I DON'T GET THIS LINE OF DEFENSE

10 or more years ago, I was listening to Matt Drudge's Sunday radio show and he was defending Rush Limbaugh from attacks over some foul remark Fats made because Fats is a "private citizen." It is true that Fats can be correctly described as a "private citizen" but that certainly doesn't make him immune from criticism. David Weigel seems to have embraced the Drudge defense:

But let's be clear about what this is. Limbaugh is a private citizen who has not endorsed any Republican candidate. (The closest he's come is praise for Santorum, which the candidate quotes on his campaign lit.) There is not a pressing public interest here.