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Jan. 18, 2008 - Rush Limbaugh Program
35:30
January 18, 2008, Friday, Hour #3
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Time Text
What do you mean we haven't heard from the hutch?
We don't have the hutch.
I can't believe that.
A guy's such a media hog.
I gave him the phone number to call in at a Florida studio.
He hasn't called in.
No, he's not scared.
I'm just wondering if I gave him the right number.
I gave him a number you guys gave me.
No, if the number weren't working, I got an email from him.
It's Friday.
Anyway, let's move on here, folks.
Live from the Southern Command in sunny South Florida.
It's open line Friday.
Yeah, we're supposed to be discussing the NFL Championship games with the Hutch.
The Reverend Ken Hutch.
Maybe I said something today that made him mad.
Maybe when I said he always gets his predictions wrong, maybe he's just in a little snip out there.
But that's not like the Hutch.
Huge linebacker.
Anyway, Open Line Friday, folks.
As you know, whenever we go to the phones, you own the program.
You can talk about whatever you wish.
No, I don't have the Hutch's number.
I don't have anybody's number because I don't talk on the phone.
So I can't call the Hutch.
Anyway, as I was saying.
Does he have your number, HR?
Okay.
When we go to the phones, you own the program.
You can talk about whatever you want, folks.
Here's the number, 800-282-2882, and the email address, LRushbow at EIBNet.com.
I just got an email from a friend who heard me discussing the small little argument I had with the woman at the celebratory dinner last night about Senator McCain.
And, you know, she was not interested in any of McCain's positions.
Free speech doesn't matter.
Global warming, it doesn't matter.
Campaign Financial Forum, Illegal Liberal, it doesn't matter.
It's all about beating Hillary.
The question should have been, this is so good.
I wish I'd have thought of this myself.
If she doesn't mind, she's going to say, look, if you don't mind McCain's positions, then what is it about Hillary's positions you dislike?
They're the same.
I mean, it differs on abortion and McCain does have a reputation for smaller government.
I don't quite understand that either.
But he does.
Let's go back to the audio soundbites as we wait on the Hutch.
Let's see.
Let's start with number six.
They're still talking about me in the Huckabee campaign.
This was on MSNBC yesterday.
Monica Novotny interviewing Chip Saltzman.
Excuse me.
Chip Saltzman in Arkansas is Huckabee's campaign manager, and he's a nice guy.
I always like Chip Saltzman.
So the MSNB, I'm sorry, the DNC-TV Infobabe says, let me just ask you a question about a comment made by Rush Limbaugh.
He made the comment about both McCain and Huckabee on his program, apparently, saying, I'm here to tell you if either of these two guys gets a nomination, it's going to destroy the Republican Party.
It's going to change it forever.
It'd be the end of it.
What is your response, Chip Saltzman, against this Huckabee's campaign manager?
I certainly respect Rush.
I listened to his show.
I don't agree with him all the time.
What happened in 1994, the Republicans went to Washington to change Washington.
Washington changed them.
And I stole that line from John McCain because he knows it too.
This is important to get back to the basics for the Republican Party.
We need to get back to those things that are important to our base.
We need to get back to those things that can change this country.
And that's Mike Huckabee.
And if you look at his record, what he did in Arkansas in 10 and a half years, took a $200 million deficit, turned it into an $850 million surplus.
He improved roads.
He improved health care, improved education.
By the way, since Mr. Saltzman, who I like, don't misunderstand.
Since he didn't answer the question, I'm going to go back and talk about Fried Squirrel because we have a story here.
What stack did I put this in?
It's Chicago.
In Chicago Tribune, yeah, Here, let me find it.
It's got to be Chicago Tribune, they're eating raccoon.
They're eating raccoon, and it's, yeah, here it is.
Raccoon meat delights the downhome faithful, amuses the hoat curious.
Illinois, it turns out, has a bountiful supply of raccoons, and fans and foodies are gobbling them up.
What's that got to do with what Saltzman said?
Nothing.
But what he had said in response to the question had nothing to do with the question either.
This thing about Chicago eating raccoons is closer to Huckabee frying squirrels than a popcorn popper.
