Limbaugh gave baseless interpretation of Clinton speech to claim she was "demeaning" blacks
On the April 23 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh claimed that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) made a "demeaning reference to the fact that [African-Americans are] janitors, or custodial workers, or cleaning people" during her April 20 speech at the National Action Network annual convention by saying the following: "The abuses that have gone on in the last six years -- I don't think we know the half of it yet. You know, when I walk into the Oval Office in January 2009, I'm afraid I'm going to lift up the rug and I'm going to see so much stuff under there! You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people?"
Limbaugh did not air the subsequent lines from Clinton's speech: "But this is not just going to be picking up socks off the floor. This is going to be about cleaning out the government." According to an April 21 article in The Journal News (Westchester County, New York), Clinton's audience was "composed largely of black women." There is no evidence in either the excerpt Limbaugh aired or in what he left out that Clinton was talking to audience members as though they were "janitors, or custodial workers, or cleaning people." Rather, she appeared to be referring to the fact that women have traditionally borne the responsibility of housecleaning. Indeed, the News reported that this portion of Clinton's speech "got some of her loudest applause." Limbaugh acknowledged that Clinton received a "big standing 'O' and so forth."
Limbaugh went on to compare Clinton to former radio talk show host Don Imus, who was fired from CBS Radio and MSNBC after referring to the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." Limbaugh said of Clinton's speech: "It's no different than when Don Imus called Gwen Ifill [then] of The New York Times, 'a cleaning lady.' " He added, "[T]he liberals are sharing [with] us their perception, their vision of what black America is all about. And -- downtrodden, maids, custodians, janitors, chauffeurs. You know, this kind of thing." Limbaugh then said of "black American[s]," "[T]hat's how they want to see themselves -- as constantly downtrodden."
From Clinton's April 21 speech to the National Action Network:
CLINTON: We have to reform our government. The abuses that have gone on in the last six years, I don't think we know the half of it yet. You know, when I walk into the Oval Office in January of 2009, I'm afraid I'm going to lift up the rug and see so much stuff under there. You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people? But this is not just going to be picking up socks off the floor, this is going to be cleaning up our government. Cleaning out the deadwood and the political cronies, the people who left all of our fellow citizens along the Gulf Coast to fend for themselves, and to this day, have not made a commitment to rebuild New Orleans. We're going to get to the bottom of these no-bid contracts, and all these special interests, and all these favors that have transferred billions of dollars into the pockets of all of these big companies in Washington, the most prominent of which is Halliburton.
From the April 21 Journal News article:
The Democratic front-runner said the Bush administration had squandered the progress made during the 1990s and skewed the government toward helping only those who were already privileged or powerful. She got some of her loudest applause when she promised to reform government and joked about being afraid to "lift up the rug" in the Oval Office.
"I'm going to see so much stuff under there," Clinton said to the audience, which was composed largely of black women. "You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people? But this is not just going to be picking up socks off the floor. This is going to be about cleaning out the government."
The context of Clinton's remarks was reported by several media news outlets, including The New York Times' weblog The Caucus and the New York Daily News.
The National Action Network is a civil rights organization founded by Sharpton.
From the April 23 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: All right now, on to Reverend Sharpton's National Action Network convention. Last Friday, this is Mrs. Clinton.
CLINTON [audio clip]: The abuses that have gone on in the last six years -- I don't think we know the half of it yet. You know, when I walk into the Oval Office in January 2009, I'm afraid I'm going to lift up the rug and I'm going to see so much stuff under there! You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people?
LIMBAUGH: Oh, hardy-har-har-har. You're the last person, Mrs. Clinton, that ought to be talking about what anybody would find on the Oval Office rug. Of all the things to say! Not only do we not want to know what we'd find -- if anybody knows what's on the Oval Office rug, it would be Mrs. Clinton -- on it or under it.
But here she is, using this black dialect again -- and, by the way, this demeaning reference to the fact that they're janitors, or custodial workers, or cleaning people. Yeah, I mean this is -- she sits there and says, "You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people?" When's the last time you cleaned up after anybody but your husband in those assorted messes of his? And we're not talking about dirt, soil, that kind of thing.
But I mean this is just -- it's just so -- it's demeaning. It is -- it's pandering. It's no different than when Don Imus called Gwen Ifill of The New York Times, "a cleaning lady," getting the White House or something. What, Mr. Snerdly? What? What? What do you mean, not if you believe it? What -- well, I know -- do you really think -- oh.
Snerdly says that that's her view -- that America looks as black -- that black people as cleaning. I think she's telling us her view, not America's view. Is that what you mean? OK. It's her view. All right, then the liberals are sharing [with] us their perception, their vision of what black America is all about. And -- downtrodden, maids, custodians, janitors, chauffeurs. You know, this kind of thing. That's how they see them. And that's how they want them to see themselves -- as constantly downtrodden. And, of course, [she] gets this big standing "O" and so forth.
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But she said "us.." does that mean she thinks of herself as black? Or as a cleaning person? I am confused... what, Mr. Snerdly? You say it's not supposed to make sense? Oh. Thank you, Mr. Snerdly...
Rush is so full of crap. Life has taught us to be careful and so we arn't so easily manipulated. In additon I would guess that a subtantial portion of the audience may have been female and the truth is as unfair as it is we women still do the bulk of the housework and cleaning up after our families.
