RUSH: Michael in Wilmington, Delaware, I’m glad you waited, sir. You’re up first on Open Line Friday. Hello, sir.
CALLER: Thank you, Rush, for taking my call.
RUSH: You bet.
CALLER: And congratulations on all the great things that have happened to you in the past.
RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much.
CALLER: And I do appreciate you being our only voice, or one our only voices of sanity in this country. This Mubarak thing is really not the most important thing on my mind, but I remember when Yasser Arafat was compounded down by Sharon and he died, and they shipped his body over to France, and he laid in a hospital, I believe dead, for 17 days while his family divided up his wealth. The same thing happened to Mubarak, I believe, when he knew it was over, and he knew it was over two, three weeks ago. Everything comes to an end, Rush, everything. Even liberalism will come to an end. He decided to take all these billions of dollars, which he probably has in Switzerland and he has homes on the Red Sea and he’s got bank accounts all over, and he wants to pass this along to his family, his sons, his whatever. And I think that was the main concern that he had in these last 17 days. This man is finished. It was a 30-year reign. He collected billions of dollars. I don’t think he cares much about who takes over or what happens to Egypt. If he did, he would have run the country a little differently. These people earn no money. They have no wealth. They create nothing in Egypt. They don’t have farms. I mean, Rush, the culture is 10,000 years old or whatever it is. They still can’t make their own wheat.
RUSH: I know. They can’t even do mummies anymore. It’s a shame.
CALLER: I mean the amount of money that Bernanke has printed — and I know that I’m off on a little tangent here — has created a commodity surge in this world where these people are now paying two and three times for bread.
RUSH: Let me tell you something, Michael, you’ve nailed it here. I mentioned this on day one of this. It was a Monday, a couple of weeks ago, on day one of this, and I shared with this audience, and that would mean with you, that one of the reasons that there was dissatisfaction all over the world, but primarily here is, is that what QE2, our quantitative easing, the printing of money here has done to commodities prices. Food prices around the world are way, way up, there’s food inflation, food insecurity, what have you. And at gut level, there is economics in this protest as well. You’ve nailed the economic circumstances in Egypt pretty well. But its nothing new. It’s been that way for quite a while, as you pointed out. Everything does come to an end. I don’t know. He might have been sitting around divvying up the $70 billion he’s reported to have. The real question has always been for me, what about US interests there, and is anything gonna be better for the Egyptian people now with Mubarak gone? Nobody knows this.
I’ve got some e-mails. ‘Rush, why are you spending so much time on this?’ It’s a good question. I shall endeavor to answer it. I show up here every day — I want you to understand this — I do not have, quote, unquote, an agenda, meaning when I engage in show prep, I am not looking for things that can advance what I already believe in and exclude things that do not. I don’t do that. I don’t sit around and look at news stories or whatever and pick and choose based on, ‘I can manipulate the audience this way, and I can make ’em think what I want ’em to think.’ In that sense I don’t have an agenda. Of course my agenda’s conservatism, freedom and so forth and so on, America’s greatness. Largely what I do here is reactionary. I show up here minding my own business, and I’m looking here at events in Egypt that need to be explained and put in context. This is an object lesson for how to deal with media. This is an object lesson in teaching people what media is and who they are. This is an object lesson in helping to illuminate for people who the real Barack Obama is. That’s what this episode is for me.
This obsession that people have here, the real objectives that Obama, the real objectives that the left have here have nothing to do with the people of Egypt, have nothing to do with enhancing or improving their economic plight or their way of life, nothing whatsoever to do with that. The agenda of the media and Obama have nothing to do with democracy here. Everything that happens in this country, everything that happens around the world, as reported by the media, is through the prism of how does this impact Obama. Every event that happens in the world, our media is going to take it and try to position it as a way to make Obama look powerful, competent, and as a winner. Well, I happen to think that he’s just the exact opposite.
We have been in the midst here of an onslaught — and that’s not even the word. We’re in the middle here of an attack. The left in this country and all of their various arms, primarily the administration and the media, have seized upon this event to advance themselves and their cause in this country, and, frankly, anything that anybody does that tries to advance or cement Obama’s power in this country or tries to tell people that he’s great and what he’s do is great, I’m gonna stop it in its tracks if I can. So if they’re gonna take this event in Egypt and say, ‘Oh, goody, we got an opportunity here to reassert Obama. He’s lost a lot of support in the polls. People don’t like his health care. We’ve gotta somehow find a resurgence for Obama.’ And make no mistake that’s what this is for the media. This is an opportunity to build him back up. They know who we’re dealing with here. They know he’s inexperienced, out of his league, little man-child president. Oprah inasmuch as said so, so they take this event, and they’ll use it and twist it any which way they can to make Obama the winner of this thing.
