Shirley, you jest.

But even if this were not Flame--which it doesn't have to be, since the question of who is leading the GOP if not Limbaugh is an important one in current events--I couldn't comply with a request to just not go there just because it's impolite and might make a conservative Zoner squirm a little bit.

What does it mean to say, as I did, that "Limbaugh is the de facto leader of conservative Republicans"? Emphasis was in the original and it's important. How much daylight is there between you and Rush, really? Between Rush and any conservative Republican? Seems like a philosophical abstraction to wonder if Limbaugh should be labelled a "spokesman" or a "leader". When Rush speaks, is he not speaking your mind?