Posted on 11/25/2015 11:34:24 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
In the summer of 1992, Rush Limbaugh saved me from myself. I was an 18-year-old high school graduate about to begin college, too impatient to wait for adulthood to come to me. So instead, I went in search of it the only way I knew how: by engulfing myself in presidential politics and the fascinating campaigns that summer between Bill Clinton, George Bush and Ross Perot.
Like many idealistic teens, I was at first drawn to the youthful Clinton campaign and Fleetwood Mac's cheerful command to "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow." But then I started listening to Limbaugh and it changed everything. I was working as a delivery driver, so I'd plan my trips at six minutes after the hour so as to not miss a minute of his show — a habit I keep even today. The way he described his belief in conservatism reached out and grabbed me and I've been a loyal listener ever since.
So it is not from a place of hatred or misunderstanding that I write this. I'm not a plant from Media Matters. But when it comes to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Limbaugh is a mind-numbing, frustrating hypocrite (with all due respect, of course).
His tacit endorsement of Trump, now occurring daily during his show, is almost impossible to understand. Listening to him gleefully discussing Trump is painful for those of us who have followed his advice for decades. Why? Let's break it down.
Look at the polls
For years, Limbaugh has lambasted the "drive-by media" for their insistence on using polling data to make headlines and drive the story of the day. Trump's appearances and speeches, for the most part, are Trump droning on about how well he's doing in the polls. It's often the only story.
Words mean something
One of Limbaugh's biggest criticisms of President Obama has always been the vagueness in Obama's message; in his way of speaking until he can think of something to say; in the blank canvas that he offers us to project our hopes and dreams upon. And that, when he goes off-message, he often misspeaks. Explaining what Obama meant to say has become a cottage industry for websites like Vox and full-time gigs for a variety of nationally known journalists.
When has Trump ever offered anything of substance? His speeches are meandering streams of consciousness, and although he claims each to be unique, they are often the same litanies of vague promises. Trump will negotiate hard with China and Mexico. Trump will make the military so strong it will make your head spin. You'll get bored with winning so much. Chinese bankers live in his building, which proves he can bring jobs back from China. Trump thinks reporters are sleazy. Trump will hit you so hard. And, oh, by the way, have you seen the polls?
Big government
Limbaugh has been the voice for those who believe in smaller government for as long as he's been on the air. So it would stand to reason that challenging Trump on even his vague promises to vastly enlarge an already bloated government should give Limbaugh pause. Apparently, it doesn't. How many new government agencies will be necessary to round up 11 million illegal immigrants, send them back to Mexico and then let them back in? How many billions of dollars will it cost to make the military so great your head will spin? How many government workers will be required to build the Trump wall, complete with a beautiful Trump door?
The Kardashianification of American politics
Limbaugh has long lamented "low-information voters," who, he claims, are responsible for the rise of Obama. It's not his policies that win the day; it's the fact that he's cool and hip. His celebrity overcomes all other weaknesses.
Trump took the money that his father left him and built a series of failed casinos. What else does he have to offer, other than gaudy celebrity?
The Limbaugh Theorem
Simply put, the Limbaugh Theorem is Limbaugh's explanation as to why Obama remains popular when so many of his policies lack public support. It posits that Obama is always campaigning against the bad guys or bad situations, even when those situations are of his own making. It's a disassociation in the public perception of him between cause and effect.
Just peruse Trump's Twitter feed to see the Limbaugh Theorem on full display. He's always campaigning; always ready to right to wrongs in the world. The problem, though, is that many of those wrongs will be borne from a Trump presidency. He'll be there on Twitter or on another stop in his perpetual campaign, making obscenely vague promises that only he can fix what is wrong.
I'm still listening, Rush. But I hope you are, too. We don't need another blank canvas in the Oval Office, gilded or otherwise.
Hale is a freelance writer who lives in San Antonio with his wife and three children.
Who’s Walker?
Apparently the writer is still the same naive kid he was at 18. Too bad for him but all we can do is step around him and keep moving forward with Trump.
