LIMBAUGH TAKES DAMNING WITH FAINT PRAISE TO A NEW LEVEL

If you're wondering whether Rush Limbaugh, the guiding spirit of the Republican Party, is on board with the party's new conservative standard-bearer, a radio transcript posted at Limbaugh's site suggests that the answer is "er, not really":

Can Santorum Overcome Whiny Pestiness?

RUSH: Adam in Grand Junction, Colorado, as we stay on the phones. Welcome, sir, great to have you here.

CALLER: Hi, Rush. Tebow mania size dittos to you.

RUSH: Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

CALLER: I think Santorum is the only real conservative left. Although he may have the hair, do you think that he is tall enough or has the looks? I mean in the debate I think he came off like a little whiny pest when he was challenging the other candidates.

RUSH: You're basically commenting on Santorum's petulance. You like him, you think he's the only real conservative, but he came off like a whiny pest.

CALLER: I've always supported him, but I thought he looked awful whiny and baby-like.

RUSH: There were a couple times in the early debates I thought that myself, to be honest with you, Adam, and I thought it was rooted in the fact that Rick Santorum was frustrated that he wasn't getting as many questions, as many opportunities to participate in the debate as Ron Paul was. The people running these debates were looking for ratings, and the kookier, wackier they could go, that means Paul on foreign policy, the bigger they think their ratings are gonna be. And I think he was a little frustrated. As the debates went on I saw that mannerism fade away. I didn't see it. I'd agree with you in the early phases of the debates, but not toward the end.

Wow, Rick -- Rush Limbaugh used to think you were a whiny pest, but now, not so much! Makin' progress!

(And given the distinct possibility that Limbaugh employs fake callers to ask scripted questions, I assume this wasn't a notion Limbaugh just spontaneously happened to discuss.)

Limbaugh goes on to say:

Here's the thing, Adam. We're gonna find out. He's from front and center now. He got a million dollars yesterday. The media is gonna be zeroing in on he's a pro-life extremist. He's racist, sexist, bigot, homophobe. They're gonna be zeroing in on all this and you're gonna find out how he bears up under it. We are all going to find out. He was on with O'Reilly last night, and O'Reilly put him through his paces. O'Reilly said, (paraphrasing) "Look, I don't want to debate these issues with you. I'm not telling you you're right and wrong. I just want to tell you what you're gonna get hit with," and he started peppering Santorum with some quotes that are from Santorum's past about abortion, about race, about welfare, about this or that. And it was interesting to see Santorum parry them, deal with them.

O'Reilly, in his own way, did a service, 'cause this is going to happen. It's Santorum's turn to get the media anal. So you're gonna find out here fairly quick, Adam, whether or not you like his demeanor, whether or not you think he can deal with this in a way that you think is presidential. We all will. We'll see. We'll find out. It's all gonna happen right before our very eyes....

Please note: mistreatment -- what the butt-obsessed Limbaugh calls "the media anal" -- consists of being asked about statements you yourself made in the past. That's so unfair!