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Posted at 5:32am on Jul. 3, 2008 An additional note on Rush Limbaugh, the $400 million man.

By Erick

I am writing this at 4:45 a.m. For the last week and a half, I've been getting up while the majority of you are comfortably in bed and hosting a three hour radio program from 6am to 9am here in Macon, Georgia. The channel, AM940 WMAC, is the Rush Limbaugh station in the Middle Georgia area.

I have always had profound respect for what Rush Limbaugh does. Those who hate him and are most critical of him, I have found, are often those who have never listened to more than an hour of his show. While passionately and uncompromisingly conservative, Rush is also a great entertainer.

After this last week and a half on the radio, I have even more respect for Rush than I did. You try speaking for 120 minutes non-stop off the top of your head with no written script in front of you (3 hours with 40 minutes of talk per hour). Try also to make sure you are engaging, entertaining, and have necessary information at instant recall to be informative. It's a damnably difficult thing to do.

Naturally today, the left is up in arms over Rush's deal. I am too. For what Rush Limbaugh does, Clear Channel got him cheap. It's easy to throw stones at the man, but it is virtually impossible to duplicate what he does.

Tony Snow has always been my favorite guest host for Rush. In the past year, however, I think Jason Lewis is my favorite. Both Jason and Tony are witty, very conversational, highly informative, and pleasant to listen to. Jason Lewis, in particular, has an impressive knowledge of economic and financial data ready at the recall to explain most any subject for any caller. Neither of them, however, are comparable to Rush in style, humor, or engagement with the listener.

As I head out this morning with IV of caffine, I have my well prepared stack of stuff, made all the easier because of what my day job is here at RedState — I'm constantly sifting information. The feedback I've gotten has been very positive. I will aspire to do what Rush does on the radio as well as Rush does it, but I also know that I never will reach his level. He is unique. And $400 million is a small price to pay for a man who does something better than anyone else on earth and who single handedly revitalized a dying medium.

And yes, I do make sure both of our children, though one is still comfortably in the womb, get their daily dose of Rush. After all, according to the New York Times, Rush Limbaugh listeners are smarter than NPR listeners and also 99% less pretentious.

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Posted at 10:07am on Jul. 2, 2008 Congratulations Rush Limbaugh

By Erick

This is outstanding news. Expect the left to redouble their efforts to revive the Fairness Doctrine.

And isn't it interesting to note that Rush Limbaugh is thriving and the left just can't get their act together on talk radio? I've always suspected that is because the people who listen to talk radio are people going to jobs or on the road for work; in other words, people who tend to contribute to society instead of taking from society and those people are generally conservative.

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Posted at 5:54am on May 9, 2008 Chris Matthews: Jealous of Rush Limbaugh

The London Telegraph might want to rethink putting Matthews above Limbaugh on the list of most influential pundits

By Erick

Poor, poor Chris Matthews. He is so jealous of Rush Limbaugh he finally blew it the other day on Hardball. Matthews said

"I have to offer a Keith-style special comment on that. Anyone who voted to screw up the political system of this country with the purpose of mischief should carry that with them the rest their lives. What a ridiculous way to use the vote for which people fought and died, to use that vote to make mischief. I hope you're proud of yourself."

There are a few things to take away from that.

Matthews and his pals at MSDNC have, for months, been shilling for Barack Obama like a Quiznos junior manager in a gorilla outfit in the right of way -- obviously, obnoxiously, and with little impact on sales. For months and months we've heard Matthews describe how he nearly wets himself every time Obama sighs and has chills go down his spine and up his leg every time Obama speaks.

The whole network, save Joe Scarborough, has behaved like dogs in heat for Obama. Dan Abrams, just two weeks ago, begged and pleaded for Obama to avoid Fox News because they might actually ask the candidate substantive questions, unlike his network. Olbermann is all Obama all the time when he isn't putting Limbaugh and RedState on his "worst person in the world" list -- a list no one would be shocked to see all of the apostles except Judas show up on.

