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Tuesday night was a good night for Rush Limbaugh. "I want Hillary to stay in this," he said on Fox News, because "I want the Democrats to lose. They're in the midst of tearing themselves apart right now. It is fascinating to watch, and it's all going to stop if Hillary loses."

Limbaugh was interviewed Feb. 29 by Laura Ingraham, guest-hosting on the Bill O'Reilly show on the Fox News Channel.

"If Obama is the nominee, we are doomed, " Limbaugh said on Feb. 6 to a Republican caller to his radio program.

On Fox News, Limbaugh listed "another reason why we need Hillary to stay in:" the Clinton campaign can attack Obama in ways the Republicans cannot. "Who was it that first used Obama's middle name of Hussein? It was not us. It was [Clinton supporter] Bob Kerrey, over and over again, former Democrat Senator of Nebraska."

"Who was it that talked about Obama not just using drugs, as he admitted in his book, but maybe even selling them and dealing them? It was [Bill] Shaheen, Clinton's co-chair in New Hampshire."

Limbaugh's assumption here is that Obama will be the Democratic nominee.

"We want the Clinton campaign to keep pumping out these pictures of Obama dressed up as Bin Laden," he said on Feb. 26. "If Hillary loses this thing, all of that's going to come to a screeching halt. We want all the disruption in that party as possible. . . . We need to keep chaos alive."

Limbaugh concluded that "We need Barack Obama bloodied up politically, and it's obvious that the Republicans are not going to do it and don't have the stomach for it."

Limbaugh was not alone among Republican pundits hoping Clinton would remain in the race. At the National Review Online, Jim Geraghty wrote, "the bottom line is that the longer the Democratic primary goes on, the more Hillary and Obama spend their resources hitting each other instead of McCain."

Hugh Hewitt declared, "the GOP will be popping corks all night long as the inevitability of a long, drawn out and increasingly bitter fight becomes obvious."

Limbaugh summed it up: "The longer Hillary can stay in this, the better for us, is the bottom line."



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collapse dadumdee See Profile I'm a Fan of dadumdee

For epotruchyeahright - I can respect your pragmatic intentions, but lets be honest on this mostly progressive minded blog. Irreparably harming your primary oppenent (read: teammate) is simply bad. Then, using the fact that he doesn't want to do the same in return as a sign of weakness is dumb. The politics of personal attacks helps the Republicans more than it does the Democrats because they are better at lying, manipulating and being hypocrites. Obama could smear Clinton until kingdom come with irrelevant smears from her lesbian tendencies to her Mena drug cartel connections (Google either if you think I'm bullshitting). However, Obama believes that won't move the country forward or be to anyone's advantage, so he doesn't do it. The game she's playing is a losing one. You said, " That means that they'll pull out all the stops, play on fear, play on race (all over the south, and probably the midwest and northwest too), look for ways to call him a tax-and-spend liberal, play on his ambiguous religious connections". Well, by Clinton doing it first, she's only lending them credibility. Imagine if she would have stayed loyal to the Democratic party and engaged in only a policy debate. Then, in the election, no matter who the Democratic nominee, that person could have said to the Republican smear machine "Look, we have wars, recessions, shortages, global warming, all of these serious global issues and McCain is talking about (fill in the Republican smear)." It would have looked foolished. Now they can do it and say "Hey, I'm just repeating what a fellow Democrat said".

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:56 PM on 03/07/2008
collapse ivana See Profile I'm a Fan of ivana

I would pose to all of you that this election has been great training for Obama - please come back and reapply in 8 years and you'll be a shoe-in.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:24 PM on 03/06/2008
collapse cowboyjerkface See Profile I'm a Fan of cowboyjerkface

Some of you Limbaugh supporters are really as dumb as a bag of hammers. If Mr. Fat-ass tells 1000 people to jump off a bridge and 900 do it, it doesnt mean he was right, but only that those who listened to him were that stupid because jumping off a bridge is not an intelligent thing to do!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:52 PM on 03/06/2008
collapse pheepher See Profile I'm a Fan of pheepher

Hillary should be very proud of her hypocrisy. How sad is it that she needs Rush Limbaugh to help her win a primary when all she had to do was listen to the people.

