Stuck in a hole, Limbaugh keeps digging

October 3, 2007

When MoveOn.org’s “Betray Us” ad drew a firestorm of attention, the progressive group stood by the advertisement, but it didn’t take out another, even more provocative ad. When Rush Limbaugh drew the ire of Dems and veterans’ groups for attacking soldiers who support withdrawal from Iraq as “phony,” he decided to dive right back in.

In a VoteVets ad released yesterday, Iraq war veteran Brian McGough, a Purple Heart recipient, challenged Rush Limbaugh directly: “Until you have the guts to call me a ‘phony soldier’ to my face, stop telling lies about my service.”

In response to the ad, Limbaugh compared McGough to a suicide bomber.

On the October 2 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh denounced a recent ad by VoteVets.org that featured Iraq war veteran Brian McGough, calling the ad “a blatant use of a valiant combat veteran, lying to him about what I said, then strapping those lies to his belt, sending him out via the media in a TV ad to walk into as many people as he can walk into.”

Limbaugh went on to say that “[w]hoever pumped [McGough] full of these lies about what I said … has betrayed him.” Limbaugh denounced the ad despite admitting “I haven’t watched the ad.”

McGough took shrapnel to his head, which caused traumatic brain injury — as a result of an attack from an actual suicide bomber. Could Limbaugh possibly have chosen a more offensive metaphor?

As the controversy enters its second week, there were quite a few developments yesterday:

* Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays told the Senate Democratic leadership that he will not repudiate Limbaugh’s criticism of the troops. “While I certainly do not agree with all views that are voiced on our stations, I will not condemn our talent for exercising their right to voice them,” Mays said.

* The New York Times ran its first coverage of the story today, with this headline: “Limbaugh Latest Victim in War of Condemnation.” The notion that Limbaugh can attack troops who disagree with him and be considered a “victim” seems rather odd.

* Fox News is rallying to Limbaugh’s defense, including (surprise, surprise) misleading the network’s viewers.

* CNN’s Bill Bennett, with patently false claims, insisted yesterday that Limbaugh has been “smeared.” He didn’t appreciate the irony.

* The right’s talking points on the controversy are utterly bizarre and dishonest, but have created a classic “he said, she said” media dynamic. Limbaugh, relying on edited transcripts, says he was taken out of context; his critics, using actual transcripts, disagree. Who’s right? The media doesn’t want to say. Media Matters felt compelled to put together a helpful “fact check” sheet.

* In the Senate, 41 Dems signed a letter condemning Limbaugh’s remarks. Not a single Republican joined them.

* Digby: “The Republicans are going into full defense on Rush, which is what any smart organization does when its valuable assets are threatened. But Rush not only said what he said, he since edited his transcripts and lied repeatedly on the air. (You know what they say about it’s not the crime it’s the cover up…) His supporters will defend him against anything (and often have) but this one is documented — he got caught.”

Stay tuned.

Did Mays really call Limbaugh a “talent”?

  • Wouldn’t it be easier if Rimjaughb just got on the air and oinked the whole time during his Big Fat Idiot Show? He’d certainly have an easier time getting his point across.

  • * Digby: “The Republicans are going into full defense on Rush, which is what any smart organization does when its valuable assets are threatened.

    Apparently Digby agrees that the Democratic Party is not a “smart organization.”
    I wonder on which criteria the DP is coming up short? Or is it both?

    Rhetorical question of the day: will my party’s leaders learn how to play the game effectively enough to obtain positive results for the country at any time before I die?

  • While I’m all for calling Rush on the carpet at any time, I really think this is just the Dems’ version of the GOP’s tactic of making an issue out of the MoveOn.Org ad. Both are distractions that only serve to try to make voters forget that neither party is doing anything about the real issue: the Iraq war itself. Nearly 70% in that Washington Post poll supported ending funding or cutting it in some way and for nearly three years, a majority in most polls supported getting the hell out and ending this mess. Still, Congress approves more funding. Bashing Rush is fun, but the Democrats need to keep their eye on the ball and start doing something about the real problem.

  • “Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays told the Senate Democratic leadership that he will not repudiate Limbaugh’s criticism of the troops. “While I certainly do not agree with all views that are voiced on our stations, I will not condemn our talent for exercising their right to voice them,” Mays said.”

    Like the Dixie Chicks?

