Limbaugh lashed out at Media Matters and NBC, having declined invitation from Today to respond
On the May 22 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, in response to segments on the May 21 editions of NBC's Today and MSNBC's Scarborough Country highlighting his "Barack, the Magic Negro" parody, Rush Limbaugh claimed: "Now, here's what gets me about this. This whole thing came from this website called Media Matters for America. And the drive-by media, NBC, Dan Abrams, the Today show people, everybody, CNN, they rely on this religiously to find out, quote-unquote 'find out,' what happens on this program." Limbaugh continued: "They don't listen to this program. Dan Abrams didn't listen to this program about any -- he doesn't know what happened here. His source is Media Matters for America and maybe a couple of newspaper columns."
Limbaugh then attacked Media Matters Senior Fellow Paul Waldman, who appeared on the Today and Scarborough segments: "The hack is presented as an expert. The Media Matters guy is an all-knowing expert. Nobody's ever heard of him; he's never accomplished anything. He's just a hack working for a front group for the Democrat [sic] Party, and they know this, yet they continue to do this." He asserted: "They know, Dan Abrams knows, and so does everybody else at NBC and CNN, that Media Matters is a [Sen.] Hillary Clinton [D-NY], George Soros, DNC front group." As noted repeatedly, Media Matters -- which is not affiliated with any political party or candidate -- has never received funding from Soros, either directly or indirectly. Limbaugh also falsely claimed that Waldman characterized him as him as a "pig" in his comments on Scarborough Country about the song parody. In fact, Waldman made no such comments about Limbaugh.
Additionally, Limbaugh maintained: "It underscores completely their dishonesty. They were not interested in our take on this, and our take is the take. I mean, we are the record on this. I am the record on the whole 'Barack, the Magic Negro' parody." In fact, as Limbaugh himself acknowledged on the May 18 edition of his program, he declined an interview with NBC to give his "take" on the subject, asserting: "They're [NBC] a leading news organization of the world, and of course their call was to invite me to appear on the Today show, and there is no way. I don't do that, especially under these circumstances." During Today's report, NBC correspondent Michael Okwu told viewers that "Limbaugh declined an interview."
As Media Matters has documented, Limbaugh's "Barack, the Magic Negro" parody first aired during the March 19 broadcast of his radio show. Limbaugh highlighted a March 19 Los Angeles Times op-ed that described Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as "running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination -- the 'Magic Negro,' " a term used to describe certain benevolent African-American characters in movies and other popular culture.
On his May 21 show, Limbaugh said that the song is "not even a hit piece on Obama" and accused Today of misrepresenting the song: "There's no other way this could happen. This -- and they don't even understand the point of the parody 'Barack, the Magic Negro.' It's a piece on Al Sharpton. It's not even a hit piece on Obama." Limbaugh later referred to Obama as the "Magic Negro" in the context of criticizing a May 21 article about Obama's marriage published on Salon.com by Debra Dickerson -- whom Limbaugh referred to as a "feminazi" -- stating, "All right, you've got another liberal here taking out after the Magic Negro. Do you hear this? This guy's nothing more than a doormat. She -- that's truly bitter. These are angry women. I'm telling you, these militant feminazis are angry."
Media Matters for America has documented Limbaugh's history of racially charged insults and parodies, which include:
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Limbaugh recently aired a parody (subscription required) mocking reported tension between Sharpton and Obama, a claim apparently stemming from a March 12 New York Post article. Set to the tune of Aretha Franklin's hit song "Respect," a voice parodying Sharpton's sings: "R-E-S-P-E-C-K. Wha-choo mean it ain't spelt that way? R-E-S-P-E-K-T? I need a dictionary!" Greg Sargent documented Limbaugh's parody on the weblog Talking Points Memo.
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On the February 1 edition of his radio show, Rush Limbaugh responded to a Reuters report on a University of Chicago study that found that "a majority of young blacks feel alienated form today's government" by asserting: "Why would that be? The government's been taking care of them their whole lives."
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On his January 24 radio show, Limbaugh referred to Obama and actress Halle Berry as "Halfrican American[s]." Also, on the January 16 broadcast of his radio show, Limbaugh called Obama a "half-minority" and said that "the media ... are in the midst of Obama-gasms" because "Barack Hussein Obama" has formed a presidential exploratory committee.
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On the August 23, 2006, broadcast of his radio program, Limbaugh commented on a season of CBS' reality TV program Survivor in which contestants were originally divided into competing "tribes" by ethnicity. Limbaugh stated that the contest was "not going to be fair if there's a lot of water events," which he later supported by citing a March 2 HealthDay article reporting that "young blacks -- especially males -- are much more likely to drown in pools than whites." Limbaugh also stated that "our early money" is on "the Hispanic tribe" -- which he said could include "a Cuban," "a Nicaraguan," or "a Mexican or two" -- provided they don't "start fighting for supremacy amongst themselves." Limbaugh added that Hispanics have "probably shown the most survival tactics," that they "have shown a remarkable ability to cross borders," and that they can "do it without water for a long time, they don't get apprehended, and they will do things other people won't do." When the Survivor producers decided to dissolve the show's racially segregated "tribes" after only two episodes, Limbaugh declared that "[t]here can only be one reason for this. ... [T]hat is the white tribe had to be winning."
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On the February 14, 2006, broadcast of his radio show, Limbaugh invented a "racial component" to explain Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett's departure from the Ohio Democratic Senate primary race. While reporting on Hackett's decision to withdraw from the race against then-Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for the seat then held by Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), Limbaugh asserted: "And don't forget, Sherrod Brown is black. There's a racial component here, too," adding that "the newspaper that I'm reading all this from is The New York Times, and they, of course, don't mention that." In fact, Brown is Caucasian -- a point Limbaugh acknowledged later in the program. Brown defeated DeWine in the 2006 midterm election.
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On February 7, 2006, Limbaugh said he "kind of like[d]" a caller's statement that Obama "is the Donovan McNabb of the U.S. Senate." The statement was an apparent reference to Limbaugh's controversial 2003 comments about McNabb, a quarterback for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles, which led to Limbaugh's resignation from his position as a commentator on ESPN. During the September 28, 2003, edition of ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, Limbaugh said that "[t]he media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well" and, therefore, that McNabb "got a lot of credit for the performance of this team [the Eagles] that he didn't deserve."
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Limbaugh has repeatedly referred to American Indians as "injuns," as Media Matters has documented.
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As Media Matters also noted, Limbaugh has described illegal immigrants as an "invasive species" that U.S. courts willingly permit to enter the country.
In addition, according to a June 7, 2000, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) article, "As a young broadcaster in the 1970s, Limbaugh once told a black caller: 'Take that bone out of your nose and call me back.' " In the early 1990s, "after becoming nationally syndicated, he mused on the air: 'Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?' " According to FAIR, "[w]hen Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL) was in the U.S. Senate, the first black woman ever elected to that body, Limbaugh would play the 'Movin' On Up' theme song from TV's 'Jeffersons' when he mentioned her. Limbaugh sometimes still uses mock dialect -- substituting 'ax' for 'ask'-- when discussing black leaders." FAIR also reported that "[i]n 1992, on his now-defunct TV show, Limbaugh expressed his ire when Spike Lee urged that black schoolchildren get off from school to see his film Malcolm X: 'Spike, if you're going to do that, let's complete the education experience. You should tell them that they should loot the theater, and then blow it up on their way out.' "
From the May 22 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: Here's what is amazing to me about this, this is the thing to learn. Their report last night was actually a thing that was spawned by a Today show report that aired yesterday, and the Today show report and what happened last night exposes the total dishonesty and lack of professionalism that is creeping into NBC News. When they call -- when the Today show called us Friday afternoon and said they wanted to do this, we sent them reams -- we gave them a special website link, that they could go educate themselves on everything about this from beginning to end. We gave them the sound bites of Al Sharpton saying, "No big deal," Barack Obama saying it was dumb. We gave the original column from the Los Angeles Times where the term "magic negro" was thrown into the public domain. They ignored it all. They even went out, they talked to [conservative columnist] Michael Medved in Seattle, to get one voice opposing their take on it, and they didn't use any of the interview they conducted with him.
Now, here's what gets me about this. This whole thing came from this website called Media Matters for America. And the drive-by media, NBC, Dan Abrams, the Today show people, everybody, CNN, they rely on this religiously to find out -- quote, unquote "find out" -- what happens on this program. They don't listen to this program. Dan Abrams didn't listen to this program about any -- he doesn't know what happened here. His source is Media Matters for America and maybe a couple of newspaper columns.
They know, Dan Abrams knows, and so does everybody else at NBC and CNN, that Media Matters is a Hillary, George Soros, DNC front group. They know it has no intellectual integrity. They know that it exists to smear people who question the Democrats. And yet they bring on one of its hacks to talk about a conservative with little or no exposition about the hack. The hack is presented as an expert. The Media Matters guy is an all-knowing expert. Nobody's ever heard of him; he's never accomplished anything. He's just a hack working for a front group for the Democrat Party, and they know this, yet they continue to do this.
It underscores completely their dishonesty. They were not interested in our take on this, and our take is the take. I mean, we are the record on this. I am the record on the whole "Barack, the Magic Negro" parody and why and how it came about. That's ignored. I am the record. They try to rewrite the record and make the record what Media Matters says, and they know that this is happening. And yet they do it. It underscores how completely in the back pocket of the Democrat [sic] Party that Dan Abrams and MSNBC and anybody who works there, or at CNN, is. They're totally in the back pocket of the Democrat [sic] Party.
There was nothing professional about this thing. It was kind of funny. As I'm reading the transcript, [Wall Street Journal columnist] John Fund was on there, and Dan Abrams said, "Why is Limbaugh getting away with this? I mean, is he too big to bring down on something like this?" And Fund kept saying, "Well, where is the outrage? There's no story. This is 2 1/2 months old. What's your peg? There's no story. There's no outrage. Where's the outrage? There never has been any outrage over this." And that's what this piece was about: trying to drum up some outrage. They're trying to create the outrage that doesn't exist so that they can maybe take someone else out and put a notch in their belt. And they're doing this fully knowledgeable that they are working hand in hand with a Democrat [sic] Party front group. You know, this Media Matters bunch is practically the producer for all of MSNBC. If it weren't for Media Matters, MSNBC would lose 80 percent of its programming.
