Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Here's a dumbass quote of the century nominee for you. Rush Limbaugh says that Mark Sanford left the state to cheat on his wife because of Obama. Seriously.
"This is almost like, 'I don't give a damn, the country's going to Hell in a handbasket, I just want out of here,'" said Limbaugh. "He had just tried to fight the stimulus money coming to South Carolina. He didn't want any part of it. He lost the battle. He said, 'What the Hell. I mean, I'm -- the federal government's taking over -- what the Hell, I want to enjoy life.'""The point is," he added, "there are a lot of people whose spirit is just -- they're fed up, saying to Hell with it, I don't even want to fight this anymore, I just want to get away from it."
The video is actually worse and I can't embed it. Click the link and go watch it.
Politics
Comments
Um... ah... oh... uh... And the conservatives are the ones that make personal responsibility a cornerstone of their political philosophy?
Wow. Is Limbaugh a real person, or have Democrats invented him to make Republicans look infinitely more stupid?
Posted by: Skip | June 26, 2009 9:36 AM
Sorry Rush, but Sanford admits his relationship with Argentina-gal began 5 years ago, during the Bush administration!
Posted by: Ann Klein | June 26, 2009 9:36 AM
He had just tried to fight the stimulus money coming to South Carolina. He didn't want any part of it. He lost the battle.
I remember the last time someone tried to give me a whole bunch of money. After a long, losing struggle it took all of my strength to avoid cheating on my wife.
This was very shrewdly played by Obama to eliminate Mark Sanford as a potential 2012 foe.
Posted by: Odie | June 26, 2009 9:38 AM
And exactly how long has Senator Sandbag been banging 'girl' from Ipanema anyway? Any bets on 8 months or more? - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 26, 2009 9:42 AM
In this little diatribe that Ed links to Rush argues that those who lose democratic battles as the GOP did in the national elections and Sanford does against his states' Congress are excused to become sniveling, whiny, wussy, irrational evil-doers. I would say that sums up Rush and his ditto-heads quite nicely.
Posted by: Michael Heath | June 26, 2009 9:44 AM
Ann Klein - 5 years eh? (sorry I was busy editing when you posted). Have you a source? Should we send it to Rush's office (just for fun). ;) - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 26, 2009 9:45 AM
Ummmmm.
I'm not up on the whole story, but I took a look at the famous E-mails. They date from July, 2008.
That just might blow a hole in Rush's explanation.
Posted by: Jim Ramsey | June 26, 2009 9:47 AM
...He said, 'What the Hell. I mean, I'm -- the federal government's taking over -- what the Hell, I want to enjoy life.
Umm, Sanford went to Argentina to *break up* with the mistress, not to "enjoy life" with her. And he only went because his wife had given him an ultimatum. Hardly enjoyable!
Posted by: Adrienne | June 26, 2009 9:49 AM
@Jim Ramsey - Not necessarily. Remember how Rush blamed Obama for the recession before the poor guy was even inaugurated? Granted, July 2008 was before even the election... Hmm, perhaps the very idea that Obama could become the next president drove Sanford to cheat on his wife?
If this affair ends up dating from before Obama ran for the presidency then it was obviously Clinton's fault, or Carter's, or LBJ's... etc...
Posted by: Imrryr | June 26, 2009 10:00 AM
The world famous, WND exclusive, only detectable by RRR retards, supercalifragilisticexpedalidocious:
'OBAMA TIME TRAVEL & MIND-CONTROL DEVICE'(tm)*
STRIKES AGAIN !!eleventy-one!! - :D DJ
*filled, no doubt, with GAY GAS(tm)
Posted by: DIngoJack | June 26, 2009 10:09 AM
Imrryr:
Those in the 101st Chairborne's Foil Helmet Brigade are fully aware of the power that FDR exerts, from beyond the grave, on today's GOP.
Posted by: democommie | June 26, 2009 10:12 AM
DingoJack: Ipanema is not in Argentina.
