RUSH: Here’s Steve in La Palma, California. Open Line Friday rolling on. Great to have you on the program, sir. Hello.
CALLER: Thank you. Constitutionist dittos from southern California, Rush.
RUSH: Prostitution dittos, did you say?
CALLER: Constitution!
RUSH: Constitution. Oh, geez. Okay. That’s my cochlear implant for you.
CALLER: Perfect. Well, it works.
RUSH: Constitution.
CALLER: Okay. I believe we conservatives are making a big tactical mistake by allowing ourselves to be called right-wingers. You think about what we’re doing. Rush, when somebody asks you if you’re on the left or the right, do you ask, “Left or right of what?”
RUSH: No. I know what you’re talking about, and I think you have a valid point. We just surrender this terminology to the left.
CALLER: That’s true. I think we should seize the center, call ourselves “constitutional centrists” and cast them out as far on the left wing as they belong. This is positioning. It’s (unintelligible).
RUSH: Well, now, let me tell you something. The second part of what you said you heartily endorse and profoundly agree with, and, in fact, it’s worked in the past. But the Republican Party today just can’t bring themselves to call these people liberals. They don’t even call ’em “progressives.” It’s like they’re afraid to be critical of them at all, but it works. People do not like liberalism. When they’re told that that’s what all this is, they will reject it.
CALLER: Rush, you’re talking about people rising up from nothing? You were talking about that earlier in your show?
RUSH: Yes.
CALLER: Are you familiar with the story of Alexander Hamilton?
RUSH: Well, some. I’m familiar with some of Alexander Hamilton.
CALLER: He was born as a bastard child of an illegitimate marriage. His father left the family when he was seven. He was dirt poor. His mother died when he was 11. His cousin, who adopted him, committed suicide two years later, and look what that guy became.
RUSH: So, uh, we make the case for illegitimacy.
CALLER: (laughs) Actually, the case is that he did not accept his part in life. He worked himself out of it. I write about him a lot. I think Alexander Hamilton is one of the true heroes of the founding of our republic.
RUSH: There’s no question about that.
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: Controversial figure in his own right.
CALLER: Yes. But, anyway, I really believe we should call ourselves “constitutional centrists.” I have a question for you, too. My mom is a big fan of yours. She just turned 90. Would you be willing to say hi to her?
RUSH: Sure!
CALLER: Okay.
RUSH: You mean on the phone?
CALLER: (man arguing with his mother)
RUSH: She’s objecting. She doesn’t want to do it. He’s saying, “Mom, come on.” Slurp some coffee here, folks, so you don’t hear it.
CALLER: Hi.
RUSH: Hi, mom. How are you?
CALLER: I’m fine.
RUSH: Good. This is Rush Limbaugh, and I’m told that it’s your birthday or it’s soon to be?
CALLER: Yep. (laughing)
RUSH: Well, happy birthday!
CALLER: Well, thank you. That’s very good to hear for a 90-year-old.
RUSH: Well, my grandfather lived well past that, and longevity is in parts of our family. You don’t sound anywhere near 90 years old.
CALLER: (laughing) Well, I have a good family, I’ve had a good life, and I’ve listened to you for years. My husband and I traveled a lot, and we always had you on the radio of our tow vehicle.
RUSH: Of your tow vehicle?
CALLER: Yeah, we had a trailer.
RUSH: Yeah?
CALLER: And we belonged to a travel club, the Airstream, and we just traveled a lot. You know, when we were on a long run it was so easy to listen to you and to watch the trees and the desert go by and all that sort of thing.
RUSH: That is great.
CALLER: We had a wonderful time.
RUSH: That is very nice. I really appreciate it. Did you ever stop at any state fairs.
CALLER: Not state fairs. We parked in a lot of fairgrounds. It was arranged by the club.
RUSH: Right.
CALLER: But I went to state fairs in Phoenix, Arizona, when I was a kid.
RUSH: They’re fun, aren’t they?
CALLER: Oh, I love ’em. Remember the movie?
RUSH: Which movie?
CALLER: Well, the one with Janet Gaynor. You wouldn’t. (laughing)
RUSH: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do. Absolutely I do.
CALLER: You do?
RUSH: ‘Cause I’m a movie aficionado.
CALLER: Okay, yeah.
RUSH: Well, that’s very nice of you. I’m happy to be able to wish you happy birthday, and thank you for picking up the phone. Your son said he was gonna go get you and I wasn’t sure you were there or would be able to pick up the phone so I’m glad that you did.
CALLER: I was watering my tomatoes.
RUSH: Well!
CALLER: (laughing)
RUSH: Well, have a great rest of the day.
CALLER: Your compliments overwhelm me. I’m so happy to talk to you. I’ve listened to you for so long.
RUSH: Well, aren’t you nice.
CALLER: I depend on you.
RUSH: Wow.
CALLER: To keep me straight. (laughing)
RUSH: (laughing)
CALLER: I have a wonderful son. I have two sons living with me now. My husband passed away three years ago.
RUSH: I’m sorry.
CALLER: And my sons living here help me so much. They’re two differentiate personalities completely.
RUSH: Really?
CALLER: Yes. My son Steven is the one who called you.
RUSH: Yes. Your son Steven, is he in broadcasting? ‘Cause he has that kind of voice.
CALLER: He had a little program on the radio for the past three weeks, I guess it was.
RUSH: Ah, I could tell.
CALLER: He gives talks at the Tea Party to-do that we have down there, 405/605 Tea Party.
RUSH: Right.
CALLER: Last night he gave a talk on… Oh —
SON: It was Gouverneur Morris.
CALLER: (chuckles) He’s somebody I never heard of, and I like to ready history. He told us about him and everybody was just agog because it was so different. You know, never expected anybody to talk about Gouverneur Morris. Do you know who he is?
RUSH: No. I’m not sure I understand. Are you saying Governor Morris?
CALLER: Gouverneur.
RUSH: Gouverneur Morris?
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: He’s not a rodeo clown?
CALLER: No.
RUSH: (laughing softly)
CALLER: When they did all the work for the Constitution, they had to have the Bill of Rights, the preamble, they had to have it all written down properly, you know, and apparently he had a beautiful hand.
RUSH: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Okay. I know what you mean now. I do.
CALLER: Okay.
RUSH: Yes. Yes.
CALLER: Yeah, my son —
RUSH: What is your first name?
CALLER: — wrote a book about arguing for the Constitution.
RUSH: Right.
CALLER: And he doesn’t so much talk about his book as he does about the different people who were in history that you and I don’t ordinarily talk about —
RUSH: That is very important.
CALLER: — with other people about.
RUSH: That’s very important. That’s a good thing he’s doing. What is your first name?
CALLER: Shirley.
RUSH: Shirley.
CALLER: Shirley.
RUSH: Well, Shirley, it’s great to talk to you. Thank you very much. Happy birthday. Keep going to the Tea Party stuff, and your sons are great. I can tell. Thanks very much.