Thanks Eric. Seems the comment section is unified.
Limbaugh, Alex Jones and the like should give us pause around blanket 1st Amendment protection. They have been on the airwaves yelling "Fire" in a crowded movie theatre for too many years.
When I saw the news my better angels were nowhere to be found. I am glad you took the time to put that news in the proper light.
I listen to pretty much every Liberal/Progressive/Lefty, on tv and radio. Hate does not exist in their hearts and souls. They are about improving everyday peoples' lives, not tearing them down, because of.....(anything).
I suspect being the filth that Alex Jones is, he is happy Rushbo is not long for this world. He wants to move in on Rush's audience. He is nothing but a Rushbo, copycat. Everything he does, he learned from Rush..
I will never forget when Tim Russert interviewed Rush in the early 2000s. When Russert confronted Rush about spreading lies, Rush replied that his show was just entertainment so it was OK. Russert let him slide on the outrageous excuse. The rest of the mainstream “liberal” media has done the same. They even gave a pass to powerful Republican leaders like Newt and Cheney being guests on his show, enhancing Rush’s power and respectability. If any Democratic leader ever was a guest on an extremist left-wing show the would be excoriated by the media.
For years media has turned a blind eye to the hatred and disinformation spread by both Limbaugh and Murdoch. Now they shocked to find a large majority of Americans are willing to believe almost any right wing lie, no matter how insane?? Too bad they didn’t go after Rush and Rupert when they first started his disinformation operations. How can any responsible journalist stand by when people like Rush and Jerry Falwell tell the public that the president and his wife had one of their closest friends murdered? I knew we were in serious trouble when the insane Vince Foster murder accusation got so much traction that millions of our tax dollars were spent investigating that vicious slander by people like Rush. Here is a rare example of a journalist making it clear how successful that smear campaign against the Clintons was:
Had the rest of the media reacted to these kinds of lies back in the 90s when Limbaugh and Murdoch were just getting started I believe they would never have gained so much influence and our country would never have gotten to this dark place. Advertisers would not have funded them if their toxic lies had been well known.
From what I see the media still hasn’t learned how to fight back. I was struck by how many reports debunking the claims in the NY Post’s recent article about Hunter Biden’s laptop didn’t bother to mention that Rupert Murdoch owns the Post. They treated the Post as a reliable source that had dropped the ball, not as the right-wing Murdoch propaganda outlet that it actually is.
I think it was on CNBC’s “Tim Russert Show” because it was a long one-on-one interview. I was curious to see if I could find that interview. Instead I found this from Media Matters:
“ After more than five weeks of comments by radio host Rush Limbaugh condoning and trivializing the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. military guards at Abu Ghraib prison, Tim Russert -- managing editor and moderator of NBC's Meet the Press -- said it was “an honor” to be a guest on Limbaugh's June 10 show. “
This. Don't forget the smear campaign of supermarket tabloid attacks on Clinton, so every time I bought groceries I passed an doctored, incredibly unflattering series of photos of HRC next to a big fat lie.
Exactly and that is why the rest of us need to come down on them like a ton of bricks when they enable right wing propaganda and treat right wing operatives as if they are
just normal political actors, not as people who are dismantling our democracy. (See the two media matters links I posted above.)
A lot of people just ascribe all this to corporate ownership as if we are helpless to do anything about that. Yet boycotts against advertisers have clearly had an impact they just are sustained. On the other hand I think that another factor is more personal — journalists just don’t like being criticized let alone attacked; they want to be treated with respect. And it’s not just journalists. I recently heard an interview with Andrew Weissmann who said that right wing media attacks intimidated the investigators on Mueller’s team. That clearly had an effect and it had nothing to do with corporate pressure. It is long past time that the rest of us pressure the media hard to stop with the faux balance, the adopting of right wing frames like “packing” not “expanding” or “balancing” the court, etc. Unfortunately it isn’t easy to figure out how to register complaints with most of the media outlets, especially tv networks. And the complaints need to be from a lot of people. Clearly pressure works we just need to figure out how to do it effectively. The big thing Democrats have going for them is that they represent the demographic that the media desperately needs to survive. The audience for Fox and Rush is dying out.
Perfectly stated. As someone who has worked in radio for nearly the entire time that Limbaugh has been a juggernaut in my industry, I have absolutely nothing to add to what you said.
Rush is a disgusting pig who has terminal cancer. Unlike Rush, cancer does not discriminate. And to your point, to glorify him at his time of reckoning is doing a grave injustice to the contribution he single handedly made to divide this country. I wish no disease or death on anyone but realistically the world will be a better place without Rush Limbaugh.
may as well include all the jerry springers and maury poviches in this thread
our "civil" society has been under attack for 30 years- billed as entertainment
don't expect a lee atwater death bed plea for forgiveness from rush and don't forget that a lot of these folks are still around as disciples: hannity, palin. drudge, rove, et al.
