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New GOP Standard Bearer Rush Limbaugh Is Less Popular Than Jeremiah Wright

By Max Blumenthal, The Daily Beast. Posted February 7, 2009.


Didn't the Republicans who turned to Rush Limbaugh read the poll which found that he's one of the least popular political figures in the country?

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Congressional Republicans have turned to Rush Limbaugh to lead the battle against Obama. One problem: A poll says he's less popular than Jeremiah Wright.

Republicans who have turned to Rush Limbaugh to lead the fight against President Obama may have backed the wrong horse. According to one recent poll, Limbaugh turns out to be one of the most unpopular political figures in the country.

An October 24, 2008, poll conducted by the Democratic research firm Greenberg-Quinlan-Rosner has Rush Limbaugh enjoying a public-approval rating of just 21 percent among likely voters, while 58 percent have "cold" feelings toward the right-wing radio-talk-show host. Limbaugh's cold rating was higher than that of all the political figures the firm polled. It was seven points higher than Rev. Jeremiah "God Damn America" Wright and eight points higher than former Weather Underground domestic terrorist William Ayers. (As the firm points out in an email, it's true that Wright and Ayers both had lower "warm" ratings than Limbaugh--as you'd expect for men who have virtually no constituencies.)

Limbaugh is so unpopular that only 44 percent of Republican voters reported "warm" feelings toward him, ten points less than those who felt the same way about Limbaugh's top competitor, Fox News' Sean Hannity, and a full 20 points lower than Fox News itself. Yet in spite of rock-bottom favorable numbers, Limbaugh confidently declared one week after Obama's inauguration that his power far exceeded that of the Republican Party's top two leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives. Obama, Limbaugh roared, is "obviously more frightened of me than he is Mitch McConnell. He's more frightened of me, than he is of, say, John Boehner, which doesn't say much about our party."

Obama seems unfazed by El Rushbo. The president recently implored Republican leaders, "You can't listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."

Despite Limbaugh's low popularity ratings, congressional Republicans are so intimidated by his perceived influence that even the most resentful members shamelessly grovel at his feet. He might have alienated vast sectors of the Republican base, but Limbaugh still commands an army of self-proclaimed "Dittoheads" who represent the party's most politically fervent, ideologically extreme, and easily shepherded element. This is a faction that flood the party's elected representatives' offices with phone calls, and which they believe they cannot afford to offend.

In 1994, one year after the National Review ran a cover proclaiming Limbaugh "The Leader of The Republican Party," the "Dittoheads" helped propel the Republicans to a congressional majority. Hoping to stage another comeback against even greater odds, the Republicans maintain a strict code of masochism, bowing to Limbaugh even and especially when he casts them as his useful idiots.

Consider the case of Phil Gingrey, a Republican representative from a safely conservative district in Georgia. After Limbaugh mocked Boehner and McConnell, Gingrey decided to take his stand, blasting Limbaugh (and Hannity and Newt Gingrich) for "throwing bricks" without paying the consequences. "You know you're just on these talk shows and you're living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing," Gingrey told a reporter on January 27. "But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn't be or wouldn't be good leaders."


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See more stories tagged with: politics, gop, rush limbaugh, polling, shock jock

Max Blumenthal is a senior writer for The Daily Beast and writing fellow at The Nation Institute, whose book, Republican Gomorrah (Basic/Nation Books), is forthcoming in Spring 2009. Contact him at maxblumenthal3000@yahoo.com.

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View:
Proof...
Posted by: adp3d on Feb 7, 2009 1:26 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...that the GOP continues to desiccate when these people(Limbaugh, Palin, et al)become party standard bearers.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» rightwing twist of FD Posted by: Jennifer Bedingfield
» OBAMA AND TALK RADIO Posted by: reelman
Silence is golden
Posted by: BST on Feb 7, 2009 1:31 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You say "Obama seems unfazed by El Rushbo. The president recently implored Republican leaders, 'You can't listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done.'"

Someone who is unfazed, simply ignores a gnat.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Silence is golden Posted by: helenahanbasquet
» RE: Silence is golden Posted by: QuestionAuthority
» To remain unfazed Posted by: realveive
I hope Republican politicians become even more subservient to Rush,
Posted by: and_abottleofrum on Feb 7, 2009 2:13 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
and that Rush Limbaugh continues his attention-seeking ways by offending people (which he will certainly do). This will diminish support for the Republican Party even further.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Obama was right...
Posted by: TerryW4 on Feb 7, 2009 2:14 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
to say what he said. Someone needs to speak the truth. It's the GOP that needs to ignore him and his dittohead sheep.

People like Rush, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc, take one statement and make a mountain out of a mole hill. Doesn't everyone by now see the school yard bully tactics these immature boys use on our public airwaves? The things that come out of their mouths are what I used to hear during 3rd grade recess. Stations that air them have very low standards indeed. You want to get rid of Rush, start calling and complaining to the advertisers that air during his program. This is a man that wants our president to fail, isn't that exactly what he accused Bush-haters of for the past 8 years?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Well, do you know who the sponsors are? Posted by: photon's feather
» See above or Posted by: TruthBeTold
Mr. Obvious
Posted by: Jayzer on Feb 7, 2009 2:20 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush Limbaugh, to my mind, has always been Mr. Obvious. One may fault him or his malice (Imagine waiting a WHOLE week before pouncing on Obama! Nice self-control, there Rush.) or praise him for his "honesty" in wishing failure to Obama, but nobody can say that it's unclear where he's coming from.

