In the video above we addressed a lot of the substance of Rush's comments. You can argue that there was no need to because the comments are so stupid and offensive that there is no sense in responding to them. But what does need to be addressed and what we emphasized on the live show (but what you didn't see in the clip above as much) was the Nelson Mandela comments.
Who criticizes Nelson Mandela? Who still calls him a communist? But much more importantly, who argues that we should not have helped to replace the white government of South Africa? Only a racist like Limbaugh. The transcript is right here:
LIMBAUGH: Yeah. This is -- you're not going to believe this, but it's very simple. And the sooner you believe it, and the sooner you let this truth permeate the boundaries you have that tell you this is just simply not possible, the better you will understand Democrats in everything. You are right. They want to get us out of Iraq, but they can't wait to get us into Darfur.
CALLER: Right.
LIMBAUGH: There are two reasons. What color is the skin of the people in Darfur?
CALLER: Uh, yeah.
LIMBAUGH: It's black. And who do the Democrats really need to keep voting for them? If they lose a significant percentage of this voting bloc, they're in trouble.
CALLER: Yes. Yes. The black population.
LIMBAUGH: Right. So you go into Darfur and you go into South Africa, you get rid of the white government there. You put sanctions on them. You stand behind Nelson Mandela -- who was bankrolled by communists for a time, had the support of certain communist leaders. You go to Ethiopia. You do the same thing.
When I was a Republican, I thought Nelson Mandela was a living legend. He helped transform South Africa into a functioning democracy where everyone was equal without any bloodshed. Look at what has happened in the Palestinian territories and all over the world when you have ineffective leaders who choose violence instead of the path that Mandela took to get to justice. But now I see that I was in the wrong room, with the wrong people. The rest of the people in my party apparently paid lip-service to what I was saying and actually believed what Rush was saying. Did anyone of them ever care about Mandela or the injustice in South Africa at all?
How can anyone say they are a proud Republican anymore? I guess if you disavow all of the people like Limbaugh (and the torturers, and the ones who support wars of aggression and the people who violate the constitution, etc.), then you might be able to begin to rebuild the Republican Party. But what you can't do is claim you support Rush Limbaugh and still pretend not to be a racist.
Remember, Rush earlier in his career also told an African-American caller to "take that bone out of your nose." Let alone his nonsensical comments about how people in the media rooted for Donovan McNabb because he's black and rooted against Rex Grossman because he is white.
None of that matters now, because now Rush's racism is irrefutable. He argued against replacing the white government of South Africa. I guess if he still had it his way, the black citizens of that country -- and maybe our country as well -- would still be under the thumb of white people. I guess just like Rush dreams about.
Watch More Young Turks Here
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 16)
1. Racist, yes. Unbelieveable? Not at all -- Rush built his entire career on his popularity among underachieving white men, peddling racism in varying degrees of undress. This is a tad less uncoded than usual, but quite in keeping with Rush's history of Klan-lite rhetoric.
Richter at 3:14PM on Aug 25th 2007
2. what a crackhead that (oxycotin)rush is ...he continues to show the world the heart/stupidity of the republican core..good job rush/lush..
suoires at 3:32PM on Aug 25th 2007
3. i guess if you criticize a black person,nelson mandella or mcnabb (which he never did...his target was the media)the liberal nazis come after you with the more than common "racist" slur.you guys have overused/misused the phrase so often, that it really doesn't have the "bite" anymore.factually, rush is right. politically, rush is right. and yeah, i'm a proud conservative who tends to vote republican only because the democratic party purged itself of conservatives during the last 20 years. So, cenk, what happened to you..a former republican, you say. the way it usually goes is when you grow up and live in the real world, you become more conservative...maybe you have been affected by the doobie or coke you've indulged in the last few years(if you are going to take shots at someone...even cheap shots...make sure you don't live in a glass house" idiot.
steve at 3:44PM on Aug 25th 2007
4. Understandably we can disagree with his intent or perspectives on history but what did he say that is provably false.
John Roberts at 4:02PM on Aug 25th 2007
5. How is Rushs' comments unbelievably racist? What he says is true and nelson mandela was considered a terrorist and he was backed by communist. I think that you are just jealous because Rush has had great success in showing people the truth about liberals and you will try to bring him down by taking everything he says or does and making a big deal out it when it really isn't. Oh and at least Rush doesn't have to pay radio stations to put him on the air unlike Air America lol
nate13579 at 4:07PM on Aug 25th 2007
6. So, Limbaugh calls out a few highly credible theories on how the liberal left would have us employ armed force, and why, and this makes him a racist. I get it.
steve II at 4:07PM on Aug 25th 2007
7. even on drugs Rush Limbaugh is right
Greg at 5:32PM on Aug 25th 2007
8. YEAH< THAT'S RUSH. HE'S ON THE BEANS AGAIN. THEY DO TREMENDOUS BRAIN DAMAGE QUICKLY. IT'S EASY TO TELL BECAUSE HE'S NOT INTERUPTING HIS QUESTIONER. THAT BLOWS YOUR HIGH REAL FAST!