And then there is Limbaugh. After months of MSDNC shilling for Obama, begging people to vote for Obama, and slanting all their "news" coverage to favor Obama, Limbaugh just suggests that voters go vote for Hillary and they do. People went out in a coordinated effort to prolong the Democratic primary. What Matthews and all of MSDNC could not do after months of trying, Rush Limbaugh was able to do -- get people to the polls in droves.

Hell, I'd be jealous too if I spent months preaching the gospel of Obama only to have some guy on freakin' radio outdo me in one day.

Of course, there is more to it than that. Read on . . .

Posted in 2008 | Barack Obama | Chris Matthews | Rush Limbaugh — Comments (101)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 2:14pm on Dec. 20, 2007 Rush is not an elitist. He is the godfather of the modern-day conservative movement (comments)

By Alexham

I don't know who this "prominent DC-based Huckabee ally" is, but he needs to shut his freakin' piehole right now.

Rush Limbaugh is so much more than a mere "entertainer." He has been the heart and soul of the conservative movement for the past twenty or so years. I may not always agree with Rush, but I have enormous respect for him; and he deserves a hell of a lot better than to be denigrated by some campaign flunky.

Governor Huckabee, you need to denounce this idiot immediately.

Posted at 10:01pm on Oct. 3, 2007 Republican Congressman to co-sponsor anti-Rush resolution... seriously

By Liz A Mair

RedState is evidently on fire today about the Rush Limbaugh controversy, and efforts by the Democrats to waste legislative time on their pet anti-Rush resolution.

As such, I thought I would mosey on over and make sure that the RedState community is aware of the fact that on Tuesday, errant Republican Rep. Walter B. Jones (NC-3) told FOX that he will be co-sponsoring the resolution condemning Limbaugh.

This follows months of Jones-- who represents a conservative (and military-heavy), not a moderate or liberal district-- voting with Democrats on the war, and taking quite a few bad economic votes, too, earning him a worse rating from the Club for Growth than five Democrats, and a number of Republicans not usually recognized for their devout fiscal conservatism. It also follows him spending evidently quite a bit of time hanging out with the likes of Dennis Kucinich and Cindy Sheehan.

As some readers will be aware, Jones is being challenged in next year's GOP primary by conservative County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin (full disclosure, I've done some work for McLaughlin). McLaughlin has today been running a radio ad in the district, which blasts Jones for his actions, and describes him as a "phony Republican." For any of you concerned about how the Rush controversy is playing out, and the Republican who's playing along with the Democrats on this one, I'd encourage you to check it out. You can also learn more about McLaughlin here.

Liz Mair writes daily at lizmair.com.

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Posted at 6:32pm on Oct. 3, 2007 The Democrats Attack Rush To Cover Their Mistake

By Rep. Vito Fosella

Just wanted to add my two cents to the Rush Limbaugh controversy. The left-wing was in search of a life-saver to divert attention from their complicity in MoveOn.org’s offensive assault on General Petraeus’ character and integrity. They knew the American people were disgusted by their actions and they could never win the debate. So instead of admitting their mistake, they quickly changed the subject by twisting the words of Rush Limbaugh.

The war in Iraq is a serious subject. Our brave men and women in uniform deserve our full support – not cheap political attacks that undermine their mission. Congress should be debating the best way for America to protect our national security, win the war against the terrorists and ensure a sustainable democracy in Iraq while bringing our troops home as quickly as possible.

Rush Limbaugh is a favorite target for the left, but his support of our men and women in uniform is unquestioned. If Senators wants to debate Rush on the merits of the war, so be it. But they should not be questioning his patriotism or his commitment to those who wear our nation’s uniform.

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Posted at 2:50pm on Oct. 3, 2007 Attack on Limbaugh is Attack on Free Speech

By Congressman Mike Pence

Hey Folks,

Just wanted to stop by and weigh in on the attacks from the Left on Rush Limbaugh. The enmity that exists right now between American talk radio and the Democrat Congress came into high relief this Monday as leaders of the Senate engaged in repeated and distorted personal attacks of a prominent American commentator.

