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Rush to Judgment [Lucianne's Singularly Thoughtful Column on Rush's Drug Problem]
Lucianne.com Short Cuts, October 13, 2003 ^ | October 13, 2003 | Lucianne Goldberg

Posted on 10/13/2003 1:27:21 PM PDT by paulklenk

Only hours after the news broke, Katie Couric thought Rush Limbaugh's drug problem was funny. So funny as a matter of fact, that she made up a story about sitting next to him on the plane and asking for an aspirin - you get the rest. She told it with a baby-girl hair flip. It wasn't funny.

During the Democrat debate last week, John Kerry thought Rush's pain was funny and took a shot. That wasn't funny either.

For hard-pressed liberals, merchandising Rush Limbaugh's admitted pill addiction will be an interesting test of individual sensitivity and a telling reality check and we'd better brace ourselves. Response from the left will probably follow the line of Newsweek's cover story today; he's a shy, loner, schlub and hypocrite -- heavy on the hypocrite. They describe him as a solemn couch potato with few friends, an aversion to nightlife and a kid who stayed in his room with water balloons on Halloween, then dropped them on the departing trick-or-treaters (frankly, my kind of guy). They write with self-rightous glee at his misfortune that he is an "actor" filled with self-righteous glee at the misfortunes of others.

This merry-go-round is just cranking up and we will hear much more of the same and worse about him in the days to come. This is their irresistible right and inevitable. To counter it, pundits on the right will revisit the drowned girl at Chappaquidick, other known addicts, the drunks, embezzlers, and jailbirds - the whole panoply of losers on the left. We've all been there before.

There is no way to stop the ranting and high-fiving. They will do it until they get bored with themselves and move on. Now that Rush has admitted his problem it is all fair but it is a dangerous game and the more thoughtful among them may want to rethink their commentary.

How truly funny is drug addiction and who among them has not had their hearts broken by it? How taxing is it to whip up jokes about rehab? How amusing is it to know that a public figure has begged a servant, a friend, a colleague even a stranger for a hit or fix because they fear they would go mad without it.

Are there truly any yucks in knowing that someone had stockpiled thousands of pills just in case....just in case....there isn't a painless instrument around with which to kill themselves if they run out? When the early jokes give way to the righteous rants will they be delivered by those who haven't a clue about the terror that is drug addiction?

As much as I can't stand them, I do not wish this for those who will feast upon Rush Limbaugh's pain: The call in the middle of the night that a beloved child has been arrested for DWI or picked up in a crack house or hung themselves. The realization that a wife or husband or loved one whose personality has changed has been stealing stuff, maxing out a credit card has been sneaking pills from somewhere and is hopelessly addicted. I do not wish them the expense and agony of waiting for someone they love to maybe make it through rehab and maybe not. I do, however, wish they could look into their souls and ask if they have the strength to survive what Rush Limbaugh will go through to get his life back.

But, politics ain't beanbag and they are going to have at this situation - first with the jokes, then with the indignation and I-told-you-sos. They can't help themselves and frankly, we couldn't either if Al Franken got picked up in a motel with an underage boy or an overage goat. That's the way this game is played. It will never change so their behavior is not the point.

People, decent people, have hearts. They are loyal to their friends and steadfast in time of trouble. Our commitment should be standing by Rush Limbaugh. He has given us hope and help and a way of seeing the world.

Remember when being a conservative was a very lonely business? Remember when we huddled in Rush Rooms and were almost afraid to listen to him on the radio with passengers in the car. Think what the Clinton years would have been like without Rush. None of that is diminished by his current problems.

We are 20 million strong. We can do anything we set our minds to and have the track record to prove it. The operative word here is 'strong' and a healthy, productive Rush Limbaugh, who knows how grateful we are, is the goal. Perhaps he can do it without us but I, for one, don't want him to.

-Lucianne Goldberg


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News
KEYWORDS: agoodread; katiecolonic; katiecouric; lucianne; mediabias; perkykatie; pilingon; rush; rushlimbaugh; shamelessliberals
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1 posted on 10/13/2003 1:27:22 PM PDT by paulklenk
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To: All
It is not lightly that I post a Lucianne column here at FR, but this is so well written and so true, it deserves to be read by all Freepers.

Please ping all your lists to this thread.

Thanks.
2 posted on 10/13/2003 1:29:03 PM PDT by paulklenk (DEPORT HILLARY!)
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To: paulklenk
Calling all FL Freepers....URGENT MESSAGE

Terri on Hannity and Combes tonight with Randall Terry, also some new video of Terri which will cause major problems for Michael and Felos.

