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Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (born January 12, 1951 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri) is an American radio talk show host. He is known as America's foremost conservative spokesman, discussing politics and current events on his show, The Rush Limbaugh Show. He revived AM Radio and is considered by some to have been a catalyst for the Republican Party's 1994 Congressional victories.
His show was first nationally syndicated in August 1988, and as of 2005 (according to Arbitron ratings surveys) its audience was estimated at 13.5 million listeners per week, making it the largest radio talk show audience in the United States. Such high ratings have been a consistent hallmark of his show.
The Rush Limbaugh Show has been largely credited for the large shift in AM broadcasting to a news-talk format after an audience decline in the 1970s.
Limbaugh was the 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2005 recipient of the Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year, given by the National Association of Broadcasters, joining the syndicated Bob & Tom Show as the only other four-time winner of a Marconi award. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2002, industry publication Talkers magazine ranked him as the greatest radio talk show host of all time. Limbaugh attracts the highest percentage (56%) of hard news consumers relative to all other television and radio programs in the United States.
Private life
Limbaugh began his career in radio as a teenager in 1967 in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri using the name Rusty Sharpe.
Education
He attended Southeast Missouri State University for one year where he failed two speech courses then dropped out. This would have normally made him eligible for the draft, but he was classified 1-Y due to an undisclosed medical problem. Limbaugh stated that he was not drafted because a physical found that he had an "inoperable pilonidal cyst" and "a football knee from high school."Relationships
Limbaugh was first married on September 24, 1977 to Roxy Maxine McNeely, a sales secretary at radio station WHB in Kansas City. They were married at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. In March 1980, Roxy McNeely filed for divorce, citing "incompatibility". They were formally divorced on July 10, 1980.In 1983, Limbaugh married Michelle Sixta, a college student and usherette at the Kansas City Royals Stadium Club. She left him in December 1988 on Christmas weekend and their divorce was finalized in 1990. She remarried the following year.
On May 27, 1994, Limbaugh married Marta Fitzgerald, a married 35-year-old aerobics instructor, who he met via the Compuserve online service. They were married at the house of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas who officiated. On June 11, 2004, Limbaugh announced that he was separating from Fitzgerald. On air, he stated, "Marta has consented to my request for a divorce, and we have mutually agreed to seek an amicable separation. As I said, it's a personal matter and I want to keep it that way. I don't intend to say any more about this on the air." An article in the Palm Beach Post claimed that this third divorce was a result of his addiction to prescription pain medication.
In June of 2006, Roll Call reported that Limbaugh is dating actress Mary Lynn Rajskub, who plays Chloe on the Fox TV show, "24".
Public life
1970s
After dropping out of Southeast Missouri State University Limbaugh moved to Pittsburgh and became a Top 40 music radio disc jockey on station WIXZ.In October 1972, he moved to KQV, another Pittsburgh station, using the name Jeff Christie. Limbaugh developed some of his trademark patter there, such as a claim to use a "golden microphone" (which eventually became literally true in the 1990s on The Rush Limbaugh Show). After being fired from KQV, Limbaugh moved to Kansas City, where he also worked (and was subsequently fired from) KUDL, KFIX, and KMBZ. After several years in music radio, Limbaugh took a break from radio and accepted a position as director of promotions with the Kansas City Royals baseball team.
1980s
In 1984, Limbaugh returned to radio as a talk show host at KFBK in Sacramento, California (where he replaced Morton Downey, Jr., a mentor). In 1987, the Federal Communications Commission repealed the Fairness Doctrine, thus freeing radio stations to air opinion journalism without having to provide air time to opposing points of view. This emboldened many radio stations to modify their line-ups in order to attract those wishing to hear varied points of view.After achieving success in Sacramento and drawing the attention of Edward F. McLaughlin, a former president of ABC Radio, Limbaugh moved to New York City in 1988, entering the nation's largest radio market on talk-format station WABC-AM, which remains his flagship station to this day. He did a two-hour local program on WABC. For a while on WABC he was preceded by comedian Joy Behar and followed by Lynn Samuels, creating a six-hour block of politically focused radio, with both Behar and Samuels leaning to the left politically.
