Limbaugh blasts RNC

WASHINGTON, March 18 (UPI) -- Radio commentator Rush Limbaugh knocked Republican National Committee leaders Monday for suggesting conservatives are "disrespectful" and "out of touch."

"I'm sorry, but we're not disrespectful to anybody," Limbaugh said. "Look at what these focus groups have got these poor guys believing. Look at this, [GOP critics say,] 'Our party is narrow minded.' Republicans are not narrow minded."

Limbaugh said while that may be the perception, it's not the truth, and conservatives are "not out of touch," the Washington publication Politico reported.

"We are in touch with the founding of this country. We are in touch with the greatness in this country and its people," he said.

RNC leaders put forth guidelines for the party to follow as it tries to expand its base going into the 2014 election cycle.

Limbaugh said the approach is wrongheaded and will result in the Republicans shooting themselves in the foot if they abandon long-held positions such as opposing same-sex marriage.

"If the party makes that [gay marriage] something official that they support, they're not going to pull the homosexual activist voters away from the Democrat Party, but they are going to cause their base to stay home and throw their hands up in utter frustration," Limbaugh said.

"Whether they like it or not, the Republican Party's base is sufficiently large that they cannot do without them and their problem is they don't like them. It really isn't any more complicated than that."