  • Even if Limbaugh limits his definition of “phony” to cases of fraud (or to callers whose military credentials he doubts), any “smear” of this “victim” is entirely justified by his own standards. In the original call, Rush pretended to know what Democrats really think — that they want defeat in Iraq. Well, now MediaMatters is reading Rush’s mind and finding disdain for troops. He’s the last one who can cry, Wah! They’re taking me out of context!

    Also, the classy thing for him to do would’ve been to spend

  • Congress is really trying to dig a single digit approval rating for itself, isn’t it?

    Media Matters has no credibility in this argument either, as (like CB) it ommitted a large part of the orginal transcript when it”broke” this story.

  • Er, the classy thing for him to do would’ve been to spend -less than- 60 seconds watching the ad before slamming it.

  • Media Matters has no credibility in this argument either, as (like CB) it ommitted a large part of the orginal transcript when it”broke” this story.

    That’s a lie. It was Limbaugh’s people who edited BOTH the transcripts and the audio.

    Just check out the cached pages from the original air date and compare them to the ones up there now. It’s pretty clear that Media Matters edited nothing.

    Anyone who tries to say otherwise is either too stupid or to dishonest to ever take seriously.

  • Digby is right, and the Democrats are not a “smart organization.” A large number of Democratic congressmen voted to condemn MoveOn for exercising their right to free speech. Isn’t that a first? A congressional resolution condemning free speech? At least all of the Dems should have stuck together on that one.

    The Republicans are a lot better at this sort of thing than the Democrats are, and always have been for as long as I can remember. They have so much more practice thumping their tubs about phony issues. And Edward Copeland (#4) is right. All of this crap about “who dissed the troops?” is distraction from the real issue.

    Gregory (#1): I reluctantly admit that I believe Rush is a “talent.” He has a great ear for what his dittoheads want him to say. But he blew it big-time on this occasion, and his media allies have helped him to cover it up. Now he’s the “victim.” But let’s let it slide for now, and work on ending the funding for the war instead.

  • “…It’s pretty clear that Media Matters edited nothing.”

    Unless JRS Jr is talking about the Jesse MacBeth part, which Limbaugh now wants everyone to think is very significant.

    For its part, MMA spun the issue from the outset, relating “phony soldiers” to the NYT piece pennded by actual soldiers. It was pretty clear in the original segment that Limbaugh was suggesting that he doubted callers who identify as current or ex-military and say they oppose the war. That’s his damn problem, if he thinks those things are incompatible.

  • As much as I deplore what Limbaugh said, and as hard as it is to hear, he had the right to say it, just as MoveOn had the right to run the General “Betrayus” ad. An ad, by the way, that ran in one newspaper for one day.

    I still say that Harry Reid should never, ever have allowed Cornyn’s MoveOn resolution onto the Senate floor. He should have issued a statement that said that while the ad may have been offensive to some, the First Amendment gave the organization the right to say it, and it was not the business of the United States Senate to impose its judgment on the free speech of others. Period. The End.

    Instead, Reid decided to play Cornyn’s game, and has now been shown up for it. Only 41 Senators signed his letter to Clear Channel – and now we are being deluged with story after story about how this means that more people agree with what Rush said about “phony soldiers” than disagreed with MoveOn’s “General Betrayus” and that includes Democrats.

    Rush Limbaugh and his cronies don’t deserve this kind of attention – to the point where Jack Kingston wants to officially commend Limbaugh. Hey – why not just get it all over with and ask Bush to crank up the Presidential Medal of Freedom assembly line and decorate all of the right-wing hate-mongers?

    I am just so sick of this petty and penny ante, tit-for-tat, BS when there is so much at stake, and the clock is ticking.

  • Grumpy–
    I’m not saying MMFA didn’t blow this thing a bit out of proportion and are flogging it to death. They did and they are.

    But I heard the program as it happened (no thanks to a wingnut co-worker) and know for a fact Rush’s folks edited the thing, NOT MMFA.

    Again — not saying MMFA has played this thing well at all. But they never, ever edited anything. And why would they? Rush makes an ass out of himself just fine — he doesn’t need any assistance.

  • The double standard is alive and well. CalD #5 hits it. The rightwingnuts showed CD-crushing outrage and banning the Dixie Chicks from radio play lists because of Natalie Maines’ giggly comment that she was ashamed Bush was from Texas. Where is their outrage from Boil Butt’s “phony soldier” crap?

