I started out using the famous Al Franken description of Limbaugh, but I am not trying to polarize this situation. It is bad enough already in that regard. But nevertheless, it is time to attempt to look at the man objectively after so many years of his vitriol.
Look, there is too much complimentary stuff being written about Rush Limbaugh here on Gather. It's just weird. Try an experiment. Try watching Rush Limbaugh with the sound turned down. Look at his face. Read his body language. Now try evaluating the following statements:
"Rush helps me to think"
"Rush may be a loudmouth, but he loves America"
"Rush has more guts than politicians, and he is a true conservative"
Other than the loudmouth thing, none of those things are really true. Rush does not help you think, he tells you what you HAVE to think in order to qualify for dittohead orthodoxy status. Rush does not love America, because in order to love America you have to accept the concept that the only Evil Americans are those who break our laws; that disagreeing with you does not constitute being a traitor. Rush has more gall, not guts, than politicians, because he is accountable to nobody but his commercial sponsors, who will let him say almost anything that helps his ratings: he is an entertainer. True conservatives believe that civility matters, and that there is more than one way to be american. The man is profoundly intolerant, and that is profoundly un-American.
Ultimately, I both care and do not care that Rush was the keynote speaker at CPAC, that they gave him 20 minutes and he took an hour, that he seems to be the new spokesman for the Republican Party. I think it is lamentable, but I don't see it as a ticket back to control of Congress for them in 2010, so it does not worry me on that level. Try the golden rule here, conservatives, how would you feel about Michael Moore becoming the public face of the Dems. Oh, that's different, you say. Limbaugh loves America and Moore does not, and besides, Conservatives are right and leftists are wrong. Well, you flunked that test. You missed the fact that from the center, Moore and Limbaugh look pretty similar: fat guys who never conceived of any possibility that they could be wrong on anything. Okay, being fat is not a crime, sorry. But the other thing is a crime, in my book.
I am talking this one to death I guess, but that's because there seem to be so many people here who are not getting it on Limbaugh. I am not telling anyone that they have to stop being conservatives and start being liberals. I am merely saying, stop listening to this man. The fact that you agree with him on many things does not mean that he should command your allegiance.
TODAY"S UPDATE:
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Tuesday he has spoken with Rush Limbaugh about his comments regarding the conservative radio talk show host.
"We had a nice conversation last night," Steele said in a statement sent to CNN. "We are all good."
ARGGGHHHHHH! For God's sake, isn't there anyone in the Republican Party willing to argue with this man? Steele, you described Rush as an entertainer who says incendiary things. It was the truth, please, stand by what you said! Even if certain Republicans agree with his positions, can't you admit that his intolerance and ranting is a liability to the Party in terms of being taken seriously by independent voters and Republican moderates? Hey, I am a Dem. I should rejoice that my political opponents are trying to marginalize themselves in preparation for the 2010 election, actively undermining Steele's efforts to broaden the appeal of the Party to independent voters and moderates. This is absolutely NOT my problem, but this IS a problem, and you are going to have to deal with it.
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Comments: 16
AYE!!!
I believe more and more people are recognizing Rush for what he actually is, a blowhard with little regard for ethics, this nation or the people in it. I expect that many Republicans cringe when hearing him pontificate for the Republican party!
That says it all.
I have listened to a few of his shows, on one he said the Republican Party did not have room for anyone who did not follow the agenda 100%, he said they could vote Republican, but could not be Republican
I have heard him mimic in despicable ways some of our elected political leaders.
Of course he regularly beat up on McCain - - - McCain was NOT Republican.
As for him loving the U.S.A.
He doesn't even understand what being a citizen is.
He will talk along in a reasonable sounding voice, then in pure hatred will utter racist and ethnic slurs, outrageous, and outright lies, then suddenly returns to the moderate reasonable voice. This is subliminal auto suggestion techniques. Look at all the verbatim regurgitators of Rush barf on gather.
He believes he can change the dictionary meaning of the word liberal.
To him you cannot be a conservative or a Republican unless you are a bible thumper.
Pretty funny, I bet he goes to church every Sunday--Not
The Republican Party was once home to The Log Cabin Republicans: A bunch of Gay Men.
Did they stay in the Republican Party?
Jeff R. is in total mind control of Limbaugh. I bet Jeff twitches if he has to miss a Limbaugh shot, he can't even go a day without listening. Jeff, you probably get on the internet on Saturdays and play his shows again.
Any idea of value benefits from thoughtful discussion. The fact that Limbaugh cannot participate in a discussion without resorting to insults and personal attacks makes him a distraction and nuisance, nothing more.
just be aware please that Benjamin Franklin did not really sign that first amendment award for Rush. No kidding, Benjamin Franklin has been dead for 200 years. It is unlikely, with his desire to stress consensus and unity, to stress cooperation over perfection, that Ben would have been a ditto head. So money is the ultimate yardstick of how good you are doing? Let's check that against the CEOs of Enron, Fannie Mae, AIG, etc. Good job guys, you are the best of the best, you made some money. You screwed up our nation for a generation, but we take our hats off to you since you made a buck.