Politics | Rush Limbaugh Limbaugh May Hold Key to McCain's Fate Blowhard's influence extends well beyond conservative base By Gabriel Winant Posted Sep 29, 2008 2:50 PM CDT Copied PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Rush Limbaugh addresses the National Association of Broadcasters at the convention center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, October 2, 2003. (KRT Photos) Rush Limbaugh may be John McCain’s best friend in the fight against Barack Obama, writes Zev Chafets in the LA Times. Vociferously anti-McCain during primary season, Limbaugh is now on board and can't be underestimated. "A lot of Limbaugh's critics dismiss him as a buffoon or a fanatic," Chafets writes. "These are people who don''t listen to his show." McCain turned things around with Limbaugh, and with the GOP base, by picking Sarah Palin, writes Chafets, adding that the radio titan described his support of the ticket as "balls to the wall" in an email. "This is a very big deal," he writes. "A satisfied Limbaugh means an enthusiastic Limbaugh, and an enthusiastic Limbaugh could be the difference in a close race." Read These Next Iran's leaders ditched their phones. Their bodyguards didn't. It's an unexpected footnote in the life of Buford Pusser. Bobby Prevost's childhood home is a new pilgrimage site. A Stone Age settlement swallowed by the sea has been rediscovered. Report an error