Mike Huckabee: The anti-Limbaugh candidate
Yes, the Huckabee campaign “hucked up” again. Time for another NYPost cover!
I was in the car listening to Rush Limbaugh responding to the Mike Huckabee campaign’s attack on him. What an unbelievably knuckle-headed move by Huckabee’s minions. Casting Limbaugh as part of the Beltway-Manhattan elite? Those who’ve been tuning in and listening closely know that Limbaugh has scrupulously avoided playing favorites with any of the GOP candidates. He’s been an equal-opportunity scrutinizer. What possible benefit could accrue from going after one of the conservative movement’s most popular figures?
I believe this Rush-bashing incident may turn out to be Huckabee’s Howard Dean scream moment.
Like Glenn Reynolds said: “Bad idea.”
Jim Geraghty liveblogged Rush’s comments:
“These people are coming after me personally, something I have not done. They’re coming after me personally the way the libs do.”
Rush, discussing how he differs from the NY-DC media axis, lists off Harriet Miers, Dubai Ports World, Republican spending abuses, illegal immigration…
On the argument that he secretly wants Hillary to win, to make him a bigger star: “I became a megastar long before the Clintons got into the White House.”
“I really am uncomfortable with this, I was hoping it wasn’t going to come to this.”
“I’ve never called him a Huckster, I’ve called his fans Hucksters.”
Rush points out Rollins ran the Christie Todd Whitman campaign, calling him the “DC-Manhattan Axis campaign manager.”
“I’m part of the Cape Girardeau-Middle America Axis.”
“Stop with this Clintonian spin.”
“McCain’s starting to look better to than this guy, and that’s saying something.”
“The Huckabee campaign is trying to dumb down conservatism in order to get it to conform with his record.”
***
Here are transcript excerpts of Rush’s remarks via his website:
This election is going to be about the future of the country. The election is not about the career of Rush Limbaugh or anybody else in Drive-By Media or talk radio or what have you. It’s about the future of the country, which I care deeply about.
I care more about that than anything else because I have this awe, and this respect, and this utter appreciation for what this country is and what it affords the people, not only of this country, but of the world — and it can be destroyed. It can be damaged greatly. And there are people running on the Democrat side they don’t want to do that. I’m not sure they think they’re damaging it. They think they’re improving it, they think socialism is better than anything else. They’re wrong, but it’s not something I want to see, and I don’t want to spend eight years or four years having to talk about the president every day! You know, the Clintons, they are the issue! What their issues are is immaterial. They are the issue. They’re omnipresent and so forth. Now, would it cause an uptick in the audience? I don’t know. I don’t think about that. I wrote a book. The first chapter: “My Success Does Not Depend on Who Wins Elections.”My responsibility is to attract the largest audience I can, and hold it for as long as I can, every day; charge confiscatory advertising rates to my sponsors so that they get better results here than they get anywhere else. It’s my job to do that regardless what the news of the day is — and I do. That’s why I’m a highly trained broadcast specialist and unparalleled. So it doesn’t matter to me who wins in terms of the radio show. It matters to me who wins in terms of the country. If this is really a Huck force member… If you missed it, somebody went out there and asked a Huckabee supporter in a Huckabee Universe, actually, why I don’t like him. Frankly, I haven’t attacked Huckabee. You know, I’ve raised some questions, but they’re pretty sensitive out there about this. So the Huckabee Universe Guy said, “Honestly, Rush doesn’t think for himself. I mean, that’s not necessarily a slap because he’s not paid to be a thinker, he’s an entertainer. I can’t remember the last time he’s veered from the talking points from the DC-Manhattan chattering class. If they were praising Huckabee, he would be, too.”
That’s just… I can’t believe that there is a Republican alive today who thinks this, whether supporting the Huckster, Giuliani, whoever. Then this also, said the Huck forcer, “I have to think that he’s dying to have Hillary in the White House. Bill Clinton made Rush a megastar. Having another Clinton back in power would make him the Leading Voice of the Opposition, once again.” What do you mean, “once again”? You know, these reports of my demise have never been correct. This program, after 20 years, 19-1/2 years, it’s still a fad to some people. But whoever made these comments, I’m sure has been made aware now that I am making them public or amplifying their already having been in public. If you really are a Huckabee supporter, whoever said this, your campaign is in trouble, because if that’s what people on Huckabee’s team thinks, your ignorance is going to get your candidate in big, big trouble.
