Former veep Mike Pence is walking a tightrope. Addled fanatics in the Republican Party want him purged. Traditional conservatives want him to be a major player in the party and possibly a counterpoint to the immediately former president.

Thus a heartfelt tribute to Rush Limbaugh is a smart move and, in the immortal words of Henry Kissinger, “has the added benefit of being the right thing to do.” Pence started out in radio and his performance and exposure there got him to Congress, the Indiana governor’s mansion, and the second highest slot in the land. It is no wonder he owes a packet or two to Limbaugh.

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Pence: “Rush Limbaugh gave voice to the ideals and values that made this country great; he inspired a generation of American conservatives; he reached men and women, young and old from every walk of life with his wit and wisdom, and he will be deeply missed.  So many tributes have been spoken and written about Rush since his death and all of them are true, and then some. Rush was more than just a towering figure in American radio; he saved it. He was more than an extraordinarily talented performer and entertainer; he was America’s political conscience.” If anything, Pence is understating Limbaugh’s influence. In the mid 1990s, Limbaugh was the most powerful conservative voice in the country. As the years passed, his success only grew greater.

“In the years following the Reagan administration, for more than 30 years, no one did more to educate, inform, inspire and just plain entertain Americans about the issues of the day than Rush Limbaugh. The debt that conservative Americans owe to Rush Limbaugh can only be repaid by relentless imitation of his example. Every day, his optimism, his humor and his insights gave courage to conservatives to stand up for what we believe in; to stand firm for a strong national defense, limited government, life and liberty. Now it’s our turn. For all of us who came after him, who were inspired by his love for this country and the American people, our debt to him is to fight on.” Yup. Conservatives must fight for ideas, not take kamikaze oaths to one man.

“There will never be another Rush Limbaugh. He will never be forgotten and his legacy will live on for generations in the hearts of the millions of Americans he inspired. The Bible says that ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted’ and that will continue to be our prayer for his wife Kathryn, his family, friends and faithful listeners in our loss. God bless Rush Limbaugh. And from a grateful heart, thank you, Rush, for everything.” That is classic Pence, eloquent, humble, and patriotic. A fine leader of Republicans now and, if he so chooses, in the future.