RUSH: Dan in Temecula, California, great to have you on the program, sir. Hello.CALLER: It's a great honor to speak to you, Rush. I want to get right to the point. Don't want to waste time because I know you're a busy man. I want to talk about this shortfall that we supposedly have in California, $42 billion. Rush, I've lived here since 1961. I've watched in the last ten years the state government has doubled here in California. In the last five years, the general fund spending has gone...

RUSH: I got a request here from a major American print publication. "Dear Rush: For the Obama [Immaculate] Inauguration we are asking a handful of very prominent politicians, statesmen, scholars, businessmen, commentators, and economists to write 400 words on their hope for the Obama presidency. We would love to include you. If you could send us 400 words on your hope for the Obama presidency, we need it by Monday night, that would be ideal." Now, we're caught in this trap again. The premise...

RUSH: As you know ladies and gentlemen we very infrequently have guests here. We do make occasions now and then. Today is one of those occasions. Ann Coulter is here, and for those of you watching on the Dittocam, we've got a new camera placement so that you see Ann and a view of me that seldom is ever seen, my rear. (laughing) But Ann Coulter's new book -- and I'm sure a number of you have seen her pilloried and abused on cable television for the past week. I noted, Ann, that the initial appearances,...

RUSH: Here's Steven, Spartanburg, South Carolina. You're next on Open Line Friday. Hi.CALLER: Mega dittos, Rush. Thank you for all that you do.RUSH: You're very welcome, sir.CALLER: I wanted to comment on the speech last night from President Bush.RUSH: Yes.CALLER: Whether you're a fan, supporter, or just observer, one of the things that I liked about it was, he spoke I think from his heart, as you would at the end of any experience, especially the presidency, but what he said was, in essence,...

RUSH: Chris in Orlando, Florida, great to have you on Open Line Friday. Hi.CALLER: Hey there, thank you. Good to talk to you. I was listening yesterday about what you were saying about Geithner, and I just wanted to know why would it be bad to have somebody running the IRS who doesn't believe in paying income tax?RUSH: (laughing) CALLER: I mean it seems kind of like what we'd want in there.RUSH: Well, it's a great funny line, it really is, but your question illustrates something I think already...

RUSH: Open Line Friday. Temecula, California, Brittany, welcome. It's great to have you here.CALLER: Thank you. Glad to speak with you, and good morning.RUSH: Good morning.CALLER: Good morning. I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Brittany. I am the third oldest of ten children, and first generation daughter, born here in America from two parents who emigrated here from Iraq. I have two military brother veterans, one on the way to the Marine Corps, and I would like to speak to you today...

RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, have you thought back to the 2008 election? Have you asked yourself who was responsible for that loss? Have you asked yourself who really should shoulder the blame and the burden for the defeat of Senator McCain? A lot of people have been speculating this, a lot of postmortems on the election. Let's go to the BBC. BBC World Service, host Stephen Sackur spoke with former McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and asked Rick Davis on whose shoulders rests the burden of...

RUSH: The crash yesterday of that Airbus 320, US Airways, people who have watched the coverage of this, I'm sure that you have been told how unlikely such an event is, a ditching in the Hudson River, icy waters, 20 degree temperatures, wind chill about nine degrees, everybody survives. I don't think people understand how miraculous, and I don't even know if you'd call it a miracle. A lot of people want to, but this was human skill that made this happen, from the pilot, to the copilot, to the flight...

RUSH: A couple programming notes. The Hutch cannot appear today. I've been trying to get the Hutch on to discuss the championship games, and I've been e-mailing The Hutch for the past couple days, Ken Hutcherson, Dr. Ken Hutcherson, in Seattle. He is in eastern Washington killing birds. He is hunting. I think it's birds. It could be mammals that trod the soil. Anyway, he's out, away from civilization, will not be able to join us, but he will be here two weeks from today to discuss the Super...

Rush's Morning Update: InfestationJanuary 19, 2009Watch It! Download Morning Update Video in QuickTimeListen to It! Windows Media Player|RealPlayer On this, the last full business day of the Bush administration, let me bring to your attention a recent Drive-By articlehighlighting a practice they call "burrowing."President Bush-- like every president before him-- has made political appointments that will outlive his term, placing people in career positions in government. This bothers John...

You're Missing Out on Thousands of Rush Quotes! Join Rush 24/7 NOW!"Where are the insane people in this society? They're working in cable news.""If the Steelers lose on Sunday, then a bird is going to win the Super Bowl -- either a cardinal, a raven, or an eagle -- and after that plane accident, folks, I don't know if we want a bird of any kind winning anything.""I'll bet you that there are a lot of animal rights wackos who are extremely conflicted about this airplane accident yesterday. After...