"I Hope Obama Fails" -- Limbaugh and Al-Qaeda Agree on Obama

Rush Limbaugh and the Al-Qaeda have something in common: they both are afraid President Obama will succeed. The people who hate America are ratcheting up their language denouncing President Obama. They know that this roll of the dice is a winner-take-all bet: the recovery of American power and prestige at home and around the world is at stake. So is America's political future.

As reported in the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/23/rep-clyburn-bashes-limbau_n_160399.html) Limbaugh was asked by a major newspaper to write a 400-word statement on his "hope for the Obama presidency." Limbaugh said: "So I'm thinking of replying.., 'Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails,'" He continued: "I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: 'Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.' Somebody's gotta say it." Limbaugh also recently had said: "We are being told that we have to hope he succeeds... grab the ankles, bend over... because his father was black."

Before the election James Dobson sent out a disgusting fictional letter detailing the ruin that lay ahead for America if we elected the man Al-Qaeda now calls a "house slave" and the man Limbaugh wants to have fail. We can assume that since the letter failed to do the job the next "best thing," as far as the Religious Right leaders including Dobson would like to have happen, is a scorched earth policy: If we can't win, then no one can!

Looks like Limbaugh has signed on. Cue the Wagner! So much for patriotism!

As the father of a son who recently fought for our country while serving in the United Sates Marine Corps I take furious exception to people rooting for us to fail. Failure won't only mean a worse economy; it means lowered American prestige and a climate where it's easier to take shots at my son's brother Marines and soldiers.

As someone who left the Republican Party and the Religious Right, one big reason I did so (that I describe in detail in my book Crazy For God), is because of the right's lack of patriotism. I had begun to notice many years ago that bad news was good news to the right.

The worse off America got the more Dobson, Limbaugh, Coulter et al could claim that America needed saving -- bythem. Educational failure "proved" we needed private schools to get government funding. Crime? Why we need more prisons! Terror? Attack Iraq and settle old scores. Abortion? Do nothing to stop actual abortions by helping women, just use the issue to raise more money and guarantee votes for "our side." Patriotism? Not unless our candidate wins!

The right wing patriotic flag-waving veneer is wearing thin. And when the Obama administration succeeds beyond all our wildest hopes - and they will - the right will be cowering in a corner, saying the sorts of things that if they were said from left wing commentators would be called treason.

There is something worse going on than a fat stupid man shooting his mouth off. Following in the spirit the Palin/McCain rallies, where they sailed perilously close to stirring up violence by doing nothing about the haters who were shouting out "kill him" -- mark my words: in the next few years the more President Obama succeeds, the more shrill and demented Limbaugh, Coulter, and the rest of the rabid crowd will get. And mark my words, when the Secret Service uncovers one little pitiful half crazy plot after another, and they will, there will always be someone involved weaned on the poisonous milk of paranoia/talk radio, right wing screeds and the rest.

Limbaugh is like the neighborhood coward who won't do it himself but who dares the village idiot to jump off a bridge.

We find ourselves in the position of survivors of a shipwreck clinging to a life raft. President Obama is that "life raft." We are asking our young president to lead us at a time of extraordinary peril.

Patriots - of the right or left - will lay aside the debates that have so poisoned our country.

Patriots -- will honor our new president's requests when he calls upon us to sacrifice, be it to volunteer for military service or for civilian programs, or to change our consumer lifestyles in favor of an environmentally sustainable way of life, or to pay higher taxes.

Patriots -- will be patient, realizing that the challenge facing our country is unprecedented. We will not demand instant success.

Shakespeare wrote: "There is a tide in the affairs of men that, when taken at the flood, leads on to fortune." President Obama is our tide.

The anti-American unpatriotic right has lost all credibility beginning with the Palin hate "he's not one of us" fest, and continuing now with Limbaugh's "I hope he fails." All that remains of the right is corrosive bile.

Pray it doesn't spill over any time soon, but don't bet it won't. The unpatriotic American right and the real and plentiful foreign enemies of our country know that there is a bright new future ahead of us if we keep faith. American success terrifies them . They know America's success and President Obama's success is, for now, one and the same.

Frank Schaeffer is the author of Crazy For God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back (Now in Paperback).

Comments

[fachod]

It's pathetic how the right wishes failure upon our president. There's another national conservative writer who basically echo's Limbaugh's nonsense http://www.leftrightnews.com/oped/yes-rush-i-hope-obama-fails-tooo). His editorial tries to make the case that Obama is a socialist and harmful to America.

[KBrowne24601]

Another former Republican­/Fundament­alist Christian here, and, Mr. Schaeffer, I enjoyed your post, as always! I used to listen to Rush Limbaugh every day-- his whole show. Now he makes me want to vomit.

