Limbaugh: “It's Like I Play The Stradivarius Each And Every Day Behind The Golden EIB Microphone”

Limbaugh Says His Question About Whether Military Has “Contingency Plans” For Non-“Pro-American” President A “Media Tweak.” From the March 23 edition of Limbaugh's radio show:

LIMBAUGH: Hey. My media tweak -- Snerdley, my media tweak is already taking hold. The media tweak of the -- no. Marc Ambinder, National Journal, has just tweeted, “Rush Limbaugh just asked basically whether the military has contingency plans for a president who may not be sufficiently pro-American.”

Look, let me just state right here that this is typical. I throw it out there, I knew -- that's what's called “stirring the excrement.” The contingency plan for such a president's called “an election.” All right? The media -- er, the military [unintelligible] -- it would be a coup if the military were to have such a plan.

But it worked. It's already out there in the Twitter universe -- yes! It's like I play the Stradivarius each and every day behind the golden EIB microphone. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 3/23/11]

The Rise And Fall Of The “Imam Obama” Tweak: Limbaugh Dodges Responsibility For Promoting Myth That Obama Is A Muslim

Limbaugh Calls His “Imam Obama” Comment The “Media Tweak Of The Day.” From the August 17, 2010, edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: The shift comes as President Imam Obama increases U.S. debt to record levels, counting on -- I know, I know, it's the media tweak of the day. We'll see. You know yesterday I said he's the first anti-American [inaudible] history, that worked. They had cows over at MSNBC. The fun is there. Don't misunderstand. But it's getting to be too easy. I mean it's getting to be too easy to tweak. I don't care -- guest hosts, regular hosts, I don't care who it is at MessNBC. It's just, with a snap of the fingers I can send them into a tizzy. I can send them into a tail spin. Anger, and incredulity, and they can't believe it. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/17/10]

Limbaugh Dodges Responsibility For Myth That Obama Is A Muslim, Calls “Imam Obama” Comments A “Media Tweak.” From the August 23, 2010 edition of Limbaugh's show:

RUSH: Well, I'm happy to be noted, and I'm happy they've heard about this. It's obviously irritating them, this Imam Obama business, but I've only been saying that since last week, and his numbers have been plunging for much longer than that. People have long doubted Obama when he says he's a Christian, long before we got in the game here with the media tweak of Imam Obama. Barack Obama was baptized Christian by a man who Calypso Louie gave a lifetime achievement award. That would be the Reverend Wright. He was baptized Christian by a man who gave Farrakhan a lifetime achievement award named after him, the Jeremiah Wright Award. Jeremiah Wright, people heard the tapes, mainstream ruling class try to ignore them. “Ah, doesn't, that's a long time ago. Obama didn't hear a word Wright said in 20 years.” We don't believe that. It's just that simple. We don't believe that Obama didn't hear a word that Jeremiah Wright said for 20 years. We don't believe Obama when he says that he didn't hear any of that incendiary language when he was in the church. We just don't believe it. It's no more complicated than that. We're not that gullible. Okay, so Juan Williams is all upset, Imam Obama. Last Friday, CNN, John King's USA had this exchange with Amy Goodman who's the host of something called Democracy Now.

KING: If people are confused, if Americans are confused, Amy Goodman, about their president's faith, whose fault is that?

GOODMAN: Well, I think when you have somebody like Rush Limbaugh talking about Imam Obama, you know, the problem with that is it's not true.

RUSH: Why are you people asking this question in the first place? If people are confused, if Americans are confused, Amy Goodman, about the president's faith, might it be the president's problem? I'll tell you, there are a lot of media people who are just beside themselves that Obama didn't clear up the mosque controversy before hitting his vacation. Why didn't he explain this? He throws that time bomb in there about supporting the mosque and then tries to walk it back and then says no, I really meant it, then leaves it hanging while he goes on vacation. The media says, “I don't understand why he goes on vacation.” Do you maybe think he meant to say it? Do you think maybe it was on the teleprompter for a reason? He said it at a dinner. It was on the prompter. You think maybe he meant to say it? But why are none of these problems Obama's? I mean after all, I'm just an entertainer. Half the time these people say I'm just an entertainer, people don't take me seriously. I come along with the Media Tweak of the Day, Imam Obama, and now it's my fault that some people don't think Obama's a Christian? What about his role in all this? [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/23/10]

Limbaugh Has Repeatedly Questioned Obama's Faith.

