With the recent scandal involving Chip Saltsman, a candidate to run the RNC, and his distribution of Rush Limbaugh’s CD, which contained Barack the Magic Negro, it is high time for the Republican Party and the USA as a whole to reject and denounce Rush Limbaugh.
Barack the Magic Negro is hardly the most offensive thing that Rush Limbaugh has said and is hardly the strongest tie that Limbaugh has had to the Republican party.
Limbaugh is a bigot, a sexist, a hypocrite and a xenophobe. He stirs up fear and hate in his listeners. He preys on the disenfranchised and uneducated and turns their resentment against blacks, feminists, immigrants, and liberals. If you are interested in Limbaugh’s most racist quotes against blacks click here. Limbaugh has also managed to offend Latinos, saying LA’s Mayor reminded him of a shoe shine boy and also saying in reference to Hugo Chavez “A Chavez is a Chavez. We’ve always had problems with them.”
Limbaugh’s prejudice does not only extend to minorities. He also has discriminated against women, who happen to be the majority of this country. He said “Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society” and also “We’re not sexists, we’re chauvinists — we’re male chauvinist pigs, and we’re happy to be because we think that’s what men were destined to be. We think that’s what women want.”
Rush Limbaugh has acted as de facto spokesman for the Republican party, the self appointed voice of conservative broadcast, saying what they mean to say butt won’t say for fear of being deemed politically incorrect. Still the GOP has given him their approval. George Bush has appeared on Limbaugh’s show several times as has his brother Jeb. GOP Uncle Toms, Condoleezza Rice and Clarence Thomas have also appeared on his show as have Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has not only appeared on Limbaugh’s show, but has been a replacement host for Limbaugh as has Matt Drudge.
Its amazing how few Republicans have come forth to criticize Limbaugh. When rapper, Ludacris, referred to Hillary Clinton as a bitch, Fox News criticized him for a whole news cycle, yet when Limbaugh repeatedly referred to Clinton as a B I itch, Fox News kept quiet. It is amazing that John McCain asked Obama to publicly condemn John Lewis for rightfully comparing the McCain/Palin hate rallies to those of George Wallace, but never condemned Rush Limbaugh for comparing Obama to Bin Laden and Sadam Hussein, democrats to Al Qaeda and feminists to Nazi’s.
In 2000 John McCain bravely stood up to the ‘agents of intolerance’ on the Right in Pat Robertson and Gerry Fallwell. However by 2008 he had turned into a yellow bellied coward. Despite the fact that Limbaugh criticized him heavily through out the primaries, John McCain has never openly criticized Limbaugh. When Limbaugh, who avoided the Vietnam draf,t because he “did not want to go” called soldiers who volunteered to fight for their country and came back to criticize the war when they saw the death and carnage, “phony soldiers,” Harry Reid called on his fellow Senators to condemn the remarks. McCain said “I did issue a statement saying that I thought it was inappropriate, and perhaps Mr. Limbaugh didn’t mean it but he should not have said it,” hardly a condemnation.
McCain had another chance to condemn Limbaugh’s statements when the Obama campaign ran an ad using Limbaugh’s quote “Mexicans are stupid and unqualified” and “Shut your mouth or get out,” referring to Limbaugh as one of McCain’s Republican friends. McCain could’ve issued a statement saying that Limbaugh was not one of his friends and that his views did not represent the McCain camp or the Republican party, but instead stayed quiet for fear of pissing off the dittoheads.
McCain had one last chance to distance himself from Limbaugh on Meet The Press, when Tom Brokaw played a clip of Limbaugh saying the Powell’s endorsement of Obama was all about race and asked him if he agreed. McCain could have said, ‘I know Colin Powell and have been friends with him for many years, while I disagree with his endorsement, it is ludicrous to insinuate that a man who has given so much service to his country would endorse a Presidential candidate based on his skin color.’ By refusing to criticize Limbaugh McCain has shown that he either shares Limbaugh’s bigoted views or is to cowardly to criticize them.
One of the most disturbing things to know about Rush Limbaugh is that he is featured on Armed Services Radio. Given the fact that the army is 24% Latino and 12% black, Limbaugh is offending more than a third of the enlisted soldiers. Is Limbaugh really the voice of America we want represented to our military? Do we really want someone who said Abu Ghraib was just a fraternity prank talking to our enlisted soldiers?
Many of Limbaugh’s supporters have defended him by saying his statements were made in a humorous context. When someone like Borat makes a racist, sexist or anti-semetic comments it falls in the category of humor because we know that Sasha Baron Cohen doesn’t mean it and is using the character to show how stupid racism, sexism and are. However with Limbaugh, it is quite clear that he stands by his statements and it is the minorities and women who are the butt of his jokes, not his racism and sexism
If the GOP is to truly move on into the 21st century they must cut all ties to bigots like Limbaugh and Coulter. When the President, Vice President, Vice Presidential candidates, Governors, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense Senators and Supreme court justices appear on the show of a hate spewing racist, sexist pig, it does not reflect well on their political party or country.
While Limbaugh might have a large base, it is not as large as the base he offends. By attacking blacks, Hispanics, feminists and liberals he is pissing off more than half of the country. Not only blacks and Hispanics but every white person who has an African American or Latino relative, loved one, hero or friend.
Do we really want our soldiers listening to someone who called the Abu Ghraib scandal a fraternity prank talking to our soldiers every day? Do they need to hear a draft dodger who compares our brave soldiers who use their freedom of speech to criticize the war to suicide bombers?
Through out the campaign, Obama was repeatedly asked to denounce people he associated with for their statements. Whether it was Ludacris, Reverend Wright, Louis Farrakhan or John Lewis. Obama denounced all but Lewis. Now it is the Republicans turn to denounce.
Pleases write to you Senators, Congressman and Governors and ask them to publicly denounce Limbaugh for his, racism, sexism, xenophobia and disrespect and cancel his contract with Armed Services Radio. It is ridiculous that our tax money goes to this rich, mean spirited bigot.. and ridiculous that our brave soldiers are forced to listen to him.
Is there any Republican brave enough who to criticize or acknowledge the racism and bigotry of Limbaugh or has the party traded in fiscal conservatism and family values for hatred and bigotry?
I also urge all leaders in the African American, Latino Community as well as leaders of the woman’s movement to protest Limbaugh. When we went after Imus, we went after the wrong bigot, Limbaugh makes Imus look like he works for Air America.
I’m also calling for a boycott of all Clear Channel stations. Clear Channel is the parent company of Limbaugh’s show. Their president, Mark P. Mays, recently defended Limbaugh for his phony soldiers comment. Please email him with you questions and concerns about Limbaugh at MarkPMays@clearchannel.com. You can also call Clear Channel with your concerns at 1-210-822-2828. Also please call the local stations in your area that carry Limbaugh’s show.





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Ah Rush…
I actually think Saltsman thought he could get away with it because the GOP just laughed it off when Rush did it — but that’s because Rush is Rush, and they’re all scared of him.
Notice that when it’s being reported on, it’s rarely mentioned that Rush is the originator.
Thanks, Casey.
i’m thinkin, go after the advertisers. listen to em then don’t shop. might wrire a letter or two?
I only have basic cable, so I am apparently boycotting most channels.
he’s on am radio not tv any more.
It would be good if we could include the fundie preachers in this campaign. What they preach lends a moral justification to this slime.
495 hrs & 53 min
Thanks for setting me straight. I don’t listen to radio either.
can’t hurt them. they don’t sell anything that the rational public wants ta buy. now rush, he has those advertisers who just want ta make money. make it hard for em i say.
what? you unamerican? shame on ya.
Karl is so proud.
Is it because it was determined that Rush isn’t “TV pretty?”
I can’t tolerate talk radio and I own thousands of music titles by artists I like, so no need to listen to anything popular.
ClearChannel is owned by Bain Capital Mitt Romney’s hedgefund Mitt’s banks tried to pull financing on the deal because they felt that ClearChannel was over valued. Which it was I have never seen a stock price drop when there are takeover rumors before.
The Business blogs gossip was that Mitt was threatening to sue if they pulled financing. Mitt was running for President at the time.
I don’t think national media organizations should be owned by Presidential candidates.
i’m not sure about that. but some people just have a better time with acceptance by not being on camera. he does have a web camera which he turns on from time to time but ya have ta pay $$ to subscribe to see the bastard.
I thought ClearChannel was Radio they own cable channels too?
The people who make money off these bigots could care less about the politics even though they are just capitalists pigs. It’s the money they are after and they get it from SPONSORS of the products you but which sponsor all of these bigots.
What needs to be done is assault them in every place – sponsors, program directors, station owners, FCC, all of them. There’s money to be made in racist swill as evidenced by what Rush is paid.
