Gold Rush: Dems Launch Operation Rushbo

By Jonathan Martin | Politico

Top Democrats believe they have struck political gold by depicting Rush Limbaugh as the new face of the Republican Party, a full-scale effort first hatched by some of the most familiar names in politics and now being guided in part from inside the White House.

The strategy took shape after Democrats included Limbaugh’s name in an October poll and learned their longtime tormentor was deeply unpopular with many Americans. Then the conservative talk-radio host emerged as an unapologetic critic of Barack Obama shortly before his inauguration, when even many Republicans were showering him 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.

Limbaugh is embracing the line of attack, suggesting a certain symbiosis between him and his political adversaries.

“The Administration is enabling me,” he wrote in an email 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.”

The bigger, the better, agreed Democrat James 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.” …

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Opinion from News Donkey: While painting Limbaugh as the face of the Republicans is potentially an effective political strategy for the Democrats, one must wonder if it is appropriate (not to mention politically risky). In light of Obama’s promises to change Washington politics, shouldn’t the Democrats really be focusing on the real issues of the day, such as the global economic downturn? Clearly Republicans have issued their own attacks, but by and large GOP attacks have targeted the issues that most people are concerned about, such as how we are going to tackle all the economic problems. Understandably the Democrats may not like the GOP responses to Obama’s proposals, but at least the GOP is talking about the issues, based on statements made by our actual elected officials in congress. If the economic problems we face are as severe as reported in most of the news media, then surely the Democrats ought to be focusing all of their efforts on solving problems. The debate should be on the issues, not about radio talk show hosts. BTW, the RNC Chairman recently issued a criticism of Limbaugh, so for the Democrats to suggest Limbaugh represents the Republicans would seem to be an inaccurate assessment. At best, if our Democrats in Washington believe they have spare time on their hands outside of handling the financial crisis (not sure that they really do), then maybe they could consider directly attacking Limbaugh on his conservative principles, but again suggesting he is the face of the GOP is simply not true and obviously represents a poor example of “change we can believe in”. Come on guys, let’s really make some substantive changes to politics in Washington and not just have four more years of the same old unbridled and unnecessary political lies and bickering.

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