Ann Klein: Sorry Rush, but Sanford admits his relationship with Argentina-gal began 5 years ago,...
Isn't that about when Obama started running for the Senate?
Posted by: Herod the Freemason | June 26, 2009 10:14 AM
Those in the 101st Chairborne's Foil Helmet Brigade are fully aware of the power that FDR exerts, from beyond the grave, on today's GOP.
Well said, democommie - you've made my morning a cheery one.
Posted by: Moderately Unbalanced Squid | June 26, 2009 10:18 AM
Yet they blow a gasket at the suggestion that a criminal should receive an iota of mercy because he was the product of a broken home.
Posted by: xebecs | June 26, 2009 10:19 AM
"Sorry Rush, but Sanford admits his relationship with Argentina-gal began 5 years ago, during the Bush administration!"
I'm not sure: I believe he said he's known her for 5 years as a dear friend, but that only in the last year did the relation get "romantic"
Of course, you have to believe that part, and given his history...
Related question: just how f*****g stupid are these people? Don't they know that now anything that is emailed, texted, written, phoned, NEVER goes away? Borrowing rules from a comedian, why don't they live by:
"Don't write anything down"
"Don't take any pictures"
"Don't text anything"
"Don't email anything"
"Deny, deny, deny"
Why bring this up? Here are some emails.
http://www.thestate.com/sanford/story/839350.html
Posted by: dean | June 26, 2009 10:24 AM
@democommie - Ah, those magnificent men really can thunder in their chairborn steeds, eh? As a spineless liberal I can only watch with starry eyes and mouth agape as those men bravely fight the War of Ideas.
Posted by: Imrryr | June 26, 2009 10:40 AM
No everyone, don't you see it? In Limbaugh-land time doesn't matter for causal events. Obama is responsible for everything bad that ever happened because Democrats=bad and Republicans=good. No further explanation is necessary. Reality doesn't matter. All bad things are Obama's fault because that's the way Limbaugh wants it to be. You have to forget about reality, and just believe.
Posted by: catgirl | June 26, 2009 10:43 AM
In my experiences with very small children, they almost always have a steadfast refusal to admit to wrongdoing, even when they know that the blame rightly lies with them. When confronted by an older person, they will inevitably point the finger at someone else, say "He/she started it/made me do it," or deny their own involvement entirely. Social conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh have proven themselves again and again to be, for all intents and purposes, overgrown little children.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | June 26, 2009 10:44 AM
Sometimes I wonder if 'conservatism' isn't some kind of terrible developmental condition that affects the brain.
Those, like Rush, who seem to suffer severely from conservatism, show marked intellectual, moral and impulse-control impairment. - DJ
Posted by: DIngoJack | June 26, 2009 10:54 AM
Posted by: Bourgeois_Rage | June 26, 2009 11:13 AM
It's just that Limpballs has to blame anything "bad" on Obama and the liberals no matter how convoluted the logic.
It goes hand and hand with the conservative philosophy of personal responsibility. You know, anything good that happens to me is due to my hard work, diligence, and upstanding morals. Anything bad is due to the sins of my neighbor.
Posted by: Owen | June 26, 2009 11:18 AM
Don't forget: Sanford was a cheerleader for his state's marriage amendment.
As I always say: no hypocrite like a social conservative.
Posted by: Bachalon | June 26, 2009 11:18 AM
Don't forget: Sanford was a cheerleader for his state's marriage amendment.
As I always say: no hypocrite like a social conservative.
Posted by: Bachalon | June 26, 2009 11:20 AM
Unfortunately, Rush seems to be immune to the Obama Mind Control/Time Travel Device. He hasn't left yet.
Posted by: wheatdogg | June 26, 2009 11:20 AM
"Those, like Rush, who seem to suffer severely from conservatism, show marked intellectual, moral and impulse-control impairment. - DJ"
And that's only while he's on the air, it gets worse when he leaves the office.
Posted by: democommie | June 26, 2009 11:27 AM
xebecs @ #14:
Hell, they blow a gasket at the suggestion that a criminal should receive mercy because he's not actually guilty of anything!
