Rush Limbaugh Denies He Is Acting 'Clintonesque'

CNSNews.com ^ | 10/07/03 | Marc Morano

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - Embattled conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh Monday denied he was acting in a "Clintonesque" manner by not immediately responding to allegations that he had abused prescription pain killers and was allegedly included in a law enforcement investigation in Florida.

Limbaugh has been at the center of a media firestorm since last week, first over comments he made on ESPN regarding Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNab and black quarterbacks in general, and then over allegations of drug abuse first reported by the National Enquirer.

On Monday, Limbaugh, referring to "the story about me and drug use," acknowledged that he was also being criticized for "Clintonesque" behavior of refusing to fully address the drug allegations.

"People are saying that I am being Clintonesque, that I am waiting until I know everything I have to deal with so that I can figure out what I have to lie about," Limbaugh explained.

"That is not what is going on here at all. I am waiting to find out just exactly what I am facing legally, and until I know that, I am not going to say anything," Limbaugh said.

However, the conservative icon promised that he would eventually give a full account.

"When such time comes, fear not. What there is to be known will be known, and I will tell, but until it is permissible and makes sense for me to tell you that, I can't and I won't," Limbaugh said.

'Perp walk'

Limbaugh's ideological opponents, however, have wasted no time in lashing out at the outspoken conservative.

Satirist and author Al Franken, who is currently promoting his conservative-bashing book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, initially said he hoped the drug allegations against Limbaugh were untrue.

But Franken, who also authored the book Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, admitted that "if [the drug allegations are true], I'm looking forward to the perp walk," according to the New York Daily News.

Franken said he would look forward to the television coverage if Limbaugh were to be arrested.

"I'll be switching channels to get it from every angle," Franken said. "My favorite part is when they push their heads to get them down into the [police] car," Franken told the Daily News.

The liberal website democraticunderground.com called Limbaugh a "vulgar pigboy" who may turn out to be a "terrorist-supporting, hillbilly-heroin addict."

"Yup, if the rumors are true, Rush Limbaugh is a big fat junkie," read the Democratic Underground's commentary, which accompanied a list of the "Top 10 Conservative Idiots" of the week, which included Limbaugh's name.

Syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams, an African American, defended Limbaugh against the attacks and said he believes the allegations of prescription drug abuse will not amount to anything.

"People will understand the drug allegations because of his ear (hearing loss) and the pain that he has been in," Williams said, referring to Limbaugh's medical history. Limbaugh underwent cochlear implant surgery in December 2001 to repair the deafness that had resulted from an inner ear disease.

See Related Story:
Rush Limbaugh 'Disappointed' by Former ESPN Colleagues (Oct. 7, 2003)

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[backhoe]

katt, here's the way I see it-- FYI, and FWIW.

Rush knows whether there is any truth to these allegations, or not. I would prefer he come out and and deny them, or confirm them.

But I do understand the problem of legal constraints-- whether a person is utterly innocent, or red-handed guilty, about the worst thing he can do is speak without legal counsel. Or run off at the mouth.

To me, the whole sordid tale reeks of Clinton-- but we will just have to be patient and see what shakes out.

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[dyed_in_the_wool]

Hmmm. Clintonesque, eh?
So that would mean we'd know the truth and Rush would still be lying then, right?
Oh wait, we don't know the truth and Rush isn't speaking.
Big difference.

[kattracks]

I have to admit from what we've read that it doesn't look good, but Rush doesn't strike me as being a stupid man, and he would have had to have been really stupid to associate with the people making the claims against him, and dealing with them, as has been written.

Eventually, he will have to talk about it openly.

Until then everything else is pure speculation.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

The fact that is was in the National Enquirer indicates it is untrue. Do they ever tell the truth? I mean is the gist of their articles generally true or are the articles just a few isolated specks of truth with a whole lot of sensational accusations wrapped around them?

Secondly, the people who control the NE are friends of Bill. This is the run up to an election year. The Dems are in trouble and they are getting more desperate and shrill.

You make the call.

[backhoe]

Secondly, the people who control the NE are friends of Bill.

Dadblameit! I had forgotten all about that- thanks for the reminder!

