Limbaugh garners hopeful support inside hometown

Southeast Missourian

[Conservababe]

Limbaugh garners hopeful support inside hometown

From staff and wire reports

Rush Limbaugh's hometown of Cape Girardeau boasts a splashy mural along a Mississippi River floodwall of its famous native son.

Before he gained celebrity and riches on the airwaves, "Rusty" Limbaugh pitched Little League baseball and Blake Esicar played first base, a lineup immortalized in a black and white snapshot Esicar proudly displayed Saturday in his family's meat market.

"Rusty could throw quite a curve ball," Esicar said, then shook his head. "I just know he's dealing with quite a curve ball now, and we're just praying for him."

Limbaugh, who often reminisces warmly about his upbringing in Cape Girardeau, startled his national radio audience Friday by acknowledging an addiction to prescription pain medication and announcing he was leaving the air for a 30-day rehabilitation program.

Esicar was driving his delivery truck when he heard Limbaugh's announcement.

Because of Limbaugh's past anti-drug declarations and his family's stalwart local reputation, "it was a really big surprise to me," Esicar said. "But it's sinking in now."

Getting a break

On Saturday, even local Democrats were giving Limbaugh a break.

"Mostly the Democrats wonder whether Rush's following will stay with him. While I expect some will be disillusioned, they'll stick with him," said former Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook, a Democrat who once practiced law with Limbaugh's now deceased father.

At the Varsity Barbershop on Broadway, where a teenage Limbaugh shined shoes, Jerry Lawrence settled into a barber's chair and read the Southeast Missourian's front-page story Saturday about the commentator's addiction.

"Rush admitted a problem and that is the first step. It is when you keep lying about it that you get in deep and lose respect," declared Lawrence, a Republican who used to deliver groceries to the Limbaugh house.

Willis Segraves, who cut hair while Rush shined shoes, said he favors Democrats, "and I think Rush wouldn't care for Jesus if Jesus was a Democrat, so we don't agree on a lot."

"But I think we would all agree that he should kick this habit and get his life together, and I hope he does," Segraves said.

The son of former state representative Mary Kasten attended high school with Rush, and Kasten was friends with Rush's mother.

Kasten said she understands how addictive pain killers can be. Her husband, Mel, who suffered from health problems, took OxyContin at one time as prescribed by a doctor.

"I can see where you can easily become addicted to it," she said. "I am just hoping and praying he won't have a tough time in recovery."

Kasten, a longtime Republican, praised Limbaugh for disclosing his addiction and seeking treatment.

"I think he has just handled it beautifully."

Peter Bergerson, who taught political science at Southeast Missouri State University, had Rush as a student. "I hate to think the worst," said Bergerson, who now lives in the Naples, Fla., area and teaches at Florida Gulf Coast University.

"My heart goes out to him," said Bergerson, who is politically liberal but still sees the conservative Limbaugh as a friend. Bergerson believes the drug addiction will hurt Limbaugh's credibility nationally.

Justin Buchheit, 23, a graduate student, said he was raised Republican and shares many of Limbaugh's views. But he wondered how an admission of drug use would play with Limbaugh's conservative fans.

"We love Rush in Cape, but the general public may be less impressed with him now that he has admitted a drug problem after being so tough on drug users on his show," Buchheit said.

Drug's destruction

In the past, Limbaugh has decried drug use on his bluntly conservative show, often making the case that drug crimes deserve punishment.

"Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. ... 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," Limbaugh said on his short-lived television show on Oct. 5, 1995.

During the same show, he commented that the statistics that show blacks go to prison more often than whites for the same drug offenses only illustrate that "too many whites are getting away with drug use."

Down at the floodwall with the big Rush mural, a club's bicycle ride was wrapping up and cyclists were musing about how to balance the smiling image against the drug revelations.

"I'm no Rush fan, but my husband is. Makes no difference whether you're a fan of Rush or not -- this could happen to anybody," said Martha Cox.

As cyclist Jay Moore loaded his bike on the back of his pickup truck, he said he remains a Limbaugh admirer.

"People that are Rush fans are with him no matter what -- and that goes double in Cape Girardeau," he said.

Staff writer Mark Bliss contributed to this report.

