Limbaugh named "Worst Person" "runner-up" for attempt to link Obama to bin Laden
During the September 21 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named nationally syndicated radio show host Rush Limbaugh the "runner-up" in his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment for, as Media Matters for America documented, smearing Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) with references to Osama bin Laden. Limbaugh cited a bin Laden tape in which bin Laden "says he is going to invade Pakistan and declare war on Pakistan and [President Pervez] Musharraf, which, ladies and gentlemen, puts you on the same page with a Democrat presidential candidate -- that would be Barack 'Uss-Obama.' "
As Media Matters for America has repeatedly documented (here, here, and here), Obama never said he would "attack Pakistan," or "declare war on Pakistan and Musharraf." In an August 1 speech, Obama stated that "[i]f we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will," but he did not elaborate on the nature of this action.
Limbaugh frequently appears on Olbermann's "Worst Person" list, as Media Matters has noted (here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). On August 2, Olbermann awarded Limbaugh the "bronze" for claiming that Democrats have "aligned themselves with the enemy. ... The enemy kills more soldiers, their spokesmen here in America are the Democrats. When we kill more of the enemy, the Democrats are silent and they say nothing. But when you have reports of, you know, another IED or a picture of a car on fire, then the Democrats assume the role of media PR spokespeople for Al Qaeda.' "
Additionally, Olbermann named CNN Headline News host Glenn Beck the "Worst Person" for saying that it is "unbelievabl[ly] racist" to claim Obama "is acting white," despite having made similar claims himself. Olbermann said Beck "blasted Jesse Jackson for saying, 'Barack Obama is acting white, which is an unbelievable racist statement. I mean, if I said, I don't know, I don't think I could vote for that Rudy Giuliani because he was acting a little black, he would be picketing in front of my building tonight.' " But on the February 12 edition of his radio show, Beck claimed that Obama "is very white in many ways." Media Matters documented Beck's February 12 commentary, and the blog Think Progress noted Beck's conflicting statements.
From the September 21 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:
OLBERMANN: The runner-up, comedian Rush Limbaugh, out there again deliberately trying to link Osama bin Laden and Barack Obama, saying there's another bin Laden tape in which he says, quote, "He's going to invade Pakistan and declare war on Pakistan and Musharraf, which, ladies and gentlemen, puts him on the same page with a Democrat presidential candidate -- that would be Barack 'Uss-Obama.' " Actually, Senator Obama said that he'd make military aid to Pakistan conditional, which is the same thing as invading Pakistan if you've had more anesthetics and painkillers than they gave me for my appendectomy -- which, in comedian's case, is true.
But our winner: CNN's Glenn Beck, now in a desperate battle of words with CNN's Glenn Beck. He has now blasted Jesse Jackson for saying, quote, "Barack Obama is acting white, which is an unbelievable racist statement. I mean, if I said, I don't know, I don't think I could vote for that Rudy Giuliani because he was acting a little black, he'd be picketing in front of my building tonight." So what does Mr. Beck have to say about this remark? Quote: "I thought to myself, he" -- Obama -- "is very white in many ways. He is. He's very, very white," unquote. Who said that? Glenn Beck, on the radio February 12th this year. To paraphrase that old, mean joke, you're never alone with a -- Glenn Beck, today's "Worst Person in the World"!
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Actually, Senator Obama said that he'd make military aid to Pakistan conditional, which is the same thing as invading Pakistan if you've had more anesthetics and painkillers than they gave me for my [link to www.tvweek.com] title="http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/09/olbermann_recovering_from_appe.php">appendectomy -- which, in comedian's case, is true.
I am glad Keith is ok from his surgery, I wish he would not make light of Limbaughs drug addition however, it is a serious problem in America.
I wish he would not make light of Limbaughs drug addition however, it is a serious problem in America.
He'll stop making light of it when Limpbough 'fesses up to being hypocritical in his hatred of drug addicts.
He'll stop making light of it when Limpbough 'fesses up to being hypocritical in his hatred of drug addicts.
