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The following biography
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Wikipedia.org
“The
Free Encyclopedia.”
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (born January 12, 1951, in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri) is an American radio talk show host. He is a
conservative, discussing politics and current events on his show, The Rush
Limbaugh Show. He has been credited by some with reviving AM radio, and is
considered by many to have been a catalyst for the Republican Party's 1994
Congressional victories.[1]
The Rush Limbaugh Show has been largely credited
for the large shift in AM broadcasting to a news-talk format after an audience
decline in the 1970s.[2] His show was first nationally syndicated in August
1988, and as of 2005 (according to Arbitron ratings surveys) its audience was
estimated at 13.5 million listeners per week, making it the largest radio talk
show audience in the United States. Such high ratings have been a consistent
hallmark of his show.[3][4]
Limbaugh was the 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2005
recipient of the Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the
Year, given by the National Association of Broadcasters, joining the syndicated
Bob & Tom Show as the only other four-time winner of a Marconi award. He was
inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2002, industry publication
Talkers magazine ranked him as the greatest radio talk show host of all time.[5]
Limbaugh attracts the highest percentage (56%) of hard news consumers relative
to all other television and radio programs in the United States.[6]
****
Born: January 12, 1951
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA
Occupation: Commentator, Author, and television
personality
Spouse: divorced
Children: none
Website: rushlimbaugh.com
****
Personal life
Limbaugh began his career in radio as a teenager in
1967 [7] in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri using the name Rusty
Sharpe.
Education
He attended Southeast Missouri State University for
one year where he dropped out after failing two speech courses. This would have
normally made him eligible for the draft, but he was classified 1-Y due to an
undisclosed medical problem. [8] Limbaugh stated that he was not drafted because
a physical found that he had an "inoperable pilonidal cyst" and "a football knee
from high school." [9]
Relationships
Limbaugh was first married on September 24, 1977 to
Roxy Maxine McNeely, a sales secretary at radio station WHB in Kansas City. They
were married at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. In
March 1980, Roxy McNeely filed for divorce, citing "incompatibility". They were
formally divorced on July 10, 1980.
In 1983, Limbaugh married Michelle Sixta, a college
student and usherette at the Kansas City Royals Stadium Club. She left him in
December 1988 on Christmas weekend and their divorce was finalized in 1990. She
remarried the following year.
On May 27, 1994, Limbaugh married Marta Fitzgerald,
a 35-year-old aerobics instructor, whom he met via the Compuserve online
service. They were married at the house of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence
Thomas who officiated. On June 11, 2004, Limbaugh announced that he was
separating from Fitzgerald. On air, he stated, "Marta has consented to my
request for a divorce, and we have mutually agreed to seek an amicable
separation. As I said, it's a personal matter and I want to keep it that way. I
don't intend to say any more about this on the air." An article in the Palm
Beach Post claimed that this third divorce was a result of his addiction to
prescription pain medication.[10]
Public life
1970s
After dropping out of Southeast Missouri State
University Limbaugh moved to Pittsburgh and became a Top 40 music radio disc
jockey on station WIXZ.
In October 1972, he moved to KQV, another
Pittsburgh station, using the name Jeff Christie. Limbaugh developed some of his
trademark patter there, such as a claim to use a "golden microphone" (which
eventually became literally true in the 1990s on The Rush Limbaugh Show). After
being fired from KQV, Limbaugh moved to Kansas City, where he also worked (and
was subsequently fired from) KUDL, KFIX, and KMBZ. After several years in music
radio, Limbaugh took a break from radio and accepted a position as director of
promotions with the Kansas City Royals baseball team.
1980s
In 1984, Limbaugh returned to radio as a talk show
host at KFBK in Sacramento, California (where he replaced Morton Downey, Jr., a
mentor). In 1987, the Federal Communications Commission repealed the Fairness
Doctrine, thus freeing radio stations to air opinion journalism without having
to provide air time to opposing points of view.
After achieving success in Sacramento and drawing
the attention of Edward F. McLaughlin, a former president of ABC Radio, Limbaugh
moved to New York City in 1988, entering the nation's largest radio market on
talk-format station WABC-AM, which remains his flagship station to this day. He
did a two-hour local program on WABC. For a while on WABC he was preceded by
comedian Joy Behar and followed by Lynn Samuels, creating a six-hour block of
politically focused radio, with both Behar and Samuels leaning to the left
politically.
Beginning on August 1, 1988 Limbaugh was syndicated
nationally as a two-hour show and eventually expanded to three hours while
dropping the local New York show, though his show was still based at WABC.
