"Criticizing Rush Limbaugh: Over the Line?"

[GreenPartyVoter]

Source: TIME

Sooner or later, most presidential administrations make some version of the Sun King's mistake. "L'etat c'est moi," Louis XIV of France is said to have declared - "I am the state." To criticize the man becomes downright unpatriotic.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs crept up to that line - even put his toe over - as he tried to capitalize on the anti-Obama declarations of talk-show behemoth Rush Limbaugh. In January, and again at a recent gathering of conservatives in Washington, Limbaugh pointedly declared that he hopes for the failure of Obama's economic proposals. (See 25 people to blame for the financial crisis.)

Limbaugh is hardly the only American with doubts about Obama's economics. A new poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News found that even in a country largely supportive of Obama, most voters remain skeptical that his stimulus plans will do much good. Nevertheless, Democrats scampered to make Limbaugh the new mascot of the GOP, and thus link the word "conservative" with the word "failure." Gibbs urged reporters to ask if all Republicans "want to see the President's economic agenda fail?" Michael Steele, the new party chairman, rushed to say no. Limbaugh, Steele said, is "an entertainer" given to "incendiary" and "ugly" overstatements. Like other GOP leaders who have tried to dismiss the broadcaster, however, Steele soon felt obliged to apologize to the man with the 20 million listeners.

Back to Gibbs. His Sun King moment came when he construed Limbaugh's opposition as "wishing and hoping for economic failure in this country." Certainly, it's tricky to find the line between President and nation, especially in a time of crisis. And Limbaugh's defense - "What's so strange about being honest?" - was not exactly in tune with his reactions to Democratic critics of George W. Bush. (See George W. Bush's biggest economic mistakes.)

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090304/us_time/08599188303200

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What a ridiculous article. This writer goes so far out of his way to make Obama and the Dems look bad. "Scampered" is hardly a word to be used with adults, let alone the people who are running the country. :eyes:

Editing to say of course I think we should be allowed to criticize presidents but a) I don't see that as being the issue in what was being said from the Obama team and b) where was this guy when **co made themselves untouchable?

[ananda]

1. What line can you go over in criticizing Limbaughtomy?

Is there any line that Limbaugh hasn't
crossed yet?

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Seriously, he's been over so many lines over the years and he gets away with it every time.

[melm00se]

7. I am not a fan

of Limbaugh's but the article has a point:

At what point does criticism by an administration cross the line and become viewed as attempts (veiled or overt) to use it's power to silence a critic and thus a 1st amendment violation?

Let's not be in such a rush (no pun intended) to minimize Limbaugh that the rights spelled out in the Constitution get trampled.

[KnaveRupe]

9. Load of bunk.

When nearly the entire US government (Executive & Legislative, Democratic and Republican alike) condemned MoveOn.org for the "General Betray-us" ad, nobody was denied their constitutional rights.

MoveOn continued to speak loudly. I'm sure OxyContin boy will do the same, no matter WHAT Gibbs says at the podium.

I'm happy to see the Obama administration willing to stand up to thugs like Limbaugh. If the Clintons had called some of these jackasses out by name (rather than alluding to the "vast right-wing conspiracy"), we might have been spared the last 8 years.

[treestar]

13. They cannot 'silence' the comedian

He keep blowing his hot air as he has for the past 20 years or more!

[caraher]

22. Nowhere near this point.

There is less than zero evidence of any move to silence the man. All of this is perfectly normal politics - talk, just talk, about who says what and represents whom. Where is any government coercion whatsoever?

This was the most absurd article I've seen in quite some time, ginning up a bogus concern out of some pretty mild political speech. When Obama starts having intelligence services spy on Rush, infiltrates conservative political groups with federal agents or engages in other genuine abuses we've seen in the previous administration we can start talking sanely about "crossing a line."

[sharp_stick]

2. David von what's his name

He's one of the reasons I cancelled a 12 year subscription to that magazine. They've been whoring for the lowest common denominator of puke press for quite awhile now. I think the straw that broke the camels back was the fawning article written by John Cloud about Ann Coulter.

I used to really enjoy reading Time but something happened to them around the time the rest of the media was finding it's spine and starting to criticize the boy king and his misadministration around 2006. They seemed to sense an opening in the RW fundie nutjob crowd and ran for it.

[madmom]

4. Ah, their trying to "shame" us into apologizing, not gonna happen.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

5. I like what Robert Gibbs is doing.

He's playing Rush and prominent Republicans off each other. By increasing the rancor, he'll decrease their unity and hopefully make it a bit easier to pass some progressive legislation.

[creeksneakers2]

6. What a punk!

He should read what Limbaugh has to say about Time Magazine. Limbaugh is out to destroy mainstream media while mainstream media protects him and even praises him. Sick.

[noiretextatique]

8. truly, an idiotic article

How in the hell do you start with this:

"In January, and again at a recent gathering of conservatives in Washington, Limbaugh pointedly declared that he hopes for the failure of Obama's economic proposals. (See 25 people to blame for the financial crisis.)"


And conclude this:

"Limbaugh is hardly the only American with doubts about Obama's economics. A new poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News found that even in a country largely supportive of Obama, most voters remain skeptical that his stimulus plans will do much good."

:hurts:

[SemperEadem]

10. what's up with this "Lèse majesté" BS?

is Limpballs king of America? Have we done away with our republic and have turned into a monarchy and limpnutz is king?

There should be no one in elected office who should be bowing down to and asking forgiveness of anyone except We the People.

[MGKrebs]

11. Well, it's not exactly "Obama's" economic plan anymore.

It's been passed by Congress and is the law of the land now, so Limbaugh's opposition really is "wishing and hoping for economic failure".

[GinaMaria]

12. I kinda feel bad for Steele.

Who is he trying to convince with this? "an entertainer" given to "incendiary" and "ugly" overstatements'

Keep telling yourself that Steele. Maybe you can convince yourself you are really in charge and not just a figure head. It's clear who runs the show over there and it's not Steele.

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. I don't feel all that bad for him. He threw his lot in with them.

[DearAbby]

15. We have been saying since his appointment

He was just window dressing, his recent public castration, proved we were right. I wonder if Steele feels badly used?

[guruoo]

16. The perfect storm

[katty]

17. limpballs is a certifiable psycho-addict, Docta Rush

of the GOP

[Rebel Scum]

18. As Bob Dylan once said....

(in Don't look Back) "I don't need Time Magazine."

You can't criticize Limpballs enough, IMO.

[classysassy]

19. Twenty millions

dittoheads listening to their radios,bet most of them are on wellfare.

[ShortnFiery]

20. Or living in momma's basement. n/t

[ggould1]

21. Obama didn't start this, Limbaugh did.