Now, the difference is, when I comment on MSNBC, or when I comment on CNN or comment on The New York Times, I watch it. I don't read a conservative website to tell me what happened there. I don't read -- I don't -- we don't read some media watchdog site and find out what somebody else heard or read in The New York Times or on one of these cable networks. I watch the stuff. It's painful, but I watch the stuff. I've actually seen -- do you think they actually listen to this program? If they had listened, if they'd gone to my website that we gave them, if they'd read 10 percent of what we said, then they would have known there's no story.
But they wanted to do -- the story was written before they called us. The story was produced before they called us. They're just -- they're hacks. I mean, the drive-by media has become a full-fledged partner with the Democrat [sic] Party.
And it was sort of laughable last night, "Where's the outrage? Well, there's no story here." Fund kept trying to tell them, "You guys, there's no story." And finally somebody said to the Media Matters hack, "Do you [unintelligible] Limbaugh to be fired?" "No. But I think Vice President [Dick] Cheney should stop going on his show. And I think high-ranking government officials should stop appearing on his show. The man's a racist and a pig," and this sort of stuff. You know, throwing all this stuff -- they didn't even understand that the parody is about Al Sharpton. They didn't even understand that it's a riff on Sharpton. John Fund tried to tell him that, and that kind of silenced him for a while. Well, it didn't silence him, but you can see it surprised him a little bit.
The whole thing has been misconstrued, misunderstood. These people are dense. They really are dense. They are totally guided by their ideological templates. And their templates right now are, "Destroy conservative talk radio." Because it is the most democratic forum out there. And it's effective because we connect with you. You are more informed than -- and by the way, there are Pew Research surveys to show this. You in this audience are the most informed audience in media, by virtue of what Pew Research says. You have more knowledge of what's going on out there because you listen to this program, because so many different things are discussed.I guarantee you, outside the San Francisco Chronicle, which reported it, no one else will report on John Edwards taking 55 grand from UC-Davis, a public institution, for a speech on poverty.
Things that never appear in the drive-by media.
From the May 21 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: So I didn't get up to see what the Today show did today, but I knew what they were going to do before they did it, because I predicted it to you on Friday. We sent them -- I just want you to know what happened. We sent them reams of data. [Producer] H.R. spoke to the producer three times Friday afternoon. They interviewed Michael Medved about it to get a voice agreeing with my side. They didn't use him at all. They just used this, this hack from the George Soros-funded front group for the Democrat [sic] Party, Media Matters For America.
And it was -- they -- it was pathetic. You know, they're posting the lowest ratings they've posted in years. They're just barely ahead of Good Morning America. They get a smaller audience than we do. And it's just -- they had to try to get this wrong. There's no other way this could happen. This -- and they don't even understand the point of the parody "Barack, the Magic Negro." It's a piece on Al Sharpton. It's not even a hit piece on Obama. And it's -- everything in it was originated by liber-- you know all this. Here I am, I'm doing a three-quel now. This is about a 14-quel. Trying to explain this. And they just don't want to get it right.
I've got the piece here, the audio, but I don't even know if I want to play it. Well, it's just giving more attention to the Today show and the stupid reporter that they used and -- that's all it is, it's just a smear. I mean, it happens every day to me. All right, well, I'll think about it.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: And we're back on the cutting edge of societal evolution. Rush Limbaugh, having more fun then a human being should be allowed to have.
Snerdly shared with me an interesting point of view that he has on NBC's hatchet job piece today on "Barack, the Magic Negro" on the Today show. And I've got the piece. I don't feel like playing it. It's -- you know, it is so bad. It's -- I think you're right. The more I think about it, I think they did this in a perfunctory way. I think they want me to start railing against them because the Today show's numbers are in the tank.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: Because there's no news value in this thing. And they didn't present it with any news value. It's -- it had no place. There was nothing to peg this story to, nothing to peg their little piece on "Barack, the Magic" -- it's a 2 1/2-month-old story.
And nobody's talking about it other than these Democrat front-group websites. So that's why I'm thinking about not playing it.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: All right. You've got another liberal here taking out after the Magic Negro. Do you hear this? This guy's nothing more than a doormat. She -- that's truly bitter. These are angry women. I'm telling you, these militant feminazis are angry.
From the May 21 broadcast of NBC's Today:
MATT LAUER (co-host): We begin this half-hour, though, with radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. He makes living poking fun at Democrats. But now some think he has gone a little too far in taking on Senator Barack Obama. Here's NBC's Michael Okwu.
OKWU: It was the line --
DON IMUS [video clip]: That's some -- that's some nappy-headed hos there.
OKWU: -- that got us all asking, when is the line crossed? But weeks before the Imus controversy, Rush Limbaugh started airing this ditty about Senator Barack Obama --
UNIDENTIFIED MAN (singing) [video clip]: Barack, the magic negro, lives in D.C. --
OKWU: -- which leads some to wonder, has Limbaugh been getting a free pass?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN (singing) [video clip]: --'cause he's not authentic like me.
OKWU: The voice, a white political satirist imitating Al Sharpton.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN (singing) [video clip]: Some say Barack's articulate and bright and new and clean --
WALDMAN: This is basically the radio equivalent of a black-face minstrel show. You know, going back to Amos and Andy and all of those kind of racist shows of the past.
OKWU: For his part, Obama says he doesn't listen to Limbaugh, but says being targeted is part of being a politician.
MICHAEL HARRISON (publisher, Talkers magazine): It's insulting, it's in bad taste, but it's legitimate political satire.
OKWU: Limbaugh declined an interview, but in his broadcast suggests the song is simply a parody based on a newspaper column about Obama written by journalist David Ehrenstein.
EHRENSTEIN: The "magic negro" was chiefly, as a term, used in talking about films in which you would have black characters who would suddenly come out of nowhere and come to the rescue of white characters.
[video clip from The Legend of Bagger Vance]
EHRENSTEIN: I was just simply trying to get a conversation going. How it's gone is another question.
OKWU: Paul Waldman says Limbaugh has no excuse.
WALDMAN: He's trying to get himself off the hook by saying, "Oh, it's somebody else who did it. It's not really me."
OKWU: Media watchdogs say there's no hue and cry to stop Limbaugh because he speaks to a niche audience who either expects this or is willing to let him slide. And his target, in this case, is a public figure, a presidential candidate, not a college women's basketball team.
Funny or bad taste?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN (singing) [video clip]: Don't vote the magic negro in --
OKWU: Legitimate political satire or something darker? For Today, Michael Okwu, NBC News, Los Angeles.
From the May 21 edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country:
ABRAMS: Here now is Paul Waldman. You saw him in that piece, senior fellow at the liberal media watchdog Media Matters. You just saw him in that story. And John Fund from The Wall Street Journal.
Thanks very much, gentlemen, for coming on the show.
All right, Mr. Waldman, you know, you're saying that Rush is getting effectively a free pass here. But, you know, a lot of people are going to say, "Look, you know, we're all sort of going to this point where no one on the radio is going to be able to say just about anything." What's your response?
WALDMAN: Well, you know, if this had been the first time that Rush Limbaugh did something like this, that would be one thing. But he has a long, long history, going back to his entire time in radio, of making these kinds of racist jokes.
I mean, he said that the NAACP should get a liquor store and practice robberies. Just a couple weeks ago, he did another one of these song parodies, with this guy imitating Al Sharpton, singing, "R-E-S-P-E-C-K." And, you know, there are so many other examples. This isn't the first time. It's not the fifth time. It's not even the 10th time.
And so, you know, I think, for the long time, this sort of stuff that Limbaugh does has just flown under the radar. But now people are finally beginning to take notice, and, you know, he has to be responsible for what he says.
ABRAMS: Let's listen to a little bit more of the song that Rush played on his radio show.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing) [video clip]: Barack, the magic Negro, lives in D.C. The L.A. Times, they call him that, because he's not authentic like me. You had the guy from the L.A. paper said he make guilty whites feel good. They'll vote for him and not for me, because he's not from "da hood."
ABRAMS: You know, John, I remember during the O.J. Simpson case that there was a radio talk show host who got in enormous trouble for doing what was a parody effectively of Judge Ito in a Japanese-sounding voice. And the person was blasted for it. Different from what we're hearing Rush Limbaugh doing here?
FUND: Well, people are blasting Rush, but apparently it's not getting the kind of wide outrage that Don Imus got. I mean, that parody has been running for almost two months now. Even Al Sharpton hasn't gotten on his soapbox to complain, and Al Sharpton certainly knows about demagoguery. And Barack Obama says, look, it's dumb, but, you know, this is the way things go. And so he has not taken great umbrage.
The point is, there's a difference between Imus and legitimate political satire. Imus used insulting, derogatory language against defenseless women who should be role models of the community rather than insulted. Rush is going after presidential candidates. That's what all of us do for a living.
ABRAMS: I don't know. I mean, it seems to me that there's an argument to be made that that's a distinction without a difference, that the question is, is it racist or is it not, right?
FUND: Well, Dan, there's a very good way of handling this, which is, where is the outrage? Rush has been doing this for two months. Where are the demonstrators? Where's Al Sharpton? He's not --
[crosstalk]
ABRAMS: But, John, you'd be the same person who would be saying, "We can't let Al Sharpton determine what we do." And now you're saying, "We have to let Al Sharpton determine what we do."
FUND: No, no, Barack Obama hasn't complained. Now, look, as for Media Matters, they've done very interesting work. They've often busted people's chops for hypocrisy. They're the ones who helped bring down Don Imus. Now they're leading this charge.
I'm simply saying, with Don Imus, it resonated. It caught hold of the public's outrage factor. This they're also leading the charge on. It's not catching. It's going nowhere.
WALDMAN: Yes, but the thing is, it doesn't matter that this is a public figure. I mean, the message is the same. And the thing about Limbaugh is --
FUND: Why isn't there any outrage over this, Paul?
