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March 05, 2009
Rush to Judgment by Mark Steyn
Rush to Judgment
by Mark Steyn
Kathryn, in all the Rush-bashing, I was more disturbed by Michael Steele's wretched performance. His initial reaction — that Rush's show is "incendiary" and "ugly" — revealed:
a) that he never listens to it;
b) that he takes his cues from the mainstream media, for whom Rush is invariably "angry". They don't listen either. Rush is a lot of things, but "angry" isn't one of them. If you catch him for 20 minutes, you know he's full of fun, laughing it up, having a grand old time. There are a lot of angry talkshow hosts out there bellowing at the world for three hours a day, but Rush isn't one of them. (Full disclosure: I guesthost for Rush once in a while, and regard it as a signal honor for a sinister foreigner such as myself.)
This first reaction is disturbing for two reasons: first, given the size of Rush's audience, it's something an RNC chairman should not be so obviously foreign to; second, it's not encouraging when the de facto face of the party accepts so unthinkingly the liberal/media framing of the issue.
Then we come to Mr. Steele's second response - his reaction to the reaction to his original reaction: By apologizing for his first remarks, he opened the door for his DNC opposite number to make sport of the way he was kowtowing to the "ugly" Limbaugh. So a man who apparently shares the elite's disdain for Rush and his audience nevertheless feeds the impression that the Republican leadership is prostrate at his feet: the worst of both worlds.
In two brief soundbites, Mr. Steele has managed to suggest to his own party base that he has a lazy disposition that reflexively shares the liberal biases, and to allow the wider world to portray him as a craven squish. This is not encouraging. At the very minimum, he does not appear ready for primetime.
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Mark Steyn is always so good!
When an imbecile like D.L. Hughley is able to outfox you in a debate, it's time to hang it up.
Michael Steele was on Sean Hannity yesterday, and Sean was practically telling him what to say, and he was still blowing it. Earmarks, for example. He agreed with Sean several times that it’s a shame Republicans have 40% of the earmarks in the budget, and they really need to explain to their voters that “not this year, not in this economic climate, wait for a year or two” and when things get back to normal they can resume bringing home the bacon “for that hospital or clinic.” No, Mr. Steele, not next year, not ever. Earmarks and pork are part of the problem, on principle. We shouldn’t be sending people to Washington to get other people’s money and bring it back for politically selected spending. Period.
On Laura Ingraham's radio show yesterday she had Michael Steele on for a few minutes.
The other day Laura really did an awesome rant about what Michael had said and done.
Before he came on she said she wanted to ask him some questions about what had happened and let him explain.
Anyway, Michael came on her show and she said perhaps he got caught up in the moment, but it was still wrong no matter what. He had a chance to say something that could make up for it but instead he said everyone says things that can be taken wrong. sheesh
Then Laura said, well Michael I have to ask you about something that bothers me even more then what you said about Rush although as you know I let you have it pretty strong the other day about it. What I have to ask you is about when D.L. Hughley and his guest were saying that the Republican Convention was like Nazi Germany, you nodded and said yes and nothing else. Let me play it for you Michael and I want you to tell me why you did this.
She played back the tape and he got audibly upset I could tell just from listening to Laura play the tape. She then asked him well Michael what do you have to say to that.
Michael said, Laura there are only 30 or so blacks visibly in the Republican party in leadership so I feel...... Laura cut in and let him have it. She minced no words in her being upset about his initial reaction on the tape and also his explanation for his agreement.
Then he was thanked for being on her show and it was done. She went on to the next thing.
This is so telling, there is an inner deep seeded anger that I thought Michael did not have. I was upset about both the things Michael did, the Rush thing and also the Nazi Germany thing, BOTH imo will not go away and his explanation only cemented it how he truly feels.
Here is a good example for Michael Steele to look at . Bobby Jindal on Larry King ( this is the part where he comments about Limbaugh, Michael Steele and wanting Obama to fail.
Also please be sure to catch the very beginning of the video. It starts off when they are coming back from the break and you can hear very clearly Larry King says... "Jesus Christ" .
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 05:45 AM
Comments
John Boehner was on Cavuto yesterday, and his take is Rush is being used by Obama as a smoke screen for the rotten policies, for the communist like policies and the out of control spending by this government.
I had forgotten about that Nazi party remark by the full grown version of 'Buckwheat' but that is a typical remark by these people. Steele's lack of response tells me he is not ready for prime time. Steele should resign. He is not representing the Republican Party if he insists on staying the they will run another Rino for President and that will be the end of the Republican Party. Steele is apologetic and almost wishes he were a democrat. Rinos trying to be democrat should make the transition all the way to the left, he obviously wants to be there. Go dammit, we don't need you Mr. Steele.
And only 30 visible Blacks in the Republican Party well thats 70% of the ones who actually work. Whose problem is that. We have a platform and certain planks have been installed. Why should we change our stripes so we can emulate the democrats, who for the past 60 years have claimed to be the 'caretaker of the Black family' , some caretaker the Black family is worse off today by a magnitude of 10 that they were in the 1950 but its dolts like Steele, who perpetuate the problem.
Personally, I didn't like Steele from the 'gitgo', he is a Rino and will do us no good come election time.
Posted by: Mark at March 5, 2009 07:58 AM
Mark Steyn and Bobby Jindal are conservative Republicans and great spokesmen. They, along with a few Congressmen and a lot of talk show people are Republican spokespeople. If Michael Steele cannot perform as "The' spokesman he should resign. I really thought that Steele was a good choice at first. However, it seems like he folds under pressure.
I can't help but think of the late Tony Snow and what a wonderful spokesman he was. There are many articulate people who could do a good job as party spokesman. We need to pick another person to replace Steele.
Posted by: TomR at March 5, 2009 11:48 AM
I can't help it, the GOP is dead, the sooner we realize that it is controlled by that cabal of elitists in the East Coast country club and their 'union bosses' in perpetuity in DC the better. We'll grass roots the Conservative and they'll back the RINO, establishing their own forever. Back a conservative independent, an American, no where in the constitution does it spell out a candidates ideology. I quit the Democrats in 66, the GOP quit on me in '89. This is the United States not North Korea for crissakes!!!
Posted by: Jack at March 5, 2009 03:17 PM
Mark, thanks for that about Boehner, and also I agree about Steele.
I am done with these rino's and the zero tolerance I have there is no room anymore for second chances for these people.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 07:55 PM
Tom, yes he does, he just can't handle pressure. I have to wonder if it is nerves or is it because he is trying to answer what is not in his heart and he has to think about it first. The reason I say that is when he is rushed all three times now he has answered like a rino and only when he has had plenty of time to plan ahead he sounds less like one.
We all could answer rapid fire anything thrown at us because in our hearts we know what we believe and so it is natural to us.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 07:59 PM
Jack, I wish we could kick all rino's out and even call it the new and improved Republican party, and make it all conservatives. But there has to be a real take no prisoner mentality against rinos and dems. Dreaming here....
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 5, 2009 08:02 PM
