Special Inauguration Week BOW Award
I'm still not ready to return to the full-length BOW (Buffoon Of the Week) Award entries I was posting during the political campaign. But I did want to give out this special Inauguration Week BOW Award, because it seems so richly deserved.
No, I'm not giving it to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, for his mangling of the Presidential Oath on Tuesday, though I could. Nor am I giving it to Vice President Joe Biden, for his ill-advised joke about the Chief Justice which seemed to annoy President Barack Obama (first time I've typed that -- I like it!) so much the following day, though I could.
Instead, this BOW Award goes to America's number one talk radio clown, Rush Limbaugh, for announcing to the world that he hopes Obama fails as President. Limbaugh was asked by "a major American print publication" for a 400 word essay on his "hopes for an Obama Presidency."
Here's his exact reply:
So I’m thinking of replying to the guy, “Okay, I’ll send you a response, but I don’t need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails.” ... See, here’s the point. Everybody thinks it’s outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, “Oh, you can’t do that.” Why not? Why is it any different, what’s new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don’t care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: “Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.” Somebody’s gotta say it.
First off, who knew that liberalism was responsible for all that's gone wrong in the last eight years? And here I thought George Bush and the Republican leaders of Congress for most of the last decade were conservatives. Silly me. Second, this is the same guy who just two years ago said, with respect to people on the left who he perceived as rooting for George Bush's failure, "I’m getting so sick and tired of people rooting for the defeat of the good guys." For the record, I never wished for George Bush to fail. I never wanted American soldiers to die in Iraq because of his misguided policies. I never rooted for the economy to tank, costing millions of Americans their homes and their jobs. Mr. Bush managed to preside over all these things without encouragement from me, without any of us rooting for him to fail. Was I an enthusiastic supporter? Never. Did I support him in the aftermath of 9/11, when for one brief, shining moment he actually expressed the mood of the nation and seemed to be responding responsibly? Yes, I did. Then he attacked Iraq.
If Rush wants to root for Obama's failure, that's fine. Right-wing ideologues have been marginalized already. By publicly calling for the failure of a new President with 75% approval ratings, in a time when people are truly suffering, Rush furthers that process, and makes it clear to all just what a buffoon he is. And so this week, he wins the BOW Award. Take a BOW there Rush; you've earned it. And then see if you can get the other foot in your mouth, too. Maybe that will shut you up for a while....
No, I'm not giving it to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, for his mangling of the Presidential Oath on Tuesday, though I could. Nor am I giving it to Vice President Joe Biden, for his ill-advised joke about the Chief Justice which seemed to annoy President Barack Obama (first time I've typed that -- I like it!) so much the following day, though I could.
Instead, this BOW Award goes to America's number one talk radio clown, Rush Limbaugh, for announcing to the world that he hopes Obama fails as President. Limbaugh was asked by "a major American print publication" for a 400 word essay on his "hopes for an Obama Presidency."
Here's his exact reply:
So I’m thinking of replying to the guy, “Okay, I’ll send you a response, but I don’t need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails.” ... See, here’s the point. Everybody thinks it’s outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, “Oh, you can’t do that.” Why not? Why is it any different, what’s new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what’s gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don’t care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: “Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails.” Somebody’s gotta say it.
First off, who knew that liberalism was responsible for all that's gone wrong in the last eight years? And here I thought George Bush and the Republican leaders of Congress for most of the last decade were conservatives. Silly me. Second, this is the same guy who just two years ago said, with respect to people on the left who he perceived as rooting for George Bush's failure, "I’m getting so sick and tired of people rooting for the defeat of the good guys." For the record, I never wished for George Bush to fail. I never wanted American soldiers to die in Iraq because of his misguided policies. I never rooted for the economy to tank, costing millions of Americans their homes and their jobs. Mr. Bush managed to preside over all these things without encouragement from me, without any of us rooting for him to fail. Was I an enthusiastic supporter? Never. Did I support him in the aftermath of 9/11, when for one brief, shining moment he actually expressed the mood of the nation and seemed to be responding responsibly? Yes, I did. Then he attacked Iraq.
If Rush wants to root for Obama's failure, that's fine. Right-wing ideologues have been marginalized already. By publicly calling for the failure of a new President with 75% approval ratings, in a time when people are truly suffering, Rush furthers that process, and makes it clear to all just what a buffoon he is. And so this week, he wins the BOW Award. Take a BOW there Rush; you've earned it. And then see if you can get the other foot in your mouth, too. Maybe that will shut you up for a while....