WALDMAN: The thing about Limbaugh is that, when it comes to black politicians, he always focuses on their race. You know, when he talks about Rudy Giuliani, he doesn't play a clip of "That's Amore." But when he talks about black politicians, he always using their race to denigrate them. When Carol Moseley Braun got elected to the Senate, he used to play "Movin' on Up" from The Jeffersons. That's what it always comes down to, whenever it's a black public figure for him.
FUND: Paul, Rudy Giuliani has done Godfather impressions. Rush Limbaugh has done Italian commentary about Rudy Giuliani.
WALDMAN: Yes, but what does that mean, then, that anybody -- that Rush Limbaugh can use any kind of racist attack that he wants to, as long as Barack Obama is not willing to pick a fight with him? I mean, it sends the same kind of message to people that, no matter how --
[crosstalk]
FUND: Paul, answer the question. Where is the outrage?
WALDMAN: It doesn't matter if you're an athlete or you're a politician. When you're an African-American, that's how he's going to go after you.
ABRAMS: Hang on. Hang on. Let me -- to be fair here to Rush Limbaugh, let's give him a chance, in his own words, to respond. He blasted NBC on his show today, calling this a non-story.
LIMBAUGH [video clip]: They had to try to get this wrong. There's no other way this could happen. And they don't even understand the point of the parody, "Barack the Magic Negro." It's a piece on Al Sharpton. It's not even a hit piece on Obama. And everything in it was originated by liberals. You know all this. Here I am, I'm doing a three-quel now. This is about a 14-quel. Trying to explain this, and they just don't want to get it right. It's just a smear. I mean, this happens every day to me.
ABRAMS: Paul, what do you make of that?
WALDMAN: Well, you know, he's acting more defensive than he usually does, which I think is in and of itself kind of interesting, that he does keep coming back to this and trying to explain. He's not apologizing. Rush Limbaugh never apologizes.
But, you know, as I said, this is not the first time, not the fifth time, not the 10th time. He does this kind of stuff all the time. And whenever there's a black public figure, race is the focus. And that's what he's going to use to denigrate them. So, you know, these kind of protestations that, "Oh, somebody else said it. It's just humor," you know, those excuses just don't wash.
ABRAMS: And, John, I mean, look, it does seem that the days of just saying, "Oh, it's just humor, it's just parody," I mean, look, he's saying, "Oh, this is a parody of Al Sharpton, not of Barack Obama."
FUND: Which is why I mentioned Al Sharpton. Al Sharpton is not complaining.
ABRAMS: That's fine. But, again, does it really matter whether it's a parody of Al Sharpton or Barack Obama? And are we going to decide, how do we respond, based on how the, quote, unquote, "victims" respond, meaning -- so if the Rutgers basketball team said "We forgive Don Imus," that's it, the story's over. Is that the way that we should go about as a society deciding these things?
FUND: Well, we can certainly go too far in the politically correct form of things and shut down a lot of interesting and lively free speech. Now, Paul, I know that Media Matters is upset about this. Tell me, where else is the outrage? Give me the names.
ABRAMS: Let me ask --
FUND: Where are the prominent figures who are watching this --
[crosstalk]
ABRAMS: Paul, do you want Rush Limbaugh to be pulled off the air?
WALDMAN: No, but I think that this kind of conversation that we're having now today is a really good start.
ABRAMS: All right. But after this conversation, are we good? Can we just say, "All right, let's move on"?
WALDMAN: Everyone has to take a look at whether they want to be associated with this kind of stuff. You know, Dick Cheney, the vice president of the United States, goes on Rush Limbaugh's show all the time. I think we have to ask if that's an appropriate thing for the second-most-powerful man in the United States to do. The stations that carry him, is this the kind of stuff that they want to be putting out everyday? We need to start thinking about this more.
FUND: Paul, where are the prominent people, besides yourself, complaining about this?
WALDMAN: But why does that matter?
[crosstalk]
ABRAMS: Look, I have this thing in the Houston Chronicle.
FUND: Where are they?
ABRAMS: Look, I'll give you one right now. I've got the Houston Chronicle right here. Who cares? I mean, so the country -- the Houston Chronicle said the piece of crude, over the top --
FUND: That's a columnist.
ABRAMS: You said, "Where's the outrage?"
FUND: Where are the prominent people who are complaining about this?
ABRAMS: All right, whatever. I'm just saying. Like, you know, that's the Houston Chronicle. OK, big deal.
FUND: No, it's one writer at the Houston Chronicle.
ABRAMS: I understand.
[crosstalk]
ABRAMS: All right, so there's not a big outrage. That doesn't make --
FUND: So why are we here talking about this?
ABRAMS: Because maybe there should be. I don't know!
WALDMAN: John, does that mean, if Al Sharpton was angrier, then you would say that, yes, this is a big deal and we should make a bigger deal out of it?
ABRAMS: I'm not going to let --
WALDMAN: Is that what you'd be saying?
FUND: Dan, there's no story here. Al Sharpton is not complaining. Barack Obama is not complaining. A writer at the Houston Chronicle is. Give me a break.
ABRAMS: Paul Waldman, John -- no, we can't talk about it anymore. Story's over.
Limbaugh's parody song "RESPECK":
SINGER: What I want, Obama you got it/What you need is me being quiet/All I'm asking is for a little respeck when you campaign/Hey, Barry, when you campaign
Ain't gonna call your momma fat with my bullhorn/Ain't gonna call your momma fat if we get along/All I'm asking is for my propers when you campaign/Hey, Barry, don't make me beg out here/Please
I, Albert Sharpton, do solemnly swear and promise not to say that your momma's so fat Columbus discovered her first
Ooh, your press is sweeter than honey/I hear you're raising all kinds of money/All I need is respectability and a small loan/ Hey, Barry, just a little bit/Show respeck for the old school
R-E-S-P-E-C-K. Wha-choo mean it ain't spelt that way? R-E-S-P-E-K-T? I need a dictionary! Sock it to me. It's here somewhere. It just takes a minute to look this up, here. Uh, just a little bit. I'll have it in just a little bit. Uh, Republican -- I didn't bring my reading glasses. Here it is. "Respect: to treat with special consideration or high regard. Respectable: worthy of esteem or highly regarded."
From the May 18 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: Leading news organization of the world, getting -- and, of course, their call was to invite me to appear on the Today show, and there is no way. I don't do that, especially under these circumstances. If they do this, they are going to be in for a rude surprise, because many of their viewers already know the truth of this and will recognize if they do this the wrong way, they do this the typical drive-by media way, and if they do this based on some of the B.S. that's come out of Media Matters, the George Soros front group for the Democrat Party -- if they do this based on this worthless column today in Houston that's so -- it's embarrassingly inaccurate, that hardly anything in it is true, including the reference to the video that we put together.
Media Matters Senior Fellow Paul Waldman. Who is this hack that pulls the tail of the Tiger?
Just kidding.
The "hack" Paul Waldman holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. The one who truly has "never accomplished anything" is community college flunk-out rush limbaugh. The epitomy of irony and hypocriscy.
Dear Rush,
There will come a day when you decide to stop taking all those Viagra's and Oxy. When that day comes your mind will clear and you will come to realize all the crap you have said was for a group of people that wouldn't care less that you were on the air or not.
You make your millions and act like you have a clue as to what is really happening here in the real world.
You say your lies as if anyone but those few that follow you and somehow you have convinced them that you are a truth teller. This alone is a sad comentary about our country.
It would be something if you were to ever say anything that wasn't debunked by facts, though I doubt you are capable.
I've often wondered why you say what you say, is it because you are paid to say it or do you really believe the crap you say?
Perhaps one of your esteemed listeners would like to give an answer to that one.....
Nah, what's the point they'd just say the same crap you'd only say
"I've often wondered why you say what you say"
To annoy the far left character assassins like yourself and point out the truth all the time. I know that the truth hurts, but you should at least be glad that Rush is there to point it out.
Rino, find a cabbage and eat it. A full mouth, for you, is a good one. And please don't tell me what I could fill mind with. I've had bullsh** to last me a lifetime!
Rino, you've made a couple of errors in your post. First of all, Rush has no character, none whatsoever. So, Captfoster2 can't be a character assassin. Second, if you think that what spews forth from Rush's mouth is the truth, then you don't know that the truth hurts because you wouldn't recognize the truth if it bit you in the a$$.
You're right. I am the truth detector after all.
LOL!
I find it mildly amusing that guys like Rino take advice from a twice divorced, heroin addicted, viagra soaked, foreign sex holiday taking, draft evading, racist, sexist, hypocrite like Limbaugh. It is amazing that people such as this have the mental wattage to even boot up a computer let alone navigate the 'Net.
Webster's should include "Dittohead" as a synonym for "moron" in their next edition. Maybe Rino could offer his picture for the new entry.
Rino, don't you have a banjo to duel?
hahahhaha!!!!
The only hack in Limbaugh and his GOP talking points.
And liberals don't have talking points?
Not spoon fed to us on a platter like the limbo audience. We actually think through the issues and then develop them on our own.
What about the talking points that Olbermann gets from Media Matters everyday?
really? you can prove he uses us as a source daily? I've seen him give us credit periodically, but daily? Please, do tell...
The truth has a Media Matters bias.
Media Matters is the only source of the truth, and so no one can gain that truth without passing through the Media Matters gate, dontcha know?
The reality is that the truth is out there for everyone to take a swig of. Olbermann takes swigs of the truth from multiple sources, including Media Matters.
So, why are the rightwingers so 'fraid of the truth?
havent you ever watched a hannity and colmes debate, or old crossfire? you get 2 hacks on there, one dem and one gop and they each regurgitate talking points back to one another and its called a debate. it shows how disgustingly sick this two party system is.
I have to agree with that statement. Whats worse is first I have seen good political debates and they are great the few times they happen. Second the Lincoln/Douglas debates lasted three hours and played to a full house, for a congressional seat. Our country has political attention deficit disorder. I AM in a third party.
and you do realize the conundrum you just created. Rush spoon feeding his audience does not equal to MMFA and co spoon feeding Olbermann. The numbers, sir, the numbers...
ok so under the socialist radio act of 2k7 we will FORCE as many people who listen to rush, to check mmfa until the #s are even. this way they get both sides. better?