David at 5:09PM on Aug 25th 2007
9. I've never cared for Rush Limbaugh personally. As far as I'm concerned, he's just an entertainer. Very much like your show, but at least he is in the slightest bit, knowledgable of world affairs and their politics.
Why is it that whenever we talk about the requirements for, "going to war" we cite, "international law"? The last time I checked, I was an American. An American who's government's framework is determined by a certain document, known as the U.S. Constitution. No where in our Constitution does it state, that we can do (this) if international law says it's okay or we can do (that) as long as all of our neighbors thinks it's all right to do. I'm a proud American, who has served his country and I will never answer to some international commitee that operates outside of our great country's Constitutional framework. If you feel otherwise, there's plenty of other governments that would love to take your paycheck (Socialist) or strip you of all your freedoms and rights (Communist) or let you know how high to jump and when your last meal will be (Dictatorship), etc., etc.
As far as your board-op's comments, a large majority of New Orleans doesn't care to better their city, post Katrina. No one can help someone who won't first, help themselves. This was blatenly obvious to me, when Mayor Nagin was re-elected for another term. No one cared if he could do the job or not, just that he publically stood up against a white satanical governement. A government that is more diverse then any other cabinet in our Country's history. It's interesting when you step back and look at New Orleans and notice which areas are left in shambles and which ones have been revitalized. Believe it or not, there is a pattern. There's the people who care and the people that demand entitlement.
Ron Miller at 5:33PM on Aug 25th 2007
10. Cenk, riling up the right-wingers again, eh?
Webster Hubble Telescope at 5:49PM on Aug 25th 2007
11. O.K. Dittoheads,you won't admit it here,
but I have a hunch you're all racist
white guys.
BOB JOHNSON at 6:03PM on Aug 25th 2007
12. Ron Miller,I have no dought you love America.
You say you'll never answer to any "International
committee" that operates outside of our Constitution.
The Bush Administration is an international
committee that get's it's marching orders
from multi-national corporations, Saudi
Arabia,China, and Israel.
They also operate outside of our Constitution.
BOB JOHNSON at 6:52PM on Aug 25th 2007
13. I guess all the real racists are coming out of your little closet because you think its safe to now voice your prejudiced opinions(especially (steve).
Please tell me what credible information that Rush came up with. Why did Bush send the war to Iraq when this was obviously an attack by Osoma Bin Laden and the Taliban? If you guessed oil, you're right. There was no real reason other than money to go into this dead end war on terror.
Furthermore one of you Rush riders please tell me why it took Bush so long to go into New Orleans please say something about that. What really bites me about racists is that they try so hard to put other groups beneath them , what more can you do that the government is not already doing. How much more blunt can you get when in the very place that you live in the majority is given every advantage, but yet they are still jealous and want to make it tougher for the minority. Check yourselves and please get some facts straight before you think its safe to speak your hatred again.
tre 1 at 7:02PM on Aug 25th 2007
14. all i see and read on this is how racist hie comments were but can you justify the dems wanting to take us into darfur for anything other than political gain which is what i believe limbaugh is realy talking about not anything to do with racism
RODOLFO FLORES, Sr. at 7:39PM on Aug 25th 2007
15. WHY DOES ANYONE LISTEN TO THIS FOOL, AND ESPECIALLY LET HIS OPINIONS ROCK YOUR WORLD? HE IS KOO-KOO. HE IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE THOSE DRUGS THAT HE IS FAMOUS FOR BEING HOOKED ON.
HIS OPINION IS JUST THAT, HIS OPINION, NOTHING MORE. HIS WORDS CAN NOT REALLY HURT YOU UNLESS YOU LET HIM HAVE THAT KIND OF POWER OVER YOU. HE'S A JOKE!
OPINIONS ARE LIKE BUTT HOLES. EVERYBODY'S GOT ONE, BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO KEEP THEIRS TO THEMSELVES.
LINDAGALE at 7:43PM on Aug 25th 2007