Lemmings in an Era of Individuality: Limbaugh, Coulter, Colbert, Colmes, Stewart

Is there a Limbaugh factor? I could not say. I avoid all talk radio. The liberals and conservatives alike are filled with gassy self-righteousness. Some try to be funny, others are so serious that only bran cereal will fix their problem.

Rush Limbaugh, maybe the best known of all political radio hosts, is smart, but his agenda is not about focused, objective analysis. He is all about being against whatever the Democrats are scooping. One recent campaign was to cause chaos in the Dems primaries, to skew the numbers by convincing Republicans to vote Dem, then switch back. This isn't playing fair, but it is legal.

Easy toss out arguments against Limbaugh influence, "He's been busted for drugs," "He's arrogant," "He's conservative and stupid." Sorry, that just means you dislike him. Just like when Bill Clinton was playing with Monica Lewinsky's cigar, people ignore personal lifestyle choices.

A few days ago, I asked about which celebrity bamboozled you into voting for their guy. The most notable celebs to announce were not Republicans, but two very wealthy Hollywood Democrats.

Say what you will about extremist right-winger Limbaugh using his celebrity voice to influence to impact an election. Look at the highly publicized Jack Nicholson and Tom Hanks endorsements.

We are lemmings.

The Limbaugh Factor (story paste from the Washington Post). Interesting thoughts.

Our Readers Who Comment have also expressed special interest (or disgust) with a story that asked if conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" -- in which he urged Republicans to vote for Clinton in the Democratic primary -- actually held down Obama's totals. Limbaugh called off the operation yesterday, Alec MacGillis and Peter Slevin report, saying he wants Obama to be the party's pick, because "I now believe he would be the weakest of the Democrat nominees."

Limbaugh is a polarizing figure and has supporters in the comment string today, but most of those who bothered to write are not fans; many remind us that Limbaugh has had drug abuse problems, and several wonder if my colleagues at WaPo have lost their way in even bothering with the story, which I really liked.

Barack Obama Disses His Own Party's Candidate's Supporters

"I have no doubt that I can get the people who vote for Senator Clinton. ... It's not clear that Senator Clinton can get all the people I'm getting," Barack Obama said.

It comes down for Democrats, according then to Obama whether or not voters are motivated by issues, or by Hillary Clinton. Issue voters, he is implying, with go to him, and not vice versa. She will not get Obama supporters.

That's a bold claim, and it might be true. It likewise suggests against Obama that his supporters are fickle about issues, willing to support him but not her, meaning they prefer Republican stands on issues (Iraq, gun control, prolife and so forth).

In other words, in a strange way, Barack Obama thinks his supporters will be like the way Anne Coulter views Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney supporters. She says she'll back Hillary Clinton rather than John McCain.

No one votes for anyone's issues anymore. They either vote against someone, or for someone's image.

Go figure. I'm lost.

Cindy 'Pizza Mom' Sheehan Protests Rose Bowl, Hits on George Bush

At great odds with the aggressive style of football between two of America's top universities, Cindy Sheehan has joined a throng of anti-footballians to protest this year's Rose Bowl.

Tournament of Roses President CL Keedy responded to Pizza Mom Sheehan by saying, "Her own son played football, but was tackled. Sad? We think so too. This America's great sport of warriors, and he was not much on the field. We understand he was cut from the practice team in junior high. Humiliating? Yes, but football is not for bench warmers."

Sheehan argued that if she could just meet with Keedy, she could explain to him to errors of football. She camped out for a few weeks in front of his office, but Keedy wasn't there. He was watching the Rose Bowl cheerleaders in his 'secret place'.

"If controversy like this diminishes the positive impact of the Rose Parade, it would be of concern," Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard said. He continued, "But who is kidding who here is Cindy. We know she's just trying to scare up some tickets any way she can. Her bookie suggested if she was at the game, the other team, the one she is betting against, might lose."

Anne Coulter piped in, "Cindy can have my tickets. The University of Illinois has asked me to suit up, and those liberal University of Southern California Trojans are a bunch of pansies. I'm a Fighting Illini now, baby."

George Bush was asked about his thoughts of Cindy's participation in this protest.

"Cindy and me. We go way back. Not as far back as Bill and Monica, but she wanted to jump my bones back at Crawford, TX," said George.

"See, now, Laura and I aren't into that kind of thing. Just because Jenna and Barbara are living on the wild side doesn't mean Laura and me swing that way. We're United Methodists, you know, and we're conservative.

"But, hey, I'm a compassionate conservative. I think my buddy Dick Cheney is around, and he's said he thinks Cindy's pretty hot. He's into wrinkly mommas."

Anti-war and human rights activists to protest at Rose parade

Rose Parade

Anne Coulter: Doth the Dems Protest Too Much?

Anne Coulter, the bane of all things liberal, or so she thinks, is not known for her great diplomatic gestures.

• Sweet speaking? No.
• Kind? No.
• Ogled by middle-aged liberals and conservatives alike? Yes.
• Good or bad for the Republicans? Dunno.

That's the question. Is she bad for Republicans? I used to think yes. Then, non-candidate John Edwards got on the anti-Anne Coulter bandwagon. As I see it, given Edwards is among the most liberal Democrats, his interest validates Coulter to Republicans.

This does not make Coulter right in her approach or ideas, just as her ideas are not by default wrong just because she hates liberals. It does mean that John Edwards campaign is desperate for votes, and used Coulter to stir up interest.

As Democrats go, I contend this is still a Hillary Clinton race, with a strong second by Barack Obama. The support is there, the money is there, the media is there. Edwards is about as important as when Alan Keyes ran against Obama in illinois -- lots of noise, but not a chance.

John Edwards is, ironically, helping Republicans. As he is now sitting the chair of the third person in a two-person race, money that could go to supporting Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton, is lining his coffers. Wasting money does no candidate any good, but, to those investing foolishly in Edwards, voters are the ones really losing. What does Anne Coulter get? Infamy, book sales, and the capacity to stir money from Obama to Edwards. She's the victor.

What if the vote was Anne Coulter against John Edwards? Who would win?