RUSH: This is interesting. Mike Flynn hijacked the White House press briefing shortly after it began. Mike Flynn’s a national security adviser. Here’s the first sound bite…

FLYNN: Recent Iranian actions involving a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran’s destabilizing behavior across the entire Middle East. The recent ballistic missile launch is also in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.

RUSH: This is important, folks. I’m gonna explain after the next bite when Flynn — i.e., the Trump administration — put Iran on notice.

FLYNN: The Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East, which places American lives at risk. President Trump has severely criticized the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration — as well as the United Nations — as being weak and ineffective. Instead of being thankful to the United States in these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.

RUSH: This is serious stuff. I mean, the guy goes in there and leads off the press — actually interrupts the press secretary. Maybe he kicked it off, but it happens early on, putting Iran on notice. Now, what is the meaning of this? Well, let’s go back to the campaign. Remember during the campaign a number of people kept asking Trump, “Are you gonna rip up the Iran deal? Are you gonna rip it up? It’s a bad deal. Everybody knows that Obama just authorized Iran to get nukes,” and Trump was noncommittal about tearing it up.

I tell you what I think was going on. I don’t… And, in fact, we’ve heard Trump actually praise certain aspects of the Iran deal. My theory — and you have learned by now not to doubt me. My theory is that rather than rip this up and start over, wait until they cheat, because that’s a given. It is a given that the Iranians are gonna cheat. So put the onus on them for backing out of the deal. When they cheat, you put them on notice and say, “Okay, you guys have blown this deal up. To hell with this deal! You’re cheating on it,” and that’s that.

‘Cause let’s be honest: The CIA — you know, part of the Obama CIA — wanted this deal. Part of the Obama State Department wanted this deal. Remember, we’re a divided country. We’ve got leftists in this country that think that Iran wants to nuke up to protect themselves from us; it’s our problem; it’s our fault. So rather than tackle this, the Trump administration realized they’re gonna cheat on it. You know, don’t go through the rigmarole of ripping the thing up and practically having to start over. Just wait until they cheat. That, I think, is exactly what’s happened here. I also think it’s smart move.

Here’s Fred in Cleveland. About a minute and a half, Fred, but I wanted to get to you. I know you can do it in a minute and a half ’cause I know what you want to talk about. How you doing?

CALLER: I’m doing well. I’ll make it as quick as I can, Rush.

RUSH: I know you can do it.

CALLER: I got through to you eight years ago after Obama won, and I predicted the death of liberalism if he succeeded through his presidency. And I think we’re seeing it. I think the exposure around the world — France, Britain, everywhere you look. Liberalism is slowly losing ground, and the reason is that when things get serious, there’s no room for liberalism. It’s a myth. It has no cause or effect. So when lives are at stake and when the American people are in danger, liberalism goes out the window and reality sets in, and that’s Trump.

RUSH: Well —

CALLER: I think his actions over the next few months will continue to prove to the globe and to the American people that liberalism doesn’t work.

RUSH: Well, I —

CALLER: Feel-good doesn’t work.

RUSH: I agree with you, liberalism doesn’t work, but it’s got to be called out. The failures that you’re talking about — Brexit, the crumbling economies around the world — people have to be told, “This is because of liberalism. It’s because of the Democrats. It’s because of the policies of Obama.” You can’t just leave this stuff for people to assume and figure out, because I have learned people are not comfortable going ideological. They just aren’t. To me, it’s a concerted effort to instruct or teach or force, press ideology and its awareness on people. Because they just are not gonna realize it. They’re just gonna say, “Well, these people’s policies aren’t working.” No, they’ve got to be told why, and that’s how you prevent them from winning in the future, if you do it right.