world

Rush Limbaugh, ‘voice of American conservatism,’ dies at 70

57 Comments
By MATT SEDENSKY

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


57 Comments

Comments have been disabled You can no longer respond to this thread.

bass4funk

Not for the conservative movement, very unfortunate, the man had over 20 million listeners, there is not one liberal radio host that can top that, but liberals never did well in radio to begin with, they’re stronger on cable TV.

Yep. Hate beats hope evey time!

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Oh yeah, Howard Stern is anti-Trump and will never vote Republican again. I guess for that alone, the left has forgiven him. The list of bigoted, sexist and homophobic slurs with him is endless. He is yours now, congrats!

What makes you think the left likes Howard Stern? You're the only one who brought up Stern, my man.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

One person here at least got it right. Take at least a day to remember his good side before going on the attack. He worked with and donated millions to the Leukemia Society, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Autism, Tunnel to Towers,etc.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Oh yeah, Howard Stern is anti-Trump and will never vote Republican again. I guess for that alone, the left has forgiven him. The list of bigoted, sexist and homophobic slurs with him is endless. He is yours now, congrats!

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

 to conservative politics with a successful TV and then later radio show. In 1987, during the Ronald Reagan era, the FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine, which had required users of the public airwaves to allow equal time if they broadcast political opinion

And with the death of accountability and fairness began the death of discourse.. You just hoisted yourself upon your own petard.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

OK, pick one liberal pundit and go for it.

Don Imus

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Yes and we can go on a day trip and make a long list of things that liberals have said in the past

OK, pick one liberal pundit and go for it. Let’s compare to Rush’s vitriol.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

lie, huff and puff and demonize the “other” to get rich and famous

and even into the White House.

(as a loser might once have tweeted)

Sad!

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Let him go. He was just a troll.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

The simplest way to know what totalitarianism is to listen "liberals" when they disagree with you.

Conservative: I think a man who mocks AIDs victims, insults children, and is openly racist is great.

Liberal: I disagree.

Conservative: This is George Orwell's nightmare come to life.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

I used to listen to Rush, then Ed Schultz on AFN radio for a few years on my commute home from work. As a Canadian, I found both shows to be quite eye opening in terms of how politics work in America. While I can't say I was fond of Rush, I did enjoy the show and his perspective. Sadly, AFN stopped carrying both shows and I was stuck listening to horrible overplayed music. Well, its not all horrible, but I wish AFN would carry more radio talk shows in the evening.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Ok, folks, let’s give the guy a LITTLE credit, he created a business model whereby an entire generation of flunkeis, sociopaths, and mid-tier shock jocks could lie, huff and puff and demonize the “other” to get rich and famous.

Without Rush, Glenn Beck would be a washed up shock jock. Sean would be a local talk show host and Tucker would be a washed up CNN commentator known as the 2nd worst person to wear a necktie.

Without Rush to show them the true way of Hucksterism, we might not even know these 3 men!

Oh wait.....

9 ( +13 / -4 )

No, he never claimed to be, he gave his insights and opinions on domestic matters that were important to millions of Americans.

So he was the idiot at the end of the bar who’s had 3 too many spouting off his opinions and got paid for it.

Sweet gig.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Some of his best:

"The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it." 

"I think it's time to get rid of this whole National Basketball Association. Call it the TBA, the Thug Basketball Association, and stop calling them teams. Call 'em gangs."

"Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?"

"Everything in Africa's called AIDS. The reason is they get aid money for it. AIDS is the biggest pile of, the biggest pot they throw money into."

"Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream of society."

"Women should not be allowed on juries where the accused is a stud."

"When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it's an invitation."

@bass4funk

Here are the convervative values you say Rush represented.

18 ( +22 / -4 )

The simplest way to know what totalitarianism is to listen "liberals" when they disagree with you.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

No, not for conservatives or the millions that followed him and read his books. If liberals didn’t like him, that’s their prerogative, but when you have have 20 million daily people listening to you that’s a huge influence that can’t be denied even if the left doesn’t like it.

Popularity and ratings do not equal quality. Just look at Faux “news”. Oops, their ratings are in the toilet atm....

Guess I will have to find another example.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

liberals were deeply concerned with numbers and popularity

Equating the popular vote in what has been called the most fair election ever with radio popularity ratings? More alt right dream logic. Maybe the new term instead of dream logic should be (the family name of the most recent ex-president)-ism. 0r just (the family name of the most recent ex-president)-logic.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

when you have have 20 million daily people listening to you that’s a huge influence that can’t be denied even if the left doesn’t like it.

