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Rush Limbaugh Loses a Popularity Contest
Brett Hufziger, photolink.net / Newscom
Congressional Republicans have turned to Rush Limbaugh to lead the battle against Obama. One problem: A poll says he's less popular than Jeremiah Wright.
Republicans who have turned to Rush Limbaugh to lead the fight against President Obama may have backed the wrong horse. According to one recent poll, Limbaugh turns out to be one of the most unpopular political figures in the country.
An October 24, 2008, poll conducted by the Democratic research firm Greenberg-Quinlan-Rosner has Rush Limbaugh enjoying a public-approval rating of just 21 percent among likely voters, while 58 percent have “cold” feelings toward the right-wing radio-talk-show host. Limbaugh’s cold rating was higher than that of all the political figures the firm polled. It was seven points higher than Rev. Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright and eight points higher than former Weather Underground domestic terrorist William Ayers. (As the firm points out in an email, it’s true that Wright and Ayers both had lower “warm” ratings than Limbaugh—as you’d expect for men who have virtually no constituencies.)
Rush polls seven points lower than Rev. Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright and eight points below former Weather Underground domestic terrorist William Ayers.
Limbaugh is so unpopular that only 44 percent of Republican voters reported “warm” feelings toward him, ten points less than those who felt the same way about Limbaugh’s top competitor, Fox News’ Sean Hannity, and a full 20 points lower than Fox News itself. Yet in spite of rock-bottom favorable numbers, Limbaugh confidently declared one week after Obama’s inauguration that his power far exceeded that of the Republican Party’s top two leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives. Obama, Limbaugh roared, 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.”
Obama seems unfazed by El Rushbo. The president recently implored Republican leaders, “You can’t listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done.”
Despite Limbaugh’s low popularity ratings, congressional Republicans are so intimidated by his perceived influence that even the most resentful members shamelessly grovel at his feet. He might have alienated vast sectors of the Republican base, but Limbaugh still commands an army of self-proclaimed “Dittoheads” who represent the party’s most politically fervent, ideologically extreme, and easily shepherded element. This is a faction that flood the party’s elected representatives’ offices with phone calls, and which they believe they cannot afford to offend.
In 1994, one year after the National Review ran a cover proclaiming Limbaugh “The Leader of The Republican Party,” the “Dittoheads” helped propel the Republicans to a congressional majority. Hoping to stage another comeback against even greater odds, the Republicans maintain a strict code of masochism, bowing to Limbaugh even and especially when he casts them as his useful idiots.
Consider the case of Phil Gingrey, a Republican representative from a safely conservative district in Georgia. After Limbaugh mocked Boehner and McConnell, Gingrey decided to take his stand, blasting Limbaugh (and Hannity and Newt Gingrich) for “throwing bricks” without paying the consequences. “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,” Gingrey told a reporter on January 27. “But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders.”
What happened next provided a perfect example of Limbaugh’s dictatorial power. The next day, Gingrey, a former obstetrician, crawled on to The Rush Limbaugh Show to diagnose himself as suffering from foot-in-mouth disease. “I clearly ended up putting my foot in my mouth on some of those comments,” Gingrey pleaded, “and I just wanted to tell you, Rush—and all our conservative giants, who help us so much to maintain our base and grow it to get back this majority—that I regret those stupid comments.”
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Rush Limbaugh, without doubt the biggest blowhard and most obvious hater of the progressive agenda since Newt Gingrich.
None of the so-called media pundits of the Repuglicans, have an ounce or shred of decency among them. They care not for the American public, just as long as they can smoke their huge cigars. live high off the American people's adulation and money, and think that they are among the most intellectual thinkers of their day.
The Neo-Conservatives, have not an shred of evidence to back
up their claims of supremacy in the political field, there are more progressives among the American people than the supposed Far Right Wing Nuts of the Grand Orgy Party.
