I've noticed for many years a list of topics Rush Limbaugh rarely touches. He rarely discusses abortion except in political terms. He rarely discusses homosexuality, except in political terms. He rarely discusses religion. He rarely mentions UFOs or alien invasions. And he's said very little about illegal drugs - proof of which is that his enemies had to go back eight years to find a relevant quote with which to tar him.
I think his reasons not to discuss illegal drugs are two-fold. He probably believes that topics like abortion, homosexuality, religion and illegal drugs are hot-button issues that many lesser talents use to generate an audience and he probably believes he is above that.
But secondly, and more importantly, he realized his own hypocrisy and so self-censored himself, the same way Bill Bennett never mentioned gambling when commenting frequently about declining morals, the same way Newt Gingrich hid in the background whenever Clinton's adultery was being discussed. Most people with high moral standards understand implicitly that to rail against something that they are engaging in makes them a hypocrite so they just don't discuss it.
Their silence, in and of itself, speaks to a level of hypocrisy but it doesn't match those who openly and explicitly condemn behaviors that they themselves engage in. Perhaps that is why some feel his behavior was hypocritical while others do not.
Illegal drugs was not a frequent topic on Rush's show. If it was and he condemned those who abuse drugs, I don't think anyone would argue that he wasn't a hypocrite. But he stayed quiet about the issue instead to avoid the hypocrisy he surely felt inside.
Now, as to the other issue about his "good deeds" keeping him out of jail, I've never argued that he should be insulated from the law in any degree. But I also don't believe he should be prosecuted or punished beyond what an average citizen would face. To date, he has not been arrested, charged or had his day in court. The lynch mob that argues to either throw him in jail or release every other druggie now sitting in jail are creating a strawman to whip up support for their own agendas. I'm willing to trust the Florida law community to charge him if they think they can get a conviction and to leave him alone if they think they can't.
That's not an attempt to excuse or exonerate Rush. It simply is a request to allow due legal process to work as it should with anyone. If the evidence shows that he broke the law and a court convicts him, he should serve the same time as any first-time offender.
But, then, I have high moral standards.
Where Rush has his hyprocracy is where he keeps referring to "law abiding citizens". He clearly was not a "law abiding citizen" during the period of time he was abusing perscription drugs.
Look, we are all human. We all have personal failures. Yet Rush has for several years made light of others personal failures, sometimes to the point of lampoon and parody. Yet he for some reason wants a free pass with his well scripted and rehearsed "I'm not a hero/role model" responses. Read many of the responses on this forum. He is not only a role model, but an almost cult like figure to many. They are in denial. Like Michael Jackson fans, they have a hard time seperating show biz persona from the everyday person. That's sad.
Rush was given a gift by God. He was given a fabulous voice, a quick wit, a whimsical smile within his voice, unbelievable ability to take complex topics and make them palatable and simple. He used those gifts and was rewarded financially. He began to become consumed in his almost OZ like persona. Larger than life, above answering to his critics and critical of those who are. Listen to his comments recently regaring those who are using the National Enquirer as a source of information. So what if they have missed some elements. Where it counts, they are spot on. The man WAS abusing perscription medication. But his comments were designed to minimize the fact that there was a large amount of the story that was and is factually correct.