Limbaugh Lives Large in Texas (In His Mind)
An upcoming profile of Rush Limbaugh in the New York Times Magazine resurrects the suggestion that the famed radio talker affected the outcome of the Texas Democratic primary. Limbaugh launched Operation Chaos, in which he urged listeners to cross party lines and vote for Hillary Clinton so that the Democratic nominees would continue fighting each other. Clinton won Texas and Limbaugh was was quick to claim credit.
From the profile: "Nobody quite knows how effective Operation Chaos was. Karl Rove said he thinks it helped tilt Texas for Clinton. She herself gave this some credence on the day after the vote by jauntily saying, 'Be careful what you wish for, Rush.'"
Only problem, it didn't happen. However you slice and dice the figures from the primary vote in Texas, there's no evidence that the call for Republicans to cross over and cast ballots for Clinton determined the outcome. For one thing, exit polls confirmed that 9 percent of the voters in the March 4 Democratic primary were Republicans -- and they voted for Barack Obama, 53-49.
Limbaugh does opine in the piece on some of his colleagues in the talk radio wars.
Michael Savage? "He's not even in my rearview mirror."
Sean Hannity? "Hannity isn't even close to me."
And this hilariously candid take by El Rushbo on Bill O'Reilly: "The man is Ted Baxter."