To those who say Rush isn't a racist, what evidence do you need? Does he actually have to wear a white hood and burn a cross on someone's lawn or will a swastika armband convince you? Oh, that's right, I keep forgetting: if you're a dittohead, you probably think that feminists are the real Nazis.

I gotta tip my gas mask to you, Mr. Obvious: you got some Republicans to grovel in abject apology for daring to contradict your Mighty Rushitude. Now, where do we all go to make the holy offering of Oxycontin?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» Mr. Odious Posted by: phatkhat
» RE: Mr. Odious Posted by: Jayzer
Rush Limpballs reminds me sooo much of Joe McCarthy.
Posted by: Plexius2 on Feb 7, 2009 3:00 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
He also reminds me of Mussolini. With the backing of so many mindless conservatives, Limpballs could do a lot of harm to a lot of people. It would not surprise me if he ran for office. Limpballs/Palin in 2012, anyone?

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» ROFLMAO! Posted by: avidAmerican
Heavily rigged to the right
Posted by: Perry Logan on Feb 7, 2009 3:03 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here's a mindblower: neither Rush nor right-wing "hate radio" was ever very popular.

Surveys reveal that less than half of the audience for hate radio shows like Rush's identify themselves as conservatives! It turns out the radio market is heavily rigged for the wingnuts (so what else is new?):

The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio

Right-wing "best sellers" are also a complete fraud. When these sleazebags publish a book, well-monied winger organizations buy whole pallets of their books, to create the appearance we are a conservative nation, when poll after poll shows that the opposite is true.

What an immense comfort it is to realize that Americans never really had an appetite for the sewage-like spewings of the political right. Imagine how much healthier our society will be without their filth filling the public airways every day.

Going Back in Time

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» True but, Posted by: kegbot1
Cowards All
Posted by: Sparks56 on Feb 7, 2009 3:40 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think it says a lot about the American Conservative movement that its leadership has decended from William F. Buckley, a polite, stunningly erudite intellectual, to the crass, bloviating Limbaugh. Both were/are unapologetic snobs; Limbaugh is the anti-intellectual elitist. Both shunned public office. (Buckley ran for mayor of NYC in the 60's, with little chance of winning. When asked what he would do if somehow he won, he responded, "Demand a recount." Limbaugh says he couldn't take the pay cut.) Cowards both. It is easy to sit on the sidelines, as comfortable multi-millionaires, and snipe at the failures if others.
Carvill's right; let the Republicans grovel at the feet of Limbaugh and fall in line behind the party leadership of Sarah Palin.

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Who cares.....
Posted by: 2thepoint on Feb 7, 2009 4:29 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
SinceRush and Wright are of the same cloth, just different sides, they both deserve to be marginalized.

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» Your post was a... Posted by: LMNOP
» RE: Who cares..... Posted by: Lilly
E Liberal
Posted by: davidwarrenlong on Feb 7, 2009 4:31 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush Limbaugh is a bloated, ugly, stupid, and harmful creature, one of the worst things in our country. Stop paying his salary, America.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Liberal Posted by: weenie
» RE: Liberal Posted by: Parcival01
Ignorance is Strength
Posted by: signjay on Feb 7, 2009 4:51 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Of course one side of me says "Ignore this guy and he'll go away", but the other side is aware that the guy down at the general store with the poached deer in the back of the truck and the 6th grade diploma , who is mad at the wrong people for his poor condition, is the base of the GOP, the unquestioning, unthinking, pitiful creature who works hard, goes to church, but is seething with hatred for whatever enemy Rush tells him is responsible for his poverty and his ignorance. Rush is one of the most dangerous people in America. This is exactly how Hitler came to power- remember, he was ELECTED-, and things are about as bad in America as they were in Europe in the 30's. In the 30's, American opted for hope and strength in the person of FDR, Germany opted for fear and what passed for strength in Hitler. It could happen again in a few short years if Rush is able to rebuild his empire of Hatred. We need to pay razor sharp attention to this.

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» RE: Ignorance is Strength Posted by: Dismas
» RE: Ignorance is Strength Posted by: Midway54
» RE: Ignorance is Strength Posted by: Lilly
» RE: Ignorance is Strength Posted by: rickiey
It`s time
Posted by: maxfactor on Feb 7, 2009 4:59 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
for a third party - the Reps can outsource the crazy hate fringe.

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Money Talks... Screw your numbers
Posted by: SeattlePackedSnowandCollidedCars on Feb 7, 2009 5:15 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You have a pvt citizen tweaking the leader of the free world. This is such bad form however you are too busy reporting an agenda than the facts. Plus a whole day of Air America, Democracy Now, Nova Radio, MSNBC is loaded with all the things you "think" that are on the right. At the end of the day Obama is my president however I ask you, did you really wanted Bush to succeed?

