Does conservative talk show host, Rush Limbaugh have a part in the future of the GOP?  Or is he just a windbag that likes hearing the sound of his own voice?  Just what is his role in this comedy special?

Limbaugh in recent days has made no efforts to step out of the spotlight. He had a banner headline across the top of his Web site that read: “Hilarious: Democrat Party Launches Yet Another Anti-Rush Web site” and linked to the site.

And on Wednesday, Limbaugh challenged Obama to a verbal showdown, calling on him to visit his talk show for an “intelligent, open discussion” on issues like health care and taxes.

Limbaugh also accused the White House of orchestrating an attack on him, telling his listeners that the Obama team is demonizing the radio host since President George W. Bush left office.

There’s a reason White House aides have dubbed conservative radio ranter Rush Limbaugh the new face of the GOP – polls showed he’s a big, fat target of opportunity.

Only a tiny fraction of voters younger than 40 – 11% – have a positive view of the talk king, a survey James Carville and other Democratic advisers to President Obama took last fall found.

That – combined with Limbaugh’s more recent wish to see Obama “fail” – was all the White House needed to launch its coordinated campaign this week to cast Limbaugh as the hydra-headed leader of the temporarily headless GOP.