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Editorial: Steele shows backbone, should stand by comments
Issue date: 3/3/09 Section: Opinions
In recent months, conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has risen beyond talk radio to the point where many regard him as a political arbiter, including President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday called Limbaugh "the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party." Strangely, this does not sit well with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.
Steele appeared on CNN's "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," on Saturday night where he regarded Limbaugh just as an "entertainer." At one point in the interview, Steele seemed indignant, even offended, that Hughley referred to Limbaugh as "the de facto leader of the Republican Party."
"Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment," Steele said. "Yes it's incendiary, yes it's ugly."
The comments made on CNN have made Steele the highest-ranking Republican to criticize Limbaugh. They have surely put Steele on Limbaugh's list. When asked to comment, Limbaugh told reporters he would "handle it on the radio."
That sounds familiar.
Last month, Rep. Phil Gringey, R-Ga., called out Limbaugh and fellow conservative pundit and Fox News personality Sean Hannity for essentially "throwing bricks" by criticizing what Limbaugh called a weak Republican party.
Gringey's mailbox was immediately flooded with irate Limbaugh followers. The next day, Gringey appeared on Limbaugh's show issuing an apology to the radio jockey.
Steele may likely be urged by Republican leaders to kowtow to Limbaugh's demands, whatever they may be, but should stand by his comments.
Limbaugh is not the leader of the Republican Party. His analysis of Limbaugh as an entertainer is also dead-on. Limbaugh's show exists for entertainment. It is meant to outrage and inflame people; the more people Limbaugh can anger in a given week, the better. But just because someone's comments outrage the left wing doesn't make that person an idealist.
If anything, the party needs someone willing to listen to the left wing, not someone who is content with expanding a rift between Democrats and Republicans. Steele's analysis of Limbaugh is absolutely correct, and he should not be forced to bow down to someone whose career is built on offending other people. If Steele is to find himself in the position Rep. Gingrey was in last month, he should show Limbaugh the same thing he showed Hughley: a backbone.
The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at: DENopinions@gmail.com.
Steele appeared on CNN's "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," on Saturday night where he regarded Limbaugh just as an "entertainer." At one point in the interview, Steele seemed indignant, even offended, that Hughley referred to Limbaugh as "the de facto leader of the Republican Party."
"Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment," Steele said. "Yes it's incendiary, yes it's ugly."
The comments made on CNN have made Steele the highest-ranking Republican to criticize Limbaugh. They have surely put Steele on Limbaugh's list. When asked to comment, Limbaugh told reporters he would "handle it on the radio."
That sounds familiar.
Last month, Rep. Phil Gringey, R-Ga., called out Limbaugh and fellow conservative pundit and Fox News personality Sean Hannity for essentially "throwing bricks" by criticizing what Limbaugh called a weak Republican party.
Gringey's mailbox was immediately flooded with irate Limbaugh followers. The next day, Gringey appeared on Limbaugh's show issuing an apology to the radio jockey.
Steele may likely be urged by Republican leaders to kowtow to Limbaugh's demands, whatever they may be, but should stand by his comments.
Limbaugh is not the leader of the Republican Party. His analysis of Limbaugh as an entertainer is also dead-on. Limbaugh's show exists for entertainment. It is meant to outrage and inflame people; the more people Limbaugh can anger in a given week, the better. But just because someone's comments outrage the left wing doesn't make that person an idealist.
If anything, the party needs someone willing to listen to the left wing, not someone who is content with expanding a rift between Democrats and Republicans. Steele's analysis of Limbaugh is absolutely correct, and he should not be forced to bow down to someone whose career is built on offending other people. If Steele is to find himself in the position Rep. Gingrey was in last month, he should show Limbaugh the same thing he showed Hughley: a backbone.
The editorial is the majority opinion of The DEN editorial board. Reach the opinions editor at: DENopinions@gmail.com.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
Patrick Salem
posted 3/03/09 @ 9:08 AM CST
Steele has shown he is a man of aluminum foil--he bends easily.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/rnc-chairman-apologizes-to-limbaugh-in-flap-over-his-role/
Seth
posted 3/03/09 @ 9:19 AM CST
I can't say I remember reading about Joe Biden's Bigoted remarks about Gov. Jindal in the DEN. Hearing about it from Rush must make it entertainment. Nope no reason to be outraged. (Continued…)
Thomas Ryan
posted 3/03/09 @ 12:59 PM CST
What does this have to do with anything? The DEN has nothing better to do than jump to the left yet again? Find some local news to complain about.
give me a break
posted 3/03/09 @ 1:26 PM CST
"That sounds familiar."
Is there something wrong with him talking on the radio now?
"Steele may likely be urged by Republican leaders to kowtow to Limbaugh's demands, whatever they may be"
What demands?
"It is meant to outrage and inflame people; the more people Limbaugh can anger in a given week, the better. (Continued…)
lakfdjk;l
posted 3/03/09 @ 3:09 PM CST
Also, speaking of Rahm Emanuel. I didn't hear any complaining when he said that you should never let an emergency go to waste. Isn't that destructive and hateful? To want to take advantage of a national crisis?
And what does this mean?
"But just because someone's comments outrage the left wing doesn't make that person an idealist. (Continued…)
John Poshepny
posted 3/03/09 @ 9:52 PM CST
As a Republican I was highly offended by your column smearing Rush. Steele is the one who should apologize to rush and STOP being a RINO. As for the DEN please become more Balanced and not some liberal left-wing Communist News Paper. (Continued…)
HA!
posted 3/04/09 @ 7:57 PM CST
Keep drinking the neo-con Kool Aid, your party hasnt quite become totally irrelevant. That wont happen till the 2010 midterms.
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