Oh, I see. It is ok to stereotype as long as it is liberal Hillary doing it.
did you even bother reading lynn's post leather? she said what i thought. this is obviously a comment between women about picking up a guy's socks. many women still do more than their share of the housework, even if she and the man work the same hours.
Are you deliberately obtuse, Leatherhelmet, or is it just reflexive -- a knee-jerk reaction when confronted by right-wing/conservative lies, bias and idiocy?
She tries talking like she is black, at least in front of black audiences.
well she is married to the first black president. you probably like the guys that really "get down". guys like dick cheney.
Do you really think Hillary believes she is "talking like she is black?" Don't you think black audiences would find it demeaning if they thought she was just pandering to them? Or do you just think they're just too dumb to notice?
Enough with the racial concern trolling. You just make yourself look more pathetic than you already do.
Exactly Leatherhead has become a sad and pathetic troll. After realizing he didnt stand a CHANCE arguing things on their merit he opted out of the game for trolling and baiting with talking point lies.
When READING something written TO BE READ in vernacular. You are a liar flat out. You know that is bunk. It is harder to seperate red from the rose than it is to seperate YOU from your comitted delusions.
You know what? I think she's rederring to Democrats as "us" not blacks.
the republican party head bigot strikes again. he represents the entire republican party.
bush / romney/hannity /mccain/guliani should all be asked if they agree with rush when he makes statements like this
Absolutely...
This filthy moron has become the poster boy for conservatism.
In fact, he may be the chief reason Democrats are taking back the country. The American people are seeing through the filth. They're tired of it.
This is pretty shameless, even for Limbaugh. Of course, when you've made a King's fortune by telling lies, I guess you become immune to the absolute absurdity of your own statements after a while.
I think it's pigboy who is making the "Black cleaning lady" assumption, not Clinton.
Her reference is obviously to the metaphor of "sweeping things under the rug", but Rush knows that.
I'm thinking that if she made a remark to the tune of being afraid of seeing how many bones are hidden in the closets of the White House, Limbaugh would be accusing her of saying President Bush is homicidal.
or that she was anti-anorexic, hence anti-Coulter :)
Ewww, why did you have to bring up that bag of bones and hank of hair Coulter?
I love that phrase, and it's so fitting for Coulter. This part of the poem is very apt to describe her followers:
A FOOL there was and he made his prayer(Even as you and I!)To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair(We called her the woman who did not care),But the fool he called her his lady fair(Even as you and I!)
- Rudyard Kipling
I'm so lowbrow I thought it was Jimmie Rodgers.
"dont pick the prickly pear by the paw, when you pick a pear, try to use the claw, but you dont need to use the claw, when you pick a pear of the big paw paw,"
I haven't seen much on Coulter here lately. I think if you speak of the devil, she will appear.
had to ask for it, didn't you? http://www.stephaniemiller.com/imagefull.php?ImageId=216&TabId=8&entrant=7
Back when she had some meat on her bones, huh?
By the way, NOBODY asks for that, I don't care what they've done. I think there's even a specific clause in the Turkish prison regulations against it.
JuliaJayne: "...bag of bones and hank of hair...."
A perfect descriptor.
Funny, for a group of people who claim that race and , physical attributes shouldn't be the criteria for evaluating any group or individual, you all sure do like to get down and roll in the childish practice of taunting someone's physical appearance when they don't agree with you. I guess when that's all you have to work with, you use it.
He is so predictible, I saw this coming from outer space.
It's a real simple metaphor. Hillary was making a statement about womanhood and the historical lot of women always having to pick up after untidy men.
Media Matters claims what you are saying is "baseless".
Um, not really. Her use of the word "us" gives it some basis, certainly.
Turn this around. If a conservative had spoken these exact words, he or she would be railed against by some on the left and interpreted the very same way Limbaugh is doing. So before the left goes ballistic against Rush, keep that in mind.
Obviously, Rush is reaching here, but does anyone honestly doubt that the left would treat this any differently if the shoe were on the other foot?
In this day and age of every word being analyzed and scrutinized and played and replayed, one has no choice but to be so careful......it's all getting a little ridiculous.
Yes, I do doubt that. Her statement is pretty innocuous, it's clear she was referencing womanhood in general. If a republican woman said the exact same thing, I doubt anyone would bat an eye. Now, if a republican man said it, I'd be surprised.
Snoop,
Actually, I did mean specifically a conservative woman.....but I am not so sure it would have gone unnoticed. I agree, it was an innocuous statement by Clinton - but it goes more to this endless scrutiny of every word uttered by public figures these days, they can never say anything remotely unclear or vague anymore for fear of being labeled in some negative way.
It's absurd.
Tommy,
we agree on that. The parsing is out of control. The right knows it, that's why they are making such a big fuss about sites like this. Too bad they won't put two and two together and see themselves as being part of this problem.
I forgot the name of the senator who said it, but the basic line was how do you get your reputation back?
Tommy, I'm curious. Who on the liberal side would actually make such a reaching statement as Rush's? Liberals could have pretty much guaranteed that either Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, Savage, heck even Coulter would make this statement (congratulations, Rush, on being the first!), but what liberal pundit is oily enough to do it?
