By Greg Lewis
Well, it was apparently Stack of Stuff Tuesday as Rush got his show started today, as he went through numerous stories all within the first few minutes. First up for the latest proof that global warming was nothing but a “hoax”: more snow is headed for Washington, D.C. Rush delighted that this came at the same time the Obama administration was about to set up a climate agency to monitor global warming. And the claim that record snowfall refutes global warming? Old, tired, false. But hey, it's The Rush Limbaugh Show!
Rush also touched on “peace” breaking out all over the world, reading headlines from around the world indicating increasing tensions in international relations. Rush said that this peace was “breaking out” during the “era of Obama.” After various other headlines from his Stack, Rush criticized CNN's Situation Room for focusing a lot of attention on a March 2006 Bush approval rating poll (a CNN poll, it should be noted), but not mentioning a new poll yesterday that showed low approval ratings for Obama (a non-CNN poll, it should be noted). Rush took this at evidence that the state-controlled media was ignoring Obama's “plunge” in the polls.
Rush extols “brilliance” of GOP response to health care summit
After the break, Rush returned to extol the “brilliance” of the House GOP's response to Obama's health care summit invitation. He was hopeful that the letter was an indication that the “era of McCain” might be over. He went on to read the letter and reiterate these themes as he did.
Following another break, Rush mocked Obama signing a new proclamation on childhood obesity. Rush portrayed Obama's action as the president relenting to his wife after much “haranguing.” Then he mocked the “elitist” notion that the South has the greatest rate of childhood obesity in the country.
Anyway, Rush soon returned to the GOP's response to the proposed health care summit and went through White House press secretary Robert Gibb's “passive aggressive” response to it. What followed was mostly incoherent, such as when Rush called Gibbs a liar for saying that the White House has tried to involve Republicans in the health care debate:
LIMBAUGH: Gibbs then said the president began this process by inviting Republican and Democrat leaders to the White House on March the 5th of last year. He's continued to work with both parties in crafting the best possible bill. Now, if I'm Boehner and Cantor and I read that, I blow up, because Boehner has said on several occasions the White House doesn't want to talk to Republicans, that they have not been invited to any of this, and we know that that's true.
Its a lie, and the Republicans should refuse to meet based on this statement alone. He began this process by inviting the Republican and Democrat leaders to the White House on March 5th of last year? He's continued to work with both -- that's just -- that's just -- I mean, this is -- this is psychosomatic lying. This is pathological.
Saying that Republicans were not included in the process is something Rush and other conservatives like to claim, but it doesn't hold up to much scrutiny. Also, that's pretty brazen to call Gibbs a liar for citing a specific instance when Republicans were invited to be a part of the process
Closing out the hour, Rush took his rather self-centered idea yesterday that Obama should debate health care with him one step further. Now, Rush proposed a three-on-three debate: Rush, radio host Mark Levin, and Rep. Paul Ryan versus Obama, Reid and Pelosi. Rush then changed gears and made the quizzical observation that Obama referred to al Qaeda terrorists as “folks,” but that's supposed to be Bill O'Reilly's word, and that Obama was “stealing” from O'Reilly. Sure ...
Rush on Obama holding his hand out to people who need help: "[T]he hand's being held out, but there's a middle finger extended"
Hour the second began with Rush digging back through his Stack of Stuff. He read about Democrats in Congressing blaming Rahm Emanuel for the collapse of health care reform legislation. He also read an article that 25 percent of Washington, D.C.'s snow plows are not working. Rush said he was trying to remember any news story of a government agency that is working efficiently and on budget.
After reading an Andrew Malcolm blog post at the LA Times, Rush turned his attention to Michelle Obama's Good Morning America interview with Robin Roberts. He singled out this portion:
LIMBAUGH: So then Robin Roberts said, well, the peaks and valleys of this year. Successes, some shortcomings, and the rhetoric of the last few months. Is there ever a time you looked at your husband and say, “We gotta fix this”?
MICHELLE OBAMA (audio clip): It's a constant struggle. You know, the coarsening of Washington and politics has always been here. We had hoped that more progress would have been made, but as I say, you just keep holding the hand out. You know, you never give up on the possibilities --
LIMBAUGH: Stop the tape a minute. You hold a hand out with the middle finger extended is what's happening here. Yeah, the hand's being held out, but there's a middle finger extended. Resume tape.
