# Source this quote!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-this-quote/497492>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 24, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-this-quote/497492 "2009-05-24T20:09:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-this-quote/497492/1 "2009-05-24T20:09:05Z")

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“Conservatism cannot fail, it can only be failed.”

I can’t manage to find the original speaker, only the fact that Digby uses it once in a while (and tags on the part about only when the fail-er is too liberal). Did she originate it, and if not, who did?

Bear in mind this is GQ, not GD and I just want the speaker.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-this-quote/497492/2 "2009-05-24T21:08:23Z")

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Other than in the February 2006 blog from Digby, I can’t find it earlier. Why do you think it needs to be from somewhere else?

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**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-this-quote/497492/3 "2009-05-24T21:18:55Z")

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I though I heard Limbaugh say it, or maybe in one of his books, but I couldn’t seem to find it there and googling didn’t turn up anything from him either. It could be my imagination, but its one of those things where the memory seems real enough to verify.