“This must be the End Times," said Rod Dreher in BeliefNet, because there are signs everywhere. The latest came when Michael Steele, the head of the Republican Party, “didn’t let the sun go down before apologizing to Rush Limbaugh” for uttering a mild criticism of him. The Democrats must be giddy at the spectacle of the GOP’s chairman groveling to a “fatmouthing blowhard” of a talk-radio host.

Michael Steele did Democrats a huge favor, said Steve Benen in The Washington Monthly. By saying that “Rush Limbaugh’s schtick is both ‘incendiary’ and ‘ugly,’” (watch the CNN video), Steele drove a wedge between the GOP leadership and its Limbaugh-loving base. The offense “baited” Limbaugh into launching an on-air tirade against Steele, which only made the spotlight on the feud brighter.

“I can understand why the Left is going after Rush,” said John Hanlon in Townhall.com, “but this intraparty fighting is very disappointing. Limbaugh is an important voice on the Right.” Other Republicans don’t have to agree with him, but they should focus their criticism where it belongs -- on policies of President Obama and the Democratic Party that run counter to conservative values.