Image 01 Image 03

Rush: “I descended to their level …”

Rush: “I descended to their level …”

Rush started off by joking that his phone line was so busy he couldn’t cancel advertising on his own show for Two If By Tea, the product he produces and markets.

He then addressed his apology, and his motives.

I’ll post more, but here is a partial portion of Rush’s opening statement on his show today (my quick transcription):

First segment

Second segment

“In fighting them, I became like them…. I descended to their level when I used those two words to describe Sandra Fluke…. Those two words were inappropriate, uncalled for, and actually distracted from the point I was trying to make …. The apology was sincere … And in so doing I became like the people we oppose.  It’s important not to be like them in fighting them, the old saw that you never descend to the level of your opponent, or they win.”

“This is not about contraception, that’s what Obama wanted to turn this into, so the Democrats played the game.”  Fluke was the last minute witness because Democrats wanted the optics of having her excluded (because there was no prior notice).  They staged a press conference to look like a committee hearing.  Her testimony was not that of an expert, but of an activist.

“They know what they are doing, they target schools like Georgetown to force them to abandon their religious beliefs” (Bingo! — my word, not his.)

Funny aside — At the first break the first ad was for a product promising hormonal balance for women.  Coincidental, I’m sure.

As to advertisers, he said “they did very well due to their access to you, my audience… they have chosen to deny themselves that access … they have decided they don’t want you or your business, so be it.”

“This show is about you, it’s not about the advertisers…. I knew the political implications of these advertisers and I didn’t care … No radio broadcast will succeed by putting its business needs ahead of its audience.”

“I reject millions of dollars of advertising a year, much to the chagrin of my sales force, including General Motors…. I made the decision not to accept that because you the audience come first…. I understand my successes come from you.”

“What we’re going to do is replace those that leave … Only the leftists try to use extortion, pressure, threats to silence opposing voices…. So as you’ve always done, you make your own business decisions as to what products you buy.”

“I’m not going to wait for apologies from the left, they won’t come… They get rewarded for those despicable things … and get to make movies … and patted on the back.”

DONATE

Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.

Comments

Thanks!

Rush is elaborating on the entire Fluke testimony, and its background with Issa’s committee.

All very, very good…

Heh, he’s referring to her as Ms Fluck. She’s no fluke – that’s for sure.

    DINORightMarie in reply to Mary Sue. | March 5, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    If you listen to Stephie Stephanopolis, David Gregory, etc. this past Sunday on the talking heads shows (see The Right Scoop for some video clips) that is how they and she pronounce it. In fact, last week, at the end of one of Rush’s segments, he made reference to that he was pronouncing the name as it appeared – which he was being told by Snerdly and his team is an incorrect pronunciation. He said (I paraphrase), “I’m being told that it’s pronounced……well, I can’t say it on the air…..”

    So, apparently, that is the correct pronunciation! 😀 Irony, oh! the irony. 😉

GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul, appearing Sunday on CBS’ Face the Nation, said he didn’t believe Limbaugh was sincere in his apology. “I don’t think he’s very apologetic,” the Texas congressman said. “He’s doing it because some advertisers took their advertisements off his program. It’s his bottom line that he was concrned about.”

Can I smack this little little man??? I believe I could take him!!! LOL

While I agree that Rush’s use of terms that some find offensive, I disagree with his willingness to immolate himself on the pike of political correctness. It will serve no purpose but to give a certain amount of satisfaction to the left. What Rush has done now is prove that he is willing to capitulate to the left under financial pressure. Either way, the left won.

Rush should have given the standard leftist excuse “If something I said offended anyone, for that I apologize.” When does the left come out and admit they were wrong? No, the left hedges their apologies in terms that if you were stupid enough to be offended by what they say, basically, they apologize for your stupidity.

“But if Limbaugh’s actions demand a boycott – and they do – then what about the army of swine on the left?”

In her article entitled “Rush Limbaugh Isn’t the Only Media Misogynist”, Kirsten Powers goes on to itemize the misogynistic statements of the left, none of which have suffered any repercussions from those statements.

“Did you know there is a war on women?

Yes, it’s true. Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Bill Maher, Matt Taibbi, and Ed Schultz have been waging it for years with their misogynist outbursts. There have been boycotts by people on the left who are outraged that these guys still have jobs. Oh, wait….Sorry, that never happened.” Powers goes on to say.