Rush, Hannity, Levin get use to em, we can't be stopped

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It's obvious to me that no one posting on this website ever listens to Rush
Posted by: Blink on Feb 7, 2009 5:21 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If you did, you wouldn't call him crass, bloviating, etc. And you would have known that he said he wanted Obama's Leftist policies, with which he disagrees, to fail -- not Obama the man.

If Rush is so inconsequential, why is the POTUS mentioning his name, and why is he the subject of so many Alternet articles? And why the continued histrionics over Sarah Palin from the Left? Why do Leftists work overtime trying to shut down dissent? My conclusion: You're paranoid, hate-filled totalitarians.

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» He never talked to one in his life Posted by: Jennifer Bedingfield
» Paling's too much of a sick joke. Posted by: Jennifer Bedingfield
» "Incredulous" projection? Posted by: Blink
» Yawn Posted by: LMNOP
» Hate Posted by: Blink
» RE: Hate Posted by: PopRox80
» Thanks for the validation Posted by: LMNOP
» RE: Hate Posted by: Blink
» RE: Hate Posted by: LMNOP
» Darling, my conclusion is that Posted by: Grandma Crabby
» No, I'm not a maroon Posted by: Blink
» Eh, the other meaning, sir/ma'am. Posted by: CarlaWaters
Sorry, this comment has been removed from the system.
» RE: People like you? Posted by: Longdream
To hell with the GOP pols. Let them rot in Limbaugh land. The rest of us
Posted by: jwverez on Feb 7, 2009 5:53 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
deserve better. Obama needs to quit begging the rightwing assholes to listen and his party needs to shut up and shut the rightwing assholes out and put progressive policies in full force. We the people elected Obama on the basis of our hope for change and bold new leadership, not status quo and begging. You might want to ask the Blue Dogs and DLCers in Congress why they're listening to rightwing elitist assholes such as Limbaugh and not the actual needs of the general public. They didn't get voted in to kiss up to Limbaugh. They got voted in on the basis that they'd provide bold and progressive leadership for their constituents.

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» Remember that he's not Posted by: Beck
Dismas
Posted by: Dismas on Feb 7, 2009 6:17 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I suspect we are seeing an end to fringe hate radio as it pertains to the right. If the republican party now has such leaders as Joe the plumber, Sara the dumber and Rush the doper, it becomes obvious to others what these people are, and what they represent, i.e., their own interests: which are that of media whores with ego maniacal, narcissistic, characteristics.

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It's 1993 again!
Posted by: Erik1968 on Feb 7, 2009 7:41 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
ONCE AGAIN: if you run as a progressive, but govern as a moderate, the right will DESTROY you. It happenned in 1994. It's happening again. Don't any of these people REMEMBER what it was like? It'as not like any of thses people (other than Obama) weren't there...

It's no fun watching history repeat itself. Enjoy President Palin...

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Fat, arrogant druggies rule! Go GOP!
Posted by: peterjkraus on Feb 7, 2009 7:46 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I love it: The arrogant druggie prick from Cape Girardeau, MO, who couldn't get a real job there, makes a killing setting fires under rubes. Keep on doin' it, Rush! Yell and scream about druggies ruining Amurrica, send out the new housekeeper to buy another 25000 pills and pray to whomever you pray to that the idiots out there will keep believing.

Only in Amurrica! Vot a country, huh?

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rush vs Rev Wright
Posted by: linderella2929 on Feb 7, 2009 8:00 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The difference between Rush and Rev Wright is that the Rev tells the truth and Rush is a liar.

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Good gawd. He's not a "political figure". He's a circus performer...
Posted by: ABetterFuture on Feb 7, 2009 8:06 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...with words and logic. Yes, people pay to keep the circus going, and that's all he's in it for.

He doesn't give a crap about politics as far as I can tell; he's trying to make a gazillion bucks in whatever way he can, and also to support his ego.

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When liberals make fun, conservatives win
Posted by: gabbyone on Feb 7, 2009 8:26 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You can make fun of Rush all you want and post all the polls you can find but the fact is that he is the number one radio talk show host in the country. People listen to him and if you have ever listened to him.....the people he talks to vote. If Obama was so unruffled by Rush, he would never had mentioned him and given him more credibility. The President of the United States shouldn't be engaging with
a talk show host. It shows Obama's inexperience that a comment by Rush could get
him to react. If you think someone is a circus clown as one of you labeled Rush, you ignore him not get him sent to the center ring.
It doesn't matter if you like him, its the 14 million red state folks that listen to him who have to like him and then vote to keep the Republicans in the Senate in filibuster position every election. By the way, how many of you have just signed a 400 million dollar
contract for what you do? Rush is laughing
all the way to the bank, he got Obama to take the bait. Who is the smart guy here?

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» RE: Tokyo Rose of the right Posted by: dangerouslysane
» RE: Tokyo Rose of the right Posted by: wrinklemomma
» His ratings are as overblown as he Posted by: avidAmerican
» conservatives win Posted by: TruthBeTold
consv
Posted by: jnatejr on Feb 7, 2009 8:42 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I kinda like him, Sean and old Billy boy too. Lets not forget Mike Savage. They must be doing something right cause they certainley have you liberal a-holes attention.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Of course most people can't stand him
Posted by: scytherius on Feb 7, 2009 8:54 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Well of COURSE no one but the very extreme Right likes him. It's always been that way. That is why the Dems are labeling as the head of the GOP. Indies generally hate him and that is who you need to win elections. And if you paint the opposition as being lead by a drug addled radio host . . . well . . . you tend to win elections.

