RUSH: It is conservatives who are the largest identified group in the latest Gallup poll, Mr. Plouffe. You can throw your party politics out of here. It's conservatives at 40, you guys at 20, and the moderate independents or whatever they are at 36%. You guys are at the bottom of that totem pole. But you see there's two things about this. They will tell us who they fear. Our Democrat buddies will tell us who they really fear and I'll tell you right now who they fear is Sarah Palin. They have done everything in their power to destroy her, and they haven't. If they really, really believe that Sarah Palin was the death knell of the Republican Party, they'd be shutting up. They would be encouraging her, some other way to go out and get seen, be seen as much as possible. And this business about centrists and moderates are abandoning the party, do you really think David Plouffe gives a rat's rear end about the health of the Republican Party? Do you think Obama and Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel and David Plouffe sit around and say, "Boy, you know, we really hate to see the Republican Party destroying itself. I mean, can you believe the Republicans are driving moderates and independents out of the party? I mean we gotta help 'em out here. We gotta figure out a way for them to hold onto those moderates and independents."

If the moderates and independents are being driven out of the Republican Party, I ask, where are they going? They're going to the Democrat Party, you would presume, and that should make them happy. This is why you gotta be very careful in accepting the premises of these people. They wish we didn't exist as a party, and they are trying to wipe us out politically. They're not worried that we're losing moderates and independents. They're worried that conservatism is on an ascendancy, they are scared to death of it, and they are really scared of Sarah Palin. They will tell us who they fear the most by trying to destroy them. I find this laughable. David Plouffe, all concerned, (imitating Plouffe) "Oh, driving moderates and independents out of the party, oh, it's horrible, look what's happening to the Republican Party. Oh, we care about the Republican Party so much. We really wish they weren't driving all these moderates and centrists out of the party 'cause we wish to have a viable opponent." What? These people think we're idiots? They do. They obviously do think that we are idiots.

Big news was announced Monday as a big name is heading to Kansas. Sarah Palin is
set to speak in the state and some might be surprised at who landed the big get.

The Salina Chamber’s Annual Banquet is known for attracting big names
from former presidents to foreign dignitaries and sports legends. But this year,
they’re bringing in someone at the center of America’s current political
landscape.

With her recent resignation as Alaska’s governor and a highly anticipated book coming out next month, the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce says Palin is perfect for its Annual Banquet.

“Still, what Sarah Palin seems to be doing is news throughout the country, we think it will be an evening where people show up and they maybe don't quite understand what's going to be talked about and that should be interesting,” said Daran Neuschafer, chairman for the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.

The February banquet, and specifically who the speaker will be, is something residents like Dennis Collier say they look forward to.

“Sarah Palin has the ability to excite people at large whether you're a Republican or a Democrat or Independent and you don't know what Sarah Palin is going to do next,” said Collier. “She was Governor and then she resigned and now she's here in Salina.”

"She is interesting and in high demand," said Salina Chamber president Dennis
Lauver.

"Whether you love her or disagree with her, we think the response
will be great."

Lauver said Palin was clearly identified as a front-runner early in the chamber's speaker selection process. In past years, the banquet has featured Bob Costas, Cal Ripken Jr., Dr. Joyce Brothers, Colin Powell and former President George H. W. Bush.

A Victory for Common Sense and Fiscal Sanity

Today at 11:43pm

Congratulations to the new Governors-Elect of Virginia and New Jersey! I’d also like to offer a special word of support to the new Lieutenant Governor-Elect of New Jersey, Kim Guadagno, the first woman to hold that office.

Of course, the real victors in this election are the ordinary men and women who voted for positive change and a return to fiscal sanity. Your voices have been heard.

The race for New York’s 23rd District is not over, just postponed until 2010. The issues of this election have always centered on the economy – on the need for fiscal restraint, smaller government, and policies that encourage jobs. In 2010, these issues will be even more crucial to the electorate. I commend Doug Hoffman and all the other under-dog candidates who have the courage to put themselves out there and run against the odds.

To the tireless grassroots patriots who worked so hard in that race and to future citizen-candidates like Doug, please remember Reagan’s words of encouragement after his defeat in 1976:

"The cause goes on. Don't get cynical because look at yourselves and what you were willing to do, and recognize that there are millions and millions of Americans out there that want what you want, that want it to be that way, that want it to be a shining city on a hill."

The cause goes on.

- Sarah Palin

"This one was worth the fight," "This is only one fight in the battle."

____Doug Hoffman