Rush caved. He stoot on that hill (the higher ground) and disarmed himself. And in the end, he proved not that he is better than the left, but that that tactics of the left, all modern designs coming from Alinsky, work. Limbaugh didn’t go down fighting; he surrendered.

Powers understands the rules of war more than Limbaugh does, and she is a liberal. She knows that conservatives will be held to a higher standard, while the left makes excuses for their own. I give her credit for being honest about it.

What has Rush gained? Will the attacks against him (that have been coming for over 20 years) now cease, or lessen, since he has offered an apology for calling a liberal agitator/community organizer/activist what she is if she wants the right to sex her way through law school? No, but what he had done is confirm that conservatives can be pressured into capituation.

    Ragspierre in reply to retire05. | March 5, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    While I agree with the notion that Rush erred in apologizing…

    My reasons were not his, and my radio show has a very small audience. None, in fact.

    I disagree with a lot of what else you say. He did not surrender.

    And his comments today DO provide a nice demarcation between the Collective and Conservatives.

    I can remember no apology from Bill Clinton to any of the women he and his machine sought to destroy for truthful allegations.

    And I’m STILL listening for Pres. Pond-Scum’s call to Breitbart’s family, or the families of the Border Patrol and ICE agents his Attorney General got killed.

      retire05 in reply to Ragspierre. | March 5, 2012 at 1:49 pm

      And Rags, exactly WHAT do you think Rush’s apology will gain for him, or conservatives? Do you think that he is showing them the way, the light, and they will change their ways?

      No, he lost sponsors. So he apologized. Insteading of taking the fight to them, he allowed himself to forced into capitulation. There is no honor, no victory, in that.

      Pretty sad when a girl (Kirsten Powers) fights your battles for you better than you do.

        Ragspierre in reply to retire05. | March 5, 2012 at 2:05 pm

        If I understand correctly, Rush apologized for his own integrity’s sake. Not because he was wrong so much, but because he acted beneath his own standards.

        That made perfect sense to me…

        Captain Obvious in reply to retire05. | March 5, 2012 at 4:09 pm

        “Pretty sad when a girl (Kirsten Powers) fights your battles for you better than you do.”

        Did I read this correctly? I could understand construing sadness from ANYONE else fighting ones own battles more effectively… but what does that have to do specifically with the state of being a “girl”? And why use “girl” instead of the more accurate “woman”, unless it was meant as a pejorative? Please explain.

          retire05 in reply to Captain Obvious. | March 5, 2012 at 5:03 pm

          Captain Obvious, are you a liberal looking for something to be insulted over? Well, let me explain a few facts to you:

          1) anyone who is as young as Kirsten Power, compared to me, is a “girl”

          2) in my neck of the woods, women friends are still referred to as “the girls” and men friends are still referred to as “the boys”

          3) being a nitpicker is not a profession you should be striving for

          Captain Obvious in reply to Captain Obvious. | March 12, 2012 at 6:20 pm

          Am I a liberal looking for something to be insulted over? No. See how easy it was to answer a question directly? Now maybe you can try answering what I actually asked.

          So should someone BE insulted by being called a girl as you implied or not? Your non-sequiturs didn’t really clarify anything…

          1) So girl wasn’t meant sexually at all then? You were just using that as shorthand for her age? A 43 year old fighting your battles for you is “sad”, but having your elders do it for you would have been cool? This explanation doesn’t jive with the first rule of holes… so no I don’t think age is what makes girls “sad” for you.

          2) So is KP a friend of yours? Is she one of “the girls”? But if “the girls” are so awesome… how is it “sad” to have one fighting for you… instead of say, “lucky”? Seems to be a contradiction there… so no I don’t think that’s what you meant by the word either.

          I just wanted to give you the chance to explain yourself… I mean, we wouldn’t want a passerby to unfairly jump to the conclusion you’re just a casually sexist bully, right?

          3) Picking on girls is not a profession you should be striving for.

    Doug Wright in reply to retire05. | March 5, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    Ah, but you’ve left off the other war that the Left wages. What was the remark those Socialist protestors leveled at Breitbart when he was doing a presentation with Glenn Beck? Ah yes, those fine Leftist / Socialist / Progressive protestors said Breitbart was a “Homosexual!” Their hero B. Maher calls Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann, “sluts!” I believe Maher has also call some right-wing men “Homosexuals!” Keith Olbermannnnnn has hurled such similar pejoratives toward people on the right-wing.

