Obama: “Limbaugh can play with himself”

In Zev Chefetz soon to be released book "Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One”, Chefetz tells of what happened when he asked Obama if he would play a round of golf with Rush Limbaugh.  

New York Post: When President Obama was asked if he would play a round of golf with his talk-radio nemesis Rush Limbaugh, the response, relayed by a top Democrat, was: "Limbaugh can play with himself." 

This is according to Zev Chafets in his new book, "Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One," due May 25 from Sentinel. 

The caustic comeback is another example of the verbal venom between the White House and the conservative radio star. In an interview with CBS News last month, Obama called the views spelled out by Limbaugh and Fox News Channel's Glenn Beck "troublesome." 

Chafets reports he encouraged Limbaugh to reach out to the president just after last July's "Beer Summit" that Obama hosted between Professor Henry Louis Gates and Sgt. Joseph Crowley, the Cambridge cop who arrested Gates after he locked himself out of his own home. 

"You guys are both golfers," Chafets told Limbaugh. "Would you play a round with the president and show the country that there are no hard feelings?" 

"He's the president of the United States," Limbaugh told Chafets. "If any president asked me to meet him, or play golf with him, I'd do it. But I promise you that will never happen. His base on the left would have a s--t-fit."

"How about letting me ask?" Chafets said.

"Go ahead," Limbaugh said. "Nothing will come of it."

Chafets writes that he reached out to Obama adviser David Axelrod, "whom I know slightly," but Axelrod didn't return calls. Then Chafets spoke to "a very senior Democratic activist with whom I'm friendly" who said he would convey the message.

A day or two later the adviser responded, "Limbaugh can play with himself." Chafets wouldn't name the aide or say whether the quote was directly from Obama. 

That is pretty terse for a campaign that sold itself on being post partisan. However, it is inline with some of Obama’s other veiled retorts. Remember those finger incidents or the lipstick on a pig remark? Which leads me to believe that it did actually come from Obama. Obama is pure a rank partisan who likes to pretend he is above petty squabbles and partisanship. From day one, this administration has been trying hard to take on conservative talk radio and Fox News (without much success I might add).

I can only imagine what the response would be if Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin ever reached out to the administration.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The New York Post

Via: The LA Times

Via: CNN

Limbaugh issues Code Red, Congressional House phones spike

Today Rush Limbaugh issued a Code Red for his listeners and almost immediately Congress’s phones and emails were hitting capacity.

Here is what Rush had told his listeners:

RUSH: Folks, you know, I very seldom -- as you well know for 21 years -- encourage phone calls and e-mails and letters to members of Congress.  The reason that I don't do it is that I never want the charge to be leveled that whatever response you gave was not genuine, that you had been talked into it or motivated and inspired or manipulated into doing it.  I think it is pedal-to-the-metal time, and even if you have been e-mailing and faxing and calling, I think it's time to intensify it.  You call the local offices. You call the Washington office of these people, the Democrats and so forth.  The Republicans are like Martians: They can't stop this.  The Martians couldn't stop it, the Republicans can't stop it. Not with votes. They don't have the votes to stop it, but you can.  The only reason we are where we are now is because of you, the American people.  That's the truth of the matter.  I normally don't do this, but time to throw down the gauntlet here and really ratchet it up, to go along with all the other pressure that is being brought to bear elsewhere throughout the rest of the media…. 

… The lines are busy. Some people are getting through and some people aren't, but what you can also do is Google "Code Red." Just put in "Code Red." Just search for it. You'll find a website link.  

The Hill reports the results of Rush’s call to arms was: 

"House phone lines were nearing capacity on Tuesday as conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh encouraged fans to call in their objections on healthcare legislation. 

The House e-mail system was also deluged in what the House’s technology office called “a very significant spike” in traffic. 

The office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) sent out a system-wide advisory to member offices at 2 p.m. Tuesday, warning them of the dramatic increase in traffic..."

“Our phone system is nearing capacity,” said Jeff Ventura, spokesman for the CAO. “It got critical enough whereby we notified all systems’ administrators throughout the House that the phone systems are overloading.” 

Good, consider it a dry run and let’s knock the stupid system out tomorrow. I know many of you feel that emailing and phoning does not work. For the most part you are right. However, just because they are not responding, doesn’t mean they are not aware of your displeasure. Melting the phone lines is a good reminder to on the fence Democrats that they are not operating inside a vacuum. It lets them know that there are angry people out there who expect to be heard. So, if you only have a few minutes each day, why not call the phone lines or dash off a nasty-gram? It is better than sitting around hoping for the best.

Here is the link to Code Red so if you have some free time, help melt the House phone lines.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Hill

Via: Rush Limbaugh

Via: Code Red