I Hope Rush Limbaugh Fails

Go ahead, guess who wrote the following paragraph. And I'll give you a hint: It's not Al Franken, Keith Olberman, Rachel Maddow, or even Michael Moore.

And for the leader of the Republicans? A man who is aggressive and bombastic, cutting and sarcastic, who dismisses the concerned citizens in network news focus groups as 'losers.' With his private plane and his cigars, his history of drug dependency and his personal bulk, not to mention his tangled marital history, Rush is a walking stereotype of self-indulgence...

Figured it out? The author is former Bush speechwriter David Frum. In fact, this first appeared on David Frum's Web site to rebuild the party, and was reprinted as a larger part of an article he wrote as a cover story for Newsweek. After reading the piece, conservative author and New York Times columnist David Brooks lamented on a talk show over the weekend, "I'm outraged. Frum is going to replace me as the most anti-Limbaugh conservative in this country."

Frum does not seem alone in his dismay at the elevation of Rush Limbaugh as the face of the Republican party. In a Rassmussen poll, only 2 percent of self-identified conservatives see Limbaugh as their party leader. A Newsweek poll shows that less than half of Republicans have a favorable impression of the talk show host. A plurality believes that he has too much influence on the party, and only 10 percent believe that he has too little influence on the party.

Limbaugh's phrase has now echoed over and over again in the blogosphere, news shows, and papers: "I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: 'Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.' Somebody's gotta say it." My response is simple. As a Christian, I hope Rush Limbaugh fails -- and here's why.

I have two boys, a five-year-old and a 10-year-old. And Rush Limbaugh ranks as one of the worst role models in the country for mine and other people's kids. As a Little League baseball coach, I spend my time teaching my players values that are the direct opposite of the values of Rush Limbaugh -- like respect for each other and other people, like helping each other out when somebody needs help, like lifting somebody up when they're down, treating our opponents the way we would like to be treated, and knowing that there is more to life than "winning." Rush Limbaugh is an almost perfect anti-role model for a Little League baseball coach.

Yep, as a Christian and even a Little League baseball coach, I hope that Rush Limbaugh and the world of values he stands for will fail. Limbaugh does not represent the vast majority of Republicans, and I don't know any conservative parents that would hold up Rush as a role model for their children. The president shouldn't waste his valuable time in debating Limbaugh. But I would like to make that offer. Hey Rush, I'll debate you about the kind of country and world we want -- especially for our kids. Bring it on!

For some of Rush Limbaugh's "greatest hits" and plenty of reasons that I would not want my kids or Little League team to listen to his show, check out the Media Matters Limbaugh Wire.

Jim Wallis is the author of The Great Awakening, Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners and blogs at www.godspolitics.com.

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Comments

[lewes17266]

Jim Wallis, I do not want you to get down in the gutter with Rush Limbaugh. He is insensitive and arrogant and you should ignore him. He craves attention and I suspect that is the only reason he makes such controversial statements.

[RobinSeattle]

Jim, you might be interested to know that even a Mormon paper is now questioning Limbaugh's credibility: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705290728,00.html

[G-guy]

LImbaugh big on charity? Rush is big on being Rush. Rush and charity?..­......
Realistically, only when that charity begins at home.

The GOP, feeling confused and alienated, {Which they deserve to be},
have resorted to condoning Limbaugh's BS out of desperation.

As the months roll on, even these trivial, straw-grasping people will see the need
to get realistic, and distance themselves from his popular displays of hot-air.

[mmgbizgirl]

No hoping necessary.

[lizr]

Love Jim Wallis, think this is a fab idea!

Give me some notice so I can break out the popcorn and lawn chairs..

[gotborked]

I think you're off when you say Rush is the antithesis to "helping each other out when somebody needs help". I'm pretty sure if you checked you'd find that Rush, like many conservatives, is huge on charity.

[gorideabike]

You wouldn't need charity if it weren't for conservatives. People given education and a level chance are able to take care of themselves. The conservatives prefer a stupid, sick population who don't have time or energy to complain.

[RobinSeattle]

Limbaugh gets a tax deduction for his charitable contributions (as does everyone). But people who selflessly give their time to their communities without compensation are worth more than all the electronic mountebanks on earth who salve their guilt in aiding and abetting the misery of the population with occasional checks.

[treetracker]

That's so they'll have someone to blame so they can get re-elected. It's so easy to blame the "lazy" (meaning "poor") rather than take the hard steps necessary to educate people so they can move out of poverty and become "responsible" (meaning tax-payers) citizens.

I am always reminded of my trip to MS after Hurricane Katrina - a layover in Houston, so I went outside. The stereotypical (yes, she was!) blonde buxom Texan was complaining about how she was "T I R E D of taking care of T H O S E people."

And I wondered, had she opened her home to any of them? Had she gone to help at the food lines? My guess, is no. She was just tired of those people - the poor, the hungry, the children, the old, the disabled, the homeless, the uneducated - of taking her tax dollars. Wouldn't it just be simpler to work towards solving these problems, so we can eventually not have to pay taxes to care for them and spend the money (or pay less taxes) elsewhere? Hate to burst her bubble, but there is no one who can wiggle their nose and make the problem go away. It will take time, hard work and, yes, an investment in tax dollars today to gain the rewards tomorrow.

[lizr]

the conservatives have such a low opinion of themselves they always have to have a group of people to feel superior to.

If the poor did not exist they'd have to invent them to make themselves feel better about their miserable lives.

[fedupinfla]

Do you have access to Rush's tax returns?? Are you his accountant?

Somehow, I think if Rush was some philanthropist, he'd be bragging about it on his show on a daily basis.

[dreamsmasher]

For some of Rush Limbaugh's "greatest hits" and plenty of reasons that I would not want my kids or Little League team to listen to his show, check out the Media Matters Limbaugh Wire.
But I guess you have no problem with them listening to Keith Olberman who spews nothing but pure unadulterated hatred for an hour a day?
Why does Rush bother you so much? Where were you when all the Democrats were saying out loud that they wanted Bush to fail and they hated Bush? Don't use the tired excuse of the "weapons of mass destruction" and "the Iraq war" there is plenty proof that the Clinton administration was well aware of Saddam Husseins nuclear ambitions, not to mention the Democrats "were for it before they were against it."
Rush did not say that he wants Obama to fail he said he wants Obama's agenda to fail, if you would stop listening to sound bites from the Democrat media and especially idiots like Keith Olberman you just might hear the real comments Rush made.
If you want Rush out of the picture, stop talking about him! He will fade away into obscurity! The more you talk about him the more it creates curiousity by the American public, in fact thanks to people like you Rush now has a higher approval rating than Congress soon it will be higher than Obama.
If you do not like Rush, simple, IGNORE HIM! He'll go away.

[mmerose]

Olbermann's ridicule comes from fact-checking. Limbaugh's paranoia is based on speculation based on stereotypes based on fantasy.

[Law35]

Short, to the point, and absolutely beautiful! Great post!!!!!

[Foreground]

You forgot outright fabrication and a false sense of entitlement.

[girlgoneriled]

> Don't use the tired excuse of the "weapons of mass destruction" and "the Iraq war" there is plenty proof that the Clinton administration was well aware of Saddam Husseins nuclear ambitions, not to mention the Democrats "were for it before they were against it."

Uh, there weren't any weapons of mass destruction, remember?

We hated Bush because he lied to get us into a war. Lots of people died. On the other hand, the new President is trying to get the country out of massive economic catastrophe--and Rush hopes he fails.

See the difference?

And yeah, a lot of Dems were for the war before they were against it. That's 'cause they were lied to. By Bush.