Some Republicans Vote Democratic In Indiana As Limbaugh Urges Indiana GOP Listeners To Vote For Clinton
May 6th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief
Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has urged his Republican listeners to vote for Senator Hillary Clinton in today’s Indiana primary, pointing to what he said is a double standard when it comes to cross-over voters, the Boston Globe reports — and another newspaper reports signs of “hardcore” Republicans voting Democratic.
Indiana’s primary is open to Republicans and independents, as well as Democrats. Limbaugh is urging Republicans to cross over and vote for Clinton to extend the Democratic nomination fight and, he hopes, further damage the eventual nominee.
Exit polls suggest that Limbaugh’s soldiers could have made a difference March 4 in Texas, where Clinton pulled out a narrow win in the primary, though Obama won the simultaneous caucuses.
Limbaugh told listeners on Monday that Democratic Party officials in Indiana are trying to intimidate Republican voters with monitors at the polls. So he issued these orders: “Flood these precincts. Vote for Mrs. Clinton as an act of defiance against these police-state tactics as a form of protest.”
Limbaugh also argued that when independents and Democrats vote for John McCain, it is seen as a sign of the presumptive Republican nominee’s broad appeal, but when Republicans vote for Clinton, it is described as “mischief” and “un-American.”“None of that is true,” Limbaugh told listeners. “What is un-American and what is mischievous is attempting to intimidate voters as they approach the polling place.”
He makes a point about cross-over voters. However, the key difference here is that Limbaugh is making it clear he wants GOPers to vote for Clinton to extend the Democratic party’s disarray and/or to weaken Obama if he gets the nomination.
The Indianapolis Start reports that some “hardcore” Republicans are indeed showing up and voting Democratic.
But the questions are a) are these GOP voters really enough to tilt the election and b) how will these voters show up with the election results are analyzed? Limbaugh’s call for cross-overs isn’t illegal — but does reflect the win-at-all-costs mega-partisan mindset of 21st century politics.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 10:27 am and is filed under Democratic Party, Rush Limbaugh, Republican Party, Newsweek Blogitics, Indiana, Primaries, Elections, John McCain, Talk Radio, 2008 Elections, Democrats, Republicans, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Politics. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
