Day 2 On Rush's Bus

Among the most irritating of cliches is "doubling down," increasingly used in political commentary and perhaps elsewhere.

So I won't use it, and simply say that one day of racial bigotry is not nearly as satisfying for Rush Limbaugh as are two consecutive days.

On Friday, Rush Limbaugh tried to explain away his heart-felt expression of racial bigotry the previous day. He rationalized

All right, here's the Politico story about which I spoke moments ago: "Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on Thursday suggested that Rep. Jim Clyburn -- the highest-ranking African American in Congress -- serve as chauffeur to Nancy Pelosi in the event he fails to win the race for House minority whip. 'Clyburn's worried about not having the perk of a big office, driver and so forth,' Limbaugh said on his radio show. 'The way this can all be worked out, Clyburn's new position: "Driving Miss Nancy." He gets to keep the car. He gets to go everywhere she goes, parties and everything else,' Limbaugh said. 'He's not in the back of the bus. He's in the driver's seat, and she's in the back of the car being chauffeured. Solved problem.'"

Now, if you didn't know anything but this, you would read the story and think that I originated all of this. You would think that I started talking about the fact that Clyburn's upset he doesn't have a car, won't have a driver, and won't have perks. My point here is that the Democrats do not want to give the keys to the car to Clyburn. They're all upset the Republicans had the keys to the car; they drove it in the bush. Clyburn now wants to be number two in the House, Steny Hoyer, a rich white guy, doesn't want him to have it. Once again, a black guy takes it on the chin in the Democrat Party. They don't want to give Clyburn the keys. They want him to get in the backseat. I'm the one trying to put him in the front seat! But here's how it all got started. I didn't make it up. I just reacted to this that aired on MSNBC yesterday morning.


Now, if you didn't know anything but this, you would read the story and think that I originated all of this. You would think that I started talking about the fact that Clyburn's upset he doesn't have a car, won't have a driver, and won't have perks.

Limbaugh may not have "originated all of this"- but he certainly promoted that idea, having said on Thursday

I like to unify people. I don't like seeing this kind of strife. Clyburn's worried about not having the car. Clyburn's worried about not having the perk of a big office, driver, and so forth. The way this can all be worked out....

(You gotta love the "I like to unify people"- nice touch from an admittedly intentionally polarizing figure, a hyper-partisan racial bigot.)

Limbaugh claimed

I didn't do anything but react to what the Democrats are doing and make a little humor out of it. Clyburn, instead of being at the back of the bus let him drive Nancy Pelosi around, if that's what leadership is about in the Democrat Party, perks, a car, driver. Get in the car, let him drive it, Pelosi in the back, Driving Miss Nancy. I knew it was gonna irritate 'em, and it did.

Well, now, taking the black man who is House Majority Leader, tying him to Driving Miss Nancy (Daisy) and referring to "being at the back of the bus." Just a little humor- great stand-up routine, unfortunately more reminiscent of Michael Richards than of Jerry Seinfeld. (Perhaps that's going a little too far, but I'm just trying to make a little humor out of it, to irritate conservatives. There now, isn't that better?)

Striving, apparently, to make matters (commentary) worse, Rush a moment later contended

My point here is that the Democrats do not want to give the keys to the car to Clyburn. They're all upset the Republicans had the keys to the car; they drove it in the bush. Clyburn now wants to be number two in the House, Steny Hoyer, a rich white guy, doesn't want him to have it. Once again, a black guy takes it on the chin in the Democrat Party.

Rush, for the second consecutive day (and maybe more; I haven't checked) plays the race card, suggesting the Democratic Party is racially prejudiced and makes personnel decisions on the basis of race. That is unlikely and an incendiary charge. If it is true, Limbaugh certainly hasn't demonstrated it, or begun to. (Arguably, though, racial bigotry isn't Limbaugh's greatest failing, as this picture from newsone.com, below, illustrates. Again, only trying to make a little humor out of it.)

This day, Limbaugh eschewed the "Democrats are waging class warfare" theme, fabulously popular with the Repub base. It's not easy striving, and failing, to ascribe class warfare to a party while you yourself are decrying the "rich white guy." Surprise! Rush wants that awful, bigoted rich white guy to get a big tax cut!

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