It’s all about the money.
i listen for the entertainment value. it’s difficult to get a sense of how demented these folks are without hearing first hand. great for a laugh.
Nah, I’m just so alienated from popular culture that I had no idea.
it’s all about the money!
Limbaugh is a bigot, a sexist, a hypocrite and a xenophobe.Sounds like much of the country Casey.Take a look at MSNBC & FAUX NEWS & you can come to the same conclusion.Pat Buchanan not very different but yet some so called “progressives” with their own TV platform continue to rub elbows with such bigotry.
Digg
I want Obama to break up the monopolies corporations have over the press and force some sales. I want FCC rules enforced about not owning more than one media source in any big market. The Chicago Tribune has newspapers the Trib the Hoy a spanish paper, channel 9, and they own part of the CW? cable channel (and a radio station a few magazines too I think).
And that is all in the Chicago area.
Something wrong with the Digg link in your comment. The one at the top of the page works.
The Republicans cannot renounce Limbaugh, or Strom Thurmond for that
matter, they are the party… all that conservative talk is just that.
They are dixiecrats from the marrow out, have been since Goldwater.
Never happen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech
I want some hate speech laws passed in this country! If Rush were Black and he talked that way about White folks just how long would he be on the air?
I really don’t think it’s the GOP’s responsibility or duty to repudiate or renounce people like Rush Limbaugh.
In fact, if people like Limbaugh genuinely project the platform of the GOP, then I’d expect them to whole-heartedly embrace and support his speech, antics, etc.
Being censored by his own constituency doesn’t make any sense.
I’m probably overly averse to movements like what is being advocated in this Oxdown post, but while Rush Limbaugh is repulsive to my better sensibilities, his narratives should be relegated to the fringe on their own merits, not by perverse suppression.
ThingsComeUndone,
Hate speech laws? Seriously? I can hardly believe that a self-identified progressive, especially around here, would advocate anything other than the fullest extent of one’s right to exercise their First Amendment rights.
Why should the GOP renounce Limbaugh? Racism is the fuel that runs its engine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech
Lots of countries have laws against Hate Speech, the Death Penalty, National Health Care, High Speed Trains, China has higher MPG laws than we do!
and now we hear that Republicans are rallying around Saltsman. Bigots and blowhards have to stick together.
Yes CRC, boycott all advertisers who buy time on fatbastard’s show. additionally, let those advertisers know why you’re boycotting them (ie- that they’re choosing to advertise their goods and services on a program run by a blatant anti-american anti-democracy draft-dodging liar). Ask the company whether they are really anti-american or if they are trying to be percieved as such. In a more cautious economic climate, simply saying/writing that you and your friends and family are all boycotting an entire company’s line of goods might carry alot more weight than in a successful economic period.
Then it is up to the company to decide whether they want to be branded as ‘anti-american’ as well, or whether they want to believe that they’ll get more sales from the listenership confederate of dunces who believe that the reality-based community is actually the ‘anti-american’ bunch.
Yep. They’ve painted themselves into a corner. The Rethug Party allowed itself to be taken over by the fundies and neocons, who are still in the process of exiling all moderates, and now find themselves going nowhere but down. They’re so locked in to that ultra reichwing crap that they won’t change one iota. When Limpdick, Hannity, et al are the spokesmen for the Rethugs the party’s in deep shit.
Talking violence or advocating taking away an others rights threatens my rights to not be hassled as long as I obey the law.
Your rights of free speech end when they threaten my rights. Respect for others is the basis for freedom including speech after all if one person is not free then we are all not free.
Who advertises on his show?
He is shameless…ask Michael Fox, woman called “feminazies”, mockery of Tom Daschle, Howard Dean whom he mocked as a Communist…shameless, mean, liar…he should be boycotted every day.
Limbaugh may be carried on Clear Channel stations…among others. But his real power base is WABC radio in NYC. Start there.
And boycott Barbara Walters for featuring him as one of year’s most interesting people…when did we start honoring liars, drug addicts, and criminals.
KLBJ in Austin, WAOI, I think, in San Antoinio.
And I’m so glad to learn from Chris Matthews [speaking of blowhards] that FDR beat Hubert Humphrey in 1932.
None of these guys engage their brains as they shoot off their mouths.
“Stunningly superficial” covers a lot of territory these days.
