National Republican Party May Finally Becoming Cognizant that they may be too Negative

"Richard N. Bond, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee," recently stated: “Some days you’re rolling the barrel, and some days you’re rolling in the barrel. The fact is that right now, Republicans are rolling in the barrel.” The former chairman's observation was intended to provide some context to the recent hard times being faced by the GOP.

Adam Nagourney has observed that: "The latest round of intramural debate came on Sunday when Dick Cheney,"

"the former vice president, assailed not only President Obama, but also Colin Powell, the former secretary of state, a Republican who endorsed Mr. Obama.

"Mr. Cheney said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” program that he would prefer Rush Limbaugh,"

"the conservative radio commentator, to Mr. Powell, a member of the shrinking class of moderate Republicans, as spokesman for his party. Within hours, the Democratic National Committee had used video from that interview — along with other Sunday morning appearances by Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, and Senator John McCain of Arizona, last year’s Republican presidential nominee — to produce a mocking Web advertisement that sought to portray Republicans as negative, out-of-touch and mired in the past.

President Obama and his administration have successfully keep the GOP off balance with well coordinated attacks since last November's presidential election. At first, the Democrats pointed out the Republicans complete failure to come up with a plan; any plan, that was "forward-looking" to challenge the Democrat's agenda. Now the GOP is in a quandary regarding: "How to say it."

"A party that has over the years been the home of a series of optimistic figures in American politics — from Ronald Reagan"

"to Jack Kemp, who died last week, to (at times) George W. Bush — is increasingly coming across as downbeat or angry. And it is something that has Republicans increasingly worried."

Nagourney asks: "How important is this? Certainly, the Republican party’s first task obstacle is finding compelling leaders to make the case against the Democrats, as it builds itself back up for the elections of 2010 and 2012. And of course it has to hone an agenda that offers specific alternatives to Mr. Obama’s far-reaching shifts in economic, social and national security policy.

"Yet tone matters, Nagourney explains. Time and time again, Americans have responded to optimism, delivered even in — indeed, particularly in — the most dire times, and even when that sunny message cloaked an attack. In many ways, Reagan’s presidency was symbolized by one 1984 reelection advertisement, “It’s morning again in America,” just as Bill Clinton’s was by his choice of Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” as a musical reminder that he was “thinking about tomorrow.”

"Mike Murphy, a one-time senior adviser to Mr. McCain, argued that Mr. McCain’s hopes of winning the presidency were doomed when he lost the “Happy Warrior” stance that had defined his political persona for so long, and simply went on the attack last year. “Tone is important,” he said.P

“Ultimately, the message has to be about big things,” said Mr. Murphy. “But tone is how you wrap it.”

"The Republicans’ task would not be an easy one even in the best of times. In Mr. Obama,"

"they face a very popular president who, benefiting from big legislative majorities, has generally not needed to spend much time attacking Republicans himself, leaving that job to aides and surrogates. It is certainly not lost on Republicans that there has been a sharp uptick in the number of Americans who think the country is headed in the right direction — the best measure of optimism — since Mr. Obama has taken office.

"By contrast, the Republican Party in general — and leaders like Mr. Cheney in particular — are viewed unfavorably by a significant majority of Americans. That makes for a tough environment to break through and get a hearing. And it can become a spiral: going on the attack typically has the effect of making Americans sour on the attacker as well.

"Mr. Bond said that to return to power, Republicans have “to play error-free ball” and hope for what he described as the inevitable overreach by a party now so firmly in control of government. The real complication, he said, is coming up with “strong public alternatives” to make the case against Democratic policies, without appearing to be obstreperous or angry, or feeding the Democrats’ attempt to paint Republicans as “the party of ‘no.’

“They have to avoid being stigmatized as a bad bunch of people,” he said of the Republicans.

Nagourney explains: "The Democrats took obvious delight in the new round of attention paid to Mr. Cheney, Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Limbaugh, none of whom, it seems fair to say, are graduates of the Happy Warrior school of politics. Mr. Murphy said the influence of people like Mr. Limbaugh is overrated — “He doesn’t have that much power; he has the power to make a lot of noise” — and that over time, less-known leaders are going to develop the voice the party needs.

Nagourney uses Mike Murphy's observations to sum up: “We have a mix of the same old party dogma, but then you see new people popping up: Huntsman, Cantor, Jeb Bush,” said Mr. Murphy, referring to Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. of Utah, and Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the Republican Whip, and Mr. Bush, the former governor of Florida. “You have to pick through all of that to hear the right ideas.”

