Earlier this week, former Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis announced that he would join the Republican Party.
On his Thursday show, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said that the former congressman had recognized that President Barack Obama was punishing achievement.
“A Democrat named Artur Davis, black Democrat, a guy that seconded Obama’s nomination in 2008 — quit the Democrat party yesterday,” Limbaugh said. “Artur Davis said he can no longer be the member of a party which is the architect of job destruction. He doesn’t want to be the member of a party that criticizes achievers. He doesn’t want to be the member of a party that targets achievement for punishment. He’s a down-the-line conservative.”
According to Limbaugh, Davis’ switch and subsequent commentary will cause him to be maligned by ideological opponents.
“Some people are being cynical and are saying, ‘Well, he’s just doing an Arlen Specter. He’s just switching parties because he knows he can’t win as a Democrat,’” Limbaugh said. “I don’t care. I listen to what he’s saying. This is an African-American who is setting himself up for Uncle Tom status. This guy is going to join the ranks of Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas and Shelby Steele. He’s going to be persona non grata in the Democrat Party.”
Limbaugh reminded his listeners of Jesse Jackson’s 2009 remarks at a Congressional Black Caucus reception, during which Jackson said, “You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.”
“This guy opposed health care … and Jesse Jackson said, ‘You cannot be black and oppose ObamaCare — you can’t be black and oppose Obamacare,’” Limbaugh said. “Here is Artur Davis, leaving the Democrat party. He knows that where we’re headed is the result of Democrat architecture. They wrote this. They wrote Obamacare. They wrote the stimulus. They’re the authors of high taxation and other policies which lead to economic growth declining.”