Rush and Huck

If you have paid attention to Rush Limbaugh's radio show over the last couple of days before Christmas. On Thursday the 20th, the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder reported that a Huckabee DC "operative" accused Rush of being an entertainer and part of the "Wall Street/DC axis" and not an independent thinker. The was essentially repeated the following day by the new Huck campaign manager, Rollins. Rush, understandably, took exception to this and called Huck on essentially being a liberal and engaging in "identity politics".

After Rush was off the air until the day before the Iowa caucus, Huck publicly responded that he "loves Rush" to the Politico:

Questioned why the talk show host would attack him, Huckabee shrugged.

"Ask him. I don't know. ... All I can do is hope that Rush loves me as much as I love Rush."

"I love Rush Limbaugh; I've always loved his show," Huckabee assured. "I think he’s been great for the conservative movement."

The former Arkansas governor conceded that he hadn't sought Limbaugh out to set the record straight — but that he would like to.

"I don’t have his number," Huckabee explained. "If you have it, Jonathan, why don’t you give it to me. I’d love to talk to him."

"Maybe put it on the Web that if he’ll call me, I’d love to visit with him."

Well, just because Rush is not on the radio does not mean that he isn't paying attention. Rush emailed the Politico and published on his web site the following:

I don't need to speak to Governor Huckabee. I saw his comments and accept them as honest, sincere and genuine.

What was somewhat stunning about all this is that NO ONE in the GOP field, including advisors and staff, could possibly misread my 19+ year career the way Gov Huckabee's DC supporter did. Whoever said those things was essentially repeating the Democrat mantra of all these years: that I am just an entertainer, not an independent thinker, part of the Wall Street/DC axis. If it was someone on Governor Huckabee's staff or support team, it was just silly, uninformed and thus curious.

Governor Huckabee's campaign is engaged in identity politics at this moment, so I understand his advisor's/supporter's intent to put the focus on me rather than the substance of my commentary.

As for the Governor not knowing how to reach me...there are people on his Arkansas staff who know full well how to reach me. But that is not necessary to me. We're not playing in a kindergarten sandbox here. We are all presumably adults.

I have got to believe that Huck is smart enough to quit taking on Rush. He comes across looking either disingenuous or an idiot.