You totally missed the intent of my post, didn't you? ;)
No "talking points" necessary on the left. MMFA and Olbermann both seek out the lies and misinformation of the right and speak the truth. After all, truth does have a liberal bias. To paraphrase Bush, talking points are necessary "to kind of catapult [right wing] propaganda." www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050524-3.html
Hey, I think someone got a little flag happy here. Seriously, don't you guys have anything better to do than go through these threads and flag comments? I guess freedom of speech only extends so far in the world of liberalism.
Okay, please tell us...
How many times do you need to have the locations where one might have unlimited freedom of speech and places where one might not have freedom of speech explained to you before you'll understand it?
You have no freedom of speech here. Stay on topic, stay polite. don't link your post to another's post who violates one of the above rules, and your post will not be removed.
Like I said, tell us how many times a point has to be drilled into your head so you'll grasp it, and we'll repeat the message that required number of times so that you'll stop repeated the stupid and incorrect comment that it's an issue of freedom of speech!
I stick to the issues and am polite. Some liberals on this site, on the other hand, simply use personal attacks and never honestly debate the issues. It just seems like a double standard to me that Media Matters never bans liberals but will ban conservatives for merely bashing the liberal ideology.
Personally, I am glad you post here because it highlights the complete lack of honesty, integrity, common sense and decency that are the hallmarks of Dittoheads and Bush "dead-enders". Your posts literally hang around your neck like a millstone of denial, hate and dishonesty. As for having your posts flagged, I chalk that up to your being a very slow learner typical of a Dittohead.
Coming here to bash the liberal ideology is being a troll by definition. THAT is NEVER the topic. You know this is a site that attracts liberals and you just want to tweak us and troll for responses. Pathetic.
Let me try again...
Okay, please tell us...
How many times do you need to have the locations where one might have unlimited freedom of speech and places where one might not have freedom of speech explained to you before you'll understand it?
You have no freedom of speech here. Stay on topic, stay polite. don't link your post to another's post who violates one of the above rules, and your post will not be removed.
Like I said, tell us how many times a point has to be drilled into your head so you'll grasp it, and we'll repeat the message that required number of times so that you'll stop repeated the stupid and incorrect comment that it's an issue of freedom of speech!
Can you answer this simple question, or is the answer that you are so dense that, no matter how many times it gets explained to you, you'll never understand that you don't have freedom of speech here?
That's rich. Your frequent use of strawmen arguments is anything, but polite. Not to mention that your arguments also include many known logical, informal and formal fallacies. You frequently bait and deflect the topic at hand with your silliness as well.
I will defend and have defended several of the intellectually honest conservative posters here when they have been wrongly personally attacked, but just about any criticism of you seems justifiable.
You need to learn to take some personal responsibility for what you have posted yourself. You reap what you sow.
I find it funny how Rush's prediction came true - that he would get attacked as if calling Barack The Magic Negro was his OWN creation, while the LA times writer who coined the term got off scott free.
MMFA continues to smear Rush by doing articles on this while misleading people about the context of the usage of the term, he only used it to point out that an LA times editor could get away with it.
Ah... No, he didn't. Did you HEAR the song HE made?? HEL-LOOOOO! MMFA uses his OWN WORDS to say what he said,,,
uhhh yes but he only made the song to show that if he did that, the media would make him OWN the phrase. he didnt make the song to be a racist, which is what mmfa is trying to imply and this entire posting intellectually dishonest
I don't think you could identify intellectual dishonesty unless it ate your homework.
So he really only made the "magic negro" song to show media bias. Right?
Did he misspell "respect" in another one of his hit records to get media attention? Did he include in the same song "wha cho mean it ant spelt that way" also just to get media attention? Did he respond to a survey on young African American men who felt a disconnect with our government by saying "Why would that be? The government has been taking care of them their whole life". American Indians referred to as "injuns" Woman as "militant feminatizs"
You are so full of sh** that it's coming out of your a** as well as your mouth. Rush does NOTHING to get media attention, he does it so that followers such as yourself will continue to listen. You listen to the likes of Rush so that you can still feel that you have a superior race and place in this country. You listen to him because you need to say your racists comments to a crowd of people of think and believe like you do. It's OK for Rush to say those thing because I feel the same way and of course YOU'RE NOT A RACIST.
And you are right your are NOT JUST a racist, you are small minded people who cannot accept the fact that YOU don't own everything AND everyone. We are a nation of individuals who can accept change as a matter of course not as a threat to our livelihood.
Rush is not comedian and you don't watch him for comedy. you watch him because you find a kindred small minded racist uneducated soul.
actually, sir, YOU ARE THE RACIST. YOU are prejudging rush and all of his listeners. Your HATE crimes are as follows:
1. Assuming Rush is a racist based on prior smears and assumptions, without knowing him personally. This crime consists of the following offenses: Intolerance, lack of open mindedness, HATE SPEECH
2. Smearing all of Rush listeners by LABELING them as racist. You said he was only singing the song to appeal to his audience who eats it up. The burden of proof is on you to prove Rush and his audience are racist, via transcript/tape/video of him telling his audience he hates blacks/hispanics/ etc..
Offenses: HATE SPEECH, SLANDER, DISTORTING THE TRUTH, INTOLERANCE, MISDIRECTED ANGER, and you are also guilty of going off your prozac.
You will be sentenced under Dian Feinstein's new Hate Crimes Bill - you will be lobotomized and put on valium 24/7. If you refuse you will be raped by someone of your own sex until you become liberal and gay, like it, and spend 23 hours a day sipping mochachino at starbucks on open mic day listening to crappy poetry by some ****head.
Yes, we do know Rush personally. He advocates the overthrow of a democratic society in the name of corporate greed, imperial ambition and party machine slavery. He's openly made many many bigoted statements in the almost two DECADES he's been on the air. If you can't know someone who tells you his thoughts every day for 20 years.....then you just haven't been listening.
I dont know if Rush is a racist. I dont know how much of his act is an ACT. I do know he spouts enough racist BS to make the case. I know he told one of his callers to take that bone out of his nose and call him back.
"I know he told one of his callers to take that bone out of his nose and call him back"
That was in the 1970's. Robert Byrd used to be in the KKK as well. Based on your argument I guess that means that Byrd is still a racist as well.
Why look to the past when we have so many fine examples of red state recism today?
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Racial_demons_resurface_with_nooses_05242007.html
That was ALMOST a good point Rino. The problem with it is that Byrd has renounced the KKK and appologized dozens of times for his membership. Did Limbaugh ever appologize for his racist remarks? If so show me because I never saw ANYWHERE that he did and to ME that is a BIG difference. Good try though
YOU ARE THE RACIST
Ah yes, the ever-popular "I'm rubber, you're glue" argument, the kind most people abandoned in grade school.
A translation of Daily's post:
"My gosh, how DARE you judge Limbaugh! How DARE you judge him based on what he has said, on attitudes he has expressed, consistently over a period of years. Why it's just SHOCKING, it's TERRIBLE, it's, it's, why it's [gasp] RACIST! Even though the judgment has nothing to do with his race and is not about any racial, religious, sexual, or ethnic grouping.
"Bottom line: My beloved Rushie-poo can say anything anytime about anyone he wants and you can't say nothing about it you crummy old poopy-head."
Did you HEAR the song HE made??
Mr. L, if you're talking about "Barack The Magic Negro"...Limbaugh didn't write it or perform it. I forget the guy's name that writes & sings most of the *songs* featured on Limbaugh's program but he's done quite a few.
I agree with Limbaugh here. This is MMFA along with a few of their sycophants [NBC, Dan Abrams, the Today show people etc] trying to stir up a controversy where there was none.
I watched this exchange between Abrams, Waldman, & Fund. Abrams wasn't even trying to be a fair & impartial moderator. Quite frankly Abrams & Waldman's arguments were lame. I don't usually think much of Fund, but he came across as the logical one here.
This parody was a dig against Sharpton. Funny or not [depends on your humor] apparently it didn't cause the firestorm that Imus's remarks did. Obviously this disappointed MMFA...and this stirring up by the Liberal media is just more proof that Brock & Co. are on a Witch Hunt.
Let's not forget MMFA's thread entitled: It's not just Imus
It read like a hit list.
Jeter, I directed my comments to Daily but you can respond as well.
MMFA is NOT incorrect in pointing our Rush's racial hatered for people of color. He seems to relish "making fun" but covers it under "they are picking on me" or "they are out to get me". He is very selective in his comments. I've lived too many go**** years in this country with folks saying "I didn't mean it the way it sounded" or "It was just a joke" not to get the meaning of the underlining remark.
If you want this nation to get past it's problem with race you have deal with racism and not pretend that "it's just a joke" or "you are too sensitive".
Since I'm the color that I am I can tell you IT'S NO JOKE TO ME!
You do realize that he is saying all this while a guy sitting next to him is black right??
If Mr. Snerdly is okay with this, so am I.
Sorry to say LDoren I know to you think if someone "black" doesn't object "it must be OK". Keep in mind the black man sitting next to him has to feed his family. Don't bit the hand that feeds you. And for some black folks keeping their job is "just what you have to do". Don't take it as an affirmation on rush, you are not with hims when Rush is not around!
Keep in mind the black man sitting next to him has to feed his family. Don't bit the hand that feeds you. And for some black folks keeping their job is "just what you have to do".
-----------------------------------------------------------------
So because he's black, he must be liberal, poor, and stupid according to you?? You liberals don't see real bigotry when it comes out of your own mouths.
Oh, I forgot, it's not possible for liberals to be bigots, cuz you're all "down for the struggle."
Well LDoren., as a fellow AFRICAN AMERICAN I have had to KEEP MY MOUTH CLOSED WHILE PEOPLE AROUND ME SAY AND DO RACISTS THINGS CAUSE I HAD TO FEED MY FAMILY!!!
So Although I'm a liberal I HAPPEN TO BE BLACK and 72 years old.
Yeah, and obviously you can't imagine the possibility that there are many black people across America that listen to Rush and agree with him as much as I and don't find him Racist.
