Today on his show Rush Limbaugh, the man who Rahm Emanuel considers The leader of the Republican Party has made an offer to the administration:
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.
Let’s talk about the New Deal versus Reaganomics. Let’s talk about closing Guantanamo Bay, and let’s talk about sending $900 million to Hamas. Let’s talk about illegal immigration and the lawlessness on the borders. Let’s talk about massive deficits and the destroying of opportunities of future generations. Let’s talk about ACORN, community agitators, and the unions that represent the government employees which pour millions of dollars into your campaign, President Obama. Let’s talk about your elimination of school choice for minority students in the District of Columbia. Let’s talk about your efforts to further reduce domestic drilling and refining of oil. Let’s talk about your stock market. By the way, Mr. President, I want to help. Yesterday you said you looked at the stock market as no different than a tracking poll that goes up and down.
The administration has decided to elevate Rush Limbaugh as the leader of the 46-47% of Americans who voted against him. Now the administration can decide if they are serious or not. Most likely they will poo poo the offer saying how busy the president is.
When they do the question needs to be asked? Why is he too busy to deal with the leader of the opposition? Why is he afraid of debate? Why is FDR, JFK and Lincoln all rolled into one with a Harvard pedigree unable to compete intellectually with a man who never graduated college? Are the same people who are so anxious to anoint Rush the leader of the opposition convinced that their messiah can’t hold his own against him? Here is the chance to confront the leader of the opposition in front of his audience. A bold leader wouldn’t hesitate.
If he does then we can begin the Obama in hiding countdown.
Update: Hey even the Washington Post believes it is the case as they refer to him as Minority Leader Limbaugh.
Update 2: Ed Driscoll refers to it as an offer the president can’t accept. Lets quote one of his dissenting commentators:
1. Jumbo:
Limbaugh, the drug addicted, thrice divorced sex tourist would get his head handed to him on a plate. Just because you folks walk behind Ruch and marvel at his uninformed drivel does not mean he has anything to say. What he says, he says to YOU; not your country. He targets YOU to spew his lies, and you all lap it up like a junior high sock hop. Limbaugh is your party leader now. You support him, you own him. Mark these words: in ten years time, your children will look to you for an explanation why you would cheerlead for Limbaugh. They will deserve answers, you will offer none. Hang your heads in shame, that’s all you can do.
Mar 4, 2009 – 11:45 am
This being the case Jumbo you will likely contact the administration that suddenly thinks attacking Rush is not productive and urge president Obama to accept this challenge to break the Republican “lies” once and for all. How about it?
Update 3: The Anchoress is impressed:
And he seems utterly, supremely confident. He suggests that if President Obama can debate “without notes or teleprompter” and defeat Limbaugh in the eyes of the audience, (I’m paraphrasing) “you will own America. You will have no opposition standing. Santelli is being silenced, Cramer will be gone soon, though not without a fight. You have the press, you have Hollywood. The only thing standing between you and complete ownership of the United States is me and my little radio show.”
Audacious? It’s audacious as hell. It’s Rush going “all in,” and calling a bluff. He frankly knows he has nothing to lose because Limbaugh understands what so few in America seem to: there has been a coup – a bloodless, painless coup. The new presidency is what, 44 days old, and America may never be the same.
President Obama can’t do it because he is frankly, in my opinion outclassed.
Update 4: The Spectator agrees
With an ineptness that leaves one breathless, the Obama team has now effectively labeled Obama himself as “paralyzed with fear” if in fact the President doesn’t have the guts to accept Limbaugh’s challenge. After all, if they claim that GOP chair Michael Steele and “Republicans” are cowards for not taking on Rush, Obama himself will surely have the guts to do what they claim Steele and Republicans do not: take on Rush Limbaugh one-on-one.
Their conclusion is the world is watching:
Learning nothing from history, the Obama crowd has now set up a breathtakingly stupid proposition: either Obama debates Rush one-on-one or he is, in the words of his own staff, paralyzed with fear. Now there’s a message to send to al Qaeda. The President of the United States has no guts.
Morning Joe has spent the last three days talking about republicans afraid to disagree with Limbaugh, it will be interesting to see how they handle the president’s fear to debate him.
Update 5 Gay Patriot:
It’s almost been amusing these past few days watching the Emanuel/Carville/Begala White House/MSM axis go overboard to potray Rush as the head of the GOP because the talk show host’s unpopularity “with many Americans, especially younger voters.“ Tying him to the GOP will help sink the GOP.
Their strategy may have some short-term success, turning attention from his eloquent criticism of the Administration’s agenda to his middling popularity outside consevative circles. But, over time, people will start wondering about a White House mounting an offense more akin to attacking its adversaries through a series of personal vendettas than to promoting legislative proposals through articulation of its policy goals.
Update 6 In their first hour Morning Joe Pooh Poohed Rush’s challenge but played another clip of Steele on Hannity and Joe said when picking the chairman of the RNC: “Being Black isn’t enough.”. An MSNBC host is saying that concerning the RNC chairman after their coverage of president Obama over the last year. They have lost the capacity for shame.
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