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Can Wanda Sykes Save the GOP?
J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo
At the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the featured comedian blurted out the solution to save the ailing Republican Party: Dump Rush.
The stand-up comedian Wanda Sykes took only seconds in her disciplined 15 minutes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner—a naughty performance that mocked both Barack Obama and Rush Limbaugh—to lay out a vision for the Republican Party. Of course, Sykes didn’t mean to help the GOP, yet in the manner of a prophet she climbed up on the mountaintop of C-SPAN at the precise moment that the glamorous tribes of Washington, New York, and Hollywood had gathered to worship, and she spoke the words that came to her as if from a special effects Yahweh. Wanda Sykes articulated a simple vision. She pictured a day in the distant future when the Republican Party will be free of its childlike dependence upon burlesque acts like Rush Limbaugh and his acolytes; free of their droning, repetitive excuses that the attack on New York and Washington gives them writ to bait and bully everyone who isn’t on the burlesque stage with them.
Watch Wanda Sykes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
Wanda Sykes did all this when she was struck by lightning and said, “I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker, but he was so strung out on OxyContin he missed his flight.” Then, in case we missed the reference to Limbaugh’s documented and illicit chemical dependency: “He hopes the country fails. I hope his kidneys fail, how ‘bout that…”
This bold and transforming remark was so potent that it frightened everyone official whose job depends upon behaving sensitively in public. The opaque Robert Gibbs at the White House press briefing the next morning ran away from the meaning of it all by saying that 9/11 is not a proper subject for humor. Bill Bennett’s dismissal of Wanda Sykes was performed on TV with slow-witted, swollen indignation, “This is why Elaine Bennett and I don’t go to these things…”
What Wanda Sykes has done for the GOP is to name the problem, and the problem is the party’s addiction to hambone performers who each day claim to be speaking for the so-called conservative base of the Republican Party.
Nevertheless, Wanda Sykes spoke it, the trinity of culturally elite cities heard it, and everyone knew that it was much more successful a strike than was easy to admit on camera. Jon Stewart commented with professional admiration, “That’s a hard joke.” But it was much more. It was a revelation to the GOP of what it means to be lost, without power, without leadership, out of ideas, time, patience, courage, and yet to be needy to the point of strung out on the daily palaver of a disembodied, troubled, ill-educated, powerless performer in his Orson Welles costume babbling alone in a radio studio in Florida.
What Wanda Sykes has done for the GOP is to name the problem, and the problem is the party’s addiction to hambone performers who each day claim to be speaking for the so-called conservative base of the Republican Party. These men and women are not politicians or political thinkers. They are lounge-room showbiz. Is this a disturbing fact to those who admire or loathe them? Rush Limbaugh and the others (and you know their names better than I do) are paid a lot of money by advertisers of cars, soaps, foods, drugs, software, and Hollywood to complain, moan, whine, pontificate, and harangue in a darkly comical way in order to upset their audiences. It is not real, and it is not sophisticated, and it is not usually honest. I throw in that it is most definitely not based upon the history of the Republicans or the country. I have been on talk radio since before the attacks on New York and Washington, but especially since then, and I have seen the burlesque house from backstage for years from the three cities that dominate the business. The men and women on air right now, who daily hector the Obama administration and the celebrity Democrats in Congress and elsewhere, are not Republican policy thinkers. Moreover, they are not usually Republicans.
The Republican pols I know spend a deal of energy trying to be sober, cautious, dutiful, ambitious, respectful, restless citizens. That’s necessary because they have to run for re-election. The Limbaughettes you hear on radio and TV are stand-up comedians who sit in a studio doing exactly what Wanda Sykes does with exactly the same material. Perhaps you think Wanda Sykes went too far? That’s what you are supposed to do if you are earning money to imitate Limbaugh.
