I've never been a particular fan of Limbaugh. Sometimes he seems to be just a tad disingenuous with the facts or how he presents them. He is though an entertainer first and foremost so I can overlook that. Poetic license and all. What he does well and what makes him very valuable to Americans, and by extension Canadians, is to ask the questions that make the folks on the left squirm. Because of his ratings he has the power to hold peoples feet to the fire and America needs that now more than ever.

All I know is when the mainstream morons start squealing about anything the opposite is usually true.

The media need the metric so they can work out how successful various lines of attack are.

You watch this thread for a little bit for some of it. I have been noticing that somebody has made up a new set of fake quotes, presumably to justify Sykes wishing Rush dead. Kind of like the "Snipers Wanted" graphic some lefty talking head put over Bush's picture. I think it was Kow Kollege Kieth.

I didn't pay attention to Rush until the left started demonizing him. Once you read his transcripts, it is clear he is on the side of right.

Limbaugh is just a modern day Charles Coughlin. The movement is about him and, while we will have to put up with his self-aggrandizing and bloviating for the sake of his own profits, we can be comforted to know that this too shall pass and there will be nothing following him.

"If I'm picked on, it means I'm big enough to be picked on." Americans seem to imbibe this principle with their mother's milk.

It says a lot about America...and also a lot about Mr. Limbaugh's waxing influence.

"If he's picked on by so-and-so, then so-and-so considers him big enough to be a threat."

W.C., that's always my first clue to look for; what is the MSM's position. I will take the opposite.

"... we can be comforted to know that this too shall pass and there will be nothing following him"

He'll only "pass" insofar as the Left's virulent fear and hatred of him resurrect the Fairness Doctrine to silence him, and they'll have quite a battle on their hands with that. Here's a question for you and your pals: if indeed Limbaugh is indeed "self-aggrandizing" and "bloviating", and - doubtless, you also likely believe - wrong on his issues, then why is it so critical to silence him? Why not just let him shoot himself in the foot, and put another nail in the coffin of Conservatism?

Maybe Limbaugh speaks a little too much truth to leftish BS, and you're simply threatened by that, eh?

As for anything "taking his place", well, don't count on left-wing radio propaganda flopperoos like Air America to do that, pal. It appears even the Left in the US has little use for liberal talk radio. And that, no doubt, drives the Left crazy, too.

mhb23re
at gmail d0t calm

Ted, Rush is the continuation of other influential conservatives.

He will not fade away.

How's that hit radio program Air America working out for you?

Wise words grok and WC, and a principal that I abide by as well. We just finished an election here in British Columbia that was steered by a dim whit media that never asked a pertinent question. They will never acknowledge that but in the The Province this AM they displayed photos of who they deemed the big losers. Wilf Hanni, the BC Conservative leader was the first. And also the first time a photo of him was shown in the paper.
Meanwhile the most profound issues of the election campaign were the sex-capades of a obscure candidate, a contractor using imported wood products in highway signs, and we said, they said issues.
We really needed a Rush here. But one would never get past the C.R.T.C.. Americans; don't copy Canada in anything; you'll regret it.

fawn all you want about Rush, but he's losing touch with his listeners.

It truly is a low point in an otherwise stellar career.

It's not really hard to be more liked than Olbermann. By not being Olbermann, you are already out of the gate.

okay people, you can all calm down now. Rush has managed to find a way to pee off some of his constituents er sorry listeners. Go to http://flamingbear.ca/blog/?p=658

And follow the links there since moveable type won't let me post them here.

Ted,

What gets my blood boiling is that your petty tyrants on the left seem to think Michael Moore's lies: Free speech. Al Franken: Free speech. Rush: must be silenced - such people have no rights.

How is it that you leftards can be so disconnected to reality that you can't see your own hypocrisy?

If it weren't for the jackbooted (attempted) tyranny of the left, I would have no time for Rush. He impresses me not. But given the attempts to silence him, I'm on his team.

As for your disingenuous attempt at playing nonchalant, people don't usually take time out of their day to comment on something unless they care more than you're letting on.

Warwick, calm down my friend.

I happen to think that Franken is a comedic genius and a political and personal moron and idiot, and that Moore is lying buffoon, both of whom do worse for their movements then if they would just shut up. They are not the lefty equivalent of Limbaugh, they are the lefty equivalent of Coulter, because I will grant that Limbaugh doesn't just attack, he is proposing.

And just because Limbaugh is a buffoon and I think his influence will collapse of its own weight of self-importance (just like Pat Robertson, just like..., etc., like I said he is the heir of Couglin and will be remembered about as much when he is gone), doesn't mean I think he should not be allowed to speak.

