flag burning simple jackass loving sin mocked fool as the other dude holding up the other end of the “it’s the word change on the sign stupid” sign who thinks and acts just like them.

silly nuts don’t remember when slick Willy Sr. ran the same campaign, man these history teachers suck.
Tlaloc

February 13, 2008 at 2:41 pm

silly nuts don’t remember when slick Willy Sr. ran the same campaign, man these history teachers suck.

Or Reagan before that…
Michael

February 13, 2008 at 2:48 pm

So Limbaugh says that he’s not supporting McCain because that helps McCain, and that is (possibly) his intention, thereby advertising that he actually is supporting McCain, which by his logic does a dis-service to McCain, making me suspect that he doesn’t actually support McCain, which is good because his not supporting him actually helps McCain, which Rush knows…

My brain hurts.
Barry

February 13, 2008 at 2:56 pm

Micheal, you’re betting off playing against a Sicilian when death is on the line, than wrestling with Limbaugh logic.
Lee P

February 13, 2008 at 6:23 pm

Michael & Barry,

I think it’s pretty obvious that Limbaugh was joking around.
bains

February 13, 2008 at 7:13 pm

Limbaugh has a huge following and is no doubt influential at the margins. Yet I can’t imagine there are all that many people out there basing their vote on Limbaugh.

I’d agree… with qualifications. What Limbaugh does is gives voice to manys disdain towards the inside the beltway crowd who tell us we have to accept not just McCain’s liberal ventures, but like the fact that the only group he consistently and aggressively rebukes happens to be his ostensible base.

At best, this neo-libertarian voter is entirely uninspired by a McCain bid. Mock us more, and that may change…
bains

February 13, 2008 at 7:36 pm

It’s too bad we don’t have any checks or balances on the power of a unitary executive, huh?

One, nice attempt to ignore context in order to switch the topic to one which animates you. Two, funny in light of your views of a (tyrannical) unitary executive, just how many people still not only can still speak against, but just how many elected representatives still successfully oppose the President.

alas, the narrative rolls on…
DL

February 14, 2008 at 8:47 am

In that same article Rush clearly admits that his listeners were conservatives before he came along. He just articlulates their philosphy for them. Which is a darn site better than the madness of mass psychology infecting the Obamania going on in the other party.

I also wonder why the left and the Mccain right now, are so quick to blame Rush’s “followers” but not those who follow the New York Times in selecting Mccain?
Bruce Moomaw

February 14, 2008 at 11:15 pm

Well, SOME people are certainly affected by the Fat Boy. The one poll I’ve seen of his popularity — taken of Missourians by (I believe) CNN last fall after he had just immortalized himself by announcing that he was sure Michael J. Fox was faking his Parkinson’s — gave him a 62-29 negative rating. And since the Missouri Senate race was very close, it’s entirely possible that Rush gave that seat — and thus control of the Senate — to the Dems.