In defense of Rush: RNC Chair Steele did him wrong in degrading him as an entertainer; Obama 's Socialist push is fueling Rush's popularity

For every other radio talk show hothead, I'd call them entertainers.

Rush Limbaugh is not. He has a solid political following. They listen each day. He was feted on Capitol Hill after the 1994 elections that swept in a GOP majority in the House. The guy has clout and power to affect even primaries, as he did in Indiana and delivering it to Hillary Clinton.

So new RNC chair Michael Steele, who already has proven himself to be ridiculous in his rhetoric, chose to take down Limbaugh on the worst show on cable TV. D.L. Hughley's program on CNN is an embarrassment, and I wrote as much on my blog. I watched the first one. That was all I could take.

Let's roll the videotape and then get Limbaugh's response:

HUGHLEY: Rush Limbaugh, who is the de facto leader of the Republican Party --

STEELE: No, he's not.

HUGHLEY: Well, I'll tell you what, I've never --

STEELE: I'm the de facto leader of the Republican Party.

HUGHLEY: Then you know what? Then I can appreciate that, but no -- no one will -- will actually pry down some of the things he says, like when he comes out and says that he wants the president to fail, I understand he wants liberalism to fail.

STEELE: How is that any different than what was said about George Bush during his presidency? Let's put it into context here. Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh, the whole thing is entertainment. Yes, it's incendiary, yes, it's ugly --


RUSH: Okay, so I am an entertainer, and I have 20 million listeners, 22 million listeners because of my great song-and-dance routines here. Yes, said Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, I'm incendiary, and yes, it's ugly. Michael Steele, you are head of the RNC. You are not head of the Republican Party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the RNC and right now they want nothing to do with it, and when you call them asking them for money, they hang up on you. I hope that changes. I hope the RNC will get its act together. I hope the RNC chairman will realize he's not a talking head pundit, that he is supposed to be working on the grassroots and rebuilding it, and maybe doing something about our open primary system and fixing it so that Democrats do not nominate our candidates. It's time, Mr. Steele, for you to go behind the scenes and start doing the work that you were elected to do instead of trying to be some talking head media star, which you're having a tough time pulling off. I hope you figure out how to run a primary system. But it seems to me that it's Michael Steele who is off to a shaky start.

Limbaugh is right. And Steele is peeved because the Left Wing media is trying to portray Limbaugh as the head of the Republican Party.

The intent of this media push is to portray Republicans as folks who can be led around by the nose with a radio microphone. That is not the case.

Yes, the GOP is looking for a leader to rally around. There is no one out there. And Gov. Jindahl with his leisure look and walk made the GOP look like a bunch of pansies with his response to the State of the Union.

Limbaugh is liked because he is red-meat strong and sure in his presentation. Obama is being the same for his party. Until Republicans find someone to step forward, Limbaugh will be leading the Right.

Now I don't care for him. But you have to respect his clout and the truth that Obama's bumbling has made more Americans receptive to his message. And Steele wronged him, and subsequently apologized for it.