Fox News Hypes The Rush Limbaugh Theorem

Fox News assisted Rush Limbaugh in promoting the radio host's 'Limbaugh Theorem,' his attempt to explain why Americans have not been influenced by right-wing smears or Fox's phony scandals -- while hosting Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) to discuss its validity.

Fox's On the Record with Greta Van Susteren dedicated its entire July 30 program to an interview with Limbaugh where he detailed his "Limbaugh Theorem," a hypothesis he frequently discusses on his radio program. According to Limbaugh, President Obama's policies are unpopular, yet Barack Obama himself remains popular, and Limbaugh believes his Theorem explains that apparent conflict: “The way he does this,” Limbaugh explained to Van Susteren, “he never appears to be governing. That's why he's constantly campaigning.” He continued:

LIMBAUGH: My theory is that Obama has positioned himself as an outsider, not attached to anything that's happening. What he has made happen, he positions himself as opposed to it and against it, and fighting for everybody else to overcome what he has done. And that's one of the reasons why the constant campaign. So he doesn't appear to be governing. So he doesn't appear to be part of Washington. He appears to have this mysterious, powerful bunch of forces that are opposing him, and stopping him from creating jobs. And stopping him from giving people proper healthcare. And stopping him from making their home values go up. And he's constantly out there fighting it. And he does that by constantly campaigning and never seen to be governing.

The Limbaugh Theorem again enjoyed the limelight on Fox the next day when America's Newsroom hosted Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and asked for her thoughts on Rush's hypothesis. After host Bill Hemmer replayed portions of Van Susteren's interview, he summarized the Limbaugh Theorem, saying, “The other aspect of that interview that Rush had with Greta Van Susteren last night is that he believes the Obama strategy is to disassociate himself with anything that's connected with Washington and play the role of the outsider.” Hemmer then asked, “Is that what's going on and does that work?”

Apparently undermining the Limbaugh Theorem, Bachmann claimed that Obama was a “consummate insider” who is “all about DC.” Hemmer attempted to steer the conversation back to the Limbaugh Theorem, reframing the question, “Do you think this is a president who runs away from governing or does not attach his name or association in any way to the -- what the Democrats consider, phony scandals in Washington? And that way he doesn't have to hang his name on it.”

It is not surprising that Fox is hyping the Limbaugh Theorem -- the phony scandals from which the network and Limbaugh accuse Obama of disassociating himself were manufactured by Fox itself. The two conservative media giants seemed to be at odds after Obama's reelection in 2012, but in recent months Fox has frequently hosted Limbaugh in an apparent attempt to rehabilitate his damaged career.