Rush Limbaugh supports Fred Thompson

Rush has not been willing to give an endorsement, but it does not take much reading between the lines, or as Rush likes to say “read the stitches on a fastball” to know who Rush would like to see in the White House.

First, let’s talk the obvious: Rush does not like Mike Huckabee. He has spent the last week lambasting him.

Second, Rush does not like McCain. He did not like him 8 years ago when he was competing for the nomination against George Bush and he does not like him now.

Rush has said little about Giuliani. There has been little to say. Rudy is saving his big push for Florida and the big state primaries. That being said, it is unlikely that a someone as Liberal as Rudy on social issues like guns, immigration and gay marriage would be Rush’s top choice.

That leaves George Romney and Fred Thompson. Rush gave s spirited defense of Romney’s “religion” speech on December 6th. And Romney’s speech was a great defense of conservative values on religion. On the other hand, he has allowed people to get on the show who have called Romney a flip-flopper. Knowing that Rush’s show is probably the most tightly screened show on radio, I believe that this is his deliberate way of letting people know that he does not approve of Romney’s previous postions on some issues.

But other than a process of elimination, here is the main reason that Rush supports Fred Thompson. From the November 29th transcript of Rush’s show:

It was fascinating to me, as I said, to watch this because it hit me upside the head -- even though, as I say, I instinctively knew this -- that all of the top-tier candidates, because of these questions... See, there's always a silver lining in everything. There's always an upside. Some of you might not think of this as an upside or a silver lining, but the genuine moderate as opposed to conservative aspects of three of the top-tier, four of the top-tier candidates were on full-fledged display last night. There was one candidate who did not display any moderateness or liberalism or have any of his past forays into those areas displayed, and that candidate was Fred Thompson. Now, this is not an endorsement. You know, I don't endorse during primaries. I just point out: These are things I noticed, and I've told you during the course of this one campaign year that one of the things that's bothering me, is I'm a Reagan conservative, and I believe in conservatism. It's in my soul and it's in my heart, and I know it is the best way for us to manage our affairs to ensure the most prosperity for the most, to continue our freedom, to protect our country.