In the immortal words of Catbert, I just laughed myself fuzzy. First, you really must listen to this:

(Transcript here, courtesy of Media Matters.)

Rush starts, I think, to suggest that the caller isn’t really who he says he is, and by the end seems to allow that the guy may be a Republican, but not much of one. The truth is we don’t know who the guy is. Could be who he claims to be, and could be a dirty hippie librul having some sport with the GOP leadership.

It doesn’t matter, though. The real lesson is in Rush’s response to the charges. Put simply:

If you disagree with Rush, it’s “sour grapes.”

If you disagree with Rush, you’ve been “brainwashed.”

People who oppose torture are “stupid” and “ignorant.”

If you don’t agree with Rush, you “don’t know diddly-squat.”

If you disagree with Rush, “you’re no Republican at all.”

The new Republican leadership has drawn a line in the sand. Then dug it out and filled it with concrete. Rush Limbaugh is the One True Voice of God. Dissent and other forms of thinking will not be tolerated.

Get in line, bitches.