[Matchett-PI]

I used to respect Ken Hamblin, but no more. I have not idea what prompts him to hold such bitterness against Rush, but I have my suspicions.

I remember him talking about stopping and seeing Rush's mother all the time in Rush's home town in Missouri.

Maye he thought it would get him some brownie points with Rush, and it would further his career.

Maybe he didn't get any brownie points. Maybe he's angry that Rush never asked him to sit in for him any of the times that he was on vacation, etc.

Maybe he's finally found a way to get even.

Anyhow --- that's what I suspect.

[technomage]

BUT at the street level this creates LOADS of serious problems for people like me who argue the conservative cause.

Oh I get it. Since Rush is addicted to painkillers the entire conservative philosophy and movement is false, misleading and cannot be defended any longer.

What crap!!!!

Can we say the entire Democratic party are killers because of Teddy boy's (their senior mouthpiece) accident? Can we say they are all drunks because of Teddy boy's overindulgence of adult beverages? Can we say all Dems are racist pigs because Byrd was a member of the KKK??

As conservatives, we know better. The Dims do not!

I suggest throwing this kind of stuff right back in their faces.

[dr_who_2]

A lot of "journalist" types are probably bitter because they're mediocre tv/radio talking heads who keep getting overshadowed by people like Rush because they don't understand him and his message. It's both ideological and personal.

[floriduh voter]

See my last, I think #206 or so. The detractors are taking liberties with the chronology of Rush's comments and when he became another one of the walking wounded, living every day with chronic pain. Chronic pain is very exhausting as well. Painful body parts weigh a ton to drag around.

[habs4ever]

It's true, he did let people down, especially with his statement on Friday, which had Roy Black all over it.It was a nonsense, and if it means Rush has to lie to stay out of jail, well, that's what he will do.If he loses his fans, it is better than doing time.

I wish freepers would be less credulous and more circumspect when they read that statement, or what else has been revealed by the NE.

[xsmommy]

i am just now finding this thread, but i was definitely struck by the vitriolic nature of Ken's remarks about Rush, last night on Rita's show. Totally uncalled for, IMO. There has to be some personal animus of some sort there, for whatever reason.

[Matchett-PI]

I've tried to ping as many FReepers as possible who have responded previously to this thread. I thought you might like to see this followup. [For those who didn't see it, and are interested - check out my post at #234 also].

I finally found some time to transcribe the biggest part of Rita's interview with Hamblin and her other guest. [I have Geraldo's segment on Rush videotaped also, but didn't transcribe any of that. His show came on after Rita's.]

I report -- you decide:

Saturday night, 10-10-03 Rita Cosby Show - Fox News Channel

Guests: Talk show host, Ken Hamblin of Denver Colorado and Michael Harrison, of Hartford, CT., editor of Talkers Magazine.

The major points that were made are here excerpted from my videotape:

Rita shows this statement on the TV screen that Rush Limbaugh made on 10-5-95:

"There's nothing good about drug use We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up."

Rita then asks her guests this question: "So is Rush a hypocrite? ..."

Harrison: "Maybe he is, but then again, who isn't? Those who thought he was a god will just have to grow up. ... just a bump in the road in his professional career ... his personal life ... (a different matter).."

Rita to Hamblin: "..a bump in the road in his professional [career]...?"

Hamblin [prefaced by a long, long sigh]:

"Where do you go from here? You know, you can talk about what a wonderful guy Rush Limbaugh is --- you can talk about all the things he's done -- I want to focus on the people he's disappointed.

Rush Limbaugh was given The Keys to the Kingdom. Rush Limbaugh was The General, if you will, in the matter of the conservative movement in this country.

And today, let's call Rush Limbaugh what he is. He's a junkie.
And junkies are bad for communities. And junkies lie, and junkies mislead.

Rush Limbaugh promised his audience he would give them full disclosure.

And mentioning or confessiing that he's a junkie, or "addicted to pills", if white America would like that better, and then pulling the parachute and heading out the back door, those are the actions of a junkie."

Rita: "But Ken, what does this mean for his career ...?"

Hamblin: "I don't know. That's up to Premier Radio and what the advertisers will do -- another matter altogether for the bean counters .. ."

Rita: "But what do you think should happen?"

Hamblin: "I think that Rush Limbaugh should be judged by the very standards of the conservative value system - that right is right and wrong is wrong, and it's going to be that way when you and I are gone. Those are the values we want our community to live under and our children to live by."

Rita: "Michael, should he have admitted it sooner? Some are saying that there may have been a deal in the works where 'if [you do this or say that] we won't go after you'... ."

Harrison: "[All of that is] .... irrelevant. ...He's just a talk show host. He's not a priest; he's not the president; he's not the pope. ... His stock will go up ... it's drama ...

.. This whole thing, Ken, about 'he had The Keys to the Kingdom of the conservative movement' -- OH, GIVE ME A BREAK!

And also be careful there. Now that you've set yourself up as the standard of morality, let's hope that they don't find out anything about you in terms of your life. Because those who set themselves up usually fall, and I'm not assuming anything about you .. ."

Hamblin: "Hold on! Let me respond to that. I made a promise to the police officers and the civilians who support me in this country --- I made a promise that they would never read in the paper that I was busted for hauling drugs in my airplane, or DUI, or anything else.

I'm not a kid, Michael. I understand what I owe to the people who say, 'You're a swell guy ...'.

Listen clearly. I'm saying that I owe the people who say that I'm a swell guy something in return for the adulation that they give."

Rita: "How about that, Michael -- doesn't he owe honesty ... ?"

Harrison: "He GAVE honesty. The man is addicted to a very heavy narcotic that is the equivalent to heroin. ... he is in the grip of this situation, and considering that, has handled it as well as can be expected. He's clearly addicted and .. "

Hamblin [interrupting]: "He's a junkie".

Harrison: "Call it what you will. That's your term, and it's not a very nice term, ah ... "

Hamblin [interrupting]: "It's a term .."

Harrison [interrupting]: "Say what you want."

Rita: "Isn't Rush paying enough of a price ... humiliating [to come out and say], 'Look, I have a problem ...'. How much more baring of the soul can he do?"

Hamblin: "No. No. We have laws in the country concerning the recreational use of drugs - illegal drugs. Ken Hamblin is on the record decades ago calling for the full legalization of drugs - heroin, crack, everything - legalize it. ..."

Harrison [interrupting]: "That's a whole different issue."

Hamblin [continuing to talk over Harrison]: Rush Limbaugh and others like him, said, 'no', and now I'm not the one in a parking lot buying drugs -- the colored guy is not the one in the parking lot buying drugs, MR. BIG SHOT IS, and he's wrong."

Harrison: "..Hopefully he'll overcome the problem .. ."

Hamblin: "He'll still be a junky."

And ending on that note, Rita thanked her guests.

End of program.

[space cadet]

I think Hamblin has had personal experience with junkies. He knows what he is talking about.

[EveningStar]

bttt

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I wonder what Ken Hamblins's opinion is of President Kennedy? After all, he had back problems, had his finger literally on the button of the "football" and was on opiates for his backpain. (Amongst other drugs).

We are talking about Rush Limbaugh here, not the President of the United States, not the Commander in Chief over the lives of our precious troops. So, it will be interesting in the days ahead to see the hypocracy of those in the media. Very interesting....

[Saundra Duffy]

I lost a lot of respect for Ken Hamblin that day. It was sooooo embarrassing!!!

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

The "drug" hysteria about Rush demonstrates how out of touch some people are with the medical realities of much of American society (including among the high and mighty) in the 21st century.
If people are going to have bed wetting episodes each time a conservative is outed for drinking, gambling, or having problems with medications for health problems, they will be very cranky campers.