***
Huck’s people have already begun kissing ass to mitigate the damage. The more the conservative world comes out against him, from Will to Peggy Noonan to NRO to Rush to Sean Hannity, the more he’ll be forced to pitch an “us against them” campaign to his supporters. He’s too far left on too many issues to tack right credibly, so the only way to keep them in the fold is to try to build on that religious and economic populism he’s peddling and make this a full-blown Cause against the conservative establishment. The trick is keeping the few truly big players like Limbaugh neutral, since they really do have the chops to tilt this thing in a two-man race. Sounds like it might already be too late.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Ed Driscoll.com
- Riehl World View
- Mike Huckabee: Arkansas secular liberal? | BitsBlog
- JammieWearingFool
- Audio: Rush Limbaugh unloads on Huckabee | Infidels Are Cool
- Huckabee Slipping Up? « Axis of Right
- The Dan Lee Report » Blog Archive » Mike “Huckleberry Hound” Huckabee gets in the Ring with Rush “El Rushbo” Limbaugh.. EMS stands by as a precaution.
- On Tap » Huckabee’s Version of the Scream?
- Unleash the Hounds of Rush « Blogs 4 Huckabee
- Wonkette
- Huck’s Motto: What Would Kerry Do? « Federal Way Conservative
- Stop The ACLU » Blog Archive » (Audio)Rush Limbaugh Goes Off About Huckablunder
- Right Voices » Blog Archive » Rush And Huckabee Clash
- Plumb Bob Blog » New Definition of “Bad Day”
- ComMITTed to Romney! » Mike Huckabee: The anti-Limbaugh candidate
- Amir Larijani Unrestrained! » Blog Archive » From Huckaboom to Huckaf***
- Foes Say Mike Huckabee Had Habit Of Pardoning Murders And Rapists Who Claimed To Have Met Jesus From Behind Bars
- The Non-Attack on Rush Limbaugh « The Christ Follower Blog
- Classical Values
- Ascenção e Queda? «
- The People's Republic of Seabrook
- 2b0fc02523fda201ea10
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: 2008 campaign
Hot Air
» McCain Ad: “Love”The Sundries Shack
» Just Call McCain “The Imaginer”.The Sundries Shack
» Go, Mount Shasta! Go Mount Shasta! Go, Mount Shasta, Gooooo!protein wisdom
» G. K. Chesterton on the political corner-cutting of socialists…(The Sanity Inspector)NewsBusters.org
» Matthews Foresees 'Howards End' in Wolfson Move to Fox Newsprotein wisdom
» While You Were Shopping [Dan Collins]Marginal Revolution
» What is mystery ingredient X?Weekly Standard
» CNN Poll: Gas Prices a Top Issue for VotersNewsBusters.org
» Chgo Trib's 'Honor Killing' Report Omits Islam Connection
I was listening to this as well. What a boneheaded move on Huck’s part. I think he hucked up again.
There seems to be really no question that Huck is the darling of the left wing MSM media…. they must believe Hillary can beat him, so true-to-form in their lying, scheming ends-justifies-the-means way they are building up his buttercup…
Does he not know that Rush “controls the country”??
A campaign strategy that makes Howard Dean look smart.
I heard it in the car as well, and I agree that Mike Huckabee’s campaigning against Rush verges on idiocy. What on earth is Huckabee thinking? He is evidently forgetting that many voters who are drawn to him simply because he is evangelical are also loyal dittoheads. He misunderstands and underestimates the power and intelligence of both Rush and his audience.
Huckabee didn’t have my vote anyway, and he is even more assured of that fact now.
I am delighted. Huck can’t win in 08 so I don’t want him to get the nomination. This ended his chances. Relief!
Thank you….thank you…thank you!
Note to Huckabee: the primaries are where you try to build a majority within your party. Then during the general election you appeal for a majority from the country.
If you want to win, that is.
His poll numbers will fade fast, just wait and see.
I imagine right now the “Huckster” is reflecting on the immortal words of Socrates, who said “I drank what?!?”