• Limbaugh asked, “How can America be Islamophobic? We elected Obama, didn't we?” He continued, “If this is a nation that is Islamophobic, how do we elect a man whose name is Barack Hussein Obama?” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/25/10]

• During a discussion of the Obama vacation, Limbaugh said: “By the way, how many mosques are there at Martha's Vineyard?” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/23/10]

• One day after repeatedly invoking the Quran while discussing Obama, Limbaugh wondered who questions Obama's faith. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 2/4/10]

• Limbaugh trumpeted polling that some Americans wrongly believe “Imam Obama is a Muslim.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/19/10]

• Limbaugh called a White House statement on Obama's faith “evasive,” and said that it doesn't “relate to the question of Obama's Christianity.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/20/10]

• Discussing President Obama golfing, Limbaugh said: “I didn't know Muslims loved golf as much as they apparently do.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/23/10]

Limbaugh Claimed Dems Support AZ Shooter, Bragged That It “Was A Media Tweak Of The Day, And It Worked”

Limbaugh: The Democratic Party Supports Alleged AZ Shooter And Is “Attempting To Find Anybody But Him To Blame.” From the January 11 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: What Mr. Loughner knows is that he has the full support of a major political party in this country. He's sitting there in jail. He knows what's going on. He knows that a Democrat Party, the Democrat Party, is attempting to find anybody but him to blame. He knows that if he plays his cards right, that he's just a victim. He's the latest in a never-ending parade of victims brought about by the unfairness of America. The bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia of America. The mean-spiritedness of America.

So, he sits around. He gets reports. He understands that -- I mean, he never -- probably never paid any attention to Sarah Palin. All of his friends say he didn't like things political. This guy's been on the sheriff's radar in Pima County, since 2007, long before Sarah Palin was nominated to run with McCain, and long before there was a Tea Party.

That smiling mugshot -- this guy clearly understands he's getting all the attention, and he understand he's got a political party doing everything it can, plus a local sheriff doing everything that they can to make sure he's not convicted of murder. But something lesser. He's a victim. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/11/11]

Limbaugh: Alleged AZ Shooter Is Smiling Because He Has “The Entire Democrat Party Running Interference” For Him. From the January 11 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: I'll tell you what I said today that's going to drive them nuts, if they haven't heard it. If they did, it's already driving them nuts. And that is, that this smiling perp in his mug shot, why. wouldn't you be smiling too if you had the entire Democrat Party running interference for you? If you knew that you had committed this act, that you were the shooter, with six dead and a number of people wounded, and the Democrat Party's out there trying to blame everybody but you, wouldn't you be happy? Wouldn't you be smiling? You know that's going to bug them. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/11/11]

Limbaugh: “A Bunch Of Democrats Have Conspired To Use Events Like” Tucson Shooting “To Advance Their Agenda.” From the January 11 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: See, this is interesting. The first thing that you thought about after how the tragedy affected you was you knew what they were going to do.

CALLER: Yes, sir.

LIMBAUGH: And you know why? Because they do it every time. It's almost a Pavlovian, knee-jerk reaction now. I mean, you ask, “Rush” -- I've had a lot of people ask me, “When did you think?” As soon as I saw the D next to the congresswoman's name. Soon as I saw that she was a Democrat, I knew.

CALLER: It -- I don't know. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but it doesn't take a conspiracy to see the way they react to everything.

[crosstalk]

LIMBAUGH: Well, but it is a conspiracy, in the strict definition of the word. A bunch of Democrats have conspired to use events like this to advance their agenda. You can call it a conspiracy. You can call it a strategic element of their agenda, advance it or whatever. But it is what it is. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/11/11]

Limbaugh Claims His Comments About The Democratic Party's Support Of Loughner Were A “Media Tweak,” Brags That “It Worked.” From the January 18 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: I didn't say anything until Monday on this. But this is how it works. [Alan] Colmes gets the memo, like all the rest of them do and they run out. The theme is that we're out of line. We're way out of line to defend ourselves. And when we illustrate the absurdity of it by being absurd, they fall for it. Oh, I knew that get them. That was a media tweak of the day, and it worked. It was all over that Mediaite site. I said, “No wonder the guy's smiling in his mug shot. You would be too if you knew the whole Democrat Party was trying to find somebody other than you to blame.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/18/11]

Limbaugh Cites “Media Tweak” To Explain Allegation That Media Ignore Michelle Obama's Spain Trip Because Of “Vacation Affirmative Action”