Please get the word out - this is urgent!!!
3 posted on 10/13/2003 1:32:13 PM PDT by Ethan_Allen ( Gen. 32:24-32 'man'=Jesus http://www.preteristarchive.com/Jesus_is_Israel/index.html)
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To: All
Aww man! Enough of the fundraiser posts!!!
Only YOU can make fundraiser posts go away. Please contribute!

4 posted on 10/13/2003 1:32:20 PM PDT by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
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To: paulklenk
Only hours after the news broke, Katie Couric thought Rush Limbaugh's drug problem was funny. So funny as a matter of fact, that she made up a story about sitting next to him on the plane and asking for an aspirin - you get the rest. She told it with a baby-girl hair flip. It wasn't funny.

Any links to this?

5 posted on 10/13/2003 1:32:25 PM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: paulklenk
Thanks for posting it. I never would have seen it otherwise, as I haven't been over there since getting the heave-ho by Trixie's minions...
6 posted on 10/13/2003 1:32:49 PM PDT by clintonh8r (A gentleman should know something about everything and everything about something.)
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To: clintonh8r
Prayers for Rush and his family. God bless you, Rush Limbaugh.
7 posted on 10/13/2003 1:36:11 PM PDT by SassyMom (:-)
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To: paulklenk
"Response from the left will probably follow the line of Newsweek's cover story today..."

I just saw this article on my MSN home page. It was really disgusting but expected. They, Newsweek, even found two of Rush's old girlfriends to interview. I guess we will have to put up with this till the left gets tired of 'High Fiving' itself.
8 posted on 10/13/2003 1:37:05 PM PDT by duckman
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To: paulklenk
Libs were very touchy about Mrs. Dukakis and her substance abuse issues. Geeting addicated to pain killers or tranquilizers is very common especially among celebs.
Making light of JFK's or Rush's health problems or medication regimen
or anyone else's real health problems lowers civility for everyone. As a hard-hitting pundit, Rush makes an easy target. That doesn't make it right. The mental health history of John Kerry's family is something perhaps he should think about when joking about someone' else's health.
Liberals cannot hold themselves up as models of tolerance and compassion when they make sport of a sick, aging man in pain (whoever he is).
9 posted on 10/13/2003 1:38:42 PM PDT by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: duckman
It's just Newsweek's way of admitting it's no better than the Enquirer....
10 posted on 10/13/2003 1:38:53 PM PDT by clintonh8r (A gentleman should know something about everything and everything about something.)
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To: paulklenk
My theory on this is that the degree to which a "journalist" takes pleasure in Rush's problem, is a measure of how much of a neocommunist, ultra-left wing clymer slug that person is. Proof of my thesis can be found in the fact that Newsweek, the rag that is not offended by the fact that Eleanor Clift claims to work for it, has Rush on the cover.
11 posted on 10/13/2003 1:39:13 PM PDT by Tacis
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To: Ethan_Allen
Who's Terri? Who's Michael and Felos?
12 posted on 10/13/2003 1:39:57 PM PDT by narby
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To: clintonh8r
We will be in trouble for posting the whole thing, but I hope not.

I know in my heart that I rejoice at the personal troubles of democrats. I cannot judge them for doing what I would do in their shoes.

But I can warn that it will backfire.
13 posted on 10/13/2003 1:40:49 PM PDT by js1138
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To: narby
I was wondering the same thing.
14 posted on 10/13/2003 1:40:55 PM PDT by clintonh8r (A gentleman should know something about everything and everything about something.)
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To: paulklenk
I will never buy a newsweek again.
15 posted on 10/13/2003 1:41:07 PM PDT by BooksForTheRight.com (newsweek)
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To: paulklenk
BRAVO LUCIANNE!!!!!!!!!!
16 posted on 10/13/2003 1:41:29 PM PDT by Humidston (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law)
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To: paulklenk
A very nice and thoughtful article.
17 posted on 10/13/2003 1:41:44 PM PDT by THEazeasy
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To: paulklenk
I printed it out this morning. It is a keeper.

All Rush supporters should read it.

18 posted on 10/13/2003 1:41:53 PM PDT by BlueAngel
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To: paulklenk
"Only hours after the news broke, Katie Couric thought Rush Limbaugh's drug problem was funny. So funny as a matter of fact, that she made up a story about sitting next to him on the plane and asking for an aspirin - you get the rest. She told it with a baby-girl hair flip. It wasn't funny.

During the Democrat debate last week, John Kerry thought Rush's pain was funny and took a shot. That wasn't funny either.

Were those incidents during the stonewall / deny period, or after Rush had 'fessed up?

19 posted on 10/13/2003 1:45:07 PM PDT by Ready4Freddy (Veni Vidi Velcro)
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To: paulklenk
VERY well said.
20 posted on 10/13/2003 1:45:55 PM PDT by bluejean
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