Thoughts on Rush Limbaugh (page 5)

BurnTheShips

What's with the homophobic smilies 5go? That is very offensive.

5go

Its the cigar Rush sports. Likely it would relish a job as an intern at a big syndicated radio show like Rush's. If it improves it's grammar and spelling it would likely excel at dicktation.

I see I am not the only one that has thought of it.

5go

What's with the homophobic smilies 5go? That is very offensive.

What you are with the homophobia my friend. I am the gay guy.

horrible life

Wow, that was some write up. I hope he is able to come to grips with his homosexuality and come out of the closet. If he does, he could really increase his listenership. He could become the "flaming" lib he's always wanted to be. It must be very difficult being a homosexual male with a butt boil.

Watson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That cracked me up!!! On that, I will go to bed.

Oh, and I had a JW friend that had one of those cysts. I didn't know what it was called. Hair and all. She divorced her husband 15 years ago. Don't know her standing in the WT. Hey Cindy, are you here? I figure if she ever Googles it now, it will lead her to this thread!!

5go

Before this thread turns into yet another BTS vs 5go screamfest, which no one wins I am going to leave.

BTW I have notified the admins about this thread.

watson

BTW I have notified the admins about this thread.

Thank Yahweh!

darkuncle29

What a toad. Let him stay in the closet, we don't want him.

XJW4EVR

Dawg, based on the results of today's primaries I think your view of the influence that Limbaugh has over Republicans is vastly overinflated.

One other thing, I found this op-ed piece by a former talk show host in the Orange County Register that also downplays Limbaugh's influence on American politics.

"Friday, February 1, 2008
The Orange Grove: Speak loudly and carry a small stick
Talk radio and foes of illegal immigration are overrated as political forces
By JOHN ZIEGLER
The former KFI/AM talk show host does commentaries on KGIL/AM.

While it may be inconsistent with our political culture's remarkably short attention span and obsession with the next battle, much can and should be already learned from the roller-coaster ride that has been this presidential primary season. Among the many revelations that have come to light is that talk radio and opposition to illegal immigration are both far less potent political weapons than they are perceived.

Quite simply, based on the results to date it is no longer possible for even ardent conservatives to make the arguments that talk radio is even particularly politically relevant or that strong opposition to illegal immigration is helpful in getting elected to almost anything.

It was only last spring when talk radio and opposition to illegal immigration were inextricably linked as the former was widely, and plausibly, given credit for advancing the latter by fueling the successful resistance to the U.S. Senate's immigration reform bill, seen by many as amnesty. However, seven months later it seems as if that event never happened, or, at the very least, was badly misinterpreted.

Let's first take a look at talk radio itself. The medium's undisputed king, Rush Limbaugh (with whom I agree on most issues and immensely respect as a fellow broadcaster) has been revealed in this primary season to be an emperor with no clothes.

Rush has always had a “rule” that he does not endorse candidates in Republican primaries. Of course, it's really not a rule since in 2000 he “anti-endorsed” John McCain in a two-man race with George W. Bush in South Carolina. Rather than a real canon of his church, this rule seems to be merely a way for Rush to keep himself from being embarrassed should he back the wrong horse.

As a talk-show host myself, I have always found it laughable that the only issue on which Rush, the medium's premiere talent, has an official prohibition on expressing an opinion (he seems to have an unofficial ban on religious topics), happens to be by far the most important question facing his listeners, and seemingly the one over which he would have the most potential to actually affect the outcome, namely, who should be the Republican presidential nominee.

How anyone could take Rush, or any other talk show host who take a pass on this matter (some of the princes in his kingdom have taken the same path), seriously on anything is totally beyond me. If there ever was an “ah hah!” moment, this is it.

So instead of endorsing Fred Thompson (who was obviously his first preference) Rush decided to wink and nod in Fred's direction while engaging in the anti-endorsement game again in South Carolina. This time around Rush focused his attacks not just on McCain, but also Mike Huckabee. The order of finish in South Carolina? McCain narrowly beat Huckabee, and Thompson (who relied heavily on local talk radio interviews to get out his message) finished a distant third, forcing him out of the race. The decisive winner in Rush's adopted home state of Florida? John McCain.

Talk radio has always had a dubious record when it comes to influencing elections. Locally, my former colleagues at KFI/AM, John & Ken, made an unprecedented effort in 2006 to bring down Republican congressman David Dreier for being weak on illegal immigration. The race was never even considered in doubt, and Dreier ended up winning by an 11-point margin.

The truth is that radio talk show hosts have far less influence over the actions of their independent-minded listeners than presumed, and the size of their audiences, even as measured by a rating system that probably overstates the numbers, at best consists of only a tiny fraction of the overall population.

These dirty little secrets within the talk radio world also help explain how opposition to illegal immigration is a vastly overrated political force.

Those who are fully engaged in the totally justified fight to stem the tide of illegal immigration like to think that they represent a silent majority of American thought, but the early primary results tell a starkly different story. If this assessment was anything other than a self-delusion, how would it be even conceivable that the first four dropouts from the Republican presidential race would also be the four strongest opponents of illegal immigration? How would amnesty backer McCain now be favored to be the Republican nominee? Why is it that there has not been even one documented case of an incumbent or favorite for any significant office being defeated because they were not tough enough on the issue?

These are questions that foes of illegal immigration don't seem very eager to answer, or even ask. If they are honest with themselves they won't like what the facts clearly show, and they aren't likely to get those answers from a broadcast medium that is far more invested in protecting its economic viability, and perceived political power, than pursuing the truth."

NotaNess

I hardly ever you guys mention their names... of course we hear Lincoln, a great president

Yeah, "freakin" great president. Caused over 600,000 American lives in war, and was a racist.

Good one.

free2beme

Rush is a has-been bore if you ask me.

Thoughts on Rush Limbaugh

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