[ClintonBeGone]

Even democrats in the heartland have some sympothy for the man. It's too bad their brothers and sisters on the east coast foster such hate for humanity.

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[Noachian]

"Mostly the Democrats wonder whether Rush's following will stay with him.

It's in times of testing, like Rush is now going through, that fair weather friends and listeners are culled from those who see the value of having Rush's commentary in their life.

Hopefully he'll come back on the air a stronger person, and keep giving us that stinging anti-liberal commentary he's so capable of.

[Prince Caspian]

All this stuff about whether people will remain a "Rush fan" or not seems to miss the mark. Human beings are flawed and will disappoint under scrutiny if you look in the right spot closely enough. Every single one of them... you can count on it.

But more to the point would be whether a person agrees with the principles Rush champions on his program. The principles are just as valid as they ever were. My hope for Rush is my hope for every human being - that he is able to overcome his flaw. And I will remain very much a fan of the principles he so eloquently defends.

[rface]

marked for a later read...

[Flux Capacitor]

This Rush fan, for one, stands behind him to the end. Rush's critics, and even his less confident admirers, would do well not to underestimate the sheer depth of support he has cultivated among his listeners over the last 15 years.

I never put Rush Limbaugh up on a pedestal or elevated him to demigod status, as I've seen a lot of anti-Limbaugh conservatives/libertarians charge of his supporters. The man's human. After last Friday, he's more human than ever. But the central message of his show, beyond politics, beyond Slim Whitman tunes and Homeless Updates, is of finding the inner strength to TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY -- and his words to that effect aren't just hot air, because his entire life has been an embodiment of that message. I've taken a hell of a lot of inspiration from this guy over the years -- a guy who clawed his way up from nothing; who was fired five times; who had an overarching dream and did everything in his power to pursue it, and not only attained it, but became one of the biggest success stories in the history of the medium.

I feel like I owe a guy I've never met, for helping to sustain my hopes for my own life during dark times. And I know I'm not the only one out there.

A whole lot of people are thinking about you and praying for you, Rush. And we'll be right here when you get back.

-Dan

[Arpege92]

Perhaps the reason why Rush didn't come forward earlier about his drug dependancy was simply because he was afraid. Not afraid to get better but afraid of those who would have used his anti-drug views against him.

I've got a feeling that Rush didn't realize how dependant he was on this particular drug until it was too late. People who are prescribed pain medication have a somewhat less fear of taking this pain medication because the doctor prescribed it and if the doctor prescribed it, then it's ok to use it. A person may use this pain medication to help ease the pain for a while and then they may use it to help get them to sleep at night and then they may use it for every little ache they have.....next thing you know, they are addicted to it.

Drug dependancy is not only bad for a person's health but it also puts a person in a negative light. People generally look down on drug dependancy and those addicted are seen as weak and pathetic. A drug addicted person knows this and goes out of their way to hide their addiction. I'm not making excuses for Rush but a man as popular as he is must have been feeling some huge guilt for his dependancy, thus explaining why he tried to get himself clean two times before we all found out. I don't even want to imagine the embarassment he is feeling right now and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. It's one thing to be anti-drug and it's another thing to be anti-drug while addicted to a drug....perhaps that is the reason why he didn't come forward earlier with his dependancy problem.

I'm not going to hold that against Rush and I will be saying a prayer for him to get better!

[thinktwice]

A major segment on KFI Los Angeles Saturday afternoon (11 Oct 2003) show focused on Rush's drug usage -- with the host being one that's worked in drug rehab facilities over many years.

That Host (I didn't catch the name) told listeners that it's the DEA that prevents doctors from treating chronic pain, that the DEA will take thier licenses away if they prescribe drugs in quantities needed for those in great and chronic pain.

Will it be Rush that changes DEA policy?

I hope so.

[Grig]

You konw, I never realized how many spam message I get about getting pain pills online before now.

[blackbart1]

It seems to me that many people just aren't understanding what happened to Rush. He wasn't a druggie in his youth, or before he needed pain meds for his spinal condition. AND he never was incoherent but took the med to dull the pain. H has tried to kick it twice but they must have been shorter stays at rehab. This time it will be longer. I hope and pray that he and his doctor can figure a way to control his pain afterwards.

