Rush Limbaugh: Open Line Friday [Confirms Some Aspects of Drug Story, Checking In To Rehab]

[I Am Not A Mod]

A thread for those listening to today's show.

[proud American in Canada]

"Did you hear John Kerry's tasteless, classless line about this in the debate last night? What a loser"

no, what was it? I'm posting before I've read the whole thread... but my first thought is, typical of a Democrat.

And, like I said, I'm jumping in without looking at the whole thread, but apparently Rush admitted he's addicted to painkillers. Okay, fine. To me, that changes nothing. Nothing at all.

I can't think of anyone who has been such an amazing, galvanizing force for conservatism. He made people "all across the fruited plain" realize that there were others who felt and thought the same way.

Think about it-- after a couple of decades of the constant pro-Democrat bias of the media, all throughout the 60's and 70's and into the 80's--people were told by the major broadcasters that:

Vietnam/U.S. military = bad
Ever more government spending (the War on Poverty) = good
Freedom of expression is the highest value; patriots who disagree with flag burning are neanderthals (sp?) who don't understand correct thinking
etc.--I'm sure Freepers can provide more examples.

People all across the country were fed this message (and still are), and so they felt vaguely guilty about their conservatism.

Rush Limbaugh (and of course, first, Ronald Reagan), changed that. Rush Limbaugh's name will be writ large in the history of our country. He formed a community, a national community, bound by common beliefs.

He was, and is, a momumental force in conservatism.

Yes, he's a human being and apparently has a substance abuse problem. But somehow I doubt that the tens of thousands of people reading and posting to this forum are all "addiction-free."

God bless you Rush. You were my only source of information when I first moved to Canada in early fall 2000 and I hungered for news about the Florida election disaster.

For me, this incident changes nothing in my opinion of him. I'm still grateful every day he's on the air, even though I can't really get him up here unless I'm in my car and even though I'm a teensy weensy bit ticked off that I now have to subscribe to 24/7 to listen to the Internet feed... ;-)

[zoyd]

And the response from the anti's (if they were consistent) would be that Rush is not at fault, the LAWS are.

Well, that's actually part of my position. Rush's problem is Rush's problem, not a legal one, IMHO. But those who like the WOD SHOULD see it as a legal problem.

I'm playing a bit of devil's advocate to try and open up some eyes to the double-standard going on here.

[dhfnc]

You are exactly right!

There is NO credibility - The National Enquirer is a joke. And the news networks that have that idiot man from NE are fools. When did the mainstream media give credibility to this joke of a paper. It is a trash paper, pure and simple.

[GeronL]

The only difference is the drug of choice.

Apparently your drug of choice causes extreme lack of tact and thought

Ilike soda and iced tea, I guess I'm addicted to caffiene

[Tribune7]

Lemme get this straight -- if Rush came on the air, and said that Oxycontin should be STRICTLY controlled, with abusers of those controls sent to prison, he wouldn't be a hypocrite if he scored Oxycontin and didn't turn himself in? I'm having a hard time with this logic.

Yes you are so I'll help you.

If Rush said Oxycontin should be STRICTLY controlled, he would not be a hypocrite. Especially, if he added something like "boy, and I KNOW it can cause a lot of problems to decent people."

Now, if said these Oxycontin users should be sent to prison, of course, he would be a hypocrite. Has he said that?

[lelio]

When did the mainstream media give credibility to this joke of a paper.

deNile ain't just a river in Egypt. If the paper's wrong, then Rush will sue them. So far they're right.

[GeronL]

Well, that's actually part of my position. Rush's problem is Rush's problem, not a legal one, IMHO. But those who like the WOD SHOULD see it as a legal problem

different drugs get different reactions. I doubt a guy selling caffiene tablets and a guy selling heroin and a guy selling Bayer should all get the same jail sentence.

[Dane]

"Hell one of the biggest pro-marijuana moneybags, George Soros, is one of Hillary's best friends."

This proves what exactly?

Huh, interesting that you do not deny the connection between George Soros and Hillary.

