Rush's Bum Rap (Cavuto)

FOX News ^ | 10/13/03 | Neil Cavuto

[abnegation]

Rush Limbaugh is off the air. But his critics are only just now getting on his back. As he tries to kick his prescription drug habit, those who hate him are just kicking him. I say, give it a rest.

[k2blader]

Thanks for the info. I wish I could've heard the interview and what was used as a source.

I've been listening to Rush fairly regularly over the last few years but can't remember what he last said, if anything, on the illegal drug issue.

When he gets back on air, I think he'll likely address it.

[harpo11]

Beautiful....very well said, Cavuto.

It seems that the leftists grant conservatives God-like qualities. But, they fail to see that conservatives strive to be as close to God as they can, but they are still human and humans are not perfect, leftists or righto's or centrists.

It's too bad, because the left sets themselves up as not even caring a whit about morality, but only when a conservative missteps. Then they really get righteous. And, they talk about hypocrite....

[MarkL]

I am so sorry you have had so much pain. I appreciate your response to me and I can only hope that the meds you take give you comfort.

Thank you, but I really don't have anything to complain about. People have died from it, and with just a little bit of medication, it's under control. But again, thank you.

Mark

[Cosmo]

Rush's cockiness has always been tongue in cheek.

[Cosmo]

I too have a problem with people who assume that drug addicts are all for drug legalization and that they are being hypocritical aren't. if As a former addict ( not pain pills, mind you) I've never been for wholesale legalization of drugs, and have been reluctant to even concede the so-called "benign" nature of pot.

[For_God_and_Country]

Hang on a sec LR. I'll admit im not a fan of Rush, (He is what my grandad would call a checkered pants Republican.) But the only one to blame for his problems is Rush himself. If the stories are correct, then Rush committed multiple felonies when he bought narcotics without a prescription. As far as some people making a seperation between legal and illegal drugs. Rush bought illegal drugs period. The second he made a purchase off someone other than a legal pharmacy without the legal prescription, He bought an illegal drug, period, end of story. The difference between Limbaugh and the junkie on the corner is that Rush has the financial ability to not have to rely on street drugs to get his high. I am SHOCKED at how Clintonesque some of us here at FR are being on this issue.

[IfYouSaySo]

Rush on drug war:

This sword cuts both ways. I think it's sarcasm.

On March 12, in response to a caller who asked why the Clinton Administration was not fighting illegal drugs with the same effort being used to fight the tobacco industry, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh responded with some support of a legalized, regulated drug market (The Rush Limbaugh Radio Show, March 12, 1998).

Remarks of Rush Limbaugh on the March 12 show transcribed by the Media Awareness Project:

"[Drug] interdiction doesn't work and the effort to convince people not to do it really doesn't work. In fact, with young people it may even entice them more ...

Based on the reality of how we're going after cigarette smokers, the thing that we cannot do in the drug fight right now is regulate because it's illegal. Drugs are against the law and so the manufacturers are illegal. They're not even on shore; they're down there in Colombia and the Cali Cartel and they're working to poison the brains and minds of the future of America. And so what we do is to try to keep those drugs from getting in. And I agree with you that it's a half baked effort ...

It seems to me that what is missing in the drug fight is legalization. If we want to go after drugs with the same fervor and intensity with which we go after cigarettes, let's legalize drugs. Legalize the manufacture of drugs. License the Cali Cartel. Make them tax payers and then sue them. Sue them left and right and then get control of the price and generate tax revenue from it. Raise the price sky high and fund all sorts of other wonderful social programs.

Because it seems to me, flippant as though it may sound to you, that what gives us the power to do what we're doing, what gives the government the power to do what it is doing, state and federal, in cigarettes, is that it's a legal substance regulated by the federal government. And they don't have any such power and control over drugs because it's illegal. So let's legalize them and then go after them the same way ...

You have to understand that there's not a big morality play going on here with cigarettes. All there is in the minds of the citizens, they think it's all about morality and our kids, but it's about money. Look at the lawyers down in Florida. They had a contract 25% of whatever they could collect. Well that would mean that some lawyers are going to make $200 million. The purpose of all this was to help our kids and so forth. The lawyers just want money. Everybody wants their cut -- Clinton, Congress, the States all want their cut. It's all about money.

That's why I'm telling you. You may think my statement here flippant but you asked why aren't we going after drugs as fervently as we're going after cigarettes. I agree with [stopping] cocaine, marijuana, uh, well, cocaine, crack, LSD, heroin, all those you can [but] I don't know of anybody who overdosed on cigarettes. I do know that people have burned their houses down but I don't know anybody who said I'm going to smoke cigarettes until I die and then pulled it off inside of 12 hours. I do know people who've overdosed on drugs and know of them. You talk about death and the ruined lives -- heroin addiction is far more debilitating that tobacco addiction. Let's be honest about it. Tobacco addiction is a 30-year death. Heroin addiction is instant death and yet we're not going after this stuff with the same moral fervor that we are. Why? Because we're not going after cigarettes with a moral fervor either; we're going after cigarettes because of money.

