Another week, another Republican forced to issue an abject grovelling apology to Rush Limbaugh. Asked last week by a Kansas City Star editorial board member whether Limbaugh was the de facto head of the GOP, Kansas Rep. Todd Tiahrt replied, "No, no, he's just an entertainer." Now, as I recall, Limbaugh has referred to himself as an entertainer often enough, so the problem here must be with the "just." (The GOP loyalty police are nothing if not careful parsers.)
In any case, Tiahrt has (shockingly) recanted any perceived slight, having a spokesman explain, "“The congressman believes Rush is a great leader of the conservative movement in America--not a party leader responsible for election losses.... Nothing the congressman said diminished the role Rush has played and continues to play in the conservative movement.”
Steve Benen notes that Tiahrt is the fifth Limbaugh-slight recanter of the last few months, citing Georgia Rep. Phil Gingrey, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, RNC Chairman Michael Steele, and NY House candidate Jim Tedisco. Given that I am neither a Republican nor a public officeholder (or candidate), it's perhaps not surprising that Benen left me off his list. But that doesn't mean it still doesn't sting a little.
--Christopher Orr