The main stream media has done it again. I was blogging at the Republican National Committee elections on Friday, and I asked newly elected Chairman Michael Steele if the RNC would stand behind Rush Limbaugh in the midst of the attacks the radio host was getting from Democrats. The Washington Post referred to my question and Steele's response. Here is what Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post wrote:
Asked about the controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh and his back and forth with President Barack Obama, Steele was careful not to wholly embrace the controversial conservative talk radio host. "Rush will says what Rush has to say, we will do what we have to do as a party," said Steele
Here is the actual full text question and response I had with Steele at the news presser: video
PICKET: The Democrats as well as Obama have been attacking Rush Limbaugh as well as other private citizens. Will the RNC now be standing behind private citizens such as Rush Limbaugh?
STEELE: Rush Limbaugh has a first amendment right to speak, and our party has always stood for honoring and protecting those rights. And so the fact that folks want to single out Rush Limbaugh... that’s between them and Rush Limbaugh, but this party will always stand for protecting the rights of individuals.
Rush Limbaugh is a conservative voice in this country that clearly people must pay attention to and clearly the Obama administration and others in the administration must be paying attention to.
So, Rush will say what Rush has to say. We will do what we have to do as a party to make sure that our message…our message the Republican party message, the state party messages are very clear and unambiguous about where we stand on all those issues that we have to deal with... from energy to healthcare and the like.
So, Rush can handle himself, and he’s seems to be doing pretty good at it right now.
Cillizza's analysis made it appear as if Steele was slapping Limbaugh down, when in fact, Steele was supporting Limbaugh's right to speak and espouse conservative views to his millions of listeners. This is just another attempt to try to polarize the conservative radio host by omitting information the new GOP chairman gave to reporters.
crossposted at picketlines.org
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You're right,
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 15:43 ET by motherbeltYou're right, Kerry.
Cilizza's description makes it sound as if Steele was trying to distance the GOP from Rush. I read that and thought, oh, here we go again!!
Only after reading the rest that you posted, did give a sigh of relief that he indeed hadn't backed down.
Of course the MSM will try to play it that the GOP wants nothing to do with this. But Steele is right about one thing: Rush can handle himself.
Just ask Harry Reid.
Yet again
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 16:53 ET by KC MulvilleThis is yet another example where the media don't report reality ... they only report how they want you to think.
Steele is going after McCain Feingold, yeah!
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 15:44 ET by legacyrepublicanHey, thanks for the cross posting link. I am thrilled to hear the link below this story that Steele does not like McCain Feingold and wants to get rid of it.
When you read Steele's
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 15:47 ET by LiberalliesWhen you read Steele's answer without the Post's filter it is clear that Steele is actually supporting Rush Limbaugh beyond his freedom of speech.
Sadly enough there will be countless individuals that will read the Post and believe what Cilliza wants them to believe.
I will never forget when I was debating my boss, a super, duper Liberal about the Iraq War. I mentioned to her that there were countless quotes that could be found showing that Democrats long before Bush took office claimed that Iraq had WMDs and the capability to create many more and that Iraq should be dealt with. She did not believe me so I printed out a whole bunch of quotes from Clinton, Kerry, Kennedy, Gore, etc before Bush was elected. She turned around and told me that the quotes were taken out of contexts. Thus, i went ahead and looked up everything each one of the Democrats had said, which clearly showed that these believed Iraq was dangerous. She shut up rather quickly.
However, it is Liberlals like her who are quick to claim that Conservatives take Liberals out of context, but have no problem believing the New York Times, Washington Post, SFChronicle, etc who are constantly taking Conservatives out of context.
No matter, Obama's attempt to marginalize Rush Limbaugh back fired on the poor fool. As I heard Rush Limbaugh said the other day, he will not back off and he will fight fire with fire when it comes to Obama attacking him.
Obama has no idea what hit him.
Michael Steele
Mon, 02/02/2009 - 10:53 ET by Sergeant ROCKWhen you read Steele's answer without the Post's filter it is clear that Steele is actually supporting Rush Limbaugh beyond his freedom of speech.
