Hush, Limbaugh!

Mugging for mug shot -- Picture courtesy of TSG

by blogSpotter
Rush, Rush, Rush. What more can we say about this chubby bubba blowhard that dominates airwaves of rightwing talk radio? The host of a nationally syndicated radio show, Rush is credited by the National Review for single-handedly upholding the chastity of the Right during the Clinton years. In a 2005 op-ed piece for WSJ, Rush opined, "We (conservatives) believe in individual liberty, limited government, capitalism, the rule of law, faith, a color-blind society and national security". His "color-blind" phrase must refer to his Affirmative Action stance. After all, Rush has referred to Obama as "Halfrican American" and said (during a brief NFL announcing gig) that Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted "a black quarterback to do well".

The chubba-bubba we love to diss hails from an old, established family in Cape Giardeau, Missouri. The Limbaughs are a long line of lawyers, with only Rush taking a right turn into showbiz and celebrity. Rush has actually done guest stints on a number of shows -- Pat Sajak, The Late Show, and The Simpsons to name a few. He's been married 3 times, each one ending in divorce after a few years. Back in 2003, Rush was exposed by National Enquirer as a frequent user of Oxycodone and even implicated in the illegal practice of "doctor shopping". He was actually arrested for the doctor shopping but charges were dropped after he agreed to rehab and payment of $30K in court costs. Rush claims to be completely deaf, although a cochlear implant has enabled his harassing ways to continue.

Rush, the bloviating wind machine, has been involved in so many controversies that I have to sum them up in bullet format:

o He suggested that Parkinson’s sufferer Michael J. Fox was faking his spastic arm gestures.
o He suggested that Iraq vets critical of the war were "phony soldiers" who only wanted to receive benefits.
o He tried to instigate (but failed) Operation Chaos where Republicans would vote for Hillary in the 2008 Democratic primaries.
o He described feminists as feminazis whose purpose was to give ugly women social access and ensure maximum abortions.
o He called Obama the "Magic Negro" in a take-off of Puff the Magic Dragon.
o He said on his show "I hope Obama fails" in January 2009 -- spent the next month refining that message to make it seem less ad hominem.
o He locked horns with the new GOP Chairman, Michael Steele, saying he wasn't fit to be chairman.
o He resorted to gross gags on his show. He "aborted" a phone call with the sound of a vacuum cleaner and a scream.

We don't really need to go on ... Rush's antics are almost so far to the edge that they seem like self-parody, or something out of a John Waters movie. Here are some groups who've been spurred into official Limbaugh repudiation:

o Fairness and Accuracy in reporting (FAIR)
o VoteVets.org
o Media Matters
o Environmental Defense Fund

I will have to be honest and admit -- some of the above makes me laugh out loud. I hardly agree with a word of it but the pure audacity and unflinching nerve of it are impressive to me. Rush seems to be related however distantly to Anne Coulter, another conservative pundit with a pugilistic wit. I won't be tuning into Rush's show anytime soon, but I will enjoy the circus atmosphere and negative examples he frequently provides to us all.

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