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Ugh!
Posted by: LANCE on Feb 7, 2009 9:22 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Limbaugh is so unpopular, drinking Drano is preferred by college students.

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Rush is a blowhard...
Posted by: MyLeftFoot on Feb 7, 2009 9:30 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
setup some wind turbines in front of him and generate some clean electricity...

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The most important word: "shepherded"
Posted by: Parcival01 on Feb 7, 2009 9:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It does amaze me that idiots like Limbaugh, Hannity and o'lielly have any influence on anything. But certain sheep mistake the supposed zeal of an opinion as being tantamount to knowing what the person's talking about, especially when the one with the opinion has a medium like these losers do.

I wonder at times whether we'd do better to ignore them (and have pled with others to NOT appear on their shows. If they have no straw men, skapegoats, they also lose an audience!)

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openly black
Posted by: jsw748 on Feb 7, 2009 9:54 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
There's something frightening and sad about a popularity poll that includes Limbaugh and Hannity. Add Coulter and you've got the ultimate Right wing nut horror show!

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I love to be right.
Posted by: Longdream on Feb 7, 2009 12:45 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I just love it.

Been a long time comin', but I knew it was comin' fast.

So long Fatso!

B'bye, Bold, Fresh Piece of Crap!

Write if you get work, you vile, skinny bitch!

Time to get on out of the field before you're run over--I understand there are lots of vacancies in Hell's Home Office if you don't mind sweating for eternity in the pit of drug-addled obscurity. For your kind, that's probably better than swinging your pathetic old asses to the new music, trying to get the attention of Americans who are through with you.

This way to the hole! Don't trip--it's a long way down!

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» RE: I love to be right. Posted by: Quannah
» RE: I love to be right. Posted by: Longdream
» RE: I love to be right. Posted by: Quannah
Rush Limbaugh
Posted by: vasumurti on Feb 7, 2009 12:51 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"I'll tell you what the environmental movement is in this country today, folks," insisted Rush Limbaugh on an April 22, 1993 television broadcast, "It is the modern home of the socialist/communist movement in America."

According to Limbaugh, the "real mission" of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) "is destroying capitalism, not saving animals." (The Way Things Ought to Be, p. 108)

The reality? As an integral part of a secular moral philosophy, ethical vegetarianism and purchasing only cruelty-free consumer products are comparable to economic boycotting -- a political tactic used by liberals and conservatives alike.

Abolitionists are almost always accused of being anti-capitalist by the very industries they attack. Anti-abolitionists claimed that the end of human slavery would bring with it the collapse of the economic structure of the Southern United States.

In his book, The Status of Animals in the Christian Religion, author C.W. Hume noted: "The major cruelties practiced on animals in civilized countries today arise out of commercial exploitation, and the fear of losing profits is the chief obstacle to reform."

"Limbaugh's chronic inaccuracy, and his lack of accountability wouldn't be such a problem if he were just an obnoxious entertainer, like Howard Stern," observes Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), an independent media watch group. "But Limbaugh is taken seriously by 'serious' media: In addition to repeat 'Nightline' appearances, he's been an 'expert' on such chat shows as 'Today,' 'MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour,' 'Charlie Rose,' and 'This Week with David Brinkley.'

"The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Newsweek have published his columns.

"At the beginning of his first book, The Way Things Ought to Be," observes FAIR, "Rush Limbaugh hails 'wholesome family values' as the key to a decent society. But Limbaugh's recurrent 'family values' rhetoric is frequently contradicted by his actions.

"While criticizing premarital sex and ridiculing liberals for saying cohabitation is the same as marriage, he's lived with girlfriends before marriage. He denounces others over profanity and pornography, and then uses expletives in interviews with Playboy and Penthouse (and lies when questioned about it by fans).

"He gleefully does a radio commercial for Hooters -- a restaurant chain that promotes itself by emphasizing its waitresses' breasts -- in an ad making light of the 'shameless exploitation of women.' He warms up his in-studio TV audience with a joke about prostitution. He extols the Ten Commandments, and then defends breaking the commandment against bearing false witness, as long as the untruths are told to the U.S. Congress."

"When I listen to Limbaugh, as I often do," observed Texas political commentator Molly Ivins back in the 1990s, "I find he consistently targets dead people, little girls, the homeless, and animals -- none of whom are in a particularly good position to respond. It is the consistency of his selection of helpless targets that I find so appalling.

"On his TV show in 1993, he put up a picture of Socks, the White House cat, and said: 'Did you know there's a White House dog?' And then he put up a picture of Chelsea Clinton, who was 13 years old and as far as I know had never done any harm to anyone...

"I also think he has a somewhat cult-like effect on his followers. They listen to him for three and a half hours a day on radio and television. I am in a position to assure you that David Koresh did not talk to the Branch Davidians that much. But that is precisely what cult leaders do: They talk to their followers hour after hour after hour."