    So, these noble leftists / Socialists / Progressives like to label their opponents with terms they love to use to denote stances they like? Strange yet typical of crazed people, not at all right in their mind but determined to wage heck upon those they don’t like, even those who are held up as role models.

    Since their behavior is well beyond understanding and beyond all such knowledge, take Breitbart’s approach and stand up to them and go “Pssssst” in their faces! Well, do that or laugh and giggle at them.

    Jack Long in reply to retire05. | March 5, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    Rush caved. He stoot on that hill (the higher ground) and disarmed himself.

    I don’t know if all will see it that way, Retire05. I don’t.

    The Germans say der klugere gibt nach, or, roughly, the smarter guy yields.

    The incident had become a food fight and Rush was playing on the libs’ terms. I like the idea that now there’s a clean cut and the discussion can return to the real issues and a more rational argument can be presented.

    The general population will hear ‘slut’ and ‘apology issued’ and the matter is settled. We’re not going to win the media war so there is no reason to engage in it.

    Our message has to be tuned to the people who understand it. America’s strength is doing, not talking. You may not hear them, but they’re there.

      retire05 in reply to Jack Long. | March 5, 2012 at 2:01 pm

      You’re delusional if you think this is the end of the controversy. It will be drug out again, at the time opportunistic for the left, over and over and over again.

      You want to win the media war? STOP SUPPORTING THEM. Don’t buy/watch/listen to the products they offer. If they create a fire, create a backdraft that blows up in their face.

      You are trying to fight an enemy that utilizes gorilla warfare by standing in a Napoleanic firing line. We need to be an army of Swamp Foxes, not an army of Cornwallises.

        Jack Long in reply to retire05. | March 5, 2012 at 2:18 pm

        You are trying to fight an enemy that utilizes gorilla warfare

        That’s correct, they throw food, feces, etc.

        Ours side uses guerilla warfare. Keep a low profile and wait until the time is right before we attack. See tea party 2010.

        As I said, doers, not talkers.

          retire05 in reply to Jack Long. | March 5, 2012 at 3:38 pm

          Convince yourself of that falsehood if you want, but it remains a falsehood.

          If you think you are right, name me the equivalent to MoveOn.org, or any of the other leftist groups that manage to do so much damage. Name ONE.

          The problem is obvious, and stated by Andrew Brietbart right before his untimely death; we will NOT be silent any longer.

          Nevermind that little Ms. Fluke is so insensed that she run down stop signs beating a path to be interviewed on (what for the drum roll………) Ed Schultz’s show. You know, the same Ed Schultz that call conservative, and very Catholic, Laura Ingram a “slut” and not in a joking manner. Ms. Fluke seems to object to being called a slut but has no problems cozying up to someone who calls conservative women sluts.

          So you may be under the impression that we conservatives will win the fight for our nation by being “nice” and holding ourselves to a higher standard. How has that philosophy been working out for the last 40 years, ummmm?
          If you want to stop a bully from picking on you, you don’t try to talk him out of it; you beat the sh!t out of him and send him home bleeding to his mommie.

          retire05 in reply to Jack Long. | March 5, 2012 at 3:42 pm

          Forget the TEA Party. They packed up and went home after November, 2010.

          We have the gorilla fighters? Hardly. Conservatives are out in the open, not doing their dirty work stealthly like snakes in the grass. You just don’t get it, do you? The left is NOT going to play by Marquis of Queensbury rules no matter how much you think they should.

          Jack Long in reply to Jack Long. | March 5, 2012 at 4:28 pm

          If you want to stop a bully from picking on you

          That really depends on the size of the bully.

          I agree with your take on the libs’ organizations vs. the conservatives. I think it’s because many American’s are busy doing things. Namely, leading lives, working, raising families.

          I keep saying, they are doers, not talkers. It’s the nature of the beast.

          If you want to see them politically active review the Tea Party of 2010.

          Straight talk. One objective.

          Social conservatives co-opted the TEA party message, AFAIC. Wild rhetoric will turn people off.

          With your energy and commitment you should be able to put together a politically active group on your own.

