On May 13, the day after members of Congress viewed new photos and video that purportedly show even greater brutality by U.S. military personnel than had previously been disclosed, radio host Rush Limbaugh mocked the reactions of senators and representatives to the photos, saying that Senator Edward Kennedy could “just have [Representatives] Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi act them out for him.” He then said, “I'm making that up. It's a joke.” From the May 13 Rush Limbaugh Show:
Limbaugh: Kennedy can just have “Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi act [the prison photos] out for him”
We've got the Iraqi prison photos and -- by the way, have you seen the -- all these Senators. Have you seen? There's two different versions of the additional photos that they have seen. Have you seen that? One group of Senators, “Eh, it's just more of the same.” Another group of Senators, “I can't even describe how bad it is. I don't want anybody to see them. These are just out of this world. They are intolerable. I can't believe what I saw. I couldn't believe what I was looking at.” Then the other Senators, “Ah, it's more of the same.”
Senator Kennedy, ladies and gentlemen, said that he didn't need to look at any of these other pictures. He can just have Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi act them out for him. I'm making that up. It's a joke.
Limbaugh regarding certain images: “You're not supposed to do that outside the Kennedy compound”
“The images left a searing impression on the Senators and House members. Some described images of Iraqi women exposing their breasts [quoting from unnamed news source].” I guess that's -- you're not supposed to do that outside the Kennedy compound. "[Again, quoting from unnamed news source] Others remembered photos of a shackled prisoner repeatedly banging his head against the wall. There were images of three U.S. soldiers beating an Iraqi prisoner. And there were many sexual images, some of simulated acts, and others including actual intercourse between male and female soldiers." [takes a deep breath]
These guys got to be careful. They're now calling sex torture. This is the fastest 180 among the progressive pop culture society I have seen.
Limbaugh: Congress would fund photos if they were taken by Mapplethorpe
It's like George Neumayr said yesterday in The American Spectator online. If these photos had been taken by Robert Mapplethorpe. These same senators and congressmen would fund the exhibit through the National Endowment for the Arts. They have done it.
Remember the Mapplethorpe controversy, folks? Where we were -- it was touring all over the country. We were told we -- we couldn't stop it from being seen. We were told if people wanted to go see it, they should see it. That this was art and we were in no position to judge.
Remember “Piss Christ,” the crucifix in a jar of urine, and how that was funded by the NEA and that, we were told, we must endeavor to try to understand? Remember Karen Findley who appeared nude on stage as part of an NEA grant with chocolate slathered all over herself? We were told this was art, we must understand it.
Don't mis -- don't misunderstand me. What I'm saying is here that it -- to me, this is still being exploited as a political opportunity. I am not saying that what's in these pictures is harmless. I am not saying what's in these pictures is not bad. I am not saying what's in these pictures is unbecoming the United States of America. I think I'm the one being consistent. The ones who have excused these very acts taking place in America under so-called staged, understandable, and on-purpose conditions are now acting in shock and outrage over what they are seeing.
Limbaugh: California pornography industry “happy” about photos
So even as we speak, even as liberal Democrat Senators are reacting in shock, and stunned amazement and disbelief, and saying that they are sickened by these new photos from Iraq. Even as they speak, the California pornography industry is happily getting back on its feet after the most recent HIV/AIDS scare. And they're all happy about it out there because of the tax revenue that the porn industry in California is going to generate.
Limbaugh: Democrats “going to make this worse than the murder of Nick Berg”
Well, anyway folks. It just -- it just continues, and as it continues, what becomes more and more obvious to anybody who really wants to be objective in analyzing this is, is that this is seen as -- well, it's like -- it's like [Senator] James Inhofe said yesterday. He's heard Democratic staffers on the Senate committee of which he's a member say this is a silver bullet. This is the way we're going to get Bush. And so they're going to keep this alive. And they're going to make this worse than the murder of Nick Berg. And they're going to do the best to keep the Nick Berg situation second tier or third tier in the media.