Tommy,
You're just upset because Media Matters is kicking your conservative "heroes" all over the map. Politicians' words have always been carefully scrutinized.
The only thing that's absurd, Tommy, is your defense of these right-wing losers.
Is it just me, or are our resident "reasonable conservatives" (do not feed) getting out of reason? Tommy, Leatherhelmet etc...
Jeter is the clear exception. BTW, has anyone seen savagerocks recently?
I'm pretty sure that SAVAGEROCKS is now Sebastian Shaw. I could be wrong.
I think that Tommy's actually getting more reasonable of late. While I disagree with him here (if Condi Rice had made the same statement to a group of women, I doubt there'd be any liberal commentators saying she was denigrating anyone, merely identifying with women), he hasn't gone overboard by any stretch.
Jeter, BruceAce, and Oscar the Grouch are the others of like mind that you can count on as having reasoned opinions and expressing them in legitimate ways. None of us is totally reasonable all the time, myself included. Leatherhelmet, Wesley, Rino Hunter, Grhino, Kevin1007, ad nauseum, alas, were never in that class, and frankly I don't think they've got the character to join them.
"it's all getting a little ridiculous"
Yeah - like your first paragraph.
No, this is all Limbaugh. I don't see the right picking this one up and running with it... looks like he doubled up on Oxys this morning.
I think Michelle Malkin had something about it on her site.
You've got way more courage than I if you are going to that website. Didn't it sear your eyes and scar you for life?
Whatever you do... do not click the video.
I'm going to need Viagra to perform tonight...
My eyes! aaaaaaagh! Oh, the pain... burning, burning...
This is almost as bad as Connie Chung's "Thanks for the Memories"
No, actually nothing could ever be that horrible :-O
I fell into temptation and clicked on the forbidden fruit.
Ouch.
Jesus. I stand corrected.
They are really reaching this time.
These are some truly ugly, ugly people. I guess you must have to take the drugs to be able to spew this trash.
No drugs. They're just very well paid. Does anyone really believe that these professional liars have gotten where they are strictly by virtue of "market forces"?
Well, that makes sense. I'd be giving the addict, Rush, too much credit for having a scintilla of a conscience.
Yeah, this is just a garden variety Limbaugh lie that will not pick up much steam in the media.
He's just keeping sharp for the Big Lies to come
Hey, just be honest: this is Hillary's week to take the lies and slurs, so even though it is a stretch for LimbaughLiar, he has already and often demonstrated sufficient agility that truth be no obstacle - except if he were required to utter it.
This isn't even a botched line though. It's not like Limbaugh's take on it is reasonable, where the defense is "well she meant to say...". It's not even about appearances, she said "what is it about us" not "what is it about you".
If/when this situation is reversed, and Dems are chastising a Republican for a perfectly innocuous and understandable statement, then I'll say they are wrong for doing so. Meanwhile, I'll criticize Limbaugh for this idiocy.
Nope. Don't think so.
If she had said, "You know what. What is it about you people always having to clean up after people?" Then yes, not only would I agree with Limbaugh, I would agree with your assessment. But she said, "What is it about us..." It's an inclusive not an exclusive question.
Libs don't need to reach for examples of bigoted rightwingers, Rush and company give us very explicit racist commentary almost every day.
Like this totally non-racist joke site linked by Malkin in the same article wherein she castigated Clinton.
It's not like they're shameless, it's as if they exist in a whole different dimension where the whole concept of shame simply has no referent, like how there is no "up" in Flatland.
Yeah, it is truly amazing how easy it is for Republicans to lie. It seems to be almost natural for them.
It's really become almost a prerequisite for party membership.
You know I loved that book. What a great analogy. Its EXACTLY like that.
"does anyone honestly doubt that the left would treat this any differently if the shoe were on the other foot?"
Yes, I trust that left commentators are smart enough to know a reference to the term "Sweeping Under the Rug" when they hear it, and wouldn't think their audience stupid enough to agree with a racially based interpretation.
That whole reversal of positions argument is just about the most tired of the Right Wing Nonsense tools.
First, it's pretty hard to see how these exact words in any context can be seen as a racist slam. Seriously, where is the logic here? Given the number of genuinely suspect things that come dripping out of the mouths of prominent conservative speakers every day, why in the heck would any imaginary liberal media bad guy go after a comment that requires such circuitous retranslation in order to cry racism?
Second it's more of this bizarro projection, reverse logic that somehow passes for reasoned punditry these days. When will the right outgro the "I'm rubber and your glue" stage of debate?
And finally, when Limbaugh goes off on a tangent like this and creates controversy by inventing context all by himself for someone else's words, how in the heck can he continue to try and rely on the false defense of allegedly being taken out of context himself?
Tommy,
No I don't think that's true. The statement has to be considered in the proper context. This includes the forum/venue in which the statement is made ( I said that there were probaly many women in the audience and the truth is we do the cleaning in our homes.) and who is making the statement and what past statements has this person made. For instance Did Hillary Clinton ever tell a Black caller to take the bone out of his nose? or tell the caller that since B lacks are such a small percentage of the populace that what they think is irrelevant? All of a sudden Rush is concerned about Black people's feelings. Rush will find out that we aren't easily manipulated. Life has given us real strong BS meters, and Rush is full of it.