          Jack Long in reply to Jack Long. | March 5, 2012 at 4:42 pm

          We have the gorilla fighters?

          Geez, Retire, relax a bit and read my dang post first.

          Gorilla fighters throw food and feces, guerilla fighters bide their time and wait fot the right moment.

          There’s a not so subtle difference there.

          Nonetheless, yes, I do think Americans will fight, and stealthily.

          Your approach and my approach, if we were both tasked to bring that about, would probably be different.

Ridiculous Leftist Fear-Mongering Propoganda supercedes

Constitutional Freedom and Religious Liberty.

Game, Set, Match to Liberals.

We are idiots.

Ultimately I understand the commercial reality of an operation like Rush’s, but I can’t help but hearken back to Andrew Breitbart’s penultimate tweet:
“Apologize for WHAT?”

    theduchessofkitty in reply to s_dog. | March 5, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    “Apologize for WHAT?

    That’s right.

    Liberals will NEVER ACCEPT Rush’s apology. They want his carcass dragged to the vultures of the field while their Darth Vader pronounces, “Apology accepted, Mr. Limbaugh…”

    Let me remind you of this fact: it was Rush who made a Dittohead out of Breitbart and many more, including me.

    Yeah. Apologize for freakin’ WHAT?

    Karl Rogue in reply to s_dog. | March 5, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Yeah, coming so soon after Breitbart’s death, and the call by many that we all start fighting back as Andrew did, Rush’s quadruple apology today left me a bit deflated. I guess we were all Breitbarts for the weekend only.

This is all I need to push me to the $70+/- expense of subscribing to Rush 24/7 on his website – thereby, putting my money where my mouth is.

I demand an apology from perverts Obama and Schumer for calling me and many other American women scrotum suckers (tea baggers). Rush can be turned off if you don’t like him, unfortunately the President and Senator have a position of authority over me. The sexual harassment and verbal rape that the President and Senator subjected my to, makes me feel uncomfortable being forced to be submissive to their power. They owe me and all other conservative women an apology for calling us scrotum suckers and they deserve one big collective punch in the face from the husband’s of all women who have suffered from these sexual predators and their vile verbal sexual assault.

Dear Ms. Fluke,

While I am sorry that you found my terms offensive, I want you to know that I sincerely apologize. In order to show you that I am contrite, I am sending you a large case of expensive condoms, along with a pharmacy gift certificate for $150.00 which should cover not only the cost of a year’s supply of generic birth control pills at a retail outlet like CVS or Walgreen’s but should be enough to cover any and all sales tax.

Sincerely,

Rush Limbaugh

DINORightMarie | March 5, 2012 at 1:09 pm

Funny aside — At the first break the first ad was for a product promising hormonal balance for women. Coincidental, I’m sure.

I decided to look up the sponsor – Amberen – and their site has crashed!!

Lots of new customers for Amberen, it seems – evidence that the power of Rush is strong as ever. Sweet! 😀

#IAmAndrewBreitbart and #RallyForRush

1. “It’s important not to be like them in fighting them, the old saw that you never descend to the level of your opponent, or they win.”

A variant of that old saw: Don’t fight a pig by wrestling it. You get dirty and the pig likes it.

2. “…Only the leftists try to use extortion, pressure, threats to silence opposing voices…”

Dear Fellow Progressive CEO:

_____ at the Committee for Peace and Unicorns suggested I contact you.

My firm has developed a software tool that can unlock value in your customer data. The Committee for Peace and Unicorns would be pleased to tell you about the work we have done on their behalf. Because of our mutual interests, we’d like to test and demonstrate our tool on your databases at no risk or cost to you.

You may rely on our complete discretion. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely etc

3. Of course the current leftist ploy should be counteracted vigorously, but let’s keep in mind it has somewhat of the character of a desperate sortie:

a. When Obama was flying high, there was talk of restoring the so-called Fairness Doctrine, but there is very little today.

b. When Obama was flying high, there was talk of bailouts for the liberal media, but not anymore.

America remains a center-right country. As usual, the Left bluffs and overstates their hand in an attempt to rattle us into making mistakes. They are too dangerous to ignore, but let’s not take their bluster at face value.

4. There they go again.

I’m still waiting for Obama to apologize for his 2008 campaign’s characterization of Clinton and Palin as whores. When is Obama going to apologize to Palin for calling her a PIG (racial and ethnic slur)?

