I HOPE HE FAILS

[WIP]

For about ten years, I used to listen to Rush Limbaugh regularly on the local Buffalo affiliate, and even if I used to consider my views at least closer to U.S. conservatism than liberalism, I could not stand the way he divided the universe into black and white with no grey areas. No democrats are good in Limbaugh Land unless they are Republican collaborators like Joe Lieberman, and the goal of every election was to get as many Republicans to power in every elected office in the country...until I suppose they had 100% hegemony.

If there was any doubt over which is more important: ideology or the welfare of the country, Limbaugh blurted out the truth:

Limbaugh told his listeners that he was asked by “a major American print publication” to offer a 400-word statement explaining his “hope for the Obama presidency.” He responded:

So I’m thinking of replying to the guy, “Okay, I’ll send you a response, but I don’t need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails.” (interruption) What are you laughing at? See, here’s the point. Everybody thinks it’s outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, “Oh, you can’t do that.” Why not? Why is it any different, what’s new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don’t care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: “Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.” Somebody’s gotta say it.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/20/limbaugh-obama-fail/

Unlike most Americans, Rush Limbaugh exists in a protective bubble down there in his gated community in South Beach Florida. He has lots of money to feed his addictions to food, cigars and oxycontin for the rest of what will likely be a short life! But how many Limbaugh fans in Red State America, who are faced with losing their jobs, losing their homes, and hoping for an end to this round of foreign wars, feel the same as this fat, bloated, closeted, drug addict?

[guyser]

feel the same as this fat, bloated, closeted, drug addict?

oh he is against liberalism all right, except when he is standing in front of a judge on another drug charge.

Frankly his drug use is of no concern of mine, except he has made his mark calling for stiffer penalties. Hypocrite is the best description.

Fat bloated drug notwithstanding.

[Shady]

You guys aren't very bright are you? And it's really not a very difficult concept to grasp. But I'll try and dumb it down, in hopes that you understand more easily. If Obama succeeding means higher taxes, larger government, and softer defense, then of course most conservatives won't be part of the love affair. I hope this explaination helps.

[M.Dancer]

You guys aren't very bright are you? And it's really not a very difficult concept to grasp. But I'll try and dumb it down, in hopes that you understand more easily. If Obama succeeding means higher taxes, larger government, and softer defense, then of course most conservatives won't be part of the love affair. I hope this explaination helps.

I hope he succeeds...thehigher taxes will be for the Yanks so I don't mind....

[blueblood]

I hope he succeeds...thehigher taxes will be for the Yanks so I don't mind....

I hope he succeeds as well, grain prices will go sky high!!!

[sharkman]

The hypocrisy coming from the left is predictable and right on time. The Dems fought tooth and nail to have Bush fail for at least the last term. Now crying foul when a noted conservative voices such sentiments on Obama is rich indeed.

[August1991]

Unlike most Americans, Rush Limbaugh exists in a protective bubble down there in his gated community in South Beach Florida.

And I suppose one could say the same about Obama now, living in his gated house in Washington.

But listen. The US is bigger than both Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama. If Obama does well, he'll get re-elected. If not, there'll be someone new.

If Obama succeeding means higher taxes, larger government, and softer defense, then of course most conservatives won't be part of the love affair. I hope this explaination helps.

Shady, it does - to a degree. Higher taxes, larger government and softer defence might work for one term or even two. I'm more worried about a softer, milder President with a cabinet and staff going off in 37 different directions.

----

I think someone posted elsewhere that for the past eight years, the Republicans had the chance to feel they were King of the Hill. Well, now it's the chance of the Democrats.

Democrats should not be surprised if many (Republican) Americans now start to criticize or ridicule Obama. And Republicans should not be surprised that many (Democrat) Americans take offense at the insult to the president. In a democracy, it goes with the territory.

[jdobbin]

If there was any doubt over which is more important: ideology or the welfare of the country, Limbaugh blurted out the truth:

Does anyone still listen to Limbaugh except those wishing to hear his message? There was obviously not enough in his audience to elect his chosen candidate whoever that was.

[moderateamericain]

I don't know why you are surprised by this? After 8 years of bush bashing are you surprised conservatives are teeing off on Obama?

