RUSH: Audio sound bite time, Meet the Press, their panel yesterday totally in the tank for Barack Obama. Here’s Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post.
ROBINSON: Obama is a winner this week because he got through a huge, complicated, almost $800 billion spending rescue bill in record time. This doesn’t happen in Washington. And — and, you know, sure, the beginning of an administration is the time when you really want to spend some political capital and — and — and — and those chips, but, wow.
RUSH: Eugene, do you have the slightest idea what’s in this? Eugene, did you read it? Obama won? What about America? Did America win here, Eugene, or does that not matter to you people in the media anymore? It only matters that Obama won, right? Screw the American people. As long as Obama wins and the Republican Party loses, you’re happy, right, Eugene, and the rest of you guys in the media? Did America win? Did you read this? Eugene, I’m going to throw this out today like I threw it out Friday. Would somebody in the Drive-By Media, would somebody call here or call the office and speak to H.R., if you don’t want to get through on the air. I can understand that. Would one of you take your own initiative, I don’t want to call, take your own initiative and tell me why it is so important that this bill pass because it’s Obama’s? Would somebody tell me why it is so crucial that this thing pass last Friday and get signed into law tomorrow? And if it’s so crucial, how come he didn’t sign it Friday night while leaving to Chicago for a date with (My Belle) Michelle on Saturday night?
He can sign these things anywhere, if it’s such a catastrophe, such a crisis. Hell, the country could have gone bankrupt, Saturday, Sunday, could happen today. The bill wouldn’t be signed to save us. But, Eugene, do you even know what’s in this? Did you read it? Or are you just marveling that Obama got something done faster than anybody else ever has? What if it’s no good, Eugene, what if it’s bad for the country? Or is that not possible since Obama’s behind it? I wish somebody in the Drive-Bys would tell me what is it about Obama that this thing had to pass without anybody knowing what it is. It was more important that it pass regardless what anybody knew its contents were, it had to pass, it had to pass, it could not fail. Why? What is the big deal about Obama that makes this manifest? Here is Ronald Brownstein, Atlantic Media. He used to be at the LA times before they started the cutbacks. Ron Brownstein said this about the deal.
BROWNSTEIN: The magnitude of — this bill was a presidency in a box. He achieved more of his aims in this single legislation than many presidents will achieve in an entire term. I mean there’s more new net public investment here on things the Democrats consider essential for long-term growth like education, scientific research, alternative energy, than Bill Clinton was able to achieve in two terms.
RUSH: Baby, you know they’re in the tank when they tell us that one boondoggle of a debacle piece of legislation was more than Clinton got done in two terms. I ask the same question of Mr. Brownstein: Have you read this? Do you know what’s in it? Do you know how it destroys welfare reform? Do you know how it adds to the welfare rolls? Do you know how it creates dependency? Do you know that it nationalizes or sets up the bureaucracy to nationalize health care? What is this rigmarole, net public investment on things the Democrats consider essential for long-term growth? Yes, of their party. See, Mr. Brownstein, you’re correct when you say Democrats consider essential for long-term growth, but you stop there. Education, scientific research, alternative energy. They are looking for long-term growth of their party and their power. And finally, here is Roger Simon from The Politico.
SIMON: I don’t think it was such a bad thing for President Obama to reach out his hands to the Republicans and have those hands slapped away. Here’s a party shattered after two congressional elections in a row whose only unifying principle is that they’re against Obama. In the end, that’s not a winning hand for the Republicans. President Obama is being seen to get things done. Now, if those things succeed and that’s a big ‘if,’ that’s huge victory for him and a huge defeat for the Republicans who turned their backs on it.
RUSH: Oh, you still lamenting and worrying that the Republicans aren’t part of the deal, eh, Rodge? Big ‘if’ if this succeeds, huh? Big ‘if’? Huge victory for Obama, huge defeat for Republicans. By the way, Mr. Simon — and Mr. Simon’s been fair to me and this program over the years in his commentary. I’d like to return the favor. We’re not against Obama. We’re against what Obama stands for. We support the president. We just don’t support any of these policies, or very, very few of them. They are horrible. They are a disaster. I can’t speak for the Republican Party, but we conservatives stand for ideas and core principles. We just don’t abandon them because we are pressured by our opponents to get along, for the sake of a new president. Why? What is so important, Mr. Simon, that this guy succeed? Especially if we don’t think it’s good for the country? We’re not gonna park our principles at the door, check ’em at the door and then walk in to the party. It’s a mistake in understanding for the Drive-Bys to think that our only unifying principle is that we’re against Obama. We’re against Obama for reasons.