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Washington Post: Limbaugh eBay Auction Was 'Petty Bickering'
NewsBuster.com ^ | October 20, 2007 | Tim Graham

Posted on 10/20/2007 9:31:05 AM PDT by Kaslin

Newspapers are supposed to be so much better at television at providing hard facts and context to today’s news. That’s not what the Washington Post did on Saturday in a snarky Style section article on Rush Limbaugh raising $2.1 million on eBay (and donating the same amount) to a worthy charity auctioning off Senator Harry Reid’s snotty letter to Clear Channel Communications denouncing Rush Limbaugh’s remarks about phony soldiers like Jesse Macbeth.

Neely Tucker’s short piece failed to explain the context of (a) what Rush originally said on the air about phony soldiers and (b) what Reid’s letter to Clear Channel said about they should "publicly repudiate" Limbaugh for his comments. The Post tried to discount the whole affair as "petty bickering about patriotism" and "grandstanding." Here’s the whole (brief, context-challenged) article, that came with a "Limbaugh Spins Reid's Letter Into Charity Gold" headline

Petty bickering about patriotism and Who Loves Our Troops More has never been seen as a financial growth industry, but there's no stopping American capitalism. This is why a perfunctory bit of political grandstanding, committed to U.S. Senate letterhead this month, became worth a reported $4.2 million yesterday, instantly becoming one of the most valuable printed documents of the modern era.

The letter in question is an Oct. 2 two-pager from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to Clear Channel Communications CEO Mark Mays lambasting the syndicate's Rush Limbaugh, who had recently criticized U.S. troops who were against the war in Iraq.

"Phony soldiers," blasted Limbaugh.

"Beyond the pale," Reid blasted back. "Unpatriotic," he added.

Forty-one Democratic senators signed the thing, put it in the mail and, really, that should have been the end.

But Limbaugh decided he had been "smeared" by left-wing evildoers. He put the letter up for auction on eBay, with the benefits going to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, a New Jersey-based charity that primarily gives scholarship money to the children of service members either killed in war or in the course of public duty. Limbaugh sits on the board of directors.

The letter drew bids from more than 60 people and was bought yesterday for $2.1 million by reclusive D.C. philanthropist Betty Brown Casey, who has heretofore shown more of an interest in the Washington National Opera than Washington mudslinging. Limbaugh said yesterday on his radio show that Casey was a longtime fan, that he would match her bid (bringing the total raised by the letter to $4.2 million) and, on his show, he graciously poked Reid in the eye:

"It got this kind of money because it represents one of the most outrageous abuses of federal power in modern American history, and that is what makes it a collector's item. This letter that Senator Reid wrote will forever memorialize him as a demagogue."

We have only a few hours, but you get the idea.

Brendan Sullivan, Casey's attorney, did not return calls yesterday.

Yesterday on the Senate floor, Reid said Limbaugh had "very, very constructively" raised more than $2 million with a letter "signed by this senator and my friends." Limbaugh, not to be out-grandstanded, took to the airwaves to blast Reid for trying to "horn in" on the publicity coup.

"We've gotten donations in the million-dollar range before, but this is by far the biggest," James Kallstrom, chairman and co-founder of the 12-year-old charity, said yesterday in a telephone interview.

The foundation has awarded more than $27 million in scholarships to children of slain troops and law enforcement officers, Kallstrom said, as well as support money for disabled veterans and their families.

"But we're not political at all," he said.


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 110th; ebay; harryreid; phonysoldiers; rushlimbaugh; whiningliberals; wp
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To: txroadkill

Good points, although I still think it will be Hillary/Obama.


41 posted on 10/20/2007 10:11:44 AM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: Kaslin
"We've gotten donations in the million-dollar range before, but this is by far the biggest," James Kallstrom, chairman and co-founder of the 12-year-old charity, said yesterday in a telephone interview.

A little something for the conspiracy nuts: Jim Kallstrom is the former head of the NYC FBI office, and was lead investigator of the TWA 800 crash.

42 posted on 10/20/2007 10:11:55 AM PDT by ReignOfError
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To: txroadkill

I’d love to seen Mrs. Casey spend some money to get Al Gore on the ballot as a green party candidate.


43 posted on 10/20/2007 10:12:23 AM PDT by mainerforglobalwarming
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To: SIDENET; clintonh8r; gridlock
The dude looks a little fruity. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

If this incoherent liar/deceiver/propagandist were any fruitier, he'd be a freekin orchard.


44 posted on 10/20/2007 10:17:08 AM PDT by FormerACLUmember (The ideal tyranny is self administered by its ignorant victims)
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To: Kaslin
"The letter in question is an Oct. 2 two-pager from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to Clear Channel Communications CEO Mark Mays lambasting the syndicate's Rush Limbaugh, who had recently criticized U.S. troops who were against the war in Iraq."

After all this, they still can't get it right.

