Hewitt touted Limbaugh's "information dissemination" as a model for mainstream media to get America's "trust back"
SUMMARY: On CNN's Reliable Sources, conservative blogger Hugh Hewitt pointed to Rush Limbaugh as a model of the type of media figure that could help the mainstream media get Americans' "trust back."
During the May 28 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources, conservative blogger and nationally syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt pointed to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh as a model of the type of media figure that could help the mainstream media get Americans' "trust back." Defending Limbaugh to Reliable Sources host Howard Kurtz, Hewitt stated that "people can't argue" with Limbaugh's "re-branding as America's anchorman." "But," Kurtz interjected, "Rush Limbaugh would make no pretense of being an objective journalist. He's a commentator." Hewitt replied, Limbaugh "also does information dissemination, which is what I do and what you do." Neither Hewitt nor Kurtz made any reference to Limbaugh's extensive record of misinformation.
Here are just a few examples documented by Media Matters for America:
- Limbaugh recently distorted scientific research to downplay the significance of global warming.
- Limbaugh recently touted a discredited Drudge Report story on the Democratic National Committee, even after Drudge issued an apparent retraction.
- Limbaugh claimed that Ben Domenech, washingtonpost.com's former "Red America" blogger, wasn't a plagiarist, despite Domenech having admitted to past plagiarism.
- Limbaugh falsely claimed that Rep. Dennis Kucinich's (D-OH) proposal for a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence would "[g]et rid of the Department of Defense."
- Limbaugh falsely suggested that Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer (NY) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY) ignored port security before the United Arab Emirates' Dubai Ports World port controversy.
- Limbaugh falsely accused Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) of opposing National Security Agency "intercepts of the enemy."
- Additionally, Limbaugh has suggested that former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Clinton were secretly funding the anti-Kerry group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
- More recently, Limbaugh has baselessly claimed that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter to President Bush contained "Democratic talking points" and "even some liberal Hollywood Jewish people talking point."
From the May 28 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources:
KURTZ: To include people who have -- who have openly advertised conservative views for a job in which you're not supposed to tilt one way or the other?
HEWITT: But we all know that everyone tilts one way or the other. They just hide it better or less.
And my argument at this [Museum of Television & Radio] conference was that transparency means tell people what you believe so that they can correct for the lie of the green. And if you want trust back -- that was what our big thing was, how do you get trust? The most trusted journalist in America -- this might shock you -- is Rush Limbaugh. He has the highest sustained audience. And I made that argument to them. And people can't argue with his re-branding as America's anchorman.
KURTZ: But Rush Limbaugh would make no pretense of being an objective journalist. He's a commentator.
HEWITT: But he -- though he also does information dissemination, which is what I do and what you do.
Hewitt said that Limbaugh was "The most trusted journalist in America."
Well, I certainly trust Rush.
I trust him to distort facts.
I trust him to omit facts.
I trust him to create facts.
I trust him to report lies as facts.
Oh yeah, I trust Rush.
Such statements by Hugh Hewitt surely don't help Hewitt's credibility, but maybe it will earn him a good talking point from Limbaugh.
Hewitt doesn't believe what he's saying anymore than we do.
He's just feeding the flock.
Pete Puma: [Disguised as a lady rabbit] Darling, come to mother. I'm the little feller's mother, and I've been so worried about him. Eeeeee! Shorty: [Really fast] No, no, no! She's not my mother! She's not even my aunt! Don't let her take me! Don't let her take me! Bugs Bunny: Uh-uh, Junior. It ain't polite to talk back to your mother. [Winks] Shorty: Hee-hee-hee-hee! I get it! I get it! Pete Puma: Come on home with mother, darling. Mother's going to have a wonderful dinner. [Runs with Shorty, but Bugs grabs him by the tail] Bugs Bunny: Oh, no, don't go yet, Mrs. Rabbit. You must have a cup of tea with me first. Pete Puma: But I don't think... Bugs Bunny: Oh, it's no trouble at all, Mrs. Rabbit. [Brings a tea tray] Bugs Bunny: Here we are. Tea's on. Pete Puma: But I don't want no tea. It gives me a headache. Bugs Bunny: Okay, well, what shall we have, then? Pete Puma: [Takes out a coffee pot] Coffee! Eeeeee! Bugs Bunny: Okay, we'll have coffee. Eh, how many lumps do you want? Pete Puma: Oh, three or four. [Bugs hits him with mallet as before, but Pete has an Acme stovelid on his head; Bugs takes out his Acme stovelid lifter to remove lid; lumps come out, Pete faints]
pete puma is rush limbo's audience!
Information dissemination? How about disinformation emanation?
at least Pete Puma sort of saw it coming and tried to do something about it with the stove lid. Rush's audience regularly calls in and complains that he's not hitting them hard or often enough.
Ya think it's bad when comparisons to cartoon characters aren't exaggerated or over the top enough to describe you?
Hugh Hewitt is one of my fave rightys,I hear him on the drive home from work when I'm in a mood where I can handle it. If you haven't listened to his radio show, it's a riot. He gets his "news of the day" from neocon blogs that have a lower standard of journalistic integrity than even he has.He gets suckered into believing the most ridiculous rumors, bases his entire show on them, challenges liberals to call in(they don't because the lie hasn't been exposed yet), then claims victory due to the lack of anyone fighting him.
The following day, or whenever his scoop turns out to be BS, there's no mention of the topic, and his callers are onto that days steamy pile of "information"
No surprise he considers Rushbo a role model.
YIKES!
I'm glad I'm not part of Hewitt's fantasyland majority.
I'll get my news from journalists who are not lying, divisive drug addicts.
I think what Hewitt actually said was that Rush "... also does information dissembling."
Conservatives control every bracnh of government and have Fox News and talk radio to push their propoganda 24/7, yet all they do is bitch and complain. Simply amazing.
Then I can legpress 2000 pounds.
Well, Hewitt has ZERO...zilch...nada...credibility. His praise for Rush Windbag is another example of the right's tendency to reinforce its collective self.
It's funny that these right-wing pundits applaud each other. Funnier given all which MMFA has been able to show from Limbaugh as LIES.
Limbaugh is only one of the first opportunists who claim to be "right" or "conservative" who're nothing more than harlots with media (or should I say with "a medium.")
Put in other terms, I don't think Limbaugh believes in much of anything. He just knows what his commercial audience buys ("Ditto, Rush.") It looks like Hewitt's the same.
Remember ten short years ago when Limbaugh's program was carried in twice as many markets as it currently is and he had a TV show on five days a week. The reason he lost trust and credibility was because of his constant distortion of the truth and outright lies. His audience is still considerable but that only proves that weak minds migrate toward loud noise.
I didnt see that interview on CNN.....I did however see Hewitt another time on CNN as one of a pair of right-wingnuts going up against the likes of Progressive talkers Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz some time ago. Hewitt attempted to quote some of Limbaugh's claims but was quickly dispersed of by Randi Rhodes or Ed Schultz. My belief is that if you find the need to rely on Limbaugh to bring "Trust" back to the media.....you really don't have much to say for yourself. Hewitt's idea about Limbaugh is quite laughable........but then again these right-wingnuts always protect each other by giving each other credit they don't deserve.