But it is not only figures from the party’s past. For many Republicans, the party struck the wrong tone when Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina — who also is frequently mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2012 — refused a portion of the stimulus money authorized for his state as part of the economic recovery package.

"That high-profile act of defiance drew Mr. Sanford national attention, as well as sharp attack by many people in his own state, including Republicans. It was a reminder, if Republicans needed one, of the challenges the party faces in the months ahead.

“It’s definitely going to be a work in progress,” Mr. Bond said.

Limbaugh Again Being Used to Attract More Democratic Voters to the Polls in New York State Special Election to Fill 20th District Congressional Seat

Chief Pinata for the Democratic Party, Rush Limbaugh is being attacked again. This time the attack is coming in the form of campaign literature that is being distributed by a Democrat running for an open House seat in New York's 20th congressional seat to replace the former member Kirsten Gillibrand. A direct mail piece being used by the Democrat Scott Murphy, who hopes to replace MS. Gillbrand in a traditionally Republican district is using the Limbaugh mailing to turn up the heat in the race and influence greater numbers of Democrats to show up at the polls next Tuesday, March 31st.

The mailer superimposes text over a pensive looking photo of Barack Obama and complains that: "Rush Limbaugh and his lackeys in Washington the Republicans in the House, have made it clear that they will try to be a roadblock to the change America desperately needs. You can help stop them by sending Scott Murphy to Congress to help Barrack Obama change Washington."

On the same mailer, there is an angry looking photo of Limbaugh with the words "I hope Obama fails" superimposed in large block letters over the defacto leader of the GOP. Along the bottom of the mailing enclosed in parentheses is the ominous statement that: "Somebody wants you to stay home on March 31st...." The clear indication being that it is Limbaugh and his cronies in Washington who want to adversely affect the recovery of the nation.

Limbaugh has been the central figure in a concerted Democratic push against the right wing conservative ideologues who are pushing the Republican agenda of obfuscation and obstruction against the Democrats in Congress and President Obama in particular.

Democrats have been more than overjoyed to use the many 'shoot from the hip' style of comments uttered by Limbaugh on his nationally syndicated radio talk show, as well as the comments he made in his overblown keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference this past February. Limbaugh has proven to be an excellent source for turning out Democratic fundraisers to raise money but Democrats have turned Limbaugh into a strategic vote production tool as the Democrats make use of the many absurd statements made by Limbaugh and his followers to spur Democratic turnout.

It comes as no surprise that Democrats find Limbaugh and his irk to be a vile group of anti-patriots and the length of time and manner in which national Democrats have vilified Limbaugh it wouldn't be surprising if his entrance into the campaign brings out a larger Democratic turnout and the house seat stays in Democratic control.

Limbaugh Still a thorn In the Republicans Side

So the Republicans have had enough of the black shirted, bellicose CPAC speaker, and self declared leader of the GOP, Rush Limbaugh; or at least the one's who consider themselves moderates and blamed the White House (on) Sunday (Talk shows) for orchestrating the conflict."

Speaking for the moderate 'voice' of the GOP, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said on CBS's "Face the Nation" with a new found concern for fixing problems he had a hand in creating: "This was a distraction created by the White House to divert people's attention from the spending binge they've been on the last six weeks."

Yeah, right, spending binge; I wonder how many 'fiscal conservatives' remember Mr. Boehner's over dramatized behavior when he shed tears in the well of the House accusing Democrats of not spending enough to keep the 'necessary war in Iraqi terrorism alive' when Democrats had balked a few years ago regarding throwing good money after the Republican's failed invasion and occupation of Iraq.

Then there's the genius of political hatchet jobs and political bomb thrower extraordinaire, Newt Gingrich, who appeared on "Meet the Press," the NBC public affairs show who declared of Limbaugh; he is "not the leader of the Republican party," and then went on to scold President Obama for allowing his administration to 'focus on "small things." Well Gingrich should know about focusing on small things because if I remember correctly the former member of Congress once declared women should not be allowed in foxholes as combat soldiers for something i believe having to do with sanitary napkins or for some other similar lamebraied reasoning.

Gingrich choose his appearance on "Meet the Press" to once again demonstrate his myopic partisan vision when he one of his 'insightful' political observations: "The president promised to focus on large things not small things," Gingrich said. "He promised to bring us together, not divide us. And I'm assuming here that he is not responsible for the Limbaugh game, I'm assuming it's Emanuel."

