Limbaugh's Secret Life

GOPUSA ^ | 10/06/2003 | Carol Devine-Molin

[Aquinasfan]

Why people who seem to have everything, find it necessary to destroy their lives.

Sometimes unhappy people cling to the false hope that when they "have everything" they will be happy. When they finally "have everything" and are still unhappy they're shattered.

[ventana]

I have listened to Rush since around 1989 in the New York market on his flagship station WABC. I have been a fan and defender of Rush. I think he's been instrumental in giving conservatism confidence. I do think he strayed a bit from his original message: condom updates; gays; and abortion. Those were the topics that I most appreciated hearing about from him; they were the topics about which he was most shocking and funny. V's wife.

[Wallace T.]

If the allegations are true, then conservatives must brace for a post-Limbaugh world. (I have lots of reservations ahbout the truthfulness of these claims; National Enquirer is a tabloid that glamorized and lauded the Federal thugs that kidnapped Elian Gonzales and shipped him to the loving arms of Fidel Castro.) I don't believe Rush can pull off a "Johnny Cash" struggle and rehabilitation and maintain his career. There is a world of difference between the sad-eyed, self-depreciating "Man in Black" and the optimistic, bombastic Limbaugh. If (and this is a BIG IF) the allegations are true, the golden microphone of EIB and the prestigious Attila the Hun chair will go the way of Charlie McCarthy, Jack Benny's fiddle, and Mr. Rogers' sweater and slippers.

As to why Rush Limbaugh suffers from addiction (if indeed he does), you might also ask why Bill Bennett gambled excessively, or why Arnold Schwartznegger allegedly engaged in sexual harassment long after he was married and entered the ranks of respectability. People can become ensnared in terrible problems. The lure of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" can as much cause a conservative, even a conservative Christian, to go astray, as it can liberals and nonbelievers.

The political problem arises with the GOP, and especially the conservative movement, identifying with "family values," opposing abortion, legalized drugs, permissive child rearing, homosexual unions, etc. Given the deterioration of American (and Western) public morality, particularly over the last 35-40 years, there was a clear need for a strong affirmation of traditional moral values in the public arena.

However, the downside to this strong stance is that it places its advocates, such as Limbaugh and Bennett, to have to be like Caesar's wife, that is, beyond reproach. When a Republican or a conservative slips, the fact that the mainstream print and broadcast media are in the iron grip of leftists will ensure maximum exposure of their opponent's shorcomings. This applies to the religious community as well. Scandals among evangelical Christian and Catholic clergy will receive abundant air time and a barrage of condemnation. Similar failures of mainline Protestant or black clergy will be given little media exposure and no condemnation.

The "purity" measurement was not one that conservative leaders of earlier times, like Barry Goldwater, Robert Taft, Sr., or Calvin Coolidge, had to endure. But up until the 1950s, liberals and even socialists adhered to traditional moral standards. The public statements of liberal heroes Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman affirming belief in the God of the Bible would cause a 2003 ACLU attorney to suffer apoplexy.

Let's hope that Rush Limbaugh will be exonerated. But we must also consider the possibility of a Rush-less future. Whatever the fate of Limbaugh, we must never let the "Fairness Doctrine" re-emerge.

[Howlin]

You are a total TLC junkie!!!

[Walkin Man]

For sure.

IF these charges are true Rush should fire his lawyer and throw himself on the mercy of the court and take whatever sentence it hands out. That is if he meant what he said about drugs of course.

IF these charges are proven true and he doesn't do the above, he will be known as one of the biggest hypocrites that ever strutted his huge ego across the public airwaves.

[longtermmemmory]

This is a bogus article. First in FL they have a drug offender court. Second, they have to prove probable cause to make the arrest. Third, Rush would be assigned to the Drug offender court. There after 12 months of attending meetings and keeping clean (no drugs without a dr.'s prescription) the case is dropped/dismissed/nole prossd.

They do not even have to have a "perp walk", the notice to appear can be done by information served by the sherrif. Rush would have to show up at a certain time and place.

IF it even goes that far. Based on the media accounts, I inclued the Enquirer among these, there are more than enough holes in the case to make a prosecutor pause on taking the case further. The fact that it is RARE that they would go after the end users in these types of investigations smacks of selective enforcement. (Given Roy Blacks fees for taking a case, it is a given that EVERY reasonable potential motion WILL be filed.)

