The Republican Party is at such a low point that Rush Limbaugh kicked them in the gut today by claiming that he is too big of a star to moderate the party’s 2016 presidential debates.
Transcript from Rush Limbaugh:
LIMBAUGH: I don’t see how I can do it. I’m too famous. This business about moderating Republican debates. Did you see that out there? There’s a suggestion that’s been made, a lot of people have made the suggestion. Cal Thomas has made it, that me and Sean Hannity and Mark Levin would moderate Republican primary debates. I think I’d overshadow it. I think I’m too famous. Be a tough call. It’d be a real, real, real tough call. (interruption) Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. It could get ratings, I mean there’s no question about that. It’s an idea that’s out there.
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Now, some people misunderstood and thought that it was moderating debates on mainstream TV networks. That would never happen. These would be debates that are strictly for a conservative Republican media and audience.
Limbaugh did let leak a little bit of the RNC plan for handling the primary debates. It appears that Chairman Priebus wants to move the debates off of all television networks, except Fox News, and hold the rest of the debates only on conservative media. I suspect that the plan was to hold “debates” on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, Sean Hannity’s radio show, Mark Levin’s radio show, etc. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Glenn Beck’s The Blaze TV hosting a debate, or any other off the beaten path conservative outlet.
Rush Limbaugh to too paranoid to ever moderate a debate on a media outlet that he doesn’t control, and there is zero chance that Fox News would ever let Limbaugh have center stage ahead of the talent on their own network. There is a less than zero chance that any other network would agree to let Limbaugh anywhere near any debate that they are televising. His Sandra Fluke comments put an end to that possibility. That said, I would not be surprised if this is part of the RNC’s plan for 2016. Priebus wants to get the debates off of every network that isn’t Fox News in the worst way.
Limbaugh’s refusal to moderate a debate shows just what a complete train wreck the Republican Party has become. It is clear that the conservative media is driving the Republican clown car. The RNC is completely inept and powerless, and now they have just been humiliated by a guy whose radio show might be dropped at the end of the year.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