Where has this occured? I guess if Limbaugh had cancer it would be ok to make fun of him if he came out against some sort of funding for cancer research?
Here are several examples of Limbaugh quotes in which he recommends harsh penalties for drug users and claims that liberals are pro-drug.
[link to www.fair.org]
Amazing the depths some people will go to to defend that old Nazi gasbag. Of course I'm talking about Limbaugh - not the Hindenburg.
:-)
Who was defending Rush?
You seem to be, by questioning Keith Olbermann's tactics in "making fun of his (Limbaugh's) drug problem".
I think that Rush was criticizing people who use illegal drugs. Rush simply got addicted to prescription pain killers, and he was never convicted of any crime. And of course to liberals you're innocent until proven guilty unless you're a conservative.
he was never convicted of a crime but he was under the control of the court for 18 months after which the charges would be dropped. he had to continue addiction treatment, submit to random drug tests, was prohibited from owning a gun, and had to have no violations of the law during that period. doesn't exactly come off as innocent.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/05/01/monday/index.html?iref=newssearch
If I was in his situation I would've done the same thing. Rush simply didn't want to drag it out. It makes sense that he wanted to get the whole ordeal over with as soon as possible.
Yeah, that was sure some preferential treatment Rush received at the hands of the court. Too bad us regular joes can't get that type of preferential treatment, even if we're white...
If Rush had been of a "minority" in the same circumstances, he'd have gotten hard time for years. The Drug War is a facade for racist policies.
not really an answer to what i said, rino. you said he was never convicted of a crime. my point was why would an innocent person agree to all that. i'm sure he was eager to put it behind him, but he had the money to fight it. sounds like they had the goods on him.
not to mention rush went deaf from his drug use. mr. "i'll always tell you the truth" never even acknowledged he had lost his hearing. he got outed by howard stern.
Actually the law enforcement in this case felt it was better for the alleged addict to get his treatment than to quibble endlessly. It was the prosecution that was pretty accommodating here. Limbaugh got a much better deal than most people would get. Most people are required to enter a guilty plea, but they don't have Limbaugh's money and access to high powered lawyers.
I am sure if Limbaugh's lawyers thought he could get away scot-free he would have not even signed such an agreement. Unless Limbaugh had really stupid counsel - which is unlikely.
Can't go one minute without anotehr of your U DAMN LIBRULZ" moment, can you WINO?
How many times do I have to tell you that you should use your right hand instead?
I know addicts who're addicted to prescription drugs and they've never been arrested. So I guess you're OK with that.
It's not against the law to get addicted to prescription drugs. Someone in that situation should check themselves into rehab, but they haven't done anything illegal.
Rush was buying the drugs illegally, even getting a servant to assist him in it. If he was "black" or "hispanic", he'd be doing hard time right now.
Rino, Rush was using illegal drugs. They were not prescribed for him. And there is no difference between his drug use (he was using it like heroin) and street drugs. After his initial prescription, he got illegal drugs. You have to be doing a a lot of drugs to lose your hearing. He's no better than a street drug user. Your defense of him is silly and stupid. Give it up man.
" After his initial prescription, he got illegal drugs"
And again, you have absolutely no evidence of that whatsoever. You're just making it up. Please provide the documentation proving that he got drugs illegally. Rush pleaded not guilty to the charges and was never convicted of anything.
one documentation coming up. he had signed a form with one of his doctors that he was not getting pain medication from anywhere else and then proceeded to get it from other doctors.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/04/29/m1a_rush_0429.html
It is every bit as illegal to buy oxycontin illegally as it is to buy cocaine
I think that Rush was criticizing people who use illegal drugs. Rush simply got addicted to prescription pain killers, and he was never convicted of any crime. And of course to liberals you're innocent until proven guilty unless you're a conservative.
It's truly amazing the lengths conservatives will go to to defend one of their own....
Rush did not obtain those drugs properly - he doctor-shopped to get multiple presecriptions and had his housekeeper make drug runs for him. Therefore, the drugs he used were illegal, because he obtained them through fraudulent means.
And anyone who listens to Rush and believes anything that drug-abusing liar says needs a check-up from the neck up, IMHO.
