Posted on 11/10/2001 6:05:37 AM PST by carlo3b
Rush Limbaugh has single-handedly brought us to a stage in our politics that we have the luxury to complain about how conservative this or that jerk Republican is, in what power position of control within our government. Rush is my hero, and always will be, and if you are over 50 and can remember where we Republicans came from, it will remind you what he did for all of us, that lived and suffered through it while sober.
It must have been 1988 or early '89, I was driving the interstate in Houston, when I switched radio channels and heard Rush the very first time. These were difficult times politically, the media had a full court press on, to soften the newly elected Bush Sr for the political slaughter that would mark the entire 4 years of his administration. It was obvious from the beginning, that the dignified President G H Bush, and his experienced adult and truly exceptional advisors were no match for the political task that lay ahead. The left, had endured Reagan, and his fatal near charm for 8 long years, and that was just about all they could handle.
Every TV and radio news station, every newspaper, each and every commentator in the public arena of political, academic, financial and entertainment life, was working off the same script... "this is the worse economy, worse indicators, worse direction our national health, and poor homeless citizenry have ever endured ...Blah blah blah" ...HUH .....WHAT??? WHERE??? WHO????
Didn't anyone remember THE "Double Digit" CARTER, or THE "Double Crossing" JOHNSON, or THE "Duel Devils" KENNEDY, administrations??? Apparently not on the nation scene, with the exception of few intellectual writers, a couple of obscure and totally despised and dismissed former Republican politicians, only one moderate voice, Paul Harvey, no one was speaking out for me .....until ... MR. RUSH LIMBAUGH.
When I heard him say, "It's lies, all lies, damned lies, and we didn't have to sit quietly and listen to it without saying so!!!!!!.." Whoa!!! YES!!! Who was this guy?? How could he say these things, and get away with it?? How long before someone in a position of power hears him, and shuts him down.. HA! In the interim, I'm going to do everything I can to encourage him, amplify his words, promote his station, and get as many others as I can to do the same. I think I opened the very first Houston "RUSH ROOM", a lunchtime, radios blasting Rush showcase.
At first, the culture shock and my blatant bias worked to the detriment of my own business. However, within 3 months we were packed again, only with a different mix of people ..these were for the most part ...LOL.. the new choir. When it started, people would look around and wonder what was happening. Arguments broke out spontaneously, and people listened intently, and commented across tables, and between strangers, among the classes and cultures ..it was a nervous, high five, laughing, red-faced, shouting mix of radicals. To say the least, not everyone agreed with my change of atmosphere, I was screamed at, and scolded, and cursed, and applauded, and yes ...thanked!
Rush, you may not be able to hear me, but thank GOD, I can still hear you. You are and always will be an inspiration to hard core conservatives, and clear thinking people of the world. Just thought someone should say so...
God Bless you Rush, I love you my friend!
They are driven by that which is centered between his ears!
Well said. No mush in that sharp mind.
Yesterday I fell in love with this passionate, positive man all over again. The anger that I feel over clinton's Georgetown speech (which I see as a way for billy the coward clinton to get the word out to the terrorist factions that he is on their side, thus removing himself from their target sites, among other reasons) was reverberated with professional skill by Rush. His passion encourages me. And when he compared what klinton had to say about our nation to what our First Lady said about our nation after the Sept 11 tragedy, I wanted to jump thru the car radio and hug the heck out of him. I love this good man. And I am glad that he found a way to rack in the cash by doing something he LOVES. It shows. Everyday.
I was aware of about 50% of what Rush was talking about, But he had names, dates, figures and references. As well as a well reasoned conclusion to all his items.
EGADS, he was saying what I had been thinking for years but he is carrying it all the way to the only logical conclusion.
On the left coast we never had Rush Rooms as the show ends at noon, but it was not long before I had a pocket radio with headphones to listen to him at work, I am now know as the guy with the headphones.
After receiving my reeltalk recorder, I started recording his show to be able able to hear his show if work prevented listening, I now record the show on 5 separate recorders, 2 at work and 3 at home, other co-workers can and do request cassettes of his show if they are unable to listen on a given day.
I replay his shows on the weekends, so as not to have missed anything, Rush's voice is a very calming influence.
If this makes me a confirmed dittohead, Then that's okay, As he doesen't and never has told me how to think, Rush has echoed and filled out thoughts I already was thinking. As well as providing me with facts and dates to crush liberals in argument, Sorry about this screed, but Rush is a National treasure. >/rant-off<
Rush has a legacy of saving AM radio, giving confidence to millions of conservatives by giving voice to their ideas, and producing a bevy of fellow conservative radio talk show hosts who will continue his work long after he has passed from the scene. Truly a remarkable record and legacy. Truly a remarkable man.
Blush......Thanks!.....sigh
I swear, I'm sure I wasn't talkin about you Bert!! I was talkin about Biker, and Mud...LOLOLOL
But, no one else tells it like he does, no one that is national like him. And, without him, Free Republic might have never gotten off the ground. He is the one that got us to Buy Compuserve, we outgew it, went straight to the INTERNET, then found FR. So, Hat's off to you, Rush, you are the one who got us all going!
I remember hearing Rush when KLIF in Dallas had him on on the weekend repeat show. That was quite a while ago. The first time I heard him I was driving on the freeway and I looked at the radio and said out loud, "Man, where have you been? We have been waiting for you."
The first time he was on TV, he was being interviewed by some morning infobabe, probably Katie Couric, and he began speaking the kind of things conservatives were not aloud to say on a network show, things that are openly said today on FOX. I winced and thought, 'I hope you get away with that.' And he did.
Rush, by his bombastic vibrato, the thing that people tend to complain about, has singlehandedly encouraged all of us to step up to the plate.
Thank you Rush. Thank you very,very much.
I guess what separates Rush from all his imitators is his natural instincts for identifying the facts, and stating his opinion as clearly and crisply as possible, but saying it in such a way as to bring the audience with him. His natural conservatism is refreshing and comforting, and usually the only consistant voice in the arena! ...What would we have done without him??
I actually called in and talked to Rush a couple of years ago and taped the conversation. I still have that tape somewhere...hmmmmmm
Anyhow... Thanks, Rush, for giving voice to "The Way Things Ought To Be" WE LOVE YOU!!
Thanks for starting this thread, Carlo...MEGA DITTOS!!
I hearby nominate Rush Limbaugh to be the fifth face on thE aptly named Mount Rushmore!
We'd a been back in the dark ages of Tom Foley and Ted Kennedy being, as the Lamestream media would call them, the 'voices of truth'. Because of Rush we survived Bill Clinton. And that is really saying something.
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