Now, while many see this as more politics as usual in Washington, D.C., I see something more. I believe these attacks on talk radio are a precursor for returning censorship to the airwaves of America in the form of the Fairness Doctrine. I was actually on Fox & Friends this morning discussing this very topic. Click here to read the transcript.

This week, Congressman Greg Walden and I requested that Democrat leaders bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act to the floor of this Congress immediately, and take the power away from the FCC in this, or any future administration, to regulate the airwaves of America.

The Broadcaster Freedom Act is co-sponsored by 203 Member of Congress, and it enjoys bipartisan support, including every Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives. The freedom of the press should not be a partisan issue.

I encourage you to call your representative and senators today
(especially if you live in a district represented by a Democrat) and urge them to cosponsor the Broadcaster Freedom Act. The Capitol Hill switchboard number is 202-224-3121.

You can also read more about our efforts to reject the Fairness Doctrine on a special section of my website here.

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Posted at 2:22pm on Oct. 3, 2007 Senator Kyl Defending Rush

By Erick

At Senator Kyl's office's request, I'm happy to paste this transcript from a Fox News interview he conducted earlier today:

JON SCOTT: Senator Jon Kyl, he is also the Republican Conference Chairman. Senator, you too are defending Rush Limbaugh.

SEN. JON KYL: That’s right. It has been a mischaracterization of what he [Rush Limbaugh] said from the very beginning. Of course, intentionally so. He did not say that all the troops who disagree with the war or the president are phony troops, he was referring to a specific soldier who it turns out was a phony soldier and who had been discussed in his program before the conversation that resulted in the controversy. It is a politically generated controversy by Democrats who want to change the subject from the “Petraeus-Betray Us” ad which they got a lot of criticism for because they’ve been supported by MoveOn.org and didn’t want to criticize the ad.

Read on . . .

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Posted at 2:07pm on Oct. 3, 2007 Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?

By Rep. Marsha Blackburn

Rush Limbaugh's job is to drive discussion in the public arena and he does an excellent job of that.  But, one thing he has remained steadfast: His support and respect of our men and women in uniform. This is why I am supporting legislation in Congress that commends Limbaugh for his relentless efforts to build and maintain troop morale.

The vilification of Limbaugh and misrepresentation of his comments regarding his "phony soldiers" comment by the radical left is without merit and false.  By reading the transcript of the show, one can see that it is clear that Limbaugh was referring to soldiers opposed to the Iraq war, who concocted fraudulent stories in order to push a left wing political agenda.  An ABC World News Tonight story aired on September 24th even chronicled an instance of 23 year-old Jesse Macbeth of Seattle, who claimed to have slaughtered innocent civilians in Iraq, until it was proven that he never even finished basic training. Instead, Macbeth used this lie to become a rallying point for the anti-war liberal left.

Many politicians, seeking an opportunity to humiliate the popular conservative talk show host, took the bait.  They got caught.  They were quick to condemn Limbaugh for his words, but now that the truth is beginning to surface, how quickly (if at all) will they rescind theirs?

This is the second time in as many weeks that the MoveOn.org crowd has attacked conservatives without checking their facts.  

There is a saying in the mainstream, drive-by media: "Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?"

But there is another, more powerful saying that has stood the test of time and is relevant today:  "And the truth shall set you free."  

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Posted at 1:50pm on Oct. 3, 2007 I wonder who General Petraeus and his troops think is most supportive?

By Fred Thompson

Congressional Democrats are trying to divert attention from insulting our military leader in Iraq and pandering to the loony left by attacking Rush Limbaugh. He is one of the strongest supporters of our troops, yet Democrats claim he is not being strong enough. I wonder who General Petraeus and his troops think is most supportive?

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Posted at 1:48pm on Oct. 3, 2007 Allegations Against Limbaugh Are Ludicrous!

By Rep. Scott Garrett

Like me, Rush Limbaugh has always been outspoken about his appreciation for our service men and women. This recent allegation that Limbaugh was bashing a war veteran is ludicrous. It’s clear to anyone that read the transcript that Limbaugh was just stating that he is sick and tired of Democrats using soldiers with phony stories to attack the Iraq war and discredit the hard work our men and women in uniform are doing.