Interestingly, none of the Republicans who appeared on the Sunday talk circuit could find any fault with Limbaugh's role in the controversies he has created, including his malicious remarks about Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who is bravely fighting brain cancer "won't live to see its passage, telling his audience that: "Before it's all over, it'll be called the Ted Kennedy memorial health care bill."

Despite the GOP smokescreen that it's really the White House; and in particular Obama and Emmanuel who are demonizing Limbaugh by using him for "target practice for more than a week, with no letup in sight."

But what really irks the GOP is that the targeting of Limbaugh and making him the face of the Republican Party is working.

"By the poll numbers, crowning Mr. Limbaugh, the bombastic radio host, as king of the Republican Party has worked as well as any election maneuver that Rahm Emanuel employed in helping Democrats win back majority status as chairman of their House campaign committee," John Harwood explains.

What Emmanuel and his fellow Democratic operatives have succeeded in doing has been to establish the GOP as "the party of no."

Of course the other critique the Republican moderates are rolling out has to do with the fact that the demonizing of Limbaugh will chase moderates away from supporting Obama's agenda. The only thing wrong with this cockamamie critique is that moderate Republicans benefit when Obama's agenda succeeds; because for the most part moderate Republicans hail from Obama -won blue states.

Listen if you will to the convoluted logic Senator Olympia J. Snowne, from Obama-won blue state; Maine, when Snowe is forced to is forced to feign her complaint that: “It doesn’t help, frankly,” said Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a moderate Republican from Maine who serves as a fulcrum in contentious debates on Capitol Hill. “It sidetracks all the major issues they’re facing.”

"One such issue is Mr. Obama’s budget. Ms. Snowe opposes it, even though she cast a crucial vote enabling passage of the Obama stimulus package last month.

"And to achieve the consensus necessary for action on energy, health care, Social Security and Medicaid, Mr. Obama will need not only Ms. Snowe but also a broader group of Republican backers" so says John Harwood "— most of whom share more views with Mr. Limbaugh than Ms. Snowe ever will.

What Ms Snowne fails to include in her critique of the Democrats Anti-Limbaugh strategy are moments when Ms. Snowne benefited tremendously when President Obama signed the Lillian Ledbetter legislation into law which increased Senator Snowe's popularity in Maine.

"Ms. Snowe has never been a Limbaugh-style Republican," Harwood explains. "She favors abortion rights and rejects conservatives’ view that refundable tax credits for low-income earners represents socialist wealth redistribution. She has spoken out on the need for her party to shift toward the political center after two consecutive election routs.

“We’ve gotten the signal — the sledgehammer signal,” she said. Yet she insists Mr. Obama gains little by stomping on that internal Republican divide.

Suddenly there are Republicans who seek to fix the many wrongs they were responsible in the first place; and they are so committed to fixing those mistakes that they are willing to attack Obama for his exposing the unseemly underside of GOP ideologues who drove the party and hence the nation into the quandary and crisis it finds itself in today. One only need ask: Where was Snowne when Bush and talking heads such as Limbaugh were driving America into unprecedented levels of debt and using noxious rhetoric to fuel their designs?

"Not only do other potential Republican partners represent many Limbaugh fans, but Ms. Snowe herself has strong reservations about Mr. Obama’s budget.

Harwood contends that Snowe "... supports his plan to end President George W. Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy, a move that other Republicans attack as a tax increase.

"But, (Snowe) said of the budget, “I question whether there’s a strong foundation for true deficit reduction,” adding, “It definitely needs to be reworked.”

Harwood explains that there are two sides to the Obama attack on Limbaugh: "... Mr. Emanuel — a former Clinton White House aide and House member from Illinois — pointed to last week’s health care meeting as evidence that Mr. Obama was continuing to reach out to Republicans even as his aides were throwing darts. The participants included Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, a Finance Committee member who is personally close to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, the ailing champion of health care reform.

"Despite his reservations about White House strategy, Mr. Breaux," according to Harwood, "says Mr. Obama may yet achieve much of what he seeks, notwithstanding the rising political din.

"White House aides argue," in Mr. Harwood's estimation, "that Congress can complete action on a health care overhaul this year. Mr. Breaux considers that unrealistic, but he predicts passage in 2010 so long as Mr. Obama sustains his approach of “spreading the hurt” among different parts of the industry. (In his current role as a lobbyist, Mr. Breaux represents health care companies keenly interested in pain management.)

'Mr. Hatch, Senator Robert F. Bennett of Utah,

and Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa'

" in Mr. Harwood's estimation, "all represent important potential allies. Even asSenator John McCain of Arizona

rips “earmarks” in a spending bill Mr. Obama supports, Mr. McCain may provide crucial support on a “cap and trade” program to limit carbon dioxide emissions.