You know, one of these days I'm going to have to explain this comment.
The comment is, I'm here to tell you, if either of these two guys gets a nomination, it's going to destroy the Republican Party.
It's going to change it forever.
Be the end of it.
Well, may not be the end of it.
I'll retract that, but it's going to have to be reconstituted, and it will be a different party.
And I'm sure many of you are wondering what I mean by that.
And I'm going to tell you at some point, but I don't want to get into it in great detail because I'm not going to get pessimistic.
You know me, I'm an optimist.
And that's sort of a warning sign from me.
I'm not predicting it.
But all I'm telling you is this.
I'll give you a little hint.
It goes much deeper than this.
If we have a nominee who chooses to win the election by attracting liberal Democrats to our party, and if the attraction of these liberal Democrats is as liberal Democrats, in other words, if we go out as a party vis-a-vis our candidate, and we make a big appeal or big push to ask liberals to come into our party as liberals,
then I ask you, what is going to become of our party?
Well, the first thing, we're not going to get enough of them to win, pure and simple.
And the drive-bys know this.
They know full well.
You think, you know, they're pushing Huckabee, and they're pushing Senator McCain.
You think at the end of the day in November, they're going to be advocating for McCain or Huckabee over Hillary or Obama if he gets a nomination.
It ain't going to happen.
So I think it's time people ask themselves, what's the big deal about McCain then?
Just from the standpoint of the drive-bys, I know that there are a lot of you out there that think McCain, because you look at these national polls, you think McCain can beat Hillary.
And beating Hillary, that's first and foremost.
Got to have that.
It's got to happen.
No, I'm not, at this point, given the way things are shaping up, that's not a priority to me.
Conservatism is a priority.
And if what we do to beat Hillary destroys conservatism, then what the hell?
I'd just as soon have conservatism survive, go four years of abomination with Hillary or Obama, and then, you know, take it back after they ruined a country like Carter did.
I mean, you might say, I'm not advocating losing, don't misunderstand, but you might say that it took a Carter to give us a Reagan.
I don't mean to diminish Reagan when I say that.
When I say it didn't hurt that the only difference between this country and a bag of dog dudo was the bag after four years of Jimmy Carter.
But if you've got liberals suggesting that our voters elect Huckabee or McCain or take your pick of whoever they're recommending, ask yourself then if they're going to then turn around and keep supporting these people against Hillary or Obama.
You know, damn well they're not.
Charleston, South Carolina paper, vote for McCain deserves it.
I guess he deserves to get the nomination, but he doesn't deserve to be president because there's no damn way they're going to endorse McCain against Hillary.
No damn way.
We got the Hutch.
Is that what it says up there?
We got the Hutch.
Cool.
Cool.
All right, we'll take a brief time out here.
We'll come back and we'll talk a little football.
Big games coming up with Ken Hutcherson in Seattle right after this.
All right.
It's a great thrill to welcome back to the program Ken Hutcherson, Dr. Hutcherson from Seattle, former player, NFL, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, played linebacker for many years in the National Football League, even given a big award by George Wallace, the governor of Alabama, Ken Hutcherson Day.
I'm sorry I gave you the wrong phone number, Ken.
You did?
I think I reversed a nine and a six in there to a 69.
Anyway, before we get to football, I need to ask you something.
Dr. Hutcherson is an activist in the evangelical community in Seattle and is taking on a lot of things people don't have the guts to take on.
What do you make as an American of this race battle, this uncivil war going on on the Democrat side between Obama and Mrs. Clinton?
Well, Rush, before I go there, you know I'm going to have to pick a bone with you.
Well, I knew this.
You know I'm going to have to do that.
If it wasn't for you, Obama wouldn't even be in the race.
Oh, really?
How's that?
How am I responsible for this?
Wait, Rush, what have you been campaigning for this man for for three years?
Four years almost now, probably.
The series 24.
If you hadn't pushed 24, America wouldn't be one of the black people.
You know, that's interesting you say that.
I know you're just trying to be funny, but Dennis Hayes.
No, I'm telling you, Rush, just think about it.
Half of America does not know the difference between a reality show and a TV series.
I know.
