President vs. Pundit?

President Obama may have his hands full in that debate.
He may want to stay away from that confrontation and continue to work on his oh so successful economic stimulus package.

Pundant vs. President? Seems a bit out of place to me. Surely Obama has better things to do. If he's going to debate a Republican, why not go for someone more relavent, like the House Minority Leader? Besides, Limbaugh is known for taking everything out of context, and twisting it to his own desires. That doesn't make for an intelligent debate. This is probably why he's never run for President.

I am disappointed that this land of Harvard and Stanford pays attention to an overweight, drug-addict , high school drop-out who should be in some treatment camp not on front pages of our newspapers.

A president debate a 'someone like that' seriously folks. What next, we'll ask presidents to debate Imus or some other idiot box...rush is a mad comedian

It's funny how the Post offers no option favorable to Rush, the bias of this steamy mound of excrement that some call a newspaper is so obvious. I'm not a huge Rush fan by any means but without his teleprompter, spoon feeding his answers, I don't think Obama would put on a very good show.

islandhopper24 has the fantasy that Obama needs his answers spoonfed and can't speak for himself. In fact, he wrote a critically acclaimed, best-selling memoir by himself and won all three of the presidential debates last fall, which were certainly not teleprompter based, and handles town hall question and answer sessions extraordinarily well -- as well as press conferences and one-on-one interviews with national and world journalists. Just a reality check.

As for the debate shtick, I think it's a great ratings booster for the wingnut radio guy to keep offering it, but completely beneath the office of President. Forget it.

What astonishes me most in all of this is the conduct of the mainstream media. The media has really sunk to new lows in incompetence and stupidity when this sort of pi$$ing match gets elevated into a national news story--particularly in light of national polls showing that the public has virtually no interest in the squealings of this fat, obnoxious porker.

I have to wonder who in God's name is running these mainstream media outlets and what their motives are. My God! We are in trouble! Unemployment is now over 8%. Some of our most iconic business names are on the verge of extinction. People are losing their homes, their health care. And we are still involved in two wars. And what does your star media critic Howard Kurtz devote his column to: How Rush Limbaugh is the big winner! You would think this is an episode of THE BIGGEST LOSER, which is not so far off the mark with this bloated buffoon that you media people seem so obsessed with.

I don't know. I am really beginning to think that America simply is not worth saving.

If Limbaugh has so much clout then he should invite some heads of state to his show. Of course he can't. He's just a figment of his own imagination. He can't get anybody elected. He went thru the whole list of Republican candidates and had no success. The only thing he did for the Republiacn Party was create "OPERATION CHAOS". lIMBAUGH + STEELE + GOP = OPERATION CHAOS

Jaxas, you hit the nail right on the head. Sadly, the gop and their supporters have destroyed everything that was great about America. They, led by their drug popping appointed one have guaranteed that America will not be saved. Long live the Queen.

Limbaugh is not held accountable for whatever he mouths offs, whether true or false or trulse. Limbaugh cannot exaggerate, equivocate, dissemble or outright lie and he's ok with his "constituents". Pres. Obama is PRESIDENT and he has to be reflective, balanced, reserved and serious without hyperbole. Limbaugh is an entertainer, Obama is a leader.

Why would anyone want to dignify that hateful man. He is what this country has put on the face of hate & racism....The only thing good that comes from that man is that decent (educated, middleclass) white people are running away from the republican party because they do not want to be identified with his hate mongering that goes along with being a republican or their leaders. By words or actions it is obvious that this is the case. As far as Obama goes he was a fool to run in this past November's general election. He could of waited four more years. Let the Republicans attempt to clean this mess up, that in my opinion has been brewing every since Reagan was elected into office. He was a fool to take this job now.............. knowing that white Americans are dialing 1-800-blame-a-Ni$$a

Limbuagh is irrelevant.

Obama should definitely debate Limbaugh . . . just as soon as the Republicans make it official and give Rush their presidential nomination.