Limbaugh: The Left Fails To Criticize Michelle Obama's Trip To Spain Because Of “Vacation Affirmative Action.” From the August 10, 2010, broadcast of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: You know, I gave you the real reason why everybody's excusing this last week. And it was all over the internet, which is how I know I hit a home run. Which is how I know it was the bull's eye. And here it is, here's the reason again. The liberals in this country, the left, the elite, who are walking around with a collective guilt of 200 some odd years over our nation's slave past, over our discrimination past, all of the things that are civil rights violations, all of these things, they're running around -- it's the animating factor of many sports writers, by the way. It's the thing that animates them. It's the thing that animates a lot of people on the left. And Michelle My Belle Obama is descended from slaves. As the left has pointed -- not me -- as leftist preachers have pointed out, she's got slave blood whereas Obama himself does not. He's not authentic, she is. Now for years and years and years, powerful people have been able to game the system and travel all over the world and have fine meals and fine wine and all of these fine things. It's only fair, and it's only right, that members of an abused minority now get their share of the pie. It's like vacation affirmative action. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/10/10]

Limbaugh Excused His Race-Baiting Attack On Michelle Obama's Trip To Spain As A “Media Tweak.” From the August 11, 2010, broadcast of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: As I knew, the media tweak yesterday, all over CNN, they're just beside themselves that I would dare suggest that the media is giving Michelle Obama or Mooch-elle -- they haven't caught on to that yet -- Mooch-elle Obama a free ride on a vacation because of our slave past. That just sent 'em over the edge, as I knew it would. I know how to tweak these people left and right. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/11/10]

Limbaugh Defended Racially Charged Football Comment: "[T]he Whole Point Was To Tweak The Media"

Limbaugh Returns To Football Analysis: "[T]hey're Dumping On" Grossman “Because He Is A White Quarterback.” From the February 5, 2007, broadcast of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: And before we go to the break here, folks, I've got to get something off my chest. You know, the game was the game. And the game was what it was. But I -- I can't handle any more press criticism of Rex Grossman. They're writing his name W-R-E-C-K-S. They're just -- worst quarterback ever to play in the Super Bowl. And it's been like this since the Green Bay game -- actually since the Arizona game, a little crescendo of it in the Green Bay game, the last game of the season for the Bears. And it's just unrelenting! It's just -- they're focusing on this guy like they don't focus on anybody! And I tell you, I know what it is. The media, the sports media, has got social concerns that they are first and foremost interested in, and they're dumping on this guy -- Rex Grossman -- for one reason, folks, and that's because he is a white quarterback.

[...]

CALLER: But, I also wanted to say that I appreciated the fact that you were having some compassion for Grossman. I sat there last night watching the game and I felt sorry for him. He is a Hoosier, by the way. His grandfather played for the Baltimore Colts.

LIMBAUGH: Yeah.

CALLER: And I -- you know, he's a young guy. You know, it's a team effort.

LIMBAUGH: It's, yeah, they're just all over this guy. They can't wait for this guy to fail. They are hoping he fails.

CALLER: Yes, they're terrible.

LIMBAUGH: They're talking about before the game, they're talking about him as the worst quarterback ever to play in the Super Bowl and they're asking [Bears head coach] Lovie Smith all during the week, “When are you going to bench the guy, Lovie? At what point in the game?” And that's the only time Lovie Smith apparently lost his cool a little bit during the week with, with media sessions. You know what this is: The media - you, you know the social things. I don't need to go into this.

CALLER: Well --

LIMBAUGH: They, they just want this guy not to do well 'cause he's a white quarterback.

CALLER: Even during the game last night. Before, before they went on the air they were all saying who they were going to pick and why and everything and when the, you know, the - they made their first runback with the score - then they started turning the tables on everything. It's like, “Now, wait a minute. I heard what you said before the game started.” You know? Now they're changing tunes because --

LIMBAUGH: Well, because they're -- no -- they were all acting surprised. Everybody was acting, “Whoa. Grossman can actually complete a pass. Why nobody thought this would happen. Let's stop everything and give him the MVP now. He actually completed a pass.” But he came through for them in the end. All those fumbles. The wounded-duck interceptions. He gave them the copy they wanted to write today all last week.

