"We need Barack Obama bloodied up politically. It's obvious that the Republicans are not going to do it—they don't have the stomach for it," he [Limbaugh] said.
There it is, friends. The conservatives' political discourse, and its chief promoter of slime.
This is precisely what Senator Obama wants to change.
But Limbaugh and his Repugnant ilk want to keep things dirty and loathsome.
I understand. Afterall, Rush is the warthog of radio talk hosts, and we all know what sort of filth hogs like to wallow in.
Additional comments by Limbaugh:
During the February 29 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, guest host Laura Ingraham interviewed Rush Limbaugh, who said, referring to a photograph of Sen. Barack Obama dressed in traditional Somali clothing that was recently posted on the Drudge Report, that Obama "look[ed] like Ayman [al-]Zawahiri," Osama bin Laden's chief collaborator.
On the January 7 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh falsely asserted that if "you look at" the legislative record of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), "you won't find a Senate bill with his name on it."
In fact, as Media Matters for America has noted, Obama was the primary sponsor of a bill in the 109th Congress (S.2125) to "promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo," which was signed into law by President Bush on December 22, 2006.
In addition, Obama was a key co-sponsor of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (S.2590), also of the 109th Congress. In a statement while signing the bill into law on September 26, 2006, Bush recognized Obama as a sponsor of the legislation, saying: "I want to thank the bill sponsors, Tom Coburn from Oklahoma, Tom Carper from Delaware, and Barack Obama from Illinois."
From 2006 elections:
Parkinson's disease has become the latest battleground in the American midterm elections, with the rightwing talk radio host Rush Limbaugh locked in an unseemly wrangle with the actor and Parkinson's sufferer Michael J Fox.
Limbaugh was forced to apologise to the actor after he accused Fox of exaggerating the symptoms of his illness in an election television advert. "He's either off his medication or acting. He is an actor after all," Limbaugh said in his broadcast on Monday.
Limbaugh was forced to apologise to the actor after he accused Fox of exaggerating the symptoms of his illness in an election television advert. "He's either off his medication or acting. He is an actor after all," Limbaugh said in his broadcast on Monday.
Hours later the talkshow host was forced to retract. "I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong," he said.
And this comment by Limbaugh during the Clinton years. It illustrates the kind of malevolence he loves and, apparently, his followers enjoy. Imagine going after a 12-year old girl's looks on national teevee and humiliating her in front of millions of people. What a guy.
"Everyone knows the Clintons have a cat. Socks is the White House cat. But did you know there is a White House dog?" And he puts up a picture of Chelsea Clinton. Chelsea Clinton is 12 years old. (1993)
And finally, the putative Republican nominee in all his tough-guy, hero glory, picking on a young girl and ridculing her in front of an audience. What a guy!:
"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."
-- Sen. John McCain, speaking to a Republican dinner, June 1998.
-- Sen. John McCain, speaking to a Republican dinner, June 1998.
What is it with Republicans and Chelsea Clinton?
7 comments:
I think I remember Rush talking about that. He was talking about the vile things that the Clintons were doing trying to put a dent in Obamamania. He was talking about keeping Hillary in the race so she can hack away at Obama, as John McCain generally doesn't seem to have a clue.
Republicans of substance, Limbaugh included, have been mostly busy talking about Hillary and her tactics, and had been focused on taking about the many shortcomings of John McCain before that. But having someone "bloodied up politically" generally means going negative, which has been a part of our political discourse since the Washington administration. Trust me, he got his ass gnawed off by his opposition. So let's not pretend that the liberal talkers are clean as the yellow driven snow.
I'm guessing you picked up that quote from some site that specializes in finding good quotes to use against political opponents. But you seem to have forgotten something called context. I'm guessing you don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, or even the portion of that show where that one sentence was uttered. Usually, I don't go on the record attacking anyone unless I've done more research into what he or she said.
(CNN) – As Hillary Clinton battles to keep her presidential bid alive, she may be getting help from an unlikely source: conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
Limbaugh has been actively urging his Texas listeners to cross over and vote for Clinton in that state's open primary Tuesday, arguing it helps the Republicans if the Democratic race remains unsettled for weeks to come.
"I want Hillary to stay in this…this is too good a soap opera," Limbaugh told fellow conservative talk-show host Laura Ingraham on Fox News Friday. He reiterated the comments on his Monday show and replayed the exchange with Ingram.
He also said Clinton is more willing than the Republican National Committee and John McCain's campaign to criticize Barack Obama.
"We need Barack Obama bloodied up politically. It's obvious that the Republicans are not going to do it, they don't have the stomach for it," Limbaugh continued. "As you probably know we're getting all kinds of memos from the RNC saying we're not going to be critical. Mark McKinnon of McCain's campaign said he'll quit if they get critical over Obama. This is the presidency of the United States we're talking about. I want our party to win I want the Democrats to lose.”
SOURCE:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/04/limbaugh-urges-listeners-to-vote-for-clinton/
Yep, that's the whole quote. I still don't see where the outrage you seem to be displaying comes from. Either we're dealing with parody and entertainment to an obviously conservative audience, or, when there is a clear factual error, Rush generally corrects himself:
Hours later the talkshow host was forced to retract. "I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong," he said
My point is that you reduce the discussion to ad hominem attacks and broad generalizations:
Afterall, Rush is the warthog of radio talk hosts, and we all know what sort of filth hogs like to wallow in.
I'm sure I could, if I cared to nitpick every sentence, find equally questionable and occasionally repugnant things said by liberal talkers. But this is the problem you seem to have; that there's too much hate and venom in the public discourse. Maybe if you focused on correcting the record and stopped the "dirty and loathsome" attacks, then we could start marginalizing the hatemongerers on both sides.
By the way, CNN has not been know to be overly impartial where conservatives are concerned, but the article you cite in response is accurate enough.
Patrick,
Who on the Liberal side has the influence that Limbaugh has?
No one comes to my mind.
Michael Moore? I'd say no. He gets publicity only when he produces a documentary every other year or so, then he recedes into the background.
Limbaugh, however, is on the air what 5 days a week? Is he on the weekends, I don't know? And he has an estimated 20 million listeners.
There is nothing comparable on the Left.
Moreover, when this White House wants to get a message out, Cheney has been known to go on Limbaugh's program and set out the WH's talking points, thereby giving legitimacy to the demagog.
That is what he is. And he's very often just plain wrong.
There are countless websites that track what he says and then show how he leaves out facts, twists them, of just makes stuff up.
And yet millions of people listen to him and think he's telling them the truth. (I know many of them personally.)
It's demagoguery, and not enlightenment. Certainly when I read of or hear an audio on teevee where he disparages the left in the most vile terms, telling people that liberals cannot be trusted, that they are enemies, that they want to destroy this country, I understand that he contributes nothing but hate and divisiveness to our country.
And, I believe, that is no accident.
Keep the people divided and fighting each other, while other forces are screwing us over and laughing at our stupidity.
We (liberals and conservatives) have more in common than Limbaugh would have anyone believe.
It wasn't always this way. There has always been a difference in approach to governing between Democrats and Republicans, but I've never seen the sort of hateful speech that the likes of Limbaugh, Coulter, and Savage promote to exaggerate those differences.
In a sane world, Coulter would never be allowed to parade her brand of idiocy and self-promotion on what is supposed to be "news" programs.
The same goes for Limbaugh. He has done more to divide Americans and encourage them to distrust each other than a thousand bin Ladens ever could.
These assholes are looking for anything that they can to try and justify their racism that rots their brains. All that is left of their brains is the brain stem.
In defense of many of Rush's comments, I will offer 2 points.
First, there's his. He speaks what is on his mind, and has successfully done so for 20 years. Where you see only hate and vitriol, I find a message of positive and upbeat energy. And Rush admits that his main goal is to entertain, not fact check every single thing in excruciating detail. So yes, he sometimes gets it wrong.
And I offer one more point. He's on the air for 3 hours a day, five days a week. He has to come up with enough entertaining show to keep people listening. And he's been doing it for decades. It reminds me of doing college radio. I remember one day in particular, when things went badly, I said a couple of things and got booted off the air as a result. The point is that you occasionally say things when you're speaking off the cuff while running a show and having to think. Having read his books, I found much more positive than negative in them.
Sometimes, when we disagree philosophically with someone, we tend to hear the negative and ignore the positive.
So I can't say you're totally wrong about Rush, but I have a feeling ideology does lead you a certain way, as it does for me sometimes.
As for Ann Coulter, Henry Rollins had the best idea for what to do with her. Watch and laugh.
In defense of many of Rush's comments, I will offer 2 points.
