Rush vs. The Radicals

by Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: Yesterday, I noted that the dustup between Rush Limbaugh and the Republican Party was a “coordinated” effort that clearly benefits the Left. Today, there is proof, and it is more evidence that this White House has embraced “the politics of personal destruction,” as best defined by the “godfather” of radical politics, Saul Alinsky.

One of Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals,” (the title of his famous book), was, “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” A lengthy report from Politico notes the extent to which the Left has developed a strategy to “personalize and polarize” Rush Limbaugh as the face of the Republican Party, American conservatism and, thus, the “enemy.”

According to Politico, the plot was hatched by Democrat political hack James Carville in October 2008. With Newt Gingrich gone, Tom DeLay gone, George W. Bush gone, Obama in the White House and Democrats in control of Congress, the Left was desperate to find someone to demonize and blame for its mistakes, when its policies (like the subprime mortgage meltdown) ultimately fail.

When Rush made his “I hope he fails” statement, regarding Obama and his radical policies, the Left immediately swung into action. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and leftwing groups such as the Center for American Progress and Americans United for Change began running ads featuring Rush’s remarks and attacking Republicans. This weekend, the Obama White House started piling on, with Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel attacking Rush by name on CBS’s Face The Nation. Today, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe has an op-ed in the Washington Post criticizing Rush and the Republican Party.

All this anti-Limbaugh activity isn’t coincidental. Politico reports, “A senior White House aide has been tasked with helping to guide the Limbaugh strategy,” noting that independent groups and the Democrat National Committee are “driving the message, in close consultation with the White House.” While Rush is at the top of the White House’s “Enemies List,” he’s not alone. In recent weeks, White House spokesmen have attacked CNBC’s Rick Santelli and MSNBC’s Jim Cramer.

This is just one more manifestation of the Left’s totalitarian impulse – a dangerously disturbing pattern, whether it’s “hate crimes” laws, repealing conscience clause protections or the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” to intimidate, punish and silence dissent.

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