Conservative Republican David Frum on conservative Republican Rush Limbaugh in this week's Newsweek [but will they listen?]

Rush Limbaugh has been in the news a lot lately, and frankly, I don't mind it. The more he talks, the worse off the Republicans are. The more he pontificates, the more he alienates the voters that the party desperately needs to reach, namely women and independents.

And that's not just my opinion, noted conservative David Frum wrote a scathing cover story on Loud-mouth Limbaugh in this week's Newsweek. My subscription paid for itself this week with that one article. It's a searing indictment which makes it all the more delicious to read, but at the same time, I kind of wish he'd kept his mouth shut.

See, even though Republicans see themselves as essentially "leaderless" (Rasmussen) and several other recent polls show that Americans (Democratic, Republican, and especially 41% of Independents [Frum]) view Rush negatively, and even though he is widely regarded as party "kryptonite," in the absence of real leadership, Rush's defacto (and dare I say "Napoleonic") leadership gives the GOP something to cling to. Clinging to sexism, racism, and general assholery is better than nothing, right?

If Republicans start figuring out that Rush is no good for the party, then where will we Democrats be? So zip it, David Frum, wouldya?

According to Frum, "Limbaugh's language is not that of politics. It's the language of a cult." Strong words from a respected conservative, but Frum doesn't stop there. He adds:

...if we allow ourselves to be overidentified with somebody who earns his fortune by giving offense, they (Americans) will vote against us..conservatives need every resource of mind and heart, every good argument, every creative alternative and every bit of compassionate sympathy (emphases mine) for the distress that is pushing Americans in the wrong direction. Instead we are accepting the leadership of a man with an ego-driven agenda of his own, who looms largest when his causes fare worst.

Ouch.

As a Democrat, Frum's words make absolute sense to me. After losing the election, you'd think Republicans would want to take a few giant steps back, have a good, hard look at what went wrong, get rid of the status quo, and begin moving ahead with a fresh take on things. I do see that happening on a very small scale, but by and large, the same blowhards are still blowing hard. Michael Steele, Pro-Choice Michael Steele just might be his party's brightest hope, but Republicans will probably just lay down and let Rush drive him right out of his job.

But it's not my place to stop it. Or Rush. In fact, quite the opposite. I hope the Limbaughs and the Malkins and the Ingrahams keep doing what they are doing. As long as they continue horrifying the voters that conservatives need to reach, I'm a happy liberal camper.

So keep on keepin' on, Rush. Go on witchyo bad seff! Don't listen to Frum, what does he know anyway? As much as it pains me to keep my mouth shut, you won't ever hear me calling for you to step aside.

MOMocrats co-founder Stefania Pomponi Butler has been taking a little break from political blogging but thinks now's as good a time as any to jump back into it.