This is a pretty big misstep on Huckabee’s (campaign’s) part. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, but the timing may play out in his (Huckabee’s) favor, considering today is the last real work day (for most) before Christmas; if he’s quickly contrite it may blow over.
Stupid. Limbaugh is the least biased, most center based, of all the radio hosts. He never bases his opinion on the personality of the candidates. Just what they stand for.
Not Presidential
Can anyone see Mike Huckabee defeating Clinton or Obama? I just can’t see it.
Step it up, Fred.
the not-so-veiled threat. i love it. go Rush. put them on notice.
aren’t liberals known for playing victims of mass, wide reaching, never-subject-to-Murphy’s-Law conspiracies that are always contribed to bring them down specifically? is that the audience Huskster’s going for?
Bold prediction; Huckabee will finish no better than 3rd in Iowa, and that will be his top finish outside of Arkansas.
“Can anyone see Mike Huckabee defeating Clinton or Obama? I just can’t see it.”
Bingo! Again, that’s why I am delighted by this. He is toast!
Wake-up folks. Huckabee is a media darling lightweight, not a conservative by any stretch. We had all better start realizing that no one candidate is going to pass each of our so-called “must-have” conservative views check-list, but this guy isn’t even close. For example, if you disqualify Rudy on abortion and disqualify McCain on immigration, then what?
Did you see the numbers on Michelle’s poll yesterday?
Should have changed “Huckabee” to “God help Huckabee”. He may have done better. Huckabee did half as good as “God hlep us”.
.oO wondering what hunka is going to post when Huckabee is out of the race - not
Rush has been very clear on the issue of conservatism and the candidates. He has issues with all of the major ones. Rudy it’s gay rights and abortion. With Romney it’s a couple of issues. With McCain it’s taxes and some liberal legislation and so on. He was saying with Huckabee it’s many issues that he disagrees with as do I. That’s not a personal attack!
I can’t believe any candidate would take a shot at Rush. Stupid isn’t the word for it. Rush has been the standard barer for conservatives for years not to mention number 1 on the radio. I really can’t come up with a more idiotic move by a Republican to pull.
Bye bye Huckster!
The more Huckaboom speaks the better Ron Paul looks.
meatpieandtatters
“The more Huckaboom speaks the better Ron Paul looks.”
Let’s not get carried away…LOL
A few days ago, Huckabee attacked President Bush on Iraq, now he’s attacking Rush, and he wants us to believe he is a conservative? With friends like him, who needs liberals?
“bunker mentality”? Maybe, if you consider staying the course toward winning the war a bunker mentality. But then you would have to describe Winston Churchill as having a bunker mentality during WWII as well. History will vindicate both. But is he implying that someone who stays the course and refuses to flip-flop whenever the wind changes direction is “arrogant”? That speaks volumns to me.
Now maybe the only two candidates running I would consider supporting, Mitt and Fred, can pull away and move closer to the nomination.
Just when the Huck was getting a foothold, he shoots himself in that foot! I want to see how he limps along now, after this fiasco.
There are bonehead moves and then theres a Huck-up.
bonehead huckster
yes this pic is of him
Incredibly stupid.
I suspect the Huckster and his people (see Rollins, Ed) were getting too cocky.
Indeed, a major huckup.
My guess is that if the media really wants Huck to be their beatable opponent then they will keep kind of propping him up. They may hope that all of us that are saying I’ll never vote for Huck will not vote, vote for a dem or vote for a non-party candidate in November.
Wow.
If the guy is a Huckathing paid staffer, that should destroy his campaign.
Anyone who hires someone that stupid doesn’t deserve to be president.
One mistake from Arkansas was enough, let’s not make it two (hillary or huckabee)…
Hucks tank ride.
Huckabee seams unable to bear criticism. A very bad sign.
More and more, I am reminded of Jimmy Carter.
I’m still trying to figure out the appeal of the Huckster and why the MSM is pushing him as the best thing since sliced bread. His record as the Governor of Arkansas puts him in to the “this dog won’t hunt” frame of mind for me. His supporters going after Rush is not a smart move and I agree he Hucked Up big time. The Huckster would be a lot better off running as a Democrat instead of trying to pass himself off as a conservative candidate
The governor can Huck up all he wants, I just don’t want to be Hucked up on.
An Arkansas governor who raised taxes even higher than Bill Clinton isn’t someone well suited to core Conservative issues.
