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RUSH: Here is Ernie in Atascocita, Texas.

CALLER: Hi, Rush.

RUSH: Hi. How are you, sir?

CALLER: I’m just great. Like so many millions of your listeners, we’re in agreement with your assessment of Obama. His actions and inactions are really purposeful and not borne out of ineptitude or laziness or whatever. We also, in this household, we watch O’Reilly on the Fox News Channel almost every evening. And I’m beginning to think the man has lost his courage. He doesn’t seem to want to admit the truth about our president.


RUSH: What do you mean, Ernie?

CALLER: Well, for instance, last night he came the closest that he’s ever come in asking one of his guests, did the guest seem to agree with the far right wing that this president of ours is on purpose causing all the problems for this country.

RUSH: And so you inferred from that —

CALLER: I don’t think he has the courage to admit exactly what’s going on.

RUSH: Well, I think I can explain this to you. But you inferred from that that Mr. O’Reilly thinks that you are far right wing because you think that this is intentional and purposeful?

CALLER: Absolutely.

RUSH: Well —

CALLER: What did you call O’Reilly?

RUSH: Pardon me?

CALLER: Yeah, what do you call him?

RUSH: Ted Baxter.

CALLER: Baxter.

RUSH: Zev Chafets asked me. You know how that — Zev Chafets, he’s doing a profile on me for the New York Times Sunday magazine, and he just starts firing these — He said, “I’m gonna mention some names to you. I just want your first reaction, just your first reaction. Don’t even think about it.” I said, “I’m not… okay.” And he starts throwing some names at me. And he got to O’Reilly, and I said, “Ted Baxter.” And it just stuck, I guess. I don’t know.

CALLER: Did he throw in a Rorschach?

RUSH: He didn’t even publish any of the other names that I reacted to. (laughing) I guess that was enough. Ernie, look, what do you think the answer to your own question is?

CALLER: I don’t think he has the courage to tell it like it is. I think he’s —

RUSH: That’s not true.

CALLER: — smart enough to know what’s going on in the Regime.

RUSH: Now, Ernie, Bill O’Reilly has plenty of courage. That’s not the answer.

CALLER: I think he’s trying to hang onto the possibility of getting interviews with members of the Regime, like he did with Obama, so he’s gonna avoid being as critical —

RUSH: Well, there may be something to that. A lot of reporters hold back hoping for access, and they don’t want to slit their own throats access-wise.

CALLER: Yeah.

RUSH: But, no, the answer to your question is not rooted in a lack of courage. I think the answer to your question is rooted in what you heard Mr. O’Reilly say. He just does not want to be thought of as far right. I guess he wants to think of himself as more in the center, or wants you to think of him as being more in the center. His use of the term “far right” answers your question.

CALLER: An independent.

RUSH: Well, I don’t know about independent. I just think — you know, everybody in show biz wants to try to occupy a unique niche. And “far right” is not something he wants to be known as. Does that mean he holds back on what he really thinks? Could be. I don’t know, but he doesn’t lack courage. I think it’s a strategic positioning of himself, you may be right, for access to the Regime, who knows.

CALLER: Well, last night I was screaming “coward” at the television. After talking to you maybe I’ll back off a little bit, but thanks for taking my call and —

RUSH: All right, Ernie.

CALLER: — I love listening to you.

RUSH: Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

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