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It's hard to say what Rush believes about his status as a role model because he's never really addressed the issue seriously (at least not that I can recall). And I'm fairly certain that he's never emphasized himself as a positive role model. If your argument hinges on Rush having set himself up as a positive role model, then I think your argument has a big weakness.

I see two possibilities -- 1) that Rush has set himself up as a positive role model, or 2) people have come to regard Rush as a role model. The first is an action of Rush, the second is an action of other people. Only if the first is true can Rush be considered a hypocrite (to the extent that being a hypocrite is dependent upon him having set himself up as a role model).

If your argument is that some people regard Rush as a role model and that some of them are suffering now that he's faltered, then you probably have a point -- but that point isn't really in dispute. The point that's in dispute is whether or not Rush is a hypocrite. I'm assuming that you think Rush is a hypocrite and that you're trying to prove that, but I think the "role model" argument fails because Rush never set himself up as a role model.