"Ms. Snowe, too, remains optimistic that the national atmosphere of crisis can break the recent pattern of “miniaturized” debates in Congress.

“I think we’re moving closer, in spite of the outward political rhetoric,” she said. “I have more hope than maybe I should have. We’ve got to leave the radio commentators to be radio commentators. Let’s do our jobs.”

Limbaugh Controversey Continues to Splinter GOP

"We are being told that : we have to bend over, grab the ankles, bend over forward, backward, whichever, because his father was black, because this is the first black president"

More inflammatory words could hardly have been spoken that were intended to stir up violence or strife by any American today, let alone by an individual who doubles as a talk radio host whose program is heard Monday through Friday by millions of listeners and who also doubles as the de facto leader of the Republican Party.

In fact Limbaugh has so much authority and power within the ranks of the Republican Party that he forced current chair of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele to apologize to Limbaugh for remarks made by Mr. Steele on a CNN program hosted by D.L. Hughley this past Saturday night, February 28, 2009.

Limbaugh blasted Steele for his comments on Monday afternoon, March 2, 2009, ranting to his radio audience, "Why are you running the Republican Party? Why do you claim you lead the Republican Party when you seem obsessed with seeing to it that President Obama succeeds? ... I would be embarrassed to say that I'm in charge of the Republican Party in the sad-sack state that it's in. If I were chairman of the Republican Party, given the state that it's in, I would quit."

During the March 2, 2009 radio broadcast, Limbaugh attacked Steele: “I hope the RNC chairman will realize he’s not a talking head pundit, that he is supposed to be working on the grassroots and rebuilding it and maybe doing something about our open primary system and fixing it so that Democrats don’t nominate our candidates,” Limbaugh warned his audience. “It’s time, Mr. Steele, for you to go behind the scenes and start doing the work that you were elected to do instead of trying to be some talking head media star, which you’re having a tough time pulling off.”

Less than an hour after Limbaugh show went off the airwaves, Steele phoned Limbaugh and offered his personal apology, and immediately issued a press release that recognized Limbaugh as a "national conservative leader."

Michael Steele, chair of the Republican National Committee said: "I respect Rush Limbaugh, he is a national conservative leader, and in no way do I want to diminish his voice," Steele explained. "I'm sure that he and I will agree most of the time, but will probably disagree some as well, which is fine.

"The Democrats are doing everything they can to find ways to take people's attention off of their massive 36-billion-dollar-a-day spending spree that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have embarked on. To the extent that my remarks helped the Democrats in Washington to take the focus, even for one minute, off of their irresponsible expansion of government, I truly apologize."

The Democrats strategy of attaching Limbaugh's rhetoric to the face of the Republican Party were quick to point to Steele's admission of assailing Limbaugh's credibility as prim a fascia evidence that demonstrates Limbaugh's unparalleled influence over the Republican Party.

"Chairman Steele's reversal this evening and his apology to Limbaugh proves the unfortunate point that Limbaugh is the leading force behind the Republican Party, its politics and its obstruction of President Obama's agenda in Washington," Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Monday evening.

"But the new RNC chairman’s extraordinary comments won’t sit well with the millions of conservative listeners Limbaugh draws each week, and Steele aides scrambled to limit the damage Monday morning by trying to change the subject.

“Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats know they lose an argument with the Republican Party on substance so they are building straw men to attack and distract,” said RNC spokesman Alex Conant.

“The feud between radio host Rush Limbaugh and Rahm Emanuel makes great political theater, but it is a sideshow to the important work going on in Washington. RNC Chairman Michael Steele," said "and elected Republicans are focused on fighting for reform and winning elections. The Democrats’ problem is that the American people are growing skeptical of the massive government spending being pushed by Congressional leaders like Nancy Pelosi.”

"You know who needs a little leadership? Michael Steele and those at the RNC,” Limbaugh said, part of an unusual counter-attack against the elected head of the GOP."

Limbaugh was highly critical of the way the Republican Party is being currently run.

"I'm not in charge of the Republican Party, and I don't want to be," he said. " I would be embarrassed to say that I'm in charge of the Republican Party in the sad-sack state that it's in. If I were chairman of the Republican Party, given the state that it's in, I would quit. I might get out the hari-kari knife because I would have presided over a failure that is embarrassing to the Republicans and conservatives who have supported it and invested in it all these years."

