Bob Dole Chastises Rush Limbaugh

Here's something you don't see every day: a Republican publicly chastising one of the leading conservative voices in the nation.

After all, it's one thing for liberal media members across the fruited plain to bash talk radio's Rush Limbaugh.

But former Senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole?

Well, hold on to your seats, for Politico reported late Monday (h/t NBer coffee260, emphasis added throughout):

Bob Dole, the former Senate Republican leader, wrote an insistent letter to Rush Limbaugh on Monday and suggested that for the good of the party, the conservative talk-show host should stop his strafing of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

[...]

In a letter released Monday evening by McCain's campaign, Dole strongly defended the senator’s conservative credentials, noting that his voting record is opposed to abortion and supportive of gun-owner rights.

[...]

The letter begins simply “Rush.”

“I have not seen you in a long time but I do hear you frequently and I know that you have serious reservations about Senator McCain,” Dole wrote.

“McCain is a friend and I proudly wore his P.O.W. bracelet bearing his name while he was still a guest at the ‘Hanoi Hilton.’ I believe our major candidates are mainstream conservatives and that our nominee will address our concerns by keeping taxes low, reducing corporate taxes, protecting and assisting the vulnerable, strengthening our traditional values, and above all, keeping America strong militarily, whatever the cost.

“Whoever wins the Republican nomination will need your enthusiastic support,” Dole concludes. “Two terms for the Clintons are enough."

For what it's worth, tipster coffee260 claims that Politico left out something important from Dole's letter to Rush. For some background, according to Politico:

In a bill of particulars numbered 1 through 8, Dole wrote that McCain has a “Consistent pro-life record,” was a “Strong advocate for strict constructionist judges,” “Supported voluntary school prayer,” supported a balanced-budget amendment, was a strong advocate for cutting spending, consistently defended Second Amendment (gun-owner) rights, “opposed ‘Hillary Care,’ ” and was “Probably the Senate's strongest advocate for strong national defense.”

This from coffee260:

1 through 8? Or is there a number 9?

I was just listening to The Mark Levin show and Rush called in and read off that list. He included the number 9. The Politico didn't. What do you think would be the reason? Could it be because number 9 reflected badly on McCain? Here's number 9. You decide.

9. Of course he's cast many votes since I left. I disagree totally with McCain/Feingold.