I thought it was strange, almost eerie, how empathetic and forgiving the various conservative pundits are being in discussing Limbaugh's drug problems. It seemed out of character. But I think I now know why this is so. In the current Newsweek, they make a point of it: Conservatives are on Rush's side in this event because they know that Rush Limbaugh is the conservative Republicans' best hope at the ballot box. If he goes away, they will have to find someone else to rile the populace.