Thursday Open Thread [2.9.12]

Earlier this morning I said Rush Limbaugh was right. It pained me to type those words, but in that instance, in describing his own party, his own base, he should be right since they follow his command.

Rush being right in that context is far different than being right morally, legally and ethically. Like Bill O’Reilly is in the following instance:

“If you remember with the McCarthy era, in the 50s and they were trying to hunt down communist sympathizers and not let them work and put them. What is the difference between McCarthy era communist blacklist in the 50s and the Million Moms saying, ‘Hey, JC Penney and all you other stores, don’t you hire any gay people, don’t you dare.’ What is the difference?”

To answer his question, there is no difference. Anti-gay bigots like those O’Reilly is referencing are fascists, just like Joe McCarthy was. Bill is right to make that comparison, and he tends to do this from time to time to burnish his credibility as an “independent.”

Onto the polling goodness:

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY – PRESIDENT

MICHIGAN (Mitchell Research): Romney 31, Gingrich 16, Santorum 15, Paul 15.

However, the poll was conducted before Romney lost contests in three states earlier this week.
NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Romney 37, Gingrich 21, Santorum 17, Paul 12

NATIONAL (Ipsos/Reuters): Romney 29, Paul 21, Gingrich 19, Santorum 18

NATIONAL (Rasmussen): Romney 34, Gingrich 27, Santorum 18, Paul 11

NATIONAL (YouGov): Romney 32, Gingrich 23, Paul 16, Santorum 16

NORTH CAROLINA (PPP): Gingrich 30, Romney 30, Santorum 20, Paul 11

OKLAHOMA (American Research Group): Gingrich 34, Romney 31, Santorum 16, Paul 10

VIRGINIA (Quinnipiac): Romney 68, Paul 19 (Gingrich and Santorum not on ballot)

GENERAL ELECTION – PRESIDENT

NATIONAL (Ipsos): Obama d. Romney (48-42); Obama d. Gingrich (50-38)

NATIONAL (Rasmussen): Obama d. Romney (47-43); Obama d. Gingrich (46-43)

NATIONAL (YouGov): Obama d. Romney (51-39); Obama d. Paul (51-39); Obama d. Santorum (52-37); Obama d. Gingrich (54-36)

CONNECTICUT (Yankee Institute–R): Obama d. Romney (50-37); Obama d. Gingrich (56-35)