(Limbaugh refers on-air to the "Excellence In Broadcasting Network", or "E-I-B";
however, this is merely an on-air signature, as there is no organization with
that name.)[citation needed] While WABC remains Limbaugh's key outlet, he now
broadcasts from either the Premiere Radio Network studios in New York or his
private studio in Florida near his home.
Newsday media critic Paul Colford reported on
Limbaugh in 1988:[11]
Rush Limbaugh's act includes plenty of pokes at
himself and lots of tongue-in-cheek pomposity such as: "I'm Rush Limbaugh, your
guiding light in times of trouble and despair." His politics skew sharply to the
right of the "liberal Democrats" and Gov. Michael Dukakis, known in Limbaugh
parlance as "The Loser."
The president of EFM Media is a former head of the
ABC Radio Network, Edward F. McLaughlin. He believes that Limbaugh, a partner
under contract to EFM, will become the most-listened-to radio personality in
America - bigger than Larry King - by virtue of his midwestern manner and
informed views. Bigger than Larry King? We'll see. For now, McLaughlin's goal is
to have 200 stations signed to Limbaugh's show by 1990.
From this point forward, Limbaugh's radio program
is covered in The Rush Limbaugh Show article.
1990s
In 1990, even after Lewis Grossberger acknowledged
that Limbaugh had "more listeners than any other talk show host", Grossberger
described Limbaugh's style as "bouncing between earnest lecturer and political
vaudvillian".[12]
The program rapidly grew in popularity and moved to
stations with larger audiences. The highwater point was his introduction of
'America Held Hostage,' following the election of Clinton in 1992.[citation
needed] Ronald Reagan sent a letter calling Rush the voice of conservatism in
that era.[citation needed] When the GOP won control of Congress in 1994, one of
the first acts by many freshmen, who had called themselves the "Dittohead
Caucus", was to award Limbaugh the title of "honorary member of Congress," in
recognition of his support to their efforts during this period.[13]
Television appearances
Limbaugh's first television appearance came with a
1990 guest host stint on Pat Sajak's late-night program on CBS. After a
confrontation with ACT UP gay activists in the studio audience,[14] protesting
what they perceived as anti-gay hate speech, repeatedly shouting at Limbaugh,
cutting off other members of the studio audience, and generally attempting to
disrupt the program the entire audience was removed so that Limbaugh could
finish the show. In 1993, Limbaugh appeared [1] on The Late Show with David
Letterman, and the audience almost immediately became hostile and booed him,
especially when Limbaugh compared Hillary Clinton's face to "a Pontiac hood
ornament."
Limbaugh also guest-starred on an episode of Hearts
Afire as himself, as well as on an episode of The Drew Carey Show. He has also
been parodied numerous times including, an episode of The Simpsons in the form
of a conservative talk radio host named Birch Barlow, Saturday Night Live's TV
Funhouse.[15], as "Gus Baker" on an episode of Beavis & Butthead, and as "Lash
Rambo", host of "Perfection in Broadcasting", on an episode of The New WKRP in
Cincinnati.
Television show
Limbaugh had a syndicated half-hour show from 1992
through 1996, produced by Roger Ailes. The television show discussed many of the
same topics as his radio show, and was taped in front of a live audience.
Reportedly, Limbaugh ended the show due to disappointment that it was aired too
late in the evening in many markets (in many places it was aired at 1:30 AM or
even later) and because of the immense amount of time required to prepare for
the show.[citation needed]
On November 6, 1992, three days after the
presidential election, Limbaugh made a reference to the daughter of the incoming
President Bill Clinton, Chelsea. Limbaugh stated: "Everyone knows the Clintons
have a cat; Socks is the White House cat. But did you know there is also a White
House dog?" a picture of Chelsea then appeared onscreen. Although Limbaugh has
claimed it was a technical error, as Al Franken documented in his book Lies and
the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, since the show was on a tape delay, if it truly
was a technical error, it could have been corrected prior to airing of the show.
Of course, as Rush pointed out, the tv show was a big drain on his time (and
that was why he gave it up) and didn't do retakes. Limbaugh apologized during
that show, claiming fatigue. A few days later, he stated that "I don't need to
get laughs by commenting on people's looks, especially a young child who's done
nothing wrong. I mean, [Chelsea] can't control the way she looks." [2]
On a later broadcast, Limbaugh played a video clip
of then-President Bill Clinton laughing and joking on his way into a memorial
service for Commerce Secretary Ron Brown with Tony Campolo and then looking
mournful when he spotted news cameras in the area. [3] Limbaugh claimed that
Clinton's sudden mood change resulted from the spying news cameras, and was
evidence of both the President's insincerity and the tendency of the national
media to overlook it.
