25 seconds ago 2009-11-27T20:10:45-08:00
It's been a confrontational week in politics -- gauntlets thrown down, threats issued, dueling speeches -- and it's only Wednesday.
Don't say it: Conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has issued a unique challenge to cable network MSNBC. On his radio show Tuesday, the ever-modest Limbaugh said that the cable network is trying to "build its ratings on my back." From his website:
"I challenge you, MSNBC! Thirty days without anything mentioning me. No video of me, no guests commenting on me. See if you can do it ... Let's see if you can do Rush withdrawal. Let's see if you can run your little TV network for 30 days without doing a single story on me, and then let's take a look at your ratings during those 30 days and see what happens.
Since the election, Limbaugh has emerged as the defacto "voice" of the GOP — or at least, the loudest one. In January, Limbaugh made his infamous "I hope Obama fails" comment, and was featured in a Vanity Fair article titled "The Man Who Ate the GOP." Earlier this month, Limbaugh took aim at former Secretary of State Colin Powell, telling him to "become a Democrat, instead of claiming to be a Republican." Cheney joined the fray, remarking (on Limbaugh's radio show, of all places):
" ... my take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn't know he was still a Republican."
Powell fired back at Cheney and Limbaugh last night, telling an audience in Boston that there was room for him in "another version of the Republican Party waiting to emerge once again."
Rush, being Rush, responded on his show Wednesday, saying "The only thing emerging here is Colin Powell's ego. Colin Powell represents the stale, the old, the worn-out GOP that never won anything." Ball's in your court, Colin.
Our prediction: A draw. If MSNBC takes Limbaugh's challenge, everyone will be watching the "little TV network" to see if it's keeping its promise; ratings will rise and both sides will get a whole lot of free publicity. Done and done.
This is not American Idol: Michael Steele, the outspoken new leader of the RNC, is never lacking for a snappy sound bite. Steele spoke to state party leaders this week, telling them it was time to take on President Obama. From AP:
"He's young. He's cool. He's hip ... he's got all the qualities America likes in a celebrity, so of course he's going to be popular ... but this is not American Idol. This is serious ... and we are going to take them on."
But even while Steele is trying to unite Republicans in going after Obama, he's facing opposition within his own party. Fox News reports that Steele is threatening to "step aside" if RNC committee members vote to take away his authority to manage RNC funds.
Now, where did I put that? The New York Times reports that an external hard drive containing "a huge quantity of personal information" from the Clinton Administration has gone missing from the National Archives. Some of the information on the hard drive includes: Social Security numbers and addresses of White House employees, Secret Service procedures and personal information about one of former Vice President Al Gore's daughters.
He said, he said: On Thursday, President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney will be giving dueling speeches on national security. Cheney's speech, which was planned several weeks ago, will be held at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, reports Politico. Cheney has been in the media spotlight recently, defending Bush-era interrogations and criticizing Obama's anti-terror policies.
The theme of Obama's speech will be the closing of Guantanamo Bay, and advisors say the speech will be more of an "effort to describe and defend his policies and the political and intellectual assumptions behind them." Today, the Senate broke with Obama, voted 90-6 to block $80 million in funding to close Guantanamo and transfer detainees to the U.S.
- Lili Ladaga
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