Well, I’m just not gonna sit here and watch that kind of absolute fraud take place. So if you’re wondering, ‘Why are you spending so much time on Egypt?’ It’s because I’m not gonna sit here and roll over while another set of lies is perpetuated that somehow this is one of the most important democratic uprisings in the world, and who’s responsible for it? None other than Barack Obama. It’s not that at all. That’s what they want you to believe. So I’m sitting here minding my own business, once again having to defend the truth because that’s what’s under assault with this whole Egypt story. I hope that helps you to understand it. And to me that’s important, it’s valuable. You know that there are other things happening here that sufficient time needs to be given to, and I will. That little so-called scandal with Mark Foley and the intern, the page e-mails. Look at what that became. Look at what the Michael J. Fox ads for Claire McCaskill and Michael Steele became. We’re in the midst here, these people on the left know full well the trouble Obama is in. Look at his poll numbers. Look at the number of people that oppose his agenda.
The independents are not leaving the Republican Party in the polling data. He’s got an unconstitutional health care law. They know the election’s coming up. They have got to go into full-fledged build this guy back up mode. So here comes this event in Egypt, what better way to do it, try to attach Americanism to this thing, it’s a democrat uprising, why it’s the same thing as the Berlin Wall. If that’s true, they’re gonna be as supportive of the uprising in Iran as they are this, and we know they won’t be. What’s happening in Iran is doubtless a democratic uprising, and it’s been going on for years. The people in Iran are fed up with the mullahs and the Islamic revolution there, Ahmadinejad, fed up with their country being the home state of terrorism. We’ve been doing what we can privately to encourage them behind the scenes knowing full well a military intervention on our part’s not relevant, it’s not likely.
The reporting of what’s happening in Egypt, the positioning of Obama in relation to it is nothing more than an assault on our senses. It’s with the same energy and the same purpose as these same people trying to blame all of us for what happened to Gabrielle Giffords. It just never stops. Every bit of this is being reported through the prism of how can we help Obama win from this? That sickens me, while telling us they think it’s all about the people of Egypt, which is BS.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Well, quite simply, folks, the media is doing everything they can to make all of this about Obama. The simplest way to say this is that they’re trying to say that what’s happening in Egypt is the most wonderful thing that may have happened in the Middle East ever, and it’s because of Obama — and I’m sorry, that repulses me. It insults my intelligence, and I’m not gonna sit here and just let it go by and say, ‘Ahhhh, nobody’s gonna believe that.’ It does infuriate me to have my intelligence insulted. ‘It just shows how competent Obama is! This is the brilliance of Obama, working behind the scenes, pro-democracy,’ blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, BS! Now, this ElBaradei guy, Mohamed ElBaradei.
I’m trying to get away from this Egypt story, and I can’t. Wait ’til you hear what’s coming next. Mohamed ElBaradei… This is not what’s coming next. This is pre-next. Mohamed ElBaradei has a New York Times op-ed today, a column, and he said the Tunisian uprising proved that ‘yes, we can.’ Yes, we can. So Mohamed ElBaradei, single-handedly responsible for telling the world Iranians were not nuking up when they were, tells us: ‘The tipping point came with the Tunisian revolution, which sent a powerful psychological message: ‘Yes, we can.” Well, who the hell’s message is that? None other than Barack Obama in his campaign in 2008: ‘Yes, we can.’ So you see how this all works. It’s all because of Obama!
Now, Business Week, three headlines: ‘Dollar Strengthens Versus Most Peers as Egypt’s Mubarak Resigns.’ ‘US Stocks Rise on Mubarak Resignation, Consumer Confidence Up.’ ‘Stocks Advance as Mubarak Resigns, Egypt Default Swaps Slide.’ Oh, look at how wonderful, ladies and gentlemen! Because of Obama getting rid of Mubarak, look at what’s happening to the US dollar. Look at what’s happening to consumer confidence. Look at what’s happening to US stocks. Wow, what a guy! What a great guy!