Bottom line, Hillary can't win the nomination unless she plans on theft, not beyond her, and try to steal the nomination against the majority of the American people. What is amazing is how she, and her supporters, still don't understand why the majority of American people simply don't like her. Believe it or not, the codependent poplulation, like Hillary, are in the minority.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:51 PM on 03/06/2008
collapse wendytheretard See Profile I'm a Fan of wendytheretard

This is not the time to elect Sen. Clinton," a woman", as commander-in-chief. The terrorist are out to get us! Sen. Clinton's qualifications in the middle east is Bill Clinton, we know what he accomplished. Do you really want the Clinton's answering the phone at 3 in the morning? Karl Rove & Rush Drugaddict

That wouldn't work with me, but it will work in Texas, Ohio, Penn, Missouri, Kansas, Florida, Michigan.

Just say no to Hillary!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:37 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse joja See Profile I'm a Fan of joja

The Dallas Morning news reported that 8% of the Clintons' votes in TX came from Republicans crossing over to vote for Hillary, as Rush wanted.

This means that Obama actually WON TX by 7 points! Plus, he won the caucuses! So, the Clintonista argument that the Clintons have won the "big" states is really moot, at this point.

Why ANYONE would vote for someone the Republicans wanted, is astounding! Hellllooooo! The Dems just don't get it, do they?

I guess they want to lose another one!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:35 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse kaafir See Profile I'm a Fan of kaafir

53% of those Republicans who voted in the Texas primary voted for Obama!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:22 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse JacktheBlogger See Profile I'm a Fan of JacktheBlogger

There have been a host of references to Barack Hussein Obama going back to November/December 2006 - a full year before Bob Kerrey opined on the matter:

* During MSNBC's special election coverage on November 7, co-anchor Chris Matthews remarked that Obama's "middle name is Hussein" and suggested that it would "be interesting down the road."

* On November 27, MSNBC host Tucker Carlson referred to radio host Bill Press as "a true member of the Barack Hussein Obama fan club."

* During the November 28 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, Republican strategist Ed Rogers referred to "Barack Hussein Obama."

* On the December 5 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, senior political correspondent Carl Cameron told viewers: "Though he's written two books about himself already, most people know very little about Barack Hussein Obama Junior's uncommonly privileged life."

* On the December 11 edition of CNN's Situation Room, correspondent Jeanne Moos noted that "[o]nly one little consonant differentiates" Obama and Osama. She then added, "[A]s if that similarity weren't enough. How about sharing the name of a former dictator? You know his middle name, Hussein."

* On the December 11 edition of The Situation Room, CNN senior political analyst Jeff Greenfield compared the similarity of Obama's "business casual" clothing to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's "jacket-and-no-tie look." Greenfield concluded the segment by saying: "Now, it is one thing to have a last name that sounds like Osama and a middle name, Hussein, that is probably less than helpful. But an outfit that reminds people of a charter member of the axis of evil, why, this could leave his presidential hopes hanging by a thread." He later explained on the CNN website that he was making "a joke."

* On December 13, Matthews teased another interview with Rogers by describing the strategist as "the one who just loves Barack Obama's middle name Hussein."

* On the December 14 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh gave Obama a "nickname" -- "Barack Hussein Odumbo" (in reference to Obama's "big ears").

* On the December 14 edition of Hardball, NBC's Mike Viqueira announced "a man named Barack Obama, whose middle name, incidentally, is Hussein, running for president."

* courtesy Media Matters

The so-called "truth doctor" Rush Limbaugh called Obama by his middle name long before Bob Kerrey did - and, then lied to Laura Ingraham about it! Limbaugh maybe laughing now " but he who laughs last, laughs hardest!!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:58 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse Pjsandiego See Profile I'm a Fan of Pjsandiego

Whatever you want to say about Rush, he's not dumb.
And sadly he is so right.
Hillary and her surrogates were the first to raise these issues and she and her
surrogates can legitimize these phony claims better than anyone.
Hillary has become the RNC SWIFTBOAT Commander.

Obama should only attack Hillary now in the same breath that he attacks McCain.
He needs to go on the attack to define McCain and virtually every attack he has against McCain
can be used against Hillary.

