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Sound Advice, Wrong Target

3:49 PM, May 4, 2006 • By DANIEL MCKIVERGAN
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Today's Hotline reports on the election advice Rush Limbaugh offered yesterday to the GOP:

Rush Limbaugh: "There are" GOPers "planning to abandon" Bush "in droves, particularly during this election year." Bush is "an albatross around their neck." GOPers, "I'll just give you some advice right now. All of you" GOPers "in Congress -- including you," Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) "and all the rest of them, McCain -- you want to win re-election this year, if you're up? You want" GOPers "to hold the House? Unify behind George W. Bush. Just do it. Just do it. Don't try to please moderate or" Dem "voters by showing your independence. Just go out there and unify and support" the pres. "on a number of issues that you can."

Unfortunately, too many House Republicans have often gone out of their way to stick it to the president. They joined in on the hysteria over the Dubai Ports deal and on immigration they have not unified "behind George W. Bush." Instead, too many have demagogued the issue (which worries RNC Chair Ken Mehlman) in much the same way Democrats have on gas prices. They haven't unified behind the president to control spending (though, there's a glimmer of hope on that front). And on Iraq, rather than making a coordinated argument on the consequences of leaving Saddam in power -- as many Democrats advocated -- and why we must win, we get comments like this expressing hope for an "October Surprise."

More by Daniel McKivergan

Good thing it's only May 4, not November 7, and there is still time to recover as the influence of Majority Leader Boehner takes hold. By the way, guess what Republican Senator will likely do the most campaigning for House Republican candidates? The one from Arizona.