Hour 3: Limbaugh on AIG death threats: "deranged leftists" that "hate capitalists"
This
hour of the Limbaugh Wire brought to you by the deranged leftists from the
Democratic blogs
By Simon Maloy
Top of the final hour, Rush, done impugning the intelligence of people in danger of losing their lives, returned to smearing Barney Frank as a "McCarthyite" and saying the "Politburo" want the names of AIG bonus recipients. From there he played audio of Obama from the January 15, 2008, Democratic primary debate saying: "Well, I think what I was describing was how I view the presidency. Now, being president is not making sure that schedules are being run properly or the paperwork is being shuffled effectively." Rush called Obama's description of an operating officer "ignorant" and "shallow," adding for good measure that Obama's policies are "anti-capitalism." This was capped off by some general ranting about "Ivy League" intellectuals like Geithner and Obama who have "contempt" for anyone who didn't go to Ivy League schools.
After the break, Rush offered his views on yet another "hilarious" story. This one wasn't about explorers imperiled by the elements, but rather about Jay Leno's upcoming free show for the unemployed in Detroit. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, Leno asked that eBay ban the sales of tickets to his show, saying: "There is nothing for sale here." First, Rush mocked Leno for putting on this benefit in the first place, saying: "I'm sure you showing up doing a comedy show is going to help people put food on the table. I'm sure it's really going to inspire people to go out and get a job." But Rush was also offended by Leno asking that the tickets be taken off eBay, accusing Leno of stifling the "free market" and "entrepreneurship," and saying that Leno is taking food out of the mouths of Detroit's unemployed.
Another break, and Rush was back to mocking Leno, announcing that he was offering tomorrow's broadcast for free. Call it "free" all you want, but we certainly feel like we're paying a price.
Rush then aired some sound bites from the House Finance Committee's hearing with AIG CEO Edward Liddy. This could have been a time to offer some reasoned criticism of the government's role in the AIG bailout, but instead Rush spent most of the segment spitting and sputtering into the microphone as he mocked Barney Frank. At one point, he played a clip of Liddy explaining that AIG employees who received bonuses had become the target of death threats. According to Rush: "I'm sure these are deranged leftists from the Democrat blogs and so fourth. Well, they're the ones that hate capitalists."
That left Rush to wrap up today's show with a plug for one of his advertisers and a final message for Jay Leno -- Rush loves him, but he's stripping people of their dignity.
That's it for today's Limbaugh Wire. We'll see you tomorrow. Be sure to check out the latest from Media Matters' Limbaugh surveillance program.
Highlights from Hour 3
Outrageous comments
LIMBAUGH: You want to hear something that I find hilarious and a little funny? It's about "The Chin," the star of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno. Jay Leno announced on his program Monday night that he's going to - I think it was Monday night. I've got the Detroit Free Press here. Yes, on Monday night's Tonight Show, "The Chin" said that he loves Detroit, and he's going to go up there and he's going to do a show for the unemployed. In fact, you don't even have to be unemployed. You just have to be having hard times.
Jay, that's really great. That is fabulous. I'm sure you showing up doing a comedy show is going to help people put food on the table. I'm sure it's really going to inspire people to go out and get a job. If you're going to go out there, do a show for the unemployed -- great intentions, what a great guy, Jay Leno -- accomplishment: zero.
However, what's really funny about this, he was giving the tickets away. The tickets are free. Some people decided - they got tickets, and then they put them on eBay to sell them for like 200 bucks a piece -- four tickets, 800 bucks, or 800 bucks for a ticket. I don't know what the price was.
I scanned this story very hurriedly. It's either 200 or 400 bucks for a ticket or 800 bucks, and Leno heard about this. Leno heard that his free tickets to help the unemployed in Detroit were being sold and he threw a fit. He said, "I'm not worth 800 bucks." Right? But he also said, "I don't want this. This is a free show. Nobody should be profiting off this."
Jay, old buddy, old pal, you understand that you're doing a free concert for the unemployed, so some people who are unemployed end up getting tickets to your show and they wanted the money rather than to see you.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: OK, so Liddy says that -- did you hear the threats that he's receiving? From -- I'm sure these are deranged leftists from the Democrat blogs and so fourth. Well, they're the ones that hate capitalists.
'I don't know what the price was... I scanned the story hurriedly' That, in a nutshell, is the extent of Rush's knowledge about anything.
This was capped off by some general ranting about "Ivy League" intellectuals like Geithner and Obama who have "contempt" for anyone who didn't go to Ivy League schools.
El Rushbo, being a college dropout, appears to have contempt for anyone who actually earned a degree.....
Class envy
It’s obvious that Limbaugh has Ivy League envy for those who went to an Ivy League school.
Is there a way to present Limbaugh's national sponsors, listed in each days surveillance report?
Pleeeeeeze . . .
Pretty pretty PLEEEEZE
Part III covers the third hour, correct? Mr. Maloy condensed approximately 40 minutes of Lumpy air time into about 5 minutes. What happened the other 30+ minutes? I assume because there was nothing written that what may have been said may actually have been worth listening to.
