RUSH: What did I tell you, cut 16? You’ve got to hear this. This is ruling class member David Frum who… (sigh) What would be the most descriptive and honest way to describe David Frum? David 
Frum remains a guest on Democrat talk shows because he wrote a phrase for a George Bush speech during the first term. It is said that David Frum came up with the slogan ‘axis of evil.’ So David Frum wrote three words, and for that he has guest emeritus status. Well, that plus he frequently rips conservatives. He’s from the ‘Reagan is over’ crowd, the ‘era of Reagan is over’ crowd. So he was on a television network not to be named last night, and he was asked about something that Newt Gingrich said. It doesn’t really matter what he was asked. It’s his answer. Basically the question was: ‘What do you think is Gingrich’s consideration here? Is he trying to get an edge on a possible rival?’
FRUM: I do think that there is a lot of concern in senior levels of the Republican Party. People in that kind of orbit are worried about the down-ballot effect of a Palin candidacy. 2012 is shaping up to be a very good year for Republicans in senatorial races. It maybe in the Republican interest to have 2012 be a rather lower-intensity year rather than a higher-intensity year. If it’s a lower-intensity year, you’re gonna lose the presidency anyway, but your more educated, older, more affluent voters are coming out as a bigger part of the electorate then you can have even bigger gains in the Senate.
RUSH: That, by the way, in tone is the ‘new civility.’ That is ruling class-speak. But what he’s saying here is that establishment Republicans, if Palin’s anywhere near the presidential candidacy — if she’s anywhere near this run — that that’s just too divisive to try to beat Obama in 2012. They may as well just cede the presidential election in 2012 and try to pick up a few Senate seats, is what the erudite and brilliant ruling class (I don’t know if he’s a member or wannabe) David Frum suggests. It’s just gonna be too volatile. Beating Obama, especially if Palin’s around, is not possible.
Just don’t even think about doing that. Just go for the down-ballot wins and forget the presidency. And he says, ‘[T]here is a lot of concern in senior levels of the Republican Party. People in that kind of orbit are worried about the down-ballot effect of a Palin candidacy.’ So it’s a great year. In other words: ‘The Republican leadership, we gotta great chance to pick up Senate seats, not so much the presidency. Let’s not even focus on that. We’ll just cede that.’ Now, I don’t know that that’s true. I don’t know that that’s the establishment Republican view, but this is what the exalted, celebrated, erudite, ruling class member, David Frum, says. Just FYI.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: We go to Los Angeles. Hello, Scott, great to have you with us, sir. Hello.
CALLER: Hey, Rush, how are you?
RUSH: Good.
CALLER: Good. Hey, with the Democrats wanting to sit amongst the Republicans at the State of the Union address, I was thinking how bad this would be for people like myself who will be watching it at home alone, and Obama’s gonna say something ideally that I’m not gonna agree with. And when I look at the television, I’m not gonna see a bunch of people, elected officials that I feel represent me because the entire audience will have people standing up throughout it. And I think it’s gonna alienate every single person who is not agreeing with the president and tries to see that there’s a group of congresspeople who relate to my thinking.
RUSH: Well, you have a point, but the way things are going I don’t know if there’s any profound opposition to what Obama is saying the Republicans are gonna display it anyway, given the new tone, given the call here for new civility. But your point is well taken. You’re basically warning people, Tea Party types, ‘Hey, you’re gonna get depressed during the State of the Union show.’
CALLER: I’m gonna get really depressed.
RUSH: And you’re warning people they’re gonna get depressed if this sitting together thing actually happens?
CALLER: It’s a bad idea. I’ve called the congresspeople and left messages. This is like Lucy saying to the blockhead, Charlie Brown, ‘I’m not gonna move the football this time. I’m gonna go ahead and hold it and you’re gonna be able to kick it,’ and Charlie Brown falls for it just like that health care debate.
RUSH: Right. Well, that is the exact purpose of this, and when the night is over if what you foresee happens, the media reaction will be, ‘See, there aren’t any Tea Party people here in Washington. There aren’t any Tea Party people.’ And the whole night is gonna be designed to dispirit Tea Party people, make no mistake about it. You’re absolutely right about that.
CALLER: It’s gonna be destructive.
RUSH: Well, but don’t let it be since you know that’s gonna be the case.
CALLER: I know it’s the case and I will still look up there and the problem is the rhetoric from the left media will come afterwards and talk about what a great speech it was — (crosstalk)
RUSH: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
CALLER: — and see the response, and as much as I say I’m not gonna want to get depressed about it, it is gonna be all over the news the next couple days. I think it’s a bad idea and if there’s any way that people could call their congresspeople and suggest against this. I want to see somebody who relates the same way I do to this president, and that is sitting down when he says something that is absolutely ridiculous.
RUSH: He’s absolutely right, folks. Scott in Los Angeles, absolutely right. That’s the exact purpose. I wonder if Obama will refrain from attacking the Supreme Court this time. They might not show up, speaking of people that might not be there, the Supreme Court might not show up. Scott, thank you much for the phone call. I appreciate it.