Posted on 10/04/2003 3:56:14 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Here's something you probably never expected from Rush Limbaugh: No comment.
The nation's talk radio king, opiner on everything from Bill Clinton's misdeeds to feminazis, repeatedly declined Friday to discuss accusations that he illegally bought prescription drugs.
"I haven't yet gotten to the bottom of what all this is about," Limbaugh said during his three-hour broadcast, which reaches an estimated 20 million listeners. But when he knows more, he promised, "I'm going to come clean, as I always have."
Instead, Limbaugh used his electronic bully pulpit to defend -- and refuse to apologize for -- his controversial comments on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" about race and football.
"I meant everything I said, thought about it the night before, intended to say it, very proud that I said it, think it's right," said Limbaugh, who resigned Wednesday from the sports network because of the flap over his remarks. "So throw me in jail. So fire me. ... If that's what it takes to stand up for free speech, fine."
That approach seemed just fine with his loyal listeners, who proudly call themselves "ditto-heads" for their frequent agreement with Limbaugh. And at least for now, outraged defiance probably will be good enough to let the Palm Beach resident hold on to his radio empire, media relations experts said Friday.
But they warned that the drug allegations could cause lasting damage if not resolved soon.
Until then, he's trapped in Limbaugh limbo, unable to proclaim his innocence or seek his listeners' forgiveness as long as he is in jeopardy of prosecution.
"The very thing he needs to do is the one thing he can't do," said Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television, who listened to Friday's broadcast. And that could conflict with Limbaugh's reputation among listeners as a deflator of liberal lies.
"His whole thing has been getting to the truth: 'Forget all this dissembling and parsing of sentences,"' Thompson said. But when Limbaugh resorts to cautious, lawyerly language, he's doing "some of the things he has made a career exposing others for doing."
Del Galloway, incoming president of the Public Relations Society of America, said he's never heard of a celebrity in a position quite like Limbaugh's.
"The attacker is being attacked, and he's in uncharted waters," said Galloway, partner in a Jacksonville advertising and PR firm.
"If it were a mainstream, less controversial figure, I would urge the client to step back, step up and take responsibility for those comments and mend relationships," Galloway said. But for Limbaugh, "his success has been from being in your face. Why would he now back away from it?"
If Friday's show is any guide, Limbaugh can expect plenty of support. He said on the air that he had received 35,000 e-mails, overwhelmingly in his favor, since the ESPN flap erupted Tuesday.
One caller, Kurt from Traverse City, Mich., took the drug issue head-on:
"I support you whether you did anything or you didn't do anything," Kurt told Limbaugh. "People do things wrong in their life. It doesn't make them a bad person."
Other callers seconded Limbaugh's comments on ESPN, in which he accused journalists of excessively praising Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb out of a desire to advance black athletes. One caller said nobody complained about racism in the movie title "White Men Can't Jump."
But some chided Limbaugh for the way he said it.
"Mega free-speech dittos," said his first caller, Jerry in Wilton, Conn. But then he added: "I think you're a knucklehead for bringing up the racial aspect of the press coverage in a forum like the ESPN show, because it's basically a sound-bite forum."
"This was the place to say this," Limbaugh responded. "It's a football show!"
Limbaugh's show is syndicated to about 600 stations, said Keven Bellows, spokeswoman for Premier Radio Networks. In 2001, Limbaugh signed a nine-year, $285 million contract with the network, reportedly the richest deal in talk-radio history.
Other broadcasters have lost their careers because of remarks that were deemed racially insensitive. For instance, CBS football analyst Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder was fired in 1988 after saying blacks were "bred" to be athletes.
And Limbaugh has a throng of loyal, ideologically committed listeners to back him up, Thompson noted.
On the other hand, unlike many celebrities, Limbaugh can't slink away from public view until the controversy goes away. He has 15 hours of live air time to fill every week.
"I have to admit he finessed it pretty good," Thompson said after Friday's show. "He really did not come on today like a whipped dog.
Did Tiger need any help? (No.) Did he get, let's say, extravagant, fawning coverage? (Yes) Does he still today, even when he's having a bad day? (Yes)
The media is infected by this. I imagine it even embarrasses Tiger.
