Clinton: "I'd love to talk to Rush" Limbaugh

Yesterday, on the Keith Larson show on WBT-Charlotte, Keith was joking around with Hillary Clinton about putting he through to Rush Limbaugh.  To which Clinton replied, "I'd love to talk to Rush".

A case might be made that she was joking.  But I'm not so convinced. She was all too eager to go on O'Reilly's show, so why would Rush be any different?

Rush has by far the most listened to talk radio show, with around 14 million listeners each week. Considering the disdain the conservatives have for McCain, there's a voter pool that Clinton could see as beneficial. For Rush, if Hillary had any chance of being elected President, he could spend the next 4 years trashing her mercilessly, all the while grooming a conservative they like to run against her in 2012.  It becomes a win-win for both people:  HE gets ratings and material, SHE gets the Presidency.

Of course, if Rush's failed Indiana gambit is any evidence, he may not have the political power he thinks he has.

•  Failed?

  Rush just may have given Hillary her margin of victory, for all we know.

  by Malacandra on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:51:40 AM PDT

  •  May have?

    Exit polling suggests just that.  See Sam Stein's HuffPo article.

    by Crashing Vor on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:53:20 AM PDT

  •  That's what the Obama

    camp was saying.  I frankly believe is.  The failure is Hillary's.

    by bugscuffle on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:53:55 AM PDT

  •  Yes, he did

    But the fact that even the traditional media realizes that she only won by the narrowest margin because of his pranking means Operation Chaos = FAIL.

    by SLKRR on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:54:23 AM PDT

  •  He has proven to be one of her greatest allies,

    and most certainly provided her margin of "victory" in the primaries in Texas and Indiana.  
    Hey, maybe he could headline the fundraiser she needs to pay off her debts!  The dittoheads should have to pay for their entertainment...

    by Integrity is fundamental on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:55:57 AM PDT

  •  I really don't see how she can spin.,,

    a 1 point victory while getting thumped in NC as anything but "extremely disappointing". If she is willing to pander with her gas tax proposal no doubt she is just as willing to go on rush's show and kiss his big fat ass.

    by irate on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:56:01 AM PDT

  •  Breakuot of Pub crossovers 53% Clinton 47% Obama

    so it was a wash.

    All Operation Chaos does (at the polls, anyway) is neutralize the sting of Republicans crossing over to vote for Obama.

    They won't be able to do that in the general election.

    by cskendrick on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:56:08 AM PDT

    •  not a good way of measuring

      You had to ask them who they intended to vote for in the fall.

      Some crossovers were crossing over to choose a candidate they actually would vote for.

      Some were just causing trouble.

      Of the latter variety, most voted for Hillary.

      by InsultComicDog on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:59:04 AM PDT

      •  point being, it was a wash in Indiana

        Dems and Independents decided the contest there same as in North Carolina.

        by cskendrick on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:00:36 AM PDT

      •  You also need numbers

        percentage points don't really tell you anything.

        Hillary won by 20,000 votes, more or less.  How many people can we reasonably estimate voted for her as a part of Operation Chaos?

        I think that calculation can be made, I just haven't done the research to figure it out.

        by litho on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:03:47 AM PDT

•  HRC's new biggest boosters...

  are the worst scumbags on the US right.  Limpbough, Scaife, Santorum, Rove and Mehlman.  If we judge people by the company they keep (as the media would have us do regarding Obama)...this is the most telling aspect of the HRC campaign.

  by mayan on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:54:39 AM PDT

  •  Is Ann Coulter next? I HATE her selling out

    like this - hate it! I keep looking for some redeeming feature to Sen Clinton, but she's burned bridge after bridge.

    by anotherCt Dem on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:59:08 AM PDT

    •  There is NOTHING...

      that they will not do to wrest another eight years in the WH.  For themselves...and their corporatist masters.  These people are nihilistic, amoral cynics.   Much like the Bush's and their cronies.  Would that it were otherwise.

      by mayan on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:28:28 AM PDT

    •  Since when is confronting someone with opposing

      viewpoints "selling out". I guess it is selling out to those whose idea of debate is attempting to silence anyone whose opinions differ from their own.

      by jqmilktoast on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:28:58 AM PDT

      •  There's a difference between

        confronting and embracing.  

        by nupstateny on Wed May 07, 2008 at 09:40:36 AM PDT

        •  I watched part of the O'Hillary interview

          didn't see a whole bunch of embracing.

          by jqmilktoast on Wed May 07, 2008 at 11:07:46 AM PDT

•  14 million listen to Limbaugh?

