Gingrey Assumes the Position

Over on the sidebar to the right, you'll see the "Featured Quote." I'm usually the one responsible for that. I was doing it a while back, then had to take an unexpected break from the Internet for a few months. When I got back online, I sorta snatched it away and took it up again. I gave it a brief break following Inauguration Day. I was content to just let some statements from Obama's First Inaugural Address stand and didn't want to let some petty snipping get in the way of my post-Inaugural buzz. I was in such a good mood after seeing the former president on his way that I chose to ignore even the gaseous bloviating of one Rush Limbaugh, who went into great detail about why he hoped Obama would fail.

I finally decided to restart the Featured Quote yesterday, only to discover that there weren't really any quotes worth featuring around. Then I happened upon Rep. Phil Gingrey's message to Rush Limbaugh to lay off the Republican leadership. It wasn't a great quote. Actually, it was pretty wishy-washy, but it was a Republican congressman standing up to the gasmaster...

“I think that our leadership, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, are taking the right approach. I mean, it’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks. You don’t have to try to do what’s best for your people and your party. You know you’re just on these talk shows and you’re living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing. But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders, they’re not in that position of John Boehner or Mitch McConnell."

Uh...never mind. Gingrey has donned the kneepads and puckered up. From Congressman Phil Gingrey's website:

Because of the high volume of phone calls and correspondence received by my office since the Politico article ran, I wanted to take a moment to speak directly to grassroots conservatives. Let me assure you, I am one of you. I believe I was sent to Washington to fight for and defend our traditional values of smaller government, lower taxes, a strong national defense, and the lives of the unborn. In my six years in Washington, I have led the charge on many of these issues. In fact, in 2008 The National Journal ranked me the #1 most conservative Member of the House of Representatives.

As long as I am in the Congress, I will continue to fight for and defend our sacred values. I have actively opposed every bailout, every rebate check, every so called “stimulus.” And on so many of these things, I see eye-to-eye with Rush Limbaugh. Regardless of what yesterday’s headline may have read, I never told Rush to back off. I regret and apologize for the fact that my comments have offended and upset my fellow conservatives—that was not my intent. I am also sorry to see that my comments in defense of our Republican Leadership read much harsher than they actually were intended, but I recognize it is my responsibility to clarify my own comments.

Now more than ever, we need to articulate a clear conservative message that distinguishes our values and our approach from those of liberal Democrats who are seeking to move our nation in the wrong direction. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich, and other conservative giants are the voices of the conservative movement’s conscience. Everyday, millions and millions of Americans—myself included—turn on their radios and televisions to listen to what they have to say, and we are inspired by their words and by their determination. At the end of the day, every member of the conservative movement, from our political commentators and thinkers to our elected officials, share an important and common purpose in advancing the cause of liberty, reigning in a bloated federal government, and defending our traditional family values.

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