In fact, I hope he gets to speak a lot and that he gets more and more attention. The more popular he gets among the hardcore far right, the more alienated the hardcore far right continues to get from mainstream, ordinary Americans.

bear:

What's your point?

That Rush's audience is in favour of cruel treatment of animals?

Give your head a shake.

Olbermann's head explodes in an anti-conservative rant in 3, 2, 1....

Cheers

Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group "True North"

I've been listening to Rush since at least 1993 so this has got to be the slowest fade on record, considering his ratings are at an all time high.

what, no follow up to his uniquely disgusting take on Michael J Fox's disability? feel free to to a livelink search.

anybody read Fox's book "looking up" or see the TV special "an incurable optimist" ?

such a +ve message eh, unlike the limbaughhumbug.

"... we can be comforted to know that this too shall pass and there will be nothing following him"

He'll only "pass" insofar as the Left's virulent fear and hatred of him resurrect the Fairness Doctrine to silence him, and they'll have quite a battle on their hands with that. Here's a question for you and your pals: if indeed Limbaugh is indeed "self-aggrandizing" and "bloviating", and - doubtless, you also likely believe - wrong on his issues, then why is it so critical to silence him? Why not just let him shoot himself in the foot, and put another nail in the coffin of Conservatism?

Maybe Limbaugh speaks a little too much truth to leftish BS, and you're simply threatened by that, eh?

As for anything "taking his place", well, don't count on left-wing radio propaganda flopperoos like Air America to do that, pal. It appears even the Left in the US has little use for liberal talk radio. And that, no doubt, drives the Left crazy, too.

mhb23re
at gmail d0t calm

I forget the exact quote, but somebody famous said, "I disagree with everything he says, but I'll fight to defend his right to say it."
That is the essence of Free Speech.
Nobody needs a freedom of speech law to allow them to say nice things. The law is in place for the express purpose to allow them to say offensive things. If you don't understand that, then you miss the whole point.

If you truly find Rush offensive, then you don't have to listen. But it is a totally different issue to silence him, or anyone else who you disagree with.
It is far better to actually listen to all sides of any issue, and then develop an informed opinion of your own.

That's what I do, and I have noticed that while I do not always appreciate his attitude, I hear interviews and articles, that I never hear on CNN or the network news. If it was just Rush spouting his opinion about stuff, I don't think he would be any more popular than other hosts. But on a daily basis he manages to gather and present relevant news and sound bites that either contradict or add a missing dimension to CNN coverage.
Love him or hate him, there is no denying that he airs all sides of every issue and is as happy to take calls from people who don't agree with him as people who do.
People who attempt to denigrate him as "just an entertainer" must intentionally ignore the fact that Rush, and a few others, are filling a gap, and in some ways performing the role the national media is mandated to do. The MSM have abrogated their responsibility to the nation to be an impartial channel of news and information.
An informed public is one of the fundamental pillars of a democratic republic, but if all they receive is edited propaganda, then they are victims of a corrupt power.
I don't think it is a bad thing for CNN or any other news outlet to have an opinion and take sides on an issue, but to suppress information that could support an alternate understanding is disingenuous at least and corrupt at worst.

Let Freedom Reign!

Was that after Michael J. Fox inserted himself into the debate by not taking his Parkinson's medications for several days before making his campaign ad for a US election? I am just curious, because, well, that seems sort of dishonest. Pretending for the cameras that the disease is worse than it is.

set you free,

HSUS is NOT the SPCA, it's an animal rights extremist organization.

Do some research and give YOUR head a shake.

bear:

So? Rush has a right to support any organization he likes, even those you may disapprove of.

It's all a function of free speech.

BTW, do you have any evidence that shows what Rush's audience thinks?

What the left hates is Rush has the real time capacity to punch holes in Democratic BS PR initiatives before all the MSM talking heads have been given their scripts and gone on air at suppertime.

The movement is about him and……….

Posted by: Ted at May 13, 2009 1:18 PM

That would be surprise to Rush. The thing is that a person should listen to the program, rather than listen to what other people say about the program. Depending on the ideology or personal perspective, may agree, may not care and may disagree.
Rush of course would prefer agreement though disagreement will not send him into depression.

fawn all you want about Rush, but he's losing touch with his listeners.

Posted by: the bear at May 13, 2009 2:52 PM

If you listen, Rush is not looking for touch, generally he states his case, you can do with it what ever pleases you. The US is 60% conservative. The guys ratings are growing every day. Eventually the ratings will fall and as with everything else, all things will end one way or another, right now Rush is numero uno on the AM.

Rush likes to make fun of himself, “doctor of democracy”, “Limbaugh institute for advanced conservative studies” and whole lot of others.

On the other hand he can be obnoxious, you see he is no god, just a guy with an opinion and a mouthpiece, that many find quite comfortable to listen to.