Beginning on August 1, 1988 Limbaugh was syndicated nationally as a two-hour show and eventually expanded to three hours while dropping the local New York show, though his show was still based at WABC. (Limbaugh refers on-air to the "Excellence In Broadcasting Network", or "E-I-B"; however, this is merely an on-air signature, as there is no organization with that name.) While WABC remains Limbaugh's key outlet, he now broadcasts from either the Premiere Radio Network studios in New York or his private studio in Florida near his home (the "EIB Southern Command", as he terms it, no longer referring to originating from "high atop the EIB Building in New York City" as he did when the show originated from the WABC studios).
Newsday media critic Paul Colford reported on Limbaugh in 1988:
- Rush Limbaugh's act includes plenty of pokes at himself and lots of tongue-in-cheek pomposity such as: "I'm Rush Limbaugh, your guiding light in times of trouble and despair." His politics skew sharply to the right of the "liberal Democrats" and Gov. Michael Dukakis, known in Limbaugh parlance as "The Loser."
- The president of EFM Media is a former head of the ABC Radio Network, Edward F. McLaughlin. He believes that Limbaugh, a partner under contract to EFM, will become the most-listened-to radio personality in America - bigger than Larry King - by virtue of his midwestern manner and informed views. Bigger than Larry King? We'll see. For now, McLaughlin's goal is to have 200 stations signed to Limbaugh's show by 1990.
From this point forward, Limbaugh's radio program is covered in The Rush Limbaugh Show article.
1990s
In 1990, even after Lewis Grossberger acknowledged that Limbaugh had "more listeners than any other talk show host", Grossberger described Limbaugh's style as "bouncing between earnest lecturer and political vaudvillian".. The program rapidly grew in popularity and moved to stations with larger audiences. The highwater point was his introduction of 'America Held Hostage', following the election of Clinton in 1992. Even Ronald Reagan sent a letter anointing Rush the voice of conservatism, even the voice of the GOP, in that era. When the GOP won control of Congress in 1994, one of the first acts by many freshmen was to award Limbaugh the title of honorary member of Congress, so much did they attribute their victory to his radio and television programs in those years.
Television appearances
Limbaugh's first television exposure came with a 1990 guest host stint on Pat Sajak's late-night program on CBS. After a confrontation with ACT UP gay activists in the studio audience, protesting what they perceived as anti-gay hate speech, repeatedly shouting at Limbaugh, cutting off other members of the studio audience, and generally attempting to disrupt the program the entire audience was removed so that Limbaugh could finish the show. In 1993, Limbaugh appeared * on The Late Show with David Letterman, and the audience almost immediately became hostile and booed him, especially when Limbaugh compared Hillary Clinton's face to "a Pontiac hood ornament."Limbaugh also guest-starred on an episode of Hearts Afire as himself, as well as on an episode of The Drew Carey Show. He has also been parodied numerous times including, an episode of The Simpsons in the form of a conservative talk radio host named Birch Barlow, Saturday Night Live's TV Funhouse., as "Gus Baker" on an episode of Beavis & Butthead, and as "Lash Rambo", host of "Perfection in Broadcasting", on an episode of The New WKRP in Cincinnati.
Author
In 1992, Limbaugh published his 1st book, The Way Things Ought To Be, followed by See, I Told You So in 1993. Both went to number one on the New York Times Best Seller list. Limbaugh acknowledges in the text of the first book that he taped the book and it was transcribed and edited by Wall Street Journal writer John Fund. In the second book, Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily is named as his collaborator*.Subject of criticism
The first book about Limbaugh appears to be the 1993 Rush Limbaugh and the Bible by Daniel J. Evearitt. One reviewer said "Dr. Evearitt is very uncomfortable sharing the label 'conservative' with Limbaugh" and notes that it contains chapters like "No Wife, No Kids -- Is This Man an Expert on Family Values?"Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a progressive media watchdog group, released a report on March 8, 1992 listing forty-three errors Limbaugh allegedly made during various shows. Limbaugh responded to about half of the original claims; FAIR then rebutted his rebuttal, followed by another rebuttal to the rebuttal. Critics such as L. Brent Bozell's Media Research Center, a conservative media watchdog group, have charged that FAIR is liberal and partisan.
