By Zachary Pleat
Picking up where he left off last week, Limbaugh opened today's show by promoting the falsehood that Obama is a Muslim. Before reading a Boston Herald headline about the president golfing, Rush declared, “I didn't know Muslims loved golf as much as they apparently do.” Rush feigned ignorance of his role in perpetuating the myth and played audio clips of Juan Williams and Amy Goodman pointing out Limbaugh's “Imam Obama” “tweak.” Limbaugh then blamed Obama himself for people incorrectly believing he is a Muslim.
Limbaugh said that Obama feeds off division in the country, citing the planned Islamic community center as evidence. He also read from a Politico article about Democrats' differences of opinion over Obama's support of religious freedom. He branched out to other topics, launching into a long-winded explanation of the public sector versus the private sector, complete with a laundry machine analogy -- an apparent attempt to make it easier to understand.
Later, Limbaugh became the latest conservative media figure to attack the journalistic integrity of the Associated Press over a memo directing AP staff not to incorrectly refer to the Park51 Islamic community center as the “ground zero mosque.” One of Limbaugh's callers breathlessly warned about the dangers of communism to America, repeatedly citing noted right-wing fringe lunatic Cleon Skousen's 1970 book, The Naked Communist. As the call ended, Rush exclaimed that it was “a good call” and said he was “glad she got through.”
Here are the highlights of today's show:
Limbaugh on Obama golfing: “I didn't know Muslims loved golf as much as they apparently do”
Limbaugh invokes Jeremiah Wright in unrelenting attack on Obama's faith
Limbaugh on Obama vacation: “By the way, how many mosques are there at Martha's Vineyard?”
Limbaugh attacks NYC Islamic community center: “Do Muslims have the right to rub our faces in 9-11?”