My Name Is Rush L.

American Spectator ^ | 10/14/03 | Lawrence Henry

[Pokey78]

My salvation and my honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
-- Psalms 62:7 (NLT)


I got sober in the summer of 1983, in Anchorage. I was playing six nights a week with a rock and roll band in the lounge of one of the town's flossiest hotels, so when I walked into my first AA meeting, everybody knew who I was. And when I stopped boozing and drugging, because I was living with the band, everybody at work knew what I had done. I was not anonymous at all.

In a way, I had hit bottom twice, separated by eight years. In 1975, my kidneys failed, probably because of drug abuse. In 1983, with a new two-year-old kidney transplant, I was getting bombed onstage every night (on beer; I had taken everything over the years but it was beer that eventually kicked my butt), so bombed that I started thinking about maybe taking a little speed to keep myself upright.

At that point, some clarity managed to poke through the dark cloud around me. "Wait a minute," I thought. "I've done this before."

So I walked into that noon meeting full of oil field roustabouts, Eskimos, barkeepers, waitresses, fisherman, and refugees from ruin in the Lower 48, and I said, "I'm Larry, and I'm an alcoholic." And it was a tremendous relief. The jig was up. I could give up. I could start over. I began to find real friends. And I started on a rocketship trajectory of life. The acceleration built slowly at first, but then increased to the point that it would take my breath away, and I would fall to my knees and thank God that I had found the program, and found friends, and left a life of sorrow and regret and lies and hurt behind.

If I understand Rush Limbaugh's story right, he has fallen twice, too. He got hooked on painkillers in the mid-nineties after a back operation. His increasing use of painkillers made him deaf, which should have been enough to make anybody hit bottom. But we addicts and drunks are strong folks. Stuff that would kill other people just challenges us to new heights (or depths) of self-will. Then came the National Enquirer exposé, and Rush's public admission that he was an addict. He has just taken the first step.

The lefties may be crowing now over Rush's "downfall," but they don't know that his story is the most valuable thing he owns. I have heard some of the best speakers ever in AA and NA meetings. Some were humble people you would never have known. Some were movie stars, federal judges, rock and rollers, and politicians.

Rush will find himself perfectly at home in twelve-step programs, especially in a celebrity-filled locale like Palm Beach. I myself came home from Anchorage and spent the major portion of my sobriety in West Los Angeles meetings -- Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Bel Air. One of my best pals was an aging musical comedy ingenue with a household name. I knew the 1980s movie industry couple of the year, and joked with them that I could follow the course of their recovery on the front pages of the tabloids. I interviewed a rock star who told me, "The hell with anonymity. When I got sober, I wanted to take out a billboard on the Sunset Strip." I met a man who would become Governor. I talked tennis with a movie star famous for his rants against Republicans. I won my second wife from a member of the cast of one of the 1980s' best-known serial TV dramas. I worked for a movie producer who won two Grammies. I helped another producer revise a screenplay, a producer with a dark burnished brown-gold 30-year-old Oscar on his shelf.

All these people had something in common. Their lives were getting better all the time. They were achieving more in their professions, they got better at what they did, they were happier, they connected better with people. And they were sober, and they knew that counted. With few exceptions, they spoke movingly of their relationships with God. They prayed. They told frank and often hilarious stories of their falls from glory.

Many of those who gloat today over Rush's crash have had crashes of their own, I assure you. Some have even suggested that Rush will have to "apologize" for his offenses against liberalism. It's not my business to take anybody's inventory (I would remind Rush's critics). But I suggest that Rush may find other things to apologize for than the excellence of the job he has done over the years.

Because, you see, Rush will come back and do an even better job when he's clean. Better hold your tongues, folks. One of the greatest talkers of our age is getting sober. And you ain't heard nothing yet.


Lawrence Henry is a writer in North Andover, Massachusetts.