  • First of all, “Grumpy,” do you really think Limbaugh didn’t see the ad? Personally, I think he studied it like the Zapruder film, hoping to find something he could use to his advantage. But since it doesn’t, and since he’s wrong and knows it and won’t/can’t admit it, the only thing to do is act like he’s toob usy and/or important to waste his time watching it, though he has plenty of time to condemn it. It’s the sort of thing people do when they are either too stupid to know better, or hope that the people listening to them are too stupid to know better. I’ll leave it to Rush’s audience to decide whether it’s the former or latter.

    Second of all, “Anne,” I hear (well, I read) where you’re coming from. IMHO, the Dems running (trying to run) the show are such WATBs, all they know how to do is point out what mean ol’ meanies the Republicans are. Point out their hypocrisy, point out their cruelty, and hope everyone else will rise together, joind Lambda Lambda Lambda and OMega Mu and crush those bastards in Alpha Beta and the Pi Girls and rume Adams College! Oh, if only life were as simple as Revenge of the Nerds, where panty raids are commonplace and I could wear the nickname “Booger” as a badge of honor…

    What the Dems in the house & Senate need to finally FINALLY realize is that they’ve now gained whatever support they’re going to gain pointing out the cruelty and hypocrisy on the right. Now is the time for action. Now is the time to push an agenda the clear majority of the American people want. They’re not going to get anyone on the right to their side until they start to push an agenda and let it prove to be working for the benefit of this nation. Even still they’ll never get across-the-board approvals. There will always be people on the right sulking because we’re pro-choice or pro-equal rights, or because they’d be making even more money if everyone else was making less. But it would solidify support amongst the base and the middle. It would create the sort of long-term majority support Rove was trying to create for the GOP but with actions and positive consequences ala the Clinton economy, and not smear and fear ala the 21st century thus far.

  • Really–who cares.

    This is very, very unlikely to change anyone’s minds about anything. If you think (as I do) that Drug Rush is a lying, hate-addled, willfully ignorant scumbag, congratulations: you’re validated. If you think that he’s a voice for Truth and proof that a four-times-married sexual deviant is loved by God, this won’t shake you. (And it’s a wonder you can dress and feed yourself.)

    Tactically, I get why it’s important for Democrats to push back against the vile gasbag. On substance, it should just frustrate and disgust everyone.

    All that’s worth adding is that this exclusive focus on bullshit issues is pretty much certain to continue over the next four years if we put another Clinton in the White House. As Lady Triangula won’t give progressives anything on the merits, she’s very likely to pick the odd symbolic fight with the Limbaugh and Hannity types–who, it’s true, deserve all the bad the universe can dump on them–as a way of co-opting blogosphere partisans. Meanwhile, we continue on the road to ruin.

  • Just check out the cached pages from the original air date and compare them to the ones up there now. It’s pretty clear that Media Matters edited nothing.

    Where do you see the word “edit?” I said OMITTED!

  • Clear Channel is a Republican company in Dallas, Texas, whose leadership – most particularly Mark Mays – have long ties to the political right of the GOP and as major Southern Baptist supporters in Texas, to the Christian Right. They have cemented their stranglehold on the nation’s radio system under the de-regulation of the air waves Democrats were stupid enough to support and which Republicans have used to the maximum. Remember in 2001 how Clear Channel decided to censor “unpatriotic” music on their stations following 9/11? For these scum to now stand on the First Amendment in defense of the worst propagandist and demagogue in American history takes Republican chutzpah to a whole new level.

    The only greater obscenity is the spinelessness of the Democratic Party in the face of this. Harry Reid and his goddamned letter make me as an antiwar Vietnam Veteran who works with IVAW want to puke in his worthless face. When the Democrats undergo a spine transplant, I’ll go back to raising money for them. Given that in the past month I raised about $2,000 for them in small donations working as a fundraiser for them, I think that is as strong a statement as I can make. In the meantime, I no longer ask you to go to democrats.org and make any donations yourself.

    Like Eugene Debs said: “It’s better to vote for what you want, and not get it, than to vote for what you don’t want, and get it.”

  • Rush has the right to say what he wants to say. Give him enough rope, and he’ll eventually hang himself, if he doesn’t O.D. on Oxycontin first.

    My problem is that his show is broadcast on Armed Forces radio, AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE!

    Fuck that, I don’t want MY taxes paying for this drug addicted fat ass traitor to spew his hate. we MUST have him removed!

    http://ga4.org/campaign/dumprush/iinukw84p88twib?

