Skip to comments.
Limbaugh's school of hard knocks for other guys
Palm Beach Post ^
| Sunday, May 9, 2004
| Frank Cerabino
Posted on 05/08/2004 9:01:04 PM PDT by new cruelty
Rush Limbaugh is a slow learner.
That might explain why he looked at the sadistic photos from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and likened them to some college fraternity high jinks.
Boolah, mullah! Boolah, mullah!
Most reasonable people expressed disgust by the sight of the bound, nude, hooded men in American custody being forced to degrade themselves sexually.
And Limbaugh surely would have, too, if it had been under the previous administration.
But Limbaugh's a referee without a whistle these days. So here's how he excused the inexcusable:
"This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation, and we're going to ruin people's lives over it, and we're going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them because they had a good time," he said on his radio show.
Limbaugh added: "I'm talking about people having a good time. These people, you ever heard of emotional release? You heard of need to blow some steam off?"
I knew he was an apologist. But I just figured that in light of his newfound expertise in the realm of investigatory zeal run amok -- something he claims to have learned the hard way in Palm Beach County -- he might have temporarily burst through the wall of his professional limitations.
But, like I said, Limbaugh is apparently a slow learner.
And yet, there's hope.
There used to be a time when he thought that the problem with drugs was that we weren't locking up the people who got caught. This was during the days when he thought the American Civil Liberties Union was a flaky impediment to justice and criminal defense lawyers were an evil bunch of liberal simps who were out to subvert the truth by freeing the guilty on procedural maneuvers.
He has been educated through experience in that regard.
Caught in cross hairs of justice
Ever since the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office declined to respectfully turn a blind eye to Limbaugh's years of prescription drug abuse, he has become a champion of the drug addict caught in the cross hairs of justice. He talks of the pain of addiction, the need for treatment and the unfairness of prosecutors pursuing people with a personal problem.
If you go to Limbaugh's Web site these days, it's full of tales of horrific miscarriages of justice and calls to end investigatory techniques that we, as Americans, shouldn't stand for.
There are warnings about the "threat to the rule of law." Harassment we can't condone. And a horrible "fishing expedition" for information that should chill us to the core.
No, none of that is about the sadistic abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison.
It's all about Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer's having the nerve to document Limbaugh's drug abuse through the use of his medical records.
Oh, the horror!
From Limbaugh's bellowing, you'd think Krischer was breaking chemical lights and pouring the scorching phosphoric liquid over the naked talk-show host's... oh, never mind.
Besides, that's just "people having a good time."
All those naked Iraqis must be guilty of something, right? There can't be any innocent civilians rounded up by overzealous authorities. That never happens.
And as for the guilty -- well, the rights of people behind bars is just a left-wing abstraction.
For now. The slow learner better hope this isn't the next awakening in his education.
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: rush
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220, 221-240, 241-260 ... 321 next last
me and some friends went to a "Rush Room" back in 93 or something. when he still was cool. now he is just a shill
guess he didn't see the rest of the photos, which mexican tv channels have been showing
To: lewislynn
Sure except that while presumably Kerry thinks he is fit for higher office, I think he is unfit for lower office, and thus a fortiori, unfit for his current office, much less higher office. I am sure I have made it all clear. :)
222
posted on
05/09/2004 12:37:09 AM PDT
by
Torie
To: Destro
Destro, you make an excellent point--for the 18th century. Hell, I admire Alexander Hamilton so much that I named one of my sons after him. I, too, often wish we could go back to that fine time, without all the grubbiness of the leftist rabble to deal with. But we live in 2004. Would you rather Al Franken, instead of Rush, dominate the airwaves in modern America? As Lincoln once famously said: "we must work with the tools available to us."
This is the hand our generation has been dealt--I'll take Rush over Franken (or any other similar filthy liberal) any day of the week dominating our airwaves. And ask for seconds[mixing Metaphors, sorry]. Plain and simple.
223
posted on
05/09/2004 12:39:24 AM PDT
by
A Jovial Cad
("I had no shoes and I complained, until I saw a man who had no feet.")
To: Ken H
Our founding fathers would have been appalled at political talk radio - letting the mob voice an opinion without reasoned debate and discussion.
They signed on to an amendment guaranteeing that very thing.
Yup. And would have viewed as rabble rousers men like Rush to be kept at arms length from teh political process. I am sure George Washington - who warned us against partisan politics - would have shunned him.
Rush's demagoguery (which I enjoy) has more in common with the democratic traditions of Athens then the republican ideals of our Fathers.
224
posted on
05/09/2004 12:40:52 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Torie
*Did you mean to say "in total," or "pro tanto?" Inquiring minds want to know*
Ha, ha. What I *meant* to say is *In Vino Veritas*. Latin conjugations were always my strong suit, but English is *still* my first language.
225
posted on
05/09/2004 12:44:04 AM PDT
by
A Jovial Cad
("I had no shoes and I complained, until I saw a man who had no feet.")