Reminds me of Wile E. Coyote sawing off the tree branch he’s sitting on. D’oh!
Huckabee should be running in the democrat party.
Faux News Alert
Huckabee shoots himself in foot!
While at home cleaning his gun the Presidential wannabe shot his own foot!After being rushed to the hospital and later released he was back home resting finishing cleaning his gun shot himself in the other foot!
film at 11:00
Maybe Huckabee thinks he’s David and can take down the Conservative Goliath? Sorry, dude, this Goliath’s staying put!
Was listening to Rush online. He brought this up today, and played the bit from yesterday. Huckabee’s people are saying those comments “aren’t approved” by Huckabee. Said it sounds like something McCain has said in the past about Rush being “just an entertainer”.
Anyhow, before Huckabee surged, I wanted to hear more from and about him, but now I’ve decided he’s not who I want to vote for. From his defense of taxpayer funded tuition for illegals at Arkansas colleges (it’s not like they can work here legally after graduation, now is it?) to the “bunker mentality” comment. He just doesn’t seem “ready for prime time”.
Also, I read a post titled EVANGELICALS AGAINST HUCKABEE by one of the authors at Grim’s Hall.
President Romney. I still like the sound of it.
I had no intention of voting for Huckabee and I am a staunch fan of El Rushbo and I think that thiose of us who listen regularly to Rush have probably made a decision by this time NOT to vote for Huckabee. Too bad Mike!
First my President now Rush?!
Mitt’s my pick.
Michelle, your silence on Romney’s MLK debacle is almost deafening.
The Romney thing is getting NO play nationally. It’s only getting coverage in Massachusetts where the local rags have an axe to grind with him.
I can’t call it a debacle. It seems to be one of those things that he misremembered from his younger days. It could very well have been just a tale that his father told to his son to impress him. Also, it was 40 stinkin’ years ago.
In any case, here is your story
But you also might want to check out this statement which seems a bit more relevant to me:
Every time I see Huckabee talk the only thing I can think of is how much he sounds like a Christian Version of Bill Clinton. We might not have to worry about his zipper being down, but we have an aweful lot to worry about with huckabee as president.
He does not seem to stand firm on too many issues that Republicans stand firm for. Outside of being a protestant, pro-life, anit-gay what does Huckabee represent for a republican?
Immigration, he might now finally be saying things we like, but look at his actual record, where he signed his name for his constituants. He is all for illegal immigrants and his christianity is what is going to eventually have him signing amnesty for all legislation. Once he is elected and does not have to worry about voters for 3 more years, he will cave into the slightest of pressures on this.
Are we a country that punishes a child for the sins of the parent? Acording to Huckabee sending an illegal immigrant child back to his home country is punishment for the sin of the parent. So, I guess rewarding the parent with part of the reason for coming to America would be what? What better reward and thus incentive to a parent to illegally enter the USA than to say that if they have children with them that we will not punish your child, but reward them?
I just cannot stand this snake oil salesman Huckabee. He is a Clinton through and through. Educated by the master.
I totally agree with Ann Coulter on this moron…Huckabee is the Republican Jimmy Carter. A total disaster. This incident just shows how utterly stupid he really is.
I’m not worried about Huckabee. He won’t win. It’s not certain who will be the candidate, but Rudy will be the candidate before Huckabee. . . and I think Rudy has the least shot of all of them.
I think whoever wins New Hampshire is in the driver’s seat. And I don’t think Huckabee will win there.
But yeah, this was one of the worst things he could have done for his candidacy.
It wasn’t that long ago that members from the lowest ranked Congress ever, went after Rush. This is relatively fresh in the minds of folks. The money he raised for selling off the letter they sent him fetched over 2 million dollars… Why in the world would a presidential candidate take on such a task as to go after a man who has proven his loyalty to not only his country but to our troops in harm’s way. You are running on a conservative ticket and you go after Rush - Unjustifiably? Do people not learn?
I don’t heart Huckabee.
Nail.Meet.Coffin
The acid test for me is when the Hucksters camp says “It’s a vast right wing conspiracy. I didn’t say it.
This blog reminds me of an old Al Jolson tune!