I know the liberals thought the West Wing was the real administration.
And Bush was just a TV show.
You don't pushed and pushed and pushed.
Why do you think he got so many guilty white votes?
Well, I think there's white guilt out there long before 24 came along.
But the guy who played President Palmer, Dennis Hazeburg, is actually a TV guide this week saying this.
I'm telling you.
He thinks.
You don't have to worry.
You don't have to worry about Hillary winning because of 24.
Who was the most untrusted character in the 24 series?
The black president's wife.
first black president's wife, and Hillary married the first black president.
Okay.
All right.
Now you've picked the bone.
And I think we've covered the political question at the same time.
Okay, which game do you want to do first?
Let's do the Patriots and the Chargers first since they play first.
Sounds great, bro.
You told me, you kind of digging me in an email some weeks ago, Tom Brady is not nearly as confident, Rush, as you think he is.
What do you mean by that?
I don't see any evidence that he's not confident.
Well, he's confident, but he's not going to be confident if he gets hit.
That's what I've said, and that's what I meant for years.
He's not going to get hit.
That offensive.
That's the guy out of here takes care of that boy.
I've never seen an offensive line as dominant as these guys are.
They should be the MVP.
I know.
I told you that when they won the last Super Bowl.
Let me ask you another question.
I've gotten to know Brady a little bit from golf tournaments.
Yeah.
And he's not, I wouldn't call him a friend, but he's exchanged emails back and forth.
And I remember on the Saturday of their last game of the year, they were in New York, play the Giants at Saturday night game.
Right.
And I sent him an email about 10 o'clock in the morning.
I said, what are you doing to while away the hours?
And he said, food, film, sleep, and food, film, sleep, and massage.
And then he said, visualizing a pride of lions mauling a Ugandan cub.
Now, my point here, I've met some professional athletes, not a whole lot.
There are two that stand.
George Brett and Brady are the most focused I have ever met and the most competitive.
Brady gets in at 6 o'clock in the morning.
He actually goes to bed at 9 o'clock.
Yep.
And those guys watch more video and more film.
They know when the guy is going to hiccup before he ever hiccups.
He is focused.
That young man is very focused.
That's why I'm saying that the only way he's going to get beat, and those Chargers out there knows this, is they got to get on him and break his game plan.
And the only way to do that is they got to have a pass rush.
That's the only way they're going to beat him.
You know, in theory, isn't that what Jaguars tried?
The Jaguars.
Absolutely, but it failed.
Well, that's my point.
The Jaguars didn't blitz till the fourth quarter, and they took away the deep threat, took away Randy Moss.
They doubled and tripled him.
Brady, two steps, and he's getting rid of football on these slants and these checkdowns.
Nobody's going to have time to get to him.
Well, they're going to have to figure out a way, Rush, or this guy's going to go all the way.
But I think that with the Chargers beating my team twice in one season, the Colts, I was blown away.
I mean, you tell me that you weren't surprised at that victory.
Yeah, I was stunned, especially when the starting quarterback and the starting running back go out.
I was stunned that the Colts in the fourth quarter stopped playing ball.
That just.
That was amazing.
I love Coach Dungy.
The guy loves the same lot I love.
And I was just so surprised when the running back went out, Rivers went out.
I just said, man, it's over.
Okay.
Now, you can comment on this because you played the game and you've been through playoffs and so forth.
But to me, if you look at the teams that did not rest their players going into the last weeks of the season, whether they had a bye week or not, the Giants played the last game to win and look at them.
The Patriots didn't rest anybody.
They wanted to go 16-0.
The Buccaneers took the last week and a half off.
The Colts took the last two games plus the bye week off.
Yep.
And you lose, I mean, as a fan, it looks like they lose not focus, but timing and sharpness.
The thing you lose, you go out.
My whole philosophy when I was playing ball in Coach Landry was the same way.
You kill a gnat with a sledgehammer.
You do not take those weeks off.
You stay crisp and you go out to win.
If 50% of the home teams lost, usually 75% of the home teams win, Rush.
That was astonishing to me.
I couldn't believe that weekend.
Yeah, and that was, well, there's the other side of it, though.
