Medved: 'Rush Acting Like a Liberal'

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Michael Medved has hurled the ultimate insult at Rush Limbaugh -- that he's acting like a liberal. According to Medved, Rush is thinking with his emotions, not his mind, when it comes to his criticism of of John McCain.

McCain supporter Medved appeared on Tucker Carlson's MSNBC show this evening.

View video here.

TUCKER CARLSON: Why exactly do you think -- let's put our shrink's hats on here -- why do [conservative radio talk show hosts] hate McCain so much?

MICHAEL MEDVED: Well they're acting like liberals, and I know that's a terrible thing to say about people I like and respect -- I have great respect for Rush. But he's acting like a liberal on this. Liberals allow personality and emotion and feelings to take precedence over issues, substance and policy. And that's what they're doing here. Because if you actually look at the three essential elements of the Reagan coalition: security, economics and social issues -- McCain is solid. He is very conservative. He is a traditional Reagan Republican, and there is no policy reason, there is no issues reason, for people to be so hostile to him and to call him all these names and to bang on him day after day after day. I actually believe that talk radio is hurting itself more than they're hurting Senator McCain.

And a bit later . . .

MEDVED: And the truth of the matter is, what I think this is showing is that talk radio may be losing some of its influence, and we deserve to, unless we open up at least to some alternate ideas and give a little bit more balanced perspective.

"There is no policy reason, there is no issues reason, for people to be so hostile" to McCain. Really? How about:

• Being one of only two Republican senators, along with Lincoln Chafee who has since left the GOP, to vote against the Bush tax cuts.
• McCain-Feingold.
• McCain-Kennedy
• McCain-Lieberman.
• Two words: Juan Hernandez.

"Open up to alternate ideas?" No. Not so long as you believe in the ideas upon which this nation was founded as embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Note -- Brian Maloney at the Radio Equalizer comments:

While Michael's stunt may have indeed resulted in a much-needed burst of publicity for his faded career, the long-term hit to his credibility may be too much to overcome. Because listeners know it was Rush himself that created Medved's radio career out of thin air, he comes across as an ungrateful back-stabber.