[frjohnwhiteford]

Dissent is patriotic.­.. when Republicans are in charge. It reverts to being unpatriotic when Democrats get the wheel.

[Wicasta]

I assume this is the use of irony. Um... haven't we been told by the Right for the last eight years that we were unpatriotic for criticizing President Bush? But now that a Democrat is in the White House, the Republicans are whining because we expect them to maintain those same standards? If anyone is trying to change the game now, it's the Republicans.

[MegWe]

I don't recall anyone on the left calling for Bush's failure early in his administration.

[mivogo]

Limbaugh is like the old-time snake oil salesmen. Having a demonic talent at what they do, they profited by poisoning the populace. Limbaugh, Madoff, Coulter__the louder they scream, the more attention they get, the more money they make. Hurting people? Doesn't even enter these sociopaths minds.

[Einstein44]

Mr.Schaeff­er,
You have earn my great respect and admiration­.You,my friend ,have written a gem !

[TimSledge]

Well said, Frank!

[frjohnwhiteford]

You have to willfully misunderstand Rush Limbaugh's point to suggest that he wants the nation to fail. He wants Obama's socialist policies to fail. He also wanted Clinton's socialized medicine to fail, and as a result Clinton had a far more successful presidency for having failed in implementing aspects of his agenda than he would otherwise.

[BearsLeft]

So, Frank. Sounds like you've got the makings of another book here. I'll buy one as soon as it comes out.

[Shawn0965]

Mr. Schaeffer,

Once again you have put my thoughts into words. The major reason I refuse to vote for a Republican is because as someone who has served in the military, I do not take very kindly to being called "unpartriotic" by a bunch of people who have never served in the military becasue I didn't support their boondoggle in Iraq.

That group would include "all" of the current leadership and most politicians in the Republican party.

[joeyfoto]

Limbaugh strikes me as a sad person. He's always saying: "Listen to me." not: "Listen to this." No mater what the subject it's alway about him in the end. He is clever and he does have a skill set. He costumes people's anger in a faux-cloak of populist and basically unprincipled "Conservative" political philosophy. Rush runs a shabby drag-show where he dresses up resentments. Sadly, the core of his ideology is as hollow as the faded costumes are transparent. Too bad for Limbaugh the circus has taken down the big-top and left town. He's done being being a center-ring act in a tent circus, now he's back to being a sideshow freak. Come watch the Geek bite the heads off of chickens and sling stupid, guttural slurs at an immensely popular president. His public displays of irrational blather may be OK to entertain rubes at a State Fair, but Geek's don't get invited to sit-sown dinners with grown-ups.

Poor Rush. The delusion of his influence has evaporated and he's stuck with his own puffery. The next eight years are not going to be pretty to watch, but then Rush Limbaugh never was a success on television.

[luziannagirl]

Frank S. says he left the right wing Republicans "because of their lack of patriotism".

BINGO-MOND­O!!!!!!!!! You win the prize for being right on the money yet again, Schaeffer.

You hit Limbaugh and the right right in the kisser----right in what they think is their strong spot, but what in actuality is their weakest spot of all. And, the more it's exposed, the more the public will turn on them. Patriotism---yeah right. Opposite-World Patriotism. Orwellian Patriotism.

Wear your lapel flag pins proudly, Lefties!!!!! You're the truly patriotic ones.

BTW, my politically arch-conservative old hometown newspaper recently featured a front-page editorial in which the editor called George W. Bush the worst president ever, and humbly apologized for twice endorsing him.

I just may frame it and hang it on the wall.

[fishgirl26]

Limbaugh is the guy that won't do it himself. If he think he could do a better job then why doesn't he run for office??? I would gladly pay higher taxes if I knew it would help MY country, as I am sure most people would. We are in dire times and it calls for dire measures. Pres. Obama will do his best, which is more than I can say for his predecessors. Mr. Limbaugh needs to quit beating this dead horse.

[JimReed]

I think Rush doesn't really want Obama to fail, it is just his job to talk that way. After 8 years of Bush, McCain would probably be the last thing Rush would want. Sure, he has lost whitehouse access, but the Obama presidency is money in his pocket. Obama's success in office will assure Rush of a comfortable position for a long time to come.

You were right to lump Dobson in with Al-Qaeda. They both sincerely want Obama to fail because their jobs depend on a descent into war.

[radiclib]

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Right-wing commentators are showing their true colors and they are not red, white and blue.
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[protagonia]

Yeller is what they be.

[thismachinekillsfascists]

President Obama is the right wing's worst nightmare.

[protagonia]

I hope he becomes more so. They are deserved of nightmares and sleepless nights.