Oh well, I will let lurkers see for themselves your non-non-denial, that Hilarry and George Soros(Mr. moneybags for the pro-drug movement in the US) are close political allies and good friends.

[Qwinn]

Uh, it's a non-non-denial because I have no idea if they're friends or not. They might be, they might not be, I have no clue. I just asked how it had anything to do with why Clinton enacted the most draconian anti-marijuana laws in the nation's history. It still doesn't. I'll leave it to the lurkers to notice that you didn't acknowledge the 3 links establishing that.

Qwinn

[dhfnc]

So far they're right.

We don't know that they are right! We only know what Rush said today - he didn't say he got the drugs illegally - sounds to me like all the sh*t about the house keeper is not true. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER SAYS.

[Joe Hadenuf]

You all better watch what you say, as I am hearing he has major problems as far as illegally purchasing these drugs....It's going to come out....

[The KG9 Kid]

Does your kindhearted support for Rush Limbaugh's addiction to 'hillbilly heroin' pills mean that we won't be seeing you in the 'War On (some) Drugs' threads anymore calling for the execution of people caught with more than an ounce of marijuana?

Don't say that you've never said it, because you have.

[rightbanker]

I certainly agree with you that we expect some remorse and some reformation of behavior from the reckless person. Otherwise he loses our sympathy.

But let's stipulate such remorse and determination to reform. Then is their an enduring moral difference that would say don't treat the one as compassionately as the other?

That's what the person to whom I was originally responding seemed to think. I was just wondering why.

[Qwinn]

I don't mind discussing the possibilities that he got them illegally. I just think we should treat it as hypothetical until it really is established, rather than just assume it as fact and hold him accountable. That's all.

Qwinn

[Stew Padasso]

"but he faced up to his problem and admitted them to millions of people"

After he was caught. Aren't there audio tapes with this maid and Rush discussing the pills? That may be the reason he fessed up? Kinda like the sperm on the dress. No reason to deny it when that kind of evidence is staring at you.

[Tribune7]

Then is their an enduring moral difference that would say don't treat the one as compassionately as the other?

No and sorry for butting in.

[GladesGuru]

Why am I in favor of "treatment" in Rush's case? Simple fact is that I like the program, even though I rarely have the time to listen to it.

But more important is that he is the most effective educator (in terms of number of people reached) on the subject of where America is and where it should be. He will be described in history as having had an enormous impact.

In short, he is too valuable to jail.

[Beartooth]

I have just had a chance to read the story from the Yahoo link from Drudge on this story. This has really hit home. I have a daughter (well step-daughter that I consider my daughter) that has been in and out of drug rehab and is again in rehab.

Non of us are perfect. We all have skeletons in the closet. Today Rush admitted that he had problems. He is seeking help for these problems. He did not lie or try to accuse others for his weakness. He did not lie! He took full resposibility for actions and prolem. There was no "I did not have sex with that woman."

What we are seeing here is the difference between the liberals and the conservatives. One will take responsibility for their shortcomings and the other will not!

Please forgive the rant. This really hit home..


'nough said.

[Orangedog]

As they were in 19th century China. Do a google search on "the opium wars" and read about the devastation

Yeah, that was about the same time they were legal here, but it remained legal in the US through the beginning of the 20th century.

[Qwinn]

Oh, and in that third link, there's this little "nugget":

"The only other presidential candidate to say kind things about marijuanais Pat Buchanan, who is technically still a contender for the RepublicanParty nomination. On three separate occasions, Mr. Buchanan has publiclystated that he believes the decision to prescribe marijuana for medicalpurposes should be between doctors and their patients„not bureaucrats inWashington, D.C.

While many hoped that President Clinton would slowly scale back thewar on marijuana, the Clinton administration actually has been the harshestof any in history. In 1994, there were an all-time record number of marijuanaarrests„481,000 on the local and state levels, and thousands more on thefederal level."

Funny how it's all the fault of the evil Republicans...

Qwinn