Bush’s Base Cannot Hear Criticism of Limbaugh
Posted by
Kevin
As has been pointed out, Limbaugh has sunk to new lows, offering up excuses for the torture of Iraqi prisoners. Well, apparently, the Bush Campaign cannot risk offending his listeners
Q: Scott, there’s a segment of society that differs with the White House as it relates to these pictures and the investigation of the U.S. soldiers’ conduct to include Rush Limbaugh who, Tuesday, agreed with the caller, equating the pictures to a college fraternity prank, and said the U.S. soldiers should not be punished because it was an emotional release as they were letting off steam. What’s the White House say about that?
MR. McCLELLAN: April, I think the White House says what we said yesterday and what the President has said over the last few days.
Q: No, but Scott — no, seriously. This man is a conservative —
MR. McCLELLAN: And I actually got asked a question earlier today about that matter.
Q: But none —
MR. McCLELLAN: And I addressed it then.
Q: But if you stand out strongly trying to let the Arab world know that this is wrong and then you have the proverbial spokesperson for the conservative party saying this, doesn’t that send a mixed message?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President’s views have been very — have been made very clear.
McClellan slithers enough to make an epileptic snake look stationary. He is obviously trying to walk a very fine line: to appear to be neither endorsing Rush’s views or rejecting them. A simple straightforward “The President thinks torture is wrong and anyone who defends what happened is wrong as well.” would have ended this line of questioning. But, of course, that would have angered Rush and his listeners. Apparently, Bush and Rove have decided that they need the support of people who say things like this:
LIMBAUGH: Exactly. Exactly my point! This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation and we’re going to ruin people’s lives over it and we’re going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them because they had a good time. You know, these people are being fired at every day. I’m talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You of heard of need to blow some steam off?
in response to things like this:
(U) In addition, several detainees also described the following acts of abuse, which under the circumstances, I find credible based on the clarity of their statements and supporting evidence provided by other witnesses (ANNEX 26):
a. (U) Breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees;
b. (U) Threatening detainees with a charged 9mm pistol;
c. (U) Pouring cold water on naked detainees;
d. (U) Beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair;
e. (U) Threatening male detainees with rape;
f. (U) Allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after being slammed against the wall in his cell;
g. (U) Sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps a broom stick.
h. (U) Using military working dogs to frighten and intimidate detainees with threats of attack, and in one instance actually biting a detainee.
9. (U) I have carefully considered the statements provided by the following detainees, which under the circumstances I find credible based on the clarity of their statements and supporting evidence provided by other witnesses:
You can judge a man by the company he keeps — and George W. Bush certainly keeps some disgusting company.
Interesting point. Of course, I come for the liberal politics and stay for the epileptic snake references.
Comment 5/10/2004
of course they’re not gonna alieanate el-Rushbo. why, wasn’t VP Duracell on Rush’s show in an attempt to spin Clarke’s book not that long ago?
seems to me, you anger Rush Gasbag, you lose the base, at which point Rove and Dubya are toast.
Comment 5/10/2004