  Damn.

  14 million bug eyed, drooling weirdos fantasizing about violence and listening to Rush at the same time. Amazing.

  And Hillary wants to talk them. That's nice.

  by Rex Manning on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:55:33 AM PDT

•  Heh

  Hillary can't afford any media that isn't free anymore, she'll take anything at this point

  by InsultComicDog on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:57:30 AM PDT

•  I'D love to talk to Rush

  Hell, I HAVE talked to him. Gave him a piece of my mind.

  I think we can tone down the attacks.

  by greatn on Wed May 07, 2008 at 07:59:27 AM PDT

•  Rush ? Sean ? Power ?

  It seems to me that none of the Republican radio talking heads have nearly the power they think they do. The voters seem to have gotten smarter in the past couple of years.

  I guess, getting pissed on, and pissed off, when these guys keep telling us how wonderful everything is sort of establishes their credibility at "0" to all but the most diehard assholes who refuse to believe they are getting shit on, even if their clothes are turning brown and stink.

  by TKH on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:03:50 AM PDT

•  Let's be fair here

  This is where she excels. Hillary can go head to head with anyone, anytime, and give as well as she gets.

  Going forward, this is exactly what I think her role should be, blunting the Repug attack machine. As much as I respect Barack, his thoughtful style would make him fodder for a Rush-type.

  by Darkmoth on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:04:14 AM PDT

  •  true, but...

    ... Clinton shouldn't even dignify these people with her patronage. Also, her O'Reilly interview didn't come across as going head-to-head, as much as "I need free air time".  Personally, I think her being on Rush would be a GREAT listen and quite entertaining. But I don;t vote for President based on their entertainment value.

    by MaxKelly on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:17:44 AM PDT

    •  Agreed on the O'Reilly interview

      But I'm torn on whether Barack should be avoiding the Right pundits or engaging them. If it's the latter, Sen Clinton would make an effective surrogate. imo.

      by Darkmoth on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:27:04 AM PDT

      •  Maybe Obama could appoint her to be

        the ambassador to the right ring extremists.

        by nupstateny on Wed May 07, 2008 at 09:41:44 AM PDT

•  Bill went on Rushs Show during Texas

  /Ohio primaries, the day OF actually! From TPM...

  "More of the scorched earth strategy:

  Bill Clinton on Rush Limbaugh Show Day of Texas PrimaryEIB Guest Host While Rush Is "Sick" 3/4/2008 Mark Davis of WBAP Dallas/Ft. Worth Link for March 4 show

  Mark Interviews Bill Clinton (not kidding) on the Rush Limbaugh Show

     Ex-President Clinton Talks to WBAP's Mark Davis

     (WBAP) - Still campaigning for his wife on a critical primary election day, Ex-President Bill Clinton told
     WBAP's Mark Davis that he believes Hillary Clinton will defeat Democratic rival Barack Obama on Tuesday."

  http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com...

  And then I saw this on WSJ blog...

  "Of the 181 voters she personally dealt with, 70 offered that they were "Rush Limbaugh voters" who were there to cast ballots for Clinton. "I’m here to vote for Hillary Clinton, I want to see the Democratic Party implode," one voter told Kreissl, she recounted in an interview. "I was just stunned," she said. "As an election official we can’t say anything. We just jot them down and let them vote."

  Kreissl worked a 19 hour day to also help organize the caucus event later that night. Similarly, she said she personally checked in 20 Obama supporters and 17 Clinton supporters. Of Clinton’s 17, 10 identified themselves as Rush Limbaugh voters, she said.

  She’s convinced the Limbaugh voters turned the tide in favor of Clinton. "I don’t think we were an isolated case by any means," she said. "I think it was very widespread across the state.""

  http://blogs.wsj.com/...

  by Paladine on Wed May 07, 2008 at 08:43:45 AM PDT