Does Limbaugh define words for the sole purpose of attacking Obama and the left?

Written by Jeremy Holden

Published

In his latest attack against Attorney General Eric Holder, Rush Limbaugh took issue with Holder's comments before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the “tragic shootings at Fort Hood.” The offensive comments being “tragic shootings at Fort Hood”:

LIMBAUGH: Now some of what Holder said today. He called the shooting at Fort Hood “tragic.” No. It was a jihadist massacre. It was a terrorist attack. It was not a tragedy.

So Limbaugh makes clear that a distinction exists between terrorism and tragedy. The circles apparently are not concentric.

That established, let's take a walk down memory lane:

  • In a September 20, 2001, address to Congress discussing the 9-11 attacks, President George W. Bush stated, “All of America was touched on the evening of the tragedy to see Republicans and Democrats joined together on the steps of this Capitol singing 'God Bless America,'” and asked the American people “to continue to support the victims of this tragedy with your contributions.”
  • In March 12, 2004 comments on the bombing of a Madrid train station, Bush stated, “Mr. Ambassador, thank you for having Laura and me here during this solemn occasion. The United States of America sends our prayers and sympathies to the Spanish people, who mourn the loss of life, who today weep for their loved ones, who wonder about their future now that there's been such tragedy.”
  • In September 20, 1984, comments about an attack on the U.S. embassy annex in Beirut, Lebanaon, President Ronald Reagan stated, “I know that you're all aware of the tragic event in Beirut with regard to our Embassy. We've been in touch with Reg Bartholomew, our Ambassador there. He has been slightly injured, but we do know that he walked to the hospital for treatment of his wounds on his own.”
  • In October 23, 1983, comments about fatal attacks on U.S. and French military personnel at a barracks in Beirut, Regan stated, “I'm not going to take any questions this morning because we're going right into meetings on the events that have taken place on this tragic weekend.”

Just five months ago, Limbaugh addressed the Holocaust museum shooting and said:

LIMBAUGH: Very predictably, ladies and gentlemen, the media, the American left is trying to score some political points as a result of this tragedy at the Holocaust Museum in Washington yesterday, and as predictable, they are trying to blame this on me, other conservatives and right-wingers. It's the traditional approach taken by the American left.

The facts of the case, however, are such that if we want start assigning blame for this beyond this nutcase Jew hater, and notice that very few people actually want to do that. They want to claim this guy didn't have the ability to act on his own. He only could act if he was inspired by somebody. Well, who did he hate? He hated both Bushes. He hated neocons. He hated John McCain. He hated Republicans. He hated Jews as well. He believes in an inside job conspiracy of 9-11.

This guy is a leftist, if anything. This guy's beliefs, this guy's hate stems from influence that you find on the left, not on the right.

You almost get the feeling that Limbaugh's distinctions have more to do with how the words can be used to attack the Obama administration and “the American left.”