Colorado: Rush Limbaugh

You've been reading about the scandal surrounding an apparently impostor Marine who managed to insert himself into a number of campaign-related events last year, mostly (but not exclusively, we'll get to that) on behalf of Democrats.

There's no question that the impostor in question, one Rick Strandlof, enormously embarrassed anyone who was conned by him--though he by all reports never actually worked for any Colorado campaign last year, he did volunteer to host receptions for candidates, and appeared in a 527 TV spot targeted at the Senate race.

Whatever the facts of this scandal ultimately shake out to be, we've seen nothing to indicate that anyone else, particularly other veterans associated with the organization Strandlof ran, were similarly misrepresenting themselves.

Note: This interview comes from our D.C. bureau where your intrepid reporter interviewed Representative Salazar at his office here in Washington, D.C. No expense is too great to bring our readers these interviews. (Plus I was in D.C. for a trade show.)

John Salazar exudes quiet competence. Yes there's his policies, his outlook, his reasons for being there and that matters too. But throughout the conversation you have someone who is clearly competent and yet makes no big deal of his knowledge and success. And in fact downplays it. This is a very common trait in very effective people in most jobs - including politics.

Politico reports:
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an "entertainer" whose show can be "incendiary."

"My intent was not to go after Rush - I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh," Steele said in a telephone interview. "I was maybe a little bit inarticulate. ... There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership."

The dust-up comes at a time when top Democrats are trying to make Limbaugh the face of the Republican Party, in part by using ads funded by labor.

If there were ever a time in the Republican Party for a Sister Souljah moment, this is it.

With Schultheis and Renfroe serving as the local public face of the party and Rush Limbaugh as the national head of the Republican state, the party has gone completely off the rails. Once known for his death grip on the message, Dick Wadhams seems to have been forcibly retired in all but title as the puppets of industry and the religious right have moved front-and-center.

There's not much Penry can do about Limbaugh, but he is the guy who theoretically controls the message of his party within the State Senate.