Pro-Lobbyist: Both Hillary and McCain
Pro-Big Business: Both Hillary and McCain
Pro-GET US INTO THIS STUPID WAR- Both Hillary and McCain
Part of the old time Washington Crew: Both Hillary and McCain
Secretive about their lives; Both Hillary and McCain
Won't release tax returns: Both Hillary and McCain
Bankrupted their campaigns due to initial mismanagement: Hillary and McCain
Not in touch with the younger generation : Both Hillary and McCain
Children of Privilege: Both Hillary and McCain
Won't meet with Adverse World leaders unless they meet unreasonable conditions: Hillary and McCain
Both failed their 3AM crisis moment: The vote on Iraq; Hillary and McCain
Can't give a speech: Hillary and McCain
Both have hot tempers and real mean streaks; Hillary and McCain
Both favored by the RNC: Hillary and McCain

Go get her Barack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obama 08 and Beyoooooonnnnnnddddd!!!!!!!!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:51 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse GonzoFactor See Profile I'm a Fan of GonzoFactor

Of course Rush wants you to vote for Hillary. She has so much Clinton history and skeletons in her closet that Swiftboating her will be easy. I'd be very surprised if the plans weren't already made and the books ready to print.

It's worked before, and it can work again.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:40 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse sawdustinhershoes See Profile I'm a Fan of sawdustinhershoes

Please. Rush's rantings didn't turn out the numbers he claims. Why would anyone give this guy the time of day?

I think it doesn't matter if Hillary or Obama wins. What matters is that the democrats are voting 3 to 1 over republicans, and that's what we're gonna see in November.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:35 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse joja See Profile I'm a Fan of joja

saw --

As I posted above, the Dallas Morning News is reporting that *% of the votes Hillary got were attributably to Republicans crossing over, as Rush requested, so your claims are null and void.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:38 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse snesich See Profile I'm a Fan of snesich

Limbaugh and company LOVE the idea of Hillary as the candidate. She comes with so much baggage.

And how does someone so friendly to big corporations continue to act and talk "populist" on the campaign trail? Where is the media and why aren't they asking her about this contradiction between her rhetoric and her actual voting record?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:53 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse Dahveed See Profile I'm a Fan of Dahveed

Seems everbody but Russert is afraid to confront the Clintons. Their knee-cappers bully the press, then they have the gall to play the victim card, when all that was happening is the fresh-face front runner was getting press and the old-schoolers weren't. Given their past history, HC and BC are selfish enough to undermine the Dems by their smear campaign tactics. HC as nominee will tank because the majority of BO supporters are unwilling to vote for "no change" in WDC.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:08 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse bored2tears See Profile I'm a Fan of bored2tears

Your use of the term "knee-cappers" could not be more apt.

Hillary Clinton has more and more come to remind me of another unpleasant 1990s memory: Tonya Harding.

Do whatever you (think) it will take to win ... cry when you want a do-over (broken laces or FL/MI delegates) ... and wind up losing it all in the end anyway.

What is the political equivalent of "Celebrity Boxing?" Hillary's headed straight toward it.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:42 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse BigRube See Profile I'm a Fan of BigRube

Here is something for everyone to think about.Rush A. Limbaugh runs this country .If you do not believe this why don't you ask him. That is why Hillery did so good yesterday. If you will remember last week Rush asked his so called conservative listeners to vote in the primary for Hillery because he is afraid of Obama.And believe me it happened yesterday.Rush just wants to keep the Democrats stired up.
Now I do not have anything against Hillery or Obama but we do not need another Clinton in office. We've already had two Bush's in office.If Hillery gets the nomination then she will loose to McCain where Obama will give McCain a good fight.
The bottom line to all of this is to vote Democrat in the genreal election whoever it might be.
May the best person win.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:55 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse suec03 See Profile I'm a Fan of suec03

I hope this year Democrats are finally tired of letting Republicans choose our nominee by their manipulations. Now that Sen. McCain doesn't need any more Republican votes to win their nomination, Republican voters in the upcoming primaries are free to do mischief in the Democratic primaries with Rush Limbaugh cheering on their efforts. This is what Mitt Romney meant by pulling out to allow the national campaign against the Democrats to get an early start.

Campaign cash that would have been spent on securing the Republican nomination for John McCain can now be spent on ads to choose the Democrat they want to run against.