In 1995, FAIR published an entire book, The Way Things Aren't: Rush Limbaugh's Reign of Error: Over 100 Outrageously False and Foolish Statements from America's Most Powerful Radio and TV Commentator, alleging errors by Limbaugh. His defenders claim that because Limbaugh talks unscripted for fifteen broadcast hours a week (less commercials) the number of alleged factual errors is, under the circumstances, very small. Defenders also claim that very few of Limbaugh's actual alleged facts were wrong, and that most of his claimed factual errors were in fact a case of disagreement with his opinions.
Television show
Limbaugh's next television exposure was on a syndicated half-hour show running from 1992 through 1996, with Roger Ailes as executive producer. The television show discussed many of the same topics as his radio show, and was taped in front of a live audience, which he jokingly claimed had to pass an intelligence test in order to be admitted. Reportedly, Limbaugh ended the show due to disappointment that it was aired too late in the evening in many markets (in many places it was aired at 1:30 AM or even later) and because of the immense amount of time required to prepare for the show.On November 6, 1992, three days after the election, in reference to who was in and out at the White House, Limbaugh made a reference to the daughter of the incoming President Bill Clinton, Chelsea and the dog of outgoing President George H. W. Bush, Millie. At the moment where Limbaugh said "cute kid", the picture of Millie appeared onscreen. According to a transcript of the broadcast, there were at least three times Limbaugh had shown a photo of the Bush's dog, Millie, while referencing Chelsea. Critics of Limbaugh have maintained that these were deliberate acts on his part. Although Limbaugh has claimed it was a technical error, as Al Franken documented in his book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, since the show was on a tape delay, if it truly was a technical error, it could have been corrected prior to airing of the show. Limbaugh apologized during that show, claiming fatigue, and then suggested that Amy Carter was "the most unattractive presidential daughter in the history of the country" and also disparaged the looks of Margaret Truman. A few days later, he stated that "I don't need to get laughs by commenting on people's looks, especially a young child who's done nothing wrong. I mean, [Chelsea can't control the way she looks." *
On a later broadcast, Limbaugh played a video clip of then-President Bill Clinton laughing on his way into a memorial service for Commerce Secretary Ron Brown with Tony Campolo and then looking mournful. * Limbaugh believed that Clinton's sudden mood change resulted from spying news cameras, and was evidence of both the President's insincerity and the tendency of the national media to overlook it.
Clothing line
Limbaugh became known for wearing distinctive neckties as a result of his television program. In response to viewer interest, Limbaugh launched a series of ties designed primarily by his then-wife Marta. Sales of the ties reached over US$5 million in their initial sales year, but were later discontinued.2000s
Hearing problems
By August 2001, Limbaugh's listeners had noted changes in his voice and diction, changes that Limbaugh emphatically denied on the air. However, on October 8, 2001, Limbaugh admitted that the changes in his voice were due to complete deafness in his left ear and substantial hearing loss in his right ear. He also revealed that his radio staff was aiding him in continuing to accept calls on his show, despite his rapidly progressing hearing loss, by setting up a system where he could appear to hear his callers. The system worked remarkably well, but did not convince all listeners, some of whom noted a long delay between a caller ending his point and Limbaugh responding, and occasionally speaking over a caller. Occasionally Limbaugh had to ask callers to hold on momentarily, while the caller's comments would be transcripted and shown on Rush's computer monitor.In December 2001, Limbaugh underwent cochlear implant surgery, which restored a measure of hearing in his left ear, and his voice and enunciation improved. According to Limbaugh's doctors, Limbaugh's deafness was caused by an autoimmune disease. However, chronic use of opioids, such as OxyContin and particularly hydrocodone both which Limbaugh later admitted abusing, can compromise the function of the immune system and cause deafness.