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Blowhard Limbaugh Much Less Popular Than He Thinks
Posted by: SkeeterVT1 on Feb 7, 2009 1:01 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Al Franken sure chose the right title for his book about talk radio: "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big, Fat Idiot!" In fact, ht'e a big, fat blowhard whose ego has swelled to the point where he's grossly overestimating his power and influence -- especially in the face of recent Arbitron radio ratings that show his program has been steadily losing listeners since July.

Even more incredible are reports that Limbaugh is slowly being eclipsed by Sean Hannity in the talk-radio wars, with Hannity's show drawing higher ratings than Limbaugh's, even though it's on fewer stations.

The fact that Hannity is also on television, with his nightly show on Fox News Channel -- and that Limbaugh avoids TV like the plague after his own TV show back in the mid-'90s crashed and burned -- obviously is a factor in Limbaugh's decline as well.

One other tell-tale sign: That other Fox News superstar, Bill O'Reilly, recently gave up his radio show, ostensibly because its ratings were also in decline.

The Pew Research Center reports that conservative talk radio draws only 17 percent of American radio listeners, not surpisingly, the vast majority of whom are conservative white, middle-aged Republican males -- a shrinking minority of the American electorate.

Moreover, Pew also reports that the overwhelming majority of talk-radio stations are on the AM band -- and more than 80 percent of the total American radio audience listens to FM radio. Even the all-FM National Public Radio network, with its more than 700 stations, draws more listeners than Limbaugh.

Essentially, Limbaugh is the radio equivalent of the emperor who has no clothes on; he's merely preaching to a middle-aged, conservative white-male choir -- who are not only a shrinking minority of the electorate, but are also the ones getting hit the hardest with job losses in the worsening economy.

The Republicans don't realize it, but they're actually hurting their own bedrock electoral base by fighting against President Obama's economic stimulus package.

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Bloviators
Posted by: frank69 on Feb 7, 2009 1:15 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I personaly don't listen to or watch any and all bloviators. Haven't watched network news for many, many years.
I never listen to ditto-land radio.

I watch and listen to Local News. I read the "alternate" press. Why I even read books. Imagine!

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Rush and his ilk are fanatics for fascism-
Posted by: antu on Feb 7, 2009 2:04 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Aristocrat wanna-be it's sad. People like rush are vampires forcing the need for socialism while screaming socialism/communism terror- neo-liberals neo-cons...
Money first humans later...much later..
His soul is black and his heart is hollow.
If the GOP really loved America they would have kept the jobs in the US.
If Rush and his elitist buddies don't reign themselves in and fast the US will be even more like a third world country than we already are.
Maybe Rush will be good for America and invest in bringing manufacturing jobs back that his handlers have outsourced. Helping the nation get back on her feet. There are a few hundred thousand people who could use some work. Thank goodness we have food stamps and medicaid for now.
If things keep getting worse his sponsors will have to renege on his contract and he will have to fend like the rest of us. He'll have 3 months to pay off his multi-million dollar debt and have to work for minimum wage.
Then it's quite possible he might change his mind about Obama's stimulus package.

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Rush Limbaugh and His "Ditto-Heads"
Posted by: SharC on Feb 7, 2009 2:07 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
When I first learned that the people who listen to Rush and call in on his radio show call themselves "ditto-heads," I was amazed because as a former teacher I used to use a ditto machine to produce needed copies of items for my students to use in their class. When I landed at a small New England airport, I noticed that the bar located there had the name of DITTO LOUNGE. When I asked the manager why that name had been chosen, he pointed proudly to the TVs in the bar that were broadcasting Rush's TV show, or having the radios tuned into his radio show!!! I was both appalled and horrified by his answer.

So let us examine this term: ditto-head. A ditto is an exact copy, it produces nothing original, it has no mind of its own. Why would anyone want to be publicly known as a brainless copy of anything?

I could not stand to watch his now-cancelled TV show because of he rarely used facts and reasoned arguments, but merely howled out his own opinions and then his audience would hoop and holler in total "ditto" agreement.

Personally, even though I am retired, I have more important things to do with my time then to spend 2-3 hours in the middle of the day listening to this same stuff on the radio. Who is really listening to talk-radio these days? I suspect it may be disgruntled, narrow minded bigots, who are probably either retired or unemployed..."ditto-heads." So I sincerely hope that Rush, Sean, Bill O, Michael Savage, Anne C. etc. will rapidly lose their "ditto-head" audiences.

Come on people, start using your own brains by reading everything you can get your hands on from the left, right, and middle of the political spectrum and then you will be able to form a political opinion that is worthy of its very name. Don't become a "ditto-head!"

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Let's Do It: Start A Boycott of Limburger's Sponsors
Posted by: FilmDog on Feb 7, 2009 2:27 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I've seen several references to boycotting Limburger's sponsors. So, let's do it. An idea like this could go "viral" very quickly. Can someone make some suggestions as to how to spread the idea?

Maybe we could begin by posting lists of the sponsors. I'm going to start researching this right now.

Thanks, AlterNet. This is a great gathering spot for progressives who are fed up with the Right Wing. Those folks are going to destroy what's left of the country.

