A basketball fan like myself should have watched continuous coverage of the NCAA opening round like every other sports fan yesterday. (For the record, Ohio State University is in the "Sweet 16" this year, YEAH!) But like many of you I was glued to C-Span and MSNBC watching how the vote was coming down. I drove my oldest daughter crazy by watching the debates on the House floor. I tried to explain how this was history in the making. "Then why don't you wait till it's history, then you can read about it later?" Spoken like a teenager deep in her books to come up with that one.
My singular thought during the day was how a Mr. Rush Limbaugh would be spending his Sunday? Is he prepping for his shows remarks on Monday or would he be doing his show from Costa Rica?
I wish I had a whole heaping lot to say about all this but many other posters said and posted some very great remarks regarding the passage of the health bill in the House. We still have to hope and pray the Senate doesn't drop the baton before passing off to the White House for President Obama to sign. In the meanwhile, can you imagine the mood at GOP central? Can you imagine the mood at Fox News? Most importantly, can you imagine how fast Mr. Limbaugh will have to run to the airport to make it in time to find a radio station, get to one of his villas, and make sure his "medications" are in line? Okay, the last part was a little over the line, but you get the picture of where this is going. Wait, you don't remember what Rush promised if HCR is passed? Let me give you a little snippet of his exact words.
"I'll just tell you this, if this passes and it's five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented -- I am leaving the country. I'll go to Costa Rica."
Now whether he will live up to it or not remains to be seen, but I have to think members of his ilk are going to regret the day they put such efforts to kill Health Care Reform.
David Frum had an excellent read regarding the state of the Conservative/Republican/Tea Bagger movement and how their place in history will be laid out.
The real leaders are on TV and radio, and they have very different imperatives from people in government. Talk radio thrives on confrontation and recrimination. When Rush Limbaugh said that he wanted President Obama to fail, he was intelligently explaining his own interests. What he omitted to say – but what is equally true – is that he also wants Republicans to fail. If Republicans succeed – if they govern successfully in office and negotiate attractive compromises out of office – Rush’s listeners get less angry. And if they are less angry, they listen to the radio less, and hear fewer ads for Sleepnumber beds.
As a person who worked in radio at one time, I have to tell you radio is about making money...period. Just like newspapers, they are out to gain as much money they can and will sell goats marrying sheep in order to get ratings from listeners. I'm sure Rush is not going anywhere real soon; I'm sure he's happy as can be at Casa Limbaugh. He won't go anywhere near an airport. Can you imagine the frenzy if he took his bags with him and headed for the ticket counter? The media alone would pick it up like blood in the water wondering if Rush goes to Costa Rica would the rest of the conservative movement go too?
If it's out the door, fine by me; if it's back to reality--with or without Mr. Limbaugh--welcome prodigal sons and daughters.
---Sources
CBS News on Limbaugh quote
David Frum article
Footnote: Gerogia Representive Nathan Deal resigned after the vote last night. Not sure if he was so ticked to do it or the fact he's running for Governor of the state, but timing is everything and you can tell he's gearing up for a heated race in November.
http://www.democraticunderground.com...