  • “Maybe he was just high on his drugs again. I don’t know whether he was or not. If so, he ought to let us know. But that shouldn’t be an excuse.” -Tom Harkin

    And if Rush or his supporters try to press the issue, just reply with “Look, we’re trying to run a country here. If you need lessons on how to act maturely, I’ll have my seven-year-old daughter give you a few pointers.”

    That’s basically all the Democrats’ needed to say about this matter.

    They shouldn’t give this draft-dodging, Oxycontin-popping, sex tourist puke piece of shit anymore media coverage than his worthless ass deserves.

    Fatboy says crazy-ass shit like this because he knows it’ll pump up his ratings, just like when he went after Michael J. Fox last year.

    Not to mention his comments about Donovan McNabb on ESPN’s NFL Countdown back in 2003.

    What he said, and always says, has the same level of intelligence of a school playground bully.
    When the Democrats try to make this an issue that brings other important work to a halt, it’s like the school principle condemning that same bully by name over the loudspeaker.

    Just my two cents.

  • JRS Jr.: thanks for demonstrating so clearly that there are indeed two types of hairless biped on the planet: homo sapiens – us – and homo sap – you. Your posts prove that computers really are user friendly, that someone lacking opposable thumbs and frontal lobes like you can use one just as easily as a real person does.

  • In retrospect CB, why don’t you again tell us how well the MoveOn add has worked in the Dems favor! Seems like not only did it backfire on the Dems the first time, but now by chasing after Rush, they are looking even worse this time around!

  • Tommy Boy, those flashbacks must be getting to you… Please ask your mom to give you the meds before you really snap.

  • Jr, shouldn’t you be self-gratifying furiously at the prospect of killing Iranians? Just try not to get any on the life size portrait of Holy Joe.

  • Daj, I don’t think so. And why does that question pertain to this discussion? ARE YOU A TRROOOLLLL???

  • I’m just curious—are there any cached versions of the original broadcast foating around the ‘tubes? I’ve had a few people tell me they listened to Limbaughsky’s actual broadcasts, and are noticing a strange thing.

    Every time Rush-ya starts getting ripped, or finds himself confronted by a caller who promotes an opinion other than “that decreed by Rush-ya,” there’s suddenly another caller available who trots right in and supports every tidbit that he needs support for.

    But that’s not the odd thing. What seems odd is that with every one of these “mystery Rush-ya fans” is that the background noise on the “caller’s line” is identical to the background noise in Rush’ya’s little broadcast booth. There’s apparently no lag-time that would suggest the caller’s background noise is coming from a radio-set—the noise is simultaneous.

    That would suggest that Rush’ya’s “mystery-fan callers” are either live—sitting in-person with Limbaughsky is the broadcast booth, and just “pretending” to be calling in—or that these “support Rush-ya calls” are pre-recorded, and ready to go the moment that the fat little drug addict gets in trouble.

    How would ClearChannel respond to such an issue? How would they reply to the suggestion that “their talent” is just a wimpy little poser behind the curtain—and not “the Great and Powerful Oz?”

  • JRS Jr – you denigrate this issue by tying it to a dem/rep dynamic. The issue is Rush Limbaugh, and his taxpayer subsidized offensiveness. He cares not for our troops, but only uses them as props to spew his partisan viewpoints, and I quite frankly will not support anyone, on the left or on the right, who allows such a thing to continue. He should be taken off the service airwaves for his insensitivity toward our fine men and women in uniform. Semper Fi JRS Jr. -Kevo

  • Where do you see the word “edit?” I said OMITTED!

    Um … omitting something is, in fact, a form of editing. As a writer and editor, I can say that with 100% certainty.

    Again, I heard the broadcast. It was clear at the time that Rush was referring to EVERY service member* who disagreed with the war. Only a few minutes later did he bring up some guy 99% of people who aren’t wingnuts had ever heard of, and for those of us with functional frontal lobes, it was an after thought thrown in there.

    And, again, Rush’s folks have edited their material to make it look as though MMFA omitted more than they actually did.

    And, again, Rush has added people to his list of those he considers “phony” — including a guy who had the guts to serve his country while Rush was stateside with a butt zit. Which pretty much proves Rush is not only a drug addict and a guy takes Viagra with him during a trip with a bunch of guys to a place known for underage prostitution, but also a coward.

    But hey … if you want to defend a guy with that kind of track record, that’s your choice.