This article and the media is asking the readers and listenters to pay no mind to the man behind the curtain, only listen to the might OZ. In this case, the man behind the curtain consists of a Clinton Lawyer, Sidney Blumenthal, a DNC Lawyer, a woman convicted of ID theft and drug dealing, a man convicted of ID theft and drug dealing, a cigar box, and a check from the enquirer yielding profit rewarding the criminal efforts of the before mentioned criminals (so much for the "son of sam" laws).

This article is also full of assumptions. What HARD evidence do we have of this "rapid detox's"? none. It is just rumor. I submit it is not just the liberal leftist who want to deminish Rush. Now that the conservative media has gained credibility, there are others who want to take the title of top dog.

[First_Salute]

Please allow me to present some technical details that are being overlooked:

A friend of mine, a World War II veteran, has a cochlear implant, and that operation occurred around his 80th birthday, I think it was.

It turned out that the surgeon and audiologists at the medical center, happened to be aircraft enthusiasts and very curious about World War II aircraft, many of which my friend had flown during and after the war.

My friend always suspected that his hearing loss was because of nerve damage caused by the sounds associated with flying.

So, from both perspectives, patient and doctors, there was much more than the usual discussion, and they are all still good friends who communicate by e-mail, by fax, and by the phone --- it really is a treasure to see this fine gentleman enjoy life.

I heard from my friend, quite a lot about cochlear implants and what is required for surgery to be a success.

Turned out that my friend's actual ear failure was because of "fatigue" of the little itty bitty mechanical connections in the ear itself. There was not any significant nerve damage; but the discovering of the "fatigue" is still difficult enough a problem, that nerve damage is often considered, until lately, to be the source of hearling loss.

Now, Rush Limbaugh might have a drug problem; about that, I cannot say.

However, I sincerely doubt that drugs caused nerve damage to his ears. Such damage would have precluded any cochlear implant surgery --- if the surgery was done by a surgeon who really knows his/her business.

Meaning, possibly there is an exception to the rule, being that a person with a lot of money could pay his way through the obstacles. I suppose that Rush could afford to do that.

Yet that is a very big risk, because when they operate, they cut the nerves, severing them completely from the ear and then wire the cochlear implant harness to the nerves.

The chemical-electromotive power of the human ear nerves, coming from the brain to the cochlear implant, power the implant --- there is no battery in the unit used by my friend.

The ear is forever "cut off" from its usefulness for hearing, other than being a handy place upon which to hang the external audio-box "gizmo" that has an extension which "hovers" over the external location of the implant.

I realize that my bringing up the facts of cochlear implant surgery will probably nt trip up the head-long rush meant to cause Rush to exit stage right, but I thought I would try to relate the facts which should cause a body to take care.

P.S.

For all the "drug experts" out there who believe that they heard Rush slur his speech, FYI: Hearing loss does that, and quickly for some people. For example, when my friend's external hearing patch battery "runs down," his speech begins to wander and "sound funny." Pop in a new battery; speech returns to normal, "just like that."

Have a nice day.

[OldPossum]

I haven't checked all the comments yet but noticed this in the story: Hydrocone.

What drug is this? Is it a "typo" or could this very knowledgeable author not know what he is talking about since the the correct spelling is "Hydrocodone."

[Protagoras]

I simply want to know how he did a radio show with all that junk in his system.

Reefer madness was fiction.

[Libertina]

The vultures can't even wait for his to speak for himself. I'll wait for Rush.

[Protagoras]

Rush's private life is his own affair. What I want from Rush is his insight into the political arena that I can't get from the liberal media. As long as he can provide that insight I'm behind him no matter what he does in private.

That would be operational if he confined himself to political commentary. He comments on (and even campaigns for or against) social issues as well.

[aculeus]

If you were innocent of any drug connection, and you got wrapped up in something like this, you'd want the best damn " big dollar criminal defense attorney" you could find.

I'd hire a criminal lawyer if I knew it likely or even possible that I'd be charged with a crime. If I were innocent I'd hire a libel lawyer and demand an immediate retraction by the tabloid.

Rush may be innocent but -- by what he's doing and by what he is not doing -- he's not acting that way.

BTW "friends" who tell addicts they don't have a problem aren't real friends.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so very much for sharing all of this information! Hugs!

[Noachian]

I suppose you felt that way about Clinton as well?

