Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rush Limbaugh's Ultimate Betrayal of His Audience
The Atlantic ^ | CONOR FRIEDERSDORF

Posted on 08/30/2016 7:17:55 AM PDT by ToxicMich

For almost a decade, I’ve been angrily documenting the way that many right-wing talk-radio hosts betray the rank-and-file conservatives who trust them for information. My late grandmother was one of those people. She deserved better than she got. With huge platforms and massive audiences, successful hosts ought to take more care than the average person to be truthful and avoid misinforming listeners. Yet they are egregiously careless on some days and willfully misleading on others.

And that matters, as we’ll come to see.

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dsj02; rush; rusharticle; rushlimbaugh; rushlive; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-134 last
To: Edward.Fish

Oh wow .. so you hate Rush and you hate Cruz .. Wellllll bully for you.

Get lost.


121 posted on 08/30/2016 2:11:56 PM PDT by CyberAnt ("Peace Through Strength")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]

To: ToxicMich
The full cost of doing so became evident this year, when a faction of populists shaped by years of talk radio, Fox News, and Breitbart.com picked Donald Trump to lead the Republican Party ...

I don't recall any of them being in the lead on this. For better or for worse, Trump was a grassroots phenomenon, not something coordinated or manipulated or imposed from above.

It would be absurd for a listener to come away from the segment with any conclusion other than that Limbaugh believed Trump was taking an earnest, substantive position on deporting illegal immigrants; that other Republicans should follow suit; that Trump wouldn’t reverse himself; and that it is, in fact, an insult to Trump voters to even suggest they are being misled by the billionaire’s candidacy.

Whoever thought that? Wasn't it pretty clear that Trump was talking symbolically or in broad-brush terms and that he'd eventually specify and modify (and moderate) his view?

What Rush adds to that is a populist takedown of political elites -- a "they think you're stupid, but they're the one's who don't have a clue" approach. That's something he's been doing for so long that he can't stop it.

But I don't regard Rush as being deceptive, because I think it was pretty clear that DJT was going to "pivot" on some of his issues sooner or later.

122 posted on 08/30/2016 2:22:44 PM PDT by x
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CyberAnt
> Oh wow .. so you hate Rush and you hate Cruz .. Wellllll bully for you.
> Get lost.

I don’t hate Rush, per se, I just don’t trust or respect him.

As to Cruz, he was born in Canada to AT MOST one US Citizen, his mother. — Many people in my family (7 from my grandfather’s to my own generation, just off the top of my head) have sworn to protect and defend the Constitution, and I for one refuse to let that oath mean nothing by rationalizing away the harm that Cruz has done because “he’s on our side”.

BTW — Here's proof positive of Cruz's involvement with literal, hanged by the neck until dead, as-defined-by-the-Constitution Treason.

123 posted on 08/30/2016 2:30:00 PM PDT by Edward.Fish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 121 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Douglas

His TV show was great..I used to record it, but it was constantly preempted by vacuum cleaner commercials and other garbage. I finally gave up and it was soon cancelled.

My favorite program for political humor now is the Greg Gutfeld show. Very well done and a lot of laughs.


124 posted on 08/30/2016 2:42:32 PM PDT by Cuttnhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: ToxicMich

Rush has been a GOP-E stooge for a decade.


125 posted on 08/30/2016 2:43:50 PM PDT by nesnah (Liberals - the petulant children of politics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nesnah

actually, Rush is GOPc


126 posted on 08/30/2016 2:47:57 PM PDT by Thibodeaux (Exile Barack, Exile the Wookie, Exile Malia, Exile Shasha)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 125 | View Replies]

To: Always A Marine
Has anybody actually read this article before commenting on it?

Since when has that been a requirement for yapping on FReep? So many of our self-anointed FReep geniuses really don't know what the heck they are talking about, but happily jabber on. Rush Limbaugh has contributed more to the conservative movement than all his detractors ever will.

127 posted on 08/30/2016 2:49:30 PM PDT by Cuttnhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer
He just isn’t on my radar of needs now.

Not defending Rush, but what the heck is a "radar of needs"???

Sheeesh.

128 posted on 08/30/2016 4:00:38 PM PDT by Theophilus (If slow learners were relevant, we wouldn't get zotted.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Theophilus

I tend to look at political things, people, and sources as my “radar.” What that meant was that Rush isn’t on my reference list anymore - because I don’t value his input as useful anymore. Sorry if that was stupid.


129 posted on 08/31/2016 1:57:15 AM PDT by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 128 | View Replies]

To: Gaffer
The day Rush broke my heart.
130 posted on 08/31/2016 7:14:25 PM PDT by Theophilus (If slow learners were relevant, we wouldn't get zotted.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 129 | View Replies]

To: Always A Marine
...“Rush Limbaugh, no matter his protestations otherwise, is one of the main reasons Donald Trump is the nominee for the GOP today,” Caleb Howe writes....

Frankly, any writer that includes tripe like this doesn't know that the hell he/she is talking about? Read the article? YES, I DID!

Rush tolerated Trumpism because he was hedging his bets. For all that Rush has been, thought of, respected and whatever else, he is still a clever elite (conservative or not) who has profited immensely off the Clinton and Obama debacles - BIG TIME.

From my perspective, he's completely blown the sentiment and support that surrounds Trump and he really doesn't understand it in the layman's vision. The reason is because he hasn't been a "layman" for over 30 years, IMO.

He's a multimillionaire with a good schtick, a G5/G6 living in a protected Florida compound with his latest of many wives smoking $100 cigars and jetting off to wherever for dinner and golf.

He doesn't have any connection with Americans out here in drive by land - not any more.

131 posted on 09/01/2016 9:12:21 AM PDT by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: ToxicMich

The all knowing all seeing ..must have poked himself in the eye?

Get behind Trump 100% or you support Hillary!


132 posted on 09/01/2016 9:15:35 AM PDT by Leep (Cut the crap!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

this whole article belongs in the fake news....meant to stir up and belittle and increase self doubt...


133 posted on 09/01/2016 9:19:22 AM PDT by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: cherry
I listened to Rush for 11 years and enjoyed it. He did inform about things you would never see on the nightly news. Once Trump threw his hat in Rush became quite jealous and evil and vindictive. His Freeper thread only has 15 replies each day during the good ole days the thread had up to 100 per day.
134 posted on 09/01/2016 9:21:41 AM PDT by angcat (TRUMP!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 133 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-134 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson