Republicans Unify Behind De Facto Opposition Leader Rush Limbaugh

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Under Fire From Conservatives, GOP Rethinks Rush Criticism







One day after their criticism of de facto Opposition Leader Rush Limbaugh was greeted angrily by conservatives, Republicans in Congress have dramatically changed their tune.

This deals a major blow to efforts by the Obamists to divide and conquer the right, removing all effective political opposition. Last week, the Dear Leader's effort to bully the GOP into tuning out Limbaugh resulted in a public Barack-lash.

Apparently recognizing they'd misread the political tea leaves, Republicans now seem to be coming around to the view that sucking-up to Obama isn't going to sustain the party, particularly as a backlash builds against the reckless, pork-laden "stimulus" package pushed by the Obamists. The GOP is now openly denouncing the plan.

Earlier today, Rep Phil Gingrey (R-GA) appeared as a guest on the Rush Limbaugh Show, offering an outright apology for comments made just yesterday where he called on conservative hosts to back off from criticism of congressional Republicans, according to the Politico:

Responding to President Obama’s recommendation to Republican congressional leaders last week that they not follow Limbaugh’s lead, the conservative talkmeister said on his show that Obama is “obviously more frightened of me than he is Mitch McConnell. He's more frightened of me, than he is of, say, John Boehner, which doesn't say much about our party."

Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., did not take kindly to this assessment in an interview with Politico Tuesday.

“I think that our leadership, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, are taking the right approach,” Gingrey said. “I mean, it’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks. You don’t have to try to do what’s best for your people and your party. You know you’re just on these talk shows and you’re living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing. But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders, they’re not in that position of John Boehner or Mitch McConnell."

On today's Limbaugh program, Gingrey said he was sorry for his "foot-in-mouth disease yesterday" and emphasized his recognition that Obama's phony "stimulus" plan is loaded with unrelated pork. His apology went considerably further than the mere "clarification" that was expected by observers.

Additionally, the Georgia representative issued this statement at his own website:

Because of the high volume of phone calls and correspondence received by my office since the Politico article ran, I wanted to take a moment to speak directly to grassroots conservatives. Let me assure you, I am one of you. I believe I was sent to Washington to fight for and defend our traditional values of smaller government, lower taxes, a strong national defense, and the lives of the unborn. In my six years in Washington, I have led the charge on many of these issues. In fact, in 2008 The National Journal ranked me the #1 most conservative Member of the House of Representatives.

As long as I am in the Congress, I will continue to fight for and defend our sacred values. I have actively opposed every bailout, every rebate check, every so called “stimulus.” And on so many of these things, I see eye-to-eye with Rush Limbaugh. Regardless of what yesterday’s headline may have read, I never told Rush to back off. I regret and apologize for the fact that my comments have offended and upset my fellow conservatives—that was not my intent. I am also sorry to see that my comments in defense of our Republican Leadership read much harsher than they actually were intended, but I recognize it is my responsibility to clarify my own comments.

Now more than ever, we need to articulate a clear conservative message that distinguishes our values and our approach from those of liberal Democrats who are seeking to move our nation in the wrong direction. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich, and other conservative giants are the voices of the conservative movement’s conscience. Everyday, millions and millions of Americans—myself included—turn on their radios and televisions to listen to what they have to say, and we are inspired by their words and by their determination.

At the end of the day, every member of the conservative movement, from our political commentators and thinkers to our elected officials, share an important and common purpose in advancing the cause of liberty, reigning in a bloated federal government, and defending our traditional family values.

For some time, tensions between conservatives and Republicans have been running high, particularly as as grassroots activists have watched the party become co-opted by the Obamists on virtually every issue.

At Hot Air, analyst Ed Morrissey had this reaction to Gingrey's appearance:

I’d agree that we need to articulate a clear conservative message — and that the GOP caucuses in the House and Senate have thus far failed to do so, and have failed at it for the last few years. Rather than take shots at Limbaugh, Hannity, and fellow Georgian Newt Gingrich, they should be listening to them. Because, despite Barack Obama’s fantasies, the Republicans in Congress stopped doing that after they won the majority in 1994, and they’re paying the price now.

They have a golden opportunity before them now to demonstrate that they’ve learned from their bingeing on government pork and reckless spending between 2001-6. The stimulus bill represents everything conservatives fight against. If the Republicans don’t stand up for efficiency, accountability, and responsible governance now, they won’t get another chance for years as this turkey burdens another generation with its irresponsible spending.

However sincere this turnabout may be, it's not clear whether it will be enough to prevent a widespread conservative uprising against the GOP. Clearly, what remains of the party now realizes it cannot afford to underestimate with the power of conservative talk radio, especially when the latter's goal is merely to hold the party to its supposed principles.


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