And as progressives we must now make our voices heard in support of the President and let him know when we think that this or that policy is wrong. We are the majority of Americans
we cannot lose if we stick together and vote for those who speak our language and do the work of governance as it should be done. If not, then we are doomed to a government that cares not one whit for those who are poor, disenfranchised, and most of all middle class. As does the Grand Orgy Party. Blowhards one and all, Rush, Sean, Newt and all the rest can breathe and bloviate, but as for representing the vast majority of the American public, NOT!
To provide even a scent of balance, mr. Blumenthal should also cite radio ratings of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News ratings over MSNBC. It is understandable that his "Democratic" pollster would get low "Favorable" or "Warm" feelings from their base. Mr. Blumenthal, if Rush is meaningless, then why does a smart politician like Mr. Obama even lower himself into the fray. Either Mr. Obama is worried about the Limbaugh effect or Mr. Obama is not bright. I think Mr. Obama is, at least, bright. Your thoughts?
You could have been describing Keith Olbermann. But he's got Rush beat in vindictiveness, viciousness, and really stretching the truth. I would be proud to be on Olbermann's Worst Person in the World list. It's kinda equal to Nixon's enemies list.
I see Blumenthal is taking a rest from his Rev. Warren jihad to move on to the next item on the gay agenda, marginalizing media conservatives. I expect he'll have the same luck he did keeping one of the advocates of marriage = one man, one woman out of Obama's swearing in. I'm not much of a Rush fan myself -- too much the fat-boy self-promoter for my tastes -- but for Bloomy to cobble together a story based on a poll taken by a Democratic research firm tells me he should be sent back down to the minors for more seasoning.
Rush, too, can be a useful idiot. As a former Republican, I once listened to his program on a daily basis. It was only when I discovered in myself a growing repulsion to the increasingly reprehensible comments made by the man that I began to re-evaluate my fast-held beliefs on a wide variety of subjects, which led to my conclusion that the hate, the fear-mongering and the blatant money-worship of the modern Republican party is miles away from what I believe is morally just.
I owe Rush a debt of gratitude! Ditto, my good sir!
Although I think President Obama made a mistake acknowledging Limbaugh by name (and I'll bet he never will again) I feel that Limbaugh and Sarah Palin are the best things going for any hope for progressive policy making in this country.
Yes, Limbaugh commands a devoted listenership, but it's comprised of the same undereducated, downwardly-mobile mouth-breathers who horrified so many Republicans with their behavior at Palin rallies in the last weeks of the campaign. Smart Republicans drew the line, backed up by Kathleen Parker, George Will, David Brooks, Christopher Buckley, etc.
The GOP is now hamstrung by its ugly base and coming back will be tough until they chuck, Rush, Newt, Hannity, Michelle Malkin and the whole angry pose.
As my late grandmother Mildred was fond of saying, "Not all Republicans are stupid, but most stupid people are Republicans".
Oh, Max- this is music to my ears. I still can't believe this guy is on the air after his unpatriotic "I hope he fails" comment regarding Obamas' success. The presidents' success is the country's success.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Congressional republicians have finally lost their last living brian cell. But what better choice to represent them. They have chosen an over compensated, bloated, addictive, non productive, drug addled, impotent and disconnected knight in brooks brothers armour for their battle charge. Definitely representative of their way of life and the world they live in...
I find is appalling that the Republician party would even consider undermining anything more at this point. Just the idea of placing more stress and burden on the American People just shows their complete and utter detachment from the real world, perhaps its time to call on the paparrazzi and put their skills to work in a place that it may count, uncovering the deciet and corruption in our political arena. Maybe these Good Ole Boys would like to have camera's following them around and capturing their day to day antics on tape and our tax dollars at hard at work. Instead of trying to undermine anything further why not put that energy into doing the jobs they are being paid to do....like Trump says, "YOU ARE FIRED!"