Huckabye my baby with a Dixie melody……tra-la-la-la
Big mistake, no make that a HUGE mistake. I am not a Huck fan to begin with and this just makes me stronger about NOT wanting him to be President.
Huckabee has more in common with Jimmy Carter than Reagan.
And Gomer says, “Well GOLLLLLYYYY.” Huckleberry has never been a Conservative so it’s easy for him to bite the hand that feeds him. Hillary is more of a Conservative than he’s ever pretend to be.
What I really don’t understand is why do the people from Arkansas keep electing idiots for governors? Bill Clinton, Jim Guy Tucker and Gomer. Is it like battered wife syndrome? Get roughed up and keep coming back for more?
why is Huck so popular? That makes even less sense than ghouliani being popular
There’s something I don’t quite get here.
Who is Marc Armbinder, and who is he quoting?
I’m not trying to make a case here, I’m honestly curious.
Pardon me. Ambinder.
not only is huck a schmuck, but sounds like his campaign people are as well. unfeakin’ believable, that someone does not know that Rush’s career was not made ‘during the Clinton’ years. and huck the schmuck and his little huckster minions say they are true conservatives. the audacity of some of these campaigners!
huck the schmuck is not a conservative. the only conservative issue he has is abortion. well there are some democrats that disagree with abortion, too. there are christian democrats, too. he is more like a blue dog democrat, naw, he isn’t even that close to conservative!
geezz someone needs to keep their clap trap shut, cause by the time voting day comes he’ll be back to: huck, who?
Attacking Rush was a mistake a light-weight politician would make.
Huck is obviously not a statesman and not up to the job he seeks.
Scratch him off the list.
Kim Strassel had a good editorial in the WSJ on Firday about the Huckster.
I sure hope people wake up . This guy is not a traditional Republican.
Maybe the Huckster thought he could get away with it because the holidays are coming up & someone thought Rush would be on vacation & not come back for a couple of weeks.
No play nationally?? Hardly. And now that it’s been revealed that Mitt himself claimed to have marched WITH his father and MLK, it’s only going to get bigger.
he’s done. huckabee is not a true conservative and i hope people now start to realize this.
I wonder who Huckabee will support when he drops out?
Much like Mother Nature
Don’t mess with Maha Rushdie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLrTPrp-fW8
There may be a - not so good - attempted method to the madness. Huckabee has gathered up enormous support from right christian conservatives. But now he needs to go broader for the national campaign - or he may think he does. These are shrewd operators - already shrewd enough to downplay expectations in the caucuses. Having unthroned Romney, or so they think, they appear to be trying to stretch across the spectrum and gather Giuliani’s supporters from him by distancing himself from the “extremist right”. This is the only strategy which theoretically makes sense of their latest move.
The flaw of course is that they assume they’ll only lose a small portion of their core base by sttacking Rush and in so doing playing the percentages in their favor. They forget that Rush has enormous influence over their core base, and Camp Huckabee may have just blown it.
This might have been a shrewd move if done after the caucuses and if he got the nomination. As it stands, there’s just enough time for this core base to move against him and leave him dry in the caucuses. He has done more than alienate himself from his core base, he’s turned them into enemies by attacking the voice that gave them all a voice in the media over 20 years ago.
I’d say that this last straw in the face of right wing conservatives is the end of his chances of getting the nomination. Too anxious, too much, too soon, and a good barometer of why he may not have the temperment to be the President of the United States in the first place.
I don’t know what the Incredible Huck is drinking either, but I recommend we try to learn more from what he is doing right than groaning over his errors. Seriously, whatever he is drinking, I wish people would order up a case for Fred T.
It’s coming down to Mike or Mitt (I’m following Mr. Buchanan’s thoughtful observations). We need to ask ourselves why. At first I thought his candidacy would destroy the Republican Party. Then I thought some more: Okay, and the problem is . . .
_____________________________
For President, Christopher Hitchens; for VP, Rush Limbaugh.
The more I hear from this Huckabilly, the more I am convinced that in Arkansas, the family trees have no branches. First the Clintons, now this. The references to Jimmy Carter seem to be right on the money. We don’t need another dunderhead with a pleasant personality in the White House. We need a leader.
Speaking of family trees, how long before the issues with his son smudge his halo? It may not be fair, but someone out there will run with it at the worst time.