Posted by: phantomreader42 | June 26, 2009 11:30 AM
So for Limbaugh "enjoying life" means "committing adultery". Nice.
I think that should become a new euphemism for whenever Republicans get caught with their pants down.
Posted by: Dylan Llyr | June 26, 2009 11:31 AM
There were hints of it during the Clinton administration, but now with Obama in office, Rush has proven to care about nothing but the $$$. He'll say whatever it takes to make his ultra-rightwing conservative base both happy and outraged at the same time. Facts and reality don't matter, sponsors and big money contracts, that's where the truth is. Same goes for most of the other screaming heads on reich-wing radio and television.
Posted by: dogmeatIB | June 26, 2009 11:34 AM
"Those, like Rush, who seem to suffer severely from conservatism, show marked intellectual, moral and impulse-control impairment. - DJ"
And that's only while he's on the air, it gets worse when he leaves the office.
Posted by: democommie | June 26, 2009 11:38 AM
Hey Guys!!
Get 'em while you can!
http://www.republicandepot.com/Mark_Sanford_for_President_2012_Gear_s/7498.htm
Posted by: Amadán | June 26, 2009 11:59 AM
If Obama as president is just cause for getting with sexy foreigners, then I sincerely hope he gets a second term!
Posted by: pough | June 26, 2009 12:02 PM
They used to blame this stuff on Bill Clinton's penis, right? It had these amazing powers to go back in time and make Newt Gingrich, Henry Hyde and others commit adultery. It was like the Dr. Brown and Marty McFly of schlongs.
I guess a black President has given them a new demon to focus on.
Posted by: Sanjiv Sarwate | June 26, 2009 12:22 PM
Sanjiv Sarwate - yeah now Rush has got much bigger problems to worry about. ;)
Thanks for that, lightened my day - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 26, 2009 12:29 PM
And, Ed, this is Rush Limbaugh we're talking about. It's quite likely he'll say something stupider this month, nearly certain that he'll say something stupider this year, and virtually certain he'll say something stupider this decade. I am less certain about the sun rising than I am of Limbaugh's ability to exceed the standards he's set for stupidity.
Posted by: Sanjiv Sarwate | June 26, 2009 12:29 PM
He had just tried to fight the stimulus money coming to South Carolina. He didn't want any part of it. He lost the battle.
And so the stimulus money stimulated him, despite all his lifelong Christian virtue.
DJ: Obviously the Gay Gas didn't work this time, unless the Argentine babe was actually a trans. Which is really disconcerting since gays are supposed to be fussy about getting things right.
Remember how Rush blamed Obama for the recession before the poor guy was even inaugurated?
Remember how they tried to blame Obama for high gas prices before he was even nominated?
AS far as blaming Obama, the wingnuts could say that Obama did two things that lead to more sex: he gave people hope, and he got us at least trying to work together to solve common problems. The former tends to loosen inhibitions and fears that inhibit desire; and the latter creates stronger personal bonds and common experiences, which could easily lead to more intimacy. See, if McCain had won, we'd still all be mired in fear and paralysis (and the infantilism that Sadie already mentioned), and that would have kept all the perverts in line. Just as it did when Bush Jr. was President. Oh wait, it didn't. Oh well, I still sound more plausible than Rush. Neener.
Posted by: Raging Bee | June 26, 2009 12:31 PM
Raging Bee -
you posted "...unless the Argentine babe was actually a trans..."
Senator Sandbag is, after all, a 'family values' republican ;)- DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 26, 2009 12:47 PM
phantomreader@42: Unless, of course, they are the nice white boys from the Duke Lacrosse team.
(They shouldn't have been prosecuted, but the selective outrage is very telling.)
Posted by: xebecs | June 26, 2009 1:22 PM
"I don't even want to fight this anymore, I just want to get
away from itlaid."Fixed.
Posted by: NoAstronomer | June 26, 2009 1:34 PM
xebecs:
Yeah, like the "Jena 6".