    (*To further prove the right knows nothing about the military — other than how to send them into unnecessary wars and use them as props when it suits their purpose — the term “Soldier” only refers to those who serve in the Army. For example, Jack Murtha is a Marine, not a soldier.)

  • * Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays told the Senate Democratic leadership that he will not repudiate Limbaugh’s criticism of the troops. “While I certainly do not agree with all views that are voiced on our stations, I will not condemn our talent for exercising their right to voice them,” Mays said.

    Hypocritical motherf***ers defending hypocritical motherf***ers. These are the same guys who banned the Dixie Chicks when they spoke out against the war. Perhaps he should revise to say “I will not condemn our talent for exercising their right to voice their opinions when I agree with them.”

  • Deep down, Rush Limbaugh is a gentle, philosophical and introspective man. It’s all that Viagra that makes him talk like he’s crazy.

  • Hypocritical motherf***ers defending hypocritical motherf***ers. These are the same guys who banned the Dixie Chicks when they spoke out against the war. Perhaps he should revise to say “I will not condemn our talent for exercising their right to voice their opinions when I agree with them.”

    Let’s all say it together:

    IT’S OKAY IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN.

    **shakes head, boycotts Rush’s advertisers, throws radio out window … **

  • Actually, Rush Limbaugh is an overgrown butt zit, and it’s the people like JRS Jr who make him talk like he’s crazy. Idiots like JRS Jr buy not only what Rush says, but also the products that are peddled on Rush’s “show”, and those idiots’ dollars keep Rush’s microphone covered with spit. The man will keep bellowing his idiotic rants* until the JRS Jr’s of this country actually get a clue. Which of course will never happen.

    * “The whole notion that there were no weapons of mass destruction is absurd.”

    “We’ve had a three-year propaganda program on “No weapons of mass destruction. None have been found.” This is just settled in now as fact. It is not “fact.” It is propaganda.”

    “I don’t know why. I can’t tell you, but it took a direct intervention on the part of President Bush to get those documents translated and released which illustrates the connection between Al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein long before 9/11. They don’t establish a connection with 9/11, but the whole notion that Iraq had no connection with terrorists or Al-Qaeda prior to 9/11 is foolish because it’s in those documents. There’s also, I’m going to tell you something else, folks, and I’ve said this before, I’ve just never said it in this strong a fashion. There’s a shadow government operating here. You’ve got Clintonoids held over at state, at CIA, and at the Pentagon.”

    Garbage In, Garbage Out. Saddam had WMDs, he was involved with al Quaeda, and it’s all Clinton’s fault. Can’t explain why Bush would say that WMDs haven’t been found, when they really have been? Well it’s because there’s “a shadow government operating here”, made up of “Clintonoids”.

    JRS Jr and his ilk eat this shit up, because they’re fucking idiots.

  • This isn’t the first vile thing out of Rush Limbaugh’s mouth. He isn’t just a talk show host who occasionally slips up and says something unintentionally offensive. Rush does this stuff all the time. He trades in it. He peddles filth.

    His allies defend him and refuse to condemn him because they agree with him, and they even agree with his over-the-top behavior such as this because they agree with it too. They know it’s wrong but they believe it too, because they reject the value system that tells them it’s wrong. It would be refreshing if the right would all just admit they believe in defending their ideological allies for engaging in the same behavior they would condemn their opponents for, that IOKIYAR and INOKIYAD is their value system, like Mark D said above.

    They don’t care about being consistent, nor hypocritical, nor following the golden rule, nor the rule of law – these things aren’t a part of their value system even though they have been a part of America’s since its inception, they patently reject them – instead what they believe in is treating people differently based on whether (and how much) they agree with them, defending their ideological allies, destroying their ideological opponents (even torturing and executing them, see Michael Reagan on Howard Dean, Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly on anybody they do not like), and in their own might (but not the principle of might makes right, because they abandon that when they aren’t mighty; only their own might makes right.) When you put it together, you see exactly what kind of caricature that Stephen Colbert is satirizing – the American Fascist.

  • So, ‘member that old question that supposedly killed the McCarthy era, back when? “Have you no decency? At long last, have you no decency, sir?”

    The answer of course, has been for a long time and is currently–now more than ever–“No.”

  • Racer, see my earlier posts, I truely think Rush a blow hard and a drug addict that gives real, true, old school conservatives a bad name.