Whatever party Rush Limbaugh thinks he belongs to in Florida, when he is on air attacking Arlen Specter or Colin Powell, he is not a Republican. He is a bullying whiner and a middle-aged man with a lot of cash and no sense of proportion. “…Anytime you have, y’know, liberals leaving the Republican Party,” Limbaugh rambled on camera and on mic on the day Arlen Specter changed his party affiliation in order to get re-elected in Pennsylvania, “rather than trying to change the party to become liberal, it’s a good thing. I wish more people who are not really Republican, who claim to be liberal Republicans, would do the same thing, yeah…”
Limbaugh’s remarks against Colin Powell are equally that of a very ex-Studio 54 bouncer: “What Colin Powell needs to do is close the loop and become a Democrat instead of claiming to be a Republican interested in reforming the Republican Party. He’s not. He’s a full-fledged Democrat. The only reason to endorse Obama is race…”
The business of politicians in a representative democracy is to raise money to get elected; and the business of the Republican Party is to raise as much money as possible from as many people as possible to win elections. The Republican Party was founded on and is built on the dynamo of liberty. Shunning, exiling, stoning, and tarring are not the party. Of the celebrity names that Wanda Sykes mentioned in her 15 minutes, only one, Sarah Palin, is useful to the party because she can raise money to get elected. The others, including George W. Bush, John McCain, and Dick Cheney, are not the future.
The lesson that is available is that before you can solve a problem, you must admit you have one. Wanda Sykes is a fresh Moses, and the GOP is a startled lost tribe, but there it is, the choice: Make bricks and haul stones for no purpose other than tombs to Ronald Reagan, or get up and walk away from the priests of denial.
John Batchelor is radio host of the John Batchelor Show in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
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Say it, John.
I'm so glad to hear you say this because I've been wanting to get it across, as well - that they have found their own False Gods and they have been lead astray.
Wanda Sykes was disgusting! Her remarks were neither funny or humerous...real comedians don't have to malign others or use 9-11 for their own political purposes....a registered democrat
nor comical neither!
She hopes his kidneys fail, and I hope all his condoms fail.
stop whining!
You've got to be kidding me! After the pure venom that pours out of this obese drug addicted felon on a daily basis, you might want to find another cause to defend. Rush and Cheney have made a career of using 9-11 for their own political purposes. Cheney, the draft dodger, the coward who got 5 deferments during Viet Nam, Cheney who ignored the intelligence that would have prevented 9-11 in order to lie his way into a meaningless war and cost nearly 5,000 Americans their lives so far. Now, you want to get self-righteous about using 9-11 for political purposes?
Sorry Wanda Sykes is a real comedian and she get's paid millions to prove it. Now Rush runs his mouth consistently and when you attack people it only opens you up to be attack. Everything she said was true about Rush except maybe being the hijacker. But what is all of this anger about joking about 9/11, this was an incident involving foreigners attacking America not Katrina where the Government basically abandoned the people, which was worse.
Real comedians can make anything funny. If you didn't laugh, you must have no sense of humor.
Wanda was rip-roaring hilarious! Side-splittingly so even!
Republicans have been using 9-11 for political purposes ever since around 10:00 am on 9/11/2001!
Limbaugh is fair game for any one (comedian or not) given his proclivity for maligning others. I think people need to be reminded every time his name comes up about his recreational use of prescription drugs.
I watched the whole performance. I thought it was hillarious. Rush and Cheney deserve alot more then that.
(Normally I'd think the jokes would be too harsh... then I click on some of the clips of Rush on youtube... and then I change my mind.)
Perfect, simply perfect.
All the GOP has left are the fundamentalists and the NRA.
They have me and I care for neither. I don't shoot guns and I don't go to church.
Perhaps what susquehannastudio should have said is that all the leadership of the GOP (Limbaugh, Gingrich, Cheney and Palin) wants are the fundamentalists and the NRA.
Haven't you heard? 'They'(Cheney, Limbaugh, Hannity, Gingrich, Palin etc) don't want people like you. If you do not fit their idea of what constitutes a "good republican" or a "good american" they demonize you. Look at how they are treating Powell. It is sad to watch, & really not good for our political system.
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This is why partisan politics are so sophomoric. It's just plain stupid to pigeonhole people based on one or two issues and expect that they agree with every other issue they're being lumped in with.