ESPN commentator
On July 14, 2003, ESPN announced that Limbaugh would be joining ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown show as a weekly commentator when it premiered on September 7. Limbaugh would provide the "voice of the fan" and was supposed to spark debate on the show.
On September 28, Limbaugh commented about Donovan McNabb, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles:
- "Sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."
McNabb was the highest paid NFL player in history at the time, and defenders of Limbaugh's comments point out that McNabb had the worst start of his career in the 2003 season and was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback. McNabb's defenders say that to his credit, McNabb was a runner-up for the year 2000 league Most Valuable Player, a member of three Pro Bowl teams, and led his team to two straight NFC championship games. McNabb had suffered a broken leg during the 2002 season, and had been slow to recover.
The Reverend Al Sharpton, a Democratic Party candidate for President and political activist, encouraged Limbaugh's firing from ESPN, threatening a boycott of all Disney companies, including ABC, Disneyland, and Walt Disney World. Democrats Howard Dean and Wesley Clark joined in the criticism, as did the NAACP. Limbaugh responded by saying that he must have been right; otherwise, the comments would not have sparked such outrage.
On October 1, 2003, Limbaugh resigned from ESPN with the statement:
- "My comments this past Sunday were directed at the media and were not racially motivated. I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. I love NFL Sunday Countdown and do not want to be a distraction to the great work done by all who work on it. Therefore, I have decided to resign. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the show and wish all the best to those who make it happen."
In the days following, some critics felt that Limbaugh had directed his comments at McNabb personally, or African Americans in general rather than to the media or to McNabb's on field performance. It has also been suggested that Limbaugh's fellow commentators on the program, some of whom were African-American former football players, may have played a role behind the scenes in ending Limbaugh's career as a football commentator. After Limbaugh's resignation, Sunday NFL Countdown co-host Tom Jackson, who is African American, said on the air: "Let me just say that it was not our decision to have Rush Limbaugh on this show. I've seen replay after replay of Limbaugh's comments with my face attached as well as that of my colleagues, comments which made us very uncomfortable at the time, although the depth and the insensitive nature of which weren't fully felt until it seemed too late to reply. He was brought here to talk football, and he broke that trust. Rush told us the social commentary for which he is so well known would not cross over to our show, and instead, he would represent the viewpoint of the intelligent, passionate fan. Rush Limbaugh was not a fit for NFL Countdown." However, it should be noted that Michael Irvin, a black former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys who was also on the panel, can be heard agreeing with Rush's statements on the air.
American Armed Forces Radio Network controversy
Prescription drug addiction
In early October 2003 and in the same week as the McNabb controversy, the National Enquirer reported that Limbaugh was being investigated for illegally buying prescription drugs. Limbaugh's former housekeeper, under investigation for drug dealing, alleged that Limbaugh used prescription opioid painkillers such as OxyContin and Lorcet (a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone) and that he went through detox twice. Other news outlets quickly confirmed the beginnings of an investigation.
Limbaugh has been a vocal critic of drug users as well as an avid supporter of the War on Drugs (see the "On Drug Users" section of Limbaugh's quotations at Wikiquotes, cited at the bottom of this article).
On October 10, 2003, Limbaugh admitted to listeners on his radio show that he had abused prescription painkillers and stated that he would enter inpatient treatment for 30 days, immediately following the broadcast. He did not specifically mention which pain medications he had been abusing. Speaking about his behavior, Limbaugh went on to say:
- "I am not making any excuses. You know, over the years, athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes."
- "They are the role models. I am no victim and do not portray myself as such. I take full responsibility for my problem. At the present time the authorities are conducting an investigation, and I have been asked to limit my public comments until this investigation is complete."
Following Limbaugh's admission of drug abuse, his detractors reviewed prior statements by him about drug use as examples of hypocrisy. Several statements were found, in particular, on October 5, 1995:
- "There's nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up."
