In light of the controversy surrounding MoveOn.org’s criticism of Gen. David Petraeus, I couldn’t help but notice that Rush Limbaugh smeared countless U.S. service members — ranging in rank from private to general — who dare to believe that withdrawal from Iraq is a good idea. As Limbaugh described it, those in uniform who disagree with him are “phony soldiers.”
During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq “phony soldiers.” He made the comment while discussing with a caller a conversation he had with a previous caller, “Mike from Chicago,” who said he “used to be military,” and “believe[s] that we should pull out of Iraq.”
Limbaugh told the second caller, whom he identified as “Mike, this one from Olympia, Washington,” that “[t]here’s a lot” that people who favor U.S. withdrawal “don’t understand” and that when asked why the United States should pull out, their only answer is, ” ‘Well, we just gotta bring the troops home.’ … ‘Save the — keeps the troops safe’ or whatever,” adding, “[I]t’s not possible, intellectually, to follow these people.” “Mike” from Olympia replied, “No, it’s not, and what’s really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media.” Limbaugh interjected, “The phony soldiers.” The caller, who had earlier said, “I am a serving American military, in the Army,” agreed, replying, “The phony soldiers.”
Limbaugh, who avoided military service, feels entirely justified in questioning the patriotism of those who did. When Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a decorated veteran of the war in Vietnam, stood with Democrats in opposition to Bush’s Iraq policy, Limbaugh labeled him “Senator Betray Us.” A few months earlier, after Bush said decent people can disagree about the war forward in Iraq, Limbaugh took issue with the president’s comment:
“I want to respectfully disagree with the president on the last part of what he said. I am going to challenge the patriotism of people who disagree with him because the people that disagree with him want to lose.”
And if that means smearing those who serve in the military, so be it.
MoveOn questioned the integrity of one general. In contrast, Rush Limbaugh described thousands of U.S. troops — including dozens of generals — who recognize the folly of Bush’s Iraq policy as “phony soldiers.”
Where’s our congressional resolution?
We’re living in a “wonderful world of umbrage,” but only when the criticisms are going in one direction. As far as Limbaugh is concerned, those seven U.S. troops who denounced Bush’s policy in an NYT op-ed last month? Phonies. VoteVets.org? Phonies. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America? Phonies. Gens. Clark, Zinni, Eaton, Batiste, and Johns? None of them count as “real,” because they have the gall to disagree with Limbaugh.
Will this now dominate the news cycle? Will Republicans face pressure to denounce Limbaugh? Will GOP leaders publicly commit not to appear on his show anymore? Will his advertisers be targeted?
Of course not. That’s just not how the game is played right now. Those who wear the uniform will find respect and gratitude among conservatives — just so long as they stick to the talking points. If not, they’re just another adversary who needs to be smeared.
Just to be clear, I genuinely don’t want our political discourse dominated by competing press releases, with each side denouncing the other’s political allies for intemperate rhetoric. The right denounces MoveOn, prompting the left to denounce Limbaugh, prompting the right to denounce Michael Moore, prompting the left to denounce O’Reilly….
We’d have to devote considerable time on the House and Senate floors for daily censure resolutions for those who occasionally say outrageous things. That hardly strikes me as a good idea, but given the conservative freak-out over MoveOn, that seems to be where some of us want to go.