First, there's his. He speaks what is on his mind, and has successfully done so for 20 years. Where you see only hate and vitriol, I find a message of positive and upbeat energy.--Patrick
The reason you see only positive and upbeat energy is because you’re a conservative. Believe me, the rest of us think he’s a gasbag. Only my ultraconservative friends (I actually work for a guy who has his program on every day) think anything positively about him. Even my friends who care nothing for politics and who have heard him speak, either on cable news programs or inadvertently as they surf on the radio, think of him as a demagogue. His job is to stir up you guys, the base, and keep you hating the liberals. For some reason, this resonates with the ultra-right conservatives.
And Rush admits that his main goal is to entertain, not fact check every single thing in excruciating detail. So yes, he sometimes gets it wrong.--Patrick
This is not an excuse to broadcast hate and disinformation. Either he’s an entertainer (or as Keith Olbermann calls him, The Comedian, Rush Limbaugh) or he is a serious far right commentator on politics. It seems to me that the vice president wouldn’t go on an “entertainer’s” show to clarify his positions or to promote his agenda. The far right takes Limbaugh very, very seriously. And the White House sees him as a good friend and propagandist for getting out its message to the base.
And I offer one more point. He's on the air for 3 hours a day, five days a week. He has to come up with enough entertaining show to keep people listening. And he's been doing it for decades.--Patrick
That is still no excuse for spreading lies and disinformation and defaming people. Either he has the talent to continue his broadcasting or he should cut back on his airtime, and at the very least give us truth in packaging, that his show is just clowning around.
t reminds me of doing college radio. I remember one day in particular, when things went badly, I said a couple of things and got booted off the air as a result. The point is that you occasionally say things when you're speaking off the cuff while running a show and having to think. Having read his books, I found much more positive than negative in them.--Patrick
Saying 12-year old Chelsea Clinton is a “dog” in front of millions of people is hardly a “mistake,” nor was his characterization of Michael J. Fox “faking” his Parkinson’s tremors, nor his riff off of the word “spade” that Hillary mentioned just once in context as Obama doing “spade work,” then Limbaugh repeated it at least 6 times in one sentence. Or as was documented in one show, he told a man who identified himself as an African-American to “take the bone out of his nose” and then he [Limbaugh] would talk to him. Only people who secretly revile and mock Afro-Americans would think that’s funny. Would Limbaugh have made a joke about ovens to a Jewish person? He really is vile.
More examples:
LIMBAUGH: On the poverty line: "$14,400 for a family of four. That's not so bad." (Radio show, 11/9/93, quoted in FRQ, Winter/94)
REALITY: Just a few months earlier, Limbaugh was talking about how tough it was to make 10 times that: "I know families that make $180,000 a year and they don't consider themselves rich. Why, it costs them $20,000 a year to send their kids to school." (Radio show, 8/3/93, quoted in FRQ, Winter/94)
LIMBAUGH: On Bill Clinton: "Never trust a draft dodger." (Radio show, quoted in FRQ, Summer/93)
REALITY: Although a supporter of the Vietnam War, Limbaugh used a minor physical impairment to avoid the draft (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 9/27/93).
LIMBAUGH: In frequent broadcasts, Limbaugh offers impassioned advocacy for Paula Jones, who charged Bill Clinton with sexual harassment. (TV and radio, April-May/94)
REALITY: Limbaugh boasted that a sign on his office door reads, "Sexual harassment at this work station will not be reported. However...it will be graded!!!" (USA Weekend, 1/26/92).
Sometimes, when we disagree philosophically with someone, we tend to hear the negative and ignore the positive.--Patrick
And when a person agrees philosophically with someone, one tends to overlook the negatives and the demagoguery.
So I can't say you're totally wrong about Rush, but I have a feeling ideology does lead you a certain way, as it does for me sometimes.--Patrick
I read David Brooks in the NYTimes, and when I can force myself, even William Kristol. I read the conservative blogs to see what you guys are thinking. I don’t go to an “entertainer” to get my information because Limbaugh is often wrong and his message is one of divisiveness and hate.
As for Ann Coulter, Henry Rollins had the best idea for what to do with her. Watch and laugh.--Patrick
Now Ann Coulter--she’s really is a clown. I laugh everytime I see her on the teevee. That was funny!
I do watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Steven Colbert, but I never get my marching orders from them, as Limbaugh's followers do. I watch Stewart and Colbert for laughs. Not for politics or information.
Too bad the ultra-right hasn't figured this out yet.
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