You know, the Philadelphia McNabs, when they went to the Super Bowl and they lost to New England, but they still went, they took the last two weeks off.
Off.
They rested everybody.
So sometimes for some teams it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
To the Chargers, you know, they've got Sean Merriman, and they've got some people who can rush the quarterback.
They've got some good linebackers.
Nobody has been able to do anything with a New England offensive line.
Do you really think they can?
And tell me about weather on San Diego.
I mean, they're Beach Boys.
Well, you go, they got some good players out there.
You got Jamal Williams.
I know he may have a little ankle injury, but he's going to have to come through.
Brandon McKinnon can back him up.
Lewis Costello, those guys can do the job.
But man, I'm going to tell you, they have got to be eating nails for breakfast on Sunday morning.
They have got to come out and they're going to have to hit that boy.
I promise you, if Brady gets sacked three or more times, Patriots are going down.
Oh, really?
They do not put that.
I'm going to have to look that up.
I'm going to have to see if Brady has been sacked three times.
I think he has.
That's what I'm saying.
I think he's been sacked three times this season.
I would like to know what game.
Well, we'll find.
Well, who was it?
The Jaguars got to him once.
First play of the game.
Yep.
I'm going to check.
You may be right, but that's quite a claim you're making.
If he gets sacked, you're saying that the guy is going to get defensive and be taken out of his rhythm with a little contact?
A person with that type of concentration, a person that is that much of a student of the game, knows what he wants to do.
And if you mess that up, no one has ever seen that that boy may crack up.
And I'm telling you, the Chargers got the opportunity with those linebackers that got if they start running Merriman and they start stunting Sean and get those guys in there to get him that it's going to be a long day.
But this is the bottom line rush.
If the Packers allows the Chargers to be in the game at the end of the third quarter, they better get ready for 17-1.
Wait a minute.
If the Packers, if the Patriots, if the Patriots allow the Chargers to be in the game at the end of the third quarter, they better get ready for a 17-1 season.
All right.
I've heard you make that prediction.
You made that prediction in Pittsburgh in New England three or four years ago in the playoffs.
Well, I got to take a break here, but I don't think they're going to get to Brady.
The running game.
They'll just do play action passes.
They're going to keep that defense off balance.
I don't see it.
Not only injuries, especially.
And we're back with a great friend of the program and a great personal friend as well, Ken Hutcherson from Seattle, former NFL player.
We do this every year.
We normally do it before the Super Bowl, but these games are probably going to be better than the Super Bowl.
Possibly.
And we're talking New England and San Diego right now.
We're going to get to the Packers and the Giants in just a second.
Now, Hutch.
Yeah.
We looked up Brady Sack stats here during the break.
And you're right.
We don't have it per game, but they played 17 games.
Yep.
21 sacks.
That's just over a sack and a smidgen per game.
And if you look at the last four.
Wait, 21 sacks out of 578 pass attempts.
So your theory is if they can get to him three times, they can rattle him.
Absolutely.
Okay, now this guy played the game, folks.
This guy played the game, and he was a linebacker.
Did you play 3-4-4-3?
We played a 4-3, babe.
So you were outside linebacker?
No, I was middle linebacker.
You were the mic linebacker.
Yes, sir.
No kidding.
To make people go and eat through a straw.
By the way, I want to tell the audience, for those of you that watch football, and if you watch the Patriots, one thing you'll notice as the Patriots go to the line of scrimmage, without exception, whether he's in a shotgun or under center, Brady is always pointing at the other team and shouting.
And what he's pointing out, he's telling everybody who he thinks is the Mike linebacker because they're playing three, four defenses.
They've got four linebackers.
So technically, there's not a designated middle.
You got two inside, you got two outside, but every play, every defense has a Mike linebacker.
And that's what he's pointing.
So you're going to watch the Patriots on Sunday.
He's pointing out who the Mike linebacker is.
And by the way, that's something that a lot of quarterbacks, Peyton Manning has the ability to do it.
A lot of quarterbacks are not given that kind of authority.
Some offensive linemen may be the ones to make that kind of call.
So that's just a little side note.
But I'm impressed that you were a Mike linebacker.
Well, thanks, my brother.
