Letterman - Rush Limbaugh: Bonehead Gangster

David Letterman had CBS News anchor Katie Couric doubled over with laughter when he referred to Rush Limbaugh as a "bonehead" and described his shirt-unbuttoned appearance at the recent CPAC conference as that of an "East European gangster."

Though Couric didn't take the bait during her guest appearance on Monday night, she did admit to feeling uncomfortable to hear the words Rush Limbaugh and flesh in the same sentence and joked with Letterman, "So much for my interview with Rush."

WATCH:

Campbell Brown Throws Down to Limbaugh

Will the windbag take the bait:

DCCC 1 - Limbaugh 0

DCCC takes on Druggie Limbaugh

Entering the fray between Rush Limbaugh and the new Obama administration, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched an online petition here to repudiate the incendiary conservative talk-show host. Please take a moment to sign it and forward it on to your contacts.

The petition is accompanied on the DCCC website by the well-circulated video of the Limbaugh statements that began this whole affair: the assertion, "I hope he fails." If anyone missed it, here is the video:

Quote of the Day

It's not often that I quote Druggie Limpballs here, so, relish the moment:

RUSH: The Democrats own the country. There's nothing anybody can do to stop it. We should just lay down and accept it.

It's good to see that even his assholiness is capable of a moment of clarity!

Did Rush Limbaugh actually impact the Democratic primary?

That's what Sam Stein wants to know:

The loud-mouthed radio talk show host has been encouraging Republicans to vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton to continue the "chaos" in the Democratic race. And a sampling of some key exit poll information suggests he may, to a certain extent, be having an effect.

Thirty-six percent of primary voters said that Clinton does not share their values. And yet, among that total, one out of every five (20 percent) nevertheless voted for her in the Indiana election. Moreover, of the 10 percent of Hoosiers who said "neither candidate" shared their values, 75 percent cast their ballots for Clinton.

These are not small numbers. By comparison, of the 33 percent of voters who said Sen. Barack Obama does not share their values, only seven percent cast their ballots in his favor. Basically, more people who don't relate to Clinton are, for one reason or another, still voting for her. These are not likely to be loyal supporters.

On a broader level, among the 17 percent of primary goers who said they would choose Sen. John McCain over Hillary Clinton in a hypothetical general election match-up, 41 percent of that group came from Clinton's own camp. In essence, roughly seven percent of Clinton support in Indiana (40 percent of 17 percent) said they would defect to the Republican should she end up the nominee. That would be a difficult punch to stomach in November. In 2004, nearly 1 million Indianans voted for John Kerry. A seven percent defection rate would have meant 70,000 less votes.

By contrast, if the general election is between Obama and McCain, 19 percent of the Indiana Democratic primary goers said they would support the Republican. But only 12 percent of that group (2.28 percent) would come from Obama's camp.

The numbers suggest one of three things: A) Clinton's support in Indiana, while clearly there, is not entirely solid; B) a large swath of Indiana primary goers simply didn't like the nominees and thought of Clinton as the lesser of two evils; or C) Limbaugh's hatchet plan could be having political ripples.

Perhaps it's a mix of all three.