Now if you want to go after drugs on the same basis you've got to make it a target for money and the only way that I can think of to do that is either [let] the government become the pimp and sell the stuff, make it prescription with the government as the pharmacist; or you legalize drugs, let them come into the country, get a whole bunch of generations of people using these things and then decide some years later that 'This is terrible. We must stop this. This is horrible. Those drug manufacturers have lied to us about the safety of the product. They said they we're going to control the amounts and they haven't. We're suing them.' And then go and get some money from the Cali drug cartel legally."

At http://www.ndsn.org/marapr98/legal1.html


Also, on July 30, 2001 it appears he spoke rof an hour on oxycontin:

Rush Limbaugh (talk radio) talked about OxyContin at length today--maybe an hour of his 3-hour show. The talk was mostly about the abusers of the drug, and that it was a shame that the abuse affected people who really need it.

At: http://www.adhesions.org/forums/ADHESIONS.0107/1358.html

in retrospect, it would be interesting to see the July 30th transcript

[xzins]

Rush is an advocate of legalization and taxation of drugs. I just read his comments on another thread.

[xzins]

Rush is an advocate of legalization and taxation of drugs. I just read his comments on another thread.

[ravinson]

Rush on drug war: This sword cuts both ways. I think it's sarcasm.

That's a pretty lame and obvious example of Rush trying to be absurd to illustrate absurdity, but all it illustrates is that Rush has no grasp on the realities of the drug issue at all - whether the subject is tobacco or cocaine or "prescription medication" or anything else.

Also, on July 30, 2001 it appears he spoke rof an hour on oxycontin: Rush Limbaugh (talk radio) talked about OxyContin at length today--maybe an hour of his 3-hour show. The talk was mostly about the abusers of the drug, and that it was a shame that the abuse affected people who really need it... in retrospect, it would be interesting to see the July 30th transcript

I agree, but if it helped Rush in his current predicament, don't you think he would have had it posted on his website? It sounds like Rush was condemning recreational oxycontin abusers and complaining that it's too hard for people like him to get a prescription for it.

[zook]

Your responses have become illogical and even laughable. You've put words in my mouth, mis-paraphrased me, and have made false claims about the evidence you cite. All I can say now is (1) logic prevails again and (2) "have a nice day."

[Let's Roll]

And I am SHOCKED at the people on FR who refuse to consider how Rush became hooked.

Once an addict is hooked, they all do what they have to, to get what they need. IMO those who became hooked through no fault of their own deserve our sympathy and support. Actually, not to muddy the issue too much, but anyone who sincerely tries to kick the habit deserves our support no matter how they got started.

You can call it Clintonesque if you wish, but many of us remember what it was like to smoke 3 packs a day or have family/friends who are alcoholics - never mind serious drug problems.

[rintense]

The only old quote I heard was one from 1992- that bone head Ken Oberman, or whatever, said it last night on his MSNBC show. I was channel surfing... I kept surfing after hearing his crap.

[KillTime]

To quote Willyboyis here: WOD is far different from "The War on Painkillers".,

[ravinson]

To quote Willyboyis here: WOD is far different from "The War on Painkillers".,

On the contrary, the drug warriors have made going after illegal users and suppliers of prescription painkillers with a vengence. Why do you think they (the drug warriors) call oxycontin "hillbilly heroin"?

[Milligan]

Is Rush charged with a crime? Do you have proof Rush was a drug dealer or just a user. If Rush is a user, this might be a real downer for those who want to hang him high.

If Rush is charged with drug use, Florida is very lenient towards non-violent 1st time drug offenders. He will go to drug court. He will go through drug rehab and be monitored by the court for a period of time. The drug court will graduate him and drop the charges. Florida feels its better to rehabilitate than incarcerate. The state wants to go after the drug dealers and give them prison terms.

IF he is charged with a crime.

[Edit35]

Maybe it will eventually come out that Rush did not have a prescription for OxyContin, or whatever painkillers, but until then I presume he had a script.

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You wouldn't want to lay a little wager on that, would you?

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I'm still waiting for you to name me one person who's been "severely punished" or gone to prison for using prescription drugs.

[ravinson]

Do you have proof Rush was a drug dealer or just a user.

If the maid is telling the truth, Rush could be charged on possession with intent to distrute based merely on the huge quantity he purchased. She also reportedly is claiming that Rush paid her hush money, which would be felony obstruction of justice.

If Rush is charged with drug use, Florida is very lenient towards non-violent 1st time drug offenders.

Perhaps, but the federal drug laws that Rush has repeatedly supported could subject him to a long prison term even if he were convicted of mere possession.

[Milligan]

I don't believe the maid, she sold the story to the NE to get money. Her husband has a criminal past, and they might be financially strapped. When her husband tried to sue his client for falling off the ladder, he wanted to sue for $75,000. The court dropped it because he didn't file income taxes and he didn't pay child support from another marriage. The court made him pay for the court cost. This happen a couple of years ago.

You can have a federal crime, if the drugs go over state lines. This all happen inside the state of Florida.

[ravinson]

I don't believe the maid, she sold the story to the NE to get money.

Rush has already confirmed part of what she said and specifically denied nothing that she has accused him of doing.

You can have a federal crime, if the drugs go over state lines. This all happen inside the state of Florida.

Federal drug crimes (even for mere possession) do not require any interstate activities. If Rush illegally obtained oxycontin or another controlled substance, he committed a federal crime punishable by a maximum prison term of a year each time he did so.