That’s what we’re faced here, that’s what this is all about. Well, from CNBC: ‘Egypt Crisis Puts Spotlight on Weakness in US,’ and this is the opinion of Mohamed El-Erian, who is at PIMCO. It’s an American company. ‘The lack of a flight to the US dollar and Treasuries during the crisis in Egypt is a warning sign that investors are moving away from traditional American safety plays, PIMCO Mohamed El-Erian told CNBC. Since the revolt against President Hosni Mubarak hit a tipping point in late January, the dollar has changed little…’ So, conflicting news here. Business Week says, ‘Wow, look at all this wonderful stuff that’s happening!’ CNBC, ‘Uhhhh, no, that’s not happening.’ What are we to believe? Who are we to believe? I don’t know, but the point is that elements of the media are doing everything they can to use this Egypt thing to reinforce and reestablish the omnipotence, competence, greatness and what have you, of somebody who had literally nothing to do with it.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Patrick in Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you, sir, hello.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. I’ll get right to my point.
RUSH: Thank you.
CALLER: First, I’m glad that you’re there to talk about this situation in Egypt, because otherwise there would be no one there in the media to remind us that so far the only person who has overthrown a dictator in the Middle East is George Bush. Now I would like to make a comment about these protesters in Egypt. The way I see it — and I know a few people in Nashville from Egypt — these protesters who just want freedom from a dictator and what they’re asking for is perfectly right, they were all up in arms and against it the very same ones when George Bush was trying to give that freedom from a dictator to millions of people in Iraq.
RUSH: That is an excellence point. It’s an excellent point. Bush did overthrow a dictator, and he’s hated for it. Obama had nothing to do with this and he is getting all the credit for getting rid of a dictator, and the world is… Well, I don’t know about the world, but the media is applauding it. It’s an excellent point. I’m glad you called, Patrick.
Kathy in Greensboro, North Carolina, you’re next on Open Line Friday. Hi.
CALLER: Hey, Rush. Thanks for taking my call.
RUSH: You bet.
CALLER: First-time caller, I’m trying not to be nervous. I was actually calling in response to the question you made about whether the Egyptian people will be better off after this.
RUSH: Mmm-hmm?
CALLER: Truly doubt it. I have to say, ‘Who knows?’ But I don’t really know why anybody really would think that they would be better off. And then I was also taken by the point you made, somebody had said, ‘Why are you spending so much time on this?’ They obviously don’t understand how important it is. (giggles)
RUSH: Well, no, I understand the question. I mean, some people think whatever’s been said has been said. ‘What else is there to say? There’s other stuff going on out there, Rush. Why are you obsessed…?’ I can understand it. That’s why I took the time to explain why this is relevant, and really has not very much to do with Egypt. That’s the whole point of this. This really, as far as US consumption is concerned, is not about Egypt. They’re trying to make it about Obama.
They’re trying to make it about him. Obama’s the hero, Obama’s the great one. As I say, it’s an offense to my intelligence and sensibilities. It’s another attack — a coordinated, strategic, political attack — that’s disguised by having it be a bunch of media stuff. You know, will the American people be better off after this? We don’t know. Will Israel be better off after this? That’s our genuine ally over there. Nobody’s talking about that. Nobody’s talking about the fact Mubarak was elected in 2005. You know he got 88% of the vote? Okay, go ahead and throw in the fact 30% of it might have been fraud. He was still elected. I’m sure he stuffed the ballot boxes just like they do in Chicago. What’s different?
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: James in Arizona City, Arizona. Nice to have you, sir. Hello.
CALLER: Hello, Rush. Thank you. I hear all the news media talking heads reporting on the high unemployment rate in Egypt but I don’t hear any of them addressing the fact that Egypt doesn’t have an economy that will create new jobs, so how are they going to have an economic recovery?
RUSH: Well, Obama’s gonna fix that. That’s what all this protest’s about. He’ll talk about that at three o’clock. In fact, the networks are planning — you wouldn’t believe, I just saw a report. The networks are planning State of the Union-type coverage of Obama’s speech at three o’clock today. So I guarantee you, in one form or another, Obama will talk about how Egypt can create jobs. After all, he knows how to do it here.
CALLER: (laughing)
RUSH: Yes. Yes.
CALLER: Oh. Thank you for your service, Rush.
RUSH: Well, you’re right. The Egyptian economy is not a job-creating economy at all.
CALLER: And mobs are not patient.
RUSH: No. No. In fact, get this. CNN. What did I tell you? What did I tell you? CNN is running a video clip of one of the protesters thanking CNN for being part of the revolution, claiming CNN needs to be very proud, and CNN needs to take a lot of credit for being part of the revolution. Dare I ask: Is that the purpose of the media? To be part of revolutions? But that’s what one of the revolutionaries said. James, thank you.