The Limbaugh - Steele feud: Rahm's beautiful ballet
Who wouldn't want to see the Rush Limbaugh – Michael Steele feud portrayed in a ballet?
It's got all the elements. A fiery story of betrayal, vengeance, reconciliation combined with predictable, but beautiful, choreography. All that's missing are the unitards.
Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel's choreography is not only prescient but perfectly followed. He outlined the production on "Face the Nation" this past Sunday.
"Whenever a Republican criticizes Limbaugh, they have to run back and apologize to him and say they were misunderstood," Emanuel said, unleashing forces behind the upcoming performance.
Act I - The Violation
Michael Steele disagrees with a CNN host that Rush Limbaugh is the de facto chair of the Republican party, instead claiming he is the boss. But that's not enough. Steele then calls Limbaugh an entertainer and describes his show as "incendiary" and "ugly."
Act II - The Response
Taken aback, the emotional Limbaugh cries, "So I am an entertainer and I have 20 million listeners because of my great song and dance routine."
“Michael Steele, you are head of the Republican National Committee. You are not head of the Republican party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the Republican National Committee…and when you call them asking for money, they hang up on you.”
Act III - The Disdain
Conservative talking heads Ann Coulter and Glenn Beck side with Limbaugh. Coulter says it's alright to disagree with Limbaugh, "but calling the show ugly is buying into stupid left wing stereotypes."
"That's like Scott McClellan coming up with all the stereotypes about Bush," Coulter says. "It's just a suck-up to the liberal media and I didn't expect it from Michael Steele."
Act IV - Emanuel's vindication
This is where Emanuel's choreography stands out. Exactly as Emanuel outlined, Steele offers a mea culpa, groveling at the feet of the mighty king.
"My intent was not to go after Rush," Steele told Politico's Mike Allen. "I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh. I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership."
Act V - The Horror
This is where the acting is superb. "Brilliant," one reviewer might call it.
Steele's counterpart, DNC Chief Tim Kaine, feigns disappointment over the episode. First calling Steele "courageous" but then labeling the apology "unfortunate." His heart weeps.
"I was briefly encouraged by the courageous comments made [by] my counterpart in the Republican Party over the weekend challenging Rush Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party and referring to his show as incendiary and ugly," Kaine said.
"However, chairman Steele's reversal this evening and his apology to Limbaugh proves the unfortunate point that Limbaugh is the leading force behind the Republican party, its politics, and its obstruction of President Obama's agenda in Washington," he wistfully concludes.
Act VI - The Acceptance
This hasn't happened yet. But tune in later today to hear Limbaugh accept Steele's apology and then pledge that all Republicans should work together to provide alternatives to the Obama machine.
Act VII - The Reviews
Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter say its time to get past this and move along.
While Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews, and Keith Olbermann will all lampoon the drama and cheer its production. They hope for many sequels.
