Limbaugh to Specter: Take McCain with you

The radio host says further contraction of the Republican Party would actually prove to be a good thing for it.

Published April 28, 2009 9:00PM (EDT)

Who knew that Rush Limbaugh would be happy to see Sen. Arlen Specter leave the Republican Party?

All right, so everyone knew that. But what the host said when showing Specter the door might have gone a little far in the direction of conservative purity, even for Limbaugh.

"A lot of people say, 'Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you're gonna," Limbaugh said on his show Tuesday afternoon, CNN's Political Ticker blog reports. Media Matters says Limbaugh also suggested that Specter and McCain also bring Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., over to the Democratic Party. It's surprising to hear Limbaugh say that about Brownback, a solid social conservative, but it apparently had something to do with the senator's support of the nomination of his state's governor, Kathleen Sebelius, to be secretary of Health and Human Services.

According to Limbaugh, this is all part of a "natural winnowing process" that will ultimately help the GOP. Given what's happened to the party as a result of the winnowing that's already occurred in recent years, it's hard to see how that's true -- but hey, that's why he's the "All-Knowing, All-Sensing, All-Everything Maha Rushie" and I'm not, right?


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

MORE FROM Alex Koppelman


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Arlen Specter D-pa. Rush Limbaugh