The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

07 May 2008

Obama Campaign Ready To Blame Rush For Poor Results

BLAME IT ON RUSH

Team Obama Has Operation Chaos In Scapegoating Position





*** NEW: RUSH COMMENTS ON OPERATION CHAOS OUTCOME ***
*** UPDATES BELOW: Obama Campaign IS Blaming Rush For Indiana Loss ***


Over the past
several months, watching how the Obama and Clinton campaigns react to Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos has been every bit as fascinating as the "strategery" itself. Would they ignore his Republican crossover vote effort, or denounce it?

Late Tuesday, we saw the most interesting development yet, as the Obama camp unveiled a set of talking points that would scapegoat Limbaugh and Operation Chaos if the results didn't favor the Illinois senator. (Update: they have in fact chosen to use this tactic to explain the Indiana loss)

Though that approach turned out to be somewhat unnecessary (he won North Carolina, though there's no denying Rush's impact), that this scheme was even cooked up in the first place shows just how nervous Obama was going into Tuesday's vote. From the Washington Post:


Obama Campaign Sends Word from Rush

By Jonathan Weisman

Officially, the Obama campaign is upbeat about the evening, confident Barack Obama will emerge with his delegate math and his path to the nomination intact.

But then there is this: Before either North Carolina or Indiana were called, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton blasted out the transcript of Rush Limbaugh's radio blast. Limbaugh was bragging about his self-declared Operation Chaos, an on-going effort to encourage Republicans to vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton and drag out the divisive, potentially debilitating Democratic nomination fight.

"I have ... been receiving field reports ... from people, commandos, operatives, reporting that they have followed orders and fulfilled their duty," Limbaugh crowed. In fact, some of the people show up and they ask for a Democrat ballot, and the poll worker says, 'Why, what are you going to do?' He says, 'Operation Chaos,' and they just laugh."

So there you have it. It's not on Obama if the race continues, the e-mail implies -- it's Rush's fault.


And from the Chicago Sun-Times, here's the memo itself:


Talking points on Limbaugh Crossovers

Limbaugh has been urging right-wingers to vote against Obama

* There really has never been any question that Senator Clinton would win Indiana, where she has the support of Senator Evan Bayh’s political operation and the demographics heavily favor her. But we saw today that perhaps her strongest asset was that Republicans believe she’ll be an easier opponent to beat in November.

* Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh has been urging his listeners to cross over and vote in the Democratic primary in Indiana to help Clinton’s chances at becoming the nominee.

* Reports from Indiana polling places confirmed that record numbers of Republicans were taking Democratic ballots to vote against Obama. And Limbaugh himself bragged about the success of his effort on his radio show today.

Republicans are desperate to face Clinton, because they know Obama will be harder to beat

* Let’s be very clear: the Republicans want to face Senator Clinton in November, because they know that Senator Obama will be a stronger nominee for the Democrats, and will help Democratic candidates down the ballot. Republicans are so scared of Obama that they’re actually skipping their own primary to vote against him.

* That’s a stunning testament to the threat that Obama will pose to Republicans come fall.

* If I were the Clinton campaign, I don’t think I’d be celebrating too hard tonight. Winning a state on the strength of voters who want to see you defeated isn’t exactly the kind of win you want—or the message you want to send to superdelegates.

Ickes Comments

Comments are beyond the pale—and a distortion

* This afternoon, top Clinton advisor Harolk Ickes said that if Barack Obama were the nominee, there might be a so-called “October surprise” that would hand the election the Republicans. Using this kind of fear tactic is simply beyond the pale—and a total distortion.

* Time after time, we’ve seen that the Republicans are desperate to face Clinton in the fall because they know that Obama would be a stronger candidate. That’s what brought Limbaugh listeners out in droves today to vote for Clinton.

* To suggest that Clinton would somehow offer less risk of an October surprise—at the same time as Republicans are actively working to see her nominated—is certainly curious.

Not the tactics Democrats want to see

* But leaving that aside, this simply isn’t the kind of tactic that Democratic voters and superdelegates want to say. As President Clinton himself said a couple of years ago, “if one candidate's appealing to your fears and the other one's appealing to your hopes, you better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope.”


Given his relatively strong showing in North Carolina, this talking points memo is going to come back to haunt Obama. Where he might have chosen to ignore Rush's Operation Chaos effort, he instead legitimized and even promoted the talk titan's strategy.

Interestingly, even the Huffington Post has also been forced to acknowledge the impact of Operation Chaos.

There's now little doubt the close result in Indiana has been due to Rush's on-air crusade. Even if he convinced just a few thousand GOP voters to cross over to Hillary, that alone could be her margin of victory.


NEW: Chris Matthews slams Operation Chaos participants during unhinged partisan rant

AND: Obama strategist blames Op Chaos for Indiana loss


ALSO: we're hearing that indicted former KGO libtalker Bernie Ward is set to accept a new plea deal that would send him to prison for 10-15 years. An announcement is expected sometime today (Wednesday).

FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.


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13 Comments:

  • You wrote: "There's no denying Rush's impact." sure, so long as you don't look at the actual results.

