A Rush For A Democratic Nominee

Senator Hillary Clinton revived her campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States with victories in Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas.

Clinton’s campaign officials believe she won because of her relentless, hard-hitting, and intelligent efforts. But Rush Limbaugh thinks he is partially responsible for Clinton’s success.

For weeks now, Limbaugh, the court jester of conservative talk radio, has been urging his conservative audience to vote for Senator Clinton. In the states where Republicans and independents can vote in the Democratic primary he urged listeners to sabotage the Democrats by voting for Clinton. Limbaugh thinks the longer Senators Clinton and Obama are in a heated battle for their party’s nomination, the better the chance for Republican nominee John McCain to win in November.

Limbaugh praised Clinton’s “Three O’clock in the Morning” television ad that suggested that Clinton was much more ready to lead the nation in times of international crises. Limbaugh believes the more Democrats have to face the issues of national security and terrorism, the Republican nominee wins. He applauded Senator Clinton for suggesting that while she and Senator McCain had records of significant service to the nation, Senator Obama only had a speech. Not only does negative campaign rhetoric tear down Obama, but Limbaugh believes it divides Democrats in the November election.

Limbaugh is ‘elbowing” his way into the Democratic nomination battle also, because he simply despises the Clintons. For Limbaugh the Clinton’s, the former President and the current New York senator, are “evil incarnate.” Limbaugh’s critique of the Clintons is not just political but it is personal. Limbaugh led the chorus of conservative critics of the Clinton presidency. Almost anything Bill Clinton supported Rush opposed. He didn’t let go of the Whitewater investigations, the death of Vince Foster, and the Mark Rich pardon to name a few. The Monica Lewinsky/ Ken Starr situation was for Limbaugh the gift that kept on giving.

Limbaugh also believes that Senator Clinton is a much weaker candidate than Senator Obama in a run against McCain. He says that almost half of the American electorate tell pollsters that they would never vote for Clinton. Limbaugh says independent political groups will raise so much money to remind Americans of the scandals of the Clinton years that few will hear,” it’s the economy stupid“. Limbaugh thinks Senator Obama is a more formidable candidate because he does not have Clinton’s baggage and is youthful in appeal and appearance in contrast to McCain.

I am reminded that in the 1980 presidential primary, then President Jimmy Carter and his supporters were rooting for Ronald Reagan to win the Republican nomination. Reagan was after all just an actor. Reagan’s major foreign policy credential was attending Chaing Kai- shek’s funeral, as an official representative of the United States. Carter believed Reagan was a “right wing nut job” who he would beat easily in the November election. I am sure history will always remember Carter for underestimating the “Gipper”.