You’re kind of obsessed with ratings and popularity. I’ll take content over popularity any day.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

He was an 'ok' baseball radio announcer.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

So champion the 1st amendment and having opposing political viewpoints is now hateful and bigoted,

No, being hateful and bigoted is being hateful and bigoted. It has nothing to do with the first amendment.

The first amendment gives people the right to be hateful and bigoted. And he used that right, all the time.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

The best thought I can muster for the uber-angry man whose grifting legacy of cowardice and spite fanned the flames of right-wing revanchism and poisoned the well of free speech is I hope that he, if only for a moment at the end, had the clarity to feel regret and repent his misspent short time on earth sowing seeds of fear and hate.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

but when you have have 20 million daily people listening to you that’s a huge influence that can’t be denied even if the left doesn’t like it

There is an 8 year old on YouTube has more, a 16 year olds on Instagram and tiktok has 100 million.

So not much of a measurement

9 ( +14 / -5 )

He called himself a “truth detector” and “harmless, lovable little fuzz ball” but often trafficked in lies and conspiracies with contempt for his opposition that often veered into cruelty.

When actor Michael J Fox, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, appeared in a Democratic campaign commercial, Limbaugh mocked his tremors. When a Washington advocate for the homeless killed himself, he cracked jokes. As the AIDS epidemic raged in the 1980s, he made the dying a punchline. He called 12-year-old Chelsea Clinton a dog.

He suggested that the Democrats’ stand on reproductive rights would have led to the abortion of Jesus Christ. When a woman accused Duke University lacrosse players of rape, he derided her as a “ho,” and when a Georgetown University law student supported expanded contraceptive coverage, he dismissed her as a “slut.” When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Limbaugh said flatly: “I hope he fails.”

Trump, like a long line of conservative politicians before him, heaped praise on Limbaugh, and during last year’s State of the Union speech, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. On Wednesday, Trump lauded Limbaugh on Fox News as “a legend” who “was fighting till the very end."

Well, I'm surprised that other recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom didn't hand theirs back.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

This man and others like him are the reason why Japanese, Chinese, Thai, etc.. Americans are today in danger from the type of people that listened to him, San Francisco, NY, Texas, LA, etc... Have all seen a rise in violent attacks on Asians regardless of what it where they are from and this is directly due to people like him spreading xenophobic hate.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Is your point Limbaugh was another MSM type?

No, he never claimed to be, he gave his insights and opinions on domestic matters that were important to millions of Americans.

-15 ( +4 / -19 )

If liberals don’t like him

Many conservatives disliked him for good reason. I couldn’t like anyone, liberal or conservative, if they celebrated the deaths of people from an vicious illness like AIDS.

This is more important than political tribes.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

Calling Limbaugh a conservative may be an over-exaggeration...he may have wanted to be known as a conservative, but the type of hate and extremism he preached was antithetical to real conservatives, not the faux-conservatives that parade across Fox News and other far-right sites...

His award of the Medal of freedom was one of the worst travesties in US history...

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Only 20 million out of 328 million in the US listened to him, and yes, you could say such a small number, but to me that is a shockingly large number.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

20 million daily people listening to you

not one liberal radio host that can top that

Is your point Limbaugh was another MSM type? I guess for the alt right MSM is bad except when it's good. Alt right dream logic.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

NorthernLife

Would have to see the context of the program. Not sound bytes.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

History will NOT judge him well.

He has done a lot of damage over the years, put a lot of poison wells all over the USA!

Glad his time has passed!!

7 ( +11 / -4 )

It’s definitely good for the country

No, not for conservatives or the millions that followed him and read his books. If liberals didn’t like him, that’s their prerogative, but when you have have 20 million daily people listening to you that’s a huge influence that can’t be denied even if the left doesn’t like it.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

It’s unfortunate for his friends and family but very good for the US.

Not for the conservative movement, very unfortunate, the man had over 20 million listeners, there is not one liberal radio host that can top that, but liberals never did well in radio to begin with, they’re stronger on cable TV.

One less hypocritical “conservative” spewing hateful nonsense.

There are thousands more, sadly not like Rush

-11 ( +5 / -16 )

Readers, no more hate-filled rants please. You can disagree with the man's views and what he said and did, without insulting him in death.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Wrapped himself in the American flag, argued for wars he’d never be asked to fight and always posed as a tough guy. In reality, a pudgy wimp who never served a day of military (or any other kind of) service.

That’s the kind of man Rush was.

19 ( +22 / -3 )

lol

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Personally I refrain from denigrating comments about another human being on the day of their passing.

It’s better to be honest than hypocritical. If you disliked certain people while they were alive, there is no reason to change that view when they die.

During the 1990’s, Rush had a segment called “AIDS Update” where he read the names of gay men who had died while he played disco music in the background to mock them.