Cigar Aficionado
In the early 1990s, when the cigar boom of the
1990s was gaining its momentum, Limbaugh was being seen frequently with a
companion cigar in his hand and by the end of the 1990s, cigars had become
Limbaugh's staple in many public appearances as well as a topic of discussion on
his radio show. Often starting segments of his show with "amid billowing clouds
of fragrant and aromatic first, second and sometimes third hand premium cigar
smoke," cigars became a common topic of discussion. In the spring of 1994,
Limbaugh appeared on the cover of the popular magazine Cigar Aficionado, and
shared the story of his conversion to cigars. Since that time, Limbaugh has been
a frequent participant in many Cigar Aficionado events such as the "Big Smoke"
event that is hosted throughout the year by Cigar Aficionado magazine. Limbaugh
has participated in many charity cigar auctions hosted by Cigar Aficionado.
Limbaugh is known to talk frequently with his listeners about his and their
cigar interests, preferences and recommendations. "I think cigars are just a
tremendous addition to the enjoyment to life." [4]
Other ventures
In 1992, Limbaugh published his first book, The Way
Things Ought To Be, followed by See, I Told You So in 1993. Both went to number
one on the New York Times Best Seller list. Limbaugh acknowledges in the text of
the first book that he taped the book and it was transcribed and edited by Wall
Street Journal writer John Fund. In the second book, Joseph Farah of
WorldNetDaily is named as his collaborator.[16]
As a result of his television program, Limbaugh
became known for wearing distinctive neckties. In response to viewer interest,
Limbaugh launched a series of ties[17] designed primarily by his then-wife
Marta.[18] Sales of the ties reached over US$5 million in their initial sales
year, but were later discontinued.
Subject of criticism
The first book about Limbaugh appears to be the
1993 Rush Limbaugh and the Bible by Daniel J. Evearitt. One reviewer said "Dr.
Evearitt is very uncomfortable sharing the label 'conservative' with Limbaugh"
and notes that it contains chapters like "No Wife, No Kids — Is This Man an
Expert on Family Values?"[19]
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a
liberal media watchdog group,[20] released a report on March 8, 1992, listing
forty-three errors Limbaugh allegedly made during various shows.[21] Limbaugh
responded to about half of the original claims; FAIR then rebutted his
rebuttal,[22] followed by another rebuttal to the rebuttal.[23] Critics such as
L. Brent Bozell's Media Research Center, a conservative media watchdog group,
have argued that FAIR is liberal and partisan.[24]
2000s
Rushlimbaugh.com
In July 2000, Limbaugh launched the fledgling
website that bore his name, which includes brief overviews of the current day's
show along with current headlines from which Limbaugh draws content for his
radio program. In the beginning, the website was a text commentary &
transcript-only based website that gave his listeners the opportunity to review
the contents of the day's show from a news-based perspective. By December of
2000, major changes were being made by Limbaugh's website staff. New
downloadable audio-links of Limbaugh's daily-highlights were available to
internet-users free of charge. In the spring of 2001, the website had launched a
brand-new subscriber based website to what would be called "Rush 24/7." Rush
24/7 was now offering the entire, commercial free audio of the daily show
available to listeners anytime of the day, available via streaming audio on the
internet. The new subscriber based website also began to become loaded with
Limbaugh editorials, commentaries from past years as well as videos of Rush's
defunct television show. By the summer of 2002, the hallmark achievement of the
Rush 24/7 website had been introduced: a live streaming video feed of Limbaugh
conducting his radio show, entitled the "Ditto Cam", was made available to
subscribers to Rush 24/7. By 2003, the rushlimbaugh.com website introduced a
fully-interactive Rush Limbaugh store, selling products that Limbaugh marketed,
including a signature line of golf apparel, sporting equipment, novelties, etc.
Today, the newest achievement of the Rush 24/7 subscriber site is the pod-cast
feature. Subscribers to Rush 24/7 can have the day's audio & video of the Rush
Limbaugh Program downloaded directly to their ipod or other mp3 player.
Hearing problems
By August 2001, Limbaugh's listeners had noted
changes in his voice and diction,[25] changes that Limbaugh emphatically denied
on the air. However, on October 8, 2001, Limbaugh admitted that the changes in
his voice were due to complete deafness in his left ear and substantial hearing
loss in his right ear. He also revealed that his radio staff was aiding him in
continuing to accept calls on his show, despite his rapidly progressing hearing
loss, by setting up a system where he could appear to hear his callers. The
system worked remarkably well, but did not convince all listeners, some of whom
noted a long delay between a caller ending his point and Limbaugh responding,
and occasionally speaking over a caller. Occasionally Limbaugh had to ask
callers to hold on momentarily, while the caller's comments would be transcribed
and shown on Rush's computer monitor.