Though I agree with some of your viewpoints, disagree with others, and think you've oversimplified the GOP-Dem dichotomy in some cases, I really agree with the spirit of your comment.
This is why I rejoice in the growth of the independent demographic; people will vote on issues, not party lines.
Your entire analysis of issues as they relate to political parties is ruined with your "republicans are rasist and sexist" remarks. Most are neither.
Excellent post sir, and I suspect that's the stances of most thinking people. The whole one state two state red state blue state oversimplifacation of everything has been disastrous. The European countries with multiple parties may have something on us in that they require thought, questioning, and give a period mix up of alignments.
The "two party" system is nowhere in the Constitution; it just sort of worked out that way at some point and We The People couldn't be bothered to question it. Why aren't Greens and Libertarians given a voice? A couple of old men who own the Presidential debates find it easier to bore us with them with only the two parties they own a controlling interest in.
You did leave out one. Leave my religion alone and I'll refrain from trying to force it on the government. That's a big one to most of us, the real Moral Majority who want true personal freedoms.
Good post... it demonstrates why party politics are so stupid. No one agrees with every party position. You basically end up picking the lesser of two evils. It is also why there are more independents then their are either Republicans or Democrats.
LordVader - I wish more people had the sense not to adopt a whole party based on one or two planks they agree with although they disagree with the rest... or worse, *adopt* all the other planks in order to belong. Good on you. I would agree with you on some things, and not on others, maybe forty-sixty... ten points separating us from fifty-fifty, which is a *lot* closer than the "me UTTERLY vs. you" people reflexively adopt.
They have about a hundred million willfully ignorant rednecks, people who don't even believe in science and only watch Faux News and listen to talk radio because it stokes their know-nothing prejudices. I was raised amongst them and couldn't escape fast enough, then heard them coming over my radio in an attack on civilization itself. They took over and wrecked the joint. Most people don't even want to know where it came from or who they are. But they teach in schools elsewhere that these are the dumbest people on earth, destroyers of civilization itself, and for all of the promise of Obama, most observers outside the USA are doubltful any nation could overcome such a huge segment of the population being this willfully ignorant, that they will allow themselves to be played by the dirtiest tricksters to vote against their own economic interests just to get their hate off. Which brings us back to Rush..
I agree with you that Rush Limbaugh is part of the problem, but I fail to see how fringe-zealots like Sarah Palin are any better. Sarah Palin is too quirky for a part of the electorate that dismisses candidates based on little things or even made up things. (i.e. my very conservative friend, whose family hosts fundraisers for the Republican party, didn't want to vote for her because of the wolf-hunting thing. She was torn though, because while she liked what Obama was saying, Michelle's "first time I've been proud to be an American" comment rubbed her the wrong way.) Sarah Palin preaches abstinence-only education (even though it clearly didn't work out too well for Bristol), lauds abortion-clinic bombers, and spewed a LOT of nonsense into the media (and her nonsense often didn't come in complete or comprehensible sentences).
Rush Limbaugh is an extremist who is leading the party in the wrong direction, and even though Sarah Palin is a politician, so is she. (I think that leaders like Eric Cantor and Meghan McCain, who offer a tempered, more modern version of Republicanism have a more viable vision for the GOP).
Right, that is why McCain lost and even Colin Powell endorsed the other guy...Do facts mean anything to you Obama Kool-aid drinkers??
You're stating two facts, yes... but your interpretation of those facts obviously differs radically from mine. That's where so many political zealots get tripped up in their "logic". I compare it to the *old* Batman TV show... The Riddler leaves this cryptic, opaque, stupid riddle, and Robin or the B-Man snap their fingers, point one in the air, and say, "There's only ONE solution! It MUST mean (yatta yatta yatta)." Bullshot. That "there's only ONE way to interpret this!" kind of logic has been used as the justification for more misery and suffering and needless slaughter than any other single thing on this earth. "Facts" and "meaning" are two different things. But if you're anti-intellectual, you never have to admit that, because that idea smacks of intellectualism. Eesh.
Is Meghan McCain a leader? If so, she needs to find something Republican to lead with. On present indications, she probably should join the Democratic Party along with Colin Powell. John McCain could have won the presidency if he had promoted Republican ideals including respect for the Rule of Law, instead of pussy-footing around every sensitive issue and playing Me Too to Obama's broad brush socialism and promise not to enforce immigration law.
There was no way John McCain could have won the presidency. This has already been acknowledged by many conservative commentators. He had too many obvious issues he was up against; he is too old, he made the wrong choice for a running mate, the demographics of the electorate have drastically changed, and the list goes on. Why don't Republicans stop droning on about how Obama is supposedly socialist and figure out that their party is becoming increasingly non-relevant. Just please fade off nicely and don't come back...
First Lady Mrs.Michelle Obama said she felt proud as an adult because of the support for her husband in the Iowa primary being that Iowa is like 90% white
in population. How about some outrage at Michelles' roommates'mother who
tried to get her daughter at college moved to another dorm because gasp,Mrs.Obama is African-American!!!!!! Limbaugh is a spiteful two tons of crap.
Very good. The republicans need to look for someone new to lead. But following Colin Powell's advice that the republicans need to change into Moderate Democrats is not the answer either.
That's not what he said and you know.
I really doubt that a comedienne like Sykes will nor should have an affect on how a political party finds its voice. The present administration will give the Republican plenty of grist for future campaigns. When the middle class finds that their wallets are shrinking by higher taxes and inflation caused by the enormous debt incurred by these collectivist programs, we will see new leadership emerge, whether it's Republican or Democrat.
Pay attention. Bush inherited a surplus of 286 billion, he left office with a deficit of 1.3 trillion. If you know anything about budgeting you know its 2 fold. Revenue and expenses. The revenue projections are weak because of the low tax rate and the projected growth. 2/3rds of your exoenses are entitlements and military spending. Scream all you want but however much you play with 1/3 of your expenses the 2/3rds will kill you if you dont grow. So to fix this you have to attack entitlements for the expense side, and you have to find avenues for growth. The strategy here is new energy, and the most highly educated workforce in the world. Its a heavy lift, but if you dont invest there is no future.
I would argue that not investing in the American people but investing in tanks and planes is what has left us vulnerable.
Right you are. Bush never found his veto pen until it was a day late and a dollar short, but Obama upped the federal debt to 11.2 trillion. This recession was not caused by the Bush tax cut, but by the mismanagement of Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. I know enough about budgeting that when you outspend your income, you create a deficit, which turns into a debt. And you pay back that debt with interest. With 11.2 trillion, and growing, the government could sieze 90% of the wealthy's money, and it still wouldn't be enough. So guess who's next - the middle class.
When the middle class finds that their wallets are shrinking..." When?! The middled class has suffered stagnant wages for almost a decade topped off with a severe recession that's almost halved most retirement funds, not to mention all the unemployed who now have 0 to put in their wallets.
Most of us know exactly who we have to thank for that. And it ain't Obama.
Watching the GOP lick their lips in anticipation of the epic Obama "fail" is the most delusional thing they do. And that's saying something.
stella, i'm with you...there are lots of voters who remember the relative fatness of their wallets during the clinton years..and the relative thinness now...and who's to blame...
not only is obama widely popular, his economic policies are too...all the gop can hope is that 3rd quarter gdp in '010 will have a negative effect on voters...it's a pretty big gamble....if it has a positive effect, the party is toast....
as for carole...if she really thinks freddie and fanny caused the recession, she's off in la-la land...
ps...bush created $5 trillion in new debt...but inflation didn't follow, 'cept for the unrelated oil-price spike....thank china for thank....
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I disagree with your article. Rush Limbaugh is NOT the problem. It's political pundits that think they speak for the Republican party who are wolves in sheep clothing, aka RINOs.
Individuals like Meghan McCain do not speak for the majority of the Republican party. She is nothing but another RINO like her dad.
Those that have so far posted comments on this site seem to me speak like MSNBC or CNN. Do us all a favor and leave the party. WE do not need you voice in this fight.
I agree with you. Rush Limbaugh is NOT the problem. Rush is not even a Republican. He is a Conservative. All you people who claim to be "Republicans" but say you won't come back because of Palin and Limbaugh - good riddance to you!! We don't need people like you who are diluting conservative principles. Go become Socialist Democrats like Colin Powell!! You claim to be smarter and better than Palin and Limbaugh when all you are is conceited. You fit right in with the Democrats. GO GET LOST!!!
Advising anyone to just "GO GET LOST" is a strong part of the math that puts the GOP at around 20% of identifiable voters. You just cannot win elections within a 2 party, essentially, system by carrying 20%. This is causing many people to become disaffected and carries with it the additional voters that respect those you show the door.
It is only my humble opinion but from my political position I urge you to keep up the good strategy. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm starting to feel sorry for the GOP. You used to be such an admirable opponent and now you are a mere shell of your once great self.
spoken like a true dittohead.. way to think for yourself.
Right. And then after everyone who doesn't agree with us leaves, we'll have about 120 angry, self-righteous cave men left. And we'll call it the Republican Party! Great idea...
Actually, if you get rid of all the Meghan McCains and keep all the Limbaughs, you won't have to bitch and moan about the Republican party not being what it used to because there won't be a Republican party.
As someone who wants to see a strong, sensible, levelheaded two party system in America, I have to say you and all the people who think like you and don't listen to what anyone else says (this includes Limbaugh) are an idiot.
way to be constructive you turd, it must suck to be so narrow- minded.
That's what I like to hear. Another "conservative" who wants to jettison all the moderate voices in the GOP. I implore you to keep this up for if you and Limbaugh are successful there will never be neocons again. Come to think of it there won't be a GOP either. This is priceless.
"She pictured a day in the distant future when the Democrat Party will be free of its childlike dependence upon burlesque acts like Obama and his acolytes; free of their droning, repetitive excuses that the attack on New York and Washington gives them writ to bait and bully everyone who isn't on the burlesque stage with them."
Roll the clock back 12 months and it's amazing how well that edit works. So, just what is it you'd like to dump Limbaugh from, John? It's not like he's a party leader, Obama, Emanuel, Carville and Begala's protestations notwithstanding.
Given that the current GOP seems to take Mr. Limbaugh's word as gospel (or at least doesn't mind when he's foaming at the mouth), he *is* a leader of the party. The question now is whether or not he should remain so...
Agreed Abelard-
When the head of the RNC has to apologize for comments he made to/about Rush, Limbaugh is a de facto leader. Sorry, that's just the way it is.
Wow, who ever this guy is, (I never heard of him), he certainly is a very emotional man.The idea that political parties are there to merely win elections is a very good description of the Beltway Think.No Mr. B, political parties are established to grow and sustain core values of a nation or other political entity. Mr. B thinks winning is everything a.k.a. power is everything. Some of us actually believe that core values and a way of being human and supporting human freedom and liberty is everything, from a secular perspective anyways. Mr. B is obviously very jealous of Rush and with good reason of course. Rush has an audience and that audience thinks about more than venal and superficial gaining of power. They think about advancing freedom and liberty for humanity. I'm with Rush. Mr. B...go away and crawl back under the rock from which you came. We have enough people lusting for power already
Well, George, the purpose of a political party is to organize voters and get people elected into office. That kind of makes sense. This is why when people no longer identify with existing political parties, they form a new one and try to get their candidate elected.
I think you are confusing a political party with a religion, a church if you will. Ones church is a repository of moral and ethical beliefs. A political party is, despite the beliefs of neocons and Rush Limgaugh and the various Limbaugh-clones, primarily to get people of like thinking elected into office.
It really is all about power. Who is in power determines what gets done. The problem is that the moderate conservatives, like me, don't feel comfortable sharing a political party with the Limbaughs of the world.
It is sad. I don't really feel comfortable with some of the Democratic ideas, but I have been pushed to agree with them. Because the alternative is a group of extremists who don't want a political party, but a fanatical church.
The purpose of political parties IS to win elections. That is why they are called POLITICAL parties. The entities "established to grow and sustain core values" are called religions. If the republican "party" keeps functioning as a religion and not a party it will continue to do poorly at the ballot box.
Mr. Batchelor, it seems that you get it. Too bad the leadership of your party does not.
The answer to the Republicans' current dilema is not a drug-abuser radio talk show host or a semi-literate, nonsensical Alaskan Governor or a "waz-up" buffoon who currently chairs the party. When national political figures cow-tow to an "entertainer" as divisive, intemperate and extreme as Rush Limbaugh something is very, very wrong--and none of the party leadership seems to be the least interested in fixing it.
Mr. Batchelor does indeed seem to get it. How long until he's given the RINO tag for making such bold statments?
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Really? I don't wish anybody death for merely having a different view point than myself.
are you one of those crazy liberal callers from one of the radio shows? Way to help them paint the picture.. nice..
You guys are totally missing the point and so is the author of this so-called "analysis". She didn't say that the GOP should dump Rush. SHE WISHED DEATH ON HIM!!!! TWICE!!! Do you not see the difference or even care? Plus, if you're a liberal and you think Rush is so bad, why don't you just let him and the Republicans hang themselves. You guys are actin like Obama got more than 52.5% of the vote. You're acting like 60 million people DIDN'T vote against Obama...
Chill out mi amigo. What you're missing is that Wanda Sykes is a comedian. the "I hope his kidneys fail" comment was a punchline to a joke. Wanda doesn't speak for any group of people other than herself. And here's the rub, Limbaugh doesn't "officially" represent anyone's views but his own either. The difference is that Limbaugh, the chubby bastard, has made himself a figurehead. And for what? To promote some peaceful agenda? To leave the world a better place than he found it? No. For ratings.
I agree with Bunx05, you need to first off chill out, you sound like a kindergartener throwing a fit over something you obviously don't understand.
Second off, do you have amnesia? 50.7% of the popular vote was enough for GW Bush to claim he had a MANDATE!?!
52.5% is a pretty substantial lead, bordering on landslide.
Now, let me ask you what's worse, joking about some fat jerk's kidney's failing, or, in all seriousness, wishing failure on the United States?
60 Million people didn't vote against Obama and since the election the GOP has lost 11% of those who were willing to identify themselves as republicans. Republicans ignore the fact that they can no longer spew out lies and not be fact checked. Betrayal of trust is hard to come back from.
Limbaugh speaks up for freedom, and it's wonderful that he is doing this. Few in Washington seems to remember that America's greatness is due to our respect for individual LIBERTY. They're too busy working out whether they should have total control over our lives (Democrats) or semi-total control over our lives (Republicans).
The Republican party is floundering because of the battle between social conservatives (anti-abortion and gay rights types) and fiscal conservatives (pro-choice, pro-gray rights, libertarian-leaning types).
This is not a good time for this battle because the threat to our freedom is so great right now. All conservatives have to come together to protect freedom and work out their differences later. Rush is an important voice, but shouldn't be the only voice speaking up for liberty.
Rush Limbaugh is an important voice for my "liberty" and "freedom"? Why, may I ask? He never served in the military, never held elected office, never successfully ran a business, can't keep a marriage together, never finished college. . . He is nothing but invective incarnate, to whom "liberty" and "Freedom" serve as a hollow battle cry for the shock troops of the know nothing class, who do battle against the social frameworks that prevent utter exploitation of the working class by the undeserving rich.
Liberty and Freedom will be just fine without that bloated puss-filled sack of lies and distortion speaking on their behalf.
I'd have a lot more respect for the political broadcasters of either stripe if they actually ran for office. It takes nothing to yell and complain; it takes real guts to get elected and actually try to make your views into policy.
Al Franken had the guts to do just that. He won and will be seated shortly but Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Beck, Coulter and Ingraham would never run for office. They already know they'd go down in flames. Now that's courage.
The problem with the G.O.P., you can dish it but you cant take it.
Wanada Sykes just said what many think, Limbaugh is a fat, drug addicted lying thug, like it or not he is the most vocal voice of the G.O.P, ( next to Cheney with his 18% approval rating ) and now to say your sick of him??!!. You all rode his coat tails, along with Fox Noise, Coulter, Beck, Savage and the other conservative ilk. Now it's time to pay the piper....
911 is not the proper subject for humor?. WTF over?. When you have creeps like Anne Coulter making fun of the 911 families and the G.O.P. using 911 like a cheap prop, where do you come off lecturing others?. Save your finger pointing for the mirror.
When you have someone like Colin Powell being called a Democrat because he does not follow group think the G.O.P. has some serious issues...
Look, the party was hijacked, by neocons. Unfortunately for them their message - American empire through force (both military and economic) wouldn't sell to American voters - it's not what we believe we are about. So they overtook the Republican party and started to lie about what Republican's were about. The result - after the sunshine exposed the parties leaders for what they were is an unfortunate collapse of the Republican party. What the Republicans need to get back to is their real roots not the neocon philosophy but the one that rings true with American's. Until the leaders figure that out the party will continue to wander around drunkenly looking for a direction.
I believe that a healthy America needs at least 2 healthy political parties to keep each other HONEST. Not throw sh-t at each other like they have been in the past few decades. I think that a healthy Republican party will create a healthy Democratic party and both will make America healthier again.
IMHO, actually not so humble, It's time the Republican leadership figured out what would be best for Americans and made that their goals, popularity will follow then elections and the Democrats will have to improve to be able to compete.
...nothing like taking advice from the enemy on how to improve your defense and who to go with on your offense...
Thanks liberals for your "analysis" of the Republican Party and your wonderful advice...and given from a comedienne no less...
...Go Sarah, Dick, and Rush!!!
No lie. Why are Republicans even listening to liberals and leftists debate the future of the Republican Party and conservative movement? Is this just insane or what??!?! Why don't they let us drive off the cliff? The answer is that they know we're on to something. If we can recraft the party around individual liberty and limited government with fiscal responsibility we'd strip them of their power in 2 years.
just which republican president actually shrunk government and shrunk the deficit. the only answer to anything in the republican party is tax cuts will cure anything while they go on and spend like crazy. this has gone on since and including saint reagon.
it's all talk and no show
but you have no candidates that would actually DO any of the things they preach.. just like the democrats.. the problem with Rush and the Conservative Media, is that they only tell half the truth... Yes, demorats are dirty snake oil salesmen.. but guess what.. so are the republicans.. they are all politicians, and most of them are in it for the money.. NOT to serve people.. If the republicans were really trying to serve the base, why didn't they do anything about the abortion issue when they had the chance?
it's just too hard.
just like the healthcare issue.
and what of fiscal responsibility? When was the last time there was a republican president that was fiscally responsible? these are just things they say to get elected and complain about when they are not in power.
same as the democrats..
you may as well call them the bloods and the crips, they already have the colors as well as the lack of morals, ethics, and sense of right and wrong.
Actually, unlike most neocons, we'd rather try to bring you off the cliff instead of laugh at you as you fall. It's called compassion for your fellow man.
Wow. That sounds religious and spiritual. I thought that was supposed to be you guys.
.." the daily palaver of a disembodied, troubled, ill-educated, powerless performer in his Orson Welles costume babbling alone in a radio studio in Florida."
Funny that Democrats spend so much time and media space trying to get rid of such a loser. If you were not so afraid of Limbaugh you would simply ignore him.
And speaking of troubled and babbling, isn't Howard Dean still important in the Democratic Party?
Yes. Democrats like shining the light on Limbo. But it isn't because we're afraid of him, it's because we believe the only anecdote to darkness is light.
You should be very afraid of what Limbaugh is doing to your party.