- "What this says to me is that too many whites are getting away with drug use, too many whites are getting away with drug sales, too many whites are getting away with trafficking in this stuff. The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river, too."
and on August 8, 2003:
- "These tough sentencing laws were instituted for a reason. The American people, including liberals, demanded them. Don't you remember the crack cocaine epidemic? Crack babies and out-of-control murder rates? Liberal judges giving the bad guys slaps on the wrist? Finally we got tough, and the crime rate has been falling ever since, so what's wrong?"
and on March 12, 1998:
- "What is missing in the drug fight is legalization. If we want to go after drugs with the same fervor and intensity with which we go after cigarettes, let's legalize drugs. Legalize the manufacture of drugs. License the Cali cartel. Make them taxpayers, and then sue them. Sue them left and right, and then get control of the price, and generate tax revenue from it. Raise the price sky high, and fund all sorts of other wonderful social programs."
This last quote, however, contradicts several previous statements in which Limbaugh condemned legalization. For example, on his TV show on December 9, 1993:
- "I'm appalled at people who simply want to look at all this abhorrent behavior and say, "Hey, you know, we can't control it anymore. People are going to do drugs anyway. Let's legalize it." It's a dumb idea. It's a rotten idea, and those who are for it are purely, 100 percent selfish."
An article in the January 12, 2004 issue of Human Events (The National Conservative Weekly) presented its reaction to the media attention of Limbaugh's addiction, calling it a 'Network War' against Limbaugh. It charged network anchors with engaging in exaggerated and inflammatory rhetoric by implying Limbaugh was involved in "drug sales" or "drug gangs." Human Events Online reported in January 2004 a timeline of events in this matter from September through December 2003.
An investigation into "doctor shopping" concluded in the state of Florida under the Palm Beach State Attorney in April 2006. Limbaugh's attorney Roy Black alleged that the chief county prosecutor investigating Limbaugh, an elected Democrat, was politically motivated. The ACLU, an organization often lambasted by Limbaugh, came to his defense, claiming that the district attorney violated Limbaugh's constitutional rights by "fishing" through his private medical records. Assistant State Attorney James L. Martz, on November 9, 2005, stated "I have no idea if Mr. Limbaugh has completed the elements of any offense yet." Then on December 12, 2005, Judge David F. Crow decided to prohibit the State from questioning Limbaugh's physicians about "the medical condition of the patient and any information disclosed to the healthcare practitioner by the patient in the course of the care and treatment of the patient."
Limbaugh has said his addiction to painkillers came as a result of long-term back pain he had been suffering for several years, and a botched surgery that came as a result of that. Limbaugh opposed the prosecutor's efforts to interview his doctors on the basis of patient privacy rights, and has argued that the prosecutor has in fact violated his Fourth Amendment civil rights by illegally seizing his medical records. The Florida courts consistently upheld Limbaugh's right to confidentiality.
Deal reached
On April 28, 2006, Limbaugh turned himself in to the Palm Beach County, Florida Sheriff's Office as part of a prearranged settlement to the case. He filed a "not guilty" plea with the Court and posted a $3,000 bond to a single criminal charge of doctor shopping to "obtained 2,000 pills over six months". The sherriff's office later announced to the media that Limbaugh was technically "under arrest" during the actual booking. Believing that this term would misleadingly invoke an image of the talk show host being handcuffed and hauled away in leg irons, Limbaugh and his attorney contacted various media outlets to inform them of the settlement.Black issued a statement indicating that Limbaugh had settled the charge with the state and that the prosecutor agreed to dismiss the criminal charge if Limbaugh pays $30,000 to defray the cost of the investigation and completes an 18-month therapy regimen with his physician. Black stated:
"...*he State Attorney's Office and Mr. Limbaugh have reached an agreement whereby a single count charge of doctor shopping filed today by the State Attorney will be dismissed in 18 months. As a primary condition of the dismissal, Mr. Limbaugh must continue to seek treatment from the doctor he has seen for the past two and one half years. This is the same doctor under whose care Mr. Limbaugh has remained free of his addiction without relapse. Mr. Limbaugh and I have maintained from the start that there was no doctor shopping, and we continue to hold this position. Accordingly, we filed today with the Court a plea of 'Not Guilty' to the charge filed by the State."Limbaugh asserts that the state's settlement agreement resulted from a lack of evidence supporting the charge of "doctor shopping." Under the terms of the agreement, Limbaugh will continue to undergo random drug testing, which he acknowledges having undergone since 2003, and may not own a firearm.