CALLER: Well --

LIMBAUGH: They were hoping to write that Grossman was an embarrassment and that Lovie Smith needs to seriously bring in somebody to compete with him next training camp. I can, look it, I feel for the guy. He's, apparently, bores, bears up under it rather well or has borne up under it rather well or so his teammates say and so forth. But the guy's been targeted for destruction. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 2/5/07, via Media Matters]

Limbaugh: “The Fact Of The Matter Is That On Two Or Three Subsequent Programs I Mentioned This To Callers -- That It Was A Joke, That It Was A Tweak Of The Media.” From the February 13, 2007, edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: Let me get some personal things out of the way here, folks. Can we go back -- audio sound byte number four, Mr. Broadcast Engineer. Monday, February 5th, the day after the Super Bowl, this is what I, El Rushbo, had to say.

LIMBAUGH [audio clip]: I can't handle anymore press criticism of Rex Grossman. They're writing his name W-R-E-C-K-S. They're just -- worst quarterback ever to play in the Super Bowl. And it's been like this since the Green Bay game -- actually since the Arizona game, a little crescendo of it in the Green Bay game, the last game of the season for the Bears. And it's just unrelenting! It's just -- they're focusing on this guy like they don't focus on anybody! And I tell you, I know what it is. The media, the sports media's got social concerns that they are first and foremost interested in, and they're dumping on this guy, Rex Grossman, for one reason, folks, and that's because he is a white quarterback.

LIMBAUGH: And then later in the program -- of course, we're all laughing ourselves silly here. I went into the break with that. That's the last thing I said before going into a break, and we were laughing in the break. Later in the program I let the audience in on the gag, which was to tweak the media. It's a takeoff on the old Donovan McNabb comments about the media -- having social concerns, and wanting a black quarterback to do -- again, I'm sorry for this persistent cough. And if I take cough medicine here, I'm going to be loopy and I can't do that, so it's -- it's just -- I apologize. It's very unprofessional.

So anyway, I thought that it might maybe -- oh, a day or two -- and all hell would break loose over this, but it took longer than that. And finally, by last Friday, as I'm perusing the Internet during some downtime out at the AT&T National Pro Am, I'm starting to see on some blogs, “Limbaugh has lost his mind. Limbaugh has gone insane.” And do you remember, Mr. Snerdley, before I made this comment, I said, let's have a little fun today. Let's tweak the media. And there was a vote in there -- don't do it. Do do it. Don't do it. And the votes to do it were 2-to-1 in favor of doing it.

And the whole point was to tweak the media, and another point was to demonstrate that these people in the sports media that comment on me don't listen to this program. They get what I said selectively and out of context from these liberal so-called watchdog media -- media watchdog websites. And lo and behold, it took four or five days, and then the dam broke. It wasn't quite as bad obviously as the McNabb situation, because I think some people out there actually got the joke, but there were those who didn't. And when I had the time, I jotted off a quick email note to some of these bloggers and sports writers saying, you know, you guys missed the whole point. If you'd just listen to my show now and then rather than get what I say that's selectively cherry-picked from these websites, you might get in on it. And they said well, you know, if you're going to crack jokes like this -- if you're going to be humorous like this, don't you think it would be well worth it for you and your sense of humor to be well known to people even outside your audience?

How can I do that?! How can I make my sense of humor well known to people outside my audience?! That -- isn't that up to you -- you guys are reporters! Are you going to -- how come I am the last place anybody would go to find out what I said?!

The fact of the matter is that on two or three subsequent programs I mentioned this to callers -- that it was a joke, that it was a tweak of the media. And Peter -- I think Peter King, is that his name, from Sports Illustrated in his “Monday Morning Quarterback” piece yesterday just got very agitated about this, and started off by saying “You know, for those of us who felt pity for Rush Limbaugh over his McNabb comments, I think we can forget it now.” And then he quoted verbatim what I had said, but did not quote anything that I had about this being a tweak of the media, an illustration of the absurd by being absurd or any of that. Which means that King didn't hear what I said. He's simply relying on a left-wing media watchdog site, which is what they all do.

But then he added this. “I think I'd like to say one more thing to Limbaugh. There's a fairly significant decision coming in this country in 2008. We in New Jersey and New Mexico and New London and New Wherever have one simple request as you mull over the candidacies of a black man, a white woman, and many white men in the coming presidential debate: Please treat them as candidates, not black candidates or female candidates or white candidates.”

Now, this is from the arrogant and condescending lofty platitudes of liberalism. Mr. King, I resent the assumption that you make. How about if -- I'll make you a deal, Mr. King. I will continue to do what I do -- I'm the last person that sees black or white, or sex. It's liberals that do this. It's liberals that have put everybody into groups -- usually making them victims -- but I'll make you a deal, Peter. If you'll stop telling me which coaches in the NFL are black, and if you'll stop whining and moaning about how socially behind the times the NFL is because it doesn't have enough minority coaches or assistant coaches or general managers -- if you'll stop pointing out to me every time a player comes up, what his race is, and what his background was, and what his obstacles to overcome were, then I will keep doing what I do.

