RUSH: So let’s go to the audio sound bites.  We’ll start here with Trump.  This was Thursday night in Charlotte, North Carolina.  This is the speech where many people said was the best speech of the year.  Trump admitted some mistakes, apologized for whoever he might have upset or offended or what have you. And the analysts dug deep into this trying to, “Well, what happened here, ’cause this is not what Trump thinks. Trump obviously doesn’t think this. Is this Kellyanne Conway? Is she coming in there making Trump do this?” And she’s out there saying, “No, no, no, no, this is all Trump.”  Here is how it sounded.

TRUMP:  Sometimes in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing.  I have done that.  And, believe it or not, I regret it.  And I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain.  Too much is at stake for us to be consumed with these issues.  But one thing I can promise you is this:  I will always tell you the truth.

RUSH:  Okay.  So you remember the firestorm that created last Thursday night.  The media is still calling attention to this, and what they’re saying — and the Democrats, too, they’re saying, “Well, he didn’t specify.  So does he really mean it?  Did he really mean it?  He didn’t specify anybody he might have offended, he didn’t apologize to anyone specifically. He didn’t mention a damn thing. He’s just speaking in generalities here, so he didn’t really mean it. This is just his campaign chair, Kellyanne Conway, she made him say it.” 

And this has people now running around — I heard it Friday.  I had people coming up to me practically in tears, “Rush, I can’t believe it.  They’ve chickified Trump.  Oh, my God, Rush, what’s happening?  What’s he doing apologizing for this stuff?  Who’s writing this stuff?”  Have you heard that from anybody?  Well, the next bite, same speech, Charlotte, North Carolina.

TRUMP:  The American people are still waiting for Hillary Clinton to apologize for all of the many lies she’s told to them and the many times she has betrayed the American people at great danger to them.  Tell me, has Hillary ever apologized for lying about her illegal email server and deleting 33,000 emails?

CROWD: No!

RUSH:  Why would she?

TRUMP:  Has Hillary Clinton apologized for turning the State Department into a pay-for-play operation where favors are sold to the highest bidder, which is exactly what’s happening.

CROWD: No!

RUSH:  Why would she?

TRUMP:  Has she apologized for lying to the families who lost loved ones at Benghazi? 

CROWD: No!

TRUMP: Has she apologized for putting Iran on a path to nuclear weapons? 

CROWD: No!

TRUMP: Has she apologized for Iraq?  For Libya, for Syria?  Has she apologized for unleashing ISIS across the world?

RUSH:  Okay.  So it looks like the Trump apology was to set up the reaming of Hillary for not apologizing.  And Trump was not finished.

TRUMP:  Speaking of lies, we now know from the State Department, just announced, that President Obama lied about the $400 million in cash that was flown to Iran, it was flown to Iran, $400 million in cash.  He denied it was for the hostages, but it was.  Just came out.  He said, “We don’t pay ransom.”  But we did.  He lied about the hostages, openly and blatantly.

RUSH:  Trump’s right about that.  The State Department did come out, they had to, they were forced to, they had to admit the $400 million was paid for the release and a Republican Senator from Illinois, I think it was Mark Kirk, actually said this Obama guy is acting like a drug dealer.  And the media started choking, said, “What do you mean, a drug dealer?”

Well, who is it that delivered cold cash under cover of darkness in the belly of an airplane?  $400 million in cash.  That is how drug cartels work. Trump’s doing a teleprompter speech here getting all revved up.  So it looks like his apology was in part to be able to go after Hillary for not apologizing with some credibility.  By the way, here’s Obama.  Let’s just refresh our memory back on August the 4th.

OBAMA:  We do not pay ransom for hostages. The notion that we would somehow start now in this high profile way and announce it to the world, even as we’re looking into the faces of other hostage family — families whose loved ones are being held hostage and say to them that we don’t pay ransom defies logic.  So that’s point number two.  We do not pay ransom.

RUSH:  But we did, and the State Department effectively acknowledged it, that the $400 million was tied to the release of our hostages in Iran.  But, again, I guess it’s greeted with a ho-hum by people.  Well, okay, well, we understand Obama’s not gonna admit that it was ransom.  I would not admit it.  He continues to get the benefit of the doubt, just like Clinton does. You know, some woman comes out and says, “Bill Clinton attacked me back in August.” No, Clinton, those days are long gone. He gets the benefit of the doubt.  I don’t understand it. 

Drip, drip, drip. (interruption) I don’t care.  Here’s the thing.  Mr. Snerdley just asked me if I thought it was a drip, drip, drip starting with Obama.  We’ll have to check the approval numbers.  His approval numbers are holding steady, depending on the poll, 53 and 56. 

Look, Obama’s numbers are only important insofar as they relate to Hillary. You know, the Democrats, I forget which spokesman it was, couple weeks ago, they were out there crowing.  Believe me, folks, they think this is over.  They think it’s in the bag.  They think Trump is just pathetic.  I mean, they’re hearing all these Republicans saying they’re gonna vote for Hillary.  They are totally, totally in the bag thinking this is over. 

But one Democrat spokesman said, “Yeah, look at Obama’s approval numbers.  That’s all you gotta see.  If he’s at 56, there’s no way Hillary loses.”  So back in June what the Democrats were telling us was, “Well, you know, presidential races really decided in June,” ’cause she had like an 11-point lead in June.  So it’s over.  Ah, you can see.  And then Trump came back from that.  So the June theory went out the window and was replaced by the, “Well, whoever gets the biggest bump out of the convention, that’s the winner.”  And then that kind of, you know, Hillary, she gets these bumps and she has these leads, but Trump then starts inching back. 

So then it was last week the guy said, “Well, no, the way you really know who’s gonna win this is looking at the — if the incumbent president — in this case Democrat — if his approval numbers are up, then Hillary’s a lock.”  So using that as a guide, if there is a drip, drip, drip effect on Obama’s numbers, and if they do start coming down, then that would be the only reason to care about it. Obama’s not the future.  Hillary is, is my point. 

So I don’t care what his numbers are, except to the degree that if his numbers do start coming down, it would automatically mean that hers would follow.  And the Democrats have been the ones to establish that premise.  Here’s one more before the break.  Kellyanne Conway Friday on Good Morning America.  “Who was he talking about when he said he was apologizing for offending people?  And did you write the words or did he?  What is going on?”

CONWAY:  He’s talking about anyone who feels offended by anything he said and that’s all him.  You know, he took extra time yesterday going over that speech with a pen.  That was a decision he made.  Those are his words.  And I hope that everybody who’s criticized him at some point, David, for being insensitive or for mocking someone, at least shows some recognition and some forgiveness.

RUSH:  Okay.  I gotta take a break.  I’m looking at the clock.  Probably wise.