I really am.
Okay, now, one thing I have to disagree with you on.
Sure.
Just one.
You say if the Chargers are in the game, or let's say even ahead, the end of the third quarter, then you, I don't want to misquote you.
What did you say about this?
You said they might win.
No, I said that if they're still in the game at the end of the third quarter.
If they're ahead at the end of the third quarter, the Patriots are in serious trouble.
But if they're still in the game, Patriots may end up 17 and 1.
All right.
Hutch, there's two words that argue against that.
And they are Tom Brady.
They have been in that situation in some games this year.
And now, Brady will be the first to tell you.
They've had a lot of luck.
They had tremendous luck in Baltimore with some of those officiating calls, some of those stupid penalties of the Ravens.
They've had a lot of luck, but he's still fourth quarter.
This year, there's nobody.
I don't think this may be the single, the best single season team in the National Football League history.
It is, Rudge.
I mean, there's no doubt, man.
No team has ever won, what, 17 in a row?
No team.
Well, the Dolphins did it.
This is a great team.
I'm not taking away from them.
But I'm telling you, this is a game of emotion, bro.
You know that.
Yes.
And any given season, Tom Brady told you that already in the email, and you've forgotten.
He said, don't think that just because we've done this, it's over.
Yeah, I know, I know.
I told Hutch, you know, you're giving things away here.
You're telling things I haven't told the audience.
Yes, you did.
You told the audience that.
I told the audience, you're talking about after they'd beaten Cincinnati.
Yes.
Okay, they've beaten Cincinnati on the road, and the Patriots are in the bus all the way to the airport.
It's a night game.
It was like 1:30 in the morning.
So, okay, let's go to the rest of the schedule.
And I went down the schedule with him.
This is an email.
And every team, you own them, you own them, you own them.
You got Miami and Miami.
They're giving you problems there, but you're going to own them.
And I went through the whole thing, went all the way down to the Giants.
He wrote back and said, well, hell, this is easy.
You be the coach.
You be the coach.
I'll just take some time out.
I'll go take some time off in California.
You know, that's what happened to Romo.
Hey, Russ.
You know who paid for that vacation?
T.O. paid for that vacation to say he was sorry.
I tell you what, bro, let me tell you something.
Romo got blunt-sided.
He got blunt-sided.
Blunt-sided.
You know, I talked about that long before this incident.
But, you know, Romo went to college in Eastern Illinois.
Fine place.
And Brady is from the San Mateo area.
And Brady's handled his personal life a lot.
These guys, they're just average guys.
They look at these starlets as some big deal.
And I don't know.
I guess it can be distracting if you're the wrong guy.
But I don't think the vacation heading to Duke, hell, a lot of Cowboys and Jason Witten went on that vacation.
Mark Colombo went.
How many of them went with that blonde?
No.
He was the only one.
All right, all right, all right.
Now, he's getting awful sexist here.
You sound like those NFL coaches from back in the 50s.
You know, there are, I don't know if a Lombardi was one, but there were some coaches in the NFL who told their players, and this is way back, you can't sleep with your wife after Tuesday.
And asked the coach, well, how did you enforce this?
Well, it's the honor system.
It's the honor.
It wasn't very much honor in the NFL, but even back then, my bro.
Okay, okay.
All right, now it's 13 and a half.
Chargers getting 13 and a half.
It's going to be at 14 or 15 degrees.
Can they cover?
Bro, I'm going to tell you something.
I want to know if they're going to be able to stand with those guys.
Those receivers are so great.
The only defensive corners that can keep up with those receivers is going to be Green Bay.
They're going to get in their pockets.
They're going to go face to face.
I think it'll be a great Super Bowl if it's Farr and Brady.
Okay.
Because those defensive backs is going to get in their pockets, man.
They're going to be on them like Washington Rice, coal on ice, and dots on diamonds.
Let's move on in our remaining few minutes.
Let's move on to the Giants at the Packers.
Let's not discuss the weather.
Same both teams.
Everybody's talking about Giants have had three inclement weather victories this year.
I want to take you back to, I can't remember the year, but it's the first time we did this, I think, one of the first two or three times we did this.