In the meantime, maybe Rush can practice up by having a fair, open debate on neutral turf (i.e., not on his radio show) with anyone at all. He's never done that. For good reason. He needs that mute button.

Limbaugh is a clown who hosts a "non-guested confrontational" radio show. Presidents do not debate clowns. President Bush didn't debate Michael Moore, President Obama has no need to engage the drug-addled manatee of the moment.

I hope Limbaugh continues to rally the Republican troops, because he is incapable of rallying anything close to the number of troops needed to win a national election. I hope he remains a powerful force in GOP politics for decades to come.

Rush Limbaugh is a former drug-addict who has been divorced three times, lives in a multi-million dollar mansion and flies around the country in a private jet. He looks like a fat tub of lard and his opinions are a mixture of lies, hate, racism, sexism, and total nonsense. The man is beneath contempt. He isn't even suitable for use as fish bait. It degrades Obama and the presidency to even mention Limbaugh's name and as a practical matter, there are far more people who do not listen to Limbaugh than there ever will be who listen to him, so who cares what he thinks?

Obama mopped the floor with Bill Riley during the campaign. (I still love the "I'll spot you ten points in an eleven point game" shot.)

Obama did not start this - and there are far more important things to deal with. If Rush wants to run as the GOP nominee in 2012, then there will be plenty of time for debates then.

All Limbaugh has to do to debate President Obama is to run as the Republican presidential nominee in 2012. Limbaugh is no debater. A debater can not just hit the quiet button when things go badly for him.

I don't understand why you libtards keep putting el rushbo down about drugs, weight, high school drop-out when ovomit is a self admitted cocaine shorting, reefer puffing, cigarette addict, without a birth certificate, that accepted affirmative action to get him into school. What up with that? Rush would wipe the floor with the magic negro.

Rush (like the rest of the Republican Party) is so full of themselves and so against independent thinking that having them on any talk show besides their own will only reveal their stupidity, rigidity of thought and slavish devotion to the NRA (No Regulation of Arms) and the Religious Right. It will be a win for the Democrats and Independents. Tax cuts don't matter if you don't have income, crazy people and criminals shouldn't be allowed to have guns, and GOD gave All of us a brain.

It took the Republicans 14 years to get us where we are today, they ran Congress since 1994 and the Congress and Presidency since 2000 until now and they have the nerve to actually blame Obama, who has been in office for one month, for our economic mess, nice try losers. Why are Republicans sticking to their stale messages, trickle down ecomonics doesn't work, look around Republicans, where we are now is all the result of your policies. Bush and the Republican majority got every single spending bill passed for 8 years, now they act like they are appalled that Obama hasn't cleaned up their mess yet. Republicans need to get a new message and then we might listen to them 8 years from now.

a debate with Jabba the Hun?

TO rj2008...

You may say that trickle down economics doesnt work (despite the record of economic success to the contrary), but when and where has socialism EVER worked? There is no problem with trickle down economics; the problem is with TOO MUCH spending! The texation levels under Bush were fine, it was the idiotic spending by Congress with its appetite for new and more government which are the problem. GW Bush was guilty of it as was Obama as a senator for voting yes on budget busting deficit spending and the Republicans who ran Congress after 1994. They became what they professed to abhor. They got drunk on power and spent a fortune on wasteful stupid projects and entitlements just as their Democrat predecessors had done for 50 years. It appears that the tables are turned once again and now the Democrats are behaving exactly as that which they proclaimed to have detested.

How about the other way around? I would LOVE to see Rush put Obama in his place.

When the Lintball is the Republican candidate for president, then they can debate.

As much as I would like that sweaty pig put in his place, President Obama should just ignore him and his inbred listeners. Especially since Limbfat's "influence" has done nothing electorally for the GOP in the last 8 years.

Why should Obama dignify a buffoon like Limbaugh?

And if Limbaugh wishes to play the role of a head of state, let him run for office.

And as an aside, I note that Limbaugh wants to debate Obama on his show, where he can control the mike. And here Limbaugh never debates anyone. He handles inconvenient truth by cutting the mike on the caller and then going to a commercial.