To: KneelBeforeZod
Face it, Rush has a personality that just offends some people no matter what political party they belong to. If you don't like people who talk about their success you probably won't like Rush. I let it go in one ear and out the other but still get something out of his shows. If nothing else it is nice to hear a media person who isn't so liberal. Before FOX there were no alternatives to liberal programming.
To: A Jovial Cad
The only reason Rush dominates the airwaves over Franken - as my marketing professor once ecplained - is that the Rush types mic it up and take opinions that are designed to piss people off - either at something or at the DJ. Liberals can't piss people off - they feel bad about it.
Rush is there not to prove a point through discourse but to get people pissed off enough to listen.
I is probably true that more liberals listen to Rush then conservatives.
Ever see the movie Howard Stern's Private Parts? In it the radio guy asks about the ratings - thinking that Howard pissing people off turns off viewers - it turned out that those that hated Stern listened longer - why? because they wanted to hear what he had to say next.
It is all a gimmick and I am suprised we are all getting hot and bothered over a radio show. Like arguing which circus clown is funnier.
227
posted on
05/09/2004 12:46:26 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
The founding fathers made sure that voices like Rush's couldn't be stopped. What's your point ?
To: John Lenin
See #224 - I did not say they would have banned him and you aretaking my coversation with another out of context in our discussion of political tracts of the 18th century and talk radio of today. When was the last time you had a discussion on political tracts from the 18th century?
229
posted on
05/09/2004 12:50:51 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
You don't like him, don't listen, but don't come in here and inusult everyone that does listen to him. Grow a brain dude.
To: Destro
Hardly "laughable"--but go right on slamming "talk radio" and Rush and all the rest. The only people smiling are people whom Hamilton would've absolutely detested. Roll Call? Why I'm just delighted to be of service!
What would the Founder's have thought of 1. Hillary 2. Kerry 3. Teddy Kennedy 4. Tom Daschle 5. Pete Stark 6. Barbara Boxer 7. Nancy Pelosi 8. James Carville--*should I go on*?-9. Al Franken. 10....
You get the point, I hope. You're making the classic "the perfect must be the enemy of the good" argument here (just thought I'd throw in the observation that I'm *really* on your side here, if you'd stop and think about it, at the end of the day, BTW).
231
posted on
05/09/2004 12:54:37 AM PDT
by
A Jovial Cad
("I had no shoes and I complained, until I saw a man who had no feet.")
To: Destro
Yup. And would have viewed as rabble rousers men like Rush to be kept at arms length from teh political process. I am sure George Washington - who warned us against partisan politics - would have shunned him. That's pretty much true of leaders today. Cheney occasionally comes on for a brief interview, but by and large it's Rush and his listeners.
Rush's demagoguery (which I enjoy) has more in common with the democratic traditions of Athens then the republican ideals of our Fathers.
He is a pretty good defender of the Constitution, especially the First and Second Amendments.
232
posted on
05/09/2004 12:55:54 AM PDT
by
Ken H
To: John Lenin
speaking of people who talk about their own success. Did you ever hear Ken Hamblin. Not only did he talk about his success, he was always talking about people who didn't like him talking about his success. I did like listening to him though.
then he held out for more money...and that was that. Guess he has more time to fly his plane and take his boat out.
To: A Jovial Cad; John Lenin
What is wrong with both of you? I listen to Rush. I like Rush-I also listen and like Howard Stern.
What I slam is the notion that Rush is important. He is just an entertainer. In other word s the only true listener of Rush is he who thinks Rush is qualified to be president?
Rush is brilliant in one area I must say - analysis of the media and media spin - on that topic I think Rush is on par with expert analysts.
234
posted on
05/09/2004 12:58:45 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
After what you have said about him you embarrass yourself by admitting you listen to him. You know how many times I have listened to Al Franken ? Zero !
To: Ken H
I am talking about style of discourse - not questioning Rush's rights - just resemblence of style.
236
posted on
05/09/2004 1:02:20 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
Bill O'Reilley is on at the same time, listen to him. Talk about a blowhard.
To: John Lenin
So you prove my point for me. Liberals are boring because they don't piss people off. Rush is fun because he gets you going one way or the other. Rush is fun - not informative.
238
posted on
05/09/2004 1:03:59 AM PDT
by
Destro
(Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: Destro
Look, we're arguing over the philosophical equivalent of *how many angels can dance on the head of pin?* at this point. I'd wager that you and I, Destro, probably would agree on 99.9% of every issue that's ever faced humanity, period. Don't know that for sure, but anyone who admires Alexander Hamilton is certainly on to something, in my book. On this one minor point, let's call it even, and a night. Agreed?
239
posted on
05/09/2004 1:06:23 AM PDT
by
A Jovial Cad
("I had no shoes and I complained, until I saw a man who had no feet.")
To: Destro
I listen to Rush because a lot of times he has the inside story on things and 95% of the time I agree with what he is saying. The fact that he is also entertaining doesn't hurt.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220, 221-240, 241-260 ... 321 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson