Last week’s news cycle was much livelier than usual. Alongside ubiquitous stories about the declining stock market, staggering unemployment rate, and Depression-era gloominess, the media’s attention was fixed on one entertainment figure. The man of the hour was the government-bashing go-to guy for everything conservative: America’s neighbourhood blowhard, Rush Limbaugh. For those who aren’t familiar with the talk radio host, he’s been deluding American listeners for over 20 years with his unapologetic brand of abrasive, racist, and misogynistic banter. His extremist views and moral crusading have elevated him to rock-star status in Republican circles, and as an attendee of the Conservative Political Action Conference a couple weeks back, his mere presence caused the audience to erupt with elation. During his rant, he called for a non-interventionist, free market approach for dealing with domestic issues and lambasted President Obama’s strategy for fixing the financial system, saying that he hoped it would not be successful. Over the years, Limbaugh has maintained a core fan base predominantly of white working-class men, and a strong following of GOP members of Congress. Considering that the Republicans suffered devastating losses in a number of red districts during the presidential election, one might expect the party to craft a new electoral strategy, broadening their message and creating policies to speak to a changing demographic. Instead, they’ve been portrayed as Limbaugh-worshipping fools that speak from both sides of the mouth—one minute they criticize his words, the next they’re begging for forgiveness.
It is truly shameful to witness these distinguished men—and so far, it’s only men—seeking political advice and wisdom from one of the most divisive and inflammatory people in the country. Bill Maher summed it up best when he said, “they went looking to the future and they found radio.” The party’s counterarguments to the president’s policies originate largely from Limbaugh, as the nation rejected the Republican way of doing business. Their ideas are no longer credible or effective, and this can only mean good news for the Democrats.
Obama has kept his distance from the loudmouth, but congressional Democrats and pundits alike have alleged that Limbaugh is now the unofficial leader of the Republican party. While it is technically untrue, the notion is not far-fetched. Democrats are pushing this guilty-by-association meme as much as they can because, for the most part, Americans loathe Rush. Many tune into his show out of morbid curiosity, not ideological allegiance. If it appears he’s running the show for Republicans, then voters are more likely to be turned off. Of course, this isn’t a surefire strategy. Last week’s media blitz and the over-the-top live coverage at the CPAC event must have upped his show’s ratings. However, his popularity stands in stark contrast with the president’s. Approval ratings for Obama hover at around 70 per cent, and a large majority have confidence in his policies and leadership. If the opposition chooses to remain loyal to the sermonic Limbaugh, it will be much more difficult to modernize their party and build a stronger coalition for upcoming elections.
