A mild struggle for the leadership of the GOP emerged at CPAC, the participants of which were Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh. Or, as I like to call it, “heads we win, tails we win”. 

In the first corner, wearing the dark blue shorts, is a politician who resigned from his position as Speaker of the House to avoid being tossed out by his own party, who had decided he had become a liability. Oh, what a difference a decade (and lack of better alternatives) makes. Gingrich told the CPAC audience “It’s not our job to be the opposition party. It’s our job to be the ‘better solutions’ party.” Included in those “better solutions” is a 12 point plan that is half tax cuts with a dash of things even they know they won’t do. 

In the other corner, naked and babbling from a high dose of oxycodone, is a bloated, petulant narcissist who has glorified talking points rather than concrete ideas. Limbaugh countered: “One thing we can all do is stop assuming that the way to beat them is with better policy issues.” He proceeded to misquote the Constitution and further his talking point that every Republican is hoping for Obama to fail.

The Republican party seems more eager to line up behind Limbaugh, a fact that the Democrats have already started to exploit for our gain. Rahm Emanuel appeared on Face the Nation yesterday and said that Limbaugh ““is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party.”  Emanuel also mentioned Limbaugh’s hope that the elected president of our country fails, saying: 

“He said it,” said the chief of staff. “And I compliment him for his honesty, but that’s their philosophy that is enunciated by Rush Limbaugh. And I think that’s the wrong philosophy for America.” 

There are Republicans who have spoken in less than favorable terms about Limbaugh or things he’s said but most of them have later rescinded their statement or apologized outright. RNC chairman Michael Steele spoke out on the D.L. Hughley show by saying that he is the de facto leader of the part, not Limbaugh (backtracking pending):  

HUGHLEY: Like Rush Limbaugh, who is the de facto leader of the Republican Party.

STEELE: No, he’s not.

HUGHLEY: I will tell you what …

STEELE: I’m the de facto leader of the Republican Party…

STEELE: So let’s put it into context here. Let’s put it into context here. Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment. Yes, it’s incendiary. Yes, it’s ugly.

The best thing about this is that the Democrats don’t even have to do anything to win this by a TKO. 

Update: Steele has backtracked on his statements. If the Republicans reflexes were as quick moving forward as they are in reverse, they’d be a competitive and viable party right now.