With half his brain tied behind his back [Ann Coulter]

WND.com ^ | Oct 15, 2003 | Ann Coulter

[perfect stranger]

So liberals have finally found a drug addict they don't like. And unlike the Lackawanna Six – those high-spirited young lads innocently seeking adventure in an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan – liberals could find no excuses for Rush Limbaugh.

After years of the mainstream media assuring us that Rush was a has-been, a nobody, yesterday's news – the Rush painkiller story was front-page news last week. (Would anyone care if Howell Raines committed murder?) The airwaves and print media were on red alert with Rush's admission that, after an unsuccessful spinal operation a few years ago, he became addicted to powerful prescription painkillers.

Rush Limbaugh's misfortune is apparently a bigger story than his nearly $300 million radio contract signed two years ago. That was the biggest radio contract in broadcasting history. Yet there are only 12 documents on LexisNexis that reported it. The New York Times didn't take notice of Rush's $300 million radio contract, but a few weeks later, put Bill Clinton's comparatively measly $10 million book contract on its front page. Meanwhile, in the past week alone, LexisNexis has accumulated more than 50 documents with the words "Rush Limbaugh and hypocrisy." That should make up for the 12 documents on his $300 million radio contract.

The reason any conservative's failing is always major news is that it allows liberals to engage in their very favorite taunt: Hypocrisy! Hypocrisy is the only sin that really inflames them. Inasmuch as liberals have no morals, they can sit back and criticize other people for failing to meet the standards that liberals simply renounce. It's an intriguing strategy. By openly admitting to being philanderers, draft dodgers, liars, weasels and cowards, liberals avoid ever being hypocrites.

At least Rush wasn't walking into church carrying a 10-pound Bible before rushing back to the Oval Office for sodomy with Monica Lewinsky. He wasn't enforcing absurd sexual harassment guidelines while dropping his pants in front of a half-dozen subordinates. (Evidently, Clinton wasn't a hypocrite because no one was supposed to take seriously the notion that he respected women or believed in God.)

Rush has hardly been the anti-drug crusader liberals suggest. Indeed, Rush hasn't had much to say about drugs at all since that spinal operation. The Rush Limbaugh quote that has been endlessly recited in the last week to prove Rush's rank "hypocrisy" is this, made eight years ago: "Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. ... And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up."

What precisely are liberals proposing that Rush should have said to avoid their indignant squeals of "hypocrisy"? Announce his support for the wide and legal availability of a prescription painkiller that may have caused him to go deaf and nearly ruined his career and wrecked his life? I believe that would have been both evil and hypocritical.

Or is it simply that Rush should not have become addicted to painkillers in the first place? Well, no, I suppose not. You've caught us: Rush has a flaw. And yet, the wily hypocrite does not support flaws!

When a conservative can be the biggest thing in talk radio, earning $30 million a year and attracting 20 million devoted listeners every week – all while addicted to drugs – I'll admit liberals have reason to believe that conservatives are some sort of super-race, incorruptible by original sin. But the only perfect man hasn't walked the Earth for 2,000 years. In liberals' worldview, any conservative who is not Jesus Christ is ipso facto a "hypocrite" for not publicly embracing dissolute behavior the way liberals do.

In fact, Rush's behavior was not all that dissolute. There is a fundamental difference between taking any drug – legal, illegal, prescription, protected by the 21st Amendment or banned by Michael Bloomberg – for kicks and taking a painkiller for pain.

There is a difference morally and a difference legally. While slamming Rush, Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz recently told Wolf Blitzer, "Generally, people who illegally buy prescription drugs are not prosecuted, whereas people who illegally buy cocaine and heroin are prosecuted." What would the point be? Just say no to back surgery?

I haven't checked with any Harvard Law professors, but I'm pretty sure that, generally, adulterous drunks who drive off bridges and kill girls are prosecuted. Ah, but Teddy Kennedy supports adultery and public drunkenness – so at least you can't call him a hypocrite! That must provide great consolation to Mary Jo Kopechne's parents.

I have a rule about not feeling sorry for people worth $300 million, but I'm feeling sentimental. Evan Thomas wrote a cover story on Rush for Newsweek this week that was so vicious it read like conservative satire. Thomas called Rush a "schlub," "socially ill at ease," an Elmer Gantry, an actor whose "act has won over, or fooled, a lot of people." He compared Rush to the phony TV evangelist Jim Bakker and recommended that Rush start to "make a virtue out of honesty." (Liberals can lie under oath in legal proceedings and it's a "personal matter." Conservatives must scream their every failing from the rooftops or they are "liars.")

As is standard procedure for profiles of conservatives, Newsweek gathered quotes on Rush from liberals, ex-wives and dumped dates. Covering himself, Thomas ruefully remarked that "it's hard to find many people who really know him." Well, there was me, Evan! But I guess Newsweek didn't have room for the quotes I promptly sent back to the Newsweek researchers. I could have even corrected Newsweek's absurd account of how Rush met his current wife. (It's kind of cute, too: She was a fan who began arguing with him about something he said on air.)