In December 2001, Limbaugh underwent cochlear
implant surgery, which restored a measure of hearing in his left ear, and his
voice and enunciation improved. According to Limbaugh's doctors, Limbaugh's
deafness was caused by an autoimmune disease. However, Limbaugh's detractors
were quick to point out that chronic use of opioids, such as OxyContin and
particularly hydrocodone, both which Limbaugh later admitted abusing,[26] can
compromise the function of the immune system[27] and cause deafness.[28][29].
Limbaugh has stated that this was not a factor in his case.
ESPN commentator
On July 14, 2003, ESPN announced that Limbaugh
would be joining ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown show as a weekly commentator when
it premiered on September 7. Limbaugh would provide the "voice of the fan" and
was supposed to spark debate on the show.[30]
On September 28, Limbaugh commented about Donovan
McNabb, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles:
"Sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that
good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in
the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.
There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the
performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this
team."[31]
McNabb was the highest paid NFL player in history
at the time, and defenders of Limbaugh's comments point out that McNabb had the
worst start of his career in the 2003 season and was the NFL's lowest-rated
starting quarterback. McNabb's defenders say that to his credit, McNabb was a
runner-up for the year 2000 league Most Valuable Player, a member of three Pro
Bowl teams, and led his team to two straight NFC championship games. McNabb had
suffered a broken leg during the 2002 season, and had been slow to recover.
The Reverend Al Sharpton, a Democratic Party
candidate for President and political activist, encouraged Limbaugh's firing
from ESPN, threatening a boycott of all Disney companies, including ABC,
Disneyland, and Walt Disney World. Democrats Howard Dean and Wesley Clark joined
in the criticism, as did the NAACP. Limbaugh responded by saying that he must
have been right; otherwise, the comments would not have sparked such
outrage.[citation needed]
On October 1, 2003, Limbaugh resigned from ESPN
with the statement:
"My comments this past Sunday were directed at the
media and were not racially motivated. I offered an opinion. This opinion has
caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. I love NFL Sunday Countdown and
do not want to be a distraction to the great work done by all who work on it.
Therefore, I have decided to resign. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part
of the show and wish all the best to those who make it happen."
After Limbaugh's resignation, Sunday NFL Countdown
African American co-host Tom Jackson said on the air:
"Let me just say that it was not our decision to
have Rush Limbaugh on this show. I've seen replay after replay of Limbaugh's
comments with my face attached as well as that of my colleagues, comments which
made us very uncomfortable at the time, although the depth and the insensitive
nature of which weren't fully felt until it seemed too late to reply. He was
brought here to talk football, and he broke that trust. Rush told us the social
commentary for which he is so well known would not cross over to our show, and
instead, he would represent the viewpoint of the intelligent, passionate fan.
Rush Limbaugh was not a fit for NFL Countdown."
American Armed Forces Radio Network controversy
See Armed Forces Radio controversy.
Prescription drug addiction
In early October 2003 and in the same week as the
McNabb controversy, the National Enquirer reported that Limbaugh was being
investigated for illegally buying prescription drugs. Other news outlets quickly
confirmed the beginnings of an investigation.[32]
Limbaugh has been a vocal critic of drug users as
well as an avid supporter of the War on Drugs (see the "On Drug Users" section
of Limbaugh's quotations at Wikiquotes, cited at the bottom of this article).
On October 10, 2003, Limbaugh admitted to listeners
on his radio show that he had abused prescription painkillers and stated that he
would enter inpatient treatment for 30 days, immediately following the
broadcast. He did not specifically mention which pain medications he had been
abusing. Speaking about his behavior, Limbaugh went on to say:
"I am not making any excuses. You know, over the
years, athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great
fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role
models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone
think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear
about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes."
"They are the role models. I am no victim and do
not portray myself as such. I take full responsibility for my problem. At the
present time the authorities are conducting an investigation, and I have been
asked to limit my public comments until this investigation is complete."[33]
Following Limbaugh's admission of drug abuse, his
detractors reviewed prior statements by him about drug use as examples of
hypocrisy. Several statements were found, in particular, on October 5, 1995:
"There's nothing good about drug use. We know it.
It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug
use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against
selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are
good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which
become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs,
they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be
sent up."
