Limbaugh, Railing Against McCain, Vows Not To "Concede"

As we noted last week, right-wing talk show hosts and members of the conservative establishment have shown considerable resistance to the candidacy of John McCain.

After McCain's win in Florida, Rush Limbaugh, who has suggested that a McCain nomination could "destroy the Republican Party," gave a satiric concession speech in which he said "the base has fractured."

"Here is the bottom line, ladies and gentlemen," Limbaugh said. "I think this is it. There was a lot of anxiety among a lot of conservatives about Senator McCain. It's simply indisputable. But there was no figure in our roster of candidates who rose up to challenge him or galvanize conservative support. All the candidates on our side, for various reasons, are uninspiring or worse."

"Our friends in the media predicting my demise talk about how conservatism is dead," added Limbaugh. "Let me ask a simple question, ladies and gentlemen. Why is it that all of the Republican candidates claim to now carry the mantle of Ronald Reagan?"

Limbaugh also said exit polls show that McCain was not the choice of conservatives and vowed not to "concede" his position.

"I will not retire," he said. "I will not concede. I will not drift away! I will not fade away, until every American agrees with me."