    All I am doing is making the 3 points: 1. That Media Matters selectively spun Rush’s message and selectively omitted content (like CB) in its first post; 2. That Congress is wasting its time with these petty resolutions and 3. That, contrary to CB’s belief’s the MoveOn ad blew up it the Dems face and all this flap re: Rush is doing nothing to change that fact.

  • Please address my observation JRS Jr. – should taxpayers subsidize the partisan rhetoric coming from Limbaugh’s mouth? Is his partisan viewpoints something Americans should be supporting through their hard-earned tax dollars. I don’t think so, but what are your thoughts? -Kevo

  • I agree with Anne @ #12 and others who characterize this as a waste of time. The right-wing are united on this issue (they have nothing else) while the rest of us are divided as to exactly where our outrage should be directed.

    Right:
    Republicans good, Democrats bad.

    Left:
    Freedom of speech is everyone’s right.
    Limbaugh insulted dissenting troops.
    Republicans are hypocrites.
    We shouldn’t be talking about this.

    We’re on their home turf and their kicking our asses. We shouldn’t even be dignifying them with responses but should be working to remove their lying, criminal hides from power and putting them behind bars where they all belong. They’re garbage, the lot of them.

  • Please address my observation JRS Jr. – should taxpayers subsidize the partisan rhetoric coming from Limbaugh’s mouth? Is his partisan viewpoints something Americans should be supporting through their hard-earned tax dollars. I don’t think so, but what are your thoughts? –

    I don’t think so either, as long as that rule applies to all “partisan rhetoric”. Also, where do we draw the line? And if the troops (the listeners) welcome the “partisan rhetoric” how do we tell them they can’t have it? Or do we make them pay for their radio services out of pocket?

  • Contingencies of how things would be different only side-track your answer JRS Jr. Think this through – if Rush has been spewing partisan rhetoric at taxpayers’ expense, should he be allowed to have such subsidy continue? This is the cusp of the issue. I need a declaratory statement on this from you before I can count you as a non-partisan American who believes in the art of democratic compromise within our bodypolitik. Without one, I can only identify you as part of the growing partisan problem our nation is currently experiencing. The extreme rhetoric by the likes of Limbaugh over the years has helped produce a polarization in this great nation that is antithetical to democratic principles. I don’t expect you to agree with that observation, but I need to know if you are a sensible American or one who just mindlessly careens from one media distraction to the next. -Kevo

  • “I don’t think so either, as long as that rule applies to ALL “partisan rhetoric”.

    There is no contigency in that answer, Kevo.

  • Kevo,A question for you now. Should Media Matters be designated as a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization?

  • Thank you JRS Jr., I look forward to conversing with you on other issues at some later time. Until then, fair thee well! -Kevo

  • Oh, I missed your musing on MMFA. I don’t know enough about this issue to give you an answer at this time. I’ll make a point of coming up to speed on this one. -Kevo

  • The majority of military personel voted to have Limbaugh but on their radio waves. Non-military should not be involved in that matter.

    Rush has a lot of faults, but he sure does a good job of getting you people are stirred up 😉

  • ***oh Digby*** It makes no difference that Rush got caught…that it is documented…the result is still nothing will be done about it. The dems have shot themselves in the foot again for forgetting that they are dealing with the party of Hypocrisy.

    This is a tit for tat that mattered. Dems stood up for a standard when move on was condemned and got used and here comes Rush being more offensive and lying about it and republicans abandon any standard and finger the dems. Dems got to the font of that parade and turned around and the republicans disappeared.

    I knew as soon as Reid left that stupid letter expecting Republicans not to show themselves as obvious hypocrites that he would be made to look ridiculous. Did Reid not KNOW that no republican would sign that letter? When the Dems signed on to the condemn Move on ad most of us said if the shoe were on the other foot no repub would condemn a right wing move on ad…and sure enough. Reid is like the proverbial frog who keeps giving the scorpion a ride on his back, to be nice and get him across the bay…You knew he was a scorpion when you let him get on you back. Reid expects these republican hypocrites to be something other than what they are.
    Stop siding with Republicans on anything…they pretend to be what they are not and the game is too serious to forget that. Dems should never have signed on to condemn an ad…they should have done what the repubs are doing and showed how the ad was justified. The republicans were out of place trying to condemn it. They ignored what the ad said and focused on 2 words from the headline ignoring the context…which proved to be true.
    The universe is going to take care of Rush and very soon too. Just ask him how the back pain is coming along? How much pain med is he on now? He sold his soul and the universe has come to collect.
    ***btw***Media Matters is extremely credible and posted the entire transcript and is in fact one of the few places where you can view the “original” transcript before Rush set about editing it. Most amazing is that such a low life scumbag addict like Rush Limbaugh should be the place where Bush and Cheney appeared to promote their message. And now a SC judge is to appear. This speaks volumes about the what kind of people are in charge of running the show in the WH. Never has there been such chaos and destruction as has occurred with this administration and so Rush is a natural representative of these scum.