Maybe you should listen to his full show instead of listening to MMFA's 10 min blurb once a week. You'll feed better about Rush because he's not a racist.
He demonstrates absurdity by being absurd, and his 22 Million listeners (many of whom are black) understand that.
Proof, or did Rush tell you that black folks agree with him.
You still don't get it. We as African Americans are not a group or tribe. The are many black folks who listen to Rush and don't find him to be a racists (they think he's not talking about them) and that's OK. But there are other's like myself who speak for themselves and are willing to say I CONSIDER RUSH'S LANGUAGE HATEFUL AND I DON'T LIKE IT! You cannot accept those who like and tolerate his speech as the OK for his speech!.
Black people call into his show all the time. Again, listen to his show.
And, he IS talking about black people. Listen to his show.
LDoren, At 72 I LIVED RUSH no need to recreate the past!
Here, let me help you. Click this link and then click on the "Windows Media Player Button when Rush is on Tomorrow."
LDoren, Here let me help you! LIVE 72 years and get back to me!
I'm sure if a black man agrees with Rush he has no problem getting on the air. Just like Alen Keyes or Clarence Thomas, if an African American believes the Conservative ideology he is the poster boy of conservatives. I have a question to ask Rush and all the other conservatives. Aren't you part of the media? How can you bash the media when Conservatives make up a majority of the talkers, especially on radio.
Sure they do I remember when one of them did and he told him to take that bone out of his nose and call him back. Nothing racist there right?
"So because he's black, he must be liberal, poor, and stupid according to you?? You liberals don't see real bigotry when it comes out of your own mouths." LD
That nonsense came from you, not Pearlene.
And also one of his regular guest hosts is black.
Right, reminds me of the old saying if you ever want to roast an Irishman you can always find another Irishman to turn the spit
Pearlene,
I have no problem with MMFA highlighting racist remarks by Limbaugh or anyone else. In fact MMFA had a thread about this particular parody several weeks or so ago. I commented at the time that I found it [Barack the Magic Negro] to be in poor taste.
Limbaugh has been playing this parody for 2-3 months now, yet the Today Show & others are just getting around to covering it and/or voicing their outrage. Where have they been?? It's not out of the realm of possibilities to suggest MMFA is fanning the flames of this newly found firestorm.
I never said this is just a "joke", no biggie. Some parodies are funny, this one crossed the line...but that wasn't my point here. My post wasn't meant to be a commentary on whether the parody was offence or not.
My point was--> I simply find it interesting to watch how MMFA is operating behind the scenes here...and even out front by sending Waldman out to stir up a controversy where there was none..
Jeter, I have no beef with you. You are honest, thoughtful and funny when you post. If I gave any other impression, I'm sorry. I probably got caught up in the Daily/Col posting and responded.
Thanks Pearlene :-)
I'll buy you a wine cooler on Friday. And I'll even make popcorn.
**Val, if you're around...packie run on Friday! And don't forget Pearlene's wine!!**
Jeter :-)
You got a date.
Obama actually laughed the whole thing off as well. He didn't find it racist or offensive. He even admitted that he listens to Limbaugh's show every once in a while.
Rino, I was willing to let you comments go, you think you're funny BUT Obama said he didn't listen to Rush. You got proof, show me.
Sorry, it's on Rush's website but you have to be a premium member to access it. I'm not a premium member. In an interview with another conservative host Obama said that he hadn't listened to Rush "recently." This implied that he had listened to Rush before.
Rino "Sorry it's on Rush's site IS ENOUGH FOR ME TO NOT TAKE WHAT YOU SAY AS FACTS!
Pear,
I second what Sen Obama said. I was listening to that segment and Rush played the audiotape and Sen Obama said " I don't listen to Rush that often, but...", he then went on to say that that he understood being in the political arena that these types of things would happen (paradys and the sort).
Actually here is more of the interview:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2007/05/is_obama_offend.html
Hogprint, Why should I or do I have to find these PARADYS funny?
Are we living in Amos & Andy, Do people need to have examples of black people? Do we need minstrel to help "white folks" understand blunt racism?
Rino,
I heard that about Obama. The guy is obviously a good sport. Sharpton hasn't complained either as far as I know.
However, I can see how this particular parody might not be funny or in good taste to many African-Americans. I'll defer to their feelings on this topic because I, as a White man, can probably not fully understand how insulting this might be to them.
Now Rush also plays a parody called the Justice Brothers about Sharpton & Jackson that I find pretty funny & bet might even get a chuckle out of some Limbaugh's biggest detractors here.
Limbaugh did too write it - don't believe his garbage that someone else created it.
Not only did he help write it, he promoted it, and aired it.
He is responsible for the national publishing of that song and that is something no one should be guilty of - it's a really offense song. I grew up in the South during the 50's and 60's - I know offensive material when I see it, and that song comes from a racist, without a doubt.
I have spent a great deal of time listening to Rush - he tries to claim that his opponents don't listen to him. I listened to him almost every day at work. My job required that I be there at the beginning of the day shift and at the end of the day shift, and so I mostly relaxed during midday when he radio show aired, so for 15 years I heard him all the time.
The man is a racist and a serial distorter and revels in misleading his listeners!
Paul Shanklin wrote that parody, and he's done many others.
Google it.
I have done quite a bit of Limbaugh research, thank you just the same.
There is no doubt that Rush helped write that, and many other parodies. Just because another person's name is on that parody doesn't mean that Rush didn't have a hand in it. Rush helped write it, and aired it, and promoted it.
Shanklin wouldn't be anything without his association with Limbaugh since 1993. If you think that Limbaugh doesn't help him come up with topics to cover and 'lyrics' for those parodies, I got some really nice swampland to sell ya!
"he only used it to point out..."
Yes, he used it, out of context... then used it, and used it, and used it, and used it... to emphasize to his racially intolerant listeners that Barak Obama is, in fact a Negro. Or is it a Halfrican? Maybe we can "ax" Rush what he really meant?
Sounds to me like Rush is getting his Republican, fat a$$ chewed up by a watchdog group that accurately prints what he says and he's not liking it. What the matter, Rush? Can't take the heat? Try medication.
the IRONY of it is, the la times op ed used it in the context that mmfa is advocating against, yet there WAS NO MMFA ARTICLE ON THE OP ED PIECE UNTIL RUSH SAID IT!!! Rush used it in the context of "look if i keep using this just to point out hypocrisy, they're going to come after me even though I don't really mean it"
And weren't you just claiming this site was intellectually dishonest?
Op-Ed appears ( [link to www.latimes.com] ) Mar 19, 2007. Rush Limbaugh references the article on his show on March 19, 2007.
Both are referenced in a MMFA article on ([link to mediamatters.org] ) March 20, 2007, and both are referenced and quoted in full context.
So how is MMFA being dishonest by highlighting referenced items that happened on the same exact day together? How is it that MMFA never referenced the article until Rush made mention of it, when they happened on the same day?
Perhaps you, like Rush, enjoy making things up because it's easier than admitting you are wrong?
Again, great post....
this is why Rush made the song in the first place.
This is now becoming funny...Rush did it for WHAT reason? Why would he do it other than being an a**hole or for publicity. Another Rush JOKE backfires and diitoheads(yessireemen) just spit out what Mr. Limbaugh says.
In order to be fair, I am saying that Rush is a junkie...Rush THE Magic Oxy...I am sure that you understand that I am just saying that to get a response...but WHY?
Apparently you missed MMFA's original posting on it -
http://mediamatters.org/items/200703200012
From the transcripts,
"If I refer to Obama the rest of the day as the 'Magic Negro,' there will be a number of people in the drive-by media and on left-wing blogs who will credit me for coming up with it and ignore the L.A. Times did it, simply because they can't be critical of the L.A. Times, but they can, obviously, be critical of talk radio."
--
He qualified what he was about to do BEFOREHAND. But NBC didn't tell you that now did they? Of course not, because they are smear merchants. Also, MMFA didn't remind its readers of the above piece of transcript, which is why they take things out of context. I give credit to mmfa for including in the original, but still, it needs to be here too.
Please show us where MMFA is stating that Rush Limbaugh came up with it?
They're showcasing how he keeps referring to it, and how he promoted the hell out of the phrase on his show on numerous occasions.
Just because someone else came up with it first does not exonerate his behavior on the public airwaves.
The original L.A. Times piece, written by an Afrcan-American, rendered a not too flattering opinion regarding elements of white and black society, and was even critical of those responsible for the phrase "Magic Negro"... although "snarky" may well describe the L.A. Times article equally as well as the "20th Century sociologists" who coined the term. Obama's alleged "inauthenticity" and lack of "genuine" blackness were written with obvious sarcasm... those words were placed in quotation marks in the article, and the writer complains of similar stereotyping.
So Limbaugh says of his "parody" song: "It's a piece on Al Sharpton. It's not even a hit piece on Obama."
Limbaugh's "parody", in Sharpton voice, says repeatedly that the L.A. Times claimed Obama was not an "authentic " black person. That's incorrect... or at least out of context. The L.A. Times article never contended Obama was an "inauthentic" black person. It was critical of people who made that assertion.
If Limbaugh was attempting to convey that Sharpton believes Obama is not an "authentic" black person, why was it necessary to misrepresent what the L.A. Times article actually said. And if the "parody" was directed towards Sharpton then why the repeated use of the disparaging phrase "Magic Negro" regarding Obama as that was a separate issue in the article directed towards white people and had nothing to do with Obama's alleged "inauthenticity"? Why? Because it would have blown Rush's mindless, so-called "parody" and yet another opportunity to remind his listeners that Obama is black. Look at Limbaugh's history and it's hard to escape his obsession with race and the sly suggestion that members of the black race are inferior. I'm not buying Limbaugh's typically lame explanations. Limbaugh's problem is that he thinks he's too clever... and now, more often and more uncomfortably than he's accustomed to, he's being called out for his thinly-disguised, built in deniable, offensiveness. Limbaugh's a gutless, dishonest fraud. At least that crazy Michael Savage admits when he's going after people.
