Mike Walker on the Al Rantel Show: "If We're Wrong, Rush Could Own Us"

790am KABC Radio

[Cinnamon Girl]

Mike Walker of the National Enquirer has been on the Al Rantel show for the past two hours discussing the story which his paper broke about Rush Limbaugh's dependence on prescription drugs, obtained illegally through his housekeeper. As Mike said, if this story was erroneous, Rush could sue them out of business. The National Enquirer did all kinds of checking before going with this story. He said they only paid for the story from the housekeeper after she had already gone to the police with her story and evidence.

But the most upsetting thing Mike Walker and Al discussed is the possibility that oxicontin (?) causes deafness and that Rush may have caused his own deafness by taking up to 30 or so pills a day. That is a horrible thought.

My wish is that Rush gets on the radio, comes clean about his addiction, and gets the help he needs. The longer he waits to do this, the worse it will be for him, in all sorts of ways. The police are apparently more interested in busting dealers than users in this sort of situation, but the housekeeper and her husband received immunity with their statements to the police. The claim is that Rush also was receiving UPS deliveries of pills from another source. Whatever the case, he should come clean.

[GeronL]

No, he already has the newsletter as a monthly. If he makes it local it could be a small daily competing with the Miami Herald or something.

I don't think Supermarkets are going to put a political newsletter on their registers.

The Florida Free Republic has a nice ring to it.

[_Jim]

GIVE me something of substance in the way of evidence - or nothing at all ...

[arasina]

You heard he didn't sound too good? I actually listened to him today and he was fine, fine, fine! My advice is not to take someone else's opinion and then spread it around as fact.

[Damagro]

LOL that was the sanest comment I've seen on this thread

[weegee]

I think Elvis should own them first for their reporting that he was recently seen with JFK.

Well Elvis and JFK had that movie they made together:

(the CIA turned JFK into a black man)

[longtermmemmory]

I believe in FL you can tape face to face conversations. They did it to Jeb Bush at an invitation only meeting to discuss how they were going to deal with two absurd constitutional amendments that passed. (bullet train and mandatory class sizes)

[EternalVigilance]

LOL..

[weegee]

Under existing Florida statutes any audiotapes the woman made are 100% illegal and a criminal felony.

Tape possession, listening, duplication, transferring by even a Florida state prosecutor is 100% illegal and is tainted and unusable in any court hearing or trial and subjects the Prosecutor to criminal and civil actions.

Not to question your accounting of the law but those DemoRat operatives who "happened" to tape a conference call between Newt Gingrich and his lawyers got off with a $500 fine. Laws are for other people.

[BillF]

As Mike said, if this story was erroneous, Rush could sue them out of business.

The implication in above quote is that "therefore, the story is true." WRONG. Suing for defamation is not that easy, especially for a public figure like Rush.

Numerous movie and TV stars have sued tabloids. Even when they won, they lost.

The discovery process that takes place before trial allows the tabloid to take sworn testimony from the person suing, relatives, friends, and persons who do business with the plaintiff. The tabloids often use the discovery process to get more info about the plaintiff for selling further rags.

Suppose a movie star is defamed by a false story that he had plastic surgery. He wants to sue, but the tabloid might discover in litigation that the movie star's wife had a miscarriage and a resulting nervous breakdown and marriage counseling.

Does the movie star risk his wife having another breakdown through the stress of testifying and having both their medical histories possibly coming out in public?

The story may be true. Or only some distortions are mixed with some truths in the tabloid Rush story (e.g., the maid was sent to pick up a valid prescription and deviated from her instructions by buying the drugs more cheaply on the black market, pocketing the difference in price, and setting up the deals so that it looked like Rush was authorizing her illegal activity).

It is also possible that the whole story is false, but Rush is reluctant to sue. Suing is often emotionally draining. Importantly, the process might reveal some private or family matter which does not involve misconduct (such as the miscarriage example above).

Rush has been a target of the left for years. The maid had clear motive to set him up (she got paid, but the tabloid won't say how much).

Don't Rush to judgment about Rush.

[Cinnamon Girl]

I respect your work with addicts, but Nachum, how can you say that they can't function? What about "functional alcoholics?" I've known one my whole life. You wouldn't know he was an alcoholic if you worked in his office with him. You'd only know "after hours." He has a genius I.Q. Yes, he was a chain-smoker also. I don't find it unbelievable, for this reason, that Rush was or is addicted to medication. And seriously, it doesn't make me think he must therefore be wrong about everything else.

[arasina]

The man behind the curtain is not saying anything on the advice of his attorney. What would YOU do if you were in his exact situation? Look at what the media did with his NFL statement. What do you think they'll do if he speaks out about these allegations? Think they'd report the truth or make more insinuations and jokes like Katie Colonic and John Ketchup Boy Kerry?

Here's a shovel. You can toss the first scoop of dirt on his grave. Feel better?

[weegee]

It's actually an interesting film despite the presence of Ozzie Davis (his appearance is salvaged by what it does to his credibility).

[Vigilantcitizen]

The thing that stinks the most about the whole affair is, people with the kind of money and stature that Rush has have no problem obtaining legal scripts. Either from a regular doctor, or a sports doctor, like a football team doctor who passes out pain medicine to players like candy, and doesn't face DEA scrutiny like regular doctors.

[PRND21]

I heard the show and came to the conclusion that Rush is guilty.

[Richard Kimball]

I think you're confusing the Enquirer with the Weekly World News. The Enquirer used to do those kinds of freak stories, maybe 30 years ago, but they've gone semi-legit, in a low-brow fashion. They'll pay people for stories, which means they get trumped up stories, but they've also broken a few big ones, such as the John Belushi death (named the woman who injected him with the speedball & she ended up going to jail), and a couple of others. The Weekly World News, on the other hand, carries stories like this month's "George Bush's secret plan to invade the moon", and "500 pound Super Model looking for love".

The Enquirer may over-hype a story, but they're not morons or jokes. OTOH, all the news sources are running with this story, nearly peeing on themselves hoping it's true. If I read one more d*mned planted article that says, "I've been a Rush fan since the beginning, back when Carter was in office, and I just wish he'd come clean or he's finished" I'm going to puke. There currently isn't anything except an Enquirer story based on stories told by a couple of ex-cons who were paid. Everything else is "legit" reporters going to DA's and saying, "If a guy was buying pills, would he be sent to jail?", and then writing a story titled "Limbaugh might do time, DA says."

[fishbabe]

you are right!!!!!!!!!!if he had done nothing he wouldn't have to keep the counsel of his lawyers....he justs says i don't do illegal drugs,i don't buy illegal drugs,and i don't give money to drug dealers.....he did something,we just don't know how bad it is....

[Damagro]

I've listened to Rush Limbaugh on and off and other than when his hearing was going he's never sounded high

---

He didn't sound high when his hearing was gone. He sounded like anyone does when they can't hear their own voice. He sounded like a different person. A hearing problem of that magnitude makes one sound as if there is a speech impediment

[Let's Roll]

Rush's hearing doctors said at the time that his hearing loss was not caused by an allergy, or reaction to drugs etc. They said it was genetic. Have seen a post on FR that noted a family photo or photos that showed Rush's father and grandfather wearing hearing aids.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yeah, I saw it in a supermarket line, so it could've been any one of a variety of rags ......like The Star. I've never heard of the one you menioned, WWN.

[Fred Mertz]

What bothers me most is that Rushbo allegedly paid hush money. And he relied/trusted lawyers to do his bidding. Very Clintonesque....