No they wouldnt have. I cant speak for the entire left but a woman making that remark no matter to what audience wouldnt have made me just to Limbuaghs assertion. Methinks you are being overly defensive here. The limpone is spinning beyond any reason.
Only a 12-year-old--or a total shill--would post such disingenous drivel. So, little Tommy, did you have your after school snack of ovaltine and fig newtons, and, oh, you know you have to make sure your homework is done before you get on the computer, little man!
Also she wants to see black quarterbacks succeed because of her liberal concern.
Limbaugh? He is still on the air? I thought after Imus, he'd be gone as well.
That's probably what you want, isn't it? Try to silence conservatives rather than debate them on the issues? Follow the new form of neo-fascist liberalism and censor conservative broadcasters? You can try all you want, but Rush will never be fired. He has 20 million listeners a week, and he could say something 10X worse than what Imus said and he wouldn't be fired.
I dont care. I am not in favor of hiding Limbaughs version of OUTRIGHT fascist conservatism under a bushel. Let people see the drug addicted blovating screechmonkey and anyone who would take him seriosly for what they are.
"OUTRIGHT fascist conservatism"
Limbaugh isn't the one who opposes free speech. You and your fellow liberals do. You are the one who supports fascist liberalism.
LIMBAUGH: Wouldn't it be great if anybody who speaks out against this country, to kick them out of the country? Anybody that threatens this country, kick 'em out. We'd get rid of Michael Moore, we'd get rid of half the Democratic Party if we would just import that law. That would be fabulous. The Supreme Court ought to look into this. Absolutely brilliant idea out there.
YOU are a low watt bulb. That phrase was in response to your mischaracterization of what you called neofascist liberalism. There is NO FREE SPEECH issue involved in Limbuaghs further employment this has been explained to you over and over. It just needs to be true for propaganda purposes therefore to YOU its true for that reason alone. Its total bunk and everyone with any sense whatsoever knows it but you cant let it go because ya got nothin else. I am an absolutist on free speech and the only fascist you are likely to see on this website are in the mirror and YOUR side of the aisle. You cant stretch the free speech argument to say there can be no consequences for acting like a jerk. You are free to do so and then fact those consequences. It is in fact YOU trying to stop free speech. See I am not demanding Limbaugh be fired only that WE have the right to make the argument. YOU are trying to say WE DONT have that right.
What really cracks me up is idiots who use the term "liberal facism". I guess there's a reason they call it an oxyMORON.
You have the right to say whatever you want to say. I'm not taking that away from you. I just don't want you to use government censorship through the Fairness Doctrine. David Brock is a big advocate of the Fairness Doctrine, and his ultimate goal is to bring it back. I personally believe that the Fairness Doctrine is government censorship at it's worst.
There is ZERO logic to the claim that a regulation saying that both sides should be heard is somehow censorship? Actually its weird. How in the world is mandating that shows that advocate one side of an issue allow the other side to be heard censorship? You are only saying that because Rush called it the hush Rush law right? Of course he also didnt make any sense but there you go.
yeah, allowing opposing opinions to be aired is supressing free speech. What a stretch by such a tool.
You know for people who are trying to muzzle conservatives, we sure do provide you with a platform now don't we.
Limbaugh then said of "black American[s]," "[T]hat's how they want to see themselves -- as constantly downtrodden."
I think what he said was that 'liberals want blacks to see themselves as constantly downtrodden.'
He's still an idiot, but what else is new.
Yeah, you are right. MM mistranscribed his comments - it is still a stupid statement, but if he had said what MM said he said, it would be stupid and extremely offensive.
I suggest MM clean up the post.
First of all, I didn't hear a black dialect. Being from the south I didnt notice it right away, but it is a slight southern accent that she seemed to have used. That could be from living in Arkansas for years and being married to a Southerner.
That being said, I am glad that Rush is becoming more sensitive to the feelings of the African American Community.
You could be right: this could be the long-anticipated revisedand enhanced version of LimbaughLiar; and it would be a shame if his very first attempt to evince concern for others, to submit for reinstatement to the human species, were to be scorned solely because of his history of never having knowingly told the truth about anything, for even the basest of motives.
I didnt hear a black dialect either but I've lived in TN for even longer than HC lived in Ark, which was probably 20+ years, easy (for her).
I took her comments to mean "we" as a party, cleaning up GOP messes, but it's almost always a mistake to take Limbaughs interpretations seriously.
His childish sexual references to another man's sexual affairs tip his hand. He's still sniffing Bill Clintons zipper. Those who take him seriously are practically doing the same thing, just by their tacit acceptance of his zipper sniffing.
I learned long ago not to take zipper sniffers seriously.
zipper sniffers. That's funny. I'll have to remember that one.
I don't hear the "black dialect" either. I think this is just another manufactured issue that these professional liars are trying to pin on Hillary. If anything, she may be trying to use a more conversational tone...sound less formal. Maybe one of her campaign advisors told her that she needs to "loosen up". Who knows? Does it really matter? George Bush can't even string six words together.
Limbaugh: "it's just so -- it's demeaning."
Yeah, to all the janitors and cleaning staffs of America--you can count on your sincere, empathetic pal, Mr. Limbaugh, to have your backs! Mr. Drug Addict will be on constant lookout for anyone that wants to "demean" you and your jobs. That oughta make you feel good.