McCain supporters will take advantage of states with open primaries to cross over and vote in the Democratic primaries in any states that allow it, or reregister as Democrats to vote in Democratic primaries where there is still time to do that--all the while intending to vote for Sen. McCain in the fall.

Sen. Clinton has chosen to run as a "Republican Lite" warhawk with her innuendos that Sen. Obama would not be able to handle a call at the White House at 3:00 AM. Her recent comments on Kosovo and Colombia could have come straight out of the Republican Party.

We need a President who has already demonstrated superior ability to see down the road the possible consequences of each of the options for US government action. Sen. Obama offers a stark contrast with Sen. McCain and we should not fear that. It is time to question the mindset that got us into Iraq despite the State Department analysts who warned of the terrible consequences of a US occupation of Iraq. Sen. Obama can educate the electorate on why farsightedness and using diplomacy while keeping a well-prepared military in reserve are better options than using military force in the wrong situations. Such a presidency would show better respect for the lives of our members of the military than has been shown by the Bush Administration.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:53 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse condieshoes See Profile I'm a Fan of condieshoes

I will tell you what the GOP (Karl Rove) have up their sleeves.

There is inside information that Hillary has a lesbian lover who is a senior member of her election campaign. Yeah, that's what. Can't you see this coming down the road? Consider the possibilities?????!!!

Wayne Madsen Report, check it out.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:35 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse Politiking See Profile I'm a Fan of Politiking

And that is news because...

Everyone has a lesbian lover including Oprah (Gayle King).

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:03 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse YellowDogInRedCounty See Profile I'm a Fan of YellowDogInRedCounty

Everyone does? Really? Where's mine? My boyfriend will be really surprised.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:34 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse suec03 See Profile I'm a Fan of suec03

Don't stoop so low! Stick with the high road. Democrats should not give in to this anti-gay pandering.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:02 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse wendytheretard See Profile I'm a Fan of wendytheretard

I don't see it as anti-gay. I see it as the truth! The republican slime machine wants Sen. Clinton to win the nomination

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:53 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse JBL70 See Profile I'm a Fan of JBL70

If the ticket is Obama/Clinton I will be voting for McCain. I do not like Hillary Clinton at all and will not vote for her if she is on the ticket.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:20 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse suec03 See Profile I'm a Fan of suec03

DON'T VOTE FOR MCCAIN, NO MATTER HOW ANGRY WITH CLINTON! If you can't vote for the Democratic nominee, don't vote at all! The stakes are too great this time. If the so-called maverick John McCain is elected President, he could very possibly get to appoint two more justices to the Supreme Court. Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been treated for cancer, and Associate Justice John Paul Stevens isn't getting any younger. They have both been two consistent, well-argued liberal votes. With even one more conservative serving a life appointment to the court, Associate Justice Kennedy's swing vote will be irrelevant. There will be a solid conservative majority to overrule Roe v. Wade, uphold torture and presidential wiretaps.

Sen. McCain won't get us universal health care. He will drag out departure from Iraq, with all the resulting death and injury to US troops in the name of chasing victory.

We must elect a Democrat President. We must nominate a Democrat who can inspire massive turnouts of voters to overcome Republican smears and drive the election of solid veto-proof Democratic majorities to the House and Senate. We have a chance to make progressive change in Congress, but only with the veto-proof Democratic majorities that a Democratic nominee offering a strong contrast to Sen. McCain can bring.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:50 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse suec03 See Profile I'm a Fan of suec03

DON'T DO THAT! A vote for John McCain is a vote for a President who will appoint more Right-to-Life judges to the Supreme Court, who will uphold government spying on your phone calls and email accounts. Associate Justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsberg are not getting any younger. When they do leave the court, it is imperative to have a Democratic president to nominate their successors. The stakes are too high. If you cannot vote for the Democratic party nominee, then just stay home and don't vote at all! Don't make it easier for the Republican nominee to be elected and take away our civil liberties. Sen. John McCain is NOT a moderate and is not a safe choice.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:00 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse wendytheretard See Profile I'm a Fan of wendytheretard

Women would have no one to blame but themselves and their blind support for Hillary. I don't see color or gender, the majority of Hillary's supporters only see gender.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:49 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse samanthasmom See Profile I'm a Fan of samanthasmom

I rather liked Reagan's choice of Sandra Day O'Connor. Who would have thought that a Republican would choose a moderate female judge? You never know.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:25 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse LeoMarvin See Profile I'm a Fan of LeoMarvin

It will never happen again. Check the last two appointments. The right wing is very careful now to pick ideologues with proven records on these issues.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:38 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse suec03 See Profile I'm a Fan of suec03

Justice Souter has also fortunately turned out well, but the Republicans don't make those kinds of mistakes anymore. Now they have the Family Research Council and all the other conservative groups that do research on all the judicial nominees and would mobilize their members to swamp Congress with calls if an O'Connor or a Souter iwere ever nominated by a Republican again. Those days are gone!