45 posted on 10/20/2007 10:18:37 AM PDT by joeystoy
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To: Kaslin

Either the democRat senators intentionally lied about Rush or they are too lazy to perform a minimal amount of investigation before attacking private citizens of the United States from the floor of the Senate and with the power and authority of the office of US Senator.

Either way, they should all be removed from office. Now. Not later.


46 posted on 10/20/2007 10:18:39 AM PDT by gitmo (From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace
Is that the same Kallstrom that I think it is? (800)

The very same. The Foundation's Web site (mc-lef.org) lists as its chairman James Kallstrom, aide to the governor on NY for anti-terrorism; a little googling reveals that the James Kallstrom who led the TW 800 investigation took that job after retiring from he FBI.

47 posted on 10/20/2007 10:18:56 AM PDT by ReignOfError
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To: Kaslin

There is SO MUCH to celebrate about this article.

One of the reasons the Post, NTYs etc. are in so much trouble is because of biased articles like this.

I’ll wager this guy couldn’t see the biases even if his life depended on it.

ANOTHER reason to celebrate, ‘cuz this kind of writing will just keep that financial slide going!

Great way to start the weekend, 5 years from now we won’t even miss them.


48 posted on 10/20/2007 10:26:37 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (If America falls, darkness will cover the face of the earth for a thousand years.)
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To: Kaslin
Forty-one Democratic senators signed the thing, put it in the mail and, really, that should have been the end.

Oh really? Who are you trying to convince the reader or yourself?

What a twit.
49 posted on 10/20/2007 10:35:56 AM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: Kaslin
Forty-one Democratic senators signed the thing, put it in the mail and, really, that should have been the end.

Oh really? Who are you trying to convince the reader or yourself?

What a twit.
50 posted on 10/20/2007 10:37:12 AM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: Kaslin

Maybe WaPo will edit the article using the drive-by media’s new editing policy: “Lie now. Edit if we get caught.”


51 posted on 10/20/2007 10:38:52 AM PDT by clintonh8r (Waiting for the other Hsu to drop....)
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To: FormerACLUmember

He looks like exactly the kind of guy who ould write for the “Style” section....


52 posted on 10/20/2007 10:39:47 AM PDT by clintonh8r (Waiting for the other Hsu to drop....)
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To: SIDENET

Frutiy and islamic....no wonder he’s here. In Muslim countries he’d be stoned...and not on weed.


53 posted on 10/20/2007 10:41:29 AM PDT by HardStarboard (Take No Prisoners - We're Out of Qurans)
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To: BenLurkin
Washington Post: Limbaugh eBay Auction Was 'Petty Bickering'

I wonder just how the editor would have reacted had Reid directed his letter to the chairman of Washington Post?

Would that have been described as "petty bickering", as well?

54 posted on 10/20/2007 10:50:12 AM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: FormerACLUmember
I didn't know Burt Reynolds had a son?


55 posted on 10/20/2007 10:50:50 AM PDT by Lx ((Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.))
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To: Kaslin
"It got this kind of money because it represents one of the most outrageous abuses of federal power in modern American history, and that is what makes it a collector's item. This letter that Senator Reid wrote will forever memorialize him as a demagogue."

We have only a few hours, but you get the idea.

Brendan Sullivan, Casey's attorney, did not return calls yesterday.


How pathetic they put in a sarcastic nonsensical line to discredit Rush's statement.
56 posted on 10/20/2007 10:55:41 AM PDT by Vision (" 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." Zechariah 4:6)
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To: Balata

The dems did not think it was the end of it. They asked that Rush’s boss fire him.

The Washington Post should be more concerned period about 41 US senators ganging up on one private citizen. Not exactly what we expect out senators to do. The fact that the RATS lied in doing so is obviously of no conern to the rag’s writers and editors.


57 posted on 10/20/2007 11:03:06 AM PDT by rod1
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To: Kaslin

...41 United States Senators signing a document indicating that they think the Bill of Rights is just some vexing gibberish should be news, I’d think.


58 posted on 10/20/2007 11:09:45 AM PDT by Sooth2222 ("We have met the enemy and he is us." -Pogo)
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To: Kaslin

Regardless of how the bib wearing leftists at the Washington Compost try to spin this - they can NOT alter the fact that Dingy Harry Reid will be know throughout eternity as the fool with his own foot in his mouth and Rush’s foot up his ass...

Every time Dingy Harry speaks - he proves it.

It would be funny, except this balmy bastard is a U.S. Senator!
If that doesn’t scare the hell out of you, you aren’t comprehending the significance of the problem!


59 posted on 10/20/2007 11:16:22 AM PDT by river rat (Semper Fi - You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: FormerACLUmember
He's seen here reading from his favorite book, "Gerbils for Dummies"...


60 posted on 10/20/2007 11:38:06 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (The Democrat Party: radical Islam's last hope)
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