    Exit polls showed that Hillary beat Obama by just four points among Indiana Republicans who switched over for the primary. Since she is the more conservative candidate, this is hardly surprising. Where is your actual evidence that Limbaugh had a tangible impact?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 07 May, 2008 06:44  

  • There are no ditto-heads, with 14 million listeners nationwide on over 1000 stations, a handful of people listen to the pig man in any market. A handful, his audience in reality is microscopic, the years of P.R are peeling away, and we are all seeing the power of Limbaugh which is ZERO... His numbers are over-inflated by P.R folks to sell advertising. Advertising on Limbaugh is practically FREE now-a-days. I know, im involved with ad placement for a small company. 70% of Limbaugh advertising is based on a pay-per-response deal, which is really SAD.
    Operation chaos played ZERO impact. Obama won in a landslide in N.C and lost by a handful of votes in Indiana.

    Operation chaos was a FRONT, to cove up the simple, cold had fact, republicans LEFT the party in DROVEs. Limbaugh works directly with the RNC, this is a cute way to mask that fact, the few sheep who still trust and listen to the drug addled pig man.



    We are witnissing the end of Limbaugh before your eyes.
    and the end of psychotic=psuedo conservatism. The Malkin-ditto-Levin era of conservatism is DEAD.You are not conservatives, your Anti-american elitist scumbags, and America is getting it.

    Anyone see Malkin get humiliated on MSNBC last night? She got smacked around by Chris Matthews (of all people) while trying to defend and explain the success of "operation chaos", it was the funniest 40 seconds of television in years. She was ignored, dismissed and cut off. Her slapping, represents the end of the wing nut media era.

    Patriots worldwide are celebrating the demise of Limbaugh and the twisted right wing divicive media.

    Man Im so happy, I can so point and laugh at a Republican.... ohhh wait, there are no more Republicans !!!

    Another great day to be a patriot as opposed to a ditto-head sheep

    The pig man is officially irrelevant.

    By Blogger Minister of Propaganda, at 07 May, 2008 09:46  

  • Ohh excuse me, it was Michelle Berard, not Malkin. They really sound identical, I was not watching the TV just listening. hahahaha. Berard the black Malkin! It was the greatest 30 seconds of television EVER. Matthews is right, screwing with the election process is shameful. As much as I hate Chris Matthews, he nailed it. We will remember that segment as a page turner, where America turned the page on ditto-man and relagate him to the halls of obscurity.


    Rush has jumped the shark. N.C rejected operation chaos, Indiana rejected operation chaos. America has rejected Rush.

    Maloney, by supporting Operation Chaos, has helped Rush jump the shark. Ditto-heads are being mocked nationwide. It is over ditto-sheep. O-V-E-R. Rush is now known as a radical subversive trying to damage the election process for name recognition. IT BACKFIRED. America agrees, Rush is an enemy of freedom

    Operation chaos=cover up for the fact that Repubs have left their party in DROVES.


    You have nothing to be proud of, America is sickened by Rush trying to subvert democracy, and damage the electon. This will be the moment that defines Rush's future, which will be IRRELEVANT.

    operation chaos= failure
    rush=irrelevant

    a great day to be a patriot as opposed to a ditto-head

    All 5 remaining ditto-heads are drowing their sorrows with a young male prostitute and a bottle of oxy


    Republicans, Democrats, and everyone else are rejoicing in the recection of Rush Limbaugh, one of the most hated men in America

    Real Repubbies want no part of oxy-man

    By Blogger Minister of Propaganda, at 07 May, 2008 11:00  

  • MiniProp said:

    Anyone see Malkin get humiliated on MSNBC last night?

    In our area, Time Warner moved MSNBC to a new channel number, and I doubt many made the effort to find it.

    By Blogger Chromium, at 07 May, 2008 11:42  

  • MiniProp said Rush is on over 1000 stations.

    Rush's website lists 561 stations, counting some stations that broadcast from more than one location separately.

    Whom do you trust?

    By Blogger Chromium, at 07 May, 2008 11:52  

  • It is hysterical reading the posts by unhinged far-left loonies protesting that Rush Limbaugh is irrelevant. If Limbaugh IS irrelevant WHY do you lunatics spend so much of your time going off about him?! Keep it up Libs, you're just making a very smart man richer & driving up your own blood pressure. The hysterics of the far-left are as funny as they are ridiculous. What IS irrelevant is the drive-by media who have been trying to indoctrinate their dwindling # of viewers & readers that Senator Obama is the savior of the nation. He may win the nomination, but the majority of the American public are realizing Obama is no savior! One last thing moonbats, the Republican Party may be a mess right now, but Conservatism will NEVER go away. Liberalism will NEVER win over the majority of Americans. It is nothing but selfish insanity. Keep us Conservatives laughing though. Your inane drivel is hysterical to read!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 07 May, 2008 12:38  

  • Libstomper

    Operation Gayos was a failure, the media has attacked Obama 24-7 for 4 months and had no luck destroying him. You must be on as much oxycotin as Rush to think the media is helping Obama, you are certified as a sociopath, who should be locked away. Rev.wright has dominated the news for 2 whole news cycles, and you have the audacity to think the media is supporting Obama. "Lib media" the myth has been shattered, Rush is irrelevant, right wingers are mentally unstable

    Bush has a 23% approval rating, Mccain=Bush. America is not going to vote for Bush. Unless McCain quickly becomes a "lib" (which by your definition is anyone who does not obey Bush) he is D-O-N-E

    It ain't 2001 anymore "libstomper". Rush is irrelevant, he has lost 20 million listeners over 10 years, he used to have 30 million listeners, now only 14.... See the trend? your time is up, Rush is irrelevant, we love mocking him, I get great satisfation mocking an anti-American pig.

