Limbaugh to "the people on the left": "[Y]ou're damn right we're questioning your patriotism"

On the August 23 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh declared that it is time to question the patriotism of "the people on the left." After attacking war critic Cindy Sheehan, her supporters, and New York Times columnists Frank Rich and Paul Krugman, Limbaugh said, "[I]t's time to stop dancing around this issue folks, to tell you the truth. It's time for somebody to tell the people on the left, you're damn right we're questioning your patriotism."

Limbaugh subsequently featured this self-described "brilliant El Rushbo monologue" on his website under the heading, "You're Damn Right, American Left; We're Questioning Your Patriotism".

From the August 23 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: And the same thing is happening with Sheehan now. She is saying just some things that are indefensible. And the left doesn't even try to defend them. Their mantra now: "Well the story's not about Cindy Sheehan. This story's about George W. Bush." Frank Rich had a pathetic piece Sunday in The New York Times and the ferret-like Paul Krugman advanced the same notion. It's becoming a mantra out there. I mean, it really is. "Well the story's not about Sheehan." Because I said the other day, you know, all you people interested in what everybody else is saying about Sheehan, why don't we examine what she's saying. You know, she's saying some absolutely asinine, ridiculous, indefensible things. "Well, we don't -- well, Cindy Sheehan is not really the story. George W. Bush is the story."

Classic. Classic example of how things are backfiring on these people. And they're not gaining the ground on it that they wish they were and so the president comes out today. I would have loved a little bit more forcefulness. I would have loved something a little bit more direct, such as, "I am not going to preside over the defeat of this country. The people who are siding with Cindy Sheehan are advocating for the defeat of this country."

This is just, what does he want to make us weaker? What's the difference? Would weaken us? What's the difference? There's not much of a difference. And if he would say something like that, which I know he's not going to do. But if he did, folks, it would be such a rallying point, a rallying cry that you wouldn't believe it. Because you know, the president can have all the surrogates he wants out there. The president could have all the supporters saying X and saying Y and saying Z. But if he were to say one of these things, some of these things now and again, it would go a long way.

But it leads me back, what I interrupted myself saying, and when I digressed, all of these moments in the past where we have questioned the left and its desire to see us victorious. And the left always says, "Are you attacking my patriotism? You are attacking my patriotism, you can't attack my patriotism." And everybody's always backed down. And everybody's always said, "No, no, no, no, I'm not attacking your patriotism. I'm questioning your judgment."

Well, I think we -- it's time to stop dancing around this issue, folks, to tell you the truth. It's time for somebody to tell the people on the left, you're damn right we're questioning your patriotism.

—J.S.