As a Democrat I dont Rsuh to go ANYWHERE!!!. Keep him, and Anne Coulter and Glen Beck and Sarah ( I can see Russia from my door step ) Palin, Michael Savage, Fox Noise, Bill-othe-clown, Cheney, GW and all the other nut jobs. This will ensure the demise of the current G.O.P., allow the Dem's to make some progress and hopefully about the time we Dem's overreach there will be a new, human, rational G.O.P. that actually represents a cross section fo the country and they can come back into the fold. Even a 3rd party would not hurt.
I'll take Howard Dean any day over the above mentioned ilk....
Actually, as i understand it John Batchelor identifies himself as republican. So what does it say when Rush's so called base wants him gone?
That Batchelor is one of those infamous "RINOs" that the party needs to purge from its midst?
What happens to the party when there's no "base" left?
Glad to hear more people speaking out against Limbaugh. Instead of this nonsense coming out from him and the base, I want to hear alternatives and constructive solutions and that doesn't mean cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations.
As a Moderate Republican who has left my party of 30 years I look forward to the day I can return. The day that Limbaugh and Palin along with their uneducated ilk no longer hold the GOP in a vice grip.
When a conservative party can embrace a man who has been married 3 times, been to rehab for drug addiction and shows racist/rape encouragement is a leader? I''m outta there. When they embrace a woman who is a proven liar, a bad Mother and encourages the use of witch doctors in this day and age? I am out of there. They can keep their poster children for the uneducated and unwashed.
I note with awe the number of defecting Republicans posting here; so many in fact that I think that in fact they are life-long Democrats using a transparent ploy to argue the Democratic case.
You see, this is the problem with the current GOP. You are so sure you're right that you actually think democrats have to use a ploy to argue the democratic case. We don't need a ploy, we've got enough honest outrage to last for years.
BTW, hard to stop a leak in the boat when you refuse to acknowledge it.
As a moderate Democrat, I, too, look for a day I can return. When they embrace the House Speaker, who is definitely a proven liar, and a candidate who had no executive experience and a shallow Senate record over a candidates with much better records in service to this country, I will vote for a republic style of government - not a collective style of government.
I don't even think YOU know what you just said. Moderate Democrats, like myself, are still holding strong in our party. Do I support Princess Pelosi? Not all the time. Do I support Rush Limbaugh? Never.
Wanda Sykes just was not funny. She reminded me of one who might work out on the View.
Someone on this site says "Go Sarah, Dick and Rush.....I pity their poor family and perhaps someone should start a fund to eudcate this persons children so that the apple has a chance of rolling away from that genetic pool......
education is against the rules.. the schools are full of liberal propagandists... pay attention
The point isn't whether or not that Rush Limbaugh is good for the Party or not. She wishhed death on him, TWICE! Watch what happens if conservative commentators do that. They lose jobs and are forced to apologize...
Bah.. they don't lose jobs for that, they just like to play victim... but she sure does help them prove thier point about liberal elitism with a comment like that..
Are you serious? Any black, jewish, middle eastern or openly gay person in America over the age of 20 can tell you that bigots are not punished (severely) for wishing for our deaths. Countless hate crimes go unnoticed and unprosecuted in this country every year. So spare me the "whoa is us conservative" BS. We ain't buyin'.
Again, what does that have to do with Rush Limbaugh? He has never wished death on anyone, which this person is doing.
Well, he did wish failure for our president. One could argue that if he does fail, many deaths will ensue.
A comedian bashes Rush. BIG news there! Who hasn't bashed Rush? "Rush is stupid". Now I've done it, woot!
Point being is when comedians talk, we laugh. We laugh because comedians shouldn't and aren't taken seriously when they say things like that. It's pretty bad when an author paints a comedy routine into some roadmap for the GOP. Weak . . . just like taking shots at Rush is weak. Anyone can do it.
Sure, the GOP has issues. They've got an image to fix, fat to trim (insert Rush joke here), and a long road to travel before they'll be taken seriously again. Taken seriously being the key. Won't find that from a comedian's routine. Mr. Batchelor should know better.
Thank you.
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