You raise an excellent point. It takes completely twisting Clinton's words out of whack for Rush to dress himself up as some kind of champion for racial and sexual equality. He can never point to anything that HE or the politicians he promotes has done for equality and opportunity for minorities in this country.
What are you, blind? All those tax cuts made more cash available for hiring more cleaning people, cooks, gardeners, etc. And guaranteed to provide generations of such opportunities by repealing the "death tax". I've previously pointed out how Rush personally saw to it that his cleaning lady was promoted to the lofty position of "medication courier".
So don't try to imply that Rush doesn't care about minorities.
It seems that Rush is always thinking about race. He just can't help it. He just see everything in the context of race. It really takes a lot of extrapolation to even come up with anything resembling a coherent idea here. He has to use a lot of words to explain it. This is the way HE thinks. He's just a big projecter of himself and his inherent bigotry.
Well, we have to cut PigBoy some slack. His job as Chief Bush Apologist is getting harder every day.
"The abuses that have gone on in the last six years -- I don't think we know the half of it yet. You know, when I walk into the Oval Office in January 2009, I'm afraid I'm going to lift up the rug and I'm going to see so much stuff under there! You know, what is it about us always having to clean up after people?"
Now I read the "US" here as meaning Democrats cleaning up after the mess left for them by Republicans.
Though I guess it could mean woman?
I don't get anything here about demeaning Blacks.
When I heard it I thought the same thing...Democrats having to clean up after Republicans. I think any normal person would think likewise. But then Rush does have a hearing problem.
To be even more specific I thought she meant the Bush administration.
Yeah, I thought it was a mildly clever double allusion to women having to clean up men's socks, and Democrats having to clean up Republican's messes.
And who was her audience?
And what is your point?
Her audience? A bunch of women. She was quite obviously making motions at a woman's traditional position (whether working or not) as a keeper of the order in a household - I can speak readily to the idea that if there's a mess to be cleaned up, I'm typically the one to do it. Bush has already said that his mess in Iraq will be up to someone else to clean up, the Democratic Congress has the responsibility to clean up the Republican Congress' ethical messes when they delightfully neglected to address any kind of failings of the Congress or administration.
The comparison is a just one. If this were a stereotypical sitcom household, the Republican party would be the obnoxious, boorish husband that means well but can't seem to get anything right, and the Democratic party would be the nagging, orderly wife who can always pull the "I told you so" at the end of the episode.
Even if this really is a botched metaphor, it demonstrates just how desperate these snakes are to find something...ANYTHING...to distract their sycophantic audiences from the monumental catastrophe that is the Bush administration.
"But I mean this is just -- it's just so -- it's demeaning."
Seems to me that Rush has made a living denouncing "political correctness", brushing off any negative reactions to his commentary in that manner. When Rush gets criticized for the term "feminazi", for example, isn't the basic defense that the people who are complaining are just too "PC", too thin-skinned? But when Hillary makes an allusion to cleaning up in front of black women, oh that's just wrong. That's demeaning, as if that wasn't the basis for people's criticism of so many things Rush has said.
Yes - conservatives have political correctness also. Right now questioning Bush's botched war is not supporting the troops, for example.
No Rush, what is demeaning is when you on national TV proclaim a specific 6th grade as 'ugly' and make a stream of jokes at her expense to score partisan 'points' on her father. What is demeaning is when you take video of a black woman and pasting in giant fake lips and put words in her mouth. What is demeaning is when you go on the public airwaves so blasted out of your mind on a heroin analog that you have no clue what you are saying. What is demenaing is when you take someone else's Viagra on a South American sex-tour (with no age verification).
In other words what is demeaning is your entire career.
Well said Americanmutt.
Neither cleaning ladies nor janitors pick up people's socks.
It's possible that Rush has generic "servants" and doesn't really distinguish between cleaning ladies, janitors, bootblacks,chambermaids, etc.
He may even have one designated to not only pick up his socks, but to put them on his feet and remove them at the end of a long day of broadcasting excrement.
maybe 'pick up the socks' was his code word to his maid that he got to buy drugs for him?
Can't believe I missed that, Mutt.
"Rosie, i'm getting cold,could you pick up three pairs of socks tonight.(wink wink)
It's probably Rush projecting here, when Rush hears the words cleaning up HE probably associates that with what he thinks Blacks should be doing.
I am posting this here because it's become obvious that someone within Rush Limbaugh's organization is monitoring what's posted on Media Matters:
HEY, RUSH!!!!
HOW'S THAT OXYCONTIN WORKING OUT FOR YOU? AND WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TELL YOUR LISTENERS THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR ARREST IN PITTSBURGH (UNDER YOUR PSEUDONYM "JEFF CHRISTIE") IN THE COMPANY OF A MALE PROSTITUTE IN AN AREA NOTORIOUS FOR ILLICIT GAY SEX?
Let's see the "Truth Detector" tell the truth about THAT.
"But I mean this is just -- it's just so -- it's demeaning. It is -- it's pandering."
Huh? What's that Mr. Snerdly? Am I ---am I ---Well, no, I wouldn't say that I've ever heard of anybody pandering to people by demeaning them. But we're not talking about reality here - we're talking about sowing more seeds of Hillary hate, so any analysis I come up with does NOT necessarily have to be rooted in logic.