"What this says to me is that too many whites are
getting away with drug use, too many whites are getting away with drug sales,
too many whites are getting away with trafficking in this stuff. The answer to
this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not
putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and
find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the
river, too."
and on August 8, 2003:
"These tough sentencing laws were instituted for a
reason. The American people, including liberals, demanded them. Don't you
remember the crack cocaine epidemic? Crack babies and out-of-control murder
rates? Liberal judges giving the bad guys slaps on the wrist? Finally we got
tough, and the crime rate has been falling ever since, so what's wrong?"
on his TV show on December 9, 1993:
"I'm appalled at people who simply want to look at
all this abhorrent behavior and say, "Hey, you know, we can't control it
anymore. People are going to do drugs anyway. Let's legalize it." It's a dumb
idea. It's a rotten idea, and those who are for it are purely, 100 percent
selfish."
Which contradicts what was said on March 12, 1998:
"What is missing in the drug fight is legalization.
If we want to go after drugs with the same fervor and intensity with which we go
after cigarettes, let's legalize drugs. Legalize the manufacture of drugs.
License the Cali cartel. Make them taxpayers, and then sue them. Sue them left
and right, and then get control of the price, and generate tax revenue from it.
Raise the price sky high, and fund all sorts of other wonderful social
programs."
For this last quote, it should be noted that Rush
often uses heavy sarcasm to make his point.
An article in the January 12, 2004 issue of Human
Events (The National Conservative Weekly) presented its reaction to the media
attention of Limbaugh's addiction, calling it a 'Network War' against Limbaugh.
It charged network anchors with engaging in exaggerated and inflammatory
rhetoric by implying Limbaugh was involved in "drug sales" or "drug gangs."
Human Events Online reported in January 2004 a timeline of events in this matter
from September through December 2003.
An investigation into "doctor shopping" concluded
in the state of Florida under the Palm Beach State Attorney in April 2006.
Limbaugh's attorney Roy Black alleged that the chief county prosecutor
investigating Limbaugh, an elected Democrat, was politically motivated. The
ACLU, an organization often lambasted by Limbaugh, came to his defense, claiming
that the district attorney violated Limbaugh's constitutional rights by
"fishing" through his private medical records. Assistant State Attorney James L.
Martz, on November 9, 2005, stated "I have no idea if Mr. Limbaugh has completed
the elements of any offense yet." Then on December 12, 2005, Judge David F. Crow
decided to prohibit the State from questioning Limbaugh's physicians about "the
medical condition of the patient and any information disclosed to the healthcare
practitioner by the patient in the course of the care and treatment of the
patient."
Limbaugh has said his addiction to painkillers came
as a result of long-term back pain he had been suffering for several years, and
a botched surgery that came as a result of that. Limbaugh opposed the
prosecutor's efforts to interview his doctors on the basis of patient privacy
rights, and has argued that the prosecutor has in fact violated his Fourth
Amendment civil rights by illegally seizing his medical records. The Florida
courts consistently upheld Limbaugh's right to confidentiality.
Deal reached
On April 28, 2006, Limbaugh turned himself in to
the Palm Beach County, Florida Sheriff's Office as part of a prearranged
settlement to the case. He filed a "not guilty" plea with the Court and posted a
$3,000 bond[34] to a single criminal charge of doctor shopping to "obtained
2,000 pills over six months".[35] The sheriff's office later announced that
Limbaugh was technically "under arrest" during the booking process. Believing
that this term would misleadingly invoke an image of the talk show host being
handcuffed and hauled away, Limbaugh and his attorney contacted various media
outlets to inform them of the settlement.
Black issued a statement indicating that Limbaugh
had settled the charge with the state[36] and that the prosecutor agreed to
dismiss the criminal charge if Limbaugh pays $30,000 to defray the cost of the
investigation and completes an 18-month therapy regimen with his physician.
Black stated:
"...[T]he State Attorney's Office and Mr. Limbaugh
have reached an agreement whereby a single count charge of doctor shopping filed
today by the State Attorney will be dismissed in 18 months. As a primary
condition of the dismissal, Mr. Limbaugh must continue to seek treatment from
the doctor he has seen for the past two and one half years. This is the same
doctor under whose care Mr. Limbaugh has remained free of his addiction without
relapse. Mr. Limbaugh and I have maintained from the start that there was no
doctor shopping, and we continue to hold this position. Accordingly, we filed
today with the Court a plea of 'Not Guilty' to the charge filed by the
State."[37]
Limbaugh asserts that the state's settlement
agreement resulted from a lack of evidence supporting the charge of "doctor
shopping." Under the terms of the agreement, Limbaugh may not own a firearm and
must continue to submit to random drug testing, which he acknowledges having
undergone since 2003.[38]
Palm Beach Airport Incident
On June 26, 2006, Limbaugh was detained by U.S.