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Posted at 1:42pm on Oct. 3, 2007 It's Not Really About Rush, It's About Talk Radio

By Congressman Jack Kingston

The left-leaning, George Soros funded Media Matters has Rush Limbaugh in their crosshairs for comments they claim he made on his radio show last week.  According to the group, Rush called military personnel who served in Iraq and oppose the war, “phony soldiers.”

Unfortunately for Media Matters, an examination of the transcript reveals their claim is false.  But since when has the Left let facts get in the way?  Indeed, the day after his comments, Rush explained that he was referring not to any real soldier but a phony one. Most notably, Jesse MacBeth, a now-hero of the left when he recounted how his Army unit murdered innocent Iraqis.  In fact, he hadn’t even completed basic training.  Two weeks ago, MacBeth pled guilty to falsifying an Army discharge record and a Department of Veterans Affairs claim; he was sentenced to five months in jail and three years probation.

MacBeth’s conviction was part of a year long investigation called “Operation Stolen Valor” that focused on those who lie about their military service for financial gain or other reasons.  In fact, just days before Rush’s comments, ABC News did a story on “Operation Stolen Valor.”  In that report, correspondent Brian Ross used the phrase “phony heroes.”  Media Matters and the Democrats’ silence on that comment speaks volumes and reveals their true intentions.

In response to the attack on Rush I will be introducing a resolution that calls for:

“Honoring all Americans serving in the Armed Forces of the United States and commending broadcaster Rush Limbaugh for his relentless efforts to build and maintain troop morale through worldwide radio broadcasts and personal visits to conflict regions.”

The Left has long targeted conservative talk radio.  They have tried everything from regulation to launching their own liberal network.  But Air America failed miserably and conservative radio has continued to grow.  Faced with such defeat, they are now looking to revive the Fairness Doctrine.  And with Media Matters leading the way, it seems they are attempting to take their first step. 

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Posted at 8:46am on Mar. 21, 2007 Rush v. Ahnuld Through the Eyes of CNN

Uh, CNN Does Have A Smaller Audience Than Rush

By Erick

Unhappy with the fact that Rush Limbaugh has a bigger audience between 12pm and 3pm than it does, CNN has tried for years to discredit him. Behold their latest attempt, in which they misuse a quote of Arnold Schwarzenegger's to proclaim Rush Limbaugh totally irrelevant and "a myth."

Arnold, on NBC's Today Show, was asked about Limbaugh calling Arnold a closet Democrat. Arnold's response was, "Limbaugh is irrelevant." The quote clearly related to Arnold doing things as Governor of California, a liberal state where, frankly, Rush's audience is in the voting minority -- Schwarzenegger can govern like a liberal now that he can't run for re-election any more. His true colors are shining through. [UPDATE: As LibertarianHawk points out, Campbell Brown also took Rush out of context when talking to Ahnuld. She equated being conservative with being Republican, something Rush did not do. Rush actually said Ahnuld ran as a conservative and has been acting like a liberal.]

CNN, though, has taken the opportunity to proclaim Limbaugh totally irrelevant to the national dialogue.

Okay, pay attention to this CNN: Rush Limbaugh has the largest audience in the United States. According to Talker's Magazine, his audience is 13.5 million listeners per week in the fall of 2006, a number that will only go up as disaffected conservatives return to him as the 2008 season heats up and the Democrats keep stumbling. The next largest radio show? That's Sean Hannity (Rush's former sub-host), who in most markets comes on right after Rush, keeping Rush's audience. To match Rush, you need to combine Neal Boortz, Bill O'Reilly, Bill Bennett, Michael Medved, and Hugh Hewitt or combine the listening audiences of Sean Hannity and Michael Reagan.

Oh, if we're just going to work off the left, combine 10 Alan Colmes's or Al Franken's and 1 Randi Rhodes and you'll come close.

So, CNN, if Rush Limbaugh is irrelevant and Schwarzenegger's comment "could indicate Limbaugh's power and influence is fading," you might as well lay off the rest of your staff and turn out your lights because Rush still gets a larger audience than you.

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