I have never subscribed to the idea that when some one dies they become untouchable or even deified. Thanks Eric for saying it so well. Good riddance! Hey Rush, Say hi to Don Wade!
As usual, Eric Boehlert is as right as a second martini at lunch (thank you, Red Smith, the late, great sportswriter) in his criticism here: The DC political media brothel (the chief chucktodd of them all, madam) has been guilty of normalizing bigotry, rape, and treason for a long time, not just during the current administration.
I have not said anything nice about Rush, ever, and I do not intend to start now or even after he passes. The best I can say in polite company is that “I wish for Rush Limbaugh EVERYTHING he ever wished for me, my family, and my friends.”
It's also worth mentioning that without Reagan's elimination of the Fairness Doctrine, Rush Limbaugh would likely be an unknown individual who'd have spent his career selling used cars.
There is not one thing of a positive nature that I can say about him. He is vile. I don't care he is sick. Over 200,000 other people in this country were sick and they didn't get a Presidential Medal of Freedom. I half suspect, Trump will want Rushbo to lie in state somewhere near the WH, Capital Building.... I watched my husband die of lung cancer, Rush is in for a very rough ending. I call it karma. Karma is a bitch..
MSM has and continues to be part of the problem, which is why w/a few miniscule exceptions, I stopped watching. Some of the biggest names in broadcast journalism are ones I find myself screaming at as they lob softballs, seem ill-prepared (or unprepared) to catch and call out lies, or interject follow-up questions. Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell, Susan Paige, Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper, Mario Cuomo, are just a few names that come readily to mind. MSM is too mired in and being of 'the Establishment.' Independent journalism, like SCOTUS term limits, an abolished Electoral College, and Election uniformity is what's needed to propel us forward and support a free, democratic society.
I don't think the damage he has done can be overstated.
Clarence Darrow said, "I've never killed any one, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices."
and do see him roasted as an “icon” today is too much
Thanks Eric. Seems the comment section is unified.
Limbaugh, Alex Jones and the like should give us pause around blanket 1st Amendment protection. They have been on the airwaves yelling "Fire" in a crowded movie theatre for too many years.
When I saw the news my better angels were nowhere to be found. I am glad you took the time to put that news in the proper light.
DC press just doesn’t like being honest abt fact GOP/conservative movement feasts on hate. it ruins their Both Sides perspective
I listen to pretty much every Liberal/Progressive/Lefty, on tv and radio. Hate does not exist in their hearts and souls. They are about improving everyday peoples' lives, not tearing them down, because of.....(anything).
I suspect being the filth that Alex Jones is, he is happy Rushbo is not long for this world. He wants to move in on Rush's audience. He is nothing but a Rushbo, copycat. Everything he does, he learned from Rush..
I will never forget when Tim Russert interviewed Rush in the early 2000s. When Russert confronted Rush about spreading lies, Rush replied that his show was just entertainment so it was OK. Russert let him slide on the outrageous excuse. The rest of the mainstream “liberal” media has done the same. They even gave a pass to powerful Republican leaders like Newt and Cheney being guests on his show, enhancing Rush’s power and respectability. If any Democratic leader ever was a guest on an extremist left-wing show the would be excoriated by the media.
For years media has turned a blind eye to the hatred and disinformation spread by both Limbaugh and Murdoch. Now they shocked to find a large majority of Americans are willing to believe almost any right wing lie, no matter how insane?? Too bad they didn’t go after Rush and Rupert when they first started his disinformation operations. How can any responsible journalist stand by when people like Rush and Jerry Falwell tell the public that the president and his wife had one of their closest friends murdered? I knew we were in serious trouble when the insane Vince Foster murder accusation got so much traction that millions of our tax dollars were spent investigating that vicious slander by people like Rush. Here is a rare example of a journalist making it clear how successful that smear campaign against the Clintons was:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/05/24/yes-there-actually-are-people-who-believe-the-clintons-killed-vince-foster/
Had the rest of the media reacted to these kinds of lies back in the 90s when Limbaugh and Murdoch were just getting started I believe they would never have gained so much influence and our country would never have gotten to this dark place. Advertisers would not have funded them if their toxic lies had been well known.
From what I see the media still hasn’t learned how to fight back. I was struck by how many reports debunking the claims in the NY Post’s recent article about Hunter Biden’s laptop didn’t bother to mention that Rupert Murdoch owns the Post. They treated the Post as a reliable source that had dropped the ball, not as the right-wing Murdoch propaganda outlet that it actually is.
Oh wow I don’t remember the Russert...maybe that’s why Rush basically stopped giving interviews to actual journalists
I think it was on CNBC’s “Tim Russert Show” because it was a long one-on-one interview. I was curious to see if I could find that interview. Instead I found this from Media Matters:
“ After more than five weeks of comments by radio host Rush Limbaugh condoning and trivializing the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. military guards at Abu Ghraib prison, Tim Russert -- managing editor and moderator of NBC's Meet the Press -- said it was “an honor” to be a guest on Limbaugh's June 10 show. “
https://www.mediamatters.org/rush-limbaugh/rush-limbaugh-guest-tim-russert-should-i-nominate-you-be-next-meet-press-moderator
Clearly the mainstream media helped normalize this destructive right wing propagandist and still can’t be honest about him.