And that is -- all I do, Peter, is analyze people on the issues. That's why I have never gone along with feminism as something oriented toward women. We know that it's not -- Gloria Steinem has a piece recently, by the way, in which she -- the choice between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? Why, that's no -- just -- either one is fine! Either one is fine! She starts lamenting this race and group pol -- well, who started all of this? People like Gloria Steinem.

This proves to me what I've known all along. Feminism was never about women's issues and women's this -- it's just another way to advance liberalism, as is so much of the liberal groupthink that happens out there.

But, Mr. King, you and I can make a deal here. You stop telling me about all the social problems that exist in the NFL based on race and so forth, and I will keep doing what I do by not noticing those things, and I'll stop making fun of you guys for doing it. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 2/13/07, via Media Matters]

Other “Tweaks” Include: Comparing Obama To Mugabe, Associating Pelosi With Hitler, Asking If Welfare Recipients Should Be Allowed To Vote

Limbaugh Says His Statement That Mugabe Was Obama's Economic “Role Model” Was His Latest “Media Tweak.” From the May 23 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: So still, on The Rachel Maddow Show, the guest is Mother Jones magazine bureau Chief, David Corn, Maddow says “Rush Limbaugh is a birther. Isn't birtherism over now?”

CORN [audio clip]: I think he put it well a few moments ago when he said it was really relegated to this realm of dead-enders and people who just are, you know, one step away from area 51 Roswell conspiracy theorists, or maybe even one step beyond. You played Rush yesterday, but today, what did he do? He compared Barack Obama to Robert Mugabe, the dictator, leader, thug, corrupt leader of Zimbabwe, and he said Mugabe is his new role model. And why? Because Mugabe took away white peoples' farms. Now, that's like racism, otherism, birtherism, you know, the Kenya-Africa connection all rolled into one soundbite. I don't know how he does it.

LIMBAUGH: It's called talent, David. T-A-L-E-N-T. Look it up, you'll see my picture next to the word. [laughter] These people are so easy to tweak. I knew this would be the media tweak of the day: “Comparing Obama to Robert Mugabe.” Of course, everything I said about Mugabe is true. And what is Obama doing here? He's not taking farms away from white people, but he's taking as much wealth away from everybody he can. He is destroying as much wealth as he can, and he continues. And every time he talks about wanting to raise taxes on people, it's another attempt to take some of their wealth. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/5/11]

Limbaugh: If Schwarzenegger “Were A Real Kennedy, He Would Have Drowned The Maid.” From the May 23 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: By the way, speaking of the Kennedys and all that, Irish politicians. I don't know about you, I, I am getting tired of seeing stories about how Arnold Schwarzengger's infidelities are proof that he's finally become a Kennedy. I mean I mentioned that as a joke last week, but there are people out there actually trying to make this serious. If Arnold were a real Kennedy he would have drowned the maid, the maid is still alive. Media tweak of the day, number one. Don't tell anybody. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 5/23/11]

“Media Tweak”: Limbaugh Tells “Trump Fans,” If You Really Want A Macho Candidate With A Big Mouth, Big Hair, Massive Cojones, You Could Always Support Hillary." From the April 19 edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: Where was I? Where was I? Oh, media tweak. Media tweak in the spirit of Operation Chaos. Just like to remind all of you Trump fans out there that if you really want a macho candidate with a big mouth, big hair, massive cojones, you could always support Hillary. You don't have to go Trump. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 4/19/11]

Limbaugh: “If People Cannot Even Feed And Clothe Themselves, Should They Be Allowed To Vote?” From the December 3, 2010, edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: Here's the media tweak of the day. Snerdley, pay attention. Media tweak of the day. We always announce these, and it always works. This story raises very un-politically correct questions. If people cannot even feed and clothe themselves, should they be allowed to vote? Should they be voting? If people who are receiving government assistance -- that is, taxpayer assistance -- if they weren't allowed to vote, can you imagine the difference in the political makeup of this country? Can you imagine that? It's just a think piece. I'm just putting it out there for you to ponder. [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 12/3/10]

Limbaugh Asks “Legitimate Question”: “Are We Going To Use The Same Principle In Haiti That We're Going To Use Here When Clinton And Obamacare Finally Sees The Light Of Day? Are We Just Going To Decide Some People Are Not Worth Saving In Haiti?” From the January 15, 2010, edition of Limbaugh's show:

RUSH: Look, we have to understand something. The press, the State-Controlled Media, the Democrat Party politicize everything. That's what's so laughable about them jumping on my case for politicizing this business in Haiti. They politicize everything. And they look at everything through a political prism.

