http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/03/11/endorsements_drown_out_the_debateEndorsements Drown Out the Debate
March 11, 2016
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RUSH: Oh, man and what a day this is gonna be! I can just sense it. I mean, we're literally loaded with exciting things here to talk about. I can't wait to get into all of it. I don't know what to start with first. But whatever it is that interests you, hang on, because we will get to it today before this program expires in three hours. Telephone number, 800-282-2882 if you want to be on the program, and the e-mail address, ElRushbo@eibnet.com.
Open Line Friday means rank amateur callers can talk about whatever they want to talk about. That's the career risk. Lovable rank amateur callers. Okay, the two endorsements. National Review has officially endorsed Ted Cruz this morning, and their piece, their editorial endorsement, is posted at National Review Online or soon will be; I think it's out now. And I think I got word that Phyllis Schlafly and Ed Martin (who is the president of the Eagle Forum) will endorse Donald Trump today at a noontime rally in St. Louis.
I don't know if Trump's gonna be there or not. (interruption) What debate? (interruption) There was a debate last night? I didn't know there was a debate. I saw the Trump press conference this morning where Ben Carson and -- there was a debate last night? Really? Well, whatever happened in the debate last night, it's old news because Carson endorsed Trump today and he was all over TV for an hour. Again, Trump hijacks cable news for yet another hour after the debate last night with the Carson endorsement today.
Now, there are a lot of people, folks... You can't win for losing if you're these guys. The debate last night was civil, and the media was disappointed. They were unhappy. They expected Cruz and Rubio to go for broke and maybe even Kasich, although I don't know what kind of expectations there were. But this was it for Rubio. "You gotta go for broke! You gotta go in there and practically do everything but fisticuffs," and nothing happened. It was perhaps one of the most substantive debates yet, and it did not surprise me at all.
If you're Cruz, and if you're Rubio, and you have any ability to look at recent history, you have to understand one thing: Going after Trump or going after his supporters -- trying to tell his supporters they're making a mistake -- is not the way to do this. Hello, Mitt Romney. How did that work out for 'em? Romney gives a nationwide speech saying that Trump is this or that -- reprobate over here, reprobate over there, lying skunk. He doesn't know what he's talking about, he has no experience, he's a rascal, he's coarse, he's not presidential.
What happened with that?
And Ted Cruz unfortunately said something that he's walking back about Trump voters being low-information. I know what he was trying to say. But he's walking it back. We've had Rubio try his turn going after Trump and Trump voters in the debate. How did that work out for 'em? It didn't. National Review with a full issue devoted to warning people about Trump and how you people supporting Trump make a huge mistake and you better change your mind. You better change your mind now. Trump's stupid.
He doesn't know anything, and he's worse than somebody doesn't know anything 'cause he thinks he knows everything. It's a risk the country can't afford, they've thrown everything, and it hasn't done anything but maybe solidify Trump's support. I just... I think they realized last night or during the day yesterday before last night that you don't take Trump's votes away by criticizing him. The media desperately wanted this. The media wanted the fight after all of this.
You know, and you can't win with 'em. When they get the fight -- when you get the small hands, you get all that stuff -- they whine and moan about how unpresidential it is and what a disappointment is. Then we get a solid, substantive debate... Well, I have to tell you. I think even Kasich made a couple of good points last night. I think Kasich made his case for postmaster general unlike I have ever heard anybody do it. Rubio was on fire. You know, I watched Rubio last night.
I'm thinking, "Man, if you just would not have gotten sucked into that Gang of Eight, 'cause you're never gonna live that down." But that performance of Rubio's last night was one of his best. Ted Cruz was on fire and once again demonstrated that there isn't anybody with a more commanding presence and knowledge of the issues, and particularly the things that need to be fixed, the directions that need to be changed, the reasons this country's in trouble. Cruz was just on fire. And, of course, Trump got his accolades.
Because he apparently (according to Luntz focus group afterward) appeared presidential, didn't insult anybody, didn't attack anybody. So when you look at all four performances, it was solid. I thought last night was a tremendous example of the potential of the Republican Party. And even Trump with his opening remarks about, you know, to the Republican establishment or whoever, you know, be open to what's happening here.
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