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Sen. Daschle Complains of Threats (Rush Responds)
WFTV ^ | 11/20/02

Posted on 11/20/2002 3:30:45 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

WASHINGTON (AP)--Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle says threats have increased against him and his family and blames talk show host ``Rush Limbaugh and all of the Rush Limbaugh wannabes'' for an increasingly negative tone in politics.

``What happens when Rush Limbaugh attacks those of us in public life is that people aren't satisfied just to listen,'' Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters Wednesday. ``They want to act because they get emotionally invested. And so, you know, the threats to those of us in public life go up dramatically, on our families and on us, in a way that's very disconcerting.''

Daschle was the target of an anthrax-contaminated letter sent to Capitol Hill last year, although he did not mention that incident Wednesday.

He did cite an incident last year when Republicans labeled him an obstructionist. ``There was a corresponding, a very significant increase in the number of issues that my family and I had to deal with. And I worry about that,'' Daschle said.

Daschle, who will be stepping down as majority leader now that Republicans have won back control of the Senate, blamed the problem on the disappearing divide between politics and entertainment.

``If entertainment becomes so much a part of politics and if that entertainment drives an emotional movement in this country among some people who don't know the difference between entertainment and politics, and who are then so energized to go out and hurt somebody, that troubles me about where politics in America is going,'' Daschle said.

Limbaugh, during his radio show Wednesday, called Daschle's comments ``a well-thought-out strategy by the Democrats to counter the influence of this program.''

``It's not just against me but it's against you folks, the entire audience,'' Limbaugh said. ``You all now are being characterized as unsophisticated barbarians. You don't know the difference between politics and entertainment.

``This is the continuation of a pattern. Every time the Democrats lose, either elections or a major issue, they blame me, they blame talk radio and they blame you,'' Limbaugh said.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: daschle; rush
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
I don't recall any talk radio host, much less Rush, calling for the execution of political opponents like Alec (the Jacobin) Baldwin did on national TV.
21 posted on 11/20/2002 4:00:10 PM PST by You Dirty Rats
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
So Daschle HAS read the emails I sent him.

*snicker*
22 posted on 11/20/2002 4:00:33 PM PST by SerpentDove
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
As Rush pointed out, almost as an aside, the anthrax-laced letter addressed to Tom Daschle was a VASTLY greater personal threat than any off-hand insults that may have shown up on the Internet. Unless Tom Daschle knows something we don't.
23 posted on 11/20/2002 4:00:42 PM PST by alloysteel
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
The RATs are in full panic now that it's obvious that their spinning, rationalizing explanations of Bloody Tuesday (11/5) aren't getting any traction.

That aside, Tom Thumb "clearly" (to use one of his own favorite over-used expressions) has a short-guy complex.

24 posted on 11/20/2002 4:00:50 PM PST by clintonh8r
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
I challenge Daschle to put up or shut up.

Email threats are easily traced, as are phone threats.

Using the mail in such a way is a felony.

Put up or shut up. Let's see the goods, Tommy.

25 posted on 11/20/2002 4:08:10 PM PST by IncPen
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
``What happens when Rush Limbaugh attacks those of us in public life is that people aren't satisfied just to listen,'' Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters Wednesday. ``They want to act because they get emotionally invested. And so, you know, the threats to those of us in public life go up dramatically, on our families and on us, in a way that's very disconcerting.''

Actually, more likely is that what happens is that the American people get to see first-hand on C-SPAN how some of the drooling idiots who occupy positions of responsibility (such as Daschle) in the government are misusing that power, and they want to act because they get emotionally invested. Perhaps Daschle should be directing his bile against C-SPAN, instead.

26 posted on 11/20/2002 4:08:39 PM PST by The Electrician
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
He did cite an incident last year when Republicans labeled him an obstructionist. ``There was a corresponding, a very significant increase in the number of issues that my family and I had to deal with. And I worry about that,'' Daschle said.

Don't be an obstructionist. Dumbass.