It is too great a risk!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:37 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse suec03 See Profile I'm a Fan of suec03

And did you forget that Sandra Day O'Connor was the crucial swing vote to stop recounting the Florida ballots that put George W. Bush in the White House after the 2000 election?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:43 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse RuthAlice See Profile I'm a Fan of RuthAlice

Wow! Obama is to the right of Clinton on everything but immigration. He was wiser than she on the war. Two reasons to support Obama. Clinton is more progressive on tax policy, on education, on science on environment on health care and every other issue. Many reasons for progressives to support her there. When I read people saying she's no different from a Republican, I wonder if these people have ever even looked at voting records and policies or if they just make stuff up. Overall, the two candidates have similar voting records. In terms of proposals they have offered during their campaigns, Clinton's are not only more detailed, they are more progressive. Obama will be the most conservative Democrat running for President since Woodrow Wilson in terms of policies proposed.

Where does this progressive Obama love come from? Is it white guilt? A desire to prove you're not racist by embracing a black candidate - even though he may not be deserviing of your embrace? Or is it just the rthetorical power of his speaking - his powerful and attractive personality outweighing the deficiencies in his platform?

All in all, I don't know. Certainly, I will vote for him over McCain, but his proponents - the ones posting here for example, make me wonder if there's something dangerous about an Obama presidency because the last thing America needs is another "leader" whose followers are so unthinking and paranoid.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:01 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse wendytheretard See Profile I'm a Fan of wendytheretard

Part of my blind support for Sen Obama is driven by my dislike of the Clinton's. They chosen to sleep with the devil, I don't want their bed full of lobbyist in the White House.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:59 AM on 03/06/2008
collapse snesich See Profile I'm a Fan of snesich

Nonsense. Hillary is a corporate candidate. She's from the DLC and she's let corporate America know that she's never going to do anything to ruffle their feathers. Just like her husband.

Barack Obama's record is more progressive than Clinton's on EVERY issue. Do your homework.

And if Hillary is so "progressive" why did take more corporate money than any other Democrat OR Republican? And why did she vote for the Bankruptcy Bill which has hurt so many working families and put billions more in the pockets of big banks and credit card companies?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:50 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse JustAnotherJoe See Profile I'm a Fan of JustAnotherJoe

In the areas you mentioned, Clinton is different from McCain and the Repubs (hey , a new bar band name?) . However, Obama's votes about war and peace out-weigh Hillary's tax , education, science and environmental policies. I know he wasn't present to vote for or against Kyl-Lieberman, but Hillary voted for the bill, which bothers me. Her refusal to read the NIE before the Iraq authorization vote even after the urging of Sen. Graham then voting for the use of force bothers me. Committing a nation to war with all that entails morally, fisically and militarily weighs heavier than those other issues.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:23 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse MPCarr See Profile I'm a Fan of MPCarr

Last time I read about Rush Limbaugh on Huffpost they were saying talk radio has become irrelevant, that the listeners don't follow what they say. Now I read Rush has the power to make his listeners vote for Hillary. You can't have it both ways.

Everyone was OK when Democrats and Independents crossed over and voted for McCain, but if it is the other way around, they don't like like it.

Of course many states played the system by moving up their election day. The primary should be on the same day throughout the country, and there should not be open primaries--it is the time for each party to pick their candidate within their own party.

Hillary and Obama will have nothing to do the next 6 weeks except attack each other. This is good for the Republicans. Go Rush!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:59 PM on 03/05/2008
collapse soylentgreenleftovers See Profile I'm a Fan of soylentgreenleftovers

Maybe she should get Rush to cut a commercial for her. Hell, why not? She took money from Rupert Murdoch.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:36 PM on 03/05/2008