Obama to GOP: Ignore Limbaugh

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama told Republicans in Washington they "can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."

Obama was meeting with congressional leaders to work on details of an economic stimulus package. Republicans say the proposal -- currently estimated at $825 billion -- is too big and should include bigger tax cuts to be effective.

During an exchange with Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., Obama reminded Republicans of the outcome of the November election.

"I won," he said.

At one point, the president told the GOP lawmakers they should stop paying attention to right-wing radio personality Rush Limbaugh if they want bipartisanship, the New York Post reported.

"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," Obama said.

A White House official told the Post the president was trying to make a larger point.

"There are big things that unify Republicans and Democrats," the official said. "We shouldn't let partisan politics derail what are very important things that need to get done."

Limbaugh last week told listeners to his nationally syndicated radio show he doesn't want Obama to succeed because that would mean success for liberalism.

"I hope he fails," Limbaugh said.

In a response to the New York Post story, posted Saturday in The National Review Online, Limbaugh said Obama is trying to "isolate elected Republicans from their voters and supporters by making the argument about me and not about his plan."

"If I can be made to serve as a distraction," Limbaugh wrote, "then there is that much less time debating the merits of this TRILLION-dollar debacle."