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Rush is a "political figure"?
Posted by: damianmann on Feb 7, 2009 2:36 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I thought he was a big-mouthed media figure. How has he convinced people he's a political figure?

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This Guy Needs to Get Laid, or At Least Blow Somebody
Posted by: AlteredStates on Feb 7, 2009 2:33 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Oh, Rush; get a life. Why do you torment yourself with self flagellation? Your bloated appearance indicates something is very wrong in your life. Tell us Rush; what is really bothering you? Were you abused as a child by a domineering mother and a weak father? Ya know, they say, that is a breading ground for aberrant behavior. If so, you can get help. But, burying all that pain with drugs is not the answer. And, stuffing your face with copious amounts of food that is loaded with saturated fats can kill you. Or, perhaps, that is what you want; to go out as a martyr for the cause of...oh, you know what I mean...I think.

By-the-way, Rush, can you, in deed, grab your ankles, as you said you would like to do on the Sean Hannity program?
Is that your secret desire; to be ramrodded by some ultra conservative with a dick made of titanium, so that you can feel, first hand, what it is like to be fucked in the ass by someone singing the national anthem and raping you at the same time. That is the "thrust" (pardon the pun) of your argument, isn't it?

Let's face it, Rush, there has got to be a reason why you get yourself all worked- up about...everything. I think, what you really need is love. When was the last time someone said to you, "I love you, Rush" and meant it? You don't have to answer that. We know what the answer is.

Well, whatever you do with the rest of your life, get some help, first. Ye gads, man; you can't go on torturing yourself with all this hate and fear. Somebody, please, give Rush a big hug before he explodes, or, implodes. If that happens, who will take your place as the "king" of talk/hate radio? Maybe the ghosts of the Third Reich.

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Rush's audience
Posted by: realveive on Feb 7, 2009 2:57 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
is only 20 million. As long as we keep America's asshole ratio below 20/300 we can survive.

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Rush Limbaugh...
Posted by: Pirate1 on Feb 7, 2009 3:20 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Is a PUTZ!

Get over him... his importance, his relevance to anything real is so overrated and overstated. We need to give the guy a collective boot in his fat ass and be done with him. People like him dry up and blow away when they don't garner the attention they crave. So tune him out and move on with a future devoid of the influence of trolls like him.

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» RE: Rush Limbaugh... Posted by: dangerouslysane
Awwwww... Poor, poor OxyRush Slimeball.....
Posted by: Animal on Feb 7, 2009 3:50 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Nobody loves him anymore. Boo hoo!!

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Unpopular Political Figure???
Posted by: henkle110936 on Feb 7, 2009 4:54 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
When was Rush Limbaugh elected to office? I must have missed the election. I always thought that Limbaugh was a radio/TV personality on the order of IMUS, and that 'what's her name? ...the black woman who holds the giveaway parties', and the satire crew that performs on Saturday Night Live. A question for all ... does New York think that it is the center of the universe or that anyone outside of New York really cares what any of them think or say?

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Big, Fat Idiot!!!
Posted by: rtbd on Feb 7, 2009 5:57 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush Limbaugh is a boil on the ass of the world!!! A repugnant junkie who snuck through the streets of the inner city (the very streets he rails against on his pathetic hate-mongering radio show) seeking his illicit drugs!!! He's a vile, vile, filthy slob!!!

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abusedbypenguins
Posted by: abusedbypenguins on Feb 7, 2009 6:29 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The first time I was aware of limbaughs existance was as interview of him in Playboy about 15 years ago. While reading the interview my only thought was the guy was looney tunes. A couple of years later while visiting my parents, my mother had me watch a show of his on TV. Mom thought limbough was great but then her mother, whose parents were German thought hitler was great. Gobles would be proud of the republican party.

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Polls Say what?
Posted by: MCahill on Feb 7, 2009 9:28 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
that the most succesful radio commentator in history is totally unpopular? Have another sip of that kool-aide my liberal friends.

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» RE: Polls Say what? Posted by: Quannah
» RE: Polls Say what? Posted by: JSquercia
» RE: Polls Say what? Posted by: Quannah
Rush Limbaugh NOT a "New" REPUBLICAN Standard Bearer ---
Posted by: nobyjingo on Feb 7, 2009 9:30 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush Limbaugh has been the REPUBLICANS Standard Bearer for Years.

Right-Wing REPUBLICANS have paid $400,000,000. for propagandist, Rush Limbaugh to rant against Liberals until 2016. $50 MILLION/YEAR means the REPUBLICAN Right is satisfied with his rants. For many years now, Rush has been the REPUBLICANS standard bearer and if Rush continues his rants against the liberals, Rush Limbaugh will continue to be the REPUBLICANS standard bearer until he expires, unless Obama does something about his, and others, right-wing propaganda tactics that are hurting the nation as a whole. The common population are getting wise to his propaganda tactics against the Left, so Limbaugh is losing his grip on the common population, but he is still getting paid extremely well to come up with new ideas and propaganda tactics to carry water for the REPUBLICAN RIGHT and as long as he gets paid to propagandize the population, he will.