Customs and Border Protection at Palm Beach International Airport in possession
of Viagra which had been prescibed to him but labeled with the name of the
issuing physician, Limbaugh's psychiatrist. He was returning to the United
States from the Dominican Republic.[39] The same day, the Palm Beach County
sheriff's office announced it would investigate to determine if any laws were
broken.[40] On July 5, 2006, Palm Beach County officials stated that Limbaugh
will not face charges in relation to this incident.[41] Limbaugh joked about
acquiring what he was led to believe as "blue M&Ms" from the Clinton
Presidential library.[citation needed] Limbaugh also quipped on his radio show
that he told his doctor that he was worried about the election, and must have
been misheard.
Philosophy
Defining the conservative movement
Limbaugh made the following comments in an op-ed
piece in 2005:
I love being a conservative. We conservatives are
proud of our philosophy. Unlike our liberal friends, who are constantly looking
for new words to conceal their true beliefs and are in a perpetual state of
reinvention, we conservatives are unapologetic about our ideals.
We are confident in our principles and energetic
about openly advancing them. We believe in individual liberty, limited
government, capitalism, the rule of law, faith, a color-blind society and
national security.
We support school choice, enterprise zones, tax
cuts, welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, political speech, homeowner
rights and the war on terrorism.
And at our core we embrace and celebrate the most
magnificent governing document ever ratified by any nation — the U.S.
Constitution. Along with the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes our
God-given natural right to be free, it is the foundation on which our government
is built and has enabled us to flourish as a people.
We conservatives are never stronger than when we
are advancing our principles.
From American Conservatism: A Crackdown, Not a
'Crackup' Wall Street Journal op-ed October 17, 2005[5]
Leukemia & Lymphoma Telethon
Limbaugh holds an annual telethon, called the "EIB
Cure-a-Thon"[42] for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.[43] In 2006, the EIB
Cure-a-Thon conducted its 15th annual telethon.[44]
Statement regarding abortion and homosexuality
In 2003, Limbaugh broadcast the following
hypothetical on abortion choices made by parents based upon trait selection and
the anticipated reaction by advocates of gay rights:
Imagine we identify the gene—assuming that there is
one, this is hypothetical—that will tell us prior to birth that a baby is going
to be gay.... How many parents, if they knew before the kid was gonna be born,
[that he] was gonna be gay, they would take the pregnancy to term? Well, you
don't know but let's say half of them said, "Oh, no, I don't wanna do that to a
kid." [Then the] gay community finds out about this. The gay community would do
the fastest 180 and become pro-life faster than anybody you've ever seen. They'd
be so against abortion if it was discovered that you could abort what you knew
were gonna be gay babies (see [6]).
Limbaugh opposed teaching grade school students
about homosexuality in 1993 and wrote of gay rights as being special rights. He
has made similar statements about transsexuals.
Also, Limbaugh once said of Strom Thurmond, who
used the phrase "not normal" to describe a gay soldier during his presidential
campaign in 1948, "He's not encumbered by being politically correct.... If you
want to know what America used to be—and a lot of people wish it still were—then
you listen to Strom Thurmond."
Balance and point of view
Critics decry what they assert is the lack of a
balance between liberal and conservative viewpoints on talk radio. Limbaugh's
response is to claim that most news reporting is liberally biased; a common
saying of his is "I am equal time." To combat the claim of his show being
"unreasonably biased," Limbaugh has adopted a policy of automatically bumping
liberals to the front of the call queue, in order to ensure that they get a
chance to voice their opinions. Not all liberal callers make it past Limbaugh's
call screener and his tendency is naturally to challenge the views of those who
do. Limbaugh does not claim to be a neutral reporter. He also has explained
himself on occasion as being a commentator and entertainer, not a
reporter.[citation needed]
With the passing from the scene of the network news
anchors of the 1990s, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings, Limbaugh has
begun to call himself "America's Real Anchorman."
Limbaugh's satire, especially that of his early
years, has been criticized by his detractors with some even calling it "hate
speech". News about the homeless is often preceded with the Clarence "Frogman"
Henry song "Ain't Got No Home". For a time, the song "I Know I'll Never Love
This Way Again" preceded reports about people with AIDS. For two weeks in 1989,
Limbaugh performed "caller abortions" where he would end a call suddenly to the
sounds of a vacuum cleaner and a woman's scream, after which he would deny there
was ever a caller, explaining that the call had been "aborted."