I see some are still mad at Rush for holding himself to a higher standard.

Interesting….

    theduchessofkitty in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    Nope. It’s not that his standards are high. It’s that Liberals’ standards are so low that one slip and you sink into dirty, stinky mud!

So far Rush is sounding like a Mitt campaign commercial today. Why am I not surprised.

Midwest Rhino | March 5, 2012 at 1:22 pm

“Borked” is a well understood term.

Can we add “Flucked” to the dictionary now? 🙂

I am going to repeat myself until someone listens. Obama called me a scrotum sucker (teabagger). He has a position of authority over me. This is sexual harassment.

    Midwest Rhino in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    actually, I think that would put Obama in the sucker position

    Ragspierre in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    Good point, ella…

    Another poster reminded us all of Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” allusion to Sarah Palin, which CERTAINLY was outside the bounds of “proper” discourse.

Cassandra Lite | March 5, 2012 at 1:26 pm

Two days ago I said essentially the same thing here that Rush just said…and got 11 dislikes (against 1 like).
https://legalinsurrection.com/2012/03/obligatory-rush-apologizes-for-use-of-those-words/#comments

People, being conservative today is like being black 50+ years ago: We have to be better than the best to win. Rush knows that and knows he blew it, because now the debate over “free” contraception has been won by the other side. It does us no good to adopt an “my side right or wrong” attitude.

    Browndog in reply to Cassandra Lite. | March 5, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    You’re not alone. In fact, I think I have you beat.

    No worries, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

    However, I do worry this blog is becoming monotone.

    Two days ago I said essentially the same thing here that Rush just said…and got 11 dislikes (against 1 like).

    Consider them badges of honor, Cassie.

    Attributed to William F. Buckley: The trouble with socialism is socialism. The trouble with capitalism is capitalists.

    To which I add: The trouble with conservatism is conservatives. The trouble with liberalism is liberalism and liberals.

    Karl Rogue in reply to Cassandra Lite. | March 5, 2012 at 2:07 pm

    Yeah, interesting that the folks who were ready to run Rush out of the conservative movement on Friday are now, after only 72 hours and a mere 4 or 5 apologies, some of his biggest fans.

    And the rest of us, who were backing him against the apology fetishists, are now anti-Rush or something.

OBAMA CALLED CONSERVATIVE WOMEN SCROTUM SUCKERS (TEABAGGERS).

Obama sexually harassed conservative women by calling them scrotum suckers (tea baggers).

    Browndog in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 1:46 pm

    Give it a rest-

      ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 1:50 pm

      Why should I give it a rest. This is what the left does. They make a mountain out of a molehill and they get away with the same things they codemn. You give it a rest whorebag.

        Browndog in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 1:56 pm

        I’ll tell you why-

        Worse than just being a troll-

        Worse that the fact it seems like others on this blog currently are lapping it up-

        You are being highly disrespectful to Professor Jacobson and his readers.

        You are a selfish, inconsiderate, little weasel.

        Comments are afforded to us on this blog to discuss and debate the topic at hand in a civil and courteous manner for the benefit of all who read it.

        This will be my last response to you.

        Good day.

          ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 2:05 pm

          Give it a rest!

          ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 2:08 pm

          So it is ok for Obama and Schumer and the leftist media to call conservative women scrotum suckers, but I can’t call you a whorebag?

          ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 2:12 pm

          Double standards. I don’t even have a position of authority over you. Obama does have a position of authority over me. How can you codemn my behavior, but not Obama’s or Schumer’s?

          ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 2:22 pm

          Ok Browndog, I apologize. I should not have called you a whorebag. I was trying to prove a point. See it is not so hard to apologize when you do something wrong. When will Obama and Schumer and many left wing journalists apologize for calling conservative women scrotum suckers? Never I will bet. The left is disgusting.

        “Why should I give it a rest. This is what the left does.

        Who do you think you’re annoying by repeating your comment here as many times as you have, though?

Obama and Schumer owe an apology to conservative women for sexually harrassing them.

Apparently leftist pigs can call women scrotum suckers and that is ok. Obama sexually harassed me.

Obama set the precedent for civility, now he better live up to them. I demand an apology for being called a scrotum sucker.

