Class Envy Got Martha Stewart

RushLimbaugh.com ^ | 3-9-04 | Rush Limbaugh

[ConservativeStLouisGuy]

Rush NAILED the whole Martha Stewart thing in yesterday's show....as always, right-on insights by the Maha Rushie...

FReegards,

- ConservativeStLouisGuy

[q_an_a]

For a change Rush is short and sweet then moves on. He might cover 30 topics in ashow instad of 6 if he was as focused as he was ont hsi sotry. He is RIGHTm about the jurors and Martha should sue her stupid lawyer for never mentioning in the closing arguement that Martha can't be an insider.

[King Black Robe]

I love Rush and everything but if the above is any example, he nailed NOTHING!

CALLER: Die hard Republican, I actually have the Bush-Cheney '04 sticker on the back of my car, not like that woman from Friday. But the defense of Martha Stewart, both my wife and my father-in-law are stockbrokers and Martha Stewart was a stockbroker, has a series 7 license and the cardinal rule is you don't trade on inside information, and Martha violated that, and on top of that, Martha was a board member of the New York Stock Exchange. So she had a double responsibility to ethics in this and she broke those rules, and, you know, I've read a lot of defense of Martha in the conservative press and the Washington Times, et cetera, and I just flat out disagree with it. She got caught, she knew she was wrong.

RUSH: Wait a second, there's no conservative-liberal to this. And, by the way, I'm getting very suspicious here of all you people who call here and say I'm a registered Republican, I have a Bush-Cheney sticker on my car, just talk to us and we'll know whether you do or not. But I mean you people call here, I got a Bush-Cheney thing on my car, Bush sucks, Bush and Cheney are cheating everybody with Halliburton. Well, then why you got the thing on your car? You're not fooling us. Or me, anyway, with this talk of "I have a Bush-Cheney sticker on my car" and then launch into some stuff about the conservative media. That's just seminar caller get-up and I don't fall for it. Substance of your comment I will make in just a second. All right, here's the final Martha Stewart analysis. Given what she was charged with, and given what she got - she got what she got. That's what H.R. just told me, so there you have it.

The caller made excellent points and Rush didn't respond to it at all. He just inserted a red herring argument and piled hyperbole on top of it. Might make interesting radio talk, but it is far from nailing the debate.

[alnick]

Martha Stewart wasn't charged with or convicted of perjury.

Bill Clinton was not on trial in Martha Stewart's case.

[WayneM]

I was listening to this exchange yesterday, and what I heard was Rush playing the class-envy card (used about as often as Jesse Jackson's race card).

The caller was absolutely correct. A stockbroker knows that insider trading is a violation of rule number one. And if she didn't know it was wrong, why did she lie to cover it up?

Unfortunately, the caller made the fatal decision to attempt to establish his conservative credentials (probably knowing this would be the first line of attack when Rush decided to slam him). A few seconds later, when Rush heard that the caller was going to actually disagree with him, it was all over. Forget the fact that the caller was right. Cut him off and go on the offensive.

Rush is generally right on the issues, but when he is wrong or when someone disagrees with him, he attacks. I, for one, get tired of his boorish behavior. That is why I have pretty much quit listening to him.

[SAJ]

...Bill Clinton was not on trial in Martha Stewart's case.

More's the pity...

[evad]

Once Rush realizes he has a seminar caller he dispatches them pretty quickly.

[WayneM]

Duck and run for cover!

[Peter Libra]

Mr Limbaugh will win even more friends with this one. Even those who love to see the mighty, 'er high and mighty, take a tumble. I hope they take Rush's points carefully- these points will stand scrutiny.I posted previously on FR as a MINORITY in a poorly put, but similiar vein, like the El-Rushbo.

I said liberal spouse and I finally agreed on something, re skewed justice. I thought to put the money where the mouth is. Yep, in Canada it is SEARS that carries Martha products- I footed the bill and we PURCHASED products- ahem, modestly though. 25% off. Hey, this is good stuff, these items.

Free Martha.

[zip]

ping

[WayneM]

I've heard these callers, and I would almost bet my next paycheck that this guy was not one of them.

[biblewonk]

Rush impresses me less and less. OK he's right that she got screwed and it is a case of class envy. Beyond that he'd just yacking. He doesn't know what she was thinking and he's arrogant for suggesting that he does.

"~The persuit of money is the source of all good~" Rush.

[evad]

One thing I will disagree with regarding Rush's analysis on Martha.

He said that she lied and that was her downfall. He also commented that she should have left the lying to the professionals, alluding to the Clintons who would instinctively know to say something like "I don't remember".

The part I disagree with is that there is conclusive proof that she lied at all. Other than that I would agree that he "nailed it" right on.

This whole episode again strenghtens my belief that the last place an innocent person want to find themselves is at the trial stage of our justice system.

[evad]

I would almost bet my next paycheck that this guy was not one of them.

You could be right but the point is, Rush thought he was. Therefore, he get's the bum's rush.

[OldFriend]

I disagreed with every point Rush made in defense of Martha. His comment that lying to the FBI was okay as long as she wasn't under oath was just disgraceful.

He blames the jurors for not being of the elite class.....therefore.....WHAT, THEY'RE TOO DUMB TO KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG?

[claudiustg]

So now we're going to hear, "Usually I agree with Rush, but Martha should be sewed up in a bag and beaten with two by fours..."

[agarrett]

The caller was absolutely correct. A stockbroker knows that insider trading is a violation of rule number one. And if she didn't know it was wrong, why did she lie to cover it up?

  Martha Stewart wasn't an insider at ImClone. She did not have inside information at ImClone. This is why she was not charged with insider trading.

  Now, the SEC is going after her in civil court on insider trading - but wait until you hear their theory on the case. Stewart knew that Waksal was selling shares, because her broker told her. That is market information - not insider information. It is legal to trade on market information. However, the SEC contends that, on hearing Waksal was selling, Stewart inferred that the FDA was rejecting the application on Erbitux - which is insider information. So, under this theory, if you guess at insider information, you are guilty of insider trading.

  As to why she lied to cover it up... I certainly have no particular insight, but I'd theorize she figured the feds were out to get her and make her an example. So she wanted to make sure they didn't get anything. The mere fact that she hadn't necessarily done anything illegal is far from a refuge.

  And, of course, it's very hard to be sure she really did lie during those interviews, as we have only sketchy notes and agent recollections to go by. If lying during an investigation is illegal, I wish the investigators were required to record those conversations.

Drew Garrett

[Endeavor]

"And who destroyed her company? She didn't. She built it up from nothing. She may not have been a likable person to people, I don't know. But she sure is paying the price for not being one. She got convicted because she's a b-i-itch in people's minds because she wasn't friendly, because she's not nice to people, and this is a chance to take it out."

Hogwash. Rush getting a little nervous?

[Pylot]

I think there is a general desire on the part of us little people to see some of the privledged class get what a little guy would get in the same circumstances.

Bernie Ebbers et al are next.

Is there a double standard compared to the Clintons. Yeah, get over it. They are not in office any more.

[Endeavor]

You called it correctly.