Democrats have continued their assault on Limbaugh and the fractures his controversies are causing the Republican Party.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was more than happy to stoke the flames that are consuming GOP unity during his daily press briefing on Monday.

"Do they want to see the President's economic agenda fail?" queried Gibbs of the GOP, citing Limbaugh's remarks just months ago and over the weekend at CPAC when Limbaugh issued broadside after broadside against Obama's agenda for the nation. "You know, I bet there are a number of guests on television throughout the day and maybe into tomorrow who could let America know whether they agree with what Rush Limbaugh said this weekend," Gibbs announced.

Today, during his radio broadcast, Limbaugh showed his willingness to engage the Democrats and the media when he made th following remarks: ”If these guys are so impressed with themselves, and if they are so sure of their correctness, why doesn’t President Obama come on my show? We will do a one-on-one debate of ideas and policies. Now, his people in this Politico story, it’s on the record. They’re claiming they wanted me all along. They wanted me to be the focus of attention. So let’s have the debate! I am offering President Obama to come on this program — without staffers, without a teleprompter, without note cards — to debate me on the issues. Let’s talk about free markets versus government control. Let’s talk about nationalizing health care and raising taxes on small business,” Limbaugh said.

Limbaugh has compared the Democrat's effort against him to the infamous "enemies list" that was maintained by former President Richard Nixon.

The Democratic offensive against Limbaugh is "an effort carried out by high-profile Democratic strategists like James Carville and Paul Begala. Top White House officials, including chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, have joined in, and a senior White House aide is helping to guide the Limbaugh strategy."

"The strategy took shape after Democratic strategists Stanley Greenberg and James Carville included Limbaugh's name in an October poll and learned their longtime tormentor was deeply unpopular with many Americans, especially younger voters. Then the conservative talk-radio host emerged as an unapologetic critic of Barack Obama shortly before his inauguration, when even many Republicans were showering Obama with praise.

"Soon it clicked: Democrats realized they could roll out a new GOP bogeyman for the post-Bush era by turning to an old one in Limbaugh, a polarizing figure since he rose to prominence in the 1990s.

"This is being led from the White House. There is an orchestrated attack, daily drumbeat on me from the White House," Limbaugh said.

"Your flunkies are demanding this debate," Limbaugh said to Obama. "Your flunkies are targeting a private citizen with an enemies list that so far has three or four names on it: Mine; (CNBC's) Rick Santelli; Jim Cramer at CNBC; and let's not forget Joe the Plumber, who your allies in Ohio also tried to destroy.

"The difference is that Joe the Plumber does not have his own microphone every day. They're shutting Santelli up at CNBC. They're going to shut Cramer up pretty soon, too, but he'll go down with a fight," Limbaugh said. "That isn't going to happen here, to me."

Misplaced paranoia on Limbaugh's part?

"... Republicans now find themselves caught in a crossfire between Democrats pressuring them to denounce Limbaugh's bombastic criticism of a popular new president and his own denunciations of their party as an embarrassment.

"Few Republicans are eager to alienate Limbaugh's millions of avid listeners. But as party officials work to expand their shrinking coalition, they also are vexed about how to contend with his more pointed commentaries on hot-button issues and a president whom most in the party have been reluctant to criticize."

"The administration is enabling me," Limbaugh wrote in an e-mail to Politico. "They are expanding my profile, expanding my audience and expanding my influence. An ever larger number of people are now being exposed to the antidote to Obamaism: conservatism, as articulated by me. An ever larger number of people are now exposed to substantive warnings, analysis and criticism of Obama's policies and intentions, a 'story' I own because the (mainstream media) is largely the Obama Press Office."P

"The bigger, the better, agreed Carville. "It's great for us, great for him, great for the press," he said of Limbaugh. "The only people he's not good for are the actual Republicans in Congress."

"If Limbaugh himself were to coin a phrase for it, he might call it Operation Rushbo - an idea that started out simply enough but quickly proved to be deeply resonant by a rapid succession of events, say Democrats inside and outside the West Wing.

"The seeds were planted in October after Democracy Corps, the Democratic polling company run by Carville and Greenberg, included Limbaugh's name in a survey and found that many Americans just don't like him.

"His positives for voters under 40 was 11 percent," Carville recalled with a degree of amazement, alluding to a question about whether voters had a positive or negative view of the talk show host.

Paul Begala, a close friend of Carville, Greenberg and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, said they found Limbaugh's overall ratings were even lower than the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's controversial former pastor, and William Ayers, the domestic terrorist and Chicago resident who Republicans sought to tie to Obama during the campaign.