I wish that Steele would come out and specifically state that Rush conveys what I believe true conservatism is and should be. Rush speaks for the majority, I believe, of conservatives in the GOP. He should not be embarrassed to publically state his support of Rush personally.
Lest we have just another McCain running the show.
Bolton/KEYES 2012
WOW. Not that you need one,
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 15:49 ET byWOW. Not that you need one, but if you ever wanted to see a textbook case of bias, the lifting of that quote, totally changing the meaning of the interview, would be exhibit ONE!
One of the first things
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 15:58 ET by 10ksnookerman of Steele did was embrace the House Republican's stand on porkulus. That's sounds a little like he thinks Rush might be right.
Ah...Post? You may wish to download this little gem...
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 17:13 ET by gopcongressHey, Wapo... before you do that, you may wish to know what you are going up against. Brian Wolff of the DCCC tried the same tact that your reporter is attempting, and even made a petition to blast Limbaugh. Here is the result when Rush Limbaugh decided unleash his listeners to respond to irrational nonsense you put out:
http://gopcongress.4shared.com
BOTTOM LINE: I downloaded 1902 comments from the petition. Out
of the unique comments, over 96% of all the comments SUPPORTED RUSH
LIMBAUGH! Less than 4% came out in favor of supressing Limbaugh.
The
excel sheet, which contains the names and locations of the posters, as
well as their comments, are contained for posterity. Blog hosts may
wish to have this document to pick out comments they find interesting
to post. If anyone wants to forward the link to Rush himself, they are
more than welcome to do so. Something tells me that Mr. Brian Wolff
will neglect that little task he mentioned in his little spiel.
So before you go on and write your nonsense, be careful what you wish for. Remember: Newspaper circulation is going down, while the stunt that the DCCC just tried to play probably increased Rush's own "constituency" by a good amount.
Yeah, just like the MSM to
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 17:21 ET by R D HelmYeah, just like the MSM to keep pounding the square peg into the round hole.
The lies and constant deception on the part of these people are so transparent they are almost comical.
Besides, who actually still bothers to read the Washed-up Post, anyway?
-Dave
Our clueless political leaders are about to drive us all over a cliff. The time to HITM is now-before we go over.
This is just another media
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 17:25 ET by Clear thinkerThis is just another media outlet working for Comrade Obama.
The Great American Con-Job
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
That's why
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 18:58 ET by thebutlerdiditI never take what is reported as the gospel. If something is controversial, the truth usually comes out. Thanks for posting this for us!
Bringing the government in to run Wall Street is like saying, "Dad burned the dinner, let's get the dog to cook." PJ O'Rourke
C T
Sun, 02/01/2009 - 22:33 ET by JerI wonder how Boss Obama feels about one of his media lackeys dishing out orders to him? WaPo doesn't seem to be a very reliable 'employee'.
Jer
??????????????
Mon, 02/02/2009 - 05:34 ET by old croWhat he needs to do now is take charge. Yes, the Republicans can try to
spoil things with a filibuster in the Senate. And, yes, Democrats won
the November election, so they are entitled to shape policy. But only
Mr. Obama has a 67 percent Gallup Poll approval rating. Only he
embodies this anxious nation's hopes for change. No one in Washington
can match his clout. He should use it to make sure Congress gives him a
stimulus plan that is not only big but coherent and, most of all,
effective.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mon, 02/02/2009 - 05:52 ET by Jer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take Charge
The stimulus bill requires President Obama's intervention
...the president should make the same demand [for restraint, discipline and responsibility] on those in Congress, including leaders of his own party, who are cluttering his fiscal stimulus plan with extraneous and counterproductive provisions.
Jer
Are you folls immigrants
Mon, 02/02/2009 - 15:10 ET by Chris NormanAre you folks immigrants newly arrived from Punctuania? You have a concise language.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Chris...
Mon, 02/02/2009 - 17:59 ET by JerMaybe you would have preferred that cro continue his recent practice of communicating only via animal sounds.
Jer
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 02:01 ET by old croLike this?
→ Punctuania ?
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 02:08 ET by Cool ArrowOh yeah, Punctuania Phil. Did he see his shadow yesterday?
Six more weeks of winter?
“Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce
our laws to the letter. ” Sen. Tom Daschle, 05/07/98