Palm Beach Airport Incident
On June 26, 2006, Limbaugh was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Palm Beach International Airport in posssession of Viagra which had been prescibed to him but labeled with the name of the issuing physician, Limbaugh's psychiatrist. He was returning to the United States from the Dominican Republic. The same day, the Palm Beach County sherrif's office announced it would investigate to determine if any laws were broken. On July 5, 2006, Palm Beach County officials stated that Limbaugh will not face charges in relation to this incident.Philosophy
Defining the conservative movement
Limbaugh made the following comments in an op-ed piece in 2005:I love being a conservative. We conservatives are proud of our philosophy. Unlike our liberal friends, who are constantly looking for new words to conceal their true beliefs and are in a perpetual state of reinvention, we conservatives are unapologetic about our ideals.From American Conservatism: A Crackdown, Not a 'Crackup' Wall Street Journal op-ed October 17, 2005*
- We are confident in our principles and energetic about openly advancing them. We believe in individual liberty, limited government, capitalism, the rule of law, faith, a color-blind society and national security.
- We support school choice, enterprise zones, tax cuts, welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, political speech, homeowner rights and the war on terrorism.
- And at our core we embrace and celebrate the most magnificent governing document ever ratified by any nation — the U.S. Constitution. Along with the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes our God-given natural right to be free, it is the foundation on which our government is built and has enabled us to flourish as a people.
- We conservatives are never stronger than when we are advancing our principles.
Statement regarding abortion and homosexuality
In 2003, Limbaugh broadcast the following hypothetical on abortion choices made by parents based upon trait selection and the anticipated reaction by advocates of gay rights:Imagine we identify the gene—assuming that there is one, this is hypothetical—that will tell us prior to birth that a baby is going to be gay.... How many parents, if they knew before the kid was gonna be born, he was gonna be gay, they would take the pregnancy to term? Well, you don't know but let's say half of them said, "Oh, no, I don't wanna do that to a kid." the gay community finds out about this. The gay community would do the fastest 180 and become pro-life faster than anybody you've ever seen. They'd be so against abortion if it was discovered that you could abort what you knew were gonna be gay babies (see *).Limbaugh opposed teaching grade school students about homosexuality in 1993 and wrote of gay rights as being special rights. He has made similar statements about transsexuals.
Also Limbaugh once said of Strom Thurmond, who used the phrase "not normal" to describe a gay soldier and various racial insults to refer to African-Americans during his segregationist presidential campaign in 1945, "He's not encumbered by being politically correct.... If you want to know what America used to be—and a lot of people wish it still were—then you listen to Strom Thurmond."
Balance and point of view
Critics decry what they assert is the lack of a balance between liberal and conservative viewpoints on talk radio. Limbaugh's response is to claim that most news reporting is liberally biased; a common saying of his is "I am equal time." To combat the claim of his show being "unreasonably biased," Limbaugh has adopted a policy of automatically bumping liberals to the front of the call queue, in order to ensure that they get a chance to voice their opinions. However, not all if any liberal callers make it past Limbaugh's call screener and his tendency is to challenge the views of those who do. Limbaugh does not claim to be a neutral reporter. He also has explained himself on occasion as being a commentator and entertainer, not a reporter.In the years he has been broadcasting, Limbaugh's audience has been growing while the audience of the television network news programs has been shrinking and growing older. With the passing from the scene of the network news anchors of the 1990s, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings, half-seriously and half-humorously Limbaugh has begun to call himself "America's Anchorman" to reflect that many of his fans consider him to be their primary source of news.