[fishbabe]

yeah, they have hit the truth once or twice...and the fact that rush has to wait means he did take some kind of illegal drug or asked for his housekeepers assistance..if he had not taken anything or ever used her services he would have come out swinging and its been five days ....

[Right_in_Virginia]

May I take a moment and remind folks that Clinton was called upon to answer a charge that he lied to a federal judge --under oath-- during a deposition.

Rush is being asked to explain a story from "The National Inquiry".

We've been hearing since the 2002 elections that the libs want to neuter Rush--in their eyes it's the last best chance for a dimm victory in 2004. They're so desperate to do this, Gore's even trying to buy his own cable station.

From all the threads on FR, it's obvious there's a real stink coming from the "facts" of this story.

I want to know if a two-bit drug runner implicated Rush to buy immunity from prosecution. And, that's going to take time to flush out---and anything Rush says about it could clutter the path to finding the answer.

There may well be no "there there". Let's be careful not to create one with this "Clintonesque" bs.

[tm22721]

I am waiting to find out just exactly what I am facing legally, and until I know that, I am not going to say anything," Limbaugh said.

In other words wait until the heat dies down...

But why would he, of all people, believe that the libs will do anything but turn up the heat ?

BUMP

[kingu]

The liberal website demo******underground.com called Limbaugh a "vulgar pigboy" who may turn out to be a "terrorist-supporting, hillbilly-heroin addict."

Ghads, how balanced of CNN to chose this particular website to quote.

[kattracks]

...if he had not taken anything or ever used her services he would have come out swinging and its been five days ....

Not necessarily. No one knows whether Rush is considering a law suit of his own.

There could be any number of reasons why he's been told not to speak about this now.

[kingu]

From all the threads on FR, it's obvious there's a real stink coming from the "facts" of this story.

The real facts are that unless he was caught with drugs, or if there was a direct buy from a confidential informant or the like, they have no case whatsoever. And since there isn't a case, all the libs have is something to bash Rush over.

I don't listen to his programs anymore - haven't for a few years. He became a little too bombastic for my tastes. Drug user or not, this is a nowhere story that is being fed by liberal media, and conservatives seem to be lapping it up.

[tbpiper]

whether a person is utterly innocent, or red-handed guilty, about the worst thing he can do is speak without legal counsel

Excellent point. Consider also the county in which this is happening. It gave us the 2000 'butterfly ballot' and has a DA who is still a member of the New York bar.

[tkathy]

It would be very appropriate for the word "Clintonesque" to be added to the dictionary, thus immortalizing our former president for future generations.

[Bluntpoint]

Yeah! I never heard an innocent man proclaim his innocense after retaining a lawyer. Never happens. Innocent people always clam up and wait to see just how far the charges and/or the evidence may go.

[Bluntpoint]

WWRS (What Would Rush Say) if this was a democrat who got all lawyered up and started talking in obtuse terms about allegations of wrong doing.

Rush: "Come on people!!! Can't this guy just say I'm innocent or not. It is just that simple. We don't need details. Just a simple yes or no. This is what is wrong with America today. No moral clarity.

[Skip Ripley]

If I had to guess, I'd say his housekeeper was a target of the investigation for a distribution charge and is trying to set Rush up to take the fall.

Is he a user? Maybe....

If someone was trying to set me up as a patsy, I wouldn't be talking until I knew what I was up agaisnt either.

[Bluntpoint]

Declaring he is innocent of the allegations would come back and bite him how?

I practiced law for 15 years, I have sinced moved on to more sedate occupation (Farming and raising horses), I never had a perp hurt his case by declaring his innocense other than later being completely embarrassed by the mountain of evidence against them.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

You sound like one who cries "we must assume he is innocent until he is proven guilty in a court of law" when it applies to a liberal.

All lawyers tell their clients to shut up and let them do the talking. I don't believe a word of these accusations. Rush is too smart to fall into a stupid trap. Were he guilty, he is also smart enough to come clean and do a "Mea culpa". His fans are loyal and that would save his job and his fortune despite the liberal conniptions.

I expect this to backfire on those behind it. Is anyone behind it? Why would an ex-housekeeper get civic minded after all this time, and in an election year when the Dems are self-destructing? Of course this is a setup. Just the accusation does some damage. However, this time they picked the wrong target.