"Rush did not obtain those drugs properly - he doctor-shopped to get multiple presecriptions and had his housekeeper make drug runs for him"
And again, you're simply pulling that out of your @ss. There's absolutely no evidence that that happened. Rush was never convicted of anything, That prosecution caved in and let him off easy, because they knew that they didn't have anything on him. They simply made him pay the costs of the investigation which was basically pocket change to him.
he agreed to pee in a bottle for 18 months. and he got 2000 pain pills from four doctors in six months. that sounds like evidence to me.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-04-28-limbaugh_x.htm
You are flat out wrong AGAIN. You are lucky it isnt physically painful to be wrong or YOU would be on a morphine drip. There is DEFINITLY evidence. He hasnt been convicted but those two are not the same thing.
Meant "the prosecution."
Well you are wrong, Rush is disgusting and indefenseable.
except when you're defending him.
you wish i would defend him so you can have your little fantasy game. You need a new line. Its old and your intimidation is no longer effective on here.
i need a new line? i'll make sure i don't borrow yours because it's older than methuselah.
Your trying to say that I am a Rush fan is another attempt to smear me, just like the time you smeared poor Doris . Your smears do not intimidate me.
what i said was that you were defending rush. when damian said he was a hypocrite on the subject of drug addiction, you asked "where did that occur?". it think it's obvious he was a hypocrite on the subject.
I may not be 100% on this, but I suspect you aren't seeing the sarcasm Jylons has been forwarding. Jylons, correct me if I'm wrong.
i assume you're kidding?
Jlyons
Thank you but there is no need to bring me in on your spat with that mefirst who yes did attempt to smear me. I have gotten over it and ignore him, my advice to you is do the same. There is no reason to communicate with someone like that.
As for Rush, it does appear like you were defending him, but have backed off? I am not sure if that is what you meant. If you want to look at Rushs drug problem in a humane way that is fine, but his record and his statements make any compassion hard at least from me. The man has no compassion for anyone else.
she's already pledged before to ignore me. looks like you just can't ignore me either. and if i'm suspicious of you, it's because you gave me reason. because when you started posting on this site, you made the following statement about hillary, with no evidence at all: "it's not like her people are not capable of smearing people."
Thanks Doris, I will take your advice, it is hard when some people resort to the Swift Boat tactics, but after witnessing how America has tolerated this for 7 years I guess it now has leaked in our society and on the different blogs and boards.
As for Rush, I do not support him or was not defending him, I was trying to bring another light to the conversation however. I do not think any good people believe anything that man says but at the same token, he did suffer from additction and I truly did not know his stance on addiction and drugs, some of the links sent were great .
all i did was quote you, and i was hardly the only one who thought you were defending him. and if you truly did not know his hypocritical stances on addiction and punishment, you really do not pay a whole lot of attention on here. that's been discussed, oh, 10,000 times?
Jlyons, I completly agree about Rush, my problem with him has always been his lies, and making fun of people . Michael J Fox was bad enough, making fun of someone who has a terrible disease but also on his show he always makes fun of people. He is a terrible person and I hope one day he realizes how terrible he has been for society.
Well you are completely wrong.
Thank you for the link (hit post too early).
While Limbaugh is a hypocrite for becoming a drug addict. he is not a hypocrite for recommending harsh sentences for drug addicts. He's not the one that determines whether or not his crime was punishable by jail time.
And there are many people who think that drugs should be legalized and most would fall into the liberal category. I don't happen to agree with that idea.
Bruce said: he is not a hypocrite for recommending harsh sentences for drug addicts.
So you'll admit that he's racist, because he believes he should face more lenient punishment since he's rich and white. Right?
Libertarians also want to legalize drugs, but they can also be pretty conservative. Rush does not want to legalize drugs, at least not for everyone else.
I agree that Rush made the false distinction between becoming an addict due to recreational drug use and an addict based on becoming addicted to prescription medication. I don't believe he parsed those two things in his statements about being tough on drug abusers.
No Bruce he is a HYPOCRITE for doing BOTH. By themselves one would be an ideological stand the other would be a failure of a different kind but only TOGETHER do they become hypocrisy.
Rush would be a hypocrite if he got caught taking illegal drugs like crack and heroine. But he simply got hooked on prescription pain killers. He never took any illegal drugs and never was convicted of any crime. If that's the worst that you can get Limbaugh with you don't have much.
And how did he get addicted again? Oh, that's right. He abused his prescription and took way more than what was prescribed. And then when his prescription expired, he paid his maid to obtain more oxycotin illegally. Yeah, I can see how you think that sets him apart from illegal drug users. Oh, snap! Did I say illegal drug users?
"And then when his prescription expired, he paid his maid to obtain more oxycotin illegally"
And what proof do you have of that exactly? Do you know things that nobody else knows? What was Rush convicted of again?
Here, Rino. Read it for yourself. He may have weasled his way out of a formal conviction, but he sure was guilty. Except in priveledged white man world, that is. The one you aspire to belong to...
Snoopy, there's no doubt in my mind that Rush broke the law. But his sentence or punishment was a function of the system, it's not Rush's fault that he got what he got. I agree the system isn't fair to everyone but Limbaugh was a first time offender and I'm not sure how many first time offenders go to jail.
Our prisons are packed with first-time offenders for drug possession...of the darker-than-lily-white skin persuasion.
Everything you said was true and reasonable. The argument we were having was IS Rush a hypocrite for railing AGAINST those illegally using drugs while HE was illegally using drugs? The answer is clearly yes
Do you EVER know what you are talking about? YOU make the distinction about prescription pills and illegal drugs. Unless prescription pills are gotten LEGALLY they ARE illegal drugs. He railed against illegal drug use while he was illegally using drugs. The evidence this is so has already been shown you. The man is an absolute hypocrite. No way out of that. Were he not rich and famous he would be in prison right now with the evidence against him. He has admitted using drugs KNOW not to have come from a proper prescription.
From the AP:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12536446/
Before his own problems became public, Limbaugh had decried drug use and abuse and mocked President Clinton for saying he had not inhaled when he tried marijuana. He often made the case that drug crimes deserve punishment.
“Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. ... 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,” Limbaugh said on his short-lived television show on Oct. 5, 1995.
Awesome, thank you. These are great links!!
Or, say how he made fun of Michael J. Fox and parkinson's disease? Yeah, he's real compassionate, alright!
Exactly, we all remember that .
Actually, Rush was just describing to his audience watching his radio show what Fox looked like when he was doing the commercial. He had to do the motions for his listeners to understand what happened. He's explained this many times.
he made the exagerated jerking motions so his listeners could hear what he was describing? Boy, you just won the booby prize for that astounding defense of the indefensible.
There's a Web cam that his fans can watch. They can actually watch his radio show. If you had any idea what you're talking about you would know this. He was describing to them what Fox looked like.
If YOU had any idea what YOU were talking about you would KNOW your assertion is an outright LIE. He did that WHILE saying Fox was faking
What a load of crap. But, Rush said it, therefore it is so. Have I gotten that about right, Rino?
The real truth is--Rush is a disgusting childish moron who just can't help himself when it comes to beating up those who are less fortunate than he. I'll bet he got the s--t kicked out of him regularly in school.
It strikes me as being sad that you would allow this piece of human excrement to be your leader.
It strikes me as being sad that you have to hatefully personally attack someone for simply having a different political view point than you.
God, you guys are truly challenged. It's okay for Rush to attack Michael J. Fox, but when I denounce that, you think I'm attacking Rush personally. Simply amazing.
You mean like Rush did when he basically said Chelsea was the White House dog? Or when he calls feminists feminazis? Or when he called Hagel Sen Betrayus? Or basically his ENTIRE SCHTICK? Man you are lucky there is no amount of irony that is fatal you would have gone to your reward LOOOONG ago.
THAT is ludicrous. If Rush strangled a puppy live on CNN you would hurry in here to tell us that he HAD to because the puppy MIGHT have grown up to be a vicious mankiller. Your appologies are weak and without merit
Sueeld comment about how awful Olberman is, and how much of a liar he is, in approximately...
