Dingy Harry: Fierce Partisan

RUSH: Ed in Knoxville, Tennessee, nice to have you, sir, on the EIB Network. Hello.

CALLER: Hi, Rush. It’s a privilege to talk to you.

RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much.

CALLER: I have a question regarding the leader of the Senate, Harry Reid.

RUSH: Yes?

CALLER: One thing I’ve noticed about him, and I noticed yesterday when you were playing clips of him at the minimum wage rally or whatever and he got up and spoke, and he was excited as I’ve ever heard him, and but yet he still kind of came across as this very kind of meek, mild-mannered guy, which he usually is. And his predecessor, Tom Daschle, it seems to me, was kind of cut from the same mold. In other words, I guess my question to you is, do you think there’s a concerted effort on the part of the Democratic Party to put forth someone who has that persona, kind of a Wally Cox-Mr. Rogers kind of impression that they make to diffuse —

RUSH: Yes.

CALLER: — the message or to soften the message?

RUSH: Yes, I think that’s part of strategery. But you have to understand how these guys end up being chosen leader, and it’s not because of that. They are chosen leader because they are the most partisan people in the Senate. Daschle was the most partisan Democrat in his day. George Mitchell was the most partisan man in Washington during his day, but he’s (Rare George Mitchell impression), ‘Uh, mild-mannered, and soft-spoken and very, uh, uh, intellectually competent.’ Daschle, that was a great example, and Dingy Harry is the same way. I think it’s a studied thing.

CALLER: (laughs)

RUSH: I’ll bet those guys yell plenty when they’re behind closed doors, and they speak up plenty. You’re right, but they are chosen because they are the most partisan people in the Senate that will take the gig.