Context is everything... (Gee, wasn't Rush Limbaugh just complaining about being quoted of of context?) Hillary Clinton was speaking at the National Action Network convention, When was the last time your hotel room was cleaned by a white Republican man? Judging by the standing ovation she recieved, I suspect that Hillary Clinton's audience could relate to her allusion to the traditional roles of both women and blacks in society. A white Republican man probably would be regarded as a phony by making the same comments because when was the last time Republicans ever gave a hoot about black working people or women's rights? Rather, they oppose a decent minimum wage and denounce feminists as femi-nazis...
I think Rush is stretching a little here with his interpretation of Ms. Clinton's statement, although she did say "us", while speaking with a southern drawl clearly designed to appeal to a black audience, and she did say "after people".
I think its kind of interesting what she said, and how she said it, and it makes me wonder why everyone is always having to explain for her what she means. I think Hillary would probably choose different words if she had it to do over again.
However, let's not forget that Rush talks about a lot of things, and his observations and interpretations are rather free-flowing. This was not really an absolute statement of fact of any kind, just his ad-lib style take on what she said given the venue and her change of voice patterns. But is it really that unreasonable to think that she might be trying to appeal to her audience on this basis if she would be crass enough to fake talking like it? The disingenuous accent is what's really insulting, IMHO, and I'm sure most conservative blacks would agree. (I know, there's not a whole lot of them)
You're teetering, Rush, but not completely off the wall.
I think what people really need to do, if they really want to find out for themselves the true context, heart, and motivations of conservative talkers, is to simply listen for long enough to attain that. For those who have, fine, you're off the hook. But if you're someone who relies on what you read here as an accurate portrayal of these guys, then you are regularly being mal-informed. Perhaps not on this particular item, which is really quite fair, but on most others.
In fact, I find a vast difference between the picture painted by conservative sites that cherry-pick liberal talkers and from actually listening to the actual shows for an extended period. I find/found Al Franken to often bring up some valid and important points I would never have been aware of just relying on his critics.
It's not like it's hard anymore to do this. Simply click:
[link to streamingradioguide.com]
for free access to any number of live broadcasts -- conservative, liberal or otherwise, at many different times.
MM performs a service here, to a point, but they are clearly agenda oriented, which results of course in an incomplete and inaccurate picture. I don't think they really want you to actually listen to Rush, fully and in complete context, because they never suggest that, and they never give you a link like the one above.
They only give you links so you can complain, presumably based upon the selective picture you get here.
I would think that if Rush were really so evil and awful, that they would want you to really listen and really get the whole picture so you could REALLY complain.
You got your paycheck so scamp along now.
I don't think they really want you to actually listen to Rush, fully and in complete context, because they never suggest that, and they never give you a link like the one above.
Firstly, your link only gives us live radio broadcasts, not shows that have already been broadcast. So it would be well nigh impossible to listen to the above "fully and in complete context," as it has already been broadcast, and AFAIK Rush does not archive audio from his shows online.
Secondly, I used to listen to Rush from time to time, just to get a sense. I neither think he is the Antichrist nor particularly misunderstood. His stock in trade is a certain kind of humor which is dismissive and demeaning of his political opponents. He is not scrupulous with the truth, but neither does he especially claim to be. I think he is a blowhard, a pain in the ass, but more a symptom than a cause. I say, let him spew his unpleasantness far and wide, and let the American people decide.
I'm sorry that you find the (faily full apparently quite complete) transcript of Rush's remark in the post above to be incomplete. Can you explain how and even "fuller" context would in any way change the meaning of what he said? Short of "what I am about to tell you is complete and utter bullchit," I mean...
Wow, I've even been misread and misunderstood in this little instance. Now I can see how Rush feels.
No, I didn't claim or imply that this particular show would be available for free to listen to. I think that's pretty obvious given the fact that I labeled it "live broadcast".
And, I also excluded this instance. I said that I thought that this particular story was fairly done, in fact, and that I somewhat agreed with it.
I made a specific appeal to people who only get their impression about Rush from things they read and hear from others, not from actually listening to the show. I specifically excluded people like you who have. I even encouraged people to listen to liberal talk fully and in context.
And what do I get accused of? Working for someone. No, I'm only advocating people getting full context. That is precisely what people are complaining is lacking regarding Hillary's remarks.
We don't need you telling us what to listen too. I personally have listened to Rush's program before and let me tell you, I wasn't impressed at all.
Please address Val's question. HOW exactly is Rush's statements as documented in this MMFA article not in FULL context?
My comments below are also directed at you. They're really not so nice though.
I'm not sure why you replied to my comment but didn't respond to anything I said. I'll ask again: What context would in any way change the meaning of what he said?
Uhh....I actually specifically DID respond to your question, which was ill-conceived in the first place.
I said: "not specifically talking about this issue, which was fairly well done" (by MM)
(I'm paraphrasing myself, because it's so darn hard to look back at things on this poorly designed comment board.)
I was responding to your confusing self-contradictory comment, which said this site "regularly [] mal-inform[s]" its readers by "giv[ing]... links so you can complain, presumably based upon the selective picture." Except "perhaps not on this particular item, which is really quite fair" (I agree that the commenting system sucks - try the Back button).
