Colbert King, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post, referred to Rush Limbaugh recently on PBS's "Inside Washington" as "the Taliban wing of the Republican Party who is urging... the party in Washington to say 'no,'... to be the party of 'no.'"
Limbaugh's rebuttal this past week is a vintage demonstration of his moxy:
"I know it's pointless to try to educate these people inside the Beltway, especially Democrats and columnists, but what in the world is there to want to compromise with this administration on? This administration's destroying the private sector on purpose. This administration is trying to take over one-sixth of the US economy. And, by the way, I'm talking about health care, and one thing we need to keep pounding and reminding everybody, Obama's health care proposals are not intended to help the people. They are intended to help the Democrat Party, and that's why Obama keeps pushing it. ...
"You know, let me ask you something, Colby. You think your real enemy is us? The real enemy is the real Taliban and the real Al-Qaeda, and it would be nice if people like you had a little bit more serious take on them than political opponents who simply support capitalism, freedom, and liberty and see no reason to compromise with people who don't believe in any of that. Where is the compromise between right and wrong? Where's the compromise between good and evil? If I believe in liberty, free market capitalism and all that, where is there any area of compromise with this administration? If I think the federal government has no business running health care to any greater extent than they already do, why should I entertain any bit of compromise with them, why should I accept their premise, Colby? I disagree with every premise. ...
"We're here to defeat them. We're here to politically defeat them and see to it their agenda does not succeed. And when was the last time, Colby, you asked the Democrats to compromise with me? When's the last time you asked the Democrats to compromise with Newt Gingrich or George W. Bush? You guys have this one-way street, you have this august view of yourselves as in power in perpetuity, as a birthright and we're just a bunch of little ankle biters knocking around bugging you people, a bunch of Chihuahuas and we gotta start healing, 'Yes master.' We gotta run around and when you say sit we sit, when you say heel we heel, when you say lay down we lay down. It ain't that way Colby. There's nothing to compromise with here. Zilch, zero. ...
"You know, back in the old days, Colby, your job as a columnist -- as an esteemed member of the fourth estate or the fifth column -- was to be critical of people who have real power: The government. Colby, no matter what I believe I can't change your life at all. I may make you miserable, but I can't raise your taxes, I can't send your kids off to war, and I can't take away your health care. You guys used to criticize government. Now you criticize the critics. Stop and think of that. You're out there criticizing the critics. I mean, I'm honored to be a target. I enjoy it."
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