It’s better to be honest than hypocritical. If you disliked certain people while they were alive, there is no reason to change that view when they die. The difference here is that is dislike based on hatred of people because of what they are rather than judgement of character.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

larger than life

Not. Won't miss him either.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

He was to the Medal of Freedom what Arafat was to the Nobel Peace Prize.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

My sympathies to his loved ones. I hope he was a more charitable person in real life than he was on air.

Comments should be more like this. You may hate his words and opinions but he also has a family. Same people will turn around and have compassion for the death of murderers and child abusers. Shock radio doesn't fly nowadays like the 80s and 90s when it was a cash cow. There were many others besides Limbaugh.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

Rest In Peace, Mr Limbaugh.

Haters gonna hate because their hearts are filled with it

-25 ( +4 / -29 )

During the 1990’s, Rush had a segment called “AIDS Update” where he read the names of gay men who had died while he played disco music in the background to mock them.

Never forget this.

23 ( +26 / -3 )

I will refrain from denigrating a human being who has died.

But I am glad that this man’s destructive and divisive voice is gone from public discourse. His message was, almost without exception, loathsome.

My sympathies to his loved ones. I hope he was a more charitable person in real life than he was on air.

21 ( +26 / -5 )

it was done to defend conservative policy

Ahh the old 'the best defense is a strong offense policy'.

How'd that work out in Iraq? Which Rush pushed for.

11 ( +17 / -6 )

Never listened to the man. After reading this article and comments I’m glad I didn’t.

12 ( +18 / -6 )

He didn’t mock .those people. This is taken out of context in his programming. And it was done to defend conservative policy which was attacked under cover of pandering sympathy for certain individuals. He didn’t attack unprovoked.

-20 ( +8 / -28 )

Very, very sad day. Rush was definitely a pioneer and trail blazer when it comes to modern conservatism of today. The man was an absolute giant and powerhouse when it came to conservative politics with a successful TV and then later radio show. In 1987, during the Ronald Reagan era, the FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine, which had required users of the public airwaves to allow equal time if they broadcast political opinion. This opened the floodgates to the likes of Limbaugh, and in 1988 he moved to WABC in New York, which became the flagship for a 56-station network broadcast of his show, scheduled, unusually for talk, at midday. By 1990 he had five million listeners and by 2005 twenty million listeners. The guy was absolute genius when it came to interpreting the 1st amendment and combating the liberals attempts at silencing conservative speech and every alternative and opposing viewpoints. I seriously doubt conservatives and their their strong conservative and philosophical beliefs whether it be in the form of Fox News, The Daily Caller, The Hill, Gateway pundit, The Blaze, Newsmax, Mark Levin, Tom Sullivan and so many more including the Freedom Caucus wouldn’t be where and what they are today without the wisdom, influence and on point political opinions. A true American and definitely a true patriot, not going to be another man like him, truly a big lose for the conservative party and movement.

RIP

-28 ( +9 / -37 )

The original huckster and cult of personality con-artist. His old time studios had nothing but copies of his book behind him.

The know it all who never graduated from college.

The family values guy who married 5 times.

The guy who decried the politics of personal destruction who implied without a hint of evidence the Clinton had Vince Foster murdered.

The guy that claimed to be a “real” mid-western American who spent most of his career in Manhattan (in an apartment that would have put Liberachi to shame) and Florida.

The guy who argued for mandatory minimums for crack, which overwhelmingly affects black Americans, who had a MASSIVE oxy addiction, doctor shopped, transported distribution-level quantities into the US, and never served a day in jail.

He was a horrible, miserable person who made a career out of tearing others down and lying on a Trumpian-level. I’m not sorry he’s gone.

27 ( +34 / -7 )

the ones who are always against hate

You lost me at 'always', a word typically used by extremists only able to see issues in binary terms.

5 ( +14 / -9 )

Conservatism? I'd call it far right wing hate mongering. Limbaugh was a forerunner to the Hannity, Tuckers who have done more to rile up the country's angriest and further deepen divides in the country. He was one of the far right's media members pushing for Trump to split the country even further. And like Hannity etal got much richer doing so, became one of the 'elite'.

29 ( +37 / -8 )

“I came to New York,” he wrote, “and I immediately became a nothing, a zero.”

Epitaph for Rush Limbaugh, written by himself?

26 ( +34 / -8 )

They say if you can't something good about people, especially those who have passed away, not to say anything: '.........................'

OK, I tried...can't help it. Rush LImbaugh was a loud mouthed jerk, who lied all the time, and was instrumental in the rise of Trump like supporters with false narrative and bravado. He was a terrible influence on weaker minded people, so it followed they were conservatives who loved his bull. Glad he is no longer on the air waves.

35 ( +44 / -9 )

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites