Last week featured the imbroglio with John McCain and the New York Times and and, my personal favorite, an extramarital affair with a blond lobbyist. (In my honest opinion, I think blond lobbyists are just the pits. So full of themselves they are.) Like clockwork, Rush Limbaugh got all upset about how the liberal media is going tough on Republicans while taking it easy on Democrats such as Barack Obama and, especially, Hillary Clinton.
Um, excuse me, Rush? Rush also explained last week how the New York Times and the rest of the liberal media would never do a tough story on Hillary Clinton. Once again, excuse me, Rush? It seems to me that Hillary Clinton is has been scrutinized by the press to an extreme degree. Granted, you should invite a lot of press scrutiny when you decide to run for public office. But do y'all remember all the "headband" stories about Clinton from the 90s? Remember the political agenda of Hillary's headband? How she was trying to disguise herself as a regular working mom so that she could gain the support of women everywhere which would allow her to push her socialistic message? She can't even dress herself without people questioning her motives.
The press coverage of Hillary Clinton's campaign for the president has also been pretty tough. The media seems to think that everything she does in her campaign emerges whole cloth out of some sinister reason. I concede that Hillary Clinton has pulled some shady tactics against her opponent, Barack Obama. (South Carolina was just sad.) But the narrative that emerges if you read the press is that mean lady Hillary is always trying to pick on that innocent choirboy Barack Obama. A narrative that has some truth but only some. It is way easier for the press to pick out a narrative that sells a lot of papers and just keep running with it ad nauseum. They are a business like any other.
It is the best of times and the worst of times for Rush Limbaugh. He is a man without any proactive ideas to push. We know this because Rush is so full of himself that he would totally brag about 'em if he had 'em. But, sadly, he is an empty void, bereft of any ideas that could be useful to us Americans. Thus, he needs stories of malfeasance that feed into his normal tropes. Oh, woe is me, the New York Times is so evil, says Rush. How I hate those university professors because of their fancy book learnin'. Damn ACLU and their trial lawyer buddies. And don't get me started on those feminazis. Somebody go tell them to please shave their legs.
Oh sure, Rush Limbaugh will feign anger and agony when the New York Times does something wrong. But I am not fooled. Rush is ecstatic because a negative story that fits into El Rushbo's world view buys him another day of relevance. Another day to collect a big paycheck. One day, a day that can't get here soon enough, the world according to Rush Limbaugh will be seen as realistic as something written by J.R.R. Tolkien. With Rush Limbaugh starring as Saruman.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The "Agony" and the Ecstasy of Rush Limbaugh
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10 comments:
Wait, are you telling me that Middle Earth isn't real? And Rush Limbaugh isn't the Dark Lord Sauron?
I can't wait for movie version of "Rush Limbaugh: The Last American Hero," starring George Clooney.
I have never understood this thing about Rush Limbaugh. I knew when my dad didn't like John McCain, that it must have been because Rush Limbaugh had said not to like McCain. I just don't get it. I personally, cannot wait until Rush Limbaugh goes off the air. I'm afraid no matter the outcome of this next election, we will still have that windbag on the air.
Pre-emptive statement: I am not a Limbaugh listener or fan.
OK, with that out of the way, would it be too much to ask for a bit of sanity around here?
“I personally, cannot wait until Rush Limbaugh goes off the air”
Don’t hold your breath, darlin’. He is a dominant media personality and has been for a very long time. While I don’t bother with him, many people do and will continue to. Just get over it – if you don’t like him, don’t listen to him – just like what happened to Air America.
“I knew when my dad didn’t like John McCain, that it must have been because Rush Limbaugh had said not to like McCain.”
Consider, if but for a moment, that your father has a mind of his own and that he would have disliked McCain even if Rush was all for him. In one sentence, you give Limbaugh all the credit in the world and in the other you dismiss him as irrelevant. Which is it, love?
Hey Thomas – would Clooney have to gain a ton of weight and then drop it to play the role or would they do a fat-suit? Your preference?
By the way, everyone can thank Thomas for inviting the conservative to come and crash the party. Keep that in mind before you respond – I was invited and, despite what you’ve heard from Al Franken, conservatives have feelings too.
Good to hear from you the_bad. You and I sparred several times over on American Sweatpants. I always appreciated what you had to say, even if I didn't agree.
This time I happen to agree with you about Rush. He's there spoutng his trash because people are willing to listen.
Long ago (in the early '90's) I was actually an avid listener of Rush. I thought at the time he was tapping into a sentiment of disenfranchisement and that was what made him so popular. Of course he was/is exploiting it which is why I stopped listening in the early '90's.
I also don't think it is fair to characterize his listeners as mindless followers. Us Obamaphiles are getting accused of similar gullibility and I find it insulting.
I don't know the demographic of the average Rush listener, but I imagine that many of them are thinking folks who care about this country.
That said, I do wish he was off the air and the entire echo chamber that he is part of. It sullies the process and is a result of plotical agenda, entertainment and media all meeting in the same place.
Thankfully we have bloggers...
Glad you could make it over to Punditssmundits.
BTW - Clooney should put on and lose the weight. He should also try a pain-killer addiction.
Thanks Josh! Thomas just gave me a shout about this site the other day. It’s nice to be able to spar with people of different ideologies without getting sticky with insults.
I agree on Clooney – he should do it Tom Hanks style (a la “Cast Away”).
If George Clooney played Rush Limbaugh in a movie called "Rush is the Greatest Guy Ever," Rush would find a reason to be upset about this.
hey, the bad ,if you knew my dad I might consider your opinion...but I would bet money you don't!
You’re absolutely right, Kelly. I don’t know your father – at least, I don’t think I know him. Regardless, I made no declarative statement regarding him – only that you consider the possibility that he isn’t a mindless drone who takes orders directly from Limbaugh. That sort of syndrome seems more common to the DailyKos crowd than to the Limbaugh crowd - to me, at least. I’m certain your opinion differs. Just the same, let’s examine:
McCain has drawn much distain from many conservatives due to his support of policies that are – well – less than conservative. Our current President has drawn the same ire recently for the same reason. While I cannot speak for your father, I can draw on my own experience as an independent thinker who bases opinion on my own set of beliefs versus the party line. It is my experience that most conservatives are of this mold. When McCain and Bush supported the illegal alien amnesty bill, conservatives were not pleased. When Bill Clinton was caught lying under oath, liberals should have been hopping mad at him – but instead they ran en masse to his support.
good point--the bad.
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