In reference to Ted Kennedy, he often cites the
alcohol use that led to the death of Kennedy's campaign worker/girlfriend, Mary
Jo Kopechne, at Chappaquiddick by calling Kennedy "the swimmer" and referring to
him as the Senator from Chappaquiddick. Limbaugh refers to Robert Byrd, as
"Sheets Byrd" in reference to Byrd's onetime membership in the Ku Klux Klan.
This moniker ("Sheets") was originally coined by Tip O'Neill, per Chris
Matthews, a former O'Neill staffer. (An extensive list of Limbaugh's nicknames
for various political figures may be found at Jargon of The Rush Limbaugh Show).
Limbaugh is highly critical of environmentalism and
has disputed human-caused global warming and the relationship between CFCs and
depletion of the ozone layer.
He is a vocal supporter of capital punishment,
having once said that "the only thing cruel about the death penalty is last
minute stays."[7]
Limbaugh is very vocal in denouncing liberal
politicians (in the more modern "leftist" sense rather than classical liberal
sense) and initiatives, and actively promotes conservative candidates and
policies. He has occasionally taken issue, from a right-wing perspective, with
the George W. Bush administration in 2005 and 2006, criticizing the choice of
Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court and the President's immigration reform
package. Other Republicans whom he criticised in this period included John
McCain on immigration reform and House Speaker Dennis Hastert for his reaction
to an FBI raid of a Capitol Hill office.[citation needed]
Controversial Statements
One statement that drew criticism was made on his
May 4, 2004 show where he gave his perspective on the Abu Ghraib torture and
prisoner abuse committed by members of the U.S. military:
This is no different than what happens at the Skull
and Bones initiation, and we're going to ruin people's lives over it, and we're
going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them
because they had a good time. You know, these people are being fired at every
day. I'm talking about people having a good time, these people. You ever heard
of emotional release?
I don't understand what we're so worried about.
These are the people that are trying to kill us. What do we care what is the
most humiliating thing in the world for them? There's also this business of them
all wearing hoods and how that’s also very humiliating. You can see more guys
wearing hoods at a [Sen.] Robert Byrd birthday party 40 years ago than we've
seen in these prisoner photos.[45] [46]
This section may contain original research or
unverified claims.
Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the
talk page for details.
August 2005
In August 2005 Rush Limbaugh claimed that "peace
protestors" assaulted American soldiers outside a Seattle nightclub
http://www.infowars.com/articles/media/limbaugh_exploits_soldier_attack.htm
In actuality the soldiers were probably attacked by
drunken Gang members "We consider them very dangerous," said Seattle Police
Officer Sean Whitcomb. http://www.komotv.com/news/story_m.asp?ID=38738
References
1. ^ POLITICS: ON THE AIR;Radio Talk Show
Host Fears For True Conservatism's Fate=New York Times. Retrieved on 1996-02-23.
2. ^ Talking Radio: An Oral History of
American Radio in the Television Age by Michael C. Keith ISBN 0-7656-0398-5,
M.E. Sharpe, 233 pages, 2000.
3. ^ (October 2005). "Latest top host
figures". Talkers magazine.
4. ^ Premiere Radio Networks (2005-10-28).
Rush Limbaugh: The King of Talk Radio Reigns Over Liberal Talkers in Top 25
Radio Markets. Press release.
5. ^ (September 2002). "The 25 Greatest
Radio Talk Show Hosts of All Time". Talkers magazine.
6. ^ Pew Research Center (2004-06-08). News
Audiences Increasingly Politicized. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
7. ^ "Rush Limbaugh Gives Sean a Rare
Interview", Fox News Channel, October 19, 2005.
8. ^ Draft Notice. Urban Legends Reference
Pages (16 December 2002). Retrieved on April 29, 2006.
9. ^ Colford, Paul D. (1993). The Rush
Limbaugh Story. Martin's Press, pp 14–20. ISBN 0-312-09906-1.
10. ^ "Rush no longer references 'we' on
air", Palm Beach Post, June 25, 2004.
11. ^ Colford, Paul, "AM/FM Combat in the
Morning", Newsday, December 21, 1988, pp. 13.
12. ^ Grossberger, Lewis, "The Rush Hours",
New York Times, December 16, 1990, pp. SM58.
13. ^ Template:'Time' Decemeber 26, 1994
http://205.188.238.109/time/archive/preview/0,10987,163548,00.html
14. ^ Hearst,Andrew (2006-02-26). A Bully
Gets Bullied: Why Rush Limbaugh Never Became the Next Oprah (Macromedia Flash).