Then came what Begala called "the tripwire."

"I hope he fails," Limbaugh said of Obama on his show four days before the president was sworn in. It was a time when Obama's approval ratings were soaring, but more than that, polls showed even people who didn't vote for him badly wanted him to succeed, coming to office at a time of economic meltdown.

"The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was the first to jump on the statement, sending the video to its membership to raise cash and stir a petition drive.

"We helped get the ball rolling on this because we're looking and listening to different Republican voices around the country, and the one that was the loudest and getting the most attention was Rush Limbaugh," explained DCCC chairman and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.

"The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank run by former Clinton Chief of Staff John Podesta, also pounced on Limbaugh's "fail" line, drawing attention to it on their blog.P

"Soon after, Americans United for Change, a liberal group, was airing Limbaugh's statement in an ad aimed at pushing Senate Republicans to support the stimulus bill.

"It just cropped up out of how much play that comment was getting on the air," said Brad Woodhouse, who runs the group and is about to take over as communications director at the Democratic National Committee. "When we did it and it generated so much press, it just started to snowball from there."

"But liberals quickly realized that trying to drive a wedge between congressional Republicans and Limbaugh was unlikely to work, and their better move was to paint the GOP as beholden to the talk show host.

"This was driven home to them, according to one Democrat, when Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., took a shot at Limbaugh in late January only to appear on his program the next day and plead having momentarily had "foot-in-mouth disease."P

"By February, Carville and Begala were pounding on Limbaugh frequently in their appearances on CNN.

"Neither Democrat would say so, but a third source said the two also began pushing the idea of targeting Limbaugh in their daily phone conversations with Emanuel.

"Conversations and email exchanges began taking place in and out of the White House not only between the old pals from the Clinton era but also including White House senior adviser David Axelrod, Deputy Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and Woodhouse.

"The White House needed no more convincing after Limbaugh's hour-plus performance Saturday, celebrated on the right and mocked on the left, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where he re-stated his hope Obama fails.

"By Sunday morning, Emanuel elevated the strategy by bringing up the conservative talker, unprompted, on CBS's "Face the Nation" and calling him the "the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party."

"Even Republican National Chairman Michael Steele joined in with a surprising critique of Limbaugh as a mere "entertainer," who is "ugly" and "incendiary." "He took a little match we had tossed on the leaves and poured gasoline on it," said one Democrat of Steele.

"Steele called Limbaugh to apologize Monday.

"And Democrats kept at it in rapid-fire succession, thrilled that Steele had validated their claim that Republicans were scared to cross Limbaugh.

"Americans United for Change launched a new ad featuring Limbaugh's CPAC appearance. A left-leaning media watchdog group began a new Limbaugh tracking homepage. Democratic National Chairman Tim Kaine tweaked Steele for his apology. Terry McAuliffe tried to inject Limbaugh into the Virginia governor's race. The DCCC launched a new website, www.imsorryrush.com, mocking the Republicans who have apologized to Limbaugh.

"And Gibbs served up a made-for-cable-TV quote to end his daily briefing Tuesday.

"I was a little surprised at the speed in which Mr. Steele, the head of the RNC, apologized to the head of the Republican Party," Gibbs quipped with a grin, before striding out of the press room.

"David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager last year and a member of his inner circle still, published an op-ed in Wednesday's Washington Post chiding Republicans for being "paralyzed with fear of crossing their leader."

"A senior White House aide has been tasked with helping to guide the Limbaugh strategy.

"Outside, Americans United for Choice, a liberal group, and the Democratic National Committee are driving the message, in close consultation with the White House.

"Democrats can barely suppress their smiles these days, overjoyed at the instant-ad imagery of Limbaugh clad in Johnny Cash-black at CPAC and, more broadly, at what they see as their success in managing to further marginalize a party already on the outs.

"I want to send Rush a bottle of vitamins," said Begala. "We need him to stay healthy and loud and proud."

"With President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney out of the White House and Tom DeLay gone from Congress, the left had been suddenly absent an unpopular right-wing figure.

"Few Americans know who the congressional Republican leaders are. Even Sarah Palin is now four time zones away from Washington.

Enter Limbaugh.

"It's something of a back to the future tactic for Democrats: painting the GOP as the party of the angry white male. But unlike Newt Gingrich or other prominent Republicans, Limbaugh doesn't have to mind his tongue.

"And the liberal political apparatus is at battle stations taking note of his every comment.

"Media Matters, the left-leaning media watchdog and advocacy group, began a "Limbaugh Wire" Web-site Tuesday to track him. "For a long time Americans haven't really been aware that he's so influential," said Eric Burns, the group's president.