OBAMA (audio clip): -- of more civility. You never walk away from that, right? You keep your hand held out, you keep that smile on your face, you stay open to the possibility of partnership, and one day, there'll be another hand out there to accept yours. That is the beauty of Barack Obama. His hand stays out positive and focused. Its a gift.
LIMBAUGH: With the middle finger extended. So what is she suggesting here? People keep their handouts? He's extending his hands out there, and he's waiting for someone to take the handouts. Disguised lingo. You have to be in a welfare state to understand the code lingo here, folks. It means the gravy train's going to keep on coming.
Next, Obama had a conversation with a caller over the dearth of job prospects the caller faced in this recession. Rush advised to caller to become a consultant.
After another break, continued to offer advice to the caller. Rush suggested that the caller could come up with a plan for companies on what to do if parts of Obama's agenda are passed. Rush said that businesses realize that their biggest obstacle right now is not knowing which parts of the Obama agenda will pass.
Then Rush came up with an example to put his advice more into layman's terms. Do you know about those “fractional corporate jet deals?” Rush asked. You know, the ones where you can by a share of corporate jets? Rush suggested that the caller take a cue from the people who created this to think of a business opportunity of his own.
Rush continues to advise GOP not to fall into bipartisanship “trap”
The third hour began with Rush continuing his rant about Obama's health care reform proposal and the bipartisan summit. Rush noted that Obama “hijacked” the White House daily press briefing today and talked about bipartisanship and the health care bill. Rush ran through various sound bites from this exchange, in which Obama explained his efforts towards bipartisanship. Rush was having none of it, naysaying Obama at every opportunity. Rush even warned Republicans on bipartisanship pleas from Obama: "It's a trap!" Rush said bipartisanship is a trap used by Democrats to get Republicans to cave to nonexistent pressure from the American people.
After the break, Rush turned to another exchange from Obama at the daily press briefing today, courtesy of ABC's Jake Tapper. Rush was specifically enraged that Obama would say that many small businesses could not get “bank loans required to boot their payroll.” Despite the fact that the financial crisis has made and continues to make it difficult for small businesses to get credit, Rush used this opportunity to call Obama “absolutely clueless” and that Obama doesn't know how businesses work. “You don't borrow money to make a payroll,” exclaimed Limbaugh. Rush went on to criticize Obama's cockiness, arrogance and “shear ignorance.” Rush concluded the show by taking a few more phone calls and reading some more expert commentary from The American Thinker.
Michael Timberlake and Kitty Kaletsky contributed to this edition of the Limbaugh Wire.
Highlights
LIMBAUGH: Gibbs then said the president began this process by inviting Republican and Democrat leaders to the White House on March the 5th of last year. He's continued to work with both parties in crafting the best possible bill. Now, if I'm Boehner and Cantor and I read that, I blow up, because Boehner has said on several occasions the White House doesn't want to talk to Republicans, that they have not been invited to any of this, and we know that that's true.
Its a lie, and the Republicans should refuse to meet based on this statement alone. He began this process by inviting the Republican and Democrat leaders to the White House on March 5th of last year? He's continued to work with both -- that's just -- that's just -- I mean, this is -- this is psychosomatic lying. This is pathological.
Outrageous remarks
LIMBAUGH: So then Robin Roberts said, well, the peaks and valleys of this year. Successes, some shortcomings, and the rhetoric of the last few months. Is there ever a time you looked at your husband and say, “We gotta fix this”?
MICHELLE OBAMA (audio clip): It's a constant struggle. You know, the coarsening of Washington and politics has always been here. We had hoped that more progress would have been made, but as I say, you just keep holding the hand out. You know, you never give up on the possibilities --
LIMBAUGH: Stop the tape a minute. You hold a hand out with the middle finger extended is what's happening here. Yeah, the hands being held out, but there's a middle finger extended. Resume tape.
OBAMA (audio clip): -- of more civility. You never walk away from that, right? You keep your hand held out, you keep that smile on your face, you stay open to the possibility of partnership, and one day, there'll be another hand out there to accept yours. That is the beauty of Barack Obama. His hand stays out positive and focused. Its a gift.
LIMBAUGH: With the middle finger extended. So what is she suggesting here? People keep their handouts? He's extending his hands out there, and he's waiting for someone to take the handouts. Disguised lingo. You have to be in a welfare state to understand the code lingo here, folks. It means the gravy train's going to keep on coming.