So now I know the power of Rush Limbaugh. I don't just know about it ? I mean I have actually felt it.

Two weeks ago, as I was diligently working in my office at the Heritage Foundation, the reception area outside my door was suddenly a flurry of hyper activity and excitement. Several folks were trying to cram through my doorway at once, all chattering something about Rush Limbaugh. Adding to the delightful madness was the ringing of my phone and the simultaneous "dinging" of incoming e-mail.

What in the world was going on?

One breathless young employee managed to break through the noise with the astounding declaration: "Rush just said he's going to talk about your column after the commercial break!"

A mad dash to the nearest radio ensued, and to my surprise, Rush read my entire column about Dr. Laura's wonderful new book, "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands," on the air.

The column was meant to inspire women to stop the petty whining in which so many American wives have become engaged since feminism raised its ugly head several decades ago ? and, instead, to treat their husbands with a little kindness, appreciation and respect.

Dr. Laura's point is that if a wife will simply employ the Golden Rule with the man to whom she has pledged her life, her husband will respond with the affection she craves. The basic emotional need of a woman ? to be deeply loved ? and the basic emotional need of a man ? to be truly respected ? are facts of life, that when ignored by married couples, invariably lead to untold marital misery and even divorce.

In Rush's clever way, he allowed me to speak to the wives who might be listening by his reading of my column. But, wise man that he is, instead of then instructing women himself, he lobbed a few missiles at any husbands tuned in that day.

Apparently, Rush thinks a lot of men are wimps. He takes issue with husbands who complain their wives are insensitive, bossy or thoughtless. And, certainly, he is right ? no woman wants to be married to a wimp.

But Rush made a critical error when he advised husbands, "If you want to feel like her hero, feel like a hero. Don't give anybody else the power to determine how you feel about yourself."

There's just one itsy-bitsy problem with that advice.

You don't get to be a hero just because you feel like one. You have to do something in order to be a hero. Continued...