Panopticist. Retrieved on May 1, 2006.
15. ^ Robert and Michelle Saks Smigel. Santa
and the States (Quicktime). Retrieved on May 1, 2006.
16. ^ Joseph Farah. Speakers and Talk Show
Guests. WorldNetDaily.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-19.
17. ^ Parker, Penny, "Ties loud, just like
Limbaugh.", Denver Post, March 20, 1996, pp. C-1.
18. ^ Vinciguera, Thomas, "No Talk Show, But
a Loud Tie", New York Times, August 4, 1996, pp. 43.
19. ^ Don Arnold (April/May 1997). "BOOK
REVIEW: Daniel J. Evearitt, Rush Limbaugh and the Bible". The Touchstone.
20. ^ What's FAIR?. Fairness and Accuracy in
Reporting. Retrieved on 2006-06-05.
21. ^ Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
(1992-03-08). The Way Things Aren't: Rush Limbaugh Debates Reality. Press
release.
22. ^ Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
(1994-06-28). Limbaugh Responds to FAIR: Responding to FAIR's charges printed by
major print media outlets. Press release.
23. ^ Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
(1994-10-17). FAIR's Reply to Limbaugh's Non-Response. Press release.
24. ^ L. Brent Bozell III (July 8, 2004).
"Weapons of Mass Distortion". National Review.
25. ^ Rush's Voice. Free Republic Forum
(2001-08-31 – 2001-09-25). Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
26. ^ Dotinga, Randy, "Painkillers May Have
Caused Limbaugh's Deafness", HealthDay, 2003-10-16.
27. ^ Roy S, Loh HH (1996). "Effects of
opioids on the immune system". Neurochem Res 21 (11), 1375-86. PMID 8947928.
Retrieved on [[2006-06-04]].
28. ^ Friedman RA, House JW, Luxford WM,
Gherini S, Mills D. (2002). "Profound hearing loss associated with
hydrocodone/acetaminophen abuse". The American Journal of Otology. Retrieved on
[[2006-04-29]].
29. ^ Oh AK, Ishiyama A, Baloh RW (2000).
"Deafness associated with abuse of hydrocodone/acetaminophen". Neurology.
Retrieved on [[2006-06-23]].
30. ^ "Limbaugh will be voice of fan on ESPN
NFL show", ESPN, July 14, 2003.
31. ^ "Limbaugh's comments touch off
controversy", ESPN, October 1, 2003.
32. ^ Candiotti, Susan, "Limbaugh mostly mum
on reports of drug probe", CNN, October 3, 2003.
33. ^ George Bennett & John Pacenti. "Talk
host Limbaugh to enter drug rehab", Palm Beach Post, 2003-10-11, p. 1A.
34. ^ "Limbaugh turns himself in for
doctor-shopping", Palm Beach Post, April 29, 2006.
35. ^ "Rehab, $30,000 to keep Limbaugh out of
court", CNN, April 28, 2006.
36. ^ "Limbaugh arrested on prescription drug
charges", CNN, 2006-04-28.
37. ^ "Settlement Agreement Ends State
Investigation of Rush Limbaugh", RushLimbaugh.com, April 28, 2006.
38. ^ Skoloff, Brian, "Limbaugh Facing Drug
Tests Under Deal", Associated Press, 2006-05-01.
39. ^ "Rush Limbaugh's Attorney Roy Black
Responds to Media Inquiries", AP, 2006-06-26.
40. ^ "Rush Limbaugh detained with Viagra",
AP, 2006-06-26.
41. ^ "Limbaugh will not be charged over
Viagra", AP, 2006-07-05.
42. ^ EIB Cure-a-Thon. Rush Limbaugh.
RushLimbaugh.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
43. ^ Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 501(c).
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
44. ^ EIB Cure-a-Thon. Rush Limbaugh.
RushLimbaugh.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-04.
45. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/23/magazine/23PRISONS.html?pagewanted=3&ei=5007&en=a2cb6ea6bd297c8f&ex=1400644800&partner=USERLAND
46. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/06/opinion/meyer/main616021.shtml
Books written by Limbaugh
Limbaugh, Rush (1992). The Way Things Ought to Be.
New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-75145-X.
Limbaugh, Rush (1993). See, I Told You So. New
York: Atria. ISBN 0-671-87120-X.
Books written about Limbaugh
Franken, Al (1996). Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat
Idiot and Other Observations. ISBN 0-385-31474-4.
****
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