Rush must be doing something right to make the MSM & Dems squeal like stuck pigs. I've been listening since WBEN radio started broadcasting him. Bought his books too.

Scott @ 4:50, I concur wholeheartedly. Rush fills the MSN holes and he's been doing it for many years. Rock on Rush Limbaugh

Americans have a little thing in their constitution upholding free speach which we in Canada dont have.In fact one of our polititions said that free speach is a uniquely American idea and isnt followed by most of the worlds governments,as if thats a good thing.I have a warning to the left in the USA,Canada and other places,if the people that want to live in a society of free expression are silenced then YOU are next as there will no one to stop them.Ask the people that came from those countries.

Rush is just great. Always. He even had the grace to say NOTHING when Wanda Sykes called for him to get kidney failure and die as well as indicating he must have been the 20th hijacker but was so strung out on oxycontin he missed his flight, then mumbled she thought he ought to be waterboarded.
For a man with a huge audience of over 20 million he could have skewered Sykes and would have been well within his rights to do so. Yet there was silence. CLASS.
Wanda has none. Rush has it is spades and spades.
Those of us who listen to him and link to his reports and links on his website as members APPRECIATE the man and his way of articulating conservative values. He is fearless and extremely knowlegable. Not to mention VERY FUNNY.
God Bless Him. The left hate him because he is effective, genuine, articulate and SMART.
Much as they hate the likes of pretty little Carrie Prejean. A pretty little gal with a spine of steel the envy of the majority of republicans in Congress.
That is another reason the left hate Rush. HE is the voice of conservatism when it should be republicans in Congress who voice those values. Some speak out, Such as Jindal, Palin, DeMint and others but not a majority of them. They are all 'specterized' and fearful of speaking out in the age of Obama.
Rush is just like Radio Free Europe in the days of the USSR.

'Was that after Michael J. Fox inserted himself into the debate by not taking his Parkinson's medications for several days before making his campaign ad for a US election? I am just curious, because, well, that seems sort of dishonest. Pretending for the cameras that the disease is worse than it is.'

are you kidding? do you really believe your own nonsense? do you know what happenes to parkinsons patients when they skip there meds? No you don't...but keep the fantasy goin ' buddy. btw, what I've noticed about Fox is how good he has been at pretending he *doesnt have* parkinsons* which frankly ain't too easy.

the only number that relates to rush is the number of daily and weekly listeners. that number has always been higher every year and is higher today than it was last year. the ad revenue for his program is staggering. polls mean squat.

Good Lord,
Maybe he was not off his meds, but the fact that he can appear to not have it* some times and appear to have it others suggests that he was acting.

* "what I've noticed about Fox is how good he has been at pretending he *doesnt have* parkinsons* which frankly ain't too easy."

Posted by: old white guy at May 14, 2009 6:48 AM

That sums it up, nicely. Limbaugh's audience/ad revenue has skyrocketed since d'Ohbama & TOTUS took the reins. And I'm sure EIB doesn't give a hoot how Rush "polls" amongst leftards who never listen to his show.

mhb23re

I'm not sure if it's really a bragging point to be more popular than Olbermann. Even that clunky-schlocky 50s furniture has higher popular appeal than Olbermann.

It seems the only person who is not offended by the pathetic roll playing Olbermann does in trying to channel Edward R Murrow is Keith himself. He tried to start a personality cult by reviving Murrow-like moral authority and righteous indignity but as a privileged leftist hack, he only projects hissing, spitting partisan rage and comes off as a vacuous media scold.

Limbaugh to his credit, as a info-tainment commentator, is far more genuine and far less pretentious.

was watching tv, flipping through some channels, came across the MJF show, the camera following him around, he's interviewing people about their own battles with diseases etc, ie: Lance Armstrong.

One thing I noticed was in the boardroom he said he wasn't taking his meds, so take that for what it's worth.

I'm not saying he's a bad person or anything like that, I'm saying that people will sometimes exaggerate the situation to further their own causes.

I didn't hear what Limbaugh said concerning any actors, but that's not the issue. Free speech is free speech is free speech... that's the issue.

If I want to say ignorant or stupid things to people, that's my right.. some people will say otherwise or disagree, that's their right. Some people might get full blown angry, again their right, just don't presume to come tell me what I can and cannot say or who I can listen to.

Olbermann: http://cityfile.com/dailyfile/5807

Kow Kollege Kieth and his audience and MSNBC remind me of the old joke about the guy who brings his wife into a psychiatrist.

"Dr, Dr, my wife thinks she is a chicken, and has for thirty years!"

"Why didn't you bring her in sooner?" asked the Dr.

"Because we needed the eggs."

Keith and his audience look OCD to my lay eye, and MSNBC needs the eggs.