Hagel: Rush Has No Answers

Door, meet Hagel.  

That's how many Republicans are likely to react after retiring Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel blasted Republicans in general and Rush Limbaugh in particular, claiming Rush and fellow conservative talkers "don't have any answers."

David Shuster, subbing for Olbermann on tonight's Countdown, highlighted Hagel's remarks of today.

After rolling tape of two Republican senators looking on the bright side, Shuster quoted at length from Hagel, whose name had been bandied about as a possible Obama VP pick.

SHUSTER: Not all of the GOP is so sunny about their party. Retiring Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska took some time at a forum at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies to analyze just how the Republicans ended up in their current predicament.

Shuster then gave a dramatic reading of Hagel's remarks, emphasizing the sarcasm:

We are educated by the great entertainers like Rush Limbaugh. You know, I wish that Rush Limbaugh and others like that would run for office. They have so much to contribute and so much leadership.  They have an answer for everything. And they would be elected overwhelmingly.  The truth is, they try to rip everyone down and make fools of everybody but they don't have any answers.

Shuster then brought on liberal WaPo columnist E.J. Dionne, who observed, "I would love Rush Limbaugh to run for office: that would be a hoot."

No doubt. In the meantime, was Hagel seeking to burnish his resume for a slot in the Obama administration?