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Limbaugh mischaracterized accomplishments of '06 Nobel Peace Prize winner, smeared Jimmy Carter

October 13, 2008 4:07 pm ET

On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh claimed that Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank Project, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 "[b]ecause he came up with a way to offer loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back." But Grameen Bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.

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During the October 10 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh mischaracterized the accomplishments of Muhammad Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Limbaugh stated that Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank Project, received the prize "[b]ecause he came up with a way to offer loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back." According to the Grameen Bank website, Yunus started the Grameen Bank Project in 1976 to "examine the possibility of designing a credit delivery system to provide banking services targeted at the rural poor." The project was transformed into a formal bank in 1983 and, according to the bank's website, has since distributed $7.28 billion in microloans to people in poverty in Yunus' home country of Bangladesh. Contrary to Limbaugh's claim, the bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.

Limbaugh went on to talk about former President Jimmy Carter, who was awarded the Peace Prize in 2002, saying, "He was one of the worst presidents -- the worst in my lifetime -- and one of the worst in American history. He got a Nobel Peace Prize, too. Look at the Peace Prize winners and look at how they screw up." Carter received the Peace Price "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development."

From the October 10 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Two years ago, ladies and gentlemen -- two years ago, the Nobel Prize committee awarded the Peace Prize to a man named Muhammad Yunus. He was from Bangladesh. He works at the Grameen Bank. You know why Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh got the Nobel Peace Prize? Because he came up with a way to offer loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back.

A statement from the Nobel committee, awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to a Bangladesh banker: "Lasting peace cannot be achieved until large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Microcredit is one such means." Microcredit? No credit. Endless credit. This stuff's been in the works for I don't know how long. We started it here in this country way, way back. Jimmy Carter, who -- by the way, Jimmy Carter today, ladies and gentlemen, blaming all of this on Bush. And why wouldn't he? Jimmy Carter famous for covering his own rear-end, and this is a big CYA move, because everybody that's looked into this knows it started with him.

He was one of the worst presidents -- the worst in my lifetime -- and one of the worst in American history. He got a Nobel Peace Prize, too. Look at the Peace Prize winners and look at how they screw up. [Former Vice President Al] Gore getting one. All these institutions that used to mean something are now nothing more than tools for leftists to award themselves.

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    • Author by jeopardude (October 13, 2008 4:11 pm ET)
         

      He was one of the worst presidents -- the worst in my lifetime -- and one of the worst in American history.


      Really? Nixon and W around and you want to claim that?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by SaddamHussein (October 13, 2008 4:46 pm ET)
           

        I actually believe Nixon was 100X better than Bush, at least Nixon was intelligent. Psychotic but intelligent.

        Report Abuse
      • Author by neon desert (October 13, 2008 5:03 pm ET)
           

        Be honest, now.  Carter was SUCH a bad president that it took nearly 30 years after the end of his term before his catastrophic policies actually came to fruition in the lending crisis we're experiencing today.  Given a typical 30-year mortgage, that means that those mortgages that went into default and brought down our economy did so in their last 2 years of being paid off.  At least Bush and Nixon were able to enjoy their calamities before their terms were over.

        Maybe Carter was thinking he would be pushing up daisies before we'd catch on, but instead he's forced to be ashamed of his incompetence, thanks to the real good smarts of the ol' Oxymoron...

        Report Abuse
        • Author by snoopy (October 13, 2008 6:57 pm ET)
             
          I think it's sweet irony to see today that Bush has historic lows now - even lower than Nixon. He's pretty much number last now...
          Report Abuse
          • Author by BillJ-MN (October 13, 2008 7:19 pm ET)
               

            Two or three decades from now we'll have an unpopular president and be hearing on the news of "the lowest approval rates since G. W. Bush."  But those numbers will be hard to actually beat.  And every disapproval point is well-earned.

            Report Abuse
            • Author by neon desert (October 13, 2008 9:03 pm ET)
                 

              Thus Godwin spake, and lo there was Godwin's Second Law:

              "As a Usenet or any threaded online discussion: electronic mailing lists, message boards, chat rooms, blog comment threads or wiki talk page discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving neocons or Bush approaches one."

              Report Abuse
        • Author by Great American (October 13, 2008 8:51 pm ET)
             

          Reagan had to come in and clean up all of Carter's mistakes.

          Report Abuse
          • Author by neon desert (October 13, 2008 9:10 pm ET)
               

            From the New York Times:

            Mr. Carter's most evident flops -- doing little to deter crises in Iran and Afghanistan -- were no worse than those of his Republican successors. Ronald Reagan sent the Marines to Beirut to protect U.S. "vital interests," only to withdraw them without explanation after 241 troops were killed in a terrorist attack. Against common sense and his stated policy, he traded arms for hostages with Iran. And George Bush coddled Saddam Hussein, flattering him and giving him grain credits right up to the moment he invaded Kuwait.