"Democrats are now working hard to ensure that changes.

"He's driving the Republican reluctance to deal with Obama, which Americans want," said Greenberg. "He's the policeman (keeping them in line)."

"They'll all get a fresh hook for the story after today, when a Democratic polling firm goes into the field to test, among other things, Limbaugh's standing with the public.

"All the attention only offers upside for the buzz-hungry Limbaugh, said Carville.

"The television cameras just can't stay away from him," Carville said Tuesday, a day when cable news played images of Limbaugh seemingly on a loop. "Our strategy depends on him keeping talking, and I think we're going to succeed."

Steele, who must chart a perilous course in his initial period as RNC chair said Tuesday "that he and congressional leaders will be shaping the party's strategy. But he also praised Limbaugh as a "strong conservative voice," adding, "What ticks the left off is, he is effective."

"Steele's gyrations reflected the delicate balance Republicans are attempting to find with Limbaugh. Party strategists say his listeners include a huge swath of the their activist base, but some of his rhetoric leaves GOP elected officials forced either to defend views they may not support or to disagree with a popular conservative icon.

"The influence Rush has is 20 million listeners," said Ron Bonjean, who was spokesman for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., referring to what Limbaugh says is his weekly audience. "But to get back to the majority, we need to also connect to independents who may not be listeners of his show."

"Democrats continued to mock Steele for buckling to Limbaugh, maintained their insistence that Limbaugh is the GOP's de facto leader and said they planned no letup in their attacks."

Democrats and Democratic Groups Continue To Attack Limbaugh

American's United for Change have released an ad that asks "Who's the Leader of the Party's Leader? And later this week, the liberal group will release another ad.

"Democrats are engaging in a concerted campaign to link the national Republican Party to conservative talk-radio show host Rush Limbaugh, an effort that will ramp up over the next few days in the form of another round of television ads and an increased rhetorical focus on the issue from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, according to sources familiar with the plans."

Limbaugh is an easy target and is being pummeled with increased intensity. "Rush is the bloated face and drug-addled voice of the Republican Party," said Paul Begala, a longtime Democratic strategist who rose to prominence during Bill Clinton's presidency. "Along with lots of others, I intend to continue to turn up the heat until every alleged Republican either endorses or renounces Rush's statement that he hopes our President fails."

As part of the coordinated effort, Tim Kaine called Limbaugh "the leading force behind the Republican Party, its politics and its obstruction of President Obama's agenda in Washington" as DNC officials explained that the Limbaugh critique would escalate.

Chris Cillizza reported: "The ramping-up of the "Republicans equal Limbaugh" strategy began over the weekend when White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," argued that the talk-radio host "is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party."

At this afternoon's White House Press briefing; press secretary Robert Gibbs took a sharp jab at Limbaugh's ample midsection when he answered a question about the Democrats concerted attack against the talk show host and replied: “I’m a little surprised at the reaction and the fervent reaction that Mr. Limbaugh got from CPAC. I’ve encouraged members of the press to ask Republicans whether they agree with Mr. Limbaugh’s adage that he hopes that the president’s economic ideas fail. I was a little surprised at the speed in which Mr. Steele, the head of the RNC, apologized to the head of the Republican Party.”

Gibbs' remark pitted Michael Steele, the actual head of the RNC, who is turning out to be nothing more than a figurehead against the defacto head of the conservative ideologues who control the GOP via the commands of Limbaugh.

"The strategy has already proven effective as Limbaugh and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele spent the day sparring following a television appearance in which Steele called Limbaugh's show "ugly" and "incendiary". Limbaugh went after Steele on his show on Monday and the chairman quickly backed down, offering his apologies for what he described as a misunderstanding."

"National Democratic strategists believe that they have only begun to mine the Limbaugh vein, maintaining that while he is a potent force -- and much beloved by the GOP's conservative base -- he is widely disliked by independent and swing voters. In a recent poll by Democratic survey firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, 44 percent of Republicans felt warmly toward Limbaugh while 32 percent expressed "cold" feelings. Compare that to the broader swath of all voters where 58 percent felt coldly toward Limbaugh and 21 percent felt warmly."

National Democratic leaders feel convinced that by raising Limbaugh's incendiary remarks to the point where they become common knowledge among everyday Americans is "the best way to keep Republicans in a permanent minority status is to keep Limbaugh" the face that represents the GOP.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele has become the latest high-profile Republican to grovel in abject humility before radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. Tell me if you agree that this spectacle -- one of the nation's two major political parties held hostage by one large man with a microphone -- is embarrassing and almost sad.