Thanks, Irony. I think the only ones who don't see the difference between the LA Times article and Rush's exploitation of it are those who didn't understand the article.I'm not sure if this group includes Rush, or if he's just playing dumb to sucker in his more gullible fans.
WHAT FACTS? Are there facts in a Obama the magic negro song? Rush makes personal attacks and by his own admission lies to his audience carrying water for policies so bad even the GOP couldnt make a case for them. He pulls BS out of his ass all the time making claims any reasonably bright ten year old would know is false. He claimed there were more native Americans alive today than when Columbus landed, that there is no such thing as an implied contract, he said Clinton was the first president this Century whose party controlled both houses of Congress, he is full of BS and attacks people. When there are some facts on the table we will discuss them troll.
Have you noticed this?
"Media Matters is critical of us, wah wah wah..."
From The Pillhead, the Savage Weiner, from Bull OhREALLY?, etc...
Rush:
"As I'm reading the transcript [of Scarborough Country]..."
Mere seconds later...
"When I comment on MSNBC... I watch it."
"he didnt make the song to be a racist"
Media Matters documented a long history of Limbaugh's blatant bigoted & sexist comments. Yet you claim you know he didn't call Obama a "magic Negro" to be racist? What about halfrican, what about take the bone out of your nose? Anyone who claims Rush is not a racist is afraid to look in the mirror and recognize their own racism. Non-racists wouldn't listen (thereby giving money) to someone who spews hate against minorities and women on general principles. If you listen to these types of people you are racist whether you admit it or not: it's called denial. You feel the need to defend him because it shows what you really are, i.e. if he's guilty then so are you.
By the way, why would Rush choose to parody this song even if the term "Magic Negro" originated elsewhere. I didn't orignate the term "N**ger" but that doesn't mean I am not racist when I use the term to describe african americans. That argument is weak. He wanted to use the term and now wants to blame the person who coined the term instead of accepting responsibility.
Apparently you missed MMFA's original posting on it -
http://mediamatters.org/items/200703200012
From the transcripts,
"If I refer to Obama the rest of the day as the 'Magic Negro,' there will be a number of people in the drive-by media and on left-wing blogs who will credit me for coming up with it and ignore the L.A. Times did it, simply because they can't be critical of the L.A. Times, but they can, obviously, be critical of talk radio."
Rush has made a series of racist and sexist remarks. This is just one more so your excuses for him have no weight. I don't understand how you people can excuse his pattern of behavior.
Just sad, truely sad.
The "Magic Negro" term was first proposed to explain and criticize a racist stereotype in many Hollywood films. The problem is that Rush uses the term in order to further his own racist agenda.
Is this the best argument that is taught in higher education today?? Just throw the term racist and end the debate??
Get the bone out of your nose, halfrican, Magic Nego. You are actually implying Rush is not a racist? If you don't think that's racist go up to the next african american you see and tell him to get the bone out his nose.
Anyone defending Rush is a racist as well.
yes, it is called logic. They even have courses in it. You could possibly find a remedial night class or something.
I remember reading an article where Spike Lee was adressing this. It was about roles like Micheal Duncan Clarke in the Green Mile and Will Smith in The Legend of Bagger Vance. I thought it made an interesting point though I wasnt convinced there was any real racism behind what he was talking about.
Right! And that is because Rush does not understand social criticism in the academic sense. He really does not seem able to comprehend the LA Times piece. He was unable to succeed in college and is resentful of anything associated with academia. He attacks education and educators all the time. It is horrifying that this man who has no insight, no understanding of culture, no respect for education bills himself as a "doctor of democracy," the leader of the Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies. I am sure that there is a substantial part of his audience -- sorry Colonel Kos -- that believes Limbaugh really has some academic/political science chops. Wake up, dittoheads! Limbaugh is an entertainer, not a journalist or a political scientist. He is a deejay who somehow figured out that there was an audience of sheeple that would "baaah" enthusiastically at his misogynistic, racist, jingoistic rhetoric. Of course there are those willing to ditto everything he says. There are people -- fortunately in the minority -- who really need to feel a sense of superiority over others on the basis of color, gender, religion, politicial affiliation. Sadly, a lot of these people seem to have a sort of sublimal fear that they can not compete in authentic measures of personal or professional accomplishment.
THIS IS WHY THE TODAY SHOW AND THE LIBERAL MEDIA IS LOSING VIEWERS.
RUSH READS A LIBERAL EDITORIALIST IN LA CALL BARACK THE MAGIC NEGRO, AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW ANYONE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.
SO HE JOKES ABOUT HOW IF HE DID IT, NOBODY WOULD TOLERATE IT.
THEN HE DOES IT, AND OMG, THEY DON'T TOLERATE IT.
NBC, ABC, CBS, AND PBS, DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT RUSH GETS 22 MILLION LISTENERS AND MOST OF THEM ALSO LISTEN TO NBC, ABC, CBS, AND PBS.
SO, WHEN RUSH LISTENERS SEE THAT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA DOES NOT RESEARCH ON A STORY, THEY STOP WATCHING.
LDoren, YOU CAN JOIN THE COL IN KISSING MY HAPPY BLACK A**
If the total of Rush was the "magic negro" that would be fine but it's not and unless you want to remove the rest of the bullsh** there are plenty of other reason to tag Rush.
That's not the mainstream media's story.
They were outraged at an ironic song about Al Sharpton not being authentically black, based upon an LA Times editorial that they didn't research.
I makes those people who listen to Rush and the Mainstream media ask the question, "Who does their research? It's not like Rush made this up out of thin air. He schtick is demonstrating absurdity by being absurd and nobody seems to listen to the full 3 hours to get it. They go to MMFA to get the 10 min blurb out of context and then report it."
LDoren, IT'S NOT FUNNY, THOUGHTFUL or INFORMATIVE!
Can Rush make thoughtful or informative comments WITHOUT using racists remarks? Will his audience not get his point if he doesn't us racists thoughtless remarks?
Racist remarks require that the person using them is a racist.
Again, all I ask is that you listen to one full show of Rush.
Once I thought Rush was a racist too, before I even heard his show.
Then I listen to one full show and didn't hear anything racist bigoted or homophobic. So...I listened more.
After a full-week I actually found him entertaining and funny. I gurantee you will too.
LDoren. You want me to listen to Rush, right?
You want me as a 72 year old African American to listen to Rush respond to a survey from Rutgers University of African American men who don't feel involved in government and Rush's response was "Why would that be? The government has taken care of them there whole lives".
You tell me how this was taken out of context, please.
The government has taken care of them there whole lives".
I wasn't take out of context.
He was stating that many black people have been told all their lives that they need leaders or the Government to put them on the right path and they are always let down.
As a result, many are disenfranchised by those who claim to be helping them.
If blacks need "Leaders" or the Gov't how come guilty white people aren't calling for the next Asian leader, or the next Jewish Leader or the next Irish Leader?
The truth is that Rush basically believes that all Americans have the potential to be exceptional. That they don't need the Gov't to help them.
But, if you go to places like NJ, Blacks have been told since they were two-years-old that the Democratic party is the party that is going to bring them equality, when nothing could be further from the truth.
LDoren, let me tell you what many black people have been told from SOMEONE WHO IS BLACK.
We have been told :
1. Do the right thing, We have been raised on the Bible Not the Dobson bible that teaches hate but the bible that say God created us all. Hell loves us ALL. Tell the truth and shame the devil.
2. Work hard and rely on your self. Be a leader not a follower. IF you follow you will run off the same cliff.
3. Treat people THE WAY you want to be treated.
4. We are ALL god's creatures.
Those are just a few but you get, hopefully what I'm saying.
Be a human being. Be decent kind and thoughtful of others. Try on a daily basis to do the right thing and ADMIT when you are wrong.
Pretty simple!
Listen for the full three hours?
Used to do that in the late nineties and he was so fond of saying that it takes a good six weeks to understand what he was doing. So I listened and he was still an idiot but I understood his deal was propaganda. Most folks don't, so you are to congratulated, since you aren't stupid, for wilfully allowing yourself to be propagandized.
Just the other day I was listening to an actual gentlemen, humorist and scholar on Air America; Thom Hartmann. His words really resonated with me the first two minutes I listened. That's when it hit me.
Rush needs six weeks to indoctrinate and propagandize you to make you a Ditto Head, but the truth that Progressive radio reveals takes about 30 seconds to set you free.
Exactly, cuz in 30 seconds they are free of all their listeners and go bankrupt.
Ever listened to Hartmann or Air America?
Actually Yes...in 2005 I listened to Air America for a full-two weeks.
I also haven't missed a Bill Maher Show since 2000.
LDoren, I have NEVER missed Bill, so I guess we have Bill.
Listen, I cannot and won't listen to Rush, You cannot or won;t explain the comments he makes on air. You pick and choose those that you want to respond to and ignore the others. I can;'t do that. Since Rush is talking about "black folks" he gets my attention. Maybe you can substitute "white folks", trailer trash" and "cracker" in the place of "black folks" and see if it bothers you.
Well, it is your loss I guess....
Loss, I think not. It's my gain because it allows me NOT TO BE PISSED OFF AT ANOTHER STUPID OLD, DRUG USEING OLD WHITE MAN!
Well, he's only 55 and you'd be less angry if you listen to him is all I'm saying.
He's not racist, he's not a bigot, he's not a homophobe...you'd like him.
Ldoren, we disagree :-)
Good talking to you : }
LDoren, Please, please tell me how I misinterpreted or misunderstood Rush's comment.
Was he being funny? I was told by some who post here that he is a comedian.
Please explain how entertaining this was. Please explain.
I'll respond to each...the Al Sharpton song was funny. Read the lyrics... it is based on an LA Time Editorial that Rush was amazed was published in a mainstream paper. It is not meant to offend. It is meant to illunstrate absurdity by being absurd.
The Rutgers statement I already reasponded to.
Toy did , when?
NO THEY DON'T that proposition is ludicrous on the face of it. When Rush told that caller to take the bone out of his nose that was racist pure and simple. Rush has a history of racist nonsense pure and simple. Whether or not he is truly racist I dont know or CARE. He needs to be called on his continued racist commentary
"Racist remarks require that the person using them is a racist." --ldoren
Great example of cyclical logic.
