Ever since Moveon.org made its clumsy and irresponsible attack on General David Petraeus, describing him in ads as "General Betray Us," the cultural left has been looking to paint the right as equally irresponsible. Media Matters, which monitors right-wing talk radio, believes it has found the evidence right out of the horse's mouth. The horse, in this case, is Rush Limbaugh. Apparently some in Congress are even considering a resolution to condemn Limbaugh.
I've carefully reviewed the transcript of Limbaugh's September 26 program, as provided by Media Matters. I invite you to read it for yourself. What it shows is that Limbaugh is indeed guilty of simplistic argument and dismissive bravado. But he's not guilty of smearing troops who happen to oppose the Iraq war as unpatriotic. This is the heart of the Media Matters accusation, and it implodes upon scrutiny.
I'd like to say, in the manner of sports broadcasters, "Let's go to the videotape." Here let's examine the transcript. First a caller named "Mike in Chicago" says, "Well, I'm a Republican, and I've listened to you for a long time, and you're right on a lot of things, but I do believe that we should pull out of Iraq. I don't think it's winnable. And I'm not a Democrat, but I just--well, sometimes you've got to cut the losses." To which Rush should have said, "But you're not in Iraq, Mike, so how do you know it's not winnable? Can you possibly make that decision from your front porch in Chicago?" Instead Rush said, "Mike, you can't possibly be a Republican," and then followed that up with, "Cause you sound just like a Democrat." The caller persists, "I used to be military, okay? And I'm a Republican." Still, Rush refuses to believe the guy. Here Rush's skepticism is entirely pigheaded. Clearly there are Republicans who don't agree with Bush's Iraq policy, just s there are Democrats who do.
The next caller, another Mike but this time from Olympia, Washington, informs Rush that as a 14 year active duty army officer he supports Bush. Then he says of the left, "What's really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers out that come up out of the blue and talk to the media." Rush responds, "The phony soldiers." The caller adds, "If you talk to a real soldier, they are proud to serve." Now clearly the caller thinks that all real soldiers support the war, and this is clearly untrue. Surveys show high degrees of military support for Bush, especially among those who have served in Iraq, but even if 75 percent of the troops supports Bush, that still means 25 percent do not.
Who was Rush referring to when he made the reference to "phony soldiers"? Did he mean all soldiers who oppose the Iraq war? The context leaves this ambiguous. But later in the show Rush clarified. He gave an example of a phony soldier who reported atrocities in Iraq until it emerged that the fellow was never in Iraq. There have been several other cases of phony information attributed to military sources. The New Republic printed horror stories from Iraq penned by a pseudonymous writer identified as "Scott Thomas." Turns out his full name is "Scott Thomas Beauchamp" and that much of what he said is either exaggerated or fabricated. When Beauchamp's fellow soldiers protested that the events he described simply could not have happened, the New Republic launched its own investigation, still ongoing.
Media Matters writes that "Limbaugh boldly stated that any troops who call for a withdrawal of troops in Iraq are 'phony soldiers.'" Actually, this is flatly untrue. Rush did not say this, boldly or otherwise. It is Media Matters that is stretching the facts with the obvious goal of smearing Limbaugh and covering up for Moveon.org. I'm not sure why Congressmen get involved in this kind of thing, but if Congress passes a resolution condemning anyone, it should be Media Matters and not Rush Limbaugh.
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 13)
46. GO BACK TO INDIA PLEASE AND TAKE RUSH DRUGGIE LIMBAUGH WITH YOU
SAVE A SOLDIER SEND A REPUBLICAN VOTER INSTEAD
JOEL at 8:14PM on Oct 3rd 2007
47. Okay, I tried to be nice about Rush, apparently ignoring what he said brings out the neocons mean spiritedness in full.
He is an addict, an idiot and has nothing whatsoever to contribute to society. Now the neocons, one in particular, will start naming every Democrat, or as we are called Leftie, Liberal Pinkos, to the front and every, what he deems the true origin of the words that were said, up front and reallll personal, yeah?
It never ends, read the newspaper and find out just what really is happening today. K? K.
rhodalee at 8:26PM on Oct 3rd 2007
48. Does anybody feel comfortable that Congress (our Govenment) is considering passing a resolution against an American who is exercising his First Amendment Rights? I don't care much for Rush or Savage but I don't want my Goverment threatening their First Amendment Rights.
Now I will exercise my right of free speech.
"Harry Reid" if you don't like our First Amendment Rights please move to Cuba.
Commoncents at 8:29PM on Oct 3rd 2007
49. As soon as I read Mr. Dinesh's synthetic comment, "Clearly there are Republicans who don't agree with Bush's Iraq policy, just s there are Democrats who do." I became sceptical of his impartiality. He (Dinesh) goes overboard citing the 'wrong example' of Limbaugh's phony soldier comments.
It was in reference to a man who falsely claimed to be a veteran, whom Limbaugh cited as 'phoney soldiers' .... a typically egregious example of hyperbole by the Rush!
Chasman007 at 8:51PM on Oct 3rd 2007
50. The real phony outrage is that of the right wingers who pretend that they care about our troops. If they did care they would be indignant over the fact that our brave men and women in uniform are embroiled in a phony war concocted by neoconservatives associated with the Bush Administration.