            Meanwhile, Mr. Carter's successes were about as impressive as the Republicans' over the next 12 years. Mr. Reagan "conquered" Grenada and ushered in the Gorbachev revolution. Mr. Bush "vanquished" Panama, helped ease the death of Communism and earned a genuine triumph building the Desert Storm coalition.

            Mr. Carter pulled off the Panama Canal treaties, full ties with China, a strategic arms accord with the Soviet Union and the invaluable Camp David peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. He also concluded a major free trade agreement and pushed human rights and democracy to the top of the U.S. policy agenda.

            Now go away before I taunt you a second time...

            Report Abuse
          • Author by eddy3957 reregistered (October 13, 2008 11:08 pm ET)
               

            ...by tripling the national debt.

            Report Abuse
          • Author by snoopy (October 14, 2008 12:21 am ET)
               

            What a cute name! Did you come up with that one all by yourself, or was it painted on the side of your radio controlled 1/35 scale Israeli Merkava main battle tank?

            Report Abuse
    • Author by worrierking (October 13, 2008 4:22 pm ET)
         

      Carter, the worst in his lifetime?

      I guess Mr. Pilonidal was too busy carrying water for Nixon and George W  to notice the harm done to the country during their reigns.

      Report Abuse
      • Author by dexteritas0071418 (October 13, 2008 4:28 pm ET)
           

        I think very few historians would argue that Nixon was in the running for the worst president in terms of his abilities and management.

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      • Author by wzwriter (October 13, 2008 4:40 pm ET)
           

        I guess Mr. Pilonidal was too busy carrying water for Nixon and George W  to notice the harm done to the country during their reigns.

        During Nixon's time in office, Jeff Christie's time was occupied with male prostitutes in Pittsburgh - one of which was with him one night when he was arrested.  And during a lot of W's time in office, Jeff Christie was strung out on OxyContin.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by dexteritas0071418 (October 13, 2008 4:30 pm ET)
         
      This is a pretty bad smear against a good guy and really unconstructive (what's the word that's opposite of constructive?). The reason Yunus is a good guy is because he created a means for the poor to borrow a little and get things going slowly, vs. the very recent past American system, which was more like "borrow more than you need and can afford!".
      Report Abuse
    • Author by deeznuts (October 13, 2008 4:49 pm ET)
         

      Contrary to Limbaugh's claim, the bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.

      Oooooo, burrrrrn. Oh, Rush, that's gotta hurt!

      Damned facts and their liberal bias.

      As for his comments about Carter...

      Even the hardest of hardcore Democrats would have to agree that Carter was not a particularly effective president (arguments about him being hampered by obstructionist Republicans in congress notwithstanding). However, "being a good US President" not remotely what the Nobel Prize is about.

      Rush's comments really show how little regard he has for any non-American person or organization.

      Memo to Rush: there's more of them than there are of us. And, for a little historical perspective, Europe's been around a lot longer than we have.

      Report Abuse
      • Author by magnolialover (October 13, 2008 5:05 pm ET)
           

        Carter. Not a very good President, mostly because, he was TOO honest with the American people.

        Carter, a career diplomat, who has done great things in his life that overshadow his presidency in my opinion. Habitat for Humanity for one thing, and tirelessly working for peace the world over for another.

        Say what you will about his presidency, but his career as a diplomat and peace bringer is almost non paralelled.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by peebs755 (October 14, 2008 4:09 pm ET)
             

          I think he was a good president. Effective at home? Maybe not. What other president before or after got Arabs (in the form of Egypt) and Israel to the table, and gotten anything done? When I hear a rightie go off about Carter, It usually makes me chuckle because they don't know what theyr're talking about. They always either get the facts wrong, or leave out real and important accomplishments. 

          Report Abuse
    • Author by zamfir273114 (October 13, 2008 5:08 pm ET)
         

      Rush is wrong about Carter being the worst President because W clearly is the most abominable of them all.  That is coming from a conservative.  As for loans, poor people that can't pay them back should not be given loans.

      Report Abuse
      • Author by eddy3957 reregistered (October 13, 2008 11:04 pm ET)
           

        'As for loans, poor people that can't pay them back should not be given loans.'--Z

        >>>The point here is that they in fact are paying them back as per MMFA:

        The project was transformed into a formal bank in 1983 and, according to the bank's website, has since distributed $7.28 billion in microloans to people in poverty in Yunus' home country of Bangladesh. Contrary to Limbaugh's claim, the bank's monthly report for August 2008 shows a repayment rate of 98.08 percent.--MMFA

        Report Abuse
    • Author by DAWUSS (October 13, 2008 5:12 pm ET)
         

      Wait a sec - isn't Jeff Christie himself a Nobel Prize nominee?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by wzwriter (October 13, 2008 5:20 pm ET)
           

        Wait a sec - isn't Jeff Christie himself a Nobel Prize nominee?