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FMAinMass
Posted by: FMABBI on Feb 8, 2009 4:32 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The GOP lawmakers have to make a decision. Party first and constituents second or constituents first and party second. If they DO listen to Limbaugh or cave to "party first" dictates, the GOP will become irrelevant for decades. So, more power to Limbaugh.

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Limbaugh only exists as a symptom of what's wrong with America for the past 28 years.
Posted by: CarlaWaters on Feb 8, 2009 4:45 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If the Democrats would just be themselves and not be afraid to be truly progressive and liberal, less people would be internally angry at the Democrats' pandering to the rightwing and less people would be listening to creeps such as Limbaugh. The Democrats have no excuse whatsoever to ditch real progressives/liberals such as Kucinich, Nader, Mckinney, Matt Gonzolez, Sheehan, etc ...

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Rev Wright was RIGHT
Posted by: Purple Girl on Feb 8, 2009 5:41 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Reagans Ignored GRID/HIV/AIDS for years allowing this disease to rack up more heinous deaths. And why not suggest the admin had released it...The reagna admin GAVE Saddam Anthrax to use against the Iranians and Kurds. The reason Why McCain Knew IMMEDIATELY the Anthrax came from Saddam. Probably sent along with the Boots and funds McCains 'Charity' group provided to those 'Afghani Freedom fighters' working to suck the life out of another Super Power. some shit doesn't change. No doubt McCain knows how to catch Bin Laden, he's been to his place for a Drinks after the 'Chickens had come Home to roost' on 9/11!! Why is it McCain Never enlightened the Bushies about his Unique Knowledge- Never asked, Never had to since they already knew themselves (Cheney, Rummy & wolfie were the 'Departmetn of Defense during Reagan- who were they defending- Saddam & AQ). Even more outrageous is that McCain seems to have gone mute once agiann now that his claim didn't win him the Presidency. To aid insult to injury the lil' vindictictive asshole now is blocking any means to pull US out of this economic Nose dive he and his cronies sent US plummeting into!Just like what they did to help destroy the USSR in the '80's
When DoJ Starts look for Enemies of the State, don't forget the Senator with the concocted 'Glory Story'.get the guy who tied the noose for Saddam- Good enough for the protege, certainly good enough for the Mentor! and we need only figure out which one of the 7+ houses Binny's been vacationing at to get his other benefactor. I want McCains feet dangling right next to his co conspirators Cheney,Rummy & Wolfie
Hang 'em Low & slow for their high crimes against US and the rest of the World.

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RL was Honorary Member of Congress
Posted by: Lilly on Feb 8, 2009 7:03 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Some may have forgotten what Google will quickly remind them of. In the mid-1990's Rush Limbaugh was named an Honorary Member of Congress (it was the Congress of the United States of America that did the naming) for his help in bringing about the Republican Revolution.

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Chemotherapy
Posted by: Revolutionary (Direct) Democracy on Feb 8, 2009 7:12 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Drop some Oxycontins in an envelope and send them to Rush.


FREE AMERICA

REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMORACY

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This is great for Democrats
Posted by: TexasCowboy on Feb 8, 2009 8:44 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush Limbaugh, a drug addict who presents himself as a ‘white extremists’ articulates his hatred for a new President and his desire to see America fail, defies the right of one who would incite riots and engage in McCarthyism tactics. If one believes Elliot Sanders from St. Louis, Limbaugh has also had at least one same sex relationship http://la.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/23699_comment.php which presents more hypocrisy from a gay hater. He has also been married 4 times, so anyone who thinks this wacko is stable and should be listened to, should rethink their support of him. who describes Limbaugh’s gay relationship with him, again not that is a bad thing, but nothing could bode better for Democrats than to have Republicans be lead by Rush, Sarah and Joe the Plumber!

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» RE: This is great for Democrats Posted by: AlteredStates
Politico?
Posted by: Steve Stone on Feb 8, 2009 2:24 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Period.

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Mr. Rush Limbaugh
Posted by: eosrk on Feb 8, 2009 2:46 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I listen to ur show, and its very interesting....you constanly attacking Obama, Democrats, Liberals, and anyone who isn't like a conservative....let's see here.....YOUR PARTY DID TAKE CONTROL FROM CLINTON IN 1996 BECAUSE THE MORAL PEOPLE WANTED AN MORAL PRESIDENT, IS HOW CLUSTERFUCK GOT INTO THE WHITE HOUSE...SO U HAD YOUR TEN YEAR GLORY, MR. LIMBAUGH.......what happened?

Oh, and by the way, I not only didn't vote for Regan, but he was a idiot too.....and we're seeing the fruits of his labor, too!

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» RE: Mr. Rush Limbaugh Posted by: wal55
Spell the names right
Posted by: sweetmorganlefey on Feb 8, 2009 2:51 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's Newt Gingrich. I love this news site. Please spell the names right of the people whom you are rightfully speaking about. Newton "Newt" Leroy Gingrich (born Newton Leroy McPherson on June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author, who served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, Time magazine selected him as the Person of the Year for his role in leading the Republican Revolution in the House, ending 40 years of Democratic Party majorities in that body. During his tenure as Speaker he represented the public face of the Republican opposition to Bill Clinton.