I'm no major fan of Moveon.com, but the question that they posed to General Petraeus in the New York Times Ad (General Petraeus or General Betray us?) was crude but legitimate. Remember, when General Shinkesi testified before congress that it would take at least three times as many troops to subdue Iraq, he was not only ignored but was forced to resign for his candor. His forced resignation no doubt conveyed a message to the top brass that it is dangerous to be too candid.
Was General Petraues giving congress his best strategic and military assesment or was he simply mimicking the political line of the President in the interest of his career? We may not like the question but it is a legitimate one.
randy at 9:07PM on Oct 3rd 2007
51. Rush tried to make it as a mainstream broadcaster and was fired in ten minutes because he said something really dumb and insensitive. He does that a lot, because he actually is dumb and insensitive. This is not news; nor is it interesting.
I'm a critic of the Iraq war, and a vet. Believe me, any neocon who called me a phony would keep their head on their shoulders for about ten seconds before I knocked it off. I'd be happy to meet them in whatever rest room they might be lurking in for the opportunity.
Anyway, it's pretty easy to dismiss the neocons as a pack of pansies, draft-dodgers, shills, and closet gays, because that's just what they are. Are there exceptions? Probably, but I can't think of any.
best,
mw
michael white at 9:27PM on Oct 3rd 2007
52. #12 Roberto. I can help you with your question of why Indians, and other minorities, immigrate to this country and become Republicans.
First, these are people who know TRUE hardships, unlike the indigenous "minorities" in this country.
Our definition of "poor," means that your plasma screen TV is less than 42". They come from situations where your survival skills are the only thing that will save your life, unlike our "poor" liberals who have their hands outstretched and want to blame the government for all of their shortcomings. It's either improvise or die, in most foreign countries. By world standards, the "poor" people in our country live like kings. If the world were to impose the Democrat philosophy
of "tax the rich, to give to the poor," our poor people would be sending a great deal of money overseas. As such, individuals who immigrate to this country have a deep appreciation for the freedoms and chance for prosperity through self- determination,--a trait that our liberal's cannot comprehend, while being too preoccupied with playing the "disadvantaged, downtrodden" game.
My wife is one of those "foreigner-minority" Republicans that baffles you; a Filipina. When I first met her, I was making dinner and trying to cut steak with a dull knife. While digging through a drawer for a sharpener, she flipped over a ceramic coffee mug and sharpened the knife to a "razor" edge on the unglazed ceramic. She then told me that they couldn't afford a knife sharpener in the Philippines! Incidentally, almost all Filipinos are pro Bush, as he's willing to fight for people who are incapable of protecting themselves, as we did in WWII.
Hope this civics lesson helped.
Lizard at 10:19PM on Oct 3rd 2007
53. Rush Limbaugh is the Josef Gobbels of the Republican Party. He spews lies and half truths to entertain the ignorant and the gullible. Which are you?
Rick at 10:20PM on Oct 3rd 2007
54. To #3 who insists that the insurgents in Iraq are the same as the patriots who won the Revolutionary War. Your moral relativity is painfully obvious. You're forgetting the small distinction between the Iraq insurgency and the American Revolution, namely that our guys didn't blow up freaking civilians. Can I get a DUH!!!???!!! Now shut your idiot mouth and sit the frick down!
Jay at 10:23PM on Oct 3rd 2007
55. #49 MW says: "...it's pretty easy to dismiss the neocons as a pack of pansies, draft-dodgers, shills, and closet gays, because that's just what they are."
An interesting paradox that you present, considering the fact that today's volunteer military is overwhelmingly Republican.
When I look for you in the restroom, in order for you to "knock" my head off, can I identify you as the one who's doing the Vaudeville toe-tapping act?
Lizard at 10:36PM on Oct 3rd 2007
56. Smearing anybody who disagrees with them as traitors has been the standard operating procedure of the draft-dodging Republican chickenhawks in the Bush administration >>
Please give us a single example. Saying it with the certainty of a lunatic ... doesn't make it so.
Thomas J Gassett at 11:09PM on Oct 3rd 2007
57. "Clearly there are Republicans who don't agree with Bush's Iraq policy, just s there are Democrats who do."
Spell check, Dinesh, spell check!!!
Jack at 11:22PM on Oct 3rd 2007
58. I WISH ALL THE "YANKEE GO HOMERS" REVISIT THE PHOTOS OF 9-11 TO GET A GRIP ON REALITY... PHD
Steve Phillips at 11:38PM on Oct 3rd 2007
59. #38 "Rhodalee" Ok imposter, that's not funny; trying to pretend that you're Rhodalee, and saying things that are sane, sensible, and favorable towards criticizing the oppression of the people of Myanmar, by a tyrranical dictatorship, and their subsequent uprising for Democracy. #38 is obviously a Republican who's trying to ridicule Rhodalee with this display of sarcasm. Where is Rhodalee, and what did you do with her !?!
Lizard at 11:54PM on Oct 3rd 2007
60. Sorry Kadesh, or whatever your name is. I just read the transcript, and Rush called soldiers opposed to the war phony. His caller agreed with him. Neither one of them are real Americans; just noisy blow hards. Funny, though, I've lived in the Middle East, and I agree that we can't leave now. But the incompetent morons that are running the show, need to be shown the door. To this day, they haven't a clue about Islam and dealing with Muslims. And neither do you. Go live and work on a daily basis with the Arabs, and you'll learn quickly what idiots we have calling the shots. Eid Al Fatir.
Grey Mist at 12:02AM on Oct 4th 2007