    The old "lib media" trick is not working, we all see how the complict right wing media works over time protecting McCain, and worked for 7 years protecting Bush. your propaganda and lies, no longer work. "lib media" is a myth, it was sharttered a long time ago

    It ain't 2001 anymore "libstomper", America has rejected the right wing media, America has rejected the GOP and America has rejected every right wing trick you have

    Deal with it "libstomper" , if you thought 2006 was bad, you are going to be on suicide watch in November.

    lib media!!! drive-by lib media!!! ohhhhh how brilliant, repeat the same lie over and over and over. It's not working, we see who the media supports, that would be McCain.

    McCain has ZERO SHOT. I will give you another example to prove it. In N.C, yesterday, more democrats showed up for the primary to vote than Democrats showed up for Kerry in 2004!!!!! See the trend, Americans are leaving the GOP in droves. That 11% Republican vote yesterday are FED up Republicans, not dito-heads. This has been proven over and over again. They are still looking for the person who voted based on Limbaugh !!!

    Bank on several red states going blue. It's in the numbers, not hard. the "lib media" won't explain it to you. It is gonig to be worse than you think.
    and like in 2006, I will be using a Rushism "see, I told you so" !!!


    I BTW will be voting 3rd party, I just have a lot of fun making you wing nuts squirm.

    The only way Republicans can win is by deception and division, it won't work anymore. At $4 a gallon we are all united against the G.O.P

    another great day to be a patriot as opposed to a Bush-loving-ditto-sheep.

    It ain't 2001 anymore, DEAL WITH IT

    By Blogger Minister of Propaganda, at 07 May, 2008 13:15  

  • Now rush says obama would be the weaker candidate, which totally undermines his rational for operation chaos. or maybe not. he did get a lot of publicity, which was really his goal.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 07 May, 2008 16:52  

  • A simple response to Mop.

    If Operation Chaos was not successful...

    Why has there been so much written about Operation Chaos in the press?

    Why is Operation Chaos mentioned on TV almost every night?

    Why are you concerned if Operation Chaos was such a failure?

    Hmmm, maybe Operation Chaos was more of a success than you care to admit.

    Of course, you've always have difficulty dealing with the truth.

    By Blogger The Benson Report, at 07 May, 2008 16:56  

  • Actually, I think RUsh is having fun tqaking credit for it whether he did it or not, and seeing the Libs chase their tails over it.

    Plus the person who gets off on seeing Michelle Malkin get "slapped around" by a dude, maybe that's why some Dem guys won't vote for a woman in their own Primaries? Ironic the closet woman haters are in the Dems instead of the stereotyped-as-evil-and-sexist GOP! (Which has Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Condi Rice, Elizabeth Dole, Malkin, Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, etc....) Maybe some of these Dem guys who like the idea of women getting "slapped around" just can't hack the idea of strong women as political equals.... might explain their Primary....

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 08 May, 2008 08:27  

  • The hyperventilating by liberal loons at the mere mention of Rush’s name is proof positive how truly relevant he is. Liberal kooks have been predicting “the end of Rush Limbaugh” for decades now, and so far the opposite has happened. His audience keeps growing while the drive-bys keep shrinking.

    It’s so much fun watching the loony left go insane whenever someone mentions his name.

    So here goes – RUSH LIMBAUGH - RUSH LIMBAUGH - RUSH LIMBAUGH. We love RUSH LIMBAUGH!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 08 May, 2008 09:55  

  • Benson

    Operation Gayos was successful on one level, it got his filthy name intoi the press for a few weeks, in an efort to make him seem still relevant.

    The whole point of Operation Chaos was to obscure the cold, hard fact that Republicans are leaving their party in droves. This was it's purpose, and it was orchestrated with the RNC , they are in FULL PANIC MODE. Americans are leaving the GOP in DROVES.

    It's said purpose was to damage the Democrats and help hillary, it did not do such a thing, but Rush was able to plant the idea into his listener's heads, that Republicans are voting Democrat because Rush told them, not because Republicans are rejecting the G.O.P.

    It is a dishonest- cover up of the truth.

    By Blogger Minister of Propaganda, at 08 May, 2008 10:55  

  • Hey M.O.P., thanks again for the laugh & the "facts" you pulled out of your posterior. Now go & take your blood pressure medication. Again, if Rush IS irrelevant, WHY DO YOU CARE? Keep us laughing funny man!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 08 May, 2008 13:30  

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