    Also does anyone think it would be a good idea for Reid to sign and leave a letter for members to sign stating that they condemn the continuation of this war and will send it to the president after others have had a chance to sign it?…then why he would think sending a letter to clear channel would be any different is just beyond me.

  • Jr, I’m inclined to think it is too early to know yet who ultimately fares better on this MoveOn – Limbaugh back-and-forth, but if you end up correct, that the two stage hatefest “blows up” on the Dems, that does not mean it was a bad strategy. I think it quite possible the Dems may get the short end of this, but that is mainly because the Democratic Congressional Leadership has mishandled this issue in about every way possible. That is very different from saying it is a fight that should not have been fought.

  • If you tie yourself to an anchor you will quickly be on the bottom.

    Maybe the GOP can help O.J.

  • For anyone wanting to see the kind of ridiculous koolaid guzzling that goes along with Rush’s rant excerpted above, go here:
    http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1653985/posts

    Here’s one of the funnier ones:

    “This is why I enjoy Rush, he brings us perspectives that I have not thought of. I pondered his question all day. The best answer I could think of was: That we don’t want the other side to know just how many weapons are out there, so they won’t go looking. Perhaps we have been trying to “low-key” the existence while we’re trying to find and destroy them. But, I think Rush’s answer makes more sense.”

  • Let’s kill Rush Limbaugh for his comments! The only way to support troops is to bring them home and admit defeat!

    Then we can charge Bush with war crimes and have him impeached before global warming kills us all!

    I am a democrat, and I approve this message.

  • All I see here is hate. When someone tries to go against the herd with some rational comments he gets piled on.

    You Socialists/Liberals/Progressives are suppost to be tolerant of others beliefs and opinions. I see nothing but blind hatered and personal attacks against someone who expressed their personal opinion.

    Sheeple Democrat expressed my views sarcasticly with his post.

    I fully expect to see some attacks on my character, socio-economic standing, intelligence and grammar/spelling. Do me proud and fulfill my expectations.

    Regards,

    Richard Ricardo, a proud American

  • boycott all products advertised on his radio show. problem solved! don’t get mad be smart these dumbasses say what they say because they get money from their air time they sell for their commercials. BOYCOTT! it will work.

  • The hilarious thing about all this that no one except Greg Sargent has mentioned is the following: the caller who was speaking to Limbaugh during the latter’s “phony soldiers” comment himself took that phrase as meaning that the radio host viewed anti-war soldiers as deserving of that characterization (in other words, how the people who have been criticizing Limbaugh regarding this matter viewed his “phony soldiers” remark). Directly after Limbaugh’s use of the now-infamous two words, the caller says that “real soldiers” support the war. (Check the transcripts).

  • What’s that smell?

    Oh … just Dick cutting and pasting a comment I’m sure he leaves at every lefty blog he visits, and a gutless troll who gets it partially right (Bush should be impeached — hey, if it was good enough for a blowjob … ).

    And they obviously didn’t bother reading all the comments — if they had they’d have noticed that several “Socialists/Liberals/Progressives” actually find this whole thing ridiculous.

    Oh well. Maybe that homeschooling will come in handy for … well, who the hell knows.

  • I joined moveon because of all of the republican flap. I would never have known about this organization if it hadn’t been for the Petraeus ad.

    Thanks.

  • Apparently, no one went to find out what was actually said on Rush’s radio program…just took it for granted that he called soldiers who disagreed with the war as phoney. Well, he didn’t, he talked about the phony soldiers who pretended to be soldiers. Does the name Jesse McBeth ring a bell. Ding Dong. But you folks did not go looking for the truth. Maybe that is why the truth doesn’t appear in your little b. session here.
    Rush will be on the radio long after this coming election…unless bozos vote in the socialist party.
    In fact I am going to find out who advertises on his show and go buy some good stuff.

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