Ldorean,
Boy I missed the discussion again, this working thing really gets in the way sometimes (smile). I'm not understanding you're argument that you can say racist things (and Rush says them often) but not be a racist. Why would a non-racist want to say racist things? Or maybe you're definition of racist differs frim mine and I'm pretty sure that's the case. Apparently guys like you think that short of actually stringing up a Black guy pretty much deems you not a racist. By the way I made an attempt and I listened to Rush's show on a drive back from DC to Baltimore. Anyone familiar with the DC-BALto beltways knows that was a pretty long drive. I wanted to see (hear) for myself. I think Rush is Republican propagandist pure and simple. He is also a bigoted and dishonest man. That is my honest assessment of this man. I'll never ever listen to the man's show again.
Bill Maher does it all the time, it is called satire.
You are of course welcome to your opinion. I don't buy it. If it is indeed "satire", Rush needs to be a little more convincing about it.
I didnt make up the term trailer trash either but if I made up a song like Queen of the trailer trash sung to the tune of King of the Road then told people I was taking Roger Miller to task for his bigotry I wouldnt fool anyone. It wouldnt be a REAL excuse for perpetrating a cruel stereotype. There MIGHT be liberals that would flock to my defense out of ideological loyalty like you guys are doing for Rush but I am not certain they would
They DO notice that Rush gets all those listeners. The corporate world is full of lists of revenues and people who study them. They also never research any news stories, cause they're pure propagandists. Journalism isn't the mission, PR is. Corporatism.
Okay, well, it's not like PBS is any better.
Other than the Wall-Mart Story on PBS, name 2 Cosumer Reporting stories on PBS........Corporate Media is much more critical of Corporations than PBS....ironic isn't it.
Moreover, PBS doesn't do much more than Rush does anyway.
Rush's entire show is him reading stories from the NY Times, or LA Times or other Newspapers. He even quotes PBS, NPR, the Nation.
PBS doesn't acheive what you socialists hope it would. Privately owned media is the best that we got.
Ldoren, you told me Rush was "funny and entertaining". If he takes his stories and comments from the NY & LA Times, I can listen and read.
I have asked from the people who listen to Rush "What makes him sooooooooo funnnnny!
Tell me, please tell me What makes Rush funny??????????
He is funny if you listen to his show.
He states verbatim Liberal talking points to demonstrate how absurd they are. His entire show is based on making fun of what the media already puts out.
He talks for about 10-15 hours a week and MMFA posts a 10 sec. blog. If he wasn't funny, he wouldn't have 22 Million listeners...listening to political talk is not going to attract 22 Million listeners.
In essense, Rush is MMFA with a sense of humor.
"Rush is MMFA with a sense of humor..."
No... Rush Limbaugh is Andy Kaufman with a serious drug addiction.
Sorry LDoren that doesn't make him funny it makes those who listen funny. Funny as in missing the point or missing a few short of a full deck. Not funny as in ha ha but those you feel sorry for.
There's plenty of good socialism on line out here. Two very good liberal channels on sat tv, with no government interference by PBS. Good old liberal media, created by association) in a spirit of the communal corporate interest, totally libertarian in funding, yet without commercials. Liberal media is a bit more varied in scope than the mainstream.
We got the best seats in the political house, too. We socialistas know exactly what's going down. Want politics? We get behind-the-scene insight while mainstream muppets are selling the official line. Like wars? Did you know that the Gulf War nor Chechnya or Kosovo was not the largest conflict of the 1990's. It was the Ethiopia-Eritrean war. 3 years and some 6 million men mobilized. The muppets never even knew it happened.
That's the power of liberal media. More diverse and in-depth information. The viewer becomes more informed, way more than from the "mainstream" propaganda stations. Liberal media isn't there to sell you a cola, a hamburger, and a car. It's the real deal, it's journalism.
I can't speak for other liberals but I listen to NPR and use the internet. I don't watch tv or have cable. There is a huge progressive presence online.
When you throw out the fact that tv shows are losing viewers that is happenning across the board as more and more people use the internet for information that's why the newspapers are losing readers as well.
Basically your point doesn't actually have one. I never listened to air america cuz NPR is awesome and most NPR listeners are moderate or to the left.
It is so easy for Rush to wind you guys up like chatty Kathy dolls to just carry whatever ludicrous water he wants you to carry. This transparent tactic he uses as cover for another installment of his racist diatribes would fool NO ONE that doesnt want to be fooled or has at least a room temperature IQ. I dont care what he SAID he was going to do before he let out another in his long string of racist commentary. Its transparent cover. Its him PRETENDING and not very convincingly that he is manipulating the media in one way as an attempt to manipulate them in the opposite direction. We arent that gullible its a shame you are.
RUSH READS A LIBERAL EDITORIALIST IN LA CALL BARACK THE MAGIC NEGRO, AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW ANYONE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT
Translation- Rush and his dittoheads don't understand the context or meaning of the article. They're too blinded by jealousy in what the misinterpret as somebody else "getting away" with making racist comments that they wish they could get away with..
The meaning that Barack isn't authentic?? The Editorialist basically said that Barack didn't have street cred like Al Sharpton, that he makes guilty whites feel good about voting for a black man. So Rush made a song about it.
YOU ARE SO FULL OF IT. WHAT RUSH DOES IS MAKE A PRE-EMPTIVE EXCUSE FOR MORE OF HIS RACIST COMMENTARY AND GULLIBLE PEOPLE LIKE YOU REPEAT IT AS IF IT MADE SENSE.
Then the best we got is pretty sad.
What were the socialist expectations regarding PBS?
Whens the last time you saw anything critical of nbc's owners on nbc?
I really can't even begin to express my disagreement with your comparison of what Rush gives you versis PBS. If you can't see the difference, I have a great deal of trouble giving you any credibility at all.
What were the socialist expectations regarding PBS?
- The Socialist goal was that PBS would be owned by the collective (a.k.a paid by taxpayers) and therefore it would be objective becase it would not have any corporate ownership. This hasn't happened. It has simply put out information that is not meant to offend anyone even if it is true. There was just recently a documentary about Moderate Muslims that was taken off the PBS line-up because it might offend some people.
Whens the last time you saw anything critical of nbc's owners on nbc?
-Never. NBC will never blast GE. But, CBS, ABC, FOX, and Consumer Reports will. Just because it is owned by a corporation doesn't mean it is pro-corporation, it is pro its own company. I say so what, there are enough outlets where if Disney, Viacom, or GM screws up, the other networks or the Internet will blast them. I'd rather have that that a Gov't run media.
And Rush is different from PBS, he is open and honest about where he stands on every issue, and you know if you tune into his show that you are going to get a right-wing slant.
I don't know what makes you think PBS is owned by the tax payers. NPR & PBS are mainly funded by their donors, like me. Why would PBS and NPR change their programming for people who don't watch, listen or donate? They respond to donor feedback your opinion is irrelevent unless you actually watch listen and DONATE.
And let's not forget that NPR & PBS offer a huge array of programming: art, theater, history, science and let's not forget Sesame Street and other valuable children's programming.
The fact that you don't see PBS & NPR for the great achievement that they are is just so sad, because it is you who are missing out.
I would go so far as to say is is down right unpatriotic to want to destroy PBS & NPR. Sesame Street and other shows are as american as apple pie.
If your response is to say "well i just want them to present the right wing side more" then start donating and get involved in your area. If their donators complained about the programming they would change it, but to expect them to change it based on the opinions of people who don't watch enough to donate is crazy they would lose their real donors whose support they depend on to stay on the air.
http://www.aim.org/special_report/A3782_0_8_0_C/
Read this article. It is the case for defunding PBS, over half-a-billion in taxpayer dollars goes to PBS. Moreover, PBS is scewed to the upper-class viewers. So, in essense, it is a regressive tax.
Your link was hilarious written by a right wing hack media matters has featured before: http://mediamatters.org/items/200512100001
As to your comment "PBS is scewed to the upper-class viewers" I think what you meant to say was intellectual viewers. If you don't know how great PBS & NPR are then you obviously don't fall in that category that's why you have Rush & his ilk to tell you what to think.
No, it is well-known that PBS has the highest percentage of wealthy viewers.
So I would think that in order to gain wealth, it would be wise to watch PBS. Good point. PBS makes people wealthy and is free to everyone. And you want to shut it down?
Eweston posted:
"Whens the last time you saw anything critical of nbc's owners on nbc?"
______________________________________
Imus did it all the time. Look where it got him! Maybe he stepped on one too many toes...
quite possible, he's been replaced by someone more reliably conservative. We won what again here?
Imus did it all the time. Look where it got him! Maybe he stepped on one too many toes...
It wasn't "too many toes"...it was "nappy hoes". Maybe you weren't paying very good attention.
; )
Keith Olberman is correct...
Once again, Limbaugh demonstrates that Keith Olberman's description of him as a "comedian'' is right on target. While I thought the L.A. Times article was too snarky in tone and I disagreed with some of the writer's conclusions I thought the article raised some serious points. Rush Limbaugh could have legitmately raised the issue that a black guy can get away with using the perjorative term "Magic Negro" and made a serious point without resorting to sophomoric attempts at humor that smacked of racism. But Limbaugh blew it in his his typically self-absorbed way, again demonstrating that Limbaugh is not a person to be taken seriously... he's an oafish comedian, struggling for relevancy. And just like Bill O'Reilly, Limbaugh's show is increasingly about... well, Rush Limbaugh. It's not about news or politics so much as it is about Rush Limbaugh. Just like O'Reilly's show, Limbaugh's is becoming more and more like a reality series: "Listen to Rush foolishly draw attention to himself as he attacks his enemies." I think Limbaugh's days are numbered... not immediately, maybe, but people are going to tire of his self-absorption and bail out. Even fans of comedian, Lenny Bruce, got tired of him. And wasn't Lenny Bruce also a drug addict...?
Wow, some of the comments on here are pretty f'ing stupid. Black people listen to Rush Limbaugh? I'm sure they do. All two of them.