I hope Maloy's getting paid enough to listen to this guy. Or he's got a lot of 'ludes ! I hope it's not intern abuse !
Maloy should take a look at the rest of the sight and see how a proper debunking is done. A summary of the whole show, with just 2 or 3 links thoughout and very little argument against is an ineffecive way to counter this pimple on the backside of America. I'm sorry, these pieces are crap. And just about everything else this site does is GOLD IMHO. But these L-Wire pieces are rarely any less intellectually lazy that Limabugh's own show - put up a quote, and have your audience laugh at it and say "What a kook." MMFA can do, and always has done, better than that.
Fat, trimmed away. If 40 minutes was condensed into five, it's pretty obvious that he must have repeated himself eight times.
Commercials.
I am so happy that MMFA is continuing it surveillance of the dangerous lunatic Limbaugh. His lies and stupidity must be refuted instantly, before they have a chance to infect the wider public.
I'm as puzzled as anyone about the teleprompter fixation. Obama went through a long campaign without many gaffes. He showed himself to be very fast on his feet when the pressure was put on him. I don't think Rush can sell this teleprompter nonsense to anybody who watched the election.
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I am so happy that MMFA is continuing it surveillance of the dangerous lunatic Limbaugh. His lies and stupidity must be refuted instantly, before they have a chance to infect the wider public."
THis, to me, sounds like the "politbureau" that you so decry rush calling it. "stamp it out before it spreads".. the public is too dumb to think for themselves so we have to make sure they know what to think and that's what we tell them"... yeah..right..screw the first amendment. so what if there are leftist celebrity nuts like Maher who spew their anti-religion views in the vilest of condescending ways. Hypocrits one all you are.
Are you kidding me?! To refute his BS is also exercising our 1st amendment right--so, who's being the hypocrite?
If you were smart enough to think for yourself, you would check into Limbaugh's lies, and speak out against the liar too. After all, he's your party leader, and he's playing you for a fool.
If you are unhappy with Bill Maher, feel free to speak out about him--it's your 1st amendment right. The problem with your rant is that one thing has nothing to do with the other. This thread is about Limbaugh--leader of Republican party.
The Rick
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, Limbaugh is a fat lying, drug addicted, draft dodging, 3 times divorced, bigoted college drop out, and suspected pedophile!
Nice choice for the leader of the "Family Values" party.
The difference between Limbaugh and Maher is that people watch Maher to be entertained...to laugh. Limbaugh's dittoheads listen to him for information. Ever notice how many of Limbaugh's dittohead callers thank him for "educating" them? The problem is that Limbaugh does not educate...he propagandizes with bloviation, hatred and lies. Exposing Limbaugh's lies is not a suppression of free speech by any stretch.
No it's not. Limbaugh is scum. But these Limbaugh-Wire pieces of late are utterly ineffective in demonstrating how he "propagandizes with bloviation, hatred and lies." (Remember MMFA does not have to convince liberals - they have to win over moderates and open the minds a little of even a few conservatives to be successful in their mission.)
MMFA should go back to debunking these things one at a time, using the same process they use with all media items.
The "L-Wire" pieces are lazy, poorly argumented, poorly suppoprted crap, compared to the rest of the work done on this site. MMFA is demeaning itself with this garbage.
NiceguyEddie, I believe you really are a nice guy. But I respectfully dissent. The Limbaugh Wire, I believe, is not meant to be a logical and/or scholarly refutation of Limbaugh's rants. I think it is merely intended to keep us all updated on R.L.'s day-to-day take on issues, thereby sparing us the genuine pain of actually having to endure three daily hours of soul-killing swill, well larded with performance-enhancement-drug commercials. Who has time? But it is important to be informed on the latest lines coming from Rushbo, because an appalling number of people in and out of government treat them as gospel. Hence the convenience of the Limbaugh Wire. Thanks, Media Matters.
You are correct. You have described the content and purpose of the "Limbugh Wire" pieces perfectly. You've also spelled out my exact complaint with them: that it "is not meant to be a logical and/or scholarly refutation of Limbaugh's rants."
Yet, MMFA has done countless pieces - probably more on him than any other individual (though O'Rielly and Hannity come close) - which are EXACTLY THAT - logical and scholarly refutations of Limbaugh's rants. THESE are QUALITY pieces that even the conservative postes here have trouble punching holes in. They are the kidns of things that can open the minds of any objective moderate or moderate conservative.
The only thing the "Limbaugh Wire" does is preach to the choir. YOu say "it's important to be informed on the latest lines coming from Rushbo, because an appalling number of people in and out of government treat them as gospel." But that's EXACTLY why it's far from suffiecient to merely be infomred opf what he's saying - we need to know why it's wrong! We need to know where to find the evidence to refute! We need air-tight argument to clober the con's with. And THIS is the incredibly valuable service that MMFA has done, with the exception of these pieces.
I love the focus on Rush, but I think that logical and scholarly refutations of Limbaugh's rants go farther to eductaing the general public - through US assuming that many of them won't read MMFA - about what a liar this assbag is.
As for why I can't be bothered to do that research myself? Same reason we don't watch the show: Who has time? That why MMFA was such an invaluable resopurce. This section weakens the over all effectiveness.
(And while I may or may not be a "Nice Guy" (Although I generally try to be!) I would prefer to be thought of as a liberal who's not afraid to throw a few elbows - One who's "man cred" can not be put in doubt simply because he's got half a brain. I hope that I debate with reason and logic, but at the same time I'm still willing to drop the occasional rhetorical sledgehammer on the truly clueless. BTW - "Niceguy Eddie" was Eddie Cabot - the cop-killing son of jewel thief and mob-boss Joe Cabot in Resevoir Dogs. Just FYI.) ;)
I think we are closer to being on the same page than not. I agree, serious research and scholarly refutation would be preferable. I think what hampers the achievement of that ideal is the "real-time" quality of the Limbaugh Wire. It would be tough to get the citations of documents, congressional transcripts, etc. out there while the show is in progress, I think. But your point is well taken. Maybe an end-of-day Rush analysis posted after the show is over and saner heads have taken his purported arguments apart and exposed his phony "facts," would be something to consider alongside the blow-by-blow description. I'm embarrassed to admit, though, that the Limbaugh Wire in its current form is a guilty pleasure of mine.
(So, the original "Niceguy Eddie" wasn't such a nice guy after all. Oh well, you yourself do debate with reason and logic, not bullets. From what I've seen, you fight hard, but you fight fair. Can't say that for all the posters, but on the internet, what else is new?)
Dee - as alwasy you have a singularly interesting interpretation of the 1st ammendmant. It's almost scary how distorted your vision of "freedom" is.
But, these L-wire do a poor job of debunking Limbaugh. I wish MMFA would just go after him with the same process the debunk ALL conservite misinformation with. The pieces are intellectually lazy crap. They are "preaching to choir" pieces and MMFA has always been better than that.
The L-Wire pieces brings down the overall quality of their work.
Poor, poor dee, rush is such a victim, isn't he?
Oh, btw, looks like the ringleaders who really did what rush claims were once again reichwingers. tsk tsk!
Conservatives Suggest Torture Tactics For AIG Execs: ‘Exemplary Hanging,’ Guillotine Party, ‘Boiling In Oil’
if capitalists = incompetent people who run their businesses to ground then blackmail the government to stay afloat and then make out like bandits on their bonuses, sure everyone better be a deranged leftist
Limbaugh, a demented right-wing hack who hates America.
MMFA - Just my opinion here, but this "Limbaugh Wire" stuff is not only lame reading, but it undermines the argument that I've made many times on your behalf that "What MMFA does is take specific items, alwasy with a complete trascript and/or link to actual video, and then demonstrate, using cited references, why that item is demonstablry false, or so one-sidedly misleading as to be intellectually dishnost as best."
These "Limbaugh Wire" posts are little more than poorly-supported whine-fests. They're exactly the kind of thing that [a ditto-head] would call a "smear." While they'd certainly be exaggerating, it would be hard to prove that he was WRONG. They're all OPINION, with few (and far between) supporting FACTS. (Which is really unlike you!)
We all know that Rush is a kook - that's why we're here. But these posts read like a liberal mirror of his show: Pick out a few isolated quotes and then just make fun of them. I sincerely hope that you will go back to debunking these things one at a time, with the thought, research and supporting references that your readers have come to expect and which have made you a legitimate force for the liberal voice and one of the stongest media critics on the web.
I read this just about sight every day, and am a regular commenter. It is one of my favorite places on the web and the columns/county fair are every bit as well-written, well-supported, thought-provoking and informative as your regular media pieces are, often more so. But compared to the rest of your work, these "Limbaugh Wire" pieces are just purile invective.
(Now every liberal poster can feel free to flame me, while every conservative says "What else is new?") :)
So, wheres the correction against LW insisting that Dodd had nothing to do with the AIG bonus loophole, now that he has admitted to being its creator?
That's a bit misleading, dude.
Why don't YOU tell US? It's probably on one of the RW sites you read.
I would bet my last dollar that most of the death threats were from right wing nutters who get their hate from Limbaugh and Hannity and some of the other numbskulls on the radio and tv. when I go into conservative chat rooms on the internet, all I ever see is I wanna kill Obama, or Frank, or some other democrat. Conservatives are the big haters. Not all, but some. Just ask the Knoxville police dept.
Rush is always eager to point out what he sees as other peoples lack of accomplishments. What has he accomplished that has done anything positive for this country? Has he created any jobs? Has he put money in peoples pockets?
One good strategy would be for you to publish the names of the companies (and their products) which advertise on Rush's show.
No LIMBAUGH these are derange conservatives who are always clinging to their guns to solve all their problems.
it's amazing how much gibberish circulates and recirculates in this sound machine.
I agree with you for once.