Graphic on Limbaugh's website identified bin Laden as a Democrat

A graphic on the front page of radio host Rush Limbaugh's website depicted a screen shot of C-SPAN's Washington Journal doctored to show Osama bin Laden appearing as a guest identified as "Mr. Osama bin Laden, D-Afghanistan."

The graphic, which was featured prominently on the website on July 25 and 26, linked to a transcript of a segment from Limbaugh's July 25 show, titled "Democrats Flip Wigs Over President Bush's Al-Qaeda in Iraq Speech." During that segment, Limbaugh said, "'Mr. bin Laden's group' is how The New York Times refers to Al Qaeda! Why don't they just say, 'Osama bin Laden, D-Afghanistan'? 'Mr. bin Laden's group'? Osama bin Laden, D-Afghanistan. Democrat, Afghanistan." The graphic of bin Laden also accompanies this portion of the online transcript.

As Media Matters for America has documented, a sidebar on the conservative website Townhall.com on April 17 featured a cartoon of a bearded man with a rifle -- presumably bin Laden -- wearing a button that reads "Obama 2008."

From the July 25 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: I'll tell you something else. This is absolutely hilarious. "Mr. Bin Laden's group" is how The New York Times refers to Al Qaeda. Why don't they just say, "Osama bin Laden, D-Afghanistan"? "Mr. bin Laden's group"? Osama bin Laden, D-Afghanistan. Democrat, Afghanistan. It's like Congressman William Jefferson, Democrat-Louisiana.

—M.J.M.