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Rushing Obama

Man, I got out just in time. Last week I gave up doing the Radio Factor after seven years because I needed to get some sleep. Working 65 hours a week is fine when you're 30, but as Clint Eastwood once opined: A man must know his limitations.

My radio program competed against Rush Limbaugh's show in some markets, and now, in an amazing bit of political gamesmanship, the Obama administration has elevated Limbaugh to Alp-like heights. By publicly attacking the broadcaster, the Obama crew has not only galvanized his loyal audience, but also sent curiosity seekers into his domain. What a ratings bonanza for Limbaugh! Who would want to compete against that?

According to the website Politico, Democratic strategists Stanley Greenberg and James Carville polled Limbaugh's popularity and found it lacking among voters younger than age 40. The website contends they convinced White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to go after Limbaugh and define him as the behind-the-scenes leader of the Republican Party. The strategy was to paint the GOP as a leaderless outfit fearful of a high-profile radio guy. Emanuel dropped the propaganda bomb on a morning TV show last Sunday.

In conjunction, Obama's former campaign manager David Plouffe wrote a sarcastic op-ed in The Washington Post claiming the Republican Party is "paralyzed with fear of crossing (Limbaugh)."

Presto, the liberal mainstream media pounced on the new leader of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, mocking him for playing second fiddle to Limbaugh.

Steele did not like that and told CNN the broadcaster is an entertainer who often pops off. Limbaugh did not like that and lambasted Steele. Under pressure, the RNC chief apologized.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are "lol" as they say on the Net.

But there may be an unintended consequence in this for the White House. By empowering Limbaugh, who already commands an enormous audience, the Obama administration is supplying weaponry to the enemy. Sure, the Democratic home team is yukking this stuff up, but most Americans are steaming mad about the economy and in no mood for shallow political games. If the president cannot get Wall Street to believe in him, demonizing Limbaugh will begin to look like a diversionary tactic, which it might well be.

It is certainly true that the Republican Party is currently taking some lumps, especially among the pro-Obama media. But in politics things can turn fast. If the GOP can develop some strong leadership and a populist vision, it will compete in the 2010 election.

We are living in dangerous times and the folks know it. Fighting with a radio talk-show host may be entertaining, but it is certainly not presidential.

Veteran TV news anchor Bill O'Reilly is host of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" and author of the book "Who's Looking Out For You?" To find out more about Bill O'Reilly, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. This column originates on the Web site www.billoreilly.com.

Comments

1 Comments | Post Comment

Sir;...Let me disagree....If you think the administration is handing Mr. Limbaugh a weapon; I will assure you that it has a blunted edge....What you forget is that Mr. Limbaugh can talk about what he thinks he knows; but the administration knows what is coming down the pike long before the general public.... If things were suddenly likely to improve; why would the administration invite this distraction???.If the situation gets far worse, the words of Mr. Limbaugh wishing failure for Mr. Obama will burn into their memory...It is obvious that no matter what number Mr. Limbaugh does represent, or with what fidelity he represents them, that he does not, and will not represent anything like a majority of republicans...Mr. Limbaugh is giving a great gift to the administration, and all the more so if the economy implodes as it is likely to do; and that is: a clear point of division between the disturbed republicans -and the clinically insane.... The guy likes to run his mouth....The administration paints Mr. Rush as the leader of the pack... Some say Ya; Rush is ours.... But then, the republicans have to succeed in their stone walling.... If the situation suddenly improves on its own you have discovered a prescient leader whose mouth spits gold... If not, you will find the majority of yourselves tied to an albatrose that must go three hundred pounds... I think you are all putting yourselves in the same coffin; but be my guest.... You all act like you know the future, but the people who should know the future look scared, even a little foolish in trying to point out every ray of sunshine peeking through the clouds... But no one knows how this is going to turn out....I can see the sytemic problems of capitalism are not going to ease on their own, and perhaps not over the resistence of the right.... But If I were in your shoes, I would not want to be caught resisting recovery when the lower right could find themselves suffering as badly as as anyone else.... What will your grass roots think of you if you show yourselves to be a patch of weeds....Thanks....Sweeney

Comment: #1
Posted by: James A, Sweeney
Sat Mar 7, 2009 2:24 PM