[MHGinTN]

Wow, talk about upstaging! ... Hi folks, I'm MHGinTN ... and I still want their liberal lyin' teeth as inlaids in my driveway.

[nicksaunt]

Wonderful article, thanks for the post.

[carlo3b]

What a story, it's what you said about him coming back and being stronger than ever.. I believe that. Rush is a fighter, and an honest one at that, once confronted he didn't ask for pity, he fessed up and will so in the future. I like his style.. Thanks my dear friend, we will be here to say we told them so.. LOL

[Reagan Man]

This isn't easy for anyone to go through. Especially when your in the public eye on a daily basis and the #1 radio broadcast personality of all time.

Rush will kick this demon, make a strong comeback and be better then ever. I expect nothing less and I think Rush feels the same way.

[donmeaker]

How about this: Rush is the victim of the DEA. He had back surgery to reduce pain. It didn't work. Rather than keep trying more surgery, he got prescription pain pills. The only side effect of dependence on the pills is

occasional constipation.

The DEA leans on doctors to prevent people from using them to reduce their pain. Do you think Rush will be a better host racked by contant pain, or a worse host?

My father has had back surgery. It is excruciating. His surgery happened to work, but that is the luck of the draw. If the bad disk material was in a different position, it might not have, and next time it might not work, if there is a next time.

If you have chronic pain, you should be allowed to take prescription pain medicine, just like a diabetic takes insulin, like a hemophiliac takes clotting compounds. Oh but because this pain medicine is an opiate, the DEA thinks that it is better to have people unable to work, move, or live because of pain, rather than use DRUGS. Of course he is addicted. If I was in constant pain, I would want relief too.

[Reagan Man]

>>>Do you think Rush will be a better host racked by contant pain, or a worse host?

Rush is in rehab for excessive use of prescription pills. He will probably have to remain on some form of painkillers for the rest of his life, or try for another back surgery. If he says no to further surgery, his doctors will probably have Rush on a closely monitored, personalized daily pain regiment.

I'm no doctor, so this is just my opinion. We'll see what happens. I'm optimistic and hope for the best outcome. I believe Rush will return to his show, better then ever.

[jocon307]

"If you have chronic pain, you should be allowed to take prescription pain medicine, just like a diabetic takes insulin, like a hemophiliac takes clotting compounds. Oh but because this pain medicine is an opiate, the DEA thinks that it is better to have people unable to work, move, or live because of pain, rather than use DRUGS. Of course he is addicted. If I was in constant pain, I would want relief too."

THANK YOU FOR BEING THE PERSON WHO FINALLY SAID THIS! I'm not at all sure Rush is doing the right thing by going into rehab, but I'm not sure he's not. It is not clear to me what his medical situation is. But no one should be in pain when there are drugs that can cure that. The man has obviously been functional (at least insofar as his job) for all this time. Who knows what will happen to him if his pain cannot be "managed". Maybe he'll just drink a lot, or something.

Anyway, thank you. And I think my tag line expresses my views on this whole situation.

[cryptical]

apologizing to those whom you hurt along the way

Actually, it's make amends, which is different than apologizing.

[laweeks]

"One of the greatest talkers of our age is getting sober."

I find it odd, truly odd, that Rush, whose voice I've listened to for many, many years never once said anything about back surgery . . . never. I've heard about his ear surgery, but never anything about back surgery. When condemning lefty libs who blame surgery for their current drug addictions, I've never heard Rush talk about "his" back surgery to support his attacks on them. I think we're in the middle of a big con.

And to listen to the big conservative elephant tears over someone who apparently is involved in many felonies over many years is very disheartening. All you have to do is reverse the labels in this case, and you'd think we were ginning pity for Liz Taylor, or Liza Minelli, or any of the other celebrities who've blamed some "surgery" or life setback for their drug woes as they head for detox. Lord A'might, Colonel! What in the world is happening to standards of moral behavior and decency?

