The political Quote of the Day comes from unsuccessful 2008 Republican Presidential candidate Arizona Sen. John McCain, whose words won’t make Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity happy as the two talk show hosts continue demonizing Democrats in general and President Barack Obama in particular. He told CNN’s Larry King:

MCCAIN: …with the challenges that the country faces now — two wars, all of the other national security challenges and then the economy — I think this president faces greater challenges than perhaps — you know, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to the presidency, it was economic challenges. We clearly faced the rise of Hitler and fascism. But early on, it was mainly domestic issues. And this president…

KING: There wasn’t a war.

MCCAIN: Yes. This president faces the domestic challenges and the national security challenges. So he’s got a big job. And all of us, I think, have to commit to working with him, disagreeing where necessary, but cooperating as much as possible.

And later on he continues to further explain why solutions now are more important than trying to bring someone down to get someone with the letter of your own party in:

MCCAIN: Well, again, these are difficult times. And whatever way I can assist and work with the president of the United States, I want to do it. I mean you look at the…

KING: Are you…

MCCAIN: And again, the American people are tired of the bitter partisanship. There will be open and honest disagreements that the president and I have. And — but I hope that there are areas where — I know there are areas where we can all work together.

The American people are demanding it and they deserve it and they haven’t been getting it.

KING: Are you surprised at the openness to you?

MCCAIN: No. I think the president and I established a relationship of respect both in the Senate and during the campaign. There were rough times in the campaign. You know, you’ve observed so many of them. But at the same time, I think underlying the whole campaign was an environment of respect, which then allows you to — to come together and work for the good of the country.

This is quite a different attitude than that of a well-fed talk host who has a $38 million a-year contract and a private jet that flies over foreclosed homes, houses with kids whose unemployed parents go to food banks, and companies that laid people off or shut down saying he wants to see a new President fail.

During Obama’s inauguration, Edison Middle School in Green Bay, Wisc. put a radio station’s broadcast on its PA so students could hear the historical event but it was mistakenly tuned to Limbaugh’s negative Obama commentary. That greatly upset some teachers and when Limbaugh learned of the complaints he offered to fly the kids on his private jet.

He even offered to lecture the students on civics.

Just what America needs: Rush Limbaugh teaching middle school students.

McCain is already being demonized now on Limbaugh’s show and others. Why? Because McCain is daring to put aside partisanship to try to work with Obama and others to find solutions to positively impact these very kids’ futures.

Interestingly, in his meeting with Congressional leaders Obama bluntly echoed the words of former Bush administration Secretary of State Colin Powell about the larger issue of a political party seemingly following the lead of talk show hosts whose job it is to encourage listener anger and controversy in order to gain and deliver to advertisers a solid demographic that keeps tuning in.

Obama was almost saying Powell’s words, but it sure to be lambasted by it on Monday when the talk shows go on the air — minus a reminder to readers that Powell and even some of other Republicans have raised the same issue:

President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration.

“You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done,” he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package.

One White House official confirmed the comment but said he was simply trying to make a larger point about bipartisan efforts.

“There are big things that unify Republicans and Democrats,” the official said. “We shouldn’t let partisan politics derail what are very important things that need to get done.”

Just watch this spark articles (and posts) that Obama has now declared he plans to try and stop talk radio. (If you hear that, just reread the words and the link from Colin Powell).

But there is that underlying issue: some Republican elites continue to let themselves be influenced by wealthy talk show hosts who don’t have a clue over how the other half — or rather four-fifths, these days — live. Why? Because these guys (and gals) get good ratings and can get their loyal listeners to flood elected Republicans with emails, calls and letters.

McCain now clearly doesn’t have to worry about them anymore. And the polls show that most Americans don’t agree with Limbaugh and aren’t rooting for Obama to fail — and will likely appreciate those in both parties who focus on issues rather than polemics and obstructionism seemingly used as a form of therapeutic political Viagra.

FOOTNOTE: Obama’s task and McCain’s task still won’t be easy but it isn’t impossible. Elections over the years have made the onetime-powerful moderate Republicans an endangered species. Any coalition involving Obama, Democrats and Republicans will have to include some thoughtful conservatives who agree that these are special times who’ll ignore the talk radio political culture that permeates American political life and seemingly influences some GOPers.

Boil it down and you have this: by working with Obama on key issues, McCain and Obama can help redefine the American center.

ALSO: For more info about key Republicans who are saying they’ll work with the White House and Democrats be sure to read veteran journalist and editor Robert Stein’s post HERE.