Remember the Times' Sunday magazine valentine to Limbaugh in July that lovingly described the right-wing talker as, among other things, “a singular political force”? But that was only after the Times completely buried all the offensive and hateful things Rush has said over the years. (And only after the Times hired a Dittohead to write the profile.)

And that's been the media's M.O. for years when dealing with Limbaugh; whitewash the hate and present him as either being thoughtful or just an entertainer.

But as the Daily Howler got us wondering today, does the Times still feels comfortable with its description of Limbaugh as a “singular political force” (i.e. as a serious thinker) in the wake of his blatantly race-based smear on Barack Obama this week?

As the Howler asks, “Will the mainstream press corps ever speak about the foul mess [Limbaugh] maintains in their midst? Or will they decide, for the ten millionth time, that it's safer to keep their traps shut?”