    Browndog in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 1:47 pm

    Whitehouse.gov

    You should go there immediately and lodge your complaint.

      ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 1:53 pm

      Why are you such a whorebag hypocrite? Go suck some balls.

        ella8 in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 2:33 pm

        How can people be offended by what I (one lowly powerless person) just said, but not be totally outraged that Obama and Schumer called thousands of women scrotum suckers?

      Ragspierre in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 2:09 pm

      Dog, forgive her, for she knows not what she does…

        ella8 in reply to Ragspierre. | March 5, 2012 at 2:29 pm

        I do know what I do. I was throwing a tantrum like the left does when they blow up an issue. It was an act.

          Ragspierre in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 2:56 pm

          You were acting…unwisely…

          ella8 in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 3:03 pm

          So it is ok that Obama and Schumer called conservative women scrotum suckers? I don’t understand you people. You cheer Rush when he calls someone a whore, but you are outraged that I (a person with no authority or influence) says a few naughty words.

          ella8 in reply to ella8. | March 5, 2012 at 3:12 pm

          Sorry professor, please delete my posts since they were too offensive.

        ella8 in reply to Ragspierre. | March 5, 2012 at 3:07 pm

        I apologized for heaven’s sake. I was just trying to prove a point. Yet no apologies from brown dog for her attacks on me. Double standards. If conservatives don’t grow a pair we might as well just call it quits. I am just one person, saying some naughty words. Why doesn’t anyone care that Obama called women scrotum suckers?

      ella8 in reply to Browndog. | March 5, 2012 at 4:53 pm

      Is that what Sandra Fluke did? Did she go file a formal complaint or did she whip up a full fledged leftist media temper tantrum? The left gets their way by throwing temper tantrums.

No apologies, then I am not holding anything back anymore. If the president is not civil why should I be? Come on Obama and Schumer you vile man whores. Do you like calling women scrotum suckers?

Do do not want to descend to where the left likes to lurk. It is cold and nasty down there…

Joan Of Argghh | March 5, 2012 at 2:02 pm

If this is war, then I get the impression that it’s all well and good for Breitbart to martyr himself for the cause by going into the den and bearding the lion on his own turf, repeatedly, fearlessly, ON THEIR LEVEL– and yet we would cannonize him for being the very thing we say we’re “above”?

Where do we get off sending our best and brightest into a fierce battle and then seek to micromanage their weaponry? As long as they’re aiming at the opponent, who cares if it misses the mark slightly? The noise alone will frighten some out of their hiding.

Either we get dirty in the fray, get smart in the triangulations, and get ahead of the asymmetrical curve or we can stop with all the righteous indignation at those who would do so.

No wonder Breitbart took every opportunity to rally the punk-Republican kids. As he said, “they’ll dress up like pimps and prostitutes.”

“Stop raping people!” was outrageous. Far worse than, “slut.” He maligned the OWS crowd to their face. Purposefully.

I don’t expect a warrior, at home, to act like he’s in the middle of a fire-fight. I expect him to teach his children civility, plain speech, respect, and clear thinking.

But if I do send him to war, I expect that same warrior to get the job done. And I will support him 100%. No points off for rusty target practice or unintended consequences. You take the bad with the good and go back out and DEFEAT your opponent.

Hapax Legomena | March 5, 2012 at 2:02 pm

I am listening to Rush for the first time in years today. Hear that, advertisers?

The Leftist Media and Limbaugh

Saul Alinsky Rule 13: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.

[…] Both Legal Insurrection and Althouse blogged Rush, here is the key quote: As to advertisers, he said “they did very well […]

At the first break the first ad was for a product promising hormonal balance for women.

This is a critical observation. As we have observed with the promotion and financing of “green” technology, it must be considered that left-wing interests, including: Fluke, environmentalists, civil rights activists, etc., actually represent political, industrial, and institutional interests.

This world is one large market and left-wing ideologues are merely individuals who prefer to avoid competition; and for that reason exploit leverage in order to establish monopolies or monopolistic institutions, the most notable of which is authoritarian.

The only caution I would offer is that the left-ward swing of both cooperatives and individuals can and should be measured in degrees. For example, American conservatism is to the left of libertarianism; but, by its defining principles and guidelines, as set forth by The Declaration of Independence and Constitution, it can only reasonably be classified as moderate.