[jdobbin]

You guys aren't very bright are you?

Ah, there's the the friendly right wing we always like to see. I'm sure that winning way is always great out in public.

[August1991]

Ah, there's the the friendly right wing we always like to see. I'm sure that winning way is always great out in public.

Dobbin, the American Right, about 50% of the American population, just lived through eight years of Coastal Liberals describing Bush as the Missing Link.

Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

I don't know why you are surprised by this? After 8 years of bush bashing are you surprised conservatives are teeing off on Obama?

Exactly, and more concisely said. Edited January 22, 2009 by August1991

[jdobbin]

Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Think I was referring to the personal impolite references to other posters that we just saw rather than the view of Obama.

Edited January 22, 2009 by jdobbin

[sharkman]

Ah, there's the the friendly right wing we always like to see. I'm sure that winning way is always great out in public.

Really, now, you can't be serious. As if the left around here have no blemish in this regard. But of course you know this.

[WIP]

oh he is against liberalism all right, except when he is standing in front of a judge on another drug charge.

Frankly his drug use is of no concern of mine, except he has made his mark calling for stiffer penalties. Hypocrite is the best description.

Fat bloated drug notwithstanding.

Right! If he wasn't a loyal soldier in the War On Drugs, nobody would really care. The late William F. Buckley was one of the few conservative voices to note more than 20 years ago that the drug wars could lead to a police state and erode civil rights -- I don't think he personally used drugs, but if Buckley got caught with a doobie, liberals wouldn't have had a cause to hold it against him.

[WIP]

You guys aren't very bright are you? And it's really not a very difficult concept to grasp. But I'll try and dumb it down, in hopes that you understand more easily. If Obama succeeding means higher taxes, larger government, and softer defense, then of course most conservatives won't be part of the love affair. I hope this explaination helps.

Well, I guess we need to dumb it down for mindless conservative drones like you, since you seem to have the reasoning skills of Joe The Plumber!

First, Obama is at least temporarily going to put a hold on tax increases, even the ones that should be raised -- the top 1%, who are earning more than 5.6 million annually and hiding a substantial portion of their loot in offshore banks in the Cayman Islands.

Larger government! How come the far right doesn't include military and private military contractors when they yack about government getting too big? But a national health insurance coverage for children! We can't have that....it's UnAmerican!....and so is building new bridges and fixing roads.

So far, Barack Obama has been very timid on the subject of winding down the Iraq War and reducing military spending, but both have to be done regardless of who is in the Whitehouse, because fixing domestic problems like health care and social security cannot be accomplished with the present drain on the economy posed by such a large military that demands the latest expensive toys from defense contractors.

Finally, the U.S. economy is not humming along without a care in the world. Big problems have been left behind by W, that need to be fixed. So if Obama fails, that's going to mean America fails as well....but like I said before, guys like Rush Limbaugh are completely insulated from economic worries that most people have. But if I was an American worried about losing my job, I'd be hoping Barack Obama can turn things around, even if I voted Republican.

[WIP]

And I suppose one could say the same about Obama now, living in his gated house in Washington.

But listen. The US is bigger than both Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama. If Obama does well, he'll get re-elected. If not, there'll be someone new.

The U.S. is certainly bigger than Limbaugh! But it's not bigger than Obama....not now that he's the chief executive. So, if he fails, how does America succeed?

[WIP]

Does anyone still listen to Limbaugh except those wishing to hear his message? There was obviously not enough in his audience to elect his chosen candidate whoever that was.

Apparently his chosen candidate was Hillary Clinton....at least that was the plan during Operation Chaos.

[WIP]

I don't know why you are surprised by this? After 8 years of bush bashing are you surprised conservatives are teeing off on Obama?

If the country is heading into a depression, that means an Obama failure makes the situation worse than what George Bush already left it in. How many Americans aside from the idle rich (like Limbaugh) want that to happen? Will newly unemployed Americans who have had their houses foreclosed upon take consolation if Obama's poll numbers drop?

[bush_cheney2004]

The U.S. is certainly bigger than Limbaugh! But it's not bigger than Obama....not now that he's the chief executive. So, if he fails, how does America succeed?