Rush is nothing but a chump. You will never see this chicken be interviewed on network tv again after David Letterman told him he was full of hot gas. I can't imagine why people listen to this moron.
Actually, he has over 1 Million, which is more than the total number of people who watch CNN.
Ldoren, I'm tired.
I don't have the stamina to continue TODAY but I will not go away. HOW MANY BLACK FOLKS LISTEN TO RUSH? TAKE A SURVEY AND POST THE NUMBERS!!!!!! Otherwise quote facts!
It's just sad to know there are 1 million people who listen to an overweight old white guy whine spew racist sexist hate.
But on the bright side 300 million people live in the US so basically Rush is just feeding off the bottom of the gene pool.
Rush does one thing well and that is irritation. He knows exactly how to get under you skin and make you throw things at your radio. He doesn't care if you agree with him or not just as long as you listen and buy the advertised products that keep him livin' large like he does. He works hard at irritation and without Democrats he would have to pack it up and go back to spinning records for truckers. His loyal listeners believe anything he says and everybody else can't stand him, he even looks irritating. Talk about a face for radio. I wish people would stop giving him free advertisment and maybe if we ignore him he will go away. Oh, by the way I'm not a Liberal or a Conservative I am an insignificant citizen of the United States.
"I'm not a Liberal or a Conservative..."
Sorry, I tried that too and it didn't work... In bizarro, right wing Bushland if you are not a right wing extremist, Rush Limbaugh ditto-head, Sean Hannity American, or Bill O'Reilly warrior, then you are considered a left wing liberal... liberal in a bad sense, that is.
Irony, I was tired but you made me :-) Night
Rush,the magic bimbo doesn't do debate. Because he knows that he'd get his gigantic tail kicked.
One thing that bothers me is the repeated assumption in this piece that there was no outrage about what was stated, and that it took 2 months for the media to even comment on it.
I would challenge Dan Abrams and Rush to maybe look into the Black Media before stating so. I have personally spoken to Joe Madison (also known as the "Black Eagle") on his morning call-in show expressing how horrified I was to hear such a racist song over a month ago. In fact, it was the topic of several shows on the Radio One network-which simulcasts on XM radio as channel 169 The Power. It was also picked up in Jet and other newspapers and magazines that service the Black Community over the past few months. And yes, a lot of people who listen and read about it did in fact complain-just as we did with Imus. Strange though that it is not considered to be a Big deal because
A: the persons denigrated were both public entities and
B: Rush has done so in the past and be should be given a pass, especially when the targets have decided not to protest it.
I wonder why this insulting parody took 2 months before anyone took notice by the so called mainstream media? Perhaps because the "liberal media" as Rush and Hannity routinely call it-doesn't really exist at all.
You're presuming that those entities even care about what is being discussed in the Black community. The only time they do is when they can conveniently complain about people like Sharpton or Jesse opening their mouths about an issue - and by extension making the presumption that they speak for the Black community as a whole. I take it that the only way any community has any kind of voice in this society is when they can have some sort of economic influence (the whole market forces bullcrap argument). Social responsibility should not be dependent on having an "economic" voice.
Eh, what do i know, i'm just a pie in the sky foaming at the mouth bush-hating lefty - easily dismissed.
(And i guess due to the work that i do, i'd be a "magic negro" too (sarcastic snark))
I think one of the funniest and yet most disturbing trends in American political culture is the idea that Rush Limbaugh is a legitimate political commentator. Funny ‘cause it ain’t true, disturbing because so many people think it is, and vote accordingly. As far as I can tell, Rush is just not qualified to comment on anything. Rush has absolutely no first hand experience in government, science, law, journalism, business or anything else he talks about. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. He is a college dropout, and even then it’s not as if his is akin to Bill Gates and dropped out of Harvard; try Southeast Missouri State. He has never held a real job at any news organization, corporation, public office, or academic institution. He is NOT an authority on ANYTHING. He is an entertainer. I’ll admit he’s good at it, he’s very entertaining, but that’s it. That’s all he ever was, which means his opinions carry no more weight than those of other entertainers, say, David Copperfield or Alf. Would you mold your political ideology around what Alf says? Would you spend too much time arguing with him? To me, it is utterly amazing that Rush has even gained the prominence necessary to piss off this many people, this much, this often; he is simply not qualified to do so. Might as well give the #1 politically conservative talk show to Carrot Top.
MY MY THERE ARE SOME SIMPLTON RIGHTWINGERS ON THIS SITE.
RUSH WOULD SOUND ABOUT AS INTELLIGENT IN A DEBATE WITH
SCARBORUOGH......COME ON RUSH EXCEPT THE INVITE
"The hack is presented as an expert. The Media Matters guy is an all-knowing expert. Nobody's ever heard of him; he's never accomplished anything. He's just a hack working for a front group for the Democrat [sic] Party, and they know this, yet they continue to do this."
you're a bit of a hack yourself there, Rushy, and that doesn't stop anyone from having you as a guest...
Ldoren claims in one post that the magic bimbo has 1 million listeners, and in another post that he has 22 million listeners. Pretty much showcases the confusion of the average dittoclone.
magma,
It's at least 22 million people tune into listen to Rush weekly. Whatever the number, it was a least a dozen or two more than Air America ever got.
It isn't 22 million. It has actually dropped off quite a bit to 13.5 million cumulative. And those are cumulative numbers. That means many of those listeners are triple, quadruple or quintuple counted.
The cumulative number is used in reference to advertising sales and should not really be used as an actual accurate number of listeners in a week.
Yeah, I heard Hitlers speeches were real popular too. American Idol out draws Shakespear every time doesnt mean its better.
The words of Eherenstein himself were to address the issue and open the discussion about Obama's role as a 'magic negro' in liberal politics. In the other article today on this website, Preston_P, made a great set of points from the perspective of an american of black african descent. He looks at Obama as more of an experience of americans of european roots regarding assimilation and opposition to the poor leadership of Sharpton and Jackson. He ,and I, think it is up to the left to see if he is a viable candidate, socailist enough to win the nomination and not focus on race as the issue first and foremost. Conversely, the right would have no qualms about conservatives like Condi Rice, Michael Steele or J.C. Watts because we look at the values of conservatism rather than define someone by color.
But I must admit, I love all the leftist blowharding about Rush. His parody has continued to hit where it hurts. Sharpton, Jackson and Obama have not pursued this because they realize that they have no basis for attacking this, its a parody of them and/or their past shenanighans. So keep it up Media Matters (Little), Rush's ratings are up and as long as an inept media flounders, we are truly entertained.
"Conversely, the right would have no qualms about conservatives like Condi Rice, Michael Steele or J.C. Watts because we look at the values of conservatism rather than define someone by color."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yeah right. With the dissatisfaction I hear conservatives have with their current bunch of "let's bomb the Middle East to hell" presidential candidates maybe you guys could beseech qualified conservatives like the aforementioned ones to run for president on the Republican ticket. That would sure stir up the sizable racist constituency in the Republican Party. I for one would love to see Steele, Watts, or Rice run. That certainly would be a proud moment in US history.Way to enlarge the font LYNN!
If people are upset with this administration from the conservative perspective, it's because they have not been conservative enough. I despise the immigration bill, the spending by the previous congress, and the list goes on. Its about values, conservative values, unless you are a leftist, then color is an important value and any way you try and shape it, that is a position that makes it impossible for 'to judge a man on character alone'.
STill trying to read liberal minds without obtaining one of your own. Let me try. Values are what liberals always look for. Ignorance, blind obedience to power, warmongering hatred and getting as many Americans killed as possible is what rightwingnuts look for
When Brock first started his site here, being a fan of Rush, I thanked him for Rush, suspecting that the result of pointing out supposedly outrageous things said by someone is just going to make people want to tune in and see (hear) for themselves. And when they do, what they hear won't match the picture painted by Mr. political chameleon.
I don't know this for sure, but I suspect that is the truth. I just know that this would be my personal inclination, and I think it's pretty much common sense. When you see a headline that's controversial, and in the story there's a link to the actual source of the controversy, (youtube video or whatever) you're pretty anxious to go there and see and judge for yourself.
MM provides reasonably complete coverage of a comment or episode, and it comes off as pretty comprehensive. But as most would agree, a snapshot or a brief little movie of themselves is not what they would like others to use to make a judgement about them.
Here's the thing. People don't survive and thrive and steadily grow audience for 15 yrs being a racist. General Motors doesn't contract with you for advertising if you're a racist. Neither would any of the countless other companies that have advertised on his show, or even had their products personally endorsed on the air. It simply wouldn't make any business sense.
I've heard countless black individuals call in, and never have I heard anything that could properly be described as racism. Unless of course one considers that pointing out how certain liberal policies are actually counter-productive for minorities is racist. Actually, I think it's accurate to say that indeed this does qualify as racism in many people's minds.
If one can't discuss such things without being labeled racist, it's really got to make one wonder just who's looking out for who, and just who doesn't want who to hear and realize what.
Finally, I would suggest actually listening to Rush complete and in context, or anybody right or left, instead of trusting the folks at Media Matters or even Newsbusters on the right to give you an accurate account of where someone is really coming from. Isn't that what's really important, or is it really just to get people to write letters to stations and try to get certain people off the air or intimidate them into staying inside of certain boundaries?
It's very easy now to listen to anyone, conservative or not, on the Internet at almost any time. I get the feeling that Media Matters doesn't really want you to, however. They don't link to Rush's site, or places like this:
[link to streamingradioguide.com]
Nice try but telling a caller to take that bone out of his nose, the comment about Donovan McNabb and many other jibes Limbaugh spews are RACIST despite all your appologies and obfuscations. THOSE are facts inferrences.
You provide an excellent illustration of my point. Thank you.
Ironically, the eavesdroppers working in the bowels of Media Matters are no doubt perfectly aware of Rush's true nature and the context of his comments.
[link to streamingradioguide.com]
Only the magic bimbo claims to have 22 million listeners. Talk magazine says it's more like 13 million And considering that in a lot of areas, one can pick up his show on 10-15 different stations, that 13 million number is most likely grossly exaggerated. At least I hope so. It's a little scary to think that there are 13 million people in this country that are that stupid.