7mesh.com

Last week I wrote an article about former Secretary of Homeland Security and moderate Republican Tom Ridge giving a coveted exclusive interview to MSNBC instead of right-wing outlet Fox News. In it, Mr. Ridge pointed to an ever-increasing drive to cast moderates out of the Republican party.

As if to underscore his assertion, this weekend Dick Cheney also sought to cast moderates out of the party when he picked Rush Limbaugh “politically” over former Secretary of State Colin Powell, widely viewed to be a moderate Republican. Mr. Cheney said he would choose Rush Limbaugh in terms of which ideology he most aligns himself with in an interview with Bob Schieffer on CBS News’ Face the Nation. What makes his assertion all the more incredible is that Mr. Powell served in Bush and Cheney’s cabinet as Secretary of State for four years and helped make the case for war with Iraq in that position.

Watch the whole interview here:

Excerpts of the interview transcript:

Schieffer: Rush Limbaugh said the other day that the party would probably be better off if Colin Powell left and just became a Democrat. Colin Powell said Republicans would be better off if they didn’t have Rush Limbaugh out speaking for them. Where do you come down [on this]?

Cheney: Well, if I had to choose in terms of being a Republican, I’d go with Rush Limbaugh, I think. I think my take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn’t know he was still a Republican.

Schieffer: So you think that he’s not a Republican?

Cheney: I just noted he endorsed the Democratic candidate for president this time, Barack Obama. I assumed that that is some indication of his loyalty and his interest.

Schieffer: And you said you would take Rush Limbaugh over Colin Powell.

Cheney: I would, politically.

The irony is Republican Congressional leadership and political aspirants waving the GOP banner have made recent overtures to distance themselves from Rush Limbaugh and his ideological proponents by forming the National Council for a New America, paying homage to Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America” created in 1994. Formed by Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL), and former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) spearheaded the effort.

Mr. Limbaugh was not an invited guest. Subsequently, he openly ridiculed the NCNA “listening tour” idea. Listen:

So far, Mr. Limbaugh has nothing to fear in the way of a challenger to his ideology, however radicalized it may be. And with a shining endorsement by none other than former Vice President Dick Cheney, his star is rapidly rising in the GOP. In an economist.com article dated March 3, 2009, they summed up Mr. Limbaugh’s influence the following way:

Friends of Rush

• Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, who calls Mr Limbaugh a "leader for many conservatives".