McNabb was the topic of discussion, for one thing. Rush, as far as I know, didn't bring up the topic. Also, Rush didn't say McNabb was the only black quarterback getting undeserved praise. Finally, even if he was implying that, perhaps he felt the media considered McNabb to be the best (or most promotable) black QB today. There are black golfers, but they are not promoted like Tiger Woods. I know, I know, Tiger is not over-rated. My point is that Tiger is an example of the media 'conspiracy' promoting one athlete heavily. Rush merely posited that in McNabb's case, his race gave him extra coverage over QBs of equal or better ability. I'm interpreting in that last sentence, but I believe that to be what he meant.
There is a huge factual difference between addiction and abuse when dealing with prescription pain drugs.
No person can use them for chronic pain without becoming addicted. It is the price you pay for trying to lead a normal life and function at some level without being bed ridden.
B. Wilma has said she has "emails" from Rush to prove it. Ha. I've been through something like that with someone using MY computer to send out emails with my "imprimatur" -- long ago, and it was limited.
I think Rush is right to wait for the facts first, whether he's guilty or NOT. And i'll tell you why....
One of Rush's mantra's and he danged right -- it's about all these "trials by the media"; before a case ever actually gets to court, and/or substantive facts given light of day. The trial by the "media" is ALREADY happening. Rush is not adding to this. He is not pleading his guilt or innocence via media. He's actually waiting for the facts. He's waiting to see what the charges are.
Oh My! How Unusual for someone to do this, right?
The Mainstream Media is hating this. He's in their FACE again. I say BULLY FOR YOU! RUSH -- KEEP 'EM SPINNING WITH FRUSTRATION! They aren't the courts. They aren't the law.
If Friday's awesome show is evidence -- that (yours) is exactly what he intends on doing! "I'm not going away until everyone agrees with me". :)
There is a big difference between abuse and use.
In both cases a person is addicted.
This is a very easy thing to explain, but it is hard for people who are not users to understand.
Anyone using prescription pain killers for a month or more becomes addicted to the drug. It goes with the use.
A person who does not need a legal prescription and uses to get high is an abuser.
If Rush became addicted as a result of legal use he is not a abuser. The fact of addiction is not abuse in any way unless the purpose is not legitamate. It is a fact however, that sometimes legal addiction becomes abuse.
I agree with you almost completely.
We have all read/heard what a charming, down-to-earth, nice guy the "real" Rush is when he is not ensconced in the "Attila the Hun" chair. Well, this sports show (the kind he's been whining to get on for the last couple of years) would have been the perfect place to display that. Instead, he chose to appear as the same old stiff-necked, pontificator. The format of shows like this is non-confrontational kidding and typical "my-team's-better-than-yours" boasting. I can think of another show on ESPN where his opinion might have been appropriate but not this one.
Rush has his own show and huge audience on which he can and does espouse his peeves, but in his zealousness he just can't lighten up in public. It's sort of pitiful if you think about it. I really believe the guy loves sports, especially football. But, he just couldnt leave his work at the office. I have the feeling that, if you could slice his head open, nothing would fall out but politicians and plutocrats.
Whoa. Back up. I heard the same argument from a friend of mine who took your position and tried to make the claim that McNabb was a great QB.
First, Rush did not call McNabb mediocre. He said that he was not as good as his press. Now, Im not a sports fan and didnt know McNabb from a ham sandwich (but thanks to this controversy, Im learning fast).
Second, lets remember what Rush is and what he is not. The reason to add a person like Rush, or Dennis Miller or someone other than another sports figure to a show like this is to get a different perspective. Any over-the-hill jock can call McNabb a bad QB. Only someone like Rush would have introduced the political or social angle to the discussion. Leave that out and you have no justification for his participation.
Third, the hysterical reaction his accusation that the o-so-politically-correct sports media will go out of their way to pump up black QBs and managers is a strong indication that hes right. And the interesting thing about it is that, since he said it, other sports writers are now emboldened to say the same thing. I refer you to the article on Slate of all places that says that Rush is right.
Again, let me say that Im not a fan. If you are, perhaps as an exercise, you can find us articles that claim that a black QB is not good enough and should be fired. Since, as you say, there are a lot of black QBs, there should be a lot of articles like that around. Are there?
Why would Rush need to buy drugs on the black market if he had a legal presciption?
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