3... 2... 1...
No I agree with this statement from Olbermann. Also I am happy he was ok , appendix can be dangerous. Welcome back Keith.
Cut and runner!
What exactly do you mean ?
I think the appendix thing is confusing MickD. Doctors performed the operation, not Sueeld.
Very funny. Sueld I was referring to you cutting and running from your previous KO attacks, since you agreed with him on this one.
That is too funny about Beck. Hoisted by his own petard yet again. Poor guy.
Another right wing attempt to smear Obama, by using his name as some evil boogeyman. Shame on Rush.
So do we get a separate thread for Beck also or is this a conservative two-for one special? ;-)
Keith should give out more than just 3...
The bronze, silver and gold worst persons are just not enough. Probably he could do a worst person segment on the 1st half hour of the show, and then another mop-up worst person segment on the last half hour.
I mean, the material is endless from these right-wing gasbag, amateur journalists.
Or, it would be nice to devote an entire half hour show to that days goings on in right-wing loon land.
Or why not talk up to the brass here what TMZ.com did? Go from a website to a nightly syndicated TV show......MMFA-TV?
OK by me, as long as:
1) It doesn't degrade or cut into the special comments (the primary reason I pay attention to Olbermann is the passion and eloquence he brings to issues which just demand passionate, eloquent, exposition);
2) It doesn't eliminate the sense of "news" which sometimes seems so abyssmally absent from so many "news"casts on the balance of the Corporate Media conspiracy.
deja vu all over again.
There once were some wacko talking heads
That frequently come across our threads
They can't seem to refrain
From conflating Obama's name
With some wildly stupid con retreads
Limbaugh did it again today. He was linking Osama bin Laden with Democrats in general.
Limbaugh named "Worst Person" "runner-up" for attempt to link Obama to bin Laden"
Hmmm. I think someone called that a few days ago. So predictable.
yes indeed. that rush sure is, and so are his listeners. whatever you say rush. which cliff do i jump off rush.
Stats show that there's more liberals who listen to Rush than listen to Air America. He's not just preaching to the choir. Not everyone who listens to his show agrees with him.
I don't know about that, but rest assured, the liberals listening to Rush do so to record his disinformation, not because they think he's good or anything...
You guys have only hate talk radio to lend credibility to your pathetic arguments. And while it may be true that some Liberals listen to Rush, the difference is that Conservatives tout Rush as gospel, while Liberals laugh in his face.
If Liberalism was what was selling, Rush would be the biggest Liberal on the airwaves. I wonder if you would be first in line. Start thinking for yourselves. Or at least, start thinking.
One of Limbaugh's worn out bumper sticker comments is that he "meets or exceeds listener expectations on a daily basis." For me that means I just have to sit around and wait for him to either:
A. Make some sort of observation about the human male reproductive organ that always concludes with some sort of off colored remark about Bill Clinton. I wonder if real conservatives talk trash like this?
B. Start telling lies.
Today he satisfied my expectaions by lying. During his opening monologue he said he wasn't "going to talk about Hillary all day." Then he proceeded to spend the better part of three hours talking about Hillary.
"Today he satisfied my expectaions by lying. During his opening monologue he said he wasn't "going to talk about Hillary all day." Then he proceeded to spend the better part of three hours talking about Hillary"
By "all day" he could've meant that he wasn't going to talk about her the entire time but only part of the time. Rush never talks about one subject the entire show.
You could justify anything your hero does, couldn't you?
I'm so glad that I'm not a conservative because my hero would be a known draft dodging, womanizing, three times divorced, drug addicted, racially bigoted, college dropout, and suspected pedopile.
I would choose a hero whom I wouldn't need to defend all the time.
I left out mesogenistic liar.
Wow. You must be miserable having so much hatred inside. How can you live like that?
I have hate inside? Nice try. Dodge the facts by turning it around saying I have hate inside for pointing out the serious character flaws in YOUR hero. That proves what I posted. Thank you.