Rush Limbaugh likes to say that when the liberal media says "talk radio," they mean him. Rush's point was perfectly illustrated on today's Morning Joe. John Heilemann first spoke of "talk radio . . . howling" at Boehner and McConnell not to capitulate to President Obama. Just a moment later, Heilemann made explicitly clear whom he had in mind: "you got to listen to Rush Limbaugh for just one day right now."
Then it was Joe Scarborough's turn to fulminate: "I keep hearing Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh." The message that Heilemann and Scarborough had for Republicans was clear: ignore Rush and do deals with President Obama. Specifically on immigration, Scarborough suggested that Republicans not "capitulate" but "work with the president and meet in the middle."
JOHN HEILEMANN: If you listen to talk radio and some of the right-wing, the far right quadrants of the media echo chamber in the last couple days, they have been howling, not triumphant in victory but howling at their own leaders, howling at Mitch McConnell, howling at John Boehner, telling them not to capitulate. And I think, Joe, you're right: John Boehner is talking to portions of his caucus and also to those parts of the Republican base and that part of the Republican media sphere and saying I'm not going to capitulate, etc., etc. What was most interesting yesterday was the fact that John Boehner and Mitch McConnell are so much on the same page. There was so much discipline, message discipline, between the two of them. They I think are working very much in tandem. I think in the long run that portends well for the possibility at least, the possibility not the guarantee of some kind of things getting done, legislation actually occuring . . .
I think in the case of Mitch McConnell, he has a relatively manageable caucus and so he can afford to say things like, to poke Ted Cruz and basically say we're not going shut down the government, we're not going to default or go for a full repeal of Obamacare. Those are the things Mitch McConnell said. He's got to put Ted Cruz in his place. But he's got a relatively manageable caucus, right? John Boehner has a less manageable caucus and I think he needs to hold a harder line and show a larger number of his more unruly members that he's not going to be a pushover. I get where Mika's coming from, a place of common sense. But again, you've just got to listen to, listen to Rush Limbaugh for just one day right now. The last three days Rush Limbaugh has been saying you were not elected to make deals with the president, you were elected to stop Obama!
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Well, I'm glad they're worried about Rush Limbaugh.
HEILEMANN: Well, they are.
. . .
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I'm not saying they capitulate. I'm saying they have every reason to work a deal and meet with the president and meet in the middle. It's in their best interests to do that! I keep hearing Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh. Rush Limbaugh feels like that's his job. Great. Let him speak to the people in the House that are going to listen to Rush Limbaugh. John Boehner is sitting in a stronger position today than he's ever sat in.