Posted by: democommie | June 26, 2009 2:24 PM
What really makes this hysterical is how Rush is actually making Obama look like even more of a powerful politician by managing to not only break causality but also get rid of a semi-major contender for the 2012 elections.
Posted by: Asemodeus | June 26, 2009 2:45 PM
Along with a refusal to accept responsibility for personal actions(unless you are caught like Sanford was),denial of reality (scientific, cultural and economic) is another defining pathological trait of many modern conservatives.
(Liberals or any other ideology are of course not excused from having these flaws also.)
Instead of accepting biological and physical reality many of them take mindless and convenient refuge in myths about national exceptionalism, worshipping heros on pedestals(like with Reagan) and the delusional nonsense of fundamentalism.
Infantilism as mentioned above is a very appropiate way to describe these disceitful manipulators,wackos and liars who have done so much damage to this country and the world in the last 40 years.
Posted by: naturalist | June 26, 2009 3:23 PM
Hey, aren't conservative Republicans supposedly all in favor of taking personal responsibility?
On a related note, some good progressive detectives managed to unearth another incident of a conservative, Marcus Epstein, behaving badly. Criminally, in fact. Thanks to their good work, it looks like UVA law school rescinded Epstein's admission.
Posted by: Adrienne | June 26, 2009 8:42 PM
Oh yeah, and Bay Buchanan, Epstein's boss, bitched about how unfair this was because Epstein was very depressed and drinking heavily at the time.
See this for details.
Posted by: Adrienne | June 26, 2009 8:45 PM
Ah, but Limbaugh gave himself an out. He repeats several times that his insane theory was "my first thought." If the facts should contradict his idea, it was, he could argue, simply his first thought.
I could be wrong, though. He might be saying, by repeating "my first thought" so often, that he believes that his first, knee-jerk reactions are always right.
Posted by: Michael Hoaglin | June 26, 2009 8:55 PM
Adrienne: The Epstein/Buchanan story is rather old. Covered in lots of places when it happened, and roundly ridiculed.
Now if you want some seriously messed up Republican values in recent action that flew under the radar, how about:
Emphases mine.
I guess this guy wanted to get all the freak on.
Posted by: Aquaria | June 27, 2009 6:40 AM
Dang it. I had the link to that story embedded in there, and it didn't show up. I even previewed!
Anyway here's the link. Hope it works!
Posted by: Aquaria | June 27, 2009 6:43 AM
@ Dean (#15)
I read those e-mails - quite spicy. I especially liked how cheating on your wife, and children can be justified by simply quoting the Bible. Certainly an odd stand for a "Christian" legislator to take, especially when his opinion of Clinton's indescretions is remembered.
Posted by: Blaidd Drwg | June 27, 2009 7:19 AM
@Blaidd Drwg: yes, that's the beauty of the bible: so poorly written, nebulous, and so often re-written, that people are able to interpret it to justify anything, no matter how stupid.
"He might be saying, by repeating "my first thought" - I think Rush was being honest here: his first thought is that no matter who does what, it is always the fault of at least one member of the democratic party.
Posted by: dean | June 27, 2009 10:05 AM
@8,
It took 6 days in person to break up with the person he's cheating on his wife with?
Posted by: tincture | June 27, 2009 10:35 AM
Rush would have won my Idiot of the Week award if not for the whole "gay exorcism" thing.
Posted by: vjack | June 27, 2009 10:56 AM
"The point is," he added, "there are a lot of people whose spirit is just -- they're fed up, saying to Hell with it, I don't even want to fight this anymore, I just want to get away from it."
Would that Rush were one of those people. I would love for him to get fed up and go away.
Posted by: Old Meanie | June 28, 2009 10:48 PM
I thought there was something strange from Sanford's press conference - I think I found it. (Currently the relevant item is at the top of the page: much later and you may need to scroll down a little)
http://punditkitchen.com/
Posted by: dean | June 29, 2009 7:42 AM