Rush has been pushing GOP ideas and like Bush he has been wrong about just about everything. A list of what he was wrong about on the economy the war etc would be a good laugh.
Especially if he has made specific predictions! I wouldn’t know I don’t listen to him.
Agreed!
WABC NYC is Limbaugh’s home station. ABC is Walters’ network.
These aren’t dots to connect, they’re crop circles….
Rush
Herbert Hoover, Hubert Humphrey both double H but yeah this is Chris’s job he should be better at it.
*tries to remember the chorus of “George the Elitist Ofay”*
Jimmy Carter once in a public speech referred to Hubert Humphry as “Hubert Horatio Hornblower.” Was that a Democratic National Convention speech? I don’t recall.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/a…..rush1.html
Whats worse for Rush needing Viagra on a trip with just the guys? Or maybe Rush has a secret thing for Dark Dominican women? He hates Gays and Hispanics or so he says but if thats so then why the Viagra?
Promoting tyranny is not free speech. Hate yes, tyranny no.
I hate brocolli, sue me.
Wait! Considering what Oprah went through, I meant brocolli is great. Great just sounds like hate.
Sorry.
Limbaugh is a disgusting sack of lard and shit who routinely poisons our public airwaves. I think we should barrage the FCC with complaints about his racist speech.
Dominican Republic is the destination of choice in the Americas for sex tourists looking for underage boys. (One of many things I learn in my job that I would rather not know).
what a waste of time talking about this fucking asshole
Tweety just praised Mitt’s business resume and suggested he might run for President again especially if the economy stays tanked.
I’ll believe that when an independent auditor goes over his books he paid to much for Clear Channel and media stocks have tanked this year.
Mitt bought Home Depot…. just as the housing crisis started. Mitt’s business resume is not a selling point.
Probably, but none who I know.
Great essay, Casey!
We should also include Rushbo’s serial atacks on women. He calls those he does not like “feminazis”. There is even a Wiki page about it, although not one has been shown to be a Nazi. Of course a neo-conservative calling someone a Nazi is almost amusing.
Perhaps he has some other issues with the ladies. Rush’s three marriages were all failures although Clarence Thomas officiated at his third marriage. Fortunately there seems to be no children spawned by this radio-Nazi.
That is scary.
Raven, I agree. I never listen to him or Hannity or Laura Ingraham. If I knew the companies that sponsor these thugs I would not buy their products (probably don’t anyway) and would drop them a note telling them why I wouldn’t buy their products.
What a bunch of losers.
I didn’t mean to diss the post.
See mine at 50.
They love Rush because he can spew the hate that they can only wish they could say.
Excellent piece Casey, nice to meet you.
Bimbaugh is huge, I wish Media Matters, with the help of this and other blogs, would organise a writing campaign that would go after all of mister fatass’ sponsors, radio stations, and supporters.
Please do not mention Rush and children in the same sentence. Imagine Rush as a parent. eeeeeeeekkkk
Gay or Sterile? Having a kid increases alimony right and means child support payments most prenups increase payment if there are kids so I would expect the gold diggers who married him to have at least tried to maximize the profit.
They are deliberately manipulating the minds of the public….Mr. Simon on C-Span today pretty much said it straight out…bring the right to the left and the left to the right. Rush is a cog in the wheel. They want to artificially raise oil back up to $4 per gallon with manipulation of the public opinion to do what they want to do, i.e., rationalize raises in taxation for the “good” of the people…or the “good” of the planet. Go watch it on CSPAN…he laid it all out there. People like Rush are useful to manipulate public opinion. It doesn’t matter what party you vote for.
Limbaugh is a bigot, a sexist, a hypocrite and a xenophobe.
and a recovering drug addict
Do you think that is a fair assumption? The part about gold diggers, I mean. The only one I ever heard anything about was #3. Then he dated the CNN reporter, and then…..
recovering? really?
i hadn’t heard that, and really believe no one knows. he doesn’t ACT recovered from anything.
i think someone would really need to surprise see his drug pantry to be sure of that.
respectfully.
ya know?
The guy does not look healthy to me… he obviously doesn’t stay in shape.
I say that and with all the Viagra he takes, his heart blows up in a couple of years.
Can you imagine any other reason to marry Limbaugh?
Actually, quite a number believed him ahile back, and then moved on to regard him as entertaining. With a little help from their neighbors and friends (;->), they realized the incitement of hate subtly couched in his schtick. It’s illegal, it’s immoral, it’s hideously evil, it’s unacceptable by any standards. That person should stand, and fall, by his own words.