So this site misinforms people, except not in this instance, and you can't give an example where it is. And yet my comment was "ill-conceived..."
OK, I think you're realizing your mistake. You said:
You're not referring to other things on this site, you're referring specifically to this issue. Perhaps you didn't read what I wrote thoroughly, not a big deal.
However yes, I've seen posted on this site a lot of clipped context, just from the short time I've been reading it. For example, there was a story recently which attempted to equate pro-gunner's reaction to the shooting at VT with that of anti-gunners, with the presumption that both were being equally opportunistic.
The two prime examples they used, McCain and the White House, were responding to questions by others, not taking a pro-active position. In fact the questioners were the ones taking the opportunity to bash pro-gunners. This context was excluded from MM's account.
Rush's in context views on race, Michael J. Fox, and countless others don't resemble in the slightest what I read here. Being a regular listener, I'm wondering who is this guy they're talking about???
Who is this guy who has a disability himself, who was married by a black preacher, who is as kind as he can be to anyone who is polite to him, who just got through raising 3 million dollars for the leukemia and lymphoma society -- who is this guy they're comparing to the devil himself?
All I'm saying people, is get the full context, which unfortunately requires more than just an occasional hour here and there. You can't make an accurate or fair judgment of someone's POV from selective quotes and clips. This applies to both liberal and conservative.
[link to streamingradioguide.com]
P.S. Thanks for the back button advice. D'oh!! I guess I was scared what I wrote would be gone when I returned, which seems to be the case a lot of the time with other boards.
MM, if you're reading this, please make it a little easier to navagate through the comments. "first", "last", you know.
You tell Rush to practice what he preaches. If he wants full context (which he got - you DON'T need an ENTIRE transcript to get full context) then give Hillary her full context by not trying to INVENT a racist context that doesn't exist. You people are such hypocrites you know that?
Oh please spare us the limbaugh for sainthood speech! I have had the sincere displeasure of hearing his propagandathon many times, and I don't need Media Matters or anyone else to tell me that pigman is a partisan thug of the worst kind, willing to distort and smear and outright lie time and time again just so he can earn his filthy lucre carrying water for the RNC. limbaugh may not be an ignorant racist amoral shill in real life--though I have my doubts about that--but he sure as blazes plays one on the radio! So go peddle your pathetic nonsense to the 30 percenters who don't know any better.
"....and she said 'after people' "
You seem to be supporting Rush's statement with that little comment.
And what "people" do you think she was referring too? If you think it was black people YOU clearly are a racist. OOHHH the irony, projecting accusations of racism onto Hillary by framing the context to imply that her words were referring to black people. She clearly didn't say or imply that at ALL, anyone with half a brain could see that she was referring to cleaning up after a republican led presidency. But YOU WINGNUTS interpret, "cleaning up" after people as blacks doing the cleaning? Where did you get that idea from? Slavery maybe? RACIST MUCH?
You wingnuts are clearly out of your freakin' minds. A racist projecting his racism by making up a racists context and attributing that context to hillary clinton. If you followed me, WHO'S the actual racist here? Secondly, this notion of southern drawl as "Black Dialect" is amusing and hypocritically racists. Since when is a southern accent ONLY a black dialect. Since when did blacks suddenly become the sole owners of southern dialect? Ohhh ok, so I guess toby keith, all commentators on CMT, keith urban, practically anyone NON BLACK person who grew up in NC, GA, SC, TX, AL, MS, etc.... are just speaking chinese? right?
meant to say chinese-dialect
I would think that if Hillary had half a brain, she would have said "after Republicans", instead of "after people", if that was what she meant. She left out the key part of her apparently intended meaning. Why would such a smart person do that?
Or, if she was talking about women, that she would have said "we women", instead of "us". She was talking to a group of black people and trying to talk like them. She wasn't speaking to a group of southern people.
Or, if she was talking about Democrats, that she would have said "we Democrats", instead of "us".
I think she was simply pandering to her audience, much like when Kerry said: "Can I get me a huntin' license here?"
Phony and manufactured.
Is that perhaps what MM is really trying to distract you from?
Sen. Clinton's statement (as edited by GTSKaua'i):
You know, what is it about us women always having to clean up after Repiblicans? But this is not just going to be picking up socks off the floor. This is going to be about cleaning out the government.
You're right.
That makes a lot more sense.
I sincerely apologize. I am guilty of not reading the article thoroughly, and I missed what you highlighted.
And here I am lecturing people about context.
My bad.
So sorry.
Sorry Hillary.
Actually, I think it might be darn entertaining to have her as president! ;-)
I would strongly advise her to drop the selective accents, however, which come across as an extremely obvious form of pandering.
"I think its kind of interesting what she said, and how she said it, and it makes me wonder why everyone is always having to explain for her what she means."
Maybe because idiots like Rush try to twist her meaning all the time? Maybe?
You know I have heard that if you poke out your eye with a red hot poker it will bring about spiritual enlightenment. I am saying you should find out for yourself. You cant judge it for yourself until you try it so heat up that poker make sure its red hot poke out one of you eyes and see how that works out for ya.
"But this is not just going to be picking up socks off the floor, this is going to be cleaning up our government." - Hillary Clinton
Did you happen to miss that part or did you just take her quote OUT OF CONTEXT? READ the MMFA article in its entirety before you spout out your theories to who she is referring too. That quote was in bold in the article by the way.