Are we telling our kids that it's kinda' ok to commit felony abuse of drugs, have dealings with the underworld of low-lifes who supply illegal drugs, deceive your friends and all those who love you and believe in you, as long you "fess up" and head for detox ONLY after you got caught?

[Yaelle]

Beautifully written. Great title. Yes, the man did have half his brain tied behind his back, apparently, and it still wasn't fair. He was still beating out the competition and breaking talk radio records.

A sober Rush with his humble story to tell will be back in the saddle again, informing, entertaining, and pleasing millions.

Prayers to him for the h#ll he must be going through about now. Rush, it will all be worth it. We are all rooting for you. With G-d by your side, you can do this.

[PurVirgo]

Amends, not apologies - there is a difference ;)

[cryptical]

Are we telling our kids that it's kinda' ok to commit felony abuse of drugs, have dealings with the underworld of low-lifes who supply illegal drugs, deceive your friends and all those who love you and believe in you, as long you "fess up" and head for detox ONLY after you got caught?

Well, I'm not without sin like you, so I can't cast the first stone...

But I'll agree with you that he deserves our disgust. We should put Rush on a mule, backwards, with a large clown head on him, and send him to the gulag. Because goodness knows showing compassion to someone with problems only encourages them, or people like them.

And "people like them" aren't people like us, right?

[PurVirgo]

I always had a suspicion that there were friends of Bill here ;)

[lonevoice]

Great post

[backhoe]

If you have chronic pain, you should be allowed to take prescription pain medicine, just like a diabetic takes insulin, like a hemophiliac takes clotting compounds. Oh but because this pain medicine is an opiate, the DEA thinks that it is better to have people unable to work, move, or live because of pain, rather than use DRUGS. Of course he is addicted. If I was in constant pain, I would want relief too.

Thank you for saying that.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[ventana]

I don't think laweeks is saying he/she is without sin. I do think he is raising an interesting point. I have wondered the same thing. I have listened to Rush for fourteen years, he has never been shy about talking about medical problems. He had tremendous upper respiratory problems while in New York and he always mentioned it. He was very public about his colds. He shared about his hearing situation as well. I never heard a thing about a back problem, which I find odd. Let's face it, as Rush fans we are in a strange situation. I for one love Rush, but, personally, I have felt for the last four or five years he changed a lot. I did notice a lot of slurring of words and a kind of thickening of his speech. I mentioned this to my husband and mother repeatedly, and would often wonder if he were drunk or on drugs. Additionally, the early Rush was not shy about being pro life and about condom updates and the homosexual lobby; that Rush went away, and I missed him, particularly at time when these social issues are having a major impact. So here we are with a man who has contributed greatly to the cause we love, immeasurably in fact, but who has disappointed us and possibly engaged in illegal behavior. I think we have to love him but accept that he has a failing for which he needs help. I maintain we can discuss and analyze what happened, and that it is appropriate to do so. V's wife.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Regardless of his state of mind he has been and will continue to be brilliant. I wrote this little Rhyme last week as part of my Rush Is Right crusade. Well it's not really a crusade but I post this every chance I get. His admission shows his honesty and I'm with him all the way. Shameless self-promotion follows:

Rush to Judgment on Rush

For many years he’s been our voice,
The loudest of us all.
The vipers tout that he has slipped,
But we can’t let him fall.
Let’s wait and see the truth come out,
Before we judge old Rush.
Don’t let the TV vultures turn,
His image into mush.
So send a card or make a call,
To voice your true support.
If he has broken any laws,
He’ll have his day in court.
So let me close with how I feel,
And then I’ll sit back down.
Rush is right and tells the truth,
Unlike that Couric Clown.

Flurry 10/9/3

[Conspiracy Guy]

Thanks for the ping.

[InvisibleChurch]

STILL waiting for the liberals 'compassion' to come forth for Rush... how can they have compassion for the whole world when they don't have it for one man?