Rush Limbaugh and Mike McCaulRepublican Michael McCaul (CD10 – Austin) is not the first back-bench politician to count on his wife’s family to finance an attempt to stay in public office. He’s likely the only one, though, whose father-in-law can deliver the self-described “Most Dangerous Man in America,” Rush Limbaugh. (Source: RushLimbaugh.com)
An announcement is circulating in Texas Congressional District 10 informing Texas “ditto-heads” that Limbaugh will make a special appearance at a fundraising event for McCaul. Limbaugh is employed by Clear Channel Communications, which was founded by McCaul’s father-in-law, Lowry Mays. Mays pays Limbaugh a reported $38 million per year and gave him a $100 million signing bonus in 2008. (Source: The Wall Street Journal, July 3, 2008)
Mike McCaul is a junior Member of Congress who remains relatively unknown in the sprawling 10th Congressional District which stretches from Austin through six rural counties all the way to Houston. While the district remains marginally Republican, a steadily changing demographic makeup and the emergence of a very impressive centrist businessman, Jack McDonald, as the expected Democratic nominee, make Mike McCaul the most vulnerable Texas Republican incumbent. Apparently, McCaul is feeling the heat and is ready to use his family connections to call in the big bucks and even bigger blow-hards.
The Ditto-Head Dodge
Oddly, the McCaul campaign is refusing to disclose the location of the event to anyone until they reserve a spot to attend. Mike McCaul is willing to bring Limbaugh into the 10th District to raise money, but he’s not willing to inform the press or the general public where the event will take place.
Will McCaul choke on Rush’s red meat rhetoric?
So far in his congressional career, Mike McCaul has sat quietly on the back bench, dutifully voted with the House Republican leadership and kept an overall low-key demeanor. Rush Limbaugh, however, is anything but low-key, and his appearance throws a harsh spotlight on Mike McCaul. Now McCaul is forced to either embrace or publicly distance himself from the controversial, typically extreme and often offensive remarks made and views held by Rush Limbaugh. Here is just a sample of Rush Limbaugh’s view of the world:
- On women…
“The life expectancy of men is drawing closer to that of women. Women still live longer than men because their lives are easier.” (Source: Media Matters, March 3, 2005) - On moderates…
“We only win when we are conservatives … Dick Cheney knows that people in the middle of the road get run over.” (Source: Time.com, May 11, 2009) - On service members who push for withdrawal from Iraq…
“The phony soldiers.” (Source: The Rush Limbaugh Show, September 26, 2007) - On American history…
“You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray. We miss you, James. Godspeed.” (Source: 101 People Who Are Really Screwing America) - On Michael J. Fox…
“He is exaggerating the effects of the disease. … He’s moving all around and shaking and it’s purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn’t take his medication or he’s acting.” (Source: The Washington Post, October 25, 2006) - On John McCain…
“He’s just playing the American card or the patriot card, the prisoner of war story or whatever, and that happens to appeal to some people. … Senator McCain successfully targeted the weak, the mushy, the squishy, the Jell-Os, some of the left, the Drive-By Media.” (Source: The Rush Limbaugh Show, February 4, 2008) - On President Obama…
“I disagree fervently with the people on our side of the aisle who have caved and who say, ‘Well, I hope [President Obama] succeeds. We’ve got to give him a chance.’ … I hope he fails.” (Source: The Rush Limbaugh Show, January 16, 2009)
