Limbaugh compared Sharpton's NAN to “David Duke's ... whatever organization”

Written by Murphy Hebert

Published

limbaugh-20070418

limbaugh-20070418.mp3

On the April 18 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh suggested that the attendance of Democratic presidential candidates at Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention is “similar” to Republican presidential candidates' attending a hypothetical convention of “The Rev. David Duke's -- whatever, whatever organization.”

Limbaugh stated, "[E]verything you need to know for 2008 is encapsulated in this little blurb from ABC News' The Note: 'The Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network begins its annual convention at the Sheraton New York Hotel. Every 2008 Democrat presidential candidate expected to address the convention over the next four days.' " Limbaugh then asked, “Can I give you a similar headline that would cause havoc? 'The Rev. David Duke's -- whatever, whatever organization -- begins its annual convention at the Sheraton New York Hotel, and every 2008 Republican presidential candidate expected to address ... '”

According to his “official website,” David Duke is a former national director of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. He left the group in 1978 and founded the National Association for the Advancement of White People. Duke is the president and founder of European American Unity and Rights Organization, formerly known as the National Organization for European American Rights. Duke's website identifies him as “David Duke, Ph.D.,” but his online biography lists an “honorary doctorate in political science from President's University of Kiev, Ukraine” as his only postgraduate degree.

From the April 18 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: That would be the golden EIB microphone. Great to have you, Rush Limbaugh, the Excellence in Broadcasting Network. More details of this coming up in a moment, but everything you need to know for 2008 is encapsulated in this little blurb from ABC News' The Note: “The Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network begins its annual convention at the Sheraton New York Hotel. Every 2008 Democrat presidential candidate expected to address the convention over the next four days.” Can I give you a similar headline that would cause havoc? “The Rev. David Duke's -- whatever, whatever organization -- begins its annual convention at the Sheraton New York Hotel, and every 2008 Republican presidential candidate expected to address --”