The sound of silence.

This morning, White House staff provided President Obama's response to Rush's challenge to debate:

"[Rush Limbaugh] does not represent the rest of the American people."

Now it can be debated as to what "the rest of the American people" really means, but it would be difficult to argue that the easiest identifier would have to be members the opposition Party.

With that White House statement in mind, just 4 days ago Obama's Chief-of-Staff had this to say on CBS's Face the Nation:

SCHIEFFER: We talked about Newt Gingrich a lot this morning and now you bring up Rush Limbaugh. Who do you think now speaks for the Republican Party?

EMANUEL: You just named him: it is Rush Limbaugh. [...] He is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party.

Now, obviously a President will never and should never debate a radio talk show host, but if the White House wants to demagogue the issue and make Limbaugh its target, their inconsistencies must be called out by the media.

Raise your hand if you think it will happen.

Didn't think so.