McCain attacks his own party—Limbaugh is “mystified”

David B. writes:

For several years, I have been telling you that Rush would say “I don’t understand it,” when GWB would take a liberal position. Well, with McCain, Rush is saying that he is “mystified” by McCain’s attack on the North Carolina Republican’s ad about Obama and Wright. I have stopped listening to Limbaugh, totally. You wonder why any self-proclaimed conservative can listen to him.

Weeks ago, we exchanged emails about McCain rolling over for Obama. It looks like he is going to “me-too” more than roll over. It goes back to what I call the relentless stupidity and lack of seriousness by Republican primary voters combined with the childish dislike of Romney by GOP opinion makers.

LA replies:

You totally stop listening to Limbaugh? Impossible. Who will supply VFR with its updates on Rushland?

Seriously, it makes no sense. Limbaugh has been extremely negative about McCain, right? And a major part of the negativity was about the fact that McCain sides with liberals against conservatives. So how it it that Rush can now say he’s mystified by McCain’s behavior which has been well known and criticized all along?

David replies:

I can’t stand to listen to ANY of the GOP cheerleaders. With Rush, I no longer can bear to hear him say “I don’t understand it.” Being “mystified” isn’t any different. Rush can’t admit that Bush is a liberal because of what that says about the weakness of the so-called “conservative movement.”

As you say, Rush has been critical of McCain for a long time. I remember during the 2000 GOP primaries, he went on the offensive against McCain. You are right that Rush should not now be “mystified.” It is another example of Limbaugh’s reflexive loyalty to the Republican Party. This is what I can’t bring myself to listen to.

LA replies:

Yes, that’s it.

Once McCain became the GOP standard bearer, by that very fact he became “good” in Limbaugh’s eyes, and “good” means to be conservative. And therefore Limbaugh is now suddenly “mystified” by the very liberalism in McCain that he, Limbaugh, has been criticizing all along!

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Mark Jaws writes:

Be fair on Rush. He is mystified by McCain’s not pouncing on this Reverend Wright issue, which is to all of us a golden goose and a valid issue.

LA replies:

What happened to Mark Jaws’s famous toughness?

Jim N. writes:

I’m guessing, since I don’t listen to Rush anymore either, but I think you guys have probably hit on it. He isn’t mystified by McCain’s failure to be conservative, but by his failure as a Republican partisan to take advantage of things he legitimately could take advantage of in order to win. What Limbaugh is missing is that McCain, in adopting liberal principles, actually favors a Democratic win. Sure, on a personal level, he wants to be President, but only if he can win as a good, de facto Democrat.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at April 27, 2008 02:30 PM | Send