Responding to “racialist charge,” Limbaugh declares: “I'm not a racist. The NAACP is racialist”

By Sean Easter

After a joke about the economy, Limbaugh began today's show with a lament for Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), saying “of all the people, Rangel gets caught.” He then attacked President Obama, claiming that “he misspeaks on everything,” “lies through his teeth,” and “act[s] like a groupie, a sports groupie in the White House.” Limbaugh then went on to his first of many plugs for the sweepstakes on his new Facebook page. (“Like” Rush and you'll be entered in all nine drawings for an Apple iPad.)

Limbaugh returned many times today to Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet's primary win in Colorado, frequently mocking the media for supposedly celebrating the president-endorsed incumbent's victory as “historic.” Limbaugh later suggested that White House press secretary Robert Gibbs missed a press briefing not because of a bad cough, but because of Gibbs' recent comments about the “professional left.” Rush later said: “You have to know that this was orchestrated. This was Obama's attempt at triangulating. There's no question Obama used Gibbs to try to go out there and create a Sister Souljah moment.”

Limbaugh also addressed criticism of his comments yesterday that the left has failed to criticize Michelle Obama's trip to Spain because of “vacation affirmative action.” Limbaugh said that his comments were a “media tweak.” Responding to the charge that his comments were “racialist,” Limbaugh said: “I'm not a racist. The NAACP is racialist.” Limbaugh also blasted people “playing the race card,” remarking that everyone who does is well off in terms of income or standing.

One caller asserted that the Democrats were beginning to move to the right and suggested that it was a political plot for election success. After returning from break, Limbaugh responded: “Why do we always think that there's some brilliant strategy that we can't see coming from the White House?” He continued: “There's no plot here from the White House to get Democrats to sound like Republicans. The Democrats are imploding and the rats are jumping ship.”

Here are some highlights from today's show:

Limbaugh excuses his race-baiting attack on Michelle Obama's trip to Spain as a “media tweak”

Limbaugh: Rep. Waters “is just Charlie Rangel in a skirt -- other than that, there's no difference between the two”

Responding to charge that he's a “racialist,” Limbaugh says “I'm not a racist. The NAACP is racialist”

Limbaugh says a lot of people who voted for Obama were “laden with guilt” about country's past

Limbaugh on Dem strategy: “We are going to be seeing more of the Trotsky brand of Communism than the Stalinist brand”

Rush: “This president will never acknowledge that this is a great country”