An alert reader spots some mind-reading in a LA Times op-ed by Zev Chafets on criticism of John McCain by Rush Limbaugh. Chafets claims (without evidence) that “Limbaugh never had any intention of breaking with his party”:

If John McCain is elected president, he will have a lot of people to thank. Improbably, first on the list will be the man who didn’t want him in the White House, Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh vociferously campaigned against McCain throughout the primary season. He accused the Arizona senator of being a closet liberal and a collaborator with Democratic enemies such as Sens. Russ Feingold and Teddy Kennedy. This caused a lot of glee in Democratic circles. Some optimists even predicted a devastating split in the GOP.

This was a false hope. Limbaugh never had any intention of breaking with his party. When he saw that he couldn’t stop McCain, he swallowed hard and began trying to push McCain to the right. Limbaugh made it clear that he wanted a vice presidential candidate from the Republican wing of the Republican Party.

It’s of course true that Limbaugh has generally followed the Republican party line over the years. But we have no way of knowing what his intentions were in any particular instance. Why does everyone seem so reluctant to admit this? No one expects you to be omniscient!