Secondly, you say she was trying to talk like "them". You mean them as in her black audience. Right? So let me ask you, HOW do black people speak? Is it the accent? Since when is there a "black" accent? Ohh you mean ghetto? is that the way blacks talk? So I'm gonna jump to conclusions and say that you think talking black is talking ghetto, therefore, ipso facto: Hillary's audience was ghetto? I mean she was "...tryin to talk like them". F*CKIN IDIOT...
You wingnuts seem to forget that "pandering" to your audience is the pinnacle to a successful speech. Just some speech 101 for you ignorant hypocritical wingnuts. But wait you already knew that. Pandering to their audience is what reichwingnuts/rethuglicans LIKE RUSH do best. It's complete and utter hyprocrisy, remember Mitt Romney, MR. I'm a lifelong hunter, but doesn't have a hunting license?? Talk about pandering to your audience. The difference here is that Hillary didn't lie about anything to gain the respect of her audience. She simply made a speech on the issues she felt were important to her audience and she got a standing ovation. Period.
MMFA should have ignored this one. They only reminding people of Hillary's annoying speech pattern, especially when she speaks before buffoons in the NAN audience.
Clearly the buffoon here is you. Your entitled to your ignorant opinion of an organization that you clearly know nothing about. Now your just attacking the audience. You think MMFA shouldv'e ignored Rush putting his foot in his mouth YET again, then vote with your keyboard and butt out of this thread. Thats just my opinion.
Hey Rush. Time for a pill! You must be jonesing. After all, withdrawal symptoms can include auditory and visual hallucinations. Quite a stretch there, Junkie-Boy...
Rush is saying Hilary Clinton was demeaning to blacks. Hmmm. Didn't he once tell a black caller to put a bone back in his nose or something stupid like that?
And the Michelle Malkin video? That was creepy, man. She looks like she's fifteen. Eeeew.
A while back, one of the trolls referred to censorship via the fairness doctrine. Why could it possibly be that the propagandist scum is terrified of having to entertain an opposing viewpoint? I guess to them this would be censorship, because having their crap called out from an equal footing would immediately expose them as frauds and shut them up post haste.
It's damn time that the idiot conservatives started living in reality with the rest of us. Facts are Facts, and while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, it doesn't stand on equal footing with stone cold reality......what you "think" doesn't matter, if you can't substantiate your position with FACTS, LOGIC, and REASON. See definitions for the preceding if you are unclear on the concepts.
Limbaugh then said of "black American[s]," "[T]hat's how they want to see themselves -- as constantly downtrodden."
That's how they see them. And that's how they want them to see themselves -- as constantly downtrodden.
MMFA misquoted (it's hard to see how it could not be intentional) Limbaugh in the lead, but ran the real quote in the transcript. He's not talking about 'Black Americans' in the quote, he's talking about Liberals and how they (Liberals) want Blacks to see themselves.
Snerdly says that that's her view -- that America looks as black -- that black people as cleaning. I think she's telling us her view, not America's view. Is that what you mean? OK. It's her view. All right, then the liberals are sharing [with] us their perception, their vision of what black America is all about. And -- downtrodden, maids, custodians, janitors, chauffeurs. You know, this kind of thing. That's how they see them. And that's how they want them to see themselves -- as constantly downtrodden. And, of course, [she] gets this big standing "O" and so forth.
—A.D
I listened to the entire audio segment posted and I compared it too the script in the article. Please tell mw where the difference is. I don't hear or see any. There were no pauses or cuts throughout the clip. MMFA usually includes a clearly audible sound to indicate a switch to anouther sound bite or another clip. None there. All I hear and see in this comment is Rush PROJECTING his own view of black people onto Hillary. If any person has been misquoted or out of context its clearly Hillary.
OHH i see it, yeah it was surely misquoted, BUT at the summary in the beginning. It was clearly a mistake, since they included the transcript at the end that matched the audio clip exactly. MMFA misquote notwithstanding, Here's what I think everyone is forgetting. Rush and others of his ilk have consistently said (and that is well documented) that a majority of blacks vote democrat (this part is actually true) and that just about all democrats are liberals. There's your missing link people. You have to be thinking in generalities and dichomities (AND a mind-reader) to really believe that liberals believe that blacks should view themselves as downtrodden. Most blacks are liberals. Right? So was he only referring to white and non-black liberals that think that? Or could it be that he is projecting and making up sh*t. See, thats the problem with the whole assertion all together. Very subtle though. Id have to say that MMFA screwed up by misquoting Rush's statement. You know, ive noticed that wingnuts like him are always trying to read people's minds. It sad really, seeing that people buy into this garbage. Unfortunately, 1/100 of the population is out of their freakin minds. Thats 3 million listeners out of 300 million americans and counting for you mathematicians out there.
I find it rather amusing that people are attacking Hillary Clinton's "affected" southern accent after having lived in Arkansas for a long time ... and yet George W. Bush affects a Texas Twang when convenient ...
Hey, Rush is on the air so turn on the radio and hear what he is saying about the media.
lol. Funny how Hilary talks "black" when with blacks and "jewish" when with Jews and like a "hick" when in the South. Wow, she is NO Bill.