By Greg Lewis

For those of you who were concerned for our safety and mental health over the weekend -- we were last seen bracing for DC's Snowmageddon episode -- we have weathered the storm admirably (i.e., we didn't resort to cannibalism, despite the notable chicken shortage). Some of us even made it to the office this morning! Anyway, there was a new fold to the Palin-Limbaugh-feud-but-not-really-a-feud that developed last week. When we left you on Friday, Palin's spokesperson had called out Limbaugh for his use of the word “retard,” then walked it back -- even though her walk-back was rather disingenuous. But during her appearance on Fox News Sunday, Sarah Palin cleared up her spokesperson's bumbling performance and personally walked back her criticism of Limbaugh. So that's that. Chalk up Sarah Palin as one of the myriad of conservatives who won't criticize their dear leader.

Anyway, Rush started things off from his snow-free Florida HQ by mocking the federal government for shutting down today because of the snow. Rush said that “these people will take any excuse for a day off.”

Next, Rush rambled on for a while about various Super Bowl-related topics. First, he exclaimed his appreciation for the Audi advertisement, which Rush characterized as making fun of the “green Nazis.” Rush even reveled in Grist writer David Roberts writing that the advertisement wasn't satire. Rush also praised the Focus on the Family anti-abortion ad with Tim Tebow.

Rush to GOP, on bipartisan health care summit: It's a trap!

After the break, Rush said a few final words about the Super Bowl and got down to his usual political ranting. Rush had some advice for Republicans regarding Obama's proposed bipartisan health care summit. Rush's message was for Republicans not to fall for the trap and to be “proud” of the “Party of No” label that would follow:

LIMBAUGH; Republicans have got be very, very careful here because this is nothing more than a trap. And Republicans, I'm saying it right now, do not be afraid of being called the Party of No if you don't do this. Be proud of being called the Party of No. Have confidence, my fellow Republicans, that there is no way near a majority of people that want Obama's health care. A clear majority of people do not want it, and they stopped it.

Rush said that Obama doesn't care about Republican ideas. He also reminded Republicans that Obama “doesn't have a plan,” so negotiating with Obama is a waste of time. Rush reiterated that Republicans should wear the “Party of No” badge with honor.

Following another break, Rush expanded on this theme by warning the GOP not to engage with Obama at staged propaganda events, or it could be a “replay” of the Q&A session Republicans had with Obama at their retreat. Rush reminded Republicans that “true bipartisanship” here would be to say “no.”

Rush continued, saying that the goal for Republicans has to be victory, not getting along with Obama. And since he won't be persuaded to cut taxes or allow for competition, it would be folly to present their ideas. Rush also called Obama a “spoiled brat” for complaining to Congress for not getting his bill passed.

From here, Rush said that Obama was “taunting” Democrats by asking for meetings on health care with Republicans. After Rush said that having meetings “is what statists do,” he said Obama is a community agitator, not a leader, and that he's not solving anything.

Since Democrats are now the ones saying “no” to health care, Rush said Republicans “need to get out of the way,” and that Republicans don't want the media to have a soundbite of them “saying no.” (Didn't he just say Republicans should “proudly” wear the “Party of No” badge? As usual, Rush is completely incoherent.)

As the opening hour drew to a close, Rush said that the bipartisan health care summit would also put Obama on an elevated platform to Congress, even though they are supposed to be coequal branches. Rush claimed that Obama wants to make it seem like Congress is subservient to him, which Rush surprisingly called a “bad, bad move.”

Rush said what Obama really ought to do is come on The Rush Limbaugh Show to debate health care with Rush Limbaugh.

Rush praises Sarah Palin for “sticking to her guns” during her Fox News Sunday interview

Hour two saw Rush discuss Sarah Palin's Fox News Sunday interview. He began his monologue by stating that it was because of his radio show that it became OK to make fun of liberals. Then Rush said before “the business” of Rahm's use of the word “retard,” he “never once used” the word himself. But he decided that if it's OK for Democrats to use it, then he would do it -- with everybody in his audience knowing what he was doing. Rush was having fun with a Democrat who was in the same position that the PC police on the left “always put us in.”

Rush said that the left think Palin should demand that Rush be fired when he was “clearly” making fun of Emanuel. Rush added that the left “loves” feigned outrage and using the speech police to drum people like him out of work.

Then Rush aired portions of Palin's Fox News Sunday interview in which she defended Rush's apparently satirical use of the word “retard.” Rush praised Palin for “sticking to her guns here.”

The audio that Rush aired also included this comment from Palin:

PALIN: I didn't hear Rush Limbaugh call a group of people whom he did not agree with “f-ing retards,” and we did know that Rahm Emanuel, it's been reported, did say that. There's a big difference there.

So it's kind of funny that Palin saying that Rush didn't “call a group of people whom he did not agree with 'f-ing retards,'” since Rush today attacked “spoiled-brat, whiny little r-words” who criticized Palin for her crib notes. Rush concluded his monologue:

LIMBAUGH: You people don't understand, you drive us out of our jobs for violating your speech codes, you drive us out of our elected offices for violating your speech codes and this was just a golden opportunity to ram it back down your collective throats. So you sit around and sound like stuck pigs and whiny little babies. What Rush said was worse, it was worse than what Emanuel and he didn't apologize, he's so mean.