The Patriots, where the Giants are today, they were a wildcard team, and every week everybody thought they were going to lose, and they just kept beating.
They went into Pittsburgh for the championship game, and you said to me, keep a sharp eye on those Patriots because they are playing like no other team in the league right now.
Nobody's giving them a chance.
They're a wildcard team.
And you pointed out that when the pregame introductions, they didn't do it individually.
They came out units, both offense and defense, came out together.
There was no individuality in terms of player introductions and this sort of thing.
And what I can't remember is your reason why we should keep an eye on the Patriots.
But you said there's something attitudinally about them in the way they're seasoned.
And my question to you, would you apply that in this game between the Giants and the Packers?
Do you think the Giants, they're a big underdog.
Do you think that they have a chance here pulling this out on a Destiny Roll or whatever you guys who play call it?
You know what?
Did you see the faces of the Giant players compared to the Cowboy players in the third and fourth quarter?
Oh, hell yes.
You noticed the difference, didn't you?
They took the nerve from the Cowboys.
They said, come in our position and we will knock you out.
But I think the Packers have that same view.
But they're coming into their house.
And they beat my Seabirds, bro.
So I got to go with the Packers.
I don't care how great the Giants are.
They do not have the face that the Packers have.
And that's why I think it's going to be one of the greatest Super Bowls that those two teams go.
And you better watch what they did to the defense of the Seahawks.
Man, we had a great rush defense.
What happened there at Lambeau Field?
For one thing, snow happened, and it's got to affect footing.
The offense knows where they're going.
The defense doesn't.
Yeah, but you're paid to know how to deal with that.
That's why you're called professionals.
I understand.
We're all professionals here.
I understand this.
And I'm not trying to make excuses.
What do you call them?
Your Seabirds?
My Seabirds.
A little overrated throughout the season, if you ask me anyway.
No, I'm not trying to be funny with you.
I know.
I live here, bro.
Regardless, I'm not going to say that.
Their offensive line didn't show up either.
No, it was not a good game.
By the way, those guys are really knocked up.
I just saw today that four of these guys.
Was it five or four?
I thought it was five.
Maybe it's five having major surgery.
Kearney.
Somebody's having shoulder surgery.
Alexander on his wrist.
Yep.
You guys are really beat up.
Okay, so you now, just so the fans and the audience know, is it your desire to see a Super Bowl of New England and Green Bay with farm?
Absolutely.
No, no.
But is your desire for that clouding your objective assessment of the Giants Packers game?
No, man, you got to remember, man.
You know, I talk to God every day.
That eliminates me.
Well, Hutch, I'm sorry for the phone number screw up, but I love this every time you call.
I got more fun talking about this stuff this time of year.
Don't get to do it very much.
Tried it on TV.
You know what happened.
Yeah, yeah.
Hey, but I'm still, I'm the one that's pushing for you.
One of these days we're going to get you on Sunday night.
Let's do it, man.
Let's do it.
You'll be great.
Yeah.
All right.
Ken, thanks much.
We'll check in on Monday in an email and we'll see.
Oh, wait, I didn't make my picks.
Yeah, yeah.
Go ahead.
I didn't make my picks.
Got to go in New England.
I mean, I just, you know, and I love the Spanos family, good friends of mine, but I got to go in New England.
And I, so tough.
This is so tough.
I, I, um, it's tough there, bro.
What?
This one is tough for you.
Well, it's tough.
Because, see, I'm having trouble staying objective about this one because I have a lot of some really good friends of mine, the Giants, Chris Mara, who's the director of player personnel and scouting and so forth.
He's the son of Wellington Mara.
And he's just a great guy.
And these guys are doing things that nobody thought they would do.
The coach, they thought he was a caretaker coach, going to be gone this year.
I don't think they play like they've got anything to lose.
They're just, but you just got to take the Packers at Wambeau Field.
You got to.
You just do.
All right, so I guess we're on the same page here.
Yeah.
Hey, guess what, man?
You know, one of these days in the next year or two, we're going to have a Manning Super Bowl.
So get ready.
Yeah, that'll be interesting.
It is.
That'll be a cut Archie Manning in half.
