Huckabee Faces A Rush Limbaugh Barrage

Before today, radio host Rush Limbaugh has -- in his own words -- "studiously avoided" attacking presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. That silence ended today, after an anonymous Huckabee "ally" was quoted trashing Rush as a DC insider who is secretly rooting for a President Hillary Clinton.

"The Huckabee campaign is trying to dumb down conservatism in order to get it to conform with his record," Limbaugh said today, during an extended session of Huckabee-bashing.

The Huckabee camp, perhaps inadvertantly, set off the fire yesterday when Marc Ambinder published this quote from someone aligned with the campaign:

Rush doesn't think for himself. That's not necessarily a slap because he's not paid to be a thinker--he's an entertainer. I can't remember the last time that he has veered from the talking points from the DC/Manhattan chattering class. If they were praising Huckabee, he would be too.

Ouch. If that weren't enough to peeve the king of AM radio, the quote ends:

Bill Clinton made Rush a megastar. Having another Clinton back in power would make him the Leading Voice of the Opposition once again.

The who-said-what debate has gone back a forth a bit, with people questioning the identity of this anonymous and audacious figure. The comments have also opened the door to a barrage of criticism from Rush. National Review live-blogged most of the "discussion" of Huckabee, which you can find here and here. These quotables from Rush will give you a flavor:

"Who is this campaign to decide who is and who is not conservative? I hadn't heard of Huckabee in any serious manner before this campaign began. Believe me, I know who the conservatives are and aren't."

"Stop with this Clintonian spin."

"McCain's starting to look better to than this guy, and that's saying something."

Huckabee's campaign is scrambling to catch up with Limbaugh. According to campaign manager Chip Saltsman:

"We have nothing but respect for Rush Limbaugh and know that he's a big part of the conservative movement in this country. That's one person's opinion in DC, but it doesn't represent the view of the Huckabee campaign. I can only hope we'll get a chance to talk to Rush and make sure that he knows that's not coming from us."

With all the criticism he has been facing from other conservatives, can Mike Huckabee survive the Limbaugh onslaught? Perhaps, if only because starting Monday, Rush is in reruns until after Iowa.

Comments

[KansAmerican]

Huckabee is not nearly the best candidate the Republicans are presenting. However, he does share something with Rush: they both are on loan from God.

[imsosure]

Here's what the likes of Liimbaugh won't talk about.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173

[VivaZapata]

My friends, it wouldn't sur-prise me if....

[mishi]

Since Reverend Mike has attributed his rise in the polls to the actions of the Almighty, mightn't we expect Limbaugh to soon be covered by boils, locusts, and frogs, his booze having turned to blood?

[BUSHsurvivor]

Condi? Still living in Bushworld!

[desertdweller]

Is it me, or is Rush liiking more like Frankenstein every day? At least Frankenstein had a brain. I was about to refer to Frankenstein as the monster, but that would have been confusing.

[huffnpuffn]

The Christian right (and other fed up conservatives) are supporting Mike Huckabee, but the right’s pundits are not flocking to support him, and many of them are actually trying to derail him. Case in point:

Rush's Hit-Piece on Huckabee (stick with it, audio of Rush)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu-ZSSaZELM

Something is very very very very wrong with this picture. Bottom line: The best candidate for the Republican nomination is Huckabee.

Huckabee - Cinderella Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILPcnn9Sf94

JOIN WITH US!

[RedRooster]

Gomer, you've really done it now...

Surprize, surprize, surprize!

[JScott]

Ooohhh such fun watch loopy folk go at each other.
Too bad duels are outta fashion, they'd both manage to shoot each other.

[Mack20]

Rush must be doing a good job or you secular regressives wouldn’t waste your time on him. But your fear and loathing of him shows how sad and desperate you people truly are.

I doubt any of have ever listened to him more than a minute. Your opinions are based on the MSM's propaganda. The painful truth is you’re afraid to listen in for fear of a major epiphany. It scares the hell out of you.

Here are a couple of simple test questions that may prove if any of you have listened to his show more than 5 minutes. No cheating allowed like viewing his web site. What town does he constantly refer to with sarcastic disdain? And what is the name of his long time call screener and friend? Hint: he's a person of color. How SHOCKING!!

[AtomicSplash]

The greed before country conservatives are scared of Mikey and they should be. He's not one of them. Let's face it, true Christianity doesn't buy into greed. True Christianity cares much more for the unfortunate then greed does or ever wants to. True Christianity throws away greed and all it represents. That is what is sending the death like chill through the heart of Rush and the money boys that made him. They even had to manufacture a fake controversy just so they could sink their teeth into Mikey.

[Qbear]

What the hell did Limpbaugh and Huckabee major in GLUTONY? There's PLENTY of deep seated (pun intended)self loathing and binge eating between those two, to stock the Country's Over Eaters Anonomous for a generation.

[OckhamsElectricRazor]

Hatchetman-for-profit, Limbach, does hatchet job on presidential candidate. So exactly what is the news story here?! Inquiring minds want to know!

[Kevvboy]

Hey Will, Just FYI, that's inadvertEnt.

[Republicae]

Of course, if you go to the original 1952 Republican Party Platform and exchange the word "Republican" for "Democrat" and the word "Iraq" for "Korea" then you can easily see that the old Republican Platform shouts condemnation at the modern Republican Party and the Neo-Con thugs that have high-jacked it.