This hour of the Limbaugh Wire brought to you by the word “fail”

by Simon Maloy

For those of you concerned that this hour will be the last time you'll hear Rush's voice for the rest of the week, be not afraid -- Limbaugh announced that for the next two days, at the top of the second hour, his guest host will replay his monologue from yesterday in which El Rushbo offered his insights into how our Founding Fathers would agree with absolutely everything he says, particularly his desire to see Obama “fail.”

Speaking of “fail,” Rush laid into New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman's column this morning, in which Friedman criticized the GOP for "actually debating whether it wants our president to fail." Rush defended himself and conservatives, saying: “We don't want the country to fail, and we have never said it. It is the exact opposite. We want everybody to succeed.” Of course, Rush did wish that Obama's policies would “prolong[] the recession.” Not sure how that qualifies as “want[ing] everybody to succeed.”

After a quick break, Rush came back armed with a little misogyny. Rush aired a clip of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying at a 2003 rally in Connecticut: “I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic.” His response? Asking his listeners: "[D]oesn't that remind you of your first and maybe your second -- both your ex-wives?"

Another quick break and Rush returned to the McClatchy poll, reprising his still hilarious joke that his approval rating is higher than the vice president's IQ. Then it was on to MSNBC's Chris Matthews. Rush aired a clip of Matthews airing Media Matters' clip of Limbaugh declaring yesterday that “this [economic] war is lost” if Obama is the general. According to Limbaugh, Matthews just didn't get Limbaugh's clever satire --he was parodying Harry Reid saying in 2007 that the Iraq war was “lost.” Not quite sure how that changes the meaning of what Limbaugh said, but there you go.

Rush took one last caller before “Open Line Friday/Wednesday” wrapped up, a gentleman who was curious to hear Rush's thoughts on the similarities between 1994 and 2009. Rush offered a detailed treatise on the rise of Newt Gingrich and the Republicans (aided immeasurably, of course, by The Rush Limbaugh Show). Back then, according to Rush, there was an army of conservatives in the House willing to stand up for conservatism -- something he doesn't see today.

One last break and one last reference to the McClatchy poll, as Rush expressed his regret that his parents were not still alive to see his approval ratings, particularly among swing voters, whom he didn't seem to care for all that much.

Remember what we wrote at the top about how Limbaugh's monologue on the Founding Fathers will be replayed tomorrow and Friday? It turns out you're getting so much more. At the end of the show, Rush announced that the final two hours of Friday's program will be a replay of Rush's “address to the nation” -- his speech two weeks ago to the Conservative Political Action Conference. We can only hope it's as fresh now as it was back then.

Highlights from Hour 3

America's Truth Rejector

Rush claimed he never said he wanted the country to fail:

LIMBAUGH: Mr. Friedman, what we know is that the country cannot succeed if Obama succeeds with his policies, and that's what you're writing about. You're writing about the failure of the economic banking system. Obama is in charge of it, and you're blaming me and you're blaming Republicans. Obama's in charge of it, Geithner's in charge of it. They're ignoring the banking bailout. They're ignoring the banking business. They're ramming liberal socialist policies down our throats while everyone is distracted by this other thing and being distracted by this attack on me, in which you are participating. We don't want the country to fail, and we have never said it. It is the exact opposite. We want everybody to succeed. We just know that Obama's policies will not bring that about.

Ladies' man

LIMBAUGH: But I'm reminded of this in Connecticut. April 28th, 2003, talking about backing our president.

HILLARY CLINTON [audio clip]: I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic, and we should stand up and say, “We are Americans and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration.”

LIMBAUGH: Shhh. Oh, high blood pressure every time I hear that. Doesn't that -- for you new listeners, especially you gentlemen, doesn't that -- that was Hillary Clinton -- doesn't that remind you of your first and maybe your second -- both your ex-wives? “I am sick and tired of people who say --” I mean, that'll send you down to Archie Bunker's bar faster than anything in the country, including your kid getting an F on their report card.