The man ain’t that bright, and based on his response to the “bunker mentality” accusation, his denial of the “floating cross” in his ad, and more than a few other incidents, the man is an unabashed liar as well.
An intellectually challenged liar with thin skin - not quite presidential material.
He needs to come down from tht floating cross - his cries of persecution are as hollow as his head and are getting a little old.
Huckabee’s poll numbers were falsely inflated. Look around at any conservative blog or with your local conservative friends. No one I know has ever talked about Mike Huckabee as a nominee. Don’t believe one word of the media, several unnamed Conservative radio hosts (Hugh “Ra Ra Romney” Hewitt) or the polls from any campaign. ALL of the honest feedback I’ve heard has been around Fred Thompson. Romney is a distant second choice, but no one likes his flip flopping for political gain. DC insiders and the media have always gotten it wrong. Vote your Conservative conscious in the primaries.
Another way to describe the man from Hope: a Hucklehead.
Who knew that the candidates’ records would be scrutinized? [Sarcasm button OFF] It is called vetting.
Governor Huckabee might try straight answers to tough questions or at least lying to us convincingly. For instance, when he was asked by Laura Ingraham about his 2001 attempt to block legislation aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from registering to vote, he reply that he signed a law (in 2005) that prevented illegals from getting drivers licenses. She asked again and he again dodged.
I suspect (and I think a lot of others suspect) that Huckabee can only tell the truth when his internal polling says he can. Yet we aren’t electing a campaign in 2008; we are electing the next President.
Dump the internal pollsters, Governor Huckabee, and tell how you really feel. That way, you stand a chance of getting the nomination. If not, you’ll soon be gone.
Hucked Up, BIG time!!!!!
simply put: “Jackas* 3″
I will not vote for him. Enough said.
Rio
Semper Fi!
I guess no one wants to explain to me why a quote from an un-named source is such a big deal. I’d be insane to try to convince folks here to support Mike, but this smells like a set up.
I don’t know, Michelle. Maybe the Huckabee campaign’s hired a new consultant: Geraldo Rivera.
Nuance.
It’s noticable on MSNBC.com, but is absolutely burried on CNN.com.
However, it came on the Friday/weekend news cycle right before a major holiday. No one is paying attention right now. It may be the same thing that saves Huck’s bacon over this inane comment, but Rush is more likely to push his story than the MSM is likely to push the Romney story after the holidays.
Leaning toward Obama.
Huckeberry seems to be collecting “Howard Dean scream” moments.
He’s pious. He’s popular. But ultimately the dude is a loser.
And I’ll add that he’s popular primarily for his piety not his brilliant policy positions.
And that’s why he can’t win.
America has never elected a president on that basis.
We expect a little devotion from our presidents, and a properly respectful attitude toward the bible and religion, but that’s it.
As Romney said, they’re not running for pastor-in-chief.
I live in Iowa, and have been front and center for every TV ad, Radio ad, Phonebot call, and candidate visit. I met and spoke to Mitt Romney early on, and he struck me as intelligent, well spoken, and…..well very presidential. Then the “Huckaboom” started, and I decided to take a second look at a guy I thought was far less than the “Authentic Conservative” that he had tried to portray.
Last night I got a call from a “survey company” that wanted my opinions. After asking a few questions to gauge who I was leaning toward, the person who was “surveying” me started asking slanted questions that were obviously intended to try to tear down Romney and overlook Huckabees many many weak points. After a few of these questions, I said, “Hey this is one of those push polls that are designed to make Huckabee look good isn’t it?” She hemmed and hawed and said she had no idea what I was talking about. I then told her it was these Clinton style tactics that Huckabee has been using heavily in Iowa, that made me likely to vote for McCain before I would vote for Huckabee. I have been telling people about Huckabees crappy Immigration record, his love of commutations and pardons, and his general hypocritical behavior to any one who I talk politics to. His current strategy is going to backfire HUGE and he may win Iowa, but eventually it will catch him. NO TO HUCKABEE!!!!!!!!
It is interesting to see Huck in damage control now that someone with half a brain realizes that it is not only foolish but dangerous to attack Rush for no reason. The question now is …why would I vote for a guy for President who can’t even get a phone number to Rush? If there is an international incident is he going to say… sorry I did not have Russia’s phone number?