Media Matters Attack on Rush Limbaugh Looking More and More Like a Planned Hit

When the "Betray Us" ad blew up big time on MoveOn.org and the Democrats that refused to denounce it, it now appears to me that both MoveOn and and the other George Soros-funded lefty organization Media Matters figured the only way out of that mess was to make a similar "anti-military" accusation against a Republican. The way the faux outrage has developed over Rush Limbaugh's out-of-context "phony soldiers" quote indicates to me that this coordinated response from Media Matter, MoveOn and the Democrats was a pre-planned move just waiting for a victim. Given the difficulty that they have finding a Republican saying anything negative about the military caused them to jump a little too fast when Rush made his comment and their willful ignorance of the context of the comment will cause this to backfire on them as well.

Even as the context of the statement became clear, the ball was already rolling as Democrats ran to the floor to condemn Rush and demand their Republican colleagues do the same. The GOP refused to follow the lemmings off the cliff. It looks like the charade will continue today as the Dems try to introduce Congressional resolutions purporting to support the troops while at the same time condemning Rush. That measure will fail, but the Dems will use it to claim that the GOP "doesn't support the troops" because they refuse to vote for the resolution.

The whole thing smells like a well-planned campaign, created in the immediate aftermath of the "Betray Us" ad, that was waiting for an opportunity to be used against any Republican with a careless statement. Sadly for the Dems, Rush's statement, when taken in proper context, was not at all careless nor did it denigrate the troops. All it will do is make Media Matter, MoveOn and the Dems look petty and silly.

In other words, true to form.

UPDATE - Instapundit has a roundup of other links related to this non-scandal:

IT'S NOT A "SMEAR" -- it's better understood as "battlespace preparation." And the target is the traditional media; the intent is to limit the ability of people like Limbaugh or O'Reilly to drive stories in the mainstream news as we get closer to the election. Expect more of this, with more targets.

Of course, it's also generated some blowback.

UPDATE: More here.

MORE: Desperately seeking "Betray-us."