With another president.....it's no big deal. See "JFK".

[WIP]

With another president.....it's no big deal. See "JFK".

That would be true under good times; but the direction we are heading, failure of Obama's economic plans and foreign policy, is failure for the whole country, and a deepening recession.....but that is no concern of Limbaugh.

[trooper]

I don't know why you are surprised by this? After 8 years of bush bashing are you surprised conservatives are teeing off on Obama?

Firstly the 2000 election is largely believed by many Americans to have been stolen by Bush (read Jeb Bush in Florida). Also, after 9/11, in 2002 bush had 84% support by Americans, I bet much of the leftwing was part of it too.

But after 2003, he's been a royal fuckup. No one can deny that. Iraq war - no WMD costing over a trillion now (more than the bailout) and then costing more lives. Even THEN, some in the left and many in the centre-left/middle did support him as lesser of two evils against Kerry. But then Katrina came and he was exposed. Then the economic crisis and him not knowing a thing about what the heck to do. Hence, the Republicans lost in both 2006 and 2008 in house and senate seats.

I bet you conservatives love the fact that Bush introduced the most socialist plan in American history - the $800 Billion bailout. That goes against every conservative principle in history. Yet you go rant against a guy who's just in. This is the idiocy of the ultra-right wing. They think they are going against the grain and being heroic in the process but know very will that when they express that idea in the mainstream audience, they will not be able to defend it. So they talk and vent in forums.

This is exactly what Limbaugh makes money from, that 14% of the base that cannot accept the fact that a black man became the President.

To someone who said the right-wing base is 50%... I cannot help but laugh the Registered Republican base is about 28% while democrats are around 39%-45% in the recent election last I checked. If you say many have centre-right views I'll agree but to say that they are rightwingers is far from the truth.

Republicans need the support from the middle and some democrats, and if people like Limbaugh and those who share his views keep pushing things without giving Obama a chance, they will not win for a long time and lose their rising stars like Bobby Jindal and Eric Cantor and end up with more old rich white guys like McCain and Romney or Pastors like Huckabee who will keep losing.

[bush_cheney2004]

That would be true under good times; but the direction we are heading, failure of Obama's economic plans and foreign policy, is failure for the whole country, and a deepening recession.....but that is no concern of Limbaugh.

If "we" (???) are depending on Obama to deliver "us" to the promised land, you may as well give up right now. The "whole country" is not about to fail...hell...its didn't "fail" when faced with far graver circumstances in the past.

+2 for drama.

[bush_cheney2004]

....Republicans need the support from the middle and some democrats, and if people like Limbaugh and those who share his views keep pushing things without giving Obama a chance, they will not win for a long time and lose their rising stars like Bobby Jindal and Eric Cantor and end up with more old rich white guys like McCain and Romney or Pastors like Huckabee who will keep losing.

Point of order...please. It is the Democratic party that has tasted the presidency the least for a very long time...with or without Limbaugh.

Obama gets to play the game just like everyone else....no free passes.

[trooper]

Point of order...please. It is the Democratic party that has tasted the presidency the least for a very long time...with or without Limbaugh.

Obama gets to play the game just like everyone else....no free passes.

After 9/11 I'm sure every democrat felt that Bush SHOULD NOT fail. Yet, in this deepshit economy where everyone is losing their job regardless of party affiliation, saying Obama should fail is encouraging more job losses and MORE poverty. Like it will matter to these rich fat commentators who will not have to face REAL life.

[bush_cheney2004]

After 9/11 I'm sure every democrat felt that Bush SHOULD NOT fail. Yet, in this deepshit economy where everyone is losing their job regardless of party affiliation, saying Obama should fail is encouraging more job losses and MORE poverty. Like it will matter to these rich fat commentators who will not have to face REAL life.

Nope...many Democrats wished nothing but ill will for President Bush even after 9/11. They wanted Bush to fail on many fronts. Moreover, after eight years of claiming that "patriotism" was co-opted by "Neocons", now we hear Obama supporters attempting to squelch dissent. How ironic.....

Edited January 23, 2009 by bush_cheney2004