Limbaugh's satire, especially that of his early years, has been criticized by his detractors with some even calling it "hate speech". News about the homeless is often preceded with the Clarence "Frogman" Henry song "Ain't Got No Home". For a time, the song "I Know I'll Never Love This Way Again" preceded reports about people with AIDS. For two weeks in 1989, Limbaugh performed "caller abortions" where he would end a call suddenly to the sounds of a vacuum cleaner and a woman's scream, after which he would deny there was ever a caller, explaining that the call had been "aborted." After angry callers commented on this, he pointed out that their outrage would be better reserved for the actual abortions taking place in clinics across the country. In reference to Ted Kennedy, he often cites the alcohol use that led to the death of Kennedy's campaign worker/girlfriend, Mary Jo Kopechne, at Chappaquiddick by calling Kennedy "the swimmer" and referring to him as the Senator from Chappaquiddick. Limbaugh refers to Robert Byrd, Democrat-WV, as "Sheets Byrd" in reference to Byrd's membership in the KKK. This moniker ("Sheets") was originally coined by Tip O'Neill, per Chris Matthews, a former O'Neill staffer. (An extensive list of Limbaugh's nicknames for various political figures may be found at Jargon of The Rush Limbaugh Show).
Despite his lack of scientific credentials, Limbaugh is highly critical of environmentalism and has disputed human-caused global warming and the relationship between CFCs and depletion of the ozone layer, contrary to the majority view within the international scientific community.
Limbaugh is very vocal in denouncing liberal politicians and initiatives but actively promotes Republican candidates and policies. He has occasionally taken issue, from a right-wing perspective, with the George W. Bush administration in 2005 and 2006, criticizing the choice of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court and the President's immigration reform package. Other Republicans whom he criticised in this period included John McCain on immigration reform and House Speaker Dennis Hastert for his reaction to an FBI raid of a Capitol Hill office.
Demographic appeal
On the topic of what demographic Limbaugh appeals to, Stanford University professor of economics Thomas Sowell states:- "The liberal vision of Rush Limbaugh is that he is some guy who appeals to ignorant rednecks and Joe Sixpacks. … Actual research on Rush Limbaugh's audience has shown that they are above average in both education and income."
Sowell may have been referencing surveys such as those from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (see*).
On the other hand, according to Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, the Limbaugh audience isn't always the most informed on certain issues:
- We just concluded a study of 360 people, whom we watched watch the health care reform debate for nine months. And at the end of that period, we took the people who said they relied on talk radio, and by this, we mean primarily Rush Limbaugh. . . . And we asked them how well informed they felt. . . . Of all the people we watched, they said they were the best informed. And of all the people we watched, they were the least informed.
Commenting on the study, political satirist and author Al Franken, who holds liberal views, explains:
- How is such a thing even measured? Well, like all the other people studied, talk radio listeners were asked questions of "objective fact" such as: "Which groups (the elderly, poor, middle class, etc.) are most likely to be uninsured?" The Limbaugh listeners were highly likely to give an incorrect answer such as "the elderly" who, of course, are all covered by Medicare.
Another stereotype of the Limbaugh listener is encapsulated in the epithet "dittohead". When used as a derogatory term, it implies that the subject is a "mind-numbed robot", who falls into the groupthink of Limbaugh's audience. The term originated with people agreeing with previous callers' admiration of Rush; rather than repeating their admiration for the host and statements of honor to be selected to be on-air, callers to the show often preface their comments with "Dittos from (insert location here)". The term has been embraced by Limbaugh's fans themselves as an honorative, many proudly asserting their dittohead status in public forums or when calling into the show.
In 2005 Limbaugh visited U.S. soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. Upon his return, he initiated his (see adopt_a_soldier.guest.html) "Adopt A Soldier" program whereby listeners sponsor free subscriptions to his newsletter and pay-per-view web broadcasts for members of the armed forces. This also coincided with another flare up of the (seeThe Rush Limbaugh Show#Armed Forces Radio controversy) AFN controversy.
References
- Books written by Limbaugh
- Books written about Limbaugh
See also
External links
Watchdog groups opposed to Limbaugh
- Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting's opinion articles on Rush
- Opinions of Al Franken, liberal commentator, on Limbaugh's comments.
- Mike Stark of callingallwingnuts.com
Other Links
- Open Directory Project - Rush Limbaugh
- An aircheck of Rush Limbaugh as "Jeff Christie" on KQV-AM
- Rush Limbaugh's political donations
"Rush Limbaugh"