Uncle Samuel | March 5, 2012 at 2:51 pm

Turns out Ms. Fluke was an activist while she attended Cornell.

There, she made sure the Pro-Life organization there was denied free speech.

Here is an excellent and thorough article by Jeffrey Lord, giving a lot of background some of the others have missed:
http://spectator.org/archives/2012/03/05/rally-for-rush/print

I wrote Quicken informing them I was finished with them. They wrote me back explaining that they terminated sponsorship of Rush’s show because his words were “unncessarily offensive.” Here is my response:

Dear Ms. Zaske:

I appreciate your response.

Pardon me, but here is the problem with your position, from a moral and American perspective.

You had initially defended Rush Limbaugh’s right to express himself, notwithstanding language some may have found “offensive.”

Here is a passage from Quicken’s statement:

“While we do not condone or agree with Limbaugh’s statements regarding Sandra Fluke, we respect his right to express his views, as well as those who disagree with him.”

As a corporate citizen, this was a reasonable and healthy response.

Two hours later you caved to pressure and terminated your advertising.

You need to understand that by bowing to pressure from DailyKos or whomever on the political Left you made a political and moral decision with consequences to freedom and free speech.

Quicken does not exist in a separate world apart from our political world. We are all Americans, benefiting from our shared freedoms. As a participant in the free marketplace
you are indebted to freedom, our country and our Constitution. You might not exist at all in a culture not based on freedom and which did not protect freedom. Free speech is essential to freedom, its sustaining wellspring. By surrendering to the coercive anti-free speech pressure of these protestors, you demonstrated a disregard for these freedoms.

Conservatives will not accept this. We love freedom — everybody’s freedom. We do not advocate terminating sponsorship of anybody over words. The moral duty of free men and women and corporations of men is to stand up for free expression. This is not always easy but it is our obligation.

I would also ask just what is “unnecessarily offensive” and who decides the categorical definitions? I would remind you that “slut” did not cross any line that isn’t being crossed daily hundreds of times by the people who threatened you, i.e., the “civility police” on the Left who claim to be offended. These people use far worse language on a constant basis to denigrate those with whom they disagree. They
will continue to use these words. Conservatives do not call upon advertisers to boycott the sponsors of their programs. We understand, as most Americans do, that in order for
speech to be free it must be permitted to be offensive and no doubt always will always will be “offensive” to somebody.

Please also be aware that conservatives are more numerous and more economically influential than liberals. We will get the word out to stop using Quicken not because you
do or may at some point sponsor a Leftist program, but because you abandoned the core principles of a free society.

Cordially,

theduchessofkitty | March 5, 2012 at 3:04 pm

Didn’t I tell you before that she would NEVER accept Rush’s apology? I told you all. I told you.

He should have spared his words and moved on. By apologizing, he gave her POWER – which she never deserved to begin with.

She hates him as she hates all of us. She wants him destroyed, just like the Democrats, MSM and the “feminist” crowd.

Professor was right. This is war. It’s time we wake up to that reality.

Professor,

I am sorry for the rude remarks I made today. Could you please delete my posts?

Jack Long:

“see the Tea Party of 2010”

And where the hell is the Tea Party of 2012?

As to gorilla fighters, you obviously have no military experience. You think animals; I think Special Forces.

God help us if you are a conservative. It’s no wonder we are losing the wordsmithing battle.

    Jack Long in reply to retire05. | March 6, 2012 at 3:28 am

    God help us if you are a conservative. It’s no wonder we are losing the wordsmithing battle.

    It looks like your starting to get it a little bit, Retire.

    I keep saying Americans are doers, not talkers.

[…] Limbaugh may have stepped into the Democrat’s trap on this but it doesn’t change the fact that it was a trap. Days after Rush called this woman […]

You know what, after reading Ann Althouses post, I think I will take back my apology to brown dog. They are just words and they only have power if you let them have power. Sandra Fluke, get over yourself. You are an activist who is trying to destroy the conscience of the Catholic Church. What do you expect, a fucking cookie and a pat on the back?

Professor,
I am however sorry for hijacking the comments and for not following your blog rules. That is sincere.

[…] Both Legal Insurrection and Althouse blogged Rush, here is the key quote:acct with […]

Jeez, folks, STOP playing into their hands. Think first THEN speak.