Rush Limbaugh for President?

RUSH: All right. Richard in Monticello, Minnesota, you’re next on the program today, as we go back to the phones. It’s great to have you here.

CALLER: Rush?

RUSH: Yeah.

CALLER: From the land of 10,000 liberals, I’m a conservative island.

RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much. I understand how you feel.

CALLER: I want to humor you for just a second. I’ve listened to you for decades. How’s that sound?

RUSH: (laughing) Exciting.

CALLER: I used to cover the Midwest traveling a lot, and I still carry in my car the radio station directory from the AM stations where you started. I used to bounce around. As I ran out of one zone, I’d have to pick up another zone.

RUSH: Well, I appreciate it. That’s tremendous loyalty, sir. What was it you called about?

CALLER: I think the liberal base has made a marketing and strategic mistake by making you the focal point of this attack. I think they’ve taken their eye off the ball, and if you press them for as long as possible, I believe the conservative base overall will come out ahead.

RUSH: Well, what you’re saying is — and you’re right — the Democrats have made me their No. 1 obstacle.

CALLER: You are not running for election.

RUSH: I know. I’m not running for office. This is what is… On one hand, it’s amazing, but on another hand it’s totally understandable if you know who they are, folks. Now, it is astounding that they are attacking me. I’m not running for anything, and yet they think I’m their biggest obstacle. They have as much as admitted this, because, not only do I influence you, I influence elected officials, they think, and they fear. So I have to be the focal point. In the process of this, what Richard’s theory here is, is that other Republicans actually running for elected office will be ignored and can sneak by these Democrats while they’re distracted attacking me, and so I should continue to make myself a target and take them off their focus. There might be a fun way to do that, to actually start doing campaign-type rallies with the balloons and all that, and the signs that say, ‘Limbaugh ’08’ and just go out and do speeches now and then, as campaign appearances. (laughing) That would shake ’em up, and then Waxman’s investigation of me would have a little bit more ammo he could look at. ‘Am I mingling politics with my radio program? Am I using my radio program to advance my candidacy?’ (laughing) Well, if you didn’t hear that, Henry Waxman has assigned his investigative team in the House to monitor me, and Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin for ‘irregularities,’ and to report back to him, ladies and gentlemen.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: So Henry Waxman will now use government money to do what Media Matters is doing, and the power of government to threaten radio talk show hosts like me and Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. Bring it on, Congressman! Just bring it on. You’re going to make me start my own campaign if you’re going to treat me like I’m running for office. See, the point is, I am the Mr. Big, because I am the one who gets to voters. I am the one who gets to voters in their hearts and minds and changes them, persuades them — with the truth. They can’t handle the light of truth, folks. That’s why this program is a threat.