You know, where will he sit to watch the game?
I want to be right next to him wherever he is.
We'll set that up.
Hey, go ahead, man.
Okay, have a good weekend, Hutch.
You too, brother.
Back after this.
Stay with us.
Look at this headline.
California jobless rate leaps to 6.1%.
What's national jobless rate?
4% just hit 5.
You know what's happening in California?
It's a microcosm.
You elect somebody you think is a conservative.
They end up trying to get along with the liberals.
Bamo, you want the country to become California.
I mean, you've got your chances in the Republican side, folks.
Why do you think the Democrats and the media are pushing these two guys?
Jed Babbin, writing here in Human Events.
Look, there's one line here that really sums it up.
Throughout his career, Senator John McCain has been a divisive force in Republican politics.
You know, when you boil it all down, if you don't even talk about policy, that really, Mr. Babbin here is so right on the money.
He's been an obstacle.
He's been something Republicans have had to overcome on important things.
Immigration, campaign finance, a whole bunch of things.
That's just so well put.
Now, here's his opening paragraph.
Faced with either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their national opponent, Republicans can't risk disunity in the fall campaign.
Whoever is the Republicans nominee must be able to both unify and energize the core constituencies of the party.
When South Carolinians go to the polls tomorrow, their choice is between several men who cannot unify the party and one who probably can.
And Fred Thompson is always recommending.
Fred Thompson's ability to unify conservatives around their core principles should be much on South Carolinians' minds tomorrow.
McCain, a divisive force.
That's so well put.
Kelly in St. George, Utah.
Welcome.
Carler, glad to talk to you again.
Hi, thank you.
Hey, I've got a question for you.
Do you think that Mitt Romney has overcome the Mormon issue?
Maybe.
Maybe in the primaries, but it'll be back.
If he wins a nomination, it will be huge.
Well, we're not as bad as everyone makes us out to be.
Wait, wait, wait.
No, wait a minute.
Wrong way to look at it.
The truth is not relevant.
The economy's not bad either, but look what everybody thinks.
It's true.
We're winning the war on Iraq.
Look what everybody thinks.
All it's going to take is the drive-by media, and you wait till the Clintons get hold of this.
You wait until Clinton's getting a hold of this Mormon stuff?
They're going to play that card.
If you, are you, I'm gathering you're a Mormon?
I am.
Okay.
Well, I don't want to offend you, but you know already that there are people out there.
That's just a cult.
And then they're going to be comparing it to Scientology.
And they're not going to care whether it's true or not.
They're just going to be trying to make or create perceptions.
And the purpose will be to put Romney on defense, to have to explain and justify his religion when nobody will be asking the Clintons about their religion.
And then it's going to be up to how he and his campaign decide to handle it and deal with it.
It can be overcome, but I mean, your question was, is it still hurting?
And I don't think it is now.
But it could well come back if one of his Republicans' opponents wants to start playing games with it if it gets really tight.
And if we go to a convention without a nominee, yeah, it can still come up even before the Clintons get to it.
It's true.
It's hard to watch, but at least it's interesting to have it in the forefront and to examine it a little bit.
You just hope it gets a fair shot.
Yeah, but keep in mind the presidential campaign in many cases is like a trial in court.
It's not so much the evidence as what you can make the jury think.
And I'm not trying to be cynical here, but I mean, when you go into court, let's say it's a criminal trial.
The perp is either innocent or guilty.
And you've got the defense lawyer who probably knows trying to convince the jury that what he knows isn't true.
You've got the prosecution.
They've got their ideas.
They've got their evidence.
It's a matter who does the best job of convincing the jury what the facts are, because who knows if the facts can sometimes be explained away.
The same thing here in a presidential campaign.
That's why it's going to be important how Romney and the campaign decide to deal.
He's dealt with it great so far with that speech down in Texas.
I have to run here, folks, because we're out of time.
I'll be back right after this.
All right, folks, thank you for putting up with my voice.
I'm sure it got to be irritating as the hour went on.
You're all probably clearing your throats for me.
And we'll be back on Monday.
We'll talk about the South Carolina primary and the Nevada caucuses after these great football games on Sunday.
See you Monday.
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