The tactic of bashing Rush Limbaugh and conservative talk show hosts to score political points is apparently no longer the exclusive realm of national-level Democrats and moderate Republicans. Now, even local politicians are adopting this political maneuver in their local campaigns.Democrat David Englin, member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 45th District (and currently my own delegate), sent out a direct mail piece which I received on Thursday where Englin boldly proclaimed his opposition to the top conservative talk show host: “If Rush Limbaugh is for it, I’m probably against it.” (image at right).
Englin’s mail piece, paid for by the Democratic Party of Virginia, not only targeted Limbaugh, but on the reverse side, ripped Glenn Beck and all conservatives: “You and I know that our community’s progressive values are once again under attack. Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and their right-wing allies want to block progress on issues that matter. But we can’t let them. We have come too far and there is too much at stake to let the rhetoric of hate stop what we know is right.”
After listing his policy accomplishments for the past four years, including being “for marriage equality [and] reproductive rights” [elsewhere in his mailer, Englin touted his “100% pro-choice” rating and his endorsement by NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia] and promoting “new green jobs that help reverse climate change,” the Democrat returned to bashing Limbaugh: “I won’t back down and I won’t bow down to the voices of hate trying to block our progress. Join me. Let’s send a message to Rush- we don’t care what you say. We know you’re wrong and you will not stop our progress.”
Wow, and I thought Englin’s opponent was Republican Vicki Vasques, not Rush Limbaugh.