This. Don't forget the smear campaign of supermarket tabloid attacks on Clinton, so every time I bought groceries I passed an doctored, incredibly unflattering series of photos of HRC next to a big fat lie.
They didn't want the potential blow back if they pushed for better answers..
Exactly and that is why the rest of us need to come down on them like a ton of bricks when they enable right wing propaganda and treat right wing operatives as if they are
just normal political actors, not as people who are dismantling our democracy. (See the two media matters links I posted above.)
A lot of people just ascribe all this to corporate ownership as if we are helpless to do anything about that. Yet boycotts against advertisers have clearly had an impact they just are sustained. On the other hand I think that another factor is more personal — journalists just don’t like being criticized let alone attacked; they want to be treated with respect. And it’s not just journalists. I recently heard an interview with Andrew Weissmann who said that right wing media attacks intimidated the investigators on Mueller’s team. That clearly had an effect and it had nothing to do with corporate pressure. It is long past time that the rest of us pressure the media hard to stop with the faux balance, the adopting of right wing frames like “packing” not “expanding” or “balancing” the court, etc. Unfortunately it isn’t easy to figure out how to register complaints with most of the media outlets, especially tv networks. And the complaints need to be from a lot of people. Clearly pressure works we just need to figure out how to do it effectively. The big thing Democrats have going for them is that they represent the demographic that the media desperately needs to survive. The audience for Fox and Rush is dying out.
Yup. I've been pondering what would be the most effective push back strategy.
You tell no lies.
Perfectly stated. As someone who has worked in radio for nearly the entire time that Limbaugh has been a juggernaut in my industry, I have absolutely nothing to add to what you said.
Thanks. I appreciate it Paul
Rush is a disgusting pig who has terminal cancer. Unlike Rush, cancer does not discriminate. And to your point, to glorify him at his time of reckoning is doing a grave injustice to the contribution he single handedly made to divide this country. I wish no disease or death on anyone but realistically the world will be a better place without Rush Limbaugh.
Excellent piece. And you left out the part about his drug addiction. Not often you see a fat junkie.
may as well include all the jerry springers and maury poviches in this thread
our "civil" society has been under attack for 30 years- billed as entertainment
don't expect a lee atwater death bed plea for forgiveness from rush and don't forget that a lot of these folks are still around as disciples: hannity, palin. drudge, rove, et al.
thanks for your good work, eric
I have never subscribed to the idea that when some one dies they become untouchable or even deified. Thanks Eric for saying it so well. Good riddance! Hey Rush, Say hi to Don Wade!
As someone who has lived for the past 30 years in Rush Limbaugh's home town, I agree with Paul Arzooman. You called this well, Eric.
Oh wow his hometown—hope all’s well in Missouri !
Thank you for calling out Limbaugh for the rancid piece of trash that he is.
As usual, Eric Boehlert is as right as a second martini at lunch (thank you, Red Smith, the late, great sportswriter) in his criticism here: The DC political media brothel (the chief chucktodd of them all, madam) has been guilty of normalizing bigotry, rape, and treason for a long time, not just during the current administration.
Yes!
I have not said anything nice about Rush, ever, and I do not intend to start now or even after he passes. The best I can say in polite company is that “I wish for Rush Limbaugh EVERYTHING he ever wished for me, my family, and my friends.”
And that usually shuts them up.
It's also worth mentioning that without Reagan's elimination of the Fairness Doctrine, Rush Limbaugh would likely be an unknown individual who'd have spent his career selling used cars.
There is not one thing of a positive nature that I can say about him. He is vile. I don't care he is sick. Over 200,000 other people in this country were sick and they didn't get a Presidential Medal of Freedom. I half suspect, Trump will want Rushbo to lie in state somewhere near the WH, Capital Building.... I watched my husband die of lung cancer, Rush is in for a very rough ending. I call it karma. Karma is a bitch..
Bette Davis said when Joan Crawford died. One should never speak ill of the dead only good. Joan Crawford is dead....GOOD!
MSM has and continues to be part of the problem, which is why w/a few miniscule exceptions, I stopped watching. Some of the biggest names in broadcast journalism are ones I find myself screaming at as they lob softballs, seem ill-prepared (or unprepared) to catch and call out lies, or interject follow-up questions. Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell, Susan Paige, Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper, Mario Cuomo, are just a few names that come readily to mind. MSM is too mired in and being of 'the Establishment.' Independent journalism, like SCOTUS term limits, an abolished Electoral College, and Election uniformity is what's needed to propel us forward and support a free, democratic society.