[glaux]

OxyContin is highly addictive and many taking it for appropriate purposes have had difficulty stopping. This form of dependency is bourne out of a need to feel normal, not out of a desire to become high. It is an escalating habit and really tough to break, particularly when the pain that initiated its (ab)use still remains.

[Jeff Chandler]

Don't you just love how Rush's quote from eight years ago keeps getting trumpetted?

If he were some big anti-drug moral crusader, this would be a blow to his credibility, but the fact of the matter is Rush is not. He rarely touches upon cultural issues, but rather comments almost exclusively on national politics.

As valuable as is his voice in the national conversation, the important thing is that he rid himself of this addiction. The heck with the show; he has his life to worry about.

The ironic part of this whole affair is that the rats think they have hurt Rush by exposing his addiction, when in fact they may have saved his life by forcing him to face it!

[fire_eye]

Yeah, well, the medical marvels put me on it and I hated taking something to "Feel Better" so much that when the aforementioned illuminati refused to treat me after my medical insurance ran out (and that despite the fact that I was perfectly capable of paying the bills myself) I bagged it and just learned to live with the pain.

Finally, I found a clinic with doctors intelligent enough to find the source of my problem, which was postural (of all things) - and I've been slowly getting better over a period of years. But I doubt if Rush has that option - if he's been through surgery, and has spinal damage, he's got problems far worse than mine...

[fatidic]

Why are you not outraged that Rush enjoyed his addiction? Why do you not see that Rush didn't care what laws were broken to supply his habit? Rush would still be enjoying his high right now if he wasn't outed. Had he ever wanted to break his illegal habit he would have done so.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"Mostly the Democrats wonder whether Rush's following will stay with him."

Well, the dimms need lose no sleep wondering about this.

We're praying for Rush, and counting the days till he's back behind his golden microphone.

[I still care]

I know, I guess they can't find anything more recent. How can he be that hard on drug users if the most recent quotes they can find are from 1995?

[Jeff Chandler]

How can he be that hard on drug users if the most recent quotes they can find are from 1995?

The important thing is to kick him when he's down.

[proud American in Canada]

"This Rush fan, for one, stands behind him to the end. Rush's critics, and even his less confident admirers, would do well not to underestimate the sheer depth of support he has cultivated among his listeners over the last 15 years.

I never put Rush Limbaugh up on a pedestal or elevated him to demigod status, as I've seen a lot of anti-Limbaugh conservatives/libertarians charge of his supporters. The man's human. After last Friday, he's more human than ever. But the central message of his show, beyond politics, beyond Slim Whitman tunes and Homeless Updates, is of finding the inner strength to TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY -- and his words to that effect aren't just hot air, because his entire life has been an embodiment of that message. I've taken a hell of a lot of inspiration from this guy over the years -- a guy who clawed his way up from nothing; who was fired five times; who had an overarching dream and did everything in his power to pursue it, and not only attained it, but became one of the biggest success stories in the history of the medium.

I feel like I owe a guy I've never met, for helping to sustain my hopes for my own life during dark times. And I know I'm not the only one out there.

A whole lot of people are thinking about you and praying for you, Rush. And we'll be right here when you get back.

-Dan"

BUMP!

and I would add, those phone calls from that woman about Louie Farrakhan and the MotherShip... the Al Gore rental apartment voice messaging...

Rush makes me laugh, he makes me think. I admire him. Way before the Internet, he formed a community, and made millions of people realize that others all "across the fruited plain," feel as they do.

I'm praying for you Rush! and I'm behind you all the way.

[proud American in Canada]

"I know, I guess they can't find anything more recent. How can he be that hard on drug users if the most recent quotes they can find are from 1995?"

I've been noticing that too. This is the second or third article to quote that... but no one has yet come up with a quote criticizing drug users that was made after he became addicted.

All his joking aside, Rush is really humble, in the sense that he doesn't take his success for granted. I am willing to bet my house that once his body began to crave this Oxytocin, and once he walked several miles in the shoes of someone addicted to drugs, that he stopped talking about drug addiction, or at least didn't bring it up and if a caller did, he would minimize it.