Thomas also made the astute observation that "Rush Limbaugh has always had far more followers than friends." Needless to say, this floored those of us who were shocked to discover that Rush does not have 20 million friends.

So the guy I really feel sorry for is Evan Thomas. How would little Evan fare in any competitive media? Any followers? Any fans? Any readers at all? And he's not even addicted to painkillers! This week, Rush proved his motto: He really can beat liberals with half his brain tied behind his back.

[perfect stranger]

[Support Free Republic]

Hi mom and dad!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[zeromus]

Needless to say, this floored those of us who were shocked to discover that Rush does not have 20 million friends.

He was painting a picture of rush where he was so alone and isolated after the show that he certainly didnt have the benefit of those 20 million "friends", if you call them that. He wasnt taking any of those friends to a bar to bond with them or whatever.

[Born Conservative]

[Numbers Guy]

Newsweek gathered quotes on Rush from liberals, ex-wives and dumped dates

The "dumped dates" comment is a reference to the time he had lunch with Maureen Dowd 10 years ago. It wasn't a date, just an interview type thing. Dowd's comments about that decade-old event in the Newsweek cover story hit piece on Rush sounded like things a "dumped date" would say.

It's a subtle shot at Dowd, but one that's richly deserved. Of course I guess just about every shot at Dowd is deserved.

[okie01]

Ann surpassed herself with this piece.

And that's a tough thing to do...

[arjay]

Excellent post.

[Lazamataz]

Nice job, Ann.

[Valpal1]

Bless you, Ann.

[goodnesswins]

Ann Nails "them" again.....I just love her writing! And wit! And, I miss Rush!!!! Get Well SOON!!!

[jsbankston]

Unfortunately, Rush's body does not know he is addicted to prescription drugs but only that is addicted to a substance.

The road to recovery for Rush will be as difficult as someone who is addicted to heroin or cocaine, perhaps even worse given his back pain. During his treatment, doctors and councilors will tell Rush that he must fight his addiction without the excuse that he is only addicted to a prescription drug.

When Rush enters group therapy if he states that his addiction is not as bad as a street junkies, the doctor and the other patients will tell him that they are all the same. I used to work in a drug treatment center and all the stories are sad. Some find recovery, some maintain a sobriety and the rest fight the battle for the rest of their lives.

For Rush this will be the biggest battle of his life.

[NEWwoman]

Thanks for the "Ann" fix.

[ladyinred]

Ann Coulter. Nobody does it better!

While the media didn't notice his salary, they ALL noticed that his home (estate) cost $24-30 million dollars. That was mentioned in every story or report!

[Rocko]

Nice job, Ann.

[k2blader]

Inasmuch as liberals have no morals, they can sit back and criticize other people for failing to meet the standards that liberals simply renounce.

Indeed.

Good post.

[Arpege92]

"In liberals' worldview, any consevative who is not Jesus Christ is ipso facto 'hypocrite' for not publicly embracing dissolve behavior the way liberals do."

First off, how many liberals actually believe in Jesus Christ? He's not a figure you place on the top of a Christmas tree that lights up once plugged in. Liberals mock those like myself who believe in Jesus Christ and basically believe that Christians are stupid and racist.

The only hypocrites I see are the liberal idiots!

[HankReardon]

Since the media has a lot of hope invested in Rush Limbaugh's demise they tend to over rate his pain killer addiction problem since he is a white, conservative, very successful talk show host.

[jigsaw]

Ann hits a home run with this piece but as with all such writing, the Evan Thomases
of the world are like eight year olds ... no matter how much a mature adult tries
to help them grow up, their little brains just aren't capable of it.

[syriacus]

I agree. I couldn't decide which sentence was my favorite, because so many of them hit the nail on the head.

[shrinkermd]

She really has a way with words.

[cksharks]

And you know this how?????

[uncbob]

For Rush this will be the biggest battle of his life.

Indeed
It is not a given that he comes back better than ever
Well if a Scuz like Imus can stay clean I would think Rush can

[Pahuanui]

Evan Thomas wrote a cover story on Rush for Newsweek this week that was so vicious it read like conservative satire. Thomas called Rush a "schlub," "socially ill at ease," an Elmer Gantry, an actor whose "act has won over, or fooled, a lot of people." He compared Rush to the phony TV evangelist Jim Bakker and recommended that Rush start to "make a virtue out of honesty."

That's vicious?

Coulter never could write particularly well, and now it's clear she can't read with any facility, either.

[IncPen]

Ann, on fire. Great read.

[1rudeboy]

Coulter never could write particularly well, and now it's clear she can't read with any facility, either.

Bad enough to make Law Review at Michigan. How about yourself?

[Pahuanui]

Bad enough to make Law Review at Michigan. How about yourself?

