Surely, even the most calcified dittohead is awakening now to the fact that there is something seriously wrong with Rush Limbaugh.  Certainly, it is obvious that there is something flawed in his conception of politics, in his conception of patriotism, in his conception of America.  The pathological cynicism that runs through his being runs very deep.

Here at a time when most Americans are finding ways to come together to help our international neighbor; here at a time when political ideology naturally yields to common decency; here at a time when America’s power for good in the world is on full display; we have Rush Limbaugh—before an audience of millions—unashamedly using insensitive, hate-filled, racially-pregnant language to comment on the tragedy in Haiti.

This morning on his website one could find an advertisement for the Heritage Foundation, encouraging people to “Join the Conservative Comeback.”  Below that banner is the transcript of Rush’s pathetic monologue yesterday about President Obama’s quick response to the earthquake in Haiti:

RUSH:  Oh, this is what he lives for.  He lives for serving those in misery.  Now, don’t misunderstand here, folks.  I don’t have the whole press conference, but I wonder did he apologize for America before acknowledging we are the only people on earth that can possibly help ’em out down there in any significant way? 

… Yes, I think in the Haiti earthquake, ladies and gentlemen — in the words of Rahm Emanuel — we have another crisis simply too good to waste.  This will play right into Obama’s hands. He’s humanitarian, compassionate.  They’ll use this to burnish their, shall we say, “credibility” with the black community — in the both light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country.  It’s made-to-order for them.  That’s why he couldn’t wait to get out there, could not wait to get out there.

Although I refuse to believe it, if the American people want this kind of cynical conservatism to “come back,” then it will happen.  But to you dittoheads, make no mistake that when you hear your hero wax optimistic only about a “conservative” America or trumpet his peculiarly parochial patriotism, you are following the song of a frustrated, hyper-cynical, fair-weather patriot, whose love for his country is secondary to his love for himself and his ideologically-driven empire.

As for the disgusting and incorrigibly ignorant comments made by Pat Robertson, referencing a historical Haitian “pact with the devil,” the good “Reverend” is merely following the logic of his twisted theology, a theology with roots in the heads of ancient and ignorant men that has flowered in the age of television, supported by viewers who also hold a cynical view of the world, which according to them will end for billions of people in a bloody, God-directed holocaust.

Two kinds of cynicism, from two relatively popular figures in American culture.  It takes a special kind of optimism to see a silver lining behind such dark clouds.

The optimism that is America.