As an elected government official Clinton had an effect on my life and the life of every American. What he did in private, or in public, affected how he made policy, and that policy affected the life of every American. IMO Clinton was the worse of American presidents.

Rush is a commentator, and makes no governmental policy that has an affect on the lives of myself or any other American. What he does in private is his own affair as long as his private life doesn't have an impact on my life.

I don't believe in celebrityhood. As much as I respect Rush for his knowledge and expertise in the political arena I see Rush as selling a product that I buy. That's how Rush has made his living all these years, and he would be the first to understand that point of view.

[headsonpikes]

Hypocrisy is not a crime - it's a sin, and a universal one, at that.

Rush , with the grace of God, could turn this stumbling-block into a stepping-stone, particularly if he, in his inimitable way, were to frankly expose the realities of the law-created drug culture in America.

I admire the guy for his ballsiness over the years. So what if he's not 'perfect'?

Hang in there, Rush!

[Walkin Man]

Hypocrisy is not a crime - it's a sin, and a universal one, at that.

True. Its just that Rush has always portrayed himself as infallible and his critics as bumbling fools.

Now the shoe is on the other foot and Rush is acting like Clinton, why?

If there is anything to it, he needs to come clean and get help for his problem, and admit he is a fallible human being like the rest of us mere mortals.

[cyborg]

That's hypocritical. Sorry we can't condemn Klintoon and his pet dog for doing the same things while at the same time giving Rush a pass.

[shrinkermd]

"However, I sincerely doubt that drugs caused nerve damage to his ears. Such damage would have precluded any cochlear implant surgery --- if the surgery was done by a surgeon who really knows his/her business

Before you draw this conclusion in finality, better read the study done below. Incidentally, this study was done by the same group that did Rush's surgery. Also, the surgery was done in January 2002 about the same time that Cline claims Rush was in detox for opiate addiction.

Am J Otol 2000 Mar;21(2):188-91 (ISSN: 0192-9763) Friedman RA; House JW; Luxford WM; Gherini S; Mills D House Ear Clinic, Inc., Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA.

OBJECTIVES: To describe profound hearing loss associated with hydrocodone overuse and the successful rehabilitation of these patients with cochlear implantation.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review.

SETTING: A tertiary otologic referral center.

: Twelve patients with rapidly progressive hearing loss and a concurrent history of hydrocodone overuse. Interventions: Comprehensive medical histories, physical findings, audiometric tests, and, in those patients undergoing cochlear implantation, postimplantation performance data were reviewed. MAIN

OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical characteristics of hydrocodone-related hearing loss and open set word and sentence performance in those patients undergoing cochlear implantation.

RESULTS: Hydrocodone overuse was associated with rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss in 12 patients. In four patients the initial presentation was unilateral, and two of the patients experienced vestibular symptoms. None of the 12 patients experienced improved thresholds after high-dose prednisone. Seven of the eight patients undergoing cochlear implantation have demonstrated early success with their devices.

CONCLUSIONS: Hydrocodone is frequently prescribed in combination with acetaminophen for the relief of pain and has a side effects profile similar to other medications in its class. Although not described previously, overuse or abuse can be associated with a rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss. These patients can be successfully rehabilitated with cochlear implantation.

This is from an abstract obtained on MedLine. FYI. This particular literature finding disturbs me.

[Noachian]

That would be operational if he confined himself to political commentary. He comments on (and even campaigns for or against) social issues as well.

The operational word here is comments.

Rush is first and foremost a commentator who presents the Conservative side of issues. Many times social issues have a way of becoming political issues, or at the least they can be related to political issues.

Commentary is what Rush does for a living,and he does it well otherwise he wouldn't have a following. Rush is selling a product with his commentary and I buy it, but that doesn't give me a right to delve into this private life anymore than I would want him to delve into mine. Getting into people's private lives is what liberals do, and God forbid I should copy them.

[fishbabe]

but when he condemns people for doing what it said hes doing it makes him a hypocrite and damages his credibility for anything else that he may talk about...it goes one of two ways...he is into drugs or hes innocent...there is no middle ground..it doesn't matter that hes sick,needs help or anything else..this is the man who for 15 years told everyone they could beat their own demons and he may have been unable to do so himself...remember what happen to bill bennett and his gamblingproblem..if you have no problem you say so.bill said he would quit after the story came out..whY???????because it ruins his credilbility to talk about any other issue...