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» RE: Spell the names right Posted by: particle
» RE: Spell the names right Posted by: Lilly
» Spell the name right: Newt Posted by: TruthBeTold
Piggy
Posted by: kogwonton on Feb 8, 2009 2:57 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around in.

Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around in.

In their sties with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a damn good whacking.

Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon.

-The Beatles


Rush you fat phuques.

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Jesus, false witness and Oxycontin
Posted by: PaulK on Feb 8, 2009 7:04 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
< sarcasm> We're looking at America's most successful marriage, Jesus and Rush in the Republican Party. How does this ever play to the social conservatives: Thou shall worship the narcotic of your choice, just like Big Rush. Then thou shall make lies up wholesale and act abominably to your neighbors just because you don't agree with them, just like Big Rush. < /sarcasm>

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YOwza!
Posted by: FreeAmerica on Feb 8, 2009 10:12 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This comment section is really sad. You guys are so busy selling your hate, name calling and preconceptions, that you stopped commenting on the article at some point and started projecting your own pathologies. Yowza!

Let me help you with a few things..

!) The polls cited were by leftist organizations, the results are very very questionable.

2) If Limbaugh is in decline and if all of the terrible things that you call him are true, why are you advocating using the force of the government to silence him? In theory if his audience is dropping, he would go away on his own. He is not, hell he is getting 20-30,000 an ad spot and hundreds of millions of dollars in pay.

3) Racism is not a valid charge. I have heard Rush many times, and he is not a racist. Ask his daily program observer/call screener Bo Snerdly who is himself "Black enough to criticize Obama". His frequent guest host Walter Williams is also a man of color.

4) I usually heard Rush at work when someone had him on the radio.

5) If the fairness doctrine were really brought back, either it would only apply to AM radio, or it would hurt democrats badly. Right now the mainstream media is so in the bag for democrats that if it applied to TV, they would loose their out loud hold on the major networks, TV news, and print media. We know palin's 17yo daughter's babay daddy's educational record, but not Obama's.

6) Just because someone is to the right of you in opinion does not make them a hate filled retarded racist poaching deer out of his pickup truck while sporting a 2nd grade education. Not all black people like ribs either. Grow the fuck up.

7) Most of the posters here have never even heard Limbaugh, but have rather been trained to hate him by the people that they interact with. You are coming from a position of ignorance and spouting the party line. If you want to have a valid opinion, tune in for a week and make a fair judgment based on YOUR observations.

8)The First Ammendment was specifically intended to address political speech. McCain Feingold was one of the most constitutionally offensive laws ever written. Feingold is far left, and McCain is center left unless he is being watched.

The First does not only apply to the leftists of the country, journalists in their media, or any other specific group. What the fairness doctrine does is silence political speech, something very constitutionally offensive.

9)How is it that people advocating the end of the drug war are quick to label him as a junkie? Isn't that a little off?

10)Oh yeah the article... You guys got so sucked into your conditioned rush-hate that most posters here never commented on the article.

It was full of ideas based on bad information followed by a burst of childish and shallow minded posts coming from a position of ignorance. If ignorance is bliss you guys are in heaven.

How sad.

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» RE: YOwza! Posted by: Quannah
» SAY WHAT?????? Posted by: TruthBeTold
» RE: SAY WHAT?????? Posted by: FreeAmerica
To Quote Casey Kasem
Posted by: Dixie Dawg on Feb 9, 2009 11:30 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Casey Kasem, America's Top 40 DJ had a hilarious out take a few years ago. Following one of his heart felt, marsh mellow voiced death dedications for a young listener's dog Kasem's staff, for a joke, queued up a ZZ Top for him. Kasem's rant at his staff was hilarious. He ended his verbal flailing with what could easily apply to Limbaugh, " Ponderous. It's just ponderous."

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Limbaugh's
Posted by: Levon on Feb 9, 2009 12:39 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
audience is the same 4 million people. the same four million people listen to him day after day and then they brag about how he has an audience of 20 million a week. the same four million that hang on his every word and follow him like he was some kind of god. false idol. two-headed cow.

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» RE: Limbaugh's Posted by: WeHopeRushFails.com
Rush Limbaugh Expresses His Hopes
Posted by: WeHopeRushFails.com on Feb 9, 2009 1:18 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We express ours.

Won't you join us?

POLL: Who would you prefer failed, Obama or Rush?

www.WeHopeRushFails.com

Follow-up question:

What would the consequences of failure be given their respective jobs?

Assuming you can validly call what Limbaugh does a "job". It's more like an obsession than a job, although, apparently it does pay quite well.

About $33 million a year, according to wikipedia.

It's no wonder he's looking for tax cuts, huh?

It must be pretty hard to by on that kind of salary. I'll bet your average Dittohead makes at least twice that, minimum.

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» RE: Rush Limbaugh Expresses His Hopes Posted by: WeHopeRushFails.com
Has Wright been silenced or censored?
Posted by: LillianB on Feb 14, 2009 1:55 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Interesting attempts to silence and censor any voice who disagree with the current administration. Hugo Chavez used the same incremental tactics to silence his critics. Pick and personalize the enemy and attack, discredit and destroy. I don't like where this country is going.

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