Rush spent the remainder of the hour speaking out against the proposed health care summit and against liberalism in general. Rush claimed that liberalism has never been a majority-held point of view in America, and that Democrats and liberals have to govern against the will of the people. Also, Rush repeated his argument that Republicans should proudly become the “Party of Hell No.” He called bipartisanship a “sucker ploy.”

The third hour of Limbaugh began with Rush reading an article about L3C's -- “low-profit” limited liability corporations. Rush attacked the idea of rewarding businesses that “do not make a profit” if someone approves of their social mission. Actually, as the article explains, L3Cs don't “not make a profit,” but they define profit as a “secondary goal.” Here's an excerpt from the article, describing a milk company that aimed to support family farms. The company returns 90 percent of its profits to their farmers they buy from:

As for-profit entities, L3Cs are also eligible for regular investments -- a factor that made the unusual business entity particularly attractive to the creators of MOOMilk, which was incorporated in Vermont (Maine has not passed L3C legislation). They hope their venture will attract capital from social funds as well as foundations. The company's operating agreement specifies that the farmers receive 90% of the profits each month, as well as a predetermined price for their milk. Investors only receive their return upon exiting the company.

Rush added that this idea “perverts capitalism.”

Then Rush went on his usual climate change denial streak, reading a couple of articles from the British press that point out alleged errors in the IPCC's reports. Rush praised the British press for investigative reporting that we don't get in the United States.

Next, Rush entertained a rumor that Obama would dump Biden from the 2012 ticket and replace him with Hillary Clinton.

Later, Rush aired several sound bites of Sarah Palin from her Tea Party Convention speech. Rush applauded how Palin drove her opponents nuts. Rush concluded the program with one more thing to say about Obama's interview yesterday with Katie Couric. Rush singled out the part of the interview that Obama talked about possible terror trials in New York City, and Obama saying that “We're not handling any of these cases any different than the Bush administration handled them all through 9-11.”

Rush responded that the Bush administration wanted military tribunals, but they were forced by the courts otherwise. That's not even the point, though, said Rush. The point, according to him, was that he thought Bush's policies made us hated and less safe, and now our “young, man-child” president says he's no different than the Bush administration. Rush also said that liberals want Bush “frog-marched” to jail. Rush was “tempted to agree” (the implication that he wanted Obama sent to jail as well) but then backed off and said he didn't want to go that far.

Mike Burns and Michael Timberlake contributed to this edition of the Limbaugh Wire.

Highlights

LIMBAUGH: Based on Emanuel! Based on continuing to embarrass Emanuel. You people don't understand, you drive us out of our jobs for violating your speech codes, you drive us out of our elected offices for violating your speech codes and this was just a golden opportunity to ram it back down your collective throats. So you sit around and sound like stuck pigs and whiny little babies. [Making crying noises while talking in baby voice; very inaudible] What rush said was worse, it was worse than what Emanuel and he didn't apologize, he's so mean.

Limbaugh's GOP Directives:

LIMBAUGH: Now, there's been stories all weekend: Obama realizes health care dead on Capitol Hill, Obama not giving up. He went to the DNC fundraiser over the weekend Saturday, I guess. We're not giving up on this, gang.

The Democrats in Congress don't know what's going on. He's provided no leadership. He has never had a plan. This is one thing we must continually emphasize. He has put it all on them. he has demanded that they do it all in the House and Senate. He has never had a plan. And they have taken a hit for that, not him. Well he is taking a hit in the approval numbers and his party is taking a hit but he doesn't, he hasn't suffered from it much yet.

So now they're kind of what -- what -- what is going on the Republicans -- and the Republicans have got be very very careful here because this is nothing more than a trap. And that Republicans -- I'm saying it right now, do not be afraid of being called the Party of No if you don't do this. Be proud of being called the Party of No. Have confidence, my fellow Republicans, that there is no way near a majority of people that want Obama's health care. A clear majority of people do not want it, and they stopped it.

This is no time for bipartisanship. That was my favorite part of Sarah Palin's address, by the way, at the Tea Party Saturday night. Bipartisanship simply means Republicans compromising their core beliefs to agree democrats. There is never talk of bipartisanship with the democrats giving up anything its always everybody joining them or caving to meet them, and this is a set up because Obama wants to be able to blame this on the republicans when in fact it is his own party that has been saying no to itself. The senate democrats say not to the house democrats. The house democrats say no to the senate democrats. The blue dogs are saying no to everybody a bunch of democrats have lost elections over this, more will elections in November.

If the Republicans get anywhere near this meeting -- Obama does not care about their ideas. Obama is trying to get them on television on C-SPAN, he has proposed a meeting at Blair House, which is across the street. Look to think of it as the White House guest house and he wants this on C-SPAN cause it can fulfill his promise that every health care negotiation will be on TV.