Smart enough not to consider going to law school, thanks.

If she thinks the comments she was referring to were 'vicious', she evidently has difficulty understanding what the word means.

Glad I could clear that up for you.

[jsbankston]

It worries me that the pundits maintain that Rush's addiction is not all that bad because he is addicted to prescription drugs given originally given to him to treat pain. That is all fine and good and even understandable but is of no consequence whatsoever while he is fighting against his addiction and for his life.

[Roarkdude]

Ann Rocks! Larry Elder is currently taking up for Rush on air now.

[1rudeboy]

Maybe you should consider law school. One of the first things you learn is that words mean things. In other words [chuckle], you'd learn to look-up the word "viscious" before placing your foot in your mouth.

[1rudeboy]

sorry . . . vicious

[uncbob]

It worries me that the pundits maintain that Rush's addiction is not all that bad because he is addicted to prescription drugs given originally given to him to treat pain.

True and it also depends on whether he still really has pain problems or if he just liked the effects

If he still has pain in addition to liking the effects then he really has a problem because he has to fight the addiction and will still have pain
A Double Whammy

Might sound goofy but he will be better off if he was just hooked on the high

[WFTR]

The liberals are just upset because he was smarter than they were even when he was on painkillers and they were sober.

WFTR
Bill

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

Ahhh, yeah. I tend to consider calling someone publically a schlub vicious. But even more insulting is the inflated sense of his own opinion that Thomas has. Those who agree with Rush have been "won over or fooled"? Gosh thanks, I guess all 20 million of us are too stupid to believe the liberal viewpoint or think for ourselves.

Ann read it as it was intended and I'm sure Thomas would agree with her interpretation.

[RonDog]

"The reason any conservative's failing is always major news is that it allows liberals to engage in their very favorite taunt: Hypocrisy!

Hypocrisy is the only sin that really inflames them.
Inasmuch as liberals have no morals, they can sit back and criticize other people for failing to meet the standards that liberals simply renounce.
It's an intriguing strategy.

By openly admitting to being philanderers, draft dodgers, liars, weasels and cowards, liberals avoid ever being hypocrites..." - Ann Coulter

ping!

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

Viscious I can define, it is "is" that I have trouble with.........

[DannyTN]

"By openly admitting to being philanderers, draft dodgers, liars, weasels and cowards, liberals avoid ever being hypocrites. " ROFL - perfect Ann

[RonDog]

......

......

[1rudeboy]

Actually, when I looked-up the word "vicious," I was surprised to read how many definitions it has, and how many applied. Then I went-on to misspell it . . . that's what I get for typing in the dark.

[Spirited]

"For Rush this will be the biggest battle of his life."

People keep repeating this. I figure that no matter whether one is a "dittohead" or not we on FR largely know how to pray and do not, like the liberals, "judge another man's servant".

So we pray and hope that he does, too. This is his opportunity to prove all the liberals and nay-sayers wrong. May the Lord enable him to do so in the same way He enables Bush to show up the choke-up liberals.

I figure this can give Rush a bigger ear in the public long term.

[annyokie]

Indeed. Many persons who are addicted to prescription medication are rock solid about how their doctors prescribed them and thus, they are not junkies. (My own dear mother thinks it is "okay" to take a million Vioxx a month because her doctor prescribed them.)

Good luck to Rush. This is a thing that is going to dog him for the rest of his life.

[RonDog]

See also, from www.rushlimbaugh.com:

More Great Columns, Statesmanship Award for Rush!

• Bernard Goldberg:Today's 'Liberals': Close-Minded, Nasty and Fringe
• Walter Williams: Racial Censorship and the Witch-Hunt Against Rush Limbaugh
• Brent Bozell: Pulling for Rush
• Limbaugh to Receive Award -bottom article
• Rush Limbaugh to Keynote Churchill Dinner Next Month

E-mails of Support Pour In to the EIB Network - Updated Again!
Sample some of the many thousands of notes expressive love and support...details>

Great Columns on the Great One:
• John Podhoretz: A Sick Glee | • Howard Kurtz: Radio Silence
• Neil Cavuto: Rush's Bum Rap | • Sierra Times: Truth Detector Tells the Truth
• Lucianne Goldberg: Rush To Judgment | • Drudge Defends Rush on MSNBC
• The Associated Press: Hometown Vows to Support "Rusty"

[Right_in_Virginia]

Bless you, Ann.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Bless you, Ann.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Bless you, Ann.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Sorry for the triple post. (I think)

[lainde]

bttt

[July 4th]

Another gem from the mind of Ann.

[Sir Gawain]

There is a fundamental difference between taking any drug – legal, illegal, prescription, protected by the 21st Amendment or banned by Michael Bloomberg – for kicks and taking a painkiller for pain.

Not to your body or brain there's not. It's all the same. Otherwise, good article.

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

And I, showing my deep respect for you, went on to misspell it the same way....