Rush Limbaugh = 10 Pounds of $hit, in a 5 pound bag. (Excuse the language; it's a quote from Al Franken...)

more of the same

"MIDDLETOWN — Republican voters in the Middletown area appear to be heeding radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh's call for them to cast their ballot for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the March 4 primary election.
Several precinct judges in Middletown and Franklin Twp. said they've seen a "larger than usual" number of Republicans switching over to Democratic ballots. With Republican presidential candidate John McCain having all but sewn up the GOP nomination, Limbaugh urged Republican voters to cast their ballots for Clinton. His reason: To bloody up Barack Obama politically.

Limbaugh said Feb. 29 on the O'Reilly Factor television show that the battle between Clinton and Obama was "too good a soap opera" and that Clinton needed to stay in the race as long as possible to bloody up Obama politically in a way McCain would not.

And apparently some voters were listening.

Marilyn Hatfield, an associate judge in Ward 3, precinct 3 at Christ United Methodist Church in Middletown, said she's seen more Democrats than normal show up at the polls. Hatfield, who has worked in that precinct since 1989, said the precinct is usually almost totally Republican.

"Several people said they were pulling Democratic ballots because of what Rush Limbaugh said on his show,"

In Ward 3, precincts 1 and 5, a total of 26 Republicans switched ballots. Another 10 Republicans cast Democratic ballots in Ward 3, precinct 7.

A precinct judge in Franklin Twp., who declined to give his name, said, "I've seen more switching than what I would consider normal."

http://www.middletownjournal.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/03/04/mj030408switchweb.html

More anecdotal observations from the ground in Texas:

I personally know of a half dozen or so Republicans who crossed over and voted (mostly) for Hillary last night. Several at work mentioned they were doing so and one guy at the caucus last night was really pretty obnoxious about it, saying that he would "burn" his voter registration after the caucus since it was not marked "Democratic."

Take this all with a grain of salt since it's only anecdotal. Still, there was definitely a Republican mischief voter effect in Texas. We'll probably never know the actual effect on the popular vote, but my personal sense is it was enough to cover Hillary's margin of victory and then some.

All that said, the Republican cross over voters weren't doing anything illegal or against the rules. If the rules allow it, then I'm not going to whine about it.

It may be legal for a Republican to crossover and vote in the Democratic primary, but it's rediculous to assume he is switching parties. He will scat back to the GOP like a scalded dog come November. But if his immoral antics cause Hillary to be nominated, then as in 2002 we may have the least popular person in the White House.

Here is an Obamalogic for you: when Republicans cross over and vote Obama it is bipartisanship, show his appeal to moderates and independents and overall a good omen for the GA, and we should be very happy. However if they cross over and vote Hillary this is a conspiracy and a bad omen for the GA and we should be all very afraid. Very illuminating