My Power to Pick the GOP Nominee

RUSH: I’ve had some e-mails about this, and I want to go back and review something I said in response to the caller who was chastising me — well, he wasn’t chastising me, but he was talking about my lack of support for the Congressman Ron Paul, who’s a presidential candidate. He pointed out something that I very rarely address, ladies and gentlemen, and very rarely acknowledge. It was a big moment in the history of this program. When this man said that I have the power to move the Republican base toward a nominee, we all know that’s true. I seldom acknowledge this because I’m very humble about it, and I do not use my forum here to exercise such power in those ways. The exercise of my, quote, unquote, ‘power,’ is not something I’m really conscious of on a daily basis, but it would be foolish and silly of me to deny that I possess it. The primary effort in the usage of my power is to educate and inform as many people as possible to get in the arena of ideas and actually go vote, because I believe in ideas, and ideas triumph — and when elections are won, I want them to be won on ideas, not labels and other things that are devoid of substance. This is a very responsible position that I must be cognizant of and use in a responsible manner, this kind of power, which is why it’s not first and foremost on my mind.

But I did want to make note that I, finally, have now acknowledged what everybody knows, and it is one of the reasons that I am the biggest target of the American left. It’s simply because of that power. This is a power, my friends, that could be used for good or evil. I choose to use it for good. ‘Did you really say that?’ Yes, I said it. ‘Did you really mean it?’ Yes, I meant it. It’s the elephant in the room. Why deny it? That would be false humility, and there’s nothing that grates on me more than a person that engages in false humility and tries to laugh it off. Some people consider it good manners, but you and I have always dealt with each other straight-up and honestly. I’m not going to sit here and deny what you all know. That would insult you — and insulting you, the people in this audience is the one thing that I don’t do.

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RUSH: Josh in Logan, Utah, thank you for waiting, sir, and welcome to the program.

CALLER: Thank you, Rush. Mega conservative dittos from beautiful northern Utah.

RUSH: Thank you, sir.

CALLER: Hey, I just have a quick comment. I had a little more respect for you today back when you were talking about your power in — you didn’t want to mention any candidate because you know it would just mean an absolute surge for them in the polls.

RUSH: Well, wait, wait, wait, wait! Whoa, whoa. That’s not quite what I said. I didn’t choose a candidate because I haven’t decided on one yet.

CALLER: Exactly. But what I’m saying is you recognized your power that, you know, if you were to say anything positive or negative, it has a lot of sway. I just wanted to compliment you on that. I came across a quote a couple years ago, and it hits you to a T. It said, ‘The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power and not abuse it.’

RUSH: I think that’s fitting in this circumstance. That’s brilliant that you remembered that. I think it’s perfectly fitting here. Well, this was a big event today, folks. Everybody has told me of the kind of power I have to move things, to be used for good and evil in this country.

CALLER: Exactly, and you recognize when you need to use it and when you need to use restraint. Nobody gives you credit for the restraint, which shows a huge amount of character.

RUSH: Well, the powerful don’t look for credit.

CALLER: Exactly, and you never do anything self-serving. I know, that’s what I call it —

RUSH: Gods do not answer mail.

CALLER: — you would never draw attention to it yourself.

RUSH: Well, you know, I answer mail. Don’t misunderstand that. People know I answer e-mail all the time. I was just trying to point out: people are always telling me that I have all this power, and I’ve always pooh-poohed it. I thought that’s insulting to the audience. False humility is not attractive. It’s not inspiring. It can turn people off, and it was a major thing for me to admit — and it came in a call from a Ron Paul supporter who was asking me to use my power in order to get his candidate some motion and movement in the campaign. So, yes. There’s no question I have, single-handedly, the ability to move things in this regard, but I’m not conscious of it each and every day. It’s not why I have this position, do this show, or have this job. But, it would be silly to deny my power, so I don’t anymore.

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