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 5 of 13)
61. Dinesh, why do you dilute yourself even further by being the apologist for the cons and that drug pimp, Limbaugh? It's clear what he meant about any soldier that disagreed with this administration as being a phony soldier. Even you could have figured this out. But no, you act very childlike and foolish by spinning what Rush says.
There is no denying that Rush is an entertaining buffoon to the idiots that take what he says as face value. He has lied over and over again. This time is no different. What he is good at is crafting words, and going back to "clarify" his point. Why do you think that he had to clarify himself?
Listen, you in the "New Media" believe that if you say something repeatedly, that it will be believeable? Most Americans have figured out that the Con's are just that, Con's. Scandal after scandal follow your party, and still you are here to fragrant and deordorize the BS.
Let's have a proclaimation to denounce Limbaugh's insensitivity towards the dissenting soldiers. What's good for the goose should be what's good for the gander, eh?
Rod at 1:54AM on Oct 5th 2007
62. Given Rush's follow up, I guess it is not a phony scandal. Rush the coward said and continues to insult the troops.
WHERE IS THE RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS AGAINST RUSH?
COME ON REPUBICANS... YOUR TURN AT BAT... CONDEMN RUSH! SAY WHAT A COWARDLY SLIME HE IS.... oops, sorry, you are too scared of Rush to do that.
cdnbirch at 2:08AM on Oct 4th 2007
63. D'Souza, as with Limbaugh, is on the Rupublican payroll. And, by the way, don't comment on his column directly toward him because he doesn't read these, just as Bush doesn't read the news papers.
Stinky at 5:43AM on Oct 4th 2007
64. The 9/11 lie told to us, the secret prisons and known prisons where the detainees aren't given the right to defend themselves. Bringing terrorists together in order to kill us. Bringing terrorists to another country. Proposing shipping port deals to the country who supplied the men who flew those planes into the WTC towers. The way we have board airlines today. The privacy lost, giving our government the freedom to spy on us for political reasons. The merceneries that we've gone to bed with in Iraq. Adding to the 3700 dead soldiers and thousands of severly wounded soldiers who are given inadequate care in squalor surroundings at Walter Reed hospital. That war for oil, and the sufferings of a country that did NOT attack us. The hatred and respect lost from once friendly countries. The trillions of dollars that it's costs and more that it will take before we can wash our hands of this tragedy. The propaganda that we've digested by a flawed administration. Elections that were stolen right here in these United States. The threat of another war with another middle eastern country, Iran. The increasing gap between the very rich and the middle class. These are all gifts that the Conservatives have given us to date. I know that I've missed hundreds of other examples. Now we ponder whether Rush lied or called dissenting armed soldiers as phonies. How many of us believe that we're going to survive these events escaping crimson stained hands? God is watching our every move. Let's at least question our authority for better answers. Remember when it was fashionable to ask the hard questions? We all wanted a better, freer, more open with our government. We've settled for Big Brother and Father Bush's Administration keeping us at bay, keeping an eye on us, telling us that he's fully clothes, when he's without a stitch. How many of you believe yourselves? How many lies have you had to tell yourself in order to cope with the fate of your children's inheirtance? If you get your news from Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly or any person that have an interest in lying to you, do you deserve your freedoms? I choose life and the truth. As an American, I realize that my generation will be blamed for the mess that we allowed to fester. And unfortunately, the end of this passivity will be the resurrection of the military draft. Our only hope is sense and sensibility.
Rod at 3:29AM on Oct 4th 2007
65. i give no creedence to anything that rush says. limbaugh is a whacked out oxycotin freak.
joe at 4:16AM on Oct 4th 2007
66. #61 Rod
Leave the Kool-Aid alone non of the statements you said are correct, False talking points !
What is a fact is that we got attack because dems live in la-la land they believe that appeasement works and no matter how many times they see it doesn't they continue with the same old bull.
Americans are better off then they were under the record taxes of Clinton I know not,under Bush more minorities own houses and are paying them off (cause I know right away you'll come with your talking points about failed corrupt mortgage companies) more minorities are business owners , with the tax cuts everyone has more money to spend.
Terrorists are killing both Americans and Iraquis not Bush, Dems tried to steal the elections having recount after recount and after all the recounts they still losed,Dems are the one who stole elections in New jersey,Oregon, New Mexico, come on, its bad enough when you lie but when you believe you own lies that's pathetic!
You talk about it being fashionable about asking hard questions you ask no questions you liberals know it all! what you do is Bash the president and like the Man that he is, more man than me he takes it because this is America and supposedly your entitled to defame someone with lies like your doing to Rush now.
Why weren't you dems outrage when clinton had thousands of FBI files? Or when the Gov. of New York Spitzer uses Gov. employees to spy on his so called political enemies ? These are the facts that you should really be outraged about, but because their dems you give them a pass. These are things that really deny us of our liberties not wire tapping of terrorists and before you come out with another talking point the ACLU sued over the wiretaps and lost in the Supre Court cause they couldn't find an American who was spied on ENOUGH, hope this has enlighten you!
PEACE!
We're supposed to be Americans, how said when our own people are helping the enemy!!
Manny at 4:42AM on Oct 4th 2007
67. #61 Rod
Why do you dems want us to loose the war? You don't want us to kill,interrogate, or detain them! Why don't we just let them hang out at your house!!!!!
Manny at 4:51AM on Oct 4th 2007
68. Hmmmm...sounds like a vast, left wing conspiracy to me...
Bartos at 5:08AM on Oct 4th 2007
69. Rush Limbaugh could have been under the influnce of drugs when he was talking on the air. This man is phoney as a three dollar bill and need no defense. By the way, he is a good friend of our Supreme Court Justice Clearence Thomas who is black. The same people he calls non humans on his radio program.
Sterling at 8:13AM on Oct 4th 2007
70. "Flatly Untrue" is also called a lie
Media Matters" knowingly lied on Rush story and took pieces of what Rush said and put them together out of order. Media Matters lied the same way with ORielly
Did you know owner of Media Matter had called Anita Hill a liar and a slut
robert okane at 8:12AM on Oct 4th 2007
71. JOE see you are into the drug scene.Very few people could remember what pain killing drug Rush was using unless they to a very versed in what drugs to use.
robert okane at 8:21AM on Oct 4th 2007
72.
I find it very interesting all this "smear" talk. We, as a free society, have the right to say whatever we want. Maybe this is how Rome fell. Rather than tackling the real problems at hand, they'd rather pass resolutions of condemnation of specific statements. Stupid people say stupid things all the time. Rush says stupid things. Stewart says stupid things. I say stupid things.
Get past it and get on with whats really important. If we allow ourselves to become so polarized we can't function, that's when everything falls apart.
Rome didn't collapse with a bang, but a whimper - And I see alot of whimpering going on.....
Ken at 8:30AM on Oct 4th 2007
73. DID THEY PAY FOR THIS ANTI-AMERICAN DRIVEL
GO BACK TO INDIA
maxwellstone49@yahoo.com at 8:53AM on Oct 4th 2007
74. rush limburger or whatever he calls himself is a creepy drug addict and has nothing to say...shut up rush...stay home and shut up you loser
plzgonow at 10:03AM on Oct 4th 2007
75. Lizard,I like what you said about the rich taking care of the poor...you know in the time of Christ, it was the rich people who were to take care of the poor, the "religious" folk didn't want to do that...Jesus Christ fought against their system...the rich are intended to take care of the poor...it will be difficult for a rich man to enter into heaven"...I am quoting words of Christ
Bridget at 9:30AM on Oct 4th 2007