Obama shouldn't dignify the gas bag, the man has never done anything in the service of his country. If he really cared about his country he'd be running for office to help change things. Instead he sits behind a mic and spews BS in to the air and his fans lap it up, spreading the manure even further.

President Obama debating Limbaugh is like having an Olympic Gold metal wrestler match against a "professional" wrestler like Stone Cold Steve Austin. This is not a debate of substance, it is Limbaugh try to get ratings and make a stink.

The President of the United States should NOT debate a radio talk show host.

ANY President. ANY talk show host.

Why should he accept such. He's the PRESIDENT and Rush is a radio personality not a political figure.

If Rush Limbaugh wants to debate someone, he should run for office. If he loves his country and really stands for his professed beliefs, he should put his money where his mouth is. Run for office!

Obama should debate Limbaugh if Rush runs for president in 2012. Any other debate would benefit Rush more than Obama.

The President's staff should continue to egg Limbaugh on and let him self-destruct.

Obama has a first class intellect. Rush is the embodiment of the spoiled teenage brat that acts up in the back of the classroom to call attention to himself.

Rush equates his opinion with facts. That makes a 'debate' about any issues impossible. Rush can't be bothered to run for office because he couldn't control the situations he would be put in.

People would ask him real questions and would expect real answers that would blow huge holes in his carefully constructed world view.

Limbaugh never has on guests that actually disagree with him. He can't take the scrutiny. To bring him and his beliefs and statements out into the open sunlight is the best way to deal with him.

He's a low brow entertainer for the knuckle dragging set. Nothing more.

Though no fan of Limbaugh, I'd like to see Rush clean Obama's clock in a debate. Of course, no such thing will ever happen.

I would rather see Howard Stern tear fatso Limbo to pieces and that would be worth a pay-per-view special. The President is too busy to even acknowledge this right-wing traitor and jello-bellied coward. Hopefully, he'll die of a heart attck soon and be replaced by that other TV who's even more wacko, Ann Coulter.

The only way they will ever debate is for Rush to get the GOP nomination for president. Slim to no chance at all.

Limbaugh is an intellectual non-entity, and also - it's true! - the de facto leader of the Republicans. A braggart, a liar, a confessed drug addict and a hypocrite. And the de facto leader of the Republican party. A man who has been wrong on every major issue of our time, from global warming to trickle-down economics middle east war and energy and health policy. And the de facto leader of the Republican party. He is worshipped by white middle-aged male rednecks and abhorred by everyone else. And he is the de facto leader of the Republican party. Good pick folks. But should a serious man like President Obama debate him? What for?

Note to Charlietuna666:

Sorry, Charlie - It's clear from your post being a Starkist reject must really hurt. Too bad for you, chum.

Limbaugh is just a fundraising tool for Democrats. They're not fundamentally or ideologically threatened by the man.

Rush would mop the floor with Obama. Obama wouldn't have his security blanket (teleprompter) to use.

Totally. I'd love to see Rush put Hussein in his place.

Rush Limbaugh is the most Machiavellian, divisive and hurtful person in the media. Even Ann Coulter's hateful diatribes can't hold a candle to his toxic vitriole. I hope that the President doesn't lower himself to engage in any form of dialog with Limbaugh. There are millions of us who absolutely despise people who preach hatred and destruction rather than inspiration and love. I cannot imagine living with a mind that full of hate. What a symbol for the Republican Party that Limbaugh represents. Horrifying.

If I was Obama I would ignore Rush and all the other haters. This happens everytime something new appears, Its called ignorance.When computers came alot of people wanted to keep using the typewriter. They said blacks could not do a lot of things like even play basketball(either they were lying to us or they were just ignorant of the facts at that time, because we know for a fact now that they are really bad in a lot of things) , and we proved that no one can do most things better. This is just a bunch of played out lies that Rush is spruing along with the Republican party. This is not a race issue it is class issue, and the Republicans do not have any class.