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Limbaugh: McCain Out to Destroy GOP for 2000 S.C. Defeat

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February 04, 2008 4:13 PM

ABC News' Jennifer Parker Reports: Continuing his attack on Republican frontrunner Sen. John McCain, conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh devoted a significant portion of his radio show Monday to urging conservatives not to vote for the senator in tomorrow's Super Tuesday contests.

For weeks, Limbaugh has been on the attack against McCain, branding the Arizona senator a "liberal" and suggesting he would destroy the Republican Party.

On his radio show Monday Limbaugh said that if McCain is elected president, he would destroy the Republican party by working with Democrats to pass liberal legislation.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

"He's going to reach out to Democrats in Congress," Limbaugh said, citing "McCain -Kennedy" and "McCain -Feingold" as examples of McCain-sponsored bipartisan legislation.

"This is how he's going to get even with Republicans for defeating him in South Carolina in 2000," Limbaugh said.
"The Republican Congress will effectively be neutered."

In 2000, McCain lost South Carolina to George W. Bush, effectively killing his first presidential bid.

Limbaugh also suggested conservatives should be wary of media endorsements of McCain. McCain has won the endorsement of the New York Times.

"It was just six months ago that if a candidate was endorsed by the liberal media we were instantly suspicious  of them," Limbaugh said.

Now he said, "we've got drive-by media organizations having orgasms about McCain."

The conservative radio host also lambasted Fred Barnes, editor of the conservative magazine The Weekly Standard for an editorial titled "Let's Grow Up Conservatives" that urges conservatives to give McCain a chance if he continues to reach out to them.

"Fred, you used to be one of us!" Limbaugh said.  "Now you seem to be all for Republicans having its liberal wing too."

Limbaugh also suggested McCain is winning over anti-abortion advocates, despite McCain's long-held record of opposing abortion rights.

"It's pro-choicers who are voting for McCain. That's who liberals are!" Limbaugh said.

McCain's chief Republican rival former Gov. Mitt Romney aired a campaign ad today on Limbaugh's radio program attacking McCain's record on taxes and immigration.

"John McCain, he's been in Washington a long time," the announcer says. 
While Limbaugh has not endorsed Romney, he has been urging his listeners for weeks not to vote for McCain at a time when McCain and Romney have argued over who is the true conservative.

While Romney has argued that he is a "Ronald Reagan" conservative, many of his earlier positions on abortion, same-sex marriage and gun rights while he was governor of Massachusetts leave many conservatives doubtful of his candidacy.

McCain, meanwhile, has always had a difficult relationship with the conservative wing of the Republican party.

Before the South Carolina primary, McCain's 95-year-old mother, Roberta, urged conservative to "hold their nose" and vote for her son.

Limbaugh's opinions appeared to rub off on one caller Monday named Bruce.

"I'm not a mind-numb robot and I'm not going to vote for John McCain!" the caller said.

Limbaugh's outspoken rejection of McCain led former Republican Senate leader Bob Dole to write him a letter today that was sent to media today by the McCain campaign.

"Rush," Dole wrote, "I was the Republican Leader from January 1985 until I left the Senate voluntarily in June 1996. I worked closely with Senator McCain when he came to the Senate in 1987 until I departed. I cannot recall a single instance when he did not support the Party on critical votes.

"Whoever wins the Republican nomination will need your enthusiastic support. Two terms for the Clintons are enough," Dole wrote.

February 4, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (160)

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Has McCain ever co-sponsored a bill with a Republican? And if he does not win the Republican Nomination, is it too late for him to consider running on the Democratic ticket? McInsane can't even unify his own party, so how does he expect to unify the country, especially when 70% of the country is against the War in Iraq.."my friends".

Posted by: Uniblogger | Feb 4, 2008 4:34:56 PM

Nice to see Mitt's investment in Rush's syndicator has paid off so handsomely. He's not dumb enough to criticize his BOSS!!! Neither is Hannity, or O'Reilly, or Medved, or any other "clear channell" hack owned by big-pocket Mitt. I can't believe so-called "conservatives" haven't been able to figure this out. But then again they're just looking for somebody to tell them what to do in the first place. I'm embarrased for the Republican party when three Democracts are chosen at the expense of the REAL conservatives. But hey, if we want the White House, we have to act like Democrats, right? Well then, if that be the case, why run in the first place? It's time these Democrats LEAVE the party and run on their true LIBERIAL principles somewhere else! The Republican party, as well as their chances at being elected would vastly improve overnight!

Posted by: cba | Feb 4, 2008 4:35:03 PM

I notice McCain not toting his amnesty bill attempt as one of his conservative creditials. I'm sitting this one out.

Posted by: John Woolridge | Feb 4, 2008 4:41:09 PM

Poor Rush - the world has passed him by and he can't stand it. What a loser! ROFL

Posted by: Brickler | Feb 4, 2008 4:42:50 PM

McCain's senate record mirrors Hillary's over the past couple of years. Why should Republicans rally McCain who has reached across the aisle so many times his flesh is permanently grafted to the dingy blue carpet? McCain should drop out of the race and run as a Democrat.

Posted by: ErinF | Feb 4, 2008 4:47:30 PM

If McCain is really going to destroy the GOP then he's got my vote. I don't see the downside here.