The other day I heard Rush make an on the fly spontaneous remark about Cruz that sounded to me like a ringing endorsement.It's the first thing I thought of upon reading this guys story headline.
Hmmm, I'm curious about the spontaneous remark you heard from Rush. I was thinking it might have been when a caller to Rush's radio show last Monday, at the close of the first hour, asked Rush to repeat what he said to Chris Wallace about Ted Cruz (lightning round response) in a rare TV appearance on Fox News Sunday (11/22/15). Responding to the caller, Rush read from the FNS show transcript verbatim.
WALLACE: "Ted Cruz."Rush doesn't endorse candidates during primary season, but the headquarters in Houston for the Cruz campaign could hardly have come up with a more positive statement!LIMBAUGH: "Brilliant, and conservative through and through. Trustworthy, strong, confident, leader, and somebody in whom you can totally depend."
Fundamentally his point is that you dislike and distrust Trump and are willing to post almost any article criticizing him, regardless of how accurate it may be.
I have lurked here long enough and am familiar enough with your posting history to concur.
This particular article fails the smell test, Rush doesn’t endorse in the primaries.
Ultimately, I don’t see a Hillary presidency being spawned by Trump because, as large as his ego is, he is running for reasonably pure reasons. The nation is in the toilet after seven years of incompetent quasi-socialism, and somebody needs to fix it. Trump’s business reputation is that he keeps his word. Unless he perceives that he is denied the nomination through deceit or trickery, thus breaking the deal with the RNC, he doesn’t go third party.
If I had five minutes to live and had only two media consumption choices, there would not even be a contest: I would spend it listening to Rush, not reading The Hill.
I attempted to reply earlier, however that post has seemingly dissappeared into the ether.
Fieldmarshaldj’s point was that you dislike and distrust Trump, and therefore consistently post anti-Trump articles, regardless of how accurate they maybe.
The original article on Rush and Trump misinterprets Rush, he has not endorsed Trump, but is enthusiastic about what he has done to the political system.
i don’t see Trump running third party unless he perceives that the GOP has unfairly or dishonestly denied him the nomination if he earns it. If he loses in a fair fight, other than that I can’t see inside of the man’s head. Life is a crapshoot, but I don’t think Trump wants Hillary in the Oval Office.
Thanks
Thanks, there are a few redlegs hereabouts.
The praise is well earned, I wish I had the time to delve into the history of American politics as much as you evidently have.
Rush supporting Cruz is fine with me. A lot of good people support Cruz. I just happen to support Trump. I do not want to get in a fight with Cruz people.
He played J.J. Evans on “Good Times.”
I believe Trump has been planning to run for President since at least the 1980s, but waiting for the time when it was right. The time is right now, especially given the disaster that the (leftist) bipartisan big gubmint political class has been in managing our affairs (an epic effing disaster, to be blunt). If Trump wasn’t serious, he wouldn’t have bothered. He had nothing to gain, and a lot to lose ($$ and his standing with the snobby elites in the country).
Trump is campaigning for President during the Presidential campaign? This is outrageous!
Heavens, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I wish it could’ve been spent more on in-depth study of the heavenly bodies of the fairer sex (those minus tattoos, that is).
Outrageous ? It’s egregious !
I can’t believe I’ve spent 7 hours on a anti-Trump hate-thread of CW’s. I need to reevaluate my priorities in life.
Walker is not running?
I’m quite late to this thread, unfortunately.
I only read a few of the replies, but I needn’t have bothered. I knew exactly what would be said.
You should be smiling because with your post, the vapidity of your average Trump advocate has once again been laid bare.
You are 100% correct in that Trump is not a conservative. One of the main arguments put forth for his candidacy is that he sticks it to the “GOPe”. The irony of that is that to a man or woman, those in the “GOPe” are arguably hold a decidedly more conservative record on most issues than Trump holds now or ever held.
Preferring a candidate based on revenge - or anger is not a good strategy. Yet it’s the path that many are pursuing.
Hey, randy - what a crock....what tripe....what nonsense you spew.
Vet yourself, a$$hole.
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