        His was not a legitimate nomination.  He was nominated by M. Rotten Levin.  Only certain people are allowed to nominate prope or prganizations for a Nobel Prize, as listed on their web site:

        The right to submit proposals for the Nobel Peace Prize shall, by statute, be enjoyed by:

        1. Members of national assemblies and governments of states;

        2. Members of international courts;

        3. University rectors; professors of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology; directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes;

        4. Persons who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;

        5. Board members of organizations who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;

        6. Active and former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee; (proposals by members of the Committee to be submitted no later than at the first meeting of the Committee after February 1) and

        7. Former advisers appointed by the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

        The Nobel Peace Prize may also be awarded to institutions and associations.

        http://nobelprize.org/nomination/peace/nominators.html

        Since M. Rotten Levin fits in none of these categories, the nomination was not valid.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by other paul (October 13, 2008 6:06 pm ET)
         
      Rush is also too stupid to realize that banks that make a habit of making loans that can't be repaid tend not to last very long. He's openly contemptuous of poor people, minorities, foreigners, liberals, and the vast majority of Americans smarter than himself. Can someone tell me who remains in his listening audience that is not routinely offended by his assinine comments, racist insults, and misinformation?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mrhebert74 (October 13, 2008 6:13 pm ET)
           

        I am sorry to say that I believe there is a legion of asinine misinformed racists in this country.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by wzwriter (October 14, 2008 9:00 am ET)
             

          I am sorry to say that I believe there is a legion of asinine misinformed racists in this country.

          And they tend to start conversations by saying one of two things: "Megadittos, Rush" or "Sean, you're a great American".

          Report Abuse
    • Author by captfoster2 (October 14, 2008 1:11 am ET)
         

      Why do I get the feeling that if this guy Muhammad Yunus' name was Marty Yunus instead...... Rush would not have bothered mentioning the name at all?

      Of course.... if Mr Christie was not so pathetic......

      Report Abuse
    • Author by the7sticks3363 (October 14, 2008 1:15 am ET)
         
      Could be worst. One of Limbaugh's protoges, Michael Medved, has referred to Carter as... it's kind of hard for me to write this since I admire Carter for all the good he's done, btu I'll have to swallow it... "piece of human filth", "scum of the Earth", "a pathetic loser" "President Walking Hemmoroid from Pains", and so on... It's just palin disgusting, and they accuse US of being the smear merchants! Are you as outraged as me?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mauman (October 14, 2008 12:59 pm ET)
         

      Jimmy Carter did some things conservatives should like:

      Carter deregulated airlines (The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978), trucking (The Motor Carrier Act of 1980), and railroads (The Staggers Rail Act of 1980). Carter began to phase out interest rate limits (imposed by Regulation Q) for struggling Savings and Loans, and eliminated some of the restrictions on banks (The Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980). Carter lifted the federal ban on home brewing of beer and wine in 1979.

      Carter started to phase out oil price controls on June 1, 1979. Complete price decontrol was scheduled for Sept. 31, 1981. (When Reagan took office in Jan. 1981, he ordered complete price decontrol starting Feb. 1, 1981 - eight months ahead of schedule. Conservatives give Reagan all the credit, but it really belongs to Carter.)

      Carter appointed Paul Volcker as Fed Chairman in August 1979. Volcker's new monetary policy, announced on Saturday October 6, 1979, resulted in high interest rates in 1980, but is now credited for solving the inflation problem. See "The Volcker Disinflation."

      After nine straight years of declining real defense spending, Carter had four straight years of real defense spending increases.

      Carter signed a directive on July 3, 1979, providing aid to the Afghan opposition movement (the Mujahideen) six months before the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. This is in the book "From the Shadows" by our current Defense Secretary Robert Gates and confirmed by Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carter's National Security Advisor.

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    • Author by tanveer5660 (October 14, 2008 3:49 pm ET)
         

      Limbaugh and the likes have found a niche in the low-information segment of the american population, the same group that is touting Sarah Palin as the best thing since Apple Pie when it should be obvious to any one that she is the most unqualfied person ever for that position. It is unfortunate that a sizable fraction of the population goes for this kind of nonsense. Arguments presented by Limbaugh always start with setting up a strawman and then proceeding to demolish it with gusto. It's a shame that so many people fall for it.

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    • Author by Rsw58 (October 15, 2008 12:10 am ET)
         
      From what I have seen Rush's fan base consists middle class rednecks and upper class snobs. I have coworkers who are Rush fans and they tend to be on the dimwitted side, very racist and see everything as black and white. There is no middle ground with them. Therefore ALL conservatives are wise, wonderful, Godly and love America. Liberals, on the other hand, ALL hate America, are stupid, Godless and just plain evil. They think of Rush as brilliant. Unfortunately these idiots vote. I have tried listening to Limbaugh but can only stand him in short bursts. His mocking of the poor, his warmongering and his overwhelming stupidity just pushes me over the edge. In a word, he's an a-hole.
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