RUSH: We’re getting sneezing lessons at the White House from the Health and Human Services secretary. F. Chuck Todd screwed it up when he sneezed and Kathleen Sebelius had to show the right way to do it. Apparently the new right way to sneeze is the way the Clampetts would do it on the Beverly Hillbillies, yeah, into your arm. Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, Rush Limbaugh, Open Line Friday. When we go to the phones, the content of the program’s all yours. Whatever you want to talk about, feel free. Telephone number, 800-282-2882, and the e-mail address, ElRushbo@eibnet.com.
All right, here it is. Yesterday morning in Washington, the White House daily press briefing, Robert Gibbs and the Health and Human Services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, had this exchange with reporters about proper sneezing etiquette. You will also hear Major Garrett of Fox News in this bite.
SEBELIUS: I think that… (SOUND OF SNEEZE)
GARRETT: Senior administration official…
SEBELIUS: Bless you.
GARRETT: … a possible impediment to give you a deal… (SEBELIUS GESTURES TO COVER THE FACE) (laughter)
SEBELIUS: I mean, what is that about? Geez! (reporters murmuring)
GIBBS: I want to point out that Margaret sneezed a few minutes ago, very correctly, in the sleeve. I mean, it would be one thing if it was…
SEBELIUS: I don’t know. Who’s got some Purell? Give that to Mr. Todd right away. A little hand sanitizer. Good. Good. We’ll have Elmo give Chuck a special briefing. (laughter) We’ll get Elmo over. Elmo knows how to sneeze. (laughter)
RUSH: This happened in the White House yesterday during a press briefing. F. Chuck Todd sneezed, he sneezed, he put his hand over his mouth, and that brought the briefing to a halt, wherein Kathleen Sebelius had to demonstrate the proper way to sneeze. It’s all because of the swine flu out there — ah — H1N1 virus. Now, folks, this is Romper Room. You talk about control and patronizing, and correct me if I’m wrong about this, but wasn’t a defining act of being a hick, hayseed to wipe your nose on your sleeve as if it were a handkerchief? I mean that used to be sitcom material. Gomer or one of the bums who wandered into the Mayberry jail would sneeze on themselves or wipe their nose. Otis the drunk would do something like that. The Clampetts on the Beverly Hillbillies would blow their noses on their sleeve and so forth. Are we now to believe that elites in Washington at their cocktail parties are going to blow mucus on their $5,000 designer dresses or suits? Can you just see this? This is a Saturday Night Live bit in the making except it happened for real. This is the new etiquette? This is the kind of thing that happened on Green Acres. This is what these elites think is going on inside pro-life churches.
You have to see this video, I mean elitist snobs advising us to sneeze on our arms. Don’t carry Kleenex, don’t turn away from people, don’t cover your nose and mouth with your hand and head to the restroom. No, sophisticates now wipe their noses on their sleeves and go back to playing their banjos and spoons while sipping moonshine and spitting tobacco juice in the spittoon. Yeehaw! How is that hope and change working for you, folks?