27 posted on 11/20/2002 4:08:54 PM PST by Johnny Shear
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To: Angel
Later in that statement Daschle said the Democrats need a forum like Rush for their side. If what Rush says is so bad, they why does he want a similar show?

Liberal talk shows have been tried in the past, and they've failed miserably. They cannot survive in the private sector market with their unintelligible rhetoric and rantings. The only way the liberal voice survives on the airways is via The Pinko Broadcasting Service (PBS) where their funding is extorted through the taxpayers. The "buying"(and thinking) public listen to what makes sense, not to a bunch of whining crybabies soiling their shorts.

28 posted on 11/20/2002 4:16:44 PM PST by kstewskis
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
I would assume he has reported these threats to law enforcement. I would like to see a reporter investigate these reports and see if 1) there are any, and 2) how they can be linked to Rush or talk radio. If he is going to make this kind of claim, he should be able to prove it.
29 posted on 11/20/2002 4:17:47 PM PST by Blue Screen of Death
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
With all this publicity, RUSH’s ratings will go off the charts! (Thank you Mr. Dashole!)
30 posted on 11/20/2002 4:20:14 PM PST by Las Vegas Dave
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
How many of us think Daschle's "concern" for so-called threats is cover for:
1) embarrassing election losses
and worse
2) a future attempt to stifle free speech?

Hell, they're already trying it in the guise of campaign reform. He's picked the wrong horse to ride, 'cause Rush has long said that he'd LOVE to take the issue of free speech/equal time/talk radio to court.
31 posted on 11/20/2002 4:20:56 PM PST by chiller
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Little Tommie got "Slam Dunked" on Nov 5th. (Now shut-up you little wussie!)
32 posted on 11/20/2002 4:24:07 PM PST by blam
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
If anybody hasn't figured this out yet, I have. Anytime the libs/RATS are guilty of something they accuse the GOP of doing what they are guilty of. Take the last few days news. 1)Woman in New York attacked for lighting up a cigarette. 2) Gay man kills elederly lady because she told him to repent for his sins. The media lapdogs suck it up and when Dashle blames Rush, and takes the real news off the air.
33 posted on 11/20/2002 4:24:13 PM PST by John Lenin
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To: Vidalia
Dasshole is finding it a bit uncomfortable when a little light shines on his antics, much like a cockroach.
34 posted on 11/20/2002 4:26:22 PM PST by caisson71
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To: kstewskis
You nailed it. A conservative forum is bad....we need one too.

And right again....nobody has any interest in a liberal forum (except on govt. supported PBS) Not to forget
that East Coast media have carried water for liberal
causes since Walter Conkrite.
35 posted on 11/20/2002 4:26:54 PM PST by chiller
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To: wai-ming; Tumbleweed_Connection
I agree about Daschle's "issues".

Tommy, kwityerbitchen.

36 posted on 11/20/2002 4:29:05 PM PST by alwaysconservative
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
They are afraid because one symptom of people who listen to Rush is-they vote and they don't usuallly vote for Dims.
37 posted on 11/20/2002 4:29:30 PM PST by tiki
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Typical stupid liberal. Gun death? Blame NOT the shooter, blame the gun maker. Got death threats? Blame NOT the stalker, blame someone a zillion miles away who the stalker MAY OR MAY NOT have listened to at some point in his life.

Daschle is just mad because now the world, and probably his own wife, calls him "Puff", thanks to Rush. Where was Puff during the Baldwin/"stone Henry Hyde" incident? Rush is very good at parody and skewering the liberals and they don't have anybody nearly as funny on their side.

38 posted on 11/20/2002 4:29:40 PM PST by Lizavetta
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Hey Dasshole....BOO!
39 posted on 11/20/2002 4:30:06 PM PST by ApesForEvolution
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
Hey Dashole!

It's the issues, STUPID!

40 posted on 11/20/2002 4:31:29 PM PST by libsrscum
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