Posted by: Karen O. | Feb 4, 2008 4:48:17 PM

Well now, just because of this blubber mouth's comments, I'll have to vote for Mr. McCain.

Posted by: Lou | Feb 4, 2008 4:49:22 PM

Poor Rush - his party left him back in the dark ages. I knew cigar smoking was bad for the lungs, appartently it can damage one's brain as well. I hope the GOP does nominate McCain - then whichever party wins at least we will have a President who can walk and chew gum at the same time. Anyone, ANYONE is better than Bush.

Posted by: AA Michael | Feb 4, 2008 4:50:26 PM

the republicans don't need mccain to destroy their party... it's almost a thing of beauty to see the republican party implode in on itself like the world trade centers... it's also entertaining to see all the infighting amoungst the republicans... they are all bullies (except for ron paul, who is actually a true republican, and not a greedy corporate capitalist or religious nutjob hiding within the republican party)

Posted by: earthisnotflat | Feb 4, 2008 4:50:52 PM

Why thank you, Mr. Limbaugh! Now that it's clear that you don't believe Sen. McCain to be sufficiently conservative, the rest of may rest assured that he's not another insane megalomaniac. If you can't stand him, it can only mean he is a man of moral principles and political ethics. You're a perfect reverse compass for those of us who use our minds.

Posted by: Doing us a favor | Feb 4, 2008 4:51:01 PM

Why does this remind me of that scene in the wizard of oz where the wicked witch melts down? Somebody get that man some oxycontin! Stat! This is the womanish hysteria of the right wing of the Republican party that knows where they are bound -- back under those rocks where they were before the 1980s. It's almost Morning in America again! Oh wait, that's been used...

Posted by: Paul | Feb 4, 2008 4:51:23 PM

Mitt Romney has been fighting 1 on 4 for this whole election. I am glad to see the conservative talk shows giving him 100% backing. McCain, Guiliani and Huckabee have all proven that they are in it together to get McCain elected and themselves jobs. If McCain wins he will not have all of his little helpers doing his dirty work in the general, he will actually have to be accountable to his lackluster record. Frankly, I am surprised Romney has endured as well as he has against the teamup. This is the reason that I migrated to him as my candidate, he has heart.

Posted by: Nick | Feb 4, 2008 4:52:09 PM

I always thought that social conservatives would be the dead weight holding the party back in the 20th century. Old school conservatives on spending, size and scope of limited government and butting out of people's lives could make a resurgence but they, unfortunately, are demonized as liberals or liberal sympathizers. What's wrong with being pragmatic?? Limbaugh needs to adapt to the 21st century. The large majority of young people are quite put off by the far right. In time, these young people WILL become the establishment.

Posted by: Brent | Feb 4, 2008 4:52:27 PM

AMNESTY-JOHN is the poster old-man for MANDATORY age limits for ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS. Just think how embarrassing it will be for Americans when AMNESTY-JOHN wets himself -or worse- in meetings with leaders of other countries. It would be just as bad as having a total moron representing America, and EVERYBODY knows how humiliating that has been.

One important thing to note - AMNESTY-JOHN's multimillionaire, beer-distributor wife refuses to provide even a penny to his campaign. Smart, very smart. Perhaps she doesn't like his positions either!

If AMNESTY-JOHN gets the nomination we can change the name of the Republican Party to the "Democratic-Lite Party". Our two party system will then consist of Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber!

Posted by: ALEX H. | Feb 4, 2008 4:53:36 PM

This is great entertainment! I love watching the obese, drug addicted neocon get his panties (literally) in a wad because McCain is going to win the nomination. Hey Bozo, the country doesn't buy your fascist rhetoric anymore! He should really relax. No matter who the Repub. nominee might be, he will be TROUNCED by the Democratic nominee in the fall. Just thank King George.

Posted by: dano | Feb 4, 2008 4:55:05 PM

Ok, to be "fair and balanced", if you're going to keep making desperate drug references to Rush, then you have to do the same to Mrs. McCain. For some reason, THAT never gets mentioned.

Posted by: Sarah L | Feb 4, 2008 4:56:13 PM

Someone needs to duct tape Rush. He is just an idiot with bias that he must smear all over TVland whether anyone wants to hear him or not. He is sooo passe! Get him off the air.

Posted by: JLW | Feb 4, 2008 4:56:16 PM

Rush wouldn't know a Goldwater Conservative even if they slapped him in the face.

He's so far right that 90% of what were the honorable conservatives of old are too liberal for him.

And if Rush would watch all the news rather than just the Tabloid reporting from Foxnews, he'd realize that it was GW that destroyed the Republican party.

Posted by: Roy | Feb 4, 2008 4:58:54 PM

Bush already destroyed the GOP with his massive incompetence. McCain and Romney are just fighting over the rubble. LOL

Posted by: Dale Davis | Feb 4, 2008 4:59:07 PM

Limbaugh and the other so called conservative commentators are responsible for McCain being the front runner.

They unleashed every weapon they had to smear and knock down Mike Huckabee, the only true conservative in the race, when he he was the front runner.

They chose to get behind the flip flopping Romney. Republicans don't want such an unstable person to be their party's nominee.

Social conservatives should realize that Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and the other so called conservative commentators are Christian haters and are not our friends. They have been using Christians for years to get our votes and sell their books. It's time to wake up and quit listening to them.

Posted by: Billy10 | Feb 4, 2008 5:02:06 PM

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