Eugene Robinson explains: "Steele, interviewed on comedian D.L. Hughley's CNN infotainment show, said two things about Limbaugh that are hard to refute: that he is an entertainer, and that some of the sentiments expressed on his show are "ugly." Hughley was pressing the RNC chief on Limbaugh's diktat that right-thinking conservatives must do what they can to ensure that President Obama fails. Steele wasn't ready to sign up for that program."

"At least he wasn't until Limbaugh took to the airwaves to set him straight," Robinson continued. "Limbaugh reminded Steele that he had offered help, in the form of air time, during Steele's failed 2006 run for the Senate. He peremptorily explained to Steele what the duties of the RNC chairman should be and ordered him to stick to those tasks -- suggesting, in effect, that as far as the public dialog is concerned, the Republican Party's first African American chief should be seen and not heard. (Those are my words, not Limbaugh's; his were more circuitous, but also more high-handed.)

Within hours, Steele had apologized humbly for saying anything bad about the Big Man. This was no surprise," Robinson explained; "really. Since the election, Republicans have been falling over themselves to to apologize for any offense, real or imagined, they might have given to the radio host who claims to have 22 million listeners. Rep. Phil Gingrey of Georgia -- who was bold enough to note that it is easy for Limbaugh to throw bricks from his perch while Republican leaders in Congress had to, you know, actually write legislation and marshal votes -- apologized even more profusely than Steele.

Is Limbaugh the Leader of the Republican Party?

Somebody should get the message to Michael Steele that he may be the chairman of the Republican National Committee, but his identification as the leader of the GOP is titular at best.

The self appointed Generalissimo of the movement conservatives; the grass roots fanatics who steer the party, is none-other than the self righteous one himself, the ideologue and talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

It was Limbaugh, the great proclaimer himself, who four days before Barack Obama was inaugurated to the presidency of the United States declared that he hoped that Obama "fails."

Sitting in a bunker below his estate in Florida, Limbaugh has been issuing his marching orders to Republicans who are only too eager to comply with the radio talk show celebrity's every pronouncement for years.

But why are so many members of the media as well as numerous political commentators making this distinction regarding Limbaugh's extraordinary power over the Republicans now?

Nothing makes the point of Limbaugh's godfather-like powers than what recently occurred to Phil Gingery, a Republican Congressman from Georgia who had the audacity to complain while standing at the House podium that Limbaugh should "back off" from making so many unbridled criticisms and that it's easy to "stand back and throw stones."

The very next day, Gingery was genuflecting before Limbaugh, showering apologizes to Limbaugh for (Gingery) "putting my foot in my mouth."

That's mafioso-type power on display for the whole nation to observe. That's the kind of power that makes Rush the leader of the most active segment of the GOP.

As James Carville observes in the video footage seen above; the Republican's real ruler is Rush Limbaugh. Carville thinks it's rather odd that a radio talk show host should lead a party and he's got a very good point; aren't politicians supposed to lead political parties?

Carville accurately explains in the video of the Republican's submission to Limbaugh that: "They've submitted to him in the Congress. They quake at mighty Rush, and he's the one that's setting the Republican agenda. They don't care what Michael Steele says."

The Republicans have decided on a strategy that lets Michael Steele hold the scepter of power on his throne as the 'elected' chair of the RNC while Rush stands behind the curtain and pulls the strings of power.

Oddly enough, the Republicans are conducting the affairs of their party just like the Russians run their country; with Dmitry Medvedev, the titular leader who attends to official events as the 'officially elected president while Vladimir Putin stands in the shadows and controls the country.

Interesting how many similarities the Republican party shares with the Russians, both before and after the fall of communism. But that's a topic for another time.

Rush's latest pronouncement was recently addressed by Carville in a recent commentary and concerns Limbaugh's crazy scheme that since in the election of 2008: the Democrats got 54% of the vote while the Republicans got 46%; that should mean that the stimulus package deserves to be divided along ideological lines and allow the Democrats to submit 54% of the bill while the Republicans get to submit the remaining 46% of the bill.

In other words, Rush isn't just content with ruling the Republican party, he now feels he should have the extra-constitutional power to declare the rules of the U.S. Senate.

That's quite a coupe for a man who must undergo regular, court ordered drug testing for his previous conviction for using an illegally obtained controlled substance, Oxycontin. such is the state of the Republican Party since they lost the 2008 presidential election.