Did you notice that the Poll was-"conducted by the Democratic research firm Greenberg-Quinlan-Rosner"
ya think they might have had a little bias built in?
Barbara416 like the liberal press you didn't quote his full statement, something to the effect... "I hope he fails if he continues his social/marxist plan"
easy to throw stones at things taken out of context.
I've listened to Rush every day since about October. It's just excruciating. These stupid idiots agreeing with him and telling how much they like cigars and fast food too. Whenever it's not just an opinion he spouts, it's a lie. There are no facts at all.
It's the easiest show in the world to produce. One fat man telling the world what he thinks with no need for research or guest appearances. It must be really hurting him to see Michael Steele being the RNC head.
As this election proves, excessive noise does not translate to votes or more importantly, party registrants.
If Rush and his army are as important as they report why has the GOP lost some much ground in the membership arena. It appears they are only influencing each other from within their group and most likely repelling others. The numbers do not indicate anything but this theory. There is no debate that Rush is the number one front man for the GOP but the salesman did not meet his quota and that usually means termination.
Wow, Gingrey is entirely without backbone.
I expect politicians to apologize for every other word they say (that's our fault) when they say something not PC, but that is amazing.
Rush Limbaugh is an idiot. Gingrey in worse.
I'm surprised to see some defense of Rush on here. I didn't know his supporters could read.
Love the front page title. And while you're at it, take Coulter with you.
Now I'll try not to be snarky anymore, per David Denby's book which I agree with.
Thanks David, for a voice of civility and intellectual discipline.
@Banjo1: There's no work involved in marginalizing Limbaugh's political influence -- he's doing just fine all by himself. But you make a pathetic attempt at marginalizing the progressive agenda by namecalling it "gay." Pretty junior high school, don't you think? Oh wait, I forgot -- that's the point.
Thank goodness for Max. Perfect antidote to the former Bush Administration lackey garbage (see: Mark McKinnon) brand of hyperbole The Daily Beast seems to favor these days.
AiriqS: It's really rather elementary. MSNBC at night consistently leads Fox News in the demo. If you've ever been in broadcasting, you'll know that's all that matters. If you haven't, then I recommend you look into it.
Furthermore, radio seems to have cemented itself as the preferred media outlet for the right, while the internet seems to be the media outlet most dominated by the left. Old Media vs. New Media, you know?
If we were to pit one against the other, vis-a-vis the 2008 election, which media outlet seems more relevant today, in terms of the actual garnering of votes?
"Obama seems unfazed by El Rushbo. The President recently implored Republican leaders, "You can't listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done." "
Umm, sure. He only brought Rush up within a major effort to draw GOPers closer to him. That's thoroughly unfazed. For a Kool-Aid drinker, at least.
This Max parrot is a propagandist reporter. Keep casting your wishes in the light of fact, maybe it will come true.
He is a sort of Rush wannabe, or worse, a Rachel Maddow or Oblubbermann -- let me tell you the whole (one side of the) story -- wannabe.
Oh, wait... this must be the wrong location: Can anyone tell me where the adults leave comments? photoshock? TavernWench? connie47? Barbara416? Anywhere for adults to comment? You know: people who actually read more than one side into things?
I believe what Mike Pence meant to say was, "I don't believe Rush has an itellectual bone in his body."
Well looky here, Rush is on fire once again. Honestly every time the man pulls one of his stunts he essentially kicks the GOP in the balls...and those poor balls are getting so old and so fragile. The example he puts forth, that of a fundamental borderline conservative tyrant, is only further grinding down the republican popularity with this generation and the world at large. I think even the most conservative minded person can hopefully recognize that his narrow minded negativity is not only detrimental to the image of the party, but also does nothing to help any situation. If Limbaugh exemplifies the GOP than maybe it's time the GOP grew a fresh pair nuts, walk up to Rush, kick him in the crotch, and say "hey, #%*$ you!," go take another Oxycontin and shut up.
Thank you.
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