Limbaugh said 'reactionary' was a 'code word.' Limbaugh rejects Bush comments

Rush Limbaugh snapped at former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for calling Republicans too reactionary, saying the party lost in 2012 because it “is considered wishy-washy.”

“Jeb Bush said that too many Republicans are reactionary,” the conservative radio host said on his program Friday, according to a show transcript. “It’s a code word used by people who aren’t conservative to taint us as extremists.”


Limbaugh was referring to comments Bush made earlier in the day at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s “Road to Majority” conference in Washington.

“Let me just say that we got beat because our brand is perceived to be tarnished, to be reactionary, to be too negative rather than hopeful and positive,” Bush said in a segment aired on Limbaugh’s show, referring to the 2012 election.

“So Jeb Bush, who we really like here, said at the Faith and Freedom Coalition today that he wasn’t gonna be critical of the Obama administration. That really worked out for Romney, didn’t it?” Limbaugh responded.

Limbaugh then turned Bush’s criticism around, applying the term “reactionary” to conservatives generally seen as having less extreme views than Limbaugh does.

“Who are the real reactionaries?” Limbaugh asked. “Mainstream freaking Republicans…Whatever the Democrats say, Republicans react and just snap to.”

“We didn’t lose because the brand is perceived to be tarnished because it’s reactionary,” he continued. “We lost precisely because the party is considered wishy-washy and mushy and doesn’t stand for conservatism anymore.”