He knows what he is doing, which makes him and his actions all the more heinous.
He’s a GOP tool and an idiot. It is that simple.
Edit: He’s a GOP paid tool. Period.
No, but if one were so inclined, neither can I imagine enough money. Somethings just aren’t “worth it”….I cannot even imagine sitting down for a drink with him. O dear, Dr, you got me started.
Agree completely, but there are people who will do literally anything for money. I do not know any and do not want to, but they are out there.
Pretty scary, isn’t it? Franken coverage upstairs.
Excellent post, Casey, thanks.
Limp-paw is a hate-monger and his fingerprints are to be found wherever evil is manifest.
Whose was the loudest voice ’suggesting’ that ‘others’ deserve whatever we do to them?
How many of the folks who have behaved badly, in Irak, in Cuba, in New Orleans etc. were directly influenced and ‘encouraged’ by this pathetic wee little ‘person’?
How many who hate, ‘foreigners, gays and lesbians, people of color, and women, generally, have been ‘inspired’ by the innuendos and ’subtle’ hints put out by this sad excuse of ‘humanity’?
How much more damage and destruction may beings such as Rush and KKKarl yet heap upon us?
Creatures such as Limp-paw will always prey upon those whose worldview and sense of connection are circumscribed.
Our best course is not simply to seek directly to diminish Limp-paw’s appeal, but rather to reduce the amount of ‘fertile ground’ upon which he may sow the seeds of his destructions through improved education and broader opportunity, which are desperately necessary to the betterment of our society even were there no Limp-paw to take ‘advantage’ of these quite desperate needs.
By ‘healing’ and enhancing the lives of all citizens we deprive Limp-paw and his ilk of any solid fulcrum by which to leverage their vile poisons onto the broader stage.
That is the only real, long-term solution.
Well the CNN reporter is a Kagan and the entire family is insane. I suppose he could have picked up a GOP chubby chaser but given his money I’m sure every gold digger lights up when he enters a room.
Insane, kinky or after the money are the only things I could think of.
To each his own, said the old woman as she kissed the cow/or bull, as the case may be. And he loves to call himself lovable, so may be I have really missed something.
we should also boycott anything connected to fox (which i know is hard) i have been saying this for a long time. clearchannel and others like it will only change their ways if they are made to suffer huge losses.
Casey didn’t mention gays in the post. He obviously doesn’t feel we’re part of the coalition.
I would hope that it was an unintentional oversight, kukito, and that Casey, when checking back, will amend this error.
Obviously, so far as I am concerned, we are all in this together.
I do not recall ’seeing’ you here before, kukito, but hope you shall join us as often as you may be able.
DW
Hi DW,
No, I wasn’t registered until today but have been a daily visitor for months. Thanks for the kind welcome.
Sorry, but Clear Channel owns Portland’s KPOJ-AM, our only progressive AM radio station, home base of Thom Hartmann.
Do we live in an ironic world, or what?
OTOH, it is clear that Clear Channel cares only for profit, and if there’s profit to be made from a progressive station in Portland (there is) then that certainly trumps any ideology.
So, the good news is, they are certainly susceptible to boycott. But I won’t be boycotting of KPOJ.
Poetic Justice…?
Al Franken was right, a long time ago,
Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot!”
Simple, concise, and all you need to know.
Clear Channel does have other more appealing or entertaining products.
I don’t think anyone blogging here actually listens to Rush on any steady basis. Do you ?
It is the Advertisers that are Rush’s sponsers. Those are the ones to confront. Bose audio systems for one.
Fact is where I am, Rush is not on clear channel but on local stations via clear channel I’m sure…
Rush Limbaugh is distributed through Premiere Radio Networks, which is owned by Clear Channel. If it’s being heard on a Clear Channel radio station, they’re just paying themselves to carry it.
I can assure you, as a former employee, that the corporate officers of Clear Channel wholeheartedly support what Rush Limbaugh stands for.
Problem: I catch Air America and Nova M broadcasts on a Clear Channel station, so…?
In any case, a far more effective move is to publicly boycott the advertisers on Limbaugh’s show. That will get Clear Channel’s attention long before a bunch of emails from progressives does.
In terms of mentioning gays in the post i actually had trouble finding information about Limbaugh being homophobic. He says that staying out of people’s bedroom is conservative principle. there are even several rumors about him being gay.