Editorials & Other Articles

babylonsister

(171,102 posts) Wed Mar 7, 2012, 12:13 PM Mar 2012

Clarence Page: Could this be the end of Limbaugh?

Could this be the end of Limbaugh?
Clarence Page

March 7, 2012

Americans praise civility, but we constantly reward rudeness. That annoying fact of life helps explain why the blessings that Rush Limbaugh brought to the Republican base recently turned into a curse.

The switch happened abruptly as the conservative radio icon came under attack from all sides for calling a female law student a "slut" and a "prostitute," among other insults in three days of on-air rants. Limbaugh finally apologized over the weekend, as several of his sponsors were reported to be withdrawing their advertising.

Now we know which Speech Police even Limbaugh respects. Sponsors rule.

Slower to respond were the Republican Party's leading presidential candidates. Politics makes strange ironies. Four years ago Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wrestled his way out from under the burden of his Chicago pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., and his intemperate remarks. Now President Obama gets to watch his Republican rivals try to evade Limbaugh's rantings.

Obama publicly broke all ties to the unrepentant Rev. Wright and suffered not a bit with his base. The Republican presidential wanna-bes are not that lucky. Their attempts to distance themselves from Limbaugh's vile language without losing his supporters come off like profiles in cowardice.

more...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-oped-0307-page-20120307,0,3228442.column

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Clarence Page: Could this be the end of Limbaugh? (Original Post) babylonsister Mar 2012 OP

Limbaugh likely to survive this longship Mar 2012 #1

The bigger they are, the harder they fall, yortsed snacilbuper Mar 2012 #2

No chance Stuckinthebush Mar 2012 #3

longship

(40,416 posts)

1. Limbaugh likely to survive this

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Mar 7, 2012, 01:31 PM

Mar 2012

I hope that this will alert people that free speech has a cost. That's why we have laws against libel, etc. But here's the main part of this deal. No Repug --- not one --- did the right thing of condemning Rush's reckless rhetoric.

So now the Repugs have allowed their opponents to brand them as anti-women. And the Dems are entirely correct to characterize the Repugs that way.

yortsed snacilbuper

(7,939 posts)

2. The bigger they are, the harder they fall,

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Wed Mar 7, 2012, 04:08 PM

Mar 2012

just saying!

Stuckinthebush

(10,847 posts)

3. No chance

Reply to babylonsister (Original post)

Thu Mar 8, 2012, 10:27 AM

Mar 2012

My right wing, white, male friends are already sending emails and joining the "I stand with Rush" Facebook group. They will still listen to this blowhard and, therefore, advertisers will fill the empty slots. But, what I do hope it does is make the Republican politicians think twice about their obsequience to Rush.

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