Now, here's the Media Tweak of the Day. I would like to ask Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Rahm's brother, if they're planning on cost-benefit considerations for the victims of the earthquake. Remember, we're going to have cost-benefit analysis to assign health care to people in this country, does it make sense to invest the money in their survival? Are we going to do the same thing in Haiti since we're the lead country? Are we going to use the same principle in Haiti that we're going to use here when Clinton and Obamacare finally sees the light of day? Are we just going to decide some people are not worth saving in Haiti? Or are we going to try to save 'em all? What are we going to do?

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Will somebody ask Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, who is Rahm's brother and one of the lead White House people on health care, whether they're planning cost-benefit considerations for each Haiti victim? Will they consider age, potential contribution to society, all the other factors that we are assured are not death panel guidelines in our own health care system? This rescue, however compassionate, should have at least the same transparency that Obama promised for our health care. And remember, he told a woman about her 95-year-old mother, (paraphrasing) “No, no, we probably wouldn't give her a pacemaker. Give 'em a pill.” How many Haitians will we decide to give a pill? A legitimate question. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/15/10]

“Media Tweak Of The Day”: Limbaugh Associates Pelosi With Hitler. From the November 12, 2009, edition of Limbaugh's show:

RUSH: Well, you know, what? Here we go. Here's my Media Tweak of the Day. Here's my Media Tweak of the Day. Adolf Hitler put people in jail to reduce his unemployment numbers. And Nancy Pelosi, who called us, a bunch of Nazis running around with “swah-stih-kahs” just said that it's very fair to jail people who don't accept the burden of paying for health insurance. Well, you go, I mean history is history. I'm not going to sit here and ignore it. I'm not going to PC this program. I'm not going to PC this audience. Thanks, Pearl, great to hear from you.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: By the way, the Media Tweak of the Day: Hitler put people in jail to lower the unemployment numbers. Another media tweak: that's how Dachau started. We have 35 seconds if you think we should bleep our edit this out. I, frankly, think we should not. I didn't say anything about Obama there. I'm just giving a little historical truth. This is all about Pelosi, this is all -- (interruption) how many seconds we got before we bleep it, 20? I'm not going to bleep it out, Snerdley. Look, this is Pelosi. She called us Nazis, swastikas during the tea parties. Now they call us teabaggers. She said it's okay to put people in jail for not buying health insurance. Well, historical context. We can't bleep it now, Snerdley, the delay went by. (laughing) [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/12/09]

Limbaugh Defends His Embrace Of Fake Obama Satire As “Media Tweak Of The Day.” From the October 27, 2009, edition of Limbaugh's show:

LIMBAUGH: So last Friday, I get a note from a friend who says, “You ought to see what's on this blog.” I looked at it, and it was Obama, his thesis from Columbia, “so-called Founders,” didn't like what they did with the Constitution, there wasn't enough talk about distribution of wealth and so forth. I said, “Well, this has a ring of truth to it,” because we've got Obama on radio from Chicago 2001 complaining about the Supreme Court not doing enough about redistribution. So we ran with it, made a big deal out of it in the first hour. In the second hour, I got a note saying, “Hey, Rush, we looked at this, we can't back this up, we can't find any actual sourcing for this.” So at that point I warned the audience that it may not be true, that we are still checking it.

Shortly thereafter I learned that the whole thing was made up, it was a satire piece on an obscure website. Then I said, “Okay, folks, I have to tell you, it's satire, there's no evidence that Obama ever wrote this, but, Media Tweak of the Day, I don't care, I know he thinks it anyway because I've got audio of Obama saying it, talking about the Supreme Court.” And we all got a great laugh about it because I corrected it immediately, I explained that it was a hoax, or was satire and then to tweak the media I said, “But I don't care, I'm sticking with it because I know he thinks it anyway.” So I dished out to Obama what the whole media did to me and I dished it back at the media as well. And Koko at the website called me on Friday here, e-mailed me, said, “Look, you want me to leave this thing up?" I said “Yes, leave it on the website as is, so these idiot media people who want to find out what actually happened can go in and take the time to read it and see it. And leave the original piece up where I got the first information that this was something he had written in his thesis.” [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 10/27/09]