Gail Shister: Limbaugh interview is "Fox saying directly to the White House, 'Eff you!' "

FOX has been saying that since it's inception when Roger Ailes started to buy all the networks in New York.

Wallace wasn't some champion of the media for this interview but I admit, he did do much better than I thought he might. I appreciated Wallace taking the other side of the issue when asking limbaugh about most things. I dont think he asked the hard questions however - mainly because he didn't delve into the topic of his show promoting or insighting or celebrating racism which was especially pertinent in this interview as he DID ask why he thought he was on such bad terms with the NFL higher ups. I would mention one - it wasn't just the execs in the NFL but the actual players came out against the idea in not just one but a few examples. Even if the owners had some hidden agenda or refused to condone the attacks on obama by allowing him to get his way on this, the players were clearly angry about what he has purported on his show through the years.

I think this one ended any sort of NFL associated career - "I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They’re interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there’s a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn’t deserve."

Taken as an isolated incident that was probably the least racist of his never-ending racist diatribe. Here are a few that particular stand out -

"Look, let me put it to you this way. The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."

"This is Obama’s America.
You put your kids on a school bus you expect safety but in Obama’s America the white kids now get beat up with the black kids cheering ‘yeah, right on, right on, right on.’ Of course everybody said the white kid deserved it he was born a racist, he’s white."

“If homosexuality being inborn is what makes it acceptable, why does racism being inborn not make racism acceptable?” the talk show host asked. “I’m sorry — I mean, this is the way my mind works. But apparently now we don’t choose racism, we just are racists. We are born that way. We don’t choose it. So shouldn’t it be acceptable, excuse — this is according to the way the left thinks about things.”

"And the libs of course say, the minorities cannot be racists, because they don't have the power to implement their racism," Limbaugh expounded. "Well, those days are gone, because reverse-racists certainly do have the power to implement their power. Obama is the greatest living example of a reverse-racist, and now he's appointed one -- you gettin' this, AP? -- Sonia Sotomayor, to the U.S. Supreme Court."

Some of his more affectionate names for Obama when he is not comparing him to Hitler or Stalin= "Barack the magic negro" "affirmative action candidate" and the best of all "halfrican American" obviously still playing on the notion that he is from kenya a year into the presidency. But he doesnt hate obama, he just hates his policies and he hopes obama fails but he thinks he means that the policies fail but he'll still cheer when the country loses a bid for the olympics taking it as a personal failure for the president. Whatever Rush

"I mean lets face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite, slavery built the south. I'm not saying we should bring it back, I'm just saying it had it's merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."

"Have you noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals look like Jesse Jackson?"
"Take that bone out of your nose and call me back."

"The NAACP should have riot rehearsals. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."

"You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray [the confessed assassin of Martin Luther King]. We miss you, James. Godspeed."

Its very difficult to find demographics for the NFL. But from what I can find from a google search (not likely completely accurate) is 80% black, 18% white, 2% other. I imagine that is pretty close. So is it any wonder why many people would be opposed to limbaugh being involved? Especially since two of the worst comments above were actually racist comments about the NFL in particular.

"In an e-mail to the union's executive committee on Saturday specifically addressing Limbaugh's bid, Smith said, "I've spoken to the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] and I understand that this ownership consideration is in the early stages. But sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends. Our sport does exactly that when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred."

"At least seven NFL players have publicly opposed Limbaugh's interest in purchasing the Rams with Checketts. In Smith's communication Saturday with his executive committee, the union leader encouraged players to speak their mind on all matters, including Limbaugh's bid."

Limbaugh said it was the ownership that opposed his bid during the interview with Wallace which really passed as truth for him it seemed. He touted some random conspiracy theory that obama forced the owners to block limbaugh. Yet, the union leaders and specific NFL players came out in vehement opposition citing racism, hatred, intolerance and discimination during his shows which have picked up a notch from annoying to inflammatory over the last year. It was actually the players and union who first came out publicly in opposition, followed by the owners and lastly, by the commissioner. Goodell actually told the leaders to not say anything at first because the deal was only in the early stages and the owners followed the lead of their teams here.

It does appear that Fox is trying hard to see where the line is in what they can get away with.

I couldnt possibly think of anyone on the liberals side who can equate to being the Rush of the left. I dont know all the radio talk show hosts out there but no one on the left would listen to such demagoguery and certainly wouldnt give it the massive audience that Rush gets, Bush was criticized incessantly by the left but it was for his policies and his capacity to fulfill the role of the presidency. There wasn;t elected officials making stuff up like death panels. There wasn't some group that has now pervaded into the elected republicans that questioned the background of the president like the kenya allegation. You would be hard pressed to find a liberal in the media that feeds on hate and fear to capture the attention of the party. And limbaugh isn't just some right wing nut or some fringe radical right. He is one of the key speakers for the republican party at this point - his words often somehow make it all the way to the floor of congress. Where is the liberal equivalent of that? See we would rather not let our far left media become a spokes person for the whole party. That often turns the entire party towards the fringe and alienates the moderates. We actually rely on the elected officials to govern and the opinion shows or media to provide entertainment and/or news. What a novel concept I know.

In February 2003, a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with an assertion by FOX News that there is no rule against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States............During their appeal, FOX asserted that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media. They argued that, under the First Amendment, broadcasters have the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves.
http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/11-the-media-can-legally-lie/

Im just waiting to hear from sharpe again. Concise, frank, short, too the point...etc. I just wish they were a little longer. It's amazing what some people can communicate with so few words!!

Fox News simply gave Limbaugh a platform to T-off on the President. That is all they were interest in.
Christ Wallace and Fox News endorses the attacks and criticism Rush leveled on this President. Remember Fox News is the network of "opposition".
Wallace, as an interviewer and citizen, was out-right sad and pathetic. He did little to nothing to challenge Rush or defend the President on the hate filled, outrageous and ridiculous assertions and statements Rush made. It is one thing to disagree with the Presidents' policies but to call him a "man-child" and "immature" is another, especially when there are no bases what-so-ever for it. Why wouldn't Wallace stand up for the President and point out that such talk about wanting the President to "fail" is un-patriotic, Un-American and treasonous? Hell, I could have given a better more interesting and challenging interview than Wallace.
Basically everything Rush said was nonsense, because Limbaugh speaks out of ignorance, stupidity and hate.
When asked would Sarah Palin make a good President Rush said and I quote "yes". Even this absurdity went unchallenged by Wallace. What does that tell you? It tells me Rush was used by Fox News for the sole purpose of attacking and criticizing this President and that's all.

"Eff You."

Their new tagline is more honest than "Fair and Balanced."